"I don't give a damn about your yellow buzzards"

In honour of the Man in Black's would-be 78th birthday, Flavorwire kindly shared 78 things you didn't know about Johnny Cash.

Some faves:

7. When he was a child working in the cotton fields, Cash used to eat young cotton buds, despite his mother’s warnings that they would give him bellyaches.


15. During his stint in the Air Force, Cash learned to translate Russian Morse code.


25. When Cash first moved to Memphis, he enrolled in a radio class at Keegan’s School of Industry, hoping to become a DJ.


32. After an oil leak from Jesse James set the Los Padres National Wildlife Refuge on fire, Cash became the only person ever successfully sued by the U.S. for starting a forest fire.
33. The blaze Cash’s camper started killed all but 9 of the endangered condors at the refuge. When questioned about the birds at the deposition, Cash replied: “I don’t give a damn about your yellow buzzards."


65. He used to carry around a jar of instant coffee and ladle spoonfuls of it into the coffee he ordered in restaurants.

Read 'em all here.

Advanced Style

Think 'the Sartorialist,' and then add 40 years and you'll have a pretty good idea of what Ari Cohen is doing at his blog, Advanced Style.

I got such a kick out of this blog, passed along to me by my very stylish (but not so advanced) Auntie. Thanks Renee!

I love the photo below, not only because of the awesome overcoat, but also because it depicts a different kind of 'style' icon, Willian Zinsser, author of the authoritative writers' text book: On Writing Well.

Lonny #3

If you haven't already drooled your way through the entire thing, you'll be interested to know that the third issue of Lonny (the online salvation of Domino fans) went up last week! The best thing about having all the style and substance of Domino in an online format is seemingly limitless photo pages—though I should warn that it's not advisable to drool on your keyboard while viewing.

I especially loved the cover feature showing how two sisters interpreted identical floor plans in the same building. Both apartments are spectacular but I gravitate towards Antonia's vintage + modern mix and utilitarian kitchen.

And since I am currently on the hunt for a great pendant light for our dining room, this photo caught my eye in particular.

And if you love Lonny as much as I do, you'll probably love its editor's blog and her apartment. Check out a tour of Michelle Adams' adorably small NYC home right here.

point blanket dilemma

Watching all the Olympic footage has made me a very proud Canuck (and Vancouverite!) this past week. I get the same feeling when I stroll by the current window displays at the Hudson's Bay Company—alongside all the Olympic paraphernalia are stacks of thick woolen Point Blankets and like-striped clothing that make me drool and feel a certain Canadian-ness that swells the cockles of my heart.

And lucky me: a couple years ago I inherited a genuine vintage multi-stripe Point Blanket, in all its dusty, smelly, scratchy goodness. I love this blanket dearly but at the moment it is collecting even more dust in our linen closet while I figure out just what to do with it—and for that matter, how to clean it!

It looks great as a bed spread, but is just too heavy to sleep under, so I've been thinking about other uses for it besides emergency-car-blanket.

For starters i love love love Smythe's hooded swing coat. But this might be beyond my sewing ability.

 

[via pretentiousbitties.blogspot.com]

Likewise, if I'm feeling uber ambitious I could use it to reupholster our cheapo/aging Ikea Klippan sofa.

Slightly less work would be to convert it into a bunch of throw cushions and maybe even a sturdy tote.

[image via faffaround.blogspot.com]

But the question I keep coming back to is: is it sacrilege to cut up a vintage Point Blanket? Am I destroying a valuable piece of Canadian history? And, I'm not kidding, how does one un-dust an 80-year-old wool blanket?!

what type are you?

After supper on Saturday, our very first Toronto dinner guests, Rodrigo and Sahra showed us this brilliant test from the geniuses at Pentagram. Follow the link to let an Austrian shrink 'analyze' your type.

What type are you?

my diagnosis: I am Van Doesburg. Yes, I suffer the orange cream first so I can save the hazelnut for last, but surely I'm not this rigid?

history of winter olympic posters

 I loved flipping through this collection of old winter games posters at NBC sports. Cool to see the design evolution over so many decades... scary to see what the Calgary team put together in '88, but otherwise mostly classic design!