nonelvis | What I Did on my Mini-Summer Vacation

columbina and I were in DC this weekend visiting my family and participating in Race for the Cure. For the first time, Col and I stayed in a hotel rather than with my parents, which allowed us to sleep better than we would in my old bed, and also gave us the chance to see how dramatically the city of Silver Spring has changed since I lived there. The old, grungy part of town is now a vibrant retail/restaurant district with an artificial, Vegas Strip-like flavor I'm not entirely sure I like, but at least beats the hell out of what was there years ago.

Among the retailers there is one of only three Marimekko concept stores. (One of the others is apparently close by in Cambridge, MA, which came as a total shock.) And though I had told myself I wouldn't buy anything on this trip, because that would mean hauling more crap in a carry-on, I was seduced, SEDUCED, I tell you, by these Chucks-like sneakers. I swear that a certain TV character's footwear choices had nothing to do with this purchase -- I bought them purely because they were irresistably, insanely cute.

See? Tiny green pears of cuteness. How could I not buy them?

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Even I wanted one of those ties. Except they cost FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. What she is not telling you is that everything in the Marimekko store is as cute as can be, but costs a fortune. There is not a men's shirt in the world that is worth a hundred bucks; if, on the other hand, the one I coveted had been about half that, I'd probably be wearing it to work tomorrow. (I add that last to show that I'm not cheap, I just have mental thresholds on Most I Will Pay For Things of Type X.)

Oh dear. It sounds like an incredible source of temptation.

On the other hand, when things are *so* far out of my range of Most I Will Pay For Things of Type X, I don't feel that pain of covetousness -- instead, the shop ends up feeling like a design museum or something.

On the third hand, if I were really really crazily rich, Marimekko is the sort of thing I would spend my ill-gotten gains on!

Yup. That's the thing . . . we don't want to be a design museum! [Yup, I work at that MMKO Silver Spring store.] The output of Marimekko's young designers (e.g., Louekari, Dahlstrom, or Tuominen) is just so inspired, our group couldn't resist opening as Marimekko and not in the name of our online store, Honfleur Home. The fabrics are mainly $25 and $38. Here's our company's philosophy - (a bit treacly, I know): We figure that most people are happiest when they have what they need; get enough sleep; realize that measured indulgence is entirely human; and appreciate the importance of small, good things. Besides, I really believe that we can't all shop in Target all the time. Yes, I love a Merona T as much as the next woman, but at some point, frequent Target and Ikea shopping makes me think of The Stepford Wives. Plus, there's always the risk of fluorescent light induced blindness. Hopefully, folks will also get to know about our pretty neat community events. That's why everything in the store is on wheels. And we try not to scare everyone by offering artist inspired children's games and such from $6 - $24. No, it's not clothing, but it makes me feel good (no Baby Be Brilliant for us). And yes, I just love Jukka Rintala and Samu-Jossi Koski's work. But we balance that as best we can with $59 Mika Piirainen pieces. Go for the tie. It's great at $79! And if not the tie, drape the fabric over a rod! Marni

What I Did on my Mini-Summer Vacation

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