Famous for their funky hits like Fire and Rollercoaster of Love, Ohio Players also incurred a lot of controversy and ire for their blatantly hyper-sexual albums covers which, in their sheer audacity, are absolute favorites of mine.
Below/after the jump are many of those albums as well as an array of their flashy fashions.
Click here for the rest of Ohio Players
While the art of Vali Meyers isn’t quite up my alley, I was fascinated with this witchy, tattooed enigma from the first photos I glimpsed of her which, admittedly, was only recently – the Australian artist, despite an impressive list of friends (Dali, Tennessee Williams, and Jean Cocteau to name a few) and a semi-permanent Chelsea Hotel address, just wasn’t a household name stateside.
Aside from her painting, Meyers was a tightrope walker, a tattoo artist who marked Patti Smith, and a muse. Below/after the jump are just a few images of the striking and truly unique beauty that passed away at 72 a few years ago.
Click here for the rest of Vali Meyers
Beco may be hidden behind McCarren Park but, judging by the full house at brunch last Sunday, the secret is definitely out. Featuring Brazilian specialties and more traditional favorites, the food here is pretty excellent and I can’t stress enough how filling and satisfying the Feijoada was: rice, veggies, and a bean and meat stew with toasted flour for thickening. All meals come with a coffee drink (they have yummy lattes served in glasses – which I always find pleasant) and boozy or juice beverage. My friends can also attest to the steak and eggs and the benedict.
The dinner menu looks just as enticing with Linguiça, banana, hearts of palm and chorizo peppered throughout the unfamiliar (to me) dishes, and I’ll be back to try more soon. The staff is courteous and very agile given the limited space they’re working in; the kitchen is barely bigger than a small mini apartment one, but the chef’s astound. From time to time they have live music too.
Based in Portland OR, the home of quintessential American coffee companies, Stumptown Coffee is the freetrade brainchild of coffee conisseur, Duane Sorensen. Recently they opened a first cafe in the lovely Ace Hotel, which is also home to The Breslin.
I’m not as up on my coffee knowledge of some people I’ve met – but everyone swears by the drinks served here. Also, everything is made and served by adorable boys in old-timey hats and waistcoats, which is never a bad idea.
304 South BroadwayFamous for its ornamental iron work and iconic design, The Bradbury Building may not look like much on the outside, but it’s worth a stop if you’re for its stunning first floor (the only floor visitors are allowed on).
Featured in many films, it’s perhaps most famous as the setting for J.F. Sebastien’s apartment in Blade Runner.
Click here for the rest of The Bradbury Building
Heart stopping photos of history’s finest looking men in fashionable, nerdy garb? I am there!
I found about Nerd Boyfriend from the ever-inspiring Refinery 29. The just over-a-year-old site houses some stunning portraiture of some of the greatest to look at men. This is the sight for those ladies, like me, that prefer to ogle the likes of David Hockey, Brian Eno, and the member of Monty Python rather than Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck or Matthew McConaughey (all recent “sexiest man alive winners”).
Almost as importantly: there are links to actual products so that your man can emulate the styles of these icons. I’ve already picked out the Tim Buckley sweater for Jim.
Click here for the rest of Nerd Boyfriend
Another gem that I first discovered courtesy of the Found Footage Festival, age defying (or perhaps “age confusing”) home made pop star Jan Terri is phenomenal. Her list of cable access hits such as Losing You, Get Down Goblin, Journey to Mars, Little Brother, and Baby Blues are catchy, mind blowing and rather touching in their earnestness.
The world needs more Jans! And, to be prefectly honest, her voice kind of sounds like a Runaways-era hit maker.
Click here for the rest of Jan Terri
from Alton BrownAs grating as I find TV personality Alton Brown, I have to give him credit for quite a tasty meatloaf recipe.
We brought this by to my sister and her husband the night after she gave birth; they were psyched.
I added a little hot sauce to the top for some added zing.
Where Live Music LivesJim stumbled across Wolfgang’s Vault, a site that specializes in live music downloads and memorabilia and is currently holding a pretty awesome Family Dog sale poster. For those not in the know:
The Family Dog was a loose collective of free spirits managed by Chet Helms, a contemporary of Bill Graham, who put on rock dances at the Avalon Ballroom more or less continually from 1965 to 1970. These almost-nightly events, like those hosted at the Fillmore, were more than conventional concerts; they were social gatherings with plenty of dance, music and light. Some of the early Family Dog posters are among the most significant art of the period
The posters are fun to browse and worth checking out for those of you looking to add some psychedelia to your walls; there are some pretty great prices for first run printings.
Click here for the rest of Wolfgang’s Vault
Los Angeles, CALast time I visited the Griffith Observatory (years ago) it was in the middle of major renovation. Now, along the throngs of tourists (the is a very popular spot to catch views of the city), you can venture back inside again. And while we missed a show in the planetarium, we did get to see Foucault’s Pendulum and lighting manufactured by Tesla’s coil.
Click here for the rest of Griffith Park Observatory