1. Someone has been twittering Luc Sante's translation of French journalist Félix Fénéon's Novels in Three Lines. (via @juliandibbell)

2. In the next three years, the NYPD will spend $1 million on typewriters.

3. We dare you to look at this smile and tell us Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche isn't the happiest man in the world. Then we dare you to pronounce his name.

4. "Berlusconi is our own Kung Fu Panda," claims Slajov Žižek. (via The Awl)

5. Christie's new iPhone app unfortunately will not let you place bids on the go.

6. In the year two thousand... a 1985 artist's rendering of the future King of Pop. (via Rap Radar)

7. As part of the HOT! Festival, writer Sharyn Jackson will host a tribute to the late Bea Arthur at Dixon Place on July 31. (Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie St., (212) 219-0736. 8:30 p.m. )

Indecisives, beware. Tribeca’s new cocktailery, borne of industry veterans Michael Neff, Abdul Tabini and Kenneth McCoy, may offer your worst nightmare: any libation your imagination can conjure (within reason, of course). Beyond a nondescript exterior and minimal signage, the bartenders of Ward III fine-tune their mixology instincts in a subdued space of grays and blues with exposed brick and liquor shelves fashioned out of antique Singer sewing machine tables. Depending on your tastebuds’ nitpicky desire, name your poison, then specify creamy and spirit-forward with a hint of anise, or maybe effervescent and savory with melon. The provided list of spirits, spices, fruits, and descriptors help get the creative juices flowing, just don't approach it buffet-style -- bartender's discretion means the customer isn't always right. My tame request for crisp and refreshing with a vodka base was met with finesse using cucumber, mint, housemade bitters, lemon, and sugar ($12). After spying an untouched mango, my next drink became a joint effort, brainstormed into existence as tropical, Thai-influenced, and 2.5 stars on the spicy scale. The resulting concoction alchemized white rum, black rum, mango, red pepper flakes, lime, and sugar, into something slightly pulpy and sweet with an aggressive heat. But the Handel's Messiah Hallelujah-moment of the night was a takeoff of the uncommonly delicious Tortuga ($12) from the existing cocktail menu (for those who the bespoke concept gives analysis paralysis). Deemed worthy of recording for future reference, the recipe of bourbon, sweet vermouth, egg whites, mint, red pepper flakes, and lime was scribbled on a coaster in the designated space and filed away in their system (you wouldn't want to lose that eureka cocktail). A full menu from open to close includes bacon-wrapped dates ($7), pork and beef meatball sliders ($12), and Moroccan chicken pot pie ($14), while an Ommegang Witt or Peak Organic Pale Ale ($7) await for when you need a break from reinventing the wheel.

Ward III
111 Reade St.
(212) 240-9194
www.ward3tribeca.com

Photos from thrillist.com

Amazing. Here's a shot of Karl Lagerfeld's bodyguard wearing a "Karl Who?" T-shirt. The shirt is designed by Naco Paris and it's available at Colette. We sort of hate this pun/phrase, but the above photo is a pretty good example of something that is "tongue 'n chic." (via Racked.com)

If you have always dreamed about waking up to a smelly, plaid-shirt-clad and dirty-haired rocker sleeping on your couch, now your dreams can become a reality! Better Than a Van, an online community where fans can offer up their couches, beds and spots on the floor to traveling bands, is a bit like Couchsurfing.com, sure, but it's musician-specific, and geared towards super-short-term stays. There is something a little bit personal-ad about the whole site, but you know what, that's OK. (via MTVU)

Are you a young artist who makes oversized sculptures of your penis and angry that your Rhinebeck-dwelling progressive parents won't support you? Who hasn't been there, right? If you can spare a mere $10, head to the Public Theater for their Summer Play Festival and catch the remaining performances of playwright Alena Smith's The Sacrifices, about a family on a cruise who must confront issues of art, entitlement, upper middle class values and some T-Pain. We did so last night, and we recommend you do the same! Buy tickets here.

If you have a Macbook, a hipster approved iTunes library and a fedora collection, you might want to consider a career in DJing. But not so fast! Not all DJs are busy posing for nightlife photogs while their iPods are getting its shuffle on. Introducing (for the unlucky ones lacking the member's only Eldridge card) DJ Mia Moretti. And she's got a lot going on for her: the is-that-Chloe-Sevigny? looks and impressive DJ credentials including touring Europe with, you know, former PAPER cover girl and buddy Katy Perry (On that note, kind of obsessed with Mia's "Waking Up in Vegas" Baby Grand remix). When we met up to chit chat, we both shared something in common (hangovers) and agreed on the perfect remedy (nachos and beer). But her hangover source (hitting up DJ Cassidy's celebrity soiree at the Public Library before jetting to work over at Rock Wednesdays at the Eldridge) was a lot cooler than mine (an unfortunate late night shit show at the not-so-chic the Cock). Move over SamRo: Mia doesn't just party like a rock star, she is one. Read on for proof.

What song are you obsessed with at the moment?
Right now I always play Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere." It's so good. I can't really get away with that everywhere though. Like I tried to play it at Georgica in the Hamptons. They didn't want Fleetwood Mac -- they wanted Beyonce. When I have to play really cheesy, I try to play like old Destiny's Child like "Bugaboo." Because I actually really like that stuff and you don't hear it. I try not to play shit you've heard like 10 times that night. I hate when you walk into a place and it just sounds like every other place.

How would you compare the DJ scene in LA vs. NY?
It's interesting because when I started DJing in LA, I was playing mostly electro -- like Justice and Simian Mobile Disco and electro-rock. And when I moved to New York like a year ago, I was so sick of MSTRKRFT and all that shit, and by the time I moved here it was just getting popular. Hip-hop has been popular in New York I feel like until up until last year; last year electro kind of got big. I had to kind of learn how to play hip- hop because I never played hip-hop in LA. But out here, one of my first DJ gigs, they wanted hip-hop all night. And I was like "Fuck, do I have four hours of hip-hop on my computer right now?" But also, Serato, the program I use, got popular in LA a year before it got popular in New York.

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Guess who's sexing up Soho?? The clothing brand that brought you Anna Nicole Smith in the early '90s (and steamy ad campaigns ever since) is hoping to turn some heads with a revamped flagship on Broadway. Opened back in 1997, the Guess store was due for a little nip/tuck. The heavy oak and neutral tones have been scrapped for something more in step with the label's fresh edgy attitude. A shiny black tin ceiling is up, mirrored columns have been installed, and the landmark building's original brick work is exposed once again.

It's less glam and more grit here at Guess. Mics, amps, turntables and guitars are displayed around the 8,700-square-foot store, and the goods have undergone a bit of a rock makeover, too. You'll find plenty of shredded, studded and silk-screened attire, and in a back-to-basics move, there is denim galore. We also discovered a few hidden gems: a casual gray flannel dress for the girls is super-cute and there's some new footwear for the men that reflects a sharper sartorial stance (see pictures above). The store has an upbeat energy with thumping music and a staff that's all smiles, making it a fun stop on the Broadway shopping stretch downtown.

Guess
537 Broadway
(212) 852-0513
www.guess.com

Photos by Rebecca Prusinowski

1. Stay frie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ied? Three 6 Mafia have developed a cooking show. (via Pitchfork)

2. The Roots, Drake, and others will be playing as the Diesel:U:Music tour rolls into Webster Hall on July 30th. Head to various Diesel stores throughout the city from July 25 to the 30th to get tix.

3. Speaking of the Roots, this list of the fearsome Philadephians' massive repertoire makes us wish we stayed up for "Late Night" more often. (via Idolator)

4. Art historian Marc Miller has digitized the catalogue to his groundbreaking 1978 "Punk Art" show.

5. Read about New York's first subway system.

6. Bethenny Frankel is rumored to be leaving "Real Housewives" for her own show.

The mountain of wax at John's of 12th Street is so kooky it should be on the list of top 10 tourist attractions in New York. Two levels of flaming candles drip down on what looks like a grotesque white wedding cake, the wax buildup accumulating, as legend has it, ever since Prohibition ended. John's goes all the way back to 1908, when the East Village was more of a Little Italy than Little Italy. Dark, smoky Italianesque murals and vintage mirrors line the walls -- time capsule is the best way to describe the place. Tables and booths are filled with a blend of old timers and raffish rockers (more legend has it that Pete Townshend drafted Tommy here on a napkin). Waiters, on the other hand, are young and cute, dressed in white shirts and black bowties. Do they serve the best Italian food in the neighborhood? Not by a long shot. But I'd cry if John's ever closed, especially since it's not easy these days to find carafes of wine for $18.95. Our group of five was enraptured by the breaded mozzarella oozing from a platter of spiedini ($10.95) swathed in anchovy butter. An arugula salad ($7.95) was just that and nothing more, but it was good to have something light to balance the filling broiled sausage and peppers ($14.95), chicken parmigiana with spaghetti ($14.95) and eggplant alla parmigiana ($14.95). Garlic bread ($1.50 per person) is fantastic. Tiramisu and tartufo ($6.95) are other throwbacks that warm your heart here. John's is really, really old but it's certainly no waxworks, with a lot of life in it yet. Cash only.

John's of 12th Street
302 E. 12th St.
(212) 475-9531
www.johnsof12thstreet.com

Just perusing through the list of this year's Emmy nominations, and were very pleased to see many PAPER faves nominated for the first time! In the best supporting actress in a comedy series category, the often-mom-jeans-clad Kristen Wiig was nominated for her hilarity on SNL, as was the wonderful Jane Krakowski, who plays the dimwitted yet lovable Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock. Her co-30-Rockers Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan also received nods for the first time in the best supporting actor in a comedy series category. Elisabeth Moss got nommed for the first time in the best actress in a drama series for her role as the secretary-turned-copywriter Peggy Olson on Mad Men. For a full list of nominees click here.

The one and only Madonna (now that MJ is gone, Madge is the most famous person alive, right?) celebrated her concert in Milan with fashion duo Dolce & Gabbana at the club Gold. Naturally Jesus Luz was also in the house. Yum!!!

Available on DVD exclusively from the Warner Archive collection is this brilliant 1947 musical film noir -- The Man I Love. Directed by Raoul Walsh, it stars Ida Lupino as Petey Brown, a tough lounge singer playing clubs in New York who comes to California to see her family. Her sister (Andrea King) is working as a waitress with a shell-shocked soldier husband in the hospital and her brother is working for a slimy hood (Robert Alda) at a nightclub, so Petey decides to intercede by getting a job in the club to watch over things. Petey meets a troubled hard-drinking piano player (Bruce Bennett) who's still pining over his first wife, and she falls hard for him. This is the movie that inspired Martin Scorsese's New York, New York, and his section in New York Stories has a moment right out of this movie. You can see why Scorsese loves this movie -- it's tough, tender, sophisticated, and is drenched in that moody Warner Brothers atmosphere. Lupino is simply unforgettable and the movie has haunted me for years.

You know how in the movie The Stepford Wives that woman talks about her oven cleaner and says, "I love it so much if they asked me to do a commercial for it I would do it for free!"? Well that's how MM and the PAPER crew feel about Pret-a-Manger. MM lives for the Spicy Falafel Wrap and the fruit salad/low-fat yogurt parfait. Alexis digs into the Jalapeno Chicken Wrap. Whitney is crazy for the Balsamic Chicken Sandwich. She also enjoys a Slim Beef Sandwich with Cream Cheese. Oh and the popcorn. Hello! Intern Jonah can't get enough sushi. The PAPER crew Prets it up on Park Ave South between 32nd and 33rd, but there's a semi-new Pret at Union Square designed by PAPER favorite Rita Koenig, so we might just have to pop down there for our Pret fix. I swear this is not a paid adverstisement!!!!!

1. Robert Rave has written a roman à clef, Spin, about his time interning for publicist Lizzie Grubman, and will be reading from it at Barnes & Noble next month. (Barnes and Noble, 97 Warren St. at Greenwich. August 25th, 7 p.m.)

2. The Department of City Planning has released a biker's guide to Queens. (via City Room)

3. Members of the Mekons and Bonnie "Prince" Billy helped Chicago celebrate Shel Silverstein last night. I wonder who sang "Freakers' Ball." (via The Daily Swarm)

4. Paul McCartney will perform atop the Ed Sullivan Theater's marquee today at 5:15.

5. Artnet.com is auctioning street art by the likes of KAWS, Shepard Fairey, and Damien Hirst. (via ANIMAL)

6. US Weekly has video of Michael Jackson's hair catching fire on the set of his famous Pepsi commercial.

Last night, pretty people gathered at 96 Lafayette, also known as Santos Party House. I know this because I was one of those pretty people. Oh, you know. The venue played host to four bands as well as a camera crew. Which is why I surmised attractive attendees were in such high supply. The space brimmed with hipsters, prepsters and whatever-elsers, but, in this instance, it almost seemed as though the crowd was canned. Real life but better. Ordinary (by New York standards) folk, but close-up-prepared and reminiscent of a casting call for the quintessential groupie, not to mention the ridiculous dancer. It was almost too much.

The purpose for filming remains a mystery, as the website designed to provide explanation announces that content is coming… in September. No matter. We’re ready for our 15 -- or 250, give or take -- minutes of fame. It took some time for the floor to fill out, gorgeous girls and beautiful boys sauntering in at a manageable, albeit drip-drip, pace. At 9 p.m. the first set started featuring Brooklyn indie power-pop rock foursome The XYZ Affair. The second their voices met my eardrums I decided they had to be British. Whoops. The lead singer spoke and I realized my folly. I immediately moved on from my mistake, becoming distracted by a newfound attraction towards the Shit-Break (American Pie reference for those suffering from amnesia) look-alike, more officially recognized as the second guitarist and keyboard/synth operator. Later came to find this guy’s got a girlfriend, or at least a female that latches on to his midsection and indicates it would be best if I kept my distance and left the catfight for another night.

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Mother is a new play by Lisa Ebersole, directed by Andrew Grosso, which stars one of the entertainment industry’s comedy icons, Buck Henry, along with veteran Holland Taylor, who was Emmy-nominated three years running for Two & A Half Men. The playwright herself, Haskell King, and Keith Randolph Smith round out the cast of five. Henry, known for his dry humor and dead pan delivery, is more than accomplished as both a writer and actor -- he wrote the superior screenplays for The Graduate, Catch 22 and To Die For; won a Tony for his role on Broadway in Art: and capably hosted SNL 10 times. The play is set in an upscale resort in West Virginia where an eccentric family gathers for their annual New Year’s holiday. Matters of identity and sibling rivalry are raised, along with copious glasses of bubbly. I spoke with Henry after a rehearsal.

Hi Buck. Tell me about the play.
It’s written by a young female playwright with some degree of talent. She’s written a previous play called Brother. I think she should continue with Father and other family members. I suggested she keep going, all the way through Baby and Dog.

Haha. Can you tell me a little about this play?
I don’t like to talk about work, unless it’s my own. I don’t like to give an opinion of someone else’s work.

I don’t need an opinion, really; just what the play is about.
It is a dysfunctional family, comedy melodrama; father, mother, son and daughter, and a couple of peripheral parts. I play dad.

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An obscure but terrific 1957 movie The Strange One is now available on DVD and I can't praise it enough. Based on Calder Willingham's End As A Man it's about a sadistic bully Jocko De Paris (Ben Gazarra -- who's beyond brilliant here) at a Southern military academy. Filled with homoerotic touches and with a cast from the famed Actor's Studio, this is a daring, different kind of film. In a short interview with Ben Gazarra (as a DVD extra) he described the making of the film directed by Jack Garfein, who had a run-in with the producer, and the result was that the picture was thrown away -- with little publicity or fanfare. And it's a shame. A young George Peppard plays an honest cadet who conspires to bring down the manipulative, vicious Jocko. With a truly unforgettable ending and really weird sequences... this was so ahead of it's time.

It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that I write about the loss of Dash Snow. There are many ways to describe Dash -- young and talented artist, downtown fixture, bad boy, SACE, member of IRAK, etc. -- but more than anything, to those who are indescribably affected by the news of his death today, he was a friend. So today I feel a great pang of sorrow from losing someone special. Just from glancing at the outpouring of love bestowed on him on Facebook it's evident that he is someone who made a great deal of impact on countless people who came in contact with him -- through the work he created, the way he lived his life and the warmth he generated. Though he was often shrouded in a tough shell of tattoos, leather and chains, on the inside he was a total sweetheart and as I write this, the image I see of Dash is his face with a sly smile.

I knew Dash since he was a wily teen and watched him go from being the wildest in the bunch to channeling his energy into making great art and then becoming a doting dad to his daughter Secret. A few years ago, before the famous New York Magazine cover, he got upset with me for a story I had written about him for PAPER. The article included a mention of his family much to his disapproval. When it came out I felt extremely bad and convinced I had exploited my friend somehow. Family was such a touchy issue for him. But we soon made up and things were fine between us. Dash was a source of much fascination because of his talent, his pedigree and his reckless lifestyle. At the time of the interview, he was 24 but he said he felt like he was going on 50. Before I went away on my vacation last month, we kept bumping into each other at restaurants -- at Lucien and Takahashi -- and he was always with Secret and looked so good.

I, along with tons of others, hate that he is dead and my heart goes out to his girlfriend Jade, his family and most of all to his daughter. He will be terribly missed.

Photo by Shawn Mortensen

1. Christmas in July? Salvation Army responds to the recession by setting up kettle collections for the first summer in over 30 years. (via City Room)

2. For those of you affected by said recession, a new career in paranormal extermination is only $40,000 away now that the Ghostbusters' car is for sale on eBay. (via Vulture) [UPDATE: the car has sold; the listing remains.]

3. Wavves' Nathan Williams will play the Bowery Ballroom tomorrow despite a broken wrist, Pitchfork reports.

4. I am living proof against the results of this study.

5. The reason for #4: cheap eats (none of that $25 crap).

6. Kathy Griffin has been tapped to host the 2009 Emmy Awards.

Last night, Manhattan bloggerati gathered at Fontana's on Eldridge Street for a screening of Comedy Central's new series, Michael and Michael Have Issues, and a sighting of the titular Mikes, Showalter and Ian Black, who (with the conspicuously absent David Wain) collaboratively created comedy classics The State, Wet Hot American Summer, and Stella. As we waited for the stars' appearance, strangers snapped photos of strangers clutching complementary Sam Adams. Your beleaguered PAPER intern (that would be me) was getting antsy.

Finally, the Michaels showed up to answer questions. Or at least Black did; Showalter's comments were restricted to a muttered "I think it's cool that you're blogging about this show. We blogged about this show." (I presume he was talking about the comedians' Twitter feeds, @mshowalter and @michaelianblack, the latter of which featured the apposite tweet, "Heading to a blogger event tonight, which feels a little oxymoronic.") Black's quick humor put the crowd at ease. (Blogger: "Have you and Michael ever considered being more than just friends?" Black: "Well, there were the times when Mike would get drunk and ask to blow me.")

Finally, the thing screened, and your beleaguered intern was delighted to find out that Michael and Michael Have Issues's first episode hinged on (whaddyaknow!) a beleaguered intern writing a story about Michael and Michael Have Issues. Brief sketches about abstinence pledges and a hyphenated "jambalaya" of obscene words were interspersed with the two Michaels' respective struggles to dominate the intern's story. Laughs flowed from the bellies of erstwhile snarky bloggers.

The lights returned to loud applause, and the Michaels were nowhere to be seen. In their stead were bags of peanut M&Ms (get it?) with the show's logo and its stars' visages pasted on. Your intern walked the block and a half home munching candy, already waiting for next week's episode.

Suspended over the freshly landscaped Highline is the latest André Balazs’s impressive landmark. The Standard New York hotel is a gargantuan streamlined post-modern property holding 337 impeccably designed rooms with exquisite city views on the edge of the Meatpacking District. And room rates start at a shocking low $195.

Balazs often likens himself to a film producer creating hotels that are cinematographic and usually set the mood and tone for the revelers and guests who come to play. Like a good Hollywood producer, he collaborated with a design team fit for a blockbuster feature including Standard-veteran Shawn Hausman, architect Todd Schliemann of Polshek Partnership and New York based design firm Roman Williams, who all share an appreciation for the beauty of unconventional materials. The concrete and glass exterior hovers over the neighborhood with distinct elegance, reminding me of the beautiful and harshly-modern Niemeyer creations in Brazil’s capital city of Brasilia. The interior on the other hand provides guests with every comfort possible never looing sight of the architectural details of its façade. The rooms come in eight different shapes and sizes but all include awe-inspiring city views that will leave even the most world-weary Manhattanite speechless. No detail was left un-obsessed-over. The Tambour wooden headboards flow above the bed and onto the ceiling and the incredibly stylish desks, chairs and sconces add character to each boudoir. The peek-a-boo showers and enormous bathtubs are the perfect way to seduce a special someone or simply take the edge-off after a long day trotting the streets below.

If that wasn’t enough to thrill all of your senses, the ground level holds the Standard Grill, a recently opened restaurant that has already become an obligatory stop for the in-the-knows. The indoor-outdoor living room with its fire pits lure customers for an indulgently lethargic afternoon cocktail.

Soon enough, the property will debut its Pool Garden on the 18th floor and rooftop deck. Balazs has done it again, creating a hub that is reasonably priced for the young folks and luxurious enough for our incredibly jaded Manhattan standards.

The Standard New York
848 Washington St.
(212) 645-4646
www.standardhotels.com

Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of the dashing, daring design firm Proenza Schouler, are the American (for the first time) curators of the ninth edition of A Magazine. The issue, "Made in the USA," highlights the independent and never more furiously progressive spirit of the diverse American cultural landscape today. SoHo Mews, the scene for last night's "House Party" to celebrate the publication's stateside launch, is a phenomenal multi-level indoor/outdoor space that truly transports one to a higher level of sophisticated "party" atmosphere. Manning the DJ booth were artist/actor/downtown devil-may-care skateboarder Leo Fitzpatrick and artist Nate Lowman.

The brothers Mims, Dan and Matt Mims, recently invested in a Brooklyn studio spot that, despite dietary preferences, they chose to call The Yolk. (No doubt the motivation is far more meaningful than the sticky yellow stuff, but I’ll leave that for another entry.) Goodbye East Village exposed-brick-three-bedroom-two-bath, hello lonely industrial loft (Dan actually lives solo). Ah, the price we pay for artistic inclinations. It proved a strategic investment for the twins, a decision steeped in dedication and commitment, to both their own band, HERE, as well as guest musicians they have hosted or hope to one day host in their cozy but comfortable nook in Brook.

Located on Tillary, near a luridly lit golden arch, this intimate music sanctuary has become the destination for many a friend and fan -- of the Mims, of their music, of their guest performers’ material and, perhaps more than anything else, of their complimentary confections. That’s right, these laudable animal-lovers aren’t fooling around; every event they put on features a different delectable cruelty-free treat courtesy of Samantha’s Confectionery. I’ve met Sam herself and, let me tell you, she’s got it going on. She’s the best vegan baker in New York. You heard it here first.

Beyond the edible delights used to lure in gastric-centric guests such as myself, The Yolk has a couple other tricks up its figurative sleeve that are apt to appeal to many a curious arts (and alcohol) seeker. This past Saturday the Mims held another one of their quasi-famous shindigs, a gathering of open-minded kids willing to donate $5 at the door and be surprised by the line-up. We knew well who was scheduled on the bill beforehand, but, truth be told, it was a bit of a risk. Attendees climbed four flights of stairs and walked through the red-tint-lighted entryway to find themselves in the midst of an experimental monsoon of music. Meanwhile, Mother Nature competed for attention, beating against the windowpanes, droplets drenching the glass and lightning flashing across the night sky, thunder almost in time to the tempo.

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Thornton Wilder’s 1938 classic American drama, Our Town, is probably being produced somewhere at any time of the year. There’s an excellent version currently at the Barrow Theater, that’s been running since February, and I feel confident that more than one U.S. high school has it on their schedule for the coming semester. Here we have The Ordinary Theater, led by Mitchell Polin, who are doing an original show based on Our Town. Polin’s group does site-specific work, and they have 4000 sq. ft. in Chelsea to work with. Their previous shows have been non-narrative, with multiple styles, and collagic in structure. There is a cast of six, with original live music by Tungsten 74. I spoke with director Polin.

Hello, Mitchell. How are you going to use all that space?
We work as site-specific as possible. The walls are bright white and we will use them as cycloramas and project things on them. The feeling of the piece is not “high art” theater, though I hope there are some elements of that. But hopefully the feel will cross over between a theater piece, a club event, a concert, or even events associated with downtown spaces, like art galleries used by performance artists.

Why did you choose Our Town to become Joys of Fantasy?
Initially we wanted to do a version of Our Town, and I talked to the estate (of the playwright Wilder). I wanted to use their text, and add my own music and video projections. They said, “There’s no music or video in Our Town.” They were less thrilled with my ideas than we were. So the show is somewhat dealing with Our Town.

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I'm wild over the new DVD release of Wire In The Blood (Season 6). I think the reason I joined Netflix was to rent the early seasons of Wire In The Blood, the fabulous dark British mystery series based on the books by Val McDermid. The charismatic, iridescent-eyed, handsome Robson Green plays the brilliant, quirky, psychological profiler Dr. Tony Hill, who helps the police department find particularly psychotic killers. Simone Lahbib is just great as Detective Inspector Alex Fielding, who Tony Hill assists. But it’s been a while, and I forgot how disturbing these shows can get. In Unnatural Vices, suitcases filled with dismembered body parts lead the team to a netherworld of S&M and a killer who keeps his victims tied up and alive while he removes their limbs. Falls The Shadow has Dr. Tony Hill giving a lecture at a psychology convention. When a colleague is found murdered, Tony becomes the lead suspect. Meanwhile a rash of brutal killings of prostitutes plague the squad. Are the killings connected? From The Defeated is about a killer who abducts young men and has them fight others to the death in a subterranean prison at a remote farmhouse. The Dead Land is about the mysterious ritual deaths of homeless. Meanwhile, Dr. Tony Hill is in danger when the nefarious cannibal “Michael” escapes from prison. This is by far one of the most thrilling seasons of this sensational show.

Ray-Ban + PAPER teamed up to throw a free and wonderful outdoor concert at the South Street Seaport with Kid Cudi and Chester French. Here's what went down.

A few Sundays back, I learned about BOYS -- Emma Tolkin and Taylor Thompson -- in the Times' Sunday Styles section. Their friends had created a rather epic, backyard version of Coachella, offering six bands, thrift store fashion and cool summer mayhem well worth their $2 cover charge. Having just gotten off a chat with my friend @meaganfish about our plans for Lollapalooza and festival season, I fell in love with the concept. When I heard BOYS' tracks, “Shootin’ With Rasputin” and “It’s a Grey Day, Mikey,” on the article's slide show, I eagerly searched for their MySpace profile to hear more. Their sound is fun, fresh and effortlessly clever. When I reached out to see if they’d be interested in an interview, Emma responded with an eagerness that completely dispelled their “Brat Pack”/90210 comparison in the article. When she informed me that she's "going to be farming in Northern California for the next two weeks but the hippie commune (I know…) has WIFI (??)” I knew the interview would be as fun as their music. Make sure you read all the way down to Emma’s recommended links for other music on the web and set aside some time for perusing their finds.

So tell me a little about BOYS -- How did you guys start playing together?

Taylor and Emma: We’ve been friends since we met at school when we were 12. In eighth grade we played in a band called Friendship Motor Inn, and our only show was the talent show. We had one song that pretty much made fun of every school in Los Angeles.

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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 Atlanta...

"Hamming it up at the already incredibly hammy and fun [adult swim] headquarters in Atlanta, GA."

Postcard by Yoonha Park using a Canon EOS 40D, LOREO 3D Lens in a Cap and Trick3D app for iPhone.

Keith Haring would have loved Os Gêmeos for sure. Thanks to Jeffrey Deitch, the wonderful Brazilian brother art team (they're twins) also known as Os Gêmeos have painted over the Haring mural at Bowery and Houston Street and its amazing. Such a great summer lift-up for New Yorkers.

1. New York's "Cheap Eats" issue is cool, we guess, but next time you should talk to a college student before calling $18 cheap.

2. Dig this steel drum arrangement of Joy Division's "Transmission":

3. A raccoon goes shopping at John Varvatos in SoHo. (via Gawker)

4. On Wednesday, the Public Art Fund will unveil The Ego and the Id, a 20-foot aluminum sculpture by Viennese artist Franz West, at the entrance to Central Park.

5. "Solicitation purring is probably more acceptable to humans than overt meowing, which is likely to get cats ejected from the bedroom." I don't think our cat knows this yet. (via BoingBoing)

6. City fines Marquee, Crash Mansion, and other nightspots for "contaminated liquor." (via Gothamist)

WHO: James Aaron Victory (shown with Kassie)
AGE: 21
OCCUPATION: I am and have been a body modification artist (piercer) for four years now. I work six days a week at The Tattoo Zone in Mobile, Alabamna. I have the rare opportunity to have a job that I love.
HOMETOWN: Mobile, AL
FAVORITE MOBILE HANG SPOT: The Alabama Music Box it is a local bar/venue in downtown Mobile where I go to hang out, have a few drinks and listen to some good bands. For the touring bands this is definitely the best place to play in Mobile.

WHO: Joshua Shane Poling
AGE: 24
OCCUPATION: I work out in the sun doing construction, a "handy man” if you will. I’m working on getting into school. I make organic plugs and rebuild old bicycles.
HOMETOWN: Mobile, AL
FAVORITE MOBILE HANG SPOT: The place I like to hang out at the most would be Royal Street Tattoo, which hosts such artists as C.W (who did my chest), Sean Herman (who has been doing my sleeve), Pistol Pete, Pony, and Drew. It's refreshing seeing people follow out their dreams, and their work is amazing. If I want to see a good band I can always rely on The Alabama Music Box. They have a really good urban environment and a wide range of musical talents and tastes. If you’re looking to just relax, Setas Coffee Shop would be a good choice. They have extensive beer choices and a mellow, friendly bar -- you can always be sure to run into some good people there.

It’s so hot, you guys. It’s too hot to do anything. This is the kind of heat that calls out for drawn shades, blasted A.C., popsicles and no movement whatsoever. Hardly anything can drag me outdoors, except maybe the siren-esque beckoning of goodies to ogle and to eat. Space 15 Twenty combined all these elements and more for its Lazy Sunday BBQ, featuring live performances by Steel Train & Fun. The vibe was that of a very high-end garage sale, with Rachel Antonoff, The 2 Bandits and ban.do all selling wares under shaded booths. Munching on watermelon slices and sipping fizzy bottles of Izze we perused racks of Rachel Antonoff’s pretty sundresses and delicate tops, all so lovely. Next, hot on the heels of the spats craze comes a new way of accessorizing your accessories: boot bands! The 2 Bandits carry a variety of handmade bands for footwear, from punky studs to Native American prints. Looking at them I kept running an infomercial in my head (“Are your boots lacking luster? Bored of your brogans? Dress them up as a bandito on the run!”), but in all seriousness, the bands were exquisitely made and utterly adorable. My personal favorite was ban.do, with its selection of the dreamiest, frothiest headbands ever, splashes of bright color and feathery concoctions like turrets of whipped cream. I couldn’t get too agitated because of the heat, but trust me, they were giving me an introverted fiesta. Finally, everyone settled down to watch Steel Train & Fun, the perfect accompaniment to a mellow summer afternoon. I must say, it was all totally worth getting out of the chilled cavern for.

Name: Sue Goodlow
Location: Originally Seoul, Korea but I grew up in Fairfax, Virginia. Shortly thereafter I moved to New York and never left!
Chosen Occupation: Sales for Prada
Unchosen Occupation: Aesthetician or landscaper
Side-gig: Definitely designing ponds and perennial beds by the thousands -– filled with English Roses and flowering shrubs!

What is the typical customer who walks into the store like? Do you have a mostly uptown or downtown clientele?
The typical customer who walks into the store is someone who knows what they want and has a certain style, but still wants to expand their wardrobe. I sense that each customer –- no matter what their age –- tends to favor things which are simple, clean, and bursting with pronounced color... and yes, a piece from the runway that can be easily worn without looking like they tried too hard. Every one of my clients continue to wear pieces that they bought years ago (even harkening back to iconic collections like 1999) and they still look great. What I love about Prada is that Miuccia's timeless collections are not composed of pieces that you buy for a season and never wear again; their distinctive beauty allows people to wear them over and over without feeling uncomfortable.

Of Prada's practically seasonless staples -– perfect cardigans, signature 'drab' coloration (bottle green, burnt sienna), omnipresent nylon bags, "Miuccia" pleated skirts -– which have been the most sought-after by customers in store?
The most sought-out pieces are definitely Miuccia's cashmere-and-silk blend cardigans. They are so simple but so ridiculously flattering. It doesn't matter if you are a size zero or 14 –- they still look great and becoming. They have no details; they simply are flat, V-neck cardigans. Her ribbed-silk cardigans are also very in-demand... along with her signature pleated skirts and poplin button-down shirts. Speaking of coloration, Miuccia also utilizes the most amazing blue... it's almost like a sapphire hue. She deploys such a vast variety of different shades... a specific set of colors that flatters every skin tone. Amazing is the key word!

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I'm maniacal over the DVD release of Mad Men (Season Two). This terrific Golden Globe-winning series on AMC about 1960s Madison Avenue ad men just keeps getting better and better. Even the DVD packaging is cool. The first season came in the form of a giant lighter (and considering how much smoking they do on the series it’s not surprising). This one comes like a dress shirt and tie in a sales box. Jon Hamm is brooding and great as Don Draper, creative director for the Sterling Cooper Ad Agency. In this season his marriage to the cool beautiful Betty (January Jones) hits the rocks, thanks to Don’s affair with the wife of an acerbic comic. Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson, the junior copy writer, is still dealing with giving birth to an illegitimate child but also rising the ranks in the firm with her common sense and smarts. Christina Hendricks as the va-va-va-voom office manager Joan is distancing herself from married boss Roger Sterling (the brilliant John Slattery) and is engaged to be married. Weasel Pete Campbell (>Vincent Kartheiser), account executive, is dealing with a nagging wife who wants to get pregnant. And Mark Moses as "Duck" Phillips is struggling as the teetotalling head of accounts. The events of the times bleed into the show -- Jackie Kennedy’s tour of the White House, Marilyn Monroe’s death, and the Bay Of Pigs fiasco. Meanwhile the men is suits drink three martini lunches and smoke and carouse and come up with ideas to sell lipstick and airplanes. It’s a brutally smart, riveting series. Wonderfully acted, expertly written, it’s like a John O’Hara novel coming to life on television. And the final episode is a beaut.