Now that I’m looking at these images all in the same post, I’m getting a kind of morbid vibe. That wasn’t my initial intention. It is just some more stuff that I shot last week, and wanted to share. All three of these works were featured in galleries exhibiting at Pulse. The painting on the top was done by Cindy Wright. I have really been enjoying the photo-realistic stuff that I have seen lately.

Below, is a mixed medium piece by Matthew Cox. It is an Xray partially stitched over with cross stitching thread. Super cool concept.

Finally, these skulls are made from pieced together glass gathered from Mexican beer bottles. The artist is Andres Basurto.

It is Tuesday, which means that Sam is headed home today. Bummer. New LMC dropping later tonight.

We got Friday night started by taking Sam out for some Italian food before waltzing down to Korea town and firing up some Karaoke. We first went to a place on 32nd, until they kicked us out. Then we went to a place on 35th. At the second place we stayed until 4:30. Yeah, 4:30 AM. That is after last call at the bars. Apparently the place is open until 6 AM. Amazing. Above: Amanda and Reagan rocking out. Below: Sam enjoying his b-day celebration.

Before we left the house, Reagan decided that she was going to whip up a batch of her own custom girl scout style Samoas. Here she is working away in the kitchen. The cookies came out impressively well.

Saturday morning we woke up and had brunch before heading up to kick it with Piper. She was kind of grouchy when she first woke up from her nap. But, we had a very long and pleasant visit, and were able to get some smiles out of her before giving her a bath and getting her all dressed up in her PJs.

Here is a shot of Sam and myself trying to look like the Black Keys.

Then this

and this happened.

I did eventually shave of the rest of my handlebar stache. Sam looks sharp with his new haircut.

Tomorrow morning: First running club race of the season. I am in no way ready. Thank goodness that it is just a 5k.

Reagan wasn’t working today, so we picked up and visited Piper together. We arrived right around lunch time. So, what better idea than bring Piper to the dining room for lunch? She was getting her little lunch through her G-tube while Reagan, Sam and I had boring normal people food. Above: Sam keeping Piper occupied while Reagan was getting some grub. Below: Reagan teaching Piper about soup.

No lunch is complete without a post-lunch tickle session.

Skip backward a day. Sam trekked all over the island with me yesterday helping me get some art shot. Here are a couple that I snapped of him while we were shooting the Parla exhibit at Wolkowitz, before the opening.

Sam, getting it done–

Yesterday, incidentally was also Sam’s birthday. We sort of a birthday lunch, but after such a busy day, he was a bit too worn out for us to really take him out and abuse him. So, tonight we are going to make merry. Here is a shot of Reagan very intently making him some birthday cookies this afternoon.

Later this weekend, I will announce the exciting results of giveaway numero uno. Have a great weekend!

Sam B. rolls into town tomorrow. Good times will undoubtedly ensue. Incidentally, there are also grips of art shows going on this week. I will be covering nearly all of them for Curated/HS.  So, sorry if you hate visual art. Because, hey, there are going to be some photos of art shows on here for the next few days.

On an entirely different note. I just wanted to say how much I love the readers of JNB. Yeah, all 12 a of ya’ll (did I spell “ya’ll” right, Kelvis?). Even the crazy ones (you know who you are). To show a little bit of that love, I’m going to start doing some giveaways. Basically just whenever I feel like it. I might make up some fake reason or milestone to try to justify it. But in reality it is just that I’m trying to unload some (debatably) cool swag (of which I have amassed shload of in my fake-line of work)(I’ll try to cut down on the parentheticals in the rest of this post, I promise). Winning it might entail some sort of lame contest that I invent.

As a matter of fact, I have already come up with a contest, as I was typing the stuff above.  I guess that I should announce the goods up for grabs, first. The item that will first be given away via Jake’s New Blog is none other than a Flud Turntable watch. Peep the images below of the actual watch that will be given away:

from a slightly different angle–

These images are just to whet the appetites of those possible 4 of the 12 JNB  readers who might be interested. The contest won’t actually start until probably sometime next week. The awesome thing about blogging for free is that there are no rules…. ever. But here is some insider information on what the contest will entail. I recently did a video for Curated and PF Flyers in which we featured various pieces of street art around the city. The contest will be something like “who will be the first person to name 5 artists whose works appear in the vid.” So– if you are perving on that turntable watch for your aspiring rapper boyfriend/husband (because let’s be honest mostly girls read this page), or even possibly for yourself, study up on your art. At least two of the artists have been heavily featured on JNB. Spoiler alert, one of them is not Banksy.

So, yeah. There is all of that. This might get embarrassing when I actually start the contest. But until then, happy hump day.

[top img: Curated, Juxtapoz, Highsnobiety]

Yesterday was very very rainy. Reagan was in LI during most of the day, for a bridal shower. So, Sam and I hung out all day. The first thing that we did was take him to B&H and get him a camera. He is now the proud owner of a new G-12. After cruising around showing him all of my favorite street art in Manhattan, we headed back to the Heights. Reagan was home, so we talked her into coming out to Fr. Tryon with us, since Sam wanted to try out his new cam with a long exposure shot of the bridge.  Here he is setting it up:

I opted out of the furry hat wearing contest that Sam and Reagan apparently had going. It made me kind of feel like the odd man out. Here are a couple of more shots of Reagan in her festive get-up.

Happy Monday.

Let’s just start off by saying it has been a pretty good one, especially in the category of becoming acquainted with extended family. Friday, Piper met uncle Sam (not that uncle Sam), my brother. As an awesome bonus/coincidence, my cousin Chad (above, with his wife) was in town for work. His wife and parents came out for the weekend to take in the city… and made the trek up to Westchester County to meet PJ. It was very cool. We had such a large group that they gave us our own room to hang out in. Piper was, of course showing off the whole time.

Above:  a shot of Piper playing with my aunt Jo. Below: Checking out Uncle Sam’s phone.

Saturday, we arrived just as Piper was waking up. She was extremely playful again. Reagan freshened up Piper’s hair so that she could look cute for the pics.

Then Piper just kind of did her thing.

Above: climbing onto uncle Sam’s lap. Below: singing to uncle Sam, and trying not to make eye contact with his hat.

She was doing the funniest thing during the whole visit. She was so curious about Sam’s hat. Then every time she would investigate it, she would suddenly become afraid of it and hide her face. Here is a quick vid (this post goes on for infinity)

I’m not really sure why I did the title in Portuguese. I guess because it seems fancier that way. If I knew Italian, it would have been in Italian. But I don’t, so… Portuguese. Anyway, I roped my relatively shy brother into doing a couple of shoots with me, while he was in town (he still is, btw). Above he is rocking some of the recently released Marshall headphones. Below, the limited edition Arnette “Fire Drill” specs.

Anyway, we are trying to talk him into moving out here. I think that he is seriously considering it. As always, I will mention that he is single. I would also like to point out that he grows a beard as fast as I do (in case you are in to that sort of thing).