People Made Of Glass

Tim seemed to have it all.

He was a trainer at a chic gym. His girlfriend was gorgeous. He lived in a two-bedroom apartment in New York. Plus, he got to have me as a neighbor.

Many times we would connect on our rooftop, usually when there were fireworks bursting over the Hudson River, which happened surprisingly often throughout the year. We would talk about the weather, he would give me some pointers about working out or we would gossip about our mutual neighbors.

The conversations never got too deep, but his laid-back attitude made these interactions more than enjoyable.

Tim was a couple of years my senior and appeared to have his life "together". Because my life was frequently not "together" I was mildly jealous of him.

Because our interactions were irregular, I didn't notice when seeing him became less frequent. At a certain point I think I assumed that he had moved out and I had not been aware...casual relationships dissolve in the blink of an eye in the city.

One afternoon I heard some commotion outside my front door. I looked through the peephole and saw that there were some cops congregating in the hallway. While I would have loved to be anonymously voyeuristic, I abandoned the peephole in favor of getting dressed for work.

Fifteen minutes later when I opened my front door I was greeted by the sight of Tim strapped to a gurney and being transported down seven flights of stairs. Even if I had wanted to inquire to the nature of the situation, the batallion of E.M.T.s and police officers would have thwarted me.

A couple of days later I came across Kevin, a neighbor at the other end of the hall.

"So, did you hear what happened to Tim?" he asked.

Kevin proceeded to inform me that Tim's girlfriend had moved out a few months prior, he had returned to some heavy drug use after years of being clean. Eventually the situation devolved into Tim slashing his wrists. Thankfully, help came in time to save his life, but he was going to be hospitalized for quite a while.

Many months after the attempted suicide I came across Tim in the hallway. Needless to say it was going to be an awkward interaction.

In a perfect world Tim would have had a life-changing epiphany following his attempt to kill himself. Sadly it became apparent to me that Tim was strung out on some kind of drug. His once robust physique was gone. The wounds on his wrists were healed, but still obvious.

He asked if I could spare twenty dollars so that he could take a train to Long Island. I gladly obliged as it would mean a quick end to the interaction.

Maybe a week later we had another hallway encounter. He asked for money once more. Sensing that I was being taken for a ride, I lied and said I had none to spare.

Not too much later a sherriff appeared outside his apartment and slapped some sort of eviction notice on the door.

I never saw Tim after that, but I frequently think about the fragileness of our day-to-day existence because of my encounters with him. What appears strong on the outside may also have a core of weakness that can be debilitating if released.

Obligatory Weather Post

We used to have an old saying in the Midwest..."If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes it'll change."

Of course they used to say this in Florida and New Hampshire and Montana and...okay they say this everywhere and it is probably true everywhere. It has definitely been true in The New York City this weekend. It literally has reverted back and forth from clear-blue sky to torential rain at least four times today.

This situation just drives me crazy. While I don't exactly look forward to rainy days, they don't trip me up too much....What does throw me for a loop is when it goes from sunny to cloudy or vice versa. I guess I like having one outlook per day, having it influence my mood and then sticking with it.

Getting Real Real

In all honesty I have not been a big Thomas L. Friedman fan the past few years. Probably it was due to him beating that "world is flat" metaphor to death.

But today's Op-Ed brings him back to the forefront of editorial awesomeness. The sole reason is that it is brutally honest.

This country is facing an economic and social crisis. The longer we put off the unpleasant, yet necessary, solutions the tougher those solutions will be to implement and endure.

When we celebrate Independence Day this Friday, will we have the strength to look deep inside our collective citizenhood and commit to making some sacrifice to get this nation back on track, or will we remain mute and powerless to the future.

"Gainin' On 'Ya!"

As with most things, George Clinton was 30 years ahead of his time in prophesizing a Black President.

Let's hope the Obama reign is half as fun-kay as Bootsy Collins' bassline.

Help Save Controversy

Unfortunately I will be unable to comment on the Marc Jacobs Rebel Pride T-shirt until the beatings cease. That is, until I stop beating up the tools that buy this dangerous corporate rebellion.

Dirty Is Back

Happy (hopefully) Perversion Day!

Viva La Negative Space

For some reason all the youtube videos I have posted are showing up as blank spaces. Instead of watching the images, I suggest we all just quietly meditate and imagine what pictures could be on view.

Remembrances Of Things Past-ish

A curious reader stimulates my insight regarding random ideas:

Describe the 90's with a color...

Originally I thought there would be two responses, one cultural and one personal. After careful examination of the data it turns out the color that describes the 90's is Silver.

On the personal side, silver is represented in my desire to get my hair that color. My colorist could never acheive the shimmery shade I wanted. Instead I had to find other ways to grow into my individuality...to learn how to make "statements" that broke me out of my introverted self.

Culturally, silver says "Space Age" and the 90's were a time when people began to believe in the future again. Primarily this is to due to the increased access to the internet. But also, technology as a whole became more prevalent in people's day-to-day lives.

Shout Out: Vidal Sassoon

Unfortunately, a lot of people associate the name Vidal Sassoon with shampoos available at the local Walgreen's.

It is important to remember that he also destroyed the hairstyling world in the way-back with his revolutionary asymetrical cuts. Styles were simple and streamlined and anticipated a clean and radical future.

A Further Widening Of The Mind

Had to shag my ravishingly beautiful ass out to Bayonne New Jersey for a soiree last night...what I won't do to be social.

Now, as everyone knows I am a totally Manhattan-centric. Rarely do I leave the island and to say that it is the center of the universe still undersells it's importance.

Nonetheless it has come to my attention that there is life outside of my city. I witnessed this first-hand on this visit to the Garden State.

Mr. Tim's party had some very interesting down-to-earth attendees. There was delicious food prepared from scratch in a kitchen that at least eight adults could stand in.

All in all a great evening despite being surrounded by drunken thirty-year-olds on the PATH train home.

The Winner...

...of the best ironic cover image for an album of dancehall versions of 1980s hits. Available along with a buttload of other gorgeous music, books and clothing at the Turntable Lab Annex.

Yellow Magic Orchestra Tightens Up For Don Cornelius

Holy Sh*t! Yellow Magic Orchestra serves up their version of the Archie Bell and The Drells classic "Tighten Up"...on Soul Train no less.

Although the song is fantastic, stick around for the interview with Don Cornelius. They shout out Kraftwerk, New Wave and Soul Music.

Ouch!...1980 was on fire y'all.

It Is Summer...Bring The Yellow

Galliano still delivers pretty things at Chrissy's House

Out In Front

In the Public Relations racket there is an approach called "getting out in front of a story". Basically, instead of having a scandal revealed and responding defensively, you reveal the tawdry information and can therefore influence how it is perceived. The scandalized is in control instead of being dominated by the story.

The other day I had to employ this approach. I had made a completely stupid and embarassing mistake with someone I report to. Instead of having them potentially reveal my momentary lack of sanity, I called everyone of any import and told them the story about how I acted retardedly.

In doing so I avoided looking like a fool by un-self-consciously revealing my foolishness.

Giving The Talent

Shout to KAWS for his aesthetic editorialization of the July issue of i-D magazine. The look is great and the completeness of his input is fantastic.

...And Now A Word From Our Sponsor

I can't imagine a time before European Styling Foam. Thank you Alberto

My Neighborhood

Around the corner on Bleecker Street. As a wee lad I never imagined I'd live this close to a Picasso.

Wicked!

There is no doubt that Gareth Pugh is delivering what absolutely everyone should be wearing this l'automne

The influence of Wizard of Oz will never lose it's strength.

Dance With The Lords

If you are an Artiste that works in the medium of video, why don't you go ahead and just give up. Submit this visual awesomeness to your gallerypimp and just call it a day.

Stiv Bators envisioned everything you want to accomplish years ago, so lets all just sit back and enjoy.

It's Not Where You're From It's Where You're At

If you want to know where United States-ian politics is at right now, you have to read this New Yorker article by journalist George Packer.

My archnemesis Ronald Reagan popularized the phrase "It's Morning in America"...but now, with the eventual death of conservative movement, it truly does feel like the country is about to be reborn.

Ete d'amour 2008

The Parisian masterminds behind the revered "Respect Is Burning are going to turn up the heat in the New York with Thursday night parties this summer. Santos Party House will earn it's status as THE place to be.

Get ready to fall in love, New York.

Ab-sense

Been quite a spell since I posted anything...Probably due to a combination of laziness, a flurry of social activity, and the planet Mercury being retrograde and causing chaos.

Ending The Weekend

Although not as eventful as last Memorial Day when my brother Clay was in town, this holiday weekend was delightful. The only phrase to describe it is "care free". Sometimes my care-freeness can slip into the denial of reality. But the past couple of days were a beautiful blend of activity, duty and restfulness.

As usual, another upside is that it will only be four days until the next weekend. Although with Mercury being retrograde, those four days will likely seem like five.

Living My Life Nightclubbing

The visionaries at Clam magazine AND Metal magazine both realize that the future is focused on Miss Grace Jones

Icon For Now People

At the moment this album should be the inspiration for everything in your life.

The merits of "Glam Slam" and "Alphabet St." need no further justification...Miss Thang serves it album wide.

The cover image must guide your every sartorial decision. Combine flora and nakedity and you have aesthetic dynamite.

Fronthanded Compliment

As a way of relieving the pressure within the work environment, myself and a couple of select co-workers have developed a game we play late in the afternoon. Basically, we pretended to be pissed off at each other and we come up with completely comically miniscule flaws in the other person.

For example the other day I was ranting about how some of the younger employees knew nothing about popular music...and why was I burdened with the responsibility of educating them about the significance of The Jets or even DeBarge.

Of course I take my rants and turn them into performance pieces that eventually force those within earshot to assume I have lost my mind, am retarded or both.

After this pop culture diatribe, a co-worker said to me "I tell my friends stories about you and they don't believe me...some of them don't believe you exist, that I am making you up"

This is the calibre of compliment that absolutely warms my heart...or maybe they are right and I don't exist.

Let's Go Crazy

My block.
Around the corner.
Back in the day this is what my neighborhood was like.

The Results Of Pressure

It is human nature to avoid stress. Who wants to endure it needlessly? Yet if one reflects on their life they may see that those stress-inducing experiences produce, for lack of a better term, growth.

In an attempt to put a positive spin on the scars (physical, psychological or spiritual) that painful situations can manifest, I am now going to use the quote below to re-perspectivize my view. The quote is from the Orson Welles character Harry Lime in the film noir classic "The Third Man"

In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love; they had five hundred years of democracy and peace and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

Get Modern

Mummenschanz is the real deal people... Respect is due!

By Myself At The Disco

Little did I know that when I strut my fun-kay stuff down the streets with the iPod cranked to 11, that I am actually personalizing a cultural phenomenon.

Resignation At The Ultra Vivid Scene

Last night I had Part II of a nightmare that I first had several months ago... All the usual dream-reciting caveats apply (which basically sum as "you had to be there")

The gist of the nightmare was that I had to navigate these lush green suburban neighborhoods in order to escape packs of rabid pitbulls. The dogs all had disfigured faces as if they had been in countless scuffles (and won). The dogs were absolutely vicious and the assumption was that if caught, you would be ruthlessly ripped to shreds.

After what seemed like perpetual escapes from the dogs, I came to a point where I concluded that if their attack on me was inevitable, I might as well just get it over with. From that point on I would come in contact with the dogs and they would growl and generally frighten the Hellz out of me, but they did not really seem interested in destroying me...basically we came to a place of peaceful coexistence.

I was relieved that the stress I had manifested did not go away, but was kept at bay.

New York Is Back

The other day I was in the vicinity of the Empire State Building when I saw a genuine game of Three Card Monte be run on the street. The people who were being parted from their money were not some rubes from Peoria, but rather legitimate New Yorkers...who were not wise enough to realize the were being conned.

It has been at least a decade since I have seen this scam in action. Maybe it is a sign of the economic times that such a con can be run successfully...

People Care

While in Queens, saw this ad from a group called the Bureau of General Inquiry. I don't know anything about them except for the fact that this flier is awesome.

Contemporize Your Memories

Luckily caught the Ryan Mcginness display at PS1 on the last day it was shown. For some reason he has fallen off of my radar in the past couple of years, which is either because he hasn't shown as much or because my attention has been drawn elsewhere...either way it is a damn shame because his work is brilliant.

In college art classes it was beaten into our heads that one was either an "artist" or a "designer" and never the twain shall meet. Mcginness effortlessly proves this theory wrong. His flawlessly executed work bridges the gap between art and design.

One of the jumping off points for the work displayed at PS1 were skateboard graphics from the eighties. Anyone who read Thrasher magazine back in the day would be witness to the inspiration for the work...the iconic board designs of Powell-Peralta were smoothed out graphic-ified and made even more iconic in there simplicity by Mcginness.

Images that may have been in your skull for decades are given a freshness, allowing the viewer to relive the past and look at the present.

This Is ART..Up In He-uh! Up In He-uh!

A lot of the kids bite on the Paper Rad aesthetique...but no one can do it like the masters.

This is the closest audio-visual representation you can come to what happens in my head when I fall asleep at night.

Thirteenth Anniversary

Almost thirteen years to the day after Frankie Knuckles changed my life, went to hear him play last night.

The party was the FurBall which meant the crowd was a bit "bearish" for my taste, but whatever. Frankie's set was not as underground as I would have liked, but it was still happening.

Lots of friendly faces including Flo, who could not keep her hands off my boyparts...All in all a nice evening.

A Truth I Can Handle

Have been e-mailling back and forth with my Sister-In-Law Julie regarding her and my niece's upcoming trip to the New York. Julie's last e-mail contained the following excerpt:

You're so weird. But I love you.

When you have a crackpot personality like mine that is the best you can hope for...

Fierceness Is Always Welcome 1983

Grace shows us how it is d-u-n DONE!

Source Material

There are tons of fashion magazines in the world. But I have to admit that the only one I truly look forward to is Arena Homme Plus. Every season they present the featured material in just the right way.

Editorially it is high-minded and light-hearted at the same time. Now, if they would publish more than four times a year then I could have a more fulfilling life.

Start Your Morning Off Right

Get grounded with some wisdom from David Cross. It is the only way to put some perspective on the world we live in.

It Feels Good To Be In Love Again

A couple of weeks after having witnessed the Marlene McCarty exihibition, my mind still reels at the magnitude of it's awesomeness.

In the ArtWorld circa 2008 it has become increasingly rare to find an artist who combines technical prowess, contemporary themes, and extraordinary "vision". Seeing the work of Ms. McCarty literally renewed my faith that such talent still exists.

The works, in graphite and ball-point pen, tap into something very primal in the viewer. The beautifully rendered figures appear simultaneously realistic and other-worldly. It feels as though you are invading a very private moment, but you don't dare look away lest you miss out on the answer to a question too intimate to ask...

Dark Beauty

The origins of this old double-feature movie poster are unknown to me. All I know is that the graphic layout is so brilliant my mind starts to bleed.

For such "in your face movies", the amount of negative space is awesome. Don't even get me started on the use of color...Who ever is behind this deserves some sort of award.

...It's Coming...

Is it juvenile to admit that I am freaked out with excitement over the forthcoming David Sedaris book?

Right now I am desperate need of more of his skewed sensibility...

Foxy...Hot Number Live!

Men in hot pants, cowboy boots, proto-break dancing and disco without drum machines.

How can you not love this video?

Shout Out: Anti-Nowhere League

Of course, they were more cartoon-punk than "real" punk, but you have to give love to the Anti-Nowhere League.

Supposedly Elvis Costello started championing them when he saw them driving around London in a dirtball van spray-painted with their fist logo. What more of an endorsement do you need.

When I think of them I have flashbacks of being in college bars where a 40 year old is wearing a "punks not dead" leather jacket and talking about the good 'ol days of punk. It is so stupid it becomes genius.

There Is A Future In The Future.

Some of The Children just know how to deliver it. Why can't every young person have this much style instead of serving what the merchandisers at Urban Outfitters envision

Just Wait And You Will Fall In Love

Loosely translated, the French term jolie laide means "pretty ugly". In other words something that is so hideous that it becomes charming. That certainly applies to these Prada hi-steppers.

A co-worker turned me on to these shoes and was thoroughly repulsed. I have been around the block enough to know that there is nothing so disturbing that it cannot become iconic. Get ready for these to be in every Baker's Shoes in 2012.

Good News...Design Is Dead!

Philippe Starck flips out and declares his career a waste of time. If so, he owes some people some major coinage. Clear out your bank account Starck...give the dollars back.

The Suffering I Endure

After dinner with Cain on Friday night, I decided to forgo dessert.

From a normal person, that is not much of a statement, from me that is groundbreaking. It would be an understatement to say that I have a sweet tooth. Saying that I am literally addicted to refined sugar is closer to the truth.

I have now gone five days without a sugar-rush at the end of the day. In this miniscule bit of self-denial I have learned so much about my thought processes, my ability to justify 90% of my bad behavior, my lack of self-control regarding something that I tell myself is without consequence.

Over the course of my lifetime I have had many food-issues. Thankfully, this change in habit is at least leading in a positive direction.

Barack/ Jay-Z Mashup

There are plenty of reasons to want Obama to be our next president. But consider this...He is the only candidate that not only knows who Jay-Z is, but could reference his song "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" without looking ridiculous.

That is what we call a cultural shift, people. Get ready, the future is about to get interesting

Taking It From The Streets

The Haters are going to say that Shepard Fairey has sold out and gone too mainstream by endorsing a candidate, but "whatever". This graphic is absolutely perfect for the client.

The Streets Are Seein'

Had a super New York moment the other day while walking in the East Village. Came across mega-awesome photographer Sylvia Plachy taking a picture of her son, academy-award winning actor Adrien Brody.

Expanding The Market For Experimentalism

My girl Rei Kawakubo is teaming up with H&M to destroy American fashion. My prediction is that the line will be hyper-conservative so that the hoardes that wait in line to buy the limited edition clothes will be forced to justify their lemming-like behavior. Rei never makes things easy for the consumer. That is why she is a God.

On The Horizon

In order to keep my mental demons at bay, I constantly have to have something to look forward to. Usually it is an event in the near or far future. Currently I am super excited about the next Body&Soul event.

Last time around I was sick as a dog, but that unfortunate state of affairs will NOT be repeated. Plus, Memorial Day will be free of work obligations so there is no need to worry about aches and pains the following day.

Deliver It!

If Anna Piaggi has a cult I WILL join it. Her level of stylishness puts the other 5 billion inhabitants of this planet to shame.

Roots Of Now

Although I had had my mind blown by exposure to essential Kraftwerk albums years earlier, this track destroyed my ears.

I was absolutely obsessed with "Pop Muzik". Back in the days of vinyl there was no "repeat" button to push, so I had to lift the needle again and again to bring joy to my mind.

There is something about the obvious catchiness of the riff mixed with the detached vocals that set a blueprint for less-popular, but equally beautiful music to come years later.

Rebellious Infancy

Supposedly this is the first mention of term "Punk Rock" in The New York Times. 1972 y'all.

All True

The aging homothug on the corner of Bleecker and Christopher "accidentally" voices his inner monologue:

"What do I gotta do to get some dick around here?"

Is it any wonder that I still love The New York...

Reminder

This quote definitely needs to be heard by my ears...

"Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are".
-- Malcolm Forbes

Mistake Making

Proof that even Style Gods can make mistakes.

Unfortunately, this mistake is so egregious that both collaborators will be issued infinite demerits until I receive a box full of swag from both artistes.

I Love The Rain...And The Memories Of The Rain

The metal plate in my skull forces me to listen to this track EVERY time it rains for a prolonged period.

The track comes from the gorgeous Cult album "LOVE". My girl Princess Stephanie really turned me on to that album when she brought the disc along on the 1992 roadtrip to Red Rocks to see Sonic Youth/Primus/Mudhoney/Pavement.

I am eternally in her debt for revealing such beauty to my head.

Virtual Memory Is Low: Reboot

During my last biennial visit to Lincoln, my nephew Cody and shot hoops at the YMCA. Since it had been a long time since we had seen each other, the topics of discussion were quite varied. In between shots we tried to catch up with each others lives.

At some point I remember saying that my only motivation to make new friends is that I need fresh people to listen to my tired old stories. I am pretty sure that when I made this statement it was half facetious and half pathetic honesty.

More and more frequently I find myself retelling the same stories over and over again to the uninitiated. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this situation, there is a little voice in my skull that pipes up and says "Are you telling that AGAIN?"

In an attempt to kill that voice in my head, I am going to start sharing more of these "Greatest Hits" from my past. Hopefully in releasing some of these anecdotes out into the ether, I will clear enough memory in my brain to refill my mental harddrive with sparkling new tired old stories.

Future Beauty

From the legendary David Morales' myspace blog:

It's 7:05pm and I'm in the studio w Quentin Harris laying down some tracks for Mariah's "TOUCH MY BODY"
it's coming out so funky! I'll be recording vocals w her at her house on friday I can't wait! I wish I had it for this wknd to play at STEREO. Oh well I'll have to wait to debut it at the WMC.

Get ready Children...Another Mariah/Morales collabo is enough to get the dancefloors hungry, but add Quentin Harris to the mix and you will have a track that does damage worldwide.

Black Celebration

Truth be told, until yesterday I was unaware of the existence of black carrots. Why have they not made it on to my plate previously?

Love On Wheels

...sometimes when life gets too serious you just have to roll on down to the roller rink and roller boogie.

Silent Lucidity

Although I thought I had acheived it in the past, last night I definitely had a lucid dream.

As with most of my dreams (and most of my waking life for that matter) I was running furiously from the demons that were about to attack and eviserate me. When inches away from certain death I consciously thought "Well this is just a dream anyway...why don't I just fly up to the roof and get away". It is impossible to describe the sensation of willing oneself to fly in dreamland. It was simultaneously difficult and easy...Perhaps the difficulty came from never having to really think about how to go about it in a literal sense. So, basically I just "decided" to flap my arms like a birds wings...and voila!

The lucidity probably lasted only about 3 or 4 minutes, but it is an experience that I will not allow myself to forget.

I'm Saying "Ouch!" In Advance...

Holy Damn!...This party is going to cause much harm to my delicate orchid of a body. Steve Travolta AND Danny Krivit playing a night of House Classix...Cielo is going to need to have stretchers at the ready to carry The Children off the dancefloor.

Shout Out: Lou Dorfsman

If you grew up in the seventies or eighties you are probably familiar with the graphic design work of Lou Dorfsman. While definitely not a household name (at least not in my household), the influence of Mr. Dorfsman was all around.

We may not have been eating in the cafeteria at C.B.S. headquarters, where the attached wall project resided, but we saw the bastardized rip-offs of his genius on Dixie Cups or perhaps your fifth grade math textbook.

Maybe it was due to working in corporate America that gave his designs such solidity. Whatever it was shaped a major player in late twentieth century typography

Lift Off

The new theme for my life is DISCOVERY. All attention is going to be focussed on exploring the new, the unexperienced, the seemingly impossible.

Aquarians like myself are used to this side of human experience, but I desire to take it to unheard of levels in my mentality, my physicality and my spirituality.

Going OUT

Andre reppin' 210 in the current issue of OUT magazine. To think that a few years ago the New York Times referred to my beloved street as "dowdy".

Ironiconography

Is this an homage or parody? Does this desecrate the seriousness of MLK's legacy or introduce a cool image to a new generation? Are there cows so sacred that we don't want to see them in a different light?

These are questions that I don't have answers to....

Work Hard For The Opportunity To Work Hard

Having not conversed since the writer's strike began, chatted briefly with Kevin yesterday.

We were talking about the strike, the Oscars and the entertainment industry in general...He brought up his friend Miss Fey. Kevin stated that a person at her level of success has had to work for a long-ass time just to get to a point where she has to work extra hard in order to survive in the industry and be creative.

This was a real wake-up call for my mentality. So often I see an endpoint to working hard creatively...To phrase it another way I think the goal is to "rest on your laurels".

I really need to learn that hard work opens up another portal to more hard work...

Interesting Life Makers

Tonight, before you fall asleep, give a prayer to your favorite diety for the presence of eccentric people in our midst.

3 Dimensions

I don't know what drugs Miuccia Prada is feeding her hoard of underling designers, but I definitely want some to come up with similar geniousity.

At Work

Passed S. Epatha Merkerson in the hallway. Don't get too jealous, yesterday I saw the cast of the new American Gladiators, quite frankly, that scar may never heal.

Be Beautiful And Have Fun

...seems to be the message of this Pet Shop video. Is there a simpler formula for happiness

The perfect antidote to a 20 degree day

Undertaken

Earlier this evening I watched this PBS Frontline documentary on a funeral home in Michigan. It really presents another side to the funeral processes that was extremely enlightening to me.

The film follows a few people who have to make arrangements for loved ones. Some of the heartbreaking decisions that are encountered thoroughly reinforced my awareness of how detached I am from these situations. Thankfully death has kept it's distance from my adult consciousness.

Respect Is Due

As much as Gucci has fallen off since the departure of Tom Ford (and considering how much he has fallen off since his departure), you still have to give the company props when they come up with a shoe as sleek as this.

Kudos to whatever unknown is at the helm now...keep on deliverin'

Just Accept Beauty

Charlie Finch directs his venom towards the new Olafur Eliasson joint.

I think it is going to be rad...'nuff said