Thursday, April 30, 2009

A Journey of Tastes




Ah yes..now tis time to do some travel tasting across the countries. It's all about the teeny tiny things that makes a difference. Now if I just had the time to do so..where would I go?

First of all, on the start of my travel, something that I would probably take along with me though this may sound crazy, is this Mypressi Twist, the world's first portable espresso machine. Just add the coffee and hot water, with no external power needed, there's espresso ready anytime..The reason being is that sometimes you don't come across a good shot of espresso (thankfully I've come across many good ones ;) ), and that's why you can have your own portable machine, with your own choice of espresso beans, and you're done.

I'm off to Paris..now I'll have to stop by La Grande Epicerie..mmm tasty treats all around but that's not what I'm here for, I'm here for the Photography Exhibition Le Goût du Luxe (Taste of Luxury) of fashion made with food. On display until May 17, so hurry!
Next stop, the Dammann Tea House in Place des Vosges. Dammann Freres teas date back to 1692, and house rare offerings of teas such as "Pu-Erh", a fermented tea with a deep aroma produced in Yunnan. There are tea tasters and wine tasters, etc. and this is a great tea tasting trip to make.

Over to New York, the Momofuku (meaning Lucky Peach) Milk Bar, the recently opened bakery in East Village, opened by chef-entrepreneur David Chung. A mix of American cuisine with Eastern influences united together. Banana green curry bread, marshmallow cookies, luscious cakes and icecream, are a few of the creations offered by Pastry chef Christina Tosi.


to be continued..

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

A Stylish Gym at Home




From Milan Design Week 09, we saw a stylish collaboration between Philippe Starck + Alias. Taking care of yourself in an elegant stylish way, with this new collection for fitness at home called Home/Gym/Office for Alias. It's sleek, and no more bulky machinery at home. Who knew that the stacked dumbells could also look like a beautiful sculpture! Now this looks more appealing to work out at home.



photocredit: spotd

Rolf transforms furniture





"I saw parts, I add new parts, I give a new life to a piece of furniture."

That's what I thought about once I first saw this designer's works. Meet Rolf.fr, a furniture transformer. True cutting traditional pieces of furniture can be brutal but what if you could turn its life around? Add in a few modern pieces, look at it in a different way, but it totally serves the same function! A cupboard is still a cupboard.

The reason being is that sometimes when a younger generation inherits traditional furniture used by their elder family members, they want something thats more modern or more their style not the style of their grandparents..though there are some who love traditional pieces of furniture and would rather keep it that way. These are for those who want to get rid of it but not really get rid of it, because it stores emotional memories, feelings over the years of the family together. Thus, Rolf.fr transforms the traditional furnitures in order to gain their place in the interiors of the younger generation, and keep their emotional value.

Rolf, an architect, also transformed old buildings into new buildings, useless ones into useful ones, etc. All the point of getting a new span of life.


photocredit: rolf.fr

Thursday, April 23, 2009

A Geometrical Swimming HausBoot





I can't help but notice all the detailing of this home! Lots of different geometric shapes have been used and they all come together beautifully. This is the Silberfisch SchwimmHausBoot (floating house boat) in Oldenburg, Germany. The design was completed with furniture and accessories by Flo Florian and Sascha Akkermann of German design firm Confused Direction.

When they say that to build homes on water shouldn't be a blockhouse, but one that marries Design and Maritime romance together. Flowing, water, soothing, colors of the water, smooth finishes, something that reminds you of the sea, ex. the woods in the dock, the yacht design, the fish, etc. The shape of things, and the material of things are very important, and when doing this design of the boat house, they have successfully achieved it.

For more visit, Silberfisch SchwimmHausBoot.




via contemporist
, SSHB, Confused Direction.

Tom Dixon by George Smith

Love the continuous contrast of the bold orange amongst the others...
blue glorious blue...
Did you see the door handles? Cool aspect..
A slice perhaps?..



From Milan Design Week 2009, one of the most exciting brand collaborations comes is Tom Dixon by George Smith collection, uniting quality traditional manufacturing techniques and contemporary design. Bringing together British manufacturing and innovation from two iconic brands together. Products are all designed by Tom Dixon, and made in the George Smith factory in Newcastle, UK. The capabilities of British design and manufacturing is creatively growing, and one small example from many, is this partnership.




via Tom Dixon by George Smith

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Folds Pleats and Layers






Layers are unraveled and formed, long fabrics gathered and pleated..fluidity, motion, and texture creates a unique characteristic. A different material, a different application, and a different perspective.. pushes the design dimension but fosters the same idea. Starting from a point, folds, pleats, cut-outs help define the space or object creating a sculptural characteristic based on how its been done and whats been used.

1-2. Neil Barrett Flagship Store in Tokyo by Zaha Hadid.
3. The 25 Bench created by Omer Arbel for Bocci.
4. Poster picture layered dress.
5 . The Clair Floor Lamp by Giuseppe Viganò for Saba Italia.



photocredit: contemporist, yatzer

Monday, April 20, 2009

Puma in a container







Made from shipping containers..its PUMA City, designed by Puma, displayed in Boston.

Its a unique retail and event space, on two levels its a retail area, and on one level a bar. Launched in Boston because of the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race, an around the world sailing event.



photocredit: ArchDaily


Sunday, April 19, 2009

Optimizing your wardrobe space





Its not pretty when things are all messed up, jumbled together, searching for the piece, and oh wait where's the pair.. searching searching ..uhhh hmm.. not here then maybe there?...the search continues..

Organizing your wardrobe is not that difficult than shuffling through your stuff searching. There are many ways to design your wardrobe, of course, it should match your personality in the way you handle your own organization, meaning each one organizes differently than the other. Either you're a perfectionist, or a fussy yet neat person liking your stuff where they are even if its slightly messy, at least you can locate it. Here are a few pictures to inspire when designing or arranging or re-arranging your wardrobe.



photocredit: CMF

No longer a guilty pleasure




Recently developed by the Foodlab of Le Laboratoire in Paris..A new innovative way of eating chocolate..actually not eating it, more like breathing it! Hmm.. chocolate, air, and no calories?! What is this?

Its Le Whif, shaped like a cigarette but its a chocolate inhaler that comes in four flavours: Mint Chocolate, Raspberry Chocolate, Mango Chocolate, and Plain Chocolate. A good way to curb your appetite, and enjoy alongside a shot of espresso. Lead inventor of Le Whif, Harvard Professor Mr. David Edwards says: "Over the centuries we've been eating smaller and smaller quantities at shorter and shorter intervals. It seemed to us that eating was tending toward breathing, so, with a mix of culinary art and aerosol science, we've helped move eating habits to their logical conclusion. We call it whiffing."


Available at Le LaboShop and Colette from April 29.



photocredit: le laboratoire

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Un-Private House in MoMa











At New York's Museum of Modern Art comes this "The Un-Private House" by Architects Hariri & Hariri. I absolutely love the quirkiness and unexpectedness of the whole design, you never know what will pop up next from one room to the next.

A Short summary:

As we enter through the space we are greeted by a mural by Julian Opie and a Sol LeWitt gouache.
Doors of stainless steel and frosted glass slide open to the dining room, housing a Shirin Neshat photograph and prints by Damien Hirst. Black dining chairs, a glass topped dining table, and white walls offsets the chandelier by Georg Baldele brings some sparkle to the space.

The living room is designed with seating from Rodolfo Dordoni, and a mirrored John Houshmand custom table. In one of the living area's seating groups, it is furnished with William Haines reproductions. The beautiful canvas of the diptych in oil and plaster is by artist Adriana Varejão.
Walking to the family room, Opie's animated figure winks and smokes at us. Its brightness balances the dark room during the evening.

Moving on to the master bedroom, a work by Martin Saar hangs over
Monica Förster's sofa. There's no wall between the bedroom and the study, which makes the space brighter and bigger. Chairs in the study are by Phillipe Starck. In the master bathroom, the walls are embedded with pebbles behind a limestone bench. A photography by Martin Zeller and a woodcut artwork by Balkenhol are displayed in the billiard room.

All photographs are done by Eric Laignel.



photocredit: Interior Design