Artist Aurel Schmidt has been drawing creepy crawly creatures ever since she can remember. Her popular works have been exhibited around the globe, and the young artist is now preparing to launch her new book.

Schmidt’s colored pencil and acrylic drawings of thousands of tiny hand drawn bugs, roaches, worms, maggots, and other creepy insects are some of the most detailed and meticulous you could image. Her drawings consist mainly of zombies and decaying subjects with other finely drawn eerie animals and trashy objects including cigarette butts, rats, snakes, band-aids, and chicken bones. In her works entitled “burnouts”, cigarette burns are made in single pieces of paper, usually into the shape of eyes and a mouth which she then embellishes with her ghoulish creatures.

The 23-year old is releasing a new book of her works appropriately entitled “Burnouts”. Join Schmidt and Dietch Projects on October 04, 2007, at the home of Nicola Vassell, Director of Deitch Projects, from 6-9 pm for a viewing of Burnouts, an exhibition of new works and book release.
RSVP to info@deitch.com.

To view more of Aurel Schmidt’s work visit: www.tinyvices.com

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BLOWOUTS IN BABYLON
Sunday, September 30th- Off Bowery in association with MDP/Sensei persents “End of Summer Jam”. 12pm at Tompkins Square Park. Featuring Mod Rockets, Sahra Motaleri, Sh-Sh-Shark Attack, Beans (Anti Pop Consortium), The Virgins, L.E.S. All Stars (Mark Razo & friends), ARE Weapons, and Gang Gang Dance.

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We’re sure you’re well aware of the big things coming out from down under. We just wanted to make sure you knew about Something. Oh, and there’s Something Else…

Natalie Wood, creator and head designer of SOMETHING decided to resist convention by creating her diffusion label first. Something is a brand that chooses to define street fashion by two main priorities; Always incorporating copious amounts of Woods’ favorite garment, t-shirts. And secondly, she doesn’t take it all too seriously. For Something, it’s about working with her friends and fellow artists, Georgina Cullum, Dmote, and Jonathan Zawada.

Something Else is Woods’ higher end collection, an artful collaboration that allows Natalie to experiment with even more directional styling than Something, and offers up a broad array of beautiful and clever graphics and prints, fused with clashes of colour and intricate textile placement on a variety of fabrications from cotton poplins to delicate silks.

New Something Else product just landed at one of our secret online gems: SpaceJunk. Make sure to change the currency to U.S. dollars… Bookmark it!

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BLOWOUTS IN BABYLON

Don’t forget about tonight’s Evil Monito x Kangol event!

Friday, September 28th- At Studio B. FUN presents: The Glimmers, Guns N Bombs plus residents Rok One (of The Bangers) and Eamon Harkin. 10pm, 18+. $12 at the door -or- NO COVER w/ rsvp @ going.com/theglimmers. click flyer for more details.

Saturday, September 29th- MeanRed presents: Korrupt w/ Switch & Sinden plus DJ Ayres & Max Pask. Also at Studio B. Click flyer for details.

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Did ya’ll get to check the Bicycle Film Festival that trailed through your city this summer? If so, you probably noticed the PUMA sponsored custom made bikes created by your favorite magazines… and maybe even started to covet. Now’s your chance to become the proud owner of one of these mag-branded machines!

PUMA approached seven of the most relevent lifestyle magazines and asked them to create a bike depicting their publication’s personality. But there was a catch, each mag was given just $200 to make the bike, which could also only be made with recycled bicycle parts. All of the bikes traveled to the North American destinations (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Portland, Minneapolis and San Francisco) for the Bicycle Film Festival and were put on display at each theater as part of the PUMA Re-Bike gallery.

Participating magazines include The Fader, Vice, URB, XLR8R, Theme, Swindle, and Anthem. Personalities of the spared two-wheelers range from Euro-Trash (Anthem), to “Magic Super Goodvibes” (the Fader), and even a sexy street smart show-stopper (Swindle). Each of these beauties has been put up for auction and can be yours as soon as tomorrow! View the bikes and place your bids now by clicking here!

All proceeds will benefit bicycle charities across North America.
For more info about the PUMA project, visit the website.

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There’s a new men’s footwear line created for the confident, discerning wearer who understands and appreciates detail and quality construction. Understated sophistication is the message behind “the Generic Man”, a not-so-generic collection.

In early 2006, Generic Costume designer, Kevin Carney, and his long time friend and now business partner Brandon Day launched “the Generic Man”. The two recognized a void in the menswear market and decided to focus on creating finely crafted mens shoes. They set up shop in Italy to develop the new GC shoe collection, travelling around Europe searching for unique materials of the highest quality and most knowledgable factories.

The footwear is made of all Italian leathers, suedes, canvas and soles and manufactured in Portugal. For Fall 2007, six styles were created in a variety of lace-up boots, slip ons, and low driver versions available in an assortment of colored suedes and solid, metallic, or perforated leathers. Check for Generic Man at your favorite exclusive retailers.

New York stockists include Steven Alan, Behaviour, OAK.
Visit them online: www.thegenericman.com

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BLOWOUTS IN BABYLON

Thursday, September 27th- Theme presents a photographic exhibit and project launch by EVIL Monito and Kangol. Live performance by Capitol recording artist CJ. Beats provided by DJ Neil Armstrong. 9pm-1am at the Canal Chapter. Click on flyer for more details.

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Here’s a girl you’re going to be seeing a lot more of! At age 19, Sarah McSweeney is the youngest woman we’ve had in our Confessional and very likely to soon be the most widely recognized. You might have recently seen her here, or here, or maybe even here, and of course the past few seasons as the face of Married to the MOB.

Read what this fresh faced beauty has been up to the last couple years and keep your eyes peeled for big things to come. Her whole life is ahead of her…

Name and age:
Sarah McSweeney, Age 19

Marital Status:
Only one guy is allowed to slap me.

Where are you originally from?
Chelsea, NYC

How long have you lived in NY?
I was born and raised here, my parents moved us to the suburbs when I was 10, but we were always in and out of the city. When I was 16 I moved back officially on my own.

What neighborhood in NY do you live in?
Living in Tribeca

What are your favorite memories of New York?
One of my favorite memories, is my mom walking me to grammar school every morning. My school was in the West village so we would walk from Chelsea. Each morning she would let me stop at this Italian bakery and get cookies for breakfast. Cookies for breakfast, pretty amazing….ha. Best recent memory is baby Kier’s birth at St Vincent’s and Rob almost passing out in the delivery room.

Give us a brief rundown of your past work experience?
I got my first job when I was 16 at La Esquina. I was the door bitch. I lied for a while and told management I was 17. After working there for about a year I got scouted and gave the modeling thing a try.

We’ve been noticing you in print a lot lately, how did you get your start modeling? And what agency are currently with?
I am currently with Marilyn Model Management. I got scouted two summers ago. I was walking down Mott st and stopped to tie my shoelace, when this surfer looking guy approached me. At the time he was scouting for Abercrombie and Fitch and asked to take my polaroid to submit them for their next campaign. Then he told me that he also owned a small managing company that places girls with agencies. I was a little wary at first. But after meeting with him again I figured I might as well try. So the day I turned 18 I signed with him and he placed me with an agency. He is still my manager and now a good friend of mine. He also brings my lazy ass to the gym every day.

Got any favorite models you admire?
Um not really, I mean I love Kate Moss, but I don’t admire her.

Do you know and get along with other models?
Yeah, I know a few models, but I’m not good friends with any though. To tell you the truth most models are super retarded and I can’t really relate to them. I don’t get anyone who wants to make modeling their complete life.

When was the first time you saw yourself in print?
Hmm I can’t really remember. I have a terrible memory.

You’ve been the face of your sister Leah’s brand, Married to the MOB, for a while, whats it like working with her?
I love doing shoots for MTTM, because I get some creative control and they are always pretty amusing. Usually we end up shooting a lot of stuff that never makes it to the public cause it’s just a little to insane. Usually my sister and I constantly bicker as the shoot is going on. We have a very love hate relationship. But there is much more love then hate.

You also blog on the mobliving website, do you have a lot of devoted fans?
I don’t blog too much, that’s much more Tam Tam’s thing. But yea MOBLIVING.COM for sure has a big following.

You and Tabatha seem like best friends in person and from what we see on the blog, how did you guys become such good friends and are you both really as wacky as you come across on mobliving?
Yes we are as wacky as we seem and then some. We are both pretty out there when separated, but when we are put together something happens. Some people never recover after a Sarah- Tabatha run in. My sister introduced Tabatha and I two years ago, she thought I was hanging out with too many old people. Tabatha and I instantly became best friends. After knowing Tabatha for only three months…. I moved in with her and her mother in BK after my sister and I had a fight. Tam Tam is family forever.

Any other things on your horizon?
I have a lot of things on my plate right now. As for my modeling career, I’m taking it for what it is. I’ve never aspired to be a model and I never will. But I consider it a stepping-stone for what I want to do in the end. Modeling is opening up more doors for me in the future, that go way beyond posing.

What’s the most satisfying thing about your work?
Traveling the world on someone else’s bill is very satisfying. Plus I get to travel places I wouldn’t neccessarly chose to travel to myself. My job has also opened my eyes a bit. The fashion industry is so fucked, it really can suck the life out of you. I’m constantly battling myself to stay in reality, cause it’s very easy to get sucked in. I’m not a very balanced person so sometimes it can be hard.

Got any favorite clothing brands?
MOB of course.

Got a long term plan?
I do, but I never say what I’m gonna do…..I wait till I do it.

Do you have much free time? And what do you do when you’re not working?
Sometimes I have absolutely no time and sometimes Ill get a week off. Which can be really nice. When I’m not working I like to cook, play with my niece, create a little mischief, make fun of people, take a shit….the list goes on and on.

How would you describe your personal style?
Simple and slutty…..slightly tomboyish

What’s your prized possession?
Hmm, I don’t really have one. I like having nice things but they don’t mean too much to me. Maybe that’s why I lose all my shit.

Where do you like to shop?
For clothes my favorite spot is Fille De Joie (197 Grand st BK). Tabatha’s amazing mother owns it (CC she is my French mother). It’s like going in to your girlfriends house, the one who has the dope closet and picking out the shit you like. It’s the fucking best! Beauty products I shop at Sephora even though I don’t really wear make up. Lush is good too for soap and stuff like that, their Ocean Salt product is amazing!!

Do you go out much?
Yeah I go out, I don’t really have a favorite club though. They are all pretty lame unless you’re super fucked up. Actually, I take that back I went to the best gay club in Vancouver recently, it was so much fun…I worked the stripper pole like no other…the gays loved it. The Odeon’s bar for a drink, and I just discovered this awesome wine bar on West Broadway, of course I forget the name.

Name your top three fave restaurants:
The Odeon-Calamari
Spice- Tofu Rama
Pure Food and Wine- Everything, it changed my life.

What’s your most recent discovery/exploration in New York?
NYC on a bicycle. My manager hooked me up with bike recently am I’m kicking myself for not getting one sooner.

Do you plan on living in NY forever?
I plan on traveling a lot and experiencing new places but home base will always be NYC.

If you smoke, tell us your favorite rolling paper. If you drink, tell us your cocktail/drink of choice?
I don’t really smoke. As for booze…Patron.

Name one New York woman that you would nominate to our Hail Mary list?
Tabatha McGurr!! Seriously I know this may seem biased but I don’t give a fuck. Tabatha is amazing, talented and sweet. She is also rude and loud, but that’s what I love. In fact I would be her lover.

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click on image for details

Tonight, Friday September 21st- NYC’s 3rd Pussy Party featuring Pase Rock, Egg Foo Young, Lloydski, DJ Soul, DJ Elle, & Melo-X. Hosted by Bijules, Roxy Cottontail, & Good Peoples. Click flyer for details. Yes, those are baby rats… ick.

Also- Naghman Chaudry (Coat of Arms) celebrates his bday tonight at NOVO. Bottles everywhere!

Monday, September 24th- The Official Klaxons (and Bjork) Afterparty! DJs Mark Bell, Steve Aoki, Mystery Jets and more… Live performances by Spankrock and Santogold. At Rebel. Free with RSVP, click flyer for more details.

Tuesday, September 25th- Jukebox Heros & Hennessey persent Girls Love Boys. Music by DJ Soul & DJ Jaclyn. Photo show by Tone (www.photosbytone) and Lynnette Astaire. Get your smooches on at the Girls Love Boys photo kissing booth! Fine Cognac cocktails provided by Hennessey. Hors D’vours provided by Frank’s. RSVP only. Click flyer above for more details.

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ON A SIDE NOTE

Penfield has collaborated with Alife Rivington Club to release a limited edition “Walkabout” jacket. There were only 300 of these made and are exclusively being sold at the Alife Rivington Club store in the Lower East Side, NYC for $250. It is being released tomorrow- Saturday, September 22nd. These goose down jackets only come in red, purple and black. Each jacket comes with a nylon bag in the same colorway as the jacket.

Cop one while you can!
Click image to enlarge.

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Founded in 1952 and gaining recognition by sponsoring team France in 1968’s Grenoble Olympics, Moncler has become widely recognized for their insulation against the freezing cold. They’ve added vibrant colors (a la Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) and extreme performance characteristics to each of their covetable down jackets, now crafted by a handful of famous highend designers.

The fashionable weatherproof gear is easily identifiable by the use of their traditional high gloss nylon shell and single, snow-white label. A variety of quilt patterns in several conservative or edgy lengths make the collections appealing for a wide range of fashion hounds. For Fall 07 added features include nylon varnished textured fabrics into a three-dimensional surface and contrasting black and white for a fresh, graphic look. Design work goes back to Moncler’s roots with a return to the couture, ornament, and simple lines of the 1950s.

The Premiere line, Gamme Rouge, designed by (post Tom Ford) former Gucci designer Alessandra Facchinetti is a new line of one-of-a-kind down jackets with sartorial details. Other designers who have collaborated on projects include Junya Watanabe and Balenciaga.

Moncler is available at Barney’s New York and Intermix.
Visit them online: www.moncler.com

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Last month in Las Vegas we came across a cute brand set inside a tiny booth at Project. It was so packed we were asked to come back, but with not enough hours in a day we grabbed a biz card and never returned.

Despite not getting enough time to view the collection in person Insight became one of our favorites of the shows. Coincidentally we’d already been in touch with the brand even before seeing them at Project… (too many emails= brain fry.) Insight was born in Sydney, Australia in the mid 80’s as a surfboard label. Eight years ago, creative visionary George Gorrow (co-owner/designer of Ksubi), and designer Natalie Wood (Something and Something Else) evolved it into an amazing apparel line. The fall collection is a perfect mix of sweet and sexy, voluminous bib dresses contrasting against tight peg jeans.

Insight is currently in 45 countries and have entered the US market setting up shop in Venice, CA just a year and a half ago. Naturally, rooted in surf, the label also has a women’s swimwear collection, now three seasons old and generating an amazing buzz. Color and styles are used in ways we’ve always been wishing for!

View the swimwear collection here!
Fall 07 and Spring 08 are viewable at: www.insight51.com.

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