favorite new iPad app: Oyster

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time with what feels like a new friend: the Oyster app for iPhone and iPad. Oyster's value proposition is amazing: read unlimited books (more than 100K titles available) for only a monthly $9.95 subscription fee. CNN calls it the "Netflix of Books," which sounds about right. I particularly enjoy the beautiful UX, as Oyster makes it super easy to discover new books.

I first heard about the app when it launched in September (my friend Vivek is one of their developers and we were catching up), but only joined a few weeks ago via their free-month promo offer. Absolutely no regrets- I'm reading every day, before bedtime, on the treadmill after work, in coffee shops, and loving every second. Here are a few books I'm currently reading on Oyster....

I have to admit -- there is something so interesting about Julia. I think it's her grit and joy of life that makes her fascinating because in many other ways, she was very conventional.

I love reading Gladwell and Godin -- so why not add this to the list? So far so good.

I haven't been reading nearly enough fiction, and short stories are usually my favorite. Tao Lin is a new-to-me author. So far his shorts are really imaginative, so I'm sticking through them.

life lately + a beautiful mess iphone app

Two weeks ago I stumbled upon the A Beautiful Mess app and now I am addicted to doodling all over my photos... perfect timing to showcase them and also share an update on life! And not just the usual yummy dinner photos...

One big piece of news is I started a new job 3 weeks ago! It was such a crazy and amazing experience because I wasn't looking at all. Getting recruited was such a pleasant surprise, although at first I was like, wait... what? 

But then when I received the offer, I never felt so sure about something in my life. As noted in my previous post, timing can really be quite perfect. Over the years, I've learned to trust my heart and instincts... so I accepted! You can read all about the details on my LinkedIn, but I'm now working at a subsidiary of Amazon and still located in NYC. I had a great 1-week orientation where I fell in love with the startup company culture and was awestruck by the Kiva robots in action at the Pennsylvania fulfillment center -- Amazon technology is just incredible!

Another fun update is I went intense hiking for the first time ever this past Saturday! Through a Living Social deal, a few of us went on a Catskills hike with Destination Backcountry Adventures. It was AMAZING. We left Manhattan at 7:30am and hiked in the Catskills until sunset, climbing Indian Head and Twin mountains. Our guide Dave said we hiked for about 9 miles up and down 2000+ ft of elevation! (Crazy!) After the workout, we treated ourselves to a very calorific dinner at Hickory BBQ. So grateful for that awesome day.

Have you ever hiked before? I think I need to do it again soon, but I'm really excited to chill out for Memorial Day weekend. Any fun plans?

(All photos by Helen Hearts, edited via A Beautiful Mess)

new favorite iphone app... kaleidoscope!

Have you ever fallen in love with a stylish outfit on Pinterest or a street style blog, but could never in a billion years find out where to buy it or something similar to it? (I kind of do every day.) Enter Kaleidoscope: Fashion Inspired, a free iphone app that allows you to browse, share, and best of all, shop street style photos! Here's how it works...

After downloading the app (which is created by Imporia, Inc.), scroll through the many style photos on Kaleidoscope's home page, just as you would a blog or tumblr...

Click on a look that you particularly love, in this case, a mixture of camel and hot pink -- right up my alley! Kaleidoscope has partnered with ShopStyle to get the most accurate product recommendations straight from the photo, making it easy for us to "shop" the look.

Since I'm especially keen on the hot pink mini skirt, I'll click on that option and ta da! Here are all the hot pink skirts I could possibly want! (And, I can price compare!) Click on any of the recommendations, and you'll immediately be transferred to the retailer's mobile site.  It takes two seconds to add to cart and pay.... Looks like we just got a new skirt! New favorite app for sure. My wallet better watch out.

(Photos are iPhone screenshots via Kaleidoscope)

genius book iphone charging docks!

I can't wait to recharge and sleep this weekend. 4-day weeks have never felt so long (same amount of work, right?). Speaking of recharging, I am smitten with these crafty book iphone charging docks by Rich Neeley Designs. They're a little pricey, but oh so gorgeous. Just pick your favorite cloth-bound title from the pack and you'll be racing home to charge your iphone (I know I would). Here are my favorites in both design & book title...

Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice

Homer's Odyssey

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility

Wishlisted!

marrying design with technology, one blog/site/app at a time

One of the most inspiring things to me is the marriage of art and technology... using digital and design innovation to move people and convey messages. For example, the Dermablend & Zombie Boy video went viral almost immediately and was thought-provoking as well as inexpensive to make -- amazing! One of my daily rituals is scanning the best blogs/websites for inspiration and instruction. Let me walk you through my routine...

1) Check my Pinterest and immediately 'pin' anything that is interesting like new-to-me, clever products and cool photos. No wonder Pinterest is the fastest growing website in history --it's the best place to stalk digital & design influencers! It's totally "ALT" of Control!!


2) Quickly scan through the headlines of Mashable and TechCrunch to read about today's tech landscape (like this illustration by GE at the TechCrunch 2011 Disrupt Conference). Mentally note how the best tech apps & startups that are featured also have aesthetically pleasing interfaces and strong brand values. (Are we even surprised?)


3) If I have 20 minutes, read online lifestyle & design magazines, Matchbook, Lonny, and Rue. The online shelter magazine industry is only a few years old, but it is thriving!

4) Lastly, mobile content really goes a long way. Checking the NYTimes and Twitter on my iphone while waiting for friends at coffee shops or going through their archives on the subway commute from work is just too easy!

I work in brand management, so a part of my job is to hone my aesthetic and taste level and think outside the box on ways to make my product better. But as a consumer, doing my research helps me to become the smartest shopper I can be. Empowering, no?

the case of the iphone case

I'm so darn silly. I've already bought 2 iPhone cases, but both of them are pretty awful. (That's what happens when you are tempted by cheap things on Amazon!) I can't help but look longingly at other options, especially cases that are made of unexpected materials, like wood or leather.

Brass and wood case from EXOVault

Wood case from Jack Spade

Leather case from J.Crew

I'm also weirdly drawn to scalloped designs. I don't know why! Maybe because the first one below reminds me of a favorite childhood book, Rainbow Fish :)

Scales case from Urban Outfitters

Jonathan Adler colorful case

Which is your favorite? What should I get? I'm going to do this one final time, no more mistakes! Heeeeelp!

inspiration: social media

You know what I'm really interested in learning more about? The innovative ways companies and brands are using social media to reach little old us. It's exciting to see huge, traditional corporations and organizations try their hands at new technology in order to make more connections with people. (Take the White House's Flickr account -- love this picture!) Social media has proven to be quite revolutionary, as you can see in this amazing, powerful video:

And the more I think about it, the more inspired (and impressed) I am. It's a vehicle for change and creative thinking, and more significantly, a vessel for any individual to be heard if they want to be. A container of millions of different perspectives, kinda like Wordle, a technology that helps put a creative spin on any normal document.

Wordle generates "word clouds" that give prominence to words that are used the most, while ignoring simple articles. So basically, wordles showcase expressions in a whole new and customizable visual context. (I'm a total word-dork, so I had to make a few myself! Above is a wordle of Obama's "Yes We Can" speech, and below is a wordle of my resume or essentially, me!) Wordle creates so many cool new, unique outlooks -- what a great metaphor for social media, no?

polaroids!

Eeps! I just found out about Poladroid, a free desktop application that turns normal photos into polaroids! Why haven't I heard of it before? Am I late on the bandwagon? Early? (The app is still in Beta.) Either way, it just made my day. It's genius. I have been poladroid-ing away on old travel pictures for the past hour. I love how authentically "polaroid" they look. Here are a few:

The Colosseum in Rome | Looking down from Gaudi's "Casa Mia" in Barcelona | Port Vell, Barcelona | Prague from a tram window | Friend & I posing in front of Prague Castle | Flowers at Vysehrad Cemetery in Prague | Drinking Irish coffee in Budapest!

the nook

I spent a huge chunk of today at Barnes & Noble, just catching up on some magazines + Starbucks indulgences... it was divine. But even cooler, I was introduced to B&N's newest product, the Nook! AKA, Kindle's worst enemy. I was super impressed with the Nook's customizable features (designer covers!), Wi-Fi accessibility, and overall sleek, easy-to-use eReader design. (Maybe even prettier than Kindle's design? What do you think?)

And how savvy and appropriate for Barnes & Noble, America's top bookseller and publisher, to herald this new technology! I'm betting Amazon's sweating in their Christmas sweaters right now. The Nook is currently sold out, but with a $259 price tag (same as Kindle's), we'll have to keep an eye on how competitive it'll stay in the market. It's still too pricey to tempt me!

I'm a "bargain-aholic"

You know how some mothers-to-be find themselves "nesting" before their baby arrives? Well, that's me, and my baby's name is Prague, due on August 28th. In all seriousness, I'm going crazy trying to pack for my semester-long stay. There's so little room, yet I keep getting the urge to shop, egged on by sales and bargains. Ugh!

At first, I obediently followed my must-buy list, stocking up on necessities like v-neck white T-shirts, thick winter socks and tights, Havianas flip flops that were half off, and a laptop case + mouse combo for my new Sony Viao.

But then I found the perfect retro one-piece bathing suit at the perfect price. And these very on-sale bowtie canvas wedges. And the Sex & The City movie for only $6. And a stack of pretty cards with birds and flowers on them. And an adorable, teeny yellow saddle bag. And new earphones. And a Liz Claiborne wallet (because I really, really need a new one). And finally some strawberry kiwi tealights, 'cause they smelled so yummy.

Ahhh! I felt so guilty carrying my loot home. My whole plan this summer was to save, save, save so I can travel as much as possible in Europe, and here I am deviating from the list! (Did I mention I just bought a new camera too?) I know I'm not bad enough to be a called a shopaholic, but gosh I can really be a "bargain-aholic" sometimes. Are you the same way?

amazing gadget

I just ordered a Joy Mangano mini-steamer in "desert rose" and am feeling unreasonably giddy about it. It weighs less than a pound, so it's perfect for travel. (Thank you Glamour for the tip!)

bag o' tricks

(photos via cocoon innovations)

I used to wrap my laptop in a sweatshirt when traveling, but that was the (not very safe) past. Now that I'll be jet-setting, I need the real deal, like this Cocoon Innovations case. It has special space for ipods, wires, and even little notebooks so that I can store all my gadgets together in the most stylish and compact way. Now all I need to do is find a new laptop...

ayo technology

Speaking of things I have to buy this summer, I need a new laptop. My HP is dying and soon to be delegated to my lucky little sister. So my question is: should I take the plunge and get a Mac?

(photo via apple)

Pros are, it's compact and light with a long life expectancy, and I would look really cool toting around a cute little Macbook (I know, so vain). Also, the aluminum design is so sleek, though I probably won't chalk up $300 extra for the newest style. Cons: I'm not at all Mac savvy (repeat: not at all) and need almost every PC function for schoolwork. Also, would it be wise to take a new laptop abroad? But then again... it wouldn't be smart to bring my old one and have it fizzle out in the middle of the term, right? What should I do? Help!

tech savvy

Not that I need this... but the Amazon Kindle is just so lovely and useful! (And pretty and thin and modern...)

(photos via ideeli)

tweet is sweet

(photo via Twitter)

After reading and hearing (and now researching for work) about Twitter, I've finally decided to jump on the boat and create my own account. It's slightly less obnoxious than Facebook statuses (which I have no qualms updating) and allows for more spontaneity in subject matter than blog entries. A lot of my friends use it (shout out to Mishy!), and I love that I can be perfectly brusque in my opinions without elaboration or explanation. Hmm, reminds me of my diary in the sixth grade...

Oh, and also, I'm amused (and ashamed) to say, my 11 year old sister jumped on this technology more than a week before I did. She's twitter following everything from the New York Times to Ashton Kutcher, and has more followers than I do. Okay, I'm coming to terms with the fact that she might be cooler than me. Might.

a dose of sweetness

I'm a big fan of Daily Candy, a blog on all things hip happening in NYC (and many other cities, like Philadelphia, which is where I'll be for the next three weeks). It also serves as a brilliant guide for designer sample sales and cool events happening during the weekend. Oh, and the cute illustrations are definately a plus.

I only realized today that Daily Candy had published two hilariously witty books! Daily Candy A-Z dishes on everything that women can possibly gossip about, and The Daily Candy Lexicon introduces "words that don't exist but should," like comdamn and whor d'oeurve. What can I say? I laughed and couldn't help sharing.

(photo by Daily Candy)