10 essentials: darryl

1. I’ve been living in the States for almost a year but I grew up in downtown Toronto so it’s pretty cool to be back here to open the first CB2 store in Canada. Toronto’s very multi-cultural and has so much diversity—all those different personalities melt together and give it its unique artistic vibe.

2. I’m a very visual person so I’m obsessed with photography—especially architectural. Wherever I travel to—even if I’m just going somewhere nearby—I take one of my 12 cameras with me.

3. Recently I discovered a passion for tattoos. It’s true when they say they’re addictive…I’ve three and getting my sleeve done soon.

photo by: underbiteman4. Anything to do with airplanes. My friends sometimes freak out that I can usually tell what’s flying overhead by the noise it makes. I’ve taken flying lessons but I don’t have a license…yet.

5. Traveling off the beaten path is a chance to experience the real life of someplace else…digging into its history…seeing its old architecture…like the cemetery in Savannah…

6. The special, unique finds I picked up in each country I’ve visited. In a little farming community in the middle of nowhere Thailand, we found a mom-and-pop trinket shop where thankfully he shared the carved bronze sculpture of a warrior on an elk he had hidden in the cellar.

photo by: JSF3067. My t-shirt collection which numbers over 200. I may never wear them all but—even if they don’t fit me 100%—if they have a cool, graphic pattern, I’m sold.

8. Great storage ideas keep my pack rat tendencies my secret.

9. A dream kitchen with two refrigerators…an indoor bbq grill like restaurants use…a big, old chopping block from 1800s as the island…the best knives out there…but the pots…my grandmother had the most beat up pots and with them she cooked the best meals.

10. And someday I’ll have a black lab.

Thanks to darryl, store manager queen west toronto, for this submission and personal photographs.

10 essentials: cristina

photo by: anathea 1. I thought the iPad was going to change my world but my iPhone did. It’s smaller, I can tweet on the sales floor, take pictures of displays, take videos and use the voice memo when I’m inspired—it’s the perfect little inspector-gadget.

2. Because every article I read I think I’m going to need later, Google bookmarks are critical to staying organized.

3. I’m a junkie for the latest news about business, the economy, trends, technology— the Harvard Business Review is my bible.

4. I’m obsessed with tea tree toner water from Lush. In LA it’s a nice way to get refreshed.

5. It’s body fuel, it’s a cleanse, green smoothies are definitely a meal supplement whenever I need one—especially by adding spirolina or green meal powder.

6. I just love cozy clothes—hoodies can be super stylish and super comfortable.

7. The most divine thing after a long shower is stepping on to an angle hair rug.

8. Recycling clear glass jam jars and using them for anything instead of plastic baggies—or throwing them away after a single use—to hold laundry quarters, leftovers…

9. I have a microphone at home but—Soop Sok Karaoke is the best—sushi and a show!

10. Taking Naia (nigh-a) to dog beaches.

Thanks to cristina, store manager west hollywood, for this submission.

10 essentials: james

photo by: xoder

1. I don’t know how any designer works without zip ties.

2. How can I function without my iPhone and iPad nowadays?

3. …and our acrylic baby easel makes the perfect iPad stand.

4. It’s 5:00 somewhere so a happy hour cocktail is always a good idea.

5. A Jesus belt buckle is my favorite accessory.

6. …but a hand-tied bow tie fits any occasion.

7. Vibram FiveFingers are going to take me across the finish line of the 2011 NYC marathon.

8. I cannot live without my rice cooker!

9. A folding bike is perfect to cross-train/eco-commute in the big city.

10. I love the sound of a ukulele.

photo by: Steve Snodgrass

Thanks to james, visual merchant eastside new york, for this submission.

10 essentials: tameeka

photo by: Twig_is_the_Future

1. The New York MTA and a Metro Card take me anywhere in city for $2.25—that’s a value!

2. I couldn’t have moved from NY to FL and back without my iPad and iPhone.

3. Twitter keeps me connected in this crazy world where information is coming at you from so many places…fashion, friends, news…

4. Can’t wait to put a jackie o poster up in my new office.

5. I don’t have enough room in my closet for my 40 or so comfortable flats.

6. I think I’m at the gym 3 times a week so my gym membership is worth every penny.

7. Coffee from think. They use fair trade and organic milk and coffees. It’s just a cool environment to kick back in—and it was one of the first places I went to when I got back.

8. A quick way to relax is a good, long mani-pedi. You can’t do anything but sit and wait for the polish to dry so it’s a great way to unwind.

9. My favorite drink is a vodka pineapple cocktail—it’s crisp, refreshing and it reminds me of Florida.

10. The NY Public Library and my library card. Happy I’m back in NY and that I can use it again!

photo by: Yinghai

Thanks—and a big Congratulations!—to tameeka, store manager eastside new york, for this submission.

10 essentials: alex

photo by: henryjose

1. Any and all kinds of fashion—from magazines, art exhibits, museums, galleries. We’re really lucky in Miami to have the design district to shop and thanks to text message alerts, I watch the runway shows live on youtube.

2. Each fragrance sets a specific mood so I have one for work, weekends and evenings.

3. I love mixing old and new so I use a pony chair with the desk my father used when he was an officer in the Navy.

4. Stemless flutes are a casual and smart glass for seltzer water since the bubbles keep longer.

5. I’m always having an iced coffee beverages of some kind—even in the winter—iced latte is #1.

6. The most friendly place around is Rosie’s Bar and Grill. I go there for a fantastic brunch on Sunday’s with lots of outdoor seating, and a live dj.

7. I have one cookbook—More Love from Charleston. It’s a collection of traditional recipes from the Sisterhood of the Synagogue Emanu-El in Charleston, SC—it’s a link to my heritage, family, friends.

8. With my iphone I organize personal information and inspiration for work. I don’t know how I did it before…lots of paper probably.

9. Since my favorite TV shows run so late in the evening, everything I watch is recorded by Tivo.

10. Chris does a spectacular job with our music, so you can find me singing out loud in the store to our soundtracks.

Thanks to alex, visual merchant south beach, for this submission.