THROUGH THE LENS with Rob Machado from Through The Lens on Vimeo.

We’ve long admired Jay Nelson’s work since seeing it for the first time at Mollusk in San Francisco. He was able to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside with his treehouse structure made from found wood. Shelter is a recurring theme Nelson explores in his art, whether its stationary or mobile, like the campers he’s built onto used cars, boats, and scooters. His work is quintessential California and his lifestyle seem to reflect this. Nelson’s studio is within eye distance of the ocean so whenever he feels the urge, he goes out and surf. designboom sat down with Nelson for an interview today to discuss his work where he cites Buckminster Fuller as an influence.

Now in its fourth year, Noho Design District returns during New York’s Design Week. The event continues to excel in discovering new talent and supporting recognized designers like Lindsey Adelman and Fort Standard. This year’s events stretches eastward to Extra Place, the tiny alley that’s made an incredible transformation in the last decade. A first for NDD, will be classes held at the Bowery Hotel where participants are invited to workshops taught by Fredericks & Mae, Fort Makers, and Chen Chen & Kai Williams. American Design Club will host a new group showcase entitled Trophy: Awards We Live With. A travel show by Field & Various Projects will feature designers that have based their work on the theme of travel. Other events include NoHo Next 2013; Mixed Greens at Plantworks with photographs by Leslie Williamson, Brian Ferry, and others; The Future Perfect celebrating the last 10 years with Heath, and many more. Noho Design District opens next weekend from May 17th to the 20th.

Sometimes you don’t need words to tell a story. Pictures will do just fine. Best Made Co’s “The Last Frontier” is gorgeously captured.

The Food Book Fair returns to the Wythe Hotel. Opening event began last night and runs through the weekend.

It comes as a surprise to us that this isn’t the first in the world but only in North America. University of British Columbia is the first campus in North America to build a skatepark on campus according to Vancity Buzz.

File this under “In case you missed it” – Barbara Kruger responds to Supreme’s lawsuit against Married to the Mob. via Complex.

Imogene + Willie was able to convert an old garage into a shop that is so inviting, you want to move in. So it was natural for the the denim brand to venture into home goods. The shop now stocks textiles, kitchen and bath supplies consisting of clay bowls and vessels from Columbia, cutting boards made of reclaimed wood, vintage African indigo dyed fabrics, tools for the bathroom and much more. They’ve even hand selected one of a kind items to personalize your home with like vintage baskets and rugs from Bolivia and China. See what else they have in the shop by visiting their home goods department.

House Industries continues to expand upon their line of wooden blocks with their latest edition, the Counting Koi. They’ve teamed up with Uncle Goose, the Grand Rapids, Michigan based company known for manufacturing wooden toys the old fashion way, by hand. The set includes ten koi blocks, produced from maple wood, each numerically etched with numbers based on House’s Worthe Numerals. This first set is available in black with new colors to come or how House likes to playfully put it, “varieties will emerge as selective reproduction continues.”

We just returned from a 10 day trip out to California – traveling up the coast starting in LA and ending it off in San Francisco. Life on the road tend to be idealized due to the fact that your everyday worries are set aside and this trip was no different. San Francisco was especially enjoyable with the weather hovering around the 60’s. Natural beauty was in abundance mixed with urban density that we New Yorkers are so familiar with. Ocean and forest are easily accessible by a three hour drive south to Big Sur or even less by going just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Read a little bit of what we experienced in today’s Freunde von Freunden Journal where they explore the city through optimistic eyes.