Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces

by Doug Black

Hawaii's geographic isolation is a blessing and curse. Though often lacking the attention of their continental neighbors, the separation helps fosters a distillation and refinement of native style. In the late 19th century, western traders brought quilting techniques to the archipelag. And for the next hundred years, natives injected the art with their own regional distinctiveness, namely botanical imagery and vibrant, symmetrical patterns Print styles passed through generations like sacred heirlooms and often depict moments from personal or Hawaiian history.

"Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces" has 60 full-page color images that explore some of the most characteristic quilts dating from 1880 to the late 1990s. Robert Shaw, an expert on American folk art and crafts, provides backstory and historical placement for each quilt, along with an overarching essay on the custom as a whole.

Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces will be available from Universe in April 2009 for $28. You can also pre-order through Amazon.

Mühlbauer Campaigns

by Ami Kealoha

Among felt molds, colorful ribbons and other bits of visual stimuli found at the Viennese workshop of Mühlbauer, the family-owned hat-makers that goes back three generations, I was particularly taken by the ad campaigns lining the halls.

Spanning the decades with smart depictions of stylish women wearing hats, the colors, compositions and aesthetics of the vintage ads are like a walk through a history of illustration.

The highly-stylized imagery represents a bygone era of graphic arts, one that, like Warhol's illustrations, border on fine art.

One look at their current collateral, Gregor Zivic's bizarre photo depicting a man squeezing black liquid from an udder onto a hat (above), is testament to a creative company that perseveres with a strong identity only rivaled by the quality of their goods. (See the many turbans, veils, beribboned headbands and other smart headgear in their current collection for examples.)

VW Touareg V6 TDI

by Tim Yu

With the automobile industry in crisis, it's refreshing to see steps in the right direction like Volkswagon's new Clean Diesel Technology. Their most recent model to incorporate such emission- and pollution-lowering technology is the lean and mean Touareg V6 TDI. Representing a new generation of economical and low emission SUVs, Volkswagon proves once again why they're leaders in the industry.

The new Touareg, available to U.S. consumers in Spring 2009, is one of the most efficient SUVs in line for release. With a 3.0L, turbocharged six cylinder engine that produces 225 horsepower and an impressive 407 lbs-ft of torque the new generation Touareg has plenty of seat strapping push to go along with it's cushy suspension. In a rush? Just put it into sport mode for an immediate response of more power to go along with a stiffer suspension. Most importantly, the Touareg is able to perform at an impressive 25mpg which equates to a driving range of more than 600 miles per tank. I drove it all around L.A., Malibu and back again with plenty of fuel to spare.

In addition to the Clean Diesel Technology, the Touareg TDI is one of the first to feature the advanced DENOx system. By utilizing an aqueous solution of urea known as AdBlue, harmful nitrogen oxide components of the exhaust are converted into harmless nitrogen and water without forming any undesirable side products and reducing nitrogen oxides by 90%. I even performed the "white glove test" by placing my gloved hand on the exhaust for a minute and the result was no discoloration.

While sitting in the notorious L.A. traffic (it took me a little over two hours to travel about 15 miles), I had plenty of time to play with all the interior bells and whistles. A main center console controlling radio, temperature and navigation proved to be intuitive and easy to use. Most importantly all buttons controlling interior functionality is within easy reach of the cockpit and most can be found right on the steering wheel, offering a safer driving experience. High quality materials combined with low-gloss surfaces provide a comfortable but modern experience.

The Touareg also touts some progressive safety features including the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) which helps maintain directional control in hairy situations. There are also a myriad of sensors built into the body of the car which beep as you get close to anything (including people). This can be annoying and useless at times, but you're going to want to keep the slick body dent-free.

No price has been officially set but expect it to be around $43,000 msrp come this Spring.

Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Sake

by Ami Kealoha

For an unconventional New Year's toast, we can't think of a better option than Marumoto Brewery's Hou Hou Shu, a sparkling unfiltered Junmaishu sake. Tim and I first sampled it when we visited NYC's tofu restaurant Kyotofu and loved the light, slightly sweet flavor and gentle, natural carbonation which makes for a drinking experience very similar to champagne.

At only 6% alcohol, the fruity taste pairs well with the same types of foods that go well with either sake or champagne, so seafood, fruit or anything light would be a particularly chic celebration—not to mention the sweetly charming design of the blue bottle. It's also rumored to come in a version infused with rosehips and hibiscus, but that may be a bit harder to track down.

Individual 187 mL bottles are available for $8 from Argonaut Wine and Liquor or we recommend a 300 mL bottle along with 12 delicious Miso brownies from Kyotofu for $45.

Image via The Second Glass

Totokaelo Boutique

by Karen Day

With the ever-increasing popularity of fast fashion and the "one day it's in the next day it's out" attitude, it's refreshing to see that thoughtful boutiques bearing items of timeless design still exist. This is the premise behind Totokaelo, an e-commerce site that just finished their brick-and-mortar location in the historic Maritime building in downtown Seattle. Like its sister store Impulse, one of Seattle's top places to shop for contemporary casual clothing, mastermind and owner Jill Wenger's newest shop will carry those minimalist brands we all lust after like Comme des Garçon, Yohji Yamamoto, Martin Margiela and Acne among dozens of other greats.

Launched a few months before the physical storefront, Totokaelo online set the scene for a community spirited atmosphere by encouraging customers to create user profiles and become active on the site's blog where you'll find an open discussion on sizing, styling or shared interests such as music or where to shop in foreign cities. The storefront follows suit with a combination of well informed staff who offer attentive personal service.

Totokaelo, a Latin phrase (toto caelo) meaning to reach to the edge of the stars, is in line with Jill Wenger's aesthetics as a buyer and her philosophy on fashion. Seeking investment pieces that will carry her customers through season after season, she believes clothing should be "thoughtfully chosen, loved, and worn until they literally fall apart."