Awesome hoodies!

Hmmm...hhehehe.. no posts at all in March :D

Was too lazy to post anything here... I like doing my research before writing anything and just couldn't muster enough motivation to do the homework last month.

But anyway...
I was inspired to write about this by a friend who got this really cool hoodie by Paul Frank and she put up a pic of her in it as her Facebook profile picture!

Monkey Ears Boys Fleece Hoodie
(Source: http://shop.paulfrank.com/store/productdetails.aspx?productid=2023&cs=1)

- Full zip fleece with standard screenprint . Has fleece Julius ears attached to hood.

Cute, huh ? Would make a good pressie for your 'monkey' siblings

Was fascinated enough with the hoodie to google for more info on it.... and the next minute I had a collection of images of some REALLY QUIRKY hoodies.

Just to feature a couple of the designs I found:-

1. The 'Monster'

(Source: http://www.monsterhoodies.com/)

'MonsterHoodies' are hooded sweatshirts with teeth sewn into the hood and some googly eyes glued on. They're made by Jen Dunlap and Zach Smith, and are modified/made from American Apparel Unisex California Fleece Zip Hoodies.

The 'monster' hoodie- it can double up as a Halloween costume :D

From top left, going clockwise: Dinosaurus Rex (the green one), Neko Gato, Shark Bite, and Monster Kun

2. The 'Ninja'

(Source: http://www.brianwoodonline.com/)

The ninja hoodie is part of the ‘We Shall Overcome’ Fall/Winter 2008 collection by Brianwood.The collection offers stylish yet edgy pieces for the fashionistas living in cold weather.

A 'convertible' fashionable statement- from a stylish jacket to a cool ninja hoodie... so cool right? XD

3. The 'Batman'

(Source: http://www.superherostuff.com/characters/Batman/images/batman-lot-29-hoodie.html)

There are many variations of Batman hoodies, but this one's the most 'impressive' (funniest) one I've seen so far.

From Lot 29, supposedly one of the leading urban street-wear fashion labels, this hoodie actually has muscles, a utility belt and even has Batman's face drawn onto it! You can zip it all up and peer out of two mesh eye holes (the type where you can see through without allowing others to see you), completing the look of one of the most popular comic characters of all time-Batman.

All shiny and sleek, would love to see any of my guy friends in one of these, lol =P

4. The 'Blow-up Doll'

(Source: http://gizmodo.com/tag/sander-reijgers/)

Can this be any weirder?

By designer Sander Reijgers, he explains:

"I customize existing tracksuit tops with parts of the blow-up dolls – the head, the breasts, the vagina, the anus. These dolls are so ugly and vulgar that turning them into something beautiful has become a challenge for me. The doll is a means to convey something else."

Hahahhaaha... what the...??!!!

I'm not convinced in any way that this is beautiful...lol

The idea of wearing the doll's skin as a tracksuit... blearrgh!

5. The 'Stormtrooper'

(Source: http://gizmodo.com/5056931/admit-it-the-stormtrooper-hoodie-is-a-little-tempting)

Huge fan of Starwars?

Then this hoodie is perfect for you. The Real Trooper hoodie from Marc Ecko has a “Storm Trooper” body and a hood that looks like a mask, zip welt pockets, rib knit sleeve cuffs and hem.

6. The 'Bunny' & 'Teddybear' (Source: http://cgi.ebay.com/)

Punk/gothic lolita style bunny hoodie/jumper

And if you are looking for the more 'kawaii' type of Jap-inspired hoodies, MinkyShop carries a wide range of funky and outlandish outfits.

Hmm... definitely find them more suited for cosplaying than casual wear though.

Top: Limited edition pink bunny ear hoodie/jumper

Below: Mocha coffee teddy bear hoodie, also available in blue

Awwwwww...

7. The 'Huff and Puff'

(Source: http://www.ahoodie.com/new-lrg-hoodie-the-huff-and-puff-zip-up/)

This hoodie also by Ahoodie features a well-designed, wolf head with scary fangs. The hood doesn’t zip all the way like the usual ones you get, instead it is made to appear as though you had cloaked yourself in the bloody carcass of a wolf.

Quote of the day:

" I love strange choices. I'm always interested in people who depart from what is expected of them and go into new territory. " - Cate Blanchett

'Qualified' coffee addict ;P

Woooohoo! :) ... The coffee addict/lover (that's me) is now a certified

ba·ris·ta (source: Merriam-Webster)
Pronunciation: bə-ˈrēs-tə, bä-ˈrēs-tä\
Etymology: Italian, person working behind a bar

: a person who makes and serves coffee (as espresso) to the public

Can make a real cappuccino (my coffee) now *grin

What's Your Coffee Personality? Take the quiz here: Myspace Quiz

My results:

You're cappuccino! (p.s. that's true- this IS my fave coffee)

Easy-going and calm, you know how to have fun, but you also know how to buckle down and work. So go you! Your life is pretty well balanced, and so is your coffee habit, too. No worries about caffeine addiction here.

Quote of the day: (source: quotegarden)

'Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee. ' ~Stephanie Piro

The Sleeping Bear

For those of you who are planning to go for a backpacking trip(s) and are currently looking to get a sleeping bag, check this out! :D

Featured in an exhibition in the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam, this fantastic sleeping bag, ''The Bear" is designed by Eiko Ishizawa, a Japanese-born designer who has been living and studying in Amsterdam since 2000. (more on designer's profile here)

It's not only a great way to stay warm and comfy during camping trips, its also an ingenious way to scare your friends. (Pictures from eikoishizawa)

Quote of the day: (source: bizcommunity)

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities." - Dr. Theodore Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss

Great movie - Slumdog Millionaire

Just watched 'Slumdog Millionaire' yesterday and LOVED LOVED LOVED the movie!!!

Its by far the best movie I've watched in a while. If you haven't watched this film yet, make sure you don't miss out on this one.

Critically acclaimed, this movie has won five Critics' Choice Awards, four Golden Globes and seven BAFTA Awards, including Best Film, and has been nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

The movie poster (source: here)

I'm NOT going to spoil it for you guys, but I'll provide a brief plot summary to entice you guys and girls out there to get movie tickets for this.

The plot:

The film centers around Jamal Malik, a Hindu-Muslim orphan from the slums of Mumbai. He is about to win 20 million rupees on India's " Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". However, he is suspected of cheating and is arrested by the police. The plot develops from there, as he recalls how he managed to answer all the questions correctly purely by chance, with the knowledge he gained from his life experiences.

In a nutshell, the movie depicts of the extreme poverty of some people in India, and is a realistic portrayal of how people would do almost anything for money and to survive.

There were some scenes of the movie, where I just had to look away- too disgusting! ...also scenes of some of the practices in India, which were really shocking; all this adds up to make this movie such a memorable one.

Sounds interesting, right? Now go watch it!

To see more plot summaries, click here.

Quote of the day:

“Poverty is the worst form of violence.” - Mahatma Ghandi (source: Thinkexist)

Why design?

" ...can you imagine, from the stupid bacteria, today we have become 'the supermonkey' with the microphone, with the computer, but we are but at half the story... as bacteria, we had no idea what we would be like today, and today we have no idea what we shall be in 4 billions years" - Phillip Starke on the human evolution.

Funny guy- Phillip Starke, a great designer and expressive speaker

For those not in the know, Philippe Starck is a legend of modern design, a French product designer who dabbles in everything to do with design- from designing clothes and toothbrushes to toilet seats! His work does not revolve around designing merely provocative and expensive single pieces. Instead, his product designs are of usable household items which is targeted towards the masses.

He's also known for his interior designs for several luxurious hotels around the world -- notably the Peninsula Hotel restaurant in Hong Kong, the Teatron in Mexico, the Hotel Delano in Miami, the Mondrian in Los Angeles, the Asia de Cuba restaurant in New York -- designing the total environment from layout to furniture to linens. (biography from TED blog & Wikipedia)

In essence, his observations on the purpose of design comes down to this:- we need to continue to create new stories for ourselves and leave our mark in history because this will help our next generation to create better tools and designs.

One of his best quotes, "Nobody is obliged to be a genius but everyone is obliged to participate...that's why I continue to work even it's for a toilet brush."

Watch him talk on his "duty of vision" here:- (source: TED blog)

I just loved the sound effects he made when he was talking about the evolution (or mutation, as he calls it) of man - absolutely hilarious! :D

Quote of the day: (source: here)

"Limitations live only in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless." - Jamie Paolinetti

"Extreme" green buildings

Green buildings are BIG in the architectural world, if you don't realise this yet...and will probably become even bigger as time goes by.

Just to feature of a couple of interesting "green architecture" projects I've seen lately. These projects are not just eco-friendly, but they actually give back to the environment! (source: Trendhunter)

1. Miyi Tower, China by Studio Shift & SWA Group

I'm so in love with this 3D-render of the tower, pretty, right?! :)

This is a competition-winning project by LA based architects Studio SHIFT and SWA Group proposed to revitalize New South Town in the Sichuan Provence of China.

The above-ground portion of China’s Miyi Tower will be a community space which will feature educational, entertainment and community programs aiming to promote Chinese heritage and natural resources. There will be an auditorium, restaurants and exhibition spaces implemented throughout.

What is most impressive about the building, happens below this community space. It will feature the latest mechanical and natural filtration system in the southern portion of the tower will filter the heavily-polluted Anning River and thereby transform it into a habitat to support a thriving ecosystem.

2. Lilypad, a floating ecopolis for climate refugees by Vincent Callebaut Architects

This cool futuristic looking building is a prototype of auto-sufficient amphibious (both land and water) city. The project deals with solving the issue of water rising in the world today.

"It is a true amphibian, half aquatic and half terrestrial city, able to accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and inviting the biodiversity to develop its fauna and flora around a central lagoon of soft water collecting and purifying the rain waters.

This floating ecopolis takes care of the balance of the oceanic ecosystems by producing and softening itself the oxygen and the electricity, by recycling the CO2 and the waste, by purifying and softening biologically the used waters and by integrating ecological niches, aquaculture fields and biotic corridors on and under its body to meet its own food needs. " (source: link here)


3. Green 'Lungs' for urban area, Gothenburg, Sweden by Kjellgren Kaminsky Architects

Designed with the concept of a pair of green lungs, the project is designed to help the metropolitan area "breathe". It consists of 5,000 new apartments all outfitted with living green roofs on a block used for football fields and a parking lot.

The design forms "a series of gently flowing hills, a lovely terrain laced with pathways and plenty of perfect spots for picnics. These green roofs provide excellent insulation to the buildings beneath while absorbing rain that can be purified and reused as household water.

The project also includes plans for the local cultivation of fruits and vegetables, and after development the site will feature a much greater biomass than before."(kjellgrenkaminsky.se)

Quote of the day:- (source: here)

"A lot of people are under the false illusion that green building and energy efficiency is expensive and available only to the wealthy, but there are lots of examples of the economic opportunities that responding to climate change is going to give us." - Dee Eggers (associate professor of environmental studies at UNC-Asheville and a member of the state's Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change)

Happy Valentine's Day !

Its 14th of February tomorrow, the most lovey-dovey day of the year,(and the most profitable to florists), also known as Valentine's day.

So HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY in advance to everyone!!!


Anyway, some random facts on Valentine's Day:- (source:Wikipedia, yes I'm a fan of Wiki if you don't know already)

I rather like the Japanese way of celebrating the special day.
Unlike the usual flowers/card and romantic dinner, in Japan, they do it a little differently. If you follow Jap culture -Jdoramas and animes, you would know :)

In 1960, Morinaga, one of Japan's biggest confectionaries, advertised and started the present custom of women giving chocolates to men and today, it has become almost a tradition associated with Vday.

"Giri-choko"/"obligation chocolate" is presented to their male friends (whom they are not interested in romantically), teachers, bosses, and colleagues, the "tomo-choko"/"friendship chocolate" exchanged between girl friends, while the "honmei-choko"/"true love chocolate" is given to their loved one.

By the way, the girls usually make the chocolate themselves as chocolates bought from the store are thought to reflect lack of sincerity (especially if they want to express their affection for their crushes/partner in this manner). So, they will get the ingredients and whip up a batch of chocs from scratch by themselves.

Japanese women are so hardworking, aren't they!

"Lucky Star" girls and their Valentine chocolates (Source: Kawasumi Hirito 's blog)

In reciprocation, the men return gifts to the women on March 14-White Day. This seems quite fair, a give and take system of celebrating Vday. I'm guessing the guys would really appreciate this "system" as usually, they are the ones making the romantic plans (and footing the bill?).

In South Korea, they have a similiar practice to Japan's - women give chocolate to men on February 14, and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14.

However, in addition to this, there is even a Black Day on April 14th dedicated to those who did not receive anything on either days, where they will go to a Chinese restaurant for black noodles, "jajangmeun" and "mourn" their single life.

HAHAHA.. i can almost imagine these "mourners" flocking to Chinese restaurants, and it turning into some kind of singles get-together event. :D



Quote of the day: (source here)

"I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon." ~Author Unknown