White on white (vicariously): hotel puerta america

So last week, a few of you commented about the impracticality of living in a white on white room. I totally agree, for myself, since while I do love the concept (obviously), I know I could personally never completely live that way. However, that's where cool boutique hotels come in! Thanks to some inspired designers, you can live in a white on white world, and then leave and not worry about the upkeep! My friend Em recently went to Spain and she brought back these amazing pictures of a white on white room she stayed at. It was of the hotel Puerta America, where every floor has a different theme, designed by a renowned designer. The floor Em stayed was by Zaha Hadid. It looks so spacey futuristic- I love it! Note the awesome graphics on the bedspread too.
More great pictures at Em's blog, Supercozy. Have any of you stayed in a great white on white hotel room?

Yucca Stuff...

...but NOT yucky stuff! No, sireee... I got these little beauties over the weekend, from a little side trip to Yucca Valley. I posted about this magical place on AT earlier this week- I took a tip from Tyke and Jon, who have the lovely place I posted about before, and did a little excursion from my weekend in Palm Springs- Total treasure trove out there. Reasonable prices too! The only splurge was really the ikebana vase, at $65. A little more than I would normally pay, but it was so cool I couldn't pass it up. The mushrooms are made of carved marble. And the owl is paper maché from Mexico. C'mon- you just can't pass up a paper maché owl now can you? and in blue? sold!!

weekend question: where are you?

hello happy mundane friends! I've asked this before, and it was so neat to see the answers- and since it's a new year, I thought it would be nice to touch base again. So if you would be so kind... where are you reading this from? Please reply in the comments! I'm in Irvine, CA. Where are YOU?

(BTW, The image above is from the latest Pottery Barn catalog. I liked how they blew up and tiled a black and white satellite image of a city as artwork. It would be neat if you could find an ariel view of the town you were in and maybe put a small colored graphic dot over where you are actually located. Talk about "local" art!)