Oh hey Steve Madden, it’s been awhile. I’d like you to meet my black leggings and polka dot blouse.
Steve Madden ‘Dystinct’ ($129)
The Dystinct features a high wedge with platform and a cutout. I like that it can be dressed up or down, and that the platform will make them slightly easier to walk in. But lets be honest, a 5″ heel isn’t comfortable for anyone. I’d grin and bear it wearing these babies.
xx
-h
Yeah, Free Cabin Porn is a snazzy name for a website. Check it out, and let me know if it got past your office’s firewall. Taglined, Inspiration for your quiet place somewhere, this site has me dreaming of a cabin in Montana.
(via Tom Persinger)
I wouldn’t mind waking up to this view.
Happy cabin dreams!
xx
-h
Lil’ Wayne launched a clothing company in June called TRUKFIT. It’s a skateboard style line, featuring lifestyle clothing items. He recently came out with the “Tommy Burke” T-Shirt that has the TRUKFIT character Tommy wearing ski clothes and gold medals in honor of Sarah Burke. Sarah was and continues to be an inspiration for all female skiers. She was one of the nicest, most driven people I have ever met.
Read more via Freeskier and buy the shirt ($37) here. Proceeds from the shirt will benefit the Sarah Burke Foundation, established in her memory to promote the ideals she valued and embodied.
xx
-h
Today, I visited Maasai Market in Nairobi and was pretty overwhelmed. The bright colors everywhere are what immediately catch your attention and the range of product is immense. There is handmade jewelry, baskets, bags, clothes, wooden kitchen utensils and much more. However, the place is covered in “brokers” who take you around and tell you ridiculous prices for everything. One tried selling me an item for 15000 KSH and I easily talked him down to 1500 KSH. The brokers at the market have some pretty unique marketing tactics too, one told me that a particular piece I was looking at was so special it could be put in a museum when I was finished with it. Luckily, I am a hard bargainer and got some great deals (I think?). I left feeling pretty exhausted from all the bargaining and intense badgering. Be warned: Maasai Market is not the place to go for leisure shopping.
Hope I can fit all the goods in my suitcase on the way home!
xoxo
-s
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful coast of Kenya-Diani Beach, Mombasa. I got a chance to get out of the city with some truly genuine people and found what has become one of my favorite Kenya souvenirs-the kikoy. They can be used as a sarong, wrap, head cover, towel, scarf, blanket or really anything you want. For awhile, I was accidentally calling them kiokos, which incidentally is a common African last name and was causing a lot of confusion when I was asking the women on the beach if they were selling Kiokos….
Several of the kikoys I bought at Diani Beach
Kikoys can be bought for about 500 ksh (roughly $6.50) with some bargaining. The ones that I especially love with towels sewn on one side (shown in photo above-purple stripe one side, solid purple towel other) can be bought for about 900 ksh (roughly $10.50) with some serious bargaining. One late afternoon on the beach, on the suggestion of my new friend, Philip, I took a picture of the women who sell the kikoys leaving after a days work.
I think this picture is really beautiful.
Thank you for the kikoys, women of Kenya.
I am planning another trip to the coast in November, it is safe to say I will be on the lookout for more kikoys.
xoxo
-s
Mark your calenders. Neiman Marcus and Target have teamed up with some of the hottest designers to bring you affordable holiday pieces, THIS IS AWESOME.
Refinery 29 has the slideshow. I’m already lusting for the cocktail shaker set and black/gold tray from Altuzarra.
photo: Refinery 29 via Target
photo: Refinery 29 via Target
Marc Jacobs black scarf and pouches!
photo: Refinery 29 via Target
photo: Refinery 29 via Target
And, this Phillip Crangi trinket box.
photo: Refinery 29 via Target
So many good gift ideas! It goes online and will be in Neiman Marcus and Target stores on December 1.
Here’s hoping Target.com doesn’t crash like it did when Missoni went live on the site.
xx
-h
I have been a regular coffee drinker for almost seven years. The year I got my drivers license, I cruised through coffee stands ordering lattes like I had been doing it for years. I drank lattes all through high school, but when I got to college my budget shifted and I needed a cheaper drink. I switched to americanos and drip coffees with milk added. Still, I think I never have devolved a real taste for distinguishing the difference between blends and roasts. One of the quality specialist at Dormans Coffee has challenged me to develop this taste. Each day, when they are quality testing, (called cupping) he calls me to come taste the coffee too. Today, I tried our Espresso and Suprema blends side-by-side and then the dark vs. medium roast Suprema blend. He tells me that before I leave he is going to test me with all of the coffees (thirteen blends in all) and have me guess which is which.
Hope I am up for the challenge!
xoxo
-s
Cue the shoe dreams. I am officially obsessed. Oxblood is clearly the color of fall 2012, seen on nails, corduroys, shoes, peplum tops, scarfs – it is everywhere. I am definitely on board and even more ready to be in a relationship after seeing these shoes.
Via Asos, the Dune Balmoral Metal Toe Cap Court Shoe ($170).
Come to me, you gorgeous shoe, you.
xx
-h
If you’re as obsessed with succulents as me, pinterest, and the rest of the world then you’ll be just as smitten with this adorable succulent tealight set from Leif ($14).
Seriously. So cute.
xx
-h
If there are 2 vegetables I do not particularly like they are carrots and brussels sprouts. When we were kids, our lunch consisted of sandwich or tortilla rollup, apple, carrots, juice box and fruit snacks. Do you know how hard it is to trade carrots for cheetos in the lunch room? Now, I thank my mom for instilling good eating habits in me, but due to the excess amount of carrots consumed at a young age. I can’t seem to munch them raw very often anymore. Until recently that is, I’ve ventured back to carrots after trying some of the newer varieties. We can thank the heirloom vegetable movement for that.
My mom forwarded her friend Jane’s photos of her solar yellow carrots that are from her garden in the Spokane, Washington area.
photo: JB
They truly look like tiny space ships.
She also sent a photo of her brussels sprouts and cabbage.
photo: JB
And although I never cared for steamed brussels sprouts plopped on my plate as a child, while living in Park City, I had the opportunity to experience the Talisker on Main Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad. I am now singing a different tune. Could be the bacon….mmmm bacon.
Here is the TOM recipe via their FB page:
Ingredients:
Sautee and render out the fat of the bacon. Add brussels sprouts petals and shallots. Sautee for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add sherry vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste and finish with the pomegranates and any optional fruit. Serves 4.
Enjoy!
xx
-h