TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX.

Finally a Friday feels like a Friday, and June is actually fantastically gorgeous - can't complain at all today. It's such a great day to be able to share some of our favorite things with you, as always it's all about the things that we love and inspire. And if you have a favorite thing, never hesitate to let us know - we're always on the look out.

TRAVELING. AND POLAR BEARS. Small LOST reference and no, no apologies. I feel like this is the most appropriate of appropriate starts. This new Hermès travel belt accessorizes convenience and function in a cool way. It may not be for everyone, but let's face it, traveling sucks. Packing sucks even more and so, why not make convenience cool and stylish. Maybe it's time they make tool belts cool too.

WHEN THE WEATHERMAN IS ACTUALLY RIGHT you need a great pair of sunglasses. Speaking as one of the legions of people with terrible, terrible eyesight, finding that pair seems to hold a little more weight - yes, there's where your mother's supposed to think you're crazy. But there's something too a classic, if not sleek set of frames, like these from Oliver Peoples. It definitely puts into practice the idea of less being more.

TWO OF A KIND. File this under things that you should desperately want to see. Because that's how I feel about it. "Two in the Wave" is a documentary from Emmanuel Laurent that focuses on two of the biggest names in French cinema, Truffaunt and Godard, and their incredible contributions to film history itself. Godard also just showed his film at this year's Cannes, which is another on my list of things that I want to desperately to see. But the NYT has a very cool article on the film that you should definitely check out, if you're interested.

PHOTO HISTORY. While we've been talking about our first photo show, coming up in a couple of weeks, it's also kind of cool to be talking about the latest in Kennedy history - the only photography of Marilyn Monroe and JFK together is now being put up for auction, expected to generate somewhere around $23,000 or more. The photo is from a party, thrown after Monroe's famous birthday serenade for the young President in NYC. ABC has a cool video about the photo as well.

ROLEX TOWER SOUNDWAVE. There is nothing that isn't surprising about design, of all disciplines, and how incredibly innovative people can get. This sculpture stands at the business entrance of the Rolex Tower in Dubi; it's by sculptor James Clar, and it all came together from Clar simply recording himself saying: "Rolex Tower" which transformed into a soundwave. Once that was done, the soundwave was transferred into a 3D modeling program and then completely transformed to create a physical sculpture and installation piece. So cool.

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG. We talked about Charlotte's album, way back when it was released. She's definitely a favorite and so, to touch on her again, her video for her new single "Time of the Assassins" has just been released. If you don't have the album, you should. And if you haven't seen Charlotte in any performance capacity, you should - in fact, I'd start right in the middle with I'm not There. But "Time of the Assassins" is such a gorgeous video, such a rich and subtle play on sound and space and people, transformative even; it goes to show what film, in any medium, can do.

COOL HUNTING. We love Cool Hunting, which is basically design at its best - dedicated to bring the latest and the coolest, Cool Hunting touches on their favorites in art, technology, interiors and installations - and incredibly good at making me incredibly jealous with all their cool iPad stuff.

THE STRANGE VORTEX HOUSE. Aptly appropriate title is aptly appropriate. Sculptors Dan Havel and Dean Ruck have transformed this Texas house into a living, breathing neighborhood installation before the demolition crews dropped in. No, Mr. Rogers isn't going to walk out of the vortex, smile on his face and whistling while he works, but it's a cool way of seeing something that we consider everyday change in such an eerie and interesting way. Check out the photos. They're ridiculously cool.

CATBIRD NYC. Nilda's recent trip to NYC brought us this Friday Favorite, where there are some really amazing pieces. Everything is so delicate and charming, and full of personality. Nilda is getting a custom nameplate made and wanted to share the very cool sketch that she just received. Also, follow their blog!

UMBRELLAS. Everything is full of surprises, useful ones at that. Sometimes we tend to think that transforming something or someone starts when you throw a number of elements together, whether it be objects or color, floral or a series of really great chairs. We tend to forget that a "traditional" object, a tricycle, a plastic bottle, and even an umbrella, holds every bit the potential as everything else. Take the umbrella, for example. As you can see here, it's something that can be easily used as a cool lighting fixture to an installation that sort of blooms into a space. It goes to show you - all details are important and all objects are unique.

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TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO.

French artist Christian Boltanski's No Man's Land is one of the most ambitious installations that we've ever experienced, here and state-side. It's about exploring our own mortality, incorporating cranes and clothing, and more incredible things, like sounds of human heartbeats, gathered from all around the world. It's a mind boggling concept, heavy on sound and sight. For those of you in NYC, definitely check it out at Park Avenue Armory until June 13th.

TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN.

My witty story has suddenly been x-ed by the news of a Planet of the Apes prequel. I just don't know what else to say. HOWEVER. It's time for this week's Friday Favorites. And this week's featured photo is a special piece and an exceptionally cool showcasing that there's no age or limit to one's creativity. Check out the cake made by Zoe Sweeney, daughter of Partner Nilda Martin - it's her first real cake design.

NOW IN DESIGN NEWS. Bill Moggridge, the new director of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, is introducing his series called, "Bill's Design Talks" in which he will moderate discussion among designers and museum professionals on chosen tops. The series starts next week, Thursday, May 27th, and will feature a discussion with Michael Bierut, a partner at Pentagram, and one of Pentagram's designers, Yve Ludwig, about their design of the catalogue for the museum's 2010 National Design Triennial, "Why Design Now?"

THEN IT'S ABOUT SENSIBLE DESIGN. These days, it's about being conscious about design and everything green. To raise awareness about energy conservation, German company RWE has a really cool visual campaign, making the waste of energy a physical visible sight. Check the photos out.

TIP OVER. The Tip Over table was designed for G. Borgonovo for Porada and it really goes beyond the idea of the conventional, square table. It has the capability to serve as both a wall mirror and a table, that opens any sort of space for you. It's just a cool way of keep the feeling of a room or area without changing the entire feel.

ART APOCALYPSE. It's an interesting and scary thought, what life would be like without art in our lives. Ad firm Scholz & Friends tackle this question for the German Federation of Craftsmen and their tv spot - it's pretty bleak, far warning, but take a look at the video.

MARKET SEARCHING. PHI favorite Coco + Kelley has a really great entry on hunting through flea markets, etsy, and all things vintage. There are some gorgeous photos highlighting some incredible finds especially a favorite of yours truly - vintage records.

WHAT TO DO WITH THAT TOOTHPICK. I have these wonderful memories of my grandfather and his quirks, like the toothpick he always had after dinner. But I never really imagined putting toothpicks, design, and ... architectural replicas? Take a look at these pictures. Promise you, it'll make you sit back and examine the kind of patience you think you have.

APOTHEKE NEW YORK. Inspired by the history of apothecary in Europe and the artistic influence of absinthe dens in 19th Paris, Apotheke is all about the drama. A cocktail isn't just a cocktail. Check out their website, where you can view pictures of their really, really cool space.

DIFFERENT STROKES. Paol Volpi is an avant-garde jeweler, based in Rome, who transforms an unusual array of materials including industrial and automotive oil filters into gorgeous, fluid, and wearable pieces. It's incredible. All her pieces are both delicate and demure, unexpected given the nature of her materials.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY-ONE.

There are lots of new and exciting things brewing for us, PHI readers. Lots of great changes that we're looking forward to sharing with all of you. But for now, let's talk about our Friday Favorites. A little bit of this, a little bit of that - perfect for reading while catching up on this week's Project Runway on a little bit of a dreary day.

COMPANY-WISE. “Studio belenko!" is an internationally known part-design, part-production internationally company based in Odessa, Ukraine. Founded by architect Denis Belenko in 2003, the studio can be described as a combination of vintage and modern. A favorite? Without a doubt, it’s the paper lamps, which has a really quirky flavor of unusual for sure.

LOVELY PACKAGE. Let’s be honest. We do judge books by their covers. If you were offered a choice of two kinds of chocolate and could only pick one, you’d either go for the brand that you know or the prettiest one. Don’t lie. But lovely package is such a neat site; it explores the uniqueness of packaging all across the board, whether it is wine bottles or your favorite coffee for home.

ANNIVERSARY DAYS. How cool is this? For their 50th anniversary celebrations, Dr. Martens and ten producers are working together to recreate their favorite tracks from the past. So far bands like the Noisettes covered The Buzzcocks, “Ever Fall In Love” and the Duke Spirit (a favorite of yours truly) covered Sham 69s, “The Kids are Untitled.” So, so cool. Check it out.

FOG BANK. It’s quite the cool installation piece at the 3A Gallery in San Francisco by fifth year architecture students Patrick Delorey and Keith Houchin from Cal Poly.

HOWDOOS. I can’t get over how neat these are; howdoos are by Delicious Industries, a design studio based in Brighton, UK. They have a fantastic blog that definitely lead to the discovery of these howdoos, letter-press business cards. They come in two colors, pink and black, and come in packs of ten. Lovely, lovely, lovely!

FOR THE WARMER WEATHER. The best part about the warmer days is the clothes and the shoes, but mostly, it’s the fact that your fingers are going to fall off because the temperature went from two to three with wind chill. From Snowflake by Debbie Sutton, the Nora skirt is such a fantastic way to celebrate the warmer weather with a little bit of linen and a great, classic fit.

ALL ABOUT THE NINETIES. Everybody loves a good list. Letterman’s made somewhat of a career of it. You can absolutely find a list in a major periodical, whatever medium’s your poison. But give me a quirky list. Give me a list that is full of random gems from the 90s like Spice World (you watched too, don’t even try and lie!) and Goodfellas and Fargo. For the movie nerd in you, this one of those things that you just have to check it out.

FLORAL, FLORAL, FLORAL. What a gorgeous idea! Use bunches of fresh herbs as floral wedding decor. At a warm outdoor wedding, the smell would be incredible.

THE SURREY. We love, love, love The Surrey in NYC. Beautiful interiors – clean lines, gorgeous colors, and definitely a place that we’re dying to look up when we’re in the city.

FASHION STAKE. From the New York magazine, Fashion Stake is the brainchild of Harvard Business School student Vivian Weng. Weng previously worked in finance by helping fashion companies secure funding. "Fashion’s dirty little secret is that no one really has a lot of money — even people who are well-known and household names,” she told WWD. “One designer’s first round of financing took 18 months to complete." The cool new site will be launched this fall and really has an aim to give young labels a shot at funding from the masses. Anyone can invest just $50 in a label they like. Read the article here!

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ONE HUNDRED THIRTY.

We apologize for the late Friday Favorites. It takes a little bit of a beautiful day and a little bit of technological troubles for a tiny delay. So we at PHI would love to wish you and yours a Happy Easter! Enjoy this week's favorite things.

IT'S A SHARPIE TRANSFORMATION. Tell your mom that they're not just for your underwear and camping labels anymore. Rodarte, in their S/S 2010 Ready-To-Wear Collection, used the markers to accent their models with hand-drawn body art and tattoos. If it's hip, it's here has some great photos of the process - definitely check them out.

75 YEARS OF FILM. Despite my on-going, personal love-hate relationship with FOX and their film and television releases, they are doing a really cool thing for their seventy-fifth anniversary. You can go and claim one of their limited edition posters which feature a range of their classic films. It's pretty cool promotion, that's for sure.

GRAF BY SUCCESSFUL LIVING. From Diesel with Foscarini, this lamp focuses on a narrative using humorous and iconic images on the shade. You are able to see perspectives from a pilot's cockpit or even a dj deck. There are the classsic floral theme as well; but there is something to the black and white, to the style that it definitely envokes.

FORMSPRING. The internet! The internet! It's a vast and confusing place that really should be made into a Disney movie. But every once in awhile, excluding the cool things that one learns to look for, you do find the occasional surprise. FORMSPRING is like a giant, global Q&A that anybody can sign up for and anybody can share with their friends. This is the part, of course, where you're thinking, "oh, okay, right - " but you can actually search for people, be it your favorite actor or magazine or what have you. Think internet coffee date.

THE T SHELF. By J1studio - the name is an abbreviation for Triangle shelf, a unique shelving system that can be setup around your furniture or hang solo against the wall. It's interesting play on lines and just a really neat way to reorganize and organize your things.

THE YEAR OF ALICE. It's safe to say that one of this year's biggest themes - in all mediums - is Alice in Wonderland. Sometimes it's been of larger scale, say film and the window installations of some of our favorite stores. And sometimes it's been of the smaller scale, like these really fun Salt & Pepper shakers from Imm Living, a design group you most definitely should check out.

5 IN 1 DRESS. The tencel jersey dress can be worn in five different ways; like sleeveless with the sleeves tired in the front or the back waist. It's a great color and perfect for the changing weather for sure.

LIGHT IT UP. These are great. There's no other way around it. The ottomans light up, bringing the light from the ground up and creating this really great, really soft glow. They're perfect for an event or a great evening wedding. Check them out!

THE SWAROVSKI CRYSTAL PALACE. Designer Tokujin Yoshioka's latest project in lighting is a spherical illuminated mass of cut crystal. It's modeled after a star and the design itself is driven by using the emotive medium of cut crystal. It's really gorgeous.

MICHAEL BUBLE BEING ... stalked by a Velociraptor. Or, you know, where's Waldo with a dinosaur. Sometimes the internet is good for a lot of laughs. Upon searching for things for our Friday Favorites, sometimes I meet hits and I meet misses. First this was going to be a miss and then I decided to look through it, ultimately finding myself laughing and amused. And while something like FORMSPRING is ultimately useful, this is so not. But know this: it's exactly what it says.

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ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN.

This week's Friday Favorites seem to be an eclectic version with magic and mystery and the odd, odd school memory with a little bit of the warmer weather thrown in for good measure.

HUFF PUFF AND PLEAT. Confession. While pleats bring memories of Catholic school uniforms and that cardboard feeling, they are great. The Polish Design MOWO has created the Bufa chair too - inspired by tailoring detail, the puff and the pleat, the chair takes the challenge of finding a furniture pattern and a way to replace traditional upholstery. Check it out.

WE'RE ALL TALL. The German artist Hans Hemmert, famous for his work with balloons, threw quite the party ... all his guests were the same height thanks to shoe extenders. Eliminating all chances of awkward party talk, the gathering is lent an infographic nature by the shoes. Each pair was made from blue foam, the person's real height is read in the visual uniformity of the sole instead of at the head—like a walking bar graph. Very cool.

THE LIQUID LAMP. From designer Kouichi Okamoto, the liquid lamp comes in two colors, red and white, and looks like paint suspended in mid-spill. Available in wall or table versions.

NY-Z, A FILM BY DANNY CLINCH. ABSOLUT Vodka presents NY-Z, a new fifteen minute documentary featuring Jay-Z. Last September, the artist sold out Madison Square Garden for his "Answer the Call" concert, featuring a range of guest performers including the always incredible Mary J Blige. It was an event that marked the nine year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on lower Manhattan. The documentary covers the event and backstage interviews and footage with Jay-Z - all intimate and very epic. It's Jay-Z, after all.

THE UPSIDE DOWN HOUSE. If you think of a Dr. Seuss rhyme when looking at these photos, you're absolutely right to. Or a wacky b movie. Needless to say, the upside down house is something you should go and see.

SUNBREAK. As part of The Clare Oliver Challenge for Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, this simple ambient from CHE, Melbourne idea urged beach goers to take a break from the sun. It's such a great idea.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC. There's Dr. Seuss and then there are things that absolutely belong to Wonderland. Cut & Paste is a collaboration between Kiki Van Eijk and Secondome director Claudia Pignatale. The project is all about the personality and emotion found within an object. This special collection for Secondome will have it’s world premiere in Rome. These pieces are remarkable and fun. A favorite? The clock without a doubt.

DUCK DUCK. DuckDuck calls themselves "a collective of creatives" and are based out of Lynchburg,VA. They offer beautiful - and I mean beautiful - visual representations of people, ideas, and products through a variety of mediums including photography, film, and motion graphics. Some of their clients include Levi Strauss, BMI, and VITA Fashion. Check their site and blog out.

THE KAFTAN. Colors and more colors, this season it's about the kaftan - Hermes, Antik Batik - perfect for the warm weather and fantastically dramatic.

BELOW THE CLOUDS. A Friday Favorite's list wouldn't be complete without another lighting mention. From 5.5 Designers, this fire kit lamp looks like something that walked out of Super Mario Brothers.

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TWO HUNDRED ELEVEN.

Oh, photo uploading system! Are you trying to make sure that I remember it's Monday too? Head to Design Milk and check out these photos of this graduate project by Lotte van Wulfften Palthe. The project utilizes both found and bought personal objects to create large-scale worlds that take on an unique and almost magical existence of their own. Each of the pieces in each “world” has it's own personality , the designer gave them names: Henry (the lamp), Fred (the cabinet), and Sofia (the pouf).

TWO HUNDRED SEVEN.

GIZMODO officially wins this week's 'best title of a blog entry ever' with "Etirement Lamp Concept Looks Like An Umbrella But I Wouldn't Suggest Using It In A Downpour" and I'm a fan of their suggested use - the Mary Poppins sequel, Mary being swept into the dinner lamp in a shower of shiny, shiny light. It's an interesting lamp, for sure, and the shape itself is quite cool. But what loses me is the "fabric membrane", which pulls away from the lamp when the light is turned on and off. The appeal? Not so much there for me. But do check Yanko Design's site out as well - plenty of cool stuff to go around.

TWO HUNDRED TWO.

FROM THIS DAY FORWARD is the first solo show outside England by London based designers JAMESPLUMB for Milano Design Week 2010. The romantic endeavor combines, restores, and finds new habitats for the unwanted pieces, the group celebrates and reveals stories that might have gone untold, and in new function find new stories to tell. It'll be set up in and around a campaign style tent designed by JAMESPLUMB and curated by Italian critic Diana Marrone. There's an obvious charm to the pieces and there's a little bit of a feel that reminds you of the eerie Isle of Misfits toys, if anything, but do take the time to comb through the photos. There are some great pieces.

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-EIGHT.

Happy Friday, PHI readers! It's been a long time coming for sure, this weekend, and as always, it's time for our Friday Favorites. And so what if the weather is a little wacky (have they ever been right?), enjoy your days and a few of our favorite things.

AVOCADO POUND CAKE. File this one under strange ideas that suddenly sound really, really great. Pound cake is fantastic. Avocados are also fantastic and multi-faceted. So why not have avocado pound cake? Joy the Baker has a great recipe that I'm pretty excited to try.

GONE FISHING. From Pedlars, an amazing chandelier that has been meticulously constructed out of fishing supplies, fishing floats and nylon fishing gut to be exact. It comes complete with an internal lamp and seems equally easy to hang.

ALL ABOUT THE MIRROR BALLS. By Tom Dixon, the Mirror Ball stand shows a new configuration featuring an array of various sized balls on a robust stainless steel stand. Each ball is tightly held in place with industrial strength clamps the stand creates a sculptural interior lighting "tree". Stand can accommodate a maximum of 6 Mirror Balls in various sizes.

COMPACT CAMERAS. Sometimes it's always best to go smaller, whether it be for traveling or a day on the go. Sony has just announced plans to produce an ultra-compact digital camera with large interchangeable lenses. the new line of cameras aims to combine the small scale portability of standard point and shoots, with image quality and versatility of larger digital SLRs. The new line was just announced at the annual camera show PMA (photo marketing association).

LOVE A GOOD GHOST STORY? Taking over one of the Meatpacking district’s last remaining disused warehouse spaces during the recent New York Fashion Week were iconic British luxury brand dunhill, with a little help from super-talented London based studio, Campaign. Having recently produced sublime pop-up stores for Dr.Martens and currently collaborating with Christopher Bailey, Creative Director of Burberry, on forthcoming interior concepts, London’s Campaign are carving a name for themselves as the ‘go-to’ agency for the Fashion world’s particularly creative needs. It's such a cool concept.

IF LADY GAGA DOES IT. Do you do it? These crazy sunglasses are by High end German sunglasses maker MYKITA who teamed up with Romain Kremer for Fall/Winter 2010. The result are these sunglasses that come with an attached head piece in red and black.The model is called YURI (after Yuri Gagarine) and the idea is that these sunglasses also protect the third eye – the brain.

AN EDUCATION. With the Oscars finally over, it's time to watch all those movies without all the insane hype. An Education is a coming of age drama that stars Carey Mulligan and is based on an autobiographical memoir of the same tittle written by the British journalist Lynn Barber. And so this is the part where you're thinking 'oh, the coming of age drama -' but there's something entirely endearing about the story and specific and Carey Mulligan's performance touches on those few memories that you have, as a teenager, on what it's really like to grow up.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT IT'S ... Céline. From the Sartorialist, Céline FW by Garance Doré Studio. It speaks for itself, without a doubt, gorgeous clothes and Céline.

THE INDUSTRY EXHIBIT. Void is preview of the new Tom Dixon collection Industry, which will show at Super Studio Più as part of Milan Design Week 2010. The shiny suspension lamps are constructed using “a double wall spun construction" and are available in solid copper, brass, or stainless steel. Like 3rings says, Void brings new meaning to the phrase, “Everything that glitters is not gold.”

RODARTE LIGHTS IT ALL UP. There is very little to say other than - "WANT. WANT. WANT. WANT." With several exclamation points and extreme abuse of the capslock key. But these Rodarte Light Up Heels are so gorgeous and so fun, that I can't help but walk right into some sort of Midsummer's Night fantasy or into a scene from Fantasia.

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ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE.

With 35 ice sculptors from different parts of the world and six days to carve, came a political statement about climate change was the last thing on Karl Lagerfeld’s mind when he trotted Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection in front of a giant, 265-ton glacier in Paris on Tuesday. The Grand Palais itself was kept at subzero temperatures, all the more, perhaps, to make the litany of tweedy knits, shaggy fur trim (all faux), and knee-high yeti boots even more inviting.

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-SIX.

Danish artist Malene Landgreen has recently taken over Copenhagen’s Kunsthal Charlottenborg, where she has stormed with her love for color and in turn, delivered an incredible six room installation that feels like you've walked into Wonderland itself.

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO.

I honestly thought that I was really going to have to dig this week for something different - and believe me, I mean different in a wide variety of ways. From The Daily What, "Chandelier of the Day: “A Noiva” (The Bride), a five-meter high (16.5 feet, in English) chandelier by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos made up of thousands of illuminated tampons, is currently on display at the at Belem Cultural Center in Lisbon as part of the artist’s “Netless” exhibition." The chandelier is of impressive scale, for sure, and originally, I was convinced that it was made up of a lot of wine corks - which might've lead to a joke about drinking and art, for sure. It's really something though and from the photo, you might have to blink several times before you convince yourself that layers of crystals are in fact layers of tampons. But it goes to show you that you can get creative with just about anything.

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE.

French photographer Gregory Alexander has created a series of spellbinding installations. Follow the link to see some video of each installation - it's quite amazing.

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY.

We've talked about a spot light lamp before - well, in much more of an epic way. But this lamp, designed by Caroline Schilling, accompanies your plant during its growth and functions as a secondary source for your room as well. Think nifty Venus Flytrap - in a not-going-to-eat-you-or-anything-that-moves friendly kind of way.

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX.

It's time for our Friday favorites! This week is a strange but fun mix of inspirations; from shoes to film, to just the right chair, or maybe it's just all about the things that we don't understand. Enjoy checking them out!

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RIGHT CHAIR. There’s nothing wrong about getting a little creative about extra seating, wanted company or unwanted company. And well, this ‘chair’ might not be the most comfortable, but it will mark a great spot for you to stack your magazines.
LA CASA DE BOTELLAS. La Casa de Botellas is a Palace designed of plastic bottle that is confined by a Santa Cruz Family. The house designed by the Alfredo Santa Cruz family in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina sets an example to utilize plastic bottles that could possibly have been trashed into bins. Almost every item of the house is made of thousands of PET plastic bottles, which is simple, accessible and creative at the same time. The pictures are unreal.
POGOISM? Admittedly, anything involving pogo sticks makes me a little skeptical and anything that suddenly says pogo sticks are a part of a new art form even more so – but watch the video, three guys, some paint, and well, their pogo sticks. Decide for yourself.
LET’S TALK LAYERS. Artist Andrea Myers’ work is incredibly bright and colorful. You’re not entirely sure of the shape – although, they are somewhat reminiscent of contour lines and contour maps – and while they seem to be made out of paint, it’s actually something more of a fabric. Check them out.

MUGSHOTS. Bored of your Facebook profile picture? Designer Anton Mircea has a playful twist on the “no picture” image. As Mircea says, “I believe we can enrich visual contexts that are supposed to be standardized or flattened into a template, even transform them into something popular although they were supposed to be the opposite – no profile pictures.” So suddenly have some strange desire to be the Terminator? You can download the photo here.

THE EXPLODING GIRL. There’s something magical about the right movie trailer, whether it be a huge blockbuster film or that small, coffee house film that is waiting to be discovered. The Exploding Girl is that such film, shot with that kind of romantic care and quietness. Written and directed by Bradley Rust Gray, he skillfully composes this delicate and honest portrait of a young woman at a crossroad. Watch the trailer here.
THINGS I DON’T UNDERSTAND. And definitely don’t want to talk about. Need break and a laugh? This blog is pretty self-explanatory – ever have that day, you know, that day, where you’re privy to certain things that happen and you just don’t get it. Then this is definitely a place for you. A favorite? “Things I don’t understand and definitely don’t want to talk about – I do not want to make you a mix tape and I want you to already know all the music that I already know.”

IT'S THE GREAT JJ LAMP! Itre’s The Great JJ lamp is designed by Centro Stile design studio and a take-off on Jac Jacobsen’s ever-popular architect lamp. This was first developed as enormous floor lamp - and is now being debuted as an equally over-scaled outdoor version. Which, let's be honest, is just fantastic!

MATHIEU LEHANNEUR. Designer Mathieu Lehanneur has created a gorgeous line of ceramic urns. The shapes of these 29.5 inch tall jars are physical manifestations of the demographic data of various countries. Each piece has 100 layers, and each layer represents 1 more year of age than the layer below it. It's really quite cool! Do take the time to explore the designer's site as well - his work is filled with extraordinary pieces.

IF ANYTHING, IT'S ABOUT THE SHOES. We've mentioned SHOELUST quite a bit on the PHI blog because, well, it's always about shoes. And more shoes. And shoes and shoes. Let's take this week's favorite with a little bit of mathematics - Tommy Ton + black + silver + (and it gets better, oh my) there's snakeskin = a pair of booties that are just kickass!

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ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX.

While the next Project Runway is gearing up on the DVR, let's talk Friday Favorites! As always, here are a few things that inspire us. Do take the time to go and check them out.

RADIO, RADIO. While the larger picture is always important, sometimes have the right pieces takes all a long way. Matt Brown’s phenomenal laser cut radios are systems that use radio-frequency identification speakers and chips to provide people with a better connection to the artists they choose to listen to. These radios also double as great, colorful sculptures that definitely stand out in a room.

EVERYTHING HAS A PLACE. A lot of times searching for something to share on our Friday Favorites, leads us to some strange places. "Content and Container" is collection jewelry, fashion and tabletop inspirations that follow the wabi-sabi philosophy of Japan, a philosophy that centers on the idea of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".

WINTER WEDDING INSPIRATIONS. There is something about the fur, the feathers, the snow. It's just so fun! Most brides want to get married in the spring and summer but imagine walking down the aisle in this winter wonderland? Take these ice branches, a perfect backdrop for any winter wedding.

ALPHABET SOUP. How great are these? Hungarian artist Lajos Major uses photography for a cheeky play on the alphabet.

KEEP CALM. We’ve most definitely talked about ‘Keep Calm, Carry on’ here at the PHI blog, the old World War II slogan poster that has definitely become incredibly popular and of course, a sensational internet meme. Oscillator tracks the amusing evolution of the Keep Calm popularity.

LOVE LETTER. The amazing Love Letter Project is a series of murals collectively comprising a love letter to West Philadelphia by Stephen Powers. Powers collectively has more than fifty different murals in the area. The project is sponsored by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative. You can visit his site for a list of all his murals, complete with directions and photos that you can see them in person.

EYEGASMS. Another thing that we’ve talked about before is how strange and vast a site like tumblr can be, and the few cool gems that you can definitely stumble upon. Take this blog for example, where you can scroll through an array of incredible pieces – it’s all about the visual stimulation.

REEL LIGHT. Nottingham, England based designer Guy Brown, who is part of the British design collective FARM, has created the Reel Light, fashioned out of steel cable.

ROUGE COCO DU CHANEL. Last week, Vanessa Paradis launched her new Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick campaign. The Rouge Coco collection includes four color families with a total of thirty shades, ranging from deep scarlets to pale neutrals. Each lipstick retails for $30, with the entire collection launching on February 25. Paradis is no stranger to Chanel campaigns. The stunning French songstress became the face of the Coco fragrance way back in 1992. Check out the making of the campaign as well!

PUTTING YOUR MONEY WEAR. What Gary Harvey most certainly has is a strong aesthetic. Take his most infamous design, a newspaper gown fitted together from 30 copies of the Financial Times and cinched together with a fetching salmon-pink corset. It’s quite the sight to see.

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ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FOUR.

Design-legend Tom Dixon's work at this new Seven Dials bar, restaurant and entertainment experience does not disappoint. It could just be a personal thing, a love of disco balls and diner-inspirations (mostly the disco balls, of course) but Circus is definitely an visual experience.

ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE.

The Guggenheim commissioned 200 artists, architects and designers to propose ideas for the Museum's central void. One of the proposals, from Danish practice JDS, consists of a giant trampoline net spiral down the rotunda space - which, come on now, giant trampoline. “Contemplating the void” will be on exhibit at the Museum from Feb 12th until Apr 28th.

ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO.

Amazing sculptures created with reclaimed materials by Japanese and Indiana native Sayaka Kajita Ganz. Absolutely stunning. Check them out!