TGIF

This week's highlights:

• We finally got a sofa!! We lived without one for almost a year, and I'd been agonizing over which one to get ever since we got rid of our previous sofa. Finally decided on Kivik from IKEA. The Dude and I are pretty happy with it. It's so nice to just plop on it to read and relax. 

• Saw a movie at the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival. It was my first time ever attending. We saw a documentary called Iraq 'n' Roll, which was about an Israeli musician who reconnects with the music of his grandfather who had a successful music career in Iraq. 

• Went to Lucky's Doughnuts for the first time (photo above). Being the doughnut connoisseur that I am, I had to try it. I got a glazed doughnut, which is my favourite. It was okay. My friend got the Apple Bacon Fritter, which I tried a bite of, and it was decadently good even though I'm not a bacon fan. 

Happy weekend!

TGIF

It's been insanely busy for me lately as I am juggling three big projects. That's why I didn't blog last Friday. It's been all work with little time for play.

A few highlights since the last time I blogged:

• My hammam towels arrived from Turkey at last! They look great (see photo above). Because they are made of thin cotton fabric, they dry very fast and take less water to wash. However, I do miss using fluffy towels.

• The US elections were this past Tuesday. This is the third presidential election in which I was in Canada as an American expat. It's interesting to observe the elections from another country. 

• After years of sporting the same hair style, I finally changed it. It's now super short. 

Happy weekend!

2ND EDITION OF MY WEEKLY SURVEY

NYC Story Matchbook by Tobias Wong

It has been a rather quiet week since my last blog post. Just busy with the usual. Because I'm taking a class on Sundays it really hampers my ability to do fun or interesting activities during the weekend. But these are a few highlights:

• Started going to a yoga studio again. I'd been doing yoga videos at home, and doing it with other people in a studio is just different. I get into it more. And I like the variety.

• Had some friends over and got to play my favourite party game ever: Things. I love this game because it makes me laugh so much. 

• Saw the Tobias Wong exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver for the second time. It's a fantastic retrospective on his career. Wong was notorious for blurring the line between art and design. His work is irreverent and humorous, but also provocative. If you live in or near Vancouver, do not fail to check out this show! 

Happy weekend!

BLOG REVIVAL

Source: themarionhousebook.com

I've been a very delinquent blogger, which makes me sad because I really enjoy blogging. Simply, there's a lot on my plate these days, and I'm struggling to fulfill all my responsibilities and obligations. But I want to make an honest effort to blog more regularly in spite of my hectic schedule.

Life is moving really fast I realize and the days are a blur. Hence, I want to take a moment each week to pause and reflect on the highlights of the past week so that life doesn't just pass me by into oblivion. Every Friday I will attempt to blog about interesting tidbits from my week as a kind of diary so that I can come back to this in the future to remember what was going in my life. I don't have a pithy title for this weekly blog post yet, but whatevers. Let's just begin!

• For the Dude's birthday we went to Suika for dinner. It's a Japanese tapas restaurant and it did not disappoint. Will definitely go again, especially since it's walking distance from our place!

• I have fallen for the hammam towel trend (see photo above). After humming and hawing for months, I finally ordered a couple towels from Turkey. Cannot wait to get them!

• Discovered the awesomeness that is Moqups. Great tool for web developers and designers who want to create a quick website mockup for their clients.

Happy weekend!

VISITING THE ZIMMERMAN HOUSE

It's hard to believe that just last week I was in New England! The Dude and I made a quick visit to his family that lives near Boston. While we were there, my in-laws took us to view the Zimmerman House in New Hampshire. This house was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1950's. It now belongs to the Currier Museum which conducts public tours of the house.

It was such a treat to be able to see a house by the great Frank Lloyd Wright. I was in design heaven. Unfortunately, I was only able to take photos of the exterior as photography inside the house was not allowed. I don't think pictures would do it justice anyway. This is a house that should be experienced.

The shot above is the back of the house. A pair of french doors was being repaired, hence the plywood. The house has only one floor, which I love. My ideal house would only have one floor as I abhor stairs. The Zimmerman House is pretty small (it only has two bedrooms), but because of its smart design it seems pretty spacious. Another thing I love about the house is that it sits on a diagonal relative to the lot so it doesn't face the street directly.

Every aspect of the house was intentionally and thoughtfully designed, and I was truly blown away by the beauty of it all. After seeing the house I now understand why Frank Lloyd Wright is so highly regarded. The man was a genius.

You can view photos of the interior here.

NEW! MORE LOWERCASE LETTERS

I've added new lowercase letters to the LAX TO YVR shop.

They're fun to make. I often find lowercase alphabet letters typographically more interesting than their uppercase counterparts. As all the others, these monograms are painted by hand on salvaged burlap rice bags. The edges have been reinforced with thread to prevent fraying.

I'll be off to Boston this Friday to visit the in-laws. The shop will remain open but orders will ship out next Thursday, October 4, when I'll be back in Vancouver.

Happy autumn to those in the northern hemisphere! And to the lucky ones in the southern half of the earth, happy spring!

NEW LAX TO YVR WEBSITE!

LAX TO YVR has its own website! Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Earlier this summer I took a web design class where I learned how to build websites from scratch. The first official website I built was for my business. Creating websites is fun. It's like decorating! I hope to transition into a career in web design gradually. But in order to make that happen I still have a lot more to learn.

In other news, I went in for another round of laser eye surgery last month. Hence, the long silence in my blog. I'm still recovering so I'm not on the computer as much.

And in other other news, I got a new part-time job! A while ago I realized I didn't really enjoy working at home all by my lonesome all day. It was making me quite unhappy, so I started looking for a job that would give me much needed social stimulation. After months of job hunting, I finally landed a half-time position working at a small Jewish private high school for girls as the school secretary. I'm gradually adjusting to my new job and new schedule. It's nice to have have co-workers again and to interact with the students. And because it's part-time, it allows me to continue running my Etsy shop.

Coming down the pipe on the blog: photos of decor projects I've worked on for our apartment and new products for the LAX TO YVR shop. Stay tuned!

THE BLACK WALL 2.0

Two posts in one week! I'm on a roll.

Managed to get some painting done last week as you may have known if you follow me on Twitter. Surprise, surprise: I painted a black accent wall in the dining nook. I used the same paint that was left over from the first black wall paint job. Totally love it. I'm not sure if I'm capable of painting a wall any other colour now. I've been ruined. As the saying goes, "Once you go black, you never go back."

Black is such a rich, warm colour. It is not gloomy at all as you can see in the photograph above. The only downside is that black tends to recede into background so you forget it's there. I really have to look to be aware that the black wall is there. Who knew black would be such an unassuming, subtle colour like that? But that's what I love it about it - it's not a colour that looms over you, adamantly declaring, "I'm here! Look at me!"

A nice outcome of painting the wall black is that the white pendant lamp really pops out. However, I'm having doubts about the sunburst mirror. I feel like it's competing with the lamp. Too much going on there. But I really don't know where else to put the sunburst mirror.

Really, really, really wish I didn't have to put the toaster oven and microwave on top of the sideboard but alas there's not enough counter space in the kitchen.

I think this is the only paint job that I'll do in this apartment. Famous last words?

ROAD TRIP TO CALGARY

August has been a busy, busy month and I'm waaaay behind on my posts. Before I fall any more behind, here it goes...

At the beginning of the month, the Dude and I drove to Calgary to visit his relatives out there. The drive there and back was very scenic but it was a looooooooong drive. My bum was definitely feeling sore post-trip.

View of downtown Calgary from Prince's Island, a lovely park in the middle of the Bow River. This was my first time visiting Calgary. I wish we had more time to explore the city as we were there for only two days. Because we were there during the long weekend, it seemed very quiet and vacant. Maybe all the Calgarians did the smart thing and fled to BC to escape the crazy heat wave that was oppressing the city.

Donuts! We enjoyed awesome gourmet donuts at Jelly Modern Doughnuts in Calgary. They were so good that we actually went there twice. Plus, we needed an air-conditioned place to take shelter from the brutal heat, and what better place to chill than in a donut shop! I had the lemon curd and the Madagascar vanilla ones - both scrumptious. My lips are smacking just thinking about them.

We took two days to travel back to Vancouver in order to gawk at waterfalls, lakes, and mountains as we drove through the Rockies. My favourite was driving through Yoho Valley Road - seriously one of the most scenic drives I've ever done. The road took us to Takakkaw Falls, which was spectacularly wet.

Near Field, BC where we did a pit stop. You may read into the clouds what you'd like.

We hiked around Emerald Lake, one of those gorgeous turquoise-coloured lakes that abound in this part of the world. That big patch of white in the mountains is a glacier, which casually exist here and there in Western Canada. 

Pretty wildflowers growing in an avalanche field adjacent to Emerald Lake. They get obliterated by an annual avalanche. You'd think the flowers would be fed up by now and go grow somewhere else. 

Rogers Pass. More mountains, more glaciers, and more of those ubiquitous trees. All very breathtakingly beautiful. 

I highly recommend driving through the Canadian Rockies if you ever get the chance. Your eyes will thank you for it. 

JOFFRE LAKES

For years I've been wanting to hike Joffre Lakes and finally this past weekend we got to go.  The three lakes were absolutely stunning and ethereal. It's the hardest hike I've ever done but it was totally worth the pain, sweat, and mosquito bites.

Joffre Lakes is about a three-hour drive from Vancouver. Hiking up to to the upper lake and back takes about five hours to do round-trip. The hardest part was going from the first lake to the second lake. I felt like giving up and turning back, but we stuck to it and were well rewarded by the view of pristine turquoise-coloured Middle Joffre Lake. The colour of the lakes was really unbelievable. We took a lunch break at the edge of the lake soaking in the spectacular views.

It didn't take long to get to the final lake from Middle Joffre Lake. Upper Joffre Lake is quite impressive because of Matier Glacier towering over it. You could see the melting glacier feeding the lake. Out of the three lakes it looked the most stark probably due to its high elevation.

Lower Joffre Lake

Lower Joffre Lake

Hiking from Lower to Middle Joffre Lake

Middle Joffre Lake

Joffre Creek

Upper Joffre Lake

Matier Glacier

CHAIR OBSESSION

I know there are a lot of people out there who share my obsession with chairs. I don't know why, but I love, love, love chairs. Maybe it's because they seem like sculpture. A well-designed chair is truly a work of art. If I could, I would have a room devoted to my chair collection.

I particularly like midcentury modern chairs. Who doesn't really? I will probably never own the authentic designer version of the chairs pictured above but they will continue to haunt my daydreams as long as I live. Although I'm perfectly aware that these chairs have become a cliché in interior design these days, it doesn't stop me from admiring and coveting them.

Here are some photos from my Pinterest boards of these beautiful chairs in action.

Source: designspongeonline.com 

Source: style-files.com

Source: housetohome.co.uk

You can find more information on the Eames molded plastic chair, the wishbone chair, and the Series 7 chair on the DWR website.

WHITE FLOORS: LOVE OR HATE?

The Dude and I like to have pseudo-arguments about white floors. I love them. He hates them. He thinks they're an abomination. He argues that it looks too cold, sterile, and stark. I can see his point. But I've seen interiors with white floors that look cozy and inviting. It's all about layering and using different textures to add warmth to a space. I love how white floors make a room look more spacious and freshly clean. We'll probably never have white floors but nothing can stop me from daydreaming about them.

Source: kelseykruer.tumblr.com

Source: frenchbydesign.blogspot.com

Source: decor8blog.com

Source: kitkadesigntoronto.com

Source: luellaloves.tumblr.com

Source: velvetpalette.wordpress.com

In personal news, we are about to move again. We just moved five months ago, and I can't believe we have to do it again. But our current place continues to give me headaches, and it became clear that we have to move out of here. I tried all sorts of treatments and medication but the headaches persist whenever I'm in the apartment. So in a couple weeks we'll be in our new digs.

SHOP UPDATE: FIRST ANNIVERSARY SALE!

It's been a year since I opened the LAX TO YVR shop! To celebrate I'm offering 20% off everything (excluding shipping) until Sunday, June 17. Use coupon code FIRST at checkout.

It's amazing how fast a year goes. I remember in the first month I launched the shop, Canada Post went on strike! I had to go down to the U.S. in order to ship my orders. It goes without saying that it was a pretty stressful way to begin a new business!

In this upcoming year, I'm planning on introducing more new designs. And, of course, I'll continue using environmentally friendly supplies and methods in creating my products.

Above all, I'm grateful to all my customers for supporting my creative business. It wouldn't be possible without you!

PARENTAL INFLUENCE ON MY TASTE IN MUSIC

NPR is currently doing a series asking people how their parents influenced their taste in music. So I thought I'd take a trip down memory lane and highlight some of the music I grew up listening to because of my parents.

My dad introduced me to Frank Sinatra in the mid-1990's when he got Sinatra's Duets album. I probably would have discovered the greatness of Ol' Blue Eyes on my own later when I got into swing dancing. My favourite tune that Frank Sinatra sang is "I Thought About You," and my dad and I danced to it at my wedding. Listening to Frank Sinatra was probably the gateway into my discovery of jazz.



My mom introduced me to some pop icons of her youth, namely Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters, and ABBA. Although I was introduced to them when I was in high school, I didn't really come to appreciate them until I was in my 20's. One of my all time favourite songs to sing at karaoke is "Superstar" by The Carpenters. I probably came to love cheesy music because of all the ABBA and Carpenters songs I listened to.



So how about you? How have your parents shaped your taste in music, for better or worse?

SHOP UPDATE: NEW ITEM AND A GIVEAWAY

This new item is now available in the LAX TO YVR shop. I came up with the design a while ago but it always takes a while to get new products off the ground I find.

There's a chance for you to win my latest creation in a giveaway that's going on right now on the La Chapstick Fanatique blog. Hurry to enter because it ends this Wednesday! The contest is open worldwide.

INSPIRATION: BLACK AND WHITE INTERIORS

The other day I was at the bookstore browsing the home decor section. I picked up a book called Black and White (and a Bit in Between): Timeless Interiors, Dramatic Accents, and Stylish Collections by Celerie Kemble. I was a bit skeptical about the premise of the book but curiosity got the better of me. Wow, was I blown away by the amazing interiors I saw. I was expecting to see stark black and white interiors but I was totally wrong. There was a vast variety of black and white spaces with a surprising amount of colours mixed in.

As I browsed the photos, I noticed that successful black and white rooms have a lot of different textures in them that adds visual interest. Also, I noticed layers of white and black. The spaces I liked best were the ones with wood accents or pops of colour.

I also found myself actually reading the text. I have to admit that when I look at interior design books I only look at the pictures and rarely read the copy. Celerie Kemble offers good advice on how to pull off the look so that you don't end up with a space that looks too stark and sterile.

I scoured Pinterest to look for examples of black and white interiors that I like. Here's a sample of what I found.

Source: whereisthecool.com via Alice on Pinterest

Source: kitka.ca via Alice on Pinterest

Source: the-brick-house.com via Alice on Pinterest

Source: browndresswithwhitedots.tumblr.com via Alice on Pinterest

Source: things.konradolsson.se via Alice on Pinterest

Source: themarionhousebook.com via Alice on Pinterest

Source: themarionhousebook.com via Alice on Pinterest

NEW IN THE SHOP: WHALES

Growing up summer and the beach were synonymous to me. So with summer coming, I can't help but think about the ocean. This inspired me to to design a new item for the LAX TO YVR shop featuring whales. Whales are such fascinating creatures. Everybody seems to be awed by them. I can't help but see them as gentle, benevolent monarchs of the oceanic kingdom. Am I the only one who thinks of whales in this way?

I think this piece would make a great addition to a nautical themed kid's room or to a beach house. It is available now in the LAX TO YVR shop.

On another note, I'll be traveling to Los Angeles this Saturday and returning next Wednesday. The shop will remain open but orders received during that time will be shipped out on Thursday, May 17. I'm looking forward to spending time with my nephew, a fun-loving adorable toddler whom I barely get to see.