Happy New Year!

Best wishes for 2011, here is to believing that all of your wildest dreams will come true. Yeah, I watched Napoleon Dynamite the other night. I want to thank you so much for your support, kind comments, and reading Black Eiffel in 2010 -- I am grateful to the moon. I look forward with great excitement and anticipation for '11.

Happy New Year!!


(photo by nik daum + White & Wander)

Nintendo Art Academy update

Remember the Art Academy learning game I talked about a few weeks ago? See the previous post here. I wanted to give you a quick update and show you how fast our daughter has enhanced her skills, it is pretty neat to see how much art exploring she has been able to do. I'm impressed by how it teaches art skills like drawing a foundational sketch before you paint and how to layer colors. I took these shots throughout the last few weeks on my phone while we were in the car. It has been such a fantastic car and running the errands activity for her, that she doesn't get bored with. Who else has played around with Art Academy?

Egg Press at Target

Egg Press let me know about their fantastic venture in joining forces with Blue Sky to bring an exclusive line to Target, yahoo! The line includes a great selection of calendars and planners with their signature Egg Press designs. I've seen some samples up close and there are some really lovely options in their collection. If you are looking for a stylish and affordable calendar option, check them out at your local Target.

Best Albums of 2010

Did you have a nice Christmas holiday? We sure did and I extended my holiday a few more days unplugged, which was really nice. I cannot believe how fast 2010 is coming to an end! Looking back over the year I compiled a list of my top ten favorite best albums of 2010. There is a little bit of everything on the list, because my taste is rather eclectic.



Pointer -- it is great how many of these mp3 albums are $5.00 and under on amazon -- follow the links below to preview each album.

Vampire Weekend - Contra $6.99
Beach House - Teen Dream $5.00
The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt $5.00
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs $7.99
Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way $5.00
Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History $5.00



Laura Veirs - July Flame $8.99
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid $4.99
The Morning Benders - Big Echo $9.90
The Black Keys - Brothers $3.99

What were your favorite albums for 2010? Shout 'em out.

Last Week Of 2010, Buy A Pork Roast

Good Day Everyone...So as we say goodbye to 2010 I am reflecting a bit on the last 365 days. What are some of your favorite memories of the year? One of my highlights was when I committed to my new home of Cincinnati and continue to work with all of my friends here at FOX19. We kicked off the FOX19 News Morning Xtra in September, and it is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time. It's 60 minutes of information and entertainment highlighting people and places right here in the Tri-State. Plus, I get to work with a new friend in my co-anchor Tracey Johnson. I also have enjoyed bonding with mans best friend, my dog Mr. Benson he is a great dog and finally became potty trained by the end of the year! My carpet thanks you Mr. Benson. So as we look to 2011 let's start off on the right foot, it's a family tradition for me to eat pork roast and blackeye peas every New Years Day. My mom always told me if you eat chicken on the first day of the new year then you will be scratching all year long. My co-workers have never heard of this tradition please prove me wrong. Thanks to all for making us a part of your mornings this year and here is to a great 2011.

So Close...it's Christmas Eve

So Close...it's Christmas Eve

Happy Friday...Dan Wells writing, I hope this note finds you well and in good spirits!

The Nutcracker.

One of my families favorite Christmas traditions. I went with my family in Pennsylvania when I was little (I think my mom made me...but anyway), this year was my first year to start the tradition of taking our little one.

Even more exciting was the fact that I was asked to read the opening story, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' and my daughter was invited to sit on my lap while I read.

For some reason, I thought my daughter would eat it up and have no issues sitting on stage with other little boys and girls that were in the play. However I forgot one minor detail: the curtain would open and there would be 2,700 hundred pairs of eyes staring at her.

Enter her exit.

Actually, she didn't even make it that far. My wife and I took her up on stage as they were preparing everything for the show, we practiced sitting in the chair, and then she said, as politely as she always does, "I am ready to go home now, thank you."

My wife tried her best to convince my daughter that she would be fine...(a mom's gotta try!)...but she's not dumb.

So, away she went back to our seats, and enjoyed the entire show from start to finish. And although she wasn't up there reading with me, she was the perfect audience and I couldn't be more proud of her...and who knows, maybe we'll be invited back next year and she'll be a year older and a tad braver!

Happy Holidays!
Dan

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a most lovely Merry Christmas weekend! I hope you get to be around the ones that you love and create some special memories.

I will leave you with this quote from the Christmas Carol, "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach." - Charles Dickens.

(a few snippets from what we're up to at our house... all photos by blackeiffel)

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

Whew... I think it is because of our sweet little newborn taking up most of my time that I didn't get around to making homemade gifts this year, so yesterday and today we decided to wrap up a little something (Chocolate) for our friends and neighbors in a simple homemade way using tissue paper, Japanese tape, crayons, and markers. Our four-year old of course took the lead.

(photos by blackeiffel)

Cool Christmas Cards

I dropped the ball this year and didn't get out Christmas cards, tears. I think it is my first year not sending them in a long time ... maybe I will send sweet valentines? Here are a few Christmas greetings from some pretty cool cats that I wanted to share with you, aren't they awesome?! Check out Justin + the Hackworth family's card above!



I'm gaga over Allyson from Unruly Things illustration! So cute.



Suann from Simple Song said she created this card last minute, wow! I love the milestone annual report, a lovely way to update your friends and family.

Have you seen any clever ones around? Did you get cards out this year?

Christmas In Cincinnati

I love Christmas in Cincinnati!

Sheila here, and I love all of the ways families can make special memories during the Christmas season here. Ric, Katie, Eric, and I went to the Cincinnati Zoo's Festival of Lights last weekend. We hadn't been there for several years.

After a few weak protests about the cold weather, we layered up our clothes (2 pairs of socks!), and headed up to the zoo before dusk. It was a perfect time. We saw a few of the animals before darkness descended, and then we watched the lights brighten as the sun went below the horizon.

It's amazing to me to think about how long it must've taken Zoo employees to put up more than two-million LED lights, and they did a fantastic job. We walked through the candy cane forest, gingerbread land (in the Children's Zoo), stopped for hot chocolate, and enjoyed our personal grand finale as we walked past Swan Lake on our way out.

We wrapped up our night with a family dinner at LaRosa's pizza in Northern Kentucky.

Some of my family's other hometown Christmas favorites include seeing "A Christmas Carol" at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. We go every year, and I absolutely love Bruce Comer as Ebeneezer Scrooge. A stop Downtown is always fun. Fountain Square is so festive. I'm too clumsy to do any ice skating, but the rink is a popular place right now. We also had a great time at the Cincinnati Museum Center's Holiday Junction this month. If you have a train lover in your family, it's a natural. And the Santa Claus there is the sweetest.

I also think the live Nativity at the Krohn Conservatory is a wonderful reminder of the true message of Christmas. The decorations inside, particularly the miniature Cincinnati landmarks, are very cool too.

Whatever you choose to do as we approach the holiday, I hope you find many blessings in it. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Anthropologie Christmas Window Displays 2010

Anthropologie of course had to have its separate post when it comes to window displays. They hit another home run with their various looks throughout the country this 2010 Christmas season. I love how each store has a slightly different take with their creative details.

(Image credits :1 - Spring, Texas 2, 3-4 , 6 - Rockefeller, New York City | 5 Houston, Texas)

Christmas Window Displays 2010

I always love a good Christmas window display. They are creative, fun to look at, and speak volumes about the store behind them. Have you seen any great ones while out and about lately? Which ones are your favorites? Here are a few of my favorites I've seen recently on the web for the 2010 holiday season.

First up and above, the simple yet elegant paper cutouts from this Chanel window in Zurich are just beautiful! (photo by anjoyplanet)



These Fendi lights on 5th Avenue look sparklingly stunning. (photo from NYC loves NYC)



Nicole Farhi teamed up with talented paper sculptor Su Blackwell to create their magical paper creation windows. (photos from here) I also thought that Su may have done or consulted on the Tiffany & Co. windows, but I was unfortunately mistaken. You'll have to read this to find out more.




These sweet Louis Vuitton illuminated lanterns seem like they would be especially brilliant in person. (photos from here)



The Conran Shop went resourceful and recycled unwanted wood to create clever trees for their windows. Cool! (photo from here)

I also have one more post coming up of a store that blows me away with their creativity in terms of window displays... any guesses? Stay tuned.

Chicago Blizzard

I don't know if you watched the second football game a week ago Sunday, but I was there. It was blizzard.

Good snowy morning everyone. Rob here.

Spent a few days in Chicago last week. That's not too unusual. A lot of tri-staters head to Chicago from time to time. Especially time of year, when it's decked out for Christmas. However, this time for the first time I decided to take the Megabus. Most of my friends thought it was a fine idea. I also remember Pat Barry telling us he took the Megabus to Chicago. He said it was easy and convenient. When I told Frank Marzullo, he laughed and said I would hate it. That kind of freaked me out a bit. Was he right? Will I be induced into a claustrophobic panic attack. At first, I thought of taking the bus that left at 1AM. I could sleep, but that sounded crazy to me. Maybe when I was in college this would work, but not today. I decided on the more civilized but that left around 9AM. The bus was nice. It's a double decker with a lot of seats. However, I really didn't want anyone sitting by me. So I took the worst seat on the bus. That's right, next to the bathroom. There weren't that many Cincinnati passengers, but I didn't know how many would join us in Indianapolis. Turned out not many. I really thought it was a comfortable ride. I didn't have to worry about driving. I could just relax. I suggest a portable DVD player or a laptop. You can catch up on your "stories" as my mother would say. Oh there's wifi on board. Nice bonus. Also the coolest part of my trip was seeing SSG. Salvatore Giunta. The first living person to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

Music Monday : Ray Charles

The month of December I've focused on holiday songs for Music Mondays and today I've decided to throw it back to one of those classic Christmas oldies sung by the music genius Ray Charles. Happy Music Monday everyone! I've searched around a bit for this track but can't find it, any ideas? What has been your favorite Christmas song this year?

Here are my favorite holidays songs that I've posted so far...

Miracle song by Matisyahu (Hanukkah)
Christmas Lights by Coldplay
Your Song by Ellie Goulding

The Twelve Days of Christmas Ilonka Karasz

Check out my latest thrifting find! Vintage Book : "The Twelve Days of Christmas" illustrated by Ilonka Karasz. We were looking for ugly sweaters a few weeks ago and this beauty was sticking out on the bookshelf calling my name. It has been on my list for a few years, and bam... there it was! Have you seen this book before or did you know AIGA liked it back in the day? Don't you love the colors?



Doesn't it seem like when you are looking for something else you find unrelated gems? Have you found anything on a thrifting trip lately? What are your favorite Christmas or holiday books, I would absolutely love to hear your favorites as we are slowly building our collection so we can do this.

ps. The least expensive used copies of this book I've seen are sold by sellers here.

(photos by blackeiffel)

iPad Christmas Message

The British web-design company Torchbox used iPads to deliver 'A Starry Night' Christmas message. This is fabulous, if you like technology, specifically the iPad, you won't want to miss watching this one!

It was filmed and edited at Torchbox's office in Oxfordshire and the music was recorded and produced at Torchbox by Katie Overbury, Wes West and Tom Dyson. I want that track, don't you? via CR Review

our white christmas tree!

So sorry, Bloomers, for being so MIA. Lots going on for the Bloomers, including a surgery recovery and two little babies. I'll get back at it regularly with inspirations in January, I promise :) In the meantime, Craigger and I set up our white Christmas tree and I wanted to show you all! I love the way it looks in our house. I am inspired by Scandinavian design where everything is very crisp, white and clean! More pics of our house to come in the New Year. We've been working VERY hard on it, and I think you'll like the results.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Bloomers!!!

xoxo
{like gossip girl, hee}