• TWEET by Oyl Miller, a fantastic piece of writing. “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by brevity, over-connectedness…”

• Submitting to literary journals: a beginner’s guide.

• An owl transistor radio! The owl, made in Japan, is 8 inches tall and fat with a plastic body and gold medal wings, eyes, legs and speaker holes in the crotch.

• Charley wrote some wise words about the trials of being a modern woman and the ladies who inspire her. “So thank GOD for the women who inspire me.  The ones who remind me that nobody ever got anywhere by compromising on their own truth.  Those women who sang songs that put them in jail, wrote books that provoked, played instruments better than their male contemporaries, spoke their minds, carried on regardless.” Mandatory reading. As I said on Twitter, I feel exactly the same way except I’m shorter.

• I write like? This writing analysis tool declared that my personal diaries resemble Dan Brown’s style. Guess I was recently ranting about the queues for the Louvre. Who’s tone are you perfecting?

• The Concentrators – a short story by Sue Francis that nails the frozen-in-time feelings of small town New Zealand life.

• An interview with Alexis from Sleighbells. I cranked the album constantly while I was away, love them. On Treats: “It’s a social record, it’s not the kind of record that you want to listen to by yourself in your room, it will make you want to go out and have fun and dance and forget about all the other crap that you normally worry about.”

• What Courtney Love wore today. Clove!

• It’s always nice to find mentions of your friends in fashionable places. New Zealand’s Process PR have launched a blog, designed by Ms. Tana Mitchell. She will also be keeping them updated with her stylish finds in NYC and across the globe.

• (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) – a number from the Hotrats, Supergrass’s covers project. The album Turn Ons came out a while ago but I have been enjoying it this week.

• In spite of playing the Queen, Helen Mirren is a hot babe. “I am a little notorious,” Mirren remarks, still teasing. She says nearly everything with a mischievous twinkle, like a naughty teenager appending “ … in bed” to the end of every sentence. NYMag delivers yet another great interview.

• A Charlie Rose interview with the late David Foster Wallace.

• Issue 2 of online photography magazine Télégramme is now out. It features the work of Kelley Smith, Shannon Doubleday and Atchi Toyoshima. (And one photo from me.)

• Woolfiller is an ingenious way of patching up holes in your cardigan, and gosh darn it you know I have like 30 holey jumpers.

• Are blogs dying? From the Economist, ‘An empire gives way’. I don’t think they’re dying, but rather, just one part of sharing.

• I am scared of black holes and space etc. I know broad topic… Anyway, this magnetic silly putty makes me feel the same way. Watch it EAT the magnet.

• Another brilliant Park & Cube DIY: the Carduogan.

• Storm in a teacup – these delft style ceramics are pure mechanical fantasy.

• NOMA, Copenhagen is currently embracing the title of the world’s best restaurant.

• Want/love/die: Missoni x Converse sneakers.

• I find it funny when I’m far from home and I always want to listen to things from New Zealand, or things that remind me of the past. From my Europe 2010 playlist: Second Chance, Liam Finn. My arm swinging with the music as I grasp the rail on the tube, thinking about where I’ve been. This gorgeous video was directed by Angus Sutherland:

This CFS Loves edition comes from Paris. I am whipping around the world at the speed of light it seems. Let’s pretend for a moment I am writing to you from a charming Parisian pied-à-terre, my dachshund at my feet.

Not a garret that somewhat resembles a hotel room, just now with 8 people sharing it. It’s so funny… the room retains the original hotel feel – tacky painting, a desk for correspondence, a side table, there are just 4 sets of bunks shoved in. It’s very ‘romantic’. That said, my fleeting roommates are lovely! We’ve been sharing beer and shampoo – instant friendship. As such, this little collection of links is vaguely travel themed…

• The frugal pleasures of Paris in summer.

• Barbara Krueger is the latest artist to revision the tube map cover (David Shrigley has done so before). And while we’re underground, I found this article: Suicide on the Tube – what happens when you hear about a passenger incident.

• True Story: I Did A Religious Pilgrimage. Sarah Von interviews an intrepid walker.

• Time Out’s list of 20 great things to do in Berlin.

• Tourist Magazine - an ever evolving platform for art, music, some kind of fashion and literature, edited by Sanna Helena Berger.

• Abandoned, unloved, and Japanese? This way to 10 ghostly spots in Japan.

• This one is just pure inspiration. Graphics, interiors, products – the Protein feed is brilliant.

• Subway systems of the world, presented on the same scale.

• By the way, if you want to make me happy like a crocodile at a playground, you can still cast a vote for me in Cleo’s Wonder Women campaign. Email cleo@acpmagazines.co.nz with a vote for Amber Parkin / Blogger. Put WONDER WOMEN in the subject line and include your name and contact details. Sweet as. I mean, merci!

• On Saturday night I’m going to be in South Korea. I found the picture above purely by chance, then saw it was in Seoul. I’m excited! I’ve been reading about street styles, the Hangul alphabet, and thinking of making a quick raid on the Dongdaemun night markets.

• But does it float? Glorious, saturated graphics to browse through.

• Duncan talks about Pogo’s (of Disney remix fame) next level sampling. Taking it to the gardyn…

• Forgotten Storefronts in Williamsburg. I liked this because I stayed just around the corner from North 5th Street and Berry Street and know the derelict air of which ScoutingNY speaks.

• Project Thirty Three is an archive of outstanding vintage record covers.

• Six writers on their favorite reading, genre by genre. NYMag delivers again with picks from William Gibson et al.

• How to make your own festive flags.

• Friends Of Type. Hot stuff. Make some new buddies.

• A clutch of gorgeous bookshelf and personal library pictures.

• ‘So you feel like Jim Morrison wandering the desert of Wayne’s World 2, with the claw of the hawk god about to pluck you harshly from your pleasant reality?’ Japanese ads for psychiatric drugs.

• I’ve stayed the last two nights in a hotel overlooking Auckland’s ferry buildings and Voyager, the maritime museum. It seems apt that this morning I stumbled across this link: Ships In Concrete – Best Maritime Inspired Architecture.

• A timely reminder: Initiative surpasses talent.

• In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus) – the hit of the year 1969:

• I love this Typelighter made by Hans at Surefire Disappointment. His USPS connect-the-dots postcard crusade is incredible too.

• Publishing 2010 – a Harper Collins editor looks at the future of books.

• http://fffflckr.com

• 86 beautiful book covers. If everything goes digital, does the craft of cover design die?

• Lazer Tits – there goes your train of thought, thank me later.

• 5 things Zooey Deschanel knows about style.

• Clever clogs! My favourite NZ gig promoter Strange News aka Matthew Crawely has a new blog/website, designed by the phenomenal Melissa Jenkins. Super-luxe.

• Tranquil, innit. Jarvis Cocker has worked with the UK’s National Trust to produce an album “comprising of British natural sounds including birdsong, crashing waves and wind breezing through a country garden.

• Street Museum is groundbreaking app bringing the past to life on the streets of London. I want an iPhone now, just to play with this myself.

• YACHT. I have an ocean’s worth of respect for these two and their music makes my heart go boom-boom-boom. Here they are talking to Causecast about: music distribution, self-navigated media making, vegetarianism, health care, the financial struggles of being a band, and the DIY spirit of being an artists, and the importance of adapting your skills.

• To order: First Kiss Zine. (BTW I’m still looking for more bad crush contributions & getting excited about letterpressing!)

• I like visiting K’Rd project space, publishing venture and bookshop ’split/fountain’. Their blog is nice to visit too.

• Another nice bookstore: OH WOW in New York. I will have to go back to visit this store!

• Thxthxthx – a thank you note a day.

• Dining with Bill Murray – just so we’re all prepared, here’s what to expect.

• Hi + Low, a crisp, clean design blog.

• A fabulous series of mini-essays by multi-disciplinary New Zealand artist Askew on his style journey through hip-hop & graffiti: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 – from 93 til infinity.

• Musical interlude – feel the good vibrations:

• Presumably blogged by every tough girl in a lace dress already, the Crystal Brass Knuckle Duster (I am going to realign your chakras motherf*****) by Debra Baxter is the Best. Thing. Ever.

• Jamie from the xx makes extremely soothing mixes.

• Also somewhat soothing is Rainy Mood – a wet weather audio track.

• 50 awesomely nerdy tattoos. The awesomeness is debatable but it’s a funny archive! By the way, narwhals are not nerdy, they are all about majesty!

• Pieces of the city are forming, like islands. Architecture photography.

• Sellebration is an archive of New Zealand television advertising. My faves are the ads shucking Bata Sparkler sneakers in the early 80’s and the fabuloso Teenage Mutant Ninja Dairy Food promo. An awesome, but often cringe-worthy, collection to dig around in.

• Photography’s longest exposure – a pinhole camera was strapped to the side of a bridge in Bristol for 6 months.

• Ensuite – A collection of inspired and inspiring things as seen by Clarisse Demory from Paris.

• White Rabbit Express will ship you anything you want, from any Japanese store. Ohmigosh.

• I really love this watercolour typography (spotted on Behance). Subtle, beautiful.

• Documenting weekly coffee consumption with photographs and a bar chart.

• A great article from NYMag: Uniqlones – How Did Uniqlo Become The Hottest Retailer in New York? Nerd alert – I not only admire Uniqlo for its fashion aesthetic, but am really into the single minded way they are managing brand experience.  On the other hand – is it just the Japanese way?

• Jeepers creepers, where did you get those peepers? Fur Coat, No Knickers dishes the info on the fanciest false eyelashes of them all, Eyelure.

• The Graffyard uses QR codes to preserve grafiti after it’s been scrubbed off – yow, what an idea!

• WANT: A Julian scarf from Wintercheck. It’s a scarf with zip pockets in the side, for stashing you keys, cellphone and expensive things you shouldn’t take out and about with you, but you do. The perfect solution to mega bags and overstuffed pockets.

• I always hoped this day would come – nail polish that changes colour with your mood. Heat technology for the win.

• How to react if a Google Streetview Car comes your way.

• My eighties horror pick of the week is Chopping Mall, from 1986. The soundtrack is really good too.

• Pentragram Papers – the legendary design notes are now available online at Wallpaper Magazine.

• Abstract tattoos by Amanda Wachob. I’m speechless, they are so beautiful. (Thanks for the heads up Em!)

• JFK Junior was a kid with mega style.

• A gem for anyone who writes on the interwebz, Word Off strips the cruddy code you get when you paste words into WYSIWYG editors. No more <span>!

• A Parisian pad; Cheri of Scout Holiday’s home is profiled on design*sponge. Similarly, here is some tips on the art of living in Paris in 10 square metres.

• Author Daniel Okrent is questioned about the history of the Prohibition. ‘So that’s how powder rooms came to exist’ and other tidbits.

• Obvious, but I have just been browsing Karim Rashid’s site and loving his manifesto.

• Trent Reznor emerges from the batcave to collaborate with his wife as How to Destroy Angels on “A Drowning”. What do you think? I still miss the days of The Fragile.

• Amazing and disgusting all at once – the Simpsons parody Ke$sha’s Tok Tok in the opening  sequence. Love it!

A bunch of possibly unrelated links that were much loved in the CFS mines this week…

• Nina Katchadourian rearranges book titles to make witty sentences [via Today & Tomorrow]

• I’m very much in love with these piano keys knee high socks. They’re cute to the max!

• A chart describing literary works and the chemicals consumed during composition.
  

• A guide to vintage shopping in Sheffield, England. This might be very handy in my near future.

• The ever wise Yuli Ziv writes Why You Should Never Listen To Entrepreneurial Advice

• Writing advice from the Twilight Zone.

• The first episode featuring ANTM’s Noo Zealand. It was really fun to watch. One of my dear friends worked on it – good to see her hard work come to life!

• Good things new to my RSS reader: Lea Bolvig, lovely Ivy’s Little Isles Of Inspiration, the Paper Cut blog, N0 Di$count, and Hungry and Frozen – where food meets music.

• Mari Kojima started a new column for SNOW Magazine, featuring a few of her fantastic photos.

• Baked In – thoughts on product development and human marketing.

• A fascinating article about the great travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor – The Man Who Walked.

• Double the lens and triple the fun with the new 3D Holga. What a vision!

• Recently I had a mini blogging meltdown, and a nice guy passed on this link: Powazek’s advice to anyone running a personal website. An excellent snippet.

• Clevery and crafty: hand-stitched type in a magazine spread.

• Q&A time. William Gibson talks about ‘Creator’s Block’, termites, essays and all sorts of other fun things.

• Carsten Höller’s (the man behind my favourite mushrooms) Test Site 2006 is a series of spiralling slides inside the Tate Modern’s (giant) Turbine Hall. Visitors were encouraged to get their slip and slide on from the top floor of the Tate Modern. But Is It Installation Art?

• PUNctuation – a new.trend.in.taglines.

• I am coveting these NZ made ToBe sneakers.

• Japan – The Strange Country is an animated infographic film. While I can’t speak for the content (generalisations, much?) the illustrations are really well done. I like the ramen making robots! Perhaps mute it and use your own soundtrack…

• LCD Soundsystem’s new album is a banger. Yes, you should stream THIS IS HAPPENING.

• Swarovski’s crystal lighting would fit quite nicely in my dream bedroom or nightclub.

• Check this out! Slinky magazine racks and other exciting designs by Aussie John Quan.