Best Made Company

I just came across Best Made Company while browsing through the latest edition of Lonny Magazine. I love their simple and beautifully designed products. Here's a few items I just might pick up for holiday gifts.

Playing Cards

These beautifully designed playing cards ($8) would make a great stocking stuffer. Printed by the same company that makes Bicycle and Bee brand cards, these sport nifty lightening bolts and cool stripes.

Steel Mugs

These steel cups come from a 100 year old factory in Poland. A set of two cups is only $32. Dishwasher safe or great over a campfire two. These cups are both sturdy and steadfast.

Japanese Higo Knife

A beautiful and useful tool.  These japanese folding knives ($60) are made of white steel with a hand-hammered finish and inspiring message of "courage". 

El Cosmico Provision Company

I've posted about El Cosmico--the amazing luxury hotel/artist retreat in Marfa, TX where you stay in vintage travel trailers.   I have not yet been, but love the aesthetic and hopefully will be able to go one day.

In the meantime, El Cosmico has launched an online store so I can recreate a little bit of the vibe at home.  Here are some of amazing treasures you can find there:

Brass Necklace

A hand-stamped 6-sided brass necklace ($85)  custom made for El Cosmico by Fort Standard.

Pink Pocket Knife

I love the contrast of this pink pocket knife--something sweet with something tough.  Made by Moore Maker of Matador, TX.  $40.

Bolivian Blankets

These colorful vintage wool blankets ($350) are hand-dyed and hand-loomed in South America.  Each one is unique.

Marin Country Mart

Larkspur landing goes upscale!  I just discovered the completely redone Marin Country Mart. Wow!  What a great place to stroll around and hang out in the sunshine with upscale shopping, great food, live music in the middle.  Here are the some of the new shops that have recently opened there.

Unionmade

Awesome men's store with high-quality clothes and accessories and a small selection of women's like the classic French striped t-shirt. Voted one of the country's 10 best independent mens stores by GQ Magazine and San Francisco's best mens store by SF Weekly. Visit online at unionmadegoods.com.

Calypso St. Barth

This shop features cool boho chic clothing and accessories from caftans to sparkly dresses for the holidays. There is also a selection of housewares like pillows with printed skulls, colorful pig statues and more. Visit online at calypsostbarth.com.

Erica Tanov

This Berkeley outpost arrives in Marin County. Erica Tanov designs upscale bohemian clothing with an emphasis on amazing textiles. Visit online at ericatanov.com.

Belcampo

Belcampo features a butcher shop and restaurant and also sells some other miscellaneous food and kitchen items. All of the meat is grass fed on their 10,000 acre ranch near Mt. Shasta. This company was recently featured in the December 2012 Sunset magazine.  Visit online at belcampomeatco.com.

Malia Mills

Malia Mills features swimwear and clothing for every body shape. Visit online at maliamills.com

Christmas Wishlist 2012

Okay, Santa, are you listening?  I haven't blogged in a really long time, but what better occasion than just before the holidays when shopping is at a peak.  Here are all the presents that I would probably never buy for myself, but would be thrilled to find under the tree.

Equipment Silk Pajamas

These menswear-inspired pajamas from Equipment ($440) look so comfortable I might just be persuaded out of my ubiquitous sweats. In brushed silk with a drawstring waist, I love them in this bright fuschia shade that is oh so feminine. Available from Net-a-porter.com.

J. Crew Cashmere Wrap

I have been wanting a nice big cashmere wrap for travel--something that can double as a blanket on long plane flights, but is not so big that I can wear it as a scarf every day. This Collection cashmere wrap from J. Crew ($275) fits the bill nicely. I love it plain black.

DVF Fingerless Opera Gloves

These fingerless opera gloves ($275) in black leather definitely add a rock n' roll look to an evening dress. I would wear them with t-shirts and jeans and just about anything. Available from DVF.com.

Rodin Olio Lusso Perfume

I love the combination of floral and spice in Rodin's Olio Lusso Perfume ($220). Very earthy and simple--it is absolutely a scent I would wear every day. This is an oil-based perfume with Jasmine and spicy Neroli. Available from Barneys.com.

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.