DREAMING OF PALM TREES

Have a Dreamy Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:23:00 +0000

It's no secret that we're obsessed with anything Vanessa Bruno does and since this video was released earlier this week, we cannot stop watching it. Kate Bosworth is stunning and gorgeous and the whole thing is just unbelievably beautiful. Be sure to check out the director, Stéphanie Di Giusto's other work here.

On another note, it's Friday! I'm trying to catch up on all the Oscar flicks, so I'm going to see The Descendants tonight and hope it's as good as everyone's saying it is. Have you seen it yet?

The rest of the weekend, I'll probably lay low and maybe attempt to make this. Slightly ambitious, but I'm sorta feeling it. My co-workers on Monday might just be a lucky bunch.

How about you? Any fun weekend plans?

And now for our weekly links. Enjoy! ♥

Obsessed with Pinterest? These are the coolest Pinners to follow.

The most Valentine's Day appropriate architecture.

Champagne waffles and chocolate butter? Yes, please!

My new fave Tumblr makes me want to go camping.

But since I probably won't go camping anytime soon, I'd settle for this.

Just a lil' horsin' around!

I'm a huge fan of red lipstick. This lady is rad for loving it too.

And to sum things up, if you enjoyed the video look book above, check out a video Karina did last year (in case you missed it!)

Have a great weekend!

Dreamy Dame: Giovanna Badilla of The Wild

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:07:00 +0000

Giovanna, in her apartment.

Giovanna's magazine, The Wild

Nikita, Giovanna's daughter, answering emails for her mama...

Swedish goodies devoured by yours truly

The Wild

When Giovanna Badilla and I first met, we became instant friends. We were both working in commercial production and bonded over the absurd requests made by higher ups, including a specific request made by a director that he only be served fresh homemade tuna sandwiches every day with onions diced, not sliced. True story!

But now, Gio herself is in the position of making absurd requests, but she doesn't. Instead, Gio is incredibly thoughtful and poised. And although soft spoken, don't be fooled. She's relentlessly devoted to creating gorgeous content for the masses and will work hard to make sure that continuously happens.

She is the Editor-In-Chief of The Wild, a magazine founded on the premise that fashion, design, and style are not mutually exclusive from the social and cultural issues that impact the world (wowza!) She's had success and is still building the brand and her magazine can be found internationally at cool shops like Opening Ceremony and Collette in Paris. Not to mention, she's an International girl who was born in Chile but lived in Sweden most of her life, and is now married to an accomplished fashion director from Paris. Oh, and she speaks four languages.

I sat down with Gio in her cute apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, alongside her darling daughter, Nikita (pictured) and got the lowdown on what it takes to be one of the coolest chicks I know.

Walk us thru your average day?
Wake up at 7:30 am and make breakfast for Nikita. Prepare ourselves before nanny arrives around 9am. 9am, start tackling the long list of emails that I have received during the night from European contributors, etc. Throughout the day, emailing and calling or having meetings with editors and contributors for the WILD. 6pm, nanny leaves, play with Nikita, feed her and put her to bed at 8pm. 8pm-midnight, work some more, then sleeeeeeeeeeeeep.

What are you listening to right now?

I have WNYC on all day in the office plus all the great music and playlists that we feature on the WILD blog make me stay au jour with what's good right now.

What's the last great movie you've seen?

I used to go to the movies so often pre-Nikita, and now I hardly manage to get out. Last great movie that I saw was Drive.

What has been your favorite learning experience starting The Wild?

Communication is key and pushing myself way outside of my comfort zone.

What's one thing people don't know about you? Any quirks?

I'm way too open with who I am, so I don't think there is much more to reveal...

You're very well traveled. What's your favorite city to live in and why?

Without a doubt NYC. There is not a better city with better energy than NYC. I love it!

To learn more, visit: the WILD magazine

(photos by Karina)

Art: Metallic stones

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:21:00 +0000

How trippy and cool are these metallic stones by artist Jim Hodges? I'd love one in miniature as a paper weight or coffee table decor.

(via Design for Man Kind)

Have a dreamy weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:43:00 +0000

It' Friday! This weekend is going to be great. But I'm especially excited about Superbowl Sunday. For those who don't know, in addition to working with my seesters on exciting projects, I also work in advertising. So Sunday is a big day for the ad world. I love watching what crazy commercials will be aired, even though a few have already leaked, including this awesome spot feat. After the Wedding's very own Nick Puga. Go, Nick! Oh, and can't wait for the half-time show. :)

How will you guys spend your superbowl Sunday? Do you actually watch the game?

And on to some links!

V-day chocolates. Yum!

Stunning wedding invite. I'd join!

S*it Miami Girls Say. This hits close to home:)

I want this Vince sweater. Goes with everything.

Loving M.I.A.'s new video for Bad Girls.

Blog ♥ : Caviar Taste, Tuna Fish Wallet.

Have I died and gone to heaven? Potato chip cookies.

5 easy tips for the perfect blowout. Duly noted!

Mint green shoes. I want!

Can't stop looking at this: one upon a time celebrity couples

Sexy bun.

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Sometimes all you need is a sexy bun and a trench. Effortlessly chic. Do you agree?

(photo via Le Fur Coat)

Low Luv x Erin Wasson

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:01:00 +0000

I go through phases with my jewelry and for the last couple of months, I've been really into the line, Low Luv designed by one of our fave models, Erin Wasson. I wear the top Metal Crystal Stud earrings nearly everyday and always get compliments on them. I love how her line is kinda edgy but also still understated enough to pair with almost any outfit.

How about you? What are your go-to jewelry pieces?

Jewelry photos via Opening Ceremony. Erin Wasson photos via Style.com.

Let's get down to business

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:23:00 +0000

(Creative - pull tab!)

(Pop!)

(Minimal)

(Playful)

(Letterpress)

The seesters and I are in the process of finally getting business cards. Bring it, 2012! So I've been searching the web for some inspiration. There are so many great styles to choose from but I particularly liked the ones above. Do you have business cards? What style do you prefer? Minimal, artistic, letterpress?

P.S. Here's a great post with the coolest business cards from Alt Summit 2012.

Game Day Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

(30-minute Chili)

(All-American Buffalo Chicken Tenders)

(Spicy-Sweet Chicken Wings)

(Onion Rings)

(Hot Spinach Dip)

Alex and I are having a few friends over for the Super Bowl this upcoming Sunday so I've been looking for some fun recipes to make. Don't these Martha Stewart recipes look yummy?

What are you plans for the Super Bowl? Will you be hosting, going to someone's house or tuning out and watching Top Chef reruns? :)

P.S. Have you seen this hilarious Super Bowl ad going viral? Fun fact: It features the star of our upcoming film!

Cozy Bedrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:26:00 +0000

For those of you who are on Pinterest, you know how addicting it can be to peruse the Internet just searching for beautiful images to pin to your boards. It's incredibly fun to do, although I admit, a huge time sucker. But lately it's also been very helpful as I've been on the hunt for some home decor tips. I need to redo my bedroom but the tricky thing is that it's on the lower level and the amount of natural light is very limited. I do have a window that lets some light in, but it's not very much, especially in the winter. I've decided to embrace it though and make my room very cozy and warm. These images above are what I'm using for inspiration. Don't they make you just want to crawl back into bed?

How are your bedrooms decorated? Modern, vintage, romantic, traditional? Any favorite decor tips for low light that you'd like to share? I'd love to know! ♥

First photo via The Brick House
Second photo via Megan Satterfield for Apartment Therapy
Third photo via The Brick House
Fourth photo via The Aestate

Have a dreamy weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:52:00 +0000

Happy Friday, all! Tonight, Charlie and I are going with some friends to a hockey game. I've never been to one, so I'm excited to experience it. I hear they can get pretty rowdy! Have you guys ever been to a game? Is it as violent as people say? The rest of the weekend will be spent kicking back with some girlfriends I haven't seen in a while. Maybe I'll invite them over to my place for some wine + cheese, followed by an impromptu dance party in my living room. :)

What are your plans for the weekend?

And our weekly roundup. Enjoy!

Funny valentines cards

A cabin in Brooklyn

Missoni inspired by Pedro Almodovar muses

Dangers of high heels. Eeps!

Punchfork recipe site. Slightly addicting!

This is guaranteed to make your day.

Coolest interactive art installation. Ever.

I wouldn't mind this adorable shirt dress.

We ♥ Kristen Wiig.

Also, congratulations to our giveaway winner, The Fashionable ESQ!

(film still from The Science of Sleep. A must-see!)

Lana Del Rey MV // Born To Die

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:58:00 +0000

Have you guys heard of Lana Del Rey? She's a little infamous for her performance on SNL (which I really don't think was that bad), but her song "Born to Die" off of her new album with the same name is pretty addicting. If anything, this video is nothing short of amazing.

You decide! Would love to hear your feedback.

Naz Jewelry: Our very first DOPT giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Lovely DOPT readers, we are super excited to announce our very first giveaway! The giveaway is from Naz, a very talented jewelry designer, and my old college roommate (NYU! Woot!)

Naz creates unique necklaces with beautiful hidden messages in Farsi/Persian. Today she is giving away a gorgeous sterling silver necklace, like the left image, that reads "Love". I own the necklace on the right, which I wear with a black blazer, white tank and jeans - it's one of my absolute favorite pieces.

For a chance to win, please visit NAZNAZ (and feel free to like NazNaz's Facebook page), and leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen at random tomorrow. Good luck!

UPDATE: The winner is The Fashionable ESQ. Thank you so much everyone for playing!!!

The Perfect Winter Recipe: Curried Cauliflower Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Alex and I are trying to eat a bit healthier these days (during the weekdays at least), so I've been on the hunt for healthy delicious recipes. I stumbled upon this recipe not too long ago, for Curried Cauliflower Soup, and made it the other night. It was deeee-licious. I highly suggest bookmarking it for the next time you're craving a hearty, homey and healthy soup. I served the soup with this Caesar Salad (with tofu instead of chicken), and was practically licking the bowl. ;)

What have you guys been making lately for dinner? Any go-to healthy recipes you can share?

P.S. We're having our very first DOPT giveaway this afternoon so feel free to swing by again later! xo

Wallpaper Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

A few months ago, I saw Aimée Wilder's beautiful wallpaper featured on one of my fave shopping sites, Gilt. I didn't buy it then, but I bookmarked her website so I could go back to it at some point in the future. I'm still not in the market to do any wallpaper purchasing now, but her work is so fun and modern, I figured you DOPT readers would enjoy it as much as I do.

In addition to wallpaper, Aimée also makes and sells limited edition screenprints, and cool decorative pillows. You can see more on her website, including where to buy, here.

Apparently, there's a big wallpaper designer scene and lucky for me, most of them are located here in Brooklyn! Who knew, right? How about you? Are there any wallpaper designers you're into? And are you more pro-wallpaper or pro-paint? With such pretty designs on the market, it's easy to see how this wallpaper trend got so popular.

Photos via AimeeWilder.com

Hat ♥

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

I've always declared myself a non-hat person. Unfortunately, the circumference of my head rarely allows me the good fortune of wearing cute hats. But recently, I discovered that a few good retailers cater to the larger head type and have perfect sizes for all. I just bought a great fit at Club Monoco, but recently found UK brand Christys' Hats, which I'm seriously considering buying.

How about you? Are you a hat person?

(photo via Tomboy Style)

Today We Have a New Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Today marks the beginning of a new moon. I realize this happens once a month, so maybe I shouldn't be as impressed, but this time, there seems to be a flurry of excitement going around me that I can't help but attribute to new beginnings. Do you ever feel that way, like something good is on the verge of happening?

As I don't know too much about the moon or its phases, I did a little research online and according to what I found, this period is a time of "renewal of energy, freshness, reconstruction, development and the conception of hope. You are advised to advocate changes in this stage of your life, and should also consider putting an end to unsavory habits and stale relationships."

That sounds nice, doesn't it? Not bad for a Monday.

Then to top it off, I present to you artwork by the fabulously talented Beth Hoeckel via Beautiful/Decay. Quite fitting that I stumbled upon her handmade collages today. Isn't it dreamy?

How about you guys? Do you ever pay attention to the way our moon changes and how it affects you or is that too hippie? Sometimes I think it's all just pretty fun.

You can read more about it here. Happy Monday!

Have a dreamy weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:07:00 +0000

Official Trailer: Girl Walk // All Day from Girl Walk // All Day on Vimeo.

It's Friday! Tonight Alex and I are going to a screening of Girl Walk All Day, a well-reviewed cool feature-length music video. Lisa went last week and said that people started dancing in the aisles! You can watch the film on their website or request a screening in your city. :) I go nuts for dance films so I'm really looking forward to this. And the best part is that its BYOB so we're bring a bottle of Malbec. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

Stay toasty! In the meantime, here are some fun links for your Friday... xo!

This surfing video is so thrilling and scary!

Having friends over? I highly suggest making this perfect winter lasagna.

Cool blog alert: An Afternoon With...

The perfect cup of coffee

Awesome! Pendant lamps made from recycled books

Make your own fabric. How genius!

The trailer to Wes Anderson's latest film, Moonrise Kingdom

How to Lead a Creative Life.

How to Lead a Creative Life like Martin Scorsese.

A Tropical Modern Home

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:06:00 +0000

In honor of our new blog layout, which was inspired by our idea of Miami Chic, today's post is dedicated to one of our favorite design styles, Tropical Modern. Rizzoli has a great coffee table book dedicated to this aesthetic and we can pretty much see ourselves living in every home. The home featured above however, is our all time fave. Known as the Paraty House and designed by the Brazilian architect, Marcio Kogan, there's something about the combination of palm trees, sunlight, minimal interiors, and water that makes our hearts skip a beat every time we see it. Dream-worthy, indeed.

How about you? Do you prefer more rustic and mountain inspired design or do you also love this beachy look? We want it all, not gonna lie.

Photos via The Cool Hunter.

The Life of a Bicycle (in NYC)

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:45:00 +0000

This is the sort of thing you wonder about, but rarely get to see in action. What would happen to a bicycle if you left it parked in one location for a long time? How long would it take for something to happen? Would anything happen? It's New York, of course something will happen.

Last year, this experiment was tested by Red Peak Group, and above are their results. Pretty interesting, I say!

Thankfully, I have never had my bike, or bike parts for that matter, stolen. But that could be because I rarely ride it. How about you?

Movie to Netflix: Match Point (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:12:00 +0000

So today I've been nodding off from staying up late with Alex, watching Match Point. Have you seen it? It's one of my favorite Woody Allen films. It's about a tennis instructor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who social climbs his way into England's high society, only to risk losing it all when he falls for a femme fatal (Scarlett Johansson) who happens to be engaged to his future brother-in-law. So good. I highly recommend adding it to your Netflix queue!

As hibernating season approaches I'm looking to watch more good films. Have you seen anything good lately you recommend? xo

Photoboother

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:30:00 +0000

We just discovered this awesome site, Photoboother, where you can transform any of your photos into a Photobooth style photo. It's awesome! Here's our take, in birth order. :)

My Signature Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Guys, I'm ready to share the most addicting thing in my life: my signature salad. Somehow, perhaps on accident, I made this salad one day, and since, have toyed with adding different ingredients to make it better. I probably eat this salad at least three times a week, seriously. It's incredibly easy to make and is so zesty and tasty, it's a perfect (and healthy) side dish for any meal.

Recipe:
5 oz. mixed greens or spring mix
1 lemon
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt to taste
Golden roasted flax seed (available at Trader Joes)
Almond slivers or crushed peanuts
Freshly shaved parmesan cheese

Juice 1 lemon over mixed greens. Add balsamic vinegar and salt to taste. Add flax seed and almond slivers (or peanuts). Mix well. Add shaved parmesan. You're done!

And if you want to take it up a notch, you can sauté crimini mushrooms in olive oil + garlic and add.

Hope you're enjoying the day off!

(photo by Karina)

Have a dreamy (3 day) weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Cifuentes) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:48:00 +0000

Alas, another week has flown by! My last weekend plans were killed when a dreaded cold kept me to the confines of my home (and couch). So I'm definitely looking forward to an activity-filled 3 day weekend with a cozy dinner and game night at Claudia's + Alex's house tomorrow night and a Golden Globes party on Sunday. And, I finally have my new Canon ready to go, which I'll be crash testing this weekend (a wrap up is coming your way. :) Also! New York is finally seeing snow! Well, flurries, but hey - snow is snow.

Any exciting plans for you guys?

And some links to get you thru this Friday...

A Hot Toddy recipe to get rid of the common cold.

I can relate to this illustration.

I just bought a wide-brimmed hat. This Bill Cunningham video confirmed my decision!

Breakfast is my fave meal of the day. Check out this list of savory + sweet recipe list!

Need some work station inspiration for your home? Rue Mag has it.

Sister love: jewelry designers Phoebe + Annette Stephens.

Can't wait to see the new Wes Anderson movie, Moonrise Kingdom!

Have a dreamy weekend. ♥

(photo via TukaMostafa)

Dreamy Dame: Eva Zeisel

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Michelle Cifuentes) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:26:00 +0000

This morning, I was planning to blog about Apartment Therapy's new website design. But as I started playing around over there, you know what happened? I went down the rabbit hole that all you bloggers are familiar with, and I stumbled upon a post about a new modern vintage store, Ampersand Vintage. From there, I went to their own blog and eventually found this post about this amazing artist, Eva Zeisel. Have you heard of her? She was a big deal! And totally Dreamy Dame material: creative, talented, beautiful, and incredibly strong. I wish I had learned about her earlier.

Eva Zeisel was a Hungarian born ceramics artist and industrial designer who passed away last December at age 105. She worked up until she died, and was known for her award winning designs, prolific career, and fascinating life, including a 16 month period where she was imprisoned by the KGB who falsely accused her of plotting to assassinate Stalin. Can you imagine? Her life was very fascinating and inspiring indeed.

You can read more about her on her official website, on the blog where I first leaned about her, and on the Huffington Post. Hope you are as inspired by her as I am.

Ryan Gosling loves Crazy Chicks

noreply@blogger.com (Claudia Cifuentes) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Happy hump day! To ease you through the rest of the week, we thought we'd share this hilar video of Ryan Gosling's new girlfriend, if you haven't already seen it. Enjoy!

(via HelloGiggles)