Every designer goes through it. That moment where you feel like you are getting ready to hit the “wall.” One day you look up from your computer screen and say, in that meek voice, “I need a vacation.” For the past couple weeks I have hit that wall (hence the reason for the lack of posts), so what do I do? That’s right. I go on vacation. I am one that listens to my conscience and body. So from Friday to Monday I am off to the lake. No computer. No Photoshop. No Coda. No code. Just me, a few others, a tent, a fishing pole, and my camera. I’ll definitely have some pictures to post as soon as I return.

So until then. Adios. Until we meet next week.

I concentrate on design, art, and music throughout the world but there is so much in my own backyard. So I have decided to devote a little time once and a while to showcase something special in Charlotte (where I live) and North Carolina. First is the newest museum here in the Queen City, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. It’s about time we had a mod art showcase here. Check it out here.

The National had one of my favorite albums in recent memory, Boxer. Now they are back with High Violet, due for release May 11th. So far it sounds amazing. I can’t wait to see if it lives up to or surpasses Boxer. Until then, enjoy them live on Pitchfork playing some of the new tunes.

Just got the email confirmation that the music service Lala.com is being shutdown effective May 31st. I wonder what service Pitchfork will use now to stream songs from new albums or artists? Bye bye Lala. I hardly knew you. Seriously, I didn’t. I use Last.fm.

The fine folks at Dwell have a slideshow retrospective up of influential Dutch graphic designer Karel Martens. Definitely worth a look.

M.I.A. is back with a vengeance.  Be warned though, this video is extremely NSFW.

In case it wasn’t apparently clear from previous posts, I am a Broken Social Scene fanatic. So, when they play Letterman with a new song, I post. New album next week. Enjoy!

Great video and song from this Spanish group. Their full-length album Subiza hitting the shelves June 10th.

Absolutely loving the new Dead Weather video for “Die By The Drop,” the first single from their upcoming new album. I can’t wait and the tour better come near the QC… I’m just saying…

Scott Belsky, the brain behind the Behance Creative Network and The 99%, wrote a guest post at swissmiss. He gives some good insight and tips from his new book Making Ideas Happen. You can check it out here.