Maira Kalman Meets Inauguration. And It's Beautiful.

Need I say more than, these paintings with hand-drawn commentary by uber-talented Maira Kalman are fantastic? And a great way to still feel the love that was around the country last Tuesday when our new President was sworn into office along with hope, optimism, & happiness. Thank you New York Times for sharing these with us.

Simple & Wonderful...Type it Up!

The artwork that I fell for at first sight.

The photo which started my artwork search (see top right corner)

Another piece by Joao Onofre

And another piece by Joao Onofre

Flipping through New York Magazine on the subway yesterday (my favorite weekly read) I got to the new restaurant section where there was not only a list of the best bites at this new establishment but ALSO a photo taken in the restaurant. At first glance it looks like a normal west village establishment but being typography-crazy my brown eyes grew wide as I looked closer at the top right corner and saw a type-only poster of which I read and then said “I MUST find out where that is from!”. So began my search via google (I tried typing in “helvetica neue bold condensed poster”...no dice) and then to the telephone where I called the restaurant (10 Downing) and asked if they knew about the artwork. The manager was super helpful and told me the name of the gallery (who were also really helpful) which I then called and found out the name of the artist, João Onofre, and that sadly, I could not afford this work. He did have a couple of other type-driven artworks which were equally simplistic and smart but again, original pieces. I just love the simplicity of the black on white and just saying it like it is. Upon learning that unless I won the lottery or a print was made (the piece in 10 Downing is an original) my coworker suggested perhaps that I just follow the artist’s directions and make my own. I could customize it too. Maybe Miller Text or Futura Condensed or Gill Sans Extra Bold? The possibilities are endless!

Please, Laugh at My Shirt.

Just clicked on an ad online for SnorgTees and had fits of laughter for about 15 minutes after going through every t-shirt on their site. Seriously, if you love any 80s or Will Ferrell/Wilson Brothers/Ben Stiller/Vince Vaughn or Judd Apatow movies or just have a sense of humor (of an 8th grader), you will love these tees. I think I might have to get my brother the first one here. And maybe two of my best girl friends (who love cheese) the second one. And my Office-watching coworker the third one. And for me, any of them.

Over the River...

It was beautiful snow in Brooklyn when I left my place this morning to trek through the winter wonderland on my way to the subway station. However, it was a much different story as I emerged from the subway in midtown Manhattan – cold, wet icy rain (made worse by the fact that I forgot my umbrella). Amazing how the crossing of a river turns things from photo one (taken by me on my blissful and booted walk) to image two (what my weather widget is showing me). I love these little illustrations for my widget! Imagine getting to illustrate the weather?!

The 51st Grammys...Long Live the Type!

A couple of the new 51st Grammy Awards (air date: February 8th) advertising pieces have jumped out at me from behind their plexi coverings on the streets of New York. They cleverly feature a singer made up of different colored typography which spells out the titles of songs which have inspired THEM. I love it! At first glance I thought it was their personal discography but the idea is that music influences music. I also love that there is a series of them (of COURSE there is!), not just the two I had seen on the street. The artists featured above are Rihanna, Thom Yorke, Lenny Kravitz and Lil' Wayne. Go Grammy!

Thank Goodness MenuPages. Thank Goodness.

Last weekend while Matt and I were looking up a favorite sushi restaurant in the neighborhood we happily discovered the new look of MenuPages! All I have to say is thank goodness and HOW did it take so long? That site is a go-to for many New Yorkers and it's look was so dated; it killed me that it was the only place to get a menu and that the whole userface just seemed o-l-d. Not only their new design got me, but also their great little illustrations/photos at the top right of each page. Now? Send me menu-hunting anytime!

Oatmeal Made Cute. And Without Any Green.

Okay, so this is another post about something many of you may have heard of but for me it is news. I attribute this to my being off in another country during it's launch and just catching up now. My coworker just came back from a trip to Starbucks to get oatmeal. Oatmeal? You may ask. I asked the same thing. Who knew that the over-priced (but delicious maker of chai tea lattes), eco-friendly (most of the time), green and brown-themed chain coffee shop sold oatmeal? Not even just oatmeal but “perfect oatmeal” that comes in adorable-designed little cardboard cups with cute caps with none of the original Starbucks-themed green anywhere (a sign of some great brand extension). And then served with the oatmeal you are given the choice of accoutrement – brown sugar, dried fruit or nut medley – each packaged in their own sweet bag. I don’t think I would give up my Quaker Oats but its good to know that there is a healthy alternative to the doughy bagels and pastries that Starbucks offers with their strong coffees and delectable chai lattes (my one Starbucks downfall as you can see though I limit myself to only one a month).

Photos from: www.daileycrafton.com/blog and www.seriouseats.com

An Early Valentine Idea.

While flipping through one of my favorite daily blog reads, Tastespotting (see: oohing and aahing over gorgeous food photography & recipes that make me want to try out for Top Chef) I found this adorable Valentine gift from Fred Flare. What a unique take on the traditional giving of chocolates (which I personally don't think is all that personal) – it's hot chocolate with heart cut-out marshmallows! I wondering if there is a DIY project somehow in this...just some clear cellophane bags, a bag of Jetpuffed marshmallows (or homemade ones), a tub of hot chocolate mix, some sweet handmade tags with ribbon, a heart cookie cutter and some spare time on a cold February day!

Not Recommended for Vegetarians.

After being forced into seeing a major "guy" movie this weekend (thanks Matt & John for sharing your odd love of Conan the Barbarian with me. Now more than ever I can't look at Arnold the same way) I felt the need to get back to my happy movie place which involves the last good movie I saw before that, Delicatessen. This movie is made by the same director of Amelie (of which I was/am totally infatuated with), Frenchman Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and so it has that sweet/odd/funky/enthralling storyline coupled with great cinematography and art direction. There is something a bit perverse about Delicatessen considering the main plot is all about the super/owner of the delicatessen trying to kill the new maintenance man (an ex-clown) of the apartment building above. The reason for wanting to kill him is so he can be sold/fed to the tenants. Of course there is an underlying love story between the daughter of the butcher and the new maintenance man. It sounds crazy and it is, but really good and I highly recommend.

Out With the Old...In With the New!

I have been engrossed in packaging design and inspiration for the past 6 weeks or so while trying to get ready for some new package design projects here at work, something that has been really exciting. Of course I can't go anywhere now (not that I wouldn't do this before) and not take keen interest in any and all beautifully done three-dimensional pieces. I feel a little bad for Matt who had to suffer a walk-through of Bath & Body Works with me the other afternoon but he made it out unscathed as did my wallet. I did get a glimpse of the bins upon bins labeled with $5 signs and inside were discarded "old" packaging. I then looked up to the walls and saw the new package shapes and designs sitting proudly on their shelves while silently gloating to their predecessors sitting on the tables. Just made me realize even more how important new packaging becomes for a company.

A Graphic Designer Walks into a Bar and Says...

That title makes it sound like I have a joke to follow in this paragraph, but in fact I have stumbled upon a page worth of quotes from famous designers like Paul Rand and Milton Glaser as well as creators like Albert Einstein and fine artists such as Pablo Picasso. There is something about reading what other creatives have written about their experiences with starting something from scratch whether it is a logo, an advertisement, a painting or a lightbulb that is pretty inspiring. I can't say that the person who put this page up spent a lot of time proofreading (one of my HUGE pet peeves) so there are a few typos and misspellings, but read it for what it is and you won't be disappointed. I'll leave you with one that I thought was pretty profound especially in the business I am in:

"Think of and look at your work
as though it were done by your enemy.
If you look at it to admire it, you are lost."

Samuel Butler

2009.

This photo I took sort of makes me inspired with the sun perfectly coming between the Empire State building and another tall edifice on Fifth Avenue. One of those photos that you take and don't realize what you captured until you look at it in the viewfinder.

A new year to:

• Write
• Draw
• Photograph
• Love
• Enjoy
• Read
• Create
• Inspire
• Listen
• Be Inspired
• Learn
• Capture