So, How Was Your Day? Breakfast: Coffee from Gaslight. Greek yogurt with strawberry rhubarb jam. Lunch: More coffee. Vegetable soup. Tea. Orange juice. Dinner: Cannellini beans with homemade marinara (recipe from my friend Viktorija Todorovskaʼs Puglian cookbook). More tea. Morning ➛ I woke up at 5:30 and read the news on Twitter, checked The Curated Group email to catch up on some of my side projects, took a quick look at my FLOR email to make sure I wasnʼt in for any surprises at the office, grabbed coffee, and got ready. Iʼm just back from a trip to Italy, so my already lengthy morning process has only been elongated by having all of these new luxurious lotions and potions to play with. Iʼm obsessed with this make-up line I discovered in Florence, called Kiko. Listened to Glen Hansardʼs album on the way downtown. Heʼs definitely my celebrity crush. Got to work at 8:30. Iʼve been at FLOR for a year as their Director of Retail Operations, and weʼve opened stores all over the country this past year, so I have really gotten back to my road-warrior roots. I traveled over 100k miles this year domestically, which felt a little bit insane, but I like adventures and have loved getting to know our store teams. This morningʼs meetings were all about finalizing our 2013 strategy, closing the books on 2012, and getting ready to launch our new product lineup. The first copies of our new catalogue were delivered to our desks this morning, and I think it is really beautiful. I love seeing how other people live, and I think the creative team does an incredible job of using real homes to highlight our product. Iʼm also really excited because page 42 of the catalogue features my dog, Ivy. I guess that makes me a newly minted stage mother. Noon ➛ Over lunch, I checked my personal email, read more news on Twitter, and got my work schedule for Greer. I moonlight at the store two times a month or so. It keeps me on the front lines, which is really important to me since I donʼt get to work directly with customers as often as I used to. I never want to lose sight of what it feels like to work with clients in a brick and mortar environment, and it also gives me an excuse to work in what I think is the most beautifully curated stationery store in the country and spend time with the owner, my dear friend, Chandra Greer, who has been a really important mentor for me. The Greer girl team (there are five of us) is like a family, and even though it sometimes means I work a six or seven-day work week, I wouldnʼt trade it for anything. After lunch I met with a Chicago FLOR Sales Consultant/Designer, Katie Schoen, who is helping me execute the designs for the flooring of the stage and outdoor areas for TEDActive in Palm Springs. Iʼve been attending the TED conference on and off since 2008, when I went as part of my job at Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Itʼs one of my favorite weeks of the year, and I am really looking forward to representing FLOR there in February. It is definitely the most concentrated dose of inspiration I get, and Iʼve met some of the most important people in my life there…so I have high expectations. Night ➛ At 5:30 I was out the door to 826CHI, which is a center that provides free after-school tutoring, workshops, and field trips. It was founded by Dave Eggers, so the focus of the center is on creative writing, and it is such a gift to have a chapter in Chicago. Iʼve been on the Board since 2010, after volunteering for two years as a workshop instructor. I think I was mostly asked to join so that I could help advise the retail store that sits in front of the tutoring center, The Boring Store. Truth be told, the manager, Molly Walsh, is always teaching me new tricks. Iʼve been in retail since I was 14, and in 25 years I have rarely encountered a manager with intuition like hers. At 8 I rushed home to have a Skype call with Joey Colando, a singer-songwriter in Portland. Weʼre working on a project together called Circuses and Funerals. At 9 I made dinner, which I love to do. Since I am rarely in town these days, being in my own kitchen feels like a luxury. Now I am going to catch up on personal email and then work on the cards I have been designing for Greer. I have promised her (and myself) that she will be my only client to make sure it stays fun and doesnʼt end up being a job. I feel really honored that she bought them for the store, and it takes all of my willpower not to clap when I ring one up. I spend a little bit of time writing before bed (journal, letters, thank youʼs) and fall asleep to a movie on Netflix with Ivy snoring. Three Last Things… What’s up with that necklace? Aren’t you afraid of strangling yourself in your sleep? My Grandfather was a jeweler, so it comes naturally that I believe that there is no occasion that one should be without jewelry, including bed and photo shoots. Actually, I don’t sleep in it, but I do wear it a lot. Parts of it were a gift from someone who figured into my life in an important way this year. The rest are beads and trinkets I’ve added as I’ve traveled. Very special to me. Lots of memories wrapped up in it. 2. Circuses and Funerals sounds both creepy and cool. What’s the project all about? It’s a semi-autobiographical and semi-not-at-all-autobiographical exchange of letters and songs that will end up as a book and companion album. I’m obsessed with reading artists’ letters, and I still really miss mix tapes, so this is the cure for that obsession and nostalgia. I’ve always dreamed of going on a book tour, so hopefully we’ll be able to sell it and hit the road. I thought of the idea when I was at Burning Man this summer, and I’m glad I was able to convince Joey to create it with me. The title Circuses and Funerals is a reference to the summer of 1989, which I spent living in the USSR, and a nod to the name of a collection by one of my favorite clothing designers, Ray Harris. 3. You said you promised to only sell your line to Greer. What store could convince you to break your vow? There has to be one you dream about. There are two. Am I allowed to choose two? My Mother’s beautiful store in DC, Upstairs on 7th, and Merci in Paris. I love my Mama, and I am obsessed with Merci. Katy lives in Chicago. She is a fifth-generation retailer, owner of The Curated Group (a full-service luxury retail consultancy), and Director of Retail Operations at FLOR. thecuratedgroup.com @kddrew

So, How Was Your Day?

Breakfast:

Coffee from Gaslight. Greek yogurt with strawberry rhubarb jam.


Lunch:

More coffee. Vegetable soup. Tea. Orange juice.


Dinner:

Cannellini beans with homemade marinara (recipe from my friend Viktorija Todorovskaʼs Puglian cookbook). More tea.

Morning ➛

I woke up at 5:30 and read the news on Twitter, checked The Curated Group email to catch up on some of my side projects, took a quick look at my FLOR email to make sure I wasnʼt in for any surprises at the office, grabbed coffee, and got ready. Iʼm just back from a trip to Italy, so my already lengthy morning process has only been elongated by having all of these new luxurious lotions and potions to play with. Iʼm obsessed with this make-up line I discovered in Florence, called Kiko. Listened to Glen Hansardʼs album on the way downtown. Heʼs definitely my celebrity crush. Got to work at 8:30. Iʼve been at FLOR for a year as their Director of Retail Operations, and weʼve opened stores all over the country this past year, so I have really gotten back to my road-warrior roots. I traveled over 100k miles this year domestically, which felt a little bit insane, but I like adventures and have loved getting to know our store teams. This morningʼs meetings were all about finalizing our 2013 strategy, closing the books on 2012, and getting ready to launch our new product lineup. The first copies of our new catalogue were delivered to our desks this morning, and I think it is really beautiful. I love seeing how other people live, and I think the creative team does an incredible job of using real homes to highlight our product. Iʼm also really excited because page 42 of the catalogue features my dog, Ivy. I guess that makes me a newly minted stage mother.



Noon ➛

Over lunch, I checked my personal email, read more news on Twitter, and got my work schedule for Greer. I moonlight at the store two times a month or so. It keeps me on the front lines, which is really important to me since I donʼt get to work directly with customers as often as I used to. I never want to lose sight of what it feels like to work with clients in a brick and mortar environment, and it also gives me an excuse to work in what I think is the most beautifully curated stationery store in the country and spend time with the owner, my dear friend, Chandra Greer, who has been a really important mentor for me. The Greer girl team (there are five of us) is like a family, and even though it sometimes means I work a six or seven-day work week, I wouldnʼt trade it for anything. After lunch I met with a Chicago FLOR Sales Consultant/Designer, Katie Schoen, who is helping me execute the designs for the flooring of the stage and outdoor areas for TEDActive in Palm Springs. Iʼve been attending the TED conference on and off since 2008, when I went as part of my job at Vosges Haut-Chocolat. Itʼs one of my favorite weeks of the year, and I am really looking forward to representing FLOR there in February. It is definitely the most concentrated dose of inspiration I get, and Iʼve met some of the most important people in my life there…so I have high expectations.



Night ➛

At 5:30 I was out the door to 826CHI, which is a center that provides free after-school tutoring, workshops, and field trips. It was founded by Dave Eggers, so the focus of the center is on creative writing, and it is such a gift to have a chapter in Chicago. Iʼve been on the Board since 2010, after volunteering for two years as a workshop instructor. I think I was mostly asked to join so that I could help advise the retail store that sits in front of the tutoring center, The Boring Store. Truth be told, the manager, Molly Walsh, is always teaching me new tricks. Iʼve been in retail since I was 14, and in 25 years I have rarely encountered a manager with intuition like hers. At 8 I rushed home to have a Skype call with Joey Colando, a singer-songwriter in Portland. Weʼre working on a project together called Circuses and Funerals. At 9 I made dinner, which I love to do. Since I am rarely in town these days, being in my own kitchen feels like a luxury. Now I am going to catch up on personal email and then work on the cards I have been designing for Greer. I have promised her (and myself) that she will be my only client to make sure it stays fun and doesnʼt end up being a job. I feel really honored that she bought them for the store, and it takes all of my willpower not to clap when I ring one up. I spend a little bit of time writing before bed (journal, letters, thank youʼs) and fall asleep to a movie on Netflix with Ivy snoring.

Three Last Things…

What’s up with that necklace? Aren’t you afraid of strangling yourself in your sleep?

My Grandfather was a jeweler, so it comes naturally that I believe that there is no occasion that one should be without jewelry, including bed and photo shoots. Actually, I don’t sleep in it, but I do wear it a lot. Parts of it were a gift from someone who figured into my life in an important way this year. The rest are beads and trinkets I’ve added as I’ve traveled. Very special to me. Lots of memories wrapped up in it.

2. Circuses and Funerals sounds both creepy and cool. What’s the project all about?

It’s a semi-autobiographical and semi-not-at-all-autobiographical exchange of letters and songs that will end up as a book and companion album. I’m obsessed with reading artists’ letters, and I still really miss mix tapes, so this is the cure for that obsession and nostalgia. I’ve always dreamed of going on a book tour, so hopefully we’ll be able to sell it and hit the road. I thought of the idea when I was at Burning Man this summer, and I’m glad I was able to convince Joey to create it with me. The title Circuses and Funerals is a reference to the summer of 1989, which I spent living in the USSR, and a nod to the name of a collection by one of my favorite clothing designers, Ray Harris.

3. You said you promised to only sell your line to Greer. What store could convince you to break your vow? There has to be one you dream about.

There are two. Am I allowed to choose two? My Mother’s beautiful store in DC, Upstairs on 7th, and Merci in Paris. I love my Mama, and I am obsessed with Merci.

Katy lives in Chicago. She is a fifth-generation retailer, owner of The Curated Group (a full-service luxury retail consultancy), and Director of Retail Operations at FLOR. thecuratedgroup.com @kddrew

So, How Was Your Day? Breakfast: 2 egg whites. Banana tofu cocoa smoothie. Strawberries. Lunch: Apple slices with peanut butter. Tuna with vegan mayo. Dinner: Veggie stir-fry. Steamed artichoke. Chocolate mug cake. Morning ➛ Woken up by two doxies jumping onto the bed. Up to the rooftop for an early run, catch the sun coming up. Head back downstairs to prep breakfast. A quick peek at texts and emails. Stretching and a half hour in the gym, and back upstairs to shower, shave, and run the dogs. I grab my Norse Projects scarf to keep warm in the chilly New York weather and head out the door. I’m boycotting elevators to increase daily exercise, so the 5th-floor home and 3rd-floor office help. Noon ➛ Check in with the designers to make sure they’re still feeling inspired about upcoming projects and pitches. Make certain projects are on track, course correcting where needed. Update through a few current digital publications, including FastCo, Wired, Paper, and Monocle. Work through back-to-back phone conferences, then sit back down with my team to review project status and data. I wrap the day with a discussion of company branding initiatives…and am out the door by 6:30 or so. Night ➛ Walk up to my place and dig into some of my favorite blogs as an emotional reset. Mix a drink and get off my feet for a while… Feed and walk the dogs, then start prep work on my own dinner. Enjoy slightly blackened stir-fry while checking over personal email. Head down for laps in the pool, then another 30 in the gym. Walk back up to a bit of reading and hop online for bill paying, shopping, etc. ‘til I’m about ready for bed. Three Last Things… 1. What’s up with the awesome apartment that has both a rooftop track and a swimming pool? I found a new-construction apartment building in Greenpoint that had been built as a condominium but had gone through troubles in construction during the economic downturn. The new owners were in a spot and needed renters fast, so I got a very good deal on this place. It’s sort of a luxury building, but with corners cut when the building was handed from bank to bank. There’s no rooftop track, but since I’m the only one up there that early, I have the entire thing to myself. 2. From your Meme stool to the tool series for Restoration Hardware, your products are so clean and refined. Where does this design restraint come from, and how do you maintain it? I’m a big fan of Simplicity! If there isn’t a need for something in a design, it’s usually got to go. The design restraint comes from my knowledge of classic and historically designed artifacts and tools from our past. We often solve problems today by layering complexity onto already busy resolutions. The key instead is to peel back the learned complexities and find the core issue or problem you are designing for. That said, I do enjoy ornamentation when it has the right purpose. I’m all about combining the form and utility of an object without overt complexity, and that may sound simple, but remember that “simple” doesn’t always mean “easy.” Ornamentation can serve as the Utility or Function in an object as well. 3. How’s that elevator boycott going? You’d be surprised how much exercise you get doing a 5th-floor walk up a few times a day…and I’m amazed at how much easier it’s gotten. It’s also surprising to see that I’m about the only person that does this in the building. When I first started my studio, it required lots of down time on the phone and at a computer, so now I really enjoy any activity I can get. Chris lives in NYC where he is the designer and director of Streng, a design and branding firm. He has worked with brands such as MUJI, Kitchen Aid, and Swatch. strengdesign.net  photo credit: Maggie Romano

So, How Was Your Day?

Breakfast:

2 egg whites. Banana tofu cocoa smoothie. Strawberries.


Lunch:

Apple slices with peanut butter. Tuna with vegan mayo.


Dinner:

Veggie stir-fry. Steamed artichoke. Chocolate mug cake.

Morning ➛

Woken up by two doxies jumping onto the bed. Up to the rooftop for an early run, catch the sun coming up. Head back downstairs to prep breakfast. A quick peek at texts and emails. Stretching and a half hour in the gym, and back upstairs to shower, shave, and run the dogs. I grab my Norse Projects scarf to keep warm in the chilly New York weather and head out the door. I’m boycotting elevators to increase daily exercise, so the 5th-floor home and 3rd-floor office help.



Noon ➛

Check in with the designers to make sure they’re still feeling inspired about upcoming projects and pitches. Make certain projects are on track, course correcting where needed. Update through a few current digital publications, including FastCo, Wired, Paper, and Monocle. Work through back-to-back phone conferences, then sit back down with my team to review project status and data. I wrap the day with a discussion of company branding initiatives…and am out the door by 6:30 or so.



Night ➛

Walk up to my place and dig into some of my favorite blogs as an emotional reset. Mix a drink and get off my feet for a while… Feed and walk the dogs, then start prep work on my own dinner. Enjoy slightly blackened stir-fry while checking over personal email. Head down for laps in the pool, then another 30 in the gym. Walk back up to a bit of reading and hop online for bill paying, shopping, etc. ‘til I’m about ready for bed.

Three Last Things…

1. What’s up with the awesome apartment that has both a rooftop track and a swimming pool?

I found a new-construction apartment building in Greenpoint that had been built as a condominium but had gone through troubles in construction during the economic downturn. The new owners were in a spot and needed renters fast, so I got a very good deal on this place. It’s sort of a luxury building, but with corners cut when the building was handed from bank to bank. There’s no rooftop track, but since I’m the only one up there that early, I have the entire thing to myself.

2. From your Meme stool to the tool series for Restoration Hardware, your products are so clean and refined. Where does this design restraint come from, and how do you maintain it?

I’m a big fan of Simplicity! If there isn’t a need for something in a design, it’s usually got to go. The design restraint comes from my knowledge of classic and historically designed artifacts and tools from our past. We often solve problems today by layering complexity onto already busy resolutions. The key instead is to peel back the learned complexities and find the core issue or problem you are designing for. That said, I do enjoy ornamentation when it has the right purpose. I’m all about combining the form and utility of an object without overt complexity, and that may sound simple, but remember that “simple” doesn’t always mean “easy.” Ornamentation can serve as the Utility or Function in an object as well.

3. How’s that elevator boycott going?

You’d be surprised how much exercise you get doing a 5th-floor walk up a few times a day…and I’m amazed at how much easier it’s gotten. It’s also surprising to see that I’m about the only person that does this in the building. When I first started my studio, it required lots of down time on the phone and at a computer, so now I really enjoy any activity I can get.

Chris lives in NYC where he is the designer and director of Streng, a design and branding firm. He has worked with brands such as MUJI, Kitchen Aid, and Swatch. strengdesign.net  photo credit: Maggie Romano

          3 notes

So, How Was Your Day? Breakfast: Meal replacement shake. Lunch: Shrimp in white wine broth & farro (made that shit at home). Dinner: Sushi. Morning ➛ Woke up in a bit of daze. There were some earthquakes last night. Just another morning in LA. Can’t seem to get “Thinkin’ Bout You” by Frank Ocean out of my head. Seems to make sense, ‘cause there hasn’t been another song that I’ve been thinkin’ bout for the last friggin’ week. I shake the dust off and go for a run. Throw my ipod on to — you guessed it — Frank Ocean’s “White” (alright, maybe you didn’t guess it). Get back. Make a few calls. Head to the hospital to visit a friend who had surgery (womp womp). He’s fine. Noon ➛ Return from the hospital, feeling oddly inspired. Can’t tell ya why. Started working on the next painting in my “Escape” series, which is composed of different items people use to escape reality (i.e., pills, cocaine, alcohol). I start one of a vibrator. Yep, a vibrator. Seeing as though I’ve never held a vibrator - or even seen one up close really, painting this shit is proving harder than expected. My patience is running low. My frustration is running high. I could go for one of the other items in my series about now. Instead, I tweet a sarcastic comment about girls posting pictures of their eyes on Instagram. I’m in a particularly snarky mood today. I blame the earthquakes. Night ➛ Bounce over to a friend’s birthday dinner in Santa Monica, then I’m supposed to head across town to Silverlake. Apparently some shakin’ hipster party that might as well be on the fuckin’ moon. Thankfully, I’ve got a few Sigur Ros albums to calm the drive. I forget to bring my camera bag, so I have to swing home on the way to the party. I’ve been doing a photo project for the charity Operation Smile. I call it Hipster Camera. Which seems to make sense for this party full of hipsters I’m about to roll to. But as I head out, another friend invites me to this magazine party. She’s on the cover. So I go support. And it’s way closer to home, so it’s a no-brainer. It turns out to be on the rooftop of some hotel in WeHo. It’s stunning. The night concludes with a little awkward rumblin’ on the dance floor and feeling nothing but grateful for this day - which has not stopped moving.  Three Last Things… What’s up Mr. Nonconformist? Why didn’t you take your photo in bed like everyone else? Well. To start off, I guess — and to be completely honest — I wanted to stand apart from the rest. I mean…that’s what all of us (the people featured on this blog) were attempting to do. They were all attempting to reveal a bit of their talents, personalities, and knowledge by using thoughtful words and showing some character in their photo. I wanted to reveal a bit of my, I dunno, call it quirkiness, by having a photo of me waking up on the coffee table, surrounded by my cameras (the ones used in the Hipster Camera project). And lately, that project has been something that I just wake up thinking about - so I suppose I also wanted to show a bit of that as well. But also, in truth, sometimes I just wake up on the fucking coffee table (it’s where I do my work). 2. Tell us all about your Hipster Camera project with Operation Smile. The Hipster Camera project is something that started out sort of unceremoniously. I bought one of the cameras, my sister took a photo of me taking a picture of her, and I put it on Instagram. Then I just started carrying the camera around, and people would ask if they could use it. While they were snapping a photo of me, I’d snap a photo on my phone of them. Every time I put it on Instagram, I called it Hipster Camera. It carried on like that for a while, until I had some of my friends who (without trying to make things sound like anything more than the reality) are recognizable ask to be involved in it. I put their photos up, it got some attention, and that’s when my mind started to churn this into something more. I approached Operation Smile because I like what they do. I have plans to do a book with them - taking more photos with the Hipster Camera, of course…but that’s just the plan. Things are developing daily. There’s some exciting shit that may be on the horizon, but my main goal with this is to help raise money and awareness for their charity. However I can do that, that’s what I’m after. 3. You’ve listed vibrators, pills, and cocaine as a few examples for your painting series. What’s your “Escape”? Real talk. What’s my escape…? Hmmm. Real talk? I mean, I paint what I know (to an extent). I’m certainly not gonna lie and say I’ve never experienced alcohol, drugs, or sex. That would be some obvious bullshit. The things I paint in the “Escape” series are a representation of the things I’ve experienced, to some degree. There are just some moments, mornings, and memories that you don’t want to live out anymore. And that is what moves people to escape. I’m not trying to compel someone towards one thing or the other. I just want them to stop, look at the painting, feel what that image brings up, and then hopefully consider what moves them in that direction. I want the observer to become aware of themselves. To consider why they’d want to escape who they are. And maybe address those issues. It’s perhaps a lofty goal, but that’s what this series is about. So to circle back around to the question - and I’m sorry for not being specific - I use plenty of things to escape…but my art allows me to consider why. Shawn lives in Los Angeles. He’s an actor (8 seasons on Desperate Housewives), a painter, and the creator of Hipster Camera. shawpyfrom.com shawnpyfrom.tumblr.com

So, How Was Your Day?

Breakfast:

Meal replacement shake.


Lunch:

Shrimp in white wine broth & farro (made that shit at home).


Dinner:

Sushi.

Morning ➛

Woke up in a bit of daze. There were some earthquakes last night. Just another morning in LA. Can’t seem to get “Thinkin’ Bout You” by Frank Ocean out of my head. Seems to make sense, ‘cause there hasn’t been another song that I’ve been thinkin’ bout for the last friggin’ week. I shake the dust off and go for a run. Throw my ipod on to — you guessed it — Frank Ocean’s “White” (alright, maybe you didn’t guess it). Get back. Make a few calls. Head to the hospital to visit a friend who had surgery (womp womp). He’s fine.



Noon ➛

Return from the hospital, feeling oddly inspired. Can’t tell ya why. Started working on the next painting in my “Escape” series, which is composed of different items people use to escape reality (i.e., pills, cocaine, alcohol). I start one of a vibrator. Yep, a vibrator. Seeing as though I’ve never held a vibrator - or even seen one up close really, painting this shit is proving harder than expected. My patience is running low. My frustration is running high. I could go for one of the other items in my series about now. Instead, I tweet a sarcastic comment about girls posting pictures of their eyes on Instagram. I’m in a particularly snarky mood today. I blame the earthquakes.



Night ➛

Bounce over to a friend’s birthday dinner in Santa Monica, then I’m supposed to head across town to Silverlake. Apparently some shakin’ hipster party that might as well be on the fuckin’ moon. Thankfully, I’ve got a few Sigur Ros albums to calm the drive. I forget to bring my camera bag, so I have to swing home on the way to the party. I’ve been doing a photo project for the charity Operation Smile. I call it Hipster Camera. Which seems to make sense for this party full of hipsters I’m about to roll to. But as I head out, another friend invites me to this magazine party. She’s on the cover. So I go support. And it’s way closer to home, so it’s a no-brainer. It turns out to be on the rooftop of some hotel in WeHo. It’s stunning. The night concludes with a little awkward rumblin’ on the dance floor and feeling nothing but grateful for this day - which has not stopped moving. 

Three Last Things…

What’s up Mr. Nonconformist? Why didn’t you take your photo in bed like everyone else?

Well. To start off, I guess — and to be completely honest — I wanted to stand apart from the rest. I mean…that’s what all of us (the people featured on this blog) were attempting to do. They were all attempting to reveal a bit of their talents, personalities, and knowledge by using thoughtful words and showing some character in their photo. I wanted to reveal a bit of my, I dunno, call it quirkiness, by having a photo of me waking up on the coffee table, surrounded by my cameras (the ones used in the Hipster Camera project). And lately, that project has been something that I just wake up thinking about - so I suppose I also wanted to show a bit of that as well. But also, in truth, sometimes I just wake up on the fucking coffee table (it’s where I do my work).

2. Tell us all about your Hipster Camera project with Operation Smile.

The Hipster Camera project is something that started out sort of unceremoniously. I bought one of the cameras, my sister took a photo of me taking a picture of her, and I put it on Instagram. Then I just started carrying the camera around, and people would ask if they could use it. While they were snapping a photo of me, I’d snap a photo on my phone of them. Every time I put it on Instagram, I called it Hipster Camera. It carried on like that for a while, until I had some of my friends who (without trying to make things sound like anything more than the reality) are recognizable ask to be involved in it. I put their photos up, it got some attention, and that’s when my mind started to churn this into something more. I approached Operation Smile because I like what they do. I have plans to do a book with them - taking more photos with the Hipster Camera, of course…but that’s just the plan. Things are developing daily. There’s some exciting shit that may be on the horizon, but my main goal with this is to help raise money and awareness for their charity. However I can do that, that’s what I’m after.

3. You’ve listed vibrators, pills, and cocaine as a few examples for your painting series. What’s your “Escape”? Real talk.

What’s my escape…? Hmmm. Real talk? I mean, I paint what I know (to an extent). I’m certainly not gonna lie and say I’ve never experienced alcohol, drugs, or sex. That would be some obvious bullshit. The things I paint in the “Escape” series are a representation of the things I’ve experienced, to some degree. There are just some moments, mornings, and memories that you don’t want to live out anymore. And that is what moves people to escape. I’m not trying to compel someone towards one thing or the other. I just want them to stop, look at the painting, feel what that image brings up, and then hopefully consider what moves them in that direction. I want the observer to become aware of themselves. To consider why they’d want to escape who they are. And maybe address those issues. It’s perhaps a lofty goal, but that’s what this series is about. So to circle back around to the question - and I’m sorry for not being specific - I use plenty of things to escape…but my art allows me to consider why.

Shawn lives in Los Angeles. He’s an actor (8 seasons on Desperate Housewives), a painter, and the creator of Hipster Camera. shawpyfrom.com shawnpyfrom.tumblr.com

So, How Was Your Day? Breakfast: Toast with bananas and peanut butter. Lunch: Prosecco. Cheese. Cured meats. Pickles. Bread. Rillete. Pate. Marcona almonds. Country ham from the Goat.Sheep.Cow tent. Dinner: Pot roast with carrots and potatoes. Butter beans. Rice. Biscuits. Squash. Pickled cucumbers. Morning ➛ The alarm goes off, and in typical Sunday morning fashion, I press snooze at least three or four times. I call my buddy Jason, the chef-de-cuisine at FIG, to check in. We are going to the Charleston Cup this morning to represent my company (Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.), and he has agreed to help out. Plus, there is fancy dress, tasty food, and pretty women in it for us, so it makes it easier to rise early on our sacred day off. I ask him to bring bananas, because I have some peanut butter that I bought online that I wanted him to try - and bananas are the perfect vehicle for peanut butter. Feeling mighty fine today because horse racing is the optimal time to throw on your finest threads, and I picked up a bow tie for the occasion. I have a friend, Cooper Ray, who designs bow ties for Brooks Brothers under his label, Social Primer. And Cooper lives in Charleston, so I love to support. After I finish the banana toast, I spread some peanut butter on some cucumber slices, which is a move that Jason introduced me to. Put that on dark rye - it sounds weird, but it’s good as hell. Noon ➛ We leave the house, packing up my car with tonic, some Beefeater Gin, and some random snacks for the day, which I learn later we won’t need. We start heading to Hollywood, SC, only to realize a couple of minutes into the trip that I don’t have soda water or ice, which I will need for the bar. We stop at Harris Teeter and grab those sundries. We arrive at the track. Parking was tough, and we were lugging about 50 lbs of ice/coolers/goods each, so the trek was challenging. We watch the horse races, bet on the ponies, drink G&T’s, eat food, and generally make merry. We find the tent. Sweaty and exhausted. We take a bit to pound some prosecco, cool down, and eat some snacks. Friends swing by throughout the afternoon, the weather is perfect, and all feels right in the world. Night ➛ On the way back into town I get a message from a friend that her mom is passing through town and has decided to fix a proper country feast. She asks me if I would like to join, and I respond with an enthusiastic “Hell yes.” In the interim, we’ve made plans to meet some friends at The Royal American for another cocktail once we hit downtown Charleston. We arrive, grab a bourbon and soda water, and take to the spacious patio. Our friends arrive - Liz Macpherson (from a previous SHWYD feature) and Harper Poe (the beautiful gal behind Proud Mary). We have a drink, laugh about an awesome inscription in the men’s bathroom, and then go our separate ways. I arrive at my friend Emmie’s house for dinner. At this point I’ve switched 100% to water. We chat as her mom puts the finishing touch on an incredible dinner that makes me feel like I’m back home in Kentucky. I go back for seconds, help clear the table, and then settle into the living room. I quickly realize that I’m getting very tired and excuse myself. Drive home. One roommate has returned from dinner with his girlfriend, and we decide to watch a movie. We surf HBO for a long time, mourning the lack of any good choice, and settle on a documentary about the annual competition in Cairo to find the student who has memorized the recitation of the Koran. It’s nice, but I’m tired, and…asleep.  Three Last Things… 1. What’s up with that painting behind your bookshelf? I bought that piece in Austin, Texas, at a very cool store called Uncommon Objects. I’ve collected art since I was 15, but I can’t always afford a lot. That piece is from a barbershop in Africa. It’s a brilliant, hand-painted piece that I would certainly call folk art, and it was a steal. There were two more, but I didn’t have the dough. 2. Why tonic? The goal of the company is to take classics of the American bar and remake them for a modern audience. Imagine going to visit your grandparents and opening their liquor cabinet: tonic, grenadine, etc. We want to take those things, rework them, and re-introduce them to a younger audience. Tonic was a natural first start because I love gin, and a classic G&T is loved the world around. In short, I loved gin but had access to no good tonic, so I decided to make my own. When people responded favorably, I thought I might try to sell it. And it worked. 3. Cucumber & peanut butter on rye? Give us another one your master PB recipes to try. The classic is peanut butter and banana. I probably eat 3 or 4 of those a day. Peanut butter spread on “Digestive Biscuits” from England is spot on, and when I’m with my son, pretzels in peanut butter or animal crackers in peanut butter never ceases to please us both. Brooks live in Charleston, South Carolina, where he co-owns Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. In addition to landing distribution in Spain and stateside at West Elm & Anthropologie, he will be launching his latest product, Small Batch Grenadine, early this year. www.jackrudycocktailco.com eattheordinary.com

So, How Was Your Day?

Breakfast:

Toast with bananas and peanut butter.


Lunch:

Prosecco. Cheese. Cured meats. Pickles. Bread. Rillete. Pate. Marcona almonds. Country ham from the Goat.Sheep.Cow tent.


Dinner:

Pot roast with carrots and potatoes. Butter beans. Rice. Biscuits. Squash. Pickled cucumbers.

Morning ➛

The alarm goes off, and in typical Sunday morning fashion, I press snooze at least three or four times. I call my buddy Jason, the chef-de-cuisine at FIG, to check in. We are going to the Charleston Cup this morning to represent my company (Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.), and he has agreed to help out. Plus, there is fancy dress, tasty food, and pretty women in it for us, so it makes it easier to rise early on our sacred day off. I ask him to bring bananas, because I have some peanut butter that I bought online that I wanted him to try - and bananas are the perfect vehicle for peanut butter. Feeling mighty fine today because horse racing is the optimal time to throw on your finest threads, and I picked up a bow tie for the occasion. I have a friend, Cooper Ray, who designs bow ties for Brooks Brothers under his label, Social Primer. And Cooper lives in Charleston, so I love to support. After I finish the banana toast, I spread some peanut butter on some cucumber slices, which is a move that Jason introduced me to. Put that on dark rye - it sounds weird, but it’s good as hell.



Noon ➛

We leave the house, packing up my car with tonic, some Beefeater Gin, and some random snacks for the day, which I learn later we won’t need. We start heading to Hollywood, SC, only to realize a couple of minutes into the trip that I don’t have soda water or ice, which I will need for the bar. We stop at Harris Teeter and grab those sundries. We arrive at the track. Parking was tough, and we were lugging about 50 lbs of ice/coolers/goods each, so the trek was challenging. We watch the horse races, bet on the ponies, drink G&T’s, eat food, and generally make merry. We find the tent. Sweaty and exhausted. We take a bit to pound some prosecco, cool down, and eat some snacks. Friends swing by throughout the afternoon, the weather is perfect, and all feels right in the world.



Night ➛

On the way back into town I get a message from a friend that her mom is passing through town and has decided to fix a proper country feast. She asks me if I would like to join, and I respond with an enthusiastic “Hell yes.” In the interim, we’ve made plans to meet some friends at The Royal American for another cocktail once we hit downtown Charleston. We arrive, grab a bourbon and soda water, and take to the spacious patio. Our friends arrive - Liz Macpherson (from a previous SHWYD feature) and Harper Poe (the beautiful gal behind Proud Mary). We have a drink, laugh about an awesome inscription in the men’s bathroom, and then go our separate ways. I arrive at my friend Emmie’s house for dinner. At this point I’ve switched 100% to water. We chat as her mom puts the finishing touch on an incredible dinner that makes me feel like I’m back home in Kentucky. I go back for seconds, help clear the table, and then settle into the living room. I quickly realize that I’m getting very tired and excuse myself. Drive home. One roommate has returned from dinner with his girlfriend, and we decide to watch a movie. We surf HBO for a long time, mourning the lack of any good choice, and settle on a documentary about the annual competition in Cairo to find the student who has memorized the recitation of the Koran. It’s nice, but I’m tired, and…asleep. 

Three Last Things…

1. What’s up with that painting behind your bookshelf?

I bought that piece in Austin, Texas, at a very cool store called Uncommon Objects. I’ve collected art since I was 15, but I can’t always afford a lot. That piece is from a barbershop in Africa. It’s a brilliant, hand-painted piece that I would certainly call folk art, and it was a steal. There were two more, but I didn’t have the dough.

2. Why tonic?

The goal of the company is to take classics of the American bar and remake them for a modern audience. Imagine going to visit your grandparents and opening their liquor cabinet: tonic, grenadine, etc. We want to take those things, rework them, and re-introduce them to a younger audience. Tonic was a natural first start because I love gin, and a classic G&T is loved the world around. In short, I loved gin but had access to no good tonic, so I decided to make my own. When people responded favorably, I thought I might try to sell it. And it worked.

3. Cucumber & peanut butter on rye? Give us another one your master PB recipes to try.

The classic is peanut butter and banana. I probably eat 3 or 4 of those a day. Peanut butter spread on “Digestive Biscuits” from England is spot on, and when I’m with my son, pretzels in peanut butter or animal crackers in peanut butter never ceases to please us both.

Brooks live in Charleston, South Carolina, where he co-owns Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. In addition to landing distribution in Spain and stateside at West Elm & Anthropologie, he will be launching his latest product, Small Batch Grenadine, early this year. www.jackrudycocktailco.com eattheordinary.com

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So, How Was Your Day? Breakfast: Fruit salad. Lunch: Crock-pot chili. Homemade honey-bacon cornbread. Dinner: Beef tenderloin. Twice-baked potatoes. Green bean casserole. Shrimp. Stuffed mushrooms. Fancy cheese white people eat. A glass of red. A Manhattan. Morning ➛ Wake up at 7:45. After a solid 8 minutes of in-bed social media/news updates using only one eye, I get up and pour an iced coffee (I don’t drink hot coffee unless there’s no alternative) and crack open my laptop. Running through all my daily sites takes a few minutes. I set a reminder on my phone to compose a post for Peak Blackness, a new site I’m a contributor for. I get dressed and head for work. After grabbing another iced coffee, I walk into RedEye and head into a digital strategy meeting. My co-worker Andrew just got me on The Action Method, and I swear it’s like giving a fighter jet to a caveman. My process has never been to write things down, so ideas down into actionable steps is kind of a mind fuck. Anyway, we assign stories and come up with ideas for the next 5 weeks. After that, I look through social media, roll my eyes at people on Twitter, get a nice e-mail from someone about my Peak Blackness post, and schedule radio appearances for January. I’m now monthly on WBEZ’s The Afternoon Shift, and it’s a consistent reminder to always have an eye on what’s going on in the world. Sidebar: How funny is it that PR people will mail you a 3 lb box containing one little tchotchke, then send you an e-mail asking you if you got it that says “please consider the enviroment before printing”? Noon ➛ I’m supposed to be writing a column! Yes, my amazing editor, Hines, suggested I write something about the term YOLO. We thought it would be funny to do a eulogy for the word going into the new year. I hunker down to write. Truth be told, I used to be a super shitty writer. At the beginning of 2012, I decided that I had to write every single day and it’s finally starting to pay off. I actually use a proper obituary format and research the dates and sales #’s for “The Motto,” the song that brought YOLO to the cultural conscience. Halfway through, I IM my friend and say, “Yo, I could be working in a coal mine right now.#Blessed.” My co-workers and I have a small toast to the years success and to each other. I love the people I work with and would gladly fight you if you harmed one of them. I leave work and head to a store in Wicker Park. It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m in search of a dinner jacket. After the November of Dressing Nicely, I’m very aware of the effect clothing has on a person and how it makes them treat you. After a bit of struggle, the homie (and Internet scene queen) Molly Soda helps me find a jacket that looks pretty damn good. Night ➛ I didn’t sleep well the night before, so I take a 45-minute nap. I wake up, crank music very loudly, shower, and shave. Before heading out, I fill a big cup with water and put two Advil on my nightstand. I then head to a dinner party at my friend Jim’s fiancee’s house. Dinner is amazing. After a round of hugs, kisses, and new year’s wishes, I head to a party at my friends Veronica and Rob’s house. On the way, I call my mom and my best friend to wish them a happy new year. The party is ROCKING. My jacket is a hit. I see my ex-girlfriend and nothing happens. I get put in charge of playing tunes, and I consume several whiskey-based cocktails and get handed a bottle of champagne. After a few texts and calls from friends who are on the east coast, the ball drops, and I kiss the four closest women to me. The executive order is to play “Pony” by Ginuwine no less than six times. There’s a lot of dancing, drinking, and Instagram flexing. I ain’t exactly sober anymore, but I have the good conscience to take my ass to bed. Cab home and realize it’s coming up on 4:45 AM. I haven’t stayed out that late in years. I get home, chug Pedialyte (KEEP IT IN YOUR FRIDGE, TRUST ME), the big cup of water and the Advil, then pass the fuck out. Happy New Year!  Three Last Things… 1. What’s up with The Action Method? How does it work? Like a lot of people who fancy themselves creative, I can spout off ideas for cool things all day every day. The Action Method is a system that forces you to actually execute the ideas you have. Basically, I have a journal and desk pad that I have on me at all times. The point is that you leave every place where an idea comes up (a meeting or coffee with a friend) with tasks that need to be completed. Each Action Step should start with a verb: “Write post about drinking rules for people over 25,” “Buy a gift for Twan.” Then make a reference of where the idea came from and important shit like if it costs $$$, or if you need a specific document. Then…do the steps. Repeat until project is complete. Ta-dow. 2. Your monthly party Sensitive Thugs is pretty genius (especially fond of the No Limit vs. Cash Money themed night). How did the idea for this night originate? It started with a rap podcast I used to do called Disrespectful Radio with some buds. A few friends and I have been referring to ourselves as “The Untouchable Chrysler LeBaron Music Empire” (#TheEmpire) as a goof on Maybach Music. We said fuck it, let’s throw a night. So we did. In addition to the quarterly R. Kelly tribute night “Bump and Grindcore,” there’s a “Sensitive Thugs” party where we play everything from Soul 4 Real to Sisqo to Drake to Jodeci. Last one we did at the Whistler, a guy literally picked up the girl he was dancing with and walked out. I hope he knocked her up. 3. What would the Ernest Wilkins’ Peak Blackness Moment post from the future say?  Ernest Wilkins’ Peak Blackness Moment will be March 2019, when I become the first black host of Late Night, taking over for Jimmy Fallon, who moves to The Tonight Show. I’ll be on the cover of New York Magazine, and there’ll be poorly written think pieces about whether America is “ready” for a black guy to inherit this franchise bouncing all over the Internet. Navy blue suit, Chicago flag lapel. First season = 3 Emmy nods, no wins. Be sure to tune in, ok? Ernest lives in Chicago. He is a writer and digital strategist for the RedEye (by the Chicago Tribune). You can also find him on WBEZ’s The Afternoon Shift. @ernestwilkins  Aldous Huxtable  Peak Blackness   photo credit: Marc Moran

So, How Was Your Day?

Breakfast:

Fruit salad.


Lunch:

Crock-pot chili. Homemade honey-bacon cornbread.


Dinner:

Beef tenderloin. Twice-baked potatoes. Green bean casserole. Shrimp. Stuffed mushrooms. Fancy cheese white people eat. A glass of red. A Manhattan.

Morning ➛

Wake up at 7:45. After a solid 8 minutes of in-bed social media/news updates using only one eye, I get up and pour an iced coffee (I don’t drink hot coffee unless there’s no alternative) and crack open my laptop. Running through all my daily sites takes a few minutes. I set a reminder on my phone to compose a post for Peak Blackness, a new site I’m a contributor for. I get dressed and head for work. After grabbing another iced coffee, I walk into RedEye and head into a digital strategy meeting. My co-worker Andrew just got me on The Action Method, and I swear it’s like giving a fighter jet to a caveman. My process has never been to write things down, so ideas down into actionable steps is kind of a mind fuck. Anyway, we assign stories and come up with ideas for the next 5 weeks. After that, I look through social media, roll my eyes at people on Twitter, get a nice e-mail from someone about my Peak Blackness post, and schedule radio appearances for January. I’m now monthly on WBEZ’s The Afternoon Shift, and it’s a consistent reminder to always have an eye on what’s going on in the world. Sidebar: How funny is it that PR people will mail you a 3 lb box containing one little tchotchke, then send you an e-mail asking you if you got it that says “please consider the enviroment before printing”?



Noon ➛

I’m supposed to be writing a column! Yes, my amazing editor, Hines, suggested I write something about the term YOLO. We thought it would be funny to do a eulogy for the word going into the new year. I hunker down to write. Truth be told, I used to be a super shitty writer. At the beginning of 2012, I decided that I had to write every single day and it’s finally starting to pay off. I actually use a proper obituary format and research the dates and sales #’s for “The Motto,” the song that brought YOLO to the cultural conscience. Halfway through, I IM my friend and say, “Yo, I could be working in a coal mine right now.#Blessed.” My co-workers and I have a small toast to the years success and to each other. I love the people I work with and would gladly fight you if you harmed one of them. I leave work and head to a store in Wicker Park. It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m in search of a dinner jacket. After the November of Dressing Nicely, I’m very aware of the effect clothing has on a person and how it makes them treat you. After a bit of struggle, the homie (and Internet scene queen) Molly Soda helps me find a jacket that looks pretty damn good.



Night ➛

I didn’t sleep well the night before, so I take a 45-minute nap. I wake up, crank music very loudly, shower, and shave. Before heading out, I fill a big cup with water and put two Advil on my nightstand. I then head to a dinner party at my friend Jim’s fiancee’s house. Dinner is amazing. After a round of hugs, kisses, and new year’s wishes, I head to a party at my friends Veronica and Rob’s house. On the way, I call my mom and my best friend to wish them a happy new year. The party is ROCKING. My jacket is a hit. I see my ex-girlfriend and nothing happens. I get put in charge of playing tunes, and I consume several whiskey-based cocktails and get handed a bottle of champagne. After a few texts and calls from friends who are on the east coast, the ball drops, and I kiss the four closest women to me. The executive order is to play “Pony” by Ginuwine no less than six times. There’s a lot of dancing, drinking, and Instagram flexing. I ain’t exactly sober anymore, but I have the good conscience to take my ass to bed. Cab home and realize it’s coming up on 4:45 AM. I haven’t stayed out that late in years. I get home, chug Pedialyte (KEEP IT IN YOUR FRIDGE, TRUST ME), the big cup of water and the Advil, then pass the fuck out. Happy New Year! 

Three Last Things…

1. What’s up with The Action Method? How does it work?

Like a lot of people who fancy themselves creative, I can spout off ideas for cool things all day every day. The Action Method is a system that forces you to actually execute the ideas you have. Basically, I have a journal and desk pad that I have on me at all times. The point is that you leave every place where an idea comes up (a meeting or coffee with a friend) with tasks that need to be completed. Each Action Step should start with a verb: “Write post about drinking rules for people over 25,” “Buy a gift for Twan.” Then make a reference of where the idea came from and important shit like if it costs $$$, or if you need a specific document. Then…do the steps. Repeat until project is complete. Ta-dow.

2. Your monthly party Sensitive Thugs is pretty genius (especially fond of the No Limit vs. Cash Money themed night). How did the idea for this night originate?

It started with a rap podcast I used to do called Disrespectful Radio with some buds. A few friends and I have been referring to ourselves as “The Untouchable Chrysler LeBaron Music Empire” (#TheEmpire) as a goof on Maybach Music. We said fuck it, let’s throw a night. So we did. In addition to the quarterly R. Kelly tribute night “Bump and Grindcore,” there’s a “Sensitive Thugs” party where we play everything from Soul 4 Real to Sisqo to Drake to Jodeci. Last one we did at the Whistler, a guy literally picked up the girl he was dancing with and walked out. I hope he knocked her up.

3. What would the Ernest Wilkins’ Peak Blackness Moment post from the future say? 

Ernest Wilkins’ Peak Blackness Moment will be March 2019, when I become the first black host of Late Night, taking over for Jimmy Fallon, who moves to The Tonight Show. I’ll be on the cover of New York Magazine, and there’ll be poorly written think pieces about whether America is “ready” for a black guy to inherit this franchise bouncing all over the Internet. Navy blue suit, Chicago flag lapel. First season = 3 Emmy nods, no wins. Be sure to tune in, ok?

Ernest lives in Chicago. He is a writer and digital strategist for the RedEye (by the Chicago Tribune). You can also find him on WBEZ’s The Afternoon Shift. @ernestwilkins  Aldous Huxtable  Peak Blackness   photo credit: Marc Moran