A Different View
A few things our Editor is loving + a peek into The Before & After issue
Big sweaters, comfy socks, warm cocoa with little marshmallows and lots of time with a book by the fire. Winter and its short days of light bring us just enough hours for skiing, snowshoeing or sledding before we come inside and cozy up. Those extra hours at home also give us a chance to think about the life changes we want to attempt in the new year.
I truly believe that creating spaces we love to live in helps us make the most of our days and enables us to dole out a bit more kindness in our worlds. So this month we offer three stunning home transformations that we’re hoping will inspire you to raise the bar (or the ceiling), plop down a rug, slap on a fresh coat, hang some homemade art and add a little extra love to your space.
What I'm Loving
Well Noted
E. Frances paper consists of three sisters (OK, two sisters and one cousin who’s like a sister) in an old bubble-gum factory, where they make cards like the Little Notes above ($14 a box). They’re ideal for a surprise message—under a pillow or in a lunchbox—to indicate your undying affection. An added adorable fact: The company is named for their grandmothers, Elizabeth and Frances. efrancespaper.com
Collage from the Queen of Clever
Anne Taintor’s tag line—“making smart people smile since 1985”— is very, very true. Taintor was the original creator of these retro ’50s images (on cards, magnets, cocktail napkins, luggage tags) with hilarious modern-girl thoughts, such as “She liked imaginary men best of all” or “Cash is for amateurs.”
Taintor, now settled in Maine, is moving on to her first love: collage. Her work is funky, cool, beautiful and, yes, still making me smile. Originals like Nana, above right, average around $400. annetaintor.com
I’ll Have What He’s Pouring
The stunning Ramble Hotel in RiNo has upped the cool-bar ante with Suite 6A, an intimate perch that’s a short flight up from its big sister bar Death & Co. The 21-seat space offers the darkness and cocktail chops of a New York bar, sans the snark. Its menu of couture cocktails and small bites changes weekly. Bartender Jon Feuersanger served up a Birthday Daiquiri that left me feeling divine, and I am very picky about my cocktails. Open Thursday to Saturday, 6 p.m. to midnight.
