M.C. Escher - Waterfall

The first time I saw a drawing by M.C. Escher was in my 9th Grade Geometry class. I sat right next to this one called "waterfall". I used to stare at it every day. I couldn't stop staring at it. I would make other people come stare at it too. If you try and follow the water up to the top you realize its not possible and the water isn't really going anywhere. I think its so cool how he learned how to trick the eye as well as he can. Each one of his drawings is so unique and genius to look at.

- There I said it

A real gem

I really like rocks and always have. I used to get a different rock for every birthday and holiday. Most them are somewhere put away at home. But I have a few with me now at my apartment. I've just always thought it was so cool that things like this are hidden inside a rock where no one can see and then you bust it open and its filled with these awesome colorful shiny centers. I have a white one and a purple one. I got the white one in South Africa. 

- There I said it.

Mondrian

This is one of the French artist Piet Mondrian's most famous pieces of art. It is supposed to look like you are looking down on a city and the black is the streets and the red, blue, and yellow colors represent buildings and houses. I think this a great piece of art, and I have noticed a lot recently different versions of it in our lives. Rachel Ray's show on Food Network has a glass paned window with a Mondrian print. In Paris I saw a girl wearing a 50's Austin Powers looking dress that was Mondrian print just like this painting. The restaurant in NYC Sushi Samba now has a location in Dallas and their exterior walls are Mondrian design. Also, there is a tray at Barneys with the Mondrian print. And in Dallas, Los Angeles and Tucson there are buildings named the Mondrian that have Mondrian inspired architecture. I think its really cool to see his art reinterpreted into many different forms.

-There I said it

We didn't start the fire

Found out something cool today in my Ancient Egypt History class today. Apparently, roman columns weren't started by the Romans but instead they were started by the Egyptians. The used to bundle papyrus reeds together and use them as supports. So the grooves in the sides of the columns are actually supposed to look like the ridges in between the reeds of papyrus. These can be found in early Egyptian temples as well. I used to not like History very much, but I am constantly surprised and entertained in this Egypt class. I can't believe people use to live like that. Its amazing to think about. I cant wait to go to the Egyptian exhibit in Dallas and hope to go to Egypt very soon.

-There I said it

Good Eats

I love to cook, and I really like the Food Network. My favorite show is Good Eats. I like it because you a learn tons and tons about food, even if the host, Alton Brown, is a little cheesy. I like his recipes because its not usually an extremely interesting or new recipe, but its strictly the best of the best. Its basic food made in the best way to make it taste the best. So if you're making mac and cheese, pickles, steak, grilled chicken, this show will always show you the way to make it the absolute best. Just try and forget about all the corny jokes even though they will help you get the concept a lot easier.

- There I said it

Now Hiring

Isn't it a little crazy that the world asks 18 year olds what they want to do when they grow up. Or for that matter almost since you could talk. How can any of us know what we want to do until we truly know ourselves. If we haven't experienced a lot of people in a variety of jobs we also won't even know of some possible options. Maybe that's why so many people are unhappy in their jobs. They never knew themselves before they were forced to decide what was best for themselves. Oh well.

-There I said it

TAFFY!

Right now I'm eating a piece of salt water taffy my mom bought me at our fair. When I went home for fall break I wasn't going to be able to go to the fair, so my mom bought me some taffy when she went with my dad and sister. Its funny how some things just bring you back. In some cases a smell or a familiar color or picture. In my case its the taste of this taffy. It makes me feel like I'm back in high school with my friends at the fair in the new fall weather. Sad.

-There I said it

Roy Lichtenstein: Spray

I first studied Lichtenstein in 7th Grade when we studied Pop Art. I recreated this painting for one of my art projects that year. It still hangs in my bedroom to this day. Its about 4.5 feet x 5 feet, so its pretty big. I really like it, I think its cool to have a big piece of art like that.

-There I said it

Don't turn your eyes away!

Peta videos and other animal cruelty videos are a must see for everyone. I don't like when people say they "can't watch it" or "it's too sad". I think it is ignorant for us to not watch it. We need to be aware of whats going on around us. The purpose of it is to make us sad and draw emotion because that's what we should be feeling about whats going on. It is supposed to drive us to action.

This also reminds me of the child abuse commercial with the puppet. Some said it was too intense to show in America, or too sad. But I think as long as its not too graphic it should definitely be shown. It is designed to make you extremely emotional so that you are driven to take action.

I think we all could learn a little more about our worlds.

- There I said it.

Ralph Lauren: Classic Cool

Here are two photos from the Ralph Lauren Home Collection. I think both pieces speak to the idea of Classic Cool.

In the top photo, there is a regular chair with nail head trim. But instead of the normal wood grain legs, it instead has high gloss black painted legs. Also, the fabric chosen is half white and half black though slightly more white to give it more of an asymmetrical feel. I think this a great piece of furniture that is classic and timeless with a modern twist.

The lower photo is of a night stand that is made of a trunk with a four legged stand. Once again, a classic timeless piece re purposed to form a new function but still incorporating its heritage. I think this trunk is one of the best things I've seen from Ralph Lauren Home.

-There I said it

Sip on This

Here is yet another piece of art I found on The Cool Hunter. This one was made by Tara Donovan in 2003. It is made from Styrofoam cups and is supposed to look like a living, breathing, and constantly changing cloud. I love when I see things from our every day life reused and re purposed into art. It makes me look at ordinary things in a much different way. I'm going to look around today as you I about about my day. And I'm going to pick one item I use every day and think of something AWESOME I could make out of it. I think it will really boost my creativity haha.

-There I said it

Check - Mate

This summer I was taught by a friend how to play chess. I had always wanted to learn but never knew anyone who knew how to play or was interested in teaching me how to play. It took about 45 minutes to get all the different pieces explained and understood but after that, the game was on its way. I actually beat him once too. I cannot believe how much fun it is! I'm constantly being challenged. Each game is full of surprises and is completely different from the last. It is a great time to talk to the person your playing with and have some down to time to just test your brain without any other distractions. Chess has quite the cult following and some people even have "signature moves". I would encourage everyone to take up chess. It really makes your brain work in a different way. Find a buddy, grab a chess board and go outside and play some chess. You'll be happily surprised.

-There I said it

Fashion as Art : Christian Lacroix

Many people just get dressed in the morning. Others dress themselves with living art: Designer clothes. I think the name says it all. Designer Clothes: They are designed by someone or a group of someones. Each season the designer is inspired by something new in their world and brings this inspiration to that seasons clothes. On a recent trip to Paris I was lucky enough to go see the Christian Lacroix runway show. The top picture is of Mr. Lacroix with his last model as they make the final walk. Just like a sculptor sculpts and a painter paints, designers design and sew. And just like original art, it is expensive, but it also can appreciate in value and many times will turn into a collectible.

For Spring 2009, Christian Lacroix was inspired by Spanish bull fighting which is quite evident in the middle photo, which when worn together is quite evident. This outfit could be considered a runway or concept piece though as well. In the bottom photo you can see the subtle evolution between his inspiration and a very wearable piece.

Fashion is art, and anyone that disagrees is uninformed, sometimes referred to as ignorant. Take a closer look.

-There I said it

Milk it for all it's worth

Soy Milk. I've just started drinking soy milk in the past 4 or 5 years and I love it. It's a lot healthier than regular milk, and has all the vitamins fortified in it as well. I think it tastes great too.

But the point I want to bring up is from an Advertising/Marketing perspective. Did you know that soy milk does not have to be refrigerated? Well it doesn't. And because of that fact, it used to be sold in the shelves of the grocery store without refrigeration. But it wasn't selling that well. Think about it. What type of foods do you use milk on? What temperature should the milk be when you use it with that food? Most of you probably said cold. So the people in charge of soy milk did something that should be praised. They moved the soy milk from the shelves of the grocery store to a new refrigerated section by the milk. The soy milk doesn't need to be refrigerated but it helped put soy milk into the minds of consumers as a true substitute for milk. And it also perhaps made it easier for people to imagine it on their breakfast cereal because it was now being shown as cold.

Simple change, but it was "outside the box" (gag me) and remarkable.

-There I said it

Reality TV: How Dare They

The Hills is the grandchild, of the now almost forgotten Laguna Beach.

Laguna Beach was a small surfing village in California with pretty girls and good scenery. MTV decided they should interview teenagers at Laguna Beach High and try and find a "drama group" to do a new teen drama about. They quickly found that group with its ringleader LC. The show started off great with real drama, real people, and real situations. It was great to watch someone else's life and have fun, laugh, and sometimes scream at the TV. Everyone loves reality TV right now, because its real people like you and me on television.

When MTV learned that the public hadn't gotten enough of LC, they started "The Hills". Same people basically, except now everyone was in LA and had "jobs". One huge difference between Laguna Beach and the Hills however, is that now that Laguna Beach had aired, these teenagers had become celebrities themselves with paparazzi and everything. So instead of showing the now "real" life of these teen celebrities. MTV and the cast of the Hills decided to turn what should have been a "REALITY" TV show into a scripted soap opera involving real locations and somewhat real relationships.

The show is just disgusting to me now. I used to love watching the realness of it all. Now they cast people into roles, have specific shoot days. And are creating entirely false plot-lines. So when did the "stars" of the hills decided that they would try and deceive the public and become actors of their own characters. We tuned in because we wanted to watch your real lives. If we wanted actors, we would have hired legitimate actors who are good at faking roles. Not Spencer and Heidi who sit around reading a script about their turmoiled relationship.

If the stars of The Hills and MTV wanted to turn this show around, they would show the real lives of these celebrities. Let's see the paid appearances, the paparazzi, the fighting, the partying. Until then I won't let them have my ratings anymore, thinking they have fooled me into their double life.

- There I said it

Cars as Art - Current Exhibit: BMW

In the picture above, you see the new BMW 3 series coupe in the clay stage of production. This is the first step after the designers have agreed on a basic design on paper. A computer cuts the basic shape out of a block of clay, and then the designers go in with their hands and some tools and mold and shape the car like sculptors. BMW is one of the few companies that still uses clay models on every single one of their cars both inside and out. I think it shows tremendously in the way in which the shapes flow from the front to the back.

I have always seen cars as art. I have loved cars since I was in the 7th grade and my love has only grown more intense. I enjoy riding in my car and truly see the craftsmanship in every corner. The stitching on the leather, the way the volume control turns and feels. I can't speak for every car company, but at BMW those and thousands of other things are at the core of the design stages.

Sounds: The sound of everything in the car has been measured thousands of times and the final sound is in the end extremely intentional. I want to list just a few of the noises that are "created and tuned" - ignition, door locks, horn, windshield wipers, door closing, seat belt chime, acceleration, exhaust, etc.

Feel: door handle, leather, volume control, steering wheel buttons, turn signal indicator, armrest, shifter.

Smell: Any material that will be present in the interior is smelled by "noses" similar to those at a perfumery.

This only touches on the many details that go into making a BMW and many other cars, but I wanted to make a quick list, so that the next time you step into yours or a friends car, you will recognize the craftsmanship behind every detail and realize that it was intentional and not an afterthought.

Behind every car on the road is a team of people.

-There I said it

Apple for President

Long ago it was all about Microsoft and little about Mac or Apple. Today However after the success of the ipod, Apple is here to stay and holds a massive amount of market share in both the portable music player market as well as the cell phone market. The computer sector is also growing extremely fast.

What I think is the best part of buying a Apple product is the fact that everything is under one roof. When you have a problem with the screen, you call Apple. When you have a problem with the Operating System you call Apple. When you have a problem with a program like iTunes, iCal, or Address Book, you call Apple. When you own a PC however, you can call the company the computer was made by such as Dell or you can call Microsoft. When you have a problem with the software, you might have to call Dell and you might have to call Microsoft. There are simply too many companies making all the components of each PC. It's a little confusing to think about.

Also, I like to think of Apple as the only company that acts like a democracy (perhaps even better than our government). When we have needs for a new product, or have suggested changes to an existing product, Apple is always "All Ears". Since the unveiling of the iPhone, there have been about 10 software updates in less than 3 years. They weren't just changing internal problem or software bugs, but they were quickly responding to consumer feedback and giving us what we wanted as soon as possible. Have you ever had a cell phone get better in less than 3 years. You probably haven't even had a phone get a software update, even if it did have some quirky problems and software bugs. Apple is a democracy. They produce, they listen, they recreate. I think every company should look at Apple and the ways in which it communicates with its consumers. They don't just say "Hey here's a new software update : Download it" They say "Hey here is the new software update, it fixes all the bugs and the slow address book from the last update, we also added a search bar at the top of your address book which should make it easier to search for contact for those of you that have a lot of contacts".

AND... because all of Apple's software is made for Apples, they all work seamless together because that is what they were made to do.

Play around on the apple website, www.apple.com, for awhile, especially in the "Switching from PC to Mac" section. I think you'll be surprised how easy they make it. I could go on and on, but to sum it up. I'm not trying to sell Apple here, but from a business standpoint, Apple is the poster child for Business and Consumer communication.

-There I said it

The Sartorialist - Finding Fashion on the Street

The Sartorialist , www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com, is a blog that was started by Scott Schuman. He lives in New York City, but often travels to Milan and Paris. He simply walks around the city looking for people who are dressed extremely well. It doesn't mean in designer clothes or very expensive clothes, but instead well tailored very well put together clothes. Since the blogs inception, it has become one of Time Magazine's Top 100 design influences and Schuman is now a monthly contributor to GQ magazine as well as being featured in countless others. I love looking at his blog because it inspires me to "shake things up a bit". Everyone is so well dressed and they all look great. If you're feeling a little drab or boring. Go to the Sartorialist and check out some of his pictures. They are also taken very well from a photograhy perspective. Notice how the subject is perfectly in focus, while the background is blurry. This makes the foreground really stand off the page. He's using a very quick telephoto lens and is probably standing very far away. With no lighting or any other production tools to help him, these photos are still AWESOME. I think I might need to go shopping....

-There I said it

W Hotels - Revolutionary

The idea of a boutique hotel is not new. However, Starwood Hotels has created the W Hotels, which were intended to give the feel of a boutique hotel, all across the world.

Each W Hotel, has a unique design that is unforgettable. However they all have the same things in common: clean, modern, and extremely unique and thought provoking. The success of the W Hotels speaks for the popularity of this mix.

In the photos above is the newest W Hotel in Hong Kong. You can see in the top photo various lounge areas as well as the Check-In desk. It is quite evident that the "norms" of a hotel have been thrown out the window in favor of eye catching design that functions yet is extremely fashionable and creative. Every time I stay at a W Hotel I am always surprised multiple times throughout the stay with the hundreds of creative details, from the way you check in, to the food and packaging in the rooms, to the overall design of each hotel.

It might be a tad more expensive than a nearby hotel. But I say reward your innate creative and stay in the W Hotel. You will leave feeling refreshed and amazed... and possibly short of your potential.

-There I said it

Parking Garage or Parking Gallery?

These two pictures, from The Cool Hunter, are probably my favorite things I have found on the website thus far. Just because it is a parking garage and serves a very mundane purpose does not mean it cannot be extraordinary or remarkable. In these two garages, all it took was a little creativity and a gallon or so of paint to bring these spaces to a whole new level. The ceiling in the orange garage is awesome to me, because all they used was simple fluorescent lights, but they arranged them in a geometric way that plays with the eye and the space, and goes away from the "normal" while still serving a purpose. The "UP" photo is great because it messes with your eyes and your depth of field. I would love to speak to the person who designed this and learn how they figured out how to make this look so 3D.

Who wouldn't love to park here? Every business, college or store, should spend more time making their parking garages a more creative and visually appealing space. It is ,in fact, the first place you see when you arrive. Aren't first impressions the most important?

-There I said it

The Cool Hunter

The Cool Hunter is a website, www.thecoolhunter.net, that finds all things "cool". It was started in 2004 by Bill Tikos. The website is full of things that are cool in all areas of life: architecture, design, fashion, stores, hotels, etc. Since it's inception however it has begun to unite the creative world as a place for people to show their work and be inspired by other people's work. It is now not just a website, but a community. Every time I visit, I find something that is amazing, and I want to be there right then. But I also get kind of angry at the same time, because most of the "cool" things on the websites are ordinary things that have been transformed by creativity. It makes me mad that not everyone can think like this, but instead we are left with ordinary mundane things all around us in life that just need a little creativity to become extraordinary. Often this change will require little to no extra money, and in some cases, could even same money and energy. I will be posting a few of my favorite things from this website so, like TED, I wanted to set the groundwork before I start rambling about my obsessions.

-There I said it

Sliced Bread and other Marketing Delights

Seth Godin's TED Talk entitled "Sliced Bread and other Marketing Delights"

-"Ideas that Spread, Win"

-Consumers don't care about you... at all

-Too many choices, too little time

-The obvious choice is to ignore

Example: You're driving down the road and you see a cow on the side of the road, you're not going to stop because you see cows all the time. But if you see a purple cow, you would notice it... for awhile. So... what decides will it get bought, will it get talked about, will you take notice... is "Is it remarkable?". Remarkable means "what is worth making a remark about"

I can't say anymore without quoting the amazing things that Seth says, so you must go watch the video yourself.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/seth_godin_on_sliced_bread.html

-There I said it

David Pogue says "In Terms of Tech - Simplicity Sells"

Simplicity Sells was the Topic of, New York Times columnist, David Pogue's TED talk in February of 2006.

I recently watched this video on my iPhone, and was struck by how someone was finally saying something I and many other people had been thinking but maybe not saying.

Pogue says that when designing Software or any consumer product, Simplicity Sells. He says there are 2 guidelines: to be consistent, and to have a real world equivalent whenever possible.

Consistent = Interfaces are similar and intuitive.
Real world Equivalents = "Trash Can", "Folders", etc.

However, neither of these guidelines must be adhered to if it is not first and foremost Intelligent.

Example: The internet is supposed to be a "global marketplace" but right now it is basically just the US, Europe, and China on the web. So when we are asked our country on forms, why is the United States placed among the hundreds of other countries in the U section? It is consistent, but foremost it should be intelligent which would involve placing Europe, China, and the US at the top of the list. Many companies have done this, still many have not.

Also, why would Microsoft set it up so that you have to click START when you want to shut down your computer. And why, when you choose shut down, have they collapsed the 4 choices (restart, shut down, log off) into a drop down menu when there is plenty of room on the screen for just 4 choices. These and many other points brought up by Pogue show the differences in thinking between the way Microsoft and Apple program their software.

So to wrap it up. It must over all things, be simple and intelligent.

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/david_pogue_says_simplicity_sells.html

-There I said it

TED Talks: Ideas Worth Spreading

TED - Technology, Entertainment, Design - is a conference that has been held in California once a year since 1984. The TED website (http://www.ted.com/) says, "The annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes)".

There are only 1,000 people invited and until now the talks were never open to the public. Now, however, because of the web and iTunes, the talks are available for free to the public either by live viewing on the TED website or by free download via iTunes.

The videos range from incredible musicians, to top of their field computer technicians. The most fascinating thing perhaps is to look at past years videos of top new technologies that have now been incorporated into our daily lives.

I would encourage everyone I know to watch these videos, they are inspirational, entertaining, and will help you look at everything in the world a little bit closer.

In later blogs I will look closer at a few of my favorite talks. But before that, I wanted to lay the groundwork for what exactly TED is.

-There I said it