I found this (these?) cool stacked cup at Foster’s in Philadelphia (and on shopfosters.com).

“The stacked cup design gives the appearance that you’re working on your third espresso. With three handles, the cup is easy to hold, especially when you’re shaking from all of that caffeine.”

Saw this Conceal Shelf in Foster’s in Philadelphia for $10.50.

“Utilizing a unique hinge, the shelf itself becomes completely hidden when books are stacked. We’ve filled our Conceal Shelves with vintage obscurities from thrift stores, but even trashy beach reads can obtain a new level of respect.”

On my recent trip to Philadelphia I happened to stop in a funky homeware store called Foster’s. It was full of bright colors, fantastically designed kitchen & houseware products, and unique gift items (you know, like Sigmund Freud action figures). You can find this cool place at 399 Market Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or you can (luckily) shop online at shopfosters.com. (I’ll feature some cool products I found there later this week!)

Need a pretty Mexican Restaurant to coincide with your visit to the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art? Of course you do! Xochitl is the place to go (the picture above is actually from Time Out New York Online) — especially considering it currently has a special Frida Kahlo three course meal filled with all of Frida’s favorite dishes. (Unfortunately, it’s $35 per person!) If you can’t afford that, you can purchase a single appetizer, dessert, or meal that is also included in the Frida full-course meal. For example, I recommend the $7 Sopa Azteca (tortilla soup).

I know this is an art & design site, so it’s a bit out of my realm to advertise a soup, but this soup gets design & creativity points all its own. At Xochitl the soup portion of the dish was poured out of a jug over a bowl of tortilla strips, avocado, and cheese (which delightfully melted in the warm soup).

If you aren’t in Philadelphia, (more…)

Okay, I apologize for the obsessive alliteration in my title, but the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art actually was fabulous and it’s only there until May 18th so you better run quick!

The paintings were, of course, spectacular (it was especially great to see Kahlo’s The Frame in real life because it has two layers — the painting and a frame of glass — that give the painting an effect and look impossible to see in these 2D renditions). But most exciting for me were the personal photographs of Frida Kahlo and her husband Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. The expression Frida makes in these photos — straight and stoic — is similar to the face she makes in most of her self-portraits.

“These photographs—several of which Kahlo inscribed with dedications, effaced with self-deprecating marks, or kissed, leaving a lipstick trace—pose fascinating questions about an artist who was both the consummate manufacturer of her own image and a captivating and willing photographic subject.”

The exhibit and museum aren’t cheap (you’ve got to buy tickets both to the museum & special timed tickets for the Frida exhibit itself), but if you do it right you can save a few bucks. Check out the Frida Kahlo ticketing page for information on (more…)

I visited Philadelphia this weekend (mainly for the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art), so this coming week I’ll bring you my reports on art & design in the city of brotherly love. (Okay, so I spent most of my time AT the museum of art and was only actually in Philly for two days. So let’s call it an abbreviated report…)