Hasta La Ideas

On the last leg of its nearly month-long run, Moleskine’s myDetour project will soon disperse from the bookshops and art supply stores in the San Francisco area it has been so creatively taking over.

The traveling project is a tribute to artists, writers and dedicated Moleskiners everywhere, but the talented San Francisco community played a role, donating their filled-in Moleskines to special drop boxes around the city which were then judged by the famed local industrial designer and architect Yves Behar.

Those in Sf can catch the last stateside showcase before the project moves on to Tokyo. For a full list of locations housing the exhibit, see the myDetour San Francisco website.

Exploring the ever-increasing way creativity in business impacts the world in a positive way, the All Day Buffet Feast conference explores this cross-disciplinary concept by celebrating the people who do it. With philanthropic speakers like poker player Annie Duke, grammy-nominated musician Kenna and athletic entrepreneur Brian Bordainick, to name a few, the roster makes clear that any type of person can effect change in a meaningful way, no matter their profession.

The Feast is an inspiring open dialogue about social innovation, realizing our full potential and working together to create the kind of economy where needs are filled, not created. The goal is to put a system in place that doesn’t react mindlessly with the environment, but is instead harmonious with nature.

The conference will be held 1 October 2009 at the Times Center in New York City. Tickets are available for $250 from The Feast website.

If you’ve checked out Wallpaper.com lately, you’ll notice Cool Hunting has a spot as one of three guest editors through 30 September 2009. We’re honored that Wallpaper invited us to pitch in, especially in such good company with our friends at Selectism preceding us and with Archinect still to come. We hope you check it out on Wallpaper!

Product Placement aims to change the way the public perceives products, revealing their amazing back-stories to the public through their blog and a series of live events.

Each Product Placement installment is oriented around a theme, and features multiple designers from a range of fields. Each practitioner gives a five-minute talk about one of his or her products, touching on its development and the inspirations behind it—anything from a picture, a slide, or a physical prototype to a fabric’s texture, a piece of music, or a smell. After each presentation, audience members have a few minutes to ask questions.

The next live event, installment 1.4, is coming up on Wednesday, September 30th at Gallery 151 in New York City, highlighting designers that use materials in unexpected ways. Participants include: Berry Richards of Rockwell Group, Paul Loebach, Jim Zivic, Daniel Michalik and Christine Brandt.

For more information or to purchase tickets, head to their site.

Product Placement 1.4
Hosted by Gallery 151 and 311 Village Green
350 Bowery (between E. 4th and Great Jones Sts.), NYC
$5 admission includes cocktails and various surprises.

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Reader Eri submitted the following to Ask Unclutterer:

As a recent graduate, I am stuck with a graduation gown that will definitely not be worn again (the school is changing the gown colors next year, so no luck in passing it on down). I also have my high school gown tucked away somewhere. What is the best approach to get rid of these things? Are there places that accepts gowns to remake new gowns or something else? I have found the tassel to be a small and simple ornament. And the hat? Not sure what to do with that either.

You have the traditional three options: sell it, recycle it, or throw it away.

To try and sell it, pair it with the hat and throw it up on eBay. In March or April you might find someone at a different school with the same colors who might need one on the cheap.

If you want to recycle it, I would suggest contacting a local preschool and asking if they want it. They could use it in their dress-up and imagination stashes. Local theaters might also have a need in their costume departments. If the fabric is of decent quality, you could cut it up and repurpose a little of it into a quilt or garment. Another idea might be to simply give it to a friend with kids who might enjoy using it for dress-up at home. Check out the comments for even more recycling ideas from our readers — they always have great ideas for repurposing items.

Finally, you could just throw it away. Take a photograph of it (if you don’t already have a picture of you wearing it during your graduation ceremony) and then put it in the trash. Most graduation gowns are made of extremely cheap fabric that will quickly decay.

Thank you, Eri, for submitting your question for our Ask Unclutterer column. Congratulations on your recent graduation!

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