Just Plane Crazy

It's snowing big cotton ball flakes here. Very pretty, very messy. I'm heading up to Boston tonight on my way to Vermont. We'll be spending a quiet weekend with friends, hopefully doing some skiing, hiking, and general playing around in the snow. We had planned to spend Thanksgiving up there, but W and I both ended up with colds, and didn't want to infect their little ones. I'm looking forward to getting out of the rainy city and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a few days.

While we aren't off on a big fancy getaway, (I'll be hauling my ski boots onto the Chinatwon bus) it's fun to look at all the crazy places out there. Like this airplane turned hotel in Costa Rica. I can't decide if staying here would be uber cool, or just creepy.  It's a bit Space Camp meets Lost. If you missed that 80s gem, please, put it on your list. That movie inspired generations of astronauts, as well as those, like me, who waited until Junior year of college to look up the pre-reqs for working at NASA. (and no, they don't hire art majors).

Wishing you all a relaxing and fun filled weekend, I'll be back in town Tuesday!

(via the lil bee)

Adorable...

A little cuteness on this sloppy, snowy, rainy, mushy afternoon.

When I was around 2 or 3 my mom brought home a party dress for me. It was a peachy pink, with tulle rosettes on it. I'm not a "girly girl" by any stretch, but I thought this dress was the Prettiest Most Amazing thing EVER created. It was perfection, and I couldn't believe it was for me. To Wear. Really. I was almost afraid to touch it. My reaction to it was so strong that my mom saved the dress, it's packed away somewhere in her attic. I think if I had seen handmade dress above at that age my eyes would have clear popped out of my head.

I love the expression on her face, here's wishing you all that kind of excitement and joy!

(via Coquette Maman)

Rings

All of my favorite pieces of jewelry have stories behind them, such as who gave it to me, or where I was when I bought it. They each hold little bits of memory. The 50s vintage charm on a chain my mother gave me with "Happy Sixteenth" engraved on the back.  The necklace I bargained for in dusty Morroco market. The ring I bought after a big fight with my boyfriend.

I love jewelry with history- how about creating that history? You can actually make your own wedding rings right here in lower Manhattan. As in, using fire, hammers, and a whole lot of elbow grease. I can see all that sanding and polishing being very frustrating- but in the end what could be more symbolic than literally putting your own sweat (and in my case, probably tears) into your partner's wedding ring? I think a handmade ring would be a perfect expression of your own unique imperfections, plus you'll have all the memories of the 8 plus hours you spent making them together! It'll be awhile before you find me swearing over a chunk of metal that is supposed to resemble a ring, but I'm filing this one away!  Check out the details of one couples journey here.

The Weekend

We finally got some sunshine this weekend, the light was beautiful. We got our '60s groove on for a Mad Men themed party (I still haven't seen the show!), took a ride through Central Park, lingered over brunch, and watched the New Years Parade in Chinatown. It'll be a short week here at Peanut Butter and Poetry as I'm heading up to Boston Thursday night en route to a long weekend in Vermont. I hope your week is off to a great start!

Happy Friday!

I hope you all have lovely weekend, and thanks for visiting Peanut Butter and Poetry this week! It's been a very long and stressful week for me, as my dad spent the better part of the week in the hospital. He's home now, and I'm ready to let my hair down, scream from the rooftops and enjoy the weekend!

(And if you need a quick Friday chuckle, check out "How Generics Work", via Cup of Jo... simply adorable!)

Photos from here and here, found via Audrey Hepburn Complex.

Stunning...

It's amazing what a little touch of crimson can do.
via the The Sartorialist of course...

What Inspires Me: Blog it Forward

Welcome newcomers to Peanut Butter and Poetry! Blog it Forward is a chain-letter type progression of blogs linking backwards and forwards to each other in a line. Many thanks to Victoria of Sfgirlbybay for pulling this all together! More details here, as well as a full list of the 300 blogs participating and their scheduled days here. Thanks to Paris Hotel Boutique for passing the torch!


So, on to a few things that inspire me...


1. New York City

 

The people next to me on the subway, the museums, the amazing restaurants. How does one choose between Opera in the park, strolling across the Brooklyn Bridge, or a drink on the Met rooftop? This city is alive at all hours with an energy that shifts and changes by neighborhood. Astoria, Park Slope, the Upper East Side, the Village- each one has it's own people, vibe, trends, and architecture. Each one is a mini city of it's own. 


Credits: The poster above is by Julia Rothman, soon to grace our subway cars, and available at the MTA store. Thanks to Oh Joy for the head's up!


2. Travel

All that city energy can be draining, and I often find inspiration in new places, new faces, and new vistas. I love history- seeing something hundreds, or even thousands, of years old takes my breathe away. Exploring the world, whether it's with a scuba tank or hiking boots, helps renew my sense of wonder in this crazy world. 


Travel can also be imagining yourself in new places, like this house on it's own cliff in Iceland. Or peeking into other peoples lives via the Sartorialist. I'm not a big fashion connoisseur, most days you'll find me in jeans with my hair pulled back with the same old clip. But when I see these photos I imagine a whole life for these people. Whether it's taken in Milan, or on Madison Ave, I feel transported. 


Credits: The largest known Olmec head in Santiago Tuxtla, Mexico; Camping in Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica; Trying out the Cu Chi Tunnels (enlarged for tourists!) in Vietnam;  From Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Iceland photo here, as part of Heartthrobs and Villains "Let's Run Away" series; Fashion from The Sartorialist - 2/8 (man) 11/23 (woman).


3. Contemporary Photographers

I'm constantly inspired by contemporary photographers. Anyone that makes me look at the world a little differently. I love dreamy, ethereal prints, scratchy film edges, and have a huge soft spot for black and white images. 


Credits: Ballerina by Logan White, via Feaverish Photography; Field by Keith Davis Young via Lost; Freckles by Vic at Lost; Water by From Me to You; Yasmine Bleeth by Piewacket, with the story behind it here;


I hope you've enjoyed our journey through a few of my inspirations!
I now Blog it Forward to Piewacket! (what a great name, right?)

Happy Valentines Weekend!

Wishing you all a lovely long weekend, filled with lots of X's and O's! We'll be celebrating W's birthday out on the town tomorrow night, then cooking at home Sunday and cracking open a bottle of wine I brought back from Paris. 

I'll leave you with this lovely quote, courtesy of Melanie from You are My Fave, who's super cute love story is up on Adventures in Love and Happiness:

"Love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction." 

-Antoine De Saint-Exupery

card by Happy Deliveries, available on Etsy (and yes, the card is pink...).

Vancouver 2010

I've been living under a pop culture rock since I canceled my cable right after the last olympics... I just realized this week that the Vancouver opening ceremonies are tomorrow. Above is the emblem for the games- Ilanaaq,  designed by Rivera Group. You can read about the history behind the emblem here. I like the graphic nature of the emblem- five pieces, five colors, five rings, and of course it ties to Canada's native people. It's simple and safe-not cutting edge or controversial in any way. Perhaps that's fitting, when have the Canadians really been known for stirring up trouble? By contrast, remember the passionate debate over the logo for London 2012?

I'm not a fan of the rest of the graphic identity (above). It's supposed to convey the "power, speed, and spirit of the athletes". Check out details here. There are also three mascots- Miga, a sea bear, Quatchi, a sasquatch with an adorably low voice and blue earmuffs, and Sumi, an animal spirit. You can meet them here.

What do you think? Are you planning to watch the opening ceremonies?

Blog it Forward

Today is the start of Blog it Forward! There will be a chain-letter like progression of various blogs posting about what inspires them, each linking backwards and forwards to the other bloggers in their line. The slightly confusing (and also slightly awesome) part? 10 lines at once- and over 300 blogs participating!

More details here, as well as a full list of blogs and their scheduled days here.

Today starts off with Creature Comforts, Oh Hello Friend, Design for Mankind, Paper Pony, Heart Fish, Poppytalk, Hula Seventy, Sfgirlbybay,  Ink on my Fingers, and Smile and Wave. Whew! Hopefully we'll all discover some great new blogs through this mashup. My post will be next Wednesday, 2/17. I'm looking forward to reading everyone's posts!

Creative Barcodes

Now this is something that would make my job easier- perhaps there are puzzle piece shaped barcodes in my future?

Custom designs available at Vanity Barcodes, spotted via the always fabulous Swiss Miss

Happy Birthday W!

print from Freya Art's Etsy shop.

Colorful Bowls

These Husque bowls that are made out of macadamia nut shells caught my eye at the New York Gift Show. They remind me of a slick version of the Loyal Loot log bowls which I adore.

Mathematical Madness

I'm intrigued by this funky wallpaper. Wouldn't it be great for a small office space? Does it mean I've been living in NYC too long when I associate "home office" with "tiny little nook in the corner"? I think sitting next this paper would make me feel productive. I guess the pigs are piggy banks and a reference to pork futures? That part confuses me a bit. But crazy clouds of  mathematical scribblings? I'm totally on board with that. Perhaps you could make your own with a little chalkboard paint and those old college math notes?

Wallpaper via Maquette

Paste

I stumbled across Paste at the NY Gift show- their framed collages are handmade with vintage papers. I love their chairs... they also do landmarks like the Chrysler Building and Big Ben which could be really cute lined up next to each other. There's something about reused text pages that I love, as if each piece might have a single, perfectly exquisite phrase buried within it. Perhaps having these on your wall will inspire you to read the printed word?

Life. Stress.

I'm feeling disconnected and stressed. About losing my apartment (any day now for the last year), work, money, ongoing health problems. When I get stressed I tend to curl inward and isolate myself, which is not always the most effective remedy.  I find being outside helps- sitting by the ocean (especially at night), floating in the middle of a lake in the sunshine. The last time I really slept well was over the summer when I was in a tent with no cell phone service and no internet access. Mid-way through the week I was waking naturally with the sun and feeling rested. The pace of life in NYC plus the frigid temperatures just aren't helping me de-stress. What do you do to brighten yourself up when life seems unclear and uncertain?

photo from HephzibahPhotography

Craving...

This lamp... in orange of course!

Uhmm, Yes Please?

via Minor Details

The Colors of Paris

Here are some images of the more fun and colorful side of Paris. I love the man on the escalator who seems to be covering his eyes from all the naked ladies... and isn't that door just the perfect shade of blue?