Gift Guide: The Animal Lover

I'm sure everyone is smack-dab in the middle of their Holiday shopping!  I know I am.  I'm currently in the middle of reading this amazing non-fiction book about the history of the Ostrich, and it is fascinating!  This book gave me the idea of pulling together a few great gift ideas for the animal lover in your life.

 

First, I'll start with the book I'm reading - Dreambirds by Rob Nixon.  This book was really popular back in the late nineties/early 2000s.  You can tell by how many cheap used copies you can find on Amazon : ). Dreambirds chronicles the effect ostriches have had on fashion and culture throughout the centuries, along with stories of the "Plume Boom" and "Feather Mansions" in South Africa. Nixon also uses the history of ostriches to share some of his autobiography about growing up with an immigrant family in South Africa. This really is one of the best books I've read in quite a while!

Also, I am loving these photographs from The Animal Print Shop!  I'm usually adoring the baby animal prints for the nursery of the kid we will probably have some day, but this buffalo print just blows me away.  I think it would look so stunning above a bed or couch.  Also, they have a nice little Holiday Sale going on!

And next on the reading list, which I also think would make a great gift, is a book called The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild by Lawrence Anthony.  Lawrence Anthony rescued and rehabilitated elephants on his wildlife preserve in South Africa.  He and the animals were so in tune.  When he passed away this year, multiple herds of elephants could sense the loss and they traveled miles across the preserve to Anthony's home where they remained for days to mourn. Aren't animals amazing?

Another great gift would be a donation to Heifer International.  Buying a goat or heifer for a family in need helps a family be more self-reliant by providing food and milk for years. I wholeheartedly agree this company's view on sustainability and charity.  I'm sure any animal lover would appreciate this gift of giving!

We'll miss you, Steve.

{design credit: jonathan mak)

Having grown up with a father in the computer business, and now transitioning into the tech world myself, I feel compelled to write about the loss of Steve Jobs yesterday.  He was a modern visionary, and I think the world is more interesting and connected because of the products he created.  We'll miss you, Steve.

Scotchy scotch scotch scotch....

Not the liquor.  But the nail polish from Scotch Naturals!  I love nail polish. We know this. Non-toxic and eco-friendly nail polish? Even better.

Plus, Scotch Naturals nail polish comes in some amazing colors. And isn't the packaging super stylish?! You can visit their website to order (free shipping over $35) or find a distributor near you.

War dogs.

This is not normal content for my blog, but I found this remarkable photo essay on war dogs to be a unique take on war in the Middle East.  Also, my puppy is a Belgian Malinois mix - which is one of the breeds often used for this type of training.  It's so interesting to me that he could be capable of jumping out of plane and into water like in the dog in the photo below...

A few of the photos in the essay exhibit the incredible loyalty and protection shown by our furry friends (or furry children to people like me) in these types of circumstances.  I found it very interesting (however, not surprising) to hear that a dog played a big role in finally finding Osama Bin Laden this past weekend.  War dogs have proven to have higher success rates when it comes to sniffing out bombs, more so than any technology that's been engineered for such things.  Say what you will about the war, but I am definitely proud of these war dogs and their amazing abilities.  I'm also very happy to hear about all the protection they are provided in the field, like this puppy...

Hopefully, our soldiers AND our war dogs will make it home again very soon.

Fun inexpensive specs!

I love that there has been a proliferation of companies offering inexpensive, but trendy, glasses!  Eyewear is definitely a primary part of a wardrobe (at least for those of us who can't see well), and I've always wanted more options.  Wouldn't it be fun to change things up, depending on what you're wearing? If nothing else, you can try out "geek chic" without too much commitment. Here are a couple places I'm thinking about ordering from...

Warby Parker

Not only does Warby Parker provide great deals on cuuuuute designs, they also have a philanthropic model similar to TOMS shoes.  For every pair of glasses purchased, another pair is given to someone who needs to see better. What a great excuse to buy some new glasses! Each pair of glasses comes with polycarbonate lenses, anti-glare coating, and anti-scratch.  You can also request to have up to 5 designs sent to you (without lenses yet), so you can see what design really looks best before ordering. Did I mention their glasses are only $95 a pair?!

Classic Specs

Classic Specs provides $89 glasses that also include polycarbonate lenses, anti-glare, anti-scratch, and free shipping both ways!  They design most of their specs in-house in order to keep the costs down.  Such a great way to add to your eyewear arsenal!

Another great thing about these kind of online stores - they have such helpful websites and great customer service.   Even if you wear contacts or have perfect eyesight, I bet you'll want some new glasses now!

APT: Pitania Collection.

Hurry over to A Peace Treaty to check out their new Fall collection - Pitania.  It's chock full of alpaca wraps, ponchos, gloves, and hats!  I love this brand because they work to create "employment for skilled artisans working in places of socio-political strife, effectively supporting their craft while elevating their products to a level of high design for an exclusive, international audience."  Here are a few new items I'm in swooning over...

So beautiful.  And perfect for this Fall and Winter.  Make sure you check out all the previous collections while you're at it!  I love supporting fashion with a heart.

Play me, I'm yours.

Talk about a GREAT idea.

My fiancé and I first noticed a random bright orange piano in the park near our apartment last night.  On top of the piano it said, "Play me, I'm yours." Hmmmm, that's intriguing.

Then, on my way to work this morning, I saw another piano in Times Square with the same phrase.

Well, I guess I'm going to have to look into this....

As it turns out, the non-profit Sing for Hope, an arts education and outreach organization, has put 60 of these puppies all over the city.  All the pianos were donated, then fixed up and decorated by Sing for Hope.  The goal of this two week project is to create a public space for music in the city.  Here's the PSA from Sing for Hope...

Enjoy giving those keys a good tickle.

National Design Triennial: Why Design Now?

One of my favorite exhibits at one of my favorite museums is opening in May.  The National Design Triennial (the exhibit happens every 3 years) opens May 14th at the Cooper-Hewitt!  I love this exhibit because it pulls from all different areas of design - be it architecture, web design, or even fashion design. This year, the focus will be on projects addressing human and environmental problems.

This was my favorite exhibit from the 2006 Triennial.  It was a virtual reality game called SnowWorld that used visual images and music to cause certain triggers in the brain.  These triggers would help relieve the pain of severe burn victims.  Absolutely AMAZING!

This weekend: Earth Hour.

Don't forget!