Don’t Let the Recession Get You Down
So everyone is in tough spots right now with money. I read an article this morning about how even Conde Nast’s most privileged and elite magazines, Vanity Fair and Vogue, are going to have to cut back on their thousand-dollar dinners and car service just to make the bills. If Anna Wintour has to start thinking frugally, where does that leave the rest of us? According to Washington Post-interviewed interior designer Barbara Barry, it leaves us with the simple pleasures of warm silk sheets and a beautiful cup to drink tea out of in the morning.
While the Washington Post heralds Barry as being more than an interior designer but a “life coach”, I think there is some truth to the statement that “simple pleasures” are the way to live, but I don’t think Barry coined the phrase. Simple pleasures are defined everyday by people like you who want to enjoy some special and treat themselves with small graces instead of material gluttony and excess. Look for sumptuous fabrics or blankets to make you feel warm and toasty, or a certain beautiful cup or dishware for those lazy Sunday brunches that make you a little less haggard about the thought of work the next day.
Some simple pleasure items:
Colored Water Goblets: $34.98

French Press Coffee Maker: $34.99

Satin Sheet Sets: $39.99-49.99

Do all your discount shopping at Smarter.com!


























In a stroke of irony, she had her homeboy R. Kelly over at her crib one hot afternoon and asked for his assistance setting up a closet organizer. He was happy to oblige, unfortunately while maneuvering the large rod into place he accidentally slammed the self locking door shut.
What if I told you there was a way to build your dream house in a prime location for under $1,000? Well, it’s true–virtually. The New York Times reports that Second Life, a virtual world introduced into the material universe by San Francisco-based Linden Lab in 2003, is in the middle of a housing boom. Paralleling life in the real world, many Second Life residents have tired of the wild life and are looking for a little permanence for their electronic identities. As a result, many are building dream homes and laying roots in virtual communities, complete with chatty neighbors and strict zoning laws.
Would you hang a tortilla on your wall? Well you might if it’s been transformed into art by Joe Bravo, who’s banked over $3,000 for some of his tortilla paintings. Using the essential ingredient of burritos as his canvas, the Los Angeles-based artist who has worked as an art director for Lowrider Magazine and the American Golf Corporation (that’s quit a mix), has gained fame for his intricate works, which, he says, contain “imagery that is representative of Latinos, conveying their hopes, art, beliefs and history.”