Asking a seasoned traveler for the name of a good Chinese restaurant is like searching online for a custom made shirt. With no chance to feel the hand of the fabric or compare that particular shade of blue you like with your skin tone, the search for right tastes and a healthy blend of ingredients is elusive at best and can often lead to a major disappointment if not a sour stomach. So, it was a rare and welcome discovery to sit down to the five-course near perfection offered up by Chef Chan Yan Tak at Lung King Heen in Hong Kong. Situated in the spectacular Four Seasons Hotel (the largest Four on the planet), this three star Michelin master holds court daily for diners whose adoration for dim sum bring them to the ongoing power lunch scene around the peaceful, spacious and beautifully arranged tables of this stellar restaurant. We passed up the initial invite for lunch so as to be able instead to savor a delicious dinner we will lovingly remember.
“Fried Rice with Lobster and Seafood†was equally divine; the rich taste of the rice combined well with sweet peas, tiny slivers of carrot delicately mixed with small bites of succulent lobster, prawn and crab. The result was tasty without being too filling, as much a light vegetable dish as one with seafood. From the page entitled “Organic, Vegetarian†we selected the “Five Grain Noodles and Assorted Vegetablesâ€, abandoning our gluten-free preference for this special occasion. Both full of flavor and rich, this was as fine a noodle dish as any we'd ever had, the accent on the organic solidly noticeable with each bite. Since most noodle dishes in lesser establishments are often buoyed by water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and Chinese cabbage, the absence of these staple fillers has to be acknowledged.
More familiar with tofu than most other patrons (my family has made our own for four decades), we were eager to try the “Crispy Tofu Sheet Rolls with Vegetables.†We'd happily devour this dish, with a bowl of brown rice (not served here) and steamed greens, on a daily basis – that is if we could prepare it as well as Chef Chan did. It was exceptionally appetizing and totally enjoyable.
Vegans, vegetarians and macros take note: don't settle for ordinary rice and bean curd just to save money in the great city of Hong Kong. Assuming they sample the beef, pork and shark's fin items on the menu, most people pay $150 – $200 each at Lung King Heen. Calculating that our meal served three people generously, the tab was $50 US per person, and we dined at the only three star Michelin Chinese restaurant in Asia. If that's not great value for money, then my tai chi is full of hungry ghosts.
The surprise ending? Hasma, known for its health-giving properties, are moist, chewy morsels with almost no taste. Hasma is said to be very good for the kidneys, lungs and women's skin as it contains many hormones and has a high lipid content. This is because it is a combination of fat and part of the reproductive area of a white-bellied frog from the north of China. Thus, as the meal ended, we conceded that when searching for healthy food, it just might not be essential to avoid all four-legged creatures that evolution moved out of the water. Astonished that we'd ingested our first amphibious body part, we both left of the same mind, feeling blessed that dinner at Lung King Heen was the best Chinese meal we'd ever had.
When used correctly, the ever-expressive eyebrows can be a window into the soul …or at least into the opinion being formulated deep within. Those who are unfortunate sufferers of facial paralysis might never command the effective power of displaying worry through the furrowing of one’s brow or the curious inquiry hinted at by raising just one side. Fortunately, Tom Judd, a recent graduate of the masters in Animation program at the Royal College of Art, has come up with a solution for the unfortunate few with little control over their facial expressions. His Eyebrow Hat has harnessed the evocative power of one’s double fuzzies into a remote controlled device, capable of showing just what you might be feeling at any given time provided you haven’t run out of batteries.
When Mr. Judd isn’t busy helping those who can’t animate their own feelings, he’s busy putting together some kick ass cartoon work. His three and a half minute long masterpiece, Bruce, tells the tale of a boy who through the use of open source genetic programming, creates his very own pint-sized action hero . Sounds like something we’d like to have. Check it out here and be on the lookout for this rising illustrative talent.
Richard Haines is designerman, a fashion designer and blogger whose sketches of NYC style cause as many double takes as the people who inspire them. A brightly talented illustrator with a taste for the streets, Richard strolls New York City with pencils in hand, discovering the trends of today and tomorrow in a way all his own.
After a few embarrassingly emotional fashion experiences on What I Saw Today, Richard's aforementioned, personality-packed blog, we decided that a first hand chat was in order. Read on as we talk style, substance, and the visual ways of keeping those words together.
When Corey Rich was 13, a teacher noticed that he had very capable biceps. This happened during a pull-up contest – one of those middle school battles to trick kids into fitness over fatness- and Corey had knocked out 35 to win first place by a stretch. The teacher was a rock climber, and he thought the kid might enjoy tagging along. He did.
There's a feeling that comes with experiences of psychological and physical significance, and it's best understood as a crazy mix of endorphins, wonder, and an honest appreciation of your insignificance in the grand scheme of things. It doesn't have an official name – just call it “the feeling that feels like exclamation points,†— but it's addictive as hell. When Corey was 13, he experienced that feeling, and he decided to try to capture it on camera.
It's been 20 years since Corey Rich first made friends with nature, and nearly the same amount of time since he began capturing it on film. Now one of the most sought after adventure sports photographers in the world, Corey's remarkable shots have landed in the pages of most publications worth mentioning, and in the advertisements for the world's most famous brands. We caught up with a freshly de-planed Corey to chat life, lenses, and what it takes to make them work so well together.
When I was a young kid, a friend and I got in loads of trouble for trying to send smoke signals and burning down half of my friend’s back yard (I still swear all fires were controlled). Now my childhood dream of sending smoke signals is getting the artistic touch from Minimaforms (brothers, Stephen and Theodore Spyropoulos). As part of an interactive public display Memory Clouds will be created that project personal statements involving text, light and viritual ink built around conversations. We have no idea how this will even be possible. Expect some ‘oooh’s and ‘awww’s along the same line as fireworks (some small samples of what to expect after the jump). Things kick off Wednesday night at Trafalgar Square in London and will run till Friday.
According to some, the streets are at a crossroads. Not long ago, the art covering the bricks and blank spaces of the city was more likely to get you in trouble than in Christie's, but today's take leans more towards halos than handcuffs. This shift can partially be attributed to the quality of today's work (and the hype that surrounds it) but also, strangely enough, to the financial opportunities that have arisen within graffiti. No matter the game, the rules change when money and fame join the party — and they've certainly started to party with street art.
In order to suss out if these fears had a foundation, we decided to take a sit with Doodles, a 20-year-old out of the Bay Area who we consider a member of the ‘new school' of street artists. He also happens to be in school, adding another interesting element to our interview. Say hello to the future of graf art, readers — it's looking good.
If you’ve been in the right place at the right time, you might have seen Italian graf artist Blu’s super-large-scale paintings on a wall near you, including the Tate Modern (until August 28, anyway). But you haven’t seen how extremely talented this dude is until you check his stop animation videos. They’re made on public walls and are so well done they will blow your mind. The latest one, Muto, is a 7.5-minute chronicle that starts out with a beast of a creature that wanders from wall to wall, to the inside of someone’s house and on, all the while morphing and sneezing and walking and rolling. A book featuring Blu’s paintings from 2004 to 2007 is out now. It is the only way you can make sure his work stays permanently close to you.
Between morning talk show pundits, party canvassers, and New Yorker covers, we don’t know who to vote for in the next election (for the purposes of this post). If only there was a candidate who represented nothing, will work for nobody, but is endorsed by a hot clothing company with a 30% Off sale going on. Rex Vanderwoodsen is Attus Apparel’s nominee for the White House, and he wants you *finger pointing* to buy a shirt. Just enter the promo code: REXFORPRES and he’ll hook you up. That’s just how the next leader of the free world rolls.
When I think of the small businesses I’d open up, I keep them limited to the realm of practicality. I’m talking clothing boutique, small restaurant, etc. When I hear about someone who starts their own car, shoe, or watch company, I am intrigued. Over the years, my interest in watches has progressively increased while my counterparts ditched them for cell phones. I think of the timepieces as work of art, both aesthetically and mechanically. It’s only fitting that a watchmaker would be considered an artist.
Dion McAsey started Magrette Timepieces while he was still a Managing Director of a creative agency. Surprisingly, he says it was an easy transition because he took it slow, learning along the way. He’s formed partnerships on a global scale, using straps from Canada, hands/dials from Germany, and a Japanese movement. Everything gets assembled by hand in New Zealand and tested (water and regulation).
Last year’s release, the Regattare Valencia, sports a 21-jewel Miyota movement, 2mm sapphire glass, a beautiful dial and luminescent hands, and two leather straps to match any occasion. Like all the Magrette watches it’s nautically themed, with this particular model displaying the America’s Cup colors. What impresses me most about Magrette is that you are buying a total package. Customer service, the packaging (you have got to see the leather roll case), and the extras (straps, tool, handwritten warranty card) make for a very pleasing experience. If you’re looking for a dependable watch that can work at both the office and a the post-work bar, check them out.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, this watch looks strikingly similar to the historic Panerai, one of my favorite timepieces. It is, however, significantly cheaper for those of you without rich girlfriends, good jobs, or a taste in extraordinary time keeping. Thanks for all the comments, we love them.]
The story of a rejected artist finally making it big time is as familiar as the tales our grandparents like to tell us: “I walked 17 miles, barefoot, through three feet of snow; I dog-walked in New York through rejection letter after rejection letter …” The similarities are noticeable, and the struggles equally ruthless. And while there's a good chance that your aging grandpa has taken to spicing up his retirement with total B.S., the stories of struggling artists are mostly true, and there are only a few that come out of the fight still holding a paintbrush.
Casey O'Connell is one artist who has prospered, and even though she is finally content in her position as one of the West Coast's most fawned over new artists, she's too fresh off the track to have forgotten how she got there. Several cities, plenty of dog walks, and even more broken hearts paved the way for this young painter. But, we couldn't be happier that she's arrived.
There are people in the paintings of Joe Sorren, but they’re not quite human. We have ways to relate — they hold instruments, they take pictures, they build sand castles by the sea — but there is something in them that is not like us.
I have always felt that the occupants of the world of Joe Sorren are more innocent than those in mine. Their hands may be the size of heads, their heads the shape of balloons, but in all of their twists and distortions, their eyes are sources of infectious calm.
Sorren’s work has appeared in publications as varied as Rolling Stone, Print and The L.A. Times, and is a part of many significant collections worldwide. Universally loved and lauded, you’d do well to be aware of the work of this Arizona-based artist.
JW and Melissa Buchanan are the husband and wife team known as The Little Friends of Printmaking. Known for their God-like mastery of screen printing, their brightly layered imagery, and their quirky sense of humor (take that, douchebaggiezz!), this Milwaukee-based pair is cranking out posters and collecting high fives faster than you can say “zesty gazpacho.â€
Because we're big fans of concert posters (like any average league of flailing hipsters), we scored ourselves an interview with the arty couple, and wound up wondering if we were in the right profession. Read on to learn why these two ink slingers are living the dream.
Joshspear.com:Can you tell us about your personal backgrounds in printmaking?
Melissa: I've been making prints since I was a teenager – I started in high school; woodcuts and etchings, mostly. Because printmaking was my main jam, it only seemed natural to study art at the University of Wisconsin where they have a historically great printmaking program. I would talk them up more, but I'm holding out for an honorary masters degree.
JW: I don't have quite the background that Melissa does. I did some screen printing in high school. Screen printing was not something they taught as an art course. Instead, you had to go through a tunnel under the street to a completely different building out back by the auto shop, and then into a room that smelled like acetone and was filled with very dangerous-looking equipment. I enjoyed it but it didn't make a huge impression on me. I didn't make any more prints until I was in college. I had originally gone to the UW to study sculpture, but once I was there it seemed obvious to me that it was pointless to study anything else but printmaking at that place. I must've picked up a trick or two because I seem halfway decent now.
Who knew that coming up with the perfect idea for making the perfect outdoor stool was as simple as replacing the letter ‘T’ in Stool with the letter ‘P’. Okay, so maybe that’s not how the Gillia Brothers, the driving force behind Bottega Montana came up with the idea for their outdoor Spool Stool, but what’s important is that they came up with it. This wonderfully practical seating option designed specifically for outdoor use, may look like it could possibly roll away on you, but in actuality it’s designed with sturdiness in mind. The grooved base allows for helps to maintain stability on uneven surfaces and along with the cylindrical hole give this cedar stool an ample design for aeration. The design also ensures ample drainage so that even after a hard rain falls, your underside won’t get all wet. We like a design that takes our wellbeing into consideration.
While older Rock & Roll souls R.E.M. and Portishead prepare to drop new tunes on a clamoring public, we’ve kind of got a hankering for some seriously classic tunes from a newer talent. No we’re not talking about Beirut covering Jimi Hendrix; we’re referring to 21 year-old Cellist Peter Gregson. On April 25th at 7:30pm Scotland time, the Edinburgh string-smith will be performing “Spem in Alium”, a 40 part vocal motet, as well as 5 newly commissioned pieces at a show in Greyfriars Kirk being broadcast live over the Internet. We know internet concerts are nothing new but this performance is sure to be something special as it will be sponsored by Fujitsu Ten’s Eclipse speakers and will be performed in eight speaker surround sound over Spemcast, the special site set up by Gregson. If you set up your speakers just right, you’re sure to get the 15th Century concert experience. We just hope that doesn’t come with another 15th Century experience known as the black plague.
Alyson Fox likes doing things. In her case, ‘things’ mean drawing, taking pictures, designing clothes, making shop windows pretty – and probably one or two more ‘things’ since we last talked.
But Alyson hasn't always been so dexterous; rather, it was a series of events that gradually gifted the Austin-based twenty-something with her now ample selection of talents. She started as a photographer, where the time she spent in the darkroom quickly turned her on to the happy powers of creativity. Then, it was on to drawing, where her faceless forms still managed to bleed emotion all over the page. Not to be deterred, or to abandon her past pursuits (which she hasn’t), it was on to fashion design, where her hand-drawn characters were suddenly permitted to step off of the page to share their clothes with real people.
It's good thing for her that she has done all of these things – but it's an even better thing for us, because Alyson Fox happens to be incredibly talented at all of them. Recently, we were blessed with another good thing, when Alyson decided to take some time out of her crafty days to chat with us.
Joshspear.com: Your first interest was photography, which then branched out into visuals, fashion design, and drawing. How did this progression unfold itself?
Alyson Fox: The first medium that I really connected to was photography. Maybe because it was my first studio class? I was able to shoot rolls and rolls of film and then edit them in the darkroom. READ MORE…
While older Rock & Roll souls R.E.M. and Portishead prepare to drop new tunes on a clamoring public, we’ve kind of got a hankering for some seriously classic tunes from a newer talent. No we’re not talking about Beirut covering Jimi Hendrix; we’re referring to 21 year-old Cellist 
