Saturday, is that you?

I had a lovely time in B-town, I'm really glad I got to spend some quality time with the fam. Becca and I went mead tasting and Mom and I worked in the garden and got a massage. Not a bad weekend at all.

Happy Friday

Don't forget to hug your momma this weekend

Wouldn't it Be Nice?

Wouldn't it be nice if designers were given full rein to redesign the world? I think everybody would be a little happier if the world around them looked a little prettier. This project is a perfect example of how stuffy, boring and unnoticed branding could take on an entire new feeling. Quick, think of the current USPS logo? Can you picture it? You're thinking "There's an eagle I think...it's blue maybe?". NOBODY cares, because it just sits there, old stiff, and easily ignored. Sadly, I think this beautiful branding would be a tough sell, as it's very stylized, and I can't see the higher ups at the post office being particularly exciting people to work with. But I can honestly say I would look forward to going to the post office if I had this to look forward to. One can dream...

{Branding by Matt Chase}

Design Love : Tilt-Shift Photography

I have a new photography obsession; Tilt-Shift. For those of you who say last month's Seattle Met, you were as blown away as I was, and wanted to learn how to make the world look miniature. I started researching it and found a great tutorial on how to make photos (arias work best) look like toy model. I'll have some to show once I have more time to play with it but for now here is one I made with an app for my phone:

Mini-roller derby!

Smooth as a Baby's Bottom

Heather and I ventured to Lynwood on Saturday for a full body scrub down I won't soon forget. We went to the Olympus Spa, a Korean bathhouse hiding in a strip mall. From the outside it looks like a place you would get a pedicure and maybe a cheap facial, but when you walk past the front desk you realize there's a lot more to this spa than nice nails. It is in fact, enormous, with 4 pools, 8 or so steams/saunas/relaxation rooms, a manicure/pedicure room, massage rooms, tea room and cafe. The most interesting place though, is by far the scrub area. Just off the pools are a line of massage tables full of naked ladies getting a full body rub down by tiny asian lady with the strength of a 200 pound man. And I, was one of those ladies. When my number was called I laid on the table and for 45 minutes was scrubbed by what felt like sandpaper, and it was amazing. Sure it was uncomfortable at first, but after a while you forget how strange it is to be lying buck naked among 30 or so other women, and realize it feels pretty damn good. I don't think I've ever been so clean in my life, and am now a little grossed out as to how much dead skin we normally tote around, something that had previously never crossed my mind.

The whole experience is really something writing about doesn't do justice, so I highly recommend you check it out for yourself. Just to note, it's not for those who aren't afraid to show some skin, or all of it for that matter, because you rarely wear more than a bath cap. But t is amazing to me how quickly one can adapt to their surroundings, and how quickly your definition of normal can change. Within 10 minutes I had almost forgot what it was like to be at a spa where people were clothed. So even if you are timid, I would still say give it a shot, and you'll soon realize it's not like that nightmare of being naked in public, but that strange dream where everyone is naked and no one seems to notice. Plus, you'll be incredibly relaxed, and your entire body will feel like a baby's... well you get the idea.  

HELLO Poster Show

The Hello Poster Show is tomorrow April 4th from 6-8 at Eliott Bay Cafe, so if you're in the area check it out! Most of the posters are designed by UW alums, some of which I was in school with, and there are some really awesome ones. One of these years I swear I'm going to submit something... All the proceeds of poster sales benefit a non-profit, this year Youth in Focus, so your awesome poster does something besides looking awesome hanging on your wall.

Sunday, is that you?

Parks, sunshine, burritos, farmers markets, oh my!