LUPE: FORGET THE COOL, WHERE THE BOOKS AT?

Lupe Fiasco, the Coolest of the Cool, has dropped some hints on ending his music career.
He's interested in pursuing a new profession as a novelist, and has decided on coming out with one more album, provisionally entitled LupEND, before he calls it quits.
Take his lyrics from "Gotta Eat" in The Cool album:
"to be continued on another menu ya dig.
will he give up his life of crime or will he stay?
this, and other adventured on Lupe Fiasco's next album L-U-P-END"
I don't know, I'm diggin the new album but we'll see if he stays true to his word...maybe he'll make reading novels "the Cool".
THE COOL SUSTAINED SILENT READING. SSR=THE COOL.

Shibuya Bape Store: LED WONDERLAND

The newly opened Shibuya Bape Store is the product of the mastermind interior design company, Wonderwall, which is responsible for designing the rest of the Bape stores as well as Uniqlo.
The new Shibuya store features a multi-colored LED system for the stairs, and adopts the similar "Go Ape!" logo seen at the front of the Fukuoka store I recently visited this summer.
LED makes everything so magical and clean.
Definition of CLEAN.

A.P.C. Spring 2008 Collection

A.P.C. has released their Spring 2008 Collection for men and women. Some looks at the accessories:
Porter Bag ($245) and Weekend Bag ($220).
Doubled Centimetre Bracelet ($55).

Fruition Las Vegas x Jeremy Scott: HAUTE VINTAGE

Hotspot Fruition in Sin City has collaborated with Jeremy Scott to produce a collection to honor their 2nd anniversary last month...and they at it again!
The collection incorporates Scott's finest collections into a "high fashion meets street" perspective.
How can you not love the colorful/neon/80's theme?
Remember to hit up the shop if you're ever in VEGASSSS!

BARRACUDA MOVING SALE!!!

WHAAAT!? Yes, they are moving to a different location on Melrose Ave. Everything in the store is half off, so check it out over the weekend (after hitting up Kendo - what a great plan!), and when you come up big with that shirt or hoodie you always dreamed of, you will appreciate the time you spent online browsing blogs like mine instead of doing other important things in life.

STACK THAT CHEESE: KENDO SALE!

Don't sleep. Women's shoe sizes are especially hard to find if you're anywhere from size 6 to 8.

Ling Ling You Forgot Yo' BLING BLING!

Chanel dropped the J12 Haute Joaillerie watch..the count? 42.5 carats of them babies. I'm not even about to see how much it retails for.
ONE WORD: DEEEEEEEYUM!

Man Lives In IKEA

Okay, this is really really random, but amusing: this man, Mark Malkoff is living in IKEA in New Jersey while his apartment is getting fumigated.
He moved in his clothes, brought a trampoline for 'exercise', and eats at the IKEA cafe.
The funny thing is, the company is allowing him to do all this...and he says he'll play tag with the security guards when the store closes. We all LOVE IKEA but..WOW.
Check out his CNN interview here

I Like Zip T, Candles & Maharishi Sandals...

I'm not a guy, but I'd still rock:Maharishi x Andy Warhol. A tribute to Warhol can never go wrong.

TASCHEN WAREHOUSE SALE

So..Taschen is like the best art-book store ever.
I was able to visit the SoHo site last month, and I felt I could stay in there forever.
Luckily, they have a joint in Beverly Hills AND at the Grove (Farmer's Market) in LA.
They are having a warehouse sale this weekend only, with their books marked down to 75% off!!!!! Hurry!

Dover Street Market Sale (?!)

Totally diggin' the Comme Des Garcons x KAWS collab:HERE:They're having a sale thru Wednesday, January 23rd!!!! Check it here.

Southpark Flea Market

Yeah I'm on a flea market frenzy. Details for the upcoming Southpark Flea Market in Downtown LA. It's a three-day weekend, you know you have nothing else better to do...hit em up!

COMMONWEALTH WINTER BLOWOUT!

For those of you lucky enough to be on the east coast, hit em up! For those of us that aren't, there's always online shopping!

Noveau! Au Courant! Berangere Claire!!

Sometimes, I wish I were a man (in the fashion sense, that is).
Sometimes, I'd only look at the men's section of a boutique or clothing store.
Sometimes, it's okay to buy things that are unisex or masculine and make them feminine in your own way.
French designer Claire Berangere definitely knows what I mean: she conceived her first women's and men's collection by drawing off classic male staples like the button-up flannel, crew neck sweatshirt, and v-neck cardigan.
She particularly appreciates the crisp, classic aesthetic of the male wardrobe.
You can say that again. LOVE the overall designs and the colors, and just take a look at that photography!

ART LA 2008: Contemporary Art

The New Los Angeles International Contemporary Art Fair, Art LA 2008, takes place Jan 24-Jan 27 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, celebrating is 50th anniversary.
With 64 galleries hailing everywhere from Tokyo, Mexico, New York, Paris, and LA...what better way to cover all these hot galleries in a weekend? (and for under $20!)
Various paintings, installations, and mixed-media projects will be on display!
Check out more details here!

ACTIVE $20 OFF COUPON

PRINT IT/SNIP IT/USE IT!

Boogie: It's All Good

I am currently finding peace and solidarity in between my busy lifestyle through Boogie's amazing black and white photographs documenting civil unrest, rebellion, the harsh realities and effects of drugs and violence, and the differences in culture in mundane daily activities.

Check out more of his photography here at Artcoup.
Hopefully you'll gain a little more insight and awareness of life in general.

HOT LOOK @ HAUTELOOK.COM

For those of you who dig online shopping, discount shopping, first looks at designer sales, or better yet all of the above, this site may be your dream come true. Hautelook.com is an exclusive online private sale 'club' that features hot designers for a span of 12~48 hours.
Every private sale features a different brand, and with free membership, you are invited to the upcoming sale, with details about the brand available through video streaming of backstage footage of fashion shows, designer interviews, and sneak peeks at upcoming collections.
All goods come direct from the manufacturer, and discounts are up to 75% off retail prices.
What's better than getting the first scoop on designer sales and shopping from the comfort of your own home?
Sign up @ Hautelook.com. Upcoming sales include: Robert Rodriguez (Jan 16 thru Jan 17), Habitual (Jan 22), and Gryphon (Jan 23). So HAUTE HAUTE HAUTE!

FEE FI FO...FAFI!

A loyal reader suggested a Fafi dedication, and as a heads up to her upcoming collaboration with MAC Cosmetics, I thought, hell, why not?
Legendary French graffiti artist, Fafi, creates vibrant & whimsical yet provocative "Fafinette hotties", leaving her mark everywhere (literally worldwide) from France to Tokyo to New York to..wherever. She's got it covered!These ladies have GOT IT GOING ON.
She's done collabs with Adidas and Le Sportsac in the past, along with an ad campaign for Married to the Mob for Fall 07. Fafi rockin' MTTM & her Le Sportsac collab bag.
Her upcoming and highly anticipated MAC collaboration hits stores February 13th!
JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINES DAY.
So fellas, consider this as a reminder for that special day for that special someone.
And for the ladies who are WAY too cool to have a valentine this year...Remember that Fafi will always have love for you and you don't need men to lavish you with gifts and a romantic dinner.
Sneak peek @ Fafi x MAC. Save the date: February 13th! Visit Fafi.net for some good looks on her artwork, bio, and more.

KEEP COMPANY SALE!!

Your buddies at KEEP are cleaning out the goods for the New Year!
Online sale starting NOW thru Jan 20th, and in store savings at their Los Feliz joint from tomorrow, Jan 16th thru Jan 19th for "bigger savings".

While on the topic of Keep kicks, I found that the checkered Nuss shoes were NOT on sale @ their website, but I stumbled upon them on SALE @ Boundless NY.
Don't sleep, peep the KEEP!!!

BONAFIDE HUSTLER MAKING MY NAME

Props to M.I.A. for her Paper Planes single from new album Kala.
Makes you feel all gully inside.
Hellz Bellz be rockin' the jam all day.
She is simply...G.

FREEZE FRAME!!!

Freeze Frame: 5 Decades of Photographs by Douglas Kirkland is opening this Friday, January 18 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (8949 Wilshire Blvd.)
The exhibit features 125 color and black & white photos of classic and current celebrities and motion picture icons from the 1960's through the present, including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Akira Kurosawa, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Alba, and Ewan McGregor.
This event is FREE, so go check it out! (closed Mondays)Francis Ford Coppola & Zoetrope (1970) courtesy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

SPOTLIGHT: VASHTIE KOLA

Worship Worthy was on point featuring Vashtie Kola for their "Confessional" joint.

For those who do not know, Vashtie directed the video for C.R.S. (Kanye, Pharrell, & Lupe's collaborative group), "Us Placers" which features Thom Yorke's original song.
She creatively used child actors (who weren't real actors), 6 hours of filming, and utilized her own crew, money and props to create this music video and posted it on YouTube - in no time, it became a hit.
Vashtie has quite a line-up of work experience under her belt, including stints at tattoo shops, Finish Line, Stussy, assisting photographer Jamil GS, Box Fresh Pictures as a director, Nike iD, Island/Def Jam, styling for BBC/Ice Cream, and finally, heading up her own company, 1992, which hosts the hottest parties around town (and worldwide).
Check out her vid!

Visit WORSHIP WORTHY for the full interview!

TRIPLE THREAT! atmos x Hello Kitty x UBIQ

Atmos Tokyo is doin' it again.
Due to the success of atmos x Hello Kitty x Head Porter, they are releasing the atmos x Hello Kitty x UBIQ sneakers in the popular Grace style on January 18.
DEEEYUM...the fellas be mad rockin Kitty-chan in Japan.
REAL MEN CAN ROCK HELLO KITTY!?
Anyway, they run for 14,700 yen... so about $130 give or take USD.

Atmos has also released on January 13 the atmos x Hello Kitty Candy T-shirt 2, with two colorways in black and white with a variation of pink detailing.
Hello~ Kitty coming out of a candy bag! Cute or what?
Retails for 6,300 Yen, which is about $60. Size S is marked as "ladies" size, but i also runs up to an XL (Japanese size).

Photos courtesy of ATMOS!