nerd alert: gray matter

so i am on the fence about todays post.... mainly beacuse of how nerdy it makes me out to be...

but gray matter, the newest title from Jane Jensen (video game designer extraordinaire), came out last week and i am so excited i finally got to play it yesterday.

So far, after years of hype, its holding up quite well. the graphics are awesome, it runs like butter
on the windows 7 side of my partitioned mac (see, i told you the nerdy side was coming out) and its
so reminiscent of the classic point and click genre from my childhood, i had to call my mom and
gush about it.

if you aren't afraid to be the last picked for kickball, or the one staying in with your computer on a Friday night - I highly recommend you try it out. I'll let you know what the final verdict is when i beat it - hopefully by the end of this week, time permitting. the concept art isn't too shabby either

UPDATE : after beating the game i give it a score of 4.5/5 stars - i only give it 4.5 & not 5 because of a sloppily thrown together love plot near the end

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totes & tax returns

01/ kristen leather hobo $298.00  //  02/ kate spade $395.00  //  03/ bueno $24.99  //  04/ orla kiely $540.00  //  05/ bowling tote $68.00 
06/ madewell tote $98.00  //  07/ the professor $120.00

I still havent gotten around to filing my tax return.. some visual motivation is order.
these totes have me half-way to turbo tax, and thinking about matching shoe choices....

sick day

polly hasn't been feeling well, and i have a headache... hopefully this afternoon will go by fast

i & type

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do you need more ampersand in your life? well, i am happy/sad to let you know about 300&65 ampersands its sad because its no longer happening on a daily basis - but its happy because you can still see all the great designs.

I for one will keep this bookmarked when i need some good type therapy.

did you get my good side?

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so look at what julian wolkstein has been doing ... not only that there is a website where you can look at diy experimentation.

How crazy is it that you can look like two completely different people, purely based on which side of your face you look at. some of these people look like maybe brother or siser, but others are more dramatic

i wonder which side is my good side.... i might have to try it out myself!

twitter moods

i'm not one for twitter - not really my thing (...yes i do have a blog.... touche)

but aaaanyway, i saw this study about the general mood of the nation based on information taken from twitter. and since i know you can't resist a good infographic. enjoy.

for kelly

01/ abstract 074 $42.95  //  02/ droplets $22.00  //  03/ perched $125.00  //  04/ seagulls $17.00  //  05/ perennial moment $68.75  //  06/ abstract watercolor 004 $9.95

my sister is redecorating & in need of some print inspiration. she's going for a blue/tan theme, and since she lives in beautiful san diego, i also wanted to keep art ideas light, airy & natural.

henry moore

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why don't we all take a little advice from my dad and head on over to the henry moore website for some afternoon visual recreation.

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a little bit of tech

i will try not to drool on you as i write about this camera. there's just something cool about it. gorgeous.
and thats all i have to say ... i am speechlessly in love.

happy valentines day

01/ heart crazy straws $4.80  //  02/ heart sunglasses $14.00  //  03 love birds shirt $14.00  //  04 red heart earrings $3.50  //  05/ catnip hearts $11.50

Harve & Polly weren't so thrilled this morning at 6am when i swooped them up for valentines day hugs

they must have forgotten what today is... i am sure they will realize their mistake have roses and candy for me when i get home...

Maybe i should have gotten them some of those cute catnip hearts

the typographer

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isnt he cute? I think i may just have to purchase this great print by blanca gomez

niche modern

01/ pharos $440.00  //  02 / aurora $625.00  //  03/ binary $475.00

i am the first person to admit i have a bit of a lighting problem. i own a lot of lamps... maybe 30, probably more. they are tucked in every corner of my tiny apartment, and my parents regularly complain about how many i have stashed at their house.

but would you just LOOK at these?! they are gorgeous!

Niche Modern really knows what they are doing. here its all about the bulbs.

There is something so old school romantic about the orange glow of a filament - when you see them it takes you an era when sherlock holmes first sees electric street lights - it gets me every time.

perfect utility

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I am really loving the look of this Heritage Leather bag over at Hickoree's Hard Goods

very classic, but more about utility than anything - awesome detail.

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things i'm liking

01/ usb keys $60.00  //  02/ ceramic cup tile $26.99  //  03/ quarter holder pendant $38.00  // 04/ kite flying top $32.99  
05/ eye chart glasses case $34.99  //  06/ camera case $14.99

hello tuesday - you are a good day for some online shopping

wayfinding favorite

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Eureka Car Park in Melbourne Australia is definitely some great wayfinding eye candy.

Designed by Axel Peemöller during his time at Emery Studio- this will always be one of my favorites due to its play on depth, perception & perspective.

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the pearl

so you're allowed to be jealous...

because i went to beautiful san diego CA
to visit my sister at the end of january

while i was there i went to see the pearl hotel,
which was mentioned over at Oh Joy last july

I know my pictures aren't as good as hers (i should've gone at night)
but my review of what i saw was "tiny"

there aren't many photos because that's really all there is to see. it had a cool vibe,
and i bet its a great bar, but i need to remind myself that retro in its true sense is
usually a smaller scale than i would hope.

but chrissy.. you don't read

01/ against happiness by eric g. wilsom  // 02/ oh the glory of it by sean wilsey  //  03/ the tattoo artist by jill ciment
04/ and then there were none by agatha christie  //  05/ the dead fish museum by charles dambrosio
 
i know i know... but i live with / date an avid reader (seriously he read like 50 books last year)
which means i go to the book store. a lot. and i do a lot of cover shopping.
these are the ones i am currently loving.

type snobbery : pistilli roman

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i came across this typeface while looking into Herb
Lubalin, and instantly fell in love.

it was designed by John Pistilli and Herb Lubalin sometime
in the 60's and has tragically never been recreated digitally.

eye candy to the extreme, and that ampersand is HOT

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stay warm.. and think of spring

01/ cable knit mittens $35.00  //  02/ camel coat $245.00  //  03/  yellow hat $24.00  //  04/ gray boot $154.00
05/ alpaca wool throw $112.95  //  06/ galosh $121.00  //  07/ owl scarf $38.00

since it took me approximately 45 minutes to scrape the sheet of ice off my car this morning, I am spending the rest of my day dreaming about being snug