St. Louis breweriana
Never has a restaurant wait been so welcome than during my visit to Schlafly Bottleworks. Leaving P to mind the bossy, flashing hockey puck that would signal our table’s readiness, I snapped pictures of their exhibit on St. Louis brewing history. It was an orgy of vintage type and packaging, by turns clumsy and ornate. … Continue reading
Steal this composition
These days I go to museums not to bathe in vague inspiration but to collect visual ideas and absorb technique. I still enjoy myself, but I notice I am picking out specific parts of a work that interest me, and that I could duplicate in my own images or design work. August, 2009. My feet … Continue reading
Boozy New Year: sexy liquor bottles
Blogging virtue doesn’t require avoiding vice—it only means you should document it well. On a recent trip to Astor Wines & Spirits, much like a greedy child wandering through the snack aisles of a supermarket, I got separated from P. I was seduced by the bottle. Exterior, not contents, that is. We are not vodka … Continue reading
“Boxing Day” boxing graphics
ShoBox broadcast graphics go the distance. Inspired by 19th-century broadsheets, the graphics for Showtime’s boxing programming look distinctive—a nice respite from boring, brushed metal athletic typography. A review of vintage boxing memorabilia shows the sport has traditionally used this style. Hoefler and Frere-Jones’ Knockout and Proteus type families draw on the same quirky American vernacular. … Continue reading
Shake Shack December custard ratings
SPLAT = worth skipping SINGLE = worth trying DOUBLE = worth a repeat TRIPLE = worth a special trip! “You’d have to be a masochist to eat frozen custard in December,” I told P. He wasn’t impressed that I only reviewed one Shake Shack flavor last month, cranberry-cashew (a splat under my new Scoopmeter rating … Continue reading
Ballet horror beyond Black Swan
The pretext for Italian director Dario Argento’s 1977 flick Suspiria is the arrival of a ballet student at a European academy run by a secret coven of witches. Dance isn’t the point—the eerie prog rock soundtrack by Goblin, a lush, restricted color scheme and elaborate production design fuel an expressionist gorefest—where beautiful women are violently … Continue reading
Christmas craziness in NYC
Venture out shopping or otherwise in New York City this time of year and you might encounter ad hoc bicycle art, drunk and disorderlies, crazy marketing ploys and extreme sugar highs. The city that never sleeps ratchets its energy up just a little more than usual. It makes me sorry I’ll be away over Christmas, … Continue reading
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rebecca henretta | design » into « words 