Turquoise a.k.a. 15-5519TCX

According to the Pantone Color Institute, Turquoise is the hue for 2010. I'm not surprised with this ranking as the color evokes the feeling of a sigh of relief. It can be such a great accent color in the home, in fashion, in jewelry (insert Tiffany reference here) and not to mention the fact that it has tendencies to take you to a tropical island far far away.

So next time you need to paint a room in your home, consider painting it Turquoise. It also pairs well with a bright white, and compliments a chocolate brown quite nicely. Turquoise not only plays a part in my visual favorites, it also makes an impression musically. Listen to one of my favorite house songs called "Turquoise" by Circulation here and tell me if it doesn't take you to an island far far away.

Summary. Pantone Color Institute, you have a two thumbs up from this Turquoise admirer for hue of the year. For a complete article by the L.A. Times please click here.

50 Matchbook Masterpieces

Designer, writer and cultural archaeologist Jim Heimann has a fascination with collecting and documenting the trends in design culture. Here are just a few of the matchbook covers he has collected through the years.

It's people like Mr. Heimann whom we can thank for bringing us such unique and original artifacts to re-discover and appreciate from flea markets across L.A. View all 50 matchbooks here

Go To Helms!

The New Year as we know brings the refreshing feeling of new adventures. One of my goals this year is to re-discover what Los Angeles has to offer. I started out by visiting the Helms Bakery District for the first time yesterday. Located in Culver City on Venice Boulevard, Helms District is a must see for the foodies and furniture lovers out there.

Helms Bakery first opened its doors in 1931. It was family owned and operated and supplied local residents with fresh-baked bread delivered "Daily at Your Door" for over four decades. Although the bakery no longer remains, the Helms Bakery building is a cherised local landmark.

There are a few cafes including La Dijoinaise that offers a variety of pastries, savory crepes and serves breakfast as well. Don't leave without ordering their cafe latte.

Another favorite of mine is Father's Office. Don't be mislead by the name. This is the one place where you can find gourmet burgers and great tasting beer, not to mention the fabulous garlic fries. After you fill your tummy, visit the ultimate furniture stores ever built. The first is called Room and Board. It is in this very store that I wanted to charge up a storm and re-decorate my whole place! I absolutely love contemporary furniture and know one day I will have a great home with great furniture. There's nothing wrong with dreaming for now. The second furniture find is called H.D. Buttercup. Another amazing store with amazing one-of-a-kind pieces. You can really find some unique items there including an antique Chinese wedding bed I saw from the 1500's for a pretty penny.

Overall, day one of re-discovery was very successful. Who ever said L.A. didn't have any history?