Heathens at Momentum Marketplace

Heathens is a new clothing company that was started by Derek. He is one half of Single Second if you know who they are. Derek is one who truly takes pride in his work and cares about the little details, whether that is fine materials or good customer service. Saturday at Momentum Marketplace from 10-2 he will be introducing his first line for the company, swing by to see the products and say hi to me!

Love the North

"Altered Route" Skate Film

This skate short was filmed by Brett Novak for the new mb! (Mercedes-Benz) campaign. The skateboarder featured through the entire video is Kilian Martin. He is a 24 year old Spanish native who has recently entered the California skate scene. He considers himself a "street freestyle" rider. Kilian was influenced by Peralta's "Ban This" skate video to utilize his gymnastics and surfing abilities. Honestly, he reminds me of a modern day Rodney Mullen.

Dragon Ball Z x HMN ALNS Pt. 2

Do you remember the last time Human Aliens dressed up Goten, Trunks and Gotenks? This time they used Cell Jr., Kid Buu and Vegeta. These characters have been seriously hyped up in clothing. This time we see Supreme x Comme des Garcons, Original Fake, Golf Wang, Kobe VII "Poison Dart", Jordan V "Tokyo", Saucony and more Supreme. This time Vegeta has to be the favourite, that tail of his acts as an accessory.

Love the North

Prometheus

Out next Friday (June 8, 2012) is Ridley Scott's return to the Alien universe: Prometheus.

I didn't think much of Prometheus up until I watched the David 8 trailer.



The promotional work for Prometheus has been A+. Most of the time, movies will release a trailer with that voice guy and he would say some tacky crap like:

"After the height of space exploration... The crew of the Prometheus stumble onto something... Something that will change the fate of humanity."

Or whatever.

Granted, I'm sure that trailer exists somewhere on Youtube, but the majority of the promotional work that I've seen, it's all been tied in with things that exist in real life. Like the trailer below, Peter Weyland giving a speech at a TED conference in 2023. I'm not good at explaining things, but you'll get it when you watch it.



Almost immediately after watching the David 8 trailer, I decided to watch Alien. I don't know what I've been doing up until I watched the first Alien. Just like Refused, it was way ahead of its time.

Mind you I didn't bother watching the other Alien movies because I hear they're kinda 'eh', but maybe one day I'll get around to it.

So once again, June 8, 2012, Prometheus hits theaters. You bests believe that I'm gonna go see it opening night. Hell, if there's a midnight showing, I'll probably go to that.

Here's a regular trailer:

Just a Taste: Riverbend Plantation Market Cafe

Location

Riverbend Plantation can be found at Saskatoon's Farmer's Market at the East end of the building.

Environment

It shares the same as environment as the rest of the Farmer's Market. A lot of families, fresh foods and live music are just a few of the things that you can expect.

Menu

There was a large selection of affordable and delicious sounding sandwiches, desserts, and beverages. The breakfast menu consisted of muffins, a waffle dish and a fresh breakfast sandwich.

Food

I ordered a waffle with Saskatoon berries and whipped cream. They make it in front of your eyes, so you know it's fresh. It costed $7 and was very filling. When I looked at it, it looked pretty small but I was deceived. The waffle was soft and warm, definitely the best one that I have eaten in a long time! The berries were very sweet though, no syrup would be needed for this dish.

Love the North

Jay-Z & Kanye West Ft. Frank Ocean - No Church in the Wild

Jordan IV "Military Blue"

The Jordan IV is one of my favourite models to this day (along with the V and VIII), I am excited to say that this one will release June 9, 2012. The first Military Blue Jordan was made in 1999, followed by a re-release in 2006. I owned a pair of Countdown's at one point of time and can hopefully grab a pair of these too. The Cement's caused a lot of hype, lets see if these do too!

You should be able to grab these at stores such as Footlocker and Momentum.

Love the North

Durr Movies: Chronicle

Normally I'll review movies that are currently in theaters, but let's make an exception for this movie.

Chronicle is about three high school kids that discover a supernatural structure that grants them all telekinetic powers. After tinkering with their new found powers, one of them begins abusing it for his own personal needs.

Initially when I first saw the trailer for Chronicle, I didn't think too much of it, but after a while, everybody I had talked to about it insisted that I watch it. So low and behold on this chilly Monday I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

First and foremost it was filmed in the whole "found footage" style in which a character in the film is the cameraman, like Paranormal Activity or The Blair Witch Project.

Found footage films aren't really my cup of tea but I'll watch them anyways, so as long as I'm not in a theater. I get harsh motion sickness watching these movies on large screens.

The movie could have strayed off path with stylized action, but I'm glad they gave the movie a bit of humanity. It could have been extremely over the top especially with a concept like this.

If you have ever watched Akira, you can definitely see it in this movie which isn't a bad thing at all. It's the closet thing to an Akira live action adaptation we have, until somebody decides to revive the actual production of the live action Akira film. Which will probably be awful.

With all that being said, I thought Chronicle wasn't as great as the hype made it out to be. I felt like I've already watch this movie, the plot was quite straight forward and you could probably imagine what the ending would be like. Granted it's still a decent movie, with moderately believable high school student acting.



Should you watch it? Eh. Sure.

Case and Point
Chronicle is: a masculine ego trip gone worse.

Just a Taste: New Ki Sum Bakery (Photo)

Spicy shrimp, barbecue pork and vegetables on ho fun

Alife Chuck High Indoor

This is Alife's chukka style shoe. I currently own a pair of Clark's Desert Boots but because these fit me better, they deserve this little show case. Let me explain to you why I like them so much.

Firstly, I am really excited about the olive green suede. This is a colour that I recommend for everyone's wardrobe, both men and women. It's more fun than your classic heather grey or charcoal. Secondly, I have never seen a pair of chukkas with a gum sole. It's nice and low to the ground, the lower profile gives you a clean look. On top of that, the gum sole looks like it has inspiration from the adidas Samba.

The last reason why I like these so much is because of the fit. Inside the shoe is a sock liner fit, my foot truly does fit like a glove. I would imagine that sweating must be a huge issue in them too, but Alife has tried to prevent that by perforating the mesh inside the shoe to allow your foot to breathe a little.

I am looking forward to wearing these shoes, they will definitely receive more action in the Fall. They are a great casual shoe that can also be used on a night out or special events.

Love the North

Durr Movies: Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Ever since my friend Josh showed me the trailer of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, all I've ever wanted to do was to watch this movie.

Lucky for Saskatoon, and myself included, the cool cats at The Broadway Theater began showing this wonder of a movie.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a movie about 85 year old Jiro Ono and his mastery of sushi and whether or not his son Yoshikazu Ono has what it takes to carry on his father's legacy when the inevitable comes to light.

Jiro Ono is the owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, the first sushi restaurant to be presented with three stars on the prestigious Michelin Guide, and recognized as a national treasure in Japan for his contributions to Japanese Cuisine.

Quite the name to live up to.

This movie was shot sublimely from start to finish. It paints a perfect picture on how something so simple such as sushi can be so beautiful.

The entire time I was watching this movie, I sorta had this grin on my face. Suffice to say I was in awe. I don't know why, it was just a great movie.

This may be way off, but the thing that bugs me about documentaries is that they always have to have some sort of antagonist in it. This movie had none of that, it was just, "Here's Jiro, and here are his sons, look how they're doing. Here's how sushi is made, pretty isn't it?"

Damn straight.



Should you go see it? Absolutely, while you still can, catch it at The Broadway Theater. You will gain a new appreciation for one of the world's most simplest of dishes.

Case and Point
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is: art.

Buy Evan's Photos!

First of all, a big thank you to everyone who checks out my photos every week!  Second, now you can buy these photos and put them on your wall (real walls not facebook walls).  I opened up a store on Etsy yesterday and I will try my best to update it with as many photos as possible. 

Just because I like you so much, use the code HELLO306 at the checkout for 20% off your order!

Here's the link.


E

Tomba! Coming to PlayStation Network

It's funny that just a couple of days ago I was complaining to a friend that Tomba! should be on PlayStation Network for download. Just yesterday MonkeyPaw Games and Sony released information that it would be available for the Summer of 2012.

Tomba! was a game for the original PlayStation console. It has a side scrolling game play where you control Tomba to retrieve his grandpa's stolen bracelet. Tomba lives in a place that was once a peaceful land, that is until seven evil pigs use magic to change the land.



I never completed the first Tomba! (I did play the demo), but only the second. They say that if there are enough sales of Tomba! they will also work on bringing the sequel to PlayStation Network as well.

Love the North

Just a Taste: Foxy's Lounge and Eatery

Location
Foxy's can be found on Central Avenue beside the Subway.

Environment
It wasn't too busy considering we went for a late lunch. We ate in the restaurant side rather than the lounge. There doesn't seem to be too much seating in this area though. There are also a few televisions playing sports events. The server we had was quite kind and helpful as well.

Menu
The menu had quite the selection of appetizers, sandwiches and burgers, you know your typical pub food. But the food here was more reasonably priced in comparison to most lounges.

Food
We ordered sweet and spicy Thai boneless ribs and the nachos. Both were quite good, the nachos had a lot of toppings and were accompanied by sour cream and salsa. The ribs were crispy and had a thick batter, they were almost hard to stab with a fork. At first I was worried that they wouldn't be that fresh but the meat was nice and tender. They were not that spicy but had a good flavour.

Conclusion
The prices are affordable, they always have drink specials and the staff are nice. It's a good place to swing by for lunch or appetizers in the evening. Lately I have been hearing good things about it and that's what made me stop by. If you like places like Joe's Sports Bar or Fox & Hounds, I recommend this place to you.

Love the North 

Champion's League Champions: Chelsea

After an exciting game, Chelsea has been crowned the Champion's League winners. A few of my friends and myself watched the match at Boston Pizza. The game was scoreless until the last 80 minutes. A late goal by Muller (Bayern Munich), was responded by Drogba's (Chelsea) header. The game went to penalty shots, where Chelsea took the win.

Love the North

Photo Friday: Kids in Thailand

I'm sure a few of you have seen at least a couple of these photos before but I wanted to post them on here because these guys mean a lot to me.  Last summer I had the chance to go to Thailand to volunteer at a school/orphanage for Burmese migrant kids.  The kids in the orphanage most likely lost their parents at the hand of the Burmese military or land mines etc.  It is really sad to hear about all the needless violence in that country but yet these were some of the happiest children I have ever met.

E

Nike Football: My Time is Now

Group of Seven

Friends + photography + good music = a good time, right? On Sunday of this weekend you will be able to check out some of Saskatoon's photographer's work. Grab a drink, relax and check out what Saskatoon's photography scene has to offer.

Love the North

Nike Football: My Time is Now Trailer

Hustle 2012

Nike Clash Collection

Here is Nike's collection for the Euro's.

Love the North

RW&CO

Saskatoon has been growing very quickly over the years and with that we gain new businesses. Many new stores have been opened recently in Midtown Plaza and the mall is now busier on a regular basis. On May 20, 2012 RW&CO will be the new addition to our downtown shopping centre.

RW stands for Ready Wear, RW&CO is a Canadian owned clothing store for both women and men. They would like to celebrate their grand opening by offering shoppers a 20% discount on purchases of $75 or more. This opportunity will last from May 20- June 3.

You may find that RW&CO is good place to get your summer wardrobe started. They have a large inventory, many basics and are striving to make products affordable for their customers.

Love the North

Raw Denim: Separating Fact From Fiction and More

Raw denim. What is it and why should I care about it?  Ahhh very good questions oh faithful reader!

Raw denim is generally made with 100% cotton just like any other pair of jeans but most companies will source their cotton and mill it where the utmost quality can be maintained.  The United States and Japan are the largest suppliers of raw denim.  If you look in the picture above you'll see something called selvedge (self-edge). The white edge on the out seam is the selvedge and it is only found on denim woven on vintage shuttle looms.  These looms are no longer in production thus making raw selvedge denim much more rare and usually expensive.  I've also heard that the shuttle loom will form a tighter weave on the jeans making for a more durable product but I'm not sure if I really believe that...  here is a video of selvedge denim being woven:

With no real function, selvedge is more or less something to look kind of cool when you cuff your jeans.

The weight of the denim is also something to consider.  When you increase the weight you increase durability and rigidity.  Rigidity is important for forming creases which will turn into cool fades later on.  Anything less than 12oz (the weight is measured by the square yard) is considered fairly light for raw denim (a regular pair of generic 'mall jeans' would probably be around 8-10oz).  24oz is the heaviest I have ever seen and it was pretty much made as a joke by Naked & Famous.  They had to fix their sewing machines after every two pairs because it was so thick...

Now, remember when I said raw denim is unwashed?  Many people will not wash their raw denim as often as their regular clothes because the indigo (blue colour) will bleed in the wash causing them to fade quickly.  That being said, never washing raw denim is probably one of the biggest misunderstandings about it.  People often ask me, "What if they get dirty??" Then, I'll wash them... "what if they start to stink??" They don't, but if they did, wash them up!  A general rule of thumb is to not wash them for six months to allow creases to set in and for them to fade naturally to your body.  Washing them doesn't fade a whole lot but over time it will definitely affect the look of your jeans.

Also, methods for washing aren't complicated.  If you don't want to wash but you suspect they're getting kind of gross, get some Febreeze on them and just leave them outside for about a day.  If you're ready for a full on wash, toss them in the washing machine inside out with some Woolite Dark to preserve as much indigo as possible.  If you're tall like me and need all the length you can get, hang dry your jeans hanging from the leg openings (I just use chip clips hanging from the rack in my laundry room) so the weight of them will stretch back out to their previous length. Different denims will shrink differently in the wash so do some research first if shrinkage will be a problem.  Last but not least, NEVER machine dry your raw denim.  It will shrink quite a bit but a hot dryer will work out all the creases you've been trying to set in for the past few months!  Dryers also deteriorate cotton fabrics much quicker so to preserve the look and life of your jeans, always hang dry.

Enough talk, here's an example of a pair of my jeans.  Not the best photos but it does the trick.  A.P.C. Rescue worn for about a year and I washed them 4 or 5 times.  You can clearly see my phone and wallet fading the back pockets putting my own personal fingerprint on them.  Each pair will fade differently and will stretch out where your body needs it too making them extremely comfortable.

and this is what they looked like brand new:

Long story short, I like raw denim because it is almost like wearable art.  Each pair will fade into something uniquely yours.  They almost become a second skin after a few weeks and I have a hard time wearing anything else!

PLEASE comment if you think I'm weird, wrong or if you think raw denim is something cool you might want to get familiar with.  I'd love to answer any questions you have but hopefully this article helped some of you with this strange but awesome fashion trend.

E

Photo Friday: The Bus Stop

The Bus Stop is a favourite of many Saskatonians for ice cream, lemonade, pop corn or a Riverbank Frank ("the best dog in 'Toon Town").  Located across the street from the Delta Bessborough, it provides a great meeting spot for friends or a place to cool down after a bike ride down the Meewasin trail.  Great ice cream and a great nostalgic feel with The Bus Stop being an authentic double decker bus from England!

E

Rotary Park

The sun has been shining and the rain is gone for now. People are already out sun tanning, having picnics, slack lining, longboarding and throwing frisbees out at Rotary Park. If it's not as windy this weekend you can do some of the same activities with your friends.

Love the North

Just a Taste: Asian House

Location
Asian House is located by Willowgrove by the Boston Pizza.

Environment
I went at an awkward time of three o'clock so it was not busy at all. It was nice though, we received a lot of attention and the service was good. The restaurant looks small when standing from the outside, but seats a fair bit of people.

Menu
The menu is four pages long consisting of beverages, appetizers, pho, bun/vermicelli and Chinese dishes. Some sections don't have much selection such as the bun and prices are higher than most Vietnamese restaurants across the city.

Food
We ordered pork cold rolls and a vermicelli with spring rolls and pork. The cold rolls were good, they remained firm and the sauce was thin but tasty. Something different about their pork cold rolls is that instead of using a charbroiled park they use a BBQ pork.

The portion of the vermicelli was quite large and they care about the presentation of the meal. It had sliced charbroiled pork, carrots, lettuce and two spring rolls. I don't recall it containing any bean sprouts. The two complaints I had were the crispiness and taste of the spring rolls and the tasteless fish sauce. I had to use a lot of Sriracha and chili to create more flavour, but other than that it was alright.

Love the North 

Farmfresh & Nola "Tastemaker" Launch Party

Kendrick Lamar - The Recipe ft. Dr. Dre

This song is a summer jam.

Street Knock - Swizz Beatz Ft. A$AP Rocky

Let's Chat: Summer Footwear

Summer is your chance to wear colour and lower profile shoes on a regular basis. By that time you can put your Hunter's or Timberlands in the closet until another season. The footwear you choose for Summer can really make your outfit pop, I think we should be our neutrals (white/grey/black) away and have some fun. Colour screams fun.

On a regular summer I generally still wear denim with a pair of Nike SB's, but hopefully this season I can mix it up a bit. I want to wear shorts more often and find myself some Nike Lunar Flows to wear often. I love that athletic and comfortable look.

Finding yourself a pair of shoes doesn't even have to be expensive either. You can find yourself a couple of pairs of Converse or Vans for under $100. It's Saskatoon, we have yearly Summer sales. Just make sure to take advantage of them.

Last year I saw that many people wore flats, Toms, Sanuks and Vans. Styles come and go, one day it will be a Sperry Top-Sider and the next it will be back to your favourite pair of sandals. What's your plans for this year?

Love the North

adidas Predator LZ

Soccer Cleats 101: Lethal Zones

1. First Touch is magnetic. The ball can’t resist its grip. Kill the ball with one move and kill them with the next.
2. Drive is a sledgehammer. Take a swing and nail that explosive long pass.
3. Dribble is voodoo. Leave a trail of spellbound defenders behind.
4. Pass is a skeleton key, opening any defense with speed and precision.
5. Sweet Spot is a sniper who can curve a bullet. Take aim, fire and wait for the crowds to explode.

I really like what adidas has done here with the use of research and their drive for innovation. The idea of having pros discover "lethal zones" and creating a boot to accompany their styles is wonderful. adidas has always cared about contributing to the game as well as the athletes. Although I really like this boot, I am sad at what the Predator line has become. Until the day I try these first hand, I do not believe that a microfiber material can replace a kangaroo leather. Rebranding is sometimes very important, but the Predator has heritage and I feel like this boot is going in the same direction as all of their other new products. I specifically mean that lightweight seems to be adidas main purpose or advantage over other soccer companies.



My final verdict is that these are cool and look fun, but that I don't believe that these should be part of the Predator line.

Love the North

Saskatchewan Jazz Festival Line-Up

Friday June 22

Michael Franti & Spearhead
Rebirth of the Cool
Young Empires
Lucky Peterson

Saturday June 23

Feist
Wayne Shorter Quartet
Shine On: The Universe of John Lennon
Mayer Hawthorne
Lucky Peterson
The Jam feat. Outer Bridge Ensemble

Sunday June 24

Janelle Monae
Bill Frisell presents: All We Are Saying
Ndidi Onukwulu
Timber Timbre
Solstice Brunch

Monday June 25

Dianne Reeves
Hooded Fang

Tuesday June 26

Check out one of our 75+ free shows!

Wednesday June 27

Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Médéric Collignon
Shine On: The Universe of John Lennon

Thursday June 28

Metro Jazz Ensemble
Featuring Christine & Ingrid Jensen
Woody Holler & His Orchestra
Five Alarm Funk
Wild T & The Spirit
The Jam feat. Outer Bridge Ensemble

Friday June 29

Jill Barber & Peter Appleyard Quartet
Get The Blessing
Shuffle Demons
Wild T & The Spirit
The Jam feat. Outer Bridge Ensemble

Saturday June 30

Downchild Blues Band
Elliott Brood
Benny Green
Heavyweights Brass Band
Wild T & The Spirit
The Jam feat. Outer Bridge Ensemble
TD Jazz Intensive

Sunday July 1

The Roots
DJ Questlove

Photo Friday (Sunday...?): 3rd Ave

Yeah I realize it is Sunday but I'll keep the Photo Friday theme...

Here's a picture I took some time ago down 3rd Ave. with my buddy Brayden aka Def Chap (make sure you give him some love at Scratch on Wednesday).  This street is quickly becoming one of my favourites in Saskatoon filled with great restaurants and now my favourite clothing store: Luna+Hill.  I'm pumped about how downtown Saskatoon is getting a lot better and I can't wait for summer to roll around!

Next time you're down 3rd, make sure you get familiar with Luna+Hill and Thien Vietnam for one of the better noodle bowls in town.

E