DC Recommends: Yves Klein at the Hirshhorn

It's no secret that the DC headquarters doubles as a Yves Klein fanclub flagship studio (you can see Erin wax poetic about him here, here and here) so when I found out that his work would be on display at the Smithsonian this summer my heart skipped a beat.

Last week, while visiting my mom in Northern Virginia, we took a break from pinballing between H&M and Homegoods to check out the Klein exhibit at the Hirshhorn.  (Side note, the Hirshhorn is totes my fave Smithsonian museum and it's worth a trip Klein or No.  But don't tell anyone, part of it's greatness is that it's never too crowded)

To see Klein's electric blue canvasses in person was really something else.  I never thought I could be so taken by a single solid color (no, I've never been a Rothko fan) but Klein's blue sets the retinas ablaze:  my eyes literally vibrated during the entire exhibit.

My mom and I agreed that the sponge display was the money part of the show.  Their cracks and crevices give way to shades of light and dark that make you want to shove them in your mouth.  They looked delicious.  Weird, but true.

Among his other works on display were his pink and gold monochromes (the blue is so amazing that even I was bored by the gold) as well as his fire paintings, which were totally radical.

If you're near the DC area skip on down to the Hirshhorn between now and September 12th to see the most amazing color you'll never be able to completely capture on your walls.

Buy My $h*t Off Craigslist!

After getting contacted by a professional organizer from the Hoarders show (seriously!), I figured it might be time to confront my "issues" and punch them straight in the face. Ok, and I will sheeplishly admit that I bought yet another couch that we have absolutely no use for, and Ben finally said that enough was bleeping enough. So we spent this past weekend rearranging furniture, photographing stuff for craigslist, and dealing with a fair amount of flaky beeyotches (and some super nice folks, too). I sold half of it, but I thought I might share a few pieces of the hoard with you -- mostly for your entertainment, and also to see if you want any of this crap beautiful furniture for your home. You know you do.

I mean, who would not want this king sized peach taffeta tufted headboard with matching coverlet? Gents, just try to stop yourselves from emailing me RIGHT NOW to reserve this bad boy. This sucker begs for strawberries and fine fine champagne in bed -- not that we would ever mar this baby with our own foodstuffs.

No sir. Just look -- pristine and smooth as a baby's butt. Kind of even looks like one.

How about four vintage Saarinen style captain's chairs? Sure, they are cushionless and could use a good cleaning. Sure, for some inexplicable reason the top lifts completely out of the base when you try to pick them up (anyone out there know how to fix this?). But there are four of them. And they are hard to find. Buy them. Please.

I'm just going to give these vintage lamps to one of my friends if I can't sell them. That's how little I care about them. Oops, I mean, "that will be $60 for the pair, please."

On the other hand, I would like to get approximately one brazillion dollars for my gigantic Italian glass Marbro lamp. I didn't even bother putting it on craigslist because I know some chump would just offer me $25 for it, and that would make me very cranky. Anyone know a good dealer?

Enough with the depressing stuff that didn't sell. Let's talk about my success stories.

I made a tidy little profit off our Danish table and six janky broken chairs, sold to a guy who sweet talked me into holding it for him by bribing me with Momma cookies. He turned out to be a dealer AND I didn't get no cookies. Well, at least I'm 99% sure he was a dealer. He never actually admitted it, but he didn't deny it when I asked him point blank. He did say that it was for his own home, but I think that was a dirty dirty lie.

Should we talk about craigslist ethics, here? I mean, I don't mind working with dealers, but why lie about it? Don't be a shady bastard.

I would have to say the highlight of my weekend was selling our Mulhauser Mr. Chair to a guy who really really likes it. Plus it was his birthday and he was really hungover, which was extertaining. Plus he really liked our house, and is thinking of buying something near our neighborhood... So, in my fantasies I have already sold our house and most of the remaining contents to him and his nice wife, while the hunny and I retire to the country, comforted by the fact that our beloved ex-home is in good hands.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be alone with my fantasies, please.

We've Got a Winner For the Wally!

Lots of you loved the Woolly Pocket giveaway, and with good reason -- those little guys are mind bendingly awesome. I plugged your sweet comments into the random number generator and bop bop bing blam ka ching, we have a winner: #6 -- Jyll, come on down! Apparently you did all the right cheerleading stunts, wore an appropriately tacky t-shirt, and screamed until your throat turned hoarse, because Wally is coming home with you. Lucky girl!

For those of you who are crushed by a bitter sense of defeat, turn that frown upside down by ordering your own Wally right here.

Many many thanks to the super nice people at Woolly Pocket, who go above and beyond in their quest for the green life. How so, you may ask? Well, just check out their school garden initiative:

For $1000 schools can order an entire gardening system, complete with a curriculum. I love this idea because it's so important for kids to learn the magical joy that growing things from tiny seeds brings. This in and of itself makes WP uber rad, but they just have to one up themselves by helping to raise money for schools who need it. I think my runty black heart just grew two sizes. If yours did, too, you can go here to vote for Woolly Pocket, which will them a chance to win big bucks from Pepsi for the Woolly School Garden.

But the giving doesn't stop there -- if you go here and tweet Woolly Pocket's message, WP will donate $1 to the Woolly School Garden on your behalf.

Just look at those happy faces!

Ok, dudes, back later with some goings on at Casa Erin... the dust be flying round here.