this is ‘theme no.1’ by balmorhea, off their ‘rivers arms’ album. it is rare these days that we come across such ambient, nostalgic, mood moving music. i can put this on repeat, it’s that good.
unfortunately, this youtube video is not the official video for the track but it still delivers the score for you to mellow out to. it also may make you want to watch gus van sant’s ‘good will hunting.’ to hear more checkout their website here. enjoy. by kgb
how to sharpen pencils: the el casco pencil sharpener approximate price $400-$600 pending finish
x-acto 1700 series pencil sharpener $30-$50
blackwing dual blade pencil sharpener: this one requires you to 1- sharpen the wood, 2-switch blades to sharpen the lead tip… and now how cool is that? approx $10
the results of the 3 sharpeners on the worlds finest pencil, the blackwing 602 cedar wood pencils, are displayed below
from left to right:
1- using blackwing dual blade pencil sharpener
2- using el casco pencil sharpener
3- using x-acto 1700 series pencil sharpener
there is no question that the middle pencil using the el casco pencil sharpener wins
above the legendary blackwing 602 pencils about $2 a pencil sold in cases of 12
first a little about the pencil: the palomino blackwing 602 are considered the best pencils in the world and have developed a following amongst pencil geeks like us. they are made of cedar wood (easy to sharpen with out causing “chips”) and feature a firm and smooth graphite core that combines lead with wax that helps it deliver on its promise of “half the pressure, twice the speed”. its unique and iconic ferrule allows you to extend and replace its eraser after extensive use or for super nerds to even “hack” their pencil to give it a custom look. erasers come in black, white, red. the pencil was used mainly by artists, writers and musicians and when the pencil was discontinued years ago, known writers such as joseph finder and stephen sondheim tried to convince eberhard faber to continue production or at least said some warm words about the tool they were so used to. while the company says that other pencils with similar leads are available, the devotees are convinced that there is no adequate substitution for the 602s, and we must agree with those devotees.
now a little about the sharpeners used: while the el casco pencil sharpener does an amazing job it takes some getting used to and in my opinion its not worth the cost of $400-600. that said once you get the hang of it it does do an amazing job sharpening the lead to a steady point that makes the nib stronger than any sharpener you’ve seen…. not to mention that it also looks wicked on any desk. but for nearly $600 its disappointing that when you sharpen a pencil some of the dust falls out of the casing in the front area and that the pencil grip in the sharpener damages and marks your pencils stem. it is the best sharpener resulting in the best nib but not $600 better…
the xacto sharpener is in word a piece of “garbage”. very disappointing for a company that is known for making blades. the motor is a DC motor using AC current (meaning its equivelant to a battery powered one) and can barely shave a rod of butter. the weak motor combined with, let’s assume a layman’s pencil, using inferior wood, results in a saw dust hell of a point with chips and dust all around it. not worth the postage we paid.
this brings us to the $10 blackwing sharpener which has 2 blades and openings. one is used to sharpen the wood alone and does not touch the lead point. you then insert it into the 2nd opening and sharpen the lead. i love this sharpener for its detailed attention and simple production cost that makes it cheaper than any other sharpener on the market and resulting in a very acceptable nib. while we purchased all three because we hate pens here we recommend the $10 socialist version over any other. ok so now you know… you can go around and say what complete geeks we are… by uh+kt
siba sahabi has designed mudéjar, a partition screen inspired by the moorish architecture of southern spain of the 12th – 17th century.
to read more about this head over to the contemporist. by kgb
walk naked. leave your socks at home
yes we know it’s fall, but this is too good to hold off till next spring. so… jet-setters, peddlers of the city, philosophers, weekend warriors, day trippers… we have some advice for you… we tend to like products that have a story behind them. be it the craftsmanship, the origin, the material, their true value, or all of the above. here is a start, drop $170 doll-hairs on a pair of shoes that just gets better with time; some enviable, hand stitched slip-ons, made with integrity by people not machines. we are talking about sabahs.
so what the hell are “sabahs”?
every pair of sabahs is handmade from high quality, naturally-tanned leather by cobblers in southeast turkey. these cobblers are trained in a disappearing skill of hand stitched shoe construction, unique to sabah, that has been cultivated over generations in the ancient bazaars of turkey. by employing this special technique, the sabah dealer creates footwear that is remarkably comfortable, simply made, and easy to repair. they tend to age gracefully and are made to accompany you in your travels.
the more you wear them, the more you love them and the more they love you back
your sabahs are going to fit snug to your feet, they are going to mold to your foot, and to your walking patterns on this earth
“ok, you’ve sold me, now how do i get a pair?”
due to the traditional nature of the craft, the cobblers can only produce a limited quantity of sabahs every month. and so far we’ve bought all of them. although they do keep stock on-hand at the sabah house, the majority of sabahs are made-to-order for each customer and delivered within six to eight weeks, that is unless, you’re cool enough to pick them up yourself… (see ordering instructions below).
“yes, i’m cool enough to pick em up, tell me where!”
well… tucked away in the lower east side of manhattan is a secret showroom slash hangout spot with a great bohemian vibe happening. rumor has it that on sundays, the sabah house even throws down. it supposedly entails libations, live music, and if you’re into it… some great conversation. (the ts crew may or may not be spotted at a sabah sunday. you might just end up in some great convo with one of us bandits.) here’s how you can get there. email your order and ask to personally pick them up.
“yes, i’m cool but not that cool. first assure me that “the sabah dealer” isn’t what it sounds like”
“the dealer” (no, not that kind of dealer) is the brains behind the semi-exclusive brand. he is actually a former hedge-funder who wandered to turkey and was introduced to this age-old trade through a sweet little thang he was dating at the time. the dealer’s interest in the footwear and craft began the brand the sabah dealer, growing the business by grass-root practices into what it is today. if he isn’t being referred to as “the dealer” he goes by mickey ashmore, whose motto is “one bag, one pair.” not a bad motto, mickey, not a bad one at all. this globetrotting entrepreneur will remain a mystery man until you hit him up for your first pair. and trust us ladies, when we say… even if he wasn’t so charming, you would still want a pair. if you are located in east-jabib and cant make it to the lower east side don’t fret. just email the dealer and he’ll ship it to you. by kgb
– William Shakespeare
new york based jordan betten, founder of lost art, the handmade leather goods merchant to the music elite (steven tyler, sean lennon, lenny kravitz …) has released a collection of 5 t-shirts on his website for $60-80 each. we are kind of diggin’ ’em. wear art, not brands, people! by kgb
it’s not always full of venom, but one should always be wary–especially when it counts. by sv
monty python wisdom to live by this weekend. a mantra from one of my favorite episodes. graham chapman, eternally missed. by sv
edward hopper’s gorgeous 1952 painting, morning sun, currently resides in the columbus museum of art, but shines its light on any onlooker no matter their location. looking out my brooklyn window early this morning (in a pink gown, no less) i am overcome by the change of season, and the multitude of meaning in this painting. the light reflecting upon her body and forming the stark shadows is ever so important, almost the focal point of the painting. but without that body, the light and its path would be stagnant. on the other hand, despite the open window (always a recurring motif in hopper’s work, and one that even encapsulates david lynch) and the endless possibility of what’s going on outside, the woman appears listless. she is pensive, alert only to her own movements and thoughts. i could go on for a while about how overwhelming this painting is; i will let you devour the beauty on your own. to an autumn full of change, full of art and full of bathing ourselves clean after swimming in all that negativity. by sv
just when we thought summer was over in new york, we have staggering temperatures into september, it definitely feels like an endless summer, and it makes us want to catch that wave one more time. by kt
massively personal and poetic film. based on a book by edmundo desnoes and directed in 1968 by tomás gutiérrez alea (IMDB) during the turmoil of social change in cuba. it is unfortunately his one and only good film, but how many can you do in a lifetime anyway? don’t ask why the titles are in japanese… by dd
this is absolutely one of our favorite album covers. one man on fire, the other not–floyd’s idea that you can be burned at any given moment, so you should conceal your real feelings. a little known fact, the burning man IS actually on fire; before the shoot, he prepped by wearing an asbestos suit and a wig, then dousing himself with gasoline and lighting a match. certainly going to lengths for a good reason, any pink floyd fan would agree. the cover was designed by hipgnosis, the english art design group who specialized in rock albums. by nk + sv
a visual collective outlet of inspiration
