Where Am I?

Yeah, I have been gone for a while. Up in the Rotten Apple enjoying the company of my family during the Festival of Lights. It is a very exciting, entertaining time of year, so I am once again completely broke. Of course, I did get a flat tire last night and had to pay almost ninety bucks to get a new one. And I still need to get the matching tire so that I won't have a blow-out on the interstate and go careening off of a cliff into oblivion, which actually sounds kind of nice right about now. If I lived in New York I wouldn't have to worry about flat tires, just transit strikes, yippee! Anyway, I had a great time in the city with my family staying at my brother's amazing apartment on the Upper West Side. It's not really his apartment, it's his friend Judd's mom's apartment, but she is in England for a while, so he is caring for it while she is gone. The place is ridiculous. The largest apartment I have ever been in in New York. Twice the size of my place in Carrboro, and only twice the rent because Judd's mom has been living there for so long and the place is rent-controlled or whatever. Anyway, I'm jealous. But that has always been the case when it came to my brother. But this is neither the time nor the place to go into that. Instead, I'll just post some pictures from the trip and from the Annual Oyster Roast at Drew and Misty's place on December 10^th that I hadn't gotten around to posting yet. I hope you enjoy them. I sure enjoyed taking them. I also enjoyed the oysters, beer, cheese pie, etc. Oh yeah, the night pictures of buildings are looking out Seth's living room window. The living room that is twice the size of mine and does not include the dining room and kitchen like mine does. No, his dining room is almost as big as the living room and his kitchen is twice the size of mine. And he has three bathrooms. And two bedrooms. And a study. And Zabar's is right across the street. Bastard.

Proper

Well, I've been on a bit of a sneaker kick recently and I got an e-mail this morning from Proper letting me know that they have some new kicks in stock, so I thought I would share. Unfortunately, I don't live in Long Beach and Proper only does in-store sales. So if you happen to live in Cali and can make it out to Long Beach check out the new stock and let me know what you think. I'm personally diggin' these Nike Laser 1-Piece Dunk low sneakers. It doesn't get much classier than that.

Fair Trade Kicks

I got an e-mail this afternoon from Aurélie at the new, first brand of fair trade sneakers, Veja, about their new kicks. Here's the info:

We launched in March 2005 in Paris and Tokyo, Veja, the first brand of fair trade sneakers. The concept is to make sneakers that do respect men and nature. Materials used are organic cotton produced by a cooperative of small Brazilian producers and rubber from wild Amazon Hevea trees. The cooperative of latex producers is fighting against deforestation. Manufacturing is done in a cooperative that respects the dignity of workers. The fair trade premium paid to the producers aims at financing concrete development projects in heath, education or environment fields. All along the production chain, from small Brazilian producers to European, Japanese or American consumers, the new brand tries to have a positive social impact and opens new ways of doing business.

The first Veja model is inspired by Brazilian volley shoes from the 70’s.

Pretty cool, huh? And the shoes ain't half bad, either. Check out all the flavors on their website. I like the black and yellow ones the best. The website is all in French, so this is all of the information I have. I have no idea if they are available yet, but they do have a list of retailers on their website. If it weren't all Flash, I would link to it, but you are just going to have to find it yourselves. The only US retailer listed is SCOUT at 7920 West Third Street in Los Angeles.

I Am Invincible!

So last months I mentioned a little something at the bottom of one of my posts about the fact that I was one of the five winners of the Nike Invincible contest over at Freshness Mag. Well, last week I finally received my prize, a gift certificate for a pair of custom-designed sneakers over at Nike iD. First of all, I would like to thank Freshness Mag and Nike for naming me one of the winners of this contest. I never win anything, other than swim meets and lacrosse games in high school, so this is big for me. I think this is the first real, physical thing that I have ever won. Secondly, I would like to quote the winning paragraph that I wrote on what the word "invincible" means to me:

"Invincible" is a state of mind. If you think you could fall, get hurt, suffer injury, or sustain damage than you will. If you want to be invincible, you have to think of yourself as invincible. Invincible is running through the wall at the end of the race. Invincible is carrying tacklers through the end zone, down the tunnel and into the locker room. Invincible is destroying all of your enemies without sustaining a scratch.

That's what I won with. There must not have been a whole lot of entries for me to win with this one, but that's the way things go. And lastly, here's a picture of the sneakers I designed. I did eight designs before I finally settled on these Air Bruin Max iD's. I like the gold swoosh, but was hard pressed to find colors that I thought went well with it. I think the blue and red work well. Of course, half the fun of Nike iD is coming up with new designs. Check out my other designs, The Strip Club and Country Fried Vengeance.

Some People...

Still haven't figured it out yet. Pottery, not toys! Sheesh, what do I have to do around here to convince people. Anyway, I got an e-mail this weekend from My Plastic Heart letting me know that they have some new toys in stock and that if you place your order by 8:00pm EST today, you will receive it by Christmas. If you live in the United States, that is. Christmas, shmistmas! Who cares if it is a few days late. Do you think Santa minds? Less crap for him to carry. Anyway, the first toy on Satan's list is this Limited Ed. 2005 Taiwan Toy Festival version TADO Sissyfists' Puchoo 3" vinyl toy. This figure represents the mascot/percussionist of the Tokyo die-hard punk band The Sissyfists. Apparently they are the worst Crass tribute band you could ever imagine, with a touch of Melt Banana and a little Sick of It All. Sounds wonderful. I'll have to download some of their music to check it out. The figure is also only available from My Plastic Heart.

Next up we got the cute little Cactus Friends from Italian artist Simone Legno and his art brand tokidoki. The cute, prickly little bastards are apparently taking the world by storm. The only one currently available is the little pooch Bastadino, but the rest should be available soon. The Cactus Friends are tokidoki's first entry into the world of designer toys, but based on their cuteness, they won't be the last.

Any Relation To Jerry?

Like I said yesterday, toys are out and pottery is in for collectors this holiday season. So I was searching Google for some fine Limited Ed. pottery and I stumbled upon the Luna Garcia gallery. I don't know if they share any relation to Jerry Garcia, or even Andy Garcia for that matter, but they do have some rather interesting Limited Ed. art prints based on pottery. These prints are more interesting to me than the actual handcrafted, signed and dated pottery featured at the gallery. According to the website:

These signed and numbered, limited edition giclée prints by Luna García Editions are printed on 100% rag paper using colorfast inks and protected with a UV coating. The editions are limited to 200. The image size for each print is 15" x 10.8". The paper size is 19" x 13"

I especially like the use of comic strip imagery in the prints. It reminds me of a painting that was in my grandparents' bathroom when I was a child. It was a painting of three nude figures over an old Pogo comic strip. The juxtaposition of imagery always fascinated me. And I like naked ladies (you know who you are).

I Hate Christmas

I think I'm repeating myself here, but I really can't stand this ridiculous consumer holiday and all of the crap associated with it. Selena, a woman(?) I share my office with, has her radio tuned to the Christian rock station and it is driving me fuckin' bananas! This is the kind of thing that makes people bring semi-automatic weapons into work and kill! Kill!! KILL!!! She's lucky I'm not very fond of gun-ownership. I mean, it's fairly obvious that I'm Jewish. Is she just trying to torture me? Anyway, for those out there who feel the way I do this time of year, check out Fuck Christmas. He pretty much says it all. Brilliant!

[via It is OK]

Art Or Gimmick?

I have started a new blog to get out some of my frustrations about consumer art and its use of gimmicks in order to sell itself. The blog is titled Art or Gimmick? and can be found at http://artorgimmick.blogspot.com. I have posted one post so far, but don't worry, I'll be back with more soon enough. I welcome comments by anyone who has an opinion on the subject or would just like to vent their frustration with the art world in general. I hope all of my loyal readers will enjoy this new enterprise.

Just In Time

Coming in barely under the wire, Ningyoushi sent me an e-mail last night letting me know that they have new toys in for the holidays. And boy do they have a shit-load of them. I don't know if I will list them all, but here's the list of the seriously Limited Ed. stuff. First off, the most recent issue of Juxtapoz magazine is the Japanese Art Issue, and I guess in order to take advantage of this with all those young hipsters out there who are still collecting toys (apparently, that was so six months ago), Ningyoushi has brought out the big guns. One of the articles in Juxtapoz featured the toy designers Bounty Hunter, Gargamel and Secret Base, so Ningyoushi has several of their toys at exorbitant prices. From Bounty Hunter comes the Limited Ed. BxH Ahiru Kun (Duck). Next, Bounty Hunter and Secret Base team up for the Limited Ed. Skull Kun (Silver) and Skull Kun (Glow). Then there's the two Gargamel Limited Ed. Pinwheel Vinyl Figures in red and blue. And lastly, you got the Secret Base Limited Ed. Battle Ring Set (2nd Anniversary Edition). Each of these pieces is more expensive than the next, with the Secret Base Battle Ring Set going for a ridiculous $300. I'm still trying to sell off my extensive toy collection to make room for the next trend, pottery collecting! Anyway, Ningyoushi also has a bunch of new plush Domo-Kuns (the toy that got me into this whole mess, thanks Leia), a new Limited Ed. Storm Trooper vinyl figure, a Limited Ed. Frank Kozik x OBEY Camo Smokin' Joe vinyl figure, and even a Toys 'R' Us Star Wars Kubrick set. Can this trend get any more out of hand? Check out the rest of Ningyoushi's new arrivals here.

Banksy Is My Hero

If Banksy were a girl, I would find her and marry her and keep her for my own, never letting her out of my apartment. Unfortunately, this would keep the female Banksy from creating any more of her wonderful, inventive, creative, and original "vandalism," as some people refer to it. I prefer to think of it as outdoor art. Or muralism. Or guerrilla street art. In Esquire's Genius Issue, they named Banksy "Vandal of the Year." Like this is the first year he has been around. I remember when I first heard of Banksy about two years ago. I would tell people about his work and they would say, "Who the hell is Banky? Are you talking about Jason Lee's character from Chasing Amy?" And I would punch them in the face for being so out-of-the-loop. I've grown a lot less violent since then, but people still don't know who Banksy is. Fortunately, Pictures on Walls knows who he is and has a new one of his prints available for purchase. I first saw CND Soldiers featured in the very same Esquire Genius Issue that I mentioned earlier. This is one of my favorite Banksy stencils, and as the e-mail that I received from P.O.W. states, "It's a thousand days since the invasion of Iraq and what better way to commemorate the occassion than making a de-luxe art product by some pussy that's never fought a war in his life?" The truth hurts, doesn't it? Prices may be high, but with Banksy's current popularity, apparently it's worth it.

Fun Hanukkah Present

If anyone is looking for an inexpensive and fun present to get me for Hanukkah (you know who you are), then look no further than the Lomo x Colette Fisheye camera. From Viennese art-camera producers Lomo and Parisian concept shop pioneers Colette comes this black version of the Fisheye camera with Colette's doggy mascots, Caperino and Peperone, on the back. The 35mm camera features a convex lens with a 170-degree field of view, great for distorted Beastie-Boys-esque album cover shots. It would be even better if, for the $65 that the camera and accompanying 2-CD Colette mix set costs, you could take the lens off and use it with, say, a cheap Mini-DV camera. Oh well, if I get one for Hanukkah, at least I can take cool pictures on New Year's to post for all three of my readers to check out.

[via Cool Hunting]

No-More-Tears Champloo

        

One of my favorite Adult Swim cartoons is the beautifully animated Samurai Champloo. I'm not sure what the meaning or relevancy of the name is, but the content and hip-hop soundtrack are amazing and it is directed by the director of Cowboy Bebop, one of my other favorite Adult Swim cartoons. And now the three main characters have their own figures available at Ningyoushi. In the show, Mugen, Jin and Fuu are travelling through fuedal Japan on a quest to locate the mysterious Samurai who smells of sunflowers. Mugen is the buck-wild warrior, Jin is the vagrant Ronin and Fuu is the ditzy waitress who sets them on their mission. Now you can recreate all of their adventures with these four inch figures or portray their missions on your refrigerator with the magnets that come with each figure. Pretty damn cool if you ask me. And not Limited Ed. and unreasonably priced, like most of the toys that I like.

Float Like A Butterfly

Sting like a zebra!

Our pals over at Pick Your Shoes have gotten the new Adidas Muhammed Ali kicks in stock. My favorites are the extremely Limited Ed. Ali x Andy Warhol Boxing Boots. They feature Andy Warhol's portrait of Muhammed Ali on the side, there were only 150 pairs of them produced and they ain't cheap. They are quite a nice art object, though. Something to place on a pedestal rather than wear.

If you want a pair of Muhammed Ali Adidas that you might actually wear, check out the Limited Ed. Black and Gold Ali Classic 1960 kicks. They feature a portrait of Ali on the tongue label, his name and "1960" on the heel, and they are a lot more affordable than the Warhol boots.

If you're looking for something a little more rugged to survive the wonderful winter weather we're now experiencing, you might want to try these Ali Trainer Boots. They look rugged, like a pair of Timberlands, but those Adidas stripes and the Ali portrait tongue make them much classier. Here's what Pick Your Shoes has to say about the Adidas Ali Collection:

Adidas Ali Series is Muhammad Ali’s first collaborative apparel project ever, was born from extensive research of iconic pieces and images that Muhammad, his fans, and the people in his training camp wore in the 1960s and 1970s.

Muhammad Ali said "Throughout my life, I have pushed beyond the boundaries of what is expected. I truly believe that "Impossible is Nothing". I am excited about my new partnership with adidas as it will inspire in a completely new way, not only my existing fans, but a new generation as well.”

I'm In... Control

I get what I want. Control... never gonna' stop.

-Control by Janet Jackson

I received a drunken request from Mac and Doug last night to search for the best universal remote control available. I can't believe I remembered the request at all, but somehow through the morning haze, I did. Anyway, there is a great website for all of your universal remote control review needs called Remote Central. It's kind of scary that there is a forum for people to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different universal remotes, but I guess people will chat online about anything these days. There are two distinct types of universal remotes, those with programmable touch screens and those with progammable hardware buttons. I personally prefer the feel of some nice, squishy buttons, but for those out there who enjoy a good touch screen, the cream-of-the-crop of touch screen universal remotes are the Philips ProntoPro NG TSU7000 and Marantz RC9500 Remote Controls. Ranging from $170 for the low end version to $1000 for the color screen version, these puppies are fully programmable and totally customizable. If you want just one big that says, "ON", you got it. If you want fifty tiny buttons, you can have that too. Of course, you can't entirely escape the hardware buttons, even the most expensive touch screen remote still has a few "real" buttons for functionality.

Obviously, the touch screen universal remotes are more expensive than hardware button universal remotes, which you can get at Walmart starting at $16.⁸². Or, for a mere 34.⁹⁹ you can get the highly reviewed Sony RM-VL710 Universal Remote which will control up to five devices, with up to 39 commands per device. It features infrared code learning and preprogrammed codes for more than 500 non-Sony devices. It also features a simplified button set with large, easy to read buttons. If I was in the market for a universal remote, this would be my choice. If I was looking for a touch screen remote, I would go with the $220 Philips Pronto NG TSU3000. But who wants to pay that much money for a remote?

Gooooooooooooooal!!!

I got an e-mail this weekend from the Alife Rivington Club announcing the release of three new custom Nike's, inspired by the Brazilian footballer Ronaldo executing a move embodying "Ginga". On the collar of the shoes are the words, "A little bit of art and a little bit of freedom" in Portuguese. You can get the shoes at the Rivington Club in Soho, NYC or online at Pick Your Shoes. Get 'em quick, though, 'cause they're likely to sell out.



I also got an e-mail from Wootini about their upcoming show, entitled "Jessie's Palace", by Portland-based artist Bwana Spoons. The opening reception is this Friday, December 9^th, beginning at 7pm. The usual DJ's and refreshments will be available. You can find out more info about Bwana at Grasshut Corp.

Holiday Gift Ideas

Well, I need more money so I can pay my phone bill and get my cell phone turned back on, so I have put some more of my toys on e-bay for sale. First off is probably my favorite and most valuable toy, the Limited Ed. Jason Siu x Hot Toys Deadman SAS Halo 12" figure. This is the Japanese version of the figure with brown hair, shiny red shoes and an extra decapitated head. Only the Japanese and Milk Magazine versions came with the decapitated head. There were only 200 of the Japanese version produced. It also features a wide ranch of weapons and accessories. So many that he can't actually carry them all at once. This is a pretty sweet toy and I am letting it go at a reasonable price. Somebody please buy it so I can start talking to my girlfriend on the phone again. I miss talking to her and I feel so lonely without a phone.

The other toys that I have put up for sale on e-bay are the Limited Ed. Three Zero Dog 9 Koobo figure set from the Three Zero 3003 Exhibit in 2003. There were only 300 sets of these toys produced. They are similar to Kubricks, but produced by another company for Three Zero. Three Zero has gone out of business, so these guys are pretty rare and hard to find. I have two sets of them, so if I sell them and someone out there still wants them, e-mail me and I will work out a deal with you.

The last thing I have for sale is the Trigun Vash the Stampede Kubrick figure set. These aren't as rare as the Three Zero Koobos, but they are still hard to find nowadays. I'm letting them go pretty cheap, so get them while they're hot. I also still have all of the other toys that I put up for sale on e-bay and haven't sold back up for sale. So if you don't want one of these toys, maybe there is something else I have that you might like. If not, just wait, I'm sure I'll have to put more toys up for sale soon.

Mr. Hamburger (Train)

Mmmm... Hamburgers... Aha... Mr. Lizard!

I received an e-mail this morning from Maharishi DPMHI with pictures from the Michael Lau Mr. Shoe (Sample) exhibit opening at the DPMHI Store gallery space in Soho London on November 26^th. DHMHI will be launching a fully revamped website in the next few days with more pictures from this exhibit alongside an archive of all the many other exhibitions and collaborations they have been involved in over the last year or so. Until then, you can check out the pics they sent me below.





When the DPMHI site relaunches, they will have a few new Michael Lau Mr. Shoe (Sample) figures available including:

shoework orange; a new mr shoe figure inspired by clockwork orange (which also ties in neatly with the current mhi collection, also based on the movies of Stanley Kubrick) £40

mr shoe (sample) figure maharishi sweat variant; Clad in a white maharishi bonsai forest DPM fabric sweat and cap, the clothes on this figure feature all the same level of detail you can expect from a 1:1 scale piece of maharishi clothing, including the patented snocord system, trim 6 and three eyelet branding. The shoe itself has also been completely 'DPM-ified' also. You can view the early prototype at the exhibition, the production version will be dropping in 2 weeks and is available for preorder now. £45

A new poster:

dpmhi (re)present mr shoe UK poster; 71cm x 28cm, 4 colour print on 120 gsm (slightly lightweight!) paper, comes with mr shoe sticker and is packaged in a decorated poster tube. £20

And new t-shirts:

mr GPS and maharishi mr shoe headstand tees; Very limited stocks of these tees are available. £35

All items will be available on the revamped DPMHI website when it is relaunched and in their store locations.