Playing Masak-Masak

My favourite playtime activity when I was little was masak-masak; Make-believe cooking which served to feed me and a highly elite selection of my besties (animal soft toys). Unlike the Western play-tradition of teddy bear picnics where tea is served, masak-masak tends to lean toward the play-preparation of elaborate full-meal banquets. 

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Being a toddler of the 80s, I unfortunately mostly had cooking sets of the plastic kind. Oh, how I would've loved to have some of these instead ~

Vintage toys from the collection of Nyonya/Peranakan historian Raymond Kwok, found on nyonyafood.com. I'm guessing they're made of tin.  

Above is a gem - A mini-replica of an actual charcoal stove, on top of which a wok (or kuali) sits

Below, a modern day tin tea set found here.

Ikea does lovely sets of play utensils of the non-plastic kind, and this lovely gem of a kitchen which I've decided I have to have.

Alice in Waterland by Elena Kalis

I saw these images on Yatzer months ago, browsed, and moved on. Somehow the images kept coming to mind. Nothing overly technically complicated and no impressive computer-enhancement (yawn), yet Elena Kalis (who lives and practices her underwater art in the Bahamas) manages to capture the themes of Lewis Carrolls' Alice in Wonderland perfectly. 

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After all, when the world around you doesn't make sense, it IS a little like being underwater, isn't it? 

I especially like the 'through the looking glass' idea. You know how the image was made, logically, yet it perfectly describes an alternate reality.

Note to self: buy striped knee socks

All the above images via Yatzer, all rights to the images belong to the photographer Elena Kalis

A new version of the movie will be released March 2010. A Tim Burton production, it promises to be wilder and weirder than ever before. Click here for a write-up by Wired.com.

Production still via wired.com

Clever Friend's Clever Apartment

Been distracted the last couple of months and uninspired to write about much, but then a lovely friend of mine scores this coup; a full feature in revered blog desiretoinspire. Unfortunately she has moved on to other greener apartment pastures, but I'm sure the new place will be even cuter.

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Am wondering if her cleverness will rub off on me by virtue of our friendship. Another friend says yes: it's the theory of design osmosis  :)

Check out the view from her kitchen window! I could live with that.

Renter's solution: duct tape

Travel much?

Given the old Benjamin Moore treatment

I'm especially taken with her lamp, and that orange rug (Pottery Barn sale).

All images via Desire To Inspire, all right to images owned by Nusara&Derrek!

Touch of Vaudeville Angels

First referenced on my (still) favourite blog Le Divan Fumoir Bohemian. I speak zero french so I'll take a stab at translating the name - The Divine Bohemian Bastard - Even if I'm totally wrong I still think that's a super name for a blog 

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These haunting images from heavily-themed, and hence fascinating, blog A Touch of Vaudeville. 

All images via A Touch of Vaudeville

Maximum Martha Moment

My very first post for this blog was about my desire and absolute need for a Martha Stewart-esque wrapping station. I now add to it the need for a linen and tablecloth room. Her impressive Skylands home has just such a necessity. Numerous drawers, cupboards, hanging closets and even whole laundry rooms are dedicated purely to the upkeep of the amazing vintage lace and linen collection. The legion of maids required to maintain it all are the final desirous element.  

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These photos don't come close to describing the extent of obsession. See the first episode of the new Martha Stewart Show season.  

There are floor-to-ceiling cupboards of hanging dowels; to store pristinely laundered and pressed hand-made lace tablecloths 

You can just make out the horizontal rolls of tablecloths in the background below, kept hidden by oversized roll-top doors

These are the best photos I could find, thanks to Marthasmoments blog 

Selby So

Random images I like from The Selby

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Crocheted confectionaries

Cos I just feel like a little Paris today

Can never have too many knobs

Photogenic doggy rump with cool artwork

Ponies on a stick

You know I like owls

Baby, baby grand and posing pooch

All rights of these images belong to the photographer Todd Selby 

Ben Does My Interiors, Who Does Yours?

If I were a Hollywood It celebrity I'd have Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz design all my homes.... in the hills of LA, my NY city pad (for when I do short stints on Broadway) and the holiday house in the Hamptons. 

Oh look, here it is.

Interior of the Hamptons house below. 

All Browns/Saide Hamptons residence images via Yatzer

Below, the interior of the Mondrian LA Hotel

These images via BNOdesign site