I’m thrilled to bring you the wandering thoughts of Ryan Walker and Alissa Parker, the wonderful couple behind Horne, one of the most beautifully curated online shops. I’ve long admired Ryan and Alissa’s great taste. I enjoy browsing their shop frequently and checking out their Behind the Bar series on Design*Sponge, where we are co-editors. Ryan and Alissa have been out and about this year, and their thoughts are subsequently filled with the scents, sounds, sights, and tastes that they gathered during their travels. Thank you for sharing, Ryan and Alissa!
- The Beginners. Everything about this movie was spot on: the score, set design, styling, and story—even the movie poster. It is currently hanging on our inspiration board.
- We recently went on a trip to Marfa, TX, and relished in the minimalism of Donald Judd and the artists of the Chinati Foundation. Donald Judd had beds in all of the various rooms of the “Block” (his home in Marfa) as he liked to lay in bed awhile sketching. Beds everywhere you say? That sounds like a pretty sweet life.
- While in Marfa, we took in the local talent of Mimi and Roberto Dopson—husband and wife potters, of Mimi y Roberto Pottery—who make beautifully minimalist pieces from their studio in Alpine, TX. We had the privilege of going to the Food Shark with the pair as we discussed a little bit of everything over a Marfalafal.
- While getting a private tour of Mimi and Roberto’s studio, we stumbled upon a ceramic piece they had collected from Teodora Blanco. Their piece was a beautiful clay female figure with intricate floral details.
- Tienda M carried work by Mimi y Roberto, handmade goods from Oaxaca, and the lovely designs by Christina Kim of dosa. I finally bought my first few dosa pieces and I am in LOVE!
- We are really digging the graphic artist Shepard Fairey and the work he did with indie rockers Death Cab for Cutie on their video for “Home Is a Fire.”
- Ryan and I just saw Death Cab for Cutie at the Mann Center here in Philly and we are loving their new album, Codes & Keys, especially the song, “You Are a Tourist.”
- We love the idea of a small curated shop that sells local and handmade goods. Tienda M in Marfa is one such successful example of how this idea can come to life.
- Traditional recipes from the heel of Italy’s boot: We can’t help ourselves but to work non-stop when we are in Philly, so the travel is not only appealing because, well, we get to travel but it also means some much-needed time away from Horne. We are heading back to France and Italy this month and Ryan has been cooking his way through the most fabulous cookbook, Flavors of Puglia, that I got him for his birthday last year. I purchased it from Rabelais book store in Portland, ME. The recipes are all from the Puglia region in Italy and each one is better than the last.
