The Once Future Boy King: Sean Sheffey.

In 1991, Life Skateboards put out "A Soldier's Story". And while the standout that year, and since, was Blind's "Video Days", Life's video introduced to the world the raw f*cking power that was a then seventeen year old Sean Sheffey.

This Just In: Velskoen Desert Boots @ Hickoree's.

An undisputed classic summer shoe, hell, year round shoe, is the desert boot. Clark's may be the obvious choice but consider these. Velskoen desert boots, "vellies". Hand-made in the coastal town of Swakopmund, Namibia, at the Herbert Schier factory. From Hickoree's, "They were first made in the 1600s by members of the Dutch East India Co., inspired by the footwear of the Khoisan tribe."
Available exclusively at Hickorees in brown, black and red at $125 a pop.Click over to read, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story.

The Brits are Arriving, The Brits are Arriving. Soon.

A curious black box arrived at my desk the other day.

I HEART M G.

Milton Glaser, born this day, 1929 in New York. Creator of one of the most iconic and well known logos out there, I Love N Y as well as the iconic Bob Dylan poster from 1967. Among his design work at NYMag and countless book jackets(this one below being a personal favorite), he's also designed the Brooklyn Brewery logo as well as the DC Comics logo(used for over 25 years). In his youth, he attended Cooper Union, received a Fulbright Scholarship and studied abroad. He also co-founded New York Magazine in 1968 with Clay Felkner(you can view Google's archives of the magazine HERE). Happy Birthday to a true design icon.

Into Right Now: Mark McNairy New Amsterdam, SS11.

Woolrich's man on deck, Mark McNairy continues to turn the classics out on their ear. Shown at Capsule in Paris is his New Amsterdam collection for Spring '11. And as if he hadn't mastered the red brick sole mash up game already, he's now introducing some bold color into the fold, both soles and uppers. Let's hope that once he takes the reins over at Woolrich, he continues this ever evolving experimentation. It's easy to perhaps make the connection why he was an stand out for his upcoming gig. His strong suit has always been a smart and sly reinterpretation of the classics. I, along with just about everyone else out there, am looking very much forward to seeing what he makes of his tenure at WWM. Bonne chance, Mark.
(images via HYPEBEAST)

Get to Know: Baron Wells.

I'm sure some of you out there are familiar already with Baron Wells, purveyors of a small focused collection of shirts, sea pants, neckwear and accessories for both men and women. Modeled after the young wayfarers in search of perfectly peeling waves in Bruce Brown's 1968 classic, "The Endless Summer" with just a little quirk thrown in for good measure. Smart, tailored, nice details, quality textiles and designed and developed in NYC. Just a few reasons to get to know Baron Wells in time for your own endless summer.Check their site for a stockist near you.

T Minus 30.

Season 4 begins July 25th on AMC. 10pm/9C.

On the Subject of: The Toyota Land Cruiser.

Impracticality and Safety Aside...

If I had the kind of life in which safety, gas mileage, acceleration 0-60 in under a quarter minute and highway driving were non-issues, I might find myself searching one of these out.
Introduced to the mass market in 1973, Volkswagen's "Thing", otherwise known as the "trekker", the "safari" or plainly, type 181, was slightly more than an 46hp flat four engine, 4 seats and a speedometer. Doors could be removed, the windshield folded forward, the interior hosed out and heat was provided by an optional gas-powered heater that connected directly to the fuel tank. VW sold it as less expensive peer to the then popular 4WD Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser. (Uh, no.)
Perhaps wisely, importation of these beasts was halted after 1974.
My friends eccentric father proudly owned one when we were kids and I can distinctly recall the overwhelming (i.e. suffocating) smell of petrol and the fear of the floor boards opening up like an upside down sardine can when riding in it on the way to school.

Swap Meet: Tyler Manson + TSJ Present...

Total shredder Dane Reynolds and all around Waterman Dan Malloy swap boards and stories in this great short video by Tyler Manson. Presented by The Surfer's Journal.

The Drawing Board: Summer, pt. I.

A pictorial guide to a proper, stylish and adventurous summer.

Training for Young Writers and Such.

Agenda: June 21, International Go Skate Day.

Get out and gleam. Shred. Push. Whatever.

Happy Fathers Day.

My dad, c. '65.

From the Inbox: New Quoddy + South Willard.

Two words. Sea. Foam.
Check out Valet's recent piece on "The Other Shoe", the moccasin, and in this case specifically, the classic blucher handsewn in Maine. But you know that.
Quoddy + South Willard.

On the Subject of: The Backpack.

Bags are carried, backpacks are worn. And not since slinging around the classic LL Bean book bag, writing on it and generally beating the crap out of it as a grade schooler, have a worn a backpack. As a bike rider, I have carried a number of various messenger bags, my ZO and ReLoad(who incidentally offer a nice waxed canvas backpack)being two greats. Off the bike, I've stuck mostly to Filson totes and the like. And there's been no shortage of shine given to all the various "manly" totes here over the years. But the idea of the simple, classic backpack or rucksack has been growing on me as of late. During the mountaineering equipment boom in the 70's, seems every hippie(no offense to hippies.I love you lefty pinkos. wink.)had a sewing machine and a dream, producing their own variations of the classic rucksack. 30 years later, vintage rucksacks can be found at most any flea market or thrift store. While I'm not up in the Gunks, scaling the Trapps all too often(i.e. never), leaving the house can sometimes feel like an adventure in its own right and in this spirit, I did a little digging and came up with a short list of a few of the best out there today.

Head to Toe: Tooling Around Blues.

Bill Viola, Street Music, 1976.

The "Steve Jobs" of Retail: Mickey Drexler.

This past week, WSJ ran an interview with J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler. In it, Drexler talks the "business of product", J.Crew's love of the "cult brands" and why failure isn't an option.
The accompanying short video provides a look behind the day to day scenes at J. Crew's HQ.

Pictures of Pictures of: Cy Twombly.

Another long time hero of mine. (Original photos by Robert Rauschenberg.)

The Mystery of The John McEnroe Portraits: Solved.

Sometime ago, I came into possession of a haul of McEnroe memorabilia; racquets of his, furniture, stereo equipment, kitchen knives, photographs. It's a long story. Among the photos were a few portraits of a much younger Mac, wearing a James Dean t shirt and a Cartier Tank watch. The prints are signed, illegibly. The photographer's identity remained elusive for years. Until last week...

Agenda: Pencil This In.

The World Cup kicks off tomorrow with Mexico v. South Africa. If you're looking for a place to watch the match, head up to The Ace Hotel and kick back some 3$ Tecates. Special menu prepared by The Breslin's chef April Bloomfield. They'll be showing most of the matches through to the final match, July 11th.

THE ACE HOTEL
20 W 29TH STREET,
NEW YORK, NY 10001



And on Saturday June 12th, Billy Reid will be in New York to host a BBQ at his shop on Bond st. Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, a renowned BBQ restaurant in Alabama participating in the Eight Annual Big Apple Bar-B-Q Block Party, will be there cooking up pork tacos and Slow Roasted BBQ from a pig roast that will be on display in front of the store. From 7pm-9pm.

Billy Reid
54 Bond st.
NYC

Simple is Beautiful: Volvo 240 Wagon.

A study in pared down simplicity, the 240 wagon, last produced in '93(I thought '92), marked the end of an era for Volvo. As Volvo phased it out, the (relatively) sleeker 740 wagon visually italicized the straight lines of the 240. But unlike an ill fitting suit, the 240's boxy construction remains classic, damn near iconic even. Simple knobs, dials and push buttons. Red for heat, Blue for cold. Utilitarian and smart. No computer-controlled anything. Reliable and, famously, safe(which I can attest to personally). The soccer-mom car from my youth. Designed by Jan Wilsgaard, Chief Designer at Volvo for forty years (1950-1990), he is quoted, wryly remarking on the success of the 200 series, "it might be due to the fact that the car is a little square and sluggish, just like the Swedes themselves." Square and sluggish as it may be, my 9'6" Dan Taylor would look good strapped to the top of it.