I love the design options made possible by designer Jos Kranen’s zero-profile LED Flexilights. Jos designed the Flexilight for Feek Furniture in Belgium (which, by the way, sells a lot of other uniquely designed home furnishing goodness). LED lights are relatively new in terms of home application, but are great because they provide effective lighting but do not require the bulky ‘infrastructure’ that our halogen and tungston light fixtures do. And while LED lights are relatively expensive compared to other bulb technologies, the price differential works out in the long-run because LED’s employ sound technology that cuts down on power usage. A lot of people wouldn’t want wires all over their walls leading to their light fixtures, but I think the Flexilight design could actually spruce up your decor if you use them thoughtfully.

Via Slashgear

This morning was one of those bitter cold, windy November-in-Colorado mornings. I sure wish I had one of these Burton Mark XIII Cashmere Sweaters for the walk to work. Talk about warmth– these sweaters are made with 100% cashmere woven into a super lofty waffle knit. It has drawstrings around both the hood and the waist line so you can snug it up as much as you desire, and features a mid-mounted pocket to hold your flask of Goldschlager. There are some Winter days that are just not meant to be lived in by humans, but throw one of these on underneath, say, a Lancaster Down Jacket, and you can sleep outside with the Siberian Huskies. Mush Mush!!!

The JB Classic brand has always impressed me– low quantities, high quality, hand construction with beautiful materials and an always slick and ahead-of-the-curve packaging. They’re a breath of fresh air in a saturated footwear market. This laser-cut shoe shown here is made of full grain leather with a Japanese garden print laser engraved all over. The soles are ‘crepe’ (gummy rubber), and like all JB shoes comes with a certificate of authenticity, extra laces, gold lace locks and a few more goodies. Looks like Niche online has a few pairs left for sale, albeit expensive, we believe you get what you pay for. JB Classics will start selling them online November 15th. Only 288 pairs were made, and one of them happens to be on my feet as I write this.

You all have to check this clip out! Comedian Aries Spears may not sell as many records as Britney Spears, and he may not have as much hype surrounding him, but he is definitely more talented than she is and the YouTube waves have picked up on him. In this clip, Aries does some of the most realistic impersonations I have ever heard. Aries looks appears to be a beefed up, NFL sized version of Funkmaster Flex, but put his looks aside and he could easily pass for LL Cool J, Snoop, DMX, and Jigga– listen for yourself. Also check out the look on the guy’s face in the background of the clip– it’s classic. Look for Aries to make an appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards next year … at least I think he would be a worthy cameo appearance.

After test driving a new Volkswagen Touareg yesterday, I have even more respect for the brand than I did before. I have always thought of VW as a go-to brand for people who want German engineering and performance but don’t want to pay for an Audi. It is hard to argue with a V-10 turbo diesel rocket ship-of a vehicle that felt more like a sports-car than an SUV to drive. Granted, $70,000 is a lot to pay for an SUV, but I imagine the new Touareg still towers above the new Range Rover Sport in the performance-to-price price category– it sure did turn in impressive performances at Dakar and the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb this year. To continue their already impressive engineering track record, Volkswagen just spent $39 million on a new harsh weather testing facility. They can now put their vehicles through temperatures ranging from -40 to 302 degrees Fahrenheit and simulate direct sunlight and soaking humidity. One thing’s for sure: the people at VW are serious about engineering top-quality automobiles.
Via Gizmodo

Feeling rebellious? If you’re forced to wear a collared shirt, at least wear one you can floss these Skull Cufflinks with. A nice design by Marty Flint– Silver-toned cabs with raised black eyed skulls so you can “rebel even when you have to dress up!” They come in a gift box just in time for holiday season and will no doubt go well with the Skull Hand Towel and Pillowcase Set. Hit up our friends at Pixel Girl Shop for some more terrific hand-made gifts.

On a recent trip to London, I found myself eating pretty much at the very top of the food chain at every meal. Favorites like Nobu, Le Caprice and Cipriani expanded both my credit balance and waistline. Staying as I usually do in Chelsea at the incomparable hideaway myhotel (highly praised and voted one of Conde Nast’s 50 coolest hotels in the world), I opted for a light lunch a few blocks from the hotel at what will surely become one of my regular haunts. If you can’t find it down the stairs just off the Kings Road on Sydney Street next to the Chelsea Farmer’s Market, stop a passerby and ask “Pardon me, can you tell me where I can find the “Phât Phúc”? Just pretend you are Borat looking for a kiss, and once you recover from the assault, get thee to Phât Phúc and sit down at their open-air gem for some of the best homemade noodles and broth this side of Saigon. Lunch cost me less then the taxi ride to my 2:00 meeting in Bloomsbury. A great bargain, Phat Phuc is super healthy, incredibly delicious and a superb value – not even French Connection UK has a better name. Enjoy!