Favorites: New Yorker Cover

One of my all-time favorite covers of The New Yorker....I thought this appropriately spooky for a Halloween post.

Distraction: Costume Concept IV

Oh, fudgesicle!  And here I thought my Side of Cured Meat costume was so original.  Guess it's back to the old cutting/drawing board.

From the aptly titled Black and WTF.

Distraction: Costume Concept III

It's a given that I can pull off a white bunny onesie and look ten times cuter than this little munchkin (duh) but I'm a little bit concerned.... do you think it will work without the nine back-up dancers?  Any volunteers can hop on over.

From here.

Distraction: Costume Concept II

Evidence that it is true.... there really is a point when fashion becomes costume and one runs the risk of being overpowered by an abundance of plumes and miles of beaded strands.  Note to self: re-think feather plus beads plus fur trim...

From over here.

Distraction: Costume Concept I

With the 31st fast approaching my mind is all a twitter about what my costume should be this year.  Even though I've a pile of work, a lengthy To Do-Do list and time commitments jostling for space in the forefront of my mind all I can think about is kicking off my shoes, firing up the glue gun, stirring up a big batch of paper mache, busting out some beads and several rolls of tin foil and getting busy with some costume crafting.  Think this idea is too much?   Or, better yet, not enough?

From right here.

Rhyme nor Reason: Late afternoon

Four o'clock light, late October, back porch and a tangle of glittery bits... pom poms, foil, chain, colored strings... discarded and forgotten... a cluster of randomness quietly biding its time, waiting for an afternoon just like this to shine.

If I Were A Girl: Miu Miu Stars S/S 11

In my delusional mind I like to think of myself as one of the biggest and brightest stars and my inner girl feels exactly the same way (go figure) so why not wear that modest message right on ones sleeve... or chest or pelvic region?  As much as I like these star spangled Miu Miu frocks for spring summer 2011 I have to admit that my inner girl is most excited about those zig zag shoes accented in intense yellow.  Star bright indeed.

Rhyme nor Reason: Spooky

Early evening spooky sidewalk shadows courtesy of Mr. Oak, Madame Lamp Post and Lady Wind.

Still Life: Vintage Toy

Just like any other wandering eye I am easily seduced by the glossy, shiny, slick perfection of newness but no matter how many fresh faced beauties vie for my attention (and a coveted spot on my over-crowded shelves of lovingly curated treasures) my heart will always belong to the delicate, worn, weathered patina of age.

If I Were A Girl: Chris Benz S/S 11

If I were a girl I wouldn't be afraid to wear prints.  Florals? Yes.  Polka dots?  Uh huh.  Leopard? Sure.  Stripes? Okay.  All of the above all at once? You betcha!  Which explains why my inner girl is flipping over the spring/ summer 2011 creations of Chris Benz....robust prints in delicious colors and what inner girl wouldn't want floral covered chunky platforms for traipsing through a spring meadow?

Images from Chris Benz.

Via style.com

Still Life: Banisters

Found piled high against the side of a barn... a collection of weathered white banisters... aged oak visible beneath the curl of peeling paint... remnants of grand houses, architectural evidence that suggests sparkling, festive entrances... stories waiting to be told.

Favorites: Freak Out and Throw Stuff

Now, this is my type of motto because even a mild-mannered Wandering Eye has his moments... those hot frying pan smoking oil sizzling heat moments when the last thing I want to hear is someone saying to keep calm and carry on... after all, nothing re-weaves my frayed nerves better than a good old-fashioned, profanity sprinkled, foot stomping, fist pounding melt down... follow me... I'll show you how to carry on. 

Available right here.   

Library: Handcrafted Modern by Leslie Williamson

Every once in a great while I have the pleasure of perusing a book filled with beautiful images, the kind of images that push me to see the world differently... etchings, paintings, drawings, doodles, collages, photographs... visual candy for my wandering eyes and their insatiable sweet tooth.  Handcrafted Modern: At Home with Midcentury Designers by the photographer Leslie Williamson is such a book...  filled with magical photographs of lived in spaces, rooms dense with the presence of the occupant... evidence abounds.  These are not your typical show-room-perfect interiors...  those sterile rooms that shine unconvincingly in the glossy pages of other "coffee table" books.  These are photographs to get your eyes dancing across the page, relishing in every detail and savoring the sweetness.

See outtakes here and buy your copy here.

Wishful Wandering: Lake Ashi

I am having one of those unfortunate days where I long for escape.... I want to don my best genie ensemble and cross my arms then nod my head so quickly that my perfect high pony tail snaps like a lightning bolt and transports me to another place far, far away.  My current dream destination: Lake Ashi in Japan where I will sit on the edge of the cool water, admiring Mount Fuji in the distance and devouring a bento box filled with tasty treats.

My Future Home: Concept

Today I am trying to decide on a decorating theme for the vestibule of my future home.  I want something warm and inviting, nothing too ostentatious... I'm thinking simple, clean, understated.  Guess that means the suit of armor should be scrapped... but the fountain stays!

From Interieurs de Style XVIIe & XVIIIe siecles.

Still Life: Vintage Blankets

A stack of Indian textiles basking in an afternoon glow.... a spotlight of sun that managed to squeeze through the sky blocking row of buildings across Ninth Avenue and shine bright for a moment in a fourth floor studio...

Rhyme nor Reason: 200

Yesterday was a bit of a milestone for this Wandering Eye... the 200th post on a blog that I must admit seems (at times) like a self-indulgent pastime... even for a complete and utter hedonist like myself but I refuse to feel any guilty pangs for such sybaritic wanderings... ironic that this most laudable day would pass without even the tiniest spark of a firework inside my rattled brain... oh, wait, there they go...

Image via the NYPL

Favorites: Autumn

The wide swaying mood swings of one Mother Nature have me confused lately.... scarf or no scarf?  I am more than ready to stow away the light weight linens and unearth the cashmere, wool, corduroy... I love the palette of autumn... the layers of browns, greens, ochres, orange as seen in this pile of leaves that my four legged companion unceremoniously, er, added a color to after this photo was taken.

Still Life: Faux Fruit

A confession: During a tour of a most magical house perched on rocks north of Boston, I wasn't supposed to take any photos nor was I supposed to touch ANYTHING the guide said over and over and over as we moved from one fabulous room to another but the temptation was too great (as they often are) so I must confess... I touched... my finger tips lingering on the worn edge of a leather bound book, the gilded undulation of an ornate frame, the cool swirl of Italian marble and I snapped one quick photo... a triangle of light on beautiful aged wood and a shallow bowl of dusty wax fruit.

Covet: Mid-18th Century Italian Console

Just a simple little side table that I had to erase from my wish list...curse those high bidders!  Hard to believe this beauty was stored away in the attic.  

From the Chatsworth Attic Auction at Sotheby's. 

Discovered via the wonderful blog The Style Saloniste. 

Wishful Wandering: Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes

Yes, I do have a To Do list of items crying out for attention... waving their little arms and calling my name but today all I want to do is jet off to London and land my invisible plane in front of the Victoria and Albert Museum so that I can see the exhibition dedicated to Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes... costumes by Leon Bakst, music by Igor Stravinsky, choreography by Mikhail Fokine, collaborations with Pablo Picasso and Coco Chanel and the magic artistry of Vaslav Nijinsky... need I say more?

Images via the V&A.

Rhyme nor Reason: La Liz

I'm in the mood for some old-time Hollywood glamour which made me think of this favorite Sid Avery photo... sure this wasn't taken in a studio with a seamless backdrop and perfectly measured lighting... and Elizabeth Taylor isn't wearing an Edith Head gown or a mega-diamond necklace... which is exactly why I love this photo... even in a dirt filled coral, sitting on a folding metal chair, La Liz can evoke plenty of Hollywood glamour all on her own.  

My Future Home: 18th Century Villa

I am so relieved!  After years of searching and enduring some ho-hum open houses, I have finally found my future home.  This lovely 18th century villa perched above the town of Positano on the Amalfi Coast.  Not only does this pink stuccoed wonder contain copious bedrooms with frescoes and bathrooms with lovely tile but the grounds feature 5000 square feet of gardens and terraces with almonds, figs and olives ripe for the picking.  Oh, and did I mention that the villa comes furnished?  Ciao bella!

Photos by Nadia Shira Cohen.  See more of my future home right here.

If I Were A Girl: Alexander McQueen S/S 11

Just when I think that the state of contemporary clothing has been reduced to too many X's on a size label and couture has become synonymous with (dare I say it) juicy,  the artistry of beautiful clothing design feeds my fashion starved soul...case in point: this voluminous pleated ruffle dress from Alexander McQueen's spring 2011 collection as designed by Sarah Burton.  A lovely ethereal wonder of a dress I would be more than happy to wear .... if I were a girl.

See more wonder here.

Wishful Wandering: Trey McIntrye's "Oh Inverted World"

Enough with all this gloomy rain!  Today I will place my soggy self in a first class seat on my invisible jet and high-tail it to San Francisco so that I can sit front row center at a performance of Trey McIntyre's dance Oh Inverted World.   I'm intrigued after reading the New York Times review by Alastair Macaulay plus I'm a sucker for a man in striped tube socks and wrist warmers!

Photo by David Allen.  Macaulay's review right here.

Covet: Circa 1880's Scottish Mirror

Just a little something something I'm coveting for my future home by the sea....where at the height of summer I will frolic in the frothy surf looking tan and tone.....and during the coldest of winter I will walk along the jetty doing my best impression of Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenant's Woman.

Available right here.

Far and Wide: Cape Ann

Nothing like an overnight escape to the coastal scenery of Cape Ann for clearing the blurry fuzz from a Wandering Eye like yours truly.

Rhyme nor Reason: Wiener Werkstatte belt

Sometimes the simplest thing can make my day.  Case in point: Glass bead belt, circa 1916 attributed to Dagobert Peche of the Wiener Werkstatte

Covet: Vintage Bridge Score Books

Unearthed at the flea market....another complete and utter necessity... a must-have if you will....perfect for when I fall in with that underground bridge playing circuit.... I heard whispers that they gather in smoke-filled back rooms under shadow of night... don't let the white hair, appliqued cardigans, sensible shoes and bifocals fool you... they're a rough and tumble crowd but perhaps I can win them over with my snazzy style and excellent choice in score booklets.

Favorites: Louis Sullivan

Once upon a time there was a university student who knew all the words to Madonna's Borderline but who wasn't very good about registering for courses on time... this resulted in an eclectic class schedule of subjects that had very little to do with the student's major but were still very entertaining... one of those classes was a survey of American architecture where the student was introduced to the work of Louis Sullivan and promptly fell in love. The End.