Archive for January, 2007
January 30, 2007 at 2:24 pm · Filed under Culture, Music
I am excited about two upcoming events in San Francisco on Saturday, February 10. The first is an SFZero urban psychogeographic game, The Sweat Cheat Gone:
An investigation of guilt and innocence played out across the streets (zones of desire and exchange) of San Francisco.
You are a prosecutor, a private eye, a witness, collecting evidence, not knowing who you can trust, betraying your friends (enemies) to build your case.
Pursue a thread of desire that takes you to imaginary crime scenes beneath the skyline.
Those SFZero plotsters are sure to involve brilliant strategy schemes. And what better way to follow up than by heading to Bay Area Beatdr_p’s weekly techno party featuring Foundsound co-founder Miskate. Come out and play!
If you happen to be seeking sharp new listening material, head to Unfoundsound and download Dario Zenker’s free Black Sword EP. Also be sure to pick up Pantha Du Prince’s super fresh This Bliss from Dial.
January 16, 2007 at 2:51 pm · Filed under Architecture, Design
Photo by Art Gray
It’s a minimal match made in heaven: Tadao Ando, a pioneer of modern Japanese architecture, and Georg Jensen, one of Denmark’s best-loved design houses, joined forces in the creation of Jensen’s new Rodeo Drive boutique in Los Angeles.
According to an interview with Interior Design, Ando describes his vision for the 2,500 square-foot space as an aquatic environment with Jensen’s quintessential Danish design pieces emerging like “fireflies on the sea.” Ando designed the two longitudinal walls of acrylic tubes, punctuated by recessed display areas and backlit by over 100,000 LED lights to imbue the rectangular space with a cool sapphire glow. An oak floor connects the two walls with a series of simple white pedestal stands and spot lighting.
Ando is perhaps best-known for taking the most fundamental of geometric forms — whether it be a circle, square or triangle — and utterly transforming the shape with a razor-like precision which captures light, materials, and unusual spatial programming in a strikingly simple plan. He often refers to materials by their spiritual qualities, and some of his best works reflect a zen-like simplicity: his Water Temple in Hyogo and the Church of Light in Osaka are excellent examples. Ando has also won several awards, including the Pritzker Prize of Architecture in 1995.
January 11, 2007 at 2:04 pm · Filed under Design
Like many good things in life, a good piece of toast (often with Nutella and a cup of black tea) always brings a smile to my face. I recently discovered a site that captures the joys of toast in a philanthropic way: you can be a humanitarian, increase online traffic to your site *and* have snazzy toast too!
Your Name On Toast is a virtual donation pot for various charities to be chosen by site users. It’s a simple idea; in exchange for your donation, you’ll receive a piece of virtual “toast” with your name or URL written on it. The more you donate, the higher the position your crusty slice will receive in the toast gallery. The minimum donation is $30, and the site’s received over $4800 to date. My favorite one is the blackened toast (pictured above, far right).
www.yournameontoast.com
Personal toast recommendation: Sliced cinnamon twist loaf from Semifreddi’s, available at Rainbow.
January 9, 2007 at 5:52 pm · Filed under Design, Technology
It’s another gorgeous day in San Francisco, Macworld is in full swing, and Steve Jobs’ keynote address has sent fans everywhere raving. Both the iPhone and Apple TV, whose development has been rumored for months, were announced this morning.
I’m less moved by the prospect of my cell phone and iPod being combined than by the exciting potential of the iPhone’s multi-touch technology. I’m curious to see how Apple might implement this into future products, as it radically changes the way people interact with data, media and the web through breakthroughs in interface design and intuitive technology. It also reminds me of other recent advances, including Jeff Han’s presentation at TED.
These new directions signal Apple’s move away from the once defining “Computer” in its name — it’s now going for Apple, Incorporated — and its rapid conquest of the digital media market. Macworld always brings me back to my first introduction to computing, the 512K (”Fat Mac”, pictured above). Lightning fast at 128KB with a whopping 8MHz processor, it came with not one but *two* 400K floppy disk drives (the family splurged) and a black and white screen sporting 512 x 384 pixels for then-advanced graphics and gaming. All for $4000. Guess it’s never too late to start becoming nostalgic…
January 8, 2007 at 11:08 am · Filed under Music
What fun on Saturday night! Headed to 222 Hyde where Matt Sussman of Dry Hump, his brotherly Soft Pink Truth and Safety Scissors DJed a thrashing disco/house night (that’s them in that order from left to right, pictured above). Danced away with an elated Tenderloin crowd as well as Bottom Feeders David, Brian and Chris T… plus caught up with Overlap artist Nate Boyce and Martin of Matmos. Luckily, I was able to convince a few Twttrlings to come join us for the festivities too 
