WE'RE NEW, WE'RE SHARP, WE'RE FABULOUS~

(FFFFOUND!)

We have a new site, new location - come check us out!

TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT.

(PHOTO)

I have to admit it takes me a little while to think of catchy titles. I think that issue heads back to Freshman composition class (ugh, you don't even know!) where were told that for the rest of our university career and as English majors, titling things is MANDATORY. Just like that. Caps and all.

So to keep in vain with that tradition and to avoid countless of puns (also learned in that class, puns not avoiding puns), it's time for some design news and odds and ends:

The Guggenheim and YouTube are partnering to find the next and greatest in video art. How cool is that? Beginning Monday, anyone who as access to any sort of video equipment or a simple camera and a computer will be able to vie for a place in a video-art exhibition in October at all the Guggenheim Foundation's museums.

Be sure to definitely take a peek at Sam Songailo's art, which is heavily influenced by design, electronic music, technology, and futuristic aesthetics. Media Centre is Songailo's first major installation. The photos of the installation are tremendous.

And to round this out, a bit of an interesting blurb on bloggers. Ad Blogger Jumps the Fence is about Mathew Van Hoven, who was the head of a mediabistro blog called Agency Spy and how he's now been hired as the Communications director for Skinny, an NY-based agency. It's a cool read.

TWO HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT.

BRAVO's Work of Art premiered last night, much to my cautious delight. You know all BRAVO shows are like crack - great for rainy days, sick days, days where CSI isn't going to do it for you. But then, this is the network that gave us Project Runway and say what you will about fashion and the mainstream, but what BRAVO did for fashion is open the door into an entire market of people that otherwise wouldn't be so familiar with the likes of W, Vogue, the impact of YSL and Valentino. It gave an opportunity to designers to step into the limelight in an entirely different way, as well allow major designers to make themselves more personable and not mythological characters that we only know through glossy pages and the occasional, cool, indie documentary.

So what does Work of Art do? For starters, the New York Times kind of digs it. They have some art world giants like Simon de Pury, who serves as a mentor to the contestants, and Jerry Saltz, who is one of the judges. It helps that Sarah Jessica Parker is the producer, for sure. The cool thing too is that these are artists that represent all kinds of disciplines and mediums and all avenues of experiences. They were individually selected by self-portraits, which then turned into their first challenge, if you will, where they were each partnered up and asked to create a portrait of their partner. My favorite? Abdi's. I like Miles' too, but ... sort of have a crush on Miles' cute, cute face, so my glee outweighed what I liked about his piece. There are some characters, some really interesting people - Trong! Trong, in fact, is another big NYC name.

But we have to remember that this is a television show and that this kind of format still has to work because there's a villain, there's hero, we love the judges or hate the judges - personally I want to live in China Chow's closet, but she's no Heidi in terms of being a charismatic host. Regardless of how we may initially feel about the show and what it has to offer, there could be really great things that may stem from this. The question is, now, how will it translate in the long haul? It's too early to tell, but if there's a second season - I'm taking enlistments to get Michelle on this show. They haven't seen anything yet.

Let's keep watching.

TWO HUNDRED FORTY.

Samurai Shopper, a great NYTimes feature, dabbled in a little Anthropologie discussion this week. If you're like me, the mere mention of Anthropologie makes me look at my apartment with the same kind of epic longing that Luke and Laura had on General Hospital years ago. Let's be honest, walking into the store is like being thrown into a room of things that you can't have, or could have should you start selling off ... well, let's save that one for Oprah.

I'm always intensely fascinated by anything the store does design-wise. Sometimes it's clean. Sometimes you're distracted by the packs of college girls - and you know they still travel in packs - that come in, after classes and what have you, to spend, spend, spend. Then there's the rest of us who have fallen in love by the allure of not just the store, but that piece that either taunts you when they send the catalogue to your house, right after your bills are paid, or walking by the store and your friend, who has money, insists in walking inside. But the design. It's certainly an atmosphere, whether it's your thing or not, and you're almost left feeling like you've walked into some sort of fairy tale homage, complete with woods and odds and ends that are so shiny but, oh my god, you don't need; then you walk, wondering what exactly it was that you just saw.

A lot of spaces fall into that though. There's this allure of wanting to put too much in a space that doesn't really need that much. We all do that. It's the exciting thing when you're presented with a naked canvas - what do you do? Where can you go bedazzle-crazy? How many candles do you need before you set the office on fire? There's something to say about a great piece too. Just this Sunday, Nilda and I were walking around in the South End - and nearly killed by whatever weather thing happened later that afternoon - enjoying the open market. We saw a lot of great pieces, cool things that you'd never in a million years think would fit, but once you begin to think about them and their personality, sometimes it makes sense.

So do you learn how to pace yourself? Of course. Anthropologie has a knack too for doing these really great, large scale installations as well; which, in the end, seems to drown out the legions and legions of small and eccentric pieces. Learn to edit though. Learn to want to edit. Sometimes saying no is going to be the best thing you do all day.

It still makes me want a lot of unnecessary things for my apartment, let me tell you. But thinking about it now, whatever Anthropologie store it is that you walk into, the mix of pieces that put this atmosphere together has never failed to catch anyone's eye. In my defense, I will say that I like really pretty things and pretty things are really lovely to have. But these pieces work and that's what really makes the store what is. (PHOTO.)

TWO HUNDRED THIRTY.

We hope that you had a wonderful holiday weekend with the beautiful weather that the city had. We definitely did. But let's talk about technology. The Museum of London launched an iPhone app "Streetmuseum" that makes use of its extensive art and photographic collections, using a unique combination of geo tagging and Google maps. It guides new visitors and old through an array of events and locations, all key parts of the city's history. Check it out. (PHOTO.)

TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE.

Don't let the weather get you down. Or melt you - which more than likely to happen first, before it gets you down, for sure.

A few design tibits:

iPad + Velcro goes to show you that a little velcro goes a long way, whether you're trying to install some abnormally large installation or simply take advantage of the fact that you have an iPad and well, let's be honest, want to show it off.

FIT is hosting Eco Fashion: Go Green which is an exhibit that explores fashion's relationship with the environment. The term "eco-fashion" refers to the work of designers who use, produce, and otherwise promote sustainable, ethical, and environmentally-conscious products. It's still a contemporary practice, a very contemporary practice, but it's something relevant and necessary to explore with fashion's continuously changing face.

And we'll call these magic tiles, which are tiles designed in mind of how to recover heat loss, or energy loss, by being covered in thermo-chromic acid ink that reacts to heat. Read more here. It's pretty fantastic.

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.

TWO HUNDRED ONE.

Thursday nights, I've decided, should be a night that I don't watch the weatherman explain to me what kind of weather we're having. Because LIES. Regardless, happy Friday PHI readers! Hopefully, you have something wonderful planned or are simply ready to enjoy the weekend. And as always, this week's favorite things:

SOMETHING NEW. What you need to know about Seven Ply is that they make going green look incredibly cool. They take recycled old, broken, beat-up skate decks and turn it into a great piece of jewelry. Visit their etsy shop.

A ROOM OF YOUR OWN. What I find really interesting about designers is how their work, or rather, their personal taste translates into their own spaces. Norwegian interior magazine Nytt Room examines up and coming designers and their own spaces; it features a look inside designer Julia Edin’s apartment, a cozy peek into a very cool space.

LAMACEK. The Lamacek lounger is one of my favorite pieces from the company. The cushion is made using felt that is made of recycled plastic bottled and backed with a magnetic sheet that provides adhesion to the metal base. It’s also removable from the cushion for dry cleaning purposes. The best part? The lounger not only rocks, but it bounces.

BACKYARD WIND. With the weather slowly approaching something of the warmer variety, we're sure that many of you are trying to utilize any sort of outdoor space that you have. Sometimes it's not just about the plants, the floors, the odd bar, and those chairs that you hate in the beginning, but then love later. Check out the Wind Collection by Jordi Vilardell for Vibia, which features light and airy shades with colors that compliment any sort of outdoor space that you'd like to make yours.

NINA & LOLA. Of course, there’s a circus of boutique blogs. This is the internet, right? And you can absolutely go from one store to another, comparing prices and pieces. So what makes Nina & Lola different? There’s nothing like a stylishly clean blog with simple navigation – you can search by designer, vintage, and other categories as well as pick your currency, which is probably a main compliant I have with other sites. But there’s something really great about a site that understands its audience, who’s reading and where they’re coming from. Check it out.

SAY CHEESE. Let’s be real here. Who doesn’t love looking at gorgeous photos? The added bonus here, in addition to the gorgeous photos, is a really great commentary on photography and graphics, ultimately the perfect example of the way photo blogging should be.

THE VENDING SPREE. We may be a little bit in love here with this about description, “I am going to consume and review every item in my office vending machine and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” This is exactly why the internet is as awesome as it is.

BEEHOUSE LAMP. This is a pretty cool concept. Taking the idea of a beehive, the bee's natural inclination for building, and crystal technology, the designer incorporates all of this into creating the fixture. It's definitely one of those things that we'd love to see lit.

THE DEAD WEATHER. To be clear, there’s not a Jack White side project that I haven’t liked, there’s not a song Allison Mosshart sings that I don’t love, and of course, I’m going to by the new album, which came out on Tuesday. There’s nothing not to love about their sound – a little blues, a little old school rock … seriously, nothing that I don’t love at all. So pick up Sea of Cowards, pick a quiet couple of hours, and listen to the entire album. Some favorites? Blue Blood Blues, Old Mary, Die by the Drop, Gasoline.

KAREN WALKER. There's been a real love for anything vintage as of late - not that it ever went away. But you're beginning to see great pieces and accessories like these Karen Walker glasses, brown and gold detail, cool lines, and great for a really nice day at the beach. They're super fabulous.

(PHOTO.)

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE.

A few things before tonight's LOST because if you're like me, you know the world doesn't exist for that hour and few minutes.

But if you're looking through the latest issue of The Improper Bostonian, you may recognize a few faces in the Improperazzi! - our very own Nilda Martin and Sean Sweeney at this year's Greatest Party on Earth. Check it out by picking up the issue!

And running until September 4th is the Dr. Lakra exhibit at the ICA, which showcases the incredible and provocative works of the tattoo artist. Even cooler? Converse is sponsoring the exhibit.

Be sure to check it out.

(IMAGE.)

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR.

I like to think of Andy Rooney as that crazy, cranky relative that from time to time thinks he's relevant or in touch with something relevant, but not. He's the guy that might sit in the corner of the diner and just scowl at you for blinking the wrong way. But within that ranting and raving about getting old and not knowing who Lady Gaga is, he makes an interesting point about music today. How does one stay relevant?

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-EIGHT.

We hope you're enjoying the day, the sunshine, and the lack of apocalyptic winds (did you see yesterday, Boston?) because it's simply Friday and there must be some written rule, somewhere that says something about having to enjoy every Friday. And you know every Friday, it's all about our favorite things. There are some really fantastic things on the horizon, so keep looking out for them, PHI readers.

SKELETON FRIENDS. Scott Campbell's first solo presentation of his works in NYC will be a showcase of his unique eye through sculptures, paintings, and drawings. Campbell combines blue collar grit with the very unique, very visceral lore of tattoo culture to tell a story through all bodies of his work. The exhibit is called If You Don't Belong, Don't Be Long and runs from the 29th to May 30th.

ALL NEWS IS MUSIC NEWS. While some of us are believers in the idea that the music video, the good music video, is a dying institution, there are still people that seem to manage to keep it alive. Spike Jonze has directed the new LCD Soundsystem video for the single Drunk Girls. LCD Soundsystem's new album is due out May 18th, but check out the video. It's pretty great.

ICE CREAM. Now, let's think about warmer ties for a moment. Sun shining. You're about eight or nine and much better at getting away with running through the sprinklers, but enough of a kid to still want your ice cream. So Nestle Ice Cream and JWT Johannesburg created a new summer accessory, in that same vein, a hat made from ice cream sticks. It's adorable.

A JOURNEY WITH LOUIS VUITTON. Louis Vuitton is showcasing their Men's Fall 2010 via website through "The Journey of a Man's Wardrobe" where we, as viewers, can follow through pictures and illustrations of the journey of popular photographer The Shelby, starting in Paris.

THE PERFECT BLACK DRESS. There's a little black dress for everybody and everybody for a little black dress. And Style Melbourne is featuring Nevenka's Autumn Winter 2010 collection, called Concrete Jungle. Now, velvet isn't for everyone and personally, I have memories of seventh grade chorus and those dresses that my mother used to make me where as a kid - but wow, Nevenka's collection is fantastic and the black dress? Too cool.

SEDUCTION BY FRAMES. I'll admit that I'm easy. Put something shiny, something sparkly, or unapologetically cool, I'm there and I'm in love. And cool frames? Just another way to my heart. Frames like Herricht's wood ones, which both have this really clean look and almost romantic feel to them - everybody loves a poet, of course. They're pretty gorgeous and something that you do need to check out.

ERASER+ING ERASER. Where was this when I was in in school? No, it's not a ring pop but a stylish way to keep an eraser on hand should you be a pencil lover or a pencil user. Love it.

NICHOLAS K. I think the great thing about the internet, and the legions of odd corners and information that it does provide us with, is that we get to have a peek into the inspirations of some really incredible designers like Nicholas K. Spend some time going through each post - it's time definitely well spent.

TATTOOS, TATTOOS, TATTOOS - are always really interesting to me, as you can tell a lot about a person and their tattoo, and there's always a really cool story attached to it in some way or form. Check out this slideshow, where a dozen ... unique (asparagus?) food related tattoos are displayed. It's fascinating, for sure.

IT'S IN THE WAY YOU LOOK AT ME. There's something to be said about the right lighting. The right cool lighting too. Check out Lighting for Treluce, from designer Marcus Temonto, which is just guaranteed to impress.

ROLF SACHS. The London-based designer recently teamed up with designers Patricia Urqulola and Ron Gillad for an installation that features "various levels of expanded metals" - they're just pictures that you definitely need to see for yourself. Also, visit Sachs' website. It's pretty cool.

(IMAGE)

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX.

I'm ... I don't want to say hesitant because I'm not, but when it comes to body image, I think I'm still learning about how to talk about it. But I haven't been ignoring this story, and you know the story, the one where FOX and ABC pulled Lane Bryant ads for lingerie that feature plus-sized models doing what Victoria Secret's models do best ... wear underwear. And let's be honest, you can figure that for every hour of major, prime time television, there's a VS secret ad or two. It's just the truth.

Of course, it's a polarizing argument. Of course the networks don't comment or apologize or say, "hey, that wasn't our intention ..." etc, etc, etc. But at time where girls, where women of all ages where you're in your twenties or your sixties, struggle with things like weight and size, feeling great about yourself, wanting to feel beautiful and sexy regardless of whether or not it's a great top or that fantastic black dress ... these things don't help. Yes, okay, there's a lot of work to be done regarding food choices and exercise, but sometimes, most times, people don't talk about that additional side. To the point where you hear these stories and you don't get angry, you don't get sad, but you get it. You start to see why it's hard, why it's a struggle to maintain a confidence in your own shape, in your own self. There's no support and when there's the support, it's often angry and jaded, it gets lost in the hoopla of who did what and why. And even the articles, like the MSNBC one, make a reader go "..."

There just needs to be a bottom line declaration. It doesn't make any of this right. It really doesn't. So to FOX and ABC, I've read the comments and the articles, I've even seen the news talk about you too. You made a stupid decision. You should be kicking yourself in the butt.

You need to know this though. You're not going to sell me on what's beautiful to me. It doesn't work that way. (IMAGE.)

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX.

It has been revealed that the fashion house is collaborating on a capsule collection with performer Lady Gaga for the Spring 2011 season. This is the news comes after the rumor that British designer Gareth Pugh would take over the reigns of the brand. PPR, who own half of the McQueen fashion house, however, are said to be keen on Gaga's involvement due to the commercial viability and cohesion between both the brand and the performer. But little is known about the capsule collection.

It is believed, however, that it will sit alongside the main Alexander McQueen line, more in the vein of the McQ by Alexander McQueen diffusion, and that the collection is being fleshed out under the working title of 'Poisson D'Avril', a reference to the thematic poison present in Lady Gaga's Telephone video clip. (Source.)

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO.

This New York Times article is a just in another realm of cool. Bridgeport-resident Dalton Ghetti has been carving sculptures into pencil lead, without the aid of a magnifying glass, for 25 years. That's right. Without the aid of a magnifying glass. He has a bust of Elvis. And there's “Chain,” in which the middle of a pencil has been transformed into a 23-link chain. Last year, after two and half years, he finished a line of 26 pencils, with each letter of the alphabet carved into the tip. It's an extraordinary way of looking at a pencil.

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-SIX.

Anna Karenina designed by FUEL.

Penguin has collaborated with AIDS awareness fund (RED) and a team of designers to produce new covers for eight Penguin Classics. Each cover replaces the usual black band with red, employing a quote from the text of the book as the visual hit. And really, sometimes we do judge a book by its cover.

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FOUR.

Alison Mosshart, Wild Beasts and Animal Collective have all urged the BBC not to close down 6 Music.The digital radio station has been outlined for closure, along with Asian Network, in an effort to cut costs. The artists, who are all attached to independent record label Domino, argue that 6 Music is crucial for the future of new music. (Read more.)

ONE HUNDRED NINETY-THREE.

This entire entry is only about imploring you to go view McQueen's final collection. It's stunning and mesmerizing - there was no doubt. The private show was set to the classical music Mr. McQueen had been listening to as his 2010 autumn collection came together. The collection is very Gothic and colored in religious symbolism, that translated subtlety and beauty that was the essence of McQueen.

The New York Times has a wonderful article and slideshow of the collection, so do take the moment to go and look through it.

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY-EIGHT.

China makes 70% of the world's toys. 70%. Take a look at a fascinating photo tour of a Chinese toy factory to see the living conditions and assembly of toys.

ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT.

New in the odd advertisement news (and for sheer entertainment value, of course) is rhe Heinz ketchup condiment packet redesign. From trom Heinz Ketchup press release, "…A true packaging breakthrough, the Heinz Dip & Squeeze dual-function package gives ketchup lovers two ways to enjoy Heinz Ketchup: either peel back the lid for easy dipping, or tear off the tip to squeeze onto favorite foods…The new Heinz Dip & Squeeze product marks the first ketchup packet makeover for the foodservice industry in 42 years. In the past, on-the-go eaters have struggled to open multiple ketchup packets while worrying about making a mess…”

But the real redesign news is Hasbro has unveiled its design of the new 75th anniversary edition of Monopoly, set to hit stores in fall of 2010. "Monopoly: Revolution Edition" is slick and round instead of dull and square, with debit cards and an ATM instead of paper money and a banker, clear plastic representations of the classic tokens (bye-bye, little boot!), and clips of popular songs (like Rihanna’s "Umbrella," Daniel Powter’s "Bad Day," and Beyonce's "Crazy in Love") that play after certain actions." Funny? Or just too much?

ONE HUNDRED THIRTY.

Of course, many assume China is the biggest violator of air pollution. And while the country has it's obvious problems, they've also passed the world's major countries to become the leader in making clean energy. Over the weekend, the NY Times had this to say:

"Multinational corporations are responding to the rapid growth of China’s market by building big, state-of-the-art factories in China. Vestas of Denmark has just erected the world’s biggest wind turbine manufacturing complex here in northeastern China, and transferred the technology to build the latest electronic controls and generators.

“You have to move fast with the market,” said Jens Tommerup, the president of Vestas China. “Nobody has ever seen such fast development in a wind market.”

Renewable energy industries here are adding jobs rapidly, reaching 1.12 million in 2008 and climbing by 100,000 a year, according to the government-backed Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association.

Yet renewable energy may be doing more for China’s economy than for the environment. Total power generation in China is on track to pass the United States in 2012 — and most of the added capacity will still be from coal."

Check out the rest of this article.