TOE TAPPING ON A SUNDAY

I finally, after delaying doing so for no particular reason, signed up for Pandora Radio. I typed in a music stand by and for the most part enjoyed the selections that came up. The song "Red Yellow & Blue" by Born Ruffians came up (album of the same name, Red Yellow & Blue). I admit, I know nothing about the band other than they are from Canada, but the song made me smile and it helped chug a Friday afternoon along.

I hear they are touring with Akron Family.

Here is something I found on the interweb about the band.

Jenny Holzer: PROTECT PROTECT

This spring the Whitney Museum of American Art has a new exhibit called Jenny Holzer: PROTECT PROTECT. It's Holzer's largest and most comprehensive exhibit in the U.S. in almost 20 years. The exhibition deals with LED lights - Holzer's medium of notoriety - as well as silk screens and paintings and and sculpture.

While there is a lot of positive talk about a new U.S. goverment and thus, a new take on U.S./Middle East relations, there still remains an Everest sized quantity of information from the past eight years that has not found a public audience. Holzer provides viewers with a new set of information to debate in PROTECT PROTECT. The text is often a shocking expose on the day-to-day of modern warfare provided by documents that are public, but the public never sees. Most of her text is taken from declassified military documents and makes them a) art b) worthy of thought and deliberation.

Check out a video on Jenny Holzer: PROTECT PROTECT

Pacifica Candles

I'm a big fan of indoor candles. First, they look nice. Second, they allow me to use less electric lighting, which is great. Then, they make your space smell fantastic.

All of these descriptions are true, but if you are at all picky about candles like I am, there are a few pitfalls that prevent you from buying a generic candle and placing it on your coffee table. Firstly, many generic candles are made with petrolium products. They can also utilize lead wicks.

Second, I live in a relatively small city space, and a poorly selected candle can fill a room with way too much scent.

My solution? Pacifica Candles.

My current scents of choice: Thai lemongrass, Sandlewood and Madagascar Spice. Moving in to spring, I'm sure that will all change.

Bonus? They also make natural perfumes and soaps AND they are a small business. Cheers.

THE GREAT SLIPPER CHAIR SEARCH OF 2009

Photo of The Hanover Slipper Chair at www.ballarddesigns.com

Last week began my first committed effort toward purchasing a slipper chair for my living room.

My former mode of furniture acquisition (searching neighbourhood stoops for furniture castaways) has been abandoned due to the scare of bedbugs and one ill-fated attempt whereupon I lugged a lovely curbside find (a burnt orange arm chair) into my bedroom one evening, only to wake the next morning to an overpowering scent of cat urine. This was, I imagine, the reason the chair was discarded in the first place.

In lieu of my commitment to more adult forms of furniture pursuit, I have found a few choice links on the internet. Here are my favourites:

The Hanover Slipper Chair: www.ballarddesigns.com/comShop/customProdAction.do%3Faction%3DinitCustom?ruleID=2357&itemID=1878&path=1%2C2%2C1443%2C1475%2C1691&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=1878

Pottery Barn's Brooks Upholstered Chair: www.potterybarn.com/products/p9164/index.cfm?pkey=cupholstered%2Doccasional%2Dchairs

Williams Sonoma's Abigail Slipper Chair: www.wshome.com/products/p6062/index.cfm

And finally, Lushpad: www.lushpad.com This site is one I stumbled upon and am happy I did. It's full of unique finds.

Blog no.1

Blog no. 1.

If there are fancy things out there, I'd like to put the spotlight on them in the blog. I hope the following topics play prominently: art, eco-sensitive developments, design, food, things that are funny. I hope that photographs play prominently too.

Happy New Year/ Buon Anno!