In the middle of my apartment is a windowless room that no one likes to talk about. It's where my boyfriend keeps his massive—not very well organized—collection of records and CDs, where I throw bags of clothes that are meant to go to Goodwill but somehow never do, and where we store embarrassing books that we wouldn't like company to see (The Artist's Way, Dealing with People You Can't Stand, my not-working-very-well Suze Orman collection). It's also the broken-chair hospital—kind of like an Island of Misfit Toys, except with chairs that are missing a rung or a screw, or, in one case, a seat. We keep these chairs, I think, in case of the Big Dinner Party—the one that maybe happens once a year for which we usually rent chairs because no one has yet dealt with the misfits. Sigh. Today on eBay, I thought maybe I could change all this, do away with the hospital, and purchase this perfect little set of bentwood space-age seating that is not only stackable but right now going for just a buck (no reserve!).

So last night—BECAUSE THIS IS NOW THE KIND OF STUPID THING THAT HAPPENS TO ME—I was dreaming about plaid, specifically about wearing a really bad plaid cape and sitting on a rock. I don't remember who else was in the dream, but she was very angry and scolding me about this item of clothing. Not because of the cape part—no, my conjured critic was actually furious because I had chosen plaid and not an Aztec print. And then I woke up. And I thought about Aztec prints and how great and low-key and versatile they actually are on hippieish vintage bags. And I came across this and this and this on eBay—all of which would be perfect with a tank and a long skirt or denim (almost) anything on beachy nights. (By the way, I once had a boyfriend who regularly read from his dream journal to anyone who'd listen. Since then, as a general rule I think dream retelling is off-limits, but I'm making an exception here.)

There's something a little offbeat, artsy girl about New York label Vena Cava. The pieces always seem to me like the kind of thing really stylish women wear on their I-don't-want-to-think-about-it-too- much-but-still-want-to-look-cool days. Today on eBay, I found three Vena Cava styles that are completely obsession-worthy: two amazing dresses (one black silk, one printed, with three-quarter sleeves) and a unique black romper embellished with studs that will look great with chain-link flat sandals (I am at last buying into the romper trend. Hard).

Because we have nothing resembling a lawn, I'm always attempting to maintain some green space in and around my Brooklyn apartment. We have plants on every windowsill year-round; we keep our Christmas tree up until Valentine's Day; and come summer, I build an elaborate garden on our fire escape. Last year I grew jalapeños, wild flowers, and tiny cucumbers that I later turned into pickles. This year I'll get a little more involved: I'm going to try growing salad greens, tomatoes, and eight different kinds of herbs. Would this cool, country-looking cedar planter not be perfect for the latter two? It will also be time and effort saving. The tomato plants hang upside down, so you don't need to painstakingly stake and tie or build a cage around them. Now all I have to worry about is a way to get rid of my enemies, the squirrels. Right now I'm thinking of buying a very serious water gun that I could shoot Uzi-style through the screen whenever the relentless urban rats attack my harvests.

Remember a week or so ago when I developed that madras-plaid fetish? Well, it got real bad. I wanted everything in the preppy pattern. I bid on a bunch of stuff, and then for some reason (my own slowness or cheapness) I wound up with nothing. It was all sad, but the real heartbreak was the jumper, which I lost in its auction's last moments. Afterward I could not stop thinking about that piece. I mean, I had big summer plans for it: I imagined riding my bike wearing it with red round-toe flats; walking on the boardwalk in it with big sunglasses and flip-flops, perhaps eating a snow cone; throwing it on in the morning to get coffee and blog. The entire situation was a True. Ebay. Tragedy. But then I was in Old Navy on Friday, and nestled amid its lamé bikinis and hot pink maxi dresses, there it was, hiding: my new jumper. I have to say, I may like this one even better. It's so comfortable and soft, with a belly-friendly drawstring waist and cute little cuffed shorts—all for just $20, on sale. I win.

(If you should, say, want this perfect summer item, I suggest going for the total-comfort romper effect and buying it a little looser and a size up.)

I am always looking for fashion inspiration, either for what I'm wearing or what I'm writing about. And I get this from tons of places—walking around the city, magazines, TV, movies, uniforms, videos at the gym (seriously, this happened once). But there are certain people I look back to again and again whenever I'm feeling in a style rut—like Marianne Faithfull. I just love her. I love that she was Mick Jagger's badass girlfriend before Bianca Jagger. I love that she wrote a fiercely honest tell-all, that she was an interesting singer in her own right, and I especially love the way she looked. Perfect. Anyway, today something exhilarating occurred: I've been looking for Faithfull's movie Girl on a Motorcycle for years and just today found it on eBay! While I'm at it, I might also bid on a couple of hot pictures and some great-looking old-school records.

This is my absolute favorite obsession for summer: vintage canvas-and-leather bags. They are just so cool-looking—part old-school professor, part Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient, part French lady from the '70s. I love that you could wear them with wide-leg jeans and a tank or a really ladylike shirtdress and they'll look equally good. Here are some of my top picks today: a beat-up-just-enough Ghurka clutch, this gorgeous piece from Valentino Garavani, a sunny-preppy purse from Etienne Aigner, and—oh my, if I had the money—this outstanding/ridiculous Hermès style.

Something spectacular, unexpected, and a little out of character happened in my apartment over the weekend: I got kittens. I'd been thinking about this for a while, looked up thousands of adoptable cats on Craigslist, and almost took in two last year that had been abandoned at a deli by my house, but could never could pull the trigger. (They'll make the house messy! They'll stink! I'll become a cat lady!) Then on Saturday, I was walking to buy bread for dinner and there they were: the most ridiculously-to-the-point-of-cheesy cute animals I'd ever seen in my life. And they'd been abandoned and needed someone to foster them, and I took them home that night, and I am never giving them back. I am freakishly obsessed with these little creatures. I want them to have everything—stupid blinged-out collars, fake mice, "peek-a-prize", peacock feathers, this thing. Something has gone terribly wrong (or right?). Seriously, I can see it all happening: First I'll frame of a picture of them and put it on my desk, then I'll use an adorable photo of them as my Facebook headshot ... then, honestly, who knows? A T-shirt with all of us together? An "I heart my cats" pin? My life as a mildly cool person is over. It's embarrassing.

Let's face it, summer fashion can be a little blah, glamourwise. There are fewer clothes, obviously, which means less to accessorize, and the number one goal is often to avoid feeling like a sweat bomb, not to look fabulous (a fashion editor I know once called summer "amateur hour," but I wouldn't go that far—I actually enjoy the liberation). Still, even though I mostly live in gauzy sundresses and shorts in the warmer months, it's always nice to bust out an item that's exceptionally chic and cool. Today on eBay I searched for YSL clothes, specifically ones I could wear now through September. Oh my God, the things I found! I may be in love with this amazing side-button white dress, the print on this secretary style is so good I kind of want to die, and how ridiculously cute would you feel in this little V-neck top and sailor skirt? And ... this is going to seem weird, but I saw two '80s glam YSL bathing suits (this and this) that make me want to cede all my hygienic fears and wear them now.

Though it's still a little cold and rainy in New York, we're about to enter my absolute favorite time of the year: outdoor-socializing season. I love having drinks in noisy bars on the sidewalk and hanging out at tiny backyard parties, and I especially enjoy the late-afternoon weekend rooftop gatherings. These bright striped glasses by mid-century designer Georges Briard would be perfect for filling with delicious white sangria at just such an event. I also love Briard's delicate cruet set, these pretty gold-etched glass trays, and, though it might not be right for this second, this adorable enamel fondue pot.