Apron Obession

{via Ice Milk Aprons}

Some of my favorite memories growing up are of cooking with my mom.  She's an excellent cook.  Hailing from a long line of good gourmets, my mom could make the only two ingredients left in a cupboard into a five course meal.  Often times, she did just that-- especially when we were growing up and didn't have much in the lines of a "cushion" in terms of the finances.  My mom is truly talented in the culinary arts world.  She's the type to grow her own herbs, to use real butter in all her recipes, and the type who never uses measuring cups yet everything seems to be miraculously perfect when all is baked and done.  You know the type I'm talking about, I'm sure.

Funny then, that I was recalling these memories over the Christmas vacation when we were all in charge of cooking a meal each night that we were together (think of it like "Top Chef: Family Style."  It was so much fun, and I highly recommend you do it with your family or friends!).  I stumbled upon these aprons in a magazine and instantly fell in love.  I remember being so excited as a little girl to put on my mom's apron and wrap the tie around my tiny waist ten million times.  These aprons by Ice Milk remind me of the grace my mom always had while she cooked and the elegance that I still admire about her today.

 {via Heirloom Style: Totally Bella}

Now, which one to order AND which one to stock in the future coffee shop are the essential questions!

    

{via Iced Milk Aprons}

And if you haven't swooned enough already, their Wordpress blog is absolutely beautiful as well!  Riddled with recipes, family vignettes and amazing business inspiration, I hope you enjoy perusing as much as I did!

Cafe Style

I love this look for a coffee barmaid.

Coffee Time

The Loft Coffee House and Espresso Bar... new concept...  The inspiration?   One Shot Coffee in Philadelphia:

{All photos via google/1shotcoffee}

Bobbette and Belle

I came across a beautiful storefront in Leslieville, Ontario, a neighborhood just outside of Toronto.  What a lovely pastry boutique-- truly charming and a place I'd love to see!  I love the decor, the "open" and bright feel to the store, and the look of their delicious confections, of course.  Follow their blog here.

{images via Bobbette and Belle}

San Francisco Inspiration

Some San Francisco inspiration for the SLP: the beautiful (no pun intended) CocoaBella chocolate boutique.  Just what part of the boutique was the most beautiful?  All of it.  No joke.  Every part of their design, straight down to the furniture legs at the bottom of their cash wrap had me swooning.

Don't let these pieces of art fool you, they're just as delicious as they are gorgeous.  My favorite?  The Venezuelan Spice by Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates-- definitely the perfect balance of chili pepper, cinnamon and vanilla. I ate ummmm... about ten more than one :-)

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Sabon Sabon Sabon!

The last few months have been such a whirlwind of once in a lifetime opportunities, some of which have taken me to my favorite cities.  I've had a blast visiting new storefronts and shops, gleaming as much inspiration as I can for the Spice Loft.

One of the biggest sources of inspiration for my storefront is Sabon, one of the best soap and bath product retailers in the world.  The pictures below are from storefronts in Rome, Tokyo, Chicago and New York.


What intrigues me about this shop is how they've managed to blend "old world" with "new and modern."  I find their displays breathtaking and neat, always impressive, and truly appealing enough to have someone just walking by take a long detour into their store.  That's the whole point on business interior design with commodity retailers, and Sabon writes the book!


Love these cabinets and the chandelier!

And what better way to try bath products than an old stone fountain sink in the middle of the store:

 {photos via coloribus.com and sabonlover}

Loft Lovely

I don't know where I found this picture, but I love this cafe..  The vibe is totally low key, creative, with just a hint of the industrial loft feel.  Love it!

What I Want Wednesday: A Summer in Paris

Dreaming of a summer in Paris...

where I would eat these...

while drinking this...

after admiring this...

 

and waking up here...

 I can't wait!