My mother always said don’t throw yourself at someone all at once
The founders of the UK retail chain AllSaints must have grown up with that advice, because they build store exteriors that exude quiet confidence. 80 stores…
Real Deal Road Trip No. 12: Yankee and Make Magazine HQ’s
I’m always surprised at how down to earth small to medium size publisher offices tend to be. Case in point. Here’s where Make Magazine tests the…
Flying pumpkins
After my amusing encounter with faux pumpkin patches in California, I took a spin to pick up pumpkins closer to home, and do a little early…
Shabby chic wit, without the work
The dirty secret of creating a “shabby chic” look in home decor is that it can be a lot of work. I found this out when…
(Not) Real Deal Road Trip #1
I’m in the Bay Area for the week. After an afternoon on sterile Sand Hill I treated myself to a drive through gorgeous Half Moon Bay. …
Grommet in the wild (can I call a person a Grommet?)
I had the pleasure of hearing author and WSJ columnist Jeffrey Zaslow speaking last night, at a Carnegie Mellon alumni event. We featured his wonderful book…
Maker Faire New York Slide Show…overdue but worth it
Joanne and I had a stimulating time in Queens last weekend, at the premiere World Maker Faire New York, installed at the NYSCI Hall of Science. …
Rise of the little guy
I’m in the emergency room with my son. Skateboard spill gone bad. As long as he does not move his arm he is comfortable. So much…
Why you are not a sap for buying high-priced milk
Wherever I go, I always try to check out the local retail scene. Lately, from Austin to Ann Arbor, I see extensive “Buy Local” marketing campaigns.…
Like the ’60’s, only better
A few months ago, when Nadia Auch of the Center for Peace and Commerce at the University of San Diego asked me to fly out to…
Jules Pieri 