At just about 7.5 months pregnant, I am pretty mystified about what to wear to suit my new “shape.” (Round is a shape, right?) The hardest thing seems to be finding jeans that still look cool, fit my normal-sized legs and beach ball-sized middle, and don’t set me back $225. So today I stumbled upon the Denim Therapy, which not only doctors any ol’ poor distressed jeans, but will make a sweet looking pair of maternity pants out of your favorite pair. And when the baby weight is gone, they’ll return them to their original size/shape. It’s a demin miracle!…

What I’ve always found particularly intriguing about fashion is that trends are constantly recycled.  In that vein, I have a very important announcement: PARACHUTE PANTS ARE BACK! Juuust kidding! (Well, leg warmers made it for a while there, so who knows?!) One trend that has captured the attention of just about every industry is the “Green” movement– raising awareness of our social responsibility to protect our planet. That said, designers have turned to organic materials to decrease the use of pesticides, and created faux furs to avoid harassment by PETA.  Though these steps are great improvements for the environment, my…

Last week was marked by two seemingly unrelated, but similarly interesting and inspiring, events in our V+P and EQ (EventQuest) world. The first was a visit to LaGrange, Georgia, headquarters of our new client InterfaceFLOR, one of the most progressive companies in the industry in respect to green issues and corporate culture.  You’ll be hearing much more about the company and the voices within it because theirs is a story that needs to be told much more widely! Not only does InterfaceFLOR have some of the smartest designs in the carpeting world, but their entire design and manufacturing process is…

I love things that make my life easier:  elevators, the remote control that came with my air conditioner, roommates that love to cook and share.  As my mom knows, I’m not-so-secretly obsessed with Downy Wrinkle Releaser. What can I say–I’m a wrinkly guy! This more often than not saves me the dreaded task of ironing, which, you know, gives me more time to play with my air conditioning remote. Speaking of wrinkles, my roommate and I are experimenting with ways to rid ourselves of crow’s feet (I intend to be young forever. Have you seen Madonna recently?)  We’ve been using…

Sometimes it’s hard to find a weekend activity that satisfies six-year-old twins without boring the grownups to death, or vice versa. This is the problem in our family, as we often get together with my charming niece and nephew and their awesome parents. Last weekend, on a gray, dreary day, we decided to go to the New York Hall of Science to see if it could amuse us all for a few hours. Let me tell you something. We had a great time! Frankly, some of the math and science (never my strong suits) were even over my head, but…

This week, I got on the lovely (and free!) shuttle bus at Forty One Madison, and went on down to the Gift Show for a sneak peek at the latest, greatest and strangest in tableware, doodads, accessories, housewares and other gifts. I oogled luxe bedding, sniffed myriad scented candles and admired modernist kids furniture (this time, i got a closer look at the Brinca Dada dollhouse in person- I must have it!) I checked out enough glittery, bespangled ornaments and thingies to choke even the most ambitious Christmas tree. You know I love glitter.  I also have a strange fascination…

In this industry, we spend our days thinking about how to make homes beautiful. After a year and a half of living in LIC, I’m finally satisfied with my decor- so I’m now focusing on keeping the place sparkling clean. I try to buy earth-friendly cleaning products (I swear by Clorox Green Works glass cleaner and dish soap) whenever I can, but sometimes you need something a little stronger.  Anyone who has chosen white Caesarstone counters knows that strawberries, ice cream, tomato sauce and a host of other colorful comestibles leave ugly stains. I’m not exaggerating when I say that…

Tuesday was another big evening for V+P- we headed over to Davis & Warshow for the latest installation of Show Snapshots: KBIS, a fabulous event co-hosted by our friends at Interior Design. Despite the heat, the design community came in droves to hear Mark McMenamin and Deborah Wilk weigh in on the top trends from K/BIS 2010. The pair were perfect together- Deborah’s wry comments on the synergy between fashion and home furnishings were spot-on, while Mark shared nearly 50 smart, stylish new kitchen and bath products from the show. The night was particularly special since Guide 85, a designers’…

The Caniato family is back from our annual pilgrimage to Tuscany, where we stayed at the beloved Le Torre Alle Tolfe estate just outside of Siena. It’s named for its tall tower that was once the highest look-out point between borders during some of Italy’s greatest battles. Today it is simply a paradise to us and we are lucky to share it with family and friends. How great is a life that revolves around the table?  In Tuscany there appears to be a table ready for dining around every corner, inside the villas and outside. I am now striving to…

Monday kicked off the first day of NeoCon, the annual trade show for contract furnishings at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. V+P is reporting from the Windy City with our Day 1 experience. We hit Majora Carter’s keynote speech, sponsored by our client, Allsteel. Majora, a Bronx native and founder of the Sustainable South Bronx, a work placement program for “green” jobs, discussed her inspiring mission to revitalize the Bronx by creating eco-friendly initiatives that also provide local jobs. One of my favorites: Green roofs! Majora has one on her home where she actually grows strawberries! Beyond the awe- inspiring…