I heart KS

I can't lie to you, I've always had a weakness for Kate Spade. I just think she hits whimsical preppy on the head, and while not cheap per say, less expensive than your average designer handbag or shoe. I walked by her 5th avenue store earlier and just wanted to applaud her spring line. Ill take both of these and the about 8 other things I love, thanks :).

RIP Domino Mag.

It is easily one of my favorites. In my top three I would venture to say. A well curated room is like a perfectly put together outfit or a seamlessly orchestrated dinner party. Each feels effortless and perfect at the same time. An impossible combination, yet accomplished often by those talented makers that just get it. To be honest, it is not often I see this in fashion magazines in terms of clothing ensembles. I would say I see it much more often somewhere like the sartorialist than I do on the pages of Vogue. Domino, however, for its little life, did this flawlessly with rooms. One of my favorite contributors is Rita Konig. Above is her bedroom. She took sheets (tough to see here - they have little hearts all over them from one of the most expensive lines known to man) from something I would see and actively dislike, to something I love. I want those sheets. In combination with this all school cabin plaid blanket and the muted granny wallpaper Rita has one of the coolest bedrooms I've seen. And SO effortless looking. Like I might walk into a friend's grandparent's house and see this. She mixed three patterns and made them look simple and good. So how could Domino fold?? What is next?? My heart broke when our PR girl emailed us the news yesterday AM. How will I ever finish decorating my apartment??

Spring?!

I know I know... I haven't posted this week and its WEDNESDAY. Not okay. And I don't have a great excuse. My excuse nonetheless, is that I've been slaving over posting some of spring on our website and it makes me want to look at the computer for other reasons as little as possible. Like I said, bad excuse. So spring. I'm putting spring up for sale and everywhere you look in stores things are white, bright yellow, and pale pink. Is it bad that I took spring dresses out of my closet the other day and tried some on?? So inaprop when I'm pale enough to blend into this snow and cold enough that I have to bump up the thermostat just to get the dress on my bod. Just the same I'd rather be wearing out Carolina top on this dock!

I DO think February is when, unless you live in a ski town, you realize you're done with winter. But enough whining. The snow right now is beautiful. Teacake loves it EVEN if he has to wear these salt blocking booties, and I will start buying spring... Before I know it, I'll need it. So check out our first spring delivery, and keep checking back for the second. In the meantime I'll be over here day dreaming about 7pm sun, the smell of spring as the northeast thaws, and the giddy mood (literally) that these things put it in. It is on its way shortly!

Thank God You're a Man

Is the slogan that goes along with this VERY clever beer ad. The thing is, while I think men are generally funnier than women (GENERALLY, not always, I know some very witty girls), this almost must have been written by a woman. There is virtually no way a man knows what a woman goes through (or unmarried men at least) every time she casually "meets for drinks." There are so many things I could say about the truth exemplified here, but I think the ad speaks volumes for itself. Too funny.

Mainline Mag.

Here is a Dakota Martin shout out in this month's Mainline Magazine. Thanks guys!

Today through Thursday Dakota Martin is participating in a new venture called "shop100eighteen." It started this past spring, and is the effort of a few local showrooms to make market week a bit more affordable than some of the bigger shows held on the west side (we won't name names). We are participating in a big show come February, but for now, are setting up shop at The Green Room on W39th Street. If you're a buyer in town, and looking for information shoot us an email or visit their website for more info and we can set up an appointment!

Happy MLK day!

A Dream Deferred

by Langston Hughes
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Pack it up, pack it in.

The sun has set on Dakota Martin's time in 330 W38th street. And Im sitting here watching the sun rise over the west side, and can even see it glimmering on buildings in Jersey across the Hudson (speaking of, thank goodness everyone was safe yesterday). Not a bad way to start the day. Think of it as an expansion -- you can now find us hopping between W18th, W24th, and W57th - oh la la, three offices ;). Everyone keeps asking me if we're okay with this. We totally are. As a wise man in the movie Jerry Maguire once said, "You gotta rooolllll with the punches. Tomorrow's a new day!"

Happy friday! STAY WARM where ever you are!

Pack Rat.

When I was younger I saved everything. Every concert ticket, free hat, menu--anything that could be considered a memento or token of something I was apart of. I've always been a sentimental person, and as Ive said recently, I love photos new and old. My father is a firm believer in always looking forward and never looking back. I like to think I have a decent balance of both though. (okay have developed a decent balance, crying till I couldn't breathe every August when Matoaka ended, or not being able to move my packed duffles out of my room into the car for college was not well balanced) I will always cherish my camp scrapbooks that have every campfire program and bus note written to me, but I'm also not stuck somewhere in my "glory days" (ha-maybe I never had any??) and love where I am and all the places I could be going. I've also done a lot of moving recently including right now. New apartment, layover at my dad's, work at new apartment, moving out of office... The more I move and clean the better I am at throwing things out. In fact I'm quite good at it these days. There is something so therapeutic about ridding yourself of c-r-a-p. So why can't I throw out these old August-to-August calenders? I just found them making room for my office-wares. Maybe it's because I flip them open and land on pictures of a spur-of-the-moment road trip Pawley's Island, or Newman Day at Bates (for another time). And see notes from April 2003 like this "Take pics @ Mercato Centrale & go to material store over Arno & San Lorenzo" (ahhh, to go back), or calender months in 2004 where in two weeks I'm installing my own Gallery show, brunching at a quaint rural farm (Nezinscot - love the goats!) and actually scheduling "keg here" on a random night. Who inks that in their calender?? I have such fond memories of my past. I hope I do the same thing 5 years from now when I look back at my calenders. Ill make room for this heifer of a printer, but I'm not tossing these guys ;).

We're All Cutting Back.

Big decision was made in the DM office today. We don't want to stick our heads in the sand and pretend that every little bit of retail is not in trouble right now. So while we have yet to see what fall 09 buying will bring we're anticipating apprehensive buyers and spring cancellations and want to eliminate as many bills as possible. Overhead is the devil, and we'd rather spend our money making more samples, getting our names out more, selling more goods. What is out biggest overhead you ask? Rent. We worked out of our apartments once... and we think its time to do it again. We're sad to say good-bye to our pale teal walls but ya gotta do what you gotta do. So today is purging day, which actually feels quite good. Out with the crap, in with the new year. We know 09 will bring good things, we just want to make sure it has enough time to prove itself ;).

Globes

I have to admit I was too wrapped up in the glory of the Eagles to watch the Golden Globes. I've checked out some of the dresses today though and am happy to report that I was thrilled with some of the looks for the first time in a long time. Here are (I think) my two faves. Freida Pinto and Angelina Jolie. Certainly doesn't hurt that they are two of the prettiest women alive, but their whole looks here are flawless. kudos girls. LOVE the nude, LOVE the mustard. LOVE the soft, feminine, effortless look to both. [images care of gettyimages.com]

Dear Philadelphia Eagles,

Fly Eagles Fly
On the road to victory
Fight Eagles Fight
Score a touchdown
1,2,3
Hit'em low
Hit'em high
And watch our eagles fly
Fly Eagles Fly
On the road to victory
E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We'll be cheering you on this Sunday as you take the Giants down.
With love,
Lizzy Westbrook and Shannon McNabb

Grazie Bella!

My good friends Liz and John spent New Years in Firenze, Italia -- My (and her) study abroad city. What a beautiful magical place, what a beautiful magic country and what a gorgeous language. She emailed me these images. She was sad she didn't have DM gear with her so she used the chapstick as a stand in. But really, I LOVE these pictures. And love that the glove below matches. DM in Sienna baby.

I Heart Participation

YEY! 4 comments yesterday was the greatest way possible for our 2009 blog to get going. It is great to feel loved, especially when it was half-assed blog, a few days overdue. And when I said I needed to get my blogging boots on I didn't mean LITERALLY. But that is what mother nature demanded of me. It is rainy and yucky here and I have my wellies on in full effect - as usual I've been loving storming through the puddles - deeper the better. But in honor of the weather and of Jenny's comment yesterday, I posted this picture of my grandmother's porch. I agree. I want to be rolling out of one of the 13 beds in her yellow-trimmed, shingled house, scampering down into the kitchen in my PJs, helping myself to a big mug of coffee from the coffeemaker - cluttered between huge ceramic containers of every utensil under the sun, cutting boards galore, grandmom's mini coffee maker so she can have her half caf, not so strong coffee, a half eaten banana cause she always has half :), and crumbs over glass plates from where people have already helped themselves to coffee cake or bagels --and moving to this glorious sun filled porch. I can feel the breeze and the sun and smell the salt air. We all sit in a semi circle of white rocking chairs and wicker furniture, and "watch the boats" while we eat, read, chat. There is no place like Jamestown in the summer, and namely there is no place like Birdview. I can just feel the feeling of sitting there calmly and I want it now. Can't have it for a few more months but I'm so lucky to have had it there my whole life.

That is yet another silver lining I can add to my list. I rang in the new year with only one arm (no banging on pots and pans for me :)). I broke my elbow on Christmas, and new years eve I was bestowed with quite the fashion accessory -- a large white cast that goes from shoulder to wrist at approximately a 30 degree angle. Amazingly, I can do almost everything as easily as my better hinged friends. My two major downsides are no running and no ponytails. I have decided these are two inventions that need to happen - a vented cast so if you sweat in it it isn't tragic, and something (lord knows what) that allows you to put your hair in an elastic one handed. Among other silver linings there is the fact that this happened in the dead of winter. I'd like to be cross country skiing and running, but NY doesn't even have snow! Far better than in summer months when I could be jumping off a piling into the salty bay. Another silver lining? I already own a lot of tank tops. Far easier to get on. Another? Everyone is so sweet and helpful. Never hurts to remember there are people around to take care of you. Another? The did NOT put the cast over my hand -- so no one handed punching. I can type type type away ;).

We're baaacckkkkk!

I think Ive over-used that blog title but that is always how I feel after a break. And in our blogging career this has been a serious break. Back to routine now though! 2009 here we come. Shannon and I are over here brainstorming how we are going to weather this storm (just like everyone else) and readying spring and fall. I am sllllowwwwly getting our first pieces of spring up on the web for YOUR pre-order pleasure! I'm working on the last piece which is pictured above -- the barb dress, and then the pre-order section is all yours! And by tomorrow I'll have my blogging boots back on...