a case study: the role of design aesthetic in a successful business

Spotted at Granville and Davie. ABC International Travel; the most trusted name for your worldwide travel needs. What makes this business so successful (not to mention a cash cow!) is it's brilliant use of inspired design to create a well-rounded experience.

The architectural design of the building's storefront excellently conveys an approachable yet sophisticated feeling. Always considering target demographics, it's a beacon of class that welcomes clients into it's doors instilling a feeling of confidence that says "you're in the hands of experts".

The proudly displayed storefront sign is the brainchild of a top Vancouver design agency. Great forethought and planning is exhibited in it's layout. The use of quality materials and sophisticated printing methods will withstand the test of time (a good thing, as this booming business isn't going anywhere!).

Indeed we could all take a page from the brilliant minds behind this establishment. It's work is expected to win big at this year's Lotus Awards.

531 questions

Spotted on the False Creek North Seawall. I’m madly curious about the meaning behind this arbitrary sidewalk graffiti. It probably has something to do with record scratching, but it’s fun to think of who else it could have been left by. A victim of chronic psoriasis? A cat owner at their wits end?

parking lots

Spotted at Burnaby and Thurlow. The glass-half-full assessment of this situation would mean that the owner of this car has supernatural parallel parking abilities that rival even that of my own.

seizing opportunity

Spotted at the Quizno’s on Davie and Thurlow on the eve of Vancouver’s Celebration of Light fireworks show. This brilliant and well thought-out marketing initiative no doubt brought about record breaking sales.

Note: This sign was printed on the back of a spam fax, another profoundly effective form of advertising.

yet another misplaced passion of mine

There are a few song lyrics that I truly can't stand. So commonplace and overused. I find myself bothered and depressed at the dulled simplicity of the songwriter's mind.

“Put your hands in the air, wave them like you just don’t care”
“My name is ___ and I’m here to say…”
“Turn around, touch the ground”.

Similarly, I’m irritated by any book, essay, article, etc that regurgitates the clichéd quote “If you want to write, you should start by writing what you know.”

i'd like to be in the room...

…where it’s decided that the individual words that make up a common phrase are officially grouped together and indicted into the dictionary. Nonetheless, nevermore, altogether, etc.

Not unlike Cardinals in Conclave, the atmosphere must feel charged with the solemn dignity of determining something so significant and official. Then the excitement that must ensue at this meetings conclusion. There are announcements to be made, parties to be notified, and satisfied feelings of accomplishment to be relished in.

dress to impress

Party invitations have the most unoriginal dress codes. Just for fun, why not keep your guests on their toes at the next shindig you throw with something a little more creative:

Conservative Bourgeoisie
Business Denim
Pragmatic Hipster
Yoga Black Tie

It should be noted that regardless of the regulations given, any party thrown in Vancouver will yield at least one guest who shows up in jeans.

faaaalllll

Spotted at Denman and Gilford. The Sylvia Hotel. This picture doesn't do it justice, but the leaves that cover the side of the building gradiate from the most vibrant red to the deepest green. It's like when you microwave a frozen dinner and parts of it can never seem to heat up.

thought path

Spotted on a damp pathway in Deep Cove. I could get lost in thought for hours thinking about this. Who was the owner of this ill-fated pocketful of Reese’s Pieces and change? What caused the spill? A nasty fall? (this thought causes me to giggle to myself.) Did they bend over and collect what they considered to be the salvageable pieces ("This one only has a little bit of mud on it!") and the remainder seen here is what they deemed unpalatable?

what america means to me

I love taking day trips across the border into Washington. It's a mere 1-2 hour drive and a delightful foray into what feels like another world. One of my favorite things to observe are the culinary masterpieces found at their grocery stores. A true sign of commitment to sustainability and healthy living. This website also illustrates it well.

An entire display devoted to canned arerosol cheese. Placed next to
a display of cookies. Coincidence, or brilliant co-branding?

Walls and walls of pre-packaged snack cakes. Enough preservatives
in one aisle to ensure Nicole Kidman looks the same long after
we're all dead.


Your patio will look embarrassingly naked without this outdoor turkey fryer.

lunch meating

I'm always suspicious that many "vegetarian" menu items contain meat, either with malicious intent, or just accidentally. Case in point, my lunch experience today.

11:30am - I line up at the buffet. A colleague points out "Oooh look Mitchell, they have veggie gyozas today!" to which I reply "That's odd, they've never served those before. I think I'll stick with the salad bar today."

11:35am - Colleagues are still raving about the veggie gyozas. "Try one Mitchell!"

11:45am - I'm finished my salad. More people are still raving about the gyozas. I relent and grab one from the buffet.

11:46am - After half a bite: "This doesn't taste right. Nope. I taste something distinctly meaty in here." I put my fork down and call the server over. "Are you sure these are vegetarian? This gyoza is making me uncomfortable." I'm met with the blank stare of a food service bot who has little interest in my feedback. I implore: "I'd really appreciate it if you could check with the kitchen just to make sure these are labelled correctly."

11:52am - The server disappears for a while and comes back. Then disappears again and comes back. No response or follow up to my inquiry.

11:57am - Avoiding eye contact, the server quietly slips over to the buffet and removes the 2/3's-full tray of gyozas and replaces it with pasta and tomato sauce.

retail repartee

I love a good pun. A witty little sales gal at Jonathan + Olivia is my new friend after sharing this one with me on Sunday:

Q: What did the strawberry say to her boyfriend, after finding out she was pregnant?
A: "We wouldn't be in this jam if you weren't so fresh!"

whyfi

I always feel that scanning for WiFi signals is a slight invasion of privacy, hence why I love it. The names people give to their wireless networks are such an interesting insight into the human mind. A few of my favorites that I've come across:

two scents

Spotted at Hornby and Georgia: The cologne one of these two gentlemen was wearing instantly and inexplicably triggered a memory of R.L. Stein's Goosebumps novels. Yep, I totally acknowledge how odd that is.

poor layout choice

Spotted on Hastings and Lakewood. My life's dream is to have this posted on FailBlog.

narcisstic art

For the person who has everything, but can't get enough of themselves: art made of your own DNA. I can think of a few ways to DIY a project like this, but if you seek a more sanitary and costly route, head on over to DNA11. Send in a cheek swab, pick your colors and 6-8 weeks and hundreds of dollars later you'll have a truly original piece of art that can also tell you who your real father is.

obamicon me

This is as political as you'll see me get on this blog. No doubt this website has lost a lot of steam post-election, but I've resigned myself to Johnny-come-lately status and delight in the opportunity to bask in the same red, white and bluish light that shines on Obama. (sidebar... my MacBook's spell check does not yet recognize the word Obama and instead suggest 'Alabama'. Rich.)

Obamicon yourself c/o Paste Magazine here.

love is all around us

Spotted at Armani Exchange, Robson Street: An adorable pixellated heart made out of hundreds of condoms.

Spotted at Cardero & Alberni: A decidedly phallic piece of concrete.

recessionarium

Spotted in the mailroom of my building:
Left: For Sale - a $2,300 watch, barely worn. Will accept best offer.
Right: A poster from the owners of the building's Penthouse noting that they are undergoing a full-scale renovation (my building is approximately 3 years old).



Spotted at the fine establishment Yoko Yaya in International Village: A men's dress shirt for $3.00 (the regular price). I didn't get a chance to check the material composition, but I'd be surprised if it was greater than 0.5% cotton.

exhibitionist

I spent the better part of my afternoon today decked out in a hardhat, steel-toed boots and a fluorescent vest. Though I've been known to wear similar outfits for a night-on-the-town, this occasion was for a tour of the under-construction Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (scheduled for completion early March)

Arguably the most amazing view in the city. This glass is imported from Austria for some reason.

The interior walls on the main level are all covered with tiny pieces of cedar in various shapes and sizes. A robotic machine in Victoria assembled the different shapes to fit together. It's meant to look like giant stacks of lumber: the North and South walls are small pieces made to look like the ends, and East and West walls are longer pieces that look like the sides of a pile.


No tacky ballroom chandeliers here. The roof is lined with cedar planks and randomly placed lamps light the space. I love this.

when things get too real...

Spotted in my kitchen: A feather stuck to a free-range, organic egg.