SHE: Images of Women by Wallace Berman & Richard Prince

"SHE: Images by Wallace Berman & Richard Prince" by Kristine McKenna is finally out. The show at the Michael Kohn is still up till March 15th. Nevertheless here's the catalogue to the exhibition.

It's still raining... keep knitting!

I fell in love with Boutique Knits at the Interweave Press booth at Book Expo last year. This thing is luscious. And the beauty of it is good photographs, great projects, and clear simple instructions typical of Interweave. Go Laura Irwin!

I am loving the hat on the cover as well as the sideways grande hat. Talk about some dramatic twists on your boring old hat. At this point in the winter, it's time for a new twist. Pick this one up, before Paige and I buy up all the copies at the store!

Check out more of the project images below...

Boutique Knits

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Writing like it is.

We all could have sent or received these cards from time to time. If this is your week, come pick one up.

In Celebration of Poe

This year marks the 200th anniversary of Edger Allan Poe’s birth.

What better way to celebrate than to immerse yourself in his dark world?

I urge you to pick up and read (or reread) one of the many wonderful Poe anthologies available or perhaps take a quick jaunt through his melodic poetry pieces, like “Annabel Lee”. (My personal favorite)

Or if you wish to read a fiction novel inspired by him then I recommend:

Black Plume: The Suppressed Memoirs of Edgar Allan Poe
by David Madsen

As the book states, this is a must for any of Poe’s fans. A word of caution though as you need to be familiar with Poe’s work to really "get" this book.

Did personal events inspire his work?

How close to reality do these dark tales come?

You be the judge.


Then treat yourself to the new Poe stamps offered by the US Post Office. It will make paying your bills less painless…I promise!

“The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?" - Edgar Allan Poe

-The Dark Accountant

Portraits of the Artists by a Young Man

I copied this image of Joyce from a photograph at the Vanity Fair exhibit at LACMA.

Here is a quote from Ulysses that I memorized as soon as I read it: "I see the ruin of all space, shattered glass and toppling masonry, and time one livid final flame."










Right now I'm reading Cormac's Blood Meridian. I have to wash my hands each time I put it down, the pages are so blood soaked. It is an epic unlike anything I've ever read before. Within the pages I'm riding with a gang of bloodthirsty marauders, so vial and unrepentant that I find myself often unable to justify why I don't simply put down the book to let the madness end.... Instead I read on, an accessory to their crimes.

Adopted Dog Bible by Kim Saunders & Petfinder.com

If you are thinking about getting a dog, or know someone who is, this is the book to get.
Petfinder.com is a brilliant website that is literally the used car lot for all the second hand pets in the country.

This book will help you navigate your way through the vast, (and I mean vast) array of dogs (all makes, models, ages & colors!). Any breed you want, you can have. They are all out there waiting for a home.

I think we all know that buying a dog from a pet store is a really bad idea. Even Oprah did a show on puppy mills (I know you watch her). It's not just that the animals are bred in deplorable conditions and badly treated, but you are literally sentencing a shelter dog to death.
A bit harsh? Well, have a quick look on line at the number of animals destroyed in animal shelters across the US because there is simply no room for them. The numbers are in the millions.
The majority are not ill, not old and have nothing wrong with them. They are destroyed because we don't want them.

Have a look at this great book and keep it in mind for a gift. We live in such a disposable society and animals are the ones who suffer the most.

First Ladies of Style

So Martha Washington was a babe.

Michelle Obama does sit-up, push-ups, arm curls or all three.

First Ladies are all in the news these days, their style and their purpose got me thinking about books about First Ladies of the good ole ' USA and other ladies as well.

Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion by Mandi Norwood (May 2009)

It also got me thinking about the lack of books about gentlemen leaders and their clothes. I wonder why? Is it because they all wear the same thing? I remember some mention of Obama's lapel pin or lack there of, he wears one now all of the time. And one picture with Former President Bush and Former Prime Minister Putin of Russia wearing some tunic-y, gown like thing that did not flatter either very well.

But all in all if men wear dark suits, light shirts and ties in blue, black, red, purple or yellow, all is right in the world.

Anyway back to the ladies.

So hear are some interesting tomes on women who held power or sat next to the throne. What they wore, thought (thank you) and why.

Jacqueline Kennedy : The White House Years: Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library by Museum by New York Metropolitan Museum

My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams

Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution by Caroline Weber

Anyway I am going to go do some push-ups I want guns like the First Lady.

Here we go: 1, 2, 3, 3... 3..okay one more try 3.. damn.

T.

SATCHMO: The Wonderful World and Art of Louis Armstrong

One of the remarkable books that came out this season (books are like the fashion business) is "Sathmo: The Wonderful World and Art of Louis Armstorng."

While touring the world, Armstrong would carry a specially designed steamer trunk designed to house two reel-to-reel tape decks. For his endless boxes of tape he would make covers for them. With scotch tape, he would put images or photos or even telegrams/letters on these boxes as sort of do-it-yourself-art. They serve as a mixture of a visual diary as well as a very personal and moving artwork by this musical genius. Almost avant-garde "outside" art, Louis Armstrong had a strong sense of design and a good eye. Remarkable book and totally fascinating look into the VERY inside world of "Satchmo."

At Last! The podcast: Books + Innuendo

So... may moons ago, there was a recording session. And a podcast was born. But the poor thing languished in a hardrive until now. So please excuse us for its out-of-dateness. We have had these files for quite a while, but we are going to release them anyway, because it was too much fun to record to not share it.

Plus, some of you who heard about Tosh's and my show have been asking.

So here is a teaser. Episode 1: (click the magic orange box below)

Getting your shit together.

Over the past month, I have been stuck on the couch quite a lot due to the tonsilectomy and recovery. I decided to spend the time reading organizing books. As a Virgo, few things are more relaxing to me than researching new ways to file. Sad but true. I used to give guests a tour of my filing cabinet when I first got a label maker. Sad, but true.

So... it was with a great deal of joy that I undertook my little reading project. Two of the books started out as library loaners and then, partway through, I realized that I didn't want to give them back. I had to own them. So, I placed orders and now they live with me. Here they are and why I love them:

• David Allen: Getting Things Done. This classic productivity manual is a classic for good reason. It's method works, and as I said to Charles, our general manager, the other day, "This book is saving my life." His ideas are simple and clear: don't keep everything you need to do stored up in your head. You will forget things and the effort to try and remember will make you less effective. Dump it all out and keep it on lists outside your head. His system anticipates every kind of meltdown and does its darndest to prevent it. Check it out!! He also has a new book out, which I snatched up as well, Making it all Work. This new book expands the system out to organize your whole life. Bliss!
• Regina Leeds: One Year to an Organized Life. This book is a gift for those who feel easily overwhelmed. It breaks your home down into discrete areas by month, and then gives a list of tasks per week. By the end of the year, your will be living in paradise. Provided you do what she tells you...brilliant. There is one for work as well.... I can barely restrain myself from diving into that one next. LA readers: pick this up to support a local author!
  

The other fantastic discovery was Julie Morgenstern. Her book, Organizing from the Inside Out, is wonderful for anyone who has organization wounding. If you feel like you are a lifer slob and that there is nothing that can be done about it, this book is for you. Her gentle approach and comforting suggestions and tips help you see what will help you use your own tendencies to make a system that keeps everything together.

Viva organization!

image: evelynshire