Living in the South, you will inevitably come to love some hole in the wall, middle of nowhere, run by an old married couple barbecue joint. They always have the best food, and there’s never a wait. There are a few places like this in my hometown, and I love driving down a road and seeing an sign or restaurant that reminds me of one of these places.
There’s absolutely nothing like home, but a good ole’ barbecue place with great fixin’s and lots of sauce can run a close second.
Companies shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a great logo. The idea is to create a memory stamp that will stay with a consumer forever. An instant connection between the visual logo and the brand is the ultimate goal. Having a logo that has lasted and been recognizable for almost one hundred years is a huge accomplishment. Planters has done just this with their lovable Mr. Peanut. Mr. Peanut was created in 1916 by 14 year old Antonio Gentile. Gentile submitted his drawing of a peanut with stick arms and stick crossed legs in a Planters logo contest. His “Mr. Peanut” won the grand prize and became the new logo for the company. Gentile was paid… drum roll, please… five whole dollars!! Even with inflation considered, that’s only $103.65! Not bad for a logo that’s lasted as long as Mr. Peanut. A commercial artist was hired to add the signature monocle, top hat, and cane that sets Mr. Peanut above all other nuts. He’s a classy nut, not like the rest of us. The logo has evolved over the years — becoming less realistic and more cartoon like . Planters also added the name Mr. Peanut to his top hat.
Mr. Peanut truly is a historic peanut. In 1918, Planters ran an advertisement in the Saturday Post, the first ever advertisement for a salted peanut. During World War II, Mr. Peanut even helped to promote war saving stamps. The first TV commercials featuring the dapper nut aired in the 50′s. Mr. Peanut is a staple in the nut world even today, and he’s looking better than ever. In 2011, he still sports his monocle, top hat, gloves, tuxedo shoes, and cane. I don’t think he’s going anywhere anytime soon.
Planters has recently launched a campaign around their famous logo. Throughout 2011, Mr. Peanut is traveling the country in the Planters Nutmobile. Inspired by the way peanuts naturally give back to the Earth, Planters is embarking on this tour in an effort to encourage Americans to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
Planters has also invested an estimated 35 million dollars in the revival of Mr. Peanut on the airwaves. They’ve revamped his look, and even hired Robert Downey, Jr. to give him a voice for the first time in his nearly one hundred years of service.
The old saying is true, and sometimes impossible to abide by. When browsing for a new book to read, a cover can be as convincing as the material inside. Great covers can catch your eye, and bad covers can turn you off to a book in an instant.
Here are some covers that I think are brilliant, eye catching, and force you to break the rule.
We Are the Friction by various artists and authors, cover art by Lizzy Stewart and Jez Burrows
Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk, cover art by Michael Collica
One Red Paperclip by Kyle MacDonald, cover art by Kyle Kolker
Leather Maiden by Joe R. Lansdale, cover art by Peter Mendelsund
An Ethics of Interrogation by Michael Skerker, cover art by Isaac Tobin
The enigmatic cover of one of the most moving, emotional, and riveting albums of all time. It’s a concept album – a meditation on Anne Frank, childhood, parents, war and holocaust. You’re cheating yourself if you don’t give it a listen. HIGHLY recommended.
The cover art is nearly as iconic as the album itself. Like the music within, it’s a swirling, vibrating, super-charged jolt of guitar wailing. It’s pretty great, is what I’m saying.
When Lady Gaga first burst on the scene a few years ago, I wrote her off as a passing fad. Certainly no Madonna, Cher, or Elton. Perhaps I judged an over-decorated book by its cover. Lady Gaga has become increasingly more popular and outrageous. Gaga continues to dress in the most scandalous and over the top costumes and outfits possible. Going to get coffee requires a full wardrobe department and makeup team. Behind all of the crazy outfits and makeup, Gaga has become a true champion for the under appreciated. On her latest album, Born This Way, she preaches that we were all born the way we are and that God, or ‘capital Him’, always accepts us. She has become a cultural phenomenon, and there’s certainly no denying her catchy tunes. Even the skeptics like me have started to appreciate her eclectic wardrobe. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from her collection.
Lady Gaga wore this bubble outfit during her last tour. She sported a similar look on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
Gaga accepted an MTV Music Award in this red lace ensemble.
That same night Lady Gaga sat in the audience wearing this headpiece.
Gaga walked the red carpet at an event with this giant black leather bow on her head.
Armani designed this beautiful dress for Lady Gaga to wear at the 2010 Grammy Awards. This look is definitely my favorite, combining just the right amount of Gaga with Grammy.
Lady Gaga may be extremely out of the box and sometimes a little too over the top, but it doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere any time soon. While she’s here, we might as well sit back and enjoy the show!
There is no introduction necessary for the bright red soles of these stilettos, but in case you’ve been under a rock for the last ten years here are some of the beautiful creations from shoe designer Christian Louboutin. I’m so enamored with these shoes that I had to do a second post about them – show off some newer looks. Louboutin exploded onto the shoe scene in the midst of a Blahnik overhaul and has not taken his foot of the gas yet. In a world of women who have ‘grown up’ watching Carrie Bradshaw strut down the streets of Manhattan in her Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik shoes, Christian Louboutin created a product that was dying to be bought. These shoes can only be described as wearable pieces of art, and wearing this art can make a girl feel more beautiful that ever. Another perk to a great pair of Louboutins? EVERYONE knows you’re wearing them. The unmistakable red sole is now synonymous with the designer’s name. So, feast your eyes on some of the more extravagant and beautiful pieces in Louboutin’s collection.
When I was little one of my favorite movies was Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. I was too young to understand what that caterpillar may or may not have been smoking or why Alice got bigger and smaller when she took certain pills and ate certain foods, but I loved the characters in all their colorful glory. So, when I heard that Tim Burton would be remaking one of my childhood faves I was more than thrilled. Then I learned Johnny Depp was on board and I was practically over the moon. I was slightly disappointed to discover that many of my beloved characters had been remodeled… and not necessarily for good. The new movie was much darker, and less playful than Walt’s version, but I guess I should have anticipated that. This was Tim Burton after all.
My fun loving Mad Hatter has turned into….
a seriously scary creature! Johnny’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter was creepy at best, and in some cases downright maniacal!
At least the cheshire cat stayed fairly true to form… although it’s hard to mess up a somewhat off beat cat with an overly toothy grin. There’s no doubt that the costume design for Burton’s version of a childhood favorite was beautiful and elaborate, it just didn’t quite hit the nail on the head for me. My expectations were a little too high for the Burton flick, I was hoping for something a little closer to the original and got a movie that was entirely different than I anticipated.
I found myself watching a rerun of the MTV Movie Awards in an effort to lull myself to sleep last night. Instead, I was enchanted by the shows elaborate and fantastical set this year. The Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California was transformed into a magical wonderland filled with butterflies, jewels, caves, moss, etc. The creative mind behind this transformation was MTV’s production designer, Leroy Bennett. The obvious front runners in any MTV race are Twilight and Harry Potter, and the set accurately reflected the themes of these movies. The set would have fit in perfectly in any werewolf, vampire, or wizard world. Eerie trees and billowing fog created a beautiful and picturesque backdrop for the evening’s events.
Here are a few shots of Bennett’s work.
Here 35 year old Reese Witherspoon accepts the MTV Generation Award for her body of work.
I saw a very great movie last night, adapted from a very great book: Jane Eyre. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, it’s a gothic, moody period piece with mystery, romance, etc. But look at those clothes!
Going for tousled here.
Looking sharp, and sharply unpleasant.
Formaly informal.
Ahh, love and fashion.
