New from BY:AMT

by CH Contributor

by Russ Lowe

Is good design recession-proof? We think so but regardless it can't hurt to hedge your bets on items like those from this latest crop from BY:AMT that are beautiful, functional, fresh and sensible. And, just in time for stocking stuffing, the Brooklyn design sweethearts, headed by Dutch designer Alissia Melka-Teichroew, recently launched a nifty new web store aptly named BUY:AMT.

No more rooting through back catalogs or sub-vendors to access their thought-provoking furnishings, playfully ironic jewelry, accessories and conversation-starters. From Alissia's ingenious little riff on the Tiffany solitaire years ago called "Diamond Ring," BY:AMT's work has evolved but is still charged with the same brow-raising buoyancy as their landmark designs that continue to draw cult-like acclaim.

We're looking forward to the release of the USB keys (top left) in 2009 but for now we're content with the many other items, like the vinyl collaborations Alissia's done with her husband Jan Habraken. The collection of doily-like floor mats (top right) is called "Lacy Sunday" and their other wall graphics (above) by Blik deserve a look too.

Riffing on yet another symbol of luxury and good taste, Alissia's totes are simple and sturdy bags printed with the trompe l'oeil image of a status purse—yes, there have been other similar gimmicks but it's a gimmick we love every time.

Akomplice Clothing Season Nine

by Jacob Resneck

We've been keeping tabs on brothers Mike and Patrick McCarney at Akomplice Clothing since the early days and it's been a pleasure to watch their line expand from their humble origins in the Colorado Rockies to ferrying their fans around in limousines during the last Presidential Election.

The McCarney Brothers have unveiled their Ninth Seasonwith a line of streetwear and accessories that's worth checking out.

Of particular note is their raw denim jeans with slit rear pocket detail, Chilla' crewneck (available in black or white) and regal Rugby shirt (skewing traditional stripes diagonally) in violet and black. These wares are available either onlineor you can check to see if Akomplice has made it to your neighborhood.

San Francisco's Sustainable Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar

by CH Contributor

by Laura Neilson

When you're a seven-table sushi restaurant—in San Francisco, a city overflowing with sushi joints—how do you stand apart from the others? San Francisco's Tataki Sushi and Sake Bar took this obvious challenge to task by being the country's first and only sustainable sushi restaurant. Co-owners Raymond Ho and Kin Lui, who opened Tataki earlier this year in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood, maintain that every item on its menu is caught in an environmentally sound manner.

To help them in their endeavor, Ho and Lui enlisted the expertise of seafood sustainability expert, Casson Trenor. According to Trenor, the five most popular sushi items in the United States—longline tuna, farmed salmon, farmed imported shrimp, farmed freshwater eel (unagi), and farmed Japanese amberjack (hamachi)—are all generally unsustainable. "Tataki is the only sushi restaurant in the U.S. to offer sustainable alternatives to all five,” he says

Instead of serving bluefin tuna (a fish that's both endangered and known for its high mercury levels), Tataki offers diners yellowfin and albacore tuna caught by handline, thereby avoiding the accidental capture of seabirds and turtles that often occurs with longline fishing. Other alternatives include Alaskan salmon and arctic char, which stand in for farmed Atlantic salmon (notorious for pollutants). In addition to sustainable seafood sources, local ingredients are also a key component on Tataki's menu. The "Golden State" roll, for example, is an all-out, all-local tribute to California, featuring spicy, suspension-farmed scallops and minced apple, layered with albacore tuna, avocado and 24k gold flakes.

Environmental considerations don't stop at the menu—the compact space is marked by thoughtful design details, from the sleek, polished bamboo tables (handcrafted by the owners themselves), to the plates and utensils fashioned from rapidly-renewable sources such as acacia wood.

Francesco Sommacal: 360

by Doug Black

Adrenaline nuts searching for the latest extreme sport have a new toy, the 360. A recent recipient of a the Red Dot luminary design award, the 360 simulates the mechanics of snowboarding, surfing or skating, using a pair of wheels connected by a flexible, highly adjustable crossbar.

The innovative design places the rider's feet inside the hole at the center of each orbital wheel. The 360 moves as the rider shifts their body weight forth and back and it can be ridden downhill, using the built-in speed regulation system or freestyle for tricks on obstacles. The thick, off-road wheels permit use on most surfaces, from pavement to grass and gravel.

The 360 was developed by Francesco Sommacal, a graduate of the Faculty of Design and Art at the Free University of Bozen Bolzano. It isn't yet available on the market, but stay tuned for updates on the 360 site, where you can also see a few videos of it in action.