Fish Are Not Decoration

The New York Times is running an article online about extravagant fish tanks: $200,000 tanks with $1000 monthly maintenance fees.  What I find particularly jaw dropping about the story isn't the cost of the homeowner's decor, it's the fact that the homeowners consider fish decor in the first place. Fish are animals.  They do not belong in little glass boxes and they do not exist to decorate your room or to amuse you.  They are living creatures.  And seriously, before I get a bunch of hate comments (I'm not changing my mind) yes, yes it is different from having a cat or a dog, both of which are allowed outside to roam and coexist in a mutually beneficial relationship of companionship with their care givers.  I do not own a cat so that my living room looks prettier.  In fact, my cats make my space look much worse, but I love them more than my things so I manage.

(sorry for the long disclaimer, I just really don't want to fend off hate comments today.)

The designers interviewed in the article note that aquariums answer the age old questions: “How do you humanize this space, how do you introduce natural elements? How do you make it feel like you’re not standing in a white, pristine, soul-less box?”

8 fish swimming endlessly around 2 rocks doesn't feel soulful to me.  Fail.

The owners of this 6,000 pound, $200,000 suspended tank "get lost in it" at night rather than the television set.  I'm so so glad that nature's creatures are able to provide you with endless entertainment.

It is noted that the owner's of this tank's other point of pride in their home is the tanning bed in the basement.  Need I say more?

Ok, really, I'm sure there are lots of people who will disagree with me today.  I'm sure several of you have aquariums and love your fishies and I'm sure you make great homes for them.  And, no, they are not being hunted and eaten.  I know there are several sides to the fish-in-home debate, and I could probably be persuaded to accept several of the gray areas, but the bottom line is that fish as decor creeps me out.  Please try not to get too hatey today.  Besides, this whole look is really 80s, and not in a good way.  xoxo

Panther Table

Last Friday my new couch got totally upstaged by my panther coffee table.  Yes, my brand new most expensive piece of furniture was put to shame by a pair of panthers purchased from craigslist and spray painted by my mom. So let's talk about them.

Note, this is actually a super old picture with my old couch and old rug and tile-free fireplace.

I purchased 4 of these panthers from craigslist for a whopping $100.  They were black with eyes and mouths painted on their silly faces.  I think the rocks under them where gray.  They were pretty silly.  I bought them from a former bachelor who had, according to him, spent years looking for a panther table only to marry a woman who demanded they vacate the premises.   While I may have reconsidered the union, he instead chose to sell them to little old me.

I carted them home (breaking one along the way) and made a plan to paint them gold.  Before I had a chance to give them the Midas touch, my mom came along and did it for me.  Thanks mom.

I know these panthers are pretty rad and you probably think there's not much more i can say about them but you would be wrong.

Recently, while watching old episodes of the most awesome show ever made in my lifetime I observed that TRACY JORDAN HAS THE EXACT SAME PANTHER TABLE IN HIS FREAKIN DRESSING ROOM.  Ok, his are black, but that's fine, because TRACY JORDAN HAS ALMOST THE EXACT SAME PANTER TABLE IN HIS FREAKIN DRESSING ROOM.  I wish to all things holy that I had paused and taken a screen shot but I didn't have the foresight to realize it then and now the only episode I saw them on is a distant memory (I had a 3 season marathon and it's all a blur).  This is the best picture I could find online.

Find me a better picture and I'll think of something crazy nice to do for you.

Before I hit the road, I want to apologize for this quasi lame post BUT BUT BUT, I'm working on a big huge post for Thursday that involves a big surprise announcement that's not to be missed.  Unless you have the option of taking the day off work and going shopping or swimming, then I would probably miss the surprise in that case.

Kisses!

Doggy Style

I love a good weiner... dog, that is. This weekend, we joined Karly and Mattybear at the Weiner Dog Races in Buda, TX, a wee country town just minutes south of Austin.

Photo by Jay Janner of the Austin American Statesman

It had to be the weirdest county fair I have ever been to, but I gotta say that the pups were doggone cute. So today I'm posting a few doggy decor items inspired by our day at the races. Blue ribbons not included.

Dogs as typefaces, via Swiss Miss

I am obsessed with these headless dog speakers. Woofers by Sander Mulder.

Available in a limited run of only 50 pieces, these little dudes by Matteo Cibic have a fine pedigree.

Ibride's Sultana Dog Stool

I love this Dog Mask Mirror, designed by Tord Boontje and Emma Woffenden for Artecnica.

Check out this amazing tutorial on how to screenprint your own wallpaper. If you've ever screenprinted anything, you know what a crazy big achievement this doggie wallpaper by Polly Danger is.

And finally, an oldie but goodie -- the Whippet Bench by Radi Designs even comes in gold. Truly, that must be man's best friend.

I'm leaving y'all with a little pic of Me and Ike in the petting zoo at the fair. We survived the voracious baby eating goats... barely. I'm not sure Ike's pacifier will ever the the same, though.

Sorry our posts are looking all wonky... we're having some weird wordpress glitches that force us to code in HTML and mama no likey. Hopefully it'll all magically resolve itself soon.

That's it for the weekend wrap up. Did any of you do anything super exciting? Tell me all about it.