Local Gallery: Subtext

Subtext is one of my fave local galleries, and you know, cool galleries here in San Diego are rare. This ain't yo mama's standard art gallery. They have a constant flow of cool exhibitions showcasing urban contemporary, pop surrealist and lowbrow artists showing off their skills in art media ranging from paintings, graphic design, architecture, and photography. This gallery and bookstore (yes! you can fulfill two basic needs...eye-candy and retail therapy) is located at 2479 Kettner Blvd.,92101.


Their upcoming show, Origins, which begins with an open reception on June 5 at 6-10p.m., will feature 3 artists, Kyung Soon Park, Francis Vallejo and Austin McCormick.

Btw, how fabulous is their logotype?! Good design equals good people. Swoon.

[all photos courtesy of subtextstore.com]

One Man's Treasure Is Another Man's Treasure

[some faves featured above: Blue Storage Locker Baskets, Melamine Zoo Tray by Shinzi Katoh , Matt Cipov's "Bird Survey", Three Potato Four Milk Bottle Carafe]

No trash talkin here...

My friend Heather over at Creatively Kitsch featured an ultra cool site by a couple who has put their keen collector's eyes' into good use. Three Potato Four has found a cool mix of modern and vintage goods and complied it all into an online shop for us. So thoughtful of them...and lucky us!

I'm a fan. I'm gonna purchase the "Letterpress Wood Type Initials Set" in the letter 'G'.

Wished I stumbled on this sooner...would have loved the "Hamilton Letterpress Print Drawer Hardware Pulls." Remind me, I gotta show you all a cool way to reuse drawer pulls!

All this talk about letterpress makes me antsy to see Typeface.

Look out, Barbie's gonna flash you!

[images courtesy of mattel]

Totally love these playful Barbie Flash Banner ads. These banner ads lead viewers to Barbie's blog. It conveys a simple message with just enough of the right elements moving to keep you interested without convulsing --- gotta hate those erratic, action packed flash banners. Such messes. Clean layout and design and just a punch of pink make these eye catching; how can you not click on them?! ;)



[images courtesy of mattel]

Love how Mattel pokes fun at themselves --- addressing Barbie's tippy-toe feet and the common mishap when booger-brothers get a hold of Barbie's fabulous mane. Kinda cool that it begins with just the Barbie logotype then turns into the Barbie Fiftieth Anniversary logo. See these banners at popsugar.com (hit refresh a couple times in order to see both)

[note: banners were recently taken down]

Happy Birthday BFF!

Every gals' bff is turning the big 5-0 today...none other than miss Barbie dearest.
(in ode to her, i decked my masthead with her official hue, PMS 219)

Tons of great marketing and promotion (and fabulous designs!) have been in the works to create such a huge event. Miss Barbie Millicent Roberts got back with her long time beau, Ken Carson, the same day she had her first runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this past February 14 (didya know that B and K broke up on valentines day in 2004!? crazy they'd get back on the same date.) She's in collabo with cool peeps like Bloomies, Stila, and Vera Wang to name a few. She opened up her Shanghai store which is more of a barbie experience than store. Miss B is staying hip to the times with accounts on facebook, twitter and is even blogging (she's totally in the know.)


[mercedes-benz runway show. photo courtesy of mattel.com]

Love the MBFW program, filled with quotes and sketches from the designers:

To commemorate her birthday, Mattel released a revamped version of her 1959 black and white striped bathing suit doll. The 2009 Black-and-White Bathing suit doll, priced at $3 (the same price she was first sold as), comes clad in a two piece bathing suit, cell phone in hand, little beach bag and a face lift, ok, more like a (as Mattel would describe) 'brand new face sculpt.'

[photo courtesy of mattel.com]

The big 50 can't be taken lightly. And in true Barbie fashion, she is having a pink-carpet celebrity birthday bash today, at of course, her Malibu Beach House decorated by Jonathan Adler.

Whew! 108 careers later, this chick still rocks. Birthday's arent so bad after all ;)

Happy birthday to my other bff, janel, who i am soooo jealous of, lucky you get to celebrate the same day as miz b! ;)