Stalking Stockholm

My new favorite blog, Emmas Designblogg, its about design in Stockholm and everything awesome. This is where I like to go and pretend that I actually live there...this is as good as it gets for now.
Emmas mentioned this nice exciting new restaurant with a lovely space, called Restaurang Bar. I don't know much about the food from that country. But everything I've seen makes me suspect that they know what the hell they're doing...and is doing it very well.
What crisp, chic, and classy interior...all that and with a feel of a classy French bistro.The food looks amazingly simple and fresh...Here's a menu sample....it says...something something Pommes Frites...and then bunch of something else...then something really exciting at the end!

Some weekend events this Saturday

There's couple of fun things going on this weekend....plus the weather is supposed to be nice!!

1. HENRY ART GALLERY:
Champagne Truffle: Henry Gift Shop project #6 (the final project)

Tea Party reception, March 27, 2-4:30pm, open now through April 11

Champagne Truffles with Maki Tamura, Nicholas Nyland, Jennifer Campbell, Ian Toms and me, Saya Moriyasu. 5 artists along with Matthew Offenbacher transformed the space with wallpaper, live webcam of a cat colony, videos and precious belongings. Feel free to come and hang out in the space, eat lunch, watch the kitties and write in the journal.

Henry Art Gallery
University of Washington
15th Ave NE and NE 41st
Seattle, WA 98195
(206)543-2280 phone

2. HIAWATHA ARTIST PLACE:
Spring Open House with 4 floors of resident artists, 3 bands and food & drinks to keep you happy!

Open House, March 27, 2-8pm

peruse the Hiawatha Artists Lofts open studios 3pm-6pm

mingle with the 60+ residents & their neighborhood

support the Hiawatha Artists in their first annual silent auction 3pm-6pm

listen to one resident musician & two visiting bands from S. California & Portland 6:30pm-8:10pm

check out the little café that caffienates our residents....amongst our other neighboring specialty businesses

enjoy the new neighborhood developments as we can walk freely down a beautiful new sidewalk

share a yellow truck from Georgetown called H A L L A V A....yes bring your cash, they will be here from 2pm until the food runs out!

Jackson Place Community, Hiawatha Artist Loft
843-855 Hiawatha Place South
Seattle, WA, 98144

The Selby Book

One of my favorite online place for inspirations, The Selby, is coming out with a book, 'The Selby-Is in your place' on April 1st....no joke! Although they could easily do that since it would be April Fool's day....but I think they have better things to do than play pranks like that....Todd Selby's photographs creative & artistic individuals from all aspects in their space, whether it be some totally outrageously fancy loft or the less than perfect overly crammed tiny apartments, Selby's honest no-filter approach is all about documenting the creative individual's lifestyle that's simply inspiring to see.

'I'm Here' short film by Spike Jonez

"I'm Here" is a lovely short film of two robots falling in love in an ordinary world...but beautifully sad and touching like "The Giving Tree." Great cinematography with a great soundtrack. I especially love how Spike Jonez integrates all the beat up recycled computer parts and bringing it to life...
Well done Spike..well done.
Watch it here.
via Opening Ceremony

Tattoo Painting

I don't have any...but think this is quite lovely...
But I can see myself wanting to keep washing it forgetting that it's not just paint on my arm...yeah. I'm forgetful like that.

Too Much Toast

Spent too much time on Toast.....and the result is....... me wanting all this but can't get any of it. Oddly, this pathetic process of me photoshoping this collage of all these things was somehow therapeutic and satisfying. Hurray.
1. Fine Suede Wrap Jacket 2. Shibori Print Tunic Dress 3. Denim Straight Leg Jean 4. Damini Scarf 5.
Wala Sandals 6. Benny Bag 7. Clustered Beads Necklace 8.Eva Belt

Happy Weekend.

Holly Mother....

I'm drooling all over....
Saw these on Totokaelo recently (pronounced TOH-toh-KYE-oh) This awesome pair of heels by ELSA is making me wanna scream like a crazy shoe-obsessed lady.
Yes...I'm screaming and drooling at the same time. Just look at it...
For mere $588, you can get yourself a pair, too.
God damn why can't I be rich?...damn you god!

P.S. I'm not REALLY damning you god. Plus, I don't think I would have the power to do that.

'My Things'...Except Not Mine

'My things' by Gabriel Grundler.
This could be a fun way to document our own lifestyle. The things we own and cherish can say so much about who we are. This is much more pleasant to look at, and much MUCH less humiliating than looking at old awkward teen photos with giant glasses, braces and horrible outfits. Goosebumps.....

via itis edition

Design Road Show

Started on February 1st this year, a design nonprofit Project H Design launched a project called Design Revolution Road Show run by Emily Pilloton. The project's mission?

Simple but ambitious....35-schools, 75-day, 7000-mile tour and exhibition showcasing design for social impact that takes place in an Airstream.

'The programming will bring the evidence of and tools for design for social impact to the doorsteps of students, with the ultimate goal of enabling and empowering the next generation of creative problem-solvers to apply their skills to the world’s most pressing problems and improve life on a global scale.'

But as I looked at their itinerary, I noticed that they purposely avoided the Northwest! Portland gets to be part more things these days than Seattle, so screw them. But Hello?! What about us!?

What's up San Francisco? I thought us west coast people are tight, that's the one thing we do have in common is the fact that we're physically on the same side, right? We gotta stick together! You guys are like the people who knows how to put on awesome parties, while Portland is like the laid back cousin who have all the great "hooks ups." I know...we're like the dorky brother who never gets invited to any cool events... and yeah, maybe sometimes we seem like we have a stick up our a** but that's only because we're a little socially inapt, but that doesn't mean we don't know how to party!

I know you think its ridiculous that we mix fleece vests with business outfits...but really, it's Seattle who started the whole woodsman-hunter-look of black & red plaid button shirt with Redwing shoes....not Portland! They just know how to wear it well! Just look at this 1966 Edie Bauer catalog!

They even got C.C. Filson's products!....Although I've yet seen anyone in Seattle carry a Filson bag...and no, it's not because we're too cheap to sport one, damn it!

See! Seattle was sporting this whole look more than 30 years ago! Perhaps that's our problem...we're just way too ahead of the game for anyone to understand us. We're like the awkward prodigy guy who's too shy to get a girl's number...or the sexy librarian lady who's too intimidating for most guys....or something like that.

Just you wait and see, soon enough, y'all will be sporting the fleece-Patagonia-vest-with-sports-sandals-look.....and of course with white socks!

New Season, New Beginning...

Recently, we took a big step (big for us) and got our very first retail order of the Chalk-It-To-Me Piggy Banks!! But boy do we really need to stop coming up with names that are way too long (i.e. Ladies & Gentlemen Studio..) It really bites us in the butt in the long run. :P
Perhaps I should start calling them CITM Piggy banks...ok, maybe just Chalk Piggies for now.
We're excited to share that they're available at the New Seasons Market in Portland, where 4 out of the 9 stores around the city are now selling these!!
When we first got the order, we were stoked...but a little freaked out. We never gotten around in figuring out how to produce the Chalk series, but at the same time we didn't want to turn down the opportunity..
So Not only did we not have a production space set up, we didn't even we have packaging, print material, and all that stuff figured out. Don't worry, this is all part of our bigger picture "business plan" that we've drawn up in our own imagination.... so, yeah, we know what we're doing. :P

But we took our first stab at it...All packed up!This is by no means our idea of a perfect packaging design for these. I'd change pretty much everything if I have a dispensable income to make the packaging all fancy with crazy colors and would play music when you open the box like those cards with sounds!
What's better than trying to read a card with thoughtful messages from you family & friends while you're distracted with the cheap sounds of a button battery operated card that plays songs such as “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer, “I’m Sorry” by Brenda Lee, “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones, “We’re All in This Together” by the cast of High School Musical?? I have an idea....how about a card that DOESN'T make any sounds so I can concentrate and read the card peacefully?

Anyways....sidetracked.
All and all, this was definitely an exciting first step to take and a great learning experience that gave us an idea of all the things we'd need to consider to take this even further.
Now we just gotta go work on our business plan!! Oh boy!
I wonder if the bank or investors would accept this as a business plan...
Not only do I have a plan, I'm also showing that I'm a responsible saver with my piggy bank full of change! Booh-yah! Business plan DONE!