My beau and I saw FELA! at The Curran this week in its first week since being transplanted from Broadway and found ourselves largely agreeing on The New Yorker’s positive–but tempered–review from the original show. Our thoughts on the plusses: the costuming and dance scenes are perfection and the audience interaction (including derriere-shaking instructions) is a blast. The not-so-good: the show drags yet it omits key parts of the Nigerian musician/politician’s personal story, including the controversy over his death from AIDS-related infection. Shortcomings aside, the show still had us listening to “Zombie” for days.
My Monday Reflection: Especially Bada** Bloggers
Thanks to Trop50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 Fabulous Wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous.
Between the Alt Summit for design bloggers and my work at Federated Media, I’ve been lucky to work with more than a few talented publishers. Their work speaks for itself, so I won’t be too long-winded in reflecting on five who have particularly inspired me in this crazy ecosystem. In no particular order, they are:
Victoria Smith, SFGirlByBay: The work of the art director turned poster designer turned design blogger is a treat. Saying Victoria has an eye for color is a complete understatement, and she knows modern furniture like no one else.
Shayna Kulik, Pattern Pulp: While many of my favorite bloggers live in the Bay (call me localist), NY trend forecaster Shayna creates bright daily posts that I can’t stop coming by for. Her work is punchy and informative, and you’ll be glad you were sent to see it.
David Pescovitz, BoingBoing: Whether writing about Cindy Sherman posts on sale or citizen science projects, I always learn from Pesco’s work on the tech and life wonders site. A researcher at the Institute for the Future, I’d love to take a science writing class from him.
Zem Joaquin, ecofabulous: Stylishness and sustainability are the core passions of Ms. Joaquin, and I’m yet to meet anyone else who makes conscious decision making so fun. Under the creative direction of Caitlin Bristol, Zem’s ecofabulous is a great resource for safe cosmetics, home wares, and apparel (if you’ve looked at my site searches for the past week, at least). I’m lucky to learn from them.
Audrey Watters, Hack Education: The ed-tech advocate’s coverage has been my go to source as I explore more in education entrepreneurship. Her weekly news roundups aren’t like anyone else’s, and you’d be remiss not to start following her.
Don’t forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.
Redesigning with Room Service
See more images in the California Home + Design story Room Service Adds To Its SoCal Locations in SF’s Hayes Valley.
Hayes Valley has had an earth tone to it lately between a new set of urban gardens and the Samovar tea lounge (which is trying to coin the neighborhood “Zen Valley”). Enter RoomService, a new furniture and accessories store whose bright colors may change that.
The Southern California design company first sought to expand beyond LA and Newport Beach a few years ago but held off on a northern location until they were able to secure–and quickly fill–a converted hair salon at Hayes and Laguna this spring. The husband and wife team of apparel merchandising alums John and Taryn Bernard have couches and beds made in Gardena, California, and stock the rest of the store with large prints, bright pillows, and home items found at European gift shows. Taryn said she prides the company on its seasonality; while visitors are currently greeted with post-modern pop hues, she promises deeper and “ethnic” fabrics in the fall.
The store’s affordability is also striking and purposefully hard to miss with large red tags hanging off products from vases to petite Buddha sculptures. Because RoomService’s own factory and domestic production allows it to keep costs comparatively low, it may hit a sweet spot with new parents and trendsters looking for a respite from the area’s green and grey.
Photos by Jason DePerro.
Welcoming Faucet Face
We know plastic water bottles can leach chemicals, but that doesn’t mean the only alternative is toting oversized canteens. Faucet Face is looking to “bring back tap water’s dignity” the glass way with artistically designed bottles ($15, or four for $45 with a donated filter being made for a family). For each bottle purchased, the company donates a portion of the profits to manufacture water filters for people in rural India as part of its 1 for 100 program. Between BPA-free caps, reusability, corporate generosity, and the promise of better tasting water, my only question is which of the three bottle looks to choose from – though I’m strongly leaning towards “Tap Is Terrific.”
First featured on ecofabulous.
Good Looking Gifts from Turq
At a bachelorette party this weekend (and no, there won’t be more about that later), college friends were curious about a few fun wares from Turq. While I’m bummed that partners Lee Addison and Kat Mulford are hanging up their design hats (for now?) after nine years of creating, the good news for you is that the necklaces, earrings and bags are currently at a steep discount. They’ll be filling more than a few bridal bags this summer on my end–not necessarily for the price, but for the pieces’ go anywhere appeal.
Cool Collecting
“A Collection A Day” doesn’t read like other books, and that’s because it’s not like other books, coffee table or otherwise. Illustrator and general creative type Lisa Congdon has assembled a softcover series of a year’s worth of ephemera, and its presentation in a small metal box reminded me of my own sets of Girl Scout badges and POGs.
Inside a set of photographed and drawn “small treasures and curious things” includes vintage art supply packaging, old and colorful prayer cards, and plastic and wood rings. But that’s not all. “Mid-century paperbacks with awesome cover design and typography”! Japanese notebooks! Candy jars! It’s well worth a flip through the digital preview to see the breadth of Congdon’s inspiration–but I’d suggest owning one (or the corresponding 20×200 print) to appreciate the bizarre wonder of baby doll hands, aggregated.
Balenciaga, Spain & Modern Style
After the de Young Museum presented Vivienne Westwood’s fantastical work, I was gun shy about seeing another area haute couture show. How could it measure up? Who else could create to that scale? Those shapes?
Thanks to a friend who’s new to the Bay Area, I got back on the high fashion train this week to find that the presentation of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s styles isn’t better–it’s just different. More items–from tunics to gowns and bolero jackets–are presented this time around, and you’ll want to give yourself a while to study the folds and fabrics. The show’s themes were curated by Vogue’s European editor at large Hamish Bowles and include Spanish Art, Regional Dress, the Spanish Court, Religious Life and Ceremony, the Bullfight, and Dance. It was the first time since seeing Ms. V’s work that I went into a museum wishing I could walk out with a bag of goods off the mannequins–Balenciaga’s geometry and craftsmanship are that good.
Monday Night ForePlays Returns
The Dark Room will play host to a new set of PianoFight sketches every Monday through April 25th, and you’d best catch the original female-driven comedy show while it runs. I still talk ad nauseam about the troupe’s recent performance of Dora the Explorer taking to the Tenderloin and expect equally good things with their new work (which is to address what would happen if the popular 5-Hour Energy product were re-imagined in a 72-Hour form and the meaning of “dick bloat”).
Since ForePlays’ November 2009 debut, the PianoFight troupe has performed everywhere from SketchFetch to WomenROCK and the Actors Theatre. Like their other great work, “Spring EGGstravaganza” is produced, written and directed by Ruth Grossinger, Nicole Hammersla, Kate Jones, Jessica Mele and Emma Rose Shelton. You’ll thank them.
The Apliiq for Japan Line
This week the California company Apliiq launched a line of products with Japanese prints, a fifth of whose proceeds will go toward the Japanese Red Cross. The textiles used include youthful anime manga, simple classic bamboo, and the geometric collage style of Japanese Yuzen paper.
As designer Ethan Lipsitz explains: “The earthquake and tsunami in Japan has had a huge impact on the lives of millions who have been displaced without basic necessities, food and water. With news focusing on nuclear threats in Japan and civil war in Libya, the people who have been directly affected by recent events are being overlooked.”
Even if you don’t get one for yourself, I’m sure you know someone special who you could T up for the cause.
Late in the Week Wine
The no recording, no replays wonder of Pop-Up Magazine returns this week with a new live event series. Sidebar debuts at SFMOMA and will feature a party and drinks in conjunction with the museum’s exhibit How Wine Became Modern: Design + Wine 1976 to Now. KQED reporter Amy Standen and illustrator Wendy McNaughton will be co-presenting as part of the “smart collection of writers, documentary filmmakers, radio producers, photographers, and artists [who] will present Pop-Up Magazine’s signature mix of original stories and ideas, live on stage, in a 45-minute show about the culture, science, history, politics, and humor of wine.” Drink up.
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