You can't swing a dead cat without hitting some cool and superbly crafted item from Portland. Right now, Portland is the eye of the storm, and in saying that, the eye of the eye of the storm is arguably Tanner Goods. They make beautiful, well-crafted and useful items of desire; we honestly can't say enough good shit about them. Having to pick an item from the plethora that they have on offer was tough, so we fell back on our fetish and picked a bag. We give you...Wilderness Rucksack. If we're honest...we just love saying rucksack. You can see and learn more here.
Give up two minutes of your time and show respect for the induction of P.E. into the Rock and Roll hall of fame. Pioneers of hip-hop, challengers of the status quo, the worlds most dangerous music group; all descriptors used to label an unclassifiable force. The poetry of Chuck D preached enlightenment, and woke up black America, rocked the foundation of white America and eventually rocked the world. Being white suburbanites ourselves during their rise to fame, they opened us up to a whole world that we did not know existed, a struggle that despite the civil rights movement, was still very much alive, and still is today. We weren't their target audience, that much is certain, but nevertheless, they impacted us with such force that to this very day we carry their message in our heads and our hearts. We can't say it enough...but much respect, and congratulations.
As the name implies...Rains specializes in protecting you from a downpour. As we sit here and write this, it is raining so hard outside that one would believe we are headed to a super moist apocalypse. What we've just realized is that we are grossly under-prepared for a West Coast spring, and have taken to perusing our usual haunts for adequate, functional, and most importantly, fashionable new gear. We came across Rains, which mixes all the above nicely...and were lucky enough to locate them at one of favourite quasi-local haunts, Still Life. Hurry up and open your Vancouver shop already!
We do not want to steal the above video's thunder, so we'll very instistently direct you to watch it rather than blather on about it ad nauseum. Suffice to say, it is cool...we wish we thought of it. The most important aspect of the whole thing other than the obvious "wow" factor is that you'll actually be a safer cyclist on the road. You can view the Kickstarter campaign and order yourself a set here.
If you've been following with us at all, you'll then know we gush like a 14 year old girl at a Justin Bieber concert anytime a new B&O product comes along...and the new Beolab 14 won't be any different. What you get is a beautiful surround sound system that will be sure to work in any room, as the subwoofer has some presets that optimize the bass when placed against a wall, or in a corner, or left in the middle of the room. You can see and learn more here.
From the iconic punk rocker and Social Distortion frontman's epically good 1999 album Cheating At Solitaire. It's been on constant rotation for us for the last two weeks, and we've yet to grow weary of it. Truth be told, it is a truly under-appreciated masterpiece. At first listen, you'll honestly think it's an album of cover songs. It's not...and there in lies the genius in Mike's song writing. The tunes are familiar but different, and harken back to the sensibilities of Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, all the while never betraying his Social D roots. Equal parts So-Cal punk rock and outlaw country and western. The album also features cameos from the Royal Crown Revue, Brian Setzer, and yes...Bruce Springsteen. Good enough for Bruce....good enough for us.
A pretty sick gift for Father's Day if we do say so ourselves. You'll surely convince your friends that you have even a remote concept of sailing and navigation...so much so that a shitty paper chart will no longer suffice, necessitating the three dimensions that only a bathymetric (like topographic, just under water) chart can give you. Right now, there are just 64 ready to go in time for the afore mentioned patriarchal day of worship...so get on it. You can see and learn more here.
There is nothing as off-putting as an iPad covered in digit smears, glasses full of grease splatter or a phone plastered with make-up. You can't just use your t-shirt to clean these things, you should be using a micro cloth but not one found at LensCrafters. Declan sells some great options that you won't be embarrassed to use in public. Available here.
We live with a major coffee hound and while they use the pretty perfect Chemex every day, they do occasionally like a french press but they have their downsides. One being they are way too delicate and the other being well that they look like they do. Introducing the Portland Press, a french press made with a much more durable mason jar, wool surround and all locally sourced in the States. Available here.
The weather here has turned and we're deciding to look on the brighter side of having colder mornings and rainier afternoons. For instance, we get to embrace the boot a little longer and have found the perfect ones to stomp around in, Rokin Ryder's. Available here.
A design concept so ingenious that there is little doubt the designer is going to become very wealthy in the near future. Riding our bike ourselves, ofter fairly early in the morning when it is still dark out, we know the pain of the unexpected on the road. A headlight is a must, but while it lights the way it leaves out the detail that in the right circumstances can spell doom. The images above illustrate nicely just how well it appears to work...and we're totally digging the 80's video game vibe. The design won a RedDot Design Award; being labelled one of the best of the best of 2012. You can see and learn more here.
Not really much to add here other than "gaaaahhh...we want one." Sadly, the word concept is literal, meaning it is most likely a design exercise only. Equal parts homage to the company's 90 years making motorcycles and to the iconic BMW R 90 S, the bike is a runner, so everything you see is functional and working. A little further than most concepts, giving us hope that this or a bike very similar makes it to production.
Here is a song, of which we cannot hear enough of, but oddly, have no means of purchasing a copy for ourselves. You see, the song was written by Ian O'Brian-Docker, who is an award winning composer and producer who divides his time equally between the worlds of music and commercial advertising, working under his company's moniker DamienDamien. If the song above sounds familiar, it is because it is the mood influencing music behind the new BMW ad campaign. Hearing the song, we understand his pairing of occupations, as he obviously has a knack for the cinematic. www.damiendamien.com
We love collaborations. Luke would have been nowhere without Han Solo, Kermit would have been flaccid without Jim Henson's hand up his ass, as would Justin Beiber without pre-teen girls. Two working as one seems to bring out the best in both, and MatterMade working with interior design juggernauts Roman & Williams have just created an iconic chair that 50 years from now will be sought after and gracing the offices, living rooms, and film sets of the design savvy. You can see and learn more here.
We keep hearing how console gaming is in its death throws, and that people are happy playing Fruit Ninja on their phones. Watch the above trailer and then tell us you're not interested in console gaming. Go f@#$ yourself Fruit Ninja.
Maybe it's because we were there, front row, with one of our bestest buds, that we are posting this. It could be that the show we saw blew our minds (almost literally) and left us in visual such awe, and with some severe hearing loss that lasted for 3 days that we are posting this. Then again, we could be posting this because Metallica freakin' rules...and metal up your ass...that's why. Regardless of our reasons, the movie drops in Imax on September 27th, and theatres everywhere on October 4th.
Being that summer is nearly upon us, so begins the hunt for some new sexy-as-f@#$ shades. Don't get us wrong, our Ray-Ban Wayfarers are still just fine, as are our McQueen Persols, but come on, it's an excuse to get a new pair. Having recently discovered Shauns Shades and perusing their very deep line-up of cool protection for your peepers, we are having a hard time picking just one pair..so we think we'll get two pairs. You can head on over to Neiman Marcus and try on yourself a pair, or if you're into that whole living dangerously thing, you can order a pair or two online direct from source...which is here.
How's this for a simple tent set up. No more fiddling in the dark with an overly complex tent set up when all you really need is a few tent pegs, a single pole and some tent fabric. That, and it looks pretty skookum as well. You can see and learn more here.
A short film about the award winning World's Best Garage, and the piece of art inside that is the owner and designers own Ferrari 512bbi. While we love and totally appreciate the garage, we'd give our left nut for that car. In our opinion, aesthetic-wise is very close to the top for the best Ferrari ever made.
We're total suckers for the simple and classic sneaker. Generally speaking though, we don't agree with spending too much on such a utilitarian piece of kit, especially considering the value in offerings from Vans and Converse. However, Japanese brand Wtaps has just released a sneaker that fits the classic and simple bill, but with outstanding quality in both a materials and craftsmanship sense. Haven has them.
We find ourselves wanting spicier and spicier food. We heard that once you start liking spicy food, you want increasingly spicy meals, which is something that we can anecdotally support. Normal meat and potato western type meals are no longer acceptable very often, and we find us seeking out more flavourful and spicy additions in out of the way marketplaces. However, a good idea for us might be concocting our own ass blasting potions, and we therefore resort to the above. The Hot Sauce Cookbook has over 60 recipes, including stand outs like homemade Rooster Brand Hot Sauce, Indonesian Sambal and Meso-American Salsas. It also features 50+ spice-centric meal and drink recipes, including our personal favourite, the Mexican Michelada. Book is available wherever they sell books.
Well we seemingly barely finished up with Mother's Day and we find ourselves already searching for a great Father's Day gift. We have one of those beautiful Renaissance men in our family who finds himself as comfortable gardening as he does tinkering under the hood so you think it would be easy. Perhaps this find of recycled Kevlar sails but into a multi purpose tool tote will satisfy our needs....if not then we have a back up of meat galore. Available here.
We're not the type of person who chucks it all in as soon as the weather gets warmer. We don't start showing up at work in terry cloth rompers with rubber flip flops throwing our hands in the air while stating that every day should be a beach day. The most that we will do is expose our toes and we can think of no better or stylish way to do that than in these heels from Matt Bernson. Available at one of our favourite Victoria stores, Suasion.
Having been victims of identity theft ourselves, we've become increasingly vigilant when it comes to securing our digital information. Take it from us, electronic theft is no joke, and nothing can f@#$ up your life like someone pretending to be you, or worse, taking credit for what is yours. When it comes to portable electronic storage, the USB has become ubiquitous, being the modality of choice for taking your digital information and making it portable. However, you lose it, you're screwed. Even a encrypted USB can be accessed with the right know-how. Enter the Ninko Bio Secure USB. This is James Bond shit right here. This technologically advanced and highly secure USB features three levels of security, offering the highest encryption and decryption rate, password protection and the most impressive feature, a bio-metric fingerprint recognition system built right in. Using your unique fingerprint to encode and encrypt any file type that is loaded, it renders your files unreadable until the user gives their print a swipe. Even how you swipe or at what angle you swipe can be customized to your liking during set-up. And before you go all negative Nelly on us and say that the scanner probably won't recognize your print when you need it to...how does a 99.8% recognition rate suit your needs? Want one??? You can see, learn and order yours here.
Ferrari dropped the LaFerrari (leader for the dumbest name ever), Lamborghini dropped the Aventador, and Mclaren dropped the P1. All batshit crazy examples of hypercars that are competing with one another for how fast they can kill you. However, you make anything light enough and put a big enough engine in it and it is pretty much guaranteed to kill you, so for us, the exercise is getting a little boring. Porsche however wants to kill you in not just luxury, but in the most environmentally way possible...so prepare to die in a hybrid. Now mind you, this is not any hybrid, this is a 887 combined horsepower hybrid. So before you go out a but yourself a tweed blazer with suede elbows and turn you smug up to 11 cuz your saving the earth, you have to watch the video that we've posted after the jump. Esteemed auto-journalist and hooner extrordinaire Chris Harris is given some pretty rare access to a pre-production 918, and he doesn't run it about town getting groceries. You know when the Porsche engineer sitting next to you looks like he's about to shit himself that you're doing a good job.
We'll leave all the explaining to the above embedded video. Suffice to say, it's cool as f@#$ and we want one. Head over to popslate.com to see and learn more.
It is almost upon us in all its reinvigorated Netflix glory, all episodes being dumped online in once hilarious belch on May 26th. We are hella-excited, and will most likely be up all night long watching all 15 episodes. Of course, if our employer is reading this, that previous statement was obviously hyperbole. Obviously!
Let's all go to iTunes and for free, stream Daft Punk's new album Random Access Memories in its entirety. First impression: funky as hell. Second listen: damn good. Third listen: pre-ordered.
Here is the trailer for the highly anticipated doc about the legendary "Manchester Sound" pioneers the Stone Roses, and to be more precise; their improbable 2012 reunion. Made Of Stone follows the band as they announce their reunion, rehearse for their first tour in over 15 years, and play three sold-out homecoming shows at Manchesters Heaton Park. Set to be released in a limited theatre run on June 5th.
Unless you're a über film geek, we don't see these as being a great idea for just any room. That being said, we do think that this would make a great addition to any home theatre or media room. They're surprisingly inexpensive, and there are many to choose from; from Django Unchained (above) all the way to Star Wars. You knew it had to be Star Wars right? It's sorta a rule. More pics after the jump, and you can see and learn more here.
No need for your modern aesthetic to stop at the front door, how about a modern bird feeder to elevate the look of your garden? Simple and brightly coloured, this handmade metal feeder keeps the birds happy while keeping you happy too. Find it here.
This one is for all of you out there who have a genuine love for graphic design, fonts and typography. Take Your Pleasure Seriously is a new book celebrating former graffiti artist Luca Barcellona who is now a professional calligrapher. "This beautifully designed artist book features hundreds of drawings made over the last decade including commissioned work (Carhartt, Dolce & Gabbana, Nike, Red Bull, Universal, etc.), personal projects, performances, and many never-seen-before work. The book will fascinate and inspire anybody who works with letters or is interested in how they look."
Our local heatwave has us dusting off the collection of fans in storage and quickly realizing that it would be embarrassing to set these up in our living room since they are far from aesthetically pleasing and don't really work all that well anymore. We found the Otto Fan made with African sapele wood and black metal that looks really great and is apparently whisper quiet. Take a look here.
Simple, sleek and understated, exactly how we like our watches and most of our fashion accessories. A recent find that illustrates these principles well is the V03D watch with copper casing and a premium leather strap and a focus on streamlined detailing. We love the tonal colour combination and the price is pretty good too. Available here.
Just because it's been what we've been listening to over and over again lately. From their Fall 2012 album "Shields," which is available now through iTunes.
We love our Vans. They are the go to everyday shoe, and have been since we were kids. Every season the mad scientists at Vans seem to reinvent their classic styles, and this summer appears to be no different than the last with the LX "Perf" Pack; the "Perf" meaning perforated leather. Coming in three colourways, the above Walnut as well as a Dark Navy and an Oxblood Burgundy (Madder Brown according to Vans), these re-imagining of the classic Prison Issue will have you looking down-right dignified without having to give up your sneaks for a pair of loafers. You can see and learn more here.
This year, the world lost a legend and an icon. Dave Shore was a tattoo artist of mythical proportions, and his loss to the tattoo community is immeasurable. To provide the uninitiated some context, Dave opened Dragon Tattoo in Vancouver in 1971. He tattooed along side some of the most famous names in the tattoo world; Ed Hardy, Zeke Owens, Mike Malone, Horiyoshi, Luke Atkinson, Corey Miller, Paul Jeffries and Hanky Panky to name a few. He himself would admit that he observed his fellow artists relentlessly, stealing ideas and techniques from everyone he saw and incorporating them into his own style. His adventures and associations with these legendary characters was a link to a past history that every tattoo artist today owes a debt of gratitude to. At a time when very few people were pushing the craft forward or in new and bold directions, Dave was a vanguard, learning as much as he could and expanding peoples perception on what tattooing could be. To the young guns in the tattoo community, Dave was much more than simply a historic figure; he was a mentor and a friend. Earlier this year, on the very day that he was to shutter the doors of his shop to enjoy his golden years, Dave passed away. In tribute to Dave Shore's memory, artists from all over who have been touched by Dave, either directly or indirectly, have donated pieces of original Dragon themed art for auction, all proceeds of which go to Dave's widow Gemma. We have posted several pics after the jump for your perusal, but highly encourage you to log into your Facebook account and go here to see more. There are more pieces of art being added daily, so check back ofter to find another original gem to call your own.
Probably the best looking, most thoughtfully designed surfboards on the planet. Named after the famed So Cal break, started in NYC, and now based in London, the minds behind Swamis will accept nothing less than a stunningly gorgeous finished product that is equal parts wave slayer and work of art. We'll stop there as words only serve to mar the beauty of these boards, but please go here to see all the eye candy.
Perhaps the very best food blog we have ever had the fortune of reading...and it's all vegetarian, so that's saying something (generally speaking vegetarians are not to be trusted). It's not for the faint of heart language-wise, but if it bothers you then you're a tight-ass bitch and it wasn't written for you. You can see it in all it's glory here.
We're always on the hunt for something new to serve the fine-ass food we make on; and who knew that the makers of everything woollen; from shirts, jackets and their famous blankets, would also make some pretty fantastic and rustic dinnerware. It reminds us of the stuff around the house when we were young, and our moms went through that whole ceramics phase. You can see and learn more here.
We are totally into the rough luxe look. Maybe it because we live in a city the revels in the destruction of its heritage; erecting tall, ugly glass shrines to mediocrity. It also could be that it just looks freakin' cool...but I guess we'll never know to true reason. In the rough luxe look, the design rejects minimalism and extravagance, and celebrates imperfection. The march of time, aging, sun fading, cracking, distressing, all creating spaces full of character and charm. The book Rough Luxe Design by Kahi Lee does a wonderful job of visually chronicling some of the great spaces in this little discussed vein of design. You can see and learn more here.
Generally speaking, nearly every image we see of surfing is of impossibly perfect waves in some far away place like Indo, Tahiti or G Land, with sun kissed guys on shortboards ripping cutbacks. This is where the short film Portrait of a Surfer differs. Shot on location in West Cornwall England, the film profiles multiple British and European longboard champion Sam Bleakley: surfer, explorer and writer. It is an insightful glimpse into a surfer's state of mind, wander lust and the ultimate draw back home.
From the fine folks @ Haven; Quality Japanese incense makers Kuumba international offer a basic and essential lifestyle accessory in their minimal incense burner with large collector cylinder. Comprised of durable and corrosion resistant tin, the piece features minimal branding in a discreet aesthetic; allowing it to compliment most living or workspace arrangements.
A new video treatment for the track Affection, which is off of their album III. The video is made up of spliced together of distorted digital footage that band members and friends shot during their recent tour of South America. Out now on iTunes.
A beautiful and purposeful bag for putting your moist wetsuit in after partaking in some waves...although, we're sure you could put something else in this bag other than your damp sporting accessories. Regardless of what you decide to stuff inside, it's a slick looking piece of kit. It was designed with the assistance of Pilgrim Surf and Supply, who happen to know a thing or two about surf and surfing. You can see and learn more here.
