We Can't Stop Listening To "The Blow" by YADi
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Nightlife Vet David Rabin on His New Restaurant and Averting Disaster
Hospitality and nightlife veteran David Rabin is a partner behind the week-old Cole's Greenwich Village, taking over the space formerly occupied by Lyon. Before his daily lunch at the Lambs Club, his swanky theater district restaurant, he talked to us about the gray hairs he got as president of the NY Nightlife Association, noisy restaurants and Manti Te'o.I didn't even know Lyon closed.
I don't know what happened to them. A friend introduced me to Penny Bradley, who's still the owner, and I put together a little team of people [Johnny Swet, Larry Poston, Kyle Hotchkiss Carone], the same guys I brought in to do Jimmy, the rooftop lounge at the James Hotel. We work very well together.
Is it loungey?
No. It's a full-on restaurant. Our chef Daniel [Eardley] is a star. We're not playing music loud. It's a mix of old school rock, neo soul, r&b, nothing you'd ever hear in a nightclub.
So many restaurants play music too loud.
That is the 100 percent primary complaint. It's mindboggling how some restaurants think it's part of the atmosphere to have people yelling and pretending to hear as opposed to being able to have a conversation. In the main dining room at Cole's we put in a padded ceiling and covered it with fabric, very good with sound absorption. Half the success of Jimmy is that we keep the sound level pretty conversational.
I see more people not having conversations at restaurants, looking at their phones instead of talking to each other. It's sad.
It's amazing to me. I don't see it so much at Jimmy, but if you're four seats away from someone at a pounding nightclub you might as well check Twitter or your Facebook page or send a text. I hate to get too profound or philosophical but this Manti Te'o story, falling in love through the Internet? I can see it happening. At Lambs I looked at this table of four good looking guys and four good looking girls and they were all on their phones. I wanted to say, 'What are you doing?'
You're not into big nightclubs anymore?
I'm not as enamored of that as I was. It's partly generational. I don't want to work until 3 a.m. anymore. When we had Lotus it didn't start getting busy until 1:30. I like going to Lambs Club every day for lunch, seeing everybody who's there. It's very media and fashion heavy, primarily Conde Nast, HBO and Viacom people. Cole's is the evening answer for our customers. Now I have a place to point them to for dinner. I live on the Upper West Side and I'm going to all three spots every day, luckily all on the 1-2-3 line. I have a monthly pass so the MTA is making no money on me.
Restaurants are a tough business, right?
Money wasn't the driving force behind my decision to enter the hospitality business -- I hoped to make money but also wanted to change my life. I was a lawyer a long time ago, 28 years old and I hated my life. My friend Will Regan was working in finance and felt the same way. We quit and became partners. We didn't know what we were doing. At times things have been really rough and I've said, 'what was I thinking?'
Did you take a hit when the bubble burst in 2008?
Things were awful. We sold Los Dados basically at cost. It wasn't just the economy. We took Los Dados because the High Line was going to open but the project was stalled for two years. That was a very painful period, 2008 to 2010. The Lambs Club was also delayed. But that was probably a good thing because by the time we opened, in 2010, the economy was starting to come back.
You were the president of the NY Nightlife Association for a long time.
For nine gray hair-inducing years, until 2009. I would have been happy to stop earlier but finally a guy came along, Paul Seres, who was smart enough and energetic enough to sit in a room with politicians and win their respect.
You were there when the smoking ban took effect.
That was our first battle and we lost. We had no idea that would be Bloomberg's first initiative in office. I hate cigarettes, but what I tried to tell the city is we're arguing for quality of life. The ban worked in California because most nightlife places are not in residential areas, they're in strip malls. I said, 'Guys, do you understand what you're doing? At 2 a.m. there are going to be 20 or 30 people standing outside smoking and talking on their cell phones.' What we argued for and thought was fair was that smoking could be allowed only after midnight in places that sold liquor and there would be a hospital grade filtration system. There could also be no-smoking bars, give people a choice. We predicted that quiet streets were going to have all this noise. It's why the pendulum has swung so far in favor of community boards in impacting liquor licenses.
Do you think it will ever change, that smoking after midnight could be implemented?
It's never going to change. The good thing that may come of it is that fewer and fewer people smoke. But the answer wasn't to dump them on residential streets and make the neighbors suffer.
Nightlife is always embattled.
It's an easy target. Christine Quinn and the mayor's office have done a great job of coming around to understanding how important nightlife is to New York City's economy, how it's a huge draw for tourists. Nightlife employs 20,000 people.
Was the smoking ban your biggest battle?
No. There was one nobody really knew was happening, the 'bad bar' bill. It was really a hammer to close any bar they wanted to at 1 a.m. to clamp down on noise. We do most of our business after 1 a.m. so it would have been a disaster. This is the city that never sleeps! The law had no provision for objective standards, a noise meter to measure the sound level. Any cop would have been able to walk in and say it's too loud and fine us or shut us down. The biggest players in nightlife and the restaurant industry came together in a unified voice to fight it. Restaurateurs realized what would happen if they couldn't do later seatings, especially if people couldn't go out for drinks afterwards.
What else?
Two times the city tried to ban bottle service. I'm not a huge fan as a customer but these days, when no one has a cover charge, you have to do it to stay alive financially. The days of charging $25 at the door are long gone. Everyone's on someone's list. We had to make the city council understand why it was important to put a cost on prime real estate. If you want X table you must purchase two bottles for your group.
Do you read Yelp reviews and make adjustments?
Yes, Yelp and Open Table reviews. We try to decipher which ones are just angry people dropping hate bombs as opposed to those who have given a lot of thought to what they're saying.
When there's bad spelling it's hard to take them seriously.
Bad spelling is a credibility factor. You also can't trust someone who has only done one Yelp review. It might be the chef's girlfriend or the waiter's ex-girlfriend. I try to elicit honest feedback from my friends. We want Cole's to have a slow build, go for longevity. It's not meant to be a white hot star that burns out in a year and a half.
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Don't Call Oprah 'Old' On Twitter
Think Oprah's not going to see your rude tweet about her looking old? WRONG. Oprah is everywhere. Oprah sees all. Oprah's presence is continuous throughout all of creation.[Gawker]
Exclusive sneak-peek of the Destiny's Child Superbowl half-time show! [FYouNoFMe]
This is the exact face we picture Jon Hamm making when he doesn't put underpants on in the morning. [Videogum]
Just say no. [JuliaSegal]
Just gonna borrow this for a quick sec. Thanks. [JuliaSegel]
The world is a Nic Cage. [PleatedJeans]
Well shoot. [FYeahDementia]
OMG. [Flavorpill]
Pac-man pancake! [dschwen]↧
The Neighbourhood's "Sweater Weather" Will Be Everywhere This Year
Like Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks," some songs seem to bounce around, just under the surface, before they really catch on. It looks like "Sweater Weather" is another one. It was released almost a year ago by a California band called The Neighbourhood, and it -- and the band -- are making all the right moves: sold out NYC show, appearing at Coachella, song used on TV, etc. Not sure why they've used the British spelling for their name, but suppose it's just another aspect of their somewhat over-calculated, eccentricity. Catchy song, though, and they'll probably be unavoidable in 2013.
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Brooklyn Nightlife Awards: Here's All the Winners!
You're a winner! In case you didn't make it over to Glasslands on Sunday night, we've got the complete rundown of all the winners in the Brooklyn Nightlife Awards. Merrie Cherry's first annual event -- and we're hoping she keeps it going -- was a little crazy, a little chaotic and we saw several "Kanye-style" stage invasions, but congrats to all involved. Here's who won:
Best Outdoor Event: BUSHwig
Promoter of the Year: Earl Dax of Pussy Faggot
Best Door Person: Kim Harris
Best Mixed Party: The Spectrum
Best Bar/Club: Tandem Bar
Best Reason to Leave Brooklyn: Westgay
Best Food Truck: Casa Taqueria
Best DJ: Michael Magnan
Best Burlesque/Boylesque Dancer: Darlinda Just Darlinda
Best Photographer: Santiago Felipe
Drag Queen/King of the Year: Mocha Lite
Bartender of the Year: William Myrick at Tandem Bar
Best Event Publisher: NEXT Magazine
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MATTE's Black Ft. Matthew Dear and The Virgins
New York City MATTE, are hosting a big event called "BLACK" -- "the color that defines New York" -- on Thursday, February 21st at Capitale (130 Bowery) with live performances by Mathew Dear and The Virgins, plus DJ sets from The Rapture's Vito & Druzzi and Jim-E Stack. They're also planning big art installations by Charlie Nesi, Young & Sick and Trevor Owsley. You can buy $30 pre-sale tickets HERE -- while they last -- and then the price goes up to $40. New York-based artist/producer/remixer Mathew Dear's fourth full-length album, BEAMS, is out now. The Virgins' new album, Strike Gently, comes out on March 12.
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Alexander Wang Resurrected Bon Qui Qui
Alexander Wang resurrected MADtv's Bon Qui Qui and it's soooo good. The video, set in his store, features cameos by Simon Doonan (looking like a baby toddler), A$AP Rocky, Alessandra Ambrosio and Natasha Lyonne. [via Press Release]
Dakota Fanning, on those Oh Lola! perfume ads she did for Marc Jacobs that were banned in Britain for being overly sexual: "If you want to read something into a perfume bottle, then I guess you can. But it's also like, 'Why are you making it about that, you creep?' I love Marc and trust him, and we just laughed about it." Oh, to have been laughing with both you. [via The Cut] 
Quvenzhané Wallis has twenty (twenty!!!) of those dog bags she carries at awards shows, all in different colors. [via Fashionista]
Nicholas Kirkwood won the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. That means he's won £200,000 to put toward his business, as well as eighteen months of mentoring. Congrats! [via The Cut]
Vogue hired its first ever male Editor in Chief: Kullawit Laosuksri, the old Editor in Chief of ELLE Thailand, is now the EIC of Vogue Thailand [via Fashionista]
Ugh, we desperately want the new Proenza Schouler PS1 wallet. We want it in pink and we want it right now. [via T Magazine]
Halston -- which truly hasn't been doing well in its second run -- is going to open stores this year. The first three will be in New York (at Madison and 83rd), L.A. and Troy, Michigan. We're curious to see how that pans out. [via The Cut]↧
Vfiles Revives X-Girl
Although the clothing of the effortlessly cool, DIY fashion line X-Girl may seem to be stuck in the 90's (or at least terribly hard to find on eBay) the legacy of Kim Gordon and Daisy Von Furth's fashion line lives on and now VFiles is bringing it back! From $12 chip clips to glittery $125 X-Girl logo sweaters, VFiles has a collection of X-Girl themed clothing and goodies currently for sale. They may not have been showcased in a guerrilla-style sidewalk fashion show or designed by Gordon and Furth themselves, but they don the label of the coolest indie fashion line to ever exist. Basically, we just want to wear it a pretend we're Chloë Sevigny. Below, check out some of the cute looks from the collection.
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Cakes Da Killa Chats About New Project "The Eulogy"
Rap provocateur Cakes Da Killa caught our eye with his audaciously fun track "Whistle," and we've been hungry for more of his antics ever since. Now the wait has ended and we get a second piece of Cakes with the follow-up to his debut EP Easy Bake Oven. The new release, entitled The Eulogy, is a twelve track odyssey through Donna Summer samples, reggae influences and dance-inducing beats, proving Mr. Killa has grown and come into his own unique voice since last year's premiere We recently got to catch up with him about the new project, writing the "banji 'Born This Way,'" and how he feels about this whole "queer rapper" label. So The Eulogy... is something ending here? Why did you decide on that title for this project?
When I was writing it, I kinda felt this was going to be it, in terms of me making music. I'm graduating [from college] this year, and I didn't really see where the whole music thing was going, especially with this whole "queer rap" trend. I didn't want to be a part of that. I kinda just felt like, this is gonna be one last project, and it was gonna be it. But, as I started progressing and finishing it, I realized this was just gonna be the end of one part of my life and the start of another. So I stuck with the name but it's a new beginning, you know?
What is the biggest difference between this project and your first EP Easy Bake Oven? The biggest difference is that with this project, I don't have the mindset that I have to prove that I can make music. And that's amazing. For this project, I am making music I like as opposed to trying to prove a point. Well... the first project didn't really have a "point," but I just felt like there was a lot of pressure because it was my first project. With this one, there's a lot more dance influence, a lot more reggae influence. It's definitely music that I would listen to on a day-to-day [basis]. Also, everything is original instrumentals for me! Easy Bake Oven only had one original [instrumental track] -- "Whistle."
Your first EP was heavy on a Lil Kim's Hardcore-esque aesthetic. What inspired you this time around?
My project is definitely versatile. It's like a vers-bottom [Laughs]. Every track is a different moment -- [I] was inspired by a lot of reggae, a lot of anime, cartoons from the 90s... double dutch...and religion! On one track ["Da Good Book"], I was like, "I want to deliver this little homage to Frank Ocean, but I want to remix it." I called one of my collaborators into the studio and said, "I just need you to sing with me, 'Cause I've been thinkin' 'bout dick, oh na na na...,' can you do that?" And we did it, and after she was like, "I cannot believe you made me do that." And I was like, "Girl, I make concepts in my head and I commit to it. That's my most Christian-based song, like a big "F you" to Christianity. Not in a disrespectful way -- although it is a little disrespect. It's just saying, "I am going to life my life." [It's] one of those anthems [like] "Born this Way" but banji. It was inspired by a project I did last year where I called an ex-gay ministry, and it was kind of like a sting operation where I acted like someone who wanted to convert. I wanted to see the rhetoric that was being used over the phone, and it was funny. That inspired the song.
You reference a lot of queer urban culture, and sometimes vogue ball culture, in your work. How do you feel about this culture becoming more commonly referenced by mainstream media?
That's not the realness. I mean, it's cute because it makes something that was underground cool and hip. But, at the end of the day, I don't know. You're happy you are being heard, but at what cost? You can have appreciation for a culture, but you can't just force yourself in and be considered a part of it. Hanging out down by the pier and jumping into cars with trade, you know? [Laughs] If you are going to appreciate something, you have to appreciate it whole-heartedly. The culture is so much more than just Paris is Burning. Gay minorities aren't limited to just one documentary. There's writers and artists. You have poets like Richard Bruce Nugent, who are basically unsung.
So how does the title of "queer rapper" sit with you?
Well, for me in the beginning, I was just humbled, honored that people cared in general. I had only done one project, and I was getting asked to be in magazines I used to read on the A train, like Details. And then in magazines overseas. It was really nice because I feel that as a new artist, people don't really get coverage like that. I'm not going to say it pigeonholed me, but looking at it now, it kind of made me feel like I was in a box and that there was no way to get out of the box. Mentally, it made me feel like, "If I am in this box with all these other artists, that's my competition. I have to keep up with them." I realized making this project that it is not like that. There's enough out there for everyone, whatever we want to do we can do ourselves. We don't have to stick under this "queer rap" umbrella. Now I don't want to be just "queer" anymore. I want to be straight-up asexual now!
Asexual? I listen to your music and I don't know about asexual...
Okay more like hypersexual! [Laughs]
You played a Culture Whore party, and the room went crazy for you! Where can we catch you next?
I have a performance on [February 2nd] at a rave party in Bushwick hosted by Contessa. It's called "Devil Cunts and Angel Sluts." I do a lot of parties with Contessa -- she's my gay mother. And then later in the month I am doing a show with Big Dipper at Webster Hall, which should be cute!
You can download The Eulogy free from Mishka Records here.
When I was writing it, I kinda felt this was going to be it, in terms of me making music. I'm graduating [from college] this year, and I didn't really see where the whole music thing was going, especially with this whole "queer rap" trend. I didn't want to be a part of that. I kinda just felt like, this is gonna be one last project, and it was gonna be it. But, as I started progressing and finishing it, I realized this was just gonna be the end of one part of my life and the start of another. So I stuck with the name but it's a new beginning, you know?
What is the biggest difference between this project and your first EP Easy Bake Oven? The biggest difference is that with this project, I don't have the mindset that I have to prove that I can make music. And that's amazing. For this project, I am making music I like as opposed to trying to prove a point. Well... the first project didn't really have a "point," but I just felt like there was a lot of pressure because it was my first project. With this one, there's a lot more dance influence, a lot more reggae influence. It's definitely music that I would listen to on a day-to-day [basis]. Also, everything is original instrumentals for me! Easy Bake Oven only had one original [instrumental track] -- "Whistle."
Your first EP was heavy on a Lil Kim's Hardcore-esque aesthetic. What inspired you this time around?
My project is definitely versatile. It's like a vers-bottom [Laughs]. Every track is a different moment -- [I] was inspired by a lot of reggae, a lot of anime, cartoons from the 90s... double dutch...and religion! On one track ["Da Good Book"], I was like, "I want to deliver this little homage to Frank Ocean, but I want to remix it." I called one of my collaborators into the studio and said, "I just need you to sing with me, 'Cause I've been thinkin' 'bout dick, oh na na na...,' can you do that?" And we did it, and after she was like, "I cannot believe you made me do that." And I was like, "Girl, I make concepts in my head and I commit to it. That's my most Christian-based song, like a big "F you" to Christianity. Not in a disrespectful way -- although it is a little disrespect. It's just saying, "I am going to life my life." [It's] one of those anthems [like] "Born this Way" but banji. It was inspired by a project I did last year where I called an ex-gay ministry, and it was kind of like a sting operation where I acted like someone who wanted to convert. I wanted to see the rhetoric that was being used over the phone, and it was funny. That inspired the song.
You reference a lot of queer urban culture, and sometimes vogue ball culture, in your work. How do you feel about this culture becoming more commonly referenced by mainstream media?
That's not the realness. I mean, it's cute because it makes something that was underground cool and hip. But, at the end of the day, I don't know. You're happy you are being heard, but at what cost? You can have appreciation for a culture, but you can't just force yourself in and be considered a part of it. Hanging out down by the pier and jumping into cars with trade, you know? [Laughs] If you are going to appreciate something, you have to appreciate it whole-heartedly. The culture is so much more than just Paris is Burning. Gay minorities aren't limited to just one documentary. There's writers and artists. You have poets like Richard Bruce Nugent, who are basically unsung.
So how does the title of "queer rapper" sit with you?
Well, for me in the beginning, I was just humbled, honored that people cared in general. I had only done one project, and I was getting asked to be in magazines I used to read on the A train, like Details. And then in magazines overseas. It was really nice because I feel that as a new artist, people don't really get coverage like that. I'm not going to say it pigeonholed me, but looking at it now, it kind of made me feel like I was in a box and that there was no way to get out of the box. Mentally, it made me feel like, "If I am in this box with all these other artists, that's my competition. I have to keep up with them." I realized making this project that it is not like that. There's enough out there for everyone, whatever we want to do we can do ourselves. We don't have to stick under this "queer rap" umbrella. Now I don't want to be just "queer" anymore. I want to be straight-up asexual now!
Asexual? I listen to your music and I don't know about asexual...
Okay more like hypersexual! [Laughs]
You played a Culture Whore party, and the room went crazy for you! Where can we catch you next?
I have a performance on [February 2nd] at a rave party in Bushwick hosted by Contessa. It's called "Devil Cunts and Angel Sluts." I do a lot of parties with Contessa -- she's my gay mother. And then later in the month I am doing a show with Big Dipper at Webster Hall, which should be cute!
You can download The Eulogy free from Mishka Records here.
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The Allure of Donna's Scarlet Fever
Jeremy Oertel is smitten with spicy cocktails, but most of the pepper-spiked concoctions the barman has encountered are of the tequila and mezcal variety. At Donna, the elegant, white-walled South Williamsburg bar (and winner of a 2012 PAPER Nightlife Award) where Oertel presides over the Central American-inspired drink menu, he turned to rum to sate his fiery predilections. El Dorado 5-year-old rum may be the star of Oertel's Scarlet Fever libation, but its alluring finish comes courtesy of the already subtly smoky Trinidadian Scarlet Ibis rum, heightened by an infusion of ancho chilies. "The idea was to make a rich sort of Daiquiri, with a little heat," explains Oertel. "It's still simple -- and actually not that difficult to make -- but it's unusual and catches most people by surprise." The presence of uplifting pineapple and lime juices, as well as cinnamon syrup, lends the drink bright Tiki-style notes rather than unwelcome sweetness. After last week's brutal brush with the cold, it's a stellar faux tropical reprieve.Scarlet Fever
1 ½ oz. El Dorado 5-year-old rum
½ oz. Ancho chile-infused Scarlet Ibis Rum
½ oz. lime juice
½ oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. cinnamon syrup
Add all ingredients to a shaker, then shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
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Exhibition A Heads to the LA Art Book Fair
Mark Flood, Miami Beach LIKE
Online art store/gallery Exhibition A is decamping for Printed Matter's inaugural LA Art Book Fair -- which presents "artists' books, art catalogs, monographs, periodicals, and zines" and is the West Coast counterpart to the NY Art Book Fair -- tomorrow and we have an exclusive sneak peek at some of the prints for sale in their booth. "Our booth will feature a selection of editions with varying connections to Los Angeles and Hollywood," says Exhibition A's Director of Operations, Gretchen Scott. To that end, they'll be featuring a drawing of Easy Rider-era Peter Fonda by Steve DiBenedetto (below), a print referencing films like Rushmore and La Jetée by Slater Bradley and a "speaks for itself" weed photograph by Andrew Zuckerman -- all of which will go on sale via Exhibition A's website next month. Additionally, they're selling print editions by artist Wes Lang, which will benefit Printed Matter and help cover some of the damage costs they incurred during Hurricane Sandy. Take a look at some of the preview images below and, if you're in L.A., head over to the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA for the art fair, which opens tomorrow and runs through February 3.
Online art store/gallery Exhibition A is decamping for Printed Matter's inaugural LA Art Book Fair -- which presents "artists' books, art catalogs, monographs, periodicals, and zines" and is the West Coast counterpart to the NY Art Book Fair -- tomorrow and we have an exclusive sneak peek at some of the prints for sale in their booth. "Our booth will feature a selection of editions with varying connections to Los Angeles and Hollywood," says Exhibition A's Director of Operations, Gretchen Scott. To that end, they'll be featuring a drawing of Easy Rider-era Peter Fonda by Steve DiBenedetto (below), a print referencing films like Rushmore and La Jetée by Slater Bradley and a "speaks for itself" weed photograph by Andrew Zuckerman -- all of which will go on sale via Exhibition A's website next month. Additionally, they're selling print editions by artist Wes Lang, which will benefit Printed Matter and help cover some of the damage costs they incurred during Hurricane Sandy. Take a look at some of the preview images below and, if you're in L.A., head over to the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA for the art fair, which opens tomorrow and runs through February 3.
Wes Lang, Standing on the Moon
Slater Bradley, Paid Their Tolls / Never Got Through
Peter Sutherland, Dry Ice
Sam Falls, Color and Temperature
Andrew Zuckerman, Cannabis saliva sp. Indica cultivar
Steve DiBenedetto, Altered Hand-Touched Print, Fonda in the Weeds
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Jennifer Lawrence's Old "My Super Sweet 16" Promos
Did you know that one of Jennifer Lawrence's first acting roles was appearing in promo spots for MTV's My Super Sweet 16? Watch the clips above. [via Vulture]
The trillest parrot we know. #TrueToOnesSelfAndRealWithAll [via F Yeah Dementia]
Young Charles Barkley getting to work on a pizza. [via Dorsey Shaw Experience] 
Real Talk Express. [via 
There is no one cooler than Al Green. [via Ahead of the Super Bowl this weekend, watch this video of NFL players singing their favorite Beyoncé songs. Love that one of the guys sings "Freakum Dress" -- now that's a deep album cut! [via Fuse]
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The Yorkie blew her lead after guessing 'Lionel Richie' for the question "Who sang 'Party All the Time' with Rick James?" The correct answer, as everyone knows, is 'Eddie Murphy.' [via Trill Adam Clark]
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PAPER Beautiful Person and all-around badass chick Rebel Wilson just launched a plus-size t-shirt line called Fat Mandi. It features food on your boobs. [via Jezebel]
![il_570xN.417148804_nlfs.jpg]()
The Valentine's Day card for that person you're kinda sort of hanging out with and occasionally hooking up with who texts you, like, sometimes. [via Etsy]
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Meet Sam, the cat with eyebrows. [via Buzzfeed]
The Yorkie blew her lead after guessing 'Lionel Richie' for the question "Who sang 'Party All the Time' with Rick James?" The correct answer, as everyone knows, is 'Eddie Murphy.' [via Trill Adam Clark] 
PAPER Beautiful Person and all-around badass chick Rebel Wilson just launched a plus-size t-shirt line called Fat Mandi. It features food on your boobs. [via Jezebel]
The Valentine's Day card for that person you're kinda sort of hanging out with and occasionally hooking up with who texts you, like, sometimes. [via Etsy]
Meet Sam, the cat with eyebrows. [via Buzzfeed]↧
Meet Bushwick Fashion Designer Michael Wright
For those not yet familiar with Bushwick-based menswear designer Michael Wright, 29, now is the time to discover his work. Operating outside of the mainstream fashion industry, Wright comes from a community of artists drawing influences from Bushwick and producing a new creative movement rooted in their artistically-inclined neighborhood in the process. Whereas some artists choose to let their surroundings subtly inform their work, Wright is more explicit: items in his recent collection are all named after streets in the neighborhood. Like a micro-sociologist, Wright studies the style in his area and produces men's collections that complement what he sees on the streets. Already featured in Time Out, CBS LA, StyleBistro.com, Bushwick Daily, Wright chatted with us about his line, his advice for new designers and how her responds to criticism. How long have you been in the business?
Since 2009. I'm from Inglewood [California] so I started out in L.A. where I worked for XOXO and was encouraged to join Los Angeles Technology College. [Later] I picked up some yarn and never looked back. One day I was wearing one of my shirts in a boutique and the owner loved it [and asked] to order more. Of course I was not prepared, seeing as I'd just started, but it pushed me into gear. I had a great deal of success in L.A. but ultimately decided I needed to move to New York in order to expand. It was an awesome choice because now I only design and sell my collection to support myself.
Do people ever criticize your line for being based on Bushwick?
There's this website called DieHipster.com that criticized my collection for being phony gritty or whatever. Of course it sucks hearing that kind of stuff, but that's the nature of the business. It's foolish to think everyone's going to love it. My line is a product of my surroundings and my environment -- I can't be more honest than that.
The Troutman ShirtWhat are your favorite items from the line?
My favorite is my rocking chair t-shirt called The Flushing Tee. It reminds me of family and home. I also love the Troutman Shirt. In my latest collection all the clothes are named after streets in Bushwick so they're all pretty dear to me.
What's your advice for new designers?
Firstly, to make sure you love what you're doing. Secondly, immerse yourself in it. Thirdly, stay inspired. Finally, challenge yourself. That's the corniest advice I know, but it's an effective mantra.
What are your biggest challenges as a designer?
Branding. Making sure people have as strong an idea of what I'm doing [as I do]. I want people to see what I see when I look at my collection.
Do you prefer NYC to LA?
NYC is like the father I never had. [Laughs]
What designers inspire you?
I love Ernest Alexander and Thom Browne. They are at the level that I want to be at. I'm not interested in being part of some fashion powerhouse. I want to stay at a level where I can still control everything I do and I can stay as creative as possible. I'm way more interested in personal style than "fashion," and Bushwick showcases a great deal of that, which keeps me inspired.
Finally, if you could have any celebrity endorse your clothes, who would it be?
Theophilus London & Adam Levine.
You can purchase items from Michael Wright's collections HERE.
Photos courtesy of Michael Wright
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Barneys Is Launching An All-Discount Website
Barneys New York is launching its own full-time discount website. Some of the clothes on the site will be the sort of fare you find at the warehouse sale! This is the best news we've ever heard for our wardrobe and the worst news we've ever heard for our bank accounts. [via Fashionista]
DKNY and Opening Ceremony are bringing back 15 classic DKNY styles from the '90s, including skyline logo tees, cropped puffers, hoodies, and bodysuits. [via Fashionista]
In "how on earth is this news?" news, the CMO of Nordstrom has apparently been carrying on a decades-long game of tag with some other adult friends of his. We say good on all of them for having fun. [via The Cut]
While Karl Lagerfeld said that he "adored Mrs. Obama" and that her face is "magical," he also thinks that her bangs were a "bad idea" and make her look like an "speakerine" (or "news anchor," in English). Ouch. [via Fashionista]I guess this is why we should watch the Superbowl: here's part of Calvin Klein's first Superbowl ad featuring Matthew Terry. [via fashionologie]
Love the 'his and hers' watch set that design duo Antoni & Alison did for G-Shock. We like an artsy scribble on our watches. [via Selectism]
At the Museum of Art and Design, Prabal Gurung told a group of aspiring designers about the following encounter with Fern Mallis back in the day: "I still remember I was at the infamous Boom Boom Room and Fern Mallis was there, and after my second presentation she said to me, 'So what is your plan?' And I said to her, 'Ever since I came to New York, I've always wanted to do a show, to be part of the Bryant Park community and to be part of that history, and it's the last season.' And then I said to her, 'I think it would do you good if you give me the space for free.' Then she looked at me, she kept looking at me and she ordered a drink and she said, 'You know, you have some guts. Consider it done.'" We <3 Fern Mallis. [via Fashionista]↧
2 Chainz + Fleetwood Mac = Skeetwood Mac
The Melker Project, an NYC-based mash-up outfit, has released a single from its latest venture in pairing unconventional music artists together via remix: Skeetwood Mac. The song, "The (2) Chain (z)", is a mash-up of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" and different 2 Chainz verses. The Skeetwood Mac EP will be the first of a series of EPs released by the project focusing on remixing the music of legendary, classic artists. Who knew Fleetwood Mac could have so much swag?
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Baos, Boats and Beer Buckets this Weekend in NYC
Thursday, January 31
READING: Eddie Huang at Greenlight
Bao-busting entrepreneur Huang discusses his new memoir, Fresh off the Boat, with former New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton, then serves free eats from his bun shop, Baohaus.
Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, (718) 246-0200. 7:30 p.m.
ART: Dream Out at Showroom 170
This group show includes Joke Schole's ceramic tableaux, Steel Stillman's manipulated photographs, and Sally Webster's offbeat paintings.
Showroom 170, 170 Suffolk Street, (646) 559-2856. Thursday-Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Opening reception tonight 6-8 p.m.
MUSIC: Extreme Animals at Roulette
Showpaper presents this show. The two members of Extreme Animals combine heavy metal guitar-shredding with video mashups of digital detritus. Title TK consists of curator Howie Chen, artist Cory Arcangel and guitarist Alan Licht all performing on the chosen instrument of banter.
Roulette, 509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, (917) 267-0363. 8 p.m. $10.
Friday, February 1
PERFORMANCE: Ellie Ga at the New Museum
Artist Ga's multimedia storytelling project "The Fortunetellers" describes her time drifting across the Arctic on a sailboat called Tara.
New Museum, 235 Bowery, (212) 219-1222. 7 p.m. $12. (Image: Ellie Ga, "The Fortunetellers," 2008-11. Courtesy the artist.)
MUSIC: Pre-V-Day Riot Grrrl Cover Bands Show at Death By Audio
Enjoy female-friendly tributes to Joy Division, Rancid, the Distillers, Fastbacks, Mr. T Experience, Stiff Little Fingers, and the MC5.
Death By Audio, 49 South Second Street, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. $7.
FILM: Airplane! at IFC Center
"I am serious, and don't call me Shirley." "Stewardess! I speak jive." Hear these quotes in context in Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker's 1980 farce.
IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue, (212) 924-7771. DCP projection, 88 minutes. 12 a.m. $13.50. Tickets here.
Saturday, February 2
ART: DIS Image Studio at the Suzanne Geiss Company
The self-described "post-internet" young turks DIS are launching DISimages.com, a stock photography website to be populated by the work of artists (including Boru O'Brien O'Connell and Ryan Trecartin) at this pop-up studio.
The Suzanne Geiss Company, 76 Grand Street. Wednesday-Sunday 12-6 p.m. Through February 24.
MUSIC: DJ /rupture and Zs at Merkin Concert Hall
The innovative turntablist trades sets with the improvisational rock group.
Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street, (212) 501-3330. 7:30 p.m. $25
MUSIC: Parquet Courts at 285 Kent
Nerdy new-wavers Parquet Courts are joined by grunge spazzes Purling Hiss.
285 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn. 8 p.m. $10.
Sunday, February 3
SPORTS: Roberta's Superbowl Party at Warsaw
Roberta's is hosting a big Superbowl 47 viewing party at the Warsaw. And what goes with football? Wings and pierogies, of course.
Warsaw, 261 Driggs Avenue, Brooklyn, (718) 387-0505. 4 p.m.
HAPPENING: Bradford Cox at PS1
The premiere of Youth Machine, a short VHS documentary by Grant Singer, precedes an improvised performance by its subject, Deerhunter/Atlas Sound musician Bradford Cox.
MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Queens, (718) 784-2048. 4 p.m. $10. Other events here.
FILM: Little Fugitive at Film Forum
Morris Engel's custom-made concealed camera follows seven-year-old Richie Andrusco during a week spent hiding out in Coney Island in this 1953 film that helped inspire the French New Wave.
Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, (212) 727-8110. $12. 35 mm, 85 min. Screenings at 1 p.m. and every subsequent hundred minutes.
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Alan Cumming Would Like to Adopt Taylor Swift
We had the chance to chat with Alan Cumming about his recent film Any Day Now, a true-to-life story about a gay couple in the 70s who take on the courts as they try to adopt a mentally disabled boy. The legal and social stickiness are not only more relevant then ever but they also seem like they could be lifted from Cumming's other project, the Emmy-winning TV series The Good Wife. Read on to see what the busy Brit has to say about his new role, what would happen if he adopted Taylor Swift and what's been his favorite moment on stage.What attracted you to Any Day Now?
Stories from the past help us connect to the present and I thought [the film's themes of] lack of fairness and goodness that tore a beautiful family unit apart might open some eyes.
Did you like the way you looked in a dress?
I always cringe when I see that bit of me in drag -- I feel like it's amateur hour. Early on I played a transgender, which I liked better because I became a woman instead of a man pretending to be a woman. Those dresses and heels feel like constant S & M bondage, all wrapped up with itchy boobs. And forget about getting out of a car, no wonder women are flashing their things.
Which young celebrity would you like to adopt and take care of?
So many people I'd like to name but shouldn't... Hmmm, little Taylor Swift. I would keep her well-fed in a room away from her guitar and most importantly away from boys.
Your relationship with Isaac felt authentic; did you get to know him prior to filming?
I was working on The Good Wife right until shooting, so I actually met Isaac shortly before we began. He sang me a song, told me the plot of High School Musical and then [we] instantly hit it off. Being thrown into meeting each other echoed the film and felt like a real-life family sitting down together for the first time, which worked perfectly.
Do you have any fancy acting processes?
Process? I'm not a slice of cheese. Keep acting simple -- it can be difficult if you don't know how to do it. When people practice character acting and go around pretending to be their role 24/7, it's rather selfish and makes everyone feel uncomfortable. I'll be sitting at a table and someone will come up to ask me a question and then say, "Oh sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your process," and I'll reply, "I'm only having a cup a tea."
What tea do you sip?
Darjeeling, if I had my rather.
Was there a lot of prepping for the role?
Really only losing a little weight. I had to fit into the gay world in the 70's -- all pretty skinny pre-gym blokes that didn't eat all the processed sugary foods offered today.
You tweet a lot about food -- what makes you lose your appetite?
Drugs -- wait I can't say that. When people are mean to waiters and when politics are discussed at dinner disrespectfully. I was at this W Magazine event having a wonderful time with Iris Apfel and then we spoke of politics. She didn't like my responses, so she asked me to "drop it" and I replied, "But Iris, you brought it up." Within a few moments she was back on the subject, and lets just say she's not a big fan of Obama and I am.
Speaking of politics, what do you think motivates your character Eli on The Good Wife?
The show is so well-written [and] honestly I just respond to the script. Unlike movies, you never know what going to happen because there is no ending. Someone once said, "Politics is the show business for the ugly" and I'd add "and just a little more sexually charged."
Has being openly gay hurt or helped your career?
It's kinda difficult to say if my sexuality has hindered my career, though you never know. But as a person, people seem to like me for being who I am. If you're gay in Hollywood it's only a big deal because we make it a big deal. Over in London, if you come out, it's "blah blah, who cares?" Honestly, going on about [who's gay] keeps that stuff alive. I think we should talk less about it.
You were at the President's inauguration; do you think there's hope for gay marriage?
I was first married in London where civil partnership has been legal for quite some time and last year on our anniversary we got married again in New York. I'm very active in the fight and I'm fed up with it being an issue. You can't blame people for not treating others equally and respectful when there are no laws in place to protect us. I don't like feeling grateful for my rights and I'm very hopeful that Obama's second term will implement more change.
What's one of your fondest moments on stage?
Well, performing with Liza Minnelli on Fire Island has got to be one of the gayest days in the history of the world, and it was so fab we are going to be doing it again in March.
Photo by J. Everette Perry
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Gah, 30 Rock Is Over!
Not that we're experts or anything, but 30 Rock perfectly nailed how we imagine parenting boards are. [via lamppu]
They also nailed network TV. [via Bonnef]
God we'll miss this show. [via 30 Rock]
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At least we now have something 30 Rock-themed to eat in bed. Ben & Jerry's just released its "Liz Lemon" Greek Frozen Yogurt with a Blueberry Lavender Swirl. We can't help but be a little disappointed it doesn't feature any junk food. [via HuffPo]
This reporter's response to a video-bombing drunk woman on Bourbon Street is our new hero. [via Towleroad]
![yltAoqZaAtZL1olYJnZ_uK6ysmZCMZ__yluX3oDMTFka3BkYnE0BG1pdANCbG9nIEJvZHkEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ-_ylgX3oDMTMzMHBxN3ZnBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDNzIyNGMyZDktYTAzZC0zNjlkLTg5YWMtOTA2N2U2NGMxZmNiBHB.jpg]()
This is how we should've come out to our parents. [via Death and Taxes]
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DIY R2D2. [via Make Blog]
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Tea time anyone? [via Knusprig Titten Hitler]
Check out David Byrne and Saint Vincent's amazing performance on Letterman, ironically featuring the song "I Should Watch TV." [via Boing Boing]
![tumblr_mhfzi8hG1C1rq3b5ko1_500.jpg]()
That's probably how it feels to be a straight man at PAPER.
At least we now have something 30 Rock-themed to eat in bed. Ben & Jerry's just released its "Liz Lemon" Greek Frozen Yogurt with a Blueberry Lavender Swirl. We can't help but be a little disappointed it doesn't feature any junk food. [via HuffPo]This reporter's response to a video-bombing drunk woman on Bourbon Street is our new hero. [via Towleroad]
This is how we should've come out to our parents. [via Death and Taxes]
DIY R2D2. [via Make Blog]
Tea time anyone? [via Knusprig Titten Hitler]Check out David Byrne and Saint Vincent's amazing performance on Letterman, ironically featuring the song "I Should Watch TV." [via Boing Boing]
That's probably how it feels to be a straight man at PAPER. ↧
Alber Elbaz Skyped into the Newest Lanvin Campaign
Alber Elbaz Skyping into the new Lanvin campaign is the only thing we'll be watching all afternoon. [via Fashionista]
Kate Upton on juice fasts: "That sounds horrible." Hear, hear! [via The Cut]
Lena Dunham is working on another HBO show, this time about famed Bergdorf Goodman personal shopper Betty Halbreich. We cannot wait for the fashion-related one-liners that come out of this one. [via Fashionista]
Occupy Wall Street will be demonstrating at NYFW in protest of unpaid internships. [via BuzzFeed Shift] 
For the first time, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen will be making handbags that aren't a gazillion dollars: their lower-priced brand Elizabeth and James will release a line of hobo bags, satchels, shoppers, messenger bags, backpacks, cross-body bags, clutches, pouches, and wallets in July. The purses are priced from $395 to $625, which is excitingly affordable! That being said, the best part of the announcement is that WWD made sure to mention that Mary Kate was drinking a venti latte from Starbucks. Never change, Olsens.
Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, tired of investing in the stock market and real estate, decided to invest in Richer Poorer, a small company which makes socks. [via The Cut]Fashion designer and PAPER pal Nary Manivong launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring back his excellent label, NAHM, for next fashion week. You can donate here.
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The Allure of Donna's Scarlet Fever
Jeremy Oertel is smitten with spicy cocktails, but most of the pepper-spiked concoctions the barman has encountered are of the tequila and mezcal variety. At Donna, the elegant, white-walled South Williamsburg bar (and winner of a 2012 PAPER Nightlife Award) where Oertel presides over the Central American-inspired drink menu, he turned to rum to sate his fiery predilections. El Dorado 5-year-old rum may be the star of Oertel's Scarlet Fever libation, but its alluring finish comes courtesy of the already subtly smoky Trinidadian Scarlet Ibis rum, heightened by an infusion of ancho chilies. "The idea was to make a rich sort of Daiquiri, with a little heat," explains Oertel. "It's still simple -- and actually not that difficult to make -- but it's unusual and catches most people by surprise." The presence of uplifting pineapple and lime juices, as well as cinnamon syrup, lends the drink bright Tiki-style notes rather than unwelcome sweetness. After last week's brutal brush with the cold, it's a stellar faux tropical reprieve.Scarlet Fever
1 ½ oz. El Dorado 5-year-old rum
½ oz. Ancho chile-infused Scarlet Ibis Rum
½ oz. lime juice
½ oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. cinnamon syrup
Add all ingredients to a shaker, then shake and strain into a cocktail glass.
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