Gilmore Lite Headphone Amp

Looks like today is filled with audiophile porn goodness. Up to bat is this very well-received piece of aluminum kinkiness, packing high quality sound in a tiny enclosure. Now if it didn't cost $399...

Wall Sticker Invasion

I need to start designing some quirky stickers for white walls. It'll be great for renters like me who don't want to lose my security deposit with paint and wall-mounting hardware.

Coraline Review

Didn't hear much about this one coming into it, but was glad I checked it out. The musical score was wonderful, animation felt absolutely surreal, and the story was much creepier than I thought it'd be. I mean, secret door? Crazy parallel universe? There were times when I thought it almost compared to a childhood Silent Hill adventure, but then again, that movie was a big letdown. Coraline? Much, much better. It's directed with great wit, absolutely fabulous lookin', and is guaranteed to deliver a good ol' time for both parents and kiddies alike. 8.3/10.

Pietari Posti's Animal Planet

Really, really diggin' these prints by Pietari. They're subtle, yet manages to still be thought provoking and fun. Man, I'm running out of frames...

MISHKA Mixtape, Listen!

Although my party last weekend ended up with only one topless chick, in no means does that restrict another with hopes of even more. And now that MISHKA's got my back, we're like... totally an unstoppable force. Like North Korea if they actually had more crazy people like Kim.

MISHKA x Major Lazor - Keep Watch Vol. X (MP3)

Mastermind's Japan Fall/Winter 2009 Styles

These styles be pretty ill, son. Frickin' skulls, hockey sticks, and Ugg-like gloves - mix 'em, mash 'em, throw 'em in a stew!

The Creative Collective

This inn frickin' rocks. Especially when amenities come in forms of turntables, retro furniture, and the most insane placement of plants I've ever seen. Now, let's get creative.

Let The Right One In Review

The title of the film (as well as the novel it was based) refers to the Morriessy song, "Let the Right Slip In." In addition, it also refers to the fact that, according to vampire myths, vampires must be invited in before they can enter someone's home (this is shown in the film when Eli asks Oskar to invite her into his apartment). And while this may be interesting to know and all, where the movie truly shines is in its execution. At no point in time does the violence become dwelt upon; instead, you have a movie that walks a fine line between artistic cinema and well-paced direction for casual audiences. The end result may not be received the same by all, but the storytelling is undoubtedly one of the most phenomenal I've seen in a very long time. 8.6/10.

Just a Friendly Reminder...

Oh, and come to my good-bye BBQ in Sacramento if you're in the area this Saturday. Call for details!

My Studio's Too Big

I like to think me and sir Crockett here think along the same lines. If I had a huge studio, I'd invest in the most expensive furniture as far as my wallets permits, even if that meant leaving half the apartment completely sparse and empty. Sprinkle a few of my favorite art pieces here and there and bam - you have an instant bonafide minimalistic studio worth sharing to the masses.

Areaware's Psychadelic Decals

Can't really tell if I love it or hate it, but it sure as hell is perdy. Makes my head hurt if I stare at it for more than a few seconds though. Anyway, keep things poppin', Areaware! Love their stuff!

Shelving and Wall Styles

This kind of perfected design is almost erotic at times for me. Giggity giggity.

The IAM1 Amsterdam Journey

Any city can fire the imagination. Discover Europe's five most creative hotspots through the eyes of their native revolutionaries. Discover Amsterdam through the eyes of blogger/entrepreneur extraordinaire; NALDEN.

Indiana Jones IV: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review

Sigh. Given the Spielberg and Lucas combo hasn't created anything praiseworthy as of late (ie: Jar Jar Binks, A.I., etc.), I really didn't expect much from this effort, but holy crap - what an incomprehensible piece of utter garbage. Really, this one made my head hurt. Watching Harrison Ford struggle to act was painful enough, but having a side character, Mutt, swing from vines like Tarzan? What a waste of an entire two hours wasted. Now I just need to watch that Southpark episode again. 5.2/10.

Baccano! Review

Holy crap. Never have I seen so many characters in a series at one time. Not to mention it lasts a mere 13-episodes - it's an amazing feat knowing they managed to pull it off so eloquently and stylishly with such a huge cast. Just don't get frustrated with the first episode; it pretty much outlines the entire web of plots with no connections to one another whatsoever. Give it a few episodes in and you'll eventually get sucked by the interesting characters, a great story, and the new-perfect mix of comedy/drama/action that most animes strive for. Surely, this is one series you definitely don't want to miss. 8.9/10. [Ayu] Baccano! 01-13

T-Minus 2 Weeks to Recreate

My hero David Flores is up to no good once again. This time around, a solid print of a truck with the bright Kid Logo all over the side. It's a bit simple, but it's inspired me to finally take on my final project in Davis; a recreation of the print in realistic detail using oils, markers, and spray cans. Knowing me, it's going to be bloody epic.

Fulton In My Eyes Like A Lullaby

I think they've done it. CB has created the perfect media console. Minimal, rustic, and modern. Too bad it costs $999.

I Hear It Snows In Indiana

Knowing that, I still plan on bringing over all my hip shorts, extra-gay belts, and exquisitely designed thin cotton shirts to show them how truly Bay I really am.

Preparing for Indiana Fashion

I haven't had a chance to stay long enough in Indiana to know what the fashion is like over there, but for one thing, I do know that it snows. That it gets under 0 degrees. So the plan is tons of layers, boots, and this friendly looking plaid coat Mr. Al here is wearing...

Uno, Dos, Tres... Three Modern Shots

Modern tastes pretty neutral these days, with punches of colors here and there to add complexion to a minimalistic palette. Kind of like adding mustard to a hamburger. Or like sprinkling powdered sugar on some brownies. The question remains; will I ever grow tired of mustard on my hamburger? Probably not. And neither will this trend, I hope. It's just too awesome!

Hella Good Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe

And man, did I mention simple? This is easy peasy chicken bakin' yo!

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat Oven to 425°F. Mix chicken tenders and mayonnaise in a bowl to lightly coat chicken with mayonnaise. Mix bread crumbs and cheese in a gallon-size zippie bag.

Prepare baking sheet with cooking spray. Put 1-2 chicken tenders in the zippie bag with the bread crumbs and shake to coat. Place chicken tenders in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Continue until all tenders are coated and on the baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Gently flip each one, so as not to remove the breading, and bake an additional 8 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Violette Summer Tees

Keepin' it real fresh are these guys from NYC. Uptown, downtown, whichever way you like it.

How To: Master the Silpat

Want to create the greatest cookies in the world? Bread to die for? Heck, even nachos with cheese and chicken tenders are made perfect with these brilliantly designed silicone baking mats by DeMarle. Here are some tips to master it:

1. DON'T OIL IT. If you add oil then it will become sticky. Sounds odd, but I had a friend over and she oiled it and it became so sticky that it only came off after a significant amount of major scrubbing. Avoid oil for these Silpats!
   
2. I found that when using new silicone baking mats requires a "break in" period since they don't tend to outgas on first use. I bake them with nothing on them for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I have never had problems with this, but it's not super necessary.
   
3. Don't be scared to put the mat directly onto your oven racks. I find that I get the best results this way. You can use it on a pan if it makes you feel better, but it's really not necessary unless you're worried about cookies spilling over while baking.
   
4. Be aware of the maximum temperature for your mat.
5. Buy at least two so you can make batches of cookies with it.
6. Don't forget that if you are cooking at 350 degrees, the mat will be 350 degrees, so DON'T grab it with your hands. Instead, you can place aluminum foil liners for easy pulling.

Modern Sex Is My Hot Hot Heat

Yeah. Could'a used a better noun. Wouldn't be so effective though. Unlike these pictures, which are hotter than hot.

Where You Do What You Do

Colethomas Studio is a small (but perfectly formed) graphic design studio based in Preston, in the UK.

Cobra Commanders are Evil

Am I the only one excited about the upcoming G.I. Joe movie? Seems like everyone's just putting it off as another Michael Bay film with tons of explosions. Which it probably is anyway. But, still!

Dirtier Than the Average Bear

I swear, I don't think I've seen a more dirty artist than the lead of the indie-eclectic group Ohioan & Native Kin. But when I hear him yelling with the rest of the bunch, it's hard not to love 'em. Now, have some clean water. It's tasty.

Ohioan & Native Kin - Clean Water (MP3)
Ohioan & Native Kin - Light in the Wind (Serpent Mound Revival) (MP3)

Shot of the Day: In the World We Live In...

When Mg Yoe needed an incredible shot to finalize his trip with, he didn't need a formula - just some unwilling subjects and a killer angle. Taken with the DMC-LX3, no less. Shawing!

It's Not Just Modern, It's 'Linda' Modern

And when I say that, I mean it's that sexy, Joy Division-inspired clean lines with retro modern chaos that seems to have stemmed from Linda Ketelhut's artwork throughout the past few years. The overall result is one pimpin' ass space inspired by all of the colors from that 2046 movie I saw a while back...

More Mimi, Turdbrains Go Bye-Bye

Can't say my love for Mimi Leung's work will die down anytime soon, so her upcoming most certainly has got me fair excited. Her latest pieces will be available for viewing later this month on the 16th at the Tenderpixel Gallery near Leicester Square. If you happen to be around the area, there's no excuse not to stop on by!

Do I Need An External DAC When I Have An X-Fi?

It depends. It depends if you're a gamer, if you're running a 5.1 speaker setup, or if you're upgrading simply because you heard it was cool. If it sounds fine right now, you probably won't see much of an improvement after vesting hundreds of dollars into the high end audio tech pool, and in all likeliness, you'll end up hating yourself for it without gaining the proper knowledge beforehand and jumping into a hobby that's just for ultrageeks and extremely picky music listeners.

That said, there are plenty of reasons to get a separate, dedicated digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that runs via USB from your computer or feeds out of your digital line-out jack of your current X-Fi card. Not only will the sound become much more clear through your speakers and headphones, but you'll immediately be able to tell the difference between lossless audio and MP3's right off the bat. You should only use your X-Fi's line-out if you're a gamer, as most DACs have no idea what to do with gaming effects such as EAX and CMSS-3D, and will likely cause a slowdown on your PC if not handled correctly.

There are plenty of options out there for USB DACs, coming in flavors of the very-cheap and great value (such as the EMU 0202), or you could go with stylish ones like the Firestone Fubar III. The only limit is the size of your wallet and how much you're willing to prowl audiophile forums like Head-Fi and travel to stores around the country until finally finding something you'll fall in love with. It's a fun hobby, if not addictive like crack - just make sure whoever gets caught in between is someone very supportive of your habit.

The Wrestler Review

Despite being described by the director himself as, "A simple little film," I couldn't help but be awed by the honesty of this film. The Wrestler takes the stage with one of the most memorable performances I have ever seen from any actor. Especially after learning later that Mickey Rourke actually trained for 6 months to gain his 235 lbs for the movie, as well as intake about 5000 calories a day, I was floored by his dedication. Meanwhile, Marissa Tomei delivers a stellar performance as an aging exotic dancer that parallels Mickey's story, and even Evan Rachel Wood plays a moving role as his emotionally exhausted daughter. The movie itself is executed with eloquence, realism, and artistic skill - a must see! 8.6/10.

Hillshire Farms: Go Meat!

Go meat, meat. Go meat, meat. Go meat, meat. That salad rocks! The best! Make it easy at your desk! It's second, to none! Just add lettuce and you're done! That's crazy girl, I swear! There is so much stuff in there. S S S Salad. Yeah! A meaty salad! What? 'Cuz you hungry, you hungry. Your mama says you hungry! When I say Hillshire, you say Farm. Hillshire! Farm! GO MEAT!

You, Me, and Everyone We Know

Shower thoughts meant for Twitter, but ended up on a blog: Man, there's a lot of people out there. Overpopulation must be inevitable in our lifetime. Which means there are a lot of people I haven't met. People who could have eaten the same food I did growing up. And some probably ate something completely different.

Makes me think. Makes me miss the original Big Mac. I wonder how many people had the opportunity to taste that same 1992 Big Mac with its luscious creams and packaged meat, all served in that tasteful cardboard box? Yeah, that was some tasty shit.

Aye, Aye... Captain Crunch Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. First, you need some parchment paper. Second, you need to follow this recipe...

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Captain Crunch Flour (pulverized Captain Crunch)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Using a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high for about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.

Reduce to low speed and add the flour, Captain Crunch Flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until completely combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until fully incorporated.

Spray baking sheets with baking spray (you will need it, they want to stick). Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes for mini cookies (using a TBSP as a scoop) or 9 minutes for regular size (using a cookie scoop). Let cool at on sheet for 3 minutes, then move to rack to finish cooling.