I Am Not An Artist

Speaking of vibrant colors, you must check out “I Am Not an Artist” if you haven’t already.

Happy Socks

I’m not sure if it’s the vibrant colors, the eye-catching patterns, the perfect fit, or the fact that they were given to me by some of my favorite people, but Happy Socks really live up to their name.  I smile every time I put on a pair of these amazing socks.

All Over Coffee

I am completely in awe of Paul Madonna‘s weekly illustrations entitled “All Over Coffee.”  Madonna captures San Francisco cityscapes, street corners, rooftops, with an incredible eye for detail, usually pairing these views with thoughtful words.  He occasionally diverges from the San Francisco theme, presenting the viewer with beautifully composed depictions of Buenos Aires, Paris, Tokyo, and other areas of the world.  Take a look at “All Over Coffee” on Madonna’s website and in the SF Chronicle.  It is unlike any weekly newspaper strip I’ve ever seen.

 

Moments

I was recently introduced to Devour.com, a fantastic website that posts a well-chosen collection of videos found around the web.  While I have spent many hours devouring the contents of the website, I continually come back to the first video I watched there, “Moments,” by Everynone – a beautiful short film that captures the little things that make up every day experience.  I also recommend Everynone’s “Words.”

My Cardboard Life

My Cardboard Life may be the most adorable webcomic I’ve ever seen.  I cannot get enough of Philippa Rice’s square cardboard characters and their Sharpie smiles.

Lee Crutchley Products

Lee Crutchley has been turning some of his Quoteskine creations into laptop, iPhone, and iPad skins.  Nifty!  A variety of technology skins, along with some prints, are available in his Society6 shop.

Tales of Mere Existence

Tales of Mere Existence is a series of animated autobiographical comics by Lev Yilmaz.  Lev has the amazing ability to make the most mundane topics fascinating, hysterical, and a wee bit sad.

Here is “How To Carry Your Books At School,” the first video I saw by Lev:

GnomeBomb

I am rather intrigued by GnomeBomb, a new blog documenting the adventures of a gnome in New York City.

TeuxDeux

For months, I have been seeing Swissmiss‘ posts about her TeuxDeux project and not making much of them, because I am so used to keeping track of my to-do lists on paper.  However, as my life is becoming increasingly digital, I recently began looking around for a simple way to keep a virtual to-do list.  TeuxDeux is the perfect solution.  It’s intuitive, beautiful, free, and a web app, so it can be accessed anywhere you have an internet connection.  The lovely folks behind TeuxDeux have also just rolled out a $2.99 iPhone app, which may end up being the first app I purchase.

Ampersand Food Groups

Found via The Ampersand.  These ampersand food group typographic illustrations by Dan Beckemeyer are mouthwatering.

“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart”

I absolutely love JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound‘s version of Wilco’s “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.”  The lyrics say “this is not a joke / so please stop smiling,” but all I can do is smile when I hear this.  It is far too catchy!

Logged In

I don’t have anything in particular to say except, “Watch this.”

DODOcase

At brunch one day at Hudson View Restaurant in Washington Heights, the guy next to me had a stunning iPad case that I initially mistook for a Moleskine notebook.  When I asked him about it, he responded, “DODOcase.  It’s rad!”  I agree – totally rad.  Each DODOcase is handmade in San Francisco, and the craftsmanship is impeccable.  Visit the DODOcase website for more information about how they’re made.  Though I don’t want an iPad, I do want one of these cases.

(Also, hello, Yesterday Was Not Dull is back!  Did you miss me?)

Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)

I am counting down the days until July 1st, when the “Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)” touring exhibit opens at San Francisco’s Contemporary Jewish Museum.  I grew up reading and re-reading Maira Kalman‘s children books, especially Hey Willy, See the Pyramids and Stay Up Late. Now, in my adult life (if I can admit to myself that I am an adult), I am just as fervent an admirer of her work as I was at age four.   Kalman is a brilliant observer and artist, a real inspiration.

If you happen to be in San Francisco, do visit her upcoming exhibit.  And if not, at least visit her website and her NY Times blog, “And the Pursuit of Happiness.”   Here’s Kalman’s portrait of herself and her dog Pete:

The Tourist Lane

I love pretty much everything Improv Everywhere does, but their latest project especially resonates with me because they eerily read my mind and made a video of my thoughts.  Posing as NYC’s Department of Transportation, they set up a “Tourist Lane” (slow lane) and a “New Yorker Lane” (fast lane) on a sidewalk in Manhattan and directed pedestrians accordingly.  As a fast-walking New Yorker, I am thrilled that they did this.

Summer in SoMa

I normally post about other people’s projects, but I thought I might sneak in a post about a new one of mine.  I have just started a blog called Summer in SoMa, where I post my photographs and hand-drawn cartoons documenting my summer in San Francisco.

Naptime.com

I Googled “nap” the other day during a week of little sleep and came across www.naptime.com.   I still have no idea what it is, but it’s fascinating!  Click around!

José Azevedo

Oh gosh, I am in love with Brazilian artist José Azevedo‘s Moleskine illustrations.  Check them out at Format Magazine.

House of Buttons

I’m very interested in the idea of web curating, as I am increasingly noticing sites’ replacement of the word “blogger” with “curator.”  One such site that recently caught my interest is the House of Buttons, curated by Jason Long.  The site features beautiful buttons found around the web.  While we often take UI buttons for granted, overlooking their design and focusing only on their functionality, House of Buttons is the perfect venue for appreciating their aesthetics.

Walking Men Worldwide

While out for a long walk in Manhattan last week, I came across an incredible art installation entitled “Walking Men Worldwide.”  Artist Maya Barkai collected images of 99 walking men from cities around the world and covered the walls surrounding a construction site with their life-size images.  I like to imagine all 99 of those figures coming to life and exploring New York with me!  The installation will remain at 99 Church Street until January 2010.