CultureJunkie

Andover

I took a drive up to the old homestead in Andover today, after being away for the better part of 15 years. What a trip down memory lane!

The old neighborhood looks mostly the same, save for a few McMansions that have replaced some original homes.

Of course Philips Academy is still there, with its carefully manicured grounds, as is The Andover Inn (closed for major renovation) and The Andover Shop. I was also pleased to see that the venerable Lantern Brunch was still bustling with diners.

But gone are the days of Dolan's Seafood and the Purple Door. There's a new generation of store fronts in and around Main Street, a few of which rival the tony boutiques in Boston's North End and Beacon Hill. Among the highlights:

Izzy's Emporium. The BEST part of the day! Izzy's has a treasure trove of new and vintage clothing, accessories, and outerwear - all beautifully displayed in a whimsical space covered with ornate wallpaper and chandeliers. There is also a wall dedicated to designer denim - all overstock and marked down 40% from what you'd pay in department stores. And the Izzy's staff - very personable and fun -  will assist in finding the perfect fit for you, with alterations available on site. Be sure to check out the vintage section, full of Izzy's ReBorn creations - old world finds that have been lovingly updated with gorgeous new linings and buttons (think gray flannel jacket with tourquoise satin lining and silver & blue buttons). 

Dress Code and First Date. These two boutiques have gotten a fair amount of attention in the Boston press, which is what sparked my return to Andover in the first place. They both carry a variety of designer women's clothes and accessories...with price tags that are a bit lower than the Boston shops.

The housewares store whose name escapes me (!). There is a great shop across the street from Ultimate Perk (a cute coffee shop) on Main Street. I've tried to find its name online, but to no avail. I even called Ultimate Perk to ask them, but no one picked up. Ah well, you'll have to find it on your own. It's chock full of furniture, dishes, and other home decor, as well as some jewelry and Vera Bradley bags. Make sure to check out the adorable aprons, too.

There are a few other spots - the old Andover Bookstore, Beauty and Main, Chic Consignment Closet, and some others worth checking out. All in all, a nice place to stroll on a warm Saturday morning.

Round House - Take Two

Remember the Round House in Somerville, MA?

Well, check this out:

The Round House at 122 Olmstead Road in Wilton, CT, is walled in glass and floats 12 feet above ground, rotating 360 degrees to provide panoramic views of the 40 acres of conservation land surrounding it.

Take a quick tour:

The house was designed by Richard T. Foster, a renowned architect who collaborated with Philip Johnson on the famous Glass House.

It's listed by Christie's for $2,295,000.

R.I.P., Domino

I was saddened to receive this postcard in the mail last week:

Domino was my favorite shopping & home decor magazine; I read it religiously and was a big fan of its Inspirations column, where they found ideas for room decor based on a painting or favorite outfit.

I guess I missed the news of its demise which broke back in January; not surprisingly, the magazine's ad sales plummeted on the heels of the housing market crash and subsequent economic downturn.

Visits to http://www.dominomag.com now redirect to Architectural Digest, billed as a "home to inspiring photography, helpful design resources, tips and interviews with top architects and designers," and decidedly more high-brow than my beloved Domino. As Cassandra LaValle of the home decor blog Coco+Kelley noted in the Times article, “What Domino did that none of the other higher-end magazines did was to make décor more accessible.” 

Mediabistro reported earlier this week that staffers of the now defunct publication organized a tag sale in Greenwich Village to sell leftover props and shwag that had accumulated in their storerooms and closets.

While I look forward to my new issue of Glamour, it just won't be the same.

Ballpoint Lamp

This hand-made table lamp by emPieza studio has a "shade" comprised of dangling pens, which you can use and replace as needed.

It comes in different colors and there's a hanging version, too!

[via ShinyShiny]

Olivia Browning

I was so excited to see this the other day!

It's the signage for the new Olivia Browning shop that's slated to open on the corner of Warren and Chelsea Streets in Charlestown's City Square.

Scheduled to open next month, the shop joins Edibles by Evers and The Joy of Old in Charlestown's growing retail/gifts category (hooray!).

Olivia Browning will sell all sorts of housewares, clothing and gifts, including bath & body, babies & children, Charlestown goods, kitchenware, jewelry & handbags, and pet accessories. They also will do your event planning!

They also have special in-store events planned, from a Men's Shopping NIght (to help the guys with their holiday shopping), to Gourmet Nights (with local restaurateurs on hand to discuss food), and historical lectures on Charlestown.

Cheers to Charlestown resident Abby Gray who's actually living my pipedream: after 20 years in marketing, she decided to make a career change and open this gift shop in the neighborhood. I wish her and her husband/business partner Richard, much success.

Boston Design Center Dream Home

Head on over to the sixth floor of the Boston Design Center before July 31st to get a peek at this year's Dream Home - a collection of rooms outfitted by nine local designers.

It's a quick tour (only 9 rooms) but a good excuse to get into a space that's normally only open to the trade*, and drool over some over-the-top home furnishings.

While the physical installation itself could've been more interactive (it was billed as the "ultimate" domicile, so I expected more technology integration...but this is, after all, brought to you by the design center), there's a good companion Web site that features detailed information on the rooms, designers, and products (including pricing and where to by).

*Consumers can get access to the products available in BDC's 87 showrooms via the Plush membership program ($275/year).

Blue Walls of Jodhpur

I came across this stunning photo in the October issue of National Geographic magazine (click to enlarge):
Taken by Belgian photographer Jean-Pierre Zwaenepoel, the caption reads: "The blue walls of Jodhpur (India) traditionally marked homes occupied by high-cast Brahmans. The rooftop langurs, believed by Hindus to be avatars of the monkey god Hanuman, freely roam the city." [links my own]

Each month, National Geographic publishes breathtaking photos like this one in its Visions of Earth series. Well worth a look.

Hand Soap

A girlfriend and I were talking about hand soap the other day, when browsing in a home decor shop that had a lovely array to choose from: blue robin's eggs in a twig nest, white seashells in a glass dish, tiny pumpkins for Fall.

They are always so delicate and cute, and they sit proudly on display in the guest bathroom but usually just collect dust because no one wants to ruin them (instead opting for the liquid dispenser).

And then there are these:

Hand-made, hand shaped, Hand Soap.

I don't know that guests will be any more willing to lather up with these babies, but they certainly are a conversation piece.

Narcotecture

I learned a new word today: narcotecture.

It is used to describe the ornate mansions being built by Afghani businessmen who've made a fortune selling heroin.

Apparently, Afghanistan is the leading supplier of opium (heroin) in the world and the drug trade makes up one third of the Afghan economy. Far from the Taliban war that grabs headlines is a city called Herat that is quickly becoming the rich man's residence of choice. While not all of the city's economy is based on opium, construction has proven to be a good way to "invest" money born from drugs and guns, and thus the building trade is booming.

Monocle has the full story and accompanying slideshow.

USB Doorbell

This is great - the USB Doorbell allows you to replace your standard bell tone with the MP3 of your choice - be it music, audio clips, movie quotes, or other sound effect.

Simply download any 30 second (or less) MP3 or .wav file from your computer via the USB cable, and then attach the device to your existing doorbell wiring. [via Shiny Shiny]