Dine. Travel. Design.

London’s Sketch restaurant continues it’s quirks with Gift Hampers

Eco-Frying Pan: I’m starting to think Holiday Gifts

Tactile Wine Bottle: Truley experience all your senses

No-Logo McDonald’s: (is that possible?!) In Tokyo anything is possible. via Core77

Organic Fast Food at Germany’s Nat

Packaging.. need I say more?

see WineCentric for taste details
sells at Wine.com for under $20

from Grateful Palate Imports via NotCot

…on the first weekend of each month! From Bank of America’s Museum’s on Us

This weekend I saw Boston’s MFA exhibit on Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry. Dazzling to say the least.

EatDrinkDesign intersects culinary delight with design. Seven Dutch chefs and Dutch designers team up in pairs to design and create Signature Snacks, during Dutch Design Week (until Sunday, October 26, 2008).

“Bite3, the snack by Restaurant 1910 & Lonneke Gordijn & Ralph Nauta incorporates nine different tastes – from raw filet of sirloin to oyster – arranged as a tasty mosaic. The sequence in which they are eaten determines the culinary experience.”

See more Images and read the Press Release here

via Wallpaper

I didn’t have the best of days today and coincidently heard a short report about Sarah’s Smash Shack on the radio during my drive home this evening! Too bad it’s all the way out in San Diego, CA. But what a great business concept! Choose from a “menu” of breakables and go into the “Break room” to express your emotions, whatever they may be or just go in to have some fun that you wouldn’t at home Plus broken glass and ceramic is donated to local mosaic artists.

aah, knowing that this place exists makes me feel better already!

YouTube Video Report and YouTube Fun with Photos and more at CNN.com

My Aunt Maria went to Montreal a couple weeks ago to visit her in-laws and brought me back these awesome little chocolate treats! I’ve finally caved in and admired these box of Chocolate Shooters with my eyes for long enough. I tried the Raspberry Daquiri tonight..bite off the top of the pyramid, drink the liquor, and chase with chocolate (or just pop in your mouth for an explosion) Delicious! It’s really the good quality chocolate that made it even better, but definitely can’t dismiss what an experience this makes for enjoying dessert. Awaiting a road trip to check out the lounge and enjoy the other sweets! Check out Suite88 Chocolatier and let me know what you think!

TopShop now has a US site to shop at online! If you don’t know TopShop, the best way to describe it would be the H+M of the UK. Love it! (oh how I miss London…)

But wait! TopShopNYC is coming this fall… a good reason for a roadtrip

Just a few clever ways to help with cord management and organization in the home and during travel…

ChargerFrame by Naolab

Sombrero by Andrea Ruggiero Design

Wire Stay by Harry Allen

Funny how this has become a need from the development of technology and mobility. Find a slew more at Unplggd

via MocoLoco, BusinessWeek, and Core 77

• Activity #1: Ice-cream (and dinner) at Cabot’s Ice Cream + Restaurant in Newton, MA. A classic diner-style experience with quality comfort foods and great desserts. From their website:

Cabot’s is a family owned and operated old-fashioned ice cream parlor and restaurant. We are especially known for our generous portions of unique premium ice cream and frozen yogurt creations. We serve breakfast (all day), lunch, dinner and late night treats featuring deli style sandwiches, wraps, flame-broiled burgers, salads, and traditional home-style dinners.

What more could one ask for? Especially in an environment that brings you back to the ’70s. I remember going to Cabot’s as a kid and loving it! (not that I was alive in the 70’s, but you get the point.) That nostalgic feeling and environment is certainly working to their benefit. A definite classic spot for locals and tourists alike.

• Activity #2: The Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, MA.
  This weekend there was a European bike show which I attended with a couple of friends. A great opportunity to take the camera out for some interesting photos. (Wish I could have stayed longer.) Not to mention the bikes on display were so interesting to look at from a pure product perspective. I may not know too much about them, but I could certainly appreciate the attention to design details that were addressed in the variety of bikes shown.
  Photos after the jump.

(more…)

There were 4 Target’s Bullseye Bodegas open for 4 days in NYC.  Sounds like an interesting store concept that carried designer-named designs for Target products.

Now, ever wonder where these name-designers got themselves into Target? Your answer at Target’s Design Scout from BusinessWeek

Bodegas via NotCot

• Boston Taxi’s will join San Francisco and NYC in going green by 2015. Read the report from the Boston Globe

• Eating beef is good for the car industry?

As long as people are eating beef, there will be hides to recycle that would otherwise go into landfills. So one of the environmental benefits is seen right from the beginning, just in the fact that the leather you are sitting on is recycled product.

According to this article, the more beef we consume then the more environmentally friendly we are in regards to the car industry.

via Inhabitat and MichiganBusinessReview

One of the many great photos I took. It’s like my very own postcard!

Labor day weekend I became a bit of a tourist in Boston- the city I grew up in. As a local or a tourist, I would definitely recommend taking a PhotoWalks tour to get a different perspective of the city (both the story of the city and through the camera lens). Not only did I learn a bit of Boston history, but I learned some great reinforcing tips on composition and camera angles. It really is fun and interesting for beginners or photo-hobbyists. The 1-1/2 hour tour really went quick and I’m sure I’ll be back for another. Thanks Saba for the tour of Beacon Hill!