I was looking at illustrators’ accounts on Intagram when I came across Mari Andrew (or @bymariandrew). Some of her illustrations I had seen before, every once in a while A Cup of Jo posts one of her works. I spent the last hour or so looking through her illustrations, which often center around love or life. Couldn’t get enough of them. Here are my favorites.
I like where Airbnb is going. It’s all about experiences!
I’m holding out for the iPhone 8 and I’m looking forward to seeing these other tech products roll out next year.
This modern apartment complex in Ecuador was inspired by nature and reflect the elements of Fire, Air and Earth. Marcel Wanders is a genius. (I want to live in Air.) After seeing this video, you’ll want to live here, too.
If you follow @songofstyle on Instagram, you have to get this book. (It’ll up your Instagram game.)
Design*Sponge’s Grace Bonney picked out her gifts you can buy on Amazon. (I like the idea of polka dotting a wall.)
Zara has some pretty punk clothes. (I like this untraditional top.)
Here are 12 ways to instantly boost your creativity. (I like spend time in nature.)
Three must have books to inspire your curious child. (Already have Rosie Reverie, ordered the other two.)
Check out Amazon’s Best Children’s Books of the Year. (I love The Night Gardener.)
This bambi hood jumpsuit is just too cute for words.
The Top 13 Home Decor Trends You Must Know for 2017. (Love the marble tables.)
I’m digging this technicolor trend .
Got a sweet tooth? Then you’re going to love these macaron ornaments!
These wine socks made me LOL. I just bought them for my sisters.
I’m thinking of dying my hair in a galaxy style. Here are my options and here’s my favorite.
This Ugg coat looks stylish and comfy. (Apparently Rachel Zoe loves it, too.)
My husband is so excited about this new show that’s now for Amazon Prime members. (After reading this review, I think I’ll watch it, too.)
I like how this apron doesn’t really look like an apron.
If you’re an entrepreneur or just love business, check out NPR’s How I Built This.
Love the positive vibes emanating from this poster.
If I had good abs, I’d totally rock this dress. (Too bad it’s sold out!)
This metallic multi dot skirt would be fun to wear to a party.
Using paint or lights, artist Asae Soya can transforms an ordinary room into a surreal wonderland. The Japanese artist, who is skilled in multiple mediums like painting, drawing, installation and video, takes her work to the next level with her deliberate use of color.
Soya obtained a doctorate in fine arts from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 2006. I can’t get enough of her work! How I’d love to see one of these installations in person.
When I first saw pictures of this installation, I was mesmerized. As a fan of unique lighting, I couldn’t take my eyes off of this. Haberdashery’s Leaf is a delicate and customizable canopy system suspended from the ceiling. Individual leaves are made with porcelain and gold. Combined together, the leaves look like they are being blown by the wind. With down-lights, the sculpture brings out elegant shadows that bring a beautiful ambiance to a room. Leaf comes in five hand-applied finishes, including 14-carat gold, gold, platinum edge and the elegant and timeless pure-white glaze.
The wall-mounted version, called Leaf Eddy, features leaves mounted upon an adjustable stud that can be arranged in any configuration.
It’s like sculpture, installation and lighting combined.
You can read about this more on the Coshamie website.
A few weekends ago, Sam and I took a few days off. We scooped up the kids and decided to embark on a road trip to Monterey. It was our first road trip as a family, the farthest we had ever traveled with the kids, before that was to Santa Barbara. Loaded with snacks and drinks, we hit the road. Why Monterey? The boys love aquariums (like the one in Long Beach) so we thought we’d show them one of the best we’d ever experienced. On a side note, Monterey was the first trip Sam and I went on as an official couple, back in college. Going in, I knew it would stir up some good memories we had shared there.
Now, let me show how we experienced the trip in pictures.
Parker and Logan seemed content with their chips and movies on the long ride up.
On our way up, we decided to take a break and explore the Santa Barbara Zoo. It’s not too big (like the San Diego Zoo) and not too small. The best thing about it is that you can get up pretty close to the animals. (I like the way Logan is adoringly looking at his older brother.)
We decided to stay at the Intercontinental, The Clement Monterey. It’s walking distance to the aquarium and all the shops and restaurants. I wanted something contemporary and clean. I literally had no complaints. We joined the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) Rewards Club, for free, which gave us a good discount on the room. (Here the boys are cozied up together playing with their iPads.)
After we checked in, we walked around the city and picked up a few toys for the kids which included a small, soft ball. When we got back to the room, the boys threw it around and played catch with it. It was the best three bucks we had ever spent.
We started off the next morning with breakfast at the C restaurant, which is located inside the hotel. It’s a family friendly place with good food and excellent service. After breakfast, we headed right outside our hotel to a walkway where you can see the ocean. Here, Parker is giving me his biggest smile.
Logan thought the sound of the crashing waves was much too loud.
We walked over to the aquarium the next morning and took this sign at the entrance. Clearly Parker was excited. (Cue sarcastic tone.)
We got inside the aquarium and immediately came face to face with scuba divers who were cleaning the inside of a tank. Parker and Logan were fascinated.
Sammy is pointing out all the sardines swimming round and round in this tank.
Each exhibition was mesmerizing. Just watching fish and other sea creatures going about their day is fascinating.
Of course, the boys liked touching the sea animals like the starfish and sea urchins. I was proud of my Logan that he was so brave.
Parker was, of course, ecstatic to touch sea creatures. He loved learning about them.
Of course, what’s a family trip without a total meltdown. After the aquarium, Parker was tired. He wasn’t listening to us and instead wanted to do his own thing. We had to give him a moment to compose himself.
On our way back down from the trip, we hit up this very modern park called Uptown Family Park. The kids loved it! It had this cool climbing wall that Parker enjoyed.
In conclusion, we had a great time though we don’t think we’ll drive THAT far next time. Because we took the pretty coastal drive on the way up, it took us about 10 hours to get there. (This includes time at the zoo, lunch, dinner and a fill up at a gas station). Perhaps we’ll do Palm Springs next or maybe even Vegas. At least we survived this one!
Have you heard about the Hatchimal? Right after Halloween, my sister, Carol, texted me telling me that we MUST get Hatchimals for all of the kids this year. I said, Hatchi-what? Then, I started seeing article after about this latest Christmas toy craze.
As Telegraph states, “In 1960 it was the Etch-a-Sketch, in 1991 the Gameboy, in 2010 the Jet Pack Buzz Lightyear, and in 2015 the Star Wars Kylo Ren Command Shuttle. And now, in 2016, the year’s top selling Christmas toy looks set to be – drum roll please – the Hatchimal.”
Of course, we can all remember these hot Christmas toys, too, like Tickle-Me-Elmo, Teddy Ruxpin, Cabbage Patch Kids and Furby.
So what is a Hatchimal? Coming in five different “species,” it’s a little animal that lives inside an egg. The more you play with the egg and take care of it, the sooner the egg cracks and the animal appears. (It’s ready to hatch usually after 30 minutes of continuous play.) What’s unprecedented about this is that there’s never been a toy that could hatch on its own. It also features touch technology so that when you tap on it, the Hatchimal taps back or when you stroke the top or bottom, it lights up and makes sounds. That’s not the end of it though. Once it’s out of the egg, the Hatchimal is raised through three different stages of life: baby, toddler and child. It even sings its own rendition of Happy Birthday as it passes through each stage. While playing with it, a child teaches the Hatchimal how to walk, dance, play games and repeat words. Think of it as a souped up Tamagotchi. Can you believe it’s been 20 years since that toy’s debut? (Wow, do I feel old.)
It’s pretty much sold out everywhere but you can find it on Amazon from third party sellers or on Ebay. (The suggested retail price is $59.99, but most are going for $200-$500 on internet resale sites.) The most coveted one is the “Owlicorn” Hatchimal, which is selling for over $200 on eBay. At the beginning of this month, Carol snatched up eight of them at once at Barnes and Noble. She’s always on the cusp of what’s cool!
Estonia-based illustrator Eiko Ojala perfectly sums up the odd way we’re all feeling right about now with these offbeat illustrations. Created using scissors and paper, he created this series as a commission for the German contemporary dance magazine called Tanz. Eiko was challenged with showing illustrations that interpret how he sees modern dance but in the end, his work reflected the inside-out way we feel after this upsetting election.
New York City-based Mike Mellia is known for his quirky video loops of everyday life. Recently, he was hired by GAP to create a series of original ones to advertise GAP’s classic underwear. I could sit and watch these whimsical loops for hours.
After everything we went through with last week’s election, I think it’s time for a good old cuddle. This new screenprint by Paul Thurlby carries a simple message but one we all need right about now. Called “Get It On,” the print is silkscreened in three colors with shimmering metallic gold ink used on the hair. For more info about Paul, and to buy the print online, click here.
P.S. Did you notice that my image uploader is working again. Yay!
With tomorrow being Veteran’s Day, Parker and Logan’s school/daycare will be closed. Did I tell you that baby Logan started daycare? He’s only gone once (he’s been sick) but, on that one day he did go, he only cried for five minutes and then was great the rest of the day. (What a champ!) I was, of course, a nervous wreck, all day, but was gleaming with pride when I heard that he not only survived, he thrived! I’ll be taking the day off, tomorrow, to hang out with my little buddies.
Saturday night is the opening reception of Audrey Kawasaki’s and Stella Im Hultberg’s solo shows at Thinkspace. I would love to go to that but I have an early morning event on Sunday. It’s the 5K run, I mentioned way back when. My sisters, a few friends and I are all taking part of the Mission Inn Run in Riverside. Wish me luck! (I just hope my legs don’t give out!)
Now, brought to you a day early, here are the fun links of the week.
Have you heard of this year’s Christmas toy craze? It’s the new Tickle Me Elmo. (Here it is on Amazon.)
I love Andrea Minini’s new animal illustrations (especially the cranes).
If I bought this sweatshirt, I wouldn’t take it off for awhile.
Would you join this all-womans club?
Looking to get reinspired with your photography? Here are some practical tips.
Seth Meyers spoke on behalf of a lot of us when he talked about Trump’s win.
I love how you can wear this necklace many different ways. (Lariat, choker or pendant.)
This is one pretty lunar calendar.
Some uplifting movies to help you get through these uncertain times. (Can’t wait for La La Land.)
Tips on ways to stop overthinking.
Emma Watson knows that we could all use some wise words right about now.
I’d love to have this sculpture on my desk, it’s just perfectly surreal.
Subway Therapy is such a simple but sweet way to show people what we’re all feeling.
Lindy West’s opinion essay, Her Loss, on the The New York Times was moving.
Should we all start wearing safety pins?
Hello, I’m Alice Yoo! I’m founder and CEO of Skylar Yoo, a company dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to be bold. We sell apparel, art prints and accessories to the modern feminist.
In my former life, I was editor-in-chief of the art and culture blog My Modern Met, which I founded back in 2007. I curated and wrote about art, design and photography for more than seven years. (In fact, I published over 7,000 articles which were seen by millions of people worldwide.) I’m also co-author of a book called For Love: 25 Heartwarming Celebrations of Humanity, which is on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
I live in southern California along with my husband and my two toddler boys.
This blog is about what I love, the tough experiences that I’ve learned from, and my journey as a second time entrepreneur. Right now, I’m in the midst of a 365 day challenge, to read one book a day. If you share my passions or want to learn some cool new facts, come along for the ride. I hope to inspire, educate and entertain you!
