The French Lucid and the Swiss Kübler, were approved for sale in the U. S. in 2007. We’re talking real, honest-to-Satan absinthe, not some lame-ass substitute. Now, the great green elixir of darkness — basically high-proof neutral spirits flavored with wormwood, anise, and pungent herbs — has been illegal in the U. S. since 1912, and that hasn’t changed.
So what are they making legal? It’s a matter of chemistry. The government never banned absinthe itself but rather thujone, the wormwood-derived compound that supposedly gives the stuff its mind-bending edge. However, modern chemical analysis shows that thujone survives distilling in quantities so small they are actually legal. This is something of a double-edged sword: That same analysis also shows that the old brands that spawned absinthe’s dark legend didn’t have all that much thujone, either — all along it was just really strong, herb-flavored booze. Plus, half the excitement of absinthe was the fact that it was contraband. Continue reading “The Five Best Bottles of Absinthe” »
After serving 8 years behind prison walls, John Forte comes home and is featured on the appropriately title song “Homecoming” by Kanye West with fellow Brooklynite Talib Kwell rhyming about his jail time.
Designed by architects Werner Sobek of Stuttgart, Germany, the futuristic R129 Residence breaks all conventions of the traditional home. Currently in its planning stages, and expected to remain so until around 2012, it’s clear to see where so much time and thought has gone. The architects have blended an innovative, forward-thinking housing concept with modern technology. The result is a truly innovative feature – a building envelope made of a lightweight and transparent electrochromatic foil which can be lightened, darkened, and even made completely opaque using electronic controls. Beneath its futuristic shell, this home frame is constructed of carbon box sections and boasts a foundation raft of carbon that allows for a floor that’s heater and provides connections for electrical energy, water, compressed air and communication lines. Inside, the contemporary open-concept layout creates a clean, minimal feel. Continue reading “R129 Residence” »
Congrats to Lupe Fiasco for being nominated and winning the USA Network Character Approved Awards in the category of Music. USA Network has announced the winners of the first-ever Character Approved Awards to honor individuals from a cross-section of creative disciplines who are positively influencing American culture.
Japan’s Kazuya Morita Architecture Studio designed the Concrete pod as a modern haven in which to momentarily escape the stresses of the world. “In the dome, because of its minimal scale, it makes us more sensitive and relaxed, like when we are in our traditional tea-house Cha-sitsu.” Exhibited at Concrete Art Museum 2005 in Nagoya, Japan, this contemporary cocoon is constructed of reinforced concrete, with a height of 1700mm and the shell just 15mm thick. According to the architects, “A minor axis of a hen’s egg is about 40mm and thickness is 400 microns, so it means this concrete shell is just like an expansion of a hen’s eggshell.” And although this modern structure is “hen’s-egg thin,” Concrete pod has the enough strength to support a grown man sitting on top. Speckled with holes, the shell offers a sheltered environment while maintain a connection with the exterior environment.
Natalia Fabia will be having a solo exhibition entitled “Hooker DreamEscape” over at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City beginning on February 21st. This is Fabia’s second show at the gallery and it is the follow up to her 2008 exhibition, “Hooker Safari.” In addition to the paintings that will be on display, the artist will be showing a limited edition series of 15 hand signed and numbered Lucite chandeliers.
“Corey Helford Gallery is proud to present “Hooker DreamEscape”, a series of new works by Los Angeles artist Natalia Fabia. Following her widely acclaimed 2008 exhibition, “Hooker Safari”, Fabia’s second solo show at the Gallery continues her tales of seduction by revealing the forbidden desires and secret fantasies of her modern-day belle de jours. Providing tongue-in-cheek “dream-escapes” with jewel-toned forests and candy-colored landscapes, the artist creates the ideal environment for her bold seductresses to indulge themselves in life’s little pleasures. As one siren is discovered capriciously binging on pizza in a child’s room, another quietly relaxes alone in a pool at midnight, enjoying a cigarette. Fabia’s unique style evolves for “Hooker DreamEscape”, capturing a more heightened realism in this collection of oil-on-panel works, topped off, as always, by the artist’s signature glitter veneer. The exhibition will also feature a limited edition of fifteen Lucite chandeliers, each baroque design elegantly displaying custom charms and hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The reception for “Hooker DreamEscape” is open to the public, and will take place on Saturday, February 21 from 7 to 10pm. The show will be on view until March 14, 2009.” Continue reading “Natalia Fabia “Hooker DreamEscape”” »
“The adidas SLVR label’s key message is ‘Simply Perfect’. The range shows a timeless and considered design; one that conveys a minimalist character, yet is fresh and progressive. The collection includes apparel, footwear and accessories for both men & women.
The adidas SLVR Film was shot by renowned photographer Mark Segal and art directed by Pietsch Lim. The film brings the new concept to life through strong yet effortless black and white visuals and a sound track by Say Hi to Your Mom.
The adidas SLVR label will launch globally in February 2009.”
In the January issue of DETAILS, Band of Outsiders designer Scott Sternberg tell his “Rules of Style” on wearing ties, being discreet, and smoking the occasional joint.
1. Opening a conversation with “What do you do?” makes you sound like a shifty, social-climbing dickwad. Small talk is for sissies, but if you’re stuck with it, you can certainly come up with something better than that.
2. Talking about what brand you’re wearing is gay in the bad way. Just keep quiet and play dumb if someone asks. Talking about what a great deal you got on the aforementioned item is worse. If you must, tell your mom, because she has sale empathy and will take your victory as her own. It’s sick.
3. I don’t think a tie is a relic, not yet. It’s purely masculine—that one garment that allows you to go a little outside the box. A tie with a well-cut suit makes you look put-together and confident. It’s an auto-chic, easy uniform.
4. Cigarettes are a vile, dirty habit. Joints, on the other hand, are perfectly acceptable.
5. Whenever you start a new project or a new job, don’t tell anyone what you’re working on, because it can change direction a million times and once you start telling the world about it, you get constrained by your own mouth.
6. That skin-toned paste your girlfriend gave you to treat your pimple is makeup. Don’t kid yourself. You’re a girl if you use it. Figure something else out.
7. Rabid atheism does not lead to attractive or acceptable cocktail-party conversation. You know who you are and you need to chill. We get it, okay? God is for dummies. Now shut your hole.
8. It’s just not cool to fart on a plane, even if everyone’s ears are plugged from the altitude and they can’t hear where it came from. Heed my warning: Airplane-fart karma is a bitch, and you will find yourself at the receiving end on a sleepless transcontinental red-eye soon enough.
9. Style fills the gap between how you see yourself and how you want other people to see you. It is not a mysterious quality reserved for Cary Grant or Liberace. You have a sense of it in there somewhere. It’s just a matter of finding a way to express it without seeming like you’re trying.
10. Rules, as they say, are meant to be broken. Don’t get too caught up with what I—or anyone else—tell you about your personal style, except for No. 8.
After being disappointed (Yeah I said it!) with previous images of the design that Kanye created for Lous Vuitton, he release these black and white colorway which is a bit more decent that his LOUD red which doesn’t do much for me and red is my favorite color. The Red sneakers premiered during Vuitton’s Men’s Show last week in Paris. Selectism brings some product views of three colorways from one of the models: red, black, and white. Extra achilles protection on the rear to avoid pants smudging. They land in Louis Vuitton stores this June…minus the shoe laces debuted with his first boat shoesque design here. Continue reading “Kanye West’s Vuitton Sneakers” »
Who thought boat shoes would still be seen in 2009? Fashion designers are coming again in the Spring/Summer collection with another dose of boat shoes, the NYC design collective VANE New York have partnered with Sebago in the launch of a collection of Docksides boat shoes for the urban dweller. The collection combines the heritage and quality hand sewn shoes of Sebago featuring moccasin construction, rawhide laces and non-corrosive brass eyelets. The collection will be available at Training Camp, Brooklyn Circus Global, Alife and Format in New York City, Solemates in Chicago, The Closet in Los Angeles, Nubian in Japan, Nomad in Toronto this March.
