Category Archives: culture

Rosary Designs

Posted on April 29, 2011 by AXM

Something I rarely see discussed in the design world is the role of new design in religion. How have Filipinos, quite often devout Catholics, adapted to the needs of modern life? Here are two examples: a stainless steel rosary to handle scooter riding through Manila streets, and a single-strand, single-decade design to be carried in [...]

Name for the Moment

Posted on April 29, 2011 by AXM

What’s your name? George, Larry, Beth, Sue? In China, English speakers often have three names. Their Chinese name, their Chinese nickname, their English name. I often have to learn all of them, so I can refer to the person properly depending on whether I’m speaking to an English speaker or Chinese speaker. In the West, [...]

Amenities for Travel

Posted on March 30, 2011 by AXM

Folding stools and rollaways sold outside Beijing’s central station (北京站).

Accessible

Posted on March 23, 2011 by AXM

Clothing designed for ready access–above, a hip-ready cutlery and aprons with cash.

Oriented

Posted on March 23, 2011 by AXM

On the plane to Manila, a screen graphic indicating the direction of Mecca and the number of kilometers.

Beijing in the Spring (Festival)

Posted on February 9, 2011 by AXM

It’s hard to explain the day-to-day experience of Chinese New Year in Beijing. It’s not at all like the Chinatown celebrations I’m used to back in New York. Or even the ones in Manila. It’s not quite like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Not like July Fourth, or the Western New Year. It’s a bit of all [...]

Cultural Convergence

Posted on January 18, 2011 by AXM

This picture isn’t Beijing, as you might guess, but you’ll see bike parks like this around the city. Come to think of it, you’ll see bikes and scooters parked like this in UCLA, UCSB, London, DC, any major city. We used to think of bike parks as distinctly European, or Chinese, but now these parks [...]

Chinese Breakfast (or, Welcome to the Globalized World)

Posted on January 13, 2011 by AXM

Thank you, Kanon Coffee in 798 Arts District.

Heaven, Earth, Wind, Rain

Posted on December 31, 2010 by AXM

Chalsea Chen sent me a lovely tweet for New Year’s that I wanted to share in English. Here’s my stab at a poetic translation: Friendships are heaven Friendships are earth Some friends can support both heaven and earth Friendships are wind Friendships are rain Some friends can call up the winds and the rains Riches [...]

TEDWomen, My talk at Mindshare LA, and Innovation

Posted on December 13, 2010 by AXM

This past Thursday and Friday, I helped Dr. M.A. Greenstein organize TEDxSunsetBlvdWestLA, a livestreaming of TEDWomen for folks in LA’s Brentwood Village. This was my first time viewing a TED event live, rather than clicking around different topics. What I found most striking about TED is the way the event mixed different speakers from very [...]