TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE.

A happy Friday and a happy Father's Day weekend to all the dads. This Friday Favorites' entry is going to start off with such an easy favorite - one for both Nilda and myself. Zoe Joan Sweeney. A huge congratulations to her for graduating today from sixth grade, being a brilliant and amazing girl, and for getting ready to start the next phase of her life. Nilda, in her own words, would like to say:

"My friday favorite is easy this week... Zoe Joan Sweeney. A huge congratulations to the most beautiful girl in the world. So proud of her accomplishments. She has made motherhood fun, exciting and culturally relevant. Everything is a teaching moment, even Rihanna + Chris Brown."

This photo was shot by the amazing Cheryl Richards, whose work can be seen here.

Other favorites?

DAUCUS CAROTA. Graphic design guru Jess Sutton is one of our favorite girls (and favorite go-to-girl!) and her blog is full of wonderful, gorgeous inspirations that you can't help but check in on every day. It's a delightful experience and if there's anything that I love, it's beautiful, beautiful pictures of lovely things!

M.I.A. So we'll call this favorite, a favorite future curiosity. M.I.A. drops her third album Maya on July 13 and if you haven't already seen the controversial music video for her new song "Born Free" or read up on her battle with the New York Times and journalist Lynn Hirschberg (and that not-so-flattering article), you know this album is going to be nothing short of incredibly fascinating. And let's face it - she's never boring.

DANCING IN VHS. This speaks for itself in more ways than one. Still have old VHS tapes? I'm pretty sure there's a Disney collection somewhere in my house, but such a cool pieces from Scianca - a dress made from VHS bands. Check it out.

WORK OF ART. And this is going to be called the Work-In-Progress favorite. But if you haven't, you should turn into BRAVO's Work of Art because, if anything, it's a fascinating experiment in seeing if reality television and art are two worlds that are somehow compatible. So far? I'm being won over. This second episode features the likes of Jon Kessler, who I love, love, love. (Yes, I'll tell you again. LOVE.) I've definitely committed myself to blogging about it every week - so if you're watching it, let me know.

THE MINISTRY OF DESIGN. The Club Hotel in Singapore is a very cool project by the design studio that looks like it got lost in Alice In Wonderland or in A Clockwork Orange. There's a lot of humor, a lot of play, despite the monochrome scheme. The pictures are wonderful.

A WHOLE LOT OF LOVE for these vintage milk bottle caps. I know what you're thinking. You're going that small? Yes, yes I am. Design Sponge, another favorite of ours, has a really neat entry on how to take vintage milk bottle caps and turn them into magnets for your refrigerator. It's easy to think about things in really big pieces and sometimes small pieces, but a lot of the times, those cool details get lost in the bigger picture. So check this out!

DESIGN FOR MANKIND. One of the telling signs of a great blog is when you're able to get such a wonderful mix of inspirations whether it's photography or art and a day-to-day peek into what it is that the blogger does. Design For Mankind is such a favorite of mine - it's clean, the photos are gorgeous, and the content is cool and pulls from really great aspects of design, and is always such a joy to read.

LENS. In honor of our photo show on Tuesday, it's only appropriate to have a great photo blog. There's a lot of the New York Times that is easy to like and a lot of it not to like. But one of the great things that they do have going on for them is Lens, their photography blog where they feature a variety of photographers that are inspired and shoots all different walks of life. It's easy to spend a ton of time exploring!

And speaking of favorites and photos -

Our show. Tuesday, June 22nd. It's from 6:00-9:00pm at 1409 Washington Street, in the South End. Look for great work, great company, and fabulous food and rink. Let us know if you're coming here!

TWO HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE.

So, okay. You continue to win me over, Work of Art. I mean, if anything, you can't argue that seeing some part of someone's creative process is ultimately one of the most fascinating things ever. It's the positive side of reality television (although, one can launch into an entire tirade about why it isn't, etc, etc) and I think for me, personally, there's just something great about seeing a show like this providing a platform for art and allowing it to have a much more public forum.

And of course, they bring in Jon Kessler and my love of this show continues to grow. Anyway this week's challenge is to make an interesting sculpture out of found objects - or well, junk. The studio erupts in a really form of contained chaos where you're suddenly seeing who's really taking the idea to heart, how they understand it, and who's struggling. I wonder sometimes how time really plays into this - think about, a television show is cut and edited so that we, the audience, are drawn into this crazy web of suspense. There's no time limit to art, but then again, we're only at the second episode and we've barely scratched the surface what's apparently ahead.

It also further convinces me that Nilda and Michelle could do a show like this and make everybody else eat their dust. I know, I know. Bias meet readers. Readers meet my bias. I don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't seen the episode, but Jerry Saltz continues to be my favorite judge, probably since he reminds me a little bit of my mother and because his blog is hysterical. And this week's winners are interesting picks as well as the artist who ends up going home and who, now thinking about it, I can imagine myself seeing his piece at the ICA and just shrugging my shoulders - despite my reaction of OMGREALLYWTF? In that order.

And by the way? I still want China Chow's closet.

TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT.

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I have to admit it takes me a little while to think of catchy titles. I think that issue heads back to Freshman composition class (ugh, you don't even know!) where were told that for the rest of our university career and as English majors, titling things is MANDATORY. Just like that. Caps and all.

So to keep in vain with that tradition and to avoid countless of puns (also learned in that class, puns not avoiding puns), it's time for some design news and odds and ends:

The Guggenheim and YouTube are partnering to find the next and greatest in video art. How cool is that? Beginning Monday, anyone who as access to any sort of video equipment or a simple camera and a computer will be able to vie for a place in a video-art exhibition in October at all the Guggenheim Foundation's museums.

Be sure to definitely take a peek at Sam Songailo's art, which is heavily influenced by design, electronic music, technology, and futuristic aesthetics. Media Centre is Songailo's first major installation. The photos of the installation are tremendous.

And to round this out, a bit of an interesting blurb on bloggers. Ad Blogger Jumps the Fence is about Mathew Van Hoven, who was the head of a mediabistro blog called Agency Spy and how he's now been hired as the Communications director for Skinny, an NY-based agency. It's a cool read.

TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE.

If you're in the South End this weekend, and heading to the Open Markets, be sure to take some time to visit Galería Cubana, a contemporary Cuban art gallery.

I went with Nilda a few weeks ago, mostly out of curiosity and mostly because I really love art. There's this additional need in me as well, to know more about the Cuban heritage of my family, primarily on my father and his family - but in any capacity that I can.

The gallery's intention is simple: introduce artwork rarely seen in the United States as well as supporting artists from the island; it's very cool way of strengthening the cultural ties that we have with Cuba. The current show is the work of Orestes Gaulhiac. Gaulhiac was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1960 and is an internationally acclaimed painter and ceramist, who is recognized for his tremendous body of work, technique, and eclectic style. He's mostly influenced by the countryside that he grew up on; the play of colors are kind of magical in that sense, both dark and then bright. It was really wonderful be able to see these pieces. The exhibit wraps up on the 27th, but visit their website for further information about present and upcoming artists that they support as well as coming shows.

TWO HUNDRED FIFTY.

It's so strange that it's June and it's cooled down so considerably. But we hope that it doesn't stop you from having a marvelous weekend, whatever your plans may be! And happy Pride Weekend! But just before you do, check out some of our Friday Favorites:

JEAN SHIN. This week we talked about Jean Shin's cool use of rolodex cards in her installation Carte Blanche. Shin's work is back again with her piece Transplanted Ornament. It's a collaboration with architect Brian Ripel using decorative metal removed from security gates. It's a featured installation, self-supported and of free-form construction, that you can find at the Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch.

WHY THE MET REMAINS COOLER THAN YOU. The Met is displaying a career retrospective of Leon Levinstein, a photographer whose work in black and white photography went completely under the radar. (His contemporaries include the infamous Diane Arbus.) It's called Hipsters, Hustlers, and Handball Players: Leon Levinstein's New York Photographs, 1950-1980 that feature forty-five rarely-before-seen photos by Levinstein. The show runs until October 17, 2010.

IT'S PAPER, REALLY. Honestly, I keep saying that I can't be surprised anymore - but wow, artist Luise Valdes has built an entire apartment and car from pizza boxes, carboard, paper, and paint. There are moments where there are parts of it that look, at a glance, to be entirely too really. There are other moments where I can think of nothing but A-Ha's "Take on Me" video. But take a look at the photos, they're kind of cool.

ARIK LEVY'S LUMINESCENCE. We love anybody who gets creative with their lighting and there's something undoubtedly cool about the play on intensity and reflection. Levy maintains an impressive list of disciplines, but is best known for his furniture design for global companies, installations, and limited editions. Levy's Luminescence between Fire & Ice is being showcased at the Santa Monica Museum of Art until August 21st.

PAPER AIRPLANES. I have such funny memories about paper airplanes, including one that involved a pseudo experiment with Zoe in the backyard with a stopwatch. Check out this art installation by Dawn Ng. She uses hundred of paper airplanes to recreate and orchestrate an intense wave of emotion, having the planes physically burst into a massive space. It's incredible.

GRAFFITI RESEARCH. This is the perfect example of when worlds collide. The Creators Project has an interview with James Powderly, part of Graffiti Research Lab who developed Eyewriter - technology that allows paralyzed artists to "write" graffiti. There's a video at the site as well!

PAUL HAYES. Paul Hayes is an installation artist that we found on flickr that has some really incredible pieces. This installation is called Cultivated Momentum and you should definitely take the time to comb through the photos. It's incredible.

SHEPHERD'S PIE. Montreal-based designers Thien and My Ta Trung's series Pâté Chinois is concept based around the beloved - and oh my god, one of my favorite dishes - Shepherd's Pie. Says My, "We were in the mood for happy furniture, less rigor and more flexibility. A shelving unit that evolves according to our frame of mind, a chair that transforms itself each season, a sofa that can take endless configurations and looks. In short, furniture that grows and change with time!"

SCALENE, RIGHT? To be honest, I have no fond memories of geometry in high school. Creepy teacher. Math in general. You name it. But this locket from Garnett is gorgeous - the scalene locket is a break from the traditional locket, hanging from a silver chain and you can wear it open or put anything inside the glass frame. For once, the scalene triangle doesn't make me shudder with horror.

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BRAVO's Work of Art premiered last night, much to my cautious delight. You know all BRAVO shows are like crack - great for rainy days, sick days, days where CSI isn't going to do it for you. But then, this is the network that gave us Project Runway and say what you will about fashion and the mainstream, but what BRAVO did for fashion is open the door into an entire market of people that otherwise wouldn't be so familiar with the likes of W, Vogue, the impact of YSL and Valentino. It gave an opportunity to designers to step into the limelight in an entirely different way, as well allow major designers to make themselves more personable and not mythological characters that we only know through glossy pages and the occasional, cool, indie documentary.

So what does Work of Art do? For starters, the New York Times kind of digs it. They have some art world giants like Simon de Pury, who serves as a mentor to the contestants, and Jerry Saltz, who is one of the judges. It helps that Sarah Jessica Parker is the producer, for sure. The cool thing too is that these are artists that represent all kinds of disciplines and mediums and all avenues of experiences. They were individually selected by self-portraits, which then turned into their first challenge, if you will, where they were each partnered up and asked to create a portrait of their partner. My favorite? Abdi's. I like Miles' too, but ... sort of have a crush on Miles' cute, cute face, so my glee outweighed what I liked about his piece. There are some characters, some really interesting people - Trong! Trong, in fact, is another big NYC name.

But we have to remember that this is a television show and that this kind of format still has to work because there's a villain, there's hero, we love the judges or hate the judges - personally I want to live in China Chow's closet, but she's no Heidi in terms of being a charismatic host. Regardless of how we may initially feel about the show and what it has to offer, there could be really great things that may stem from this. The question is, now, how will it translate in the long haul? It's too early to tell, but if there's a second season - I'm taking enlistments to get Michelle on this show. They haven't seen anything yet.

Let's keep watching.

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I know what you're thinking. SPIDERS! Gross. Can you imagine getting that in your hair?

But don't worry, there are no spiders roaming around and terrorizing people. The picture to your left is actually tape. Yes, tape. Tape as in the thing you use to overwrap your holiday gifts with. Or you know, that package that your grandparents send you and you can never open? That's the stuff, tape not spiders.

The Viennese/Croatian design collective For Use/Numen has installed this at least three different times and uses nothing but packing tape to create these huge, self-supporting cocoons that visitors can climb into and explore. At their last installation, the group also used nearly 117,000 feet and 100 pounds of tape - which is a lot of tape.

Says For Use's Christoph Katzler, "The installation is based on an idea for a dance performance in which the form evolves from the movement of the dancers between the pillars. The dancers are stretching the tape while they move, so the resulting shape is a recording of the choreography." There's video at the source.

TWO HUNDRED FORTY-THREE.

So. Alejandro. It premiered today. I feel like this should be the extent of what to say. Watch it, decide what you want to think - love it, hate it, you'd rather dance to it than watch the video. And let's be honest, say what you will about Gaga, but while MTV continues to murder the music video, this girl's bringing the music video back and making it something else to talk about. For sure.

The video is directed by famed photographer Steven Klein, who's done some incredible work within the fashion world and known for his collaborative work with Madonna. Like Telephone, the video is presented as a mini-epic of the sorts, running over eight minutes long and drawing on both religious and political themes. There are Madonna references, of course. We can analyze and overanalyze Lady Gaga, of course, pinpointing different tributes and style choices. We can simply say it's a great song. But the thing to do right now, just right now, is to watch it.

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Jean Shin's Carte Blanche is an art installation that makes use of masses and masses of blank rolodex cards. It's an examination of life in the digital age, the social network, and how fragile the plane we exist on is. Think a standing house of cards.

TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE.

Today PHI is at the South End Buttery, which kind of acts as our unofficial meeting place. So if you're looking for us, stop by and say hi. We're usually somewhere in the back, monopolizing as many tables as we possibly can.

But with all this excitement about our Photo Show and brainstorming about some cool ways to display our photographers, I've stumbled upon (thanks, tumblr!) the work of Alexa Meade. Meade is a painter based out of Washington, DC who uses acrylics to create a living, breathing painting. She paints directly on human flesh which creates this incredible illusion of a painting. It's an interesting way of looking at art, how one creates and pushes perception.

Also, starting Wednesday is BRAVO's Work of Art. Think Top Chef meets Project Runway meets ... well, this is a BRAVO show. The cool thing about BRAVO is that it provides opportunities for showcasing creativity that we, as a television audience, aren't traditionally exposed. The bad thing about BRAVO? The Real Housewives. Even though I watch it. Everybody needs a moment for mindless television.

The thing is that this show may a really neat and interesting way of allowing art and the art world to have the same kind of exposure that say Project Runway gave to the fashion world when it started. Will it work? I don't know. I think BRAVO has the formula down and the ability to generate the buzz with big names like Sarah Jessica Parker being attached to the series, but the real question is will it find an audience for the kind of longevity that this deserves. Will you be watching?

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design yearbook reexamines Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor's early work 1000 Names, which was very much influenced by his traveling through India in 1979, by the small sanctuaries along the side of the road and the piles of pigment sold for cosmetic and ritual use at temple entrances. The use of color is really something extraordinary. Take a look here.

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We at PHI would love to wish you a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Whatever your plans are, go out and enjoy this weather. Bright skies. A breeze. It's the perfect kind of backdrop for checking out to relax.

But before you go, take a little time to enjoy our Friday Favorites - as always, things that inspire us, things that we love, things that even surprise us - and this week, there's definitely one in particular. As always though, please enjoy!

CHEWING GUM. While my eternal dislike of chewing gum has forever been solidified by the likes of Willy Wonka, this is something really cool. "Chewing in Venice" is an art series by Simon Decker, showing several shots of Venetian streets covered in chewing gum. It's a coy play on shape and space, and maybe, just maybe, the way you think about gum.

SHARA PORTER. I can't believe Shara Porter hasn't already been a Friday Favorite already. Three of my favorite pieces are from her. Porter has some remarkable things, from smaller bags to clutches (mine, all mine!) and large bags - and she's not limited to any size. Do take the time to check out her work. It's incredible.

SAID THE GRAMPHONE. A good music blog is hard to find. And while they're out there, it's a matter of knowing where to look, how to look, and word of mouth. Rather than talk about irony and metaphors, which is were you usually go when talking about music blogs and the internet, I'd like to point you in the dIrection of said the gramophone, which takes its mp3 posting to entirely different level with really cool commentary and kickass photos.

OH BABS. Somehow, my knowledge of Barbara Streisand has been minimized to a weekly Glee reference and an odd trivia point. We're not calling it a favorite - nothing against Barbara or anything, or anyone who loves her - but we've decided to call it this week's strangest piece of news. Yep. I said. Strange. Not surprising, but strange. Why? Well, Babs is writing a book on design. Seems innocent enough, right? But if speaking in my overall knowledge of her, which extends to her politics and her film career (I blame the week I got my wisdom teeth out), it's just ... it's strange. My Passion for Design is more like an homage to Martha Stewart and her sense of "me, me, me" in her design taste and approach - basically, it's all Babs, all the time. So yes. Strange? Of course. Surprised? Not at all.

WALKING INTO FILM. In a new short film by Toronto filmmaker, Elizabeth St. Philip, the relationship between the fashion industry and the lack of black models is explored. The Colour of Beauty follows model Renee Thompson, and includes interviews with insiders like Lisa Tant and Jeanne Berker, as the subject is examined, through the demands and the continuous change the industry is going through. Check it out.

DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU GARDENING isn't cool, or let the heat scare you away for that matter. The best part about the warmer weather, when it's not trying to melt your face off, is the floors, and the really cool and innovative ways people start to tackle their outdoor spaces. STRING GARDEN offers fascinating conceptual ideas for a space, whether it may be to transform an entire indoor area or just a simple way of reinventing a small patio area by celebrating space.

IT'S INFECTIOUS, BOOGIE WOOGIE. When most of us think design, we think spectacular homes and gardens, interiors, and those really great shoes that you see in Barneys and then haunt you for the rest of your week. Core77 has a really great design feature on reinventing something completely ordinary - in our minds, of course - like a hospital. It's not that we don't measure a hospital as a small and basic space, in fact, it's quite the opposite; but hospitals are subjected to the same kind of thought of say, an airport - too big, too much, and an experience that you never want to talk about again. But this about keeping clean, effective, and ultimately results in a really fascinating and complex series of measures. Read it here.

GUERILLA GARDENING. I don’t garden, but if I did, this might be the greatest thing ever. Although I suspect the reason why this is a favorite is because of the amusement from the tagline “throw & grow”, the idea of gardening mixing with chaos is kind of interesting. Is it organized chaos? Or is it really a gimmick? Can I do the same thing if I toss a bunch of seeds over my head and call it a day? Regardless, it’s a fun way of looking at things, if anything else.

ZARA PICKEN. Picken’s illustrations are wonderfully colorful and really come alive in an exceptionally quirky way. Her blog is brand new, but building and offers both insight and accessibility to her creative process. Definitely check her work out.

THE PERFECT BAG. No, no. It hasn’t been found yet. There’s an ever-growing list, however, of bags that can function as awesomely sexy and chic and carry the small nation that doubles as your daily, necessary things. This bag by Ashley-Watson is a new addition to the list, made from recycled leather. Love the dark, rich brown color and that it’s far from being too small.

ART & LETTERS. There's nothing like a letter, whether you call it a dead form or not, and these stamps honoring Abstract Expressionist painters from the 40s and 50s may add excitement to an otherwise anxious visit to the post office.

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Love this. Joe Penrod makes counterfeit shadows using blue painter's tape. Check out the variety of places and objects. Check out his flickr here.

TWO HUNDRED EIGHTEEN.

The Joys of Jumpology is such a great article from the NYTimes about photographer Phillippe Halsman and a really great exhibition that showcases his work from 1940s through the fifties, showcasing some commissions from Life. Read it here.

TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN.

My witty story has suddenly been x-ed by the news of a Planet of the Apes prequel. I just don't know what else to say. HOWEVER. It's time for this week's Friday Favorites. And this week's featured photo is a special piece and an exceptionally cool showcasing that there's no age or limit to one's creativity. Check out the cake made by Zoe Sweeney, daughter of Partner Nilda Martin - it's her first real cake design.

NOW IN DESIGN NEWS. Bill Moggridge, the new director of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, is introducing his series called, "Bill's Design Talks" in which he will moderate discussion among designers and museum professionals on chosen tops. The series starts next week, Thursday, May 27th, and will feature a discussion with Michael Bierut, a partner at Pentagram, and one of Pentagram's designers, Yve Ludwig, about their design of the catalogue for the museum's 2010 National Design Triennial, "Why Design Now?"

THEN IT'S ABOUT SENSIBLE DESIGN. These days, it's about being conscious about design and everything green. To raise awareness about energy conservation, German company RWE has a really cool visual campaign, making the waste of energy a physical visible sight. Check the photos out.

TIP OVER. The Tip Over table was designed for G. Borgonovo for Porada and it really goes beyond the idea of the conventional, square table. It has the capability to serve as both a wall mirror and a table, that opens any sort of space for you. It's just a cool way of keep the feeling of a room or area without changing the entire feel.

ART APOCALYPSE. It's an interesting and scary thought, what life would be like without art in our lives. Ad firm Scholz & Friends tackle this question for the German Federation of Craftsmen and their tv spot - it's pretty bleak, far warning, but take a look at the video.

MARKET SEARCHING. PHI favorite Coco + Kelley has a really great entry on hunting through flea markets, etsy, and all things vintage. There are some gorgeous photos highlighting some incredible finds especially a favorite of yours truly - vintage records.

WHAT TO DO WITH THAT TOOTHPICK. I have these wonderful memories of my grandfather and his quirks, like the toothpick he always had after dinner. But I never really imagined putting toothpicks, design, and ... architectural replicas? Take a look at these pictures. Promise you, it'll make you sit back and examine the kind of patience you think you have.

APOTHEKE NEW YORK. Inspired by the history of apothecary in Europe and the artistic influence of absinthe dens in 19th Paris, Apotheke is all about the drama. A cocktail isn't just a cocktail. Check out their website, where you can view pictures of their really, really cool space.

DIFFERENT STROKES. Paol Volpi is an avant-garde jeweler, based in Rome, who transforms an unusual array of materials including industrial and automotive oil filters into gorgeous, fluid, and wearable pieces. It's incredible. All her pieces are both delicate and demure, unexpected given the nature of her materials.

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We've posted a variety of mediums on the PHI blog so far, from street art to large scale photography installations. New to the list? Woodsculpting. Artist Anthony Santella pulls from his religious and Native American influences to create some stunning, if not eerie take on the ever cyclical relationship between man and nature. It's pretty too. You can view more of his work at his personal site here.

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Destino is an animated short released by Disney in 2003, the completed project of a collaboration between Disney and Dalí. The project actually began in 1945, some 50+ years before it was actually completed. Take a watch.

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I think there's this underlying fascination that, ironically, seems to be a continuous theme in what I've been reading today, but it's with bodies and systems and skeletons and what have you; it's the very basics of how things work, how we and how animals work. The cool thing about this entry (and not what I was reading earlier, which I won't discuss as it's lunch time and that would be too, too cruel ... it does have to do with a particular museum in Philadelphia though ...) is that you can see how this fascination translates when it merges with street art.

There's a really cool show going on at the Factory Fresh in Brooklyn, featuring the works of artist ROA. It's running until the 30th, so you have plenty of time and very little excuses to go and check it out. Especially with the beautiful weather.

TWO HUNDRED ONE.

Thursday nights, I've decided, should be a night that I don't watch the weatherman explain to me what kind of weather we're having. Because LIES. Regardless, happy Friday PHI readers! Hopefully, you have something wonderful planned or are simply ready to enjoy the weekend. And as always, this week's favorite things:

SOMETHING NEW. What you need to know about Seven Ply is that they make going green look incredibly cool. They take recycled old, broken, beat-up skate decks and turn it into a great piece of jewelry. Visit their etsy shop.

A ROOM OF YOUR OWN. What I find really interesting about designers is how their work, or rather, their personal taste translates into their own spaces. Norwegian interior magazine Nytt Room examines up and coming designers and their own spaces; it features a look inside designer Julia Edin’s apartment, a cozy peek into a very cool space.

LAMACEK. The Lamacek lounger is one of my favorite pieces from the company. The cushion is made using felt that is made of recycled plastic bottled and backed with a magnetic sheet that provides adhesion to the metal base. It’s also removable from the cushion for dry cleaning purposes. The best part? The lounger not only rocks, but it bounces.

BACKYARD WIND. With the weather slowly approaching something of the warmer variety, we're sure that many of you are trying to utilize any sort of outdoor space that you have. Sometimes it's not just about the plants, the floors, the odd bar, and those chairs that you hate in the beginning, but then love later. Check out the Wind Collection by Jordi Vilardell for Vibia, which features light and airy shades with colors that compliment any sort of outdoor space that you'd like to make yours.

NINA & LOLA. Of course, there’s a circus of boutique blogs. This is the internet, right? And you can absolutely go from one store to another, comparing prices and pieces. So what makes Nina & Lola different? There’s nothing like a stylishly clean blog with simple navigation – you can search by designer, vintage, and other categories as well as pick your currency, which is probably a main compliant I have with other sites. But there’s something really great about a site that understands its audience, who’s reading and where they’re coming from. Check it out.

SAY CHEESE. Let’s be real here. Who doesn’t love looking at gorgeous photos? The added bonus here, in addition to the gorgeous photos, is a really great commentary on photography and graphics, ultimately the perfect example of the way photo blogging should be.

THE VENDING SPREE. We may be a little bit in love here with this about description, “I am going to consume and review every item in my office vending machine and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” This is exactly why the internet is as awesome as it is.

BEEHOUSE LAMP. This is a pretty cool concept. Taking the idea of a beehive, the bee's natural inclination for building, and crystal technology, the designer incorporates all of this into creating the fixture. It's definitely one of those things that we'd love to see lit.

THE DEAD WEATHER. To be clear, there’s not a Jack White side project that I haven’t liked, there’s not a song Allison Mosshart sings that I don’t love, and of course, I’m going to by the new album, which came out on Tuesday. There’s nothing not to love about their sound – a little blues, a little old school rock … seriously, nothing that I don’t love at all. So pick up Sea of Cowards, pick a quiet couple of hours, and listen to the entire album. Some favorites? Blue Blood Blues, Old Mary, Die by the Drop, Gasoline.

KAREN WALKER. There's been a real love for anything vintage as of late - not that it ever went away. But you're beginning to see great pieces and accessories like these Karen Walker glasses, brown and gold detail, cool lines, and great for a really nice day at the beach. They're super fabulous.

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Confession. I'm a complete and utter sucker for art-based documentaries. And HERB & DOROTHY is no exception. The story of a couple, the Vogels, a postal clerk and a librarian, who managed to built one of the most important contemporary modern art collections. After thirty some years of meticulous collecting and buying, they managed to accumulate over 2,000 pieces, filling every corner of their tiny apartment. Check out the site where you can view a trailer and read more information about the extraordinary couple.