I want to rest my head on this.

In Austin this week I discovered a store called Spartan (more on Austin later, promise). At Spartan, I discovered the most perfectly merchandised boutique I've ever seen and this pillow collection by Coral & Tusk. The brand makes other things but I am a sucker for decorative pillows. True story.

The pillow above is appropriately named 'man eating tiger.' It is incredible in so very many ways.

Cool Hunting's pop-up gift mecca. [NYC]

 

Shopping for the holidays can be like a slow, month-long death to the creativity and authenticity of generosity.

How much did Jimmy Jo spend on me last year? I'll have to get him exactly three and a half sets of wool socks to make good.

Or, little Janey is just growing so quickly these days. A gift card seems best. Is Starbucks credit appropriate for a 4 year old?

Well, Cool Hunting--blogging purveyors of pretty much everything awesome and fresh in culture, arts, tech and design--have launched a pop-up shop with Gap in NYC this holiday season which guarantees that each and every gift you get will at least start a conversation that doesn't end in Where's the closest location for me to return this?

From frivolous items like customizable trophies (I want an 'Imma Winner' engraving) to books by cool peeps (like Amy Sedaris) to decorative collaborations with design gods (like Jonathan Adler--check out his butt bust below) to unique edibles (like some amazing chocolate--yes, I sampled, and tasty pickles), the store is an amazing treasure trove of gifts for your nearest and dearest [and yourself].

Below the jump, some of my favorite items in the store. I didn't officially register or anything, but ya know, take this as an official hint of my holiday wish list...

Diet Coke, inspiring designers, inspiring me.

When I lost my luggage this weekend...I'm sorry--when the airline lost my luggage...my first stop was Target. Spending money on new clothing would be admission that my bag was lost forever. And, well, I'm just not ready to admit that. So, off to Target for affordable, temporary replacements to traipse around Long Island in it was. Much to my great pleasure I discovered a 'Vintage' line of sweatshirts and tees that the mega-superduper-giganto retailer now carries. And lo and behold, I found a heather gray sweatshirt emblazoned with my favorite beverage, Diet Coke's, logo--this is a sweatshirt I would have purchased if my luggage had arrived. This is the sweatshirt I was meant to own, to proudly wear while coolly sipping, what else, a cold can of DC.

But in an attempt to find an image online to share with you of my new favorite dud I discovered these puppies. It turns out that sneaker brand PUMA has a thing for my beloved beverage too. Peep these Diet Coke First Round Soda kicks from PUMA's retro-inspired collection. Love.

And perfect timing for the discovery as my new Puma sneaks are amongst the items lost in my bag lost in turn in baggage purgatory.

VOGUE (and I) invite you to the Lacoste store.

Vogue invites you to brighten the season with Lacoste in San Francisco. Vogue's Market Stylist (that's me!) will be on hand to shop with you from 5:30 - 7:30 pm tonight--Thursday, December 2nd--while enjoying cocktails, passed apps, and a live DJ.

See you there San Francisco!

xx * Jessie

There's a special on mindfulness at Fred Segal in Aisle 4.

I generally don't step into Fred Segal unless I am experiencing urges to torture my inner shopper and punish my wallet.

But as it turns out, Fred Segal's just reopened one space in its Santa Monica location which I can enter with peace of mind and only the lightest of grips on my billfold--the Fred Segal Yoga studio.

And while classes won't be free, the studio is hosting a complimentary workshop this weekend--An Insight with Matthew of One World Academy.

Enjoy your breakthrough experience sans the breaking of the bank, courtesy of Fred Segal Yoga tomorrow. Nama-freaking-ste.

[via Vital Juice]

Mall closes. Man cannot shop. Man goes apesh*t.

Man completely loses his sh*t because his mall is closed. I completely lost my sh*t at my desk watching his tirade.

Only in Toronto. Only in Toronto.



[via Racked]

The Reformation opens tonight. You should be there, shopping.

You'd be remiss to miss this tonight. So don't. RSVP now and see you at LA's newest boutique on West 3rd!

OPENING NIGHT PARTY
with StyleSectionLA
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2010, 6pm - 9pm
WITH 25 % OFF ALL CLOTHING

RSVP TO: RSVP@DKLPR.COM

The Reformation
8117 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048

........................................

The Reformation's Summer Shopping Event | Thru the WeekendThursday, June 10, 2010 - Sunday, June 13, 2010
11:00am - 7:00pm (Regular Store Hours)
15% Off All Apparel

One weekend in Hollywood (in pictures).

I generally try to stay away from Hollywood. Day. Night. No matter. My interest in the area is about as strong as my interest in eating fire. But this weekend, I managed to spend the better part of my days in the neighborhood known for its cheesy nightclubs and poorly decorated hookers.

I made a pit stop at the closing day of Poketo's Los Angeles, I'm Yours exhibit at Space 15 Twenty. The ping-pong tournament outside seemed to be in only partial swing, but the exhibit of found objects made pretty by some of LA's most awesome artists was impressive.

Perhaps stopping into Refinery 29's East West Tag Sale at the same venue was a mistake. And by mistake, I mean huge detriment to my wallet.

My pal needed to find wigs for an event so we made our way to the Boulevard. Spotted amongst the awful wigs and trashy lingerie: one Asian hooker being fitted for a wig by her middle-aged white customer. Also spotted, her bare crotch as her slinky pink dress slid up. Lastly spotted, me running nauseous out of the store.

Finally tried out George Abou-Daoud's Mercantile. It's market meets cafe on Sunset Blvd. And though the daytime menu is meager, we were able to indulge in an amazing cheese plate and wine.

Killing time during a car wash off Vine.

I've discovered the bottomless breakfast cocktails at Ivan Kane's Cafe Was. And, oh boy. I may never drink a Sunday morning away anywhere else again.

I have the feeling that Amoeba's windows haven't been restyled since the 90s. The early, early 90s.

And that's all one girl can take in Hollywood, folks.

One Year of Moods of Norway in LA [Photo Gallery]

In college, most of my friends went abroad to Spain or Italy or took more noble ventures to the likes of Burma and Tibet. Well, I had fantasies of the amazing health care system and fancy accents of Norway. This pipe dream lasted until I found out that the country was dark for half the year and had an alarming rate of weather-related suicides. Oh, and until I picked up the Norwegian 101 textbook from the library. That language is not something one can just 'pick up' as it turns out.

Lucky for me, and all of us really, three young designers from the little town of Stryn, Norway started Moods of Norway and brought it to Robertson Blvd. last year. And for a country that's so dark, these guys and their collection of women's and menswear are surprisingly colorful.

Pictures from the brand's one year anniversary party (and yes, that's a golden tractor)...

Inspiration for my financial diet from Seth Godin.

As each day of my spending freeze passes, it's getting easier to walk by stores promising delightful new Spring looks and to delete the emails from Nordstrom touting flats for under $50. When you simply don't allow yourself something--when the option is removed completely from the table--the temptation seems to wane. It's living life in moderation that gets tricky--the constant question of how much is too much and what's really moderate after all. The lines blur, boundaries get stretched, and next thing you know you've ordered a Dior purse online because it was, after all 27% off original retail value.

Though life as an acetic is going fairly well, it's always nice to receive affirmation of your intentions. So it was great to get Seth Godin's daily email today that spoke to our society's wastefulness and misguided focus on material goods. It spoke directly to my plight and has inspired me for the next round of my spending free journey...

The reason you have a front lawn? It's a tradition. Lawns were invented as a way for the landed gentry to demonstrate that they could afford to waste land. By taking the land away from the grazing sheep, they were sending a message to their neighbors. We're rich, we can happily waste the opportunity to make a few bucks from our front lawn....

Rich people will always indulge the desire to stand out, but I wonder if there's a new version:

Spending on and investing in time, not stuff.

Fitting into my financial jeans for summer.

I have probably bought about 4 dresses in the last month. Then there was the pair of Louboutins that I ordered on that great sale online. The shoes, mind you, don't actually go with any of the dresses. They don't really go with much in fact. They were just sort of fantastic, you know? I'll need to get additional pumps to match my new dresses. In time for the weddings for which I'm still in need of gifts. And hotel rooms. And airfare. There have also been the dinners. The dinners and the lunches and the brunches out. Out at nice restaurants because I just can't be bothered to cook.

Which is all to say that I've gone a bit over budget in recent weeks. I know this first because one couldn't possibly buy that many dresses and stay under budget, second because I came daringly close to a scarcity of funds come rent time, and lastly because I have an account with Mint.com which emails me regularly to let me know I've gone over my budget for shopping and dining out or rental cars and all sorts of other categories of my financial life in which I'd love to spend frivolously.

And while I've miraculously not hit rock bottom yet (there's only so far down you can go when you don't possess a credit card), I decided I'd better put a stop to all this tossing around of money I've got no business spending so long as I still live in a cruddy studio apartment in Koreatown. So I've declared a spending freeze for myself. Well, more like a spending diet as there are some things a girl can't live without. In fact, I've listed just these things that I can't live without and these are the only things I'm permitting myself to buy between the diet's start date (this past Monday) and its completion on April 16th (that is 19 long days away).

Things I'm allowed:

* Groceries (not of the overpriced Whole Foods variety--just normal, staple items which should prevent one from achieving malnutrition)
* Toilet Paper
* Gasoline (not for long road trips, but for the necessary rides to work and other places sprawling Los Angeles demands one travel to)
* Rent & Bills (I am not trying to get evicted during this experiment)

What this means for me...

* Finding a suitable dress out of my own closet should yet another wedding, function or excuse for new clothing crop up between now and the 16th.
* Deleting each of the 10+ shopping newsletters and alerts which appear in my inbox each day. Even if the sale seems too good to pass on. Even if the sale is so unbelievably wonderful that it seems completely irrational and crazy and stupid not to buy and buy now.
* Packing my lunch. Which seems unnecessarily cruel to myself (you would agree if you knew what a poor cook I was).
* Resisting the desire to go to Target to 'see if there's anything I need.' (As it turns out, there is always something I need when I walk into a shop with more than 1 aisle. And usually 'something' costs upwards of $100.)

What my goals are...

* I'm hoping to successfully resist the desire to jump on this season's trend bandwagons until the season has passed. No one really needs a platform wedge for Spring.
* To come out of this experimental diet both alive and with the funds to purchase a new Mac Book Pro and DSLR camera--items with which I can get both practical work done and begin on creative projects I've been stalling on.
* To pad my savings account by at least $500 more than was in there previously.

It all seems pretty simple, yes? Well, let me tell you that this frugality business is hard. And I will also, in the name of full disclosure, tell you that I had a moment of weakness last night. Yes, it was only day 4. And no, it wasn't for toilet paper. I was cold. I needed an extra layer. I didn't have time to stop home to grab something. And yes, I stopped into the nearest American Apparel and I came face to face with this season's nautical trend which I'd promised myself I wouldn't succumb to (nautical was so 2004 after all). And I bought that red and blue striped sweater, damn me. And next thing you know I'm thinking of that one floral accent piece I could really use to finish my Spring wardrobe and the sandals I should really pick up before they're sold out of stores before Summer. But...I will return that sweater tonight. And I will [try not to] think twice about it. It will be a wash and one I can live with.

And thus begins my financial dietary journey. Check back with me in the coming weeks to see how I'm doing, share your budgeting tips, and possibly offer to buy me a drink.

Spring styles to adore from Rojas. [Design Dish]

LA's Rojas can be hit or miss. The lookbook for Spring 2010 just came out and it's looking like a lot of hits. Hits that I want to own. Hits that I want to wear. Hits that I wish were available for purchase immediately/right now/yesterday for sale online. I will have to stop into the Melrose shop this weekend to indulge my Spring shopping fix and fill the season's quota for poofy pants and pastels.

Liberty of London for Target appears not to stink. [Design Dish]

It is no secret that most of the guest designers who create dumbed down lower priced lines for Target don’t exactly keep true to their collections’ original quality, style, or cuts (did we mention quality?). When we learned that the UK’s very own Liberty will be debuting a line for Target, however, we held hope. Founded in 1875 by one Arthur Lasenby Liberty, Liberty is known for its patterns and craftsmanship. And, thank the masstige god, Liberty of London for Target does not completely lose its identity in its collection of fashion, home and novelty items. Target is currently showing a preview and video on its website and even hosting a quiz app on Facebook where users can match their personality to a pattern. We can’t wait to see the full collection though–somehow we anticipate that we’ll be pleasantly surprised.

And don't be surprised if you see me riding around on a Liberty patterned bicycle some time very soon.

[This post originally appeared on http://curated.culturejam.com.]

Design Dish: Sonia Rykiel [doesn't really] design for H&M. Again.

While the behind the scenes of the creation of Sonia Rykiel's new collection for H&M (the last was a tacky Bebe-esque lingerie line) is cool-ish enough, it proves my sneaking suspicion that the big name designers H&M (and other mass stores like it) partner with to bring luxe to the masses, have little to nothing to do with the real design work. Which would explain why the final collections are always a far cry from the actual brands' feel, fashion and quality.

Do watch til the end of the video though to catch the snazzy presentation of the line. Models riding their hearts out on bikes that don't go anywhere. Fantastic.

[via New York Magazine]

New Year's Resolution: pretend to train to run a marathon.

I'm a little late for New Year's Resolutions, I know. But publicly declaring aspirations which one knows one will likely never see fulfilled is never inappropriate. Several days ago, I decided that it would be grand to attempt to run a marathon in 2010. Now, this is not the type of resolution one makes lightly. Quitting carbs--easy--just throw the bread away and substitute with hunks of cheese and gobs of peanut butter--delightful. Being 'nicer' to people--a little less honking of the horn and cutting folks off on line should suffice. But running a marathon--that's tons and tons of bloody work for, like, months at a time.

But in an effort to keep to this resolution which I may or may not have been tipsy while making, I'm looking at the bright side--the reasons why training for a marathon--or at least pretending to for a week or two--is worth my time.

1. Running sheds pounds, or so I'm told. And I've got a few pounds left to shed. Should the physical and mental benefits of training take precedence over superficial weight loss--sure. But...well, I have no excuse. I simply care more about the fat busting.

2. There are some really snazzy outfits out there for running. Tonight, for instance, I dropped over $300 at Lululemon, the overpriced outfitter for yuppy yogis and stylish runners. To put this in perspective, this is nearly half my monthly rent. But the pants I bought just shaped my butt so nicely. I had intended to hit the gym in my new gear this evening. After forgetting the shopping bag in my backseat, I decided eating dinner was far more pressing. I will workout tomorrow...I'm sure...possibly.

3. There is community to be built while you and your newfound running buddies kill yourselves over 26 godawful and unnatural miles. I look forward to start training with my enthusiastic friends--those who don't yet know I can't run over a mile and don't really like to sweat. I envision post-workout smoothies and rendevous at coffee shops to pore over running magazines. It's just the actual running together which I can't quite wrap my head around.

[Image Credit: BBC]

Shop: There is no godly excuse for TubeFlops.

I was in Santa Barbara this week. And while I'll get to all the amazing parts of that trip in a later post, I need to get the worst part of the adventure off my chest. In an outdoorsy store on State Street--you know, the type of shop that sells hiking shoes and godawful tie-dye yoga pants and straw hats with detachable water bottles--I came across TubeFlops, or what may otherwise be described as the most offensive shoe to ever enter my line of vision.

TubeFlops are, as the name might imply [if you're the type who appreciates cutesy contractions like Brangelina and Cockapoo], part tube sock, part flip flop. And they are awful. The only possible explanation for their purchase is if you are dying for a pedicure in a cold-weather climate. To which I'd suggest you skip the foot grooming before stepping into these monstrosities.

Design Dish: Zac Posen sells chic for cheap[er] with Z Spoke.

Just last night, friends and I were discussing the ups and downs and ins and outs of designers' shift toward lower end lines. Alberta Ferretti has Philosophy de Alberta Ferretti. Karl Lagerfeld's got K Karl Lagerfeld. Marc Jacobs has Marc by Marc Jacobs. And the list of houses with lower priced looks goes on and on. This is not to mention the designers who are reaching American shoppers through retailers like Target and Walmart. Selling to the masses has not only become trendy--with the economy as it dismally stands today, it's become a necessity.

The latest to join the ranks of designers reaching us poor peons is Zac Posen, whose Z Spoke collection will hit Saks stores this Spring.

And I, for one [poor girl amongst the masses], am excited.

[via WWD]

Shop: All I want for the secular holidays is...

It's almost Thanksgiving. Which means it's almost the holidays. Now, were I still a practicing Jew, I might reap the benefits of the 8 glorious days of Hannukah. I don't remember the full story of the oil and the lights and all that hullabaloo. But I do remember the 8 consecutive nights of gift receiving from my childhood. And I miss those days. As it stands now, holiday time doesn't signify much more than a few days off and an overload of wreaths in public places.

Well, I want to bring the gifts back. Friends, family, fans [and maybe Santa?]--please behold my holiday wish list...because a secular girl can still be a material girl.

Gifts to satisfy Yours Truly...or whoever's on your shopping list...

Perfect pictures. You know how the pictures on this blog are often just a little bit off? The lighting seems poor or the resolution just plain sucks? That's because I'm shooting with a 3 year old point and shoot. Or worse yet--occasionally my flash-less Blackberry. The number one item on my wishlist this year? A Nikon D60.

Deliver it raw. I want to be healthy. I do, I do, I do. But my dinners usually consist of boxed foods and flavor packets. Santa Monica's Rawvolution has just the solution for my cooking woes: The Box. Weekly delivered meals include 'Nut Loaf with BBQ Sauce' and a 'Mock Turkey Sandwich.' And yes, those do sound good to me.


Enlighten me. Reading Vanity Fair makes me feel one step closer to the well-dressed, well-read and well-cultured. Cause if you can't beat 'em...and you can't join 'em...read about 'em. A subscription would offer me 12 months of highfalutin culture via VF's glossy pages.



Sophisticated patterns. Plaid is in this season...again. But looking like a hipster in an oversized plaid button down is not for me. Instead, I'd rather don Topshop's super cute Dress Coat and fill both my trend quotient and my desperate need for warmer garments.


Delicate drinking. Is anything cuter than drinking out of animal shaped glassware. No. Decidedly, no. These Animal Head Shot Glasses at MollaSpace are just the thing to get your friends completely wasted in absolute style and grace.*

* The 'grace' part only applies until words start slurring.


Affordable art. I am out of room on the walls of my studio and I am also--I'll admit it--out of money in the bank for new art. Blood is the New Black offers affordable pieces from your favorite artists. They also kill two birds with one stylish stone. The pieces are wearable tee shirts, you lucky art fans. I like this tee by one of my fave LA artistas, Kime Buzzelli.

Responsible reading. Author Jonathan Safran Foer (Everything is Illuminated) has tackled new subject matter with Eating Animals, a chronicling of his year investigation into meat eating. I'm already a vegeterian, yes. But I'm always in need of new fodder for the veg fire.


Do good. While I don't agree with the 'give at the holidays' mentality--I don't think generosity should be limited to Jesus' birthday--I can't argue with giving. And I encourage you to give the gift of giving to your pals. JustGive.org and Kiva.org are two great organizations that help do the good work for you.

N.B. - Hannukah begins at sundown on December 11th this year. And since I'm closer to Jewish than anything else, you better hit those stores soon my friends. Or, in light of my secular stance, I suppose I can accept your gifts at any point.

Sunday at the Santa Monica Farmers Market [Gallery]

Every Sunday in Santa Monica, yuppies meet hippies meet health nuts at the Main Street Farmers Market. Why do I love it here?

1. There are children. Not just any children, but West Side children. And that means ridiculous outfits, free spirits, and lots of dancing. Peep this girl with the mismatched everything, topped off with a strawberry hat. Only in Santa Monica.

2. There are animals. And the crazy-looking kids can ride them. I do look forward to adult size animals in the future so that I might get a go. But for now...

3. There's music. The acts vary each week. And they're not always great. And sometimes they have bad names like the 'Jazz Mammals.' But that's cool. Beggars can't be choosers and tunes from poorly named bands are better than none.

4. There's a bike valet. Because Santa Monica is green. And we like that.

5. There are men with badly patterned shorts and [gasp] ankle bracelets who proudly go topless. I say this to those men: if you are going to go topless, please make sure the clothing you are wearing is tolerable.

6. Vendors have got all sorts of weird, ugly and occasionally cool things to buy.

7. Most importantly there is food to buy. There are fruits and other healthy grocery items, yes. But there are also pancakes the size of your first desktop computer...

And crepes that are made to order...

And omelets served with the best breakfast potatoes I've had in a long while...

9. There is no lack of people watching. Both good and bad.

10. And it's like 2 flipping blocks from the ocean. Which makes Sunday brunch at the Farmers Market just about as spectacular as a bonus at Christmas time.

Click here for the Santa Monica Farmers Market's vendor list, schedule of performances and more.