I was so wrapped up with my Decade Summary Posts (Remembering the Noughties Parts 1, 2, and 3) that I didn’t really upload many of my photos from the holidays. Here’s a couple of the parties and stuff. Christmas was low key this year, with presents mostly revolving around the home: a few French tapestries, antique silverware, money towards a Dyson Animal vacuum cleaner, and a giant plastic rabbit toy with a cigarette in his mouth.

My Christmas shoes, old Sonia Rykiel press pieces.

What is a better present than a book about shoes?

A book about shoes that is hand drawn by an artist.

Girls who love Shoes 2009 by Dougal Graham. I hope there’s a 2010 version coming soon.

Douglas Coupland’s City of Glass was one of the secret Santa presents.

It is all about Vancouver.

This list of top ten surnames in Vancouver was, well, interesting.

Thanks to Kendra, Tara and Neil for throwing a great New Years Eve Party. A house party is always good, there are no variables…you know there will be a toilet, your shoes aren’t going to get ruined, and you probably won’t be cold either.

The pom pom wreath

I like their house

Happy New Year!

The NYE aftermath: my D&G shoes, Sonia Rykiel diamante anchor, Vivienne Westwood rings, money left over (a very pleasant surprise) and a midnight snack of Lindt chocolate.

Last night we went to my friend Maria’s house for drinks. Her husband, Gregory Kenny, is a furniture designer, so there was high expectations with regards to their house. It was beautiful, but unfortunately my photos didn’t turn out that great since it was dark.

I love the painted radiators

Greg’s work is modern, and they have done a great job mixing modern and old in their home.

Here’s a few pictures from Greg’s website.

Back to school and work tomorrow everyone! Good luck…

The Gingerbread House Competition and Auction at the Museum of Vancouver was a great night out. I bid on a house designed by Busby Perkins & Will Architects and won it!

This is the house I bid on.

Here's the house designed by McFarlane Green Biggar Architecture + Design Inc

This one is by Eastside Design & Solus Decor

Here is my house in its new home, on the bookshelf underneath the Christmas Decoration.

We also checked out the Ravishing Beasts exhibition while we were at the Museum of Vancouver, which was pretty amazing. We have been on a hunt (not literally) for a taxidermy deer head for a while.

Anne Pearson from Vancouver Special had the most amazing Mondrian nails.

Speaking of the beautiful people, here are a few photos from the John Casablancas Institute Staff Christmas Party. I lecture there sometimes, and thought it was extremely generous of them to take us all out for a fabulous dinner at Opus. I wore my Jason Matlo sequined dress but stupidly didn’t get any photos of myself on the night.

I guess I wasn't surprised that everyone looked so fantastic...its a hair, makeup, and fashion school!

I don't know everyone is this pic, but Foster Eastman from Axis hair salons is the one in the back and red shirt, and Lori, sitting next to him, is one of the presidents at JCI Institute.

The private room we were in was beautiful!

I am very excited that on Thursday I will be going to the Museum of Vancouver (for the first time!) to see a gingerbread house competition! It has been organized by Creative Room and ten top architects and designers from around Vancouver are re-interpreting the traditional Christmas gingerbread house. They will auctioned and the money is going to a charity (Architecture for Humanity.)

I have never managed to make a gingerbread house, but I am not a big fan of candy, so I guess I’d probably go for a really simple one like this (found on Mid Century Modern Utah.)

This is one of the submissions that will be auctioned on Thursday, from Nick Milkovich Architects.

I would like my house to look sort of like this... in the mountains and on a cliff.

and of course with a swimming pool and filled with lots of cool modern furniture (although I would probably mix in some kitsch too.)

Some of the other firms making gingerbread houses include Romses Architects, Clash Collective, Measured Architecture, and Eastside Design & Solus Decor Inc.

Tickets are still available for 20 bucks: www.creativeroom.ca/gingerbread/houses

See you there!