content break: intel

I just saw this video from Intel (even though it has over 2 million views - have I been living under a stupid rock?) and was so moved. The director was tasked with doing a 2 minute profile on him and the result was way more thoughtful and moving than just that. Take a look:

2014: this just in

This year, I will explore people, accept myself instead of working on myself and just be, live, love, grow. Let's see what happens.

marketing for good: Walter Mitty promo video

Here was a simple and wonderful idea - take the video promo budget of a major motion picture and do some good with it, like spend it on disaster relief in the Philippines.  That's what this guy did and everyone wins - this guy gets work, people get help and the movie gets promoted through this anyway.  Read the full article here and watch the video below.

colossal video

One of my favorite blogs is This is Colossal. Are you reading it?  Do it.  It's an art and design blog that keeps me in constant wonder.  I think it's one of the best curated sites out there.  Check out some of their cool recent videos (and click on links for Colossal's full post for more info):

(The Chalk Art of Peter Han directed by Adriel de la Torre)

(The Chandelier Tree of Silver Lake.  Filmmaker: Colin Kennedy)

(Adrift: A Two-Year Odyssey through San Fransisco Fog. Filmmaker: Simon Christen)

cool content: Dark Rye from Whole Foods

 A coworker recently shared Dark Rye with me, an online magazine from Whole Foods and I think it's brilliant.  It's packed with stories centering around food, health, sustainability, design, tech and social enterprise. There's video and graphics and articles and photo essays - it's pretty cool and I suggest you check it out.  In this issue, we take a look inside Detroit.  After spending a little bit of time there myself last year telling some beautiful stories, I started to fall in love with Detroit; I think after skimming through this, you just might, too.

Here was one of my favorite videos about a guy who saw a need for transportation, so he started his own bus company.

for the love of music: the story of Nashville

I am so lucky to know such talented makers.  I just saw a screening of a great film produced by friends and partners over at Make, For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville.  It's about musicians talking about the town, the people and what it means to them. It's starting its run on the film festival circuit.  Keep an eye out for pieces of the content also on some commercials for the city of Nashville, as well as pieces from the film distributed by the artists via their networks.  It really drew me in, was shot beautifully and told a great story.  Check out the trailer and just try not to fall in love with Nashville:

end of summer video round-up

Here a few videos I loved from this past summer that kind of stayed with me.  Enjoy!

(a video for Rue Magazine by Modshift, featuring their Gap styling - fun fun fun!)

(The Les Miserables Extended First Look - such a great behind-the-scenes piece that gave me chills on how they filmed the flick; especially geeked out on this as I used to be a behind-the-scenes producer for feature films)

I can't embed this last one, but totally worth it - A tale of two cities by Tony Miotto based on Vahram Muratyan’s brilliant Paris vs. New York illustrations

The Future Belongs to the Curious

Love this video from Skillshare - never stop learning!


The Future Belongs to the Curious from Skillshare on Vimeo.

ted quotes

Who doesn't love a good Ted Talk?  I love to hear people speak on what they are passionate about and I bet you do, too.  But today I discovered Ted Quotes, which is pretty rad because I can get a taste of a talk before watching the 20 minute video and share the cool quotes from them via social media.  Check it out.

inspired letterpress.

Really love this letterpress art work of Steve Jobs' famous quote from BrightWurks. 

Thanks to my roomie for finding it!

a very vogue white house christmas

I have a very dear friend whose boyfriend's cousin decorated the White House for Christmas!  How cool is that?  And I love her taste - mixing bright colors with natural pieces and a bit if glitz is how I like to decorate, too.  Who says you have to stick to red and green?  Check her out in the Vogue piece and in the images below.

inspired by...

Currently inspired by these images this week.  Pondering, waiting, working...

french study

Pulled some of these images over the weekend of french botanical and marine drawings.  Love this style for inspiration.

quotes lately

Things I am currently thinking about, remembering, aspiring...

*Images via Here's the Problem, The Improvised Life & La Dolce Vita

carrying on

 (one morning ready to stand up paddle, Laguna Beach, end of August)

 (view from my beloved friend's flat on the Thames, London, beginning of September)

 (a day trip to Mount Charleston, Las Vegas, mid-September)

 (Chi-town skyline during a friend trip/reunion, Chicago, beginning of October)

 (a friend's family's country house on a vineyard, Fingerlakes Region, NY, mid-October)

In the past two months, I've done an incredible amount of traveling, as well as started a new job (well, a new career, really) four weeks ago.  I know my post have waned, dear readers.  It doesn't mean I've been less inspired - just less time to muse...

Move, Learn, Eat

Love these 3 travel videos entitled MOVE, LEARN & EAT, shot over 11 countries in 44 days.  Short, simple and beautiful.  MOVE is just plain cool, LEARN inspires me to have one local teach me something in every new country I visit and EAT reinforces my love of food and travel.


MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.



LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.



EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

happy bastille day

In honor of Bastille Day (and because I miss Paris all the time), here are some French things for you to muse over.

(french flag pillow on etsy)

(glorious Paris scenes from An Education)

(scrumptious macaroons for Boston's own Sportello)

closet visit

Love the photo project Closet Visit by Jeana Sohn.  She visits the stylish and creative closets of fabulous ladies and photographs them and their pieces.  Closets really can tell a story (there's text, too if you want to learn more about each person).