ich Kalliope

True Confessions

Is it inspiration, immersion, obsession or addiction?  You be the judge.  In the midst of a glorious Boston fall, a long Thanksgiving weekend, and deeply engaged in a page-turning, can't put it down biography... I look up to find myself surrounded.

 



It started with the product, moved to the experience, and now I'm afraid it might be transferring to the person.  Uh oh... cause he wasn't THAT likeable!  His real understanding and ultimate respect for my chosen profession Industrial Design is unrivaled.  Perhaps I've been courted into his "reality distortion field"?  In any case, I've got a crush big time.

 

Tea Time

 

I've admired the tea bags from Tea Forte for sometime now.  Their beautiful, unique form.  The silk, nearly metallic shine of the bag.  The innovative finishing, and functional touch of the leaf, in place of the paper tab.

Owning a form isn't easy, afterall a pyramid shape has been around for a long time.  But never in a tea bag.  Making the tea bag the centerpiece of the tea-making accessories is really clever.

The weather turned a bit chillier today, it felt like it came out of nowhere.  Yesterday, drinking a nice cool drink, today looking for a hot cup of tea and a bowl of soup.  That's why the Tea Forte brewing pitcher is a must-have.  Brew it hot, on the top, pour over ice, or not.  Simple, beautiful and functional, design at it's best.

                                     

Potential Disorder

Shopping yesterday, I landed in the back-to-school aisle.  It's pretty incredible how the smell of #2 pencils, and the sight of notebook paper can spark memories and inspire me to think of new starts and all the potential of a new year.  For me, the year begins in September.  Following the gift of a wonderful summer, restful and energizing, I was always optimistic about the new school year.  Fueled in large part by my addiction to back-to-school supplies, and the promise of staying organized. 

I believe those supplies were the main source of the much needed push I required to go back-to-school.  You see, I liked it at home, still do. There's an official diagnosis for it now, Separation Anxiety Disorder:

"Separation anxiety is a psychological condition in which an individual has excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment ..."

Hmmm.  No, my husband doesn't have to "negotiate" me out the front door every morning, like my poor mom used to have to do... but I may still have this disorder.  Or it could be, that I just had an absolutely fabulous summer and it's hard to think about the long, hot days of summer ending... until next year. 

It got me thinking, what are my "school supplies" these days?  What are my current equivalents to pink erasers, bluecloth 3-ring binders, Bic pens and a new pencil pouch that will help me out the door?  What is my ritual that prepares me for the year ahead.  Fueled by a six-week sabbatical, I have some supplies in mind, they come in the form of aspirations and goals these days. 

But I am in the market for a new plaid skirt, and have a brand-new gold trimmed Hello Kitty pencil pouch in my bag! 

Hello Cupcake!

On a recent trip to L.A. we happened upon the Bluebird Cafe in Culver City.  I  know, it's not likely to "happen upon" anything in Los Angeles, it's more of a destination kind of place, but really, we happened upon this spot! What a find, the food was excellent, and come to find out a writer for LA Weekly considers it one of Los Angeles' 99 Essential Restaurants.  After a fantastic lunch, we were treated to their signature cupcakes.  I've blogged about the popularity of cupcakes before, and feel the need to post this gorgeously simple photo of Bluebird's chocolate cupcake.  This style of sprinkle, confetti, is my favorite too.  

Kalliope considers the Bluebird one of Los Angeles' 3 Essential Restaurants, still working on the other two... now where's Culver City again

A beautiful game indeed

I have had the opportunity to attend the Milan Furniture Fair for the past five years.  Lucky Kalliope, I know.  Every year I am blown away by the awesome creativity and amazing craftsmanship that makes this show the premiere design forum in the world.  Furniture leads the way, but along the journey of experiencing Milan during the fair, other objects surface to catch your eye, your imagination and your desire. 

This year a Foosball table, The Beautiful Game from Gro Design in Eindoven, The Netherlands was for me the pinnacle of design and craftsmanship, form and function, surfaces and forms, finishes and color.  Inspired by the stature that a football stadium brings to it's home city, think Allianz Arena in Munich, The Beautiful Game, raises the stature of the simple foosball table to new heights. 

Wow!

Eat more greens

We all know salads are good for us.  Leafy greens, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers... yum.  There's not much better for you than a good healthy salad.  Now imagine serving it out of this beauty of a bowl!  The Caravel Salad Bowl was designed in 1970 for Georg Jensen in silver, but never produced.  Now it's available in stainless steel, with sculpted servers of stainless and polycarbonate.  Gorgeous. 
        

Designer Labels: Part 2

 

The response from friends has been phenomenal since they have found out that I actually OWN a labelmaker.  In truth, it's been a bit overwhelming and insightful.  I didn't realize that there were so many of us who were intrigued by this device as children, and who never had a chance to operate, let alone OWN one.   I get requests now for personalized labels, and sometimes, they ask if there is any chance that they can make one themselves.  After a brief, but intense training on the device, they are free to make labels to their heart's content.  There's something about the good old-fashion tactility of these labels, that are a nice contrast to our high-tech-gadget world.  The one on the back of my blackberry looks and feels fabulous!

I'm wondering if "ich Kalliope" should offer custom designer labels (I'm a designer and the labelmaker is mine so designer label is perfectly legitimate).  You know, a limited time offer, in two colors, black or red.  Take orders, produce labels.  I could charge a premium if people made there own, you know the experience economy at work.  There would be some limit on the content, no profanity, no Republican propaganda and no references to Britney Spears or Paris Hilton for example.

It's got me thinking what other devices, machines and gadgets do we long for from our past?

Designer Labels

I have been for a good-old fashioned label maker, the kind where the tape runs through, you dial the letter and press.  My , diligent husband found one for me.  They're not easy to find these days, so all I had to do was mention it to him and within minutes, !!  Dymo is the company that sells these treasures.  Now I can have my own designer labels on .  As if finding the actual labelmaker wasn't enough for a girl's stocking this Chrismas Eve... there is a place called Labelmaker.  A website where you can make them and save them as a gif-file in 29 .  Wow.  I can add them to my blog, presentations or anything else.  Be still my .

(Malin & Goetz)

   
It's been awhile since I've horded shampoos, conditioners and lotions from a hotel.  Back in the day, I learned this from my dad.  He had a different style than I did, he would trackdown the housekeeper wherever she was, and ask for more.  My dad has a sweet, pleasant style, so of course he would get extra bottles.  In hindsight, I think he actually "took" those coveted little bottles right off the housekeeper's cart, but he'll have to set the record straight on that one!  There's still a shopping bag full of these little bottles in one of the closets at my parents' home, and it keeps growing...

I too coveted those little bottles for awhile, but that urge wore off years ago, that is until I discovered (Malin & Goetz) products.  My first attraction was after meeting with the fabulous design firm 2X4 who designed their packaging.  The use of honest, straightforward typography, narrative as the design element, the use of color code and positive/negative application was simple, beautiful and irresistible. The next chance encounter I had with the brand was in an apothecary in Milan where I snapped these photos.  The last rendez-vous was at a nice hotel in SoHo, New York City, where I finally got a chance to use the products.  Fabulous.  I mean really good. 

Let the hording begin.  My style is a little different than my dad's, I don't think it's as effective but it works for me.  Here are the steps I follow, it only works well if you're staying over three nights:

1. Use the product, use as little as possible.  Leave in shower

2. Products get replaced on bathroom vanity.

3. Hide new products somewhere deep inside your suitcase, keep used products in shower.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 until they stop leaving you stuff, which usually happens by the fourth day.

All in all, I walked away with a good supply of these fabulous little treasures, and now am working on a similar display to what I saw in Milan in my very own guest bathroom... in miniature.  It works for me!

Authentic vs. Imitation

Who cares when they're this cute!  Some goodies from Portland's St. Cupcake, and a motor-skill, shape recognition toy for children, by Learning Resources .  They both are irresistible. 

Cupcakes are the coolest aren't they.

An Apple a Day

Aren't these just fabulous?  And to think there's a nice, healthy apple inside.  Found these at a candy store in Seattle on 1st near the Public Market.  The red candy ones are my favorite.  They remind me of the ones my uncle used to make and sell from his popcorn wagon on Hollywood Beach, Florida.  Yum!

Pot to love it

 

In the 90's I was always on the lookout for new objects from Alessi, but I thought they had fallen asleep for a few years, like almost 10!  That is until 2007, when first a new chrome toaster caught my eye and then... this amazing pot.  I would dare to say THE best pot ever, although I haven't bought it yet, I have every intention to right after I finish this entry. 

The form and function itself stopped me in my tracks at the Milan Furniture Fair this spring.  An intergrated spoon rest, and cover.  Ergonomic in it's design.  A melamine spoon and trivet, in the most luscious chocolate bordering on aubergine color, matte finish.  Beautiful, strong and simple form.  I NEED this pot.

The Alessi Pasta Pot, a collaboration between the talented designer Patrick Jouin and famed French chef Alain Ducasse, proves that form and function when combined for a really worthwhile cause, like cooking pasta, results in an object that gets more beautiful as the function is understood.  It's just a pot you might say, but wait.  Ducasse rediscovered an ancient cooking method for pasta, where the dry pasta is sauteed with the sauce ingredients, water is added last and absorbed - the pasta is served directly from the pot.  YUM!

I snapped way more pictures than a person should of one pot... but great design together with the best food group of all time - PASTA.  Got to have it!

If I could...

I would wear a sobrero everyday.  Aren't they just gorgeous?  Snapped these three at a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta.  I like to look at objects in groups of three if possible, sometimes five, never two or four.

Toast Zone

+  = happy Kalliope

Yes, I'm going to write one more time about toast.  I often talk about random coincidences, and believing in signs, and I do know that wierder things have happened then what I am about to reveal today.  But for me, this toast loving girl from the Midwest finds what happened this past Tuesday, pretty incredible. 

Welcome to the Toast Zone.

I got home from work, and there were two packages waiting for me.  The first was a new, beautiful, Alessi toaster I ordered.  I saw it up in Seattle, and had to have it.  It's all chrome and white, very shiny, a beautiful object, toast all lined up in a single row, very modern, very smart.  After years of commitment to all things stainless, I am now enamoured with all things chrome.  The shinier the better.  I am always amazed at new solutions for objects that have been around forever.  Like a toaster.  What a beauty!

The second package was another fresh baked loaf of bread from my mom.  No kidding!  Now isn't that something????

Can't do this with Peeps

The stores here are filled with Easter candy, here it's more Peeps and Jelly Beans, it got me thinking of last Easter when we were in Munich.  I snapped these photos in the center of town at two of my favorite stores, where they used the chocolate bunnies from Lindt to decorate their storefronts.  So cool, so creative, so simple. 

   

The bunnies really were streaming out of the front door at Freudenhaus, my favorite place in the world to buy eyeglasses.  At the fabulous furniture shop Boehmler im Tal they were hanging out on this guilded gold credenza.

For the record, I LOVE jelly beans.  Just the plain old fashioned kind from Brach's.  No fancy tasting ones for me thank you.  Keep your Peeps, have never understood the fascination with those, cute as they are.

ικία = home = IKEA

The first time I told my dad the name of the fabulous megastore my husband took me to in Germany, IKEA, he said "that's the Greek word for home".  Of course it is!  We all know that a good part of the English language finds it's roots in the language of my ancestors, but that's not what this post is about.

This post is about the fact that in today's paper there was a photo announcing that the big IKEA sign is up in my city, official opening, Spring 2007.  Is it spring yet??  There are so many things to love about a day, that's right, a day spent at IKEA.  Wandering around the thousands, and thousands of square feet of dispay rooms, getting lost in the maze that is IKEA.  A full-service cafeteria/restaurant serving swedish meatballs and smoked salmon.   One way in, one way out.   Usually, exiting with more than you went in for, but sometimes with a bag of tealights and a couple of packages of their fabulous paper napkins.  From full kitchens to my favorite utility items, a day here is a visual and physical workout!!

IKEA brings the bold and simple aesthetic of Swedish design to the masses at reasonable prices.  A five-minute walk around my ικία found these favorite items from previous adventures. At less than $1.00 a piece, the wineglasses have been traveling with us for more than 12 years, across oceans, and only one broke.

It's hard to believe, for the first time in my life, I will have IKEA and Target all within easy reach.  Be still my heart!

   

I love Flavia, or is it Bitossi

In the same store, "End of History"  mentioned in my earlier post, about Coral, I fell in love with these mid-century Italian ceramics by Flavia or is it Bitossi. 

Amazing color, richness and depth.  I am especially fond of the horses.  I have never been a big fan of blue, but this work is changing that fast!  Such original work, imitated today, but not duplicated. 

I think our tastes are all about balance, what's visually needed in our spaces, as well as what we love.  We moved to a very modern home, with great strong lines, hard surfaces, and modern details.  Filling it with texture and depth is what feels right.  A year ago I may not have even looked at this ceramic style, but now it's perfect.

One more thing to LOVE about Italy. 

I "like" Coral... now

Have you ever found yourself suddenly interested in an object or a style that you never paid much attention to before because someone has brought it to your attention.

Enter Coral.

Never was much interested in Coral, until my good friend Kitty shared her absolute love for it, consistently, over a period of time.  Now I find myself taking photos of Coral...  This one's for you Kitty! 

I found these lamps in an amazing store, "End of History" on Hudson Street, 548 1/2 Hudson Street to be exact in Greenwich Village.  Floor to ceiling, curated, vintage glass and accessories.  A must-see on any trip to New York. The owner was kind enough to let me photograph, every inch of that place had a story so rich and beautiful, it was a visual feast. 

Rooting

Another interesting coincidence, or is it a deep rooted design conspiracy?  Things that make you go hmmmmm. 

 

My favorite is the Hidden Vase (photo with chartreuse orchids).  It's very expensive, because this type of form is only realized using a technology called stereolithography, or 3D Printing.  Used primarily over the years for rapid prototyping, these amazing objects are now finding their way into real products. 

The rest are pretty simple, porcelain, plastic and felt.  Wonder what other inspiration has been hiding underground?

Wallpaper City Guides

I love to travel, and I'm lucky to do a fair amount of it for business and personally.  More personal travel is a goal, and so for Christmas this year I bought the Wallpaper Travel Guides for my husband and me.  These amazing little books are visually beautiful, and filled with all that makes Wallpaper magazine one of my favorites - they sit on a shelf in our home, right beside a beautiful globe, and they remind us of the places we've been and the places we still want to visit - together.

The current set includes 20 fabulous cities, and this year the publisher Phaidon will issue 40 more.  Easy to schlepp-a-long on a trip, or to offer a little escape sitting on your sofa in January in front of a fire.  Today I'm going back to Barcelona.  Adios!

Forever Boontje

 

Check out these laser cut, silver vase covers by who else Tord Boontje.  So smart, just take any recycled glass jar, place the beautiful vase cover over the jar, and instant vase.  Ships flat, so there's a bit of knotch-and-groove assembly required. I bought "forever" which I hope to have forever, on a recent trip to NYC.  But thanks to the internet they can be had by all, at a good price too on UnicaHome.  What a great website for all kinds of object of design desire! 

I'm not even close to tired of Tord's intricate pattern, cutout, garland style.  But if you are looking for something new, thanks to dear ada for bringing us the new fabrics he's doing for maharam.   I heart Tord.

iNeed

therefore iWant  
Apple did it again

Never say never

          

I never thought I would want to have a device that would allow me to play video games in my home. The last time I was really into a video game, was when Ronald Reagan was president.  Well, never say never.  We bought the Sony Playstation 3 last week.  Hmmmmm, I wonder if this video game thing has anything to do with methods of distraction when there is a conservative, clueless administration in power.  But I digress.

Then the next "never" I uttered was that if we got the Playstation 3 would it be possible to hide the hardware inside a cabinet.  I certainly did not want to see it. 

But I had absolutely no idea what a beautiful object it was.  When my husband pulled it out of the box I was awestruck.  It is gorgeous.  As beautiful as a glass vessel, with a broad sweeping form, finished in ebony gloss, liquid and deep, with chrome trim and beautiful graphics.  An object of desire.   Before we hooked it up, I tried it out in a number of locations on my shelf.  I took photos of candles reflecting in it's almost mirror surface.  I admired it from all angles.  Swept my hand over the surface, polished it a bit. 

Then I did what I said I would do, I hid it. 
Inside a cabinet, behind a door. 
Stacked on top of the DVD player. 
Out of sight. 

It doesn't seem right though.  I feel bad about it actually. 

It's wonderful to see how much progress product design has made since the Reagan administration, too bad the same can't be said for the Republican party.  Oops there I go again!

Rise and Shine

I am pretty much a purist as far as design goes.  Not necessarily limited to form follows function, but I tend toward simple objects, minimalist forms and bold statements.  That said, finishes and combinations should be as deep, rich and multilayered to make that simple form irresistable. That's why I think the lamps from my good friend's Shine Home are the perfect example of what I like to call "glamour restrained". 

Shine Home is about what results when opposites attract, new and old, modern and traditional, moderation and indulgence, a strat planner CPA husband and an incredibly talented artist wife! 

The perfect balance.  Irresistable.

   

Can it be true?

I am a big fan of the work of Dutch designer Tord Boontje.  I absolutely fell in love with his collection for Moroso at this year's Milan furniture fair.  It's wonderful form, great pattern scaled, and molded and colored in fresh ways that brought life to these large objects. 

   

Then last week while in LA, I saw this version of the molded plastic chairs in these fabulous colors.  Being in the Pacific Northwest this time of year, your eye goes to bright and shiny things!

And now, as I was looking for the link to Boontje's website for this entry... I find out he's doing a special holiday line for Target.  Target!!!  My favorite place to spend a couple hours and drop a couple hundred, has a line this holiday season Studio Tord Boontje for Target.  This is like fixing up two of your best friends,  who didn't know each other, and they end up getting married.  True story, but that's another entry.  Times a wasting, I've gotta get to Target...

Perfection

The Porsche 911 is in my not-so humble opinion the most beautiful car ever made.  It's uncompromising lineage in performance and aesthetics has never been repeated by another automobile or product.

Even in a lineage as strong as this, there is always a favorite.  Mine is the Carrera C4, 993 series, made in the mid-90's.  The 3rd from right in the above image, and the one below.  They got it right _  perfect really. 

An Affair with Glass

Glass continues to be the medium that inspires me the most. I am drawn to it for it's ability to define form and color through light, in a way that proves irresistable to me. I have had a longstanding affair with glass, and plan on continuing this affair for as long as there are artists, whose creations inspire me. From the most simple vessel, to the mind-boggling forms of Dale Chihuly shown here.  His seamless harmony of man-made and natural forms www.chihuly.com is a never-ending source of color inspiration, second only to nature itself.

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has a permanent Chihuly chandelier in it's main foyer. Although it is immense, it is secondary to the architecture.

The installation at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens is incredible.

Now if I only could afford just a small object made by Dale Chilhuly and the talented glass artists that are part of his Seattle workshop.