the smart set

Mile high blogging

2010-05-26T17:57:00.001-07:00

The era of high altitude internet has arrived. I'm actually blogging now from an Alaska Airlines flight at over 30,000 feet. Nice! Its all made possible via gogoinflight.com.

Hex-watch: Mission One Mortorcycle

2010-03-25T21:15:00.001-07:00

Always on the lookout for hexagons in design, I couldn't pass this up. Yves Behar recently turned his design talents on motorcycles and the Mission One Motorcycle is a dream come true. Stylish, sexy, and its and it is an EV. That's right, this beauty is electric and it is sure to leave conventional vehicle design in the dust.

One laptop per child, XOs to Haiti

2010-03-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

The One Laptop Per Child project is still going strong and you can now donate XO laptops to Haiti.

Fab Feeder

2010-03-25T07:24:00.001-07:00

The "tweet" bird feeder from CB2 will surely catch the eye of the local birds and your neighbors.

See Spectrum: Montana travel advert

2010-03-11T07:05:00.001-08:00

Another addition to the See Spectrum Project. I've seen this and many other photos promoting travel to Montata on billboards and busses lately and given my fetish for the color spectrum in pop art, this one in particular caught my eye. What's great about this image is that the colors are natural. And...its an extra bonus if your a geology geek like me.

Garden accessories

2010-03-10T21:45:00.000-08:00

Looking for the perfect gift for the Mom who has everything? Why not garden tools from Hermes...stylish and sustainable.

Couture travel trunk

2010-03-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Old world travel meets the future perfect in the I-Trunk by Pinel et Pinel. From well-appointed jewelry boxes to exotic terrariums, Designer Fred Pinel can store and protect anything you want in great style and quality. With the I-Trunk, you can select your own color combinations. As with any couture item, you pay for quality...with a price tag around $50,000, the I-Trunk is as much pop art as it is mobile office.

See Spectrum: Science Magazine

2010-03-06T21:24:00.000-08:00

Science Magazine cover, 26 February 2010. Another entry for my See Spectrum Project.

Soulful sand man

2010-03-05T20:11:00.001-08:00

Geometry, fractals, and growth are a few of the inspirations that artist, surfer, and chef Jim Denevan's relies on to create his ephemeral lines in the sand that engage his mind, body, and spirit. Whether he is creating earth art or his next outdoor dinner event, Denevan strives to tred lightly on the planet. Look for Denevan's work on beaches and deserts from Santa Cruz to Seattle.

Couture bag clips

2010-03-01T22:29:00.000-08:00

Be gone ugly bag clips! French design firm Tout Simplemente have created a stylish and sustainable alternative with their wooden bag clips. Available at the A+R.

Hospitality past meets present

2010-03-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

A new boutique hotel in Beijing sheds light on the past, present, and future of the hospitality industry. During the day, The Opposite House allows light to flood the lobby and common areas. At night, the hotel serves as a lantern to the city. Architect and designer Kengo Kuma is well known for bringing the history of place in into his works and in The Opposite House he does exactly this. The hotel's very name honors the history of the 'opposite' or 'guest' house that sits across from traditional courtyard homes of ancient China. Natural woods that balance the metal features of rooms are featured throughout the hotel and hotel restaurants also look to ancient Chinese traditions for inspiration.

Stellar landscapes

2010-03-01T20:19:00.000-08:00

Science and math are the design inspiration behind a spectacular garden found in southwest Scotland. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation at Portrack House near Dumfries is just one of the amazing landscapes designed by American architect, critic, and theorist Charles Jencks. The DNA Garden (pictured above, Fractal Terrace, and Cascading Universe pond are just a few of the features that await you. But don't put your garden clogs on just yet. The garden is only open once a year so make sure to check in on the Scottish Garden Schemes website for details on annual openings.

Snowflake snapshots

2010-02-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

The striking and graceful images of turn of the 20th century farmer and scientist Wilson Bentley have become the latest rage. There are many museum and other websites devoted to his work and a recent exhibit of his work at Chicago's Carl Hammer Gallery is listing his works at $4,800. Bentley's work proved as far back as the 1800s that art and science can coexist.

Microfluid equalizers

2010-02-17T08:52:00.000-08:00

A team of faculty and student bioengineers lead by Dr. Albert Folch at the University of Washington have used microfluid science to bring music to our eyes. The small device they use is smaller than a fingernail but the colorful outcome is larger than life. Find more videos at the Folch Lab Channel on YouTube.

Sci Fi Fashion

2010-02-15T22:26:00.000-08:00

I enjoy following futuristic fashion trends so Gucci's Summer 2010 collection caught my eye right away. Perhaps Gucci didn't have these great Sci Fi classics in mind but when I saw ads from the campaign all I could see was (clockwise from left) Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and Tron.

Solar Decathlon

2010-02-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

Team Germany has once again won the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

Robot Watch: Topio 3.0

2010-02-15T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm all for robots, but I must admit the latest model of the 'TOSY Ping Pong Playing Robot' or TOPIO is a bit too similar to Terminator and Cylon designs for my liking. Even worse...apparently robots of the future will have perfect abs.

You can check out the other TOSY models here.

Robot Watch: Hexapod Dance Competition

2010-02-15T20:14:00.000-08:00

The TSS robot watch continues. Below are videos from the 2009 and 2008 Austrian Hexapod Championships. I must admit, they do bust some pretty cute moves.

Far Out Architecture | Kielder Observatory

2010-01-25T23:04:00.001-08:00

Not far from Kielder Castle in Northumberland, England, you'll find a high-design, low impact observatory that combines modern form with mechanical function. A creation of London-based Charles Barclay Architects, the Kielder Observatory is designed to sit lightly on the earth and is powered by its own solar and wind derived energy.

Healthy hospitals

2010-01-25T22:20:00.001-08:00

First, Do No Harm, a recent article in Fast Company magazine by Kate Rockwood and Erica Westly, explores how hospitals of the future will be healthier...both for people and the environment.

Infographic by Golden Section Graphics via Fast Company.

Kepler, the opera

2010-01-25T21:49:00.000-08:00

Composer Philip Glass recently debuted his third science-inspired opera, his first in German. Kepler premiered in Linz, Austria in September 2009 as part of Linz09 celebrating Linz's designation as a European Capitol of Culture and coincided with the International Year of Astronomy the 400th anniversary of Kepler's Astronomia Nova. Kepler had its US debut in New York in November of 2009.

Cirque de science

2010-01-25T21:13:00.000-08:00

Stockholm-based Cirkus Cirkör has a new traveling circus show that features science in an incredibly new and creative way. Directed by Tilde Björfors, Inside Out offers fantastic music (by Irya's Playground), outstanding acrobatics, and a story that asks the audience to consider the deep meaning of life are all pieced together with the heart in mind - literally, since a huge heart set piece is an integral part of story.

High tech conservation on Kauai

2010-01-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii is using high tech technology to help control invasive species like Australian tree ferns and Kahili ginger. From aerial photographs to targeted herbicides, TNC biologists and volunteers are on a mission to protect the Kauai watershed. Read more at WIRED Magazine.

Image: Chad Riley via Wired

Europe's Pollen Project - seed cities for science

2009-12-04T18:48:00.001-08:00

Launched in January 2006, Pollen is a project throughout Europe to support and promote science education using inquiry-based science. The project created 12 Seed Cities throughout the European Union and focuses on local level, community wide efforts to improve science education.

World AIDS Day

2009-12-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

December 1st is World AIDS Day.