Yesterday, 1:15-1:20. Lots of animals, including a shrimp-pink cockatoo, in a short period of time.

One of the great boons of our job is treats from our amazing jewelers. And, its very, very nice that treats for us generally come in the shape of jewels. For Valentine’s Day, Rebekah of Flotsam & Jetsam gave all the Catbirds 2 finger rings cause we’re really tough. She is the loveliest, we are the luckiest, and Joanie sent her this card as a “merci beaucoup.”

Frank Sinatra / Coco Chanel / Elvis Presley
Digby & Iona Rakish Hand Necklace, $320

Not for the faint of heart. I wonder if Edgar Allen Poe would love this necklaces as much as I do. The pinky, equipped with 18k gold and diamond ring, moves just this side of menacingly. Easily one of my favorite necklaces ever.

Catbird Alphabet Ring, $88

Available in tiny sizes. Great for pinkies or first knuckles, as well as those other fingers.

Chang & Eng Bunker, Chang & Eng figurines $33

Chang & Eng, the conjoined twins who spawned the phrase Siamese twins, also collectively spawned 21 children.  They were discovered in Siam, and while on the touring circuit, they became  smitten with North Carolina, where they settled, married 2 sisters, and had many, many babies.  These little statuettes are contemporaries of the twins, and were made in India. We suggest giving one to your other half. (Available in store and on line.)

A lovely mention, on a lovely blog. How she got the store to look EVEN girlier is a mystery beyond mysteries.

We’re on a real Moroccan kick as of late. Kick back and relax on a Moroccan pouf while sipping some sweet mint tea from a Moroccan glass. Or store your toothbrushes (or tooth-bri, as we call them in my house) in one of these bright glasses. They un-drearify any bathroom.

The Selby: Jessica, how did you get into doing ribbons?

Jessica Grindstaff: I needed to award myself.

We’ve had Grindstaff’s (now 8-9-3’s) award ribbons in the store from the get-go.  Such fun to see Jessica’s home/curiosity cabinet up on The Selby.

“Nude servants, gilded in gold leaf, attended her. Bizarre wax mannequins sat as guests at her dining table, some of them even rumored to contain the ashes of past lovers. She wore live snakes as jewelery and was infamous for her evening strolls, naked beneath her furs, while parading cheetahs on diamond-studded leashes.

She was tall and thin. A thick blaze of flame-colored hair crowned her pale, almost cadaverously white face with its sensually vermilioned lips. Above all, however, the Marchesa’s large green eyes cast the strongest spell of her unique beauty. She exaggerated these further still with immense false lashes and surrounding rings of black kohl, while droplets of poisonous belladonna made them glitter like emeralds.”

Diane Keaton, age 18 & Kerry Cassill scarves, $18

Great ladies wear kerchiefs. Its a rule I learned in the early 80s via many Sound of Music viewings, and its a rule that was reinforced during my teenage years in the later part of the grunge era. I am proud to say: I love a lady in a kerchief, and I love a lady in a dress over denim. Well, sometimes on that second part. Dresses over denim live in the land of terrible, with occasional trips down the block to the country of sublime. Kerchiefs, though? All for one and one for all.

Scosha “thou shall not talk shit necklace”, 14k & oxidized silver, $194

This is not normally the sort of thing that I would go in for, but the scale of the text is exactly right- teeny, tiny, and really just there to burn a warm patch of love to the heart that sometimes goes off the righteous tracks. I’m a firm believer that there is idle shit-talkin’ gossip, and there’s another sort of talking that we do about each other which is a constructive means to understanding ourselves and our place in this wild world. Let’s all try and walk the straight and narrow and honor the 11th, uninscribed commandment. Thank you, Scosha NYC, for keeping us in line.

Three of our favorite cards from the maestro of all things cut paper, now available on line.

I lost my morning to dreams of Cuba and Desiree Dolron’s absolutely mesmerizing work.

A friend of Robin’s (of Bittersweets NY fame) found 5 pups in a bag by the side of the road. The rage civilized human beings feel towards animal abusers is countered by the divinity of Robin’s friend who took these 5 wk old love babies into his home, and is taking care of all medical bills until they find happy homes. My happy home is already at capacity with a cat and a dog, but if you or someone you know is in the market for a new best friend, leave a comment here and we’ll put you in touch with the litter’s guardian angel.

I spent Sunday with Rony buying all sorts of new wonderfuls for the store. Think rose gold moons, black garnet studs, the most elegant clear quartz point necklaces, vintage Dior sunglasses, Missoni-inspired beaded pouches, nude leather driving gloves, and you’ve skimmed the tip of the jewel-encrusted iceberg. We even had the chance to walk along the Hudson River and chat about Very Exciting future plans. It was a rather grand way to spend a Sunday.