New Fashion / Sovereign Beck Silk 2009 collection

July 30, 2009 | New Fashion | by Casper Johansson |

The Sovereign Beck Silk 2009 collection was conceived with the idea to give a new look to the hand-printed designs of their 2008 Cotton collection. Again collaborating with screen printer Polluted Eyeball, Sovereign Beck have translated four of their favorite patterns onto beautiful hand-picked silks. Limited in quantity to only twenty pieces for each design, every tie is bias cut and hand-stitched in New York City. We have a selection of Sovereign Beck Cotton ties available through our online store.

Cool Travel / Merchant’s House Museum

June 17, 2009 | Cool Travel | by Ilana Kohn |

If you live in New York, or find yourself lucky enough to be visiting, and you have any interest in history whatsoever, be sure to visit the Merchant’s House Museum on the Bowery. Walking into the Merchant’s House, you are essentially walking into the home of the Tredwells, circa 1832. A virtual time capsule of life on the upscale Bowery in pre-Civil War New York City (yes, the Bowery was actually a very upscale locale 180 years ago), the house is filled with all the original belongings of the Tredwell family and imbued with their history. It’s one of the most fascinating places you will ever visit.

June 16, 2009 | Video | by Zolton |

When I first moved to New York in 2006, I lived in a shared loft space in Williamsburg with four others. It was quite an introduction to inner-city living, especially given that I’d literally shifted across from the beaches and sunshine of Bondi, Sydney. As such, it was a dizzying period, full of discovery. Rufus Wainwright’s epic, broodingly lush album Want Two was the soundtrack to it all. I had it on my iTunes collection at the time, without even knowing it, until it magically burst into my headphones one day whilst tapping away frenetically on my laptop. Oh man! What an album, what a voice, and what a beautifully composed and arranged selection of songs, a favorite amongst them being the rolling piano ballad, This Love Affair.

New Illustration / John Hodany

June 5, 2009 | New Illustration | by Ilana Kohn |

As I sit here trying to figure out what exactly to make of the work from New York City-based artist John Hodany, I come across many elements which I’m sure resonate with the day-to-day life of all us city folk. Sushi, yup, had that for dinner last night. Alarm clock, a few hours ago (hit snooze three times). Locks, always. On everything. Pigeons, oh my. It’s all so familiar but ultimately pieced together in a way as to make it feel rather disorientating. That about sums up a typical day in the city, no?

August 11, 2008 | Video | by Zolton |

Says Van She bassist and vocalist Matt Van Schie about the Bush Tetras track — Too Many Creeps — from 1982: ‘I LOOOVE this tune. It opens with a perfect snare roll, and then the counter bass and guitar rhythms make it so cool. The lyrics are even more valid today. They’re one of my favourite bands of all time, and so many people try to do what they did for real. What a time! I wish I was born back then in New York, hanging out with these kids. Ahhhh!!’

New Photography / Gerald Edwards III’s Psych Securities, LLC

August 11, 2008 | New Photography | by Alison Zavos |

You can see the subtle influence of Gregory Crewdson in this photo series — Psych Securities, LLC — of Brooklyn-based photographer, Gerald Edwards III. The work is not only visually stimulating, but also intellectually challenging, posing as many questions of the viewers as it does of the environment in which they were taken. We interviewed him recently and asked him what made him decide to embark on this ambitious project. Read more

Cool Websites / Rich People’s Rooftops NYC

August 9, 2008 | Cool Websites | by Gerry Mak |

The wealthy of this cramped metropolis we call New York don’t have lavish backyards — they have rooftops. Jwilly’s Rich People Rooftops NYC set on Flickr documents the spaces where the uber-rich of Gotham throw their cookouts, compost their kitchen scraps, or lounge on hot summer days high above our humble heads. Read more

New Design / Si Scott at NYC’s Bumble and Bumble Space

August 2, 2008 | New Design | by Zolton |

The AIGA-NY is presenting the New York premiere of the UK legendary designer Si Scott on Wednesday August 6th. It all takes place at the Bumble and Bumble Space, Third Floor Auditorium, between 7 and 8.30pm.

Cool Travel / The end is near: Florent is closing!

May 31, 2008 | Cool Travel | by Yuko Shimizu |

Can this be true? Florent, the legendary eatery of New York’s Meat Packing District, is about to become the next victim of sky-rocketing Manhattan leases. Luckily we still have one more month to be nostalgic at Florent. I’m going (with a whole bunch of friends) this weekend. Read more

Cool Travel / Brunch at New York’s The Park

April 2, 2008 | Cool Travel | by Yuko Shimizu |

This is my favorite place in New York to spend a Sunday afternoon. No, I’m not talking about Central Park. But rather, The Park, a restaurant in Chelsea which took its name from its past life as a parking garage. Read more

February 13, 2008 | New Events | by Gerry Mak |

Public-theater, culture-bombing, flash-mob troupe Improv Everywhere — known for gags such as the ‘no pants’ subway ride, the fake U2 concert, and slow-motion shopping at Home Depot — recently deployed 200 ‘agents’ to Grand Central in New York City, where they all froze in place precisely at 2:30pm. The crowd stood frozen for exactly five minutes, just long enough to delight the perplex crowd, and just brief enough to avoid irritating Metro North employees.

New Products / Beth Fuller’s Junkture Table

February 13, 2008 | New Products | by Julia Hennock |

One person’s trash is another person’s gorgeous table. Beth Fuller created the Junkture Table from a magnesium wheel rim found in a New York City junkyard. All materials for the table are locally sourced, reclaimed, 99% recycled, or 100% recyclable. Chic! [see also online furniture store, Modhaus]

Cool Travel / Going To A Town

June 13, 2007 | Cool Travel | by Zolton |

Yes it may be cliched to acknowledge it, but having lived for some time now down the barrel of the loaded gun that is New York, it really is difficult to be cynical — as the folk laureate Rufus Wainwright is — about this city. Read more