California Dreaming

Jetting off to L.A. for a long weekend stay. Have a good Memorial Day weekend!

Japanese Package Design Spotlight

How dear are these matchsticks cases? Talk about cute design work. I love that the mini-face sketches are dotted on the matchsticks. Japanese package design work spotted at my latest blog-read at graphic design blog, The Dieline. 

Mmmm...pancakes, b*tches

If Prince (ala Dave Chapelle) served me these sweet teddy-bear treats -- mmm, pancakes -- I'd die happily with a maple-smeared smile on my face. With a non-stick surface, this Mini Bear Smile Skillet, $18 at Fred Flare,  is easy to cook and clean with. For $18, buy yourself some culinary happiness, for yourself or for a friend as a cute housewarming present. 




Prince would approve.

Mother's Day Gift (to be proud of): Charity Water Bracelet

Shopping for a cause can often be fun -- who doesn't love to purchase a pink item in support of breast cancer awareness month?--but often times, as a savvy shopper, I'd wonder how much of the proceeds go back to the charity cause, monetarily and results wise. 

That's why when I saw Saks Fifth Avenue's collaboration with Charity : Water, I had to tip a hat to the immediate impact of their Mother's Day advertising/shopping campaign. 

Charity : Water is a non-profit organization which builds fresh-water wells in developing countries. In areas like Africa, many women and children walk for miles to collect water --often from contaminated sources--for their daily needs. According to Charity : Water, unsafe water and unsanitary practices cause 80% of diseases in the world and kill 2.2 million people a day. 4,500 children die daily due to restricted access to clean water. 

Here's the kicker: buying one logo bracelet (in fashionable black!) will provide clean water to ONE PERSON for FIVE YEARS.  Now that one mother/child doesn't have to lug around a 40 gal. jug miles out to some dirty stream back home. Charity : Water states -- on their website -- that these products are earmarked for 100% construction purposes only (they raise adminstrative costs through other means). Now that's an immediate impact right there that I can visualize, justify, wear, and pay for.   

Charity Water Bracelet, $5 at Saks Fifth Avenue

If you're feeling more benevolent -- or hate wearing cause-bracelets -- the Saks and Charity Water collaboration promotes other gift options such as:

$20-$100 Mother's Day e-cards - Let mom choose which area in the world her donation should go to build fresh wells. 

Sponsor a Fresh Water Well  - $5,000 donation can provide drinking water for 400 people for 20 years.

Heavy Metal: Kimberly Blake Jewlery

My latest find is Kimberly Blake's jewelry line which blends intricate metal work, feminine appeal, with a dash of rock n'roll. Based in Seattle, Kimberly's jewelry has been featured in Gossip Girl, fashion magazines, and on celebrities like Shakira. As a Gossip Girl watcher, I'm not surprised (I admit, half the show's fun is to see what Serena and Blair wear!) and love her designs. It also doesn't hurt that her line is reasonably affordable. I love the photo campaign with the model featured above. Below, I've featured my favorite picks for silver and gold.


Lidia Sterling Silver plated earrings, $88
Silver Leaf bracelet, $330

Elizabeth Ring Sterling Silver, $150

Gold Dorothy necklace, $215
Gold Wolfette ring, $315
Gold Keiko ring, $140
Bianca Ring 18kt Gold Vermei, $150

Graduation/School Gifts

Aside from Mother's Day, the month of May ushers in two things: graduations and acceptance letters into university/graduate school. I have friends in both camps,  so, while shopping online, I figured a good gift to give/receive.  Agendas! My friends can testify that I'm not the most organized person but I do remember penciling everything -- club meets, study sessions, to-do lists -- into my high school, and later, my university's cheap agenda. I prefer it over electronic PDAs where I'm fumbling through sub-menus to reach my calendar. So, here are some more stylish, luxe options to graduate to, whether its for higher learning or in the working place.

Louis Vuitton Large Ring Agenda Cover, in damier azur
At 7x8 inches, you won't have to jam your scribbles into tiny notepads. This slim, polished agenda has room for credit card slots and pockets.


Louis Vuitton Agenda Wallet Cover in Pomme d'Amor
Small and pocketable, this travel-sized agenda holds a diary and credit cards in a delicious apple candy red cover. Very glamorous.

Coach 6X8 Tattersall Pattern Agenda

A little preppier, this casual agenda is perfect for a sportier, casual user. It sports an address book, notebook, and card slots. I love Coach's plaid pattern here. 

Children's Books: Yoshitomo Nara's The Lonesome Puppy

Who would have thought Urban Outfitters has an amazing book selection? On a lazy Sunday, I intended to clothes shop but stopped when I found Yoshitomo Nara's children's book, The Lonesome Puppy, lying among the piles. I love Yoshitomo Nara as seen -- Yoshitomo in House Decor  --so I'm biased but, whatever, I think this was  a fine debut for a children's book too.  The pages have these lush illustrations (perfect for tearing out and framing if I wasn't such a book lover) and the story is totally endearing. It's worth the pick-up. 

Here's Amazon's re-cap: "In his first book for children, renowned artist Yoshitomo Nara tells the charming story of a puppy so large that no one notices him—until a determined little girl climbs high enough to meet him and become his friend. A sweet tale from an artist for whom childhood holds a magical appeal, The Lonesome Puppy is sure to delight young readers and Nara fans of all ages. "

The Lonesome Puppy $17.99, Urban Outfitters