shipping containers

i find shipping container architecture fascinating.  while in berlin, we saw this amazing set of connected containers while walking through mitte.  people were sitting at desks inside.  perhaps a temporary construction offices?  not really sure.  but look how cool!





imagine my surprise when we stumbled upon these ingenius stools/sidetables while perusing the streets of prenzlauer berg.  not only do they come in a plethora of designs and colors, they come packed flat and in the form of shipping containers!

i couldn't help myself and stuffed one into my suitcase to bring back home with me.

when we returned, all i had to do was unpack the sucker and snap the pieces together using the included packet of rubber bands.  assembly was super quick and even easier than anything ikea.  (we should know; dabney and i have ph.d.s in ikea.)




don't let the compressed plywood fool you. it's STRONG.  i can boogie on top of this thing.  however, it will most likely just support a lamp and maybe a cup of coffee or a bottle of beer on occasion.

turkey day

lap dog

LSOTY

the "living space of the year" was announced in this month's issue of st. louis mag. it's featured in the advertisement above. click on the image above to embiggen.

as you can clearly see, our space did not win. perhaps it doesn't translate on film. perhaps our thrift store/craigslist chic doesn't appeal to the masses. perhaps we don't know very many people in st. louis or who read st. louis magazine. the fact of the matter is this old store came in a very, very distant third with less than ten percent of the vote. oh well... we still lurve living here.

the good news is that we'll be featuring the winner in an apartment therapy house tour in the near future. stay tuned.

nothing cracks me up more...

than audience members losing their shit over oprah's favorite things.

via jezebel

in case you missed it...

the decemberists (our favorite band. ever.) were on conan the other night playing their terrific new song from their soon-to-be album "the king is dead."



yes, that's gillian welch singing alongside colin.

donna & lyla's tiled wonder

here's our latest tour... (click the image to visit.)

skating in circles

we celebrated dabney's birthday the other night at steinberg rink in forest park with a dozen friends skating in circles.

it kinda felt like 8th grade all over again.

good wholesome fun was had by all, which later turned decidely less wholesome when the party was moved to our favorite local watering hole.









(sorry about the crappy pics. forgot my camera.)

the happy lady

dabney and i drive past this woman nearly everyday. she stands on the corner and just dances her ass off, always with a big smile across her face.

i am a huge fan of hers.

nice to see that she's receiving some recognition.

but classic rock? really?

we're so out, we're in again.

thanks, nebraska boy!

meet otto.

this week we are fostering "otto", whom we met just before we left for germany (in the parking lot of whole foods of all places - stray rescue of st. louis happened to be set up there that day). his real name is not really known, so we thought it fitting that he have something germanic.



in the last two days, we've discovered that he is the world's biggest couch potato and that he loves his butt scratched. and as you probably can tell by the photos, he's also a really good eater.

so far, he seems like the sweetest thing. ever.

check out the selby book

todd selby, one of my photographer heroes, has his entire book online. you can peruse it until friday 11/12.

matchbox labels

we've been fascinated by matchbox labels ever since our 2004 trip to japan. we found a small pile of vintage matchboxes in a kyoto street market and gently hand-carried them home.  (i realize i have never photographed 'em. putting that on my to do list now.)  they're tiny, functional works of art.

that little assortment made me seek out others who collect matchbox labels. that's when i found maraid, who's been our flickr contact for years now.

while trolling the excellent flea markets of berlin, we found the motherlode of czech matchbox labels - over 4500 of them to be exact.

check out the brilliant colors and fantastic mid-century graphics!







i am not exactly sure what i am going to do with over four thousand of these things.  i've got thoughts.  stay tuned.

last stop: berlin

berlin just oozes cool.  i loved it. and it was the perfect place to end our german adventure.




former german history major and berlin resident, will was our guide (complete with very convincing german accent).


here's the hotel where michael jackson dangled his baby.


here he is in front of his former flat. obviously, spitboy has since moved in.


i was fascinated by these bratwurst guys who had to wear their grills all day.



dabney and i could have spent weeks wandering around berlin's 60+ museums.  instead, we had to settle for four.







berlin has some great graffiti artists. man, what i wouldn't give to have one of these guys do up the side of our house-store.

part 5 - prague

all it took was a short stroll through the streets upon our arrival, and prague landed easily into my list of the most beautiful places i have ever been.









while in prague, we celebrated ron's birthday at a beer club. as you can see below, he had a good time.


later that evening...







dabney made nice with some charles bridge saints to ensure our return.

austria, part 4 - salzburg

salzburg, austria - the home of...


w.a. mozart



the sound of music...


and large beers poured by monks (and so heavy i needed two hands to pick it up).