Cool Hunting
| 21 September 2007view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Bags of Goodwill
by Ami Kealoha
In time for the London Design Festival, and hot on the heels of Anya Hindmarch's successful/controversial I'm Not A Plastic Bag, 40 world-renowned designers have had a go at spicing up a standard shopper, and again, all for a good cause. From left to right are examples by Eero Aarnio, Barber Osgerby, Sebastian Wrong and Marcel Wanders. Along with the others, they can be seen at London store TwentyTwentyOne for the next few days. You can also bid for the one-off bags too, with the money going to the U.K.'s Fairtrade Foundation.
Kyotofu
by Ami Kealoha
When we were putting together our tofu video, Tim mentioned Kyotofu, the Manhattan tofu restaurant opened in October 2006 that's reinventing tofu for the American palate with their delicious assortment of desserts and savory dishes. We contacted owners Nicole Bermensolo and Michael Berl, longtime friends from college, and recently found ourselves in their minimalist jewel box of a dining room, enjoying treats like chicken-tofu sliders with shiso and cucumber, sparkling sake and tofu cheesecake.
Bermensolo and Berl both quit their jobs at JP Morgan after many visits to Japan, including time logged at a friend's family-run tofu factory in the city of Kyoto. As a result, their restaurant really flaunts the versatility of their chosen medium (which they make daily on site), offering a range of textures from delicate and creamy to cakey and rich. Both Tim and I were fans of the mousse-like consistency and smoky flavor of the black sesame tofu served with hoji-cha roasted green tea syrup. The dense, moist chocolate cupcake also won us over (and New York Magazine as well) for its intense chocolate flavor and for the fact that we totally didn't miss the frosting.
For simplicity, nothing beats nibbling on the smooth, light signature tofu's silkiness, an experience not unlike sampling a more refined panna cotta. A similar savory dish, features authentic, rare soy sauces that we couldn't get enough of.
Even after countless desserts, the low sugar content and minimal use of dairy (some of the treats are vegan) left us feeling surprisingly healthier. The soothing interior's Japanese aesthetics also contributed to an overall sense of well-being. Here's to tofu.
Kyotofu
705 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10019 map
tel. +1 212 974 6012
Photos by Jerry Errico
An Interview with Ryan Sovereign
by Lost At E Minor
We've been taken with the Sovereign Beck range of ties for some time. The Brooklyn-based company create snappy, stylish ties that mix wickedly vibrant lines with quirky, illustrated shapes. We interviewed Ryan Sovereign—one half (with William Beck) of the duo behind the label. (See CH's egg-frying, kite-flying, jam session video to get to know them both a little better visually.)
What makes a good tie? Is it the fabric, the color, the texture, the cut, or a mix of everything?
I think a lot of it is the pattern on the tie, whether that is the print or the weave. I own polyester ties, mix material ties and pure silk, all of which I would wear. I will say that a 'wide' tie or a 'skinny' tie is going to make a statement of its own. I try to stay in that mid-range of not going to far either way. When you start going to those extremes, you are looking to make a different statement then just wearing a nice looking tie.
For a while there it seemed that everyone was getting all casual on us, trainers, t-shirts, cargo pants wherever you looked. But smart suits and crisp collared shirts seem to be having a mini-revival. Do you agree?
I totally agree. When we started, the world was still that phase, but we were hoping that things would come back around. They always do, don't they? While being casual and comfortable has its place, there is always something to be said for dressing up and feeling sharp. Who wants to go to a nice restaurant or fashionable event and just see a bunch of dudes in khakis, printed t-shirts and sandals. "Every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man!"
We both have a strong appreciation and love for design from the turn of the century to today's designs. We absorb everything we see and want to have a place in that world. I think that the desire to be appreciated now and twenty years really drives us to create a more timeless aspect to our prints instead of just aiming at the immediate trends.
Which one are you wearing now?
If I were wearing one, it would be Levitate.
Vintage Elephant Bar
by Evan Orensten
I've recovered from obsessing over the vintage Gucci picnic set and moved on to this 1940s elephant bar, created for an English diplomat who clearly spent some time in the bush and had a big living room. Standing some four feet tall, this leather replica has a presence and originality that you won't find at the mall. My guess is the gent liked his Scotch, as the bar insert holds only a few bottles and room for an ice bucket.
Available from Mantiques Modern in New York City. Price upon request.
