New York, Manhattan: Housing Works

Housing Works, Manhattan, NY

Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Their mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain their efforts. 

Housing Works has several shops in Manhattan that sells used, vintage clothing and household furnishings.  Proceeds go to the organization's mission.

I took a couple of shots inside the store located on 143 West 17th Street, New York, NY.

Home Goods, Housing Works, NY, NY

Leather Chair, Housing Works, New York, NY

Light Fixture, Housing Works, Manhattan

Housing Works, Piano

Three Types of Chairs, Housing Works, NY

Housing Works

143 West 17th Street 

New York, NY 10011

718-838-5050

Housing Works

Can't make it to New York?  Shop online: Shop Online Housing Works

Lutherville, Maryland: Pleasure of Your Company - Mistral Soaps

The Pleasure of Company is known for it's custom invitations and stationary.  During the 80's the store was originally located in the shops of the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.  Today the store can be found n Lutherville, Maryland at Green Spring Station.  Besides stationary and invitations, the boutique has a plethora of home good items on display.

Pleasure of Your Company, Lutherville,MD

I discovered several shelves of wonderfully smelling soaps made by Mistral.  Melissa, Pleasure of Your Company boutique attendant, was super helpful in educating me on all the Mistral soap collections.

Mistral Soaps, Pleasure of Your Company, Lutherville, MD

The Mistral Edition Boheme (shown above) have fragrant fruity smells that include Blue Lotus, Peony Rose, Peach Apricot, Plum Currant, Pomegranate.  Upon further research, I discovered that these French soaps are also made with organic coconut oil.

Pleasure of Your Company, Mistral Soap Collection

Melissa pointed out that Mistral soaps make great gifts. 

Whether you are looking for unique stationary or customized invitations for that special event, or a thoughtful gift like a home goods furnishing like fine french soap, Pleasure of Your Company is a great store to explore!

Pleasure of Your Company, Lutherville, MD

Curious? Want more information?

Pleasure of Your Company

Green Spring Station
2360 W. Joppa Road
Lutherville, MD 21093
Phone 410-821-6369
The Pleasure of Your Company 

Sachi "Lunchin' Ladies" Insulated Plaid Lunch Tote

Linnea, my coworker, owns this really cool insulated paid lunch tote! YES THIS IS AN ACTUAL LUNCH TOTE!

"Lunchin Ladies" Insulated Lunch Tote

The plaid design makes the bag so fashionable and the insulted interior makes the tote super functional!

Inside the Sachi Plaid Lunch Tote

The Sachi "Lunchin' Ladies" plaid tote is available in a variety of different plaid colors.

Want to know more about the tote? Go to: Sachi "Lunchin" Insulated Plaid Lunch Tote

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John & Kira's Carmel Honey Chocolate Bees

Isn't it great to find a package on your doorstep that turns out to be an unexpected gift!
I came home tonight to find a gift from my awesome friend Sharon who lives in Philly.  The box was marked perishable which immediately peaked my curiosity.


I carefully opened the brown shipping box to find a bright yellow box inside from John & Kira's.

And inside that box were Caramel Honey Chocolate Bees! Each 62% Valrhona dark chocolate shell is painted by hand with colored cocoa butter then filled with a salted carmel, featuring honey from Draper's Apiaries in Millerton, Pennsylvania.

Thanks to my friend Sharon, I am looking forward to sampling these beauties in the weeks to come!

Thinking about buying a gift for a friend?  Consider:

John & Kira's

161 West Wyoming Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19140 (800) 747-4808 Go to: John & Kira's

Beijo Bags: The Uptown

A couple of years ago I went to a purse party at my friend Sharon's home.  This is where I purchased my Beijo bag called "The Uptown".

Beijo bags are constructed of this material dress shoe material.  I've  liked the fact I can wipe it down if it gets dirty.  For years I have received compliments on this classic spectator hand bag's design.  The Uptown is available for purchase in a variety of colors.  My bag has an olive green hue.
Want to Learn more about The Uptown: Beijo: The Uptown

Paul Mitchell Smoothing: Super Skinny Serum

With naturally curly hair, I am always searching for a hair care product to help straighten those curls. It seems we always want what we don't have. To help keep my hair straight, it was recommended that I should try Paul Mitchell's Smoothing: Super Skinny Serum.

Paul Mitchell Smoothing: Super Skinny Serum

This product is meant to be applied to wet hair.  After blowing dry my hair, the serum really helps straighten hair and minimizes fly aways at the same time too.


Want more information go to: Paul Mitchell Smoothing: Super Skinny Serum

Dillsburg, Pennsylvania: 96th Annual Farmers Fair

Over this past weekend my friend Heidi, who lives in the Harrisburg area, recommended that we visit the Annual Farmers Fair that took place in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania.  The town paper "Dill Pickle" provided all the details for the festive occasion.

Dill Pickle: Dillsburg's Community Paper

Highlights from this year's Dillsburg annual Farmers Fair activities included displays of homemade arts and crafts, contests, food stands, antique cars and a tractor parade.  

Decorated Front Porch, Dillsburg, PA 

Our group enjoyed sampling the variety of food offerings.  Several in our party ordered homemade pudding.

Homemade Pudding Stand, Dillsburg, PA

My college friend Heidi mentioned that chicken corn soup was a dish often served in the Pennsylvania/Dutch region of the state.  Dillsburg's fire station had prepared an awesome chicken corn soup.

Chicken Corn Soup, Dillsburg Farmers Fair

There were several contests awarding ribbons for foods and crafts.  I had to take a picture of the Whoopie Pies!

Woopie Pie Contest at Dillsburg's Annual Farmers Fair

 With a town with a name called "Dillsburg", the Farmers Fair actually had pickles for sale.  Monty and Wayne at Peter Pipers had a variety of pickles for purchase.

Peter Piper's Pickles, Dillsburg, PA

Dill Pickels, Dillsburg's Annual Farmers Fair

What's a fair without funnel cake?  I had a chance to try pumpkin funnel cake. The food stand attendant recommended I should covered the fried dough with icing and cinnamon sugar.  The portion was so large that it was enough to share with four people. Delicious!

Pumpkin Funnel Cakes, Dillsburg Annual Farmers Fair

Since it was a Farmers Fair, there were quite a slew of tractors of all shapes and sizes that participated in the event's parade through the main street of the town.  

Tractor Parade, Dillsburg Annual Farmers Fair

Want more information?
Go to:
Dillsburg Annual Farmers Fair

Peter Piper's Pickles
Home of the Crazy Cucumber
(717) 682- 2952

Fabulous Family Rooms

Visiting the Virginian model townhomes this past weekend, I took a couple pictures of the interiors of several family rooms too.  This room was decorated in hues of gray and orange.

The family room below was decorated in gray with accent pieces colored black, white and or yellow.

Brightly colored fanciful posters definitely set the tone for this family room.  The mustard colored rosettes adorned this couch's pillows.

The combination of blue and brown colors were being used to decorate this family/media room.

In this last picture I posted, the color brown was being paired with walls that were painted green.

It is my hope that you enjoyed the tour of fabulous family rooms. Maybe the pictures were able to inspire the decorating of your own family room?

Decorated Bedrooms

In need of inspiration for decorating your bedroom? I highly suggest touring the rooms of show homes.  Besides gathering ideas in how to arrange the home goods for your abode, by visiting new show homes, you'll discover the latest housing trends.  These pictures posted below were taken from several model townhomes in the South Riding/Chantilly area of Northern, Virginia.

I particularly liked the green color scheme of this bedroom.

Currently, chocolate brown has been found to be a very popular accent color for bedrooms.

I liked the hanging of these puffy white dandelions over this headboard featured below.

Need ideas for decorating? Consider visiting model show homes in your area!

Middleburg, Virginia: Country Way

Established in 1787 by Lt. Colonel, Levin Powell, the town of Middleburg was a midway point between Alexandria and Winchester, Virginia. Besides having the oldest original inn in America, "Red Fox Inn", Middleburg has also become synonymous with Foxhunting and Steeplechasing.

The town has also been a great destination for boutique shops, quaint inns and restaurants. During this past visit to Middleburg, my friend Heather and I explored the shops of West Washington Street.  Julie's Journeys blog post features the boutique "Country Way" on 102 West Washington Street, Middlebury, VA 20117.

Having spoke with Marie, shop attendant, it was brought to my attention that these home items were just set out for display.

Country Way, Middleburg Virginia

Marie also mentioned that the store is also know for exceptional floral designs.  My friend Heather and I just missed an arch of beautifully arranged flowers that had just left the showroom.

Home Accessories at County Way

Besides floral arranging, the shelves of Country Way's boutique had home decor items, gifts, candles and garden accessories.

Home Decor, Country Way, Middleburg, VA

Visiting Middleburg, Virginia? Like Home Decor? Need an Event Planner or Floral Designer? Plan to see Country Way.

Country Way
102 West Washington, Street
Middleburg, VA 20117 
540-687-3583

Curious to learn more? Go to:
Country Way

Stella & Dot: Serpent Bangle Bracelet

Having attended my second Stella & Dot trunk show party, this time around I purchased this Egyptian style bracelet, the Serpent Bangle.

My friend Jeanne hosted the trunk show at her home and Stella & Dot stylist, Lisa McMurtrie mentioned she owned the same bracelet.

The flexible brass mesh bangle had a 2 3/8 inch inner diameter.  The materials used to make the bracelet were lead and nickle free too.

Stella & Dot Serpent Bangle

 No doubt, the exotic design of this bauble has turned many heads!

Fashionable Houndstooth Ceramic Coffee Cup

Over this past weekend, I spied this cool ceramic coffee cup at my friend Sharon's home.  The cup's 16 ounces of ceramic was covered with the timeless black and white pattern called houndstooth.  I particularly liked the purple hand grip and cover.

Houndstooth Ceramic Coffee Cup, Five and Below

Believe it or not you too can own this ceramic cup for $5 at Five Below discount stores.  Adding stylish housewares to your home should be totally affordable!

Want more information? Visit the Five Below website:
Houndstooth Ceramic Cup