Yumi and Laurie Blog

Here is another great video that will surely bring a smile to your face.  Who doesn’t love the sound of a baby laughing?  It’s almost therapeutic…especially if you are having a stressful day.  Enjoy! 

Ellen Silverman is a photographer based in New York who is extremely talented.  She shoots interiors (as seen above), but I especially love browsing through her portfolio of food photos…they are beyond stunning.  Take a look… 

Natural Home magazine was kind enough to include a lovely post about Y&L on their Green Décor and Design blog yesterday. What a wonderful piece from writer Victoria Klein…thank you Victoria!

Courtesy of Daily Candy this morning, I’ve discovered a really cute website called Twine.  Twine is a gift shop which carries beautiful, simple, and useful items.  They have papergoods, home décor items, artistic accessories, and even kids stuff.  I really love the assortment of items they have on offer.  My very favorite piece is the “Forget Me Not” ring (pictured above) from Brooklyn-based artist, Kiel Mead…so delicate and feminine.  

Enjoy this great video courtesy of a Minnesota couple who recently exchanged vows.  Priceless…

Well, it’s more than just a “blog” really.  Technically it’s a “vlog” (or video-blog).  It’s Gary Veynerchuk’s Wine Library TV.  The Wine Library is not only a 35,000 square foot wine shop in Springfield, New Jersey, but also a online retailer.  Wine Library TV, on the other hand, is the retailer’s vlog, helmed by Gary, whom…well, I’ll let Gary explain himself, via his site: 

“Gary’s roots in wine tasting come honestly – his Russian immigrant parents owned a liquor store when he was growing up. Bored at the cash register, Gary began reading Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate and realized collecting wine offered an allure similar to his previous hobby of collecting baseball cards. As a teenager, tasting wine was legally impossible, so Gary set out to train his palate “backwards”. To study various flavors associated with wine, Gary tasted obscure fruits and vegetables, along with earthly influences, including grass, dirt, rocks, tobacco and wood. “I probably consumed more New Jersey grass in my teens than any lawn mower.” By familiarizing himself with the numerous tastes that contributed to a specific wine, Gary was able to detect subtleties that an ordinary palate wouldn’t recognize.

With a wealth of knowledge and an entrepreneurial spirit, Gary spent every weekend of his college years at his parents’ store, rebranding the family business as Wine Library and establishing himself as a respected expert. As the store’s only wine buyer, he sampled every wine that entered the store. Customers depended on Gary for his advice and within a five year time period, Wine Library grew from a $4 million dollar business to a $45 million business.”

That’s when he started Wine Library TV, which is a daily video in which he breaks down wine for the layman.   He makes it approachable and tells you to trust your own palate, not rely solely on what wine snobs tell you is good to drink.  Take a watch.  Gary’s personality and enthusiasm are infectious.  I love him and I bet you will too!

Yumi & Laurie was recently featured in the Summer ‘09 issue Ocean Home Magazine, which is a beautiful, glossy publication targeted to those who like to live near the water.  Here is the online version of the piece Y&L was featured in…all about sea-inspired gifts and décor elements.  Thank you for highlighting our versatile and comfy blanQuette, Ocean Home!

Malibu is such a beautiful place to be in the summer months.  It’s warm enough without being TOO warm, and once you are finished playing all day on the beach, there is plenty more to see and do.  For instance, there is the new Lumber Yard (pictured above), which is an eco-friendly outdoor shopping center housing the likes of Tory Burch, James Perse, Intermix, Alice + Olivia, and Crumbs Bakery. 

Malibu also has some lovely “Mom & Pop” type stores that have been there for years…my favorite being Room at the Beach.  It’s a lovely gift/furniture store that has lots of beautiful and unique things to admire. 

While you are there, walk next door to Tra di Noi and enjoy a delicious Italian meal al fresco.  Ahh…just what this girl needs…a day at the beach!  I can almost feel the cool breeze and smell the salty air already.  Lovely. 

Image courtesy of Racked LA 

This is how we pass the time at the Yumi & Laurie offices when we run out of design ideas and need some inspiration.  A little friendly competition in the form of Barbie Foot never fails to get the brain back in gear.*

*(I’m kidding)  

Look at this group of photos for what looks like a Wrangler denim campaign.  It’s quite extensive, and beautifully done.