Cool Hunting
| 15 June 2006view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Print Liberation
by Ami Kealoha
Philadelphia-based design studio Print Liberation carries a line of tees, prints, and accessories that will make any font nerd swoon. Printed on American Apparel, we like the layout and concept of the "Don't Give Up" tee, which avoids the bumper sticker-like pitfalls of other message shirts by using non-centered and so-clichéd-it's-meaningless text and was also one of Print Liberation's wheat paste campaigns. The same large graphic letters show up on a canvas tote and are also featured on an apron, which is not to say that these items are the only goods worth checking out from Print Liberation—a Bill Clinton tee, a limited-edition "Don't Give Up" print, and the team's graphic design work stand out as well.
Eileen Wunderlich and Raf Veulemans
by Ami Kealoha
Sharing a fondness for taxidermy, Berlin-based artist Eileen Wunderlich (self-portrait, right) and Belgian Raf Veulemans both have solo shows opening tomorrow, 16 June 2006, at Strychnin gallery in Berlin's central Friedrichshain district. Where Wunderlich often offsets her macabre subjects by posing the dead animals in humorous and even subversive tableaus (picture a hedgehog doing lines off a mirror), Veulemans will add an interactive element by inviting guests at the opening to bring cotton clothing or bags for him to modify with his airbrush at the event. The show promises to be a totally unconventional break in a World Cup-saturated Germany. After the jump, check out a piece by Veulemans, another one of Wunderlich's works, an announcement for the show, and more info.
The Chocolate Barn
by Evan Orensten
Lucinda Gregory started The Chocolate Barn nearly 30 years ago. This Vermont jewel is actually in a 19th century barn and features more than 50 kinds of hand-dipped chocolates and many flavors of fudge. But the real story here is her enormous collection of antique European chocolate molds. Big, small, simple, ornate—there are molds for every holiday, mood and occasion.
There is a always a variety of these solid molded chocolates available in milk, dark and white chocolate (they are made using Peter's chocolate). Best of all, you can phone in an order requesting any of the molds in the shop. They are (very reasonably) priced by weight; the chocolates in the photo above cost between $5 and $12.
The shop also sells some antique chocolate and ice cream molds, and a range of local artisinal products.
More images and contact information after the jump.
Isolyn
by Ami Kealoha
Isolyn for their texture-heavy rugs that blend in felted cocoons and bubbles with sustainable materials like leather, sheepskin, and wool. The protruding forms also make for unexpected foot and body massages, and since head designer Michelle Butler once competed in synchronized ice-skating, we'll trust that she knows all about foot relief.
The British company was featured at the recent ICFF show in New York and made quite an impression with their highly customizable collection of rugs, ottomans, throws, and commissioned work, like a sofa made out of flexible cubic cushions. Among the most fun and interactive products were the colorful felt flowers attached to magnets, which make a wall hanging suited to easy and frequent rearrangement.
by Stephan Paschalides
Kettle Bakes Potato Chips
by Evan Orensten
This is probably a good time to remind readers that we maintain a strict editorial policy at CH. Products mentioned on the site are here because we like them. We never accept money for editorial consideration, and all of our paid ads/promotions are clearly labeled as such. Sometimes people send us samples for review, and what we don't eat, return or give away we do sometimes keep.
Now that we have that out of the way, it may seem like we give a lot of attention to Kettle Chips. We cover their contests and lavishly praise their tasty concoctions. And here they are again, this time with their new line of baked potato chips.
Yes, we think the people there are smart and have a good time. And that counts. But here's the word: These are the best baked chips we've had at CH HQ. Most baked chips have an unfortunate synthetic texture and have an overly chemical taste. Try these and you'll see all the difference that passion can make in a chip. These feel like kettle cooked chips in your mouth. The White Cheddar flavor greets your tongue without overpowering it, and the salted plain chips are perfectly simple. Best of all, these chips have 65% less fat than the kettle cooked ones, and no trans fats. They have 120 calories for an ounce of chips (they're still chips) but only 3g of monounsaturated fat.
Hook your party up with these and some Cabo Chips and you are good to go.
Also on CH: Potato Crisp Roundup
