My sophomore year in college, I had the distinct pleasure of living with the boyfriend of a Gap associate. (On a side note: I've never actually been friends with people who work at Gap, just people who date people who work at Gap. Hmm.) It was through him and his borderline obsessive chatter about Gap jeans that I was introduced to the concept of 'raw denim,' or premium jeans meant to be worn for long periods without washing. He had me convinced when, by the end of our first term at school, his pants had that effortlessly cool weathered look, with knee wrinkles and wallet marks that made the jeans distinctly his own. My olfactory senses and those of my housemates, though, can verify that he definitely hadn't seen this tutorial on how to keep those stylish pants from smelling like they'd been worn for three months straight. For the sake of warding off any kind of dirty hipster reputation, take a quick look at this video from Apartment Therapy, clear some room in the freezer, and be prepared to call yourself eco-chic from all that laundry water you'll be saving.

Velocino

Recently being made a convert to the world of cycling, then being tragically robbed of my clunky $50 Target bike was a tough experience. I've been on the lookout recently for a replacement model, but I'm thinking that this time I'd like to invest in something with a little more panache. The quirky new Velocino model from Abici bikes might just be the ticket. 

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This miniaturized (and reversed) copy of the classic penny-farthing bicycle was first dreamed up by Mussolini. Touchy association, I know. But hey, the VW Bug was the brainchild of Hitler, so we have to keep an open mind about these things. The Velocino seems like the perfect bike for someone like me, who really only needs to travel fairly short distances on mostly flat roads. Plus, with such a tiny model, I could keep it inside, removing the risk of any theft-related heartbreak that might occur.

The American Lawn

Growing up in some of the driest years on record in Colorado, I was exposed early on to the impracticalities of the resplendent Kentucky bluegrass lawn ideal. Mine was one of few houses on my street to retain a patch of traditional grass; most others embraced xeriscaping by filling their yards with gravel, native grasses, and other low-water plants. The lawn is an intriguing trope of American architecture; our suburban homes, our presidential lodgings, even our freeway dividers are all covered in patches of useless, thirsty green grass. 

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Is it our obsession with the romantic myth that prevents us from weaning off these little plots of nature? Is the lawn so much a status symbol that we will ignore environmental indicators against it? You can imagine my joy to find some answers to questions like these in the CCA's ingeniously (as always) executed 1998 exhibit, "The American Lawn: Surface of Everyday Life." While the exhibit has long since passed, their wonderful website retains a slideshow and reading list. I know what books I'll be ordering for summer reads, to be completed in my apartment's thoroughly grass-free backyard!

Pro-Choice

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This 1991 pro-choice PSA by Nan Goldin is too perfect. The saturated colors and gorgeous lighting (both thanks to her trademark Cibachrome photographic process) are the epitome of 90s fab. While all the women in this portrait represent the power of the female voice in the 90s music scene, I can't help but swoon over Kim Gordon's effortless badassery. It's sad to think that this campaign, kick-started 20 years ago, was meant to serve as a revitalization of a battle that we still haven't won. Get out there, vote hard, and make sure that women have the basic right to govern their own bodies.

Papa Dobles

Lately I've been pining away nostalgically for my trip to Cuba last December. The people, the scenery, the food, the dancing: all of it is imprinted so warmly on my mind. My travels in the country were the culmination of a seminar I took on Hemingway. One of my fondest memories is walking down the muggy Calle Obispo to Ernest's favorite bar, el Floridita, to try out his custom drink, the Papa Doble. Essentially a daiquiri with double the rum, the drinks were a hit with my group. I thought I'd share a recipe for the delectable, if deadly, cocktails. The real trick is replacing the usual simple syrup (far too sweet for a real drinker like Papa) with maraschino liqueur and grapefruit juice. Hand your keys to a friend and enjoy!

4 oz. white rum (Havana Club brand, if you can manage)
1 oz. lime juice
1/4 oz. maraschino liqueur
1/4 oz. grapefruit juice

Blend well with ice, garnish with lime for good measure, and serve. Top it off with a little salsa dancing and a Cohiba cigar, and you're well on your way to the full Hemingway experience.

Birdcage Veil

Check out this fantastic tutorial from Project Wedding on making a quick and easy birdcage veil. While I don't plan on getting married anytime soon, I have always wanted to rock this look for a cocktail party, or maybe Easter Sunday.  The daintiness is just so charming, and as a girl who doesn't like to go too over the top with make-up, this seems like the perfect way to add some demure interest to the facial area.

Get the full instructions here. 

Helen Sear

Helen Sear's sublime ability to fuse binaries is at its peak in these works, titled 'Inside the View' after a collection of Max Ernst collages. She melds portraiture and landscape in a play on traditional romantic painting that is anything but comical, imparting a wisely stark mélange of body and geography. You can check out the rest of the series on her website. Such a refreshingly feminine start to spring, but not without substantive undertones.