As Josh mentioned in his design:related post, we’ve seen a huge jump in the introduction of niched social networks recently. It will be interesting to see which ones take off, and which ones end up on the cutting room floor. I think the success of these sites will depend on the user-friendliness and aesthetics of their interfaces, how well the programmers build the back ends of the sites, and– maybe most important– the content that the early adopters bring to the sites in the early stages. Trendmill is a new site geared toward fashion trends– it looks pretty good. It caters to both industry and individuals, allowing brands to upload their designs to the site where individual members can vote on the designs and create buzz around pieces they like (and pieces they don’t like). Also, as the site continues into the future (assuming it does), you will be able to click on a trend timeline that will show you what was ‘hot and not’ at any point in time. I also like the editorial feature of the site– the posts are pretty entertaining. I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts about all of these new social networks– so leave a comment if you have some ideas to share.

Fresh off a 2006 Italian Illustration Award, Marzia Sanfilippo is showing some serious promise, producing some great work for people of all ages. I love how she even has her online portfolio separated into four age ranges– and her work is truly that diverse. She has been educated in both fashion as well as multi-media animation, and currently works as an illustrator for the Atabaliba design studio in Milan (alongside Dario Albini) and also continues to work freelance. Some of her esteemed international clients include BMW, Glamour Magazine, Amnesty International, and Trox. Marzia has quite the unique design repertoire– I’m excited to see where she decides to focus her talent.

I stumbled upon the soon-to-be-released Kings of Leon today, and am thrilled (though not surprised in the slightest) to report that their new album, “Because of the Times,” is good– REALLY good. I should be honest and mention that they are an all-time favorite of mine, and that I did run straight into a door in my frenzy to get that yumness flowing through my speakers, but it’s not all bias on my behalf- good music plays a key role in the good life, and the Followill Boys are faithful promoters of the cause. “Because of the Times” sounds a little less “dirty South” than prior albums, which could be bad news for those of us that crave that twang (and good news for getting the band some air time), but what it’s lacking in classic KOL style it has more than made up for in a heavy and well executed dose of 50’s/60’s rock influence. Basically, this one’s was worth smashing yourself into a door for, and if you’ve never given them a listen, you should. Even if you happen to come across this album early like I did (the official release date isn’t until April 2nd), make sure to buy the real thing when it comes out… in twenty years your kids will probably want it.

Hugo Danti has just released his conceptual coffee set, entitled Veil. The Veil design has a modern elegance that is very fresh. Veil is not just a coffee cup, but is a service set that consists of a coffee cup and sauce, a sugar bowl and a milk vessel. When asked about the philosophy behind this distinctive design, Danti said, "merging this minimalist design with vintage patterns resulted, I believe, in a coffee set that fits and enriches any occasion." Danti notes that the illustrations were made with Roberto Hernandez, a graphic designer friend. If you like this design, stay tuned– more coverage of kitchenware designs by Hugo Danti coming soon.

We’re definitely seeing a clear trend towards more authentic feeling art and design related social networking sites– (Humble Voice, Coroflot to name a few). Design:related is the newest on the block– and its sleek design feels promising. While I don’t feel like this is the be-all-end-all final answer to arts networking, drop by and check this one out. If you’re an artist feel free to register and upload your portfolio, post creative ideas and inspirations, network with friends, etc. A job board (like we need another job board) is slated to be coming soon.

A late arrival in London last evening left me at myhotel (no pun intended) famished. I stumbled down the road to a gem of a restaurant called Patara. With locations in South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Oxford Circus and Soho, the self-proclaimed Fine Thai Cuisine is no mystery to locals (not to mention award winning locations in Bangkok, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan). The atmosphere, while nice despite a loud-and-unhappy couple next to me, was Zen-like and perfect after a long day of travel. The menu offered everything from braised New Zealand lamb in curry to more traditional seafood dishes, like the one I had, a crispy whole sea bass served with lemon-grass tamarind sauce. Patara is best described as a poor mans Hakkasan, and is definitely a nice addition to the section of my rolodex titled perfectly acceptable, easy to get into Thai restaurants worldwide.

Our good friend Motomichi is gearing up to introduce his very first toy ever– a collaboration he did with toy connoisseur and producer Android8. As many of you know, Motomichi’s characters are all two dimensional, so his challenge was to figure out a way to keep the same feel of the characters in a three dimensional environment– I think he did a solid job on these Chaz and Daz figures. They will be available at the Android8 booth at Comicon NYC from Feb 23-25th, if you do make it by tell Glen at Android8 I sent you!