New Manhattan Apple Store

Open 24/7/365. Sweet - now we can schedule nocturnal Genius Bar visits...

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HMK

Big Weenie Roaster

This hot dog roaster has an oak handle and is available in a variety of life-like colors. It can be conveniently hung by its rope strap, too. Get this ballsy gag gift on eBay for $14.99.

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HMK

Can't You Just Photoshop It?

Tango Spoof

Check out this awesome spoof of the Sony Bravia spot. Made for Tango by Clemmow Hornby Inge.

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HMK

Thanks to adhunt.blogspot.com

Avoiding Office Politics

Considering the source, you may just want to skip right past this post, since I’ve only paid attention to political maneueverings long enough to learn how to avoid them. I’m not much of a political player at work. A few years (and positions) ago, an older colleague of mine was regularly berating me (in a caring way) for not paying attention to the political process at work. I just didn’t have the stomach for it. Still don’t. Sometimes to my detriment, actually. But I’m cool with that–at least I can sleep at night. And I mean that literally. The craziest stuff will keep me awake, so staying non-political, at the very least, is a surefire way to ensure better sleep. I assume that folks who are political at work also sleep well…they just have a higher craziness tolerance than me.

The Why
The primary reason that I stay apolitical is that it takes up too much space and time, and I’ve already got enough things to worry about. Plus, I don’t get the sense that being political would appreciably contribute to my overall efficiency or productivity. So I stay out of it.

The How
This is both simple and sublime. I strive to just be me. Here’s how, deconstructed and in no particular order:

Wear No Mask.
By “mask” I mean those identities that we assume in order to fit in better, feel more comfortable in a situation, or get people to loosen up around us. I don’t do it. Some folks think it’s a good idea to change like a chameleon to suit the situation. I think that’s a recipe for disaster. I try to be me, all the time. The guy that walks into your office is the same guy that walks into your colleague or boss’s office. What you see is what you get. One face, no mask.

Be Transparent.
Not invisible, just without guise. All my agendas are clearly visible. You want to know what I think? I’ll tell you. The words I say might make one or both of us uncomfortable, but I’ll do my best to soften them without diluting their truth.

Flex & Bend.
Rigidity is a sign of rigor mortis. I strive to be flexible and willing to hear opposing points of view. Defending a lame position for any reason is, well, lame. I don’t assume I’m the smartest person in the room, and I generally take the opinions of others at face value (this is where being apolitical can be painful, but only in the short term).

Listen To ‘Em.
This helps with the flex and it helps with the ‘no mask’ thing. I'm learning to really listen twice as much as I talk. It’s hard to do if you’re unwilling to be transformed.

Park The Ego.
This is a difficult one (and probably is for everyone), but it’s essential for me. When my ego gets wrapped up in the work, it’s too easy to start defending those lame positions mentioned earlier.

Forget The Empire.
I don’t want to be an empire builder. I’ve got my responsibilities and I attend to them. If I acquire an empire, I’ll probably never notice.

No Gossip.
I fail too often at this one. Gossip is talking about stuff that you haven’t confirmed as true. Unfortunately I slip into gossip mode too often, and I think it’s because I’m so willing to talk things out. Though censorship is a sign of politics, ironically a little greater control over the internal censor is probably well advised.

Focus On It.
What’s the business issue at hand? Focus on it. The key is to be sure I’m not being myopic about the issue I’m focusing on. Sometimes the issue is broader than my current focus.

Apologize Later.
As opposed to asking permission first. This is really just a corollary, but the willingness to act first instead of asking permission sometimes helps me avoid other people’s political quagmires.

All of the above is really what I do. I think it’s just a tad ironic that I have a plan to avoid being political, but my plan basically boils down to being consistently authentic. Seems to work pretty well.

With thanks and gratitude to the folks at www.slackermanager.com

Sci-Fi VW ?

At first glance these two photos of the Volkswagen's storage facility in Wolfsburg, Germany, looks like an artist's rendition of some sort of science fiction movie. It's not. This is an actual 20-story car tower that takes up just 20% of the space of a conventional parking garage handling the same number of vehicles. Volkswagen uses the facility in a showy delivery process for its new-car customers:

"In a fully automated procedure, your new car is brought down to you from one of the 20-story Car Towers. Large signboards in the Customer Center show you when your turn has come. Then, you're handed the keys, your picture is taken, the glass doors open and your brand-new car appears. You're all set to go."

Not only does it save space, but the storage facility's automated elevator system is able to retrieve cars much quicker than a potentially-careless human parking lot attendant.

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HMK

Behind The Scenes

Here's a behind the scene look at The Making Of The Be Yourself Campaign we're working on for the South Padre Island CVB.

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HMK

Laura Fields and the Page Three Sutra

Page A3, The New York Times. The Full Story

Thanks To The Design Observer

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HMK

Can You Tell?

Check It Out!

HMK

Apple Site 2001

Found a nice screen shot of the Apple 2001 Site at Leander Kahney's awesome Cult Of Mac site.

Dig the spinning First iPod

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HMK

Sweet!

Show Me The Sugar Boy!

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HMK

She Scores!

Go Brette! She Scores!

Join Us If You're Available!

Choice Tables

Ok, it'll be 2 years in October since we last went to Europe. It's time to start contacting the rest of our Bohemian Jet Set buddies and talk about heading back to Nice.

Here's a cool little primer of Riviera Restaurants for Us Regular Folk

IT'S hard not to think of the Côte d'Azur as synonymous with wealth and glamour. All you need to do is mention Monaco or St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and most of us feel out of our league.

It's no surprise, then, that along the Riviera, starred and pricey Michelin restaurants are all over the place. They're also predictable: the ones that get the most attention are those that adhere to national standards, even if among their features are price gouging and ill-tempered service.

Often lost in the shuffle are the local mom-and-pop joints where the food is indigenous, far cheaper, and frequently more intriguing. For less than the cost of parking at some places on Cap Ferrat, you can eat an unforgettable lunch or dinner at a place that reminds you that you're in coastal Provence and not closeted away in some temple of gastronomy.

From Villefranche-sur-Mer to Menton on the Italian border, much of the cuisine has remained unchanged for centuries. It's based on olive oil, lemons, vegetables(especially artichokes, zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes), beans, local fish and inexpensive meats. If you see thick steaks, dairy or fancy desserts (Menton's magnificent tarte au citron is the exception), you're not eating local.

For a good sampler of budget Mediterranean, start in Villefranche-sur-Mer, just east of Nice. The ancient port whose wharves are dotted with restaurants, is especially pleasant on those days when the cruise ships are not in, and makes for a wonderful stop on a driving tour.

My favorite spot there is Calypso, which features rustic seafood dishes, a rooftop bar (open summer evenings only; it's way too hot up there on sunny days, and too cool — by local standards — at other times), and a great waterside location, next to a chapel decorated by Jean Cocteau.

The food, which ranges from pizza to things more interesting, is nicely done: the seafood salad and the pasta with seafood both star octopus, a locally revered fish. Mediterranean prawns with garlic and parsley, or the risotto with prawns, couldn't be more straightforward, but have a clean, fresh flavor. The swordfish with green sauce is worth trying and the loup de mer (which translates as wolf fish but is in fact a kind of sea bass) is perfectly grilled.

It's impossible to drive the Riviera without at least a peek up into the hills, and once you're up there, it's almost certain you'll stop at Eze, the walled village perched above the sea. The terrace at Nid d'Aigle (The Eagle's Nest) is a good option, especially if you're interested in eating honest food in the heart of the old town, just below the lovely exotic garden, in the shade of a hundreds-year-old mulberry tree. Doesn't sound too bad, does it?

Food-wise and cost-wise, however, the better choice is the Bistrot Loumiri, right at the entrance to town. There's a pleasant enough interior and a small terrace (viewless, it should be noted, but if you're going to walk through town anyway, that doesn't matter so much), and the inexpensive and very good prix fixe menus are attractive. Start with petits farcis (stuffed vegetables) or roast peppers or the octopus salad and continue with any of the appealing second courses: grilled lamb, tagliatelle daube (a rich meat sauce), osso bucco, squid in its ink, or sardines escabeche.

I try to skip Monaco — to most visitors a seaside shopping mall with a casino — but the sliver of French coast on the other side is a magnificent stretch. Menton is among the most beautiful towns on the coast: sunny and lemon-filled, with striking views of sea and mountains. If the food on the Riviera in general is Italian in feel, in Menton it is even more so (you can walk to Italy from the east side of town).

At the moorings on the Quai Gordon Bennett is Restaurant au Pistou, and it's a good place, equivalent to Calypso in Villefranche. Just a couple of blocks away, though, is the slightly anomalous Carnival, where you can sit in the attractive interior or on the tidy enclosed patio. This is a notch more expensive than most of the other places mentioned here (someone has to pay for the waiter's tux!), but on two separate visits, the food was not only competent but intriguing (and I should note that there is a daily menu for 16 euros). For example, artichoke ravioli with squid were delicious, as was a simply grilled loup de mer with fennel — a classic combination, as fennel grows wild in the area — and local red shrimp with small vegetables.

Once in Menton, it would be a shame not to pay a visit to the pastry shop La Cigale (back in the town center, near the casino) for a slice of tarte au citron (2.80 euros), a local specialty that is best when made with local lemons, as this version is. The pâte de citron, made using fruit from the owner's garden, is also just about incomparable.

Roquebrune, which is just down the road to the west, is not quite as impressive as Menton, but it does have a quiet stretch of beach and some lovely walking routes, especially on the little peninsula called Roquebrune Cap-Martin. There, just off the beach where the land begins to jut out, you'll find the oddly named Piccadilly, a quirky place that would appear to be designed for visiting Britons (the menu design is based on the London tube map) but caters almost exclusively to locals.

The daily prix fixe menu is bistrolike: The mussels are super, cooked with onions and herbs and served with credible frites, and the daily meat dishes seem equally so; on my last visit I was served slices of roast veal, with potatoes campagne (which just means cooked in a pan) and delicious zucchini with Parmesan. The service is also shockingly friendly, another reminder you're not in a one-star Michelin.

Restaurants

To call these restaurants from America, dial 33-4 first; in France, dial 04. Unless specified, prices are for three courses, with tax and tip, but not wine.

Calypso, 2 Quai Amiral Courbet, Villefranche-sur-Mer; 93-01-96-73 ; 40 euros.

Bistrot Loumiri, Avenue du Jardin Exotique, Eze; 93-41-16-42; the prix fixe menus are 16 and 24 euros.

Carnival, 29, quai de Monléon, Menton; 93-35-99-95; 25 euros.

Le Picadilly, 16, avenue François de Monléon, Roquebrune; 93-35-87-16; the daily prix fixe menu is 18.50 euros, with a quarter-liter of wine.


Thanks to Mark Bittman at The New York Times Company

Tiki Bongo: Guitarnage

Removed because I realized it pretty much sucked...

My Bad.

Sorry if you wasted any time.

HMK

Bullet Points Can Kill

The dangerous illusion of agreement that occurs when people agree over bullet points instead of sketches, specific directions and solid ideas.

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HMK

Thanks to Ryan at 37 Signals.

The Philippine Comics Art Museum

This awesome image is by Philippine artist Jesse Santos. Click it to check out the detail.

Not sure which I dig more - his art or his hair.


Lots more killer eye candy over at the The Philippine Comics Art Museum.

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HMK

Not Recommended If You Blush Easily

This Cool Movie Art gallery ain't recommended for kids either...

Click image for detail.

Enjoy and pass it along!

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HMK

Guaranteed Porcelain Skin

In the past, only celebrities had their own ceramic dolls. Now, you can have your own customize ceramic doll and enjoy the privilege that celebrities have. Create your own ceramic doll today and welcome to the world of ceramic.


Click Here.

Sweet...

HMK

For The Love Of Christ

Talk about High Sticking...

I know, I know, I might be skating on thin ice for posting this but c'mon y'all, after all, God did invent the sense of humor, right?

Please forgive me and check out J2K6.

Hey, what do Hockey and J.C. have in common? They both came back from the dead...

(Insert your own bad JC joke in the comments section)

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HMK

Happy Easter!

Ahem, Anthem?

I found this and I'm just not sure if it's a good or a bad thing. To me, I guess it all boils down to concept, execution and appropriatness... I'm thinking it might just be a joke...

Here's the deal as they describe it:

An eNthem, is a revolutionary new project, that's hoping it will change the business world forever!

A more narrow definition on an eNthem, would be - a Company Anthem, an Official Company Song.

It's not a secret, that each and every nation, has their own anthem! A national anthem, is a special song, that is the heart and sole of each and every nation. A song, that reflects nation's identity and everything the nation believes in, it's self, unity, devotion and loyalty, as well as expresses all the great values of the nation.

Well, just like each and every nation has an official national anthem, we believe, so should each and every company have an official eNthem!

Decide for yourself at the eNthem site...

Not sure if That's Right...

HMK

Not That Teddy!

Not Kennedy, but Roosevelt!

Some interesting ideas on Immigrants and being an
American via Theodore Roosevelt in 1907.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.

But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an
American, and nothing but an American...There can be
no divided allegiance here.

Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.

We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language, and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Five Quick Questions

5 Quick Questions Answered by Kevin Farnham, CEO, Method

Kevin Farnham heads Method, a San Francisco-based design company that helps marketers cultivate interface-design innovation, a critical part of brand building. An interface is any time the consumer is experiencing the brand-specifically, screen-based interactions via smart phones, mobile phones, hand-held devices, TV set-top boxes and DVRs.

Define interface-design innovation.

What we're really looking at are the new ways in which companies can speak to consumers. What we're seeing is an incredible opportunity at the interface level. What comes along with that is the ability to tell stories, be emotive, be transparent.

Why should CMOs care about this?

It's an opportunity to upsell and cross-sell, an opportunity to provide great experiences for customers. There are financial implications and brand implications.

In what way is it a component of brand-building?

Like any other touch point, these interfaces are an opportunity for someone to have a brand impression. If you look at this in comparison to a brochure, these touch points have so much more potential to be more entertaining, visual, engaging.

Should all marketers create new interfaces to use to reach consumers?

They need to utilize design thinking even if they're not using outside consultancies. Bring the engineers, bring the marketers, bring the CEO, think about scenarios for your customers, think about who they are and what they need.

Do all interfaces lend themselves to good design? Cellphones? ATMs? Web sites?

Good design can be implemented in a lot of different ways. If you're FedEx, you want things that are incredibly catered to your workflow. There are other interfaces where the point is you want to let customers get the information they want ASAP.

Thanks to Ad Age

Not Baaaaahd.

Who needs popup ads and banner ads all over the place when you can just slap a jacket on a sheep and call it good? These hotel-supporting sheep showed up in the Netherlands.

That's Right,
HMK