On random Sunday posts ~ just got back from tagging along with some friends test driving at O’Gara Coach - Lamborghini Beverly Hills to play with the Lamborghinis, Bugattis, Bentleys, Aston Martins, Rolls Royces, etc - being such a warm gorgeous day out brought the camera, and some of the colors and details were far too inspiring not to share… so check out some of the imagery on the next page!

This yellow is absolutely stunning ~ just rich enough, with enough of that tiny metallic twinkle to make the light dance at every angle…

Love the way the rear wheels are pulled in deeper than the front…

Love the lettering… and that they have the names in all of the doors…

Honeycombs!

Also, absolutely gorgeous color!

The carbon fiber and honeycomb surrounding the glass covered engine… mesmerizing…

This pic has a little bit of everything - the main window, me, and the white 2009 that i think is my favorite of the lot…

It really is the tiniest details that i find most fascinating…

Hard not to think Chanel when you see the quilted seats…

The lettering here is so subtle, yet demands you look…

Every detail counts… (esp when you’re paying 1.9 mill for this bugatti? the one behind it was a mere 2.3 million)

I’ve always had a thing for the front of the Vanquish…

Freshly sold while we were hanging out on the lot and being prepped…

And if you do end up at O’Gara Coach - Lamborghini Beverly Hills ~ look for Manfried von Imbior, really sweet guy, took great care of us!

Crazy weekend here ~ been shopping quite a bit, and prepping for Paris (leave monday!) ~ so figured this was a good time to see what was popular on NotCouture this week! Looks like lots of bags and boots made the list. Click the pics to find out more!

Ok, you know when you have some ridiculous idea, and you need to tell someone to see if its super silly or possibly functional, and no one seems to be online and not super busy working right now… so unfortunately for you, here’s my silly idea this late friday afternoon!

So many of my cubicle dwelling friends have either got or toyed with those rear view mirrors for their desks, monitors, etc. And really, regardless of whether you’re using it for fixing your hair, keeping an eye on who or what is behind you at all times, staring at yourself, staring at your cubicle mate across the way, spying on others around corners… does it have to be SO OBVIOUS? Especially when it is taking up so much of your precious teeny tiny desk space? So i couldn’t help myself and picked up some cheapy sunglasses that are pretty similar to the matthew williamson acrylic aviators i posted to NotCouture last night ~ and when i sat down at my desk i rested them up on my monitor.. and since they’re slightly mirrored, honestly it works far better than those silly mirrors (and there are TWO!) and seems far more understated for your workplace spying… If for some reason you have no clue what i’m ranting about today, go see the other products on the next page and then come back…

UPDATE: for those who asked - this particular pair set me back a whopping $35 at the Free People store ~ and is by Spitfire called the “Million @ 20”, clear aviator frame with mirrored lenses…

The CHIMP ones are from Think Geek. The colorful ones are at Spoon Sisters - not that you should want either… use shiny glasses!

Can you believe its Friday already? Well, here’s to Friday afternoon (of a long weekend for the americans) ~ and to kick it off, here’s your digital dose of happy hour, rounded up from what was sipped at Liqurious this week! Click those images to find out more info! Chin chin!

DEAL for NOTCOTers - 20% off all Hulger Products until Sept 14th! (just click through, they’ll take care of you.)

Next up ~ on the next page i have a full reverse unboxing of the Hulger Penelope*Phone and USB Base in Black and classic P*Phone & USB Base in Red… While the Penelope is sexy and classy and oh so modern designy retro… i couldn’t resist the red P*Phone… ok this is going to sound pretty silly, but i was wondering whether having an “official work phone” on my desk would somehow make me more professional on the phone… something about wandering around the house on the cell phone, i just have a tendency to get far too casual + friendly… It’s like the new NOTCOT Hotline! Less in that Moscow-Washington Cold War sort of way, and more in the playful Powerpuff Girls from the Mayor’s office to Pokey Oaks Kindergarten sort of way. I guess for NOTCOT, its more like ad folks to me hotline… So have been messing with the vinyl cutter and at the moment i have it filled with a black notcot logo texture inside and a little notcot on the front, have considered covering it with random textures or some fun pirate dinos…

Oh, and for those curious why i went corded over bluetooth ~ i’m terrible with charging, and the Hulgers are already far too large to get away with for the driving/talking handsfree laws, so this makes for a really fun desk phone, whether plugged into my monitors via USB, or into my curve. Anyhow, see a full unboxing of how awesome the packaging is on the next page! (And some old 80’s red phone ads as well…)

p.s.
yes, i do seem to feel more serious when on an old school phone, especially a red one, how silly is that?

NOTCOT Note: Here’s another fun discovery from Anna of Sub-Studio! Have you noticed she’s become one of our new heavy contributors to NOTCOT.org?

I first met Andrio Abero back in 2001 at a party in San Francisco where we bonded over a mutual love of music and design. Andy went on to become one of the foremost graphic designers in the Pacific Northwest, particularly known for his show posters. His work is smart and graphic, and I love the way he plays with texture and typography in his illustrations. Since founding 33 RPM in 2000, Andy has produced a huge body of work (I had a hard time choosing my favorites for this post), including the Bumbershoot 2006 campaign, and a bunch of magazine illustrations for New Scientist, Business Week, and The New Republic to name a few.

Ok packaging lovers… you will definitely want some AIAIAI headphones, iphone/curve headsets (headphones + mic/button), and the new laptop sleeves (but more to come on that in a future post!)… These danish designers don’t mess around, their gorgeous headphones (you have to feel these cables to realize how nice the quality is) come in these incredible thick plastic tubes (think perfect for pens/pencils/paint brushes) where the ends aren’t just plugs but little containers with their own caps (they are like little pill boxes) with alternative ear pieces! As you can see, they have great attention to detail ~ and the Y-com model is named so for its signature Y shaped center piece where the L and R are labeled… some even have a playful behind the ear coil…

As for how they work ~ well i tried them hooked up to my blackberry curve for the 5.5 hour drives up and down to/from SF/LA this weekend, and it was great (driving with only one side in of course, since both sides in the sound is so good you can’t hear the world around you). Also, see the fun flashy page flipping AIAIAI Catalog here! See pics on the next page to get the full experience!

Here you can see the packaging front and back ~ simple and transparent, also protects it so nicely without extra filler packaging (and easy to open!)

These are the alternate ear buds that are provided, personally, i found the clear ones on the right to be most comfortable. The yellow buds are that high density foam material (like ear plugs). I’m still coming up with random ideas that could be fun for these little pill boxes…

For the Y-Com, there are various combinations of colors and designs, but unfortunately the black doesn’t com with a microphone AND the coil… that’s my dream combination of the moment…

All in all ~ i love these, and they are now living in my car… my biggest problem with bluetooth headsets, i need to remember to charge them, so when they die constantly and i’m driving and i need a headset pronto, these are nice and reliable and oh so comfy. Honestly, i’m amazed at what high quality materials they’ve found for every last detail!

See all the products at AIAIAI!

For fun headphones (sans mic) with the coil - the Swirl 2.0 is available though!

Crate and Barrel Taka Trunk - when i saw this over at Uncrate - all i could think was Pirate. Bar. Coffee Table! It has those great woody hinges, hides your loot, and even when open provides table space on the sides… Talk about the last place your guests would expect to find your bar… See more pics on the next page!

Change The Thought posters ~ aren’t they beautiful? Beautifully inspiring? I couldn’t decide which ones of these 4 to show as the main image, so decided to post them all - close ups on the next page… although as i stare at these more and more, i think i’m most smitten by the “Sunshine” and the “One day we’ll show them why the world made us.”!

Skip Hop’s new Baby Log comes with an “Illminated Time Capsule” ~ and with a name like that, what tech loving new dad wouldn’t want one to play with? With 4 leds, the time capsule creates a gentle glow, helps parents keep track of the time for every entry no matter how little sleep they are on, and even has a timer for monitoring nap/feeding times… and its tucked away in a canvas covered binder… so as techy as it seems on the inside, it still fits in and looks traditional on the outside. It is a 6-month book to track everything from feedings, changings, doctors visits, gifts and more… and at $39, this one is definitely going on my gifts for new parents lists! And as your child gets older, i’m sure the time capsule will prove useful in new situations as well! See more close up pics on the next page!

[Above is my latest new toy - a mis-colored helmeted Astro-Krieg Rhino and my random capsule machine egg/rabbit at the fireplace in Park Chow] Next time you’re in the SF area, you MUST stop by T.A.D. Gear at 660 22nd Street in SF - what they don’t show you in their pics of the store is the Rocket World section, which is like the holy grail of Rocket World I.W.G toys and prints, and not only do they do all online fulfillment for both brands in this space but also have their design studio upstairs! So on the next page, i have a peek at the store, the gallery space, and the design studios… if you thought Shepard Fairey’s studios were cool, you’ll drool at how inspiring this space is!

So before the onslaught of images to walk you through our experience at the incredible converted warehouse space, here are a few quick points to note.

1) For anyone that like the great outdoors (or is a special op, or just likes being well shielded from the extremities), but has a NOTCOT type of aesthetic (love matte black? lack of logos? incredible attention to every detail?) - you have to check out T.A.D. Gear’s jackets, pants, and backpacks before you reach for the next Patagonia catalog. Dan just ran off with his to Burning Man, so i’ll try to get you some detail pics later.

2) If you don’t need the hardcore gear, they have an amazingly well curated selection of quality outdoor accessories that had me giddy to shop even though i didn’t really need more mini flashlights, otter boxes, knives, dental floss, and more…

3) Sure stores like A16 are all rugged and designy in their own right, but T.A.D. Gear feels museum-esque as you browse through the space - which leads to

4) Rocket World I.W.G creatures have their own dedicated section, and while at first it may sound odd to have some of the coolest vinyl toys showcased and designed by the same crew that makes some of the most impressive tactical gear i’ve seen… if you go, it will all make sense. Especially once you find out that Patrick Ma (aka “Otter X”) has a background ranging from the army to a masters in art, a love of the animal kingdom to a calling towards fashion design… is it any wonder that all of his passions have perfectly fused into an incredibly well kept secret lair of custom designed tactical gear as well as some of the cutest most detailed badass animal toys out there?

Ok, sorry i’m rambling, but as you can tell, i was totally giddy there - blown away by the products and toys initially, and from a business/inspirational perspective, hearing Patrick’s background and philosophies on business and how he’s managed to keep focus on doing what he loves (as many varying things as that may be) for over 10 years now, without giving in to the many temptations to sell out along the way and still be extremely successful - especially when you’re pursuing new and uncharted concepts/ideas!

Go see the pics on the next page!

The entrance to the space has their bikes and gear juxtaposed with a large t-rex like skull… if you’re lucky they might have their vespas pulled up!

Rocket World gallery space is tucked into a corner of this vast warehouse space…

Here’s the view down on the store from the studios above…

“Mission Capable, Wilderness Smart, Urban Ready…TAD Gear pioneered, specializes in and is the high standard for hybrid tactical-outdoor apparel and equipment. Recognized worldwide and the first choice for many Special Operations Members, Wildlife Conservation/Field Professionals, Core-Outdoor Recreation and the Discriminating Individual. TAD Gear products are designed to perform and last in the world’s most rugged terrains and wilderness. Quality and Smart Design come first in everything we produce.”

One of the coolest details of their jacket and pant designs are the velcro areas that allow you to swap any velcro patches you want on (great for commitment-phobes) - and they have quite the collection for you to start off with… my favorites of course are the skulls and Rocket World guys… especially those which glow in the dark!

Here are some of the tiny rubbery glow in the dark ones…

The view from Patrick’s desk with two monitors and a wacom cintiq overlook the store below…

… and he’s surrounded by inspiration… magazines, weaponry, pantone swatches, toys…

On crazy details, as if their life size packs weren’t detailed enough - they have mini replicas of various packs, pants, and jackets down to every last detail (like removable knee pads and mini elastic zipper pulls)!

Here’s a plush octopus cradling a skull that greets you above the stairs as you head to the studio space…

A sneak peek at some poor rejected polar bears where the first batches feet weren’t quite the same height!

… more polar bears and other random toys in the shelves deep in the warehouse…

I just love the knives on the cutting matt surrounded by toys, pantones, mags, and more,…

Since being up in SF this weekend has been a bit silly vacationy feeling ~ we did something we haven’t done much of since college ~ ended up wandering around the Daiso (like a japanese 99 cent store) and found some really weird stuff… amongst that stuff were these bizarre squeeze and inflate stick on boob balloons and a swan phallus? So for the $1.50, i couldn’t resist seeing how they worked, and getting some shots of the ridiculous graphic instructions… we are assuming they are a vinegar and baking soda type of thing (but are unsure!) ~ you basically burst a liquid packet and it has a reaction with the powder, and creates a cold burst of gas that expands the balloon, etc. We even made a video to show you how it worked, and images of them dissected as well… so click on to the next page to see the fun!

NOTCOT - Daiso Inflatables from Jean Aw on Vimeo.

Another Outside Lands’ Eco-lands discovery ~ that beyond the living roof, solar panels, and more sustanable architecture going into the new California Academy of Sciences building reopening in Sept in Golden Gate Park ~ they are using recycled DENIM insulation! So if you’re not sure what to do with all those old jeans, apparently this is a great way to make better use of them!

See more images on the next page ~ read more about the California Academy of Sciences building here ~ and check out the PENGUIN CAMs!

“RVL7 - “REVEL SEVEN”. Revel means “to celebrate” - the 7 comes from “24/7”. RVL7 has been created to celebrate living a sustainable lifestyle 24/7.”

Discovered RVL7 in the Eco-Lands of Outsde Lands - amongst the standard white tents, it was refreshing to see this pre-fab woody oasis of a t-shirt bar filled with stickers, buttons, and gorgeous graphic organic tees… see the pictures on the next page to see some of my favorite designs, and the experience within!

p.s.
Unfortunately the RVL7 site doesn’t have a store, gallery, etc etc etc up yet, but hopefully coming soon!

Macbook Air!

Jewelry seemed to be the main theme this week on NotCouture. There’s a crazy Jaeger-LeCoultre watch that doubles as a keyless entry for the Aston Martin DBS (how James Bond!). And the other mini-theme seemed to be coats and jackets as we’re about to transition into Autumn (how is summer almost over??). If jewelry and coats aren’t your thing, there’s plenty of other stuff to check out at NotCouture, and of course keep sharing your cool finds with us!

Random discoveries at Outside Lands include the City Bag Trade ~ Kendra Stanley takes old rain jackets and refashions them into grocery bags… while i’m a bit mixed on the pattern design (which is also downloadable) and the visible edge stitching ~ i do love the material and concept… best part of using rain jackets, other than the lightweight and crazy vintage/recycled logos? Functional Pockets! I gave in and got a NASA one with two button pockets AND a zip pocket! It’s a bit large on me though, might have to do some hacking to taking the handles up an inch or so… See more pics on the next page!

Click the images to find out more! Sorry running a bit late on my Liqurious Happy Hour this week ~ let’s just say i finally feel like i’m taking a slight vacation for the next few days, popped up to SF for Outside Lands, but the madness has been a bit much to take, and its freeeeeeeezing, so been doing some catching up with linhchi, shopping/decorating for dan for burning man, and running around the city buying silly toys and making things again (yay!) ~ so the next few days may be a bit more silly posts than usual! BUT, here are some of the things people have been drinking in the last week ~ how gorgeous are they? Click to see more!

Also, you can peek at my Outside Lands pics here!

Super Soaker “the original high performance blaster” Bottle Shot!!! Finally a fabulous upcycling use for all those empty water bottles you have, but are not supposed to have anymore. I am now up in SF (just drove up yesterday, hence the digital silence), and on the way up stopped by a target in the middle of nearly no where when i got tired… and couldn’t resist this 5$ Super Soaker Bottle Shot! You can attach any bottle to it up to 2 liters (i’m dying to go find a gorgeous 2 liter bottle to try). Awesome thing, great water pressure (just used it to wash linhchi’s windows while hanging out of them, and some hipsters totally stopped and watched which was awkward once i noticed) - shoots up to 20 ft, but we have yet to measure that… and unfortunately it doesn’t pressure up like the old super soakers, so when you pump, it shoots! The only downfall is it is a little leaky around the pump - i tried to take it apart, but its 5$, plastic, and seems to be glued together… so we might hack it up.

On random ideas… why are there no designer water guns? We should have a competition, or just a friendly water gun design themed week/month/etc ~ i bet even modding some super soakers, we could make some incredible things… that lead to a designer water fight? Anyhow, i digress, see the pics of the awesome little water gun that can be expanded to have so much ammo on the next page!

Also, check out this virtual “demo” of the Bottle Shot ~ 360 view, and demo of it shooting water…

Maestro Dobel ~ the “world’s first-ever diamond tequila” ~ with incredible undeniable crystal clarity (seriously, it looks like water in a glass) ~ but even more incredible than the taste and the complexity of this high end tequila? The set of 50 tiny vials of aromas they sent over which utterly overwhelmed my olfactory system ~ and before we even had a chance to taste the tequila, things quickly digressed into a pick a random bottle and try to name that scent. See images and the full scent listing of the case on the next page.

Noteworthy details on the bottle packaging ~ i love that it is hand numbered, signed, etc ~ and that silver on matte black definitely pops off a bar, not so sure about the base though, seems to kill off all the fun of bottom lighting! And it retails at $75.Take a peek at our experience on the next page, and honestly, you have to taste this one to experience how good it is (and i’m not usually a tequila kind of girl).

Preprinted mini color booklets of 20 cards by Shinebox ~ filled with monsters saying all the grumbly things you wish you could, or know you shouldnt… Unmentionables! Spotted over at Swiss Miss, these little guys are quite adorably grumpy, and i couldn’t decide my favorite, so see them all on the next page!

First off, i just want to apologize to Wright, they’ve been kind enough to send me some of their incredible catalogs, but the timing was when i was caught running around between trips this spring ~ and i’ve only just gotten to cleaning house and organizing and catching up on everything (yes, perhaps i do need an assistant?)…

Anyhow, i’ve been reorganizing like crazy, and i have notes and lists and scribbles everywhere, finally deciding and prioritizing the future of NOTCOT and where i want to take this ever evolving company we’ve grown ~ and inbetween it all, finally finding more time to have fun and catch up on all these books that have stacked up. For those who may not know, Wright is pretty much one of the most impressive auction houses of modern design pieces, and their catalogs are completely mind blowingly inspirational for any designer. Based in Chicago, i have been kicking myself that its just to far to make last minute invites to openings, but for today i’m catching up and drooling over their catalogs, and while doing so i just stumbled on these Enzo Mari Animali and Pesci Puzzles from 1974. They even come in their original boxes. Can you name all the species? See images of both and the catalog page on the next page!

p.s.
I’m thinking maybe my new way to deal with sharing books on NOTCOT will scan in favorite pages that are extra visually inspiring… thoughts? ideas? I’ve been having a hard time trying to figure out how to “review” books - and i certainly want to avoid the grade school summary styled book reports!

NOTCOT Note: This is the final post in my series of Ultimate Accessories posts which have been sponsored by the new Infiniti G Sedan! As with any sponsored content ~ these posts are done - my way - my product choices, my content, and they help me keep doing what i love!

Swims. I’ve shown you the Swims line before ~ and even a hands on review in the rain… but i never had a chance to share how amazing the umbrella and men’s models are. So a few quick notes - when we spontaneously took off into the woods in vermont from our NY trip, we only had our nicer shoes… and both men’s and women’s shoes saved us! Even when we ran across the stream behind the log cabin. And the umbrellas - so nice that they both open and close with the push of a button! It certainly spoils you quickly when running in and out of so many down pours! Read more about Swims!

I’m so happy that we are getting more posts about men’s clothing on NotCouture! That means we get to see great designs from an area that we (mostly girls here on the NOTCOT team still!) probably wouldn’t get to see on our usual internet shopping/browsing/perusing sessions. So here’s a quick roundup of some stuff for guys that have popped up this past week. Seems like plaid is popular for Fall (though I don’t think it’s ever been unpopular…), and you can get acquainted with the latest collaboration (H&M + Comme des Garçons) that I’m actually pretty interested in checking out. Keep posting, guys!

Just confirmed, dan, linhchi, and i will be running around and “covering” (having some fun, and sending pics to that new crowdfire page via mobile) all three days of Outside Lands in SF this coming weekend. Things that sound interesting about it so far… first time anyone gets to play at night in Golden Gate Park, and it is going to be Radiohead friday night! There is an “Ecolands” section - green pavilion sponsored by PGE, with solar powered stage, farmers market, tech recycling station, solar and wind cell charging stations, etc… a taste of the bay area with food from places like askew grill, bombay station, sambazon, the chieftain and more… the Winehaven, a tent of artistan wines… and FM will have a tent filled computers and wifi to share the experience digitally… and lots of art as well? I suppose i’m most excited to get a mini trip in and see some of our SF folks! Anyone else going? See the full lineup on the next page…

Click here to get OUTSIDE LANDS Tickets!

Click here to get OUTSIDE LANDS Tickets!

SETCAST is a new gorgeous bone china collection from London architects, voonwong&bensonsaw. “The SETCAST collection is the result of a close collaboration between voonwong&bensonsaw and one of China’s most distinguished manufacturers of bone china, Asianera, based in Tangshan, the porcelain capital of northern China. Together, the companies have developed a collection that makes the best use of bone china’s excellent light-reflective properties and also moves away from traditional decorative tableware to focus on striking new typologies that make a bold statement.”

My favorite part of the collection is definitely these Molecule Dishes ~ in Large ($90), Medium ($75), and Small ($65) available at Merchant4~ they are extremely affordable, and the simple clean packaging would make them great gifts for almost any occasion! See more images of the full collection as well as a peek at the factory (which is going GREEN in 2009!) on the next page…

We also hear that currently voon wong & benson saw are working on design/construction of a new facility for Asianera that will be “all green”. Their manufacturing facility is quite large (living quarters for employees included), and will hopefully be completed in 2009.

Late night inspirations ~ just fell into another one of those random research distractions that the internet so easily sucks me into… this time the starting point was a discussion with Rose (the R of A+R) during the Lucky shoot, and it came up that her sister was a musician and artist, so being curious, did some poking around and came across Blanca Apodaca’s uber page, which then led me to the images of her painting her newest album cover on her dining table - which i happily perused while listening to songs from her new album Butterfly Core (Sugar Painted Valentine is stuck in my head at the moment)… Anyhow, loved the mix of styles in her album cover, it seems to be a fascinating mix of…. hippie - gangsta - colorful trippiness? See more images on the next page —

Happy weekend! Here’s a Liqurious happy hour roundup to help kick it off with some libatious inspirations - click the pics to find out more!

I Am 8-Bit #4 had its opening last night at the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery in Hollywood… and although larger venue, the crowd was even MORE insane than last time, the press tables even more chaotic, and the crowd control and speed of getting people in and out was a bit lacking, however the bouncers were incredibly nice… that said, once you got in, the music was thumping, few were dancing, but many were guzzling, as the floor was pretty much coated in spilt beer… and there was much crowding around the incredible array of gamer inspired art work! But my favorite moment of the whole night… the guy who was taking pictures with his PSP! And the window displays, they made great use of the large storefront windows - from random installations with old controllers, to that couple playing arcade games in their underwear, and the street fighter bricks and more… anyhow, i tried to streamline the pics i took to give you an overview of the experience on the next page, and you can view the full unphotoshopped selection in the gallery.

View the full unphotoshopped selection in the gallery.

What a bizarre morning, definitely one of those, surreal, “this isn’t my life” kind of mornings… up at 6:30, over at A+R store in Venice for a Lucky Magazine photoshoot (nov issue) by 8 (and you know i don’t really do mornings!)… honestly so bizarre being on that side of the camera. I think its definitely safe to say i’m most comfortable behind the lens! And fascinating to watch pros in action ~ we worked with photographer Joe Schmelzer and make up artist Asia Geiger. Funny thing was the iPhone 3G fest at the shoot, and the many complaints and comparisons about mobile me, black vs white, cases, etc. Anyhow, few people asked for pics, so dan snapped a few of the process you can check out on the next page!

p.s.
While we were chatting, i learned about a new blog that Elise Loehnen, Lucky Editor At Large, who set this all up, just launched - check out Style Steals.

When an email comes that says “Think Issac Asimov meets the Jetsons” ~ you can’t not click on it. And good thing i did, because the crew at AB5TRAX just sent over their brand new ad spot Hello George, an incredibly moving, beautiful, futuristic animation where George Jetson’s car in a briefcase is… a Toyota Prius!

Here’s what Hunter Woo mentioned in the email, “It was designed, conceived and created all inhouse, we built the 3D in Maya , and modeled the world from real pictures of the earth
from space… I thought it might be a fitting tribute / theme for the other posts dealing with views from space up now.”

See still from the ad on the next page, and watch Hello George here in full sized mode!

“July 30th Whiskey Blue at W Los Angeles - Westwood debuted a month-long Piscine experience which is complemented by an installation by world-renowned Spanish designer Jaime Hayon - whose work transcends the borders of art and design. Crafted from Suryln, a material commonly used in molded luxury goods, the striking piece morphs into a satellite champagne bar that is inspired by the brand’s iconic and extravagant red color. ”

Is it weird that i wish i had this in my future studio? NOTCOT regulars know how i love the glossy lacquered clean modern look of Jamie Hayon’s designs ~ (and am still lusting after that bath tub!) Remember his previous collaborations with Champagne Piper-Heidsieck? He created a beautiful champagne bucket and champagne bowl, and has continued the styling and colors of those pieces into this larger piece which i suppose is more like a champagne bathtub and lamp in one. The glossy quilted texture of the lampshade just keep drawing me in. See more images on the next page!

I was just floored when I saw WASARA over on Swissmiss’ blog. WASARA is a line of the prettiest disposable paper tableware that you’ve ever seen - I would throw a party just so I could use these. It’s not just paper plates either, it’s bowls, mugs, sushi plates, serving platters…With the desire to be as sustainable as possible, WASARA is made from reed pulp and bagasse (sugarcane waste).

From WASARA’s website: “Underlying the concept of WASARA is the legacy of Japanese aesthetic and value sense. Japan has a tradition of good manufacturing backed by excellent skills and techniques, one of the most refined food cultures in the world, and a spirit of hospitality and courtesy. These are essential for days of spiritual fulfillment. While a WASARA is a paper dish good for one-time use, we would like it to represent those quintessences of our tradition.”

WASARA will be available for purchase at the end of August 2008.

Ok, so i am still kind of giddy from how awesome it was to meet Shepard Fairey and his studio pretty much blew my mind. To see what type of space other creatives work in is one thing… but to feel like you walked into a gallery filled with history and inspiration and visual food for thought in every detail, well that just floored me. I really need a larger space to spread out and fill the walls ~ how can you NOT be creative surrounded with all of that? For now, i share my wall of inspiration with you as NOTCOT.org, my portable digital version… you will enjoy exploring Shepard Fairey’s studio through the pics on the next page, and since there is so much in the details, i left the high res version for you to click through to.

And for the record, he was one of the kindest, humblest, down to earth folks i’ve met in a while. It was great to see that he still has so much passion for what he does, and gets down right giddy when talking about his new projects (and politics). Also above is a new print that he is releasing on Thursday at noon, Duality of Humanity 3 - if you want one, these things disappear within minutes.

From framed records to banksy to andre the giant over the door… click to view larger, so many details, i was spinning in circles trying to take it all in!

Curious what inspiration lies in their books? as with all pics in this post, click to zoom in… and that Obama poster is the official Obama campaign version signed by Obama himself in the logo…

I loved the little obama sticker on the side of the door… and that it was with the original andre the giant screen… nice juxtaposition of how far Shepard Fairey and Obey Giant have come/evolved over the last many years…

Inspiring spaces ~ call it studio envy, fascination with creative spaces, growing up seeing the work of Shepard Fairey and his crew on streets not walls… as promised, here’s part 1 of 2 on the little tour of Obey Giant HQ, Studio Number One, and the Subliminal Projects Gallery while i was at Simple Pleasures 01 (Thank you, Yosi and Joycie!) So instead of flooding you with words, just browse through the pics on the next page for my visual tour of their inspiring spaces and things that caught my eye! (and check out the Studio Number One portfolio too!)

UPDATE: See the tour of Shepard Fairey’s Studio

Joycie had a mesmerizing file cabinet i couldn’t resist

This is where all your Obey Giant posters and stickers are coming from!

Stickers!

There was just something cool about these tiny stacks of Hope in the large empty woodiness…

…and lots of peace!

The entrance space of the downstairs gallery Subliminal Projects ~ so gorgeous with the way the lighting is, red and brick in that security guard space and brick and white in the main space… and the open sign… well, it says closed outside… but the security guard sure looks all locked up in there, as if his little space is “open”

Of course, across the way in the empty lot… there are lots of posters up…

It is definitely clear that you are in Obey/Obama territory!

NOTCOT Note: This is the seventh in my series of Ultimate Accessories posts which have been sponsored by the new Infiniti G Sedan! As with any sponsored content ~ these posts are done - my way - my product choices, my content, and they help me keep doing what i love!

The summer is still going strong, and the weather has been absolutely amazing, i love the warm summer night sitting outside listening to nature all around you, watching the stars, as a bat buzzes by your head… so anyhow, writing a series of ultimate accessories wouldn’t be complete without a perfect bikini and coverup ~ so my latest lust object is this refreshingly green Missoni Columbia Halter Bikini and the Missoni Corinto Silk Kaftan. Now if only someone would gift me the set with a big floppy beach hat, some fun sunglasses - and i’d grab my kindle and be off to lay outside and get some good afk time!

Just spotted at TrendsNow… the deviously badass glowing garden “guard dwarfs”, Baddy by Plust… Design by Joe Velluto and A.Fabbian.

“Garden’s dwarfs are back, but with a brand new role: “guard dwarfs”. With an attitude that could hardly be defined as friendly, they shine thanks to the luminescent resin with which they are produced. Absorbing the light for a few moments they release it along the night, becoming small presences in the dark.”

See more pics on the next page!

While at Comic-con i finally got to take a peek at the FULL set of Friends With You’s Wish Come True blindbox toys by StrangeCo… and i’ve been secretly wishing for the adorable red mushroom looking guy that was one of the mystery colorways! Anyhow, i was at Royal T in culver city today, and noticed the red guy as one of the open samples and had to have him… there is something so mesmerizing about rocking it in your hand as it refuses to fall over and emits this subtle chime like sound… (see the video on the next page to know what i mean)… i also decided to take a new approach on the unboxing of these guys… ripped the box open and scanned in the details so you can see all the graphic design that’s so fun both on the exterior and interior of it! So go see the pics and vid on the next page!

Here’s the full collection (mystery guys and all) as seen at Comic-con!

There were a good amount of shoes popping up on NotCouture this week.. Or maybe it just seemed that way because I’m currently on a quest for shoes. And of course, we need bags to go with our shoes, so here are some interesting ones that were posted. I especially liked the accordion-like bag from Samsonite Black Label!

Perfect way to spend a saturday? With good friends, old and new, surrounded by inspiration of all forms (zines, art, artists, designers, photographers, musicians)… in the world of OBEY Giant… as magically facilitated by Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One, who graciously opened up their parking lot to set the scene for the first Simple Pleasures event, “an on-going series of cultural investigations” - This one was focused on zine culture, and in addition to many booths ~ there was an Obey raffle (5$ got you a tote bag of goodies and a chance to win some limited ed posters) ~ the delicious Green Truck lunch truck (amazing burgers, all organic and local, and runs on biodiesel) ~ bake sale of 1$ tempting sweets ~ and we got to kick back to tunes of the DJ Diabetic (Shepard Fairey) and Daedelus… oh and on mind blowing experiences, i got a tour/sneak peek of the studio space of Studio Number One, a chance to take in all the art and inspiration filling their walls… and even chat with Shepard Fairey in his incredible office (wall to wall art and books and toys)… peek at some upcoming works… and wander the Subliminal Projects Gallery downstairs as well… all in all, a phenomenally inspiring day all around. I can’t wait for Simple Pleasures 02!

Ok, so it’s 4am on a Saturday night, i just got home… and as much as i claim i’ll head right to bed… after i take a peek at my pics… you know me… i can’t help but share them with you before i crash. SO, here’s the compromise… first things first, see the next page to see the experience of Simple Pleasures, and coming soon will be a peek into the Studio Number One and Shepard Fairey’s studios!

Welcome to Studio Number One

Here’s Shep himself spinning when we arrived…

Bake Sale courtesy of the lovely Studio Number One ladies!

The irresistible Raffle with tote goodie bag…

Green Truck - most amazingly delicious and green lunch truck you may ever experience… runs on veggie oil, has compost and recycling spaces, and even biodegradable silverware and plates… and the burger is mmmmmmmmmm - not to mention adorable truck and branding as well!

Happy Friday everyone! So to help kick off your happy hour this week, here’s what we’ve been drinking with our eyes over at Liqurious. One of these days we will definitely have to start holding some real in person happy hours to meet up! As usual, click the images to find out more!

Candela was acquired by Oxo, and seeing these new Flare lights as rechargeable ambient lighting to replace/accompany candles, i couldn’t resist. While i’ve always loved Candela’s playful kids slug looking lights and the taller lights, i never knew what i’d really do with them. But in the new products since Candela met Oxo, you can immediately see the more mature, versatile, hyperfunctional designs which have emerged around the same technology. The Flare, DemiGlow, and Luau (how fun would it be to run around in the woods with that lantern?) are a gorgeous addition to their family of products, and the Flare look so perfect for everywhere from dinner on the patio to lining around your pool… i finally ordered some… so on the next page see a full unboxing, including an upclose look at what’s in the box, how the lights are put together, and how they light a hallway.

One thing that blew me away on the user experience of the design… these lights run on rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries (which are replaceable), and they are charged by simply playing them on their base, which also doubles as a carrying tray. The lights also have adorable on and off buttons on the base. What i love is that - regardless of whether the light is on, when you place it on the base it goes off… as soon as you lift it from the base it lights up. And silly as it sounds, there is something magical about that interaction. Likewise, if there is a power outage, or you unplug the base to carry the tray, they will all light up. View the unboxing on the next page, and view the full selection of Oxo Candela Lights!

Even though the monitors are extremely bright, this should help give you some sense of scale… and it does make the workspace feel a bit more fun tonight…

To try them out, i had to wait all day for it to get dark (never have i counted down to sundown so anxiously) ~ and tried them out in the hallway… they are far brighter than i realized!

As you can see, there is quite a range of
Oxo Candela Lights these days… from the old school colorful kids lights, to the new ones like the flare and Luau!

Nicely packaged and oh so very Oxo, with that clean design and hyperfunctional product/packing…

Cute little red shoelace like handle makes it that much more fun to carry around. Nice little touch

Not that friendly at first, but certainly efficiently packed.

Something to note, you don’t have to put the handle on the charging tray, it also comes with plugs to cover the holes if you choose not to.

Another thing to note ~ it’s not hot to the touch, so no worries about them overheating, or kids burning themselves on the bulb, etc.

These are definitely now on my list of great gifts ~ from pricing (8’s are 130$, 4’s are 70$, luau is 200$) to packaging to the nice design and great functionality of the lights. Amazon seemed to have the best prices when i was getting mine - shop the whole range here: Oxo Candela Lights

Adorably evil ~ with its perfectly balanced archnemesis… Love this new little -Minus from Lab81, with his devious eyes, tiny side slanted horns, and batwings… and his positive counterpart is +Plus, who has that innocent wide-eyed look, tiny halo, and angelic wings. See more images of these adorable toys, their gold versions, and the incredibly lit window display on the next page!

Isay Weinfeld is a Brazilian architect who runs a very diverse practice with projects ranging from built work to set design to art and furniture pieces. Clean lines and functionality dominate his work. He seems to be interested in working with a kit of parts to create a new, more interesting product. I love this mobile bar - a series of boxes sized for specific functions with a set of hidden drawers.

Great packaging + what can only be delicious single malt scotch = the most adorable hand written 20cL bottles of Old Malt Cask Advance Samples. I got launched into this scotch frenzy from The Dieline, which led me to Douglas Laing’s Scotch Whiskies site… which led me not only to these minis, but to so many more beautifully packaged, fascinating single malts i’m now dying to try someday… see more on the next page!

About the minis. “Replicating the sample bottles sent to us from stock held at the Distilleries - these wee 20cl bottles appear to have been hand written by one of the team pulling the sample (full marks for legibility!). We select specific bottlings from the 700cl capacities and fill first about 150-200 of the 20cl bottles - so these are little “rarities” - small bottles, in small quantities, from a very small bottling, from a small family company. Fortunately Fred and Stewart are full size.

They do allow the consumer however to taste a small amount before investing in the larger bottle (for himself or a Club) and they are also causing quite a stir in the gift giving sector of the whisky business.”

Babies everywhere! Or i’m apparently reaching that age where i have found myself constantly baby shopping for friends suddenly… So is it any surprise that Jill Fehrenbacher, of Inhabitat, in the midst of her pregnancy has launched Inhabitots, the latest addition to the Inhabitat family? Also, the new logo for the calm blue site is an adorable Owl with child! While many of the products there are right up our alley (and have shown up on NOTCOT previously) ~ they are eco-friendly, clean and modern… and my latest discovery on Inhabitots to add to the backup list for new-parent shopping is what is a bit scarily called “Teething Bling” by Smart Mom Jewelry. If you pick the subtler hues, its not a bad necklace/bangle, and the nice thing is, it’s completely safe for your child to teeth on, and saves your usual jewelry from the nibble marks. My only worry is… will this help condition your baby to think its ok to chew on jewelry in the long run?

NOTCOT Note: This is the sixth in my series of Ultimate Accessories posts which have been sponsored by the new Infiniti G Sedan! As with any sponsored content ~ these posts are done - my way - my product choices, my content, and they help me keep doing what i love!

I was impressed to see Globe-Trotter partner with J. Crew for an exclusive line of vintage inspired luggage, the Centenary Collection… and the black collection had me swooning… and now they even have a Centenary Ivory color option that is nice and fresh and expected to ship Aug 20th!

Our favorite felt/leather technology carriers, Working Class Heroes, has evolved and is now known as Hard Graft. And honestly, nothing has changed, other than their moniker, and the quality and designs are, if anything, better than ever! So i’ve got an exclusive sneak peak for you of the latest line (and quite possibly my favorite yet)… here’s
The Dapper Collection!

I’ve always loved their leather pockets on felt, which my original laptop sleeve from them had, and now they’ve brought the motif back as the signature feature in
The Dapper Collection. Also, they’ve mastered the Kindle case (see pics of a prototype i’ve been playing with on the next page), and it has a pocket which perfectly fits the iPhone. Honestly, its the perfect little bundle to grab when you’re off to read in the park or at the beach. They’ve also got an adorable iPhone case, which has a pocket for some cash/cards… and a revival of the laptop wallet with top buttons and a new larger pocket also perfect for iPhones! So check out more pics on the next page, and see the full collection for purchase at Hard Graft!

For their latest Design Issue, Canadian magazine The Block commissioned chocolatier Thomas Haas to replicate the now-iconic 1949 Eames House in CHOCOLATE! Funniest thing is that this house is right down the street, and i’ve probably driven by multiple times a day for years…

“This sweet miniature design mimics the original structure Charles and Ray Eames created as part of Arts & Architecture magazine’s Case Study Houses program. The program asked prominent architects of the day to design affordable and cost-efficient homes as possible solutions to the post-WWII housing boom. The modernist Pacific Palisades home is a semi-prefab wonder; the airy steel-and-glass structure with its brightly coloured panels was built in just three days. The Block’s modernist chocolate dollhouse took 30 hours to complete.”

Check out the photos, The Block issue cover, and article (including Thomas Haas’ Chocolate Shortbread Recipe)… perhaps it’s inspiration for gingerbread house building this year?

It’s no secret that we love black and white here at the NotEmpire (just look at our sites!). So this roundup points out the cool black and white (and grey) things that have popped up on NotCouture this past week, including crazy plastic shoes, charming snake jewelery, and vegan bags. If you have a penchant for all things colorless too, feel free to share!

It feels like the weekend has begun already ~ things have gotten so quiet (or it feels so in my world anyhow?)… and i feel like a drink… so here’s a friday afternoon Liqurious Happy Hour roundup to get your drink inspiration going… you know the drill, click the squares to find out more!

Leatherman is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the Argentum Collection ~ an incredible (and pricey) line of limited edition hand-crafted leathermans by world-renowned artist and silversmith Adrian Pallarols. There are 7 pieces in the collection, and The Charge Dorado is $40,000, the Charge Acanto $12,000… and they work their way down to a mere $240 for a little Squirt Lagrima de Luna. See more close ups on the next page, as well as pics of sketches, more info on the artist, and you’ve got to see the video at the Argentum Collection page.

p.s.
chats with a few friends and fellow leatherman loyals… and we all agree so far, we’re not completely sure what the appeal is, but i’m rather fascinated by the juxtaposition of the perfectly engineered with the artisan, 7th generation, craftsman combination… and i do kind of want the Acanto, if only it was a Wave?