SUMMER FAVORITES

So, yes... I was too lazy to do a July and August favorites, so let's just make a Summer post instead!

I know that Summer is all about going outdoors, suntanning and so on... But since I have been spending mine studying for a really important test, most of the things I have been enjoying during it are nerdy - internet related stuff...

#1 After spending around 8 hours a day reading super boring notes, I am not really into novels lately, so I am reading a lot of comedy - easy going books. My two favorites so far are, no doubt, Jeffery Self's Straight People and Mindy Kaling's Is everyone hanging out without me?. 

The first one, as its cover reckons, is "a Spotter's Guide to the Fascinating World of Heterosexuals" and it is simply HILARIOUS! It is full of some of my favorite stereotypes about my own specie, and definitely worth reading if you wanna have a good laugh!

I loved Mindy's book on the other hand because I relate to her on way too many things! I love all her first world problems, and I don't get one night stands either... (You could totally get murdered!!).

#2 Something that has totally made my Summer has been Tyler's Oakley's Special Auguest. I think I've already mentioned him like a thousand times on this blog, but he deserves it for being my favorite youtuber ever! This August he decided to do a collab video every week day and it was just the best thing to watch after a long study day. I am more than grateful to him for that. (The last one is simply to die for, go watch it!!)

Let's continue with YouTube on #3! Andrew Jenks, an award-winning american film maker, has made an amazing web series called It's About A Girl. I love it, not only for being NY-based, it's photography, the music, the characters... everything is just perfect! And let's also mention the fact that he is not only talented but also kind of cute... 

#4 has kept me company during my end-of-the-day walks! As I mentioned on June's Favorite, I have recently discovered Podcasts, and it has completely change my life. You may know Jake&Amir from College Humor (yep... another YouTube channel) but their Podcast, If I Were You, is my favorite work from them. It is an advice show, where people email them their life dilemmas and they try to give them advice, always with humor, irony and some personal stories and experiences. They may make some fun of you, but you know... it's for everyone else's good and entertainment, so that just makes it ok! I just love the way this two very different good mates interact! 

On #5 to get away from internet stuff, briefly, I want to talk about something remarkable that happened over the Summer: Ashton Kutcher's acceptance speech, when he won the Ultimate Choice Award at the Teen Choice Awards. The whole thing was just perfect and he gave the best advice ever, saying things like:

 "The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart, and being thoughtful, and being generous. Everything else is crap, I promise you."

Do not hesitate in listening to the full speech here! So worth it!

Back on my beloved internet world, I want to finish on #6 with Jack and Finn Harries' (a.k.a. Jack's Gap) new website. They are not only very talented YouTubers, they are also cute, adorable, stylish, funny, british, twins,... And I guess I should stop since I'm like ten years older than them, and this is starting to get a bit weird ;)I really love their web since it's a summary of what's been going on on the internet lately! And in case you haven't realized yet, I am all about the internet. They bring us cool stuff related to many different topics, from youtube itself, to music, travel, tech... If you want to know what's going on, but you are lazy or just don't like spending hours online checking things out (...seriously, what is wrong with you?), this is the perfect site for you! You may also be lucky and spot the twins themselves every now and then (Upss... I said I was gonna stop!)So this post turned out to be way "geeker" that I would have wished, but I guess that only means I had a pretty geek Summer! I must also clarify that I did not only enjoy my Mac Book's company... There were also some friends around, beer, sun, and of course, study.                                                      See you on the next favorites! 

NEW YORK MEMORIES

                                                 < Instagram >Exactly a year from now, I had one of the saddest days of my life... I left New York after the greatest eight months ever, and that was definitely a hard thing to do. During this past year (despite sounding nuts) I must admit there hasn't been a day I haven't thought about my loved city. And on my first months back, it was even hard to watch some of my favorite NY based shows and movies, specially Girls since they walk the same Brooklyn streets I used to walk constantly! So I thought it is always a good time to remember New York and share some more pictures from my short adventure there. 

How awesome does this city look on pictures? Seriously? I just can´t...!!

ORIGRAMI - Instagram Prints

On my last post I mentioned this cool website I'd discovered to order Instagram prints: Origrami. I immediately ordered some and was super excited to receive them! They got here perfectly on time from Sidney and I couldn't be happier with the result! Every little detail is taken care of, and the quality of the whole thing is amazing!

The little cardboard box the prints come in is already super cute. I am one of this obsessed-with-nice-packing people, and I must admit that it was easy to fell for Origrami from the beginning. 

...and what can I say about the little Thank You note? Maybe just replying: Thank YOU!

I ordered the 36 polaroid-style prints on 4"x5" matte cards pack. They have multiple design themes for the back, including photo map when location is included. Date and number of likes is also noted on top.

They offer free shipping worldwide, which is definitely an opportunity not to miss!

* * *

I honestly love - and kind of admire - these new companies that are smart enough to take advantage of current trends and people obsessions (come on, don´t tell me I am the only one here who is crazy about Instagram? Hum?); offering such detailed and neat products.

Well done Jeff&Betsy, here is a well deserved shout-out for you guys!

JUNE FAVORITES

I keep forgetting cool things I discover... I always think I should start a movie or book journal where I list all the good ones I've watched/read, but then I never do it! So in the meantime I decided I'm gonna start summarizing here every Month's favorite stuff.

#1 I go to the movies a lot, at least once a week, and the problem with that is that I'm never objective about a movie... It's hard for me to give an opinion because I enjoy watching everything. In June, I really enjoyed Populaire and Stuck in Love. The first one is really nice and easy to watch (late 50s fashion, loved it!), it is the story of a secretary whose boss helps her become a speed typing champion. I also really like Romain Duris since I saw him on Heart Breaker. And the second one is a comedy-drama type of thing about a family of writers and his love dilemmas with each other and others. It was nice to see Logan Lerman again, and definitely Greg Kinnear, he is so good!

I can now do a double #2, since this two favorites are part of the same discovery. I've had a new addiction for quite some months now: YouTube!! Vlogs, channels, youtubers... There's a whole world out there, and you can't imagine how catching it can be. 

So through my ultimate youtuber, Tyler Oakley, I knew about John Green and his brother Hank. They have a common channel called VlogBrothers where they talk a little bit about everything and try to "raise nerdy to the power of awesome". 

John is a successful writer and following Tyler's recommendation I decided to make his book The fault in our stars the first one of my summer readings. It tells the story about Hazel, a sixteen-year-old cancer patient, who falls in love with Augustus, a boy from her support group. Despite having cancer as a guiding force, the book is anything but sad... It is fun, hopeful, clever and has great mentions (it even made me think about what happened to Holden Caulfield's sister, Phoebe? What, what, WHAT?!). They are turning it into a movie and I can´t wait.

#3 is also related with YouTube somehow... Shane Dawson, a well known youtuber, has recently started his own Podcast, "Shane and Friends", and it is hilarious! I normally listen to them while going for a walk, and I am pretty sure people around think I'm crazy since I can't stop laughing for a second. 

The whole Podcast thing is actually new for me and has definitely become something regular (do you see a pattern here...?).

I found #4 when I was looking for a good website/app to print my Instagram pictures. Origrami was the coolest one (I must also say their prices are not crazy at all and they offer free shipping worldwide!) so I ordered a bunch of them - although I haven't receive them yet and I am so excited... 

I picked the double sided prints, with Polaroid style front and photo map back (if location is included), showing date taken and number of likes. They also send you a free photo folder. Don't you find this super complete? 

Finally, my #5 favorite this month are Two-Pieces sets! I find them cute, fun, fresh... and I can´t wait to spot the perfect one and order it. 

Do you have any new favorites?

Furniture Investments

I've been obsessed with Design Furniture for a while now... And since I am back in Spain, and I have a proper space to do it (furniture design was definitely something that didn't go with any of the rooms I've had around the world...), I have been thinking that maybe it's time to invest in my first piece of furniture with those little savings of mine.

And what should I buy myself first...? No doubt: a chair! 

Here are some of my favorites, decision is not easy when there is so much cool stuff out there - and when you are not specially good with making a choice.

CH24 Wishbone Chair, by Hans Wegner. 

I love it's simplicity, its country side vibe and the different wood finished it can have (beech, oak, ash, walnut or cherry).

CH24 Wishbone Chair Limited Edition, by Hans Wegner. 

This limited edition from the previous one is just fun! They offer a series of colors to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this Danish Design Icon. Since I am a pink girl, I am definitely tempted.

Eames Plastic Armachair, by Charles & Ray Eames.

I have to consider this classic, it's a must! I actually think it's the first chair that I even put my eye on. I love everything about it, but mostly what it represents. I think having this at home will always remember how I started to care about design and did my first Saturday afternoon adventures to the Vitra store in Madrid.

Zig Zag, by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld. 

This chair is a two-in-one! I will get a chair but I will also get an sculpture. Something to think about... I love all the finishes but I think my favorites are the natural wooden ones. 

Cherner Chair, by Norman Cherner. 

I also find this one kind of sculptural, you can see by the picture below how good it looks standing in a room on it's own. 

I guess now I have some thinking to do... Maybe a lot of thinking. 

Opinions, suggestions and so on, always welcome! 

London // Top 10

I have recently spent eight awesome, enriching - and freezing - months in London! It's hard to pick the very best, but I tried my best and here is my top 10 of this experience.

< order not relevant! that would make this much much harder... :) >

#1 The city's inspiring architecture, both old and new.

#2 Being the luckiest and finding a great apartment and the greatest flatmates! I loved our lithe English - Belgian - Spanish family!  ♥ 

#3 The few sunny days and the many ways in which we always made the most of them! And definitely seeing #4 The Book of Mormon Musical! I can easily say it's the best one I've ever seen, simply hilarious!

Discovering new favorite places, as #5 Brighton - super cool town on the south coast - and #6 Mahiki, my number one night club in London. They play the best music and who wouldn't want to visit those toilets!?

#7 The great number of visits that I had!! A big improvement from my last place of residence which was an ocean away...

#8 Weekend markets! We knew them all... Spietafields, Brick Lane, Notting Hill, Angel, Duke of York,... Best way to enjoy a cheap and delicious lunch! 

#9 Top Shop Hauls (preferably from the huge Oxford Circus store!) which always involved a full photo report to my mum directly from the fitting room. And last but not least... Being able to participate in the design of #10 The Silence Room and seeing it come true. My very first built project!

Wedding Invitations

I've already mentioned here my cousin Marta's wedding, and I even showed you a little decoration project that I did for her and her fiancé. 

I want to show you now something very important that I have had the honor to be involved in: the invitations design! 

I wanted to give them options, so I worked in different designs (some were classic and others had a modern - out of the box - approach). They were all supposed to be printed in A5, either letter or landscape orientation. We also wanted to find white envelopes with color inside (matching the chosen design), but that turn out to be a bit complicated so we ended up with a plain one, which was still fine!

Wanna guess which one they chose? And... which one would you choose?