Burger of the Week #72

Another burger that completely satisfies the OCD part of my brain. From Things Neatly Organized. How appropriate that they posted this on my birthday...

In the Spirit of Shaming*...

Fivefeettall is happy to announce an upcoming web redesign!
The new site should launch sometime between now and the summer of 2015!

I love recognizing failure—mine, and that of those around me. And I truly am ashamed that I've let years go by without—at the very least—a portfolio update. But sketches for a new site have been made and determination has kicked in. 

Truthfully, it's because I've been so busy designing for you, that I haven't been able to design for me—and that's great! So, as long as my website is outdated, you can take it as a good sign that work is good!

But do check back for web updates soon! And of course, you can follow the day-to-day musings here, at fivefeettalldesign.blogspot.com.


*And yes, Dog-Shaming is still cracking me up. 

Five Inspiring Pins

Pinterest went fully mobile this week launching apps for iPad and Android. Pinterest is officially the third most visited U.S. social network and is no longer by invite only, and is open to all.  

In  honor of the app debut, here's 5 Pinworthy Pins for the week.

An Inspiring Pyrex Collection

Kevin & Robin's – Pyrex Obsession

An Inspiring Library 
Christine Martinez – Interiors I Dream Of

An Inspiring DIY
Bright.Bazaar – Crafting & DIY Ideas

An Inspiring Smoothie Palette
Josie Goldberg – food glorious food

Some Design Inspiration

Jamie Wagnor – Design Inspiration

Got time to kill? Join Pinterest and consider it killed (or pinned).
Follow my personal pinning habits here.

Laughing at Fido

I'm a cat person. Maybe it's a side effect of my job, but I'm started to appreciate dogs.... at least for their sense of humor. 

Two websites GUARANTEED to elicit a deep belly laugh from me without fail are the Dog Shaming Tumblr, which has virally blown up this week, and Texts from Dog, an exchange that never gets old. 

Dog Shaming

Texts From Dog

So there you have it. Dogs may not always be the best roommates... but they are good for a laugh. 

Enjoy your morning. Good luck getting your work done. 

Burger of the Week #71

Woouf! It's a 3-foot-tall burger Bean Bag Burger. At last, a Burger we can sit on! 

The Historic Ramblings of a 14-year-old Girl

In 1998, I was 14 years old, which means I had no choice but to love the movie Titanic. If you're like me and found yourself bawling in the theater (more than once) you may be interested in checking out the Titanic Artifact Exhibition showing at the Henry Ford Museum. 

The RMS Titanic collided with an iceburg on April 14th, 1912, four days after leaving Southhampton, UK for New York City on her maiden voyage. The 882 foot ship was said to be "unsinkable". Her sinking caused the deaths of 1,502 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

In 1985, after many failed attempts, the remains of the Titanic were found 12,000 feet below the surface of the Atlantic. At this time, they discovered that the ship split in two before sinking and that the two sections lie a third of a mile from one another. Thousands of items have been recovered from the debris but the ship's deterioration has increased significantly in recent years, and it is estimated that within the next 50 years the structure will collapse entirely. 

This year is the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The 10,000 square foot exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum includes over 300 artifacts. It runs through September 30th. Entry is on a scheduled basis—it is recommended you purchase tickets in advance. Tickets include admittance into the Henry Ford Museum. 

And if you didn't come of age listening to Celine Dion sing about a sinking ship, I still suggest you head to the East side of the state. The Detroit Institute of Arts has several fantastic shows running concurrently.

– Five Spanish Masterpieces featuring work from Goya, El Greco, Picasso, Velázquez and Dali

– A showcase of the DIA’s collection of experimental prints and drawings from Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.

– Vermeer's Woman Holding a Balance– A masterful use of light, proportion, and symbolism.

And coming up in October – A Fabergé exhibition, featuring more than 200 precious objects from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (home of the largest collection of Fabergé in the United States) including four exquisite imperial Easter eggs. 

So as the temperatures begin to fall and rain returns, there's still plenty to see and do—indoors—in our lovely state!

See a Penny, Press it Flat

Back on Coney Island Day, I was childishly excited to score a Pressed Penny from Deno's Wonder Wheel for my collection. 

When I was a kid, the Press-a-Penny machines seemed to be everywhere, and I may have collected a few*. I assumed that the pressed pennies (officially called elongated coins) were a 1990s American fad, but it turns out that they date back to the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. 

In retrospect, I should have realized that this was an older tradition, as the process isn't exactly advanced technology. A coin is deposited into a rolling mill consisting of two steel rollers pressed against each other. One of the rollers is a die with an engraved designed. The new image is imprinted into the metal as the coin passes through it with sufficient force. The coin is flattened into an elongated oval in the process. Pressing pennies is legal in the United States.

I have over 50 flattened pennies (+2 flattened euros). Only about half of these I pressed personally. Many were brought back to me by friends and family from all over the World. Favorites include Route 66, Statue of David from Florence, Cedar Point, and Jack Daniels #7 from Tennessee.

I'll still trot over to a Press-a-Penny machine when I see one**. It isn't often that you can't get a souviner for 50 cents (sometimes I'll pay a dollar, but I'll never do the machine's that are more than that). I love the opportunity to choose the print, then turn the crank and watch the penny from my very own pocket become something specific to that moment. 

Oh wow, looking me getting all sentimental of a bunch of flattened coins. How so decidedly unlike me. Too bad there isn't a Press-a-Penny machine around to commemorate this moment. 

* What I like about Pressed Pennies as a collection item is - they take up, like, no room whatsoever when they accumulate!

**I think my past ties to the Press-a-Penny machine explain my proclivity towards the Smooshed Face Mold-a-Rame Lion in Wonderfalls. (no idea what I'm talking about? It's time you realized that Wonderfalls was way ahead of it's time and canceled much too prematurely.)

Dog Days of Summer

It was a beautiful August afternoon today, so we headed South to Kalamazoo to see Elliott Erwitt's Dog Days exhibit at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art.

The exhibit celebrates photographer Elliott Erwitt's love of man's best friend. The French photographer was not someone I was familiar with, but seeing as I'm now required daily to work with dog photography, I was interested in seeing Elliott's point of view.

Turns out, Erwitt is an expert observer, often turning ordinary situations into ironic portraits. Born in France in 1928, Erwitt has lived in Germany, France, New York and LA. His work with Magnum Photos has sent him traveling all over the world. 

A review of his work revealed that Erwitt has a strong appreciation of canines and a tendency, however intentional, to photograph them. Erwitt's a unique perspective and mastery of composition has created a distinctive collection of dog photography. It is a heartfelt tribute to our furry friends and a surreal analysis of man's relationship with dogs. 

To see a selection from Erwitt's family of dogs, you can visit the KIA before September 23rd or browse  this beautiful book. And if you are headed out to Kalamazoo, I suggest you add dinner at Food Dance to the itinerary.  

A [Sort of] Blockbuster Night

It's raining in Grand Rapids. This is some of the first rain we've had all summer, after weeks of sweltering 100 degree days, all I want to do is curl up and watch a movie. But instead of heading to the local Cinema, instead I'm going to head downtown to the Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts (UICA).

The UICA has a 198 seat theater, fully stadiumed and equipped with comfy chairs that used to belong to Studio 28*. AND, there are some awesome films showing in the coming weeks.  

I advise that you make it a point to see something that may not have been born in Hollywood. 

First Position – August 17th
Follow six young dancers striving to enter the world of professional ballet—a world where practice and discipline are paramount, and nothing short of perfection is expected. 

Beats, Rhymes &Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest –
Free Screening, August 21st only
A documentary film about one of the most influential and groundbreaking groups in hip-hop history.

Trishna – August 24th
A powerful look at the tension between ancient privilege and modern equality based on Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles.


Queen of Versailles – August 31st
With the epic dimensions of a Shakespearean tragedy, this rags-to-riches documentary about a billionaire family and their financial challenges in the wake of the economic crisis, uncovers innate virtues and flaws of the American dream. 

Detroipia – September 23rd
Detroit has encapsulated the iconic narrative of America over the last century—a grand city teetering on the brink of dissolution. The spirit of the Motor City struggles to survive postindustrial America, refusing to abandon hope or resistance. 

(You could even make this a themed event, hit the movie and then head down the street to check out Cities in Transition at the GRAM.)

Sleepwalk with Me – September 28th
Comedian Mike Birbiglia plays a struggling stand-up comedian avoiding commitment, who finds his anxieties manifesting themselves in surreal bouts of sleepwalking in which his sub-conscious runs wild.

Visit the UICA website to see showtimes for these films and others as they continue to post their schedule. You can still have dinner and a movie, while going someplace different and unique to our city. 

*Studio 28's history is fascinating! I didn't know all this—but I do recall seeing quite a few movies there!

Fashionable Lines

Several months back, as I was doing a little preliminary design concepting, I was struck by the illustrative style of Bernard Blossac.

It's easy to get lost in a world of Google images, and I often find myself slipping down the slope. When I find something that interests me, I immediately must know more. So Bernard Blossac, what's your story?

Bernard Blossac was a fashion designer who illustrated for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar among other high-end fashion magazines during the 1940s. Born Bernard de la Bourdonnaie-Blossac in 1917 (d. 2011) in the suburbs of Paris, he was stationed in Paris during the German occupation, where the vogue lifestyle seemed to continue, despite being occupied by Germany,  

It's his combination of pencil and watercolor, and the limited use of color that really appeals to me. The linework in Blossac's illustrations is so dynamic—looking so effortless yet providing the images with so much depth and life. I love the way these fashionable people are painting amongst every day scenes– parks, restaurants, the street, etc. Despite the often commonplace surroundings, there is something aristocratic and elegant about each of them.

I'd love to encourage you to read more on Blossac but while finding images of his work was simple enough, finding out more about the artist himself proved rather difficult. But you can tumble with Blossac here.

Burger of the Week #70

I'm not a huge Rachel Ray fan, but she piqued my interest with her Book of Burger. 

200+ pages and there's only three veggie burgers. This here is her falafel burger—it was a pain in the ass to make, I'll probably never do it again, but it was quite tasty!

Reigning Fifth Avenue Champs

Last Spring when I was in New York* my favorite Fifth Avenue window was hands down the Louis Vuitton ostrich series. The pink and gold just screamed with richness, fun and style. And the Ostrich, which played well between the windows, was unique, while remaining regal with just enough spunk.

So I was certainly eager to see what they had up there sleeve to wow me with this year. Once again, they had a certain amount of 'wow' in store—the design wrapped up the side of the building, and I knew I was getting close from blocks away. 

The display featured a current Louis Vuitton's collaboration from a designer that I am not familiar with. But I am familiar with polka dots, (we've had a love affair for quite some time) so I immediately was drawn to this display. It was vibrant, whimsical and a bit funky, and I found myself intentionally walking passed this corner so I could catch another look. I wasn't the only one, as people lined up to take pictures with the crazy tentacles. 

What's amazing about this window is that it drew me in, despite my having no idea who the artist was. And even though it didn't showcase the product, I knew I wanted everything in the collection.

Later, as I walked down Park Avenue, I was surprised to see a similar face and blunt bob on street banners advertising an exhibit at the Whitney. NYC, who is your friend? 

Turns out, Louis Vuitton collaborator and current Whitney sweetheart is Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, who is known for her use of patterns and polka dots. Kusama often works in large scale environments, and as part of the Whitney retrospective there are two offsite installations in the meatpacking district. 

The collection of Kusama's work and the related exhibition Fireflies on the Water, is showing  until the end of September. And in a genius bit of marketing, the whole thing is sponsored by Louis Vuitton. Well played Louis.** 

I, myself, am so mesmerized by all the dots and colors that I'm tempted to hop back on a plane for NYC to take a frolick through the Whitney!


*Ok so I lied, I obviously wasn't done blogging about NYC. 
**Sarcasm aside, I do sincerely think it's great that retail driven entities can find a way to support the arts. Self-serving or not. 

Brought to you by Dr. Seuss

Before he was known for his doodles, rhymes and lovable characters, Dr. Seuss drew the world of advertising. He supported himself and his wife Helen through the Great Depression drawing ads for names as big as Ford, GE and NBC.

The University of California in San Diego has compiled a fantastic collection of the Doctor's illustrated, advertising work.

The work of Seuss pre-children's book fame, is clearly from the same hand that brought us Horton, The Lorax and the Sneetches. If you look at the ads, you'll see characters that surely look familiar.

I encourage you to browse the whole collection— being a Seuss fan myself, this is like an unearthed treasure!