cancelled

no. 33

2008-01-02T11:17:00.000-08:00

Go to the new blog.

this one is dead.

jg

this is your ticket

Merry Christmas World!

2006-12-26T11:09:00.000-08:00

A winter skate in London, not held back by fog.
Merry Christmas...

Act 2, Scene 2

2006-09-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation
prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the king
and queen moult no feather. I have of late--but
wherefore I know not--lost all my mirth, forgone all
custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily
with my disposition that this goodly frame, the
earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most
excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave
o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted
with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to
me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not
me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling
you seem to say so.

2006-09-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

Withnail& I - Withnail's final monologue in the rain

The finest finale to one of the funniest movies ever made. Who knows from where this dialogue is derived?

sweet things

2006-09-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

these are some sweet things from Coe & Waito. I want to drink cold Ichinokura sake in the little flared cups... at matsuri.

i can hear the little ocean...

2006-08-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

it's been awhile since my last story. So I wanted to share this little shell with you. put your ear up t the screen, what do you hear?

Forza Azzurri!!! 2006

2006-07-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

I watched the final match on Frith St in Soho next to the infamous Bar Italia (No Jarvis that was not me asking for your autograph!). The place was a madhouse with wall to wall tri colore. The celebration was bittersweet as I was alone. I will now sew on one more star...

collignon, champignon...

2006-07-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

fait accompli

2006-07-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

...................................................

maison martin margiela

2006-06-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

four little white stitches.....my favourite mens clothing shop.

bad coffee

2006-06-18T21:14:00.000-07:00

Starbucks has a new drink called "Doubleshot Light"..... think about it. Starbucks is lame. Go to Peet's and free your soul!!!

World Cup stuff

2006-06-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

Ok, for the folks on the Peter Crouch bandwagon, how did you miss this???

hair puller

inspire yourself...

2006-06-18T07:36:00.000-07:00

First let me say that it is a total coincidence that my header looks like these photos from this posting and with that said. This is one of the best adverts I have seen in the last several years. It is quite awesome and so inspiring. What is so amazing about this one is that it resonates emotionally because of the balls, the music, the colors, the streets (especially after living in SF), the music and the speed of the film. The balls are brilliant in that they are so colorful, they bounce unpredictably but they always end up down the hill, that is, they have a start point and and end but every ball bounces at different heights, different paths, some get caught in cracks, some take longer to get down, some make it down very fast and the collection of each of their journey is this collage of color that is so inspirational, like a perfect metaphor to life... go inspire yourself!

follow the bouncing balls....

Paulo Coelho and Soccer

2006-06-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

Paulo Coelho, the acclaimed author of Brida, The Diary of a Magus, and The Alchemist, among other literary successes, is one of those football fans who watches the game in a state of nervous tension right until the final whistle.
Despite his passion for the beautiful game, Germany 2006 is the writer’s first direct experience of the FIFA World Cup™. In an interview with FIFAworldcup.com, Coelho talks about his first experience of attending a FIFA World Cup match and gives his opinion on the Brazilian team and the much maligned Ronaldo, a player with whom, he says, the fans need to be more tolerant.

What did you think of the match between Brazil and Croatia?
It was outstanding. So far I’ve been to the Opening Match (Germany v Costa Rica) and Brazil's match. I'm going to see all of Brazil's first-round games. As for the later stages, let's see what happens. The match could not have been better. Brazil are their own worst enemies, in that they suffer from an excess of self-confidence. We arrived as the absolute favourites and were drawn against Croatia, an excellent team. The 1-0 result was a victory, but it’s going to make us think again about a lot of things. It’s a bad idea to underestimate any opponent, whoever they are.

Whose performance stood out for you on the day?
Roberto Carlos. He did everything asked of him. As did Kaka, of course.

What about Ronaldo?
I think the coach was right to bring Ronaldo off. He did, and has done, a lot for Brazil. The pressure on him is tremendous. I’d like to see him treated with a little more tolerance. Love, not criticism, is what will make him play better. And he knows that he is wanted. That motivates him a great deal. I was happy when Parreira announced that Ronaldo was going to start the next match.

What was the atmosphere in the stadium like?
One thing that surprised me was the attitude of the Croatian fans. They supported their team until the end, and that was nice to see. It was also lovely to watch the fans leave the stadium: Croatian and Brazilian shirts mingling together in an atmosphere of friendship. The match was a serious competition, but beyond it there was no animosity. It was a case of football bringing the world together. The winners were not better than the losers, and the losers bore no grudge.

Can we get you to risk a prediction on the result of Brazil's next match, against Australia?
I'd say 2-0 to Brazil. It would be risky to say any more than that. Against Japan, I think it will be a little easier, despite Zico’s best efforts.

Did you see Japan play Australia?
Yes, and although I was supporting Japan, because of Zico, it was great to see the way Australia turned the match around.

Can you see Brazil going all the way again and winning a sixth title?
As a Brazilian, I hope we will, but I know that it’s not going to be easy. In any case, I’ve already got my tickets for the Final.

Who would you like to see in the Final?
I'd like to see a repeat of the 2002 final, Brazil against Germany. There’s one thing about football that I’ve noticed: when the home team are good, they always reach the Final. It happened in France (1998), Argentina (1978) and Italy (1938).

Have you been many of the other sides at the tournament, and if so, who have you been impressed with?
I’ve been following all of the games. I saw Germany play in the Opening Match, which I enjoyed a lot. They’re a team whose reputation has suffered, but they faced the same sort of criticism when they started the last World Cup, and they ended up getting to the Final. Argentina look strong and I think the Czech Republic also played some great football. I’ve watched the matches on the screen here in the street (FAN FEST Berlin, near the Brandenburg Gate). That has been a magical experience. It doesn’t compare with watching a live match, but it’s still quite impressive. Watching the games with people from all over the world, you come to see that football is a festival in which people express their love for their countries.

This is your first FIFA World Cup. Do you think you will go to any more?
God willing, yes. One thing that has surprised me is the support for Brazil from people from all over the world. I was here in Berlin for three days waiting for the match and I could see that many people were supporting our side even though they weren’t Brazilians. Many people here whose teams haven’t qualified are backing the Seleção

My sports update

2006-06-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

Sports post for the week.

This was weekend of Spaniards and Belgians and a very happy Mexican football team.

French Open Womens Single champ - Justine Henin-Hardenne, Belgium over Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia
Mens Singles Champ - Rafael Nadal, Spain over Roger Federer, Suisse
British Grand Prix - Fernando Alonso - Spain (resides in UK).
Francorchamps Spa Belgium... Rowan Atkinson was driving in the Oldtimers race in a Porsche!

World Cup-
England 1 v. Paraguay 0
Argentina 2v. Cote d'Ivoire 1
Sweden 0 v. Trinidad and Tobago 0
Mexico 3 v. Iran 1
Portugal 1 v. Angola 0
Serbia 0 v. Holland 1

Stanley Cup Finals
Edmonton 3 v. Carolina 1
Carolina leads series 2-1

Lateral Thinking

2006-06-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

Dr. Edward De Bono invented the term 'lateral thinking' in 1967. There are several ways of defining lateral thinking, ranging from the technical to the illustrative. The current buzz word in our industry is "innovation". I am convinced that only 24% of the people who throw this around in their powerpoints actually know what it means, the other three 76% who have no clue are convinced they need it somewhere in their process to succeed. Innovation can happen anywhere for anything whether operational, product or everyday life, it's not just pure design. This book is a great starting point to give you some tools to think about when approaching your next problem. Anything that needs a solution can benefit from innovation through lateral thinking. Although this book will not give you great ideas it will allow you to think differently to achieve ideas in places you would not normally find. It will open up a new way of approaching every project. Here are some examples of the definition of Lateral thinking.

1. "You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper"

This means that trying harder in the same direction may not be as useful as changing direction. Effort in the same direction (approach) will not necessarily succeed.

2. "Lateral Thinking is for changing concepts and perceptions"

With logic you start out with certain ingredients just as in playing chess you start out with given pieces. But what are those pieces? In most real life situations the pieces are not given, we just assume they are there. We assume certain perceptions, certain concepts and certain boundaries. Lateral thinking is concerned not with playing with the existing pieces but with seeking to change those very pieces. Lateral thinking is concerned with the perception part of thinking. This is where we organise the external world into the pieces we can then 'process'.

3. "The brain as a self-organising information system forms asymmetric patterns. In such systems there is a mathematical need for moving across patterns. The tools and processes of lateral thinking are designed to achieve such 'lateral' movement. The tools are based on an understanding of self-organising information systems."

This is a technical definition which depends on an understanding of self-organising information systems.

4. "In any self-organising system there is a need to escape from a local optimum in order to move towards a more global optimum. The techniques of lateral thinking, such as provocation, are designed to help that change."

This is another technical definition. It is important because it also defines the mathematical need for creativity.

Lateral Thinking @ Amazon

10 places in the next 10 years...

2006-06-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

1. Zanzibar - Ras Nungwi Beach

2. Italy - Capri and Amalfi coast

3. Seychelles - Farquhar Atoll

4. Maldives - Cocoa Island, Taj Exotica

5. Peru - Macchu Picchu

6. India - Surya Samudra Beach Garden Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala

7. Bhutan or Tibet

8. Vietnam - Angkor Wot

9. India - Devi Gahr, Udaipur

10. Argentina - Buenos Aires and south

Lisa Stefanelli at the Mark Moore Gallery

2006-06-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

The current exhibition at the Mark Moore Gallery is the selected works of Lisa Stefanelli. All of her work is graphical in nature with oil on board as her medium. click on the link and enjoy...

tennis anyone?

2006-06-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if Federer has broken a sweat yet as he is running through Berdych in 3 quick sets. James Blake just lost to 25th seeded Gael Monfils. I wanted Blake to win not because he is American but because of his awesome comeback story. Martina H won yesterday and it is looking like we can have an all Belgian Womens singles match with Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters! That is a match I want to see-La bataille de la Belgique! Well it's time to dust off the rackets and golf clubs and enjoy the sun!

a glass education

2006-06-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated with glass and glass blowing. I guess it all started out at Disneyland when I was a kid watching the guy with thick black glasses make glass characters over a turbo flame. Recently, after having been introduced to the works of Anna Torfs, my interest in glass has taken on a profound curiosity. As I look at my sketchbook (non-product) I wonder how I could manifest these shapes and drawings into a 3-D form that is not plastic or other traditional materials. Glass is it! Just like me, I find one of the best glass schools in the world, I really want to take a summer course or some other non-matriculated program to learn the techniques and to make some of my own pieces. The properties of glass are amazing in terms of form, color and application. There is everything from sculptural to functional. Also, I love how glass is the direct cousin of pottery ( see Russell Wright and Eva Zeisel) in terms of shaping and expression. Also, Ana Torfs proves how glass can be sexy and provocative (see baby moon). So, this school I found is called Pilchuck School founded by none other than Dale Chihuly. It is in Seattle and it is a renowned international glass school. Someday I will take a class.

Founded in 1971 by glass artist Dale Chihuly and patrons Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg, Pilchuck Glass School has been a primary force in the evolution of glass as a means of artistic expression. By creating an environment with a singular focus on glass, access to resources, and an ever-expanding international community of artists, Pilchuck has become the largest, most comprehensive educational center in the world for artists working in glass.

Pilchuck’s artistic and educational programs take place on a serene fifty-four-acre wooded campus fifty miles north of Seattle. This setting in the foothills of the Cascade mountains overlooking Puget Sound provides isolation from the influence of commerce and urban centers and allows artists to focus on art. The campus features two hot-glass shops, a studio building, kiln shop, coldworking studio, flat shop for neon and flameworking, wood and metal shops, and a glass-plate printmaking studio. These facilities offer a comprehensive array of workspaces with a broad range of equipment for glass art production. Other facilities include a lodge that houses a lecture area, library, kitchen, and dining room. An administrative building contains office spaces and a gallery with exhibitions of work by faculty and staff throughout the sessions so students can better understand the creativity and talent of their teachers and those who make the school work. Nestled into the wooded hillsides are numerous residential buildings for faculty, artists in residence, students, and staff. There are miles of trails through beautiful Pacific Northwest forests that provide opportunities for exercise and peaceful contemplation.

Panerai Radiomir

2006-05-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering what I want for my birthday, I can only think of 2 things. Here is one you can buy.... This is my favorite timepiece-The Radiomir Panerai. It is so simple and elegant yet strong and modern. I love the simple numbers and watchface.

Missoni Magic

2006-05-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, now I've gone too far with my posting of plates! But I love Black and White and this new collection of dinner service by Missoni is really great. It can be procured from the Neiman Marcus catalog. Maybe to balance the plate posting, I can post the latest coolest MP3 player?

Domeau & Peres - Design, Martin Szekely - des etageres, Christophe Pillet

2006-05-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

For the casual design book collector, here are three oeuvres that are hard to get on this side of the Atlantic especially here in LA except maybe Hennesey and Ingalls. All three were written in french and include english translations. Domeau & Peres is about the well-known french manufacturer who for ten years now has produced works by Christophe Pillet, Andrée Putman, the Bouroullecs, Matali Crasset and Martin Szekely. Domeau has 92 pages, 20 color images, 110 duotone images, and is 35.15 euros at Amazon.fr. Christophe Pillet covers 15 years of work by the designer including several never-before-seen drawings, projects and photos. Pillet is 128 pages, has 140 color images and is 38 euros at Amazon.fr. Martin Szekely - des etageres (the shelves) is a thin limited edition with an original signed and numbered drawing by Szekely. The book is about his recent des etageres (shelves) collection. Szekely has 24 pages, 15 color images, and is 11.40 euros at Amazon.fr.

Domeau et Peres at Amazon.fr

Christophe Pillet at Amazon.fr

Martin Szekely - des etageres at Amazon.fr

iannone:sanderson

2006-05-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

A new table by the dynamic duo (yes! another duo!) of Michael Iannone and James Sanderson. This table is made of Kirei board and acrylic cladding. This sorghum board is a beautiful twist on a material that, while highly eco, can be rather blah. But Kirei is definitely more than hip than hippie. Through a process of washing, weaving, and then compressing bamboo-like stalks of sorghum into 3-by-6-foot sheets, Kirei board becomes an eco-friendly engineered-wood product that’s perfect for tabletops and cabinetry, or even furniture, flooring, or vertical paneling. Strong and lightweight, it’s also a near-finished product that resists warping and can be coated by water-based (or oil and urethane-based) paints and stains. Now go make some furniture, Tylor has tools to lend.

Pancake and Franks

2006-05-28T17:34:00.000-07:00

I love letterpress stationary. This collection by Stacy Pancake has some great illustrations like the wood grain, the coral, the birds and balls. The paper, colors and content are usually so clever and fun! That's the one thing I think design must always be...fun. Never forget to laugh!

Judy Ross

2006-05-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

Judy Ross has designed some really cool pillows, rugs and other textiles. Why would I post home collections? Well I am influenced by many facets of design. I love home collections because of color palettes, materials, tactility and how easy it is for people to create spaces that are inspiring, tranquil and individualized. For the textile and home designer, the challenge is to stand out without overpowering furniture while still feeling very special, maybe. Also, I am a big fan of very simple design and Judy Ross' collection is great.

delft blue

2006-05-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

The story began in China hundreds of years ago. In the 1600’s the beautiful porcelain came to Europe, and the Netherlands, with the Dutch East India Company. It soon gained major popularity and Dutch potters started to imitate the technique. At this time porcelain was an unknown material in the Netherlands.

The potters aimed to copy the products with local clay, and they were successful. In the first halft of the 17th century there were several factories in the Netherlands, especially in Rotterdam and Delft. Why the factories were so concentrated to these areas are unknown, but the reason could have been the ailing brewery industry, which left many vacant buildings, yes Heineken survived.

The earliest tiles were used for flooring , often in churches, wealthy homes or institutional buildings. When some floor tiles turned out to be too delicate for heavy usage, the tiles mover to the walls. Single tiles and whole pictures of tiles were used in kitchens, around fireplaces and as baseboards where floors met walls. The tiles were also used as insulation and protection against water seeping into houses. In these tiles and porcelain was a color that was incredible!

I was drawn to this color after reading a book on European Residential Interiors. I saw alot of blue and white rooms that had white painted plank floors and these warm bright blue walls. After some research I discovered this color as Delft Blue and over the past month or so i've noticed that delft blue, a beautiful color that has its origins in 17th century holland with the porcelain ad tiles, popping up all over the place. Delft blue (sometimes called danish or dutch blue) was created by calcinating cobalt ore with quartz sand and potash- an extremely expensive process for artisans of the time. Using paint grinding windmills, dutch artists would create the paint to decorate those various porcelain vessels used for tableware. Apart from paint and tableware, it is being used in many different applications and designs and is a minor trend.

...amadana

2006-05-22T22:06:00.000-07:00

The images above are a coffee maker, corded phone with leather back on handset and a humidifier. I once met the principal of the design group behind these products, a team called Intentionallies or ITL. They were very thoughtful and convinced me that they live and practice their design philosophies. It shows in the products they have created. They have managed to create a brand in Japan that is uniquely Japanese in design and emotion, it captures to some extent the movement that is happening in design in Tokyo today. More interesting is that ITL is first an architectural group. The materials are not totally unique but the geometry combined with the materials create a visual and tactile montage that lives somewhere between architecture, product, style and art. This story below is directly from the Amadana website.

from amadana;

It was the unquestionable fact that Japan has developed and became the world leading industrial power with the leverage of technological capacities through the high economic growth period after World War II.
Home appliance industry was one of the major contributions to such economic growth.
Since then, Japan has experienced the prosperity and hard fall of economy for last 20 years.
Now, as we entered into the new millennium of 21 century, we have been feeling the fetal movement of big waves in variety of areas and fields. In 2003, we decided to disseminate amadana as "KADEN" with high standard of technology and Japanese own notion of beauty once again to the world.

Once at Edo period (1603-1867) in Japan, there was a quarter where many of lacquer workers and wholesalers were gathering around Nihonbashi Tokyo today.
People used to call the quarter "amadana".
The lacquer craft that combines the technology of Japan and its beauty can be considered as a symbol of beauty.
Now people come from different part of the world call these lacquer crafts in the name of "japan" now. This way of viewing thing is the basic principle of that we call our KADEN in the name of "amadana".

Therefore our basis of standard for producing products can be categorized into two.
First of all, we concern about the inevitability at specific situations of present-day Japan especially in Tokyo. It may originate in the change of Japanese traditional life style and there may be the case that caused by excessively convenient life style with overplus goods around.
These phenomenons are intricately intertwined with each other and maintain its delicate balance in other word; they have be the answer for Tokyo as KADEN.
Secondly, the meaning of 24 hours life cycle does not complete only within Tokyo anymore and the shift of the time difference that ever happened before has been rooted in our ordinarily life by the way of engaging with outside of Tokyo.
It is the fact and we take it as the signal.

a tool to go back to the life of who you are
a device to carry around who you are

This is what amadana must create.

The KADEN we propose this time is not the completion but only is the beginning.
We believe that there is "KADEN" then it all begins to mirror the life style of various people in all the living space.

Exude "the temperature of atmosphere"
Characterize "the progressing subtraction"
Only "the beautiful outcome of the products" are what "KADEN of amadana" is seeking.

tord come home

2006-05-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing Tord Boontje's work in London and totally forgot about how inspiring his work and artwork is. I love when illustration comes to life. I especially love how he uses icons of nature, black and white & light and sound. The intricacy and emotional depth of his line weight and shapes feel so free and honest. I feel as though I am seeing the true intention of the designer and not some watered down modern shapeless blob that is so prevalent today. Here is a designer that takes what is in his heart and makes it real for all of us to admire and be inspired by.

a poem by e.e. cummings

2006-05-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

Trust your heart
if the seas catch fire
(and live by love
though the stars walk backward)
---

Ceramic Lamp

2006-05-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

This lamp from Matt Gagnon will be featured this week at the ICFF in New York. He is a Brooklyn-based designer that made his name with the paper table at last years ICFF. I never get tired of great lamps!

14 hours ... next

2006-05-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

This blog started in Hong Kong and continues in Hong Kong. CH and I had a long gruelling flight. Bobby was on the flight but I did not see him until the baggage carousel. Watched Three movies on the plane, Closer, The Motorcycle Diaries and Farewell My Concubine. I tried to watch Blow Up but the DVD was not working properly. However, I found out that the screenplay was written not only by Michelangelo Antonioni but also by Tonino Guerra. He also worked with Fellini on films. Closer was the most depressing as every character was a liar and could not even be honest enough with themselves to be happy, such is life. Farewell My Concubine is a must see for everyone. It centers around the relationship between two stage brothers over 50 years and the woman who comes between them. Tried to watch 2046 but fell asleep. "When you don't take 'no' for an answer, there is still a chance you will get what you want".

baby moon

2006-05-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

For those of you who read this ( all 5 of you!) you might not know that I love glass. And this is the piece that started it all. I am obsessed with this piece. This is art as it feels like an abstract version of the movie Hiroshima Mon Amour by Alain Resnais.

UK artist

2006-05-06T16:42:00.000-07:00

Mr.Rob is at it again. This is his latest wood cut. I find myself attracted to things analog when it comes to art. The warmness and sincerity feels more genuine. As it takes serious commitment to be persuaded to manifest your voice in a medium that takes preparation and patience and part of your soul. Whoever gave someone a 3D rendering of a heart or Dahlia as a token of their love?
-random 16h47 thoughts

Belgian Art

2006-05-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

This is a colored encaustic mixed media painting from a Belgian artist called Delphine van Brueghel. She has a collection of paintings that tell a complete story and she apparently paints one chapter per year! This one is called "Doppio Cappuccino". Wierd name but cool medium.

Meet Alvy Singer....

2006-05-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

[Alvy does a stand-up comic act for a college audience]
"I was thrown out of N.Y.U. my freshman year for cheating on my metaphysics final, you know. I looked within the soul of the boy sitting next to me. When I was thrown out, my mother, who was an emotionally high-strung woman, locked herself in the bathroom and took an overdose of Mah-Jongg tiles. I was depressed at that time. I was in analysis. I was suicidal as a matter of fact and would have killed myself, but I was in analysis with a strict Freudian, and, if you kill yourself, they make you pay for the sessions you miss."

The Kid...

2006-05-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Cose Della Vita

2006-05-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

You cant escape this guy. He is the quintessential international Italian pop icon. Go into any Italian restaurant across the world and 8 out of 10 times Eros will be playing in the background. Kinda like the Gypsy Kings int he 90's.

milano...

2006-04-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

This is the piazza at il Duomo in Milano. It is a magical place, one that i truly love. Io sono completamente riempito di ispirazione e di sogni.

it's time...

2006-04-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

Someone very dear to me has been reading my blog and pointed out that the ethos of my posts is regarding duets. Such as my obsession of twins, intel duo core, comparisons, wings of desire (true love between), the buddha heads and all else. So this has inspired me to come back to my world of ultrasimulacra. For better or for worse, it's time to post. love, j

visual Complexity

2006-03-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

Jarvis Cocker spotted in London

2006-02-18T18:21:00.000-08:00

I just found this current photo of Jarvis and his French grilfriend, not Deborah. "What if we all meet up in the year 2000..."

My guitar a la Loveless

2006-01-26T17:19:00.000-08:00

This is my red Epiphone Casino.
It makes me play better...

Coby V-ZON with Sega games

2006-01-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

Well here is another one of those derivitives designs. Except Coby decided to add Sega games imbedded internally. I love it when you see another design out there that co.s have used as a guide to base their designs around. And, since this is targeted towards kids and I work designing for the Mouse, I guess I am doing just fine and designing good things for these people I care so much about-kids! Kids Rock! Go buy electronics. P.S. we did this design almost two years ago....

Mickey in Japan

2006-01-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

These are the the latest thumb drives from our team in Japan. This group is my favorite so far and seem to be getting quite a bit of attention. It seems as though again, the vintage thing is still wowing people.

Intel Duo Core Craze

2006-01-10T17:44:00.000-08:00

I normally dont post anything related to technology, I leave that to my dear friend CH and his ever so informative Populuxe. I have been waiting several years for an Intel based Mac notebook and finally Jobsie layed it on me! Intel Duo Core Macbook Pro (lame ass name!) with processing speed that is proclaimed to be 4-5x faster than the G5! Well this rocks my world and same goes for iMac. I will now covet one of these fine morsels for my house. But thats not where it ends. The actual humor behind this announcement was not in Steve's keynote address but more that Dell decided to announce their new laptop with an Intel dual core processors!!!!!

This is from their website:
Dell, the US-based company has added a high-end entertainment laptop for those looking for a cinema-like experience and design studio.

The Inspiron 9400 supports Intel’s lastest Dual Core Duo processors, so you can watch movies on the 17-inch TrueLife display (1920x1200 pixels) while running anti-virus scans without compromising on performance.

The display provides a vivid viewing experience for DVDs and photos because it has a higher contrast ratio than a traditional screen with anti-glare.

The Inspiron 9400 also includes nVidia’s high-end 256MB GeForce Go 7800 graphics card for realistic gaming and multimedia. And even when turned off, the Inspiron 9400 keeps entertaining without needing to be booted - within seconds of pressing the Dell MediaDirect button, you can play videos, music or photo slideshows stored on the hard disk drive, optical drive or from the included 5-in-1 media card reader.

Connectivity options include a single FireWire port, six USB 2.0 ports, 5-in-1 removable memory card reader, 15-pin analogue monitor connector, Digital Video Interface (DVI) port, ExpressCard slot, Gigabit Ethernet, 7-pin mini-DIN connector (S-Video), stereo headphones/speakers miniconnector and microphone jacks. The 6-cell Lithium-ion battery should last around 3 hours, according to Dell.

The Inspiron 9400 is priced at £1449, including VAT and delivery throughout EMEA. It also ships with Microsoft’s Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory (upgradable to a maximum 2GB), 56K Data Fax Modem, 60- or 80GB hard disk drive, 8x DVD+/-RW drive, and 1-year limited warranty.

A poem for the New Year...

2005-12-28T09:01:00.000-08:00

Als das Kind Kind war,
ging es mit hängenden Armen,
wollte der Bach sei ein Fluß,
der Fluß sei ein Strom,
und diese Pfütze das Meer.

Als das Kind Kind war,
wußte es nicht, daß es Kind war,
alles war ihm beseelt,
und alle Seelen waren eins.

Als das Kind Kind war,
hatte es von nichts eine Meinung,
hatte keine Gewohnheit,
saß oft im Schneidersitz,
lief aus dem Stand,
hatte einen Wirbel im Haar
und machte kein Gesicht beim fotografieren.

Als das Kind Kind war,
war es die Zeit der folgenden Fragen:
Warum bin ich ich und warum nicht du?
Warum bin ich hier und warum nicht dort?
Wann begann die Zeit und wo endet der Raum?
Ist das Leben unter der Sonne nicht bloß ein Traum?
Ist was ich sehe und höre und rieche
nicht bloß der Schein einer Welt vor der Welt?
Gibt es tatsächlich das Böse und Leute,
die wirklich die Bösen sind?
Wie kann es sein, daß ich, der ich bin,
bevor ich wurde, nicht war,
und daß einmal ich, der ich bin,
nicht mehr der ich bin, sein werde?

Als das Kind Kind war,
würgte es am Spinat, an den Erbsen, am Milchreis,
und am gedünsteten Blumenkohl.
und ißt jetzt das alles und nicht nur zur Not.

Als das Kind Kind war,
erwachte es einmal in einem fremden Bett
und jetzt immer wieder,
erschienen ihm viele Menschen schön
und jetzt nur noch im Glücksfall,
stellte es sich klar ein Paradies vor
und kann es jetzt höchstens ahnen,
konnte es sich Nichts nicht denken
und schaudert heute davor.

Als das Kind Kind war,
spielte es mit Begeisterung
und jetzt, so ganz bei der Sache wie damals, nur noch,
wenn diese Sache seine Arbeit ist.

Als das Kind Kind war,
genügten ihm als Nahrung Apfel, Brot,
und so ist es immer noch.

Als das Kind Kind war,
fielen ihm die Beeren wie nur Beeren in die Hand
und jetzt immer noch,
machten ihm die frischen Walnüsse eine rauhe Zunge
und jetzt immer noch,
hatte es auf jedem Berg
die Sehnsucht nach dem immer höheren Berg,
und in jeden Stadt
die Sehnsucht nach der noch größeren Stadt,
und das ist immer noch so,
griff im Wipfel eines Baums nach dem Kirschen in einemHochgefühl
wie auch heute noch,
eine Scheu vor jedem Fremden
und hat sie immer noch,
wartete es auf den ersten Schnee,
und wartet so immer noch.

Als das Kind Kind war,
warf es einen Stock als Lanze gegen den Baum,
und sie zittert da heute noch.

It's a good holiday season

2005-12-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest product from our awesome team in Electronics. It's amazing what can happen when everyone comes together. And pay attention to the quote from our very own CH!

Drazen

2005-12-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

David Spiller

2005-12-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

Der Himmel uber Berlin

2005-12-13T12:56:00.000-08:00

I've always considered my own feelings on movies a little suspect, particularly if I first saw the film under conditions that might lead me to make more of the movie than is actually there. I saw Wings of Desire under such conditions. I was in art school, open to anything European that resembled a life-changing experience. I saw it with 2 film students and was taken by the film's amazing photography. I had an affinity for those masters of foreign cinema — Fellini, Bresson, Bunuel, Kurosawa, Tati, you know all the masters you can name to sound intelligent— but none of their films had soundtrack music by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds or Crime and the City Solution or asked so unassuming an icon as Peter Falk to play himself as a wise old angel. But, my favorite message is Marion's Liebeserklarung. This has come up now as it has been 10 years since I last saw it. It's cold outside, and soon I will have the time to see it and remember why it was so inspiring.

Negochins sur le Sorgue

2005-12-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

The first Sunday of each August the floating market takes place.
The vendors present their merchandise on flat-bottomed boats called "negochins".

Jeff Shelly's blog

2005-12-12T13:13:00.000-08:00

Check out Jeff's blog. He is one of the best character artist I have ever met! I especially love the photo's of Ellie and the Jury Duty sketches!

Jeff's Blog

Chimay

2005-12-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

I just drank a Chimay Premiere. It reminds me of all that is beautiful in this world!

Brothers Quay

2005-12-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

There is another set of twins (see Starns and Claytons) that have inspired my world of creation and fantasy. The Quay Brothers are identical twins from Pennsylvannia liviing in London that are masters of physical 3-d animation. This image is a still from one of their animated masterpieces called "Street of Crocodiles" from 1986. I have a collection of their 10 best works from 1984-1993, come by and check it out. I used parts of this animation for a piece I did in college to illustrate how art imitates the subconscious and in this manifestation we physically create things. Thus, leading us to what Kant called the "Copernican Revolution", a philosphy that our minds are a sort of Tabula Rasa and that we need and participate in active experiences, not passive ones......this seems so obvious today.

The Hand

2005-12-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

The hand in the middle of this photo is in my house. After I shoot this I went back to my hotel to edit my photos when I noticed this hand. I immediately went back and bought it from this guy. We haggled for about 20 minutes, said many "Peng di la's!", walked away only 3 times and finally agreed to a good price. This is how we do it in Hong Kong. The photo tells the rest of the story.

statue

2005-12-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

These statues were sitting on a shelf off Hollywood Rd. in Hong Kong at Central. There is an alley there that sells many Chinese artifacts that make for great gifts or for collecting pieces that give you something to think about.... tranquility

The Weekend

2005-12-09T12:28:00.000-08:00

I took these photos 3 weeks ago in Northern California. After looking at them I started thinking about how a person can transfer their emotions into their work without knowing. The feelings these images exude sums up how I have been feeling for awhile. Their mood is enigmatic, complex, a little cold yet still there is beauty in what is unexplainable.

Room with a View

2005-12-07T20:20:00.000-08:00

I have been out for awhile but I am back. I want to share this photograph that I took from the 30th floor of my building in Burbank. It is untouched! Straight from the lens....enjoy!

New Passat

2005-11-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

The new Passat site is filled with 120 mini-films that visually tell a story of each new feature this car has to offer.

Passat

The Lemon Tree

2005-11-20T10:10:00.000-08:00

This photo is from CH's lemon tree. Best lemons in LA!

1 degree

2005-11-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

I received an email from one of my heroes, Mike Starn. He is mentioned in my second or third posting as one of the Starn Twins. I had sent him an email telling him that I was traveling to NYC and that I had currently rediscovered the depth of influence their work had on my creativity. And now, with their new collections, I have been awakened. It is an amazing feeling to have a waning passion for something only to unsuspectingly have it reignited. Anyway, Mike was very kind and open in his email, he invited me to a small show in NYC (maybe I will hop on the A train downtown?) and it turns out we have a mutual friend! One degree of separation.

2008 Beijing Mascots

2005-11-18T15:52:00.000-08:00

The official mascots for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing have been announced. That’s right, mascotS. Genius! Instead of one cuddly abomination, we have five incarnations of abstract motifs. Five Olympic rings, five mascots, get it? The “Five Friendlies” are Beibei, a fish creature; Jingjing, a panda not the diver; Huanhuan, a malevolent fire demon; Yingying, an antelope; and Nini, a swallow. Halved and strung together, their names (“bei jing huan ying ni”) translate to “Welcome to Beijing.” They can also combine to form a giant hospitality robot. Actually, OK, Huanhuan isn’t a fire demon — he represents the Olympic flame. And there may be some trouble with Yingying, as she’s actually a chiru, or Tibetan antelope. Is this an attempt to make China’s claim on Tibet seem more legitimate? I have no idea, but I can’t wait to get my Five Friendlies Mix Sticks.

Clayton Brothers

2005-11-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

Unlike Doug and Mike Starn (who are identical twins), the Clayton brothers are a pair of older and younger bros who are best friends. I went to school with Christian for a year, nice enough fellow. Their technique is based mostly with mixed media that allows them to create vibrant pieces that feel alive. This style almost makes you see past the subject and story behind each piece as it feels like pop surrealism. To fully understand what they are saying you really have to supplement the paintings with a good look at the drawings they create. Another artist who paints in the same style with totally different story is Suling Wang from London. More on this later.

lost

2005-11-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

If you are a fan of LOST go here and read. Add any insights or theories you might have.
http://www.theoryboard815.blogspot.com

Parkeharrison

2005-11-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

Robert and Shana Parkeharrison have created an amazing collection of photography that bridges the gap between self-portraiture, theater, performance art and painting. Parkeharrison is the person in all of his photos. His finished style is reminescent of Talbot and Moon with more distopic scenarios and emotions. His world is dark and dreary yet the allegory in each piece is easily interpreted.

Blu-ray

2005-11-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

It's Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray or BD. Whatever you want to call it, it's awesome and it's the future. I saw a demonstration that compared standard DVD and BD on an 42" LCD panel. What's amazing is the detail you see in fabric, skin, hair and other intricate patterns that standard dvd blurs because of the low resolution. It's like video crack! You will get addicted. Be ready to buy all new equipment.

The best part of this format is that they are planning future capacity expansion by creating multiple layers (up to 4 layers) that would support up to 200GB on one disc!

Here is a list of companies who are part of the BD Association-Apple, Dell, Disney, HP, Hitachi, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK, Thomson, 20th Cent Fox and Warner Bros. The list of contributors and members is long and distinguished.

The war between BD and HD-DVD is cooling off for now. Companies like Apple, Paramount ans Sony have reason to be in both camps but the reality is cost v. technology. BD is superior for many reasons and HD-dvd promises to be cheaper. My guess is whoever spends more money in marketing will win this war. I cant imagine both formats fighting for market share, it will confuse every normal buyer in the market and is every studio going to release their movies in both formats? I doubt it. Anyway, it's awesome and I support Blu-ray Disc.

gnomon

2005-11-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

For all you digital and analog sketch monkeys. The Gnomon workshop has assembled some of the most talented concept artists in the country and is transferring their skillset to DVD for all of us to emulate and admire. One of the most talented of the bunch is Mark Goerner. I met him when he was 16 years old at ACCD and even then he had something special. A true raw talent that has been a leader in his field ever since! Check this link: http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/gallery/goerner.html. I am more into the analog stuff than the digital but I leave it up to you to decide, besides its all fantasy anyway.

flowers

2005-10-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

Meril sent Robin these gorgeous flowers for helping out. There were no instructions in the box except for how to make a "domed" arrangement or a "free-form" arrangement. However, in the box was a bag of candy corn and I thought it was odd that Meril and Martha knew Robin loved candy corn!

I was informed that it was part of the arrangement- but I think Robin would rather eat them than look at them!

They are really beautiful. thanks M, C, c, j & j!

food 3

2005-10-28T17:07:00.000-07:00

In tokyo this past week we ate dinner at these places:

Gonpachi Shibuya - excellent yakitori - CH and me

Rainbow Roll Sushi - great western style rolls and talent in Azuba Juban - CH and me

Inakaya - What an experience, this is the yelling restaurant the Bobbie De Niro goes to in Roppongi. Team dinner

Federicos - Great Italian in Daikanyama - Marco, Mika, Millstein, CH and me

raymond

2005-10-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

Raymond is one of our factory owners in Hong Kong. He has been awarded first and second place for best lunches ever in Hong Kong by a vendor. First place was the spicy grilled prawn, made by executive chef Johnson Ng in Dongguan. Honestly, this was a very hot dish, made especially for us and it was the best 3 prawns I have ever eaten. Second place was the restaurant in this photo. Dont know the name but it was near Kwon Tung Rd and the crab, prawns, lobster, dim sum was overwhelming! To quote PT, "It was a gastronomic massage!"

water town

2005-10-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

Here is the water in the town I spoke of previously....

zhouzhang

2005-10-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

We went to a place called water town about 1 1/2 hours outside of shanghai. Very touristy but interesting to see how this little village has adapted to us traveling folk visiting searching for something authentic to take home.

shangri-la

2005-10-26T03:39:00.000-07:00

This is where I stay when I travel to Hong Kong. The Island Shangri-La. It really is a great hotel! The service is immaculate! The staff always seems to remember me and is always smiling! For every 10 nights, they give me a gift. There are many amenities with every visit as an executive Golden Circle member and the views are spectacular.
This photo was taken at 6:18 am.

stain 1

2005-10-26T02:39:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong, SAR

CH and I had Haagen Daz friday afternoon in Times Square. Miraculously a stain appeared on CH's shirt.

kid

2005-10-26T02:37:00.000-07:00

Shanghai, China

This was my 3rd time to Guyi Hunan on Fumin Lu. The same kid was out front asking for money. In previous times I have given him money, food and an english lesson. This time CH met him, shook his hand and gave him paper money. It got to me as I think it got to CH as well. That childs sweet face is burned in my memory...

food 2

2005-10-26T02:33:00.000-07:00

Shanghai, China

We ate at the following places for dinner:

Guyi Hunan - Fumin Lu, this is my favorite, full of spice and flavor. The prawns on a stick and the ribs cannot be missed! Ch and I ate here, of course I was in heaven

Shintaro - run by the people who own Peoples restaurant in Taipei. Another excellent meal with CH, Nick and Carter.

food 1

2005-10-26T02:27:00.000-07:00

Last week in Hong Kong we ate at the following places.
Monday - SPOON : great view of HK, very good tasting menu > CH, Rich, Lau
Tuesday - Hu Tong : great view of HK, good menu, private dining room. A nice place for a company dinner. Team Dinner with Dorothy, Stephanie, Tomoko, Sunny, Rich, Lau, Andy and CH.
Wednesday - Inigaku at the Royal Garden Hotel : Ok japanese. They were out of all the good food Takei san wanted to share with us. > Takei, JK, LAu and CH
Thursday - Thai food : outside dining right next to Shangri-La Island. not bad for a quick dinner especially if the weather is good. > WC, JK, Lau, Lich and CH

the second best lunch I have ever eaten was with Raymond near Kwun Tong Road. The crab legs and lobster were awesome!

exactitudes

2005-10-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

We need to create a blog for Rich called "Exactitudes". He is the master of all things exactitudinal. When asked if he liked jazz music he repied, "no i hate it, it is not linear. it does not make any sense to me, I need exactitudes." All this was said in the lobby of the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, home of the infamous Captains Bar a favorite watering hole of CH Fung.

moths

2005-10-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

Nobody knows why, but moths are attracted to light, it is not for mating, nor food. Like butterflies, moths are as light as air, yet they are the family's poor, stupid scions. Attracted to light they fly to the inevitable end of their life, banging into the ceiling, endlessly flying around a lamp, or flying straight into a flame, their vulnerable, fine spun dusty wings burnt to a cinder. This piece by Doug and Mike Starn is one of the most inspirational installations I have seen in the last 10 years.

glass squares

2005-10-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

What is this message? The style is retro-futurism a la Brazil. Think about ultra simulacra and the use of Black and White in this installation. The image on the crt is being broadcast as a 2-D subject. Either way there is a bright image that sits in a box illuminated from within displaying locked up body parts. A fragmented incarceration of solitude.

the broom

2005-10-19T10:48:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in July 2005 with my new Canon 20D. A gardener had placed the broom intentionally to one side of the gravel road leading to a shrine in Tokyo. The composition seemed almost designed and to foreshadow the spirituality that was up ahead. The leaves that had just been swept were sculpted into little cone-like piles that added texture to an already coarse landscape, a sort of play on scale. It is beautiful to notice that the broom made with natural materials is used to control fallen leaves that allow the broom to be born and reunited. The funny thing behind this photo is that this place is filled with people and there is not much spirituality to be had. The shrine is cliche and a bit of a tourist spot. Not in the photo are 3 kids wearing Adidas and pumas and listening to electronica. Maybe this photo captures what this place was meant to be?

coincidences

2005-10-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

I walked off the plane exhausted and weakened after a 14 hour flight but decided to check the CrackB anyway. An email had just come through from a friend I have not seen in a very long time. It said, "I am now living in Hong Kong, have a great new job and next time you come to HK lets meet up." Well I was getting off the plane, in Hong Kong!

So we met for coffee.

I am still pondering fate v. coincidence. This kind of stuff happens to me constantly.

There is so much electricity flowing in these veins.