The new face of Live Culture Co. is ready for  prime time: www.livecultureco.com

Chez Panisse Restaurant has a new web site, we are proud to announce. www.chezpanisse.com

We’ve used a cypher on the navigation that allows us to use hand-lettered type and keep the text searchable. The lettering took its cues from a film poster: Marcel Pagnol’s “Marius” (1931), part of the beloved “Fanny Trilogy,” a character from which the restaurant got it’s name.

For some of the early lettering tests, we worked with designer Cynthia Warren, who followed some very nice Deco-era examples. We also tried a few of our own, much less skilled versions of lettering, some 18th Century styles, and a “moderne” lettering. But in the end, felt these were too… stylized.

Although our final lettering wasn’t as pro as Cynthia’s, the process was fun, working both digitally and by hand to provide enough variation in character proportion to appear just a little bit off. Of course, letter spacing in the final navigation was also made deliberately random.

Just back from the printers, the second edition of TED Fellows Guide. Thanks to Generation Press for a great job.

Albertson Design was asked by TED Conferences to help them design and develop an online home for el Sistema USA, an exciting new classical music program for youth at risk. Working with a team at TED and the New England Conservatory, we created a unique brand identity, and complete web styling. The site should launch in early May.

Here’s a sneak peek.

Just back from letterpress, here are some fine calling cards for the Bar Agricole team. I love how the solid areas of color have imperfections, although that may sound strange.

www.motormouths.com

What does it do?
By collecting and organizing the most recent new car reviews, MotorMouths makes it easy to find and read (or watch) the most accurate reviews of new cars by professional car critics. Plus, it allows owners of those cars to rate the accuracy of the reviewer, based on their experience, providing new-car buyers with more reliable information. Just in time to save Detroit, right?

Slow Food Nation started last night with the signing of a food declaration and then a feast for 500 supporters prepared right in front of San Francisco’s city hall.

http://fooddeclaration.org/

The food declaration was drafted by our friends at Roots of Change, and we provided the visuals and web programming to make it happen

In just a few weeks, San Francisco will be host to Slow Food Nation, a first-of-its-kind-food event. We’ve proudly lent our creative talents to the overall branding and advertising, with street banners and national ad placements. Tickets on-sale now! www.slowfoodnation.org