Oaklyn Raider Gets No Sleep 'Til Brookland...

This spinning god-sized ball of dirt that we find ourselves on is getting smaller by the day, yet not by physical means but rather by the speed and connectivity of our information systems. You can be anything you'd like or be anywhere you chose. Virtual is now more Actual than ever.

Case in point: Meet Alias & Tarsier.



He (Alias) is a prolific producer/lyricist of the not-so-mainstream hip hop order. Hailing from the Oakland end of the greater Bay Area known for its ultra-unique, progressive fusion of hip hop and electronic flavor, Alias, a.k.a Brendon Whitney, is a bi-costal kid from Cali by way of Maine. Once a spoken word poet, Alias found himself gravitating more toward the music rather than the words. Lush soundscapes became his vocals and dreamy cinematic movements became the inspired rather than the background inspiration.

She (Tarsier) is an aural angel who begged her parents for instruments and lessons to be close to music. Born under the lights of movie studios in Culver City, CA, Rona Rapadas ironically found herself struck by the sound of the movies. That big, wide-open flow of sound used to tell stories. Little did she know that a man with a key to that particular lock was formulating a plan that would fit her needs. Tarsier garnered critical acclaim by coupling with a producer who could back her haunting voice. Healamonster was the first to "mash-up" with Tarsier forming Healamonster & Tarsier and relocating to Brooklyn, NY to do their work. Her vocal skills seemed to invite the need for collabortation.

Here is where the ball of dirt shrinks.

Tarsier had caught a glimpse of her future in the beats of Alias and very matter-of-factly sent him an email with a sincere and simple suggestion;

From: Rona
To: Anticon (Alias' record label)
Subject Vox with Alias

Hello.
This is Rona aka Tarsier, from the Brooklyn-based electronic duo Healamonster & Tarsier. I am loving Alias' album Muted and I am wondering if he would be interested in collaborating with me on a future track, or be open to me providing vocals for one of his tracks. I live in Brooklyn but we could trade beats and/or song structures and vocal MP3s via email.

(a actual email written by Rona "Tarsier" Rapadas, as read in URB Magazine Aug. '06 issue)


And with that, the oceans met.



The resulting tidal wash produced Alias & Tarsier and the cleverly titled "Oaklyn/Brookland" named in perfect homage of the combining of styles and coasts. I can't do the sound proper lip service, so I task you now... Listen and be so moved by a indie rapper gone savvy producer and a singer who literally begged to be heard.

Alias+Tarsier on MySpace

Anticon Records



---
Steve Gordon Jr.

Much more than a menu... Camaje.

My last visit to NYC was as all of my visits usually are, far more pedestrian native than awed tourist. I catch my cab to the UES (Upper East Side) of Manhattan, settle into my corner of my childhood friend's quaint little place, and then plot my park run for the next morning and grab my Metro Pass. Knowing how I move in the city that I call home more so than my own home town, my friend usually directs me to spots that offer a truer sense of local color.

One such place is the amazing little bistro located in the Village; Camaje.



From the corner of MacDougal and Houston the garnet-colored awning bearing the name gently inviting you to venture over and take a seat in the shade thusly being transported to a different place. Time moves a bit slower, and the atmosphere eases away the cares of the moment as if to prepare your mind and palette for what is to come. Seating is low in numbers and close in spacing but you never feel crowded. Sidewalk seating is available when weather permits. For those really in the mood to chill, there is a couch that looks and feels like everyone's favorite lived-in couch facing the wonderfully detailed fire-doors that when fully opened expose the interior to sidwalk and street. I suggest going with a friend because the ambiance at Camaje will incite good conversation and a genuine feeling of connection that all friends need to remember feeling. I did just such a thing, having been accomplanied by my good friend Joy. Upon arrival, we sit and lazily look over the menu because the vibe is so nice that we are in no rush. Our server (who also would eventually wear all hats short of cook) sat reading while still being quite attentive to us. This was nice because we felt no pressure to get a move on and we conversed with him about the perfect music piping into the spice-scented cafe from his own iPod. Another perk of a laid-back local spot; the help is most always mad cool. Enough swooning over the scene... Now onto the tastes.

The menu has continental twist on favorites with offerings like the Kobe beef burger, the chicken avacado panini and the wide range of not-your-typical garden salads. My personal fave is the chicken avacado panini and my own press of Oolong tea. Camaje also offers cooking classes as well as their famed "One Night Stand" endeavor in which you accompany award-winning chef and owner Abigail Hitchcock at the fires preparing a meal for yourself and up to 24 friends.

As a must-stop for me each time I'm in the City, I humbly submit that you should saunter dow the NYC's Village, get to the corner of MacDougal and Houston and look to your right... You see it? Yeah, go on in and find your new favortie spot. Camaje.

For more info:
http://www.camaje.com/

Independent Studies®: Liquid Slick Style

Many times throughout this blog it will become quite evident that I am a Target junkie with a severe stitch for the circle-dot. As the current unmatched keep for all things stylishly affordable, Target continues to show that good design is worth having and that designers are interested in getting their style into the hands of the wanting masses.

While blazing thru Target.com, I came upon a "mod" decor line with the hinted slick of Deco style tinted with current modern urban attitude. Independent Studies sports looks that belong anywhere from the most stylish of LA boutique hotels to the space-conscious East Coaster trying to make the most of their own personal HQ in the big city.

Rounded trapazoidal clocks adorned sparkling arrays of linear elements play up the current "glam" fashion standard on a classic canvas while polished metal lamps seem to drip with sexy shine.






With everything from desk clocks and wall art to bedding, Independent Studies is well worth the look, and the actual buying of a few pieces won't cost you much more.

http://www.target.com

---
Steve Gordon Jr.

On the Sneak; Adidas Rising Star Oddity

In 1984 Adidas release a revolutionary shoe in both fuction and material. The Rising Star was a stunning silver and fire red runner with an upper made of naturally water-resistant kangaroo leather and a foot hugging fit. But the real "special sauce" was the interchangable midsole pads meant to provide a custom fit; an unheard of innovation in '84 when most shoes were stuck using basic foam technology from the 70s.




Skip to 2005, and the limited re-release of the Rising Star. I copped a pair of the platinum runnies at the Adidas Originals Store in Chicago on Rush St. I was so stoked to have stumbled upon such a find that I immediately did some research to find out more about the shoe and it's story. That's when, a few months later, I found what I still think to be one of the most slept-on pair of kicks in the last two years. The maddening twist on the Rising Star; The Adidas Rising Star Oddity. Aptly named for its wild colorway that seems to match nothing (therefore matching about everything), this shoe is amazing! Still sporting a bit of the original silver-toned kangaroo leather under the black suade toe cap the rest of the colorway is a complete mash up of hyper-hued colors. Both the Rising Star and the RS Oddity were re-released in very exclusive limited quantities of just over 2000 pair world-wide.



Move ahead once again and we find the Rising Star LA '84 special edition popping up in collector circles. Though not as audacious as the RS-Oddity, the RS-LA'84 provides another sick variation



Most average shoe buyers won't feel these styles, but artists, Creatives and sneakerheads alike can appreciate the style, flair and unique twists on a rare classic that was itself a literal and figurative step ahead of the game. By the way... I own the first two pair. Special feels good.

You can cop these and many other fresh sneaks at my persoanl fave FTK Online

http://www.cmonwealth.com
(another very good online spyglass for the hotness in kicks.)

---
Steve Gordon Jr.