Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars

I have about 5 versions of Corcovado in my iPod Classic. Sarah Vaughn, Ana Caram, Frank Sinatra, Everything But the Girl and Lisa Ono. I think it's one of the songs in my all time Top 25 list. I also think it's a great summer beach tune you can sip a Caipirinha or Margarita with. Then just about 5 minutes ago, I checked out my youtube subscriptions and saw musician Paul Sonnenberg's version. I subscribed to his videos sometime last year since I liked his take on Bossa Nova. I like his version, so I'm posting it here for my few readers to chill too.



I kind of like the 8mm film style. Makes it feel more vintage.

Framed

Last week, I was on a framing frenzy. I grabbed all the picture frames we had, laid them on the floor, and just like a child playing with a new puzzle, I was sliding each frame from one side to the other. Left to right. Down to up. Do the colors match? Can they stay beside each other? Should the sides be aligned? I was shifting frames, hoping they fit, just like a game of tetris, when I decided to give up. Pat just suggested that we should just go wild. We started with one frame on the wall. Then randomly put one next to it, then another, then another. Next thing we knew, we had a stair-like shape. I like it! The frames were still empty, so we just fit in pictures after the fact. Some wedding, vacation, a Peggy Hopper print I got in the Aloha Staidum flea market, baby pictures. It was a mix we both were happy with. Maybe we're done with this wall. Maybe not. Who knows! Except for a few crooked frames, I'm happy :) Promise to take it again when it's straight.

The New Domino

I haven't grabbed the latest yet, but I can't wait! I will have to buy it! I love looking and poring over such beautiful homes and office spaces! The theme is A Color Revolution! I am specially more partial to the Morocco theme. So exotic!



Check out the preview here!

Club Monaco is Coming to Town!

Back in the early 90's, I spent a sunny Californian summer studying film in USC, interning in Universal Studios, and playing production office assistant for an indie movie. In between shooting, editing, making coffee, and photocopying scripts, I spent a lot of time sun tanning in Santa Monica beach, and shopping in 3rd Street Promenade. My fave store then was Club Monaco! I loved their casual clothes. I used to go there all the time and spend the food money my Dad gave me for shopping! My favorite piece of summer clothing from there- a pair of denim shorts.

Then just this afternoon, while walking in Ngee Ann City on my way to the bookstore, I saw the sign!



A rush of memories came over me. I remembered just staying in the store for hours on end looking through their clothes! I hope I get the same shopping experience when it opens!

Capiccinini Floor Lamp

I love Ikea. And I love the prices there more! However, some Ikea furniture can be so cheap that a minor home mishap can render the piece of furniture useless. Well, almost useless.

A few weeks ago, when a strong gust of wind went through the house (I love opening all the windows!), our famous Ikea Skylar floor lamp (which I think every house in Singapore has) toppled over and the lamp shade ripped. I was thinking of going all Martha Stewart and buying craft paper and totally creating a new lamp shade, when I realized I had something much better! And easier.

Last year, on one of my regular trips to the Philippines, I bought a Capiz shell lantern hoping that Pat can help me make it into a mini chandeleir...

Obviously that didn't happen. It was kept in storage for a year!

Then thanks to the wind- the torn lampshade, and my hoarding tendencies, I gave birth to my very own Capiccinini Lamp. I'm naming it Capiccinini from Capiz and Piccinini. Capiz, obviously Capiz shells, and Piccinini, the Italian female volleyball player in this years Olympics. I watched the game of US vs Italy last night and the announcer just kept saying her name so it stuck!

Here is the picture of the buss up lamp shade:

How I wish I had a photo of the old Skylar.

Anyway, here is my creation. Capiccinini!



Yes you see that lone bulb naked and sticking out. Haha. I'll work on that :) I'm in the Domino mood!