*NOTCOT in tech - 08.02.13 -

Ford Racing + 2014 Fiesta ST + Rallycross

fordRacing000.jpg This post is by our LA based, NOTlabs running, automotive loving, Shawn Sims! He just spent the day with Ford and came back with quite the grin on his face…

When Ford reached out to us and asked if we would be up for checking out the new Fiesta ST and their Ford Racing X Games rallycross team I did not expect to take a ride in the fastest machine I have ever been in. The first thing I noticed when I arrived were all the mechanics and support teams running around preping the cars, changing tires, pumping race fuel, and crawling under the cars. I immediately realized I was in for something intense. I signed all the necessary paperwork, grabbed my helmet, and tried to mentally prepare for the g-forces to come. This 600HP 4 wheel-drive race car is not the Fiesta show room model that you can walk in and test drive. It does 0-60mph in 1.9 seconds! It is a fully custom built championship winning car and behind the wheel was Toomas “Topi” Heikkinen, a Finnish rallycross champion, 3 times X games medalist, and arguably one of the most most aggressive rallycross drivers out there. I climb through the roll cage and one of the crew members hooks up my 4 point harness. We chat for a second before he asks me how hard he should drive and I instantly respond saying “full race speed!” Before I know it we are doing almost 100mph with a turn rapidly approaching and he is not slowing down at all. He flicks the wheel and we go sideways, back on the gas, another turn, hard braking just before we go sideways again around the hairpin. At this point my face is melting and my internal organs are moving all around. We are going through turns sideways and only inches from the barricade. The braking is just as impressive as the acceleration, giving you no relief from the g-forces. When it was over it took me a few seconds, but I realized that driving (or riding) like that is truly as amazing as I have always imagined. The human-machine connection I experienced on that track was sublime.

Check out videos and pictures of the adventure, cars, design details, and their tool boxes on the next page.

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*NOTCOT in food+drink -

Baladéo G-Series Ultralight Knives

baladeo0.jpg Wow. There is light, then there is “i can barely feel this in my hand” light… which the Baladéo G-Series Ultralight Knives feel like. They are ridiculously thin, ultra-light, and seem more like an elegant letter opener from afar. I was (and still am) surprised at how solid and comfortable it feels in your hand! They pride themselves on combining “an excellent grip and the pleasure of the perfect cut.” They can be opened with one hand, have a “liner lock” which you depress to fold the blade down, and some even have a belt clip. It truly is incredible the weights they come in ~ the lightest weighs in at 15g, then there’s 22g, 27g, 34g, and 37g. They are supposedly the “lightest pocket knives available on the market,” and when they launched in 2010 at the Outdoor Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany they received the Industry Award! (Now i’m so curious about heading to that show!) Honestly, though this was one of the earlier booths we visited at OR, it instantly had us lusting for one… take a look at the booth and knife details on the next page!

p.s. Did you know a US quarter coin weighs 5.67g? So the 22g knife weighs less than 4 quarters! I’m also amazed at how affordable it is!

p.p.s. See more of our Outdoor Retailer Show adventures here!

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 08.01.13 -

Epic Bar at OR

epic00.jpg EPIC Bar. The name is perfect, as these bars are truly EPIC. Gluten free, paleo friendly, grass fed protein bars that are impressively branded (from their packaging to graphics… sprinter van to bandanas… hats, matchboxes, booths and more!) Based out of Austin, TX, these bars went wild across the internet a few months back (we even had it on NOTCOT.org) and we’ve been meaning to order some to try, so when we ran into the EPIC Bar booth at OR, it was like its own little oasis tucked along the wall in one of the pavilions, and we had to taste them all.

I wasn’t sure what to expect out of a “protein bar” that was made of meat and packaged to resemble something like a clif bar wrapped like an artisanal chocolate bar… my head could never figure out what to expect, but it turns out it tastes more like something between a sausage/beef jerky/energy bar… think meaty with a little fruit mixed in. The flavors are Turkey/Almond/Cranberry, Bison/Bacon/Cranberry, and Beef/Habanero/Cranberry. They are all delicious, but i think my favorite is the Bison currently! I expected it to be tough to taste as good as the packaging, but it does, and it’s definitely worth trying ~ especially if you’re on a high protein, paleo, etc diet. They even had a 9 month shelf life, and each bar has one of those little “do not eat”moisture absorbing packet, so it’s perfect to stash as a snack in case of emergencies. Take a peek at the fun booth, design details, and more on the next page!

p.s. See more of our Outdoor Retailer Show adventures here!

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*NOTCOT in playful -

Ruffwear at OR

ruffwear0.jpg I turned a corner at OR and got giddy when i saw the awesome Ruffwear booth! They make the indestructible, waterproof/stinkproof Headwater collar with reflective waves that we’ve had on bucky as soon as he grew out of a tiny puppy sized neck… and as Bucky gets more adventure ready we’ve been curious about things to help protect him in all kinds of environments… and the awesome folks at Ruffwear caught us up on everything from booties and jackets (shells and fleece) to packs and travel food cases and more! Their attention to detail, from materials to hardware to packaging to patterns makes me swoon, and as you’ll see in the pics on the next page, a lot of the upcoming products are adopting new clasps that have been trending in bag design the last few years.

Take a peek at some of the new Fall/Winter 2013 products that are available now, as well as upcoming products, and their playful, woody booth on the next page!

p.s. See more of our Outdoor Retailer Show adventures here!

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*NOTCOT in wearable -

Butler Overboots for Kids

butler0.jpg Launching in September 2013, Butler Overboots are adorable, amazingly soft, pliable booties for kids that go right over their current shoes. In fact, grown up versions would probably be pretty fun even… Adorable branding and packaging (love that penguin logo!), made in the USA (in a military boot factory in TN!), and when i walked past their booth at OR, i had to touch them. While there currently isn’t much info on their website, you can get peeks into the progress at Facebook and Instagram. Whether puddle jumping, sloshing around in the snow, or just making a mess in the garden… these overboots look/feel incredible, and as soon as i started poking at them, i thought of my mom. These definitely fall under her “lucky you guys aren’t kids anymore” category of products that she would have surely bought us if they were around when my sister and i were little! Take a peek at the details, brochure, and more pics on the next page!

p.s. See more of our Outdoor Retailer Show adventures here!

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*NOTCOT in design -

Outdoor Retailer Show Summer ‘13

or0.jpg This has been the year of doing MORE new things! So yesterday, we hopped on a 7am flight to Salt Lake City for dinner… and running around the Outdoor Retailer Show as fast as possible! We were home by 11pm… and it was one of the BEST trips ever! Beyond the overwhelming amount of SUPs and accessories and fishing kayak rigs, there was so much inspiration ~ fun unexpected products to play with, beautiful booth designs, met some incredible folks, and have lots of fun stuff to share with you guys, but, as usual… so many pics, i don’t know where to start, so here’s a brain/camera dump to get a feel for what caught my eye on the next page!

p.s. See the features from our Outdoor Retailer Show adventures here!

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*NOTCOT in travel - 07.30.13 -

Inspiration: San Diego/SDCC13

sd0.jpg Catching up on pictures… here’s a peek at the Instagrammed inspiration from San Diego time. From Comic-con 2013 to the awesome signage at the Torrey Pines Glider Port… views from Mt. Soledad to tacos at Oscar’s… and fun art, toys, and portraits from the man behind Mr. Toast… see it all on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in tech - 07.25.13 -

2014 Toyota Tundra Adventures in PA

tundra0.jpg It’s been a crazy summer of trying new things, which has inevitably lead to more unexpected travel, surprise encounters, and non-stop summer inspiration. Well, adding to the list of firsts ~ Toyota just brought me out to Farmington, PA for the last two days to play with the new 2014 Tundra, which has meant: my first time shooting a shotgun (and getting a taste of “golf with a shotgun”) as well as my first time properly playing with trucks (towing large things and off-roading in lots of water!)… So fun, so exhausting, and while somethings are embargo’d till next week, i did get the ok to share the experiences and design details with you now! It is definitely more angular and more aggressive visually… and designed right in socal at Calty!

So, take a peek on the next page to see my adventures at the bizarrely epic Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (which has everything from shooting, fly fishing, golf, spa, LIONS, airstrip, casino, classic car collection, ziplines, dog sledding, and so much more…) to our quick visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kentuck Knob, to off-roading and exploring with the new 2014 Tundra, as well as a few of my favorite details!

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*NOTCOT in playful - 07.17.13 -

Coarse Omen Blink Hoot + Hush Owls

omen0.jpg First stop at SDCC this year ~ the Squibbles Ink + Rotofugi Booth ~ which as soon as preview night opened, had quite the line for coarse Omen Blink Hoot + Hush Owls (as well as Ferg’s Playge Misfortune Cat)… and the packaging and owls are ADORABLE! These 3.5” little owls (limited edition of 800 each) have the following story - “After the last rays of the sun dip behind the forest’s edge, two pairs of eyes burst open. Hoot and Hush warily stand together keeping watch over a nest of unhatched eggs. Gazing up into the night, they wait in silence until the voice of the Void breaks through the darkness and orders them where to go.” Take a peek at all the packaging and toy details on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 07.11.13 -

Bompas & Parr’s Tutti Frutti Book Launch

maintutti.jpg Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw.

An evening of fruit salad and jelly, taken in through kaleidoscopic glasses and hosted in a masonic temple, within a hotel, in the heart of the City of London. The festivities were all to celebrate the launch of Bompas & Parr’s latest book, Tutti Frutti with Bompas and Parr and friends! A self-published, collaborative piece, the new book features architectural pineapples, the spaces of banana control, how blue became the international colour for raspberries and a luxurious host of fruity recipes from a host of characters including Sam Jacob of FAT, Alexis Gauthier, Martin Parr, Justin Piers Gellatly of St John, Joana Vasconcelos, Inventory Studio and more. More photos of the celebration of fruit and jelly on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in home+decor - 07.06.13 -

Fermob 1900 Hanging Armchair

hangchair0.jpg On a fun combination of swings and iconic chairs… here’s the Fermob 1900 Hanging Armchair! A part of their classic french bistro/outdoor furniture collections, it’s a playful, unexpected twist. Also awesome, is the video tour inside their factory ~ it’s hard to miss how happy their workers seem, as well as how optimized their system is… check it all out on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 07.02.13 -

Torres Sangre de Toro Toy Bulls

toro0.jpg Happy Meals come with toys… kid’s cereal comes with toys… but this is the first WINE i’ve seen that comes with fun toys! While in Sitka, AK at Ludvig’s Bistro, we had Torres’ Sangre de Toro and it came with a little plastic bull toy adorned on the side! It got even more interesting when the second bottle arrived, and the bulls were different! Then the waitress gave us a third from their house bottle, and it was different too! On the back of each bull is a number, and so far, we’ve seen them go up to 7, but who knows how many there are? Can you line them all up on a disc and spin them to animate a running bull? Also, out of curiosity i picked up another bottle at Bevmo when home, and between that and quick internet searches, it looks like the bulls and the ways they are attached evolve regularly. Take a peek at the bulls and packaging shifts up close on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in playful - 07.01.13 -

RMJ Tactical Loggerhead Tomahawk

rmj0.jpg Fun surprise of the day ~ package from RMJ Tactical arrived with a Loggerhead Tomahawk! Beyond being just a tomahawk, there’s a skull crusher on the base that unscrews to give you access to the sharpening stone (which you could also probably use to hide other things)… Also the warning it comes with is pretty epic and a funny read! Their cautionary tales are no joke. When shawn did his research, these guys are the best of the best when it comes to design, quality, and functionality. This present was ordered 7 months ago, but was worth the wait. Made in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this father and son team have been making tomahawks for over 24 years, and have a nice balance between incorporating the designs of historical reproductions and utility/camping axes with the modern needs of a tactical tomahawk user. (A good thorough read on their “Our Tomahawks” section.)

I especially appreciate their design philosophy. From their FAQ - “It takes more than an aggressive look or a gray and black finish to make a tomahawk a tactical tomahawk.” So true… also, “A tactical tomahawk should be easy to use and carry. A well-designed tomahawk feels like a natural extension of the arm. The use of it should be intuitive. It is interesting to note that people throughout history have been naturally inclined to “hack” with a bladed object. As for the tomahawk scabbard, it should securely hold the tomahawk in place while making it easy to draw the tomahawk out. Also, the modern scabbard should have multiple carrying options. Finally, the modern tactical tomahawk should be able to perform as an efficient tool and weapon for the many tasks soldiers and officers encounter. We are proud to make tomahawks that meet these requirements. It is not by chance; it comes from many hundreds of hours of design time, customer input, customer requests, and testing, testing, testing.” Take a look at all the details and unboxing on the next page (as well as making of and demo videos!)…

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*NOTCOT in travel - 06.30.13 -

Inspiration: Sitka, Alaska

sitka0.jpg On amazing experiences ~ the opportunity randomly came up to spend the last week in Sitka, Alaska salmon fishing, and we had to go! My dad has been going annually with the incredible Angling Unlimited folks for over a decade now, so Shawn and I were thrilled to finally get to join in the fun. Beyond the excitement of finally going to Alaska ~ we were lucky enough to have incredibly beautiful weather, calm seas, and great fishing, and even see many humpback whales, puffins, otters, deer, bald eagles, albatrosses, giant slugs, and so much more! When it happened to drizzle/rain on us ever so slightly, the perfect semi-circle of a rainbow came out. Beyond the wildlife and fantastic fishing ~ we also got to know the adorable island town of Sitka, visiting local bars, the totem park, raptor center, the airports infamous pie spot - Nugget Restaurant, the only brewery on Baranof Island and more… only thing we didn’t make it over to which we’ve shown you before on NOTCOT was the Fortress of the Bear! The sunsets were breathtaking every day too… Take a peek at all the inspiration and randomness we discovered on the last week’s adventure in Sitka, Alaska on the next page!

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*NOTCOT in food+drink - 06.27.13 -

Gilbert’s Gin Garden

gilbert-scott-6282.jpg Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw!

Last night we enjoyed the launch of The Gilbert Scott’s new Gin Garden created in collaboration with Hendrick’s Gin. A garden under the arches at George Gilbert Scott’s stunning Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras Station, the space was filled with playful touches including a bathtub bench and Hendrick’s phonebooth/bar. More photos of the new Gin Garden and stunning architecture on the next page.

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