Cover Up

Just when you thought the MacBooks just couldn't get any cooler. They did. iamhumannow makes awesome covers for your laptops, and they just released their line for PCs as well.

I heart the woodgrain one! Well I heart anything woodgrain really. So dress up your laptop and then perch at a Starbucks somewhere to show it off. After all, laptops deserve to look just as cool as you.

Here Come the Samoas!

Yes it's about that time of year again! I'll soon hear the knocking on my door, and my old pals, the Samoas, will be ready to greet me! The Girl Scout Cookies have arrived! Let's see how many boxes we buy this year. "Mr. Red" - is now in full Cookie mode - so me thinks he'll want a box of his own. Or maybe it's just cause I don't wanna share mine ;) Regardless, the cookies are back in town! So find your nearest troop, or let them find you!

p.s. The Girl Scouts state their cookies are not affected by the Peanut Butter Recall.

KOGI Korean BBQ Truck

Think Taco Truck - but with a Koren BBQ Flavor! Yes it's so cool. KOGI is in town and filling hungry LA tummies one truck stop at a time. We caught this taco truck at their Silverlake stop not too long ago, and it was worth the hype and wait. (I'll post our pics eventually). We pretty much got one of everything - cause it's such a deal! $2 tacos and $5 burritos - and daily specials galore. And remember the best part, it's Korean BBQ! Yummmm! Check out their site to get the latest news and their upcoming schedule to see when they will stop near you! You can also follow them on Twitter. They cater as well so book em now!

Best part #2 - the husband of the dynamic duo behind this concept is Filipino! So he promises Filipino Items on the menu soon! Can't wait!

Cake Mold

We just love to help you look cool, and this Birthday Cake Mold brings you one step closer to being the hit of the party! It makes a perfect design every time! Just be sure to grease your pan accordingly. We're not all Martha Stewarts, but this cake is sure to put others to shame!

Instructables

Instructables is an awesome site that basically instructs you how to do anything. Perfect for DIY'ers and people who'd rather create things themselves rather than go out and buy it. My personal faves are:
Reuse/Remake Crayons - since all moms know there are always crayons lying around that need some resuscitation
Mug Brownie - do we really need an excuse for chocolate?
Rainy Day Tissue Box Guitar - Fun, quick and easy indoor entertainment to cure cabin fever

You In?

President Barack Obama has called on us all to get out there and do something. So Starbucks is asking if you're in? Join the call for national service and pledge 5 community service hours. You'll be handsomely rewarded with a free Tall brew, and you may even get the warm and fuzzies inside for being a do-gooder.

Piece of Cake

Now making any letter OR number is literally a piece of cake! Introducing the Alphabet/Numbers Cake Pan! Simply arrange the 2" square blocks in the aluminum pan to form an endless variety of letter and number combinations. So many possibilities and so much cake!

Poladroid

Love the vintage and retro look of Polaroid pics but can't get your hands on a classic Polaroid camera let alone some film? (Unfortunately, they discontinued it.) Well like Jesse McCartney says, "Don't Stress, Don't Stress, Don't Stress..." Poladroid has come to the rescue! It's a free downloadable software that gives your digital pics the same retro look of instant Polaroid pics!

It's as easy as it is cool! Just drag a digital picture onto the camera icon and listen for the famous *Polaroid click...zzzzz* The image pops up on the desktop! WAIT! Just like real Polaroids, you have to wait, wait and wait a few minutes for it to fully develop. There's even a virtual shake option if you want the full experience. We all remember the shaking right? You can even blow on your monitor if you want. We won't tell.

Best Part? They arrive print ready too! Thank you Poladroid, today is a new day indeed.

Pie Chart

At first glance, I couldn't tell if this was indeed an actual piece of edible chocolate, or a paperweight of some sort ;) In fact, I'm still unclear. But based on the description on their site, I'm going to default on the edible side. Regardless, this Chocolate Pie Chart is perty cool.

Long Live Helvetica

So from my least favorite font (see previous rant post), to my absolute favorite font - my beloved Helvetica. (Helvetica Neue - to be exact) So when I saw this pillow, my day just got a bit brighter. The credo on the pillow states everything Helvetica is, and everything Comic Sans is NOT! Now all that is left to do is convince the hubby to buy it!

Ban Comic Sans

There's no gentle way to put it. I HATE Comic Sans. It's a personal preference to preserve the sanctity of typography. Then I found out there are others, and as Michael Jackson said, "You are not alone." Others, like me, who have taken an extra step forward in the fight to rid the world of such typographical negligence! Ban Comic Sans. And then there is MOEY, who shares a way to rid any website of the wretched nuisance completely! As a designer by trade, and a corporate pixel pusher by day, I'm afraid there is no escaping it for me. As there will always be clients - lovable, huggable, rainbow-loving clients who continue to use and abuse the infamous Comic Sans. It is time to put the Sans in Comic Sans.

Note: I hate the font, not the user, as I have several dear friends who use it and don't abuse it. See? Like Sears, I have a softer side. ;)

P'Kolino Toddler Bed

I'm a big P'Kolino fan, and so when they came out with their ultra modern toddler bed, the hubby and I knew that would be the bed for "mr. red". Such a poet. And wait! The fun doesn't end with the bed. After the lil tot outgrows it, it can convert into a stylish chair. It's designed for kiddos ages 2-6, now I've just got to find a way for a tiny mama like me to squeeze into it! After all, someone's gotta sleep with "mr. red" during transition right?

Brownie Pops

We already have hot dogs on a stick, frozen bananas on a stick and even Seahorses on a stick! So why not Brownies on a stick! Brownie Pops are the perfect combination of gooey brownie interior with a crisp chocolate exterior! They can even be personalized for events. We just think they're cool. And hey, we never met a brownie we didn't like.

Stickr Frames

Unlike your boss, we're here to help make your life easier. That's why we're telling you about Stickr Frames. Just gather your favorite photos, and then peel and stick em onto your wall! So easy and very cool! No hammers, no hooks, no hassles! And if you change your mind, unpeel with ease and stick elsewhere. It's really that simple. Now choosing which photos your significant other didn't blink in, or which has your best angle, that...we can't help you with.

They also make awesome train ones for kids or kids at heart!

Lunch Sacs

We think handmade is very COOL! So when we found out about Print*Paper*Pattern*, we knew we had to support them! We love their fair wage/fair labor reusable cotton lunch sacs! The red robot one is my personal fave! So ditch the plastic or paper lunch bags and give your lil one's a green alternative! Check out her other cool bags, art and stationery as well!


EXCLUSIVELY COOL JUST FOR YOU!
Founder and Creative force behind Print*Paper*Pattern*, Rebecca Peragine, thinks you're cool too! ONE COOL PICK readers get 20% off their order! Just enter coupon code COOL09.

Picture Perfect

A New Year means a new list of parties to plan, weddings to attend, events to crash...If you're getting ready to host any soirees, and are hoping to hire Colin Cowie as your event planner, well how about the next best thing? Picture Perfect Events is ready to help you plan all your upcoming celebrations. They also do destination events, so even if you are beyond the purple mountains majesty, they'll come to you! My cool pal Kelley is ready to whip your affair into tip top shape and ensure everything is picture perfect! I know you're thinking you can handle all the planning yourself - but trust me, Kelley's party arsenal is jam packed with original ideas. Ask her about her Juicy Couture Teen Party?

LEGO style

I will have this ring. I will have this ring. I will have this ring. Leave it to positive affirmations and "The Secret" to start off my new year! Face it, aren't we all kids at heart? And what better way to show that, then wearing our hearts on our sleeves and our LEGOs on our fingers? Jacqueline Sanchez' FOREVER YOUNG line of LEGO jewelry is just too much fun! My personal favorite is this black low profile square ring. Gotta have the diamond in there! I asked it from the hubby this past Christmas, but he couldn't get past shelling out over $200 bucks for a LEGO piece. So, I will simply add it to my splurge list for when I win the Lotto!

Otters

If ever you need a pick me up...we should all be just like these otters!

Pin Clock

Remember those COOL pin art boxes that made COOL impressions every time you pressed your hand into it?

Well this isn't that. I think it's much cooler. It's a Pin Clock! The clock rearranges the pin display every minute. So like the toy, this clock will definitely leave a COOL impression!

Frustration-Free

Ok, I confess that I haven't unwrapped all of "mr. red's" toys gifts yet. We're trying to span it out, so when he's really in need of some rainy day entertainment, I've got some secret weapons handy.

Ok fine, the truth is, I just can't bear another hard plastic clamshell case, with plastic bendy bindings, and wire ties that are impossible to get off, while our very impatient toddler melts down cause we just can't open the darn packaging to release the toy fast enough. My restless tot and sore fingers just can't take any more torture.

So God Bless Amazon. They recently launched Frustration-Free Packaging - an answer to every parents' prayer! Designed to alleviate "wrap rage," they use recyclable boxes that are easy to open and free of excess materials. The product itself is exactly the same - they've just streamlined the packaging.

It's on a pilot run for now, with only around 19 products in beta. So please support this so they'll continue it and add more to their Frustration Free Line!

Of course I find this out AFTER the holidays. So here's a Frustration Free Start to 2009.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy 2009! Start the new year off in style. Take a break from planning all your soon-to-be-broken resolutions. Here are some very cool calendars to help you countdown to 2010!

Massimo Vignelli’s Perpetual Wall Calendar

Perpetual Calendar - D/M/Y

Little Brown Pen Printable Calendar