Color Addict

5Rhythms Spiritual Dance Practice

2010-10-20T16:36:17Z

The 5Rhythms is a dance practice called movement as spiritual practice and a healing journey for the untamed spirit.

Created by Gabrielle Roth several decades ago, it has an international following and thrives in New York City. Introduced to this through the grace of meeting someone training to teach the 5Rhythms, it has brought remarkable awareness into my life. Initially, sweating like never before was astonishing and fun and felt good. Then the real experiences started. Moving so much started to "unstick" things inside me. I am amazed to witness this. It's fun but can lead to some difficult places too. For anyone who is a seeker, the places are where we want to go, scary as they might sometimes be. It might sound a little nuts that a dance practice could do this but life is full of things that are nuts, including us, right.

Winter Frolick

2010-01-30T19:54:15Z

Is there anything more adorable than a frolicking baby bear? Four new baby bears have taken up residence at the Bronx Zoo, thanks to people who care about keeping wildlife alive. Their moms were killed when they wandered too near humans, in different incidents. There's a reason every kid has her stash of stuffed bears. The real thing is amazing.

Cuteness Fix

2010-01-26T03:59:19Z

For your daily cuteness fix, just go check out Zoo Borns. The cuteness never stops.

Will the Real Pinnochio Please Stand Up

2010-01-03T02:36:32Z

I've had a thing for Pinnochio forever. Maybe that's where I first went wrong in childhood, loving the lying little boy. Alas. However, I'm an optimist so I don't really buy that. Pinnochio is appealing for many reasons. The tale of a little wooden puppet boy who is loved into reality by his father / maker is compelling indeed. His inability to hide his true nature, as his nose grows when he lies, is a great twist of literature, to me, encompassing profound concepts.

We cannot hide our true natures, says Pinnochio. Face them and the truth will set you free, in this case, granting a brave new world of life seemingly impossible. In this beautiful new year, I wish all of you and me too a world of seemingly impossible beauty and reality, filled with happiness and adventure beyond our wildest dreams. Welcome, reality, welcome 2010.

Down to Your Toes

2009-12-31T22:23:40Z

Everything you touch, use and wear should bring you joy and make your tasks easier. Witness these artistic, graphic, great colored socks by Happy Feet. Feel the color all the way down to your toes. Have a happy, joyful New Year's eve.

The Design of Time

2009-12-21T20:20:39Z

Timepieces and clocks make for endless interesting design opportunities. Here are a few cool contemporary clocks that make nice holiday gifts and aren't too expensive either, all from Chiasso.

The Effect of Tulips

2009-12-10T01:24:00Z

Tulips slay me. They have been the inspiration for great chairs, as in Pierre Paulin's tulip chair. Here is an array that makes me feel amazing. Ahhhhhh, tulips.

Holiday Roundup

2009-12-05T23:20:26Z

The Smithsonian has a fun exhibit showing many artists' holiday cards from seasons past.

The example above is a Mario Carreño holiday card to Enrique Riverón from 1930. Highdie ho and happy trails to one and all.

Technological Footwear Fun

2009-11-09T05:29:19Z

These boots are made of plastic. Seems amazing and fun. The company, Melissa, makes other footwear, although these booties surpass other offerings in terms of style. Inexpensive too. Wonder if they're comfortable. Might have to find out.

Swingin'

2009-11-08T03:45:27Z

When you pause to appreciate it, New York city hosts more amazing opportunities for fun than a person can take in in a lifetime. I had a fantastic time dancing for hours with a great guy one recent Saturday at the Edison Ballroom in midtown. The sounds of Joe Battaglia's Big Band that we danced to were smoooooooth.

Food at the Edison Ballroom is amazing and the service solicitous. It was a stormy night when I went, traffic was horrendous and all the garages were full. The contrast of a great time, once landed, was that much better.

Punch It Up

2009-11-07T03:31:06Z

Give yourself a punch. A punch of color. You'll be glad you did. Here's one way, with a gorgeous wrap.

Are You Riveted?

2009-10-31T21:05:32Z

Studs and rivets have been showing lately in great places, on necks, arms, feet, all over. A current interior and graphic design project I'm working on includes rivets, which I designed on window frames, as a cool nod to the client's high tech machinery. Ever since that project, rivets and studs have been affixing themselves everywhere. It's a style trend but still, a case of life imitates art. Here are some shining examples.

Relaxing Times and Places

2009-10-02T20:07:03Z

Café Angelique is a coffee and pastry cafe in the Village on Bleecker Street with great atmosphere and edibles.

There are all different kinds of comfort food. This place's atmosphere definitely adds to the comfort of the food for me. It's pricey and worth it. Perfect for a quick break in a busy day or a rest note between the main stanzas of life.

Color Comfort

2009-09-28T06:37:48Z

Even — or especially — critters deserve to feel the comfort of color.

You Felt It

2009-09-03T17:08:16Z

There's a cool show on felt at the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum right now.

Images from the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum exhibit, Fashioning Felt

The IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America) got a special tour of this and another show on sustainable products, Design for a Living World, currently on exhibit. It's good tonic for the spirit to go to shows like this. There are plenty of ideas to get you revved up. Something I've noticed that had to happen, in my view, is that designers in all areas are realizing that sustainability has to be combined with artistic appeal or people just won't go for it. This is as it should be. Form and function have to work together, as always. It's a basic principle of good design and manufacturing.