Some of my best elementary school memories are of Mrs. Madison, my kindergarten teacher, helping me make picture books.  I would draw the pictures on construction paper, explain to Mrs. Madison what the crayon scribbles signified, and together we would draft captions, usually about dogs, cats, and mermaids, for each page.  (I wonder where those books are now. I bet the people at Simon and Schuster are dying to get their hands on them!) Since my little forays into the literary world, there have been some pretty incredible updates, including Blurb.com.  This gem of a website allows you to self-publish…

We nearly lost our heads with excitement when we got word of our BIG PR Award.  Well, actually, it was the award that lost its head, but these are just details. Kind of like the details our award apparently lacked. But who cares if your name is spelled correctly? As it turns out, Ester (pronounced Es-STARE) Perman from Veeder + Peerman (perhaps a close relative of Esther’s?) won an award for Extraordinary Achievement in Media Relations. We were honored with a replica of a headless Thinker. Rather than toss our lovely award, we quickly repaired it and added him to…

2010 has been a pretty monumental year for me.  Not only have I discovered a Dominican dish called Mofongo (mo’ to come on this), but I attended my first International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) this past weekend.  Bouncing between Lisa at Dornbracht, and Esther at Turnstyle, I had a chance to see the all of the industry’s latest offerings. Since the show, I’ve been checking in with the design blogs, and the trend reports have already begun emerging. A couple of blogs,  including LA Times’ “ICFF 2010: Time for color — lots of color”, and Living in Color with Sonu’s …

With the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in its final throes, I’m here with a report from the inside (V+P has been stationed at Javits for the show, proudly representing Dornbracht and Turnstyle Designs) on what, in my opinion, is the finest, fab-est furniture fair in the US. There was a great buzz at the show, and the excited, always-stylish crowd swarmed booths for a look at everything from hyper-modern dollhouses to startlingly beautiful wallcoverings to Endangered Species erasers. The thought of my polar bear slowly disappearing as I use him to correct mistakes brings tears to my eyes. There seemed…

Living on the Upper East Side, I walk through construction daily and have watched the toll its taken on local businesses. But the folks at Maloney & Porcelli, located on 50th between Park and Madison avenues, really have turned around the unfortunate construction outside their restaurant for the betterment of New Yorkers, with the advent of the “Construction Club.” The tongue-in-cheek website is encouraging the construction to be completed on time with offers of an open bar for every milestone completed. For instance, there are roughly 34 days (at the time of this posting) until the foundation is scheduled to…

There may be no business like show business, but for those of us who aren’t working in theatre: there’s no business like…the business card business. Today’s creative minds are transforming the uninteresting white rectangle into innovative, 3-D, stand-out-from-the-crowd cards…and the very important first impression you make can literally be an illustration of your company’s operations. Take, for instance, this card for a yoga instructor, where your fingers complete the yogi’s stretch: I’m also in love with this card for a handmade furniture company- it would also make a perfect addition to your childhood dollhouse: On those doggone days when you…

When it comes to life’s more accessible luxuries, fresh flowers are at the top of my list. My favorite part of entertaining at home is going flower shopping the morning that I’m having people over. I always return with a spring in my step; arranging the blooms and setting them out around my apartment puts me in a hostessing mood, and motivates me to tackle the more mundane tasks on my to-do list (like vacuuming and dusting). Simply put, flowers make me (and others) happy, and instantly bring a space to life. Unfortunately, in New York City, flowers, like most…

I try to stay up-to-date on the latest products, particularly in the design world. They spark new ideas for the home, wardrobe and daily life. But recently, ABC News reported on a selection of consumer products that extend beyond the imagination (and reality) and are, at the very least, fascinating. We’re talking baby toupees and Snuggies for pets. Yes, these are actual products. Here’s a list of my favs: Handerpants If tighty whities weren’t, um, appealing enough as undergarments, why not bring them to the forefront of fashion as fingerless gloves? Yes, everyone should wear underwear on the outside. Baby…

I’ve been on a business travel tear lately. While I may bemoan the flight delays and hectic schedule, I really do love it. From the cast of characters I meet to the unusual destinations, every trip is its own adventure. (And believe me, I have some stories to tell!) The more I travel, the more I crave stunning hospitality design. From beautiful art installations to sleek wall coverings and bathroom fixtures, exceptional design can completely transport us into another world, even if it’s just for a night or two. So when I read Travel + Leisure’s 2010 Design Awards, I…

If Lisa has a thing for sequins (and believe me, she does), then I am a sucker for skins…specifically, exotic skin handbags. While my unflagging love for all bags great and small is the stuff of legend around our office (and at home, where my boyfriend regularly derides me for storing part of my collection in the linen closet, having run out of room everywhere else), I get really excited about snakeskin clutches. Vintage ones. That, combined with my passion for bargain hunting of all kinds (I’m incapable of driving past a TJ Maxx), has made me a virtual connoisseur…