Facebook’s Paper

Facebook's Paper

With an influx of sponsored advertisements, implementation of unnecessary features (i.e. pokes and gifts) and constant changes to the user interface format, I was on the verge of deleting my Facebook account. All of these modifications remind me of the direction MySpace headed towards back in 2005, as it quickly became a site riddled with porn stars, spammers, and middle school children (a very odd amalgamation of people).

However, after reading a few articles this morning, I decided to download Facebook’s news feed app, Paper. As a young professional, I feel that this application is more relevant to my needs and interests. I actually deleted the Facebook app on my phone because most, if not all of its features are accessible through Paper. I can still update my status, post pictures, and write on people’s walls. My biggest and only qualm with this app is that it cropped my head out of my profile picture– refer to the second image on the left.

The graphic sensibility is clean, minimal and visually pleasing. The navigation and transitions behave exactly as the FlipBoard app. This mobile application was designed by Mike Matas, who also created user interfaces and artwork for Apple (this may be the reason the design looks so similar to the iOS 7 update). Paper is a brainchild of Facebook’s Creative Labs unit, a group who works independently on test projects for the company.

To download the Paper app, click here.

White Girls by Hilton Als

White Girls by Hilton Als

As usual, I have been tuning in to Brad Listi’s Other People podcast (new episodes are posted every Sunday and Wednesday on iTunes). This week he spoke with author, Hilton Als, who writes for The New Yorker. This interview peaked my interest– I particularly enjoyed listening to his personal back-story.

I just finished Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, and had plans to start the next book on my list, The Trip to Echo Spring by Olivia Laing. However, as I checked my twitter feed tonight I came across a tweet by Lena Dunham.

“Left my copy of White Girls somewhere. I’m deep in and need it bad. And there’s a snowstorm. Hilton Als, deliver us from evil.”

Hilton Als’ book just got bumped to the top of my list. Here is a great article The New York Times wrote about his book.

King Crossovers

King Crossovers

Stephen-King-YoungOver the past couple of weeks I finished reading both Stephen King’s The Shining and Misery, in that order. I have enjoyed and re-watched these two film adaptations for years, and decided it would be interesting to delve into the book versions. I normally hate reading the book after seeing the movie, but I decided to give it a try. Interestingly enough, The Shining novel is vastly different than The Shining movie, and is most likely why Stephen King has so much hostility towards the film.

There were two instances I came across where The Shining is referenced in the Misery novel (the two were published ten years apart). I did some web browsing and uncovered that it is a common occurrence for King to tie together his books through subplots and character backgrounds. The link above highlights some of these interweaving story references. If your a Stephen King fan, you might find this interesting, or more likely have already made this connection. Please ignore the terrible web graphics and font selection.

8149 Sangiovese Wine Label

8149 Sangiovese Wine Label

For the past year my mom and a couple of her friends have been frequenting this wine center in town to make their own wine (the fancy term is vinification). The process takes a little over a year, and after bottling the wine, each vintner is rewarded with a case to bring home.

The bottles were corked with a capsule, but otherwise left unmarked. With some input from my mom, I designed and created labels for her.

The name, 8149, signifies the years my sisters and I were born (’81 and ’84: my two sisters; and ’89: myself). The three sheep on the front label represent each of the children in our family. They are a leicester breed, native to New Zealand. Being that my mom is a kiwi herself, I found this fitting.

I used a 5 by 7 inch shipping label as the substrate and a HP inkjet to print them. It’s super easy to do, but a little time consuming. Because I was using an inkjet printer, the words on the back label came out a little blurry, therefore I decided not to print them. However, I am fairly pleased with the finished product.

ARCHICULTURE: A Documentary that Explores the Architectural Studio

Although I am no longer pursuing my MArch degree, I still have a strong desire to see this documentary. I spent four grueling years in studio, and am always interested in seeing how others interpret this unconventional learning environment.

I’ve had this film on my list of movies to go see, however there have only been limited screenings, none of which were in close proximity. Their website says, “[…] Archiculture is being screened exclusively at festivals, organizations, conferences and hosted events.” And as expected, there was no free online version that I could find.

The premise for this documentary focuses on a group of five undergraduate architecture students at Pratt. The film covers five years of their educational experiences, everything from 1st-year studio to final thesis. As the teaser trailer unveils, this pedagogical journey is anything but orthodox.

Feel free to view the Official Trailer or the film’s Website.

2014 Spring TV Line-Up

2014 Spring TV Line-Up

Given that the mid-season premiere of “Parks and Recreation” aired this past Thursday, I’ve decided to create a calendar of the TV shows I’m most looking forward to debut this spring. I am still waiting on a definite date for the “Orange is the New Black,” season 2 premiere. Apparently they will be done with post-production by the end of January.

UPDATE: “The Following,” season two will also be premiering this Sunday, January 19th at 9pm on FOX.