Douglas Wilson
Posted on | January 31, 2008 | Comments Off
I found this artist via decor8′s write up on the online gallery, Keep Calm. So when I investigated this great site I came across the piece above. I quickly swiped it up for a special Valentine’s day gift. How sweet will this be in my house? I love that song and truly all you really need in life is love. The rest is just bullshit and whatever.
The piece is done by the artist Douglas Wilson. Check out his site here. I love the big type face and how you began to deconstruct the language and saying when it’s printed so boldly and graphically. Each print is hand letterpressed by the artist. A few of my other favorites below. You can purchase all of these prints exclusively on keep-calm.com.
Ethnic Chic at Pottery Barn
Posted on | January 31, 2008 | Comments Off

Ikat pillow covers, sale $14.99,
potterybarn.com.
The whole ethnic trend has oozed its way into the mass market.
You’ll be seeing more and more inspired ikat and block prints on
the market this Spring. Here are a few I pulled from the big brand,
Pottery Barn.
The prices are really reasonable and the pieces mix well with any
decor. I love the lumbar pillow cover above which is on sale for $14.99.
How could you go wrong? See more picks below.

Framed Block Prints, $79/set of five,
potterybarn.com.

Indigo Pillow Covers, $25-$39,
potterybarn.com.
Al di Là
Posted on | January 30, 2008 | Comments Off
Whole charcoal-grilled young organic chicken served with fennel salad and mashed potatoes.
I meet up with friends for dinner on Tuesday night in Park Slope. We checked out Al di Là a northern Italian restaurant which my friend described as,”slightly over-hyped and crowded” but still a favorite of hers nonetheless. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations so be prepared to wait. I visited on a Monday night and the wait was not terrible. We headed around the corner to their wine bar and enjoyed a glass of red and olives while we waited.
After a glass, the table was ready and the three of us headed upstairs to a cozy restaurant with exposed brick, decorative tiled floors, a large Venetian glass chandelier, and my favorite black candy-cane style bentwood chairs. The atmosphere was intimate with a neighborhood feel.
We checked out the menu that included a large section of appetizers emphasisizing shellfish, homemade pasta dishes, and hearty entrees like charcoal-chicken and hanger steak. I’ve read of lot of raves for the steak. I’m not a steak kinda girl and wasn’t feeling adventurous that night.
I went for the blood orange salad to start and then the “casunziei” ravioli stuffed with a blend of roasted beets and ricotta, then coated with melted butter and poppy seeds and felt like I totally scored. The roasted beets were delightful and were not masked with any heavy ingredients. The dish felt pure, light, and simple. The poppy seeds were interesting. I was a little perplexed by them and was in fear of an 80′s Spa Dish, but was pleasantly surprised that the texture was a welcomed addition.
Check out this video I found of owner Anna Klinger talking a little bit about the origins of her food and how she likes that the restaurant has a neighborhood feel.
Al di Là
248 Fifth Avenue (Carroll Street)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
(718) 783-4565

























