Williamsburg's N. 6th doesn't want for drinking holes, particularly the strip between Berry and Wythe. With that fact in mind, the owners of recently-opened establishment Hugs -- whose amenities include Guitar Hero, multiple Skeeball machines and sixteen beers on tap -- have created more of a sedentary carnival for grown-ups than a bar. The low-ceilinged, bunker-like space gives the sensation of being in the basement of a high school friend's house whose parents worked full-time -- an atmosphere built for excess and comfort. Artist Tom Taylor has created a series of collage-murals throughout, with maps and newspaper clippings blooming across the walls of the bar. Plastic-covered sofas and classic leather couches run parallel to the lengthy bar, leading up to a stage that hosts nightly DJs, regular dance parties (including a '90s night), and on Sundays, thematic double features (i.e. Nick Cage classics Raising Arizona and Moonstruck). A few blocks from Hugs, you might have any one of these things in the comfort of your own home -- your favorite beer, Guitar Hero when your roommate isn't using it, Raising Arizona on DVD -- but it's the rare place that can bring all these elements together in concert. It just goes to show, sometimes everyone needs a Hugs. 108 N. 6th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, (718) 599-5959

I am a big Housing Works shopper. Some of my favorite "pieces" -- a Steven Alan dress, a perfect pair of Hudson jeans, a D&G skirt -- come courtesy of the venerable thrift store, whose proceeds all go towards fighting AIDS and homelessness. So it was exciting to hear that Housing Works is opening By the Pound, a "bulk clothing store" on April 17. Clothes will be sold for a cool $3 a pound. It's about time NY got its very own by-the-pound thrift store! Here's a little description from the press release:

"By the Pound is a no-frills goldmine for folks who need inexpensive apparel or label hunters willing to bestow a little love on slightly damaged name-brand items. Chanel suits that need some darning, old-school GAP T-shirts and good-but-not-perfect vintage furs have all been discovered at past Housing Works bulk sales!

By the Pound will be open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. By the Pound will be closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays."

David McDermott and Peter McGough, “Detroit”

In this photograph exhibition collaborative duo and masters of history David McDermott and Peter McGough revisit 1950s suburbia when the automobile ruled. Shot at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, these photographs of retro jukeboxes and Buddy Holly haircuts were set amongst vintage clothing and antique interiors, and developed using a historic color developing process. The people in the photographs may be modern-day models, but this exhibit is totally old school. (Also be sure to check out the duo’s painting exhibition on display until April 26 at Cheim & Read, featuring TV divas of the same era.)

Nicholas Robinson Gallery, 535 W. 20th St., (212) 560-9075. Opening reception Thursday, Apr. 3, 6-8 p.m. Through May 17.

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1. If Jay-Z and Beyonce get married tomorrow, they will be able to afford one unbelievable honeymoon. The advances quoted for his Live Nation deal are staggering: $10 million for each album, $25 million for concerts, $20 million for music publishing, $25 million for new fashion ventures and $50 million in loose change.

2. The University of South Dakota gave some rabbits a cup of coffee every day for 12 weeks and discovered that caffeine blocks some of the harmful effects of cholesterol, including dementia. (via BBC)

3. April is National Soy Month!

4. The New York Public Art Fund is spending $15 million (1 1/2 Jay-Z albums) to build three temporary waterfalls designed by the artist Olafur Eliasson. They will be up along Manhattan's east side waterfront from July to October.

5. The domain name pizza.com sold today for $2,605,000. (via sedo.com)

6. The Chelsea Hotel is 125 years old.

Apparently, New York City ranks fourth in the world in terms of population density, and it felt as if the whole city was crowded together at PAPER’s Beautiful People party held at the Hiro Ballroom last night! Californian crooner and BP cover girl Joanna Newsom performed for the throngs of rabid fans. All in all, it was a great, young, crowded, fun, laid-back party, but then all of a sudden the pressure was ON when Bjork, notoriously anti-photographer, arrived. It was my mission to document her iconic presence at our party! And I fought like a Nimiean lion to do it. I got four frames -- pop, pop, pop, pop -- just like the champagne served that evening, courtesy of Nicolas Feuillatte. The icing on the cake? H&M provide a PAPER + H&M T-shirt for all guests which read “I am a beautiful person.”

Party people; Bjork!

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Yesterday afternoon was all about wandering around Williamsburg, daydreaming about summer and browsing some shops with my dear friend (the powerhouse who gave PAPER this month's stunning Beautiful People spread) Ms. Jacqueline Di Milia. We were on the prowl for some tough-girl, tom-boyish togs that we could swing this spring, but nothing out there really hit that mark.

Instead, I came across these perfectly golden ornaments, which actually have a nice toughness to them, though they don't really rep my tom-boy side.

The necklace is awfully attractive, but I did wish it were significantly longer. The bracelet, however, is ample enough to be pushed up my arm, to that just-below-the-elbow area that often begs to be bejeweled, so i decided to take it home with me.

Jac left empty-handed but a gaping hole in my bauble collection was finally filled.

P.S. Doesn't the bracelet remind you of those rope ones that hot sailing instructors (and girls who longed for them like me) wore in the '80s?

In God We Trust
35 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211

718-388-2012

Thanks to Marcus Samuelsson and Aquavit, New Yorkers now know there's more to Swedish cuisine than shoveling down meatballs between perusing sofas and bookshelves at IKEA. This time around, the good-looking Ethiopian-born, Swedish-reared chef returns to his African roots with Merkato 55. The soaring, bi-level space, that is decidedly Meatpacking District, shuns clichéd safari themes in favor of whimsical hanging basket lamps and burlap. One way to spend a content evening is downstairs at the bar, sipping a spicy Agbekor ($14), made with Grey Goose L'citron, Drambuie, chili and saffron. A meal can easily be made from sampling the "small bites" kidogo menu. A pot of African breads ($6) stars the meali (coffeecake meets cornbread). But the plantain chips ($5) work best at scooping up spicy baba ghanoush ($4) and zesty pickled peppers ($7). Shrimp chili sambal ($4) was so fiery, not even the refreshing coriander chutney ($4) could rescue our burning mouths. Upstairs, in the less lively but equally dramatic dining room, you may want to enjoy executive chef Andrea Bergquist’s (hey, Marcus can’t be everywhere) bolder Pan-African dishes, like tomato-laced lamb kefta meatballs ($19) topped with a fried egg. Delicate little chickpea dumplings ($19), mixed with chilies, spiced margarine and Swiss chard, are an exotic Ethiopian version of gnocchi. Among pastry chef Sunshine Flagg’s complementary desserts, the best of the bunch is the lassi ($4), luscious and nutty, with pistachios and pink peppercorns. Merkato 55, 55 Gansevoort St., (212) 255-8555

Founded in 1984, DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) embarked a spectacular, over-the-top, three-day “Dining by Design” extravaganza, culminating in last night’s sit-down dinner at the ultra spacious Skylight. Each of the events 40 tables were designed by specific artists –- there was a table reminiscent of a French garden (Alison Sarofim and Stuart Parr), a thoroughly modern moveable gazebo (Vivienne Tam and Scott Croll) and the color- and pattern-coordinated eye cake and candy designed by Mackenzie-Childs.

MORE PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP >>

Cynthia Rowley always wears the sexiest black shoes and after she commented on whether this event was black-tie, we decided that it was a black shoe event. After wandering around and around, I decided that my favorite dinner prop was a huge, stuffed, black crow that was nicely worked into a chandelier.

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Joanna Newsom takes a break from her cover shoot to talk about fashion and tell a good, old-fashioned joke.

1. Woops! The New York Times reports today that an 18-foot-tall sculpture by Japanese artist Murakami wouldn't fit into the Brooklyn Museum of Art and had to been installed in the lobby of 590 Madison Avenue. The art that did fit opens to the public on Saturday.

2. "Downtown has moved to Queens." That's what the owners of a new club in Long Island City are claiming. Robert Prichard and Michael Waldman plan to open a 5,000 square foot venue there this summer. (via the Observer)

3. More Weiland vs. Revolver. He says: "Returning to Stone Temple Pilots will be a stark contrast to playing with a handful of discontents. I think Sebastian Bach would be a fantastic choice for a new Velvet Revolver singer.

4. What CD did people buy this week? The number one LP is by Day26, stars of TV's Making the Band. Statistic freaks will note that the last #1 debut by a male group (2001) had a similar moniker: D12.

5. After PAPER's Beautiful People party tonight, we are going to the Hump (@ Blue Owl, 196 Second Ave.) to hear some jams from the ‘80s and ‘90s spun by DJs Lindsey, Miles and Camp Gabby. We love their flyers designed by Grotesk.

6. If you have money but aren't very creative just call CircleRBrands. The Wall Street Journal reports that this Michigan-based design and branding company has several pre-packaged business concepts available including: Bloomservice "the ultimate package for the floral industry includes registered brand name, logo, 800 phone number and all matching domain names." They aren't selling an existing business, just the name, concept etc. so you'll need your own flowers and arranging skills.

We are not ones to officially endorse candidates here at PAPERMAG, but in this case, we will make an exception. Vote for PAPER editor-at-large Peter Davis, who's facing off against Ivanka Trump over at Socialite Slapdown. Go on, do it!

Who was the fairest fair of them all? Everywhere you turned in New York City last week there seemed to be an art fair of some kind ready to swallow you in. With almost a dozen or so bazaars -- the Armory, the Scope, the Pulse, the bridge, the Dark, the Volta, the DiVA, etc. -- and the last bang (finally!) at Passerby. if you were anywhere near the arty radar, chances are you're still recovering from: a) swollen feet, b) a huge hangover, c) buyer's remorse or d) all of the above. I strolled through a few fairs and on Saturday partied till the high noon on Sunday at Passerby -- the night was a serious cocktail of pure joy and nostalgia for someone as myself who spent an obscene amount of time there. But as far as the fairs go, the Dark Fair at the Swiss Institute presented by Milwaukee International was by far the weirdest, the sweatiest, the least well-lit and with a special appearance by New York's Bravest (the NYFD), it was the most lively of them all.

Check out the Dark Fair photos below courtesy of Rosalie Knox.

p.s. Also, belatedly, here are some photos from Agathe Snow and Rita Ackermann's Easter Sunday gypsy feast Abat-Jour from the Whitney Biennial at the Armory.

MORE PHOTOS AFTER THE JUMP >>

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1. You're fired! Velvet Revolver front man Scott Weiland has been sent back to the Stone Temple Pilots.

2. Popular hotel blog hotelchatter.com had their room reservation for tonight's grand opening of Robert de Niro's Greenwich Hotel canceled when the power's that be figured out who they were and didn't want to risk the amateur photos or potentially snarky viewpoint.

3. Speaking of hotels, we hear that there were some problems at the opening of the Gansevoort South in Miami last week during the Winter Music Conference with several celebrity DJs checking in and immediately departing for the Tides.

4. Check out nightlife veteran Steve Lewis' new blog goodnightmrlewis.com. Lewis is also interviewed today on downbythehipster.com.

5. Two PAPER people (Kim Hastreiter and Carlo McCormick) are featured in a new documentary on the life of artist Keith Haring. The film, The Universe of Keith Haring, was directed by Christina Clausen and is screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in May.

6. Thursday, April 3, is New York nightlife promoter Chip Duckett's birthday and he is celebrating it at PINK (199 Bowery).

In his regular feature, "Artist Residency," Aubrey Mayer takes a photo of one of his favorite artists and asks him/her a series of simple questions. Here is photographer Victoria Sambunaris.

Aubrey Mayer: Where are you from?
Victoria Sambunaris: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

AM: Where do you live?
VS: Mostly in my car

AM: How did you become an artist?
VS: By being curious about the world, avoiding the norm and using the camera as my outlet.

AM: What is the oddest job you've ever had?
VS: Climbing the Great Sand Dunes in search of the place where desert, forest and mountain meet.

AM: Who's your favorite non-living artist?
VS: Emile Zola

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When I die, I want an after-life party, but not just any party -- I want cotton candy and pink popcorn served; I want an open bar with pretty pink concoctions; I want everyone to show up decked to the nines, girls with their faces beat, enough makeup to rival any drag queen; men suited and booted; major music; I want an extravaganza! Well, last week at the unveiling of the M.A.C/Heatherette line, I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

How could Richie Rich, Traver Rains and John Demsey know what would make me happy? It was like they read my mind! They served up all of the above encased in glitter -- glitter makeup inspired by a disco ball. And there was no discreet dusting of sheen for them -- no, we are talking chunks of shiny metallic madness. Think arts and crafts glitter glue for your face, and don’t be scared!!! As if that weren’t enough, they are giving you lashes, but not just any lash, patent leather lashes. They come in two versions, “She’s Good” and “She’s Bad,” and guess which one Ms. Bevy loves? “She’s Bad” has a fishnet texture, so you know I had to have them! Leave it to the boys to continue the madness with their packaging. Remember good ole Bubble Tape, the bubble gum that came in a faux measuring tape container? That’s the container for their pressed powder compact. Genius! How’s that for taking the old hood saying “all you want is hard d*#k and bubble gum” to a whole new level!

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Since 2001, The Civilians, a very entertaining documentary theater troupe, have been presenting delightfully original works. Directed by Steven Cosson, with songs and music by Michael Friedman, their shows generally arise from extensive interviews and research that ultimately get shaped into a theater piece. For Canard, Canard, Goose they went to upstate New York and spoke to people in a community where Disney had made a documentary about migrating geese; in their more recent, long-running hit, Gone Missing, they talked to people about things that "had been lost." Their latest, Paris Commune, however, is about people who lived in Paris 140 years ago: working-class Parisians who, in 1811, overthrew the French government and tried to start their own society. Director and co-creator Cosson answered a few questions about the project. (He and Friedman are co-creators here.)

Tom Murrin: How was it working with people you couldn't interview?
Steven Cosson: Our approach was to find as much primary historical research as possible, like transcripts of meetings at the time, journals, letters, texts of posters that were put up around Paris, etc. I did a lot of research at the British Library, and both Michael and myself traveled to Paris. Michael speaks French and he found a lot more in the French archives.

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For four years, famed tattoo artist Scott Campbell has been marking up high-profile clients in his Williamsburg shop Saved Tattoo. And on May 11th (that’s Mothers Day… write it down) he will be taking part in the Earnest Sewn Installation Series. Since 2004, jeans brand Earnest Sewn has tried to compliment their rustic style with classic Americana culture-gone-modern installation pieces. Showcasing artists, products, and ideas, it seems too perfect that Campbell’s bringing his iconic style to the Earnest Sewn Co.’s Meatpacking District flagship shop. As a “specialist in skulls, flames, naked ladies, portraits of deceased loved ones,” and all things iconic, Campbell will be designing a series of traditional “mom” tattoos for the day at $100 flat –- a nice discount from his regular $1,000/hour rate. Campbell’s shop opens at 9 a.m., and I’m seriously considering skipping the annual Mothers Day breakfast in bed, rolling up my sleeves and saying “I love you Mom,” like a mariner would. And while I’m there, maybe I’ll pick her up a limited edition Earnest Sewn T-shirt or wallet available for the day… just in case the tattoo doesn’t go over so well.

Orthodox Jews, renegade Hasidim, fashionistas and art aficionados converged on New York’s Jewish Museum last Thursday night for the unveiling of wily and prodigious designer Levi Okunov’s new, museum-inspired collection. The show represented the climax to the institution’s two-week “Off the Wall” series, a program of young, Jewish artists working in a variety of media.

The show began, much like the Torah, in stark darkness. Suddenly, the runway was illuminated by Melissa Shiff’s “JAMS: The Jewish Animated Mandala Series.” The crowd was confronted with a series of ritual objects bursting into a spectrum of fractal patterns, accompanied by spacey, ambient music. Minutes later, figure skater Oksana Baiul appeared on the runway draped in vertical stripes reminiscent of the black and white pattern favored by some sects of Hasidim. After prowling the runway, she squealed as if just completing a triple-axle and then skipped back towards the curtain.

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1. Though its release is still a month away, we are already feeling the marketing blitz for Madonna's new album Hard Candy (out April 29). Her documentary on Malawi is screening at the Tribeca Film Festival, she's on the cover of the new Vanity Fair and, according to UK paper The Telegraph, she has already sold most of the songs on her album to various worldwide advertisers including Fuji, Unilever and Vodafone. Vodaphone has apparently made a deal to make seven tracks available exclusively on their mobile phones one week before the album's official release.

2. Yes, we read Sebastian Horsley's unputdownable autobiography Dandy in the Underworld over the weekend and it does deserve all the hype. It's also timely, as we noted this morning that 17-year-old British actor Thomas Sangster has been chosen for the lead role in Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of Tintin, one of Mr. Horsley's fondest -- and most normal -- childhood memories: "I worshipped him. Tintin was for children who found Asterix too intellectual." No word yet on who will play Horsley in the film of Dandy.

3. It's hard to sell toilet paper without being... well, you know, gross. New Yorkers are currently debating the appropriateness of the new Cottonelle subway ad campaign that includes the headline: "We shine where the sun don't."

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What good is a killer hairdo if your clothes don’t make the cut? No good at all, and that’s why sisters Misha and Erin Anderson, co-owners of Williamsburg’s Woodley & Bunny, have renovated to expand their salon and apothecary into an on-site clothing boutique. Their hair salon, lotions and potions have been relocated to a new 4,000 square foot space downstairs. In their place at the original storefront on Driggs is a revamped clothing shop -- carrying a bigger, bolder assortment of stylish women’s dresses, denim, accessories and intimates. Vivienne Westwood’s legendary conceptual designs line the racks among up-and-coming brands like Life With Bird, Society for Rational Dress and Beatrez. The dresses and separates range from $200 to a whopping $1,000, while shades of skinny and slim denim by Naked and Famous sell considerably less for $92-130. The shop features unique vintage sunglasses and indie handbag designers, and, for some flair under your wear, Woodley & Bunny is one of few retailers carrying Kiki de Montparnasse lingerie. The boutique is spacious and the décor is understated and cool, with dark gray walls, dangling bulbs and vintage vinyl perched along shelves. The look is constantly evolving, though. They’ve recently added another buyer and promise men’s clothing along with more shoes, bags and cutting edge lines like Rag & Bone and The Row. So stop in for upscale designer wear and then get your hair ‘did downstairs. 490 Driggs Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn, (718) 218-6588

Photos by Rebecca Prusinowski

MORE IMAGES AFTER THE JUMP>

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Two things that we love around these here parts, Howard Street boutique Opening Ceremony and legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar Wai, are teaming up. To mark the premiere of Wong Kar Wai's latest, My Blueberry Nights, (out on Friday) the store and the auteur are collaborating on "exclusive, collectible merchandise," i.e. postcards, T-shirts and posters. In addition to buying the merch, head to OC this Wednesday, Apr. 2 at 5 p.m. for a special Wong Kar Wai in-store appearance!

Check out the official invite after the jump.

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“Facts or knowledge do not blunt racist intent. This is a truth daily and ancestrally familiar to Black people.” –- As quoted from a recent post on Harry Allen’s “Media Assassin” blog about the stupid-ass LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen Vogue cover for the magazine’s current “Shape” issue.

Here’s the thing of it, people -- is the cover a “less than subtle piece of racist indoctrination”? Duh. Of course it is. That’s not really the question. The question is: Isn’t it enough that there is doubt surrounding whether or not this cover is racist? Did absolutely no one at Vogue think for five seconds that this might be viewed as offensive? Are there NO black people or culturally aware white people at Vogue? Do they not ever run images or ideas by people who might have a different perspective, say, a broader scope -- people who might, I dunno, live in the real world? If that’s the case (no black or culturally-conscious folks on staff, no outside perspectives allowed in), then I feel slightly more forgiving, because how could they know otherwise?

How could they know that the image of a big, hulking black man forcefully clutching the fragile waist of a white woman evokes the image of the black (slave) buck and the white mistress; the black athlete and the coveted, trophy white woman; the black pimp and the coveted, trophy white woman; the black thug and the innocent white woman; the scape-goated black rapist and the unsuspecting white housewife…oh, and the black man as ape, sure. Over 150 years of this image just about everywhere: How could they know this might be offensive or appear racist?

It's tough saying goodbye to any great city and Tokyo is no exception, but with the splendid parting gifts I found at the great Cabane de Zucca, this departure has been significantly more delightful. What treasures might these be you ask? Well, lets just say that I'm taken care of from top to bottom.

We'll start with the shoes, which though perhaps a size too small are worth being bound by, for their charms outweigh their harms. Here were the selling points: I love rainbows, I love woven leather, I love silver-sparkles-shine, I love flats and really love this high-cut contrast to all of the toe-cleavage we were seeing for a while. It’s like the high-waisted version of a ballet shoe and who doesn't appreciate that.

Speaking of appreciation, I love a store that looks out for its customers, which brings me to the next Zucca discovery.

In what seemed to be a Japanese gesture of hygiene and flattery, I was handed a head-cover to both protect my pretty face from the clothes and protect the pretty clothes from my face. This tradition assumes that you've got your "pretty face" on, which is where the flattery part comes in. As a generally make-up-less pale-face, its lovely to hear that I don't look like it. Moreover, it is wonderfully weird to cloak your tiny dome in a designer bag before you try on that cute black T-shirt. So we kept it.

I am certain that it will come in handy oft-times in the future, if only as a reminder of totally foreign flattery in an always stylish spot.

Arigato Tokyo, we out.

The fifth production since the first in 1959 of what's said to be the best American musical ever written, Gypsy opened last Thursday at the St. James Theatre to wonderful reviews. New York Times critic Ben Brantley did backflips for Patti LuPone the latest to play the notorious stage mother Momma Rose the ultimate part for the Broadway Diva -- evident by the big names before her, Ethel Merman, Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters.

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