Black*Eiffel

Installation Art by Leandro Erlich

2012-01-27T01:18:00.001-07:00

Leandro Erlich's installation called Bâtiment now on display at Le 104 in Paris looks like so much fun. A gigantic mirror reflects a house which gives visitors the illusion that they can hang off ledges and if kids (or adults) want, they can even get their Spiderman crawl on. Buenos Aires based artist Leandro does brilliant work, I mentioned him in this post and think he is the ultimate artistic illusionist. Watch a little clip here to see how it is done. Amazing.

(via My Modern Met // Photo credit: Batiment - L. Erlich © Henriette Desjonquères & Paul Fargues.)

Sandwich Art

2012-01-26T17:00:00.002-07:00

Sandwich art, talk about taking the creation of a good sandwich to the next level. Isn't this clever? See all of Brittany's artistic lot here with maybe even reference to one of your favorite masters. Makes me think twice about how to make our next sandwiches for our girls and maybe I can teach them a little something about art history.

Created and photos by Brittany Powell.

Inside Nature: Repetition

2012-01-25T06:00:00.001-07:00

1: Pine cone photo by Cobalt123
2: Crimean Pinecone Lamp by Pavel Eekra

"Nature is an endless combination and repetition of a very few laws. She hums the old well-known air through innumerable variations." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wandering About : Honolulu

2012-01-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

For those of you bearing the winter snow storms doesn't a sunny and warm vacation sounds dreamy right about now?! My sister is currently living in Hawaii and was happy to share some of her favorite things in Honolulu.

Feeling : Gliding through the water in a Kayak at Lanikai
Tasting : Famous coco puffs from Liliha Bakery
Smelling : Plumeria
Seeing : Lantern Floating Festival
Listening : Jack Johnson
Staying: The Modern Honolulu

Do you have a favorite spot to share if you had a couple of days to spend in Honolulu, what should not be missed.

Photo Credits: 1 2 3 4 5

Music Monday : Michael Kiwanuka

2012-01-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

For Music Monday I wanted to share the voice of 23-year-old British artist Michael Kiwanuka (with a Ugandan heritage) who happened to be on NPR a few weeks ago. His gorgeous music is currently my new 'go-to' for acoustic soul. His first full-length album Home Again comes out in March and it can't come soon enough. In his interviews he seems like such a sweetheart, which wins me over even more. It is great to see all of the press he has been getting from multiple outlets acclaiming him as one to watch in 2012. I can't wait to see his success unfold. Enjoy, and I hope he can bring a little sunshine to your Monday.

Photo : from Michael Kiwanuka gallery.

Alt Summit : Up and Coming Blogs

2012-01-20T18:50:00.000-07:00

This week I have been at Alt Summit and just spoke on a panel about some Up and Coming Blogs. Here is a list of some of my recent favorites.

1. Angela Hardison
2. Jane Reaction
3. Note to Self
4. Odessa May Society
5. Dandee Designs
6. The House that Lars Built
7. Simple Village Girl
8. Cubicle Refugee

Click through to see these other blogger's favorites too.
Alix from Modern Kiddo
Natalie from Nat The Fat Rat
Meg from Mimi + Meg

What are your favorite blogs you have been reading lately? I would love to hear about them!

(Images from Note to Self)

Inside Nature: Smooth

2012-01-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

1: Livingstones
2: River Rocks Photo by John Walkenbach

"All smooth rocks were once rough around the edges." - Ashok Aggarwal

Pretty Closets

2012-01-17T06:00:00.001-07:00

Some closet eye candy that has me inspired.

Elle Decoration No. 205 by Yves Duronsoy via Haute Design
Ms. Moth's Closet

Music Monday : Gonzales

2012-01-16T06:00:00.002-07:00

When I want to mix it up in the music department I often turn to beautiful piano arrangements and this one by Gonzales knocks my socks off (this one too). Are you a piano fan, and do you have any favorites you would like to share? I hope you enjoy and I wish you a fantastic Monday.

If you can't get enough and want to hear more from his piano fingers, I actually just bought Gonzales' Solo Piano album to listen to and enjoy on the road trip up to Alt (are you going?) Can't wait to listen to it all the way through.

*P.S. Do you like watching the music video clips I share or would you prefer music play lists? Hit up the comments to tell me what you like best.

Envelope Journal

2012-01-12T00:23:00.002-07:00

As I still contemplate whether or not to get a 2012 'paper' planner this year, I came across this Envelope Journal from Present and Correct that looks amazing. How sweet it would be to collect (in a structured and minimal way) little cool bits of life as a monthly series.

Are you an all-digital planner or a paper agenda type of person? I have usually been an all digital gal but for some reason this year I want a more tactile experience and to see more handwriting.

Inside Nature : Dwelling

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

1: Cardboard Heaven by Nina Lindgren

2: Cave Dwellings in Cappadocia,Turkey

In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.
- Lao Tzu.

Music Monday : Best Albums of 2011

2012-01-10T00:44:00.000-07:00

A line up of my favorite 11 albums of 2011. I would love to hear what your favorites were too.

1: Beirut - The Rip Tide
2: Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire
3: Adele - 21
4: Ellie Goulding - Lights
5: Bon Iver - Bon Iver
6: Feist - Metals
7: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues
8: Ben Howard - Every Kingdom
9: Florence and the Machine - Ceremonials
10 : Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting
11: The Black Keys - El Camino

Good Day.

2012-01-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

Have a bright and cherry weekend! Hope it is full of happiness and color.

1: Megan Geckler
2: Rachel Castle

New Beginnings...

2012-01-05T11:49:00.001-07:00

2011 was a bit rough, so I welcome 2012 with open arms as being a year of calmness and a renewed simplicity and today I can't believe it but I turn 32, eek. The clip of this lovely girl Klara Harden who hiked all over Iceland on her own is incredibly beautiful and inspiring. I like that it even shows a glimpse of those vulnerable challenging moments that happened along her journey because it sure seems like those tough moments are the ones that truly teach us to soar. My obsession over the beauty of Iceland continues on.

(via Odessa May)

Wardrobe Essentials : #1 The Trench

2012-01-05T04:43:00.003-07:00

One of my goals this year is to build a closet full of wardrobe essentials. My desire is to seek out lasting stylish staple pieces that I adore. Funny thing is, I am not the biggest shopper so this will be a bit of a challenge for me. My bleak closet is seriously ready for a mindful fashion transformation. I hope to highlight a variety of key pieces throughout the year at various affordable and sometimes dreamy price points.

First up is 'the trench'. I will start off by saying that I have never owned a khaki trench and it is about time. The stylish girls above look fantastic and I love how you can pair it with everything from sparkles to heals or converse and it looks amazing. Now the guessing game comes in... looking below can you tell which ones are luxe and which ones are budget savvy? The prices range from under $80 to over $1800 isn't that wild! What is your favorite or do you already have one in your closet you love?

Trench Coats : A B C D E F G H I
Photo sources : 1 Jcrew / 2 & 3 Fash n Chips / 4 Sterling Style / 5 Blushing Ambition

Inside Nature : Light

2012-01-04T09:39:00.000-07:00

1: Eric Cahan Sky Series Photo
2: Navette Lamp Ensemble

What is true by lamplight is not always true by sunlight. ~Joseph Joubert

Music Monday : Top 10 Musical Discoveries of 2011

2012-01-03T01:29:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a nice holiday break, we sure did and are working on getting back into the normal flow. Flashing back over the past year, I came up with a list of my top ten favorite music discoveries of 2011 and did my best to sum each selection up in a few words. What about you? Do you have a band, artist or song that stood out to you in 2011, do share. Next week for Music Monday I will share my top albums of the year!

1: Oh Land - Hip Danish futurist.
2: Metronomy - Cool British Electronica mixing it up since the late 90s.
3: Keren Ann - Multicultural French wow.
4: Matt Corby - Perhaps he is Jeff Buckley, Bon Iver and Nick Drake's nephew.
5: Youth Lagoon - Airy eerie nostalgia.

6: Toro Y Moi - Quirky.
7: Starsmith - Chill electronica.
8: Ben Howard - Acoustic melting road trip music.
9: Bombay Bicycle Club - Adorable boy next door band with a new release.
10: Young Galaxy - Interesting dance pop eclectic.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-26T15:31:00.001-07:00

Hope you had a lovely holiday weekend! We changed our Christmas plans last minute to travel and spend time with family and we are really glad we did. Wishing you all a wonderful week, I'm taking a little break until 2012. Thank you for all of your support and reading Black Eiffel this year, I have some fun posts coming up in the new year that I am excited about.

Happy Holidays!

(*photo from lights out Christmas Eve headlamp reading of Polar Express)

Feeling a little glitzy...

2011-12-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

1: Sportmax S/S 2012 Runway Details from Monsieur J
2: Free People sequin button down (via my friend Holly)

Music Monday : The Black Keys

2011-12-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

This is a great music clip to watch on a Monday, I'm digging this guy's nice dance moves. The Black Keys has me smiling real big today. Hope you had a nice weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend!

2011-12-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

Whew, this week has been a doozey. Along with being sick, (finally we are all getting better!) we also found out sad news about someone in our close family (in another state) that involved the ER and hospital. Yikes. I won't go into details but it sure puts things into perspective. Our gratitude for good health, modern medicine, and loving family and friends with great hearts has definitely been heightened.

The above shots are taken with my iPhone and shared on Instagram over the last few weeks. I love that app and I am excited to hear that they are working on an Android version so more people can enjoy the fun. Do you use Instagram?

Tomorrow we are picking up my sister at the San Francisco airport and I am currently planning out the perfect day. Shout out any San Francisco tips you have in the comments. I will be sharing our adventures on Instagram (username : blackeiffel) if you want to see what we are up to.

Wishing you all a healthy and wonderful weekend!

2011-12-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Hi there everyone, me and the baby have been under the weather, and now V has join in the fun with some type of stomach bug, which unfortunately involved lots of unglamorous cleaning up today. Hope to be back soon.

The World's Smallest Post Service Kit

2011-12-09T06:00:00.004-07:00

We have this ongoing joke in our family that when you call something 'cute' it has to reference something miniature and tiny. You know like babies, kittens, puppies, these teeny-tiny macarons or mini burgers and fries. I can hear echoes of our daughter saying, "sooooo cute, cute, and cuuuute!" to all of the above.

A little while ago I remember sharing these teeny-tiny custom letters that Lea Redmond created that set off my 'tiny cute radar' back then, and have remained on my gift idea list. Then recently... voila! Lea in conjuction with Chronicle Books came out with a Tiny Mail Stationery Kit that allows anyone to create their very own bundle of miniature cuteness. The kit supplies items to write those itty bitty letters and make little gift boxes to share with others. Check out this clip to see what I mean, talk about hip, hip, cool. Wouldn't you love to give or receive a tiny letter, how memorable would that be?!

Trying to think of what to say in such a limited space? This excerpt from one of Lea's custom letters may help inspire you to get the ball rolling and is so adorable.

"To my wife who is my all. I send this card so very small. And though it's held by fingertips. The love inside could sink ten ships."

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Enter to win a Tiny Mail Stationery Kit! Leave a comment below and a winner will be randomly selected and notified on Monday and I will update this post with the winner's name as well. Good luck. You can also find the kit to buy here if you want.

I am happy be part of The World's Smallest Post Service's blog tour - which included : Simple Lovely > Refinery 29 > Fete a Fete > Oh My Handmade.

*Update: Jen is the lucky randomly selected winner which I will contact via email. // Comments are now closed.

Christmas Books for 2011 part 2

2011-12-08T01:42:00.002-07:00

A continuation of Christmas Books for our Advent countdown (Part 1 here). See all of the titles below:

9 The Twelve Days of Christmas - I picked up this vintage beauty last year, a beauty.
10 The Velveteen Rabbit - This version I found at a thrift store, but we used to read this around Christmas time and also listen to the Meryl Streep Narration, she reads it so beautifully.
11 Bear Noel - A winter story about animals in the woods awaiting Bear Noel.
12 Olive, the other Reindeer - Had to throw another comical one in here.
13 Silver Packages - A title we loved to read growing up, reflects upon kindness and love.
14 The Little Fir Tree - The old-fashioned charm of this one is delightful.
15 The Nutcracker - Love the Susan Jeffers illustrations of this version.
16 The Polar Express - Classic, we used to read this by flashlight around the train and tree.
17 A Christmas Story - The illustrations of this one are gorgeous, with lots of pretty gold!
18 Pashmina The Little Christmas Goat - This touching story is about how sacrifice can lead to great happiness, and I am drawn into the beautiful fresh watercolor art as well.
19 Federico and the Magi's Gift - A library pick, I enjoy the Latin tradition of the Wise Men delivering gifts post Christmas.

20 Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - Incorporating poetry like Robert Frost into the mix seemed like a nice touch. Another pretty Susan Jeffers.

21 Over and Under The Snow - A ski trip through the woods, a more wintery choice.

22 The Gift of the Magi - Such a fan of this classic and there are many lovely versions.

23 The Christmas Magic - Gorgeous art, has a European feel.

24 The Third Gift - This new release (came out this year) explains what myrrh is through the eyes of a young boy. The illustrations of the book remind me so much of the Middle East.

25 Christmas Day in the Morning - written by Pearl S. Buck a lovely story about a father and son's love.

Many of these titles I got from the library, so I am sure our list will continue to evolve in the future. Have you ever tried an Advent Book countdown? So far it has been such a fun new tradition, our girls really adore and look forward to curling up for a nice read each evening. Shout out your Christmas and winter favorites!

(*For titles 1-8 go here)

Paper Animals

2011-12-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

These paper cut animals created by Andy MacGregor caught my eye this morning, aren't they delightful. See a few more animals here too.