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December 26, 2012

In Between has moved!

While I figure out a redirect, please find me here at www.milanshimonolee.com. Thanks for coming here, of all the blogs you could be reading!

Have a happy new year.

xo,

Milan

October 26, 2012

How does design work?

From Kelli Anderson's Creative Mornings talk: 
"When we make things, we initiate a collaboration with the preexisting conditions of the universe." If you think you're creating from scratch, that's B.S.

Her infographic work is colorful and fun, and feels so strongly unified. I can't find a visual gap anywhere. I'm having a hard time imagining how involved her process must be. I'm sure she's just that talented. But in her talk, she goes much deeper than that. She talks about the impact of her work and how she wants to "disrupt" the repetitive rituals through design. It's not flat, it's not obvious, it's begging for dimension and universal meaning. Think I just refell in love with design.


October 25, 2012

Maui 2012

*sigh* 

A much needed R&R vacation. 

We visited so many blue beaches. Became braver with the sea. Saw a ton of sea turtles and even briefly swam with them a few times. Drove all around the island and marveled at the changing environments, from urban to fields to oceanside to rural rainforest to desolately dry to forest and back to urban. Drove up up up past the clouds to watch the sunset atop a volcano. Soaked in gloriously setting suns every night. Soaked in the sound of the crashing waves and crashed into the soaking waves. Showered a lot. Ate fresh pineapples and drank pineapple wine. ALmost made it out of there without one fight, but of course, had a little tiff as we were driving to our departing flight. And of course it was about food (my priority) vs.  time (Jas's priority). Thankful that it blew past at record speed. We rock.

And now we're back to reality, as they say. Except, I'd argue that a vacation like that surfaces the simple things that really matter, which feels more "real" and necessary to me than the routine we tend to fall into back home. 













October 17, 2012

Landon Metz

Landon Metz, another Insta-discovery, uses dye on canvas to create these tender and minimalistic paintings. Seeing his work makes me really want to pick up the paintbrush! I'd love to visit NY and see them up close in person.

These are two of my favorites in his 2012 series, and it's interesting to see how much of a departure it is from 2011 and 2010.  





October 9, 2012

Oh Happy Day Collaboration

New collaboration with Oh Happy Day

Jordan of Oh Happy Day posted a call a couple months ago for stylists and crafters to collaborate on a new format for her blog, and I couldn't pass up the amazing opportunity. We met and planned and crafted our brains out and this Big Fringe Curtain is one glorious outcome. Learn how to do it yourself (suuuper easy) on her blog! It was so much fun to work alongside such hardworking and sweet people, right here in San Francisco. My world feels a little bigger and a little brighter.




All photography by Sarah Hebenstreit of Modern Kids Photography for Oh Happy Day
Art Directed by Jordan Ferney
Produced by Ashley Rose Kirschling
Styling by me


October 4, 2012

Christopher Alexander on Timelessness


To seek the timeless way we must first know the quality without a name. There is a central quality which is the root criterion of life and spirit in a man, a town, a building, or a wilderness. This quality is objective and precise, but it cannot be named. 
– Christopher Alexander

September 23, 2012

Kurt Vonnegut's Advice on Storytelling


Kurt Vonnegut's advice on telling stories, worth the short listen via Brain Pickings

September 19, 2012

Two Weekends

The past two weekends were rejuvenating in their own ways. Last weekend we drove up to Tahoe and mellowed out in a cabin with our good friends Glenn and Marita. (By mellow, I mean easy, not narcotically). The weekend before that J and I drove to Napa and indulged to the max, wining and dining our faces off in Yountville in honor of our first year of marriage.

We're typically not big on anniversaries, in fact, when the anniversary of our first date came around, I told Jason that if we "do" anniversaries he better not forget even once, otherwise we probably shouldn't celebrate at all. I'm not very good with disappointment :) He committed, and I still have trouble remembering if it's on the 4th or the 6th or the 9th.

We love sharing "firsts". This was our first year of experiencing marriage, and boy, this year was full of 'em! We decided to go all out and we ended up adding to our list. Here are photos of some of the moments between indulgent meals and beeeeeautiful Napa and Tahoe summer weather. Note that the first 5 photos are from Jetsetter website of the luxury boutique North Block Hotel where we stayed. Highly recommended if you're feeling splurgy.

Sergey Shapiro Lettering Artist

Found him on Instagram and have been kind of obsessed with his work ever since.  See Sergey Shapiro's website for the full beast: http://www.sergeyshapiro.com/.