Mobile phones have completely erased the need for watches. At least that’s what I believed for the past decade. But then my buddy James tipped me off to Autodromo, a new line of vintage-inspired watches, and oh my! Founded to recapture the romantic era of motoring, Autodromo’s minimalist design and handmade aesthetic has me seriously reconsidering ever leaving my wrist naked again. Try-on and purchase info here.

As we creep towards 2012, we thought we’d pepper this month’s mixtape with some holiday laughs and a seasonable tune. But should this not be the most wonderful time of the year for you (I won’t play Andy Williams), we’ve got Tennis, That Work, new Joel P West and more. Bye, we’ll see you next year (thanks for the link Jules).

‘Tis the season to give back, and the San Diego arts and music community needs your support! Tonight, Sezio launches their 2012 Membership program, which helps our favorite non-profit make awesome all year long. (Remember this? Or this? Or this? You get the point.) For the reasonable price of $40, the Sezio Card gets you 10% off your tab at a bunch of rad local businesses including Starlite, Tiger!Tiger! and Bottlecraft, just to name a few. If that wasn’t already amazing enough, try these letterpress sketchbooks on for size. Oh no you didn’t!

This evening, they’re celebrating the 2012 Membership with a huge art show, delicious food truck fare and crafty cocktails (did someone say Moscow Mule?) at the Luce Loft from 7-11pm. The event is free, so come down and join us for a night of local art, music and culture!

There’s a Tumblr blog made for everything nowadays and sometimes it’s hard to keep up, but occasionally there’s one that stands out from the rest. Such is the case with Animals Talking In All Caps, a collection of random animal photos paired with delightful and sometimes morbid captions. If you don’t believe me, refer to the picture below.

Given I was at AMEX global HQ today, it got me thinking on all the successful social media partnerships they’ve done lately. None have been more impressive than with Foursquare. On so many levels, this integration wins – at the root, it aligns AMEX with supporting small businesses, all while rewarding consumers for checking-in to their favorite, local hotspots. Example: Just last week, I checked-in and ate at my favorite thai restaurant, noticed the deal and with a click of a button, $25 was credited back to my account. Win win.

Instagram has become my favorite social network because it feels light, yet delivers a richness (and radness) that makes sharing worthwhile. And although those photos look pretty on a hi-res screen, I’m still a believer that our best shots deserve a more permanent existence in the form of print. There’s more than one iPhone to print app out there, but I like what PostalPix is doing. It offers a number of print sizes (not just for the 4x4ers), but also pictures infused directly on scratch-resistant aluminum plates. I tested it out and was pretty stoked on the results. Next up? Photos from the craziest nights I can or can’t remember.

The other day I stumbled upon these cat sweaters designed by Joseph Aaron Segal and I was convinced that they weren’t for sale because they were just too good to be true. Upon further investigation, however, I discovered that they’re for sale on Etsy along with other cat merchandise. Naturally, I got excited and added one sweater to my mental wish list. If you’re shopping for the cat lover in your life, make sure you get this sweater. The recipient’s cat might even make it a cozy sleeping spot so essentially you’re getting one gift for two. Isn’t that successful holiday shopping?