LABOR OF LOVE

One of the perks about living in NY is the availability of resources. Whatever you're into, NY has it covered and there's probably a week dedicated to that special interest.

My special interest?.........furniture!

NY Design week usually happens in May with the International Contemporary Furniture Fair as its centerpiece. Basically, the global design world comes to NY and all things design are celebrated by the industry and for the most part open to the public. There are parties, conferences, forums dedicated to all the different aspects of design. I missed most of it this year but the one thing I wish I hadn't missed was a talk given by Tyler Hayes' of BDDW.

Tyler Hayes is a regular dude who went to art school but now he is a successful designer/maker of heirloom handcrafted furniture. He struggled for years and years trying to reconcile doing what he loved and also making money while doing it. His talk that he gave in May was about the trials and tribulations of starting his own company as well as its evolution into (this is key) a viable business and you get a real sense of how BDDW is a labor of love. Luckily the American Craft magazine website has a podcast of his talk and you can listen to it here. For anyone who is pursuing any kind of labor of love, I highly recommend giving it a listen. It is incredibly inspiring not to mention entertaining.

PROPAGANDA FOR SALE

Call me sentimental but this is probably the most important election of our time and I do find myself wanting some sort of memorabilia to document this momentous occasion. I missed the Shepard Fairey Obama poster train but there are new posters being created everyday like the one above by Cody Hudson.

Here is a site dedicated to tracking Obama art. If i had the foresight, i would have bought a shepard fairey poster for $45 when they first came out. These days, the originals are little hard to come by but ebay's got us covered. You can purchase the 7 poster set here using "buy it now" for only....$17,995? no joke!
I can't decide whether emily kealy is taking crazy pills or being a good little american capitalist? I'm sure some of it, if not all of the proceeds are going to the campaign.

GREENSPAN CONCEDES ERROR ON REGULATION

NYTimes article here
So the republican economic ideology centered around deregulation IS flawed and one of its biggest proponents has publicly acknowledged this and admitted to contributing to our economy's demise. This is big news and it can only help Obama and the democratic party as it supports their case that for the past 8 years, the Bush administration has led us in the wrong direction, relied too heavily on free market forces without regulation and government oversight and, the fact that McCain subscribes to this same ideology will only lead us deeper into the abyss.

In the beginning when things were starting to unfold, it was really difficult for me to understand the implications of the mortgage crisis and Lehman Brothers collapsing but thank god for This American Life
Here are 2 essential podcasts that you MUST listen to if you would like to get a grasp of what happened and what is now happening:
∆ Giant Pool of Money
∆ Another frightening show about the Economy

In my opinion some of the best journalism on the subject.

IF I WASN'T HARD AT WORK.....

I would be heading over to Piano's to check out Sharon Van Etten at the Brooklynvegan CMJ show starting at 3pm. Sounds like "sad prairie folk music".
∆ it's not like

MIDDLE EARTH BOUND

Forgoing Christmas in Hawaii for New Zealand in February.
BANANAS!

AMERICAN BOY

A couple months ago, i had the pleasure of going to a close friend's wedding in Cannon beach (yay jess and ryan). It took place in a beautiful home right on the ghostly beaches of Oregon.
It was more like attending a free concert than a wedding as friends of and members from both families whom are incredibly musically talented, performed and played continuously throughout the entire lovely affair.
In attendance was one Eleni Mandell who is a close friend of the bride and groom's. She performed this:



It has been floating in and out of my consciousness ever since.

CHOPPING 101

I have never proclaimed to be a "cooker" nor do i pretend that i can cook, but surely i have chopped many an onion in my lifetime to know a thing or two about chopping.
Well.......I don't.
Here is an invaluable article regarding 10 techniques every cook should know (like "spatchcocking"??), and here is the real/right/efficient way to chop an onion.
Can someone tell me why this was never taught in 7th grade in Mrs. Yap's home ec class? It makes so much sense not to cut all the way through the onion root so when cutting cross-wise the slivers don't slide around and there is more to grip onto.
Now I know and you know, maybe you already knew and, knowing is half the battle!

GREENPOINT DO OR DIE

I may be living over the largest oil spill in US history but at least I have a home!
With the dow falling, global economy slumping, republicans plotting, more homes forclosing.....we're due for some good news.
Oh please election gods.....!!!!
In the meantime, here are some pics taken from this past week in and around my neighborhood.

PRESS PLAY

i'm sorry, obama might have well been debating against this:


Is a debate a debate if one of the opponents dodges questions by responding with points which have no merit and then repeatedly (and predictably) falls back on arguments and attacks which were dispelled a minute before, in previous debates and, by credible media sources?

BEST KEPT CANADIAN SECRET

i took a friend to see mr. perri perform a couple weeks ago and he obligingly carried out my small request. the evening was one not to be forgotten. we thank you sandro.

ALL IN A DAY'S WORK

This past saturday, got on a 7am train to Philly to catch Obama speak at the famous Mayfair diner (I was told that all democrats who have succeeded to the presidency have spoken there, so I suppose this is a good omen)
After the rally, I with my partner in crime, hit the streets to canvass the outlying neighborhood, targeting mostly undecided voters (a few which were straight up racist).
Hard, hard work, but well worth it!
Dinner tasted especially good and my sleep was more than sound that night.