Affordable AND stylish LA living?

Can such a thing be true?
Gramercy Row looks like it might deliver. Units are 600-700k, which might be reasonable, given all the style and eco-friendly points it hits. I'll just ignore the fact that I'm dirt poor and try to secure a lease.
I love the design, but I'm hesitant about living in LA because public transportation is better in most third world countries, car traffic is insane once you are at the 110 through downtown or get close to k-town, and everyone's secret murderous impulses are triggered when people ride their bikes in traffic.
Enough of that, lets drool over some pictures.




Images stolen with love from the Gramercy Row website.

Is that a new layout?

Yes, yes it is. While I keep the same structure, these new colors are less... ugly.
Besides, I like tile. I might get around to tweaking this template a bit, so if your computer starts freaking out, I'm sorry.
In the meantime, just let your eyes relax, and enjoy the new and only aesthetically improved blog.

finally, something good which hipsters have done for society

Good thing: this blanket from Urban Outfitters.
Great thing: it's ten dolla. Ten! That's like, the cost of a disappointing dinner at Denny's.
And let's not kid ourselves. Though hipsters have tarnished plaid, that tarnish is temporary, and this will still keep you warm for possibly years to come. Possibly less. It is acrylic, after all.
No picture because it's buffalo plaid.

Sunday Showdown!

And now, a summary of all kinds of stuff that I should have blogged about earlier.
Let's start with this dresser from West Elm.

I like it.
The new color of Vipp waste cans.

I like it.

The Parlour sofa from CB2.
I like it, even though it has a superfluous 'u'.

Lastly, the arbor desk from outofstock.
I like it. You probably figured out the theme of this post by now.
I could go into the reasons why I like all of these, but I have more fun pointing out all the things I don't like about design. It's easier to get impassioned.

Do not pass go.

I'm good at Monopoly because I'm ruthless and completely without mercy when it comes to money. Which is why I'm opposed to the 'Monopoly revolutions' game. Yeah, not having to count the money out every single time is a plus, but if you're going to play a game that rewards you for being a sociopathic capitalist, you might as well have that last formality. It also means I can't cheat and hide 500 bucks in my coat pocket.
The board looks cool, I'll give them that. If hasbro released a game that looked like this that didn't have the storied history of monopoly, I'd be first in line to buy it. (okay, I'd saunter in at 3pm maybe but I would be there.) I'm just not a fan of the technology. There are few games which have gotten better with technology.

Image lovingly stolen from Casasugar

instant fancy

I like things simple. That means no multitasking (which I still try), easy organization (which I still ignore) and less things.
Checking off something from my list of 'things I really should blog about' we have these plates from Pottery Barn.

They're simple white plates. Nothing special, but that's what makes them great. They go with anything - a perfect backdrop for your food. Which is why it's a shame that if I get these, they'll pretty much be used exclusively for microwaveable meals. But then again, I like my meals simple too.

Good ol' google reader

In attempts to stay on top of all the blogs I read instead of doing homework, I've turned to google reader. It's pretty nifty, but because I fear I might lose my starred items after a while, I'm going to try and stay on top of the posting game.

From Desire to inspire, my favorite source for concepts which are rich in artistic merit while also amazingly impractical and aesthetically challenged.



ow. I love art. This idea makes me hate art. Like, want-to-punch-a-picasso levels of hate. The tight, asymmetrical groupings of art that this time period will be known for are starting to grow on me. But the thing is those take into account the scale of the room. Please, give your art some breathing space.

Coco + Kelly ask if this is the future of the living room. No sofas, no lumbar support, just pillows.

If your house hosts nightly slumber parties, this might be a good idea. (if you do host nightly slumber parties, you have my sympathy) And this would make for some truly epic pillow forts, but as long as there are superbowl parties, this will not catch on. Even watching football on a daybed feels wrong.

Lastly, Casasugar points out a trend that was worrying me.



Just when you thought avocado green was dead *insert twilight zone theme* its baaaaaack..... Avocado green 2: this time its slightly more saturated. And you wonder why they never make horror movies about colors. Avocado green#2, yellow and that orange color that so many 1970s small cars were painted which bears unfortunate comparisons to dirty diapers.

This doesn't have to be the future. Pantone says the color of 2010 is an aqua blue. (And I'm predicting aubergine for 2011).