Here are some of the best things I’ve read recently…

Abandoned amusement parks are one of my favourite things, so of course it would be remiss of me not to share China’s deserted fake Disneyland!

Sarah Wilson writes about how if you poke life, something will always pop out the other side.

HA! From NPR: the 20 unhappiest people you meet in the comments sections of year-end lists!

40% of cancers are caused by things we have the power to change, or so says a new study.

Did you see what Agyness Deyn’s apartment in New York looks like? It’s not what I expected!

Garance Dore writes about party dressing in New York vs Paris, & it’s so funny!

This glitter banner DIY is such a sweet idea that it shouldn’t just be reserved for the holiday season!

Kat from Rock N Roll Bride writes about staying inspired, coming up with new ideas & blogging regularly. Definitely some good tips there for new bloggers!

Xo Jane went into Courtney Love’s house in the West Village & took photos. I love her goal board, & that she didn’t mind having it shared with the entire world!

David Hicks was a 1960’s interior design legend!

Honestly, I can’t wait to go to the Madonna Inn… If you click through to see the photos, you’ll understand why!

Here’s more: Plan a retro vacation to the amazing Madonna Inn!

I got a little lost in the “retro-web” the other day. This caught my eye, too: Summer time road trips just ain’t road trips unless you stay at some kitschy motels!

Screw new year’s resolutions — try designing your career! I like it. Yes I do.

Alexandra Franzen brings the brilliance: 7 questions to ask when you’re not sure who you’re becoming.

In totally shallow news, I Want Your Hair is the ultimate hairspiration (?!) Tumblr!

More from Sarah Wilson — she wrote about craving a simpler Christmas & asked if we all felt the same way. I do, & did, which is why we kept Christmas very low-key this year, & gave each other — & my parents — experiences instead of more “stuff”. But I watched the news this morning & it said Christmas spending was up by about 10% from last year. Something like $460 billion in the U.S.A. alone. Crazy.

The Unleashed Mind: Why Creative People Are Eccentric. “Highly creative people often seem weirder than the rest of us. Now researchers know why.”

Nubby writes about doing what you love.

Wow, this is incredible — the U.S. moves towards banning use of Photoshop in cosmetics ads! Interesting, huh? It has always frustrated me so much to see mascara commercials where the model is OBVIOUSLY wearing epic lash inserts, or photos of aging actresses with NO expression lines on their faces! It can only get better.

This unicorn name generator is pretty fantastic. My unicorn name is Forget-Me-Not Pretty Nostrils! Thanks to Amika for the link!

Another generator, this one a little different: where the f*ck should I go for drinks? Haha!

Here are 7 fitness myths — aka total bs — you need to know.

Lots of affirmations! Pick your favourites & write them in your Filofax or Moleskine, use a whiteboard pen to scrawl them on your window or mirror, or stick ’em to your front door…

More Courtney Love-ness! Here’s a peek inside her closet.

This is pretty great. “This is the thing: When you hit 28 or 30, everything begins to divide. You can see very clearly two kinds of people. On one side, people who have used their 20s to learn and grow, to find … themselves and their dreams, people who know what works and what doesn’t, who have pushed through to become real live adults. Then there’s the other kind, who are hanging onto college, or high school even, with all their might…”

Natalie sent me this link to The Colourfield which helps break down interior decorating by colour!

I am a huge fan of this: One teacher’s approach to preventing gender bullying in a classroom. Very important stuff.

Ever wondered about how Jonathan Ames lives? (He’s a brilliant writer & creator of Bored To Death, which was recently cancelled — BOO!) He says he lives like “a malformed Grey Gardens sort of bachelor”. Check it out!

If you want to donate to the Food Bank of New York, you can do so by just clicking a button!

Jo wrote about wine etiquette — I knew some of this stuff, but not all of it!

These photos of Christmas around the world are sweet & lovely.

Do you prefer white or coloured Christmas lights? I am ALL about the all-white, but didn’t know it was such a contentious topic! Simon Doonan — of Barney’s fame — is pro-colour. This quote made me laugh so hard!

“It’s very ’80s ‘Dynasty,’ ” Mr. Doonan wrote in an e-mail, referring to the evening soap opera. “People who are pathological about white lights are usually the same people who stuff their TV into an armoire and try to pretend they don’t have one.”

Who could resist perusing some of the world’s weirdest hotels?! Not me!

P.S. I also have a BUNCH more giveaways coming! I might be posting a few a day (!!!) to be sure we’re all done before January 1st, so check back regularly! xoxox