Poster Art 150

Molesey Regatta July 21st, artist unknown, 1928. All images: London Transport Museum, copyright Transport for London. 

At the London Transport Museum, "Poster Art 150--London Underground's Greatest Designs" features 150 posters created for the Tube from the Museum's collection of over 3,000. The show celebrates the service's 150th anniversary this year, from its outset in 1863, and illustrates the city's history and growth through advertising posters and graphic design--a selection from each decade over the last 100 years.

Speed Underground, by Alan Rogers, 1930. 

A culture of good design and 'fitness for purpose' was established by London Transport's first chief executive, Frank Pick. He commissioned distinctive poster art, a blend of Arts and Crafts and modernism. Calligrapher Edward Johnston designed the Tube font (Underground Sans) in 1913 and the roundel logo a few years later. 

Cycle and Motor Cycle Show, by Charles Burton, 1930. 

Posters in the Museum's collection (1908-present) were commissioned through designers, printers and artists until the 70s, when advertising agencies began to be used. The zenith of high-quality poster art occurred during the 20s and 30s. 

Play between 6 and 12, by Edward McKnight Kauffer, 1931. 

An Art Deco style design promoting use of the London Underground system. Many of the posters are now in the Victoria and Albert Museum's Prints collection. 

Trooping the Colour, by Margaret Calkin James, 1932. 

Wimbledon Tennis, by Herry Perry, 1935.

Your fare, by László Moholy-Nagy, 1936. 

A modernist image incorporating textiles and collage created by László Moholy-Nagy, former graphic design instructor at the Bauhaus. 

European Swimming Championships, artist unknown, 1938.

Fly the Tube, by Geoff Senior, 1979.

The London Transport brand was extended to all aspects of transport operation, from posters and tickets to corporate identity, vehicle design and station architecture. The brand was discontinued and replaced with that of Transport for London in 2000, which incorporates many of the former's design features into the current house  style--a dynamic poster legacy. 

Tate Modern, by Paul Catherall, 2003. 

On view through January 5th at the London Transport Museum, Covent Garden Piazza. 

Vegan Divas

Cover photograph courtesy HarperCollins, copyright 2013. 

"Raised in Brazil, a country known for using beef in many popular dishes, I am an unlikely vegan," writes     Fernanda Capobianco in The Vegan Divas Cookbook: Delicious Desserts, Plates, and Treats from the Famed New York City Bakery, a compilation of recipes based on her pastry shop offerings. "Growing up I had a host of health problems. I struggled with my weight, had severe acne, mood swings, chronic digestive problems, and recurring bouts of pneumonia. Eating a vegan diet has changed my life and radically improved my health." Previously a manager and owner of the Payard restaurant and pastry shops in Rio de Janeiro, she opened her Vegan Divas bakery in August 2012 on the Upper East Side. "My goal was to combine high-quality, wholesome ingredients and classic pastry technique to create a line of delicious vegan treats."

The book's recipes (desserts to quiches, sandwiches and breads) are cholesterol- and lactose-free. Ingredients include spelt flour, maple syrup, canola, and cold pressed coconut oil as replacements for butter, refined sugar, cream, and eggs. 

Vegan Divas Chocolate Mousse.

Vegan Divas Chocolate Mousse

"My aim with this recipe was to create the most chocolaty chocolate mousse ever, one that has the same silky texture of the classic version. Because this mousse is so decadent and creamy, I like to top it with some fresh fruit when plating it to add a little tartness: Blueberries, raspberries or strawberries. Or crunchy cacao nibs." Gluten-free, 42 calories per serving--a Vegan Divas signature sweet. 

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups vegan semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 and a half 12.3 oz. packages silken extra firm tofu

1 cup Sucanat sweetener

1 and 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh fruit or cacao nibs

Directions:

Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan half filled with simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Place tofu, Sucanat, vanilla, and salt in a food processor and process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Add the melted chocolate to the tofu mixture. Continue to process until blended, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. 

Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours before serving. 

Whether cooking and baking dairy- and egg-free for health reasons or to include more whole foods in your diet, this book outlines vegan basics, including how to stock your kitchen with meatless staples. 

The Vegan Divas Cookbook: Delicious Desserts, Plates, and Treats from the Famed New York City Bakery by Fernanda Capobianco, HarperWave, publication date: October 8. 

Forever Chic

Copyright Forever Chic: Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style, and Substance by Tish Jett, Rizzoli Ex Libris, 2013. 

American fashion journalist and blogger Tish Jett draws on what she's learned from French women while living in a village outside Paris for the past twenty-five years. In her book, Forever Chic: Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style, and Substance, she shares advice on skin and hair care, wardrobe basics and diet interspersed with beauty and health recommendations gathered from her interviews with French estheticians, dermatologists, pharmacists, internists, and nutritionists. A guide for aging gracefully with style, it's dedicated to women over 40--une femme d'un certain âge--also the name of Jett's blog. 

Readable for the skin care chapter alone, which outlines how to customize a daily, weekly and monthly regimen. She advises women to introduce anti-aging products into their beauty routine at 30, after consulting with an expert, "A dermatologist comes as close as one can to providing a prescription for the fountain of youth without general anesthesia." Although Jett is partial to the Avène and Eucerin skin care brands found at Monoprix, they're available in the United States in drugstores, online and through dermatologists. 

"Naturel is the mantra of Frenchwomen. They want their hair, their skin, their makeup, their figures, their style, their comportment, and their confidence to appear ever and always naturel--an extension of who they are." 

Forever Chic: Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style, and Substance, by Tish Jett. Rizzoli Ex Libris, release date: October 15, 2013.