a backwards glance

I was listening to the radio the other day and rediscovered Yael Naim's "New Soul" (which you'll recognize from this past spring's Macbook Air commercials) which is not only a catchy, light-hearted song, but one that I feel really embodies how I'm feeling this time of year.



This time of year, perhaps more than any other, I become very retrospective and sometimes discover things (about myself, how I think about things) that really surprise me. In any case, I always try and start the new year off on the right foot - not with unreasonable resolutions that I know I'll abandon by Valentine's day, but by really looking at the past year - my failings and accomplishments, joys and sorrows - and try to figure out where and how I can improve.

it's official: JS Wings for Adidas spring 2009

As I previously reported, Jeremy Scott has designed an amazing new shoe for Adidas: the JS Wings. Available in March 2009, this shoe is a throwback to the '80s basketball style, but the removable metallic leather wings take this design in a whole new direction.

via

little red wagon 2.0

I'm sure everyone has fond memories of a little red wagon from their childhood - I know I certainly do. However, Radio Flyer has recently transformed our faithful, albeit steel, steed into something more - something that bears greater resemblance to a luxury speedboat than a little red wagon. The Dreamliner of toy wagons, the new Radio Flyer "Cloud 9" is certainly something to stare at.


Outfitted for the new technology-permeated generation, the Cloud 9 features digital controls in the wagon and the handle, tracking temperature, time, distance and speed; padded seats, a five-point safety harness, foot breaks, cup holders, a docking station for an MP3 player, and fold out storage containers. I know, right? Where was this when I was growing up, I ask you.

Public service announcement: restyling

As I'm sure you all have noticed, I'm revamping the blog here a bit, and I'll tell you - it's a slow process. I'm doing my best, and I started with the most recent posts - and I'm halfway done!! - so you probably won't notice anything huge (unless you go trolling through the archives) for a bit, anyway.

xxo,
K

dragspelhuset

Located on Lake Ovre Glaskogen in Sweden - the affectionately nicknamed Dragspelhuset or "Accordion House" is an addition to a small cabin on the lake. Crafted by the team at 24H (Maartje Lammers & Boris Zeisser with Olav Bruin, Jeroen ter Haar, Sabrina Kers & Fieke Poelman), this little cabin is completely off the power grid - without running water or phone lines, the cabin is entirely powered by solar panels on the roof. In order to meet with Swedish construction laws (no new waterfront construction plus a specific set-back distance, and no addition can exceed 300 square feet, this project was a real challenge.

Inspired by one of my favorite works, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, Zeisser wanted the addition to extend over the water - and in order to meet all of the building requirements, he and his team had to be quite innovative. Like Fallingwater, the new living room area is cantilevered over the stream, but it instead of remaining static, it is a moveable extension. Resting on steel rails, the living room extends (through a series of ropes and pulleys) while the family is in residence, and retracts back to rest within the original footprint, so without a foundation it circumvents all building restrictions. So while the whole of the fully-extended cabin now totals 775 square feet, including a bedroom (the original cabin), dining room, kitchen, living room and sleeping loft. Likened to a cocoon in winter, doubly-insulated by the second wall, which uncurls like a butterfly in the summer.

The interior is finished with silver birch lattice (over plaster), and reindeer hides nailed to the walls to provide additional insulation (inspired by a cultural tradition from Northern Scandinavia), and finished in the typical Scandinavian manner of simple shapes, clean lines and pure colors. The exterior is finished with red cedar shingles, which will eventually bleach to a silver-grey and blend in perfectly with the surrounding forest.


Photograph courtesy of James Silverman Photography




Photographs by Christian Richters, via

Hermès in the Himalayas

Ok, so I don't actually know if this was shot in the Himalayas, but the rocky crags and the yak lead me to believe that Hermès/Valy at least wanted to give you that impression. This snowy background brings out the warm, spicy colors and Mariacarla's delicate beauty. Rich saffron, vermillion, cinnamon, fuchsia, chocolates, creams and burgundy make up this palette and they are simply sumptuous, cozy and welcoming against the cold, harsh landscape. I am so in love.








Mariacarla Boscono, photographed by Eric Valy for Hermès

decadent Dior

I was just poking around Style.com when I rediscovered the Christian Dior Fall 2008 collection. I know, I know, what was I doing that I missed it the first time and the answer is: I didn't. I just didn't appreciate the sugary pastels, chiffon and silk like Royal Icing. John Galliano, chief designer for Dior, has created utterly delicious creations that just glisten with delicate beauty.



Photographs by Alessandro Lucione
Of course, I had to include the most classic coat of the season, complete with patent leather belt and a black cocktail-hat like piece - though I would have preferred a big, black, floppy hat, despite how obviously out of place it would have been. Too, the sculptural charcoal dress with its glitz, glam and peacock spots - I know it doesn't fit the decadent pastel motif, but how could I possibly ignore it?

"Santa baby, a '54 convertible, too - light blue..."

Legendary and versatile actress, singer and songwriter, Eartha Kitt died today "on a holiday she turned into something both naughty and nice." (New York Daily News) She was 81, and is said to have died of colon cancer while in the company of her daughter, Kitt Shapiro, in New York. Best known for her sultry "Santa, Baby" (1953) and role as "Catwoman" in the 1960s Batman series, Kitt began her career at 18 with the Katherine Dunham Company, which landed her roles both on Broadway and debuted on the silver screen in Casbah (1948) In 1950, she won her first leading role as "Helen of Troy" in Orson Welles' Dr. Faustus, which sparked an affair; Welles called her the "most exciting woman in the world" and I believe it.

After her anti-Vietnam remarks supposedly making Lady Bird Johnson cry at a White House luncheon, Kitt's popularity took a major blow so she escaped to Europe for several years, where her reputation was still intact. She returned to the US in 1978, cast in the Broadway hit, Timbuktu!, where she sings about a recipe for preparing cannabis. Right. She went on to record several Gold albums, reaching the UK's top 40 and Top 10 Dance Hits in the US, but her most famous songs remain "Santa Baby" and "C'est si bon" (1954). Most recently, she employed her unique voice as "Yzma" in The Emperor's New Groove (2001)where she won the Annie Award for 'Best Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Featured Film'. Kitt's last performance was for a PBS series just six weeks ago, set to air in February.

Public Service Announcement: I have returned!

I HAVE RETURNED!

...sort of. And by that I mean, it has been ridiculous and crazy month, with finals, midterms, work, and all sorts of other inconveniences (like changing my degree AFTER registering for classes... yes, brilliant move, I know.) Also, I discovered Weeds and finding/ordering/consuming the first three seasons has been quite the time-suck, but SO WORTH IT.

Right. So, I'll be back to regular posts, hopefully either later tonight or tomorrow, but in the mean time:



Also, happy third night of Chanukah! Merry Christmas (eve)! And happy whatever-other-festive-holiday-you-celebrate! Whooo! Anyway, I'll be back soon and I really want to re-do the layout again - the whole trichromatic/solid background thing is really starting to bug me :(

Best,
K

obama family wants a pound puppy

In a Q&A session earlier today, Obama as asked about the first puppy; he responded that while they need a hypoallergenic breed, the family would ideally like to adopt from a shelter. So cute and sweet! (skip to 1:01 for the comment)

michael Crichton 1942-2008

The King of Crisis, the Adept of Anxiety, the Preeminence of Pressure - Michael Crichton - died of cancer Tuesday morning at the age of 66. He will no longer tower (at 6'9" he really does tower) over the nation. With pretty much the entirety of mainstream media focusing on Barack Obama's election to the presidency, Michael Crichton's death seemed to slip onto the back burner. Author, screenwriter and director, Michael Crichton is known for works such as ER, The Congo, Twister, TIMELINE, The Andromeda Strain and of course, I owe my childhood nightmares featuring the ferocious T. Rex to his most famous novel-turned-movie(-turned theme park, thanks Universal Studios): Jurassic Park.

Born in Chicago but raised in Roslyn, Long Island, Crichton's role models were Mark Twain and Alfred Hitchcock and he spent his childhood writing extra papers for his teachers, churning out a nine-page play in the third grade. Acknowledging that it would be incredibly difficult to make a living as an author, he briefly studied anthropology at Harvard College but graduated from Harvard Medical School, all the while writing and publishing under pseudonyms. He wrote his first hit, The Andromeda Strain while still in medical school and rapidly became popular after its release in 1969. Realizing that writing was his true passion and that he was at least moderately successful, he decided to pursue it and the rest, as they say, is history.

Cartoon Skeletons

Okay, so this is a little bit morbid, but it's totally fascinating. The scientific precision with which Michael Paulus executes these little drawings is totally excellent and reminds me of 19th century sketches. Sketched on a parchment-like paper with a frosted overlay (attached via brass hinges), these pairs reflect both the little skeletons with their original appearance on the flip-able vellum.

First Lady Fashion

Okay, so we all remember the RNC/Sarah Palin Fashion Scandal, well now everyone is attacking Michelle Obama's wardrobe. Critics have been complaining since 8 pm PST last night about the dress she wore for Barack's acceptance speech in Grant Park, and honestly, I just want to tell them all to shove it.


Michelle Obama - our future First Lady - was wearing a dress from Narciso Rodriguez's Spring 2009 collection, tweaked for the occasion, and paired with a black cardigan. Although I would never wear it, this is a gorgeous dress. Below is The Dress from Rodriguez's Spring 2009 runway (as photographed by Getty Images):


The general coordination of the First Family's wardrobe, including (if not featuring) The Dress, provides a beautiful continuity and sense of order. Framed by the American flags in the background, the first family is both elegant and exciting.

mechanized Tessellations: Yakuza Lou

Coined as the new R. Buckminster Fuller and founder of ChersonProm, Eddy Sykes is a sculptor and architect with studios in both Los Angeles and Detroit. His latest project, Yakuza Lou is presently on display at Materials & Applications in Los Angeles.

Based on an origami tessellation, Yakuza Lou is a mechanical articulation of this angular pattern (a difficult feat, to be sure) which opens and closes. For this top lighting-based piece, this almost looks like it's breathing... I wish I could embed the videos here, but QuickTime is lame, so here's the link. So cool!



Eddy standing next to Yakuza Lou

'Aerial' view of the grounded half of Yakuza Lou
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POTUS: A Historical Lineup

Making History

As of a few moments ago, the polls closed on the west coast and Barack Obama (D, IL) was named President-elect of the United States. YES WE CAN!