TISLstyle

An evening with Mikel Rouse, the composer

One of best things I love about life are the discoveries that comes at you out of left field.  In other words, you’re blindsided.  I met Mikel Rouse at a dinner party.  We had met before but that night, I really “met” Mikel.  He’s a musician, a composer - one by the most talented order - who melds popular music with traditional form.

The saying, “Inspiration is all around you” was never truer than in his story that night.  Mikel was at his favorite restaurant bar, listening to the hilarious escapades of his bartender, “a really good guy.”  The bartender was recounting a time when he was at the amusement park, Six Flags Great Adventure.  He was being naughty, rambunctious, “Dennis-the-Menace,” when authorities whisked him away to some room.  “I was in Great Adventure jail,” he said.  And that was it.  Inspiration hit, and Mikel had his song.  If you have trouble seeing the video, click here.

 

Here’s blindside #2: he filmed this video on his iPhone, and used the glare from his computer screen as his lighting.  And my takeaway of the song?  It’s truly a talent when your only instruments are your voice and hand-claps, and yet you hear so much music there.  Amazing. 

The most stylish workhorse aprons

On any given day, I normally don’t give much thought to aprons.  So, imagine my surprise when I tripped over Meyer Textile Co. on Etsy, and remarked to myself, “That is the sexiest apron.” Huh, who said that?

Ashley Marie Meyer hand-makes them on her small farm in southern Minnesota.  And I believe her because I can see the simple, no-frills, workhorse aspect of a functional apron but hot dang, I see fashion too!  I bet some fashion stylist could take one of these, wear it on the street and turn it into a fashionable trend.  Her fabrics are classic from denim chambray and pinstripe ticking to duck cloth.

I like how they look feminine on a woman and masculine on a man; I like how they can work in the kitchen, an artist’s studio or at the local butcher’s; and I especially love how the color block apron is customizable, and you can choose your own color combo.  Now, you can really kiss the cook.  Mwah!

An invitation to a crawfish boil

The wonderful thing about having interesting friends is that they invite you into their experiences.  I had just written about clambakes, when imagine my pleasant surprise, we got invited to a crawfish boil!  Our friends Michael and Lisa hosted their third annual party in their backyard on a sunny weekend day.  Michael, the chef du jour ordered live crawfish shipped in straight from Louisiana.  They arrived in Styrofoam crates complete with live crustaceans, seasoning, beads (no, no, it was a family party!), and bibs.  His “resume” for such boils included locales in Austin and New Orleans, and now, lucky us New York.  Seasoning, he said was the key.  

It was great fun.  In one sitting, you can go through dozens without feeling overly full.  Enter corn on the cob, shrimp, brussel sprouts, mushrooms and potatoes.  Thanks for a wonderful party!

{Many thanks to Ali Brohi, and his beautiful photography.}

 

The Red Shoes

Here’s the embarrassing truth: I dress myself vicariously through my baby.  No, we don’t dress identically but she doesn’t wear a stitch of black, unlike me.  I coordinate pattern on pattern on pattern, and hope her little stature can handle it.  I pair orange with red and purple willy-nilly, and pray eyes aren’t hurt in the process.  It all ends well. 

Another personal infatuation is ballet shoes.  I bought a pair years ago on eBay just to decorate my space.  Then, the other week at the Hester Street Fair, I saw these little red shoes from Chickpea Kid.  Brain rush!  They looked like little Shakespearean footwear; they reminded me of the children’s story, “The Red Shoes;” and of course, they resembled ballet shoes.  Forty minutes pass at the Chickpea Kid booth, folks.  All of her designs were one-of-a-kind and handmade.  This particular pair aren’t suitable for the street, since they have no support but they have become her house slippers.  Thanks, Zoe for indulging your mama.

Power Poufs

Our apartment is home to two sofas.  Currently, they sit positioned L-shaped, and one would think this presents plenty of seating for a NYC home.  Somehow, however when we have guests, they sit on the sofas, and I sit on the floor.  I don’t mind this but it did start me looking at poufs as an alternative seating option based on several factors.  They’re easy to pull up, and move around.  Their versatility transform it from footrest to a seat to another-flat-surface-to-toss-things-on.  This is consideration #1.  Consideration #2 is how baby-friendly they are.  Eliminating our coffee table in lieu of two mushy, cushy poufs means one less sharp edge to have to worry about.

I do love a pouf’s bohemian, casual vibe.  Its purpose is so shape-shifting and thus, amenable to many lifestyles.  Here are a few that have caught my eye. {clockwise from top left} If you’re a crafter, download Amy Butler’s Honey Bun Pouf sewing pattern; I love the shape, chartreuse color and low-profile of this Muffet Tuffet Square from Mitchell Gold; Hand-knitted pouf, 100% cotton cover, CB2; These oversized “stone” floor cushions are 100% merino wool from Viva Terra. 

{photos from top to bottom: The Nesting Place; Surya via Lola Belle; Monica Wang for StyleByEmilyHenderson; David Tsay for StyleByEmilyHenderson}

Hot trend: Paper pom poms

We recently turned our outdoor balcony into a covered one, and transformed it into our home office.  Sadly, we had to install an unsightly drop-ceiling that you usually see in offices.  I already planned on tying a cluster of paper lanterns in different diameters, and hanging them tucked into one of the ceiling corners.  

Then I found another great idea: tissue paper pom poms or paper flowers! They are such an easy DIY project. {Martha Stewart has good instructions.} They bring such lightness and whimsy, and would work equally well in a child’s room or home office.  

The best part is that this DIY is so easy, you could change it out once a month with new colors for a completely different feel.  If you find a specialty craft store with a lot of tissue paper color options, it could be a great opportunity to try out color combinations you normally wouldn’t consider.  They are, after all, so impermanent.  An online source I like is Party Poms.  They have a gorgeous site on Etsy selling ready-made poms, and a nice selection of tissue paper.  Oh, and by the way, I could totally see mixing in one or two paper lanterns with the pom poms for texture and contrast.

{photo credits top to bottom} Design Editor; Martha Stewart; (left) Apartment Therapy (right) LimeFish Studio

Happy Mother's Day

Me and my grandmother

 

Me and my mother

 

Me and Zoe

It was during a banquet dinner one evening when everything got clearer for me.   As with large parties, you tend to sit with people you don’t know.  At our round table were convivial women who were 50+; we were all mothers and some were grandmothers we soon found out.  My own mother and Zoe were with me.  Over the course of dinner, stories got shared: one was a newly minted grandmama, another had grown children who seemed to have no interest in dating anyone let alone give her grand kiddies, and another reminisced why she never allowed their kids to have sleepovers. 

The woman to my mother’s left asked to hold Zoe, to which Zoe began to abruptly cry.  “Oh, don’t cry, I’m a mommy too,” she cooed.  Immediately I felt something.  I could only describe it as “support” despite her being a total stranger.  As dishes began flowing from kitchen to table, my mother and the woman opposite her automatically stood up as if on cue, picked up serving spoons, and began scooping and placing portions on everyone’s plate.  It was instinct.  This time I felt “it” again, and thought, “it takes a village to raise a child.”  Now, I understand what that saying means: it’s a mother’s instinct to take care of others, that there are times one is willing to hand over their child to someone they trust because they can’t do it all by themselves, and that a support system was vital for survival and one’s sanity.

They say once you’re a mother, you’re automatically in the "mother’s club."  Today, I see how undervalued being a mother is in our society, which is sad because it’s hard work and it’s more than full-time.  In just these short 12 months with Zoe, I can see all the way down the road that we are in for loads of joy but a ton of heartbreaks, like when the blush of innocence disappears or when she doesn’t need me anymore.  It’s the longest chain that hasn’t been broken yet, since time began – daughter, mother, grandmother.  I think of all the joy and heartache I exchanged with mine.  Now I’m beginning to understand.

Anna Joyce's polka dot party

I never met a polka dot I didn't like.  They are cute, whimsical and say, "I'm carefree and like to have fun," yet they're sophisticated, and happen to be one of the most wearable patterns.  Little circle, you amaze me!  Anna Joyce does dots so well.  They're also made in Portland, Oregon.  We had a short chat, and then I was off to her Etsy page to buy napkins.

TISLstyle: Aside from lipstick color, I think finding the perfect tote size is a moving target.  How did you figure out what size and shape to design your totes?

Anna Joyce: My assistant at the time and I spent a lot of time looking at the bags we loved most (I have a collection of vintage Coach bags that are perfect in every way in my opinion) to see what was the best strap length to be functional and comfortable, what would hold enough, but not be so large that it got very heavy.  I really wanted a tote that would be tall enough to conceal ugly water bottles, fit a laptop, and be easy to carry over your shoulder or in your hand. And of course, what would make my customer looks effortless, cute and take her from shopping to cocktails.

TISLstyle: Portland's reputation precedes itself.  What do you love about life in that city?

Anna Joyce: Everything they say about Portland is true. I love the creative spirit, being surrounded by like-minded designers that inspire me, and being able to get a fantastic meal on almost every corner. It is also a wonderful and gentle place to raise a family. We are very happy here.

TISLstyle: If you had the opportunity to design a piece of furniture, what would it be?

Anna Joyce: I would rather print fabric and recover every piece of furniture I see in my designs!

{Photos by Lisa Warninger; Styled by Chelsea Fuss}

Summer entertaining with a clam boil

I’m obsessed with shellfish: lobster, snails, clams, steamers, shrimp.  I know I’m not alone, which explains the popularity of clambakes.  It’s a New England tradition I hope to experience one day in all its authenticity on a beach.  In the meantime, I think a clam boil done at home on a stovetop is an excellent substitute.  Here are some recipes I’ll consider this summer: 

Easiest and most simple – AllRecipes.com offers three recipes for different cooking techniques, including stovetop with one large pot or a stovetop pot along with a grill. 

Using seaweed along with a how-to-video - Martha Stewart’s recipe notes that the order of ingredients is the key to a successful clam boil. 

Adapt the flavors of a clambake for the stove using mesh bags – chef Jasper White maximizes the mingling of flavors, and details how to use eggs as timers on Epicurious.

If you’re short on time, clambake kits take the legwork out of the process.  Companies like Legal Seafood and The Fresh Lobster Company offer different sizes and courses, and will ship to you.  So, let’s all “live” by the sea and enjoy!

{Photos from top to bottom} Bon Appetit; Pinterest; Yunkee Kim for The New York Times; Martha Stewart; House and Garden. 

Traipsing With Twitter

Twitter was bursting with activity at TISLstyle this month!  Traipsing around NYC, there’s a myriad of life celebrations happening outside the blog.  In this visual compilation: a crawfish boil, elephants on a truck and a vegetarian café called The Butcher’s Daughter.  Join me on Twitter!  I’d love to hear from you.