Hot off the presses, the new Paek’s Taekwondo beginner’s booklet arrived this week. This is an excellent item for the beginning martial artist including guidelines, stances and basic vocabulary.

I designed it 8.5 x 5.5 - small enough to fit in a duffle bag next to workout clothes without getting dog-eared. It’s printed on Lindenmyer, sterling ultra matte 70lb text which has a velvety feel and will hold up well with use.

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This past weekend, I took a visit to Doylestown, PA to see Fonthill Museum. Fonthill was actually a home built by Henry Chapman Mercer, during the height of the Arts and Crafts period. The entire interior is a showcase for the moravian tiles produced by Mercer and archeological artifacts from all around the world most of which he found. The building is created almost entirely of poured reinforced cement which at the turn of the 19th century was a new invention. The poured cement was meant to give the impression of sculpture, though having traveled west, brings to mind adobe dwellings.

I understand the -home turned museum- was built from the inside out, with nothing but a moquette to follow instead of blueprints. There are about 5 levels, approximately 10 mid-levels (falling between the 5 main levels), stairs that appear curiously and end where one knows not, windows in the ceiling and doors and crevices containing many a curiosity.

If you decide to visit, be sure to watch for the cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia which can be found set in a few pillar nooks, held in place by a rusty nail. Also be sure to look upwards to see ancient egyptian pottery fragments held up by chicken wire. Eclectic is the best way to describe it.

Alas, photos are not allowed to be taken inside, so you’ll just have to go visit yourself!

One may be able to see what I meant about adobe-like even seen from the outside. The entire building looks sculpted by hand.

This is a famed Moravian tile factory which also happens to still be in production. It is open to public tours.

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Beta Pilates, one the premier Pilates studios in the Philadelphia region, required a web presence that reflected the flexibility and exactness of the technique they teach.

The new design includes a flash header to give a short visual sample of a class experience. The majority of the photography was performed by the owner, Beth Clarke, who is also a well known photographer in the Philadelphia region.

Visit the new site and let me know what you think: www.betapilates.com

There is also a downloadable PDF of the class schedule available.

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Finally, here is the 2008 Paeks TaeKwonDo Calendar…

It was designed with natural colors and texture patterns consistent with the traditional technique taught at the school and the remodeling of the interior. Images were layered or emphasized to embody action and movement. Handwritten Korean was used instead of a stock font to allow flow, describing each technique on each page.

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Each new year requires new photography for the Paek’s TaeKwonDo calendar. These are a few of the dozens of photographs taken displaying Hapkido, Gumdo, kicking & breaking technique as well as Bo staff. Recently, the entire DoJang was remodeled with bamboo floors, dark stained wood molding, tiered seating for those observing classes and 2″ thick foam padding under both training area floors.

Images of the 2008 Calendar will be posted soon.

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This is one of two Holiday advertisements for Beta Pilates. “Wunda” refers to a piece of Pilates equipment called the Wunda Chair.

The Beta Pilates website will be launching soon.
Meanwhile the class schedule may be viewed at http://www.betapilates.com

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Recently, I’ve setup a media kit for Classical Pilates, Inc. It contains items for hosting studios to advertise when Classical Pilates performs guest lectures or continuing education courses with them at their studio.

If you are interested in hosting a continuing education course in the original pilates style, more information may be found at www.classicalpilates.net

Also, a little while ago I redesigned their business cards in full color including the 6 set DVD series of which they are well known for creating.

This is the back of the cards featuring the DVDs. If you are interested in learning more about the Classical Pilates DVDs, please visit www.classicalpilates.net

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So, I digress from my usual dialogue relating to design or technology to talk a bit about my whereabouts last night…

Last night I saw Brandi Carlile playing at the Electric Factory. I must say, she does put on a great show, but it wasn’t like any concert I’ve ever attended. Firstly, there were chairs put out - at the Electric Factory. I’ve seen dozens of shows there and I’ve never ever seen seating put out over the last 10 years. Second, I’ve been to orchestra performances and operas where there was more noise from the audience. Everyone was so quiet, I swear I could hear people 3 rows back breathing. I’ve never experienced anything like it… As usual, the acoustics and sound was atrocious as expected from an old warehouse, but I’ve found that ear plugs with a dampening ratio of 20-30 decibels do wonders cutting down the feedback and excess bass so you can actually hear what the performer is saying - or singing for that matter. I don’t know that they are needed as much the further back from the stage one is, but highly recommended when right up front.

Anyways, after the opening act, A Fine Frenzy, I took a look back at the audience …
Maybe I ought to turn my composition here towards marketing and branding, in particular the odd branding of Brandi Carlile. Is she Folk? Country? Who knows, but looking around I felt like I was back doing promotions for ebay at the Tweeter center during the Earth, Wind & Fire / Chicago concert. Yes, folks, now I know why my dad would blast her on my stereo when he’d borrow my car…
Apparently she appeals highly to the coveted baby boomer generation, that is except for the first four rows of all young college coeds (I guess they could run faster to get up front?). Cross generation music? Maybe … I’m curious to see what happens with her next album and how Columbia will try to position her target marketing. Meanwhile, I’m happy just listening.

Brandi randomly throws her guitar picks into the audience after songs. I thought that was pretty cool, especially that I got one. The back of the pick has her name and her most recent album “The Story” imprinted on it.

Yes, folks, I am one of those people who always has a camera and is always using it!

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Alas, they’ve discovered I have an EMP cannon…

Thanks for the link, Alan.

This an more comics can be found at http://xkcd.com/322/

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