From The Nick to The Moth...(and Brooklyn too)

Last weekend as Sara and I drove home from our whirlwind NY trip, we queued up a podcast to keep us entertained. Sara chose a story from The Moth. (For those of you who haven't heard of The Moth, it's a non-profit storytelling org. in NY which brings in authors, celebrities, musicians, etc. to share stories live in front of an audience. Go check out the podcasts now - they're great.)

This podcast of The Moth featured Steve Burns from Blue's Clues, the old Nickelodeon kids' TV show. If your brain is as foggy as mine, let me help you out here - Steve Burns is this guy:

Nice shirt, Steve.

Anyway, Steve is no longer Steve of Blue's Clues (some dude named Joe took over); he's now a musician and off-Broadway actor. And bald. But anyhoo. Evidently he's doing pretty well for himself - or those Blue's Clues royalties still really pay off - because this is his gorgeous home in Williamsburg:

I love that his house is blue. Get it? Like Blue from Blue's Clues. Heh.

Yes, so right after I got home from said weekend trip, I came across these photos of his bachelor pad in New York magazine. Isn't the place great? Check out the interior courtyard:

I love that he has private garden space -- in Brooklyn. Who knew?

I'm glad to see that Steve o' the Big Red Chair is doing so well for himself and not, as was rumored for a while, dead from an overdose. Well done, you!

In case this post has piqued your interest, you can listen to Steve Burns' story from The Moth here. It was pretty hilarious.

Squeezing in the last drops of summer...

Oh, and while I'm still in "holding on to summer" mode, here are two more summery items that I'm loving and just had to share.

Because really, you can't go wrong with a big, beautiful bow:

...especially when paired with cute everyday shorts and beachy hair:

Photos from Le Blog de Betty, as spotted on Dress, Design & Decor.

Or, for an even more overtly sunny-day pastime, the iREV from Motothority would be an oh so chic way to spend a day on the water:

It seats up to 10 adults, comes with bevy and utensil holders for each person, has storage drawers, a built-in charcoal grill (with vent system - don't worry!), and a great, big umbrella for shading you on the float. And, most exciting to me, custom colors and decor are available, as well as optional accessories like bev buckets, a mattress or a sound system.


Wouldn't it be fun, stocked up with lovely goodies like Mrs. Lilien has cooked up below?

Now that would make for an amazing holiday weekend afternoon activity!

Heads above the rest?

Peeps. Did I tell you I won my first-ever giveaway (a free prize from another blog) on the lovely Leslie's blog, A Room Somewhere? The prize was a custom-designed blog header from Jill of Freshly Squeezed Designs. I was ecstatic, considering the current sea*life*style header is something I jury-rigged myself back when I started s*l*s - needless to say, it's not the most professional looking thing ever. Behold, the current header:



(You can also just look up to the top of the page to see it full size and in full color - as long as you're actually on my blog and not reading this post through an aggregator).

Now, here's what Jill came up with for this site:
(....drum roll, please....)



What do you all think?

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment below. However, I've been picking up what you're all puttin' down and I know some of you said you don't always have time to leave a comment or sometimes you just want to be "quiet" online (see? I do listen to you all!). SO. If you don't want to comment but have a second to literally click a button for "old" or "new" instead, I'm trying out my first-ever in-blog poll. Today is a day of all kinds of new things, huh?

Here is my first attempt at an automated poll; please give it a go!:



If you want to comment, please do! If you don't want to comment, maybe just submit via poll? If you don't want to do either, I understand. I still love ya!

And here's to hearing what you think about the header sitch. Thanks and cheers!
xoxo, r. (sea*life*stylista)

Rise up

Photo by Pia Ulin

Can you imagine having a bookshelf tall enough to warrant a remote-controlled mountaineer's harness? Scratch that - can you imaging having a home big enough to house a two-story bookshelf??

Um, very cool. That would be so fun to use to grab a new book! We might be doing a lot more reading if we had one of those...

For more pictures of this rad house, check out the story on Dwell.

Originally spotted via Swiss Miss.

Have a great (sunny, busy) weekend!

Photos via 1- Me Oh My and 2- Bryan Sheffield on flickr

Hello, girls and boys! I'll be honest, this post is coming to you from my iPhone because, well, it's Friday and it is bea-youu-tiful out. It's a big weekend - we're celebrating a friend's birthday tonight, then I'm off to Phila for a bachelorette party and Sunday is Father's Day for everyone. Yikes, busy busy! Fingers crossed this gorgeous weather continues, and here's wishing you a great weekend!

See you Monday!
xo, r

(Un)tying the knot: easily organize your plugs & chargers

In case you don't already love me for my daily witty musings (ha ha), here's a tip that'll put me squarely in your favorites category. You can finally do away with that confusing pile of plugs under your desk, or always losing the one charger that you need for your [insert one of a million handheld technology devices here]. Here's a tip for easy cord organization using...(wait for it)...binder clips.

Design Mom showed this photo a while back and I couldn't believe how great slash easy the idea is. I already have a bunch of binder clips around the house (if not, I'm sure your office does ) and this looks like it would take about 2.4 seconds to set up.

In case you need step-by-step instructions (I hope not), here's the original source (but be forewarned, it's in German).

Et voila! Enjoy your newly organized plugs and chargers!

Hang tight

Sometimes the simplest things are the most genius. Case in point:

The picture placer (AKA a ruler with a screw in it).

It's so idiot-proof, they even printed the instructions on the placer itself, so you never have to worry about losing them:

Put the head of the screw under your picture hanging wire and hold the picture by the placer, like so:

Then press firmly on the center of the picture and the screw will make a tiny mark in the exact spot where you nail should go. Brilliant!

Why didn't I invent this apparatus? D'oh!

Originally spotted on Kelly + Olive.

Update: evidently you can buy a picture placer here.

Madewell is finally online!

People of the interwebs: you've definitely heard of Madewell, right? Right?

I thought everyone had, but then my friend Sara stumbled upon it a few months ago (she never listens to me - I knew about it the day it opened - bah humbug!) and she was super excited to find J. Crew's less preppy, more bohemian little sister in our town.

For those of you who don't have a Madewell nearby (since there are only 11 in the country so far), you're in luck. Their stuff is finally available online - here. Wut!

There's a line by Alexa Chung (current hipster it girl), a denim bar and an inspirational "looks we love" section. Too bad there's not a "sale" section anywhere on the site....Boo hoo.


Oh by the way, I needed this skirt, like, yesterday:

And did I tell you they do a good scarf?

Go check out their website if you're looking for something fun to get you through this holiday weekend Friday. Go!
(And I'll be back here shortly with another post before the weekend is officially here...)

A first birfffday

Good Monday morning, y'all! I've been away for a short bit. Didja miss me?

I didn't get to say this last week when the day passed, but sea*life*style just had its 1st birthday. Happy little birthday to you, bloggy!

I can't believe it's been a year. Whew!

It was kind of a rough time for that milestone to occur (being that my two jobs have made me a sporadic poster at best) so I didn't mention the b-day at the time, but I wanted to at least acknowledge it now and give a quick thank you to those of you who have been reading thus far. I hope you're still enjoying, and do please feel free to comment with suggestions (or gripes) at any time - I love hearing from you all!

And with that being said, I'm tucking into a nice big slice of delicious cake while I write some new posts for you all to read.

Hope to see you back here soon!

xo, r.

Beautiful photos by Jamie from From Me To You.

Two days gone...

...and I missed you all!
I intended to be back quickly .... then I wasn't. But now I am.
(Fo reals this time.)

Photo of Dagmar Björk by Paul Romo, via Fairy Tale Diaries.

Busy bee & back tomorrow

Photo from Caitlin Wilson Design

I've missed you, bloggies! I've been busy, busy, busy these past few weeks (two jobs, oh my) but I'm doing my best to keep on keepin' on and to keep posting here.

I'm signing off to work for the rest of the day, but I'll be back tomorrow with all-new stuff. See you then?

Tweets from before Twitter

What would King Tut or Alfred Hitchcock have tweeted to the masses if Twitter was around in their respective times? I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess it wouldn't be "smashed on honey wine! heading down to the nile to look for biddies" or "Damn birds!" I would have loved to receive tweets from, say, Oscar Wilde or Marilyn Monroe (I bet hers would've been good!).

If you're curious, you can check out Historical Tweets and pretend like you're reading tweets from historical figures. They're hilarious. I mean, Ghandi, dieting? Whaaa?:

Ha.

Here are some other good ones:







Haaahahaha. Seriously, too funny. And there's a book of these coming out soon. (Hello, gift for my little brother...oops, hope he isn't reading this.)

Originally spotted here.

Word.

People. Are you in need of a last-minute Mother's Day gift, preferably one that is free? Well, lucky for you I am a genius. Oh boo, I can't lie, it's really my un-sister-in-law (B's sister) who is the genius.

I hope she doesn't mind that I am sharing this. I give her full credit. She is crafty and smart and has excellent taste - and she always gives thoughtful gifts. And luckily for me, she's a very busy lady (mother of an almost two-year-old and preggers plus working), so hopefully she isn't reading this to know that I totally jacked her idea... ;) Also, no one she's giving this gift to reads this blog (her mother and MIL are slightly technologically challenged, unlike my iPhone toting mom, so I think she's safe).

So get to the point, huh? Here is Kel's great idea:

DIY Word Clouds - otherwise known as Wordle. Behold:

"Art"


"Sound Poem"


"Month of March"

Still confused? These are totally customizable word clouds - you enter the text (deeming which words to make bigger or smaller by how many times you enter it); pick the font, the colors, the alignment; and re-arrange or randomize however you see fit until you find an arrangement you like. You can make these for all sorts of things: poems, thoughts, inspiration words, family members, etc.

Kelly is making one a custom one of these - including all the family members' names - for her mother and MIL, then printing it out and framing it for each one. Nice gift for a mom, right? And, except for the frame, totally freeeee!

Very cool, Wordle. Genius, Kel.

Enjoy! (And if you make your own, share it with me here!)

To touch up or not to touch up?

These side by side photos provide an excellent example of the genius of Photoshop. Seeing that (lovely before, but even better after!) girl's skin in the photo on the right, don't you wish someone would just follow you around all the time, taking your photo and then Photoshopping you? Who cares about fake - that second pic looks awesome! Just sayin'...

Photos from Nicole's Classes, from the Photoshop 101 Online Course. Perhaps I should take this course for myself so I too can just Photoshop the heck out of all my own photos...

Breaking the rules

Photo by Cass Bird for Paper magazine, via Aubrey Road

I once read - on another, much more established, very popular blog - that one of the most boring things to do on a blog is to apologize for not posting consistently. Oh and posting about what you ate or are currently eating is supposed to be a no-no as well (but I routinely break that because, hey, I want to know what you're eating too! Feel free to share, b-t-dubs).

Well, I'm going to break that apology rule right now and just say: My Bad. Between work, traveling, baby showers, friends, family, kickball, life - blah blah blah - I got busy. Aren't we all though?

But anyway, the point is that I'm BACK. Didja miss me? :)

Real posts to come shortly...

Back on track

Hooray! Blogger is back on track! The pictures have reappeared!

Photo by Paul Costello

Also, I was very rude earlier today and didn't even ask how your weekend was. Hope it was a fun one, and that you got outside before the rain came back. Cheers! (And see you tomorrow!)

xo, r.

Lady in waiting

Something weird is going on with Blogspot/Blogger right now and it seems that photos aren't showing up. It's not just me - all the other blogs using Blogger are having the same problem - and hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

I've found a work-around for my photos from today only, but some of my earlier images are still missing. If you're checking out sea*life*style for the first time, sorry for the temporary absence of photos!


I guess I'll just wait here in a beautiful backless gown (oh so practical!) until the rain clears and Blogger fixes this issue...

Photo via Walking Around.

Piano men on ChatRoulette

A few weeks back I talked about the site ChatRoulette (you can find my post about it here) and wasn't sure whether I thought it was creepy or cool. I've since tried it - actually at a party with a big group of friends, which was funny but random - and still think it's a bit creepy. However, I am loving the piano man mystery that's popped up on ChatRoulette, started by a guy named "Merton."

You see, Merton freestyles songs about the people he gets matched with on ChatRoulette. He wears his sweatshirt hood up, he's a pretty good piano player, and has witty lyrics. Check him out:


Spotted on roblahblog

Kinda funny, right? Well, buzz started going around that "Merton" was actually musician Ben Folds. Merton came out saying he wasn't, but still people thought it might be him. (He's not, by the way.)

Anyway, Ben Folds heard about this and decide to do an homage to Merton before a live concert audience in Charlotte, NC. Hilarious. Here it is (Warning: there is some cursing in here...):



Both hilarious. I haven't been on ChatRoulette since that time at the party, but if I ever do go back on, I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get Merton (or Ben)! :)

A tip-top laptop

My friend Andrea has a new job and along with it a swanky new Macbook (congrats on both new acquisitions, A!). To protect said shiny new Macbook, she wants a "trendy but professional" laptop sleeve, but she's having a hard time finding something that fits the bill. When I got my laptop a few years back, I went through the same thing, and eventually gave up, buying an el cheapo sleeve for "just in the meantime" (let's not discuss that it's years later and I'm still using that same sleeve).

It seems that quality but cute laptop cases - ones that are not the obligatory hideous black bags provided by your employer or attained free from some conference - are notoriously hard to come by. I knew there had to be at least some trendy options out there that would still be work appropriate, so I did a little searching for A (and maybe I'll finally replace that tired old sleeve I've been using for "just in the meantime").

It turns out I found a huge variety of styles, shapes and designs, so I thought I'd share them with you, in case you're looking for a laptop sleeve too. Here are some of the options I found:

This Amy Butler laptop sleeve is business on the outside (well, maybe not exactly business, but generally sleek) and all fun on the inside. I love AB's cheery prints! This tomato-colored option is a nice bright pop of color, but if you want something a bit more mellow, it also comes in navy. $80.

This Abbi sleeve in giraffe is a bit more wild... (yes, I'm just leaving it at that horrible pun - no further comment needed, right?). $49.95.

I like that the quilting detail and leather trim keep this case from being ho-hum. The color is also a pretty plus (and it also comes in fushchia or black if indigo's not your thing). On sale now for $59.



Isn't this Rainer Spehl "Good Wood" laptop case gorgeous?! I practically drooled on my keyboard when I saw it. It's a contemporary and non-traditional design that still feels totally chic. Good indeed, but it'll cost ya - 240 euros - ouch.

These two Colcasac cases (1 and 2) are a little less luxe than the "Good Wood" case above (perhaps it's the sherpa fleece lining that makes them feel more low tech to me), but I like some of the fabric choices:



Kinda cute, right? The good news is that they're only $34.95.

If you really must have an uber-corporate aesthetic, the above Acme Made perforated leather case will do the trick. I could see a tech-sector or legal person rocking this one. Kind of Matrix-y but still nice. $59.95.

Going in a totally different direction, this laptop bag from TrackandFieldDesigns on Etsy is all French cottage charm in slate damask linen. That bicycle is adorable and keeps things interesting. $48.


I actually really like this Timbuk2 bag (the sole bag I've included here, since both Andrea and I were looking for sleeves). It kind of reminded me of a gym bag or bowling bag at first, but it's hugely functional - as all Timbuk2 products are - plus it's got a great coral color (also available in chartreuse and black) and best of all, it's only $32.50.

These next options are from German company (just for you, A!) called Velvet Idole. I liked them for not only the classic style and supple leather, but also offer because they offered either stylish solids or fun prints:




Each 69 euro.

Moving away from classic leather and straight for the uber-frou frou style, these Violet May cases are perfect for any glamazon fashionistas you know:

I mean, if python and pastels don't scream girlie, I don't know what does. :) Sadly, this much girlieness will cost you $213.80 (yiiikes).

This case is also from Violet May, but I thought perhaps it was from the Joan Collins a la Dallas collection (ha). Oh, and the price matches: $272.55 (double yikes).

On to two of my favorite cases, both of which are from Thomas Paul:

The love birds case, $50.


And the Luddite Typewriter case, also $50.

You might recognize this next case from some amazing write-up somewhere... ;)

The BookBook case goes for $79.99.

This next one's a little less old school and a little more new school: The PLASTICA cover has a fun little pocket on the outside for your iPhone, iPod or whatever gadget you use most:

Plus, if the orange is too over the top for you, it also comes in gray. The gray cover is $78 and the orange $82.

This Palmer & Sons sleeve is a bit masculine, but I love the classic leather and the cool hardware. What do you think?

$350 (gulp).

This case is definitely not masculine, but it's definitely on the edgy side. I wouldn't want to try to bring it through an airport, that's for sure.

The "guardian angel" bag from Vleiger & Vandam is $372 - does that include the gun?

Etsy always has cute, handmade options for whatever type of product you need, these Lollington cases included:

The pink elephant sleeve is only $37.95. A little funky, a little fun?


The "giant octopi" sleeve is maybe not the most professional option, but it was pretty adorable, so I couldn't resist.

Slightly less "sea creature" but still very organic, this Byrd & Belle sleeve is also on Etsy, but oh so different. I love the mix of leather and wool:

$68.

These next sleeves I think are a bit more A's style (the wool case above was probably more mannish and organic than she'd pick), but their flair might be too much for a professional setting. I do love the texture, pattern and color, though, of these Spencer and Rutherford options:


Isn't the color on this "tropical traveller" (directly above) great? It might not be office appropriate for some, but it would've fit in just fine at my previous ad agency job. $199.

This is also Spencer and Rutherford, but a bit more subdued:

The "cobblestone floral" is $209.

And finally (you didn't know I'd come up with this many options, did ya?), you can always count on Juicy Couture for a semi-ridiculous, yet oh-so-appealing option in the laptop case category. This sleeve is $98 and comes in both navy (shown below) and pink of course. Again, maybe doesn't scream "professional" but it does say fun!



So what do you think about these options? See any that you like? I'd love to hear from you on either the options I've shown or any sleeves/bags/cases that I might have missed. Please feel free to comment - I'd love to hear from you