WW64: TIFF, IRONY, CANDY and more....

Hi-dee-ho y'all!
I know I am probably in your bad books for not posting something fabulous on Monday.
Truthfully, I am in the middle of working on a few home improvement projects.
But I wouldn't want to disappoint you twice!
So.....here is this week's "Wonderful Wednesday" - five things I LOVE this week.


1.) The TIFF (Toronto International Fil Festival) Reference Library!! At 'Open Doors Toronto' this week I took a tour of this facility. I was SUPER impressed. What is it?? Let me tell you:

The Film Reference Library (FRL) is the ultimate resource for filmmakers, students, researchers, screenwriters and film and television professionals. The Library maintains the world's largest resource of English-language Canadian film and film-related materials as well as a wide range of local, national and international film resources - including over 19,000 book titles and 100 magazine titles, over 2,000 scripts, more than 60,000 film production files, a large and varied selection of other materials, including 300,000 images, 11,000 posters and 6,000 soundtracks! It also houses 4 viewing stations — and a selection of about 11,000 film and television productions, as well as Special Collections and funding and industry contact information and directories!!

Yes...all the fun of a library - but with MOVIES....oh and did I mention, all this....and it is ABSOLUTELY FREE!! HOW FANTASTIC IS THAT????


2.) A world without Petrol.......super clever!! The exhibition 'a world without petrol' transforms forty gasoline pumps (bowsers) into useful and playful items, among them a london telephone box, a garden trellis, water fountain, and coffee machine. the installation was commissioned by nissan in honor of the release of the 100% electric 'leaf' in australia-- itself sharing the same upcycled roots as the project, containing recycled and 95% recyclable parts with seat fabric partially composed of recycled plastic bottles. the pumps were created by james dive of the australian branch of sydney/new york -based creative collective the glue society. 

dive comments, 'a petrol bowser that no longer pumps petrol is an exciting prospect. by taking such a functional object,
and reinterpreting that function, it paints a compelling and light hearted insight into what a world might be like without petrol.'

among the transformed bowsers: a television, popcorn machine, balloon stand, working safe, pacman gaming booth, 
fishtank, slurpy beverage machine, scarecrow, birdfeeder and birdcage, bubble machine, harp, dollhouse, refrigerator, 
and jukebox. during a recent exhibition in sydney, guitarists played at the amp pump, barbers cut hair at the barber 
bowser, and visitors snacked and tried their hand at mini golf and other games. 

readers can see all forty of the bowsers at the 'zero petrol' exhibition website, where there is also a voting competition
through june 18th, 2012 to win one of the transformed pumps.

Here is a little video about it too:

Cool, huh????
(thanks to Designboom for this one)


3.) This is SPECTACULAR design. It blows my mind. JouJou is a store in  The Grand America luxury hotel in Salt Lake City. Apart from fancy rooms with “Murano crystal chandeliers, handcrafted Richelieu furniture, English wool carpets, Carrera Italian marble, and the finest fabrics,” the hotel features a handful of high-end stores, including the brand new JouJou: A Curious Boutique for Toys and Treats. Local firm Struck was in charge of developing this whole new little world.

Struck was delighted to rebrand The Grand America Hotel’s toy store, we completely embraced the challenge of bringing the environment to life. It’s a realm where imagination takes flight — in the playful form of fire-breathing dragons, elusive fairies, robot warriors and peculiar monsters. This haven for child-like curiosity includes a stunning new interior, a full brand identity, promotions, merchandise and packaging. Struck sourced original toys and books and filled it with lavish and rare gifts. The finished location is a magical experience for guests young and old, mixing hand-crafted installations with interactive digital canvases and delicious treats. Contributors included: Struck, Watts Architects, Plastik Banana, Chris DeMuri, The Second Artist and Chase Studio.

Here is a promo for it:


4.) Ok Idol fans......with Haley Reinhart's new album out........you remember her? She is from last year American Idol....(or what I call the Pia Toscano disaster year) Anyways....yes, I did call her stripper-pole for most of the season - but then suddenly her raspy voice got me......her new album capitalizes on her retro-styled voice talent......and it actually has some good tunes:

Here is a good acoustic version of one of the songs:

or this disco-tinged song:

5.) Finally...I leave you with your laugh of the week...(or weather my laugh of the week)
     Thanks to Pleated Jeans for these Ironic photos of the week:

There you go....another 5 interesting things.....
What say you???

TILES OF NEW YORK...abbreviated..

I love New York so much. there is such a sense of history there. Even in the subways. I MARVEL at some of the lovely design tile elements that seem to be in EVERY station. I wanna share some of the many highlights:

As far as the term 'subway tile' goes...........here is an explanation of it's origin: "The 3-by-6-inch sanitary beauties are popular because they are simple, clean and economical, although the cachet of their urban beginnings probably doesn’t hurt their resurgence. The tiles were created more than a century ago by the architects George C. Heins and Christopher Grant La Farge in preparation for the launching in 1904 of the first New York subway. Heins and La Farge were responsible not only for the straightforward tile work but also for most of the original mosaics still visible at many stations."

If you have ever visited NYC, you know the subway system is a labyrinth! 

This is because it is an amalgamation of three separate systems, two of which incorporated earlier urban railway lines. The current New York subway system was formed in 1940 when the IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit), the BMT (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit) and the IND (Independent) lines were merged.

Some of these lines date back as far as 1885!!! Although many stations were products of the 1930's!

So let's start with some oldies:

I could do a whole post on the Fulton Street station and all of its Ah-mah-zing nautical tiles:

ok....more old tiles:

I would love to do a whole post on the 14th station....and how it cha changed over the last 100 years....but I don't want to bore y'all......look at it in it's original splendour...and then the great but kinda sad renovation:

What is remarkable is the new attention to creating fantastic tile elements. I applaud the use of artists to help design the NEW mosaic works in the subway.......here are some of my faves!

Like the animals at 81st (The Museum of Natural History Platform). These are simply amazing!

23rd station is all bout the mosaic tile hats:

Yes....I am a bit of a ham......and tried out MANY of these wall hats.....I just couldn't help myself!

Love these modern ones too:

These Alice in Wonderland themed mosaics are great too:

some more details:

The many eyes of Chambers Street Station:

I leave you with this one.....enlarge it....you won't be sorry!!!

Thanks for reading y'all!!!
I hope you enjoyed to days post!!