Monday 3 December 2012
Tuesday 20 November 2012
Why I love my French team - Starcom - Liquid Thread @ Publicis Groupe
Vincent DENEUX - DIGITAS (08 février 2010) by point-com
A lovely interview with my fantastic colleague Vincent Deneux - Head of Liquid Thread in France - the fantastic content creation, production and idea creation agency. They are a great addition to the Publicis Groupe family!
Here is a fantastic example of some of the top flight work they have done with P&G's Pampers in France
Pampers - Baby Boom from Starcom France on Vimeo.
Baby Boom by Shine Productions is also known as One Born Every Minute in the UK...
Vincent is probably my favourite person to work with - he sees the idea so brilliantly...
Thursday 4 October 2012
Interbrand - Best Global Brands 2012 - 2012 Report (Brand View)
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| Best Global Brands 2012 |
I am really pleased to see that one of the brands I work on here at the P&G United team at Starcom, Pampers, has joined the list at number 34. It isn't the highest P&G brand - that honour goes to Gillette at 16, but I do believe that it has really earned its new spot on this globally recognised method of brand ranking from global brand consultancy agency, Interbrand.
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| My Logan |
I wanted to use Huggies as I like their packaging more and their ads and branding speaks more to me as a consumer if I am honest but when I tried them, the products might look good, they didn't work very well for my particular child.
I see every day at work how they are trying to humanise the brand with their Pampers facebook activity, their Pampers Village site etc and I think it is powerful the work they are doing to connect with us mothers on a level and in places where we are happy to engage. I don't need to tell most people that mums spend a lot of time online! Shopping, talking, venting, researching, escaping, dreaming - all of this can be done in the online space while the kids play at your feet... It is the perfect media for me as a mum!
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| Lil-lets new packaging |
Interbrand - Best Global Brands 2012 - 2012 Report (Brand View)
This is the reason I love these lists - I always end up learning more about companies that I had underestimated...
Wednesday 26 September 2012
COKE HAPPINESS REFILL Brazil Case Study
COKE HAPPINESS REFILL on Vimeo
A lovely case from Brazil that recognises that teens love to communicate but also have limited cash. So why not help them chat, browse and shop online by giving them free data credit. Teens love it - and happiness is reignited. Coke so often get this stuff right - they know what people want and how to keep that loyalty and brand awareness in the public eye.
COKE HAPPINESS REFILL from NewWork on Vimeo.
A lovely case from Brazil that recognises that teens love to communicate but also have limited cash. So why not help them chat, browse and shop online by giving them free data credit. Teens love it - and happiness is reignited. Coke so often get this stuff right - they know what people want and how to keep that loyalty and brand awareness in the public eye.
COKE HAPPINESS REFILL from NewWork on Vimeo.
Monday 10 September 2012
Tuesday 28 August 2012
Got me some wine...
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| Love this - always makes me chuckle - Got me some wine... |
However, I do have work to do so I won't.
But some of my favourites are this little fella with his wine, the MIT Hacks (where the MIT students build amazing meme and cultural tributes in odd places around campus) and the obvious wonders that are LOLcats...
Thursday 23 August 2012
Thursday 26 July 2012
Harry Potter Studio Tour at Leavesden
Possibly one of the most brilliant days out I have been on for years!! Allow at least 4 hours to go round as there is so much to see... My niece and nephew loved it at 5 & 7 but I would recommend they have seen at least the first 3-4 films.
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| Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour |
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| Ollivander Wand Maker Shop in Diagon Alley |
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| Magic is Might Statue from Ministry of Magic |
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| James and Lily Potter's House in Godric's Hollow |
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| A Golden Snitch from JK Rowling's Harry Potter |
Wednesday 13 June 2012
The importance of being hated
The Importance of Being Hated
In this golden age of enmity, friends are for suckers. What you need are a pair of well-chosen foes.
by Chuck Klosterman | Apr 01 '04
"It's not what you know," they say. "It's who you know." We have all heard this sentiment, and we all reflexively agree with it. This is because "they" are hard to debate, especially since "they" never seem to be in the room whenever anyone makes reference to them. Yet they have a secret shame, and it's a shame they can't deny: They are losers. They are failures. They don't realize that life is—almost without exception—an absolute meritocracy, and everyone who succeeds completely deserves it.* The only people who disagree with this are people who will never succeed at anything. You see, "they" want you to believe the passageway to power is all about cultivating allies, so they spend all their time trying to make friends and influence people. And this is why they fail. It rarely matters who is on your side; what matters is who is against you. Unlike Gloria Loring, you don't need a friend and you don't need a lover. What you need is a) one quality nemesis, and b) one archenemy. These are the two most important characters in the life of any successful human. We measure ourselves against our nemeses, and we long to destroy our archenemies. Nemeses and archenemies are the catalysts for everything.
Now, I know that you're probably asking yourself, How do I know the difference between my nemesis and my archenemy? Here is the short answer: You kind of like your nemesis, despite the fact that you despise him. If your nemesis invited you out for cocktails, you would accept the offer. If he died, you would attend his funeral and—privately—you might shed a tear over his passing. But you would never have drinks with your archenemy, unless you were attempting to spike his gin with hemlock. If you were to perish, your archenemy would dance on your grave, and then he'd burn down your house and molest your children. You hate your archenemy so much that you try to keep your hatred secret, because you don't want your archenemy to have the satisfaction of being hated.
If this distinction seems confusing, just ask your girlfriend to explain it in detail; women have always intuitively grasped the nemesis/archenemy dichotomy. Every woman I've ever known has had at least one close friend whose only purpose in life is to criticize her actions, compete for the attention of men, and drive her insane; very often, this is a woman's best friend . Every woman also has a former friend (usually someone from high school with large breasts) whom she has loathed for years (and whom she will continue to loath with the intensity of a thousand suns, even if she sees her only once every ten years). This is her archenemy. Women intrinsically understand human dynamics, and this makes them unstoppable. Unfortunately, the average man is less adroit at fostering such rivalries, which is why most men remain average. Males are better at hating things that can't hate them back (e.g., lawn mowers, cats, the 1986 Denver Broncos, et cetera). Most men fail to see a world beyond themselves; if given the choice, they would connect themselves to nothing. But greatness cannot be achieved in a vacuum, and great people know that.
In the 1980s, Larry Bird's nemesis was Magic Johnson, and it was always beautiful when they tangled. But Bird's archenemy wasn't Magic; it was Isiah Thomas. When the Celtics played the Pistons, it was a train wreck, and it went deeper than basketball: In 1987, Isiah supported Dennis "Rush" Rodman when he claimed Bird was famous only because he was white. Larry forgave Isiah in public, but he still iced him in the end; the first thing Bird did after becoming president of the Pacers was fire Zeke as head coach. Steve Jobs is Bill Gates's nemesis, but if Gates had only one bullet in his revolver, he'd shoot David Boies. J. R. Ewing was at war with nemesis/brother Bobby for twelve seasons (thirteen if you count the year Victoria Principal dreamed he was dead), but Cliff Barnes was the true Minotaur of Southfork. Jack White turned Von Bondies singer Jason Stollsteimer's face into a speed bag, but Stollsteimer barely even deserves nemesis stature; White's archenemy is Ryan Adams (although he'd be better off if it were Julian Casablancas of the Strokes). The Joker was Batman's nemesis, but—ironically—his archenemy was Superman, since Superman made Batman seem entirely mortal and generally nonessential. Nobody likes to admit this, but Batman hated Superman; Superman is the reason Batman became an alcoholic. **
This fall, George W. Bush will seek reelection, and whoever the Democrats end up nominating will become Bush's "nemesis by default" (although not his true nemesis; that will always be John McCain). But none of the candidates has a shot at becoming Bush's archenemy; that designation is inflexible. W's archenemy is Bill Clinton (mostly because Bill beat up his dad in '92). George W. Bush will never face the man he hates most; this is why George W. Bush will never achieve greatness. However, when we get to 2008—when Clinton's wife faces the little brother of her husband's archenemy—it will be a bloodbath. When the families of archenemies collide, skulls get pounded into pulp. Jeb–Hillary will be like Frazier–Ali III.
I was sitting in the passenger seat of my nemesis's Buick Skylark when he punched me in 1992; I jacked his jaw at a keg party in '94. These days I mostly just read his blog, although we did have a pressure-packed lunch at the Fargo Olive Garden over Christmas. Meanwhile, I've had the same archenemy since eighth grade: He's a guy named Rick Helling, and he grew up in Lakota, North Dakota. Last year, Helling pitched a few innings for the Marlins in the World Series; in 1998, he won twenty games for the Rangers. I went to basketball camp with Rick Helling in 1985, and he was the single worst person I'd ever met. Every summer, I constantly scan the sports section of USA Today , always hoping that he got shelled. This is what drives me. I cannot live in a world where Helling's career ERA hovers below 5.00, yet all I do for a living is type . As long as Rick Helling walks this earth, I shall never sleep soundly.
I realize there are those who don't think it's necessary (or even wise) to consciously create adversaries; Will Rogers claimed that he never met a man he didn't like. But what is Will Rogers famous for, really? For telling jokes that don't have punch lines? For wearing a bandanna like an ascot? Who wants that for a legacy? There is a reason they say, "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer." Granted, "they" usually don't know what they're talking about, but sometimes "they" get lucky, you know?
*The exceptions being Dale Peck, MTV on-air personalities who aren't Kurt Loder, Al Franken, and myself.
**This is speculative.
HOW TO MAKE ENEMIES As the accompanying essay makes clear, you'll need a nemesis and an archenemy if you wish to be successful in this world. The good news is, it's entirely possible that you already have each of these entities in your life; perhaps you just don't realize it (or maybe you can't tell them apart). As a public service, here are a few signs.
RECOGNIZING YOUR NEMESIS
•At some point in the past, this person was (arguably) your best friend.
•You have punched this person in the face.
•If invited, you would go to this person's wedding and give him a spice rack, but you would secretly hope that his marriage ends in a bitter, public divorce.
•People who barely know both of you assume you are close friends; people who know both of you intimately suspect that you profoundly dislike each other.
•If your archenemy tried to kill you, this person would attempt to stop him.
RECOGNIZING YOUR ARCHENEMY
•Every time you talk to this person, you lie.
•If you meet someone who has the same first name as this person, you immediately like him less.
•The satisfaction you feel from your own success pales in comparison to the despair you feel at this person's triumphs, even if those triumphs are completely unrelated to your life.
•If this person slept with your girlfriend, she would never be attractive to you again.
•Even if this person's girlfriend was a hateful bitch, you would sleep with her out of spite.
In this golden age of enmity, friends are for suckers. What you need are a pair of well-chosen foes.
by Chuck Klosterman | Apr 01 '04
"It's not what you know," they say. "It's who you know." We have all heard this sentiment, and we all reflexively agree with it. This is because "they" are hard to debate, especially since "they" never seem to be in the room whenever anyone makes reference to them. Yet they have a secret shame, and it's a shame they can't deny: They are losers. They are failures. They don't realize that life is—almost without exception—an absolute meritocracy, and everyone who succeeds completely deserves it.* The only people who disagree with this are people who will never succeed at anything. You see, "they" want you to believe the passageway to power is all about cultivating allies, so they spend all their time trying to make friends and influence people. And this is why they fail. It rarely matters who is on your side; what matters is who is against you. Unlike Gloria Loring, you don't need a friend and you don't need a lover. What you need is a) one quality nemesis, and b) one archenemy. These are the two most important characters in the life of any successful human. We measure ourselves against our nemeses, and we long to destroy our archenemies. Nemeses and archenemies are the catalysts for everything.
Now, I know that you're probably asking yourself, How do I know the difference between my nemesis and my archenemy? Here is the short answer: You kind of like your nemesis, despite the fact that you despise him. If your nemesis invited you out for cocktails, you would accept the offer. If he died, you would attend his funeral and—privately—you might shed a tear over his passing. But you would never have drinks with your archenemy, unless you were attempting to spike his gin with hemlock. If you were to perish, your archenemy would dance on your grave, and then he'd burn down your house and molest your children. You hate your archenemy so much that you try to keep your hatred secret, because you don't want your archenemy to have the satisfaction of being hated.
If this distinction seems confusing, just ask your girlfriend to explain it in detail; women have always intuitively grasped the nemesis/archenemy dichotomy. Every woman I've ever known has had at least one close friend whose only purpose in life is to criticize her actions, compete for the attention of men, and drive her insane; very often, this is a woman's best friend . Every woman also has a former friend (usually someone from high school with large breasts) whom she has loathed for years (and whom she will continue to loath with the intensity of a thousand suns, even if she sees her only once every ten years). This is her archenemy. Women intrinsically understand human dynamics, and this makes them unstoppable. Unfortunately, the average man is less adroit at fostering such rivalries, which is why most men remain average. Males are better at hating things that can't hate them back (e.g., lawn mowers, cats, the 1986 Denver Broncos, et cetera). Most men fail to see a world beyond themselves; if given the choice, they would connect themselves to nothing. But greatness cannot be achieved in a vacuum, and great people know that.
In the 1980s, Larry Bird's nemesis was Magic Johnson, and it was always beautiful when they tangled. But Bird's archenemy wasn't Magic; it was Isiah Thomas. When the Celtics played the Pistons, it was a train wreck, and it went deeper than basketball: In 1987, Isiah supported Dennis "Rush" Rodman when he claimed Bird was famous only because he was white. Larry forgave Isiah in public, but he still iced him in the end; the first thing Bird did after becoming president of the Pacers was fire Zeke as head coach. Steve Jobs is Bill Gates's nemesis, but if Gates had only one bullet in his revolver, he'd shoot David Boies. J. R. Ewing was at war with nemesis/brother Bobby for twelve seasons (thirteen if you count the year Victoria Principal dreamed he was dead), but Cliff Barnes was the true Minotaur of Southfork. Jack White turned Von Bondies singer Jason Stollsteimer's face into a speed bag, but Stollsteimer barely even deserves nemesis stature; White's archenemy is Ryan Adams (although he'd be better off if it were Julian Casablancas of the Strokes). The Joker was Batman's nemesis, but—ironically—his archenemy was Superman, since Superman made Batman seem entirely mortal and generally nonessential. Nobody likes to admit this, but Batman hated Superman; Superman is the reason Batman became an alcoholic. **
This fall, George W. Bush will seek reelection, and whoever the Democrats end up nominating will become Bush's "nemesis by default" (although not his true nemesis; that will always be John McCain). But none of the candidates has a shot at becoming Bush's archenemy; that designation is inflexible. W's archenemy is Bill Clinton (mostly because Bill beat up his dad in '92). George W. Bush will never face the man he hates most; this is why George W. Bush will never achieve greatness. However, when we get to 2008—when Clinton's wife faces the little brother of her husband's archenemy—it will be a bloodbath. When the families of archenemies collide, skulls get pounded into pulp. Jeb–Hillary will be like Frazier–Ali III.
I was sitting in the passenger seat of my nemesis's Buick Skylark when he punched me in 1992; I jacked his jaw at a keg party in '94. These days I mostly just read his blog, although we did have a pressure-packed lunch at the Fargo Olive Garden over Christmas. Meanwhile, I've had the same archenemy since eighth grade: He's a guy named Rick Helling, and he grew up in Lakota, North Dakota. Last year, Helling pitched a few innings for the Marlins in the World Series; in 1998, he won twenty games for the Rangers. I went to basketball camp with Rick Helling in 1985, and he was the single worst person I'd ever met. Every summer, I constantly scan the sports section of USA Today , always hoping that he got shelled. This is what drives me. I cannot live in a world where Helling's career ERA hovers below 5.00, yet all I do for a living is type . As long as Rick Helling walks this earth, I shall never sleep soundly.
I realize there are those who don't think it's necessary (or even wise) to consciously create adversaries; Will Rogers claimed that he never met a man he didn't like. But what is Will Rogers famous for, really? For telling jokes that don't have punch lines? For wearing a bandanna like an ascot? Who wants that for a legacy? There is a reason they say, "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer." Granted, "they" usually don't know what they're talking about, but sometimes "they" get lucky, you know?
*The exceptions being Dale Peck, MTV on-air personalities who aren't Kurt Loder, Al Franken, and myself.
**This is speculative.
HOW TO MAKE ENEMIES As the accompanying essay makes clear, you'll need a nemesis and an archenemy if you wish to be successful in this world. The good news is, it's entirely possible that you already have each of these entities in your life; perhaps you just don't realize it (or maybe you can't tell them apart). As a public service, here are a few signs.
RECOGNIZING YOUR NEMESIS
•At some point in the past, this person was (arguably) your best friend.
•You have punched this person in the face.
•If invited, you would go to this person's wedding and give him a spice rack, but you would secretly hope that his marriage ends in a bitter, public divorce.
•People who barely know both of you assume you are close friends; people who know both of you intimately suspect that you profoundly dislike each other.
•If your archenemy tried to kill you, this person would attempt to stop him.
RECOGNIZING YOUR ARCHENEMY
•Every time you talk to this person, you lie.
•If you meet someone who has the same first name as this person, you immediately like him less.
•The satisfaction you feel from your own success pales in comparison to the despair you feel at this person's triumphs, even if those triumphs are completely unrelated to your life.
•If this person slept with your girlfriend, she would never be attractive to you again.
•Even if this person's girlfriend was a hateful bitch, you would sleep with her out of spite.
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Five phases of social business maturity by Econsultancy
Five phases of social business maturity
I quite like this article by Econsultancy on social business maturity... It shows actually how companies know what stage they are at, how to recognise when you are ready to move on and how to actually encourage social media growth and capability to allow them to move through the stages.
"We define the journey not in terms of what you’re doing inside your business, but rather in terms of what you are creating for your customer. I think we’d all agree that, before there was a social business, there was a social customer."
I quite like this article by Econsultancy on social business maturity... It shows actually how companies know what stage they are at, how to recognise when you are ready to move on and how to actually encourage social media growth and capability to allow them to move through the stages.
"We define the journey not in terms of what you’re doing inside your business, but rather in terms of what you are creating for your customer. I think we’d all agree that, before there was a social business, there was a social customer."
Monday 11 June 2012
Gazette - allez les bleus!
So tonight, as my son is away, my husband and I decided to have a little date night...We were going to go to the very delicious French, family-run, Chez Manny in Battersea High St which we like a lot but decided at the last minute to try another French Battersea restaurant called Gazette, just off the river in Sherwood Court.
Firstly, obviously had to get dressed up - which was a little strange on a windy, rainy Monday night. I had bought a dress based on a blog post by The Londoner at the Tatler Restaurant Awards - this bodycon uber short black dress from Missguided. A total bargain to boot.I styled it with a belt and leggings as it was super cold out and only a Monday. Shoe wise - some platform black studded shoeboots. I combined all that with big eyelashes, messy hair and some metallic eye shadow. The photo is a bit blurry - its a super flattering dress though...
The restaurant is tucked away down by the river and is very unassuming. It is genuinely surprising how lovely the interiors are when you walk in - brushed concrete walls, some rendered cream, blackboard tables with chalk so you can draw on them and a big wooden bar. There is a fantastic upstairs space too with a glass private room for up to 12 people. They also had colouring books and kids chairs/kids menus for the smaller guests.
The atmosphere was pretty buzzy as they had been showing the England v France football match, and quite a few tables were still there. These included a super civilized bunch of French football fans, 5 blokes about 26-28 who after the match had stayed for a steak, red wine and cheese board. This was a far cry from the English fans you normally see who are drunk on beer and eating kebabs...
After a well earned Gordons N Tonic, we tucked into some seriously good classic French food - with some unusual twists in some dishes.
To start, we had a trio of terrines to share: Foie Gras, Campagne rustic and Pork Head - I was so excited about eating it that I forgot to take a picture til it was half eaten. The Foie Gras was everything that you could hope for from it; rich, creamy and tasted slightly of honey, and was complemented by a pear chutney you can see top left in the picture. The Pork head was set in aspic and was great to try and some of the meat was truly scrumptious but it wouldn't be my first choice if I were there again. To coin a phrase, I couldn't eat a whole one! The Campagne terrine was another hit, tasting a little like the inside of a Toulouse sausage or a course Ardennes pate with lots of hers. They served a generous portion of delicious bread and some seriously wonderful French butter as well.
Then to the mains... We both opted for Steaks. Me, a Rib Eye, medium rare. My husband, a fillet Chateaubriand cut, blue and made utterly decadent by the addition of a golden fried slide of Foie Gras. 2 portions of Foie Gras in one meal... the man is an addict! Fries with Bearnaise sauce and some delicious baby spinach with garlic finished up our feast. Mine was a tiny bit less rare than I like - I did ask for French rare but got more of a medium to be honest but it was perfectly seasoned. The bearnaise and fries were home made and utter perfection - crispy, creamy and totally yummy.
To drink, we had a carafe of utterly fruity Bordeaux which was superbly reasonably priced and very, very smooth. The staff were quite French and funny - sometimes humorous, and sometimes a little shirty, but I love that in a French restaurant! It doesn't feel authentic if the staff are all polite and British about things! To finish up what was a pretty huge meal, we skipped dessert and just had a wonderful coffee before wandering home for a whiskey and some music. It was very much like what we used to do regularly before our son came along to make us sensible adults.
Definitely well worth a visit (they have a branch in Balham too), I would certainly recommend Gazette. They also do Sunday Lunches that are to die for and have lots of special events like Moules Tuesdays, Bastille Day parties and crab season specials. A real local Battersea hidden gem of a restaurant and bar, I will be back... regularly.
How to avoid hipsters in London...
Just in case you wondered where to hang out in London but really are adverse to hipsters lurking around in skinny weird trousers and seasonally inappropriate hats, here is a quick guide to the areas of London graded by cost and hipster-ness courtesy of Hostelbookers.com
If you want to know how to identify a hipster, try this guide of how to be a hipster
They think its all over...
I was reading this very to the point Huff Post article by Julia Plevin on "Who's a Hipster?" where she proclaims "the definition of "hipster" remains opaque to anyone outside this self-proclaiming, highly-selective circle" - which seems eminently true and also that most hipsters are in hipster-denial and that potentially, finally, after 70 years of being fairly pointlessly subversive by wearing a lot of plaid and glasses, and sometimes just being downright obtuse, the hipster may finally be dead.
Wednesday 6 June 2012
Google Search Coverage Maps - How many searches???
Video demonstrating the newer Google Search Coverage Map...
Monday 28 May 2012
Is Facebook about to do everything?? According to the media it is...
Honestly - the journos of the world seem to think that Facebook is like a giant alien race trying to take over the Earth, like in this Guardian article about Facebook here where they think the whole IPO was a conspiracy
The rumours abound of what Facebook will do next.... Make a mobile phone, buy Opera the Browser company and replace Instagram with Facebook Camera - oh they actually are doing the last one...
I know that Facebook does push to innovate on a startlingly regular basis and not always with much thought of their user's sensibilities and aversion to change. I always find it ironic that the newest of innovations, once it reaches critical mass, is subject to the usual human rubbish of not wanting to change anything about it...
To listen to all the blow ups in the news around in the last week or two since the Facebook IPO, you would think that this was the biggest thing to ever happen in the history of everything, not just a fancy pants sharing site going public...
The site can only remain relevant while it innovates and I think will only achieve its true advertising potential when ads can be served and tracked as part of a regular campaign. The adverts on there can achieve startling ROI for brands in terms of sales figures and can, if done properly, create real engagement with the current fans/consumers and drive incremental growth through driving new consumers as well. However, some advertisers are not seeing the value - cue GM's pull of its $10m advertising spend on Facebook recently.
Facebook is a powerful tool for sharing and increasingly for advertisers, but it is hardly the Decepticons... so please can the media stop overhyping and getting far too overexcited about a company going about normal company things like trying to expand and make money!!
They may be a bit dubious on the privacy front etc but they never promised to be Google and "not be evil" - we shouldn't assume that digital/internet companies have the ideal outlook on being good online citizens...
The rumours abound of what Facebook will do next.... Make a mobile phone, buy Opera the Browser company and replace Instagram with Facebook Camera - oh they actually are doing the last one...
To listen to all the blow ups in the news around in the last week or two since the Facebook IPO, you would think that this was the biggest thing to ever happen in the history of everything, not just a fancy pants sharing site going public...
The site can only remain relevant while it innovates and I think will only achieve its true advertising potential when ads can be served and tracked as part of a regular campaign. The adverts on there can achieve startling ROI for brands in terms of sales figures and can, if done properly, create real engagement with the current fans/consumers and drive incremental growth through driving new consumers as well. However, some advertisers are not seeing the value - cue GM's pull of its $10m advertising spend on Facebook recently.
Facebook is a powerful tool for sharing and increasingly for advertisers, but it is hardly the Decepticons... so please can the media stop overhyping and getting far too overexcited about a company going about normal company things like trying to expand and make money!!
They may be a bit dubious on the privacy front etc but they never promised to be Google and "not be evil" - we shouldn't assume that digital/internet companies have the ideal outlook on being good online citizens...
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Pod Living and the freedom to think
Sometimes I would just love to go and live with seriously great wifi in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Today is one of those days...
The closest I have come to this was living in a house I called the Pod in Battersea. It was round, looked like it had been built by hobbits and was a little bit like living in a space station. It wasn't in the middle of nowhere, but it was pretty interesting.
There are so many cool pod type houses out there but here are a few of my favourites!
FinCube - Damn Cool Looking.
The Fincube by Berlin's Studio Aisslinger
This new housing is modular, sustainable and transportable. The low energy house, named ‘Fincube’, is comprised of thin horizontal “ledges” of locally grown wood that wrap the slightly bulging form.
The Fincube is installed on four columns whose height is adjusted to the topographic conditions. The elevation of the plot underlines the cubic form of the construction. Access is made available via a staircase.
With the use of natural materials such as wood, stone, and glass, and with low-energy construction techniques and minimum soil sealing, Fincube meets sustainable construction methods.Organized in a helical structure, the entrance area blends into a generous open kitchen, with an adjacent living space and a bedroom around the corner.
1938 Mountain Pod Recreated
A futuristic mountain pod - or the Refuge Barrel (Refuge Tonneau), as it
was originally called- designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1938 has been
authentically reconstructed by Cassina. Originally created as a refuge for climbers in the Alps the dodecahedral pod, has an
aluminum exterior and a fir wooden interior. Purposely designed to be
both lightweight and sturdy, the prefab structure sits on stilts which
provide good stability, even on the roughest and steep terrain.
Underwater Living with H20ME
I am totally obsessed with the idea of an underwater house and think it would be the best thing ever!
The world’s first undersea residence has 3600 square feet of uncompromising elegance situated in 40 feet of crystal clear water surrounded by a magnificent coral reef, where the ever changing view is fascinating and absolutely unique.
Your H2OME is in Belize, in a protected private lagoon connected to land by your private pier. Floating above and accessed by elevator is a cluster of floating buildings, including a warm water outdoor spa, the central entrance lounge, docking space for a yacht and an enclosed building for your Triton submarine as well as space for a wide array of water toys.
And, let’s not forget the floating helicopter landing pad!
Finally the fantastic Archipod
Have you ever seen anything cooler? I so want one for my son when he is older....
The Archipod is a prefabricated red cedar shingle-clad insulated structure that opens with a gullwing door. The spherical unit is complete with a built in ergonomic desk, drawers , porthole windows and skylight and is wired with dimmable lights, an electric heater, outlets, a phone line and even a smoke alarm!
The ‘Pod’ is primarily suited to use as a garden office, but could easily be adapted to anything you choose: Playroom, Studio, Hobby Room, Meditation/ Quiet Room, Outside entertaining/Dining Room, Tree House!
There are so many cool pod type houses out there but here are a few of my favourites!
FinCube - Damn Cool Looking.
This new housing is modular, sustainable and transportable. The low energy house, named ‘Fincube’, is comprised of thin horizontal “ledges” of locally grown wood that wrap the slightly bulging form.
The Fincube is installed on four columns whose height is adjusted to the topographic conditions. The elevation of the plot underlines the cubic form of the construction. Access is made available via a staircase.
With the use of natural materials such as wood, stone, and glass, and with low-energy construction techniques and minimum soil sealing, Fincube meets sustainable construction methods.Organized in a helical structure, the entrance area blends into a generous open kitchen, with an adjacent living space and a bedroom around the corner.
1938 Mountain Pod Recreated
Underwater Living with H20ME
I am totally obsessed with the idea of an underwater house and think it would be the best thing ever!
The world’s first undersea residence has 3600 square feet of uncompromising elegance situated in 40 feet of crystal clear water surrounded by a magnificent coral reef, where the ever changing view is fascinating and absolutely unique.
Your H2OME is in Belize, in a protected private lagoon connected to land by your private pier. Floating above and accessed by elevator is a cluster of floating buildings, including a warm water outdoor spa, the central entrance lounge, docking space for a yacht and an enclosed building for your Triton submarine as well as space for a wide array of water toys.
And, let’s not forget the floating helicopter landing pad!
Finally the fantastic Archipod
Have you ever seen anything cooler? I so want one for my son when he is older....
The Archipod is a prefabricated red cedar shingle-clad insulated structure that opens with a gullwing door. The spherical unit is complete with a built in ergonomic desk, drawers , porthole windows and skylight and is wired with dimmable lights, an electric heater, outlets, a phone line and even a smoke alarm!
The ‘Pod’ is primarily suited to use as a garden office, but could easily be adapted to anything you choose: Playroom, Studio, Hobby Room, Meditation/ Quiet Room, Outside entertaining/Dining Room, Tree House!
Monday 19 March 2012
Otters make me so happy...
This genius little post has just about made my day from red scharlach of Otters that Look like Benedict Cumberbatch makes me happy on so many levels!! I love otters and memes that spring up out of nowhere... this fulfils both and therefore fills me with glee on a day that started with tears and grumps...
My son is away for a few days and I miss him so so much.
I might sound like a spoilt brat but I want to have my cake and eat it. I can't however. but I can listen to the Glee soundtrack and look at Otter memes to cheer me up a little
So here's to you Benedict Cumberbatch, you crazy otter-esque legend... and thank you internet for raising a smile on my face today.
Monday 5 March 2012
Example of Video with Advert Skin
1020(w) x 620(h) ad unit surrounds a
video for the duration of the program
and actually becomes part of the
viewing experience.
Thursday 23 February 2012
The Internet of Things
My gifted geeky colleague Fiona yesterday referred to The Internet of Things - things like the Samsung Washing machine that can be controlled from your iPhone.
I have been having a play today and here is a list of things on the interwebs that I like this week!
FindBacon - jobs site for developers... I love the site UX and think the branding is just brilliant!
Pinboard - a new version of Delicious now that Delicious seems to have been spoilt by its redesign!
LG - for creating a fridge that can order your groceries for you automatically (kind of) amongst other smart grid ready and wifi enabled appliances! Launched at CES 2012 demoed Smart Manager, which transforms the refrigerator into a complete food management system. Consumers can use the refrigerator's LCD panel or their smartphones to check the food items stored inside, as well as their location and expiration date. Smart Shopping is another new aspect of the Smart Manager feature. It offers online grocery shopping directly from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone. A shopping list is created by selecting food items from the inventory, which will be loaded onto Smart Shoppinghttp://www.lgnewsroom.com/ces2012/main.php by pressing the "Go Shopping" button. Consumers can purchase these food items from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone, while items not on the list can be searched for and selected manually. These features eliminate the hassle of having to write down grocery shopping lists the old-fashioned way or the need to visit the grocery store, saving time and increasing convenience.
Forefathers Design - I just like their designs... I like their origins, I just like them! Passionate designers are rare nowadays!
Treehouse - a great web design & programming learning program in the vein of codeacademy.com but not just javascript! Don't forget its the year of code so get out there and learn to code!!
Chris Jennings (designer) - just because I found his work this week and its so great!
IconFinder - because its bloody handy!!
I think that would keep me busy for months just looking at all of that!
Follow me on twitter for more @alliekeith
I have been having a play today and here is a list of things on the interwebs that I like this week!
FindBacon - jobs site for developers... I love the site UX and think the branding is just brilliant!
Pinboard - a new version of Delicious now that Delicious seems to have been spoilt by its redesign!
LG - for creating a fridge that can order your groceries for you automatically (kind of) amongst other smart grid ready and wifi enabled appliances! Launched at CES 2012 demoed Smart Manager, which transforms the refrigerator into a complete food management system. Consumers can use the refrigerator's LCD panel or their smartphones to check the food items stored inside, as well as their location and expiration date. Smart Shopping is another new aspect of the Smart Manager feature. It offers online grocery shopping directly from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone. A shopping list is created by selecting food items from the inventory, which will be loaded onto Smart Shoppinghttp://www.lgnewsroom.com/ces2012/main.php by pressing the "Go Shopping" button. Consumers can purchase these food items from the refrigerator's LCD panel or smartphone, while items not on the list can be searched for and selected manually. These features eliminate the hassle of having to write down grocery shopping lists the old-fashioned way or the need to visit the grocery store, saving time and increasing convenience.
Forefathers Design - I just like their designs... I like their origins, I just like them! Passionate designers are rare nowadays!
Treehouse - a great web design & programming learning program in the vein of codeacademy.com but not just javascript! Don't forget its the year of code so get out there and learn to code!!
Chris Jennings (designer) - just because I found his work this week and its so great!
IconFinder - because its bloody handy!!
I think that would keep me busy for months just looking at all of that!
Follow me on twitter for more @alliekeith
Monday 13 February 2012
I don't celebrate Valentine's Day... but if I did...
It would probably be the best Valentine's Day in the world...
My husband and I don't do Valentine's Day. This is not because we are unromantic or JUST because it is overhyped and commercial.
The main reason is that our anniversary is the 12th Feb and my husband's birthday is a week later. It is really excessive to have 3 celebrations in one week about how much we love each other!! We do that every day anyway.
So if I was planning a Valentine's Day this year, what would be fantastic gifts? I am a believer in not doing the obvious but finding something unusual, rare and with more meaning than the usual commercial gifts.
Ladies
Fragrance - I know it seems like an obvious choice but there are most definitely some alternative perfume choices out there that are not the usual celeb sponsored crap that is on TV around 14th Feb. I love specific perfumes that were chosen for me as they really capture some of my favourite scents in the world.
Diorissimo by Dior
A beautiful scent created in 1956 with top notes of Lily of the Valley which Dior believed was the symbol of hope, happiness and joy. Edmond Roudnitska, a French Master Perfumer and author, created it for Dior and it helped establish his reputation as one of the finest perfumers of the 20th century. Why, I hear you ask? Well, the epheremal smell of Lily of the Valley, unlike the other ingredients of Jasmine or Rose, cannot be extracted from the flower without destroying them so Roudnitska created a near perfect recreation of the scent!
Its my favourite scent - it has tradition, class and smells unbelievable.
The only other perfume I wear is from Caron and is called Coup de Fouet, the eau de cologne version of their Poivre scent, launched in 1957. Based on black peppercorns, with Rose and cloves, it is a rich, unisex, peppery scent. The Poivre perfume can come in a Baccarat cystal fountains and 50ml of pure perfume can cost upwards of £200 and the only place I have found to buy it in the UK or London is Harrods, Fortnum and Mason or Les Senteurs in Belgravia. But I think it is worth it... they have a huge range of other frangrances as well and I think the extra effort and rarity factor are ideal elements of the perfect gift...
Jewellery - every girl loves a new piece of jewellery but I hate it when people have just done something obvious like just gone to Tiffany's - not that I don't love Tiffany's but I think there are more unique places and pieces to buy than a Tiffany tag necklace or a Links of London Sweetie Bracelet.
I personally love looking on Net-a-porter for jewellery as they have some big name designers as well as some really unusual pieces like a Love 18 karat gold and leather bracelet by Aurora Lopez Mejia for £2,935 if you are feeling extravagant!
If that is a little on the steep side, what about this stunning crystal pavé heart ring from Marc by Marc Jacobs, for a mere £110. A beautiful, wearable and unusual gift that leaves plenty of cash left over for the rest of your Valentine's day treats!
I am also totally biased but my husband bought me a gorgeous necklace for Christmas that was all about family as we have a new baby and I always refer to us as three peas in a pod. This silver and pearl 3 pea necklace brought tears to my eyes and came from a website I love called the Handpicked Collection which has some really unusual ideas.
And if money were no object? Well it would have to be a piece from Garrard! I have already blogged about how delicious their Fire of London collection is, but for a more romantic note, their Wings collection or Entanglement collection are beautiful.
Lingerie - I am a total sucker for stunning lingerie and bed wear. For my wedding night, I spent a tiny fortune on a stunning set of cashmere and silk pyjamas from Myla that are still my favourite clothes in the world (I love them more than my wedding dress). Myla is my kind of shop, classic, sexy and just a little bit kinky so I think they make a delicious alternative to Agent Provocateur for gorgeous lingerie - they even have a Valentine's section - Be Myla Valentine.
Leather - now before you think this is some sort of kinky section, it is actually about handbags, purses and shoes! Women love accessories and a designer handbag or pair of killer shoes is just a pure indulgence gift! This is one area where you don't need to find unusual places, just the right one for the recipient.
For this season I am in love with the Gucci Diana tote with bamboo handles. I think it is just such a Spring classic and the perfect size for most occassions!
If you are planning on whisking anyone away for a romantic weekend as well then why not put their surprise tickets in this beautiful Mulberry Clipper bag, when you present it to them? It is a perfect little overnight bag and just screams "whisk me off to Paris or Rome"!
If these seem a little bit on the pricey side, have a look at the stunning clutch bags they have on ASOS at the moment. This lemon yellow quilted clutch by Ted Baker is bang on trend for Spring and will enhance any outfit...
Shoes - If your other half loves shoes, just go to Jimmy Choo, Christian Laboutin or Manolo Blahnik
Don't mess about with these things... no cheap alternatives will do. You will probably get the best sex of your life, probably while she wears the shoes...
There is something very irresistable about gorgeous shoes. I would team them with a pair of Wolford Velvet hold ups
Of course, all these gorgeous things need a suitably glamourous place to wear them to, so here are some ideas
Dinner:
Some vastly different ideas here
One - Clos Maggiore a super pretty room near covent garden that is kind of old school.
Supper Club - super modern with caberet and a spot of burlesque...
Barts - a gorgeous venue in Sloane Avenue with cocktails in tea cups - a seriously impressive place
Weekend Away in the UK
Manoir aux Quat'Saisons - nothing more to be said other than pure deliciousness and luxury
Babington House - Just a stunning luxury filled wonderland
Weekend Away elsewhere...
For a really personal service try RomeLofts.com - unique properties all over Rome - some with spectacular views!
For further afield or real luxury try Mr & Mrs Smith - a collection of luxury hotels and houses around the world. Some really unique hotels, personally reviewed by the staff - my sister actually used to review for them.
Men
The men in our lives are sometimes really short-changed on Valentine's Day. Women go nuts if their other half hasn't put in the required amount of effort, thought and romance into their Valentine's Day plans. But do they put the same amount of thought into the gifts for their menfolk?
Here are just a few ideas of things that I think men might appreciate...
A day at The Refinery
Some men love a spa day, or at least a proper shave and a massage. The Refinery in London is the perfect venue - an all male "grooming" environment.
To combine with this, why not get him so fantastic aftershave and shave accesories from Geo F. Trumper such as their Eau de Portugal aftershave and a Whisky Leather Gillette Fusion Travel set
For more grooming gifts, go to the Men's Grooming department at Harrods and stock them up on moisturiser, scrub and even a bit of Manscara to make them feel fabulous.
Accessories
Men love accessories as much as us ladies so why not get them something fantastic to flash with their mates:
How about a superb iPad cover by Samira Boon called the furoshiki shiki - a transparent cover in some great bold shades that the ipad works through. Looks cool and its Japanese - what could be better. Just make sure he also has an ipad to go in it!!
A super cool wallet can be the perfect upgrade from that horrid old plasticy one he has had since university. Try Mulberry for some amazing Ostrich or Tan leather wallets in various styles
Smythson also has a fantastic collection including this classic black pigskin wallet.
If these are a little out of your price league, have a look on ASOS for some cool Ted Baker wallets
I could go on and on. I guess the message is to avoid the obvious, keep it simple and remember it is all about the other person!
Happy Valentine's Day...
p.s. I tweeted to Nando's today about Valentine's Day and it got a lot of retweets as I was being juvenile. I should do that more often...
My husband and I don't do Valentine's Day. This is not because we are unromantic or JUST because it is overhyped and commercial.
The main reason is that our anniversary is the 12th Feb and my husband's birthday is a week later. It is really excessive to have 3 celebrations in one week about how much we love each other!! We do that every day anyway.
So if I was planning a Valentine's Day this year, what would be fantastic gifts? I am a believer in not doing the obvious but finding something unusual, rare and with more meaning than the usual commercial gifts.
Ladies
Fragrance - I know it seems like an obvious choice but there are most definitely some alternative perfume choices out there that are not the usual celeb sponsored crap that is on TV around 14th Feb. I love specific perfumes that were chosen for me as they really capture some of my favourite scents in the world.
Diorissimo by Dior
A beautiful scent created in 1956 with top notes of Lily of the Valley which Dior believed was the symbol of hope, happiness and joy. Edmond Roudnitska, a French Master Perfumer and author, created it for Dior and it helped establish his reputation as one of the finest perfumers of the 20th century. Why, I hear you ask? Well, the epheremal smell of Lily of the Valley, unlike the other ingredients of Jasmine or Rose, cannot be extracted from the flower without destroying them so Roudnitska created a near perfect recreation of the scent!Its my favourite scent - it has tradition, class and smells unbelievable.
The only other perfume I wear is from Caron and is called Coup de Fouet, the eau de cologne version of their Poivre scent, launched in 1957. Based on black peppercorns, with Rose and cloves, it is a rich, unisex, peppery scent. The Poivre perfume can come in a Baccarat cystal fountains and 50ml of pure perfume can cost upwards of £200 and the only place I have found to buy it in the UK or London is Harrods, Fortnum and Mason or Les Senteurs in Belgravia. But I think it is worth it... they have a huge range of other frangrances as well and I think the extra effort and rarity factor are ideal elements of the perfect gift...
Jewellery - every girl loves a new piece of jewellery but I hate it when people have just done something obvious like just gone to Tiffany's - not that I don't love Tiffany's but I think there are more unique places and pieces to buy than a Tiffany tag necklace or a Links of London Sweetie Bracelet.I personally love looking on Net-a-porter for jewellery as they have some big name designers as well as some really unusual pieces like a Love 18 karat gold and leather bracelet by Aurora Lopez Mejia for £2,935 if you are feeling extravagant!
And if money were no object? Well it would have to be a piece from Garrard! I have already blogged about how delicious their Fire of London collection is, but for a more romantic note, their Wings collection or Entanglement collection are beautiful.
Lingerie - I am a total sucker for stunning lingerie and bed wear. For my wedding night, I spent a tiny fortune on a stunning set of cashmere and silk pyjamas from Myla that are still my favourite clothes in the world (I love them more than my wedding dress). Myla is my kind of shop, classic, sexy and just a little bit kinky so I think they make a delicious alternative to Agent Provocateur for gorgeous lingerie - they even have a Valentine's section - Be Myla Valentine.
Leather - now before you think this is some sort of kinky section, it is actually about handbags, purses and shoes! Women love accessories and a designer handbag or pair of killer shoes is just a pure indulgence gift! This is one area where you don't need to find unusual places, just the right one for the recipient.For this season I am in love with the Gucci Diana tote with bamboo handles. I think it is just such a Spring classic and the perfect size for most occassions!
If you are planning on whisking anyone away for a romantic weekend as well then why not put their surprise tickets in this beautiful Mulberry Clipper bag, when you present it to them? It is a perfect little overnight bag and just screams "whisk me off to Paris or Rome"!
If these seem a little bit on the pricey side, have a look at the stunning clutch bags they have on ASOS at the moment. This lemon yellow quilted clutch by Ted Baker is bang on trend for Spring and will enhance any outfit...
 |
Décolleté 100 leather pumps |
Don't mess about with these things... no cheap alternatives will do. You will probably get the best sex of your life, probably while she wears the shoes...
There is something very irresistable about gorgeous shoes. I would team them with a pair of Wolford Velvet hold ups
Of course, all these gorgeous things need a suitably glamourous place to wear them to, so here are some ideas
Dinner:
Some vastly different ideas here
One - Clos Maggiore a super pretty room near covent garden that is kind of old school.
Supper Club - super modern with caberet and a spot of burlesque...
Barts - a gorgeous venue in Sloane Avenue with cocktails in tea cups - a seriously impressive place
Weekend Away in the UKManoir aux Quat'Saisons - nothing more to be said other than pure deliciousness and luxury
Babington House - Just a stunning luxury filled wonderland
Weekend Away elsewhere...
For a really personal service try RomeLofts.com - unique properties all over Rome - some with spectacular views!
For further afield or real luxury try Mr & Mrs Smith - a collection of luxury hotels and houses around the world. Some really unique hotels, personally reviewed by the staff - my sister actually used to review for them.
Men
The men in our lives are sometimes really short-changed on Valentine's Day. Women go nuts if their other half hasn't put in the required amount of effort, thought and romance into their Valentine's Day plans. But do they put the same amount of thought into the gifts for their menfolk?
Here are just a few ideas of things that I think men might appreciate...
A day at The Refinery
To combine with this, why not get him so fantastic aftershave and shave accesories from Geo F. Trumper such as their Eau de Portugal aftershave and a Whisky Leather Gillette Fusion Travel set
For more grooming gifts, go to the Men's Grooming department at Harrods and stock them up on moisturiser, scrub and even a bit of Manscara to make them feel fabulous.
Accessories
Men love accessories as much as us ladies so why not get them something fantastic to flash with their mates:
How about a superb iPad cover by Samira Boon called the furoshiki shiki - a transparent cover in some great bold shades that the ipad works through. Looks cool and its Japanese - what could be better. Just make sure he also has an ipad to go in it!!
A super cool wallet can be the perfect upgrade from that horrid old plasticy one he has had since university. Try Mulberry for some amazing Ostrich or Tan leather wallets in various styles
If these are a little out of your price league, have a look on ASOS for some cool Ted Baker wallets
I could go on and on. I guess the message is to avoid the obvious, keep it simple and remember it is all about the other person!
Happy Valentine's Day...
p.s. I tweeted to Nando's today about Valentine's Day and it got a lot of retweets as I was being juvenile. I should do that more often...
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