rearranging the living room

as you may or may not know, we recently had a leak in our living room that damaged the floors. this necessitated a move, plumbers, hvac technicians, and finally, new maple planks. after weeks (unbearably long when you are already very pregnant and wanting to hang nursery prints rather than deal with stripped concrete floors), we are finally moving everything back this week. hhh and i contemplated a new arrangement for the living room, but i'm not totally sold on it. here are some photos: 

just as a reminder, this is what it used to look like: 

what do you think? should we stick with the tried-and-true or embrace the change? 

taiwan series: another look at eslite spectrum

on this, the first day of the great blizzard of 2015*, i'm going to go back to sunny taiwan. want to come?

when i was in taipei a few months ago, i had to go back to eslite spectrum for a second look, since it was such a good time when i went in 2013. (it's since been featured on afar's taiwan travel guide.) again, i failed to stay at the eslite hotel, but it is looking amazing. there is so much to see and do and eat in that complex! there is, of course, a big bookstore (eslite's original source of fame), locally- and regionally-made clothing, and enough kitchen goods to stock ten downton abbey kitchens. (although i guess the style of the kitchen goods would be slightly out of place in edwardian england. there is a lot of enamelware though..but i think that is more downstairs than upstairs. anyway, i digress.) this time, i also noticed a custom leather shop called hsu & daughters. it looks like they make wallets, bags, and belts on the spot. and if you get thirsty or hungry, there are a whole row of fancy tea shops to choose from, as well as a decent food court in the basement. there is also a large section featuring taiwanese specialty snacks, like 100 kinds of dried fruit - my favorite are the wild mangos (these are different from regular old domesticated mangos, i suppose) - and jerky and pork floss and edamame.  yum.

anyway, check it out: 

the entrance to the home goods section.

one of the independent clothing and textile vendors on the first level.

a glimpse of some hasami porcelain from above. definitely on my wish list.

some of those kitchen goods i was talking about. very japanese-brooklyn, if you know what i mean.

i love these two-toned pieces!

the leather-maker's shop.

a selection of the dried taiwanese goods.

more yummy things. 

all of those photos have successfully distracted me from the fact that everything is gusty and swirling outside, and that we're in for some thundersnow tonight. now i'm going to have some lemon-ginger tea with the last of those dried wild mangos i brought home, while rejoicing at the fact that the first day of the semester has just been canceled. (does that make me a bad teacher?)  

anyway. stay cozy, folks. xoxo

*mayor di blasio says that "this will mostly likely be one of the largest blizzards in the history of new york city." all the reporters on msnbc are positively gleeful about all the terrible weather that is to come. i bet dante is glad he isn't responsible for shoveling the snow this year.

nyc home design show 2014

last weekend, sarah and i went to the architectural digest home design show at pier 94. we had some lady m crepe cakes (yum) and cappuccino ordered via a rather elaborate iphone app (weird). everything was beautiful and expensive (except the food samples; those were free).  

masculine/feminine by katie curtis and NYDC at DIFFA dining by design 2014.

tablescape by calvin klein home. also at DIFFA dining by design 2014.

my love of all things gold-colored basically requires that i get these. they are made by Light + Ladder. 

and lastly, i was very inspired by this AstroTurf. so inspired there is a 6x10 strip of it coming to my apartment very soon.