Any Hole is a Goal

An ode to Brattle Bookshop and my search for the perfect tulip vase.

Mar 27, 2025

As much as I hate to admit it, I’ve spent more time in Boston than I ever intended (no offense to anyone from Bean Town, it’s just not my cup of tea—haha). I had a girlfriend who lived there, and trust me, we explored every corner of the city in search of something new to do. What discovery stuck with me the most? Brattle Bookshop.

Tucked away in a quiet nook of downtown, this historic gem has remained largely unchanged since its last renovation in the 1980s, and its charm is undeniable. Founded in 1849 (brag), Brattle is one of the oldest used bookstores in the U.S. (hot) and has been lovingly passed down through generations since the Gloss family took it over in 1949 (aw). To this day, it’s the one place in Boston I genuinely miss.

Brattle’s magic comes down to three things: 1) its sheer size, 2) the open-air section that hits just right on a crisp spring day, and 3) the fucking selection, man. The amount of art and design books you can snag for under 30 bucks is unreal. If you found these same books in a used shop on the Lower East Side? Easily $200, no question.

One day, in particular, I was on an absolute tear—felt like I was robbing the place blind with the stack of two-inch-thick Matisse coffee table books I was walking out with. I picked up books on both Franks—Lloyd Wright and Stella—plus a home decor book titled More is More: Designing for the Maximalist Within. And that’s where it happened. Flipping through its pages, I spotted a vase buried in a sea of other vases (maximalism, am-I-right?) with individual holes carved into the top, designed to hold single stems in place. And in that moment, my life changed forever. I had discovered the tulip vase.

Jose Escofet (b. 1930): Parrot Tulips in Blue & White Delft Vases.

Often found in a pyramid shape, the decorative tulip vase originated in 17th-century Netherlands, typically adorned with intricate Delft designs in that iconic Delft-blue. These vases feature stacked layers or a single plane of spouts, allowing individual flowers or small clusters to be placed just so. The association with tulips runs deep—once cultivated by the Ottoman Empire, tulips eventually became a symbol of wealth and status in Europe. To own tulips was to flaunt your ability to indulge in life’s visual luxuries, like rare flowers and fine ceramics.

Left to Right: Vase by Martha Grover | Source Unknown

I was first drawn to tulip vases not for their history or their built-in flower frog function but for their sheer weirdness. Once arranged, the flowers take on an almost alien-like quality, like a Chia Pet in full bloom or as if someone stuck a flower into each one of SpongeBob’s holes (tell me I’m wrong). I love ceramics with personality, pieces that don’t just sit quietly on a shelf but scream, “I am not like the others.”

If you know me, you know I have an emotional attachment to my tulip vase. I had dreamed about it, searched for it, and imagined the day I’d finally find the perfect one since my time at Brattle. I always knew I wanted vintage, and as fate would have it, I found her in a quiet outdoor antique market in Portugal, on my birthday, no less. It felt written in the stars. My most perfect ceramic, a two-in-one flower frog, a little piece of history, was finally mine. And let me tell you, she was worth the wait.

If you want a statement piece, the perfect housewarming gift, or just a fresh way to display flowers, do yourself a favor and get one of these bad boys. Compliments? Endless. And the best, most stunning ones? Always found while antiquing. And if you’re like me, nothing beats the thrill of uncovering something truly one-of-a-kind. Not like me? You’re in luck! I’ve sourced many-a-tulip-vase. Let me know which you snag:

Juliska Country Estate Tulipiere Vase: $295

My friend Courtney (of Unpolished) is decorating her home, The Swan House, and I just know this is something she neeeeeeeeeeeds.

Artichoke Tulipiere by Monticello: $75

Okay, now this not-so-traditional option is fun because… It’s an ARTICHOKE. Very Bordallo, no? I’ll get into Bordallo another time…

Royal Delft Hand-Painted Tulip Vase: $5,065

This one’s for my rich followers. I know one of you has a casual 5K to drop… and on Moda Operandi, no less. Love that they went with orchids instead of tulips; how very *~different~* of them.