Archive for the ‘Tech Chic’ Category
The Top Ten Culinary Trends of 2009
December 16, 2009
With the many culinary breakthroughs that bubbled to the surface of the national restaurant scene in recent months, 2009 is fated to be remembered as a year of culinary renaissance. Perhaps the recession was the muse that sparked everyone’s renewed thinking about food, serving portions, costs, and restaurant business models. It’s the year that gourmet kitchens turned mobile, restaurants discovered the benefits of local meats and produce, and Americans explored “the fifth taste.” Above all, it was the year in which America’s renewed interest in well-crafted, high quality meals reached its defining moment. There’s never been a better time to eat in America. Below are ten reasons why.
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Print ThisPosted in Culinary Trends, Eating Trends, Gourmet food trucks, Health, Ingredients, Restaurants, Tech Chic, Trends, Wine | 3 Comments »
The Obamas’ Healthy Living Revolution
December 9, 2009
Nowhere do U.S. food and dining trends seem more apparent under one roof than they do in America’s most iconic house: the White House. The general public had already viewed the Obamas as ushers of a new era even before they gained the status of first family. From a culinary perspective, they have certainly already began to fulfill these expectations.
The central symbol that best epitomizes their food philosophy would be First Lady Michelle Obama’s kitchen garden. This pesticide-free garden garnered the attention of the media months back, as it was an early addition to the White House – one of the first Obama touches. Considering the White House offers 24-hour room service, the garden is a deliberate statement: the Obamas believe in fresh produce, farm-to-home practices, and want to be in control of the ingredients that are served in their home. They are self-proclaimed health enthusiasts, and the country has taken notice. As a matter of fact, soon after the kitchen garden was planted, publishers noticed a spike in book sales related to vegetable gardening.
The Obamas have also proven themselves to be the first truly tech chic family in the White House. In many ways, they are shaping society’s definition of what it means to be tech chic – informed, discerning, and savvy. Remember the hurdles it took for the President to gain access to an uber-secure BlackBerry?
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Posted in Culinary Trends, Health, Lifestyle, Tech Chic | 2 Comments »
Tech Chic Holiday Wish List: Luxury Edition
December 4, 2009
The smartphones in our U.S. and Europe wish lists might be fashionable, but the following luxury phones are the tech chic ideal: technologically advanced while still emphasizing good style and good living.
Phones designed by esteemed fashion houses and upscale brands may be perceived as gimmicky, but the following devices attempt to perfect both form and function. Added touches include branded software elements - like themes and videos - and luxurious packaging – from sleek boxes to leather sleeves. Those with an eye for detail will find much to enjoy.
These phones aren’t just meant to be used – they’re meant to be worshiped.
Ulysse Nardin Chairman
Retail: $13,000 - $50,000
The venerated Ulysse Nardin has been making watches in Switzerland since the 19th century. With their Chairman smartphone, they approach the technology with the same care and attention to detail as they do with their watches.
The Chairman’s technology alone would be enough to make it the most impressive device on our list – there’s a 3.2-inch touch screen, 8-megapixel camera, 32 GBs of internal memory, high definition video, and built-in YouTube and Facebook. Did we mention it also has a self-winding rotor mechanism? That’s right, like an automatic watch, the Chairman uses a rotor to supply back-up kinetic energy. It’s a sophisticated combination of classic and cutting edge.
Tie it all together with the Android OS, top it off with a fingerprint scanner, and encase it in precious metals and you’ve got enough here to make James Bond giddy. Of course, Bond would probably need to trade in his Aston Martin to afford the Chairman – models start at $13,000 and will cost up to $50,000 with all the bells and whistles. With prices like that, you’ll want to get yourself one sturdy screen-protector. For those interested, the Chairman is presently up for pre-order on the phone’s Web site.
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Posted in Branding, Culinary Trends, Design-inspired, Dining DNA, Fashion, Phones, Tech Chic | 3 Comments »
Tech Chic Holiday Wish List: Europe Edition
December 1, 2009
The U.S. doesn’t get to have all the fun this holiday season – Europe has more than its fair share of flashy smartphones as well. As with the U.S. Edition of our wish list, we’ve selected from the best of the best smartphones, with special consideration for those that possess that extra touch of Ubi flair. We’ve also taken into consideration our three designated mobile personalities – scrollers, clickers, and typers – and were sure to pick smartphones that are just as versatile as you are, meaning they offer both productivity and fun.
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Posted in Europe, Phones, Tech Chic, holiday season | No Comments »
A Tech Chic Holiday Wish List: U.S. Edition
November 30, 2009
For the tech chic, the holiday season provides a perfect excuse to splurge on a smartphone upgrade. With so many tempting options available this year, it’s going to be especially hard to resist springing for a shiny new mobile device. Yet, even if you do give in to your tech cravings, you’re still left with another dilemma: which phone to choose?
With the eternal compromise between phones that offer style vs. practicality and entertainment vs. usefulness, we understand that it’s no easy decision. Luckily, more and more phones are offering a little bit of something for everyone, so it’s hard to make a completely wrong decision. Still, those with discerning tastes will want a device that matches their mobile personalities as precisely as possible. Our goal is to make the matchmaking process a little less daunting. We’ve selected the crème de la crème of the latest batch of smartphones and dissected them (figuratively speaking) with special consideration for scrollers, clickers, and typers.
Whether it’s a dependable keyboard, a dazzling screen, or bug-free multimedia options, have a look below to find your match made in heaven. Just beware: temptation levels are about to get critical.
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Posted in Phones, Tech Chic, holiday season | No Comments »
The Tech Chic Report:
Survival of the Savviest Shopper
November 12, 2009
When it comes to retail shopping, those who have insider knowledge are the ones who are privy to the best prices and the widest selection of merchandise. Thanks to fashion blogs and online clothing liquidators, the hunt for the best deals on luxury merchandise requires far more cunning these days. What’s a tech chic-ster to do?
Enter Lustr, a downloadable fashion-finder app for iPhones. With its insider’s advice on the sample sales, trunk sales, and other fashion events quietly tucked away within New York’s independent boutique scene, Lustr is about to up the ante for high end shoppers. To celebrate its beta launch, the app is teaming up with Independent Retail Week: New York (which begins this Saturday, November 14) to kick off the holiday shopping season with special promotions at independent boutiques throughout the city. As the sales get better, so will the competition from other shoppers. A little timely help from the retail experts at Lustr could go a long way.
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Posted in Fashion, New York, Tech Chic, shopping | No Comments »
The Tech Chic Report:
Gareth Pugh’s Gadget Fashion
October 21, 2009
Sometimes a perfect storm produces a killer phone accessory. This time, the three-way collision is between Paris boutique colette, Apple, and rising designer Gareth Pugh. The result: An iPhone case and MacBook sleeve that draw a continuum between Pugh’s groundbreaking clothing designs and the rather limited world of gadget fashion. Read More »
Posted in Design, Fashion, Phones, Tech Chic, Tech Chic Report | No Comments »
THE TECH CHIC REPORT:
The iWood Phone Hits the Runways
September 30, 2009
Cell phones are all about being slick these days: thin designs, flat surfaces, shiny black plastics and metals. All the emphasis on futuristic influences and synthetic materials results in smartphones and gadgets that are sleek, to be sure, but they can leave you yearning for something a little warmer; something a bit organic, perhaps.
Yearn no more. Japanese mobile operator NTT DOCOMO has noticed the abundance of cold, stoic cell phones and has decided to produce a line of TOUCH WOOD phones made from - you guessed it - wood. Read More »
Posted in Design-inspired, Phones, Tech Chic, Tech Chic Report | 1 Comment »
Demystifying Tech Chic
August 19, 2009
Are you tech chic? As with any fashionable trend, trying to neatly define an abstract quality like tech chic-ness is futile. After all, once we can precisely identify what makes something chic, it no longer is. So rather than try to strip tech chic-ness of its allure by telling you what it is, we’re going to take an alternate route and tell you seven things tech chic is not:
1. Tech chic is not geek chic. The term “geek chic” is a recent addition to the American lexicon. It’s part of a quasi-defiant attempt to redefine geeks’ status, since formerly geeky obsessions like gadgets and computers are now more popular and accessible. Geek chic is about being a geek—and being proud of it. While those who are geek chic can certainly be tech chic, you don’t have to speak binary to be technologically fashionable. You just have to know how to make effective use of your technology, not take it apart. Tech chic-sters live life.
2. You can’t fake tech chic. So you don’t need to be a geek to be tech chic, but that doesn’t mean you can just buy a leather case for your smartphone and hang out a shingle. You need to know your gadgets: Take the time to learn all their features; brush up on tech trends; read the latest Wired. Learn the difference between tech crazes and tech revolutions. And while we’re on the subject of tech revolutions …
3. Just owning a smartphone is not tech chic. Almost everyone has a smartphone or plans on getting one soon. My mother has a smartphone. My mother is not tech chic. End of story.
4. Tech chic is not an end in itself. Being tech chic is merely a part of a holistic chic lifestyle. You can’t be fully tech chic unless you’re also fashion chic, music chic, art chic, politics chic, travel chic—the list goes on. Balancing this chic repertoire means doing some homework. Use your phone to surf mobile versions of the Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Daily Deal, the L.A. Times, the Times Online, or Ad Age. Maintain high levels of cultural capital by perusing magazines like Monocle, Wallpaper*, Foreign Affairs, and French Vogue. Read music reviews at pitchforkmedia.com or movie reviews at rottentomatoes.com. Check blogs like The Cut and The Sartorialist regularly. Do it all while on the train to your next conference, at the airport in Paris, or in the taxi to your client across town. Hey, we never said being tech chic was easy.
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Posted in Lifestyle, Tech Chic | No Comments »
