Steal of the Week

Today a crappy winter weather pattern hit our town in Nagano, Japan which all but ruined my friend and I’s mountain  bike trip. Instead, we traveled by train to a small city called Matsumoto, about 30 minutes away. We found a small clothing shop on a side street, mainly handmade sweaters and vintage used American and European jeans and t-shirts. Among the piles of reasonably priced items we left with; a handmade all-cotton, cream colored sweater (complete with a stained wood top button) and and green vintage ‘East Greenville, PA Fire Co.’ t-shirt, circa 1978.

They cost approx. $15US and $8US respectively. I will be going back.

Pantha du Prince. Black Noise.

Listen to this. It is well worth seven minutes.

In fact, listen to this whole album with a pair of good headphones;  treat your ears to a sensation like laying under a heavy handmade quilt. There is a weighted, taut, enveloping, hyper-textured feel to the album, as if it must be intrinsically valuable to someone.  The painstakingly polished result of a digital musical opus recalls some long lost múm-dntel-vitalic threesome in a dark studio somewhere.

Take the time to absorb this.

Louis

Louis Daniel Armstrong

New Joanna

Off of Joanna Newsom’s upcoming 3 disc release “Have One On Me”

Mugs

Welcome Home Old Friend

Speed Cat

Nothing can be so soul crushing and dampening of the spirit as losing your favorite one of any specific thing. In this instance, 2 years ago I found myself asking, “Where are my Speed Cats?” No answer was given. No trace was left to be followed. They were gone. The denial was strong that I refused to believe the truth that was so glaring. The closets of my house offered nothing. Heavy monitoring of the foot wear of my friends gave me no signs. After the 2 years I had to face the fact that if I was going to reunited with my old friend, I would indeed need to open my wallet. So today I bring you a story of joy because I have been reunited with my friend, my favorite, my pumas. Welcome home Speed Cats. You’ve been missed. Below is a video of pretty much how I feel when I slip them on.

How’s the Peeping?

The Talented Mr. Ripley

The GQ Eye blogged today about one of the most talked about moves between my best friends so I figured I’d have a post to insist that if you know me, you watch this movie and get comfortable with the peeping. Tom, how’s the peeping? In all honesty this movie is stylish, exciting at times and well acted by a superb ensemble cast. Drop this film in your queue or go to one of those walk in rental stores if you live in an area where they still exist.

They Aren’t Toys, They’re Collectible Figures!!!!

Todd McFarlane's Roy Hallady Figure

Ok, so what? I buy “toys” from time to time. I don’t play with them though. They adorn my desk at work, the fireplace mantle at my home and the shelves in my room. These “toys” aren’t toys at all in fact, they’re Todd McFarlane collectibles. More specifically, the Phillies players that he has selected worthy enough to be sculpted into 7″ figures. While, not a hardcore collector I have throughout my life bought way too many figures offered by McFarlane toys and lately these Phillies figures have been my most recent purchases. If you have a team, go ahead and find some to show of your team pride, they aren’t just toys, they’re art to some, collectibles to others and to me just a sweet way to have my Phillies around at all times.

Big Red.

i would buy that just for the packaging

That phrase should be the slogan for  Lovely Package. Great website for design geeks and spendthrifts alike.