All things come to those who wait

I have always wanted one of those cool lift thing-a-ma-jiigs at the end of my bed, that open up and send a television rising up as though by magic. I've seen them in magazines and on some tv shows over the years, most always in the homes of the rich and famous - emphasis on rich.

Well, it seems that as go flat screen TV prices (down, down, down), so too go hydraulic TV lift prices (who knew?). Just the other day, meandering through one of my favorite stores, Inner Living by Shannon Michelle, I stumbled upon a sleek, tall, espresso chest - a cross between a buffet and a dresser. I loved it right away.


But then! Oh, my friends, but then! I saw an odd rectangular cut-out section in the top, and, like Glinda the Good Witch, the top lifted and a steel post rose slowly, dare I say majestically, from the top of the chest. I looked around to see a staff-member with a remote control in her hand and a little grin on her face. "That's where the TV goes" she said.

Of course that's where the TV goes.

Now, granted, this little number costs more than your average buffet or media cabinet from a barn, a barrel or a, ahem, hardware store - but not all that much. Really. It's from the Thomas O'Brien collection by Hickory Chair - and let me tell you, Hickory Chair, well, it ain't your grand-pappy's furniture company.

sunglasses at night...

Okay, let me confess, I am a sunglass junkie.

I cannot resist that new pair of sunglasses, that pair that, when resting perfectly on your nose and ears, renders you beyond cool. That pair that, when sauntering oh so casually down the boulevard, wraps you in a cloud of insouciance and hipness. That pair that boosts your confidence to levels unreachable with naked eyes. That pair that is, in a word, perfect.

Joy of joys, I have found that pair - the Prada shields, swirled just subtly on the side, fading from rich grey to pale smoke, lending the perfect air of mystery to every outing.

As to where? Well, certainly these glasses are available, ahem, "wherever fine glasses are sold," but I only buy my glasses, sun and otherwise, from one man - David at Opticali on Montana Avenue. He knows his stuff, his service is impeccable, and he's always playing good music - essential to any shopping experience worth having, don't you think?

If you're in need, or want, or just curious to see how these glasses will turn you from plain Jane to Agent 99, stop by Opticali - and tell David that G sent you.