from brooklyn with love

I haven't been on The Selby for a while, but whenever I do I end up spending a lotta time browsing through all the new images. Selby's subjects just get better and better, and I was thrilled to see the Mast Brothers and their Brooklyn chocolate factory being profiled recently. They make one of the most sinfully delicious chocolate bars I've ever tasted, and their trademark patterned paper packaging is equally delightful. You could almost taste their immense level of dedication in each handcrafted chocolate bar, from cocoa bean roasting all the way to the paper wrapping. My favorite is the Dark Chocolate w/ Fleur de Sel, and I have been craving it ever since I moved back to Hong Kong. Mast Brothers alone is enough of a reason for me to open a gourmet store here just so I could have a constant stock of their dark chocolate bars. I'm not exaggerating, go get a bar (or three) to share with your Valentine next weekend and I'm sure he/she will love you just a lil' bit more.

I used to pass by their factory every day after work!

Images via The Selby

double vision

On the twelfth day of December, my end-of-year festivities have officially begun, which also means it's time to lay out my holiday outfit options. As I've mentioned before in an earlier post, this season is the best time to flaunt all things glitzy and glamorous, but there are only so many parties for me to fit in all the sequins and sparkles and velvet and lace... so why not do a double feature of each element? Prints on prints is a look that's often been done - mixing distinctively different prints or patterns together to create a harmonious outcome. So here, I've also taken things in pairs - first matching a sparkly hairpiece with the sequined embellishment on my dress; and wearing a flowery lace stockings to go with the embroidered tulle hem. This way, all my party-perfect clothing might be able to make the rounds through the holiday season!

ps. #1: Special thanks to wildasmink for giving purple*bliss a "Haute Mess" award! I am so thrilled and flattered. Do check out her blog as well as the other award winners! I have to confess I have been a bit of a slacker in the blogosphere lately...

ps. #2: I finally got a new camera (can you tell from the quality of these pictures?!). Thanks to mom and dad for the early x'mas gift!! It's the uber slick, all-black Canon s90 and I am loving it.

back to the future

I just found this awesome graphic design website called grain edit, which "focuses classic design work from 1950's - 1970's" as well as "contemporary designers that draw inspiration from that time period". Designs featured include children's books, vintage airline posters, record covers, limited edition stamps, illustrations... basically any design that belongs to that particular time period or has that kind of aesthetic to it. There are also interviews of current design companies/ illustrators along with their art work, which are equally intriguing.



*Hometown representative: 1975 Hong Kong stamps!
Feature designs come from all over the world, which is what makes the site so interesting.



Can you tell which designs are "vintage" and which ones are contemporary?

All images: via giant edit