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Surface : A design blog

August 29, 2007 9:36 PM PDT

(Credit: Skeppshult Bikes)
Oooooh bicycles are so very in these days (not that they ever went out... but you must admit you're seeing and hearing about them even more lately). Design-focused blog site Inhabitat has a great list of the top 6 sexiest cycles--and from a design perspective the bikes by Skeppshult Bikes are my pick from the list. Above is the new Skeppshult Ladies Nova (isn't that basket just precious?). And it comes in black! Also, below, check out the sleek silver Z bike, that has--yes, you guessed it--a z-shaped frame. As for what's missing from this list, they really need to add the Puma Urban Mobility Bike, which folds up for easy storage--whether you're putting it in a closet, carrying it on the ferry, or loading it into a car (image below!).

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August 28, 2007 8:32 PM PDT

(Credit: Refinery29)
Since i'm starting on Tues, lets do two lists today (to make up for Monday). Bags are all packaging if you think about it... and can you really ever have enough bags? Purses? Clutches? Suitcases? Carryons? And of course the all important briefcase/messenger bag/back to school bags.

Refinery29 brings us The Graduate list : For class or the cube, the latest back-to-school totes take top honors. Your sneak preview above of their 12 picks... Billy Kirk canvas and leather Tool Bag, from $325, JAS MB Medium Old School distressed leather messenger bag, about $450, Onla Executive Overnighter leather laptop bag, $550. All 12 of their picks are absolutely gorgeous, and would actually be quite perfect to carry all of your gadgets from the last list around in.

August 28, 2007 8:11 PM PDT

Toys for the Filthy Rich?

(Credit: Sci Fi Tech blog)

August is quiet all around...with nearly everyone on vacation, it's hard to get much work done these days.

Yet somehow, it also seems to be the season of great Top __ Lists. (Insert any number in that blank. I was going to go with 10, but they seem to vary a bit.). So this week I'll be featuring some of my favorite Top __ Lists from blogs that inspire me every day.

Let's start with the Sci Fi Tech blog and its "Top 10 Toys for the Filthy Rich." With a title like that, you already know you're dying to have them all. Here's a preview: $1,150 Ultimate Ear headphones that you can use with your $7,500 Vertu phone or $19,000 gold-plate iPod Shuffle.

What products would you put on your own "Top Tech Toys for the Filthy Rich" list? If you had all the money in the world? I think I'd definitely add the sold-out Porsche Design Series 1 Cayman S...and that incredible 007-esque case of designer goodies that comes with it.

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August 18, 2007 6:15 PM PDT

(Credit: IKEA)
IKEA 2008! The annual catalog is HERE! And for the lazy who need a cliff notes version, or those who need the inspiration to click here to get lost in their digital version of the catalog for a few hours... i've attached a few of my favorite pages to get you going. Their color themed pages were particularly inspiring... loving this black and white, as well as that bowl up there! Also below you will be amazed at the instant living room you can get for a mere $184! As well as some impressive new pet goods, and other color themes.

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August 18, 2007 4:58 PM PDT
(Credit: Puma Urban Mobility)

So everyone's on the BYOB Bandwagon these days ~ not exactly a NEW concept...(oh, and that's Bring Your Own Bag to the supermarket, etc.). But let's step back and look at this...odds are most people are using those just to put them into their cars and drive them home. So sure we're saving the use of plastic bags, but they are still DRIVING.

What about those who walk? There are old-school options far more practical than just the usual bags...I think of the little old ladies when I was living in Milan, Italy, who had their roller carts. You see those carts and you think "old ladies with groceries."

WELL, thanks to Puma, you can not only erase that visual from your mind...but JOIN them! As a part of Puma's Urban Mobility line, this Grocery Track is a sleek, chic (dare I say--sporty?) alternative to the reusable bags, etc, etc. Oh, and it's also 20 percent off with the code BTS20 until August 23.

August 18, 2007 4:24 PM PDT
(Credit: Roger Arquer)

Did you grow up hearing that fish will grow as big as their bowl (or pond or ocean)? So that if you keep that carnival feeder fish in a tiny bowl it will stay tiny, but if you put it in the pond it'd get even larger? Well what about letting the FISH choose? With these nested "Russian Dolls" tanks, suddenly it is in the fish to choose whether they want to get bigger...and bigger...and it looks like at a certain point there is no turning back! (Although it can still see where it came from at all times.) Really, it is all a metaphor for life as we know it...cleanly and gorgeously abstracted to the world in the fish bowl

Roger Arquer's latest project, entitled Fish Bowls, presents 15 variations of the standard fishbowl... As Dezeen's article says, "Each piece examines a topic or suggests a solution to an issue," says Arquer. "'Dear Neighbour' (above), for example, tells us about the delicate relationships we have with our close neighbours, 'Suicidal Tendencies' prevents your fish from committing suicide, and 'Russian Dolls' (below) gives your fish a chance to decide how big it wants to be. I once read that a fish grows according to the space it has, that's what inspired me in this case." A few more bowls to get you started below...

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August 7, 2007 1:29 PM PDT

(Credit: Francis Ford Coppola Wines)
What is better than a nice bottle of wine and a movie to curl up with? How about a 3 liter bottle of wine, with a DVD built into the bottom? Yes? Well don't worry, Francis Ford Coppola is one step ahead of you, and he has JUST that set up ready for you... if you want to watch Apocalypse Now, or One From The Heart (see image after the jump). And what wine is perfect to pair with such films? A 3 liter bottle of their 2004 Francis Coppola Reserve Syrah apparently. This collectible is an online exclusive, so browse here if you are ready to drop $225 on the Apocalypse Now set or $160 on One From The Heart. (via Porous Walker on NOTCOT.org)

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August 7, 2007 1:10 PM PDT

(Credit: Tintamar)
Who doesn't need a Very Important Pocket to help organize your laptop bag, purse, gym bag, car, you name it. These VIPs by Tintamar come in a range of models and colors for your every need (no, these are not just for women!) Imagine not needing to shake through your bags to find that one cable, card reader, USB key, pen, ipod, mirror, PSP/DS... or whatever other craziness you have in your bags... imaging reaching in and knowing exactly where your cell phone is when its ringing? Organized gadgetry, completely within your reach. See pics of the other models below...

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August 6, 2007 12:44 PM PDT
(Credit: Tetramine Day)

Tetramine Day! All Tetris lovers should get over to Bologna Italy for this giant meetup September 30. The catch? All you have to do is bring a tetramino made out of 60x60x60-centimeter squares, like the one you see here to the left. Designers, i think this means you can get creative on it, and decorate your tetramino as you wish... Still baffled as to how to make a giant tetris piece? Check out the video!

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August 2, 2007 3:05 PM PDT

Latest from Knomo is the Slim. For anyone that has been looking for a sleek new way to tote your laptop around, this is pretty slick, and still simple enough to slot into a tote, backpack, large purse, you name it. "This ultra light and Slim pocket is handcrafted from full hide leather and nylon twill quilting to protect your laptop from any knocks or bumps. The retractable padded handle makes it comfortable to carry and easy to fit into your bag." I've been very anti-zippers on laptops for a while ever since my constant use of my iBook in and out of a neoprene sleeve with zips around the side left pretty deep scratches on both sides... so its been all velcro for me, until now perhaps. This sleeve has a unique zipper which goes around, so it looks like it would be pretty easy to lift the laptop in and out of top loading bags!

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About Surface : A design blog

Jean Aw is a 24-year-old design addict, shopaholic, tech connoisseur, design writer, world traveler, UX designer, and entrepreneur. While usually in Los Angeles or San Francisco, she is very mobile, hopping around the country and across the globe, entrenching herself in international culture and design hot spots. She often finds the most incredible things in the most unlikely of places and loves bringing them to her readers, often leaving them wondering whether the treasure came in the existence or in the discovery. When not tending to Notcot.com and her network of design sites, you can find her here giving a dose of gorgeous, lust-worthy designer goodness for everyday living.

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