Friends
Vu Skate Shop in Baltimore, owned by my good friends Chris Donmoyer & Gary Smith, was recently featured on FuelTV. I was down in Baltimore to help Gary & Chris paint, buff the floors, & open up shop! A little painting I did on a door inside the shop got into a little clip in the feature so take a look!
My friend Sean of Sam Champion and his girlfriend Sarah have launched a small collection called FRIENDS. FRIENDS has a seriously refreshing personality in an era of IN YOUR FACE advertising, fashion, and multimedia. Self-described as a brand dedicated to runs of “seasonally specific” clothing items, FRIENDS first offering is a simple trio. A utilitarian (and very attractive) pair of swim trunks, a 7″ single, & a zine. Cover your privates, drop the needle on your record player, and sit back under the sunshine while you enjoy a xeroxed publication. I dig it.
More at Friendscanvastrunks.com
My good friend Jerry has been busy traveling & filming for his upcoming video project (working title Spectacular Adventures). He caught some killer frames in the Outer Banks this past week and I wanted to share. Some of these waves are bone crushing! I’m excited to be working with Jerry on the new film, and I promise you…it will not disappoint!
A relatively new web service called MuxTape allows you to create a mix tape of your own and share it with friends. The service is very simple, clean, and straight forward. Choose up to 12 of your favorite tracks, upload them, and share your mix (or MUX). No Bells & Whistles…just sharing music with your friends! One of my favorite things to do! I love the design of the service as well. I love GIANT TYPE on the internet and hover rollovers on large areas (NERD TALK!). Benjamin @ THE BRILLIANCE brings up a cool idea for using MuxTape to collaborate with your friends in order to DJ your house party. Upload your MuxTape before the party and then DJ the party using everyones MuxTape…It’s fair & it’s bound to get people amped! I dig it!
***Make a Muxtape and post the URL in the comments!
I was in Boston this past weekend for the Legends of Style event at the Boston Center for the Arts. The show was jam packed with over 200 pieces of art work from some very talented street inspired artists, including but not limited to Kenji Nakayama, Ryan Lombardi, Jessica Hess! The Scion sponsored event had a great turn out, with DJs & Breakdancing throughout the night! I opted to enjoy the night and not have to worry about a camera but check Always on the Grind for photos!
Coincidentally this past weekend also happened to be the Open Studio weekend for Boston University’s Graduate Painting Exhibition. I made a point of checking out the exhibition and stopping into a few studios. I was blown away by some of the talent coming out of the graduate program at BU! The gallery at 808 Commonwealth Ave, as well as the studios on the third floor of the building, were filled with beautiful work. The show runs through May 4th so hurry up and check it out! A few of my favorites
L > R: Johnathan Daly & Lindsey Warren
L > R: Julia Fernandez-Pol & Lika Yurkovetsky
L > R: Karen Ann Myers & Adrienne Ginter (Hand-crafted Flowers)
Things are happening! My best buds You Can Be A Wesley will be playing a gig at ellO Gallery in New Hampshire on May 16th. Its been a little while since I have designed a poster/flyer for a show and so I jumped on the opportunity to get back on the program. If you are in the area don’t miss it!
It’s special when you find a gem lodged in the hard, cold dirt of an empty abandoned field littered with chunks of cement and weeds. This was the case four years ago when I discovered Emerson’s commercial free, listener supported radio station WERS 88.9FM. During my time in Boston WERS became a staple in my daily listening habits. I found it funny that as my collection of digital music grew upwards of 16,000 songs I still wanted to listen to the radio! Wasn’t the radio supposed to be dead?! WERS, the self proclaimed “Music for the independent mind”, always delivers with spectacular daytime programming and programs like Rockers, 88.9 @ Night, and The Secret Spot. In addition to their great programming WERS offers an on-air concert calendar of local events and killer in studio performances with some of todays and tomorrows best acts! Speaking of which…my best buddies You can be a Wesley will be performing in studio this Friday at NOON! If you are new to WERS or this is all old news make sure you tune in for a great little lunch time indie pop party with YCBAW! Don’t worry, if you aren’t in Boston you can listen online! Listen online RIGHT NOW!
Due to injury snowboard season wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be, however I did squeeze in a few FUN days on the mountain! Until next year…
Once and a while I think everyone catches a little hot streak. Well this past week went up in flames! HOT STREAK HOT FIRE FLAMES! This could be a result of an almost religious experience at the Justice show last Monday in Philly. It was wild; enough said. Tuesday night came around and who was in town? MSTRKFT. Once again plenty of dancing! Wednesday I pick up a long time friend from the airport, go skate FDR, and then pack up the car and head to Vermont. We were supposed to stop in NYC for the premiere of Bjork’s new video Wanderlust but the screening got delayed. Check out the video in 3-D when its released next month. From what I’ve seen it looks wild! So Thursday morning we hit the slopes in perfect weather, bright blue skies, and groomed corduroy trails…Yummy! Killer Mexican food, Margaritas, and a rad waitress who wrapped my to-go as a aluminum swan! YES! Friday, more shredding, melt down conditions, and a very nice park thanks to TJ and the Mt. Snow crew. Jump back in the car and head for Philly! Get back just in time to run over to Johnny Brendas for The Black Lips. The crowd raged from the first note until the last. Epic. The opener Dr. Quintron and Ms. Pussycat were a mind-trip! Straight out of New Orleans they brought energy, the front end of an old car, a puppet show, and two fine ladies to the stage. Saturday was mellow for the most part; beautiful weather, a collapsed house, two trips to Pat’s Steaks (2PM & 4AM), and good company. Happy St. Patricks Weekend! I may take the day off…but you never know. Get your ALL-STAR ON!
I’ve been a fan of a lot of things recently, but Barack Obama has really impressed me! I’m very happy with my decision to support him over the past months during his campaign for president. I feel like he could be a friend of mine…Maybe not the, lets go to a show, have some beers, or skate the mini-ramp type of friend, but someone I could honestly connect with and have a solid conversation about whatever either of us finds interesting. Pay close attention to things happening right now, educate yourself, keep an open mind, and make your important decision. Then back up your decision with just a little bit of work or a donation so that WE can turn things around! Join the party and let us make politics positive and progressive! Arcade Fire is a fan. Will.i.am is a fan. Shepard Fairey is a fan…Are you?
Spending time with good friends in Aguadilla, PR…skateboarding, getting wet, painting, and kickin’ around…
