Poor Lana is having a bit of a worrisome time with the press at the moment, especially after her lackluster SNL performance. (LDR, nervous or not, please stop touching your hair!)
But doesn’t she look a treat in this stark cover photo for the Russian edition of Interview Magazine? Big hair, heavy eyes, and a playful nod to bee stung lips. File this under classic.
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Behold owls, coffee and letterpress, together at last in a wonderful example of packaging design: Metrio Coffee.
The Metrio Coffee identity was first inspired by the classical vintage themes of ancient Greece (the Athenian owl and olive branches), then combined with a modern yet simple design. The word Metrio is derived from the common way Greeks drink short black coffee – METRIO – meaning short black with one sugar (medium sweetness).
{From Behance - via Maya – thanks!}
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Bike storage and security is a serious issue. In London, you can’t just leave your bike leaning outside the dairy while you pop in for some milk. You need to lock that shiz up!
Chances are you live in a teeny little flat too, with not much lock-up space. In my current house we have 3 bikes littering the living room, which is a bit of a pain. I’ve researched how to best store my bike out-of-the-way, and my favourite find so far is Reclamation Art + Furniture’s Bike Valet:
“The Bike Valet is wall mounted storage unit and a valet for your keys, wallet, bike and items you need put down when you pedal in the door. Made from Urban Harvest Walnut with a natural hand rubbed, zero VOC oil finish.”
I can imagine this walnut unit working really well in a modern interior. Sadly, not with my bike – it has too many sexy curves – but for any straight lining fixie it’d be perfect.
For more of Steven Tiller’s smart, simple, and handmade designs take a look at reclamationartandfurniture.com
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A long Friday night at home, post-holiday, has resulted in a new blog design and logo. The look is inspired by semaphore - my favourite code.
Semaphore is a system of communicating over distances using flags, using different flag positions to represent different characters. When I was young, I really wanted to earn the Signaller Badge, but apparently it wasn’t relevant to the 1990′s Auckland lifestyle of a 10-year-old.
My friend Sian, who lived across the road, and I had to make do with a complicated referee whistle arrangement instead; driving the neighbours bonkers. They should have let us learn the flags…
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This reminds me of the super-talents &some ideas (past and present!). Leading the way in Kinect hacking, they were doing some incredible stuff. This installation for New Zealand Post – Noise Ink – was one of my favourites.
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I don’t smoke but I couldn’t help but snaffle up this box of cigarette filters. I love the simple design, bright colours and that little tweaky ‘A’.
The design of everyday things is what excites me about living in another country – it’s all so fresh and interesting to my eyes!
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Bobbin Bicycles have made beautiful upright bikes (and accessories) since 2007. Imbued with nostalgic design elements, along with modern practicalities, thy are honest, solid bikes – made to work hard on London streets. Here are their latest lookbook images with illustrations by Zoë Barker - I love how she’s taken fashion cues and used it to market their cycles.
“At Bobbin we believe that bicycles are magical contraptions, charged with the power to transform a journey into an adventure. If you daydream about cutting gracefully and effortlessly through the cityscape then follow us…”
Seduced by all these sexy marketing materials, I took a Birdie for a test ride last week; and came home with my own shiny baby blue bicycle. In the 4 days I’ve had it, I’ve cycled to Hampstead Heath with friends for a swim in the sunshine, to the pub for a pint, and to work, sailing past commuters waiting for the train. Starting my day by zooming along the Thames is an awesome way to start the day – it’s almost as good as a coffee… All I need now is a basket to haul my guff around.
I’m really looking forward to more bike adventures with my Bobbin in the weeks – and years – to come!
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I am now safely ensconced in the land of tea and biscuits (or in my case ginger crunch – it keeps magically appearing in the kitchen). In a dream world, I’d have one of these Scrabble mugs to drink out of. Or maybe 5 – my name is not very high scoring!
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- Emily Christensen, who makes beautiful, conscientious clothes under the label Filly.
Her house is pretty too.
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I’m on day 5 of bed rest after having my tonsils out. OUCH. I don’t recommend it. Oh, I kid; it’s one of those no pain, no gain situations. I’m looking forward to being a lot healthier in the future!
Despite the mewling, I am making the most of my time at home and preparing for the move to England by going through some of the design snippets, magazines and ephemera I’ve collected over the years. There are piles of interesting stuff stashed away in my filing cabinet. One such thing was this Nest winter catalogue from 2007. Nest was a New Zealand homewares store that sold the prettiest things, and sparked my love for all things Conran.
“It’s time: turn on the kettle and stir the pot,
pull up the quilt and cozy up.”
I like these spreads because they are very “New Zealand” – both the dark landscape, and the way the stylist has mixed high and low, old and new. Shiny new pots hanging by an old cooker, a satin dress on a spindly wire washing line. Actually, the first shot reminds me very much of my great grandfather’s house.
If you’re in the midst of winter too, I hope you’re staying warm. (And if it’s your summer – get off the internet!) ❤
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This skate deck totem by Pale Horse Design strikes a chord with me. While not my usual style, I like the bold use of primary colours, and the way each can deck stand alone, or be part of the wider stack. Also, I still like owls. A lot.
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John C. Jay is a renaissance man in the creative community, turning his hand to advertising, marketing and film, and generally turning everything he touches into gold. These are his top 10 rules for creating:
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I am forever trying to organise my recipes in a handy dandy way. Right now I use a flowery Cath Kidston binder for print outs, or more often than not, drag my lap top into the kitchen. However for something more permanent, these darling Rifle Paper Co. Heirloom Recipe Card Boxes caught my eye:
Aren’t they fantastic?
Here’s one recipe I’ve made recently that I will be transcribing straight away. It’s a delicious lunchtime snack – or a great dinner with a crisp carrot & rocket salad.
Mushroom and poblano vegetarian enchiladas
1 package of firm tofu
1 small pepper
Sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. ground cumin
¼ cup dairy sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar and another sharp cheese of your choice
8 corn tortillas
Chopped tomato and red onion
Drain tofu; cut in cubes. Stem and seed poblano; cut in strips. In skillet heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add tofu, peppers, mushrooms, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms and peppers are tender, turning occasionally. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
Lightly grease a baking pan, set aside. Wrap tortillas in dampened paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds or until warm and softened. Spoon mushroom filling into tortillas; fold over and place in prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Grill in oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until cheese is melted. Top with tomato and red onion.
Yield: 4 servings
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Hello! My name is Amber Parkin. I'm a New Zealander living in London. I'm a writer obsessed with fondue, chesterfield sofas, vintage dresses, foxes, and 35mm.
Here I like to talk about fashion, design, food, travel, writing & books, and culture. Everything else (including my photography) goes into my digital notebook.
If you'd like to email me the address is amber@codeforsomething.com
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