Saveur - How to Peel Garlic

You're welcome. We said good day!

Nikon 1

Apparently this is a big deal in the photo geek world. A small, easy to operate camera with a huge sensor, 10.1 megapixels, full 1080p HD video recording, a new motion snapshot mode that essentially shoots slow-motion, and a plethora of interchangeable Nikon lenses to choose from. Side bar please...it looks freakin' awesome! It's priced well too. If, for some crazy reason, you feel that you've outgrown Hipstamatic on the iPhone, then this may be the camera for you.

50/50 Trailer

We've posted about this before, but two things are going on today; we are seemingly making today Joseph Gordon-Levitt day at the Hipsubscription, and this year has been a motherf@#$er for our friends and loved ones because of cancer. In this strife, we have learned that cancer is a subject that we should all be talking about, as if it doesn't directly effect you now or in the future, it will definitely effect someone you know and love, and you, at one time or another, will be forced to deal with this. This movie is obviously tackling some serious subject matter, but doesn't spend all its time feeling sorry for itself, instead using humour and saying things that everybody is thinking but is scared to say. The trailer will make you laugh, it will make you sad, and every person alive should run out with their friends, family and even a stranger or two, and see this film.

RECollection- Joseph Gordon-Levitt & HitRECord.org

Mr. Gordon-Levitt is best known for his movie roles, most recently being Inception, and you can soon see him in a bad guy role in the final instalment of Christopher Nolan's Batman Trilogy. Joe is seemingly doing very well in Hollywood, but he is a restless soul apparently bursting with creativity. He wanted to work with like minded creative types, and wanted to do so outside the institutions of Hollywood, the music industry, and traditional publishing outlets. Roughly five years ago, Joe started a production company using the premise of the collaboration, and in 2010 began actively seeking out the contributions of others who join his growing community at hitrecord.org. He/they have just published the fruits of their collaborative efforts, aptly titled "RECollection." It's a mix of 1201 contributions from 471 collaborators, and that is from roughly 200,000 contributions from 50,000 artists. There is a DVD with the film records, a CD with the music records, and a beautiful hard bound book displaying the stories, lyrics, poems and illustrations. And Joe is no greedy corporate type in all this...he is splitting all the profits 50/50 between the production company and the collaborators. Do yourself a favour though. Joe is a far better pitch man for this than we are. Hit the link in the middle of this post and push play. Joe will tell you everything you need to know.

First Lady Rocking Horse

Maybe you just love Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove," or perhaps you are so hardcore; so rock 'n' roll, that even your kids bypass ponies and get in on all your black and nihilistic endeavours. If you're in either of those categories, then this is the rocking horse for you. Personally, we think it would be a cool sculpture installation in the home, but you can ride it if that's that sorta thing you're into, we won't judge. You can learn more here, but only if you read German.

Beirut - Santa Fe

This is a great track that you should have in your playlist. That is all.

Lost In Shangri-La

Truth really is stranger than fiction. The above tale is seemingly so implausible; the characters such an exercise in classic mellow drama, that it must be true. During the Second World War, the American military pilots discovered, on New Guinea, a giant valley full of pre-historic tribes in a location where the most modern maps said there were only mountains. Rumours spread and the area was dubbed Shangri-La, alluding to a fictional place first mentioned in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon. A club was created, named the Shangri-La Society, for those who where lucky enough to have flown over the valley. In 1945, a group of 24 military personnel boarded a U.S. Military plane destined for Shangri-La, only on the way into the valley, the plane crashed, killing all onboard except for three. The survivors included a lieutenant who's twin brother was killed in the crash, a sergeant who suffered a head wound bad enough that he had amnesia, and a corporal that had Hollywood leading lady looks. The military sent in a team of Filipino American paratroopers lead by an gung-ho American captain, with a rogue film maker (who was once a jewel thief) tagging along. The three had to dodge Japanese snipers on one side of the valley, and cannabalistic tribes bent on killing the survivors on the other, and with no way out of the valley. The Army decided the only way to retrieve both the survivors and their paratroopers saviours was to drop gliders into the valley, later pulling them out with everyone else on board. And if you think we've given away the best parts...you are sorely mistaken. Well worth your attention just for the sheer unbelievability, the book is also a must read as new stories regarding the Second World war don't come along as often as they used to. Available at book stores everywhere.

Love Paperweight

Since being unveiled in 1966 as an anti-war statement, LOVE is one of the better known art pieces of our time being replicated over and over again.  Robert Indiana's iconic pop art sculpture is now available in a smaller size for your desk. Our favourite is the gold version and we could imagine it as a great bookend, door stop or as a tiny sculpture for displaying in your office or home.  Available here.

An Everlasting Meal

This is not just a cook book, An Everlasting Meal is a book that makes you think about food at its core and instinctive cooking. By championing the amateur cook, the author Tamar Adler delves into the act of eating and celebrating food. Through insightful essays, Adler gives how-to lessons for the basic chef and does so with ease and romance. "In chapters about boiling water, cooking eggs and beans, and summoning respectable meals from empty cupboards, Tamar weaves philosophy and instruction into approachable lessons on instinctive cooking. Tamar shows how to make the most of everything you buy, demonstrating what the world’s great chefs know: that great meals rely on the bones and peels and ends of meals before them."

Kidrobot for Swatch

Swatch has teamed up with Kidrobot for a collection of 8 watches, each comes with a complimentary Dunny. With artists such as MAD, Tara McPherson, Gary Baseman, SSUR, Tilt, Jeremyville, Frank Kozik and Joe Ledbetter all providing their unique take on the original Gent, the 3" Dunny is the real collectible in this case. Even though the watches are great in their own right, collectors will be after the vinyl bunny and we can't blame them as our favourite is definitely Love Song. You can find them here.
  

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Sprirt (20th Anniversary)

All of a sudden we are feeling old. First Pearl Jam releases a 20 year retrospective documentary; and now, as of today, we have a 20th anniversary edition of the masterpiece that is "Smells Like Teen Spirit." When the songs of your youth start finding their way onto classic rock radio stations, it has a way of knocking one down a peg. That all being said, even though it is twenty today, it still sounds really fresh, and is still head and shoulders over much that is out on the airwaves today. We're hoping that this re-issue turns on a younger generation to the values and ethics found in good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll, and in turns generates a change in what is popular today, but we'll settle for our readers listening to the classic track "Lithium" posted above.

The Walking Dead - Season 1

The good news is that if you haven't jumped on the phenomena that is the Walking Dead, you are just one season behind, and that season is only 6 episodes. A good news addendum is that the Blu-ray and DVD of said TV show is out on store shelves today. Further to that, the timing is perfect, being that there is 3 weeks until the debut of the new season, giving you plenty of time to find six hours to set aside to view this television masterpiece. We could say all the things that are generally said by reviewers, in that it is more of a human story than horror, but we shouldn't need resort to a narrative to convince you to give it a try...zombies should be enough all by themselves. We will say this, the creators purposely designed the first episode to either turn you away, or pull you in within the first 2 minutes. Watch that much and decide for yourself.

New Balance NewSKY

The shoe business, especially the sneaker game, is notorious for not being very environmentally conscious. Petroleum based materials and harsh glues are not what saves the rain forest. New Balance wanted to improve their sustainability, and went forth to design NewSKY. The shoe upper is made out of a fabric that is made from recycled post-consumer bottles (8 per shoe) and ushers in a new way to make footwear. We like how that fabric resembles felt or wool, a fabric not seen too much in the shoe world. The NewSky drops in October. More info here.

SWYP Printer

The printer has gone unchanged since we as a society abandoned the dot matrix for the ink jet...and that's a few years ago. Since then, they way we interact with and use our devices has evolved, and the lowly printer is failing to keep up. The people behind the SWYP (See What You Print), the design consultancy from Seattle that is Artefact, see the need to evolve and improve and therefore give us the slick piece of kit shown above. Wireless connectivity to your camera or smartphone, customizable interface, blah, blah, blah. We could go into a long explanation for why the SWYP is better than your inkjet, but the video above does a far better job of explaining why we want this. So far, only a concept, but here's hoping. You can learn more here.

Icon of Style - Miles Davis

This week's IoS was inspired by a men's magazine article touting the advantages and relevance of the one button suit and one of the pioneers of that style being Miles Davis.  This made us think a little about his style and delve a bit deeper into the history of his particular fashion. Now we're not talking about the freaky avante garde style that he was well known for later in the 70's-80's but more of the dapper Brooks Brothers & slim European suit phase from the 40's-60's.  No one played the trumpet like Miles Davis and no one pulled off subtle cool like him. In a time where creativity and daring wasn't exactly encouraged, Miles pushed the boundaries of style with preppy sweaters, boxy sport coats and a slightly dangerous edge carried out in pageboy hats and scarves. Seriously, in this era, nobody could touch him. More pics after the jump.

SuperHeavy - Miracle Worker

What do Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Damian "Junior Gong" Marley, Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics, and A.R. Rahmen (Indian Film Director) all have in common? Duh...they're is the supergroup aptly named SuperHeavy.  Jagger has said, "We wanted a convergence of different musical styles... We were always overlapping styles, but they were nevertheless separate". In that, the goal of the band is to explore different musical genres from Reggae to Rock, Ballads to Indian. Generally, super groups tend to be a lot of expectation with little substance, but SuperHeavy is different, in that it is actually very, very good. We give you the first single, "Miracle Worker" with a reggae flavour. Have a listen. Available through iTunes.

Yee-Haw Industries

Sometimes the product manufacturer has summed up their existence better then we ever could, and therefore, we'll let their words speak for themselves. "Yee-Haw Industries specializes in original art-like products - from letterpress posters promoting special events, music acts and theatre shows to handmade, woodcut, fine art prints. Our work is custom-to-order, designed, set, and pressed by hand." You can learn more here.

Fishscape Fishbowl

We're not entirely sure people actually keep a lone goldfish in a round bowl anymore but it sure looks good especially for advertising that minimalist interior look. The Fishscape Fishbowl takes it to the next level and may make the fish happier. A handmade 2.5 gallon bowl with a raised, textured glass mountain range seems necessary doesn't it?

Naughty Alphabet

If you are a parent, you will appreciate this post. If you're not, you'll most likely want to buy these for your friend's next baby shower.  Regardless, learning the alphabet has never been such fun. Mark McGinnis has designed these flash cards with unconventional definitions and examples such as G is for Gimp, R is for Roadkill and V is for vegan.

Hitch by Jill Platner

A cool bracelet inspired by the rope used to hang the designer's/artist's sculptures from the ceiling. Made from carefully woven marine rope, these babies can be worn everyday, even in the shower, and can stand the abuse with no worries. The clasp is a modern take on a classic fastening method. They are available here.

Elliott Brood - Northern Air

Elliott Brood call themselves "Death Country." We like that description and the overall sound of that genre, but we don't want it to scare you off, so for the sake of keeping it in terms that we all will understand, let's just call it alt-country. They are a Canadian treasure, and have toured this vast country coast to coast multiple times, opening for such great bands as Wilco, Blue Rodeo, Corb Lund and the Black Crowes. They have a new album out, titled "Days Into Years," and we strongly endorse it. The above song is wonderful, and we are giving you a clip recorded live for CBC Radio 3, just so you can have a taste of how truly great they are. The album is available, as always, through the juggernaut that is called iTunes.

Crania Anatomica Filigre - Joshua Harker

It should come as no surprise that we are posting, yet again, a skull related art project. There is something that draws us to the image and sculpture of the human skull, and have found kindred spirits on the interweb as the previous skull posts have been extremely popular. Because of all this love for all things skull, we give you our favourite thus far, Crania Anatomica Filigre by Joshua Harker. Joshua has been a traditional sketch style artist and sculptor for twenty years, drawing what he calls "tangles," some of which being so delicate that they have been near impossible to create in sculpture. In what Josh describes as a "perfect storm" of software, technology and materials engineering, he now has the ability to create these wonderful tangles three dimensionally. The sculpture is only in its prototype phase, but Josh is using kickstarter to get the project off the ground. Go here and learn a little something about the process, see some more pics, and donate a little to the cause...or even pre-order yourself one.

Dervish Ceiling Fan and Light

Not content with the ceiling fan, in that other than speed and materials it has not significantly changed since invented, industrial designer Phillipe Malouin spawned the idea of the Dervish ceiling fan and light. Inspired by equal parts Turkish dancer and automated car wash, the Dervish looks to completely re-imagine not only the aesthetic of the ceiling fan, but how it operates as well. Currently, the Dervish is only in a state of development, but we can't wait to see it in production. You can learn more about Mr. Malouin, and see some more of his very creative and innovative designs here.

Love Ring

Interesting jewellery is sometimes hard to come by, we have posted about some we have managed to find before and we're lucky to have stumbled upon another designer lately called Metalnat. The ring that caught our eye is called Love and is a unique band that allows the user to customize it's message through the rotating letters much like an old fashioned lock. Made of recycled sterling silver and handcrafted by the designer in Brooklyn, these rings are part of a collection that have some pretty quirky designs such as gold zip ties and concrete discs. Check it out here.

Japanese Table Dustpan & Broom

We are always on the lookout for great space saving designs for the home and this time we found one in the cleaning category. A table dustpan and broom by Asahineko in hinoki cypress with horse hair bristles is a fine example of intuitive craftsmanship.  Simple, beautiful and not in the very least typical. You can find it here.

The Starke

Have you ever found yourself unexpectedly riding your bike at night with a front light that is out of battery power or missing altogether? German bike manufacturer Silverback has resolved this by building energy generation into their new series of bikes named the Starke.  With a small front hub dynamo built into the front wheel, this electric generator apparently creates enough power to run the front and back light and the USB port situated in the handle bars can simultaneously charge your iPhone or GPS as you pedal away. We haven't even mentioned that the bike itself, outside of all the new techy advantages is a pretty sweet looking ride and sleeker looking than you would imagine for all that it is offering.

Qlocktwo Touch

There really hasn't been that much innovation in the alarm clock. New versions are generally digital reproductions of the mechanical flip number version of the 70's. Biegert & Funk saw this, and thought they could do better, using words to tell the time rather than numbers. There's no denying that this is sexy looking, which is not something that one usually says in the same sentence with the words alarm clock. It is engineered far beyond the needs of a bedside timepiece, being milled from a single piece of aluminum. It is touch sensitive, which is how you engage the snooze function. Personally, we think it a little large for an alarm clock, but mounted on the wall, you have a interesting piece of art that also serves a functional purpose. The faceplate is held on with magnets, making it easy to change to one of the seven available colours to suit your moods...and for the launch, Biegert & Funk are releasing a special edition of all black, with an anodized black casing (shown above).  You can learn more and order here. For tech nerds, there is a "making of" video after the jump.

Radiohead - Codex

We know we're late to the party on this one, as the album "King of Limbs" (from which the above track hails) dropped way back in February. That being said, we think that this particular song is totally worth your attention. Where we're at, fall came in with a bang this weekend, going from sunny hot weather to dreary rain and wind. We actually had to go looking for a coat to wear. In the spirit on this fledgling season, we searched for music that suited the mood, in that it's soft, brooding, somber, haunting and beautiful. "Codex" fits the bill nicely. Self released by Radiohead, and available on iTunes.

Narghile

Belgian-Palestinian designer Nedda El-Asmar has excelled in her chosen field of silversmithing creating acclaimed designs for such companies as Hermes, Villeroy & Boch and Royal Boch. Her trademark designs in tableware, flatware and even decanters are world renowned but our favourite is the modern take on the water pipe or hookah.  Simply named Narghile, this piece is so beautiful in it's design that if it just sat there and was never used as intended, it wouldn't bother us a bit. Be warned, this piece is not for those light in the wallet as it sells for 980 Euros for the polished pewter version.

Pivot Desk

A young Israeli design team Yael Mer & Shay Alkalay make up the design duo named Raw Edges.  In 2008 they introduced their Pivot drawer system and have recently expanded on it with the addition of a desk. Dutch furniture company Arco who represents this new piece, debuted it at the design show in Milan this past August to rave reviews. We love it for all the obvious reasons, clean lines, simple yet sophisticated craftsmanship and muted wood tones but we also love how subtle and streamlined it is. For most of us in urban centres, finding space at home is challenging especially for a desk. This creation is the exception and minimizes the usual footprint that furniture of this nature takes up and does so in such a way that it will most likely be the one thing in your home you wish you could show off more. More pics after the jump.

Hard Graft Dopp Kit

We still use a dopp kit for travel despite the air securities need for us to use a ziploc bag (explain that to us please). The details in life are important, and every good traveller should have a stylish and well organized dopp. Hard Graft gained their initial notoriety designing leather, felt and wool cell phone and laptop cases that were thoughtfully designed and very well made. They've decided to branch out into small luggage and accessories, and we like what we see. The above is from their new Driftwood and Campfire lines, and have matching holdalls and personal pouches.  You can learn more here. 

Heyward Howkins - Plume and Orange

This may be a little premature, as he has yet to release his full length debut, but if this song is a sign of things to come, we can't wait. Heyward has a lovely soulful and distinct voice that could carry a song all on its own, but accompany him with an acoustic guitar and its magical. From Philly, and making his bones with the band The Trouble With Sweeney (great band name), Mr. Howkins decided to go it alone, and from what we can gather, is releasing a full length album this fall. You can hear more through his Myspace page here. As for when the album drops and purchasing info, we'll let you know more when we know more. Think of it this way...you're so in-the-now about music that you like an artist before they were big (every hipsters dream).

Pirates of Somalia

Shocking and true story. Journalist Jay Bahadur infiltrated the secret world of modern piracy in the east African country of Somalia and lived to tell the tale. Now that is journalism! Providing the reader with some insight into the most dangerous seas in the world, and million dollar ransoms, Jay wins the non-fiction category with the subject matter alone. We can't wait to get our hands on it just to see if pirates really say "aaarrrrr" all the time. Available at brick and mortar book stores everywhere (if you can actually find one) and through your favourite online retailers.

Melting Chair

Debuting at the London Design Festival this month, the Melting Chair by Phillipp Aduatz is bound to raise some eyebrows. Made out of glass fiber and reinforced polymer with a silver coating and a scratch resistant polyurethane coating, it looks just like melting mirror.  It also looks incredibly slippery and we wouldn't want to chance sitting on this piece of furniture with say silk pants or the like but admiring it from a distance is quite nice too.

Some Young Punks

Three winemakers from Australia calling themselves Some Young Punks are producing wine with a passion and an eye for design. Commissioning artists such as Asaf and Tomer Hanuka and taking images directly from 1950's pulp fiction novels, they make amazing bottle art that is one of a kind.  We have enclosed our favourite called Fierce Allure, a BD Cabernet from the Thomas Block, McLaren Vale.  Intense images aside, we hear the wine is pretty great and can be found at Richmond Hill Wines & Landmark in Canada.  For other  distributors around the world, see here.  

Archival Photos Brought to Life - An Excerpt from Motalko

Technology is great. After all, it is allowing us to reach you, our readers, all over the world virtually instantly. We saw this, an excerpt from the Hungarian documentary "Motalko," about the first petrol station in Hungary, and could not believe our eyes. Using a program called blender, Miklos Falvay took archive photos, and breathed three dimensional life into them. What is especially amazing is that Miklos has never used 3D rendering software before. It makes us want to do a mini-presentation for the family with all our family photos, but we doubt it's really as easy as Miklos makes it look.

Anrealage Fall/Winter 2011 - 8 Bit Fashion

Fashion is cyclical, and what was old is new again...but usually the designers don't mine the history of video games for this historical inspiration. That is however, what up and coming designer Kunihiko Murinaga has done with his Anrealage brand, using the blocky 8-bit graphics of yore as inspiration for his fabrics, hems and even the heels on his shoes. Our favourite bit (no pun intended) is how the theme of the collection is carried over into the furnishings of the store (pictured above). If you're interested in trying some of this on, better bust out the plastic, as the land of the rising sun is where you'll find it. You can, thanks to this whole internet fad, browse and order online here. More pics after the break.

The Heavy - And When I Die

Cover songs can be a really great idea, but more often than not they're a bad one. Not only is song choice of paramount importance, but also the interpretation of someone else's words and sentiment that sometimes can never really be improved upon. This is not to say that there isn't a lot of great covers out there (who can forget Guns 'N' Roses cover of Dylan in "Knocking on Heavens Door"), but they do not come along all that often. This is why we are pleased to present to you "And When I Die" by The Heavy. The song is a Blood, Sweat and Tears cover, which in terms of obscurity scores an "A" for song choice, and The Heavy's growl is a perfect reinterpretation of the classic tune. And while we're on the subject of The Heavy, do yourself a favour and get their 2009 album "The House That Dirt Built" with the notable stand-outs "How You Like Me Now" and "Short Change Hero," the latter being our personal favourite. Available on iTunes.

Jaguar C-X16 Concept

This car is "conceptual" only. That being said, it looks more production model and less out-there, future-mobile than most concepts, meaning that if the reception is warm enough from the masses, this bad boy is practically road ready. One would think that this is the model to replace the aging XK series, but you'd be wrong. The C-X16 is smaller, and is rumoured to be the one to take on Porsche's Cayman S, making this car an entry level sports car (we use the term entry level loosely as this baby comes in a shade under $90,000). The car has a supercharged 3.0 litre V6 pumping out 376 horsepower, and is mated to an 8 speed gearbox. The most interesting part of the car is the "push to pass" button, which when pressed, engages an electric motor that adds 92 more horsepower to the mix, and giving the car a 0-60 time of only 4.4 seconds. The car officially makes its "conceptual" debut at the Frankfurt Autoshow today, but we're thinking that you'll see this or a version of it on the road sooner rather than later.

Victorinox Swiss Army Watch

What's up with the Swiss Army? For a country that is perpetually on the fence and not interested in combat whatsoever, they sure have some great pieces of kit. Victorinox, the makers of the original Swiss Army Knife, decided that not only do the soldiers of the Swiss Army need to be able to pick their teeth, whittle a stick, file their nails, and open a can, but they should be able to tell time too. The watch won't live up to the knife's standard of multi-tasking, but it tells time like a mother@#$%er. Comes in great basic tone-on-tone military colours, which is great as they go with everything. You can learn more here. 

Victoria Spirits

As part of our Vancouver Island vacation a while back we had the pleasure of visiting Canada's first premium gin distillery which was a great eye-opener. Set up like a wine tasting in a very pastoral setting, we got the tour by one of the very knowledgeable and passionate family members who owns Victoria Spirits. Following the viewing of the steam punk copper pot still, we set about tasting all the gins and even a few vodkas, whiskeys and bitters. While trying to get our heads wrapped around tasting mass amounts of hard alcohol at 11 am on a Sunday, we fell in love with the experience and the great gin that was being produced right in our own backyard. Our favourite was the original Victoria Gin with a perfect blend of juniper, spice and wild gathered and organic botanicals well worth the visit. 

Senna

Formula 1 drivers are the rock stars of the auto racing world. You wouldn't know it as F1, and most forms of auto racing other than Nascar (turn left, turn left, turn left), get a chilly reception from North Americans. In the rest of the world however, they are recognized as athletes, and the best ones demand a kings ransom in salary and endorsement. The sport, once upon a time, was riddled with great personalities such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti, and the last great personality of the sport was Ayrton Senna. Senna was a balls out driver who risked it all in the name of victory, and wasn't afraid to speak his mind to the media, officials and fellow drivers. He won the F1 title three times, savoured all the trappings of his success, but still remained a man of the people. Tragically, we lost Ayrton in a accident on the track in 1992. It's taken almost 20 years, but finally a documentary has been made celebrating Senna, as well as the sport he loved. Critically praised, receiving a 92% approval rating amongst critics, winning multiple festival awards, and on track to be the most successful documentary in history, it is well worth your time, whether you are a racing fan or not. Above, we give you the trailer to wet your appetite...but act fast. It is a limited engagement.

Icon of Style - David Bowie

It's no secret the David Bowie is into fashion...after all he's been quite vocal on the subject as it's the title to one of his best songs. He was the original trendsetter, starting that now tired rock cliche by marrying a super model (still happily married we might add). However, when we say he's a fashion icon, we're not talking about his costumes for all the different persona's during the years such as Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, etc...which were wild and admirable in their own right, but rather drawing your attention to his personal style. The suits, the scarves, the hairstyles; all which have influenced both men and women over the years to the present day.  From his early twenties, this lithe man has been clothing himself in slim, tailored suits, tight leather jackets and hair styles that showcase his good genetics. As he has aged, he has become more refined but no less iconic with his style now focusing on more dapper, sombre colours and that ever present neck scarf. More inspirational photos after the jump.

Umbra Bird Cafe

Do all birds like munching from generic feeders or do some strive for something better?  We will swear good meals taste better in well designed restaurants so why not give that experience to our feathered friends? Umbra designed the Bird Cafe Feeder which replicates a miniature modernist home complete with full glazing and strong lines all for $25. Really, are birds much different from us?

Jimmy Duck Boot - Native x Marc Jacobs

Vancouver's Native footwear and Marc Jacobs have collaborated and created the Jimmy Duck Boot...seemingly for the impending inclement weather. To be sold exclusively through Marc Jacob retail outlets and the online store. We're told they're exclusive...which is a bitchy entitled way of saying they're limited. Regardless...they're cool in all black and totally worth replacing those tired Hunter boots with.

Chalkboard Skull

Skulls are cool...and having one in the home is a sign of ones badassery. This is why having one that you can write on is doubly cool, reminding others that you are not to be trifled with and yourself to pick up milk on the way home. Comes in array of wonderful colours, but like everything in our lives, we prefer black. You can get one here.

Charley Harper

Illustrator Charley Harper was best known for his unique depiction of nature in art, conservation work and years of "minimal realism" as he called it.  Prolific during the 1950's, 60's and 70's he created and continued until his death in 2007, highly stylized wildlife prints, posters and book illustrations.  It was incredibly hard for us to choose examples of his work for this post as they are all so iconic, quirky and completely classic. So much so that fabric company Maharam are releasing some of his images for their digital prints. The American Modernist put it best "I don't try to put everything in, I try to leave everything out".  More pics after the break.

Fossil Collective - On and On

Fossil Collective is from Leeds. That is all we know for sure...other than their debut EP "Honey Slides" is a three song masterpiece. It's on constant rotation on our stereo, in the car, and on the iPhone. The above is song 1 of 3, titled "On and On," and the video accompany's the song beautifully, being pure stop motion magic. We understand that a full length album is due in the near future, and we're hoping that success finds them...and brings a North American tour.

Nixon Wire Mic

There is so much information out there regarding headphones it's hard to know where to start. The only sure thing is that replacing those crappy tin sounding ones that came with your iPod or iPhone is a smart move. We've tried a few; Klipsch, Sennheiser, Bang and Olufsen, Beats by Dr. Dre to name a few, and the last pair we owned, which we have now lost and are ramping up to get a new pair, was by far the best sounding out of the group. The Nixon Wire Mic had the fullest sound, with the best bass response by far. The fit left a little to be desired, but in ear bud land, if you're not spending $200 plus, that is to be expected. They are priced right, they look great, and they sound fantastic. Go get a pair already. More info here.

Vehicle For Children

Japanese designer Masahiro Minami created a well crafted wooden vehicle for his son that solves a number of issues parents face.  First, it's a minimalist design in wood not multi-coloured plastic and so looks great sitting out amongst all the rest of your furniture.  Second, it converts into a sly storage solution since you know it will never be put away like you envisioned in an ideal tidy child world. Lastly, your kid will really like it especially it's googly eyes and little tail.  

Queen - Under Pressure

Freddie Mercury would have been 65 today. In honour of his birthday here's "Under Pressure" with David Bowie helping out. This song is just as relevant today as it was in 1981. Happy birthday Freddie...we miss you.

Custom Cigar Box Desktop Speakers

Yah...we want these. Made to order from cedar cigar boxes, tuned with a 3/4 inch port and sporting internal amplification, these are the desktop speakers for those who want a little old timey flare, but with all the modern accoutrements. We're told they have a nice full and natural sound, but for some reason we don't really care....they look so sick. The good sound is really just a bonus. You can get them here.

PostCarden

We love getting postcards, and generally bring back a stash when we return from a trip. This however, takes the cake for the postcard brightening somebody's day. It's simple; open the postcard, sprinkle the seeds inside and water. Wait a few days and bang...you've got a desktop garden good for a few weeks. Hit the jump and watch the how-to video. More info in available here.

Metropol Parasol - Seville, Spain

A bit of a rant here. Why are North American city planners so dull? Do they take a class in whatever program they enrol in at university that aids them in tempering any sort of innovation or whimsical city planning ideas? Sure, there are the occasional stand outs; the Disney Concert Hall in L.A. and the Experience Music Project in Seattle come to mind, but those were built with private money. Head over to Europe, and it is a vastly different story. They (especially Spain) are blessed with a huge array of architecturally significant, modern, progressive and awe inspiring public spaces and buildings. The latest addition is the Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain. Built on an archaeological excavation sight (lets see you get a permit for that over here in the colonies) it's part museum, part public square, part farmers market, part food cart mecca. There's a sky high promenade and panoramic terrace on the roof as well as multiple bars and restaurants inside the Parasols structure as well as beneath it. All that and it's the world's largest bonded wood structure. The structure was purpose built to reclaim a banal city square and turn it into a hive of activity that would be used by residents, visitors and tourists as a gathering place underneath an architecturally motivation waffle-like crown. You go Spain! More pics after the jump. 

The Airborne Toxic Event - All I Ever Wanted (Live)

You know a band is truly good when they can translate live really well. A friend turned us on to this performance of "All I Ever Wanted Live" by the Airborne Toxic Event. We personally think that this version just happens to be better than the studio version on their album "All At Once." Have a listen...as we hope you'll agree.

Illustrations by the Hanuka Bros.

We grew up on comic books...and because of that we love the pop art movement. Some of our favourite contemporary artists (Ashley Wood comes to mind) make their living illustrating comics. We've been shown the work of the Hanuka brothers, and like what we see. The brights spots of colour with the dark subject matter is genius for us...so much so that we'd love to hang one of these in the house. Framed and matted of course...we are adults after all. More pics after the jump and more info here.

Raleigh Denim

We're always on the hunt for good jeans...and we're always hungry for authenticity and fit as opposed to trendy new washes. We were very happy to be turned onto the Raleigh Denim Company, whose methods and means of production are fantastic (small batch production only), and their fit second to none. We can't really improve on the company's own statement of merit, so we'll simply quote them. "We're a small team using local materials and artisinal methods. From initial design, to cut, sew, and finished jeans; we do everything under one roof. Our jeans are simply styled, meticulously detailed, and built to fit our bodies." You can learn much, much more here. For our local readers, Lark on Main carries them. 

Philips Fidelio Soundring

It escapes us why Philips and their consumer home audio products aren't bigger over here in the colonies. They are electronic juggernauts in the rest of the world, but for whatever reason they are really only known in the Americas for their electric toothbrushes. The above is what the rest of the world gets to enjoy, the Fidelio Soundring. Looking suspiciously similar to the Dyson Air Multiplier, the Soundring is in an acoustic class all its own. First, you plug nothing directly into it, but rather use Apples Airplay to wirelessly stream music to the device, which is not only convenient but totally cool. Its central feature is the central bass pipe and its four hi-def drivers; two front facing and two side facing for room filling sound. One problem however, you'll have to pay in British Sterling as this is only available in UK.