Holiday Red

Red is one of the colors of the fast approaching holiday season. It seems to begin earlier and earlier every year, and it is creeping right around the corner. It isn't even Halloween yet and there are Christmas decorations in stores already. Anyway, before I go off on a rant, here are some of my favorite red items for the upcoming holiday season:



They might not keep you especially warm during the winter months, but your engine should when you are drifting in these red hot Puma Ferrari Drift Cats. These Ferrari-branded kicks will keep you looking hot on or off the track with a full grain leather upper, cushioned mid-sole and rounded driver's heel.



Red pants have been big this year, so why not pick up these fiery Moleskin Five-Pocket Pants from Ralph Lauren's Purple Label. Oh, I know why, because they are $450! How many moles had to die to make these pants?! I hope it was worth it! They better be the absolute most comfortable pants ever for that price!



If neither of these items are up your alley, maybe you would just prefer a simple red hooded sweatshirt. Perfect for keeping warm while looking cool, this fleece zip-up red hooded sweatshirt from Hanes is my idea of perfection. Simple, warm, fleece, Hanes, cheap, it's got a lot going for it. Or if you prefer to blow some real dough on a hoodie, you could always get this one from Ralph Lauren!

Winter Whites

Winter is just around the corner, so here are some dope kicks to keep you looking right in white all throughout the cold rainy season that is on its way.



First off, Converse has these fly white-out rubber All Star highs. Waterproof rubber with a gusseted tongue to keep the rain out and French terry lining to keep your toes warm.



Next up are these fine all-white Vans Xtuff Sk8-Hi Reissues. With a weatherproof Xtuff upper and a contrasting tan leather lining, these kicks would bring some class to any winter get-up.



And lastly, a little more on the fancy-dancer tip, are these practically all-white Nike Barkley Posite Max bombs. Somehow (probably the hefty price tag), these are still in stock in quite a few sizes. The Barkley Posite Max's are not the most popular sneaker, but I think they look fly and they are definitely comfy. I like the all white with Carolina blue accents and the cut-out stars are a nice touch. These would definitely keep you looking right on the court or anywhere else this winter.

Go Native

Native Shoes, a relatively new (founded in 2009, but I just heard about them) footwear company out of Vancouver, BC, but made in China of all places, has got some of the coolest shoes I have seen recently. Their shoes are made from injection-molded EVA and are all one piece, making them extremely light and flexible. It also makes them very easy to clean and supposedly comfortable. They look like Crocs, if Crocs were at all stylish. My favorites, their Fitzsimmons hiking boots [pictured above] look like they would be very useful for the upcoming cold winter months. The Millers are reminiscent of the classic Vans Authentic kicks, the Corrados are nice, mid-top chukkas, and the Jeffersons are rips of low-top Chuck Taylor All Stars. All of them, except the Fitzsimmons, are slip-ons, which would be nice in the spring and summer months. Because the shoes are made in China and are one-piece injection-molded, they are relatively inexpensive. Check out their stockist list for where you can get them in your area. Or you can just get them online at Zappos.

Update: I got a pair of Fitzsimmons in Academy Blue for myself and a pair of Millers in Torch Red for Anne and they are both great shoes! They are so light and comfortable. They are really good looking and eye-catching and they seem to be very easy to clean. I am interested to see how they will wear over time, but right now they look great. And I am amazed by how light they are. Going from my Vasque Sundowners, which are about the heaviest boots I have ever worn, to the Fitzsimmons is like a revelation! I feel like I am floating, which is helped along by the soft, bouncy soles. I am quite happy with these boots and will probably get myself a pair of Millers to rock when it gets warm out again.

Native Shoes Miller

Native Shoes Corrado

Native Shoes Jefferson

Something, Something, Something, Dark Side

Holy crap! New Adidas x Star Wars kicks! The Superstar 2 Star Wars, Game Mid Princess Leia (for my sister Leia), and Superstar 2 Darth Vader are my favorites. I also really like the Stormtrooper Hooded Flock Track Top. Alright, I want them all. Well, maybe just the more subtle designs. I know I'm a huge nerd, whatever. A better colab, there has never been.

Lurking

I have been laying in wait, lurking, waiting for something interesting enough to come along to post on my blog. Something, hopefully, that hasn't been killed by everyone else out there. I'm not sure if this is that thing, but I know it is cool, so I had to say something. I just got an e-mail last night from my favorite local Hawaiian kicks shops, not ironically know as KICKS/HI, with information about two new pairs of Vans that are now available in their shop. Vans are my new favorite shoe, not only for their comfort and good looks, but also because they are, in my humble opinion, the best shoes to skate in. Of course, I have only skated in Vans, Nikes, and DC shoes, so I can't say that definitively. Anyway, as I was saying, KICKS/HI has two new pairs of Vans designed by one of my favorite graphic artists from back in my hippie Grateful Dead days, Rick Griffin (R.I.P.). If you don't know Rick Griffin, go look at some rock posters from the 60's, especially those of the Grateful Dead, and you will know man, you will know! It is some super psychedelic stuff. Now his signature ink has been used on a pair of Vans Mid Skool '77s and Old Skool '77s (pictured above, left to right). I don't know which ones I like better. I like the black and white ink style of the Mid Skools, which, if they were slip-ons, would definitely be my preference. But I also like the red suede and patterned textile of the Old Skools. It is enough to make a poor man drool. Unfortunately, I broke my board this morning doing ollies behind my apartment building, so I won't need any more skate shoes any time soon. I guess I will be walking in LA for a while. More pictures below.

A Couple Of Things

Going on this weekend, I think as I sit here fasting and reflecting on the past year. First, Kicks Sole Provider in Sunset Junction is having a party this Friday night from eight 'til midnight to introduce a new clothing brand that they are carrying, Insight. 30% off Insight clothing that night, free drinks and gift bags, so this is definitely not to be missed. For some reason they were closed today when Seth and I stopped by to pick something out for Seth to wear to the NYC premiere of The Elephant King on October 17th, though. Maybe they were at Synagogue atoning.

Also this weekend, Saturday night is the inaugural exhibition of the new Cerasoli:LeBasse Gallery, the merging of project:gallery and Lab 101. They will now be in a larger space right across the street from their old location in Culver City. The opening reception features work from Deth P Sun, Mari Inukai and Melissa Haslam [work pictured above]. I definitely want to check this one out. It will be going on from 7 to 10pm. Although I'm not sure about the gallery name, a little hard to remember, but I definitely like the content and the website looks real nice. Anyway, back to fasting and reflecting. Fasting and reflecting. I can't wait for pizza at break fast tonight.

Buried

My old pals over at project:gallery have an exhibit opening this Saturday, August 16th from 7-10pm entitled Buried Beneath Me, a group exhibition curated by the Friends United Network. Here's the good word from project:gallery:

The concept for the exhibition is the idea of being "buried" - and not necessarily in a morbid way. The main body of work will be a reflection on the simple beauties which are so often overlooked in our fast-paced lives, emphasizing that we are a relatively small, but important, part of a larger collective consciousness. The hope is that this show will help the viewer recognize the playful joys of living despite being "Buried" under a mound of superimposed social constraints.

This will be the second major Los Angeles show curated by the Friends United Network, and will host several artists that have shown in the gallery including: Rebecca Urias, Derek Albeck, Ken Garduno - as well as new artists to project: Ian Mailhot, Seth Neefus, Tim Karpinski, David Wien, Mark Warren Jacques and Scott Ferguson.

Looks like some good stuff. Project:gallery also has a new blog, here. Anne and I are going to try to make it out for the opening this Saturday night. Culver City is a haul from Echo Park, though, but it's worth it.

Also worth it, if you are in the Sunset Junction area of Silverlake in LA, is the sneaker shop Kicks Sole Provider [pictured above]. Anne and I stopped in there while strolling around Sunset Junction. There is also a Giant Robot store, an Undefeated store and Secret Headquarters [pictured below], a good comic book shop. I could spend all weekend at those four shops. Of course, for sneakers in Sunset Junction, I think Kicks Sole Provider has a better selection than Undefeated. They had some real nice Onitsuka Tigers and some dope Limited Ed. Nikes on consignment. There are also some good vintage shops around Sunset Junction. My kind of area. I think I will be spending a lot of time down there while I am living in Echo Park. It is so close! (Check out my other pictures from LA here)

Kicks Hiiiiiiiiiiiigh

Finally, a t-shirt from Kicks/Hi that I actually like. It has been a while. This one really says it all, though. Aloha Friday!

Also, check out the funky bright, bright yellow and red Nike Blazers China BMX editions [pictured, below] that will be available at Kicks/Hi this Saturday at 11am until they sell out. Damn, my eyes are burning!

Summer In Hawaii, Must Be Nice

This is going down at the KICKS/HI Makaloa location ONLY. All sales final on sale items. Sale items are limited to stock on hand.

Purple Dinosaur Shoes

Alife has teamed up with Barney's, the upscale clothing store, not the purple dinosaur beloved by children, for a new set of kicks inspired by the all-American baseball catcher's mitt. The Soft Hand pack will be available at Barney's New York locations nationwide. And online here. Finally, shoes from Alife that I would actually wear!

Cutest... Sneakers... Ever!

Onitsuka Tiger has teamed up with Tokidoki to create probably the cutest sneakers ever made. I don't have any Onitsuka Tiger sneakers. Or Asics, their parent brand. I wanted a pair of the Kill Bill versions, but they sold out so quickly. I don't think I could rock the Tokidoki's, though. They might be a little too feminine. Well, maybe the black and silver joints. They are pretty sick! You can pre-order them now for $130 for the men's sneakers and women's hi-tops and $120 for the women's lo-tops. They will be shipped May 22. I especially like the clear soles with the Tokidoki prints under them. Too bad my birthday isn't coming up anytime soon. Also, I don't have any more room for any more sneakers!

Low Aloha

From Kicks/Hi:

|x| What's good fam! I'm just going to get right to it. No fancy web fliers or hype.

KICKS/HI SPRING CLEANING
Friday (February 1) through Sunday (February 3)
at both KICKS/HI Ward + Makaloa locations (regular shop hours apply)
50%-80% OFF SELECT NIKE, VANS, CONVERSE and GRAVIS shoes
there will be different sale merchandise at each shop so you might want to check both to see what's really good...
cash + credit + debit accepted / all sales final / limited to stock on hand

That's about it. Get yours!

KICKS/HI ohana

China Black

The Summer Olympic Games will be taking place in China this year and I'm not sure if these newly released Nike Blazer Mid Premium kicks available at Pick Your Shoes are meant to be a China Olympic edition, but they do have a red Soviet-style star that looks suspiciously Chinese on the heel tab, red soles and gold swooshes, so I suspect they are. Either way, they look badassssssssss! At nearly two hundred bones, they are a little out of my price range, though. Oh well. Maybe in 2012 when the Olympics are held on Mars, I will be able to afford a pair.

I'm A Lumberjack And I'm Okay

I sleep all night and I work all day. I wear Alife Everybody High Lumberjack Pack sneakers [pictured above], I skip and jump, I go to the lavatory. On Wednesday I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea!

Just in time for Wintry weather (if you live somewhere other than North Cackalacka, where today it is supposed to get up to almost 80 degrees), Alife has released their 2007 Holiday Footwear. Included in the release are the Lumberjack Pack, Rain Pack and Ski Pack [pictured below, top to bottom]. They will be available not only at Alife stores, but also at American Rag, Barneys, Bloomingdales, Fred Segal, Conveyor, and Commonwealth. Telephone orders will also be accepted by Alife. This is one of my favorite sneaker releases so far from Alife. I like all of them! They would all be great for the situations that they are named after. I would have a hard time if I had to decide which of them I wanted. Luckily, at $125 to $145 each, I can't afford any of them, so I won't be getting any!

Adidas, Adidas, ADIDAS!!!

I like Adidas, always have. I have four pairs right now. If I didn't have so many already, I might have to add some of these to my collection. Also, it would be kind of a pain in the ass to get out to Long Beach to go to Proper to get a pair of these Adidas Light Side vs. Dark Side Superstars [pictured above]. I love the fact that they come packaged in a blister pack with ol' skool Star Wars-style graphics. Sweet. It would be a whole lot easier to go onto the Adidas Online Store and get a pair of these awesome, Limited Ed. Adidas x Dennis Busenitz High Score Gazelle Skate Shoe [pictured below]. I love the clear soles and that it says "High Score" in ol' skool video game font where it would normally say "Gazelle" on the side of the shoe. They are a little expensive at $150, but I'm sure they are cheaper than the Light Side vs. Dark Side kicks from Proper.
Also, on the theme of movie/sneaker cross-promotion, check out the Reebok Voltron Pack at Proper [pictured below].

How Are Ya' Hawaii?

Reebok Still Isn't Cool

Yeah, I know it has been about a week since I posted anything, which is a little ridiculous now that I have internet at home, but I have been busy optimizing my home Wi-Fi network and getting my computers running at full capacity (for porn). Anyway, there was a little post over at Cool Hunting today about the new Limited Ed. Reebok Timetanium Ventilator sneakers [pictured above] that I wanted to comment on here. Apparently, these $150-a-pair kicks, that are limited to only 100 pairs available starting today (so get there quick, before they sell out, loser), have been getting a lot of attention recently. Created in association with graphic designer, computer scientist, MIT professor and author of Laws of Simplicity John Maeda, these shoes supposedly merge math, technology and nature into a wearable product. That is, of course, dependent on what you consider wearable. Maeda's handwritten computer code lines the insole of the sneaker and the graphic generated by the code is the complex design featured on the outside. I'm not sure what that has to do with time, maybe if I read Maeda's book it would make more sense, but it doesn't make for a very attractive shoe. Of course, I've never been a big fan of Reeboks. I think I had one pair when I was a kid and they were possibly the worst shoes I ever owned. I don't know if they have improved their quality in the last 20 years, but unfortunately they have not improved their aesthetic. You can watch a video of Maeda blabbing about his shoe here.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

New Limited Ed. Asics x Alife Gel Lyte III "Alife are Monsters" kicks will go on sale this Saturday, October 27th, exclusively at Alife BC, LA and NY. Available in both Green Monster [pictured above, left] and Black Lagoon [above, right], both colors feature a split tongue, removable eyeballs, a printed midsole and custom footbeds. Limited quantities will also be available online at www.alifenyc.com. The matching t-shirts [pictured below] will be available in-store only. The kicks will run ya' 2 bills, but the t's are only 40 beans. These are some pretty sick Halloween swag. I can't decide which I like better. The Green Monsters are amazing, bold and bright while the Black Lagoons have a nice toned-down, late-night vibe. I am a big fan of red laces, so I like that aspect of both sets. I also like the laid-back looking eyeballs that contrast the menacing grin printed on the midsole. If I had the money, I would buy two pairs of each. One set to rock this Halloween; the Green Monsters during the day and the Black Lagoons at night, and one set to put on ice for future trick-or-treating.