McNally Jackson Books Cafe by Front Studio
January 19, 2010 // Architecture + Books





I know a lot of the time I post about minimal architecture, with lots of concrete and blank walls and well, it can be kind of boring. Then I come across spaces like the cafe for McNally Jackson Books, and I’m struck by the warmth and character of the space. Designed by Front Studio, the space where, ” every moment evokes some visceral connection with books and with reading.” Doesn’t that sound nice?

There are books on the ceiling which are meant to look like someone tossed them up there and they were frozen in place, and the walls are also lined with opened books, giving the walls texture. I also love the fold down reading arms that when folded up against the wall look like books. When lowered off the wall they accommodate a book and cup of coffee.

Found through MoCo Loco

Bobby

Patrick Fry
January 19, 2010 // Design





I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the act of making physical goods, especially the argument of having a physical object to read versus something on a screen. I think that both have their merits, but the tactile nature of print is something that you definitely can’t replicate on a blog.

That being said, looking through the work of Patrick Fry I want to make something “real” even more. Mr. Fry is a British designer who recently graduated from the London College of Communication and is now working as a freelance designer. I spotted his No.Zine’s over on Linefeed and since then have been drooling. He has three editions out so far, and by looking through the previews of each he keeps pushing his creative limit each time.

He’s got a lot of really great work and hopefully we see more from him in the future.

Bobby

The Pump Promotional Video
January 18, 2010 // Food & Drinks + Video

My buddy Dave Franzese sent me an email with a hysterical little promotional video his studio Dark Igloo did for New York eatery The Pump and I can’t stop laughing. The video centers around the fictitious Crap corporation, with ads featuring Crap being put on all manners of foods and made to look like modern day twists on old advertisements.

When watching the video you should watch all the way through the first time, then watch again but pause each at each new scenario so you can read the copy that was written, it’s really funny. The ads themselves area also really well done, looking like something you’ve definitely seen before but with a more demented angle to them all.

I’d also suggest checking out The Pump’s menu as well, which looks absolutely delicious. I wish they had some of these here in Los Angeles.

Bobby

#musicmonday
January 18, 2010 // #musicmonday

Good Monday, I hope you’ve had a nice weekend. It’s going to be crazy rainy for the next two weeks here in Los Angeles, so hopefully your weather is treating you little better.

This week there were some newbies and some old friends. First up is Harlem, a band I had heard of but never heard before, with their new album Hippies. The first track is called Someday Soon and man oh man is it soooo good. Definitely one of my favorite songs of the year so far. They have this sort of lo-fi, rock kind of sound? I don’t know it’s good, just trust me. After them came Delphic, the three piece dance/pop group that I’m currently kind of in love with. In case you missed it check out this video for their song This Momentary.

Then came some Spoon, their new one Transference is played a lot, it’s a really solid album. Following the Spoons is a guy named Jonathan Boulet, a young guy from Australia who’s new self-titled album has been making me pretty happy. I posted his video for the song A Community Service Announcement a little while back, so check that out to get a sampling of him.

The last four are my standard kind of go to bands. I listened to Fakebook by Yo La Tengo a lot, I love all the old folk songs they cover. Owen Pallett I’ve spoken about before, still amazing. When I don’t know what to listen to I usually turn to M. Ward’s End of Amnesia and Transfiguration of Vincent, my two favorites by him. Rounding things out is Kings of Convenience, who’s new album Declaration of Dependence has really been growing on me, and I’m liking it a lot more then I did when I first started listening to it.

As usual feel free to add me on Last.fm by clicking here.

Bobby

‘Neighbors’ by Damon Winter
January 18, 2010 // Photography





Damon Winter, a staff photographer for the New York Times, has been working on a photo column called The Lens Project which allows the photographers to make their own commentary through images. He created a series called Neighbors which utilizes double exposures created with a large format camera to make interesting juxtapositions of images.

It’s quite interesting to hear about his process, some of the images are about color and form while others are about contrast, like an image taken on Fifth Aveue in Manhattan and then Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn. They’re very different places but he manages to marry together a similar idea that links them together, and in this case, the neon signs from the Louis Vuitton store and then a pair of umbrellas that sit in front of a bodega.

I also love that he thinks of a shoot he did in Flushings, the image with the plane and the signs above, not as how many sheets he took, but how many dumplings he ate, which was 46.

Click here for the rest of the photos.

Bobby