Beauty Road-Test: KO Nailpolish
Paint it Black
A spiked black-leather band around the wrist or neck -- that was all it
took to freak the heck out of your average New Yorker in late '70s,
early '80s. We laughed at the pet-shop owner’s scowls as we appraised
the fit of a choker and spiked dog collars on one another, adding to
their dismay with an occasional woof woof. There were no “Punk
Outfitters.” We got our combat boots from Army surplus stores, and the
rest of our paraphernalia we made ourselves.Back in them olden days, the desire was for a look that made people shudder, or at least notified clearly in no uncertain terms that we were not one of “Them”! We were not part of their system of conformity. Everyday household items became a means to expressing these sentiments. Our rage combined with our fashion, and safety-pins that had once held up our diapers were now appropriated as accessories to hold together clothes or an earlobe. No-income sensibilities found creative usage for sharpies beyond tagging up LOUD FAST RULEZ on subway walls. A quick scribble on fingernails was decorative but did not accommodate a manicured pampered look. These nails were Mad Max’ish FLAT BLACK, no glitz, no gloss. And for a change-up, painting WhiteOut was the perfect antidote to those preppy girls being pretty in pink. For spice, a bit of yellow highlighter leant an ambiance of, “we will survive in the gutter better than you yuppie scum!”
Eventually, black nailpolish became the Vogue must have, but for us
early punks who got our asses kicked for daring to sport dry marker
on their nails, seeing models pose in Chanel’s black-polish felt
somehow heathen! But we also knew, they still didn’t get it right.
Our nails weren't a mirror for the soul -- all shimmer and shine with
their glossy counterfeit black. Our ink was the certitude of
tenebrous bleakness. Ours was the dead end we felt was offered us -- as
the Sex Pistols gospel held it, “No Future For You!”But then, something happens if you don't hit an early extermination. Suddenly you find yourself in your 30s or 40s and pink doesn't look so bad anymore. Actually it’s kinda cute. Maybe. And coating your nails with sharpies just doesn't have the same Raison D'Etre when you’re helping your child with homework and preparing school lunches. And you start to care that walking around with the scent of WhiteOut on your fingers might make other parents think you are a low-rent glue sniffer.
When my son was five and his new playground pals gathered round me to point at the piercings in my nose, eyebrow, under chin, and around my ear, and inquire loudly why I had metal in my face, the last bit of visual punk in me stepped aside. I always thought I’d raise a punk rock kid, but this is not how my punk ethic needed to express itself -- humiliating my son.
I have had only two manicures in my life, when it was a gift from
someone else. I found it painful to sit and have someone I didn't know
hold my hand with the touch of a loved one. They didn't want to
converse, they wanted me to soak my hands in the pretend Palmolive,
act pampered, and shut up. I didn't dig any of the colors they had on
their wall for me to pick either. I suppressed the desire to ask for
the marker that the receptionist was using to label plastic bottles. I
just did cliche red and felt like a harlot sell-out.Then one day my friend, the iconic makeup artist Mike Potter, pops on me that he is making nailpolish, and before I can sputter, “Et Tu, Bruté,” he pulls out what looks like a small flashlight. He says nothing, just takes my hand in his as a beloved would, twists the top, and the magic wand is painting. And it's a Proust Madeleine moment, I was a teen living by wits in New York City with street punk on my finger. I look up with him, tears welling in my eyes. He smiles, the arch grin of Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka: I make the impossible possible. This is necromancy in a bottle -- pure flatte black is here! It even applies like the spongy sharpie head, uniform, no brush strokes. It’s so innovative that if your nails were painted with this stuff and Matisse happened to time travel and was strolling by a café where you happened to be nursing a macchiato, well, he would stop dead in his tracks and do a portrait of the being who had managed to display gouache on, as the dictionary calls it, “the flattish horny part on the upper surface of the tip of each finger.”
It wasn't a stunner to find out Potter was christening his line K.O. -- as in Knock Out. It was Rock'em Sock'em Robots to me, I was floored.
And then it got better.
He took out another flashlight. He took my other hand. I closed my eyes.
I felt the vague dampness glaze my fingernail. After I opened my eyes the tears jumped ship and gushed down my cheeks.
“OH, oh! It’s WhiteOut! With highlighter mixed in" -- but not the look of
yellow snow. It’s called Powder and it glows, but in a matte way.“Who can take a rainbow...”
The punches kept ah’coming. He did my pinkies in Liberty-– the color of an old school oxidized penny or our lady of the harbor.
The sound of flip-flops, the pungent scent of chlorine filled my nostrils as the color of damp cement was spread on my middle fingers, it is called Flatte Top.
The Coup De Grace hit my toenails, red of the cheap splatter film color, getting its point across, vivid but no gratuitous shine. It is fittingly named after its inspiration, Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
For the first time I have given a gift of PINK nailpolish to a grown woman. But with KO’s Calamine, I did not have the icky feeling that I was colluding against the feminist movement. It’s a decoration in remembrance of things past -- when that pigment of red mixed with a lot of white covered all mosquito bites. I could feel my momma dabbing it on with a cotton ball and uselessly admonishing, “Don’t scratch.”
With his his trunk-sized Louis Vuitton suitcase of makeup and brushes spread before him, Mike Potter conjures legends. He is the artist that created the famous Hedwig look for the film Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He’s the one who makes the lives of photoshop experts at Vogue a lot simpler. The only problem with being a patron of Potter is that there's no way you could ever try this at home. Potter doesn't just apply makeup, he transforms you. “How can I bottle you?!” was the constant plea his clients would pout, knowing they'd return to postmidnight Cinderellas.
Somehow Mike Potter found a way to bottle the reconstructing of who we are through our memories. I look at my nails, and it is the richness of printing ink dried. It is a teen girl encountering the world with the same passion that black absorbs in the universe and hides within. It was punk, it was a communal sense of hope within despair, a reminder that anything is possible. We will be heard. All captured in a bottle that looks like a flashlight.
~Laura Albert
Many fashion-conscious folks would be resistant to going gray, finding it too safe. Not New York City-based designer 
Tell me about Safe.
It started about nine years ago, and I was really drawn to this shade of green. I started dying everything that color, and before I knew it, everything was green. It wasn’t even intentional, it just sort of happened, and then I became the girl who wore all green and white. Then last year, I needed a change in my life and I switched to gray. It’s great because I got to look forward to a whole new color.
How did they fit and feel?
I’ve Googled 
On the inevitable Botox comparison: Well, I’m not a Botox expert… let’s start with the advantages. It’s quick and the results could be more dramatic than acupuncture. That’s probably it. The disadvantage is that when it wears off, you look a lot older. And there are no health benefits. 
How to achieve optimal results: Lines aren’t going to disappear after one visit. A good rule of thumb is 10 to 12 weeks for any course of treatment. Acupuncture can give you a glow–it can happen with even one treatment. It gives you more blood supply and more energy.
He feels around my abdomen. At the point right below the diaphragm there is some discomfort. A-ha! The stomach affects the area around the mouth. Mark puts a needle two inches below and to the right of the knee and a pulsing sensation begins. He puts his hand back on my stomach and the discomfort is completely gone. He adds a few more needles–- one to the left hand, right foot and the crown of the head.
The 29-year-old neo-folkie was propelled to national attention after becoming a high-profile victim of 
GREETINGS FROM NEW JERSEYS
BLOWIN’ SMOKE
FEELING CORNERED
You may recall a recent 
Which is where Ritch Viola comes in. Viola launched 
SIGNATURE MINT 2-IN-1 DAILY SHAMPOO ($8)
Most Unexpected Ingredient: Besides the namesake spiced pepper? Well how about sliding some citric acid across your skin in lieu of your morning glass of O.J.
Most Unexpected Ingredient: Rosemary oils.
Rising from Allen Street is the newest cool downtown NYC hotel – Thompson Lower East Side. It’s a jarring yet undoubtedly strong structure: blocky, boxy and gray. Inside it’s the hospitality equivalent of black on black on black, with shiny mod surfaces and ambient music. And it’s Thompson’s raison d’etre (as we showed in an earlier review of The Libertine, at their Gild Hall hotel in the financial district) to put a star chef in a cool restaurant.
Wish the entrees had been as good. The slow-cooked pork belly I had was very disappointing … the pig is already dead, so there was no reason to kill it again. It may have been slow-cooked, but it was over-cooked well past the point of tenderness. The apple puree on the side was nice, but that didn’t save it. My friend called his sablefish – admittedly not an easy one to prepare -- “just bland – disappointing. Not bad but not memorable.” 
And now a note on service. Thompson people: get it improved, quick. Our waiter came to the table, and said, “Hello and welcome…” then apparently he received a signal from another staff member, and immediately said: “I’m sorry – please excuse me,” and did not come back for approximately three minutes. This is the time when I should point out that the bill, with one drink each, was around $150. This is a very bad bill total to combine with being abandoned by a waiter for several minutes. After the initial abandonment, service was relatively rushed, with the waiter doing that annoying thing where he said “excellent choice!” after every choice.
In the age of the all-powerful pocket-phone, another little black box just for making videos could seem superfluous. After all, as well as being able to essentially run our lives, sing us to sleep and perhaps morph into crime-fightin’, tough-talkin’ super-robots, phones are now capable of capturing perfectly acceptable moving pictures.
It also has an awesome little flip-out USB key, which snaps upright with the nudge of a button at the side. I totally freaked out a friend of mine with it, asking him if it were a defect, then almost poking him in the eye with the USB key when he got close to check.
One of the advantages of its size is that it does have a flat bottom, which meant I could balance it on a book whilst I filmed a guy I’d just met in the pub reading a letter by James Joyce about farting. The film is surprisingly high-quality, even picking up smoke in fairly dark lighting conditions. The sound, too, was unexpectedly clear and could even pick up the groovy subtleties of a reggae gig I went to later that night.
The urban gastro-pub is a very tricky tightrope act to achieve. It has to be down-to-earth but not grubby; homey but not kitschy; and the food has to be two steps above standard pub-grub, but not so highfalutin as to be inaccessible.
The food on that menu is squarely in the gastro-pub safety zone mentioned above – better than standard pub food, for sure, but not annoyingly Top Chef-like. And dieters beware: it is very, very fattening. The only greens here are the pilsner logos on the bar tap. The big beer selection is designed to soak up the greasy food – and my friend and I came hungry. Luckily, much of it is not just greasy, but flavorful – when you’re eating so unhealthy, you want payoff. That comes in dishes like the Berkshire pork sliders ($9) – delicious crumbled pork on buttery little rolls, with McClure’s pickles and grain mustard. Completely smile-inducing, as is the corned beef grilled cheese with onions ($10) – it all comes together with a perfect crunch on the outside and meltiness on the inside – this type of sandwich can easily fall into sogginess and blandness, and not so here. Delicious.
Service was average to good – we were served by a fellow who was relatively expressionless and seemed somewhat depressed, yet was quick and efficient. It’s not a welcome-you-with-open-arms place, but certainly there is no velvet-rope chill.
While I tend to be anti-soap-- as the act of rubbing a soap bar against my body seems masculine and conjures gritty images of Brad Pitt mixing tubs of lye in Fight Club-- I wanted to diversify my regimen and give soap a shot. So, I opened the first bar, 
After easing in with the mild aroma of Shrapnel, I opted to tackle a more incendiary scent, 
In its inception three years ago, 
JS: The name of this place stood out for us. The best Lebanese comfort food with brown rice and everything organic. We try to eat really healthy. We live above an organic supermarket.
A plate of eggplant layered with onions, tomatoes and peppers is brought out. 
JS: Our experience here has been anything but shallow. We came here to work for a meaningful network with a meaningful mission behind it. I feel like everywhere I turn there’s something to see. The other day I went to the Getty Museum. I was like, are you kidding me? No line, no wait. I can come here and have a glass a wine. In many ways this is the birthplace of the culture of the world, and I like that. You can go to Morocco to see posters of the movies that were made and conceived here.
Ultra-healthy haute cuisine is a very difficult combo to find on the Upper East Side. If your New Year’s resolutions specify no butter, cream and cheese, that would generally mean the end of fine dining above 59th St.-- don’t bother leaving the penthouse. ‘Til now… a New York outpost of the Brussels restaurant 
My friend and I tested it out for lunch, and came hungry. We went to the upstairs café – no reservations required and a little more affordable than the downstairs café. Upstairs is a better way to dip your toe in. One of our starters was a beet flatbread ($12), a special that day, with chopped red and yellow beets, fresh crumbled feta, fennel and parsley-- altogether, it made for a flavorful starter – fresh and vibrant. Another starter we had was the baby carrot terrine ($15) with peekytoe crab tabouleh, almond vinaigrette and mango. It was also a thumbs-up… the four disparate flavors danced very nicely together.
My entrée was a cauliflower risotto ($19)-- it’s usually a very heavy dish, and quite fattening; here, it comes with roasted garlic, and lemon confit. I asked the waiter what the secret to its healthfulness was – normally risotto has more butter and cheese than almost any other dish. He said it’s fennel stock and fennel puree that “keeps it all together.” That is admirable and interesting. But I was yearning a bit for the butter and cheese, as this dish, while pleasant (the lemon was a particularly nice twist), had an un-creamy quality that was, well, un-Italian. It was just OK. My friend chose a pasta dish-– angiolotti with delicate squash, watercress, warm mushroom vinaigrette, and an egg on top ($16). This was another flavor foursome, but none of the flavors in this one rose above bland. It sure tasted fresh – just not exciting. 
I still like to hit the pipe, yet my love now is powder, powder and more power. Steep and deep mountains, preferably in Jackson Hole Wyoming, Lake Tahoe or Canada. 
What I found is the Malolo is brilliant for powder days and good for non-powder days. I learned, for my style of riding, I’d prefer another Burton board, a 
In order to understand The Libertine – the stuffily-named new restaurant at the new Gild Hall hotel on Wall St. – you need a little backgrounder on the hotel itself. It’s owned by Thompson Hotels, a company whose first venture, 
The restaurant lies within this style, with a tony-pub feel – though, as it’s Thompson’s wont to attract celebs, they got about as big a food star as you can to run the place: chef 
While he’s extremely attractive and TV-photogenic, and a brilliant businessperson, English is not known for taking huge culinary risk in his menus, and this place is not an exception. But what’s there is fun: cheeky, high-rent takes on hangover food, courtesy of executive chef Eben Leonard. Two really tasty examples of that are caviar sliders ($20) with quail eggs and crème fraiche, and a Kobe hot dog ($18) – both of which were expertly rendered. These smaller bar-style plates are the draw. 
South London photographer 
What have you been up to lately on the photography front?
What’s the worst experience you’ve had on a shoot, or trying to get a shoot with someone?
How much did you spend on it?
Does it take better shots than other cameras?
As the well-known aphorism goes— two heads are better than one. And pixie-haired proprietors, Wendy and LaRae Kangas, of the new downtown boutique 
Where did you get the name Duo?
Any other unique apparel brands?
All of her hats are high quality wool and handmade at her in-home studio. We love her floppy wool berets, which are super soft.
L: We’re green friendly— with recycled and vintage garments— so we wanted to carry at least one organic line. It works, because it’s what we wear. And we didn’t want to have to stick to an era.
The glow of summer sun is long gone. Winter skin has officially emerged -- and with it, this year, a mask of stress has been etched on the face. Sun exposure is greatly diminished, giving way to seasonal blues: weight gain, carbo craving, lethargy and sleep problems. There is a proposed cure, though: Light therapy, also known as Photo Therapy, is thought to alter the circadian rhythms and suppress the body’s natural release of melatonin. Together these cause biochemical changes in the brain that help reduce or control symptoms of seasonal mood disorders. LED light wavelengths have also been effective in treating acne, eczema, and psoriasis. 
In the past I’ve had success with prescription creams that reduce rosacea and stop the occasional outbreak of eczema -- which I tend to get after a few months in a dry overheated apartment -- but am a skeptic when it comes to over-the-counter creams or devices that promise to erase the signs of aging. The advice of my dermatologist, Dr Grace Pac, stay with me -- “use 
With the red rays pressed against my face (I realized after a few days it doesn’t work any better with my face actually touching the plastic head), I began once a day. The system comes with a cleanser designed to enhance the light treatment and an anti-aging serum. The cleanser made my skin feel dry. Not a good sign, so I reverted back to my velvety winter milk cleanser by Suki. Once a day, as suggested after cleansing, I shined the Tanda on my face. The light is emitted in concentrated rays. Like an electric toothbrush, the device beeps to let you know how much time to stay on a particular area. 
Brick Lane -- most fondly known for its large Bangladeshi community and vast selection of restaurants specializing in some of the finest Anglo-Indian cuisine anywhere -- is fast becoming known for its large retro community and huge array of fine vintage boutiques. Unfortunately, the street once celebrated for its East-meets-West diversity is now becoming engulfed by the Western love of alcoholic over-indulgence, and dresses from the 1950s. It was somewhat inevitable, then, that one day a company specializing in catering to both lovers of alcohol and retro-chic would take the opportunity to cash in on the Western end of Brick Lane.
Marriage, it seems, is not the harmonious union it used to be. As we all know, 10-pin bowling rose to fame in the 1950s, and for some has never really shaken its fey ‘50s charm, one which All-Star lanes has taken and halfheartedly run away with. We are greeted by well-turned-out staff -- all ‘50s dresses, red lips and Happy Days hair dos -- but upon further inspection, it soon becomes clear this uniform resembles that of a fashion-conscious TGI Fridays. Funnily enough the menu isn’t that far off Fridays either, featuring wings, ribs, burgers -- all including the word ‘American’ in their description. First impressions are important, and sadly for All-Star Lanes, the first thing you see as you walk in is the restaurant area, which can be best described as ‘Ikea does Grease.’
Beyond the obvious hilarity and enjoyment a good game of bowling can bring, the lanes were a little disappointing -- a lot more could have been done with the space. It’s stylish, yes, but there’s so much more potential here than a whole wall of black-painted breezeblocks and some funky lighting. If you are going to go for the ‘50s theme you really need to go for it -- otherwise you have to go for the other end of the spectrum, and that’s the super bowling complex with arcades, flashing lights, loud music, the whole shebang. All-Star Lanes lies somewhere flaccidly in the middle.
With the fantastical claim of having the “highest concentration of artists in the world,” Hackney, East London still remains the advertising agencies’ main port of call to head-hunt graphic designers, illustrators, filmmakers and many other creatives to push their wares. This geographical focus of artists developed itself in the ‘80s, when cheap rent and large amounts of empty warehouse spaces made Hoxton Square, Curtain Road, and Charlotte Road in Shoreditch the adopted home of British artists.
The yuppies flooded into this quirky newly-discovered area, rents went up, and artists were forced to move to a cheaper and (back then) more unattractive area. Most of them only managed to budge less than a mile further east, and the key result of that is the rise -- and rise -- of Vyner Street. 
Time Out magazine, in conjunction with the 
1: Get started
3: Art
4: Drink (again)
6: The after party (drink again, again)
The West Village has gone through a radical transformation in just 40 short years. In the ‘60s it was filled with hippies, war protestors, and gay and lesbian couples happy to live their lives relatively free from street-side discrimination. Today it still has all of those groups – but it also contains Cosmo-sipping Sex and the City girls, celebrity residents, baby carriages a plenty, about 1,000 Marc Jacobs stores, and designer cupcakes.
Design-wise, this place is about longevity rather than flash-in-the-pan: multi-toned wood planks, black and white photography, brown leather banquettes and a panoply of masculine earth tones give off a vibe that’s unexciting yet also unpretentious and somewhat elegant. It’s not really the best for a hot date or business dinner where you want to impress ten over-the-top clients, but for a quiet upscale dinner with someone you like, it fits the bill.
We started with an escargot appetizer, which was good but not quite as garlicky and slap-your-butt-with-your-tongue good as in the best French places. A special soup of chicken stock, delicate sweet sausage and leeks was much more successful – a real autumnal joy. The menu touts its “cherrywood-grilled” items as an entrée option – my friend had a medium-rare rib-eye steak, and I had the trout. My fish was really well done, oily enough to have a lot of flavor, but not too much; the steak, said my friend (and I agreed), was just average. That wood-burning oven just made it taste too -- woody. Finally, a foie gras torchon was a well-oiled machine from this former Brasserie alum, and would do great in any good French restaurant in the city. The flavor here – vibrant American with a tinge of French – is well-executed – but, to be honest, it has been done before.
For the last decade, New Yorkers have witnessed the gentrified waistband of Williamsburg nightlife bust its gut. Spilling over into the Greenpoint, Bushwick and Bed-Stuy areas, everyone has unfortunately seen the rise of the term "hipster" in vernacular. With so much in flux, one time-honored question remains: Does anyone know where a girl can get a decent drink around here?" The best advice: Go west-- southwest, to be exact. 
Perched on the timberline between Park Slope's classic brownstones and the industrial Red Hook warehouses, this location feels tucked away yet is actually located conveniently only two blocks from the 4th Avenue F train. Once crowds hang a left onto 7th Street, residences peel away on the walk downhill. After crossing 3rd Avenue, the reaction may be a nervous "Do I have this address right?" but continuing west leads right to the doorstep. If anything, the deserted atmosphere makes the actual entry into the Bell House more dramatic. 
After a second round of drinks, patrons can head toward the second part of the venue: a true one-two-punch to the incredible setting. Pass the ticket booth, obtain the magic hand stamp, and enter the true heart of Bell House: 25-foot-high, arched wooden ceilings preside over a grandiose stage set off by the Twin Peaks-influenced red drapes. The stage right holds yet another bar-- this one slightly elevated, appropriate for vertically-challenged spectators to perch on the steps for a better view. Unlike many venues, there are no columns to obstruct the view and a sweeping vista is lit by giant chandeliers. And the sound system is state of the art, serving 350 concert-goers (or 200 seated for mellow events). 
With room for everyone now that Union Hall's 
Porchetta is what you get when you take a whole pig, roast it, gut it, stuff it back with its innards, and impart plenty of special seasoning. Might sound disgusting on paper to a steak-eatin’ Texan, but it’s about as integral to Italian culture as Vespas and Valentino. It’s true Euro comfort food.
And Jenkins has the experience for it: She has worked in Manhattan Italian restaurants like 
Of special note: the low prices. There’s great timing here, with this place opening during one of our greatest financial downturns ever, with even moderately wealthy folks trying to return their Birkin bags for a refund. At only $9, that porchetta sandwich is not only delicious, but it’s quite a value. Another value, at $4, is the side of roasted potatoes – also a little too salty, but peppered with porchetta “crispy ends,” excellent autumn comfort food. My friend and I got full here for well under $40 – same price as Harry’s Burritos nearby, but ten times more sophisticated in taste. (PS – no alcohol yet – a beer and wine license is pending.)
While the last few years have seen cultural legacies like 
Without the aid of a visual narrative, cinematic editing, and talking-head testimony, The Gonzo Tapes can become arduous listening. There is plenty of requisite madness, particularly as the chronologically structured set meanders into its halfway stretches. But Disc 1, recorded during Thompson’s year on the road with the 
Like an undercover agent infiltrating the mafia or a drug ring, Thompson engenders the Angels’ trust by effortlessly empathizing with their dilemma (modern outlaw in search of the American Dream through radical means). And Thompson’s ability to communicate the complexity of their mission was a product of his non-judgmental thoughtfulness. After interviewing Angels chapter leaders like Terry The Tramp about everything from the law to non-violent intake of peyote (while listening to 
Including a lot of hotel-room and road-trip antics, Thompson excoriates Acosta, saying, “You’ve put that fuckin Chivaz Regal in the coke. What have you done? You asshole... That’s a crime against nature,” or Acosta doing a faux-politicized, glorified 
There are also moments of priceless, unplanned irony. When Neil Diamond’s “I Am, I Said” can be made out beneath Thompson’s diction while he urinates and declares, “Anybody that is in search of the American dream needs a lawyer, a doctor and a bodyguard, because there’s no other way to look for it without that sort of guidance and counseling,” you can’t help but smile at the kismet collision.
Disc 4, then, could have arguably been The Gonzo Tapes’ cutoff. At this point, burned out following the 1972 presidential campaign and generally drug-addled, Thompson regressed into his most tangential thought comas. In the midst of putting together a Rolling Stone piece titled "Cocaine Papers By Sigmund Freud," Thompson, having been abusing the drug quite liberally, makes feral animal noises for seconds on end, and responds to visitors with paranoid threats. That is, when not musing on a never-completed masterwork dubbed Guts Ball, about which he concluded he “may as well just make a Broadway play out of it too. Screen, live drama, novel, the whole thing. Guts Ball: The Great American Novel. Use flashbacks and dialogue. [People] mumbling back and forth to each other about lost dreams and memories, nightmares that come back on them, so nobody knows who’s crazy after a while.”
Picture the scene: You’re at a club; you’ve had a few too many beers, and you’re dancing like John Travolta from 
What have you been up to lately on the photography front?
What's something about yourself you want the public to know that they might not know already?
What is your dream bike?
On a different note, how did you get into an obsession with fake Chanel?
Gentrification in the east end of London is spreading faster than Lyme disease on a tick-infested nudist camp. By 2010 the massive concrete monstrosity that is the new Shoreditch Station will be finished, just as the currently palpitating financial square-mile of London engulfs everything in its wake, stopping only to top up on overpriced sushi and glance at itself in the ever-multiplying, amply-mirrored bars and clubs.
With this in mind, a traditional East End "boozer," The Victoria, has been revamped by a group of musicians, artists, and other various young types. Situated in an area drenched in local history-- 
Despite the addition of a stage and impressive DJ booth, the pub has remained faithful to its previous incarnation in setup. The Victoria bursts with surprises, from the intriguing taxidermy and beautifully decorated toilets to the tasteful artwork on the walls. It’s clear that proprietor Smith and his partner Hannah Margaret Stewart have gone all out in making this public house strikingly individual, yet with its odes to the past, it remains warmly familiar. It’s a pub tourists only dream of: with all its quirky paraphernalia and English charm, it should equally suit both the young scene-stealers and the thirsty elderly. 
Bonus points go to Smith for roping his mum in to make the majority of the pub’s food, a touching ode to home cooking. The menu, still in its infancy (only carrot and coriander soup was available on our visit), has the potential to garner its own influx of visitors, especially if the delicious soup is anything to go by.
Which single cosmetic product do you use every day?
What do you always carry in your purse for emergencies or touch-ups?
If you use a soft, oily pencil, it will run. I paint them, powder them, brush them a little bit, then paint them again. Then I use a shadow that’s a same color as the eyebrows so it looks natural. I buy it from the beauty supply, 2 for a dollar, and they work really well for me.
Lipstick?
Makeup remover?
Soba’s a big thing in New York, and one of the best places out there to get it, is 
The chefs here are Japan’s Matsushita brothers, entrepreneurs there, which Vongerichten has brought here to oversee the menu. And they’ve brought plenty in their suitcases from Japan, both ingredients and ideas. The menu’s huge, divided into more than a few sections – sushi, tempura, cold soba, hot soba, kamameshi (rice cooked in an earthenware pot), and grilled meat entrees from pork belly to wagyu beef. We selected two pieces of sushi - a red snapper ($8), and sea urchin ($10), a toro scallion roll ($12), the homemade tofu appetizer ($9), and chilled asparagus with sesame sauce ($15). The sushi was just fine – not near Nobu, but certainly good. Same with the toro roll. The tofu was delicious though – fresh, milky, creamy and decadent. Unfortunately, the chilled asparagus was flat and uninspired, with a peanut-buttery taste that was unsophisticated and one-dimensional.
For the main course, we chose two soba entrees – one cold (called “rin”, a delicate, no-husk version, $15), one hot (hot noodles with ebi prawn tempura, $26), along with a simple black cod with miso ($22). The cod was good, if a bit bland, but certainly a quality piece of fish, without too much fishiness. The hot soba was very good, if also a little bland, but the cold one was extremely disappointing. One word: mush. We understand it was listed as a ‘delicate” soba but it was so mushy that the noodles were virtually indistinguishable from each other and it was sort of a salty clump. It was presented in lovely plates – and the service was generally professional, polished and unobtrusive, if a little aloof – but that soba mistake is extremely upsetting, and a glaring error considering how much good soba there is in New York. 
Considering that disappointment, we’re feeling a little taken, especially remembering the restaurant that previously occupied this spot – “66,” Jean-Georges’ failed effort at a five-star Chinese restaurant, where the food was OK but about five times too expensive for what it was. That one burnt out, and this one emulates its raison d’etre – Asian cuisine with the high style and high price (ordering conservatively, we still hit $135 not counting drinks) loudly usurping the power of the food. That’s not a great combo – especially given the fact that we are currently in a recession – so perhaps fewer folks will, quite literally, buy it. While it had its bright spots, Matsugen didn’t rise above pretty good overall. We’ll head back to un-fabulous yet delicious Soba-ya.
New York City-based designer 
What did you listen to while preparing for your Spring/Summer collection?
Top five in your iPod?
What music did you choose for your showcase this season? 
At Cafeteria owners' new Soho restaurant Delicatessen, 
Harley arrives fresh off a just-for-fun stint of bartending at Lit. She’s been learning to make mixed drinks from improbable combos of ingredients, such as “the chocolate cake shot and the peanut butter and jelly shot.” The shot connoisseur was just named the official DJ of Dior, and there’s talk of a makeup line. Courtesy of the Dior arrangement, Harley says she has “like 400 kinds of makeup in the bathroom at home.” 
All really hungry by this point, we order appetizers. Josh is keen on the reuben fritters, plus the halibut tacos, fritto misto, and the cheeseburger spring rolls, recommended by the waiter. The appetizers make their appearance just before Lissy, who arrives wearing a white V-neck, a cardigan, denim cutoffs and her favorite Chanel hat. At Eben’s urging, Lissy orders a dirty vodka martini, which takes forever to arrive. She is selective with the appetizers because she’s allergic to everything. Josh seconds that: “We’re a very allergic band,” he says.
Eben scopes out the bathroom, reporting that it’s “plastered with UNIQLO ads.” Lissy and Josh have worked with Terry Richardson as models, but remain unimpressed by the facilities: “Retarded,” Lissy says succinctly. Josh is more concerned about a “design flaw” in the placement of the toilet paper, which is stacked vertically toilet-side. “It’s unsanitary. People are gonna sprinkle all over that,” he shudders. 
Around the time our entrees arrive, the glass garage-door outer walls of Delicatessen come down and the music pumps up, beginning with some alarming techno, or, as the band put it, “bad Eurotrash.” But the band remains good-natured and when confronted with an ominous-looking fish and chips, Harley is a good sport, claiming that she’s full from the appetizers. The “fish” in question is a large fried monkfish, “an unorthodox choice for fish-and-chips,” according to Eben, the band’s connoisseur, who grew up doing tastings at his father’s bevy of restaurants. But when Josh gets a whiff of the monkfish, the truth emerges: “The breading is mushy!” to which Harley concedes, “I’ve had a lot of fish and chips in my day, and this is not one of the best.” And regarding his Cantonese-style Atlantic salmon, Eben adds,“Like everything else here, half-baked!” 
The fried chicken in a bucket with jalapeno corn bread gets a thumbs-up by the band, who agree that Delicatessen does best when keeping things simple. “They’d do well to stick to drinks and traditional bar food. When they try to get creative, they fall flat on their faces,” Eben elaborates. 
Damian Abraham is possibly the most instantly recognizable figure in hardcore punk music today. The image of his full frame-- drenched in sweat, blood, saliva, beer and (more than likely) even more blood-- has a tendency to remain seared upon the retinas and subconscious of the musically aware and casual observers alike. 
As far as they stray from the confines of perceived notions of punk “normality,” the band’s stringent adherence to the 7” record is perhaps their only concession to hardcore conventionality. 
How old were you when you realized that you were a “record collector,” as opposed to someone who just bought and listened to records?
What is your favorite ‘punk record?
Have you ever had to sell chunks of your collection in hard times?
With a sharp bob haircut and pencil skirt, London-based gallery owner Suzanne Schurgers certainly looks the part of a successful gallerist. Originally from the south of Holland, Schurgers flew the comfort of her Dutch nest and settled in the heart of London’s grimy yet artist riddled East End-- and, although still only 25 runs her own successful gallery.
Just around the corner of Vegas Gallery is the swanky cocktail bar/restaurant/gallery 
How did a young Dutch girl end up running such a successful London gallery?
although he knew there was going to be a Devil in the music video, he really freaked out when he saw it. But later he said he thought our devil was 'pretty cool!' I asked Daniel that day if he wanted to show some of his drawings at Vegas Gallery. A few months later the exhibition was on, and we had an incredible amount of visitors every day and received so much press. The show was nearly sold out.
What do you think of the Art Deco style at Beach Blanket Babylon?
The Sports Business Journal claims that the sports field is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. Billions are spent each year on everything and anything athletic; from high-profile endorsements to the basic running shoes you buy at your local store. It is therefore easy to conclude that more than a few people are interested in this “sports caper” -- including the unlikely figure of Japanese-American artist Kenzo Minami.
Did you play a lot of sports when you were younger?
When I was really young, I did Kendo, which is basically Japanese sword fighting. Then when I went to high school I joined the Equestrian Team. I don't think I would ever want to get back into it again, since I had seen some scary things when I was on the team. I remember someone died together with her horse right before I joined the team -- they both fell into the river and broke their necks. I only discovered that, however, after I had joined.
Do you play sports now?
Your work is very graphic and mathematical. What do you think is in your style that could be applied to sportswear, or can represent sports culture?
How do you see sports design in its current state?
Are there any items of sporting equipment you would like to re-design?
Just the fact that you’re a “rock-star-in-residence” at the Bowery Hotel means that you’re at the top 0.01% of cool. Currently inhabiting this position is singer Diego Garcia. Born in Detroit (to parents from Argentina), educated at Brown, and living in New York almost a decade now, the singer, heretofore part of a band named Elefant, is branching out to release his first solo album. 
Tell me more about the album…
secret for one of the best things to do in New York in the summer? Go to P.J. Clarke’s in Battery Park around 8.30-9pm, again when the tourists leave – then go to the big movie theater at Battery Park after. Another good evening plan is to have dinner at Bar Pitti – but don’t order dessert there. Head to Blue Ribbon Bakery and get the bread pudding. It’s the best dessert in the city.
Any stores you like?
When you have to look good for either an outing or an album cover – what are your health and beauty regimens?
Marisela Cruz has just finished a round of castings for the day when she heads into 
The Pump’s new look was inspired by a Soho loft kitchen, and Marisela takes note of the design gazing at a wall of mirrors framed by rescued steel and copper, and pointing out things she’d like to incorporate into the new West Village apartment she has just moved into with her longtime boyfriend. In 2006, the now 27-year-old Adam Eskin, a fanatic himself, saw the company’s potential to grow and shed its hole-in-the-wall image. He gathered investors to buy the chain. The new location is the company’s first attempt to re-brand while keeping the food that gamered them such big initial success.
You would think age wouldn’t matter, especially if you still look super young, but somehow it does. I know so many girls who are already lying about their age." Marisela may not have reason to worry- she has been a model for 
Less than two years ago, 
What was the experience working with Peaches on her latest video?
Do you eventually want to get away from what you normally do?
What brand of socks are your favorite?
A typical night out in present-day East London for the lager-swilling, girl-harassing city boy will probably start at a bar on Spitalfields Market, proceed to a club in Shoreditch, then end with a kebab on Brick Lane. This journey’s often littered with obstacles, including ‘birds’ to chase and ‘wankers’ to fight amongst the many winding Whitechapel alleyways. Send them back to the same place 120 years ago and these ill-suited fellows wouldn’t stand a chance. The only ‘birds’ close enough to want to sleep with them would be charging, and the only folk left roaming the streets after dark were the crazy or criminals, making it perfect hunting time for the infamous 
What are your views on the revelations and near-celebration of a serial killer?
Do you feel the exhibition demonstrates the deprivation of the area at the time?
Flight attendants have been an iconic cultural image since the 1960s, with the stylish crews of 
How did you develop the concept for the book?
I realized a lot of flight attendants make it fit their own lifestyle. One of the attendants I photographed in Iceland has a family and kids, and she just goes to work like anybody else—flies to Europe then flies back home. I realized they make it fit whatever lifestyle or point of life they’re in.
Which airlines have the most attractive or glamorous stewardesses?
Best service or most helpful?
Have you witnessed any emergencies while flying?
Stewart Home is a writer for good reason. He has a brilliant memory, having recalled succinct details of life since he was two years old. On occasion, this can be more of an annoyance than a blessing. But he has put it to good use, linking inane facts and insane lives in his varied published works.
What are your earliest memories of Berwick Street?
Which record shop did you frequent most?
I want my music in the cheapest possible format. I understand people being precious about their vinyl. On some dub tracks, you just don’t get the bass tone out of an MP3 or CD, or if you copy very minimal techno, like Plasticman, it sounds really shitty, because you are losing vital frequencies. But with most stuff, you can never tell the difference. With old Motown and punk songs, they are supposed to sound shitty and tinny. Mind you, on The Slits' track Vindictive, the tom sounded so rubbish on CD but fine on the vinyl. 
Having evolved from the ashes of lo-fi distorted garage noise acts like 
Maybe it was the move to San Francisco from Providence, but this was an altogether quieter Dwyer. However, like a kid pretending to be grown up for a week and failing OCS (Orange County Sound) swiftly mutated into Thee Oh Sees, and started getting loose all over again. Their album 
How does Dalston compare to San Francisco?
How were the venues as opposed to on the mainland?
Did you know that "oto" means "sound" in Japanese?
How about the space itself?
Relaxation is synonymous with 
What was your first thought when heading out to Royal Plantation?
What was the experience waking up the first morning at the resort?
Very formal, but very gracious. They even had a pillow menu! There’s a selection of different pillows to choose from. It was amazing.
Having experience with bars yourself, how did the cocktails measure up?
What was your most memorable experience?
In an attempt to clean up Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light District, their city council has purchased a number of area brothels as part of its 
What’s it going to be?
for it. The red light district has always been an interesting talking point, but since the project launched, I’ve had so much more attention from the media.
Hmm nice. [Bas, squeals like an excited child at the arrival of his cake] But as I said, everyone has a different opinion about the project.
As a designer who is involved, I would say that I think it has a positive impact on Amsterdam as a city. It’s good for people to see that the area is not just about trashiness, but it’s areas like these that are actually the places where creativity is born.
Are you enjoying the carrot cake?
Brazilian-born Eli Mejorado and Bruno Verner make up 
I’ve always loved hair since I was a child. Then I got into wigs, moustaches, and beards when I was about fifteen.
How often do you change your hair?
Is a good hairstyle ever an adequate substitute for not having a personality?
Tell me a bit about your blog, 
What kind of stuff are you looking for when you sit around browsing the Internet everyday, or are you just flailing around in the dark?
Are you sure this isn't all an elaborate front for solo cranking sessions?
That seems to border on a conspiracy theory. Are you into those too?
posture wasn't that hard, but mentally it was. Your mind wants you to stop. So I got to push myself, which is great."
A milky white appetizer of burotta arrives and Bryant elegantly–- especially for a famished woman who's just been holding yoga postures on an empty stomach–- slices herself a bite. "Delicious. Tastes exactly how it's supposed to taste. Melts in your mouth. I hate it when you go to a place and order burotta and it's mozzarella."
three round juicy grilled scallops on a bed of chopped grilled corn and red pepper. There are a few minutes of silence while she eats, until the waiter comes over and asks how everything is. "Terrible," she says, then flashes an ear-to-ear, killer smile. "This should really be on the permanent menu. So yummy." 
There is no concierge and room service stops after lunch. "But this is New York. Everyone delivers. I love how it's quiet and home. The rooms have fireplaces and the staff is really sweet. It feels like you’re in someone's cozy townhouse apartment." 
Mixing necessity with trendiness, going “green” is now a certified cultural phenomenon. However, few take it as literally as the Hungarian-born “green graffiti” artist 
A vegetarian with a taste for the greener side, Tokodi made a fitting subject to sample the East Village’s hip and healthy hot spot, 
What are some of the restaurant’s current sustainable practices?
What do you think of the “green” and “organic” movements?
What was the process to install the moss pieces?
The waiter brings us bread with tofu-garlic dipping sauce as we ponder over the extensive wine list before deciding on glasses of biodynamic Beaujolais.
Tell me more about the concept behind your street “graffiti.”
After polishing our plates, we review the dessert menu. Following the waiter’s recommendations, we choose: a crème brulee— vanilla custard with candied orange peel & drizzled with kiwi-berry sauce, and chocolate fondue— valhrona & callebaut chocolate served with fresh fruit and coffee-walnut cake.
At one point, the London party scene was a depressingly divided place. The punks would be in one club listening to 
When did you first get into comics?
Favorite character and why?
The worst is easily the recent 
What character do you think is the biggest pussy?
Just a couple of years ago, nobody cared much about frozen yogurt. In New York, as frozen yogurt chains disappeared in the '90s, 
We started in Brooklyn, the Earth Mother's answer to Pinkberry lies on northern Fifth Avenue in 
On to Williamsburg, where /eks/ (pronounced "X") sits in a humble, spacious basement-level space that serves several flavors of fro-yo. Upon a recent visit, a mother and daughter looking as if they'd just arrived from Long Island, spent an ample amount of time deciding whether or not to go with original or coconut. The original flavor at /eks/ is the least sweet of all we sampled, which makes it a great snack after an intense softball game at nearby 
Yogo Monster steps up the game with ... cones! As expected, their frozen yogurt retains a delightfully tougher, shell-like texture that keeps it from slithering out of your sugar cone. They also have blueberry yogurt, which maintains the especially tarty tang of their original flavor with the added bonus of berry goodness. All of these qualities made Yogo Monster– which stepped into the FroYo game relatively late– a strong contender.
Larry Forgione's Signature Café and 40 Carrots at 
Aussie electronic-rockers, 
Originally a solo effort by lead singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Dan Whitford, Cut Copy later branched out to include Mitchell Scott and bassist Tim Hoey to round out their bridging synth-pop-electronic-disco soundscape. 
studio where they always work in is really cool– right in his own environment. Some of the psychedelic direction he gave us, and generally the way DFA records have gone into lately, was interesting–- the take on the noisy guitar elements, like that shoe-gaze-y My Bloody Valentine elements . The direction given to us in the studio was an unexpected surprise for us, but it was brilliant.
How do they fit?
kids are going out. I see kids wearing $1000 leather jackets. And I’m thinking to myself, I could have never bought that kind of clothing when I was at the university! There’s this new phenomenon in Australia where boys are overtaking the girls; trying to push the fashion scene I guess.
When a band this exciting comes around, most people obsess over the immediate now’s, how’s, and why’s— but with Ipso Facto, one can’t help but imagine them in ten years— playing with a full orchestra, with their own film, comic book, cartoon show, and faces splattered on lunch boxes. 
RC: The black beret, because you can hide behind that. It pushes your fringe down so people can’t see that you have no eye make up on, you can go out with no makeup and shit clothes on, but as long as you have that black beret, you can survive.
Are you quite anal about what instruments you use, then?
Doesn’t the fact everyone could look like you in a year scare you?
RC: We will develop, but perhaps not image-wise— definitely musically. The other day, I turned up to a gig in brown and white and got in a bit of trouble.
Whether or not they’d recognize it, 
In true bohemian fashion, psychoPEDIA joined the band to savor absinthe on the floor of Corradetti’s apartment and ponder over the historically mystical potion:
Kaia prepares the drinks by putting sugar cubes in a tea strainer and pouring shots of absinthe over the cubes. Next, she pours cold water over the cube, which creates a “loosh” effect making a cloudy liquid that releases an anise-fused perfume into the air.
Why do you think absinthe is such a cult-classic beverage with artists?
But we’re more spiritual than we maybe come across. It’s OK, because in pop culture, you have two seconds to impress a person. Someone will scan through songs, and critics won’t even listen to your album. So, I like that we almost project this hyper-media, hyper-reality— and drugs is one of those things.
How did you get into making lip balms?
How “green” of you. Speaking of which, what do you think of the bottle?
Like absinthe has been previously, what would you want to ban in the US if you had the power?
How do you think they could bring this back in fashion?
Outside the restaurant, a publicist for 
The restaurant seems more then double the size of its downtown sisters. There’s not an empty seat in the windowless, wood-paneled room, which is packed with Midtown tourists in business casual. Switches’ table is the only one with five young men all donning some variation of a shag. I assume this must be the reason our waitress, Sunanta, appoints me in charge of relaying all orders. That, or the amber light makes them look like a group foreign teenagers who don't speak the language.
Just not today. Are they going to bring forks and knives?" the drummer Steve Godfrey, aka "Beans," states, smelling of too much cheep cologne. "Tommy Hilfiger. I'm always running out," he offers, ordering another beer. "I like Asahi. Write that. Beans likes Asahi. And the waitress– she's cute."
Beans goes on, "Haven't met the right one. But I figure if I just stick to the drums. I like Japanese girls." I tell him he may want to start eating sushi.
We'd feel dirty if we didn't do that." Kirkpatrick pulls himself away from conversation with their publicist and his venison stew to report: "It's cooked in wine. A bit alcoholic, with these big semicircle things with holes in them. It's tasty, mate." Sunanta comes to my side, and I order green tea ice cream for the table. "And a cognac," Bishop adds. 
But I do see them play the next night when they open up for The Bravery at 
As a comedian on the downtown circuit, Joe Mande's name is quickly garnering buzz. Along with 
So, you're a huge Wii fan?
Instead, you've stuck with stand-up?
It would be cool if they implemented playing the Wii as an Olympic event.
What's that?
How does this compare to your other local drinking establishments?
Does the name Crystal Vision have anything to do with magic?
Would you classify yourselves as sandwich artists, then? Better than 
What was the premise behind your current show?
[They ordered: a Ford Cosmo-Tina (citrus vodka, cointreau, orange bitters, lime, cranberry) Bristol 401 (gin/lemon juice/gomme/crème de mures), Hackney Carriage (dark rum, lime juice, ginger beer), and a Magic Bus (tequila/cointreau, orange and cranberry)]
‘Tis rainy-wet-cold in New York, the sort of weather that is tolerable if you are in London– where that sort of behavior, on the part of the climate, is romantic. Where there are enough matronly ladies to say, "Oh dear, not the gym, Love." Of course, they will laugh at the silly idea of anyone huffing away on a pretend staircase when there are crumpets to be had. "You need a spot of tea, Love." I really do. I need that spot. And no, not the kind spraying out of spigots, served in cardboard. I want proper tea, like Alice had. I want a Wonderland too.
I want warmth. I want the UK, but not Sweeney Todd. I want to dress up, but not feel like I need a bumper sticker that reads: “My other outfit is Armani.” I want to be sedated and sated. I want it to be a G-spot kind of tea.
The sandwiches may be small, but we are ladies, not Augustus Gloop. The cakes and scones are just the right size to be able to go the gym after, and not pass out in a sugar-clotted crème-hysterical haze about what just was swallowed. Oh, and the servers are so attentive. And tres attractive. They will even feed me with their tongs – testing how close they can get and not lose fingers, perhaps? ‘Tis safe?
For a band dubbed “Toronto’s evil supergroup,” 
Were they a lot of fun to tour with?
Out of all of your instruments, what’s your favorite?
Is it true that you “find [instruments] in the trash and plug it in?”
In New York, the tried-and-true formula of restaurants setting up shop in Manhattan, then expanding to include an outer-borough outpost, has proven popular. (Think 
What do you think of the place?
Do you have any favorites?
[The chef sends out a plate of fried Zucchini.] Those are good chips. [Next comes the Bruschette.] That's delicious. Like desert.
So what are you working on right now?
Skateboard-industry pioneer Rodney Smith, has come full circle. From starting Shut Skates in 1986, to spearheading 
Considering Smith’s ever-present need to stay organized throughout 20-years of sweat and labor for skateboarding’s sake, it’s little surprise that he credits his 
When you sold Zoo York you made a killing from Marc Ecko and could’ve said, “I’m done.” Why didn’t you?
So, throughout the years, what’s an item that’s been tried and true to help you stay organized?
Where did you find it?
One part electro to two parts disco, 
How are you?
Why red?
Does that relate to your personality as well?
What do you think about Marc Jacobs’ latest campaign featuring Posh Spice [
Any idea of what kind of wallet Marc carries?
It is at this exact point in the lunar calendar—one is fresh off New Year’s Eve indulgences and has most likely spent weeks overeating and boozing—when the body is in its most extreme state of disrepair. Most are far from looking their freshest, and, as always, the reigning-number-one New Years resolution is to hit the gym more. So, what to do?
Tell me about Reparer…
How often do you recommend using the Reparer?
What about the day directly following a lot of indulgence—i.e. a greasy-food alternative?
But, it definitely helps pull toxins. I’ll have my kids use it if they seem to be coming down with something. It’s great for release. The 
Less than a month ago, controversy erupted after Canadian rock band 
The storm soon settled (the cease and desist claim was revealed to be a joke), but, needless to say, it caught a number of people’s attention. Ours included. But, more interesting than the non-existent letter, was the two aforementioned male musicians’ shared love for eyeliner (or, as Wentz has been known to refer to it, guyliner).
We sat down with Darr and bandmate, Jacen Ekstrom, in NYC the day before the duo was slated to fly home to talk gel versus pencil, style icons and the biggest drama queen of all. In their own words:
And it’s a gel?
So you wouldn’t name Alice as a style icon?
What would you call your image?
I know you’re big on the black [Onyx], but, do you use any other color eyeliner?
From Hansel and Gretel’s candy house to Willy Wonka’s sweet-filled factory, candy has long been part of our childhood fantasies and fairy tales. Luckily, 
Do you have a sweet tooth?
We try some of the hard candies from the sample jars.
Fiona pours out the hot sugar, swirls in the color and passion-fruit flavor, stretches the sugar mixture, then moves to crafting the large tube of hardened sugar mixture and shaping it into tree-shaped lollipops.
What are you working on right now?
Do you see common ground with the mix of shops in Nolita?
Folk-infused singer/songwriter 
How did the Diesel jeans we sent fit and feel?
Is there a female artist from back then or now, whose style is influential to you?
Our generation’s attention spans are dwindling fast. We want to be entertained and to interact -- not to merely go to the museum and look at the dinosaur bones, but to press a button and make them move. Ian Vanek and Matt Reily encourage and embrace this notion. And their traveling performance-framed sing and dance-along punk band, 
What are your first impressions of the place?
[Matt gets a strike on the first shot. Ian seems to be having trouble finding the right ball…]
Would you say that you were artists before musicians or vice versa?
Watch the hate mail from the serious bowlers come rushing in. In fact, do you reckon we would find any here?
A ‘this’?
What’s Alpa?
During winter there are a number of things your body will cry out for (a cashmere onesie and an endless stream of hot toddies, for starters). Constant exposure to cold temperatures can be rough, especially doing damage to one’s skin. Feeling flaky? There literally couldn’t be a better time to sweat, exfoliate and repeat.
Legend has it that my great, great, great, great Russian Uncle Igor would down a shot of vodka then take a bite out of the glass. Could my wimpy Americanized self be half so tough? Doubtful, but I knew I could handle a spa treatment.
In the entryway to the Banya [sauna], a pitcher of water with orange slices awaited. After a refreshing drink to prepare for the coming heat, I was ready to let the games begin.
At the very least, I emerged from the Banya with a feeling of accomplishment. Great, great, great, great Uncle Igor would be proud. Plus, I looked pretty good.
In an attempt to tighten its already-taut grip over the vodka-buying American public, Swedish brand 
So how was your weekend with Absolut 100?
So, what were your friends’ impressions of the Absolut 100? Did they like the packaging?
Would you ever sell a song for an advertising campaign or let them place a product in one of your videos?
Simon Taylor Davies, guitarist in the now world-famous 
Why do you use the Yashica T4 over any other camera?
How long have you had it?
When you studied art at Nottingham did it open any doors leading to inspirations for your photography now?
You may recognize James Ford as one-half of the first-rate electro act, 
Welcome, James. How does this bar compare to real Tokyo?
Did you see anything you liked?
We have three main courses here to try: Tokyo rib-eye steak, parmesan-flavored pork loin cutlet and, your choice, the sautéed salmon steak. Are you a big seafood man?
Anyone who has ever stepped into Boston’s 
What are your first impressions?
What qualifies you to critique food?
What are you working on right now?
Do you see yourself as an arbiter of cool?
You were really insistent on ordering the shrimp fried rice. Is it a staple dish for you?
How does it compare to your parents’ restaurant?
From online reservation-making sites like 
Having gone live just two weeks ago, after two years of developing a system that builds upon the best features of websites like 
Do you book any other types of services online?
For most college students, cooking at home typically entails a package of pasta and a pre-made sauce. That is, unless you’re Bryan Zupon, founder of 
What is 
If you could invite five people, dead or alive, to a dinner party, who would you choose?
Tell me about your Induction Cooking Hob, something you said you would recommend for those on a limited budget working with a limited space…
We were also talking earlier about your most favorite recent purchase and you mentioned the chef Grant Achatz’s 
Looking the picture of perfect health (think milky-skinned Swiss maid hiking through the Alps), actress/chef Colombe Jacobsen may not be the New Yorker most in need of an herbal blend to aid an overworked adrenal or suffering immune system. Yet, the moment Jacobsen, who has appeared in such films as Mighty Ducks 2 and 3, Rookie of the Year, and Moonlight Mile, met Lata Kennedy, an herbalist and owner of the East Village shop 
psychoPEDIA tagged along during Jacobsen's recent visit to Kennedy's herbal outpost in order to learn as much as possible from the two health and flavor mavens. Here, the two discuss sweating it out with herbs, and the best blends for the "cuddly season."
Colombe: I'm not sure, but I believe the balance of your doshas changes. And, that's the whole focus of the puncha karma, because in the changing of the season your whole system can become upset...
For months, seemingly nothing can top the beauty industry’s topic du jour – augmenting eyelashes. Be it via extensions, transplants or 
"Kiss me! Kiss me! I need it now!" my son demands. "Right here!" He points to his cheek. I pucker up and lean over his bed. "NO!" He whips his head away. 
Mr. Rudy Rivera – hair stylist of Hair of The GODS, the San Francisco salon that make other shops look like old-time barbershops – had whipped them out of his beauty satchel. Rudy was making me presentable like Eliza Doolittle, for the opening of San Francisco's newest roller coaster – The Soupcons Express! Everyone couldn't wait to ride the coaster and then vomit.
"Stand back everyone!" Rudy rolled up his cowboy shirtsleeves and got to work. My eyes were shut so I can't really tell you what he did. I just heard "oooh's" and "ahhh's" and felt my eyes getting magical. (Maybe that was the glue.)
I lean over my son and let the wisps of my Shu Uemura lashes butterfly kiss his soft cheek.
While one would assume the owners of an all-mac 'n’ cheese establishment would be Southern-bred, soul-food-loving-folk, the owners behind East Village eatery, 
“I feel like I’m in a big bowl of mac 'n’ cheese,” declares Joel Calvin from indie band 
What did guys order?
Oh… hi Tim. Tim is joining us now…
Tim – I dug it though and my constructive criticism is that they should franchise this place!
So, where have you worn your new Loomstates?
Your work is very focused on this idea of balance and control; can you talk more about the philosophy behind it?
And the physicality of it all?
Knowing that your pair are organic and vegetable-dyed, how do you feel about wearing “ethical” clothing?
Believe it or not, menswear is having a moment. What perhaps began back during Hedi Slimane’s days at 
What were your first impressions of the J Brand jeans?
Any up-and-coming men’s designers you’re particularly excited about?
What part of NY Fashion Week are you least looking forward to?
To hear Benedetto (Ben) Marciano gloss over his high-profile client list is more than enough to catch your attention. For starters, it includes Sharon Stone, Kevin Spacey, Richard Meier and Sting. So, while the world of stress relief and holistic healing, for some, comes with substantial skepticism in tow, Marciano’s reputation remains solid.
Where are you based, and how would you describe your work?
How common is this deeply-held tension?
How does it feel?
In your experience, how does the stress of a 20-something college student compare with that of a major Hollywood celebrity?
Have you found young people to be open to treatments like the emWave?
What is the one piece of advice you give all of your clients?
You probably know him as Ashy Larry, but long before 
What's your first impression?
So this place has a lot to live up to right now?
How do you think this bun compares to a typical American fried chicken biscuit?
I like those little boneless strips - they’re really good. 
Do you ever take a date to Koreatown to impress her with your language skills?
Had Italian actress Jennifer Missoni lived in another era, she most assuredly would have been an ingénue à la Monica Viti or Catherine Deneuve. She might have played muse to Fellini, or the recently deceased master, Michaelangelo Antonioni, each having preferred their actresses both mysterious and wide-eyed.
Did you get to kill anyone?
How perfect. What did you wear them with? 
Are you a fan of Italian film?
What better place to take a teenage rock band rock on a hot, sweaty August day than a frozen yogurt joint? This is what we figured when faced with a foursome of hungry rockers, a.k.a. 
How did you guys meet? 
So, what do you think of the yogurt?
There are very few ways to drastically enhance one's appearance without going under the knife, committing to six months of rigorous athletic training, or spending a hefty wad of your hard-earned green stuff. Until now…
Sound like a scam? We thought so too until we sat down with Dr. Alesia Saboeiro, a leading female plastic surgeon and resident physician at the 
Has the cream been around a long time?
What is the application process like?
Any quick fixes you can recommend?
Smokey seductress Annalee Fery has a keen eye for style. So we figured the chic dresser and lead singer of Los Angeles rockers, 
How much longer do you have on tour?
So what do you think of the Hannah jeans from Siwy?
Have you gotten a chance to wear the Brigitte jumper too?
Writer 
What about a shower?
What did the actual oil/wax combination feel like?
I’m a guy who loves spa treatments and completely unafraid to admit it. What I do hate, however, are “guys’ only” spas, with manly-man-sounding spa menus, tough-guy scrubs, and kitschy marketing schemes. Instead, I’ll happily take something that’s five stars and gender-neutral. Thus, in light of the fact that the season of baring flesh has arrived, and that a good men’s spa isn’t easy to find, here are four of my favorites, all located in the Northeast:
Twin Farms Evening Primrose Body Treatment ($300)
Townhouse Spa Relaxation Massage ($120)
Spa at the Mandarin Oriental’s ‘Taste of Traditions / Time Ritual ($430)
Richel D’Ambra Spa Back-cial ($100)
If you’re ever in the city of brotherly love, check out this spa, located in the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia. The hotel is stately and grand, but the spa (on the third floor) has a relaxed, cocoon-like feel, with dusky tones, soft candles glowing, and plenty of quiet. The owner, Richel D’Ambra, is a Philly native and a gracious host. She believes in organic products and imparts to her staff that spa treatments are to provide psychological and holistic wellness benefits, as well as short-term physical benefits. That was evident in my “back-cial” treatment, which is designed to rejuvenate the skin’s appearance on an oft-ignored body part – the back. My therapist Gabe gave me a thorough scrub using fragrant, natural products from ultra-high-end Italian skincare line “Comfort Zone;” he then moisturized my back thoroughly, and spent the second half of the time on massage. I felt not only relaxed, but aesthetically improved as well. Gabe, like the rest of D’Ambra’s staff, was also highly knowledgeable of general wellness solutions. He tipped me off to the health benefits of wolfberry juice, and, when my treatment was over, he was waiting there with a little cup of the juice for me to chug down. Pampering from the inside out.
The verdict is in: this season it’s all about the high-waist. Consult any fashion pub – be it print or Web – and the evidence is clear. ‘70s fashion is in; thong-baring waistlines might as well be dead and buried (and, in our opinion, hopefully never to be resurrected again). But, while rib-grazing waistlines have graced the gams of countless fashion icons in the past (Jane Birkin being one of the most notable), we’re not so sure the look flatters every figure.
compatibility. While our gut instinct made us want to climb the Empire State Building and cry, ‘We found it! The perfect jean!’ we knew not every woman would be convinced. So, we enlisted the help of our favorite fashionable femmes, 
On the high-waisted shorts in black ($168)…
On the Corseted Skinny Leg Jean in Magnolia ($196)…
work. Maybe if I was 20 I would. They’re just not right for my lifestyle.
So where are you these days during the off season?
I always see hockey players wearing full-on suits, when they’re traveling or going into or out of the hockey stadiums/rinks. Do you have to wear them?
Being that you value your time and you have to wear either your uniform or a suit traveling… what do you like most about these jeans?
Is biotin something that’s been used in the biz for a long time or more recently?
So what does your hair say about you?
Is there any style you wish would just curl up and die?
So, we decided to road-test the original leg cream, Jambes Lourdes ($110), on expectant mother Jade Berreau. Berreau is the perfect tester: Not only is she 7 months pregnant, she’s a freelance photo editor at the big beauty magazine Allure. After leaving Berreau with the cream for a week, we sat down at Brown on Hester Street to talk reactions over mac-and-cheese and apple tarts. 
And, did it work?
Working at Allure you must come across tons of beauty products.
A lot of non-pregnant women also use this product to tighten and refresh their face and neck, so I decided to give it a shot. It made the tone of my skin more even and look rested. I think it has even taken away some of my freckles.
In light of Crane’s love for all things rock ‘n’ roll, we enlisted his help to try out a slightly different form of virtual rocking – specifically, 
How does ‘airing’ compare to performing with your band?
Do you think ‘Freebird’ was the right choice?
If you could play Guitar Hero II against anyone, who would it be?
Dr. Mitchell Mandel Medical Facial ($85)
Despite feeling under-the-weather, and having two back-to-back nightly performances on his plate, Hill met us, along with Silvestri, at BLT Burger for a meal. Below, the verdict:
Is it allergies?
And now Dave Hill Explosion is going strong…
Thoughts on burgers?
For a guy who invented his own breed of organic “freak” dancing, choice of denim is critical. With his recently-released record Secret Lawns, the debut album off new label 
label 
Did you go to school for music?
They look really good. I’m not really into weird washes, which is why I asked for a dark pair. The green’s really nice.Normally, I wouldn’t wear something like that, because I don’t like stuff that stands out too much. But I really like them. They fit really well. And I was stoked because the company seems socially-conscious – the ink is organic and they’re fair-trade.
Have you worn them out and about?
It’s all pretty much improvised– the sign of the cross, kneeling, putting my hand out [laughs]… It’s barely dancing. More like chaotic, epileptic seizures. Fluid seizures. Those jeans would be great for dancing. They allow for a lot of movement.
“When I was 8 I OD’d at a pizza party on like six slices,” reminisces guitarist Simon Benedict O’Connor from rock-band 
“I love frutta da sea!” he declared. Lead singer Jason Maartens Klauber, who is lactose-intolerant, dipped into the garlicky clams: “I am lactose extremely tolerant. I will eat cheese in any form. Liquid, hot or cold,” O’Connor stated, digging into the mozzarella, made fresh daily at the restaurant. 
Cronkite divides its hefty selections of pizza and wine into three generations – Napoli (1st), Italy (2nd) and Cronkite (3rd). Stylofone ordered three from generation two and three, as well as a special no-cheese pizza for Jason. “Asparagus is my favorite-shaped vegetable. There are hardly any on this pizza,” Heel notices as he checks out the Asparagi E Proscuitto (asparagus, prosciutto, Fontina cheese, Mozzarella, onion and cherry tomatoes). Stone gave the simplest pie of the night, Monzese (tomato, mozzarella, parmesan, and fennel sausage), his vote: “I have pedestrian taste.” Everyone agreed on the Patate E Salsiccia (fennel sausage, fingerling potatoes, roasted peppers, Fontina cheese and tomato). But the Tartufo (black winter truffles, Fontina, Ricotta, Mozzarella and olive oil) received the most attention. “I like it. It’s really heavy. It’s like a dessert pizza,” said O’Connor.
At 11 pm Heel was busy text-messaging plans, and O’Connor was heading upstairs to call his girlfriend of the last eight days. “It’s going pretty fast. I already have keys to her house.”
And how did it feel to find out New York magazine considers your shop the best in the city?
What advice would you give amateur cheese-shoppers?
And you’ve actually taken a group to visit the farm?
And how’s the cheese?
Pablo Lopez, 22
Do you think it’s the best show on television?
Julian Wadsworth, 24
CLOWE, 22
Molly Yestadt, 23
Are you a big Sopranos fan?
Bulldog Gin was founded by Anshuman Vohra, a former JP Morgan investment banker, and David Kanbar, an industry veteran from Skyy Vodka in 2006. Wanting to hone in on the needs of the hip set, who better than Cheeseburger to give it a whirl? Just recently back from a small West Coast tour and a new album out on Kemado Records, the guys were happy to oblige our invitation.
promptly fixed four gin martinis, allowing the band to truly feel the effects from Bulldog Gin’s exotic mélange of botanical flavors including Poppy and Dragon Eye, giving it an incredibly seductive fruit and citrus bouquet. Eric, being a self-proclaimed gin snob, said, “It was really smooth and had nice aftertaste to it. I’m not really a fan of the name, yet the gin itself is really good! That’s really the point, right?”
1. 
2. 
Could the aphrodisiac of oysters lend musical inspiration to The Raveonettes? Perhaps, considering it was their first selection off the menu at New York City restaurant Bistro Papillon, where psychoPEDIA invited the harmonious Danish duo - Sharin Foo and Sune Rose Wagner - to dine. 
Here, the review, from the pair of self-proclaimed food snobs: 
SF – “It seems to be a traditional French Bistro type of place but they’re also trying to be a little innovative and different with items like the lamb and how it has a fusion of a mojito wine glaze.”
Obviously oysters are a favorite French dish, and we love oysters. It’s always so interesting to try different oysters at different restaurants.”
SF- “I think the best thing about this restaurant though is our waitress and the waitstaff.” 
So how’d it go?
What are your favorite places to vintage shop in the city?
How did you get your start designing swimwear?
Back in Schnabel’s bedroom, Polaroid photographs dating back 25 years are strewn across the mantle and in boxes lined on the floor. There is Stella as a baby being held high in the air by her father, renowned painter Julian Schnabel, Stella age five looking pensive in a red polka dot dress. Her childhood friend Simon O’Connor of the band Stylofone is playing on the stereo. “I still like to dress like a kid. My favorite things are ripped T-shirts.” Her current uniform is Outback, old-worker clothing, lots of plaids and the occasional piece by Dior Homme. “The jackets are really sexy.” 
one of her favorite kids recently moved out. “He was the sweetest kid - a total bookworm. He borrowed a book almost every day.” Schnabel was recently offered a full-time position at the program, which she is contemplating taking. “I have a way of communicating with the most frustrated kids. I’ve always been sensitive to the underdog. I was the one in school who was defending the nerd.”
So what’s with the sleeping so late - staying up too late?
So would you wear these on-stage?
So no more controversial song titles in store?
What initially inspired you to start Beck(y)?
It sounds like a pretty rewarding by-product.
How would you describe your personal style?
And beyond the saws?
So what’s next for you and Beck(y)?
ready for loose-fitting pants yet. These are, nonetheless, a very good fit. They don’t really have any outstanding detail, which is fine, and they’re made from cone denim, which is great. 
It also came with a set of blow-up legs to put inside your jeans as you work, which were both humorous and functional. I punctured them pretty quickly by mistake but with a little help from Elmer (the glue) I was back up and running. Also to my surprise there was a dremel. Who doesn’t love a dremel?! 
Where can we buy your “fashion projects?”
the look is best achieved when the owner has actually worn them and naturally patched them themselves. True distressing requires a personal history that can’t be recreated or reproduced.
How long have you had your i-mate?
If I use it a lot it’ll last me a day; if I’m using it less I’ll get a couple of days out of it. 
So what’s at the top of your playlist?
Though at first perplexed by the thought of who exactly would be the perfect ‘tester,’ before long we settled on a seasoned art director (specifically fashion and film) who, by reputation, is known for being elusive, as well as… well, ambiguous with regard to his style. So, in true indistinct form, we’ll keep his identity under wraps, save for the bits and pieces divulged between the lines. In his own words:
What do you like about each?
Do you like being ambiguous?
What about with regard to your wardrobe? Even though you often wear high-end designers you typically opt for more nondescript items, no?
So where would you wear them?
How would you describe your style?
So would you wear the Ambiguous jeans anywhere outside of the mountains?
Is the William Morris mailroom myth really true?
So, Annette, if Tim was a shark, what type would he be?
Do you do skinny-legged?
Seriously though, which ones regularly visit your spot?
Why did you select them?
Who comes into your bar?
The jeans I was sent sported bible proverbs: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." It's printed on the inside, so unless you wear your jeans inside out, no one will mistake you for heading for Jesus Army Camp.
cigarettes across the border. They are not just putting Bible in their jeans; they’re living it! They lay hands on these things endlessly; doing for you what Jesus would not.
So you felt like it'd help you relate to the rest of the world?
When my band started playing in other cities and countries, everything was new and fleeting, and it seemed like taking photos was a way to both document and try to understand all of it. 
Who would you rather be chillin in a bar with, talking to over a vodka cranberry?
Everyone wants someone to be one thing, you know? 
and seeing the design in everything around you. I got it at Adorama in NY after seeing some friends with it in Tokyo. Sometimes it can get noisy in the shadows when you’re shooting low light, but if you’re using it on a low ASA setting, it’s really sharp -- there are tons of websites about it. 
nd everyone’s face is saying something about their character. I wanted to do that, but also document the social grouping that gathers for a rock show: it’s different and unique every time. Beds are almost the opposite of a crowd, especially slept in ones. They’re absent of people and they kind of hold the spirit of the sleep, the essence of the person who slept there. 
Currently handling all the artwork for punk-pop merchants 
What do you like about sports jackets?
Where do you get them from?
Located in the heart of the Easr Village, a discerning downtown gentleman can stock up on quirky boxers by 
Makes sense to me. And the best part about them?
True. What was the last all-nighter you pulled in your Filippa K’s?
SOUND BITES: Eating On Tour With Franz Ferdinand ($10.40)
Run Athletics Polka dot (Pantone) 07 Sneaker
Designed in Italy, this water-resistant, unisex accessory also comes in similar models with a variety of faces (red, black, and mother-of-pearl included). Still, because transparent is so the new black, the crystal acrylic is by far our fave.
Enter UONO, the German company responsible for the Cocoon. This sleek, ‘absolutely safe,’ biodegradable coffin (channeling sci-fi à la Kubrick) looks ever ready to preserve your best assets long into the indefinite future. Choose from 14 colors for your flattened egg-looking pod. Or opt for the Haute Couture service and enjoy the luxury of custom color options and silk lining long into the afterlife. And, in the meantime, it doubles as a great chair or guest bed.
Leica M8 Digital Camera ($4,795)
bar/eatery) and Amy Burgess, 26, (an antique aficionado and hairdresser). What began as dismay with NY’s current social/supper scene, soon transpired into a series of elaborately-costumed affairs – complete with three-course meals, entertainment, and a vacuum-packed guest list (each invitee is solely allowed one guest). It’s a much-needed face-lift for NYC’s less-than-fresh nightlife. 
My new pair of Prps jeans has a crotch rivet. It’s one of the many ways designer Donwan Harrell has meticulously recreated a bygone era of blue jeans history. In a time when high-end jeans makers are falling over each other to come out with the most up-to-the-minute cuts and washes, Prps is an authentic throwback. 
I’m 41, with three kids. Although I’m supposed to be the expert, having written a book on jeans, I’ve personally avoided the last several trends in jeans – and I don’t mean just skinny-leg and low-rise. I was already too old for the super-baggy look when that took hold a decade or more ago. 
Ok, first impressions…
Any special treatment at the workplace?
Getting these guys into matching 
“I didn’t have a pair of dark ones like this,” he says. “Mine are all stained with motor oil and stuff, and I really needed some clean pants. I wore them to the bank today.”
I had no idea what to expect. After having a beer at the cozy bar, my two friends and I were called upon by a man with a headset. As we waited in line, a cute young blonde boy with an accent (Swiss?) came up to us and asked if we wanted another drink. He assured us that it might ease our pain. We declined because we wanted to be fairly coherent for the nightmarish adventure we were about to embark on.
Without giving away what lay ahead, the haunted house is based on a study conducted about thousands of New Yorkers’ worst fears. It really is the closest I’ve ever come to being in an actual horror film. I have to admit I’m a pretty fearless person. I can jump off a 50-foot cliff into water, but from the beginning, the little girl stuck in her bedroom with a surgeon coming through her window scenario really freaked me out. Some of it was funny because you know that you’re amongst other likeminded people. But if I had a private solitary visit through the house for the first time, I’d die! Really, if I were aimlessly wandering through the small dark corridors without the safety of grabbing onto my friend’s leather jacket, I’d shit myself. 
Advice for the lovers out there, it’s a great place to take a date. You’ll feel more connected to your partner than you would in bed. It’s survival. At one point, my friend and I took a side entrance to a long smoky hot room with a bloody butcher at the end of the table. He was screaming for us to put our hands on the table. We kept looking around for the others, and eventually they piled in. But in those first 5 seconds when it was just he and I in the room, I felt enormously connected to him.
Click above to watch QuickTime (18 MB)
B-WEB: 
A Voce’s ambiance is elegantly warm and comforting – just like its food, which was carefully crafted by the skillful chef, Andrew Carmellini. In 2005 Carmellini won the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: New York City award during his last months at Café Boulud. A Voce’s menu, says Carmellini, is “inspired by the spirit of seasonal simplicity in Italian cooking.”
Benjamin Curtis:
Last month, the automat returned to Manhattan. Given the name BAMN!, the hot-pink, standing-room-only space on St. Marks is an updated, semi-Asian variation of the original. Opened by restaurant newcomers David Leong and Robert Kwak, who enlisted Chef Kevin Reilly of The Water Club after he reportedly answered a Craigslist ad for the best croquette recipe, it offers a variety of vending-machine goodies from hot dogs and grilled cheese to teriyaki burgers and roasted pork buns. Nothing is over $2.50 in quarters (they provide a change-machine) -- and drinks, ice cream and Belgian frites, which come with a choice of 30 different dipping sauces, can be purchased at the counter. Given the fact that it’s open 24 hours a day, BAMN! might just be the best 2am drunken pitstop in NYC. 
Tell us about your whip.
What did you originally like about the Samurais?
When Kate Moss decides to wear one of your designs (namely, a diaphanous lime-green halter dress) to something as important as her 30th-birthday luncheon, you’re undoubtedly going to get attention: “Sue Stemp is going to be our most talked-about designer during New York Fashion Week,” proclaimed British Vogue on their website last week about the English-bred, Manhattan-based designer of the above dress. It doesn’t hurt that Stemp, who worked her creative magic at Ghost, Tocca, Daryl K and Alexander McQueen before launching her own line of smart, saucy sportswear last season, also designed model/British ‘It’ girl Rosemary Ferguson’s pleated, spaghetti-strap wedding gown last year. 
PP: It just occurred to us you may not like chocolate.
Just over a week ago, The New York Times hailed coffee as a potential health drink, as recent studies have shown it may reduce risks of everything from Type 2 diabetes to cirrhosis of the liver. Great. Bring on the brew. Apparently, the folks at Shock Coffee, a recently launched Queens-based brand that specializes in individually packaged pep, were thinking the same thing.
There are various ways a young actor can stand out from the pack – be unbelievably good-looking, win a Golden Globe (bonus points if it’s for playing someone who’s also unbelievably good-looking, like James Dean), star in nearly 30 films by the time you’re 28, earn a reputation as a consummate professional who pays meticulous attention to character detail, get the stamp of approval from DeNiro. 
Critics have called Franco a “ticking time-bomb;” he’s called himself an “artsy loner.” We just called him. Will you do a denim road-test for us? Regardless of the fact that he’s been busy in Toronto shooting a romantic comedy (not engaging in a love affair) with Sienna Miller, he said ‘sure.’ (Note: he’s also an overachiever, who reportedly doesn’t like to sleep because “there’s too much to do.”)
“They’re stiff and hard to break in… but sturdy and comfortable,” he responded. “I’ve been wearing them around Toronto, and to the Roosevelt [Hotel] to hang out. I usually wear them with tennis shoes and T-shirts.” True enough, several days later, paparazzi pics surfaced showing Franco walking around Toronto with Sienna Miller, looking a little stiff but kinda comfortable in his Kicking Mule jeans, white T-shirt, and New Balance sneakers. And, although he hates to shop, it looks, in one of the photos, like Franco was nice enough to accompany Miller on her spree.
It takes a big man to trade in a massive Benz for a Mini Cooper. Here, Gilles Mendel, the designer and CEO of J. Mendel, explains why he’s driving around town wearing a big smile. In his own words:
“Driving it feels super-luxurious. It’s really an antique with a new engine, and just the sound of the motor…. It’s really surreal driving it in New York. It has that sound and smell specific to the Mini. It transports me to Paris. I live on 68th and Madison, and I drive every day to my studio. And, every time I drive, it attracts so much attention. I have more Rolls-Royces and Bentleys stopping and asking how to change their car for this funny little thing. It’s very cute. It really makes me smile. It makes everyone smile -- kids, construction guys, doormen -- they all smile. When I drove the Mercedes, I got more grimaces. With the Mini, you put on your signal, and everyone lets me go. It gives everyone a nice happy feeling.”
“It’s official. Daniel Henney has reached heartthrob status,” gushed The Korea Times in a recent cover story about the 27-year-old Korean-American model/actor who’s recently reached Brad Pitt proportions in the Asian world. As latest proof, the paper quoted a 40-line love poem that had been circulating on the Internet: A perfect combination of East and West/Clean-cut features, a perfect body and innocent smile/ Even my biggest foe English seems friendly when spoken through his beautiful lips/ I wonder what his mother did for prenatal care.
So, you like Paper Denim jeans?
They say black is back. Skinny black (or dark ash, or midnight, whatever they’re calling it) jeans are big for fall ‘06. But hasn’t black always been big? I’ve always been an “all-black-wearin’” type of gal. I was that chick in high school who wore Doc Martens with pearls in my conservative-suburban town, and gushed over Robert Smith, Morrissey and Depeche Mode. Many weekends, I went to Revival, an “underage night” in Philly -- it was our version of Misshapes -- wearing skinny black Guess or Esprit jeans.
It took Jahream, Yuji Fukushima, and Gordon Heffner a year and a half to open Blue In Green, their much-anticipated men’s lifestyle shop. That was the time it took them to scour Japan for the most sought-after denim and streetwear labels yet to hit America.
Warehouse 1950 Duckdigger
For skinny guys with a thing for skinny jeans, finding a style that fits is a quite literally a big problem. For the most part, the men’s denim market simply doesn’t address the needs of narrow-hipped, slim-jims, size 28 and under. The solution? “I usually wear women’s jeans,” concedes Esteban Cortazar. The 22-year-old Colombian design ingénue – who, at age 18, was the youngest designer to show at New York Fashion Week; and single-handedly brought Cindy Crawford out of retirement by having her open and close his spring ’04 show (other devout Cortazar fans include Beyonce, Kim Catrall, and Paris Hilton) -- says he’s a size 30, but is in fact several sizes smaller. “I’m sorry I’m so petite,” he wrote, ending his lament with a frowning computer face. 
Noting his preference, we sent Cortazar a pair of super-slim, size 28 women’s jeans from Odyn. From what we discovered, the year-and-a-half-old, New York-based, Nordic-inspired brand that’s big with Jessica Simpson also looks pretty darn good on dudes. Here’s the skinny: 
What would you wear with them? 
Maybe it was our fault for telling US Helicopter not to give them any special treatment -- we wanted an honest road-test! But we never in a million years expected that they would provide the worst service possible by LOSING THEIR LUGGAGE! How on God’s earth, we thought, as we listened to Maggie’s frantic message from the airport, does a tiny helicopter with only a couple of passengers lose luggage? 
“She is always pulled together in a gracefully laid-back yet kooky way,” stated Mirabelle Marden in Vogue last fall about her Rivington Arms gallery partner, Melissa Bent. “I would agree with that,” says Bent, dressed in a deconstructed Veronique Branquinho sundress and brown leather Rondini sandals. “You can only get them in St. Tropez,” she points out, shoveling chopsticks full of Kelley & Ping pad thai into her mouth.
So, what do you think?
By the time most of us have eaten our second meal of the day sitting at a computer screen, Grayson Fertig, 26, has finished his second highly-intense physical training session. And it won’t be his last before heading home. Such is the daily schedule of a professional bobsledder, who’s also squeezed in an additional career/ultimate male fantasy as a physical trainer at Chelsea Piers for some of the most exquisite female bodies on earth. He asks we don’t disclose who his clients are (you’d be respectful, too, if it meant securing your up-close positioning with sweaty European, Russian, and South American supermodels), but suffice it to say, they fill the pages of Vogue and Sports Illustrated.
Are you feeling awesome?
But the benefits of breathing deep are undeniable…
As far as dentists go, there are those who breath heavily through their noses and have piles of old Redbooks for reading material, and then there’s Chris Perez, a handsomely unshaven cosmetic dentist, who is considered the guy to go to within the fashion industry. He works out of a groovy chic Soho office complete with art and design publications, wears premium denim (usually 45rpm, but today, Kicking Mule), is married to the senior art director of Ralph Lauren, counts everyone from Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Craig McDean to all the near-perfect Eastern European and European supermodels with not so perfect teeth as his patients, and would rather discuss crazy new tech gadgets than root canals.
How did you discover it?
What’s your favorite feature on the phone?
A new movement in guerrilla marketing is taking hold, and video game heavyweights Rockstar Games are on top of the trend. The modern advertorial recipe for success: offer hipsters and industry insiders a second home stocked with all the free booze, food and entertainment any borderline video game junkie could appreciate.
“It’s just to get girls, really,” joked Hunter -- seated low on a couch, wireless controller in hand -- of his interest in the video game in front of him.
And, despite complaints we’ve heard (one industry insider asked: “Why can’t I throw the paddle, or stick it in somebody’s head?”), Rockstar kept their Table Tennis clean enough for the kiddies. Unlike the notoriously-violent Grand Theft Auto, this one is rated E for Everyone.
Even DJ Clarissa Steed, who at first refused to play on account of finding “video games and table tennis really dorky,” ended up taking part, and winning second place in the tournament.
“Everyone’s doing them, but not nicely,” opines Aleksandra Woroniecka on the state of skinny jeans. She ought to know: The Polish-born, French-bred, New York-based fashion stylist (and former editor of now-defunct avant-garde style bible Rebel) has worn slim jeans pretty much every day of her adult life. And before that, she wore only leggings. “I like how they’re neat, but at the same time rock ‘n’ roll,” she explains of her drainpipe preference.
However, all thin jeans aren’t created equal: “It’s hard to find styles that are very tight – tight on the hips and tight at the bottom. Most of them just go down straight and look wide at the bottom,” bemoans the statuesque beauty. “And I don’t like ones that have a low waist. It’s the worst when G-strings hang out.”
French artist Fafi is the 30-year-old queen of cool, known for her trademark “Fafinettes,” a cast of big-breasted, lush-lipped, Lolita-like nymphettes that she paints on walls worldwide. She’s created everything from T-shirts to toy figurines; and has collaborated on design projects with Sony, Colette, Coca-Cola, and Adidas. The little lady from Toulouse is even teaming up with Kelis on a collection to coincide with the singer’s next album launch this month. 
The brand: Some refer to French designer Ora-Ito as “the other Marc Newson,” considering he’s reinterpreted everything from Vuitton backpacks to Heineken bottles, mobile phones and Mac computers.
What kind of mood were you in before you put it on?
Last week, Nokia introduced the N91, its latest N-series multimedia mobile phone that morphs a music player with a camera, video player, voice recorder, FM radio, and email capability. Already it’s being touted amongst tech bloggers as the “iPod killer.” 
The N91 contains 4GB of storage, which translates to roughly 3000 tunes. You can drag songs onto it from your desktop, or download new ones while on the go. It snaps 2-megapixel pictures, allows you to send and receive emails of up to 300KB, and comes with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth. As for the battery -- it’ll last long enough to play tunes for 10 hours, talk for 4, or standby for 190. It seems the only problem with this puppy is the $1000 price.
I’ve never really been a gadget guy, but this superphone got me in touch with some inner nerd that I didn’t even know was in there. You feel all cool with your no-one-else- has-one-of- these- cause-it’s-just-that- new-and-silver-and- cool-looking. And you can rock tunes. And when your phone rings, it pauses the Bad Brains, and you can talk to one of your friends; and when you hang up, the music comes back on. And it comes with these sweet headphones. Thanks, Nokia. You’ve made my personal mobile communication dreams come true. Dreams I didn’t even know I dreamed. 
Tell us a little about yourself.
What kind of music is it?
What’s in your pockets right now?
Since its launch two years ago, New York-based magazine Cool’Eh has churned out content that brilliantly balances satire with seriousness. Case in point: Their recent 2006 “Must-Have” feature, which spoofed the product pages of men’s fashion mags, and managed to include both the avian-flu vaccine and the new Ghostface Killah Doll. Here, the editors review a selection of old and new celebrity albums, which – admittedly – is like mugging old ladies, without the remorse. In their own words:
This isn’t his self-titled comedy album. This is his 1985 pop record with the million-selling single Party All The Time. Unfortunately, Rick James wrote and produced that whole song, and it seems the nose candy ran out, because the rest of the LP is some serious basura. Eddie makes Jamie Foxx look like Al Green with this type of shit. You want to hear a good Eddie Murphy song, download Boogie in Your Butt from his first record. Now that’s what we call music.
According to one enthusiastic armchair reviewer: “You guys need to see them perform live before you judge them.” We beg to differ. With five albums under their belts, the Bacons are the most prolific of the celebrity artists featured here, but they’re also the best example of what happens when one family member gets rich -- they fund the misguided dreams of their siblings. Michael Bacon is like Bryan Adams, with less talent. Kevin is dope on the instruments, but one listen to his older brother’s vocals and you’ll know celebrity, combined with a brother’s guilt, is a terrible thing. 
You might remember 2 Legit to Quit. You might even still be able to do the hand-sign thing pretty quickly. But I know you forgot about this: Must Be the Money ringing any bells? Bringing back horrifying memories of the video? Deion getting his S-Curl juice all over a gold three-piece while soft-shoeing it around his mansion? We wish you could see this cover: Mr. Sanders is rocking a plaid zoot suit (purple), forsaking the jacket for a matching vest, all of which is superimposed on the (purple) face of a Timex or something. In case you forgot, Bust-It was MC Hammer’s label. We don’t know if this was a favor to Deion for being in Hammer’s 2 Legit video, or just one of Ham-Ham’s myriad “bad business moves,” but this is officially a turd. Imagine if Father MC had something stuck in his throat for a whole album with beats by C&C Music Factory. Now if you really want to take it back, how about that Cedric Ceballos jump-off…
Shatner wins. His record is by far the best out of all of these. The entire thing is produced by Ben Folds, and the cover of the Pulp hit Common People rocks. Guests include Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, Lemon Jelly, and Joe Jackson. We generally avoid philosophizing, but it’s interesting to note that Shatner’s self-effacing sense of humor may be why he was able to put out a record that doesn’t completely suck.
Cindy Greene, co-founder of arthouse-rebel-prep label Libertine, has no trouble making clothes that appeal to highly-discriminating types -- like Karl Lagerfeld, who regularly sports Libertine tuxedo jackets, and readily admits his Dior Homme-like regard for the label. However, she does have trouble finding clothes for herself.
The Thing About Them: “The fashion world is so saturated with denim right now that you don’t want to feel too conservative. You want to make a statement with your jeans. Judi’s jeans are interesting. They’re high-waisted, which is brilliant. No one else is doing that -- that I’ve seen. And they’re totally sexy. They make your ass look amazing, no matter the size.”
Legendary graffiti artist CLAW is a busy girl. In addition to spraying her infamous paw print all over the city, working as the fashion editor of Swindle, and co-branding collections with EckoRed, Hasbro (last year, she created a My Little Pony), and Calvin Klein’s teen-driven CK Choice underwear line, the Queens native and FIT-dropout also designs a line of clothing called Claw Money, and a collection of ‘80s-inspired sunglasses named And Suns. And this fall, she’ll also be a published author: Bombshell (published by Miss Rosen Editions)is a look back at her 20-year career as one of the most famous female graffiti-ers to date. 
“I’m always running around,” she says. “I look like I’m jogging, but I’m not.” 
“Color-wise, there are so many options. I ended up using an old ‘80s pair of Nikes from my vintage collection as inspiration. They’re pink, green, orange, and yellow; and have ‘Claw’ written on one shoe, and ‘Money’ on the other.”
No. 6, a seven-month-old vintage shop located on an Old World strip of Lower Manhattan, is one of those rare boutiques that identifies perfectly with how modern downtown girls want to look. Which is to say, cool -- in a beautiful, soulful, somewhat hippie, and entirely unique way. 
“It’s a good basic – something to pair with a really beautiful top,” explains Yakus of the decision to sell jeans – even though both she and Bereson, and most of their customers, try not to wear jeans that often. But, as Yakus puts it, “Sometimes you just want to wear something comfortable.”
Bereson’s Pick: Helmut Lang medium-blue men’s jeans with paint splatters. “They’re a little bit baggy, a little high-waisted, and slightly pegged in the good-bad way.” Jerry Seinfeld-style? “That’s it.”
Her Style: “Slightly boyish. But always with something surprising or feminine.”
His Assessment: “I like to videotape everything.” Fortunately for him, the phone can hold two hours of footage on its removable memory card, which he imports to his computer and edits. Of the video quality, Casey asserts, “It’s not just good, it’s good enough.”
Lydia Hearst-Shaw, the 21-year-old great-granddaughter of publishing baron William Randolph Hearst (and daughter of SLA-abductee-turned-John Waters’ actress Patty Hearst) obviously doesn’t need to be gracing the cover of Italian Vogue, nor the ads for Bottega Veneta, to pay the rent. But at least, becoming an in-demand model has gotten her out of the house. 
How they working on you, Lydia?
What are some of your favorite vintage shops in NYC?
Finally, after 16 absurdly-long months, The Sopranos returns to television this Sunday night, and if you’re Jamie-Lynn Sigler -- who plays mafia princess Meadow Soprano -- you’ve already started celebrating. (And we did spot Sigler getting pretty wily at Stereo last Saturday night.) 
Where have you worn them?
For a man who’s spent the past 17 years as a Hollywood stuntman, and the last 15 as a racecar driver, Stanton Barrett is a surprisingly mellow dude. In fact, with his floppy blond hair, California good looks, and laid-back demeanor, Barrett, 33, seems more like a dreamboat ski instructor than a man who spends his life risking it. He’s also a pretty big softie. On his downtime, he devotes himself to children’s charities such as Snowfrog, an educational website for kids he created himself, and The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, his godfather Paul Newman’s getaway for children with serious illnesses. “My passion is kids,” he says simply.
The need for speed runs in the family: Barrett’s father, Stan Barrett, drove for the legendary Skoal Bandit racing team, owned by Burt Reynolds, Hal Needham, and Paul Newman. He also, in December of 1979, drove the first land vehicle through the sound barrier. His top speed clocked in at 739 mph, or Mach 1.01. And Barrett’s mother, Penny McCoy, was an Olympic and U.S. Ski Team member; and, at the age of 15, the youngest woman to win a medal for the U.S. World Cup Ski Team.
It didn’t take Alyssa Miller long to make a name for herself. Modeling for only nine months now, the 16-year-old L.A. native and German/Irish/Native American mix has already scored editorials in Bazaar, W, The NY Times Magazine, and all the major Vogues, including the cover of the Italian edition. And with her pillowy lips, wild dark mane, and eyebrows like inchworms doing down-dog, she also made a major impression on Stella McCartney, who cast her in this past fall’s ad campaign. Yet, as high-fashion as her career is, Miller’s daily uniform at home consists of jeans, T-shirts, and Marc Jacobs flats.
What have you been wearing them with?
When it comes to New York’s elitist crowds—be they film or fashion—access is everything. Having favorable genetics doesn’t hurt either. Mingus Lucien Reedus happens to be blessed with both, but he really couldn’t care less.
What do you like about the jeans?
Compared to the corsets and ballgowns she wears in Sofia Coppola’s highly-anticipated film Marie-Antoinette (ensembles so elaborate they take half-an-hour to put on), Kirsten Dunst’s day-to-day style is decidedly more low-key. On the red carpet, she prefers easy, feminine “frocks,” as she calls them, like Chloe and Christian Lacroix cocktail dresses, or lacy Chanel gowns. Off the red rug, it’s a mix of high and low, like rolled-up mini-shorts worn with Mayle blouses, or vintage dresses paired with Marc Jacobs flats. And always lots of denim, which she admits to wearing every other day.
“I wore them everywhere,” she admits, rattling off a few locales: “To guest-DJ for friends at Teddy's… to eat at M Café, a macrobiotic place I’m in love with.” We even spotted a paparazzi shot of her in Allure, pairing the jeans superbly with a pussycat-bow Chanel blouse, and strappy white Marc Jacobs flats, which she also wears everywhere.
For years, Craig Robinson’s name has been synonymous with sexy, slightly gangsterish three-piece tailored suits – the kind that give his devoted rock ‘n’ roll clients like Interpol, Kasabian, Calla, Franz Ferdinand, and Death Cab For Cutie a little added stage-swagger. But long before the New Mexico native started custom-crafting such gentlemanly attire, he was just a jeans designer.
And still, stylish musicians find Robinson’s impeccably-tailored denim pants second-to-none.
Depending on how you look at it, filmmaker and Citizens Band co-founder Sarah Sophie Flicker would either be the best or worst person to road-test a pair of jeans: Not only does she prefer not to wear them, but on the rare occasion she dons a pair, she regards it as a bit of a fashion failure. “If I’m wearing jeans, it’s as though I’m admitting defeat,” claims Flicker in a girly, soft-spoken tone that compliments her Clara Bow-like features. “Because I really like to dress up. I always have. Even as a child I didn’t like to wear pants. And I never wore jeans during high school.”
“But the restaurant we were going to has a dress code,” she continues. “And I was worried that they wouldn’t allow jeans. So I wore them with a vintage sparkly blouse and cardigan, and a pair of sparkly Miu Miu shoes, and it was fine. Everyone thought they were black pants. And my husband thought I looked really good, and because they’re slim and super-dark, I actually felt really dressy in them!”
“First of all, I haven’t taken them off since I got them,” admits actress Ivana Milicevic of the new slim-legged Paper Denim & Cloth jeans we gave her to road test almost two weeks ago. Her search for the perfect skinny pair (which previously included testing out several Swedish brands), led her to believe that “they’re mostly for girls whose thighs are the same size as their calves. These are awesome because they’re tapered on the bottom, but they’re not denim leggings.”
Milicevic also wore them with green Miu Miu patent leather pumps and a Marc Jacobs sweater for a sushi dinner at Bond Street with her friend Poodle. Then to the SNL after-party for host Jack Black. Then to Bungalow 8, with a late-night stop at Joe’s Pizza.
New York-based accessories designer Malini Murjani was too young to wear Gloria Vanderbilt’s iconic skin-tight stretch jeans back in their ‘70s heyday, but she remembers how her mother – who was then the brand’s fit model – used to lie on the bed in order to zip them up. “She looked so cool in them,” she recalls with a laugh.
So what do you think about the re-launch of the GV jeans?
“I think it’s really cool. It’s exciting to see something from the ‘70s and ‘80s make a full circle.”
JT Leroy -- the acclaimed author and all-around man-of-mystery -- doesn’t really like jeans: “Most of them are too stiff on me. I am a delicate flower,” he explains. Even working as a writer on the set of HBO’s Wild West drama “Deadwood,” where, as he puts it, there are a “lotta cowboys in a lotta jeans around here,” hasn’t swayed his anti-denim opinions. Rather, he sticks to cozier cowboy gear: “I like flannel… and I’ve been wearing a lot of jodhpurs lately.”
“Kicking Mule, love the name. I am glad they didn't call them Barfing Mule, or worse still, Kicking Ass – then nobody could wear them, no matter how swell they are. It would be stating the obvious, coz these jeans somehow do make the buttocks kick. And they know it, so this is clever subliminal coding.
Lyonel Tollemache has a job most teenage boys dream of: As Promotions Director of Rockstar Games, and a driving force behind Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Midnight Club 3: Dub Editions, and The Warriors, the 32-year-old London native gets paid big bucks to talk endless shop about stealing cars, beating people up, and getting busy with prostitutes -- common occurrences in a Rockstar video game.
What do you think of the Michael H’s?
Jason Wu’s fashion designs might be of Lilliputian proportions, but they have, nonetheless, caused a global sensation. The 23-year-old’s Fashion Royalty collection of couture-clad dolls, which was launched by Integrity Toys in 2002, has revolutionized the adult-toy industry, and has given boring Barbie a run for her money. And his recent creation, a RuPaul doll, which touts itself as the first vinyl-molded mini-transvestite, and comes in six different extraordinary stage outfits, has already become a collector’s item, causing quite a sensation in Japan. Next up is a pair of Gastineau Girls dolls, which will make their television appearance on season two of the hit E! show.
What are your favorite jeans?
Yelena Yemchuk’s charm is difficult to pinpoint. It could be the striking pairing of dark curls against pale skin, or the noticeably innocent tone with which she speaks. Perhaps it’s a result of growing up in Kiev, before moving to Brooklyn with her family at the age of 14. Or her status as one of downtown New York’s “It Girls,” alongside pals like model Helena Christensen and filmmaker Maximilla Lukacs. Whatever the reason, it is indeed endearing.
Amidst finishing “Jack of the Bird,” the third in a series of twelve large-scale drawings that are her project du jour, as well as organizing her trip to Paris next week for a Japanese Vogue shoot, this jetsetter found the time to consider all the reasons she loves her Meltin’ Pot jeans.
Joy Bryant has been wearing her new Stitch “Cherokee” jeans for two days straight, which would be insignificant had it been two ordinary days. But the 29-year-old actress has spent them doing a flurry of press for 50 Cent’s big-screen biopic Get Rich or Die Tryin’, in which she plays Charlene, the rapper’s girlfriend and baby mama.
Whether it’s jeans, jewelry from Urban Outfitters (“everyone always thinks it’s from somewhere else,” she admits) or the YSL dress she’s wearing to the film’s L.A. premiere, Bryant has the true gift for making it all -- whether high-style or low -- look effortless.
Actor Jonny Abrahams, whose career began 10 years ago when he starred in Larry Clark’s “Kids,” has just about hit the big time. The 28-year-old New Yorker who many would remember as the cute science teacher on Boston Public, is kicking back in The Terrace Suite at New York’s Maritime Hotel (complete with outdoor shower), feet on the coffee table, hip-hop blaring from the radio, describing the treatment for a TV comedy he co-wrote with good pal Ashton Kutcher. And he’s still beaming from the night before, in which -- all dapperly suited up in custom threads -- he strolled the red carpet and partied at the Four Seasons for the premiere of “Prime,” a film he co-stars in alongside Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep.
Yet, for all the fine-looking clothes in his wardrobe, Abrahams still rocks (“every day of my life”) four grungy pairs of Diesel jeans he bought too long ago to remember. “All I know is that they started out dark,” he says, sadly looking down at the baby blue jeans he’s sporting with a pair of construction boots and a lambswool sweater from Club Monaco.
What do you think of the ‘Dark Worn’ wash?
Aside from baggy and black, Norman Reedus’ main criterion for jeans is
that they be sturdy enough not to rip when he falls down. Not that
Reedus – an actor/director – is clumsy. He’s more the sort of guy who
often gets into rough ‘n’ tumble situation
So, we tossed him a pair of Rogans, figuring the workwear-inspired jeans would work well in his danger-laden daily routine:
James Iha is a man of particular tastes: Back in the ‘90s, when the Japanese-American, Chicago-native was the guitarist of the seminal music act, The Smashing Pumpkins, it was all about alt rock with a side order of psychedelic. Today, as a record producer (he’s just finished a remix for StellaStarr) and co-founder of Scratchie Records (home to the Swedish band The Sounds and the Motor City trio The Sights), his preference has become more New Wave. As to the décor of his NYC apartment – which has been profiled and praised in several publications including The New York Times -- he likes it gilded and rustic. And when it comes to his clothes, he has an inclination towards the cutting-edge.
Enter Earnest Sewn’s Filson jeans, which are cut slim, straight and ultra-modern, but possess a very vintage-looking wash. Curious to see how he’d perceive them (supremely rock ‘n’ roll? Better suited as a wall-hanging in his home? The perfect dog-bed for Sadie, his girlfriend’s Chihuahua?), we sent him a pair to road-test:
“Sometimes I just can’t deal with getting dressed,” admits designer Sari Gueron one Friday afternoon, glancing down at her slouchy army-green pants and A.R.E Weapons band T-shirt. It’s an endearing comment coming from a girl who 99% of the time looks unbelievably chic in that downtown bohemian way: tousled long blond hair, no makeup, wearing one of her signature draped goddess dresses, which have become as imperative now to It Girls’ wardrobes as Diane Von Furstenberg’s wraps were 30 years ago.
So, what do you think of the jeans?
On paper, Cody Willard couldn’t be more of a suit: He manages his own NYC-based hedge fund, is often quoted in The Financial Times, and regularly appears on CNBC, offering up finance tips. But, in reality, the New Mexico native and self-proclaimed “rock ‘n’ roll artist” wears jeans most of the time. So he happily road-tested a pair of 575s – the L.A. denim brand that’s making waves – three days straight for Handsblue. Here are his thoughts:
I’d been asked by Handsblue to road test a latest pair of 575s. So I gave a latest of 575s a run through. I wore my 575s to two parties and one day of work over a three-day period. The first was a fashion party in the Meatpacking District. I have an older pair of 575s that has a lot of patches and tears and what not on them -- so many that they almost seem like they “try too hard” to look distressed. This pair, though, is just right. The left knee is worn out just enough and there aren’t too many patches. They just look and feel like a good, high quality pair of worn-in jeans. I felt quite comfortable (even, cool) in the 575s at this party. Though I got no complements on the jeans that night, I was quite pleased with them.
I wore my blue-chip 575s to a party at a friend’s house in Brooklyn on Saturday night. He works at Google and his wife works at Chanel. I showed up in a black jacket from American Rag in LA, a faded black Corvette T-Shirt from Starstruck Vintage in NYC, these distressed 575s, and black shoes from H Lorenzo in LA. Unfortunately, the party was full of mostly couples and sloppy drunks in ill-fitting clothes, so they didn’t even notice how cool I was.
So, how lucky am I to be able to road test free jeans? I got to pick from a great selection, but hands down the winner was Paige. (Paper Denim & Cloth was close behind, but they didn't have my size.) The natural looking fade (not patchy) caught my eye right away. 
Fashion photographer Walter Chin has a slight problem: “I collect things – I can’t stop. It’s a disease,” he admits by phone in Malibu where he’s shooting the upcoming Victoria’s Secret “Pink” campaign.
HB: So, what do you think of the jeans, Walter? 
Marvin Jarrett, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Nylon Magazine, is a denim freak in the truest sense of the phrase. Case in point: His house in L.A. He’s converted an entire bedroom there into a walk-in closet that contains a collection of nearly 500 jeans. Absurd? Yes, but not unheard of. “Jessica Simpson made a closet out of a bedroom too,” he reasons. But it’s a safe bet to say that Simpson has a few Louis Vuitton cases and designer gear mixed in with her denim Daisy Dukes. In Jarrett's case, the blues rule supreme.
