In my favorite Brooklyn neighborhood, Fort Greene, you can also find one of my all time favorite New York eateries, Habana Outpost. It’s NYC’s first solar-powered eco-eatery and also a neighborhood community gathering space.

The sister restaurant of NoLita’s hip Cafe Habana opened two years ago and attacts more than just diners craving the Cuban and Mexican-inspired Latin cuisine. The large outdoor sprawl converts to a fashion flea market on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as up-close viewing for 8pm Sunday movie nights featuring classics such as Jaws, Scarface, and Superfly. Once a month the establishment also hosts a live burlesque show starring some of their female employees, as well as hosts ongoing art exhibits. There’s a good chance you’ll run into your most hip creative friends mixed among locals. (Last time we spotted Scott Sasso of 10 Deep, Kenshin of Kilo, Mena of Zoo York, and regulars Livingroom Johnston and Ebon.)

A great place for a late afternoon gathering with groups of friends. Listen to live DJs while downing frozen mojitos and nibbling on tasty catfish burritos! Try one of their human-power blended smoothies, cheaper if you do the pedalling yourself.

Habana Outpost is located at 575 Fulton Street at South Portland.
Open Wednesday-Monday noon to midnight. Closed on Tuesdays.

Visit their website for more info: www.habanaoutpost.com

 Email This Post to a Friend!

My recent move to Bushwick got me itching to decorate. Hungry for inspiration, I remembered packing this amazing book my boy Dub lent to me months ago, “Twentieth Century Pattern Design” by Lesley Jackson. This collection of graphics has everything and everyone you need to know in modern textile and wallpaper design. Beautiful pictures and insightful writing make this book a must-have for anyone wanting to get schooled in true artistic originality.

The striking wallpapers are reinterpreted 19th century British pattern designs which include organic florals and unique collages. The last section of the book introduces the newest contributors to this art form. Most notable and unique of all recent works is a hand printed wallpaper with eels entangled in flower vines, centipedes weaving through dark fuschias on a royal navy background by Glasgow based design company, Timorous Beasties. Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons conjer up provacative ideas not usually seen in wallpaper. Instantly it reminds me of Heironymous Bosch’s, “The Garden of Earthly Delights”. Creepy, dark characters playing out sinful fantasies in jeweled colors, beautiful ironic images to have in the home.

Choose from a variety of sinister environments to decorate your urban sanctuary in bright colors or muted palettes. If you’d like something more subtle and calming, the book’s got that too!

Available online.

 Email This Post to a Friend!

When I received an email about “Ultimate Members” I couldn’t figure out what it was actually talking about, the reference was so brilliantly vague it had me (along with all other email recipents, I’m sure) clicking on the link to find out about whatever this exclusive product was!

Jimmyjane creative studio brings sleek and sophistocated design to the world of sex paraphernalia. They have collaborated with London’s decadent nightclub, Kabaret’s Prophecy, to produce a limited edition collection of luxury vibrators. The metal playtoys, etched with Kabaret’s Prophecy’s six different real-life based VIP personalities created by internationally acclaimed UK artist and designer Jamie Hewlett (of Gorillaz and Tank Girl fame), “epitomize larger-than-life characters that make party nights unforgettable.” These light-weight discreet toys look something like a cigar case and the patented motor is silent, something its user won’t be!

Each Ultimate Member Limited is part of a limited edition of 1500 pieces.
The launch is tonight, Wednesday, June 27th at Jimmyjane’s pop-up shop at An Earnest Cut & Sew.
Come by to see these sexy things in person. Guaranteed good vibes!

JUNE 27th, 7-10pm
An Earnest Cut & Sew
821 Washington (btwn Gansevoort & Little West 12th)
RSVP: Emily@factoryPR.com

Check out jimmyjane.com to learn more about THE ULTIMATE MEMBERS.

Click on image to enlarge

 Email This Post to a Friend!

Pop art has been making its sneak attack back into the fashion market the past few seasons. For the first time in 6 years, Summer 2007 marks the return to the American market of one of our favorite all time graphic designers, graffiti writers, and legendary artists who’s making a comeback in streetwear.

Eric Haze’s designs have been a fixture in our every day lives more than most of us realize. His most recognized body of work includes some of our favorite early hip-hop logos and album covers such as LL Cool J’s “Bigger and Deffer”, EPMD, and Public Enemy, and even the original MTV Headbanger’s Ball logo. He designed the cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head”, where his own penmanship became one of the most frequently imitated handwriting styles. He’s since worked on large projects with clients such as Nike, New Balance, and Apple iPod.

Earlier in his career Haze was also a friend of world-reknowned pop artists Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, during this time it was from their influences which Haze himself developed his own pop art style. It’s this signature style that he is reintroducing to the US and European markets this summer in his small capsule collection of Haze x New Era cap, skateboard deck, and 3 T-shirt graphics. Each of the artworks found on the new product have been adapted directly from Haze’s most recent body of work.

The Haze Summer 2007 collection will be in stores the 2nd week of July. A new product website will be completed just in time for the new release. In the meantime, find out more about the artist at www.interhaze.com or check out his blog on www.riottt.com.

 Email This Post to a Friend!

 Email This Post to a Friend!

Last July, while basking near the Williamsburg track, I heard music rocking from the nearby McCarren Pool, so I shimmied over to discover kegs of Brooklyn Lager, a full day of live music, and free entry! I claimed my blanket territory and soaked up the sun while watching a few games of dodgeball and revellers slip-n’-slide in their bikinis and boxers.

McCarren pool, built in 1936 as part of New Deal architecture by the WPA (Works in Progress Administration), was one of the largest pools in the world with a capacity of 6,800. It was closed down in 1984 for repairs and has since been abandoned until last year when it was fixed up just enough to hold the pool parties. I was completely in awe of the giant pool bed and the McCarren Pool quickly became my favorite summer venue. I caught several live performances from Deerhoof, Granddaddy and even Spank Rock and MIA (who showed up for a surprise set…) Despite the insane crowds of party people, the huge expanse of the McCarren pool never quite reached capacity.

This year the parties kick off this weekend and as part of the performance line-up you can expect to see current music acts (a la Williamsburg and Greenpoint) including TV on the Radio, Superchunk, Blonde Redhead, Mark Ronson, and most likely many more of our favorites yet to be scheduled. Summerstage, eat your heart out!

The first show is this Sunday, June 24th with Superchunk, Oakley Hall, + / -, and DJ Todd O-Phonic Todd.

For more info visit www.thepoolparties.com

 Email This Post to a Friend!

House of Cassette is an independent fashion brand. Sprouting from the Los Angeles downtown artist district, Cassette surrounds itself within a new breed of a burgeoning creative community, which includes writers, photographers, artists, musicians and designers. Cassette regards this unique class of intelligentsia as the core of a new creative movement, a changing of the guards.  House of Cassette provides essential pieces for this class of bold young creatives.

I first discovered the brand while browsing at one of our favorite L.E.S shopping destinations, Valley. The black highwaisted roll-up shorts were the hottest item, and our Saint Marina even ended up purchasing a pair as one of her key summer pieces. The House of Cassette aesthetic combines classic styling with high fashion silhouettes and a lick of rebelliousness, cutting out the sensory overload of overdesign found in many brands popular today. The Summer collection includes highly covetable pieces such as colored denims, one-piece shorts jumpsuits, striped knit tops, and ribbed bib tanks.

Co-Founder and Creative Director, Peter James Lee pays extra attention to detail, and rewinds to a time of old-fashioned techniques such as the early denim pioneers’ washer rivet detailing and a more tailored fit dart articulation. Fans of the brand that can appreciate these extra details include celebrities Jessica Alba, Emma Roberts, and Rihanna.

Get a preview of the Fall 2007 collection here inspired by hidden treasures of Alaska. Summer collection is in stores now and available at Valley and the Meatpacking District’s Denier Cri.

www.houseofcassette.com

___

ON A SIDE NOTE

H&M announced yesterday that its next collaboration will be with celebrity fashion favorite Roberto Cavalli. “The Roberto Cavalli collections represent an exuberant, successful lifestyle,” H&M’s design chief, Margareta van den Bosch, said in the announcement. Cavalli is known for his wild combinations of animal prints and bold colors — his latest collection featured cowboy hats, leopard-print trapeze coats, skintight, sequined gowns, and jodhpurs. We hope he sticks to his fool-proof formula for his H&M collection!
___

BLOWOUTS IN BABYLON

On Friday, June 22nd, powerHouse Arena, the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, and Mass Appeal present an exhibition from the forthcoming July 2007 release: Wild Style The Sampler By Charlie Ahearn. 6:00-9:00 pm
The BoConcept Skylounge at The powerHouse Arena 37 Main Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
Music by the legendary DJ Disco Wiz
Drinks courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery

Click on flyer for more info and RSVP details.

 Email This Post to a Friend!

Virginia based concept boutique, Commonwealth announced yesterday that it will sponsor the Riley-D’Hondt Motorsports (RDM) #91 Toyota Camry driven by Marc Goossens at Infineon Raceway on June 24, 2007.

NASCAR is America’s fastest growing sport, second only to the National Football League in the number of television viewers. It is also America’s most exclusionary athletic enterprise in terms of race and sex. There is a focus to encourage change in the sport to allow for more diversity. Helping to build a community of individuals with diverse interests, Commonwealth, which strives to educate and expose its patrons and friends to uniquely selected apparel and footwear will similarly be helping to diffuse NASCAR’s racial and gender seperation.

This partnership allows two young, but determined companies to put their stamp on a Nextel Cup event. In their initial partnership, Riley-D’Hondt Motorsports and Commonwealth will attempt their first “Car of Tomorrow” race at a road course. Just as a road course brings a different mindset to a NEXTEL Cup event, so does this partnership…. and one heck of a sexy race car!

Congratulations to Omar, Larry and all the folks at Commonwealth boutique. We featured owner Omar Quiambao last month on our site, read more about him here. Commonwealth has locations in Norfolk, VA and Washington, DC as well as highly successful online shop. Make sure to visit them online: www.cmonwealth.com

Tune in Sunday, June 24th, 2007 at 5 PM (EST) on TNT to see the Commonwealth sponsored Riley-D’Hondt Motorsports #91 Toyota Camry in action.

Click here for more images.

__

BLOWOUTS IN BABYLON
Join Gaby and Angelo at their third installment of Coochifrito at Kingsize. Drink specials include the “Emilio Estevez”, ask for it by name. Thursday night Salsa and Freestyle, tunes by Dante Ross and DJ Smoke “LES”. Click flyer for more details.

 Email This Post to a Friend!