CALIFORNIA NIGHTS

ahh california nights...no, i am not talking about spending lazy nights in monterey by the beach. california nights is a monthly neighborhood gathering of beautiful, fun people and a fabulous vintage crawl which starts from augusta and ends around division. all the people buzzing around seem to know each other but if you are not from the neighborhood and love vintage furniture, old books, clothes and colorful pop up shops, good tunes and sipping wine, you will fit right in. starting off you pay $5 for a "cup" of wine which bears the california nights logo which will be your ticket to get a refill for beer or wine at all the stores you stop by.

we started the evening at the arborist, with its gorgeous vintage finds including a bench which would be perfect for the foot of my bed if my bedroom was 5' longer. Sigh. I still visit the page to see if it is gone. and it is still there. calling my name. the price was so good. i wake up in cold sweat in the middle of night thinking of that price and that bench. maybe i should buy a storage space just so i dont have to let these dreamy vintage deals pass me by. sigh- moving on, i bought a gorgeous black & white mask there and enjoyed some tunes and talked to a few lovely people. outside, there was a small group of budding stars playing the violin. their ages ranged from 4-10 year old. what a treat. next door was the fun shop vintage quest, which is named just right! it's like you walked in to someone's great aunt martha who just happened to be a hoarder. we spent a good amount of time looking through old records , old black and white photos, a collections of shot glasses from michigan state, old lock boxes from US mail, old books, and a vast intriguing collection of sorts that could keep you busy for a few hours. nirvana playing on the record player, i tried on a few hats and went on to the counter to play for the records. the owner is one sweet guy who made everyone roll a couple of dice to figure what the discount would be. ours was 11%. score. what a fun place!

after stopping at other shops, our last stop was humbolt house. an eclectic vintage store filled with a bohemian and mid century vibe. i always love stopping by here. after drooling all over the assortment of kilims they have covering the space i spent a good half an hour checking out their new inventory which changes almost everyday. the collections vary in era but beauty and functionality is guaranteed with anything you see. the place is filled with beautiful textiles, modernist art, vintage housewares, my favorite was the wall mounted nutone stereo. i want me some!

participants include humboldt house, vintage quest, meadowlark, space oddities chicago, peanut gallery & the arborist along with several pop-up shops filled with vintage and boheme goodies. every 3rd saturday from 5-9pm between Augusta and Division on California Ave.

See you there!

xo
HM

TEA LOVE

i am a tea lover, that is no surprise. but lately i have been drawn to earl grey and on reading/learning more about this particular tea, i discovered earl grey doesn't just have a unique taste, it also has a very wide range of health benefits. therefore, i was compelled to share my love with you all. the key ingredient to earl grey which gives it it's taste and benefits is bergamot. it belongs to the mint family and the rind of the fruit is used to extract the essential oils which are used for so many purposes.

pearly whites

now this one surprised me the most. i always thought/heard that tea, like coffee stains teeth. but i guess i can be wrong sometimes. i can almost feel saad rolling his eyes on this one. tea contains very high levels of catechins, a type of disease and infection fighting flavonoid and antioxidant, which adds to tea's health benefits. earl grey also contains fluoride in addition to tap water which is an additional cavity fighter. here's a tip: the longer you steep the tea, the more flavonoids you'll get in your brew. i personally find over steeped tea bitter but you get the picture.

digestion

earl grey (like most teas) improves digestion. what it does not do is erase signs of over loading on carbs, sodium and sugar. it is no miracle worker.  but it does aid in the digesting process and helps relieve painful indigestion, nausea and colic.

that darned cholesterol

earl grey tea contains bergamot extract which helps in reducing cholesterol and ldl levels while elevating the hdl (good cholesterol) level by 20%. over the centuries it has been used as protection for the heart and as an antiseptic for cuts and wounds. it also comes in a tablet form known as bergamet, which is mainly used to reduce bloody sugar levels when taken before a meal

stress and energy

the alpha pinene and limonene in bergamot are known for its anti-depressant properties. some studies show that the effect of the bergamot oil when it comes to depression, anxiety and stress is as good as the pharmaceutical drug diaphezam. Bergamot oil has also been used to naturally cure postpartum blues.

a study published in the journal Psychopharmacology by UCL, found that people who drank black tea were able to recover from a stressful events faster than people who drank a placebo tea. "in the study, 75 young male regular tea drinkers were split into two groups and monitored for six weeks. they all gave up their normal tea, coffee and caffeinated beverages, then one group was given a fruit-flavoured caffeinated tea mixture made up of the constituents of an average cup of black tea. the other group – the control group – was given a caffeinated placebo identical in taste, but devoid of the active tea ingredients. all drinks were tea-coloured, but were designed to mask some of the normal sensory cues associated with tea drinking (such as smell, taste and familiarity of the brew), to eliminate confounding factors such as the ‘comforting’ effect of drinking a cup of tea. both groups were subjected to challenging tasks, while their cortisol, blood pressure, blood platelet and self-rated levels of stress were measured. in one task, volunteers were exposed to one of three stressful situations (threat of unemployment, a shop lifting accusation or an incident in a nursing home), where they had to prepare a verbal response and argue their case in front of a camera. the tasks triggered substantial increases in blood pressure, heart rate and subjective stress ratings in both of the groups. In other words, similar stress levels were induced in both groups. however, 50 minutes after the task, cortisol levels had dropped by an average of 47 per cent in the tea drinking group compared with 27 per cent in the fake tea group." more here.

weight loss

i am not surprised to find weight loss as part of the benefits of this tea. the citrus extract is generally thought to help in weight loss along with a healthy diet and exercise (of coarse). add more lemon people. it is said to break down calories into food for your muscles and excess is released through your natural system.

 heart disease 

UCL researchers also found that blood platelet activation – linked to blood clotting and the risk of heart attacks – was lower in the tea drinkers, and that the group trying out this theory reported a greater degree of relaxation in the recovery period after the task. dear people, this is good news. I am not saying this alone can be the cure for heart disease. rather, it is the smallest of drops of hope in the sea of heart prevention "techniques". along with a healthy (plant) based diet, exercise and de-stressing. Preventative Medicine published a study in 2012 which found that people who drank three cups of black tea daily dramatically lowered their blood triglyceride levels by 36 percent and increased the ‘good cholesterol’ HDL by 20 percent after three months. The participants also had increased levels of antioxidants, which fight against free radicals that damage your cells. if that wasnt enough, it also decreased fasting blood sugar levels by 18 percent. it also helps keep arteries open in people with elevated cholesterol, and a daily habit of about 5 cups per day may improve the function of blood vessel walls, allowing for improved dilation and blood flow.

now i will go and make me-self a lovely cup of earl grey and enjoy it with my imaginary dog pet.
drink on!

have a great rest of the week!

xo
HM

SERVE IT RIGHT

this gorgeous bolling table, designed by hans bolling in 1963 became an icon for modernist danish design. i see myself lounging by it with my book and an ice cold dry cucumber soda. it is my favorite summer drink. you can maybe sip on an iced tea with lemon or maybe a cold cold beer and some spicy wasabi snacks. so id be sipping my soda, reading my book and stroking my new dog on a perfect summer day. just so you know, the dog only exists in my mind as of now. but i look forward to the snuggles at some point soon. i digress. this table is confident and smart and will be a perfect companion to any kind of chair or sofa. the tray can be used on its own as well and is sold separately by the company. it is reversible and can be flipped to add color and contrast with tons of personality and the frame can be folded flat and stored away without use of any tools. not that anyone would ever want to put away this beauty. what a practical and charming addition to my make believe shopping list.

brdr. krüger is a danish family-run company which was started when two brothers theodor and ferdinand krüger established a wood turning shop in Copenhagen in 1886. ‘brdr.’ is an abbreviation of ‘brødrene’ which is Danish for brothers. Five generations and over 125 years later, the business continues to flourish, working in partnership with architects and designers to craft pieces that continue to amaze. Buy this and more here

drool on y'all!

xo

HM

FOR THE LOVE OF JUHL

danish interior + industrial designer and architect finn juhl, (1912-1989) is popularly known as one of the founders of "modern danish design" and is accredited to introducing danish modern to america. oh juhl, thank you.

juhl attended the royal danish academy of fine arts just a few years before arne jacobsen. even though his major concentration was architecture, it is furniture design that gave his career definition. his woodwork is noted for its craftsmanship and finesse and his designs rejected the excess of the more traditional, ornate approach of many of his predecessors. the flowing organic shapes of his designs accentuate his ode to pure material and organic form. Having started out as a collaborator with cabinet maker Niels Voder in 1937, Juhl was noticed by Edgar Kaufman, who was then head of the industrial design department at the merchandise mart in new york. kaufman featured juhl's work in a very detailed article in interiors magazine and this introduction along with juhl's participation in numerous gild exhibitions put juhl's design brilliance on the map in america.

juhl's design favored fluid, organic shapes and his love of cubist and surrealist art showed in his selection of color and shape along with his interest in tribal art and primitive weaponry. the former inspired the design for the beautiful chieftain chair, (seen below), which was created for the 1949 cabinetmakers' guild in copenhagen. "The Chieftains Chair is in itself a space filled with symbols inspired by weaponry and customs from foreign shores. Made by the very best craftsmen in teak and walnut, this chair now exudes extreme grandeur. It is upholstered in leather". See more at: finnjuhl

The Chieftains Chair is in itself a space filled with symbols inspired by weaponry and customs from foreign shores. Made by the very best craftsmen in teak and walnut, this chair now exudes extreme grandeur. It is upholstered in leather. - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/chientains-chair-tray-table/#sthash.SUH4zRie.dpuf

he was a pioneer of juxtaposing color as an active element in all his designs for textile, furniture and space. His use of color can be seen in one of my favorite pieces- the finn juhl sideboard (seen below), which was designed in 1955. he drew inspiration from the cubist movement and goethe's color wheel. the finn juhl credenza has simple geometric shapes and interlocking planes. The sliding doors and six trays are finished in varying shades of blue with a base of very delicate hand burnished steel frame on round wood feet. the impact is utter fluid cohesion!

here are some more of my favorite fj pieces: baker sofa, model 137 japanese chair, egyptian chair with silver table.

Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk”.
The Sideboard with coloured sliding doors and trays was designed by Finn Juhl for BOVIRKE in 1955. It is part of a theme with cubist wood cabinets that float on delicate steel frames with wood “feet” and in particular the colours which Finn Juhl arranged throughout the 1950s and 60s. The colour elements reflected his fascination with Goethe’s famous colour circle, which placed the colours in a harmonious cohesion. Finn Juhl’s own house at Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen is a bright example of his use of colours.
- See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

The Sideboard with coloured sliding doors and trays was designed by Finn Juhl for BOVIRKE in 1955. It is part of a theme with cubist wood cabinets that float on delicate steel frames with wood “feet” and in particular the colours which Finn Juhl arranged throughout the 1950s and 60s. The colour elements reflected his fascination with Goethe’s famous colour circle, which placed the colours in a harmonious cohesion. Finn Juhl’s own house at Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen is a bright example of his use of colours. - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk”.
The Sideboard with coloured sliding doors and trays was designed by Finn Juhl for BOVIRKE in 1955. It is part of a theme with cubist wood cabinets that float on delicate steel frames with wood “feet” and in particular the colours which Finn Juhl arranged throughout the 1950s and 60s. The colour elements reflected his fascination with Goethe’s famous colour circle, which placed the colours in a harmonious cohesion. Finn Juhl’s own house at Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen is a bright example of his use of colours.
- See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk”.
The Sideboard with coloured sliding doors and trays was designed by Finn Juhl for BOVIRKE in 1955. It is part of a theme with cubist wood cabinets that float on delicate steel frames with wood “feet” and in particular the colours which Finn Juhl arranged throughout the 1950s and 60s. The colour elements reflected his fascination with Goethe’s famous colour circle, which placed the colours in a harmonious cohesion. Finn Juhl’s own house at Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen is a bright example of his use of colours.
- See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf  

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk”.
The Sideboard with coloured sliding doors and trays was designed by Finn Juhl for BOVIRKE in 1955. It is part of a theme with cubist wood cabinets that float on delicate steel frames with wood “feet” and in particular the colours which Finn Juhl arranged throughout the 1950s and 60s. The colour elements reflected his fascination with Goethe’s famous colour circle, which placed the colours in a harmonious cohesion. Finn Juhl’s own house at Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen is a bright example of his use of colours.
- See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk” - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Ivan Hansen and Hans Henrik Sørensen of Denmark’s Onecollection brought the fully licensed work of Finn Juhl back into production in 2010. and i with millions of other fans will be eternally grateful to this duo for their service to mankind. all furniture in production can be bought through onecollection or other selected retailers.

i hope you enjoy the marvels mr.juhl left us while i try to figure out schemes of owning one of these beauties some day.

have a great week!

xo
HM

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk”. - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. Finn Juhl was a pioneer with regards to including colour as an active element in space, furniture and textiles. This he did with a rare confidence so that his arrangements appear with great sensuality as a coherent whole – “Gesamtkunstwerk”.
The Sideboard with coloured sliding doors and trays was designed by Finn Juhl for BOVIRKE in 1955. It is part of a theme with cubist wood cabinets that float on delicate steel frames with wood “feet” and in particular the colours which Finn Juhl arranged throughout the 1950s and 60s. The colour elements reflected his fascination with Goethe’s famous colour circle, which placed the colours in a harmonious cohesion. Finn Juhl’s own house at Ordrupgaard in Copenhagen is a bright example of his use of colours.
- See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpufThe license for his pieces now belongs exclusively to the Danish company Hansen & Sorensen.

Finn Juhl was preoccupied with shapes and colours during all of his life because of his great interest in cubist and surrealistic art. - See more at: http://www.finnjuhl.com/products/sideboard/#sthash.Pw6l0XU0.dpuf

THE SCIENCE OF ART

for anyone living in seattle, here is a little treat you can go see at the seattle aquarium. the exhibition runs though spring 2014 so there is still a chance to catch it! a perfect marriage of art and science, the exhibit is named "cleared:the art of science". it uses various species of marine life as the subject which are specially treated to make their skeletal tissues show through the flesh and skin in beautiful , saturated tones of blue, green, magenta and teals. it contains 14 large format prints of photographs, all taken by university of washington professor adam summers. all photographs are accompanied by poems written by sierra nelson. the fish you see in the collection were all either by-catch from fishery operations, incidental mortality during scientific collection, or as part of a study on the developmental trajectory of the fish skeleton. the selection of the fish takes into consideration their bone cartilage relationship and data richness which are responsible for the aesthetic appeal  and  composition  created when the subjects are stained and photographed.

picturing science describes the process "the fish depicted here have been specially treated to make the stained skeletal tissues visible through the skin and flesh.  the technique uses two vital dyes – alcian blue to stain cartilaginous elements a deep blue and alizarin red to turn mineralized tissue crimson.The specimen is then lightly bleached with hydrogen peroxide to remove dark pigments, leaving a snow-white fish. flesh is dissolved with trypsin, a digestive enzyme found in your intestine. trypsin attacks most proteins but does not harm collagen, the principle fibrous material that holds the skeleton and skin together. in order to make the skin and remaining connective tissue invisible the entire specimen is immersed in glycerin. the index of refraction of collagen is very similar to that of glycerin, so the flesh seems to disappear.

 if you return the specimen to water the collagen will turn white again and the skeleton will be hidden.this technique is only effective on specimens that are less than about 1cm in thickness, and takes much longer for thick specimens than thin. a small fish might take 3 days to process while a larger animal could take several months. images are made while the fish is in glycerin on a light table with flash fill lighting. the total length of most specimens is around 25mm, though the largest is 170mm across, so a macro lens on a Canon digital slr is used to capture the image. the photograph is printed in archival inks on an aluminum plate in a limited edition of five."

apart from visiting the exhibition you can buy these beautiful, intricate images in several forms. they are available as high quality greeting cards, a calendar or as a limited edition print. picturing science

what do you think? aren't they just dreamy?!
see cleared being displayed in it's full glory at the seattle aquarium this weekend. enjoy ! 

xo
HM

HELLO, I'M HENA

hello lovelies! i am still here, still learning the ropes- one step at a time. just thought to share some  secrets about me. no, i don't think i am the most fascinating person in the world, but if i share my secrets, i think you might share yours! so here goes!

i am a design graduate from harrington college of design and currently working in the exciting and inspiring Chicago Interior design industry. I have a secret love affair with vintage markets and flea bazaars. I like to cook mostly vegetarian or pescatarian food and obsess over natural remedies for every ailment known to mankind. my favorite number is 8 (don't ask why). i grew up in lahore, pakistan and have lived in london, uk until I made my home here in chicago with my partner in crime, saad. i have a very special bond with the city of new orleans and it's dwellers and secretly have a suitcase packed and ready to visit whenever possible, which happens every year in december. hiking, biking, kayaking, early morning runs, lazy winter evenings reading, photography, street festivals, off the beaten path travels, be-boing contests, vintage markets, drum circles, chicago bulls, ethiopian/korean/himalayan/vietnamese and somali food are some of the joys of my life.

through this blog i hope to share all that is dear to me; some of my own photography, travel tales, design and recipes along with work and inspiration from this sea of talent all around.

now tell me about you.
have a great week!

xo
HM

IT'S ABOUT TIME!

so, after months of procrastinating i am finally pulling the gun and starting my very own blog. this year has flown by and i just realized it is may and my new year resolution to finally start a design/lifestyle blog is still on the "to do list" for the new year. right there with "lose 15 pounds" and "start yoga". so here I go, diving into this sea of awe-inspiring world of the blog-sphere. there. done. this was not too hard and i suddenly feel totally unstoppable!!

a little about me:

i am a design graduate and working in this exciting and inspiring Chicago Interior design industry. I have a secret love affair with vintage markets and flea bazaars. I like to cook mostly vegetarian or pescatarian food and obsess over natural remedies for every ailment known to mankind. my favorite number is 8 (don't ask why). i grew up in lahore, pakistan and have lived in london, uk until I made my home here in chicago with my partner in crime, saad. i have a very special bond with the city of new orleans and secretly have a suitcase packed and ready to visit whenever possible, which happens every year in december. hiking, biking, early morning runs, lazy winter evenings reading, photography, street festivals, off the beaten path travels, vintage markets, drum circles, chicago bulls, ethiopian/korean/himalayan/vietnamese and somali food are some of the joys of my life.


i have learned a great many things from saad and one of those is making lists. well, okay- so i am not as good at it as he is. even though my lists are not as detailed, they do keep me in check. so for my very first post, here is a list of some of the things i will be sharing with you.

1. all things related to design, architecture, artists and their art, craftsmanship,  home, design, home, design, home, and design. (no, this is not a typo)

2. all recipes vegetarian/pescatarian and healthy that i might cook or find or see or hear off. along with  natural "fixes" for everyday bubus.
3. all things Chicago, the never ending supply of energy and inspiration it supplies-even on a very very very cold day. (no i am not high and yes i do find love in the heaps of snow we get each year), the street and music festivals, jazz bands, divey music bars, exhibits, new shops, old shops and the ever evolving chicago food scene.
4. sharing the love of small moments. the quiet moments where you look away for a second and upon looking back you realize how lucky you are to be present at that very spot, at that very specific moment. this happened to me yesterday and it is pure bliss.
5. the joy of road trips and getting lost in america's hidden cities and towns.

6. "trying" to be a more conscious earth dweller. maybe it is because i am married to a guy who is in the business of renewable energy and supplies me with ample scares of where we, as a planet are heading, or maybe i am a person who has eyes and ears and a brain that has told me about how this planet needs us now more than any time before. so lets make this our number 1 (or two) priority so we can leave some oxygen and those leafy things called trees and that lovely thing called marine life for our future generations. no, i am not trying to be sarcastic. let's make our carbon foot print smaller. please.

7. trekking and hiking and panting all the way up to high high mountain peaks and the joys it brings (even though i am known to be unpleasant during those climbs, yes i might have cussed a couple of times in our last trip up the great machu pichu and 4 days is along time to hear me complain. kudus to saad. (I hadn't showered for 4 days and was missing the joys of modern day plumbing just a tiny bit. you get the picture) but i speak the truth when i say this. it is a joy like no other.

all this and hopefully so much more- basically, the rantings of an average lifeaholic. i hope to be posting tons of pictures of pretty spaces, pretty people and pretty things-with that a whole lot of unsolicited advice. hey, its my blog, so what can you do!

 

  

these pictures are a few from my chiberia 2014 collection.

 so here is to a journey of inspiration, fascination and some amazing discoveries made along the way.

 have a fabulous week! 

 xo
 hm