When you think about packaging design and how it can be improved, egg cartons are probably not the first things that come to mind. But Hungarian designer Otília Andrea Erdélyi found a way to one-up the classic carton by creating innovative packaging using minimal material. More
These beautiful clothing pieces are from Humanoid’s fall/winter 2012 collection. Dutch label Humanoid is one of my favorite fashion brands as their clothing is stylish and very comfortable at the same time.
You can find their stockists here. Humanoid also has a webshop.
People are snobbier about their coffee than ever these days. Never have I heard the uncomfortable phrase ‘My Barista’ used in a sentence more than in the past couple of years. In the words of the late Whitney Houston ‘It’s not right, but it’s ok’. Coffee is pretty amazing and if chasing the perfect cup is a trend then so be it. While all the gadgets and paraphernalia are nothing new, the appetite for spending money on them has certainly rocketed. An Our Legacy button down or a Rapha Stainless Steel Espresso Temper? It’s tough out there right? Take a look at our list of the pretty and the useful in the world of coffee junk.
We featured this one a while back, the Kalita Drip in stainless steel. A Japanese design, better looking than its plastic bros, designed to be used with its very own wave filters. Handsome.
Yeah, more beautiful Japanese goods. Labour & White offers these in a few colours, brew up in the pot cowboy style if you like, this can be used straight on the hob.
Like a bit of milk in your coffee? Want your dairy all frothy eh? Well here’s the jug to whip up a storm in. Made from durable Cromargan stainless steel with a 20oz capacity, so slick.
The Aeropress may not be a looker but if anything on this list makes it into your kitchen it should be this. Fancy coffee shops keep them on hand and we continue to bang on about them because they don’t take up counter space, they’re cheap and they work every time.
So this exists. Designed in collaboration with the America Barista & Coffee School and bicycle components company Chris King, an espresso tamper with stainless steel base, and aluminum handle featuring “the iconic styling of a Chris King headset”. Oh, you a pro now.
This recipe is the perfect example of how a few killer ingredients can make a gorgeously creative and delicious dish without much going on in the way of effort.
The concept is simple: use chorizo, so full of garlic and paprika and its own natural drippings, to flavor the rest of the dish. So, I cut slices of dried, brilliantly red Spanish chorizo and layer them on top of a piece of cod. Here’s a chef’s trick: add a little olive oil to a small nonstick skillet on the stove. Place the fish, chorizo side up, in the hot pan and then put the whole thing in the oven. That way you have the chorizo crisping from the heat of the oven, and the bottom of the fish forming a golden crust from the heat of the pan.
After ten minutes, the fish is done, and the chorizo has rendered out its precious flavor into the bottom of the pan. That’s when I stir in canned cannellini beans, and heat them through in the drippings, to capture every last milligram of flavor. Then I stir in a simplified, easy basil and arugula pesto made with Pecorino cheese, a sharp sheep’s milk cheese that slightly mirrors the saltiness of Manchego and works so well with the chorizo. However, if tonight is not the night for using the food processor, just pick up some fresh basil pesto from the supermarket when you buy the fish. And don’t feel bad about it. The cheese melts, and the greens cling to the beans. The whole thing looks so beautiful, and is so impressive. And yet, the hardest thing in this recipe is arranging the chorizo on top of the cod.
Of course, as per the title of this column, when I test these recipes, I test them for two after work in my real life. Mr. English was on a business trip, so I saved all the food, wrapped it up, and took it to work for lunch with my colleague and friend. I had never cooked for him before, and was nervous. In the end, I think this was the perfect dish to start with. It’s one that looks like you really know what you’re doing, but also just has real flavor, and that’s a nice couple of attributes for something so easy to make.
From my weekly column Dinner for Two on Serious Eats. Check it out every Friday!
Chorizo Crusted Cod and Beans with Arugula Pesto
INGREDIENTS
1 clove garlic
1 cup arugula
1 cup basil
1/4 cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons
Salt and pepper
2 6-ounce pieces of cod
1 2-ounce piece of Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced
1 14.5-ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
PROCEDURE
Place the oven rack in the fourth position down from the top. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the garlic, arugula, Pecorino, and 1/4 cup olive oil in a mini food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Blitz until you have a pesto. If you don’t want to make pesto, just use 1/4 cup fresh store-bought pesto.
Season the cod with salt and pepper. Layer the thin slices of chorizo on the top of each fillet like the scales on a fish (sounds fiddly but it takes a minute). Add the 2 remaining teaspoons of oil to a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, carefully place the fish (with its chorizo scales facing up) in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on the stove, then transfer to the oven until the fish is cooked through—about 10 to 12 minutes.
Take the fish out of the skillet and set aside. Add the beans and 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet over medium heat. Heat until the water is evaporated and the beans are warm. Stir in the pesto. To plate, make a bed of the pesto beans, and top with the chorizo fish.
На территории сада Алнвик собраны все самые ядовитые растения мира. История места началась в 1750 году, когда опасные растения представляли ботанический интерес с точки зрения устранения врагов. Помимо опасных насаждений, в саду выращивают около 100 разновидностей наркотических растений. Экскурсия по саду проводится в сопровождении гида. Для сохранности от любознательных посетителей и воров часть растений размещена в клетках. Территория парка находится под круглосуточным наблюдением.
For as much as we enjoy spelunking the glorious and cavernous realm of Black Metal Serfwear, it is a gilded expanse bearing defiant designer price tags. This Hooded Scarf from Thom Krom is a nifty black blossom that offers a mutable dash of BMS at a very reasonable rate. Seems like it would go best with a something equally black on top, but given the lawlessness of the land, we would not be surprised to see it atop a naked torso. Oki-ni has it.
You remember that guide to London you read a week ago? Forget it. It takes more than saying ‘off the beaten track’ and hackneyed references to cobbled streets to make a worthwhile London guide. I’m going to walk you through some places in London that Londoners (read: me) actually visit.
See and read more of Jason Dike’s Alternative London guide…
You’ll be spoilt for choice for restaurants in London. Despite the abundance of choice, it’s still relatively rare to find somewhere that focuses on actual British food done well. I’ve had to defend English cuisine whenever we go abroad – the first place I bring up in our arguments is St Johns. It’s all worth eating but make sure you turn up for breakfast and try the bacon sandwich.
You know that unassuming place that serves great food? Of course you do, there’s one in every city. Cay Tre’s the place you take people to if you want to look like a real London insider. It’s so good I can’t even recommend one dish, you’ve gotta just go with whatever sounds the most delicious to you. Although if you’re trying to impress someone, just download their menu and pick the fanciest sounding dish. It never fails (or so I’ve heard).
If you’ve ever wanted to get your hands on classic issues of the Face and i-D, this shop is the place to do it. It’s not some nu-school ‘concept’ shop either. It’s stuffed full of old magazines, with everything from old NME (back when it actually called New Musical Express), ancient issues of Vogue to old movie posters. Prices aren’t extortionate either, so you’ll be bound to leave with a magazine or three.
By this point you should know all the London menswear stores, so I’ve had to choose something a little different. After you’ve gone to the Present’s, LN-CC’s, Goodhood, Anthem’s and Liberty’s our choice is The Vintage Showroom. SL have featured it before and if you go and take a look at the pictures, it’s easy to see why. It’s a menswear cornucopia. The kind of place thats so good you’ll actually use the word ‘cornucopia’. Not much will fit, mind, but any menswear enthusiasts should lose hours in this store.
Imagine a bookstore in your brain. It’s probably big and wood filled right? It’s probably got reference books so big you need a crane to lift them right? Daunt is that bookshop. There’s a few branches but I recommend the one on Marylebone High Street for (a) the amazing layout and decor and (b) to see how wealthy the locals are.
Stacked full of rare and interesting second hand books on design, drink, film, fashion and history, Henry Pordes books is the shop SL would launch. And that’s the greatest compliment. If you want proper old school England inside a bookshop, then here’s the place to go – they’re so authentic their website looks like it was created in 1998.
This is a relatively recent film, but it’s an underappreciated one that blows the bloody doors off nonsense like About A Boy. The premise is simple enough: an alien invasion hits a council estate in London and the results are funny, scary at times and touching in the right moments. It gets a bit Guardian at times, but don’t let that put you off.
A lesser known film from 1981, this is every bit as stylish as Quadrophenia. Focusing on a mechanic who fronts a reggae sound system by night, the film’s overriding theme is about race in London in the ’80s. I don’t want to ruin it by saying anymore, but anyone who likes film, style and film style should watch this.
Important notice for all those visiting London:
Stand on the right hand side on the escalators. The left side’s for people who want to walk up. British people will silently hate if you come over here and stand on the left. And, being British, they’ll express their hate via tutting and an exasperated ‘excuse me’. Then we’ll talk loudly about ‘bloody tourists’ when we’re out of earshot.
Over the course of the last year, I’ve managed to slowly kill any plant that I bring into the house. I’m not sure what’s happening, but anything green that crosses my doorstep ends up brown and in the trash a few months later. It got me thinking that I should perhaps embrace being plant-free for a while (which makes me sad to even type) or find an alternative. I’m not normally a fan of plush anything, but these little stuffed fabric plants from Sian Keegan are adorable. Sian made them as an option for people who live in spaces that lack natural light or have animals that like to chew on plants. I think one or two of these on a desk or tabletop would be super cute. There is a huge range of options, all of which require absolutely no gardening skills to maintain. Maybe just a light dusting now and then. Click here to check out and shop Sian’s full collection online. And a big high five to anyone who can resist ordering a custom plush version of their pet while browsing Sian’s shop. xo, grace
XO-in my room is a new Spanish (thanks Agata!) furniture label for kids. It is a venture of three brothers who have combined their passion for well designed furniture, their love for high quality materials and their craftsmanship and started designing and making beautiful children’s furniture. Between the three of them they have 10 children so you can say that they are experts on the subject!
You can visit their store here and see all items available. Everything here is handmade with love and care!
Along with plastic utensils, bottles, packaging and other seemingly “disposable” everyday items, toothbrushes are just one more non-biodegradable article that adds to our oversized environmental footprint. As soon as our frilly friends start to look a little sad, we chuck them into the waste bin without a second glance, sending them to an eternity of landfill limbo. Granted, a world without toothbrushes would indeed be an ugly one (for entirely different reasons), but there must be something better than the chunky plastic monstrosities that line drugstore shelves around the country.
Enter wooden toothbrushes. Carried wherever cute, eco-conscious housewares are sold, wooden toothbrushes from brands like Izola offer a wonderfully earth-friendly alternative to the standard drugstore kind. They’re just as effective but biodegradable and light-years more attractive.
Unfortunately, the very material that makes these guys such an eco-friendly catch might also be their downfall. Their absorbent, porous wood handles make these toothbrushes perfect targets for the water and grime that lurk deep within toothbrush holders and bathroom cups. As I reached for my handy wooden toothbrush a few days into its use, I realized that, to my horror, its bottom was entirely soaked with whatever toothpaste/spit/bacteria-laden concoction lay on the floor of its holder. And just like that, my love affair with the wooden toothbrush was killed.
That is, until I discovered Plasti-Dip! This miraculous craft material, featured a few months back on another D*S DIY, is great for covering tools with a sturdy coat of rubber, but it’s also perfect for adding a watertight, non-absorbent base to my wooden toothbrushes. Huzzah! Problem solved!
Creating your own rubber-tipped toothbrush is remarkably simple. Just follow the steps below and you, too, will be on your way to happier, healthier and more eco-friendly teeth! — Max
Materials
1 can of Plasti-Dip “Create Your Own Color.” This kit comes with a can of Plasti-Dip and five pigments. These can be purchased online or at most home improvement stores.
A wooden skewer, toothpick, spoon or other implement to stir the pigments.
Another cup for holding the toothbrushes while they dry.
Instructions
1. Lay down some newspapers on a table in a well-ventilated area and set your supplies out. The task isn’t very messy, but better safe than sorry!
2. After choosing which colors you would like to mix, open your Plasti-Dip can and pour a small amount (up to the point you will be dipping your toothbrush) into your paper cup. Be sure to put the cap back on your Plasti-Dip can immediately to avoid excess thickening or drying.
3. Add your pigment (or pigments if you are mixing) to your paper cup. Only a few drops are necessary for a nice, rich color, but more or less can be added for different results. Mix thoroughly with your spoon, trying to avoid too many air bubbles.
4. Place your toothbrush (handle side down, of course) straight down into your mixture. Hold for about a second and lift slowly until it resurfaces. Allow any excess paint to drip off.
5. Holding your toothbrush near its head, bring it to a horizontal level and twist it around slowly, almost as if on a rotisserie. Continue this motion for about a minute, or until the rubber seems sufficiently solidified. This will help you avoid uneven distribution of the rubber and any unsightly “nipples” on the brush’s tip.
6. Place your toothbrush upside down in a short cup. Allow to dry for at least four hours before handling.
7. Throw away any excess Plasti-Dip. And presto! A functional — and beautiful — wooden toothbrush!
NOTE: While Plasti-Dip is safe to handle in its dried state, please use caution when handling it wet. Do not allow Plasti-Dip to contact any area of the toothbrush that will be used in the mouth, and refrain from chewing or ingesting the material once it is dried. For those leery of Plasti-Dip’s ventilation requirements, wooden toothbrushes can also be waterproofed with everyday materials like acrylic paint or nail polish.
Случайно набрела на итоги некого конкурса молодых дизайнеров под названием Tokyo Midtown award. Сайт весь на японском, поэтому, простите, не скажу какое было т.з., но в результате мы имеем отличную вилку-руку, на которую, к тому же, вроде макароны удобней наматывать (но даже если и нет,… читать дальше
Japanese label The Letters present some sound looks for Fall Winter 2012. Skeletal model aside, this is the kind of solid collection that makes us wish we’d covered the brand earlier. Denim, linen, ankle length trousers and casual tailoring, a touch of the ever popular hobo look and some strong similarities with labels such as nonnative, one to keep an eye on.
UNIQLO today announced the end of its collaborative collection with designer Jun Takahashi’s Undercover line. The UU (UNIQLO x Undercover) line, which debuted this past Spring 2012, will deliver the final collaborative collection for Fall Winter 2012 on August 31 through UNIQLO retail locations.
Fans of Takahashi’s work will certainly embrace the final collections aesthetic and color choices – both of which lean closer to the Undercover side of design than that of Spring 2012. The men’s and women’s collection bring a palette of wine, olive, gray and black alongside the use of HEATTECH and other signature fabrics.
The collection will certainly do very well when it delivers at UNIQLO doors globally. Internally, we are curious to see who UNIQLO collaborates with next for their special collections.
This holiday home is located on the idyllic Balearic island of Formentera, Spain. The owners renovated this old farmhouse with respect to the island’s traditional architecture. The feeling of tranquility was achieved by using just a few furniture pieces, most of them found during their travels around the world. In general, the interior style can be defined as modern rustic with influences from the Provence and Greece but also from Argentina.
Today we have an exquisite Greek goddess wedding inspiration shoot to show you from Jose Villa. Don’t you just love the natural flow of this gorgeous Samuelle gown in the wind? The olive halo hairpiece and striking gold jewelry compliment the flowy Greek goddess wedding dress perfectly. And of course we love her natural wedding hair and makeup. Stunningly beautiful!
We could eat ice cream three times a day in late July and August, and while we don't usually indulge those cravings, we do love making homemade ice cream to share with friends.
I love the colorful tiles used in countries such a Morocco and Turkey. They come in a variety is colors, shapes and patterns and I will be displaying a few in a series of posts starting today.
The blue and green shades are my favorites but the small zelliges are available in many colors (see last image).
Emerie & Cie, with shops in Belgium, France and the UK, has a large collection of Moroccan tiles.
I have posted about Katrin Aren’s home before but I found some new images of her beautiful house in Italy which fit perfectly in my summer series. Katrin has made most of the furniture herself. These gorgeous pieces are also for sale. Each piece is unique and handmade, using materials reclaimed; from derelict country houses, from cellars, and from carpentry studios.
Oh well hello, dream knives. It may seem weird that a knife could be the object of one’s dreams, but if I’m going to dream about kitchen utensils, they’re sure as heck going to be striped. These beautiful Florentine Kitchen Knives are the work of Tomer Botner, an industrial designer from south Tel Aviv, Israel. As a final project at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Tomer created these knives, which are the result of a collaboration between Tomer and 17 different craftsmen, professionals and suppliers. Named after the Florentine neighborhood in Tel Aviv, Tomer’s knives are actually comprised of stacked discs that the user can add or subtract to control the weight of the knife. As someone with small hands, I like having the ability to adjust items like this. So often standard kitchen knives come heavily weighted, and that can feel awkward if you have hands that are on the petite side. So I think Tomer is on to something great here.
Like most student work, these aren’t for sale yet, but Tomer is hoping to get the project out there so that anyone interested in funding this series can help with the production. Until they’re available (I’ll update the post as soon as they are), you can check out the production process on Tomer’s blog right here. And if you’d like to contact Tomer about production or funding help, click here to email. I sure hope these make it to the market — they’re gorgeous. xo, grace
IKEA sell some weird non-furniture related business but this latest offering seems to make the most sense. Building your own wardrobe is a right pain, nothing more depressing then spending an evening with an Allen key. Cheer up, here’s something worth filling that over-sized blue bag with. ‘Öl Mörk’, a 4.7% ‘dark lager beer’ from the company that brought you BESTÅ, FRAMSTÅ and the ever popular BILLY. We’ve yet to review ourselves but initial noises suggest a surprisingly decent drink. Bring on the £3 meatballs.
INGREDIENTS
Over the course of the last year, I’ve managed to slowly kill any plant that I bring into the house. I’m not sure what’s happening, but anything green that crosses my doorstep ends up brown and in the trash a few months later. It got me thinking that I should perhaps embrace being plant-free for a while (which makes me sad to even type) or find an alternative. I’m not normally a fan of plush anything, but these little stuffed fabric plants from Sian Keegan are adorable. Sian made them as an option for people who live in spaces that lack natural light or have animals that like to chew on plants. I think one or two of these on a desk or tabletop would be super cute. There is a huge range of options, all of which require absolutely no gardening skills to maintain. Maybe just a light dusting now and then. Click here to check out and shop Sian’s full collection online. And a big high five to anyone who can resist ordering a custom plush version of their pet while browsing Sian’s shop. xo, grace
We could eat ice cream three times a day in late July and August, and while we don't usually indulge those cravings, we do love making homemade ice cream to share with friends.
Oh well hello, dream knives. It may seem weird that a knife could be the object of one’s dreams, but if I’m going to dream about kitchen utensils, they’re sure as heck going to be striped. These beautiful Florentine Kitchen Knives are the work of Tomer Botner, an industrial designer from south Tel Aviv, Israel. As a final project at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Tomer created these knives, which are the result of a collaboration between Tomer and 17 different craftsmen, professionals and suppliers. Named after the Florentine neighborhood in Tel Aviv, Tomer’s knives are actually comprised of stacked discs that the user can add or subtract to control the weight of the knife. As someone with small hands, I like having the ability to adjust items like this. So often standard kitchen knives come heavily weighted, and that can feel awkward if you have hands that are on the petite side. So I think Tomer is on to something great here.
Like most student work, these aren’t for sale yet, but Tomer is hoping to get the project out there so that anyone interested in funding this series can help with the production. Until they’re available (I’ll update the post as soon as they are), you can check out the production process on Tomer’s blog right here. And if you’d like to contact Tomer about production or funding help, click here to email. I sure hope these make it to the market — they’re gorgeous. xo, grace
