Deeply Madly Living: Eclectic Uber Chic

One of my favorite things about surfing the web is that one finds things they almost never otherwise would. One of those is Garry Jensen and Elena Bertinetto's unique online store and company, named Deeply Madly Living.


above: owners Garry Jensen and Elena Bertinetto

Their "philosophy" on their site reads as follows:

Deeply Madly Living is Danish born Garry Jensen, a former international investment banker and design enthusiast and Elena Bertinetto, an italian interior decorator and trompe-l'oeil artist.

The company was founded after we moved back to the United States and attempted to furnish our Manhattan loft, a former button factory in the heart of New York City, with the décor from our previous homes in Europe. The aim was to give our interior an exclusive, eclectic, metropolitan twist and to create a new sense of style that would harmonize with our new "urban industrial" setting and still be a reflection of our own individual personalities.

It was a question of reinventing and rebalancing the furniture we already had (a combination of fine antiques, understated contemporary furniture and quirky modern artwork) by adding striking accent pieces, bold colors and uncommon objects that would be fresh and exciting to the eye and mind. The standard lifeless, modern and monochromatic picture perfect loft décor was never an option.

We soon discovered that looking for these accent pieces was an incredibly frustrating and time consuming experience. Even in a city like New York, filled with designer shops and galleries, there a was a need for a store offering a comprehensive line of unique, "cool" pieces for the home.

So, what's so 'cool'? I think these are.

The Celebrity Lamp, made with 40 pairs of aviator "shades":



Buy it here.

Pistol Paperweights , ceramic glazed with real platinum or 24k gold:


Buy it here

Funky Deer, cast polyresin in lime green or silver:


Buy it here.

Erotika Chair (please note that the following images may be offensive to some):



Buy it here.

Swarovski Skull Bath Towels:


Buy it here.

Lace Knife Set, the steel blades of the knives extend into an intricate pattern encased in a lucite handle:


Buy it here.

The Roy Maccassar Table (chairs not included but available):


Buy it here.

The Barbarossa Chair, stainless steel cubistic frame with aged soft leather cushions:

Buy it here

They have many more unusual items, check out the store here.

Now, all they have to do is redesign their logo!

BREAKING NEWS: iphone 2.0 release date delayed until July.

Hot off the presses:

WWDC: iPhone 2.0 release slated for early July

by Brian Chen, Macworld.com
Jun 9, 2008 11:14 am

From Macworld
Apple will delay the release of the iPhone 2.0 software until early July. But when the firmware does ship, it will offer plenty of new features for iPhone and iPod touch users.

Apple announced the new release date for the iPhone 2.0 update as part of a demonstration of the software during Steve Jobs’ Worldwide Developers Conference keynote presentation on Monday. Originally, Apple had expected to release iPhone 2.0 in late June.

When it does ship, the software will introduce a host of new features. The iPhone will add a contact search that allows users to enter a name and instantly find who they’re looking for. Full iWork document support lets users view Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents. Apple also will offer full support for Microsoft Office documents, including PowerPoint presentations.

iPhone 2.0 adds much sought-after bulk delete and move capabilities to its Mail application. Mail users will be able to save images from e-mails into their Photo Library.

Apple will also add parental control features, allowing parents to turn off explicit content, YouTube, iTunes Store, and the forthcoming App Store.

As announced when Apple first unveiled its iPhone 2.0 plans in March, the software update is free for iPhone users. iPod touch users can update to the firmware for $9.99.

In addition to outlining iPhone 2.0 features, Apple executives also profiled the iPhone software development kit that allows developers to build native apps for the phone. In a 33-minute demonstration during Monday’s keynote, a steady stream of developers showed off the games and apps that will be available via the App Store later this summer. Companies demonstrating their wares included Sega, Loopt, Pangea Software, TypePad, Cow Music, and Modality.

“We think we have a fantastic platform here for people to build incredible applications,” said Scott Forstall, Apple senior vice president of iPhone software.

Jobs also spoke about the enterprise features in the iPhone 2.0 update, highlighting many of the capabilities first showcased at his March demo. New enterprise features will include push e-mail, push contacts, push calendars auto-discovery of Microsoft Exchange servers.

As this article went to press, the keynote was continuing. We’ll have more information on iPhone 2.0 as it becomes available.
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and from Engadget:
It's been a long, leak-filled wait, but Apple finally took the wraps off its 3G iPhone. Thinner edges, full plastic back, flush headphone jack, and the iPhone 2.0 firmware -- Apple's taking a lot of the criticisms to heart from the first time around. Obviously 3G is at the forefront, but they're also making sure it's available all over internationally, works with enterprises, runs 3rd party apps... and does it all for cheaper. Apple claims its 3G speeds trounce the competition, with pageloads 36% faster than the N95 and Treo 750 -- and of course it completely trounces the old EDGE data. Battery life isn't getting put out to pasture though, with 300 hours of standby, 8-10 hours of 2G talk, 5 hours of 3G talk, 7 hours of video and 24 hours of audio. GPS is also a go. Apple is using A-GPS, which supplements regular satellite GPS data with info from cellular towers. WiFi data is also worked into the mix, which should give users a pretty solid lock on where the heck they are on this planet. Unfortunately, there's no front-facing cam, which syncs with what we were hearing, but is still a little disappointing. Apple hopes to launch in 70 countries this year. 8GB is available for $199, 16GB for $299 -- and the 16GB comes in white. Both pricepoints require a contract. Apple will be hitting the 22 biggest markets, including the US, on July 11th.

Other tidbits:

* It's a teensy bit thicker.
* A SIM ejector comes in the box, at last.
* There's no dock included, just a USB power adapter.
* On AT&T unlimited iPhone 3G data plans for consumers will be available for $30 a month, on top of voice plans starting at $39.99 a month. Unlimited 3G data for business users will be $45 a month, on top of voice.

Miracle-Gro Millinery: Tulips and Pansies, The Headdress Affair

Now in its seventh year, Village Care of New York's annual "Tulips and Pansies: The Headdress Affair" is not your average benefit fashion show - pair New York's top florists with the city's most creative fashion designers, and the end result? Floral headdresses akin to wearable rooftop gardens, that are so outrageous and over-the-top they could be their own float in the annual Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

Take a look:

















The show, held on Thursday, May 15, raised funds to support Village Care’s medical and other support programs for the 1500 AIDS and HIV patients they serve on a daily basis. With Heatherette's Richie Rich and Traver Rains and model and actress Lydia Hearst as the event's co-chairs and James Aguiar of "Full Frontal Fashion" as the exuberant emcee, fashion met floral in 18 elaborately constructed headdresses by designers such as Betsey Johnson, Alvin Valley, Catherine Malandrino, Yigal Azrouel, Shoshanna, Lela Rose, Magda Berliner, Cynthia Steffe, Jordi Scott, b. michael, Alexis Bittar and others.


above: host James Aguiar

"It smells amazing, the girls look amazing and the drag queens look amazing!" said Richie Rich, who participated in the show last year with a “big flying saucer floral concoction.”




Though working with fresh flowers is no easy feat ("They don’t last! You’re trying to get them on, either sew them or with the glue gun, but the glue gun melts the flowers, and they wilt. It’s like an 'America's Next Top Model' challenge!" explained Richie Rich), it didn’t stop the designers from dreaming up headdress that challenged gravity and gave a whole new meaning to the famous sixties song lyric, "If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair."


From a corset constructed entirely of pussy willow buds resembling tiny pearls by Empress 22 Charlene Chivoe of Imperial Court of New York (in collaboration with Tara McInerney of Morningside Greenhouse) to long garlands of flowers delicately woven into the model's hair in Cynthia Steffe and Renny and Reed's bohemian headdress, the results were varied, but for the five judges – Patrick McDonald, Alison Berlin, Maggie Norris, Frank Di Caro and Richie Rich – there were some clear stand-outs.

The judges named four winners – "Most Outrageous" went to Empress 13 Anne Tique of Imperial Court of New York in collaboration with Brian Fischer of Morningside Greenhouse for their enormous headdress featuring pencil cactus, orchids, peony petals and tillandesis; "Most Beautiful" was Alexis Bittar and Flowers Rock’s Victorian Cyber Goth creation; "Most Original" went to FORM New York and Aristocratic by Tammy's white orchid and blue ostrich feather design and "Most Engaging" was awarded to the biggest headdress of the evening, Betsey Johnson and David Tutera’s "pussy willow chapeau" with irises, petal brim and grass construction.

here are some fun backstage shots for you:


image sources: Fashion Wear Daily/wire image/getty images.

• Be sure to check out the post on the 2009 Tulips & Pansies Headdress Affair here, It's even more spectacular!