We went to New York this past weekend and ate our way through Soho and Chinatown when we weren’t walking… and we’re walking…

Things I find fascinating:

Taking inspiration from old artistic activities to inform new ones:

Walk It Out Fosse:

Putting some humor in what isn’t even a contentious issue among my generation:

“I’m automatically in favor of gay marriage because of my feelings about events involving cake”: Illinois Airship

plus some new fashion to wear whilst attending the wedding

Puns:

Lisztomania by Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix:

Europe:

Sandra Juto’s photos of Berlin that have me desperately wanting to pack up and go to Berlin tomorrow

The Smoove B School for Fine Woman Wooing Graduating Class of 2009 Final Project:

Ladies of the World by Flight of the Conchords:

Also, I’ve been watching a lot of Remington Steele lately. Who knows what that is doing to my brain? Has there been a study?

In addition to the 10 blogs from yesterday, there are two that I left off the list because they deserve their own post. Nearly every day I check in on Anna who lives in Newburgh, New York and blogs at DoorSixteen, and Benita, who lives in Sweden and blogs at Chez Larsson. They both write about their homes and lives in it, including decorating, design, and efficiency.

Here’s a room designed by Anna:

I especially like Anna’s ability to combine modern furniture in an older home, as well as her willingness to share photos of the removation work in progress. No guts, no glory, right?

Here’s a room decorated by Benita:

I like the white furniture surrounded by colorful walls and accents. I am terrible at incorporating color and haven’t even attempted to do so yet. Hopefully I can be as brave as Benita!

My favorite aspect of both of them is that they both have such clean design ideas that are still sensible for everyday living. I look forward to seeing how Anna’s garden unfurls and Benita’s book project progresses.

While I read a lot of business news, marketing ideas, entrepreneurship tips, and so on, I also spend an inordinate amount of time looking at super girly fashion and photography blogs. There is something about the fuzzy lenses, soft light, and thoughtful text from the ladies–usually about subjects the ladies find interesting–that is so much more compelling than, say, articles on TARP fraud (although serious props to Elizabeth Warren! Check out her Daily Show appearance–Part 1 & Part 2.) or the massive drop in VC spending on entrepreneurs last quarter.

Here are 10 that I find totally fascinating:

1. This is Glamorous
I start here because it’s short and always pretty. Sometimes I don’t make it past here because the links are so good.

2. A Glamorous Little Side Project
The inspiration board for the above, just as pretty.

3. Style Rookie
Talented writer Tavi has a special gift for explaining the intellectual aspects of a challenging collection. Currently raising money for her bat mitzvah project at Clothing with a Cause (http://clothingwithacause.blogspot.com/). Wise beyond her mere 12 years.

4. Slow Motion Crawl
Tavi’s equally eclectic and intellectual inspiration board.

5. Smosch
An artist who lives in Gothenburg, Sweden, resulting in some truly intriguing photos of everyday life. I would like her to pack me in her knapsack on her next trip to Berlin.

6. Nectar & Light
Jenifer Altman’s personal site, including links and photos, esp those done in polaroid. Love the softness of the pictures.

7. Lobster and Swan
Lifestyle photos from Jeska Hearne that include a lot about the life that goes with them.

8. Little Kingdoms in Your Chest
Originally titled “I Love You All Wrong”. Predominantly photos and quotes.

9. Completely Out Of Touch
Photographer Eleanor Hardwick’s photoblog.

10. Ghost Parties
Eleanor’s inspiration board
.

If that doesn’t do it for you, I give to you: Earnings Season Q1 2009 – Losses Posted Everywhere. Enjoy.

I’m getting out in front of the pack and doing a roundup of media I’ve loved this year.

BBC Crush

1. Doctor Who Season Four

With no expectation of romance with a companion this time, the Doctor faces a number of his personal demons–struggling to save the humans, struggling to not change fixed points in history, and losing/finding and relosing/refinding those he loves. This is the second to last season of David Tennant, so enjoy it while it lasts. The new Doctor has not been announced yet.

2. Torchwood Season Three

Captain Jack’s past comes back to haunt the entire team, which ends in a dramatic finish. I loved James Marster’s explosive entrance, as well as the ongoing dynamic between Gwen & Jack.

Sucker for political/spy thrilers…

3. The State Within

A political thriller of the best kind–smart, edgy, with unexpected relationships and subtle acting by some of the US and UK’s best television actors. Jason Isaacs turns in a particularly good performance for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. I would love to have seen these characters continue on in further stories.

4. MI-5

Known as Spooks in the UK, I watched the first few seasons as part of my crush on Matthew Macfadyen.

5. Burn Notice

As if a spy show with Jeffrey Donovan wasn’t hot enough, they had to add Bruce Campbell. Have you seen Bruce Campbell in anything? Sure you have. He’s That Guy. You should read the interview where he says:

“Because,” he explained, “low-budget movies aren’t released, they escape”.

So while the show is a good watch for its plot and its spy operations, it’s a great watch to see Bruce Campbell at his best.

6. My Own Worst Enemy

I’m really disappointed that NBC has decided to cancel this. For the first time in a long time, there’s a decent  drama wrapped inside an insidious JJ Abrams-style twists & turns thriller. I couldn’t get into Lost, and I dropped off the Alias train only to not be able to get back on. Christian Slater plays both super-spy, super-lover, super-arrogant Edward Albright and boring, family guy Henry Spivey who is struggling with keeping his marriage together and connecting with his kids. While the spy plot is compelling, it’s really the drama of Spivey figuring out who he can trust and Albright trying to fit into a world he’s clearly not cut out for that makes this show succeed. Apparently not enough other viewers thought so though, as NBC announced they won’t be ordering any more episodes after the original nine.

Music

7. Vampire Weekend

Favorite album of the year. Seriously bummed that they only came to town for Austin City Limits and didn’t play a small show. I hope they come back again soon!

8. Panic At The Disco!

Second favorite album of the year. This is the one I put on when I need to get happy fast.

9. Sigur Ros

Third favorite album of the year. I’ve only just gotten it, so I am sure I will come to love it more.

Tech

10. Hulu

We got rid of our TV over the summer, but we’ve been able to keep up on The Daily Show, Bones, and some of the other shows that I like. I especially like not having to watch a lot of commercials – a vast improvement over the DVR even.

11. Twitter

This was the first year I used Twitter, and I love the short format. The pressure’s off to write a big long blogpost, like Media I have Loved This Year.

What have you loved? What have I missed? What should I see? Hear?

I returned from New York, had a relaxing weekend, and promptly developed a nasty case of bronchitis, from which I am still recovering. My first full week off the job and I had to spend it on the couch, barely awake and feverish!

While sick, I watched the entire set of “Bleak House” DVDs.  Highly recommended! I also started to work with the photos I took for a trial run at HDR processing. The $99 cost of Photomatix gave me pause though.

I’ve been slowly pursuing leads for a new job. I hate the question, “How’s the job hunt going?” I’m still unemployed–how do you think it’s going? It seems that my timing is off just about everywhere. I woke up this morning thinking about it, which is never a good sign.

• Picked up sign at 1211 Ave of Americas. Kinkos appears to be a front — workers in purple shirts asking customers if they need any help, but when customers say yes, the worker walks away to do something else entirely unrelated and to ask another customer if they’ve been helped yet. Sign is in good shape, but takes 15 minutes to get for no apparent reason.
• Stopped to get OJ and pastry, spilled OJ all over myself in a fit of “I’m not cool enough to not live in NYC.” Point proven.
• Dropped everything off & changed. Went to pick up shirt at dry cleaners and snacks for hotel room. Love the Amish Market down the street though it’s not exactly ordnung. Bought apples, granola, chocolate, and my favorite tea, which isn’t being sold in Austin any more.
• Met C. for lunch at a place called The Crooked Knife, which pretended to be an English pub, only it served salad. I’ve never been to an English pub that had an unfried vegetable.
• Met K. at 401 Projects to see Baryshnikov dance photos/coffee afterwards. Photos were excellent except for the 2 “recapturing the heyday of 70s video art” red pieces. Love the piece above and this, which I’d pair with a photo I have of jellyfish at Monterey Bay Aquarium like this. Not as connected to the people I knew in my 20s as K. is to them now–interesting to see them through her eyes, which didn’t experience them in the “young & stupid” years. Keep forgetting that people are still going to Burning Man en masse.
• Raced to get ready for the cocktail party. I’m always so nervous before these events–what if no one comes to the party? After enough parties, I should be over that by now, but no.
• Dinner with the entire team after with a sweet goodbye toast from my boss and her boss and tasty blood orange fizzy drink. I hope we’re done with the goodbye dinners, because I don’t think I can take another one without getting publicly sentimental/sad. Return to the hotel to find it infested with 14 year old Canadian kids on a school trip. I took that trip when I was 14. I am sentimental, while also knowing I better get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow comes earlier and earlier.

Giorgio Vasari, an Italian Mannerist, is better known for writing Le Vite, an encyclopedia of artist biographies, and then for his architecture more so than his art. He did well enough at the latter two, though, to build himself a fine house and buy a decent position in Italian society.