I love this song but.. the video? it’s B&W, love that. Also love the aerial shots of NYC. Love Alicia and her grand piano. But that’s about it – otherwise the rest of it’s a bit boring – sorry hova…

I was… umm… still watching Care Bears and my favorite toy was my Cabbage Patch doll. In 1985, James Reitano was getting busy painting walls in and around his hometown of Santa Cruz, CA. 

This semi-autobiographical graphic novel (try saying that five times fast!) is set in a Cali beach town, the protagonist is a graffiti artist whose constant run-ins with anti-graffiti locals, cops and rival crews sees him getting into mischief at an unstoppable rate. But it also recalls the characters and art influences of a 80s street art scene, that, if you trace it forward to today, probably has something to do with the artwork on your t-shirt, skateboard or favorite CD.

James Reitano is a wonderfully talented artist and animator & is one of those people who does what he does because he truly loves it. He started out as a graphic designer for Santa Cruz Skateboards, spent a short time with the corporate behemoths in LA, then went freelance in animation, graphic & web design under his studio, TFU Studios. His productions include Madvillain – ‘All Caps’, Cut Chemist ‘Spat’, Quasimoto ‘Bullyshit’, an ad for HP/Serena Williams that was shown in Times Square NYC, and many more that you can view on his TFU Studios YouTube page. 

Props to James for doing this graphic novel (and thanks for posting me a copy!). You can buy nineteen eighty five at the Stones Throw online store or the nineteen eighty five website.

Katie and I stumbled across the Michele Varian store in Crosby St, NYC on our visit there in September. We ended up getting some glass grapes that now feature in the GF lounge room wall of books and they look great!

I thought Michele Varian was one of those cool one-off mom & pop homeware and gift stores but after a little research, it seems it’s the brainchild of one fair lady from Detroit, who originally started off making pillowcases. She’s now slowly taking over the USA – there’s over 25 stores that stock her bits and you can even get things in Heals in the UK. Well there you go.

Apart from the fancy grapes, I noticed the enthusiasm for Edison light bulbs in the store, which I’d never really seen before. They create quite an amazing effect in their yellow flickering goodness! I found a lighting store around the corner and bought one (at $19.95 each – most expensive light bulb ever!) so now just waiting until I find the right lamp to put it in.

Edison Lightbulbs