The Toledos + Lexus = Someday.

After seeing this ad in October's W magazine the other day, I decided to go online and see if I could find it in a digital version. I wanted to send it to my design/artist BFFs-in-crime, CM Illustration and A Design Affair, who are huge fans of Isabel & Ruben Toledo. Though I didn't find it online anywhere (and had to scan it), I did find out some interesting information about it. Turns out companies are now turning to the magazines they advertise in to create the ads; afterall, they know their readers the best and know how to reach them. So when Lexus wanted to advertise to Conde Nast and Hearst fashion readers, they turned to the artist and fashion designer couple and EXTREMELY talented duo, Isabel and Ruben Toledo to help them with the ad above. Enjoy!

I definitely recommend clicking on the images to see the fabulous details in the painting and use of fabrics (this appears as a double-page ad but I scanned them separately to show more of it)!


*PS. A Design Affair warned me that if I didn't post about this ad, then she would!

Townhouse: Miami

Of course the moment you are on the plane landing at your home airport from vacation you are already imagining your next getaway. This was literally happening on the first leg home on our flight from San Jose, Costa Rica to Miami International. I made a medium-sized list of "Places to Go to in the Next 5-10 Years" which now hangs from the side of our refrigerator.

Being at the Miami airport made me realize two things. One, flying in on an international flight and then leaving on a domestic one is quite a process! The second thing I realized is that I have not spent any sort of significant time actually IN Miami. Sure I have used the airport as a layover on more than two occasions, but actually exiting that airport door where the sign says "ARRIVALS" is something I have only done once. And even that was a 16 hour stay that consisted of 8 hours of sleep and 1 hour driving around and around the airport waiting to pick up a friend who was arriving and who then would travel to Key West.

Matt and I have been thinking about our next quick trip (4 day weekend perhaps?) for the winter and are throwing the idea of Miami around. In preparation I have started to do some quick searching for Miami hotels (which I imagine will be quite opposite of where we stayed in Costa Rica). Now let me be frank and say I know absolutely NOTHING about anything having to do with Miami. Nothing about the beaches, the hotels, so everything seems pretty new and exciting to me. One hotel I came upon recently is called Townhouse (in South Beach) and I just loved their graphic look (you know I was getting to something graphic design-related in this post, didn't you?). This is all photography from their website which is nice and clean and chic.

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).

White Collar + Thomas Pink.

If I were a boy I would be so be at Rockefeller Center right now (just a few blocks from my office, how convenient!) waiting in (a very long, or so I hear from a male coworker) line to get a free custom-made shirt from the most handsome shirt-maker, Thomas Pink. Some marketing team made a great pitch and so in conjunction with the start of the new show on USA called White Collar, you can get your OWN white collar (or blue or pink or striped or checked or...well, you get it). For free! A shirt that would most likely cost you $400 is now yours for the taking. If you have the time to stand in line, that is. Either way, a memorable and clever idea.

First photo above from TimeOut NY

Melody Gardot.

On Sunday afternoon we had NPR on the radio and they were talking about a new-ish music sensation on the American jazz scene. It was a most amazingly talented gal named Melody Gardot (don't you love people whose names completely describe what they do?) who is 24, from New Jersey and has quite a story to tell. Her music is so great and after sampling her newest CD on Rhapsody yesterday afternoon here at work, everyone who came through the creative department stopped and asked "Who IS this?". I think I made her at least 7 new fans yesterday. Not to mention how great is this cover art photo above? Take a listen for yourself here.

Jessica Hische: Initial Cap Project!

I know a lot of her work for this project has popped up all over the design blogosphere, but I couldn't help but make a little collection of my own of her new project. What a great way to type/design/illustrate/challenge yourself?! I could use a project like this myself. What oh what would it be? Something that is the opposite of what I do in my day-to-day and will keep me fresh and arty! While I think that up, I will gaze longingly at Jessica's fabulous work. See it all here.

Costa Rica: In Photos.

4 days in from being back from Costa Rica and it still isn't easy to adjust to being indoors all day staring at my Mac. Alas, reality is reality. At least I can keep looking at my pictures as a refreshing reminder. And share them with you of course. Here are a few of my favorites from the almost 300 I took. Thought I would show some flowers (gorgeous and as colorful here as they were in real life), some sunsets, some amazing trees (it was the jungle, people!). Enjoy!

I'm back. And tan!

Hello dear readers! I am back from the rainforest/jungle of southern Costa Rica and to the reality of my concrete jungle in New York. Back to being inside all day long under florescent lighting and behind a Mac all day. Quite opposite to our non-techy vacation! Matt and I had such a great time and were able to be outside as much as possible, which was ideal. Lots of outdoor activities were done as well as some surfing, of course. Lots of photos to come for you all to see, but for now thought I would leave you with this one above – one of the favorites that I took. I just loved the framing I was able to do with the tree leaves above and the crazy birds - turkey vultures – below (they were EVERYWHERE and would hop on their two feet when they were on the ground instead of walk.

Off To A Warmer Place...

Hopefully I will be able to stand up on my board more than I will be off of it!


I will be taking a LOT of photos! Get your smiles on, jungle monkeys.

Ahhh, fresh, locally-grown coffee every morning with breakfast. In the great outdoors.

NY Times Wine Club.

I noticed this logo for the NY Times Wine Club on the back of one of the sections of the Saturday paper a couple of weeks ago and instantly loved it. Even though it's a wine glass (an icon that is fairly prevalent when dealing with wine, of course) I thought it was done in a clean and clever way.

NY Surf Film Festival.

Getting ready for our upcoming (read: three more days!) vacation to Costa Rica where we will be taking in the great outdoors in the form of surfing and any other outdoorsy activity we can get our feet on, I thought it would be only appropriate to check out the 2nd Annual New York Surf Film Festival (love their logo!). We have watched a couple of movies already at home in prep for the trip – Endless Summer was of course one of them.

Maira Kalman & The City of NY.

Always something I look forward to seeing on the NY Times homepage the latest from artist Maira Kalman. Some of my favorites from her illustrated story "For Goodness' Sake" are above. The story is about her visit to various city offices and departments. Definitely read and see the whole piece here.

Nora Thompson: Illustrator.

It's almost that time of year for the Society of Illustrator's Children's Book Show. Almost. In eager preparation I found a fantastically fun children's illustrator, Nora Thompson, whose work I wanted to share with you. One thing about her site that I loved is that she shows her sketches and then the final art. There is something wonderful about seeing the bare bones of a piece of art. I have posted them next to each other so you can see.

Polaroids & Pinholes.

Some fun photography from the UK via Polaroids and Pinholes on Trunkt. The artist uses some unique techniques to get these desired effects. A la this one about the first photo, The Bud and the Bloom:

"This photographic print is a section of virginia creeper vine, ripe with seed berries. The image is part of my darkroom photogram series - created with light from a camera enlarger directly onto colour negative paper, processed in RA4 colour chemistry and contact-printed to create the positive image."

Paul Smith for Evian.

From the Dieline today. LOVE. IT.