thus, beautiful

heart of glass

2010-02-13T10:52:00.002Z

It has been quite here. There's a good reason, I assure you. Everything is a bit chaotic on this side but look at this ventricle vessel and tell me if it was not worthy to break the silence. Simply stunning. I don't need to explicitly say I want one do I?

Found it via Neatorama. It was designed by Eva Milinkovic and I have no idea how to get one.

no such thing as too much chocolate

2009-12-11T08:42:00.002Z

We all learn that at some point. Well, not all, some strange phenomenon happens once in a while and a person that does not like chocolate emerges. Thanks to Josh Spear, Trendspotting, I was introduced to this great idea: design you can eat. Mary & Matt are designers from New York and created Chocolate Editions.

I would like to taste this dark chocolate, 72%, to see if it tastes as good as it looks.

unidirectionality of time

2009-11-12T00:13:00.000Z

It's been quiet around here because, truth be told, galaxies have had my full attention. But today, after stumbling on yet another gorgeous item of the internet, I had to share probably the most strange clock I ever saw.

It comes to prove that simplicity is awesome. This is called the Catena Wall Clock and it costs, well, a lot.

good looking numbers

2009-10-22T23:48:00.000+01:00

Probably one of the most boring things around a city are the door numbers. They are all the same, usually all ugly and most of the times you can't even read them properly. So, why not invest in a little "urban design" and re-invent house numbers?

I love these numbers from Medium. I have no idea how much they cost, but I would definitely love to see them hanging around my entrance door.

where would you wish to wake up tomorrow?

2009-10-19T23:20:00.003+01:00

The question is much, but much more complicated than it sounds at first glance. This video, kindly sent to me by R., gives us a glimpse of that wonderful product of nature: people. I love people, their qualities and their flaws, dreams and backgrounds.

For 8 minutes and 23 seconds you can access a very tiny bit of what is the human nature.

And you? Where would you wish to wake up tomorrow?

food for the soul

2009-10-14T23:50:00.001+01:00

Do you know that ritual, usually very popular on American tv shows, of eating an entire pint of Haagen Dazs' strawberry cheesecake after a breakup? Sometimes we need comfort food even though nothing particularly bad happened. Chocolate cake, I believe, can do wonders on that department.

I love to cook, but desserts are not my thing. I'm still looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe and this one, from Sugarlaws, is next! Yami.

sport billy puma version

2009-10-02T23:15:00.000+01:00

I love big bags. Not only because I have to (the MacBook has to fit somewhere!) but also because I really need lots of space for all the crap I'm always carrying around. Sometimes I'm asked why do I need all that stuff and to explain it, would take a while. Truth is you never know when you're gonna need that campaign flyer from last sunday's election.

Anyway, recently I was awarded with a huge, beautiful, big bag that I gently call my "sport billy" (if you don't know what I'm talking about, here). It's a black bowling bag from Le Coq Sportif.

It's spacious and very, very nice! But a couple of days ago I laid my eyes on this Puma Heritage Grip Bag and, well, it is just gorgeous.

If anyone could be so kind as to translate this page (in deutsch) and let me know if they're giving them away for free, I would appreciate! Thank you!

perfect match

2009-10-01T00:47:00.004+01:00

I love books. I love them so much that I can't read one at a time. I always read 3 or 4 (or more) at the same time and, before you ask, yes, sometimes it happens that I just mix the stories a little bit. Nothing a little reading of a few past lines won't solve. I don't know why I do it but I've been reading like this for a long time and it became normal, I would say it's my process, my method.

As much as I love books I love libraries. They don't have to be fancy, I'm there for the books anyway, but when I have the privilege of living in the same city as the 3rd most beautiful library in the world, according to The Guardian, it can really take the love for books to a new level. Today's beautiful thing is the Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen, in Maastricht, Netherlands. I can't even pronounce the name, but the amazing thing about this library (as you can read in the article) is that it's located inside a church!

I really want to visit it someday because it really seems a pretty perfect match.

red and green go hand in hand

2009-09-22T00:05:00.003+01:00

Usually when we hear something is going green we often relate that to eco friendly behaviour. If you go green you're protecting nature and, after all, yourself.

Going red is another business. (RED), in case you haven't heard of it, is a "business model created to raise awareness and money [...] to invest in African AIDS programs". That means if you buy (RED) you are directly contributing to help solve the problem of AIDS in Africa. Because, right or wrong, no good cause escapes a very good dose of scepticism, some believe the impact is not as strong as it should be or all that money raising scheme is not as transparent as it should be.

I honestly think that should be praised for such an initiative. The money is not going all to Africa? At least some is and some is better than none and people hear about the very serious problem of AIDS in Africa. The impact is not that strong? At least there is something being done to measure an impact in the first place. If everybody would sit on their hands, that would be terribly worse.

So, as far as I'm concerned, I think the concept (and products!) behind (RED) is something we should applaud. My personal favourite was the iPod shuffle (RED) but they are not longer available so my second favourite (hey Santa, 'you readin'?) is the iPod nano (RED).

Interesting enough is that out of all possible RGB combinations that can make a red color, the color for the (RED) campaign is just stunning.

meaningful photography

2009-09-17T00:02:00.001+01:00

I know I will be insulting someone if I say that photography is more profound than painting, but in my humble point of view there are certain dimensions to a photograph that cannot be reproduced in a painting.

The first one being how does it communicate with you and as far as my experience goes, photographs are for the people whereas paintings are by the people. There is a certain selflessness in photography where in paintings there is selfishness.

I love photography, I've already given a few examples here. This next photograph is by Carolina Ödman. I just found about her photography recently but I've become a huge fan immediately. This is one of my favourites.

You can see her other amazing photos at Just a Big Picture.

the floor, that great surface

2009-09-16T00:41:00.002+01:00

The sheer amount of cool and brilliant ideas that floats around on the internet is just overwhelming. The lastest isn't-it-so-nice item I stumbled upon, on Toxel, is this very simple yet cool rug from Amazed.

I want it, of course.

books deserve it

2009-09-10T23:58:00.000+01:00

Continuing the thought of turning this blog into a wish list, here is something I would definitely do if someday I am given a duplex. It's not only a great idea, it is actually great design also.

I saw this idea for a staircase a long time ago and I still think it's a brilliant concept.

More about it on Apartment Therapy.

herbs made easy

2009-09-01T22:12:00.002+01:00

It is a little awkward to be writing about plants again when I did exactly that just two posts ago. But what can I do if this is another great idea and an even better piece of design?

I am seriously thinking about making this blog my official wish list, cars included. I absolutely love this new concept of indoor gardening. Just imagining the Sky Planter with fresh herbs right there on my future kitchen, makes me want to buy a house right this moment.

This Sky Planter is available through the Design Museum Shop. I want one. Badly.

little treat

2009-08-31T22:49:00.004+01:00

It's more or less a known fact that I love coffee. I even may be what some call a purist: I don't ruin my coffee with sugar, milk, honey or any other strange substance. I don't like to eat anything afterwards also, no chocolates or sweets of any kind and that's why I wouldn't be a good client to Starbucks since they seem to know nothing about coffee.

But I couldn't resist this little treat that I stumbled upon a couple of days ago on the internet. Even though the suggestion is to serve with coffee, I would rather do these little sweet things and appreciate them separately.

I love the fact you can do it yourself. Simplicity is definitely a beautiful thing and Vanille has set a perfect example in her blog At Down Under.

plants made easy

2009-08-25T00:19:00.000+01:00

I like plants and flowers but I confess I would more often than not forget to take care of them. Specially outside plants which require attention at least one time per day. I would probably look at them, appreciate them and completely forget I had to water them.

Now this little planter is absolutely stunning. I noticed it via OhJoy! and couldn't help but wonder how could I (eventually) get one to my future home.

They are from Design Night and are available here.

back to work nurturing the geek

2009-08-12T13:07:00.000+01:00

After a few days stop, Thus Beautiful is back with well, beautiful things. To get back to work, and to nurture the geek in me, nothing better than this Lorem Ipsum bracelet that I'm hoping Santa Claus will bring by the end of the year.

In case you have no idea what Lorem Ipsum is, here's a nice quick summary.

The cuff is available from Veer and Santa, if you read this blog, please come back later!

the perfect summer drink

2009-08-03T00:55:00.001+01:00

I'm not into alcohol that much, I actually don't like beer and I'm learning to appreciate wine. However there are a couple of drinks I love and usually what they have in common is they are all kind of sweet - Port Wine, Baileys, Sangria, and so on. A summer favourite is the Brazilian Caipirinha.

When I went to Brazil the hotel's bartender, a really nice guy, taught me how to make a true Caipirinha. I'll be considering doing it sometime soon.

lego moon landing

2009-07-20T23:54:00.001+01:00

The recreation of movie scenes with Lego has been around for a while and there are some amazing pictures out there. But because today marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission - when humans first walked on the Moon in case you haven't noticed! - I think this work from Mike Stimpson is very, very appropriate!

Really cool. Love it.

organic metal

2009-07-17T22:42:00.002+01:00

Ok, here is something you won't read from me often: cars. Not that I don't like them, but not only I can't speak properly about cars without insulting a Top Gear fan, but I also don't think cars are particularly beautiful. I must admit, however, that is about to change.

I just came across the BMW's concept car GINA and it is oh so beautiful. I don't know if the car is functional but design-wise, it's superb. My absolutely favourite part are the headlights. Those little blue points? They shut just like human eyes.

More information here. Check out the videos, you can see the car changing shape. Seriously.

this is what I call grand design

2009-07-14T23:38:00.000+01:00

It is not the first time we hear about luxury car manufacturers teaming up with other luxury labels from different areas. Usually the result is absolutely stunning, like this grand piano design by Audi in partnership with the piano manufacturer Bosendorfer.

If you want to order one for me you can visit the Bösendorfer site, here.

the pastel de nata

2009-07-12T23:23:00.002+01:00

Nothing compares to a typical, portuguese, sweet and a little burnt on top pastel de nata or, as they are usually called, portuguese custard tarts. I haven't tried this particular recipe myself, but I've been a fan of the photos Nicky has on my favorite food site, Delicious Days.

You can get the recipe here. If you need someone to try it, please don't hesitate.

simple and powerful gestures

2009-07-05T23:44:00.002+01:00

It is a known fact that Barack Obama has absolutely nothing in common with his predecessor. That is visible in so many ways, but I find this photo - thanks to Blurb who reminded me a new set of beautiful pictures from Boston's The Big Picture was out - an amazing synopsis on how Barack Obama has influenced the world around him.

In case you're wondering, the little guy is trying to figure out if the President's hair feels like his own hair! You can see the splendid photographs from the Big Picture dedicated to Obama, here. Another fave of mine is photo #34.

the city that named the wine, Porto

2009-07-02T23:05:00.008+01:00

I couldn't create a blog on beautiful things and not mention the most beautiful city in the world - mine. Porto is Portugal's second city and is often named the capital of the North, even though no one actually knows what that really means.

It's truly a wonderful city.

From top to bottom, here's my perspective on Luiz I bridge, the tram crossroads and the staris at the 3rd most beautiful bookshop in the world, the Lello bookshop.

oh oui

2009-06-30T01:04:00.002+01:00

I still have to meet someone who doesn't like Paris. I was lucky enough to spend a few wonderful days there and I would say Paris, itself, is a very beautiful thing. I'll probably be posting a few Parisian items, but right now I'll let you with Ladurée's Macaroons.

Not only they look gorgeous but they taste so, so good. I would give you one right now, I would!

black and white glamour

2009-06-26T00:47:00.002+01:00

A couple of days ago I had a nice surprise when zapping through lots of channels stopping at none. I stumbled upon a black and white movie, usually not the kind that I hook on, and I absolutely loved it. It's not a surprise that the poster is a vintage pearl.

If you haven't seen it, please do.

start spreading the news

2009-06-24T20:28:00.001+01:00

It is known around close friends and family, that a dream destination of mine is New York, the city that doesn't sleep. I imagine the buildings, the people, the smells, the cabs, the hot dogs, the suited up businessman, the jazz, the MoMA, and I could go on for hours.

I'm fairly confident that, apart from the city I have under my skin, I would be at peace in New York because it would just... fit.

Meanwhile I follow a couple of New York photographers, Parris Whittingham is one of them and I've mentioned him before, trying to get in a New York state of mind miles away from it.

So far, this image bellow from Dooce is on my top of the tops.

the magnificient brain

2009-06-20T23:10:00.004+01:00

In a nutshell, The Brain is a place to work out ideas. It is an architectural little diamond and I would like Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects to build me one. My favourite detail is the fireman pole, in the right side close to the books.

Check out The Brain and tell me if that's not just, well, perfect.

lots and lots of colour

2009-06-18T22:39:00.004+01:00

I didn't even know such colourful creatures existed in nature. Apparently, they are called Nudibranches and they have absolutely out-of-this-world amazing colours. At ColourLovers they summarized the wonderful color pallets of these little animals.

Here are lots of other Nudibranches and their gorgeous pallets.

manipulation, the good kind

2009-06-15T00:03:00.000+01:00

Some time ago, I was introduced to a really, really original and different work by Tebe Interesno through toxel.com. You can see all the work, based on photo manipulation, here, but Toxel did a great nice summary of it.

Personally, I love both the rain and the simplicity of this one.

when good meets better

2009-06-10T23:09:00.004+01:00

A couple of months ago, I found about the beautiful work of designer Archan Nair and photographer Parris Whittingham and this particular piece just stuck with me. I can't begin to explain how I fell deeply in love with it. Archan Nair is a very nice person, great designer and, fingers crossed, I will (hopefully soon enough!) own a copy of this stunning work of art.

The work of Parris Whittingham can be seen here. Completely worth a visit, you will be amazed.

beauty you can touch

2009-06-07T21:43:00.003+01:00

I'm addicted to nice printed things, from the way the paper feels when you touch it to the beauty of having a printed pattern or text in a piece of lovely, clean and immaculate white paper.

Dolce Press has exquisite eye-candy products, their letterpress print work is absolutetly gorgeous. I love the colors on these A2 personalized cards.

the most beautiful things are simple

2009-06-04T23:01:00.002+01:00

Improv Everywhere is, simply put, exactly what the world needed. The High Five Escalator is a mission they carried out at 8:30am in a very busy New York subway station. The smiles are priceless.

So, so beautiful.

Ascii art

2009-06-02T16:21:00.003+01:00

I definitely want this (very geek) curtains to my future home. By Nienke Sybrandy, Amsterdam.

When it comes to ice

2009-05-29T15:37:00.002+01:00

This is not only original but also beautifully dark. It will surely make you laugh and, as a bonus, you can play God and sink the unsinkable ship.

The Gin and Titonic Ice Tray can be found at Neatorama's shop.

Equally laughable, and still on subject, is this ice cube. Isn't it the cutest?

Beautiful things

2009-05-27T16:53:00.000+01:00

After a while pondering if I should get myself into trouble by creating yet another blog, I decided it was time for my 3rd. This one will be about beautiful things, in any aspect or level those may be.

Enjoy!

my, myself and I

2008-05-27T23:55:00.000+01:00

Apart from my Day Job, I also have a couple of other interests. In fact it's not like they are a couple because they are quite a few.

My first blog is Café Moído, that would translate into something like Grinded Coffee. Yes, I do love coffee, almost as much as I love people. Usually I'm told that I'm not very fond of animals (maybe because I don't scratch their bellies and go "sooooooo cuuuuuuute" everytime I see one) and I do talk *a lot*.

I like Miles Davis and Muse, among many others. And I sing to, I'm a soprano. My favourite opera aria of all time is Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix, from Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila.

I own a beautiful MacBook, named Niobe, and I read TIME magazine religiously every week.

I have a list of things I would like to do one day. In my head.

That's pretty much it.

Day Job

2008-05-27T23:50:00.000+01:00

Well, I do like to blog. A lot. But everyone has to have a day job and I'm no different (even if it's a bit of a stretch to call what I do a day job since I'm not getting any money out of it but that's an all different story).

I'm an astronomer, or astronomer wannabe if you prefer, and I'm currently in the final stages of writing my PhD thesis on Galaxy Assembly through Dry Mergers. Sounds fancy? Well, it is. But is also one of the most beautiful things of my life - galaxy encounters, gracious or violent, transforming them forever.

Bellow you can see the Antennae Galaxies, a courteous galaxy encounter, resulting in lots of stars being born.

And by the way, this would be a nice wet merger.

contacting me through many ways

2008-05-27T23:21:00.001+01:00

There are lots of ways to contact me or even know my whereabouts. Just pick one.

Mail

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin