sfgirlbybay takes a visit to The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs (Formerly Gene Autry’s ranch!) and suffice to say, we are envious.

Poppytalk visits the studio space of Baily Doesn’t Bark (ceramics worth admiring) and the work space decor is a bit industrial and yet strangely inspiring.

Got a little moustache problem? This fine Moustache Fetishism necklace by Melanie Favreau (via swissmiss) is sure to make it even worse.

Those scented fabric sheets and air fresheners could be toxic, according to a University of Washington study. Great; more to worry about.

Wild parsnip: resembles Queen Anne’s Lace, can cause severe sunburns (even blindness from the sap) if you touch it. Learn more (including what the plant looks like) here. (Sorry for all the dire links; this one seemed very worth sharing.)

Might just be us, but this stoop sale sounds like a lot more fun than a yard sale.

Apartment Therapy asks, “Is the Furminator worth it?” Signs point to yes. (Bonus: very cute dog photo. That should help our mood!)

Have a kitchen you hate? So did Leah S. Wait ’til you see how wonderful her DIY renovation turned out at More Ways to Waste Time. (The half-door on the kitchen is awesome, too!)

Check out the handpainted vintage dishes by Esther Combs at Poppytalk. The sort of random way they’re displayed is nice, too — they’d look great on a wall like that.

We never cease to be amazed at how the simplest things can make such a great impact. For instance, a small garden at Making it Lovely. The right chairs and side table make that planting space look downright swank.

Are you traditional or modern or French country or transitional or…? Elements of style has a Visual Dictionary of Decor Styles to help you figure it out. Oh, and remember those hip industrial stools? Elements of style found some that are kinda similar in the latest Pottery Barn.

Marie’s Gardening Blog has an interesting question: Which do you start with, the garden plants or the garden plan?

Economy getting you down? Check out the Dollar Store Hack blog, via Apartment Therapy.

A giveaway at It’s (K)not Wood! Not sure if you’re into car decals, but we sure do like giveaways. (And they promise more to come.)

Well, it’s Friday, and you could probably use a drink. How about the new official New Orleans drink, the Sazerac, a a mix of bitters, rye whiskey, and absinthe? If you’re in a giving mood, we will accept the recipe in the form of a gift tag.

We’re already fans of convertible furniture, so we were pleased when alert reader Tiffany pointed us to this post on transforming furniture at WebUrbanist. Art that doubles as extra seating, a chair that doubles, weirdly, as a stove, and an entire room (above) that arrives in one 3 x 4 foot box. See all ten interesting finds here.

If you have to bring your work home, you may as well slog through it sitting at a super-chic desk, right? This vintage chrome base, lacquer-top campaign desk is in mint condition and was designed for high-end furniture manufacturer Thayer Coggin by the legendary Milo Baughman, whose ultra-glam pieces are much in demand these days. (In fact, a burlwood-and-bronze version of this very desk is currently listed on 1stdibs for an eye-popping $4,500.) The sleek, sophisticated workstation measures 54 by 24 inches, with two u-handled drawers that sit flush at the front. Top it with a pretty lamp, pull up a luxurious upholstered chair, and tuck your laptop into a drawer when you’re not using it, and the desk will be an incredibly stylish addition to any room you place it in. Current bid: $305. (Hurry — the auction ends Tuesday evening, July 15.) –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds at her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

1. When exploring new colors for your walls, always try out a test swatch first. As DJ wrote: “… Get several colors that you think might work, paint large squares of them on various walls, and see how they look over a period of several days at different times. It’s a lot of work, and I’m essentially lazy, but I REALLY wish I’d done that with our living room, which is a lovely buff color in daylight, but turns olive green at night under artificial lights.” Click here to color advice on see more in How Do I Make My Living Space Brighter.

2. The high price of gas has us seeking out alternative modes of transport. Elizabeth shares: “I live in and work in a city, and have a small commute and live near the places I shop and hang out, so I got a scooter. It is adorable, goes a decent speed, is more fun than a car, and gets roughly 80 mpg. I love it!” Click here to say how you’re dealing with the crunch.

3. You have some great ideas for names for Angela M’s honey. Raegan had four suggestions, all of which we love: “Happy Bee Bompany; The Graceful Bee; Bee More Company; and my favorite: Gotta Bee Honey.” Got a name suggestion for us? Click to share your brilliant suggestions.

4. When it comes to teething, lots of simple things around the house could help your suffering baby. Cassie writes: “Wet washcloths work best if you just wet one end of it, that way the baby won’t get wet as well. Although, any organic cotton rag would work just fine. [My daughter] Violet loved to chew on frozen bagels, wood toys, and little stuffed animals fresh from the freezer.” For more, check out these gorgeous organic teething rags here.

5. Yardstick frames are a fun idea, as long as you don’t over do it. Cautions Kate: “Be careful that it doesn’t end up looking like teacher-kitsch… (no apple and pencil totchkes, etc).” Click here to steal this decor idea.

Love love love the D Bros cups and saucers as seen at MoCo Loco.

Speaking of MoCo Loco, they’re among the best international design blogs as chosen by Holly Becker for Domino.

More Gocco printing, this time some lovely gift tags from the window ledge.

Thoughts on reusable grocery bags (and egg boxes!) from Chocolate & Zucchini.

Two things we like at You Grow, Girl: front-yard gardens and wildflowers. (Here’s a hint: those “grow a wildflower garden” kits work surprisingly well.)

This is timely: an eco-friendly fruit-fly trap at Apartment Therapy.

Not Martha thinks ahead, debuting her “Button on Blanket” sweater. (Get the pattern from Yarnish here.)

One of the coolest things you may not know exists in San Francisco: DEFENESTRATION, a building adorned with furniture that appears to be flying out of its windows. More great photos at Freshome.

Finally, a little bit of encouragement for those of us stressed about our home decor: an “offhand decorator” at the NY Times.

Are you walking to the store? Taking the bus to work? Canceling that road trip? It seems that high gas prices have had that affect on a lot of people. What about you — how has the high price of gas affected you?

Photo by Chris Stevenson

The Pecha Kucha website explains it better than we can:

Pecha Kucha Night, devised by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham (Klein Dytham architecture), was conceived in 2003 as a place for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

But as we all know, give a mike to a designer (especially an architect) and you’ll be trapped for hours. The key to Pecha Kucha Night is its patented system for avoiding this fate. Each presenter is allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds each – giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. This keeps presentations concise, the interest level up, and gives more people the chance to show.

Pecha Kucha (which is Japanese for the sound of conversation) has tapped into a demand for a forum in which creative work can be easily and informally shown, without having to rent a gallery or chat up a magazine editor.

Indeed, you can view photos, learn about architecture, hear an artist discuss her work, and meet a lot of interesting people at Pecha Kucha Nights worldwide. And if your city isn’t one of the many listed on the site, contact the organizers about starting your own. It reminds us a bit of the combination of fun, learning and networking you can find at events like The Lab — and we are all for more opportunities to do all three.

I’m totally lusting after the latest chair rehabs by Etsy seller Vintage Renewal. Aren’t they fab? Plus, what better way to be green than to find new life for old things? Bonus: Shipping is free! Above: White Linen and Floral Bird Applique Chair, $580, and Vintage Leaves on Linen Chair, $600. Check out more of Vintage Renewal’s reinvented furniture finds right here. –Leah H.

See more of Leah’s great finds at her blog, More Ways to Waste Time.

Actually, so do I! I was so weirdly excited to learn about Fridgewatcher (via Properly Salted) that I took an actual, unretouched photo of my refrigerator to share with you. Now, I mention often that I’m “not much of a cook,” though I think that lately that’s become more of a self-fulfilling prophecy than an actual reality. In this photo, our fridge is jammed with more food than we can possibly eat, the result of some just-departed visiting family. I know I usually can’t help myself — I love looking in other people’s fridges. Want to share a peek at yours? Visit Fridgewatcher.com. –Mary T.