lucky dip – Sheryl Kirby

Lucky Dip – A Selection of Strange and Awesome Stuff – January 15th, 2015

dip_crue — Mötley Crüe rehearsal, 1983. Photo credit: Gary Leonard.

If you’re in Los Angeles, stop by the Los Angeles Public Library and check out the fantastic exhibit From Pop to the Pit: LAPL Photo Collection Celebrates the Los Angeles Music Scene, 1978-1989. Full of photos of some of your favourite bands (especially if you’re a GenXer) from gigs to publicity shots, and encompassing the full range of pop-ish music from rap to punk to metal with everyone from Quiet Riot to the Minutemen to the Go-Gos.

dip_lanacrooks — Autumn Hawk / 8″h x 5″w x 5″d / Hand-dyed Wool housed in a Glass Dome by Lana Crooks

Lana Crooks is a Chicago-based textile artist whose work, made with wool and silk, includes some spectacular pieces meant to look like bones and skeletons. Just as fascinating as the real (creepy) thing, but also art. [Via This Is Colossal and Geyser of Awesome]

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Lucky Dip – A Selection of Strange and Awesome Stuff – January 8th, 2015

Tired of space ships and castles? LEGO occasionally opens up their design process and accepts submissions, which people can then vote on. This set of UK birds by bird enthusiast Thomas Poulson was the latest set on offer and the original release sold out on the first day. [Via This Is Colossal]

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Lucky Dip – May 6th – Six Cool Food Things

Chocolate inspired by Jackson Pollack? These beautiful pieces of edible art are from Unelefante in Mexico. [Via KNSTRCT]

Can’t keep track of your best lasagna recipe? How about this one that’s printed on the pasta? [Via BoingBoing]

The story of Sweeney Todd the barber and the little pie shop next door is just fiction… or is it? In the 1380s, Paris had an evil barber/butcher combo that were brought to justice because of a dog waiting for its missing master. [Via Messy Nessy Chic]

Cristina-Burns-photography-12 The sweetness of death… skulls, candy and flowers by Cristina Burns. [Via Dangerous Minds]

Before that Surreal Gourmet guy, there was the real surreal gourmet. Salvador Dali’s very rare cookbook. [Via BrainPickings]

More skulls and sugar, this time for your coffee – sugar skull spoons. [Via This Is Colossal]

Lucky Dip – January 2, 2014

Yes, I’m trying this again. Shut up and enjoy the links.

I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t get this for Christmas, but I’m sure it was just an oversight. Hubby’s probably just saving up for it. Or trying to figure out where, at 4ft across, we’d put it. This one-of-a-kind piece by Mason Creations is sold, but there’s always next year.

If you didn’t already think Vincent Price was awesome, here’s another reason – he wrote a book about his dog! Illustrated by Hirshfield, of course.Via Dangerous Minds.

Olde Tyme high school yearbooks, just as boring as current ones, except for all that hair! Via Twisted Sifter

Ditch that whole idea of standing on your bathroom scale and feeling bad about yourself this new year. Instead – get all “Office Space” on that tyrannical appliance and savour the freedom behind the idea that numbers are meaningless. Via The Militant Baker

Steampunk? We’ve got your steampunk right here, Buddy. The beautiful nature sculptures of Edouard Martinet, made from spare parts. Via Dangerous Minds

Lucky Dip – Tuesday, September 10th

This giant piece of artwork is made up of thousands of potted flowers and plants arranged on an massive staircase in Sicily. Photo by Andrea Annaloro, via [Twisted Sifter]

I’ve posted this to Twitter already, but it’s worthy of many repeats. WalMart workers in North Carolina stage an in-store flash mob. Fantastic. [Dangerous Minds]

That RuPaul, always coming up with some creative and fun idea to express himself. Like an internet series called RuPaul Drives where he drives around with various famous people, in this case, Henry Rollins. [Rocker]

New York Times food critics share their horror stories, and disguises. [Work Fails and Job LOLs]

And finally, two different takes on the world in miniature; the first a guy who makes dollhouse scale models of New York City; the second, miniature clay artworks on the outside of Altoid tins. [Messy Ness Chic] [Twister Sifter]

Lucky Dip – August 29th, 2013

I can’t help it, I continue to be enthralled by Quentin Crisp.

Think about this the next time you chow down on calamari – the octopus (and other cephalopods) may have brains in its tentacles. (Border Collies of the sea, people, smarter than you realize!) [Scientific American]

“To invent your own life’s meaning is not easy, but it’s still allowed, and I think you’ll be happier for the trouble.” The amazing Zen Pencils channels Bill Watterson.

Long exposure shots of ferris wheels. This one by Thomas Hawke, more on Twister Sifter. (Torontonians, there’s a shot of the CNE wheel in there too!)

It’s funny because it’s true – why is it that tourists love fudge so very much? [Gawker]

Three cheers for the tasty (and healthy) gin and tonic. Huzzah! [Slate]

Lucky Dip – Monday, August 27, 2013

This brings new meaning to the phrase “Animal House.” Photograph by Kai Fagerström [Twister Sifter]

The above house is in Finland, but it could play stand-in in the movie version of Al Jourgensen’s war with raccoons. [Slicing Up Eyeballs]

There was a time where I’d be all ranty about bloggers taking freebies, screeching about “ethics” and “selling your soul” and such. Now I just sigh sadly and move on to the next news story. (But I will emit an evil chortle if it comes out that this guy living on free stuff does actually run out of toilet paper.) [Toronto Star]

The ocean is awesome. [Discover Magazine]

Because who doesn’t need a cardboard cut-out of David Hasselhoff? [Gawker]

3D printers are crazy cool, but sometimes, things go awry. [Flickr]

Lucky Dip – August 19th, 2013

Picture of the day – many pictures. I have no idea where this comes from (I found in on a Tumblr, uncredited) but damn, I want one.

I admit it, while I am adamantly child-free, I am a sucker for a well-dressed little kid, and have been known to contribute stylin’ outfits to my wee niece’s wardrobe.(But what does it mean when toddlers dress like adults and grown men go about in shorts and sweat socks and ball hats?) Also – what’s with the aviator glasses? Are those back in for adults, too? Ick. [Buzzfeed]

Speaking of kids – not all of them are special snowflakes, and it might be a good thing to let them know that. [The Atlantic]

Bands you should know more about, but probably don’t – Shonen Knife. Really, you need to listen to some Shonen Knife, right now, I know you do. [Dangerous Minds]

Listen up hipsters – the hot new food trend is… roadkill. So get on out there with your fixed-gear bicycle and run yourself down some squirrel or pigeon. [Gawker]

The recent interest in Vivian Maier has provoked stories of other street photographers to emerge. Like these great shots by Bob Mazzer of people on the London tube during the 70s and 80s. [Telegraph]

Lucky Dip – Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

In Toronto:

Keriwa Cafe (1690 Queen Street West) had updated their website. All the better to see their monthly menu updates.

Chef Justin Cournoyer’s new restaurant Actinolite (971 Ossington Avenue) opens to the public tomorrow (Wednesday, March 28th) serving up a menu with Spanish, Portuguese and Italian influences.

Basilio Pesce of Oliver & Bonacini has left Biff’s Bistro (4 Front Street East) to open his own restaurant in Parkdale.

Mabel’s Bakery (323 Roncesvalles Avenue) is expanding with a new location coming to 1156 Queen Street West.

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Lucky Dip – Monday, March 26th, 2012

In Toronto:

Leaside gets a new French bistro in the form of L’Avenue (1568 Bayview Avenue), run by Otto Zapotocky, formerly of Nota Bene and Malena/L’Unita.

Are you tired of the foot-dragging from city council regarding food trucks in the city? Think your councillor should prioritize your right to stand in line for tacos over subways, pending strikes and library closures? Then send them some ~~whiny spam~~ encouragement. The Toronto Street Food Project shows you how.

Swallow has revealed that Matt DeMille will be leaving Enoteca Sociale (1288 Dundas Street West) at the end of April. No word yet on who will replace him.

Queen Margherita Pizza has more expansion plans. NOW reports that they’ll be opening a location in the Junction by early autumn.

How’s this for under the radar – The Beaver alumni open a restaurant called Camp in the Junction at 244 Jane Street. They’re serving breakfast/brunch/lunch.

The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West) has revived their annual sugar shack with a maple-infused menu of snacks and cocktails.

Continue reading “Lucky Dip – Monday, March 26th, 2012”