Don't Let Summer Slip Away!

Where are all the yummy warm days of Summer? I've said it once and I'll say it again...it is NOT Fall yet! With that in mind, on this long weekend, live it up like one only can in the Summer months. What is the best way? With a tropical drink of course.


I was thumbing through Sunset Magazine last night at a friend's house and found this luscious treat. Enjoy and have a fun & safe long weekend!!

TROPICAL MAI TAI

Ingredients
2 tablespoons light rum
2 tablespoons orange curaçao
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 dash orgeat
1 dash simple syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum
Mint, a pineapple slice, and a paper umbrella for garnish

Preparation
1. Fill an 8-oz. glass with ice. Pour in light rum, orange curaçao, orange juice, lime juice, orgeat, and simple syrup.
2. Drizzle dark rum on top. Garnish with mint, pineapple slice, and paper umbrella.

Yield
Makes 1 drink

Sunset Magazine, September 2008

Type Coasters

When recently looking at Element Clay Studio, I found their online artist's market called Supermarket. There are so many fantastic products featured. I especially love these type coasters by ACD...




Set in Baskerville SemiBold and carved out of treated plywood...what a perfect gift for a graphic designer. I may just have to buy these for my studio. If you want a set of your own, you can find them here!

Etsy Love

I often find myself killing a lot of time on etsy. If you aren't familiar, it is an online marketplace for artists where they can feature their handmade items and will be the location of the future Suite 7 Creative shop (coming soon).

My most recent find is Heather Knight Ceramics at Element Clay Studio.


I love the modern, organic shapes of her work. These urchin bowls would be perfect for my apartment...


You can use them as votive holders, a great place to hold your rings or just beautiful art objects. A handful of the pieces come with a glazed interior which hold a great pop of color!




Check out these fantastic botanical wall tiles.




I love the way they look in groups...



They even have beautiful orb sculptures to offer. I love them!




Check out Heather Knight's portfolio here.

Stanley Donwood

So, I know I've been a little stuck lately...posting about travel, then Radiohead then travel then Radiohead. See a pattern? Well, this is the perfect blend. When in Amsterdam, Stein and I came across a fantastic gallery featuring the work of Stanley Donwood. Known as the "Radiohead artist", Donwood produces amazing, ironic, whimsical art that has been featured on Radiohead albums since 1994.








Donwood has a fantastic website called Slowly Downward. Check it out! You can purchase your own print of his work. Wonderful! Geniuses must run in packs...

I'm Back!

I feel like I haven't been home for 2 seconds this summer and now all of a sudden it feels like fall. Where have all the lazy days of summer gone? I had a fantastic trip to Oregon to visit with my family. We did a river float, went to the Corvallis farmer's market and did a bit of shopping. I captured a few colorful shots along the way...enjoy!

Oregon bound

Me and Dad
I'm off to visit my Dad in Corvallis, Oregon for a few days. Have a fantastic weekend and I'll be back Tuesday!

Thom Yorke is a GENIOUS

image via the Radiohead Blog
The Radiohead concert last night was one of the best shows I've seen in my life. The energy was fantastic, the music was out of this world with intensity and emotion and the stage set of lights and video screens was like nothing I've ever seen before. Long ropes of energy saving LED lights hung from the ceiling truss creating a "room" around the band. With each song a different lighting scheme was projected and illuminated...pulsing and moving to the beat. Really, utterly fantastic. I'll have to do some research as to who designed it. I am impressed!

Stage prior to show start...image via flickr
image via gizmondo
image via Lithium Creations
image via Woof in Stereo
image via flickr
To top it off, they played an amazing set list...check this out!

01. 15 Step
02. Reckoner
03. Optimistic
04. There There
05. All I Need
06. Pyramid Song
07. Talk Show Host
08. The National Anthem
09. The Gloaming
10. Videotape
11. Lucky
12. Faust Arp (Thom messes up lyrics several times, starts singing Neil Young's "Tell Me Why"; Jonny tries to follow along but can't quite get the chords. Phil comes out and drops an American dollar bill out in front of Thom and Jonny and runs away laughing. Thom and Jonny crack up completely to loud cheers. Thom tries again, says "F*@k it!", but then continues and finishes the song.)
13. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
14. Climbing Up The Walls
15. Dollars and Cents
16. Nude
17. Bodysnatchers

Encore 1
18. How to Disappear Completely
19. Arpeggi/Weird Fishes
20. Idioteque
21. In Limbo
22. Street Spirit

Encore 2
23. You And Whose Army?
24. No Surprises
25. Everything In Its Right Place

For me, the highlights were of course Weird Fishes/Arpeggi and Talk Show Host. I can still hear them when I close my eyes. And two encores...are you kidding me?! SO fantastic. I'm without words. Anyone who can make it to this show should. It is well worth it! I'll leave you with a recording of the Faust Arp comedy, and of course one of my two favorite moments. Enjoy!

Faust Arp:


Talk Show Host:

Radiohead!

I'm so excited for tonight...I can hardly get my work done. What am I doing tonight you ask? Going to Radiohead! Woo Hoo!! Being one of my favorite bands for a long time, I know this is going to be a fantastic evening. I love their current album In Rainbows and can't wait to hear this one live and in person...



Weird Fishes/Arpeggi is one of those songs that makes my heart leap. The haunting melody and driving beat really take me away. It is amazing when a song hits you emotionally and this one definitely does. Goose bumps...Oh, I can't wait!!

Wonder Wood

Photo courtesy of Pia Jane Bijkerk
While wandering through the Amsterdam streets, Stein and I stumbled upon one of the greatest shops I've seen to date. Wonder Wood is a treasure trove of vintage and new wood pieces. They specialize in museum quality seating but love all things wood. Stein and I walked in and couldn't believe our eyes. The best part? They have a fantastic website full of glamour shots of their collection. Here are some of our favorites:






They have a huge collection of Eames chairs!
Beyond chairs...




What a fantastic place. When I'm rich and famous, I'll definitely rent a steam ship and head over for some shopping...am I going back to La-La Land again?!

All furniture images via Wonder Wood Amsterdam