Eight distinct varietals crafted by distinguished winemaker, Craig MacLean. Partenered by Hatch Design, with illustrations by Ryan of Lab Partners The line is so beautifully designed. I cannot wait to try the wine itself.

Luckily I have had some cool adventures squeezed into my down time. Justin and I made a trip to the Samovar Tea Lounge and it was so wonderful. I got their signature smokey black russian tea and it was strong but I enjoyed the flavor. We sat in the sun overlooking Yerba Buena gardens and spent a couple hours out of our busy school day just relaxing and sipping tea. I also have gone to the movies a few times and saw Bottle Shock, Burn After Reading, and Religulous at the California Theatre here in Berkeley. It is an old independent theatre like the ones I loved in Santa Cruz. Last Saturday maiki and I walked to a Utrecht that I had never been to in the city on Van Ness and then wandered to Japantown. I picked up an art book from Makoto Shinkai. I am always so inspired when ever I go to Kinokuniya. I always want to either move in or bring all the books home with me. It is hard to not purchase art books and I have such an amazing library now full of design and art books of all kind. My library thing has them all listed if you are curious. *_*

I was introduced to “She and Her Cat” a few years ago and instantly fell in love. This five minute short film was the most perfect thing that I had ever seen in my opinion and I made all of my friends watch it (over and over again). Tonight we watched “Five Centimeters per Second” and it did not let me down. The world(s) that Makoto Shinkai creates are so visually beautiful and yet the content is equally touching. Like “Voices of a Distant Star” he touches upon relationships that evolve over time and distance. It can be heartbreakingly real and sad but at the same time so very beautiful. I guess that I like that kind of thing seeing as how “Honey and Clover” by Chika Umino is my favorite anime series and some of the episodes makes me cry every time that I watch them. Their stories have also been very influential to me and have inspired me to go back to school to study design and be an artist. Makoto Shinkai created “She and Her Cat” entirely by himself on his iMac—its just so amazing to me. So if you have not seen any of his Shinkai’s works or are new to anime these are my recommendations!

I am still really enjoy playing Brain Age on my Nintendo DS but when my friends and I get together it’s all about the Mario Party! I am always Yoshi and hardly ever win but it is still hilarious and fun. Here we are a Jupiter in the first pic with their house hefeweizen. The second is taken at 21st Amendment and we are drinking their watermelon wheat. Good times!
p.s. The pictures were taken with my Blackberry so they are not the greatest. I really need to carry my nice Canon around with me at all times.

house&home a/w 2008

It all started with my favorite pants, these gray sailor pants I got from Anthropologie last fall. They were soft and so comfortable and the color seemed to just go well with everything. I found another pair that were quite similar—yet a different brand—around my birthday. Then came the Mr. Rodger’s sweater. I added some Hue knee socks in gray and black stripes and realized that I was beginning to obsess over every gray scarf, blanket, or whatever it was that I saw. Now everywhere I look I see a lovely soft shade of gray and it looks so inviting.

When the Toast UK house & home catalog came in the mail I drooled at every picture, especially the one of this little tabby. Autumn comes along and all I want to do is curl up, be warm - and have a furry cat to sit in my lap.

*Called about charge to my bank card that I didn’t authorize.

*Talked to my Mom on the phone to check in with her and ended up having a political debate.

*Sat out on my balcony and drank tea in the sun with the new plants (bamboo and salvia). Very relaxing after the previous phone calls.

*Read my news feeds. Discovered a new artist and a new site to follow (well they are new to me anyways). And a new graphic designer that I adore.

*Made all the meals that I ate today. Super eggs (egg whites, soy milk, salsa and s+p, scrambled) and pizza (T.J.’s dough, soy mozzarella, olives, marinara sauce).

*Washed three bags of laundry at the laundromat. Put said clothes away. Hung them on hangers in layers that look cute to wear.

*Organized and cleaned out the closet. Took bag of clothes/shoes to the give-away box.

*Watched a Lawrence Lessig video and received a quick, yet succinct history lesson in the experience of America’s past VP’s.

*Rode bikes with Jason to the Berkeley Bowl and bought some groceries. Purchased a bottle of olive oil for homework that I will be creating a new label, logo and design for.

*Wrote a blog post. ^_^

The wonderful thing about taking classes at the Academy of Art is that my instructors have shared a lot of real world information pertaining to the work that we are doing. They explain the industry standards and what is expected from design professionals. One of my instructors has worked with non-profits and smaller companys and another in design firms with big name clients. I feel that their input is so valuable and its neat that I am recieving a well-rounded view. Also it is great how all of my professors teach similar concepts and programs but each offer new insight to the material. I am getting excited for what is to come. There is logo work, print design, and some package design.

I am going to continue to work at the Pasta Shop on the weekends. It pays the bills and I get free food so that makes it worth my time. The funny thing is that it doesn’t leave me much time to do my homework and then there’s the laundry and grocery shopping, etc. that I have defintiely been neglecting. I guess I will just have to live on fresh pasta and raviolis until I get the hang of my new schedule. And I surely will not run out of clothes. *_*