Monday, March 31, 2008

Art-o-mat

What is an Art-o-mat?
Art-o-mat machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been converted to vend art. There are 82 active machines in various locations throughout the country.


What do you get from an Art-o-mat?
The experience of pulling the knob alone is quite a thrill, but you also walk away with an original work of art. What an easy way to become an art collector.


Want to be an Artomat artist?
There are around 400 contributing artists from 10 different countries currently involved in the Art*o*mat project. They're always searching for fresh work.

Check out the website to find an Art-o-mat near you: Art-o-Mat
-S

Art-o-mat

What is an Art-o-mat?
Art-o-mat machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been converted to vend art. There are 82 active machines in various locations throughout the country.


What do you get from an Art-o-mat?
The experience of pulling the knob alone is quite a thrill, but you also walk away with an original work of art. What an easy way to become an art collector.


Want to be an Artomat artist?
There are around 400 contributing artists from 10 different countries currently involved in the Art*o*mat project. They're always searching for fresh work.

Check out the website to find an Art-o-mat near you: Art-o-Mat
-S

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Fifi Fashion



Okay, probably the most genius blog I've seen yet is Fifi Lapin's fashion blog @ http://fifi-lapin.blogspot.com

Fifi blog features drawings of a really cute bunny dressed up in the latest runway looks from Chanel, Missoni, D&G, Karen Walker, etc... These illustrations are wonderfully kitschy, yet ever-stylish. Most of all, Fifi's a good resource for being in the know with the latest runway shows.

-S

Fifi Fashion



Okay, probably the most genius blog I've seen yet is Fifi Lapin's fashion blog @ http://fifi-lapin.blogspot.com

Fifi blog features drawings of a really cute bunny dressed up in the latest runway looks from Chanel, Missoni, D&G, Karen Walker, etc... These illustrations are wonderfully kitschy, yet ever-stylish. Most of all, Fifi's a good resource for being in the know with the latest runway shows.

-S

Sunday, March 23, 2008

YSL's Bottle Rocket

L'Homme, YSL


Torre Agbar, Barcelona Spain.

This sleek test tube is actually YSL's new starchitect-designed fragrance bottle. Torre Agbar architect Jean Nouvel is the designer, and from the looks of it, the Frenchman hasn't strayed too far from his tower-erecting formula. The limited-edition bottle is for the brand's popular Chinese-ginger-meets-citron-zest scent, L'Homme. "It's phallic, but then you turn it upside down and it's not," Nouvel said at last night's NYC launch. "I wanted it to be very ergonomic, so you can put it in your coat pocket." Nouvel also included a "sparkle of light" bobber (with an iridescent YSL logo) inside.

L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent available this May, $79.50, at yslbeautyus.com

YSL's Bottle Rocket

L'Homme, YSL


Torre Agbar, Barcelona Spain.

This sleek test tube is actually YSL's new starchitect-designed fragrance bottle. Torre Agbar architect Jean Nouvel is the designer, and from the looks of it, the Frenchman hasn't strayed too far from his tower-erecting formula. The limited-edition bottle is for the brand's popular Chinese-ginger-meets-citron-zest scent, L'Homme. "It's phallic, but then you turn it upside down and it's not," Nouvel said at last night's NYC launch. "I wanted it to be very ergonomic, so you can put it in your coat pocket." Nouvel also included a "sparkle of light" bobber (with an iridescent YSL logo) inside.

L'Homme Yves Saint Laurent available this May, $79.50, at yslbeautyus.com

Friday, March 21, 2008

The Real C. Jeré


No mid-century modern home is complete without a wall sculpture by C. Jeré. The works by the artist are so quintessentially 1960's modern art, and they're pretty good investments too (very desirable in the art auction world).

The story behind C. Jeré is quite interesting. You see, to most everyone C. Jeré is known to be a single prolific artist working in metal, but in fact, there was never an artist named C. Jeré at all... the name C. Jeré is a pseudonym front for a large manufacturer of metal based decorative accessories!

C. Jeré is a play on the names of Jerry Fels and Kurt Freiler, founders of the Los Angeles based metal working company "Artisan House". Legend has it that the two combined their first names to form the name of the imaginary artist, and added the accent so the artist sounded french. The company, Artisan House, behind the name was actually composed of many metal workers, some of whom were indeed artists in their own right, but many of whom were merely welders and machinists. While many of the items produced by Artisan House are indeed "art", the goal of artisan house was never really about fine art, but more about commerce. Some of the items produced by "C. Jeré" are really quite unique and stunning and do rise to the level of fine art and high design, but lots of the items produced were more in the line of "dogs playing poker".

Artisan House is still in existence (and online), but no longer owned by Jerry and Kurt or based in southern California.

-S

SYI: The truth shall set you free

The Real C. Jeré


No mid-century modern home is complete without a wall sculpture by C. Jeré. The works by the artist are so quintessentially 1960's modern art, and they're pretty good investments too (very desirable in the art auction world).

The story behind C. Jeré is quite interesting. You see, to most everyone C. Jeré is known to be a single prolific artist working in metal, but in fact, there was never an artist named C. Jeré at all... the name C. Jeré is a pseudonym front for a large manufacturer of metal based decorative accessories!

C. Jeré is a play on the names of Jerry Fels and Kurt Freiler, founders of the Los Angeles based metal working company "Artisan House". Legend has it that the two combined their first names to form the name of the imaginary artist, and added the accent so the artist sounded french. The company, Artisan House, behind the name was actually composed of many metal workers, some of whom were indeed artists in their own right, but many of whom were merely welders and machinists. While many of the items produced by Artisan House are indeed "art", the goal of artisan house was never really about fine art, but more about commerce. Some of the items produced by "C. Jeré" are really quite unique and stunning and do rise to the level of fine art and high design, but lots of the items produced were more in the line of "dogs playing poker".

Artisan House is still in existence (and online), but no longer owned by Jerry and Kurt or based in southern California.

-S

SYI: The truth shall set you free

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Fire Jumper


If you see fire jumping tonight, let me explain:

The last Tuesday of the Iranian year is celebrated with a bonfire. This day is called Charshanbeh Suri. Literally, this means Wednesday's eve of joy. Therefore, it is celebrated on the last Tuesday night of the year.

The main activity on this day is setting up a fire with kindle and jumping over it while chanting a song. The song goes "Zardî-ye man az to, sorkhî-ye to az man." This literally means my yellowness to you, your redness to me. Figuratively, this means my ilness and paleness to the fire, the flames strength and vitality to me. While the tradition brings health for the new year, the fire also guides the spirits of old relatives to your home. It was believed that these spirits were to visit the living at the end of every year.

The ceremony goes back to Zoroaster who introduced fire as a cleansing and purifying element on the globe. The idea is to burn bad habits, weakness, sin, and such in the new year, which coincides with the coming of Spring in the Iranian calendar.

-S

SYI - Iranians are good!

Fire Jumper


If you see fire jumping tonight, let me explain:

The last Tuesday of the Iranian year is celebrated with a bonfire. This day is called Charshanbeh Suri. Literally, this means Wednesday's eve of joy. Therefore, it is celebrated on the last Tuesday night of the year.

The main activity on this day is setting up a fire with kindle and jumping over it while chanting a song. The song goes "Zardî-ye man az to, sorkhî-ye to az man." This literally means my yellowness to you, your redness to me. Figuratively, this means my ilness and paleness to the fire, the flames strength and vitality to me. While the tradition brings health for the new year, the fire also guides the spirits of old relatives to your home. It was believed that these spirits were to visit the living at the end of every year.

The ceremony goes back to Zoroaster who introduced fire as a cleansing and purifying element on the globe. The idea is to burn bad habits, weakness, sin, and such in the new year, which coincides with the coming of Spring in the Iranian calendar.

-S

SYI - Iranians are good!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Your Favorite Frealtor!


I may never work in this town again! ... Watch the last minute of this clip to find out why!

All in a day of Real Estate in L.A.

-S


SYI - Don't forget to check out www.nbc.com/rossblog, DAILY! Lotsa lotsa FUN!

Your Favorite Frealtor!


I may never work in this town again! ... Watch the last minute of this clip to find out why!

All in a day of Real Estate in L.A.

-S


SYI - Don't forget to check out www.nbc.com/rossblog, DAILY! Lotsa lotsa FUN!

Friday, March 7, 2008

SK-II Luncheon @ Sunset Towers





My dear friend Jessica (www.brighthouseevents.com) just produced a lovely event for SK-II & Cate Blanchett @ Sunset Towers.

I had the wonderful opportunity of being a part of the design team for the event.

I think we pulled off a sweet look! I call it "Post-Shabby". IMO, it's a modern take on Shabby Chic design. Very fresh and yet sophisticated.

*Check out www.brighthouseevents.com to see more design ingenuity from Jessica and her team.

-S

-SYI - SK-II is a Japanese skin-care line, only sold at Sacks (in the U.S.)

SK-II Luncheon @ Sunset Towers





My dear friend Jessica (www.brighthouseevents.com) just produced a lovely event for SK-II & Cate Blanchett @ Sunset Towers.

I had the wonderful opportunity of being a part of the design team for the event.

I think we pulled off a sweet look! I call it "Post-Shabby". IMO, it's a modern take on Shabby Chic design. Very fresh and yet sophisticated.

*Check out www.brighthouseevents.com to see more design ingenuity from Jessica and her team.

-S

-SYI - SK-II is a Japanese skin-care line, only sold at Sacks (in the U.S.)

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

The Quintessential Desert Pad

My good friend Tony sent me photos of his newly completed getaway in Rancho Mirage, CA. (Near Palm Springs).

Being a lover of mid-century design and architecture, I was blown away by these pics.

The house is flawless! It's the quintessential Palm Springs home...sleek, modern, & sexy.

Let's let the visuals do the rest of the talking! Enjoy.











SYI: Yes, that's Gucci Wallpaper!

The Quintessential Desert Pad

My good friend Tony sent me photos of his newly completed getaway in Rancho Mirage, CA. (Near Palm Springs).

Being a lover of mid-century design and architecture, I was blown away by these pics.

The house is flawless! It's the quintessential Palm Springs home...sleek, modern, & sexy.

Let's let the visuals do the rest of the talking! Enjoy.











SYI: Yes, that's Gucci Wallpaper!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Trunk Station



It seems that there’s a trend developing in the modern design world: to reduce living space as efficiently as possible, preferably to a size where it can be transported easily by one person.

Trunk Station is a trunk on wheels that becomes a home office or even a sewing center when it’s upended and opened. One side is a bookcase and the other has a fold-out desk with pre-drilled holes for wires and cables

Available in red, black, white or maple melamine,  it still looks like a piece of office furniture even when closed and measuring approximately 36” W x 24”D x 47”H.

Blurb By: blog.2modern.com

-S

Trunk Station



It seems that there’s a trend developing in the modern design world: to reduce living space as efficiently as possible, preferably to a size where it can be transported easily by one person.

Trunk Station is a trunk on wheels that becomes a home office or even a sewing center when it’s upended and opened. One side is a bookcase and the other has a fold-out desk with pre-drilled holes for wires and cables

Available in red, black, white or maple melamine,  it still looks like a piece of office furniture even when closed and measuring approximately 36” W x 24”D x 47”H.

Blurb By: blog.2modern.com

-S

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Design On A Dime

In life, there are many tough decisions to make.

This is not one of those times.


Spun Floor Lamp, $1,580 /  Designer Sebastian Wrong for Flos


KULLA Floor lamp, $89.99 / IKEA

...for everything else, there's Seanster Card!

-S

Design On A Dime

In life, there are many tough decisions to make.

This is not one of those times.


Spun Floor Lamp, $1,580 /  Designer Sebastian Wrong for Flos


KULLA Floor lamp, $89.99 / IKEA

...for everything else, there's Seanster Card!

-S