True Blue

We exchanged colorful, braided bracelets at summer camp with the friends we'd bunked with, split candy bars with, and shared clothes with. Back at school, these bracelets served as little mementos to summer nights spent together in the throws of growing up.

But the thing is, the older we get, the tougher the growth spurts. A best friend has seen you through it all ... and shared a drink to both relive and repress the past. What to get that kind of true blue, road hard friend?

A pastel trinket simply won't do. Links of London's black and gold friendship bracelet fits the part - utility inspired, part-survival and part-indulgence... a tribute to the main stakes of grown-up friendship. This is what a real friendship bracelet looks like.

This Valentine's, throw a little love at your friends. http://www.linksoflondon.com/us-en/online-shop/women/bracelets/6746-black-and-gold-friendship-bracelet

A Match Made in Heaven ... or Just Economics?

Today's Slate 'Undercover Economist' features two excerpts from Tim Harford's new book, The Logic of Life. The pieces debunk the myth that 'black culture' is to blame for single motherhood in African American communities, and play out the effect of birth control on the institution of marriage. If you can keep up with Harford's string of logic and game theory.

It's much more complicated than love at first sight...

Click here to read it on Slate

Get Smart

Some deep thinking on how we will consume in 2008 ...
www.trendwatching.com

Click through to the article on what to expect this year:
http://www.trendwatching.com/briefing/

Spread the Word

A small jar of this eggplant spread transformed an ordinary sandwich into something really extraordinary this weekend. Going back for just a little bit more, the back label grabbed my attention. I thought I'd spread the word ...

Meditalia is a line of pestos and tapenades produced in Israel as a joint project between Israelis and Palestinians. Farmers and manufacturers from different parts of society work together closely to create this collection of savory spreads.

Good for the world and good for your health, these items are all natural, dairy-free and gluten-free. They're also certified both kosher and halal.

Sometimes, the easiest way to get people to the table is great food.

Visit www.peaceworks.com to learn about the cause and locate Meditalia products near you.

Read about the creation of the company here.

You'll have no problems going back for seconds.

Something to covet

Jessica Alba and Mary Kate Olsen have been sporting beautiful, eastern inspired scarfs by Tolani. The company's website suggests the brand rests on humble and charming origins.

Picture courtesy of www.shopkitson.com.

More styles and celebrity pics available at www.singer22.com.

"Conspicuous Consumption and Race"

Today on Slate, Ray Fisman discusses race and consumption. The piece centers on an unpublished study, "Conspicuous Consumption and Race", conducted by economists Kerwin Charles, Erik Hurst, and Nikolai Roussanov.

And interesting read, but it might just boil down to simple logic of competition ....

Click here to read Fisman's article

A Watch to Set You Apart

Sophisticated and affordable watches seem hard to come by these days. Michele continues to stake a claim on those women willing to spend half a grand on an everyday watch. And while hundreds of strap options do offer the Michele watch wearer so many fun, seasonable options, the brand has become a symbol of upper-class collegiate fashion.

For those who no longer carry fake ids (and survive on their own paychecks), it's difficult to find a basic, modern watch that looks like a million bucks. But if you're willing to scale back on shopping and lattes for a few months, there may be an answer...

This watch, designed by Max Bill in 1962, is an icon of modern simplicity and style. It continues to be manufactured by Junghans of Germany, making it a true original. Available with bands in basic colors and various face designs, this watch is everyday beautiful.

View styles and purchase at Nova68

A Little Bit Country...

Not long ago, I learned that Krispie Creme doughnuts have arisen as the trendiest snack in London, selling for four pounds a piece! Knowing this, I shouldn't have been so surprised to see an old favorite, Nashville's Loveless Cafe, appear in today's issue of Daily Candy. It seems that, despite the exercise and diet crazes, we all still love a dose of down home cookin'.

If you're feeling fed up with life in the city, have Loveless Cafe send a country ham or homemade preserves right to your doorstep. It's too good to come with guilt.

Order at http://www.hamsandjams.com/

Dailycandy.com passed on the recommendation to city slickers.

Say What You Will

Read Gloria Steinem's op ed from today's New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/opinion/08steinem.html?ref=opinion

Tres Fashion Forward

The world is changing... and a LV Speedy bag just doesn't make a girl chic anymore. It just means she can afford to shop at Neimans.

Today, Daily Candy sported a tote for the truly fashion forward and informed fashionista. Poketo's oversized tote critiques the idolization of brand names and prevalence of knock-offs.

The tote was featured at London’s 100% Design. Only 100 were made for an art exhibit in Seoul called "Wake Up Andy Warhol".

At $90, they're cheaper than a Speedy.

Buy one while they last at http://poketo.com/shop/archives/573/

Big Think from Big Names

'A Youtube for ideas', BigThink features interviews with savvy intellectuals and artists - quick sound bites on subjects ranging from politics to religion. The site was dreamed up by Peter Hopkins, a 2004 Harvard grad as a place 'to sit down for a few minutes and listen to people who know more than you do'.

Browsing the site, it's clear that BigThink's team has pulled together an impressive list of names. Perhaps more impressive- these big names came to an office closet to do interviews in front of a shower curtain (see the nytimes feature article below).

Despite the interesting content, I can't help but wonder if the site's philosophy may, in fact, be an internal contradiction. Highly opinionated, college educated, 'intellectual' twenty somethings sit down to get some wisdom from established 'experts'? Well, yes I'm sure a bit of that will happen. But these readers may do more commenting than listening. (Consider the page long comment/monologue posted in response to John McCain's video on the two party system)

While current twenty somethings may be educated and intellectually hungry, we're skeptical of 'big names' (even ivy league educations) and don't expect middle age men in suits to deliver radical, new ideas to shake us to our intellectual core. Twenty somethings are ... well, a generation of super empowered kids.

So, maybe BigThink will migrate towards younger, 'genuine' voices to service young intellectuals. I, for one, liked an interview with Dalia Mogahed, Gallup's Executive Director of Muslim Studies. Or perhaps BigThink will begin to feature readers' comments as center-stage attractions themselves.

Either way, I think a site like this can't survive as simply a window into the minds of smarter, older people. To win over younger users, the exchange of wisdom has to be a two way street.

Visit http://www.bigthink.com/ to see for yourself.
Or read the New York Times article first: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/technology/07summers.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=media

The interview with Dalia Mogahed : http://www.bigthink.com/identity/876

Mark Story Photography

Living Three Centuries: The Face of Age

108 year-old American man of English descent.

He grew up on a Montana ranch that he later inherited from his father,who lived to 101.He had 1,500 head of cattle and rode Kentucky-bred horses.

Fifty years ago he liked to drink whiskey and gamble.Now he's into fitness;at 102 he was still doing thirty push-ups a day.

He walks a mile to church every Sunday in his black cowboy boots,white suit, pink tie and Stetson hat."I don't drink, smoke or chase women;"he says, "they chase me."


"The photographs for this portrait series were taken in various locations around the world between 1987 and 2005.

The Gerontology Research Group estimates there are 250,000 centenarians (people 100 years and older) currently living in the world. In rare instances, people live to 110 years and beyond, inspiring a new demographic label: supercentenarian. The Gerontology Research Group, through rigorous investigation of records, acknowledges about 65 supercentenarians, and estimates that about 350 are alive worldwide today.

The idea to photograph people who have lived in three centuries evolved over the course of the project. First, I was simply interested in taking portraits of people who appear worn beyond their years by living extraordinarily hard lives. Those experiences drew me to centenarians, and on to supercentenarians and their stories." - Mark Story


The text above, as well as portraits, are at http://www.markstoryphotography.com/

(found at http://www.boingboing.net through http://www.ursispaltenstein.ch/blog/)

Los Angeles I'm Yours

The fanciful Decembrists song captures a kind of mood any fashionista, party girl would want to be a part of - whirling around amid effortlessly beautiful people, sun kissed and edgy. Maybe my imagination has run away with itself, but I have to believe L.A. guards a special charm under all the smog.

The Cobra Snake's website showcases photographs of L.A.'s imperfect, perfect people. Today, psfk.com features a video that discussed Cobra Snake's anti-fashion fashion. The scoop? He's a guy in Silver Lake who photographs friends and concert goers, offering people around the world a window into L.A.'s je ne sais quo we all want.

See Cobra Snake party pics at http://www.thecobrasnake.com/partyphotos.html

Learn what it means at http://psfk.com/

Radiohead's Scotch Mist

Radiohead's streaming video of their album, In Rainbows, blends documentary, studio jam session and fanciful dream. Oh the bizarre things that can be born 'sans' record label ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukythkK4EPQ


(via PSFK)
http://www.psfk.com/

Facebook Anxiety

An interesting commentary on Facebook's success and staying power.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=204203573&pgno=1&queryText%20=