Business weeks annual IDEA awards for outstanding designs and innovations is out. They have 108 projects documented, some great, some stunning, some just ok in my mind. One that popped out for me was the Sushi Plate by Mint Inc. Take a browse at the winners here.
food
While in nyc I went down to St. Marks street to grab some grub with some friends at Kenka, a spunky, fun, and wildly popular japanese restaurant streaming with a vibrant crowd of college students and visitors curious about the oddly colorful and punk like scene, though I think the whistling grandmother logo and beaver-like red eyed mascot really caught my curious attention. I’d been to a like place nearby, Yakitori Taisho, right down the street, but thought I’d give this find a try. The wait to get in took some time, but it was worth evey second.
As for the restaurant, the staff was jazzy, the environment was fun and spontaneous, the bizarre menu was full of delicious and surprising items, and the prices just rocked! A bowl of edamame for $1, Seaweed salad $2, japaneses pancake $4, smoked salmon $5, sapporo beer for $1.50!!! The best part was their dessert. Instead of the traditional mint, or chocolate candies, they give you a little bucket of red suger to toss into their cotton candy machine at their entrance. You toss it in, grab a chopstick, and spin it till you have a fluff of carnival like candy to munch on. Kenkas is a great place to kick it with friends and munch down on some fast, hot, and tasty japanese food. If your in nyc, give it a try!
So I walked into Wholefoods today and did my regular routine, picked up my usuals and a few surprise items, but as I walked over to the the cereal section, I saw an empty spot!!!! My new favorite cereal was sold out! I was devastastd over a cereal! Seriously, if you have not tried this cereal (Kashi: Organic Promise, Strawberry Fields) you are missing out. .. it’s crispy, flavorful, and yummy. It’s seriously delicious and I’ve become an addict. Anyhow, I had to resort to the Cinnamon Harvest this week, which is also tasty.
If your in the Boston/Cambridge area this memorial weekend, swing by Club Passim and check out their Campfire music series weekend of jazzin bluegrass, folk, and plain rockin great acoustic music. While chillin to some great music, enjoy some awesome vegan food at Veggie Planet. I’m no vegan, but their dishes are sensational.
I’ve been playing around with Glad’s innovative product “Press’n Seal” which is a super easy to use plastic wrap for food or pretty much anything. As it’s called, you simply press around the edges, and a seal is formed on any surface, even holding water or pressed air. I’ve played around with the material a bit have to say it’s hard to let go of. Once you start playing with it, you’ll start to get ideas for other applications for this post-it note like flexible material. Go buy a roll, cut it up, blow air into it, and think up another million dollar idea.
I first experienced Googles awesome snack bar at TED2006, though the one at TED was twice as big as this image. Anyhow, that leads me to another reminder of how great Google is (Google life video). Besides their free laundry, shuttles, services, snacks, and fun environment is their cafeteria food. Yeah I know, cafeteria food can be pretty bad, especially at large companies but take a look at this google food blog and start to get jealous. (nothing fancy, but for a cafeteria, it seems like a visit to Wholefoods daily)
Here’s another clever combo of products. A waterbottle, solor panel, and LED light source. If your a camper of any sort, you’ll find this Sollight useful. Walk around during the day, let the solar panel charge, and light up the LED for 8-10 hours once you hit up camp. I’m not sure how bright it is, but I’ve seen some blazing bright leds lamps recently.
Here’s a rather ingenious little invention! An adjustable cap on hot sauce! I’d somewhat wonder how great this works compared to 2-3 separate bottles, but it’s good food for thought in the ever clustered world of options. Reminds me of Barry Schwartz and his book “Paradox of Choice”, where he explains, more choice or excessive choice can be bad!
Here’s an interesting, perhaps fun ad on a cup! You position the cup, drink from it, and whala, you have a new nose and lip. The ads for plastic surgery and I’m sure it’ll capture a few customers, though, I think kids will have more fun swapping cups..perhaps a collectible .
via frederiksamuel
ddb Canada (the ad firm)
update: seems these cups (ripoff) are available for purchase now.
You know those manholes that steam up on cold mornings in nyc… We’ll now everytime you see them, you’ll think think about hot steaming Folgers coffee. I’m not sure if these ads are real, but seems like a great idea!!
One of my favorite commercials was the “Ugoff” series for BurgerKing in 2004. Recently some really great VW commercials came out which reminded me of them, and whala…it’s the same freakin firm! If you have not seen either series, your missing out! If your a designer, you’ll have a great appreciation for the “Ugoff” series. Anyhow, they rock!Crispin Porter+Bogusky
Ugoff commercials one, two, web (look into “ugoffliments”)
VW commercials one, two, three
“In Paris, bistros are synonymous with cheap and cheerful food. In Hamburg, FRoSTA Bistro serves cheap and cheerful frozen food…. FRoSTA, a mid-sized, forward thinking company with an active blog, manufactures premium frozen foods that are completely free of artificial additives.The bistro, which opened in November 2005, is a well-design restaurant with chefs working in an open kitchen. For all to see, they prepare frozen foods from FRoSTA’s range. Packaging is on display, reinforcing the message that the meals prepared in the bistro are identical to what consumers can buy in a supermarket. “
Pretty freakin cool. Hopefully it taste just as good as it sounds!