Comfortable Sleeper Sofa

I moved into a new place not too long ago. In a one-bedroom condo I knew I needed to either put in a Murphy bed or find a comfortable sleeper sofa (I know what you're thinking, it sounds like Mission:Impossible) for guests. I didn't really have the room for a Murphy bed since storage space is at a premium. I did a lot of research and found the Dublin Sleeper sofa from Room & Board. Many of the sleeper sofas I looked at were not only uncomfortable, but they were hideous. The Dublin is both attractive and really comfortable. The mattress features a combination of supportive coils topped with an inflatable air chamber for customizable comfort. It's actually more comfortable than many mattresses I've slept on. Also, Room & Board has great customer service in case anything goes wrong with the sofa.

Music Monday

Shout Out Louds - Show Me Something New from Ted Malmros on Vimeo.

I've recently been digging the band the Shout Out Louds. Here's the video for their song "Show Me Something New". I hope you dig it, too! I've been introduced by a lot of great music lately from the blog Black Eiffel. She introduces new music each week. She has great taste (or at least the same taste in music as me) and I have enjoyed almost every artist she's recommended. I've also been introduced to some great new bands from the blog Passionista.

Outfit Identifier

You know how sometimes you'll see a photo of a celebrity with a purse or shoes or a pair of jeans that you really like, but you have no idea who the designer of said shoes, purse or jeans is?  Some smart blogger has come up with a way to capitalize on this very dilemma. They have created a blog called Outfit ID. They post tons of photos daily and list the designer or brand of the item(s) the celeb is wearing. If you find a photo of items you would like identified you can email the blog and they'll figure it out for you. They get back to you very fast and they are very nice. I highly recommend it!

(I really want that purple purse)

A little birdie

How sweet is this paper mâché bird  from West Elm?

Patterned Nesting Dolls

As I have mentioned before I am a fan of patterns--especially modern, geometric, Scandinavian-inspired, Marimekko-esque patterns. Now you understand why I'm smitten with these Russian nesting dolls from CB2. They would look great on my shelf.

Cheap & Chic

I saw this bag in Lucky magazine and think it is a great looking Fall bag. I am in love with the camel color and the price. It looks expensive, but it's only $45. So, if it only lasts the season I won't feel too bad. The bag is also available in black, dark brown and purple.

• Pebble-grained faux leather with silver-toned metal hardware and an intricately braided handle
• Snap closure
• Inside side zip pocket and additional pocket for phone
• Outside side zip pocket
• 12" tall x 15" wide x 5" deep: handle has 5 1/2" drop

Herringbone Boyfriend Blazer

I am a preppy at heart so tweeds and houndstooths (houndsteeth?) and herringbones all really appeal to me. A herringbone blazer is a great fall wardrobe staple and this one from Boden is a great one at a steal at $168. I especially like the girly floral lining.

Payless' New Fall Beauty Line

True confession: I'm kind of a makeup junkie. Especially lip gloss. It's a problem and as soon as they develop a 12-step program for lip gloss addiction, I'll seek help. Until then I'll just spend a large-ish portion of my disposable income trying every new lip gloss, stick and/or balm that comes on the market.

This month bargain shoe retailer  Payless‘ will launch their new beauty line. A variety of beauty items will land in 1,500 stores nationwide. The line includes something pretty for eyes, nails, lips and body--all with equally attractive prices.

The products will be sold under The Unforgettable Moments and the earth-friendly Zoe & Zac Naturals labels. Most items will retail for under $10. Discount shoes and makeup in one store? What more could a girl want?

Correspondence Box Set

I am a sucker for patterns and for note cards so this card set is right up my alley. The wonderful stationers at KenzieKate have come up with a Correspondence Box Set, "the ultimate desk accessory for any stylish ink-slinger" and I have to agree. Each set contains a sleek, lacquered wooden box with 50 beautiful note cards in 10 different patterns. Each card is printed front and back on Recycled stock (love that) and blank inside. Fifty different colored envelopes completes the set. The box is available in Navy (lined with Canary satin) or Goldenrod (lined with Pewter satin). The set retails for $75. Note card refill sets are available for $35. 

Irvine Farmers' Market

I just have to gush for a minute about the Irvine Farmers’ Market. The produce selection is phenomenal. You know how some farmers’ markets end up being filled with cutesy craft booths and only have a few food stands? The Irvine market is the real deal. Each booth of fruits and vegetables look better than the last. There are also stands with yummy baked goods, hummus in a variety of fun flavors, fresh pasta, beautiful plants and herbs, fresh seafood and even grass-fed beef.

There are free samples at about every stand, so many in fact, it puts Costco to shame (you could have a great Saturday morning breakfast on samples alone). We bought baby tomatoes, raspberries, grapes, cilantro and sweet corn tamales. Everything we bought was so good. And it was cheap. The prices are really reasonable, much better than the grocery store and the quality of product is much higher and almost entirely organic! For example, the big bunch of cilantro cost me 50 cents!

This market is a must for any So Cal resident. Even if you have to drive a little ways, it is totally worth it. I wish they held it twice a week so that I could get the fresh produce in the middle of the week, too.

Make sure to bring a basket or bag, it will make it much easier to carry all your purchases around. Also, the parking fills up fast so it’s best to get there early.

The Farmers' Market is held in the shopping center at Campus Drive and Bridge Street (near In-N-Out, across from UC-Irvine) every Saturday from 8 am – Noon (rain or shine).  Seriously, even if it’s pouring rain (like last week), the vendors are still out.

Etsy Shop of Day : Stitched Cards' Shop

One of my most recent Etsy finds is the Stitched Cards Shop. I think all of their cards are darling but I especially love the Barcelona Chair and the Eames Lounge Chair cards. I think we all know someone who is enamored with Mid-Century modern furniture and would be delighted to receive one of these cards in the mail (like my dad, who hopefully won't read this post).

Cheap & Chic

There are so many great canvas and leather bags (like the Fisherman Tote by Superior Labor) on the market right now, but a lot of them are pretty pricey. A great alternative is the Large Canvas handbag from Forever 21 for under $25. It also comes in gray. Another cute, albeit more expensive, canvas bag is the Sunday Tote at Ladybird.

Lazy Sunday Cardigan

How cute is this Lazy Sunday Cardigan from Ruche? It looks so cozy and perfect for the cooler weather. Plus, at $38.99, it's a steal!

I want this mirror.

Wanna see how you measure up? Check out the Who Tall Are You? mirror at Suck UK. The mirror lists 120 celebs by height. Some the celebs are British and I'm not familiar with them, but it's kinda fun to see how you stack up to the likes of  Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Abraham Lincoln, Snoop Dogg, Muhammad Ali and Salvador Dali. It's kind of steep at £80 ($126), but I think it would be a lot of fun at parties.

Suck UK always has a great selection of unusual (but awesome) items--like the Flower Grenade!

Claire Vivier bags

LA designer Clare Vivier makes the most beautiful leather bags. I would take any of her bags, but there are two that I'm saving up for in my "purse bank" -- the La Tropezienne leather tote in Tan (top) and the Leather flat work tote in Silver (bottom).

Goody Spin Pins

When I get lazy I like to pull my hair up into a messy updo, but I have thin, fine hair that slips out of every hair clip (even bobby pins). So, I was skeptical about the Goody Spin Pin. It really is amazing. These pins even managed keep my hair up. The Goody Spin Pin ($6 for two-pack) holds hair so well it’s like using twenty of the other kind. The Spin Pin comes in a blond or brunette finish. I found mine at Target.

Matte black chain necklace

How great is this matte black chain necklace from J Crew? It looks like it could be made of paper. I feel like I'm crushing on a lot of J Crew pieces lately, but they have really hit it out of the park with their 2010 Fall line.

Etsy Shop of Day : Kinies' Shop

The Etsy shop of the day is Kinies' Shophttp://www.etsy.com/shop/Kinies?ref=top_trail. They have a great collection of cute bags. I love the ultra-girly bow on the QT bag. The ruffled waist purse is an attractive, modern take on the "fanny pack".

rennes + ilana tote

Currently coveting the hand-dyed canvas and leather Sker tote from rennes + ilana.

rennes + ilana is a Big Cartel store. I was just recently introduced to Big Cartel, another great site (like Etsy) where artists, designers and craftsmen sell their wares.

Chelsea Crew Grey Heel Booties

I am in love with these shoes. The  Chelsea Crew Tracer Gray Belt Laced Cone Heel Bootie (what a mouthful) is part shoe, part boot. The taupe-gray color is such a great neutral. A nice change from black. These booties have an exposed side zipper and a 3" stacked natural wood grain heel. Only $77? Love it.  Lulu's always has a great selection of chic, trendy, affordable shoes.

Tretorn Wool Flannel Sneakers

Wouldn't these chic Tretorn Wool Flannel Sneakers from J. Crew be perfect for Fall? I love the contrast of the flannel with the satin laces.

Tretorn has collaborated with J Crew for these special edition sneakers. They come with two sets of laces--the satin (shown) and regular cotton (in case the satin is too dressy for everyday). The shoes are $95 at J Crew (available in catalog and online only).

Fade to Black Necklace by Madewell

 I am loving almost everything by J.Crew's little-sister company, Madewell. The new collection by fashion forward Brit, Alexa Chung, is really fun. I like to check their site regularly because they are always adding great new accessories. Right now at the top of my "want list" is the Madewell Fade to Black necklace.  I love, love the ombré effect to the chain. The chain is 32 5/8" and retails for $32.00.

Best. Pants. Ever.

I don't know if everyone has as much trouble finding jeans as I do, but when I find good ones I have to share. The Modern Boot Denim Trouser pants from the Gap are seriously awesome pants. They are a great Fall/Winter wardrobe staple. The dark wash, clean lines and bootcut fit are flattering on every body type and they work well going out and they look really nice so you can get away with wearing them to work. The Gap is also having a big sale this week so they may be cheaper than the already wallet-friendly $59.50.

C'mon share. What are your favorite jeans?

Emma's Imagination

In heavy rotation on my iPod right now is "This Day" by Scottish songstress Emma Gillespie aka Emma's Imagination.

On Monday, Emma's Imagination was crowned the winner of the Sky 1 music talent show Must Be The Music. Emma won £100,000 to help her kick start her career. Read more about Emma here.

J. Crew Outlet Goes Online

Yay!

That cheer you just heard was your wardrobe celebrating. Happy Fall! The J.Crew Factory Store/Outlet is now online! Now you don't have to trek to the outlet mall to get great deals on J. Crew.  Just one minor drawback-- it's only open on weekends...

Take a peek...

Thanks Stephmodo for sharing the good news.

Moop Letter Bag

I'm in the market for a new bag. I need one big enough to haul around my MacBook and everything else I need, you know--sunglasses, 11 lipglosses, gum, mints, pen & notepad, Blackberry, iPod, camera and a brush. The Letter Bag by Moop could be the answer. I love the rusty red color for Fall and it's big enough to hold a 15" laptop, with room to spare. The best part is the bag is made from heavy-duty canvas and water proof cordura to keeps the inside dry. I'm curious, has anyone owned a Moop bag? How do they hold up?

Chevron Earrings

Recently I was introduced to the jewelry company, Jess LC, and now I am completely smitten with it. I want every piece in the Division line, and the Chevron Earrings are definitely on my Must-have List. I've got a birthday coming up in a month...

Initial Jewelry

Lately I have been taken with monogram or initial jewelry. I think it started with my infatuation with Liz Lemon's (on 30 Rock) initial necklace. The real thing was too pricey for my budget so I turned to Etsy. I knew I'd be able to find a great knock-off there.

I found a few like Liz's but then I fell in love with this initial necklace from One Life Jewelry Shop on Etsy. I like it's clean, modern look.

I also like this delicate initial ring from chuxgrafix, also on Etsy. I'm just starting to think about holiday shopping. Perhaps most of my friends with be getting jewelry this year...

Purple Wedge Heels

I am loving these purple suede wedge heels from Target. They would be a perfect addition to my fall wardrobe. And for less than $30? Sold.

Music Monday

Right now I am really digging the Norwegian band Donkeyboy. This band takes retro to a whole new level. They have a Mika-meets-Fleetwood Mac thing going on. Check out their song "Ambition". It's addicting.




The album Brothers by The Black Keys, especially the song "Your Touch" is in heavy rotation on the iPod right now.