This is... Book time!

As a graphic designer, I am constantly inspired by the books at the Troc. From a photographic catalogue of Nights in Paris, cookbooks, fashion house biographies and even historic perspectives by E.B. White, there is something for everyone here. *

Some of my favorites are the This is ____ series. Created by M. Sasek, these books are colorful, informative and fun. M. Sazek was an artist born in Prague; in 1958 he published his first book, This is Paris and continued creating books until his death in 1980.

The titles we carry at the Troc include: This is Greece, This is Venice, This is Hong Kong, This is Britain, This is Paris, This is New York, This is Ireland, This is Texas, This is Rome, This is London, This is Edinburgh, This is Israel, and This is San Francisco.

The vibrant illustrations make an amazing coffee table piece or an informative book for a child. Have a favorite city filled with memories? Maybe an overseas engagement or a college semester abroad? Maybe you are reconnecting with your home country? These books are definitely a traveler or art collector's must!

*All last copy books are 20% off so come by the store and see for yourself!

Honeymoon in Italy

A year ago I was on my honeymoon in Italy. My husband and I visited Florence, Venice and Rome. Ah, memories...

Don't assume that the only international goods that Trocadero sells are French; the shop happens to sell many products that remind me of the two weeks we spent sightseeing in those historical cities, including classic children's travel books of Venice and Rome by M. Sasek and vintage Italian postcards by Cavallini. And Red Flower makes a shower gel, a body lotion and a candle that smell like blood orange, a fruit native to Italy that we enjoyed as juice every morning while abroad.

The Troc also carries a number of products that I wish I had with me on our trip like the beautifully constructed and extremely practical M.Z. Wallace nylon Jane bag. I could have used the Malin + Goetz "carry-on approved" travel kit, as well as a pocket-sized notebook to record all of our adventures--what we ate, where we stayed, what sites we saw.

To celebrate the one year anniversary my honeymoon, I may just have to buy myself a bottle of Bond No. 9's Little Italy perfume, which has top notes of mandarin and grapefruit. Delicious!