farewell + hello

with it being the beginning of a new year, i think it's time for some changes. major changes. well... maybe not MAJOR, but major in a sense that i believe it will begin to move things in a new direction. just thinking about all that is to come makes me so... excited!! i can't wait to share this journey with you and hope that you will come along for the ride!

one major change for zakka nouveau will be that this blog is moving! yes, it is farewell... but not without a grand hello! i'm very happy to announce that everyday curiosities will continue to exist, but under the new name zakka nouveau : blog! some other changes along with the move will include: daily postings during the week, a new interview column, food recipes and much, much more! i'm starting to sound like a car salesman. but have no fear! the blog will continue to cover topics that it has been writing about and of course the aesthetic will definitely not change. i'm thinking of it more as 'spring cleaning', but happening during the winter. :)

i really want to thank you so much for your support this past year! i've been thoroughly enjoying connecting with all of you and meeting so many new people through this blog. i think ultimately that's what it's about for me — connecting with people. my hopes for the new blog is to not only introduce interesting, curiosity-provoking content, but hope that it will help to connect people with other people around the world so that we can continue to support one another in our life endeavors.

now~ onto the new blog page! see you there!

photograph: kevin thoeng | japan jan '11

// zakka nouveau : blog 

fashion*obsession : wildfox

these photos make me want to round up the girls, have some fun and take candid shots while doing it...

// wildfox

// light up my soul

i've been on the hunt for a wooden chandelier, but haven't been able to find anything i like until i saw these! can you imagine the different shadows that these would cast in a room? romantic.

// holz

photography*obsession : takashi kumagai

you know those moments where you see something and it just feels oh-so-right? that's the exact feeling i got when i saw the work of takashi kumagai. something so natural, flawless, effortless and beautiful. capturing a moment in the most elegant of ways. breathtaking.

// takashi kumagai

// feeling like eating a garden

the foodie in me has lately been in search of finding new ways to enjoy more vegetables + fruits. looking at  the menu of  vacanteen, especially this vegebento, makes me want to gobble up a garden. looks delicious!

// vacanteen

i {heart} work : rie imai

just the right amount of glaze and color to give each piece a feel of history... it reminds me of japanese shabby-chic style. lovely without trying hard... just perfect.

// rie imai

// women are beautiful

is what i thought while looking at the duras ambient lookbook... so glad to have been born a girl!

// duras ambient

shopaholic : elephant*

a beautiful collection of scandinavian inspired modern design & crafts adorn the elephant* shop... 

// elephant*

i {heart} work : saori tao

one of the things i love while traveling in japan is the ride in the train. you can experience so many different landscapes while looking out the window, it's like nature tv! it's especially interesting when you travel from the countryside, where there are acres and acres of rice patties, to the city with its towering skyscrapers, all within a few hours. just amazing!

the work of saori tao reminds me of this juxtaposition that i feel every time i go visit japan. her work depicts nature in it's grandest, untouched by the human hands and then contrasts it with images of people in their everyday life. the interesting thing about this is that if you continue to look at the photos side by side, you begin to notice the connection between human and nature. 

do you feel the connection?

// saori tao

i {heart} work : keiko+keiko

off to japan starting today to visit friends and family! i haven't been back for about 2 years now so very excited to be able to go! i'm especially looking forward to the eats, little shops and my all time favorite, convenience stores/vending machines. i'm not sure what it is about them, but when i see one, i have to either venture inside or have to purchase a juice just so that i can experience pushing the button. it's an addiction i tell you.

also, another reason why this trip is very meaningful to me is that lately i've been yearning to connect with japanese culture. being born and raised in los angeles by my japan-born parents, i've always felt in limbo, but never had a deep need to connect with the culture directly until recently. maybe it's because i'm getting older? i'm not sure, but the culture does intrigue me and i would love to learn more about my background. 

during my wedding dinner, which is why i'm currently traveling to singapore and japan, i wore a traditional japanese wedding kimono and was wondering if there was any modern items that one could carry with them instead of opting to use a normal handbag. little did i know, there is a genre out there for kimono wear goods! 

one that caught my attention was by desgner keiko+keiko. although the items are specifically created to be used when wearing a kimono, i can see myself using many of the items with my everyday outfits. elegant and unimposing, i feel dainty already.

// keiko+keiko

wish list : de posible a imposible, 20 veces

happy 2011 everyone!! hope your year is starting off marvelously and you're enjoying some relaxation time with your loved ones. with this being the first post of the new year, i thought i would begin it with something i truly love.... publications! 

although i'm not an avid reader, i truly enjoy the the feeling of holding a book or magazine in my hands, flipping through the pages, looking at the images over and over, enjoying the binding if it was hand bound, the texture of the paper against my fingertips. now it's starting to sound like a love affair! but there is something so magical about books and magazines that i just can't get enough of... 

on my wishlist currently is a fanzine by maria mantella entitled de posible a imposible, 20 veces. just love the colors and imagination-filled illustrations. i can already see myself looking at this while drinking some tea in the morning...

// de posible a imposible, 20 veces