Marketplace: 2013 Agendas by Julie Joliat

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Each year around this time my sister Corie and I become semi-competitive. Why? Well, because we’re each on the hunt for the most perfect agenda for the upcoming year. Last year Corie found Sarah Pinto‘s colourful agendas on a trip to San Francisco. One year she bought me a most beautiful agenda with a cut-out cover from Japan. A few years ago she settled on a fun Lilly Pulitzer while I opted for a plain Letts of London.

This year, I know I have won the agenda search competition!

You see – a couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon the work of Zurich-based graphic designer Julie Joliat. O.M.G. I could barely contain my excitement when I saw what was on the computer screen in front of me. White. Graphic. Swiss (you know how attached I am to Switzerland!). The most-perfect-for-me 2013 agenda! Corie was on vacation at the time so I couldn’t call her to brag so I had to keep calm (I mean, people might think I’m really nuts if I went on and on about my discovery, right?). I went ahead and placed an order for both of Julie’s designs because, well, I just had to!

 

above photos by Julie Joliat

I have rarely seen so many extra useful pages of information in an agenda book which makes me additionally happy with these ones. Weekly and monthly calendars are followed by several useful pages which details things like laundry symbols, clothing size conversion, vintage French red wine chart, and cooking ideas (possibly my favourite guide).

above photos by Jordana

So, if you’re anything like Corie or me and you are in need of a 2013 agenda, then let me please strongly encourage you to get one of these designs. And place your order asap as both are limited editions (300 copies).

Food: Beautiful Swiss Sweets

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One of the things that I love most about my blog is that I have a space to celebrate the talents of amazing people I know. Years ago I worked with Odise in Switzerland but it was only recently that I learned about her amazing talent for cookie and cake design. I love Odise’s work because of her simple design aesthetic and the obvious care she takes in creating her sweets.

cookies, cakes and photos by Odise Mattle

Odise is based in Switzerland so of course it’s a bit of a challenge for me to get a hold of her LoveCake creations. For now, the photos will have to do!

Thanks Odise for sending these photos my way. I’ve been excited to share your work ever since I saw the first photo!

The Friday Five: Memories of Switzerland

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Every fall I host a reunion with the people I worked with over various summers in Switzerland. The reunion is happening this weekend and I’m so excited to see all of my friends. In honour of the reunion, for today’s Friday Five I’m sharing some of my memories of Switzerland.

Bern, the capital, is a special place for a variety of reasons. The archways, for example, which fill the city’s historic treats are especially interesting to walk under. But Bern is not the only place you’ll find beautifully curved structures. Up on the mountain in Zermatt, there is a small church with an arched doorway. It’s such a pretty place to see.

archways, Zermatt and Bern

While eating out can be expensive in Switzerland, when you get to custom design your food (well, burgers & pizza), then it ends up being a really entertaining experience.

checklists of food (L: my burger toppings of choice, R: my friend’s pizza order – everything except capers, sardines & olives)

The trains in Switzerland run on time, they’re clean, and they get you to pretty much wherever you need to go. The system is like no other I’ve ever experienced. Tickets aren’t cheap but there are various passes available which lower the cost per trip.

The SBB

I’m pretty much a city girl but I absolutely love going for hikes in the mountains in Switzerland. At the beginning of my very first summer in Switzerland I was so clueless about following paths and knowing which direction to go. There was no need for me to worry as hiking trails in the mountains are very clearly marked. As long as you know what the markers mean you should be fine.

a wanderwag (walking path) marker; hay bails

(I know – you were probably expecting me to include a photo of mountains, but for this city girl, a stack of wrapped-in-white hay bails really interests me.)

Finally, the goats! As if I haven’t spent enough time talking about goats on this blog, right? But they’re white and they’re Swiss so what’s not to love?

Saanen goats

Have any of you been to Switzerland? Care to share a memory or two?

Photos by Jordana.

The Friday Five: The Swissmiss Blog

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Swissmiss is a blog that started in 2005 by the multi-talented “Swiss designer gone NYC” Tina Roth Eisenberg. If you haven’t already visited Swissmiss, then please let me introduce it to you by highlighting five fabulous white posts featured on this wonderful design blog this year.

One: The Moshi Moshi – an ergonomic Bluetooth handset by Frendh designer David Turpin.

The Moshi Moshi bluetooth handset, $135

Two: The Workshop office space, Brooklyn.

The Workshop office space, Brooklyn, New York

Three: The 2011 Calendar Scarf.

The 2011 Calendar Scarf, 55 Euros

Four: Made A Mano letter tiles.

Letter tiles by Made A Mano

Five: Sewing Kit wall sticker.

Sewing kit wall sticker, $57.50

Over the past decade I have spent a lot of time in Switzerland and feel quite attached to it. Swissmiss always manages to put a smile on my face when she makes references to the Swiss way of life (i.e., language, data, food). Anyone who has worked or travelled in Switzerland will understand what I mean.

On a final note, many White Cabana readers may also be interested to learn about TeuxDeux, a simple browser-based “to do” app, created by Swissmiss and Fictive Kin.

Images courtesy of Swissmiss.

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