Haft2Know

The next time you're lacing up for a run and Sir Woofsalot is giving you that sad "but I could come with you" look, you might consider looking into Fetching, Toronto's first fitness bootcamp that you do with your dog. Founder Sal Sloan says she used to feel a bit guilty, heading out for a workout while her dog Chewy had to lay low at home, so she developed a series of fitness classes for owners and dogs to do together. With a number of class options, and an expanding selection of locations throughout Toronto, Fetching might just be at the helm of a human/dog fitness trend.

Here's the link.

Extra kudos go to Fetching's very cool identity, developed by our friends at Archerfish Studio.

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For sure if James Bond's nemesis, Goldfinger owned an underwater escape vessel, this would be it. Innespace Marine Inc. has developed a series of submersible vehicles to resemble sharks (and a few dolphins) - the perfect underwater disguise. And between the mouth-shaped view ports and the fin-mounted camera, the only thing this sexy supervillain sub is missing is an underwater squid-ink smokescreen feature - well, that and a martini bar.

The link is here. On the site is the first instance I've ever seen of the word 'porpoising'. It fits.

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As a nod to The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish and company, Converse has just released a summer collection of sneaks that look as if they were drawn by Dr. Seuss. Sized for big kids or for real kids, (big kids will get more out of these, I think), the shoe maker has nailed the Seussian aesthetic with a sketcherly line and slap of the right colour. Available for order online here.

ps. We loved these so much that they inspired the Haft2 trend colour palette this week, found on Colourlovers.com as well as on our own homepage, haft2.com. (Did you know we change our homepage trend palette every week?)

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If the drone of South African vuvuzelas is keeping you awake these days, perhaps you can make your way to dreamland by counting the sparkles on this fancy-pants soccer ball. South African jeweller Shimansky just unveiled this life-size piece made of 6,620 white diamonds and 2,640 black diamonds, comprising a considerable 3,500 carats. The ball took three months to make and is estimated at a value of $2.6 million USD. That fact alone is enough to keep you awake at night.

This link sparkes.

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Having only been announced fairly recently as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro is well under way in their preparation. This project, named Solar City Tower was designed by Swiss architectural firm RAFAA. It stands 105m above sea level and promises to be an environmental wonder. Solar power draws sea water up to the top and then the falling water will drive turbines that will produce even more energy for the city. With an amphitheatre, auditorium, cafeteria and shopping, the building seems a happy marriage of humanity and nature.

More pictures can be found at this link.

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A final tidbit this week is called Colorstrology - a light blend of astrology, numerology and colour theory. Check out what colour and personality traits have been selected for your birthday. Find out here.

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Advances in food technology might lead to curing world hunger one day, but for now it brings us Esslack Gold and Silver edible spray paint. Developed by the same folks (or Volken - it's a German company) that brought us Espresso Vodka and Chocolate Glue, Esslack Food Finishes can be applied to everything from salad to spare ribs to sponge cake, and promise to make this year's holiday season - really, any season - especially blingy.

Here's the link. The English version of the page can be found in the top right of the page, but perhaps you don't need it, Fraulein.

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Finally, what type are you? Brandmasters Pentagram created this little on-line quiz a few months ago - beautiful in its own right - to help you determine what font fits your personality best. The results can be fun, and telling, but the real takeaway is the test itself and how it was produced. I think we've heard that before: the benefit is the journey itself and not the outcome, but I digress. Take the test here. Then drop us a line and tell us what type you are.

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In 2005, seven friends in the United States launched an organization called RockCorps which they billed as a new kind of way to give back. Volunteers gave four hours of their time and in turn were rewarded with a ticket to an annual concert. Tickets could not be purchased, only earned. Then in 2008, RockCorps joined forces with UK communications giants Orange and Sony Ericsson to bring the organization to the UK where it has since blossomed into a multi-level, multi-media organization with 450 non-profit partners in the US and Europe. Giving four hours to any one of them will earn the volunteer a ticket to any one of several shows throughout the year. The site is pretty impressive and reminds you what the term 'social media' really means.

Orange RockCorps link is here.

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If you're hankering for a margarita lately, it must be because Cinco de Mayo is approaching. The day celebrates May 5, 1862 when, armed with pitchforks and clubs the people of Puebla, Mexico fought off the invasion of Napoleon III's French forces. (Imagine Mexico owned by the French.) The day has since come to symbolize the triumph of all North American people over foreign occupation.

Every year there are a number of ways to celebrate the date no matter where you are. A skydiving school in Vancouver celebrates with an annual group jump; in Malta they have a Cinco de Mayo Beer Festival; and numerous cities throughout the U.S. celebrate the day with a festival in the park. However it's celebrated, observation of the date is never meant to glorify the military battle itself, but rather the spirit of independence and respective national pride.

So Feliz Cinco de Mayo, everyone! Here's a selection of Texas Margarita recipes to help you celebrate.

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One more bit of interest for anyone who wishes to try his or her hand at naming. The City of Toronto and online magazine Torontoist.com have just announced a competition to name a new park currently under construction. Sherbourne Park is currently and temporarily named after the street that runs along beside it. Due to open this summer, the park will become an integral part of the city's new waterfront and will signify a new dawn for an area long in need of some colour and some love.

We're pushing for 'Haft2Know Gardens'.

Here's the link and the chance to put your mark on the city of Toronto.

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Maybe your significant other has tired of smelling like white jasmine and is seeking a new signature scent. Well Brooklynite Christopher Brosius has the solution because he hates perfume. His CB I Hate Perfume Gallery offers shoppers an array of alternative scents that are more expressive and nostalgic than Shalimar and Chanel No. 5. Choose from 'Gathering Apples', 'Burning Leaves' or 'Memory of Kindness' (move over President's Choice marinades). Scents are available for the home as well as the body. It's only natural that scent and nostalgia go hand-in-hand.

Scent of the past.

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From France comes Le Whif - the zero-calorie solution to overcoming your craving for chocolate - by inhaling it! Le Whif is available in four flavours, will be purse and pocket friendly on a hot day, and comes in boxes of 24. Aerosol technology is at the heart of this little olfactory delicacy, and almost certainly promises to appear again to advance nutritional and medicinal benefits, as well as those of the indulgent kind.

Here's the sniffable link.

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Holiday shopping is upon us again, and what better way to say, "I'm scarily obsessed with you" than to have commissioned a life-sized replica of your stalkee by American artist Nathan Sawaya. Coming in at around $60,000 USD, Sawaya's sculptures are among the less expensive gift ideas in the 'WOW' pages of Neiman-Marcus's new holiday catalogue.

Those looking to spend a little more might consider some of the other wares in this wish book supreme, including a $110,000 Harlem Globetrotters Playing Experience or the $1,000,000 custom, three-hole golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus. (Construction and property costs not included, but the Golden Bear himself will stop by to play the first round with you.) Glad tidings indeed.

http://www.nathansawaya.com

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/sitelets/christmasbook/christmasbook.jhtml?_requestid=57434

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And it continues. Pepsi becomes the latest titanic brand to remake their identity into something more approachable and humane. Following in the footsteps of Walmart, the soft drink deputy underwent a five month long rebrand and just released to the world how the new logo, (and can) will look shortly.

The new graphic is meant to recall a smile, and in varying forms will dress the major Pepsi sub-brands across the world including Mountain Dew, (soon to be called 'Mtn Dew'). A grin will be used for Diet Pepsi and a laugh will be used for Pepsi Max. Like the other logos we're watching get remade, the company has opted for a lower-case typeface. Who will be next?

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And so it's that time of year again when we strip our yards of the pretty things and prepare our little outdoor worlds for the onslaught. I could be wistful here, and pine for the summer that barely happened, but alas...

Anyway, if you're someone who forayed into the world of outdoor ponds and ecosystems this year, you'll want to protect your new water domain with a pond net. Here's a company we found in New York state that offers both standard and custom nets to help protect your little family of goldfish. They'll be grateful next Spring.

http://www.pondnets.com

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Welcome to Draw Ball. An online collaborative art project that invites users to draw digitally on a huge virtual canvas. Each user is able to e-etch a tiny amount per day, equal to approximately 1/10,000th of the surface of this thing. It began with aspirations of encouraging crafties to express themselves, but through time, has morphed into a spot for online communities and advertisers to plug certain brands. The short animation below demonstrates how over time, the South Korean flag morphed into the Pepsi logo. Over two years old, the project still receives new squiggles 24 hours a day.

http://www.drawball.com/playback.php

http://www.drawball.com

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Well we're colour people so we can't possibly ignore something like this. Cymbolism.com is a new website that attempts to make an emotive correlation between certain English words and the hues at which they hint. Visitors to the site are shown a word and then vote on which colour they believe best represents the featured term. The palette is somewhat limited and the site is still in its early days, but there's something satisfying about it, (and users can suggest their own words for chromatic consideration). The long-term goal is to eventually build a giant inspirational resource of emoto-colour pairings for creatives and crafters alike.

http://www.cymbolism.com

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Fresh off the Olympics, it's a good time to look ahead, not to 2012, but to 2016. Four candidate cities are currently in the running to take on the responsibility of hosting the sporting world for two weeks, eight summers from now. Each of them released their Olympic logos last year, but not all cleared the International Olympic Committee's strict standards of representation. Chicago's original logo for their candidacy was absolutely beautiful. That's it on the left. A stylized skyline, with the Hancock Tower at the centre, burns brightly over its own image, reflected in Lake Michigan. The problem the IOC is strict in its visual representation of the Olympic torch; only officially licensed users are allowed to use the torch, and as a mere candidate city, Chicago doesn't yet qualify. And so, they had to redesign the logo and released the image of the 6-pointed star in its stead. There's something very World Exhibition about the font and star choice. It's a little nostalgic, a little Brave New World and all the time, very human. I do hope that eventually, we get to see more of the original torch though.

While you're at it, check out the logos of the other candidate cities. Whichever one is chosen, there will be some intriguing design avenues explored.

http://www.chicago2016.org
http://www.tokyo2016.or.jp
http://www.rio2016.org.br
http://www.madrid2016.es

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Every day in Japan, students across the country eat lunches prepared by the school they attend, following a tradition that began in 1890. These meals, called 'kyushoku' are now proving popular in fast-food restaurants and taverns, not because the food is so delicious, but rather because they give Japanese citizens a chance to reflect upon their youths in the public school system. One tavern by the name of "Gakko ni Iko!" or "Let's Go Back To School", in the Shizuoka Prefecture features desks, chairs and a blackboard from a defunct elementary school. The difference in this classroom though, is that alcohol is served with the noodles. It makes me want to visit my old alma mater with a glass in hand.

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Introducing, the BMW GINA ("Geometry and functions in 'N' Adaptions"). It's the conceptual brainchild of the BMW design team and while it's said that it'll never see production, you can't help but love this thing. It's clad in a silver, seamless fabric and designed to change shape at the will of the driver, through the use of electric and hydraulic actuators. Head Designer Chris Bangle called it a challenge to "existing principles and conventional processes" and claims that GINA will, at the very least, influence future models of BMWs. Looking at this picture, I'm thinking GINA might influence what I'll be wearing out this weekend.

http://www.bmw-web.tv/en/channel/new

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When Canada's Hudson's Bay Company revealed their Olympic apparel collection earlier this year, you could barely hear yourself think over the noise of the complaints en masse. Design critics (and those purporting to be) hated it. It didn't help matters that the pieces are made in China, as opposed to homegrown, homemade patriabelia. HBC stands by where the pieces are made though because the collection is manufactured from eco-friendly fabrics derived from bamboo and coconut and constructed to keep our athletes cool throughout a humid Beijing August. Whatever they're made from, consumers are loving it and designer Tu Ly is getting the last laugh as HBC can't keep their shelves stocked with the stuff.

http://www.hbc.com

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Well it's a far cry from the fire pit over which you roasted marshmallows as a kid. The outdoor kitchen trend was borne of the behemoth barbecues of the 90s and is mushrooming into a common feature of the 21st Century home. What started as an additional burner or two on your Weber has turned into an entire outdoor room complete with rotisserie system, dishwasher, fire-pit table, stainless steel condiment cabinet, plate-warming drawer, ice machine -- you get the point. Dining al fresco will never be the same.

http://outdoorkitchenconcepts.com/betadesign/index.html

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