PLACES TO EAT.

Good Mexican food is hard to find in NYC, that’s why eating at Tres Hermanos is an event worth celebrating. I am originally from Los Angeles, and growing up Mexican food was not only comfort food but a daily part of life. Sure there are a lot of positives to living in the incredible New York City, but one major void in my life is great Mexican food.

Almost two years ago when I first was looking for apartments, I found myself straddling the border between Williamsburg and Queens with no luck except for stumbling upon a tortilla factory called Tres Hermanos. Now at this point in time, Tres Hermanos was still in fact an active tortilla factory that had a small door on the left hand side, to a couple of white folding tables in the middle of the floor. Next to them were two Mexican women, a makeshift stove and some stacks of paper plates. From the outside, we knew that whatever they were serving must be good. So without hesitation we sat ourselves down, ordered 2 chicken tacos in broken Spanish and barely stopped to breathe before we were done. For the duration of those tacos I felt like I was back in Los Angeles eating off a taco truck in East LA. Click Read More for additional information and photos. Written by Brittany Kleinman

The reason I go into such depth about my first experience with Tres Hermanos is because it wouldn’t be for another year and a half until those tacos graced my stomach once more. Don’t get me wrong; I tried to go back. Several times. But to my dismay, they were either under-construction or not open. So despite the fact that it was 10:30am on a Friday (when I should have been at work) and I wasn’t hungry, nothing could stop me from running over the “OPEN” sign in Tres Hermanos. I promptly realized that they had completely re-done the interior and instead of two folding tables, it was a full on legitimate hole in the wall. Nevertheless, I ordered 2 chicken tacos off the crisp paper menu and once again got to indulge in the deliciousness that is Tres Hermanos.

Taste it for yourself at the Jefferson stop off the “L” train:

Tortilleria Mexicana Tres Hermanos
271 Starr Street
(Between Wyckoff Ave & St Nicholas Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11237
(718) 456-3422

YOU’LL NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST SNOG
NOMIYA PARIS FRANCE
PORTLAND’S PING

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GOOD IDEAS.

The main federal building in Portland, Oregon is preparing for a major makeover that could make it one of the greenest in the world. The General Services Administration plans to install vertical gardens along the building’s 200 foot tall facade as part of a $133 million renovation. The “vegetated fins” will bloom in spring and summer, providing shade, and cutting energy costs for the building by an estimated 60 to 65 percent.

According to project architects Cutler Anderson, the irrigation system will likely use captured rainwater, or grey water recycled from the building’s interior plumbing. Landscaping experts will experiment with vines and other vegetation this summer, and if all goes according to plan, the garden wall will be blossoming by 2013. Written by Elsa Brown

NY TIMES ON PORTLAND WALL
TOKYO GREEN SPACE ON PORTLAND WALL

STOP YELLOW WASTE
MERCADO NEGRO BY RAMON CORONADO
VISUAL HARMONY FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES

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PLACES: London’s East End has always been an exciting area because of its little alleyways and hidden secrets. It’s latest addition, the tiniest and most haunted bookshop in the city, is a definite London must-see; that is, if you can find it.

Located right in the middle of the Black Rat Press Gallery, behind the garden of the chill-out Cargo bar, Black Dog Books is a cram, dimly-lit little room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves peppered with dead butterflies. At the entrance, an animated robot smokes a cigarette and kicks empty liquor bottles around, and occasional ghastly whispers move between the shelves and books. Quite a hair-raising experience on a quiet afternoon at Rivington Street. Click Read More for additional information and photos. Written by Su Hui Tan

Black Dog Books, designed by Giles Walker and Will Randall, who also exhibit their art at the gallery, is an oasis in the otherwise sparse gallery. The idea for this pop-up project originated when the owners of the Black Rat were haunted by ghostly disturbances one evening. A little bit of probing revealed the story of the legendary Victorian bookdealer F J Williams who disappeared mysteriously in 1903 and is said to haunt various pubs and houses around the East End.

By taking the project of a gallery bookshop and turning it into an art project in itself, Black Rat has created something quite extraordinary. Stocked with an interesting selection of art books, and modern classic literature, the bookshop is set to be one of the most interesting art and book events of the year. Surrounding the bookshop are the constantly changing exhibitions and installations of selected contemporary artists. In an almost poetic incongruity, the gallery has been transformed such that the vintage-style bookshop remains the only constant in the space.

Location Details:

Black Rat Press Ltd
thru Cargo Garden, Arch 461
83 Rivington Street

Black Rat Press

WONDERWALL DESIGNS GODIVA HARAJUKU
GAGOSIAN NEW YORK
ABUNDANT READING AT LIVRARIA

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PLACES: By integrating apartment housing with a public marketplace, restaurants, and an underground supermarket, the designers behind Rotterdam Market Hall aim to create new patterns of urban living in Rotterdam’s historic center. Construction recently started on the Hall, which was designed by MVRDV.

From the architects: “At the place where Rotterdam was founded, near the historic Laurens church, the Market Hall will be realized as a new urban typology. The Market Hall is a sustainable combination of food, leisure, living and parking. Fully integrated to enhance and use the synergetic possibilities of the different functions, a public building emerging from housing.” Each end of the arched hall will be covered by a 40-meter tall, flexible glass facade that displays over 100 market stalls, shops and restaurants housed inside. The outer structure will provide space for 228 apartments, each with a balcony on the building’s exterior, and a window overlooking the interior arena. Scheduled for completion in 2014. Written by Elsa Brown

Dezeen on Rotterdam Market Hall
Design Scene on Rotterdam Market Hall

ROME’S MAXXI MUSEUM
LONDON’S OXFORD CIRCUS CROSSING OPENS
THE HOOVER DAM BYPASS PROJECT

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MUSIC: Once in awhile, a band comes along that creates truly soulful music, that band is Delta Spirit. Itʼs easy to imagine their blues infused rock on the streets of New Orleans to campfires in Joshua Tree. Their latest release Ode to Sunshine exhibits their talent for utilizing vintage and unconventional instruments (they actually used trashcan lids) to create a rare sound that hearkens back to the soulful 60s. With a strong penchant for storytelling and narrative, lead singer Matthew Vasquez croons with strained vocals tearing across a musical landscape of jangly piano hooks, sharp guitar melodies, and bare-boned drums.

Theyʼve previously toured with the likes of the Cold War Kids and The Shins; with an appearance on Conan and a track featured on Gossip Girl they are slowly garnering the attention they deserve. Click Read More to listen to their track Trash Can. Written by Michael Chen

Photo Credit Matt Wignall

DELTA SPIRIT

ANTHONY VALADEZ AUDIO/VISUAL
THE DIRTY PROJECTORS
NICOLAY CITY LIGHTS VOL. 2 – SHIBUYA

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If you were to tell me the most memorable part of my recent trip to Amsterdam would be the public library, I likely would have canceled my ticket. However, I’m happy and surprised to report that this is indeed the case. The public library has eclipsed the city’s efficient and clean public transit as the most impressive thing I found on my visit. It has also topped the bike friendly streets full of beautiful people, gliding along effortlessly, conducting their daily business.

The Central Branch of the Openbare Bibliotheek opened in July 2007, and serves at least 2.5 million visitors each year. The library’s resources are staggering. It occupies over 28,500 square meters spread over 10 floors, has 600 internet connected computers, 1200 seats, 2000 bicycle parking spaces, an auditorium, museum, restaurant, and multiple conference and exhibition rooms. Click Read More for additional information and photos. Written by Anthony Smyrski

As I approach the building I am immediately impressed by the slick and futuristic architecture. While the design nods to a utopian future, it’s clear that care has been taken to keep the facade from feeling dated. It will grow with the city.

Each floor of the library is dedicated to a different medium, making it easy to immerse yourself in any topic. The sense of openness, and clean workspaces, actively make visitors want to learn and research. Fathers lounge comfortably in red chairs with their sons as they read from a book about dinosaurs. Students sit in soundproof study pods, finding refuge from the bustling coffee shops and their cramped apartments. Freelancers use the computers and tables as their de facto office, taking advantage of the free internet and access to resource materials.

Conversation is also encouraged – I am happy to engage a young man by the name of Wouter in a lengthy chat. Wouter has recently returned from the United States – Ohio to be exact. He was working as a volunteer for the Obama campaign. Why would a Dutch citizen travel such a distance to work for free, and for a leader of a foreign government? “Whatever the United States does has an effect on the rest of the world,” Wouter explains. “As I see it, he’s my President too.” It’s this type of inclusive global thinking that can offer some insight into why the Dutch have spent such effort and money (80 Million euros to be exact) on a library.

What really strikes me is the ability of the library to erase the perceived boundaries between print, web, gaming, music and entertainment. It’s tech-savvy positioning changes the idea of what a library can be—not just a dusty place full of old books and grumpy librarians, this is a venue where Amsterdam’s citizens come to learn and interact with each other, and the world. They come to study and to learn and to do business.

And they come to eat, as I pleasantly found out. Not only was the library my favorite place in Amsterdam, it’s seventh-floor restaurant also served me the best meal I had during my short stay. I mean no affront to the city’s renowned potatoes or pancakes, but the chance to enjoy a glass of wine and freshly grilled salmon along with an excellent view of the city was one I could not pass up.

If you are passing through Amsterdam, do not miss the Openbare Bibliotheek.

Openbare Bibliotheek
Smyrski Creative

ART & CULTURE: LAB[au] PROJECTS
PLACES TO SEE: VIBRANT SPORT CENTER BY KOZ
PLACES TO SEE: MANNAHATTA/MANHATTAN 400 YEARS AGO

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Written by Bruce Campbell: Audio/Visual is the debut full length from artist, club and radio dj, playwright, Anthony Valadez. This album is a collection of beats that became modified with the addition of live instrumentation to add texture. The concept of the album is based on the merge between sight and sound – each song, sample and layer is inspired by a visual that inspired Valadez.

“I’ve always been inspired by the visual elements of everyday life” Valadez explains. “From my college days, taking public transportation, to driving home late at nights from gigs. My mind takes mental snapshots that stay with me while I play the keys, percussion and the mpc to create sounds…” The opening track Vibrations is a clear indication that this is not your typical beat album, but rather an experimentation with samples, live bass lines, melodic chord changes and soulful elements. “I got bored of beat music with simple loops that really go nowhere and I wanted to challenge myself in creating a palette that allows me to change the texture within a song.” Click Read More for additional information.

Valadez enlist the vocal talents of Stockholm’s Kissey Asplund and Los Angeles’ Wendisue on a few tracks. Nevertheless the majority of the project is an instrumental sound-scape accompanied with the musicianship of Dexter Story (Life Force Trio, Build an Ark), Shante Palmer (Raphael Saadiq, Talib Kweli) and Evan Lasrey.

BUY NOW
ABOUT ANTHONY VALADEZ
ANTHONY VALADEZ BLOG

WJS AUDIO: THE DIRTY PROJECTORS
WJS AUDIO: NICOLAY CITY LIGHTS VOL. 2 – SHIBUYA
WJS AUDIO: THE ETHEREAL SOUND OF POLLYN

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Written by Michael Chen: “I guess what I want to do, and what we want to do, is try to make music that feels good, and feels expressive—even as it does so in a new vocabulary.” And frontman Dave Longstreth does exactly that with The Dirty Projectors’ latest release Bitte Orca. Longstreth simultaneously creates intricate vocal patterns and complex orchestration within each track to create a musical personality that is unique yet distinctly recognizable. The tone of the album shifts with string quartets mixed with heavy synthesizer sounds and four different vocalists, including Longstreth himself. The juxtaposition of lo-fi elements and complex arrangements is reminiscent of the Flaming Lips and other experimental rock bands. Bitte Orca is innovative and familiar enough to please longtime fans and first time listeners. Click Read More for additional information and to listen to a track from Bitte Orca.

BUY NOW
THE DIRTY PROJECTORS
TOUR DATES

WJS AUDIO: NICOLAY CITY LIGHTS VOL. 2 – SHIBUYA
WJS AUDIO: THE ETHEREAL SOUND OF POLLYN
WJS AUDIO: QUANTIC & HIS COMBO BARBARO

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Written by Bruce Campbell: Inspired by a consciousness-awakening trip to Tokyo, soulful producer Nicolay presents his latest album, City Lights Volume 2 – Shibuya. Similar to City Lights Volume 1 from years ago, this Volume is mostly made up of instrumental compositions. Listening to the project, there is a unique balance of intricate beats woven together to create the sensation of warm vibrations traveling through space and time.

Harmonious vocals from Nicolay’s newest prodigy Carlitta Durand, compliment a few of the tracks and give the album a beautiful melodic balance. Even though most fans may be familiar with his soul and hip hop productions (The Foreign Exchange, Dutch Masters, Little Brother, etc.), Nicolay is not afraid to step outside the box and explore new possibilities of sound. City Lights Volume 2 – Shibuya is just that distinct, refreshing and exceptional. Click Read More for additional information and to listen to the sampler.

BUY HERE
NICOLAY MUSIC
CITY LIGHTS VOLUME 2 SAMPLER
NICOLAY FT. CARLITTA DURAND “LOOSE YOUR WAY”

WJS AUDIO: QUANTIC & HIS COMBO BARBARO
WJS AUDIO: THE ETHEREAL SOUND OF POLLYN
WJS AUDIO: MAYER HAWTHORNE’S MAYBE SO MAYBE NO

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Written by Bruce Campbell: As the weather heats up in these last weeks of summer, Quantic & His Combo Barbaro cools my soul. I’ve known Quantic to showcase his talents in the Latin genre but he has really outdone himself on this project. Recorded in Columbia, there is a beautiful balance of live instrumentation with touches of programmed sketches. Although it was recorded in Columbia, Quantic is spot on in showcasing a variety of Latin American styles. His Combo Barbaro includes the talents of Alfredo Linares on piano, Freddy Colorado on congas, Fernando Ovejo Silva on bass, Angel Hernandez on trumpet, Malcolm Catto on drums and Arthur Verocai on arrangements. This is the perfect soundtrack for your summer getaway or an office daydream. Click Read More for additional information.

Tradition in Transition: A Postcard from Cali (TRAILER)

Trailer from the forthcoming Mochilla/Sonido del Valle production. Shot in Cali and Buenaventura in Colombia. Based around the music of Quantic and his Combo Barbaro from their forthcoming Tradition in Transition album on Tru Thoughts Records featuring the talents of Will Quantic, Alfredito Linares, Nidia Gongora, Freddy Colorado, Arthur Verocai, Joao Comanche Gomes and Malcolm Catto.

Bruce Campbell (aka Dj Junior) is an education consultant and owner Philadelphia-based independent record label Record Breakin’ Music (RBM). RBM has a straightforward approach to releasing quality new music with a soulful foundation. DJ Junior has been dropping soulful gems for some time now. Eavesdrop Radio, his weekly radio show on WKDU 91.7FM is a staple for music heads tuning in for jazz, soul, hip hop, latin grooves, afro-beat, broken beat and everything in-between. His focus has and always will be to present quality music to a culture that embraces it. Check him out at Record Breakin.

Buy This!
Quantic Music
Tru Thoughts on Quantic
Photo Credit

wejetset audio: Mayer Hawthorne’s Maybe So Maybe No
wejetset audio: Nouvelle Vague’s Love Will Tear Us Apart
wejetset audio: José James & The Dreamer

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Written by Lucy Plint: Announcing its arrival in downtown Manhattan with a thrum of guitar strings, Ace Hotel New York is quite possibly the coolest hotel EVER. With Gibson guitars and stacks of blank sheet music in your room, if there is a place to write your first rock masterpiece, this is it. 
 


As any seasoned poker fiend knows, the ace is both the high and low card – a concept Manhattan’s newest boutique hotel (sister of the Portland, Palm Springs and Seattle Aces) has taken and run with. For the young, cool and almost famous, the Bunk rooms feel like the hippest hostel in town, all grey plaid fabric and street-art walls. For those with a bit more cash to splash, the Loft suites have a boho New York-apartment feel, with fabulous bay windows looking down on Broadway, filled with flea market finds. In-room Smeg refrigerators stocked with beer kegs and cheeky treats are perfect for late night jamming sessions and take care of the midnight munchies.
 Click Read More for additional information and photos.


Like a vintage CBGB’s T-shirt, Ace smacks of effortless, grungy glam. From the enormous graffitied mural created by local artists, to the turntables in every room, they’ve got it covered. Those in need of a hot new ’do needn’t look further than the lobby, where the stylistas at Rudy’s Barbershop will beautify your barnet, and there’s even a retro photobooth for before and after shots. Morning-after caffeine emergencies are taken care of in the Stumptown coffeeshop. But the trump card in Ace’s pack has got to be the Breslin, its unshaven, tattooed rocker of a restaurant. Distressed green leather and reclaimed wood floors set a suitably masculine scene for this nose-to-tail eatery, from Spotted Pig founders April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman.
 


Sitting on the corner of Broadway and 29th Street, with Madison Square Gardens just down the road, for any aspiring musician in New York this is the place to be. In fact, even if you’re not a touring rockstar, you’ll find Ace Hotel, just, well, ace.

Location Details

Ace Hotel New York
20 West 29th Street
New York, NY 10001

Ace Hotel New York
Mr & Mrs Smith on New York
Mr & Mrs Smith Website

Places to Stay: Just Enough Room at Mini Capsule Hotel
Places to Stay: The Standard Downtown LA
Places to Stay: Hotels Designed by Joseph Dirand

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Written by Joseph Ng: There’s no question that Hong Kong people like to eat. We’re also serious about our breakfast! Just like most places in the world, a restaurant that serves all-day breakfast will always be a hit, and Hong Kong’s answer is the Australia Dairy Company (ADC).

ADC brings to life the concept of perfectly scrambled eggs. They’re amazing. If there’s only one reason to visit, it’s their eggs – hands down. But, even though this place serves all-day breakfast, it’s definitely not the place to go if you want a slow and relaxing start to the day. Its undying popularity keeps it consistently packed with customers. So take a nice relaxing walk ahead of time, and then prepare for the show. Click Read More for additional information.

This restaurant is deadly efficient. The waiters move at a chaotic speed ever so gracefully through the restaurant. Food turnaround time is less than a minute from the moment you place an order. Your plate disappears the moment you finish your fluffy scrambled eggs toast. The whole process is an experience in itself. You are bound to share a table with a local stranger who will most likely never make eye contact with you since they are too busy chomping away.

Please note: By the time I remembered to take a photo of the food itself, I realized that it was already being digested happily by my stomach and not-so-friendly glares were exchanged the moment I pointed my camera at other people’s food. I guess you have to visit the place in order to experience what I am talking about.

I also have to point out that there is even an 8500-strong facebook group dedicated to this restaurant and their love for the scrambled eggs. Welcome to Hong Kong.

Location Details

Australia Dairy Company (澳洲牛奶公司)
47-49 Parkes Street
Jordan
Hong Kong

Tasty Treets on ADC
Trip Advisor on ADC
ADC Facebook Page

Places to Eat: Hong Kong’s After School Cafe
Places to Eat & Drink: Introducing An Outlet by four23
Places to Eat & Drink: Sao Paulo’s New Meaty Bar Scene

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Written by Brittany Kleinman: I once read that in the summer, New York City is at least 15 degrees hotter than the surrounding mainland. Now of course by this, I don’t just mean the sweat culminating on your forehead as you wait for the subway, but instead the increased sexiness that NYC reveals during the summer months. Things get hotter, skirts get shorter, and parties get longer. To New Yorkers, the summer means rooftop bars, sunglasses, flip-flops, park picnics, concerts, beer halls, and best of all, summer hours. This is why wejetset has currated a list of some events happening this summer in NYC. Click Read More to view.

The full list is collected by Jessica Latham for Vanity Fair.

When: First Thursdays of every month
Where: Front Street, Dumbo
What: The DUMBO 1st Thursday Gallery Walk on Thursday. DUMBO 1st Thursday features area galleries and artists’ studios, open from 5:30 to 8:30, on the first Thursday of each month. There is no admission fee; participating galleries are open to the public. Gallery receptions, neighborhood dining and bars, and live music add to the evening’s festivities.
Dumbo NYC

When: May 15 through September 20
Where: Rooftops across Manhattan
What: More than 40 unique screenings in 15 venues all over New York City
Rooftopfilms

When: Events start at the end of May
Where: Various venues downtown
What: Founded in 2002, The River to River Festival is a partnership between the Alliance for Downtown NY, Arts World Financial Center, Battery Park City Authority, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and South Street Seaport. The River to River Festival takes place each summer in a variety of public venues that canvas all of Downtown New York from Chambers Street to the southern tip of Manhattan and across the island from river to river. For complete scheduling visit:
rivertorivernyc.

When: Monday nights at 5 PM beginning June 15th
Where: The lawn of Bryant Park (40th Street and 6th Avenue)
What: This series of outdoor, classic movie screenings plays on Monday nights throughout the summer months in Bryant Park. Rain dates are at sunset the following night. For more information visit:
Bryant Park Film Festival

JUNE
15: The Sting
22: Breaking Away
29: Gold Diggers

JULY
6: Dog Day Afternoon
13: How Green Was My Valley
20: Harold and Maude
27: The Defiant Ones

AUGUST
3: Kramer vs. Kramer
10: The Magnificent Seven
17: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

When: Saturdays from late June through early September, 2 PM – 9 PM
Where: MOMA, PS1, Long Island City
What: Warm Up is P.S.1’s critically acclaimed music series and has become one of the most anticipated summer events. Warm Up was conceived in 1997 as a summer-long dance party to attract crowds to P.S.1. and Long Island City, Queens. The series runs every Saturday and draws thousands of local and international visitors each day. Schedule TBD.
PS1 Warm Up

When: Thursdays, June 18 – August 13
Where: Union Square
What: Union Square will host lunchtime concerts, afternoon yoga classe,s and evening performances.

What: For the 17th consecutive year, Hudson River Park will sponsor a free outdoor summer event series. The “Take Me to the River” celebration will include free concerts, movies, dancing, boxing, fishing, family workshops, and more! Some highlights are listed below, but for the full schedule of events, check out:
Hudson River Park

When: July 14 and July 17: 8:00 PM
Where: The Great Lawn, Central Park
What: This beloved tradition, now in its 45th year features music under the stars, family and friends, and a fireworks finale that all make for a perfect summer evening. For more information, visit:
New York Philharmonic.

When: Saturdays, July 18 – August 22 Where: Bridgehampton Polo Club What: Some of the world’s best athletes compete for one of the sport’s most treasured prizes amid the splendor of the fashionable Hampton’s summer scene. Tournaments are played on Saturdays at 4 pm in July and August on Hayground Road in Water Mill. General admission tickets are available on the day of the polo match. Admission is $20 per car. All proceeds benefit the South Fork Breast Health Coalition. The V.I.P tent is reserved for sponsors and their invited guests only. For information on private field-side tailgate tents, please call 212-420-9420 ext. 29 or visit:
Bridgehampton Polo.

When: July 30, 7PM
Where: Pier 84, 44th Street
What: Ameteur Boxing on the river. V.I.P tickets on sale June 15 at:
Friday Night Fights

When: Sunday, August 23; 2 PM -9 PM
Where: Pier 54, 14th Street
What: The hottest blues artists from across the country and New York’s best BBQ restaurants get together for an unforgettable night of music and good food.

Local Events: Before Blogs the NYC Zine Fest
Local Events: Michael Genovese Exhibit in Miami
Local Events: Milan’s Follow the Line Exhibit

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Written by Lucy Fennings: So, hotelier par excellence André Balazs’ edgy new mission base in New York might have been grabbing all the media limelight of late, but let’s not forget the two Los Angeles bolt holes that put the Standard brand on the map – and our favorite is the Standard Hollywood’s funky sibling site in Downtown LA.

This is still one of the coolest hangouts in the city. Giant foot sculptures in the bathrooms of rooms justifiably called ‘Wow’, an original 1950s lobby space, and genius flashes of canary yellow and scarlet send you into a 20th-century time warp. Here, in a plastic-fantastic playground, Bond’s groovy overnight mission bases meet the GPlan furnishings of suburban middle America – it’s an inspired, slightly psychedelic take on Hitchcock-era decor. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

The Standard Downtown LA occupies a 12-storey mid-1950s office block that has been skillfully brought back to modern life by the ever-entrepreneurial hotelier André Balazs. Interiors draw inspiration from their original business functions: multi-time-zone clocks set to represent past capitals of commerce Calcutta and Tehran silently mark the passing seconds, and tiny lightbulbs blink on a giant etched-metal world map that Dr No would have itched to park his giant leather swivel chair in front of.

Downtime is not disregarded, though, and everywhere you look there are references to the rather unique dynamic between poseur and voyeur that has been cultivated in California. The Standard’s enormous beds and showers call for partying in the Hefner style, and the view from pod-encased waterbeds on the roof takes in downtown, Flower Street and the surrounding rooftops. Helicopters buzz past like something from a futuristic cartoon, and the pool is surrounded by a carpet of vivid red astroturf. By night, LA’s most beautiful barflies are drawn to the hip rooftop cocktail bar. What’s not to like?

Location Details

The Standard Downtown LA
550 South Flower Street at Sixth Street
Los Angeles
California 90071

Book the Standard Downtown LA
Smith Guide to Los Angeles
Mr & Mrs Smith Website

Places to Stay: Hotels Designed by Joseph Dirand
Business Travel: Wallpaper* Mag’s 2009 Best Business Hotels
Places to Stay: The Delano in Miami

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Written by Brittany Kleinman: Whether it’s a place you’ve never seen before or a road you travel on every day, maps give a sense of our location and relationship to the things around us. Most of the time, store bought maps represent this association in a purely physical way, never touching upon the individual emotional significance of that place.

However recently, I have been following a site that is taking a different approach to the typical gas station road atlas, by collecting diagrams that map personal connection to place. The Hand Drawn Map Association (HDMA) is an ongoing archive of user submitted maps and other interesting diagrams all created by hand. Founder Kris Harzinski has created a public forum where maps can be browsed, uploaded and exhibited on their site and in special shows. Click Read More for additional information.

As a new feature at HDMA, they are inviting various individuals to curate a collection of 10 things. The current exhibition is from John Hutchison who has mapped his personal relationship with the greater USA based upon everything from where his family lives to where he has seen Star Wars. Below he touches upon the magic of maps in his life:

“There is an amazing power in maps. There is also an amazing authority that comes with that power. maps are serious business. Their power to transit information ensures they are virtually always considered reference materials.

I fell under the spell of maps from an early age. I count road trips as one of my most favorite activities in the world. My interest in maps, or rather map making as a mechanism to tell stories, or convey ideas is to turn the traditional notion of maps as authority slightly askew. What if maps didn’t convey information that was of any use to most people? What if maps were used to transmit information about someone’s life, as a biography if you will? What if that biography was just some average jack ass like me? Would the fact they were maps make it somehow more interesting?

This will be a regular feature on the HDMA, with a new collection of 10 things every two months.

Hand Drawn Map Association
John Hutchinson Curated Collection

Art & Culture: The Photography of Sarah Yates
Art & Culture: Frederic Chaubin shoots Soviet Architecture
Art & Culture: The Aerial Photography of Stephan Zirwes

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