Scrambling in Wales

Squeezing in some last minute training for my upcoming trek to Everest Base Camp, I went to North Wales with a couple of friends to climb Mt Tryfan, which is just over 3,000ft. I did this route 6 years ago, and had forgotten 'the fear'. It was actually great fun in some sections, but pretty scary in others. Ended the day with a celebratory portion of chips and peas - perfect!

Posted by: Yvette

My Booky Wook by Russell Brand

You either love him or hate him - a bit like marmite. If you're a fan then it's well worth a read. He talks very honestly about his life, and with his inventive use of the English language it's incredibly funny - you can hear him reeling off his crazy dialect as you read.

Posted by: Yvette

Stasiland by Anna Funder

Stasiland was my holiday read. It is about The German Democratic Republic when the days of communism ruled East Germany and how the infamous "STASI" affected the people living in it.

Taking on the formula of a novel, Stasiland is a collection of peoples stories from this time, former Stasi officers as well as victims of the regime, both groups who look back on the days of the GDR very differently.

The book is a captivating read and a great way to learn a little about the subject, it takes a humanistic approach to a very uncompromising time in history.

Posted by: Matt

A cut above!

I like the papercut work of Peter Callesen.

Using the most commonly used media format - the humble A4 sheet of paper - he's created some amazingly intricate work.

Just a sheet of paper, a scalpel, a bit of glue and a whole lot of patience.

See lots more at http://www.petercallesen.com/

Posted by: Bew

That's why Matt's gone to Iceland…

Yep, expect the bad weather, but the charm of Iceland and its people make it very easy to fall in love with the country.

The views in Iceland are exhilarating; it was great to see all the natural wonders of the country, the huge waterfalls, glaciers, geysers and best of all, the geothermal blue lagoon set amongst the black rocks of the barren lava fields.

Our base was Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital and biggest city (Population around 120,000 of Iceland’s 330,000). It's no metropolis but that’s the beauty of the place. Thriving cafes, high-energy pubs and clubs, and a brightly coloured old town with rows of wood-and-corrugated-tin houses cluster together in the compact city centre. The place has a very relaxed atmosphere (except at the weekend, when the inhabitants indulge in some serious heavy drinking in the 15 or so pubs and clubs). A phenomenal place and the best fish and chips I have ever tasted!

Unfortunately the weather was that bad the pics don't do the place much justice. But check out http://gasperak.com/iceland/1/ which shows the place in its full glory (see if you can see the elf behind that rock!)

Posted by: Matt

All hail the print ad!!

I’ve been impressed recently by how many print ads have caught my eye with some even stopping me in my tracks! Whether it's magazine or outdoor I truly feel that a lot of company’s are going ‘back to basics’.

First up is Galaxy’s promoting Sex And The City on DVD showing NYC buildings made out of their chocolate - simple and effective.

Second is Lurpak’s where they focus on the quality of food which should go with their butter. In this instance it’s a classic baked potato but not just any, it’s a baked potato that is cooked to its best in an oven not a microwave – it’s clever and quirky.

Finally, a brand that always seems to get things right is Selfridges. Their ad ‘Treat Yourself’ works so well and is a great play on their key brand elements which are so recognisable and iconic now. Isn’t it great when you can sit back and let a brand work for you? Keeping it consistent with a sprinkle of freshness is the key!

Posted by: Jemma

Oh No! The Wire has finished!

I've just finished watching series 5 of The Wire, which has kicked The Sopranos off its perch as the greatest TV show I've ever seen.

It's hard to describe The Wire without making it sound like hard work, but I've found a review by Guardian TV critic and professional malcontent Charlie Brooker that does the job very well.

As he says in his summing up, just watch it - it's f***ing brilliant!

Monkey DJ

In Stockholm I saw this window display in the Old Town....monkey, headphones, what’s not to love?!


Posted by: Dan

My Wedding!

I liked my wedding – held on Sat 23rd August – it was great fun!! I also love this picture – from top photographer Scott Morrison http://www.delahoyaphotography.com/

Posted by: Dan

A little bit of design history...

It's been 30 years since the Lego mini figure was launched!

Since 1978 the design has only been modified by a matter of millimetres which is testament to the quality of the original work.

Here’s a gallery of how they've developed over the years.

http://www.iconeye.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3344:lego

Posted by: Bew

The Radical Architecture of Little Magazines 196X–197X

Clip/Stamp/Fold

I didn’t hear about this event until only recently although I did find the subject very interesting with a very comprehensive website to boot. Clip/Stamp/Fold covers independent architectural magazines in the 1960s and 1970s which instigated a radical transformation in architectural culture with the architecture of the magazines acting as the site of innovation and debate.


Clip/Stamp/Fold: The Radical Architecture of Little Magazines 196X – 197X takes stock of seventy little magazines from this period, which were published in over a dozen cities. Coined in the early twentieth century to designate progressive literary journals, the term “little magazine” was remobilized during the 1960s to grapple with the contemporary proliferation of independent architectural periodicals. The terms “little” and “magazine” are not taken at face value. In addition to short-lived radical magazines, Clip/Stamp/Fold includes pamphlets and building instruction manuals along with professional magazines that experienced “moments of littleness,” influenced by the graphics and intellectual concerns of their self-published contemporaries.

http://www.clipstampfold.com/


Posted by: Matt

Tinsley Towers

Best Video Tinsley Cooling Towers Demolitian Official

After a cracking wedding party in Bakewell (Dan Kirby’s by the way), me and my wife decided that it would be fun to see the Tinsley Towers demolished, it was late anyway so why not. We got home and changed, made a flask of tea and off we went to see the destruction. We arrived and it looked like everyone from Sheffield wanted to see the spectacle as well. The whole thing happened really quickly and was a fantastic sight - especially when it looked as though it was going to fall on the M1! We witnessed a bit of history, well for Sheffield anyway, and was well worth the late night stop out.

Posted by: Richard

The Little Book of Big Excuses

A print company sent me this and I really like it:

It's a selection of the best (or worst) excuses when print hasn’t arrived. In all my years so far as a buyer of print I thought I’d heard them all! A few are a bit far fetched but loved the concept.

Posted by: Richard

A Postcard from Tinsley

I like these postcards which are intended to represent the Tinsley Cooling Towers as viewed and experienced from within the community of Tinsley.

Photographer, writer and digital artist Ali White engaged local residents in lengthy and often heated conversations – on the streets, in the bookies, the Fox & Duck, the local library, Tinsley Youth Club and Tinsley Green – about how they perceive the towers, what they mean to them, and the place they have had in their lives. All the quotations emerged from these encounters, and many of the photographs were taken by local people.

Here are some of the quotes – spoken in a true 'Yorkshire man’s' tone of voice:

“I like them being there. I don’t know if I like them, but they give me a homely feeling. It’ll look odd when they’ve gone.”

“We used to mess about down there by the canal with the lads from Park House High School playing kiss-catch and tallyho and kiddin on the Irish navvies that were building the viaduct to come down the club for a babycham. We must have been about 14.”

“They’re just stood there doing nowt.”

“When I was a little lad running around in this pub, people knew what Tinsley was about and expected it to stay that way. But a little lad running round in here now – what will Tinsley be about for him when he’s 40? And what will he know of what it used to be? It’s not about the towers. To me it was a crime when the old 600 gates came down. There’s a lot of history here, and it mustn’t be forgotten.”

Posted by: Linda

Dubai Tower

I first saw this story on the BBC’s website a while ago and it brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘Residential Property’!

Currently in Dubai they are constructing the World's first moving building, the 80-storey tower design is made up of 80 pre-fabricated apartments which will spin independently off one another.

Architect David Fisher recently commented in New York and explains, "It's the first building that rotates, moves, and changes shape, this building never looks the same, not once in a lifetime."

The building's apartments will spin a full 360 degrees, at voice command, around a central column by means of 79 giant power-generating wind turbines located between each floor. The slender building will be energy self-sufficient as the turbines would produce enough electricity to power the entire building and even feed extra power back into the grid.

The apartments, which will take between one and three hours to make a complete rotation, will cost from $3.7m to $36m. The skyscraper will cost an estimated $700m to build and should be up and running in Dubai in 2010.

Posted by: Jemma

BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN

Taking place during Batman's early days of crime fighting, this collection tells the story of a mysterious killer who murders his prey only on holidays. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month. This story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman's deadly enemy, Two-Face. A prominent story in the new batman movie. A real must read with phenomenal illustrations.


Posted by: Matt

Nick Cave on tour

In November the legendary Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are playing Sheffield for the first time ever, and thanks to DKPM’s ever-expanding Nick Cave fanbase a load of us will be going! Here they are on Later with one of my favourite tracks from their latest amazing album Dig, Lararus, Dig.




Posted by: Tom

The 1970s Scrapbook

I really like this book, The 1970s Scrapbook.

Compiled by Robert Opie, director of the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising, it's packed full of images of everything that was great about the 70s. And a few things that are best forgotten!

Makes me want to get my tank top on and go bombing about on my Chopper. Then settle down and watch Charlie's Angels with a can of Cresta.

Posted by: Paul M

PopArt Sneakers

How cool are these PopArt sneakers...

“They look like they’ve been drawn right onto your feet in a comic book style – love em!”

Posted by: Clare

Jemma steers the way!

I never imagined myself on the high seas, well on the Broads to be specific but a few weeks ago I did just that! I sported a captain's hat and took to the water on the Norfolk Broads with friends for a fun filled long weekend!

Living and sleeping on a 6 man boat was certainly an experience, especially when hair dryers and straighteners weren't allowed to avoid blowing the low watt fuse!!

Our trip started at potter's Higham and we floated and partly steered all the way to Oulton Broad, home to amazing scenery, friendly people and one of the best fish and chip suppers I’ve had! Poker straight hair was long forgotten and I would certainly do it again (perhaps with B&B reservations though!)

Posted by: Jemma

Mine’s a pint of peas please!

Down in the big smoke, the latest snacklet to accompany your pint is the fabulous wasabi pea! Usually served in generous “pint of peas” portions, the peas are small and seemingly innocuous. BUT they pack a nose tingling punch that’ll make your eyes water. They’re dried peas coated in wasabi paste (normally to be found in Japanese cuisine like sushi). Sounds horrific doesn’t it, but there’s a good reason the packet in this photo is empty... I can feel a wasabi pea eating competition coming on...

Posted by: Clare

Oxfam’s Questionnaire Made Fun

Don’t you dread it when people ask your opinion for a questionnaire? Well, I do! However this approach from Oxfam really removes the drudgery from the process.

Approached at Latitude Festival, I was asked – from a range of options including ‘Doom Merchants’ and ‘Apathy’ – what annoyed me: that I thought was ‘pants’. All you did was fill out a small postcard, and you got a badge saying ‘I think that X is pants’. Involving and interactive – and my daughter liked the pink pants on the badge...


Posted by: Dan

Time to think about the ‘Unthinkable’

I like this book – ‘Unthinkable’ – about how and why some people save themselves from disasters, and others don’t. I know it sounds a bit macabre, but it is a compelling read, taking in stories from 9/11 and many more. It not only relates how people saved themselves, but gives pointers to your ‘disaster personality’ and how you can do things to improve your chances of surviving.

Think it’s a waste of time reading that Airline Safety Card...? Think again. You have more power to survive in those situations than you realise. Read this book.

Only the paranoid survive!

Posted by: Dan

The Police: gig at MEN Arena

Expecting a nostalgic night where me and my little sis could reminisce to well-known tunes from our Dad’s record collection, we got rather more than we bargained for, with Sting wowing the ladeez in a tight see-thru top and some WICKED performances from three men old enough to BE our Dad in fact. Everything they does is magic...!

Posted by: Clare

Street Performers

We recently had a day out in London to celebrate our 7th birthday. After having such a superb lunch at the Wahaca restaurant in Covent Garden, we decided to take a stroll along the side of the river by the London Eye where we saw some fantastic street performers. The ones that caught my eye were these still statues that just looked amazing! We ended the day in style by sipping cocktails at the very chic Sanderson Hotel.

Posted by: Richard

Daft Hands - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Hey check this out! Crazy… be patient, it takes about a minute to get into it but when the lyrics go really fast its crazy.

Posted by: Clare

Eat me if you can...

Chocolate letter press

Something for all chocoholic type fanatics...
or I'll eat my words!

Posted by: Yvette

Fifty Designers' Current Favourite Typefaces

I like this little book from create/reject. 50 great designers have submitted their current favourite typefaces which have been compiled and turned into this book. It only costs £3 and 100% of the cover fee goes to UNICEF's Burma Cyclone Children's Appeal.

Contributers include Stefan Sagmeister, Eboy and Experimental Jetset to name but a few.

It's available from http://www.createreject.com/ and you can also buy one using paypal if you want to and it's for a very good cause!

Posted by: Bew

Sex and The City

Sex and The City (2008) Official Movie Trailer

My favourite shopping pal and I (AND she’s actually called Cari...!) spent the ultimate girly day out together:

1 – Shoe shopping
2 – TopShop shopping
3 – Ladies wot lunch
4 – Ladies wot blow-out on Ben & Jerry’s
5 – Settle into our “superior” style seats at the cinema to watch Sex and The City in glorious Technicolor
6 – Sob loudly and uncontrollably throughout the film
7 – Quick visit to Boots to reapply ruined faces

Whew what a day!

Posted by: Clare

British Council Newsletter (2005)

I admire the dedication of the Belgian designer Sara De Bondt. The newsletter, images as well as text, are rendered entirely by hand.

Printed in one colour on newsprint paper, size A5, 16 pages.

Hopefully they went easy with the amends.

Posted by: Matt