2009 « Wow

Archive for 2009|Yearly archive page

Apple, Gong Xi Fa Cai, Lunar New Year, Singapore

Apple with Fortune Character

In Objects on February 9, 2009 at 7:49 am

Apple with Chinese Character During the Lunar New Year (which JUST passed), its Chinese culture to wish everyone you meet “Happiness & Fortune” or 恭喜发财 (Gong Xi Fa Cai). Now, its common to see these words emblazoned everywhere from mass media to cookie boxes but…

I saw it on an Apple.

The Character 财 (Cai / Fortune) beaming at me from a Fruit Bowl.

As it turns out, this is what happens:

Growers stick a bit of paper on the “Baby Apples”
Sunlight does not hit the area covered (by paper)
Red ‘skin’ does not form in the area covered
Apple grows up with a Giant 财 (Cai / Fortune) on it

On another Chinese Note, SONY seems to be losing market share there to SQNY: More at EvolvingChoice

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Bratislava, Butt, Ceiling

Butt in Bar Ceiling

In Objects, Places on February 5, 2009 at 7:14 pm

Butt in Bratislava Ceiling

We walked into a dimly lit bar in Bratislava, and didn’t even notice it was there till a couple drinks later!
Of all the things I would expect on a Ceiling, a Butt, not just any Butt mind you but a Green Devil’s Butt! (p.s. It was Miss. Ioana Craciun who was reaching for the Butt, not me. So to all those Green Devils, don’t worry, your butts are safe around me… but around Ioana..)

Was definitely something ‘Wow!’ worthy, but so was the love story of our 2 new friends.

1) They met in Spain, She’s Romanian and he’s Italian

2) She moves to Bratislava to take up a Job which she now hates (and pays horribly)

3) He moves to Bratislava to be a Chef

4) He’s a trained Dentist

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Budapest, Mannequins, Paul Frank, Plus Size

Mannequins: FAT & Monkey Headed

In Objects on February 3, 2009 at 11:50 pm

Paul Frank Mannequin Fat Mannequin

Two Mannequins that.. (you guessed it!) made me go Wow!

I mean really, walking into a store and having a boho dressed cartoon female monkey staring at you mouth wide open, who wouldn’t go Wow? (This was a Paul Frank Pop-Up Store in case you were wondering)

And the Plus Size Mannequin?! What the?! We weren’t even in America! I wonder if there’s a ‘Fat Mannequin Specialist‘ out there..

have you guys come across any weird and wonderful mannequins recently?

would love to hear about them.

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M&M, Personalised Candy

M&Ms + Your Face

In Ideas, Objects on February 3, 2009 at 12:05 pm

“Wow!” was literally my response when a friend mentioned all of us can get customised M&M candies with any message on them! And that’s been around since 2005!

In 2008, M&Ms took it one step further and made it possible for customers to order M&Ms with their Face on them! (well, any photo really)

They’ve been ridiculously popular at weddings & birthdays and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’m sure they’ll see a surge of orders!

I wonder if anyone out there ordered a whole bunch of Obama M&Ms for their Inauguration Bash.

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Amsterdam, Design, Hostel

Independent Artist Designed Rooms: In a Hostel?

In Places on January 25, 2009 at 5:56 am

Artist Designed Room

I love GREEN, alright, maybe that’s an understatement. So when I heard that somewhere in an Amsterdam hostel, you could spend nights in a ‘Green Room’, I just had to.

Was almost expecting at least some reference to Heineken (the last ‘Green Room’ I visited was a music venue in Singapore ‘The Heineken Green Room‘)

This room was GREEN, I mean, EVERYTHING was GREEN. The artist had the Green rooms performers escape to to relax their eyes from the glaring lights on stage in mind when he was putting the room’s design together. This of course, explained the glowing ‘standby’ sign above the door.

Definitely experience this room if you’re in town, though I guess a couple of you would prefer the Durex Room or Billy the Kid Room.

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CSR, Deloitte, Scooter

Deloitte Scooter

In Objects on January 22, 2009 at 8:05 pm

Deloitte Scooter

There it was, in a Dutch alleyway, a scooter painted in a familiar tone of blue. “No Way!” Yes, it was a Deloitte Scooter.

Immediately I asked myself, it this the result of:

a) An (eco-conscious) Employee who insisted on a company two-wheeler instead of a car?

b) Cost Cutting? A fleet of blue scooters IS alot more in expensive to run than cars (even Prius)

c) It just works better? A scooter IS alot more suited to getting to clients with (creative?) firms tucked away in edgy hip alleys.

d) Deloitte can no longer afford to be associated with ‘evil gas guzzlers’ in bicycle riding Holland.

What do you guys think?

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Amsterdam, Canal, Smart Car

Parking in Europe

In Objects on January 21, 2009 at 7:23 pm

Smart Car Parked by Canal

Reverse Parking on the Edge of a Canal?! Wow!

Most of Europe’s cities weren’t initially designed for the motorcar, forcing drivers to zoom through narrow alleys and squeeze into ridiculously small parking lots by the street.

Then came the car that seemed almost perfect for these cities, Swatch and Daimler-Benz came together and created the Smart Car. (Triva: Smart is an Acronym for Swatch Mercedes ART)

This car could fit into spaces even stunt drivers could not shove a 206 into, its ability to park ‘straight-into’ lots that would otherwise require parallel parking was just amazing.

But this Dutch driver is obviously pushing the limits of what the car’s designers intended.

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Amsterdam, Used Books