Industry Standard: The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond

Any slide show that contains the phrases: "Order of the Golden Fleece," "Bavarian crown jewels," and "billionaire diamond dealer" is worth reading/watching.

100th post!

Industry Standard: Laduree (Paris Week)

Few things are more luxurous than Laduree macarons in that signature gold and celadon box but why not make your own? Here's Martha Stewart's recipe for macarons. I made the chocloate with chocolate ganache filling and found them to be even more delicoius the second day.

Industry Standard: Deyrolle (Paris Week)

What's the only thing creepier than taxidermy? Antique taxidermy.

What's the only thing creepier than antique taxidermy? Charred antique taxidermy.

Deyrolle, a taxidermy shop, opened in the 19th century and is a Paris institution. From what it sounds like, there's truly no other place like it (I wouldn't know because I don't like to be around dead animals). In 2008, much of the legendary shop's inventory was destroyed in a fire. The haunting aftermath was captured by two photographers: Laurent Bochet (image on left) and Martin D'Orgeval (image on right).

Industry Standard: Pink Pearl Eraser

With its rhomboidal silhouette, perfectly-penned name, and cotton candy color, the Pink Pearl eraser has got to be the sweetest and most honest eraser out there. I find correcting a mistake with one of these cuties to be the emotionally equivalent of having a kind elementary school teacher tell me; "Don't worry about it, I know you're trying very hard. I'm so proud of you."

Here are some great tidbits about the creation and history of the Pink Pearl.

Industry Standard: Hudson Bay Blankets

Hudson Bay blankets are a bit like The Godfather trilogy or Bob Dylan's oeuvre, if you look hard enough, you can relate them to everything. They're available in lots of colors but the classic is white with a green, red, yellow and indigo stripe on each end and then "points". The points look like tally marks near one corner of the blanket and the greater the number of marks, or points, the larger the blanket. The Hudson Bay Company's website is a wealth of information and even has "Blanket Tales" submitted by Hudson Bay owners over the years. I don't own one but I'm told that they stay forever young, which, judging by the number of vintage ones available isn't hard to believe.

Most of all the blanket is versatile. I can think of few things that would look equally at ease flug over the shoulder of the requisite bear skin coat clad sidekick that "goes to the mattresses" in a movie about the Gold Rush or the early American fur trade; as it would draped over the back of a Rietveld chair in some design junkie's well-curated California Case Study house.

Even Lux Lisbon of The Virgin Suicides uses hers as shelter from the storm (in the book only, not the movie):

"Through the bronchioles of leafless elm branches, from the Pit Zenberger's attic, we finally made out Lux's face as she sat wrapped in a Hudson's Bay blanket, smoking a cigarette..."

- The Virgin Suicides, Jeffrey Eugenides

Industry Standard: Braun AB1 Alarm Clock vs. Bai Pick Me Up

Braun recently started making their AB1 alarm clock ($44) again. Aesthetically, I think Dieter Rams' 1971 design for the clock is flawless. I love that it is so straightforward but the flirty little hints of yellow and neon green give it a bit of added interest. The heartbreaking thing about the AB1 is that it doesn't have a snooze feature! Unthinkable, I know. Yes, Braun makes other alarm clocks that are similar and offer snoozes but they are printed with time zone maps and other additonal features but these clocks tend to look too fussy.

Instead, let me suggest the less expensive "Pick Me Up" by Bai ($32). Although not as refined as the AB1, it's nothing to sneeze at and also offers a snooze/light feature which is activated by simply picking up the clock. A second thing that I appreciate about the "Pick Me Up" is that the movement of the second hand is incredibly quiet.

Industry Standard: Angostura Bitters

I was thinking of posting about Angostura bitters and then I saw Rita Konig's article* and I took it as a sign and decided it was time.

The product was created in 1824 by Dr. J.G.B. Siegert. According to the company's website, Siegert had "adventure ringing in his ears" and went to Venezuela where Simone Bolivar named him Surgeon-General of a military hospital in the town of Angostura. Siegert intended for his secret formula to be a natural remedy for a variety of illnesses. The company cites Angostura as being both a mosquito repellent and a cure for sea-sickness.

I'm not sure that I really like the taste of bitters. However, I do know that I love the design of the Angostura bottle, with it's cheery yellow cap and turtleneck label that reminds me of the small print at the bottom of a Fellini movie poster.

*Ms. Konig's article discusses her preference for ice created using an ice cube tray over store-bought ice. If you are in the market for an ice cube tray, may I recommend the Good Grips Ice Cube Tray with Lid? This tray has a lid which prevents your ice from tasting/smelling like your freezer, allows you to stack items atop the tray and keeps the ice cubes from slipping out of the mold and flying into the air while loosening them from the tray.