psychoPEDIA: Daily News

My Town: Harrow, UK
Jeff Leach, Unmasked

Despite being on our screens for barely a year, Jeff Leach is already earning a reputation for being one of Britain’s hottest new talents. The energetic young presenter who landed his first gig while DJ’ing topless and wearing a Mexican wrestling mask, is the face of BBC’s teenage talk-show "The Surgery". With a slew of exciting new TV and radio projects planned for this year, the young multi-tasker talked us through why he loves being in TV and his ‘brilliant and awful’ life growing up in Harrow:

What’s great about working in TV?
The live shows I’ve done have been my favorite aspect, by far. I love meeting strange and interesting people and catapulting myself at them headlong and finding out how their minds will react.

Anything you hate about working in TV?
People already established in the industry disliking me before they have even met me, just because I’m new, full of beans and eager. A couple of folk have actively made me feel like shit, simply because they feel threatened by me because I am a new face.

What was life like growing up in Harrow?
Brilliant and awful. I developed my love for acting, comedy and music, because of the lovely and interesting group of friends I had there. I smoked a lot of weed and existed in a very tight-knit group, restricted and safely comforted by the life of suburbia. It was a great place to grow, develop and explore who I was and who I wanted to become. However, once I left, I’ve never looked back.

Favorite bar?
When I was about 13 or 14, we used to go to the Filamouth & Firkin Pub, which then became The Junction. I also used to drink at the Trinity Bar. This was the hangout for all the rock, Goth, grunge, hip hop and skater kids, so it housed my expression and changing styles. Harrow thrived with a local scene of great bands like The Rakes and The Natives and skaters like the Death Squad (including the Dirty Sanchez boys), who I actually knocked about with whilst I worked at the Boondox skate shop. There was a general sense of local town warmth with an underlying edge of violence. People got mugged and stabbed, but the local off-licence sorted me out bottles of Red Square from the age of 14.

Favorite restaurant to go to in Harrow and why?
Harrow isn’t particularly famed for its gastronomic delights. However, Harrow on the Hill has a selection of fine eateries. My favorite restaurant is Akash Tandoori in Sudbury Hill. It’s a fine Indian curry house, previously called Saathi. I went there every weekend for about 6 years. I even had a 50% off gold card and always got free drinks.

How would you describe Harrow to someone who’s never been there?
The town center is suburban and developing. Full of the shops you’d expect of a once flourishing middle-class town, but with enough dark alleys to lose a wallet or a mobile phone in. The hill is a fantastic day out, steeped in heritage and historical beauty. And as for my little area of Sudbury Hill -- well, it’s got more chicken shops and crap off-lisences rammed onto its small main street now, than all the family owned friendly shops that used to be there.

If you had 12 hours to show me a good time in Harrow, where would you take me?
Onto Sudbury Hill with your drinks and drugs of choice and something to start a bonfire with.

What’s next for Jeff Leach?
Besides struggling with sobriety and an overwhelming need for fashion, I ‘m currently working on a radio pilot for BBC 6 Music, writing and developing a comedy series for television, filming a number of comedy sketches I’ve written for an upcoming TV pitch and DJ’ing at all of the hottest parties currently on offer.

~Donald Crunk
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My Town: Manchester, UK
The Whip's Download on Everything from Fake Black Pudding to Hot Slang

Make no mistake: Manchester, England's hottest music export of 2009 is the The Whip. The band channels T. Rex, New Order and Primal Scream into an electro-glam rock and pop frenzy resulting in a uniquely modern sound. With the release of their full-length debut X Marks Destination (Razor and Tie), the Whip is finally making the big trans-Atlantic jump.

We caught up with the Whip on their North American tour, and asked them to shed light on the United Kingdom's 'Second City.' Needless to say, with a population of 2.5 million that includes well-known institutes of higher learning, countless museums and the BBC Philharmonic, there was more to the city than our pub knowledge of football and Oasis:

What's the best way to get around Manchester?
There are loads of buses, we still get old-school double-decker buses in some parts. The tough dudes sit at the back upstairs. The center itself is pretty tight and the places I would want to be are pretty close together. There is a tram in the city that’s easy to hop on or off. I say use your trotters and get fit.

Good neighborhood to hang out in?
Chorlton is a pretty cool suburb about a five-minute bus ride from the center of town. There are loads of bohemian arty types in this area. Lots of bars and all-night house parties. Fee and Nath live here and rarely sleep. There is a really nice tapas place just in the city center off Deansgate called El Rincon. It’s really genuine Spanish tucker and the fish is great (surely not from the Manchester ship canal). The lady in there is a tough cookie but I like the abuse when I’m eating good Spanish food. And there are a lot of cool bars around the northern quarter. For years there were just a couple of cool bars that would play cool music around that area. All of a sudden there are 10 or so bars. Trof is my favorite in the area -- it’s got a really relaxed feel. It’s dimly lit and chilled out with some big fat couches and they usually have some nice music playing. Good olives too.

Seems like there are loads of museums and parks in the city. Any particular recommendations?
Yeah, the latest museum that was built is Urbis. It’s a modern building close to the site of the IRA bomb which graced our city in ‘96. They changed the whole area and it looks pretty nice. Skater kids hang out there and get drunk but it’s a nice little garden. They put a stage up there and we played a show last summer. It was a fun night.

Fave music stores?
In the Northern quarter area, again, the best two shops are opposite each other. Vinyl Exchange sells secondhand and promo CDs and vinyl. I used to have scabs on my fingers from flicking through music in the racks there. They really cram the stock in. Picadilly Records is the other shop. It’s over the road and sells more new stuff but they put little write-ups on each record. There is a lot of love and attention that goes in to some of their finds. They got right behind the Whip early on and gave us ‘single of the month’ in their hallowed window. Cheers.

Best places to catch a gig for an up-and-coming band?
On Oldham Street is the Night and Day Cafe. If a band had to graft from the start it’s likely that they came through the doors here. I saw the Rapture there years ago, which was pretty memorable. Actually I think I’ve played the drums, the bass guitar and synth in there with various bands. The other place a couple of streets over is the Roadhouse. It’s a cellar venue, I put my guitar through the low roof once. It was an accident, they had rubbish polystyrene tiles up there.

Favorite place to play a show?
There are four academy venues up by the university buildings on Oxford Road. We just played a sold-out gig there. It was a great night for us at the end of a crazy Euro disco party of a tour. Last summer we played at the Castlefield Arena as part of a big free festival in town. That was a great gig and a lot of Manchester saw us there (10,000 – 15,000) -- it’s a natural-bowl type setting and everyone was right behind us. It’s cheating on home turf though.

Good place for brunch?
Trof does a mean brunch, or the Cornerhouse Cinema-- they do a post beans on toast.

Cool restaurant options for vegetarians?
There is a nice place in Didsbury called Greens. The guy who owns it is one of those TV chefs in the UK. Nice tucker though. They do fake black pudding and fake duck but in a meaty kind of way.

Best restaurant when someone else is picking up the tab?
The Malmaison does Russian with a certain economic sting to the taste. It’s good for drinks before we play the warehouse project. The warehouse project is amazing. It’s a club set under the railway station and it a car park during the week. It used to be a railway shed and has great brick structures inside. There have been many messy Whip nights in there. Love it so much.

Is football a huge part of life (or is that just because the Manchester United fans we meet have convinced us of this)?
Football is huge for me. I actually follow a second division team called Wolverhampton Wanderers, if you cut me a bleed ‘old gold’ (my team’s strip color). We used to have a relative who played for them so my dad always took me there. I love following both City and United though. United are such a good team at the moment. I saw the wolves there a few years ago which was amazing. You get some fierce rivalry that can get pretty ugly. You guys seem to have a more polite and sensible rivalry with sports, but football can get crazy over here.

What is the one thing a person absolutely has to experience when they visit?
Meat pie, chips and gravy from a proper chippy, or some decent old-fashioned food from Sam's Chop House. A nice steak and kidney pie.

Can you tell us a secret/little-known fact about the city?
I think I just gave them all away.

Could you give a few pointers regarding slang?
We constantly make fun of these in a ‘mank’ accent:
No way mate. = I can’t believe it. (people say mate all the time, all the time, you’d think you had a thousand friends)
Proper sound = really nice person
Do one = get out of here
Minger = ugly girl
A made ya = you are my son/daughter

~Abbey Braden
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My Town: Red Hook, Brooklyn
Hat Man Frenel Morris on His New Nabe's Quiet Charm

A long time ago, every neighborhood had a hatter, who made custom creations for genteel townsmen. Frenel Morris is keeping that tradition alive. Designer and owner of the hat line Still Life (with a celeb clientele including Lenny Kravitz), he debuted his Orchard Street boutique in 2002, and recently opened an entire factory in Red Hook, Brooklyn. With over a thousand vintage hat blocks, Morris shapes and fits each one by hand in a totally custom style. The craftsmanship may be steeped in history, but his attitude is far from antiquated. “We’re kind of recreating the hat,” he says. “I don’t think there are any rules. Be yourself, be confident, and rock it however you want.” When he’s not hard at work with millinery, he’s enjoying the perks of his new neighborhood:

What are three things required to be a gentleman?
Nice hat, nice shoes, nice jacket.

Are you part of the “dandy movement”?
Maybe, but unintentionally.

Got any celeb customers? And what’s your demographic?
It’s all different ages from a 14-year-old kid to a 90-year-old woman. We have a lot of celebrities. Tariq from the Roots, Joel Madden from Good Charlotte, and Lenny Kravitz in his video wore our hats.

Why did you choose Red Hook for the location of your new hat factory?
The main reason is probably the rent. It’s cheaper. I was initially looking in Manhattan to find something closer to the store. But for my needs, there’s a lot of serious equipment like a high-pressure boiler and it was hard to find a building that had the right regulations for my setup.

Describe Red Hook…
I love Red Hook because it’s still very industrial and still caters to artists. Any industry that’s left in New York, pretty much Red Hook’s the spot to go. It’s one of the last commercial places where they have big open warehouses and spaces like this to do the type of work I do. I also like the neighborhood because they don’t have a lot of trains in the area, so it’s kind of stayed the way it’s been. It’s off the beaten path and not a lot of people really go out there.

What’s the vibe of Red Hook in one sentence?
A lot of artists, galleries, a lot of workshop areas, more industrial—but also it’s a quaint neighborhood.

Where do you get a morning cup of joe?
There’s a coffee spot called Baked. They have really amazing brownies and snacks and stuff.

Are the local restaurants good? Where’s your favorite lunch spot?
I have my spots. My favorite spot for brunch is Tini. Then you have Fairway, which is like Whole Foods at half price. I love getting food there. In the summer, by the soccer fields they have the concession stands, with real authentic Mexican food. I haven’t been able to find Mexican food as authentic as what they have there. There’s also The Good Fork for dinner.

Is there anything in Red Hook you can’t find anywhere else?
Ikea. There’s no other Ikea around here.

Best place to catch an after-work drink?
Rocky Sullivan's Tap Room. It’s an old-school bar I like to go to. It’s named after a character in an old movie. You can go to Tini for a drink too. They have a little bar, and a decent wine list. Also, there’s Hope & Anchor: which is a bar/diner I’ve been meaning to check out.

Favorite shops?
There’s a little jewelry shop called Erie Basin that I like. There are a few good stores on Van Brunt. There was a really cool liquor store called LeNell’s, but they’re closing this month.

Your idea of a perfect weekend in Red Hook?
On the weekends in the summer, my girlfriend and I bike out there and go to Fairway and get some cheese and crackers and olives. Then we’d go to LeNell’s and get a bottle of wine and we’d hang out on the water on the promenade or at a little park they have down there. Red Hook is cool to just walk around by the water.

Does the area have a best-kept secret?
The pool. No one knows about it. They have an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the park by the soccer fields that is free. And there’s a gym there as well. It’s free and it’s pretty empty. So in the summer, it’s great. I get up early in the morning, bike out there, swim, do a couple of laps, work out at the gym, then hit the factory.

~Meredith Craig de Pietro
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My Town: Toronto
Sebastien Grainger Discusses Loves & Limitations in the Canadian City

Sebastien Grainger is the hirsute ex-drummer and singer of the insanely awesome Death From Above 1979 (which disbanded a few years ago), now appearing with a band of three called “Sebastian Grainger & the Mountains.” I checked him out at the Lexington in London a couple of weekends ago, and he's like a sweaty rock god, moving into guitar driven rock 'n' roll with aplomb. There was a room full of indie kids, with the DFA 1979 double elephant head, dancing like veteran moshers even without Jesse Keeler's stomping bass. You can check Grainger out on his Canadian and American tour, starting March 6. Here are his thoughts on his Canadian hometown of Toronto:

You're originally from Toronto, right? Did you grow up there as well?
I grew up in a big mega-suburb called Mississauga. They still have the same mayor they've had since a few years before I was born -- she's almost 90 years old! Mississauga is basically two towns over, so as soon as I was a teenager I was going downtown...staying up all night, sleeping on benches.

What did you get up to when you started socializing outside of school?
I went to French school most of my life, so our community was pretty small. I didn't have any friends in my neighborhood really. All my friends were school friends, and eventually I started a band with those friends. Aside from lighting fires and biking around, music is what kept me busy.

Was Toronto fairly chilled-out, or is it more of a big-city vibe?
Was or is? Toronto is a big city, so it has that vibe. If you live in a city though, you can always find peace if you want it. Toronto is very much like a big American city, but with far less rubbish floating about.

A lot of good bands have come out of Toronto. What is it about Toronto that inspires so much creativity?
I can't speak for the scene in Toronto...I can only speak for myself. What I love about Toronto, is that there is a tradition of world-class music. It's not just NOW, it's always. And it shouldn't surprise, it's the cultural hub of a very vast country, so artists from all over gravitate towards Toronto. I'm at a point now though, where I feel like I want to get away from it...I still love it here, but i feel it's time to take what I do and try and do it somewhere else…

Do you reckon Toronto's directly influenced your sound? It seems that there's a pretty big range in the kind of noise coming out of Toronto - you've got Rush, Dragonette, Broken Social Scene, and The Russian Futurists as well as your sound - so it must be a diverse place?
It's an extremely culturally diverse city. You can find anything you want here. Personally I've never felt a real creative attachment to the city itself, I've always felt like my music comes from somewhere far away...further than the top of the CN Tower.

How would you describe Toronto to an outsider or a tourist? Is it an easy place to get into, or do you have to dig a bit for the good stuff?
Depending on when you visit. For an outsider the winters might be a little much...But spring/summer, as with Montreal… is a glorious time to be in the city. It gets really hot and sunny and people basically stop wearing clothes.

How does the music scene compare to big cities in other countries?
I have no idea. I'm not from other countries.

What about the art scene? Is it as buzzing as the music scene seems to be? Any galleries or artists you can recommend?
There are tons of artists and galleries. Some of my fave artists are Andre Ethier, Ted Tucker, Jesse Harris, and Josh Reichmann. Some good galleries are Le Gallery, Studio Gallery, Clint Roenish...I should also mention Bad Day Magazine, which is a quarterly arts and culture journal that promotes Toronto artists but also international artists ...It's a great mag.

What do you most miss when you're out of Toronto?
My girlfriend, our bed and my dog.

Are you a pub or bar kind of guy? Any decent places for a drink and dance in Toronto?
I am lucky to live in a good neighborhood for bars. There's always The Dakota Tavern, The Communist Daughter, and Sweaty Betty's.

How about getting something to eat? What's your favorite restaurant in Toronto?
Swan and Terroni. My faves. Swan is a diner-style restaurant with a menu of mostly rich comfort foods. Terroni is southern Italian food...Both are incredible.

Is there anything else about Toronto that deserves special mention?
My studio is here, so if any bands ever want to record in Toronto, look up Giant Studios Toronto!

~Chris Harding


First photo via Newcity Music
Second photo by Holly Smith
Third photo via Ontario Horse Web Design
Fourth photo via Ultimate-Boardshop
Fifth photo courtesy of Le Gallery
Sixth photo via Toronto Life
Seventh photo by Kandyjaxx via Flickr
Eighth photo by Kozyndan via Flickr
Ninth photo by sevennine via Flickr
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My Town: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Mark Sam Rosenthal on Bars under Bridges & a Top Shop

“I love that the New York Times said, ‘Clearly Mr. Rosenthal enjoys going over the line.’ Because I’ve enjoyed going over the line since–- forever–- that’s why I had to leave The Rouge,” says Mark Sam Rosenthal. This month, the Baton Rouge native performs his one-man show, "Blanche Survives Katrina in a FEMA Trailer Named Desire,” at the Soho Playhouse. It’s Rosenthal’s humorous and moving account of the tragic events of Hurricane Katrina, told through the eyes of Tennessee Williams’ Blanche Dubois. Along with 200,000 other New Orleanians, Rosenthal’s extended family took refuge in the nearby town– his mother had a full house for months.

Rosenthal recently sat down with psychoPEDIA to share some of the city’s lesser-known charms:

Were you born in Baton Rouge?
Born and raised. My parents are from there. My dad’s been dead a long time, but my mom is still there.

Describe Baton Rouge to someone who’s never been.
It’s really hot and humid and flat. It’s not like the old south-- like Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans-- there are a lot of strip malls, it’s a very industrial place. We have one of the largest Exxon refineries in the world. But it’s also so green down there–- it doesn’t get cold so almost everything is evergreen. Palm trees everywhere, it’s tropical–- sub-tropical, so the vegetation is really lush all year. But you pay for it during the nine months when it’s hot as hell. And there are some lovely neighborhoods.

What are they like?
They formed my ideal of what’s beautiful. Even with all the places in the world I’ve been, some of those streets are still the most beautiful. Especially Reymond Avenue. It’s a really wide boulevard with gorgeous live oaks coming over it like a canopy. And the houses, the style down there, even if it’s just a house in town, looks like a plantation-– columns, porches and balconies.

Is there a big nightlife scene?
Not really. It’s not a town that thinks of itself as a city. When I was growing up the downtown was shuttered. Nowadays, there’s stuff downtown, which includes some nightspots.

What did you do at night when you lived there?
In high school? (laughs) I guess I lived at home one summer during college. Well, there were some gay bars. Those were some scary-ass places. One was called Argon-– their slogan was, ‘It’s a gas’–- it has since closed. This is the classy nightlife of “The Rouge” as I like to call it. Only those in the know call it The Rouge. One of the two gay bars downtown called George's, is literally under the Mississippi River Bridge; you have to buzz in because someone was once shot there.

Is it still there?
Yeah. But I don’t know if you have to buzz in. I haven’t been in years.

Where do you go when you visit?
The Rouge has great food. All that good Louisiana stuff–- lots of seafood. There are a couple of seafood giants in town. One is Mike Anderson's and the other is Ralph & Kacoo's, which is like 20,000 square feet, Pepto-Bismol pink and right on the Interstate. My mom likes this relatively new place called Parrain's.

Your favorite part of town?
The lakes in the middle of town called the University Lakes-– because LSU is there. It used to be a swamp. In the ‘30s they drained them for a make-work project and made lakes and built houses around them. It’s a place where people go jogging, walking, bike riding. When I was growing up there, my bike was my freedom so I’d go there to be by myself.

Anything you can do there that you can’t do anywhere else?
It’s the only place you can go see an LSU football game. There are 93,000 people there. It’s insane. The whole town comes out. Everyone’s a football fan–- even me. We had season tickets, I mean, there’s no opera.

Does The Rouge have any unique history?
It’s home of the tallest state capitol building in the country-– an Art Deco skyscraper! Huey Long was shot to death in it. He was the Governor of Louisiana in the ‘20s and ‘30s and then he was our senator. He was a populist demagogue, kind of a socialist, but everyone was so poor they loved him.

Who shot him?
A doctor from New Orleans named Carl Weiss.

Kind of like Harvey Milk…
Totally. You can take school trips there and put your fingers in the bullet holes. He’s buried underneath a giant statue of himself in front of the capitol in these huge ornamental gardens. That movie [based on the book] All the King’s Men is a fictionalized account of his life. But my favorite thing about the state capitol building is-– first that it’s a skyscraper-– 34 stories I think, but there’s a gift shop on the observation deck called the Shop on Top.

Do you shop there?
My brother and I have a Christmas tradition to get our grandmother a tacky gift from the Shop on Top. She loves that stuff, and every year we try to get something worse than the year before. It’s the thing we look forward to opening most.

Oh, and the one other thing you can only do in Baton Rouge is watch both your mother and father be king and queen of the Mystic Krewe of Achilles, a local Mardi Gras organization. I’ve seen them both parade around a ballroom to the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” wearing rhinestone crowns and waving rhinestone scepters. And in the case of my father– red velvet rhinestone-encrusted knee breeches and stockings. Fucked up and awesome!

~Lisa Germinsky


First photo via Katrina Survives FEMA
Second photo via Louisana Travel Nursing
Third photo via NOBRA Examiners
Fourth photo by notastute via Flickr
Fifth & sixth photos by schmingle via Flickr
Seventh & eighth photos by darebouche via Flickr
Ninth photo by Vanesa BL via Flickr
Tenth photo by antelucandaisy via Flickr
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My Town: Oxford, England
Foals Guitarist Plucks Out the British College Town’s High Points

Jimmy Smith is the guitarist for the Oxford band Foals, and grew up there. Nowadays, he lives in Oxford when he’s not touring, and when we met him at one of the good-but-kind-of-shit bars on Oxford’s High Street somewhere between the band’s massive tour and their sell-out shows with Bloc Party at the London Olympia, we decided it would be a good idea to grill him for info and educate people wanting to have a good time in this student-infested university city:

Right, then… Oxford. What's your earliest memory of out-of-school socializing in our fair city? Did you go along the St. Giles-and-pool-parties route, or more of a Gloucester Green and Port Meadow thing?
I remember we used to go to 'shitty' parks and drink tequila. I think it’s actually City Park right next to Little Clarendon Street. I got in a ruck with a bum who called himself Dad there once -- he held me up by the neck against a wall, just for a cigarette. We just hung around everywhere really.

What is it about Oxford, do you think, that engenders so much creativity? - for such a small place, a lot of high quality people have come out of Oxford: Radiohead obviously, but also Julian Opie, Supergrass, Young Knives etc. and now Foals.
I think because of the size of the city everyone ends up bouncing ideas off each other, with Youthmovies for example. There is always something inspiring and creative going on, and in Oxford you don't have to look very hard to find it.

Would you say Oxford's influenced your sound? The amount of academic and intellectual energy in Oxford surely had some kind of effect?
I don’t really know what influenced our sound at all. Just our surroundings I guess, writing songs cooped up in a tiny room in St. John's. Our biggest influence was each other. But Oxford always represents a place of refuge and escape for us -- we treat it like the Shire, so it will always influence us as long as we stay here.

Now for the more basic stuff, I guess. How would you describe Oxford to an outsider who knew nothing about it?
Shit nightlife, good people.

What's the music scene like?
Once you filter out the crap it’s a healthy scene. People who care about the right things seem to pull the strings.

Student population -- good or bad?
Annoying sometimes, but essential for Oxford.

How about art? Any galleries or Oxford artists you particularly recommend?
I only went to MOMA twice, but that’s a pretty cool space, always some good things running there. Andrew from Youthmovies showed me this book he's making with friends, a collection of art and words called "Midscene," I think that’s pretty much the best thing happening right now.

What do you most miss when you're out of Oxford?
Being able to stand in the center, walk for 10 minutes in any direction and be in a field. I miss my friends too, so much.

Oxford's got a lot of pubs and bars, considering its size. Which are your favorites, and why?
The Star is my favorite, it’s like Cheers for me there. I like some of the old pubs. We are way more of a pub band than bar band, I hate shiny yuppie bars. But if you like them, Oxford has a whole heap of them.

What about eats? What's the best restaurant in Oxford?
The Old Parsonage is good, Gee's is supposed to be amazing. Both are hugely overpriced, but give you a fake feeling of success. Try the Oriental Cafe and Mongolian Wok, cheap and awesome.

Anything else you think deserves a special mention?
The river. People should spend more time on and around the river, it’s so calming. Best thing to do is get a row boat and row to the pub up the river, the Victoria Arms, take a shandy and then head out for the great unknown. Or just go to Primark.

~Christopher Harding


Foals play the Olympia in London on 11th and 12th April with Bloc Party.


First photo by Jenna Foxton
Second photo by Bachspics via Flickr
Third photo by Garrettc via Flickr
Fourth photo courtesy of Gee's
Fifth photo by gab3x Split via Flickr
Sixth photo by James_Christie via Flickr
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My Town: Zurich, Switzerland
Star Snowboarder Nicolas Müller on Mountain Art & Meatless Wonders

It’s safe to say that professional snowboarder, Nicolas Müller, likes cold weather. After all, his livelihood is spent snowboarding on mountain tops worldwide. He also grew up in Zurich, Switzerland-– a city known for having a few chilly nights here and there.

Burton Snowboards, where Müller sits on its global team, has an eco-friendly namesake snowboard, rightly called EcoNico. It’s made from recycled materials, lessening his carbon footprint while creating a new paradigm in snowboard construction. Nico, as his friends call him, is known for having the smoothest style around-– dribbling across the snow with complete creativity. His skills are seen in some of the biggest snowboarding films, notably, It's Always Snowing Somewhere and That's It, That's All-– X-Dance winner at Sundance.

During a short break from filming next season’s films, Nico chatted with psychoPEDIA from his apartment in Zurich, by phone. He shared his love of growing up in the land of neutrality, and why the best food on the planet just happens to be vegetarian:

How was life growing up in Zurich?
I had the best of both worlds, because my dad lived in Zurich and my mom lived right outside, in a town called Aarau. It’s about 45 kilometers from Zurich-– I had a big city and the suburbs in a way. The country side and city culture. I would go back and forth on the weekends between both parents.

What’s so special about the city?
If it’s one thing, it’s the culture here. In a big city, like New York City, yeah, there’s culture everywhere and some of the best events happening in the world. But the thing about Zurich is that it’s the number-one cultural area per square meter. You really feel it as soon as you walk outside your apartment. There’s something going on everywhere. You really feel the connection and contact with people. There’s always an art opening or just something happening just within walking distance.

Which art galleries do you frequent?
The Kunsthaus is great. It’s this really old building that has collections of artwork, and also has new exhibitions and openings all the time. One time they had a collection of artists come in that had artwork featuring the Alps. My friend Ari Marcopoulos, who has photographed snowboarders through the years, had a space at that exhibition featuring his work. It was really cool to hang out with him-– the vibe of that place is really nice.

Where are some great spots to see a band?
Well, there’s a bunch of places. As far as the big arenas go, where I’ve seen The Beastie Boys-– it’s this arena called Hallenstadion. It’s the top place in the city for huge concerts and sporting events. Madonna…everyone has performed there. It can fit around 10,000 to 15,000 people – it’s huge. On a smaller scale, however, there are a bunch of intimate places too. There’s another place called The Rote Fabrik. It’s this really old factory near the lakeside. A bunch of events and concerts and happenings go on there-– there’s also a restaurant.

Any especially good bars?
First, it really depends on if it’s summer or winter in Zurich. When it’s the summer there’s a whole new world of places to go. There’s this one place called Longstreet. It’s a pretty sad area of the city with crazy people and hookers. Once you get inside, though, it’s a whole different world. Tourists can’t really get in and you won’t see a lot of drunks either. Every block has a bar-– it’s a really shitty area. Lots of drugs too-– but once you get inside, it’s great.

I’m sure you have your favorite restaurants…
One of my absolute favorite restaurants is called Hiltl-– it’s all vegetarian. It’s this huge buffet that’s like 20 feet long! There’s a warm section, a cold section, salads. They have everything! It’s fresh and organic. No meat at all. You go in, load up your plate, weigh it at the register and pay. I brought a friend there from Los Angeles who was visiting and we met up with another friend who was in town from Austria. We went there three times in three days! It’s never boring! The food is so good. I can go there almost every day to eat.

Switzerland is, well, considered neutral to the rest of the world. What’s it like on the inside? Any political battles?
I don’t really follow politics and know every detail, however Switzerland is a very small and very rich country and we’re not a part of the EU (European Union)-– lots of workers try to get passports from Switzerland to gain citizenship. There are parties here in Zurich that are racist against immigrants coming in from, say, Yugoslavia; and in the past Italians were considered cheap workers. Now it’s Turkish people. There are people here who want to kick out them out of the country and say they’re just here to get a free Swiss passport. On a local level, a law just passed making every bar and restaurant smoke- free. I hate smoky places, and still in a few countries you can smoke in bars, which I hate.

If you could share one bit of insider information with someone who is visiting Zurich for the first time, what would you tell them?
I’d tell them to come in the summer and not winter! It’s an entirely different world. It’s cold and foggy in the winter and people tend to stay indoors. In the summer it’s a 180-degree difference in the atmosphere and environment. Also, don’t rent a car. Parking is horrible. Get a bicycle while you’re here! And oh yeah, public transportation is great – take the trains all over the city and country.

~Jessica McMenamin
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My Town: Antibes, France
M83’s Anthony Gonzalez Reflects on His Cool Euphoria

It’s no surprise Anthony Gonzalez, the main man behind M83, grew up in Antibes -- a small town in the South of France. The majestic area -- known for panoramic views of snowcapped mountains, placid oceans and balmy sunsets -- fits the mood of M83’s ambient music. Not to mention a few Hollywood starlets from time to time: Cannes is just around the corner and things become a tad busy in May for the film festival.

Gonzalez has recently been quite the globetrotter – venturing around the world in support of his 2008 release of Saturdays = Youth (Mute Records). It’s M83’s fifth album, with a more optimistic, bright sound. Sure, while on the road, Gonzalez is like every other musician and enjoys exploring different cultures and environments -- but Antibes is truly where he seems to draw most of his inspiration. Perhaps that’s why the title of M83’s newest album reflects back to his years of blissful innocence.

Right before a show at Irving Plaza in New York, Gonzalez chatted with psychoPEDIA and spoke about all things Antibes:

Have you lived in Antibes your whole life?
I was born there, and it’s about 20 kilometers from Cannes in the South of France. My whole family lives there still. However, I moved to Paris and lived there for about four years, and just recently moved back to Antibes.

What made you move back?
Well, I was walking in Paris one day and just decided that it was time to move back. I wanted to focus on my music and put all my energy back into my music.

I guess there are a lot of distractions in Paris?!
Oh yes, there are many! Also, to live in Paris you must make a great deal of money to live a really nice lifestyle and to own an incredible apartment. It’s less expensive to live in the South of France. It was clear for me to move back to Antibes and focus on my music and live an easier lifestyle.

What’s your favorite Antibes restaurant?
There’s this very very very good restaurant called La Cafetière Fêlée. It’s sooo great. I love it there and eat there very often. They have all these different, weird kinds of food to choose from – really unique options. The atmosphere is really cool – very quiet and simple.

How about bars?
There is this one bar that I love where its specialty is Absinthe. I’m sure you know that Absinthe is special to France. It’s a hidden bar called Absinthe Bar La Balade. It’s really cool and it’s in a basement. There’s no name to it, to the locals-– it’s just known as Absinthe Bar.

If I were to stay in a really nice hotel in Antibes, where would you send me if money wasn’t an issue?
Well, every year in May the Cannes Film Festival takes place. It’s only a short distance from Antibes. All of the movie stars come in and stay at Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc. It’s really expensive and really fancy hotel. It’s quite beautiful too. Everyone comes and stays there from out of town during that time period for the festival.

What’s really unique about Antibes?
The atmosphere. All my friends and family live in Antibes so that alone makes me happy to be home. It’s not stressful at all. We have the beach where you can go and be with friends to lay out and enjoy. The weather alone is beautiful-– just taking in the sunshine while at the beach, and at the same time looking up to the mountains.

What are the colors like?
It’s really bright, especially when it’s sunny. The sun makes everything bright. We have palm trees too, so there are splashes of green everywhere. Lots of colorful flowers all around the beach, with the backdrop of old city.

That’s up on a hill, right?
Yeah, it’s up high on a hilltop. It’s a really beautiful view.

Tell me a little about some unique town history…
A lot of famous artists and painters have spent their summers in Antibes. They’ve owned houses here and come year after year, like Picasso when he was alive. There is a great museum in the Old City called The Picasso Museum-– I like to go there often. I guess these artists get a lot of inspiration from coming to Antibes.

What’s your most vivid childhood memory of your home city?
Playing football a lot and riding my bicycle around town. Everyone gets around on bicycles here. Swimming in the sea, going skiing on the weekends, lots of wonderful times…

~Jessica McMenamin


First photo by Anouck Bertin
Second photo by Discordance
Third photo by Dennis&Grace via Flickr
Fourth photo by Karney Li via Flickr
Fifth photo via Photographers Gallery
Sixth photo by Nancy Baym via Flickr
Seventh photo by damien_nissa via Flickr
Eighth photo by manu_aventuras via Flickr
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My Town: Tucson, Arizona
Savant Designer Feng-Feng Yeh on Tie-Dyed Skies & The Best Mexican

A cursory glance at Tucson native Feng-Feng Yeh, returning from her day job in sales at YSL finely dressed in a tailored jacket and high heels, one wouldn’t assume that her former work attire consisted of everything from sequined bandage tops to vinyl garter belts. However, the petite 27-year-old, a former member of NYC’s Six Six Sick nightlife collective, first gained attention not only for the popular Tuesday night party at Chinatown’s Happy Ending, but for the outrageous high fashion and pop-culture-inspired ensembles she designed for the trio to wear at each weekly event. “I already had the initial interest in fashion, then I was part of this youth culture we created which was so exciting,” Yeh explains of her inspiration to transition from party hosting to designing her first independent label, Savant.

While it no doubt helped that Yeh’s events drew in some of downtown’s best-dressed characters, as well as a collection of industry contacts, the FIT grad also gained a wealth of experience interning at esteemed fashion houses— including Narciso Rodriguez and under Francisco Costa at Calvin Klein, as well as her biggest influence, friend and mentor, designer Benjamin Cho.

Having debuted her first collection for S/S 09 at New York Fashion Week, Yeh’s thoughtful, refreshing approach to design emphasizes shapely silhouettes and cage-like pants and skirts— earning the collection’s apt name and loosely explaining the concept as: “a reflection of ourselves skeletally, making note of the structures of everyday life and comparing it to our structure.”

Joining the former party girl and hard-at-work designer at her Greenpoint studio, psychoPEDIA spoke with Yeh about her formative Southwestern hometown experiences:

What’s the first thing you would say to describe Tucson?
Tucson is such a beautiful place to go, because when the sun sets, the sky gets tie-dyed in purple and pink, and the different layers melt into each other. The mountains turn purple, too. There’s something really crisp about the air. And when you’re in the desert, it’s really quiet except for little noises from animals.

What were your first fashion inspirations there?
I used to hang out at these places in downtown Tucson when I was growing up. That’s what really pushed me to go to New York to pursue fashion. One of my first jobs was interning at a vintage clothing store called Mr. Lulu’s when I was 14 or 15. It had vintage Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and the Kim Gordon label X-Girl. The owner had a little chihuahua called Mr. Lulu who would run around the store. And there were a few other vintage stores down the block where I came to know the owners— like Kanella's, which is similar to [New York’s] Trash and Vaudeville.

Any cultural influences?
Tucson had Downtown Saturday Night— where people would come from all parts of the city and appreciate the downtown historic district. All the stores would stay open really late. On those nights, I window modeled vintage clothes— wearing an electric blue bob with space-age vintage stuff from the ‘70s and just sit in the window and read Italian Vogue.

What were your favorite hangouts?
I would go to Hotel Congress, which has so much history. It’s famous for John Dillinger, the outlaw. They burned down one of the floors in the hotel trying to smoke him out. It has that old school feeling, and I think some of the rooms are haunted.

Were you active in Tucson nightlife and youth culture back then?
Tucson has a huge music and arts scene. My friends and I would go to Scooter Ally at Hotel Congress and try to talk to 25-year-olds. The uniform in Tucson is flip-flop, shorts, and a t-shirt. Nobody dresses up there, because it’s hot all the time. It’s not a fashion place. But to see people there, dressed in three-button, skinny suits before Hedi Slimane even started doing the super skinny suits was amazing.

Best bars?
The Mint Cocktails— they have an old-school grabbing machine where you crank it and an arm pushes toys into a hole. All the stuff in it is disgusting, like gold-casted dogs. And right next to it they have crock pots with chili. There’s another place called The Shelter, in an old bomb shelter. It’s stone outside and really beautiful. But there’s a crazy place called The Meat Rack. This guy who owns the bar legally changed his name to “God.” All the photos inside are of his famous friends. He has a room to the side that’s a sex room with weird chairs and devices, and there’s another room with a bed. It’s gross, but so interesting. And if you want to get discounted drinks for life, you can get branded with the logo.

Most unique aspect of Tucson?
The mixture of people that are there— a lot of conservatives, but also a rich Mexican culture, since it’s so close to Mexico. You can never find better Mexican food anywhere else. There’s Casa Molina, Mi Nidito (which is probably the best), and then really nasty places exclusive to Tucson that you go to at 1 am after all the bars close, called Los Betos. It’s disgusting, yet so amazing because you’ll never get this disgusting-ness anywhere else.

Quirkiest spots?
There’s an amazing wig store, Wig-O-Rama, that’s survived all these years, on the corner of Congress Street. They have every kind of wig you could imagine, and it still looks like it’s from 1951.

Most picturesque places?
You can just drive to the end of Skyline Road to a spot that’s part of the foothills, but on a higher level so you can overlook the city. I’ve driven so many guys there to make-out, so it’s a memorable spot for me. Mount Lemmon is this peak of a mountain and has a diverse ecosystem, where there are pine trees, mountains, and desert. You feel like you’re in a national park. There’s a church called the San Xavier Mission that’s a great destination, and not too far away from Tucson is Tombstone.

Is there something you appreciate more about Tucson now?
I appreciate the energy, because it’s so laid back. You take your time to do things there. Even going to Walmart is something I miss.

~Leann Peterson


The Savant collection will be available at Henri Bendel, Woodly and Bunny, LA’s Ooga Booga, and online at I Don't Like Mondays.

First photo by Leann Peterson
Second photo courtesy of Feng-Feng Yeh
Third photo by s sturgeon via Flickr
Fourth photo by Martin Davis via Flickr
Fifth photo by Sunshine Girl AZ via Flickr
Sixth photo by stevewynnsite via Flickr
Seventh photo by orping via Flickr
Eighth photo by bburchams via Flickr
Ninth photo by Madirakshi via Flickr
Tenth photo by J. Stephen Conn via Flickr
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My Town: Boulder, Colorado
Perfumer & Painter Dawn Spencer Hurwitz On Her Mountain Home

Boulder, Colorado is as bucolic as one can get without fully retreating to rural America. Thanks to its exceptionally fortunate location (where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains), it’s breathtakingly beautiful. But Boulder’s eponymous creek and iconic flatirons are just a couple of the destination’s many attractions. In fact, it’s home to quite a bit of culture, which enticed artist Dawn Spencer Hurwitz to move from Boston to Boulder with her husband in 1995.

In addition to working as a painter, Hurwitz has made a career as a perfumer. Owner of the parent company Parfums des Beaux Arts, she recently opened Essence Studio–- a 1,600-square-foot space, which includes retail, fragrance blending, production, and room for a perfume museum (slated to open later this year). Under the umbrella of Essence Studio, she has conceived a handful of fragrance lines, including a limited-edition and a namesake collection (the latter of which sells at the likes of Barneys New York). PsychoPEDIA caught up with Hurwitz to discern why Boulder consistently tops ‘Best Of’ lists, its most picturesque spots, and the city’s best-kept secret:

What brought you to Boulder?
I actually came for a couple of reasons—one was my health. I’m asthmatic; Boulder is much dryer and there’s a lot more warmth and sun. Also, both my husband and I are artists and we had a number of other artists we knew that were moving here.

How would you describe the city to someone who’s never been?
It feels like a big small town. There’s this height restriction—the largest building is five stories—so no one has an obscured view of the mountains. A lot of attention is paid to quality of life and natural beauty. It’s a really great melting pot: there’s a lot of NYC and California influence. Most people are from the coasts; it’s a town full of transplants. It’s really rare to actually meet someone from Boulder.

What is the best thing about living there?
It’s a geographical phenomenon: we have on average 320 days of sun a year. But we still have change of seasons, which you don’t find in southern California. And, because of that, people are really friendly; people have a sunnier disposition where it’s sunny.

What are you favorite outdoor activities there?
Hiking, even in the wintertime. My two favorite trails are Sanitas and Chautauqua. At Chautauqua, where the flatirons—the icon for Boulder—are, there’s a clubhouse that was started in the late 19th, early 20th century. It houses concerts, poetry readings… it started as an artists’ community. Now you can rent rooms there. It’s ton of open space and all these trails for beginners and intermediate hikers. You can do rock climbing. And there are bike trails. And Senitas is relatively close to town, so you don’t have to go that far. It’s a simple trail. But it’s in the mountains so you can get up to the continental divide and see the high mountain terrain.

What is your favorite indoor activity during the winter?
Going to the Dushanbe Tea House. It’s unlike any other teahouse in the area. Boulder has a lot of sister cities, and it was a gift from Boulder’s sister city in Tajikistan. You can feel the appreciation of the artisans who made it. You can choose from 40 different exotic, beautiful teas that are always changing.

What cultural landmarks shouldn’t be missed?
The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is next door to the Dushanbe Tea House, so you can kill two birds with one stone. The Boulderado Hotel—they’re celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

Which hotel would you recommend for overnighters?
The Saint Julien. The Boulderado is really beautiful, but the Saint Julien is new and is really beautiful and posh. And it has incredible spa services. The Saint Julien also hosts lots of events; they’re very supportive of local musicians. In the summertime, they do BBQs outside and have a dance floor. It’s great.

Where else do you go to see live music?
The Boulder Theater is probably my favorite place to see live music and movies. They’ll play cult films like the Big Lebowski and you can have drinks. And the Fox Theater. Both do bigger acts, but the feel is totally different. The Fox is on the hill where the University is and has more of the college crowd. It’s louder and more raucous. Boulder is a little more laid back, with a bigger dance floor. And the Laughing Goat is a coffee house where you can find more avant-garde poetry readings and really great musicians trying out new stuff.

What’s your favorite restaurant for a luxurious meal?
For a really indulgent meal, John's on Pearl Street. I think it’s one of the only five star restaurants in the area. It’s in a small cottage and feels very exclusive and cozy. They cater to Colorado cuisine like dishes with elk and buffalo. I’ve had ruby red trout there that was spectacular. For a totally different kind of luxurious meal, Organic Orbit is a relatively new restaurant that specializes in local and organic food. They do a lot of living and raw food. Their portions are smaller, but their flavors are really amazing and the setting is luxurious.

What is one thing you can only get in Boulder?
Fresh Boulder Ice Cream: when they’ve just made it and before they freeze it down. It’s so soft and delicious and completely unlike any other texture.

What are some of your favorite smells in Boulder?
On the Senitas trail there’s wild mountain roses that grow. At the right time of year the blossoms of the Poplar tree—that’s another incredible smell that I’ve only smelled in Colorado. There’s also the smell of the Boulder Creek. It’s fresh water that rushes; so, even in the winter it has the smell of the mountains—an earthy, muddy, grassy smell.

What is Boulder’s best-kept secret?
I really love Sushi Zanmai. We have friends there, and they have really great fish. It’s really traditional sushi. For more unusual, more modern sushi, I like Hapa. Boulder has some of the best sushi in the country.

~Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: Saigon, Vietnam
Restaurateur Huy Bui Uncovers the City's Best-Kept Secrets

"I would move to Vietnam just for the food," says Huy Bui. The Paris-born architect with Vietnamese ancestry is putting the final touches on An Choi, an authentic Vietnamese eatery on the Lower East Side, at the end of January (ideally in time for the lunar new year).

Channeling Anthony Bourdain, we dove in food first to the best Saigon has to offer, with Bui as our guide:

First, do you say 'Saigon' or 'Ho Chi Minh City'?
I refer to it as Saigon, but technically you can say Ho Chi Minh City. In the backdoor and underground, everyone calls it Saigon.

Describe your first impressions of Saigon...
I'd never seen a city so dense in my life. In New York, you feel that it's dense. But a lot of people are underground so it's [partially] invisible. Everyone and everything is on the surface in Saigon. Nothing is underground; people, motorcycles, cables are all in your face. And Saigon doesn't go up really high in terms of buildings, so everything is at eye-level, which I find really fascinating. And each time I've visited, I don't recognize it. It changes before your eyes.

What's the best way to get around the city?
The two things that define Vietnam are the scooter and the street food. So, a scooter is definitely the best way to get around.

Do you need a license?
No, you don't. It's laissez-faire. Anything goes. It's insane, so scary, and so much fun.

Any good places to get started?
The Ben Thanh Market is a tourist trap, but it's a great place to enter into Saigon. You have everything in this market— street vendors selling antiques, lacquer wares, food… it's just one, chaotic outdoor shopping mall. If you're a tourist they will charge three-fold the price. So, if you go there, bargain like crazy.

What are your essential dishes and staple restaurants in Saigon?
One is called Quan An Ngon, which means delicious eatery. The décor is French Vietnamese tropical, but they invite street vendors to come in the restaurant and share different dishes. It's street food, but served in an elaborate setting. You'll see a lot of beautiful people here – models, Viet Q or government officials. It's very reasonable. You have to have beef noodle soup, also known as pho. That's the most celebrated food in Vietnam, but, at the same time, it's the cheapest and the most peasant-like food. It's so simple and so tasty. There is this amazing restaurant, Tib… I hate to brag about this, but even George Bush went to this restaurant. It's high-end Vietnamese, imperial-style cuisine influenced by Hué—the old capital city of Vietnam. I love the Ca Kho Tho—a traditional clay pot with fish simmered in caramel sauce. They have like 30 line cooks and 2 people who are just dedicated to heating up the clay pots and serving them right at the perfect temperature. It's so authentic, and it [is decorated with] a lot of beautiful old artifacts and ancient Chinese scripture.

How would you describe Saigon's nightlife?
There's a lot of stuff to do; Saigon has lots of bars and clubs. The Q Bar is pretty popular, especially with ex-pats and Vietnamese Americans. The local Vietnamese have a label for Vietnamese that are overseas: 'Viet Q.' If I were to walk in, they'd call me a Viet Q, which is where the Q bar gets its name. There's also this new one I like that's called XU Restaurant and Lounge. It's a bar-lounge on the ground floor. That's a great, chic place. It attracts a lot of local business people, and there's a model agency, not too far away, so it attracts the flair of Saigon.

Where's a good place to stay?
I've stayed in that's very French is the Majestic Hotel. It's in District 1, which is kind of like downtown Saigon. They have their own version of Rodeo Drive. It's touristy, but it kind of reminds me of Nolita. There's also a cute place, which is kind of a boutique hotel, called Indochine. It's really, really cute. There are only like 10 units in that building.

Best way to bide one's time between meals?
There's the Opera House: it's kind of a like a mini version of Notre Dame. It's so cute. The Reunification Palace, which was the equivalent of the White House back in the day. It's a little bit of art deco, French imperialist; it's beautiful and has been preserved since the fall of Vietnam. It's the biggest tourist trap, but so worth it. They've kept it exactly the way it was. The Water Puppet Show is something you have to see. I've never done it but people always say you have to see it. There's a really amazing pagoda in district 10 called the Vietnam Quoc Tu Pagoda. There's a rather sizeable Buddhist community there. It's a great place to go. There are also the Cu Chi Tunnels. They're about 45 minutes outside of Saigon and really cool. If you do one Vietnam War-related experience, this should be it. You actually get to go inside this labyrinth of tunnels that the Viet Cong dug to smuggle goods and weapons. You can see the tactics that the Viet Cong employed.

What is Saigon's best-kept secret?
Getting the courage to rent a motorcycle or a scooter and to drive it at night. Don't drive during the day because you're going to get killed. You can rent a Vespa for $5 to $10 a day. Overall, it's a pretty safe city, and you can cover a lot of ground in the evening. It's so pristine and quiet. That's my favorite thing to do. That's when you can find all the street food vendors—late at night. They're open 'til 4am and they'll serve all these backdoor, street soups. You really feel the pulse of the city. You'll see the kids going out. They'll get drunk. They'll try to cure their hangover with soup. You can hear motorcycles racing. The evening is a great time to experience Saigon.

~Alisa Gould-Simon


First and third photos courtesy of Huy Bui
Second photo via Travelogues.net
Fourth photo by Mark Bowyer via Flickr
Fifth photo by sunday driver via Flickr
Sixth photo by Carla H via Flickr
Seventh photo via Bisean
Eighth photo by judithbluepool via Flickr
Ninth photo by Marc Broens via Flickr
Tenth photo by inail1972 via Flickr
Eleventh photo by off ya chops via Flickr
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My Town: Arnhem, The Netherlands
Designer Maaike Mekking on the Art of Fashion & Raw Herring

When most people think of Holland, they think Amsterdam, tulips and prostitutes. It’s very likely those folks have never heard of the Dutch town Arnhem. That is, unless you know fashion. Because ever since Arnhem Academy of the Fashion & Arts (artEZ) graduates Viktor & Rolf had their breakthrough in the fashion industry, all eyes are on the town -- and there’s a lot more to the place than the geeky designer duo.

The Arnhem-based artEZ arts academy has the highest standard and selection of talent than any other Dutch art institution. Spijkers en Spijkers, People of the Labyrinths, Viktor & Rolf -- all have their origins in Arnhem. So does fashion designer Maaike Mekking. She spent five years at artEZ and left Arnhem for London soon after graduating. After four highly-anticipated catwalk shows during London Fashion Week, gaining international press coverage in i-D, Nylon and Zoo, this lady is set to rock the world as Arnhem’s latest fashion darling.

psychoPEDIA got Mekking to confess what she misses most about her time in Arnhem and where to bump in to the next Viktor & Rolf:

How would you describe Arnhem to an outsider?
Unlike London, it’s green and in the summer you can cross the bridge to cycle to the lakes and swim with the cows! And although Arnhem is fairly small, there is great creative energy. I really liked the intimacy of the town, and the fact we created our own events if nothing was happening. It sometimes seemed a bit too small, though that is what makes it charming and it increases the focus on the arts.

What is your favorite part of Arnhem?
I loved swimming in the Meinerswijk, the lake I mentioned before. Or going to Sonsbeek Park to read. I also loved going for pizza at De Blauwe Hoek on their discount evening with classmates when working late. Most of all I loved the shared house on Boulevard Heuvelink I lived in. We shared it with an amazing mix of people that studied music, graphic design, dance, fine arts... Herman Brood used to live there too.

How would you describe the fashion scene in Arnhem?
It’s small, but oh so refined. Thanks to the brilliant fashion department at artEZ it attracts new young people each year and is the home of many talented designers such as Spijkers en Spijkers, and the amazing shops Humanoid and Coming Soon [by Yohji Yamamoto]. And although Viktor & Rolf are based in Amsterdam now, they once were notable locals. So was Alexander van der Slobbe, Spijkers en Spijkers and Jan Taminiau, who were actually in my year.

What are you currently working on?
My A/W09 collection: designing, fabric selections, pattern cutting and preparing for fittings. I am also working on a project called ‘N O W’, which is a platform for young designers. We are currently in the process of preparing a presentation for A/W09 London Fashion Week. The result is completely different from the conventional catwalk presentation, an ongoing theme in my work.

Tell us something about Arnhem that tourists may not know about.
The Museum of Modern Art is worth a visit, and the permanent artwork on the bridge over De Rijn is nice to see at night when it’s lit up.

Where do we go to spot the newest local designers?
You should go to the monthly parties like Konijn 2000 and Luft, or local nights when DJs Tricky Disco spin their vinyl. Or visit the canteen in the art school during lunch hours.

What should culture vultures take in on a trip to Arnhem?
Visit the Fashion Biennale coming up this year -- you will spot all the new designers! But otherwise eat the best homemade Dutch “appeltaart” apple pie in Vrijdag, check out the music selection in record shop De Waaghals, walk along the river, go to the museum and Sonsbeek Park. Humanoid and Coming Soon remain my favorites for clothes shopping, as well as Super Duper Vintage on the Rijnstraat.

Tell us more about the Fashion Biennale.
It’s a well-known international fashion event, set up by artEZ and the council of Arnhem. Every two years you can spot the newest cutting-edge talent during an exciting event where fashion is presented in unconventional ways. The next Biennale edition is in June 2009, you have to go visit it!

Other than clogs and windmills, Holland is famous for its cheese – where do you find it?
There’s one really good cheese shop: Het Zuivelhoekje on the Steenstraat.

Do you miss any typical Dutch stuff now that you’re based in the UK?
I miss the Hollandse Nieuwe! It’s a Dutch specialty, raw herring typically eaten with raw onions. And there’s the swimming outdoors in the summer, which seems to be impossible in London. I miss the green surroundings, after living in East London for so long.

~Freddie Janssen


First photo by Billa
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My Town: Melrose Bike District
James Singer Talks Bike Culture & Bouncy Houses

In L.A., you are what you drive. And despite the green movement-– with a few celebrities buying hybrid Priuses for pure PR-– Angelenos might complain about smog but they’re largely hooked on their Porsches and Bentleys, and busy valets can attest to that.

There are some who are thinking outside that box though, and they’re determined to save L.A. by peddling: Nestled on a tiny block between L.A.’s community college and a no-man’s land of bodegas and asphalt, lives a burgeoning enclave of hipsters, eco-warriors and do-it-yourself bad-assery focused around the emergent bicycle culture of Los Angeles. Ground zero of this urban oasis is the Bicycle Kitchen -- a cooperative bicycle repair shop. James Singer is one of the Cooks who helps visitors fix and/or build the two-wheeled warrior of their dreams.

What do you credit with the rise of LA bike culture?
There are a lot of varied and complex factors that have led to bicycling becoming so popular in LA, but The Bicycle Kitchen has a big stake in the rise in urban cycling's popularity around Los Angeles. I know that places like The Bicycle Kitchen as well as the organized mass rides give people that opportunity to see each other and realize that there are a ton of us spread out over L.A. county -- and we ride. This gets more people on bikes more often feeling empowered through this kind of interaction.

What kind of person frequents the Kitchen?
There is this amazing Chinese woman who rolls into the Kitchen every few months to work on ancient rusted out Schwinn 3-speed. She usually is just getting back from the Farmer's Market and the basket of her Schwinn is always full of produce. The last time she came in, we re-cabled her brakes and fixed her saddle. She paid us with 3 giant Hershey Bars. The same night there was this couple in there. They were building a bike together for the girl. They had taken a 12-speed and made it into a 6-speed cruiser with moustache bars, a basket and fenders. There were some dudes on track bikes learning how to break a chain from some neighborhood BMX kids. In the back room there were guys working on Mountain Bike wheels. I went outside knowing that the people inside were there to work on their own bikes. Overall, Angelenos frequent the Kitchen. Our clients are as varied as Los Angeles itself. The one thing they hold in common is the desire to fix things themselves, which I see as empowering.

Since you began at the Kitchen, how has your part of Melrose changed?
I first came to the Kitchen as a volunteer when the doors first opened. Pure Luck was a Korean dive bar only open at night, the café was marginally open and besides that you had some art spaces and Pizza Paul's. The area was pretty dead overall. Soon though, the café became a bit more established and the most amazing thing ever happened- Tai opened Scoops, which was immediately adopted by the Cooks who he has systematically enslaved through his addictive gelatos. Soon, two Cooks took a space over to start Orange 20 [a bike shop]. Later Pure Luck closed and another Cook took that space to open a vegan pub referred to as UCK because of the current condition of the sign. Since then a few other non-bike-related places have opened, most interestingly to me is the Dharma Punx meditation space. So the block is having this amazing revival.

What new developments in the Bike District are you most excited about?
My favorite thing about the Bike District is seeing my friends branching out. The new Orange 20 is the real deal and every time I walk in there, it just blows me away. I love getting a beer in Pure Luck and seeing the people I have known and worked with for the past few years just chilling out having a beer. I love that there is a place in LA that I can go to where I am sure I will know someone and find something worth doing to do even if it is hanging out in a park drinking beer until the sun comes up. I am excited to see where it will go from here.

What other kind of business or hot spot would you like to see come to the Melrose Bike District?
I would like to see Heliotrope becoming a cul-de-sac right at Melrose. That is my dream. I would also like to see a public skate park where skateboarders and BMX riders could learn to love each other without the interference of people on rollerblades. Last, I think we should turn the driving range into a giant bouncy house. Golf is cool, but bouncy houses are better, and a bouncy house of that caliber has never been done. I am trying to talk to Jeff Koons about this but I lost his email address.

What could L.A. do to improve the bicycle culture even more throughout the city?
Infrastructure. L.A. has really weak bicycling and public transportation infrastructure. Riding down roads like Wilshire and Beverly is a joke. Even riding down Fletcher towards Ripple where the fancy bike trail starts is absolutely perilous. I think a lot more Angelenos would ride more often if they felt safe riding and I will be totally honest, I do not feel safe riding to the Kitchen from my house. It is about 12 miles and there are only two bike lanes. The rest of the way is a battle. I do not mind battling with cars but I know who wins when one hits me and that keeps me appropriately scared at all times. To move forward, L.A. needs to work very hard at creating adequate public transportation as well as solid cycling infrastructure. If L.A. had these things, I would never consider moving.

What's your favorite flavor at Scoops?
Chocolate Chile Aztec style.

~Allison Moon


Go There:
Bicycle Kitchen, 706 Heliotrope Ave, 323-NO-CARRO
Pure Luck, 707 N. Heliotrope, 323-660-5993
Scoops, 712 N Heliotrope, 323-906-2649
Orange 20, 4351 Melrose Ave, 323-MO-BIKES
Dharma Punx, 4300 Melrose Ave, 323-665-4300
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My Town: Echo Park, California
"I Love Boxie" Founder Tells Stories with T's

Moxie Dalston, creator of currently-London-based clothing line "I Love Boxie," never had intentions of starting her own fashion company. The traveling screenwriter was all about movie sets and lengthy scripts, until a rocky relationship helped her discover her talent for T-shirt making. Originally handed out to lucky "customers" for free, Moxie’s slogan-rich tees, which feature intriguing statements like ‘hey, you and I are going to have a love affair and it won’t work but somewhere in the middle, my god, we tried,’ have created an underground buzz for the clothing line in which, she says, “every T-shirt tells a story.”

Though she’s a London resident now, Moxie’s an L.A. girl by nature. Here, she talks to us about her label, and life in her hometown of Echo Park:

What inspired you to start your own label?
I fell in love with a T-shirt maker when I was 23. He documented our whole relationship on T-shirts. At first they were really loved up – prints of people kissing, lots of stars and hearts on nice pink tees. But, as our relationship started to crumble, the tees got really dark - black tees covered in prints of rats and nooses. When it was finally over, he made a T-shirt to say goodbye. From that moment on, I knew the power of the T-shirt.

Where did the idea for the slogans come from?
I broke up with someone else and I was supposed to be writing a book about a sham religion I co-founded called confusion-ism, but I wrote the whole thing about my ex instead. It was very cheesy and needy, so I had to flush the whole thing. I kept a few lines and printed them on tees. I started wearing them around town, because I needed to show people what had happened. The collection contained lines like ‘I loved him’, and ‘I need to remember how I forgot you.’ Strangers would come up and say ‘Wow, what the hell happened?’ or a lot of the time ‘Oh my god! That’s my story, too!’ And then, I started to think, actually, everyone should have a tee that tells a piece of their story – where they’ve been, what they’ve seen.

Why "I Love Boxie?"
‘Boxie’ was a neighborhood from one of my scripts. It’s the coolest place in the world that everyone’s trying to get to, but is always one step away. I sent the script off to LA last year, but I couldn’t let that word go.

What are the major differences between Echo Park and your current home, Brixton?
Not much. The best places you can ever live are those where you have no idea what’s going to happen next. I can safely say that about Echo Park and Brixton. They are both communities that are built on immigration and I love being in a world which is utterly its own in a big city.

Where’s the best place to pick up guys in Echo Park?
I think anywhere in America is a good place to pick up a guy. I am both appalled and thrilled by the dating culture, there. We don’t have that in London. It takes about 2 years for someone to ask you out, and finally when they do, you have to go out with them for another 2 years.

Do you have any stories that you could tell us about really bad pick-up lines/corny guys etc?
Years ago, when I was working on a movie set as a runner, I was staying in the hotel where all the actors lived. Everyone would go out every night and get really drunk. One night, an older married actor made a big pass at me. I avoided him for the rest of the night and eventually went home to bed. At about 5am, I woke up and realized that someone was spooning me. It was him! He’d crept into my room, in the depths of the night, and got into bed with me.

Damn. What did you do?
I did that thing where you pretend to stir and make loud yawning noises and eventually he got up and left. I stopped talking to him after that.

What part of Echo Park were you told to stay away from because it was too dangerous? Did you ever listen to the advice?
No, I never listen to that advice. It’s a conspiracy designed to make you not visit the interesting parts of town. Before I moved to Echo Park, I lived in West Hollywood, where every other shop sells cupcakes. Anything, even the minor threat of being mugged, is better than living like that. When I first moved to California, people would say ‘if your tire blows out on the freeway and you’re in Crenshaw - don’t stop, keep driving!’ And you’d be like ‘I can’t drive, you idiot, my tire’s blown out.’ I’ve never been wary of Echo Park, although a little bit further down, MacArthur Park feels like somewhere you shouldn’t take a midnight walk around.

~Donald Crunk @ Styleslut

Check out some of Echo Park's best offerings:
El Siete Mares, 2729 E Cesar E Chavez Ave. (323) 261-3743; "I eat there for lunch and dinner every single day when I am in LA. My reasons are I love fish tacos and I don't believe in paying more than 7 dollars for a meal."
Echo Park Time Travel Mart, 1714 W Sunset Blvd. (213) 413-3388; "I like the idea of magical shops. Of places that are giving you an experience rather than just selling you something."
California Select, 211 Sunset Blvd. (213) 484-6464
Luxe de Ville, 2157 Sunset Bvd. (213) 353-0135
Taix, 1911 W. Sunset Blvd. (213) 484-1265
The Echo, 1822 W. Sunset Blvd. (213) 413-8200
Masa Bakery & Cafe, 1800 W Sunset Blvd. (213) 989-1558
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My Town: Dallas, Texas
Priestess NYC Designer Cody Ross on Thinking Globally & Living Large

Cody Ross has no hesitation welcoming guests to his West Village fortress of madness— joint home and studio workspace— where he’s hosted celebrities like Cassie and M.I.A., and fashion-industry insiders. Filled with knick-knacks from severed prosthetic hands, and porcelain statues of E.T., to stuffed skulls and Hello Kitty pillows, his surroundings fuel the quirky gears that constantly turn in his head. But amidst the kitschy chaos, unlike the mad fashion scientist he appears to be (with bright blonde upturned bangs and piercing green eyes), Ross is the sharp mind behind cult fashion label Priestess NYC, a line of edgy yet elegant streetwear which flawlessly blends classic silhouettes with a touch of his own eccentricity.

Now in the middle of designing his fourth collection, the 30-year-old’s distinct aesthetic— a happy medium between avant-garde and commercial, self-described as “not too Jeremy Scott, and not too BCBG”— has garnered an underground following, as well as the attention of such contrasting celebrity personalities like Bjork and Tyra Banks.

This native Texan (and former financier-turned-designer) has no trace of a Southern drawl, but he can whip out impressive Mandarin Chinese skills with ease, not only denoting his international lifestyle, but his forward-thinking dedication to a global fashion point of view. True to that, his womenswear and accessories have made their way to 55 stores worldwide, from Dallas’s Neiman Marcus and London’s Harvey Nichols to boutiques in China, Prague, and Dubai.

Amidst tchotchkes, inspiration boards, and fat-free biscotti, psychoPEDIA joined Ross to talk about his roots in punk rock and cowboys, and find out if everything really is bigger in Texas:

How have you seen Dallas change since you were a kid?
It’s turning into a rich melting pot. The demographic is shifting. It’s dynamic, and people are embracing all kinds of references and ethnicities. It’s geographically in the center [of the US], so you get spill-over from the East and West coasts, and it becomes a hybrid of those ideas. But it’s not super-pronounced, because it still is Texas. It’s not a London, Tokyo, or New York.

What fashions do you associate with Dallas?
There’s a cowboy, Wild West frontiersmen aesthetic— the chaps, spurs, cowboy boots. It’s like wearing a trench coat when it rains in New York. It’s institutionalized dressing there— the whole rodeo theme. Even in Dallas, a thriving metropolis where people are urban, sophisticated, and well-off, they’re still very cowboy-esque.

Did you ever get into the hometown style?
Sometimes I wear cowboy boots, but only when I go back to Dallas!

If not gun-slinging cowboys, what hometown influences set the foundation for your fashion sense?
I got into skateboarding when I was young, which morphed into punk rock. Punk rock morphed into anarchy, chaos, pierce everything, and die your hair pink. Then that got me into Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols, Vivienne Westwood. I became interested in a whole international perspective from the point of punk rock.

Was there a big punk rock scene there?
You always have people who resist in the sub-cultural elements. When you’re in a place that conventional, and it’s so traditional and powerful, you try to accentuate what you’re doing in terms of rebelling.

How true is the slogan, “Everything’s bigger in Texas?”
In terms of consumer goods and food portions, that’s very accurate. Cars are definitely bigger, driveways are longer, and houses are gargantuan. Everything seems to be a little bit bigger.

How would you describe the city’s character?
It’s a generally ambitious town without the global perspective— very American-centric.

There’s a new Dallas slogan, “Live large. Think big.” Did you feel it always had this ambitious attitude?
Everyone in Texas aspires to be quite big. There are many huge companies headquartered in Texas, so they’re already thinking big in terms of business. I think that mentality was amongst all my friends. But after doing their stints in Europe or Asia, they went right back to Dallas, because they felt at home with those roots.

Are there core Texas values that helped you succeed in a global way?
Being honest is really important there, relative to other parts of the world. Generally, everyone I’ve encountered in Texas has a lot of integrity and character. Texans are pretty straightforward and transparent and will state their aims. If they say they’re going to do something, they’re consistent. There’s a community feel to Texas values.

Do you still incorporate Dallas influences into your designs?
Dallas is the very meat-and-potatoes-style American frontiersmen. It’s kind of wild in that sense, which I incorporate a bit of in my aesthetic, but my work is more about an attitude.

Having lived all over the world, what’s the biggest thing you miss about Dallas?
The grandiosity. Living in small compressed cities where density is so high, you’re bumping into people all the time. Texas is so spacious and very clean. You feel like more of an individual, because you’re not constantly interacting with other people. If I wanted to make a family, it’s ideal. It’s a very comfortable lifestyle.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Aspen, Colorado
Designer Lindsey Thornburg on Her Beloved Vegas on Ice

“Fashion is so important to me because of people more than trends. Everything I have on is collected. It tells a story about someone,” says the 23-year-old brunette Lindsey Thornburg— who wears floral leggings, a wool Pendleton, worn tee, and plaid blue cloak. True enough, the designer’s ensemble conveys remnants of a rebellious youth influenced by skate and punk culture, and of her visit to Machu Picchu, where she first gained the inspiration for her eponymous cloak label. She explains of her South American travels: “Once I went to Peru, I was overwhelmed by how people dress. Even though they’re living in what would be considered a barrio, they manage to create the most amazing textures with their fabrics.” Translating this style for a high-fashion audience, Thornburg’s luxury cloaks, combining colorful novelty prints with lush silk linings, can now be found draped on the shoulders of trendsetters from New York to Paris, as well as the racks at Oak and Barneys.

But what someone might not infer from her defining multi-layered aesthetic is that this current bi-coastal beauty— who splits her time between New York and Los Angeles— grew up on the scenic slopes of Aspen, Colorado, where she spent her days snowboarding and breathing crisp, fresh air. However, as her mantra follows: “Function comes first, then fashion will bloom out of it,” it’s no wonder that Thornburg’s design evolution led her to a unique brand of outerwear befitting the snowy setting of her childhood.

Joining Thornburg on a cloak-appropriate brisk day, psychoPEDIA met the designer at her Lower East Side studio to reminisce on her idyllic Aspen memories:

First scent you associate with Aspen?
Pine. You get off the airplane, and it’s a saturation of pine.

Most picturesque memory?
After it snows heavily, just sitting in trees, surrounded by powder— it’s the most silence you could imagine.

How did you view it as a teenager?
You couldn’t ask for a better surrounding to grow up in. To be able to let your teenage angst out on mountain sports was amazing.

Is the local experience very different from that of tourists?
Of course, but I think that adds to the beauty of it. When I was growing up there, the live-in population was 2,500, with a transient population of 30,000 in the winter. It had a worldly feeling, even though it was a small town. It has so much art and culture because of everybody going in and out. I was exposed to a lot, but kept sheltered at the same time. Not a lot of people get to grow up like that.

Who is the real community?
It’s an amazing mish-mash, similar to New York in a sense that random people have all shown up there. Anything from 60s hippies to old coal miners. Really wealthy people that come from everywhere, people that work at bars, and ski bums— a whole culture just there to utilize the mountains. The dichotomy between the poor and the rich there is weird. It was the kind of money where somebody’s grandfather has the patent on the toothpick or shopping cart. Being able to launch a rocket out of your backyard kind of money.

Is there a big snowboarding culture?
When I lived there, Aspen Mountain didn’t allow snowboarders. But there were three other mountains that did— Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass, which is the best.

Was there a rivalry between snowboarders and skiers?
There’s always been. Teenagers are rabble-rousers. At the time, snowboarding was only about 10 years old. It took time for it to acclimate into ski culture and share the same mountains because they each had different affects on the snow. It’s indicative of having a younger culture move in on an older culture’s territory. It’s better now, especially since skiers are getting more tricky and aerial.

How would you spend a regular day with friends?
The center of town was a place called The Popcorn Wagon— an actual caboose from a train that was open. There was a guy there who’d make flavored popcorn. It was also a creperie, open all day until 4 am. It’s where we would gather, the whole sixteen people in my class, and then go up into the mountains.

Best sights that tourists might not know about?
Smuggler Mountain and The Grottos. There’s a pass only open three months of the year called Independence Pass— the most windy, scary road— only open in the summer, because it’s really treacherous. It’s where you find the Continental Divide, where the continent physically splits. There are communities back there, pretty much shut-ins, that only get traffic for those months. They’re like little archives, frozen in time.

Any notable locals?
Hunter S. Thompson lived there on Woody Creek Ranch until he died. He would come out with a shotgun if you went on his land and fire it in the air. Everybody messed with him. He was the legendary drunk getting DUIs every week. Growing up, he was known as the grumpy old man.

If you were to design cloaks around Aspen fashion, what would you create?
Probably something with fake fur. The style in Aspen is really showy and gaudy— rich skiers all glammed out. It’s like Vegas on ice sometimes.

First place you’d take a friend that’d never been?
Up the gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain to sit on the sundeck, and then snowboard. Then we’d go to the spa at The Little Nell at the bottom of the mountain.

Anything you appreciate about Aspen in retrospect that you couldn’t then?
In your teenage years, you take some things for granted. You just have that innate want to escape. But I never took it for granted. I always knew it was an amazing place.

~Leann Peterson


See more of Aspen with Lindsey’s suggestions:
Cooper Street; "The best for beer and shuffleboard— the stand-up kind with sandy tables."
Montagna Bar
Alternative Edge


First, second, and third photos by Leann Peterson
Fourth photo via Concierge
Fifth photo by jssteak via Flickr
Sixth photo by FritzGrueter via Flickr
Seventh photo via Destination360
Eighth photo courtesy of Snowboard Revolution
Ninth photo via Webshots Outdoors
Tenth photo by Klieg via Flickr
Eleventh photo by Alvin Pastrana via Flickr
Twelfth photo by charleybarley via Flickr
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My Town: Amelia Island, Florida
Abigail Lorick on Fashion & Her Picturesque Retreat

Spotted: Blair and Serena running through Manhattan in matching Lorick originals— or at least, that's what the unnamed narrator of the hit show Gossip Girl should be reporting in her popular tell-all source for Manhattan's elite.

While the fashion world may just be getting to know Lorick— the eponymous collection by Abigail Lorick— from her latest Fashion Week Spring '09 presentation, hordes of Gossip Girl addicts are already familiar with the work of the young model turned designer whose looks could have her mistaken for one of the show's own starlets. Her designs, in fact, play the part of Eleanor Waldorf's high-end line, featured throughout the season on the likes of GG's leading ladies.

Perhaps an ode to her former days as a model on Paris and Milan runways for designers like Alberta Ferretti, her own collections feature flattering, feminine silhouettes for the modern girl that revive an old-world, sophisticated elegance, with a flirty edge. However, while the designs might suggest she spent her youth with pinkies upturned and ladies sipping tea on the Upper East Side, this current New York City resident and frequent globetrotter didn't always start out as the big city type, but claims her roots in the small-town Florida atmosphere of Amelia Island.

Now working on her next collection in Delhi, India, the designer spent some time with psychoPEDIA to discuss treasured hometown memories and unveil her list of fashion favorites:

How would you describe Amelia Island to an outsider?
Heaven. Huge live oak trees with Spanish moss hanging all about, oysters, salt, the ocean, fishing, bicycles, golf carts, tennis, quiet peace, warm slow time. It’s the kind of place that gives you the impression you are standing still, which allows you to stop and breath in— at that moment, you look up and realize life is pretty great.

What was your experience growing up there?
It was a child's dream. We had so much freedom and were always outside. Going to the beach was an everyday affair in the summertime. We practically lived in the water. Golf, tennis, sailing— these activities were always accessible. But at the same token, I knew that there was more. At seven years old, I decided one day I would live in New York.

Did you miss anything once you left for the brighter lights of Milan and Paris? I always missed the ocean but didn’t really miss Amelia until I became settled in New York— when I understood the beauty of quietness and how lucky I was to grow up in such a natural haven.

Now that you've made a life for yourself in NYC, what do you find keeps you connected to Amelia Island?
I always need to go home for the peace, quiet, and rejuvenation. Going home is always a retreat for me. I love going back to Amelia.

What bits of inspiration for your designs have you taken from each city in your travels?
The subtle chic of the women in Paris, the draping of India, the elegance of the last generation of elders in Milan, the old hollywood glam of L.A., the clean architecture lines in the Greek Islands, and the lighting in Buenos Aires.

As someone drawn to India, would you ever integrate their traditional fashions into your line?
I am in love with India. The sari is the most elegant ensemble a woman can wear. To take a piece of fabric and drape it into a perfect outfit is truly amazing. Each woman literally makes it her own, and she looks elegant in every situation.

Were there teen dramas you grew up watching, and did they influence your own style?
My So-Called Life and 90210. I didn't really get the fashion in My So Called Life, which made me understand I had a lot to learn. 90210— not so inspiring.

Which fictional character's closet would you like to raid?
Miss Holly Golightly.

Do you feel like the "uptown girl" persona portrayed in Gossip Girl fits your designs, or do you have another personality in mind when creating your collections?
I don’t think of the uptown girl. In the past, I’ve thought of Gossip Girl, especially when they opted to do an Eleanor Waldorf (Lorick) fashion show. But going forward, I’m seeing that our Lorick lady is growing up and finding herself in more sophisticated attire. I’m creating an ideal woman and working to accommodate her needs and desires.

Who’s the best-dressed Gossip Girl character?
Serena's mom.

Which show or movie would be your dream to costume design?
8 1/2 by Federico Fellini.

Oppositely, which show is totally out of touch and needs you to provide a makeover?
Honestly, I don’t have cable.

Number one fashion icon?
Anna Karina in all the Godard films. Her fashion came from within, she wore the clothes— they never wore her.

What’s the inspiration behind your upcoming collection?
La Mariee Etait en Noir (The Bride wore Black), the textures of Anselm Kiefer. Our Lorick lady is standing in the midst of melting ice caps this season and looking better than ever.

~Leann Peterson


Discover more of Amelia Island with Abigail's personal recommendations:

Moon River Pizza
Le Clos; "Not so low key"
Plantation Beach Club
The Book Loft, 214 Centre St. (904) 261-8991
Eight Flags Antique Market, 604 Centre St, (904)277-8550; "During the day, if you are lucky, you will have the opportunity to buy peanuts from Felix on his bicycle. And if you are really lucky, he will play you a tune on his harmonica."
Palace Saloon, "Must see Get Low. He is a regular."
Date Spot; "The sun setting on the marsh. I know it's cliche, but you have to do it!"


First photo by Last Night's Party
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My Town: Lexington, Kentucky
These United States on Hot Browns & Delinquency

This week's historical landmark, the election of Barack Obama for President, has provided a surge of inspration for U.S. citizens. It's with this renewed spirit that the aptly-named band, These United States, embark on their "Post-Election Tour" around the country. Possessing an Americana vibe, the six-piece-– comprised of Jesse Elliott, David Strackany, J Tom Hantow, Mark Charles, Josh Read, Robby Cosenza, and Justin Craig-– create old-school rock-and-roll combined with country-flavored vocals. And in their newest, sophomore release, Crimes, they reach back to the country's past to create an atmosphere colored by characters like the vagabonds and whiskey-drinking ruffians of the dusty Wild West.

Splitting their time and their members in two different cities, These United States draws from distinctly American influences of their contrasting hometowns of Washington, DC and Lexington, Kentucky. But to find out more about the city known as the “Horse Capital of the World” and home to Bluegrass music, psychoPEDIA caught up with the band, in the midst of a cross-country road-trip to their next destination, to get the scoop on Lexington and their take on this major moment in US history:

What inspired your band’s name?
I’ve always been fascinated with this idea of a hodge-podge of different places and people combined under one idea or flag. It’s really strange, historically and culturally. We’re a weird, mutated beast—these United States, and I like that. The name came from a fascination with that mish-mash.

How has your image of the US changed after this election?
I’m pretty happy right now. It goes with our vision of what the United States can be. It’s a strange feeling too, because music has always had an element, whether it’s trying to be aesthetically different or not, that’s put in the position of being counter-cultural, even in mainstream music—in the sense of what most people would consider the status quo. We’ve moved more towards the status quo in the last couple of days.

Is there an idea you want to promote on your post-election tour?
It’s just a factual statement, not necessarily an assertion of a particular ideology. Sometimes the most powerful stuff can come from an observation like that. We’re not trying to teach anyone anything, but reminding ourselves that’s where we are in history.

Has being dually-located in DC and Kentucky affected the sound or tone of your music?
They have a lot in common but are very different in the way things move, and how people move. It’s a happy accident that DC and Kentucky are our two hometowns, because our music combines an Americana, folky, country– that sort of back-porch rock, which at least on preconceptions, Kentucky can represent: while on the DC side, we have roots in pop music, dancing, and urban culture. All of that comes out in different places in our music. It’s a decoupage.

Your music sounds like the soundtrack for a Western saloon. Are there any local spots like that the band goes to?
We hung out a lot at The Dame. A lot of our social structure was there. It was the only original music club and part of the historic block that was just torn down. They’ve just relocated in an entertainment complex, but it’s different. About six new music venues have opened up in the last few months– a lot of them in big complexes, so there’s not as much a feel of community. It will probably take a couple of years for things to get worked out.

How would you describe the Lexington social scene?
It’s pretty much your basic college town– a small town where you can’t go drink a beer without having to talk to someone for 20 minutes. But our whole historic block of downtown has been demolished to make room for the 2010 Equestrian Games, so Lexington is kind of bleak right now.

What’s a luxury you have in Lexington that you can’t get in DC?
The best thing about living there is we're affiliated with a studio where we recorded the last record. Our buddy Dwayne owns Shangri-La, located between campus and downtown. It’s a dream place you can’t get in the big city without playing thousands of dollars a month to use. I know lots of people living in New York or San Francisco who move to places like that so you don’t have to practice in a 5x5 concrete shell.

What’s the local cuisine?
There’s a dish called the “hot brown” which started at the Brown Hotel in Louisville in 1943. It’s a pretty disgusting meat-filled Southern fatty dish. The base is two slices of thick bread covered in country gravy, with pieces of ham, turkey, bacon– then smothered in cheese and tomatoes. You can get a veggie hot brown, but it’s just as dangerous. There’s a good place called Ramsey's that has just about the best hot brown you can get for $10. It’s super-sized.

As home to the Festival of the Bluegrass, does the band feel inspired by that genre?
Pretty much all aspects of American music are influential. Tom is into bluegrass. He has a banjo in the van somewhere. And he looks good in a bowler hat because he a misshapen head.

Your latest album is called Crimes, so is there any criminal activity you’d like to fess up to now?
I jaywalk sometimes, I’m pretty bad-ass. We all commit crimes of the mind. We also commit a lot of crimes of the liver.

On that note, who is your favorite American villain?
Hunter Thompson, and a lot of people from ‘60s counter-culture who were considered villains at the time— living against the established order. You can even look as Jack Kerouac as a villain. And Gonzo, from The Muppets.

With your music taking inspiration from American folklore, do you know many local folk-tales?
John Hardy. There’s a famous folk song—like Stagger Lee— which is an open-ended song everyone from Bob Dylan to the Carter Family have done with their own take on this myth¬– basically the story of this guy who killed someone.

What are you looking forward to most on this tour?
We’re excited to be back in our other hometown of DC, because it will be a radically different place soon.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Bergen, Norway
Ungdomskulen Reveals Their Scandinavian Secrets

Even if you've never heard of the Norweigian town of Bergen, you've probably heard music that evolved from this Scandinavian city. With a landscape that has spawned such diverse sounds -- from the lo-fi pop wizards Kings of Convenience to death metal monarchs Enslaved, and disco tartlet Annie and her Pop! Party, it's no wonder that Bergen, which happens to be on the west coast of the country, is the official sister city to Seattle. psychoPEDIA hit up our fave fun-loving metal heads in Ungdomskulen for the low down on their home beat:

What does your band's name mean, and why did you choose it?
It means "junior high," and it also means "youth school," directly translated. We chose it because Testament was taken, which means "hall pass" in Norwegian!

Bergen is Norway's second largest city nestled in between seven mountains. If our preconceptions are correct, it would be a snowy medieval fortress with dragons, defended by brave knights and a heavy metal soundtrack. Are we far off?
It would be like Singles meets Cats, the musical.

What's the best way to get around?
Bergen is so small, you'd be a fool to do anything but ride a bike, or walk. There is also a monorail of sorts coming here, but I guess it will be a stereorail or maybe even a multiply stereo-rail. But that won't be completed for a couple of years, so put on your walking-shoes.

Cool neighborhood to hang out in?
There's only one neighborhood worth hanging in and that's Møhlenpris. It's a colorful neighborhood that sports a park, skatepool, big park for BBQ and sunbathing, a vitality center, and a place you can bathe in the summer. It's on a channel that has some undercurrent/tow, so beware. Møhlenpris also has the hottest ladies, and the guys with the biggest dicks!

Favorite bar?
NG2 is really good, it has a total sterile environment, no cosiness, nothing but nice comfy sofas, unisex toilets. Not to mention the .6 litre beers, which is .2 L bigger then the stuff you get in most places, and it's even the same price! If you're looking for a restaurant, Ungdomskulen actually prefers to cook their own meals, and we take total pride in making the best stuff for each other. We have dinner parties with just the three of us, where we try to act all sophisticated but all we do is talk about sex!

Best places to buy music?
Apollon has the biggest stock of vinyl, and Robot, that also sells books and toys. We have some other nice used records shop in Bergen, one which is cool and not too pricey, one where all the records smells like a bad fungus, and one where this old dude sits in the backroom smoking cigarettes-- although that's totally not legal.

We've heard about a rock club in a bunker...
It is called Hulen (the cave) and is located within a "mountain." The place used to have problems with dripping from the ceiling, but that is almost fixed. Last time we played Bergen it was at Hulen. Walking into the place, first through a hallway of sorts and then into the actual place-- which is located behind a big red door-- you get the good ol´ Freemasonry/ secret cult ritual feeling. It's like that movie Behind the Green Door.

Local bands we should know about?
Razika.

What is the one thing that a person absolutely has to experience when they visit Bergen?
Kristian Stockhausen's monthly prog-nights at Cafe Opera called Prog-Rock Me Amadeus. They're panoramic to the ear and gut.

Tell us a little-known fact about the town.
In 1944 a Dutch boat loaded with 120 tons of dynamite that blew up, and it almost destroyed half the city.

~Abbey Braden


For more suggestions:
If you'd like to give your ears a rest and can brave the daylight, consider taking the Fløibanen funicular cable car up Mount Fløien just northeast of the city. It's well worth the trip, which offers unrivaled breathtaking views of Bergen and the six mountains that surround it.

Soak in over 700 years of art at the Bergen Art Museum, which houses landmark pieces ranging from Greek and Russian Byzantine icons, 18th Century Dutch paintings and multiple works by Edvard Munch and Paul Klee.

Both music and art aficionados will enjoy a trip to Troldhaugen, the Edvard Grieg Museum, which encompasses his entire summer estate and includes a villa, museum, and concert hall.

St. Mary's Church (Mariakirken) is the oldest standing building in Bergen dating from the 12th century, and is world renowned for its unique altarpiece and pulpit.

For a taste (and smell) of the city center- and a smorgasbord of souvenirs- head to the Fish Market Fisketorget.

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My Town: Olympia, Washington
LAKE on Their Sunny Northwestern Hometown

Olympia has long been a thriving hub for musicians-- home to indie mega-label K Records, and the site that birthed lo-fi acts like Beat Happening and The Microphones, and riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney. But, providing a palatable change of pace from the often angst-ridden or experimental sounds that evolve from the area, the five-piece band LAKE (with an ever-revolving, expanding roster), whose name is a derivative of select past and current members’ first initials, delivers happy-go-lucky tunes you can savor like an Everlasting Gobstopper, without the bite. Providing a fitting soundtrack for the laid-back, nurturing Olympia atmosphere–- as well as the neighboring Whidbey Island (where two of LAKE’s members now reside), their newest album Oh, the Places We’ll Go, which dropped this week (October 21), continues their tradition of upbeat indie-pop.

On the launch of their American tour, which will have them roaming the country from Phoenix to Pittsburgh, psychoPEDIA spoke with LAKE members Ashley Eriksson, Eli Moore, and Mark Morrison, about their Northwest hometown's icons and inspirations:

Olympia’s known for sprouting a crop of well-known bands and musicians. Which local artists did you look up to, growing up?
EM: When I moved to Olympia, I was really into Karl Blau. He invited us to play his first official K Records release party. He recorded our first album, and in a way, discovered us—gave us the initial kick in the butt to take ourselves seriously.

How would you describe Olympia to an outsider?
EM: It’s a small town, but also the state capital, so there are lots of people in suits. You’re encouraged to play shows and get a lot of support, even if you’re not that good. You get a lot of confidence living here.

As the riot grrrl movement originated there, is there still a feminist vibe and culture today?
EM: It’s still a stronghold for people who are active and forward-thinking, and want to change the way people think about sexuality and sexual identity. The college is a very supportive environment, part of why it stays strong, and people still do secret café benefits and shows.
AE: There's also The Sex Workers Art Show. They go on tour and mostly play colleges. It’s all people involved with the sex industry in some way. Either as an escort or some kind of dancer. Most of the people are from Olympia, and they go around the country telling their stories, as theatrical performance.

What are some distinct cultural offerings?
AE: You can walk around and talk to people to find out about pot-lucks, shows, and to meet people. Some of us like going over to Evergreen– three of us even went there as students. They have a good library to make mix tapes from records, and to watch movies. There’s a really great film society—The Olympia Film Society, and one of our members does the projector for them. There’s a great bike shop called Bike N Bike. It’s basically a bike shop where you can get free work done. They’ll help you put together a bike, and they also get bike donations all over the place. It opened two years ago at the new Dumpster Values location-- a great thrift store. When Kanako started it about 12 years ago, it put all the other thrift stores out of business, because she just wanted to sell clothes really cheap and get things she knew people would want and need.
MM: There’s a cool free graffiti wall on the backside of the Capital Theater building where you can go tag up the wall. And there’s a bar called The Royal, where Andrew has a regular jazz shows with The Greta Jane Jazz Quarter. Greta is also in a dance group called Romantique, a popular dance band in Olympia.

Is the band into Olympia’s granola lifestyle?
MM: Pretty much anywhere you eat, you know where your food is coming from—mostly from local farms and stuff. We mostly shop at the Olympia Food Co-Op, one on the east side and one on the west side, and a lot of people volunteer there. There’s also a farmer’s market that happens 4 days a week 9 or 10 months a year. A lot of the downtown restaurants can serve you anything on the menu vegetarian. There’s a place called Le Voyeur, standard greasy diner food, but vegan mostly. The atmosphere is cool– they always have local artists showcased throughout the space. They do mostly free concerts there.

Your first showcase for the tour was at an all-ages venue, normally not considered cool amongst the over-21 crowd. Any similar venues you recommend?
MM: There’s a place called Midnight Sun—a performance space downtown. Mostly the all-ages shows happen in homes and the Capital Theater. Mariella from K Records started the Olympia All-Ages Project a series in warehouse spaces. It’s also the first place I’ve lived where house shows are the most common events to go to.

Your name is LAKE, so is it safe to assume you are influenced by Olympia’s natural landscape?
MM: I think that’s probably true for most Olympia bands. There’s a place called Priest Point Park, that just looks like a rainforest, trails that lead out to the ocean into the Puget Sound. It has the most ancient trees, and it’s really inspiring to be around them, just towering over you. The weather is also a big factor that affects the mood of the songwriting– whether you’re relating to it with your tone, or having a fantasy about the tropics.

Have you ever gone skinny-dipping in a local lake?
MM: There’s one called Ward Lake that’s good for swimming. Up in Anacordas, there’s a few that neighbor each other. You might spot some nude lake members getting wet here and there. Google it, see what you find.

What's Whidbey Island, where two of your members live, like?
EM: Whidbey Island is where I grew up, and there’s a little cabin there where we can stay for cheap so we can do our music and not have to work 40 hours a week. It’s very rural. We’re surrounded by trees and not a lot of neighbors, so it’s easy to play loudly or just space out. I don’t feel isolated, because we’re in other parts of the world so much of the time, and we feel really tied to the community here.

Which locations are you looking forward to most on your Oh, The Places We’ll Go tour? MM: We’ll be playing at Cakeshop in New York. I’m excited to go to the Bay Area, and I’ve heard Marfa, Texas is a unique place with an awesome music scene.

One reason you’d never trade Olympia for another city?
MM: You get what you give. If you put something out there, you receive it back ten-fold. It’s a really inspiring environment. I hardly ever use my telephone in Olympia, and you can get any place you need in about 20 minutes.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Mason Proper on Pizza & Phalluses

Mason Proper is a Michigan-based five piece band— comprised of Jonathan Visger, Zac Fineberg, Garrett Jones, Brian Konicek, and Matt Thompson— who make irresisible catchy experimental pop music. Despite having formed post-high-school days in the small Michigan town of Alpena, the boys really made a name for themselves after setting up shop in neighboring Ypsilanti, where they cut their first album There is A Moth in Your Chest on the NYC indie-label Dovecote Records.

Now joining forces with Chris Coady (famed producer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio) on their newest album Olly Oxen Free (September 23), the quintet recorded in a tiny wooden house outside Ann Arbor to create a cohesive, well-rounded second release, which includes playfully psychedelic tracks like “Friendship” and eerily atmospheric songs like “Safe for the Time Being.”

Before kicking off their extensive fall tour in New York with a CMJ showcase for Dovecote (October 21), psychoPEDIA joined MP’s lead singer Visger to find out more about their quirkily-named small Michigan hometown:

What inspired the album title, and the band's name?
The title is from the lyrics in the song, "In the Mirror." The term "olly olly oxen free" made everyone nostalgic and curious about its origins and thought that matched the feeling of the album. We’re also big fans of nonsense literature, like Edward Lear, Edward Gorey, and Lewis Carroll, and felt like it represented that influence well. The band is named for a very obscure phrase relating to Freemasonry. All that fun secret society stuff, you know?

Assuming that your town's name gets butchered often, what's the funniest pronunciation you've heard?
I've heard "Yip-soo-lan-tee" more than once. As if a tiny, overexcited dog were saying the name.

Is your sound influenced by the atmosphere of your hometown?
Michigan has a down-to-earth sound that manifests in different ways. For Detroit, that real grime that permeates through the city makes its way into garage rock. Everything's dirty there, and most of the music takes on that flavor. In a lot of other places, there's a warmth that binds it. The scenes of Michigan are usually bonded more by real community than by sound. It's pretty accepted that being from Michigan, you're not poising yourself to be the hot thing everyone knows about, so it's more about having fun with your friends. At best, you're poising yourself to be buried in snow. You can take that as a metaphor. There's probably one in there.

How is recording there a unique experience?
We've always basically recorded ourselves in basements we were renting at the time. We prefer taking time and doing things our way, even if it's the wrong way, than being under the gun and recorded through the same $10,000 preamp as everyone else. There's a lot of "do something, then meditate on it for a while, then come back to it fresh" that we could never afford to do anywhere else.

What is Ypsilanti's claim to fame?
Iggy Pop? Or this huge tower in the center of Eastern Michigan University that's a major navigational landmark, but unfortunately looks like a giant phallic symbol.

How would you describe the underground scene budding in the area?
I'll combine Ypsilanti with Ann Arbor, because they're very closely linked. With two universities in immediately juxtaposed towns, every year, there are new transient bands, performance art groups, coming and going all the time. You could find something interesting to see every day of the week and never see the same thing twice, if you're really tapped in.

Favorite galleries or concert venues to see up-and-coming artists or bands?
For Ann Arbor, the Blind Pig is pretty much the place, and in Ypsilanti the Elbow Room is a mainstay. The Dreamland Theater is the place to go for things more out of the ordinary than just a band playing—weird puppet shows and stuff.

Favorite places to eat between recording sessions?
This one's easy: Big Ten Burrito. The original one is basically a closet where a couple bucks gets you a huge, amazing burrito. They've since expanded to have other locations in the area, but you can't beat this place. When I first moved to Ann Arbor, Matt told me, "I know a secret. Do you want to know?" And I said, "Is it sick? Why are you acting so weird?" Then he took me to Big Ten, and I was a changed man.

Are you big pizza fans, as Domino's was founded there?
Humans are big pizza fans, and we're humans, so yes. There are so many places to get good pizza in town. Backroom for a big greasy wonderful slice for almost free. I just had Pizza Pino for the first time today and it was superb. Mr. Pizza for a super-late-night cheap large pie with 2-toppings. Pizza House if you've got a few extra bucks to spend. The list goes on and on. Domino's Farms is pretty creepy, though. It's this huge complex with buffalo roaming free outside, and eerie green lights all over the buildings. Someone told me there is a cult inside and they eat people? They also have a petting zoo there, and I don't think people with a petting zoo would eat people. Cannibalism and loving cutesy-wootsie baby animals don't usually go hand-in-hand.

What's one thing you can only get in Ypsilanti?
Potentially eaten by a petting zoo employee.

What's the first thing you'll do when you get home from the tour?
Fill the bathtub up with pennies and roll around in it. Probably more like fill a cereal bowl with pennies and put my face in it.

As smaller towns often do, does Ypsilanti have any crazy legends that get passed around the community?
There's a guy that has no face. I don't know if he's still here. Matt told me about him a long time ago, and saw him a bunch of times. I went out of my way to try to see him. I got obsessed. I was just so curious but never found him. Probably for the best.

What would you put in a time capsule for future Ypsilanti-ans?
One of those cans of nuts that a spring-coiled snake springs out of when you take the lid off.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Washington, DC
DJ Tittsworth's Capital Influences

While he’s now cut a career as a turntablist and music-industry extraordinaire, Tittsworth started out bouncing from country to country as an Air Force brat, eventually landing in the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. “It’s the only city that I can actually call home,” he confesses. The young DJ initially began his professional career in music through the D.C. rave scene. Within that subculture, he DJ'ed and threw legendary parties at abandoned warehouses and scattered venues for over ten years. From there, he continued DJ'ing professionally, bleeding genres of music and trying new ways to form sounds.

Ultimately, inquiring ears caught up with him, and out of the blue three years ago, Plant Music approached Tittsworth to do an album. When Stretch Armstrong, partner in Plant Music and a legendary DJ himself, picked up the phone and contacted Tittsworth personally, it came as a complete surprise. “I almost didn’t even believe it was Stretch! I wasn’t putting two and two together. I really didn’t think that what I was doing in D.C. was actually good enough to be sought after,” he says.

At the time, Tittsworth was in the middle of creating a slew of bootleg remixes that captured the label’s attention. His original concept was to translate those bootlegs into an album. Plans changed and he ended up creating a more formal and original creation with vocalists--the outcome of which was his full-length, Twelve Steps. “Having been in D.C. at a very critical time, musically speaking, I was able to experience many historic happenings currently going on: the indie-rock and hardcore movement (references of Black Flag and Fugazi), which had a profound effect on how I look and think about music in a creative concept; the rave scene, of course; club music; the break-movement,” Tittsworth recalls. “I found myself oddly tying all these movements together while making the album. It’s getting to the point where there isn’t a ‘genre’ per se anymore.”

Through the years of Tittsworth creating music and throwing parties, he has a regular routine of city hotspots. After any show or DJ night, his favorite restaurant to grab a bite to eat is Florida Avenue Grill, a famous late-night soul food spot. Tittsworth unveils, “You can go there at 2 am and have waffles and chicken. Total comfort food. It’s close to the 9:30 Club, which is quite convenient.” And for a more formal night where he would take a date or just relax from a stressful day, Tittsworth drops by Makoto. “It’s a very formal Japanese restaurant, reservations-only. Makoto seats maybe 15 to 20. It does a regional tasting menu with a 10-course menu where in-season food selections are served.”

However, gentrification throughout the years has changed the atmosphere, not to mention Tittsworth’s own favorite hangouts. Many areas once known for cool clubs that he frequented are now parking lots. He recalls, “The one that comes to mind is right near the Capitol where I used to go to raves almost every week at this placed called Nation. It used to be known as The Capitol Ballroom Walking out of a rave at 6am, having been in such a loud environment and then seeing the Capitol and watching people going to work, it was a trip! That whole area was wiped out due to waterfront condominium development.”

However, D.C. does have its advantages, especially when “the suits” venture out of town for the weekend. “The thing about D.C. is that we’re a political town,” Tittsworth says. “Our hotels are more for the Congressmen tip. The good news is that you can stay in these ridiculously incredible hotels that are relatively cheap, because everyone leaves the city on the weekends. You can stay there for a couple hundred dollars. We don’t have many boutique hotels. We used to put DJs up at The Westin and The Fairmont all the time when I threw parties.”

In the midst of the upcoming Presidential election's tizzy, it's a wonder how the citizens of the U.S. capital escape daily political bombardment. While in most cities it’s more than often taboo to openly discuss opinions on religion or politics, in D.C., it’s the opposite. Especially when it’s an election year. According to Tittsworth, “Trash talk has gotten so bad that legislation passed a law for government employees, where they can no longer talk about politics within the office setting! Water-cooler discussions about the president are no longer legal!”

~Jessica McMenamin
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My Town: Warsaw, Poland
Photographer Sebastian Mlynarski Gets Nostalgic for His Birthplace

Photographer Sebastian Mlynarski’s favorite emotion is nostalgia. Maybe it’s because of his abrupt exit from his native Poland for New York at age of 14. Tricked by his parents, Mlynarski arrived in the streets of Jamaica, Queens anticipating a summer job at McDonald's only to find out his stay was permanent. Now, the artist has made his second life in New York City, as a successful photographer who regularly contributes to Vanity Fair and Vogue, and has shot the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Blonde Redhead, Elijah Wood, and P Diddy—in addition to his personal artistic pursuits.

Mlynarski’s nostalgic sensibilities are evident in his latest show, an evocative photo series titled Against Nature, after a novel by French author Joris-Karl Huysmans. Collected during Mlynarski’s international and local travels, these photos could be described as landscapes, although he refers to them otherwise: “They’re self portraits, in a way. Things that really exist, but shown the way I experienced them,” he states, describing the oeuvre as a re-visit of the romantic idea of nature-- albeit one which draws a different conclusion. The show includes photographs ranging from a Lynchian car burning on a desolate upstate highway to an oil-painting-esque white horse ambling through the Costa Rican jungle.

On a break from setting up for his Oct 3 opening at Live With Animals in Williamsburg for some borscht and dumplings at Bedford’s Polish diner, Mlynarski spoke to psychoPEDIA about his favorite places in Warsaw:

How do you describe your hometown?
What I love most about Warsaw is what’s not there-- the things it hints at. There are other more beautiful cities in Poland, with more historic buildings. But Warsaw was destroyed during WWII, and what’s there now is elusive. During the war, the ghetto was huge. Of that whole area, only one street remains, with two original buildings. The Old Town was razed, and the way they rebuilt it looks like paper-mache. But it’s endearing that they take pride in it. If you visit, people will take you there and say, “Look at our old town!” It’s bizarre, but amazing.

What's the art and culture scene like?
There’s a lot of strong video art in Poland these days. Katarzyna Kozyra did a piece called “Mens’ Bath House” where she disguised herself using prosthetics so she could sneak into a mens’ bath house, and filmed it.

Any galleries you frequent?
There are some great galleries, including older avant-garde ones that started in the ‘60s like Foksal. They’ve had shows by international artists like Matthew Barney and Joseph Beuys. It survived through communism and maneuvered so it was even funded by the communists. The founder was a multimedia artist named Kantor-- a painter who became a playwright and director. There are also small new galleries. Włodzimierz Zakrzewski, will be showing at Galerie Le Guern. The show is called Bang Bang and uses Polish maps of military conflict in history. Also, the Center for Contemporary Art-– now showing Yoko Ono’s video installation Fly. The space is amazing, like MoMa in a 17th century castle. The Center catered to art even during communism. The director would dress up as an aristocrat with a saber and have the staff refer to him as “Herr.” And Warsaw Rising Museum is an interactive museum that creates a sense of actually being in the WWII era during the uprising.

As you also DJ in NYC, playing Polish cold wave music, where would you pick up music in Warsaw?
Hey Joe, a hidden treasure of a record shop tucked behind a supermarket. The space used to be a janitor’s closet, and the people that work there are great. They both have a particular smell— Polish Patchouli. It smells like dirty hair. They sell all the Polish vinyl ever created. That’s where I get my cold wave records.

Other good places to shop?
Stadion Dziesieciolecia. Go early in the morning and buy stuff from the Vietnamese and Russians. You can get anything from tea kettles to machine guns, There’s illegal stuff too. And if they don’t have it, they can get it for you. Another flea market I like is in a parking lot, on a dodgy street called Brzeska, in a dangerous neighborhood called Praga North, the only neighborhood in Warsaw that was not razed. Literally, it’s like the scene in The Pianist where he comes out of the building and everything is destroyed. People sell screws, thermometers, hairdryers, someone’s used socks. Randomly you’ll find a beautiful statue or a phrenology head. It’s full of old-time thugs drinking and dealing. Old-world hooligans, but very elegant-- they’ll wear suit jackets, but nothing will match.

Where do you go for a good time?
There is a lot of great theater in the Palace of Culture. Praga North remains a must. And, a nice place to have coffee and enjoy a spring afternoon is Saska Kempa-- a neighborhood where the hip coffee shops are-- very green, fashionable. It’s away from the center and the hoi polloi.

What’s to eat in Warsaw?
In the recent past, there’s been a huge resurgence of ethnic cuisine. But what excites me most is milk bars.

Like in A Clockwork Orange?
They don’t actually drink milk in them. They’re cheap restaurants that cater to retired people, the working poor, and students. They’re known for their dairy-type dishes--pierogies and such-- but they have some meat too. You get a great cross-section of people in there—some who lived through WWII, communism, changes of government. And the food is really good. Polish food should not be fancy. When people try to get fancy with Polish food, it’s a mistake. They’re all more or less the same, but one I always go to is Spilka one of the only places open till midnight. Warsaw pretty much ends its existence at 10 pm. Mom and Pop food remains the best.

What traditional Polish dish should you order there?
Red borscht with mushroom dumplings, Christmas-style. And stuffed cabbage with rice and meat, things my mom would make.

~Christine Whitney
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My Town: Ghent, Belgium
Murielle Schelle on Lingerie, Liberalism, & Kissing

Murielle Schelle is responsible for Belgium’s most feather-ruffling export since Guylian shaped chocolate into little shells. The glamorous madame is the creator of La Fille D'o, a lingerie line as refreshingly honest and open as its creator. With a regard for the all the various, wonderful shapes of the human body, La Fille D’o natutrally enhances the female figure by tickling the curiosity of the mind rather than the unnatural pushing up, pulling in, and pumping out lingerie more suited to the top-shelf glamour model than the everyday working girl.

Schelle’s home is the Belgian city of Ghent-- a medieval city noted for its busy port and fine architecture that plays host to Murielle’s industrious lifestyle, which has not just seen her command the rise of La Fille D’o, but also pen a couple of books [Lingerie and Lollipops and Cross Examination], co-ordinate a handful of successfully sensuous events, and gather a host of intrepid and creative like-minded females to create the ‘De Ville Harem girls’. And she's done this while still having time to fend off most of Ghent’s male population, and planning a forthcoming shoe collection.

Intrigued by Schelle, psychoPEDIA joined her on a tour of her hometown, to find out what tickles her fancy, where she goes when the passion takes hold, and whether liberalism has gone too far:

Ghent seems architecturally rooted in its history, but how would you describe it today?
We still have the castle in the city center, and De Boekentoren, a building by Henry Van de Velde; and we have cobblestone roads and one-way streets that are easy to get into but never to get out. I love Ghent’s social history, but I’m sad people have forgotten we were a working-class town. Bars tend to be posh, where they should [instead] be uniting our party creatures from the old days. We have this small community which contains super smart, creative cats, but no one seems to get along with all of them. Divided we fall, right?

Where would you take Betty Page if she were still alive today?
If she were here last year, I’d take her to a shop that’s sadly now closed called Bloch. It was a Jewish pastry place where all the decent old ladies went for afternoon tea. I loved it there! The walls were heavy with stories of whispering gossip and a past filled with rich cream and roasted almonds. She’d love it there! Then I’d take her shopping in my own store Bien Sur. She’d find her happiness there too, since most of my stuff was created with her body and attitude in mind!

Where are the most erotic spots in Ghent?
I have seen some of the more unexpected places in my town in a different light, but they could be utterly boring to someone else. To name but a few, the dead-end street towards the ice skating rink, the side of my car parked in front of my house, the little yacht harbor and then some…

What part of town you could wear your lingerie creations without encountering a raised brow?
That would be the Blaameersen! It’s a man-made pit filled with water. It’s like a poor man’s beach but it’s a super nice hang out in summer! Like the back yard of all this town’s kids, with a huge lake. And a shop that sells ice-cream! And since it carries a pretty high hippie factor, you can pretty much wear anything out there.

Most outrageous nightspots?
Vlasmarkt, Monday at 11am the last day of our famous Gentse Feesten. That is when you can meet the ghost of you and your friends. Happy ghosts, but still ghosts. It’s an event of ten days of partying, and on the last day, the drama begins. I have seen couples break up or get together or cheat or whatever and it’s all permitted. It’s the perfect excuse for a whole town or generation to come out and play-- hard.

On that note, do you think with our generation’s obsession with sex, have we forgotten about the simple pleasures in life, like a first kiss or romantic walk?
It’s no longer about the number of times you get laid. We know we are all doing it two or three times a week, but what about quality? A lot of women I know still aren’t really getting off at the sex available to them, which seems surreal considering we have all the toys and therapists we can imagine to come until we can't come anymore.

What’s your solution?
I think it should all get back to basics-- we should provide ourselves with a decent dose of serious kissing at least 3 times a day. I don’t mean Hollywood make-believe. And throwing out the toys and ghosts that haunt our heads and the how-to books on sex and just ask ourselves one question: what do I like? Forget about everything you learned that day straight after you learned it. And start anew the very next day. I just love that about sex with someone new: the discovery. Being pretentious or thinking you have seen it all is an attitude that should be banned from the bedroom. I prefer to be like a kid (again) in all this debauchery. I know nothing. I am curious. I am willing.

~Kevin Soar


First and second photos, courtesy of Murielle Schelle
Third photo by ikarus50
Fourth photo by Ange Soliel
Fifth photo by nomorecorsca
Sixth photo by patrickco
Eighth photo by redneck
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My Town: Southampton, New York
LOLA's Emmett Shine on Skating, Stepford Wives, & Starting New Trends

New York City clothing brand LOLA, despite having only made its appearance on the scene in 2004, has been over 15 years in the making, as a product of core members and designers Emmett Shine, James Cruickshank, and Alexander Young— childhood friends born and bred in Southampton, New York. Having started out as scraggly teenage skateboarders plagued by boredom, passing the time in makeshift skate parks (from which their moniker evolved), the current twenty-somethings now have a line of shirts and skate decks that sell at boutiques like Charlotte Ronson and Bodega, sported by the likes of celebs from Jay-Z to Lindsay Lohan.

The constantly-expanding lifestyle brand has since grown to a solid collective— including models Suzanne Diaz and Amanda Shine, musicians DJ Vibe and Max Barbaria, and a handful of other multi-genre artists— and even have a recently-established agency, Gin Lane Media, that offers creative consulting to clientele like Rocawear and SeamlessWeb.

While Southampton's notable for being a popular summer destination and celebrity hangout, it also has a down-to-earth side. With the summer residents quickly emptying out as fall descends, psychoPEDIA spoke with Shine— who recently completed a portraiture photography exhibition called Hamptons’ Youth held in neighboring Bridgehampton— to get a dose of the local scenery of his often misunderstood hometown:

How is Southampton unlike the image outsiders have?
It’s a small community comparable to Indiana– not what you’d think of as Long Island, removed from the reality of “normal” American life.

Who are the real local community?
There’s a native American reservation in the town–- like the Wild West, with 10-year-olds running around in stolen cars and living in dilapidated homes. There’s a huge migrant worker population, from Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. There’s an area called North Sea and Springs with extremely dense woods, where all the kids have monster trucks with confederate flags and listen to Lynard Skynard. Then you have Puritan farmers who’ve been there since the 1600s—whose land is amongst the most valuable in the world. We also have a substantial ocean community—a ton of surfers. It’s a rag tag motley crew of races and nationalities. All the places are segregated, but when you grow up there, you’re in small classes where everyone’s friends with everyone.

What’s the most underrated aspect of the area?
The natural beauty— because these places have been stereotyped for the social aspects. There’s a reason Willem de Kooning and Jackson Pollock were out there painting. The pure white light that the East End gets in the winter months is bar none the best for that kind of painting. And Sag Harbor is where a whole population of influential thinkers and artists would write and hang out during the ‘70s.

How did the LOLA collective emerge out of this community?
While everyone was in organized sports, we were skateboarding all over the place when we were 10 years old– the equivalent of pink-haired punks in Stepford Wives Land. There were no movie centers, nothing to do, because it caters to an older, affluent summer community that wants peace and quiet in their secondary home. We organized, went to the mayor’s office, and brokered a deal to get a skating area on the outskirts of the village. The abandoned plot of land was called Lola Prentice Memorial Park. And in ’94, what just started reshaping the landscape, is that zoning laws opened up in Southampton, allowing a boom in construction. We went and stole wood from sites and built up a whole skate park from scratch.

Did the Hamptons environment foster your go-getter attitudes?
I think that DIY-mentality of LOLA, in the grander scheme, probably stems from our parents not forcing us to do anything— a laissez-faire type of upbringing. Growing up was like Lord of the Flies—10 guys who hung out every day and night and figured out things on our own.

What are the best skate parks now?
Out there, you find an abandoned house and it becomes the defacto skate spot. Everyone follows suit, and it gets quarantined off. There’s a skate park in Hampton Bay, a multi-million dollar rec center, in direct response to what we put forth. When they shut down Lola, it was a compromise that the town made.

How is the surf scene?
Usually summers aren’t that good for waves. In the wintertime, the waves are really big, so there’s a strong localized surf community. Everyone knows in Montauk, Turtle Cove and Ditch Planes are amongst the five best in the Eastern Coast. Also, The Bathing Corporation, W Scott Cameron Beach, Sag, and Flies—where nasty flies will eat the shit out of you.

Favorite feeding grounds?
When we were younger, we used to go to IGA and A&P and steal sodas and boxes of crackers and eat them for an entire day, or put our money together and get 20 cheeseburgers from McDonalds. Now, we’re a little more cultured, so it’s fun to explore the nice restaurants. The East End has amazing places to eat— especially Gosman's.

Stores where LOLA’s gang would shop?
We had a store there 2 summers ago, a partnership with Blue & Cream. This summer, these kids started up their own store, L.A.B.L.. And Flying Point is a cool surf shop that we’re doing some marketing stuff with.

Best place to chill during the day?
Southampton Cultural Center, out on the rooftop.

As a small community unto yourselves, do you feel LOLA has had its own impact on the town?
We started up with no seed money, and what I’m most proud of is that it’s given a voice to local kids in the Hamptons to pursue their dreams, other than working for dad’s construction company or marrying a high-school sweetheart. We’ve kind of bucked that trend and opened the gates. I go back now, and there are 10 crews with their own T-shirt or skateboard companies. Stuff you would see in London, Tokyo, and L.A. is in the Hamptons now.

Best thing about being able to go back home as a retreat from the city?
To be able to say, I live in the city and go out to the Hamptons, is a pretty desirable sentence. I know what’s good about it, and can keep myself protected from the craze it shouldn’t be. The sky is clean and quiet, and the birds are chirping.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: NYC Hotels
Exploring Fashion Week's Favorites

Prepare for the invasion of the well-dressed, as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week descends upon New York City today-- making it the most high-density town of trendsetters in the world (if it wasn't already) for seven action-packed days of shows, parties, and flashing lights. With a flood of models, designers, editors, press, buyers, and party-crashing hopefuls, the question is, where will the out-of-towners stay?

Fashion's elite are not checking into the Holiday Inn, but at strategic swanky pinpoints around the city. Whether chosen for their amenities or atmosphere, industry insiders' hotels define their distinct personalities. psychoPEDIA explores where fashion’s most fabulous are crashing for a week when New York becomes home-away-from-home:

While the younger fashion generation will no doubt opt for their trendier options, the established industry insiders and European fashion heavy-hitters will most likely seek out a more elegant, old-world atmosphere. Home to more high-society folk than hipper-than-thou types, one particular staple of high-class for the past 70 years is the The Carlyle—an Upper East Side hotel nestled right on fashion retail central: Madison Avenue. Not only has it been the choice amongst countless American presidents and European royalty like the late Princess Diana, but figures like Carine Roitfeld also frequent the art-deco style establishment-- which includes 187 comfortably-sized rooms, views of Central Park, and the famed Bemelmans Bar. And for the others wishing to venture downtown, the Mercer Hotel—an Andre Balazs counterpart to LA’s popular Chateau Marmont, also hosts heavy-hitters right in the heart of SoHo. Despite having a reputation for providing celebrity lovenests celebrities (like for the now defunct Jessica Simpson and John Mayer) the guests still enjoy the Mercer for 75 cozy rooms and American Nouveau cuisine offered at its street-level eatery, Mercer Kitchen. Around for over 10 years now, it's become a modern classic, rather than an of-the-moment flash

Setting their sights more on the downtown landscape, the younger crowd of starlets and models flock to two locales: The Bowery Hotel in the East Village and the Chelsea-situated Maritime Hotel From supermodel Agyness Deyn, to actresses Lindsay Lohan and Gwyneth Paltrow, The Bowery brings in an A-list crowd that counts Anjelica Huston and Adrien Brody as regulars. Its patrons are no doubt attracted to its dynamic offerings, starting with a lobby that provides a cozy, private living room atmosphere, while the second floor buzzes with weekly parties and music events, including monthly residencies by various musicians. Similarly, the nautically-themed Maritime also has the best of both worlds. By day, residents can enjoy views of the Hudson River from their quiet rooms, then party by night at the hotel’s popular Japanese-themed nightclub, Hiro Ballroom, where indie bands and DJs abound.

No-fuss Fashion Editors are fans of the conveniently-located gothic-exteriored Bryant Park Hotel in midtown, directly across from the tents where most of the shows are held. Set in the center of all the action, and in close proximity to 5th Avenue Shopping, the 129-room hotel not only hosts many Fashion Week events, but has two bars-- the Cellar Bar and Lobby Bar— as well as five-star dining its in-house restaurant, Koi, where editors can review their notes from each collection. And down in Soho’s 60 Thompson hotel, they don’t just appreciate each room’s Dean & Deluca stocked minibars, but luxuries like the VIP rooftop lounge and Kittichai, where they can dine on authentic Thai cuisine. Also in time for this season’s Fashion Week, having just opened July 29, and sure to be a favorite post for particularly editors, is the more affordable 140-room Thompson LES.

For press and buyers, many start with one of the most affordable options, the Hudson Hotel in Hell’s Kitchen. This Philippe Starck-designed, 23-story building is set up capsule-style, packing in an almost inconceivable 1000 guest rooms. While rooms come more quaintly-sized than average, Hudson still provides the same comforts—and measures up in areas like their sky terrace on the 15th floor with views of the Hudson, and possibly most distinctive feature, a private indoor park. For those on a higher budget, writers and execs also book themselves into the Meatpacking District’s Hotel Gansevoort, to enjoy a heated rooftop pool, basement G Spa and Lounge, and Japanese restaurant, Ono. While the hotel plans to expand its name with future branches targeted in locations from Las Vegas to London, a sister site is slated to open on Park Avenue South as early as next year. And for final favorites, the sibling hotels of Soho Grand and Tribeca Grand, are two other choices. These two hotels provide ample amenities for the business-minded, and to boot, offer pet-friendly services.

If you’re looking to rub elbows with Hollywood’s movers and shakers, you’d be hard-pressed not to spot them at the Gramercy Park Hotel, or one of NYC’s newest hotspots, The Greenwich Hotel. A long-time favorite amongst Hollywood’s elite, Gramercy Park was not only the chosen site for J Lo and Marc Anthony’s rooftop baby shower, but is also a staple for actors such as Sienna Miller, Eva Longoria, and Kate Hudson. Since its renovation in 2003 by hotelier Ian Schrager in collaboration with artist/filmmakerJulian Scnabel, its warm Bohemian décor and cozy Rose and Jade Bars have attracted plenty of A-listers. And as for the buzzworthy new venture in Tribeca by one of Hollywood’s biggest names, Robert DeNiro, the Greenwich Hotel—having only opened in April—is already rumored to be booked solid for the next three years. In addition, the in-house restaurant, Ago, co-owned with film producer Harvey Weinstein, pulls in a crowd of its own to sample its Tuscan cuisine. And, including a drawing room, arcade, and two-century old Japanese farmhouse (delivered from Kyoto and reconstructed on site for the hotel’s pool area), the 88-room Greenwich hotel is especially unique for its usage of mostly reclaimed elements in its construction-- an aspect partially attributed to its architect David Rockwell-- and sure to be a hit with the eco-friendly celebrities.



Fashion Week Room Rates:
The Carlyle- Classic Suite, $1135; Deluxe Suite, $1900
Four Seasons- Standard, $1137
Mercer Hotel- Standard, $535
Bowery Hotel- King, $575; Suites, $725-$1200
Maritime Hotel- Standard, $435
Bryant Park Hotel- Standard, $672
60 Thompson- Standard, $699; Loft, $3500
Thompson LES- Standard, $339
Soho Grand- Standard, $582
Tribeca Grand- Standard, $556
Hudson Hotel- Standard, $469
Hotel Gansevoort- Standard, $601
Gramercy Park Hotel- Standard, $721
The Greenwich Hotel- Standard, $635; Suite, $1300
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My Town: Omaha, Nebraska
The Faint on Their Midwestern Home Base

One would think that The Faint, known for hypnotic and exceedingly progressive electronic music, would live in an energy-infused metropolitan hub where everything is in surround. But to the contrary, they are from the heart of middle America-- Omaha, Nebraska. This posse of five-– Todd Fink (lead vocals), Joel Petersen (bass), Jacob Thiele (synthesizers), Dapose (guitar) and Clark Baechle (drums)-– all grew up and still reside in the Omaha area.

Fresh off the chaos of the band's newest album release, Fascination, Petersen shared his view on Omaha’s idiosyncrasies while on a tour stop in NYC’s Terminal 5. After a tight sound check, he sat down with psychoPEDIA to discuss the city. Friends and family are primarily what keeps Petersen there, yet the band is further enabled by living in a fairy inexpensive setting “We couldn’t afford to be a band and own a building with a recording studio, not have day jobs and live in a cool city,” Petersen said. “Omaha allows us the ability to create music without worrying about overhead costs.”

Creatively, the band is on par with world-renowned remixers, producers, and bands like Jacques Lu Cont, Tommie Sunshine, Justice, and Daft Punk-– all of whom live in much bigger cities like London, New York and Paris. In Omaha, creativity sparks from the opposite spectrum-– a lack-of certain stimulants.

“I think it’s because of the opposite of living in a metropolitan area and having inclement weather. It’s either really cool or really hot! In Omaha, you don’t have museums to go to either, or that new kick ass bar to check out. You have nothing. It forces you to make your own fun. You stay in and just create,” Petersen states.

The Faint would probably want to stay inside and create rather than facing the absurdly obese population which Petersen describes as “the most indicative aspect of Omaha.” It’s a meat and potatoes world where the restaurant chain Omaha Steaks prevails. No one seems to walk in the city, either. Everyone drives, which in turn leaves a void in physical fitness. Unfortunately, if a pedestrian is spotted on the street, drivers will honk and laugh. Walking is equal to being poor in Omaha.

On a brighter side, Petersen does share a few spots where he frequents including his favorite Mexican restaurant in the world, La Mesa. “It’s the first and last place I eat before and after touring,” said Petersen. “Their salsa is just perfect for me!” There are also a few bars and music venues that cater to The Faint’s like-minded set:Brothers Lounge, a bar about 10 blocks from the band's studio, and a relatively new music venue called The Waiting Room: Promoters within the city who virtually brought in any great out-of-town band through the Saddle Creek Records community years, finally created their own spot.

If Petersen ever moved away from Omaha, his change in scenery would be quite drastic, namely, “nowhere in the United States! I’d stay away from Republicans, get the hell out of this country, and move somewhere in Europe!"

~Jessica McMenamin

Go There:
Omaha Steaks, 4400 South 96th Street. (800) 960-8400
La Mesa, 11002 Emmet St # 112. (402) 496-1101
The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. (402) 884-5353
Saddle Creek Records, 725 N 14th St. (402) 558-8208
Downtown Hilton Hotel, 17879 Chicago St. (402) 289-9696
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My Town: High Desert, New Mexico
Designer Anna Sheffield on Her Southwestern Roots

For over a century, northern New Mexico has lent inspiration to countless artists. Creatives– both fledgling and seasoned (the most famous of which range from D.H. Lawrence and Georgia O’Keeffe being among the most famous) – have long found themselves seduced by the inimitably airy climate and breathtaking landscape. Combined with a laid-back lifestyle, the High Desert region, which includes Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque, proves a potent mix.

Thus, it’s no surprise Santa Fe-bred, NYC-based designer Anna Sheffield finds every excuse she can to return to her Southwestern roots. Unfortunately, opportunities are increasingly rare as Sheffield, who won the fashion world over with her jewelry line Bing Bang (which earned her collaborations with the likes of Marc Jacobs), has since expanded her empire to include a higher-end namesake jewelry line, as well as a more recently launched collection of handbags. She’s one busy brunette, but, fortunately, after we caught up with the designer to discuss High Desert, she booked a flight home in honor of her upcoming birthday. Here, she divulges the best of High Desert:

What’s your favorite thing about High Desert?
It's at a high altitude, so what you have is a very beautiful combination of desert-- big cacti, tumbleweeds and sagebrush-– and mountains. [The mountains] blend in with the desert, so you have these beautiful areas where you have mesas that feel like big flat-topped mountains. It’s like being on top of a tabletop. There are a lot of different geological volcanic formations; activity similar to what you see at Brice Canyon or the Grand Canyon.

Is it safe to assume New Mexico has lent inspiration to your jewelry lines?
I grew up there, so inadvertently, I’ve always been inspired by the Native American [influence]. When I was a child, we lived on the Navajo reservation. What’s prevalent in that community is that it’s a very jewelry and craft-driven culture. I was inspired more by the artisan influence and the techniques. To me, the inspiration has been more about the craftsmanship and less about the aesthetic. With Bing Bang, there is evidence of the maker. Every single piece feels a little different because it’s been assembled by hand.

What are some of the most picturesque places in High Desert?
One of the most beautiful things to look at is the Rio Grande Gorge in Taos. It’s one of the most spellbindingly beautiful places in the world. When you drive up into the mountains from Santa Fe, you start out in more flat land; as you drive north, you start to drive up in elevation and it feels a little bit more mountainous. There’s water there, and tall leafy trees. You can find rivers and creeks. As you inch your way towards Taos you start to see the mesa tops and mountains in the distance. You’ll come to this huge gorge, which the Rio Grande has carved out of this landscape. It’s epic. There’s a beautiful bridge like the bridge in Natural Born Killers where she throws off her veil. You can get out and hike down to these beautiful hot springs. It’s the most spectacular view.

What are some of your favorite places to shop?
In Taos there are two totally disparate but amazing places. El Rincon is one of the oldest trading posts in Taos. It’s been family-run since 1909, now run by the grandson of the woman that opened it. He’s goofy and so nice; you end up talking to him for hours. They have all of this beautiful Indian jewelry, rugs, and one-of-a-kind stuff. In the back of the shop, they have a museum of things their family has collected. They have relics from all different kinds of Indian tribes-- museum-quality stuff. Another place I love is, oddly enough, in the shopping plaza. The Maison Faurie is an antique shop owned by this French guy. He imports from France. It’s also kind of like a museum. He has beautiful jewelry; I’ve bought so many estate pieces. He also has a collection of oddities-- prosthetic arms from a WWI fighter pilot, chastity belts, and beautiful reliquaries that old Catholics collected. Those are two of my favorite places in the world to get inspiration.

You studied fine art before pursuing jewelry design. What galleries or museums are must-sees for you?
I think the most obvious places, like the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, are actually really spectacular. And Canyon Road - it’s sort of like Chelsea [in NYC]. It has a lot of contemporary art galleries - some of them have beautiful art, some are more derivative, but the walk is worthwhile. SITE Santa Fe has a contemporary art collection that rivals the Whitney. It’s just beautiful, and they do a lot of interesting shows and retrospectives, like one that I saw with South American art that related to the kidnappings in Latin America.

Is there anything you love getting in New Mexico that you can’t find anywhere else?
The real deal is New Mexican food-- it's a combination of what you think of as Mexican food, mixed with colonial Spanish, mixed with Native Indian cuisine. It’s really beautiful, flavorful, rich food - lots of blue corn. The flavor that’s in everything is chili. There’s a New Mexican chili that’s native - they harvest it every fall and everyone roasts them. The green chili is the absolute flavor. You can go to Burger King and order a Green Chili Burger. Everything is really spicy. There are some great places in Santa Fe - one of the most old-school and amazing New Mexican restaurants is Tomasitas. It’s kind of touristy. It used to be this little dive; it felt like it was in someone’s house. They serve amazing green chili chicken and Sopapilla, which is kind of like Navajo bread. Also, there’s a place called Café Pasqual’s. That food is just amazing - blue corn pancakes and everything that you can possibly think of including green chili hot chocolate.

How spicy do you typically go?
The spicier the better… until my ears ring and I can’t hear.

Is there much of a local music scene?
Actually the Taos Inn, which is one of the oldest inns, is right on the main drag. It’s a beautiful adobe and inside the foyer, which is beautiful New Mexican tile, they have open mic. There’s a Mountain Man thing going on, so there’s kind of an outlaw vibe with harmonica players, banjos, all sorts of random people will turn out and play. It’s a good place to stumble upon and drink margaritas.

Speaking of margaritas, what’s the best way to cool off during the summer?
I like to go to the hot springs, because, even in the summer when it’s hot, it gets cold at night. And when you get in during the day the air feels so much cooler on your skin. Ojo Caliente is an amazing natural hot spring that’s been turned into a spa; it’s spectacular. It’s not really advertised, but little by little all of the hot springs are getting developed. I’d say that or just drink lots of margaritas or Tecates with lime.

What is High Desert’s best-kept secret?
I think I just spilled a bunch of them.

- Alisa Gould-Simon


Go There:
Maison Faurie, 1 McCarthy Plaza, Taos, New Mexico 87571
Tesuque Flea Market in the Pueblo just outside of Santa Fe.
Chimaya, Santurio do Chimayo
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My Town: Buenos Aires
Accidental Argentine Terry Walshe on His South American Home

Though he'll be the first to tell you he's not a "real Argentine," London filmmaker-turned-Buenos Aires restaurateur Terry Walshe knows all about his accidentally-adopted city, which he's lived in for five years. Last year, Walshe launched 647 Dinner Club, a haute-cuisine establishment that hides in one of the last seedy corners of the quickly gentrifying San Telmo district. Around the corner there's a Bolivian squat, a handful of crackheads, and a hot dog stand where local taxi drivers hang. Terry has used his film director's sensibilities to create a glammed-up lounge and restaurant straight out of 1940s Shanghai, where he drops major tunes, and subsequently, Argentine celebs and international big spenders drop major pesos.

The restaurant has been featured in Argentine design magazine and Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List, as well as in D-Mode (the Argie equivalent to V) and it was voted "best place to have an affair" in readers' polls. To that end, the managers informed us that there have been more than a few risque escapades in the subterranean bathrooms. PsychoPEDIA spoke with Terry in his Las Cañitas lair and found out how he accidentally-on-purpose became the owner of one of Buenos Aires' most extravagant restaurants, where we should shop next time we come to town, and what's on his latest playlist:

How'd an English boy end up in Buenos Aires?
I came to write a film, and ended up opening a restaurant. Seriously, I wanted to get out of London for a year to write a film about distraction. Then I got distracted. I still haven't written that film.

How did 647 come about?
I got bored researching for the film. I had this friend, let's call him, "bankrupt Nick" who was sort of an alcoholic-on-the-run. He was bored, too. We decided to open an underground club– a place to drop good music. We bought a huge warehouse in a run-down area, intending to use just a small part of it. And then we ended up with 647, which is this huge luxury restaurant.

Is it true not even Madonna can get into 647?
When we first opened, the press portrayed it as a "super exclusive" place no one could enter, even big name stars. One magazine ran a big picture of my ex-partner and me with Madonna Photoshopped between us, with a quote, "Not even Madonna can get into 647."

So, Buenos Aires really isn't as hip as they say?
It’s actually a very conservative city that masquerades as ultra-hip. I like living here because it's a throwback. It's like living somewhere 30 years ago– there's a certain charm to it. You can get on the bus at 2 am, and it's full of kids just laughing, not looking for trouble. There's an openness and innocence to the people, especially the younger generation. The kids are very friendly and have got a good energy.

Where's good to eat other then 647?
Florencio for lunch— very cool, very chic, very tiny. I always recommend Restó in the Society of Architects. Also, in Palermo, Oui Oui for lunch. They've got good coffee, good everything. Another spot is the Hyatt— not hip at all, but the place is wicked. It's in an old mansion. You've got to sit outside in the gardens and have the lunch buffet.

Is there a variety of ethnic food available?
For Argentine food, there's El Pobre Luis which is a parilla in Belgrano—great for steak and chorizo, cosas así. It's actually Uruguayan. For sushi you go to Yuki, an old-school place in Congreso. It's the best. There's another one at the Japanese Association in San Telmo which Ana, my girlfriend, says is really cool. For cheap Chinese, the best bet is Lai Lai in Barrio Chino. Chinatown is worth checking out anyway; you can find shit like tofu that you can't get anywhere else in this city, plus loads of bizarre cheap tacky shit that's come over from China. For ice cream you've gotta be dropping Persicco. Definitely the number one ice cream place. Mint Chocolate with White Chocolate is the best.

Where are the cool kids partying these days?
It's still Compass Friday nights at Niceto for a decent dance party. 878 is a good bar in Villa Crespo, a hidden-door place where you ring a bell and they let you in. Cool restaurant, cool bar, good place for drinks. There's another place inside which you can only get in if they know you, on Thames 878. If you've got to see tango, go to a real Argentine Milonga. Salon Canning in Palermo has one. Never go to a tango show, they're brutal.

Where does your girlfriend shop?
For shoes, she likes Josefina Ferroni. For clothes, she says Kukla in Palermo, across the street from Mark's. Lupe is great too but she's gotten really expensive. This season Maria Cher has got some really good stuff, and there's a new place in Recoleta called Seco that has umbrellas and rainwear. Most of the men’s clothing here is really grasa. I suppose Felix is the best of the bunch. If I don't get to London this year, you could possibly find me in there. You know where I do buy stuff? That glasses shop in Quinta Avenida, the vintage gallery. I got some great big 80s Run-DMC-style glasses. There's another great glasses place in San Telmo, in a galleria next to the square. It's run by a couple of real old ladies, and you can get vintage Yves St. Laurent and vintage Dior.

What about for antiques?
The top place for well-priced antiques is still San Telmo, even though you'd expect it to be a tourist trap. The big warehouse off Bolivar has very cool pieces like gramophones; the lower level has got the really good shit. You can even buy fruits and veggies there. It's an asi-asi situation.

Any good exhibitions and galleries of late?
Centro Cultural Borges, I always recommend that. And Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo; they've got 120 Rodins right now. Ana and I just went to a great show called Peppermint Candy at Bellas Artes—it was a collection of work by Korean artists, all contemporary stuff. MALBA is usually worth checking out, but now they've got a retrospective on Latin American Art that doesn't really turn me on—Frida Kahlo and stuff. As far as galleries, Appetite is still the big "left of field" gallery. Ruth Benzácar and Braga Menéndez are good too.

What are your other favorite haunts?
I love the Recoleta Cemetery. It's a big tourist spot but still an essential thing to visit. The secret is to go around five in the afternoon on weekdays. At that hour, it's empty and full of shadows. TheJapanese Garden is in all the books, but no tourists go there. All the Argie couples go to take pictures of themselves making out.

~Christine Whitney


Go There:
Resto Montevideo 938 (Soc. Central de Arquitectos), Barrio Norte, Tel: 4816-6711
Oui Oui Nicaragua 6068, y Dorrego, Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tel: 4778-9614
El Pobre Luis 2393 Arribeño, Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tel: 54 11 4780 5847
Yuki Pasco 740 b/w Independencia & Chile, San Cristobal, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Tel: 11/4942-7510
Persicco 2591 Salguero, Palermo, Buenos Aires, Tel: 54 11 4808 0888
Bar Ocho7Ocho Thames 878, Between Loyola and Aguirre, Villa Crespo, Tel: 54 11 4773 1098
Salon Canning Scalabrini Ortiz 1331 Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tel: 4826-8351
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My Town: Tel Aviv
Ilana Bronstein on Her Colorful Hometown

Situated on the Mediterranean coastline, Tel Aviv is a bustling beacon of cultural vibrancy. The city is full of awe-inspiring landmarks like White City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), which houses the world’s largest concentration of Modernist-style buildings thanks to an influx of Bauhaus-trained architects that emigrated from Germany in the ‘30s. Neighboring Jaffa, which is predominantly Arab, is home to one of the world’s oldest ports. But that’s not to say this ancient city is without contemporary cultural merit: The New York Times recently termed Tel Aviv “the capital of Mediterranean cool,” while The Economist referred to it as a “miniature Los Angeles.”

Even Nobu is jumping in: the celeb-adored restaurant empire is opening a Nobu Hotel and Residences in Tel Aviv come 2010. So, it’s little surprise the likes of Moldovia-born fashion designer Ilana Bronstein have chosen to call the historic city home.

A visit to the website for Iluchka - Bronstein’s colorful, covetable line of women’s wear - reveals the designer’s whimsical leanings. Swirling stars and upside-down faces abound. Not to mention, her look books simultaneously call to mind Terry Richardson and Alice in Wonderland. While Bronstein is geographically far removed from the world’s fashion capitals, Iluchka could just as easily adorn a young Hollywood starlet as a hip chick living in the Montmartre.

Five months shy of Tel Aviv’s 100th birthday, we struck up an email exchange with Bronstein. Here, she touches on Tel Aviv’s best spots for Israeli cuisine, people-watching, and a particularly noteworthy Post Office:

How would you describe Tel Aviv to someone who has never been?
Cooler than you think: young-spirited, colorful, energetic, loud, creative, friendly, and easy to get by.

How has it changed in the last 5 years?
There are fewer parking spaces. Really, it's a problem to have a private car with the city constantly expanding.

Are locals at all concerned it’ll soon be overrun with tourists?
Not really. We would like to be concerned about it. But, unfortunately I don't think it's a popular destination. People are afraid because of the political problems and the conflicts they see on TV.

What are three landmark buildings that should be required viewing for any first-time visitor?
I would recommend the markets, not buildings necessarily. The Flea Market in the old city of Jaffa -- it’s big, cheap and very alive with great food, antiques, different kinds of people, and the sea is really nearby for when you want to chill from shopping. The Carmel Market: a long strip of the most beautiful vegetables, fruit and cheap T-shirts. Amidst the stalls, you can find great authentic restaurants, fresh-squeezed fruit juices and the best Burekas (Greek pastry with feta cheese). Dizengoff Square Market (on Tuesdays and Fridays) – weird stuff from Russia like porcelain, silver, babushkas, jewelry, dolls and more from the big Russian emigration of the ‘90s.

What is the best place to get a taste of Tel Aviv’s past?
Neve Tzedek – Tel Aviv's first neighborhood. It has 2-3-story, old, beautiful buildings. These days it is a very, very expensive area with sharp European style, many little boutiques, restaurants, bars, and art galleries. Tchernikhovsky Cemetery – where all the important people are buried. There, you can spend time with great poets, politicians, doctors and writers.

What is the best place to get a taste of Tel Aviv’s future?
The Gan Ha'hashmal area: Levontin Street (which is where my boutique is), Ha'hashmal Street, Barzilay Street, Mikve Israel Street, and Haracevet Street. This area used to be really neglected and poor, but in the last five years it has flourished thanks to fashion boutiques, a restored square, and young, creative spirits.

How would you describe Tel Aviv's collective fashion sense?
Very cosmopolitan-influenced, and growing all the time as Israel’s young generations learn to be more globally influenced

How has Tel Aviv informed your line?
Tel Aviv is very hot and humid during the summer, and the winter is comfortable and not very cold. This guides me in my design and my fabric choices: the fabrics that I use are light, mostly natural like cotton, viscose and silk.

What are some of your favorite shops in Tel Aviv?
Carusella – a design shop for children’s clothes, toys and furniture on Rothschild Avenue. Sketch Book– a cool bookstore on Tchernikhovsky Street.

What is your favorite place for an authentic Israeli meal, and what do you order there?
Sabich-Deluxe on Haracevet Street. Sabich is pita bread filled with eggplant, hard-boiled egg, potato, tahini, parsley, chili pepper and cumin. For 20 Shekels it fills you up for the whole day.

What are two of your favorite restaurants: one that’s a splurge, and one that’s inexpensive?
For a splurge, go to Orca on Nahalat Binyamin Street. It has a modern style cuisine with a sophisticated atmosphere - white linen tables and a rich bar. For a reasonably priced meal: Joz ve Loz on Yehuda Halevi Street. The hand-typed menu changes every day, the design is eclectic with vintage furniture and it’s an informal atmosphere. It’s very popular with young, cool people.

Best place for people-watching:
Rothschild Avenue: a central, long Avenue with green grass and trees. You can see young and old people sitting on the grass, drinking coffee, riding their bicycles, sitting on benches, talking, or taking out their dogs.

Best place to dance/drink/party the night away:
Levontin 7 – a bar with cool music shows in its basement.

What’s a good place to escape the heat during the summer?
Lev Cinema Theater: with the best movies in town and really good prices if you buy "Lev card" with a number of tickets.

At what hotel would you stay if you weren’t a local?
The Hilton for its old-school feeling and beach location.

How will you celebrate the city’s 100th birthday next year?
Dinner with friends on the roof of the building I live in. There’s a nice view of Tel Aviv and a cool breeze.

What is Tel Aviv's best-kept secret?
The Post Office inside the Court Building – nobody knows it exists.

~ Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: Montreal
Ex-Pat Renata Morales on Her Adopted Hometown

Montreal is the quintessential urban melting pot. For centuries the francophone Canadian capital city has attracted a diverse group of immigrants.
A bustling metropolis often criticized for its harsh winters, the city boasts numerous local delights:
a scenic, mountainous namesake park, historic Old Port, and poutine (a classic Quebecoise concoction of French fries, cheese curds, gravy and whatever else one’s heart desires). Thus, it’s no wonder the likes of Mexican-born fashion designer Renata Morales has chosen to call the captivating city home.

With local bands from Arcade Fire to Wolf Parade having won the collective heart of the music industry, Montreal’s burgeoning music scene has garnered international attention. But equally noteworthy is its fashion scene. Local lines like Morales’ eponymous label are fast sweeping the international fashion community, and for good reason: In Morales’ case, a uniquely vibrant palette combined with a delicate yet structurally adventurous silhouette make for covetable, wearable garments . And considering, in addition to making fantastic clothes, Morales happens to be an especially cool chick, we pegged her for the perfect Montreal tour guide. She happily obliged, treating psychoPEDIA to her secrets for vintage shopping, art browsing, and, of course, poutine:

What’s the best thing about living in Montreal?
There are too many things. It’s a cosmopolitan city that sometimes feels like a little town. It has the best of both worlds. It’s partly mountainous and partly on the water. It’s quite diverse, with many different cultures. There are fabulous shows, live music every night. Apart from winter… and it’s not really a bad city for winter.

Depending on who you ask…
What happens is, it’s horrible [laughs], but there are a lot of places where you can go underground. If you take public transportation, it connects to a lot of places underground. So, it’s not really a city that dies in the winter. It’s alive all year round. And in summer, everyone is naked in the park, going surfing, swimming. In the winter people are cross-country skiing.

How would you describe Montreal’s current fashion scene? Has it changed much in the last five or ten years?
For good or for bad?

Either …
It used to be more of a manufacturing city. With the market changing so much, the level of competition has changed. So a lot of people have gone to China and Asia. A lot of larger manufacturers have closed their doors. There have been younger people that want to keep producing here, and who are finding ways to produce here in Montreal. There has been a little bit of a rebel movement. There are seven fashion schools in Montreal; they keep popping out students. So, some are them are staying here and find new ways to compete.

What are some of your favorite places to shop?
There’s a store not too far from my studio called Reborn. They sell Opening Ceremony, Complex Geometries, Rick Owens. I really like U&I. on Saint-Laurent; they have Comme des Garcons mixed with different designers. The guy who runs it imports from all different places. I really like the aesthetic of the store. Holt Renfrew is comparable to Barneys. I like going there too. And there’s a great shoe shop called Mona Moore. They used to have all the crazy shoes. They’ve gotten a bit more tame, but their selection [which includes Balenciaga, Nina Ricci and Dries Von Noten] is still nice. There are some good consignment shops as well. There’s one on Saint Denis – Memento. They bought all the old costumes from the CBC [Canadian Broadcast Corporation]; they have great stuff.

Where’s best for people-watching?
People-watching is fun in Mont Royal park on Sundays. In the summer there’s this crazy medieval fighting. It’s just a melting pot of people. There are a lot of young people. You have people fighting each other with these crazy costumes, some people playing the drums…

Any other great places to camp out, and soak in the sun come the weekend?
In Saint Vitare they have this great coffee shop, Olympico . Olympico is my hangout. There’s a Polish food shop across the street that sells amazing pea soup and borscht. During the summer people sit outside having coffee for hours. It’s a melting pot of students, musicians, and older people, and the coffee is delicious. There are also two markets in Montreal – Marché Jean Talon and Marché Atwater. They’re food markets and they have flowers, and all kinds of different things. They have a lot of local produce - people that make cheese, people that make syrup and all kinds of jam. Talon is crazy for fish. It’s really worth going to the markets.

Do you have a favorite place for poutine?
I’m terrible. My favorite, and not everyone agrees with me, is Frite Dorée on St-Laurent. It’s kind of in the red light district, a very raunchy area. I like the Italian poutine. It’s got the meat sauce on it. If I’m out late, it’s gonna suction me in. It’s an institution. Or, try La Banquise on Rachel. It’s famous for its large selection of poutines and it’s open 24 hours a day.

Any other eateries that are especially good for indulging?
Club Chasse et Peche : that’s a more expensive restaurant that’s really worth going to. The food is spectacular; it’s made with local produce. The co-owner Hubert Marsolais is one of my best friends and I made a woven piece for the entrance that’s sort of like a drape. It also has art by Nicolas Baier, a great local photographer, and looks a bit like a grotto. And Cocoa Locale on Park Avenue right off the mountain – it’s run by this crazy chick Rima, who knows everybody in Montreal. She makes delicious chocolate and spiced cupcakes with flowers and it’s really a crazy little place. It’s a bit addictive.

What hotel would you recommend?
A lot of people love Le Germain. There’s also a newly renovated hotel that’s from a very famous architect here in Montreal called the Opus. It’s a boutique hotel that’s kind of modern but not minimalist. They have some really good restaurants. Personally, right now I’m more into old school hotels. I love theRitz Carlton, but they’re closing it for renovation.

What museums and/or galleries are a must-see? Definitely the MAC and the Musée des Beaux Arts [which is currently showing an Yves Saint Laurent exhibition]. If you want to go see galleries there’s the whole Belgo Building on Saint-Catherine Street. It’s filled with galleries;Rene Blouin is one of the most famous.

What are three tourist traps that a first-time visitor shouldn’t miss?
Well they have to come to the Old Port of Montreal. The Botanical Garden is quite amazing. And to go all the way to the top of Mont Royal to the lookout – it’s beautiful.

Go There:
Renata also recommends La Sala Rossa- a concert venue and restaurant; Pop Montreal- a famous festival and year-round organization; Blue Skies turn Black- great local concert promoters; and DHC ART Foundation- an art foundation that is always free, open late and currently showing “Take care of yourself,” by Sophie Calle (a piece that represented France at the 2007 Venice Biennial).

~ Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: Mexico City
Photog Livia Corona on Her Capital City Hometown

Over the past decade, Mexico City’s reputation as a true tourist destination has continued to grow. No longer is the sprawling city plagued by taxi cab kidnappings or muggings, though that’s not to say the metropolis-- often referred to as Distrito Federale (or D.F.)-- which houses an awe-inspiring population of 19 million, is without crime. But garnering more international attention these days is Mexico City’s burgeoning cultural scene. In various pockets of the city, like up-and-coming neighborhood Condesa, fledgling designers and artists such as Ensanada-born Livia Corona are generating work that’s catching the eye of gallerists and collectors worldwide

In Corona’s case, it’s her recent photographic series, Enanitos Toreros, that’s making waves. These celebratory images capture various traveling troupes of little people performing as Mexican bullfighters-– a tradition as old in Mexico as Mezcal and Mariachi. The stunning series, the fruits of eight years of labor, is encapsulated in an eponymous tome on powerHouse Books (a launch party is slated to take place at powerHouse headquarters in DUMBO tonight). In the midst of preparing for her book launch, we caught up with the acclaimed photographer, who divides her time between Mexico City and NYC, to talk inspiration and the idiosyncrasies of her hometown:

What initially inspired your Enanitos Toreros project?
Enanitos Toreros started in a very casual way when a woman, who is a little person, invited me to tour with her team of dwarf bullfighters after I made her a headshot. Through her I met other little people who invited me to their shows and to their homes. With time I realized that there is not a great deal of common knowledge about dwarfism and, consequently, there are many false ideas and much discomfort about the subject. I was interested in the space between these two factions. Right when I started hanging out with the Enanitos Toreros, I saw Robert Frank’s “Cocksucker Blues,” a behind-the-scenes documentary of the Rolling Stones while touring. That was a point of departure for my touring with my friends.

What was the most surprising thing you learned while documenting these bullfighters?
I was, and am [still] struck by how dwarfism remains a sort of “last minority” which culture can discriminate [against] and stereotype. It seems that the blanket of political correctness skipped this part of our society altogether. The book is about a lot of things, but mainly an effort to get past the spectacle and re-portray dwarfism in a way that made sense to me, having people with dwarfism as friends.

What inspired you to move to Mexico City and keep a part-time residence there in addition to NYC?
For a photographer, New York is a top place to produce work. New York City figured out how to take care of itself years ago, and now it’s a model for efficiency. My antidote to the smoothness is Mexico City, where nothing really coincides and everything runs on a fluctuating pattern. It is vast in countless ways, so it has a lot of space where one can generate ideas for work.

How would you describe the city to someone who’s never been?
I would cut right to the sales pitch and tell this person to pack their bags and get to it.

If you were celebrating the launch of your new book in Mexico City-- where would go for a night on the town to celebrate?
El Covadonga, in Colonia Roma. It’s an old, enormous dinning and drinking hall with rows of tables to sit 40-50 of your closest friends. The waiters know many by name. You drink and eat until morning. When it closes, everyone moves to the next bar and knocks on the door until they open.

The city’s art scene is flourishing. What sets it apart from other cosmopolitan art communities?
I guess all the hanging out and talking leads to something. There is not a significant division between artists working in different mediums and people socialize a lot. It may also have something to do with there being very few “accredited” sources telling creative minds what is what. All the general urban senselessness probably keeps people inventing their own conclusions.

What are the names of a few local galleries and artists of note?
Go to Galeria GaGa in Colonia Condesa. Ask for Botas. He might tell you everything or nothing.

Best place to see live music?
El Pasaguero.

Where is the best to go for tacos?
Tacos are more of a Northern Mexican staple. There is one place not many foreigners go-- the food cart lady who parks at the entrance of Hotel Buenos Aires, on Motolinia and Cinco de Mayo. She makes everything you can possibly make out of blue corn. For breakfast - Chilaquiles en Salsa Verde-- I always go to Cafeteria La Blanca, on 5 de Mayo.

What’s your favorite shop to frequent?
Nacional Monte de Piedad-– a jewelry pawnshop administered by the government.

What’s a good hotel for out-of-towners?
A lot of foreigners stay at Hotel Condesa. My favorite hotel, for the interior décor, is Hotel Jena, a left over from early '70s décor. The '70s look is consistent to the last detail… furniture, rugs, bedspreads, dishware, etc. It’s a time warp. For '80s hotel décor intensity check out Hotel Casa Blanca.

Where offers the most authentic Mexico City experience?
You can go (pretty much anywhere) and get kidnapped.

What is the most visually inspiring spot in the city?
Centro Historico, northeast of the Zocalo-- the streets that haven’t been bought up by Carlos Slim.

What's Mexico City’s best-kept secret?
It’s really 30 million citizens but it doesn’t want to admit it.

~Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Solid Gold Takes a Tour of the Twin City

Solid Gold is a Minneapolis-based collective of eccentric noisemakers, who, from show to show, can go from looking like polished mariachis to carefree surfer boys. And, like their chameleon attire, the group’s sound ranges widely too-- from throbbing electronic beats to smooth, psychedelic melodies. Comprised of core members Zack Coulter, Adam Hurlburt, and Matt Locker-- with Jonathan Airis and Sean Troth as additions-- the trio migrated from Madison, Wisconsin three years ago to set up shop in lead singer Coulter’s original hometown, though they’ve spent much of their recent days elsewhere thanks to their touring schedule. Garnering a steady following state side playing local to major festival showcases at SXSW, the group has also made a splash abroad, playing to rowdy crowds at the Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik, and the Vice/WeSC Old Blue Last party in London.

Hailing from the place perhaps best known for being the stomping grounds of music icon Prince (and home to the Mall of America, and the Great Lakes), Coulter joined psychoPEDIA after a performance at NYC’s Pianos to take a tour of his Twin City:

Were you influenced highly by Prince and the “Minneapolis Sound” he created?
I was, but when he was huge, I was only 6 years old. We’ve recorded in some of the same studios he used before.

Where did you get the idea to incorporate a lap steel guitar in your music?
We used to go to a bar called The Bulldog where Sean worked, and we just started chatting with him and found out what he played. We were recording already and thought it would be cool to add, so then he just started playing shows with us about six months ago.

Since one of your tracks is called “Bible Thumper,” can it be assumed you are spiritual?
No, but Matt really likes crystals. He’s big into crystal magic.

What stands out about the music scene?
There’s a good public radio station, The Current, that plays a lot of local music and original commercials, and Radio K, which is student run. That’s a good asset, because we’ll get play quite a bit on these stations. Other than that, the music press is horseshit.

Do any of the band members have twins in the Twin Cities? Or, if you could have one, who would it be?
Sean and I get mistaken for each other all the time. I know Matt would want Patrick Swayze as a twin. For me, maybe Michael Jackson.

Since Pillsbury is based out of Minneapolis, have you ever had dough boy sightings?
I think he went into retirement.

With a name like Solid Gold, you must know where to pick up some good flashy accessories...
There’s one place that used to be an old White Castle on Lyndale [White Castle Building No. 8], and they sell jewelry inside.

As you make some bold fashion statements on and off-stage, where do you shop for your unique clothes?
We’re kind of shameless with wearing our own band T-shirts, and Matt makes most of them. I haven’t bought an article of clothing in a long time. But if we do any shopping, it’s thrift shopping. Everyday People, where our friend works, is probably the best.

Favorite spots to perform live?
The Kitty Cat Club and 7th Street Entry— the club connected to First Avenue.

Places where we'd find the band vegging out after a show?
Barbette, a French bistro bar with a good happy hour. And The Local downtown, where you just go to get a Guinness.

Where does Solid Gold get into the most trouble?
Probably the strip club called Seville. Matt and I have actually eaten there before. He had a buffalo chicken salad. He loves buffalo chicken. And I had a Caesar salad. Pretty weird.

Minneapolis is one of the most environmentally friendly and health-conscious US cities. What especially healthy spots do you like?
There’s a good amount of co-ops. Seward is one that’s really cool. The Greenway goes right through the middle of the city and has good biking trails. And Tao Natural-– they make really good healthy stuff.

And, for a city known as America's "Most Literate," what are the best places to pick up good reading material?
Magers & Quinn. And there’s some good comic book shops, one called Big Brain Comics. We have a really good library system, too. I haven’t been reading as much as I probably should these days.

Forbes ranked it the third best US city for couples. Are there nice places to take a date?
The strip club-– just kidding. I moved there with a girlfriend, then broke up. So it didn’t work out so well for me. Bryant Lake Bowl has a date night where you can go for dinner, cheap drinks, and bowling.

Is there a rivalry between Minnesotans and Canadians over who reigns higher in the mall kingdom?
I don’t trust Canadians.

What's the best place to crash if you're from out of town?
If you’re in a band, you can always stay with someone else in a band. The last place I stayed in town was The Depot, a hotel with a water slide, big pool, and ice rink inside.

Best-kept secret in Minneapolis?
Matt’s Bar, which has the best cheeseburger in the world. It’s called a “Jucy Lucy” and has cheese in the middle.

What’s next for Solid Gold?
We’re staying in New York for a while doing shows, then back to Minneapolis to record our album, which should come out in September.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Sydney
The Presets on Their Beach-City Paradise

The Presets (comprised of Kim Moyes and Julian Hamilton) have been taking the dance world by storm for several years. Known for hypnotic electronic pop beats, the two boys from Down Under-- Sydney to be exact-- have moved many dance floors with their debut EP in 2003, Blowup, and LP, Beams in 2005, the latter of which attained international acclaim and DJ approval. Their self-produced sophomore album, Apocalypso, released on Modular Records in May of 2008, topped with singles “This Boy's in Love” and “My People.” Who’d guess that the duo originally met during school at Sydney's Conservatorium of Music, cracking the books and notes of Mozart?

Considering their current world tour and recent album release, dreaming of their balmy hometown must happen often. Before their performance at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, psychoPEDIA joined Moyes and Hamilton inside their tour bus, where they discussed all-things-Sydney:

What’s the current music scene like in Sydney?
JH: There have always been great DJs and parties. There are quite a few good indie nights where bands play, and a few great venues; the Oxford Art Factory, where there’s a club and a live venue where bands perform. Another spot that’s really dingy called Club 77.
KM: We’ve played there!
JH: There are a few bands like us in Sydney. Sydney is really known more for a club-place. The pub-rock rock n’ roll thing is pretty there, yet it’s more a suburban thing in the greater Sydney area. Sydney has a huge gay population so there’s a lot more of the club vibe.

Are there popular sex shops in Sydney?
JH: Well, we have Tool Shed!
KM: The sex shops here in New York are fun and cool. Australia is so oppressed, unfortunately. In Australia, there are awful scary places that you don’t want to go into, where it’s run by heroin.
JH: It’s the more dingy, Book Exchange-type places, where you go swap your pornos, are really dirty and seedy.

Is there a big heroin scene there right now?
KM: There was, then the war in Afghanistan killed it. From what I understand, there was a huge heroin problem, then it disappeared suddenly overnight. Ice now has become a problem. They call it crystal meth here in the States. You couldn’t get heroin in Sydney for a while because of the war in Afghanistan, since they produce most of the heroin for Australia. Ice now has slowed down and the overdoses have stopped, but mental illness has gone through the roof.

Any other major controversy?
KM: We have a new Prime Minster right now, Kevin Rudd, who we love to compare to John Howard, who was our last Prime Minster. Rudd is more left leaning and liberal. What happened recently was that an amazing photographer Bill Henson, who shoots a lot of teenage models in these stark, dark, ghostly images just released a photo of a naked 13-year-old girl. It’s beautiful, but the police raided the exhibition and took away all the photos. Kevin Rudd came out publicly and said it was disgusting and the work was horrible. He’s a left-leaning guy, but socially a Christian and a conservative. It’s funny, because the national art galleries in Sydney and Melbourne have had major retrospectives of Bill Henson’s work. In the art world, he’s quite respected.

On a lighter topic, where would you recommend staying in Sydney?
KM: Zerp Tree Hotel. It’s down near The Rocks, which is an area down underneath Sydney Harbor Bridge. The Park Hyatt is really lovely down there, because it has a great view of the Opera House and harbor. Also, Observatory Hotel.
JH: More boutique hotels, The Kirketon and the W. Most of the hotels on the harbor are great.

Best restaurants to check out?
JH: Bondi Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. It’s right on the south side of Bondi Beach, and it looks across Bondi and out to sea. It’s one of the most breathtaking places to have a meal.
KM: We’re so lucky because we’re really multicultural. We can get anything you want, except Mexican! All Mexican food in Australia is crap. We have great Thai, Pakistani and Chinese. There’s a spot called Golden Century, where we can go at 4am. It’s a little bit of a musician haunt too. Often, when bands finish shows, they head down to grab something to eat. During the Olympics in 2000, after a show we’d gone down to get some food and the Hungarian wrestling team was there!

Places to shop?
JH: There’s this great store called Assin and the clothes are stupidly expensive but really cool designer stuff. Ksubi is a clothing label with sort of street-beach vibe. That Beach Boys sort of culture and attitude mixed with street city vibe. Obviously, all the surfing labels are huge too.

What's the most special thing inherent to Sydney?
KM: I don’t think you could find a better beach anywhere in the world than Sydney. To be able to go to these world-class beaches that are so clean and beautiful is just amazing. It’s definitely its high point.
JH: And, of course, The Presets!

~Jessica McMenamin
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My Town: Raleigh, North Carolina
Bowerbirds on Their Appalachian Habitat

Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, Bowerbirds play a lush mix of folksy, Americana tunes filled with accordion, violin, and acoustic instrumentals that invoke the tranquility of their Appalachian setting. Consisting of native resident Beth Tacular, her partner Phil Moore, and Mark Paulson–- two more recent Iowa imports-– the band has a clear connection to nature, reflected in everything from their lyrics about sounds of the forest to their avian-inspired name, which Tacular adopted after reading about that breed in a children’s encyclopedia.

Having just released their latest album Hymns From A Dark Horse this week (June 17), and on the cusp of embarking on a hectic national tour supporting soul-folk singer friend Bon Iver, psychoPEDIA caught up with the music-making couple of Tacular and Moore, who currently reside in an Airstream trailer in the countryside outside of Raleigh, for a tour of their scenic hometown:

What are the hometown influences behind your newest album?
At the time the songs were written, we were living in the country. I think it has a lot of “space” because of that– a clarity.

Since your music is nature-inspired, what are your favorite outdoor sites?
Umstead Park has a great trail system to walk around, and Lake Johnson. The whole of North Carolina is just trees. Everything’s lush and green here.

Is there a good spot for bird-watching?
Out where we live is wonderful. We see so many different varieties. And the Hollow River is great— you see a lot of bald eagles.

As an earth-loving band, do you have favorite eco-friendly places in town? Piedmont Biofuels Co-op is a great place to get gasoline if you drive a diesel. With restaurants here, since there’s a big farming infrastructure, they get a lot of produce from local sources. At Enoteca Vin, where Mark works, they get a lot of their meat, greens, and other vegetables from local places. There are a few fair-trade, organic coffee places, too— Royal Bean, and Counter Culture. And a street market in Pittsboro called Chatam Marketplace, where 95% percent of the meat is organic and natural.

Best way to keep cool in the North Carolina heat?
Locopops, a new popsicle business started in Durham. It’s a little retail space, painted white with no decoration and a freezer against one wall. They have hundreds of varieties that they make them themselves. Cream-based and vegan ones, flavors like strawberry basil or rosemary chocolate. They also have dog popsicles!

Which shops are best for getting folk instruments like the ones you play? There’s a place called High Strung Music. Fat Sound has great amplifiers, guitars, and old acoustics. But we get our accordions from a guy in Wisconsin.

Favorite local clubs to play?
Bull City Headquarters— a little co-op space with a bicycle repair shop in it. Then there’s Local 506, which has the staple bands that come through, and Cat’s Cradle which houses larger bands.

Since aside from the music, you're also a visual artist, what are your favorite places to display or check out other work?
My favorite gallery is Lump. They bring the most avant-garde or cutting-edge emerging artists, established weird art, or locally progressive art to the Triangle. If I didn’t have it, my idea of art in the public world would’ve been limited to what I saw in magazines. Downtown Raleigh has an Art Walk on the first Friday of the month, where all galleries have an opening. I’ve also shown at Design Box. Wootini in Capitol Hill brings artists from around the country as well as local artists. They even have an area with Japanese toys. And Branch Gallery is fancier, but still has some aesthetically cutting-edge art.

Where do you go to get a dose of outside culture?
The Internationalist Bookstore and Community Center is great, because they have sections on ecology, gender studies, sexuality, and the best magazine selection. The Regulator Bookstore in Durham, and Quail Ridge, which has a classical music section. The Center for Documentary Studies has the International Documentary Film Festival every year-– put on by progressive-minded people to open eyes to an environmental issue or labor issue. And the American Dance Festival happens here.

Best places to get antiques or home furnishings for your nest?
Father & Son Antiques— it’s vintage mid-century stuff. We bought a lot of our furniture there. You can get second-hand things at the same price as a regular store. Beggars & Choosers has some furniture, cheaper than at other antique stores, but it’s good for vintage and antique clothes, neat old jewelry, and household things like pictures frames and fabrics. I get a lot of my clothes there, because they have dresses from the 1910s and 1930s. I just bought a couple of slips from the 1910 at 10 dollars each.

Young female bowerbirds are known for having a penchant for "fancy men." Where are the best places to pick up them up?
Mark in our band is “fancy.” He’s single and needs to be picked up. The Raleigh Times Bar is probably where you’d find them. It’s a cross-over place where hipsters and yuppies go. They seem to bathe. They’re the cleanest men, and put product in their hair. Clean-cut sort of dandies.

Where would you go to do a courtship dance after you’ve found your mate?
Hell has a dance night. And a bar called the Jackpot up the street from Mark’s house– the seedy, dirty, smoky hipster bar in town.

What about your own first date in town?
We went to Reservoir to see the band Caliphone. Afterwards, we went dumpster diving at the PTA Thrift Store. I used to do that because you could find the stuff people didn’t think was good enough to sell. We found My Little Pony figurines and 80s unicorn stickers. I was in the middle of doing a series of paintings about unicorns, so it was meant to be! Then we went to a bar called the Orange County Social Club, with a neat beer garden in the back. We had a couple drinks, then went to Forest Theater— an amphitheatre in Chapel Hill, near the UNC campus. There are hiking trails and woods on one side, and the university on the other. No one goes there at night, so it’s really quiet. We climbed on a big wall where we hung out until 5 in the morning.

Best place to spend an overnight romantic stay?
There’s a B&B that’s an organic goat farm, called Celebrity Dairy. And there’s a nice camping site on the Eno River in the state park, which has a beautiful river and trees.

Favorite thing about Raleigh?
You can walk to everything. And everywhere you go, you run into six people you know.


~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Cincinnati, Ohio
Bad Veins on Hometown Chili and Secret Subways

Modern music as we know it wouldn't be around without Cincinnati. From James Brown and the Isley Brothers to the Afgham Whigs, it has birthed a shockingly wide array of icons. Bad Veins-- comprised of Benjamin Davis and Sebastien Schultz-- also hail from this musically prolific city, and have popped up loud and clear on the international radar thanks to Alexandra Patsavas of Chop Shop Records and the Target Music Maker award. Capable of swelling orchestrations and ballads that are wise beyond their years, it's hard to comprehend there are only two members, accompanied merely by an antique movie projector on-stage.

While the two are currently in-studio working on their highly anticipated debut album, psychoPEDIA joined Schultz to chat about the city they call home:

Since Cincinnati has a Coney Island, is there a connection with Brooklyn?
It used to be called “Coney Island of the West,” then the name changed to just Coney Island. Sounds sort of shady, I know. Parenthetically, we do have a connection to Brooklyn. We have the Roebling Suspension Bridge that crosses from Cincinnati over to northern Kentucky. This bridge served as the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge— so you’re welcome, New York City. Theirs is bigger, but then, everything is bigger in NYC.

Could you explain the Cincinnati chili phenomenon?
To be fair, it’s not special unless it’s Skyline Chili. Seriously, that’s all you need to know. Fine— I’ll elaborate. Skyline Chili came to the city back in the 1940s. It was brought to us by a fine Greek gentleman who had the genius to add a little something to the chili— chocolate and cinnamon. You can choose to have coney’s or three-ways (spaghetti, chili, and cheese). There have been days where I’ve eaten at Skyline for lunch, dinner, and then post-bar. Yes, it’s that good.

Best restaurant when someone else is picking up the tab?
Hell— if I’m not paying, I would say The Precinct. However, I’ve heard some amazing things about Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. Ben and I have been to his bistro, and we were more than satisfied.

Good place for brunch?
Melt or Honey in Northside.

Best neighborhood to hang out, grab coffee, or shop?
Northside—they have the best record shop in town as well some of the best restaurants. Plenty of variety and the bars/venues have some of the best shows in Cincinnati.

What about places to catch a gig by an up-and-coming band?
I’ve seen amazing shows everywhere from the Comet all the way up to the Taft Theater. The Southgate House is our indie mainstay venue, whatever that means. Everyone from Stephen Malkmus to Arcade Fire has played there. I remember seeing The Shins play there years ago when Oh, Inverted World came out. There were around 30 to 50 people in a venue that holds over 600. The next time they came, it was sold out. Additionally, the inventor of the Thompson Submachine Gun was born there—so put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Favorite place to play yourselves?
Probably The Northside Tavern. I grew up going to loads of punk shows—where you could stand about an inch from the entire band. Northside Tavern is similar—the crowd surrounds you and you can feel the energy in the room the minute you start playing. Larger venues are great, but nothing quite feels like those intimate shows where people are attentive and focused on every aspect of the songs and, ultimately, the performance.

Where do you pick up new music?
Shake It! Records in Northside and Everybody’s Records, just a bit north of the city. Both have amazing selections—you can find anything you want.

What’s your favorite of all the museums the city has to offer?
Undoubtedly, Union Terminal houses our Natural Science and History museums as well as our Omnimax. It used to be a train station back in the 1930s, but has since been converted into an amazing museum. Beyond that, we have the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center—both of which are worth a visit.

Any sights you'd recommend for people visiting the city?
The museums here are great, but we also have King’s Island and Beach Waterpark just north of the city, which appeals to mostly everyone.

Speaking of sights, ever run into Peter Frampton?
Actually, yes. We were backstage together at the Taft Theatre a few years ago for the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. Bootsy Collins was there as well.

What's a little-known fact about Cincinnati?
We have an entire subway system under the city that dates back to the 1920s. The catch, however— it has never been operational. They built a majority of it back before the Depression—even completing the stations. Unfortunately, the money ran out, so it has never run. From what I understand, though, a significant amount of tax money goes into maintaining the subway every year. I suppose this is prudent considering we have giant tunnels under our downtown streets, but it’d be nice to get to use it after 80 years.

~Abbey Braden
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My Town: Manchester, Tennessee
Ice Cream Man Keeps Bonnaroo Cool

Matt Allen is many things: an international adventurer, fundraiser, and avid concertgoer on a perpetual road trip. Matt’s also an Ice Cream Man, who has made it his mission to give it away for free, of which all he asks in exchange for a popsicle is a smile and a snapshot, which he posts on his website. Operating solely on sponsorship, he can often be found doling out frosty treats backstage at music festivals. As a result, he’s become a favorite with audiences and musicians alike– just ask Jack White, Perry Farrell, or Daft Punk. Three years into his goal of sharing half a million gratis frozen treats, Ice Cream Man now has 100 volunteers worldwide. Now into his third North American tour, he hops from one music festival to another, making time for stops at ice cream socials in children's hospitals along the way.

psychoPEDIA caught up with Ice Cream Man on the road, in the midst of a hail storm in Iowa, heading to the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee. Taking place on a 700-acre farm outside Nashville, in the small town of Manchester, this annual summer fest is known for it's laid-back vibe and extensive lineup, not to mention being consistently voted 'Best Festival in North America' by music publications, critics, and audiences alike. With about 60,000 attendees, Bonnaroo becomes Tennessee's third largest city for four days in June. Encompassing all types of music, this year also promises on-site cinema, a comedy club, silent disco, and classic arcade. Here are the Bonnaroo veteran’s tips for surviving four days of camping, music, and dancing:

Which music festivals do you hit each year?
Pretty much all of them. There’s about a five month period where three quarters of the weekends, I’m at a musical festival. Right now I’m on my way to Wakarusa this weekend in Lawrence, Kansas.

Why is Bonnaroo considered the best and most "over-the-top" of them all?
You show up on Thursday, and until Monday morning, you’re in another world. With 60,000 people, it’s like a small town in itself. I consider it the grand-daddy of US festivals, because it’s its own entity. They get a great mix of music, and it’s not like anything else. Once you show up, you don’t have to go anywhere. All you have to do is make it back to your campsite. I love Bonnaroo, but it’s absolutely nuts. The festival doesn’t even close— it’s open 24 hours!

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you there?
I passed out in the dead center once. I was sitting watching the bands, and all of a sudden, everybody was gone. I was just sitting on a chair in the middle of nowhere, thinking “wow.”

Who are the most anticipated acts for this year?
Having Metallica and Pearl Jam headlining— that’s huge. Personally, I’m looking forward to Henry Butler. Ghostland Observatory is doing a late night set, and those guys are just a blast. I’m sure they’ll bring their laser show and smoke machines. And My Morning Jacket at Bonnaroo is a legendary experience– at no other festival would they play from 1 to 4 in the morning.

Where do people typically crash?
There are over 60,000 people camping within a two mile radius. A lot of them just drive in, pitch their tents, then walk to the festival each day. You can get them at Wal-Mart for pretty cheap, so everyone just picks up a tent or tarp.

The festival is going green this year. Do you know what eco-friendly things they'll be doing?
I know they’re going carbon neutral, which is impressive. Considering a lot of the greening efforts, it’s not just a fad for them. We give away ice cream and will see people go around doing the recycling. It’s the most active recycling I’ve seen at a festival. Bonnaroo has been working for that since day one.

What's your most popular treat among the crowd?
The majority of it goes to production people and stagehands, friends of the bands. This year our main sponsor is Blue Bunny ice cream. We’ll have Champ! cones, and those are always the most popular— everyone loves ice cream covered in chocolate and nuts. And ice cream sandwiches. I’m a big fan of the base items: Pink Panther and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pops. Bomb Pops are good, too, because they’re really refreshing. In hotter weather, you end up giving away more popsicles, and in cooler weather, you give away more ice cream.

Besides with your ice cream, how do festival-goers cure a heatstroke?
With some of the big tents, you can go hide under them. This year there’s going to be a movie tent and a cabaret tent which will be air-conditioned.

Do people check out the country music scene when passing through Nashville?
You have people that are road tripping there who will check out the Grand Ole Opry. I went to Dollywood afterwards in Pigeon Forge once. It’s not like a city festival, though, it’s all very self-contained. Bonnaroo is a yearly destination; there are a lot of people around the country who plan their vacation around it.

What are the best food options?
Once you’re there, you’re stuck with whatever festival food they’re serving. You have to bring your own or find way to weasel food backstage, which isn’t easy to do. Getting a meal ticket is tougher than getting a backstage pass. However, there are these guys that come up from New Orleans and do big cookouts for all the people that are working. They do it the night before the festival starts, and the last night, when everyone’s breaking down the stage. They’ll cook up massive dinners, just good, Creole cooking— crawfish and crab legs. There’s nothing better than stumbling back to your tent, eating crawfish at 4 in the morning.

What’s your advice or warning for first timers?
If there’s any rule of thumb for people going to festivals, don’t do all your drugs or drink all your beer the first day. You’ve got to pace yourself. First thing is water— make sure you drink enough. You spent a lot of money already on tickets, so don’t bitch about the 2 bucks for a bottle, and drink up. You’re camping, so you’re awake at 7 in the morning when the sun hits your tent and it’s a sauna. It’s hard to get rest unless you’ve got a shaded area, so you’ll probably only get 4 hours of sleep for 4 nights in a row.

Is there a last stop you make before packing up to head home?
We get out on Monday morning and clean everything up. Then we get crew to the airport at Nashville. There’s a Cracker Barrel 30 miles from the festival and we always stop there to get breakfast.

What’s the most rewarding aspect about giving out ice cream at Bonnaroo?
People instantly light up. It’s pure, innocent joy. “Did you say free ice cream? That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day!”

~Abbey Braden


First, seventh, & eighth photos, courtesy of Ice Cream Man
Third photo by Fen Branklin via Flickr
Fourth photo, courtesy of Bonnaroo
Fifth photo by Craigowaffles via Flickr
Sixth photo by Seeking Focus via Flickr
Tenth photo by teraleigh via Flickr
Eleventh photo by cutedar via Flickr
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My Town: Charleston, South Carolina
The Explorers Club on Their Sunny Southern Town

Although the sunny sound of The Explorers Club seems to evoke spending lazy afternoons on the sandy beaches of Orange County, this septet was born and bred from the southern roots of Charleston, South Carolina. The group of well-mannered men who met in college— comprised of Jason, James, Dave, Neil, Stefan, Chris, and newest member Wally (the only anomaly from Florida)— play a blend of feel good, poppy tunes that recall the Beach Boys.

Hot off the release of their debut album, Freedom Wind (on indie-label Dead Oceans), coming just in time for the summer, psychoPEDIA joined singer and originator of the band, Jason, for a tour of the sights and sounds of the band’s hometown— one overflowing with rich southern heritage, including providing the backdrop for stories like Gone with the Wind and Porgy and Bess:

How did the sunny California sound evolve out of South Carolina?
When I was 10 years old, my mom bought me a Beach Boys 20 Greatest Hits cassette for my Walkman. Here in Charleston, we have beaches, and it’s always very hot. People attempt to surf, and we have a lot of really beautiful weather for that kind of activity. It’s not a hard thing to feel like that music is at home.

What’s the most charming quality about your hometown?
Charleston looks like an old European city, right on the water. Savannah [Georgia] is kind of like it, but it’s a rip-off. For modern art and culture, Charleston’s probably not on the cusp, but there’s some cutting-edge stuff going on here. There’s a history in Charleston— one of the first shots of the Revolutionary War was fired here. It’s not just a bunch of hillbillies and trucks!

Did you ever feel pressure to be well-behaved living in a city nicknamed the "Holy City"?
No, I work at a church. That’s the south for ya— the Bible Belt. We have churches everywhere. One reason they call it the “Holy City” is because there’s an ordinance that there are to be no buildings in Charleston higher than the highest church steeple. The original tenants of the city believed that God is bigger than any business.

Would you agree with an etiquette expert that cited Charleston as the "best-mannered" city in the US?
At restaurants, the waiters are always trying to impress you to get your tip. A lot of them get really personal. For a lot of the South, they want you to feel like you’re at home. Almost all of us [in the band] come from parents with really professional backgrounds— preachers, school administrators— so it’s kind of natural.

With such diversity in the population, what are some of the best cultural offerings?
We’ve got a festival going on right now called Piccolo Spilato— world-renowned, with people coming from all over the world to perform and get together. It has lots of opera, theater, live music, dance, and all kinds of art. There’s another one that’s more African, called the Moja Arts Festival.

What’s the most traditional local meal, and which places serve it best?
Shrimp and grits. And we have fried green tomatoes. There’s a place called Charleston’s Cafe, that’s actually catering my wedding coming up. They have really good breakfast. The best traditional place is Jestine's Kitchen— a really down-home, Southern place, and some of the best food you’ll ever have. If you want spend high dollar, there’s Slightly North of Broad (aka SNOB). My favorite local place that’s really good southern food is Cru Café— in an old house that’s been there 100 years or more. It’s a catering company that decided to open a restaurant around the food they were catering. You can sit either a couple of tables toward the back or watch the open kitchen and see how they’re cooking you’re food right in front of you. It’s a blend of newer cuisine with classic Southern stuff. It’s a little pricey, but man it’s good!

Which places transport you back in time for that true Southern experience?
You definitely have to go to Boone Hall Plantation. Downtown Charleston is a time warp– there’s still people taking horse-drawn carriages. Check out Charles Towne Landing, an early settlement of Charleston. You can take little boat tours around Fort Sumter, down to The Battery where they held off the British. It has these Tom Meadow trees everywhere, great colonial and Civil War-era buildings and houses. Even our visitor center is an old train station. Just take a trip out to Fort Sumter or walk around downtown, and you’ll feel the history.

Best places to score local crafts and antiques?
The Charleston City Market— an open-air market with lots of vendors with knicknacks all lined up.

Where does the band like to kick back and relax?
My favorite place for cheap food and good hanging out is this Mexican restaurant in Mount Pleasant called Uno Mas. If we go out to lunch on a Saturday after rehearsal, we go there. A lot of the guys in the band hang out at the Village Tavern where we’re playing our record release party. It’s small, but they have great bands come in all the time.

As a port town, what are the best waterfronts to spend an afternoon?
Waterfront Park is a little park they built right by the water, where you can walk all the way out on a long dock. It’s a great place to take a date. They have swings where you can sit and look out at the beginnings of the ocean. My favorite places to go and look at the ocean are Sullivan’s Island, and the Isle of Palms. Folly Beach is a touristy kind of place, but it’s so fun when there’s no one out there— just seeing the ocean in all its mighty power.

Any cozy inns you recommend to visitors?
There’s one downtown that’s supposed to be the nicest— Ansonborough Inn. If you’re going for more of a touristy flair, there’s a circular hotel, the Charleston-Riverview Holiday Inn that has a restaurant on top where you can look out over the whole city and see the boats in the harbor and the church steeples. I got eat brunch there sometimes after church.

What's the first thing you do when you get home after a tour around the country?
There’s a part of town called Shem creek that has a bunch of restaurants. I take my fiancé there, and we just go walk around. When you’re sitting on the dock, a lot of dolphins and porpoises will poke their heads through and play.

~Leann Peterson


Don't miss The Explorers Club when they hit New York, playing Bowery Ballroom June 7.

Go There:
Jestine's Kitchen, 251 Meeting Street, (843) 722-7224
Uno Mas, 880 Allbritton Blvd, (843) 856-4868


First photo, courtesy of The Explorers Club
Second photo via Panaramio.com
Third photo by oquendo via Flickr
Fourth photo by zoebug via Flickr
Fifth photo by ryanchristopher via Flickr
Sixth photo, courtesy of Cru Cafe
Seventh photo, via AllCharlestonTours.com
Eighth photo via jandb.net
Ninth photo by megnificence via Flickr
Tenth photo by cbrown117 via Flickr
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My Town: Bath, England
The Heavy on Their Hometown, A Beautiful Place to Die

99 miles from London sits the history-ridden, tourst-laden Bath. Unrivaled in its beauty, the city is home to a Royal Theatre, centuries-old Roman Baths, and The Heavy. Having released their debut LP, Great Vengeance and Furious Fire, back in March, the funk and soul-infused punk rock act has since made a splash in the music industry thanks to a recent North American tour and support from Playboy.

In addition to designing a T-shirt for Playboy’s Rock the Rabbit series, which will be on sale at Colette come June (proceeds benefit Rock the Vote), the mag played host to a few of the band’s stateside shows.

psychoPEDIA spoke with guitarist Dan T. following The Heavy’s return to their hometown. We talked Sally Lunn buns, how to spot a Chav, and Bath’s best-kept secret:

What did you think of the States?
It was absolutely everything I expected and more. In a way it was really hard because it’s such a big place. Nobody told us how big it was. It was really good fun - the hardest thing we’ve done so far as a band purely in terms of crossing that much distance.

What’s Bath like?
A massive museum safari park. It’s a very old town– beautiful place, a Roman city. But there are lots of tourists here. Every summer, that’s the problem, because it’s purely focused on tourists. There’s not a lot career-wise or opportunity-wise, but it’s a beautiful place to die.

How is it to be a musician there?
We probably spend too much time in our bedrooms, because there’s nothing else to do. It’s actually great for us. Because there isn’t a lot to do, you can focus on what you do do. You may get to a certain age and want to move away from London, but being from a place like this allows you to focus on something. We focus on our music. You can move to any big city and get caught up in those things and get a little lost. It’s easy to be who you are in a place like this.

What's better, the Great Bath at the Roman Baths or Thermae Bath Spa?
Well, [Thermae] is a new spa thing that I’ve not visited but I’ve heard it’s very good. I’ve been to the Roman Baths and checked those out. It’s worth visiting. If you come here, you have to go to both, but maybe not in the same day. You’d get a little bathed out and start to wrinkle surely after a while.

Is Bath a big college town?
There’s a university right on the outskirts of Bath-- a lot of students stick to the campus there. It is a great place to come and study; it’s one of the most beautiful places in this part of England. And there’s definitely a slower pace-- that’s generally a Southwest thing. Southwest England is an easier place.

Are the locals pretty laid-back?
No, you’ve got a real mix of complete idiots… it’s a weird place. You’ve got the original Chavs-- the real idiots. There’s a lot of trouble here. A lot of hooliganism, and I’m not referring to football necessarily. But there’s a real drinking culture. There are a lot of old people. If you ever come, check out Oldfield Park. It’s like the Brooklyn of Bath. If you ever see it, you’ll laugh. It’s the combination of the elderly and the young. It’s a huge housing estate with simple red brick cottages.

What’s a Chav typically look like?
Check for the sportswear, and I’ll say no more.

Where do you go drinking in Bath?
Anywhere that’s pretty quiet. It’s nice to chill out a bit when you come back home. I feel like I spend a lot of my time in really loud, hectic environments. There’s a place called The Porter. It’s an English pub in the center of Bath, opposite a studio that we use. There’s a pub that we go to in Midford called The Hope and Anchor. It’s outside of Bath. Things are really expensive in Bath.

What about food?
There’s a chain all across England of noodle bars called Wagamama. It’s noodles and rice, a kind of Thai or Vietnamese; it’s just done really well.

What’s the most picturesque place in Bath?
There’s amazing architecture and astounding streets. The Circus is an incredible circular building. There are the most beautiful townhouses. Nicholas Cage bought a place on The Circus. There’s the Landsdown Crescent and Royal Crescent as well, which overlooks Royal Victoria Park and has stunning views. Nearby there’s also Glastonbury. One of the things I wanted to do when I got back was to get out to the countryside. Glastonbury is pretty incredible. It’s not just a [music] festival.

Have you been to the Theatre Royal?
My girlfriend worked there on the costumes for a bit. They say it’s haunted. There’s quite an angry ghost down there. I don’t think I’ve ever actually been there, but it’s probably worth a visit.

Are Sally Lunn’s buns really that good?
[Laughs] I worked there! Where did you get that? That was one of my first jobs. They serve these buns that are like a brioche. It’s pretty good. That’s one of the really touristy things to do. I ate my fair share. Eating it with jam and cream is just ridiculous. The Welsh rarebit, which is like a really beautiful cheese… you’ve got to eat one of those.

What is Bath's best-kept secret?
Blimey... The Heavy, probably.

~Alisa Gould-Simon


Go There:
The Porter, 2 Miless Buildings, +44 1225 424104
The Hope and Anchor, 38 Jacobs Wells Rd, +44 117 929 2987
Oldfields Hotel
Lansdown Grove Hotel


First & third photos courtesy of The Heavy
Second photo by canongirl1 via Flickr
Fourth photo by John~C via Flickr
Fifth photo by bekra via Flickr
Sixth photo by mjclarkesfvia Flickr
Eighth photo by Phil Romans via Flickr
Ninth photo by Sacred Destinations via Flickr
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My Town: Detroit
The Silent Years on Their Legendary Hometown

The Midwestern metropolis of Detroit not only birthed Motown and Ford Motors; it has helped launch the careers of everyone from MC5, Marvin Gaye, Iggy and the Stooges, and Eminem to the The White Stripes. Music quite literally is in Motor City’s blood. And, while the city has suffered tremendously as a result of its automotive factories folding and widespread drug-related crimes, young creatives breathe new life into Michigan’s capital.

The Silent Years, a melodic indie rock quintet whose upcoming The Globe hits stores in August, is one such example. Considering the seasoned band has drawn comparisons to the likes of Elliott Smith and the Flaming Lips, and whose forthcoming LP boasts producer Chris Coady (of TV on the Radio and Blonde Redhead fame), these Detroit natives appear poised for big things. psychoPEDIA caught up with The Silent Years’ frontman Josh Epstein before the band’s NYC show tonight at the Music Hall of Williamsburg to talk soul food, haunted bookstores, and the Detroit scene:

Rumor has it you met bassist Pat Edwards at a Colorado mime school?
[Laughs] That’s one of those legends we like to perpetuate, so I don’t know if I can confirm or deny that.

Do you still mime?
Yeah, actually I do.

Have you incorporated it into The Silent Years’ live show?
No, but the next thing we will be incorporating onstage is tap-dancing. You know, I saw Stomp thought, “Someone tapping at a rock show would be amazing.” So I’ve been taking lessons. It’s just going to be me. I’m the zaniest of the bunch.

Did you grow up in Detroit?
We were all born and raised in Detroit. It’s much easier to live here when you’re a musician. The first few years you’re in a band, you have no money. Here, it’s much easier to be on tour and be able to afford to keep your house. The cost of living is so much lower than other major cities.

Are there downsides to having a band in Detroit?
It’s more difficult in the sense that in NYC and LA, you can go out to shows every night. There are way more bands, and more bands that you can hang out with. But, in Detroit, we lack a really strong music scene-– it’s very small and a lot of bands don’t tour through here, so it takes a long time to really build up a Detroit fan base.

Is Detroit’s musical legacy a lot to live up to?
I love the fact that Motown started here and MC5 and garage rock, but we’re not really a part of that. In a way, I feel like it’s a blessing that we’ve been able to develop our own thing. In Detroit there aren’t really trends, like, “This band is going to be big for 2 years, then this band is going to be big for 2 years.” People like what they like, and they go see them. We’ve never had to feel like we’re a part of a scene. It took us a long time to get people to pay attention to us here, but it’s been worth it.

How would you describe the local population as a whole?
The people in Detroit are the nicest people in the world. There are a lot of drugs, so there’s a lot of crime – someone breaking into your car or stealing your iPod and selling it for crack. But it’s not violent crime. There are a select few that are actually doing that, but a few bad apples have definitely spoiled the whole bunch. Detroit is at the heart of the recession in the U.S. because of its automotive industry. A lot of people have lost their jobs. There are definitely a lot of people here doing cool things, but whether we’re organized or not, I don’t think so. There’s a disconnect because everyone is so spread out.

What are some of the most culturally interesting areas right now?
Right around Wayne State there are some record shops and coffee shops. There’s also a town called Ferndale just north of Detroit with a very active scene. It used to be the gay part of town. I think it still is. But those areas of every town tend to be the most progressive.

Say you were taking Bishop Allen and The War on Drugs, who you’ll be playing with tonight, out for a nice meal and a night on the town. Where would you go?
Slows, without a question. It’s this BBQ place in Corktown, where the old Tiger Stadium is. Everyone should go there. It’s so good. I tend to get the BBQ brisket and macaroni and cheese, but they’re pretty famous for their ribs. Afterwards, I would say the Magic Stick. It’s this venue that’s always packed. Heading up to Ferndale, there are a lot of fun bars. The one where we hang out the most is called The Emory. On any given night you’ll find someone from the band there, because everyone lives right by it.

Do you frequent any other music venues?
There’s a new one that opened up called The Crofoot that has three different stages. It’s in a suburb called Pontiac. The Silent Years’ favorite place to play is St. Andrews Hall. Essentially, it’s like the Bowery Ballroom, except no tables on the balcony. It’s a really fun place to play.

Where do you go for stellar soul food?
There’s a place called the Turkey Grill and it’s all turkey stuff-- it’s crazy. There’s also a lot of places called Fresh Fish House a.k.a "You Buy It, We Fry It." You can actually use food stamps there – you can’t buy cooked food with food stamps, but you can buy raw food with them. If you can stand eating fish from a place like that it’s really good.

Do you have any daytime haunts?
There’s a bookstore in downtown Detroit called John KK. Some people say the building is haunted, which I would believe. They have these old, rare, crazy books; you can find anything. And there are a lot of coffee places. The one that everyone I know hangs out at is called Café De Marquis in a suburb called Royal Oak. Ferndale, Royal Oak, all the suburbs are really close. It’s this European place with really good coffee that’s always playing techno music, but you can sit outside and ignore the techno.

Where’s a good place for a first-time visitor to sleep?
On my floor.

And if your floor is taken?
In my bed.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Turkey Grill, 8290 Woodward Ave. (313) 872-4624
The Emory, 22700 Woodward Ave. (248) 546-8202
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My Town: World Style
Facehunter Yvan Rodic Reveals His Most Inspirational Locales

Yvan Rodic has all the attributes of a budding documentarian. He knows exactly the right places and times to find potential subjects. And the reality he creates never fails to dazzle his dedicated followers. Coming from the beautiful town of Vevey, Switzerland, Ivan has followed in the footsteps of another famous former Vevey resident, Switzerland’s first astronaut Claude Nicollier – except the stars Ivan searches to document walk among us.

As “The Facehunter,” for the past few years, he has been snapping the world’s most beautiful, striking, stylistically appetizing young people and displaying them on his blog. Unsurprisingly, his camera’s prolific output has garnered him an obsessive following, so Yvan is wisely expanding his glamorous photography to the moving image: On May 28th, he brings us ‘The Facehunter Show’ to be aired on MySpaceTV. psychoPEDIA hunted Yvan down on the streets of East London and spoke to him about his worldwide style expeditions and favorite places to relax while not picking off his inspirationally confident young prey:

Having not been educated formally as a photographer, was there any particular documentarian or photographer you looked to for inspiration when you begun as the Facehunter?
Not directly, but I am influenced by a lot by Rineke Dijkstra. I like her style because her portraits are somewhere between the spontaneous snapshot and forced poses. She captures her subject’s expression very simply.

How do you keep ahead of your run-of-the-mill fashion/style bloggers?
I take pictures of interesting people who happen to express who they are through their clothes, but I don’t take pictures of just clothes. I try to create or set up a situation where the person is the star and the clothes are not. It’s about the charisma and character of the person– there lies the style. I could see someone in all designer clothes but they don’t look great. The person is the key, not just the pair of shoes.

If you take someone’s picture because of the character he or she displays, aren’t there times where you think, “I wish I had gotten to know that person more?”
Of course it happens, but every interaction has a different story. I don’t have time to get emotionally involved with every person I photograph. It would be silly. I get to know some people and keep in touch and see them again. There are people who have become my friends after I have photographed them. There is complete fusion between my social life and professional life, but I find it more interesting not to share the individual stories. It’s more radical to have the photographs without words.

Does your TV show fit in with this idea then?
Somehow that will bring a more three-dimensional image of my trips. The most interesting thing is not just the photo, but also the process behind it. Each city I go to, there are all kinds of interactions and meetings. And it will be about that, not just fashion people but also all kinds of people.

What’s your favorite city to find your stars in?
The most exciting is Reykjavik, Iceland. I live in London, and I like it a lot– it has very specific crowd who’s very cool, and then average people who are not so much. But there is almost no mainstream average in Reykjavik. Even a banker will have his own style and clothes. It’s like everyone is a bit creative, and there’s a wildness. It’s surreal because it’s near the Arctic Circle and middle of nowhere. It’s a small city that produces something very strong. I am always excited before I go there.

Is it the best place for parties as well?
No, that would be Moscow. There’s this place called Krysha– it’s on a rooftop. It’s like a billionaire’s underground party. Moscow is the only place I know where there’s an intersection of rich super cool people and underground fashion people, where everyone has good taste.

Where do you always go back to, to eat, hang out and shop?
Moscow, again, at the Denis Simachev Bar–- it’s a bar, a store and a club in one. It’s fantastic. Specifically, for shopping there’s a place in Stockholm, Sweden I like called Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair. It’s not just shoes but a clothing brand. It’s black, minimalist, but quite experimental– very conceptual, and very Swedish.

And to relax?
My best memory was in Reykjavik, going to this public pool in the middle of the morning after a party, where it’s still dark because of their sunlight hours. It has different pools and hot tubs. It’s a traditional place for old men to go and discuss issues and chat like a coffee house, but has something very cozy, healthy and relaxing about it.

Your pictures remind me of a bird spotter’s guide. Do you have any specific rules on how your pictures should be shot, or who you photograph on a particular day?
It’s not that organized. I don’t classify people. It’s a subjective selection. I transform the reality. If I go to the city, I will take a picture of ten people who are amazing. But the large percentage don’t look anything like these people. It’s the same for parties, I have been to some bad parties, taken pictures of four amazing people and then, everyone thinks the party was amazing! It’s deforming reality. I don’t have the potential to document real life-- I just want to share what is more inspiring. It’s the same when I find someone and I don’t just take their picture in that spot, but transport them somewhere to a different setting. I like to be on the edge of fiction and reality.

~Kevin Soar


First photo by Kevin Soar
Third, fourth, & fifth photos by Yvan Rodic
Seventh photo by uknyv via Flickr
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My Town: Göteborg, Sweden
Songstress El Perro Del Mar Waxes Poetic on Her Seaside Town

Göteborg, an idyllic port town on the west coast of Sweden, is the second biggest city in the country. At Göteborg's heart is the Gota River, which runs alongside the city's famous opera house and several museums. The current that flows through the city consists of a diverse musical legacy whose influence reaches around the world. The town is home to both death-metal band In Flames and avant-garde electro duo The Knife, and of course, the not-to-be-forgotten '90s pop group Ace of Base. With such a vast Göteborg spectrum of sound, there must be something in the water.

Göteborg is now pulsing loud and clear on the radar thanks to a new crop of talent. The locally-based label/conceptual art project, Sincerely Yours, has launched indulgent Swede-pop acts the The Tough Alliance and Jonas Game into the international stratosphere. And thanks in part to producer Johan Agebjörn and Sally Shapiro, the city recently witnessed the renaissance of Italo Disco. But perhaps the greatest crossover success, belongs to the tender acoustic folk embodied by José Gonzáles, Jens Lekman, and El Perro del Mar.

psychoPEDIA joined Sarah Assbring, of El Perro del Mar, on the eve of her US album release From the Valley to the Stars, to learn more about her hometown:

What is the correct spelling and pronunciation of the town?
Göteborg is the Swedish name and Gothenburg is the English, or international name. A good way to pronounce it the Swedish way would be to use the German author Goethe as guideline but with a j-sound instead of German “g.” And then pronounce borg as you would pronounce Björn Borg, with a “j” on the end and not a German “g.” So kind of like this: Joethe-borj.

While on the subject of names, would you please explain the story behind your project's name?
The story goes like this: just before I started making music on my own, I was in a time of personal crisis and trying to get to grip on myself. I eloped to a Spanish island, where I happened to meet this stray dog. The meeting and the impact of it became the expression “El Perro del Mar”– the dog from the sea– and I¹ve kept it close to my heart ever since, just like I do with my music.

What inspires you about the city’s surroundings?
Göteborg is known for its extreme climate–- wind, rain and fog–- and you tend to wish or dream for something else all the time. So maybe it’s the fantasy for something different than Göteborg that inspires me. A wish to leave or to be somewhere else can be just as strong or even stronger.

What is your favorite venue to play or see a show?
The Concert Hall is the most beautiful venue for sure, especially if you’re into classic or symphonic music.

What are your favorite stores to buy music?
Various second-hand stores such as the old jazz shop, Pennies from Heaven.

Are there any up-and-coming local bands you are excited about now?
There’s this band called Wildbirds and Peacedrums that are totally amazing. It’s a duo– a couple actually– and they’re mindblowing.

What is your favorite restaurant, especially if someone else is paying the bill?
I’m a vegan and it’s kind of difficult to find good vegan places in Göteborg, unfortunately. But there is one which is splendid. It's housed inside an old movie theater called Hagabion and it’s a must if you're into well-cooked vegan food. I'd definitely go there regardless of who's paying.

Favorite museum?
The Göteborg Museum of Art is a typical institute of good classic Nordic art, and it’s a beautiful building with great atmosphere, too.

Being a touring musician, you must have friends all over the world. Where do you take them for the real Göteborg experience when they visit?
I’d take them on a boat trip to see the pretty archipelago just outside the city.

What do you miss most when you are on the road?
My loved ones and my studio.

What is the first thing you do when you arrive home from touring?
Sleep a lot, and spend the afternoons in my kitchen drinking coffee and staring out the window.

What's a Göteborg secret that out-of-towners wouldn't know?
The typical Göteborg person is known to be loud and a bit brute and often, this is mistaken for some kind of rudeness. But they’re actually nice, shy people.

And what should you never do while in Göteborg?
Go to Backaplan, Hisingen. It’s probably one of the world's ugliest shopping areas–- it’s like a giant ugly parking lot.

~Abbey Braden

Catch El Perro Del Mar on tour this summer with fellow Swede, Lykke Li.


First photo, courtesy of El Perro Del Mar
Second photo by Lydia Lou via Flickr
Third photo by radiohuvud via Flickr
Fifth photo via Virtual Tourist
Fourth photo, courtesy of Goteborg Museum of Art
Sixth photo, courtesy of Hagabion
Seventh photo via matnils.blogspot.com
Eighth photo by peterlong via Flickr
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My Town: Bushwick
Awesome Color on Their Gritty Brooklyn Base

What happens when a trio of boys decide to transport themselves from squeaky Ann Arbor, Michigan to the rough-and-tumble streets of Brooklyn with intentions to just “play music, skateboard, party, and have fun,” is nothing short of awesome. Awesome Color, that is–- the psychedelic garage rock band they subsequently formed. Made up of neon-T-shirt-loving Derek Stanton, Michael Troutman, and Allison Busch, the now Bushwick-based band has toured with the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth, whose legendary member Thurston Moore even produced their upcoming second full-length release Electric Aborigines on his indie label Ecstatic Peace.

psychoPEDIA caught up with a slightly hungover Awesome Derek one weekend, hot on the trail of their new release, to find out more about how the boys play and pass the time in their hometown of Bushwick:

What's the most awesome thing about your 'hood?
I like to see a little chubby fat kid with his shirt off, hanging in front of a fire hydrant, getting totally sprayed.

Least awesome thing?
I think it’s too expensive, but it’s cheaper than Williamsburg. That’s why people live here. But you see a lot of fights, and the kids are out of control. There’s a lack of respect for life–- litter on the streets, people don’t clean up after their dogs. But I think the buildings are beautiful. You get on a roof, and it makes you feel like you’re in Babylon.

What’s the biggest difference between Michigan and Bushwick?
People speak Spanish in Bushwick–- in the stores, wherever you go. And where I’m from, they speak English. So you think, “I wish I spoke Spanish, that’d be cool.” It’s just really different. And of course, the dirt, graffiti, trash, dog shit.

With such a high concentration of immigrant communities, particularly Puerto Ricans, there must be good ethnic food?
It’s an international feeling, like being deep inside the melting pot. The restaurants are actually pretty bad, though. There’s a good Spanish restaurant on DeKalb and Wyckoff. I go to this place called Bill’s, half Spanish and half American food—they make a good egg and cheese sandwich.

There are so many bands are coming out of Brooklyn these days, but who are the all-stars from Bushwick particularly?
NYSE Hits and the Tall Firs, who bought a house really close to me. Usaisamonster is another one that kicks ass. I think it’s safe to assume most bands live in Bushwick, or Greenpoint, and Williamsburg, depending on how successful they are. That’s how I ended up there. You can easily get a place to practice. There are fewer bitchy, rich white neighbors. You can rent a place and get away with stuff.

Is there a Bushwick-Williamsburg rivalry?
It’s just white kids complaining about shit. A lot of people can’t afford to live in Williamsburg, so they move out to Bushwick. But I bet there’s some hipster kickball team from Bushwick that battles some hipster kickball team from Williamsburg.

Is there anything inspiring about making music where you are than any other part of the city?
I think it’s that the surroundings are a little bit dark and dim. There’s not much you want do outdoors. Once you get out, it’s all concrete. In the summer, it’s all sweating. Not to mention getting harassed. I can’t even say how many times I’ve been hit by eggs. So, you stay inside and focus on music. You’re pretty far away from everything, so it makes you turn inside and get into the practice space. If I lived in California on a nice ranch, I would probably not be making as much music. But it makes you feel like you’re on a mission. You’re living in this shithole for a reason.

What's the best place to kill some time?
There are a lot of good thrift stores that I like to go to, like Office Ops on Knickerbocker Avenue. There’s a really good one on Wyckoff and Myrtle. On the border of Bushwick, the Ridgewood Theater [recently closed] had cheap movies that I went to— it was one of the oldest in the country. Where we usually hang out is on the roof—it’s the Bushwick type of thing to do. In the summer, instead of just wandering around the street because there aren’t many parks—it’s a concrete jungle.

Where can you find Awesome Color hanging out on a Friday night?
Everybody goes to Williamsburg and the city. But if you’re going go out and see a show, there’s Market Hotel and Raven's Den/Silent Barn, which are both rad venues, and some of the best in NYC. They’re not run by assholes, and there’s a little more freedom. You can get away with a lot more in total underground venues. They have regular half-shells. It’s just much more conducive to creativity than some square venue where you have to buy two drinks with a 10 dollar cover. Silent Barn— no rules.

Are there spots to avoid?
It’s generally safe, but you’re just subject to being harassed. For most people, Bushwick would seem super un-safe, and statistically it is too. But you don’t really see what’s going on. And there’s a lot more people getting mugged in Williamsburg, because people have more money there. But avoid walking around at 3 in the morning drunk off your ass, or falling asleep on the train.

~Leann Peterson


Don't miss Awesome Color on May 2 for a CD release show at Glasslands, and May 3 at Market Hotel.
Electric Aborigines releases stateside on April 28.

First photo by Chad Karty
Second photo by mercurialn via Flickr
Third photo by Sagrado Corazon via Flickr
Fourth photo by nikki nicole via Flickr
Fifth photo by Bob Battams
Seventh photo by trisho via Flickr
Eighth photo courtesy of Market Hotel
Ninth photo via NorthJersey.com
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My Town: Madrid
The Junkettes Get Harsh on Their Hometown

International pop-culture junkies are probably well-aware of the post-Franco cultural movement that swept through Madrid in the late ‘70s and ‘80s. La Movida represented an unusual period of cultural, social, and artistic freedom and experimentation in the city--a time that, for many of its current inhabitants, has long been forgotten.

Not so for promoters, DJs, and general creative collaborators–- Luli Perez, Patricia Matres and Ella Carrero. These three young, culturally-aware women came together to form The Junkettes-– a collective specifically designed to shake up the social shackles of Madrid. With a manifesto that begs for change and calls for “artists, obsessive minds, freaks, and up-all-night believers,” they scoured the globe in search of like-minded fellows and introduced Madrid to such acts as The Horrors and These New Puritans.

Having now relocated to London, their passionate the search lives on while DJing and putting on their own parties, whereby the beautiful trio tend to leave a gaggling posse of broken-hearted artists and musicians in their wake. psychoPEDIA met up with the girls in their Whitechapel abode to discuss the trouble with their city’s creative culture, and their favorite shops, eateries, museums, and hangouts:

Where did you put on your events in Madrid?
LP: We put them on as part of two nights, called “Astoria” and “Nasti Club” that both went on at Nasti. Its pink inside, but it’s a real rough venue– low ceilings, hot, sweating walls. It smells. It’s smoky, and you have to go outside to breathe. The good thing about the clubs, though, is they haven’t all been made over. It’s a very raucous environment.

Where else would you go to see bands?
LP: There isn’t such a culture for watching live music. You go out to dance and get drunk.

Did you succeed in changing this attitude with your events?
LP: I think we changed it a bit, in that people go out more to see small, independent bands, not just big name shows. MySpace helped too, but we definitely contributed.

How far has Madrid gone towards keeping the spirit of La Movida alive?
LP: The collective vision is that things are a bit weird at the moment. It’s not a good thing to be an artist in Madrid. You will be starving, not get a job. It’s not accepted by society, so it’s hard to get people together to do stuff on a creative level.

You want to revive the creative spirit of the city?
LP: Exactly. We wanted to rise up Madrid and make it fun as the capital of a country. Why can’t it be like Berlin or London, where there are a lot of young people doing really cool things? Just because the city has a real retro vision of how arts and music should be. They take their hats off to the foreign artists, but not for their own.

There must be something that inspires you in the city.
LP: There is a place called the Art Triangle that has the Prado Museum in its neo-classical building: the Reina Sofia for contemporary arts, and the Thyssen that is a private collection of art from the 10th century to now. The Triangle has you covered for an “art day,” and there are a lot of galleries around it too, if you still have strength.
PM: They just opened the Fundacion Caja in front of the Prado that has lots of free exhibitions and an amazing “standing garden.”
LP: La Casa Encendida is also a great place for young artists who submit their work and hold their own exhibitions. There are lots of great screenings on the terrace.

On the finest day in the city when the sun is out, what do you do?
PM: There’s a good culture of sitting outside, having tapas, drinking beer, and talk, talk, and talk, and drink, drink, and drink, everywhere in the city. It’s tradition.
LP: Pizzeria Maravillas, is good–- the best pizza in Malasana. Malasana is also great for going to coffee shops. You get there, you have an ice cream, you have a walk, go to the shops.

Your favorite shops there?
PM: Restaurarte is the best. It’s a huge junk shop where they sell everything. Old women go there and sell the owner things. But he told me most of the things he finds in trash cans– things people throw out. He finds really cool silverware, postcards, and pictures. What he normally does, though, is when people die, he’ll go and collect the things from the houses.

Is bringing acts over to perform at your nights an effort to jolt people into thinking they can do it too–- bringing back the DIY attitude in Madrid?
LP: We wanted to encourage those from the inside of our city. There are a couple of Madrid bands that we started working with and are now doing very well. It’s not something that happens in Madrid often. Music labels there are horrible and hard to break into.
PM: The thing about Madrid is that what everyone else gets, we get 5 years later. They are in a weird time capsule that gets inspired by London, especially. A lot of the Madrid bands get into what’s going on in New York and London, but it takes them too long to get their act together, and then its over. There are a lot of “The Strokes” and “Arctic Monkeys” bands around. It’s the same with fashion, as well–- 5 years retarded.
LP: People are tentative about wanting to be in the future, the avant-garde.

La Movida had amazing bands and amazing artists. What happened to them?
PM: They eventually died out. But some do come back and have gigs that sell out, so there is still a love for that culture. Madrid is still a very conservative city living in the shadow of Franco. People are still scared to come out of their TV screen or their gossip magazine.

You don’t want to give up on your manifesto though, surely?
PM: We do what we do. It’s good we are opening doors for recognition of people, and we're really proud of that. We gave the initiative start to this movement, and people will feed off us. That’s human nature. As long as they are advancing, we've created that start-off–- that kick to get out of the commercial world.

~Kevin Soar

Go There:
Pizzeria Maravillas, Plaza del 2 de Mayo 9, Madrid.
Restaurarte, San Vincente Ferrer 27, Madrid. +34 915 327 209


First & fourth photos, courtesy of The Junkettes
Second photo via Kompas
Third photo, courtesy of Nasti Club
Fifth photo by pe-ri-pa-tet-ik via Flickr
Sixth photo by thebluemoment via Flickr
Seventh photo by thebluemoment via Flickr
Eighth photo via Marvelous Architectures
Ninth photo via Inthesity
Tenth photo by pacamanca via Flickr
Eleventh photo by menemadrid via Flickr
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My Town: Philadelphia
Globorati's Michael Rovner on His Humble Hometown

Michael Rovner, one of the founding members and publisher of Globorati.com, has been dispensing “jet set intelligence” to travelers looking for the utmost in luxury on the website since it first launched a year and a half ago. Designed by a team of travel experts-- some former (and current) editors at Conde Nast Traveler-- Globorati is a one-stop shop for luxury travel news, taking the hassle out of high-end. The recently re-launched site now makes it even easier for vacation-hunters to plan and book their upscale escapes. As Rovner explains, “We’re putting the same amount of rigor into this that goes into a magazine. We do breaking news, big panoramic photos, and easy bookings for Expedia. It’s now a full-service site with great contributors from around the world, letting us know things you can do today and that couldn’t do yesterday.”

With that much insight into the best offerings worldwide, who better to give the in’s and out’s of his own hometown of Philadelphia than the reluctantly nicknamed jet-setter himself. psychoPEDIA chatted with Rovner to find out more about the city known best for being home to the Liberty Bell, Fresh Prince, and famous heart-stopping cheesesteaks:

What is Philly known for, according to the locals?
I recently got into a fight with someone from Baltimore who said it’s "Murder City," because I’m certain Philly is. It’s been referred to a lot lately as "Killadelphia.” If you get killed there, you don’t even make the news.

Having grown up in Philly, what’s your take on the atmosphere?
Philly is a great food city and it’s a pretty easy place to get around. It also feels very non-cosmopolitan. You know you’re not in New York, because there’s a real sense of regionality. But I’ve heard a lot of people, because of the Pennsylvania elections coming up, talking about how close to the surface race is. It seems like it’s a subtext in most conversations.

Your work deals primarily with luxury, so what would you consider the utmost in luxury in Philly?
One of the best meals I’ve ever had was on Walnut Street at Le Bec-Fin. It’s long been Philly’s best French restaurant. You need to give yourself four hours to get through it– it’s course after course after course. I would highly recommend that, even if you can just go in for desert.

The city holds many of America's most historically important landmarks. What are some that you frequent regularly?
Having grown up there, it seemed everywhere you went on a field trip at school, George Washington had spent the night. But there are great places, if you can get a bit into Bucks County, like the Franklin Mint. And the Curtis Institute, a music school in Rittenhouse Square, is a place I go to just look around. It’s very inviting.

What are your favorite museums or galleries?
I’m a big fan of the Please Touch, because they want you to touch stuff– it’s for kids. And then there’s the Franklin Institute, which is fantastic. There’s a neighborhood called Fishtown that’s sort of the new Old City. It has a lot of galleries, furniture stores, and little bohemian restaurants. It was very working class-industrial and now has become more artistic and gentrified area.

The most relaxing place?
It’s great to walk down near the Delaware River— there’s tall ships, Old City, Society Hill– a lot of cobbled streets right off Washington Square. There’s a great coffee shop there called The Pink Rose. It’s very mom and pop, almost like Magnolia Bakery, but Philly’s version. That’s a good place to kill a Saturday morning.

Best spot for catching some entertainment?
I’m an arts-house movie guy, so The Ritz—where I saw Cinema Paradiso. What’s so wonderful about that place is, since Philly wasn’t New York, it didn’t have a ton of options for that kind of entertainment when I was in college. It became a real magnet hub for people were enthused about it being there.

Philly is famous for its cheese-steak sandwiches. Where's the best place to get one?
There’s Pat's and then there’s Geno's. They’re across the street from each other and have been there for about a hundred years. It’s a real source of contention. People are pretty die-hard about it. But I’m a Pat’s guy. It’s not something majorly off-the-radar, but for your money, it’s the best option.

Other places to get great cuisine?
I always go to Bookbinders for hard-shell crabs. There’s also an Italian restaurant in South Philly called Ralph's where a lot of regulars who just run a monthly tab, that I try to drop in on. And my favorite vegetarian is Govinda's. They do tofu like no one else. I tried to create it myself, and it’s just never worked out.

Favorite bar?
There’s a really fun place called The Continental on Market Street. It’s owned by the same guy who owns MorimotoStephen Star. Terrific cocktails and really fun crowd. I recently took my grandma there and got her drunk in the afternoon.

Most unique places to go shopping?
There are great boutiques up and down Walnut Street. The army-navy store called I. Goldberg is amazing because they have really interesting stuff you can’t find anywhere else– cool T-shirts and jackets. And there’s a couple fantastic used bookstores, like the Book Trader on South Street and another one on Market Street that has Vanity Fairs from the 1920s. It’s been there forever.

Other places not to be missed?
A lot of Philadelphia is fantastic corner bars and little places to stumble upon. Center City isn’t the most interesting part, so if you go to somewhere like South Philly or Fishtown, it’s a fantastic mix of old and new, with old-man bars right next to great new furniture shops.


Go There:
The Pink Rose Pastry Shop, 630 S 4th Street. (215) 592-0565
The Book Trader, 7 N 2nd Street. (215) 925-0511


First photo, courtesy of Globerati.com
Third photo by henk via Flickr
Fourth photo by sccfernandez via Flickr
Sixth photo, courtesy of Please Touch Museum
Eighth & ninth photos by c diddy via Flickr
Tenth photo by F.X. Enderby via Flickr
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My Town: New York City
Brit Musician Barry Adamson on His Mistress City

What happens when a proper Englishman like seasoned musician Barry Adamson finds himself jumping back and forth across the pond? He inevitably falls in love with New York City-- and the love affair lasts for decades.

psychoPEDIA had the chance to meet with Adamson during his most recent visit, and what’s most apparent is that New York City was, and is still is, an inspiration and muse to producing new music.

“I’ve been coming to New York for 30 years. I was 18 the first time I came and it was the greatest thing ever!” says Adamson. Since the late ‘70s, he’s seen and done it all; from gritty rock bands to elegant compositions for movie soundtracks, Adamson’s scope is vast and deep. His start began with such acts as Magazine and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, with the former being a direct conduit: “I was in a band at the time, we came and played at Danceteria. It was amazing; the whole thing of getting on a plane and going. It really seemed like a big foreign place. At the time it was coming off the back end of '70s New York. It was really scary, hardcore and tough, with loads of crime.” He adds, “Andy Warhol came to Danceteria and saw us play too! I just about died and went to heaven.”

Brilliant minds blossom in New York City, and Adamson had the chance to meet some of the most interesting and perform with some the most talented, including, Talking Heads, Blondie, and Television. There were many a night where their shows segued into legendary parties where the guest-list read like a who’s-who. Of one particular evening, Adamson recalls, “One of the greatest moments in my life [was] when I was taking a piss and looking down and seeing a pair of Converse shoes. I looked at the Converse, then looked at the legs, then looked at the face, and it turned out to be Joey Ramone. He looked at me and said, ‘How you doin’ kid?’ and I said, ‘Great!’ with a big smile on my face, and then I just went back to taking a piss! It was really sweet and just surreal.”

Through his years, relationships with legendary filmmaker, David Lynch, led to Adamson’s contribution to scoring the soundtrack to Lynch’s Lost Highway and a handful of additional film and television credits. Of late, Adamson’s been locked away in yet another studio. But this time his focus is on his own solo efforts, with the release of Back to the Cat, a ten-track LP out on his own label, Central Control.

In his 30 years of travel, Adamson has seen plenty of changes in his home-away-from-home: “Every three to five years, everything changes! Still today, I was noticing it. It’s really weird that the Twin Towers are gone. It’s still such a shock. I remember the first time coming, a year after they went down, and flying in and being blown away. The scale of it was immense.” And he's tested out the city's hotel world: from his days of crashing at the Iroquois-- “a rock ‘n roll type hotel, [where] you’d see Iggy Pop at the bar and other rock notables wandering around,” to the Paramount, another favorite spot where he stays on his current visit to his beloved city.

Adamson never ceases to be inspired by Manhattan’s Lower East Side, where he remembers getting his hands on some stylish threads: “There is something about the tradition, like in rock and jazz, and you can get great suits. I think New Yorkers have this edge, where they say, ‘This is who I am, this is how I’m going to present myself, and even if I have no money, I’m going to put this together, and you’re going to notice me! That’s been a real influence on my life. New York is a particular thing and you have to stand out and find something that makes you special. The New York style is and always was amazing.” And as for his preferred band: “I do really like Secret Machines. I always love to throw on their album Now Here is Nowhere” Clearly, New York City has and always will be Adamson's loyal mistress.

~Jessica McMenamin
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My Town: Miami Beach
DJ Egg Foo Young on Mastering Winter Music Conference

Miami Beach is notorious for drawing in droves of sun-starved, horny spring breakers this time of year. But with an already magnetic pull to its sandy beaches and bikini-clad blondes, Miami makes the perfect site to host the yearly Winter Music Conference— where DJs, industry bigwigs, and dedicated electronic music fans from around the world flock to sweat through a week-long dance fest. Hailed as one of the most important music events of the year, the conference packs a tight schedule of countless industry parties and over 300 acts that range from staples like Sascha & Digweed or Tiesto, to more relative newcomers like Shy Child and Calvin Harris.

With such an overwhelming event to navigate, psychoPEDIA enlisted the help of an expert to show the ropes: Adrian Michna, more popularly known as DJ Egg Foo Young, of Turntable Lab (ultimate DJ supply store turned renowned DJ collective) is a true veteran of the WMC mayhem, both as a former resident of Miami and now in his twelfth year at the conference. Explaining just how to party, stay cool, and not go broke is Egg Foo himself:

Has the conference changed much since the first time you went?
In ‘97 it was absolutely nothing— it felt like it was 4 to 6 venues. The two acts I really remember were Rabbit in the Moon, a Florida collective, and then Goldie (from Metalheadz) that really stood out. Every year [after that] it got bigger and bigger, until around '03. At that point, it’s kind of stayed as huge as it is. Since then, you can see certain labels have the same line-up, same venues. Things got pretty established.

Is the vibe different at WMC as opposed to other music conferences?
Miami is a party city. Mainly because you have tons of New Yorkers and people from the UK and Europe coming— just the fact that most are coming from snow and cold— you come here and it’s like, “Damn!” even if the music is whatever. And since DJs are mostly guys, you’re just staring at girls. It’s definitely fun because everyone’s open to mingling and stuff. You just have to watch out for meatheads and spring breakers.

So the conference gets infiltrated with MTV-style “spring breakers"?
Yeah, it’s a little frustrating, but what can you do? You get the meathead factor. The funniest thing is that one year, it must’ve been some major university’s spring break, and then there was this big hip-hop festival, BET's Spring Bling. On top of jocks here to party, you had total hip-hop heads, and every hip-hop icon trying to do their party, too.

How do you avoid them?
South Beach is always going to be that random mix, but if you do a party downtown— like warehouse parties— the scene is all music people.

Who are some of the most highly-anticipated acts or parties this year?
Justice is doing something with ULTRA, but mostly the rest of the lineup is big household names like Carl Cox. WMC has accepted more European, electro-house stuff. I feel like there were better things in the past like The Orb and Kid Koala. Underworld is a crazy show. Other than that, it’s cool that you have people like Switch. Turntable Lab is still doing their small parties. None of the DJ’s are super-duper stars, but it’s like a network of East Coast and West Coast DJs.

Did anyone emerge out of nowhere and blow people away?
Justice were a really new act before ‘03— before that they never even made music. You had Scion do a party [where they DJ’ed], and now they’re probably the best example of coming from absolutely nothing to world-famous.

Is there a new style you see evolving out of this year’s conference?
“Niche”, or baseline music. It’s like house. Switch is one of the heads of that. He started it but now people are taking that wobbly base and pushing it forward. It’s very London-grime, but I think that American producers are making that more of a norm.

With over 150 different clubs and bars in South Beach, are there places to avoid?
Ugh, Automatic Slims, and sports bars. If you see the line on a Friday or Saturday outside of Mansion, you’re going to ask yourself, do I want to party with these people?

What are the most underrated places to get quality grub during the conference?
Downtown Miami. There’s a hot dog place near the American Airlines arena, Dogma Grill— it’s vegetarian. And there’s a secret diner— the place people take you at six in the morning and it’s all locals. The food’s not that bad actually. If you avoid the chains, you can find decent food.

Where do people go to cool off when it gets too hot?
Hotel pool sides. The Raleigh is nice— that pool is cool, the way it’s shaped. The best secret pool is The Standard. You can sneak in there late in the night after the club, if you’re with your female friend. All of a sudden you’re in this huge pool— just you and your date.

Surely you get loaded with free stuff from sponsors throughout the conference. What's actually worth pocketing?
You can always grab mix-tapes, but out of 10 CDs, 9 might suck. Sometimes you’ll have a kid from Japan who just hands you something. And you can always try to score free food and drinks, like if Scion has a party. And, a Red Bull or something.

Where do people stay when they're too drunk to make it home?
Sometimes they wake up in their cars, or they’ll stay on someone’s couch. It’s all about couch-crashing.

Partying in Miami Beach can get pretty expensive. What are your mainstays to avoid breaking the bank?
If your friend is DJ-ing, make sure you get free drinks. Go to more of the local stops to eat as opposed to a fancy restaurant. And if you can, sublet a place on Craigslist. Hotels are way too expensive. For food, Taco Rico and the Pizza Rustica.

What's the craziest thing you've seen happen in all the years you've been going?
Last year there was a shooting. I was basically a block away. It was just random people with road rage in Miami, but it was right near The Raleigh hotel party. Everyone who went in was totally bummed.

Will you miss anything about Miami once you make the trek back to NYC?
Just that people generally enjoy themselves a little more down here. You feel free to be on vacation, then you go and it's back to work. You miss the sun.

Is there something you want to see at next year's WMC?
A wider range of stuff. Now every place is playing house or trance. That’s the core of the festival, but the reason I keep coming back to WMC is because I usually hear new stuff. Even a conference in ‘99 or '00, had obscure, experimental, electronic stuff— so, I feel like there’s still room for so many other genres of music.

~Leann Peterson


Go There:
Taco Rico, 1608 Alton Road. (305) 535-5757

First photo by EddieBirk via Flickr
Second photo via The Bus Bank
Third photo courtesy of Egg Foo Young
Fourth photo by kioralle via Flickr
Fifth & fifteenth photos by betamaxxx via Flickr
Sixth photo by flannalette via Flickr
Seventh photo by sidemedia.nl via Flickr
Eighth photo courtesy of Flavorpill
Ninth photo by itspeterhill via Flickr
Tenth photo courtesy of The Raleigh
Eleventh photo by Anthony Altamore via Flickr
Twelfth photo by Dave Malkoff via Flickr
Thirteenth photo courtesy of Dogma Grill
Fourteenth photo by oraclejulio via Flickr
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My Town: Istanbul
Artist Adham Faramawy on His Beloved Turkish City

24-year-old artist, performer, and visuals/video-maker Adham Faramawy comes from an intricately-laced cultural history. Coming from Egypt, born in Dubai, then brought up in London, Adham pours his contemporary interpretation of commonly misconstrued themes from the past, present, and future, and launches them at the common art viewer, audience, or innocent spectator with the alternating ease and aggression of a classical conductor.

Adham’s complex modes of thinking and well-thought-out influences could be mistaken as mere artist pretense, but Adham is a true softly-spoken gent; and intentions for his pieces such as the “the precursor and blessing for the evening ahead,” and the use of the Arabic language “to further mainstream it into the Western world” cements the man as a down-to-earth visionary rather than an untouchable one.

Despite a glittering list of contacts and previous collaborators including Carrie Mundane, Matthew Stone, and These New Puritans, Adham’s inclusive, inviting manner and personality is refreshing, and has led to plenty of exciting shows, many of which take place at the URA! Gallery in the city of Istanbul-- a city that has recently become close to Adham’s heart.

Has spending time in Istanbul influenced your work?
Yes and no. Everything I do is affected by my lineage, heritage, and culture that is constantly in transition. The interesting thing about showing in Istanbul is that it is also in constant transition– the same position as I am, on a fault line between Europe and Asia.

Is it almost more fitting to show in Istanbul than London?
Not really-- you always have to adjust, but it’s just an interesting parallel where my work, who I am, and how I function are constantly on this fault line of politics and terrorism and Islamaphobia. It becomes a worry, especially in a youth cultural context where I listen to the same music as everyone else. It’s funny when you look at the cultural situation of that city and my position– it’s very apt.

Was it singularly the URA! Gallery that brought you there?
The reason I first went there and continue to visit is for URA! It is in the center of town. There are a number of galleries around that area, but this one is really young and exciting, and does a lot with young artists and rock music. They have screenings and exhibitions. They also have a zine and are launching their own radio website open for submissions in conjunction with a local record shop called Deform Music.

What’s big musically in Istanbul right now?
They have a big metal scene. There’s a really fantastic band there called Necropsy who were big in the late '90s then stopped for ten years, but whilst I was there they did this art gig whereby each member of the band was on a different floor. You had to go up and down the stairs to hear it. The only way to hear it as a whole was by the park outside.

Is the contemporary’s art scene as big as the metal one there?
The contemporary art scene there is really vibrant. It’s the coolest thing about being there. Istanbul sometimes feels like an un-discovered city. It’s not like London or New York where everyone is aware that its cool. It’s all still really natural. It hasn’t been re-interpreted yet. But it is going through that right now.

Are there any other galleries you check out when you're there?
There’s a gallery called Gallerist, which is the first gallery there to open in the same area as URA! In fact they opened in the same building. Which are The Misa apartments that used to be the Egyptian ambassadors' residences. Which I love, obviously, due to my being Egyptian.

Where did you go of an evening to drink and relax?
The place I went to was called the Buyuk Londra, which is a bar in a hotel. ‘The London hotel,’ it translates to. The place hasn’t changed since 1930. Probably then it was disgusting, but now it's just fantastic oddity. They don’t get rid of anything. They have every kind of machine you can play music on and each one has broken down. [They have] a fantastic collection of art records, but you can’t play them because all they have is a really crappy CD players and the only CD is Cabaret. The only drink they serve is a really dirty martini. They have this parrot called Yakub, and if you have a Nokia ring tone, it answers the phone.

What happens once you got bored of the sounds of Cabaret and the annoying ring tone parrot?
Tekyon– it’s a Bear club. They wouldn’t let me in at first. They are very particular. I am very thin, but in the end I got in somehow, and it was full of truckers and arabesque techno music. The tranny scene is also incredible. There’s nowhere in particular to go– there’s way too many good places, but the neighborhood is called Beyoglu.

Where will your next show take place?
The next thing I'm doing is a solo show at a gallery at the The Black Mariah in Cork, Ireland. Its called “Time Wave Zero.” I will actually be screening the piece I showed at the !wowow! event at the Tate. The show expands on the ideas of a theorist called Terence McKenna who believed that time was speeding up towards a singularity that happens in 2012 when time stops. I work with ideas of non-linear time, and if time is non-linear and everything is happening at once, then, in a sense, everything is true. All possibilities have happened. That’s what I am interested in, in terms of multiplicity.

~Kevin Soar


First photo by Kevin Soar
Fourth photo by WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong? via Flickr
Fifth photo by Night Photographer via Flickr
Seventh & eighth photos by Fidel via Picasa Web Albums
Tenth photo by Annemiek de Gier via Flickr
Tenth photo by Che-burashka via Flickr
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My Town: Portland, Maine
Rogues Gallery's Alex Carlton on the New England-Inspired Line's Birthplace

In the last decade, the fashion industry has seen the conception of countless T-shirt-centric lines. But few, if any, have proven as adaptable and foresighted as Portland, Maine’s Rogues Gallery, which launched 5 years ago. From being the best-kept secret in menswear, to adding a women’s line, landing in Barneys New York and generating fans amongst the likes of U2's Bono, Rogues Gallery’s rise has been a rapid one.

But that doesn’t mean the brand, or its founders, has lost sight of its roots in the slightest. In fact, Rogues Gallery recently opened its first freestanding boutique in its Portland hometown, and head designer/co-founder Alex Carlton doesn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon. Having spent his childhood in the sleepy New England town of Cape Cod prior to spending time in NYC , Carlton is no stranger to the laid-back lifestyle. In fact he’s a bona fide expert on the city that everyone from John Ford and Stephen King, to Patrick Dempsey and Liv Tyler have called home. Here's the best of Portland, in his own words:

What first brought you to Maine
I moved to Maine 9 years ago, to Cape Elizabeth, which is right outside of Portland. What I loved about Portland was its proximity to outdoor space—fresh air, you’re right on the ocean. It’s great for sailing, it’s got woods that are good for tromping around outside. Coming from NYC, Portland was great because you’re more connected to the outdoors…and in 20 minutes you can be at the Jetport. It has all the amenities of a big city—a lot of culture. The art school has a lot to do with that. There are galleries, coffee shops and alternative movie theatres. It’s got a lot going on for a small town. And I’ve always been interested in coming back to New England. Massachusetts has become pretty developed; Maine isn’t overly developed. It’s the state that captures the most New England flavor. It’s the essence of New England.

How has Portland inspired the line?
We’ve used a lot of regional iconography to develop our graphic points of view. In the early stages of Rogues Gallery we wanted to create a brand that had a regional feeling, one that felt special and connected to an actual place. So we started looking in our own backyard. Maine has a dynamic history: its early colonial history, its ship building history. It also has an amazing agrarian culture. All of these things provided a lot of food for development. Living in Portland also made a lot of our creative development possible. It’s a very easy city to work in: rents are decent. It’s a lot more difficult trying to start a business in, say, NYC.

What is Portland’s creative community like?
The life of the city is a good template for new ideas. There’s always something new on the scene. There’s something in the air, something about the climate of Portland that really fosters creative-minded folks. It’s a very friendly town for people who are artistic. It’s not intimidating. If you look at more established cities, it’s competitive if you want to approach the arts and culture scene. Portland has a more relaxed, small town vibe. So, people are more willing to take risks; they’re less apprehensive.

What spots have you found particularly inspiring?
Definitely the Eastern Cemetery and the Observatory at Munjoy Hills. Movies on Exchange Street; SPACE Gallery on Congress Street is a phenomenal resource for Portland. They have events and concerts, plus they show art. Local 188 is a restaurant and gallery. They just have a great handle on original dishes and are always sponsoring something interesting in the way of visual arts. We get a lot of this sort of fusion, or crossover—an interesting juxtaposition of art and culture.

Portland has quite a foodie culture; what are some of your favorite spots?
Right next door to where our store is located, on Wharf Street, is a great, rustic seafood restaurant called DB Street & Co that’s owned by a guy named Dana Street. His other restaurant is Fore Street, which is on Fore Street. They have amazing free range and organic roasted meats and homemade pastas. There are great places for brick oven pizza. There’s a new place called Bonobo; they have a really creative approach and use a lot of organic ingredients. There’s another place called Aurora Provisions. They have an amazing cold food deli, daily homemade soups, and sandwiches. And Caiola's —they have the best hamburger I’ve had north of Boston. The Browne Trading Company is a world-class purveyor of caviar and has been a great food sponsor for us. I’d cut my tongue out if I didn’t mention them. They’re quintessential Portland.

What about bars?
Gritty's on 4th Street is a great place to get a draft beer. We really like a place called Bubbas; it’s crazy. The first thing that you’re struck with is just the space, the amazing collection of antiques, and the rustic country vibe. It’s filled with taxidermy. You feel like you’ve wandered into some sort of crazy lodge. It’s a great place to hang out. The Downtown Lounge is another one. And a great place for a cocktail is Norm’s. It’s been a regular stomping ground of mine since I got here.

Any great bed & breakfasts?
Bed & breakfasts are a little bit tough...as far as lodging is concerned I tend to put people out in Cape Elizabeth at the Inn By The Sea. It gives you a flavor of the area outside of Portland. 15 minutes outside of Portland you’re on the beach.

What is Portland’s best-kept secret?
I think some of the back streets that are not so assuming are interesting. Like Wharf Street, where our store is, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Just hopping on the ferry to Casco Bay, checking out the islands is cool. There are all of these quirky beaches and restaurants. And after a night of dining and drinking, calling a water taxi and taking a moonlit cruise. Nothing beats a midnight cruise on the water: you and your friends, and a boat and captain at your disposal. And, if you’re feeling indulgent, the hot stone spa treatment at Nine Stones.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
DB Street & Co, 33 Wharf Street, (207) 775-0887
Fore Street, 288 Fore Street, (207) 775-2717
Bonobo, 200 Brackett Street, (207) 347-8267
Bubbas, 92 Portland Street, (207) 828-0549
Down Town Lounge, 606 Congress Street, (207) 773-1363
Norm’s Bar & Grill, 617 Congress Street, (207) 828-9944


Second photo by ginandtonic1978 via Flickr
Fourth photo via Spirits Alive
Fifth photo by Lall via Flickr
Sixth photo by Novo a go-go via Flickr
Seventh photo by Space538 via Flickr
Ninth photo by MS2171 via Flickr
Thirteenth photo by Eva8 via Flickr
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My Town: Austin, TX
Music Blogger CubikMusik On Surviving SXSW

For one week every March, Austin floods with industry bigwigs and concertgoers alike to check out over 1,500 artists showcasing at the South by Southwest Music Festival. The conference draws over 10,000 international participants to generate the most revenue of any public event in the city, and as a result, creates the world's loudest downtown traffic jam. With hordes of out-of-towners flocking to the city, knowing how to navigate this Texas town is essential.

Who better than Colin from CubikMusik, the Austin-based music blogger, to give us the lowdown on the must-see, hear, and not-to-be-missed places during the festival? Colin, the force behind one of the mostly highly anticipated showcases this year, "Above the Radar," is a favorite in-town indie anomaly, as the respected music blogger surprisingly originates from Dublin, Ireland. However, several years as a Texas resident with a steady finger on the pulse of the local scene provides him with an invaluable insider's perspective on how to survive the week:

What was the biggest culture shock in your move, and what’s taken the longest to adjust to?
I've been in the USA for almost six years and Austin for four of those [years]. The biggest culture shock: the heat during the summer. 100 plus degrees and 100% humidity is something else. In saying that, I prefer it over being cold!

Austin is lauded for its incredible indie-music scene. How would you compare it to the one in Dublin?
Having lived in San Diego for a year and a half and then on to Austin, I really appreciate the Austin way of life. Population-wise, it is smaller than Dublin, but of course, it’s bigger in size. Texans remind me of the Irish sometimes: we stick to our guns (excuse the pun) and speak our minds. That can get you in trouble, but at least you know where you stand. Austin and Dublin are similar with regard to some of the indie/creative elements of life so that’s absolutely appealing. And needless to say, both cities have lots of great music also.

Where do you go when you're jonesing for some barbeque, and what's your preferred beverage to go with it?
I like the Salt Lick but it’s too far out of town if you don't have a car. Artz Rib House on South Lamar is great. Ironworks behind the Convention Center is pretty darn good. As for beverage, you know I'm not [from] Texas 'cuz I like my tea hot…not iced. Beer goes remarkably well with BBQ, though.

In a town notorious for barbeque, any suggestions for vegetarians?
Whole Foods on Lamar is great for veggies or meat lovers alike. VegSXSW might be useful also.

During SXSW, you're invaded by a million tourists. Any places you avoid during this week?
Taco Xpress on South Lamar is packed. And driving downtown, the furthest I'll go is to South Congress.

With hotel rooms and hostels packed, any suggestions on last-minute places to crash?
Craigslist is full of rooms, apartments, houses and even funky Airstream-type trailers to sleep in. And if you're in Austin and know who I am but don't realize I live here, hit me up for a room!

Best showcase to score food, drinks, and swag?
By the looks of things I'd say the iheartcomix vs Mad Decent party on Friday. Great tunes, booze, food, fun, and maybe even some swag! Of course, a lot of the time you find out about the best swag spots on the day.

What's the craziest method you've resorted to get into a show?
Not really about getting into a show but more so about getting to one. After a very heavy night out involving stuff I can't talk about, I got to bed around 5 am and was awoken by a mate at around 10 am telling me that we were going to hitchhike to Cork (Southern Ireland) to see Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds play that night. It was about 350 miles of a trip, but up I got and we hit the road. About 7 hours later, after we got separate rides, we got to Cork and spent about the equivalent of $25 on tickets. Got into the show about 30 minutes before they came on stage, delighted with ourselves. Then they only played one song! Needless to say we were pissed. I met one of the Bad Seeds about 7 years ago and told him the story. He thought it was brilliant.

Any suggestions for how to score last-minute tickets?
Did I mention Craigslist? Also, I guess there may be a good few competitions online that you can enter. At least with the day shows, you don't need wristbands or badges as much, so you can still get to see a lot of great stuff.

Any secret all-nighter food places to stave off the inevitable hangovers?
Kerby Lane, Katz's, Magnolia.

What would be the best way to spend an extra day, post-festival?
If it’s sunny you've got go to Barton Springs, a natural pool in the middle of a greenbelt close to downtown, Waterloo Records and then, Mean Eyed Cat, my favorite bar. I know I'll be hanging out in my backyard with some cold beers and BBQ. After four days of lot loud music, I know I'll be fine listening to the birds singing.

Got a secret about Austin that out-of-towners wouldn't know?
Apparently, it's legal to be topless downtown in Austin. I have no idea if that’s true and have never seen anyone doing it, but have heard it a few times from different people and always found it strange.

~Abbey Braden

First photo by KK via Flickr
Second photo by Thisfatguy via Flickr
Third photo by Ben and Becs BP's via Flickr
Fourth photo by kaanah via Flickr
Fifth photo by SFBart via Flickr
Sixth & seventh photos by Andrew Kendall via Flickr
Eighth photo, courtesy of Kerbey Lane Cafe
Ninth photo by Steve Hopson via Flickr
Tenth photo, courtesy of Austin Parks & Recreation Department
Eleventh photo by Evil Cabeza via Flickr
Twelfth photo, courtesy of Mean Eyed Cat
Thirteenth photo via The Think Blog
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My Town: Carefree, Arizona
Peachcake's Stefan Pruett on Cowboys & Caviar

At first glance, it’s easy to assume the boys behind Peachcake might have downed mushrooms one too many times. In interviews they’re prone to outlandish, nonsensical rants, and their onstage fashion typically includes neon ensembles and the occasional animal mask. But once familiar with their Arizona hometown— the ‘50s-born, master-planned community of Carefree— the power-pop band’s eclectic style makes perfect sense.

Home to both the Western Hemisphere’s third largest sundial, not to mention the motto “Home of Cowboys and Caviar, Where the Old Meets the New,” Carefree is not your average, sleepy suburban community. Even its street names—Tranquil Trail, Easy Street and Ho-and-Hum Roads— are hard to believe. psychoPEDIA caught up with Stefan Pruett, lead vocalist and one-half of Peachcake (the other being John O'Keefe), pre-album launch (the band’s What year will you have the world? is slated for release this spring) to ask about his Carefree (and adjacent— Phoenix) hangouts:

Are you from Carefree originally?
We’re actually from a place called Planet Awesome. We’re currently residing in Carefree, Arizona, which is a real place. A lot of people don’t believe we’re from there, but we are and it’s a really beautiful place. It’s in the middle of the desert. It’s really special because it has true natural organic surroundings—all those hallmark skylines. I highly recommend it.

Is the "cowboys and caviar" motto fitting?
Yeah, that totally makes sense because it’s a rich retirement community mixed with an old cowboy-esque town.

What are the residents like?
It’s a really sheltered town in comparison to a large city or metropolis. It’s really mellow; people are kind of quaint. It’s essentially a retirement town that has experienced a mass influx of multifarious people. It’s grown a lot over the last few years. It’s the most rapidly expanding metropolis in the United States. So now there’s a much larger population of youth—the schools have expanded.

It sounds like a pretty interesting dynamic—the young and the old…
It brings up a really interesting topic. Carefree is very mild-mannered, very heavily watched and guarded. We can’t practice past 8pm or the cops will show up. Imagine Pleasantville in the desert if it was full of run-of-the-mill upscale folk who have nothing to do but go to ACE Hardware and walk around the neighborhood and look confused about an abandoned trailer sitting in front of someone’s house.

Is the trailer in question yours?
Yes. We have it for touring.

Any restaurants you hit fresh off tour?
The Carefree restaurants are great, but they’re mostly upscale. For Mexican food I really like El Encanto in Carefree. It’s family-run; I just like the atmosphere a lot. I’m a vegetarian, so I’ll get their vegetarian tacos, which are really good.

Do you eat out mostly in Phoenix?
Yeah. There’s a great place in Phoenix—my ultimate favorite restaurant of all time—Fate. It’s Asian fusion; the best Asian cuisine anyone will ever have. They’re more focused on Thai food. The Pad Thai is really good; they have awesome fried tofu, and this rice dish that I think is called the Citron. I also really like this place called That's a Wrap in the heart of Phoenix, and there’s a great Mongolian stir-fry place in Tempe called YC's. That’s a wonderful place.

Where do you go to see live music?
A great place is Modified Arts. We’re playing there March 15th. It’s an art gallery and they just do a bunch of shows. They’ve become one of the more premier venues; they have no bar, it’s a straight art gallery. There are not a lot of great venues in Arizona to be honest. There’s a cool place called the The Trunk Space, where small, lesser known bands play. Their max capacity may be 70 people but they’ll sell it out to 125. But I like that place; it’s a really awesome atmosphere.

What about Phoenix nightlife?
As far as nightlife is concerned, it has a lot of potential to be awesome, but it’s so stuck in itself. It has everything to allow it to flourish, but for some reason they keep themselves confined. We have First Friday of the month art walks with lots of art galleries, lots of little cool things that are very non-mainstream. They’ll open their doors and showcase the art for the month and everybody conjures there. But the problem is that it ends at 11pm. It starts at 7pm and doesn’t even break into the midnight hour, which is outrageous. If something like that were to take place in San Francisco or NYC it would go on until 3am, ‘til the bars close.

What about bars?
I hate bars, but I have a lot of friends who like them…Tempe, that’s where the bar scene is and it’s where all the hipster bars are. There is a place called Graham, which a lot of people go to. There’s a great DJ there called William Fucking Read and Shake! is another night that seems to be pretty popular.

Who is your favorite Arizona-born or based celebrity?
David Spade, I like. I like how volatile his humor is, and it’s in such a subtle way. Wasn’t Jesus born in Arizona? Steve Nash, love him.

John McCain is Arizonan too. Do you have a pick for the presidential election?
I don’t like McCain. Anyone who’s been a POW should never be allowed to be president. When you’ve been a prisoner of war and have been involved in it so much, it’s engrained in your blood. The ones I like are the underdogs— Dennis Kucinich, and Ron Paul, who offers an interesting agenda. I’m not the biggest fan of any of them. If anything, I might just write Peachcake on the ballot. Hey, if you don’t like any of the candidates, if you don’t like the choices you’re given, write Peachcake on the ballot. Peachcake goes beyond a music entity. It’s a lifestyle entity; we try to encourage self-awareness and worldly awareness. We’re trying to unify people and bring people from all walks of life together.

Have you ever been to Jenna Jameson’s strip club, Babes Cabaret, in Scottsdale?
What? No! I haven’t and I don’t really like strip clubs, but hey, to each his own. I feel like it is very exploitative, but I’m all for checking things out. I had no idea that existed there, but now I might be interested in going…

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Want to see Carefree for yourself? Pruett recommends lodging at the Carefree Inn: “That place is cool; it’s kind of like a maze and it’s got an old time-y feel.
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My Town: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Au Revoir Simone on Their Local Stomping Grounds

Triple-threat sirens, Au Revoir Simone, know Williamsburg, Brooklyn like they know their beloved keyboards. It’s not surprising these three ladies call one of New York City’s hippest neighborhoods home sweet home, considering its increasing allure of late as a hub to artists, musicians, writers and designers.

Forever fans of “the synth,” Ericka Foster, Annie Hart and Heather D’Angelo could give any new wave band from the 80’s a run for their money. The girl’s onstage setup typically consists of their cornucopia of keyboards and drum machines, lined up like drill sergeants. But with their name even stemming from a quote in cult-classic Pee Wee's Big Adventure, the trio have an undeniably dynamic energy. They’ve been belting out whimsical and heart-driven songs since 2003 which in turn led to their freshman release, Versus of Comfort, Assurances, and Salvation (in 2005), and, more recently, The Bird of Music.

On a Saturday evening, a day after performing at Bowery Ballroom, D’Angelo spoke with psychoPEDIA about the band’s favorite spots in Williamsburg, and why they find it so inspiring:

What are some of your favorite Williamsburg record shops?
There’s Sound Fix – it’s a great CD shop. Another cool spot is Earwax. Yet for musical equipment there’s a store called Main Drag. It has a lot of vintage keyboards, guitar stuff and drum stuff and, well, I’m obviously there for their really great keyboards!

Among the three of you, how many keyboards do you actually own?
I actually don’t own that many because I’m more of the drummer in the band, but the girls own a lot keyboards, yet I don’t know the tally.

What about your favorite local eats….
There’s this Chinese food spot called M Shanghai. There’s also a great burger place called Dumont Burger on Bedford Street and I also really, really like a Mexican place called Bonita. I LOVE Bonita.

Au Revoir Simone has received quite a bit of attention thanks to your original style. Any great local designers?
We actually get sponsored clothing from a lot small Brooklyn and Williamsburg designers. I usually wear this designer called Samantha Pleet on stage, she's my favorite! We also wear Unis, who is actually on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Unis is a cool sponsor and I just love their clothes– they’re really for tour as well. I’ve been wearing this designer Mary Meyer lately. She’s been gifting us clothes. I really love love her clothes; they’re really comfortable. Samantha’s are really really dressed up, yet Mary Meyer’s very casual and cool. We also wear dresses by Miranda Bennett. And we also wear bracelets and jewelry by Elizabeth Yarborough.

What’s your apartment like?
I’ve only had one. I’ve lived Williamsburg for five years. Ericka actually lived above me. We had a big backyard, everyone in the whole building are friends. It’s a really big, communal, fun building to be in.

When you come back from being on tour, any specific spot you must go to immediately?
This place called Supercore. It’s a Japanese coffee shop on Bedford. It’s just really cozy and the people that work there and own it are incredibly nice. They have really good home cooked Japanese food as well as great chai and coffee of course.

What would you say is only specific to Williamsburg?
I think Williamsburg is all about the people. Williamsburg originally attracted artists and musicians who were looking for a sense of community. I used to really feel that way when I first got there, but now the artists and musicians are moving because they can’t afford to live there anymore. I think a lot of the community is really broken up and now a lot of people are moving for this idea of what maybe it once was. Also, it has strong Hasidic population too. The fashion here is extraordinary. One time I saw this guy with pink leggings, clogs, a fedora and I said, “What!” Very crazy and creative. A lot of painters live here still, the successful ones who can afford to live there or the ones who got in early and have a great deal on rent. If someone was to visit Williamsburg, I’d definitely look up some painters and go to open studio visits. It’s a great opportunity.

Of all Williamsburg’s distinctive cultures, do you have a favorite in terms of cuisine?
The Polish neighborhood, which is right next to and on the edge of Williamsburg. I’m a really big authentic Polish food fan and so I love getting borsch soup and perogies. I love that about Williamsburg.

~Jessica McMenamin

Go There:
Earwax, 218 Bedford Ave. (718) 486-3771

First photo by Nilina via Flickr
Second photo by Lazy Hour via Flickr
Third photo by Wally G via Flickr
Fourth photo, courtesy of ontheinside.info
Fifth photo, courtesy of Au Revoir Simone
Sixth photo, courtesy of M Shanghai Bistro
Seventh photo by Slice via Flickr
Eighth photo by Yun Cee Ng for New York Magazine
Ninth photo by Townbyrd via Flickr
Tenth photo by Alachance via Flickr
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My Town: Champaign, Illinois
Headlights on Their Heartland Hometown

Surpisingly enough, like other indie-music epicenters from Omaha (home to Conor Oberst's Team Love indie-folk outfit) to Toronto (where artists on the Arts&Crafts label abound), Champaign, Illinois has been known to sprout up its own crop of rock superstars, having birthed classic acts like REO Speedwagon and Poster Children. From its sprawling cornfields to the bustling university campus of Urbana-Champaign– the heart of the city– something in the Midwestern soil is fertilizing the musically-minded. Take Headlights for instance– possibly the most hard-working band anywhere, with an outrageously in-demand touring schedule, which had them in over 300 performances nationwide to promote their past albums.

For such a globetrotting band that crafts dreamy pop tunes about “Cherry Fields,” and how “Everybody Needs a Fence to Lean On,” it’s no wonder that their home is a smallish community squeezed in between the metropolitan hubs of Chicago and Indianapolis. Releasing their anticipated album Some Racing, Some Stopping next week (Feb 19), the band found themselves truly focusing on the latter part of that title, and more than ever on their hometown, when bringing their intense touring schedule to a halt to steal away in their farmhouse in woods– home to its three members Erin Fein, Tristan Wraight, and Brett Sanderson– to relax and record their second full-length record.

To find out just what a quiet farmhouse plus some good BBQ will do to foster songwriting, and why they will always find retreat back to their sleepy town, is The Headlights’ own Sanderson:

You have a song titled "The Midwest is the Best." You really believe this?
You have to find the charm of the place you live in. I think the laid-back Midwestern thing just feels like to home to us. And– you're almost never under-dressed.

Does the title of your last album, Kill Them With Kindness, reflect the attitudes of the Midwest?
No, we didn't really go that deep with the title. I guess we just thought that would be kind of a cool name for our first record.

What was the experience like recording your newest album in a farmhouse?
We recorded the Enemies EP here, as well. Tristan was living here at that time, and Erin and I moved in about a year and a half later. We recorded Some Racing, Some Stopping during the summer and fall of '07, so we made a point to do a lot of barbequing and looking out the window while we worked– not something you can normally do in a "pro" studio. It was also nice to kind of build this record like you would bake a cake– slow and easy, as opposed to rushing in and racing the clock like we did with our last record.

Since Champaign is primarily a college town, do the band members have any connections to the school?
Tristan and Erin both have family here. We all went to school here and played in bands during that time. I think I may have even met those guys at a house party!

Do you ever feel like you need to get away from the student population?
No. Downtown Urbana and downtown Champaign are completely separate from campus. You can avoid it altogether if you wanted to.

Where would you go to get away from it all?
On tour!

Where would you go if you really wanted to "do like the college kids do?"
I guess that depends on what kind of college kid you are. If you like going to rock shows, then I might see you at the Canopy Club. If you like drinking neon-colored booze and grinding on a stranger to the latest Top 40 hit, then I won't be seeing you at C.O.'s or Kams!

Do you think there's a rivalry between indie rockers/musicians and the frat kids? If so, whose side are you on?
[Laughs] No, everybody just kind of stays in their own territory.

Is there a certain music scene growing out of the area?
I'm not sure what it is about this town. There's always something going on– Hum, Braid, Poster Children, REO Speedwagon, the guy who sang "The Safety Dance," are all from here! The most recent bands who’ve toured here are The Beauty Shop, The Living Blue, and Shipwreck. There are so many, and all of them are doing really good things.

What are the main places to go to check out the up-and-coming artists?
Probably Canopy Club or the Independent Media Center.

What kinds of local musical influences did you grow up around?
I came to school here at the tail end of a pretty huge scene. There were bands playing at house parties all the time - Braid, Hum, and Poster Children were huge. That inspired me to want to be in a band even more.

Since it is a farming community, there must be some good food to be had. Where's the best fresh-from-the-farm cuisine?
Probably at the Farmer's Market in Urbana during the summer.

Any uniquely Champaign events or spots that aren't to be missed?
Pygmalion Music Festival is always great. Lil' Porgy's if you like BBQ.

Do you ever feel like rockers stuck in the middle of a cornfield?
We ARE rockers stuck in the middle of a cornfield!

Does that mean you go to Chicago to get your dose of cosmopolitan life?
We play in Chicago fairly often, but we toured [the whole country for] a total of six months last year. When we're home, we like to just enjoy being home.

With your hectic national touring schedule, what keeps you coming back to Champaign at the end of it all?
Cheap rent, family and friends– it's home!

~Leann Peterson

First photo by Megan Holmes
Third photo by Puneet Sharma via Flickr
Fifth photo by Meagan Perk via Flickr
Sixth photo by Kosheahan via Flickr
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My Town: Jackson, Wyoming
Snowboarder Travis Rice on Hot Springs & Teton Vantage Points

Travis Rice knows a thing or two about mountain life. Not only did the 25-year-old grow up amidst Jackson, Wyoming’s unsurpassed beauty, he is recognized as one of the world’s best snowboarders. Considering Jackson Hole is a renowned ski/snowboard destination, it’s little surprise the native put his acclaim to use locally: recently Rice created The Natural Selection—a snowboarding contest focused on Jackson Hole’s primal terrain and picturesque backdrop (as opposed to X-Games-esque manmade half-pipes).

The contest, which took place this year from January 30th to February 6th, is essentially an extension of Rice’s love of organic snowboarding. And what better a place than Jackson Hole for top professional riders like Nicolas Muller, DCP and Mark Carter to flourish and dribble over gnarly cliffs and snow pillows?

On a recent trip to Rice’s beloved hometown, we enlisted his help as a guide. Over sake after a long day of snowboarding, Rice took the time to share with psychoPEDIA why his love of Jackson remains steadfast, and how The Natural Selection took shape. In his words:

When did you first conceptualize the idea for The Natural Selection?
The idea came around three years ago from frustrations of being in contests. I’d fly to Europe for a contest and only be there for a day with terrible weather. The contest side of it, it’s a great social thing. You get to see friends you haven’t seen all year, go to parties and hang with everyone. Snowboarding is a pretty tight community. But, I’ve been competing every year since I was 16. It had gotten repetitive after a while. The Arctic Challenge [professional snowboarder Terje Haakonsen’s event in Norway], however, is badass. That was my inspiration for The Natural Selection. The Arctic Challenge was based around creating the best environment for a rider to flourish…also, the fact that I’m from Jackson (this place just rips), and the fact that the resort has never really been willing to embrace the snowboarding community.

What do you hope this event do will do for Jackson and the mountain?
I want to the outside world to see a snowboarding event focused on the riding. What I’m sharing, through Jackson, is my love for organic snowboarding. I want people to know that there’s so much more to snowboarding.

What's the first place you'd recommend for people visiting Jackson?
Jackson’s a funny place, because there are equal ways to do it—whether you’re high budget or low budget. If you’re high budget then you can just go for it with everything, yet if you’re low budget then there are ways to poach the high budget! There’s this little place called Granite Hot Springs. It’s about 20 minutes south of Jackson and you have to snowmobile in ten miles; you snowmobile in for the day and soak in these hot springs. It is open seven days a week and run by these hippies. They live out there all winter. There are waterfalls surrounding the hot springs with big [snow] pillows all around as well. At five o’clock though, they drain the hot spring pool out to the river and then the next day fresh water gets poured in.

What about where to stay?
You have two options: you can stay directly in town where there’s more affordable lodging. Or, you can stay in the village, which is right next to the resort - it’s way more convenient to go snowboarding and get on the hill. In the village, my favorite place right now is the Hotel Terra, which is incredible. It’s just sick! There are so many places in Jackson that just throw up this rustic front and a lot of older people come to Jackson for that feel with animal carcasses over the fireplace and logs. I grew up here and I think just being in Jackson is raw and rustic enough. I want to stay in a place that has some current flavor and the Hotel Terra does such a great job. Also, they’re promoting a good cause considering they’re the first silver leaf hotel in Wyoming. Everything that they are about is eco-friendly. It’s the best location on hill as well. Walk in and walk out. Great service…everything.

What are some of Jackson's best restaurants?
In town, there’s a place called Teton Thai. Hands down everyone I take there says it’s the best Thai food they’ve ever had. Epic Thai! Another spot is called The Bunnery. If you wake up at noon and need an incredible meal, go to The Bunnery. Other dinner spots I enjoy are Rendezvous Bistro, which is great and Sweetwater is really good too. Jackson is kind of freakish because there are so many good restaurants. If you move out towards the Village, there’s Mizu Sushi, which means water in Japanese. I’ve eaten sushi on both coasts and in Japan as well and it’s the best sushi I’ve ever had! On hill, The Village Café is the jam for daily lunch and morning coffee. Another super secret spot is called Koshu—so good; that place rules.

Jackson has a lot of wealthy inhabitants. What was it like to grow up within that environment?
My parents and most of my parents’ friends came in and bought a lot of land really cheap and I grew up with their offspring here in Jackson. I lived in a solid middle class environment, yet at the same time the upper class got bigger with property and real estate and golf courses constantly coming in. Not to mention, our taxes are great. A lot of people own second homes here purely because of the taxes. That’s pretty much the biggest reason why. Come on, Dick Cheney lives here!

There’s always talk about how Jackson is known for its incredible meat. What’s the deal?
Jackson is definitely known for its meat. It’s Wyoming! Maybe because there’s wild game running around? Seriously, I have about a band of about 150 elk living in my backyard for a month every year. Elk, deer, bison, moose, whatever! They all live right here. Jackson is right next to Yellowstone National park. If you want to come here and eat meat there are a lot great places everywhere.

Any other spots a first-time visitor shouldn’t miss?
We have a core little snowboard shop called Ill 23. It’s really cool. The National Wildlife Art Museum is out here as well. My original plan with this event, I wanted to have a catered dinner at the museum. It’s basically a castle set in stone!

~Jessica McMenamin

Go There:
Mizu Sushi, 3465 North Pines Way (307) 734-5205
Koshu, 200 West Broadway (307) 733-5283
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My Town: Victorian Flatbush, Brooklyn
Porochista Khakpour Finds a Bit of Pasadena in This Outer-Borough

Writer Porochista Khakpour's Victorian Flatbush, Brooklyn neighborhood starts to feel strangely suburban when you turn onto Beverly and walk towards the apartment in the white house where she lives. As you get closer, the houses become grander, often outfitted with front yards and screened-in porches. For the Iranian-born author, the “hidden gem” that is Victorian Flatbush (the neighborhood’s official name) reminds her of her childhood in Pasadena, California.

Khakpour published her debut novel Sons and Other Flammable Objects last year; soon after, it was chosen by The New York Times as an "Editors’ Choice," while The Chicago Tribune boasted it as a "Fall’s Best." This past December, when the buzz surrounding her book was at an all-time high, Khakpour and her boyfriend, designer Brian Frank, moved into the ground floor of their current building. “All the places in Kensington [the couple’s particular pocket of Victorian Flatbush] that we looked at had chandeliers and moldings from the turn-of-the-century,” says Khakpour upon inviting us in for a tour. “Every space was Victorian and eccentric.” It was not only magical, but also affordable. “I was sick of all my money going to rent,” says Khakpour, pouring herself a mimosa. She shows us around the sparsely furnished apartment, with a chandelier in the living room and butter colored walls that turn pale green when the lights dim. The living-room mantle overflows with cards and pictures of Frank as a Hare Krishna (a decade ago he was also known as “Bhagavan Dasa,” while living in Krishna temples as a monk).

“The interesting thing about Kensington is that it’s extremely diverse with tons of families, but not downtrodden. Nobody really seems to be struggling. It’s very upbeat and safe,” says Khakpour. “We’re definitely dreamers, and our current life supplies us with endless materials,” she adds. “We’ve both grown into day people with slightly hermit-ish tendencies—and we require Manhattan less and less. So, central Brooklyn is perfect for us.” But where does the couple go in Victorian Flatbush? Khakpour’s favorite neighborhood haunts, in her own words:

Vox Pop: It’s a really good coffee house-slash-bookstore-slash-publishing house. The guy that runs it, Sander Hicks, used to be one of the heads of Soft Skull Press. He's notorious for his extreme left-wing tendencies. The whole place has a slightly anarchist vibe. You get those old men who are obsessed with conspiracy theories, mixed with cool punk rock lesbians. It totally feels like Berkeley. And the coffee’s not just any coffee. It's the strongest, most delicious... this coffee makes me think properly. It’s the best thing for a writing day. We're just chained to the place. And they have a great selection of independent books out, lots of events. I love that place. That's a daily staple.

The Farm on Adderley: I read an interview with the band, The National, and they're obsessed with this place. It's got the most dreamy menu—new American cuisine. It's a seasonal menu. They get their stuff from regional farms. It's beautiful… even the name The Farm on Adderley has that Victorian-thing that a lot of places in Brooklyn try, but it works here.

Picket Fence: That's less of a special occasion spot, more of a day brunch place. It's bright yellow, very cheerful with a really eclectic menu, lots of vegetarian options for us. Instead of bread they bring you a bowl of popcorn. Everything ends up being kind of cute in this way around here.

Prospect Park: We have a really great part of Prospect Park. We're really close to Wollman Rink… I love this Wollman Rink as opposed to the Trump one. The Zoo Park is near here too. And Kensington Stables is the best, most awesome thing here. It's amazing and affordable. I think it's the only remaining stable in the park. It's beautiful. Again, it works with the image of this neighborhood being charming and quaint.

The Knickerbocker Tennis Club: It’s a 130-year-old club. There’s a whole old tennis society that's out here too.

Vintage stores on Coney Island Avenue: On Coney Island Avenue there are amazing vintage stores that are totally not picked-over.

Trailer Park: Brian and I love Amish furniture. We don’t know why this place is called Trailer Park; it’s right on Cortelyou, which is the main street here.

Pakistani Corner Stores: There is a Pakistani/Bangladeshi place called Madina. We go there a lot. It’s open late. It's really clean. This place is beautiful. The guy is so nice. Because Brian is a former Hare Krishna monk, he loves to get food from the sub-continent. And he will go to every bodega. He's become best friends with them. They look at this white guy with tattoos and are like what?

~Sara Costello

Go There:
Knickerbocker Field Club, 114 E 18th St, (718) 856-5098
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My Town: Atlanta, Georgia
Snowden's Jordan Jeffares on Scientology & His Southern Town

From Ludacris and Babyface, to Outkast and T.I., Georgia’s capital city boasts a long list of hip-hop natives, both past and present. But recently, it’s Atlanta’s burgeoning rock scene that’s put the southern metropolis back on the map—with Deerhunter, Black Lips and Snowden leading the pack.

The latter (an Atlanta-based foursome that borrows their collective moniker from a character in Joseph Heller’s classic Catch 22) scored rave reviews for their punk-infused debut LP, Anti Anti, in 2006. But since achieving “most-blogged-about” band status, Snowden has spent less time in the spotlight and more time on stage or in their Atlanta stomping grounds working on their next album (tentatively slated for release later this summer or fall). We caught up with lead singer Jordan Jeffares to ask about his hometown haunts and why there are so many photos of Scientology centers on his MySpace page. In his words:

How would you describe Atlanta’s energy/vibe to someone who’s never been?
Tiny pockets of cool amidst suburban sprawl.

You mentioned disliking Atlanta’s sterility in a past interview. Are there any spots that offer relief?
The tiny pockets of cool keep me sane, but the sterility is as much in my head as it is on the ground I suppose. We've got a couple of great bars/clubs that are the places to be for a certain style.

Scientologists: friend or foe?
Cults are funny. I can always use more funny friends.

Have you seen the Tom Cruise video?
I have seen it, and he's right. We've got to get these 'spectators' into the playing field or out of the arena. Buahahahahaa!

What’s the first place you want to go whenever you make it back to Athens, Georgia?
There was this greasy spoon called "The Grit" that was an icon for UGA students. I remember being waited on by the girl from Jucifer when I would go up to visit my brother when I was 13. The food is unremarkable but the memories just flood over me when I go in there.

Favorite Atlanta-based celebrity?
Andre 3000.

What is Atlanta’s most important cultural institution?
I think the Martin Luther King Center is the most significant.

Any local culinary specialties you can’t find anywhere else?
My brother says there's some pretty rockin' BBQ.

Where does you spend the majority of your free time when in Atlanta?
Loca Luna, a restaurant. Other than that I'm really big on cafes: Carroll St, Inman Perk Coffee, Apres. Clubs/bars are MJQ/Drunken Unicorn, The Earl, Azul, The Local.

It’s Friday night and you’re out with a girl you’d like to impress. Where do you take her?
First, we go to Green's Package Store to pick up some Mr. Pibb and some Red Vines. Then it's dusk golf and consumption at Candler Park. We close off the night off getting matching lower-back tattoos.

Best place to catch up-and-coming bands?
Drunken Unicorn.

Best late night grease trap for after the show?
Unfortunately, there's only one to choose from…The Majestic.

Favorite bookstore?
Nah, public library on Ponce.

Favorite blog?
Kiss Atlanta.

Best thing about Atlanta in the winter?
It rarely gets below 55 degrees.

Do you still drive the ‘92 Honda motorcycle?
As long as it's above 45 degrees I'm on it.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Azul, 141 Sycamore St, Decatur. (404) 377-3311
The Local, 758 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta. (404) 873-5002
Green's Package Store, 737 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta. (404) 872 1109
The Majestic, 1031 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta. (404) 875-0276

First photo by Zack at Used Film
Second photo by Abbey Braden at Punk Photo
Fifth photo by Atari Charm via Flickr
Sixth photo by Senatoturer via Flickr
Seventh photo by Blake Israel via Flickr
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My Town: Kansas City, Missouri
Peggy Noland on Fashion & a Cat-Eating Goat-Dog

It’s long been a myth that fledgling designers must set up shop in one of the world’s leading style capitals in order to register more than a blip on fashion’s radar. But Kansas City-based Peggy Noland’s flight into fashion, along with her eye-catching designs, is making a big impact. Noland’s one-year-old Kansas City boutique –- a tiny space painted to “look like [someone is] standing in a 15-foot-high cheeseburger” -- and her line, has not only made her a hometown hit, but also a favorite of indie-rock frontwomen and style mavens (Lovefoxx of CSS and Kianna of Tilly and the Wall included).

And to think that this former Religion Studies major-turned-fashion designer started her own boutique and subsequent namesake line as a backup plan after being turned down from the Peace Corps (about which she’s still somewhat bitter). Despite being currently exclusive to Kansas City, Moscow, and Tokyo, Noland’s outrageously colorful eponymous label– which includes alphabet-print full body spandex suits and flashy, figure-skater-style leotards– have appeared in Nylon, Spin, and Rolling Stone.

Considering the self-proclaimed proud Kansas City local even outfits her garment labels with the name of her hometown, psychoPEDIA pegged Noland as the ultimate tour guide. To take us through the “Heart of America”– a birthplace of jazz, President Harry Truman [by way of neighboring Independence, Noland’s own original stomping grounds], and some of the country’s best-known BBQ– is the raven-haired pixie herself:

What makes you proud to be from your town?
There are a lot of great opportunities specific to Kansas City. Namely, those dedicated to supporting local artists. The rent is cheap, we get the best of four seasons, and the conversation is good.

And the most annoying?
We could use about a million more people here, give or take a few.

Would you say Independence is like a Midwestern time capsule?
Yes, it's definitely a walk to school, don't lock your doors, pot-lucky type a town. I love casserole!

Speaking of, what would you put in a time capsule to future Kansas City residents?
Mardi-Gras beads, a Boomba doll, and a Ssion album.

Is the scene anything like the '30s-era jazz-inspired, Robert Altman [also a KC native] film Kansas City?
I am assuming it has something to do with mob activity? That still goes on mainly in the north part of downtown...

Where would you go to experience the city’s rich history in jazz?
The Jazz District still has lots of life in it. There is a wonderful organization called the Mutual Musicians Foundation, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (where Buck O'Neil sightings were regular), great restaurants, The Kansas City Call, and opportunities for live music, readings and such.

What about the best BBQ– seeing as how you're one of the BBQ capitals of the country (hence "KC Masterpiece")?
This is a never-ending debate around here. Everyone knows better than the next person, you know? People love Gates, Arthur Bryant's, Jack Stack, LC's, and of course the freshest barbeque around at the American Royal.

You’re also famed to have almost as many fountains as Italy. Any you'd love to take an illegal dip in?
I've heard that too, that's weird. Cabela's Indoor Fountain
... Waterfall!

How would you describe the Midwest/Kansas City style-du-jour?
The stigma of the Midwest being fairly conservative isn’t necessarily incorrect. However, people are often surprised, as am I, with some serious style that goes on here. I think there is just so much less of it, comparatively, that it doesn't get the credit. Style doesn't need to be recognized to exist. Like, if a kid dresses weird in Kansas City, and no one is there to see it, does he still dress weird?

Could you see someone wearing your designs to grocery shop in the middle of the day?
I have seen it! There was a spandex burkha sighting in the produce section of the SunFresh Grocery Store! What a freak.

What are your favorite vintage stores in town?
There is really good vintage/thrift shopping here. Vintage Vogue is top-notch. Boomerang, and Re-Runs are worth the trip too. You could easily fill a day with all the thrift stores in the area. Every Salvation Army is 50% off on Wednesdays, and the DAV on the Boulevard even has a ton of weird free stuff!

Where would you go to rock out in one of your namesake leotards?
The Auditorium, Joe's Standard Bar, The Ship, Hassle Castle and The Like!

Does the music of your indie-icon fans [Lovefoxx and Kianna] similarly inspire your designs?
Without a doubt! I was a huge fan of both Tilly and the Wall and CSS, long before I ever started designing for them. Both are dream teams to work with. The perfect collaboration is possible!

Any local musicians you'd like to outfit?
Currently working on wardrobing Ssion. They needed a makeover BAD! (Kidding.) I also work with Epic's newest artists Vedera. Kristen happens to my best friend and acting fit model.

Any other recent projects you’re excited about?
I loved working with Erin [Magee] on the [last] MadeMe collection. She might be the hardest working gal I've met in a long time. We were fast friends. Next up, Jamaica Fashion Week!

Do you plan to expand your boutiques?
In August we are doing a guerrilla-style, one-month boutique in Tokyo. All garments will be wrapped in black garbage bags and everything is $50 (USD), every style is limited to that space! We have already done a lot of preparation, so it will be wonderful to get there and see it come to fruition.

Would you say you're the most outrageous entity to come out of Kansas City? If not, who is?
The city has its own urban legend! There is a dog named Hersene that is said to be half goat that lurks around the west side of Kansas City eating cats! I don't think it's any coincidence that 7 of my roommates’ 8 cats are missing half their ears! Yikes!

~Leann Peterson

Go There:
Vintage Vogue, 12012 E US Highway 40, Independence. (816) 356-7770
Boomerang, 1415 W 39th St, Kansas City. (816) 531-6111

Third photo by Robert Gill
Eighth photo by Judy Baxter via Flickr
Tenth photo by Raulsgal via Flickr
Eleventh photo by Indoloony via Flickr
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My Town: Berkeley, California
The Morning Benders Divulge Their Favorite Hometown Spots

Back in the 60s and 70s Berkeley, California was a counterculture mecca. A hop-skip-and-a-jump from Haight Ashbury, the somewhat sleepy college town—home to UC Berkeley—has since attracted less subversive twenty-somethings and more scholars. But that’s not to say its cultural backbone has been broken.

The birthplace of Allen Ginsberg and Green Day, Berkeley (or more specifically its namesake university) is likewise responsible for crossing the paths of four fun-loving musicians who have since banded together to form The Morning Benders. The 60s pop-infused rock band, who have released two EP’s to critical acclaim, are now gearing up for the launch of their debut LP, Talking Through Tin Cans (out on +1 Music this spring). PsychoPEDIA caught up with The Morning Benders’ frontman, Chris Chu, for a tour around his adopted hometown. In his own words:

Did you grow up in Berkeley?
No, I moved out here to go to school at UC. And then I met all the guys [in the band] there. I grew up down south in Santa Monica.

How does Berkeley compare to, say, Santa Monica?
Berkeley is very different. It’s more of a smaller city. It feels more like a college town than I would have liked—my vision of it from the 60s and 70s was very different. Now there’s a cool, relaxed vibe. You can walk a few blocks and get out to a place where there are no buildings. I’ll go running there. There are these great fire trails, tons of great restaurants within walking or biking distance so we don’t have to drive much. And there’s great public transportation to [San Francisco], which LA doesn’t have.

How would you describe the locals? Are they that distinctive from the college crowd?
I think it’s a lot different because school-wise it’s very academic. It draws a very collegiate crowd. But with Berkeleyites you can still see the hippie-ish vibe in the older generations. People are more conscious, more laid-back. There’s not as much of an industry feel. People are generally more open-minded. Every city has it’s quirks but that’s the one thing I’ve like about living here—people are open to trying new things.

I’ve heard there’s lots of pizza in Berkeley. Who has the best?
[Laughs] The best pizza is definitely at The Cheeseboard, which is an awesome collective/co-op on the north side of Berkeley called the “gourmet ghetto,” near Chez Panisse [the restaurant credited with first introducing Californian cuisine]. It’s really cheap. They have one pizza a day and it’s creative with fresh ingredients. They always have a jazz band playing in an open room; people just get their pizza and eat it out on the median on the lawn.

And when you’re looking for something more upscale as far as dining?
Upscale? I wouldn’t know [laughs]. There’s another place I really like, Manzanita. It’s in Oakland; it’s a macrobiotic, organic and vegan restaurant with really good food. It’s similar to the Cheeseboard in the sense that it’s a set menu and you get the one thing. I guess I am drawn to places like that. They seem to come from people who care more about putting good stuff in your body. It’s nice having that option in Berkeley. One of the hardest parts of playing music is being on the road.

When you’re on tour is that the first thing you get homesick for?
Yeah just to be able to be healthy—to eat good meals and cook good meals and exercise. And then in terms of Berkley I like being settled where everything I need and like is accessible there are great record stores like Amoeba and all the great restaurants and parks.

Have you played many shows in Berkeley?
We usually go to the [San Francisco]. We really like to play Bottom of the Hill. And the Great American Music Hall is one of the best venues ever.

What about other noteworthy cultural attractions?
There are amazing theatres, like The Castro. I just saw a screening of There Will be Blood there and Paul Thomas Anderson was there to introduce it. In Oakland there’s the Grand Lake or The Parkway—they call it a speakeasy movie theatre; there are all these couches set up in the screening room and they serve you food and beer.

Back in Berkeley do you rub shoulders with the college crowd often or do you try to avoid it?
We try to get away from the college-y parts and the frat-y parts. There are some cool bars. We hang out at this place, The Graduate. That’s a nice place; it’s off outside the college area. It’s cheap, dive-y. Two of our members are underage and they don’t card there so that’s also one of the perks [laughs].

Favorite place to grab brunch after a bender?
We’re not big on brunch. We usually sleep through it.

What about a good place to crash for out-of-towners?
The Claremont. Our bassist worked there for a while doing food service or something.

Do you guys have girlfriends?
Yeah, I do.

Where would you take her for a night out on the town?
We would usually go to [San Francisco] to make it a special occasion. Chez Panisse. [Pause] But I’ve never been there so that’s kind of misleading. The beauty of everything is that it’s so cheap.

What’s Berkeley’s best-kept secret?
We’re very honest. We don’t have any secrets.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
The Graduate, 6202 Claremont Avenue, Oakland (510) 655-8847
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My Town: Salvador, Brazil
Alistair Appleton on His South American Retreat

Host of BBC series "Cash in the Attic" and "Escape to the Country", as well as the upcoming UKTV Style series, "Fantasy Homes by the Sea", Alistair Appleton is no stranger to travel… or fine living. Thus, guessing Appleton’s vacation destination of choice may at first seem an easy task – i.e. anywhere exotic, luxurious, and all the five-star amenities known to man. But, guess again.

For the past 3 years Appleton has kept a second home in the Brazilian jungle, just 45-minutes south of Salvador. A far cry from his home in London, Appleton has visited Brazil, and most specifically, Salvador, countless times. Considering the charming television personality, and teacher of mediation, often returns to Brazil for both vacation, and to teach seminars on the likes of Ayahuasca tea (an ancient psychotropic plant used by Amazonian shamans that is also the subject of Appleton’s documentary, The Man Who Drank the Universe), we pegged him for the perfect Salvadorian tour guide. Here, he divulges the best-kept secrets of the area (infused with song and dance thanks to its strong African roots), and what to categorically avoid:

How would you describe Salvador, and how does it compare to Rio or Sao Paulo?
In a nutshell Salvador is samba and Rio is bossa nova. Rio is looking towards the West and is quite sophisticated. Salvador is the most African, the blackest city in Brazil. It used to be the Portuguese capital. Also, Rio is a spectacular geographical place, with mountains, beach and the city. Salvador is much simpler – a city on the coast. But, it also has this history, which Rio doesn’t really have. It has been there since the 17th century.

What were your first impressions of Salvador?
It feels very much like Africa with lots of villages along the road. There are lots of churches and museums – an incredible historical parallel universe.

You mentioned the coast—what’s the best beach?
On the coast there are a few sand beaches. Barra (pronounced Ba-ha) is the area with the town beach, Porto do Barra It’s a small cove of sand it seeps off very steeply. It’s really nice to go swimming in. And there are lots of bars and restaurants at the back. You can also go further up the coast (which is the stretch where the Carnival runs) to Farol.

Where do you recommend staying in Salvador?
You have to decide whether you want to stay in the old town, the middle town, or whether you want to go up the beach. The old town is a walk from the beach but it’s the cultural center–all the music happens there, and it’s quiet in the evenings. At the beach by Barra it’s really busy, there are lots of places to go at night, but the hotels there aren’t so nice.

Where do you typically stay?
I’ve stayed in several hotels. But, the last time I went I stayed in an absolutely beautiful hotel– Aram Yami. A lot of the hotels are pretty standard, but they’re starting to have boutique hotels that are just gorgeous– especially in the old town, Pelourinho. And Convento Do Carmo, which is a converted convent in the old town, is spectacular. It’s a magical, lovely place.

Where do you go for a nice, post-beach day meal out?
In Farol there are a slew of nice bars and restaurants—from a nice sushi bar to very traditional Brazilian food. Barraviento, a traditional restaurant right on the beach, serves lots of seafood and classic Bahian food like rich stews, called Moquecas. Another really great thing to do is to go farther up the coast to Rio Vermelho and go to one of the Acaraje stalls. They serve spicy bean balls that are cut in half and filed with coconut cream that is savory and delicious. It’s traditional Bahian street food, sold by Bahian women in white dresses. They’re freshly made around 4pm and one of the big names [to go to] is Sira.

What about the best places to watch, and participate in, music and dancing…
There is music everywhere. Salvador is the birthplace of all of the big names – they all come from Bahia. All their musical roots come back to samba, which is from Salvador. Even in a pizzeria there will be someone singing bossa nova. Wherever you go in the Pelourinho, there are amazing samba bands and every kind of musician. In the 6-months before Carnival different groups will be practicing in the streets. On Tuesday evening, in particular, and on the weekend there are loads of samba schools practicing in the Pelourinho in the main square. Just follow your nose.

Is there much of a club scene?
Off Club, the gay club, is really great. There’s a whole little complex of bars in Bahia. There’s also a great little place in Gracia, Aconchego da ZuZu, that’s run by this 100-year-old woman, ZuZu, and every Saturday they have this Choro band – Portuguese village music played by 5 or so guitarists. It’s old-fashioned music. The scene is not really clubbing so much as bars with music.

What about shopping?
Shops on the street tend to be good. And they just opened Salvador Shopping, which is huge. It’s a beautiful mall with lots of Brazilian brands and fashion, and of course it’s cheap. You can always get Havaianas, which are a staple there, and summer-wear – it’s a nice place to stock up on lovely bright colors.

Is there one landmark or museum that is a must-see?
Definitely make an effort to see the Sao Francisco Church, which is situated in the Upper City. It’s the most extraordinary gold baroque church. If you’re going to see one thing that would be the thing I recommend seeing. It’s the spiritual center of candomblé—the syncretic mixture of Catholic saints and African deities. Although it’s not much to look at, candomblé is everywhere—in music, history, art, food.

What is Salvador’s best-kept secret?
Solar do Unhão —a lovely place to see the sun set. It’s an old fortress and it’s now the Modern Art Museum. And, in the Lower City there’s the fish restaurant at Pedra Furada, called Tia Maria. It’s a real wreck of a place with plastic chairs right by the waterside, but the food is amazing and Aunt Maria is mãe de candomblé (like a priestess) as well as a fabulous cook.

Anything you would recommend against?
The only thing I would not recommend going to, is the Mercado Modelo, which is really touristy. It’s a folksy sort of market and it’s really hideous. I would highly recommend not going.

Would you say Salvador is your escape to the country?
"Escape" may not be the right word. It’s more of an exciting thing than an escape. Salvador is definitely a place to party and [my house in Bahia] is much more to relax.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Off Club, Rua Dias d’Avilla 33, Barra, 071/3267-6215
Tia Maria at Pedra Furada, Rua Rio Negro, 213, Mont Serrat, 071/3316-4218

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My Town: Oxford, Mississippi
Colour Revolt on Their Hometown Haunts and Southern Hospitality

Right before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Eva Longoria presented at the MTV Video Music awards in Miami citing that she wouldn't let a little hurricane stop her from wearing a bathing suit on stage. So why would a band let Hurricane Katrina keep them from recording their first EP? Colour Revolt, who cut their short, self-titled album in a living room after forfeiting their basement studio to a flood of Katrina refugees, certainly have no lack of determination to become the next big thing to come out of their small university town. Hailing from Oxford, Mississippi, Colour Revolt’s five members met as students at the University of Mississippi (known fondly as “Ole Miss”). Since then they’ve managed to withstand a hectic 80-show US tour, and more recently, perform at SXSW and NYC’s CMJ showcase, most of which while still in school – earning them merited buzz in Spin, Paste, and countless music blogs.

From their often-melancholic lyrics, to their sound (which could be described as a wavering blend of trance-inducing melodies and full-throttle post-grunge inspired rock), the band admittedly has found no shortage of influences in its culturally rich stomping grounds. Known by many as a southern hub for the arts, Oxford is home to such figures as Willie Morris, popular legal drama author John Grisham, and cherished literary icon William Faulkner– whose home, Rowan Oak, still attracts people today. In the midst of working with former Elvis Costello and Modest Mouse producer, Clay Jones, on their forthcoming album, Colour Revolt’s bassist Jimmy Cajoleas enlightened us on exactly why, despite any globe-trotting tour, they’d never leave their southern home sweet home behind:

What was the experience like recording after Hurricane Katrina?
Jesse received a few trees through his house, not to mention destroyed cars. That was the weekend we were recording our debut EP. We had to find the closest house with power that would let us record. That happened to be Esperanza Plantation owner Chaney Nichols.

Does Oxford’s rich literary tradition influence you?
When Barry Hannah rides his motorcycle past you every day, you can't help but immerse yourself in the whole culture of writers and literature. Oxford has attracted a ridiculous number of geniuses to this town. The Ole Miss English Department is incredible. You can't escape it, and why would you want to?

Would you agree with USA Today having named it a top college town before?
Surely, though [it’s] quickly becoming a top retirement town for Ole Miss alumni. But, the kids still party, still dance, still listen to rock-and-roll every day.

What’s the cultural scene like?
Oxford has a weirdly clashing culture. For all the talk of artists, writers, musicians in town, there’s not a terribly large number of people who actually care about the arts. Certainly not the condo-dwellers with their Hummer H3s…

And for the people who do care?
The people who support the arts here, who come to shows and readings and gallery openings, are fantastic. The sheer number of writers and musicians in Oxford guarantee a decent turnout to anything, though often you'll see a crowd full of your friends who are all in bands. Artists support themselves and their friends, without a ton of help from the outside.

What are some of the town’s staples?
Much credit has to be given to our mayor, Richard Howorth, for his totally awesome bookstore Square Books, which regularly brings in genius authors to this town. Square Books is kind of a safe haven, a beacon of light. Also, Bottletree Bakery, where you're going to know everybody there every morning for breakfast.

Where do the Ole Miss kids hang out?
Again, there's a pretty divided culture in Oxford. The frat guys and girls have their spots, and everybody else goes somewhere else. There isn't a lot of interplay between the two groups, though hopefully that will change in the future. One fantastic place to hang out is Purple Haze, the vintage-coffee-CD store where I work.

What’s a typical Friday night?
The bar, then a dance party on Pierce Avenue. Always.

Where would you kick back on a Sunday afternoon or on a break from recording?
The balcony of Square Books – a perfect spot to spend the day. Also, the back porch of Purple Haze.

What's the music scene like, and the best places to see live acts?
The music scene is more happening now in Oxford than it has been in a while. There's a peculiarly large amount of awesome punk bands in town that play at the Jubilee, and those shows are always a blast. Proud Larry's, Two Stick are the main venues.

What are the essentials of Mississippi cuisine? Best places to get grub?
Catfish, cornbread, mashed potatoes with gravy. You know, the goods. For the Southern, I usually hit up Ajax. Breakfast – always at Bottletree. If I have a surplus of cash, I’ll hit up L&M, which is delicious. Sandwiches at the Deli News are outstanding. Handy Andy for burgers. And, the holy grail of catfish is at Taylor Grocery a few miles down in Taylor.

Where should out-of-towners stay?
The Ole Miss Motel, absolutely.

What else is not to be missed in town?
The graveyard behind College Hill Presbyterian [Church]. Drinking cheap beer with your friends on someone's front porch and listening to records.

Is there really such a thing as Southern hospitality?
Absolutely. Southern hospitality equals manners and food, and someone giving up their bed for you. That's not to slight the rest of the country. People have been kind to us everywhere, but home is home.

Oxford’s been called an ideal place to retire, but would you settle down there?
I don't ever want to retire. I don't think anyone should ever retire, especially not when the goal is to relive your college party days and gloat over your parents' fortune, which you inherited.

What's up next for you?
Hopefully a lot of great rock-and-roll. We just completed a full-length record, which should come out in March [of ‘08]. We'll be coming to your town soon.

~Leann Peterson


Go There:
Ajax, 118 Courthouse Sq. (662) 232-8880
Deli News, 1619 Jackson Ave. (662) 281-0830
Ole Miss Motel, 1517 University Ave. (662) 234-2331
College Hill Presbyterian, College Hill Rd. (662) 234-5020

Third photo by Aaron Dove
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My Town: Singapore
Photographer Jing Quek on His Hometown's Idols & Idyllic Attractions

While many artists look far and wide to find inspiration and fresh subject material, 24-year-old photographer Jing Quek goes no farther than his own backyard. Quek, whose style could easily be described with the name of his website -- SUPERHYPERREAL -- got his start photographing locals in his hometown of Singapore (a Southeast Asian island-state measuring only 26x14 miles). The vibrant and seductive community portraits soon took shape as an ongoing series, “Singapore Idols,” which portrays a range of distinctive Singaporean characters in their natural habitats (think hardcore Star Wars role-players, weed-wackers and uniformed schoolgirls). This blossoming Singapore idol himself has since received ITS's prestigious MiniInternational and Pitti Immagine photography awards and was selected as one of Surface Magazine's Avant Guardians this year. To boot, Quek may shock you with his ability to eat dozens of ramen noodle spice packets in one sitting -- in a video on YouTube, as well his site.

Despite having lived in New York for five years, Quek still looks to his hometown to capture the beauty of what he knows best. So, to show psychoPEDIA where to bring a date, bust a move, and find the hottest babes, is the homegrown Singaporean himself:

What inspired the “Singapore Idols” project?
I’ve always been interested in shooting normal people; there are a lot of interesting characters on the street that we take for granted because we see them everyday. I started by photographing construction workers, hawkers, and trishaw drivers, and it took off from there.

What would you say characterizes the people or makes them different from New Yorkers?
We have a certain worldliness. We’re aware of what’s going on and quite up with the times. But, at the same time, we don’t have the same kind of cold, calculating cynicism of New Yorkers.

Your photos have an overtly sexual and gluttonous aspect, yet the country is pretty conservative. Has there been any backlash?
They have a sense of humor. Some people will always object, but it’s not like a girl in a bikini will cause an uproar. It is the 21st century, and we see girls in bikinis in a newspaper everyday!

What has been the reaction in general of the people in your portraits?
The thing about stereotypes is that you don’t see yourself as fitting into them. We do fit certain molds, and what I do is exaggerate it to fit a two-dimensional personality. It’s sort of a loving poke. I haven’t had negative reactions, even though some of the pictures are not flattering, because I like to capture the non-flattering aspects of the characters — the more natural, the weird. That is the difference between doing it with intention to mock versus to do it with a sense of love involved.

Where do you like to go to observe these people in action?
It’s nice to take a bus around and stare out the window. There are all sorts of hubs around the city where you can observe different people coming together. Orchard Road is the shopping district, and it spans a wide-range of people with a lot of locals shopping and watching movies. And the smaller shopping malls across the city, the more neighborhood ones, have a different crowd. We also have town centers that share a collection of shops and amenities like libraries and such.

Where can you experience the authentic side of the country, but as a foreigner?
Once you look at the town centers, those tend to be more authentic. It’s hard to separate it though, because once the place gets popular, tourists will go there. But, I do like the vibe on the east coast of Singapore – an area called Siglap that’s very laid back with an Australian café vibe. I would just go there to chill out. The more authentic side of Singapore is in the Housing Board Development. The government makes a lot of subsidized housing there in high-rise flats. That’s where most Singaporeans live, and it’s got a lot of characters there. That’s where I enjoy looking at people.

Singapore has strict rules on cleanliness. Where's the cleanest area?
Maybe the Botanic Gardens—it’s a good place to bring a date. It’s a gigantic space that connects two roads. One part is Bukit Timah Road and the other is Tangling, so they are connected by the gardens.

Your series, “Food Porn,” tells us you must be into good food. What are your favorite dishes?
Hainanese Chicken Rice. The best is from Boon Tong Kee– it’s sort of a chain nowadays.

What is some other orgasmic food?
I like murtabak– an Indian pancake with meat and onions inside. And [Italian at] Pasta Brava at Craig Road. We also have hawker centers, which are basically food stalls put all together, and they serve all sorts of food from different cultures. It’s a market open all day, a whole block of land where there are a few rows of stalls.

What are the best hawker centers?
Usually the hawker centers have two good stalls and the rest of crap. We all have our favorites, but the Queen Street Market has good chicken and rice.

Your resume cites that you have some extensive dance experience. What’s the best place to cut-a-rug?
There’s a club called Zouk that’s one of the oldest dance institutions there. I did house dancing seriously in New York, so when I go there it’s serious dancing.

You started a series called “Seksi Singaporeans.” Where do you go to find them?
It really depends on what is your idea of sexy. There are just so many gorgeous Asian girls around, so it’s hard for me to pinpoint one place. Sentosa Beach is not bad. And most people go to the clubs—the two big ones are Zouk and Ministry of Sound. And there’s Butter Factory—a hip-hop club.

Do you have any favorite galleries?
The Jendela at the Esplanade brings some good exhibitions once in a while. It’s stuck in a weird corner of the building, but I do like that space.

Do you have an ideal place where you’d want to exhibit?
I am planning a big project to produce all those shots and exhibit along the streets, on a one-mile stretch of a block around the Marina area. I’m trying to tie it up with our National Day Parade.

Any other projects in tow?
I'm planning on creating a book of 80 to 100 photographs showcasing communities within Singapore, ranging from well known to obscure, to produce a modern day portrait or "family album" of contemporary society in Singapore, coupled with essays and interviews addressing this idea of "community." I find this essential as a visual reference for the idea of national identity in the young nation of Singapore, as we're only 42 years old since independence.

~Leann Peterson
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My Town: Ames, Iowa
Rapper Leslie Hall on Midwestern Divas and Hometown Pride

These days, Internet personalities are increasingly easy to come by. From Kelly's shoes to Chris Crocker's unforgettable on screen cry, the landscape of online stardom and celebrity has evolved immeasurably. And with that phenomenon, every once in a while comes a diamond in the rough like Leslie Hall.

Maybe it’s her collection of over 400 gem sweaters, her satiric lyrics, or signature gold latex numbers that she sports in videos for songs like How We Go Out (now viewed well over a million times on YouTube) – an ode to her hometown’s own Dairy Queen and dance parties. But, one gets the impression that Hall’s 15 minutes of fame are far from up. Considering her love and consistent reference to her Midwestern roots, psychoPEDIA pegged Hall as the perfect Ames, Iowa tour guide. Her reply: “I happen to be a professional. I am Ames. Those are my streets and my crews.” So, we asked:

How would you describe Ames to someone who has never been?
I would say a little, young college town. When you think of a college town you think of lots of clubs, etc. We’re not there yet. We’re not Iowa City. It keeps us tight-knit – maybe it’s one big conspiracy plan. We have Midwest values. We say our pleases and thank yous. If you don’t say excuse me you’ll stick out like a sore thumb.

You’ve studied in Boston and performed worldwide. What keeps you in Ames?
I like it because I can stick out. When I started this whole Internet musical act people were like, ‘Oh boy she’s really silly.’ And, I went to LA and they just want to eat me they love it so much. I feel like Demi Moore moving back to Ohio to raise her kids. Iowa is where I can raise my beats. I’m not getting an LA sound or a NY ego. It allows me to keep my purities. We also have the 3rd best tasting water. If you come to Iowa it’s like drinking Evian directly from the Alps.

So it’s all in the water?
And the cheap rent, oh my god. When I hear about other bands that are in my situation and how much they pay in rent when they’re on tour and they don’t have a car. I feel very sorry for them. You can live like a diva out here. I have a car, I have a big apartment, and I have a yard. I couldn’t do the shantytown, poor homeless person who got really famous thing, so I’m doing it for cheap living and pastries.

Who has the best pastries?
Hy-Vee deli. I get the Long John with sprinkles. I want to recommend that to the tourists. It’s a donut but it’s an extra long donut. So you feel like you get a little more donut meat for your 45 cents. That’s an insider’s tip.

Earlier this year you ranked as VH1’s #20 out of the “40 Greatest Internet Superstars.” What’s your take on Internet stardom and celebrity?
It’s definitely a different kind of thing. It’s not really celebrity – it’s not like I’m being followed around having my picture taken as I exit Niki’s Nails. The goal is obviously to break out of it. I can either be comfortable with the celebrity status I’m at or I could try to break out. Not a lot of people have succeeded. I mean, name one?!

Are you ready to try?
Literally I’m trying to form the master plan to break out a little bit. I’ve lasted a little bit longer – the music the photos those came before Internet fame. That Britney Spears guy [Chris Crocker] is going to be a one hit wonder. I’ll be like Julia Roberts and he’ll be like that chick from that show.

Tell me about Midwestdiva.com and HollabackAmes.com?
The Midwest Diva thing is going to be my partner with my newest album – more Midwest pride. We need a little more diva representation. I’m just trying to be a voice for the plus-size gals on the go. It’s hard out here. Ames, Iowa has something to say about it.

What are your favorite places to shop?
If you want to see or be seen, Hobby Lobby. It’s a discount crafts store that specializes in nick-nacks. It’s literally always packed and every week they have a coupon for 40% off. They sell fabric, puffy paint, even bedazzlers. I’m a big fan. If you want to spot some celebrity action I’ll be there.

What about restaurants you’ve been going to since you were a kid?
Oh my god every birthday I have is Happy Joe's. I get taco pizza it’s the best pizza in town. It’s been voted the best family restaurant. It looks like a pizza parlor and they have some arcade games.

Do you cross paths with the college scene?
Yeah it’s definitely togetherness… just because there’s not a lot of options. There’s one artsy bar – Boheme. That’s where I played my very first show I used to go there in high school and play guitar. It’s a fun place to watch people perform who shouldn’t be performers.

Skunk river or Squaw creek?
I have taken a blow up raft from Walmart and floated down the creek into Skunk River. I feel like I’m the only person that does it. It’s a lot of fun – bring your life vest. It’s really shallow, but if you go a few days after it’s rained it’s like a mini Colorado rapids.

What about other cultural attractions?
Reiman Gardens is the most popular attraction in town, and the dollar theater [North Grand Theater 5]. On Wednesdays movies are 50 cents; they’re usually movies right before they hit DVD.

Favorite Dairy Queen dessert?
Oh my god girl you be seeing me with a blizzard or a dilly bar. I keep it simple and I get my cheese balls [balls of fried cheese] and dip them in the ice cream. I’ll nominate them for the best cheese balls, and Hickory Park.

You mentioned you were catching a flight today. Where are you heading?
I’m flying to go see the Spice Girls in Los Angeles. I’m a little nervous because it just started to snow. I made a homemade spandex British flag unitard designed for Ginger Spice, my all-time favorite. I attached pants and arms to mine – just a little more clean-cut.

Do you make your own clothing?
My mom makes all of my performance outfits and I mike all of my daily wear.

Would you ever consider launching your own clothing line?
Yeah, you know – if I had a sweatshop I would do it in a heartbeat. That’s the only thing that’s stopping me – low cost labor. You know girl this diva’s time ain’t cheap.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Watch Leslie Hall's video "How We Go Out," shot in Ames, Iowa.



First photo by Pazzeski via Flickr
Sixth photo by Adam Rice via Flickr
Seventh photo by girlwithmud via Flickr
Eleventh photo by jennymaster5 via Flickr
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My Town: Whistler, BC
Trevor Andrew on Canada's Favorite Resort Town

Trevor Andrew (aka Trev Hollywood, Trza, and most appropriately, Trouble) has about as many nicknames as he does professions. Homegrown in Whistler, British Columbia, this professional snowboarder – a member of the Men's Burton Global Team who competed twice in the Olympics and designs exclusive boarder threads and gear – has most recently been rocking the stage with his latest project, Trouble Andrew.

For a high-school drop out who could’ve been getting himself into a lot of real trouble, he’s instead gone on to become one of the highest-ranked snowboarders – gracing covers of Future Snowboarding and Snowboarder Magazine as well as receiving sponsorship from the likes of Analog and Oakley. But, with a recent push, and some help from girlfriend and Brooklyn-based singer Santogold (who guests on the track "Bang Bang"), Trouble made his way into the music game last year, recording tracks in his apartment and playing gigs in Whistler, Joe's Pub and Avalon in the US, and across the sea in Paris and Tokyo.

PsychoPEDIA caught up with Trouble Andrew in the midst of his tour to find out more about the city where he learned his skills (which he still credits as his favorite spot to shred the slopes). Here, Trevor Andrew takes us for a spin around his hometown, Trouble-style:

You have so many nicknames. Do you have multiple sides to your personality?
I think so.

How would you describe your music?
Punk rock in the eighties, or southern hip-hop from the nineties. Crunk rock.

Would you say that sound or your style evolved out of skateboarding culture?
Yes, skateboarding taught me everything– music, snowboarding, fashion.

How would you describe the scene in Whistler?
Too many people. I remember when there was no real scene. I don’t really hang too much in the "scene." I go snowboarding then go home and make music. I really only go out to party for my shows.

Are snowboarders possessive of the slopes?
Everyone gets territorial, especially when your goldmine gets discovered by the world. It's hard to even get fresh trax even if you’re up at 6 am. But if you get it, it might be the best you ever had.

How is Whistler different from Aspen or Utah?
Think it’s getting pretty "cool" for the celeb types. The Village is a circus, so I don’t really go hang there. I live here for the mountains.

What are the most amazing slopes to hit up in Whistler?
Whistler backcountry by heli[copter] or snowmobile access.

The most dangerous, or the last place you’ve been seriously hurt?
In Kamloops B.C in January. I busted four ribs and tore my lower stomach and back muscles. I'm still feeling it.

Where would you go to kick back or get a relaxing massage after you’ve been boarding all day?
At Highlands Sport & Spine Physiotherapy [in Squamish] or Whistler Physiotherapy in Creekside.

What are your favorite spots to pick up gear or threads for snowboarding?
The Circle snowboard shop.

Where do the rowdiest Trouble-worthy parties happen?
When I do make it to the bar, Buffalo Bills or Garf's is usually my spot. We have had some rowdy ones.

What are the most reliable places snowboarders can pick up snowbunnies?
I think Aprés Ski. Go to the Amsterdam Café or Citta's Bistro for an after-shred drink and make a move before they jump into the night. Trouble shows are always good for it, too. We bring the sexy out of people.

The 2010 Winter Olympics are coming to Whistler. What kinds of crazy stuff do you think will go down when it hits?
It's already been crazy! They’ve been building so much up here! My house value went through the roof, so I ain’t complaining.

And where are all those people going to sleep?
I'm renting out my crib, so holla at'cher boy!

You’re darting a lot between NYC and Canada to work on music. What’s one thing you can’t get in NYC that you have to get at home?
Sleep.

Who or what else should we be on the lookout for coming out of Whistler?
Look out for my dude, Mikey Renze. He's one of the dopest shreds to come out of Whistler area in a while. We are gonna be riding together all season, filming for our parts in the new Burton movie.

How about upcoming projects?
The new Trouble Andrew album is coming early ‘08 plus The Trouble Mixtape. I'm working on the new 7 board graphic and shape for Burton and a signature line of threads with Analog. Look out for the Oakley signature Trouble glasses, and the Trouble world tour. Got a lot of ish poppin at the moment!

~Leann Peterson


*If there's no vacancy at Trevor Andrew's place, check out Whistler Accommodation for other lodging.

Second photo by Nick Morss via Flickr
Third photo by Jeff Curtes
Eighth photo by Nimeck via Flickr
Ninth photo by Tania Edwards
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My Town: Neptune City/Asbury Park
New Jersey’s Nicole Atkins on the Garden State’s Hidden Gems

It’s no secret that New Jersey catches its fair share of slack. Be it from bratty Manhattanites or snarky New Englanders, it’s often stereotyped as a sub-par state with a mafia-fed underbelly. However, one thing New Jersey could never be knocked for is a rock 'n' roll deficiency.

From E Street rocker Bruce Springsteen, to punk priestess Patti Smith, New Jersey has produced countless acts that have gone on to take the music industry by storm. It’s latest offspring: Nicole Atkins, a Jersey Shore native whose heavily-lauded debut album, Neptune City, is named after her Garden State birthplace. Already the star of her own American Express commercial, the 27-year-old is well on her way to joining the ranks of Jersey’s great rockers. Here, she treats psychoPEDIA to a tour of her Neptune City (and Asbury Park) stomping grounds – expect Springsteen psychopaths, the world’s best pizza, and where to find the Boss himself.

Tell me about Neptune City.
I grew up in Neptune City and currently live in Asbury Park. All of the towns in our area are like five miles long. In the summertime it’s really lively; it’s a beach town. But when the tourists leave, it’s deserted. It’s kind of retro, very blue-collar, everything looks like it’s straight from the '70s.

What’s the best thing about living in Neptune City?
You can walk five blocks to the beach, have the best pizza in the world and get to New York or Philly in under an hour. It’s not a bunch of chains and strip malls; there are family-run shops and restaurants, good music venues.

And the worst thing?
Probably the Jersey asshole attitude.

How do you combat it?
Cultivate your own Jersey attitude.

So you have one?
Yeah. It only comes out when it needs to. We call it ‘going Neptune on you.’

So where’s the ‘best pizza in the world’?
Pete and Elda's. It’s this cracker-thin pizza. If you eat an extra, extra large by yourself you get a T-shirt with a fat guy on it.

Have you eaten one?
Once. I was in the bathroom the whole night [laughs].

What about the best places to see live music?
We have the Stone Pony, which is legendary for spawning acts like Patti Smith, Ronnie Spector, Bruce Springsteen. And the best one: Asbury Lanes. It’s a retro bowling alley from the '60s; in the middle of the lanes there’s a stage that bands play on. You can drink $2 Pabst, and they have a really good sushi bar inside. It’s like the most bad-ass place ever. It’s always packed with artists, DJs and musicians.

Any up-and-coming local bands of note?
There’s The Parlor Mob, they have a record coming out on Road Runner Records. It’s the most bad-ass shit ever. Sikamor Rooney – super bratty glam rock. And the best acoustic player is Scott Liss.

Any great date spots?
Market in the Middle, they change their menu nightly. All their produce is locally grown, and their meat is free range and organic. The place is set up with local paintings and they’ll have jazz bands play. The woman that owns it does a newsletter every week with events going on in the neighborhood and local charities to get involved with. That’s a great date place. Also, if you want a good Italian date place, in Bradley Beach there’s Giamano's. They use all local and organic vegetables, and have lots of vegetarian selections. Upstairs there’s a cigar bar and a lounge; if you’re going to impress someone, go there.

What about nightlife?
Brickwall Tavern – that’s just pretty much the drunk bar. It’s like our cheers. They have amazing organic wines and beers on tap. Georgie's at the Tracks is a gay bar, but everybody goes there Friday and Saturday night for karaoke. There are tons of transvestites singing show tunes. We go there, get shit-faced and sing.

What’s your signature show tune?
“Suddenly Seymour” from Little Shop of Whores. Oh, and there’s a great gay bar called Paradise. It’s one of the only places you can go dancing to '80s songs. It’s a very mixed crowd. Back when all of the race riots happened in the '60s and '70s the town pretty much bottomed out. Then in the '90s a bunch of people from the gay community put a lot of money into building the town back up. It’s a mixed town but very supportive.

What about breakfast spots for the morning after?
For a weekday there is this little restaurant called the Cracker Barrel, which is not part of the chain. They have the best breakfast sandwich – pork roll, egg and cheese with ketchup. It’s a New Jersey staple. And, the Chat and Nibble is great for weekend brunch; the owner cusses at people. It’s karaoke brunch and bring-your-own-booze.

Best off-the-beaten-path shopping:
Allan and Suzi is this amazing vintage couture shop. They have another one on Amsterdam and 80th [in NYC]. You can go there and get a vintage Chanel dress for pennies; they have girls and guys clothes on consignment, things from young designers, and jewelry from the '30s and '40s.

Best people-watching?
Paradise on the weekends… the Stone Pony is also funny for all the Bruce Springsteen psychopaths who come with their mullets.

Where should people stay should they want to see Neptune City for themselves?
My favorite hotel is the Berkeley Carteret. Johnny Cash owned a room in it for decades. It’s super '70s and all of the views look out onto the ocean. There’s a Johnny Cash suite. It’s really inexpensive too.

Neptune City’s best-kept secret:
Me [laughs]. No, I’m kidding. America's Cup, which has hands-down the best coffee I’ve ever had. And Bilow's Wines & Liquors – a bar in a liquor store. It’s a serious old-man bar. My friends and I go there; they have 2 for 1 burgers, 2 for 1 pizza. And Bruce Springsteen goes to the local bar where my friends work… I probably shouldn’t tell you which one; let’s just say it’s a bar in Red Bank. You can throw down with so many heroes and go undiscovered doing it.

~Alisa Gould-Simon


Go There:
Chat & Nibble, 932 Asbury Ave, Abury Park NJ, (732) 775-5100
America's Cup, 633 Cookman Ave, Asbury Park NJ, (732) 988-2000
Bilow Wines & Liquors, 310 Sylvania Ave, Neptune NJ, (732) 776-7466
Berkeley Carteret, 1401 Ocean Ave, Asbury NJ
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My Town: Dubai
Artist Sacha Jafri on the United Arab Emirates' Other Wordly Attractions

For many, the heavily-touted, much-talked-about city of Dubai is fantasy realized – record-breaking skyscrapers, world-class restaurants and state-of-the-art sporting facilities. Dubai epitomizes the highest echelon of luxury, ethnic diversity… essentially, an attempt at utopia in the middle of the desert.

But, for London-based painter Sacha Jafri, 30, (whose roster of celebrity supporters reads like a top-tier table assignment at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, think Jude Law, Kevin Spacey and David Beckham), Dubai is much more than that. It’s a billionaire’s playground infused with ancient Middle Eastern traditions and culture, not to mention amazing art – the epitome of a must-see destination. We spoke with Jafri, whose exhibit Jafri Meets Warhol brought him to Dubai last year, for a personal tour. From his home in London, Mayfair Lights in hand, Jafri treated us to a list of Dubai’s best spots:

What are you working on right now?
A 10-year retrospective of my work has just been published. And I was approached to do a world tour, so we put together a collection set to go into museums around the world to launch alongside the book. We decided to launch it in Dubai– it’ll go from Dubai, to Shazia, to Abu Dhabi, and so on.

When was your first time in Dubai?
Four years ago. I actually proposed to my wife in Dubai on the beach in front of her house. Her family used to live on Jumeirah Beach. Then I did the Warhol thing 2 years ago, and I’ve just been back recently to set up the retrospective.

What were your first impressions of Dubai?
It’s a very young country, but in 35 years they have built one of the most extraordinary cities. The Emirates Tower is the most beautiful line of architecture. Top architects from around the world are building these stunning skyscrapers there. It really is a city of the future. I didn’t immediately link to the culture, but because of my wife, I was able to see that they do have a very old culture – Lebanese and Persian food, Persian music, architecture that’s arabesque and Moorish inspired. Among the glitz and glamour, there is this underbelly of culture.

Would you say it is the most modern city in the world?
In some respects, but they have other issues because everything is so bloody new. People like to criticize and knock any pioneers of industry; people secretly want Dubai to fail. Trump has invested a lot, as have Philip Green, the Chinese, Bill Gates... And, for the royal family, who own the constructing companies, there is a huge amount of pride at stake. It is their baby; they can’t afford for it to fail, so I don’t think it will.

Dubai is known for its unrivaled luxury. What is the most lavish place you’ve visited there?
[Laughs] Everything is extremely lavish. The One&Only Royal Mirage, which is the chain’s flagship, is beautiful, with Moorish architecture. It’s absolutely stunning with its use of water, vegetation, courtyards, the smell of people smoking spices smell. They have a rooftop bar called The Rooftop Bar, a Marrakech-style bar that overlooks the Palm and the ocean. The most lavish, but not the most beautiful, is the 7-star hotel Burj Al Arab in the ocean. It’s the most expensive, with the lift that goes all the way up – it’s the tallest hotel in the world.

What about food…
Dubai has some of the best food in the world. One place is by the creek, where old Dubai is. You go on a gondola, pay one direm (30 cents) to go from one end to the other. There are stations along it you can use like the metro. There are restaurants all along it with local Arab and French cuisine. The Madinat also has a series of restaurants – the Mina A' Salam and the Al Qasr. One of the best restaurants is the Peppercrab in the Grand Hyatt. You look at all of the crabs and lobsters in tanks and pick everything. The prawns are nearly a foot long. Everything is so succulent, fresh and huge.

Where’s the best nightlife?
Buddha Bar. Compared to the one in Paris, it’s a joke. It’s 3 times the size, with 400 or 500-foot-tall Buddhas. It’s very cool, very funky, with good lights – a great place to go drinking. The Sky Bar, which is on the 45th floor, is stunning for sunsets.

What galleries or museums are not-to-be-missed?
In the old town, Bastakia is the oldest gallery – Majlis which means “sitting room” in Arabic. It started as someone’s front room; it’s now the number one gallery in Dubai. Allison Collins runs it – she’s an English lady who’s been in Dubai for thirty years. She deals in some of the top artists in the Middle East and India. The Third Line is a very modern, cutting-edge gallery. Then there’s Art Space, which brings in very interesting films and exhibitions from places all over the Middle East.

What are your other favorite spots?
Shazia, a half an hour drive from Dubai, is an older area with some of the main galleries like Sharjah. It’s the size of the Met and where they have the Sharjah Biennial. You can see some of the oldest architecture at the royal palace in Sharjah. Another place is Oman– the most beautiful of the three. It’s up in the mountains; there is the The Chedi, where Stella McCartney and Kate Moss go. It’s a spa hotel and is impossibly hard to get in. Then there are Souks [markets]; there’s the Gold Souk, and the Old Souk– the most interesting with old saris, necklaces, slippers, wood carvings, and the diamonds that they cut in front of you.

Have you tried any of the sporting facilities?
They’re building a sports city with the best stadiums from around the world. There’s the indoor golf course, boating facilities, with indoor speedboat racing, go-cart racing; they have Formula One in Dubai. I’m a skiing fanatic, so I’ve seen the slope [Ski Dubai]. You can rent a chalet for the weekend and have your Schnapps. It looks like the Swiss Alps. There’s also an Ernie Els golf course, which is now part of the PGA tour. If you’re a golf person it’s the place to go.

What is Dubai’s best-kept secret?
I would say the solitude of the desert. You can hire a 4x4 and take off with your family, and not see anyone for thousands of miles and camp under the stars. The temperature of most deserts is very difficult because they are so hot during the day and so cold at night. But, if you go at the right time of year, which is now – it’s not humid during the day, and at night it’s the perfect temperature. It’s extraordinarily romantic.

~Alisa Gould-Simon


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My Town: Fox Valley
Firsthand Look at Wisconsin's Best Spots Courtesy of the Wildbirds

From MTV’s The Hills, to Sunday night football with the Packers, the Appleton, Wisconsin-based rock band, The Wildbirds, has seen its fair share of exposure. But, that’s not to say the long-haired, '70s-rock-influenced foursome hasn’t earned it. In just a few years the Wildbirds went from having no place to practice (literally being kicked out of the garage and basement day after day by the local police force), to writing material in a secluded cabin outside of Appleton-- the fruits of which are now realized in the form of the Wildbirds' recently-released, debut LP, Golden Daze.

All natives of the same Wisconsin town in which Harry Houdini spent his childhood, and where Lawrence University and an endless assortment of cheese factories have set up shop, the Wildbirds are the perfect Wisconsin tour guide. So, psychoPEDIA enlisted the help of Wildbirds alum Nicholas Stuart in the midst a cross-Canadian tour, to ask about the band’s beloved hometown. Here, Stuart discusses cheese, the illustrious escape artist and Wisconsin’s best-kept secret:

Where are you right now, Nicholas?
We’re in Edmonton [Canada] at a junkyard trying to get our bus up and running. It breaks down on us every day. It’s a beast that runs on vegetable oil, waste and grease. We installed it because when you travel so much you feel guilty about all the [pollution and] shit you’re adding. It’s also theoretically cheaper, but not when it breaks down all the time. I have a little animosity if you can’t tell [laughs].

What are you most homesick for right now?
Well, for one, cheap drinks. But, that’s not the first one; I miss my family first. I’m one of six kids, and my parents have ten acres with horses and dogs and such. So, it’s kind of a nice retreat. A nice break from the small bunk bed I’m confined to on the bus.

How would you describe Fox Valley, or, specifically, Appleton?
It’s a charming place; Appleton is definitely a bit of a rich town. It’s conservative, with a slew of great restaurants and, of course, Starbucks, Chilis, Red Robin and the like. Some of the surrounding areas have a bit more of a charmingly dirty feel.

What are the people like?
The people in Appleton are amazing – pretension is very low there. It’s so refreshing -- you come back from tour and maybe your head is a mess; you can always expect people to be down-to-earth. If for one second you lose your humility, the moment you step back to town you’ll get it back. There is no room in a town that small for people to think that they’re better than each other.

Wisconsin is known for its cheese. Where are the best places to find some?
There are places all around. Every gas station will have fresh cheese. Cheese curds are what it’s all about. They’re like little curds, they squeak – people call them squeaky cheese. They’re extremely delicious.

Where do you guys go if you’re looking for a sit-down meal out of the house?
There’s an amazing Indian restaurant called Sairam; I can’t really talk about it because I miss it. They have the best Indian north of Chicago. We’re only four hours north of Chicago, but still... I always get a vegetable masawa and mango ice cream. Katsuya, they’ve got great sushi and those hot plates where the chefs cut stuff up at your table and flip shit into your cup. There are also a lot of good steak houses, like Prime Quarter; they have these big Texas-style restaurants and they’ll have huge cuts of meat in freezers and refrigerators and you walk by and grab the meat you want. They have big grills and you cook it yourself.

Best post-show/late-night grease trap?
There’s a pizza shop on College Ave. called Sal’s that stays open for all the drunk folks, and the sub shop Erbert and Gerbert's.

Speaking of drinking, what are your staple spots?
We always meet up on College Ave midweek – usually we’re playing a show on the weekends. Monday through Thursday I’ll be upset if I pay more than $1.50 for a beer, for a mixer, maybe $3. We go to Dr Jekyll’s. It’s dark and there’s a smoking ban in Appleton, so they have a little heated beer garden where you can smoke with a drink in your hand. And, there’s a bar in Neenah called Cranky Pat’s – it’s a great pizza joint and a really cool bar.

Where would you recommend out-of-towners shack up?
There’s a great new boutique hotel, Copper Leaf, that’s pretty amazing. It’s right on College Avenue – most everything is on College Avenue. A lot of the culture is centered there. You’ll find some bed and breakfasts too, but that’s a good, non-chain place. It’s right near a great coffee shop downtown where we play most of our shows – Copper Rock. There’s not much for all ages, so you end up tearing up a coffee shop for the night. There are tons of top-40 bars where most people go, but I never go to those places – we usually get called gay if we do. We stick out like a sore thumb in our town. One of my favorite places to play is The Reptile Palace; that’s where most of our debauchery happens. It’s a really small joint with pool tables and people pile in.

What about outdoor activities now that fall’s here?
The Fox River is nice to look at… but it’s one of the ten most polluted rivers. They recommend not eating more than one fish from it a week – to me that means just don’t eat the fucking fish. There’s Pierce Park and Memorial Park, which are nice. Harry Houdini was from there; there’s a History Museum and mansion [with exhibits on Houdini]. The first house with power, or something like that, is in Appleton. It’s a beautiful house on the river. You can go inside from time to time. When I was a kid I went to a haunted house there… I’m not sure if they still do it. It’s quite possible.

What's Appleton’s best-kept secret?
I think the women are beautiful in Appleton. It’s surprising; I don’t’ know there’s just lot of naturally pretty women. It’s such a small dating pool though. You have to choose your battles because in a small town everyone knows about everything.

~Alisa Gould-Simon


Go There:
Dr. Jekyll's, 314 E College Ave
Jim's Place, 223 E College Ave
Sal's Pizza, 511 W College Ave
Katsuya, 411 W College Ave
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My Town: Berkshires
Author Alexander Chee on His Recently Adopted Hometown

Known for his fiery prose and superb storytelling, Rhode Island-born, South Korea-bred author Alexander Chee broke into the literary world five years ago with a harrowing coming-of-age debut novel, Edinburgh. With it Chee scored the Michener-Copernicus Prize, the Asian American Writers' Workshop Literary Award, the Lambda Editor's Choice Prize, and Best Book of the Year honors from Publisher's Weekly. Not surprisingly, Chee, who is currently at work on his follow up, Queen of The Night (which takes place in Paris), recently relocated to Massachusetts’ the Berkshires – an area that acclaimed literati like W.E.B. Dubois, Herman Melville, and Nathaniel Hawthorne once called home.

From the MASS MoCA, to Amherst College, and all of the galleries and antique shops in between, the Berkshires have long been a designated tourist attraction. Thus, just in time to see the leaves turn, psychoPEDIA enlisted Chee’s help in garnering a Berkshires insider’s best-of list. Here, Chee tells of his adventures as a New England gourmand, and his dedicated drinking habits as a literary luminary. In his own words:

How long have you been living in the Berkshires?
A little over a year.

Are the Berkshires a place you chose as a writing environment, or was the creative writing position at Amherst your main reason to move there?
I went there because of the job, which gives me a lot of time and space to write.

How do you typically start your day in the Berkshires?
I usually get up and go to one of two coffee shops. There is astoundingly excellent coffee in Amherst [thanks to] the two guys who own Amherst Coffee, and this other guy, Scott Rao, who set up Esselon Café. I usually go to either one of those places. Amherst Coffee is good day or night, because they serve alcohol after four. They have amazing bourbons, rye whiskeys, scotches, and Italian wines.

Do you eat out?
I usually cook at home; there are only a few restaurants. There’s an excellent French restaurant, Chez Albert. They have a small menu but everything they do, they do very well. They do an amazing duck confit; they also do spectacular River Trout. The Maitre’d always takes care of me. There’s another restaurant called Tabella- it’s a tapas place. They tell you the farms that the pork, and beef, and the chicken came from.

Would you say Amherst is a college town?
It’s very much a college town. I think, as far as a college town goes, Amherst is ideal. It’s very compact; the things that are there, they’re not many of them but they’re excellent, like the independent theater—Amherst Cinema.

What hotels you would highly recommend to out-of-towners?
In Amherst, the Lord Jeffery Inn is the one. Also, the Hotel Northampton.

The Berkshires is definitely known for its cultural attractions – galleries, museums, etc. Are there any outdoorsy activities that locals participate in as well?
Swimming hole culture is huge there. Everyone has like five that they go to; some are legal some are not. It was funny because, when I first arrived, I had to figure out if somebody told me that a swimming hole was clothing optional, ‘are they coming on to me or is it just information?’ [I found] that very charming… it was interesting in terms of gay culture. A lot of people say that it’s very lesbian-oriented out there and there are not a lot of gay men, but, actually, they’re just all in the woods. I’ve also started playing tennis and rowing on the Connecticut River. The Yankee Rowing Club is, for example, an adult rowing club. The river is amazing.

You grew up around the ocean right?
I did, and I have to say, I’d always felt a little bit of disdain for fresh water, but no longer. I’m enjoying the river. The tennis was a big surprise for me. I always hated tennis growing up, and people who play tennis.

What about Berkshires nightlife? Are there any staple bars that you frequent?
There are these two sister bars— The Moan and Dove and Dirty Truth. One is in Northampton, one’s in South Amherst. They have their bartenders go to Germany for beer training. They’re really serious about it. At the Dirty Truth, they had a keg of this Belgian beer called Bink. It’s almost impossible to get, so they wrote it in really small letters on the menu.

Any good places to hang out during the daytime?
Another hotspot for me is Lady Killigrew Café at the Montague Bookmill, a used bookstore in an old flour mill. That’s one of the places where I like to work, because it’s very quiet and I feel like I vanish, which is nice. It’s actually owned by a professional online poker player. I met him at Amherst Coffee and we did this disgusting shot together called the Italian car bomb. It’s a pint glass that you fill halfway with red wine, then you take expresso and a shot of grappa, drop it in the glass, and drink the whole thing at once.

I’ve never heard of that before…
It tastes like somebody shoving your face into a leather car seat.

What type of drinker would you say you are?
I would say, I’m in the long tradition of writers who drink seriously and are about three fourths of the way to becoming alcoholic. I mean part of it is the culture up there, at Amherst college we enjoy a good martini.

~Hunter Walker
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My Town: Bangkok
CFDA-Nominee Koi Suwannagate's Tour of Thailand's Capital City

In a recent interview with CNN, former Gucci creative director and marketing mastermind Tom Ford divulged what he believes will be the next big thing in the fashion industry: one-of-a-kind. Considering the current ubiquitous filtering of designer goods into the mass-market (a trend Ford ironically helped instigate), the proposition seems plausible. And one designer whose namesake line is perfect evidence of Ford’s prediction is Bangkok-born, Los Angeles-based designer Koi Suwannagate.

Recently nominated for CFDA coveted Fashion Fund Award, Suwannagate manufactures all her hand-sculpted, one-of-a-kind clothes locally, an aspect that has, along with her inimitable style, drawn fans from Nicole Kidman and Natalie Portman, to Philip Lim, a fashion designer with whom Suwannagate collaborated with this past summer. Intrigued by both Suwannagate’s unique designs, as well as her Thai roots, we called up the designer at her LA studio for the inside scoop on her hometown. The best of Bangkok, in her own words:

What are you working on right now?
Right now we’re working on production [for Resort/Holiday 07/08]. We make everything ourselves, so I design the collections and do manufacturing too. We do 500 pieces in one season, and that’s just for holiday. For the entire Summer 08 season we do 900.

Has there been more expressed interest after the CFDA-nomination?
Definitely. Our orders have increased. In one day one person can make three pieces. So, we’re over capacity.

What do you miss most about Bangkok when you’re in LA?
I miss my friends and my family. Thai people like to hang out and get together. Thai people eat all day long. We get together and move from one restaurant to another.

How would you describe Bangkok to someone who has never been?
It’s like New York - it’s pretty busy, and Bangkok drivers are really scary and aggressive. But, the people are much more relaxed – they’re always smiling, talking to everyone. There’s so much happening in Bangkok – the art, the fashion, the people. It’s become more Americanized. I hate to say that… but teenagers will hold hands, kissing on the street, and that would never have happened five years ago.

In what ways has Bangkok influenced you as an individual?
I’m pretty laid back, which is why I like living in Los Angeles. I like to have my big, open space; I don’t like pressure. Thai people are the same way – if you’re a stranger they will welcome you like you’re part of their family. I have that too - I’m sort of naïve, so my designs come out colorful, easy to wear.

Do you do much shopping for inspiration in Bangkok?
Yes, of course, I love all the textiles. They have this huge market, Jatujak. They have everything there you can buy – anything from pencils to big furniture, antiques to fabric from the north.

What hotel would you recommend to a first-time visitor?
Hotel Eugenia in downtown Bangkok. It’s a boutique hotel with 12 suites, all decorated with antique furniture from 80-100 years ago. It makes you feel like you’re going back to the 19th century. It’s not expensive; only like $200 a night. And being downtown is convenient.

Would you recommend downtown Bangkok as a good starting point?
Yes. In the center of downtown there’s the Siam Center, which is very popular. It’s the best place to go shopping, and there a lots of restaurants.

What’s one of your favorite places to shop downtown?
Playground. It has three levels. It’s the Colette of Bangkok. It’s Thailand’s most inspiring art boutique, with art, music and books you can’t get anywhere else. They have a restaurant and a cooking school there too, and art exhibitions. It’s pretty inspiring.

What are some of your favorite restaurants in Bangkok?
Sky Bar – it’s in the high tower, the second tallest building in Bangkok, you go up to like the 64th floor and look out onto the river. There’s a neon-lit, open-air bar that changes color every few minutes. All of the celebrities go there. They have the best live jazz music. Le Café Siam is the most romantic place to have dinner in Bangkok. It’s a colonial bungalow furnished with antiques. It’s fusion cuisine. They have this herb-crusted Ahi Tuna, which is amazing. And Mahanaga, which is also a beautiful Thai fusion restaurant. It’s stylish, chic, and peaceful. When I’m in Thailand I eat like six times a day [laughs].

What is a typical Thai breakfast?
We like to have these Chinese donuts with traditional black Thai coffee; you can find it at any local market. I love it, but it’s pretty fattening. But, when they make it fresh out of the pan it’s so good. We have porridge too and sometimes we eat them together. Those kinds of things you can find at 4am too.

Speaking of late nights, what are some of Bangkok’s hottest after-dark spots?
It's pretty crazy; we have so many nightclubs. I don’t really drink so I don’t go out that much, but all of my gay friends hang out at Silom Soi 2. It’s an amazing gay bar; they have a show almost every night – Saturday and Sunday are the best. They have a person dressed like a woman -- you can’t tell if it’s a man or woman. They sing, or do a talk show.

What about attractions like museums, galleries, or historical monuments?
The Temple of Dawn is very beautiful – you take a day trip to go see it. As far as galleries, these days there are a lot of new generations that come abroad to NYC or LA and then come home and set up a business with a café and gallery. There are a lot of small places like that. Some are very professional and the art is really good. It’s hit or miss.

What’s your favorite spa in Bangkok?
When I go to the spa I usually go to the island to a place called Chiva-Som. It’s pretty popular.. I get a Thai massage – they really get down into your tissue. Sometimes it hurts. But afterwards it’s so rewarding. It releases your tension. If you can stand it, afterwards you feel so relaxed.

What’s Bangkok’s best-kept secret?
I feel like I’m a pig, all I talk about is food [laughs]… but, at the old Temple of Dawn, near the Chao Phraya River, if you walk through this small dark walkway, there’s a big open space and they have five or six small tables and you can get the best grilled shrimp, the best fish. These kinds of places don’t usually have a name. There are lots of them; you call them by the chef’s name. So, this one is Chef Eang's (a.k.a. Chef Red’s). You call in advance and have them cook for you. Really, you just have to go with a friend who’s a local. It’s like New York – you don’t try to go to the same place twice; you try new things. Every three weeks you can go to new places. It’s more about what’s new now.

~Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: The Valley
She Wants Revenge Reveal Their Hometown's Best Eats & Attractions

California’s San Fernando Valley (a.k.a. The Valley) has long been known for its Spanish architecture, movie studios and strip malls. But more recently, it's been recognized for having produced She Wants Revenge, a self-proclaimed dark-wave rock band laden with wide-ranging '80s influences including Joy Division, The Cure, Suicide and Depeche Mode - the latter with which the duo, comprised of Justin Warfield and Adam Bravin, toured last year.

As of last month, the band's at it again – bringing their latest LP, This is Forever – to a city near you. We caught up with the band about a third of the way through their time on the road, and asked for a first-hand guide to their stomping grounds in the Valley. We were off to a good start when Bravin responded with an exclamatory, “I’m all about the valley!” In his own words:

How’s the tour going so far?
We’re in Denver right now; playing tonight at the Gothic Theatre. We just started - we’ve played about six shows. It’s so nice not only to be back on tour but to play all the new material too.

What do you two get homesick for first when you’re on tour?
Definitely our favorite food. Well, for Justin, it’s probably his new baby. For me it’s my bed and my favorite food spots. In the Valley it's Henry's Tacos.

What do you order there?
I usually get three ground beef tacos and one bean, rice and cheese burrito. I’ve been going there most of my life.

How would you describe the Valley to someone who’s never been?
They should watch Valley Girl, because it’s pretty much exactly like how it is. For people in LA, it’s totally another world… as much as I love the Valley they’re kind of one step behind everybody else, but it’s a great, homey place with a lot of great people.

There are quite a few stereotypes of Valley dwellers. What are the biggest misconceptions about people who live in the valley?
People think that valley people speak like valley girls from the '80s; not everybody goes around going, ‘oh my god!’… although some do.

What are the best local spots to see live music?
Live music in the valley is kind of tough. There’s The Baked Potato– it’s a little bar/club where bands play. We would love to play a show in the valley, but there aren’t really any places to do it. We’ll probably do a free show at North Hollywood High. I went to high school there. Justin wanted to do this benefit that we played recently, so it’s my turn to choose the next one. So when we have time I want to do a free show at my high school.

Do you two have any staple dive bars?
Lucky Chimney Sweep, we used to go there all the time. It’s a typical dive bar - great jukebox, people that have probably been drinking there all day. It’s really nice. I used to live a couple blocks away. There’s a place called Starlight, right next to Henry’s Tacos. It’s another great dive bar.

What about other great valley restaurants?
Casa Vega is another amazing Mexican place. The food is amazing; the atmosphere is amazing. They serve sangrita, which only a couple places in LA have. It’s a tomato-based tequila back – you do a shot of tequila and then you drink this kind of chaser… almost like a bloody mary mix that’s fresh and spicier. I don’t’ even think they have it on the menu you just have to know about it.

What about for fine dining, say, if your label was footing the bill?
There are a million great places to eat in the valley. Smoke House- Justin and I go there all the time when we want to get a good steak. Morton's, a really amazing steakhouse in Burbank, is always good. And the best sushi is in the valley for sure. There are two places that are my two favorite sushi places in the world -- one is called Katsuya. It is the original one. I’ve been going there for 10 years, so we became friends with Katsu and would go out with him. And then right up the street there’s a place called Nozawa – which is known as the sushi Nazi. If you sit at the counter you can’t order. Chef Nozowa has a sign that says, “Trust me.” So you just order the special and he just gives you what ever he makes and it’s the best. I recommend it, just don’t pull out your cell phone or you’ll get kicked out. The best BBQ is at Doctor Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ. They have the most amazing BBQ ribs ever. I’ve been to Tyler, Texas and it blows Tyler away. I’ve been going there since I was a kid so I might be a little biased, but everyone I’ve taken there is like, “wow!” Carney's has the best burger in the valley. And the best falafel and Mediterranean spot is the Pita Kitchen. They have the best chicken schnitzel and the best hummus. We don’t’ go to the valley that often anymore, but when we do go it’s usually to eat.

I know you DJ in LA quite a bit. Have you ever spun in the valley?
Growing up I did but not really at any clubs, because I was too young. But I did all the high school parties.

Are there any particularly great hotels?
There’s a great hotel where, whenever my mom comes into town, that’s where she stays. It’s called Graciela. It’s small - not the type of hotel you’d expect to find in the valley. They’re really nice there, the rooms are great, and since my dog has become my mom’s dog it’s rather difficult finding a hotel that accepts pets. They always give her the same room and they allow pets and the food there is great. Once you stay there you always want to go back.

Would you say that San Fernando has significantly influenced you and Justin, in terms of music or anything else?
Absolutely with the music – we grew up in the valley listening to KRock. Everything we were learning as far as music was concerned, we were listening to the radio… especially with what we’re doing now with She Wants Revenge. We wouldn’t know about Depeche Mode, the Cure, and so many other great bands without it. Just being a valley boy, riding skateboards, listening to K-Rock, we’re still the same kids.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Carney's, 12601 Ventura Blvd
Lucky Chimney Sweep, 11433 Ruggiero Ave, Sylmar CA
Morton's Steakhouse, 3400 W Olive Ave, Burbank
Sushi Nozawa, 11288 Ventura Blvd
Doctor Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas BBQ, 8136 N Sepulveda Blvd
Pita Kitchen, 14500 Ventura Blvd
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My Town: Shop NYC
Shop Gotham Gives the Inside Scoop on the City's Best Bargains and Boutiques

To the untrained eye, Manhattan can look like an unconquerable labyrinth of potential places to empty your pockets. Its streets are littered with the best boutiques in the world, which countless tourists come to frequent every season. But, whether you’re a first-timer, or a veteran, navigating NYC’s shopping circuit can be exhausting, which is exactly the reason Marla J. Hander took over the reins at Shop Gotham, a customizable tour for women hell-bent on shopping their hearts out.

Considering that (despite the rising temperatures) fall is in full-effect, and that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are on the horizon, we figured it perfect time to enlist Hander’s help in sifting through one of the most fantastic and difficult cities to shop in. Here, Hander breaks down the basics of shopping in New York, divulges where to find the best deals, and recommends her must-sees -– Hander's Shopping in New York 101:

What is the concept behind Shop Gotham, and what kind of clientele do you cater to?
The objective of the company is that it exists for tourists. For certain tours we do get New Yorkers. The number one thing people come to do in NYC is shop. It’s a bigger shopping mecca than anywhere, but it is hard to navigate. Have you ever gone somewhere and thought, “Shit, I never found the good stuff.” That’s what this is for. We go to places like Nolita and Soho where stores will give us exclusive discounts that are available to our shoppers for the rest of the day. We’ll go to the Garment District and hit private and sample sales that are particularly hot that day. We’ll do stuff that locals can’t do on their own. We go to independents and boutiques, even wholesalers who are not necessarily household names. And we do major-level sample sales.

What changes have you seen in terms of the market and shopping in NYC over the last few years?
It’s now a very big thing for people in Europe, because everything is so cheap here; and it’s even more so in Great Britain. People will come here just to shop because their currency goes so far.

Have you seen differences in terms of what a European tourist might be looking for as opposed to an Asian tourist?
It is interesting – different regions have different tastes. Asian shoppers tend to be much more brand conscious. Middle-aged Asian women are very interested in Louis Vuitton… not that we really do Louis Vuitton, but, if someone wants to stop when we’re walking past the store in Soho, we will. And, younger Asian girls love the Adidas Original store in Soho.

I understand the private tours are customized. What are some of the kinds of tours people ask for?
We do bargains, petites, plus size, men’s…

Let’s say you were helping someone shop for petites. Where would you take them?
If you’re younger or young-minded there are a lot of stores that cater to small people in Nolita. Most sizes there are 0-4. That’s a great place. The petite world has kind of shrunken. So, maybe we’ll do that, maybe Bloomingdale's petites.

How would you define NY shopping by neighborhood?
The garment district is private; there are millions of offices and wholesale clothing retailers who aren’t selling household names but who stock designers that also sell to better stores like Bloomingdales or Barneys. It’s a great place to find good deals. The Lower East Side is great for vintage. For an older set I’d say stay in the Upper East Side, Nolita and Soho are great for both edgy and mainstream people, while the Meatpacking District is really only for shoppers looking for high-end.

What are the staple shops in each of those neighborhoods that you recommend hitting?
In Nolita I love the store Calvin Tran. In Soho I love Satellite Paris, which is great for costume jewelry. In the Meatpacking district, I like Trina Turk. In the Garment district, I can’t tell you because they are all private wholesale connections. There’s also Designer Resale in the Upper East Side, and Purdy Girl in the Upper West Side.

What’s most unique about shopping in NYC, versus other big cities?
New York has great discount stores. People fly in just to go to Loehmann's, Century 21. For New Yorkers, it’s different. People are able to score great sales all the time. Also, unlike Europe, we’re on a free system of sales. In Europe each country has a set sale period; they don’t have the system we do.

What about locals when it comes to shopping?
Local people are much more interested in hunting out new boutiques. People in New York spend more money on clothing and accessories than anywhere else in the world. People from elsewhere just don’t spend money on clothing the way we do here. I know women from outside New York who have access to private jets who won’t spend more than $150 on a handbag. But, in New York, you’ll see 25-year-olds walking down the street with a $3,000 Chloe bag.

Do you think that in general New Yorkers are the most fashionable people in the world?
Other than some key cities, New Yorkers are by and large much more fashionable. We are inundated with it visually – you see it walking down the street every day, so you tend to be more in tune.

~Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: Venice Beach
Zach Galifianakis on Boogie Boarding, the Boardwalk, and His Backseat

Venice Beach has long been known for its namesake canals, incense-burning hippies and Art Deco architecture. Oh yeah, and the long list of Hollywood A-listers who call it home (Nicolas Cage, Frank Gehry and John Frusciante included). But, one of our favorite Venice Beach fixtures remains actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis– the Paul Bunyan-esque bearded brunette currently gracing the silver screen in Sean Penn’s new film, Into the Wild.

While the Comedy Central mainstay has accumulated quite the cult following, thanks to celebrated stand-up shows and countless television appearances, his creative reach extends much further. Not only is the North Carolina-native an arguable arbiter of comedic genius, he can lip-synch like nobody’s business - a talent demonstrated in fellow Venice Beach resident Fiona Apple’s music video for "Not About Love" and, more recently, in Kanye West’s "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (which was filmed at Galifianakis’ second residence – a 60-acre farm in the foothills of North Carolina).

So, figuring him for the perfect Venice Beach tour guide (ideally outfitted in Wellies, a safari vest and binoculars), we enlisted Galifianakis’ help in navigating the tricky terrain. Herewith, tattoos, Subarus and tripping balls at the Getty, in his own words:

What inspired you to settle in Venice Beach in the first place?
At the time it was cheap. Now it is infected with Hollywood types with their Axe Body Spray and "who gives a shit" conversations. When I first moved to Venice you could buy heroine out of car parked in front of your house. Now there is a Pinkberry there. I am not sure which is worse.

Best thing about living in Venice Beach:
Walk to everything. Or skip.

Worst thing about living in Venice Beach:
New skipping laws.

Favorite fellow Venice Beach resident:
My neighbor Phyllis. She is an old resident - been in the neighborhood a long time. She has a chicken in her yard and plays the flute at 2 in the morning. She also yells at people who are ruining the hood.

Surf or Boogie Board? Hawaiian print trunks or short shorts?
Boogie Board. Cut-off jeans. Classy. Very classy.

Do you spend much time on the boardwalk? Any prizes won to speak of?
I try to ride my bike down there at least 3 times a week. The only prize I got was a henna tattoo that said, "always."

Were you to have to plan a date for a woman you’d really like to impress, where would you take her?
The back seat of my Subaru Outback.

Best place to see a live show?
In Venice? I don't know. In Hollywood, Largo.

Any great cultural institutions – museums, tattoo parlors, comedy clubs…
I like The Getty. I went their once on mushrooms with my brother. There was a sign by one of the marble statues that read: "Why shouldn't you touch marble?" And I thought, "Yes! Why shouldn't I touch marble?" But, in fact, it read, "Why you shouldn't touch marble." Having a security guard blow a whistle in your ear while on mushrooms does wonders for the senses. Yeah, I like The Getty.

Where do you go to shop (and was the jumpsuit you’re sporting in the Can’t Tell Me Nothin’ video purchased locally)?
I got that in NC. I don't really shop. Things just show up at my place somehow.

Best late-night grease trap?
Tommy's.

Favorite watering hole?
My living room.
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and where would you find the closest approximation in Venice?
I really like the Caesar salad at Hal's. It's on Abbot Kinney.

What would it take to get you to swim in the canal?
I have done it. I think that is how I developed asthma. And old-lady fingers.

~Alisa Gould-Simon
Second photo by Ben Chilada via Flickr
Fourth photo by J Road via Flickr
Fifth photo by Sometimessong via Flickr
Seventh photo by Culture Sponge via Flickr
Ninth photo by Green LA Girl via Flickr
Tenth photo by Karbon via Flickr

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My Town: Cardiff, Wales
Los Campesinos! On Their Beloved Collegiate Hometown

They’re not The Partridge Family, the newest Real Worlders, or Brangelina’s latest UN-inspired vanity project… they’re Los Campesinos!. Literally one of the world’s biggest bands (7 members strong), the pop-infused rock group coincidentally comes from Cardiff, the largest city in Wales. Comprised of four clean-cut lads and three well-dressed ladies, they all sport the same exclamatory “Campesinos!” last name – a moniker under which they produce cheeky yet cheerful music that, in the words of their own “It Started With A Mixx single,” “[tries] to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop.”

The group, who all met as undergrads at Cardiff University, are a fresh addition to UK’s own Wichita Recordings, as well as the first Brits signed to the Toronto label Arts & Crafts (home to such familiar indie-staples as Broken Social Scene, Stars and Feist). It was under the latter that the crew released their debut six-track EP, Sticking Fingers Into Sockets, which earned the xylophone, glockenspiel, and hand-clapping friendly clan sold-out shows throughout Europe and North America. While none of the Campesinos! are actual Welshmen– unlike Wales-born hottie actors Christian Bale and Catherine Zeta Jones or Cardiff's own beloved children’s author Roald Dahl and singer-turned-TV-personality Charlotte Church– the band still cites their four-year home of Cardiff as their favorite city. So, we enlisted the help of the band’s own bassist extraordinaire, Ellen, to show us around Wales’ scenic capital city, Campesinos!-style:

What would you say Cardiff is best known for?
To outsiders visiting, I would say Doctor Who, rugby, and emo kids.

Cardiff was apparently proclaimed the Sci-Fi capital of Britain. Do you find that's true?
I think this is because of Torchwood and Doctor Who. Sometimes you can see them being filmed or find yourself drunkenly stumbling onto the Doctor Who set at night and stealing a banana from the catering section. But, other than that, its not as Sci-Fi-oriented a place as you would like. It isn't up there with Vancouver in terms of Sci Fi legacy...

Would you say Cardiff is a good college town?
Yeah, Cardiff is small enough so you don’t feel lost or overwhelmed by choices, but big enough so that there are different venues to cater to different people’s musical tastes. It has a lot of variety in terms of bars and shops. It’s not that expensive and it has the staple landmark of any good college town – four unnecessary Starbucks. And, the Taf River is perfect for skinny-dipping whilst drunk, which students can’t get enough of.

How did you all come together at Cardiff University and decide to start Los Campesinos?
We came together through serendipity and a shared sense of apathy towards doing a sport-related activity on a Wednesday. We thought it’d be more fun to have a band practice, instead. It was an organic process where we started with three members then gradually all began to involve our flatmates and friends who we knew had more musical talent than us in an attempt to sound better and make a rehearsal space cheaper.

You started your group while still in the university, so was it difficult balancing recording, touring, and school at the same time?
Luckily, we have all finished university now, but at the time it was rather difficult to put schoolwork first when there were more exciting band-related things to be daydreaming about! We were fortunate, though, as we never really had to tour for too many dates so that we still had time to balance our university responsibilities.

Where would you go to relax or grab a bite when you need a break from rehearsing or studying?
Salisbury Road has an amazing takeaway place called Dough, which does the best salad. I used to go there all the time when I was writing my dissertation– so much so that I nearly asked for "the usual, " but then I realized I wasn’t in a bad B-movie and didn’t. Cathays Community Centre also does really yummy bagels and hot chocolates, I am particular about the sweetness of my hot chocolate, and theirs is perfect!

When you’re not chowing down in the school cafeteria between classes, where do you like to go have a meal together?
Pica Pica is a really nice tapas place where we went for Harriet’s 21st birthday. They do this amazing dish with fried cheese and jam, which sounds very wrong but is in fact so incredibly right. They also have really nice cocktails, and I think the men of the band appreciated it, because the servers are abnormally good-looking Swedish women.

Where do all the university kids go to dance or hang out on the weekends?
It depends on your music taste, but in terms of alternative or indie, you can go to Barfly, Twisted By Design in Callaghan's or Metros. If you want to have random sex with a rugby player or hockey girl, then St. Mary Street is a safe bet.

Where are the best venues to go see other bands perform?
The Welsh Club is good for sound, and the Point in Cardiff Bay is an atmospheric place to watch bands because it’s a converted church, which seems to make it more interesting...

You all seem to have different style, even within the group, so where are some of the best places you each like to shop for clothes on a student’s budget?
There aren't many hidden student gems of shops in Cardiff, but Albany Road has lots of charity shops on where you can pick up something if you’re willing to rifle through the granny jumpers and embroidered socks. Then there are the staple student shops like H&M and Primark, and if you feel like buying a little treat, Hobo's has some really nice dressy tops.

You've cited in a previous interview that Cardiff is your favorite town. What do you miss most about it when touring?
I have recently moved houses, so I miss my newly organized and decorated room and general familiarity of the place. I also miss going for drinks with friends in the Pen & Wig beer garden and sitting in the park outside the museum with a bad woman’s magazine and a takeaway hot chocolate. Pretty shallow things, really.

What can we expect from the group next?
We have an October tour coming up, which we're all excited about, as we have some amazing support bands like You Say Party! We Say Die!, and we’ll get to visit places we haven’t been before!

~Leann Peterson


See It:
Look for Los Campesinos! stateside in November, rocking Los Angeles’ Troubadour and New York’s Bowery Ballroom.

Go There:
Dough, 20 Salisbury Road, CF24 4AD, UK
Cathays Community Centre, 36-38 Cathays Terrace, CF24 4HX
Metros/Club Metropolitan, Bakers Row, Cardiff City Centre, CF10 1AL
Hobo’s, 26 High St Arcade, South Glamorgan, CF10 1BB


Second photo by AJ Cronin via Flickr
Seventh photo by Rok Foto via Flickr
Eighth and ninth photos by Maciej Dakowicz via Flickr
Tenth photo by Norman Preis via Flickr
Thirteenth photo by Walt Jabsco via Flickr

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My Town: Provincetown
A Self-Exiled Fashion Industry Insider On His Real Life Utopia

For anyone who partook in the chaos that was this past NY Fashion Week, it’s easy to understand why, from time to time, fashion insiders have been known to jump ship and head for hills. But, where does one go? In the case of fashion designer and illustrator Christian Kozaki, who left the highest echelons of the fashion industry (and cosmopolitan city life) a few years ago, it's all about Provincetown.

“The Boston equivalent of the Hamptons,” according to Kozaki, Provincetown is sort of Pleasantville-meets-John Waters (ironically, a resident of the Cape Cod locale). Or, to put it simply: a haven for artists and homosexuals. A short plane or ferry ride from Boston, the town has called Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill residents, and still houses the likes of Norman Mailer and Andrew Sullivan. We asked Kozaki all about his Massachusetts hideaway. Here, he divulges Provincetown's best-kept secrets:

How did you get your start in fashion, and when did you jump ship and head for Provincetown?
After I graduated from FIT in fashion design and illustration I ran away to Paris and ended up staying for seven years. I worked with Givenchy, Chloe and Madame Gres… when I came back to NY I started a small boutique collection. But, after the stock market crash in 2000, I decided to pack up shop and move elsewhere. I first came to Provincetown on vacation six years ago. I thought it was a fantastic little town that epitomized a reversal of normal - here the majority is gay, the minority straight. When you get off the ferry on Commercial Street you’ll see same-sex couples holding hands, and pushing their children around in strollers. And, the light is amazing. Provincetown has the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Have you exited the fashion industry entirely?
I let fashion take a back seat. I was doing consulting, but now I’m teaching courses in fashion design and illustration at RISD and Bay State.

What's the best time of year to visit?
Mid-May to mid-September is prime tourist season; the rest of the year it’s primarily locals (we have about 2,000-3,000 locals, during the high season there are around 50,000 residents).

Best bed-and-breakfast:
The Lands End Inn is really beautiful, as is The Brass Key which is very high-end as well. You couldn’t go wrong staying at either of those.

Best place for an indulgent meal?
Mews Restaurant on the bay. But, if you’re just looking for a really good meal, I recommend the Lobster Pot. It’s kind of touristy, but they have the best lobster in town.

Do you have a favorite fish market?
Off-the-beaten-path there’s Clem & Ursies. You can get fresh fish and lobster. It’s very low-key, and they serve seafood too. You can sit indoors and outdoors. Or, you can just hang out at the docks and make a deal with the fishermen.

Best beach:
You can get to Race Point Beach, the big tourist beach, by biking or the little buses that run during the high season. They have bonfires at night; it’s really nice. If you’re looking for something more isolated you can go to Wood End. If you go to the far west end of Commercial Street, there’s a breakwater there you can walk across towards Long Point Lighthouse and you’ll find it. It’s got the bay on one side and the ocean on the other. There’s also a nude beach, Herring Cove. It’s a good 20-minute walk off the tail end of Route 6. It’s not accessible by car - you ride your bike and then have to walk through the marshes and over the sand dunes.

Any great bars or live-music venues?
The two bars that have music are Governor Bradford and Squealing Pig, which are both on Commercial Street. They’re more or less known as the straight bars. Actually, John Waters is known to hang out at them [laughs]; he says he finds them more interesting than the gay bars.

How is the nightlife?
The big thing is the T-dance at the Crown and Anchor. Everybody goes there after the beach; there’s an outdoor swimming pool around the venue. It’s the place to see and be seen. After that everyone usually goes to the boat slip at the Crown and Anchor for theme nights and more dancing. For women there’s a bar called Vixen, but a lot of these places are mixed.

What about for a relatively quiet night out?
I would probably just go to the bar at the Lobster Pot. It’s touristy, but upstairs there is a really nice bar with a great view of the bay where you can stay all night.

Would you consider leaving Provincetown?
That’s a big question for me right now. It’s an excellent place if you’re a painter, writer… an artist, and are looking to focus on your work. But, if you’re more interested in an urban lifestyle, 24-hour everything, it’s not the place. If you’re coming from Paris or New York it can be a shock to your system.

But there is significant cultural capital…
There’s the annual Provincetown Film Festival. Provincetown is also very well known for its theater. The new Provincetown Theater was finished about two years ago. They do all different kinds of performances; a lot of the actors are local and they’re really great. They also put on readings by both local and international authors, and playwrights like Norman Mailer. There are art openings every Friday. Grab the Banner, the local weekly, and go through it. All the galleries are clustered together on South End.

Who has the best brunch in Provincetown?
Cafe Edwige– their omelets are really good and they have specials every weekend, which I always order. They have outdoor sating upstairs with great views of Commerce Street. For a less-expensive option I really like Michael Shays – a local hangout. It’s nautical themed, very low-key.

Provincetown’s best-kept-secret:
The brand new Provincetown Library. On the second floor they built a huge replica of a ship. It’s the most unique thing I’ve ever seen. There’s also the Pilgrim Monument, where climb its concrete steps. On a clear day you can see Boston.

What's the best thing about Provincetown?
It’s the one place I’ve been where people feel free to be and express themselves. There’s complete acceptance. You’ll see straight couples, gay couples, half-naked couples in leather gear, and drag queens in full regalia. It’s an incredible circus of human society.
I think it’s the closest a lot of us will get to seeing what the world will be like in 100 years when there is no more prejudice.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

See It:
For more from Kozaki, check out The Gallery at Little Gorgeous Things - a Provincetown art exhibition space where Kozaki recently showed paintings from his series Secret Gardens.
Go There:
Governor Bradford, 312 Commercial Street, Provincetown, (508) 487-2781
Squealing Pig, 335 Commercial Street, Provincetown, (508) 487-5804

Mews Photo by Meet Justin courtesy of Flickr
T-Dance photo by Grown Up Boy courtesy of Flickr
Clem and Ursies photo by Robert Spencer courtesy of The New York Times Race Point Beach photo by Chris Seufert courtesy of Flickr
Long Point Lighthouse photo by Apparat Chik courtesy of Flickr
Provincetown Library photo by Kauaiken courtesy of Flickr
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My Town: New Zealand
Karen Walker on Auckland’s Best Spots to Booze, Brunch, Buy And Beach

Karen Walker's rise to fashion fame is an inspiring story. Walker went from launching a fashion line with only NZ$100, to running three New Zealand-based namesake outposts, selling in Barneys, and outfitting the likes of Kate Winslet, Madonna, Bjork and Sienna Miller. Oh yeah, and since her debut on the scene two seasons ago, she’s been a favorite NY Fashion Week fixture.

But, when the designer isn’t stateside dressing celebs, or showing whimsical, sophisticated-yet-flirty collections as she did last night at the Soho Grand Hotel, she’s holding court in her hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband, Mikhail Gherman (an advertising creative director who has designed many of her iconic prints). Born and raised in the constitution-less country known, among other things, for providing film sets for Lord of the Rings and birthing the HBO-endorsed novelty act, Flight of the Conchords, Walker is an expert on the coolest, chicest spots Auckland has to offer. We caught up with her pre-fashion week, to discuss the spots that, at this point, she probably can’t wait to return to. In her own words:

What’s the first thing you’re homesick for while traveling abroad?
My cats and dog.

What is your favorite way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon?
At home - we live in the Waitakere Ranges, a mountainous 45,000 hectare large National Park 25 minutes west of central Auckland. There are a few thousand homes dotted throughout it and we've got a gorgeous little spot of 12 acres of forest there. So, my dream Sunday afternoon is hanging out at home. If it's sunny, lazing by the pool, and, if it's cold, settled in by the fire.

Where can one find the area’s best cheap eats?
Bethell's Café, which is nestled into the giant sand dunes at Te Henga (Bethell's Beach), 45 minutes west of central Auckland. Bethell's Cafe operates through the summer months out of an old caravan and is the best place I know for brunch, lunch or dinner. They serve great coffee, great homemade organic cakes and they have the best location in the world. Kura is my favorite sushi place in the city. It’s built into the volcanic stone foundation of the old town hall - good food, great atmosphere. During the winter it’s cozy by the fire, and it’s great in the summer as well.

Where do you shop (be it literally or figuratively) for inspiration locally?
Victorian Gilt- a tiny, crammed treasure trove of Victorian and post-Victorian clothing, fabrics and jewelry.
Drummonds Antiques- a magpie-ish antique/junk shop, which I can never walk away from empty-handed.

What is your absolute favorite beach?
Te Henga, my local beach just 20 minutes from my home. It's one of many vast and slightly overwhelming beaches that line Auckland's huge west coast. Rugged, dominating and breathtaking, Te Henga is great on a warm summer evening, watching the sunset, or a crisp winter's morning, when it can be just you and a few placid seals sunbathing on its many miles of black sand. Stay at the Bethell's Cottages for the best view there is of the beach and the Tasman Sea.

And Auckland’s best boutiques?
Karen Walker of course, Wunderkammer, and Richard...son.

What is your favorite band coming out of New Zealand right now?
The Checks.

Were you to treat your husband to a night of fine dining, where would you go?
dine- Peter Gordan's wonderful, luxurious Auckland restaurant. It's fine dining but not stuffy. Have the degustation menu if you have time. It’s sensational, I guarantee. There's not a single thing on the menu that you’ll think you could have crack at, at home.

Three spots the girl you design your line for would love to hang out:
Te Henga, Ponsonby Road for great food and coffee, and Karangahape Road for great vintage shops.

What's your watering hole?
S.P.Q.R. is always a favorite for after work drinks.

Where is the first place you like to go out to upon returning home post-NY fashion week?
Thorn's Bay - one of many gorgeous little bays with golden sand, blue water and old Pohutakawa trees in Auckland's east coast; it’s 10 minutes from down town Auckland.

What is your all-time favorite place to let loose on a Saturday night?
Given I'm about to have my first baby: a movie and the couch.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Kura, 315 Queen St, Auckland City, Auckland, +64 9 379 5656
Victorian Gilt, 85 Great South Rd, Remuera, Auckland, +64 9 520 5565
Drummonds Antiques, 10 Anzac Ave, Auckland Central, Auckland, +64 9 379 4396
Karen Walker, 15 O'Connell St, Auckland City, Auckland, + 64 9 361 07 80 and 6 Balm St, Newmarket, Auckland, + 64 9 522 42 86
Wunderkammer, 76 A Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland, +64 9 360 4090
dine, Grand Hotel, 90 Federal Street, Auckland City, +64 9 363 7030

Fourth photo by Dean Purcell courtesy of the New Zealand Herald
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My Town: NYC
Agent Extraordinaire Jennifer Ramey's Guide to NY Fashion Week

This coming Tuesday, as happens twice a year, fashion royalty will begin filing into Manhattan (and taking to the streets in the event of a taxi strike), previewing the latest collections, hitting exclusive spots (Serge Becker’s and Graydon Carter’s included), and indulging in the general. Translation: fashion week is finally here!

So, we figured it a perfect opportunity to ask model mega-agent Jennifer Ramey (who represents the likes of Kate Moss and Daria Werbowy at IMG Models) her inside scoop on the city’s best fashion-week-friendly spots. A lot like that super-cool senior in high school, Ramey is privy to access most Teen Vogue interns would empty their trust funds for. And since, for some, it’s the most anticipated week of the season, while for others it is utter hell, we’ve taken both ends of the style-obsessed spectrum into account. Here, Ramey reveals locales for the best people-watching, best post-show lunch, and, where to escape the madness. In her own words:

What is the best thing about Fashion Week in NYC?
It is like back to school! That same feeling from when one was young... seeing old friends and discussing summer holidays, new clothes, everything being new again...very exciting.

And the worst thing?
Long hours, working weekends and late into the night... people screaming and getting stressed over frocks and whether to bleach a brow or not!!! And, in addition to blowing your diet, not going to the gym and drinking like a fish... you’re losing your tan, then realizing there is [still] Milan and Paris [left].

Which NYC hotels will be housing the most designers/models/industry alum during Fashion Week?
The Maritime Hotel, The Bowery Hotel, Mercer Hotel, and Hotel QT.

Where is the best post-show brunch/lunch spot?
Keen's Steak House, eating at the bar...

What shops are the best to hit whether you’re looking for the latest runway fashions, or the best knock-offs?
The obvious would be H&M, Zara, UNIQLO, then fly to London to get Top Shop is a must... shopping hmmm… Marc Jacobs, Maria Cornejo, and, for vintage, my friends at Southpaw Vintage Clothing and Textiles.

After dark, where can one find the most celebrities and supermodels per square inch?
Bowery Hotel, The Maritime Hotel, Mercer Hotel, The Rose Bar and upstairs at Gramercy Park Hotel, Beatrice Inn, The Box, The Waverly Inn.

What is your favorite place to frequent when you're in the mood to forget about Fashion Week?
Not telling you.

Best quiet, off-the-beaten-path restaurant at which to have a pocket-emptying dining experience?
I do not empty often, but my boss loves The Grocery in Brooklyn...I have never been to Brooklyn.... very off-the-beaten-path for me but must try someday...

Three parties that aren’t to be missed this Fashion Week?
Another Magazine party, V party, and The Hours performance at the Prada store should be good…

Where can one find the fashion set partying into the wee hours?
My apartment.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Southpaw Vintage Clothing and Textiles, 226 West 37th Street, NYC, (212) 244-2768
Beatrice Inn, 285 W. 12th Street, NYC, (212) 243-4626
Waverly Inn, 16 Bank Street, NYC, (212) 929-4377
The Grocery, 288 Smith Street, Brooklyn, (718) 596-3335
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My Town: Moscow
Swimsuit Queen & Vodka King Storm Russia’s Capital City

In an age of mass-globalization and online social networking, it’s easy to think of many people as "citizens of the world." But, Paris-based Natasha Sayn Wittgenstein and Italian-born, Moscow-based Eugenio Litta Modignani are the real deal. Not only are the two entrepreneurs world travelers tens of times over (not to mention pros at making a long-distance, occasionally-cross-Atlantic relationship work), they are privy to some of Russian capital's best kept secrets.

While in town launching their respective projects - for Wittgenstein, a bikini line called, Tooshie, and, for Modignani, the vodka brand Tovaritch – the couple sat down with us at the West Village’s Café Cluny to discuss the following: Moscow’s best late-night attractions, the secret to the Russian bath tradition, and how to make an overseas relationship succeed. In their own words:

Eugenio, how long have you lived in Moscow?
E: I’ve been living in Russia since 1993. I was excited to move to a country that was in the midst of the transformation and revolution. What I like in Moscow is what I find here in New York - major energy, a lot of movement, action, people and creativity. Over the last ten years there has been major construction, a lot of new places. Moscow has a magic atmosphere and great vibe. Russians are nice people; I like them. They’re really intense, intellectually interesting, and the [country’s] arts are very developed.
N: The first time I went there Eugenio said, ‘Look at this building’ -- it wasn’t there three months ago. The city is so big that you can’t really feel it, but they are really changing. It’s at the pace of Dubai. They work 24 hours a day, and within three months they can build a skyscraper.

Do the two of you ever meet in between Moscow and Paris?
E: We meet in random places.

How romantic…
E: Yes, it makes every day a new day, every place a new place.
N: We've met on a boat, but, recently, we have been meeting in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Miami...
E: What you’d call the Euro-trash movement.

What are some of you favorite places while at home in Moscow?
N: I love to go to Coffee Mania. It’s the best food I’ve ever had in my life. The owners lived in New York for many years. They mix traditional Russian food with nouvelle cuisine - a lot of fresh vegetables and fresh herbs.
E: During the daytime in Moscow we are working a lot. But there is something going on every night. A new restaurant or a new gallery, an exposition... in Italy we have one biennial, in Moscow we have five. There's the ballet, the theatre. If we have the time -- during the week we come out of the office at 9 or 10 at night. Just like in New York you have the energy behind the work, you have the same in Moscow. There are a lot of similarities to New York and Moscow. Moscow has so much money now that every thing is behind that. When we have the weekend we disappear to the Dacha, which is the countryside.

Do you like the fashion coming out of Russia?
N: I would always see Russian girls in Saint Tropez and they have great bodies, but here, a little tackier. But more and more they have a sense of style. They went from Dolce to Prada more or less. There is a great store called Podium Concept Store where I love to go shopping.

Does the Russian bath tradition still exist?
E: I go every Sunday to the banias. It’s an old tradition in Russian, especially when it’s cold in the winter. You do that to clean up yourself from pollution, from the drink of the night before. Before the Soviet time, they say the Russians went there because it was the only place you could talk about business – they couldn’t microphone you because you’re completely naked. The atmosphere is quite magical inside. One is called Sandunoff Bath House that is historic -- 100 years old. They have three different styles of rooms. We meet with business people there. It’s a tradition you have to do. A tradition that isn’t lost. Putting coffee on the skin, then honey, which gives skin that feels like a baby's.
N: They have great ways of taking care of themselves in Moscow. We have a 24-hour gym.
E: It is a city of 24 hours. Shops and restaurants are open 24 hours… even a sports shop. If you want to buy a ping-pong racket at 4 in the morning you can. When I arrived 15 years ago it wasn’t like that. When you have 15 million people you need to give them services all the time.
N: And the nightlife is amazing.

How so?
E: Russians like to drink. The nightlife is moving very quickly - they’ve created amazing clubs in the past few years. Russians like to go out and show off. On Friday if you want a table you have to spend $7,000 at some places. Before, it was how many bodyguards you can have. Then, it was boats, then cars. Now it’s the nightlife. Not just in the clubs but in the restaurants too. They have the best DJs from Ibiza, London and New York. When you have good music and good alcohol, everybody's happy.

~Sara Costello

Go There:
For where to stay, Wittgenstein and Modignani recommend the Ritz-Carlton Moscow, Tverskaya Street 3, Moscow, 4 (4) 95 225 8888, and the Golden Apple Boutique Hotel, 11 Malaya Dmitrovka, Moscow
Looking for one of the most fashionable spots to dine? Check out Vogue Café, Ulitsa Kuznetsky Most, Lubyanka, Moscow, 7 (0) 95 923 1701
Or, for late night pandemonium, don't miss Rai, 9 Bolotnaya Nab, Polyanka, Borovitskaya, 767-1474
Podium Concept Store, Utlisa Kuznetskiy Most 14, Moscow, 7 (0) 95 540 1535
Sandunoff Bath House, 8am-10pm, Building 3-7, 14 Neglinnaya Ulitsa, 7 (8)
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My Town: Atlanta
The Black Lips on Georgia’s Finest

The Black Lips formed as teenagers at the turn of the 21st century. It was a brighter time, perfect for forming a happy-go-lucky psychedelic garage band. Black Lips have carried on plugging through the 21st century's bad times... and that's probably why now they're the best happy-go-lucky psychedelic garage band around.

In their hometown of Atlanta, they're practically gods, and their early records are passed around like priceless artifacts. Since Vice Records started putting out their records (the next of which, Good Bad Not Evil, is slated for release September 11th) and promoting them heavily in Europe as well as the US, their last 12 months have been manic. Touring heavily and doing loads of press around the world can exhaust the most hardened rock-and-rollers. While back in their hometown, we took guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley on a zany 'A Christmas Carol'-style journey and got them to discuss their favorite haunts of the past, present and future:

Where’s the best place to play a show in Atlanta?
Cole: I personally like the Eyedrum. It’s typically more of an avant-garde art space, but, because of that, you don't have to worry about paying $5 for a beer, or shitty security, or 21-and-up shows, cause anything goes.
Jared: The Drunken Unicorn usually books the best shows. It's really fun, and the people who work there are awesome.

What about house parties? What’s the craziest house party you’ve played?
Cole: The old Die Slaughterhaus, where we used to live, people used to jump through the windows and ollie off the roof with skateboards and shoot guns and punch holes in the wall.
Jared: Houses are probably my favorite venues, and most people in Atlanta have decent-sized houses. The craziest was probably the last show we played at our old place, Die Slaughterhaus. It somehow got billed as a "trash the haus" party, and everyone showed up with hammers and bats and did exactly that. The guys on the lease almost went to jail.

Do the kids have big houses in Atlanta?
Cole: Hell yeah, real big… we even have a house in Atlanta called the Big House - it was built by the free masons and has an underground tunnel that leads to a shrine temple where they helped these weird little burnt kids with weird gimpy-ness and crippled-ness. At the house they have punk shows; it’s a proper mansion where old powerful masons lived and died. In one room there is a eye of the illuminati on the ceiling.

Who has the best house in Black Lips?
Cole: I do. I have a house with an apple tree where nearby kids come to eat when they’re hungry. You can’t top a Shel Silverstein-esque giving tree - food and shelter from raindrops.
Jared: I don't know… I like mine, but I’ve never been to Ian or Cole’s. Let’s go with mine.

When you were kids where did you kick back? Any good skate parks, all age venues, corners, parks?
Cole: We used to hang out on the stairs of my friend’s house or in kids’ parents’ basements where we could make messiness. Sometimes we would go to Little Five Points (L5P) - you can get $1 pizza and play pinball, buy LSD on the street corner and pick up your records at Wax ‘N Facts Records and Criminal Records. For beer we would sit outside the beer store asking folks to buy for us till one would - we called it sit and suck. If we were in the ghetto some times we'd get ripped off.
Jared: No skate parks when we were kids. Georgia’s a little behind the times on that, and all the all-age venues were Christian. We vandalized our neighborhoods and got older folks to buy us beer, and skated. We were really obnoxious. I guess it’s the same all over.

Where did you play your first show?
Cole: Club 513, an old club owned by this guy Fred Tokars. He had someone murder his wife, so he was in jail and we could do whatever the fuck we wanted to.

Before you were famous and got free clothes, where did you buy your threads?
Cole: Thrift stores - we still buy there, to get the coolest stuff, but now we sell to Rag-O-Rama. They buy used hipster clothes.
Jared: Thrift stores and our girlfriends' closets.

Imagine you meet a beautiful girl on tour, and you have to bring her back to Atlanta to meet the family. Where would you take her (or your girlfriend) after for the ultimate romantic time?
Cole: Fancy: SunDial overlooks the city on a rotating floor. Cheap: Eats, cause it's cheap and they have awesome jerk chicken. Dim Sum: Oriental Pearl. $1 tacos; Blue Frog Cantina. Sushi: Sushi Yoko. Homestyle Southern Cooking: Carvers Grocery.
Jared: This summer me and my girlfriend have been going swimming and doing a lot of outdoor stuff. Yesterday we went white water rafting at the Nantahala River, and tomorrow we’re going to the Chatahoochee River to rope swing. Tonight, we’re going to the Pink Pony; it’s a cool strip club.

Does anyone famous live in Atlanta?
Cole: Dixie head quarters. Jane Fonda, Elton John, Ted Turner, Outcast, Usher, Mastodon, Deerhunter, Julia Roberts, Wayne Williams (killed all those black kids), Jimmy Carter, Mark David Chapman (killed John Lennon), Hannibal, Ludacris, Lil John, Chris Tucker.
Jared: We’ve got a lot of rappers here and it’s the only city in the US to be completely destroyed during a war. It’s also got the world’s largest piece of exposed granite, called Stone Mountain. They have a laser light show they project on the face of the mountain every night during the summer. It’s got a giant carving of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and Stonewall Jackson. It’s all confederate themed and really un-P.C. I could go on forever…

When you come back from tour, where do you like to visit most?
Cole: Six Flags - this year a couple of us got season passes, also pools in hotels and condos in the summer. Sheraton downtown is the easiest.
Jared: My house. BBQ places like Harold’s Barbecue and Daddy D’z soul food restaurant.

Are there any good museums?
Cole: The old Planetarium is cool - it's like that one from Rebel Without a Cause.
Jared: We’re a little lacking in that department.

Who makes the best brunch?
Cole: The Earl in East Atlanta's got an ok brunch
Where’s the best place to relax?
Cole: Home, ah sweet home. And, sangrias at El Myr Burrito Lounge in the late afternoon. Grant Park, for dancing to ghetto blasters with old-style family reunions.
Jared: My house

~Kevin Soar

Go There:
Club 513, 513 Edgewood Avenue, (404) 223-5132
Blue Frog Cantina, 469 Flat Shoals Ave Se, (404) 658-6108
Eats, 600 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, (404) 888-9149
Sushi Yoko, 7124 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, (770) 903-9348
Carvers Grocery, 1118 W Marietta St NW, (404) 794-4410, (11:00-2:30pm only)
Oriental Pearl, 5399 New Peachtree Road, (770) 986-9866
Pink Pony, 1837 Corporate Road, (404) 634-6396
Daddy D’z, 264 Memorial Dr Se, (404) 222-0206
El Myr Burrito Lounge, 1091 Euclid Ave, (404) 588-0250

Photo of Cole and Jared by Savage Lady via Flickr.
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My Town: Bronx, NY
Mike DeStefano Divulges His Stomping Ground’s Best-Kept Secrets

Growing up in Throgs Neck, an Italian enclave in the Bronx, comedian Mike DeStefano wanted to be a mobster, and, for awhile, even got caught up in the infamous open-air drug markets of the South Bronx. But a lot has changed since then.

These days, DeStefano is a successful comedian who has performed on Showtime, at The Montreal Comedy Festival, and will be appearing at HBO’s Aspen Comedy Festival this winter. Because DeStefano’s act is greatly influenced by his hometown, we caught up with Mike at the Comedy Cellar in the West Village to hear about life above Manhattan. Here DeStefano offers his thoughts on tourists and trust-fund babies, parochial school and where to get the best Italian pastries and pizza:

How would you describe Throgs Neck to the uninitiated?
Mostly Irish and Italian. Tremont Avenue is the main avenue. I live on Vincent, it’s a nice, quiet street with trees, it’s sort of suburban if you can have suburban in the Bronx.

How does one get there?
You take the 6-train to the last stop and then you’re in Pelham Bay Park - then you’ve got to get a bus or whatever.

What’s the park like?
The park’s alright… a lot of Puerto Ricans there having picnics. It’s great - thousands of them.

Where did you go to school?
I went to St. Frances de Chantal in Throgs Neck and that was a sick experience. I hated Catholic school.

Were there a lot of people in your neighborhood who ended up involved in the drug scene?
Yeah, a lot of my friends growing up are either in prison, they’re wise guys, or dead. That’s the kind of environment I grew up in - we were criminals. We believed in crime, in taking whatever we wanted. There was no law, we grew up around the wise guy element - all the guys that had money and nice cars and shit were all wise guys. The mob leadership switches from borough to borough, neighborhood to neighborhood depending on who gets killed and when. Right now, a lot of it’s in my neighborhood but it’s been like that forever.

You grew up there during the 70s and 80s - how has Throgs Neck changed from then until now?
It seems to have been less affected by the gentrification going on in Brooklyn and around the city.

Gentrification being when white people move in?
No, when white people with trust funds move in.

Is there very much ethnic food in the neighborhood, or mainly just Italian?
Nah it’s still pizza and Chinese… I don’t really eat Chinese. That’s all you could get in my neighborhood-- pizza, Chinese, and Italian delis.

If you were going for a sit-down meal where would you go?
A place called Rao’s in Harlem… you can’t get in unless you know somebody, you have to be connected to someone

What’s your dish there?
Steak Pizzaiola.

There’s Little Italy in the Bronx, in Manhattan, and there’s sort of an unofficial Little Italy down in Bensonhurst [Brooklyn]. Would you say the Bronx has the best Italian food in the city?
There’s Arthur Avenue, which is called Little Italy in The Bronx, Morris Park Avenue, and my neighborhood - those are all the Italian sections. Arthur Avenue’s good, with a lot of amazing bakeries. Any bakery there is good.

What’s the best pizza place in the Bronx?
Well you know what, in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island you could walk into any pizzeria and have a good slice, but Louie & Ernie’s is probably my favorite in the Bronx. I live a block away.

Do you get any food tourists there now? I’ve started to see it showing up on a lot of web sites.
Nah, we don’t get no tourists in my neighborhood. I don’t think tourists think they can go to the Bronx.

Speaking of tourists, your shows often include a lot of heavy subject matter and rough language. How does that work that when you’re in Times Square and Midtown doing your stuff for tourists?
Well you know, these people all live in the woods in Nebraska, or wherever, but a lot of them don’t mind my act. Some of them are startled by it, but then I just tell them, ‘Look, you’re in New York, you fucking idiot.’ My act is influenced by my life experience, that’s where I get all my material from, the feelings and things I’ve experienced, and so the drugs and whatever suffering I went through fuels my act. So, yeah, you know you’re going to have you a lot of anger in my act-- things that piss me off I try to turn into material.

So, getting back to your neighborhood, you said there’s nothing but pizza, Italian delis, and Chinese food near you. What’s the best deli? The best deli is called Ann Clair’s, which is on Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx. Go in there and get an Italian Combo. Period. That’s what you ask for. It’s ham, salami, mortadella, pepperoni, and then whatever kind of cheese you want-- usually mozzarella cheese—oil, vinegar, lettuce, tomato. The bread is excellent, the cold cuts are good quality. Performing in clubs I eat late a lot, there’s a great Italian deli that’s open 24 hours, called Pruzzo’s.

What do you think about the Italian delis outside of the Bronx?
Oh, they’re hysterical. They’re just funny.

~Hunter Walker

See It:
For more from DeStefano, and for his live show schedule, check out www.puppiesandheroin.com.

Go There:
Louie & Ernie's, 1300 Crosby Ave, Bronx, (718) 829-6230
Pruzzo's, 2937 Westchester Ave, Bronx, (718) 863-5650
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My Town: Edmonton
Shout Out Out Out Out’s Jason Troock On Canada’s Cultural Capital

When we first heard that the electro, dance punk band Shout Out Out Out Out was from Edmonton, Alberta our interest was immediately piqued. Canada’s self-proclaimed cultural capital boasts countless creative festivals, North America’s largest mall and a River Valley that would put Central Park to shame. Need we say more?

No wonder the homepage of Shout Out Out Out Out’s record label, Normals Welcome Records (headed by band members Jason Troock and Nik Kozub), states, “like most Edmontonians involved in music, we are happy with our city’s relative obscurity while also confident that what is going on here has the potential to really blow up.”

Fans of both the band, and anywhere one hit the water park inside a mall, we caught up with Troock for an inside scoop, just before Shout Out Out Out was leaving Alberta for a cross-American tour (catch them tonight at Studio B in Brooklyn, or this weekend in Baltimore at the Virgin Festival ). From his home in Edmonton, he shed some light on why his band, and his hometown may be the next big thing:

What’s Edmonton’s music scene like?
Edmonton has a really, really supportive music scene. It’s cross-genres supportive. We’re pals with country artists, rock and hip-hop. It’s really helped us out, being so supportive of each other. The scene is expanding; there’s been a real explosion. It seems to be happening with some success. There’s a renewed push for local labels to seek out national and international distribution…

How would you describe the Edmontonian mentality?
It’s not a big city like New York or Toronto, so there’s a sense of self-sufficiency. It’s so isolated from the rest of the world – everywhere is a long drive from Edmonton. Touring acts don’t come to Edmonton in the winter, so the city’s music fans rely on local bands to provide music. We don’t wait around for touring acts to come, people start their own bands. Musicians here have to be proactive; if it’s not there and you want it to be, you better make it happen.

Do you have any particular favorites place to perform locally?
That’s a tricky one these days. The city is undergoing a massive boom, an oil-driven boom. As a result, rents are skyrocketing, which is a huge factor in seeing local venues go belly-up. Recently we’ve lost a lot. Right now, I’d say the Starlite Room , where we’ve played for a few years. It seems to be a normal mainstay for touring bands. It has a really good sound system, which is essential to the kind of music that we do, and it’s a small enough venue, so you get to connect in a good way with the audience. We’re doing a show in a few weeks - a party at a warehouse...

Is playing at alternative venues very common?
No, but because of all of the venues shutting down there’s a real push to do shows at non-conventional spaces. Some of the most memorable gigs we’ve had were at an art space or the roller rink. We did one at Sports World, people were skating; it was awesome.

What about staple watering holes, or clubs…
Nik and I DJ a weekly night at Velvet Underground, which is beneath the Starlite Lounge. We spin electro, techno, house and some hip-hop. Pretty much anything fun with a beat you can dance to. Normally, most days of the week we go out to the Black Dog. It’s a good neighborhood pub. The drinks are affordable. It’s on Wythe Avenue, which has turned into the strip if you will, with the bulk of the record stores, clothing stores. You’re much more likely to hear Motorhead and Iron and Wine than you are the top 10 billboard hits of the week.

I read Edmonton has it’s own Bourbon Street. Do you ever go?
No! It’s a fake street in West Edmonton Mall. It would be like the Bourbon Street in Disneyland. There’s also a big water park and mini-golf course [in the mall]. I like going to the water park sometimes, but I’m not really big into the mall lifestyle, mall culture. So, no, I don’t really go there. But, in winter when it’s –20 degrees, it’s great to go lay on the rubber beach and pretend you don’t have to go dig your car out of the snow when you’re done.

What’s your favorite place in Edmonton during the summer?
I spend a lot of my summer in the River Valley. There are great parks for picnics and BBQs. I personally spend a lot of time biking. There are great trails. You can also go picking berries. It’s unfair to say everyone walks around picking berries all day, but it is something you can do.

Do you ever check out any of the city’s various festivals?
I’ve been to the folk festival a few times. It’s set against the River Valley, so it has an awesome view of downtown. You can sit on the side of the water, which is really cool when it’s warm out and the sun is setting.

What about local eateries?
There’s Lucky Saloon & Eatery, which is right near my house. They serve all kinds of breakfast and brunch kind of food from like 10am-4pm. That’s my favorite restaurant; I usually rotate between this polenta dish and poached eggs. It looks kind of like a well-decorated taqueria, a really chill atmosphere.
The Oriental Veggie House is downtown. They serve a lot of soy/gluten, fake-meat based foods. It’s got a real laid-back feel to it too. There’s a really big Indian community in Edmonton, so there’s a lot of great Indian food along 34th avenue. Sam Wok is a late night dining place that seems to be open whenever we want to eat there. It’s a place we’ll go to at 2am. I think it’s basically standard Chinese food. The Singapore noodles we have fairly often, and this rice roll with long donut. I’m not exactly sure how to describe what’s in it except that it’s rice with a doughy filling.

Coffee shops?
I don’t really drink coffee, but the other guys in the band will be mad if I don’t mention this one place, Decapo. All the other guys are real coffee connoisseurs and they think its tops, a great coffee place.

Are there any galleries that you frequent?
Latitude 53 is an art space downtown. We played there a few years ago. They’ve had fashion shows, art shows and fun parties. They have an amazing patio that overlooks downtown. It’s kind of like the friend with the great patio, it’s not a regular venue but you’re always excited when you hear they’re having a party.

Do you ever get homesick on the road?
I must say I’m lucky to get to travel around to different places, but, yeah, of course. I live here with my girlfriend. Everyone in the band has a girlfriend. I enjoy touring in limited doses, but I miss things a lot when we’re away for a long time. Most of my friends are involved in the art and music community. I miss not hearing what they’re working on or what they’re next project is going to be. It gives me the energy to do that stuff on my own.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Oriental Veggie House, 10586 100 St., Edmonton, T5H 2R6, (780) 424-0463
Sam Wok, 7915 104 St. NW #101, Edmonton, (780) 433-6077
DeCapo Café, 8738 109 St., Edmonton, T6G 1E9, (780) 433-5382
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My Town: Glasgow and Dumfries
The Duke of Disco on Both Small-Town & Big-City Scottish Life

To describe producer/musician Calvin Harris’ sound is not easy… but we’ll try. Essentially, it’s electro-indie-disco-punk as interpreted by Jake Shears and Slick Rick’s imaginary lovechild. And it's simply irresistible.

But, while this year alone Harris, 23, has already released a well-received debut LP, I Created Disco, in the UK [slated for stateside release September 6th], and collaborated with pop icon Kylie Minogue, if you found yourself seated next to the Dumfries-born Scot at a pub, you’d never know it. Harris, who landed a record deal with Columbia Records thanks to his MySpace page, has seemingly no ego, and little interest in reflecting on his success. He’d much prefer continuing full speed ahead, laying down tracks like the UK-chart-topping “The Girls.”

Considering Harris recorded the album in the privacy of his Dumfries bedroom, and visits his girlfriend in Glasgow often, we figured him to be a perfect Scotland tour guide. Despite having caught up with Harris on a particularly gloomy Glasgow day – he was battling both wet weather and a hangover – he treated us to the inside scoop on his favorite Scottish spots. In his own words:

Where have you been living recently?
[Laughs] Nowhere. I spend all my time on a tour bus or a hotel. Right now I’m in Glasgow staying with my girlfriend.

I know you recorded the entire new album in your bedroom in Dumfries. Where would you go when you needed a break?
The Lyver. It was formerly known as the smokiest pub in the world but since the smoking ban, its character has changed a bit. It’s still everyone’s favorite pub in Dumfries. I’ve spent quite a lot of time there.

Do you have a signature drink?
Jack Daniels and Orange Juice.

Really? Do people give you strange looks whenever you order it?
[Laughs] Yeah, I’ve barely met people who have heard of it. Most people say, ‘’That’s absolutely disgusting!’ or they’ll say, ‘I had a friend who used to drink that and he died.’ I still drink it. Personally, I find it delicious.

I read on your MySpace that your favorite food is steak. Is that true? And where’s the best place to get one in Dumfries?
It’s true. I can confirm that. I wrote it. I prefer the filet steak. You can’t get one in Dumfries, unfortunately, which is a shame. The best steak I ever had was in Ibiza. I was supposed to perform but it got cancelled so my girlfriend and I went anyway on holiday. It was lovely.

Did you ever perform in Dumfries?
No, I wasn’t a performer until I got a deal. But we have a club called Venue, where I used to go down there and laugh at all the bands. All the emo kids; there were a lot of haircuts [laughs].

Was there a decent local record shop?
Barnstorm Records. It’s a bit shit but the only independent store we’ve got.

Your press release claims that you know where Alex Kapranos’ secret recording studio is in Glasgow. Is this true?
No! I’ve got no idea. My press release is total crap. The dude who wrote it was on something. They gave it to me, and I was like, ‘What is this?’ It’s all lies.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Glasgow?
Gamba. It’s a seafood restaurant and it’s really amazing. My girlfriend and I are going there tonight. I like seafood.

What about catching shows in Glasgow?
Pretty much any gig at the Barrowland Ballroom is going to be good. We’re lucky enough to be playing there in November… bigger bands play there. As far as clubbing there’s The Arches. They have good club nights. Cool people play there… like me [laughs].

Any local bands you really like?
The View; they’re really good. They’re big here, but can’t get an American Visa.

Where do you stay when you’re in town?
I usually stay with my girlfriend but when I’m in trouble the best one is actually the Marriott. I’ve stayed in tons of different hotels here because before I was dating my girlfriend I was always here recording.

What’s your favorite part of staying there?
Mainly the beds and the breakfasts… with the beds it’s like sleeping on a cloud. They pad everything: the sheets are padded; they give you like 20 pillows. It’s really soft. And the breakfast! It’s 20 pounds and they have everything you could ever want.

Are there any shops you always hit when in Glasgow?
[Laughs] I can’t remember the last time I went shopping. I’ve been wearing the same kind of jeans and trainers for months. For tops, it’s whatever comes to hand.

What’s the first place you go in Glasgow when you have down time?
I don’t have down time. The last time I had down time was in February 2003. I went to the park in Dumfries.

I’ve been told you’re touring the states in the fall?
I think so. I’m not sure, though. I don’t know what I’m doing next week.

If you could have next week all to yourself what would you do?
I would buy a house... in Glasgow. I’ve been trying. I need to sort myself out. I have shit all over the country.

What’s been inspiring you recently?
Um… hmmm… I don’t know. I’m not feeling that inspired these days.

Perhaps a little drained?
Yeah. Maybe it’s because we went out drinking last night.

Too many Jack and Ojs?
Yeah [laughs].

It’s been a really big year for you. What’s the best part of blowing up?
I’m not blowing up at all. I’ve done well. It’s been a good effort. But, there’s still so much more to be done.

~Alisa Gould-Simon
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My Town: The World’s Best Dives
Shaun McNatt Divulges His Favorite Spots Under The Sea

There’s often more to a high-fashion model than meets the eye. In most cases, it’s grandiose dreams of being a famous actor or rock star. But, when it comes to Shaun McNatt, a 25-year-old who has walked runways for Gucci, YSL and Armani, and graced ads for Moschino, it’s a far less common pursuit: specifically, scuba diving.

For the last two years, McNatt has been breaching sea level worldwide in search of some of the best dives. Despite having grown up in Atlanta, and now being based in NYC, McNatt is as comfortable both in and on the water as anything with fins. In addition to doing dives just about as often as his modeling schedule will allow (and making plans to open his own scuba shop), the graduate of the European School of Economics in Milan keeps a newly-purchased French racing sailboat just north of the Bronx and sails (and sleeps) on the sea every chance he gets. Here, his take on the best spots to dive in:

How did you get into diving in the first place?
I’ve always been interested. Not to be too serious, but my father always wanted to get into it, but with him in Atlanta and me in NYC we could never find a way to do it. Then, after he passed away it was something I thought I should start doing. I’ve probably done 70 or 80 dives. I’ve got my Master Diver certification, and now I’m studying to be an instructor.

How would you characterize a stereotypical scuba diver?
They’re pretty laid-back … very conscious about the environment and the oceans. Some of us are kind of nerdy when it comes down to it. I’m in a Divers Club in NY [laughs]. We'll meet up at a lounge, look at slides of different dives, talk about what it’s like to dive different places, where you’re going next…

What’s the best place for aspiring divers to start?
Go to your local dive shop. They’re people who have done over 1,000 dives. I go to the Scuba Network on 19th Street and 6th Avenue. They really care, and know what it’s like to be a beginner. Do an open water dive and just see if you like it. Find your niche and go from there.

What are your five favorite places to dive and why?
The Dutch Springs Rock Quarry in Williamson, Pennsylvania; I’m going there on Sunday. It’s an old quarry where, after they got all the rock they needed out, a natural spring filled it up with water. They sunk airplanes, ocean liners, and school buses to make a training place for divers. It’s where a lot of certification dives happen. They also have a water park and rock-climbing wall, which is cool for friends that don’t dive. It’s like a diver’s playground.
The Bahamas; it’s the easiest. It’s very diverse, and really cheap to fly there. It’s a mix of wrecks, coral reefs, tropical fish, shark dives – pretty much everything diving has to offer. It’s not too intense. When I’m there I dive with Stewart’s Cove Shark Dives- it’s a great company, a bunch of bohemians. I usually stay at the Atlantis. You can get a cheap room there every time.
St. Thomas is really beautiful and has a lot of easy, shallow reefs. A lot of boats have hit them, so there are a lot of wrecks. There’s this thing there, the Lobster Hotel. I remember seeing it for the first time and 30-40 lobsters all poking their heads out. The stingrays and the man-rays are huge. There are sharks, reef sharks... they have beautiful night dives there. The amazing thing about night dives is that everything comes to life at night; that’s when the coral opens up. It’s incredible.
Cozumel is really beautiful. It’s pretty resort-y, with crystal-clear water. There’s 70-80 feet visibility. There you have to wear gloves when you dive so that your oils don’t ruin the coral. They’re very into preserving it, which is great. And, the sea turtles there are amazing.
Key West is fantastic. There are a lot of eels. It’s protected under the Florida Environmental Protection Act, so you’ll see a lot there that you won’t see other places. It’s a very, very special place. I used to have a condo in Hollywood, Florida so I’ve always just driven down for the day. They’re also starting to sink old navy ships to help build the coral, so all the little islands down there have this big beautiful coral. They put a lot into preserving the diving community. A lot of people don’t do that.
Another great way to do it is to take a cruise. It’s the best of both worlds. I did a Caribbean cruise last year and it stopped in St. Thomas, St. Martin, and Key West. It was a last-minute cruise deal off Orbitz for like $1,200. It’s great because they offer diving excursions and if it’s really bad weather with low visibility in one area it can be great weather with high visibility in another. And the food is included.

Where would you like to dive that you haven’t yet?
Andreadoria: I’m going there next summer. It’s the pinnacle of diving for me. It’s where an Italian ocean-liner sank off the coast of New Jersey. It’s the Everest of scuba diving. It’s 250ft down. The seas and the weather are really unpredictable. It’s a super-technical dive, which I find really alluring. You can see Italian artifacts, china, dishware… it’s one of the most advanced dives you can do.
I’d also like to go into ice diving. It’s in very cold waters so it’s clean and clear. It takes a lot more training as a lot more can go wrong. There’s also cave diving in Mexico and in Florida. In caves you can see animals and species you wouldn’t ever see otherwise.

Would you say you’re more into the technical aspects and the challenge?
Sometimes I like to go see the fish; sometimes I like to do the big technical wrecks. It depends on the mood.

Do you know many people in the fashion industry that dive?
I know two or three models that actually dive. One model, Noah Knipe, and I may open a dive shop together. He’s a rescue diver, and we’ve talked about maybe in two years opening a place in Key West. I may do a little more modeling and make a little more money first.

Do you think scuba diving is becoming more popular?
Definitely. More people are doing it. A lot of people are scared of sharks, but mostly they just need to be educated. More people are killed every year by pigs than sharks.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Looking to get your scuba diving feet wet (and maybe meet McNatt beyond the the interweb)? Stop by McNatt's local scuba shop, Scuba Network.
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My Town: Louisville, Kentucky
VHS or BETA’s Craig Pfunder on His Love For Bourbon, BBQ & College Basketball

While VHS or BETA’s lead singer/songwriter Craig Pfunder may hesitate when crediting his Kentuckian hometown with having influenced the dance, funk and post-punk-infused band, the parallels remain unavoidable. For the last 12 years Pfunder has called Louisville - the country’s Northernmost Southern City - home; and, next month sees the release of an album VHS or BETA is hoping will prove they don’t just make dance music. To put it simply, each is ripe with paradoxes.

Back in 2004, VHS or BETA, which also includes Mark Palgy (bass), Mark Guidry (drums), and Chea Beckley (keyboards), released Night on Fire, an LP that established the band as a dance music staple. But, come August 28th, the band will release its long-awaited, distinctive follow-up album, Bring on the Comets, and add a whole new sound into the VHS or BETA mix. Eagerly anticipating the new release, we figured we tide ourselves over with a Pfunder-led tour of Kentucky’s largest city’s best-kept secrets. In his own words:

Hey Craig.
Hi [yawns].

Are you just waking up [it’s 4pm]?
No, it’s kind of hot. I haven’t turned my air conditioner on yet today.

What’s your favorite thing about Louisville this time of year?
People do a lot of outdoor activities. We play this game called Corn Hole that’s kind of like horseshoes. People hang out outside; it's pretty green and lush. I tour so much during the summers usually that it’s really nice to be here right now.

The new album sounds very different from the last… what inspired the change?
The biggest inspiration was that we didn’t have to repeat ourselves. There was a moment when we kicked a member out and we had to pick up all the pieces, and that was pretty difficult and weird. We weren’t as afraid to write what we wanted to. There was lots of excitement and liberation. For a long time in the press and within our fan base VHS or BETA has been viewed as a band based solely on dance music. But if you look over our record collections there’s everything... we let a lot of that fear go with this album.

Was it all written in Louisville?
I wrote the whole record in the chair in my bedroom that I’m sitting in now.

I hope it’s comfortable…
It’s not the worst. It’s pretty unassuming – just a little black chair.

So when you’re in town, do you have any favorite venues – whether you’re on-stage or in the audience?
The last two times we played in Louisville we played the Louisville Palace. The last time we played a Thanksgiving show, that we try to do annually, with My Morning Jacket. We’ve also played Headliners Music Hall, an 800-1000 capacity venue. It’s the usual place where national touring bands go – the Decemberists and Kings of Leon were just there. There are also a few places like Pour Haus where I just saw Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. That was amazing because they’re both amazing at what they do. It’s kind of a dive bar in this area called Germantown. The places we generally go are probably a little more dive-y. The Pour Haus is in a weird part of town and it draws this cross-gender of types of people. You’ll see a guy with a three-foot long mullet wearing a Panama City shirt… but not the Williamsburg kind, the real version… so, you’re not like whoa; you’re like holy shit that’s amazing!

And do you have a staple record shop?
Ear X-Tacy is one I always go back to. It’s huge. I’ve been going there for twelve years. They have tons and tons of shit there. It’s as big as a Tower but it’s independent. They’re good about getting imports and other cool things. They have in-stores too.

What about for your first meal out after being on the road…
There’s a place I worked at before I could make a living off making music. It’s an all-American bistro called Jack Frys – it’s fine dining mixed oddly with Southern flair. It looks like NY – tons of black-and-white photos of old, historic Louisville and I love the food. It’s my favorite restaurant in the whole city.

And for BBQ?
Mark’s Feed Store. There are like 5 or 6 of them locally. Everyone we’ve ever taken there has really liked it. Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot has really good ribs and putt-putt.

What about the band's favorite watering holes?
We’ll go to Monkey Wrench – my friend owns it. They’ve got good food and have had bands play. On the weekends they’ll have DJs. I’ve thrown a few after-parties for bands there like Kings of Leon. The Nach Bar has tons of good beer. In the summer you can sit outside.

And any great places for Bourbon?
There’s actually a place called Bourbons Bistro . They totally focus on bourbon. They have like 100 different kinds. And there’s this hotel, the Seelbach Hilton Louisville, where the bar in the bottom of it has a really good selection of Bourbon.

Oh, I’ve read about that place. Didn’t Al Capone used to rent a room there for all of his meetings?
Yeah. It’s also mentioned in the Great Gatsby. It’s pretty cool.

Any other Louisville traditions of note?
There’s the track [the Kentucky Derby]…

So you’ve been?
I have. I’m more of a poker guy. We have a cash game at my house every Tuesday. [The track is] only open during certain times a year. It’s a fun time though, drinking beer, eating hot dogs, all the people. There’s also the forest – wildlife areas that are zones off the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky… the largest caves in the worlds. There’s also University of Louisville Cardinal. If we ever get tickets then we go to that. When we were on tour with Duran Duran we had to have TVs installed in our dressing rooms so we could watch the games. We should have been excited about being on tour with Duran Duran, but, instead, all we wanted to do was get to the final four.

What brought you to Louisville in the first place?
I decided to move here because of a woman; or, I should say, a girl. I was really young… it didn’t work out.

Why did you stay?
I just set up camp and figured out how to play music and how to make a living off it. Now I’m doing exactly what I want. It’s so quiet. When we’re off tour, it’s really conducive to winding down.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go there:
Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot, 3204 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, (502) 895-6994
The Nach Bar, 969 Charles Street, Louisville, (502) 637-4377
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My Town: Bucks County, PA
Illinois’ Chris Archibald on the Band’s Beloved Pennsylvanian Homeland

Regardless of the fact that most music aficionados aren’t yet on a first-name basis with the Bucks County-based band Illinois -- whose members include vocalist/guitarist/key-ist/banjo-ist Chris Archibald, bassist/vocalist Martin Hoeger, guitarist/vocalist Andrew Kee, and drummer John Paul Kuyper -- they soon will be. Following a memorable SXSW show last summer, the four-man-strong, folk-infused rock band has since released a heavily heralded debut LP, What the Hell Do I Know, toured with the likes of Brit-rockers the Kooks, and even designed a t-shirt for Playboy magazine. In other words, the group, who grew up together in the quaint, somewhat sleepy Pennsylvanian area that’s housed everyone from Dorothy Parker to Pink, is off to a great start.

Whether the band’s recent success is a result of Archibald’s prolific songwriting, its members’ seemingly unbreakable bonds (as Archibald puts it, “you can’t get sick of your best friends”), or just something in the water supply, is hard to pinpoint. But, if one thing is for certain, Illinois’ hometown has had an effect on both the band and its music. After a handful of failed attempts at catching Archibald on the phone (he left his cell phone in Houston while on tour and is temporarily without one), we finally reached him on the road, via his manager’s phone, on their way back to Bucks County. So we asked:

How was the McCarren Pool performance this past Sunday?
Fantastic. It’s huge. There was Slip n’ Slide, Dodge Ball, free beer and a couple thousand people.

And, now you’re heading home to Bucks County?
Yep. We’ve got about an hour of driving to do.

What’s the best thing about living in Bucks County?
There are no natural disasters. There is no crime, really. You can leave your doors unlocked. Kids still ride their bikes on the street. Baseball games. It’s relaxing. I live in South Hampton, where the main street is called Street Road. I mean, come on, why would I want to live anywhere else?

Would you live anywhere else?
Maybe San Francisco.

What’s the worst thing about living in Bucks County?
I don’t know… the price of gas? I’m really offended. There’s nothing bad about Bucks County. Well, it is getting kind of overpopulated. There’s a Baskin Robbins/Dunkin Donuts popping up on every corner. There are just too many people living here now.

Is Illinois working on new material, or are you guys taking a breather before playing Lollapalooza next month?
We’re going straight home for a bit, to do some recording ourselves. We’ve got some new stuff we’re trying; we want to re-group. We’ve also got a couple of possible tours lined up for fall, and one confirmed tour with the band Menomena. They’re good friends of ours and they’re kind of blowing up so it’s going to be fun.

So, when you're home, do you have a staple record store that you frequent?
Yeah, definitely. Siren Records. It’s pretty much home base.

Are there any particular local venues you love for performing or watching a show?
I love Classic Cigar Parlor. It’s this little loft space that holds like 30 people and we’ve played shows there where the kids are piled on top of each other. They do everything from singer/songwriter nights, to bands that play punk rock music at 210 beats per minute. Also, the Doylestown Moose. We’ve played there before. It’s fun. It’s exactly like the Water Buffalo Lodge in the Flintstones. There are big moose heads on the walls, and you can have your wedding reception there or they’ll rent it out for shows.

Any local acts you’re especially excited about?
There’s a lot of great stuff going on in Bucks County. We’re good friends with all of them – Peasant, Eastern Conference Champions , The Cobbs, Dr. Dog

What are some of your favorite late-night spots?
There’s a string of bars that our bass player works for; they’re called Big Heads. It’s the kind of place where you feel like everyone knows your name, and I drink for free. It’s kind of like a sports bar – it’s not very cool at all. It’s really either houses or the bar. The great thing about Bucks County is that you can see the stars, so you just sit at a friend’s house with some mosquito spray and [laughs] you’re good.

What’s your favorite Bucks County summer pastime?
Pool-hopping. You know, when you drive around looking for pools, jump the fence, get in and get out.

Do you have a favorite place to pool-hop?
No, it’s not really about favorites. The idea is to do as many as you can. It’s just putting another notch in the bedpost.

Any other outdoor sports you’re big on?
Fish and golf. We’re all pretty big dorks.

Does Bucks County have some good courses?
Five Ponds is my favorite, but there are a bunch. Martin still says he killed a dog at the Northampton Valley Country Club. ‘There was this old lady sitting there, she was crying and holding this dead dog’… I still don’t believe him.

Where would you go out to dinner if your parents were footing the bill?
Chestnut Hill. It’s not too far away. They have hibachis, fondue, all kinds of fancy-schmancy shit. It’s the kind of place you’d take your mom for Mother’s Day, because more expensive makes your parents happy.

And what about hotels – where would you recommend your friends to stay if they weren’t up for crashing on your couch?
Doylestown has a nice hotel. I think it’s called the Doylestown Inn. But, if anyone was opposed to sleeping on our couch… if you’re too fancy for our fucking floor you can go back to Jersey [laughs].

What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get back to Bucks County?
I’m going to shower. And then I’m going to eat and enjoy the air conditioning. I can’t wait for it. We don’t have any air conditioning in the van. It makes us cranky. All the guys stuffed in together. It feels like we’re a big bunch of gummy bears.

What do you guys listen to on the road?
Not Dan’s iPod [laughs]. When we were on the tour with the Kooks we listened to them so we could be more familiar… TV on the Radio, the Monkees, Sirius Satellite ... We listen to a lot of Howard Stern. You can get kinda sick of music. Sometimes you need a goddamn break.

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Five Ponds Golf Course, 1225 W. Street Rd., Warminster, (215) 956-9727
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My Town: Boston
DJ/Producer Red Foxx Divulges Beantown’s Best Spots

The capital city of Massachusetts has never been known for its nightlife. That is, unless you count beer pong at the Sigma Phi Frat House, or bar crawls on Newbury Street. But, over the past few months, a certain red-haired DJ/producer with a penchant for throwing sweaty dance parties has been changing all that.

Thanks to a little help from his friends (i.e. the DJ crew Hearthrob, Sensitive Hand, Morgan Louis and Baltimoroder Julian Wadsworth, 24, better known in some cases by his adopted moniker Red Foxx, has been doing his part to motivate the masses. After landing a degree in Film and Audio from Emerson in just three years, the Norfolk, VA-native turned Roxbury, MA resident made his way onto the music scene. In addition to making waves with his recent remix of a track from The Teenagers, as well as producing Sluttt, he’s been causing a ruckus all over Beantown. Thus, he could also be considered the perfect tour guide. So we asked:

How would you describe Boston to someone who’s never been…
For all its pomp and fanfare of being the cradle of the American Revolution, it's basically a village where not much goes on. Fall through spring the city swells like an obese man in a pie-eating contest, only the pies are college students from across the globe. Unfortunately, at least 90% of them are either International brats who like tribal house, or Kansas bros who are on a first-name basis with "Bob" (Marley) and "Dave" (Matthews). With such a transient population it's hard for significant cultural events to really take hold, but the few of us who are forced to live here manage to make a handful of fun things happen.

Tell me about the parties you’ve thrown with Hearthrob?
The Hearthrob party itself started on a Tuesday at a pretty popular venue. There aren't a lot of comfortable nightlife destinations for those with adventurous tastes so we decided that even if it was a Tuesday, we have a perfect venue, so let’s just make it happen. We made a MySpace page, made video flyers, and basically alienated our jobs and families for the night. Fortunately, it all paid off and now we have lines up the block every time we throw it. It's still on Tuesdays.

What kind of tunes do you spin to drive the kids wild, and where’s the party held?
The music started with really standard party jams on the hiphop/disco/house end with as much electro as we could sneak in. Now we play almost all electro and house and we sneak in the party favorites. Basically we had to get the crowd to trust us, and once that happened, we could give them things they'd never heard and they'd be open to dance to it. So right now it’s a lot of our own edits, a lot of Switch/Sinden/Dubsided shit, some Baltimore club, some big room English/Swedish mafia electro-house that I guiltily can't get enough of, some house classics, a lot of French touch, and the occasional crunk bangers. The party is at Middlesex Lounge in Cambridge. Cambridge is like the Brooklyn of Boston except the cool kids don't look like they’re homeless.

Where can you be found partying the other nights of the week?
There are a couple of other good parties. We hang at the smaller venues, mostly all in Cambridge -- Zuzu, Enormous Room, other nights at Middlesex... Gentrification is a bitch here and the thriving art-loft scene of last summer is basically dead due to developers kicking everyone out. The Thunderdome monthly is always fun at the grimy Elk's Lodge, which is like the black Freemason organization. They rent out the place for hardcore shows and my boy Mistaker rents it and throws dirty sweaty parties, like DIY rave-style. Night swimming also in public fountains or the beach where my friend got gangrene from the water, that's always fun.

Is there a particular late-night grease-trap you frequent post-party?
Sushi in Chinatown is basically the best bet if it's in your agenda... there's mad spots for sushi and it's good. You always see friends and you can always order booze with secret code words till like 5 am.

What kind of code words?
Do cops read your blog? Cold Tea is classic. Or just a "pitcher." Like "yeah and one of those pitchers."

Only New York’s finest… once the sun rises, where do the cool kids go to shop, be it for clothes, kicks or the latest Ed Banger LP?
I personally like Stel's on Newbury for upscale shit... APC jeans, Spring Court sneakers... anytime you need something simple that fits like it was sewn for you, that’s the place. For streetwear, Bodega. Legendary spot, great buyers, it looks like a shitty convenience store in the front complete with RC cola and then the soda machine slides out to reveal a crispy boutique. All the dudes who work there are friends and really good people. Karmaloop has a store on Newbury too, more mainstream streetwear but they’re good people; I always stop by and read a magazine on the green couch, usually with an iced yerba mate from Espresso Royale up the street. Newbury Comics is the only record store I really stop into... All the kids work there and they always get what’s good. I couldn't find the new Gang Gang Dance DVD in that store once and I was looking everywhere until finally someone who worked there brought me to the "Hot New Release" section and it was right there next to the Young Jeezy album. It's that kind of place.

And if you’re going to opt for fine dining?
Well I'm not really into atmosphere, unless it's Fugakyu in Brookline, which has amazing sushi and looks like a setting from an Asian gangster flick. It’s 2 stories and really lavish and there's tons of dudes in suits with those headsets on and girls in kimonos and really thin aisles and Tatami rooms and you feel like any minute some dude is going to bust through the wall with double Desert Eagles shooting the place up. But for me it's food that matters, so that's why Petit Robert Bistro is my favorite. Very plain bistro decor, but the French cuisine will kick your ass. Escargot is so good, duck confit, the rabbit… everything is smothered in butter and salt and served with sausage and it's just the most savory food you've ever eaten. And the prices are good

And, last but not least, if you could shack up for a night at any hotel in the city, where would you choose?
I know XV Beacon is the hottest luxury boutique hotel. Also the Charlesmark is supposed to be good. I like the hotel bar at the Lenox though, City Bar. They have a good scotch menu and the whole thing has those RGB cycling lights so it feels like you are on acid because the color of the bar slowly keeps changing. If you are on a budget you can check Craigslist and rent apartments in the North End if you’re staying for 3 or more nights. It's like $80 or $90 a night and you are right in Little Italy, which has the best restaurants. Or you can sleep on my couch but I stay up really late and you’re the designated driver, ok?

~Alisa Gould-Simon

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My Town: Cool Down in NYC
Where to Chill (in Every Borough)

In the ‘burbs they’ve got summers easy–– just throw on a bathing suit and run through the sprinkler system.  But in one of the most heavily-populated cities in the world, we’ve got to find more creative ways to get fresh air and a good cool-down. From sharing an ice-cold beer with some friends, to licking a drippy fro-yo down the street, no matter where you are in NYC, there are some simple ways to beat the heat this summer. With temperatures quickly escalating, we’ve all hiked our shorts way up, and found some prime tactics to cool off around our favorite city. 

Queens
Indoors: Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, Astoria - Partake in a 90-year-old tradition of enjoying frosty cold beers at one of the oldest beer gardens left in the city. Whether you sit indoors or out, you can enjoy your favorite imported or domestic beer at a picnic table and do  “cheers” with your friends long into the wee hours of the night.
Outdoors: Water Taxi Beach, LIC - Sip on a cold fruity cocktail from one of the many bars on the strip while you sink your toes in the sand and gaze at an amazing view of midtown Manhattan. Even catch a ride on the Water Taxi for a short, cool mini-cruise and enjoy the New York skyline. 

Manhattan
Indoors: The Metropolitan Museum -Take advantage of one of the most icily air-conditioned spots in Manhattan and catch the “Frank Stella on the Roof” installation while you’re at it.
Outdoors: Pinkberry -The frozen treat that markets itself simply as “swirly goodness” is a massive hit with West Coasters, with stores throughout California. Now invading the East coast, Pinkberry now offers up a low-fat way to cool down with 3 stores in Manhattan, and a new one opening up in Nolita. 

Brooklyn
Indoors: Galapagos Art Space - Smack in the middle of Williamsburg, this nightclub/art space has a reflecting pool right on the premises where you can sneak in a nippy dip for your feet.  And if that’s not cool enough for you, at least the crowd will be. Don’t miss the summer parties before it moves to its new DUMBO location.
Outdoors: Coney Island Park - Take the worthwhile trip out to the end of the train lines in Brooklyn for a ride on the Scream Machine or the Python roller coaster for a stomach-turning, hair-blowing cool-down -- and catch a good tan. 

Staten Island
Indoors: Ralph's Italian Ice - Famous for having some of the yummiest Italian ices in New York, this Staten Island establishment has been serving up brain-freezes since 1928 with tongue-color-changing flavors from cherry cola to margarita.
Outside: Staten Island Ferry - Catch this 25-minute free ride down at the tip of Battery Park over to Staten Island for a breezy trip across the Hudson. And for an ultimate cool-down tip, stand directly in the center of the front entranceway where the air channels into a powerful wind tunnel for those sweltering days. 

Bronx
Indoors/Outdoors: Bronx Zoo - The Bronx Zoo’s got your inside and out cool-down needs covered. For just 5 bucks, you can take a ride on the Wild Asia Monorail for an aerial glide around the zoo, to see the animals in their outdoor habitats and catch a breeze while you cross the water. And if that’s not enough, check out their indoor exhibit “World of Darkness” to see nocturnal animals from bats, to snakes, to two-toed sloths—because even if you can’t cool off in here, seeing these creatures peer at you through the darkness is enough to give you chills.
*And for a tasty summer treat in any borough, indulge yourself in a pint of some 5 Boroughs Ice Cream, with flavors from Upper East Side’s “Rich White Vanilla,” to South Bronx’s “Cha-Cha Chocolate.”

~Leann Peterson

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My Town: Montreal
Wolf Parade’s Dan Boeckner on Handsome Furs & His Beloved Hometown

Long pegged as the punk complement to fellow Wolf Parade-r Spencer Krug’s boyish charm, Dan Boeckner isn’t an artist easily categorized.  Not only is the songwriter/musician incredibly prolific – in addition to penning and performing songs with the aforementioned Montreal-based indie-rock band Wolf Parade (which took the music industry by storm with their debut LP in 2005), Boeckner and his fiancée Alexei Perry recently launched Handsome Furs, whose premier LP, Plague Park, which hit record stores late last month, has already garnered critical acclaim.  Oh yeah, and his lyrics and melodies are about as infectious as Black Death (note: the fact that the latter LP was influenced by black metal and includes the word plague in its title is purely coincidence).

We’ve long been curious about the wealth of creativity flourishing north of the border, so we called up Boeckner at home to discuss his music, upcoming marriage, and his favorite French-Canadian city’s best-kept secrets:

Where exactly do you live?
Myland, in the middle of the city, north of Sainte-Catherine’s, which is the big strip.  North of that is the former big, ‘cool’ neighborhood, Plateau. 

Kind of like Williamsburg?
[Laughs] It’s not quite a Williamsburg.  There’s a big [international] population.  There’s no real way it’s going to get gentrified.  I don’t see American Apparel moving in anytime soon. 

What brought you to Montreal in the first place?
I moved from Victoria four years ago.  It was just time for me to get out of town, and I’d lived in Montreal before.  Then, about a year and a half ago I moved back to Vancouver.  Alexei was living there at the time… 

Is she originally from Vancouver as well?
No, she’s from Montreal.  She was actually born a couple of blocks away from where we live now. 

Why Montreal?
It’s my favorite city in Canada.  It’s really closer to a city in Europe.  The French influence is big.  I mean, you’ll be out late, really late, and you’ll see grandmothers out having a glass of wine.  It’s pretty cosmopolitan.  Vancouver’s pretty white, Chinese and Korean.  Here there’s much more diversity, more cultural influence.  There’s the second largest Hasidic Jewish community in North America across the street from us. 

How would you describe the local music scene after the press’ intensive coverage of ‘Montreal music’ a few years back…
There are more bands right now than there were then, but there had already been a big Montreal music scene before with bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor!  It slacked off a bit before Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade but that was really more of a media construct than anything – a self-fulfilling prophecy.  There are more bands now than there were then when Filter and Spin magazine were sending people up here to cover the ‘Montreal scene.’  It’s a pretty good scene now.  You don’t have to be surrounded by hipsters if you don’t want to be. 

Are there any up-and-coming local bands you’re really excited about?
Yeah.  The band The Witchies; the drummer is from Daddy’s Hands, and its got Chad Jones who used to be Frankie Sparo [the Witchies’ debut gig is at the Suoni Per II Popolo Festival in Montreal this month].  Alexei and I took him [Jones] on tour to Scandinavia and after coming back he started this rock band.  It’s pretty fucking great. 

Let’s talk about Handsome Furs for a moment.  First off, what’s the origin of the name?
It comes from a book called Victorian Advertisements, by Leonard de Fries.  It was actually a short story Alexei was working on, taken from an ad for men’s fur coats.  We just thought, ‘that’s a fantastic name for the band!’ 

In what ways, if any, would you say Montreal influenced the album?
Maybe in the tone of the record… we recorded it in the dead of winter.  But a lot of the lyrics were written while we were in Europe, Easter Scandinavia.  Also, a lot were written while we were living in Vancouver, which is where the negative urban life stuff came from.  So, to me, it’s more Vancouver than it is Montreal.  I really like Montreal.  I don’t have any problems with it, except that it’s pretty fucking cold.  Like yesterday, it was cold for no reason.  It’s nice today though… balmy. 

The Sub Pop press page really pushes Handsome Furs as a paradox – simultaneously urban and rural, etc.  So, for starters, where do you go for a full on, ‘out ‘til dawn’ kind of night?
A lot my friends here live in these big, older apartments so there are these guerilla dance parties.  Hadji [Bakara] from Wolf Parade has this sound system project [i.e. secret dance parties].  There was this street parade recently and he hooked up the sound system under this underpass and there were like 300 or 400 people going bananas. You can YouTube that shit.  The next one is on St. Jean Baptiste Day down at the Lachine Canal Port

What about when you’re looking for a more low-key night out?
There’s a bar called Café Romolo.  It’s really great.  In the back they have a crappy living room set up with old couches.  And they play good music.  There’s also Korova; my friend Nick ‘the Prick’ owns it.  It’s worth going just to see him.  He’s one of he best bartenders in the city; he knows everyone and is pretty genial. 

Do you have a favorite music venue?
Definitely.  The Sala Rossa is this old Spanish social club, so it has a stage with big velvet curtains and hardwood floors.  Tons of good bands – Black Dice, Wolf Eyes, Deerhunter– have played there… mostly underground bands that are just starting to make good.  Also, Zoobizarre, which looks like a medieval dungeon.  They’re both the kind of places you can randomly go to and something good will be happening. 

And, as for restaurants, what are some of your favorites?
Le Jardin du Cari, which means ‘the curry garden.’  It’s across the street from our house.  They’ve got rotis, and chicken with hot sauce.  It’s fucking amazing.  It’s really cheap and good.  And Pho-Bak - a Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown.  Their soups are really good.  It’s cheap and the décor is amazing. 

Any hotels you’d recommend?
There are some boutique hotels – Hotel Gault and Godin, which is pretty new.  Hotel Godin is in a pretty decent neighborhood, pretty central and I’ve heard it’s nice.  I’ve been to Hotel Gault and the rooms look nice. 

What about a favorite record shop?
There’s a real lack of good record shops in Montreal.  The one really good one is Cheap Thrills.  They have really good vinyl, lots of weird stuff and all reasonably priced. 

Maybe one day you’ll have to start your own…
[Laughs] Actually a friend of mine used to sell vinyl out of the back of his apartment.  This guy Warren.  But he’s in Thailand now.  He found a bootleg vinyl of the Velvet Underground’s first album with all these different versions of the songs at a garage sale in NYC.  He ended up selling it on eBay for like $40,000, so the record shop is temporarily on hold. 

Do you have a favorite latest discovery?
We just went to the Biodome.  It’s this enormous place with an Amazon habitat.  It’s pretty fucking awesome.  It’s the least cool place - not exactly a hipster hangout, but I loved it.  It was great to be a tourist in my own town. 

And what’s the first place you go when it finally gets warm?
I go to the park, generally Mount Royal.  It’s this huge old park that was designed by the same guy who designed Central Park.  There’ll be these giant, organized soccer games and medieval revivalists fighting with duck-taped swords.  That’s really big here actually, there will be like a 100 of them on Sundays putting on fights.  And, in the middle of the park there’s this mini-mountain; Alexei and I are getting married there in a few weeks. 

Are you and Alexei planning to stay in Montreal indefinitely?
We’d like to live in other cities around the world, but I think we’ll always have Montreal as our home base.  It’s totally unlike any other city. 

Even despite the cold?
Yeah.  You get a lot done in the winter. 

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Café Romolo, 272 Bernard Street West, (514) 272-5035
Korova, 3908 bd. Saint-Laurent, near rue Duluth, (514) 848-0343
Le Jardin Du Cari, 21 rue Saint-Viateur West, (514) 495-0565
Pho-Bak, rue Saint-Denis, south of rue Sainte-Catherine

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My Town: Encinitas, California
Hotshot Sports Agent Circe Wallace on Her Hometown Hideaway

The quintessentially sleepy beach-town of Encinitas, California is home to a bevy of Action Sports industry executives and athletes, including former professional snowboarder and agent from Wasserman Media, Circe Wallace. She could probably give Ari Gold, from HBO’s Entourage, a run for his money; however this power player manages professional skateboarders and snowboarders, not Hollywood’s hottest actors.

During the 1990s, when Wallace was a professional rider herself, little girls looked up to her and said, “If she can do it, so can I!” plastering her team poster, from Ride Snowboards, on their bedroom walls for inspiration. Quite the role model during her heyday. Things haven’t changed much. Wallace still takes heliriding trips around the world, yet now does it with her athletes, like Travis Rice, who, at present, is probably considered the best big mountain rider in the world. Let’s just put it this way, the chick jumps into helicopters, descends 10,000 feet above sea level and inks multimillion-dollar deals. Yeah, she’s bad-ass.

But even bad-ass chicks need time to rejuvenate their bodies and wind down from traveling. Ergo why Wallace calls Encinitas home sweet home. In between inking the latest deal for Wasserman Media, Wallace gave psychoPEDIA some time to chat about her oasis: 

How long have you lived in Encinitas and why did you end up there of all places?
I have been lucky enough to be in Encinitas for about 10 years. I am originally from Seattle/Northwest and after my first surf trip to Encinitas with my boyfriend of the time, famous old snowboarder/artist Jamie Lynn, I was set. Never wanted to leave.  

If someone were to visit and stay there, what hotel would be best (or even nearby?)
Well it depends on your budget. Now I would stay at the Aviara Four Seasons in Carlsbad (about 5-8 miles north of Encinitas) but if I was on a budget I might stay at the Moonlight Beach Motel. Ghetto-fabulous and a stone’s throw from D Street, one of my favorite Encinitas surf spots. I would highly recommend the campsite at the state park in Encinitas. It’s the best view in town and you can walk down the stairs to the water!

What's the quintessential "Encinitas Outing" like?
Encinitas is pretty mellow. I would say a sunset surf, followed by a nice outdoor shower, dress casually for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in town. Encinitas has a great downtown right on the Pacific Coast Highway (101) with good Thai (Siamese Basil), Italian (Vigilucci's Trattoria), Vietnamese (Kim's) or my absolute downtown favorite is a tiny little Peruvian restaurant called Amici, it’s all made fresh by a Peruvian family.  It’s one of the best restaurants I have ever been to.  If you go, splurge and get the chef’s menu. It’s more food than you think you can eat, but do because it’s so ridiculously amazing.  The food comes out in courses and can be accompanied with a nice red wine...

Hottest bars and/or nightlife?
Nightlife?  Not much to speak of here. There are a few good dive bars, The Saloon, I think has been there for a hundred years and smells accordingly, it has a pool table and amazingly cheap drinks, good jukebox and on Thursday night some 21-year-olds. Or Yogi’s sports bar has a popping Friday night or anytime there’s a game. But one of my favorite date spots for a drink is the Chart House (drinks and appetizers at the bar only! Dining room is stuffy) or Beach House right on the water…

What's the best surfer's beach?
I love to go to D-Street or Georges. They are easy and fun and lots of cute boys...

Why do you think most professional surfers, snowboarders and skaters find themselves living there?
It’s a quiet beach town that has a nice environment for taking a break from the craziness. Good fun but mellow waves, OK water quality (not great), close to LA without having to live in LA, close to San Diego Airport or the city for nightlife but far away enough. It’s quieter.

Shopping? What are the best spots?
Downtown Encinitas has a few cute stores. Barberella for girls clothes on the Coast Highway. There is Magical Child, my favorite for babies and gifts for children, is an amazing store in the Lumberyard. Hansen’s is good surf stuff, and the best local shop for men’s apparel is UNIV, all on the Coast Highway...

And romantic spots?
Making out on the beach at sunset would be my favorite... 

~Jessica McMenamin

Go There:
Siamese Basil, 527 S. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, (760) 753-3940
Kim's Restaurant, 745 S. Coast Highway 101, #103J, Encinitas, (760) 942-4816
Amici, 564 S. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, (760) 753-9050
Saloon, 546 S. Coast Highway, Encinitas, (760) 753-1366

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My Town: Chicago
Kid Sister
On Why the Windy City’s It

To those folks living in New York and L.A., Chicago may seem as irrelevant as last week’s MisShapes party.  However, Kid Sister - who’s steadily gaining attention and packing dance floors worldwide with her club-rap hits Kid Sister's EP on iTunesDamn Girl,’ ‘Pro Nails,’ and ‘Control’ - couldn’t be prouder to call the Windy City -- which has also produced musicians like Miles Davis, Kanye West, Jeff Tweedy and Pete Wentz -- home.

A Chicago native who grew up in the South Suburbs of the city, Kid Sister (aka: Melisa Young) is supported on-stage by her brother/DJ Josh (aka: J2K of Flosstradamus).  When she’s not slangin’ kids’ clothes in Roscoe Village, she’s performing at SXSW and Coachella, or heading across the pond on tour with boyfriend A-Trak. Oh, and her full-length album is coming out mid-summer.

Jealous yet? Attention from the likes of i-D, Pitchfork, and Vice would turn any girl’s head, but much like Chicago itself, Kid Sister’s all about keeping it real.  After all, the name Chicago was roughly translated from an Algonquin word meaning ‘onion field,’ back when the city had just begun to rise from the swamps of early 1800s Illinois.  Its reputation for rough winters and crooked politics aren’t for the faint of heart, and its local cuisine isn’t for the weak of stomach, as anyone who’s eaten a Chicago-style hot dog can attest to. We caught up with Kid Sis mid-transit to find out her favorite places in the City of Big Shoulders, (as well as where she gets her nails done when she’s in NYC): 

What’s the best/worst thing about living in Chicago?
There is no 'worst thing'- Chicago is the shit! 

Favorite hood to hang out in…
Hrmmm, in Chicago? My own, Irving Park Road. It’s really long and weird and goes through so many random neighborhoods. I followed it west to La Pena, an Ecuadorian restaurant/club in Portage Park the other night. That was fuuuuuuun! And in New York, I like where my boyfriend (A-Trak) lives in Harlem. I can get my nails done a block from the house really cheap. It’s also close to my favorite Jamaican place from back in the day. After that, Soho ‘n’ LES of course.  I like to shop when I'm not broke. And eat at the Pink Pony... my friend is the manager there! 

Favorite place to play/ see bands play?
Empty Bottle is fun... Cakeshop was too. 

Best place for drunken dancing with friends:
La Pena! Why? REGGAETON! 

Best hangover brunch/breakfast place?
I’m not that big of a brunch person because I always work on Sundays! I liked the breakfast burrito at Superfine in DUMBO, but haven't been there in four years since I moved away! :( 

I personally can't get enough Mexican food in me ever. There's a place called Los Nopales near my house... it’s the best Mexican food I have ever tasted for the money. The tilapia tacos are better than anything I've ever eaten in all my 26 years and are only $1.60!  

Favorite late-night grease trap: 
Pick Me Up Cafe in Lakeview. I’ve been going there since before I could drive.  

Favorite place to blow a paycheck?
Loehmann's !!!!!!!! Have you SEEN their shoe department!? 

 Favorite place to get culture/history: 
My grandmother... she's from Stone Mountain, GA, right outside Atlanta. She always has good stories for me. I could take an African-American history class and fall asleep watching 20-year-old PBS specials every week (as I have done), or just talk to grandma. She's so wise!  

Place to go for quiet/escape:
Montrose Beach at night. 

~Stephanie Benard

For more windy-city fun, psychoPEDIA recommends:
Hotels
The Intercontinental: Originally built as the Medinah Athletic Club in 1929, it’s famous for its amazing Roman-style art-deco pool on the 13th floor.
505 N. Michigan Ave, (312) 944-4100

Sofitel: European boutique hotel boasting great design.
20 E. Chestnut St, (312) 324-4000

Late-night Dining
Golden Apple Diner: A city institution that’s open 24hrs a day, everyday.  It’s consistently packed after the bars close.
2971 N. Lincoln Ave, (773) 528-1413

Brunch
Orange: Fresh, seasonal, often organic dishes and (you guessed it) fresh-squeezed juices.  They also offer a tasty take on green eggs and ham.
3231 N. Clark Street, (773) 549-440

Drunk Dancing
Danny’s: Bar converted from an apartment where everyone dances like crazy, often aided by ‘special’ muffins from the ubiquitous muffin lady of Wicker Park.
1951 W. Dickens Ave, (773) 489-6457

Sonotheque: the best non-club club, with the best acoustics in the city.  It attracts DJs from all over.
1444 W. Chicago Ave, (312) 226-7600

Culture
The Art Institute of Chicago: Built for the world’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, it’s one of the few buildings left standing after the fair.  Though known for its collection of impressionist paintings, the museum houses an impressive amount of 20th-century modern art. 

Hear it:
Catch Kid Sister and her ‘Pro-Nails’ at Canal Room this Saturday as part of The Rub’s monthly party: www.itstherub.com

Go There:
Pick Me Up Café, 3408 N Clark, (773) 248-6613
La Pena, 4212 N. Milwaukee Ave, (773) 545-7022
Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave, (773) 276-3600
Los Nopales, 4544 N Western Ave, (773) 334-3149
Montrose Beach, 4400 North Avenue, (312) 742-5121

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My Town: Brooklyn
In God We Trust’s Shana Tabor Muses on Her Favorite Borough

Very recently, a handful of young shop owners and restaurateurs who first made names for themselves in Brooklyn have started expanding onto the island itself, specifically in SoHo.  But, the newly-opened cross-borough outpost we’re most excited about is Shana Tabor’s In God We Trust.

The Brooklyn-based shop (now just over two-years-old) opened its new sister store last week on Lafayette Street, directly across from fellow Brooklyn-born, now also Manhattan-based vintage retailer Amarcord.  In addition to stocking its namesake men’s, women’s, and jewelry collections, In God We Trust’s laid-back, colonial-American-accented venue sells staples from local designers. 

On a particularly warm Tuesday this past week, we sat down with Tabor at her newly-opened boutique to procure a few recommendations for the bordering borough of Brooklyn (her hometown for the last eight years).  Here’s where to shop, eat, drink, and, most importantly, escape, in the New Hampshire-native’s own words:

What’s your favorite thing about NYC in the summer?
Getting away [laughs].  Ft. Tilden – a secret beach in Rockaway.  It used to be an army bunker or something.  It’s at the tippity-top of the Rockaway.  There are no people there. 

How did you first hear about it?
There was some segment on NPR where someone mentioned it.  Every single day someone would be talking about it.  So, finally I just rode my bike up there. 

And where do you live exactly?
In Williamsburg - the Graham stop off the L train. 

What’s inspiring you right now?
East Hampton…  I’m working on spring for next year.  Tennis… 

Do have any favorite Brooklyn spots for vintage shopping?
Atlantis Basement on Hope Street - it’s a mix of stuff.  It’s a notch above thrift-store junky.  And then Sydney’s Junk.  It’s off the Jefferson stop on the L in Bushwick.  It’s a total treasure.  A junk store.  A gem.  It used to be on Driggs [in Williamsburg] but they moved. 

Best brunch in Brooklyn?
Relish.  I love their Eggs Benedict and Bloody Mary’s. The fare is fancy American bistro.  It’s a mixed crowd.  Williamsburg hipsters, families, non-hipsters… it’s not a scene at all, which is so nice.  And they have a great patio you can eat on during the summer. 

Any other favorite eateries?
My fava fava fava restaurant is The Queen’s Hideaway in Greenpoint on Franklin Street.  It’s bitchin’.  It’s really small and you have to call for a reservation if you don’t want to wait.  The food is amazing, and the menu changes everyday.  There are two girls; one cooks, one waits tables.  I’ve had really good Southern food there, and really good New England food – like brown bread.  They’ll have a boiled dinner with brown bread and everyone else is sitting there going, ‘what’s brown bread?’  I love it.  The food’s simple, but always sophisticated. 

In your opinion, what’s Brooklyn’s best-kept secret?
Our Brooklyn store [laughs].  It’s not really a secret, but Gimme Coffee ‘cause their coffee is awesome.  

Are there any up-and-coming NYC-based lines you’re particularly excited about?
Shennan.  We sell her stuff here.  She’s a great lady.  And it’s a similar aesthetic to our stuff.  Also, Mina Stone.  We sell her at the Brooklyn store.  She does dresses, smocks, sweet understated.  Everything we carry, everything I’m into is a lot like our aesthetic. 

How would you describe the store’s aesthetic in five words or less?
Can you do that part for me [laughs]?  I don’t know.  It’s a junk shop where everything is for sale.  It’s comforting.  And everything is well-selected. 

What places do you find especially comforting in Brooklyn?
My bed.  The backyard of St. Helen Cafe is comforting. 

Do you frequent any other outdoor spots?
I’d say McCarren Park but everyone goes there.  Maybe, the Grand Street Waterfront

How do you think Brooklyn has informed your sense of style?
Maybe it sort of relaxed me a little bit, instilled some self-confidence. 

Have you seen any distinct difference with the way people shop or react to the store in Manhattan versus Brooklyn?
It’s so bad to say, but money.   The way people treat money in Manhattan.  In Brooklyn people will really appreciate a $250 dress.  And I hope to bring other elements of the Brooklyn store here.  We’re very intimate in Brooklyn.  I feel like I’m inviting people into my space; it feels similar to when you invite someone into your home. 

So what’s next?  More expansion?
I don’t want to expand anymore.  I think we’re opening up a showroom.  We already have men’s, women’s, and two jewelry lines.  And everything needs to be refined a bit. 

Do you see yourself staying in NYC indefinitely?
No.  When I leave here I’ll probably be moving to Portland, Oregon.  My brother lives there and my mom is moving there.  You can still live in a bungalow from the ‘20s!  I could do this there, but I don’t know if I’d want to.  There’s been a lot of talk about opening a small restaurant, a café.  It’d be my escape.  Having babies.  But I have to make sure I did everything I wanted to do, the way I wanted to before I leave. 

Going back to Brooklyn, any watering holes of choice?
I love Spuyten Duyvil.  It’s where Eskell shot their look book.  They have great wine, beer, cheese…  I’m not really sure where else though.  I have totally chilled out a lot in the past couple of years.  Oh, D.O.C. Wine Bar, across the street from our Brooklyn store. 

And what do you get there?
Wine, cheese, pickles, meat… everything I love.  And, Brick Oven Pizza on Havemeyer.  It’s super, super-chill, and their pizza is awesome.  Peter’s Favorite [Pizza Margherita plus arugula, prosciutto and shaved parmigiana] is my favorite.  And, Monday through Thursday they have 2 pizzas and wine for $20! 

Anything else you’re particularly excited about this summer?
The owners of Union Pool are opening a new lounge/bar on Berry and N. 6th in the old Saved store space.  The space is so beautiful, and I’ve heard it’s going to be an old dilapidated Cuban feel.  It’s supposed to be like a hotel lounge, where they pour bottles by the weight.  For 30-somethings-and-up.  I think they’re opening in June or July.  I can’t wait to see it! 

~Alisa Gould-Simon

 

Go There:
Atlantis Basement, 57 Hope Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, (718) 599-3737
Sydney’s Junk, corner of St. Nicholas and Starr Street, Bushwick, Brooklyn
The Queen’s Hideaway, 222 Franklin Street (Green Street), Greenpoint, Brooklyn, (718) 383-2355
St. Helen Café, 150 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg, (718) 302-1197
Brick Oven (Gallery) Pizza, 33 Havemeyer Street, Williamsburg, (718) 963-0200
Saved, 82 Berry Street, Williamsburg, (718) 388-5990

Atlantis Basement photo courtesy of sandwich! via Flickr
Fort Tilden photo courtesy of Sixeight via Flickr
Gimme Coffee photo courtesy of Fajitapot via Flickr
Brick Oven (Gallery) Pizza photo courtesy of Minimallyinvasivenj via Flickr
D.O.C. Wine Bar photo courtesy of Noah Kalina
Saved photo courtesy of Reversible Skirt via Flickr

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My Town: Alberta, Canada
Designer Paul Hardy on His Hometown’s Most Stylish Spots

Despite being born to a long lineage of accountants and bankers, Manitoba-bred and now-Alberta-based Paul Hardy followed his creative inclinations at an early age.  Lucky for fashionable femmes worldwide -- as the Canadian designer now produces collections of meticulously-crafted, eye-pleasing pieces, often credited as reminiscent of the Belgian design movement, and, more specifically, Marc Jacobs. 

In fall 2003, at age 30, Hardy became the first Canadian designer ever to show at New York Fashion Week – a monumental event that occurred just one season after the designer debuted his namesake line in Toronto and LA.  Since then, Hardy, who in the past has taken up residences in both London and New York, has continued life as an Alberta local.

So, we contacted Hardy following his latest collection presentation in New York at the Waldorf-Astoria, and enlisted his help as our Canadian guide to the Western province that he’s called home for the last nine years.  Here, Hardy reveals his favorite spots, including the best places to satiate your appetite for culture, cuisine and clothes:

How would you describe the direction your designs are currently heading?  And what has been inspiring you recently in terms of fashion design?
My Fall 2007 collection, titled “Light: the power of opposition,” is a symbolic reference to the state of culture - people appearing hard and sometimes steely or isolated on the surface, but then soft and vulnerable on the inside. The fabrications convey that idea, and the play with light when directed on the textiles furthers that concept. 

How has Alberta, Canada informed your sense of style?
The weather in Alberta can be quite erratic because of the mountains. So it can be warm and sunny in the morning, cold and rainy or even snowing in the afternoon. It lends good cause to owning a diverse wardrobe. 

What’s the best thing about living in Alberta?
The people are really great. Above that, the sun shines annually more here than any other part of the country.

And what’s the worst?
The weather through the spring can be a downer. When you get the odd snowfall in May, you begin to question if it will ever end.

What are your favorite places to go when you’re in need of inspiration?
The mountains. You have a sense of things greater than yourself when you are surrounded by them. 

Where do you go to shop?
For women I break it down into 4 categories:

Luxury goods: Holt Renfrew
Clothing: Primitive
Accessories: Rubaiyat
Shoes: Gravity Pope 

For men:
Clothing: Henry
Shoes: Good Foot

What about the best restaurant for a pocket-emptying dining experience?
Without question, Lido Cafe in Kensington. 

Best restaurant for breakfast/brunch?
Toss-up: River Café (higher-end) or Diner Deluxe

Name three favorite watering holes.
I don't drink, so I’d say Starbucks... haha. However, if I had to pick, I would probably choose: Bungalow, No Name, or James Joyce Pub

What are the best places to find cultural stimulation in Alberta?
Nature: Banff or Jasper
History: Drumheller Dinosaur Museum (aka: Royal Tyrrell Museum)
Calgary: Stampede
Edmonton: the West Edmonton Mall 

Best place to sleep (if you’re a tourist)?
Riverside Inn Kensington - in Kensington in Calgary, and the Post Hotel in the Mountains. 

What is Alberta's best-kept secret?
Vintage stores: the Cat’s Eye or What’s In Store

And the first place you go when the weather finally gets warm?
Prince's Island Park. 

Go There:
Primitive, 814-16 Avenue SW, Calgary, (403) 244-4404
Rubaiyat, 722 17th Avenue SW, Calgary, (403) 228-7912
Lido Café, 144 10th Street, Calgary, (403) 283-0131
Bungalo, 524-17 Avenue SW, Calgary, (403) 209-5005
No-Name, 14th and 17th Avenue SW, Calgary
What’s In Store, 1600 Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary, (403) 276-3066

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My Town: Hong Kong
Designer Nathan Jenden Navigates East & West

Few individuals jet-set as much as those in the fashion Industry, where one’s living quarters change continents as frequently as socialites change wrap dresses. And London-born-and-bred, now-NYC-based designer Nathan Jenden is no exception. Schooled at Central Saint Martins before relocating to the U.S. and becoming creative director of Diane Von Furstenberg’s eponymous line, Jenden is no stranger to life on the road, or exploring exotic locales for inspiration.

To boot, three (fashion) seasons ago, Jenden added both a son and his own artisan-inspired, much-heralded namesake line to his repertoire, ensuring that things for the 35-year-old are far from slowing down. Thus, it’s little surprise that one of the golden-maned designer’s preferred international destinations is the non-stop, sophisticated city by the sea, Hong Kong.

A history of British ownership (the region was fully emancipated just 10 years ago), and particular geographic positioning, grant the “fragrant harbor” an eclectic, unrivaled blend of both Eastern and Western culture – an ideal place to find inspiration and to indulge. So, we enlisted Jenden, currently in Hong Kong, as our guide. Here, he divulges where to find the best local designer fashions and dim sum, as well as the city’s newest hotspot. In his own words:

How often do you visit Hong Kong?
At least five times a year.

So you’re not just going for work…
No, I have a lot of friends and family in Hong Kong.

What are you doing there this time around?
I’m designing the DVF spring collection.

Any details you can give?
For the spring collection I'm looking at unorthodox interpretations of silhouettes and prints.

You’ve lived in quite a few big cities. How does Hong Kong compare?
Being a native Londoner, London has a lot of energy and history, and I love the fusion between the historical and the modern; New York has a gritty energy that drives me crazy in a good way; and I love the mix between the east and the west when I'm in Hong Kong.

What exactly is the influence that Hong Kong has had on your work?
Hong Kong has a certain international glamour that is very, very Nathan Jenden.

If you were to describe Hong Kong fashion in a single word, what would it be?
Hong Kong fashion is hard to wrap up in a single word. But if I were to describe it, I would say trendy.

So where in Hong Kong do you shop? Any particularly good places for local designers’ goods?
Soho and Nathan Road has really good, offbeat stuff, Lane Crawford has a great selection of designer goods, and the street markets have so much color and vibrancy.

And for a great meal that’s going on the corporate card?
For a feeling of colonial Hong Kong go to China Club. For classic dim sum, Yung Kee. And, for modern cuisine, go to Opia [lounge at the Philippe Starck-designed JIA boutique hotel].

Where do you go when looking for inspiration?
Everywhere – even just walking down the street.

What’s Hong Kong’s best-kept secret?
There’s a great new place right now called Halo. It’s in Lan Kwai Fong, which is a district in Hong Kong Island. It has a great vibe and it captures the essence of Hong Kong nightlife.

Where do you lay your head to rest after a late night at Halo?
Either the Four Seasons or the Peninsula. The Four Seasons is on Hong Kong Island in Central and the Peninsula is on the Kowloon side. This is separated by the harbor and both parts of Hong Kong are very unique.

Is there a plus side to traveling so much for work?
In traveling I get to spend time alone to myself - to read and to think - as well as experimenting with local cuisines, and seeing the local idiosyncrasies of different cultures.

And the downside?
Spending time apart from my wife and kids. They live in New York.

Where are you off to next?
I’m returning to London, then New York, then off again for a month in Asia with a stop in India along the way.

Go there:
China Club, 3-15/F Old Bank of China Building, Band St Central, Hong Kong
Nathan Road, Kowloon, from Tsim Sha Tsui to Mong Kok

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My Town: Dublin
The Glass on Finding the Best Pint of Guinness -- & Beyond

Emerald green vantage points filled with luscious grass, fancy cups of tea at 4pm and, well... pints of Guinness! Who could forget Guinness while in Dublin, Ireland, and for natives like Dominique Keegan and Glen Brady of NYC band The Glass, it's always a must-have beverage when visiting their hometown.

Keegan and Brady, self-proclaimed cheeky boys, actually met while attending the prestigious University of Dublin at Trinity College. Instantly their kindred sprits connected, and they found themselves packing bags and heading for New York City after graduation. Since landing stateside over 10 years ago, Keegan and Brady have been DJing around the city, and the globe, to packed houses of sweaty dancers bopping up and down to the latest from Green Velvet or TTC. Now, however, they're still DJing around the world, adding more work for themselves by producing an array of remixes for bands such as Panthers, 120 Days, The Photo Atlas and Robbers on High Street. So, it's only natural that their own band, The Glass, was formed a few years ago stemming from a bevy of musical knowledge and panache. When performing live, fellow artiste, Graham Finn, is brought in on bass to create their thumping, steadfast sound of concrete beats.

Fresh off several live shows in New York and a recent single, "Come Alive," out now on Plant Music, the boys have momentum on their side. psychoPEDIA caught them during a quiet moment to talk about their Irish roots in the birthplace that U2's Bono calls home. In their own words:

The Irish are known to, well, drink. A lot. So, where should one go for a nice pint of beer or cocktail?
There's this place called The South William, which is located right on South William Street. It's one of the new hot bars. It's right beside all the bars I used to hang out in while I was growing up. The food is great too, best service. All the right people hang out there. It's by far the best bar in Dublin right now. Best location too! There's really two cultures in Dublin -  pub culture and the new-school culture. They call them Super Pubs, the bigger places versus the Old World. On that tip, Long Hall on George's Street and Grogan's on South William Street - it's really, really gratty, it doesn't even look nice but has a great atmosphere. Really dodgy old taxi drivers hang out there. The best place to have a pint of Guinness, because of the quality of the pint, is this place called Mulligan's on Pollbeg Street.

What's up with the club scene in Dublin these days?
There's this party called the Clampdown [thrown by DJ Arveene + Johnny Moy]. It has various one-offs around the capital at secret locations and well-known venues around the city. Acii Disco Saturdays at this place called The Hub. At Temple Bar there's the best underground electro house club. If you're feeling a little disco and deep house, you should check out 52 Funk at Ri RA & Kennedy's on Westlan Row. Last but not least, there's a big club complex called POD and Crawdaddy's, and they have one big live venue where they also do big DJ things, yet they also have a smaller venue downstairs. There's a party there called Antics every Wednesday night at Crawdaddy's, the part of the complex owned by the former Prime Minister's nephew. The complex has been around for a long time, they keep changing it up and keep going on.

If someone was going to stay in the city, what hotel would you recommend and area that's cool?
The City Center is essentially what and where everything is, aside from the suburbs and where people live. So when you're at night "in town" as people call it, it's really easy to get around depending on where you're staying. The nicest old world hotel is The Shelbourne Hotel on Steven's Green; it's a really nice place to go for afternoon tea. There's a lot of new trendy hotels. The Clarence Hotel, which is owned by U2, is really cool. Their bar is really nice as well, The Octagon Bar, because they have nice cocktails there, but Dublin is not really a cocktail town. That's the one thing, if you're a New Yorker and you're out in Dublin, keep in mind when you order a drink, you're getting less alcohol! Stick with wine or beer in Dublin!

What would be a quintessential Dublin experience?
All the old pubs. That's where you're going to get all the characters and old men sitting around, that's where you'll get the most clash in the culture of Dublin! The must place though to visit in Dublin is Trinity College, which was founded by Queen Elizabeth. It's just incredible. The front square was designed and built in the 1600's. It's really old and beautiful and really quiet. Also, while you're there at Trinity, you should check out the book of Kells. It's from the 8th Century - made by monks. On the more touristy thing to do is check out the Guinness brewery. Our friends in the band Dead Combo, when they went, they had a lot of fun. That's all they talk about when speaking about their trip to Dublin. "Yeah Dom, we went to The Guinness Factory!"

Do you shop much while you're home visiting?
"Hmmmm, not that much, but when I do, there's this place called Proxy on South William Street, which is really trendy - loads of small European labels that never hit the High Street. The traditional High Street Dublin equivalent of Macy's, there's Brown Thomas. If you want to spend serious cash, then check out Harvey Nichols in Dundrum, a shopping centre full of hip designer labels at top-shelf prices."

Best restaurants?
"Well, the one thing that's not great in Dublin are restaurants! However there are a few places I really like. The restaurant Gruel - the chef there is an old friend of mine. He looks just like a young Tony Soprano! The place serves well-made wholesome food at a reasonable price. Fallon and Byrne is one of the best-stocked gourmet supermarkets that would be the equivalent to something like a Gourmet Garage here in New York City. It also has an OK restaurant upstairs and a really good wine cellar where you can tuck into a fine selection of. Well worth a visit after work."

~Jessica McMenamin

Go There:
South William Bar
, South William Street, Dublin
Mulligan's, 8 Poolberg Street, +353 1 677 5582, Dublin 2
52 Funk at Ri RA, Dame Court, +353 1 671 1220, Dublin 2
The Shelbourne Hotel, 27 St. Stephen's Green, +353 1 663 4500, Dublin 2
Gruel, 68a Dame Street, +353 1 670 7119, Dublin 2

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My Town: Paris
Black Strobe’s Arnaud Rebotini Singles Out the City of Light’s Best Spots

It’s official: a Parisian electro invasion is in full effect (and most likely headed for a club near you).  In recent weeks NYC dance floors have overflowed with partygoers eager for a taste of the City of Light’s brightest imports – many of which have included Ed Banger Records (co-founded by Daft Punk’s Pedro Winter) alums.  But while aforementioned artists like Uffie, Justice and Sebastian may be at the forefront of Paris’ current dance-crazed pack, Black Strobe’s Arnaud Rebotini can tell you the techno trend is nothing new. 

For more than a decade Rebotini, DJ and co-founder of electro-meets-metal-meets-punk rock band Black Strobe, has been blending the likes of Bo Diddley, Norwegian Death Metal… even classical.  The Paris-bred and based ingénue, who got his start selling records at the now-defunct Rough Trade, currently, in addition to performing solo and with Black Strobe (whose last release was produced by Paul Epworth of Bloc Party and The Futureheads fame), works with GRM (Groupe de Recherches Musicales) – a French, musically-minded organization founded by mid-century avant-garde composer Pierre Shaeffer.

In light of Rebotini’s current two-day stay stateside (he played premier NYC-party promoter GBH’s two-year anniversary celebration at Hiro Ballroom last night), we sat down with the seasoned artist in hopes of shedding light on the current dance phenomenon, and uncovering the best-kept-secrets of his beloved hometown.  In his own words: 

What are you working on right now?
I just finished the [Black Stone] album [slated for release in June] and am touring with the band.  On my own, I’m doing a few 12”’s of clubby music. 

What’s your take on the current electronic phenomenon – which, according to some includes everyone from London’s Klaxons to Paris’ Ed Banger Records clan?  Are you a fan?
No [laughing].  I think the Klaxons and the whole new rave thing is really funny; they’re just a rock band and it’s not really new.  It’s not rave and it’s not electronic.  And there’s quite a lot of French stuff, following Daft Punk, but I’m not really a fan.  I do like the energy and that it’s bringing something fresh.

Do you think it’s on its way in, or out?
I don’t know.  Maybe because I prefer non-vocal stuff, something more long-term, like Shy Child

What do you think is the most distinct difference between American audiences and Parisian audiences when it comes to electronic or dance music?
The dance phenomenon doesn’t really exist in the US.  In Europe the people have the education – dancing in a dark room, with a DJ behind the booth.  It’s a bit different in the US.  I have the feeling that it’s on the way to change.  Here, the people like live bands and they don’t trust the DJ.  In Europe a guy playing techno makes sense.  But I think we do too much with the DJ.  I mean he’s just a guy playing records in the dark at the end. 

What are you most homesick for whenever you leave France to go on tour?
The atmosphere of Paris.  There is something special, like with NY.  I always say that NY is the second town where I can live.  But, Paris is my hometown, it’s the feeling that you are a part of the town and that the town is a part of you.  You just feel it. 

Where do you go in Paris to get inspired?
I do not look for inspiration in places.  I’m not that kind of artist, or musician.  I guess the area of Montmartre, though.  Down on the hill there’s a special atmosphere.  Between popular Paris and more expensive areas, and you’re close to Pigalle and Moulin Rouge and all of the clichés, yet it looks like a village. 

What’s your favorite place to go in Montmartre?
The first experience everyone should have in Paris is to buy food.  In Montmartre there’s an amazing cheese shop close to my house.  Chez Julie on the rue Rambuteau.  Julie is the girl that runs it.  She’s got an amazing selection.  My favorite is the Mont d’Or, or one of the classic Bries. 

Where do you go next?
On the same street there’s an amazing bakery for fresh bread. 

What is it called?
The bakery has no name [laughs].  Ask Julie.  And on the same street there is a cave [wine cellar] called Les Grands Caves.  They have lots of underground wines, most come from the Southeast of France.  There’s lots of Cotes du Rhone.  Taste a little and they’ll choose a bottle for you.  Take all of that back to the hotel for an amazing French night. 

And which hotel would you recommend?
Oh, the last hotel I’ve found in Paris is the Hotel Amour on the rue Navarin.  They have the most amazing hamburger. 

It’s owned by Andre [the famed graffiti artist and nightlife impresario], no?
Yes.  And they have a really cool little garden, hidden from the street and the cars.  I like to go on Sunday for brunch and have a hamburger. Oh, and there’s a good new place on the same street, a fish restaurant, Wimch.  It’s a very small restaurant, with a small carte [menu] with only a few items but everything is good.  All the good restaurants have really small cartes. 

Are there any up-and-coming bands or musicians in Paris that you’re excited about?
No.  I guess we’re all waiting to see what happens with the Ed Banger thing.  Though I’m not really concerned with that type of music.  So, no. 

What’s your favorite record shop?
My favorite record shop is Bom Bad.  There’s one record shop and one dress shop for men.  There you can find Rockabilly, punk, all alternative music and clothes.   

I read recently that some consider Paris the punk disco epicenter of the universe.  Do you agree?
No!  Punk disco… [laughs].  We have the worst punk in the world and the worst disco producer [laughs]. 

What about Paris’ nightlife?  Any favorite late-night spots?
Le Triptyche has a wide range of cool underground dance music.  Electro, rock, industrial, German minimal.  And they have a quiet area so you can rest.  Le Rex has an amazing sound system.  It’s electro and they have the best European DJ’s.  If you want to go to a club and get a true European Electro vibe, it’s it. 

Do you spin regularly anywhere in Paris?
Right now every two months I have a residence at Le Triptyche called La Scandale.  I play electro and rock tunes. 

What’s Paris’ best-kept secret?
I don’t know.  Just go in the street and find cool-looking people and ask them what are their favorite spots… Oh!  There is the most amazing restaurant in the center of the city called Le Ruby.  It’s like if you go to have dinner or lunch at my grandmother’s house [laughs].  Americans have the equivalent – everything is very ‘70s - except it’s really French.  It’s exactly what your French grandmother would cook for you. 

~Alisa Gould-Simon

Go There:
Les Grandes Caves, 70 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, 01 47 05 69 28

Black Strobe photo by Sebastien Cuvelier

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My Town: NYC
Psychic Mayumi Harada’s Tour of The City’s Spirit- & Energy-Ridden Hotspots

Another Friday the 13th is upon us.  And the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that more than 17 million people suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia, or, in laymen’s terms, fear of Friday the 13th. Forever curious about the energies at work in our beloved metropolis (and whether or not Friday-the-13th-inspired superstitions are merely a myth), we enlisted the help of Manhattan-based “intuition specialist” Mayumi Harada.  Here, Harada discusses the coldest corners in the city, contacting John Lennon’s spirit, and how to channel your past life.  In her own words:

How would you explain what you do, to a perfect stranger?
Psychic readings, intuitive readings.  I try to draw the line [between myself] and people who have psychic powers, where it’s more based on fear factor, and makes you scared.  They burn a candle, then ask for $5,000.

And your method?
I pick information from the future, past, past life… anything you can imagine.  I’m more focused on the future… to make the impossible possible. 

Do you think that fate determines the course of our lives?
I would like to think you’re in control.  Your willpower is stronger than your fate.  Your fate becomes just the history or the record of how you got there.  Everyone has intuition, but it’s often easier to live off knowledge from a past experience rather than living according to intuition.  I try to stick with intuitive knowledge and bring out other people’s intuitive knowledge… to find out how to activate that. 

How long have you lived in NYC, and where do you live now?
20 years, and 86th Street and Central Park West. 

You’ve written quite a few best-selling books on the subject of intuition.
Yes, I’ve written five.  When I published my first book it was endorsed by Yoko Ono, so it got a lot of press. 

When did you first meet Yoko?
2000 or 2001. 

So is it safe to assume you’ve been in contact with John Lennon’s spirit?
Yeah.  Well, I did a reading in his room, at his place so I did see him. 

Can you talk a little bit about the interaction?
No, [laughs] I shouldn’t.

How would you describe the way the spirits travel?
They move around freely - like you or me. 

Have you found that certain parts of New York, certain blocks or buildings, house distinct energies or spirits?
I can talk about the places that I feel are energetic.  Living in NYC you always have to expend your energy.  Every corner has different energy.  One corner looks more vivid; some look very cold, very dark.  If I pick the side with cold energy I get exhausted just walking.  If I pick the more energetic, peppy corner I feel energized. 

So it’s all about being in tune with that energy?
Yes.  When you are in tune with your universal energy, you’ll never hit a traffic light.  Have you experienced that? 

Definitely.  Especially with catching the train, or missing it.
Exactly.  And sometimes to get where you want to go, you never have to stop.  Try not to lose that when it’s happening.  Try to choose the sunny side of the street and go along with it and you will never have to discharge your energy. 

Which places in the city have particularly strong energy?
23rd street, the south side is much more energetic than the north.  Madison Square Park

A past-life tour?
As you walk through the exhibits, you’ll find some connection with an era, so much so that some people have felt like they’ve lived there during that time.  I’m not crazy about past-life though.  You can’t do much with it anymore.  But it can provoke unknown talents sleeping inside of us.  You can reach out for it by doing that type of past-life tour.  The Metropolitan Museum or the Museum of Natural History.  If you feel like you’ve see it before, think about what you were doing around that time.  Your imagination will guide you. 

Anywhere else?
In Central Park, the large rocks, I feel the gravity of the earth. And the Great Lawn always has positive energy.  People just go there for pleasure, so it’s a safe place… always the same. And the South Street Seaport.  It’s a place to discard all the negative energy.  If you have something to let go it’s a great place to go throw it into the water. 

So, in light of today being Friday the 13th, do you think there’s a correlation between the supernatural and the superstitions that surround this particular day?
No [laughs], not in my experience.  For me the only days like that are during a full moon.  On a full moon people tend to go overboard and make very aggressive decisions, which throw you out of control.  I don’t make any decisions on that day.  I feel like I can’t leave the floor. If you’re falling in love on a full moon, I say think twice. 

To go back to the spirits, are they as present and as scattered about the city as the living?
They’re just like alive people.  Our system just doesn’t catch that.  I personally try not to see except when I give readings though.  Otherwise it’s like being bothered by someone I don’t know.

Can you just turn it on and off?
When I’m really tired I’ll see them.  One time I was trying to catch a cab and when an open one pulled up I saw someone inside, so I just waited.  The cab driver kept telling me to get in but I saw a man sitting in the back.  And, of course, there was nobody. After 9/11 I saw a lot of visions of deceased people who were looking for their families.  They were in shock and concerned about their families.  I would see them night after night. 

When did you first start having these visions?
I lost my father at the age of 7 in a car accident and I knew it was going to happen.  I kept talking to him and seeing his vision after he died.  I kept it to myself for a long time.  In my past life I think I was a psychic who was tortured so I never wanted to talk about it [laughs]. As a teenager my channels were all open so I saw a lot of visions.  If I didn’t tell anyone about them I would get sick in my stomach.  So I had to start telling people, and that’s how I trained it. 

And you also do voice coaching for pop stars?
I do voice coaching for Japanese pop artists.  Teenage pop stars.  They come to the states and stay anywhere from two weeks to three months. 

Can you sense if their careers are bound for success or failure?
Oh yeah, but I would never say anything. 

~Alisa Gould-Simon

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My Town: Orange County
Culinary Master Jason Neroni On the Best Pho ( & Where To Find The MisShapes)

When Jason Neroni - former executive chef at new Brooklyn, NY  restaurant Porchetta - first speaks of his hometown, Orange County, it’s with noticeable disdain. The culprits include TV shows like The O.C. and Laguna Beach, and all their real-life inspirations -- the countless Republicans, the unbearable traffic.

But, when Neroni talks about surfing (he is from Surf City, USA after all), art, and internationally-flavored food, the California native starts to come around, revealing his soft spot for the O.C. That is, as long as you know where to go.

Neroni, who has spent the last decade of his life cooking in kitchens worldwide, recently finished consulting on a restaurant near his hometown in Costa Mesa. Before landing his recent gig at Carroll Gardens’ Porchetta (which eater.com is reporting Neroni left today), an Italian restaurant with a heavy focus on greenmarket ingredients and an ever-changing menu, he worked at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, 71 Clinton Fresh Food and The Tasting Room (among dozens of other laudable eateries).

Though Neroni hasn’t lived in Southern California for years, he returns every few months, keeping him up-to-date on the latest the city has to offer. Considering he has the inside scoop on how to avoid everything utterly terrible in the O.C., leaving you with only the hip and delicious, we sat down with Neroni and asked the following:

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Huntington Beach, California, aka Surf City USA. It was coined that after the Beach Boys song, (singing) “Everybody goes surfing” you know that annoying song? What place do you hit up every time you go home?
My mother’s house.

Any restaurants you make a point to visit?
There’s a very large Vietnamese population. It’s actually the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam that lives there. There’s amazing Vietnamese food. There’s a whole stretch called Bolsa, which is the Spanish word for bag. There’s a two-mile stretch of probably 45 restaurants. They have the basics from pho, the beef broth with noodles, to Vietnamese sandwiches, lettuce-wrapped beef, tons of seafood. It’s very authentic. Hardly anybody speaks English. 

Do you have a favorite on that strip?
There’s a place called Thanh-My, and they have about 500 selections on the menu.

What’s a good neighborhood/area to check out?
There’s a city next to Huntington Beach called Costa Mesa, and there’s the Costa Mesa Arts District. The MisShapes are actually throwing a party there. That’s where I consulted on a restaurant which is about to open any day now. It was working under the name 725 Baker [Ed note: the name is subject to change.  Neroni also recommends The Lab, an area close by that’s well-known for its hip bars, trendy restaurants like Habana, and great shopping.]

Is there a specific store at The Lab that you’d recommend?
I think there’s a NaNa store. There’s also a really cool shoe store, Blends, in the style of New York and bringing back the classics.

If you’re shopping for gourmet food, where do you go for good cheese, produce, all that?
This area is where Trader Joe’s is from, and there are a couple of them there. There’s also a place called Mother’s Market , which is all organic. It has great products, and there are a number of them in the OC area.

What is your favorite part about your hometown?
I like the surfing. It’s perfect sitting on a surfboard on the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier with the sun going down. Also, the best thing is In-N-Out Burger. It’s the best. It’s still a family-owned operation. They don’t use mass-produced meat like Burger King and McDonald’s. They use real milk. They use sustainable agriculture from the area.

What’s your least favorite part?
The traffic. It’s terrible. You have to leave at least an hour for wherever you’re going. Between 7am and 9:30am, everything’s screwed, and between 3:30pm and 7pm you’re not going anywhere.

Are there a lot of great beaches, or would you only recommend one?
There are a ton of beaches. There’s Huntington, there’s Laguna. There are nude beaches, beaches just for body-boarders, beaches just for surfers, and beaches without any surfers. Huntington is best for surfing. For a beautiful beach, like if you want to go with a significant other, there’s Laguna, which is amazingly beautiful. You wouldn’t think you were in America. It feels like the Riviera. It’s encased in mountains and it’s all rocky, but there are also beautiful sand pockets.

Are there any cultural points of interest?
There’s the Bowers Museum. Actually, Laguna Beach has a huge arts district. It’s actually one of the largest arts districts in Southern California. The second-largest music hall to Lincoln Center just opened up in Costa Mesa as well. It’s called the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

Any secret that visitors wouldn’t know about?
I would say the secret is the Vietnamese strip. People don’t really know about that and they are a little more inclined to hang out in other areas. People think first about burgers and tacos.

What about upscale restaurants worth visiting in the area?
Upscale restaurants tend to be more LA. Besides the Vietnamese and Mexican culture, the OC’s a culinary wasteland.

 ~Amanda Kludt

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My Town: Iowa City
Menswear Maven Tim Hamilton Revisits His Midwestern Root

For most Midwest natives, a sense of sartorial style and the urge to wander the world and explore far-off places isn’t exactly inborn.  But exceptions to the rule exist; and, in our experience, have proven to be exceptionally amicable individuals.

Tim Hamilton is one such (Corn State-conceived) anomaly.  The Iowa-born-and-bred, now NYC-based fashion designer’s leanings toward finely-tailored, Americana-inspired menswear have earned him many comparisons to revolutionary designers like Thom Browne and Ralph Lauren.  And this year, there’s even more reason to compare.  Hamilton has been nominated for one of the fashion industry’s highest honors – the CFDA award for menswear designer of the year (an honor bestowed upon Browne in 2006).

Upon learning of the young designer’s Iowan upbringing, we were eager for his take on the state’s beloved small metropolis – Iowa City.  From the inescapable collegiate presence (the University of Iowa is ranked as the 8th top party school in the nation, according to the Princeton Review), to the world famous pie shakes from Hamburg Inn No.2, Hamilton obliged us with the inside scoop.  In his own words: 

What are you wor