it's a sign

Being the design junkie that I am I have a tendency to take pictures of signs that I find interesting. I also have silly sense of humor so some signs or notices that I spot will make me giggle for days. Here are a few of my favorites.

In 2006 we went to jolly old England to see THE MAN in his home country. Not only did we get to go on tour but we got to see this:

In Birmingham--I love the basic graphic design, so subtle.


In Kings Lynn--We got into town late and went wandering around for food. It had been a long day of travel so we were in crankytown. This made us laugh and made our night brighter.


In London--we stumbled upon this charming sign. I couldn't help but read it in a silly voice, with strong emphasis on the cheeeese. It is the oldest pub in London and was also in Miroslav Sasek's book This is London. Looks like we aren't the only ones who love it.


Potty humor, I see the funniest things in bathrooms all over.

In Oxford--this sign made me laugh so hard when I first saw it. We went to a department store to use the restroom. It made me wonder what had happened to prompt them to make a sign to remind people of such a basic thing.



This is from Parsons, bathroom graffiti is so much better at an art school.


We went to the Coney Island freak show labor day weekend with our sister Denise. We enjoyed the freak show but the bathroom had some classy entertainment.



Graffiti from Salt Lake City, inspiring reminder to...


vs. graffiti from Brooklyn, inspiring but in a different way


These signs are what really catch my eye












Last year when we were in Oakland for THE MAN we saw this and thought it very appropriate


Many New Yorkers can relate to this


There have been times late at night we have thought this very thing...


I wish I could have been there to see who did this one.

--heidi

magic is right!

Since heidi wrote about her new favorite design site I thought I'd post my new favorite subway song. Damn, this song is so good!! I haven't turned into a true New Yorker yet in that I don't get down in the subway like other people but this could be the song to make me do it-until then I just walk fast and then dance at home. I'm not savy enough to just post an MP3 so here is the youtube clip.

Ladyhawke-Magic




By the way, I saw an older man (hep cat if you will) in the subway yesterday that I could tell was itching to boogie on down and then when he couldn't hold it in anymore he shimiied and twisted and head bobbed-it was amusing.

--Katie

the selby

I love magazines about interior design with all their pretty photos of gorgous apartmaents and homes all over the world. But sometimes they feel too over styled and don't really show the personality of those who live there. I want to see how real creative people live because for me right now that is more inspiring than a pretty home that a designer has worked on.

One of my favorite new places to look for inspiration is The Selby. I'm sure the photos have been styled but not to the extent that a magazine would. Below are a few of my favorites.

Bill Gentle and Fanny Bostrom



Mary Randolf Carter


Cheri Messerli and David Rager



--heidi

eek

This year for Halloween we went to the famous parade in the West Village. So far every year I've lived here I haven't gone but I'm glad I waited to go with Katie because it was much more fun with her than it would have been by myself.

We got there with enough time to get a good spot. Right across from the VIP section at the library. Thankfully that night wasn't as cold so we were ok sitting around waiting and waiting for the parade to start. In typical NY style the people next to us started to argue with the girls next to them. Space issues always bring out the worst in people in NY.

The best part of the parade was the begining. We really liked the ghost party. The ghosts where some of the best we've seen. Plus the wind helped make them look extra spooky.




As expected this year there were a lot of political costumes and soooo many people as the joker. We also saw a lot of girls dressed as a stove. Not sure why this costume was so popular but it was. We also saw a lot of people dressed as bananas.

The other great part of the parade was the Thriller group. There were two Michael Jackson's fighting for attention but the zombies were so brilliant! They had their dance worked out and all of their costumes were fantastic. It made us think of when we were in grade school, we would hear that song and get so scared.

Towards the end of the parade it was getting a bit boring because it was the same costumes over and over. Once we left we had the joy of trying to get to the subway along with two million other people (seriously, that's how many people went to the parade). On our way there we saw this creepy clown hanging out on a window ledge by Washington Sqaure. It wouldn't be Halloween without a creepy clown


--heidi

we love it! we love it!

One of our families favorites films is Gotcha! Our parents did a good job picking that one out one weekend. It is a classic 80's film with so many great lines and killer music. Recently the show Chuck had a few references to Gotcha! Thus proving it is beloved by many.

This is the scene that makes us laugh the most. Guaranteed fit of giggles if you watch this with us.

makes me happy

I'm so smitten with the work of Kat MacLeod. Her illustrations are so lovely and I just want to be one of those girls with their great outfits and fun hair.








I love the way she uses a mixture of different medias and even thought it's a flat image there is still a texturized quality to them that attracts me. They also remind me a bit of Egon Scheile (one of my favorite artists-especially "Sitting Woman with Legs Drawn Up"). Once upon a time I fancied myself to be an artist and if I were I'd want to be like Kat or painter Elizabeth Peyton who has an exhibit that just opened at The New Museum. I haven't gone yet but plans are being made for a night to get over there and drool for awhile. I'm such a girl-I really love simple and pretty pictures (yet I also love the dark work of Francis Bacon and Lucien Frued hmmmm...).

--Katie

bunneymen never stop

This morning we were reminiscing about our high school years and how we found out about good music. Growing up in Idaho we did not have access to radio stations that played anything other that top 40 music, blech. We instead had to rely on music papers and magazines from the UK which we could only get when we went to Utah. Back when there was Select, Melody Maker, Q and enemy to THE MAN the NME. The later two are still around but we don't read them as much if at all anymore. We also had the beloved show 120 Minutes on MTV. It was on Sunday nights at 10 pm. As mentioned before we lived for this show. One of the best videos we ever saw that will always be a favorite of ours is by Echo and the Bunneymen. It's just a performance video but it still gets us geared up to boogie and sing our hearts out. We recently saw the Bunneymen at Radio City Music Hall and as always it was FANTASTIC!! The first half was a lot of classic songs, we sang and danced like we were 15 again. The second half was with a full orchestra and they performed all the songs off their classic album Ocean Rain. Throughout the second half old photos of the the band were projected up on screens. It was so lovely to see them when they were first starting out. We just love 'em!

sweet sixteen

Sixteen years ago today our lives changed forever. Our dear sweet mum and our sister Denise drove us to Salt Lake City from Idaho when we were sixteen to see THE MAN for the first time in concert. We will never forget that day and all the happiness it has brought to us since. We would not be who we are today if it was not for HIM and that single event. A huge thank you goes to him for saving us from the dreadful years of high school and beyond.

music is my drug

Last Sunday night Heidi and I saw The Presets and Cut Copy at Webster Hall. This is the third time we have seen Cut Copy in the last six months and it just gets better and better every time. We also saw The Presets a few months ago and they were just as brilliant this time as the last-we danced our legs down to the knees for both of them.

It's not a secret that we are really into music (a certain someone in particular) and I was just struck again last weekend over how much I love, love, love music and how much it is involved in my life. So many experiences and friends have been the result of my passion for music.

When I was fourteen you could say I discovered the "alternative" scene. That was when it really was alternative (now you'd call it indie) and growing up in Idaho there wasn't anything to aide in our quest for music other than some British music mags, zines and MTV's 120 minutes. Heidi and I lived for this show and recorded it religiously every weekend (what were we going to do with all those videos? I can't even remember). There was also a local band that did mostly covers of the alternative "classics" that we would go see play whenever we could (they played bars mostly-bummer) and that had a great impact on our love of going out to see bands play. We were also lucky that our mum would humor us and took us to see some concerts in the big city once or twice. Such adventure!

When you hear a song that you love there is nothing better-pure brilliance. Great music is all consuming to me and I can shut out everything and as I feel the rhythm flow through and warm me. It makes me feel so alive and happy that I am always looking for more to give me a fix (not to say that I don't still love the rest of my beloved collection).


--Katie

** Heidi had a nice laugh at me last night while I washed the dishes. She thought I was ignoring her while she talked to me from across the room but I had my ipod on and I was in a zone. Apparently it was humorous...

doll on a bike

One thing about living in New York I love is when I have random sightings of actors, musicians and designers-I'm just a girl from Idaho where those types of things just don't happen everyday. My latest sighting was of Syl Sylvain from the New York Dolls.

image via

I met Syl when the Dolls last album came out and I was told that I was "good people" by Syl when he found out I had moved to New York from Utah. The fantastic documentary New York Doll had just come out about Artur "Killer" Kane and the Dolls were having a minor comeback due in part to the film and their reunion performance at the Meltdown festival in 2004. This time I was standing on the corner of Prince and West Broadway in Soho talking to my friend on the phone. A man on a bike came to a sudden stop right in front of me as the light turned red. I looked right at him and automatically said "Syl Sylvain?, yes?". He smiled and nodded. I think he was surprised to be recognized let alone by someone who wasn't even born while the Dolls were together. We had a brief conversation and then he was on his way. I just stood their watching him ride away in shock that I had run into him in such a weird random way.

This is one of my favorite songs by the Dolls, it's a legendary performance that inspired many great musicians. They're nasty and dirty, everything rock n' roll should be.



--heidi

happy birthday darleen!

Today is my good friend Darleen's birthday. We have known each other for nine years, I can't believe it's been that long already. We met in Salt Lake working together at the scandalous Urban Chic, the store did not last but our friendship did. Since then Darleen moved to Connecticut with her husband for his grad school at Yale and now they have two children with another on the way. Their family has been my adopted home ever since I moved east for school over three years ago. I adore her children, they are fun and wonderful in so many ways. Darleen is a wonderful mom and a loving wife as well as a very talented jewelry designer. When ever we get together (which is not often enough) we always have a great time laughing.

Every year I've lived on the east coast I go to her house for Thanksgiving and every year something goes wrong. It almost feels like we are in a sitcom the way things happen. One year it was the pie I brought-it was ruined on the way to her house on the train. So rather than serve a mushy pie we ate it to put it out of it's misery. Last year we had trouble with the rolls-they wouldn't rise. This year the new baby will have barely arrived so something is bound to happen. One thing is for sure we will get the rolls right this time around, because last year we vowed to have a practice bake off.

Happy birthday to my darlin' Darleen!

--heidi

celebration!

We are so excited for our big brother Dan and his girlfriend of over ten years Katy who got married in Vegas yesterday! The whole family had been hoping that they would get hitched while they were there since our family loves Katy and we already treat her like one of the family. We wish we could be with the rest of our family to celebrate when they get back home but we'll just have some fireworks in NY instead. They are perfect together and we wish them all the happiness in the world!

here comes trouble

The anticipation is growing over the November opening of the glorious TopShop. Until then we now have their US website that was launched yesterday to tide us over. Hmm...so many wonderful things what's a girl to do? It's all so fabitty fab our heads are spinning.



The sweet and tender hooligan plaid corsage seems very appropriate for us, no?

i'm looking to you to save me?

Heidi found a great poster site and they have this for sale.



I'm not totally thrilled with the image since it's a tomkat reference but maybe I'll consider it. There are definitely other prints that we are loving so I'm sure if anyone were to come and visit they might see one of these in our abode sometime.

--Katie

stairway to heaven

While perusing the Free People blog I have now discovered a new website that I love, love love!

It's stair porn and I can't get enough of it. An entire site devoted to pictures of stairs!!! Are you freaking out like I am?? This pic is especially dreamy.



I have always had a thing for stairs-especially photos like the one above but sometimes when I'm actually on one I can get a little frightened. The first time I went to London, Heidi and I visited St. Paul's Cathedral and attempted to go to the very top. I was Okay until we reached a spiral staircase that is pretty much just out in the middle of the dome and it's just free space all around it. I got maybe halfway up it and just panicked and had to turn back. This was particularly embarrassing since there were people behind us and I had to squeeze past them doing the walk of shame. I'm sure they thought I was a total nutter but I just couldn't continue-it was way to freaky. Maybe if I tried it again now I'd be better? I think I've gotten braver (in certain aspects anyway). Just look at all the flying I do now! This from the girl who once locked herself in the bathroom sobbing in terror over the thought of flying to Europe and now I don't even have to bury my face into Heidi's shoulder at takeoff and can even fly by myself. Maybe next time I'm in London I'll try to conquer those stairs at St. Pauls hmmm...

Okay back to stairs... I really love the lines and shapes they create and just looking at this website makes me swoon.

--Katie

P.S. As I type this "Manamana" from The Muppet Show came up on my itunes and it has given me a serious case of giggles.

tennis anyone?

We are so excited for our sister Denise to come to town this weekend. Ever since Heidi moved to NY we've all discussed going to see the US Open. This is the year we finally get to go see all the action. We bought a day pass for Sunday so we can go to multiple matches. Hmm...wonder who we'll get to see.

We have many fun activities planned for this weekend such as: visiting the NY waterfalls, the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, a free ride on the Staten Island ferry, and a tour of the UN. We only have one restaurant so far planned for dinner and that is Sea in Williamsburg. We've heard that it has great Thai food (our favorite-yummy). The reviews are good and bad so we'll soon find out. Hopefully we don't run into any machete toting gangs while we are over there.

Have a fun holiday weekend!

boston day three

Remember when we went to Boston for Memorial weekend? Here's what we did on our last day there. So pathetic that it's taken so long to post this and really does anyone care anymore at this point? Time goes so quickly in NY! The end of June was sick since we were diligently searching for a new flat and moving. Then came July with Katie driving across the country with Daddy-O (she's a badass truck driver now and had no problems with a16ft truck) and then getting settled and August had us on vacation and getting back to work.

On our last day in Boston we just HAD to go to the Target behind our hotel since we were in serious withdrawals not having been to one in several months. There is a Target in Park Slope, Brooklyn but it's always picked over and a mess and not fun to go to at all. Shockingly we were in and out of this Target within 20 minutes-just couldn't be bothered in the end it seems. It was then time to check out of our hotel and say goodbye to our fabulous beds and spacious room and head off to our first destination of the day The Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum. In asking people what we should do in Boston this museum was brought up several times as a particular favorite so we thought we'd check it out. It's basically a museum of one woman's art collection set up to her specifications- it was nice, but not entirely our thing. It shouldn't be too surprising to many who know us that we were more interested in the story about the art theft eighteen years ago that occurred there (we love a good mystery). Sadly 13 pieces were stolen in the night and still haven't been recovered.

After the museum we decided to check out the Duck Tours of Boston that our friend Maddy told us we should do. Unfortunately we didn't think about it being so popular and it was totally booked until 5:30 PM and wouldn't finish int time for us to get our bags and catch our bus, so now we have a reason to go back to Boston. Since we now had several hours to do whatever we wanted we decided to check out Beacon Hill and then walk the Freedom Trail and see some historical landmarks and more of Boston by foot.


We found two more cemeteries while on the trail. The most famous was home to a Herbie Hancock... oh wait, make that John Hancock! Heidi did the bit from Tommy Boy and it's been a common joke all summer especially since it seems like his name is everywhere on promo posters in the subways to ads in the newspapers.

The Freedom Trail got to be very annoying near the end of the day since we were getting wound around in crazy patterns when we just wanted the quickest way to a landmark (especially Paul Revere's House). Turns out that not only is The Freedom Trail educational but also a bit of a trap for tourists to buy stuff at various places along the way (we didn't fall for that). While exploring the Freedom Trail we encountered a sign that made Heidi laugh so hard.


How can you not laugh at that sign? Turns out if you Google it a lot of other people find it amusing too.

Once we got to the bus station for our bus back to NY we ended up having to take the 7:30 bus since they overbooked the 7:00 bus and while we waited made some new French friends. It wasn't as nice a trip back as it was coming-for one we were wide awake this time and now we know why we got to Boston so fast. This driver went about 100MPH and tried to kill us before we could get back to NY-he was tailgating anything in his path and would pass anyone like we were a little car and not a charter bus. We luckily made it into NY intact it was nice to be back to what we're used to-lots of people, noise, dirty streets, smelly smells and our little room in Brooklyn.

So that's it for Boston-months later-sorry.

work is a four letter word

We have been back for a week but have been trying to catch up with work and life. Right now our Internet is spotty since we are pirating wi-fi from our neighbors until the cable man comes. Only a week more to go! Then we will resume our regular posting. Until then please enjoy this fabbity-fab video by a brill band from London, it's...The Rakes. Gotta love 'em. This song is one of our current favorites, it's a toe tapper.

we lurve redfish lake

It's that time of year...time for Redfish Lake. We have been going to Redfish every summer since we were born. It is our favorite place in the world and we never miss a summer. The fresh air, the Sawtooth mountains, the clear blue lake, driving into Stanley (pop. 100), going to the amphitheatre, Bernice our favorite forest ranger, the nature trail, going to the visitor center to watch old forest service videos including our favorite "is it a dog or a wolf?", searching for wildlife (last years most memorable sighting was the elusive beaver), our mini hikes with Denise, going to the beach to read in the shade, laughing with Denise in our tent every night, sitting around the camp fire, naps in the hammock, bike rides through all the different campgrounds around the lake, singing "You're So Vain" over and over with Denise, hiking to the the lily ponds and watching the sun set from the lodge. We look forward to it every year. Back in a week!

happy birthday dad!

Happy Birthday to our fabbity fab Daddy-O! Since our dad was kind enough to be Katie's co-pilot on her drive across the country with our furniture we had a special treat for his birthday this year. We took him to a Yankees game at Yankee stadium! Our Dad has been a Yankee fan ever since he was a wee boy so we knew this would be something he would love. We were more excited for him to go and see his reaction than the actual game. It's the final season at the old stadium so games this season are a big deal since it's the end of an era. The game was so much fun and we all had a great time. Plus the Yankees won that day as an added bonus. We were so glad to do this for our dad after all he has done for us. He is always there to help us, he took us on fun family trips when we younger (still does really), he let us take over his pool table when we were little to play Barbies and he let us help when he built our house.

Thanks for everything Dad! Happy Birthday