Monthly Obsession - Succulents & Carnivorous Pants

This edition of Monthly Obsession goes to Succulents & Carnivorous Plants!

It's sad that these plants sometimes get overlooked because they don't usually have big, over the top flowers or are just plain weird/creepy. Both succulents & carnivorous plants are pretty remarkable, evolving out of stressful environments: the need to retain water & moisture or supplementing lack of nutrients in soil. These are seriously determined plants.

Succulent Plants

These guys {I think} have gotten a bit more popular because of the rise in eco-mindedness {is that even a word?} due to their drought-tolerant nature. For those of us apartment dwellers without gardens, they are great windowsill additions and are pretty low maintenance!

Succulents, most native to dry, arid conditions {cacti are also included in the succulent category, the difference is that they have spines}, store water in their leaves and/or stems (resulting in that more "fleshy" appearance and the goo that comes out if broken in half, like the Aloe plant) and have an overall structure that is engineered specifically to absorb and retain water. It's quite brilliant when you think of it... leaf shape & growth pattern to better catch water, some succulents even have tiny hairs that harness moisture to create little sub-climates! Some succulents even look like rocks.

There is an enormous variety available in every shape and size you can imagine. They have amazing texture and color when clustered together in little vignettes.

pics above 1, 2, 3, 4

Carnivorous Plants

Some people may get really creeped out when thinking about carnivorous plants. {insert Rick Moranis joke here} But, in reality they are pretty darn awesome. Not only can they be quite pretty, but when you think about it, they are seriously inventive! Booby traps, disguises, lures, trip wires, you name it. See? Cool. It's like something out of James Bond movie... or, maybe The Goonies. The only problem with these plants is they can be a bit finicky if not taken care of properly, so be sure to read up on them if you're thinking of adopting any of these little dudes.

Check out a seriously extensive gallery of carnivorous plant images here

Watch this totally awesome episode of Discovery Life on Venus Flytraps here

pics above 1, 2, 3

When paired together, succulents and carnivorous plants can be really beautiful, not to mention a conversation starter! Here's some cool products featuring this Monthly Obsession:

 

Top images via here & here

via 1. Flora Grubb, 2. SucculentLOVE, 3. Grow House Grow, 4. carnivorous terrarium, 5. Andrea air purifier, 6. DIY with both!
Even more stuff: Alive Structures, design.sponge interview, apartment therapy, and here

Project Adventure: The Little Red Lighthouse

This edition of Project Adventure was accomplished before the blogging began, but I thought I'd share it with you anyway because it was just so cool.
Within a few months of my moving to New York, Mom (in California) read an article about The Little Red Lighthouse that sits on the Hudson River, perched just below the George Washington Bridge in Manhattan. The lighthouse was made famous in 1942 by the children's book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge. A cute story of a little lighthouse who thought he was no longer useful when the huge grey bridge was built next to him, only to realize later that he is more important than he thinks. The lighthouse was almost dismantled in 1951, but was saved by the public and was landmarked by NYC Preservation Committee. You can now go visit and {when it's open} climb up to the top into the lantern room.
So, almost 8 years later, when Mom was out for a visit, we finally decided to make the trek and see it for ourselves. Lots of walking, but it was a great afternoon!

It's a rather nice subway ride up to 181st Street, then a jaunt up and down hills to a footbridge over the Parkway and then a steep walk down and around Fort Washington Park, underneath the George Washington Bridge. Watch out for cyclists - those guys haul down the hill!
We went on a rather cool day in the spring, but in the summer, this little adventure may be a bit steamy with all the walking up and down hills. Go check it out!

Sliding Doors

In my alternate reality, where I have a big apartment, a huge closet and lots of time & money...

  I would decorate with this settee

 I would wear this dress

 I would make these hydrangea cupcakes

.

Project 365: Milestone Day 22

So, I've been at it for 22 days now... it's actually pretty fun, trying to find interesting pics from my day. If anything, it's an amazing way to get you to look at your daily life in an entirely different way. Often, you realize that your life is a lot more beautiful than you think.
Lets hope I can keep it going!    See all of them here

Project Adventure: My Backyard

Yesterday I went out around my neighborhood to find a couple of the Pianos that are in my area as a part of an art project called "Play Me I'm Yours". It was a beautiful evening, so I brought my fancy-dan new camera with me to experiment! {I love birthdays. Thanks Mom & Dad!}
It was such an utterly wonderful sunset and big-white-puffy-cloud-lighted moment! Thought I'd share a few cool photos from my afternoon.

Project Adventure: New York - Tea Time

A new addition to My Life Eclectic is the Project Adventure. It came from the idea of the Bucket List. I decided it's not one of those "before I die..." things, it's more of something to get me out doing things around the city that I wouldn't do in my everyday life. So, I've compiled a list {that keeps growing} of things that I've always wanted to do/see in and around New York. Most of which are a one-time thing because of cost, time, or location, but just to be able to say I did it... and I've never regretted it.

One thing on that list is to have High Tea at the Plaza. I was lucky enough to venture there with my mom and some close friends for my birthday this year! So amazing, if you live in the city or get to visit, set aside some time {and money - read: not cheap} and experience this for yourself. Just once. Just to say you did it. You won't regret it.

Flower School

 Last month, my mom came out to visit for Mother's Day {seriously, just give her an excuse and she's out here in a flash}. For a fun thing to do, I signed us up for a flower arranging class at The Flower School in Red Hook. We made the most amazing bouquets... hostesses-with-the-mostest Sarah & Nicolette, held class at Saipua and just posted pics, and I had to share. The photos were just so beautiful! {I'm pretty sure the arrangement above was mine... pat on back}

Week(end) Bake Project: Chocolate Chip Cookies

As we all know, this weekend is Father's Day {Happy day, dad!}. I am blessed with a totally awesomely rad Dad, who doesn't really make a big deal out of, what he calls, a "Hallmark Holiday." But, at the same time, I sometimes lament that every so often, my birthday falls on or near Father's Day - and usually trumps his big day of relaxing. This is one of those weekends, where my mom is coming out to NYC for a visit {yay, mom!} for said birthday. Now, my dad may be happy about this turn of events, I'm not saying anything, but I wanted to show him a little love anyway.
Dad's a big sucker for chocolate chip cookies. The one thing that Dad asks for when I'm around, albiet very cute and bashful-like, *big grin* 'How 'bout some chocolate chip cookies?'
So, I decided to bake some cookies and send them out to California. Old reliable recipe: Nestle Toll House.
Perfect every time. Recipe after the jump.

Project 365: Day 1

So, I've been wanting to start another project that I heard about long ago... called Project 365. Its where you take a photo every day for a year. I guess it's kind of like a biography of your life by photo. Lets just hope I can keep it up. *fingers crossed!*
I'll be keeping a Flickr set as well, if you want to see them there... (granted, there's only one now, so it'll be very anticlimactic)

Monthly Obsession - Order Strigiformes (Owl)

I've decided to introduce this new section, Monthly Obsession, to one of my favorites, Owls.
They are just amazing. Pure and simple. Every shape, size and color of them are just cool as can be. And, they've been popping up a lot over the last couple of years. I recently saw a preview to a new CGI movie called Legend of the Guardians that looked so beautiful, I almost fell out of my seat (and has one of my favorite voices ever, Hugo Weaving).

So, here's a few cool-looking items that you can use to spruce up your home or closet... Granted, it takes some patience to weed through the kitch, but there are some really awesome things out there. Enjoy!

1. Great Horned Owl, 2. Powerful Owl, 3. Curiouser Lamp, 4. Hoot Owl Kids Hat, 5. Umbrella Stand,  6. Wise, 7. Owl Test,  8. Hoot Hoot Hooray earrings
Pics at top via here and here