Although this is circa early 80’s, if you’ve been to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you’ve most likely done the same. I love these little camera tricks that play with perception.

Is that lady to the left pushing it over?

via little k hole

The third Alessi to take over the Alessi Design Factory, Alberto Alessi has been credited with extending product offerings and making design more affordable for the masses. We met the man in charge a couple weeks back at the newly renovated Plaza Hotel in NYC for a short interview. An official Cool Hunting Capsule Video on the man and the family business is on its way, stay tuned.

Alessi is smart, on point, funny and deep. Above he is talking about idea generation and how Richard Sapper’s Melodic Tea Kettle (1983, below left) was developed. One of Alessi’s most successful products to date, it was followed up by a Michael Graves rendition that has also become one of their best selling items (1985, below right).

He comments, “the most perfectly designed object in the world is an egg, but then again it is made by the ass,” (in a thick italian accent).

With a stable of designers including the likes of the late Etorre Sotsass (condiment set, 1978 and cutlery set, 1987 above), Jasper Morrison, Stefano Giovanni and Alberto Mendini, it’s hard to go wrong with something from the Alessi Design Factory.

A behind the behind the scenes, na mean?

There is no doubt that the Inter Milan manager, José Mourinho, often referred to as The Special One, is one of the more stylish professional coaches in the world (especially when compared to some of our NFL coaches like Bill Belichick in his cut off sweatshirts). Always dressed a well-fit suit, tie, scarf or some variation of that, I was surprised to learn that he works with Armani, or as he puts, “I have a commercial relationship with Armani. The scarf is their scarf.”

Although he rubs a lot of people the wrong way, his talent as a coach is undeniable. After taking his native FC Porto to the top of the Champions League in 2004 and winning consecutive Premier League titles with Chelsea in 2005 and 2006, Morinho and Inter Milan have a chance to advance to the Quarter-Finals of this years Champions League by winning or scoring at least one goal in a draw Wednesday against rivals Manchester United.

Continue reading at the NYTimes.

Images by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images