Cool Hunting Video Presents: Veuve Clicquot

by Cool Hunting Video

We were recently invited out to Madame Clicquot's estate in Reims, France to learn about the process of making her Veuve Clicquot bubbly. In between boat and helicopter rides, we visited their vineyards and labs with their cellar masters for a behind the scenes look at the scientific process of fermenting their famous grapes. Check out the video for a glimpse at the good life while it still exists.

Beth Lipman x Steuben Glass: Still Life Collection

by Brian Fichtner

For several years, glass artist Beth Lipman has been reinterpreting classical still life painting with her carefully constructed assemblages of glass objects. An artistic practice that emerged in 17th century Europe, still life painting represented not only a formal and technical evolution in the medium, but a distillation of the political, moral and religious values of both artist and patron. By transforming the still life into glass, Lipman not only pays homage to this centuries-old artistic form but suggests that along with the objects those principles it sought to convey are intangible.

Recently, the artist collaborated with Steuben Glass to create Still Life, a lustrous collection that harnesses the manufacturer's unrivaled crystal. She writes in the introduction to her collection, "...with Steuben's crystal, the sparkle, clarity and absence of color make it possible to capture in glass the very essence of the object being depicted, offering a counterpoint to the trompe l'oeil of still life painting."

Still Life consists of the Grand Collection (above, click image for detail), a thirty piece sculpture offered in a limited edition of five for $38,000 each; Collection II (top right), an eight-piece sculpture offered in a limited edition of 25 for $14,500 each; and, for those who wish to create a still life of their own choosing, an assortment of fruits and leaves priced between $550 and $6,200.

Interested parties can order through Steuben's website or their New York flagship.

FishPhone Text Messaging Service

by Doug Black

Without FishPhone, an SMS-based application that keeps up-to-date statistics on the nebulous field of ocean friendly seafood, eating fish can be like walking a minefield these days. You shouldn't get the Yellowfin Tuna or risk eating mercury. The Atlantic Cod doesn't have an unhealthy chemicals, but decades of overfishing have left populations at a historic low and bottom trawling causes even more environmental degradation. So how do you know what's safe to eat?

FishPhone can be accessed at the fishmongers (or anywhere) via your mobile phone simply by texting 30644 with the message "FISH," followed by the name of the fish in question. You'll soon receive a response text with the makers of the service, Blue Ocean Institute's, assessment. And if your seafood of choice ends up being of dubious quality or harmful to the environment, they'll offer some better alternatives.

If you're the proud owner of an iPhone or other device capable of accessing the Internet, FishPhone is conveniently formatted for mobiles. Visit www.fishphone.org and you can view the list or download it to help solve your next vexing seafood selection session.

Chris Mendoza: Daily Habits

by CH Contributor

by Tamara Warren

With a watchful eye, Nicaraguan-born artist Chris Mendoza draws on folkloric influences and contemporary pop culture, bridging indigenous traditions with his experiences living in NYC. His latest work is a series of 20 riveting ink drawings carved on Masonite and handmade paper. Called "Daily Habits," it's currently on display at Manhattan's Joshua Liner Gallery through 15 November 2008. (See more details below.)

Mendoza attributes his inspiration for "Daily Habits" to the musical backdrop of the sounds of hip hop culture prevalent when he was growing up the Bronx during the 1980s. His thoughtful approach to the subject presents ancient symbols through the lens of his own experience, making for obsessively-detailed imagery. The nuances—from hieroglyphic eyes to scripted bold and obtuse shapes—catch the eye among the mesmerizing bobble of monochromatic line work and etchings.

Mendoza’s precise penmanship (his father taught him drafting skills) is at the core of the work. Symmetry gives way to controlled chaos and caricatures. Each piece resonates with a secret language, begging to be decoded. Some use hollow black backgrounds to illuminate each line and shape of his subject.

"Velocity" appears to be a spaceship looming in orbit. Or is it a cityscape? "Time Changes" alludes to the ancient Mayan calendars, whereas the black ink against white paper of "Flota" reminds of a battleship sailing on a sea. Or is it a towering statue? Or could it be an industrial yard? The work is complex and illusory, requiring more than a quick glance.

Mendoza has shown his work at the Museo de Arte San Juan, White Box Gallery, the Transport Gallery and Dyezu-Exp Gallery. He is also a member of the dynamic Barnstormers artist collective that includes Swoon, David Ellis and José Parlá who come together to create large-scale murals, films and performances, in addition to their solitary accomplishments.

Daily Habits
Through 15 November 2008
Joshua Liner Gallery
548 West 28th Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10001 map
tel. +1 212 244 7415

Fallow Boutique

by Lost At E Minor

The perfect balance between Shiraz and Parmesan is the metaphor that came to mind when we met Nat Denning, a fashion retailer, and Michael, a retail shopfitter, who have combined to create Fallow, one of Australia's most stylish and unique boutiques. Stocking the best of Australian and international labels including Friedrich Gray, Claude Maus, St Augustine Academy and Chronicles of Never, this boutique is a gem, hidden behind an anonymous door in Brisbane's uber-hip area, The Valley. Fallow oozes style with a harmony of antique furniture and modern fashion. It is a rare retail space that has a soul and is an inspiration to those who come across it.

Fallow
Level 1, 354 Brunswick Street
Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
Australia map
tel. +07 3854 0155

Tomas Kral: Upgrade Series

by Brian Fichtner

Applying traditional glass cutting techniques and gold labels to industrial bottles and jars for his recent project called "Upgrade," the young Slovakian designer Tomas Kral, a recent graduate from Ecal (Lausanne's University of Art and Design), is becoming a talent to be reckoned with. Similar to Tord Boontje's transGlass series for Artecnica — everyday wine and beer bottles given new life through cutting and etching — Kral's experimentation with industrial jars and bottles employs traditional craft techniques to breathe new life (and beauty) into anonymous design.

He presented the smart collection at this year's 100% Design in London but it's also on show at a pop-up exhibition in London through 19 October 2008. Get more info and check out more images at Dezeen.

Freehands

by Josh Rubin

Last winter I frequently answered my iPhone with my nose—an occasionally humorous but oftentimes frustrating solution to the conundrum of how to stay warm and take calls. This winter, with Freehands, that won't be an issue. Freehands, the gloves that let you keep in touch, feature fold-back thumb and index finger tips to expose the fingers you need to use a touch screen, keyboard, MP3 player, PSP or simply to pull something out of your wallet. Small magnets keep the folded back tips from flopping around when they're folded back.

Freehands is a glove line that was born out of a collaboration with my father, Stanley, a glove manufacturer. I never expected to go into the family business (my grandfather and uncle were also glove manufacturers). I was complaining about the incompatibility between gloves and touch screens one night over dinner and we both immediately realized this was a problem we could do something about.

For our first season we wanted to keep things simple. We created three unisex styles: Fleece, Stretch and Leather available in sizes extra small to extra large. We decided to only make them in one color: black. Perhaps the best part, they're $20 (Fleece), $30 (Stretch) and $40 (Leather).