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weekly wrap up by Amy Azzarito 13

Past & Present Book Launch & Weekly Wrap Up


Image above: Illustrated cover by Julia Rothman, with central motif taken from Shanna Murray’s decal project in the book. Book design by ALSO, Photograph by Max Tielman

Today of all days, the Internet went out in my apartment. So I’m writing from a coffee shop with butterflies in my stomach and the book right next to me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous or so excited. I started working on this book in September 2010, so to say it’s been a bit of a process is an understatement. The idea for the book grew out of the column that I’ve been writing here on Design*Sponge since 2009. Over oysters and Bloody Marys (isn’t that how all great ideas are born?), Julia Rothman convinced me that it would make a great book and promised to illustrate the project. And I can’t thank the folks at STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books (particularly my editor, Liana Allday) enough for helping to turn that little idea into a reality.

For the book, I chose 24 of my favorite moments in decorative arts history and then challenged 24 working artists and designers to create a project inspired by that particular moment in time. (Just between you and me, I can’t believe they all said yes!) Todd Oldham worked on a Chinoiserie-inspired project, CONFETTISYSTEMS created a beautiful pinata/mobile inspired by Art Deco, Kim Krans of the Wild Unknown made a branch chandelier inspired by Art Nouveau. For each moment in history, I wrote an essay (illustrated by Julia) about the significance of that particular moment in time. The book is a celebration of design history, modern artists and designers and finding inspiration in the past. To kick off the book launch, West Elm is hosting a party on March 7 (details after the jump). If you’re in New York, I’d love to see you. xo, Amy

Past & Present: 24 Favorite Moments in Decorative Arts History and 24 Modern DIY Projects Inspired by Them will be in stores March 5. Preorder here.

When it came time to make a book trailer, there was only one person I wanted to work with, and I just crossed my fingers and hoped he would say yes. Ryan Marshall shot the book trailer for Design*Sponge at Home, and I had been a fan of his blog for a couple years before then. He brought a whole team (of Floridians!) to the table. JonPaul Douglass came to New York from Orlando to shoot the trailer. We spent a long cold February day traveling all over the city. I’m typically a little more comfortable off camera than in front of it, and he did a great job of making the day fun. Courtney Riot worked incredibly hard (and quickly!) on the graphics and animation. And I absolutely love the song, “Home” by Rabbit. (I’ve been playing the trailer just to hear the song.) Designers Colleen and Eric Whiteley and Nadia Yaron of Nightwood were astonishingly gracious to let me take up their busy day and bring a camera to their studios. I feel so lucky to have spent eight years working for the New York Public Library, and we gave them only a few hours’ notice that I would like to shoot the trailer in the Main Reading Room (where people were actually working!). They made it happen (and we tried to be very quiet)!

Below is a summary of this week’s highlights:

View the details for Amy’s book launch and a workshop to make a project from the book after the jump . . .

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entertaining by Kristina Gill 20

In the Kitchen With: Bryant Terry’s Pan-Fried Grit Cakes


In celebration of Black History Month, for the past three weeks I’ve chosen recipes that remind me of my home in a black family from the South in the United States. I realize that the recipes have been so incredibly rich that they can’t be regular staples. I purposely let our cholesterol run wild so I could juxtapose it all with a recipe from Bryant Terry’s first cookbook, Vegan Soul Kitchen. Due to a lack of good spring onions here, I’ve adapted Bryant’s recipe for Pan-Fried Grit Cakes with Caramelized Spring Onions, Garlic and Thyme by using some very fine leeks that I bought at the Fern Verrow stand at this weekend’s Maltby Street Market. I’m sure Bryant wouldn’t have had it any other way. If you’d like all the flavor of American soul food without the quadruple bypass, you really should check out Bryant’s book. If you’re interested in the history of soul food, check out the PBS documentary Soul Food Junkies by Byron Hurt. (Bryant appears in this, as well!) — Kristina

About Bryant: Bryant Terry is a chef, educator and author renowned for his pioneering activism to create a healthy, just and sustainable food system. Bryant’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Gourmet, Food and Wine and O: The Oprah Magazine, among many other outlets. His latest book is The Inspired Vegan, and it can be seen in the current Scion IQ commercial. As an exclusive speaker signed with the Lavin Agency, Bryant frequently presents around the country as a keynote speaker at colleges and universities, including Brown, Columbia, NYU, Smith, Stanford and Yale. In 2012, Bryant was chosen by the U.S. State Department as one of 80 American chefs to be part of its new American Chef Corps. From 2008 to 2010, he was a fellow of the Food and Society Fellows Program, a national program of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Bryant is the co-creator and host of Urban Organic, a multi-episode web series. He is currently working on his fourth book, Afro Vegan, which will be published in 2014 by Ten Speed/Random House. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @bryantterry and see his Cafe Brulot Lace Cookies in our archives.

See Bryant’s recipe after the jump . . .

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ashley english by Ashley 9

Small Measures: Creating Bath & Massage Oils


In 2006, I decided I was ready to move out to the country, get some chickens, grow a garden and trade in my city garb for flannel shirts and muck boots. Luckily for me, out of nowhere came the man who would be my husband and along with him an 11-acre homestead in a forested cove. While I was sold on my man straight away, the added perk of marrying into a country home certainly sweetened the deal. And when I later learned that our neighbor, one of two living down our 1-mile dirt road, was a licensed massage therapist who practiced out of her home, I was so glad I’d had the good sense to say “I do.”

My neighbor, Lynn Bernatsky, was a modern dancer before becoming a massage therapist 24 years ago. Accordingly, her knowledge of how the body functions, and how to best care for it, is vast. A few weeks ago, in exchange for cat-sitting while she and her husband were out of town, Lynn gave me what I can honestly say was the best massage I’ve ever received. While the physical manipulation was exquisite (she’s a tiny thing but can work her hands like a giant!), a huge component of what made the experience so pleasurable was the custom massage oil blend she made.

For today’s Small Measures, I’m sharing Lynn’s tips for crafting all-natural custom bath and massage oil blends at home. I’ve also got her wonderful recipe for a winter blues-banishing blend. We’re two-thirds of the way through the driest season here in the northern hemisphere, so any added moisture right now absolutely helps. Lynn’s tips and blend should go far toward keeping you, your skin and your attitude happy and healthy! — Ashley English

The full how-to continues after the jump . . .

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interviews by Grace Bonney 5

After the Jump: Alex Eben Meyer (MP3)

This season of After the Jump has been close to my heart. Mainly because after warming up last year, I finally feel comfortable emailing people I consider dear friends. I’ve been scared to interview friends because I’m so worried about letting them down, but I’m glad I finally tried because it’s been such a wonderful way to get to know them even better and share how great they are with the rest of the world.

This week I got to sit down and interview illustrator Alex Eben Meyer. I met Alex years ago, through our mutual love of street hockey, and have admired his work and general awesome-ness as a person ever since. In addition to creating some of my favorite illustrations (including these indie rock birds I’m obsessed with), Alex is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and never ceases to remind me of the importance of being a good person and a great artist. Yesterday we shared at pizza at Roberta’s and talked about his early years in Philadelphia, his reluctance to focus solely on art in school and how supporting other artists has lead to great work and an incredible sense of community among his peers. If you’ve ever wanted to hear from someone who’s pretty much living the dream of making art for a living and keeping it all in balance, you’ll definitely want to listen to Alex’s interview. You can also check out Alex’s D*S sneak peek right here, his guest sketches for us from 2009, his sketchblog and website and, my favorite, the many faces of Alex during our interview. xo, grace

*You can also check out Alex’s handwritten Top 5 Obsessions after the jump below!

HOW TO LISTEN: Download the podcast on iTunes or stream online at Heritage Radio.

The full post continues after the jump . . .

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accessories by Grace Bonney 8

D*S Newsletter & Downloadable Desktop Wallpaper!

Good morning, guys! I’ve been out for a few days dealing with some health issues (yet another reminder to check in on my work/life balance), and I’m happy to be back at work today and sharing a peek at our first-ever D*S newsletter, going out today. I’ve been really unhappy with all the free newsletter options out there, so I’m thrilled that we were able to come up with a format that felt right for us to produce on our own every week. We’ll be sending out this week’s first newsletter later this afternoon, but I wanted to give everyone a peek of what will be inside, in case you want to sign up to catch any of it. Here’s a little preview:

  • Our favorite D*S posts of the week
  • An mini-interview with Parisian blogger Anne Ditmeyer and an illustrated map of her must-see spots in Paris
  • Our Top 5 Team Obsessions this week (ranging from Connie Britton fandom to great cotton bags)
  • A sneak peek at our schedule for next week
  • A free downloadable Paris-themed desktop wallpaper by illustrator Tuesday Bassen, available only to newsletter subscribers!

 

If you want to catch all the goodies above (the desktop wallpaper is seriously adorable), you can sign up through the link below. The newsletter will go out later this afternoon! xo, grace

Subscribe to our newsletter

books by Maxwell Tielman 293

Dinner Party: Little Paris Kitchen & Cookbook Giveaway


Late February marks the time of year when winter’s charms begin to wear out. Sweaters and scarves, once donned excitedly, are now put on begrudgingly. Snow, which once seemed magical as it fell to the ground, is now just an unwelcome reminder that cold days still lie ahead. While one might prefer to simply hibernate until spring arrives, there are things one can do to shake up the midwinter doldrums. You can, for instance, go winter camping! Or, if going out isn’t your thing, take the excitement indoors with a dinner party! Dinner parties are excellent cold-weather diversions — they bring your favorite people together in an intimate setting full of warmth, laughter and that winter-weather essential: libations!


To celebrate the simple act of dining with friends, we’re launching a new feature today. We’re calling it Dinner Party, and it will showcase a few delicious recipes from a brand new cookbook as well as beautiful tableware from a favorite shop or designer. To kick off the series, we chose Rachel Khoo’s charming guide to modern French cooking, The Little Paris Kitchen. Newly released in America, this delightful little volume contains dozens of recipes that taste just as good as they look. To complement the pared down beauty of Khoo’s book, we decorated our table with a few super easy DIYs, a lovely printable menu and pieces from one of our favorite new stores: West Elm Market!

Hopefully, these recipes and table-setting tips will inspire your own Parisian dinner parties and give you the push you need to get through the worst of winter. But — if that’s not enough — we’re also giving away two copies of The Little Paris Kitchen to two lucky readers! To enter to win one of these fabulous cookbooks, simply leave a comment on this post telling us your ideal dinner party for a cold winter day. We’ll choose our favorites! — Max

To see all the recipes, DIYs and photos, continue reading after the jump . . .

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