Vending Machines Are The New Black

Everything seems to be coming in vending machines these days.  If you go to the airport, they have vending machines full of iPods, cameras, movies, Playstation Portables, and more.  Then there were the ingenious pizza vending machines and Espresso Book Machines.  The next hottest trend in vending machine style?  Shoes.

Every girl knows what it’s like to wear heels all day.  You wear them to work, you get a little break, then you strap them back on to go out in the evenings.  I’ve begged many guys for piggy-back rides by the end of the night, hardly able to walk on throbbing feet.  Sometimes I just take them off and risk the shards of glass and trash on the streets with bare feet because I know a shattered windshield would feel better on my feet than heels at that point.

Rollasole has developed a vending machine that is placed in clubs and distributes ballet flats to save your feet on the walk home.  They even made them stylish enough to wear at the club, if the dancing is getting to you before the night is over.  The shoes come in black, gold, and silver, so you can choose the one to best match your outfit, and they roll up to fit in your purse so you can bring them along the next time you go out.

Unfortunately the Rollasole is only available in the UK for now, but hopefully the trend will pick up stateside at some point.  The shoes go for about 5 pounds, which is about $8 US.  For that price you get the shoes, a carrying case for them, as well as a bag to toss your heels in until you need them again.

I know that at the end of a long night, $8 would seem like nothing to save my feet.  Yes, I guess we could all just buy some ballet flats at the store and toss them in our purse, but after wearing heels for years, how many times have I bothered to do this?  Never.  You don’t think of it until you’re crying with pain, and if there’s a vending machine there offering relief, I’m sure there will be a long line of women waiting to pay for it.

http://www.rollasole.com

Versace’s Refrigerated Beach

The fashion house Versace is opening a new beachfront hotel in Dubai called the Palazzo Versace.  This top-dollar hotel wants their guests to be comfortable at all times.  Everyone knows that sometimes the sand on beaches gets hot and can even burn your feet in high temperatures.  Most people would just strap on some sandals and go for it.

Not at Palazzo Versace.  Instead they are placing a network of pipes beneath their beach that contain a coolant which absorbs the heat from the sand, leaving it a cool, comfortable temperature.  The hotel will also be refrigerating their pool so the water stays refreshing, and they are discussing options to put in giant fans outside that will keep a constant breeze blowing through.

It’s so nice to see that when the world is suffering from a recession, there is still enough money to refrigerate beaches.  God forbid rich people have to wear a pair of their Jimmy Choos out onto the beach to keep their feet from burning.  I think a hotel is nice if they have HBO and a continental breakfast.

Making Swine Flu Sexy, One Mask At A Time

If you want to see the latest in Swine Flu fashion, click on over to the “Hot Guys in Flu Masks” site.  Even George Clooney knows that flu masks are all the rage this season.  Hot guys know that covering up their mouth gives them a seductive hint of mystery, as well as protection from bad stuff in the air — double sexy.  Plus when Swine Flu wipes out all the ugly guys who didn’t get the flu mask fashion memo, we’ll only be left with the hotties.  This is smart fashion.

Click here to check out the hotness: Hot Guys in Flu Masks

Unfortunately, Heidi and Spencer are also ahead of the fashion trends, so they too will be spared…

Prada’s Shape-shifting Building

Prada has funded the world’s first building capable of shifting into 4 different shapes.  The Prada Transformer building in Seoul, South Korea can be shaped into a hexagon, cross, rectangle and circle.  Cranes move the building into its various shapes by lifting and rotating the building.  When rotated, the floors, ceiling, and walls all move to different spots.  What was once on the top may be on the side or bottom.

Although it seems like it takes quite a bit of effort to shift the building into its various shapes, it’s a cool concept that I’m sure will be improved upon.  At some point we may get sick of living within square walls and decide to make shape-shifting homes.  You could live in a circle today and a star tomorrow.

The Transformer will be changed into different shapes depending on the needs of the events held within.  It is taking on the circle shape for now, in preparation for its first event — a Prada fashion show of course — on April 25th.  The designer was Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

Lindsay Lohan’s Fornarina Commercial

Flash.  Crash.  Smash.  Are those the sounds of Lindsay Lohan’s career or the new Fornarina campaign?  From the looks of this commercial, it’s both.  Constantly surrounded by controversy and scandal these days, it seems no one is willing to work with Lohan, and she has gone to Italy for help.  This commercial is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while.  Someone else may have been able to pull off this idea, but Lohan’s voice and attitude is completely fake and stale.  She’s not fooling anyone.  Watching her face in this commercial I feel like I can read her thoughts: “I’m only doing this for the money.  This is ridiculous.  Pink.  Bang.  Glam.”

Straight Line Designs’ Fun Furniture

Straight Line Designs makes the furniture “from your dreams.”  They custom design furniture – anything that you can dream up – and also come up with a few projects of their own.  The picture above is one of my favorite items, called “Bad Table.”  Although their furniture might not always be the most functional, they sure manage to keep it interesting.  Some pieces are more practical than others; the “Mermaid Bed” and “Train Bed” from their site would definitely be popular items for a lucky child’s room (check them out in the “furniture” section of the site).

Straight Line Designs has also designed entire areas for airports, shopping malls, hospitals, and universities.  They pride themselves on working very closely with their clients and making sure that every piece is “whimsical and unusual.”  Enjoy some of their other creations by clicking Read More below, and check out their site for some more: Straight Line Designs
Read more

MyHouse Hollywood

The newest hot spot in Hollywood opened recently.  It’s called MyHouse, and it’s a trendy bar set up exactly like a glamorous Hollywood home.  The designer, Dodd Mitchell, created the bar, and co-owner David Judaken said he wanted people to feel like they were at a house party every time they came into MyHouse.

Inside the bar, there are living rooms, an entryway that faces the staircase which leads up to the “bedroom,” and there is actually a regular kitchen, with an island set up in the middle to serve as a bar.

If you want to fully experience MyHouse, you will be paying $250-$1000 to reserve a “couch” or “bed” for your friends.  Us common folk will be more likely to be found mingling outside on the patio area or standing up between couches.

MyHouse is quickly becoming the new Hollywood hot spot.  Click here to check out more pictures of the bar: MyHouse

DaVinci Collection by…Charlie Sheen?

Charlie Sheen announced this week that he is launching a clothing line.  That’s right, Charlie Sheen is apparently into fashion.  The t-shirts will be inspired by his character on “Two and a Half Men”: ugly striped bowling shirts!  Don’t worry, I don’t think they’ll sell out before you get your hands on one.  The line is being released by the DaVinci brand of California, which is known for its 50s, 60s, and 70s style designs.

Sheen was in Vegas on Tuesday to announce the launch, and he said, “I love the look and feel of the DaVinci pieces.  The retro designs exude a sense of cool, smooth, yet effortless style. “  Well at least he got the effortless part right.

Click here to check out his new line on the DaVinci site: Charlie Sheen for DaVinci