Cool Hunting
| 10 September 2008view entries from: this week | this month | view previous day | view next day |
Neuton CE 6.2 Battery-Powered Mower
by Tim Yu
Yet another smart alternative to help cut your carbon footprint, Neuton released a new battery-powered mower to keep your lawn fit and trim. A step up from the first version, the 6.2 edition is able to cut a 19" path saving you time and work.
Most electric mowers keep you tethered to an outlet, creating a sub-optimal user experience. Neuton's battery powered version is cordless and powerful. With 360 watts of output it can even mow through the thick and tall stuff. A full battery charge last about an hour and a spare battery will keep you going longer if needed.
The mower comes with everything you need including a rear grass collection bag, side discharge chute, mulching plug, battery, charger and safety key. Recently reduced in price, it's still a bit steep at $450. Gas powered lawnmowers account for around 5% of air pollution in the U.S., so we think it's a wise investment. Available at Neuton.
Bullseye Bodega by Target
by Tim Yu
We were pleasantly surprised by Target's Bullseye Bodega pop-up concept, featuring guest-designer clothing, accessories and objects at Target's usual low prices. Four Manhattan locations will be open for four days only—12-15 September 2008—though much of the merchandise will be available online and in Target stores later on.
Taking a page from the original Bodega shop in Boston, Bullseye Bodega mimics the traditional NYC corner store. Grocery shelves and produce coolers hold clothes, accessories and beauty products. Highlights include a womens line by Jonathan Saunders, accessories by Anya Hindmarch and some paper goods by John Derian, all of which are in advanced release at the pop-up shop before hitting general Target stores. Visit Target for the full list of the 22 designers participating as well as the pop-up shop locations.
Exclusive images of the interior after the jump.
Radio Nova
by Ami Kealoha
Any Francophile worth their salt should know about Radio Nova, the 27 year-old French station that broadcasts throughout much of the country. There are a lot of reasons to love it, not the least of which is if you find yourself driving a tiny car equipped with only a cassette deck to Le Lude, a renaissance castle in the Loire Valley — as Seth and I did recently.
The renowned station can be streamed from the Internet as well, offering a mellow mix of music that spans decades and genres in an egalitarian way that strikes us as quintessentially French. The eclectic mix is difficult to summarize but, like the name implies, it has the laid-back effect of Bossa Nova without any Northern Hemisphere melancholy. Where else can you hear "Bonita Applebum" alongside Boston's Westbound Train sampling "Love and Happiness" these days? Even if you don't like all the music (it can be a little heavy on electronic picks for my taste and doesn't venture much beyond that, world music and hip hop), the relaxed mood is difficult to resist.
Hellovon: Migration Billboards
by Fiona Killackey
Hellovon is a 26 year-old London based pencil perfectionist who takes the art of illustration to dizzying new heights — in this case literally. Hellovon's latest exhibition is called Migration and takes place in two parts, in two major cities, London and New York, over two months.
Starting its sojourn in London, the first element of the Migration exhibition can be viewed on a billboard at the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London. This month will see Hellovon's flock journey to New York where they will be sitting pretty on a billboard on the side of the Espeis Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You can also check out a video if you can't make it in person. Who says you shouldn't aim for the sky?
Ross Lovegrove x Globetrotter: onehundred&ten
by Brian Fichtner
To celebrate their 110th anniversary, high-end luggage maker Globetrotter collaborated with one of the world's most futuristic designers to create a contemporary classic that could see the company through its next 110 years. Ross Lovegrove, the Welsh designer known for his fluid forms and experimentation with revolutionary materials, sought to create the world's most lightweight suitcase.
Carbon fiber was the obvious choice but the material doesn't stand up to the rigors of modern travel. Instead, Lovegrove (with the cooperation of the Toray Corporation and DuPont) created a new composite named 3X Fibre. An exclusive carbon fiber/Kevlar weave, 3X Fibre is a triple-axis weave that yields the world's lightest suitcase (1.35 kg for the carry-on) with a strength five times greater than steel on an equal weight basis.
Aptly named the onehundred&ten, the suitcase is currently limited to an initial product run of 1000 units in the Air Cabin version because of the global carbon shortage — Boeing has bought up all the supplies for its carbon fiber plane. For U.S. customers, the onehundred&ten can be purchased exclusively through Moss for a mere $3,525.
