Covet: Massive Finials

These over-sized architectural finials were hard to miss.... their glowing crackled surfaces commanded quite a presence in the beautifully arranged dark and cavernous Coup d'Etat showroom in San Francisco...a space filled with covetable treasures.  There were three, they were massive and they were screaming "take us home!" Unfortunately my luggage was already filled to capacity.

From here.

If I Were A Girl: Alejandro Ingelmo Fall 2011

It's Memorial Day, the weather has warmed and my inner girl has barely slipped her ten painted digits into open-toe strappy sandals and already she has her eye on these Fall 2011 booties by Alejandro Ingelmo.... important question of the morning: gold or silver?

From here.

If I Were A Girl: Christopher Kane Spring 2011

Tis no surprise that my inner girl has a soft spot for prints (and Prince for that matter).... big, bold, colorful.... polka dots, florals, abstracts, stripes..... all the above and all at once...yes, yes and uh huh.  In case you're itching to try this at home, a word of warning: a plethora of prints can be rather over-whelming on those girls who are vertically challenged....our recommended solution: substantially elevated footwear.  Fortunately, my inner girl is a teensy bit above average in stature so there is never a question of whether or not she can pull off a super-duper print-tastic look.... like any of the above from Christopher Kane's Spring 2011 collection.

From here.

Favorites: Disco

Nice to know one of my favorite genres of music is still alive (at least in the Mission District of SF) and well (minus the gated window).... le freak c'est chic.

Crave: Cocktail

After a long day in SF climbing numerous hills and hiking a multitude of valleys (and that's in Chinatown alone) there is nothing I crave more than a lil' something something to wet the ol' wandering whistle....a perfectly concocted cocktail poured over a tall glass of ice....extra points for a crazy straw and/or paper parasol.

Far and Wide: Tail of the Yak

This magical gem of a shop in Berkeley, California had me wrapped around its crafty little finger.... beautifully merchandised and curated with a touch of humor Tail of the Yak was chock full of all the little wonders that gets my wandering heart beating fast....hand-crafted paper radish cluster filled with surprises? Yes, please.

No website but copious images online...Tail of the Yak, 2632 Ashby Ave, Berkeley, CA 

Far and Wide: Flora Grubb

Time spent perusing the incredible range of plants scattered about this gardening mecca made me want to race home and tear out all the greenery in my make-believe garden plot and start anew.  Of course, with a name like Flora Grubb how could I be disappointed?

See more here.

Far and Wide: San Francisco IV

How could I resist the creamy complexion, big blank eyes, mass of sculpted curls and why-didn't-I-think-of-that crown of shining lightbulbs?  Me thinks there will be a heart left in San Francisco after all.

Far and Wide: San Francisco III

A bounty of beads, baubles and bijoux baking in the sun 

at the Alemany Flea Market, San Francisco.

Far and Wide: San Francisco II

Bernal Heights 9 am

 Ferry Terminal noon

North Beach 3 pm

Pacific Heights 11 pm

Dear one reader, please excuse the temporary lapse in daily posts from yours truly.... have been luxuriating in the windy sunshine of San Francisco, admiring multi-colored Victorians, traversing hill after hill after hill and my Wandering backside has never looked better.

Rhyme nor Reason: Humphry Slocombe

Deep in the hilly hills of this city by the bay, I lifted a blanket of fog and discovered a perfect remedy for the late-afternoon droops..... that half past three moment when the internal energy tank dips into empty and warning lights glow red: 2.5 scoops of Humpry Slocombe Fluffernutter ice cream washed down with a grande latte and this Wandering Eye was good to go-go-go!

Far and Wide: San Francisco

After weeks of awaiting the arrival of spring and, instead, tolerating the misty, cold, grey of May in New England this here Wandering Eye fired up his invisible jet and high-tailed it to the other coast... I am in the land of golden gates and hilly hills soaking up sun and looking for the heart that Tony Bennett left behind.

Favorites: Ikat

Three examples of why 

I got

a soft spot

for ikat.

Covet: Anatomical Chart

Uh oh.... I feel a Florence Nightingale moment coming on....layered anatomical chart....circa 1910... French...bien sur.

From here.

Rhyme nor Reason: Meanwhile, in the garden...

Honestly, I really lichen you.

Rhyme nor Reason: Splash

Once upon a time I reluctantly took swimming lessons at the YMCA where the pool was in the basement and the water was always cold.  I remember the sharp smell of chlorine, the chill of tile on bare feet and the way the florescent light reflected off the water casting the room and all us soggy kiddies in a greenish/blue tint.  Suffice to say that I never got past executing a most-convincing dead-mans-float.  Now, had my downtown YMCA been decorated even remotely close to this festive vision in red, white and blue.....well, I'm pretty sure this Wandering Eye would be a Wandering Esther Williams.

Arnett YMCA by Charles Zoller

From here.

My Future Home: Foolish

With my interest in typography and my love for parades, well, this just seems like the perfect look for my future home....plus the name is spot on...tell it like it is...

Foolish House, Ontario Beach Park, 1910

From here.

Rhyme nor Reason: Garden

My favorite neighborhood garden....a willy nilly melange of blooms bordering a curvaceous expanse of green...I stop often, hovering near the lichen covered low fence....willing myself NOT to tiptoe through the tulips.

If I Were A Girl: Proenza Schouler Necklace

Perfect for sating my inner girl's mad craving for bold make-a-statement jewelry and her perturbing maybe-it-will-go-away-if-we-ignore-it fascination with owls.  

From here.

Rhyme nor Reason: Wisdom

Sigh.  I did it again.  Yesterday I let my hopes fly way too high.... like brush-against-a-cloud high.... curse that eternal internal optimist!  I don't know what treasures I was expecting to unearth in the fields of the Brimfield Antique Mart but one hour in I knew it was time to re-evaluate the situation.  Yes, I did find some incredibly tempting pieces (like this Native American blanket circa 1920's) but the price tags were far less appealing (like four figures).

Which reminded me of a valuable lesson I learned years ago after a string of ho-hum dates: when faced with an unknown (like a first date or a flea market) it's best to lower your expectations and prepare for the worst experience ever.... that way (ta dah!) you'll never be disappointed.

This potentially life-altering morsel of wisdom has been brought to you by the sage minds of DoaWE.

Crave: Brimfield Antique Show

Yes, fellow Wanderers, tis that rare time of year when I emerge from my down covered cocoon at an abnormal hour to stumble across farm fields laden with treasures more than the eye can see...wish me luck in my search for the most irresistible and the completely unnecessary.... of course, should I spy a lass like this lovely lady from White Cloud, Kansas circa 1974 the day will be complete.

From here.

Covet: Grates

When it comes to the great Olympics of life we at DoaWE consider ourselves quite the champions in the flea market shopping event.... we stand tall upon the first place podium, gold medals upon our chiseled chests watching through tears of joy as our beloved rainbow flag flies just a smidge higher than the rest.... so, we were quite surprised when yesterday, during a regular early Sunday visit to a favorite flea market, our dear companion (aka evil competitor) managed to snatch a coveted cast-iron radiator grate from right beneath our (sneezing) noses.... curse that distracting hay fever!  This slight stumble in our stellar track record sent us spiraling into a mad search for great grates which explains this post.  

From here. 

Rhyme nor Reason: Happy Mother's Day

In my life I've met some real Mothers....

I've also met some really great Moms.  

To that latter group:

Happy Mother's Day!

Yes, the resemblance is striking....the golden locks, limp wrist, well-placed bow accentuating a weak chin, coy tilt of the head and brave smile-through-the-pain grin... but no that isn't me as a child.

Rhyme nor Reason: What did you call me?

Whilst descending the stairwell of a parking structure the other morning....unsuccessfully attempting to ignore the curious smell.... I reached a landing and came face to face with this bit of colorful graffiti... the hour was early and I was in a bit of a fog from the lack of oxygen so it took me a moment to make out the word then I thought: However did they know?

Distraction: Toys of the Avant-Garde

Seeing as my invisible jet was in the very visible repair shop most of last year, I missed the Toys of the Avant-Garde exhibition at Museo Picasso Malaga (insert boo-hoo face here).  Still, that didn't stop me from getting my sweaty wandering hands on the beautifully illustrated book/catalog for the exhibition.  This book has been sitting on my desk for the last week and whenever I need an eye-candy break I open to any page and ogle the incredible images.  I find these photos of a late 1800's scrap book especially inspiring.... I hope you agree.

See more toys here

Rhyme nor Reason: Cinco de Mayo

Since my wandering roots are firmly planted in the sandy soil of Southern California, I have quite the soft (taco) spot for Cinco de Mayo... I remember plenty of grade school assemblies where yours truly (in oversized sombrero) performed a mean Mexican Hat Dance and birthday parties where colorful pinatas were sacrificed in the name of candy.... not that I need any excuse for feasting on delicious Mexican fare after all, I've rarely met a bowl of guacamole I didn't like.

From here.