Branch-ing Out

Though the organic cotton bar towels I love are no longer available from Branch Handmade, there are some other great things in the fun little Etsy store.

The nautical prints are available on an assortment of clothing and textile items, like this tshirt:

Branch Handmade also has great hand-printed pillowcases in nautical and equestrian designs:


What a great way to add some handmade character to your home or your closet!

Welcome Back Gant!

I have a love-hate relationship with my mailbox. First of all, it is far too small. Nothing larger than 4 inches wide will fit in the box. Secondly, it is far too deep. Things get lost in the bottom of the box (which opens from the top) causing an assortment of problems. In spite of the trials and tribulations of mail retrieval in my building, I do love getting the mail every day. Today, I successfully pulled all of the mail out of the tiny box without my arm getting stuck. The challenge was certainly worth the reward when I realized that Gant Magazine arrived today! Part catalog, part magazine, Gant Magazine is aesthetically pleasing from beginning to end. Get your own today at the Gant website! If you're the type that looks once and throws magazines and catalogs out, the site offers two planet-friendly options. You can download the magazine to your computer or you can look at it on the website.

Gant, the all-American clothing company (based out of Sweden, oddly enough), was on hiatus for a while, but the classic brand is back and in a big way!

The Spring/Summer collection has plenty of old favorites and some new additions. To boot, Gant is debuting a line of organic bedding! Three cheers for old favorites!!!

Images of Home

When I got back to the city from my all-too-short trip to visit my family, my neighbor and I had a long discussion about what we missed most about our respective homes. He said he missed the hustle and bustle of New York City and the ability to be just about anywhere in the city in a jiffy via the subway system. Our subway system only runs in two straight lines, so I completely understand his frustration with it. He also said that he missed pizza at 2 am and he even went so far as to suggest that he may even miss his long-gone dorm days at Columbia.

He is enamored with all things southern and has called me his Scarlett O'Hara since we met shortly after I moved here three years ago. As I started my list, I noticed him taking some notes. When I asked what he was doing, he laughed and said he wanted to sample southern culture so he planned to order some of the things I had suggested. Together, we compiled a list of easily accessible Louisiana goodies and I thought I should share some of it with y'all! Click on the links to go directly to the websites.

Perlis crawfish polo:
Note: I wear a small to medium in women's clothing but I can fit into an XL in the youth polo. Save yourself a few bucks!


Zapp's potato chips:
All of the flavors are tasty, but the Voodoo Gumbo is simply to die for!


Pat O'Brien's hurricanes:
You'll have to mix them yourself, but they're still just as tasty!


Anything by Henry Gray:
The solo works of Henry Gray are not to be missed. He's also been playing piano on recordings since 1953 with legends such as Junior Wells, Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf. Mr. Gray is as sweet and humble as he is talented. He still plays regularly around Baton Rouge and if you ask nicely, he'll play your favorite song.


Gambino's King Cake:
Every year, Gambino's ships their legendary Mardi Gras king cakes all over the world. I recommend you get one next year!


And the things you can't buy online, but you should definitely experience if you visit Louisiana: Acme Oyster House, Saturday night in Tiger Stadium, Louisiana Art and Science Museum (I worked there in graduate school and it is a great place to visit), Red Stick Farmers Market and Main Street Market, The Chimes, and Circa 1957, just to name a few.

If you happen to be headed to (or through) Baton Rouge, here's 225 Magazine's list of 225 things to do in Baton Rouge. Check it out!

Bamboo Luxury...on Paper

It seems as though everyone I know is in the process of planning a wedding or getting ready to have a baby. I am elated at the fact that several of my friends have expressed interest in adding eco-friendly touches to their weddings/baby arrivals. Last night as I was searching for eco-friendly wedding and baby announcements, I came across Smock's fabulous bamboo collection.

From their website:

We're proud to be the first print shop in the U.S. to offer printing on a luxury bamboo paper.

What is our bamboo paper like? It's extremely soft, luxuriously thick, and elegantly textured. It's also perfect for letterpress. Essentially, imagine the highest quality cotton paper. Now imagine something even prettier and without the pesticides used in cotton production.

They also have a social stationery collection which is equally as fantastic. If you are in the market for new stationery, Smock is definitely worth a look!

Greener Golf

Have you ever wondered if landfills possess potential beyond just being collection zones for waste? Landfills can be sources of energy when the methane gas let off by decomposing garbage is captured and used it to generate energy. They can also be reused once the garbage has decomposed. Perhaps the best (and most aesthetically pleasant) use of landfills is the transformation of these blights into golf courses.

Mountain Gate CC, Los Angeles

From Brownfield Golf:

Completed in 1975, the Mountain Gate Country Club is recognized as one of the most successful landfill golf courses in the United States. What was once a Los Angeles County solid waste landfill is now an upscale, private country club surrounded by million dollar homes with exquisite views of golf holes meandering through the canyons below.

The 27-hole golf course was constructed over solid waste deposited in 8 canyons to depths in excess of 200 feet. Over the years, waste has decomposed resulting in settlement of the land surface. Mountain Gate maintenance personnel report settlement has exceeded 70 feet in some areas, necessitating the repair of irrigation and drainage systems and the re-grading of golf course features. Although a nuisance, some club members appreciate the continuous changes of golf course features as an added challenge to their game.

Preppy Icon of the Day

After having a bit of a movie marathon last night (I returned home completely exhausted from my trip and was fairly incapable of doing anything else), I realized I had yet to use perennial preppy favorite Rob Lowe as a Preppy Icon of the Day. So I now present to you, Rob Lowe as Preppy Icon of the Day.

Rob has done tv and movies, funny and serious, wacky and straightlaced, but ever true to his preppy roots, he always ends up back in a polo.

From his days as a prep school prettyboy in Class and Oxford Blues, to his most recent adventures in politics in The West Wing and Brothers and Sisters, Rob Lowe has certainly inspired his share of viewers to toss on a tie and oxford.

So here's to Rob Lowe, today's Preppy Icon of the Day.