An ABC creature or just creepy!?

One of my favorite places to go to in New York when it comes to impeccable interior design ideas and inspiration, is ABC Carpet & Home. I just love the out of the ordinary design ideas, the thoughtful details in every corner of the store on Broadway (Union Square) and the unexpected angle of how you can put together different styles. But when I saw this ad in The New York Times Style Magazine in December 2013... I was shocked. 

This campaign does not even reflected anything that I would put in context with homeyness, coziness, or for design sake - provocative new ideas. The print ad is even darker than this example here and the claim 'not a creature was stirring…' mad me shiver.

ABC Carpet & Home is known for a more morbid approach when it comes to their campaigns. Especially now, after they came up with the idea to combine past, present and future and the collaboration with the Brooklyn Navy Yard underlines it even more.



For the latest shoot with photographer Amber Gray they choose the Navy Yards Hospital to embody the 'no shadow without light' idea. Built in the Greek Revival style in 1838 by Martin E. Thompson it has those special storytelling qualities by its self.

The architectural details in every room of the house are stunning.

But do you want to live (like) in a hospital?

When ABC Carpet & Home launched its latest rug collection in 2013 they remained true to the awkwardness by a very creative style in a very sophisticated way.

The famous photographer, Jason Madara shot in the still of the night on a Long Island estate in East Hampton a fabulous campaign. What a great idea to capture carpets outside their natural habitat…right!?

The San Francisco based photographer is known for capturing moments as performances. He and ABC's art director Angela Gruszka spent four month on creating this concept. The team was on the set from 7pm to 4am two nights in a row to deliver one of the most creative approaches when it comes to still life shots.

Equinox made me do this

It seams to be my month of 'workout-posts', maybe because I am getting ready for a nice long skitrip in the Dolomites or just because the weather is so nasty right now in New York City that I finally have some time to write.

Have you seen the new Equinox ad campaign lately? I just saw one billboard on Broadway on the UWS and it made me and my family stop and wonder…

Who did what to whom? And why was Equinox involved? It looks so painful. The only thing that this ad and a workout have in common is that both hurt...sometimes. This picture makes me want to stay far, far away from this gym!?!

When I researched the story behind this campaign I came across some really awkward news: Equinox ditched Terry Richardson  after 3 years in favor of Wieden+Kennedy. The awkwardness is not at all the change to W+K, a great global agency…no, but shouldn't the change bring something good? 

The controversial Terry Richardson generated some controversy with his campaign in 2011 about using thin instead of fit models and using sex to sell. 

And what is W+K using to sell Equinox to a broader audience?

'For this campaign we wanted a photographic approach that had strong sense of narrative and realism,' said Stuart Jennings, Creative Director at Wieden+Kennedy New York. The agency chose Robert Wyatt as the photographer for one reason, because he is a storyteller with a fashion sensibility…hmmm…yes, those pictures tell a story…but the one you intended to tell?

But please, be the judge:

Does a new page reinvent the SoulCycle wheel?

I would not have done this post…

I would not have written something negative about my beloved SoulCycle…

never…

...because I found my perfect workout…yes for me it is a perfect balance (you might think differently, but please read first and judge later).

Since I was introduced by a dear friend almost 6 month ago, there was only one way to deal with this intense experience…deal with it. The love curve only new one way - up!

But I should start by describing the first 'meetings' I had at SoulCycle. So my friend took me to the fanciest location they opened in the last years - East Hampton. But not only that he took me to this place of good looking, very attractive and 'not-from-this-world' in shape people (at 8:30am IN THE MORNING), no...not enough...he took me to Rique. Do I have to say more? Please feel free to picture me: new on a bike, never been to a spinning class, on vacation out east (including the nice rosé the night before), and then the real downside of this class...a 6 month pregnant lady next to me and hell was she keeping up with the rhythm and speed. So believe it or not, I decided to never come back to this dark bunker with way to loud of a music and too good looking people. Been there, done that, thank you.

I came back. I gave it another shot. AND I was hooked!

Once you get the idea of the rhythm and really putting your soul into this 45min workout you will be rewarded - I promise. What ever there is you want to accomplish in your daily routine, what ever burden there is, what ever mountain you want to climb, SoulCycle will make you stronger, will make you believe and will make you step up - do you know why…because you can ;-) (as one of my favorite instructors used to say)!

NOW - beginning of 2014, 7 years after Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice opened up their first studio on the UWS, they or their management wanted to reinvent the wheel by launching the new website…

Unfortunately I have to say…I am not super happy with it.

First of all - it doesn't work as easy as the old version

Second - no mobile support...so I cannot book classes easily when I am out and about...and as a mom I am not very often on my computer

Third - please, stop the pop-up that tells me that the side is new when I visit the side for the tenth time...

But I have to admit, that there is one thing I really like a lot: I can finally see directly which bike is still available. But when my soul was confirmed on bike #xyz and I am not able to make it…????? It is not easy to find the cancelation button…

I like the angle my friend looked at it. He hasn't signed up yet (while skiing in Europe) but he made a point by saying, that the general feel is that they spent a bit too much time on the look and style than the functionality. 'Kinda like the old Fiat Spider, nice looking car that does't drive well…'

What are your thoughts on this?