"A Slacker's Odyssey"

Image via Wahdodem

What do Sean Bones and Norah Jones have in common?  For one they both have a talent for great music, but they also star together in a really wonderful indie film from 2009 called Wah do Dem.  Max (Bones) is a total slacker from Brooklyn who wins a cruise to Jamaica with his girlfriend Willow (Norah Jones).  Days before they are set to depart, she dumps him and he sets sail alone.  We follow him as he navigates the island and encounters the local population, which is both funny and endearing.  All of which is set to a vibrant soundtrack that really captures the island spirit.  Watch the trailer...  

For those of you who don't know Sean Bones, I will provide a righteous sample of his music.  This Brooklynite blends a refreshing mix of reggae/pop and indie rock, which I quite enjoy.  Be sure to check out his album RINGS which includes a duet with Norah Jones called "Turn Them" featured in the movie.  "Let's Do Somethin' Else"...    

P.S. This looks like so much fun!

Mackintosh Braun

Mackintosh Braun is yet another musical powerhouse from Portland, Oregon.  This is the kind of music that you can dance to or chill out on a rainy afternoon.  The video is funky and the song is so good.  Perfect start to the week.

Bass Weejuns: A History

In 1936 George Henry Bass, a bootmaker from Wilton, Maine, began making a loafer modeled after the popular footwear of fishermen in Norway.  He called them "Weejuns" to acknowledge their Norwegian heritage.  Bass added a signature leather band with a diamond cutout across the front of the shoe.  During the 1940's and '50's people began putting dimes in the slit - the price of a pay phone call.  Later the penny was added for aesthetic purposes, giving birth to the penny loafer.


Penny loafers continued to grow in popularity as celebrities like James Dean, JFK, and Michael Jackson all sported Weejuns on a regular basis.  Due to their prevalence among prep school and Ivy League University students throughout the years, they have become a true symbol of classic, casual American style.  Worn by both men and women, with socks or without, Bass Weejuns are a timeless piece of Americana. 

My last pair of cordovan Weejuns lasted for years, but finally kicked the bucket a couple of months ago - I wore them so often they were literally falling apart.  So, I headed back to Bass to pick up a new pair.

The vintage inspired packaging is pretty rad and this chestnut color should be a nice addition to the wardrobe - a true essential.

"Weejuns - a way of life since 1936."

Under the Cover of Darkness

If I were stranded on a desert island and could only listen to one band for the rest of my life, I would probably choose the Strokes. I love 'em.  I am ecstatic that they are back recording a new album together after a 5 year hiatus.  Their first single, "Under the Cover of Darkness," sounds pretty similar to their older stuff, and the new video is pretty cool.  Counting down the days until the new album drops on March 22!

She is a Thing of Beauty

This is a funny commercial for Stella Artois that just so happens to be a directed by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola.  I'm digging the '60's European vibes of the costumes and color palette.  Perhaps a sneak preview of what to expect in Moon Rise Kingdom?  I hope so.

Moon Rise Kingdom

Image via Deadline

Wes Anderson had been working with Roman Coppola on writing the script for his new film called Moon Rise Kingdom slated to begin production in late Spring.


What's even more exciting is the tentative cast for the film.  Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton have all expressed interest in the film.  Hopefully this cast will pull through because I'm dying to see Tilda and Bruce in action together.  


According to Deadline New York:

"Moon Rise Kingdom is set in the 60s. Two young adults fall in love and run away. Leaders in their New England town are sticking the idea that they've disappeared and go in search of them. Norton will play a scout leader who brings his charges on a search. Willis is in talks to play the town sheriff who’s also looking, and who is having an affair with the missing girl’s mother, the role McDormand is in talks to play. Murray, a regular in Anderson films, will play the girl's father, who has his own issues."

So excited.

This is Ivy League

This band reminds me of a cross between Belle and Sebastian and Chad and Jeremy.  They sound like vintage Britpop with catchy hooks and timeless harmonies, but the band is actually the side project of Ryland Blackinton and Alex Suarez from Cobra Starship .  I recommend it for running errands.