Maurizio Savini Chewing-Gum Art

I have three joys in life: sugar, art, and men. TV might be interchangeable for men, but the first two are definite. So, Maurizio Savini’s chewing gum art had me salivating a bit. Honestly, I haven’t the slightest idea how he crafts anything with gum, and I could imagine that it’s not the most durable substance, as gum becomes brittle when old… but I’m not going to think too hard on it. I’m just going to appreciate his quirky style and quirky medium, and just move on with my life.

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So the site is still under construction…

This is because there are but so many hours in a day, and I barely sleep as it is. I keep changing it, because I’m indecisive and whatnot. So sue me. There’s only one of me, and though I’m awesome, I’m not superhuman– well, not yet, anyway. But until then, take a “chill pill” (or LSD, not here to judge), and enjoy this viral image of an allegedly distraught bunny:

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HEDERUS

And with silhouettes that could easily evoke comparisons to greats like Giambattista Valli, and Raf Simons, Julia Hederus‘ menswear line is as avant-garde as it is beautiful. The dichotomy of fitted and and more billowy shapes makes for a nice contrast– a ying and yang, if you will. And while the modernity of it all seems a bit futuristic, it is achieved in a wearable, and functional manner. She even takes care enough to create an assortment of headgear, like the Spartan-inspired Mc Felt Helmet– indeed a delightful touch. Most notably, however, with her K-Swiss collaboration, she was able to arouse enthusiasm for (unarguably) the least fashionable of all sneaker labels. And so, it seems the future is a bright one for Ms. Hederus– and perhaps for menswear, too.

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

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SCOTT’S PIZZA TOURS

Pizza is my favorite food (in general, I’m a fan of cheese, and marinara sauce.) I will never get tired of pizza. I could eat it every single day for the rest of my life (until I develop some sort of awful stomach condition, that is.) Currently, my favorite NYC spots are Brick Oven  Pizza 33 on 14th & 6th Avenue, and Piola, on 12th & Broadway. But hey, I’m in a never-ending quest for a great slice. So upon learning of Scott’s Pizza Tours, I became psyched because:

1. The graphic identity of the site is great, and I’m a sucker for such things.
2. Because I’m a pizza fanatic!
3. You get a goody bag.
4. You get to ride around on a yellow school bus and learn some pizza history.

So really, I’m sold. And the tour has received rave reviews, so that’s good enough for me. The downshot? Well, the tour is $55 for adults, $45 for kids 4-12. And for that, you get only get slices at four pizzerias. Still, it’s something cute to do if you have money just sitting around that you can’t think of anything better to do with (because really, don’t we all?) But if you enjoy busses, knowledge, and pizza, add it to your to-do list, and “buon appetito!”

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Scotts Piza Tours, Yum

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GIRLS IN GLASSES TEE

This tee is by Danny Roberts, one of my favorite fashion illustrators. It isn’t new (and I didn’t just become aware of it), however, I still have yet to buy one. So let’s just consider this a friendly self-reminder to buy it. Originally, I had planned on buying the print, but few things trump art that you can wear. The “Girls in Glasses” t-shirt is a collaborative effort with Borders & Frontiers. They’re the same folks who did shirts for bloggers Tavi and Susie Bubble. But What I really like about this one is the illustration of emaciated gals decked out in Chanel. I think that’s something we can all just feel really great about.

Technorati Tags: Borders & Frontiers, Danny Roberts, Fashion Illustration, T-Shirt

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ADULT SWIM SUMMER SERIES

This summer Andrew W.K. is hosting a series of free shows at Santos Partyhouse. For those who live under a rock, in 2008 Santos became the new NYC hipster-haven (dethroning Studio B). Once it opened, Manhattanites could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that there was a venue that threw dance parties a few times a week in their native borough– splendid, I know.

The lineup is as follows:

June 11 – Andrew W.K.
With: Cherie Lily, Aleister X, Bad Brilliance & Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head

June 25 – Jon Glaser (Delocated!)
With: The Woggles, Cheeseburger, A.C. Newman, The Pontani Sisters

July 9 – Brendon Small (Metalocalypse)
With: Paul Green’s School of Rock

July 30 – Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!)
With: DJ Douggpound, Gildon Works, The Party Animals and Beat Jams

August 6 – Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies)
With special guests

August 20 – Christy Karacas (Superjail!)
Featuring a night of local New York bands

Summer in the city is all about the free love and the free music. I can hardly contain myself.

Technorati Tags: Andrew W.K., Recession Buster, Santos Party House

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ADULT SWIM SUMMER SERIES

This summer Andrew W.K. is hosting a series of free shows at Santos Partyhouse. For those who live under a rock, in 2008 Santos became the new NYC hipster-haven (dethroning Studio B). Once it opened, Manhattanites could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that there was a venue that threw dance parties a few times a week in their native borough– splendid, I know.

The lineup is as follows:

June 11 – Andrew W.K.
With: Cherie Lily, Aleister X, Bad Brilliance & Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head

June 25 – Jon Glaser (Delocated!)
With: The Woggles, Cheeseburger, A.C. Newman, The Pontani Sisters

July 9 – Brendon Small (Metalocalypse)
With: Paul Green’s School of Rock

July 30 – Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!)
With: DJ Douggpound, Gildon Works, The Party Animals and Beat Jams

August 6 – Dave Willis (Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies)
With special guests

August 20 – Christy Karacas (Superjail!)
Featuring a night of local New York bands

Summer in the city is all about the free love and the free music. I can hardly contain myself.

Technorati Tags: Andrew W.K., Recession Buster, Santos Party House

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CARMEN: KIDDIE PORN?

This is Carmen Solomons. She is the exotically stunning new “It” girl in town, by way of Capetown, South Africa. She is not, as many purport, 5′6″. According to her agency, she is 5′8″, according to Models.com, she is 5′9″. But what else is Carmen? Well for one, Carmen is a minor. See, at just seventeen years of age, Carmen has naked pictures plastered about the internet. And frankly, it’s outrageous. Oddly enough, for a model from a country that has waged a war against child pornography, it is ironic (to say least) that one of the countries top models has posed for a series of images that could certainly meet that criteria. But my question to the fashion world is “where is the outrage?” It is BEYOND exploitative the way these (for all intents and purposes) children are treated in the modeling industry. But to this? It’s appealing. And frankly, illogical.

Because when you get right down to it, the purpose of a magazine editorial spread is to sell clothing. However, it seems these days that it’s near impossible to open a magazine (other than traditionally safer publications such as Vogue, Harpers or Elle) without finding spreads with outright nudity. It’s blatant. It’s gratuitous, and it just really says a lot about our standards (or lack there of). I liken this to the infamous Miley Cyrus incident; of course legendary photographer Annie Liebowitz was aware of how  provocative the cover image was. In fact, it seemed to allude to the iconic “The Last Sitting” series (of Marilyn Monroe). Still, this became the cover. And why? Because sex sells, period.  I’m just hoping that more people are seeing these images, and feeling the same sense of uneasiness that I am. It’s a shame that we live in a world where instead of protecting children, we abuse them and their innocence.

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Boss Models, Carmen Solomons

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HYPE WILLIAMS

Hype Williams is not the kind of group that I’d recommend playing for your mother (or your grandmother, unless she’s into ritual sacrifices and the like). Instead, they’re the kind whose dark, industrial, trance-like tracks would set the perfect tone for a well-crafted, independent thriller. You see, with lyrics like “Legend has it that when the Devil first came to Beirut, with his Slayer t-shirt, and his long greasy hair, he slinked into our school, and walked down the hallway like he owned the place “, it might make them think you’re conjuring up spirits of some sort. But if you actually are evoking the dead, then it’s probably fine. You can download their EP here. And expect an East Coast tour in the US this summer.

Dolo - My favorite track on the EP

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Creepy, High Beams EP, Hype Williams, Karen Hates The Forest, MUSIC

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Svala Björgvinsdóttir

Icelandic electro act Steed Lord has long been a favorite of mine; since ‘07, they’ve had me rocking along to synthy dance beats that would make even the stiffest of “stick in the muds” bust out some serious moves– Napoleon Dynamite style. That being said, they also have a very hot lead singer by the name of Svala Björgvinsdóttir (or her pseudonym, Kali). And trust when I say her style is just as great as her voice (and trust me, that’s saying something!)

After first emerging on the scene in the mid 90s with “one hit wonder” Icelandic electronica act, Score, Svala tried going down the traditional pop route before getting back to her electro roots in 2006. Since then, she and her band mates have been touring the globe, making good music wherever they go.

But more so than loving her for brightening my days with dancey goodness for a good year or so, her style kills. The flaxen haired songstress mixes high and low, coupling more modern pieces with 80s throwbacks like rope chains and doorknockers. But it’s always executed so well. And whether she’s sporting elaborate hair and makeup, or a fresh face and signature bun atop her head, she never ceases to look like an absolute doll. And apparently, others have taken notice, too; Svala landed a MAC campaign in her native, Iceland a few years back.

And although she and the rest of her Steed Lord crew haven’t enjoyed a huge commercial success, and are still kind of unknown Stateside, I don’t really see it as an issue; they’re awesome, and underground (often the best way to be). And the way I see it, the fewer people that have her as a reference, the easier I can jack her style without getting caught!

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

More images at Blogue.us — The other awesome blog I write for!

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JULIA VAUGHN = HOT.

The styling is cute. The collection is cute… okay. But it’s the model and the makeup that make the Hellz Bellz, “So Lolita” SS09 collection lookbook straight “fuego”. And this makeup? I to die for! Superb. Simply superb. 

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Hellz Bellz, Julia Vaughn, So Lolita

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KANYE WEST - “PARANOID”

But I mean, really… it’s basically Rihanna in various poses. Now, were I a man, I’m sure I’d fancy it for the eye candy. But really? Boring. At least the videos where he tried too hard gave me something to talk about. Like the b.s. that was “Flashing Lights”, but this? C’mon ‘Ye. Work with me, here! It really breaks my heart, but he lost that spark after Late Registration.

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Boring, hipster clusterfuck, Kanye, Paranoid, Rihanna, Video

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HE WHO LAUGHS FIRST…

Ah, good old Karl Lagerfeld. He never seems to give a f***. It’s marvelous! He scoffs at the issue of anorexia, he has pinpointed the reason why America can’t seem to sell cars anymore, and is generally bored by most things (save for children, who he “hates”), according to his interview with Prestige Magazine. But the greatest thing about being Karl? He can laugh at himself, too (well, I doubt he ever laughs, perhaps a chuckle).

Still, it was fun to see him toting this eco-friendly “Karl Who?” tote. Because I care about sustainability? Not quite. But c’mon, I mean, it’s ironic, and it’s an INGENIOUS photo-op! I think after having a “virtual him” as a radio host in a Grand Theft Auto game being made into a Steiff teddy bear, this was probbably the most logical progression of events, anyway. Ah Karl… can somebody give him a column? Because seriously, who wouldn’t want to hear his daily musings?!

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

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FREE MUSIC FROM NYLON MAG!

Nylon Magazine has made their Summer Playlist 2009… and they’re giving it away for free via iTunes! The carefully curated list includes songs from Mapei, Lissy Trullie, Santigold, The Horrors, and more. Well, 18 more, in fact. The playlist is 22 tracks of free, summer fun. Ahh, you gotta love recession busters!

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Free, MUSIC, Nylon Magazine, Recession Buster

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FREE MUSIC FROM NYLON MAG!

Nylon Magazine has made their Summer Playlist 2009… and they’re giving it away for free via iTunes! The carefully curated list includes songs from Mapei, Lissy Trullie, Santigold, The Horrors, and more. Well, 18 more, in fact. The playlist is 22 tracks of free, summer fun. Ahh, you gotta love recession busters!

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Free, MUSIC, Nylon Magazine, Recession Buster

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KLAVES VAN ENGELEN BOOTS

Lust is a sin. Of this, I am well aware. However, I’m quite certain that it is a far greater sin for one to not own a pair of these Klavers Van Engelen boots, than to lust over them. You could pair them with a tight little bandage dress, and go ultra-sexy, or on top of a pair of leggings for a funkier look. The possibilities are endless. They are truly the perfect blend of “bondage-meets-Chloe-SS08-meets-rocker-chic”. And that combination… Well, most of us live for a combination such as that.

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Boots, Klavers Van Engelen

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MEET MATT PORTERFIELD

Photo Credit: Jim Lucio

Looking back on a film like cult-classic Kids, I think about what exactly made it so enthralling. Of course, there was the risqué plot line, and the frank portrayal of adolescence in New York City. But more than that, the opportunity to peer into the lives of these people whom most are never really confronted with can be really an exciting one.  That being said, I think there’s something that we all love about youth subculture films. The complexities of life seem to be exemplified when viewed through the eyes of teenagers, who are at such a crucial point in their lives.

But filmmaker Matt Porterfield’s approach to the subject is a markedly different one. His debut film, Hamilton, had a simple premise: a teenage mother wants the father of her child to visit her before she leaves for a month-long vacation. Like Larry Clark,  he worked with a cast of unknown (and for the most part) untrained actors. But rather than the use of gratuitous grit and startling imagery, he was able to use a sort of visual poeticism to document this small window of time in their lives. And really, the time line meant so much to the overall film. “It’s a somewhat small window, so there’s a lot of room to kind of breathe”, he explains. “I think sometimes if you tell a story that takes place over a longer period of time you’re required to make certain concessions. You’re more reliant on making sure that an audience understands some of the details, and the connections between thing. If you work in a smaller window, over the course of a couple days in the case of Hamilton, you give yourself a chance to focus on the incidental. “

And indeed he did. Eschewing the somewhat hackneyed, three act structure of a traditional narrative, Porterfield let the visuals fill in the details, drawing upon the work of Robert Bresson, and Jean-Luc Godard (whom he cites as inspirations). And although he admits that there is a certain validity to narrative structure, he also notes that audiences are more sophisticated than many filmmakers would like to believe:  ”I think audiences are smarter than we give them credit for and are capable of connecting with material that isn’t necessarily plot driven; they can connect with characters, with images, sound… We have so many tools at our disposal as filmmakers that are underutilized. There’s so much emphasis given to the narrative. There’s all sorts of things that are present in a film that can be used– or maybe underused.”

But his upcoming film Metal Gods, which is centered around the lives of a group of somewhat misfit teens who are a part of the Baltimore metal scene (and takes place over the course of a week) has more of a necessity for a plot than Hamilton. Collaborating with Jordan Mintzer (Hamilton’s producer), he worked on infusing more narrative elements into the story line: “We tried to identify scenes. Find circles, or ways to do things and bring them back later, which I think can be really satisfying for an audience. If you introduce something about a character, and then later you build upon that aspect of their personality or their life it can be really satisfying for a viewer, so we tried to do things like that. We tried to pinpoint some of those themes.”  Still, with Matt’s disdain for the clichéd manner in which most films are told, one can expect a refreshingly loose narrative, nonetheless.

In fact, he says “I like to try to infuse elements of magic, which, I don’t how successfully I put it out there that it was something that I was trying to achieve when I made Hamilton, but it’s a bit more of a concern this time around.” Which, in a film with a more dramatic plot, it seems the opportunity for experimentation would be wider, and would make one curious to see how he’ll incorporate this chimera. But considering Hamilton, it isn’t like it would be the first time that Porterfield has added bursts of whimsy to his work. Take for instance the way he was able to take a simple scene– children on swings, and infuse it with a pure visual exhilaration– one that crossed over from the visual and into the emotional.

And why shouldn’t that magic be there? He raises a good point, saying “I want to be surprised, that’s why I go to the movies: to see something I’ve never seen before. I think there’s so much potential for that.” But unfortunately, as he (and as most of us) will concede, rarely does one go to the movies and see something new. However, he tells me that he recently sat down with a film that he’s been “dying to see” from Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa, entitled In No Quarto da Vanda (In Vanda’s Room), which really made him consider his own approach to film, and the direction in which he is going. Like Porterfield, Costa’s films take place in a very specific neighborhood (a ghetto in Lisbon). In Matt’s case,  the decision to continue to work in the same setting was as much personal as it was social, saying “Hamilton’s really personal because it’s set in the neighborhood where I grew up. So it is a place that I knew well… But I am really interested in telling stories about young people that I think are represented in the media, but not necessarily represented with a sort of respect or authenticity.” But where Costa’s first work, Osos (or Bones) was highly-structured, In Vanda’s Room was, as Matt puts it “structurally, so sound, but really, completely devoid of any firm narrative. But it’s so breathtakingly beautiful to watch. I just sat down with it and I can’t shake it.” Though hear him tell it, it was almost as if he took Costa experienced a devolution. Not that this complete stripping down of his (Costa’s) style is of any concern to Porterfield. In fact, he tells me “I’m interested also in filmmakers who are always sort of reinventing themselves. I’d like to have a career where I could, instead of doing the same thing well, maybe explore new forms and new ways of telling a story, and continue to grow.”

But even as he’s in the midst of screen tests for Metal Gods, Matt is considering his next moves. For his third film, he says he’d like to make an adaptation of Anne Carson’s  young adult novel, Autobiography of Red, the fantastical story of an adolescent, red-winged monster, set in contemporary times. Though the novel is told in verse, and not in narrative form, the tale is a heavy one, and could make for a very controversial film (due to themes of sexual abuse and homosexuality). It’s not so much the sort of story you might expect him to want to explore.  But the mythical elements would give him the opportunity to “allow some of that magic to come into play”, once again. Still, the common thread in all his work seems to always come back to this theme of youth. And with the filmmaker and Johns Hopkins professor being just over thirty, it’s not so hard to see why: “I also think I connect well with adolescents,” he says in earnest. “I still really know what it felt like. It was such a pivotal point in my life, I guess that’s why I want to make films for and about young people. At least right now.”

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

METAL GODS / RED camera test from Matt Porterfield on Vimeo

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

Technorati Tags: Film, Hamilton, Matt Porterfield, Metal Gods

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I AGREE.

I’ve always adored Randy, and this song. But I’m 5′11″. So I can laugh at this.

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PRISM EYEWEAR LONDON

The bookish charm of prescription eyewear has been popularized by hipsters and art school kids, alike. Personally, I’ve always thought glasses to be cool. So much so, that I attempted to dupe the optometrist as a kid. But just like all the others with 20/20 vision out there, if I want to wear glasses, I have to wait until I get outside… Well, if I don’t plan on looking like a pretentious idiot, that is.

Nevertheless, from the moment I saw Prism London’s eyeglass collection, it was love at first sight (pun intended). The line of sleek, somewhat nerdy spectacles are beyond cute. They’re unisex, yet somehow delicate enough to feel really feminine on a woman. Then, there’s the fact that they come in a phenomenally unique case. They’re available for pre-order now, but that hasn’t stopped these frames from making their way onto such famous faces as Jessica Stam and Roisin Murphy. And as for us “vision-unimpaired”? You can always buy a pair and pop some sunglass lenses in.

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

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KAT DENNINGS x NYLON

Remember that hipster movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite playlist? You know, with that Michael Cera kid (the one from Arrested Development and Superbad who plays the SAME character in every movie)? Doesn’t ring a bell? How about that somewhat cute,  film that contained no real substance, and more pretentious music references, and infamously indie spots than you can shake a stick at? I thought so. Well “Norah” (or as she’s known to her mother, Kat Dennings), is in Nylon this month…

Sidebar: The issue is still in my inbox, actually. I kinda flipped through it (which prompted me to question why the LV x Steven Sprouse collection was used in the styling). I feel like the digital issue is a fail as an idea. My Yahoo! business mail thinks it’s spam… Are they trying to cut back on costs and calling it “going green”? C’mon, I won’t tell…

Anyway, I’m commenting on it, as I recognized the bodysuit they had Kat in. It’s actually from the Iona from type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.jdoqocy.com/placeholder-3782149?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agentprovocateur.com%2Fiona%2Finfo%2Fbody%2Fleopard&target=_top&mouseover=N">>. I originally fell in love with it after seeing it on Daisy Lowe. But when I saw it on Lily Allen (because she was their spokesmodel for about 2.5 seconds, and then they dropped her like a hot potato), it felt like something I should stay away from. Although I think I still probably need this in my closet.  But… this is probably the worst possible way to style this. The animal print-on-animal print looks tacky– at best. Ugh, this shoot was a disaster. More of a disaster than Nick and Norah. When good pieces go bad… it’s a scary, scary thing to witness.

-Virginia Jackson-Reed ♥

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