Dudlers

http://dudlers.com/

Move over ISketch- Dudlers has got you beat.

The “social” drawing website launched only a few months ago and already has almost 700 doodles and 235 members under its belt.

The concept of Dudlers is based heavily on sharing via Facebook, Twitter, WordPress and the other usual suspects, and lets you share doodle sessions with other live users.

Besides the modern “share” aspect of Dudlers, what makes the site stand out amongst countless other computer drawing programs- even paintbrush- is that the tools actually enable you to doodle halfway decent pictures. While I could go for a little paintbucket action, the ink tool and the background image tool make me feel like an arteest every time- which is no easy feat considering I’m left handed and used a touch pad to draw this.

Check out the below comparison and tell me I’m not gifted (note the awesome embeddable thumbnail size).

But rad concept and functionality aside, the coolest thing about Dudlers is that I’m friends with the owner. Proof below:

Too New York

http://toonyc.com/

It’s a bird, it’s a plane- it’s TooNY! (Pronounced: Too-Knee)

This bitey new blog takes on New York at its niche-iest with digs at post-grad life in Murray Hill, “Lean Mean Chelsea Queens,” and the author’s constant bewilderment with the Upper East Side. It’s the kind of New York cliches that would only be funny if you lived there, except that the writing is universally hilarious.

“When did brunch take off? Why are New Yorkers so ass over tits for what is essentially an incredibly confusing meal? You’ve missed breakfast, you’re a little early for lunch, and you plan on staying until just before dinner, which, depending on how many Bloody Mary’s you can guzzle before your poor waitress just stops coming to the table, will probably either be Gray’s Papaya or another bump before Greenhouse.” (the brunch that ate manhattan)

Expect a lot more from this blog in 2011, specifically Buntology / TooNY collaborations, and even more specifically “Episode 1 of Ruppert Towers: A Mini-series event with special guest star Tyne Daly” shot on location at the Uptown Lounge on 89th street. Don’t ask.

Absaroka Mountain Gear

http://www.absarokamtngear.com/

Sure, Buntology isn’t so much about outdoor sports (or- let’s be honest here- any sports), but we are all about entrepreneurship. So when an old college friend came to us asking if we’d give her new company a shout-out, we were more than happy to oblige. 

I bring you Absaroka Mountain Gear, a website devoted to providing outdoor enthusiasts with reliable and quality gear. Spurred by a 30-day backpacking trip in the Absaroka Mountains, in which creator Sarah Leavy had many well-known labels leave her “wet, cold, sore and frustrated,” the site promises to choose quality over quantity when it comes to outdoor equipment.

While the website’s full launch isn’t slated until early 2011, keep this one on your radar so you’ll be all suited up in time for summer. Can’t wait that long? Shoot Sarah an email at AbsarokaMtnGear@gmail.com for more info.