Alkemie

Alkemie jewelry is an LA based jewelry design company founded by husband and wife team  Dara Gerson & Ashley Lowengrub.  The Alkemie collection is forged from 100% reclaimed metals  and the leather used comes from sustainable cattle farms and is dyed with earth friendly dye.


Their designs themselves are also inspired by nature.  There are amazing cuffs and rings and so many great designs it's hard to really pick a favorite.


The thorn bangles ($99) look like they were picked fresh from a vine and wrapped into a cuff.  They would be great stacked in a group of 3 or 4.


Another favorite is the Monkey Ring ($154). I just love the design, but the symbolism is great too. In Hinduism the monkey and god Hanuman bestows longevity upon those who revere it.

Alkemie jewelry is available online, but I originally found it at a little shop in the Mission called Candy Store Collective which is at 3153 16th Street in San Francisco.

Après-ski

I am inspired by a red, white and blue 60's ski sweater that I picked up this weekend at the Alameda Antique Faire for $25.

The one I got is by Demetre and is very heavy wool in navy blue with red stripes and cool spiders on each sleeve.

You can find these vintage wool sweaters on Etsy or eBay, like this one with reindeer on the sleeves for $39. Or, this striped and somewhat nautical version for $23.

Meister and Demetre seem to be a popular brands of this type of sweater and a good keyword search on the vintage sites.

A little out of my price range, but beautiful, is the the Authier arm band sweater ($895) from J. Crew.  This sweater  is a modern version of the vintage 60's ski sweater.  Made in Italy in navy blue with a red stripe at the sleeve it is sporty and elegant at the same time.

These would be great paired with skinny jeans and boots.

Peacock Blue

I must be in a blue mood right now, but am currently obsessed with painting my bedroom a deep peacock blue.

The latest issues of Lonny magazine featured a family room with turquoise walls and silver grey furniture rugs with a few pops of bright red for accent.

I also just saw the French film Le Havre which was shot like an old movie or a play and most of the backdrops were this same color of turquoise with small accents of red.

I think I may just tackle this over the holidays.  Stay tuned for before and after pics.

Stuff on my Christmas List

Nespresso Milk Frother

My mom and sis bought me a Nespresso machine for my birthday last year and it is the most incredible machine ever.  Usually I like to just drink a double espresso with a small bit of sugar, but every now and then it would be nice to mix in a soy cappuccino.  Nespresso makes a cool milk frother add-on called the Aeroccino ($99) which makes perfectly frothed milk at the touch of a button.


Boiled Wool Slippers

I already own a pair of these Haflinger boiled wool slippers ($65) that I have worn to death.  They are cozy and warm without being too warm and they slip on easily.  The only problem is that I tend to wear them outside when I shouldn't.  If I get a new pair I promise to take better care of them!

Joe Beef

Joe Beef is hands down my favorite restaurant of all times, but unfortunately it is in Montreal, QC and it's a little hard to get there. The next best thing would be this new cookbook, The Art of Living according to Joe Beef ($40) with recipes from the restaurant as well as stories and tips.

Fur Infinity Scarf

This fur infinity scarf ($160) by 525 America is so soft and cozy I might never take it off.    It comes in black, grey and natural, but I definitely like the natural color best.

Polaroid Camera

I used to have a kodak polaroid camera when I was in 3rd grade.  I wish I still had that thing.  I am in love with the PX 600 Black Frame film ($23.50) that is available for the Polaroid 600 series camera.  The only problem is that I need a Polaroid 600 to go with it!  I like the Business Edition camera which you can find on eBay for anywhere from $50-$200.

United Nude

It's been a while since I've had the time to blog, but finally with a few days off I'm feeling like it's time to come back to tracking my various finds.

I just discovered these amazing elastic shoes in all kinds of cool colors from United Nude. They come in high heel, medium heel and flats and prices range from$180-$195.

I love how they are kind of bohemian but still modern at the same time. I didn't try them on but have a feeling that the elastic is super comfy.