Hey there! My name is Alissa. I’m a writer, a gelato-eater, and a walker in LA.
You can learn more about who I am, what I write, why I walk, and even see where I live and work. Last year I was honored to be named as an USC/Annenberg Getty Arts Journalism fellow. You also might like this talk I gave about how to do the work you love.
Welcome to Gelatobaby
Follow me at @gelatobaby
- Carbing up for tomorrow's Stair Trek with frozen yogurt topped with Goldfish. http://t.co/iDw3dQaA
- Bubbly at Deborah's in honor of dear sweet Roan. http://t.co/8ySBPr8g
- My take on the Cafe Stella wall in Silver Lake for @laweeklyarts http://t.co/gK7hP5RO #toodamnhigh
- New bus benches for LA to replace the crappy plastic ones! http://t.co/wDHCJHcN
- RT @kristinawalsh: âThe payoff is that you have this recordâ -nice musings from @gelatobaby about capturing moments vs. experiencing the ...
Come say hello
- GOOD Design for Cities
A new event series hosted by Alissa and supported in part by ArtPlace is coming to Portland and St. Louis. Here's how creatives can apply to be part of it.
- GOOD Design for Cities
Check out our next de LaB
- Design East of La Brea is a monthly party I co-host with Haily Zaki, Marissa Gluck and Erin Cullerton. Almost always east of La Brea. Learn more about past de Labs and sign up for our monthly newsletter.
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Click on some recent posts
Read my articles elsewhere
You can find my writing most days at GOOD, or at Fast Company's new design site, Co.Design, or over at Dwell. You can also read about my 13 favorite stories from 2010.
- Waaaaay Back to the Future
Fast Company, August 2011
Nike's 23-year journey to make Marty McFly's AirMag shoes real. - Meet the Makers
Details, July 2011
Profile of Saul Griffith, an engineer and inventor who could change the way we make... everything. - Sasaki's Heartbeat
Dwell, June 2011
A studio visit with the Japanese-born artist Sasaki, who has been drawing people's heartbeats for 15 years. - Is LA's Public Transit a Joke? This Comedian Sure Hopes So
GOOD, June 2011
For comedian Kristina Wong, living car-free isn't just an act. - Middle School Students Tell LAUSD: No More Styrofoam
GOOD, April 2011
A group of sixth graders mounts a campaign to rid their school of the evil white foam. - The Future of Reading Online [Video]
Fast Company, March 2011
At SXSW, I interviewed designer Khoi Vinh about tablets, pay walls, and browsers. - How LA's "Farmers Field" Could Boost Urban Agriculture
GOOD, February 2011
Let's turn the city's new football stadium into the world's biggest urban farm. - BOOM! Palm Springs Plans a Wacky Old Folks Community
Fast Company, February 2011
10 architects have collaborated on a very unique new kind of retirement home for gays. - The Design Difference
GOOD, January 2011
How can design help create change in the underserved community of Brownsville, New York? A three-part series. - Why We Don't Need Any More Anonymous Critics
GOOD, January 2011
Let's stop the dining in disguise and make food critics powerful, public voices for real social change. - The Rise of the Bus-Riding Celebrity
GOOD, October 2010
Why don't more eco-minded celebrities in LA take public transit? - Can Design Save the World?
Fast Company, October 2010
Profiles of superstar emerging designers Candy Chang and Bobby C. Martin, Jr. - Where My Ladies At?
GOOD, August 2010
Why aren't there more women in industrial design? - At Home with Ed Begley, Jr.
Dwell, June 2010
I visited LA's greenest celebrity to talk about gardening, solar panels and riding the bus. - Why I Write About Design Now
GOOD, May 2010
How we need to cover the design industry: Without a chair in the world. - Here's Why the Banksy Movie is a Banksy Prank
Fast Company, April 2010
The world's most famous street artist makes a documentary? I'm not buying it. - If You Lived Here, You'd Be Urban By Now
GOOD, Spring 2010
The case against fake "walkable urbanism" developments which are neither walkable or urban. - Why Can't the World's Best Architects Build Better Websites?
Fast Company, March 2010
Loading... - The Fake Freeway Sign that Became a Real Public Service
GOOD, January 2010
Artist Richard Ankrom's act of guerrilla public service improved the commuter experience.
- Waaaaay Back to the Future
View my photos
Try some gelato
- Catch up on my latest gelato adventures, or find gelato using my Gelatobaby GeLAtomap.
Category Archives: DnA
On Today’s DnA: Gap Flap
Who would have ever thought, one month ago, that we would all be talking about the Gap? I certainly didn’t (and yes, I still call it THE Gap, as does everyone else, even though it’s officially just Gap). I haven’t … Continue reading
Posted in advertising, designing, DnA
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On Today’s DnA: Design books!
It was a great year for design books (especially a certain architectural walking tours guide that would make a great last-minute stocking stuffer)! A bunch of my favorite design writers published books that go far beyond the typical pretty picture … Continue reading
On Today’s DnA: Billboard blight
Besides having Sir James Dyson on today’s show, whose super-sucky products I have always patronized—from my pink vacuum cleaner to the only hand dryer I have ever taken a photo of (I seriously dried my hands three times)—a highlight has … Continue reading
Posted in advertising, building, DnA, eating, traveling
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On Today’s DnA: Relevance vs. Extravagance
Tomorrow is, symbolically at least, an interesting day. For those of us who have working credit cards and travel budgets, it’s the launch of the Milan furniture fair. And of course for the rest of us, it’s Earth Day. With … Continue reading
Posted in building, designing, DnA, Fast Company, greening
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On Today’s DnA: Back to the handmade, and hand-crafted poetry by me!
As I hit the skies for what is potentially going to be the most painful travel day of my life, a quick post to remind you to listen to a special holiday and year-end episode of DnA today at 2:30pm … Continue reading
On Today’s DnA: Shepard Fairey, Robbie Conal and the Gamble House
Much ado has been made about Shepard Fairey and his Obama propaganda game-changer (check out this incredible site with all the parodies of his “Hope” poster, thanks to Spencer). But before there was Shepard—literally, before he was even born—there was … Continue reading
Posted in advertising, building, crafting, creating, designing, DnA
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On Today’s DnA: Theatrical design
I’ve been lax in reporting on the goings-on behind-the-scenes at DnA since I felt so far removed from the scene for so long. But there is some very exciting design and architecture news happening over at KCRW, not the least … Continue reading
Posted in building, creating, designing, DnA
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