Better known for his comedic work directing Saturday Night Live, in 1979, director Gary Weis infiltrated two brutal young gangs in the Bronx to film 80 Blocks from Tiffany’s. This fall, the previously unavailable film is now out on DVD, in a package that also includes the 40-page Esquire article by Jon Savage that inspired it.
Originally shot to fill one of SNL’s weekly time slots on NBC, the documentary, which was ultimately deemed too controversial to air, examines street culture before hip-hop blossomed, at the fomentation of breakdancing and graffiti. Members of the Savage Nomads and the Savage Skulls give frank testament to the harsh reality of life in the South Bronx: their crimes, families, communities, and cops.
Tucked in a corner off of Washington Square Park, amid the tobacco shops and cheap pizza, there’s a store that could only exist in an obsessive Coen Brothers fan’s imagination — or in Greenwich Village. It’s called “Little Lebowski,” and, yes, it’s a store devoted to all things Lebowski. Within the narrow confines of the shop, the Dude certainly abides: Not only is there a myriad of Lebowski t-shirts, action figures, bumper stickers, and memorabilia to choose from, but the store owner, Roy Preston, greets you from behind an In-and-Out counter dressed in a bathrobe and slippers. Grab your bowling shoes and a White Russian and join us for a guided tour of Little Lebowski, after the jump.
On Saturday, September 25, City Chase returned to NYC, sending hundreds of competitors scrambling throughout the city in a race to complete challenges, throw inhibition out the window, and generally confuse passersby. Billing itself as an “urban adventure series,” City Chase takes place annually in cities across the nation, with the winners from each one moving on to the national finals. Teams of two are tasked with undertaking everything from knife throwing and magic tricks to karaoke and parkour, with a maximum of six hours to finish ten challenges from a list of 40. After taking part last year, we could resist the chance to do it all again. Check out our exclusive photo gallery from this year’s New York leg of the event after the jump.
For the directionally-challenged these sprayed compass roses — the work on an “anonymous group” — might be even more life-altering than the tourist sidewalk lane. Note: The city actually experimented with the compass idea a few years ago, but the project never expanded. We’re all for it! [via BuzzFeed]
The New York City public transportation system has perks (sprawling network of routes, same admission price for every trip) and drawbacks (odd smells, transients, weekend service changes). And while most passengers channel rage in a highly passive-aggressive manner, we prefer something a little more subtle. Please. Jason Shelowitz is granting our wish with a public art campaign launching citywide via a limited run of hand-pulled, four-color screen prints extolling the virtues of Subway Etiquette. They’re visually similar to the ubiquitous flyers posted by the actual MTA, so pay close attention. Three samples and our own warning after the jump.
When Norman Mailer and photographer Jon Naar investigated NYC’s graff scene in 1973, most of the artists felt the movement was in decline — but that didn’t stop the pair from documenting (and validating) the in-fact nascent art form.
Teen taggers from the Bronx illuminate the life — and perils — of a graffiti artist to Mailer, who uses the book to connect the burgeoning form to works within MoMA and the Met. This new edition of The Faith of Graffiti contains more than 30 additional photos, and comes at a time when the now-mainstream nature of graffiti affords a whole new perspective.
This past Saturday, Flavorpill took part in the 2009 NYC leg of City Chase, a citywide obstacle course and race that combines mental, physical, and just plain embarrassing challenges, all designed to take you “out of your comfort zone.” Over the course of six hours, we rode unicycles, shot arrows, swung upside down from a trapeze, and stripped naked in a bowling alley. (Not to mention spending an extended amount of time in the Museum of Sex.) We may not have come close to actually winning the race, but we did bring a photographer along for the whole ride to show off our best efforts.
Our buddies over at the F5 Conference wanna help inspire you. That’s why they’ve lined up two days of creative, successful folks (mostly designers, but also: Jonah Lehrer, Doug Jaeger, Rachel Maddow — eep!) to share their insights over at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC. We’re gonna help inspire you to get your butt over there by giving away a pair of tickets to the two-day event (worth $280 a pop). Read More »
After some serious deliberation here in the office — followed by, naturally, some serious drooling, we’ve picked a winner for our Choice Eats contest… Congratulations and a big fat buen provecho to Lisa, who will be heading to the Village Voice’s second-annual Choice Eats restaurant round-up with a guest, on us. She hipped us to Cafe Glechik in Brighton Beach:
“If you love Ukrainian-Russian babushky with attitudes AND dumplings — run. Serving up vareniki & pelmeni : both are dumplings, differing in that vareniki traditionally have a sweet filling <my fav: sweet cheese> – pelmeni w/savory center <i.e. chicken/potato/mushroom>
All hand made by a robust lady who knows what’s tasty in back. Make sure to add vinegar and sour cream and OMGDelicious.
just sayin.”
She very narrowly won over Ana, who gushed about the awesome Mexican food at Chavella’s in Prospect/Crown Heights. But no one in the office had been to Glenchik, so the prize goes to Lisa! Congrats to this Coney Island baby. We’ll email you ticket details early Monday! (Right now, we’re starving after all this Choice Eats talk, and need to go get some dinner.)
