Yes, it is upon us

The holiday season and the holiday craze.  Having parking spot standoffs in the lot of the mall, fighting crazy mad lines just to get that last perfect present.  As crazy as this season is it is by far one of my favorite times of the year.  Celebrating togetherness no matter where you are or what belief you are.  And I ABSOLUTELY love it!  Today I thought I would share something quick and small, not really focused on design, but something that has brought the people in my little-(ish) town together every year during this season.  And that would be, Deacon Dave's.

Every year Deacon Dave puts up this spectacular feast of lights and starts showing them in November.  If you are a local or know someone who is then you know where this house is every year and being the wonderful Deacon that Dave is, he is courteous enough to let anybody walk through his front yard and peer in his windows.

Waiting in line, almost there

The typical wait is about forty to forty-five minutes.  This has gotten so large over the years that police occasionally patrol and their are line-enforcers.

The trees on the outside entrance

 

And finally we made it inside!  Tell these little girls to get out of my snapshot!  I am trying to look at Santas Workshop, ugghhh.  I'm just playing (all the kids that come are oohing and ahhhing at this and it is amazing)  I mean I am an adult and I still ooh and ahhh at this every time I go.

Once you walk past Santas workshops you come across his window displays at the front of the home.  Here is a small town with the reflection of all the lights bouncing off of the window.

Window display of the nativity scene

As you pass the window displays you come across a bridge and to the left there are rotating ice skaters, and to your right is a waterfall display (the picture did not come out due to the lights directly in front of it).

And finally this is the scene when you leave the house.  Every year he has a light count and every year the Deacon puts up more lights than the previous year.  I think that he has a small army of people helping him because he only starts this every October!  I'm not sure and perhaps I will never know, but even if you don't celebrate Christmas this will definitely be something that your entire family can enjoy as I do.  Enjoy the rest of your week everyone!

~xo~Michelle~xo~

Tres-Uber Chic

Today we are going to go on a journey of design all while shopping and eating at the same time.  We are going to look at great designs, all while enjoying a nice day out.  Well, I mean if we had our own private jet that could take us from country to country.  All the while, it's nice to dream.  Our first stop, Europe.

 Okihana; Europes first anti-aging and health concept store.  Now I am a little young to be considering going in here, but why not take preventive measures right?  I mean look at it, how could you not?  Everything that the anti-aging process is, is in this store.  The branches, symbolizing how rough the aging process is, the whiteness gives the store a Dr.s room sterile kind of feeling.  I'm feeling a little cold in here so lets go to our next destination.  Jet please!

Ms. B.'s Sweets, Tokyo, Japan.  I was feeling a little hungry and saw this window.  Ms. B.s Sweets is far from your average Japanese design.  It speaks traditional, it speaks feminine, soft and beauty.  The chandelier alone speaks mountain, which was originally designed for the British Embassy in Rome in the 1950s.  Whoooaaa, all this sugar, I need something to drink, preferably something strong to keep me awake for the rest of our jet-setting. 

Milan, Marc by Marc Jacobs.....A coffee shop with a twisted wonderful play of lighting.  I mean why wouldn't the lighting be the main focus here?  Synonymous with fashion the appropriate light setting makes the fashion that much more appealing.  Marc, now you make me want to shop.

Back to Tokyo, an uber-chic Tokyo flagship store, Marni.  With plays on geometric shapes and a large combination of textures this store was thoughtfully designed to wow and keep clientele coming in. 

Still in Tokyo, The Romanticism Womens Clothing Store features a unique honeycomb structure that makes you wonder what kind of store it is.  It keeps your eye drawn upward and with minimal display makes you enter without knowing it.  This has been a really long day so now I need to lie down.

This hostel in Bangkok is sure to provide some affluent accommodations, with every room painted a different color and different design you are sure to have a conversation starter while flying solo or more. 

Every store has some sort of design to it, whether it be your favorite coffee shop, clothing store, or what not it is meant for you.  If you keep going back there then you are exactly the kind of clientele they had in mind when they designed it.  See what you like, see what your favorites are, this could tell a lot about your personality, if you take notice.  Have a great Hump Day everyone.

~xo~Michelle~xo~