Craig Cutler and IBM.

Taking a small break between projects today I decided to check out the latest from Stockland Martel's uber-talented group of photographers. I don't know if this really qualifies as a creative, but hey, for me looking at beautiful photos is something I wish I could do a lot more than I already do. After their book arrived on my desk in the mail yesterday it's all I have been wanting to do. The book shows a few samples of each of their talented artists and of course is printed on some delicious paper with a most compelling cover and back art.

So this is what prompted me to check out their pick out a photographer and go with it. The first one I clicked on was a talent named Craig Cutler whose recently photographed an IBM campaign which I fell for. Fast. I haven't seen it in any mags recently but that doesn't mean it's not out there right now. It just means I am most likely not reading PC Magazine or INC or another business magazine for PC-users. It's okay because discovering it on Cutler's site was fine by me! I love the campaign as a whole for its simplicity and great photos, of course. And the fun little black lines. How could I forget about those!

Vanderbyl Design.

Stumbled upon this studio, Vanderbyl Design (located in California) today. They specialize in print and environmental design and there site is VERY clean. Looking through their 2D portfolio I came across these three logos above. Of course I was drawn to them because they are food and wine related. The first is a winery, how clever is that?!

"We Are All Mad Here"

How great is that quote for the movie poster of the remake of Alice in Wonderland?! I can't wait to see it. It was definitely one of my favorite stories when I was a little girl and one of my favorite movies to watch. The tea party cracked me up every time as did Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. Maybe I was a little scared by the Queen of Hearts but that didn't stop me from hitting rewind on the VHS tape and watching it again.

Now as an adult, I haven't thought much about the story but the SECOND I saw a teaser for the movie in the theater and then these posters up in my subway station near work the other day. And seriously, these posters are styled to a tee. The colors and patterns and placement. Oh my! Plus it's a Tim Burton film. In 3D!I am taking Matt along for the ride come March when the movie premieres. Love the copy writing for the premiere date. So VERY Alice in Wonderland:

"You are invited to a very important date 3/5/10"

Dress Code.

On my way to work this morning, aside from being jostled by passengers all over my side of the subway car (god help me when I can't get a seat) I was able to maintain a firm grasp on the cold vertical subway pole with my right hand and a borderline firm grasp of my PRINT magazine in my left hand. Embarrassed, I am to say, that it was December's issue because I have been way too busy to read it and thus has collected a bit of dust in the corner of our living room along with some other mags. However, now that I am finished with my book, Born Round (an amazing memoir written by former NY Times Food Critic Frank Bruni), I needed something to read on my commute. Enter PRINT magazine. Not any issue though...dum dah dum (drumroll please)...the regional design annual!

It seriously almost brought me to tears because I realized what incredible work people are doing while I am work designing what I design. I am not complaining, I am just saying. Samples above are from a studio that's featured, Dress Code, who are located in NYC and do some fun work. These pieces above are for a local theatre company called Lightbox Theatre. Check out the rest of their site and the PRINT regional design annual for more.

Flatbush Farm & Bar(n).

Oh Brooklyn, how I love thee. I feel like I wax poetic way too much about a borough that I haven't even lived in for two years yet. I apologize. I know some might be completely over hearing about it, but I am not. I love the feel that all of the neighborhoods have - they don't blend together as much as the ones in Manhattan can seem to do. There is really a distinct aura in each. I feel so fortunate to have REALLY explored almost all of Brooklyn thanks to Matt who was raised in the BK. We love checking out new places not just in our own neighborhood. It is definitely always an adventure and we wouldn't have it any other way. Example A: we once spent almost an hour driving around Crown Heights looking for jerk chicken at a place that had their grill OUTSIDE of their shop. I kid you not. Matt would not stop unless he saw smoke and the smell of grilling spicy poultry from the street.

Speaking of being in our neighborhood, we have a small list of "places to try" and this is one of them. Flatbush Farm. I love the signage and have heard their brunch is pretty spectacular. Add that to the fact they go local and organic with almost all of their offerings and what's not to love? They have this wonderful "new rustic" (I just coined that myself) quality to their website as well as their interior it seems from their photos. A few samples above.

Insta-Birthday Candles.

How many times would this be handy? From online store Poketo! (and found via the Dieline) here are 5-minute candles. I love the idea of candles in your pocket (but that look like matchbooks). Genius. And pretty reasonable too, for that ease of design and ease of transportability.

Kate Spade 20.

Ah, Kate Spade, how you make me happy. Check out this link and roll your mouse over EVERYTHING! Just a simple little animation for each number (don't forget to click for more at the bottom of the first page) but enough to keep you smiling – before getting into your car and driving 4 hours north, along with lots of other people driving north. Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving weekend. May it be just the right amount of time with your family and friends, whether you are staying put and hosting dinner yourself, going out to eat or traveling.

I know I can't wait to spend time with my family (some of which I haven't seen since LAST Thanksgiving), seeing how my lil' cousin has grown (from two years old to three! She is going to be a lil' chatterbox, I am sure of it), seeing good friends from home and overall just enjoying delicious home-cooked meals.

Zoo Studio: Barcelona.

Nothing reminds me more about Barcelona than seeing work from their talented design studios. Just learned about this one, Zoo Studio, this morning and couldn't stop clicking through their site which is chock-full of inspiring design. Just a few samples above but I would check out their full site for more.

Designers & Their Food.

Over the past few years I have realized that I have a serious addiction – food photography and gourmet food packaging.

I think it all started when I was younger and used to flip through my Mom and Grandma's Bon Appetit magazines. The gorgeous colors of the meals and luscious foods laid out on the 2-dimensional glossy pages between my 7 year-old hands held me captive. Hands that at that time probably had only helped my Mom pour chocolate chips into cookie batter. Today? It's the magazine's combination of photography and colors and textures and layouts that hold my almost 30 year-old eyes in awe.

Being a designer means always being on alert and so a trip to the grocery store, the neighborhood restaurant, and even the deli on the corner results in scoping all things food and design related. I am not the only one who does this. There are all of the designers and food stylists who MADE this beautiful work possible.

It is with this keen eye that I am always on the lookout for combo of food and design and can't believe that I somehow missed the August Food Issue in PRINT magazine (well, perhaps our subscription here at work ran out). They interviewed designers who do awe-inspiring work (some actually in the food field) and also had them make one of their favorite recipes which they photographed along the way (see above). Of course, their end presentation is spot-on as are their answers to the interviewer's questions. Check them all out:

Louise Fili
Peter Buchanan-Smith
Matteo Bolgna
Alan Dye
Julie Hirschfeld
Khoi Vinh

Schroeder Milk.

This is by far the best packaging I have seen in awhile (via Lovely Package). Perhaps I am jaded because the client actually let the designer keep it clean. Let the product stand for itself. Maybe because they didn't try and muck it up with 80 different claims stating that milk does this and milk does that. Milk is milk. And Schroeder gets it and knows their consumer is smart. Kudos to the design studio Capsule who made this beauty possible AND to Schroeder for letting them run with a fabulous idea. God, I wish I lived in Minnesota so I could buy this at the store...

ISAK.

After seeing just the one computer wallpaper for offer via Design*Sponge, I knew I had to check out the rest of UK-based ISAK's portfolio of work. I am glad I did! Such cute and clean illustrations and patterns that they turned into real wallpaper and other items for the home. Check them all out here!

Brussels Sprouts.

I think that food is designed. I think that recipes are in fact, works of art. I feel creative when I take groceries and raw foods and combine them just so, to turn a bag of seemingly random ingredients into a meal. So imagine my awe at this latest Brussels sprouts design by Mark Bittman (one of my favorite food bloggers). He has added bacon and figs and called it mid-fall salad! Check it out here.

Brussels sprouts, myself and my plate were first introduced for the first time in my life last year. I had low expectations that were exceeded with flying colors. I was pleasantly surprised at how sweet and delicious they were – nothing how I imagined the one vegetable that seems to get mocked the most when it comes to finicky child and adult eaters. Who knew? Eating them plain and roasted with just a bit of salt was absolutely delicious but here, by some fine design and Mark Bittman's imagination, we have something pretty amazing!

Photo above from NY Times

Design USA.

Yesterday was a pleasant and most inspiring afternoon at work as the creative team left for a field trip. Every now and then, you have to let the designers out! We went to the Cooper Hewitt Design Musuem for the newest exhibit, Design USA. Let me tell you, it was just what every creative needs in their life – especially on a dreary and rainy day like we are having today in NYC. Categories such as the ones above were where designers of all mediums (communication, product, innovation, user-experience, architecture) fell into place to make for a fun walk-through of GREAT DESIGN. Plus, there were iPod touches to be used as audio guides with extra pictures from the winners of each category as well as some interviews and video. Along the way you could leave comments which were then launched on their website and on 6 large Apple monitors at the end of the exhibit. I highly recommend checking it out (from now until mid-April).