affordable letterpress

I am laughing to myself as I write this post.  Affordable letterpress are not two words you often hear together in the same sentence but when experienced stationery designers ban together like they have in The Pressroom and Company, economies of scale are realized.  The Pressroom and Company , officially launched January 15, 2011, has a good business model offering letterpress enthusiasts a mini marketplace of designers and companies who have elected to collaborate together.  I have been trying to read up a bit more on letterpress myself as I am going to be taking a letterpress workshop at the end of February with a friend in Toronto.  The Pressroom and Company has designers such as Brown Sugar Design, Good on Paper, Ruby & Willow, Flush Designs and the Social Type among a sizeable list of contributors from around the globe.  Their blog and website are full of ideas, prices (thank you for transperency!), FAQs and links to the designers. 

via float paperie

achatz pie company

I wrote about my trip to Michigan back in the summer.  My purpose of driving the three hours was to find decent bedding for the condo which I achieved.  My other purpose was to explore all the cool bakeries, grocery stores and restaurants in and around the Sommerset Collection and to be creatively inspired.  I finally go to enjoy one of my “finds” this past week.  I had friends over last weekend for dinner (my first official dinner party in the condo) and decided to break into the pie I brough back all the way from this pie company I read about. 

My other great find on my Michigan weekend was the Achatz pie company.  Located in a strip mall not too far away from the mall, branded with the phrase, “Pie runs in their blood after 17 years of pie making in downtown Armada,” I was pretty excited.   While in the bakery, I sampled a phenomenal slice of peach pie while my bf sampled the ever-decaden coconut cream.  The company even makes “wedding pies” that they will ship to you. 

Not content with just a sample, I decided to drive a freshly baked Michigan berry pie back over the border that I could freeze and serve at a later date.  I was a bit skeptical that freezer pie would not have the same taste/deliciousness as in-store but boy was I wrong.  I served it this past Saturday night and it was a little slice of Achatz heaven in my books.  Light, not too sweet, a fabulous crumble on top and within a day or two, it was gone (another reason to drive back to Troy and visit Achatz).  What I later found out was that Achatz was rated one of the 10 best pie companies in the states according to Bon Appetit magazine.  Can’t wait for my next trip back.

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hotel aire de bardenas

This is a stunning hotel in Spain.  Hotel Aire De Bardenas is located in the southernmost part of Navvare in a nature reserve, 3km from Tudela’s town centre and is built on a wheat field.  There are only 22 rooms at this place and some of the bedrooms are located in independent cubes which I have tried to capture below in the pictures.  Truly a building that is at one with its natural surroundings.  It looks so peaceful, I am dying to check this place out.

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via arqua.com

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via urban style vibes

via apartment therapy

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via begin being

sprinkles chicago

Sprinkles cupcakes opened a shop in Chicago last fall (2010) and the facade of the retail store is unreal!  They replicated their signature cupcake style on the front of the building.  How cool is that?  I can’t wait to visit next time I am in Chicago.  Sprinkles, Toronto is calling 🙂

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re-surface design light

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