Nau Winner

by Ami Kealoha

The response to our video profiling the new Portland, OR-based outerwear brand Nau was tremendous. We received hundreds of entries for the giveaway and are happy to congratulate Chris V. of Astoria, NY on winning the item of his choice from Nau!

It's no secret that we're huge fans of the burgeoning brand (and more so every time we wear one of their ingeniously-designed, eco-friendly garments), so we jumped at the chance to share the story of the brand through video. The outpouring of emails from people who were excited to learn about such a well-founded and well-executed new company match our own enthusiasm. Thanks Nau!

The Whale Hunt

by Tim Yu

Jonathan Harris continues to explore the art of storytelling in his inimitable way with his latest project, The Whale Hunt. A photo-documentary work, Harris joined a family of Inupiat Eskimos in Barrow, Alaska (the northernmost settlement in the United States) to take part in a whale hunt, a thousand-year-old tradition that provides the community's annual food supply.

In an attempt to mimic the same automated data collection and visualization usually executed by computer scripts for his projects such as We Feel Fine, Harris documents the adventure by taking photos every five minutes (even using a chronometer while sleeping) and in times of high adrenaline, increasing the pace to match his heartbeat. Starting at the Newark airport and ending with the butchering of the second whale, Harris took a total of 3,124 photographs over the course of nine days.

The result is an impressive framework that elaborately tells a moment-to moment story of a whale hunt, taking Harris' personal experience and creatively translating it online for people to experience. Expertly documented and organized, it's an unbelievable glimpse into a community's traditional activity.

via Josh Spear

Also on Cool Hunting Video: Jonathan Harris

Everland Hotel

by Ami Kealoha

by Tacita Vero

Just opened, the Everland Hotel sits like a jewel on the roof of that treasure chest, the contemporary art space Palais De Tokyo in Paris. First installed in 2002 at other locations including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Leipzig, the Hotel is reaching its most stunning and coveted placement in the City of Light, oddly on the top of the 1930s classical building. Designed by Swiss artists Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann, the structure cannot simply be classified as a hotel nor just as an exhibition space since it is both and neither at the same time.

The function is intertwined so strongly with the concept that is is impossible to make them apart: the Everland really works like an hotel and retains all its functions. Consisting of one single green and white container, it houses a comfortable room with a king size bed, a fully working bathroom beautifully tiled in blue mosaics, a large lounge and even an over-stuffed mini-bar. However, unlike a regular commercial establishment, guests are allowed to stay only one night in the year and it's open to museum visitors during the day.

As a design object, every detail is carefully crafted. The curving lines and occasional angle chase each other throughout the space. Vibrant colors and elements like a record player (with vintage record collection to match) enhance the strong 60s mod vibe. Bathroom soap sets and towels retain the "steal me" appeal like in any hotel but the effect of the Everland is of supreme modernity and high design.

Ample windows delivering the best view of the Eiffel tower possible make this the best location of the Everland so far. Everything, including top class service, seems to match perfectly with the ideal of luxury and indulgence modern hotels want to deliver and at the same time the concept marries happily with the contemporary edge of the museum space below it.

Well worth experiencing, the room costs between €333-444 to book for the night and bookings happen online exclusively. To give everyone a fair shot, bookings can be made only two months in advance and new booking slots are opened every week.

Minor Variety T-Shirts

by Ami Kealoha

by Andrew Potash

In an era when the t-shirt market is saturated with all-over prints and every company has an "artist" collaboration, it's refreshing to see the La Jolla, CA-based label Minor Variety take it back to the basics. The visionaries behind the brand were tired of tees acting as billboards, yet wanted a shirt with a little more flare than a plain tee. Minor Variety's basic crew necks and Vs feature hand sewn pockets and details made from an eclectic range of prints collected along their travels.

The "Purps" is a stylish color combo featuring a grey v-neck with a purple houndstooth pocket (above right), while "Holiday in Cambodia" is a nod to the summer months, a lavender tee with tropical palm tree print pocket (above left).

All the shirts are limited to 25 pieces so you won't see anyone else wearing the same one, another one of the creators pet peeves. With no logos or labels, celebrate your brand independence with Minor Variety this holiday season. Contact minorvariety [a] gmail [dot] com for more info.

Moshi Monsters

by Lost At E Minor

Adding yet another realm to social networking online, UK-based gaming company Mind Candy combines the Tamagotchi virtual pet concept with web 2.0 to create Moshi Monster, a social networking site aimed at kids. Instead of creating profiles users adopt monsters, which they can nurture and play with, interacting with other kids and monsters in the process. By taking good care of your monster players earn points to buy virtual items for their pets, sort of like Second Life for children. Now that's a scary thought.

Now in Beta, take a tour and join at Moshi Monster.