Just Dessert, Please

My friend and I love trying desserts from different restaurants. Sometimes we go just for the dessert, and other times, we make ourselves feel less guilty by ordering an entree. And splitting it. And then getting two desserts.

But it's not always easy to figure out from the menu description of the dessert whether it's going to be as we expect it. Especially for dessert: the descriptions usually sound really appetizing, using words like "warm" "drizzly" "topped with..." and all that. If there isn't a picture of the dessert on the menu, that just makes things more interesting.

We had the Forbidden Broadway Sundae at Serendipity, and that was amazing. The only problem was that we couldn't finish it because there was so much.

And the last dessert we tried was at Max Brenner. It was supposed to be an ice cream sundae/ sandwich, but ended up looking like a math project we butchered (it was served on a graph paper cutting board along with a fork and knife). It was just ice cream between two hard chocolate cookies. Not an easy thing to eat. But there were other things on the menu that look really good, so we're still going to come back :)

When Things Fly off Shelves

When things fly off shelves, I tend to remember them more. Less opportunity to take them for granted when they're not around anymore. 

One example: this perfume and lotion from Bath & Body Works, called Breathe Romance.

I think it smells unforgettable. That's why it's been five years since I first got it, and ever since I found out it was taken off shelves, I've been trying to conserve it.
The scent: "Sweet Papaya Wood, Seductive Myrrh, and Honeyed Orange."
It's still available on Amazon, but not at Bath & Body. I like this yummy, rare item, just not that it's almost over.

I'm still wondering why amazing products get discontinued.

~This is what's left~

Working Backwards

I was looking through pictures that I had taken a while ago and figured, I can do something with them.

Usually, you would start off with a creative brief and come up with a "big idea" and then go search for images. But because I don't need to follow guidelines right now, I'm going to start with the image and then come up with the idea. In fact, I've just finished my first one.

Here's the original picture I took of some hilly streets in San Fransisco.

 

I thought it might make for an interesting print ad for a bike shop. So I made up a company called San Fran Bike Shop. Here's the result:

I built this ad around the idea of "swerving" around the streets of San Fransisco on a bike. It has to be a pretty decent bike to be able to go up and down all of those hills, so I thought it was an appropriate image to get the message across.
It was a lot of fun coming up with an idea behind a picture, so I plan on doing this with some more pictures that I have!

April Fools

Lots of practical jokes on the web today :)

Google
On how to send an email the Gmail Motion way: "...To send a mail, lick a stamp and place it down."

 

On hiring at Google: "...Sometimes we just need people who can type really fast."

Hulu
Blast to the past: 1996
"No, it's not just a bad dream. Banks could start charging fees on ATM withdrawals any day now."

Youtube
Another throwback: there's a little button next to most videos letting you view them like they were silent videos from 1911.

Fake Harry Potter TV Series
It's fake :(

Lots more out there. Don't let them fool you :)

Stop Forrest Stop

 

Forrest Gump was written in 1986, premiered in 1994, and opened in 1996. The first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant opened in Monterey, CA, but I got to go back to its impressive Times Square location.

Just as I was thinking that the employees at Bubba Gump probably knew everything there is to know about Forrest Gump, our waitress came to quiz us on our Forrest Gump trivia. We guessed our way through five questions and our prize was two peppermints :) Other than the friendliness of the staff, our table had a great view that kept us entertained the whole time through.

You enter into the souvenir store to wait for or reserve your table, and that's where the movie starts. If you're not a fan of it already, this restaurant will make you feel like you've already seen it. The restaurant is decked out with photos of scenes from the movie, signs that make you think you're in the movie, and dishes that make you feel like you're out camping (with better food of course). Forrest Gump's presence is so big on TV already, and this restaurant keeps the story alive long past its creation. That's a successful movie.

Win a Job

I think design contests are fun to enter, and they also give designers of all levels the chance to improve their skills, build their portfolio, and if they win, a new connection with an employer (along with the prize). Here are three great ones that I've run into:

1. DesignContest.com

On this site, you can either start your own contest by giving a creative brief for designers to start working on your project, or be the designer working to create the final product that the contest holder will choose. It's a great site because there are numerous contests to choose from with projects ranging from logos to website design, t-shirt design, twitter backgrounds, and more. Just pick what you like, and give it a try. In the end, if you win, the prizes usually range anywhere from $100 to $1000.

2. Threadless Tees

Threadless Tees is a lot of fun to look through. There is so much talent among the designer community, and if you'd like to try your hand at it, your design could be printed onto their tees and sold all over the country! Not to mention you'd get $2500. And if you ever think of a slogan you want to see on a tee, you can send that in as well and get another sizable prize for it.

3. Graphic Competitions

I just came across this one today, and it's amazing. The first thing I've noticed is that it's very professional and the contests are mainly held by global organizations that support various causes. For example, the latest contest is for the Physicians for Social Responsibility. I think contests in general are a great way to spread awareness for causes, so this one is definitely successful. One thing that is different here is that other contestants' work is not displayed, so no one is influenced by each other's work. This could be positive or negative. It just means less inspiration from others, and more of your own originality.

Seeing it in Print

My business cards arrived today! I was happy with the results, especially since the images came out clearly. The pencil graphic goes back to my post about The Story of the Pencil, which explains the symbolism that I chose for it. I designed this business card last semester when I was studying abroad in Sydney, and like always, it's exciting to see work off the screen!

Dreaming Up a Bookstore

When I think about selling my t-shirts in the future, my thoughts stray much further than to whom I would sell them to. Practically, those ideas may or may not work, but I have a lot of fun thinking about them. For example, I think it would be fabulous if I had a little boutique to sell them in. And for every t-shirt I sell, a portion would go toward a children’s literacy organization. For this reason, I’m imagining a little store that looks like a bookstore.

Packaging

Every tee would be packaged in a box that opens like a book (similar to the one below). The cover would look like a novel or a children’s story book.

Window Displays

If you walked by the store, you would think it was a bookstore. The window would have the t-shirt packaging on shelves along with pictures of the t-shirts in frames. 

In-store Displays

When you walk in, there would be a large catalogue (the size of a regular newspaper) on display for customers to flip through the different t-shirt designs. This would make their shopping experience easier.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere of the store would be family-friendly and inviting.

Target Audience

The typical customer may be someone who likes to read or would like to explore a new book. This audience would be likely to support the cause of children’s literacy. 

This is just the beginning though. First things first: work on those t-shirts :)