Music Monday: Morningsiders

Some of my favorite emails are the ones I receive from you readers with your unique music suggestions. There are many great sounds and bands out there and where you hear about them is so interesting.

Sophie a student at Columbia University sent me a line the other day recommending some of her other fellow students from Columbia jamming it up called the Morningsiders, I really enjoy their sound with the strings, horns, piano, clapping, etc. What do you think? (If you want you can download this song for free from their youtube link.)

Any fresh new music on your radar lately?

Organization and HomeGoods $150 Gift Card Giveaway

Hi readers it has been a while, how are you?! I went off the grid online for a bit and took a long blogging/technology break (the longest ever in 5+ years) it was refreshing and gave me some perspective, but today I'm back to share with you some fun travel inspired kitchen container organization and a fun giveaway. Also, if you have emailed me (blackeiffel@gmail.com) in the last bit (or 2012 -- haha) please try again one of my goals for 2013 is to keep on top of email.

HomeGoods currently has a fun quiz on their website called Stylescope that can help you discover your style personality. They contacted me about it and I am honored to have Black Eiffel classified as “The Traveler Style”. Take the quick quiz, I’d love to hear what style you are!

They engaged me to put together a little project with them with a Traveler twist. While in the store perusing, I wandered into one of my favorite areas the kitchen and food section, which I really think they excel at as a store. I came across some cool and modern simple containers imported from Italy and France and since I’m kind of an organizational nut, I audibly gasped and got excited! Instantly the shot of Emerson Fry’s sweet pantry that I have long been inspired by popped into my mind.

Here is what I came up with for our space. Right now we don’t currently have a pantry in our rental, so rearranging cupboards it is! Most everything in this photo was purchased from HomeGoods except for some of the bulk food items. Although even some of the bulk items are from HomeGoods. Their gourmet and international foods section is stellar, definitely a place to look behind a few bottles and explore. Over the years I have discovered gems including specialty cooking oils and salts directly imported from France, my favorite McClure’s pickles, Ginger Ale, and gourmet vanilla bean paste at a fraction of the price. Also for you designers and packaging lovers out there it is a haven. Last visit I was delighted to come across some Louise Fili designs!

When I came across more pretty smaller Italian jars I evaluated our small powdered, dried goods and spice area. It was a bit of a mess. Tons of bulk baggies huddled together squashed up in a bin, not good people, not good. Along with those I picked up some pretty new exotic and foreign spices that I really look forward to trying out and also using the containers for the future.

HomeGoods was kind enough to provide me with a gift card to tackle this project, but now it is your turn. I have a $150 HomeGoods gift cards to share with one of you readers! To enter, leave a comment below by Tuesday, January 21st and I will randomly select a winner. What fun Stylescope inspired project do you want to tackle in your space for 2013?!

Giveaway Closed. WINNER : (randomly selected with random.org) - Erica Herold 

// photo 1 :  black lidded containers imported from Italy, white bowl from Portugal, French tea kettle.

//photo 2 : stainless steel lidded containers imported from Italy, spices with stainless lids are Victoria’s Gourmet.

Music Monday : Lia Ices

I've been playing the song Love is Won by Lia Ices on repeat. If you are a Feist and Julia Stone fan you will really enjoy it. Hope you had a nice weekend and happy Music Monday.




photo from : Lia Ices

*If you want to support the artist you by the track Love Is Won here.

Top 25 Christmas Books for 2012

Last year we started the advent style tradition of reading Christmas and winter themed books each night in the month of December. It was such a big hit for our girls (now ages 2 and 6) we are doing it again this year. I love the notion that we can mix up our selections each year with library titles and then deliberately choose to make purchases focusing upon ones that we absolutely adore.

I'm quite selective about children's book in general and when you are talking Christmas books it adds a whole new layer to my book neurosis. Classic and solid story lines, beautiful illustration/design and high marks on review meters are my general guidelines. I also like to keep it real and adaptable with our kid's ages since our girls are still pretty young.

Here is my list of favorite Christmas books for 2012:

1 Pashmina the Little Christmas Goat - We loved this book so much from last year I purchased it. The story is heartwarming and the watercolor illustrations are gorgeous!

2 Reindeer Christmas - Another selective purchase but worthy of a repeat, it is so beautifully illustrated.

3 Dream Snow - Eric Carle is sure prolific eh?

4 Uncle Vova's Tree - A Russian tale.

5 The Mitten: An Old Ukrainian Folktale - A Ukrainian folk tale

6 Babar and Father Christmas - Got to have a little Babar!

7 The Night Before Christmas - I remember my Grandma reading me this version growing up.

8 Madeline's Christmas - Madeline is a household favorite.

9 Singing Away the Dark - Julie Morstad's illustrations are fantastic, can't wait to get my hands on this.

10 A Christmas Carol (BabyLit) - This will appeal to our two year old, for sure.

11 Father Christmas Goes on Holiday - This looks quirky and fun.

12 The Clown of God - Looking forward to reading this old French legend.

13 Petunia's Christmas - I love Richard Duvoisin books.

14 The Twelve Days of Chirstmas - This vintage beauty makes a repeat.

15 The Lost Christmas Gift - I received this in the mail a few days ago and really enjoyed it.

16 The Third Gift - Got this last year and it remains on the list. A great overall story about Myrrh.

17 Santa's Favorite Story - The Story of the First Christmas through Santa's eyes.

18 The Elves and the Shoemaker - We are going to this play this year, should be fun to read too.

19 Silent Night: The Song and Its Story - A story about the beloved carol.

20 Nutcracker - Trying different versions of this until we find our favorite. This one is illustrated by Maurice Sendak, last year we did this one.

21 Christmas in the Stable : I'm excited to get my hands on this one as it is written by Astrid Lindgren!

22 How the Grinch Stole Christmas : Classic and keeper.

23 Letters From Father Christmas : Tolkien wrote this one and our book club is reading it this month, will probably read the girls only excerpts as it is on the longer side.

24 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer : A classic and look forward to seeing this vintage version.

25 The True Gift: A Christmas Story : Excited to read this one.

So what would you add to the list? What are your favorites you know, the ones that you come back to year after year?

ps. Last year's list here and here.

Torafu Architects

The colorful and minimal work of Japanese based Torafu Architects is blowing my mind today. Have a look.

A Hip Handmade Holiday

No doubt if you read craft (or even lifestyle and design) blogs chances are you are going to hear about A Hip Handmade Holiday. I am in constant awe of people creating deliberate and well-designed craft projects with a purpose like these two savvy crafting gals I know Susan and Alison.

They created this meaningful and stylish holiday gift idea guide with all the DIY instructions your little heart could fancy. It is really great, full of multiple ideas to make a beautiful unique and handmade statement for the holidays.

Cool part is that you can create gifts for people on your list for $10 or less, and the book download itself is also only $10. Learn more about it here. I may have to join the Craft Pack and get my craft on with you crafters, when you can achieve amazing results like this. Bravo ladies and gent!

Music Monday : Music for Yoga

My favorite Yoga classes are when they play modern music. There is definitely room and I also enjoy songs without words, but I am energized when doing crazy long planks and hearing bands like Yeasayer playing "Fingers Never Blead" in the background. Don't tell my Yoga instructors but every once in a while when there is an especially rad song playing that is unfamiliar to me, I may pull out of a pose, take a small water break, and 'Shazam'. Totally against the whole point of being in the moment with a solid Yoga practice hehe -- I've really got to stop that.

Here are ten of my favorite Yoga songs to add to your list. Or if you just want to listen to this while chilling in the kitchen and making dinner one night or something else that works too.

Shout out your favorite yoga tunes or energizing jams.




// photo : My sister Becca who teaches Yoga classes on the beach in Hawaii.