As if you don’t already think i’m strange enough ~ that NY trip for design week, which branched off into a roadtrip up to play in the woods in vermont… has been extended a few more days, and from vermont, we kind of decided to spontaneously drive down to Earlysville, Virginia… which is where i’m now posting from! If there’s one thing i’ve learned/realized during this little random adventure, it’s that for me, inspiring design details pop up nearly everywhere everyday in my life, and whether that’s at ICFF or while driving for 10+ hours straight down New England… design is omnipresent, and what really keeps me going.

On that note, my silly exciting find of the day yesterday was after about 8-9 hours of straight driving, stuck in INSANE traffic in NY that was moving at about 20 mph for over 2 hours, and i found myself staring at large semis and their various mud flaps and signage and the typography on them… and then i saw it. Mudflaps with FLYING MOOSE! Forget unicorns and pegasuses… flying moose! I forced dan to try and take a pic of it with his iphone (which i will have to bother him later to get it off)… the one we saw was like the one in the bottom left, it seemed friendlier than what appears to be the newer version on their site now.

So continuing on the Jackalope theme of north american mythological creatures… we sat in traffic discussing the idea of flying moose, and then reading up on the background of the Manac Trucking/Trailer Manufacturer which had this awesome creature as their logo. Turns out that this magnificent creature comes from a native american legend! Very cute tale, read it on the next page, and also see a picture i found of the statue of the Manac flying moose logo!

Since i couldn’t find our pic of the mudflap yet, the one in the image above i found via flickr user prodigal dog!

And while poking around flickr, i also found the image below from flickr user jaub:

Here is the native american legend of the winged moose as found on the Manac site:

Well before the arrival of the first white settlers, the Abenaquis tribe lived in a village where the Mechatigan and Manosak rivers meet.

The Abenaquis tribe would return to this area every year to stock up on food, which was plentiful here thanks to the two rivers and the surrounding forests.

According to the legend, Mahanak, the son of the grand chief Metgermett, befriended a young moose that had lost its mother when she tried to protect it from a pack of attacking wolves. When Mahanak found the young moose, it was badly injured and weak and was slowly dying.

The two friends became inseparable. One spring day, Mahanak and his friend were returning to the village after a long trek through the Etchemin countryside. They were forced to take a different route because the melting snow had caused the mighty Manosak river to rise. In an effort to avoid a huge rock, the two companions lost their foothold, fell into the raging river and were swept away by a powerful current.

Mahanak managed to grab hold of the moose’s antlers and climb onto its back. As they were approaching the Devil’s waterfalls, Mahanak implored the spirits of the forest to come to their rescue.

The spirits remembered Mahanak’s act of kindness on the day he saved his young friend. The spirits helped the moose descend the falls by keeping its head above the water and saving Mahanak from drowning. Two old hunters, who had witnessed the scene, said that the moose had descended the falls slowly, as though it had wings.

The following night, Mahanak had a dream. The spirits of the forest told him that his moose would be leaving him to go to the land of the spirits where it would watch over the inhabitants of the forest. Mahanak then saw his companion nod good-bye and slowly fly away, opening its mighty wings. By sunrise, the moose had disappeared.

Charcoal can be messy stuff… luckily for us dynamic design duo, Mike and Maaike, have tackled this process with their new Baja BBQ Firepack for Design Annex/Lazzari. The design of the packaging as a recycled, functional aspect of the process is just genius.

“The Baja BBQ Firepack is charcoal packaging that lights instantly and burns away in the grille, making the barbeque experience simple, clean and chemical free. Made from 100% recycled biodegradable paper pulp, the package contains 2 lbs of natural lump charcoal and features an integrated chimney that creates perfect hot coals in 15-20 minutes without the aid of chemicals or lighter fluid. Available at gourmet supermarkets. Manufactured by Lazzari/ Design Annex - patent pending” See the process in pics on the next page…

Super cute prints just showed up in my inbox… and since we seem to be quite the bunch of animal lovers/biologists, i couldn’t resist sharing these Three Potato Four’s “Bird Survey” prints by Matt Cipov and “Gnatcatcher with Nest + Eggs” large print. See more images on the next page as usual…

NOTCOT Note: I finally got to meet up with Anna and Sean of Sub-Studio when i was in NY, and they are even more fun than i could have imagined! Definitely NOTCOT people, and i’m so excited to have her as a contributor! (I’m not so used to the meeting people on the internets, still a bit odd to me for some reason?)… anyhow! Here’s a fun new post from Anna!

Jean did a round-up recently of bird feeders and I wanted to add some great bird houses to the mix. I love the Nidusa birdhouse by Art. Lebedev - the faceted shape is beautiful! If I had some outdoor space, I would definitely hang one of those up to attract some little birdie friends. A few more feeders are after the jump!

The Cuckoo Clock Bird House.

Damian O’Sullivan’s Bird House, and the Home for Birds by Stadtnomaden.

The Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic will take place on Governors Island (Sat 31 May) and can you believe that this will be the first time Polo will be played in NYC for over 70 years… bringing taste of Hamptons to NYC. Ralph Lauren’s team (Blackwatch) is playing Asprey’s team and Nacho Figueras (the face of Polo Black and best player in the world will be playing)

And guess what? The event is open to the public! So head over to Governor’s Island on Saturday if you are in NY, and let me know how the polo match turns out! Hopefully it will be a beautiful (non rainy) day! More images on the next page…

Dwell on Design finally comes to LA! (Remember i told you it was on its way when it was announced at the FordBrady party?) Personally i’m thrilled that more design events are coming to LA ~ and the folks at Dwell were even kind enough to reach out and give you guys some free passes and discounts on the conference passes:

Use the following codes to register here
Free Ticket To the Dwell on Design Exhibition: BDODEC
Discounted Conference Ticket ($50 Off): GRP22SP
… + check out a free issue of Dwell Digital on Zinio

“The Dwell on Design Event runs June 5-8 at the LA Convention Center, and includes an Exhibition of 200 exhibitors, a Speakers Conference of 50 speakers, and full size Sustainable Pre-Fab Neighborhood built on site, as well as 16 Home Tours of private green residences and evening parties at the Dwell Ford Brady and the Museum of Contemporary Art.”

I’ll be back in socal on June 3rd… so, see you there!

Pinned up in the bathroom of the log cabin… “the WHY CHEAP ART? manifesto” - from the Bread & Puppet Glover, Vermont in 1984… this nice little manifesto speaks for itself! I must say, parts of this remind me of the Target rants on design… and if this is the manifesto for cheap art, what would one for design look like? See a larger image on the next page…

We were cleaning out more of the log cabin, and when we started poking through desk drawers, dan and i both laughed when out popped Steve Jobs on the cover of the August 5, 1985 issue of Fortune Magazine - and the headline read “The Fall Of Steve Jobs”… funny article in retrospect too (see images on the next page)…filled with great pop cultural references of the time “John Sculley, 46, president and chief executive, ruefully remarked that Apple’s moves were attracting as much attention as an episode of Dynasty.” There were also statements like “No players in the drama have explained publicly why Jobs came to grief. But several of them, promised anonymity, have revealed the essential details to Fortune.” ~ can you imagine if any apple insiders were so bold today? Ah, how times have changed since 1985… Equally worthwhile, the ATT ad that runs next to the article… and the “Picture Phones: New Spin On An Old Idea” article that sits next to “Droids For Sale: Star Wars’ George Lucas if pushing new technology”… suffice to say, this is a quality issue of Fortune, and a nice way to get some perspective on exactly how far we’ve come in the last 23 years… See the details on the next page!

Unfortunately, still in the woods - and leaching internet in the nearby town… so no scanner, but here are a few pics i snapped ~ click to view larger, its not perfect, but readable…

Jackalope spotting! I was wandering into town (St. Johnsbury, VT) on Memorial Day, and thanks to a local town parade, i detoured across the river, around the town, across the tracks, and back again - to get to the one open diner to get some breakfast… upon doing so, i ran across Caplan’s Army Store - where i couldn’t resist popping in to see what they had (and i picked up a black machete, work shirt, socks - i was packed with mostly heels and dresses for NYC city life on this trip…) And low and behold, i found the CUTEST jackalope i’ve yet to lay eyes on ~ while it does suck that these cute little creatures died to make this… at least the poor little guy is memorialized forever?

For those who don’t know about the legendary Jackalopes… crazy jack rabbits with antlers - rumors are that it is “a hybrid of the pygmy-deer and a species of “killer-rabbit”“… basically it is the american version of a chimera or griffin… and thanks to taxidermy, photo manipulation, and photoshop - MANY variations of this critter can be found across the country… (read up on your Jackalope lore) I’ve seen quite a few as a kid, but they tended to lean towards the large and ferocious style… THIS however was the CUTEST woodland creature infant version of a Jackalope! See more pictures of the street, store, and wall mount of this little guy on the next page!

NOTCOT Note: Morning! Here’s one more before i head back to the cabin ~

At the Hardcore Exhibition in the Meatpacking District during ICFF that showcased New Finnish Design, i discovered VEGE by Design Mikko Laakkonen for Selki-Asema. These are frying pans and blini pans specially for vegetarians! And not only are they a nice way to help show your veg friends that you keep things separate ~ they even leave nice leafy patterns into your pancakes, etc. Cute idea. It’s cast iron and the frying pan has a birch handle. See more images of the full rack of the from the exhibition on the next page!

NOTCOT Note: So, i’m still in the woods, still running up and down the mountain, exploring the woods, bonding with birds and deer and other critters, making bird feeders, learning about plumbing and working on getting hot water going (see? learning to be more handy!), raking leaves, playing in the stream, reflecting on life/the sites, and being ridiculously physically tired… BUT, for the sake of the sites, we grabbed a little room in nearby St. Johnsbury, VT for the internet so i can get a little somethin’ up for you guys - having no cell/internet is quite a trip! So here’s another post from ICFF!

I thought i was over the laser cut metals look, especially the cut and fold yourself shelving, coat racks, etc… then i saw the Amuneal Manufacturing Corp’s installation at their booth at ICFF and it was impressive to say the least. “Inspired from a scene from nature, our in-house graphic designer created a striking motif for the walls of the installation. We then “wrapped” it around a digital 3D model, which generated the laser cutting files required to connect over 3,000 square feet of aluminum. Once fabricated, each lightweight panel received a hand-patinaed finish to contrast the exacting accuracy of the cut pattern. The custom made teak architectural elements, including 14’ tall x 7’ wide entry portals and windows that featured over 30 scale models of recently completed projects, established the strength of the structure.” I got too curious and touched one of the bird cut outs on the main structure, and that stuff is quite sharp!

It was a beautiful space, and with the right lighting the shadows were gorgeous… equally fascinating were their business card holders where the birds were popped out and bent as you pleased to hold the cards between them. See images of the booth on the next page.

So, the rumors are true. NOTCOT has gone where no tech addict chooses to go… there is NO CELL RECEPTION and NO INTERNET. *gasp*. After much mocking about how i “probably can’t remember the last time i’ve been off the grid” (and no, i can’t remember)… today we semi-spontaneously checked out early from NYC, grabbed a rental car (4WD black 2007 rav4), and cruised up to Peacham, Vermont… to a log cabin dan’s parents built back in the 70s, and no one has really lived there since (brief visits, but little more than that) - can you see it peeking out from between all the trees?

It’s adorable, the surroundings breath-taking - who wouldn’t be in love with that lush greenery and fast moving fish filled creek all around after the urban concrete/smells/sounds of NYC? The cabin is going to take a bit of work though, and after so much tech-tethered work, i guess a little manual labor and communing with nature can’t be all bad. So if i get a bit quiet this week, you’ll know where i disappeared to, and if i’m quiet longer than that… well, send a search party?

As for how i’m posting this? Well we’ve got to get the water running again, sort out some new furniture/matresses/etc, and hook up a phoneline (and yes, high speed dsl is on its way)… so, thanks to the kindness of friends, i’m getting a warm bed and my internet fix for the day. Few more sneak peeks on the next page - probably loads more to come as i wander and take more pics the next few days!

We came across this Bait Lamp designed by Henrik Pedersen for the Frandsen Projekt at ICFF, and i must admit, it didn’t look like much to me, until i lost Dan, only to find him with the booth guy playing with this lamp… and then it suddenly became really sweet. It has a carbon fiber rod, and on it is a movable brushed steel weight, and using the weight as a counter balance you can slide it along the lamp to adjust the height of the lighting, and the carbon fiber rod will naturally adjust its curve!

Really, you need to see it in action to make sense of it… so luckily we made a quick video clip you can check out to illustrate how it works. Unfortunately there is minimal information on the the Frandsen Projekt site, but we did find it in the catalog/pdf. Watch our little video on the next page!

p.s. we’re internally debating whether the lamp we saw is the same lamp in the press images, but the booth guy gave us the press kit saying it was in there, and this is the closest thing to it…….. it is a bit weird that the press image has the shade hanging so much lower, perhaps that’s adjustable?

Bait Lamp - ICFF 2008 from Jean Aw on Vimeo.

Tast.es: Disposable Elements For Catering - firstly, awesome use of the .es domain - secondly, the Conran ROJO launch was incredible, and i have still yet to do a proper post on it, there was so much, it’s all coming out in pieces… strangely enough i actually indulged in some of the various catering finger foods coming around simply so i could poke at the beautifully designed mini dishes they were served in! How cute is this soup bowl/shot glass? It looked so strange and possibly uncomfortable to sip from, but honestly its curvature was perfect to put your lips up to and have the soup slide right in (no embarrassing dribbles or anything of that sort). I even had the url on the bottom of it emailed to me as soon as i finished drinking it so i wouldn’t forget to see what else they have… and low and behold, there is more awesome catering ware from Tast.es! So see larger images of the whole collection on the next page, and someday when we throw a party, i will definitely have to look these guys up.

Myto Cantilever Chair for Plank designed by Konstantin Grcic. There are some chairs that while look interesting in images, they just don’t grab you until you sit in them. Clearly the folks at Plank knew this when they set up their ICFF booth, and it was fascinating to watch everyone from little kids to grannies jump up on the platform, and sit, lean, bounce on these colorful plastic stackables. After a bit of watching, i couldn’t resist either, and they were REALLY quite nice to sit in! Not to mention light and easy to store and not too hard on the eyes! Check out more images of the chairs in all its colors as well as the ICFF booth on the next page!

In case you haven’t noticed, i seem to be fascinated with edgy/twisted porcelain incarnations lately… Catching my eye - then sucking in all my attention - at ICFF was the Lladró booth - while i’ve long loved their work, their hiring of Jaime Hayon (i actually met him at the show! and he was incredibly nice… and i was a bit in awe and rather tongue tied) as creative director, and their Re-Cyclos Magical Forest Collection really had me paying special attention to them the last few years…

At their booth, the first thing to pull you in is the new fiberoptic/porcelain chandelier with leaves (much like the Niagara Chandelier with the fairies), and seeing how the fiberoptic strands were attached to the porcelain leaves was fascinating (as was the lighting itself). Next the Re-Cyclos tea set where the legs of a bowl were all porcelain horse heads, the napkin ring made of horse legs, the handles on the cups and mugs were horse legs as well! Really in description it sounds far more bizarre than the result, the juxtaposition was really quite beautiful (see the pics on the next page). Also fascinating were the porcelain boxes that have what look like barbie and ken faces pressed into them (complete with makeup for that dash of color), they actually turned the molds used to create the figured into the boxes themselves, in a stark matte porcelain and a gold interior. As you can see, its really not the usual collection of porcelain collectibles you’d expect, and really they seem like a fun match for some pieces over at the Designboom Mart, like the Blaue Blume Tea Set.

Lladró ~ for a company that i grew up knowing for beautiful traditional porcelain pieces, you fascinate me with every part of your evolution. I never expected a bizarre and edgy collection quite like this from the 50+ year old company, and love it! More pictures from the booth on the next page!

Finally, an alternative to paint chips and paint swatches to help you decide what paint to go with… at the Hardcore: New Finnish Design Exhibition in the Meatpacking District (i think this was the best exhibition i saw this trip), i was introduced to the work of Finnish group, Pentagon Design, and their great “Touching” Exhibition concept for presenting paint textures for Tikkurila Paints. It was hard not to go straight over to the large farm animals in various colors/glosses/etc… and impossible not to play with the magnets on the magnetically painted horse!

From the Pentagon Design press release: “Who can resist the urge to touch these near-life-size domestic animals, reined into modeling the diverse selection of Tikkurila paint coatings? Horses, pigs, cows, and calves have been given makeovers with surfaces to match their natures. You can feel the character of the coatings in your fingertips as you pet and stroke the nostalgic mammalian models. Beneath the feeling lie hard facts: the various options for covering a resin surface not only look different, they feel different. There’s magnetic paint, textured coating, tinted light putty and chalkboard paint, oil putty, alkyd paint. There are pearl and silver glazes, done in a lace pattern. This urban petting zoo for the design world is amazingly illustrative, both tactilely and visually.”

More images on the next page! (From both the Hardcore exhibition as well as their press images.)

Hey kids ~ i have one foot out the door, but just got an im giving me an sneak preview to tip you off on StrangeCo/Friends With You’s Wish Come True’s (isn’t that a mouthful) contest that is launching… a contest involving stickers in the various blind box toys that are launching… and there’s a Secret Map! The map graphic was so awesome, i stopped, postponed lunch, and had to throw this quick post up to share it with you… isn’t it sweet? Anyhow, read more about how it works at the secret link here. Ok, i’m out… back in a bit perhaps…

Not much to say on this post other than, after a long day/night, i was wandering through SoHo, saw the Kartell window, and had to run across the street and take a few quick pics. The Mr Impossible Phillipe Starck cardboard cutouts were far too funny, and reminded me of asian Kit Kats (is it the K and the red on white?). I have a feeling these were more amusing in the dark when the showroom wasn’t open, and they were left looking lonely, posed, and ready for action protecting the chairs in the tiny mirrored space. An exterior shot on the next page…

I know we all fell for Kaiju Studio’s I/O Desk Organizer, and were heartbroken to find out that they were still hunting for a manufacturer… well we met up with our new friends, Cutter Hutton, Ayako Takase, and Chris Specce of Kaiju Studios, at ICFF, and were giddy to see the desk and cabinet that it was practically made for! (And these you CAN buy, thanks to Herman Miller.) I think we can all agree that Kaiju Studios will be worth following over the next few years…

So here is their latest project, Airia desk and media cabinet for Herman Miller. And its gorgeous down to the tiniest details… when you see this in person, be sure to check out the perfect wood pieces with rubber feet to keep your cables hidden and the cork lined trays that make organizing your drawers easier than ever. It really is nice to see a desk that goes out of its way to not only look good, but help make hiding the inevitable cable clutter during use.

See both press images and ICFF show floor shots on the next page ~ as well as a really nice little profile on the company.

It’s all the fun little details that make design week fun… at so many parties, people were grumbling that designers were too conservative this year, too many old products, not enough crazy innovation, such a disappointment, etc etc… well maybe they just weren’t looking in the right places. I for one, found much amusement at the Housewarming party on friday night in the 10 Cane Rum Monkey Stirrers, the incredible view, and the fact that they rented out the 34th floor of an unfinished condominium in the making! (it was under construction - so much scaffolding i couldn’t even find it at first!) As lovely as the works of Tom Dixon, Thorsten van Elten, and Established & Sons are… it was the nearly bare apartments with gorgeous kitchens and to die for balconies, and those stirrers that really stayed with me. Aren’t they adorable? More images on the next page of stirrers, party, views, and more…

I couldn’t help sharing… so i’ve spent the whole day in my room in a sea of press kits on my bed… trying to sort through all my notes and photos, trying to catch up… then i wandered into the bathroom, and the view out the window took my breath away. Silly ipod ad matching the sunset is a bit annoying though… but how gorgeous out is it? Click the pic for the full sized image… unphotoshopped, because i was too lazy (and saving photoshopping energy for the rest of the posts!)

p.s. just added a few more as it got more dramatic on the next page…

p.p.s just added some dark shots! One here (click to view larger) and one more on the next page… SO nice out!

In addition to my growing porcelain fascination this ICFF, i have also been noticing a lot of Foosball Tables going more high design. During the Conran Shop’s Rojo opening (incredible! Definitely worth how wet i got in the rain to get there)… i came across the bright red metal RS Barcelona RS #2 foosball table designed by Rafael Rodriguez… and then saw the white one downstairs in the shop… the silver one at ICFF… and the coat rack versions in both the Conran Shop and ICFF. Really what stands out about this one is the bright metal frames and the arms and expressions on the player! Their faces scream “pass it to me! pass it to me!” with that excited/alert look… and their arms make them look like they are always on the go… which is admittedly, even funnier on a coat rack. There is also a hilarious stumpy super-buff silver and black set of players on another table i found at the Conran Shop that you’ve got to check out on the next page (and maybe one of you knows who made that one?)… see all the pics on the next page!

Here’s the mysterious crazy stumpy silver/black guys in the other set… too bad you can mix and match and have these guys play the excited little guys that have their arms out! Any clue which table this is?

There is nothing like a yellow box with a ball on a string hanging off of it and the hint of a secret door… it might as well have screamed “PULL ME”. So we did. And i couldn’t stop laughing when out popped a porcelain cuckoo bird offering me a condom in its beak. So i let go, then pulled it again. Perhaps i’m still a 5 year old, but it was amusing! Susanne Hangaard’s Cucoon ~ silly play on words, craziest, yet most adorable condom dispenser i’ve seen.

Now just imagine being right in the moment, and as your partner goes to reach for a condom, instead they pull a string and out *pops* a porcelain cuckoo? Would it kill the mood? Help you fall faster for the playful design geek? Personally, i’m not sure how i’d react… other than a fit of giggles. My only complaint, why can’t it refill itself? Teach the bird to get its own condoms… its a bit high maintenance to have to refill it one by one… also, it could make for a fun business card dispenser (if only it could refill itself!). More pics on the next page!

Ran into blogfamous Sorapot designer, Joey Roth, a few times this weekend (yes, the first NOTCOT reader i ever met)… and after posting about his Garden Geta project over 3 years ago, i FINALLY got to see them in person!!!

At the Rubin Chapelle and IDSA New York Opening reception for Equilateral 08:01, they had Joey’s Sorapot, Garden Geta, and Shika literally on pedastals, spotlighted for all to see, and being slightly early, but spotted walking past the window while they were setting up, Joey snuck me in early and i got some nice clean shots of the woodiest flip flops i’ve been dying to try on since ‘05. I am still in love with the fact that the pair are cut from the same slice of tree stump… and there must be some correlation to be drawn if he made kids pairs that were from younger trees… something about rings in the tree measuring your geta/shoe size? So check out more pics on the next page…

With a billion things/people/places to see, and a seemingly endless events to attend… its been super fun, in that crazed hectic way, and now i’ve taken the day to enjoy my bed - that is literally COVERED in press kits and a desktop filled with hundreds of photos… its a work day! To catch up on some posts… and today, we’ll start with the incredible Artek installation in Gansevoort Square.

The simple Artek Stool 60 has been an omnipresent design icon… from schools, jails, kids rooms, restaurants, you’ll see them everywhere… but no where is it as amazing as walking into Gansevoort Square and seeing what from afar appeared to be a coliseum of them.

As the press release says… “The innovative and strong L-leg construction is based on the technique of bending solid wood that was invented and refined by Alvar Aalto and Artek from the 1930s onwards. The famous Stool 60 designed in 1933 is the archetype of functional furniture. In Gansevoort Square, New York, Artek celebrates the anniversary of the stool 60 by building an installation of hundreds of stools. The round tower invites people to use all their senses to experience the installation. The stools made of untreated birch bring the scent of pure forest in the middle of New York and people are free to feel the natural, refined surface and structure of the stools.” Check out my pics on the next page for the full experience!

More designer pieces to fall in love with… Tina Tsang of Undergrowth Design’s Blaue Blume Tea Set, they certainly make you look twice… in a good way! Handmade in England, these earthenware pieces are beautiful and extremely detailed, and you can’t help but giggle when you see the gold shoes on the legs coming off of the tea cup, milk, and sugar bowl, especially when you have to grab the legs to pick them up! They are available in pure white or pure flesh tones, as well as with gold/silver/red shoes. In fact, if you order at least 10 of a particular piece, she will even paint the shoes the color of your choice… can’t you imagine a Louboutin set with black shoes, and red soles? Perfectly dainty, with just enough edginess, if i had to throw a tea party, you know it would have to be in these.

Also, on a slight sidetrack, i ended up at The Back Room in the Lower East Side last night… you know the type… hidden back entrance, after you get past the bouncer at the gate, wander through a dark alley/staircase, and pop into an unmarked door… you’re thrown into the 20’s when you step into a dark space with flocked wallpaper, padded walls, chandeliers and ornate ceilings… and in speakeasy style, everyone is drinking cocktails out of teacups (with saucers or course) and beer in paper bags… Is it bad i found myself wishing i had my scotch in a Blaue Blume tea cup? See more pictures of the collection and from the designboom mart on the next page!

You can also purchase Tina’s Tea pieces on Reiko Kaneko’s site.

Oh… and on drunken bad pics of the speakeasy… if you’re curious, here are two rather terrible shots i have (i have this problem of feeling bad using flash in dark places)

Finally! At the Designboom Mart, i had the pleasure of meeting Reiko Kaneko of the Egg Soldiers i had posted back as .org #7028! Fun thing was to finally get to poke at these in person, and check out the playful packaging!

“Egg Soldier Eggcup - Battle on the breakfast table: It’s early in the morning….. Having been for a dip, the EGG quietly prepares for another day. Suddenly, from the end of the table, an army of BREAD SOLDIERS starts to approach. The MODEL SOLDIERS, fearing for the safety of their EGG, close in. They work hard to protect the EGG but one after another, the BREAD SOLDIERS just keep coming….” Images from the designboom mart at icff on the next page!

Um. Ok, i honestly don’t know where to start, i did sit in a diner and scribble out a “list of things i *need* to post about” and its getting a bit lengthy. Covered all of ICFF show floor yesterday, parties and openings friday/saturday night… and design week/end isn’t even over yet… i have that nagging feeling that i’m getting quite behind!!! SO, where to start?

Well for designs/designers i finally met in person, i’m in love with the brooklyn based Design Glut’s collection of pieces, so cheeky, and they feel/look awesome in person!!! If you were ever on the border about buying some, they have just made my list of perfectly gift worthy. I basically need the Crude Ring, the weight and feel of it was much nicer in person! And the Hookmaker tiles would be perfect to swap into bathrooms/kitchens… to have that kind of space to hang and store those little make up brushes, hair things, and other randomness would be so nice. Their new little Smoking Guns are too funny, i want to pick one up for all my smokers, although it might back fire, sticking the barrel of that gun into your mouth might start to look too cool and become a trend of its own. Anyhow, take a look at the pics from the show on the next page… i will have far more to come throughout the next week, looks like posting will be my new excuse to slow down from the running around!

“The Crude Jewelry collection is manufactured in monthly batches. Each piece is engraved with the date it was made and the price of a barrel of oil on that day. Crude Ring redefines luxury by placing a miniature oil barrel into a prong setting, rather than a traditional diamond.”

It’s about time! The Jawbone has finally been redesigned to be less of a monstrosity on your face. Ok, so maybe i’m being a little harsh here, but i did fall in love with the Jawbone at first online sighting… but then i finally tried it in a store and was appalled at how massive it was on me… maybe my face just isn’t large enough? But now the new one is about half the size! And it no longer cancels noise… it now assassinates it, with its upgraded “noise assassination”. Rumor has it that you are also not to call this the “Jawbone 2” (so, watch out blogs that already did so)… since they are killing off the old one, so its more of a replacement product than a new option (not that you’d want the bigger one anyhow… although that one has longer talk time, but little one has more standby time). Oh, and this one also comes with a leather covered ear loop, and i hear you can headbang with it without the earloop and it stays on pretty well? Basically, i’ve woken up to many a good rumor about this one, and am now tempted to go hunt one down and try it! More pics on the next page as usual…

Finally! The Vitamin I.V. Plant Pot ~ self watering via I.V. bag… is available for purchase! It sure seems to be larger than i initially imagined, and is priced at 160 pounds. It’s available in classic white and limited edition black and included with the lightweight fiberglass plant pot is a height adjustable metal rod, a refillable I.V. bag and a flow regulator that allows you to set watering rates to suit your plant. See close ups on the next page…

What a day its been… my head is spinning, but in that good, dizzying, design is in the air kind of way. Up at 4am, to airport by 5, on a plane by 7, in NY by 3:30, doing biz calls in rush hour taxi ride, check in, grab a bite, jump in another cab, and we’re at the first NY Design Week event already… Matter’s VIP+Press Preview at their SoHo location! So, while i start to crash out now, confused as to whether its 22:33 or 1:33am… check out the pics on the next page for a peek into the madness…

p.s. it was awesome to see the conroy and wilcox thorn ring/cuff in person! So cute.

I love Mixko, but any NOTCOT regular would already know that… and i’ve had a particular fascination for their rings (i indulged in their felt butterfly rings as well as the first porcelain skull ring last year at ICFF)…

This year Mixko has expanded their bone china ring line, and i’m excited to show you their full collection on the next page. I think the most eye catching are the updated Skull for 2008 (deeper eyes, larger forehead, bigger teeth…) as well as the Barbie inspired collection of Barby, Cindie, and Ken heads cast in bone china to be worn as a ring (can you imagine seeing all of them in a row on a fist?). They have also created a LOVE ring and Sovereign Ring, in addition to some 1D multifaceted diamond bone china rings! Check them all out on the next page! They are also incredibly affordable at a mere 20 pounds each (check them out in the store).

Available for purchase online at the Mixko store.

On more sneak previews of ICFF launches, how adorable is Hanno the Gorilla? “From the deepest jungles comes Hanno the Gorilla! Like Hanno the Navigator, the Greek voyager who discovered gorillas 2,500 years ago, your Hanno is brave, strong, and curious. Hanno’s powerful hardwood frame can hold many poses. His elastic-band muscles and durable wood limbs make him almost impervious to breakage. Hanno cannot fly and is vaguely afraid of heights. Hanno is made from sustainably harvested new-growth beech wood.” He is the brainchild of David Weeks, and will be available from Areaware’s new AREAWARE jr. (their new children’s division) starting in Sept 08. Check out a close up of this guy on the next page!

Activate Drinks… the packaging grabbed me when i heard about this a few weeks back, and i couldn’t resist giving them a spin in person… a 4 pack of these Activate Drinks showed up today, and while it feels gimmicky, the graphic design on the bottle/site/case are nice and clean… and the cap was fun to play with!

Basically, they claim that vitamins lose their potency in water over time - so to keep things fresh, the vitamins are stored in the cap. When ready, you twist the blue part of the cap, releasing what looks like Tang/Crystal Light into the water, give it a bit of a shake, and *poof* you’ve made your own Vitamin Water. So far i only tasted the Orange one, and yes it was a bit like tang… I even made a quick little video for you on the next page to take a look at how it works, and pics of the cap before and after breaking, so you can see exactly how it holds/releases the powder.

Activate Drinks: NOTCOT Review from Jean Aw on Vimeo.

p.s.
In all honesty, with everyone i’ve been talking to about these, they keep asking me why you wouldn’t just use the Crystal Light To Go packets… both have 0 carbs and 5 calories. Really i guess this gimmick is just kind of fun, but i suppose not the most eco friendly in our time of so many people being more and more anti-bottled water. OH, and i couldn’t resist, so i tried breaking one bottle open without pouring powder in it, and it IS just water. In case you were curious.

ICFF is right around the corner as the last few posts have shown, and with so many things to see and do, its hard to know where to start… so here’s a roundup of resources as well as my personal shortlist that i’m trying to pick between… all you need is on the next page! Perhaps i’ll see you in NY!

p.s. there’s no way i can probably hit everything i want to (especially Monday, since we’re doing a little publishers meet up thing) ~ if you happen to go to some amazing parties/shows/etc, feel free to take incredible pics to share with the rest of us!

- MeatPacking District site has a great pdf of all the events and map of the area
- Metropolis Mag has a listing of events for each day
- Core77 has launched their list - also available in 1 page pdf, and mobile forms!

THURS 15th:

*Matter
405 Broome Street
6-8pm
VIP/Press Preview
rsvp kelly@mattermatters.com

FRIDAY 16th

Monkeytown
Dine on Design, Spring 2008
58 N 3rd St, Williamsburg
monkeytownhq.com
Original gastronomic event, a six-course prix fixe menu engages original and limited-edition works from emerging designers.

*The Conran Shop
Opening of Rojo
PRESS - 5-6pm
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
407 E 59th St
212-755-9079 x 6046
rsvp@conranusa.com
First selling exhibition in the United States of Nani Marquina’s bold rugs, in collaboration with designer Luis Eslava’s collection of Spanish modern furniture.

**Housewarming
101 West 24th St, at 6th ave
34th floor, NYC
6:30-9pm
RSVP housewarming@smlpond.com
I.D., Smallpond, Matter - showing Established & Sons, Tom Dixon, and Thorsten Van Elten

SATURDAY 17th: ICFF ALL DAY - then probably mostly in SOHO for the evening

Core77’s Ping Pong Party
Party: Saturday May 17, 8pm-late
Join us in a secret Chinatown lair for a night of “Balls, Beats and Beers!”. There are only two ways in, with a ping pong ball invite (we’ll be around town handing them out), or by RSVP’ing right at rsvp77@core77.com.

*The Apartment - Stools, beyond green
6:30-10pm
101 crosby street (prince and spring)

Bisazza
6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
43 Greene St
212-334-7130
Press preview for Silver Ware by Studio Job.

*Bond.New York
Pomegranate Gallery
6 p.m.-10 p.m.
133 Greene St
info@susangrantlewin.com
Launch of Joe Doucet’s Bond.New York design studio.

BY New York
6 p.m.-9 p.m. (Invitation Only)
142 Greene St, 5th Floor
212-431-4424
Piero Lissoni presents By New York—the latest collections from Boffi, Living Divani, and Porro.

Cappellini
7 p.m.-10 p.m.
151 Wooster St, 2nd Fl
212-620-7953
Cappellini’s ICFF event.

Chista and Tokion
7 p.m.-11 p.m.
537 Greenwich St 6th Fl
rsvp@chista.net
Chista to host the VIP party
for Tokion magazine’s Creativity Now conference.

Cite/Palau in Cite
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
131 Greene St
212-431-7272
citehome@citenyc.com
Introducing the Palau Collection, a synthesis of timeless design and comfort.

Design Within Reach, Soho
7 p.m.-10 p.m. (Invitation Only)
110 Greene St
pr@dwr.com
A private cocktail reception and unveiling of the last work by Ettore Sottsass, the Nine-0 Swivel Chair, finished for Emeco shortly before his death in 2007. Sponsored in part by Metropolis.

Desiron
7 p.m.-10 p.m.
151 Wooster St
212-353-2600
rsvp@desiron.com
Cocktails, music, and gift bags to celebrate the 20th annual ICFF.

Harry Allen & Associates
6:30 p.m.-11 p.m.
207 Ave A
rsvp@harryallendesign.com
Launching Blockade tables and shelving for the U+ Collection by Umbra.

Kiosk
7 p.m.-10 p.m. (Invitation Only)
95 Spring St, 2nd Fl
212-226-8601
Opening party for the design group Rich Brilliant Willing’s installation, which kicks off Kiosk’s mini-exhibition series.

Normann Copenhagen
9:30 p.m.-11:30 p.m.
Pink Elephant, 527 27th St
rsvp@normann-copenhagen.com
Woofy makes a pit stop in NYC. Join the party at Pink Elephant.

*Water & Air
172 Mercer Street
May 17-20 - 12-9pm
OPENING PARTY 6pm
RSVP: rsvp9@bdeonline.biz
Water Air event; organized by Promos, a special agency of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, and set to take place during this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Over 80 design pieces, all made in Italy, will be showcased by 40 renowned manufacturers, many of them shown for the first time in the United States.

SUNDAY 18th : mostly in Meatpacking district?

*Spring
THE REVOLUTION IS SET
bring it to the table
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
126a Front St
718-222-1054
info@spring3D.net
Redirect, rethink, reinterpret. A design movement is changing the way we think and live

Karim Collection by OmniMount
137 W 19th St
rsvp@karimrashid.com
5-7pm
join us for refreshments and a sneak preview of the Prism and Orbit

*Rubin Chapelle and IDSA New York Opening reception for Equilateral 08:01
7 p.m.-9 p.m.
410 W 14th St
212-647-8636,
frank@rubinchapelle.com
A unique environment where product design, fashion, and lighting intersect.

Auto.
5 p.m.-7 p.m.
805 Washington St
info@thisisauto.com
Opening for Swedish illustrator Liselotte Watkin’s Box of Pin-ups.

Bernhardt Design/Gaia and Gino/Fast Company
6 p.m.-9 p.m. (Invitation Only)
Helen Mills
137-139 West 26th St
212-389-5453
lhagopian@fastcompany.com
Celebrate the leading design talent of today and tomorrow.

Buckler
A Weekend with Friends
5 p.m.-7 p.m.
13 Gansevoort St
212-255-1596
Featuring hat designer Victor Osbourne and the bag designer of Neiko Designs.

Design Within Reach, Meatpacking District
Wry and Ginger by Azure
6 p.m.-8 p.m.
408 W 14th St
212-242-9449
Canadian design with a twist.

Establishment
5 p.m.-7 p.m.
30 Gansevoort Street
212-242-6565
Presenting bamboo sculptures using the “tie and knot” technique by Thai artist Korakot Aromdee.

Fritz Hansen
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
22 Wooster Street
rsvp@fritzhansen.com
Fritz Hansen will be hosting a cocktail party.

Hardcore Café,
4 p.m.-8 p.m.
New Finnish Design and New York Talks: Wonderland
413 West 14th St
Panel discussion and cocktail party hosted by Wendy Goodman of New York featuring designers from the magazine’s Wonderland-themed issue.

Kikkerland Design Inc.
Good. Small. Design.
5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. press;
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
(Invitation Only)
Dieu Donné Papermill
315 West 36th St
lkellner@kikkerland.com
Event to view the world’s largest table—seen through a magnifier.

*Orange22’s Botanist Blank Canvas Event
Press Preview 7-8 pm
8 p.m.-11 p.m. (Invitation Only)
Chelsea Art Museum
556 W 22nd Street
michelle@susangrantlewin.com
Eight icons of design launch the Blank Canvas Project. Sponsored by Surface. Yves Behar -fuseproject, San Francisco, Margo Chase - Chase Design Group, Los Angeles, Milton Glaser - Milton Glaser, Inc., New York, Kahi Lee - Kahi Lee Lifestyle, Los Angeles, Karim Rashid - Karim Rashid, Inc., New York, Joe Ricchio - Ricchio Design, Seal Beach, Massimo and Lella Vignelli - Vignelli Associates, New York, Claude Zellweger -One & Co, San Francisco

The Vitra Store
6 p.m.-9 p.m. (Invitation Only)
29 9th Ave
store.ny@vitra.com
Super Normal exhibition opening with special guests Jasper Morrison and Naoto Fukasawa.

MONDAY 19th - (our invite only publishers party)

Diesel - Arrojadoa - diesel denim gallery
68 Greene St in NYC
7-9pm
FEATURING THE NEW COLLABORATIVE WORK OF DUTCH DESIGN FIRM MOOOI
AND SPANISH ARTIST JAIME HAYON

Artemide Mercury, Acqua, and Droplet
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
46 Greene St
212-925-1588
Cocktails will flow to reflect our glowing introductions and the illumination of this new beginning.

Austrian Design Spin-off Party
7 p.m.-2 a.m.
Red Bull Space
40 Thompson St
212-421-5250
newyork@austriantrade.org
Austria’s finest furniture designs.

Bisazza
6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
(Invitation Only)
43 Greene St
212-334-7130
Cocktail party for Silver Ware by Studio Job.

BoConcept and the New York Observer
6 p.m.-8 p.m.
69 Greene St
boconceptny.com
If you think style can’t be comfortable, don’t blame us!

Boffi A&D
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
150 E 58th St, Ste 801
212-308-8833
info@boffiusa.com
Building-wide cocktail reception.

Bulthaup
6 p.m.- 8 p.m.
578 Broadway, Ste 306
212-966-7183
Launch of b1 and b2 with special guest Eoos, designers of b2.

Cassina USA and Alias USA
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
(Invitation Only)
155 E 56th St
212-245-2121
Presenting new furniture introductions in collaboration with Men’s Vogue.

De La Espada
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
33 Greene St
212-625-1039
nyc@delaespada.com
Launching selections by British designer Matthew Hilton.

Ingo Maurer, Making Light
7 p.m.-9 p.m.
89 Grand St
making-light@ingomaurer-usa.com
Welcome to our snake pit…New works by Ingo Maurer and team.

Kartell New York
6:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
39 Greene St
rsvp4@bdeonline.biz
The Ultimate Mission Impossible in Design: “Mr. Impossible” by Philippe Starck.

Luceplan
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
49 Greene St
212-966-1399
store@luceplanusa.com
Come and experience technology, beauty, and innovation.

**New York Design Center
9 a.m.-5 p.m.
200 Lexington Ave
212-679-9500 x 19
Spend the afternoon in NYDC’s top contemporary showrooms.

Property
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
14 Wooster St
917-237-0123
info@propertyfurniture.com
New designs from YDF and Vittorio Bonacina. Also showing accessories from Droog.

TUESDAY 20th

5/20, 9 p.m.-12 a.m.
Cielo
18 Little W 12th St
212-645-5700
The official Peroni closing party of Meatpacking District Design Week 2008 with DJ Junior Vasquez.

5/20, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Just Scandinavian
161 Hudson St
212-334-2556
Promoting the new Danish pendular from Normann Copenhagen and a new chair from Bruno Mathsson.

ONGOING

5/17-5/20, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Jonathan Adler
47 Greene St
deb@jonathanadler.com
Because everyone needs a break from the Javits! Refreshments served 5/20.

5/16-5/18, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.
Meatpacking District
Design Week
Hardcore Café
413-415 W 14th St or
Hotel Gansevoort Lobby
18 9th Ave
meatpacking-district.com
Check in to receive an area guide to more than twenty-five international design exhibitions, panel discussions, and cocktail receptions.

5/17-6/8
Moss
150 Greene St
212-204-7100
Presenting Robber Baron by Studio Job, Pyramids of Makkum, and Made by Bees by Tomas Gabzdil Libertiny.

Met has the SUPERHEROES exhibit on!

Cooper Hewwit Design Museum

More fun launches and parties coming up next week… “BOND., AN INNOVATIVE NEW DESIGN STUDIO LED BY JOE DOUCET, LAUNCHES DURING ICFF - Bond. Exhibition Presents Products Designed to Provide Poignant Solutions to Everyday Problems.” I seldom post a whole press release, but the images and products featured in this one were so cool, i think they are best left for you to peruse on your own on the next page!

BOND., AN INNOVATIVE NEW DESIGN STUDIO LED BY JOE DOUCET, LAUNCHES DURING ICFF

Bond. Exhibition Presents Products Designed to Provide Poignant Solutions to Everyday Problems

NEW YORK - Bond., a new multi-disciplinary design studio, will debut on Saturday, May 17th during ICFF, at the Pomegranate Gallery, 133 Greene Street, NYC, from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM. The studio’s launch event, Bond..,will feature an exhibition of provocative and conceptual work from Director of Design/Founder Joe Doucet, and projects from his team of international designers including Philip Attar (Philippines), Cressida Payavis (United States), Matthis Kaeding (Germany), David Yoon (Korea) and Maria Horn (Columbia).

“Bond. is meant to be an ‘executional’ think tank,” said designer/founder Joe Doucet. “We are a group of specialists with divergent backgrounds and diverse strengths who are united by the goal to utilize design as a transformative process. Design is more than a step towards creating an object; it is also a catalyst for change.”

In the exhibit, this philosophy is realized through the creation of a broad selection of products, ranging from furniture design to urban planning and from digital technology to clothing. Although each design is completely independent from the next, they are all united by the intention to shift focus away from the idea of consumption as a sole end purpose for a product and toward a transformative process initiated by the interaction of individual and object, client and consumer, participant and society.

Scape . Modular Seating Enviornment
Designer: Joe Doucet
Scape is modeled after the urban landscape. Individual seating pads in five different heights can slide into and out of the gridded base, allowing the user the flexibility to customize seating arrangements at will. The dynamic design creates instant environments, bringing the energy of the city into staid interior spaces. Scape is upholstered with fabric by Moroso.

Airate . Wind Park
Designer: Joe Doucet
Airate is an urban development initiative that transforms unused urban spaces into parks anchored by a renewable energy source. Beauty and practicality come together as Airate not only creates a gathering place that serves a community’s recreational and functional needs, it makes green space commercially viable.

iii . Subscription Packaging, Product-Service Concept
Designer: Joe Doucet
III is a membership service which enables subscribers to receive mailed refills of personal products on a regular basis, allowing consumers to save time, minimize waste and reduce their carbon footprint. This subscription service uses an elevated aesthetic to give otherwise disposable objects a sense of permanence, while providing people the reassurance of knowing that they will never run out of a favorite item.

Mantle . Ballistic Couture
Designer: Philip Attar
Mantle is a concept line of luxury ballistic protective apparel. The mating plumage of the male Bird of Paradise inspired the design of the protected chest area, where a colorful pattern is constructed with proprietary impact-resistant fibers. Mantle protects a wearer from attacks, while also allowing him or her to make a fashion-forward statement.

Adieu . Journal of Arts and Events
Designer: Cressida Payavis
Adieu is a magazine highlighting fashion, design, technology and global affairs for a sustainable existence. Printed on recyclable paper with dissipating ink, as the publication’s content becomes outdated, the printed matter fades, leaving behind a blank canvas. By first inspiring, then allowing for an individual to create, Adieu invites the observer to become a participant, the reader to become a creator.

Dot . Driven Companion
Designer: Matthias Kaeding
Dot is a low-emission vehicle designed to be friendly to both drivers and the environment. It’s minimally construction blurs the line between man and machine, better connecting drivers to the terrain they pass through.

Partisan . Socio-Political Plaything
Designer: Maria Horn
Partisan is a trio of three-dimensional puzzles comprised of interlocking positive and negative pieces, representing, respectively, power, energy and religion. A player can explore and materialize various global issues through different assemblies and combinations of the puzzle elements. For example, the sum of all the positive pieces creates a dove of peace; the sum of all the negative pieces creates a weapon of war. This form of constructive play encourages users to engage and involve themselves in world issues in a non-confrontational manner.

Reflection . Interactive Installation
Designer: David Yoon
Inspired by the butterfly effect, Reflection asks us to reflect upon our seemingly benign and ephemeral actions which can ultimately create and destroy things beyond our consciousness or realization. It initially invites the audience to play interactively, but the resulting light generated by the user’s movement begins to affect the photo-sensitive surface it is projected on. Depending on the actions performed, the user can purposefully create art, or destroy it through excess.

Pulse . Mass Transit Positioning System
Designer: Matthias Kaeding
Pulse is a functional light installation that maps and marks the subterranean circulation of the city. High-visibility vertical LED fixtures positioned adjacent to subway stations give pedestrians at street level an instant “read” on the location of their train. Activated by proximity, an increasing number of lights turn on as a train approaches the station. It literally and figuratively takes the city’s “pulse” to provide an easily decodable update on underground traffic. Its aesthetically pleasing play of light also adds a dynamic visual rhythm to the streetscape.

ICFF previews are filling the inbox, and i’m getting giddier every day as we close in on NY Design Week (still kicking myself for not being able to make it to Milan this year!)… Check out the Abyss by Osko & Deichmann and Atomium by Hopf & Wortmann, both for Italian company, Kundalini.

These pieces will be a part of the Water Air Exhibition at 477 Broome Street, NY from May 17th through 20th from 12pm to 9pm. See more images of these gorgeous lamps (in and out of context!) on the next page…

Fluffy Sheep! I’m gearing up for Design Week in NY… and somehow have gotten backlogged enough with everything other than posting… anyhow, i digress… Fluffy Sheep!

I first fell giddily in love with these at the Danish Crafts space at ICFF last year - and just noticed that this year they are launching in hot pink and black (and also an unpictured brown and grey)… these are designed by Povl Kjær, more pictures and the story behind the sheep on the next page!

p.s.
i’m so excited about heading to NY this week for nearly 2 weeks.

From the Danish Crafts Collection Site:

The Rocking Sheep is a rocking animal designed primarily as a toy, which is also a unique crafts product that fits into any setting as a piece of furniture with a wide range of functions, including serving as a TV rack and as a footstool. The Rocking Sheep is made in varnished pine, padded with foam rubber and upholstered in lambskin. The first Rocking Sheep was a gift to Povl Kjer’s niece as a humorous reminder of her parents’ rural background. The Rocking Sheep are handmade in small series to preserve the high level of quality. The Rocking Sheep comes in white, black, brown, grey and pink. The dimensions are W: 25 cm, L: 83 cm, H: 60 cm, seat height approximately 40 cm.

Povl Kjær
b. 1954, Danish Designer

Kjær trained at Kolding School of Art and Design 1974-76 and at the Aarhus Art Academy 1976-78. In 1981, he completed his apprenticeship as a wood carver, and since then has worked in most areas of the trade including ornaments, figures, moulds, models, reconstruction and renovation. Povl Kjær works mainly in wood and often handles assignments from museums, exhibitions and private companies. Among his works are exhibition mannequins for the Carlsberg Brewery. For the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, he created a sculpture of Hans Christian Andersen and a set of wooden figures to illustrate Andersen’s fairytales. Kjær has also worked with Lego and designed a knife series for the steak restaurant chain A Hereford Beefstouw. In his knives, shape plays a crucial role

I had to tear myself away from spinning the newly announced Blackberry (9000) Bold around on their site… to get this post put together, and it wasn’t easy. It is so pretty - the rumors have been flying for weeks - we posted UI shots - the guys at Crackberry bought one early on ebay and reviewed the gorgeous UI (.org #10424) - so much anticipation… and now, official pics! I love the black/silver look (vs the curve) ~ and it looks like a leather/textured back ~ i still stand by my initial statement that it feels like what would happen if you mixed blackberry/iphone/psp… more pics on the next page!

Nice review over at Cnet:

“It’s more elegant than models past, with curvier edges and a silver trim that complements the black casing. If you turn it over, you’ll also notice that the back has a leatherette texture. No more slick plastic and RIM will sell replaceable backplates in different colors, including blue, gray, and red, if you want to spruce up your phone a bit.”

“It’s currently going through carrier certification, and though RIM wouldn’t officially name the service provider, based on the 3G bands, you can pretty much guess who it will be (hint: starts with an A and ends with a T&T). And while pricing will also depend on the carrier, RIM is guessing it will be in the $300 to $400 range and expected worldwide availability is “this summer.”

Click the images to find out more! HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY to all the moms out there! And for all the kids- don’t forget to call mom.

Tonight i went themed on our roundup for the week ~ top row, unusual frozen goods were trendy on TasteSpotting, from margarita popsicles and frozen eggs to Raw Banana Mango Malted Ice Cream with Agave Caramel… in the middle row, from NOTCOT.org had quite a nice selection of Architecture showing up this week… and finally, from NotCouture here is an assortment of bags, trunks, and ‘waterproof backpack reviews’!

Top 25 from each site last week on the next page…

I received an email with the subject line: First Paperless Architecture Book EVER: Piel… and with such a bold claim i initially wrote it off… ‘paperless’ just sounded like a silly spin on ‘digital’. Anyhow, as time permitted, i came back to it, and found that it has a pretty sweet interface and isn’t ‘just a digitized book’ ~ sure, it has the flashy corner peels and page flips - but what is nice, is how it utilized the fact that this is an architecture book, and it built in links to google map views of each building featured!

Check out Piel.Skin - About skin: This book is the result of two years of architectural research. Dynamic facades, ventilated, high-tech or traditional composites with new features. This book shows that currently new skins not only act as an isolating element, besides interact with the environment, optimizing energy exchange with the outside. From Germany to Australia or Korea to Colombia, there are many examples that readers can visit with this publication. With international vocation due to bilingual English-Spanish text and a language away from technicalities, this paper aims to show as an “interactive toy” the evolving field of the facades in architecture.

Piel.Skin is an experimental web book aimed at architecture students. The book literally surfs on several projects, jumping from exceptional exteriors in Asia to intelligently optimized facades in Europe. The book allows playing a virtual tour dedicated to google-earth travellers: By means of clicking on the coordinates of each project begins a journey where you can jump directly to each site and visualize the project within its environment.

About the author
Ethel Baraona Pohl studied architecture between El Salvador and Guatemala. This initial exchange showed her the similarities and differences of architectural work according to location. Guided by this fact and once established in Europe, her professional activities linked her to several architectural publications like Constructiva and Waterdrops magazines. Her last publication is the book Sustainable Architecture with Editorial Pencil from Valencia which has been nominee to the 2008 RIBA Construction Book Awards. The years working in this field allowed her to expand her catalogue of paradigmatic examples, calling powerfully attention on the development of buildings skins. Now she shares for the first time this experience with us.

Really. A free classic for download on the Hermes site… i thought it was bizarre when Fendi went all DIY with its white canvas baguette that came with Pantone markers, but to see Hermes release Hermes Branded pdf’s of DIY cut+glue models of Kelly bags… i just had to laugh. Then press print. Then post.

How do you feel about it? Is it awesome that these luxury brands are reaching out so strongly to a younger demographic? Embracing the DIY/customization trends… taking inspiration from dunnys and paper craft trends? Or does it cheapen the brands? Honestly, i’m pretty out of it, and not sure what to make of it. But first impression is certainly that these could be cute (cheap) branded place cards for a girly dinner party quite easily… See more screenshots and the pdf on the next page!

First distracted by this via Purse Blog…

Random spontaneous research of the morning - staring out the window at the finches that keep hopping along the sill and pecking at the window right in front of me, i started day dreaming about bird feeder designs, and as a result started hunting down unique bird feeders on NOTCOT.org - which naturally lead me to scouring the ends of the internet to see what else was out there. Here are 14 of the coolest things i found that don’t meet your standard/gawdy options… also i’m kind of wondering whether a bird feeder could be a fun next project for NOTConcept?

p.s. like all roundups, click the images to find out more!

Level Vodka invited Hussein Chalayan to design The Level Tunnel… and it is now here! With a blog that even chronicles everything from the design and renders - to the building of - and the launch! Also incredible are the specially design blindfold/goggles for the experience, and the gorgeous press release complete with Bach in sheet music form!

“It all started back in 2006. Level Vodka invited star designer Hussein Chalayan to create a pioneering work of art with a focus on taste. He was given completely free rein. The result was The Level Tunnel - a 15 meter long, 5 meter high, traveling installation that captures the essence of Level Vodka. After a mind-blowing journey, the project is now nearing the finish line. The 6th of May 2008, the tunnel will have its world premiere in Mexico City. ” See images of the process, press kit, and final product on the next page!

Naef makes the most incredible wooden toys that transcend age… with vibrant colors and unlimited possibilities, they are good from childhood through adulthood - being both toys, desk sculptures, and perfect for coffee tables/waiting rooms! I’ve obsessed on them before, and Dan has even purchased a few… but i recently rediscovered the Rainbow, which was designed by Heiko Hillig.

Rainbow is not only a wooden stacking toy - that opens up the possibilities with its bright colors and playful curves… but add the mallet to it, and each piece becomes its own tuning fork! It has received numerous design awards including the Bundespreis for product design in 1998, Germany and the German Design Award Wooden Toys in 1997. And although its pricey at $175 - i can see this being a great gift for parents of new borns… or any designer regardless of age…

The perfect saber for roasting marshmallows while simultaneously skewering your arch nemesis? Too funny - add this one to the pile of random fencing posts here on NOTCOT. BBQ Sword found at TrendsNow.

Yes, the near $9,000 Sears Craftsman tool set with 1470 pieces is in heavy circulation around the tech sites today (i first saw it over at Dvice) - but what truly amazed me is the catalog photography… someone clearly took a LOT of time perfectly laying out these thousands of tools… for not just the 1470 piece set, but also the 300, 198, 189, 204, 106, 130, and so forth piece sets… and they are awesome pictures! Check out a few more of my favorites on the next page…

View all of the great photography for the Sears CraftsmanTool Sets here!

Ok, so you’ve now seen the pictures and heard Justine’s adventures at the Banksy Cans Festival this week… and for those unable to be there - to stand in line to pay 3 pounds for an awesome official Cans Festival Program/Zine… she took the time to scan in each and every page for our viewing pleasure! (Thanks, Jus, you’re the best sister to vicariously live through!) So check it all out on the next page, click each page to view it high res and read the manifestos and gawk at the gorgeous stenciling.

p.s. don’t forget to take the Consumer Survey in there…

NOTCOT Note: Yes, Justine (aka RUGenius) was really there. And i’m envious. Although i did get to go to the incredible painted elephant LA Banksy-fest… this one looked like quite the mob scene in a london tunnel! About 30,000 people showed up over the 3 day period, and over 600 artist took part in covering the walls! Apologies for taking so long to sort through her hundreds of photos… SO, without further ado take a look at her MANY awesome pictures on the next page as well as in the Gallery, and here is Justine’s account of the festivities:

Over 28 thousand people turned up to Leake Street, effectively an underpass within sight of the London Eye and moments away from Waterloo. And yes, I was among them. We all know I can’t resist a good stencil. So how could I possibly miss a stencil only event, just a train hop away? Not to mention, the Cans Festival was the kind of event that brought in the A-list of street artists like Bsas Stencil, Run Don’t Walk, James Dodd (dlux), Tom Civil (civilian), Vexta, Prism, Daniel Melim, Altocontraste, Bandit, Roadsworth, 3D Del Naja, Artiste-Ouvrier. Blek, Sten, Sadhu, C215, Lucamaleonte, Lex, Orticancvoodles, Kaagman, Dolk, Pobel, M-City, Vhils, Btoy, Coolture, Schhh, Borbo, Sam3, Faile, Eine, John Grider, Logan Hicks, Pure Evil, Dot masters, Dan, Eelus and Banksy.

Starting with the art… The space within the tunnel was itself a hodgepodge of mock classical sculptures, trashed and stenciled cars, vans, even a playground. There were rugs, couches, and even a piano, all of course adorned with the patina only a tunnel could bestow. The combinations pushed the boundaries of the bizarre and the contrasting styles of the artists clashed as often as they complimented, yet somehow it all worked. It was as if everyone just suspended belief for a moment to soak it all in and it was particularly surreal as the sun was setting.

So, are you ready? See my highlights from the Cans Festival on the next page… and even MORE in the Gallery (there were so many, i couldn’t fit them all here).

I couldn’t get away from work until late Monday evening, and made my way down to Waterloo just an hour and a half before the whole event wrapped up. I was surprised to run into other clueless wanderers looking for this seemingly random street. I thought it was a lucky coincidence, but as we approached it became clear that we were not alone! The cue was unexpectedly massive, but flowed well and the security (donning with reflective “POLITE” vests) did a great job of keeping the crowd (and mainly themselves) with their loudspeaker antics. A great deal of pocket scrounging turned up enough change to get us a program, which provided much needed entertainment during the cue.

The space itself opened with powder blue billboard with “GENTRIFY THIS” painted aggressively in black, which a mother explained to her young daughter behind me in line was “delightfully ironic”, a phrase that applied just as well to the work within and its interaction with the crowd. The audience was incredibly diverse and indeed, I think it was the crowd that I found the most interesting. We had the entire age range, there more than a few grandmothers admiring the walls and strollers and children marveling. And of course there were more than our fair share of hipster types. The range of cameras was equally impressive. I lost count of the number of cellphone cameras (and yes, iphones were disproportionately represented), but there were lots of semi and professional photographers on the scene, and even a good number of videocams and tripods. And an equally diverse range of camera styles, flybys, the sit and wait type, etc. The need to document and capture the art seemed as pressing as the need to get in to see it! And of course, there were stencils of photographers that needed photographing…

The highlight, was of course, the walls. There were some absolutely stunning pieces and I have too many favorites to list them all. I hope the pictures capture some of the stunning stencilry. By the time we’d gotten there, most of the walls were well decorated, but there was still quite a bit of action on the walls, particularly in the last section. My favorite was the family who helped hold and shake a stencil for their son. And I think that’s what this event was all about, getting everyone there together, working together and involved in something truly impressive, not only in individual, but collective creativity. And what a collection it was.

[NOTCOT Note: I think this one sums up the war on street art perfectly]

even MORE in the Gallery (there were so many, i couldn’t fit them all here).

Baxter of California - i’ve been intrigued by their skincare line for men for some time now… and to be honest, the packaging probably had a lot to do with it ~ that vibrant blue and black combo is so enticing? Anyhow, we picked some up the other day, and i suddenly made the connection that the packaging is covered with ASCII ART! The images online of the packaging tend to be so small, i had never really noticed this detail earlier. So took a few close up shots to show you what’s going on. And we’re still testing things out, but so far dan seems to be a fan of the Daily Face Wash and Under Eye Complex. Also unexpected was how soft and smooshy the blue part of the bottle is, with that nice subtly grippy feel - and the gryphon logo on the black cap! This is a packaging post ~ so go see the rest of the pics on the next page!

Invitation design ~ just recieved this invite from our friends at Radar of Tiny Pictures, and they never cease with the tiny jokes… this one really made me feel like an old lady. That is some of the smallest type ever! Adorable that it came with a magnifying glass perfectly aligned on the card. The private (with public sharing allowed) mobile photo site sent this invite for their Might (Tiny) Radar Party! Which will be taking place at the end of the month… so keep an eye out for more info on the public party in SF if you’re an avid Radar user. If you’re not, well maybe you should be. It’s a nice anti-facebook solution for all those pictures you don’t want EVERYONE to see, but just a few super special friends. See more pics on the next page!!!

Mother’s Day Reminder ~ Since i just remembered, wanted to remind you too - Mother’s Day is Sunday. And you’re running out of mail order time. Tracey at Delight just saved me from my minor Mother’s Day panic, and she gave me a coupon code and some shipping deadlines for you as well. 15% off the purchase of $25.00 or more - code: NOTCOTLove (case sensitive) good through May 31st. Cut off for ground shipping to make it for Mother’s Day is tomorrow (6th), Priority Flat Rate is Weds (7th), and Overnight is Thurs (8th).

Why Delight? Well i’m openly vouching for them because you cant afford to have something go wrong when shipping to your MOM ~ the gift wrap is gorgeous (no chance of gaudiness here) ~ and the selection of products is perfectly fun and gifty, while still useful and gorgeous for any situation. Some of my picks above are the: Grassy SIGG Bottle, Bio-Degradable Indoor Japanese Maple, Bambu Serving Set, Lomo Fisheye Camera, Bamboo Bath Caddy with Wine Glass Holder (i so want this!), Grobal Self Watering Pots, and Blooming Tea Sets.

p.s.
Hey mom, you so never saw this post.

I think this is the most interesting Reusable Bag story yet… Target teams up with Newsweek and Terracycle to create reusable totes out of fused target plastic bags! Finally - a recycled reusable bag that looks like the bags it came from and is replacing! And that’s not all… the Newsweek aspect is fascinating as well - you rip off the cover of the latest “green” issue, and are taught how to tape up the cover into a prepaid envelope that you can put Target plastic bags in, and mail them in for a coupon to get one of the Terracycle $6 ReTotes for free in a Target Store. Basically the bags end up feeling much like those blue/yellow IKEA bags ~ a bit on the crunchy side, and probably waterproof (with the exception of the seam perhaps. See the press release here.

So in usual NOTCOT fashion, we couldn’t help ourselves, and picked up an issue, took a few sneaky shots in Target of the display, and walk you through the whole process in pictures on the next page! I suppose my one biggest question is… these bags made in Vietnam, are they actually out of bags people have recycled? Or did they use new bags to make the first batch of bags to get this whole program rolling?

Blinged out faux-designer weaponry were all the rage at Gallery 1988’s latest show in LA that opened this weekend - Peter Gronquist’s “The Revolution Will Be Fabulous: A Weapons of Mass Designer Show” - and i must admit i was pretty disappointed. The biggest problem for me, was that in knocking off luxury brands, the key thing is to keep that luxury designer quality feel to it! And up close with these weapons i just wan’t feeling that. Highlights were definitely the Louis Vuitton Electric Chair in the center of the gallery and the Pacman Grenades! Over a dozen more pictures on the next page to give you a feel for what the scene was like, and a few close ups as well.

With so much tech accessorizing coming in the form of metals and plastics, its refreshing to see this new i/o Desk Organizer from Kaiju Studios that is made of walnut wood and felt. This modular system allows for constant reorganization depending on your needs, with everything from cable wraps, dividers, picture holders, and more. The design uses natural, warm materials that are ecologically responsible. See more detailed shots on the next page…

Wow. Iron Man. I actually fought going to it, since i’ve been pretty let down as far as superhero movies go lately… but i must admit it exceeded my very low expectations by quite a bit, and i now have a massive case of house/lab envy. Beautiful (fictitious) house in malibu overlooking point dume… tons of windows, insane lab below, beautiful bedroom overlooking the pacific, castiglioni’s arco lamp in the living room… and that LAB, with the adorable (in personality) robots, and gorgeous collection of cars (i groaned when they smashed some)… can the next side project for NOTCOT be starting a crazy research lab here overlooking the beach for fun?

Anyhow, just got back, and i can’t get that house out of my head ~ video on the next page of a walkthrough of the set, but unfortunately, low res, and it could use a few better shots of the house - see the movie to see it properly? Also interesting to note… gwyneth paltrow in stilettos and pencil skirts *running* away from giant robot on grates, seriously? And product placement galore as well - his need for burger king, and constantly flipping those LG phones… OH and i was drooling over those Audi R8s the whole time too (thanks, nick, for the reminder in the comments).

I came across Wing-Ip Ngan’s Etsy store a while back and fell in love with his prints - so colorful and whimsical…They remind me a bit of the nonsensical phrases on notebooks and cards that I used to come across during my childhood in Thailand - lighthearted and a little bit random. Wing-Ip uses a Gocco primarily to print and I have to give props to his Gocco skills - all of his prints are made of multiple screens and colors (registration is no easy feat, people, at least not with our little B6 machine).

More of Wing-Ip’s prints can be found in his Etsy store. For some of his graphic design work, check out Ink Design.

On interesting PR emails i received today, this one was pretty funny… i have no idea whether this was a contrived spot, it does seem plausible it could have been an accident, but none the less it has that Blair Witch/Cloverfield panicked “attack of the crabs!” feeling to it… and it’s a fun friday video (embedded on the next page for your viewing pleasure!)… So what do you think? And does it work? Behind the scenes footage of Discovery Channel shows are definitely fascinating… this one of the Crab accident is from the Discovery Channel show, Deadliest Catch.

Smash & Crab
Never work with children, animals…or crabs! Yesterday’s Discovery photo call for the launch of Deadliest Catch went horribly wrong as a tank holding £5,000 worth of giant crabs smashed on the ground.

After seeing .org #10303, i was smitten by the adorable Creature Comfort Critters, doing there thing in 10 spots on “going green” for the Animal Planet on their microsite, The Animals Save the Planet. And the animation and graphics were so beautiful, i couldn’t resist featuring the wallpapers and calendar here as well! See them all on the next page…

Also fun ~ their calendar wallpapers!

While i’m totally holding out for that intense mini pro-sumer RED Scarlet, and for now i’m shooting video with my tiny Canon TX1… i am quite intrigued by the little Flip Video cameras, with overly simplified usability i’ve been told… the perfect gateway video camera for the not so computer savvy is what i heard most all through the holiday season… simply flip out the USB, stick it in your computer, and that was that - ready for youtube-ing. I was skeptical.

But today the Flip Video cameras came up again, and i was browsing the accessories, and i must admit i’m terribly intrigued - they have an Underwater Housing coming soon! And they already have an Action Mount! The Action Mount is basically a standard tripod screw in mount with velcro straps that you can attach to bikes, helmets, trees, cars, anything you can strap it on to! Can you imagine how crazy random reviews and spontaneous videos could be with something this tiny when accessorized for any type of weather/mounting? I know this isn’t the only option to accomplish these things, but it did get me thinking about everything from car-videos to underwater product reviews… and for a mere $140 for a 2GB Flip Video Ultra, it’s a pretty tempting idiot-proofed toy.

Anyone tried out the quality of the video and the user experience? Is it worth it? Close ups of the accessories i’m curious about on the next page…