Two easy and very nice DIY projects found via 101WoonIdeeen, a fantastic Dutch magazine for home decoration … gorgeous lightbulbs and kitchen cabinet with illustration … please use google translator if the links don’t work …
It’s no wonder the privately owned Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is on the edge of becoming a full-blown destination resort—in some ways similar to that of its long distance neighbor Telluride—however it somehow manages to maintain a relaxed, local and very backcountry feel. Friend and CBMR’s Communication Director, Todd Walton comments, “As change occurs, we maintain a profound respect for what has made Crested Butte ‘Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town.’ It is exactly that spirited nature, commitment to preservation and dedicated community that makes Crested Butte the perfect destination for anyone wanting to break out of the typical.” Shhhh…best part is, now we get all the plush amenities of a big ski town without any of the attitude or crowds. Check out the video above for a small taste of a day spent at CBMR.
We felt extremely privileged to be invited to checkout and ride the mountains in late December to kick-off our ski season. Folded into a crescent shaped section of the Colorado Rockies Elk Mountain Range (this formation traps weather systems dumping huge amounts of snow in the process) at the very end of a two lane road, getting out to CBMR is surprisingly easy. New direct flights serve Gunnison allowing you to jump right into the secluded area of southwestern Colorado. United, American and Delta all offer direct jets into Gunnison from select cities, and Crested Butte Vacations has a ski for free package if you fly with Delta).
We had four days of epic riding and skiing in early December. One day we were even taken out by local pros Quiggle and Eric, who showed us a few of their favorite areas and stashes—both make cameos in the video above. With the base at 9,000 feet and the peak at just under 13,000 feet, there are plenty of first tracks and challenging terrain for any level. In fact, CBMR has been voted “Best Steeps” numerous times by Ski Magazine.
The ultra-challenging Teocalli Bowl and North Face Lift opened a couple weeks back and daredevils have been enjoying it everyday since. CBMR also recently completed renovations to their new DC Terrain Park. Updates include a draw dropping half-pipe and broken out sections for experts and beginners offering hits, jumps, tabletops and rails for all levels.
After a long day of riding we’d head over to the newly opened Elevation Hotel and Spa located at the base of the mountain for a few drinks. Our favorite was the newly invented Communication Breakdown—a White Russian with just enough espresso to get us through the night. After a few rounds we’d walk across the courtyard to Django’s where husband and wife team Kate and Chris Ladoulis offer a wide range of tapas, new american cuisine and an impressive wine list. It was exactly what we needed before jumping in the outdoor hot-tub located at the Mountaineer Square Lodge, where we stayed in a nicely appointed 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom penthouse suite (images of the interior after the jump).
If summer is more appealing time to visit a mountain resort, the Wildflower Capitol of Colorado has you covered. There are world class biking and hiking trails, and plenty of streams and rivers to fish from during the warmer months.
Stay tuned for part two of our review to hear more about all of the gear we tried out.
More images after the jump
Photo: Robert Patrick
Half technical, half intuitive, the design process is tough to explain. But that’s my job—I’m a design writer. I write so you don’t have to, putting into words the work that you’d rather do than write about. But write you must—website copy, proposals, captions, emails to clients—and though the worse designers are at it, the more work I get, in the spirit of collaboration I’m going to share my secrets. So what if it puts me out of a job.
What follows are five fairly broad tips to keep in mind. Many of them will probably sound obvious. Some of you might be following these suggestions already. That’s good, but having them explained like this will help you see what you’re doing right, or simply give you a new way to think about how you’re already writing. It’s by no means an exhaustive list; add more suggestions in the comments if you want. My goal is to get designers thinking more about writing the way writers do—as a tool, a craft, and yes, an art in its own right—rather than a necessary chore. Your training as a designer will influence your writing, and your work at turning ideas into narratives will influence your design, and who knows, that might not be a bad thing. Pencils ready?
The Pittsburgh Steelers may have won the Super Bowl itself, but with adland watching the breaks as excitedly as the game, who were the advertising winners on the day? Well, apart from NBC, who screens the Super Bowl and, financial crisis or no financial crisis, reportedly charged up to $3 million per 30-second spot this year. In return advertisers are assured of an audience of approximately 100 million viewers. Here’s our selection of the best spots of the day. First up is this ad from Wieden + Kennedy Portland for jobs website Careerbuilder.com. Perhaps not the easiest product to sell in today’s market, this spot takes the comical approach.
Wieden + Kennedy revisits the charm of its Happiness Factory spot in this new ad for Coca-Cola, Heist.
And W+K also completed this feel-good number for Coke too.
Jason Statham engages in a car chase through the decades in this spot for Audi from Venables Bell & Partners, San Francisco.
E-Trade tackles the credit crunch through a combination of baby talk and retro tunes in this ad by Grey, New York.
Miller High Life keeps it short (and cheap) with this one-second ad from Saatchi & Saatchi New York. A series of out-takes were then posted online at 1secondad.com.
As usual, celebrities play a major part in the Super Bowl ads. Talk show host Conan O’Brien sends himself up in this Bud Light ad, also from DDB Chicago.
Crispin, Porter & Bogusky called on the services of Alec Baldwin to play an alien in this ad for Hulu.
In a less likely celebrity endorsement, rapper MC Hammer and actor Ed McMahon mock their allegedly, um, ‘difficult’ financial pasts in this ad for website Cash4Gold.com from Euro RSCG Edge.
Meanwhile Bob Dylan revealed his latest commercial endorsement in this ad for Pepsi, which also features Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas. The two duet on an updated version of Forever Young by Dylan in the spot by TBWA\Chiat\Day New York.
Finally, in contrast to the good feeling of that Pepsi spot is this pain-filled ad for Pepsi Max, also from TBWA\Chiat\Day in New York.
In the recent James Bond film Quantum of Solace there is a scene in which M, Bond and other agents share information and briefings around a multitouch table. Just three or four years ago this would have seemed as sci-fi as the now infamous scene in Minority Report, but this time it felt like MI6 was almost behind the curve.
From the work of Jeff Han to Apple’s iPhone, Nintendo’s Wii and slew of larger multitouch interfaces such as Microsoft’s Surface and MultiTouch‘s Cell, the era of gestural interfaces is here. Physical and screen-based interfaces have collapsed into each other and both industrial and interaction designers have a whole new set of issues to grapple with.
Dan Saffer‘s latest book, Designing Gestural Interfaces maps out this new frontier. The positive side is that there are a range of exciting new interaction and product possibilities. The negative side is a potentially confusing mess of gestures, each specific to a brand or, worse, owned by one of them through irresponsible patent usage.
Une superbe réalisation de l’agence Wieden+Kennedy avec cette publicité Coca-Cola dévoilée à l’occasion du Superbowl hier. La musique utilisée provient du conte “Pierre et le Loup”. Un impressionnant sens du détail et de la créativité, rappellant le spot Hapiness Factory de 2006.
Dans le même esprit : Coca vs Pepsi Ads
by Ariston Anderson
In Chris Stain‘s first solo show, he brings a gritty New York rooftop to L.A.’s Carmichael Gallery, complete with a live pigeon coop.
The Baltimore native builds his vision of inner city life through large-scale stencil installation as well as found objects. Stain comments, “my work explores the emotional and physical struggle of growing up in an urban environment. Through hand-cut stencils and installations made from found materials I hope to inspire compassion for the often overlooked individuals of society.” Chris’ characters reveal the struggle and compassion of the working class. They are wise images and especially pertinent for today’s society.
The opening is on 5 February 2009, 7-10 PM.
Carmichael Gallery – 6 February through 26 February
1257 N. La Brea Avenue
W. Hollywood CA 90038 map
tel. + 1 323 969 0600
User Experience Researcher Nicolas Nova has one of those fascinating blogs with photos and analysis of how people use everyday things. In his own words:
My work is about studying how people use various technologies and turn them into insights, ideas, prototypes or recommendations to inform design and foresight. This blog is [a] selection of the material that I collect, especially in fields such as mobility, urban environments, digital entertainment and new interfaces.
Above is a photo of shopping carts in a Swiss grocery that have all been fitted with magnifying glasses, making it easier for the elderly to read labels and ingredients.
Years ago, if a job such as Nova’s even existed, his research would be trapped within the walls of whichever company was paying him to compile it; but thanks to the web, all of us can see it. Check out more of Nova’s observations here.
blog spotted via dvice
Outdoorsmen sick of bulky, unsightly activewear are in luck. Aether, the new men’s technical clothing manufacturer, serves the virtually-untapped market of outdoor enthusiasts who want apparel with a modern, sophisticated style. Set to launch the first of February, the line is co-founded by Hollywood producers Jonah Smith and Palmer West (whose credits include “Waking Life” and “Requiem for a Dream”). They started Aether to fill the void they saw in the worlds of snowboarding, skiing, surfing, running and mountain biking.
“As a couple of guys in our mid-thirties, we were no longer comfortable in the brands that made us look like teenagers on the ski slopes,” said Smith. “Our options were to go with the obvious performance-driven clothing lines and sacrifice design and style, or to shop at the more aesthetically pleasing lines and sacrifice performance.”
The debut collection offers an assortment of understated jackets made of nylon, waxed cotton and a type of wool made to be both water and wind-resistant. T-shirts, polos, button downs and hoodies rely on heavy Supima cotton. Throughout the line, they opted for a subtle color palette and avoided excessive branding, with few pieces displaying any graphics.
Prices for outwear will average about $450, with tops at $95 and pants for $175. The collection is available online as of yesterday. Check out their website for more.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
