Kate Middleton Look Book

New York Magazine has created a (continuously growing!) Kate Middleton Look Book. Check it out...bookmark it?

Blue Agate Earrings

These are gorgeous! I love the bright blue agate for summer (they'd be a fun pop of color in the winter too:) Peruse at Kendra Scott Jewelry.

Org Charts

Hi fellow nerds! This post is for you. Designer Manu Cornet drafted up org charts to demonstrate the workings of major tech companies. (Business Insider)

50/50

Let's go see this together. Maybe have a beer before...and after?

Light Spill

From Rebecca Wilson Cermanic, the Light Spill-Orchard Fruits lamp is designs to appear as though it's dripping down your wall. (And, eh hem...it looks kind of like a...). Layers of metaphor:) Find yours here.

Country Wedding Idea

I'm waiting (with baited breath) for my first issue of Martha Stewart Weddings to come. Interim, I'm enjoying the daily emails with tips. I love this place setting with grains tied in a sweet grey bow. View more country wedding ideas here.

Split Screen: A Love Story

Splitscreen: A Love Story from JW Griffiths on Vimeo.

New York and Paris. (Love)

Brick Succulent Planters

I'm envisioning a long, wooden bench for a dining room table. I'd split it down the middle with these do-it-yourself brick candle/succulent holders.



Here's the low down.

Stunning Indoor Pool

Isn't this space fun? The guest entertaining potential is certainly there. Shouldn't all indoor pools come with a swing? I'm curious about the rest of the home...

via Apartment Therapy

Diana at 50

If Diana were alive, she'd be 50 this month. Newsweek put together an article of "ifs," speculating what the Princess would be doing and wearing. Clearly, she'd have the white iPhone! Check it out!

Elizabeth Soule Photography

Elizabeth Soule's playful photographs would look stunning in a nursey. View more and purchase at her etsy shop.

Summer Favorite

I picked up a pair of TOMS wedges in SoHo a few weeks ago...and I cannot stop slipping them on every morning! (I have managed to incorporate them with Summer-weight work clothes:) They are comfy and a few notches more chic than your every-day thongs. As well, TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need, for each pair purchased!

Aircraft Hangar Home

Scottish graphic designer Glenn Garriock has converted an aircraft hangar into a home. The stunning industrial space is one of sixteen structures salvaged from the British Army. It is located in Uetze, Germany. Wouldn't this make a great joint work/living space?

Toasty Toile

My grandmother loves toile. A fact which is quite obvious when you enter her home. The affection has progressed to the point that if she wore toile, we might lose her. I think I found her birthday present: The Delfts Toast Pan and Plate. This gem toasts your grilled cheese with a pretty pattern, which you then serve on the coordinating plate.

Pieces of My Weekend

Wouldn't it be wonderful if life was a never-ending weekend? Delicious brunches, rooftop lounging, farmer's market groceries and good people. I love making an event of preparing bruschetta and opening a bottle of wine for the people I love. Is there anything else?

a brunch at Black Swan

There is something that New York has down pat: boozy brunches. We did couples afternoon in Bedstuy (my first time in this Brooklyn neighborhood!) at Black Swan. The gastropub opens into a bar with a long black hallway to larger room with wooden benches and an oversized window looking into an urban garden space.

Although the "all day happy-hour" with $4 beers/house wines, $3 shots an two-for-one wells was tempting, it seemed that the Bloody Swan was the thing to order for your first round. Photographed above, the cocktail comes with a spiced rim and garnished with the hail mary of all wonders: a slice of bacon, large prawn, cube of pepper jack, cocktail onion, cornichon and olive. How's that for swag?

For our mains, we selected a good variety. For myself, the flight of mac n' cheese. (A FLIGHT!) One of each of the three come on a wooden plank: sun dried tomato, bacon and plain clothes.

Chris selected the smoked salmon plate with mescalin greens, wonderfully ripe tomato, onion, charred and earthy toast and fresh horseradish. The image doesn't do it justice: there was a tremendous amount of fish under those greens.

Others at the table ordered the fish cake benny, classic benny, lemon waffles with friend chicken and cheesy grits.

Regardless of the G Train being the closest subway (we ended up taking a cab), Black Swan is worth the trek from Manhattan. I'm told the burger is pretty serious.

Beginners

You should go see Beginners. It's playing at BAM, and it's completely wonderful.

Brooklyn Public House

John is one of my all-time favorite people. He's from my hometown, we worked together at the local golf club and went to high school and college together. It's always completely amazing to spend time with him. This afternoon, we went to Brooklyn Public House, a venue, of which he calls his favorite bar.

The interior is much like an Irish Pub: modest, wooden bar, booths and subtly accented with toille. We ordered beers from the extensive list and decided on some nosh: over sized buttermilk batter onion rings, a mess of nachos with house made guacamole and the PEI Mussels with garlic wine sauce. The food is pretty standard pub fare, though the mussels were a few steps above: large, fresh and with just the right amount of toast for sopping up the good liquid.

I have to say that the engaged staff are the factor that sets Brooklyn Public House apart from other venues of the same breed. At one point, a bride in full-on white ball gown waltzed in- with a group- no one skipped a beat.

Anthropologie Dog Beds

I keep feeling that I should get my Pug, Pilgrim, his own bed. But does he need it? He sleeps in our bed, and tucks himself into his subway bag, when he's alone and wants to be cozy. These crustacean decorated beds from Anthropologie are wonderful. I think these are the beds the little guy would want.

Images: design sponge.

Taco Chulo

We found ourselves deep in the trenches of Long Island Expressway traffic last night- a situation, which ultimately lead us to get off the highway, and snaking through Queens. As it wasn't feasible for us to get to East Setauket in time to sample our wedding menu, we drove: until we realized we were in Williamsburg.

I'm not sure what it is about traffic, but it gave me a hankering for margaritas and tacos. We parked, investigated the meter and threw a few quarters in. Around the corner, on Grand Street, I noticed Taco Chulo.

The dimly lit interior hosts a roomy seating area with blond wood, turquoise walls and red highlights. We took a few seats at the bar, noticing that the venue was nearly empty, aside from a mother/toddler combo and three servers wearing tee shirts with tacos stuffed with the Virgin Mary, noshing on burritos at the other end of the bar.

We decided to sip a few of house recipe margaritas: grapefruit/mint (think love child between mojito and margarita), rose and eventually lime. Although the taco menu is extensive and tempting, we opted for the queso fondito with smoked bacon and onion. The bar keep warned that it would take twenty minutes. We didn't mind. A little tequila-infused decompression was needed after our traffic debacle.

The queso came in a moderately obscene portion of gooey melted cheese. I doused my plate with the three house-made hot sauces (which are delicious and spicy enough to burn your skin). We scooped up the melted cheese with warm white corn tortillas and house made chips.

I'd love to explore Taco Chulo again. According to Free Williamsburg, the owners are a team from Texas and California, which comes as no surprise, this is real-deal Southwestern fare.


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Image: CitySearch

Wall Street: 100 Years Ago

Wall Street doesn't look much different today.

(via)