How can you go wrong with a cardinal?
23 April 2010
Sherwin-Williams knocks one out of the park
The always brilliant and occasional contributor David Nolan sent this video to me this week. Bravo Sherwin-Williams!
How can you go wrong with a cardinal?
How can you go wrong with a cardinal?
Is this tub setting up your kids for a life of disappointment?
This is Safety Tubs' safety tub for kids and it won The Peoples' Choice Award at KBIS in Chicago last week.
The Peoples' Choice Award is given at the show and it's voted upon by all of the attendees at the show. Well, I voted for my favorite but it sure wasn't that tub.
I look at that thing and it reminds me of the nightmarish kids' carts at Publix. One barely fits down an aisle and two is a recipe for grocery store rage.
Anyhow, this tub bothers me. While I don't doubt that the inventor's intentions were above reproach, and I know the goal here is to make bathing fun and safe. But does it really do kids a service for everything to be fun? Some things aren't fun when you're a kid and it builds character to learn how to deal with that at an early age.
I see that fire engine tub and I see a generation of kids who are being set up to a lifetime of unrealistic expectations and the disappointment that always follows.
Isn't some how better to have some aspects of childhood that have to be endured? Maybe it's just me, but isn't it better to give kids something to look forward to when they're older?
The Peoples' Choice Award is given at the show and it's voted upon by all of the attendees at the show. Well, I voted for my favorite but it sure wasn't that tub.
I look at that thing and it reminds me of the nightmarish kids' carts at Publix. One barely fits down an aisle and two is a recipe for grocery store rage.
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| Miami Every Day Photo |
Anyhow, this tub bothers me. While I don't doubt that the inventor's intentions were above reproach, and I know the goal here is to make bathing fun and safe. But does it really do kids a service for everything to be fun? Some things aren't fun when you're a kid and it builds character to learn how to deal with that at an early age.
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| via Flickr |
I see that fire engine tub and I see a generation of kids who are being set up to a lifetime of unrealistic expectations and the disappointment that always follows.
 |
| Richmond Supply Company |
Isn't some how better to have some aspects of childhood that have to be endured? Maybe it's just me, but isn't it better to give kids something to look forward to when they're older?
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| Southern Bell Soap |
22 April 2010
ITRE's classic JJ in a Limited Edition and at a special price
Iconic lighting purveyor ITRE has issued a limited edition of the original, articulated desk lamp; the JJ. The JJ has been in continuous production since 1937 and now it's available in three new colors.
Deep purple, electric blue and brilliant green JJs will only be available for a short time and they're available on Y Lighting right now for $209. That's down from the usual $265.50.
Nothing says spring quite like a purple, articulated desk lamp. Or so I say anyway.
Attack of the Blogland Zombies: Chapter One
Before I left for Chicago, this site was abuzz with a discussion of Nick Olsen's very shiny apartment that had recently graced the pages of Lonny. The whole post was prompted by someone referring to me as a Blogland Zombie for hating on Nick's apartment. I love the moniker and apparently a bunch of other people did too. Julie Warner, the First Lady of appliances in Minneapolis, wondered what an attack of the Blogland Zombies might look like. The last comment posted to that original post painted just that picture.
Bravewolf, a commenter's commenter, penned a story so fantastic it deserves a post of its very own. Without further ado, I bring you Bravewolf's Attack of the Blogland Zombies.
The middle-aged woman swirled up to the man in a flurry of black lace and garters.
"And what would Sir be interested in tonight? I think that Sir is new to our establishment?"
"Yes, uh, what I mean is that I've never... Mother, you know, would not have approved, but the guys at work, well they've all been here and they said that I should, well, that it was a very fine, uh, establishment here and I, uh..."
"I see, Sir," said the woman briskly. "I know just who would be the best choice for Sir, if Sir would be good enough to indicate which gender he is primarily interested in tonight."
"Oh, uh, girls."
"Very good; I will send Penelope down."
"Uh, thank you very much."
The man sat gingerly against the leopard print pillows and tried to ignore the faceless silhouette paintings on the walls. It was very obviously the kind of establishment that Mother would never have approved of. He could still hear her voice.
"Glossy red paint is the sign of the devil, Matthew, and don't you forget it! Remember that Susan Mae? Her mother told me that not three months after she painted her room a glossy red with white accents, she ran off with that Baker boy, got herself pregnant and he had to marry her! You stay away from that kind of interior decorator, you hear me?"
He stood up suddenly, nearly catching the rough rope of the silver tray on the coffee table and sending the whole tea service on the floor. The round mirror mocked his efforts at calm, showing him a sweaty red face in a rumpled shirt.
"Mister Smith?"
"Yes!" he blurted, whirling around and beholding a beautiful woman clad only in a silk negligee. As she walked towards him, he noticed an unpleasant smell and looked closer. Her skin was grey. Her eyes were dead. She was a zombie. Behind her came Madam's pleasant inquiry, "Is Sir pleased with Penelope?"
"No! I mean yes! I mean, I think Mother needs me to pick up milk!" he babbled as he tripped over a white urn-like pottery jar in his blind quest to find the door and keep track of Penelope's advance, the sexy wiggle turning into a careless staggering shamble as her mouth opened and a low moan escaped her.
The front door wouldn't open. He had opened it himself, not twenty minutes ago. The red walls now seemed like they were melting, running into patches of blue and white and surrounding him with their low-VOC stickiness.
All pretense laid aside, Penelope bared her teeth as her stagger became more violent and she leaped towards his throat. He screamed in desperation and despair as her onslaught burst past his terrified hands and her teeth snapped shut on his-
"Mr. Smith! Mr. Smith! Wake up!"
"No! Mother, I didn't mean to-" he flailed for a moment, still seeing the blackened teeth en route to his jugular.
"Calm down, Mr. Smith. Evidently the new anxiety medication didn't work for you. We're going to put you on your former medication until we can sort this out."
Bravewolf, a commenter's commenter, penned a story so fantastic it deserves a post of its very own. Without further ado, I bring you Bravewolf's Attack of the Blogland Zombies.
The middle-aged woman swirled up to the man in a flurry of black lace and garters.
"And what would Sir be interested in tonight? I think that Sir is new to our establishment?"
"Yes, uh, what I mean is that I've never... Mother, you know, would not have approved, but the guys at work, well they've all been here and they said that I should, well, that it was a very fine, uh, establishment here and I, uh..."
"I see, Sir," said the woman briskly. "I know just who would be the best choice for Sir, if Sir would be good enough to indicate which gender he is primarily interested in tonight."
"Oh, uh, girls."
"Very good; I will send Penelope down."
"Uh, thank you very much."
The man sat gingerly against the leopard print pillows and tried to ignore the faceless silhouette paintings on the walls. It was very obviously the kind of establishment that Mother would never have approved of. He could still hear her voice.
"Glossy red paint is the sign of the devil, Matthew, and don't you forget it! Remember that Susan Mae? Her mother told me that not three months after she painted her room a glossy red with white accents, she ran off with that Baker boy, got herself pregnant and he had to marry her! You stay away from that kind of interior decorator, you hear me?"
He stood up suddenly, nearly catching the rough rope of the silver tray on the coffee table and sending the whole tea service on the floor. The round mirror mocked his efforts at calm, showing him a sweaty red face in a rumpled shirt.
"Mister Smith?"
"Yes!" he blurted, whirling around and beholding a beautiful woman clad only in a silk negligee. As she walked towards him, he noticed an unpleasant smell and looked closer. Her skin was grey. Her eyes were dead. She was a zombie. Behind her came Madam's pleasant inquiry, "Is Sir pleased with Penelope?"
"No! I mean yes! I mean, I think Mother needs me to pick up milk!" he babbled as he tripped over a white urn-like pottery jar in his blind quest to find the door and keep track of Penelope's advance, the sexy wiggle turning into a careless staggering shamble as her mouth opened and a low moan escaped her.
The front door wouldn't open. He had opened it himself, not twenty minutes ago. The red walls now seemed like they were melting, running into patches of blue and white and surrounding him with their low-VOC stickiness.
All pretense laid aside, Penelope bared her teeth as her stagger became more violent and she leaped towards his throat. He screamed in desperation and despair as her onslaught burst past his terrified hands and her teeth snapped shut on his-
"Mr. Smith! Mr. Smith! Wake up!"
"No! Mother, I didn't mean to-" he flailed for a moment, still seeing the blackened teeth en route to his jugular.
"Calm down, Mr. Smith. Evidently the new anxiety medication didn't work for you. We're going to put you on your former medication until we can sort this out."
Hansgrohe's PuraVida collection is my personal best in show
One of the primary reasons the the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show exists is to provide manufacturers with a time and a place to announce new products. Though KBIS was a little thinner than it's been in previous years, there were new product launches aplenty. Out of all the wonderful things I saw in Chicago, what stands out for me is the new PuraVida collection from Hansgrohe.
It's impossible to describe Hansgrohe's 2400 square foot trade show booth adequately. The scope and scale of some of the larger booths at KBIS shouldn't be called booths at all. Installation is a better description. I mean, imagine 10 to 15 fully outfitted (and plumbed) luxury baths adrift in a sea of white carpet. Think huge video screens and hordes of attractive people gathering around an espresso bar. The larger booths, and Hansgrohe's is definitely one of the larger booths, have offices and break rooms, conference centers and lighting schemes on par with something you'd see in a theater.
Out of all the glories that were on display in Hansgrohe's booth, none came close the beauty and function of their new PuraVida Collection.
The PuraVida collection was commissioned by Klaus Grohe and designed by Phoenix Design of Stuttgart. It's a study in serenity and the cool white and chrome exteriors hide a wealth of innovations and efficiencies.
I really like the shape of the lavatory faucet.
And this ceiling-mounted shower makes so much sense I can't believe no one's ever thought of this before. Think about it. Most ceiling-mounted showers are round, but the shape of a human being's shoulders, chest and back are rectangular. Why waste water?
By far, my favorite component in this collection and my hands-down favorite new product is the hand-held shower.
Tucked inside of that hand mirror-sized shower head is a marvel of engineering I wouldn't have believed had I not seen it with my own eyes and let it run over my own hands.
I use a hand-held shower and some day, if I'm really good, maybe I'll have one of these babies. I'm around new kitchen and bath stuff all the time and rarely do I come down with a case of I must have this. This is one of those rare occasions.
This shower has what Hansgrohe calls the Caresse Five-Finger Massage setting and you can see it at 1:20 and 3:20 in this video.
Caresse is five streams of water and each stream makes an interlocking figure eight pattern as it sprays. I've never seen anything like it and I think we can safely call this feeling I have love.
The entire PuraVida collection uses Hansgrohe's patented system of flow restriction adds air to the water to increase the volume while decreasing the flow rate. Low-flow is about the last thing that comes to mind around these fixtures.
So Bravo Hansgrohe, you win my best in show award. I'd have named you my top pick even if you hadn't kept me fueled with espresso last weekend. Check out PuraVida and the rest of Hansgrohe's products on their website.
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