The EMECO 111 Navy Chair

This weekend was a great one. We unpacked most of our stuff, got settled into the new apartment in Brooklyn, did a lot of walking, and made it out to Secaucus, NJ to the DWR Annex sale.......which only means one thing. FURNITURE SHOPPING!

We did get the score of all scores, the matching ottoman to our Eames Lounge Chair. It was amazing. Leigh asked the manager if they had one when we first got to the store. They did and he said how does 200 bucks sound. well, plus the additional 20% off! cha-ching! sold.

BUT my favoritest purchase of the day was 2 Emeco 111 Navy Chairs in white. I've always been a big fan of Emeco's original navy chair in aluminum. they will never go out of style and will withstand the test of time. I even have 2 knock offs of them in the stool format, But the 111 chair with its collaboration with Coca-Cola is just a great/cool concept.

From their website:

"When you recycle a plastic bottle, you're doing something good. When you recycle 111 of them, you're doing something great. Help your bottle become something extraordinary again.
Introducing the 111 Navy Chair™

About four years ago, in 2006, Coca-Cola came to us at Emeco with a proposal. Their recycling plant in Spartanburg South Carolina was brand new and processing thousands of plastic bottles a day and they were looking for ways to show the value of recycled plastic. Everywhere else in the world people recycle about 80% of their bottles while in the US we recycled only about 20%.

Coke asked us to make the classic Navy Chair out of a new, unproven formulation of rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate- recycled plastic bottles). They introduced us to the scientists at BASF the international chemical innovator and together we developed proprietary mix made of about 60% and a special combination of pigment combined with glass fiber for strength.

In Coke-Speak, “The goal of the 111 Navy project was to alter consumer behavior by illustrating the value of rPET with beautifully designed and everyday products - ultimately encouraging more recycling.” "

Go check it out for yourself. And when you come over, you can feel free to rest your lazy ass on either one of these or one of our Bellini-based Alonzo chairs. our the trusty Eames Lounge chair....your call.

public bikes

Inspirational starter and all around good guy Rob Forbes' new project is PUBLIC BIKES.

Rob has a gift for great design and their new bicycles are no exception. Check them out here:

Bike Models

They are also having a sale on some shoes and other clothing and accessories. Do yourself a favor and check out what they've got going on in San Francisco....even if its just on the internet.

Event at DWR this Friday

If you're around downtown San Diego friday afternoon/early evening stop on by the Design Within Reach store where my lovely wife will be creating floral masterpieces for the home. Better yet, RSVP and they'll make sure you can get in for the sale!

She was asked by DWR to come for this event and she's going to be bringing a bunch of flowers direct from the local markets and showing people how to make arrangements for the home, pretty rad! Pretty good roster of companies for this event.

Check The Floral Lab blog out here and the company's website here.

Ok, I'm proud of her.....

bicycles and design and bicycles

I've had some crazy days followed by pretty chill and relaxing nights. Good catching up with good friends in the bicycle world and meeting new people here as well. I've had the opportunity of spending alot of great quality time with someone I have a ton of respect for in the design world, Rob Forbes. He is most known as the founder of Design Within Reach, but overall has great design taste for the world and society. His blog, while not updated regularly enough often has great insight into city life and traveling through his perspective.

He's a smart guy and shares a lot of the philosophies that I have for the bicycle and what it can do to help save us all and not just be a consumer product, but a major part of ones life in terms of form, function, utility and fashion.

I met him a few times in the Laguna Beach area over the last 6 months, but I've had more time to sit and chat with him over drinks and even some Ruths Chris this time around.

I have to admit, though, its been fun poking and prodding info about DWR in general and furniture tid bits here and there, talking about the obsession that traveling for work can give you and how the little things like getting an upgrade or using the lounge at the airport can make or break a trip.....we're all human.

On a side note, I can definitely tell you that hotel room living isn't the best sometimes, but that the Grand Hyatt in Taipei is a dump and while there are good restaurants it is crazy overpriced AND that Hotel One in Taichung is amazing with great rooms, great work zone, surround sound in the rooms with ipod hookups and a nice clean modern feel.