Over the summer, we first caught a glance at Twelve South’s BookArc.  Here is the latest product by Twelve South that gave us a double take, the BookBook laptop sleeve.  Made to resemble a leather bound book, it gives a lot of MacBook Pro sleeves a run for their money with three layers of security.  Well actually two as it disguises your MacBook Pro and its hardback material further protects your investment.  BookBook is available now for 79.99 and comes in either black or vibrant red.  As a general announcement to MacBook users, this product is not recommended for the white MacBook due to discoloration.

Image Source: Twelve South

Appearing in the latest issue of GQ Magazine is Super Model Claudia Schiffer, 39, and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 29. Very hot, how Joseph Gordon-Levitt contained himself, who knows, lawd knows I’ve would’ve been all animalistic and shit as I had the hugest crush on Claudia Schiffer. Her Guess ads up in my junior high locker allllll day. Photographer controlling the shoot, Ellen von Unwerth. Great work by all three.

With a lot of dedication involving 420,000 matchsticks and nearly 3 years in the making, here is the matchstick replica of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Minas Tirith.  Patrick Acton of Matchstick Marvels started this project back in April 2007 and recently finished.  Consisting of matchsticks and small wooden blocks, Acton was able to capture all the fine details of Minas Tirith’s seven level city.  Acton’s rendition of Minas Tirith can be seen at the Matchstick Marvels Tourist Center in Iowa during regular museum hours until 2011.

Image Source: The Awesomer via Matchstick Marvels

I’ll admit, when Bloated Penguin sent me this I thought to myself…”oh god not another student type project”. But after actually sitting down and taking some time to go through the issues of TRAVIS Magazine, I can say that I am thoroughly impressed.

TRAVIS Magazine is a monthly-run publication created and produced by Sheridan College’s Student Union. Their mandate really is to keep fellow students informed, entertained and a heavy emphasis on giving all students on campus a voice.

But honestly what really caught my eye is all the beautiful photography and artwork that’s within the magazine. Made me take a double take when I saw that it was a student magazine. It’s incredibly well put together and on top of that it’s been recognized and won awards. Other universities should take notice.

If you’re in the unfortunate position of not being located near the campus then fret not as you can read it online here. But damn I wish I could get hard copies mailed out.

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2010 cover model has been revealed and that honor goes to Brooklyn Decker. Her name sound vaguely familiar? Could be because she’s married to tennis player Andy Roddick. She was revealed as the cover model on the Late Night Show with David Letterman. Check the gallery below as well as the video.

Okay yesterday we posted the Lara Stone photos, well now I’ve found the rest of the photos for all the models that participated in the super 8 cover shoot done by Mert & Marcus for Love Magazine. Warning, these photos are extremely not safe for work. They appear in this order: Amber Valletta, Jeneil Williams, Kate Moss, Kristen McMenamy, Naomi Campbell and Natalia Vodianova. If you want to check the Lara Stone photos, click here.

Last week we did a post on photographers Mert & Marcus doing an epic shoot for Love Magazine, where they were releasing 8 different covers with super models posing nude, but censored. Refresh your memory here. Leaked are the Lara Stone photos and umm…well they’re soooo not safe for work. I love Mert & Marcus’s style and the composition and positioning of the model. The one where it shows her freakishly long legs is gotta be my favorites, photoshop or camera lens trick, looks more of a lens trick to me with a bit of PS most likely.

Designers are always looking for a way to maximize space and display their work in the best possible.  Take for example Marianne van Ooij’s line of ‘Slim Book Cases’.  Utilizing clear acrylic, her book cases instantly transform your top 4 or top 10 books into works of art as well as storage for them.  With the current layouts for the Slim Book Case and Demi Slim Book Case, I don’t see why magazines wouldn’t work either.  With that in mind, this is a product great for the home or the waiting area of an office.  Yanko Design is currently carrying Studiooij’s ‘Slim Book cases’.  Get them here.

Image Source: Yanko Design

Love magazine issue #3 appears to be a big one. Gracing the cover for the magazine in this issue are 8, yes 8, super models, 8 spectacular slightly different covers and enlisting the brilliance of black & white photographers Mert & Marcus. Appearing on the covers are Kate Moss, Jeneil Williams, Lara Stone, Naomi Campbell, Amber Valletta, Natalia Vodianova, Kristen McMenamy and Daria Werbowy. Can you say WOW! check the gallery below for the rest of the covers, then do yourself a favor and head on over to www.thelovemagazine.co.uk and download your favorite cover in high res.

Model Magdalena Frackowiak appears in Vogue Russia and the shoot looks amazing. Shot by photographer Tom Munro, I was actually recently looking for images that had that ’60s – ’70s lighting / filter where the photos looked a little bit faded. I love it, the whole overall feel of it and she looks stunning in the shoot. Note, that there is nudity in the gallery below.

Images: The Fashion Spot

Natalie Portman gets photographed by photographer David Slijper for the February 2010 Elle UK issue. In addition to the editorial she also is featured on the cover of the issue which hit newsstands this past Wednesday, January 6th.

“You look at Meryl Streep, who is so phenomenally, freakishly gorgeous, and in some ways it’s just bizarre that she was never a sex symbol. But it was always about her – and now it doesn’t matter that she’s getting older, because we just want to continue watching her be an interesting person. Whereas you see actresses who marketed themselves on their bodies, and they might be good, but over time they just lose it because that sort of thing doesn’t last.” – Natalie Portman

Link: Elle UK

This year V Magazine starts off with a big bang (no pun intended!). It only makes sense that the leading fashion magazine walks into the new decade with a more healthy, open and accepting perspective on all body shapes and sizes. Perhaps the runway did not successfully take on the body mass index system as a way to set weight standards for models but magazines promoting a variety of body images is surely a step in the right direction.

V Magazine even goes on to show that, truly, “One Size Fits All” with their side-by-side comparison editorial by raunchy-ass photographer Terry Richardson. The looks are styled with a creative mix of: Versace, D&G, Georgio Armani, Proenza Schouler, accessories by Alexis Bittar and socks by We Love Colors just to name a few. The models display that anyone and everyone can rock out what seems like fun vibrant colors and patterns punched together for the latest looks this spring season. “If it’s bright enough, tight enough, or eye-poppingly printed enough, odds are it’ll work on any figure”.

Oh, but the spring 2010 issue does not stop there. Fashion photographer Solve Sundsbo also features more beautiful plus-size models in the unretouched editorial “Curves Ahead”. Feeling confident and comfortable in their skin, these models strip off a few layers and, as a result, are all looking smokin’ hot. Not “voluptuous”, “curvy” or “juicy”. Just simply hot! Why should the models have all the fun? I like fans blowing wind into my hair too.

The iconic V Magazine issue hits all newsstands everywhere January 14th 2010.

Photos: Models.com | V Magazine

Hot dang, here’s a hot ass photoshoot that Lindsay Lohan recently did for Muse magazine. The shoot was done by photographer Yu Tsai and as the photo above shows, there’s some mad suggestive material going on, along with some nudity. There’s also an accompanying video as well, that plays more like a short film.

The shoot was inspired by Johnny Depp and Kate Moss, from when they dated in the early ’90s. The male model is Petey Wright. Yu Tsai told Page Six, “I was always fascinated by Johnny Depp and Kate Moss, and when I asked Lindsay to do a shoot, she jumped at the chance. It was all about her being sexy, channeling Kate from the ’90s.”

Magazine set to hit stands this week.

Rihanna graces the covers of the latest issue of GQ as well as doing an interview with the magazine where she talks about the whole Chris Brown incident and how she coped through the whole situation. Asides from the cover shoot, there’s a full pictorial that was shot by photographer Michael Thompson. I thought I read somewhere that LA Reid thought this shoot was too risque and at one point even told Rihanna to “put on some damn clothes”.

Source: GQ

She captured our hearts as Uhura in Star Trek. Now Zoe Saldana is set to play a nine foot alien in the upcoming James Cameron flick Avatar, to promote the upcoming film she’s gracing the cover of the December / January issue of Complex magazine. Accompanying the photo shoot is an interview where she talks about her role in Avatar, Star Trek and her experience in Hollywood. Under the gallery is a video clip of Gavin Bond (photographer) talking about the inspiration and direction of the shoot that was done.

When I think of David Chang I think of someone who makes shit happen. If you’ve never heard of him I want you to stop reading this and Google him. For lack of better words he is an inspiration. A guy who made a chaotic dream come true. He has four different restaurants within a one-mile radius in the East Village in New York and that takes balls. 

I experienced Momofuku Noodle Bar and Milk Bar a couple weeks ago and I’ve heard some people say it’s overrated but I wish I could slap them and say, “cleanse your fucking palette and let your taste buds savor what real flavor is.”

Recently, David Chang decided to tell his story and came out with an official Momofuku book co-written by well-known writer Peter Meehan, who writes regularly for The New York Times and Life Magazine. From page one you’re instantly hooked into this world of anything’s possible. Chang takes you on a journey of his undying love for ramen noodles. It’s almost as if you’re watching an anime film come to life. From cooking school, to traveling back and forth to Japan, to working at Tom Colicchio’s Craft restaurant in New York, to working under Akio Hosoda making soba noodles, to finally giving in to his true calling, and taking a risk. In between his lively story he gives us a chance to be chef and explains each recipe with diligence and respect to his food.

I have to say, David Chang is one of my heroes. Do yourself a favor and go buy his book or take a day trip to his restaurants in the East Village.  Rediscover what it feels like to be a kid again.

I <3 me some Mila Kunis. This month she graces the cover of BlackBook. In addition to the cover, BlackBook interviews Mila on various topics including her role on the Darren Aronofsky film Black Swan, which also stars Natalie Portman and Winona Ryder. Of course one of the questions is about her rumored sex scene with Natalie Portman in Black Swan in which she had this to say:

“It’s two girls making out, and guys have a thing for that. And Nat is like every guy’s dream. She’s a nerd’s idea of heaven. The whole thing is silly, but I can see why people care.”

She forgets, she’s also every guys’ dream. Those two making out is like…well I’m gonna refrain from getting graphic, but you get the idea. Check the photos below then head on over to www.blackbookmag.com for the interview.

First off I have to admit, I must be the only one that didn’t get to attend the Glow in the Dark tour, with that said, Kanye West has released a photo book of the epic tour that he did in 2008. From the preview images below the photos look AMAZING. The book comes with an interview with tour collaborator Spike Jonze, 400 photographs, a CD with unreleased music and an interview with Ye. The book will run you $50 retail but on Amazon.com you can cop the Trade Edition for $29.99.

Photo: Kanye West

We’ve seen Lego hip hop albums among other things Lego.  And while pop-up books may amaze all ages, there is nothing like the one in the Youtube clip above.  Watch the video and see  how this next level pop-up book reveals an intricate diorama including Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion.  All built in Lego pieces of course.  I’m really curious as to how many hours was spent planning and executing this brilliant piece of art.

Source: Topless Robot via talpaz

Here we have two fine ladies of BSG, for those that do not speak geek, that’s Battlestar Galactica. Both coincidentally are Canadian, yeah Canada, Grace Park and Tricia Helfer are on the cover the November issue of Maxim, below is the some of the images from the shoot as well as a  behind-the-scenes video, in which I kept looking for nipples. I once saw Grace Park on the streets of Vancouver in a barely there piece and the buttons on my pants nearly popped off. Just sayin’.