Volkswagen is coming up with a list of 10 designs in 5 categories: design, food, music, TV, and fashion for the ultimate list of the 50 Most Timeless. The hip carmaker has teamed up with the modern British home magazine LivingEtc to compile the top 10 timeless designs for the home. You go to the website and vote for your top 10 -- www.livingetc.co.uk/timeless50. Keep their guidelines for timeless design in mind when you cast your vote: "Great designs transcend the passing of the years and are impervious to fashion -- they offer simplicity and style and are the perfect marriage of form and function. By looking as fresh and modern today as they did when they were conceived, they have a timeless quality."

My Votes -- in no particular order:

Debuted today and is the best magazine that will never hit a newsstand. It's all online. The all digital magazine was founded by former Domino staffer, Michelle Adams, and photographer Patrick Cline. Committed to bringing hip home dwellers the lastest home inspirations, these two thought outside the mailbox and repackaged the idea of a magazine. The best part is there's no need to dig through the fine print of sourcing pages if you see something you like -- most things are linked for direct purchase (or at least more information). Read it for yourself. Lonnymag.com.

Don't you just love the home section of Anthropologie? The eclectic, diverse look of their glasses, dishes, linens, furniture and decorative accents are unlike any other store, much less a national retailer. But have you ever wondered who picks out these great finds and where on earth do they discover them? Now you can find out and go along for the adventure.

A new TV show on Sundance Channel called MAN SHOPS GLOBE premiers October 7th and follows Keith Johnson, buyer-at-large for the innovative retailer, as he travels six months of the year exploring and shopping everywhere from flea-markets in Paris to remote artist's studios in Turkey. The half-an-hour show will follow Keith as he travels in France, Turkey, South Africa, Holland, India, U.K., Tunisia, Argentina. Whew, and this is just the first 8 episodes! 

This month's House Beautiful is dedicated to color. I thought it was so great that I hounded most of my collegeauges into taking one sort of color assesment or another. The issue is an interesting and fun read especially pages 94-97 devoted to finding readers' color personalities. Obviously, color is a huge part of decorating, but do you know the deeper psychological meanings that it carries? 

If anyone out there shares my combined love of John Mayer and home interiors, get ready because you are in for a treat, yes indeed! 

The staffers over at ELLE Decor were lucky enough to visit John Mayer's super chic SoHo apartment in New York City. In case you couldn't pick up on my love of John Mayer from my previous post "Summertime Playlist," I will admit I am very enthused about this sneak peak into his home life.

Although his digs are not as "rocker-esque" as I had envisioned, the entire apartment was designed by none other than Giorgio Armani. His sleek and sophisticated space looks comfortable and the choice of furnishings are bold as love (ok, that one was a stretch). 

Here's a little mood music before you get started...

Being a MyHomeIdeas staffer, I'm clearly an obsessive Mad Men watcher -- season 3 premieres Sunday August 16th. We've worked hard to bring as much of Sterling Cooper to our offices as we can.  One nameless editor has amassed an impressive crystal decanter collection the bar cart in her office. Said editor also lucked out and went to New Orleans to cover the absolutely fabulous real life home of Mad Men's Salvatore Romano (Bryan Batt). He also gives his well-tested tips for throwing a cocktail party in video. He's quite entertaining.

To me, there's probably nothing more peaceful in the summertime than sitting outside on the porch at dusk listening to the crickets with a glass of wine, a few good friends and some great conversation.

If you're looking for some fun background music to keep the mood light at your next outdoor gathering, here are a few suggestions I've been loving so far this summer. Some songs are new, some old, all are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

Click here to see the full playlist...

Tanis by Daniel Garber

Last weekend, I went to see the Westervelt-Warner Museum of American Art in Tuscaloosa, AL. I met a friend at a dinner party who told me all about it. It sounded far too good to be true. A museum in Tuscaloosa, AL (40 minutes from Birmingham) stocked full of Mary Cassatt paintings (The extremely nice security guard -- who's been there over 20 years advised me not to miss the Cassatt sketches in the ladies bathroom.), Paul Revere silver, Whistler and Sargent paintings, tons of Hudson River paintings (recognizable from your American History class section about how the west was won) by Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand? The list goes on and on.

Economy forcing a on you this year? Look no further than the Sotheby'sluxury real estate listings. A couple of clicks get you front row passes to some of the most luxurious homes on the planet that money can buy. All you have to do is scratch your head and ask yourself, "Today, I'd like to go ______?"

To a Th century chateau twenty minutes from Aix-en-Provence?

It's time for this little intern to spread her wings and move up to The Big Apple! Come Monday, I will be en route to New York City and on my way to becoming an official New Yorker. Along with using "Ma'am" and "Sir" less frequently, and toning down my southern accent, I'm tuning into my street smarts and learning New York mannerisms like calling pizza, "pie" now.

Here's a tribute to all things fabulous in New York City:

One thing I am most excited about is Central Park!

Being a native of Alabama, it will be hard for me to say goodbye to the beautiful trees, lawns, wildflowers, etc., that I have grown up seeing every single day. I'm sure I will be visiting frequently and scouting out new running trails.