go straight ahead, no...turn left...aaaa...right? maybe...

...for those Friday and Saturday nights

I think everybody knows at least someone who gets drunk at every party they go at. So here's a cool invention that will help these guys (and gals?): the cabbie napkin. You just take it, fill in the blanks and hand it over to the taxi driver when you're "taken" :)

via npw.co.uk.

got a...

...creative tooth?


With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, you gotta prepare some nice stuff for your loved one. My boyfriend, for example, looooves Italian food - and i guess he loves the pasta I make, too (that is, he never ran to the toilet after a bite and never
"slipped" it under the table to the dog - not that I know of, at least :)).
So I thought these designer pasta from Torino would be really nice. The coolest of them are the coral pasta, the mother-in-law pasta and the somberoni. And besides from looking so great, each of them has a super flavor. Apart from the usual ones - orange=paprika, red=tomato and green=spinach, you can also taste saffron (yellow), beet (violet) and squid ink (black). Mmmmm....bon appetito!

don't drink and...

...bark

People seem to think that dogs really need stuff they never ask for - but that brings them closer to their masters...they dress like them, eat like them, get SPA treats and even...drink like them (more recently).
In this respect, there's a magazine entirely dedicated to pampering your best friend and dog clothes aren't hot news anymore, but here's something that might just be :)
- the dog beer!
Yes, dog beer - you've heard that right! A Dutch pet shop owner, Ms Berensen, thought it would be nice to create a beer that dogs can savour, too, given the fact that they've "earned" it, just like people. Travelling once a year to Austria with the dogs for some hunting and relaxation (if we might say that), Ms Berensen noticed that while at the end of the day all the people had their beers, the dogs were left out of the whole "rewarding process". So she thought she'd create a similar beverage for them to enjoy as well - that's how "Kwispelbier" ("kwispel" meaning "wagging a tail" in Dutch) was born. Marketed as "the beer for your best friend", we're really curious how many dog owners will buy this beef extract and malt beverage for their treasured companions.


via brandish.

mascara...

...it's a guy thing

Today's men are more and more interested in grooming and looking good. But they're sometimes put off by being regarded in a strange way for buying beauty and care products. "Man, it's OK if you buy them for your girlfriend or your mum. Or even your grandma. But, please, don't say it's for you!" This is like the verbal transcription of the looks they get while shopping for these.
The thing is, men are feeling ashamed of buying this stuff, so they won't be considered gay...
That's why products like this men's mascara from Studio5ive are out on the shelves especially for them. So they can take them, use them and not be labeled "girly" or something.
To tell the truth, I thought the whole "Metrosexual" debate was over, but it seems not. Here's a nice article by John Gustafson about it and the trouble nice-smelling-good-looking-scrub-and-eye-gel-using-men have to face in this cruel world. Enjoy!

scared of the dentist?

...good!

In an attempt to make kids and their parents more familiar with the Colgate Smiles kids' toothbrushes, German agency Jung von Matt came up with a nice idea. They thought of putting some big, comic-book style smiles on the faces of dentists - with the help of surgical masks. The thought is nice - but don't you think some of these smiles are a bit creepy?

via direct daily.

one for me...

...one for you

If you are accessories-obsessed but you feel guilty for buying so many things for yourself and none for your sweetie, here's a gift that wil make him happy, too. When you get the beautiful "Branches, Sticks, Twigs" coin purse, also buy him the matching tie. He'll surely appreciate this cool gift and you'll feel closer together, clothes-wise.

from The Curiosity Shoppe.

working person's best friend?

...the Fidobag

If you work all day long (and maybe sometimes all night long), of course you don't have the time to take care of a dog. But don't worry! Now your "dog" will take care of you -- or your belongings, at least. The Fidobag looks like a cute pet, it comes in several colours and can be stuffed with all the things you need. So do the math: you get to carry around all the stuff you need and plus, there's a lot of style involved! So...still thinking?

via popgadget.

worm it up!

...is this (making you) sick or what?

A very interesting concept here, based partly on the ecological movement and partly on the laziness of some people. You know how sometimes you don't feel like cleaning the table after you eat (and I'm not talking about you, cleaning freaks!)? Well, now you can escape the guilt factor of being such an idler and making others do this dirty job for you.
Designer Amy Youngs created a totally interactive table that takes care of the leftovers without you even moving a finger! Oh well, maybe you'll move a finger...you'll just discard what's left of your dinner in the portal at the top of the table.
From here on, a whole bunch of worms and bacteria will take care of it, transforming the junk into a yummy compost for the plants "living" under your table. This way, you get more than you've ever wanted:
- you get to stay lazy;
- you get to have pets (even worms can be lovable);
- you get to have a beautiful house with healthy plants that take care of themselves.
And you also recycle - which is maybe the coolest thing of them all! Now I'll just stop and think for a while...I still don't digest the idea of food and worms getting together - but that's just me.

via inhabitat.

tell me about it!

...rain or shine

We're getting more and more used to objects communicating with us via intelligent technology. Even more, we're welcoming them in our lives - and that should be the case with the Forecast umbrella, too. By using WiFi technology, this friendly umbrella wirelessly gets info from the Internet and prepares to tell you if it's going to rain or not.
Just look at it on your way out and see if the handle illuminates - this is a sign of clouds gathering by. Isn't that a smart easy way to know your weather?

via Inhabitat.

no one ever said...

...being a housewife is easy

A very good friend of ours is thinking of leaving her bachelorette days behind and embarking on the great adventure of...well, cleaning, washing, cooking and so on. You know the stuff.
That's why we found this great book. Especially for her, here's the lowdown on folding napkins - just one of the tasks (and supposedly among the fun ones!) you should take up as a housewife .
Hope it works the right way and we won't get the reverse effect!

of words and other demons...

...we could speak volumes

It's funny to see that one man's bad word is another man's cool word - or something. To be more exact, let's see an example. The word "typo" originally meant "typographical error" in English - and it's been extended to any type of error that might occur in writing - be it intended or not. So "error". Wrong. Poor skills.
But the funny thing is that in Romanian ad agencies you hear the expression "typo ad" a lot. And you can't help but wonder... Is it about making ads with errors? Hmmm...no! It's about writing ads that are mainly based on words! Yes, yes, a cool derivation from "typography ad" :) Talk about cultural clash!
Thanks to a good friend of mine who remined me of this in the morning - it was a good laugh. And here's a T-shirt for a cool attitude to match that.

on art...

...and how you can do it

Nowadays it seems that almost everybody can be an artist, as we have all the means to create whatever and whenever we feel like it. This democratization of art is pretty cool and it comes in different sizes and shapes, as you can easily see.
This time we're talking about the Cherry Blossom glass, one tableware piece that radically transforms the way you look at things. For instance, you know how you used to hate those circular shapes on the table, made by condensation? Well, now you'll love them - and you'll surely forget about using table coasters!
You'll see that the most important element of the Sakura glass (sakura meaning cherry trees and their blossom in Japanese) is its bottom - that leaves a beautiful mark on the surface holding it. So don't think twice, just think clear and buy yourself something to entertain your guests the next time they come around!

via Charles&Marie.

living dangerously?

...get insured!

In this ad creep for a dental implant insurance, the white bowling pins resemble teeth so well (with their large bottom and slightly thinner cap, just like the root) that we must admit this idea's got a good chance of success. And we're sure a lot of people will get a good laugh with every "teeth" falling down. Nice doing!

via neatorama.

are you like...

...kidding?

Okay, so we need vending machines for coffee, water, refreshments and sandwiches, probably even cigarettes, but...CAVIAR? Really? Who can truly make a statement like that, saying they feel such a need to eat caviar, especially at odd moments - when all the supermarkets are closed? It's really cool, anyway, to see that Russians have already taken care of this need, by installing some vending machines just in case.
Funny happens.

via English Russia.

hey, look at that...

...it's another 2-in-1 product!

Nowadays we need sooooo many things to go out, that it's obvious we'll forget about at least one of them: the keys, the iPod, the cell phone, the bag, the organizer, the laptop... And in winter it gets even trickier - you gotta remember to take your hat, your gloves, your scarf...and so on.
That's why designers are making more and more of these 2-in-1 or several-in-1 products: to help us get thru life a little bit easier. Julia Kissel is no exception with her unforgetable gloves creation - it's a wonderful pair of, well...bag...of gloves...oh, you get it! It's a funky bag with incorporated colorful gloves!
If only everything was so easy :)

show your individuality...

...in every corner of your house

You might not be a big fan of the stylish black toilet paper, so here's an alternative to that: the custom-made one from printedtp.
Yeah, you heard that right. Because the cool person of today can't stay away from customizing every little thing around :)
This great invention is good whether you are mad at your ex (and want his/her face to earn a decent spot), you hate a TV show or your astrological sign. Or who knows...it can also make a nice gift...if your friends have a sense of humor, that is.

via thrillist.

how cute is this?

...wow!

Designer Shay Alkalay and his Big Bear Bag idea! It's the kind that makes you say "Why didn't I think of it first?", I tell you.
How many of you hate taking the trash out? Do you even care about this operation? Well, I already know what you'll say :)
But what about stuffing your trash in a cute bear bag? Sounds fun, huh? I think it's a super-nice thought! You forget about the whole dullness factor involved in taking the trash out...and even more...everyone will appreciate your sense of humor.
This idea was one of the winning exhibits at the British Council "Talented?" Milan Student Show in 2006 and it totally won us over, too.

home fun...

...in front of the TV
When I saw this pillow I immediately thought of a good friend of mine who can't sleep unless he's holding a pillow in his arms. This really shows that some people feel a special attraction to pillows, that's why I think this cool invention - called "It's different for girls" - could make a real difference to them. It is really useful no matter what you do - if you're watching football, it can hold your snacks and drinks - and if you're watching a sad movie, you can hold it close and weep.

via yanko design.

I'm going...

...slightly mad

If you're totally in hate with the "whites" in your house (the washing machine, the fridge, you know...), you'd better start looking for some action! There's nothing better than buying some cool stickers and totally transforming their look! For more Wash Tastic designs go to Dr. Gadget and for the "moo" fridge spots, see Atypyk.

to eat or not to eat?

...is that even a question anymore?

Nowadays it's getting harder and harder to eat. It should be a simple process, I know, but you see, you really have to be super-careful in regard to what enters your mouth. Above you have a screwdriver and a cherry. We'll let you guess which one is eatable :)
Okay, okay, here's a (little bit more than a) hint: the screwdriver is in fact a delicious lollipop in 3 flavors (pick from apple, orange and cherry) and the...cherry is a gorgeous candle ornament to put on top of your cake.
See more twisted stuff at Atypyk.

when hell freezes over?

...even sooner!

Here's some good news for the ones who love to travel: there are big plans to create self-chilling beverages and self-heated food, so that you won't ever need to suffer because of weather conditions anymore. Isn't that great? With a technology that you can read all about in here, these great packaging ideas are sure to be a big hit. And even if you're not the active, I-love-the-North-Pole-and-polar-bears-are-my-BF type of person...I don't see why you couldn't benefit from this technology, too. I mean, everybody needs a cold beer once in a while, right?

via gizmag.

take a piece of my...

...dandruff

This is a very smart ambient advertising move for Clear anti-dandruff shampoo, made by Lowe&Partners in Kuala Lumpur. You gotta love the concept: by taking a "dandruff flake" out of the woman's hair, you remove 10% of her problem. Nice and to-the-point.

via direct daily.

headgear's up...

...for spring/summer 2007

A little bit of oriental inspiration won't do us any harm, I think. Well, ladies, prepare for next season's coolest head accesory: the turban!
It's been all over in Miuccia Prada's collection and it appears to be supported by fashion magazines also (above, two pictures from CITIZEN K mag, via F.A.D.).
Of course, it has to be satin - probably because even the most fashion-forward will only wear it at night, when everything (even the strangest and most eccentric) is accepted.
Good luck with that!

melting up for...

...cool ice cubes

Whether you're a kid or not, you oughtta buy yourself some of these super-cool pop ice makers! You'll love a little penguin or duck floating in your glass...or maybe you'll prepare your sweetie some nice drink with ice hearts in it for the Valentine's coming up next...
I know, I know...it's WINTER, you'll tell me...we don't feel the need of refreshment drinks with ice :) Ever heard of preparing in advance? :P
Choose your model here.

via stylehive.

busted!

...and sexier than ever

Ever thought that mannequins in a shop are there just to display the products? Well, no. They serve a much more ample purpose - they must be attractive and put products in the most favourable light possible, showcasing items in a way that will immediately make shoppers feel the "must get this" vibe.
And speaking of ample - here it is! Manufacturers thought the little plastic dummies should get a bust boost, so they went from semi-flat to the most impressive boobies ever (see more models here). Is this a trend only in Miami and L.A., sanctuaries of "big", or will it extend to other places, too?

via flypaper.