The nose knows. FLOR.

Currently my two favourite men's colognes are Terre d'Hermès and Hussar by Flor, both of which I discovered while visiting Italy last summer.

Flor is a stunning luxury custom perfume shop in Borgo, Santa Croce in Florence. Tucked away and barely visible from the street I entered the store through a semi-private courtyard.

Sileno Cheloni, the owner and master perfumier welcomed me to his beautiful space. I remember sitting on that couch(see pic) chatting with Sileno as he explained the types of scents and their effect, his philosophy and his process for sourcing and producing fine perfumes.

There are many things to see, do and eat in Florence, but if your looking for a respite from the busy tourist route and want to discover a hidden gem then check out Flor. I'm always impressed when I meet individuals such as Sileno who have committed themselves to artistry and tradition. He has created something magical, in fact I'm still not entirely convinced that Flor is 100% of this world.

photo by ©J. Dias

Garden LOVE.

photos by ©J. Dias

I've been so busy lately that I hadn't even taken the time to smell the flowers in my own backyard. So this weekend between the chores and my many plans I made sure to take a moment to appreciate my little postage stamp of a garden. The Lilacs and Peonies have been outstanding this season. Peonies have to be one of THE most exquisite flowers to bloom in Toronto. They only last for a moment but WOW, what a moment! I managed to cut quite a few for my family and friends at work and I'm so glad I did because it sure brightened everyone's day. Life can get busy but I must remember to slow down just enough to appreciate the "in your face" beauty of Spring!

Met Love

 

photos by ©J. Dias

I was in a New York state of mind this weekend. Three glorious days of art, food, and the BEST company ever! There is so much to love about this city, and right up there is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met is completely overwhelming. Just when I thought I could leave I'd see another fantastic piece of work that beckoned me to gaze upon it's beauty.
I LOVE NEW YORK!!!
p.s. if you're planning a visit this year be sure to check out the rooftop at the Met. The view is outstanding, and as a bonus you could experience the Tomás Saraceno installation.

Confront.

via Megadelux

I've been thinking about the 'fighter' spirt in us lately. It's a tough world out there, one that is full of challenges, constraints and things that can bring you down. What inspires you to pull yourself up by the bootstraps, put on your game face and confront life head on?
Found this quote (along with the pic above) on Megadelux:

“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”
– muhammad ali

In this world.

photos by ©J. Dias

Gotta love the magic of Spring, so get out there folks!

It's in the details.

found via AContinuousLean blog

found via AContinuousLean blog

In todays world words like 'craftsmenship' and 'effort' are used too liberally. Watching this video reminded me of what it means to truly stand behind a product with honesty, integrity and commitment.

This boy likes GIRLS.

via Hbo

Only three shows in and I'm sold. Writer Lena Dunham who also plays one of the girls is a wonderfully natural talent. I swear I've known this character Hannah Horvath as a real person at some point in my life. Hey and it takes place in NYC, hello??? do you need another reason to watch????

Sculptural Sgrafo

In the 1950s Peter Muller created Sgrafo Modern, an innovative modernist line of ceramics in the Fabrik Feiner Kunstporzellane factory in Germany. Korallenform (seen below) is my favourite because of it's unsual shapes which are quite different from other Mid-Century ceramics coming out of Germany at the time. It ain't everybody's cuppa tea but I kinda dig this stuff!

via Me Design Mag

via abstrafab blog

via fatlava

via fatlava

Glass Owl.

photo by ©J.Dias

The last few years owl stuff has been all over the place. I figure every home now has an owl motif something or the other. Well just when I thought it was safe to avoid this trendy bird thing I see this piece.
Now I've gone over to the dark side and bought in. In my defence I fell in love with the modernist style of the piece more than the fact that it's owls. Although it looks Swedish/Finnish it's made in the states by Glass America. I'm not too familiar with the company but would love to see more of their work. Anyone familiar with Glass America?