Monday, November 30, 2009

Profiles in Dancehall: Busy Signal


Dancehall artist Busy Signal has come a long way since singing hymns as a boy at his mother's church in Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston, Jamaica. Large on the scene since 2003, this 27-year-old hit-maker can teach you a valuable lesson on how to grip a microphone.

For the hottest, tune in to Dancehall Vybz with D.J. Hawaiian Lion on KTUH, Thursdays 9pm-midnight HST.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Maybe the Best NFL Logo Ever

Why did the New England Patriots abandon this logo in 1996? Why can't they wear these uniforms every week? You might be more likely to cheer for them. Even though they have become one of the league's juggernauts, it would be a nice contrast to have the three-point stance Patriot on their helmets. After all, the original Province of Massachusetts Bay colonists' brazen acts of defiance against Great Britain elevated them to all-time underdog status.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Seattle Central Library

Principal Architect: Rem Koolhaas. Completed: 2004. 1000 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA, 98104. Read The New Yorker's glowing review for more information.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Berluti

The Berluti family has been making shoes since 1895, when Alessandro Berluti, a woodworker by trade, left Italy for Paris to pursue the craft of boot-making. Today, the creative force behind the company (which was acquired by LVMH in 1993) is Alessandro's great-granddaughter, Olga Berluti, a vegetarian who dresses in all white and does not wear leather. Obviously, none of her idiosyncrasies have prevented Ms. Berluti from becoming one of the great shoe designers. She explained to Harry Hurt III for a 2005 New York Times article that "the leather was once alive as flesh and blood, and the death of the cow was very violent. Shoes are the last armor of the modern man, and as such they are a charmed, very physical union of beauty and violence." Additionally, Ms. Berluti began the Swann Club (named for the Proust protagonist) in 1992 in Paris. Members meet to dine and polish their Berlutis with Venetian linen and Dom Perignon in the light of the first-quarter moon. You understand that the light from any other phase is not sufficient.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

John Houshmand Chaise Lounge

John Houshmand, Collection 03: Chaise Lounge. Bronze with old growth heart pine beam. 70" x 28" x 26.5".

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Webster

Milan Vukmirovic (of the previous post) co-founded this magnificent Miami Beach retail gem with Laure Heriard Dubreuil and Frederic Dechnik. The three-story Art Deco building, originally designed by Henry Hohauser in 1939, has been converted into a shining beacon of luxury, featuring 20,000 square feet of men's and women's ready-to-wear and accessories from a whole host of brands, including Balenciaga, Maison Martin Margiela, and YSL. The store also features art and entertainment.
If this is not enough, if you need more over which to salivate, The Webster is home to the American outpost of the famous Parisian restaurant, Caviar Kaspia. Located in The Webster's lobby and exterior terrace is Kaspia Miami.
Obviously, you will need to go.
1220 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida
305.674.7899

Milan Vukmirovic

Milan Vukmirovic is one of the most stylish people in the fashion industry; his taste is impeccable. Here are some of the things he does:

1. Serves as Creative Director of the brand Trussardi 1911.
2. Occasionally sleeps (even if it's only a few hours a night) in Hermes scarves.
3. Photographs ad campaigns for Armani, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Trussardi, etc.
4. Listens to Jeff Buckley recordings.
5. Edits the magazine L'Officiel Hommes.
6. Gifts those close to him with the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust.
7. Admires Richard Avedon's photography.
8. Serves as Creative Director of The Webster in Miami Beach, a store that he co-founded.
9. Sports deep V-neck cashmere sweaters.
10. Designs interiors of buildings.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Company of We

Jayzel Samonte and Christopher Crawford are the brains behind Company of We, which launched in June 2009. They sell affordable, smartly crafted menswear.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Barnaby Furnas

Philadelphia-born artist Barnaby Furnas is getting it done.
Mummers Day X (String Band), 2009. Watercolor on paper. 39.4 x 29.2 cm.
Untitled (Woody Guthrie), 2008. Acrylic on honeycomb panel. 85.1 x 61.3 cm.
Hamburger Hill, 2002. Urethane on linen. 182.9 x 304.8 cm. (For more on this and other early paintings, read Peter Eleey's 2002 review for Frieze Magazine.)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Richard Thompson

If you have had the good fortune to see Richard Thompson perform live, you may have heard the sigh emanate from his guitar upon completion of songs. Widely regarded to be among the greatest living guitarists, he is an equally talented songwriter. His songs are moving and witty, gritty and transcendent, political and personal, and they always ring of truth.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009