Love the futuristic way Toyota envelopes the passerby and engages them in the Prius story. I almost sat down. Very few automakers had areas like this.
It's a shame Toyota was near the entrance. It would have been better towards the back, where people could take a break from walking and learn more.
I know austerity is important but the 'living room' set up at the Infinity display should have furniture that's a little higher end than Ikea. Maybe it's me.
You too can drive a Lexus, kids. Way to seed affinity in the under 35 market.
I was sooooo disappointed with the Fisker area. It was one of the vehicles I really wanted to see up close. They treated it as a closed/by-appointment-only showroom, with the cars 10 feet from the ropes with buxom pitbulls guarding the vehicles from the riff raff. Not a good impression. It feels as though they took someone else's place.
I admit that I didn't see Transformers so I'm unclear of the connection with Camaro. But it sure looked cool. And people got their picture taken with it. Score.
Scion had one of the best displays at the show. Each panel contained a rolled up screen, likely a projector or an LCD. Behind each one was a car. The panels opened and closed, revealing different cars. I also liked the fact that they didn't show any basic models; they showed tuned versions of all of their cars. Very hot.
Check out this display with another one from Toyota earlier on. I liked how Toyota labeled all of the major areas of the powertrain. This one just looks like parts on display without signage.
This is the first in a series of pictures from the NY Auto Show.
I'm less focused on the cars and am more interested in the marketing / displays, which makes sense given my communications background.
I think it was Oprah (!) that said that people reveal themselves pretty early on in a relationship – be that friendship or romantic. Even as babies, our personalities remain remarkably similar to the 1 month old version; ask any mother. Are we prone to fussiness? Anger? Good natured?
My recent falling out with a friend of mine took place in a spectacular fashion and just now I remember an incident that occured when we really started our friendship.
In my life, I've never seen anyone throw a drink in someone's face. I thought it was something that only happened on television or movies – a sprinkling of drama, so to speak. But that's what my friend did in the early days of us spending time together. On a warm summer Tuesday night, said friend did that to a stranger who resented my friend's intrusion into his conversation. I thought to myself – wow, did that really happen? I was so dismayed and embarrassed, I didn't know where to look. I thought – I wonder if that will happen to me one day.
And so it did. Funny thing is now it kinda feels like this picture.
I'm not someone that needs to be the center of attention, although I can work the spotlight quite well when it's on me. I tend to be pretty easy going 99% of the time and indulge those who do need the spotlight. But over time, it's hard not to get angry when the spotlight pees on your feet repeatedly. You know, setting up a plan then changing everything to indulge that person's quirky schedule that just can't be changed. Or conversations that always seem to end up being about the spotlight, no matter what the topic.
There could be a bit of sour grapes. We are all susceptible to the green eyed monster, especially when things have been difficult. I think all friendships change when one person does well while the other is rebuilding. But I always thought that stuff like that shouldn't get in the way of a friendship – especially when things were down before they were up and that friend was there for you both in the bad and the good times. Looks, money and power are all fleeting. Just ask Madoff's victims. If you let it go to your head, you will eventually lose. I've seen it first hand many times.
Alas, there comes a time when breaking free from someone else's orbit is a good thing – no matter how painful it is and how close you used to be. I'm sorry to see such a close friend go. But our relationship needed to change in order for it to be sustainable. I'm sorry it had to happen in such a dramatic fashion. But maybe dramatic was the only way it was going to end.
Que sera sera.
This post will kick off a 'eureka' moment. The launch of a new blog focused on blueberries called 'Blueberries Yum.'
It will discuss all of the different ways of using blueberries in yummy and maybe not so yummy ways. Cooking, drinks, pictures, etc. All dedicated to my favorite berry. I will cross post some stuff to the GSlashMitch blog, don't you worry.
This cocktail was devised by James, a new bartender at the Temple Bar on Lafayette. Great period-ish bar.
Update: It appears that blueberry yum (yum) is also a variety of wacky weed. Hmm...
I'm standing
On one side of the bridge
and you are standing on the other
we used to meet in the middle
and now we are far apart
the fog comes in and obscures the view
but I can still see you in the distance
then bit by bit
stones fall
and soon the bridge collapses
I can't touch you
I can't hold you
And soon you disappear
it's over
over
over
Every so often in this city, you turn a corner and you see something that shakes your reality.
Often times, it's new juxtaposed with new. In this case, it's the merging of two cultures. At the ground floor of this Chinese building lies a Starbucks. Classic.
I must admit that I am not a big snowboarder but if I need to learn to be able to ride this thing, I will. Can you imagine cruising the streets of NYC on this? Or anywhere really. SWEET!
Hat tip [Gizmodo]
Last night I lost a friend.
Not in a physical sense but an emotional sense. Will our friendship return? I don't know. Maybe we had been drifting apart and didn't realize how few threads connected us nowadays. Or maybe it was due to excessive alcohol consumption.
All I know is I'm sad. I feel empty. The space he lived won't be filled any time soon.
I'll be looking for a lighter colored coat next season. Right now I have a navy pea coat and a navy overcoat but this winter needs to be lighter and more fun. Here's an idea from Calvin Klein.
Hat tip [Men's Style.com]
I don't know which season this is from but I really like this combination.
The camel toggle coat looks simple yet sophisticated. Pared with the bow tie and the deck shoes, I think it could be fun. It's not likely that I'll adopt the bow tie but a pair of dark red shoes would work.
Hat tip [Men's Style.com]
P.S. Sorry for the low res of these pictures. iPhone limitation.
I don't have many suits. In fact, I have one. It's not because I don't like them but I rarely have the occasion to wear them – what with me working from home and communications being a business casual industry.
I've been reading about warm grey being a good color for men to adopt. This suit looks like a great candidate. I like the drape and the color.
Hat tip [Men's Style.com]
I believe the pants are made from the same fabric as the jacket and coat posted earlier. I like this color grey.
Hat tip [Men's Style.com]
I blogged about the coat earlier on in the year. Here's the jacket. I need to check out the store here in NY. Love it.
Hat tip [Men's Style.com]
Thanks to Style.com's iPhone app, I had the chance to check out some of the men's shows. These are some looks I'm interested in working this fall.
Hat tip [Men's Style.com]
I used an iPhone program called ColorSplash to produce this picture. It allows you to selectively add/subtract color from an image.
I found the process to be surprisingly easy to manage, considering I did the entire thing using my finger. I think that's one reason the iPhone is capturing the imagination of artists and photographers. The ability to pan/zoom makes the device quite powerful.
I'm looking forward to the arrival of a higher resolution camera, as whispered by the iPhone gossip blogs.
It's hard to snap a picture on the move but spring has officially sprung. It got up to 65 today. Would have felt a little better were I totally healthy.
Someone put together a 'what color are you' quiz on Facebook. Cornflower blue is my color. So this posting is in honor of this 'colorscope'. The listing is below...
"Hey it's ok, don't be fooled by this powder blue color. One first sight people look at you and think you are just good looking and they're right, but there is much more they dont see on the surface. You enjoy life and know how to have fun, but when you have a job to do, you get it done and never falter"
A 'behind the scenes' look at drawing on an iPhone. Wow.
Wow... had no idea this existed. What an amazing 'instrument.' And to think that people program sounds like these.
Hat tip [Boing Boing]
Wow. That's all I have to say.
Well I'll say a little more. The next gen iPhone supports Bluetooth streaming audio. For cars and car stereos who have that function, it means one is able to stream audio directly from their phone to their car stereo. No more cables. Well no more cables to the top of the device. One will still need a charger since doing so wastes precious battery life. Awesome news though. Look forward to its' implementation. And a car in which to use it.
Hat tip [TUAW]
It's thunder and lightning tonight in NYC. The dog is not happy about it, as usual. He just came in and is sitting by my feet. Sounds like it's going to be a crazy storm. Cool. Hope no one gets hurt but it's one thing I do like about living out here.
A reader writes:
One of the most powerful lessons of history was certainly played out in the 43 year period between the end of Word War II and 1988. By the end of that time, it was completely obvious that people living under communism were not doing as well as most people living under some form of capitalism (at least in Europe). This became well known to the folks living in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, and contributed greatly to the downfall of communism, among other factors.
For the last 21 years, we have been following a similar social experiment between different styles of capitalism: more regulated and less regulated. Several western countries including Ireland and Iceland, as well as some of the Baltic countries, got rid of many regulations, particularly regulations regarding finance. For a while, their economies were shining stars, but now they are a mess. The US and Britain, the least regulated large economies, are now suffering greatly as well from the financial bubble. While Old Europe (to steal a phrase from Don Rumsfeld) is not nearly as affected by the recent debacle.
Are we beginning to learn another one of history's lessons?
It's been cold here in NYC. This morning I actually had to wear a scarf. I woke to the 20s. Brr!
But my spirit remained strong that Spring is on its' way. These flowers helped. I'll take a picture of the Daffodils that have sprouted and bloomed in the last few days.
I don't relish the pollen but I love Spring.
One of the wonders of travel is stumbling upon little flashes of coolness in the most unexpected places.
My associate and I were driving about in the wiles of the Kansas City Metro area then *bam* out pops a Geodesic dome. I haven't seen one in a long long time. It looked totally natural and at piece in the surroundings.
Time flies! I can't believe it's Wednesday already. I've been in Kansas City since Monday. KC is an interesting place, at least on the face of it. It's been hard hit by the recession, with lots of homes for sale/rent. Quite a few empty storefronts. I guess it's like the rest of America but everyone looks so unhealthy. I'm working on a diet study and if there's any group in need of one, it's folks in this town.
As a NY'er I haven't been in many WalMarts outside of visits related to work. The two in KC that we've visited are HUGE. Easily as wide if not wider than as a NYC avenue.
I know this is a silly idea. But in the spirit of getting Americans to shape up, I would love to see WalMart and other big box retailers integrate a track or dedicated walking space around their stores. Right now, it seems as though the only exercise many WalMart shoppers get is shopping. Might as well make it part of the experience. They could offer a 1% discount off your groceries for each lap.
Slide is a city car for one individual, in which you do not sit but stand. The low cross-section should be effective against the parking situations of tomorrow. Unnecessary empty rides of one individual in a car with two or four seats belongs to the past. Through an open design and the upright position during the ride, the user are able to communicate with the other participants of traffic in a special way. They are in an equal position of eye height with pedestrians and cyclists.
As you know I support alternative transportation visions. But if I had to chose between this and a Smart, I'd chose the Smart. What this concept lacks is storage. There is none. I don't see where even a basket can be attached. Plus do I want to be standing all the time?
I think the designer envisioned a cross between a Segue and a scooter. This design needs more refinement for it to be practical.
But it looks cool so why not.
Hat tip [Industrial Design Served]
As a New Yorker, one forgets that grocery shopping is different in the rest of the country. No one has to carry their groceries home or get them delivered. They don't have to make due with tiny shopping carts. Their shopping carts don't have to do odd maneuvers to get through the aisles. And stores have tall wide shelves that have almost endless varieties of basic products.
Packaging is something I pay a lot of attention to as a consumer and a marketing professional and I have to say that Publix has some of the best private label packaging I've seen. It's like taking home one's groceries from Real Simple magazine, which was clearly the inspiration. The design is simple and almost Apple like. Mouth watering appetite appeal. Modern photography and illustration. Really well done.
To be fair, private label goods do not have to merchandize their wares. The store is the brand and your acceptance of the product is based on your trust in the store. That's why they can get away with not having call-outs, banners, bullets, and other things that differentiate their offerings. But with the cacophony of the grocery shelf, these products are a breath of fresh air. It's no wonder that private label products are surging.
Wouldn't you want to have this box on your shelf, table or pantry? Just owning it makes you feel wealthier and more cultured, even though you may have paid a third less than for national brands.
I also have to give a shout out to Cascadian Farms, located just to the right of the Publix brand. A little more stark but just as appealing.
Love these old signs. One of the few things I miss about Phoenix is the penetration of mid-century signs, especially in the Central Ave corridor and in Mesa.
One thing that is intriguing about this is its' endurance. It looks dated yet contemporary at the same time. What will the legacy of the 00's have on the American landscape?
I have a brutal schedule here in Atlanta. 8.30 start. Three interviews a day, ranging from 10a to 8p. Roughly an hour in between each one. My writing hand is so tired; I don't think I've written this much since my college finals.
It got me thinking about one of the things I cherish more than anything when I'm in-field. Silence. I've returned to the room and I want nothing but quiet. The only thing I hear is the occasional neighbor, the HVAC fan and some faint traffic noise. That's it. It's glorious. The last thing I want to do is have a conversation with someone – be that online or off.
In fact, when I'm not in NY, I realize how noisy the city can be. The ventilation fan for the ground floor restaurant turns on at 8am and goes off anywhere from 1 to 3 in the morning. I hear random phone conversations and laughter outside. My dog goes nuts when he hears anything out of the ordinary – growling and woofing a few times a day.
So while my schedule is rough, these hours of silence are heaven sent.
