If It's Hip, It's Here

Play, Learn and Laugh: The Fake For Real Memory Game

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

This fun boxed game is based on the same simple premise as other 'memory' games, only it's a clever, well-executed version for the 18+ crowd. Lie the 60 included cards out face down and flip them over two at a time in hopes of matching the pair. If the cards do not match, place them back down and continue until you've matched the pairs. Only in this case, the 30 pairs contrasts one 'real' photo and one 'fake' photo.

What do I mean by a clever, well-executed version? Take a look at some of the FAKE/REAL 'pairs' from the game:

designer: Hendrik-Jan Grievink.
About the editor: Koert van Mensvoort is a philosopher, scientist, researcher and artist. He is an assistent Professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands and co-director of the All-Media foundation, an organisation that researches and visualizes current cultural issues. Among his works are the Datafountain, the TV documentary The Woods smell of Shampoo and the Fake for Real memory game.

Buy the Fake for Real Memory Game here

Other equally creative and well-executed memory games from the same publishers, BIS Publishers, are Twins, Visual Power, Amsterdam and soon to be released...Typefaces!

Buy the Twins Memory Game Here

Buy The Visual Power Memory Game Here

And the Typefaces Memory game is to be released this coming November.

Buy the Fake for Real Memory Game here

Like His Clothes, James Perse Furniture Is Cool, Comfy And Californian.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

James Perse, a native Californian whose father is the man behind the enduring celeb-chic Los Angeles boutique, Maxfield, began his own fashion career designing T-shirts. His understanding of the blend of luxe and casual has made him into one of today's hottest clothing designers for men and women. He launched his first retail store in 2003 and has now has over 12 boutiques nationwide.

above: designer James Perse

What I didn't know is that he now has a furniture collection that looks as cozy and comfy as his clothes. The collection consists of 4 different lines- all blending that 'California Casual' look and feel with clean and elegant styling.

The text describing each collection below is taken directly from their site and the images are courtesy of James Perse.

above: the flagship store in Malibu, CA.

The James Perse Furniture collection is a seamless extension of the brand. It embodies the same philosophy as the clothing; classic, simple, and timeless, the essence of a casual way of living. The furniture appeals to a broad cross-section of homes from traditional to modern. The collection is not limited to only the indoors as it also extends to outdoor environments. Currently, four collections define the James Perse Furniture Line.

Malibu Collection

- Classic outdoor pieces that have been updated and refined. Included in the collection are the Director's chair, Colony Chair, Chaise and side tables. All of these pieces are made of top quality Teak, grown in an environmentally safe and friendly farm, and are upholstered with Sunbrella fabrics ensuring they're sustainable for lasting outdoor use.

Los Angeles Collection

- Inspired from true craftsmanship, this collection has a rustic feel while maintaining clean lines. These pieces are available in Yellow Balau for the outdoors and Rough Sawn White Oak for the indoors.

Nor Cal Collection

- These upholstered pieces embody the refined yet relaxed feeling of the James Perse aesthetic; modern yet timeless. Fabrics are a cotton and linen blend, made of fine Belgium linens and Italian basket weave. These pieces express a casual lived in and laundered look.

Brentwood Collection

- Includes a dining room table, desk and console. Different dimensions are available for a custom fit. The collection is sleek and sophisticated lending itself to limitless décors. It is classic yet mixes well with casual environments.

Cost? I don't know but given that a white men's cotton V-neck by James Perse retails for $50.00, I'm guessing the furniture is pretty pricey.

above: Short Sleeve V-Neck Tee by James Perse, $50.00
100% Cotton. Lightweight jersey v-neck., Style: MLJ3143

The James Perse Furniture Collection is made in the USA and is sold exclusively at James Perse Boutiques. For more information, please contact a boutique near you.

Also worth noting is his limited edition Custom Built Beach Style Cruiser, also cool and Californian. And available in 4 colors; matte back, khaki green, dark orange and antique white:

Features include: Hydroform steel frame, billet aluminum stem, hand-aged leather seat and grips, triple-clamp fork, extra large aluminum sprocket, extra wide 2" rims and 2.125" tires, 1 speed coaster brake hub and a limited edition serial number tag. Available exclusively at James Perse boutiques.

May The Force Help Us Find A Cure For Breast Cancer

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:25:00 +0000

While scanning through this years' Comic-Con exclusives, I came across this wonderful find.

A PINK Darth Vader bust created by Gentle Giant Studios, with permission from Lucasfilms, with 10% of each sale going to the Susan G.Komen organization in an effort to find a cure for breast cancer! Looks like Darth is leaving the Dark Side for a worthy cause.

The Pink Darth Vader bust, shown above, is limited to a production of 1,644, stands 8" tall and will ONLY be available at SDCC.

For every pink Darth Vader helmet sold from July 1 - July 26, 2009, Gentle Giant Ltd. will donate 10% of the retail sales price to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® with a minimum guaranteed donation of $5,000, in support of Komen's promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. This donation will go towards research as well as education in hopes that a cure can be found.

This item is currently available for pre-order and pick up in person with valid ID, only at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2009. In other words, if you're not going to Comic-Con July 23-26, you cannot order it. If you have any questions please contact customer service @ 818.504.3555 for assistance

For more information, or to find out more ways to help go to: www.komen.org

Audi Design Strikes A Chord With A Bosendorfer Concert Grand Piano

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

In the past, I wrote about the unusual and amazing pianos of Schimmel and Bosendorfer.

Now, Bosendorfer and Audi Design have collaborated to bring us a modern sleek and beautiful Concert Grand (this is not the first time the Austrian company has worked with a car design studio, they also teamed up with Porsche Design a few years ago). At a price of approximately 100,000 euros, ($139,027.90 USD), the piano will be unveiled July 16th at the celebration of Audi's centenary.

from the press release:

The Audi Design Studio team in Munich decided to tackle the task of housing a concert grand piano in an Audi "outer skin".

The question was: where to start? How could Audi’s design philosophy be interpreted for a grand piano – an instrument with a closely defined form and function? An active process began, during which the designers came up with a surprising number of design approaches.

The team from Design naturally cooperated closely with the specialists at Bösendorfer, since Audi itself is clearly not in a position to build grand pianos.

Bösendorfer, on the other hand, has stood for excellent quality and correspondingly good acoustics since 1828. For Audi, the top priority was not to exert any adverse influence on the instrument's sound.

In the end, the Audi designers walked this tightrope with success. Although various elements directly associated with the case of the piano were modified, the acoustics were unaffected. But the Audi Design grand piano is certainly "different", even at first glance. "Generous surface areas ensure formal clarity; there are no decorative applications, the edges and lines are sharply drawn, the joints logically positioned. All these are important aspects of the Audi design," says Designer Philip Schlesinger, who implemented the project at the Concept Design Studio in Munich. One of the most striking features is the lid, which extends without a break down to the base – an Audi innovation that yields a large, one-piece surface.

See for yourself:

From above, the lid is seen to be recessed into the main case. In the side view, the elegant curve of the treble side is not interrupted by a joint line. The underside of the case is allowed to rise moderately at the rear, away from the performer. This is an optical device: "It draws the observer's attention subtly to the pianist," Schlesinger explains. To reduce the sense of weight on the treble side, a slim aluminium-look leg is used. The same simple style with its hint of the technical world is applied to the pedal lyre.

The keyboard has no wings at the ends. In the same spirit of purist design, the designers have concealed the hinges in the lid above the keyboard. The lid itself can be opened at an unobtrusively integrated handle.

Another Audi idea is to be found directly beneath the keyboard – one that does away with the risk of bruised or scratched knees: "The lower front edge of the keyboard housing and the beam used to make it more rigid have been rounded off. This new outline is distinctly better from an ergonomic point of view: it protects the pianist's knees," says Schlesinger.

When the main lid has been raised and secured with the two-position metal prop, the interior catches the eye immediately.

Whereas the classic piano black finish predominates on the outside, the designers have chosen typical Audi colours for the interior. The cast frame is in grey instead of the usual bronze colour, and the felt damper strips in natural white instead of wine red.

The Audi Design signet has been greatly reduced in emphasis to harmonize with the instrument's overall appearance: it appears on the right front edge of the keyboard lid as a precisely formed, polished stainless steel inlay. As on all pianos from this Vienna manufacturer, the Bösendorfer name is displayed above the center of the keyboard.

The decision to design an Audi concert grand piano is a logical consequence of many years of cultural involvement by the brand with the four-ring emblem. This includes the high-quality jazz meetings at the Audi Forum in Ingolstadt where the Audi Design grand piano will in future be seen and heard.

The Audi Design grand piano will have its world premiere at a major ceremony held on July 16, 2009 in the Audi Forum Ingolstadt to celebrate Audi's centenary. The new instrument can be ordered via the Internet at audi@bosendorfer.com.

All images courtesy of Audi Design.

See more amazing pianos here.

1 Cup Sugar, 2 Cups Talent. Bake To Perfection. The Threadcakes Contest.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

above top: Darkside of The Garden T-shirt at Threadless; bottom: A cake baked on the design

Everyone likes t-shirts. And cake. So what a great idea it was for Chris Cardinal to start Threadcakes in 2007, an online cake competition in conjunction with the user generated design t-shirt site, Threadless.com.

The contest turns art into edible art. The premise is straightforward, interpret (not replicate, per se) the image on any of the PRINTED t-shirts at Threadless into an actual baked and edible cake.

No contest was run in 2008, but they've brought it back with a vengeance this year. The contest began on June 15th and runs through August 3rd. It's not too late to enter. You can read more about the competition and the rules here.

The contest has two categories, 2D and 3D and there are already many drool-worthy entries into each. The contest runs for a few more weeks, so you cake bakers still have plenty of time to give it a try.

There are already so many incredible and impressive cakes entered, it was very hard to narrow it down to just a few to inspire you (or to light a flambé under your butt). But here are some incredible entries side by side with the t-shirt art that inspired the cakes.

T-shirt Art on the left, Cakes on the right:
(please click on the images to enlarge)

above: Children Under The Bed (3D) by Jessi Wilbanks

above: Catburger (3D) by Jessica Dell

above: A Banana Slipping on a Banana Peel (3D) by burton wills

above: Beauty before Death (3D) by Monique Presley

above: The Apple (3D) by Judy Steiner

above: Water, Just Water (3D) by Catherine Hofler

above: She Doesnt Even Realize (3D) by Nicole Jeans

above: True Love Will Find You In The End (2D) by Katie Eickhoff

above: Long Journey (3D) by Midori Sickel

above: Invasion (2D) by Amanda Noll

To learn more or to view all the entries thus far, go here.

Visit Threadless T-shirts here.

The MJ Memorial Photos You Really Want To See: The Coffin, The Brochure, The Kids, The Hearse & More

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:39:00 +0000

It's over. The funeral and the memorial service for the King Of The Pop have occurred and the Jackson family is now having their own private luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

It was beautiful, moving, well coordinated and produced. Wonderful performances and eloquent speeches echoed the sentiments of most of the world. Somber but still warm and loving, it was a respectable and fitting tribute.

You'll be able to see broadcasts and videos of Mariah, Trey, Usher, Smokey, Stevie, Lionel, John Mayer and the other performers and speakers, along with his daughter's heartbreaking comments, played over and over again online, on youtube, on tv, etc.

But let's face it, what you really want to see is that coffin, his kids, the brochure and other little incidentals. I've got those here for you, thanks to the AP and Getty images.

Please click on all the images below to enlarge.

The Tickets:

The Memorial Brochure Cover:

the back of the memorial brochure:

A somber Joe Jackson leaves his Encino home, heading for Forest Lawn Cemetery early this morning:

The Motorcade consisted of black Cadillac Escalades, black Ford Explorers and black Rolls Royces:

The Hearse:

The motorcade leaving Forest Lawn cemetery on their way to the Staples Center:

and on the freeway:

A good look at that gold-plated Casket (Coffin):

above and below: The Promethean velvet-lined model by the Batesville Casket Company. Supposedly, Michael Jackson ordered it for himself, after seeing that James Brown was buried in the same years ago. It's a $25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold-plated, custom casket.

The pallbearers each wore a single white glove:

above: His brothers each wore one white sequined glove. From left: Randy, Tito, Marlon, Jackie and Jermaine

above: a tender moment as brother Jermaine tosses a rose onto Michael's casket while singing "smile".

The Children; Paris, Prince and Blanket:

above: Michael Jackson's children, Paris Michael Katherine, Prince Michael II (aka Blanket) and Michael Joseph Jr. (aka Prince Michael) .

above: Janet (L) and La Toya (R) with Prince Michael Jackson II (Blanket) and Paris Jackson

above: the heartbreaking and unexpected speech from Paris Jackson

How skinny Al Sharpton is now (nice eulogy, by the way):

Yes, it's true, Corey Feldman donned his "Michael Jackson" costume:

above: A Michael Jackson mural with fan's signatures stands in front of the Staples Center.

above: A Michael Jackson impersonator poses outside at the public memorial service at the Staples Center.

See a video of the memorial in its entirety here.

More Michael Jackson Links:

• A gallery of the best, the worst and the weirdest artwork inspired by Michael, go here.

• His auction items from Neverland Ranch, go here

• See what items of Michael's, Marilyn's and Elvis' got the highest auction bids here.

• Buy Michael Jackson CDs and books here on Amazon

Nina Levy's Family Portraits Make Yours Look Less Frightening.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

above: family resemblance, 30" x 24" EDITION OF 6 + A.P.

Artist Nina Levy has been living and working in Williamsburg, Brooklyn since 1996. A prolific photographer and sculptor, her work has been widely exhibited across the United States, including The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. where her life sized portraits of four artists' heads hung as part of the gallery reopening in 2007 (shown below):

above: a view of the installation in the National Portrait Gallery in the Smithsonian, 2007

above: life-sized self-portrait sculpture Spectator, 2002 (also used in the 2007 National Portrait Gallery installation)

An artist who has long worked with body parts made of oil-painted resin, gypsum or clay, fiberglass, cast polyurethane and other materials for over a decade to create large outdoor sculptures, indoor installations, portrait heads, and self-portraits in many forms, created her own series of family portraits or 'family resemblance' from 2006-2008.

above: Woman with huge fist (self-portrait) 2008

She has a very impressive education, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Yale with a B.A. in English and Art in 1989 and she received a Masters in Fine Arts from The University of Chicago in 1993. She's also the mother of two young boys, whom are frequently the subjects of her recent photographs. But these aren't the kind of family photos you're used to seeing embellishing hallways and mantels.

To say that her portraits of herself and her family, consisting largely of her two sons, Archer, now 6 and Ansel, now 2, are bizarre is an understatement. Creepy and disturbing may be more appropriate descriptors for some viewers.

above: Nina's older son Archer with giant prosthetic baby head,2007

above: Nina's youngest son Ansel with giant prosthetic baby head, 2007

What's respectable, and certainly unexpected nowadays, is that there is no digital manipulation involved in her photographs. She actually sculpts the enlarged body parts or prostheses and then juxtaposes them with her subjects, so that the size relationships you see are actual real physical representations.

Babies eating babies, children cradling what look like lifeless bodies and small-framed, vulnerable boys sporting hulk-like hands and steroidal limbs are the subjects of some of her these recent photos. Here's a look at much of her family portraits and family resemblance photographs, 2006-2008:

Nina explains: "I have been interested in using fragmentation and shifts in scale to explore both discomfort with the human body and with other people"

"I started to make photographs, mostly featuring myself interacting with a series of sculptural props and prosthetics that I modeled and fabricated from clay or plaster and cast in resin," she says.

I am now the mother of two small boys, and the primary subject of my work has become my own dysfunctional parenting and the often overwhelming intensity of small children"

"Ansel, however, boycotted my last photo shoot," says Nina, "and is under-represented... but thanks to the promise of a highly desirable set of action figures, Archer was willing to assist me"

"The photographs were, and still remain, very low tech - there is no digital manipulation," says Nina. "All of the objects and people in the images exist exactly as they appear."

Special thanks to the UK's Telegraph for the quotes from the interview with Nina.

HER PORTRAIT COMMISSIONS:

Her commissioned portrait heads are available cast in resin, ultracal or gypsum painted with oils and in more traditional treatments and materials (bronze, plaster, cement). Please contact Nina Levy for more information.

See her website here.
To check out her work prior to 2002, go here.
all photos: NINA LEVY/REX FEATURES

Bonzini Scores With Their Fabulous Football Tables!

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:00:00 +0000

Bonzini of France has been manufacturing football tables (also known as foosball) for over 80 years now. They carry many sizes, many styles and make custom versions as well. Ornate, modern, branded, animal print, all wood... if you're a foosball fan, you'll find the football table for yourself here. Check out these tables...

American (Monument Valley):

New York (in white or black):

Tiger:

Zebra:

Rocaille:

Arabesque:

Funboard:

Ocean:

In addition to the fun colored and graphic tables, they also carry these:

White Lacquer:

Black Lacquer:

Grey lacquer with transparent legs:

Red Lacquer with grey legs:

Various woods

The Standard:

The Rustique:

The Ceruse:

Special sizes

the Demi-Giant (or mini-giant):

The Giant:

and extra small ones for small spaces:

Special editions

with drawers for storage , making it double as a functional piece of furniture. With either 2 drawers or 12:

And they make an edition that accommodates the handicapped:

Customized editions

They will even customize the football players:

Company History:

Since the company's foundation in 1927, Bonzini has been active in the leisure industry. Initially, its core businesses were precision engineering and furniture manufacturing. From the 1930s onwards, this expertise was channeled into the leisure industry.

It was in the early 1950s that Bonzini developed its range of football tables, bringing out the B53 model from its Bagnolet workshops in 1952. The first B60 came out in 1959; its styling and the use of what were then modern materials were to break new ground in the bar games sector.

•Over 115,000 B60 tables and 40,000 B90s have been manufactured and sold in nearly 60 countries to date.

•Today, Bonzini football tables are a recognised feature in such varied areas as the bar and leisure industry with the B60 model, community facilities, the home market and the communications sector, especially with the B90.

above: The B90 and the B60

•In the 4400 sq. m of buildings at their Bagnolet facility, they manufacture close to 5000 football tables a year, all models combined, for homes, community groups and public venues.

•Bonzini football tables account for 85% of the commercial tables equipping bars and hotels across France. We export over 30% of our output to more than 60 countries on every continent.

The factory now:

Another collection worth noting is Teckell, who makes high end clear and even 'green' football tables:

See the Teckell tables here.

Pit Bull Urban Wear by Dirtty Bones.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Due to much controversy and some very upset dog-lovers, this post has been removed. I sincerely regret the distress this post inadvertently caused.
Forgive me,
Laura

Make That iPhone 3G and 3GS Even Better

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

If you're looking for a good looking and protective case for your new iPhone, you don't have to look any further than Ultra Case. Whatever look, feel or color you are into, they have it -and at an affordable price.

High-tech, neon, leather, reptilian, disco, preppy, traditional, striped, animal print, glitzy, and more. And they are affordable, ranging from 19.99 to $34.99

Each of their styles is available in various colors, shown in in alphabetical order:

They ship world-wide, offer free shipping, take Paypal and offer wholesale sales as well.
Buy them here.

None of those ring your bell? Then choose from
over 100 various iPhone cases from Amazon here.

Happy 4th Of July! A Patriotic Promotion From DWR

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:10:00 +0000

To remind potential buyers of their holiday promotion (free shipping through July 4th) Design Within Reach e-mailed out this patriotic email to their customers and subscribers that features the American flag made up of modern chairs. This is the second year in a row they've created their 'modern' version of Old Glory.

This year, 2009, they used the Eames shell chair with Eiffel tower base, the Bubble Club outdoor chair and the Bantam Armchair to make up the flag:

The three chairs used in the above art are all available for purchase from DWR:

above: Eames® Molded Plastic Side Chair, available here.
above: Bubble Club Armchair by Philipe Starck, available here.
above: the Bantam Armchair, available here.

Last year's version (2008) featured the Panton chair in blue, the Arne Jacobsen Swan chair in red and the molded Eames Chair in white:

And once again, the chairs from the 2008 DWR flag are all available for purchase:

above: Eames® Molded Plastic Side Chair, available here.
above: Panton chair, available here
above: Arne Jacobsen Swan Chair, available here

I just love them and thought they'd be the perfect way to wish you all a happy Fourth of July!

Shop Design Within Reach and take advantage of their free shipping offer through July 4th now.

Accidental Drug Overdoses Equal High Auction Prices

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

It's all in the timing, as they say.

Julien's Auction House of Beverly Hills just held their 'summer sale' on Friday June 26 and Saturday, June 27, 2009 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Given that the auction sale was hot on the heels of the news of MJ's passing, it's no surprise that the King of Pop's items went for some serious coin.

Michael's death, now suspected but not confirmed of being the result of a fatal mix of prescription drugs, has reinvigorated interest in two other Hollywood legends whose untimely passings were also caused by accidental prescription drug overdoses; Elvis and Marilyn.

Not surprisingly, the highlights (which means the items that went for the most money) went to these three deceased Hollywood legends. Clearly, premature death is a good thing for auction houses.

The most paid for item in the auction was Marilyn Monroe's short white terry cloth hooded bathrobe she wore during a beach photo shoot with photographer George Barris. Supposedly, it was the last item she ever wore and that garnered the highest winning bid at $120,000.00 USD.

above: Marilyn sporting the bathrobe that fetched $120,000.00

The Julien’s 2009 Summer Sale included over 900 unique items from legendary Hollywood celebrities and productions – with approximately 150 items from the personal and professional life of Marilyn Monroe and items from the collection of Elvis’ personal physician Dr. George Nichopoulos. Also offered for sale were a collection of never before auctioned wardrobe books and test photographs from early MGM productions and items from the estate of Ann Miller.

Below are the images of the top selling items from the auction catalog for Michael, Elvis and Marilyn, along with the final selling prices.

MICHAEL JACKSON ITEMS

The 4 items of Michael Jackson's that fetched the highest prices:

above: Michael Jackson's Victory Tour Costume Shirt sold for $52,500.00

above: a signed Jackson Five record album went for $34,560.00

Michael Jackson's own original drawing and painting shown above went for $20,480.00 and $25,000.00 respectively.

ELVIS ITEMS

Below are the items of Elvis' from the auction that received the highest bids.

Above: Elvis' Gifted TCB diamond and gold necklace was the item of the King of Rock n Roll's that went for the most at $117,000.

above: the concert shirt worn by Elvis went for $38,750.00

above: Elvis' gold and diamond ring set with a large lapis stone went for $33,750

above: The Doctor's bag belonging to Elvis' personal physician, Dr. George Nichopoulos sold for$16,000.00

Also, just because it's bizarre and macabre, I had to show you that although they did not fetch the highest prices, each of his prescription bottles shown below sold for over $1,000.00:

MARILYN'S ITEMS

It's no surprise that Marilyn Monroe's items still generate great interest and sales given the public's continued fascination with the breathy starlet. Her items actually made the most money for the auction house whose total haul from the sale was $2,146,744.95

above: the most paid for item in the auction was the above bathrobe of Marilyn's at $120,000.00

above: Marilyn's fur stole, in which she was often seen fetched $69,000.00

above: Marilyn's necklace shown above fetched $63,000.00

above: her prompt book for the film The Misfits went for $36, 250.00

above: Miss Monroe's black and white checkered pants (shown above on her in a photo with her then husband, Joe DiMaggio) went for $33,280.00

above: the signed photo of Marilyn on an elephant sold for $19,200.00

above: Marilyn's umbrella, seen in the photos by Andre de Dienes, went for $16,640.00

Apparently dying prematurely of a prescription drug overdose means good business for auction sales.

There were many other items in the double digits but these were the 'highlights'. Special thanks to Julien's for all the photos and the info. Julien's makes it easy to bid on their auctions- you can do so online, by proxy, on the phone or in person. To learn more about their auctions, go here.

The "R rated" Ballpoint Pen Drawings of Juan Francisco Casas

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

A friend of mine brought the amazing ballpoint pen drawings of Juan Francisco Casas (actual full name is Juan Francisco Casas Ruiz) to my attention via his tweet, which sent me to this article in the UK's Daily Mail. Only since it was published over a year ago, I was able to do a little research and find his more recent and compelling works.

Clearly more scandalous and edgy, his 2009 illustrations reek with homoeroticism and a "fuck you" attitude toward art - and are certainly more interesting than those shown in the Daily Mail article.

The following images are NSFW and should not be viewed by those under 18 (I have to write that... I'm a responsible blogger).

Clearly not for conservative publications, his latest drawings are impressive in both their detail and scale, like all of Juan's work. Using up to 14 bic ballpoint pens per image, his canvases reach up to 10 feet in height:

the drawings above are all from 2008 and 2009 and are courtesy of the artist.

Above: in this February 2009 exhibit, you can see the impressive size of his pieces.

Much of this work as well as some of his paintings are available for purchase from the Galerie Fernando Pradilla.

The artist:

The text below is from his own myspace page:
About me:
I am an artist born in La Carolina (Andalusia, Spain). I paint large size oil canvases and ballpen (sic) drawings where I reproduce images I take with my camera, youthful and spontaneous domestic photographs of fleeting moments of nighttime fun. I have a degree in Arts (BA), two postdegree masters (MA) and I am finishing my doctorate (PhD). I also was a teacher of the University of Granada during 4 years.

In 2005 I participated, together with important artists such as Damien Hirst, Neo Rauch or Maurizio Cattelan, at the International Biennial of Contemporary Art "Prague Biennale 2" (Prague, Czech Republic) arranged by the Flash Art Magazine and curated by Giancarlo Politi. I was choosen to represent my country and was the only one Spaniard artist invited to that event. In 2006 I participated in "The Sock Strategy" exhibition at the 2nd International Biennial of Contemporary Art of Seville curated by Okwui Enwezor. I also have won the very prestigious ABC Prize of Art in 2004 and the First National Honours Degree Prize of Universitary Studies of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain in 2000. I have exhibited at some of the most important galleries in Spain including the Luis Adelantado Gallery (Valencia-Miami), Metta Gallery (Madrid), Ferrán Cano Gallery (Barcelona) Sandunga Gallery (Granada).

I also have collaborated with El Museo Gallery (Bogotá) and since 2002 I am represented by the Fernando Pradilla Gallery (Madrid-Bogotá) and exhibiting at the international art fairs of Chicago, Miami, Palm Beach, México, Bogotá, Caracas and Madrid. My work can be found in important collections and museums like the ABC Collection of Art or the ARTIUM (Basque Museum of Contemporary Art) where I have participated in the collective exhibition "Catharsis", with such important artists as Miquel Barceló, Antoni Tapies, Jorge Oteiza, Jaume Plensa, Antoni Muntadas and Antonio Saura.

I have also written and participaed in many books, like "Arte Seriado. Exploración y Análisis" and "El Arte como Dicha"; the next of them, "A y otros poemas de relleno" and "The Summer Haikus" are already on bookshops. This year, I have been awarded with the very prestigious award of the Royal Academy of Spain in Rome (Real Academia de España en Roma), where I will reside during 2007 and 2008.

If you are interested in my work, you can contact me at: juanfra10@hotmail.com

Visit his blog (in Spanish only) here.
Visit his website here.
Visit his myspace page here.

Traveler's Insurance "Prized Possession" Paws at Your Heartstrings

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

I caught this television commercial during the Wimbeldon highlights two nights ago and couldn't get it out of my mind. The message, the music and certainly the dog, made quite an impact. No surprise that it comes from the creative and respected Minneapolis ad agency Fallon, but I was surprised (and pleased) to learn that its' furry star, Chopper, was a rescue dog turned canine celeb.

In this latest spot from Travelers, directed by Danny Kleinman and featuring music by Ray LaMontagne, we follow along as a worried dog searches for and ultimately finds the safest place to put his most prized-possession.

It's one of those spots where the music, the direction and certainly, the casting, all combine for an effective and entertaining result.

from The Hartford Courant:

The expressive Chopper, who was rescued from a shelter and professionally trained, stars in a one-minute drama of high anxiety about his bone. He goes to great and amusing lengths to protect that bone, just as Travelers wants to be seen as working hard to keep its customers safe with its insurance.

The commercial was developed by Fallon, a Minnesota-based advertising firm, and was a hit when previewed at Travelers' June 4 Investor Day conference. Analyst Larry Greenberg, co-manager of Langen McAlenney in Hartford, who attended the event, wrote a note to investors about it headlined, "The Dog Steals the Show, But Management a Close Second."

Rather than advertise specific products, the commercial is part of Travelers' corporate branding campaign that started last year and highlights the famous red umbrella logo, said company spokeswoman Jennifer Wislocki.

"The message of this ad," she said, "is a reminder that Travelers protects the things you care about."

As Chopper seeks to hide his bone from other dogs, the Ray LaMontagne song "Trouble" provides the soundtrack with apt lyrics such as ""Trouble has been doggin' my soul since the day I was born."

above: Chopper worries about his bone in the latest Fallon spot for Traveler's Insurance.

The mutt tries concealing his bone in a laundry basket, his owner's chair and a hole he digs in the yard. Still worried, he rides a bus to place the bone in a bank safety deposit box. After tossing and turning in his sleep, Chopper retrieves the bone and takes it home. The camera pans to the bone in his food bowl with the iconic Travelers red umbrella over it.

The voice-over says, "When it comes to things you care about, leave nothing to chance. Travelers: insurance for auto, home and business."

Travelers CEO Jay Fishman gushed over the mutt at the investor conference: "That dog is smarter than a lot of people I know. ... You could be friends with that dog. It's great. Don't want to get carried away here. But it was neat."

You can see their latest tv spots here.

Ad agency: Fallon

Super Sleek, Limited Edition, Sexy Carbon Fiber Kayak From Wave Sport

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The Project 54cx Limited Edition from Wave Sport.

A sleek carbon fiber kayak, hand-crafted, individually numbered, and with only a limited number of 50 issued worldwide. It's not just super sexy and sleek-looking, the Kayak has received great reviews from Outside Magazine and Colorado Kayak.

Priced at $2500 a piece and they've already sold several, so get yours here now!

Specifications
Length: 6' 2" / 188 cm
Width: 25" / 64 cm
Boat Weight: 20 lbs / 9 kg
Cockpit: 33? x 19? / 84 x 48 cm
Volume: 54 gal / 205 L
Weight Range: 120-200 lbs / 54-91 kg
Deck Height: 13.25" / 34 cm

Features
* Lightweight Carbon Kevlar Hull
* Lightweight Carbon Fiberglass Adjustable Seat
* Lightweight Carbon Fiberglass Adjustable Leg Lifter
* Improved Thigh Brace and Hip Pads
* Adjustable Backband

Outfitting
* Special, lightweight carbon fiberglass composite, adjustable seat system with easily adjustable leg lifters and backband
* New thigh brace system for added comfort and control for a wider range of paddler sizes.

Buy the Limited Edition Wave Sport Project 54 CX kayak here.

Kanye's Kicks For Louis Vuitton- The Styles & The Prices & ALL The pics!

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:58:00 +0000

Last January I let you know that Kanye West was collaborating with Louis Vuitton on a line of kicks. Well, now they are finally here and they've evolved for the better- for the most part.

The shoes are expected to 'drop' tomorrow, July 1st. The line consists of three models; The Mr. Hudson, the Jasper and the Don.

Here's a good look at all of the $700.00+ pairs of shoes:

The Mr. Hudson is a deck shoe available in various colorways. It's expected to retail at $840.00 USD:

details:

details:

The Jasper is a mid top with a velcro closure at the top. It is expected to retail at $990.00 - $1140.00 USD:

The Don is a low-mid sneaker available in several colorways. It is expected to retail at $870.00 to $960.00 USD:

special thanks to Amaury Choay for La MJC, Louis Vuitton, Kanye West and BKRW for all the great images.

DeLonghi Artist Designed Espresso Machines Auction To Benefit Oxfam

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

De'Longhi has partnered with artists and designers to create the De'Longhi Artista Series line of Perfecta Super Automatic Espresso Machines. Two machines from each of De'Longhi's design partners will be featured in a week long auction.

A portion of the proceeds from each Artista Series Perfecta will go to Oxfam America. Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization working to save lives, help individuals to overcome poverty, and fight for social justice. All payments should be made through PayPal.

Once the auction has ended, the Artista Series Perfecta will be shipped to the winning bidder's requested address as soon as payment has been cleared.

Below are all the machines that will be auctioned this coming October.

Damien Correll:

John Hardy:

Jonathan Calugi:

Kelly Hoppen:

Kristina Collantes:

Maria Vittoria Benatti:

Mario Hugo:

Michele Toffalori:

Mike Perry:

Nicole Miller:

The DeLonghi site.

Cannes Grand Prix Winning Film For Philips TV; Making Of & Behind The Scenes

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:34:00 +0000

Created for Tribal DDB, Amsterdam, Stink Digital and Director Adam Berg delivered this interactive campaign for Philips new CINEMA 21:9 TV. The cinematic proportions of the display became the theme of this piece. Adam responded with an idea for an epic frozen moment cops and robbers shootout sequence.

The piece won the top honors at this years' Cannes Advertising Festival in the film category, causing slight controversy by proving that the Film Grand Prix Lion is no longer an honor reserved only for a traditional 'tv commercial.'

Directed by Adam Berg of Stink, London, and edited by Paul Hardcastle of Trim, London, "Carousel" winning the Grand Prix underscores that great ideas come in all shapes, forms and media.

This 2:19 film runs as an endless loop, allowing viewers to control their moves through the scene. The film also contains embedded hotspots, which, when triggered, give us a behind-the-scenes look at some of the shots.

Brief Explanation (taken directly from the entry into the Cannes festival, with additional images added):

Philips set out to own the idea of a cinematic viewing experience at home. From the start the strategy was to create a film that movie lovers would want to see. The film is hosted within a site that, through interaction, educates the audience about the three main features of Philips televisions – Ambilight, Cinema 21:9 and Picture Quality – and ties these features to the act of film making.

So, what would movie lovers want to see? We decided on a seamless tracking shot, one long take that a film loving audience could marvel at and be fascinated by. Within the ‘housing’ of a tracking shot we inserted behind the scenes glimpses where the experts could talk about their craft and the decisions they made whilst filming the shot. The DOP on lighting, the Director on the 21:9 format and VFX supervisor shows why picture quality is so important.

To allow for more interaction, we decided that a frozen time film, shot using a state of the art motion control rig, would give the audience control upon interaction allowing them to literally move the camera back and forth frame by frame. This is done intuitively through a ‘grabbing hand’ cursor when the screen is moused over.

What makes this interaction really special is the interactive cinematic score. The score, composed by Michael Fakesch, was composed as a linear piece, but was then handed over to a flash music developer to carve up and distort as the user moved back and forth through time, frame by frame – all designed to pull the audience in and hold them there longer whilst they try to unravel the mystery of how the film was made. The second main element of interaction is the way the audience is able to trigger the three behind-the-scenes educational scenes from the film’s timeline.

When the user clicks on the timeline, they reveal films within the film. The timeline unfolds and expands, the post production disappears, each expert walks in and the rigging reappears revealing that all along the actors were simply holding their position whilst a state of the art motion rig captured them in frozen time. All this was designed to be as seamless as possible with maximum visual reward ensuring the audience clicked all three of the hotspots.

In addition to the interaction within the film, the ratio of the film itself could be changed at anytime through first person interaction. This simple, but effective comparison tool really did get across the spectacle of the new Philips 21:9 TV. The other elegantly simple piece of interaction is Ambilight on and off, in the words of the DOP – “you really miss it when it’s not there.”

A final point worth noting is the dynamic title sequence. Instead of a traditional loader, we crafted a title sequence correspond to the speed of the users internet connection. The slower the connection, the longer the sequence.

To experience it, go here.

Speaking of, here are some photo stills of the shooting process (click to enlarge):

Check out the "Making Of" video!

Credits:
AGENCY

Tribal DDB, Amsterdam
Global Creative Director: Neil Dawson
CD: Chris Baylis
Senior Project Manager: John Reardon
Producer: Jeroen Jedeloo, Iwona Echt
Art Director: Mariota Essery, Andrew Ferguson
Copywriter: Carla Madden, Chris Baylis
Account Planner: Sean Chambers
Technical Lead: Jan Willem Penterman

FILM

Production Company: Stink Digital
Executive Producer: Mark Pytlik, Daniel Bergmann, Stephen Brierley
Producer: Simon Eakhurst, Stephen Brierley
Director: Adam Berg
DoP: Fredrik Backar

Service Facilities: Stillking, Prague
Stillking Line Producer: Zuzana de Pagter
1st AD: Jiri Ostry
Production Designer: Petr Kunc
Czech Production Manager : Jiri Kotlas
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Lada Lahoda @ Filmca

Editor: Paul Hardcastle @ Trim
VFX: Redrum, Stockholm
Post Production Supervisor: Richard Lyons
Music & Sound Design: Michael Fakesch
Additional Sound Design: Tim Davis
Colorist: Jean-Clement Soret @ MPC London
UK Production Manager: Jemma Daniel

INTERACTIVE
Production Company: Stink Digital
Executive Producer: Mark Pytlik
Project Manager: Christophe Taddei
Lead Developer: Ian McGregor
Key Developers: Vincent Roman, Jamie Copeland, Matt Sweetman
Additional Development: Pierre L. Thiebaut
Design: Eric Chia
Title Sequence & Trailer: Maximiliano Chanan, Odin Church

See other 2009 Cannes Advertising Winners here.

The $11,000 Gold Plated Dog Crate.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

The world's coolest dog crate, the eiCrate, designed by Peter Pracilio for designGO! Brooklyn, New York has undergone a few name changes (it began as the Dog Cage), a few price changes and a few design changes. But the latest news is that you can pamper your pooch in an $11,000.00 22.5kt gilded version.

The ieCrate:

The beautifully designed modern crate is ordinarily available in black, white or silver finishes and is available with accessories like a fitted cover, a door stay and various interior pads or beds.

The Luxe 22.5kt gilded version:

Gilded 22.5k Gold eiCrate
Designed by Peter Pracilio for designGO! Brooklyn, New York

MATERIAL
Crate in powder-coated steel wire gilded in 22.5k gold-leaf. Crate mat/liner is 100% rubber

SIZE
Total height 24.5” Total width 36”, Depth 34”, Door Height 14.5”
* Breaks down into two halves for shipping/storing

PRICE
$11,000. 00USD (plus tax and shipping)

The traditional finishes, shown below, cost a more affordable $220.00 each.

The black version:

the white version:

The silver version:

To purchase any of the eiCrates, including the Gold one, go here.

Looking for unusual or modern dog crates?

Then be sure to check these out from Bow Wow House.

The Best, The Worst & The Weirdest Art Inspired By Michael Jackson

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0000

I know that thousands of people are mourning the loss of MJ, Michael Jackson, aka Jacko/ The King of Pop/ The Gloved One and are paying tribute with original artwork, most of which is amateur and simply awful. You can view many of those by simply searching on Flickr, Deviant Art and Google images.

So, let me separate the wheat from the chaff for you. Michael Jackson was immortalized by some of the truly talented and fairly well-known artists of our time from Andy Warhol to Banksy. Below are some of their art pieces inspired by the late pop star, followed by some examples of the worst and the weirdest.

Admittedly, not all of the artwork here was created with the best intent; several mock the singer or reference things his family would have us forget. But the beauty of art is that it's an expression and a reflection of the world in which we live.... and that's not always pretty.

THE BEST

The most well known, of course, are Andy Warhol's images of Michael:

above: Oil on silkscreen on canvas, 1984
Time cover, March 19, 1984
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Gift of Time magazine, NPG.86.TC14
© Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts / ARS, New York

Like all of Andy Warhol's silkscreens the image was produced in several different color variations:

Contemporary pop artist, Thierry Guetta, known as Mr. Brainwash, created his own version by combining two of Warhol's best known celebrity images:

His 15 prints of the above left image are sold out as well as the one-off shown above right.

Banksy:

details:

The piece, created in 2006, was shown in Santa's Ghetto, London and made obvious references to the allegations of child molestation of which Jacko was acquitted. On the Santa's Ghetto leaflet it reports that this painting was originally by Tom Ormond and that Banksy painted Michael Jackson over the top of it.

Another contemporary artist, known for his urban street art, prints and bronzes, Faile, created this poster:

the above piece is available for sale here. the asking price is $24,00.00 USD

...and Faile's MJ found on on the streets of london:

Jeff Koons (probably the second best known modern art likeness of Michael Jackson):

above: Jeff Koons (American, b. 1955). Michael Jackson and Bubbles, 1988. Ceramic. 42 x 70 1/2 x 32 1/2 in. (106.7 x 179.1 x 82.5 cm). Photo © Douglas M. Parker Studio, Los Angeles.
The Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica / © Jeff Koons

above: Paul McCarthy's "Michael Jackson Fucked Up (Big Head)" (2002) serves as a critique of Jeff Koons's earlier "Michael Jackson and Bubbles" (1988). Image Courtesy of Hauser & Wirth

Melbourne sculptor Ivan Lovett's Michael made of chicken wire

See more of Ivan's chicken wire celeb sculptures here.

The text art of Ralph Ueltzhoeffer

above: Ralph Ueltzhoeffer's text portraits of Michael Jackson (click on them to enlarge)

Photographer Matthew Rolston, who always shoots beautiful film, shot Michael for Ebony's cover and inside editorial:

See all the shots and behind the scenes ones here.

The other best photographs of Michael I've ever seen are those by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair. She shot Michael twice, once for the December 1986 issue of Vanity Fair, and again in 1994 for the Nightmare at Neverland Ranch story but I cannot find them, so here's the cover shot from the Decemebr 1986 issue and one editorial shot from the January 1994 issue:

Artist Maria E. Pineres' Rogues Gallery is a collection of needlepoint versions of celebrity mugshots. Here's her one of Michael:

To see more of Maria's celebrity needlepoint mugshots, go here.

Muralist Kent Twitchell completed, but never installed, a 100-foot-tall, 60-foot-wide portrait of Michael Jackson, created in the early 1990s for the side of the former Barker Bros. building in Hollywood, now the El Capitan Theater:

above: Los Angeles muralist Kent Twitchell poses in his studio with a portion of his a mural showing the hand of the music icon, at his new studio downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, March 24, 2009.

above: Kent Twitchell sits among panels for his Michael Jackson mural that was never installed. Part of the Jackson mural will be displayed at LOOK Gallery.

Take a look at some of Kent's amazing murals here.

THE WORST

I know, I know, you'd love to see some of the worst art of Michael Jackson. For that, you should check out his own items intended for auction, much of the worst and creepiest by artist David Nordahl.

above: 3 paintings by American born artist David Nordahl, all which feature Michael, and were to be a part of the auction.

Above: Paul Bedard's "Portrait of famous figures wearing glasses" (1985) was owned by Michael Jackson and was to be auctioned in the exhaustive auction with Julien's Auctions that was eventually canceled. Image Courtesy of Julien's Auctions

above: A quilted image of MJ amongst 'friends' made for him by a fan

above: Statue of Michael Jackson in Eindhoven, the Netherlands

I happen to like some of UK sculptor James Butler's work, but this one is hideous:

above: James Butler's "Statue of Michael Jackson" at one point overlooked Piccadilly Circus in London Image Courtesy the Courtauld Institute of Art

and of course, the gold bust shown above from Michael's own collection.

Note: there are links to more bad MJ art at the end of this post.

THE WEIRDEST

above: the Michael Jackson baby sculpture is part of an installation from the John Waters Show at the Marianne Boesky Gallery

above: Three busts of Michael Jackson, including two with forearms and hands, making faces. Each is mounted to a black wooden base on plexiglass sheet. The masks were created for the effects sequences in Jackson's 1997 short film Ghosts. They can be seen during the closing credits as Jackson undergoes his special effects makeup application in his trailer

Fashion designer Jean-charles de Castelbajac's Michael Jackson Dress:

above: A model presents a creation by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for his Fall-Winter 2009-2010 ready-to-wear collection, Tuesday, March 10, 2009 in Paris. The face of singer Michael Jackson is seen printed on the fabric.

Michael Jackson body painting:

above: Colombian artist Anubis Vrussh paints on the body of a model the face of US pop star Michael Jackson in Cali, department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia, on June 27, 2009. (photos courtesy of Getty images)

Michael Jackson Sand Sculpture

above: A sand sculpture by artist Sudersan Pattnaik in tribute to the famous performer is seen at the Golden Sea beach in Puri, about 65 kms away from Bhubaneswar, on June 26, 2009.

LINKS
Here are some links to the most abominable art belonging to and of the pop star:

The site "Michael Jackson Art" has some of the most hideous works you'll ever see and some good ones, too.
More amateur fan artwork
Michael Jackson art on Deviant Art

The Neverland Ranch Auction Items:
The press preview images
The Guardian's Michael Jackson Auction Items Part 1.
The Guardian's Michael Jackson Auction Items Part 2
CNBC 's Treasures from Neverland slideshow

Now I'm just waiting for the Shepard Fairey poster......

Pia Wallen's Special Edition UltraSilencer Vacuum For Electrolux

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Watch this video about her inspiration:

Where can you get it?
Unfortunately it's only available at select dealers in the UK, Norway and Finland. To see exactly which dealers and to learn more, go here.

Dwell On Design Also Happening This Weekend

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:47:00 +0000

In addition to the 6th annual CA Boom design show in Los Angeles, Dwell On Design is also happening this weekend. Lots to do!

The West Coast's Largest Modern Design Event.
Friday 26, Saturday 27, Sunday 28 June. Los Angeles Convention Center.

ON STAGE Design conference, continuing education classes for design pros, round-the-clock seminars for design seeking consumers.

EXHIBITION Prefab Homes, Outdoor, Food + Wine, Kitchen + Bath, Furniture + Accessories, Energy + Solar, Design Materials, Modern Family, Modern Lifestyle, Design Technology.

HOME TOURS Tour some of LA’s most modern and livable homes.

SPECIAL EVENTS Restaurant Design Awards, Film screenings.

learn more about it here.

CA Boom Show in New Venue This Year

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:17:00 +0000

CA Boom Design Show #6 - 2009

The CA Boom Show (www.caboomshow.com) 2009 takes place Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28 in the former Robinsons flagship department store on the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards in Beverly Hills, Calif.

A mix of contemporary & modern design incubating companies and products making their debuts, the show draws both the design trade and design savvy consumer. CA Boom combines everything relating to modern design under one roof, includes shuttle tours to never-before seen, stunning architecture in the Los Angeles area.

Exhibit Admission is $20 per day in advance or $25 at the door, which includes panel discussions. Sunday’s “The Homes of the Hollywood Hills” tour costs $75 and includes exhibit hall admission.

A Stahl House Fundraising tour includes special twilight tours of the famous Stahl House (Case Study House #22), and takes place on Friday and Saturday from the exhibit hall for $65. Each ticket contributes to the historic home’s preservation.

above: Julius Shulman's famous photo of the Stahl house

Sunday’s “Homes of Beverly Hills” tour costs $75 and includes exhibit hall admission. Special twilight tours of the famous Stahl House (Case Study House #22), and takes place on Friday and Saturday from the exhibit hall for $65, which includes a $25 contribution to the historic home’s preservation.

The Stahl House by Pierre Koenig:

Other homes on tour at CA Boom:

New Venue: Former Robinsons Flagship Department Store - Beverly Hills, CA (9900 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210)

2009 Dates: Friday June 26 to June 28

The show has grown exponentially in its complexity and “hipness,” combining everything relating to modern design under one roof, including shuttle tours to never-before seen, stunning architecture in the Los Angeles area. This season’s impressive line-up will feature domestic and international designers, furniture and home manufacturers and architects.

Who attends CA Boom?
* 58% Design Trade / 42% Design Savvy Consumers
* Architects, Interior Designers & Hospitality Designers
* Residential & Commercial Developers
* Contemporary Gift & Furnishing Retailers
* Lifestyle & Design Trade Media
* Entrepreneurs
* Savvy Design Consumers

Mr. Jones Watches: Telling Time With 'Tude.

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

We expect watches to tell us the time, but to tell us whether to say 'yes' or 'no'?

Whether or not we are loved and whether or not we are blessed?

These witty wristwatches from mr. jones (aka Crispin Jones) do exactly that and more.

My personal favorite is the "Accurate" (special edition shown above) which holds no punches by reminding us with every glance at the face that time is running out.

Mr. Jones Watches is the new cult watch brand from London with all the designs by Crispin Jones. The watches (and the packaging) are designed with modern looking graphics and fun uses of color without being 'too novelty'. The combination of clever kinetic movements or sayings on the face and hands, stainless steel cases and contrast stitched leather bands (often in 2 colors) make them unique to any other brand. They are genuine indie products entirely conceived and executed following a singular vision. The watches are witty, sassy and silly... and affordable at average price of $130.00 USD

The full line includes two 'special edition' watches, three 'limited edition' watches (numbered to 100 each) and a permanent collection of five styles:

Special Editions

The Accurate:

The New Decider:

Limited Editions

Loves Me, Loves Me Not (words alternate between reading 'loves me' and 'loves me not' each second):

The Watcher (eyes on either side of the face move left and right):

The Future: (words in windows read 'is' and then 'now' alternating with every second)

Permanent Collection

The Accurate:

The Average Day:

The Mantra: (positive reads "you're blessed" and negative reads "no chance" which alternates every second)

Decider (the white words on red say 'yes' and on the black say 'no')

The New Decider: (word in bubble alternates between yes in green and no in red with every tick of the secondhand)

The Packaging

The packaging below features either artwork by illustrator Nadine Faye James:

or by illustrator Kate Street

Mr. Jones himself, Crispin Jones:

"today everyone has a mobile phone to do the really functional timekeeping, this means that the wristwatch is free to do something a bit different. the watches i design reflect and comment on society, both on the role that time plays in all our lives and also on the social impact of technology. of course because i would like people to wear these watches, i also work very hard to make them beautiful objects in their own right." - Crispin Jones about the design of his watches.

You can purchase all the mr. jones watches directly from the site. And yes, they ship worldwide!

Replicas Of Eames, Corbusier and Michelle Kaufmann Homes in Legos®

lauralsweet@mac.com (Laura Sweet) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

above: left, the homes recreated in Legos; right, the original homes

The following amazing replicas of modern homes are not Lego® kits but the creations of various Lego® builders - artists, really. Very impressive in their detail, I wanted to show you the images compared with the original homes. Each of the originals (and the Lego® recreations) were designed and built by different individuals.

First off, the Charles and Ray Eames Case Study House #8, situated in the Pacific Palisades in Southern California built from 1945 to 1949:

above photo by Julius Shulman

The Eames Case Study House #8 as recreated in Legos® by Stacy Sterling:

Interior details:

see more of Stacy Sterling's amazing Lego® creations here.

The Villa Savoye was designed by by Le Corbusier, is located in Poissy, France, and was constructed from 1928 to 1929:

above photos courtesy of greatbuildings.com

From Brick Architect Matija Grguric, comes this great Lego® version:

interior and details:

see more of Matija Grguric's Lego® creations here.

Contemporary architect Michelle Kaufmann who specializes in pre-configured, pre fab and custom home designs created the mkSolaire®. "The Greenest Home in Chicago" was on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago as part of the exhibit "The Smart Home: Green + Wired".

The mkSolaire®:

see more and learn more about the mkSolaire® here.

The Lego replica of Michelle Kaufmann's "Green" Solaire home was designed for the Smart Home: Green and Wired exhibit. This tiny replica is surprisingly true to the original, with it’s cement board and Ipe wood siding, glass doored garage, and even green roof.

The LegoSolaire: