The 2006 edition of the design hotels yearbook is available now. As you know Charles and Marie are discerning travelers and Marie is always interested in trying the latest boutique hotel (even if it means never ever coming back) so for everybody who doesn’t have access to our Hotspots section, this compendium is a great source of information for the next week end trip. You can get it online here.

Paul Wachowski is pretty amazing: a classically trained artist/transportation designer for GM and the likes who masterfully blurs the boundaries between consumerism and art. His american patterns series is a bold and detailed view of the suburban landscape we find around us. Similarly to the dutch masters who openly and unreservedly captured the everyday human experience of the seventeenth-century, Paul Wochowski captures everyday life in the twenty-first-century. We are impressed and amazed at the same time how many products Paul painted we know or own and without any cue can recognize within seconds.

Ok, so you are not into warm whether destination during winter and believe you should be surrounded by snow? Very good, consider it done. But wait, are you still lugging that NorthFace parka around with you? No No No! This winter, look to old Europe for snow apparel, especially the exquisite fashion sense of our french friends at Moncler. They have been around for decades and have originally equipped expeditions to the Himalaya region or supplied the french ski team with appropriate apparel. So if you are a fashionista no matter where you are, make Marie happy and try on Moncler for size…

We are such suckers when it comes to laptop bags, as we are constantly changing our mind when we find the next cool bag. And the collaboration between our friends at Incase and One & Co clearly ranges up amongst our current favorites. It comes in ‘Kelly Green’ and in White and has a separate pull-out laptop case that can be left behind once we are ready for happy hour - who want’s to carry around a laptop at night… Almost like a swank tote, it breaks with the standard, generic laptop bag look and we are very happy about that…

Dream of Stars is a collection of graphic art by Emily St. Clair. All artwork is applied to fabric, mostly by screen print, and used as graphic and modern wall hangings. Emily’s inspirations include the body, hair, and nature. Her current series of graphic pieces combine natural and figural elements. She hopes to draw a link, either directly, or more subtly, between nature and the human form. Because of her fascination with hair, she attempts to make the hair seem as though it’s alive with its own movement and detailed shape. Other inspirations include art from the Art Nouveau period, patterns of the 60s and 70s, nature forms, and organic shapes. We love the Dream of Stars collection for its organic and graphic appeal.

Charles often agrees with those who believe you can’t judge a book by its cover. This phrasing is especially true with the ever-so-cool Triumph Bike Wallet from Paul Smith. With a black leather exterior, the wallet looks as if it reigns among other everyday wallets. But upon unfolding, a full color image of a Triumph motorcycle reveals itself ever so brilliantly. The Triumph Bike wallet is a wonderfully cool reminder of vintage style and the element of surprise.

Known for his witty and functional objects, Josh Owen was recognized by Surface Magazine in 2003 as one of the most avant-garde industrial designers in the U.S. As a result, his work was celebrated and exhibited in the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, Italy and at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. In 2004 he was included in The Museum of Modern Art’s Design Encyclopedia and in 2005 the monograph “Josh Owen: Big Ideas / Small Packages” was published by Woodsphere. His Bowling Pin Lamp is a demonstration of Owen’s combination of wit and function. When standing, the lamp is lit - when knocked over or laying on its side, the lamp turns off. With a talent like Josh Owen, we’re sure to see a continual rise in clever and functional design-driven items for the home.

After noticing a void in the accessories market for fashionable and fuctional Ipod cases, designer Tina Huang of Bon Vivant decided to merge her two loves - music and design. For an ever-so-glam cover for that Ipod of yours, turn to Bon Vivant’s Cerulean Studded Ipod Case. Speckled with gold studs, the case has a gorgeous contrast of cerulean blue and metallic gold. Made of 100% Italian lambskin, gold studs, and gold stitching, the hook & strap on the back lets you attach your case to your belt loop, handbag, or keychain. Look forward to an expansion of the Bon Vivant line to include stylish laptop carriers and other small luxury goods.

Charles and Marie love to create interest on their walls and within the spaces they live in. With Mio Culture’s 3D Wallpaper Tiles, there’s more than just “interest” being created. The modular and dimensional Flow Wallpaper creates a new language in adaptive architecture. The tiles create soft and organic lines allowing for a variety of pattern options based on placement and color. It provides a means to redefine and imbue surfaces with identity and meaning, using waste resources as the medium. Made from 100% post and pre-consumer waste, Mio’s 3D Wallpaper is not only a beautiful option in wall decor but an environmentally sound choice as well.

Charles and Marie both love the design of the original Mini. Combining a love of fashion and vintage-inspired cars, the Paul Smith Toy Mini is a wonderful object to delight the grown-up child in all of us. Covered in the signature Paul Smith multi-colored stripe, the limited edition mini is boxed and authorized with an edition certificate. Completely colorful and fun, the Paul Smith Toy Mini is wonderful for a lover of fashion or beautiful cars.