Hate the Label, Not the Wine…

First, let me apologize to the true wine connoisseurs out there for my less than scientific wine buying tactics…

Here’s the buying journey: To start, I check out the bottles flagged with ‘wine spectator’ or other reputable ratings, then if I‘m not satisfied, I’ll ask for a recommendation from the knowledgable staff. But that’s really where ‘reason’ ends and my design brain takes over. Even if the wine is great, could I possibly buy a bottle with a terrible or even mediocre label?!? I think not. And while I, begrudgingly, understand I cannot base my entire wine choice on the design of the label, there is part of me that hopes and waits for that day. Until then, I suggest Toast-Its! A site offering wine bottle labels for all occasions.

Cover up those nasty labels… Bottoms up! Na Zdrowie!

Child Chronicles

Charting child growth has moved past the method of using the door seal or a wall—no longer a permanent fixture of the home hidden in the pantry—but rather a prominent graphic element or a temporal piece of art that can pull up and move at a moment’s notice. In my quest to find just the right growth chart for my son, (so many out there), I came across a few that balance my need for sophistication and whimsy that are bold and beautiful.


Etsy is a great resource for finding just about anything these days, and growth charts are no exception. Like these from Janey-Mac and another from Byrdie Graphics

aewilder adds a touch of customization and hand craft look with this personalized and sewn chart.

Studio 1AM raises the bar by combining the material bamboo layered with bold color and playfully numbers. This is my pick—if money were no object.



Not just what’s ON the Menu…

Menus can say a lot about a Brand and contribute even more to the overall personality and dining experience. They have become much more than a vehicle for communicating the offering – they tell a bigger story about guest interaction, choice, sustainability and ever-changing fresh daily menus. Beyond that, they present their own personality – whether they are home-spun, casual, iconic, playful or loud… they create a unique experience. Here are some of my favs (menus and restaurants!)…

ABOVE:  Menus from ForkHeartKnife (left) and Take the Cake (right), both in Cincinnati (and fabulous). These speak primarily to their daily culinary creations. The kraft paper and chalkboard materials also give them an old school deli/bistro feel.

ABOVE:  Menus from Mayday (left) in Cincinnati and Yeah! Burger (right) in Atlanta, specialize in all the possible crazy combinations and fun choices for ‘Build Your Own’ dining.

ABOVE:  Menus from Andaluca Restaurant (top, left – photo courtesy of jenniferyellow/flickr) in Seattle, farmerbrown (bottom, left – photo courtesy of ja-nel-a-di/flickr) in San Fransisco, and Hidden (right – photo courtesy of amenonine/flickr) in Vancouver all use paper in innovative and playful ways for the guest to interact with. The Hidden drink menu is a game, like the ‘fortune tellers’ of elementary school, where you play to find out what you’ll be drinking that evening. The farmerbrown menu goes a step beyond and uses an industrial metal cover and magnet to hold on daily specials.

ABOVE: West Egg in Atlanta goes with the fun, loud approach matching big graphics with big flavor! That Banana Bread French Toast is genius.

Eat. Drink. Be Graphic.

“Tea” Shirts

Designed by Soon Mo Kang, the Hanger Tea consists of bags of tea shaped like T-shirts. The shirts are draped over hangers, which innovatively hang onto the edge of a mug.

The interior and exterior of the packaging functions like a closet. The “tea” shirts hang onto a rod, while the clear plastic package opens by sliding from left to right, much like the functionality of a closet. 

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