Rima Suqi

The latest “victim” of my NYT “Shopping With” column is interior/furniture/industrial designer, antique dealer and dog walker Steven Sclaroff. He is, hands down, one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Some choice quotes from him in the piece include “It’s clearly not going to match any of your furniture, unless you are the exceptional owner of a suite of furniture shaped like livestock.” In another, he referenced Gorey’s “curious sofa.” I had never heard of Gorey, or the sofa (in my head he was saying Curious George’s sofa – which I don’t remember either existing or, if so, being remarkable), so I looked it up.

The full title is The Curious Sofa: a pornographic work by Ogdred Weary (real name: Edward Gorey, click through to the link for the explanation) and it was originally published in 1961.

Leave it to Steven to figure out  a way to work in a porn reference in a footstool story.

I ordered the book. It’s only about 4 inches square and features illustrations and text by Mr. Gorey (some images are here). It is suggestive, it seems Victorian, it would be a great gift for the right person. And it is apparently a cult classic. Yours truly has just joined the cult.

Was clearing out some stuff today and came across this Rupee coin. I love the thumbs up – it’s a very happy/optimistic gesture for a currency that’s not worth a lot ($1 = 44 rupees), and that they thought to include accessories (bracelets!).

Trailer with fancy chair, behind Bee Jay’s cafe/diner in Watson Lake, Canada.

It “feels like 112″ in New York City today, and I am missing Alaska. This is the Matanuska Glacier. It was pretty incredible.

If you ask nicely, you can drive down to a spot where others aren’t allowed.

Can’t take credit for this one. Sent by Tony Longoria: