Archive for 2010
One of the few books I remember reading as a child and actually enjoying, was Pinocchio. Not the Disney version, but the original Carlos Collodi version. No singing and dancing, and a lot less colorful, but still I enjoyed it for some odd reason. Even during Disney’s period of bastardizing their properties, Pinocchio managed to make it untouched. So when photos from Kaw’s exhibit at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum showed a Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket figure, the kid in me only had two questions; when, and how much.
Like Kaw’s previous Darth Vader and Storm Trooper releases, I figured this one would be limited due to licensing, and see very few appearing stateside. With a bit of persistence, and quick figures, I managed to secure one for myself, and I can honestly say its one of my favorite pieces I own. The figure is about a foot tall with articulation at the arms, hands and feet. The collab was done rather brilliantly, meshing Kaws’ style with the Disney character aesthetics. You can instantly tell it is a Kaws piece, and recognize that its Pinocchio in the same glance. Overall my inner child and outer crotchety ole man both agree that it was a worthwhile investment.
As a child, I made it an effort to watch the live broadcast of the the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade every year. Watching my favorite cartoon characters float down the streets of New York was just kinda mesmerized me. Like most childhood attachments, as I got older my overall interest began to wane. I wasn’t as attached to the spectacle as I once was, although I still love seeing the Snoopy float. I can say I probably haven’t watched the parade in 10 years, and really haven’t found a draw to get me to either.
This week though, an announcement that superflat artist, Takashi Murakami would be involved in this year’s parade has peaked the tiny bit of interest that I assumed no longer existed. The intent is for Murakami’s studio mascots, “Kaikai” and “Kiki”, to be turned into floats of their own. This will definitely be interesting to see his characters turned into sixteen foot floats, as I’m sure most of the children spectating the event will have zero idea of what they are actually seeing. No photos of the actual floats have surfaced as of yet, but stay tuned.
I think every man should be able to cook at least one thing, without a cookbook. Having finally made banana bread for the first time, after 20 years of cooking, I’m pretty sure this is my item of choice.
Not everyday is a briefcase day, some days are a lot less serious, and I just need to be able to carry shit from point A to point B. I’ve been accomplishing this daily task, with the help of a rather nice BAPE tote I picked up. And while I don’t question the construction the bag, as I began to use it over an extended period, my trust in its ability to withstand my hectic daily transportation came into question. As luck would have it, my necessity coincided with the release of the new Levi’s x Filson collection. Both brands I have an enormas amount of love for and know the level of quality to expect.
I managed to get myself to the Levi’s flagship in downtown SF just in time to pick up one of the last of the denim/twill versions in stock. The strictly denim version of the tote would have done the job just fine for me, but the twill/denim combination makes this tote tank-like. In addition, the fact that it mirrors my Filson briefcase made the decision rather simple. Like the briefcase, its constructed with rugged twill, with bridal leather handles, while the inner portions are Levi’s quality rigid denim. It even comes with a small field notes moleskine, that uses the first few pages to cover the collaboration, with the remaining pages being standard grid paper. Four pockets line the outside, with plenty of space on the inside. I can throw a hoodie, my laptop, and one of those 200lb Free & Easy magazines in my bag without even a concern.
So far the Levi’s x Filson collab seems to be a huge success, as majority of the line is sold out in stores, as well as online. So if you’re interested in the twill/denim or the strictly denim versions of the tote, I would kinda move fast over the your local Levi’s shop, or pick one up online. I can assure you, you will be very pleased with either.
I got a couple requests for a fit for the Ellingtons, so I had Nicole snap a quick picture of me. The trick is to just treat them as though they were a normal pair of brick sole Bucks, nothing overly complicated. Any dark denim, a white oxford, red base plaid, pink(cranberry), or even navy blue, and its a done deal. So there you have it.
