Glücklicher Freitag

Eine sonderbare woche. Ich verlor meinen job. Bekam meinen job zurück. Verlor meinen verstand und verlor einen freund. Bumsen sie ihn, benötige ich ein bier und viel lachen im augenblick. Bald kommen - ist Freitag!

Have a great weekend everyone! I'm leaving the office now (finally) to meet my oldest and dearest friend (K. Hogan) from San Francisco for some PBRs, flirting and general bad decision making in Williamsburg. Saturday is filled with being a do-gooder and eating well at Dumont. Sunday is a perfect day spent in beautiful upstate New York viewing Warhol, Flavin, Judd, Serra, etc...with a little champagne in hand. YAY weekend!!

Listening to this now and heading out the door...

Oh, and Cecelia - if you are reading this from a dingy cafe in Berlin - I miss you dear!! Besos on you and Cassidy - come back to me and New York City. We've missed you.

Hollister Hovey went to Austin...

Hollister Hovey (and Porter) went to Austin. She got boots and we got these amazing photos.

More Garage Spaces...

Speaking of garages, the NYT Home and Garden section (my favorite place to get lost) recently ran a story on artist Michelle de la Vega's garage transformation that is now her home at a mere 250 square feet. Ms. de la Vega rented her Seattle main house and renovated the garage for $32,000.

The small new living space is amazing. My favorite room is the kitchen; it is simply designed and shockingly resembles my own. I love the contrast of the utilitarian feel and the industrial sink against the woods. It's a great balance of both hard and soft materials. Enjoy the slide show...

Gourmet Garage

I love anything DIY. This Williamsburg apartment featured in Apartment Therapy is adorable and a very smart solution to a frustrating New York City reality: NO space. My own apartment is the teeniest around at a mere 505 square feet. Yes, the french doors, 12 foot ceilings and big windows help, but it is still very small.

Jeff and Delia, recent Los Angeles transplants, were not going to settle for the standard shoebox so they rented an industrial garage and turned into a cute little nest. I really love reading about crafty interior design. This story offers some great solutions to our endless list of apartment problems.

Record Deals...

Electric Tickle Machine
Blew It Again
$13.99
Vinly LP

Brooklyn's own (and amazing) Electric Tickle Machine's album Blew It Again is now out on vinyl. The first run is low, so order soon. This record kills it and their live performances are some of the best I've been to in ages - fun, dirty, brilliant, sweaty, loud and genius.

El Diablo

The Transformation of Enrique Miron as El Diablo by Paul Rowland opens April 29, reception and April 30, public viewing @ 548 West 22nd Street (across the street from my office).

This is going to be fantastic - really special.

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century

Henri Cartier-Bresson just opened at MoMA. I had the rare treat to have a private tour last night. The show is spectacular. Don't believe me, then read what The New Yorker's Peter Schjeldahl thinks.

The exhibition runs April 11 - June 28, 2010.

Garden Deals for $100

This is a great piece from Design*Sponge's article on Gardening Deals under $100. All items featured are perfect for the urban gardener in (hopefully all of you) me. Nothing, and I mean nothing, feels better than growing your own lavender, tomatoes, chives, basil, fennel, etc...The satisfaction one feels from eating food and enjoying flowers you have grown is indescribable. It is the best.

One major downfall about living in Brooklyn is the absence of individual gardens. Sure, we have fire escape and community versions but I miss growing my own orchids, roses, avocados, bananas and the list can go on and on...I really miss watching my seeds turn to transplants and then allowing nature to take over.

Hopefully the attached article will inspire you to grow your own gardens!

Skin Fruit curated by Jeff Koons

Finally, I went to see Jeff Koons' show at the New Museum Skin Fruit: Selections from the Dakis Joannou Collection. It was exactly what you'd expect: the unexpected and very very Koons.

I loved (every strange and uncomfortable) moment and piece in the show. Each work is exhibited very well and the New Museum space is always a great place to view large sculptures inside. If you are in NYC or find yourself on the Bowery go see it.

Clutchy Hopkins' Verbal Headlock

Clutchy Hopkins - Verbal Headlock from Ubiquity Records on Vimeo.

This is magic.

Pierre Leguillon

Pierre Leguillon presenterar Diane Arbus: en tryckt retrospectiv 1960 - 1970

God, I wish I could see it.

Phoenix Rising

Deep Sea

Decals from Artist Shanna Murray

Artist Shanna Murray just launched a debut new line of the most adorable (and I mean adorable) decals.

The vinyl hand cut lettering and designs are a great peel-and-stick concept that will add much sweetness and interest to your walls or anything you want to put them on really.

Prices range from $10-$40 dollars for these little darlings but you can also request custom designs.

From Design*Sponge.

All the President's Pens

All the President's Pens from The White House on Vimeo.

I was just in Washington, DC this weekend for an engagement party on Saturday. I took a long walk through the city before the party and walked past the White House, the National Gallery (beloved museum I used to work at years ago), the National Mall and other beautiful landmarks. The air feels different in the district; it's lighter. Everyone is talking about it. It is progress.

I posted the video above because (1) I'm feeling DC nostalgia and (2) I love random things like this and (3) I will soon have health insurance (in three weeks) after a very long time of not being insured (4) I am so proud my country has reformed our national healthcare. The last time something this big happened was in President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration when the Social Security Amendments of 1965 was put into legislation and ultimately created Medicare and Medicaid for the elderly and poor. This is huge.

Had a lovely Sunday too filled with boats, my favorite 4 year old, 80 degrees, balloons, sunshine, lunch, great friends...

This is the most perfect song. Ever.

Wavves' I'm so bored.

Glücklicher Freitag!!

What a great week that just wrapped up! The highlight was seeing Best Coast a few nights ago at the Mercury Lounge (one of my favorite teeny tiny places to see bands in the city) on a night that was 90 degrees outside. The show was fantastic. I mean really really fantastic. I have a girl crush on the lead singer, Bethany Cosentino. What a voice. She sounds like a dirty angel.

Enjoy your weekends everyone! I'll be in lovely Chocolate City, aka: The District of Columbia, celebrating a dear friend's engagement and visiting with friends and family. Cheers Matt and Megan!

XX, Nanook.

Let the Rock Continue...

Kurt Vile from NOW Magazine on Vimeo.

Melt.

Everyone can rejoice again! I am back with Matador Records. Yay! I took a brief hiatus but now the (free) shows can continue.

Dearest friends, take a look at the tour dates and let me know if you want to go to any gigs with me. Go see live music!!

Balloons

Balloons from Javi Devitt on Vimeo.

I love this.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! I wish I was spending it in southern Florida (with the rest of the French family on vacation, sigh...) but I'll be in New York City working today, volunteering all day tomorrow, enjoying drinks outside for a pal's birthday (Happy Birthday Mike!) and then taking a quick day trip on Sunday after dying Easter eggs @ my house. Oh, and I have to write thank you notes - desperately.

Photo credit: Valerie French from the Polaroid Series, 2009

The Prince

Tonight was perfect. I worked late and found my way over to Monster Island Basement on River Street for an evening with Mr. Oldham (thank you Ari for listing me tonight - kisses on you dear) and his recent backing band The Cairo Gang. There were two sets, an early 8pm and a late night. They played a lot of tunes from the new album, The Wonder Show, which is every bit as good as you think it would be.

One thing missing this fine evening was my fellow Bonnie "Prince" Billy fan - Miss Suhy. So wish you were with me...

Early set, home by 10pm and ginger ales. Getting old rules, what what.

Town of Greens and Blue Motel