Happy Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

How will you be celebrating this year? My roommates and I will be watching a movie, and eating this delicious-looking cake. Whatever your plans, have fun and stay safe.

Oh, and if you have a spare moment, check out this sunshine-themed guest post I put together for My Sea Story, a blog written by the wonderful Joana, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at Blogshop. Thanks for having me, Joana!

Photo: "Signs of the Apocalypse" via suz1212.

33 Ways.

This is something I'd normally consider posting on a Monday, but why not Friday? I can't think of a better way to start the weekend than with a little creative inspiration.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! (And stay warm, fellow New Yorkers - we may get snow on Saturday. I can't believe it!)

via CUBICLE REFUGEE.

Sick Picks.

I've spent the past couple of days at home with a cold. (Happily, though, I'm feeling much better this morning.) Here, a few online finds that made me smile through the sneezes:

Clockwise from left: "A Clockwork Orange" book cover fleece, $42; Heart Poster, $14.95; "This is an Adventure" iPhone case, $35; Kate Spade cheers necklace, $78; Hansel from Basel puff socks, $18.

Dandelion Dream.

This room, with its canopy of white dandelions, looks like the perfect place to daydream. Artist Regine Ramseier created the space for ArToll Summer Lab 2011, using a total of two-thousand stems.

via My Modern Met.

A House in the Hills.

Photographer Sarah Yates is exactly the kind of person who should have a lifestyle blog - she's smart, multi-talented, stylish, and one-fourth of a pretty darn cute family. Her beautiful blog, A House in the Hills, is a reflection of all that and more.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure Ruca Bean Yates-Mora - one of two dogs she shares with her fiancé, Lou Mora - is a star in the making.

Check out the blog, here. Learn more about Sarah's photography at Birds of a Feather.

Top photo by Lou Mora, remainder by Sarah Yates.

Brrr.

Is it a bad sign that on Friday night, when the temperature in New York City dipped to the low 50s, I felt the need to wear a winter coat?

About this time every year, I start to wonder how on earth I'll survive the winter. Fifty degrees seems frigid as it is, thank you. This season, these colossal scarves by Yokoo - which I've coveted for ages - may  become the newest additions to my cold-weather wardrobe. If these don't keep me toasty, I don't know what will.

I'm also a fan of this very funny floppy hat.

And this one, too - while we're on the topic of oversized winter accessories - by fellow Etsy artisan, YesJess. 

Yawn.

I can relate, mister.

Looking forward to a cozy autumn weekend. See you next week! 

Photo: "Kanincheneule" by Martin Teschner.

Hairy Sock.

Quirky finds from the Etsy shop, Hairy Sock, including a laundry brooch,

a "pearl person,"

and a soaring sofa.

While we're on the topic of quirky Etsy items, I came across this Godzilla sculpture while browsing, and laughed out loud. If only I had more room in my apartment...

Visit the Hairy Sock shop, here.

Sweet Thing: Roberta's.

After tasting the ricotta pancakes at Roberta's for the first time - back when I still lived in Bushwick, a block away from the restaurant's door - I raved to anyone who would listen that they were not only the best pancakes I'd ever had, but one of best breakfasts I'd ever had. Period.

For a time, I worried that I'd talked them up too much, that my friends who were now trekking from all corners of the city to sample the dish for themselves would come away disappointed. But, lo and behold, (most) everyone agreed. Served with brown butter, maple syrup, and smattering of fruit (this time, blueberry), they're slightly crispy on the outside, luxuriously cake-like on the inside. Not technically a dessert - but arguably just as decadent - they're truly in a league of their own.

Note: On my two most recent visits, I received a single, massive pancake instead of the two that previously came with an order - a modification that diminishes the dish's greatness, but only slightly.

Visit the restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays during brunch hours to try for yourselves.

Anne Emond.

After spotting illustrator Anne Emond's work several times around the blogosphere lately, I had to check out her website. I loved what I found.

Two favorites:

More on the artist's website, blog, and Tumblr.

You Learn Something New Every Day.

Today, learn the difference between a "black eye" and a "flat white"...

...and pick up some dance moves to sweat off the jitters that follow.

Find Orbit Visual's "Field Guide to Espresso" products here, and the Thom Yorke Dance Guide tote bag, here. 

Happy Snaps.

Playful photos to celebrate the weekend.

On my to-do list: a trip to the farmers' market (I'm hoping for apple cider doughnuts), this George Harrison documentary, and catching up on some much-needed sleep. What's on yours?

Hope it's a great one!

Photos by Max Wanger.

Dreamland.

A burst pipe in my apartment building kept me up most of Tuesday night, leaving me bleary-eyed and listless the next day (thankfully, damage to the apartment was minimal). In my sleepy state, these images - part of a series by photographer Jan von Holleben - struck me as, well, positively dreamy.

Photos by Jan von Holleben. Find the rest of the series, and learn the inspiration behind it, on My Modern Met.

Monster Miscellany.

London's Hoxton Street Monster Supplies stocks "everything that any monster needs," including Fang Floss, canned Heebie-Jeebies, and Zombie Fresh Mints. The shop is part of the very cool Ministry of Stories, an organization inspired by Dave Eggers's 826 Valencia. Learn more about it, here.

More monster supplies, here.

Click, Click, Click.

The result of an hour spent browsing for a friend's birthday gift online: a wish list of my own. (Why does this always seem to happen?) Below, some favorites: 

Not pictured but nevertheless coveted: "The Marriage Plot" by Jeffrey Eugenides, and the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook (I'm expecting many batches of these cookies to get me through winter).

Clockwise from left: Anthropologie Glimmer Graph Shell, $158; Moody Camel Hand Embroidery, $40; Mismatched Triangle Turquoise and Diamond Studs, $320; Bauer Pottery Teapot, $70; House Shaped Pillow, $105.

Coral & Tusk.

I blogged about this amazing pair of baby booties a couple months ago, remarking that I'd happily wear them if only they came in my size. Unfortunately, they still don't, but I was delighted all the same to stumble across these designs, by the same line.

Also, how cute is this embroidered memory game?

All this and much more (pillows! stationery! t-shirts!) on Coral & Tusk's website, here.

Cows, Captivated.

Well, this is just adorable.

Have a very happy weekend!

The band in the video is called the New Hot 5. Find their YouTube channel, here.

Sweet Thing: Van Leeuwen.

Might sound crazy, but I think the Van Leeuwen ice cream truck may be stalking me. Every which way I turn, it seems, there it is - sparkling, sunshine-yellow, tempting me with its wares.

Not that I'm complaining. Funnily enough, this is the time of year when I love Van Leeuwen most. There's only one reason I'll stop for a frozen treat on a sub-60 degree day (which, to this California girl, is downright wintry), and that is: Earl Grey ice cream. As far as I know, the flavor is available year-round, but really, it's the perfect autumn indulgence - creamy, heady, as satisfying as a cup of hot tea on a brisk, blowy day. (Just don't forget to bundle up.)

Wise Words.

I carry a piece of paper with quotes I love on it everywhere I go - this one, from Steve Jobs's 2005 Stanford commencement address, has always been one of my all-time favorites. You can read the speech in its entirety, here. 

Artwork by Peter Roth. 

Happy Birthday To Rue.

A very happy first birthday to Rue Magazine!

I've written regularly for Rue since January, and I can't say enough about what a wonderful experience it's been. I've learned a ton, and met some truly wonderful people along the way. Many thanks to Crystal, Anne, Bri, and Cassandra for making me part of the extended Rue family. 

In this month's issue, I was lucky enough to interview interior designers Virginia Toledo and Jessica Geller of id810 Design Group about the challenges of redefining the bachelor pad.  Read more on page 176. Hope you enjoy!

Photos by the very talented Emily Johnston Anderson for Rue Magazine.

Masquerade.

When it comes to Halloween costumes, I've yet to top the year I went as a table - a picnic table, that is, complete with table-cloth, silverware, and plastic stick-on food. (I was eight). These days, regrettably, I'm not inclined to make as much of an effort, but I do like these D.I.Y. print-out masks from crewcuts, "for kids and kidults alike."

Photo by Rachel Domm via 770 Behind The Line.

Books I Love.

A big thank you to Camilla over at Thistle and Clover for clueing me into a recent Daily Candy round-up  called "101 Books We Can't Live Without." Some of my personal favorites make appearances on the list, ("The Corrections," "The History of Love," "Bird by Bird"); I'd also add "The God of Small Things," "Middlesex," anything by Roald Dahl, and, of course, this.

Up next on my list? "The Art of Fielding," by Chad Harbach. Sports novels are generally not my cup of tea, but I'm intrigued by the glowing reviews this one's been getting.

What are you reading now?

Photo by Stanley Kubrick via Betsy Von Furstenberg. Found via the fabulous site, Women Reading.