Friday, July 3
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Bar of the Week: Jane Hotel Ballroom
By Donhae Koo
Posted Jul. 2, 2009, 4:50 p.m. ET
If the superlatively close quarters of the Jane Hotel would make spot-on Darjeeling Limited sleeping cars, the cavernous Ballroom would be the perfect showcase for the spoils of a passenger's world travels. From on high, garlanded portraits of a maharajah and maharani lord over African tribal masks, taxidermy creatures and dark wooden rhino statues. The expansive oriental rugs underfoot and safari-like pops of greenery add to the cosmopolitan look, while the mix-and-match aesthetic combines cheetah-print ottomans with zig-zag-patterned and velvet-upholstered couches. The attention to detail, fussy to the extreme, is a nod to Wes Anderson's cinematic stylings -- and the signature style of owners Sean McPherson and Eric Goode of the Maritime and Bowery Hotels. The similarly adorned bar adjacent to the great room provides a narrow, more intimate space, while the cozy cushioned mezzanine lets you take it all in from above. The British colonial bent of the decor is echoed in the cocktail menu ($12) with the crisp Punjab (organic cucumber codka, limoncello, cucumber) and a traditional Pimm's Cup. Rather than opting for an over-priced beer (bottles will run you $6 to $9), try the Hedwig -- bright both to the eye and tongue -- with honey vodka from New Zealand, strawberry puree and fresh dill. With ample space for lounging and much-needed alcohol for pre-Times Square visits, the Ballroom will offer a welcome escape for hotel guests from their too-cozy rooms. New Yorkers, on the other hand, can use this as a place to get away without having to go anywhere; the Jane Hotel has traveled there and back so that you don't have to.
Rye Rye Reports: Cherish the Ones You Love
By Rye Rye
Posted Jul. 2, 2009, 2:59 p.m. ET
Statement of the Day: Cherish the ones you love.
Sorry for getting my blog out so late to all my readers, but this week and last week has been a crazy for me -- not as an artist but as a person. I recently found out someone who I love dearly was very seriously injured and could have died. I was overseas at the time and was due to perform, but once I found out I was truly devastated. Never in a million years did I expect this to happen to this person.
So I had to leave my UK festivals to return to Baltimore to see this person that is so dear to me. God could have taken them away and I would have never really have gotten to say I love you or express my true feelings.
So please cherish the ones you love cause in a blink of a eye they could be gone.
Rye Rye
Photograph by Nicky Digital
Eight Items or Less: Pool Parties and Pad Thai
By Jonah Wolf
Posted Jul. 2, 2009, 1:17 p.m. ET
1. JellyNYC announces full schedule of free shows at the Williamsburg Waterfront. On the line-up: Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, Girl Talk, Mission Of Burma, Fiery Furnaces and more.
2. Publishing company BMI must have something against the city: first they sue Piano's, then they move offices to Nashville. What about all the money we've made you?
3. From an interview with Quincy Jones:
Q: Did you ever meet Bubbles?
A: Are you kidding me? He bit a hole in my daughter's hand! Rashida's hand. Rashida Jones -- did you see I Love You, Man? That's my daughter. She was a little girl. And Bubbles bit her hand.
4. Kanye West drops his video for Drake's "The Best I Ever Had."
5. Dutch scientists find the blackest material in the world. Take that, Venom!
6. Pocket Change's guide to the best Pad Thai in New York.
Cornered Style: The 20-something-year-old
By Jacob Stavis
Posted Jul. 2, 2009, 9:29 a.m. ET
Name: Neishea Lemle
Spotted: Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Age: "We'll say 20's"
What she's wearing: Vintage hat and jacket, jumper by Zara, boots by Dirty Laundry (her boyfriend's line), Casio calculator watch, handmade earrings from Harlem
Neishea's song of the summer: "Ego" by Beyonce
And now for some word associations...
Summer :. "Hot"
Rain :. "Eugh"
Beer-B-Q :. "Awesome"
Perspire :. "Deodorant"
Flip flop :. "Cute ones"
Eight Items or Less: Rye Rye's New Video & W'Burg's New Event Space
By Jonah Wolf
Posted Jul. 1, 2009, 6:38 p.m. ET
1. PAPERMAG blogger Rye Rye has a new video, directed by her friend M.I.A.:
2. Prep-rockers Harlem Shakes also have a new video, a parody of YouTube montages.
3. After the success of Friday's Michael Jackson Bike Ride, Time's Up has scheduled another for July 24.
4. Move over Capitale: the Williamsburgh Savings Bank's cavernous ground floor is turning into an event space (though its landmark status prevents any modifications).
5. City renames the corner of Hollis Avenue and 205 Street "Run DMC JMJ Way" in honor of the groundbreaking rap group and their slain deejay.
6. Celebrate Canada Day with this clip from The Band.
Holy Fuck! We Got a Postcard From Holy Fuck! Greetings From Houston...
By Holy Fuck
Posted Jul. 1, 2009, 4:59 p.m. ET
Noise-darlings Holy Fuck have been making moves in the experimental-rock scene since 2004. For the past few months they've been traveling the roads, blowing minds one city at a time with their tumultuous tracks. As they round out their international tour in the US, the band has been slipping psychedelic 3D postcards into our mailbox. Today Holy Fuck greeted us from Houston...
Postcard by Yoonha Park using a Canon EOS 40D, LOREO 3D Lens in a Cap and Trick3D app for iPhone.
Ford Models Shows Off Their Fresh L.A. Faces
By J. Everette Perry
Posted Jul. 1, 2009, 3:59 p.m. ET
Ford Models L.A. just threw their Annual Summer Party -- a chance for the agency to show off their new board of beautiful fresh faces. The disco-themed event was held at the Ecco Lounge on North Cauenga Boulevard. And the fiesta was filled with stunning young looks, an hour long Michael Jackson dance-a-thon and an open tequila bar. In some situations that could be a bad combination, but in this instance it was super successful. L.A.'s best photographers, stylist, editors, and casting agents all gathered to mix and mingle over margaritas. But let's give credit where credit is due; thank you hostesses Meg Day and Chandra Feltus, the heads of the women's and men's divisions, for arranging a fine lineup of eye candy.
Restaurant of the Week: Harbour
By Jonathan Durbin
Posted Jul. 1, 2009, 1:59 p.m. ET
File this one under unfortunate timing: chef Joe Isidori's luxurious new seafood emporium, located in that way-west stretch of SoHo that's perhaps most familiar to those on their way to Don Hill's or Sway. The restaurant's exterior and front bar aren't much to write home about and in fact are slightly misleading. The dining room in back is gorgeous, appointed in a fashion that's perhaps best described as Halston-yacht-swank (a genre of interior design that, in the years since John McDonald launched Lure, became increasingly popular around town). Of course, that was pre-financial-apocalypse, and Harbour opened in late March. Not that it matters: The bottom line here is that the food is excellent, and there's no arguing with quality. Isidori is producing well-orchestrated meals that are, at times, astonishing in their subtlety. The sea scallop ceviche with sea urchin and Thai mignonette ($10) is a must, as is the tender Arctic char ($24), seasoned with miso, grapefruit and yuzu -- a tangy, complex juxtaposition of citrus tastes that's meant to be savored. The beer selection is similarly deep (the Rogue Dead Guy Ale is worth the $6 for the hops alone), and the selection of sides won't disappoint, particularly the kim-chi-style cabbage and bacon. It's uptown food served in a very downtown location. No matter what the industrial averages say, that's good news for seafood lovers. Unfortunately, as Grub Street reports, Isidori is currently on leave for "personal health reasons"; we wish him all
the best, and hope he returns to the kitchen soon.
Harbour
290 Hudson St.
(212) 989-6410
www.harbournyc.com
Photo from www.nymag.com
The Celebrity Stimulus Package
By J. Everette Perry
Posted Jul. 1, 2009, 12:29 p.m. ET
Like any big awards ceremony, the talents and their posses get excited about all the gifting parties and goodie bags that go ow before the show. I had the opportunity to attend the Celebrity Stimulus Gifting Suite that was held at the five star Beverly Hills hotel, L'Ermitage. The guest were given bottles of Flawless Vodka, hats by New Era, clothing from Color Girl, T.I.'s line Akoo and Parish and bags of other treasures. Among those that showed up for stimulus package were Brittany Curran (Legally Blonde), The Freshest Filipino Roscoe Umali, April Scott, Nipsey Hustle, Teairra Mari, Playaz Circle, select reality stars of VH1, Genuwine, Estelle, Kim Whitley, Kid Mouth Piece, Chicago Bear's John Broussard, Danity Kane, Lil' Wayne and more!
Kids From My Travels: London Boys and Girl Fanny, Gary & Neil
By Jeffrey Kilmer
Posted Jul. 1, 2009, 11:08 a.m. ET
WHO: Fanny Minka
AGE: 28
OCCUPATION: I freelance doing crew work in film production and aspire to start producing my own films some day. I also co-host the Erotic Book Club in East London and keep my own exhibitionist blog.
HOMETOWN: I spent all my childhood in the small town of Molong in regional Australia but then moved to Sydney in my late teens, and thus consider it to be my true hometown.
FAVORITE LONDON HANGOUT: For amazing brunch, Leila's Cafe; for bicycles and good coffee, Lock 7; for low key cocktails, Lounge Bohemia; and for boozing and crazy dancing, The Haggerston. All can be found More On: Jeffrey Kilmer, Kids from my travels, London
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Eight Items or Less: Public Art and Private History in New York
By Jonah Wolf
Posted Jun. 30, 2009, 4:30 p.m. ET
1. After an inaugural exhibit at the Chelsea Hotel, No Longer Empty has taken over the defunct Capitol Fishing Store with a new installation.
2. British artist Richard Woods re-decorates City Hall security booth with bright red bricks. This ain't Buckingham Palace, alright?
3. Amateur historian Andrew Carroll searches out New York's unmarked historical sites. Who knew Chester A. Arthur was sworn in at Kalustyan's Market?
4. New Zealand PSA uses rain sensors to release fake blood. (Via Animal NY)
http://animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bleedingbillboard.jpg
5. A Swedish software company has bought the Pirate Bay for $7.7 million with hopes of charging fees for downloads.
6. Payola 2.0: bands get caught making fake accounts to game the Hype Machine's system.
7. Fame-hungry artists, take note: Bravo is hosting casting calls for "The Untitled Art Project" (executive-produced by mother of new twins Sarah Jessica Parker) at White Columns July 18-19.
8. Happy Meal Dept: A Connecticut teen was arrested for selling marijuana in Chicken McNuggets boxes.
An H2O Cocktail on a Friday Night? SoBe it!
By Alex Catarinella
Posted Jun. 30, 2009, 3:14 p.m. ET
Water typically isn't my beverage of choice on a Friday night in New York (although, we're BFFs on Saturday mornings -- but that's another story). However, the water enthusiasts-turned-nightlife promoters behind SoBe Lifewater have convinced me otherwise. Between MJ, Farrah, OxiClean pitchman Billy Mays and the pseudo-passing of Jeff Goldblum, I desperately needed a drink or six. Thus making SoBe Fridays' kickoff bash the place to be, complete with DJ sets from PAPER-friendly peeps like Paul Sevigny, performances from party anthem-er Asher Roth and oh-so-easy-on-the-eyes crooner Robin Thicke. Add an open bar with yummy cocktails, a SoBe lizard mascot, and you know, like every damn NY nightlife promoter/DJ/socialite/blogger/beautiful person you could imagine and you'd think you were at the PAPER Nightlife Awards Part Two. But the biggest star of the night was, no surprise here, Michael Jackson. Thicke dedicated his short but lively performance to the King of Pop with a spot-on MJ impersonation and plenty of covers. The evening ended like every other club this week -- and as it should -- with a Michael Jackson moon walking mess of a dance party. So now you know where I'll be every Friday this summer -- keeping hydrated while still getting my party on with an H2O cocktail. (Talk about an oxymoron!)
Holy Fuck! We Got a Postcard From Holy Fuck! Greetings From Tucson...
By Holy Fuck
Posted Jun. 30, 2009, 1:59 p.m. ET
Noise-darlings Holy Fuck have been making moves in the experimental-rock scene since 2004. For the past few months they've been traveling the roads, blowing minds one city at a time with their tumultuous tracks. As they round out their international tour in the US, the band has been slipping psychedelic 3D postcards into our mailbox. Today Holy Fuck greeted us from Tucson...
Postcard by Yoonha Park using a Canon EOS 40D, LOREO 3D Lens in a Cap and Trick3D app for iPhone.
Bevy Smith Reports: American Black Film Festival Dinner Honoring Sanaa Lathan
By Bevy Smith
Posted Jun. 30, 2009, 12:59 p.m. ET
Last Friday I was quite the busy girl as I hosted a HBO and Belvedere sponsored "Dinner With Bevy" for the fab actress Sanaa Lathan. It took place in Miami during the American Black Film Festival, and Sanaa brought along her famous pals like director Lee Daniels (can't wait to see his new movie, Precious), actress Gabrielle Union (her dimples are so deep, you can swim in them) and NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade (I wanted him to "dunk on me" all night). The evening culminated with a rousing sing a long of the late great Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Something"! Momma say momma sa ma macousa, indeed!
Status Update: Color Me a McKenney
By Peter Davis
Posted Jun. 30, 2009, 10:59 a.m. ET
The very talented illustrator Joshua David McKenney has started a Facebook frenzy with his amazing series of watercolor portraits of friends like David Favale, Maya Judd, Nicolas Alexander, Antonia Thompson, Kwesi Blair, Mark Langrish, George Sotelo, Eric Spear and yours truly. Having a McKenney watercolor as your Facebook profile pic is the new badge of cool. "I was bored on the bus to Boston and I decided to do a doodle of my friend," McKenney tells me. "I did a few more friends. Pretty soon there was drama breaking out amongst my friends as to who I had drawn first. Well, I also got dozens of emails from people I don't know asking for drawings of them and their pets. It's a fun project. Lets see where it goes." Tomorrow, Mark Langish is hosting an opening of McKenney's watercolors at his loft, but your best bet to get your portrait done is to befriend Joshua on Facebook and join his fan club.
Above (l-r): Peter Davis; Joshua David McKenney
Cornered Style: The Graduate
By Jacob Stavis
Posted Jun. 29, 2009, 4:59 p.m. ET
Name: Idalia Buddington
Spotted: Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Age: 18
What she's wearing: All vintage clothing and jewelry, boots by Prada, bag by Pietro Alessandro NY
Idalia's song of the summer: "School's out for Summer" by Alice Cooper ("I just graduated!")
And now for some word associations...
Summer :. "Music festivals"
Rain :. "Tea"
Beer-B-Q :. "Lame"
Perspire :. "Gross"
Flip flop :. "Click clack"
Ray-Ban's Colorized Kids
By PAPERMAG Editors
Posted Jun. 29, 2009, 4:25 p.m. ET
What happens when Ray-Ban and PAPER team up for a Sounds Like PAPER party? You get a crew of colorful kids acting wild in style. Here are some highlights from the Ray-Ban Colorize Photobooth, where the crowd became familiar with Ray-Ban's vibrant new line of shades.
Eight Items or Less: Go Green with Neil Young, Mike Bloomberg and Dead Prez
By Jonah Wolf
Posted Jun. 29, 2009, 3:59 p.m. ET
1. Am I the only one disappointed by The Times' Taxicab Tales? Judge for yourself.
2. Bring your own cup for a discount on beer at the sustainability-themed CitySol Festival, which will feature solar tents, an area dedicated to bikes and performances by local acts such as Dead Prez and the So-So Glos.
3. The city allocates $1.65 million to LES arts center ABC No Rio.
4. Paul McCartney (who may or may not get back [no pun intended] his rights to the Beatles' back catalog) joined electric-car driver Neil Young this weekend for a string-shredding version of "A Day in the Life". Wow. Those guys look old.
5. Mayor Bloomberg is expected to announce the "Summer Streets" program, which will close selected streets to automobiles on August 8, 15, and 22.
6. A creepy video about Mexico's "Island of the Dolls"
About Last Night... Sounds Like PAPER 2009 at The Seaport
By PAPERMAG Editors
Posted Jun. 29, 2009, 3:00 p.m. ET
Under a colorized sky, the masses came to celebrate Sounds Like PAPER presented by Ray-Ban at the South Street Seaport. With performances by Kid Cudi and Chester French and DJ set by Les Savy Fav, the colorful crowd put on their summer bests and rocked out into the night. Special thanks to Asahi Beer and Vita Coco for keeping everyone refreshed.
Photographs by Caroline Torem Craig
Peter Davis' Status Update: Jennifer Creel Is Modo in the Shade
By Peter Davis
Posted Jun. 29, 2009, 12:59 p.m. ET
Jennifer Creel is one of the most stylish girls in New York. And now you can buy Creel's chicness. Her new line of sunglasses, Modo for Jennifer Creel, are must-have-nows. At the launch at Bergdorf Goodman, I saw: Linda Fargo, Valesca Guerrand-Hermes, Christian Leone, Ashley Baker, Lydia Fenet, Jackie Astier, Topper Mortimer, Susan Shin, Amy Fine Collins, Nicole Miller, Kate Schelter, Annie Churchill, Jim Shi, Emma Snowdon Jones, Andrew Saffir, Lady Liliana Cavendish, Hunt Slonem, Lizzie Tisch and Melissa Foss, to name just a handful. Made of recyclable materials (bamboo frames!), for every pair of sunglasses sold, Creel will plant a tree, working with Trees for the Future.
New Wavves Video: "No Hope Kids"
By Alexis Swerdloff
Posted Jun. 29, 2009, 10:45 a.m. ET
It's hard to be upset with Nathan Williams of Wavves for forgetting to blog for PAPERMAG during SXSW because he got too drunk (that happened!) or for having a breakdown and being kind of a jerk at the Primavera Festival and ultimately having to cancel his Euro tour -- when he's just so darn cute! Check out the new video for his song "No Hope Kids", which plays out kind of like a tour diary, directed by Pete Ohs. There is something a little bit, "look, I'm just a fun-loving guy on my first European tour -- sorry about my breakdown!" about it. Wavves plays Bowery Ballroom July 15th with two of our favorite new bands Woods and Real Estate.