Book Club: It's Like Torture

Yet another thing I'm going to miss about Stately Grand Street Manor is the unlimited library of nonsense at my fingertips, like this tome on the rack and human frying pans (no lie!)

Learning about mankind's inventive ways to inflict pain on one another to obtain secrets and false confessions is quite informative and entertaining and inspiring. I'm inspired to craft just as diverse and intriguing library of my own in Park Slope.

Comme des Garcons Hearts Coca-Cola

(Photo courtesy of The Rambling)

This remains a pipe dream collaboration as far as I can attain from my brief research, but what a visual!

Emmy Rossum's Shameless Side Job

Turns out Emmy Rossum is GILTy of some shameless side gigs, blatantly shilling dead stock Marni cashmere sweaters for Gilt on the not so sly

The Art of NoLita

I'll miss it!

Don't I Look Cute Today: High End Rocky Horror

One of the beauties of working in fashion is trying on crazy ish you'd never wear, like these wedge jointed platform knee high boots from Celine

Since they came in a 41, you know I had to try 'em and strut around the office a bit

Hooker, please!

In NoLita, Sometimes the Little Guys Win

Mott Street and Houston were in an uproar when the local bodega was closed to make room for another set of fancy housing or Mid-2000's style boutique selling Alice & Olivia flimsy dresses. Local residents were left to scrounge for food elsewhere (ok, Mott and Spring, but as a New Yorker I know the sting of an old reliable shutting its doors) 

Well looks like the construction has stopped and even though we all know it shall reignite and the bodega is gone for good, this feels like a small, heart warming victory for local preservation

Restoration Hardware Gets All Voltron on Me

My soon to be home in Park Slope features a space Mr Taurus is hesitant to call an "office", but we agreed will be a work space / guest room (that's the beauty of leaving lower Manhattan for Brooklyn: more space, less rent!!)



The room is not too too grand, so items that dwell there will need to pull double duty. That's why I am lusting after this handmade mid-century aircraft inspired aluminum and wood Blackhawk Secretary Trunk from Restoration Hardware

Goes from this easy to wheel around into tight corners Franken-chest...

To this! 

Perhaps a bit more Jetsons, this little find from the future features an all you could need (well, minus that chair) workspace with cotton lined inset drawers, shelves for pics of nephews celebrating their first birthday and a fold down desk for your laptop and synonym finder.

Now that's a Transformer I can Go Bot-tty for!

(Blackhawk aluminum and wood convertible secretary trunk, $3650 on sale at Restoration Hardware, http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1870777&categoryId=cat1830042)

Thanks for the Ad: Dolce and Gabbana Makeup Spring 2012

Man Mother Nature really did a 180 here, right? Just last week I packed up my sweaters and woolies as those confident early items to box and tape for the impending move. Now I ravaged the nearest with scissors and tires eyes this morning for something to fight the hard freeze out on the street. 

Meanwhile, British actress Felicity Jones isn't having this problem

She's in a land of pastels and butterflies. B***h. 

In NoLita, Even the Graffiti is Designer

Last Nite's Party: The Oracle of A-Delphi Street

Last nite my co-worker Mr J Fingers had a book party in Brooklyn (see kids, some people still put pen to paper!)

Fueled by the mighty fire of free cheese and overpriced IPA's, I started doing my best Diana Ross (as I am wont to do) sing along with the "Ain't no Mountain High Enough" blaring overhead


                  


Little did I know my impromptu karaoke would be the siren song for my new best friend, Kebra with a 'K', or as we coined her, "The Oracle of Adelphi Street"

She joined in for a few rousing rounds of singing at the top of our lungs taking the Marvin Gaye 'Mountain' spot followed by "To Be Real" and "Staying Alive". All the disco greats!

Exhausted, we took a break, which led to her unleashing her real skill: reading. No, not skimming of the book raison d'être , but rather judgement and scorn.

She informed me and my fellow in a relationship status that we need to get rings already and slapped the office hipster gal with a "dump yo man, come to the city".

While her voice was crystalline, her advice was fractured.

Farewell Old Friends

During this weekend's pack-down, former treasures got tossed and shoes that don't fit and that I've worn to the nubbins became rubbish

Oh we had so many sidewalk talks together, my favorite stompers. Til we meet in heaven where I can strut in you all day long and you never pinch my toes...

Madonna Moves in and I Move Out

This Sunday I move to Park Slope and leave behind the world of NoLita. I will grandly miss the area for its ability to be approximate to every other neighborhood, but also other little things like giant Madonna ads next to beat down Chinatown laundromat fronts.

Mondo Wins

And nobody is surprised

Well except Mondo, maybe.

The rest of us knew the whole premise of this show was pretty much to vindicate him for his robbed earlier win from season 8.

But Austin was equally robbed for season 1, but I guess time heals all wounds

Personally I liked Mondo's designs although I thought they were very similar to his previous output

Austin's I thought branched out more although I agreed with the judges that he needed to hone his focus better (Hasidic vampire hipsters???)


But if this is the results...

I'll bite! 

Other moments of note:

Angela Lindvall looked SEX! in her Stella McCartney

Georgina Chapman was channeling her inner Muppet lady of the manor

Tommy Hilfiger gave good insight on market and retail (despite my "Meh" on him, he knows how to sell ish!) 

Not enough Isaac! 

And Joanna Coles is possibly the nicest (at least on TV) editor of a fashion magazine I've ever experienced! 

And the consolation prize of a weekend in Paris may have been custom made by the producers since they knew they weren't giving it to Austin

(Oh and I checked, Mondo's designs aren't up on Neiman Marcus online as of this post on Friday at 11am.)

Fancy Butter

The Body Shop redesigns its body butter

Simultaneously makes me feel ashy and hungry! 

Tonite's an All Star Nite!

The scores are tied and our fave designer magic makers are in the race to be knighted all star of all stars. Will it be Mondo making up for past titles robbed? 

Or Austin, the original shoulda been, this time being? 

Nobody think it Michael, right? 

If I Had a House...

I'd fill it with useless items as this vintage 1970's drugstore outdoor advertisement

Yup, I'd slide this baby up on my slick and sleek white lacquer bar from the 1930's and invite all my coke whore friends over to watch how long before they're trying to pry it open!

PS: Love this store's name "Mantiques Modern". Very butch indeed!

(Metal and glass vintage 70's pill sculpture, price upon request (Uh oh), at Mantiques Modern, 

212-206-1494, http://mantiquesmodern.com/item_details.php?id=628361)

Doin' It: Coco Rocha for Harper's Bazaar Singapore

Cover

Just Tweeted editorial shot

As always, Ms Coco delivers sharp edges and wicked mouth and Harper's Bazaar Singapore even Tweeted Coco "is amazing! From the first frame to the last, she gave 1001 different poses and faces. Love, love, love!"

Time for New Shoes?

Cuz Barneys and Prada are clockin' you!

What the Google?

We haven't checked in with our favorite morphic guess who in awhile. 

And wouldn't you know the logo du jour is from none other than It Can't All Be Dior favorite Marimekko!  

Happy first day of Spring, kids. Bring out them colorful matchstick jeans! 

Justin Bieber Gets a Complex Beating

Mr G never misses a chance to beat the stuffin' out of a celebrity's ego. This shoot he did as former photo director of Complex Magazine throws teen dream, Justin Bieber into the ring and makes him a man

World: 1 

Biebs: 0

Perfect Weekend: St Patrick's Day Dinner Party

Over the weekend, Ms BJ had the Taurus and I over for a dinner party with Irish flare and vegetarian fare

Which was quite a feat for my friend who likes her meat! But the Guinness and wine infused cheese plate,
the roasted fingerling veggies and the onion tart were phenom!

And there were two kinds of Irish stews

(And even more cheese!)

For dessert: cupcakes made with Baileys and whiskey

We all got our Irish jig and drink on. And Mr Taurus even got into the spirit