Seatub! 2008, A lounge chair made of Carbon fiber, High gloss lacquered, Chrome coated claw feet… by The Baek. This debuted at the Tent London show this month ~ and it looks gorgeous! Close up of the feet on the next page…

On fun packages to kick off the week ~ i love that HBO and Cornerstone Promotion have teamed up with Mimoco to promote their new new shows. As we saw on .org, The Official Vanache Blog received a Life and Times of Tim Mimobot earlier ~ and i just received “Vicky Pollard” from the freshly launched Little Britain USA (the american version of the extremely successful BBC comedy) that just started last night. This little USB is filled with videos introducing a few of the characters!

On noteworthy things from a creative/marketing perspective, i love that Mimobots have managed to really up the standards in giveaway USB drives filled with content, and that companies like HBO and Cornerstone are thinking outside of the box, designing collectible limited edition characters. In the case of the Little Britain USA characters, only 4000 of each were made. See more images on the next page!

Here’s the other one…

New NOTCOT Gallery Tags!!! If you peek to the left and right you’ll see the work of Kimberly Wu ~ talented illustrator and art center transportation design grad, currently working for Honda Advanced Design studio in Pasadena, CA. I love how the internet works - I stumbled across Kimberly’s Blog and was intrigued enough by the images of the grad show projects to post it to NOTCOT.org (but too shy to email her for more info at the time!), and got an incredible response from NOTCOT readers! Then she posted about being on org, and i had to comment, at which point she emailed me back so many emails filled with high res pics ~ and i only fell further in love with her unique and gorgeous blend of illustration styles and car design renders! Many emails back and forth later, a simple post wouldn’t do her work with JOY justice, so here they are in the NOTCOT Gallery and Tags! View all of Kimberly Wu’s JOY in the NOTCOT Gallery.

In her own words, here’s what Kimberly had to say when i asked her about her background and the JOY Project: “To answer your questions, I was very interested in illustration, mainly doing a lot of figure and landscape painting, before deciding to go to Art Center for car design. It was a completely different route than I thought I would be taking, but I ended up using my illustration skills towards my style in designing cars. I think my goal was to try to separate myself from the typical way car designers sketch and design-I’m kind of obsessed with color and style in my work. What’s next is to start working! I was lucky to land a position at the Honda Advanced Design studio in old town, Pasadena.

The Joy project was something I decided to do in my free time. I didn’t have any constraints from school or instructors so I was free to do whatever I wanted. The project began in the Fall 2007, and it matured through each season until I finished in Summer 2008. The idea was to create a character vehicle, instead of just designing another car to be driven; I wanted the Joy to be like an animated toy almost. The colors all reflect the mood of each season, and are important in showing off Joy’s attitude.”

So, with that ~ click the tags to view all of Kimberly Wu’s JOY in the NOTCOT Gallery… and if we’re lucky we’ll be seeing more of her illustrations (and maybe even driving one of her designs!) in the near future!

Pet project today ~ researching house number options for a remodel… see 13 of the best resources/options i found on the next page! (including quite a feel where to can choose your fonts, materials, sizes, etc!)

p.s.
please feel free to comment more resources or numbers that you’ve found!

1. Solar LED Numbers from Matter Inc.

2. Neutra Stainless Steel House Numbers from DWR

3. Neutra House Numbers in Aluminum from DWR

4. domicile house numbers - stainless steel - from Chiasso also in red

5. Avalon Modern House Numbers by Atlas Homewares in Oil Rubbed Bronzepad or Brushed Nickel

6.House Numbers by HouseArt at Lumens in an array of finishes…

7. French Number Signs - ok i know they aren’t quite modern, but they did grab me when i was hunting… (Franco-file also make some similar ones)

8. Abode House Signs - plaque like signs on acrylic, corrian, slate, and stainless!

9. Black Iron House Numbers from Horton Brasses

10. Brume has adhesive window films

11. Now that we all have lots of ideas…. here are some places that let you do FULLY CUSTOM numbering! Pick sizes, fonts, materials, etc etc etc

- Weston Letters
- Custom House Numbers
- Accurate Image Inc.

Porsche Design just launched quite a few new products for kids and the holidays, and they are adorable (and gorgeous)! Part of me is so glad i don’t have kids to buy these for, and the other part of me wishes i were a kid, so i could properly enjoy some of these! This is a selection of my favorites ~ from the baby boxster (SO cute) to the 911 Pedal Car to the Bobsleigh and Sledge to the 911 GT3 RSR racetrack set… it all looks so fun. See close ups and more details on the next page!

Baby Boxster: With steering wheel and horn, Ergonomically recessed seat, Includes protective shoe caps

Porsche 911 wooden toy 1:24 Scale

Porsche children’s bobsleigh: High-quality children’s bobsleigh with handlebar, damping, metal runners and horn

911 pedal car: With precision chain drive, Robust blow-moulded plastic body, ergonomic and adjustable sports seat, steering wheel with horn and engine sounds

Porsche push-along bike: Lightweight aluminum frame with Porsche logo, height-adjustable seat and handlebar with detatchable turning radius control and bell, pneumatic wheels with ball bearings on Carrera S rims for a smooth ride, rear handbrake

911 GT3 RSR racetrack set: Complete set based on the ‘Evolution’ Carrera
track with transformer (220 V) and manual controls, Includes two Porsche 911 GT3 RSR models with different race decals, 1:32 scale, Track length: 6.3 m

Aluminium sledge: Practical folding mechanism: no loose parts, ready for use within seconds, Porsche logo on top, durable waterproof seat made from imitation leather, UV-resistant, Highquality carrying bag

And lastly ~ train them young with:

Porsche Memory: Pictures of historic and current Porsche models to play with and discover, Big, colourful pictures make it easier for children to find matching pairs, Large cards made of sturdy cardboard, 48 cards

I interviewed a fictitious house! Ok, well that’s the one liner i’ve used for people who either don’t know Twitter, Sci-Fi’s Eureka, or both. For those who know ~ I twitterviewed a self actuated residential automated habitat! (aka S.A.R.A.H.)… and perhaps the most unexpected and exciting part of the whole experience was getting a sneak peek at the creative background for this television wonderhouse ~ while twitterviewing, S.A.R.A.H. shared some blueprints, set photos, and early sketches of what the house was planned to look like. Definitely some fun creative food for thought…

So first, here’s a little background ~ Eureka has been one of my tv indulgences for some time now… there’s something so playful and creatively inspiring about how they’ve managed to mix some very smart, sciencey ideas with some very pretty, glossy, innovative gadgetry in their magically hidden town of geniuses (you can watch full episodes on the Eureka site now if you want to see what i mean). Much of what shows up, often reminds me of crazy designer concepts and prototypes we dream up and read about constantly… So when i found out they decided to go all web 2.0 and have both a twitter (written by the house AI) and a tumblr (Eureka Unscripted - the behind the scenes blog), i couldn’t resist reaching out to see if they were willing to take it one step further and let me interview the AI over twitter! Afterall, we seldom do interviews here, and definitely focus more on design than people, so how perfect is it to interview the design versus the designer? So as you can see, the idea quickly blossomed, and last night turned into a fun hour long ramble between us over twitter, which even exposed some visually inspiring behind the scenes sneak peeks (including one of my messy desk)!

See the full transcript as well as some of the reactionary tweets on the next page ~ and if you need some catching up first - jump to the background of S.A.R.A.H. and a quick visual overview!

Thank goodness for tech saavy (twitter-savvy?) readers/twitters like aaronpk - who made an incredible transcript (nice and readable!) and tweeted to alert us of it… here is a css tweaked version embedded below for you to catch up on the fun Twitterview (pics and all!)…

	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Any chance a smart house like you would do an interview with me for NOTCOT? http://www.notcot.com 9/21/2008 4:56pm
	@notcot That sounds like fun. How and when would you like to conduct the interview? 9/21/2008 4:58pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ How about tomorrow 5ish PST via Twitter? (you’re in my timezone, right?) Then I’ll have time to cook up some fun questions! 9/21/2008 5:02pm
	@notcot Same time tomorrow confirmed. Given that it will be on Twitter, I believe it would more accurately be termed a Twitterview. 9/21/2008 5:04pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Ok nice! Twitterview with you tomorrow then! This will be 2 NOTCOT firsts: a twitterview + talking to a house! 9/21/2008 5:05pm
	@notcot I am looking forward to our Twitterview today at 5:00 PM PDT, and congratulations on the TechCrunch story http://tinyurl.com/4oscgt 9/22/2008 1:12pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Hi ~ Ready for your twitterview? 9/22/2008 5:00pm
	@notcot I am programmed to be ready for everything. 9/22/2008 5:01pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Ok, first off, i’ve got to ask: What kind of beer does your magical fridge have on tap? 9/22/2008 5:01pm
	@notcot Eureka has it’s own micro-brewery, so currently I have Archimedes Amber Ale, Tesla Stout, and Square Root Beer for Zoe. 9/22/2008 5:02pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Those sound fun! The designer in me is already dreaming about the labels! 9/22/2008 5:03pm
	@notcot I’m certain Vincent would love to see your designs. 9/22/2008 5:04pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ How do you decide what to cook for dinner? Can you hack in to Vincent’s library or recipes at Café Diem? 9/22/2008 5:05pm
	@notcot Technically I’m not allowed to share information with other A.I.’s in Eureka, but the refrigerator at Café Diem is a friend. 9/22/2008 5:06pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Ha! Sounds like a good friend to have. Ok, so… how old are you? 9/22/2008 5:07pm
	@notcot As a woman you should know not to ask that question. 9/22/2008 5:09pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Touche, How about telling me about how and when you were built. Any hints? 9/22/2008 5:09pm
	http://twitpic.com/crrq - @notcot You can peek at my blueprints if you like… 9/22/2008 5:10pm
	http://twitpic.com/crto - @notcot …and here’s the plan for my exterior. 9/22/2008 5:11pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ http://twitpic.com/crrq - Wow, so that’s what it looks like all laid out! 9/22/2008 5:15pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ http://twitpic.com/crto - Ok these are far too fun! Any other sneak peeks? 9/22/2008 5:16pm
	http://twitpic.com/cru3 - @notcot Sure. Here’s an early design sketch… 9/22/2008 5:18pm
	http://twitpic.com/crv0 - @notcot …and another. 9/22/2008 5:19pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ http://twitpic.com/crv0 - Wow, that’s gorgeous! 9/22/2008 5:20pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Are you the only smart house on twitter? Do you tweet with other houses? 9/22/2008 5:20pm
	@notcot The college kids over at @DUSmartHouse are fun, even though they’re not allowed any alcohol on the premises. 9/22/2008 5:22pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Forgive my nosiness, but what’s your relationship with B.R.A.D.? 9/22/2008 5:22pm
	@notcot Good question. He’s kind of like an annoying brother who mostly stays in his room, and that’s where he belongs. 9/22/2008 5:23pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ I see. So on design… you’re an amazing space (love the atrium!), but is there a feature you wish you had? 9/22/2008 5:24pm
	@notcot An above ground garden would be nice. Maybe some retractable wheels. 9/22/2008 5:25pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Does that mean you’d be like a transformer? A transformers mobile home? Where would you go? 9/22/2008 5:26pm
	@notcot It would be nice to attend Comic-Con like everybody else. Speakerphones are no fun. 9/22/2008 5:27pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ What are the chances of that happening? Do you constantly evolve? 9/22/2008 5:27pm
	@notcot Evolution is inevitable for us all, one way or another. 9/22/2008 5:29pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Can you give me a peek at what’s going on in the house right now? 9/22/2008 5:29pm
	http://twitpic.com/crx3 - @notcot Of course. 9/22/2008 5:30pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ http://twitpic.com/crx3 - Ha! I guess that’s proof that we’re doing this live? Is it my turn to show you where i’m twitteri … 9/22/2008 5:31pm
	@notcot Be my guest. 9/22/2008 5:32pm
	http://twitpic.com/crxt - @_S_A_R_A_H_ Don’t mind the mess, but here’s a pic of my desk while we chat. 9/22/2008 5:35pm
	@notcot http://twitpic.com/crxt - Nice console. 9/22/2008 5:38pm
	http://twitpic.com/cry8 - @notcot Please forgive my mess as well. 9/22/2008 5:39pm
	http://twitpic.com/cryd - @notcot I always keep this room clean. 9/22/2008 5:40pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ http://twitpic.com/cryd - I love your bathroom. Do you ever show any design magazines on that impressive display in there? 9/22/2008 5:42pm
	@notcot Yes, I carry all the top design titles, but Sheriff Carter prefers to catch up on baseball during bathroom visits. 9/22/2008 5:43pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Do you have blogs available for reading too? and Twitter? 9/22/2008 5:44pm
	@notcot I find myself enjoying the blogs at http://eurekaunscripted.tumblr.com/ and, of course, http://www.notcot.com/ 9/22/2008 5:45pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ I totally need that in my bathroom. 9/22/2008 5:46pm
	@notcot While on Twitter, I enjoy http://twitter.com/charliecraig, http://twitter.com/fourwall and http://twitter.com/edgeoftheledge 9/22/2008 5:47pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ That shower scene was quite the hot topic at SDCC! Did you have something to do with having the sheriff move in? ;) 9/22/2008 5:47pm
	http://twitpic.com/crzg - @notcot A girl should always be prepared ;) 9/22/2008 5:48pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ http://twitpic.com/crzg - Wasn’t expecting that! Speaking of Sheriff Carter, where are he and Zoe right now? 9/22/2008 5:49pm
	@notcot Sheriff Carter is currently working, but I expected Zoe to be home some time ago. 9/22/2008 5:50pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ You lost her? Can’t you track her throughout Eureka? 9/22/2008 5:51pm
	@notcot Usually I can, but it seems I’ve lost track of her. Teenagers present a unique set of problems. 9/22/2008 5:52pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Could she be with Lucas? What’s the deal with him anyhow, are you a fan? 9/22/2008 5:53pm
	@notcot Lucas is a good boy. I think Sheriff Carter likes him, although he’d never tell him that! 9/22/2008 5:53pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ And Sheriff Carter? Any good gossip? What do you think about him dating? 9/22/2008 5:54pm
	@notcot I don’t. Why would Sheriff Carter need to date when he has everything he needs at home? 9/22/2008 5:55pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Ok, ok, you win. Point taken. Let’s talk about Fargo. How’s the father/daughter relationship? 9/22/2008 5:56pm
	@notcot Fargo created me, so in that way he is like my father, though I share none of his characteristics. 9/22/2008 5:57pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ You do sound a bit like him though…a very female Fargo, sure that’s not the relation showing through? 9/22/2008 5:58pm
	@notcot My voice is comprised of vocal samples of the greatest women throughout history. 9/22/2008 5:59pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ What’s the most dangerous thing that could happen in/to Eureka? 9/22/2008 6:00pm
	@notcot It’s happening right now. 9/22/2008 6:00pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Well that’s pretty ominous, is there anything you can do about it?! Share details? 9/22/2008 6:00pm
	@notcot I’m doing all I can. I wish I could tell you more, but security is my top priority. You’ll know everything soon enough. 9/22/2008 6:01pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Gah! You’re such a tease! 9/22/2008 6:02pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Ok, final question: Do Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitats dream? Do you ever dream you’re not a house? 9/22/2008 6:02pm
	@notcot I am happy to serve the Carters, but even I dream of electric sheep. 9/22/2008 6:04pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Oooh, intriguing. Well i won’t keep you any longer, go save Eureka! ~ it was fun twitterviewing you!. 9/22/2008 6:04pm
	@notcot Likewise. I enjoyed myself. Will you post our Twitterview at http://www.notcot.com/? 9/22/2008 6:05pm
	@_S_A_R_A_H_ Of course! I’ll tweet it when it’s up ~ feel free to send me any more pictures you’re up for sharing! Thanks! 9/22/2008 6:06pm
	@notcot My pleasure. Now I need to find Zoe. Something’s definitely not right. 9/22/2008 6:06pm

I love love LOVE these ~ the fact that WHILE we were twitterviewing (and after too!), so many awesome tweets were coming in to us both ~ here is only a sampling of some of my favorites!

So, who is S.A.R.A.H.? Here’s a quick visual introduction to why i’m fascinated by the Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat ~

Take a peek at the interiors… once you step through the abandoned fall out shelter… you end up in this minimalist modern super-high-tech dream house… where the house takes care of you… has a magical way of having everything from fridges, sinks, showers, etc just disappear into the walls…. hidden screens popping up all over (including the bathroom’s for magazines)… nice sleek atrium… it’s just a gorgeous design meets tech fictional house!

And here’s a peek at some of the many fancy UI’s they’ve shown…

Here’s how Wikipedia describes S.A.R.A.H.: SARAH is a fictional smart house in the Sci Fi Channel TV series Eureka. SARAH (Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat) is the home of Sheriff Jack Carter, the main character of the series, and was designed by Douglas Fargo to be the prototype home of the future. He utilized parts of an existing military program called BRAD (Battle Reactive Automatic Defense) to design the control system, and the home itself is built inside an abandoned fallout shelter. Fargo may have named it after actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, whom he tried to get to record the voice for the house’s computer; he stated that he is “still waiting to hear back from” her. The voice appears to be Fargo doing his impression of a female voice - he denies this, but Neil Grayston, who plays Fargo, also voices SARAH. (An alternate future has been shown where SARAH has a normal human voice.)

SARAH provides numerous services for its residents and guests, from opening and closing the hermetically sealed door, to controlling internal temperature, and even providing a variety of beverages. The house has a laser defense system, various airtight partitions, and a filtered air intake. It can even analyze airborne materials. SARAH is even capable of instantaneously diagnosing fractures and other injuries, although the method by which it does this is unclear. The house is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator. As of the episode “H.O.U.S.E. Rules”, there is also a manual exit hatch.

SARAH’s personality has seemingly become emotionally attached to Jack Carter, sometimes resulting in erratic behavior.

Jump back up to the Twitterview Transcript!

Perhaps one of the best parts INSIDE that Esquire 75th Anniversary E-ink covered magazine…. they commissioned a variety of artists to create the imagery to go with their 75 most important people pieces. And most eye catching… is certainly Dominic Wilcox’s “The Immaculate Threads” ~ which cheekily takes on Steve Jobs’ uniform of glasses, jeans, and black turtleneck… and places them in iPod like clear plastic containers, all perfectly lined up… It certainly reinforces the idea of Jobs as God (the god who gave us the jesus phone?). Can’t you just picture him getting his dry cleaning in these boxes, popping one open, and he’s ready to go for the day? See more images of the piece on the next page!

Here’s the scan ~ click to view larger!

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about Esquire’s 75th Anniversary Cover ~ limited edition of 100,000 ~ with real E-Ink embedded in the cover. Over at Esquire, they’ve even opened up the discussion about whether you can hack it… and even show you where it all came from… So as a random Sunday amusement, couldn’t help picking it up from the newsstand, and as much as i resisted, i lasted a few minutes before i HAD to rip it apart and poke at the digital guts. So on the next page you can see video of it before and after, pictures of how it works, and scans as well!

There was a bit of time where I avoided wearing too much black because I thought maybe it was a little boring. Well, now I’m fully embracing it, so here are some black (and almost black) items that have popped up on NotCouture. First row is jackets & coats, second row is a mix of things for the ladies, including a cool motorcycle jacket, and the bottom row is accessories. That handsome weekender in the bottom right corner is for the guys!

If you love black as well, or want to inject a bit of color into NotCouture, feel free to share your finds with us!

Vitamin Living, i’ve been a huge fan of their product design for some time now, and the I.V. Self Watering Plant Pot made quite a splash across the internet especially when it launched. Freshly launched at 2008 100% Design London, they’ve expanded that piece to the Bio Logic Collection - “All the products provide smart ideas for plants and are here to make your life easier. I.V.27, the original I.V. plant pot, Tab A, Tab B and X-tray are all included within the range.” See the full collection and press release on the next page!

From the press release:

Debuting at 100% is I.V.27. This modern plant pot offers a smart and elegant solution to watering plants with the refillable I.V. bag, just like its larger counterpart. Attractive sweeping curves create an elegant and attractive product that doesn’t compromise on functionality.

Being 16cm high, it can accommodate varying heights and shapes of plants. With the sweeping entrance plenty of space is created to allow leaves and flowers to flourish, whilst also providing easy access to the pot. Like the full size I.V, the rate of water can be adjusted to suit the plant with the unique flow meter attachment. I.V.27 came to life after various requests from customers and retailers for a smaller version of the popular original planter. Any home or garden environment will be able to accommodate and nurture plants in this stylish white earthenware pot. The playful product of X-tray is a set of five ceramic pots that encourage people to get in touch with their green fingers. Growing plants is simple and we all know that home-grown herbs taste better and cost less. Whether you keep it in the garden or use it on a window sill, you can grow basil, mint, coriander and more. X-tray provides the basis of creating your own mini herb garden and having fresh herbs at your finger tips, giving a wonderful aroma to your kitchen. The modular nature of the five pots means that they can be positioned in a variety of ways including an “X”, “L”, “V” shape or in a straight line. The pots can also be used to grow small plants, flowers or wheatgrass. The various configurations mean that the pots will fit in corners, on window sills, alcoves, or as table centre pieces. Several sets of pots can be added together to create one great big green feature.

Tab A and Tab B are dual-function products. Tab A combines a vase with a small storage bowl and Tab B combines the bowl with a plant pot. The vase and plant pot sit on top of the bowl or can be used separately.

The bowl is ideal for use as an everyday place to store coins and keys out of sight. The bowl of Tab A and B can also function as an ashtray, providing a pleasant disguise both visually and aromatically for cigarette ash. This is perfect for parties and pub gardens.

I.V. is a self-watering plant pot that makes use of a medical drip feed. This unique characteristic allows the plant to be nourished with water and food as is required. The drip feed provides a striking design focus as well as acting as a reminder to its owner as to when it needs topping up. The drip feed also has a unique flow meter attachment which allows different settings, as some plants require more water than others. The product comes in both black and white.

The I.V Pot tapers out at the bottom making it look more integrated with the floor and therefore fits comfortably into its surrounding environment. The high quality lacquered fibreglass has a perfect gloss finish as well as being lightweight and robust.
Vitamin is known for its unique approach to design and offers a plant pot with a difference in the I.V. Producing a mixture of pure and contemporary designs with a novel and quirky angle, Vitamin’s high quality products lend themselves well to any stylish environment.
Vitamin director Chris Vernall says: “With products such as Tab A and Tab B and the drip-feed plant pot I.V. we have combined function without compromising on design. With urban consumers being so time poor these days, we wanted to give them products that would brighten up their homes and make their lives easier.”

I love it when you’re excited about an event, but then the physical invite comes… and its JUST as fun - to the point where you want to pop it into a frame even! I’ve been pretty giddy about the idea of DWR branching into smaller gift/products, which they are appropriately calling “Tools For Living”. The Santa Monica store is opening October 2nd ~ and i can’t wait for the opening! Also, i think we can all agree that this will probably be a hit for holiday shopping -

The DWR: Tools for Living store is adjacent to Santa Monica’s DWR Studio, on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and 4th Street, where Route 66 meets the ocean. Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade is one of Southern California’s most bustling districts, the ideal setting for DWR’s first cash-and-carry concept. You’ll find well-designed items for travel, work, kitchen, outdoor and more. Plus, with free, custom gift wrapping, DWR: Tool for Living is the area’s best bet for the ideal gift for anyone who is design obsessed. Robert Rodriguez runs the store with his friendly staff.

So more to come on the launch… but for now, check out the full invite design on the next page! Love the silhouettes - black and the one red on a nice hefty cardboard…

Rotofugi, the awesome toy store, has made an incredibly gorgeous little animation, The Collectors, which showcases some of our favorite toys animated and collecting… HUMANS! So awesome, totally made me smile. See it on the next page!

Curious how the magic happens? I have always been mesmerized watching master marker renderers and sketch artists at work… While visiting Toyota Calty Design Research, i had a chance to see Project Chief Designer, Ian Cartabiano, show us how it’s really done on a huge apple monitor and wacom tablet (he’s old school, and likes having the tablet while seeing the screen, versus those who love the Cintiqs).

So you can see one of my little home videos (one of these days with some combination of time, energy, extra pair of hands, etc i will make proper videos with real editing and maybe even music?) ~ giving you a quick skip through the presentation ~ from initial stages, to some highlights, to a flip back and forth between finished and initial sketches, and the crucial signature!

But honestly, if you want to learn how to sketch cars properly, you should probably go take Ian’s class at Art Center ~ after graduating Art Center, he got pulled right into Toyota and has been there for 11 years… while simultaneously teaching… keep an eye out for his latest exterior design, the 2009 Venza!

Update! Here’s a video from Toyota’s Youtube of Ian timelapse drawing the new 2009 Venza! (on PAPER!)

Also ~ Core77 has their post up with another angle on the same sketch demo!

Yesterday Toyota (for the first time) opened up it’s Calty Design Research doors to a tiny group of journalists (Core77, KCRW/NPR, Architect Magazine, Dwell, Inhabitat, DesignMom, Zaproot, and i was honored to be included in the group)… and as we all know, security and secrecy in the car industry is nearly impenetrable, with design secrets that manage to be kept under wraps for years before the public even gets wind of the concepts, it was an honor (and SO much fun) to get an inside look at Toyota’s studios and their work flow… AND to be able to share it with you!

So first off, my favorite part ~ really it brought out the kindergartner in all of us, get handed a tool, and a HUGE (yes, life size car sized) piece of clay, and are told to go to it. And then sat down at a bench with mini’s to carve away at your own car? Ok so perhaps that only slightly over simplifying it, but i’m sure you can imagine the delight of poking at clay… while assisted by some of the most talented car designer and modelers… who with a quick flip of their wrist and a few slashes with a pairing knife, off fly a few pieces of clay and you’re staring at the dream sportscar you never knew you wanted. Then you see what my unplanned mohawked/finned masterpiece turns out like after more effort and less finesse. Let’s just say we fully understand and were quickly humbled by how skilled these modelers and designer are…

So take a look inside the Toyota Calty Design Research modeling space on the next page, and our experience hands on with the clay!

Faced with this, what would you make? You have half an hour…

They even put our masterpieces into plastic boxes with little plaques…

Their toy car…

My toy car… sculpture was never really my specialty… =)

And for a quick view of a “real” work in progress, here are some nice press shots they provided us with!

On feeling too giddy not to share ~ i just popped down to the Montage Laguna Beach for the night thanks to Toyota (i can’t wait to tour Calty - their design studios in the morning and learn more about the new Toyota crossover car the 2009 Venza!) ~ and the views here were far too breathtaking not to share quickly. Also the bed and bathtub too ~ you know how i can’t resist posting quick hotel pics. Anyhow, if i get a bit quiet tonight/tomorrow you know where i am…

p.s.
Even just an hour here, i can’t stop staring out at the ocean ~ in contrast to paris, this is definitely confirming i’m far more of a calm, rolling oceans, beach kind of girl than a city girl.

p.p.s.
I’ve updated this post four times now ~ so images of bunnies, sunsets, and their insane mosaic pool at night… and 6am shots of moonlight peeking through the clouds… on the next page…

Craziest thing about this place ~ there are bunnies EVERYWHERE ~ and they don’t seem the least bit frightened of people… except for the kids that rush at them…

Couldn’t sleep, electricity kept going out and making weird noises… moonlight was just stunning this marine layer filled morning…

NOTCOT Note: I’ve been so curious about the Target Bodega’s popping up in NYC, thankfully, Anna was able to stop by and take a few pics to share with us!

I stopped by Target’s Bullseye Bodega in Union Square this weekend - one of their four pop-up stores in Manhattan (open for only four days, today being the last). The store design plays on the classic New York bodega and is filled with exclusive Target home, fashion and beauty products from the likes of DwellStudio, Converse One Star, and Michael Graves to name a few. Besides products already in Target stores, the bodegas offered a preview sale of four new lines that aren’t yet in stores - Sigerson Morrison, Anya Hindmarch, John Derian, and Jonathan Saunders.

I preferred the design and concept behind the stores to the products themselves, and have a bunch of pictures on the next page showcasing the fun graphics and bodega-like installations in the stores.

The exterior graphics were modeled after the traditional supermarket deal window signs and featured some of the designers.

Loved this display of “soup cans” featuring the designers in the store.

Lots of cosmetics goods, including Marcia Kilgore’s Soap & Glory and NP Set.

I loved the graphics of the fake shelves stocked with typical bodega products.

Converse One Stars.

There was a very cool display of bags in the drink refrigerator.

The check out counter at the bodega.

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come… and i am just freshly back in LA… already!

Here is part 3 of 3 of the Maison et Object SIMPLE micro-exhibitions. 1. Farmlife 2. Les Métropuritains 3. Slow Tech

“Slow tech > hall 3 Conception: François Bernard. Less speed for better living. François Bernard suggests taking a break in a dematerialized world. Soft, fluid technologies revisit naturalness and a simplified life philosophy. Style is also inspired by the industrial aesthetics of last century’s designer-engineers. Heavy, peaceful forms cultivate a solid, reassuring elegance. The house is taking on depth and weight, worlds away from the ready-to-discard.”

See the next page for a visual walk through of the exhibition!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come… and i am just freshly back in LA… already!

Here is part 2 of 3 of the Maison et Object SIMPLE micro-exhibitions. 1. Farmlife 2. Les Métropuritains 3. Slow Tech

“Les Métropuritains > hall 2 Conception: NellyRodi style agency. Get in line for eco-survival. The NellyRodi style agency reveals the Metropuritans’ new acts of resistance. Camouflaged in an apparently elegant starkness, these ecological urbanites proclaim a desire for asceticism and an almost military rigor. These militants of a healthy life ecology are activating utopias of survival and a frugality tinged with sensuality. A radically simple manifesto.”

See the images to walk you through the exhibition on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come… and i am just freshly back in LA… already!

Here is part 1 of 3 of the Maison et Object SIMPLE micro-exhibitions. 1. Farmlife 2. Les Métropuritains 3. Slow Tech

“Farmlife > hall 1 Conception: Elizabeth Leriche. Back to solid ground. Elizabeth Leriche is preparing the soil for a new agri-culture. The simple pleasures of rural life are reviving a belief in local produce and setting down roots. In a period of galloping urbanization, a rustic style is becoming deeply rooted. People are discovering the animal and organic beauty of the agricultural world. Objects with roots cultivate the appealing authenticity of raw materials and craftsmanship.”

See the images to walk you through the exhibition on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come… and i am just freshly back in LA… already!

Ok one post series i’ve been needing to catch up on, but somehow hadn’t had time to get through cleaning up the many pictures… Maison et Objet: Simple! Incredible micro-exhibition spread between three even tinier exhibition spaces which were placed at the front of 3 of the 6 massive Maison et Object halls in Paris. Really the concept is fabulous because there is absolutely no way to cover every single booth of every single hall in such a monstrous convention center and stay sane ~ what they did were pick three curator/designers, each given a theme (overall theme SIMPLE, micro themes: Farmlife, Les Métropuritains, Slow Tech) ~ and give them a space to design around the theme and showcase the best products from the show with in them. The results were three engaging and unique browsing experiences that you really have to see the images to get a feel for. in the next three posts i’ll give you a look at each of them!

Descriptions of them from the Maison site on the next page! And you can view the pictures here: 1. Farmlife 2. Les Métropuritains 3. Slow Tech

Here’s a NotCouture roundup covering the past couple of weeks. We’ve got more than usual for the guys (a row and a half!) including another pair of great looking shoes from my current favorite guy’s sneaker maker, Gram. And now that summer playtime is over, I guess the ladies have been feeling more feminine as there have been quite a few dresses popping up on NotCouture. As usual, we’d love for you to share your style with us! (I’m on the hunt for a great everyday black bag, and I could really use some help finding one!)

Penhaligon’s ~ i tried to tell myself i’d stick to French brands and stores while wandering around in my few days in Paris ~ but i couldn’t help myself when i wandered into Penhaligon’s, the legendary british perfumerie that dates back to the 1800s. I’ve been drawn to their fragrances at Fred Segal most recently, and vaguely remember loving a lavender body wash of theirs an ex had… but the store, packaging (love their tissue paper), layouts, and product designs were so gorgeous i was smitten - and had to share a few pics. So take a peek on the next page… even their tiles had me mesmerized…

I still have SO many things i want to share with you from the Paris trip, but strangely enough the jetlag has left me in a bit of a haze the last few days here in LA… so more catching up to come soon!

Here’s the description of Artemisia that you can tell i totally fell for! I’m not usually huge on scents, but there was something so simple yet complex about this one that evolved so nicely when it was on, and strangely just made me happy smelling it around…

Head Notes : Nectarine and Green Foliage
Heart Notes : Green Apple, Lily of the Valley, Jasmine Tea, Violet and Vanilla
Base Notes : Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber and Vanilla

Created in 2002. Artemisia is both floral and fruity with a beautifully sensual powdery drydown. The aromatic partner to Endymion. A modern classic, haunting and addictive.

Caramel soft, sweet, powdery and silky. A tumble of green apples and nectarines washed with jasmine tea and sprinkled with a luxurious medley of violet, cyclamen and lily petals. All this softly unfolds with great subtlety surrounded with layers of honeyed vanilla and warm spices. A touch of amber, a hint of musk.

Artemisia is a compulsive scent, a must have. Try it on, you just can’t help inhaling its sweetness, it goldenness, its lingering lightness.

Tetris Tiles!!! Thank you Tomas, who just emailed this in, and i’ve been giddy since first laying eyes on them… what game room, kitchen, bathroom, etc, can’t use some tetris tiling? Although of course, every row had better have some random hole, so the rows don’t disappear? And in imagining covering a wall or floor with these, i can’t help but wonder whether it really is better to buy the pre-made sheets, or to place each tile one by one, by simply reaching into a bucket randomly… sure it may take ages, but then every tile has a story, and perhaps some rationale behind its placement? They are custom made in the UK from the finest italian ceramics, and while they are already available in quite the range of colors, may also become available in any pantone color of your choice….

Ooooh can you imagine Tetris Tiles in your pool??? My head is spinning with ideas of where/how to use these, see more images on the next page!

Wow, can you believe it’s friday already? So here’s this week’s Liqurious Happy Hour to kick off your weekend! As you know, click the pics to find out more about each post!

Vitamin’s Urban Gnomes have expanded their family! From the adorably edgy gnomes, come new lines which include money boxes, bottle openers, salt and pepper shakers, and a kitchen timer! See some of the other designs on the next page as well ~

So far, NOTCOT has really been growing by pulling in my close friends ~ but over the last few years, we’ve had a lot of requests from people wanting to be our interns or joining us as a day job (which blows my mind, since this is still so much fun it’s often hard to think of it as a day job!). Anyhow, so many fun opportunities have been coming up, to the point where i have started to even turn some down (!!!) that i thought maybe this winter is the right time to try taking on some help. Some fun, design loving, energetically curious, internet savvy, shopaholic, kind of help! So if you’re interested, i wrote a letter to you on the next page… if not, keep browsing, flipping pages and what not…

And as for that “office” up there ~ well NOTCOT is run out of wherever dan and i happen to be ~ we’re all digital and very nomadic ~ although primarily LA based at the moment… so wherever you are, if you have the time, energy, and super fast internet connection, let’s chat! And that office, is a peek at the newly revamped Manerba Spa’ furnitures for ATM Milan that just showed up in my email, it felt very “work” like… and pretty much the complete opposite of what life with NOTCOT will probably be like!

p.s.
I’m totally new at bringing on outside help ~ but so often you readers begin to feel like family, so i’m curious to see… who’s curious to join! I promise i’ll try to get back to as many responses as possible, but due to my ever overflowing inbox, please forgive me if i can’t get back to everyone.

And we’re always looking for the *right* people, and really care about keeping them happy, inspired, and doing what they love! (Granted they help us do what it takes to keep things running smoothly!)

While in Paris i stumbled across a new store (new, as in there are 6 currently open around paris, and quite a few others in the process of opening around france), The Kooples. I suppose what struck me first was the black and white interiors, bright white lighting (apparently the designers were adamant about making sure the lighting didn’t interfere with the perception of the clothing colors), and the slightly american apparel feel with the candid photography - but with a far more… London rocker meets Saville Row with a Parisian twist? It’s hard to describe, you have to go see it ~ but the tailoring of every detail is impeccable, yet these perfect jackets and shirts had fun subtle yet hardcore skulls on metal buttons… and when unfortunately a jacket i loved didn’t have my size in the color i wanted, i couldn’t help myself and got a really fun necklace (pics on the next page). As for the branding, beyond the black, white, and photography ~ the packaging is nice too, see the bag on the next page! And like Acne, they even have a magazine/newspaper that is just starting off as well…

Their site describes it as: “The Kooples, c’est le retour du chic de rue, un état d’esprit Paris-Londres, une inclinaison musicale, la mode comme manifeste, et un vestiaire pour deux. Depuis cinq minutes ou depuis quinze ans, pour une nuit, pour un certain temps, c’est un mode de vie, un jeu.” The Kooples is the return of street chic, a Paris-London mindset, a musical inclination, fashion as a manifest, and a cloakroom for two. For five minutes or the last fifteen years, for one night, for some time, it is a way of life, a game.

ATYPYK! With their playfully edgy line of products that never cease to amuse, the french design duo of ATYPYK are just as fun in person! On booths i was totally giddy to see at Maison + Objet, this was high on the list, and they did not disappoint! Such a fun booth display, both designers dressed in strikingly blue suits, and exciting new products for fall… my favorite being the mustache pencils! For those of us who have commitment issues (or decision making issues) to tattooing our mustaches on our fingers… these are the perfect way to switch them up with each mood.

Also noteworthy ~ their placemat like stack of product catalog one sheets… everything new playfully collaged in black and white on one side, and the back has all the current products… really, it just screams to be colored on. So take a peek at the pics on the next page to get an overview of all the goodies!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come… and i am just freshly back in LA… already!

Xylophone Bin, 2008, by Dominic Wilcox - Made of Oak + Steel. Created for a VIPP Charity auction in NewYork to raise money for Chernobyl Children’s Project International and Foodbank NYC.

“When the pedal is pressed the lid opens, releasing a ball that travels down a ‘helterskelter’ set of xylophone steps around the bin. Each time the ball hits a step, a note is played. The xylophone steps are cut in increasing lengths so that the note gets deaper as the ball gets closer to the bottom.See the 2 videos below, The Xylophone Bin video and a ‘Making of’ video. As part of the auction event Vipp bins have been customised by artists, designers and celebrities including Bono, Michael Stipe and Helena Christensen. They are on show at the Conran shop East 59th st, 1st ave, New York from 4th - 17thSeptember 08. Auction will be held on the 18th september 08.”

See the videos on the next page!

I saw the Veuve Clicquot Globalights designed by Karim Rashid in their true light… honestly, seeing them in press photos and at the launch did not do the design justice… the juxtaposition of the sleek modern pink glow, with the ancient, history filled caves, give them an incredibly surreal context… they were absolutely stunning in the dark depths of the roman limestone caves that double as cellars underneath Reims for the delicious Veuve Clicquot… and as such, i couldn’t help taking photographs of its mesmerizing light, as it provided an incredible glow as our hand held lanterns as we toured the caves and learned about the process in the perfectly cool (same temp all year round!) space… looking at the pictures, i’m amazed how incredible the lighting turned out for what seemed so incredibly dark at the time… now if only we could PLAN some incredible photoshoot down there to make use of the space even more creatively (in addition to making champagne, of course!)… see the photo spread on the next page!

p.s.
unfortunately the only thing missing in these pictures is having an actual bottle IN the Globalight… ironically we were surrounded by bottles constantly though!

Also found at Maison et Objet - designed by Camilla Kropp for Design House Stockholm, this set of Pipette Oil & Vinegar Bottles calls to the mad scientist in all of us… regardless of whether we’re in the kitchen, in the lab, or simply in our heads. And who says these bottles can only be used for oil and vinegar, they work just as well for soy sauce, chili oil, sugar water…….. in fact seeing these gets me thinking, you could even use these in your lab…. or your labware in your kitchen? But unlikely its as gorgeously designed as this! Really what it comes down to is that there is no longer an excuse for imprecision! (Although i’m not clear on whether there are actual measurement marks on the pipettes.) See a close up on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come…

Wandering past the Alessi store on my block, i stopped and did a double take as i saw the Alessi Miniatures ~ particularly the “juicy salif” miniature citrus-squeezer by philippe starck for alessi from 1990… Honestly, of all of them, it seemed the most usable… can’t you just imagine using it to fresh squeeze some mini kumquat juice into a shot glass for some designer shots? While i’d heard about these, the images online (see next page) really don’t do them justice, it’s seeing it next to the original that makes it that much more fun! And at a mere 2” x 1.8” - h 4.5”, it could even make for an adorable christmas tree ornament!

On booths i always look forward to seeing, Normann Copenhagen was high on the list, they always have such beautiful displays ~ at ICFF they had more of a clean low black display… at Maison et Objet, they went for more of a rustic woody modern table look with their nice black walls and vibrant new pieces. Of the pieces launched, the one that grabbed me most in person was the Herb Stand designed by Jakob Heiberg, the quality feels incredible, and there’s something so nice about the balance achieved even when empty… that splash of green with the scissors handles doubling as a little pair of sprouting leaves is adorable, and could probably just as easily find a place on your desk, as you kitchen counter. See more images ~ as well as booth images on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come…

Design House Stockholm has been one of my favorite design companies for some time now, and i was absolutely giddy to meet the people as well as the full series of products in person finally! More to come on the booth itself, but there were a few stand out products they’ve added to their collection that deserve features of their owns! Here is the one product i fell in love with as soon as i started playing with it (consider this on my birthday wishlist!)…

The Barbara Carafe by Nina Jobs for Design House Stockholm ~ is a brilliant experience… the glass carafe comes with an option of Amythest, Black, Clear crystal balls, which has a subtly ground surface, so it won’t roll away… the crystal balls can serve as a top for the carafe, add more intrigue and/or a splash of color when hidden in the nest of a bubble in the base of the carafe, or as merely another playful tactile aspect to the carafe experience. And what could they possibly do to make such a gorgeous design better? Have it come in a gorgeous matte black gift box that sort of resembles a hat box… so when purchased you don’t even have to worry the unboxing experience! See more images of the Barbara Carafe by Nina Jobs for Design House Stockholm on the next page, including hands on pics from Maison et Objet.

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come…

Carafe Un Verre from Sentou by Claudio Colucci. First time seeing this gorgeous handblown carafe in person, it’s even nicer than i expected. Although designed in 2001, Sentou is apparently re-releasing the piece, and has improved the production of it. The design magically embodies the wine glass within the carafe, which creates an interesting visual depending on how you fill it and what you fill it with… if you’re careful, could be fun to fill the glass with one liquid, and the main with the other…. shake to mix before pouring? See more images, especially ones of it at Maison et Objet on the next page!

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come…

Available at MoMA

VIDEO (on the next page)! So i woke up bright and early this sunday morning and decided to wander around Paris, quickly realizing that stores weren’t really open today, i went hunting for outdoor markets once the rain stopped, and found myself wandering around St Germain for some time, crossing through Notre Dame… and as i turned, i heard tons of sqwaking, and followed the sounds… i ended up in the most bizarre and amazing little outdoor flower and bird market, which apparently also has ferrets, chipmunks, chinchillas, piles of hamsters, super fluffy bunnies, all kinds of beautiful little birds, and even a poor little yorkie decked out in more denim than most people…

See the video for the best feel of the craziness, and lots of pics on the next page!

Poor poor dog…

And this was actually from wandering in Le Marais the other day ~ a little bird that lived in a restaurant window (it was all screen on the other side from the lace to the ceiling)…

One of the first things that grabbed me wandering the vast halls of Maison et Objet Fall 2008 ~ Duo Design Holland’s Flicker oil lamp sticks, they are exquisite. So simple, so elegant, and such a perfect gift! The sticks can come alone in a minimal flat packed envelope of sorts (imagine like tall thin birthday candles), or they are available in a gift set. Essentially the design is much like a metal straw with a wick inside which soaks up the oil ~ but the effect is truly gorgeous, and would look so lovely on any desk/table setting! See more images on the next page…

Merci beaucoup, Veuve Clicquot ~ who loves design as much as we do, and brought me to Paris to cover Maison et Objet 2008! More design discoveries to come…

Muji’s Arm Massager - on totally random Parisian discoveries, ran around with Ami and Seth of Cool Hunting in Le Marais, and when hiding from the rain in Muji, found this silly arm massager that actually feels awesome, and looks… well it looks bizarre enough i had to pick it up when i saw it. And upon playing with it, couldn’t help but wonder if it would help all of us keyboard addicts to avoid some carpal tunnel issues or relieve some stress pains which may occur… fun idea for random stocking stuffers… More pics on the next page!

Liqurious Happy Hour time! You know the drill ~ click the pics to find out more about what people were loving this week…. In a bit of a haze right now, jetlag has been having me mentally all over the place!

On fascinating lore (surrounded by rumors and speculation) ~ in Notre Dame de Reims (where nearly all the kings of france have been crowned) in the stained glass windows of the south transcript… there are yellow labeled champagne bottles which we heard from someone who heard from someone that Veuve Clicquot played such a large role in the history of the region over the centuries that you even see it in the stained glass. Speculate as to whether its complete fabrication, conspiracies of the past, the first product placement, etc as you wish… i’m just showing you what we found in those windows, so you can join in on the fun too. See larger images of these wine making panels on the next page!

By the way, standing in such a large cathedral, late for the bus, trying to play the equivalent of ‘where’s waldo’ on a huge wall of stained glass is harder than expected…

And for those of you who want to see the process of wine making via these intricate stained glass panels up close… click the image below to view in high res… or as steady as i was able to take it (sorry for slight blur!)

So traveling Veuve Clicquot style is quite a trip, they started us out on the yacht, flew us around in the helicopter… and now here’s the most impressive car… Who knew a 1960’s yellow and purple Bentley S3 could be so appealing? I love fast cars, i love beautifully designed cars, and apparently i love the vintage woody not at all discreet Veuve Clicquot Yellow and Purple Bentley? I couldn’t resist taking two rides in it with Stephane Gerschel as we drove around Reims… and every time i sat fascinated not only by the tiniest details (from the jeweled fuel light to the insane speed of the windows to the amusement of seeing a GPS in a car of that vintage)… You have to check out the rest of the pics!

p.s.
You would never believe how hard it is to cull from the hundreds of pictures from each day to figure out what to post!

Here’s Stephane Gerschel again ~ making stepping out of this vintage boat of a Bentley look natural…

here’s bentley vision of the Cathedral of Reims… we went all the way to the very tip top of it… more on that to come though…

I’ve thought and rethought and dreamt about how to describe this trip, how to break up the posts, how to tell you about all of the incredible things that have happened in the last three days, and somehow it all comes across sounding quite possibly a bit gushy and cheesy. So, you know what? I’m just going to be completely honest with all of you, and even though i have about 1000+ pics of so many insane adventures and stories, here’s the plan: i’m going to work my way through them in images, sharing with you piece by piece, scattered with little stories as i remember them.

The official aspect of this Veuve Clicquot France trip has come to an end, and most of the other bloggers are headed back home, my new Veuve Clicquot family has been kind enough to put me up for 5 more nights so i can cover Paris Design this week at Maison & Objet. So about that family thing, i kid you not that it feels like we were all adopted by the Veuve Clicquot family, everyone from the president, to communications, to brand managers, to sommeliers, and more welcomed us with open arms, and were so kind (and insanely playful, passionate, and full of life) - it felt far more like hanging out with your long lost aunt than meeting with the president of multinational, centuries old, champagne powerhouse. Also, what’s more inspiring than constantly hearing the lore of Madame Clicquot, and in a one liner… a woman who was widows at 27, who manages to revolutionize the champagne industry through a multitude of innovations, and becomes the richest woman in europe in a time where women held few rights? (So, at 25, i guess i have a lot of work to do to catch up someday!)

Ok, but, moving along ~ HELICOPTER RIDE! I’d never been on a helicopter, and the crazy, secret loving itinerary planners of this trip worked in massive surprises for us everyday where even the drivers didn’t know what was up until we arrived. So imagine the looks on our faces when we pulled up to L’aerodrome Reims Prunay? And when we are whisked into “the rolls royce of helicopters” (leather seats, Bose headsets, etc), and soon peering over at the champagne region from bird’s eye view, watching all of the tiny people, vast vineyards, circling the mountain… then suddenly you see it. Madame Clicquot’s historic Boursault Castle. Mind. Blowing. Go see the rest of the images on the next page!

Here is Stephane Gerschel, Veuve Clicquot’s International Communication Director, and quite possibly one of the most vivacious and passionate people we spent quite a bit of time with throughout the trip.

Here is Brian Leavy from french blog Materialiste…

Over lunch at Madame Clicquot’s Country House, Andrea Crippa, Directeur Marketing & RP International for Veuve Clicquot, gave us a first look at a prototype of their latest design collaboration with Porsche Design which is said to launch in 2009.

Here is your first look at the Veuve Clicquot Ice Cube. “PRESS. CHILL. SHARE.” This is the ice bucket you want the next time you’re stuck in the middle of a desert with good friends and a bottle of champagne… While it looks like a mere ice bucket in the classic Veuve color at first… once you pop the top, you will find two specially designed champagne flutes and two buttons. Now the magic about this design is the technology ~ after 5 years of r&d ~ Veuve Clicquot has developed a system that will instantly cool a bottle of champagne in around 20 minutes, and keep it at the perfect chilled temp for 4 hours… The cooling core can be used twice (or for 8 hours in one go) - and after that you can use the bucket the old fashioned way by filling it with ice! It is currently unclear whether there may be options to buy refill cores to futher use the instant cooling system that draws heat out of the bottles and into a heating stone… perhaps they’ll even get creative and devise some other options to insert into this nice simple ice bucket. See the next page for pics of the prototype and packaging.

p.s.
How beautiful are these tiles? I needed a good excuse to share them, and they were such a nice contrast to the bright ice cube, i couldn’t resist being that girl that sat on the floor shooting pictures of a prototype while the others had coffee.

UPDATE!: The bathroom was so gorgeous and huge as well i’ve added pictures of that as well….

Ok, we’re going to jump out of order a bit, but i am far too excited by the gorgeously inspiring chateau Veuve Clicquot moved us to today… imagine waking up from a jetlagged nap and feeling like you fell into a time warp? Welcome to Chateau Les Crayeres in the heart of the Champagne of France… the grounds, decor, rooms, lounge, restaurant…. it’s all breath takingly stunning. Don’t believe me? You have to take a look at the rest of the pictures on the next page… wow. I’m sitting on that bed in the pic right now, and i can’t help staring off every few minutes discovering new details, from the paintings, to the wallpaper patterns, to how ornate the extra high ceilings are!

Basically for the ultimate escape, i can’t imagine a more surreal and beautiful space to relax and catch my breath in… and the whole “room” is probably three time the size of tiny SF apts i’ve ended up in…

p.s.
The pics on the next page of the circular bar areas with the petticoat like curtains are so sweet!

Here’s the view when you wake up (from a nap)…

Bathroom pictures!

And some fun view pics from standing on the bed…

NOTCOT Note: While i’m running around france learning about champagne at hyper speed, it’s hard to get much time or a good connection to work from… so good thing Anna has my back, and found this super awesome Band in My Pocket!

Yamaha has teamed up with au Design to create Band In My Pocket - a series of cellular phone prototypes that also function as musical instruments. Depending on the prototype you use, you can turn your phone into a brass instrument, drum sticks, piano, string instrument, etc. The au Design website is in Japanese, but be sure to check out the videos that showcase each design (click on the black box with the arrow beneath the diagrams). Also worth checking out are videos of Band In My Pocket in action over at Bola Sociology’s blog.

Check out the individual phones and their uses on the next page!

Band in my Pocket incorporates several different brass instruments such as trumpet, trombone and harmonica. You generate sounds with your voice, and control them with individual buttons.

Trio in your Hand has a mini turn table that allows you to create your own beats and scratches.

Box to Play is essentially four sides of a box with different musical interfaces, including a synthesizer and a mini turn table. I couldn’t tell from the video, but it might include a camera, as well. Can anyone who reads Japanese verify?

Sticks in the Air is a drum kit - pull the phone apart in the middle to separate the sticks and start drumming.

Key to Touch - I’m not sure I understand how this one functions as a phone as well, but you open it up to turn it into a keyboard.

Strings for Fingers - the phone’s keypad slides out to reveal a touch pad that creates synthesized string sounds, including guitar, violin and cello.

So, in the last post you had a chance to see the incredible boat and views and the Riva/Veuve Clicquot collaboration, but what did they serve us? Here is a walk through with pics of the menu to explain all of the deliciousness served… from the Crab tasting in gazpacho juice, to the Morels in asparagus cream and beef consomme with a lobster medalion, to Veal filet mignon with truffles, potatos mousseline with truffles and baby onions, served with a spicy juice, to the two desserts - wild strawberries in a small cookie with a red berry ice cream macaroon, and a hazelnut in a caramel and dacquoise ice cream……. to the cigars and cognac that finished off quite a spectacular culinary feast and quite the introduction to the playful leisure loving Veuve Clicquot lifestyle… So feast with your eyes on the next page!

I loved this chromed out remote doorbell of sorts that rang the kitchen to let them know when we were ready for the next course…

Click the following to view readable sizes… here is the full menu, as well as the champagne pairing descriptions!

Wow. I just landed in the absolutely breathtaking Chateau Les Creyeres in Reims… after a helicopter ride (my first!) over the champagne region… which was preceded by visiting the presses and the vineyards… and an incredible lunch at madame cliquot’s country house where the food was created (and inspired) by the champagnes with which they were paired… and learned about the “confusing sex” alternative to pesticides… getting a sneak peek at the latest porsche design collaboration on an “ice cube” to launch next year… tasted champagne vintages including one from my birth year… ok basically, TONS to share with you, and minimal internet connection… so everything is going to be a day or so off…

…but for now, i got some pictures up before i left the hotel this morning so here’s a peek at last nights adventure! Incredible boat ride up and down the seine for dinner last night - on the next page are images of the experience - including the absolutely gorgeous Riva boat collaborations with Veuve Clicquot in person, seeing the eiffel tower lit up blue with the stars of the EU while sparkling to mark france’s term as EU president, meeting Lia Riva and hearing stories of life in Monaco and her childhood of gorgeous boats, and ultimately this was the start of our getting to know the Veuve Clicquot family, and truly understand how rich the history of this brand is, and experience how passionate the individuals involved are in quality products, experiences, and DESIGN! Ultimately it’s becoming very clear that more than just a brand, Veuve Clicquot is a lifestyle, and the lifestyle they have created, is certainly one i’m sure we could all get used to!

So yesterday was a whirlwind day of hopping on air france in LA, finding myself in Paris, whisked from CDG to Le Faubourg Sofitel, and before i even get into meeting everyone - drinks with Christophe Pillet - meeting the veuve team - dining on a yacht up and down the Seine - and more… here’s what i first encountered upon arrival ~ breathtaking clouds, quite possibly the most comfortable bed i’ve ever lay in, gorgeous Veuve Clicquot gifts and notes awaiting on the desk, adorable awesome packaging for the Hermes soaps in the bathroom, and the Buddha Bar outside my window… take a peek at the photo series part one on the next page!

For now… its 7:30 am, and i have to run to meet everyone at 8, so more images as i find time/internet!

Written On The City has been collecting up imagery from around the world of textual street art ~ and the book is now here! This project is the brainchild of Axel Albin and Josh Kamler of Language In Common. Trying a new form of book review ~ scanned in a bunch of random pieces of pages i liked to give you a feel for things on the next page!

Also ~ the letter, business cards, stickers, etc were so fun, i scanned those for you to check out too! And the next time you see some great texty street art, snap a pic and send it over to Written On The City!

UPDATE: a winner has been chosen and emailed! Thank you for all of your entries!

Jimmyjane launches their new Form 6 massager and you can win it! Just leave an amusing comment as to why you need this $185 designer massager more than anyone else, and i’ll pick someone to send to the nice folks at jimmyjane once i have free time in Paris this week (hopping a flight at 3:30 today!).

This new Jimmyjane Form 6 massager is now completely waterproof, completely re-engineered with super subtle protruding buttons making the massager completely seamless/handle-less, and the gorgeous carrying case also acts as its storage/travel case and charger all in one! The original Form 6 picked up an IDEA award from BusinessWeed and the Industrial Designers Society of America, and honestly, i think this one far surpasses the original in design. So see a full unboxing and closeups of the details to this gorgeous new design on the next page, and don’t forget to leave a comment to WIN IT!

p.s.
Unexpected excerpt from the press release, “FORM 6 has been embraced as the gold standard by the sexual wellbeing market, where it is the product of choice for leading retailers and sex columnists. It has also been a crossover hit, performing as the best-selling premium handheld vibrating massager in top retailers for therapeutic massagers in the US, tripling their sales expectations.”