I was using a pocketknife to pick apart an old dungeness crab that had washed up on the beach. It’s a basic CRKT with a black blade and scales. The Silver Tech Series by Victorinox is a whole different story. The clear scales, polished relief on the frame and joints give the utilitarian knife a nice upgrade.

New print alert! The pattern queen, Jennifer Hill, gave Manhattan some love with this new print that maps out Manhattan’s different neighborhoods. Each neighborhood is accented with a pattern that was inspired by neighborhood-centric details, such as the water towers in Tribeca, the view of the sky between the buildings in the financial district, the ornament on the Dakota (where Lennon was shot) for the UWS, and the seating of the Apollo Theater for Harlem. If you look at the print closely, you can see teeny tiny yellow cabs in the streets of the neighborhood borders. This print is an open edition, and each print was signed by Jen. It is an archival giclee print on Fabriano watercolor paper.

15% of each print sold will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontières, for their Haiti efforts. Jen worked for a few weeks for Aid to Artisans in Haiti last year, making some amazing friends and seeing some amazing work by artisans. Médecins Sans Frontières has been a great help to a country with no health care and demolished hospitals, and Jen wants to support their work.

Buy the print here and read our interview with Jen here.

A bunch of cool projects by Xavi Garcia populate his website portfolio. Above are Whatever (left) and Handmade (right). Whatever is a collage project and Handmade is a commentary on money and value of creation of goods.

via Notcot

This book looks amazing. Heavenly Vaults: From Romanesque to Gothic in European Architecture, by the photographer David Stephenson, catalogs the domes of eighty different cathedrals built between the 12th and 16th centuries in Europe. The domes are almost abstract in their structure and pattern, becoming something more transient and emotional.

Via Designboom.

We’re in Seattle/Whistler/Portland for this week and being here got me thinking about bikes again. We don’t have room in our apartment to store two bikes, so my bike lifestyle envy will have to wait until we make the move out of NYC or to a bigger place. But for now, I can covet the 3rd District from Trek. Who can argue with a classy setup like that? Gold seatpost? Someday, someday, it will be mine.

Partner’s & Spade and the Chandelier Creative collaborated on what they are calling “the ultimate toy for boys” – a five piece, 24-karat gold, limited edition toy soldier set. The gold box is reminiscent of a gold bar, hinting at the luxury gift within. Each soldier is handmade, so no two are exactly the same. In addition to the soldiers, there are four props – from a chiseled brick wall and a barrel that provide a safe place for cover, to a pile of debris that remains from battle.

Patent drawings are the funniest things ever. Take, for example, a patent search for ‘skateboard’. It turns up some interesting finds. Like the manually steerable skateboard (left) or the power accessory for skateboard (right). I wonder if these two dudes turned out to be millionaires…

Two very nice illustrations by Nook for the Pretty Please show. I would love to know the inspiration behind them. So strangely sweet.

via PLF

I love Brett Manning’s work. Her artwork typically features haunting and ethereal figures, paired with amazing textures and details. I was thrilled when Brett agreed to work with us on a print. We are pleased to present
Past Life – titled so because of recent déjà vu like flashbacks or glimpses into the future that Brett has been having. The woman’s body is illustrated as “basket weaves, patterns, and textures – things that are comforting, soft, reliable, and a little tribal.” So lovely!

15% of each print sold will be donated to Puppies Behind Bars. Buy the print here, and read our interview with Brett here.

Some great images over at The Big Picture of Preparing for The World Cup 2010. If you are not living under a rock, I hope you are excited about the world coming together under a universal passion for the world’s game. Above is FNB Stadium, aka Soccer City, the main stadium that evokes the calabash (melting pot) that is South Africa. I’m excited for this month and wish I could be there in person. And where does one acquire a vuvuzela in NYC?