Gramercy Park Hotel

by Ami Kealoha

In just a few short years since reopening to much fanfare in 2006, Ian Schrager's 184-room NYC Gramercy Park Hotel has already settled into its own distinctively regal Bohemian personality. A stay feels like a trip to a storybook castle—if artist Julian Schnabel (he's responsible for the interiors) played monarch of a country that includes Moroccan, Spanish, Italian and other influences. With a woodsy scent greeting guests (echoed in the bath products) and a fire burning in the lobby, Schrager asserts his attention to detail and his subscription to the hotel-as-experience philosophy.

From the ground floor black-and-white checkerboard floors and deep red floor-to-ceiling drapes to the cerulean velvet throw draped across the beds, the decor channels decadence and drama, lending a through-the-looking-glass vibe. Stunning and well-curated works of contemporary art by the likes of Cy Twombly, Warhol, Basquiat and Damien Hirst complete the extravagant scene, making the environment more akin to an eclectic collector's house than to a staid hotel.

The ground-floor Rose bar offers more than a usual hotel bar too, with deliciously creative cocktails—like a Lillet and vodka combo mixed with blackberries and coconut—served in another Schnabel-designed space that continues to attract the well-heeled crowd, fashion types and celebrities. A door policy limits entry to guests and those with reservations, making the high-ceilings, seductive lighting and opulent furnishings (including a massive cast-resin chandelier inspired by a sawtooth fish, pictured above) an exclusive spot to sip a cocktail and have an intimate chat.

Other socializing options include a private club with a retractable roof on the 16th floor (pictured below) and a Danny Meyer (restaurateur behind Blue Smoke, Shake Shack and several other NYC establishments) restaurant, designed by architect David Rockwell, that's due to replace the recently-shuttered Wakiya (a space that never quite seemed to fit) next month. Or, take advantage of the access the hotel grants to Gramercy Park, the only private park in Manhattan.

For those who prefer to stay in, the rooms feel generously-sized by NYC standards and offer the same eclectic mix of furnishings (heavy velvet, Maarten Baas' burned "Smoke Chair," studded bed frames) that makes for sumptuously edgy surroundings. Mirrored minibars stocked with faux-crystal glassware, iPod docks, CD and DVD payers and a DVD library provide plenty of in-room entertainment. Offsetting it all, a crisp white bed anchors the experience with a dose of classic hotel luxury which carries through into the clean tiled bathrooms.

An "Aerospa" and "Aerospace" gym (the first of their kind, though we regrettably didn't have the opportunity to report on them first-hand) complete the property along with other amenities we've come to expect (WiFi, laundry, valet parking) from a hotel of the Gramercy's caliber.

Rack rates start at $495 through Mr & Mrs Smith. Check out all of their New York hotels on their site.

Siggi's Yogurt New Flavors: Vanilla, Açai and Grapefruit

by Doug Black

Though produced in New York City with dairy sourced upstate, Siggi's is an Icelandic-style strained yogurt, or skyr. What makes a yogurt Icelandic? The first distinction is consistency. Far thicker than most yogurts at the grocery store, Siggi's texture is more akin to the Greek variety. With a full 16 grams of protein, it has two to three times that of conventional yogurts. And particularly popular among the health conscious, Siggi's is completely fat free and avoids sugars or artificial sweeteners in favor of raw agave nectar.

Due to its lack of considerable sweetening, the Siggi's flavor is more tart than most. (On a recent visit to CH, Siggi explained that one of the reasons he started the brand was because he prefers less sweet yogurt.) While this may be jarring to the untrained palate, the skyr's sour taste makes it the perfect accompaniment for sweeter additions like honey, granola or fruit.

Originally available in Plain, Blueberry, Orange and Ginger, as well as Pomegranate and Passion Fruit, they just launched a trio of new ones: Vanilla, Açai and Grapefruit. All flavors are available in six-ounce cups and they recently began selling a 16-ounce container of Plain. You can find Siggi's Skyr at select Whole Foods, Wegmans and Balducci's locations, as well other retailers across the country.

Twig and Fig Reclaimed Wood Invites

by CH Contributor

by Tisha Leung

Planning a country or beach wedding? Twig and Fig’s Driftwood Tides set lends a glam shade to the eco-friendly. Made entirely from reclaimed wood, the invitation, consists of seven planks (reminding of driftwood or an old romantic boardwalk) that measure 5"x7" and approximately 1” thick and includes a single 4”x6” plank as the save-the-date card. Two vertical planks neatly hold the seven others together.

Twig and Fig’s co-owner and designer, Suzie McKig took inspiration from photographs of a Hawaiian vacation home built of reclaimed wood and painted in the color palette of the sea ranging from deep azure to bright turquoise. The resulting invitations have a beautiful natural patina with screen printed water-soluble ink and laser-etched text. Any font or design can be created with their in-house laser cutter.

A complete set ranges from $57-63, which includes an invite, save-the-date and a lined rag envelope. The turquoise liner adds a sea-splash of color against the wood grain, but they can substitute the envelope or liner for any in their line. Naturally, the invites require additional postage. Go to Twig and Fig for more info.

Dynomighty Design: The Mighty Wallet

by Nathan Suberi

Dynomighty Design uses High Density Polyethylene threads (Tyvek to us non-chemists) to make their Mighty Wallet a tough and lightweight option. We recently had the opportunity to meet with Terrence Kelleman, the mastermind behind Dynomighty, who demonstrated the Mighty Wallet's incredible durability when faced with basically any stress imaginable.

If you've ever tried to tear a FedEx envelopes, you have some idea of Tyvek's strength; it's near impossible to break. And due to its flexibility, a single piece of folded material goes into making the Mighty, reducing the possibility of damage along seam lines. The design also renders the wallet expandable, adapting to individual levels of use.

To prove its strength, Kelleman put his product through a range of tests, including soaking it in water for a full day, freezing it for a week, beating it with a sledgehammer and even using it to hang from the ceiling. (See a video, along with more images, after the jump.)

He says there may even be plans for a similar test involving his motorcycle. "I think three could take it," he boasts. From what we've seen, we're inclined to believe him. To top it off, the recyclable wallets are made from 25% post-consumer material, adding a comforting tint of green to their capabilities as a wallet.

The Mighty Wallet comes in fifteen different designs, ranging from an all-black version and one that looks as if its folded out of comic book pages to Kelleman's old French homework and a printout of the first 3,000 digits of Pi. Seven more will debut late this August.

They sell for a mere $15 through Dynomighty Design.

Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy

by CH Contributor

by Julie Wolfson

The exhibit, "Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy" pays homage to traditional Japanese Kokeshi, brightly painted wooden dolls with no arms or legs, at the LATDA in collaboration with the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in downtown Los Angeles. A giant crocheted doll by Emi Motokaw greets museum goers at the entrance, welcoming them into the three-part exhibit. The first part shows Itske and Anthony Stern's collection of traditional Kokeshi, followed by 11 contemporary artists' original takes on the Kokeshi in diverse media. For the third section entitled "Custom Kokeshi 2009," curator Christina Conway gave over 100 artists an identical blank Kokeshi form to create pieces of art.

Cool Hunting asked Conway to tell us more about the world of customized toys, the artists and the surprises she found along the way.

What inspired you to do this show?
I started collecting a few random vinyl toys a few years ago, but was always on the lookout more feminine pieces. I loved the idea of the same toy customized by a series of artists, but I wanted to see more diversity in the style of art. I remember talking to different toy designers at Comic-Con and asking why more women were not included, everyone just laughed and shrugged it off. The vinyl toy market is rather male oriented, considering that most designs are created "kawaii" style, it's a bit ironic there are not more girls dominating the scene. With my custom shape based on a feminine form I have been trying to introduce finer art to the custom toy world. So many talented artists, illustrators and designers were being overlooked. I wanted to see my favorite people work on a 3-D form too. After a series of events, I looked into creating my own show. Don and Dylan of Subtext Gallery were open to seeing what I could do. I have them to thank for getting the project started, without someone willing to try something new none of this could have happened.

How did you choose the artists?
I have an on-going list of hundreds of artists I follow, admire or am inspired by. I bookmark many many blogs and websites, including Cool Hunting, and find more people every day that impress me. And I go from there! I put the first show together in three months, with over 80 artists and found most everyone were really intrigued by the kokeshi and ready to contribute work. Most of the artists I contact have never spoken with me before, I'm like a kid in a candy store writing, talking and meeting all these creative people I've only known from a distance.

Which artist's kokekshi surprised you the most?
The fact that there is such diversity always impresses me. This year I invited artists who work in other media besides paint and the results were truly amazing. I really love that Tessar worked with clay this year, his first piece in the 2007 show was incredible. This newest one is a true reflection on how his work is changing. I think he took the bull by the horns and just went for it. It was liberating to see him not being limited by the shape. The other kokeshi that really have me giddy are the three pieces Mike Rivamonte created from clarinets, photo equipment, and the blank kokeshi. I had seen his vintage inspired robots online and was curious to know if he could make kokeshi the same way. I've been trying to trade some old clarinets from junior high and highschool as credit towards purchasing one, but Mike is looking for more vintage instruments... I still hope to see my neglected clarinets find a home in his work, it's such a great form of recycling.

How did you get involved with the exhibit at the Japan America Museum?
Scott Brown of Spicy Brown discovered my 2007 kokeshi show and told Maria Kwong, an avid toy collector and the Director of the Los Angeles Toy, Doll and Amusements Museum. Maria contacted me and visited the show at Subtext. She told me about an exhibit she was working on that was all about kokeshi and asked if I would be interested in putting together another custom show. I already knew I wanted to do the show again, so this opportunity with such an amazing venue was an wonderful opportunity for me and for the artists I support. I jumped at the chance. I have Maria to thank for making all this possible, she works magic!

What's next for the Kokeshi project?
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some projects that have been mentioned to me, until then I'll keep the next show under wrap until I know more. Meanwhile, I am designing a photography book with all the images of the custom kokeshi from 2007 and 2009. There's never been a budget for a show catalog, so I hope to eventually make up for that with one large and in-depth book.

What else are you working on?
By day I am a full-time graphic designer with a specialty and fondness for surface pattern design. I have been fortunate enough to stay busy on projects and continue to scour the web, magazines and galleries for art that inspires my own design work. I paint a little on the side when I get the opportunity.

The custom Kokeshi are available through the JANM Museum store. (Most are between $120-$750.)

Kokeshi: From Folk Art to Art Toy
Through 6 October 2009
Japanese American National Museum
369 East First Street
Los Angeles California 90012 map
tel. +1 213 625 0414

Ferrari California Road Trip

by Evan Orensten

Ferrari invited us to San Diego to test drive the new Ferrari California, and I fortunately drew the lucky straw at our editor's meeting. We have always held Ferrari in great esteem for its dedication to design and innovation, but hadn't thought of ourselves as Ferrari enthusiasts. That's changed now that I've had the opportunity to spend a day with one of the most exciting new cars on the market. The California takes its place as Ferrari's entry level car, and was designed to fill out its offering in the Gran Turismo segment of the market. From its Ferrari DNA (inspired by the 1960 250 GT Spider California SWB) to its performance, innovation, looks and drivability it succeeds in every way.

New in just about every way, the California represents many firsts for Ferrari: It's the first retractable hard top (it weighs a mere 11 pounds and opens/closes in a mere 14 seconds, see video to the right). The first to have a complete aluminum unibody. The first front-mid mounted, direct-injection 4.3l V8. The first dual clutch 7-speed transmission. The first Ferrari with a pass-through trunk (and a trunk you can actually put stuff in, even with the top down). The first digital display. Ferrari hopes that in addition to pleasing its fiercely loyal clientele people who might otherwise consider an Aston Martin or Porsche 911 Turbo will be swayed the Maranello way.

My co-pilot for the day, Michael Mraz (formerly the Managing Editor of Men's Vogue, an expert driver and master of the controls to the convertible top, as seen in the above video), and I decided to drive from San Diego to Santa Monica via Borrego Springs in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park (see photo opp on the left), Palm Desert and Malibu. We drove the first half, through amazing hairpin turns and desert flats with the top down. Our casual timing confirmed the 0-60 in under 4 seconds, and we hit a top speed of around 125. By the time we hit Palm Desert it was nearly 120° and after our Double Doubles (it's not a real California until it proudly wears an In-N-Out sticker, below) we put the top up and cranked the air conditioning until we made our way down Mulholland Drive. Michael's 6' 4", and he sat comfortably in the cabin with the top up.

Driving the California was an incredible pleasure. From the moment you hit the "Start" button on the hearing wheel (listen to the engine of our car) you know you are in for an incredible ride. The California is all Ferrari, though it seduces you with its comfort, curves and ease-of-use.

I was expecting a very loud engine and a clutch you had to muscle your way through. The California purrs, not shouts, and its dual-clutch 7 speed transmission defaults to automatic, though can easily be controlled by the F1 style paddles on the steering wheel (which also contains the Manettino control for the suspension, the Start button, and the very awesome F1-inspired red LED lights across the top arc, which light up when you start to redline).

The cabin is luxuriously outfitted in leather and carpet and aluminum. Dark leather interiors feature a new treatment that can reduce the leather's temperature by 20° C/70°F. I was very impressed with the Bluetooth pairing process, which was easily followed with the helpful voice instruction and enabled me to phone a few friends and ask "Hey, calling from the California, just want to test out the Bluetooth. Can you hear me?" I know they could, but most of them hung up while shouting obscenities. The California comes with a rear bench or in a 2+2 (though the rear seats are better suited to groceries and pets than human passengers). Extras include the incredibly chic luggage which will set you back $3,211 for the bench set and $6,212 for the trunk set, though they are of course matched to your car's interior; the Ferrari car seat is a must if you are taking the kids to Gymboree. Need more? The California is part of Ferrari's Atelier program, allowing you to customize nearly all of the car's paint and finishings.

The California isn't perfect, however. For nearly two hundred grand I'd like to see metal control knobs instead of plastic. I don't really need a cup holder, but if you're going to include one, it shouldn't feel inexpensive and wobbly. The navigation system, an improvement from other models, is still substantially inferior to what you'd expect to find in an automobile of this calibre. The vanity mirrors, requisite for primping for the constant stares of everyone around you, were plastic-y and small. These are very small grievances—trite even— but they do impact your overall day-to-day experience with the car.

Base price is $193,000 not including gas guzzler tax, destination, etc. Delivery started this spring in Europe, and the first few US-bound Californias were shipped by air to their impatient owners in June. Ferrari expects to deliver around 450 Californias to the US this year, and next year's production of 2,500 has yet to be allocated. Most of you will have to wait your place on the list, which is currently about two year's long. Learn more at the Ferrari California site.

View more photos after the jump