Fatboy Slim: That Old Pair of Jeans Video

by SummerSeventySix

Fatboy Slim is probably past his peak music-wise, but he's consistently had great videos. His latest premiered on British TV last night, and it's easily up there with the award winning classic videos by Spike Jonze for Praise You and Weapon of Choice.

The new video for the single That Old Pair of Jeans features comedian Chris Bliss athletically juggling in time with the music (more of his juggling here). It's totally mesmerizing, and simply has to be seen. Actually, the song isn't too bad either.

Talented at juggling? Make your own video and send it to Fatboy Slim. The winner gets their video published. More details and the video are available on Fatboy Slim's MySpace page.

Michel Cluizel Cocoa Nibs

by Ted Cahill

As exam season hits with full force this month, Chocolat Michel Cluizel, the Manhattan outpost of the legendary Parisian chocolatier, has made all night cramming sessions easier with the introduction of "time release" cocoa nibs enrobed in dark chocolate. Richard Perl, chairman and CEO of Chocolat Michel Cluizel, says "these nibs deliver the clarity, mental focus, and peak concentration levels you look for from a cup of coffee without the negative side effects like anxiety or that jittery feeling you get from high doeses of caffeine." "Prescriptions" for chocolate covered cocoa nibs are sold by the vial starting at $5 from Michel Cluizel.

ICFF 2006 and Beyond

by Wendy Dembo

New York's International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) is right around the corner (from 21-23 May 2006) and there are some hot events happening there as well as off-site. Here are a few that we'll be checking out. If we missed any, tell us here and we'll post a follow-up on Friday.

Mobile Living is a conference and exhibition that's taking place at Skylight Studios concurrent with ICFF. As the name implies, they're going to be looking at our present nomadic lifestyle, showing examples of innovative design from the Office of Mobile Design, CP Company, Airstream (of mid-century trailer fame), Inflate UK, makers of temporary blow-up offices, a geodesic dome from the Buckminster Fuller Institute, Adam Kalkin's Push Button House, and something special from perennial faves Lot-ek. Paola Antonelli, the acting Director of MoMA's Department of Architecture and Design, Brett Littman from P.S.1, Ada Tolla (one-half of Lot-ek), Adam Kalkin, Douglas Fanning from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Karim Rashid, and others as speakers will be talking on a panel on Monday, 22 May 2006. It 's hard to imagine all of these design heavyweights in the same room.

At ICFF, be on the lookout for Rugged Art. Natty works with great artists to make 100% handmade limited edition art rugs. Last year, I had a chance to lounge on Ryan McGinness's beautiful rug (right). This year they'll will be showing designs fresh off the loom by NYC artists Doze Green and Yuri Shimojo along with rugs designed by Ease, Rostarr, and Steve Tsang.

In Brooklyn, for the fourth year running Williamsburg's firstop, from 20-21 May 2006, showcases innovative designs with over 20 open studios, exhibits, installations and other events, most with parties on 22 May 2006. Curated by thriving design store The Future Perfect's David Alhadeff and designer Jason Miller, the 3rd annual Altoids Living Spaces awards one emerging designer (chosen by Karim Rashid this year, 2005 winner Lindsey Adelman's new "Curiously Fussy" tin pictured left) with financial support and takes place 20-23 May 2006 at Supreme Trading. HauteGREEN, held at Bettencourt Green Building Supplies from 20-22 May 2005, brings together over 40 of the best in recent Green design, including Uhuru's one-of-a-kind pieces that elegantly repurpose materials like wood strips and bicycle rims and Loop.pH's plant-based BioWall.

Last weekend's BKLYN Designs launched the exhaustive exhibit that features work by over 60 Brooklyn-based artists and designers called Blockparty that runs through September 2006 and is housed in one of the new 14 Townhouses located in downtown Brooklyn. With works like Heather Cox's Tissue (pictured right) and the neo-Goth furniture of Brooklyn Royal, Blockparty is a rare chance to see Brooklyn zeitgeist under one roof.

Last but not least, rumors are already circulating about the Ikea Everyday exhibit and their guerilla furniture installation in Sheep's Meadow.

AKA x NikeiD Charity Auction Nears $15,000

by Josh Rubin

On 10 May 2006 Also Known As put seven pairs of NikeiD patent leather Dunk Lo's on Ebay in an auction to benefit Free Arts NYC. The bidding has already reached $14,800 with over 100 bids! The colors were inspired by vintage spray paint and the sneakers made exclusively for AKA, the New York based graf art collective. Free Arts NYC is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the healing powers of the arts into the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families. Bidding ends tomorrow so if you're rolling in cash jump in, better yet—convince your company to help a good cause, take a nice write-off and put them on display in the lobby.

Action Man 4040

by SummerSeventySix

Action Man is the British take on GI Joe, and was first introduced in 1966, hence Action Man 4040 at the Blink Gallery in Soho, London. The exhibition begins today, 16 May 2006, but I managed to get in for an early look.

It has been put together by designer-toy magazine Clutter, with a little bit of help from makers Hasbro, and features 40 different figures that have been customized, bastardized and abused by artists and designers from all over the world. Monsterism creator Pete Fowler and James Jarvis, the designer behind Amos Toys, to name just a couple. A few of the efforts may or may not be a comment on Action Man's military heritage, as they variously show him in a coffin, dressed to look like Mahatma Gandhi and holding a protest banner that says "Inaction Man". Others respect his roots, decking him out in the kind of heavy-duty hardware beloved of toy fan-boys, but it's worth a look even if you're not a collector and simply played with Action Man when you were a kid, like I did.

Action Man 4040 runs for a fortnight at the Blink Gallery, and then each of the figures will be auctioned for charity.