Flowers In Her Hair.

In the spirit of spring (hey, we're getting there), I thought I'd post these spectacular floral creations by Japanese artist Takaya Hanayuishi. 

I'll take one electric-purple bougainvillea cloche, please. (Bonus if it comes with that awesome tattoo!)

Visit Takaya's website, here. Thanks to Catbird and Flowerona for the introduction!

Lost & Found.

This week on the Equals Record: getting lost, and finding home.

A bit from the new post: "When I first moved to New York City five years ago, I lived in a tiny apartment in Morningside Heights, in a bedroom with a single window that looked out onto a brick wall. Because I craved sunlight (a luxury I’d always taken for granted), and because my work-from-home schedule allowed me a certain degree of freedom, I spent most of my days and nights with my then-boyfriend, Ben, at his Columbia University apartment three blocks away. Ben was an exemplary tour guide. We went to jazz clubs in Harlem, used bookstores in the East Village, hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Queens. We spent long afternoons at MoMa, at ICP, in Central Park. A newcomer to the city, I was happy to let him lead the way. Literally. At six-foot-five, Ben was an imposing figure. More than that, he was excellent company. And he seemed to know the city inside and out. All I had to do was follow."

Read the rest, here. You can find the archive for my weekly column, Looking Forward (about the ups and downs of "growing up" in my twenties), here. Thank you, as always, for your kind words and support.

Bottom artwork by Heather Gonsior. 

Chosen Words.

Brooke Schmidt writes poems using words she cuts from the pages of books. She also makes tiny ladders, miniature chairs, and paper mache thunderstorms.

She made this, too - a poem written on the pearly underside of a seashell. Beautiful.

Brooke's art is available for purchase at her Etsy shop, here. (Her Polaroid postcards are lovely, too!)

Guthrie's Goals.

I love artist Mat Pringle's illustrated representations of Woody Guthrie's 1942 "New Year's Rulin's." I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year, but I'm inspired to do so belatedly after finding this. I think I'll borrow #15 (see below) and #19, too. I'd also add one about spending more time outdoors, and another about finally visiting the Met. (Oh, and on a much more frivolous note, I think this would make an excellent addition, too.)

See more on Mat Pringle's blog, here (he's been posting new "rulin's" daily),  and on his official website, here. Now get out there, have a wonderful day, and learn people better! 

Via The Fox Is Black.

The New-Fashioned Wedding.

This morning, I'm thrilled to share (somewhat belatedly) a project that I feel so lucky to have been a part of. It's a book called "The New-Fashioned Wedding," and it showcases the beautiful work of Paige Appel and Kelly Harris, founders of the event planning company Bash, Please. As a longtime admirer of Paige and Kelly's, I was over the moon when I was asked to help write their book. (If you look closely, you'll see my name on the title page - what an honor!)

"The New-Fashioned Wedding" is available for purchase, here. A big thank you to Paige, Kelly, and Rizzoli for being such a pleasure to work with, and for inviting me to be a part of such an inspiring project. 

Happy weekend to all! 

Marmot Madness.

I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. These photos of eight-year-old Matteo Walch and his marmot friends were just begging to be shared. Apparently, Matteo and his family vacation in the Austrian Alps annually - and each year, the boy rekindles his friendship with the animals (who are normally known to be fearful of humans). 

Says his mother, "He loves those animals and they are not at all afraid of Matteo because he has a feeling towards them and they understand that."

Too cute. See the full story at the Daily Mail, here. Happy Thursday!

Photos: Caters News Agency.

Storytellers.

This week on the Equals Record: wondering, as a writer, what it takes to become a good storyteller.

An excerpt from the new post: "In the tenth grade, I wrote a short story for my English class that was told from the point of view of a man on death row. The same year, I wrote another piece from the perspective of a little boy who heard voices. I followed that with yet another, about an inner city teenager who’d been kicked out of school. (Clearly, at fifteen, I was interested in exploring the darker side of the human experience.) I received good marks on these stories at the time; still, they’re pieces that embarrass me now—full of vague details and street slang I didn’t know how to use. These were stories I didn’t know how to tell. Today, as a writer, I still doubt my story-telling abilities. Essays, I can handle. Interviews are no problem. But a story is a different animal."

See the post in its entirety on the Equals Record, here. The archive for my weekly column, Looking Forward (about the ups and downs of "growing up" in my twenties), can be found here. Thank you so much for reading!

Top images by Lou Mora. Bottom image via The Little Mermaid. (Quote from Barabara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible. Thanks, Megan.)

Vintage Loves.

For those with a case of the post-weekend blues, (or for those like me who just want to feel a little warmer in these sub-freezing temps), here are a few photos from the always mesmerizing Vintage Loves. My favorite's the third one down - what exactly is going on there?

Feeling better now? Thought so. Click here to see more.

Happy Long Weekend.

I have many favorite quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr., but the one below just might top the list. Another, which I carry around with me in a little notebook, reads, I am who I am because of who we all are. Beautiful words, and so inspiring. (Click here to read more.)

Wishing you all a restful and reflective three-day weekend - what are your plans? I'll be working through much of it, but am also planning on checking out a couple of new restaurants (including this one), catching a flick, and going out for hot toddies with some friends.

I'll be back on Tuesday; in the meantime, here's a little reading/viewing material for the weekend:

-Some of history's most memorable speeches.
-Mother Jones' Best Interviews of 2012.
-An amusing round-up of famous writers letting loose. (I like your style, James Baldwin.)

Have a wonderful three days, everyone!

Photo: Michael Ochs/Getty. Print by Cloud and Clover.

Private Moon.

Private Moon is an ongoing collaboration between artist Leonid Tishkov and photographer Boris Bendikov. According to Tishkov, the project is "a visual poem, telling a story about a man who found the Moon and stayed with her for the rest of his life." Below, just a few (of many) striking images from the series.

See more at Leonid Tishkov's website, here, and Boris Bendikov's site, here. A big thank you to Tin House for the introduction.

Growth.

This week on the Equals Record: revisiting the wonders of childhood, in a most unexpected way. 

As always, a short excerpt from the new post: "When I moved to New York in 2009, [my niece] Calla turned one. As her aunt, babysitter, and—as my sister-in-law once kindly referred to me—her real-life fairy godmother, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of witnessing the numberless spectacular and bewildering transformations that occur in the first few years of life. 'Can you imagine one day we’ll have a real conversation with her?' I remember asking my brother. Today, three years later, we not only have conversations, but discussions. The baby who once did little more than babble can now ride a scooter, sit through chapter books, make correct use of the word confidant, and identify several obscure varieties of pasta. (Anyone familiar with strozzapreti? She is.)"

Read the rest on the Equals Record, here. The archive for my weekly column, Looking Forward (about the ups and downs of "growing up" in my twenties), can be found here. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!

Top photo by Max Wanger. Bottom photo: unknown.

Piga's Pancakes.

Sugar pancakes? Say no more. Food blogger (and med student!) Pigamitha Dimar of "Notions & Notations of a Novice Cook" admits that these Korean-style flapjacks - filled with a spicy-sweet mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and nuts - defy description. "You'll just have to make some and experience it yourself," she writes.

 

 

 

If she insists.

Find the full post and recipe on Pigamitha's beautiful blog, here. (Also worth checking out? Stuffed French toast and pesto potatoes and eggs. Wow.)

In Stitches.

I've been a fan of artist Jose Romussi's embroidered portraits of dancers since discovering his work months ago - I posted one to Pinterest this weekend as part of my stint as guest-pinner for UGallery. (By the way, don't forget about the discount code, posted here.) In the process of looking for the image I wanted, I came across these newer embroidered pieces, which I love just as much.

See more at Jose Romussi's website here, and his Flickr stream, here. Have a great Monday!

Crop Tops.

With temperatures expected to rise to nearly sixty degrees in NYC this weekend, designer Leah Goren's printed tank tops are starting to look awfully tempting. (I'm already the very happy owner of this beauty - consider me a Leah Goren cat-print collector.)

Shop more at Leah's Etsy shop here, and have a great weekend! (If the weather forecast proves accurate, you'll find me sunbathing in the park come Saturday.)

Also, as a special treat, UGallery, the online art gallery I've been guest-pinning for all week, is offering Sho & Tell readers a 15% discount off the site's entire collection. The coupon is valid through Friday, January 18th - just enter the code shoandtell15 at checkout. Thank you so much, UGallery!

Photos by Kate Edwards.