So I went into complete withdrawal from lack of internet for more then a week and half, (it was restored finally last night). I think this means a slightly reduced amount of productivity for me at work, which I've gotta handle better, but anyways...
Yesterday, listening to Ratatat while working, I decided, "hey, I wanna look them up on the internet for whatever reason", only to find on their myspace that they were playing Tivoli in Utrecht (where I live) that very night.
It's like I knew.
(I'll be sure to use these newly aquired superpowers for good).
So last night, after having rejoiced at my newly re-aqcuired internet, I hopped on my bike at 10ish, for a damp, roughly 5 minute bikeride to Tivoli. Bought my ticket, and enjoyed the show, all the while managing to be home before midnight.
Good show all in all. I never really thought about how most of what they play is some crazy talented, and artistic guitar work.
12.11.08
1 year on
I started working at van der Veer designers 1 year ago today. That's the longest time I've held a job for! (working at home on the farm doesn't count). Soon enough, this may also be the longest period I've lived in the same place since I left High School. (anything more then 8 months).
-4 colours to choose from - I think this is a positive sign
-4 colours to choose from - I think this is a positive sign
6.11.08
Bedrijfsuitje (work outing)
So, as seems to be the common deal with most businesses over here, you have a work outing at least once a year. Where I am, they have 2; one with partners on a afternoon outing, and one with just employees, which in this case was 2 days to Belgium.
Day one we hit up Interieur 08 in Kortrijk Belgium, an interiors show to see all the latest shwanky cool stuff. That was followed by a shwank dinner, and a night out on the town in Gent. On day 2, we walked the streets of Gent before returning back home.
Pretty sweet deal when you consider transportation, lodging, food and drink was all included. (incl. the beer at the bars).
I'd really have to say, working over here definitely has its perks.
(warning: a slew of pictures follows)
-shower stall - very tight, like how the wall is supported by the 2 bars which also contain shower heads. Like the slatted floor, who doesn't like slats? I think the lack of sides on the shower would make it chilly though.
-cool couch
-some nice spindly leg tables - like the transition from the white table to the natural wood legs
-bent ply bar stools
-bent ply rocker - with leather headrest and animal skin?
-massive felt dividers - these were pretty neat, the panels were about 1/2"-3/4" thick or so
-massive felt dividers - they were all suspended from a rail at their centres, so they could pivot and stack away I guess, also they stuck to each other with magnets.
-gas cooktop detail - I think this falls under homework. I like the buttons on this one, and how it's 4 burners next to each other, as opposed to the traditional square form.
-some cool ceiling lamps - the inside was sealed off translucent white, so you couldn't see the bulb, kinda like a big illuminated coconut I guess
-stepped coffee table
-trapezoidal sink/coutnertop combo with electronic faucet
-? -dunno how to tag this one, some crazy upsidedown figure luminaires with a bright red cord that kinda makes you think of an umbilical cord or something
-zippered textile luminaire
-another tight shower stall - I like how they did the pivot so as not to have to have some crappy hinges on the wall, nice details.
-sink/countertop combo - yet another one, very smooth flow to the sink, a soft feel to it
-clogs - hey look, now in a stylish womans version!
-shelving/drawer combo - I really like this idea, although for some reason, I think it could be executed nicer, albeit somewhat differently. The gears in my head started turning as soon as I saw this one.
-flewless fireplace - similar to the stuff I saw in Köln at the interiors show there, I think they run on ethanol to avoid the need for a chimney.
-Grohe shower - Grohe had a pretty sweet stand. I liked the forms of their stuff a lot.
-Grohe Ondus - I also really liked their layout of things and the graphics they used
-Grohe shower control - ooohhh, looks fancy, high end, high tech, expensive, and breakable. As pretty as it is, I question how it would last in a bathroom.
-Grohe shower - that's one big ass shower head!
-Grohe sink fixtures
-Housewares - I liked the detail of how the lids handles fit with the pot handles, and the chunkiness of the lids and handles
-Beer seat - awesome idea, from the students section no less. Of course this idea works over here where the beer crates are sturdy re-usable plastic.
-Lamp detail - I liked how the textile was wrapped around these 3 fluorescent bulbs on this fixture, pretty cool.
-chair/seat and desk - massive leather balls that fit snuggly in the negative form of the table/backrest.
-"socks" night tables - these just seem fun and cheeky, reminds me of sketches done by Topher.
-side table... - ?
-...seat and desk
-bent ply chair - I think this was the highlight of the show for me. Might not look to fancy or special on first glance, but when you look closer, you realize, this chair is made of 2 components, and NO fasteners. The designer was oh so clever enough to incorporate the use of a snap fit with the slot in the seat and backrest where the wire frame protrudes.
-bent ply chair explained - sorry for the bit of blurriness, and for this being on its side, not sure why this wouldn't convert to the right orientation.
-Holy crap, ALIENS! - well, this is at least what you kinda think when you see this
-Alessi - the stand to which the aliens belong, as well as oversized versions of their teapots.
-flat sink - this was kinda cool, almost walked by before doing a double take. Of course in this detail you can see how the water flows over the edge of the platform and underneath it, which rests in a shell.
-flat sink - what it looks like from a more normal perspective
-powder room sink - they seem to be really good at creating the tiniest of sinks over here, that are very tight and clean in design.
-sink with towel rack - another tiny sink, like how they put the towel rack on it
-Brasserie Pakhuis, Gent - the shwanky place where we had dinner. Mmmm.
-Gent at night
-Gent the morning after
-Gent - picturesque, and old, and kinda empty it seemed.
-Cathedral - of course, I mean, which European city doesn't have a few of these kicking around.
-Side street in Gent
-Castle, Gent - this was pretty much right across from our hotel, right in the middle of the olde towne in the city.
Alright, I think I'm now all caught up.
Day one we hit up Interieur 08 in Kortrijk Belgium, an interiors show to see all the latest shwanky cool stuff. That was followed by a shwank dinner, and a night out on the town in Gent. On day 2, we walked the streets of Gent before returning back home.
Pretty sweet deal when you consider transportation, lodging, food and drink was all included. (incl. the beer at the bars).
I'd really have to say, working over here definitely has its perks.
(warning: a slew of pictures follows)
-shower stall - very tight, like how the wall is supported by the 2 bars which also contain shower heads. Like the slatted floor, who doesn't like slats? I think the lack of sides on the shower would make it chilly though.
-cool couch
-some nice spindly leg tables - like the transition from the white table to the natural wood legs
-bent ply bar stools
-bent ply rocker - with leather headrest and animal skin?
-massive felt dividers - these were pretty neat, the panels were about 1/2"-3/4" thick or so
-massive felt dividers - they were all suspended from a rail at their centres, so they could pivot and stack away I guess, also they stuck to each other with magnets.
-gas cooktop detail - I think this falls under homework. I like the buttons on this one, and how it's 4 burners next to each other, as opposed to the traditional square form.
-some cool ceiling lamps - the inside was sealed off translucent white, so you couldn't see the bulb, kinda like a big illuminated coconut I guess
-stepped coffee table
-trapezoidal sink/coutnertop combo with electronic faucet
-? -dunno how to tag this one, some crazy upsidedown figure luminaires with a bright red cord that kinda makes you think of an umbilical cord or something
-zippered textile luminaire
-another tight shower stall - I like how they did the pivot so as not to have to have some crappy hinges on the wall, nice details.
-sink/countertop combo - yet another one, very smooth flow to the sink, a soft feel to it
-clogs - hey look, now in a stylish womans version!
-shelving/drawer combo - I really like this idea, although for some reason, I think it could be executed nicer, albeit somewhat differently. The gears in my head started turning as soon as I saw this one.
-flewless fireplace - similar to the stuff I saw in Köln at the interiors show there, I think they run on ethanol to avoid the need for a chimney.
-Grohe shower - Grohe had a pretty sweet stand. I liked the forms of their stuff a lot.
-Grohe Ondus - I also really liked their layout of things and the graphics they used
-Grohe shower control - ooohhh, looks fancy, high end, high tech, expensive, and breakable. As pretty as it is, I question how it would last in a bathroom.
-Grohe shower - that's one big ass shower head!
-Grohe sink fixtures
-Housewares - I liked the detail of how the lids handles fit with the pot handles, and the chunkiness of the lids and handles
-Beer seat - awesome idea, from the students section no less. Of course this idea works over here where the beer crates are sturdy re-usable plastic.
-Lamp detail - I liked how the textile was wrapped around these 3 fluorescent bulbs on this fixture, pretty cool.
-chair/seat and desk - massive leather balls that fit snuggly in the negative form of the table/backrest.
-"socks" night tables - these just seem fun and cheeky, reminds me of sketches done by Topher.
-side table... - ?
-...seat and desk
-bent ply chair - I think this was the highlight of the show for me. Might not look to fancy or special on first glance, but when you look closer, you realize, this chair is made of 2 components, and NO fasteners. The designer was oh so clever enough to incorporate the use of a snap fit with the slot in the seat and backrest where the wire frame protrudes.
-bent ply chair explained - sorry for the bit of blurriness, and for this being on its side, not sure why this wouldn't convert to the right orientation.
-Holy crap, ALIENS! - well, this is at least what you kinda think when you see this
-Alessi - the stand to which the aliens belong, as well as oversized versions of their teapots.
-flat sink - this was kinda cool, almost walked by before doing a double take. Of course in this detail you can see how the water flows over the edge of the platform and underneath it, which rests in a shell.
-flat sink - what it looks like from a more normal perspective
-powder room sink - they seem to be really good at creating the tiniest of sinks over here, that are very tight and clean in design.
-sink with towel rack - another tiny sink, like how they put the towel rack on it
-Brasserie Pakhuis, Gent - the shwanky place where we had dinner. Mmmm.
-Gent at night
-Gent the morning after
-Gent - picturesque, and old, and kinda empty it seemed.
-Cathedral - of course, I mean, which European city doesn't have a few of these kicking around.
-Side street in Gent
-Castle, Gent - this was pretty much right across from our hotel, right in the middle of the olde towne in the city.
Alright, I think I'm now all caught up.
Falling behind
Hey, that kinda fits with the whole fall back...
Anyways, quick pics from Canada, most everyone who possibly reads this knows the gist of while I was there.
-Stacey got married! - holy crap, another one? what's with all of these people making 'commitments' and stuff? (congratulations again)
-Live Band - Stacey's wedding reception was quite the shindig
Beyond this, I didn't really take many pics at home, till the last day or so, when I remembered that my work colleagues were curious to see Canada/my home in pictures, as well as the fall colours that I'd gone on about.
-Wellsfarm - the family homestead
-Some fall colours - I had to explain though that my pictures didn't do the real thing justice as the colours were of course much more intense in real. (note one unsuspecting puppy)
-Jules candid - one of the few snaps I got of the new puppy (5 months or so old here) before he tried to attack me and devour the camera.
-Jules in attack mode - only a second or so before I had to jump to my feet
-Jules is crazy - not sure how I managed to get him to lay still for this shot
Anyways, quick pics from Canada, most everyone who possibly reads this knows the gist of while I was there.
-Stacey got married! - holy crap, another one? what's with all of these people making 'commitments' and stuff? (congratulations again)
-Live Band - Stacey's wedding reception was quite the shindig
Beyond this, I didn't really take many pics at home, till the last day or so, when I remembered that my work colleagues were curious to see Canada/my home in pictures, as well as the fall colours that I'd gone on about.
-Wellsfarm - the family homestead
-Some fall colours - I had to explain though that my pictures didn't do the real thing justice as the colours were of course much more intense in real. (note one unsuspecting puppy)
-Jules candid - one of the few snaps I got of the new puppy (5 months or so old here) before he tried to attack me and devour the camera.
-Jules in attack mode - only a second or so before I had to jump to my feet
-Jules is crazy - not sure how I managed to get him to lay still for this shot
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