Fancy That: Zeo Personal Sleep Coach
There’s nothing like your first crush. And if you’re anything like us, you crush hard and often. This is where we pay homage to all things worthy of lusting after.
Kay fancies the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach in her ongoing quest for one full night of uninterrupted rest. Sure, at first the idea seems like a post-millennial Pet Rock. But when a person’s spent the last year being not asleep but rather in love with the idea of being asleep, well, let’s just say Zeo can have all the crackers it wants in bed. Essentially, Zeo is a headband that monitors sleep patterns via electronic signals naturally transmitted by the brain. The device sends this data to a bedside tracking system, which summarizes the wearer’s sleep quality and quirks and then generates a personalized program for total sleep fitness. Could this headband be the way to rock-star dreams, complete with Pat Benatar style?
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Filling the Emptiness With Local Art
Poet of the Beat Generation and literary son of San Francisco, Allen Ginsberg, said: “Fortunately art is a community effort—a small but select community living in a spiritualized world endeavoring to interpret the wars and the solitudes of the flesh.”
Walking down Central Market, Lower 24th Street, 3rd Street in Bayview, or through the Tenderloin, these “wars and solitudes” of life in 2009 are palpable in the abandoned and shuttered shops alone—obvious evidence of the economic hardships that San Francisco is enduring. But in the spirit of community and perhaps in a belief in the transformative power of creativity, the City is striving to shine a ray of optimism into these dark spaces. You could say that San Francisco is rallying to a cry put forth by another artist who’s no stranger to its streets—Shepard Fairey and his graphic work “Make Art, Not War.”
To that end, the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Community Arts and Education Program has partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development to create a pilot Art in Storefronts program to fill empty store windows with temporary installations by local artists. The hope is that, now, when the going is tough, local artists will get going to bring new energy into our struggling neighborhoods.
“These tough economic times have had an impact on our treasured neighborhoods, leaving storefronts empty or underutilized,” stated Mayor Newsom. “Art in Storefronts encourages a temporary alternative use of storefronts that will reinvigorate our neighborhoods and commercial corridors, improve streetscape conditions and safety, and support merchants by increasing foot traffic and instilling community pride. We also believe that the art installations will ultimately help get these spaces leased.”
The program will launch in Central Market in September, and will run through January 2010. Artists living or working in Bayview, Central Market, Mission, and Tenderloin will have priority in the selection process and, according to Art in Storefronts project partner Triple Base Gallery, art works of any genre that “respond to the history, unique character and positive qualities of [those] neighborhoods” will receive special consideration. In return for working to benefit their community “artists, who have also been affected by the economy, [will be provided with a] unique opportunity to showcase their creativity… and to garner public recognition for their work.” It’s a win-win.
The Art in Storefronts application deadline is August 14. Interested artists can learn more and get the application here.
–Sara
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What’s Your Damage? He Won’t Grow Up
People are strange, and no one knows it better than Heather, our resident smart-mouthed, drink-slingin’, sociologist. Join her adventures in the ridiculous, hilarious, and grotesque, on a quest to understand just what makes us Bay Area weirdos tick.
Vol. 2: He Won’t Grow Up
“I know he used to do nice stuff for you, but what has he done for you late-ly?!”
Listen up ladies! The 1986 prepubescent YOU may have been too busy rockin’ out to Janet Jackson to heed her warning about deadbeat boys. But I’m here to remind you: you’re hot, smart, unique, and classy—one of the Bay Area’s finest. You deserve a man who compliments you in all your grandeur. If your guy seems a little less commitment-oriented and a lot more K-Fed, he may be suffering from a Peter Pan Complex.
Peter Pan Complex: A man who refuses to grow up—a metaphor for childishness.
But just because your guy isn’t altar and baby ready right now doesn’t mean he never will be. I’ve often heard the Bay Area referred to as Never Never Land because it seems we wait longer on average to do those things. Taking it slow is good. Holding you back is not! So, how can you be sure that you have a Peter Pan on your hands before you kick him to the curb? Try asking yourself:
How does he treat you?
Does he complain that you’re acting more like his mother than his girlfriend when you ask him for the rent that he’s owed you for the past few months? (Ya think there’s a correlation to the “mother” card and Peter Pans? I’m just sayin’…)
What are his interests?
Do you come home to find him passed out on the couch next to his vaporizer, encrusted in Cheetos, and smelling like Shlitz more often than you find him preparing your favorite dinner or anything else that truly turns you on?
How does he carry himself?
Does he don a popped collar (or two) and introduce himself with a fist bump? Does he refuse to replace those old holey boxers because his, “mama always sends new ones ‘round the holidays”?
If any of this sounds familiar, run for the hills sister! There, there. I know it’s a kick in the lady balls when you realize one day that you’re dating a Peter Pan. And you may be inclined to say, “But Heather! I looooove him!” I know you do. But back away Mary Kay! Unfortunately, you can’t change a Peter Pan into a man. Try, and you risk being the quintessential nag, and that just won’t do—you classy lady, you. Don’t sell yourself short—go get yourself a grown-up guy!
Are you a recovered Wendy or know someone with a Peter Pan on her hands? Comment and tell me your anti-fairytale stories!
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Fancy That: Thirst
There’s nothing like your first crush. And if you’re anything like us, you crush hard and often. This is where we pay homage to all things worthy of lusting after.
Michael fancies the new Korean vampire thriller Thirst. You can’t deny the allure of vampire lore these days. HBO’s True Blood and a certain teen juggernaut that just won’t quit are proof enough that we are suckers for these seductive bloodletters.
Director Park Chan-wook’s latest foray into the macabre and uniquely disturbing follows the story of a priest who’s forever changed by a radical medical experiment. By the looks of the trailer, fans can expect all the gore and provocative sex that typified his earlier work in the vengeance films and Oldboy (rumored to be getting the Hollywood treatment via Will Smith and Steven Spielberg, of all people). Robert Pattinson, meet your master.
Thirst opens in San Francisco next Friday, July 31st at Landmark’s Bridge Theatre (3010 Geary Boulevard, near Blake Street).
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Beat Box: The Dead Weather
So you’re sick of all your music and ready for some new tunes to rock out to? Have no fear, Taylor, our Bay Area woman on the beat is here to rescue you from your funkless funk with the latest sounds from the music scene. Listen up.
“You know when a bear comes out from behind a tree and does two swift collection pulls towards itself…swoosh, swoosh?!?! You know what I’m talking about.”
–Jack White describing the sound of his new band for a perfectly quirky video interview The Dead Weather: Their Oral History and Future Plans.
Let me tell you, brothers and sisters, Mr. White’s intriguing description is spot on. Horehound, released on July 14th, is a study in gritty and sometimes fierce independent rock. The songs ferociously assert themselves, no excuses.
This surely comes as no surprise to anyone who has followed the individual members of The Dead Weather in their additional musical pursuits: Alison Mosshart (vocals/guitar) of The Kills; Jack Lawrence (bass/drums) of The Raconteurs; Dean Ferita (guitar/piano) of The Raconteurs and Queens of the Stone Age; and of course, Jack White (vocals/drums) of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs.
One thing’s clear, these fellows can attack a song and beat it until it’s cool. They obviously found their muse in Alison Mosshart who manages to make her raspy, cigarette smoking voice sound downright healthy. Bottom line, the whole thing works. Although a couple of songs get a bit severe for this girl, I’m better off for having listened and I look forward to hearing more.
Catch The Dead Weather live, Sunday August 30th, in Golden Gate Park at SF Outside Lands, along with Band of Horses, Matt & Kim, M.I.A., Modest Mouse, and many more artists you love (or love to hate). Advance single-day tickets are still available for a mere $89.50.
—Taylor
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“Art and Coffee” With John Wood
The first time I meet painter John Wood, I am completely taken with his tranquility. We sit for caffeinated beverages and a lovely chat at the site of his latest exhibition, “Art and Coffee,” which presides at Sweet Adeline Bakeshop until August 21, situated neatly on the divide between Berkeley and Oakland in the same genteel and gentrifying neighborhood where Wood’s studio also happens to be located.
Upon seeing Wood alongside this particular body of work, completed between 2007 and the present, and set upon light blue paper that happens to marry perfectly with the yellow walls and sun-drenched windows of this former warehouse space, I immediately grasp the optimism, emotion, and intensity of his work, even though the work and Wood both appear to be as calm, cool, and collected as any art exhibit I’ve seen in a long while. Whether or not Wood intends for me to feel this optimism and lightness of being, I am unsure, but more than anything I am aware that my role is to enjoy my time with the painter and his work in equal measure.
Soon after meeting, Wood and I discover a shared passion for reading, which sheds some additional light on his creative process. “I collect titles,” Wood says, explaining that — while his work may appear to be a series of simple square feet containing abstract colors, lines, and shapes — the titles, taken from Wood’s own stash of favorite snippets of sentences and poems, simultaneously add both dimension and mystery to his paintings, granting viewers the freedom and the distance from having to know exactly what each one means, and, ultimately, the ability to focus, instead, on what the work means to every single viewer as an individual.
Featuring titles such as, “Entwined in a Sweaty Heap,” “With All Its Imperfections,” “Sensation Down the Spine,” and “Stopping Mid-Sentence,” it is immediately clear to me that Wood relishes life’s tactile, sensual, and cerebral connections — afforded by his ability and foresight not just to create, but to know when his creations are truly complete. For me, this is a rare quality for any artist, the sense of accomplishment and completion, as well as the ability to simultaneously embrace and let go, which makes Wood’s paintings, even in their relatively small size, advance with a sense of personality and profound emotion.
For some, Wood’s work may appear influenced by cartography, while for others the work may seem more personal and personified, the ultimate walkaway is that each piece speaks to humanity’s growing desire for simplicity, symbols, semiotics, and extended meanings in today’s over-saturated, over-communicated landscape. Fortunately, for a due change of perspective and pace, Wood reinforces the beauty of actually stopping to see the paintings.
— Kay
John Wood’s “Art and Coffee” collection is showing at Sweet Adeline Bakeshop, 3350 Adeline St., in Berkeley, 510.985.7381. The exhibition will remain open through Friday, August 21. All paintings are available for sale.
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Taylor’s got the beat
Culturcosm has always marched to the beat of its own drum. Our new raving reporter and jam jockey Taylor Davis will prove that we have the rhythm to back it up.
Lover of music and all things live, Taylor is the Bay Area’s woman on the beat. Her eclectic taste forms a unique sound spectrum—equal parts indie, hip-hop,
and electronica.
She discovered the seduction of salsa while studying in Venezuela, and Steely Dan or The Rolling Stones still remind her of sitting on the bathroom counter, watching her mom do her hair. Now she can be found wherever funky things play.
Find your groove with Taylor starting this Thursday!
Fancy That: Tropical Trimmings
There’s nothing like your first crush. And if you’re anything like us, you crush hard and often. This is where we pay homage to all things worthy of lusting after.
Sara fancies bright and feminine, yet edgy leather jewelry from Tomgirl. Local artist-of-all-media Taryn McCabe takes her Exacto knife to brilliant colored and metallic leather, meticulously crafting graphic flower and leaf shapes reminiscent of Alexander Girard or Marimekko. She layers them together in any number of complimentary combinations to create fluttering, flashy earrings, and statement-making sculptural necklaces.
You can find Tomgirl this weekend at San Francisco’s second annual Renegade Craft Fair, along with 199 other industrious artists of all kinds. It’s reportedly “the biggest and most comprehensive DIY event around” with additional stops in Brooklyn, Chicago, and Los Angeles—and it’s FREE! Come out and support our local artists!
Renegade Craft Fair, Saturday and Sunday, July 18th and 19th, 11am-7pm. Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion.
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Leave the Driving to Us
As the troubled auto industry continues to restructure itself and the economic downturn has Americans looking to more affordable (if not eco-friendly) forms of commuting, the strain on public transit is starting wear thin. Despite the record-breaking rise in demand, government-funded agencies are too feeling the pinch of purse-strings and are being forced to cut back. Things have been looking bleak in the greater Bay Area for transit service. State legislature recently cut transit subsidies and have reduced service on many suburban routes. But, in San Francisco, residents may be surprised to see (dare I say) improvements. Mayor Gavin Newsom is hoping the city’s planned series of updates to transit systems will be a benefit to its beleaguered workforce.
Recently unveiled was the first set in what will eventually be 1100 new bus shelters for the city. The eye-catching structures were Lundberg Design’s winning entry to the city-sponsored design competition. The results are noteworthy examples of how San Francisco is setting the standard for technologically-savvy design. The undulating red roof harnesses enough power from its solar panels to operate the LED displays. All shelters will also utilize a push-to-talk system for the visually impaired [shown left] and, impressively, WiFi. The building materials are even said to be graffiti and etch-proof.
Upgrade indeed. The shelters’ “art” won’t come courtesy of the street anymore. Clear Channel has the monopoly on this public landmark.
You know the how the old saying goes though. You never get something for nothing. MUNI prices increased across the board on July 1. However, if wild postings and the transportation authority are to be believed, this is only the start of great things to come. Studies are underway to evaluate the effectiveness of a new rapid transit line on Van Ness Avenue. Don’t expect the ribbon-cutting to be speedy though. Service isn’t expected to begin until at least 2012.
—Michael
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What’s Your Damage? PDA Pitfalls and Pointers
People are strange, and no one knows it better than Heather, our resident smart-mouthed, drink-slingin’, sociologist. Join her adventures in the ridiculous, hilarious, and grotesque, on a quest to understand just what makes us Bay Area weirdos tick.
Vol. 1: PDA Pitfalls & Pointers
I’m no stranger to PDA. After all, I work in a bar, and other than back alleys off of Lower Polk at 3AM, bars are the breeding ground for PDA (public displays of affection). There is a gradation when it comes to PDA, and I’ve witnessed the whole range, from softly whispered sweet nothings like, “Baby” or “My beautiful snack pack,” and innocent kisses on the cheek, to under-the-table diddling and dry humping against the jukebox.
As an expert on the matter, I present to you, Heather’s Spectrum of PDA:
Tolerable: Your lover (or hook up du jour…I don’t judge) occasionally planting one on your closed lips as he/she brushes your knee ever so subtly and looks longingly into your glossed over eyes (a ten second rule applies).
Intolerable: It’s safe to say that if any boldily fluid is exchanged it has gone too far.
Downright raunchy: Hands in inappropriate places. If that’s your thing, well, we live in the sexiest city in the west so there are places for that.
To avoid the urge of becoming the voyeuristic pleasure dome of all the other drunk patrons, stick to the bartenders rule: I don’t drink in your bedroom, so don’t F… in my bar. I’m just saying… No one wants to see your fast track to Randy Town. And lets be honest, the only positive that can come of this is that you’ve given old drunk Pervy Perverson a little material to work with later.
That said, I don’t completely vilify PDA. I admit I’m a new recruit myself. I may be jaded from the annoyance of all the sloppy bar sessions I’ve witnessed, but well, there’s this new guy… I’ve never been one for even an innocent hand holding, but as of late I’ve found myself engaged in said act right in front of everyone, quickly releasing with a sassy, “Uh… I don’t do that, sorry”, only to find myself unconsciously having grabbed his hand yet again. Not only have I have accepted my condition, I’m actually starting to enjoy it.
So if you’re like me, twitterpated and unable to keep your hands off that special someone, take your horniness out of the bar and take advantage of some of these PDA-friendly hot spots instead: Take a hike through Lands End and find a sweet nook in the wind-blown Cypress. If you’re more of a concrete dweller, there are more than 350 stairways around the city that offer romance-inducing views. Oakland’s recently renovated Fox Theater is a sultry date spot to get you in the mood, and only a 20-minute walk to Lake Merritt for some by-the-water sexy time.
Spread the love! (But not while I’m pouring you a drink.)
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About
Culturcosm is your online authority on the climate of trend throughout the Bay Area. Your roving reporters are taking to the streets and chasing down the real story. Be it stormy or serene, torrid or just plain tragic, we will break it down before you hit it up. Stay tuned. There's a new trend breaking every minute.
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General Inquiriesinfo@culturcosm.com
Michael, founder / editor-in-chiefmichael@culturcosm.com
Kay, founder / contributing editorkay@culturcosm.com
Sara, trendcaster / managing editorsara@culturcosm.com
Heather, social commentatorheather@culturcosm.com
Taylor, music trendcastertaylor@culturcosm.com
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