Homework for a friend…

My friend Kate/Cool Face Kate/Grad School Kate has a thing for secrets (and asking for favors)! Check out what I’m talking about on her blog, Mi Piace Kate.

Chicago architecture

Wilco

Modern

Bean

River

Chicago continues to impress. It’s been four years since I left Chicago and every time I go home I am comforted by it’s familiarity and excited about its newness. Take a boat tour, walk around or just look out the window and you won’t be disappointed. Promise.*

*Some other new places I didn’t get good pictures of, but you should check out:
The Spertus Institute
The Aqua
Trump International

Morning coffee

For years, I didn’t make coffee at home before heading to the office during the work week. I would always rush out the door and have my morning coffee while reading my emails. It’s not that I don’t make coffee— in fact, I seem to have collected a number of coffee brewing devices over the years: a Cuisinart 10-cup drip coffee maker, a Bodum 8-cup french press, a Bialetti Moka Express 6-cup and 3-cup (I have yet to get a Francis Francis expresso machine!).

But lately it seems I need a little kick start to my morning prep. Using my drip coffee maker seems like such a waste to use everyday, so I thought I had found the perfect coffee maker with my mini Moka Express, a simple shot of expresso to gulp down in a flash. But in my opinion, expresso is way better in the afternoon or after dinner. So now I’m really into french roast and my french press, even though my press is too big for one. To make two cups in an 8 cup press is silly, there just isn’t enough to press!

LONG story short, I started hunting this morning for a baby french press and was all smiles when I found that Bodum has released new products in fun colors for 09. I’ve already ordered the new Brazil 3-cup French press in green! Get yours here.

(Photo from Bodum 2009 Catalogue)

Charley Harper Love

I’m a big fan of Charley Harper, an artist from Cincinnati, famous for his animal illustrations. I still regret having lost an old Louisville Zoo poster that I had in my loft space in Chicago (sorry, Z) back in the day.

Thanks to Todd Oldham and his book that was published a couple of years ago, Harper has been become increasingly popular. You can see Harper’s illustrations now in note cards, children’s books and even shoes! The latest— lovely accessories by Celine Women’s:

(Photo from Bloomingdales.com)

New and improved.

Yay! Happy Fourth of July! In celebration of our country’s independence, I’ve finally pushed itterog.com live. Goodbye Typepad, hello Text Pattern! (Thanks, AJM for your assistance.) Some may recognize my new masthead (typeset in Memoriam) and think it’s time I used a different
font— but since my latest attempt to use Memoriam for a client FAILED, I’ve decided that it’s
mine now.