Friday, May 30, 2008

Hello Kitty Sculpture Exhibit in New York



Lucky New Yorkers get to see artist Tom Sachs debuts his newest iconic--or ironic-- art statement: a 21-foot tall Hello Kitty and a nine-foot tall Crying Miffy enshrined in bronze on 53rd Street plaza in Manhattan. Artist interview and photo gallery seen at Wallpaper.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

California Dreaming



Jetting off to L.A. for a long weekend stay. Have a good Memorial Day weekend!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Japanese Package Design Spotlight



How dear are these matchsticks cases? Talk about cute design work. I love that the mini-face sketches are dotted on the matchsticks. Japanese package design work spotted at my latest blog-read at graphic design blog, The Dieline

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Mmmm...pancakes, b*tches


If Prince (ala Dave Chapelle) served me these sweet teddy-bear treats -- mmm, pancakes -- I'd die happily with a maple-smeared smile on my face. With a non-stick surface, this Mini Bear Smile Skillet, $18 at Fred Flare,  is easy to cook and clean with. For $18, buy yourself some culinary happiness, for yourself or for a friend as a cute housewarming present. 




Prince would approve.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Mother's Day Gift (to be proud of): Charity Water Bracelet




Shopping for a cause can often be fun -- who doesn't love to purchase a pink item in support of breast cancer awareness month?--but often times, as a savvy shopper, I'd wonder how much of the proceeds go back to the charity cause, monetarily and results wise. 

That's why when I saw Saks Fifth Avenue's collaboration with Charity : Water, I had to tip a hat to the immediate impact of their Mother's Day advertising/shopping campaign. 
Charity : Water is a non-profit organization which builds fresh-water wells in developing countries. In areas like Africa, many women and children walk for miles to collect water --often from contaminated sources--for their daily needs. According to Charity : Water, unsafe water and unsanitary practices cause 80% of diseases in the world and kill 2.2 million people a day. 4,500 children die daily due to restricted access to clean water. 

Here's the kicker: buying one logo bracelet (in fashionable black!) will provide clean water to ONE PERSON for FIVE YEARS.  Now that one mother/child doesn't have to lug around a 40 gal. jug miles out to some dirty stream back home. Charity : Water states -- on their website -- that these products are earmarked for 100% construction purposes only (they raise adminstrative costs through other means). Now that's an immediate impact right there that I can visualize, justify, wear, and pay for.   

Charity Water Bracelet, $5 at Saks Fifth Avenue

If you're feeling more benevolent -- or hate wearing cause-bracelets -- the Saks and Charity Water collaboration promotes other gift options such as:
$20-$100 Mother's Day e-cards - Let mom choose which area in the world her donation should go to build fresh wells. 
Sponsor a Fresh Water Well  - $5,000 donation can provide drinking water for 400 people for 20 years.