As books return to their former glory, so too have libraries found themselves once again in demand, with patrons returning in droves, casting aside their Nooks and Fire tablets to again disappear into the stacks where the Dewey Decimal System still holds sway. Though we hope the books will one day find a way to exist without killing trees, today we celebrate them with photos of the 21 most stunning libraries in the world....
The Bombay-based nonprofit Aarambh has made helping these kids its mission – and it’s just succeeded, in a very big way. “In the villages of India life is very difficult for children,”explained the nonprofit’s founder Shobha Murthy. “They walk miles to reach the nearest school. The concept of carrying school bags, wearing shoes or a school uniform are distant dreams because most families are landless laborers who barely earn $1 for 10 hours of work....
Andrej Pejik captivates the camera in a photo feature for Vestal Magazine shot by photographer Nicolas Guerin. This fantastically alluring and androgynous photo shoot was styled by Sophie Clauzel featuring Pejik in sophisticated and glamorous ensembles. The black and white images encapsulate this young model’s mysterious ambiance and unique ability to model both male and female clothing. Pejik works the camera like some of the business’ most experienced models. His delicate features and elegant disposition add to the delightful ambiguity of each frame while the sinister undertones and mood of the feature add to its devastating beauty....
Photographer Alexi Lubomirski and Polish model Anja Rubik teamed up for a steamy editorial in Vogue Germany’s September 2009 issue. This 26-year-old dirty blonde fireball oozes sex appeal in high style dresses and low cut lingerie, “dressing to thrill” her nearby mate. Kudos to the vision of Mr. Lubomirski in these photographs, he captures one hell of a suggestive scene… [photos by alexi lubomirski] View in gallery View in gallery View in gallery...
The colorful Apple iPhone 5C is a continuation of what users expect out of an iPhone. It uses the A6-chip architecture commonly used in other mobile devices like the last iPhone 5. It presents a 4-inch retina display and the 8 megapixel iSight camera with an additional front-facing camera for FaceTime video calls. It is built into a polycarbonate case which is available in five bright colors including green, blue, yellow, red and white....
The Autodromo Prototipo Watch is a limited-edition timepiece reserved for those who rarely suffer from sticker shock. It is the second series of watches produced by Autodromo, a likely continuation of the brand’s early successes. This fine horological machine will look stylish on just about any wrist, but it’ll command respect from those who understand its complexity. [via hodinkee] Autodromo Prototipo Watch | Gallery
Annie Leibovitz Fashion, fantasy, and a sense of intimacy are what define the singular work of Leibovitz. Best known for her items for Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, there’s a highly stylized sensibility to every picture, and a candid vulnerability that speaks as much to her ability to get the best from her subjects as her adroit handling of a camera. Juergen Teller Commonly known for his work with high-end fashion, anyone familiar with the runways of New York, Paris, and Milan has seen Teller’s shots, even if they don’t know it....
The art of light graffiti is a long-standing passion of ours, so naturally we jumped when we discovered a new set by light artist Ben Matthews. Ben’s Skate Park Light Graffiti illuminates a location where sport and culture collide, often at high speed on four wheels and wood. Matthews uses an array of tools and shutter speeds to capture ethereal glowing forms over this park. Our personal favorite? The simple blue arc floating above the half pipe below....
Ever since minimalist wallets exploded into the scene, thick wallets have taken a back seat to pave the way for the slim but functional. A slim wallet not only lightens your daily carry but also improves your overall professional appearance. Designers are now competing to make the slimmest wallets that can pack as much as possible. The move has flooded the market with slim wallets of all shapes, colors, and sizes....
BioLite Clean Burning Kitchen Stove Could a twig-fed stove really make for a better world? Absolutely. The Biolite HomeStove burns available fuel, in the form of wood kindle and tinder, in a clean and efficient way that produces a lot of heat with negligible smoke or pollution. Over half of the world’s population cooks over an open flame in poorly-ventilated conditions, and the smoke inhalation leads to diseases and death in over 2,000,000 annually....
Father’s Day Gift Guide – With Dad’s big day right around the corner, we’ve compiled a list of ten creative gift options for the creative dad in your life. From stylish watches to closed-ear headphones, grass fed steaks to microbrewed beer, these gifts are sure to make Dad a happy man on Sunday and beyond. Fuego Element Portable Grill View in gallery What do you get for the dad that loves to grill– but already has a great grill in the back yard?...
Fragment Design has teamed up with Bamford Watch Department to give the Rolex Oyster Perpetual a street-minded facelift. The traditional shape of the Oyster Perpetual is left intact, but the display has been entirely blacked out, save for the addition of a blue fluoro focus with the Fragment logo and hour numbers. We love the flat black appeal to this take on the Rolex Oyster, it makes a statement even more bold than the original....
Hard Graft Footwear Gallery
This multi-level, multi-material marvel of architecture is home to a family just outside of the busy streets of Paris. Colboc Franzen & Associes designed the House in Sevres, a three-story structure with a varied cross style layout where one rectangular section sits across the top of the section below. Each section is adorned with its own distinct material, with the top section covered with what looks like reclaimed wood, the middle section a slatted metal with floor-t0 ceiling windows, and a bottom section with aged, rusted metal and climbing ivy....
Using chopsticks may be intimidating. Some who didn’t grow up using chopsticks are pretty reluctant to use the thing. Understandable – using chopsticks does kind of look difficult. But it isn’t really. You just need to learn how to use chopsticks the right way! Once you’ve mastered the skill of eating with chopsticks, they can be the most wonderful kitchen utensil. A spoon and fork, a pair of tongs, a knife, and a whisk all rolled into one!...
La Hedrera is clearly Mediterranean in identity, but also in location. It rests less than 10 miles from the Mediterranean coast in Alicante, Spain, but is far enough away to offer peace and privacy to its inhabitants. La Hedrera is perched near a peak of the Sierra de Aitana mountain range, overlooking a 1,200 acre hunting preserve with active local wildlife. It’s as much a home of the country as it is of the coast, and it is still close enough to modern Alicante for urban amenities, dining and entertainment....
The new Lamborghini Aventador Superveloce is the latest in a line that bears the “Superveloce” moniker. It translates from Italian to English as “high speed”, and it represents the fastest of each model Lamborghini produces. Before the Aventador version, Lamborghini showed off the Murcielago Superveloce, a remarkable vehicle of its own but one that can’t match the power of the LP 750-4. It’s a semi-annual relay race where the last Superveloce hands off the baton to the latest and greatest, and you’re among the first to see the next one in these photographs....
Before we get started, there’s one important point to consider– being a gadget guy is not unfashionable. Every type of guy, from an athlete to a musician to a business man can find their own sense of style from their own type of identity. The same goes for the gadget guy. Don’t shy away from technology if it seems uncool, embrace it– being fashionable is about translating what you’re passionate about into your personal style....
Part One: A Road Trip as a Story Much like a film or a novel, a road trip is a story. It has a cast of characters, a range of scenes and rising action that culminates in a climax– the destination. Telling a good story with photographs has a lot more to do with discipline than equipment or experience, a discipline than any amateur can master. This discipline includes four basic elements: planning, profusion, perspective and progression....
Photographer David Slijper has photographed Natalie Portman for the February 2010 issue of Elle Magazine UK. The 28-year-old Israeli-born A-lister is shown here decked out in high fashion by Sasa Thomann, giving the supermodels of the world a run for their money. We’ve been hopelessly addicted to Ms. Portman since her debut appearance in The Professional, and we remain enamored as Natalie gets better, and more beautiful, with age. Enjoy the shots below, and find the magazine on newsstands now....
