BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

The Danish-Designed Timepiece You Need to Know

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In collaboration with Nordgreen.

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for Danish design and the latest Copenhagen-based brand to catch my eye is Nordgreen. The Scandinavian watch company began in 2017 with partners Pascar Sivam and Vasilij Brandt who sought to create a timepiece collection that was both beautiful and environmentally responsible. Enlisting the partnership of award-winning designer Jakob Wagner, whose resume includes Hay, B&B Italia, and others, Nordgreen was born.

The name marries those two foundations of the brand: “Nord,” a reflection of its Nordic identity, and “Green,” to reflect its sustainable practices. In addition to partnering with NGOs to support urgent global causes through quarterly corporate social responsibility campaigns, Nordgreen allows the customer the opportunity to give back. Each watch purchased, allows the customer to select a cause you to support: Water for Good, Pratham UK, or Cool Earth.

We believe the right to good health, a clean environment, and a full education are rights for all. The harsh reality, however, is that much of the world does not experience them. Motivated by our Danish values, when we founded Nordgreen, we knew we had to do our part to help to change this in whatever way we could. There was no excuse not to give back.

—  Pas & Vas, Nordgreen’s founders

Nordgreen offers two styles for women (the Infinity and the Unika), two unisex designs (the Philosopher and the Native), and a men’s version (the Pioneer). For many of the watches, you can select your metal color (silver, gold, gunmetal, or rose gold), the face color (black, navy, or white), the face size (32mm, 36mm, or 40mm), and the band type. I opted for the Native because of its elegant, minimalist approach — a hallmark of Danish design — with the slightly larger 36mm face for a borrowed-from-the-boys look, and as you’ll see in the image below, the watch still has a slim profile making it comfortable for everyday wear. And, thanks to its timeless design, it’ll be part of my wardrobe for years to come — buying fewer, better things that’ll stand the test of time is one of the most sustainable things we can do for our wardrobes, which really speaks to the heart of the Nordgreen brand.

“I don’t think so much about the product; I think about the person using it, the context. We all have relationships with our products. I see myself as the one that makes sure that relationship is a good one.”

—  Jakob Wagner

SOURCES:

Watch: Nordgreen (c/o)
Brass Ram: vintage; there’s one on eBay here
Books: In the Name of Gucci; Snoop Dogg: From Crook to Cook; Styled; Wisconsin Supper Clubs; Things Come Apart

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The Coveted

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The Coveted

ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE | TEN

SHOPPING LIST



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Reminder: Enter to win $50 to spend on artisanal goods at NOVICA!

A Few of My Favorite Things: 2020

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Paravel Cabana Tote Review

It’s time for an annual review of my favorite products from the past year! Below, you’ll find the noteworthy standouts that brought joy in an extremely difficult year.

Paravel Cabana Tote | This generously sized tote bag has already been a workhorse with plenty of room to keep daytrip essentials at hand. It’s made of recycled plastic bottles and the material repels stains and dirt. I’m considering treating myself to the matching travel organizers.

Ikea Tekla Dish Towels | At just $0.79 each, these are perfect to use as cloth napkins for a relaxed, bistro-inspired look. At that price point, you won’t feel bad about relegating them to dish duty or rags once they’re stained.

J.Crew Supersoft Turtleneck Sweater | I swear, I’m going to continue signing praises of this sweater until you all purchase one. I added two more to my collection this year. They’re incredibly soft with a slight oversize fit that’s remarkably slimming. Get one. Wear it with #PandemicPants now and jeans later.

Tory Burch Facemasks | Going into 2020, no one would have expected facemasks to be the “It” item of the year! Tory Burch’s masks are my favorite for the ample face covering, the metal nose piece, and the breathability. They’re on the pricier side, but they’re worth it.

Cole Haan Insulated Hiker Boots | I normally don’t add such recent purchases to my favorites of the year, but these have already passed muster keeping my feet warm and dry while shoveling snow the other day. Plus, they’re very cute! You can also get them here.

Blissun Patio Umbrella | After our neighbors cut down a mature tree in their yard, our deck received so much more sunlight in the evening when we wanted to be outside for our WFH happy hour. We didn’t want to spend a fortune on a patio umbrella and found this one, opting for the black and white stripe. We took it down each evening, so it’s still in pristine condition.

Schoolhouse Blooming Field Duvet Cover | I can’t get over how pretty this print is. I bought the pillow shams last year, thinking that’d be enough to sate my desire for the bedding set. Not even close. The duvet cover is everything I hoped it would be.

Tory Burch Georgia Snakeskin Ballet Flats | I was due for a new pair of black flats after my pointed-toe J.Crew pair started to show more wear and tear than I’d like. These are a splurge, but absolutely worth it. They’re classic, the squared-toe is an unexpected update to your standard-issue flat, and the snakeskin gives it just the right amount of shine. They run true to size.

The Elements of a Home | This is a fun little book that shares the history of common household items.

J.Crew Perfect Rain Jacket | While it’s considered a rain jacket, I don’t think it’ll do much in a downpour. However, it’s the perfect lightweight jacket and the cinched waist makes it flattering.

Stutterheim Mosebacke Rain Coat | Now this is what you need for an actual rainy day. Stutterheim rain coats are a splurge, but they have semi-annual sales to make the price more palatable. I like the A-line design of the Mosebacke version, which makes it an attractive, feminine alternative to a regular slicker. A warning, though, mine had a strong rubber smell when it arrived and I had to air it out for a month before adding it to the coat closet.

West Elm Hudson Drink Table | Admittedly, this just arrived yesterday after being on backorder for the better half of the year. However, it’s so darn pretty and I’m already in love! The small size allows you to move it around to where it’s needed or you can use it as a plant stand on days you don’t need additional space to perch a cocktail. I bought the one with the walnut base.

Loloi II Layla Area Rug | We would have preferred a vintage rug in our living room, this was a wonderful — and affordable — alternative. Read more in my full review here.

Birkenstock Madrid Slide Sandal | Clearly comfort dressing won out this year, but there was no need to sacrifice all sense of style. I was nervous about the narrow width, but that’s akin to a normal width in any other brand. I go down to the equivalent of a 6.5 in Birkenstock slides, which is a half size down from my normal 7.

Inkbird Sous Vide | We didn’t want to spend a lot on our first foray into sous vide cooking and chose this more affordable version. It’s done an impressive job so far with steaks and a roast.

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Things I Bought & Loved in November (Plus, the Item I Hated)

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Latest Purchases

Happy day-after-Thanksgiving to those of you in the United States! I’m not going to subject you to a list of Black Friday sales today because I suspect that you’re capable of navigating those on your own. Instead, I’m giving you a rundown of the items I bought and loved this month — and one I really hated.

Normally I just ignore the less-than-great items because it’s all personal preference or fit issues, but I can’t give this sweater the benefit of the doubt. It looks cute online; perfectly oversized to wear with #PandemicPants and has a flattering v-neckline. The downsides? It’s so staticky (which is probably to be expected with nylon and acrylic in the mix) and the knit has black flecks throughout that look like pills in the fabric from a distance. It’s the worst. Don’t buy it.

Now, the good stuff…

IN THE WARDROBE
See all of this year’s sartorial additions here.

  • Chimi 008 sunglasses in coco (on sale today here) – I feel like most brown sunglasses are tortoiseshell and not solid, so I was drawn to the pretty warm brown hue of these. It’s unique, but still undeniably classic.
  • J.Crew tipped turtleneck sweater in heather dusk/black – My favorite sweater came in stripes this year! Naturally I couldn’t resist adding the grey-and-black version to my collection, upping my total to four of these. They’re perfectly relaxed and look great with jeans or cigarette pants. I wore them on repeat last winter and I doubt this year will be different. I opt for a medium, but could make the small work for a more fitted silhouette. Solid colors are available here.
  • J.Crew ribbed beanie in heather French purple – I actually don’t love the color purple, but I do think lilac is pretty on brunettes. So, I bought this and I think it’s pretty cute with the olive green jacket I snagged last month.
  • Tory Burch ‘Georgia’ snakeskin ballet flat – All things considered, I was being modest with my purchases this month, in part because a couple of large expenses came my way: I had a hefty auto repair bill after having work done I put off since February (I haven’t been driving much) and I ordered my annual supply of daily contact lenses. But then I saw these shoes. And my credit card had a promotion for 10% cash back at Tory Burch and, well, it didn’t take much to talk myself into them. I’m obsessed and it’s the first item since pandemic that has made me want to start wearing pretty clothing instead of athleisure and caftans. The squared toe is elegant and the snakeskin upper has the prettiest shine. Assuming we have widespread immunization next year, I’m leaning hard into my beloved mini-dress-meets-flats combo when I start going back to the office and these are definitely going to be my go-tos. They run true to size for me.

AROUND THE HOUSE

  • Inkbird WiFi sous vide – We’ve been talking about getting a sous vide for months now, so Dave didn’t hesitate to snag this one when it was on sale at Amazon a couple of weeks ago. (And it’s on sale again today for the price we paid!) So far, we’ve only done one steak night with it, but it really is a miracle worker in terms of getting the perfect doneness throughout!
  • Target light-up Christmas tree in medium and large – We didn’t have anything that lit up to add to our dining room for some holiday ambiance so I purchased a couple of these light-up mercury glass trees. They have a really pretty warm glow.
  • Target striped stockings – I definitely didn’t need stockings because I still adore the red herringbone ones we bought at Target a few years ago. However, I wasn’t feeling the red when I hung them on our railing. I’m probably just being particular this year. ::shrug::
  • Target faux mistletoe – Most faux mistletoe looks cheap, but this is a pretty good option. It also looks cute tucked in a vase.

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