Modern Milestone
March 25, 2017
What a fitting tribute. In celebration of Florence Knoll’s 100th Year, Knoll has reissued several classic pieces by one of my favorite icons of mid-century furniture design. The simplicity of her designs had me hooked from the start. I’ve collected so many vintage Florence Knoll pieces that friends would joke that I owned more Florence Knoll than Florence herself. One piece that eluded me was this small table originally released in 1948. A simple round top on steel hairpin legs… a design that set into motion a wave of knockoffs that continues to this day…The Hairpin Stacking Table.
Photos: Knoll
https://www.knoll.com/product/florence-knoll-hairpin-stacking-table
Finally,
March 22, 2017
Spring.
Photos: gp
Sorry…
March 5, 2017
I just drifted off. It’s March. It’s cold. And, a bunch of Daffodils can only do so much. Close your eyes and picture this. A tiny poured concrete casita in the Mexican desert. One bedroom, one bed, one bath, an indoor/outdoor kitchen, a pool and a private beach. Perfect.
photos via https://www.gardenista.com/posts/one-bedroom-desert-view-tiny-casita-mexico-swimming-pool-included/
Just a Pinch
February 18, 2017
Sometimes all you need for a recipe is a pinch of a spice or dried herb that you don’t generally keep on hand. With the cost of spices and the quantity usually packaged you might think twice about trying something new. Sure, you’ll have it the next time you need it, but that occasion might be so far off that you’ll need to replace what has gone stale. Until now. The genius of Spice Miser is that minimal increments of a wide array of exotics are available neatly packed in tiny zip-lock bags. A tablespoon of fennel seed?….smoked salt?…Anise stars?….they’ve got you covered from .99 a pack. Someone was thinking.
https://store10292173.ecwid.com/
Photo: gp
Here comes the sun….
February 15, 2017
(do do do do) ….here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right.* While we’re waiting for the sun to show we might take the opportunity to invest in a new pair of shades. The simplequietmodern feel of Warby Parker’s Felton offers polarized lenses with 100% UV protection neatly packaged in a clean rectangular frame. Perfect.
https://www.warbyparker.com/sunglasses/men/felton/jet-black
* George Harrison/ the Beatles
If your Valentine is feeling generous….
February 12, 2017
you might ask to forgo the chocolates…the expensive evening out…the case of Veuve and wait a few more days for the annual Knoll sale. An investment in something from the Knoll Classics collection is sure to make your heart skip a beat or two. If you’re lucky enough to have a vintage piece in need of a recover, you might consider a few yards from their extensive textile collection.
It’s the little things.
February 9, 2017
Simple gestures are those that mean the most and are not quickly forgotten. One Valentines Day, many years ago, a single purple anemone wrapped in a cone of cellophane…tacked to my door. Such an unexpected surprise at the end of a long day, in the midst of a crazy work week. To this day I have no idea who left it but I remember the experience clearly, like it was yesterday. Go ahead. Spread some love.
Photo: gp
Stayin’ In
February 6, 2017
Why fight the mid-week Valentine dinner crowds when there’s a perfect opportunity this weekend to stay in and cook up an amazing Valentines meal yourself? Sweet and Savory Short Ribs have a total of three ingredients with white rice and a side of sugar snap peas rounding things out. A simple prep and a long slow braise allow plenty of time to relax with a movie while dinner is cooking.
The short ribs are braised in prune juice and teriyaki sauce served over white rice and topped with thinly sliced green onion. Sugar snap peas with a little toasted sesame oil are the perfect side. Simple enough. The Short ribs recipe can be found here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/three-ingredient-sweet-and-savory-short-ribs
Et Voila
February 3, 2017
Too good to toss…too ugly to carry around. Still, it’s hard to resist recycling a shopping bag. There is a simple solution to ugly however…turn it inside out. Et voila! simplequietmodern and chic.
Photos: http://www.improvisedlife.com/2017/01/24/sometimes-turn-stuff-inside/
January has been brought to you…
January 29, 2017
by the color gray. While I couldn’t be more pleased with our relative lack of snow, it would be nice to see some sun. Morning, noon and night have all been so gray…DARK gray…for what seems like the entire month. A little blast of natural vitamin D would be welcome. Until the skies clear it might be a good idea to fill some vases with daffodils or forced forsythia branches, tuck a bright paint chip among your currency for a little pop of bright as you go about your day or hunker down to an afternoon of binge-watching Versailles on Netflix and seeing what the Sun King is up to. I’m going for all three.
Top to bottom:
image: gp
image: Pantone.com
image: Netflix
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