unsolicited opinions on random things
I usually get a “Fashion Targets Breast Cancer” T-shirt every year. I love the design, and am happy to support ReThink Breast Cancer (awesome charity). Have you seen the apparel this year? They’re available at Joe for very reasonable prices (special sequin shirt is $14, regular shirts are $12, and the tote bag is $24). Now I just have to choose… sequin shirt or colour? And what colour? I have a feeling I might get more than one…
Here’s (yet) another gadget that I certainly don’t need, but boy do I want it… the Jambox speaker by Jawbone. The tiny little speaker (think portability) runs on batteries, and connects to your iPod, iPhone, or iPad wirelessly by Bluetooth. Don’t have Bluetooth on your device? That’s okay, there’s an old-school audio-in jack for an auxiliary cable.
What’s different about this than the dinky iPod speakers they sell everywhere is that the Jambox apparently has killer sound. I would love to have one for playing music on the back patio in the summer, or for using as an external speaker when I’m watching movies and TV shows on my new iPad.
At a cool $200, it’s not really in the budget right now… but my birthday’s coming up…
Up until last week, I was pretty convinced that we didn’t need a specialty diaper bag for the tadpole. We have a few different messenger bags, so we thought we could just stash our gear in one of those.
That was, until we saw a diaper bag made by Skip*Hop when we were in Mortimer Snodgrass in Montreal on Saturday. This diaper bag was so cool – it straps right onto your stroller handles (and also has a detachable shoulder strap if you’d prefer to carry it), it has a million compartments that actually look useful, and the geometric pattern we chose looks good (important, of course). The price-point is decent at $65. I’ve seen diaper bags in shops for twice that much. So of course, we bought it, and also picked up the matching Pronto Changing Station kit.
I’m now checking out the Skip*Hop website, and will have to definitely restrain myself from going nuts buying more of their products. The NY-based company makes award-winning, well-designed, safe, and attractive gear for babies and tots, and they donate a portion of all proceeds to charity.
I’m sure there’s a shop (or two, or three) in Toronto that carries Skip*Hop, or you can order online through Mortimer Snodgrass.
I first read about Montreal-based retail shop Mortimer Snodgrass in a magazine a few years ago (the store is named after the owners’ dog). Since then, I’ve ordered items off their website a few times (since they’re not far away, shipping is easy and cheap). I purchased the Lug travel wallets for my bridesmaids as a giftie, and I’ve ordered stocking stuffers from their wide selection of goofy Fred products.
Even though I’ve been ordering online from them for years, I’ve never actually been to the store. I was thrilled to find that Mortimer Snodgrass was right around the corner from our hotel in old Montreal this past weekend. I wasn’t really surprised by any of their merchandise, as it’s all available on their website, but I was happy to visit the store in person and chat with the friendly sales staff.
Next time you need a prezzie and you’re in Montreal, visit the shop. Or be like me and order online!
BlogTO has updated their roundup of The Best Card, Paper, and Stationery Shops in Toronto. In general, I agree with their list, although I’m not really sure Magic Pony should be on there (don’t get me wrong, I love Magic Pony, I just don’t really consider it a card and paper shop). And one of my personal faves is missing – Laywine’s in Yorkville. It’s where I get my favourite pens. Otherwise, there are some great shops on there.
Another online magazine for you to check out… Australia-based Adore Magazine. I read about their British Edition over at SFGirlByBay and it was love at first sight when I saw this:
I want it all. Seems my obsession with all-things British is still going strong. Sigh.
Remember last month when I wrote about the American Retail Invasion? I just read on Toronto Life’s blog that Marshalls will be opening 3 of their 4 GTA stores (Leaside, Scarborough and Woodbridge) on March 17. That’s only 4 weeks! The downtown Toronto location will be opening “later this year”.
Check out these fun wallpapers offered by thecollection, a design shop in France.
To see them all, visit thecollection’s website, and click “on the wall”.
If you’ve been in my house (or if you remember this) you know I like maps. I think I like cartography as an art form, and I especially like how maps inspire me to travel.
Aren’t these map prints by These Are Things cool? While I quite enjoy the neighbourhood maps, the ones that caught my eye are the brightly coloured world map and Europe map (pictured above).
I guess as a final way to celebrate their 75th anniversary, Penguin Books has released The Penguin Classics Library Complete Collection: More than 1000 of the Greatest Classics. And if you have a spare $13,413.30 it can be yours! [sidenote – if it costs that much money, is the 30 cents really necessary? Couldn’t they have rounded it up or down?]
Consisting of 1,082 titles, this really is the ultimate book collection. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have a private library with all of those books at your fingertips? I guess that already exists, and it’s called an e-reader… but if you love the printed page, this is the way to do it.
[via kottke.org]
