It’s that time of the year when my banged up Sony Ericsson looks like it needs an overhaul. Well, I usually swop phones like once every 2-3 years unlike most other peeps and only if I see something passable. Which is usually a Sony Ericsson cos I can’t use Japan only phones and Blackberries and iPhones are overpriced and way too ubiquitous. So I willingly choose to struggle with slow as crap OSes and whatever other problems my phones tend to have.
I’ve always been a Sony fan ever since Walkmen came out, it’s like the one branch of techy Jap mecha style design I actually like. Good thing they’ve decided to launch a whole slew of new, sleek phones. The Aino is compatible with the PS3, able to run media off it as well as act as a remote on/off switch. Not much point and I haven’t got a PS3 but I might be able to screw a friend over or something. The Satio is the top end entertainment phone but I really don’t need all the extra megapixels and etc. The X2 is the next level Xperia smartphone which I like cos it’s got the full qwerty keyboard. I’ve been spoiled by my current phone that also has one. There’s also a few other new ones but they don’t really interest me aesthetically but suffice to say, there’s another walkman/youth type phone and a next next level smartphone.
The Aino comes with a dock and looks like sex, but it’s a slider. Which is not really me. I’ll have to feel it in person and hopefully there’s no ugly exposed screws and they paid some attention to what it looks like opened up,
The Satio looks good too, especially the 3 wavy buttons on the bottom/right depending on your orientation. But I’m not keen to splash 1k on extra functions I don’t need. Why don’t people make phones that just call and message anyway?
The X2 though, with it’s full keyboard side slider design makes me a hypocrite cos I really don’t need a smartphone right now but I’d love a phone with a full keyboard.
In summary, I’d like Naoto Fukasawa to work with Sony Ericsson and make me a cubey type, tactile little clamshell phone with no camera, no extraneous functionality beyond the classic concept of a mobile phone. See Nokia 8250/Startac etc. Hmm maybe I should just get an old phone.
I want a cool camera that is smallish and shoots good. I’ve narrowed things down to 2. The first is the gold standard for prosumer compacts, the Panasonic LX-3. The second is its latest challenger, the Canon S90. Bear in mind the former is over a year old. The latter came out in August this year.
Looks wise, the S90 wins for me. Clean, cute, simple, old schoolish and smaller. The LX-3 though, you can attach the Ricoh LC 1 lens cover and suddenly, it becomes super awesome. Check out the video!
Performance wise, they’re both prosumer compacts. Both come with exceptionally bright and fast lenses that go down to f2.0. The LX-3 comes with a super wide angle, 24mm lens. Which makes it very unique. The S90 though, has greater range, 28-105mm compared to 24-60mm on the LX-3. The S90’s sensor is slightly smaller than the LX-3’s but I’ll assume the difference is negligible for my purposes. Apparently, the S90 reduces more noise but loses detail whilst the LX-3 is noisier but more detailed. Macro mode wise, which is the main reason why I would want a new camera, the LX-3 wins hands down with its 1cm macro focusing. That’s just insane. The S90 is 5cm in comparison. The S90 comes with 3.8x optical versus the LX-3’s 2.5x zoom. But I don’t think it really bothers me. I want to shoot up close, not from faraway and then zoom in.
The only reason why I think the Canon would be good is because it also comes with a control ring. In fact, it’s got 2 control rings, one customizable to whatever you want. Kinda like a DSLR, which you can set to make it change various functions, from aperture to focus to ISO etc. Pretty nifty, even if it smells like a gimmick.
I’m still leaning towards the LX-3. Price wise, at the moment, they’re pretty similar. I reckon the LX-3 would cost me a little bit less after I fix a Ricoh LC1 on it and ultimately, it seems more like the camera that I want for my purposes, even if I think the Canon looks much better. It’s also got a hot shoe and you can get a super wide macro lens for it. Which seems to have made my mind up I guess. God, am I actually sacrificing form for function? Well, I suppose I could get the Leica D-Lux 4, which is basically slightly improved over the LX-3, just in a much sleeker and sexier body. It also fits the Ricoh thingy! HAHAHA, best of both worlds! Pity, it’s about $400 more than the other 2!
So my Objectified DVD just got in the mail like 3 days ago and last night was a time when I could muster the strength to watch it. Its just been one late night with an early start after another so whatever. So right, the film. It’s nice, I suppose. Gary Hustwit is really good at noticing these little details that attach the viewer to humanity at large in relation to the context of the film. He also focuses on very quaint, yet poignant, statements and ideas that address the behemoth that is design, or more precisely industrial design.
There’s plenty of stars from the design world featured here, from the Bondi bum attitude of Marc Newson to the sagely Dieter Rams or the childlike Naoto Fukasawa, it’s definitely interesting if you’re a designer fanboy like I am. I dunno why but I reckon I just admire the philosophies that each individual has. You can say all you want about each one but they’re all where they are today because they think different than you or me.
I appreciate that the film is one that provides a good amount of insight into the design process and all its trials and tribulations. The film takes the viewer from idea conception and generation through to the solutions, then the refinement processes and the eventual outcome and also the ramifications of what they have done. You get to see Jonathan Ive compare an aluminum blank to the finished keyboard cover piece on the Macbook Pro (unibody version) and how designing it wasn’t so much designing the keyboard cover but the processes involved to make it possible. Or the team at IDEO generating completely random and silly ideas for a toothbrush/oral care concept. Or Smart design take out a box full of foam models that eventually led to the OXO good grips peeler. Or Naoto Fukasawa talk about why he put facets on a handphone because of a memory of peeling potatoes as a child. It’s like memories of uni revisited. Hello long nights in the studio! I so do not miss you.
For most people, I think design still remains far removed but I think it should stay that way. Like most of the designers in the film, I too believe design shouldn’t even be seen. Like Apple’s monitors where they try to remove everything and leave you with the screen or the indicator lights that only appear when they need to. You could argue that in the former, nobody really cares or maybe it’s an evil Apple plot to mind control humanity into slavery in Steve Jobs future robotic utopia but it’s really about attention to detail. Great designers make stuff nobody even notices and take for granted. They just do what they’re intended for. You can’t please everyone though. Between the money men and raving teenagers or cranky people. It’s a tough life being a tastemaker.
I’ve always obsessed over the material world, from having the biggest brand whatever to the most hyped this or the legendary XXX designed that. And when I hear Dieter Rams right at the end talking about how design will be more about survival in the future, I almost feel a pinch of hypocrisy in myself. But sorry, I remain indignant that I am a materialistic bigot that thinks he has better taste than everyone else. Rams excluded. Have you seen his pad? It is the shiznit. And his accent and mannerisms. MY GOD! So German! So Kunst! So cold. Just like his coffee maker. Yes I miss his coffee maker. Even if I much prefer expresso coffee, that Braun makes me wish I were drinking drip. I guess I always feel more for the object than for the activity. The tangible, material world rather than the experienctial, emotional one. I must be part German maybe. No. I’m way too humorous.
I think it’s nice to have a film like this. That appreciates the under-appreciated and the maniacal few that decided that they wanna be designers. I think the next film Mr. Hustwit tackles should be a food one. Where he puts his keen eye for detail real up close and personal (you can actually see the lines the lathe makes when it carves out the objectified logo on a piece of white polycarb!) and people can get really hungry. He could do a few of the Michelin starred peeps and then some of the old school guys and some weirdos or whatever. Or maybe a fashion one with the Antwerp 6 at a roundtable sharing jokes or Dolce & Gabbana & Bruno hello?
Rose Bay is about 10 or 15 minutes from the city, away from the hustle and bustle and the hoons but it doesn’t display too much opulence despite its reputation as a well to do neighborhood. It’s understated, until you realize that those houses are actually really massive and there’s quite a lot of boats on the water. Still, you don’t notice it.
Pier sits atop an actual pier, jutting out onto Rose Bay itself. Glass lining either side, it’s incredibly subtle and elegant. On first glance, you wouldn’t think it’s necessarily home to a 3 hat diner. No you have to notice the idea behind how it’s sited and how it’s designed around the location itself. You’re dining almost out on the water, with a view that’s nondescript and perhaps unspectacular. You’re not going to see the opera house bathed in the glow of the city lights. It’s just a rather tranquil, minimalist approach to a restaurant. You feel like you’re almost on the water, but you’re completely dry. At once caught in some wonderful intermediary between land and sea, natural and man made.
Which is Pier from start to finish, every minutiae, every detail, every nuance. Some people won’t get it at all. They want the fireworks and the pizazz and the big bangs and the foams and the sperificacions and service that sucks up or whatever. No. Pier is for the people who appreciate the simple, underappreciated things in life. The delicate lightness of being. A certain refined sense of life beyond the ordinary brusqueness with which we approach things.
I suppose my opinion is clouded by several factors. One. I’ve just graduated culinary college and my parents came over for a visit. Two. I didn’t pay a cent HHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Three. I love seafood. Four. I’m into this quiet, suppressed expressionist vibe right now. Even then, you’d have to be really thick to not appreciate the flavors and the beauty on the plate.
I’m greeted by the waitstaff by name, a pleasant little surprise despite the obviousness of the situation. It shows I was expected and that they care. We sit at the table and get some still water whilst we browse the menu. As we eat, the restaurant fills up half full. Yet, they purposely keep all the customers on one side of the long room, allowing the other side to retain an unspoiled view of the boats on the bay awash in the light of the setting sun. Like a fading vesper hinting at what was to come.
We opted for the 8 course degu. With matching wines. Plus 6 oysters each. 3 rock, 3 coffin bay. Plus coffee. Damages were insane. Yet, it felt completely worth it. It was, I must confess, the best meal I have had to this point in my life. I sincerely hope it will not be the best ever. I know there is even better. Yet, I still feel Pier deserves its place in the culinary world as something beautiful and something I can truly appreciate. It’s so me. The fact that it’s seafood, the delicate nature, the thoughtfulness, the attention to detail… It’s no mind altering experience but it’s what a really awesome restaurant should be.
We start with oysters. I devour them before I remember to pull my camera. I went from left to right, rock then coffin then rock and so on. Starting au naturel, then adding lemon then mignonette at the end. They’re superbly fresh. But they’re also just oysters. I want moar!!!
First course was a canape straight from Thomas Keller. King salmon tartare with capers sitting on a cone made of wonton skin. The variation being the wonton skin swopped for the tuile in Keller’s original. The fish is fresh, you can tell with each firm little bite, despite the fact that it’s tiny little cubes. The capers lend this saltiness that is intended. As a palate opener and not as a dish in its own right. I realize this only after the meal. The ultra crisp wonton skin also adds to that effect as the gustatory actions are driven into work and attention. One side detail were the holders for these. Ours came in a set of three, whilst the people dining at other tables had a holder specifically designed for 2 cones because they were a couple. Another group had 2 sets of 2. If it were a holder with 4 cones, they’d have to pass it around, which would be silly.
2nd course was Carpaccio of John Dory with Tomato, Lime Vinaigrette, Cracked White Pepper and Soft Herbs. I loved the presentation. It led you on to start from the outside, untouched fish to the slices sitting within the dressing, giving the dish a certain evolution of flavor as you went along. It was delightful. I flipped each slice into a tiny little packet and placed it into the orifice. It is deceptively simple. Once in the mouth, you get a full burst of fish and herbs, brought on in no small part with a good dose of sea salt. The John Dory just strong enough to handle the herbs and still dominate in its own right. When I got to the dressing, it simply transgressed to the next level. The lime brightening up the palate and the oil helping the flavors to linger in the mouth just that bit longer. Every single apprehension I had was wiped away. Immediately I realized this was going to be so freakin’ awesome. I suppose it helped immensely that we started with a biggish white. A 2007 Castro Martin Albarino from Rias Baixas in Spain. Peaches and apples. Perfectly complimentary to the dish and so drinkable on its own.
3rd course. Tian of Spanner Crab with Scallop Ceviche, Pea Salad and Pea Jus. This upped the ante. The crab was sweet and tender. Delightful little morsels amplified in flavor with the very similar sweetness from the fresh peas. These were unbelievable. Then you get the textural link, with the crab and the pea jus provided a similar, brushy/hairy feeling at the top of the mouth. The scallop provided contrast with its smooth slickness. Then the matching Sauvignon Blanc gave it just the right acid kick.
4th course. Pan Roasted Scallops with Sauteed Veal Sweetbreads, Shimeji Mushrooms & Cauliflower Tofu. I usually baulk at repeat ingredients but this scallop and the one before felt like alternate universes. This was a course in full texture with increasing flavor. Perfectly roasted scallops just browned on the outside were given a splendid depth from the richness of the sweetbread and the savoryness of the mushroom jus. The cauliflower tofu reflected the scallops even more so and felt similar to the matching wine. Here, the wine matched in terms of viscosity, rather than flavor as the principle. Interesting and incredibly delicious.
5th course. Crispy Skinned Murray Cod wth Caramelised Witlof, Jamon Serrano, Dutch Carrots and Bitter Orange. Iberico would have swamped the fish, overpowering it. The mildly bitter/astringent aspect from the witlof and orange was countered by the fact that they were also sweet. The carrots also provided another sweet accent, only in high contrast crunchy versus creamy puree. The puree itself was beautifully scented with orange. The dish was sublime. A perfect marriage of multiple textures and flavors that seemed like a cohesive whole. Another added extra was the unremarkable pinot noir that lifted the dish all the more. Most whites would not have been able to take on the mantle this dish proffers. This dish exemplifies how well the sommelier works with head chefs Greg Doyle and Grant King.
6th course. This merged the savory and sweet worlds. Roquefort Cheesecake with Pear Gel, Celery, Maple Syrup, Fig and Grissini Sticks. I can’t explain fully why there isn’t a hint of blue in the cheese. Or how the thing was so damn good. Suffice to say that it was so damn good. The orangey dessert wine that went with this was phenom.
7th Course. A light as air Carrot Sponge. Possibly an aerated genoise served with some cream cheese, peanuts and cream cheese frosting. I remember the frosting having a sherbet-esque taste and how the sponge was lighter than souffle. Excuses for the blur photo! As an exercise in lightness, this was perfect, given we were almost at the end and getting full. Yet, despite the near nothingness, it was still full on flavor.
Last and final course. A spectacular finish from Katrina Kanetani. Rum Braised Bananas with Rum Sponge, Coconut Sorbet, Almond Brittle, Cocoa Powder and Tamarind Jelly. Resplendent in its marriage of textures, flavors and presented amazingly. This is one where you need a little bit of everything in one awesome mouthful. This came with a Chenin Blanc but I swiped that mostly with the carrot cake already!
And to finish for good, a cappuccino with some orange marshmallows!
Thanks Mom & Dad!
Ok this isn’t a collabo album between a retired basketball player and Danger Mouse. No folks, Magic Mouse is Apple’s latest product, a multi touch surface mouse that hopefully does away with the problems of the old one, the fact that the side panels were oversensitive and the scroll wheel died after like 3 months. It ain’t that pricey either. Plus it’s wireless and they apparently upgraded the laser tracking. Plus you can use the multi touch functions you’ve come to love on your iPod touch, iPhone, Macbooks… No clue about how ergonomic or how accurate the clicks are though.
One of the things I love about proxying stuff from overseas is ripping up the boxes and packages when you receive them. Kinda like pressies you send yourself hahaha. It’s that kid on x’mas morning steez I’m talking about. The latest one I got is my supplementary Uniqlo supply and I find myself best pleased with what I got.
The first thing I found on top were the U+J chinos, which were slightly shiny because it’s very slight stretch satin and they fit awesome. I was really worried about these ones cos I’ve got thunder thighs and anyone who’s played footie with me would probably attest to that. Thank god I got in and they don’t squeeze anything either, if you know what I mean. I just need maybe an inch or two off the hem. I like the black piping hiding the stitching on the inside and the black herringbone stripe pockets, great contrast with the khaki.
The second object I found was the long sleeved tee, which also fit fine but I’m not sure it’s really my style. Probably gonna use it as a layering piece in wintertime. Love the raw hems. If it were transparent, it could pass off as a slightly more structured Rick Owens kinda thing.
Then I plucked out the Kiminori Morishita Parka I posted before. It’s browner than I thought but It’s super awesome. I am amazed at how an item that costs me $100 after shipping and fees is produced so well and packed so well. For starters, the zipper had this little bit of plastic trim to protect the fabric from getting scratched. In fact, all the buttons came with some plastic sheathing to protect the buttons. Whilst it probably doesn’t make that much difference and it doesn’t cost that much, it still took someone time and money and the desire to put little bits of plastic to try to ensure that the sub $100 item gets to its customer as perfect as possible. Then there’s the super details on the jacket itself. It comes with a zip flap to hide the buttons and zipper. That flap is double lined. One lining is for the buttons and the top piece covers it. To make sure the top piece ain’t flapping around, exposing the buttons and defeating the purpose, it’s sorta sectioned off and held down by some stitching which is barely noticeable. The arms have got 2 little darts where the elbows are, which accentuates the sleeves when you bend your arms. If they weren’t there, there’d be more fabric bunching, which is undesirable. The pockets come with fleece lining so they feel super soft and warm and comfy. Imagine the middle of winter and you stick your hands in. The stitching overall also looks and feels solid when you tug and pull. I cannot believe that this was 5990 yen on sale in Japan when I snapped it up. Best value parka ever and I will never freeze to death with the fur lined hood and quilted interior. At least not in Sydney anyway.
If you ever wished you could smell like an Alvar Aalto stool and I mean those of the bent wood variety, then your dream might just come true. Commes des Garcons is in collaboration with Artek with the upcoming release of Standard, a fragrance that combines Finnish Labrador Tea, Twinflower Linnea Borealis, metal and rust in the base notes and fennel, ginger, lemon, musk, saffron and cedarwood in the top notes. Should be an interesting one.
Leica introduces the new M9, the first of its size to come with a full frame sensor, available at like USD$7000 or something ridiculous like that. A joint release is the X1, far more affordable at a measly USD$2000 or so. Alternatively, buy the new Panasonic GF1 for USD$900! Looks shit tho.
Pics stoled from Gizmodos.
Filed under: Design
Muji X James Irving, made by Thonet
The remarkable bit about the set above is that the chair has got a strip of wood across the back as a support. You can’t quite see it in the picture because it aligns perfectly with the table at that angle.
Muji X Konstantin Grcic made by Thonet
One thing I love about food is all the awesome gadgets and stuff you get to use. Whilst I am still dreaming of working in a commercial kitchen that uses thermomixes, immersion circulators and centrifuges, I also love the old world stuff, like the slicer below by Berkel. It’s a vintage one you operate by hand that’s been restored by some dude in Italy. The company was the one that made the first ever meat slicer back at the turn of the century, which revolutionised the way butchers worked. It also gave rise to the popularity of fine sliced dry cured meats like prosciutto and jamon.
