Otters holding hands

Pretty much the cutest thing ever. Ever.

HistoricProperties.com = Online Real Estate Crack

My newest online time suck is a little website called Historic Properties.  It lists historic houses and buildings in all states of repair/disrepair - from an exquisite pristine condition multi-million dollar estate to a 15K church to an old theater.  Many are in the South (apparently old historic property is free down there...), but I've managed to find a few local Midwest gems.

This Glenview, IL house is only $1.

 

Or how about one of John Deere's old residences for only $182,500

Or maybe this 5K shotgun shack. Shotgun not included.

The Modern Cuckoo (clock).

A few years ago I was given a very cool modern Tobias Reischle cuckoo clock for Christmas (Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus/Joe Mauer).  It seems that the modern cuckoo has finally caught on.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Tobias Reischle cuckoo clock

Lacquered Metal Cuckoo Clock by Pascal Tarabay

Diamantini Domeniconi Striped Cuckoo Clock

DWR Modern Cuckoo Clock

Mostly pretty. A little scary.

There have always been shark tooth necklaces, but why wear a shark tooth when you can wear something cool like these animal weaponry necklaces?

Raptor Talon

 Fox claw

Bald Eagle Claw

Squirrel Mandible

DWR Gifts Catalog - Color me impressed.

Generally when stores come out with their yearly holiday catalogs I am excited to get mail but am less than impressed with their holiday selections. How many sparkly reindeer t-shirts do I really need (Answer: Two.  I need two sparkly reindeer shirts)?  Or how about a glitter candle or maybe down quilts for my feet?!  These catalogs inevitably end up in the recycling... or the fire.  However, this year I was pleasantly surprised with Design Within (rich people's) Reach. Their "gifts" selection this year is pretty fantastic.  Granted - most are still out of my price-range, but here are some favorites.

Antoine Candelabra - Sir: $650

  Candle Wax Vase: $350

 

 Peanut Birdfeeder: $49

 Eames® Elephant: $290

 

Four-Way Vase: $149

 

Water Drop Jug: $450-$1,600

Etch Pendant: $300

Globe Genie

From those brilliant nerds at MIT comes the Globe Genie my newest momentary time-suck.  With the click of a button, Globe Genie "teleports" you around the globe.  One minute you're Peoria, Illinois, the next you're in Australia.  Currenly, I'm thinking that just about anywhere is better than Mpls; it's cold as eff here.

Kurt Vonnegut: Screenprinter

Recently I came across these very cool very limited edition screenprints by Kurt Vonnegut.  I never knew that in addition to writing Vonnegut was quite an accomplished graphic artist.  I am especially fond of his "Confetti Series."

"Confetti #19" 

"Confetti #58"

"Confetti #22"

 "Confetti #36"

"Confetti #41"

"Confetti #52"

"Confetti #57"

If they weren't $375 apiece I would already be the proud owner of  "Confetti #58" and "Confetti #19."

House for Coexistence with Cats

My cat Sweet Pea has already commissioned this firm for her next house.  Japanese architect Sohei Nakanishi has a really cool current project called: House for Coexistence with Cats.

Erica Weiner

Last week, one of my favorite jewelry designers Erica Weiner opened her very first brick-n-mortar store in NYC.  While I am a little bummed that she chose NoLita over Idon'tknow.... maybe Wayzata or North Loop, I am happy that her jewelry is now more widely available.  Also, check out her newly designed website for fabulous fine, vintage, and hand-made jewelry.

Momo: Police Dog

This BBC News story about Momo, the pint-sized police dog, may be the most adorable story of all time.Click on the picture or link below to view the article and video.

Tiny chihuahua set to join Japan police

You sure take pretty pictures.

I've been a big fan of Photographers Limited Editions for some time.  They specialize in offering limited edition prints from some of the world's most famous photographers.  Their shots are rare and beautiful, but come with price-tags to match. If they start dropping a zero or two off of their prices or I happened to win the lottery, I will evolve from an admirer to a patron.

Roxanne Lowit's Backstage Dior 4

Albert Watson's The God Sign, Route 15, Las Vegas

Guy Aroch's Taxi

New Park for Minnie?

There has been a lot of talk recently about Minneapolis getting a new park.  I am "Pro-Park."  We need more parks and less sketchy surface parking lots for snow to melt and buses to idle in.

Re-Shirt

I stumbled across Re-Shirt last year, and while I have yet to post a shirt or purchase a shirt, I really dig what the site is all about.  From the site:
Our idea is simple - to reuse old t-shirts and transform them into story-telling artifacts that become more valuable as they get older: Re-Shirts. We want to be a part of the solution for the global water crisis by raising the funds to solve it. 
I have so many t-shirts that I have collected over the years that I don't wear, but can't quite bring myself to get rid of.  I totally understand their sentimental value and love the idea of transforming them into something more than just a shirt (i.e. a "story-telling artifact).

Live free or die! Re-Shirt

I Spilled. . .

Today I spilled: 
Item: McDonald's Angus Snack Wrap
Where: In the car. Not sure where it landed.
Damage done: As if I don't feel shitty enough for having Micky D's for lunch - I have to go spill it on myself.  To add insult to food injury, I can't figure out what spilled and where it now is.

Facebook's Most Annoying Users

A couple months ago CNN came out with its "12 Most Annoying Types of Facebookers."  CNN's are as follows:
- The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore: (I am cold. I am bored. I ate Wheaties.)
-  The Self-Promoter: (Me, me, ME. I am so cute/smart/pretty/important and I want to make sure you don't forget it)
- The Friend-Padder: (I am really popular. I have thousands of friends. Have we met?  Consider yourself friended).
- The Town Crier: (You heard it from me first)
- The TMIer: (I am going to tell you WAY too much personal info)
- The Bad Grammarian: (Im soo funnie their is noone moor funny)
- The Sympathy-Baiter: (I am sad and my parrot is sick and my aunt died)
- The Lurker: (I'll never post anything or update my page, but don't think I haven't scoured every inch of yours)
- The Crank: (I think you are an uneducated idiot.  I will correct your post)
- The Paparazzo: (All of those drunk pictures I took of you at the party last weekend... yeah I posted them ALL.  And tagged you.
- The Obscurist: (Time will tell.... You will see.... )
- The Chronic Inviter: (Come to my party.  Play Mafia Wars with me. Take this quiz.  Here is a goat for your Farmville)

To this list, I would like to add the following guaranteed ways to get a "hide" or "block" from me:
- The Food Poster: You post pictures of what you are eating, where you are eating, etc.
- The Super Mom: I get it - you are proud of your progeny. What I don't get is why you think anyone cares about your minute-by-minute updates on their progress or your 3,000 photo albums documenting every breathing moment of their three-month existence. 
- The Checker-In: I don't care where the eff you are right now.  And stop trying to check my ass into places.  I don't have a tracking device on me (that I know of) for a reason.
- The Impersonal Linkster: Great.  You posted 14 YouTube videos today, none of which are actually yours.
- The Political/Religious Poster: I just don't want to hear it. 

Prettymaps.

How incredibly cool are these prettymaps by Aaron Straup Cope?  I wish I would have been more on the ball and ordered a couple of the 8"x10" editions from 20x200.  

I Spilled. . .

Today I spilled: 
Item: Trader Joe's Organic Applesauce with Wild Berries
Where: On my shirt. At my desk
Damage done: Feel okay because it's organic... so that's good.  Wishing it hadn't been the wild berry variety which makes it a little more visible.  A little embarassed as a coworker saw me trying to lick it off my shirt. . .

Found - The perfect aviator.

For last few years I have been rocking classic Ray-Ban Aviators.  I love that they are lightweight and fit my face well.  My only issue with them is that when I slide them up on my head, the nose pieces get tangled in my hair.  To remedy this I have been on the look-out for a classic pair of shades without the nose piece.  Today seems to be my lucky day - Behold the Ray-Ban Cats.

WOWCH, I like your shirts.

I love WOWCHdesigns' use of cute little animals in their shirts.