H is for Hold the Fuck Up.

I know that the fitted content on the site has simmered down. It's summertime and I'm trying to get some color on the crown. Plus the factories boycotted making "H" fitteds. At least that's what I think.

So I'm surfing Fitted Hawaii, told you I get down with the waves, and I had to sit down after these ankle busters completely caught me off guard. These dudes are back on the H-ustle. Wow. And I'm late for most of them. In that case H can be for Hallelujah since I can't cop and drop 50 nuggets, but damn h-omie. Not digging all of them, but the black on black and the army green with orange are staples for the rotation. And then the Triple H came out of nowhere from Hall of Fame. Don't love the mesh, but love the H cubed.

It Was Only A Matter of Time.

But I'm back. The new Nike Sportswear spot on Mercer is the greatest thing to happen to NYC since Giuliani left office.

It opened Friday, August 22, and what better way to kick off a weekend, than peeping some new and hard to find kicks. I had no clue what to expect. I knew they were dropping the Air Max 90 Infrareds earlier in the day and they would be long gone by the time I got there. Cool- wasn't beasting for them anyway. What I encountered upon my grand entrance- by grand I mean half clad dimes dropping rose petals with each step- caught me completely off guard. Kind of like if Xzibit knocked on my door and wanted to pimp my ride. Or my kicks.



3 exclusive air force ones in NYC team colorways were being dropped in celebration of the store's opening. Yankees, Knicks, and Jets. All featured the visible air bubble and a back panel and swoosh in croc-textured white leather. The Yankees dark obisidian with white back was so simple, yet so dope. And it had a clear outsole- so from the bottom you could see the air bubble- similar to Air Max 180s. The bad news was that they were $225 and the good news was that they were sold out of my size. However, my boy popped his footwear hymen and went in on the last pair in the building, a lovely size 9. I got to catch a little vicarious feeling off of it. Props to Nicekicks.com for the images.




Then I peeped these crazy 2 toned forces featuring black front panels and midsoles with genuine crocodile skin side and back panels and matching outsole in a variety of colors. Orange, green, purple, amazing. Quality unsurpassed. Again, simple formula but attention getters without a doubt. The vibrancy of the colors was arresting. The black and orange was incredible. Bright orange, almost neon status, with rich oily black leather. Wowzers. The real wowzers was when I asked the price and was matter-of-factly told $2000 dollars. Seriously, don't let me touch sneakers of that degree with no visible price tag so I have that 10 second period where I vision them on my feet and really consider dropping several hundred dollars in a blind sneaker rush. I'm sure the workers there could write a book based on reactions to the same question. Turns out they are hand made to order in Italy, and as stated earlier, genuine croc skin. More props to Nicekicks.com for the images.




But it gets even better. I noticed one of the workers wearing these Wildwoods that I only saw rendered images posted HERE. Thinking they were samples I tried not to get too excited. After I asked him about them and was told they were available, my self imposed sneaker boycott came to a screeching halt. The "Fuck Sneakers" and "There is more to life than air forces" signs were dropped in the middle of the store and it was on. So on. The size 12 came out and I looked at my feet in the mirror and thought things inappropriate to post here. Shit like this is what it's all about.

It's very appropriate that the store is located on Mercer St. just a stone's throw away from Howard St. Welcome back How.

Me and Sharon Jones, We Got a Thing Going On- Live at Summer Stage

Can I jam? Please. Just let me do my thing and jam right now.

I had no clue who Sharon Jones was prior to last Wednesday. And it was made very clear to me that I should have known who she, along with her band the Dap Kings were. And I'm kind of ashamed I was in darkness on this one. I mean, come on now, HowFresh is a man in the know. Food, music, kicks, nothing should get past the goalie pads. I must have been ogling some birds in the front row and the puck slid past me. Never again. Time to get my shit together.

So my sort of hippy, Packers fan friend put me on to her show at Central Park Summerstage on Sunday. I wasn't fully committed to it, but was in the city and after some early am hoops and early afternoon Shake Shack the kid was ready for some early evening grooves. You know that feeling you get when you take a shot at something and it's really dope. Extraordinarily surprised status. That's how I feel about this. As they say, real recognize real, ya dig? That's what Jimmy told me. Mark, good looking.



Her live show was dope. She demands your attention with her voice and stage presence. Rarely was she stationary, constantly moving to the beat, shaking, convulsing, jumping, the woman put in work. She is undoubtedly the female reincarnate of James Brown. True story. In her silver and black shiny dress, she slithered in the sunlight. And her band the Dap Kings. WOW. They keep that shit funky. Rarely does a live band sound that crisp, rich and vibrant. It's no wonder that they were hired for Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album. I also learned that several members of Dap-Kings, along with members of El Michels Affair, Antibalas, and Budos Band joined together to create The Menahan Street Band, responsible for Jigga's "Roc Boys" sample. I'll admit that I thought it was a sample from yesteryear, not 2007. The entire record is crazy, peep it below.



The fact that I wasn't familiar with any of her tunes didn't matter. The experience was what all concerts should be like. People enjoying themselves, not giving a fuck what anybody else thought. As that quote goes, "dance like nobody's watching." It's a beautiful thing when inhibitions are thrown out the window. Going to hip hop shows for 15 plus years, you rarely witness this. Looking cool and putting up that front is so commonplace that it's a shock to see people just letting loose and being free. Just jamming baby, just jamming.

Between this and driving through New Paltz on Saturday I think I'm becoming a hippy.

Puts the peace sign in the sky and throws on a little patchouli oil.

Here are 3 joint she's done over the years. I've been bumping the shit out of How Long... I haven't copped any albums yet, but I will. If you dig it, do the same.

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- How Long do I Have to Wait for You?- 2004

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- I'm Not Going to Cry- 2007

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings- Make It Good to Me- 2002


Menahan Street Band- Make The Road by Walking- 2007

Italian Shaolins Wilding on 14th Street- Artichoke Basilles Pizza

I couldn't get Incarcerated Scarfaces out of my head as I waited for my slice. The owners are from Staten Island where one of their families runs Basilles, an Italian restaurant, and I couldn't shake the Shaolin/NYC connection. Plus I needed something to distract me from the dancing hipster weirdos in the tight quarters. It was just too fucking extra for me. Not to the point that we had to bounce, but close. Hopefully the disco ball was just an aberration.

Artichoke wasn't on my radar. I read the review in the NY Times several months ago but it didn't fill me with that feeling of urgency to run downtown and see what I was missing. Honestly I was heading down to St. Mark's to grab an egg cream and there was an empty spot on the corner of 2nd and 14th. AlFresh, HowFresh's brother, suggested we park there and walk a couple of blocks. So romantic. Then he remembered that Artichoke was right around there. Little man knows his shit.

I passed it once or twice in the past month and there was always a decent sized line snaking out the door heading west. At around 10:30 on a Saturday night there was a small line maybe 10 people deep. I'm getting tired of lines. Unless it's for a pair of sneakers. Holla. The longest I ever waited for pizza was close to an hour and that was at DiFara's in Brooklyn. But it was for a pie, and you got to watch the artist at work. What's deceptive about Artichoke is that the counter is only 6 feet or so from the door, so as long as there are 6 people, a small line will form. Don't get gassed.

I ordered a plain slice while Fresh Junior ordered the namesake Artichoke slice. At first I thought that was all they made, as that's all I heard being ordered, but when I got to the counter I saw an odd pie in the left corner. Turned out to be a crab pie. No thank you. It seemed to take a little while to get 2 slices. There appeared to be some confusion behind the counter. There were several slices sitting on the silver disc but nobody was dishing them out. And people were waiting for plain slices. I'll chalk that up to the mini rave that took place earlier. All those glow sticks can fuck up your train of thought.

The slices are big. And very filling. For the $3.50 or $4 you pay (I believe both slices cost $7.50- not sure of the exact breakdown), you get your moneys worth. The plain slice has a nice cheese to sauce ratio. The tomato's sweetness comes through on a slightly charred crust. That alone works for me, but what elevates this slice to the next level is the use of whole fresh basil leaves once the pie is removed from the oven. The bites of fresh basil with some added parmesan cheese make this a winner.



I don't care for artichokes, but this place makes a mean artichoke slice. It isn't your typical slice with cheese, sauce and the topping. It seems as if an artichoke/spinach dip is ladeled over a thick focacia type crust and evenly spread throughout. It had a nice creaminess with strong hints of garlic. It was thicker than the regular slice with a doughier, chewier crust.



As long as the lines aren't unwieldy I'll be back. Be aware that there are no tables, only a small counter that can accommodate 4 people. I'm not too aware of decent slices in the surrounding area, so this place will definitely fill a niche. As far as the Brewery part of the title, beats me. I didn't order any beer and didn't see any beer to be ordered. Guess it has a nicer ring than just pizza.

Artichoke Basilles Pizza & Brewery
328 E. 14th St. betw. 1st and 2nd Aves.
NY, NY 10003
212-228-2004
Call for hours.

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Baaaaaaack- Red Hook Ballfields

Upon first glance of the Clinton and Bay Streets intersection you'll notice the differences and wonder how the experience will change. No longer are the vendors within the perimeters of the park, but now line the streets with their Dept. of Health approved ice cream truck kitchens. I admit, it was a little disheartening since I rather be in the park on the grass and dirt, and see the food being prepared in the open tents. But I'll take what I can get so you won't hear any complaints.





I'm no pro at this, but being that I came several times in the summer of 2007, I had an idea of which vendors to hit. The huarache truck was tops on the list, and apparently the same for everyone else. This was the stand directly to the right of the entrance last year, with several grills laid out and a cavalry of help. Let me note that most stands are in the exact location as last year, just on the other side of the fence. The line was long very long. It stretched across the entire corner and passed 2 vendors on Bay Street. And it didn't move. I lied, here's a complaint. Due to the decreased kitchen space in the trucks, less customers can be tended to at a time. This was extremely evident. Now you know, so plan accordingly. It also didn't help that Fabi ahead of me (that's what his fitted had stitched) ordered approximately 26 huaraches (orange shirt above). Damn papi.

Bistec Huarache

The huarache de bistec is a must. Handmade oval tortillas blessed with slices of grilled steak, tomato, lettuce, onion, cilantro, and a white cream sauce. Homemade too I suppose- Yikes. After taking a bite, the hour wait seems so distant that you just enjoy the flavors and freshness. The crispiness of the onions and coolness of the cilantro play off the strong flavors of the beef. Outdoor stand or truck, the quality and taste wasn't compromised at all. I also ordered a chorizo taco, but was semi-disappointed. Way too liquidy- excess sauce. Ayo.

Ayote Pupusa (Zucchini and Cheese)

If you come with a dining companion you must split up and wait on different lines- double the food for half the time. My PNE (Partner in Eating) waited on a line serving pupusas and several steak dishes- seemed more Dominican than Central American. The line was short and there was a reason for that. I guess you have to learn the hard way. The official pupusa stand, one to the right, had a very long line, so a corner was cut. There's no way to bypass the lines. If the line is long that's a testament to the quality of the food. Don't be slick- wait and you will be rewarded. Turns out the pupusa I got was very good- Ayote- cheese and zucchini. A pupusa is a stuffed tortilla- similar to a pancake. The fillings are limitless. Next time I'll hit the main spot. PNE ordered Carnes de Res Fritas- fried beef, and it wasn't that good. Dry chunks of charred beef with rice and beans and platanos maduros.

Carne Res- Pass

With 2 stands down it was time to bring in the heavy hittter. And that would be the mixed seafood ceviche. After some heavy food, the lightness of the seafood and lime is a nice break. The eastern most stand on Bay Street, the ceviche stand is where the party ends. Or begins. The mixto contains shrimp, slices of octopus, calamari and small chunks of white fish. Extremely fresh in lime and cilantro juice. The octopus is a bit too chewy for me and there's a lot of it, so I might opt for the shrimp only ceviche next time and make that dollar hike to $9.

Ceviche with shrimp, octopus, fish and squid

There are some great beverages to try too. I had a Jamaica, pronounced Ha-My-Ca, to start with. It's a Hibiscus drink, burgundy color, and sweet and delicious. Really impressed. Purchased from the first truck on Bay St. by the entrance. They have tons of other options. Later I ordered a Tamarind drink from a stand near the ceviche spot based on a recommendation from a local, saying it was a great compliment to the ceviche I was eating. It was super sweet but there was way too much pulp. Every pull from the straw had stringy fruit which got annoying after a while. Most places have huge clear jugs that display the drinks being sold. You can get an idea of colors and textures by taking a look.



Things might be a little different, but that's no reason to stay away. The food is still great and the soccer is still being played. Make sure you give yourself enough time, and preferably bring somebody with you to speed up the process. Plus Ikea is several blocks away so step you can step up your home furnishing game after stuffing yourself like a pig.

Red Hook Ballfields
Clinton St. and Bay St.
Brooklyn
Saturday and Sunday

Howfresh Will Get It Popping Again.

I slacked but I'm back. And I got theme music today. Making the internet rounds over the last couple of days, Papoose is back with "Get it Poppin' Again." An upbeat, finger snapping, head nodder that has been on repeat since the H-Pod got it's hands on it. 50 times in a row might have been too much, but it's a refreshing new track and Pap is very listenable on it. For all you that have been turned off with his pseudo-academic lyrics and off-on flow, this should make you a believer once again. Sounds like a Swizz joint, who has been stepping his game up lately. I assume Remi would be on the joint if she wasn't upstate eating balogna sandwiches. Good looks for 2dopeboyz for the treat.

Papoose- Get it Poppin' Again

HowfreshEats Stacks (Potato) Chips Like Hebrews, Vol. 2.

Disclaimer: I am not a potato chip expert. I used to love eating them. I still do, but as I try to lose some weight and become a walking statue, chip eating will have to take a backseat. I no longer eat chips with ice cream. That's way too much fat fuckery right there.

I'm back on my potato. And I feel like shit. Who wants to eat all these chips at midnight on a Tuesday?? I do. Not really, but I've been delinquent with my posting and needed colors and a lot of pics to regain your attention. So I punished myself. Slightly masochistic, but the show must go on. In case you never saw the first installment of Stack Chips, click HERE.

So I've really been on my grind looking for chips. Luckily my favorite supermarket has been stepping up their game so I don't need to search far. Since the last chip off, I think I fell in love with something new. She sneaked (was going to use snuck but that's not proper English) into my life and continues to put a smile on my face. Her name is Boulder Canyon and you will get to meet her very shortly.

6 chips will be reviewed this evening. Almost did 7, but I don't need to be a hero.

Kettle Brand Krinkle Cut Buffalo Bleu

I should have learned my lesson last time with the Krinkle Cuts. I must have saw the K and just thought it was Kettle. I really don't care for the thickness of the Krinkle cut. Too crunchy and too much potato. Putting that to the side, the flavor is interesting, and there's a lot of it. There's a smoky spiciness, with a slight sweetness at the end of the bite. You can sense the blue cheese but it's very minor. This product contains milk for the lactose intolerant. I will have to pass on these and any other Krinkles in the future.

Kettle Brand Sea Salt & Vinegar

Now this is the proper Kettle chip. Light and thin with a nice bite to it. These have a great taste. Not too abrasive with the vinegar, just the correct amount of tang. The salt cuts the vinegar and you're left with a nice balance of flavor, almost a sweetness. While I still prefer the Lay's Kettle a bit more, these will definitely be purchased again.

Miss Vickie's Simply Sea Salt

A pleasant chip. Smaller bite sized slices of potato with a nice crunch. The potato taste is strong, with a peanuty essence at times- though it's cooked in sunflower oil. There isn't much salt on these, mellow on the pallet. For an everyday chip, these will suffice. It doesn't wow you, but it won't disappoint either.

Boulder Canyon Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper

I'd like to introduce everybody to my new squeeze, Boulder Canyon- don't be shy baby, they won't bite. Haha. She's just as new to this as me. But the feelings are so strong. Sometimes too strong, that you want to hit the brakes, but all you'd be doing is hurting yourself. What am I talking about?????? I don't know, but Boulder Canyon is levels above the competition. The quality of the chip is unparalleled to any I've had. Never too big to bite, the crunch is tremendous. And the taste of the potato has such a pleasant sweetness, absent in most other brands. They just appear to use better ingredients and it shows. This particular chip has nice sized, visible pepper flakes on each chip. I love pepper, so it works for me. The salt, pepper and sweetness provide a potato chip experience like no other. Over the weekend I (my fam and me) knocked off a Malt Vinegar and Sea Salt bag- just as delicious, and gives the afore mentioned Lay's Kettle a true run for its money. Only complaint is that I've only seen 5 oz. bags. And for $3, I'd like a little more potato.

Pringles Ranch

I've been reading that Howfresh was a chip snob. Only fucking with artisanal chips cooked in cast iron pots from the Medieval Ages. I had to dispel the rumors. I came up on dollar Lays and can still enjoy that greasy chip. These however are a bit different. And gross. Honestly, I took these home from a BBQ and they've been sitting in my kitchen. Now I can finally throw them out. Pringles aren't even a chip, they're a crisp. After 2 you feel sick. Pass.

Cape Cod Robust Russet

I used to see a variety of Cape Cod chips at my local spots, but lately the selection has been sparse. I saw these and gave it a shot. I never liked the look of the bag but didn't want to judge immediately. The russet potato is darker, as the bag says, and due to the sugar content, produces a darker chip from caramelization. These have a rich potato flavor and are lightly salted. Too rich for my liking. And the taste lingers on your tongue for a while after. Will have to find a different Cape Cod flavor next time. Pass.

If anybody has any suggestions, please throw them my way. Especially regional chips us Northeasterners might be unaware of.