Archive for November, 2010

Holiday Matinee’s November Mixtape!

Although we nearly dropped some “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems” after watching Dee’s Diddy Boat Dance, we thought about what so many of you have been saying you like about our mixes. We remind you of the classics (both old and new), but always manage to work in a little fresh produce along the way. This month you’ll definitely be getting that with music from The Beatles, The Smiths and Brenton Wood. But you’ll also be privy to some new selections too. What are you waiting for? Share with everyone you know!

Get out your quill pen, these greeting cards are classy

Okay, so it might be a little too early to talk about holiday greeting cards, but I’m the kind of person who thinks ahead. I stumbled upon Beau Ideal’s Etsy shop, and I’m obsessed with these handmade cards (there is even a Spanish box set!). If you’re in need of a unique gift or if you just love sending snail mail, the artist offers a Paper Guild Monthly Membership which delivers original handmade surprises (think cards and hand-bound notebooks) at the beginning of every month. I’d be delighted to open cards like these any time of the year.

We’re featured on Pulse!

Do you use the Pulse app for iPad or iPhone? If so, you’ll now find us as a featured source and under the Art & Design category (we’re pretty excited about this). But if you’re unfamiliar, Pulse is an elegant news reader application for mobile devices. It allows you to pull all your favorite sources together and browse with vibrant panning story bars. The cool story behind Pulse is that it was actually born out of frustration at the mobile reading experience for a Stanford University course. Way to do something about it if you don’t like something! Pulse became a best-selling app and we totally recommend it. And not just because they had the good sense to let us join their inner circle.

Beer geeks, this one’s for you.

Maybe I’m still buzzed from San Diego Beer Week, but I am quite fond of this poster by Pop Chart Lab, which blends two of my favorite things: infographics and enthusiasm for beer. Besides neatly organizing major brew styles, the chart also cites examples of each quaff, creating the perfect beer bucket list for you and your suds-swigging crew. All of PCL’s posters are printed on recycled stock and hand-signed by the duo in Breuckelen, and if you prefer Biggie over Belgians, they’ve got a taxonomy of rap names poster as well. Word up! [via World Famous Design Junkies]

The creative mosaic of music making

This week, I was lucky enough to attend a screening for the new documentary about Feist, “Look at What The Light Did Now.” The film follows the recording of Leslie Feist’s 2007 album The Reminder, and includes interviews with her “amplifiers” —  everyone involved in the creative process, from laying down tracks to designing album artwork. I especially loved seeing how Montreal artist Clea Minaker developed the shadow puppetry that Feist’s live shows are famous for. If you like her music, or if you’re just interested in seeing an awesome artistic movie, you should check it out.

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Say awesome in another language

Here at HM, you’ve probably noticed that our favorite word is awesome. As it turns out, the word is really old. Awesome was first used circa 1600 to mean profoundly reverential. By the 1670s it had come to mean inspiring awe and by 1961 it was just another word for impressive. The 80s saw the term popularized, most notably in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

That quick history lesson got me wondering how I’d say awesome in other languages, so below you’ll find approximate translations in Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Swedish, Greek, Dutch and Italian. You know – just in case you ever need to bust it out. If you’ve got others or an improvement on those listed, leave them in the comments. That would be, well, awesome.

Say Awesome In A Different Language

The Pantone appreciation stays strong and stylish

We’ve discussed the Pantone Mugs and the Pantone Hotel here before, but in case you haven’t heard, there are also Pantone cufflinks! Accessory designer Sonia Spencer created a special collection of cufflinks featuring twenty two Pantone spot colors. I personally wouldn’t find any use for these since I hardly wear blouses, but I love them, anyway. They’re two steps below a crazy color wheel neck tie, so they’re much more subtle solutions for showing off your color appreciation. Which color (or colors) would you get?

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