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…

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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?

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.”!

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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!

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[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!

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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!

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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!

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“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!

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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!

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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!