Solstice Lunar Eclipse TONITE!!!!

Tonight will be a special astrological event with a lunar eclipse falling on the same night as the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The full eclipse will happen at 3:17AM so if youre up celebrating take a moment to enjoy the moon. The last time this happened was 372 years ago and it wont happen again until 2094! Check out NASA's writeup of this occassion!

Brownbook Magazine: Contemporary Arab Culture

One of my favorite things I saw at Miami Basel was Brownbook, an urban lifestyle magazine that covers contemporary design, politics and creative culture coming out of the Middle East and North Africa. Based in Dubai, the beautifully printed and bound publication feels a little bit like Monocle with its layout but the coverage is more diverse ranging from Istanbul Design Week to Afghani indie rock. The current issue, Urban 50, is their annual survey of fifty unique people and ideas that are transforming the Middle East.

For our annual roundup issue, we’ve scoured the region for the people, ideas, places, businesses and buildings that we think are making the Middle East better today. In Brownbook 24, Our search has taken us to a Cairene radio station, to a college on the banks of the Red Sea, to a rundown area in Casablanca that’s had an injection of community spirit from a converted abattoir.

The coverage in Brownbook along with the NYTimes' recent feature on the many ambitious architectural projects in the Middle East gets me excited about visiting in the upcoming years. Check out the full NYTimes article here and Nicolai Ouroussoff's the accompanying video piece featuring IM Pei, Frank Gehry, Norman Foster and Jean Nouvel speaking about their individual museum projects in Abu Dhabi and Qatar.

Miracle Toilets in Haiti

A great interview with Sasha Kramer, the founder of a Haitian NGO, SOIL. The organization builds dry composting toilets throughout Haiti and turns human waste into nutrient-rich soil for urban agriculture. Check out her amazing work in the video above!

Brownswood 2010 Christmas Mix

Free Holiday mix from Gilles Peterson's Brownswood label in anticipation of their holiday party next Saturday. If youre in London, definitely go get your holiday groove on. Mixed by DJ Mumblz it features some of his favorite tracks of the year, download it here!

1. Quest – Smooth Skin
2. Space Dimension Controller – 2ez (Autopilots Lament)
3. Grooveman Spot – Think About
4. Onra – High Hopes (Instrumental)
5. George Fitzgerald – The Let Down
6. Four Tet – Sing (Mosca Remix)
7. F – Spacewalker
8. Jack Dixon – Substitute
9. Bonobo – Eyesdown (Floating Points Remix)
10. Pedestrian – Hei Poa
11. Gold Panda – Same Dream Chine
12. Jay Electronica ft. John F. Kennedy – The Announcement
13. Spectrasoul ft. dBridge – Glimpse
14. Jose James – Warrior (Rockwell Remix)
15. Scuba – So You Think You’re Special
16. Erykah Badu – Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long
17. Little Brother – Curtain Call
18. The Roots – Radio Daze
19. Submotion Orchestra – Sunshine

We Speak No Americano

Happy Friday! The single-shot takes and set design on this video are great and if this hand dancing doesnt make you smile, the fact that we have a whole weekend ahead of us surely will. The original song with Renato Carosone is just as charming!

Honeysuckle:: Color of the Year

Pantone announced their 2011 color of the year, honeysuckle! Its got me excited for spring.

Ryan McGinness' Women Series

Ryan McGinness' new "Women" Series debuted during Basel last week. Four new pieces were hung on the walls of a local strip club flanking three stages. It was awesome to see the pieces glowing under the black light as both art world folks and underage kids tried to act too cool for school. Here's a video that was looping at the Madonna Strip Club on South Beach during the opening showing some of McGinness' process drawings. I swiped a poster off the doors of the strip club last night before heading back to NYC!

25 Women Sketch Process (2010) from Ryan McGinness Studios, Inc. on Vimeo.

Flying Lotus' Zodiac Shit

Its this kinda day...

Gar-De + Friends Sample Sale

Starts on Wednesday!!! Pickup Gar-De's beautifully tailored leather outerwear and some amazing pieces from downtown's finest!

Team Awesome Space Pizza

TEAM AWESOME SPACE PIZZA from Farolito Films on Vimeo.

The guys from Roberta's are at it again with this phenomenal video for Yoxi the social change/challenge site. The Challenge: To Reinvent Fast Food. The Answer: Team Awesome Space Pizza. Roberta's short film is about solving world hunger, putting a farm on every rooftop in NYC, and making pizza in outer space. Cheggit!!

Buffalo Trace Oral History Project

Its no secret that Im an avid bourbon drinker, a testament to my southern roots and impeccable taste, I'm sure. I recently came across the Buffalo Trace Oral History project and love that this historic distillery is documenting some of the lore and stories from their former employees. I wasnt sure that it was possible, but after watching some of these clips, I actually savor each sip of bourbon more. The image above is actually of Colonel Blanton at the distillery.

Buffalo Trace is the oldest distillery in the US. Based in Frankfurt, Kentucky, they release their namesake bourbon as well as a variety of small batch, single barrel bourbons including George T Stagg, one of the most highly coveted bourbons. George T Stagg is a 15-year aged bourbon that is uncut and unfiltered. It used to be released only once a year and is known for its high alcohol volume. Super hard to find, I sampled it last year when i was in Lexington. Besides Buffalo Trace and George T Stagg, the distillery also produces favorites like Blanton's, Eagle Rare, Pappy Van Winkle, and Elmer T Lee.

JR in Shanghai

Beautiful new work from French street artist/photographer JR. After photographing portraits of people from the neighborhoods and cities he works in, he installs his large scale images on surrounding architecture. Check out his transformative work in the Rio favelas here. Thanks Wooster!

Donkey Punching and the Dirty Sanchez

Just in time for holiday gift-giving, Sanchez & Friends is releasing a line of plushy toys. The Golden Shower, Dirty Sanchez, Donkey Punch and the Cleveland Steamer are great stocking stuffers.

Wanda Jackson: Hard-Headed Woman

Wanda Jackson is the Queen of Rock -- she pioneered the sound and was on the forefront of the rockabilly movement as early as the '50s. Jackson still tours today and is working on a new album with Jack White, slated to drop early next year.

Huey P. Newton

Whip My Hair: Cockatoo Remix

Willow Smith's, "Whip My Hair" is all the rage amongst 9 year olds and cockatoos. Club Banger! Thanks Julian!!!

Seu Jorge + Almaz "The Model"

Check out the homies from What Matters Most -- amazing work guys!!

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Now-Again Records and What Matters Most present a short film duo entiled “The Model,” inspired by the recently released Seu Jorge and Almaz album by Brazilian singer and actor Seu Jorge.

The first part "Chapter 1: Marcello in Limbo" is a one-take affair that follows Jorge as he weaves through a cliff-side mansion in the Hollywood Hills. The film showcases three cover songs from the album (Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” Martinho da Vila and João de Aquino's “Cirandar” and Kraftwerk’s “The Model”) and features the members of his band Almaz, as well as the producer Mario C and keyboardist Money Mark.

The first chapter acts as an introduction to the second part of the short film "Oshun and The Dream," which will be released in the next couple of weeks.

Seu Jorge and Almaz - The Model (Chapter One) from Now-Again on Vimeo.

CREATURE :: Kim Ann Foxman + Andy Butler

KIM ANN FOXMAN "CREATURE" [mr.intl records] from KIM ANN FOXMAN on Vimeo.

Phenomenal Video for Kim Ann Foxman on a beat by Andy Butler. Gorgeous styling and art direction with cameos from Shane (hood by air) and Tigga Calore. This feels like the new New York. Check out mixes from Shane and some of his partners from the Ghe20 Gothik party here!! Thanks Sai!!
GHE20 GOTHIK PRESENTS TRIBUTE 2 $HAYNE BY PHYSICAL THERAPY by GHE2O GOTHIK MIX SERIES

Skating Shanghai

Filmmaker Charles Lanceplaine created Shanghai Five, a documentary about the burgeoning skateboard scene in Shanghai and released as an online feature. This trailer is pretty badass -- cant wait for it to come out! Check out his skateboarding blog here. Below is another short film he did on surfing the "Silver Dragon" in Hangzhou.

The Dog Days are Over

Thank God for Florence and the Machine!

WNYC x Just Food

Hosted at WNYC's Jerome L Greene space, check out this three-part series on Local Food and sustainability. Buy tickets here!

NY Art Book Fair

Of course all my favorite things in life are bulky and heavy. Books being on the top of my list. This weekend is a great opportunity to add to my ever expanding collection at the fifth annual NY Art Book Fair. Sponsored by Printed Matter, the fair is FREE! hosts over 200 international presses, booksellers, antiquarian dealers, artists and publishers from twenty countries, offering the best in contemporary art book publishing. Check it out at PS1 starting Friday and take a stroll around the corner to grab some buffet Indian eats at Five Star. Not bad for a day's work!

Signs and Voices

SIGNS AND VOICES MAIA RUTH LEE / PETER SUTHERLAND photo workshop in NEPAL from peter sutherland on Vimeo.

Video from Peter Sutherland and Maia Ruth Lee's amazing photo workshop for deaf and streetkids outside of Kathmandu. You can buy the book, Signs and Voices, at Dashwood Books and Creatures of Comfort. Published by Peter Chung aka Cool Calm Pete on his awesome imprint, Book Club.

VOTE VOTE VOTE or die!

Please vote tomorrow!! A lovely reminder from my friend Peter is below. Thanks Matt Damon!

Hello friends and family in NY --

Tomorrow is election day, and I'm excited. Prospects may look dim nationally, but here in New York, we have an opportunity to win a huge progressive victory. We have the Working Families Party.

Tomorrow, I'm going to vote for my all favorite candidates, including Eric Schneiderman for Attorney General, on the Working Families Party line. I hope you will join me. If you don't know where to vote, find out here: http://gis.nyc.gov/vote/ps/index.htm

Voting on the WFP line (row E on the ballot) counts just as much as voting on the Democratic line. But it has the extra benefit of sending a powerful message to Albany -- that I stand with working people, not party bosses. That I support the WFP's fight for a cleaner environment, for raising wages, for clean energy jobs, for education funding, and all the other good progressive policies they champion. I know the folks at the WFP pretty well, and they say that to pass critical legislation next year, they need every vote they can get tomorrow.

If you don't believe me, ask Matt Damon. Yep, the actor Matt Damon. He recorded this (pretty frickin' funny) video for the WFP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24m1PZ9iZoY

Basically, no matter what happens nationally, here in New York you can't afford to stay home and not vote. Don't get last-minute-lazy, don't pretend your vote doesn't matter, and don't give up your democratic rights. Trust me, I know how easy it is to get distracted and overwhelmed. But millions of Americans fought -- and some died -- for the right to vote. Don't take it for granted.

Plus, if you don't vote, everyone will know. By law, anyone can get a copy of the NYS voter file and look you up. (They can't tell how you voted, just if you voted.) It would be embarrassing for your friends to know you shirked your civic duty, right? :)

SO GO VOTE!!

Love,
Peter

Chinese Dancers

Chinese people rule. This dance is performed by a group of deaf dancers and is absolutely amazing.

Monster Mash

Happy Halloween!

Keep x Animal Collective

The groovy folks from Animal Collective have partnered up with California sneaker brand Keep to release a limited run of collaborative sneakers to benefit the Socorro Island Conservation fund, a non-profit working to preserve the unique biosphere of the Revillagigedo Archipelago off Baja California. Each sneaker ships with a 4-track cassette tape featuring a previously unreleased solo track from each member of the band. I love the embroidery work and deep sea style of Deakin's Guerra Hi-top above. Check out all the other styles here and pre-order your pair HERE today!

Richard Mosse, Infra Series

Photographer Richard Mosse documented the conflict and soldier camps in the Eastern Congo using Kodak Infrared Film. His work is arresting and the vivid and unearthly colors in the film make a startling political statement. Check out more of his work here.

PogoBooks

PogoBooks is an independent publisher of limited edition art books and zines based in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 2010, PogoBooks' focus is on publishing Photography. Our goal is to make original art accessible to everyone. We create books and zines that start dialog and conversation, with a high priority placed on quality and content. We publish art-books and limited edition zines. All our books and zines are monographs.

Love their recent monograph from Seoul-based photographer Hasisi Park!! Check out the work above and below!

DARK†YOUTH in Moscow

Ive been doing some digging for young photographers and came across some badass kids in Moscow documenting youth in revolt. Check out their zine, Prawdazine here. If I head out there, I wanna party with Dark Youth and his grandma!