L'eau d'issey - that's old school!

This is a crap snap of the super charismatic designer Issey Miyake at the opening of the '21_21 Design Sight' space in Tokyo.
The museum, part of the designers global empire, is only partially visible to the naked eye due to it being submerged in the soil surrounding the newly developed mixed use complex. The building was designed by the highly respected Japanese architect Tadao Ando (if you don't know, you better get to know). In contrast to the towering structure of glass, currently the tallest in town, next to which it is situated, the museum only briefly interjects with the rolling green grounds and cherry trees that outline the Tokyo Midtown plot. Beneath the grassy surface and down in to the belly of this beauty of a building is where things really open out. Looking and feeling very much like a bunker, it is minimal in it's make up; stripped to the bone, smooth, angular and simplistic in it's function. With the very least possible electric lighting installed, the interior relies heavily on a single triangular atria, that bleeds light from above, deep down into the interlinking concrete chambers that make up the body of this understated design piece. Definately worth a visit, and the selection of retail in the main development is pretty sweetG, with everthing catered for; PUMA 'Black Store' to 'DogDays' doggy deli. Google it and see for yourself....

Not so silenced Nuns...

Reading through the papers this morning I found a most intriguing article in The Guardian about a group of Nun's in Sicily who have basically decided that although their vows of silence strictly disallow local gossip and friendly telephone calls, they are actually allowed to swap emails! They have even set up their own website where you can ask them questions about their lifestyle and get them to pray for you.

They are keen to portray the internet in a positive light; 'We hope to show that there is some good on the internet and not just bad things.' and are adamant that their time spent on the net does not cut into prayer time, which starts at 4.30am every day if your interested...

Check out the full article at Guardian Unlimited

Nirvana... Just a band...

This song sums up so much about what I feel about culture... If anyone's ever heard me rant about kids in Ramones tee-shirts, they know I turn this up... 'Is it?' being a particular hatred of mine...


Thou shalt not steal if there is direct victim.
Thou shalt not worship pop idols or follow lost prophets.
Thou shalt not take the names of Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer, Johnny Hartman, Desmond Decker, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or Syd Barret in vain.
Thou shalt not think that any male over the age of 30 that plays with a child that is not their own is a peadophile… Some people are just nice.
Thou shalt not read NME.
Thall shalt not stop liking a band just because they’ve become popular.
Thou shalt not question Stephen Fry.
Thou shalt not judge a book by it’s cover.
Thou shalt not judge Lethal Weapon by Danny Glover.
Thall shalt not buy Coca-Cola products.
Thou shalt not buy Nestle products.
Thou shalt not go into the woods with your boyfriend’s best friend, take drugs and cheat on him.
Thou shalt not fall in love so easily.
Thou shalt not use poetry, art or music to get into girls’ pants. Use it to get into their heads.
Thou shalt not watch Hollyoakes.
Thou shalt not attend an open mic and leave as soon as you're done just because you’ve finished your shitty little poem or song you self-righteous prick.
Thou shalt not return to the same club or bar week in, week out just ’cause you once saw a girl there that you fancied but you’re never gonna fucking talk to.
Thou shalt not put musicians and recording artists on ridiculous pedestals no matter how great they are or were.
The Beatles - Were just a band.
Led Zepplin - Just a band.
The Beach Boys - Just a band.
The Sex Pistols - Just a band.
The Clash - Just a band.
Crass - Just a band.
Minor Threat - Just a band.
The Cure - Just a band.
The Smiths - Just a band.
Nirvana - Just a band.
The Pixies - Just a band.
Oasis - Just a band.
Radiohead - Just a band.
Bloc Party - Just a band.
The Arctic Monkeys - Just a band.
The next big thing - JUST A BAND.
Thou shalt give equal worth to tragedies that occur in non-English speaking countries as to those that occur in English speaking countries.
Thou shalt remember that guns, bitches and bling were never part of the four elements and never will be.
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not make repetitive generic music
Thou shalt not pimp my ride.
Thou shalt not scream if you wanna go faster.
Thou shalt not move to the sound of the wickedness.
Thou shalt not make some noise for Detroit.
When I say “Hey” thou shalt not say “Ho”.
When I say “Hip” thou shalt not say “Hop”.
When I say "he say, she say, we say, make some noise" - kill me.
Thou shalt not quote me happy.
Thou shalt not shake it like a polaroid picture.
Thou shalt not wish your girlfriend was a freak like me.
Thou shalt spell the word “Pheonix” P-H-E-O-N-I-X not P-H-O-E-N-I-X, regardless of what the Oxford English Dictionary tells you.
Thou shalt not express your shock at the fact that Sharon got off with Bradley at the club last night by saying “Is it”.
Thou shalt think for yourselves.
And thou shalt always kill.

I Want One!

Strange isn't it, how as time passes, certain perceptions change. Take for example, this Toyota Space Cruiser circa 1987, possibly earlier. My auntie had one. She used to drive me up the Muswell Hill at 3:15pm to pick up my cousins who were at secondary school there. At that time primary school finished at 3:30pm so that doesnt quite work out does it? Well, I can explain that. I'd only get to ride shotgun in the bronzen Space Cuiser on the days I pulled a sickie. Cunning. The lengths I'd go to, to feel the warmth of the burgundy velour under my M&S beshorted, friction averse lower limbs... those were the days. But look at it now. 20 years on and this piece of far eastern automobilliery has come full circle. it's so retro it's cool. I can't help myself. I pass it almost everyday and everyday I look and admire. It's like making sure you sit on the right carriage of the tube in the morning so you can increase the likelihood of sitting opposite that chavvy tanned up, WAG like office chick. SOOO not your type, but there's something in the aesthetic that appeals, just a little something. Enough to merit the glance? Or do I REALLY want one? A Space Cruiser not a chav 'bird' of course!

Gum Point

self explanatory really! Spotted this is on the high street. First time I've seen anything that actually tries to curb the nuisance that is second hand gum. Could well be harbouring some serious germs but what the heck, I say it's a bloody good show old chap!

Copyright Camper

And there was me thinking that other parts of Asia were the prime spots for 'Snide/Fake/Counterfeit' goods. Look at this. Now, tell me if I am mistaken, but is this not a little bit too similar to the iconic design of automobile genius that is the VW Camper? Smaller, yes, but the styling and proportional details are cutting a very fine line. The rather nasty word 'infringement' comes to mind, but thats not my problem. I'll have a mettalic cherry red and cornish clotted cream two-tone delight to-go please. Chrome trims'n'rims of course! Ooochie!

Why?

Why would you do it? Why would you buy your kid a dummy that makes them look like they got some crazy hill-billy, buck tooth dentistry issues going on? Maybe a one-time outing to the pub with babs in tow, it might be amsuing for your mates, but hey, novelty is novelty and then there's taking the piss. Still, the fact these are sold alongside pretty little baby pink all-in-ones suggest that they may well be desirable in this twisted world we live in...
what next? Taboo themed baby grows; mini hitlers and osama look-a-likes crawling round the creche corner of the local Beefeater on a Sunday?

Plastic Fantastic

Errr, can you really sell high end cosmetic goods to adults using reference to a plastic doll with no ass? The accompanying imagery is completly misleading, Barbie? Real? I don't think so? Oh excuse me. Of course, I geddit, grown women WANT to look like a dodgy piece of taiwanese plastic with nylon strands for hair. Did I miss something?