by Jen | Nov 29, 2013 | Inspired Style
I went to New York City last week on a school field trip. For real. The “kids” were 40 something senior military officers and their spouses. Yes, there were academic type things to do during the day but afterwards, well, let’s just say we rocked it. Much of the coolest of the cool parts of my trip had a NO PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED caveat…like my tour of NBC Studios (awesome), or seeing Once, or The Glass Menagerie on Broadway. Double edged sword because I could relax and not worry about capturing every moment on “film” but sad because now I don’t have every moment captured, except in my memory. Here are some of the prettier moments that were allowed…
Lord and Taylor Windows.
Macy’s was the first building in the world to have the modern day escalator (1902) and here it is. It’s all wood. That’s my husband’s leg and I don’t know why it looks like he has just one.
The subway is cool. And, yes, I am a tourist.
The App which got me from Point A to Point B.
Macy’s
That (above) is This (below).
Central Park
Trinity Place. An old bank turned restaurant–we ate in the vault!
Isn’t this a Beatles Cover??
Matt and Me.
My buddy Joy and me at the Today show.
The New York Public Library. So beautiful.
Me and My Best Guy in Times Square
Looking up.
Love this.
Group selfie at The Glass Menagerie on Broadway with the best NYC traveling companions, Kim and Tim (and my guy).
by Jen | Nov 25, 2013 | Art, Fun Style, How To, Inspired Style, Interior Decorating
How about a sheet of wrapping paper that costs about $3.95, is poster size (20″ x 28″) and fits into a standard store bought frame (meaning no custom framing)??????
I bought my frame (above picture) at a thrift store with a hideous picture inside of it. I replaced the picture with a piece of wrapping paper called Plumes.
Cavallini Plumes Wrapping Paper
I paid $6.00 total for my mantle art.
Here are some sheets of paper that are categorized as “wrapping paper” from Paper Source–all of which are about $3.95. Most are made by Cavallini Paper (found at Paper Source and at www.Cavallini.com)
Keep scrolling down. Mind the gaps. We had a few spacing issues.
- Cavallini & Co La Maison
Cavallini & Co. La Mer
Cavallini & Co Palmistry Guide
Cavallini & Co Le Jardin
Cavallini & Co Pasta Italiana
Cavallini & Co Natural History Birds
Paper Source Feathers–This one varies in size.
All these and more can be found at www.paper-source.com for about $4. These papers are also at museum gift shops and other little shops. Inexpensive and awesome.
by Jen | Nov 24, 2013 | Fun Style, Inspired Style
I like a nice dish. Tis the season.
John Derian Company’s “Happy” Plate
www.theenchantedhome.blogspot.com
anthropologie
anthropologie
megduerksen.typepad.com
Nieman Marcus
Mackenzie Childs
Visit musebootsi.blogspot.com
www.momtoob.com
Visit theloadedtrunk.blogspot.com
by Jen | Nov 21, 2013 | Happiness at Home, Life Reflections
A new study finds that money you spend at chain stores quickly leaves the community, while money you spend at local businesses helps make the neighborhood better. Independent stores recirculate 55.2% of revenues compared to 13.6% for big retailers. (via www.fastcoexist.com). If you want stats. When you shop at the small businesses in your neighborhood, you help support the things that make your community great! Nov 30 is Small Business Saturday, so get out and Shop Small. 
Dan Buettner, the author of Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zone Way, set out to find the happiest places on earth, and he thinks he’s discovered four contenders on four different continents. What makes residents in these places so glad to be living the lives they do? Here’s a hint: It has nothing to do with their material wealth, intelligence, or attractiveness. Instead, Buettner found that members of these communities, which span the globe from Denmark to Mexico, give priority to social networks and health and well-being above all—and they make choices that reflect those values. So if you’re looking for a cheery destination for your next vacation, consider these four spots—and get ready to take notes on how to really live the good life. Read more–click here. Local stores help to sustain vibrant, compact, walkable town centers. And walkable cities are one of the things that all the “happiest” cities have in common Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses. Buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.
- Create more good jobs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.
- Get better service: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers.
Show your thanks to small businesses–shop local and in turn make your community a happier one.
(I know it’s not Thursday, just pretend. It’s a long story…)
Quotes from: Institute for Local Self-Reliance http://www.ilsr.org/why-support-locally-owned-businesses/ Sustainable Connections http://sustainableconnections.org/thinklocal/why
