Graceland

I just returned from a day of volunteering, parade watching and getting my hair cut at Graceland in Williamsburg. The salon is located at 677 Lorimer Street (between Frost and Withers) off the L to Lorimer/Metropolitan Avenue stop. One of my favorite things about the salon and tattoo parlor is the decor - a take on Elvis meets ultra baroque meets 1950's kitsch. You can also relax knowing you will get the best cut in your life and do so while listening to vinyl records the entire time.

Cuts are about $75 plus tip and tattoos are $200 an hour. To make an appointment call (718) 384-7677. Josh (in the photo above) is my favorite; he cuts a perfect shag mullet and the nicest guy. Ever.

Iced Coffees & Bells Beach

Today was another Saturday spent at the beach, Bells Beach or as Shannon and I like to call it, The Brooklyn Riviera. As usual, we had the best time soaking up the sun, gossiping, enjoying our impromptu picnic and swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. It takes six subways to get there back and forth (L to the A to the S, then reverse) but worth every minute of the one hour commute. We are still trying to figure out how and WHY we continue to sit next the craziest people ever on the train. Seriously, we are magnets for the kooks; it's really something else.

Also, thanks to the really nice Italian man that gave us the tanning oil today. It did the trick; I fried.

Here's to Saturdays on the beach and mellow evenings at home! I'm listening to the new EP North Doom by the Evenings from Charlottesville, Virginia. You can download it for free here.

(1) Shannon & I enjoying iced coffees in Billyburg before Bells Beach

(2) Beach chariot

(3) Bells Beach, Beach 90th Street Howard stop, S train

GUTEN FREITAG!!

Happy Friday everyone! I swear I had every intention of staying in tonight and enjoying a mellow evening at home but Shannon landed a drrrrrream job today and we are toasting to her tonight!! Mwah and Mwah, I am so very proud and happy for you dear. I TOLD you. So, I'm heading out in a few minutes to meet the usual suspects and celebrate.

Tomorrow is a day spent at the Brooklyn Riviera with my beach buddy (Shannon, again). It's been our Saturday routine for weeks now and what I look forward to the most all week. We are tanning and swimming all day if anyone wants to join.

Sunday I'll be volunteering at MoMA again (two Sundays in a row now) and stop by from noon to 4pm if you want a private tour (or tag along for my public one) of the new Matisse exhibit. I'd love to see any of you...

Photo above was taken today in Chelsea on my (iced) coffee break. Um, I thought if it was that kind of party...the dick goes in the mashed potatoes, NOT the chicken.

Enjoy your weekends - kisses, V.

Manson Family Dance Party

Seriously, today was THE hottest day in New York City in recorded history. I ran out of the office early and raced over to my dear friend's back patio in the West Village to tap into the Rockies in an (very successful) attempt to deal with the insane blanket of heat that covered our city today. Holy shit, if you don't live here and are reading this - be grateful. It is insanely hot. For REAL hot. Unbelievable, actually.

The night started out with the Manson Family, me channeling Squeaky Fromme and a dance party with the best Eurythmics song (well, they only have one good song).

All this and home before 12:00am - perfect.

For the City of New York...

NYC street artist JC2 has created the most incredible collage murals and outdoor installations that are surfacing everywhere in Chelsea and lower Manhattan lately. The one above is directly across the street from my office. It's in the Army of One series that also features the Diane Arbus image Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, 1962 (see a few posts down).

The main focal point in the recent work is the "Bride of War" which is an (obvious) metaphor for the mothers of soldiers, casualties and the Florence Nightingales in the world. The murals are some of the best I have ever seen. They are stunning enough to stop even the busiest New Yorkers to take a minute, stare, awe and even snap images. I watch it from my window all day long.

Thank you JC2 for sharing your talent and keeping lower Manhattan's public art some of the best in the world. See more of JC2's work here and here.

The Train

[1] Sweet tea and blue hair - hollah!

[2] Hubba Hubba

[3] Turrets = cray cray

Arcade Fire pay tribute to Jay Reatard

Arcade Fire played last night at the Mann Center in Philadelphia and turned an entire stadium-ready audience into a harmony-laden tribute to musical genius Jay Reatard by covering his song Oh It's Such A Shame.

Arcade Fire's version of the, sadly - now classic, punk song has a different melodic take, much slower and softer, but very fitting for the occasion nonetheless. Jay's original tune is about ten times the amp speed.

Jay Reatard - thank you for sharing your songs with us.

Due to Debauchery...

Debauchery in a bathroom on a Monday evening? Nope. Never. Ever.

Here's to the week ahead....

XOXO, V.

Fast Food

Brooklyn style...

Pictures by Women at MoMA

If you happen to visit MoMA anytime soon don't miss the small exhibition (200 works) on the third floor (next to Bruce Nauman's DAYS) Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography. The show is stellar and exhibited in a thoughtful chronological order. Artists included are Roni Horn, Helen Levitt, Yoko Ono, Diane Arbus, and Imogen Cunningham, among many more.

Images above are Cindy Sherman, Untitled #92, 1981 and Valie Export, Action Pants: Genital Panic, 1969

Take my advice and do not attempt to go on a Sunday in the summer if you are coming from Brooklyn. It took me nearly two hours to get there today due to construction and the other typical MTA mishaps that continue to cripple the subways on the weekends. I had to take the M at Myrtle/Wyckoff to the J at Myrtle to the N at Canal Street to the Q at Times Square/42nd Street to the E to 53rd and 5th Avenue to MoMA, finally. It was very aggravating. Oh, and I almost forgot - it was also raining.

Anyway, go see the show and enjoy what is left of Sunday...