Yearly Archives: 2016

The Week + Links: 12.12.16

NUBBYTWIGLET_12142016_WEEK+LINKS_1

THE WEEK

When life becomes too routine…it’s time to break out of the monotony, throw caution to the wind and live it up!

After a month that kept me inside my office for more time than is considered sane or healthy, I was ready for an adventure. I put everything on hold for a few days and booked a last-minute ticket to New York…only to find myself in the middle of a snowstorm in Portland the night I was supposed to leave.

Feeling defeated, I checked my flight status one last time — and miraculously, it seemed to be the only one that was still on so I called an Uber, slid down my ice-covered driveway in pointy boots and a faux fur jacket and made it to the airport which was completely deserted.

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I am one of those weirdos that gets bored with sleeping after 6 or so hours so I like flying overnight — JetBlue is the best for direct flights from Portland to New York City. Hop on at 10:45 pm, pop on the sleep mask they provide for you and wake up right as the sun is rising. No time wasted!

I only had 72 hours in the city that never sleeps and was determined to make the most of it. Here’s a quickie list of what I squeezed in:

Radiant Human aura photographs with Gala at The Whitney (get yours through December 17th). Lunch at Untitled (very, very good and aesthetically pleasing). Free photo booth at Keihl’s in the Meatpacking District. Exploring the Soho House. Coffee at Elsewhere Espresso with Voltaire. Mrs. Field’s chocolate chip cookies and Christmas decor shopping at Target in Queens with Gala and Colin, complete with dance moves down the aisles. Visiting The Oculus with Bianca. Breakfast and tile obsessing at Bocadillo. Swooning over flowers at Emily Thompson. Trying on vinyl skirts and star-wrapped hats at Zara. Posing next to George. Sipping sangria and dancing the night away at Bianca’s post-apocalyptic apartment party that stretched on until 3:30 am. Brunch with Gala, Garnett, Bianca and Cleo at Ludlow House. Shooting photos with Lydia as snow began to fall. Tea at The Beekman (brand new and extremely beautiful).

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I just got back to Portland not feeling the least bit exhausted but instead, really happy. Fulfilled. Excited. Glad that I was able to reconnect with my friends. Reminded of the good old days before social media took over when people left the house and danced the night away without the need to Instagram or Snap every detail but instead, just be in the moment.

This trip was all about being present. Exploring. Telling stories. Staying up all night with friends. Getting back up for brunch. Not making excuses to stay in when the temperature dipped below freezing. Throwing on a faux fur and hitting the town. Making room for cheese and dessert. Being vulnerable. Remembering that nobody has a perfect life and that we’re all in this together.

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THE LINKS

• I love Sian’s honesty about not playing by anyone else’s rules in Shouldn’t I like, own a house or some shit by now?

• This made me laugh: I am Hillary Clinton — Fabled, Elusive Forest Dweller of Upstate New York. “Should you seek me through such a journey, you will know me by my fleece of many colors, my frisky husband, and my small dog. You will lay before me your disappointment and sorrow, and I will say, “Do not give up.”

• NPR shares its favorite books of 2016.

• 10 ways to build a snack board with stuff that’s already in your kitchen.

• You’re probably doing email introductions wrong.

• I love this honest museum audio tour. “This sculpture, you’ll notice, is a tube sticking out of an orange cardboard box. You’re wondering, Is there something I’m missing? No, there is not. This is a bad sculpture.” Ha!

• The way you dress definitely has an effect on your workday.

• How to write a thank you note.

• Time Magazine shares its 100 most iconic photos of all time.

• If you’ve been doing a little too much shopping over the holidays, these 5 extravagant sprees will make you feel less guilty!

• Prince’s friends share stories about what it was like to know him. So good! “I tried playing Prince in Ping-Pong once. I told him he was the Serena of Ping-Pong and I would never be playing him again. He was literally a master of Ping-Pong.”

• The best movies of 2016, according to the New York Times.

A Tour Of My Black-Walled Bedroom

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

When I moved into my house back in 2009, my bedroom was painted a horrid shade of glossy band-aid beige. Actually, the entire upstairs was. My aunt Shannon spent her days off helping me cover it up as quickly as possible with my home office across the hall becoming white with black trim and my bedroom becoming black with white trim.

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

I’d always dreamed of having a black room and finally owning a place of my own gave me that chance. The thing about my bedroom is that the ceiling takes on the shape of the roof so it has a very high center. Having a high ceiling that is edged in trim painted white means that the black doesn’t feel so suffocating.

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

While I’ve always been a fan of stark, graphic color schemes (surprise, surprise!), when Joey moved in shortly after, he wasn’t a fan of having absolutely no color. In my mind, I spend my days working with tons of colors as I create my clients’ brands. Color is always on my brain so when I go home to relax, I crave a blank slate.

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

I’d been talking to Joey about revamping our room with a splash of color over the Summer but felt stumped. I wasn’t sure how. Then, he asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said, “A massive portrait of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra.” I told him I wanted a piece of art for our room and since he loves pink, I went with a pink background. Joey is a painter specializing in pop art style portraits so he was up for the challenge. He kept her hidden in the basement until he was done and surprised me with a 4 for tall painting a few weeks later!

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

As soon as the painting was done, I ordered two Chad Wys prints splashed in similar colors, one for each side of the bed. A few weeks later, I was walking through the medina in Marrakech and stepped into a shop selling hand-loomed wool blankets. The pink stripes matched Joey’s painting perfectly so I bought it for a total steal (about $40.00) and it became our bedspread.

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

Our room still felt barren so I grabbed a big, lush plant from IKEA, along with a lamp and added a geometric wall planter.

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

Finally, Joey had the idea to revamp the built-in storage cupboards on the wall next to our bed. He removed the doors, knocked out the center framing, painted the interior black and mounted a TV. Now, it feels like a much better, more customized use of space.

The thing I should mention about our bedroom is that it’s even more challenging to decorate given that it has 4 full-size doorways. Yes, you read that right. This means that there’s very limited wall space for furniture. Door #1 is the entrance to the room. Door #2 is Joey’s closet. Door #3 was a storage space Joey remodeled and turned into a shoe closet for me. Door #4 was a massive attic area that Joey remodeled and turned into my walk-in closet. (For the record: yes, I know I’m lucky!)

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

That’s my walk-in closet above. With all the doors that need to swing open, we’ve purposefully kept the furniture situation super minimal. We just have a bed and 2 nightstands so the space doesn’t feel overly crammed.

If you’re interested, here are the decor sources for our space. Some items were purchased 8 years ago so I no longer have links but all the recent items are linked:

Elizabeth Taylor painting: Joey Maas
Chad Wys prints: Society 6
Face pillow: Urban Outfitters
White lamp: IKEA
Acrylic nightstands: Ebay (old)
Plant and planter: IKEA
Cut-out bed frame: West Elm (white is discontinued)
Pompom blanket: shop in Marrakech
Light: Ebay (old)
Statue bust: Home Goods (old)
Geometric wall planter: Urban Outfitters
White TV: Sceptre via Amazon

Nubby Twiglet | My Black-Walled Bedroom

The cool part about this room revamp is that it cost very little. We already had the furniture and the walls were already painted — all it came down to were a few splashes of colors, some plants and a few pieces of art. I love how the vibe of a room can change with a handful of adjustments.

Of course, being Winter, the lighting situation isn’t ideal so I apologize for the graininess and lack of quality of these photos. I hope you enjoyed the tour and if you want a tour of my walk-in closet, let me know in the comments!

On a final note, Joey is accepting custom commissions so if you have a portrait in mind, get in touch at joeymaas@gmail.com.

Next up in home posts: our newly remodeled bathroom!

The Week + Links: 12.2.16

Nubby Twiglet | The Week + Links

THE WEEK

It’s Friday and I’m working from home today, sitting in my black-walled bedroom with Rocky snuggled up next to me. Chubs is in the next room over, listening to Christmas music. What’s new with you? Here’s what’s new with me:

1. Short But Sweet NYC Trip: I just booked a very last-minute flight to New York for Bianca’s Christmas party. I’m also excited to meet Gala’s new dog, Cleopatra! I just texted her and told her to add “pet Cleo 500 times” to our to-do list next Friday. 😉

2. Editorial Design Times: Work-wise, I’m balancing a few large editorial design projects at once but thanks to an ongoing obsession with magazines, those never really feel like work. To be honest though, I’m ready to wind down for the year after next week and take a legit break. Yessss.

3. Car Search: Joey and I are looking at cars and thinking about buying a Kia Optima — everyone we know with a Kia says they’re super reliable and I’m at that point in my life where I view a car as a way to get from point A to point B — practicality is everything. Do any of you own a Kia and have feedback on how you like them?

Nubby Twiglet | The Week + Links

4. Kitchen Remodel: We’ve been putting off the biggest renovation job of all in our house, a new kitchen. There’s a reason why I’ve never shared a single kitchen photo during the seven years we’ve had this house: it’s a legit hot mess. Time to rip it out this Winter!

I’m off to talk to Erika and find something new to watch on Amazon Prime (anything you’re obsessed with? With all the choices, I’m never sure what to watch next.)

Have a great weekend!

Nubby Twiglet | The Week + Links

THE LINKS

• If you only have time to click one link this week, read this beautiful piece by Alexandra Franzen: On hiding, censorship, and the impossible task of trying to please everybody.

• Ready to fuel up on a bunch of random statistics and facts? Check out 52 things I learned in 2016.

• The year-end lists are coming! The best books of 2016.

• Do you talk about your debt or is it a well-kept secret?

• Spending too much time sucked into the same sites online? If your media addiction has taken over your productivity, here are 5 tips to curb it.

• Take a look at the 10 most beautiful libraries on Earth!

• What do the oldest people on the planet eat and drink every day?

• Esquire Magazine rounded up their list of the 25 best podcasts of 2016.

• In your daily life and work, find ways to stay curious.

• Ahhh, I’ve been there so many times. What should you do when a client suddenly goes silent?

• The New York Times shares its most popular recipes from this year.

• Random but really cool: overhead photos of street vendors taken in Hanoi.

• It’s never too late to learn how money works and take control of your finances.

10 Things I’m Loving Right Now

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Over the last few months, I’ve made so many little discoveries that aren’t meaty enough to warrant a post on their own but are still worth sharing. And feel free to share any new discoveries of your own in the comments below!

Here we go:

1. Slim Aarons Women Book

The photographer who shot the who’s who of the rich and famous in the 50s, 60s and 70s has a new book of work out, simply called WOMEN. It’s bound in lemon yellow and features rare outtakes of one of my favorite images of all time, Poolside Gossip. I display my current book rotation on wall shelves.

2. Contact Paper

Okay, so I don’t mean that cruddy 70s floral contact paper stuck to the insides of your kitchen cabinets! There’s a whole new breed out there. Contact paper now comes in marble, granite and other great, super realistic patterns and is perfect for photo backdrops. I know fashion bloggers use contact paper all the time for flat lays and I can see why — it’s much cheaper than buying a slab of the real thing and easier to transport! I just bought this marble roll and it’s perfect.

3. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

I went a few years without wearing foundation and for the most part, loathed the idea of wearing a mask of beige on my face. After a brief flirtation with Makeup Forever HD foundation, I kept seeing glowing reviews of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation in magazines from top makeup artists and finally gave it a try. Six months in, I can honestly say that it lives up to the hype. The formula is lightweight enough to not feel mask-like and has a dewy, natural finish that makes you look naturally refreshed. Score!

4. Conde Nast Travel Magazine

With more of my time going towards big projects at the studio, I haven’t had the chance to travel as much as I’d like this year. I’m still daydreaming of far-flung locales and thinking of where I want to go next, though. Part of the fun is in the planning, right? I love, love, love the beautiful design of this magazine and it’s always on-trend with its suggestions. I think of it like an in-the-know best friend who always has the best restaurant and hotel recommendations.

5. Pantone Studio App

This free app allows you to pull color palettes straight from images and gives you the coordinating PMS swatch numbers! Once you’re done, you can save out the Pantone palette swatches as iPhone wallpapers. There are other similar apps out there but this one has a clean, simple interface that is much more user-friendly.

6. Black Mirror Playlist

I recently discovered this dramatic playlist. It’s sad, beautiful, haunting and definitely worth a listen.

7. This American Life

I know I’m like 10 years late to this amazing podcast but by mentioning it, if even one of you discovers it, my job is done. Each episode follows the same premise: it focuses on one particular theme and has a handful of acts (stories) that tie into it. Some of the stories are inspiring, some are heartbreaking and some are downright weird but they are all fascinating and remind us of the strength of the human spirit. I’m so obsessed that I’ve already made it through 4 seasons of archives!

8. Samsung NX500 Camera

I’ve had this camera for over a month now and after taking a few hundred photos, I’m smitten. I had an older model in the same style for a few years and was really happy with it — Samsung knows what they’re doing. It’s packed with 28 megapixels and works fantastically well in low light. There are too many features to list here but it’s a great camera if you want high quality photos in a compact body that’s light enough to carry daily in your bag (like I do).

9. Countable App

With all the changes happening in the United States government, it can be hard to keep up. Countable helps you stay involved by giving you summaries of upcoming bills, allows you to contact your lawmakers and let them know what you think and reminds you how they ended up voting. Pretty amazing.

10. Zara Ankle Boots

I’m always on the hunt for the perfect black boots and just picked these up. I like the chunky, stacked silhouette and the height works with everything from jeans to dresses to leggings. I got the black but the grey would look amazing for Spring.

Okay, so that’s what I’m excited about right now! What about you?

A Day at the Museum: An Andy Warhol Retrospective

Nubby Twiglet | Portland Art Museum: An Andy Warhol Retrospective

Nearly two weeks after walking through the Andy Warhol Exhibition at the Portland Art Museum, I’m still feeling a creative buzz. I’d seen some Warhol pieces at museums before but never in this quantity and with this attention to detail.

Nubby Twiglet | Portland Art Museum: An Andy Warhol Retrospective

The first thing that makes this exhibition special is that it’s in chronological order, spanning 35 years. This detail makes a huge impact in Warhol’s art career because his early works tended to be illustrated while later works were silkscreened so you can see the clear style progression.

Nubby Twiglet | Portland Art Museum: An Andy Warhol Retrospective

Nubby Twiglet | Portland Art Museum: An Andy Warhol Retrospective

Nubby Twiglet | Portland Art Museum: An Andy Warhol Retrospective

The Portland Art Museum doesn’t just stick with stark white walls — there are bright pastels throughout, a massive swath of wallpaper covered in purple Mao heads and even a metallic silver Factory-inspired room.

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