Diane just got back from tour in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.. brought me a few little things. She knows I love notebooks, so I always get a few..
A couple of years ago I travelled with Converse to the Bread & Butter trade show in Barcelona in order to survey their booth as well as the rest of the scene at large. In general I found it not unlike the Arab Parrot’s experience at the Magic Trade show in Vegas, and I came away feeling quite underwhelmed by the majority of the exhibitors, projected trends, products, and the “brand experience” people were attempting to sell. Thankfully it was in Barcelona, so naturally it was still a great trip. A few things did manage to stick out at the show– I came across one of them cleaning house the other day: This is a small stamp that is used to apply the fragrance Comme des Garçons “Man 2.” I can’t remember the story of the collaboration between the brand and designer Ana Mir, but I think it had something to do with a local magazine putting it all together. Its such a cool, simple idea.
Its widely known that Detroit went from one of the most thriving cities in the world to a dismal shadow of its former self. Through the 60s, the city virtually imploded following disintegrating race relations, rioting, and white flight. Following, an influx of heroin and crack, resulting in elevated levels of violent crime– amongst the highest ratings in the United States.
At this point the city is about half what its population was in the 50s (around 1.8 million at that time), and urban planners and developers are seeking to shrink the city’s largely abandoned (an estimated 80% of buildings are abandoned in urban Detroit) historic center as a way to revive it.
Here are some images I took the last time I stopped in. The best way to describe a place like this, based on outsider observation and general feeling, is that its like a haunted house– but its a whole city.
Gentle Air & Special
My christmas gift to Jarrett finally arrived, here’s what he said about it:
Ariel made me this book for Christmas, and it was easily the best present I received this year. Read Ariel’s introduction for an explanation, but he basically took an e-mail I wrote him about what to to in Tokyo, and turned it into a Tokyo travel guide. Oh yeah…he also had it translated into Japanese. Fucking amazing. Thanks dude…
Selectism seem to like it too!
http://www.smoking-drinking.com/jan2010/10-a—-gentle-air—special/
