by Annie | Travel
Note: Please do not read this blog entry. Rather, sing it to the tune of “On the Road Again,” by Willie Nelson. On the road again Stopped in Wheaton, now we’re drivin’ again The life we love is playing board games with our friends We’re so sad to be on the road again On the road again Finding rest stops that we’ve never known Eating junk food that may kill us very soon Our car is packed, and we’re on the road again On the road again Like an old married couple in a Jetta We’re the best of friends Insisting that our car keep running on And on On the road again Stopped in Red Wing, now we’re drivin’ again The life we love is hanging out on Michael’s dock Oh, we’re so sad to be on the road again On the road again Like an old married couple with a dog-child We’re the best of friends Insisting that our dog keep on behavin’ And sleepin’ On the road again Now we’re headed to the Badlands And we’re gonna camp for several days outside Oh, I can’t wait to sleep inside...
by Annie | Travel
Always brake for good friends. During our layover in Wheaton, IL, the past couple of days, we’ve enjoyed some great food, good company, fun games, abnormally high temperatures, and a stray thunderstorm, along with an interesting situation or two: Back on the road...
by Annie | Travel
The first time I laid eyes on Sofie, I knew she was a pretty dog. The first time she nuzzled me, I sensed she was a sweet dog. Now, a few days into our roadtrip, I’ve learned that she was built to be a world traveler. With all our necessities on board our VW Jetta, you can surmise that space is limited, to say the least. Sofie has thus been confined to a cramped corner atop her beloved denim LL Bean dog bed, folded in half and crammed above pillows, towels, camping supplies, and various other somewhat soft items. Unlike the Princess and the Pea situation, however, Sofie doesn’t seem to mind her lumpy mattress or her inability to sit up without hitting the ceiling. In fact, she spends most of her time gazing out the window at FedEx trucks and cornfields while experimenting with new sleeping positions. Sofie’s trusted pal Squirrely always hangs out nearby to keep her company as she dreams about upcoming...
by Annie | Travel
Cornfield, cornfield, soybean field, cornfield. Yup, you guessed it – we’re in the Midwest. Land flat as a pancake and roads straight as a pole. Great for testing visibility, not so great for sneaking up on enemies. So what does one do while counting cornfields? Why, eat, of course. Dream about what to eat, plan around what is actually available for eating, prepare area for eating, consume procured foods voraciously, clean up any traces of having eaten, and repeat. Here is a very limited portion of what my stomach has been busily processing within the past 24 hours or so: – several squares of perfectly bite-sized Swiss milk chocolate hazelnut delights – countless handfuls of Sun Chips out of an annoyingly noisy 100% compostable bag – sunflower seeds, both shelled and unshelled, salted and unsalted – prunes, an attempt to proactively ward off the imminent travel constipation – Fazoli breadsticks, fresh from the oven – one slice of white pie – biscuits and gravy, along with a thorough description of the many varieties of fat that went into the making of said gravy – several varieties of Lays potato chips, often consumed simultaneously – a bigger slice of white pie – iced hazelnut latte, mostly ice and hazelnut syrup – iced tea lemonade – shaken, not stirred Ah, how I delight in spotting those magical blue road signs, one after another, proclaiming the endless possibilities for palate stimulation and digestive exercise. Forget the freshman fifteen. Roadtrip fifteen, here I come!...
by Annie | Travel
How did people ever drive across the country without mobile technology? I mean, I love my husband and all, but 50 some-odd hours of talking and car games? That could very well lead straight to a trial separation. The three smartphones in our car have essentially turned my spot in the passenger seat into a mobile command center. I could probably orchestrate a small war without getting out of the car. Here are a few of the things I’ve been doing: – playing several simultaneous games of Scrabble, the best game on Earth – listening to audiobooks, which is the best way to read – taking pictures of state welcome signs, which can be stressful at 60mph – checking email every few minutes – checking facebook when not playing Scrabble or checking email – looking up random facts to settle disputes and general curiosity – mapping our progress and searching for exits with Chick-fil-A’s Overall, I’d say I’m overwhelmingly relieved that we have access to the world at our fingertips. I mean, if you think about it, these smartphones are more than smart. They offer marriage insurance and sanity maintenance. Never leave home without...
by Annie | Travel
West Virginia, wild and wonderful. Well, at least, it used to be wild and wonderful. Apparently now it’s just “Open for business.” Yes, it’s only day one of our cross country adventure, and we’re already starting geeky car games like trying to name all the state slogans. Here are a few of my favorites: Washington – SayWA! Oklahoma – Oklahoma is OK Maryland – Seize the day off North Dakota – Legendary Kansas – Kansas, as big as you think Slogan writing must be an entertaining job. Right up there with naming paint colors. Today has been a highly hectic, somewhat stressful, and seemingly endless day. After frantic last minute errands before breakfast, we started cramming our car full of our countless piles of junk. Meanwhile, the cleaning company and electrician slaved away simultaneously to make our house look somewhat liveable again. Several reshufflings and exasperated sighs later, the car was packed, the dog walked, and the house cleaned to a brilliant shine. I must say, it feels somewhat surreal to finally be on the road after months of preparation, anticipation, and occasional frustration. But now there’s just Joe, Sofie, me, a car full of stuff, and the open road ahead of us. Let the adventure begin!...
by Annie | Logoland
I love logos. But what I love more than logos are logos with hidden meanings. Those are the ones I look back on again and again, because they reveal an extra layer, one that makes me think about the organization the logo represents. Take a look at these famous logos. Do you see the hidden meanings? 1. FedEx Looks pretty straightforward, right? Look closely, between the E and the x. See the arrow created by the white space? Pretty clever, eh? 2. Toblerone Sure there’s a mountain, but do you see the hidden bear? 3. Goodwill At first glance, you might see half a smiley face. But look closely, and you’ll see that the smiley doubles as the letter ‘g.’ 4. Yoga Australia Typical yoga pose, though this one forms the shape of Australia. 5. Amazon We’ve all been to amazon.com, to buy everything from books to toilet paper. That’s because Amazon has it all, from A to Z, as shown by the arrow, which also doubles as a smile. So the next time you come across a logo, take a second look. Maybe you’ll find some hidden layers of meaning waiting to be...
by Annie | Illustration Station
Ever get bored of seeing the same old black-and-white stripes on the products you buy? Sure those random bars and numbers mean something to some warehouse worker somewhere, but let’s face it – barcodes can take up some valuable real estate on product packaging. So, instead of the typical rectangular barcode, why not spice it up a bit? Take a gander at these creative barcodes that will have you looking twice at that product you’re about to put back on the...
by Annie | Adchievements
We’ve all been there – large conference with thousands of people, exchanging business cards with anything that moves. Then, shortly thereafter, sorting through and tossing most of said business cards because you can’t remember who the person was, much less why you’d ever need to contact them. Chitchat was nice, but the business card is trash. Well, now imagine that as you sort through your new business card collection, you find one that makes you laugh out loud, one that that you can use as a tool, or one that communicates the card holder’s skills. Behold: creative business cards! I don’t know about you, but if I found one of these in my wallet, there’s a good chance I’d hang on to it and show it to other people. Talk about good...
by Annie | Adchievements
I might implode soon. The tune to the Big Red jingle has been stuck in my head for about 3 days now, ever since watching Verizon’s spoof on the classic Big Red gum commercials from the ’80s. The tune is insanely catchy, though it doesn’t make me want to chew Big Red gum or switch to Verizon, so I guess it’s not terribly effective on that front. However, I do hum it all day, from early morning dog walks to midday trips to the water cooler and evening cooking extravaganzas, so I suppose I do inadvertently spread the message to others. Sorry. Here are the lyrics for the Verizon spoof and the original Big Red song. Verizon lyrics: So browse the web much better Update Facebook pages better Get your boring job much better Better with Big Red The 3G coverage lets you do it You’ll watch YouTube on a horse When you use it Email friends and family better Download stupid stuff much better Get the most great 3G coverage With Big Red Original Big Red lyrics: So kiss a little longer Stay close a little longer Hold tight a little longer Longer with Big Red The Big Red freshness lasts right through it Your fresh breath goes on and on While you chew it Say goodbye a little longer Make it last a little longer Give your breath long-lasting freshness With Big...
by Annie | Adchievements, Logoland
Check out Target’s Easter ad. Simple, straightforward, and memorable. The subtle but distinct variation on Target’s logo represents the iconic egg used to symbolize rebirth on Easter, and the faint reflection adds dimension to the otherwise flat logo. Great design is in the details, and Target has definitely mastered the...
by Annie | Other
With blossoms peeking out all around DC, the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off this weekend, starting a two week celebration of the friendship between Japan and the U.S. and signifying the beginning of spring in the nation’s capital. In 1912, the first two cherry trees were planted by the First Lady Helen Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador. In 1915, the U.S. reciprocated by presenting Japan with a gift of flowering dogwood trees. In 1965, Japan presented 3,800 more trees, many of which still line the Tidal Basin today. Over 1 million people visit DC each year to see the cherry blossoms. If you’re not going to be here, take a look at what you’ll be missing: Ah, the fresh air, the sunshine, the breathtaking beauty. Of course, there will also be hordes of tourists everywhere, so I guess you shouldn’t sad about missing that part of...
by Annie | Other
Well, actually, the water bottles below are built to hold cold water (not haute), but you get the idea. I recently attended a meeting at a design firm and was given a bottle of water shaped like a flask. What a novel idea! I could drink the water, fill it back up with <ahem> other clear liquid, and reuse the “water” bottle. Here are some other fun water bottle designs you might run across: In case you’re wondering, the multi-colored bone-shaped bottles were designed for vitamin waters for kids. The bottles double as toys that connect to each other like K’Nex or Legos. Neat,...
by Annie | Illustration Station
No, this is not a shameless plug for my favorite fast food restaurant, though if it does make you crave Chipotle’s juicy marinated meat, fresh guacamole and salsa, and steamy tortillas, so be it. Conversation can be somewhat difficult for me when eating at Chipotle, since my mouth is constantly stuffed to its maximum capacity. Thus, most of my time is spent looking around, admiring the scenery, and preparing my next perfect bite. During a recent visit to Chipotle, as I was savoring a giant mouthful of goodness, I noticed the graphics on Chipotle’s napkins. What a great means of communication! These graphic instructions provide crucial eating tips while saving paper....
by Annie | Other
Residents and tourists of DC are no doubt familiar with the seemingly useless box/post fixtures on many street corners in the District. Back in the day (ca. 1860s), these wrought-iron fixtures served as emergency call boxes. They contained telephones with direct connections to the police station. Once a call was made, the globe on top of the pole would light up, indicating to arriving police officers where help was needed. A century and a half later, many of these fixtures, too heavy to be removed, have fallen into disrepair. Since the call boxes were replaced with the 911 system in the 1970s, the phones in the call boxes have been removed, and many of the poles vary from drab shades of gray to dull shades of tan. However, since 2002, the Arts on Call project has worked to beautify over 100 call boxes by repainting and embellishing them. Here are some that you might see while walking around DC: So the next time you see one of these things on the street corner, stop and take a moment to appreciate this valuable piece of DC...
by Annie | Typographically Speaking
Who doesn’t love a Hershey’s bar? The creamy milk chocolate is a must-have for any s’mores sandwich and makes a delightful anytime snack. Hershey’s bars were originally wrapped in white paper with scripty gold lettering. Through the years, dark paper was introduced due to an accusation of copyright infringement, and the iconic block lettering was added. Hershey bars were just 5 cents through the end of 1969. Then, they doubled to 10 cents, and the price has been climbing ever since. Notice on the earlier versions that the chocolate bar was dubbed a “nutritious confection” and a “nourishing food.” Those labels were dropped in the 1930s, and after the nutrition label was added in 1973, no one can claim that the bar is very nutritious. It is, however, undeniably...
by Annie | Logoland
Ah, Valentines Day. According to the Greeting Card Association, over 1 billion valentine cards are sent each year. That makes Valentines Day second only to Christmas in terms of largest card-sending holidays. But hearts aren’t just for Valentines Day. Check out some logos that successfully incorporate hearty sentiments...
by Annie | Other
I love sitting indoors and watching snow fall while drinking my oversize mug of hot cocoa just as much as the next person, but this year, my snow shovel has gotten more than its fair share of a workout, and the impossible snow/salt/ice stains on my black pants and boots seem to be sneering at me every chance they get. While kids and teachers are rejoicing during their many snow days, my version of “Let It Snow” has become more like this: Oh the weatherman’s so outspoken, And darn it, our fireplace is broken, We’ve got a ton of errands to run, Where’s the Sun? Where’s the Sun? Where’s the...
