The In Crowd

From a Giant Step e-blast last week:

 

""This is a historic moment for Wax Poetics. We're very proud to be the first U.S. magazine that has ventured into the digital music arena. We are excited to have the opportunity to further our message of 'Music in Context' through this new medium."
-- Andre Torres, Editor-in-Chief

 

Music-sharing websites are everywhere. The online equivalent to harshly lit department stores number in the thousands. Despite the overwhelming number of digital music providers, there's a glaringly obvious element missing: heart. Wax Poetics aims to change the point-and-click culture that has consumed the music-buying experience. Music appreciation is making a comeback with the Wax Poetics Digital download store.

 

The tasteful, knowledgeable publication you know and love breaks ground on the most visionary, high-quality record store around-in digital format. As local record shops bite the dust each day, Wax Poetics Digital aims to replace them with a specialized selection and replicate the brick-and-mortar experience with easy browsing and relevant recommendations-something the larger stores can't possibly accomplish. This is the new era of digging."

 

Click here for more.

 

Online: 

 

Wax Poetics' Digital Download Store   |  Website

Rime is an excellent new streetwear boutique that I just discovered that recently opened up in my Brooklyn neighborhood (Carroll Gardens/Boerum Hill). It's located at:

 

157 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-797-0675

 

Worth investigating if you're into shops like Vinnie's Styles, Atmos etc. 

 

Online:

 

Rime - website
 

 

I discovered this place on a recent vacation to Colorado. Quality designer street & snowboard wear in the heart of swanky Aspen. Check it if you run in 'those' kind of circles and happen to be out there some time. Just make sure your private jet has enough space for all the gear you're likely to cop!

 

Online:  Website  |  MySpace 

This is a GREAT idea for a Christmas gift or charitable donation:

 

"The mission of One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is to empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child. In order to accomplish our goal, we need people who believe in what we’re doing and want to help make education for the world’s children a priority, not a privilege.

 

Since November 12th, OLPC has been offering a limited-time Give One Get One program in the United States and Canada. During Give One Get One, you can donate the revolutionary XO laptop to a child in a developing nation, and also receive one for the child in your life in recognition of your contribution."

 

Click here for more details.

Jacked from my own review on Amazon.com:

 

Within 2 weeks of regular use both ear buds on the first version of the Maximo iM-390 headphones I received had broken. Needless to say I was not happy or impressed. However, when I wrote the compnay to complain, I have to say their Customer Service dept. was extremely helpful and VERY hands-on in trying to address my concerns and making sure I got a new replacement set of headphones quickly and hassle-free.

I wanted to try out the new set for a while first and see if the would hold up better before posting a review here. After a couple months now though, performance-wise they've been great. The sound is nice & clean and the low-end response is decent for in-ear style headphones and can be improved by experimenting with the other two sizes of rubber ear buds included with the headphones.

Overall, if you're looking for a low-cost alternate with decent performance to some of the more costly in-ear headphones in the market like the BOSE ones that also look great, these are definitely worth your consideration.

 

Buy them: Amazon.com  |  Maxwho.com 

Forget all those USB turntables, get the InstantMusic Vinyl & Cassette Ripper and create mp3's from any analogue sources that you can connect to a stereo via RCA cables. Makes the perfect gift for the music nerd in your life?

 

Available via ThinkGeek. 

Officially known as the Air Max 95 Zen Venti boot, these are not supposed to be officially available until January but I've seen them in Brooklyn sneaker stores for the past few weeks now. They also have them in a different colorway at Finish Line and Nike has done similar boots in the style of the Vanadal sneaker and the Nike Shox.

 

So is this, "[t]he result of combning one of Nike's most popular running styles of all time with a high-fashion boot" or fugly like some message board chatter claims? It's definitely eye-catching at the very least....

 

And no, despite this post and the last one about the trend towards upscale fashionista grocery shopping bags, The In Crowd has not turned into a women's fashion blog, aight!

 

(Image courtesy: Sneakerhead.com) 

"You won't find the latest eco-friendly shopping bags at your local supermarket - and the price tags are enough to make you stay home.

 

Ranging from $75 for Barneys "Green NYC" tote to $1,720 for Louis Vuitton's "Love" satchel, the reusable shopping bags are speeding out of high-end stores faster than a Prius with a full tank.

 

Not bad for a humble cotton canvas carry-all."  (click here for the full article from the NY Daily News)

From my good friend Taj at the excellent Dork magazine comes info on his brand new online travel boutique WEJETSET: