LIUniverse

Hello Spring!

2010-02-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

From a recent walk up to Corona Heights!

Holiday DIY! It's not too late!

2009-12-18T23:23:00.000-08:00

[I know this post is a little late and that Christmas is coming up fast but here is my DIY contribution for 2009...hopefully just in time.]

Nothing is better than the smell of pine needles. It's that smell that really signals the arrival of Christmas for me. We didn't get a tree this year but to bring that smell inside, I went over to my neighborhood Christmas tree seller and asked for some of the trimmings laying on the ground (the branches or boughs cut from the bottom of the tree). They graciously gave them to me. I took them home, tied them together with some spare red fabric that I had, and hung them in our living room windows. It only took about 20 minutes and the total cost...$0.00.

Happy Holidays!

Materials: branches, red scrap fabric, fishing line, scissors

Step 1: Trim the branches and stack them together.

Step 2: Cut a piece of fabric about 1.5" wide and 2' long.

Step 3: Tie it around the branches.

Voila!

Wearing the Entrepreneur Hat

2009-11-30T22:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I've done it. As I revealed in my last post, I'm so addicted to Etsy. So addicted that I opened up my own store.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I have a habit of creating things, making grand plans for them, and then never doing anything about it. Well, I finally decided to break the habit and Etsy made it easy to do it.

So, my shop is called Audrey's General Store. I'm still figuring out some of the details, but check it out and let me know what you think.

Well, I've done it. As I revealed in my last post, I'm so addicted to Etsy. So addicted that I opened up my own store.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I have a habit of creating things, making grand plans for them, and then never doing anything about it. Well, I finally decided to break the habit and Etsy made it easy to do it.

So, my shop is called Audrey's General Store. I'm still figuring out some of the details, but check it out and let me know what you think.

Enablement Junky

2009-11-22T19:42:00.001-08:00

Hello, my name is Audrey and I'm addicted to Etsy.

What started out as mindless browsing (you know, once a day, just to see what the latest and greatest was) quickly turned into a full-blown addiction (feeling a small rush every time I would click on the "pounce" button unsure of what treasures were soon to be served up to me).

It's pretty amazing, really but for better or worse, with a little bit of effort, commitment, and investment, Etsy makes it possible for anyone and everyone to become an entrepreneur. It takes the pressure off of starting your own business (be it brick and mortar or online) and lays it out in easy to follow steps. It creates a community with forums, blogs, and helpful articles. It uses "success stories" to plays to that part in all of us that wants to leave our 9-5 in the hopes of being able to live off of our hobbies. Etsy is the new lemonade stand for adults and boy is it fun.

In this online age, I'm finding that the sites that enable and empower individuals are the ones that I'm most drawn to. There's Etsy, Blurb, Google Analytics, Vimeo...lots of places that break down the barriers of the old school, making once specialty services more accessible, and enabling each of us to explore our inner-entrepreneur/our inner creative/ourselves. Access is at the root of empowerment, and great ideas can come from a public that is empowered. (Ok, there are a fair amount of bad ones too.)

Thinking outside of yourself and beyond the active user

2009-11-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

The other day a blind man borrowed my elbow to cross the street. As we made our way across Dolores Street, he told me that street-crossing had become particularly precarious in our neighborhood of late. Why? Because of electric vehicles. When they're coasting or running on battery, they're completely silent. So, an entire population that relies on their other senses (hearing in this case) to get by, is seeing the downside of our so-called vehicular advancements.

We often pride ourselves on having a "user-centric" mindset but this conversation on that Sunday highlighted for me the fact that we need to not only consider the active user but the passive user as well.

As designers, we are responsible for any interactions with our products whether it be the person behind the wheel or the one trying to cross the street. In this case, we need to adjust our lens and think of a way to add some noise to EVs so that they can be seen as a positive contribution by all instead of only by the majority while the minority, the blind, add them to another list of things that are life threatening.

What does complete trust mean?

2009-09-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

At Swanton Berry Farms, you pay for what you take and make the change
yourself. As I watches customers infront and in back of me, it induced
a sense of over-honesty and protectiveness of the establishment.

The Os Gemeos Mural in NYC

2009-08-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

There is so much detail to this mural that even after twenty minutes
of standing there, I was still discovering little treasures of
imaginative narrative. If you're in the neighborhood, I highly
recommend seeing it (Houston and Bowery).

Morning fog

2009-06-16T23:17:00.001-07:00

The view from the Corona Heights dog park on a crisp morning.

"Really Good Fresh Jerky"

2009-05-23T15:50:00.000-07:00

On route to Mammoth.

Mixed Signals

2009-05-09T18:37:00.001-07:00

(Actually, these are the signs they use when they're working on my
street during the week.)

Happy Easter To All My Peeps

2009-04-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

Repurposed Item

2009-04-01T21:52:00.001-07:00

Workbelt turned planter--hanging planter.

The Poem Store on Wheels

2009-04-01T21:48:00.001-07:00

Your poem. Your topic.

Sidewalk Suggestions

2009-03-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

Introducing...The Nest

2009-03-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

It took me long enough but I've produced three of these since Christmas. I call it the Nest because, well, it looks like one (please, if you have any other name suggestions, I would love to hear them). I wanted to use a traditional material (yarn) in a different way, while maintaining a simple look and feel (a la Muji). So, I stuck to natural tones of 100% wool yarn (sounds itchy, but it isn't) and opposing structural elements (a knitted band vs. loosely wrapped yarn) to create an interesting textural look (I hope).

What do you think? Should I try selling them on Etsy?

(Robert, you'll be happy to know that I am still and always will be a Scollar loyalist.)

Young Entrepreneurs

2009-03-15T18:09:00.000-07:00

While walking in Hayes Valley today, Craig and I happened upon a young artist duo selling their artwork outside of their parent's store. Intava (10) and Allen (8) are true entrepreneurs and running into them today has reminded me that sometimes, you really don't need much to set up shop. Sometimes, you just need a good partner and a common passion.

Intava and Allen have been painting since September and their chosen medium is acrylic on plywood. They sell their pieces for $5 (small) and $10 (large) and paint in their storefront window/studio in between making sales. Upon purchasing one of their pieces, they'll offer to sign and include the date and their ages. Through this small venture, they're learning how to deal with customers, the value of money, and least of all, making money doing what you love to do.

Their signage is simple but sweet. Intava's favorite piece is the one with the swan family.

Look at all the art that they have produced in only 7 months of weekend work!

The artists, Intava (left) and Allen (right), posing with our newly purchased paintings.

The young entrepreneurs/artists in their storefront studio.

Craig opted for "Race Car 2009" while I went for an abstract that caught my eye.

Bling, Baby, Bling

2009-03-14T20:42:00.001-07:00

My good friend Elyse co-curated a show at CCA's Playspace Gallery the other night that was a great commentary on the economy today and our relationship with our money.

Among the highlights include: a "Pity Party" section where you could make your case for money on the side of a jar (some of my favorites included "Cash for Kittens," "Unemployed Clowns Fund," and a picture of a bear), and a crocheted gold thread doily that included instructions based on the value of gold per day ("gold down 3 points today, decrease stitching by 2 rows").

A Sign of the Times

2009-03-14T20:32:00.001-07:00

While other businesses are shuttering their doors and permanently affixing sales signs to their windows, there is one business in town where things are looking up.

My community thrift store on 17th and Valencia underwent a recent renovation (a high-spirited repainting of their facade, a new an improved roof sans leaks, etc.). On a usual day, I would be one of a handful (but colorful) assortment of patrons bobbing our heads to 50's Chinese pop music while we sifted through the hit-or-miss offering, but yesterday I walked in to find a line of people and even a new rack of clothes labeled "designer." So I guess, economy down, thrift store up!

Rituals of Comfort

2009-03-14T20:22:00.001-07:00

Observing personal rituals is pretty fascinating and since my first entry on the car with 2 clubs, I've noticed so many more! (Note that my definition of ritual in this regard is an act based on belief that results in an emotional output but that is not based on fact. A personal ritual in this context may not have any true benefit at all.)

Before I worked in the restaurant industry (and read Kitchen Confidential), I used to wipe off my utensils before every meal. Then I saw that there are so many other things to worry about that I set aside that particular ritual for a whole set of new ones (not ordering meat well-done, not ordering fish with too much sauce...).

Notice the wedge of napkin deliberately placed beneath the only portion of the utensil set in contact with the table. How big of a difference this actually makes is debatable but the comfort this ritual brings is undeniable.

Spotted on the San Francisco/Sausalito Ferry

2009-03-09T22:48:00.001-07:00

Think: Princess Bride

Surprise Attack!

2009-03-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

Sidewalk Suture

2009-02-12T10:20:00.001-08:00

Everytime I walk over these warning marks I think of a wound that has
been sutured up.

Winter in New York

2009-01-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Diligence

2009-01-25T13:12:00.001-08:00

A sign in Chinatown outside of my favorite bakery.

Ritual of Duty and Devotion

2009-01-24T22:13:00.000-08:00

We were at the de Young today for the Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective (a good show and a great collection of his work) when we happened upon the sweetest scene. We were on our way to the gift shop when we passed a window and noticed a pigeon waddle by. He had a leaf in his mouth and was hastily heading in our direction. At his destination? Another pigeon nestled amongst a spread of leaves each of which had already made the trek from the corner of the courtyard in the beak of it's proud courier. We watched as he fulfilled his duty with dogged determination -- waddling around, tossing aside everything except the best leaves (nothing torn or mangled made the cut), and returning with his find to the side of his truest mate. Each leaf a representation of the relationship between the two birds. Sure, I may be romanticising things a bit but with all of the drama that we fill our lives with on a daily basis, isn't it nice to be reminded of how simple true devotion can be?

Where were you on this day?

2009-01-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

Watching the live CNN broadcast on the big screen at work!

Fort Funston

2009-01-19T17:47:00.000-08:00

This weekend we took Baz to Fort Funston Beach to stretch his legs. If
you have a dog in the bay area, this beach is tops.

Rituals of Hope

2009-01-19T15:16:00.001-08:00

I was walking around my neighborhood the other day and noticed this curious site of 2 clubs on one steering wheel. It made me think of the rituals individuals often have that realistically have no functional purpose (if someone can get through one of those clubs, they can probably get through the second) but which we do to give us a feeling -- a sense of security, togetherness, etc. At the end of the day, these rituals represent a hope -- a hope that 2 clubs will keep your car from being stolen, a hope that leaving the light on will keep your home safe.

What rituals do you have that help give you hope?

Oh So Scholarly

2009-01-07T09:39:00.001-08:00

Homemade gifts are a mix of extreme emotions. You either hate 'em or love 'em. Well, this year, I got one and I love it so much, I had to write about it. My good friend, Robert, made it for me and I've worn it everyday this week. It's called a Scholar (half scarf, half collar..."I'm a mog -- half man...I digress). It's warm without being bulky and handmade without being crafty. Plus, with a name like that, I'm pretty dang sure it makes you smarter!

Stay tuned for my own version...The Head Nest. (Bri is currently testing it for safety...spontaneous strangulation, combustion, and the like.)

Hooray for handmade!

Change of scenery

2009-01-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

There was something up with my normal Muni today so I hopped on the
surface car and am enjoying a nice change of scenery. It's a welcome
change from the usual squashed-under-some-tall-guys-armpit routine.

Testing Mobile Blogging

2009-01-05T22:16:00.000-08:00

No...not from the beautiful trails of Mammoth Mountain. I just thought
this was a great photo from my recent trip there. I swished and swooped
down the slopes -- trying my hand (feet, rather) at snowboarding and
reacquainting myself with skiing. It was a great trip...more photos
and thoughts tk.

Happy new year!

Creating a Connoisseur

2008-10-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

There was a great article in the NYT Dining & Wine section yesterday about a wine connoisseur in Japan who is driving major decisions of the wine industry there and in other parts of Asia. The only catch is that he is the creation of a brother and sister Manga team.

Product placement is nothing new in the entertainment industry but Let Gouttes de Dieu takes the reader on a journey of learning about wine through the experiences of its main character. So, as he learns about a new wine family, so does the reader who is then compelled to partake in that same experience in real time. As an example, Burgundy had almost dropped off the map in Japan until the comic raved about it and suddenly hotels were scrambling to keep up with the demand.

I'm intrigued by the use of narrative, education, and the new-found factors that contribute to success in the market.

Mobile Canvas

2008-10-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Driving across the Bay Bridge one day, we spotted the vehicle below. It's covered with a 3-dimensional city which is a work in progress (some of the buildings are still unpainted). I'm not sure how "legal" it is (insert visual of a miniature skyscraper lodged into the windshield of a nearby vehicle), but it's neat to think of the different ways you can create a mobile canvas. It also makes me wonder what inspires this type of dedicated creativity?

Merci Switzerland!

2008-09-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

Recently I was lucky enough to be sent to Switzerland on business and when I wasn't working I made sure that I was either eating or walking around looking for something to eat. We stayed in Neuchatel and took a day trip to Geneve. Their appreciation for good design and delightful food was evident in the thoughtful execution of everything from a fisherman's shed to a child's slide. It made me wonder where our sense of style and our appreciation for beauty have gone? I wish the words "thoughtful" and "delightful" sprang to my mind as often as they did in Switzerland.

Though I didn't take many photos of all of the food that ended up in my belly, I did take lots of the local scenery and simple beauty that surrounded me. Enjoy!

These are boat sheds next to the docks that housed local resident's sailboats. Such a simple way to add color to a landscape and turn an otherwise boring eyesore (think of those plastic sheds from Home Depot...ACK!) into a beautiful element.

The water at the docks (and everywhere else for that matter) was so clear. The plant life living beneath the glassy surface of the water was beautiful...in a spooky kind of way.

For those of you who know me, you know that I'm not a chocolate person. Dee has always been the one in the family who loves the stuff but let me tell you...Swiss chocolate has ruined me for life! Oh creamy goodness, how I miss thee.

(drooling...)

Pantone cups at a design store in Geneve (we must have walked into about 3 or 4 of them within a 2 mile radius). My favorite is the coffee series located in the back.

A local fishing shed in Neuchatel is made more elegant by just adding some wood panels to redefine (not cover) the metal and fiberglass siding underneath.

The front entrance of the same fishery.

Woolly Mammoth slides at a playground in Neuchatel sans metal bars ;)

Almost every window has a form of shutter in Switzerland each having their own characteristics and displaying their wear with pride.

Some local art on the walls of an underpass in Neuchatel.

The window frame of a jeweler displays hand-painted diagrams of the tools of the trade.

An olive oil chandelier in Geneve.

Yummy pizza served on a wooden board. Look at how thin that crust is!

Ingenuity With a Dash of Crazy

2008-08-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Two curious scenes from my recent walk through the international terminal at SFO.

First, the ingenuity that I promised in the title. An orange caution cone inverted and used to funnel a leak in the ceiling into some water buckets below.

Here's a close up.

So, I left the cone to do its funneling and I'm minding my own business when I find myself face to face with a bit of crazy packaged in a blond Asian woman. It was an ad for "Supreme Master Television" (apparently available on Galaxy 25 at 97 degrees W). Can someone explain this to me? Is there a galactic cable channel that I'm missing out on?! Um, and, why is she talking on a cell phone?

Symphony of Fog, Smoke, and Fireworks

2008-08-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, I forgot to post these earlier but this past 4th of July was my first in San Francisco. I had been warned that the fog is usually an active participant in the fireworks show but went anyway and dragged 4 friends and Craig along.

Shoom! Pop! The show starts and we see the first glow of the night. I thought it was quite beautiful -- fire wrapped in a veil of fog...there was something so romantic about it. This continued but quickly the smoke from the show mixed with the fog and the smoke from another show we were downwind from and then romance turned into... we would hear the launch, see the bright tails of the fireworks shoot into the cloud and then POP!...but there was not Ahhhh moment, only a brief glow and a fizzle. It had it's charm but the real kicker was that the 5th was a beautiful, clear day. Go figure.

I Heart Newsprint

2008-08-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

I was at the MomaStore a few weeks ago during their summer sale and spotted these blank notebooks which have cardboard covers and newsprint pages. Newsprint is one of my favorite materials to sketch and write on because it "feels like velvet." They are really simple and the cropped graphics on the cardboard covers add that little extra bit of love (like Freitag in book format). They run a little pricey (around $20) but I thought it might be a great idea to try myself one day.

Patterns of My New City: Lines

2008-07-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

I recently moved up to San Francisco and have been enjoying this new city of mine. Walking around and exploring, there is just so much to see so, here's just a peek at some of what surrounds me. Like the India pix, I'm splitting this series into themes. First up -- the patterns I spy all around me.

lines in the sky criss cross just outside of my window

and down on the street

lines of safety

of transportation

and of movement

Noah's Ark at the Skirball

2008-06-30T00:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was down in LA to see some friends (congratulations Vee and Oscar!) and was surprised with a visit to The Skirball to catch the popular exhibit, Noah's Ark, before the end of the month.

For those of you not familiar with it, it is an interactive exhibit which showcases a slew of animals made from repurposed/found objects. Inside the exhibit is an actual ark complete with rope ladders, a mini kitchen, and even foam pieces of poop that the kids can use little dustpans to sweep up. It was a great opportunity to get into that child state again and allow myself to give in to that sense of wonder -- something we should all do more often. So, adults, kids, if you haven't seen it yet be sure to stop by before it closes. Below are a couple of highlights and here's an article on the designs and artists.

This crocodile's head is made from a violin case, its teeth are pipette tips, and its tongue is the neck of a violin. If you look closely, you'll notice that the brows are actually leather gloves and the eyes are small cabinet knobs.

This deer has shoe forms for ears and below...

an assortment of found objects from rulers, to pulleys, to wrenches make up its body.

These turtles, perched innocently atop a wooden beam of the ark, are made from steel rebar and...catcher's masks! They are made of found objects yet manage to capture so much personality!

There were a number of different bird friends floating over head but this one was definitely the most dramatic with her red fan wings and spring torso.

I should also mention that one of the greatest things was watching the kids interact with the exhibit and hear their commentary on it. At the end of the exhibit, they have a little desk where visitors can make a statement about what they can do to improve the world. That statement is then projected on a nearby wall in circulation with a host of others for about a week. This one was just too good not to post :)

Education First!

2008-06-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

The Art Center petition to put education first is closing tomorrow, June 13th. If you haven't signed it already, please do so and tell all your Art Center friends about it!

Art Center Petition: Education First!

On the Road

2008-05-31T23:37:00.000-07:00

These are just a few of the pictures from the road trip Craig and I took up the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to San Francisco. Everyone has always said how beautiful that ride is, but it wasn't until the wind from the Pacific Ocean was whipping my hair in my face and the colors of the wildflowers were surrounding me that I really knew what they were talking about.

The natural landscape of the California coast is beautiful.

Lazy days for the seals that lined various rock beaches along the coast. It made me sleepy just looking at them.

Along the way we stayed a night in Pacific Grove which is right next door to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It's an amazing facility and there was a lot of beauty to be found but still it was sad to see wildlife such as otter living behind glass and under fluorescent lights.

Jellyfish are beautiful creatures...the layering, colors, and varying forms are so elegant.

Moon Jellies
An antique clock shop on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove

The windblown trees of Pacific Grove

And finally at the end of the road...San Francisco, my new home :)

Icy Pops!

2008-05-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

This book is just in time for summer and is a great new spin on a classic summer tradition -- making your own icy pops!

Written by a former teacher of mine and great mentor, Krystina Castella, Icy Pops brings the fun and creativity back to this childhood treat. With recipes like Thai Coffee and Tea pops, the fun isn't just for kids anymore :) She even shows you how to make your own popsicle molds with silicone!

Buy a copy here or visit the website which is a wealth of information all in its own.

Family / (ˈfam-lē)

2008-05-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

A couple of things have happened recently which have made me really re-evaluate what the word "family" means. Traditionally, the word family has been associated with people of the same blood relation though I would argue that in this growing world of ours, everyone with a significant impact on your life can be counted as family because they each play a role in how you have been and are being shaped. For me, family (and you know who you are) are the ones who I find myself thinking about in the oddest of moments -- before I go to sleep, during a movie, when a certain song come on. How do you define family?

My biggest worry is that they don't know how much they mean to me. Think of the ones you love often.

Simple Solution

2008-05-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a taxi driver's solution to an uncomfortably tight seat belt. It allows him just enough slack and it is a nice alternative to what other drivers (Ba!) opt to do -- not wear the belt at all.

Enough is Enough

2008-05-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

[In response to a blog posting by Nathan Cooke regarding the hypocrisy of our "leading design educational institution."]

This is a great dialog and one that is long overdue. First of all, I care a great deal about Art Center because I'm grateful for the role that it has played in my life. Without it, I would not be the designer that I am today and I know that.

That being said, and as a recent alumna, it is frustrating to watch members of the administration continually fail to prioritize the students and education above other "academic" initiatives. In ignoring what should be its prize possession (the students), Art Center has created class after class of alumni who will never give back to their school and it has created a destructive cycle: 1) Art Center ignores students and diminishes the educational experience through bureaucracy and personal agenda, 2) Students graduate after having accrued a massive amount of loans, 3) They neither can afford nor care to give monetary donations to Art Center, 4) Art Center's endowment continues to shrink under the current administration and lack of support from its alumni body, 5) Current student tuition is raised increasing the amount of loans that the current students will have to endure and scholarships continue to shrink.

It is time for action. Time to bring the voice of the students back. Can Art Center truly continue its legacy of creating "leaders in design" if at the first sound of dissent it (Erika, Iris, Richard) attempts to silence it?

Students: You are paying for a service. If that service does not meet your expectations, you have the right to raise your voice.

Alumni: We have invested a lot in our diplomas. For some, over $100,000 in student loans have been accrued (the same as an average Harvard med student). The value of your association with the school is only as good as its current reputation. Do not let your investment depreciate under to poor guidance.

All: What are our next steps? Should we start a petition? Rather than have letters and emails trickle in one at a time to the trustees, we should make it a collective effort so that our individual bark becomes a collective roar. I am posting this comment and a link to this discussion on my blog, will others do the same?

PS: I really like the idea of t-shirts with "Education First" printed on them :)

The Small Things

2008-05-16T23:47:00.000-07:00

I've made it back to LA and after 4 months in Singapore and already I am starting to miss the small things.

The character found in the store fronts and use of color.

The beautiful heritage trees that line the streets with their lyrical branches (there are tons more photos where these came from but I'll save them for a separate post).

Strong black kopi (coffee) with condensed milk. It costs 75 cents a cup at any hawker stand and its flavor puts Starbucks to shame (as does the fact that it doesn't burn a hole in your stomach).

Tian Tian Chicken Rice! Once it hits your lips...

Green tea soft serve with mochi and red bean. Why can't there be more desserts like this?

Looking up and seeing the rainbow of clothes drying in the breeze.

Robitussin, Strepsils, and National Geographic?

2008-04-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

So, being sick stinks and I've been sick for the past 4 days. The one good thing about it though is getting to watch as many reruns on TV as I please without getting any grief about it. One of the reruns I caught the other day on the National Geographic Channel was on a project called Scrap House. It's an old project from 2005's Earth Day but I thought it worth mentioning because it brings up a lot of important issues which still loom over our heads today -- reusing our existing resources (like TrunkSale!). Every bit of the house was made from scrap found at the dump or donated by builders. Some of the more interesting bits include a traffic lens chandelier, door floor, and phone books used for insulation and acoustics. Here's a great video on the project.

Aside from the project itself, the National Geographic documentary also brought to light some interesting social dynamics. There were the designers and the contractors and everyone in between. Everything was strained from the get go. There was a lack of communication but most of all, respect between the designers and the contractors. As a designer, I wonder if we will ever be able to break the stereotypes and biases create chasms between different working classes.

Old street signs and scrap sheeting make up the exterior panels of the house.

The traffic light chandelier from above with a leather scrap floor below.

The door floor filled with concrete and the phone book wall.

Glass and metal sheeting donated by Building REsource.

Geo-Bio & Memory Bank

2008-04-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

View Larger Map

After my entry on We Tell Stories, I wanted to see how I could use Google Maps in a new way. (I don't know if this is actually new or not but it's new for me ;) So, I talked to my friend Nathan (who gets cred for the name 'Geo-Biography') and decided to make a map of my life. As I placed the markers on the map, I realized that some of the most important markers were not placed to mark chronological milestones but ones revolving around fond memories. Since I have the memory of a small bat, I decided to recruit some friends to help turn my map into a memory bank. (If you have any memories to add, just message me and I'll add you as a collaborator.)

My hope is that not only can Google Maps be used to tell stories, it may also become the next social networking tool. If you start your Geo-Bios and layer them we may find that at one point in our lives we were in the same city or lived across the street from one another. Mine is still evolving but I wanted to post it up there just to inspire some other thoughts.

La La Land Art Land

2008-04-10T02:57:00.000-07:00

Looking for inspiration in La La Land? For Your Art is a neato site dedicated to the LA art scene. It includes a downloadable pdf map of all of the art venues (galleries, museums, schools, etc) broken down by neighborhood.

Redefining a Medium

2008-04-06T22:37:00.000-07:00

Ever look at the variety of internet tools we have -- Google, Picasa, Facebook, Blogger, etc, etc -- and wonder how else we could apply them? Well, there's a great project being initiated by Penguin Books called We Tell Stories. They have asked 6 authors to write 6 short digital fictions. Each of the authors uses the internet to redefine classic stories and more importantly the medium of 'The Book.' For example, the first is called The 21 Steps by Charles Cumming and is a story based on the classic The 39 Steps by John Buchan. It's told entirely using Google Maps! The bubbles and landmark function are used to show the text of the work in direct association with a specific location (here's an interview with Cumming on Cool Hunting).

It really makes you think about all of the uses that can be applied to the various internet tools at our very fingertips. In fact, I'm going to engage in some medium redefinition right now!

Sharing the Knowledge

2008-04-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled across Slideshare and it's incredible. It's like flickr for presentations and covers a huge range of topics from design to drunken philosophy. You can view slide shows and even download the files. Knowledge sharing at its best! Just check it out and love it.

Feast for the Eyes

2008-04-03T01:11:00.000-07:00

[continuing themes from our India trip 2008, here are some photos that don't fit into any other category or theme other than 'beautiful.' enjoy.]

Great colors and textures of this beautifully tattered and worn building facade.

The misty woods of Kumily.

Colors everywhere. Why don't we wear more colors?

The juxtaposition of the ancient architecture and the fluorescent lights above is intriguing.

From the houseboat we rented in Allepey, it's hard to tell the sky from the river water and the trees from the floating plants.

Just one of the many Ganesh's we saw during our trip.

The view from the river boat at Periyar wildlife sanctuary. So vivid and crisp.

I had to add this one! From virtual feast to actual feast...

Entrepreneurship + Push Carts = Youthepreneurship?

2008-04-03T00:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, the name needs a little help, but this is a pretty great collaboration between the National Library of Singapore and Republic Polytechnic here in Singapore. I happened upon it as I stumbled out of the library with Craig the other night and noticed a bunch of pushcarts in the middle of the library plaza. I checked out the URL when I got home and found out that it's a program that teaches students the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and outfits them with some basic business management skills. Before you know it, they have the chance to rent a pushcart for only 20$ a day. (Actually, that's kind of pricey if all you happen to be selling are 50 cent hair pins or something...hmm.) Anyhoo, the aspect of the pushcarts is fun. I wish that Paseo would do something useful with theirs for a change. Perhaps there needs to be a little collab between Art Center and Paseo? nudge nudge (not sure who I'm nudging here, but I'm nudging all the same).

Eeny Meeny Miny...Obama!

2008-03-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

That's right! I thought I was for Hillary, but it turns out Obama's my man...or so says Glassbooth.org, a great site that helps to demystify the elections just a bit. Answer a few questions on major issues facing the country and see which candidate best fit your views. The results are also supplemented with quotes and video clips so that you can hear what they have to say straight from the horse's (or donkey's, or elephant's) mouth.

Some other resources of note:
2decide.com
wikipedia
select2008 blog

Scraptacular Bots!

2008-03-19T18:57:00.000-07:00

Resource reclamation broken down as simply as possible.... 1 box o' junk = 1 rad robot.

These creations from Guy Robot are great. Made from industrial parts reclaimed from a variety of depots like aerospace and automotive salvage yards, these bots are a creative re-envisioning of what would have otherwise been waste. The type of dedication needed to create these characters radiates throughout the website -- from the small bios accompanying each bot to small blurbs like the one below. I'd love them to come out with a kit for these bots so you can build your own.

"Please note: Guy Robots are not toys: they do not walk or talk or give legal advice. They are not dangerous and will not bite, kick, pinch, or emit ozone. Guy Robots will not -- unless repeatedly provoked -- harass your dog or cat. They are unique pieces of handcrafted art, meant to be enjoyed visually and displayed prominently. While requiring only minimal care and feeding, your Guy Robot is guaranteed to provoke discussion, spark new ideas, and generally contribute good vibrations to your life."

Originally spotted: Notcot.org

Coca-Cola can protect your home!

2008-03-18T05:41:00.001-07:00

Is this great or ironic? You be the judge. This picture, taken in Mamallapurum (outside of Chennai) shows Coca-Cola bottles broken up and reused to add a bit of extra protection to the top of a concrete wall surrounding a house. Oh, how fine the line is between quintessential Americana and home intruder deterrent. In a sense, they (to borrow Coke's tag line) are really 'making every drop count.'

Chai Chai Coffee Coffee....

2008-03-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

In India, tea is huge! But the actual cup size isn't. They serve small shots of tea that are sipped and savored in many different venues -- on the side of the road, delivered to your door, in a local eatery. And so that you don't burn your little piggies, part of the brewing process includes a high pour to allow the air to cool the thin stream of liquid before it even touches the cup (they call it 'pulling' the coffee or tea...check out this image of someone pouring coffee in Sing).

It's a ritual which we embraced in India and continue to enjoy in Singapore ;)

This was the average size of a cup of tea in India...about the size of a shot glass.

In Kumily, where the weather is cooler, there's no better start to the day then a 25 cent cup of coffee made fresh right before your eyes. I have a sweet tooth, so the tendency of the coffee and tea to lean towards the sweeter side was A-OK with me. See the high pour?

And while sitting in a local veg restaurant, Craig and I were confronted with this coffee presentation. Curious outer cup. Was it to keep our hands from getting burned on the metal cup? Was it to catch extra drips? Well, actually, what we soon found out (after looking around the room) was that it does it all. Some people lift both cups together to keep from getting burned until the coffee is cool enough to hold only the main cup. We also saw some people pour the coffee back and forth between the two cups to cool off the coffee themselves.

Tea on demand? Many entrepreneurs bike or walk around with a vat of tea doling it out to paying customers wherever they may be.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

2008-03-12T07:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, to follow up on the theme based entries on our trip to India...

Here are some examples of unique services that we saw during our trip as well as a couple of things I'm throwing in just because I want to. (Insert "It's my blog, I'll do what I want to" here.)

Seriously though, it is a great reminder as to what true entrepreneurial spirit is all about!

Originally I was going to entitle this blog entry "things you think you need but don't" and the lead photo was going to be this one with the caption reading "electricity." This picture from Kumily is for a roadside ironing service. If you can't tell from the picture, you fill the body of this metal iron up with hot coals and presto!

Or what about anything you need sewn? Well, this tailor only needs a sewing table and has set up shop at the local market. It's old school, it gets the job done and it's great for a quick hem.

Charging ports with multiple connectors are available at various locations ranging from the airport (where this one was) to a local eatery. So many people rely only on mobile phones there that this is such a necessary service.

And if you don't happen to own a mobile, don't worry! There are plenty of telephone stands such as this one for all of your international and local calling needs.

This makes me appreciate the phrase "find one thing you love and do it well," and reminds me how caught up we can get in trying to do everything under the sun and end up not doing anything very well. (Also, this is a nod to my Ba who loves garlic. LOVES!)

I had to throw this in because it's too cute. Do you see that little seat on the bar of the bike? Too cute.

This ice cream man (who's taking a break in the back of his ric) shows us that you don't need a hefty diesel powered truck to dole out the goodness...in fact, you don't even need that 4th wheel.

Lunch service at a Shiva temple in Kanchipuram.

Gateway Blog

2008-03-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

Like all great blogs, a gateway blog is one that has top-notch entries but what sets it apart from others are the resources which is unleashes for the reader. I happened upon Challis Hodge's UX blog today and what a gateway blog, indeed! It focuses on user experience, design, and strategy and aside from the great blog entries themselves, Hodge's serves as a wonderful gateway to other design and human factors related blogs. Oh, and attention k-mart shoppers, Hodge also includes a long list of book he recommends as well. So...I've found what I'll be doing today, have you?

Casulo...For the Nomad in You

2008-03-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a piece of furniture that makes you question just how much does one person really need? Besides, if your friends are anything like my friends then you know that people move...a lot and as they criss-cross their way through the world, sad Ikea throwaways lie in their wake. So, all you discarded furniture thrown together with allen wrenches and rotting away in landfills, this is for you!

From the designers: The CASULO is for people on the move, those in job training, students, and people who have to change their location frequently. The unit is ideal for people in the service industries. People who must move frequently and rent empty rooms need no longer accumulate sets of inexpensive furnishings whose transportation costs are higher than the value of the furniture.

So recap...what exactly DO you get in this box?

1 wardrobe
1 large desk/table
1 desk cabinet with locking drawers
1 revolving, height-adjustable desk chair
2 stools
1 single (twin) bed
1 mattress
1 tall set of shelves.

For more info: Casulo Mobile Living

Ode to a Friction-ful Life and a Reawakening of the Senses

2008-03-08T02:54:00.000-08:00

[Craig and I just got back from our trip to India. During our 11 day trip we covered Mumbai, Chennai, and parts of Kerala. Rather than try and post a slew of pictures all at once, I'm going to post them according to themes...mindless musings, I guess.]

The first morning I woke up in Thane (a suburb of Mumbai, but a city by any other standard) after having spent the previous day soaking in the city, I immediately felt like I was in New York again listening to the buzz of traffic outside our window and hearing the shouts of familiar neighbors to one another. It was comforting. But wait! How could this be? They're so completely different!

It's because of the friction. Everyday in either city you are crowded onto a train, bumping into people, feeling the wind of cars whizzing within inches of you. It's great. It made me think of the stark contrast this serves to other places (which will remain nameless) that are filled with double paned windows, drive-thru eateries, and reserved seating. When friction is taken away from your life, you feel numb. You don't remember what it's like to feel another persons arm pressed against yours as you both brace yourselves on a speeding bus. You escape to places where it's OK to look away and you forget about the world around you. How can this be a better quality of life?

Friction can radiate and so people are affected by everything around them. So, naturally, they care what happens. One of the most fascinating things we observed in India is that if there is a conflict or a commotion, a group will form -- not a group of spectators, but a group of participants. In most of the world, life has become a spectator sport when what we really need more of are participants. Participants willing to engage in the world around them. Who get pissed at people when they're acting like crap or laugh with them when they're being silly. And best of all, when you become aware you awaken your senses.

Bustling traffic, honking horns, and near collisions help to snap you right into the reality of a friction-ful world :)

And a perfect follow-up...a commuter train in Mumbai. Next to this, the subways of New York seem so roomy and this was at 9pm! At around 6pm there are 3 people deep hanging out of the doors.

Walking around the temples barefoot with your skin against the hot rock, you realize how much feeling you miss when we rock our thick-soled shoes.

The poverty was all around. It was playing in the streets and it was sleeping on the sidewalk. The initial site of it made you aware of how much we have but soon you see past the poverty and you see smiling faces and realize how much of what we have is material. Quite a reality check.

The colors are everywhere and they are vibrant and when I look from this beautiful crumbling wall to my khaki pants, I realize how drab (seemingly) normal can be.

And foodies take note! You are not NOT a true foodie until you can feel and manipulate your food with your own digits.

Pen monogamy? Surely, you jest!

2008-02-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

Ok...ok...ok. So, when it comes to my pens, I cheat all the time. One minute I'm whispering sweet nothings to my Faber Castell, and the next I'm off frolicking with my Jimnie (actually, they're Craig's but...shhh).

Well, I was just given a gift that might make me change my cheatin' ways. It's the Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto 3 Color Multi Pen (a mouthful, I know). The actual pen you purchase is just an empty skeleton that you add any color ink cartridges to it that you want. What's great about it is that you can load different color combos as well as different pen tip diameters. So, now I can have a .3, .4, and a .5mm pen at all times! Coleto, I do!

Spend Money to Save Money?

2008-02-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Now, this may be just the savings plan for me... You can sign up to earn cash to pay down your student loans (and for the Art Center alums, this ones for you!) and sign up your loved ones so that their purchases also go towards paying down your loans.

It all started as a way to build brand loyalty in college students just entering the workforce and parents saving for their children's futures and has grown to have over 8 million members. Also, it was just acquired by Sallie Mae so that's good news for me!

Falling Down the Rabbit Hole...

2008-02-13T21:40:00.000-08:00

Well, I was surfing the internet for inspiration and here's what I found.

It all started when I actually checked my spam folder this morning and noticed an interesting mass mailing about an art feature. A link on it led me to Behance, a creative network for design professionals. It had these great features and interviews with various designers around the world and provides a place for people to share ideas and network to actually "make ideas happen."

From there, I clicked on links for these two magazines.

Rojo (left) promotes the arts in Barcelona and Sao Paulo. It's full page images of art are great for finding inspiration!

Theme (right) is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on contemporary Asian culture. It's online site is beautiful and their take on design is refreshing. Each issue revolves around a single theme...for example, this months issue titled "I Want" includes editorial on "Scrumptious Product Designs" (definitely check out these photos!) and interviews with Naoto Fukasawa and Tobias Wong.

And then I found myself surfing the Wooster Collective blog which I think I got to from the Theme site. The Wooster Collective is based in New York City but their site features street art from around the world.

2 by 2...Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

My little tribute to a life lived in pairs.

Taipei Snack City

2008-02-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

So, Craig and I just got back from a 5 day trip to Taiwan where we visited my parents and ate 24/7. It's amazing how much food the human stomach can fit but when the snackage is sooo tasty, who can resist?! Not me.

Our first stop -- Jio Fen, an old mining town in Northern Taiwan. It was cold and rainy but our tummies helped us navigate this gauntlet of umbrellas in search of snacks.

These little nuggets are flavored rice gluten (like mochi) that you put into a sweet soup (red bean, ginger, green bean based)

See! Here they are...the yellow ones are sweet potato and the other pale purple ones are taro. yummmm.

These huge mushrooms (on the right) are bbq'd or fried. The fried ones are the best and are a nice vegetarian variation on the old Taiwanese favorite -- fragrant fried chicken.

At some point it was so cold and wet outside that we had to seek shelter in this tea house. The building itself is over 100 years old and the site of the tea pots roasting over an open flame was simple and beautiful.

These buns are unlike normal buns because they have a sticky exterior (again, like mochi). They are steamed on these huge crates above an open fire and are each placed on a separate pomelo leaf.

Stuffed inside are pickled, salty vegetables and minced meat.

These are those famous friend chicken pieces...soooo tasty. If anyone knows the secret recipe, please please please fill me in!

This block of peanuts and sugar is grated to create the peanut powder that gets places into a crepe-like wrapper (below). It's a smart representation of adapting a food to your intended purpose. If they had just grated the individual peanuts, this process would be so much more tedious. This way, the shavings are fresh and flaky and shaved to order.

So, those peanut and sugar shavings are placed onto a thin crepe-like wrapper, topped with cilantro and then two scoops of ice cream! This is a case when you don't think the combo would be tasty but it actually is. (Lesson to be learned: what we think and reality are often at odds so you have to try try try and experiment to get beyond our pre-conceived notions.)

Hungry In Taipei is a good blog for finding out more about food culture in Taiwan.

Frolick Yogurt is F*ing Good

2008-02-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Craig and I were walking through Holland Village heading to dinner and one-by-one people kept walking by me digging ferociously into these little white cups. As we rounded the corner, I spotted it -- a white wall speckled with colored dots and right in the middle was a man with a smile from ear to ear saying softly "would you like a free sample of yogurt?". Hell yeah I would! And before we knew it we had run through traffic and were holding our very own free samples of Frolick Yogurt. (Side note: just the other day I was talking about how I kind of craved a pink berry for some reason...so it made Frolick all the more tasty!)

The cheeky phrases plastered on buttons embedded in the exterior wall and over the tabletops only add to the charm of the place. Yogurt with attitude...me likey.

There it is...

Simple graphics, use of color...nice. The little dots are button tops with funny little phrases (highlights are below).

Meet Ken and James! They were super nice and their smiles say it all...opening day was going great!

Look at this cute biz-card from Frolick with a built in scoop. It's made of paper though so don't try using it...still, a good concept and sweet detail.

Good thing the tables are too tall for the kiddies to read.

Hahaha...Frolick wages war on ice cream!

Here are some of the button tops which I liked the most but there are plenty more on the wall worth noting so stop by if you're in the area.

Like I said, Frolick is f*ing good. "Kiwi...the fruit, stupid!" hahahah...

Luxury Brands + Social Responsibility?

2008-02-03T04:22:00.000-08:00

This report, published by the WWF-UK on the role of luxury brands and social responsibility is an interesting look into how slow-moving this high-end market has been to catch up with the sustainability movement. There's a downloadable version of the report on the Deeper Luxury website that includes rankings of the various brands included in the study but also an argument for why this market segment should change its ways not merely because it would be the right thing to do (no one would listen to that) but because it would mean better business for them.

An element of this report which I think is great is the one concerning the role of celebrities in enforcing social responsibility. It's a point which I don't think has been stressed enough in our media/paparazzi/Britney crazed world. Celebrities are in a position to shift views and force change, so why aren't they doing it more often? Why are they still clad in diamonds, fur, and driving SUVs? Why do we (the public) let them get away with it? They could greatly benefit and implement positive change if they tried.

Toys of Yore

2008-02-03T03:28:00.000-08:00

We went to the Mint Toy Museum in Singapore today. It's a 5 floor modern building that houses a collection of the owner, Mr. Chang Yang Fa, who has been collecting toys since grade school. The museum itself is a walk down memory lane and beyond, housing a wide range of collectibles from ray guns to a first edition Snow White poster. It's magical seeing these toys in such pristine condition and the entire museum from layout to graphics is put together very style.

Floor to ceiling glass cases stuffed with toys
Astro Boy and his sister! It's one of the only collectibles left of Astro Boys' sister.
I couldn't get enough of the old school graphics. They're great and put the blister packs of today to shame.
We were lucky enough to catch these otherwise dim displays with their lights on (for another tour group that we leeched onto).On the left: two robots from different parts of the world (one from Germany, the other from Japan) discover that they are long lost twins.
On the right: An original Peter Rabbit from 1906! He even has his little red slippers.
Popeye. Look at all that character achieved with a needle, thread, and some ink.
A welcome sign anywhere.
I love the Beatles comb for big heads! hahaha!
Standing at attention, these wind up robots represent only a small fraction of the entire collection.
Ray guns! No need for batteries, charging, or reading a manual. There's something very enticing about that and sadly, very foreign to most of todays kids.

Sustainable Diningware

2008-02-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

The other night, some of us went out for dinner at Sammy's Curry on Dempsey Road in Singapore. The food was good, the atmosphere that of a military mess hall, and the prices to high. ($5 prawns are a bit too much guys!)

You'll notice that there isn't any styrofoam or disposable stuff in this joint...everything is washable or bio-degradable (completely, not that "it takes a decade" kind). And (as is the case throughout Singapore) you have to bring your own napkins if you tend to make a mess because in this place, you'll only get one. So use it wisely, hungry one.

The way it works is that you walk in, they lay a piece of banana leaf in front of you (it's thick and durable) and then before you know it you're being bombarded with food containers being waved in your face and someone asking "do you want this?" while they are already spooning it onto your leaf. It's quite a feast but just be careful because the food and the bill racks up pretty quickly and before you know it, your tummy will be stuffed but your wallet won't be.

Look at that nice clean table setting.
Where did all that food come from?! Oh well, too late to turn back now...
Shovel, shovel, shovel...oohhh...my vision is getting blurry and I think my pant button just popped.
While I utilize the spoon-shovel technique...others opt for a faster mode of intake ;)

Design With Eyes

2008-01-31T08:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone! Check out this blog called DesignWithEyes...it's by my friend Eddie and he's one of the most considerate designers I know. He has a unique take on things and his blog is chock full of interesting insights.

Drink-in-a-Bag!

2008-01-31T08:18:00.000-08:00

So, there is this great thing in Singapore...drinks in a bag! In this case, and my usual drink of choice, coffee-in-a-bag. It's versatile, uses less materials than the traditional cup and look(!) you can hang it from a bike or scooter handle. I've also seen taxi drivers hang it from their turn signal lever. It's clever and convenient (except if you want to put it down on a flat surface, of course).

What do you want to drink?

2008-01-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

"Whatever...Anything..." is the answer that prompted the start of these two canned drinks. Whatever is a non-carbonated line of teas and Anything is fizzy and comes in 6 different flavors. The best part is that you just never know what you're going to get! Singapore teens are loving the whimsical nature of these drinks and the ads are hilarious and fabulous-tastic! I have to credit Arjun with this first spot and it sure is a good one. www.anything.com.sg

I love the one on the right..."I will try Anything to impress the girls." hahaha.

Nature's Patterns and Textures

2008-01-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of weekends we've been going to local nature preserves. Last weekend we went to the wetlands preserve and yesterday we hiked up to the tree top walk in Bukit Timah Nature Preserve. Here are just a few of the beautiful patterns and textures that can be found in the natural world around us. (Ok, I threw in some that aren't really patterns or textures but are just beautiful...so sue me!)

A vast variety of palm trees are all over Singapore and the leaves on this one were about 6 feet across at the widest part and when tapped sounded like a thin plastic - very rigid and structural.
These leaves look like reptile skin with deep cracks and veins like a crocodile having been in the sun for years.
One of my favorite things to photograph anywhere in nature is the pattern of algae/fungus growth on the bark of trees or on the sides of rocks. The colors are beautifully subtle and the patterns almost lace-like in their delicacy.
This is just a nice picture of the rain clouds retreating and the sun peaking through the trees in Bukit Timah.
The grooves of this fern leaf are temporarily being used to catch raindrops like a child sticking out their tongue in the rain.
Whoever ate zig zags all over this leaf would never pass a roadside drunk driving test. Too beautiful not to post.In order from left to right: Moi, Ruth, Jonathan, & Dice. (True to form, Arjun has yet to catch up to us.)

Noodle Time = Yummy-Kapow!

2008-01-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

So, we've started a ritual in Singapore. Every Friday one of us picks a new restaurant and we all meet there and have a huge dinner together. The first Friday, I took everyone out for Chili Crab and Black Pepper Crab, last Friday we went to Soba So Good courtesy of Jonathan and this Friday Ruth took us to Lan Zhou La Mien in Chinatown. They still make every noodle the old fashioned way...by pulling and twisting a block of noodle into individual noodle strands. And this delicious dinner led to the coining of a new phrase -- "Yummy-kapow!"

I've had this style of noodle before but it's becoming increasingly harder to find as the craft is being passed up by younger generations. So, when you find a place that still makes their noodles this way you should pull up a chair and order up a bowl -- you won't regret it.
The noodles start off as one clump...
then the noodle master slaps them against the floured cutting board and pulls the clump into a long strip...
he continues to fold the strip over so that doubles, then again so that it quadruples and so on and so on until he has over 25 strands of individual noodles. Then he drops them directly into a pot of boiling water making for some of the freshest noodles you'll find!
"Get in my belly, noodles!"
Mmm. Zha-Jiang Mien! approximately 45 seconds later.

Bring On the Year of the Rat!

2008-01-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

Stepping off the MRT at the Chinatown stop and heading into it's crowded streets is pretty amazing a couple of weeks before the Lunar New Year. People are busy buying decorations, sweets, treats, toys, and new clothes all in preparation for the big day and it feels good to get lost in the chaos.
Distractions abound in the alleys of Chinatown with people shouting price breaks over mini-microphones attached to their waists and wafts of fragrant smells blowing by you from a nearby snack vendor. It definitely beats the elevator music of your everyday big box store.
Pomelo or Shaddock are the largest of the citrus fruits. These were larger than my melon and I have a HUGE melon!
People eating their Friday night family dinners crowded the streets.
Decorations run the gamut from glittery fireworks to Mickey Mouse banners.
Oh kitschy goodness!
I don't know why, but I'm pretty sure every household needs one of these.
The Buddhist temple in Chinatown was decked out with red lanterns surrounding it in a beautiful warm glow.
My favorite part...the loot! Lots and lots of candy from Chinatown somehow ended up in my purse! Go figure.

When Beer Meets Childhood Memories...

2008-01-24T19:05:00.000-08:00

Sitting down for a beer last night, we were all pleasantly surprised by the ingenious Hoegaarden coasters that do a great job of mixing childhood memories & toys with beer...and what could be better than that?

So Singapore!

2008-01-23T07:02:00.000-08:00

Here are some images from our outing today in Singapore. Life abroad is fascinating because everyday you uncover such interesting tid-bits which I like think of as the colored-sprinkles of life ;)

Talk about good ad placement...Sony Ericsson utilizes the overlooked real estate of this handle bar on the Singapore MRT to advertise their latest product line-up.
Who says you can't have it all? Coffee and a massage?! This little coffee shop in the Cathay Mall mixes relaxation with caffeination. Perhaps a sub-culture really is brewing.

Browhaus is a chain that is all over Singapore. They handle everything from eyebrow extensions to eyelash dying but I just love their identity...everything from their name to their graphics is great (and hilarious).This is the ultimate. Spotted by Jason, this is a small injection molded took-kit! It's about the size of a 3x5 index card and includes tweezers, a screw driver with multiple heads and a wrench. I think it's genius in it's manufacturing and am reluctant to break it out of it's pristine state and put it to use. Though, I am curious how the plastic tools will hold up against metal parts.

A detailed view of the different driver heads

Kaya Toast-la!

2008-01-23T06:27:00.000-08:00

Today's food exploration? Kaya Toast! A traditional Singaporean breakfast that I've read about on some other blogs, Kaya Toast is a simple slice of bread spread with kaya jam and butter. Kaya jam is made from coconut milk, egg (chicken or duck), flavored with pandan leaf and sweetened with sugar. You usually eat the toast with a nice cup of coffee and soft boiled egg. (I was a little too anxious and wolfed down my toast before my eggs even hit the table...oops.)

They also have different variations (french toast & french roll) which utilize different breads and/or are dipped in egg but I went for the classic version and it was yummy. I'll definitely be back for more. (Nathan, want me to send you some Kaya jam for your pancakes?)

PS: There are two main chains in Singapore that serve this tasty treat: 1) Killiney Kopitiam (where I went) and 2) Ya Kun.

Beautiful Tahiti

2008-01-18T09:01:00.001-08:00

Ok, it's been a while since my last post and lots has happened since then...for one thing, I graduated from Art Center...I'm currently in Singapore teaching design to MBA's and in between I spent 12 days in Tahiti.

I won't bore you with the details of sitting on a beach and snorkling in crystal clear waters but I will say that the highlights were definitely swimming with the rays in Moorea and staying in Huahine. As Craig said..."Bora Bora? Snora Snora." I couldn't agree more. Not only was the island filled with large resort after large resort but the other tourists in Bora Bora seemed to feel so entitled.

Other interesting things about Tahiti include the phenomenon or Ray Ray's and the steak frite baguettes (steak and fries inside of a french baguette...Atkins dieters beware).

All in all, it was a great trip and if I did it again, I'd skip Bora Bora and hit some of the smaller, less traveled islands.

Murakami

2007-11-05T16:29:00.000-08:00

Went to the Murakami exhibit at the Geffen in Little Tokyo this weekend. It was packed! The art was good and it was refreshing to see that instead of using traditional audio guides, the Geffen used the new cell-phone audio tour. You call a number with your cell phone and voila -- you're listening to Murakami through the comfort of your own phone. A bit hard to hear at times, but worth it.

This mini-retrospective encompasses everything from Murakami's sculpture, paintings, animation, to even his commercial affair with LV. (In fact, they even have a store within the show where you can purchase Murakami / LV bags.) The highlights for me were definitely the robo-chicks on the front landing, the KI KI & KAI KAI animation and 727, the sanded painting. If you make it to Little Tokyo, check out the show and then head to Daikokuya for a nice ramen / shredded pork combo.

TrunkSale

2007-11-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Something I've been thinking about is how we all consume so much but most of the time we end up hoarding them without actually using them. If, however, we could all channel our kindergarten teachers who always told us "be nice and share," then we would be able to make use of our resources. So, with that in mind and the fact that my basement looks like that (to the left)! I made the goal of one of my independent studies this term to develop a service that helps people share their resources. The main challenges are: 1) how to make it as hands-free as possible, 2) how to start a movement using design.

So, to try and figure out some of that stuff, I'm organizing an event at Art Center called TrunkSale where students, alumni, staff, and faculty can all load their scrap materials into the trunks of their cars and swap, share, or sell to each other for 2 hours. Anything that they can't get rid of and don't want to take home is going to be donated to a local organization called Design High. My hope is that it will be a huge success (though Art Center is not known for it's community activism) and that this concept can be dropped into any college setting.

I'm working on developing an online site for people to list their stuff but for now I've been mooching off of Facebook's Group and Event listings.

Wake up, little Audrey, wake up...

2007-11-01T09:35:00.001-07:00

So, we've recently set our alarm to npr and it goes off for about an hour before I actually muster up the energy to get up and turn it off. For that hour though, I find myself sifting through the news reports as they filter into my dream sequences. I have to admit though that however much it may sound disturbing to have Hillary Clinton running through your dreams, I'm kind of addicted. It's like channel surfing in your unconscious.

PS: this is my first blog post! a sort of test, really.