A friendly gentleman popped into the store last week. Great glasses, open smile, hardy-looking waxed-cotton bag in tow.

He asked me if I wouldn’t mind letting him take a picture for his blog. He passed me an unassuming-looking business card, not much more info than a web address. Yet, I recognized it right away, and it was an honor to stand for a quick snapshot.

The gentleman turned out to be Richard Haines, designer, illustrator and creator of a smart street-style blog I’ve followed off-and-on almost since it’s inception. Check out What I Saw Today, and get a little inspired by what inspires him.

One of the best magazine/journals currently out ventures into broadcasting. Knowing Monocle Editor-in-Chief (and founder of Wallpaper) Tyler Brûlé, this’ll be one to follow.

“From our studio in London and our bureaux in Tokyo and New York, Monocle’s editors will focus on the horizon and explore the looming stories within the five areas that define our editorial agenda: global affairs, business, culture, design and consumer culture.”

Head to Monocle Weekly for the launch episode now, and check out the print version if you haven’t yet and see what you’ve been missing.

Thanks to Benjamin Ferencz and his blog on Selectism for the tip-off on this one.

Monocle Weekly
Selectism – Benjamin Ferencz

Edit: Thanks to Jason Dike, yet another Selectism columnist, for pointing us to a fantastic read, courtesy of a departing team leader at Monocle.

121 Wooster, then and now: Stussy and Blu Dot

Blu Dot’s officially moved into the neighborhood. If you’re still nostalgic for the days when Stussy was on Wooster, you’ll be glad to know that the Minneapolis-based “affordable design” company has chosen to leave the interior much as Stussy left it.

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Not the typical music we play in our store, but DJ Krush is one important turntablist DJ that really brought meaning to the word “trip-hop” in Japan and exported back out to the world again. His music’s always laced with fat beats mixed with semi-bizarre Japanese traditional instruments. A few prominent examples are Zen and Meiso.

The album we recommend to begin your trip-hop journey with DJ Krush is his Code 4109. A continuous trip of well mixed grooves and vibes that will take you from drum-and-bass all the way to old school hip hop with lyrics that actually had meaning and made sense. A definite keeper in your CD collection for those who are into downtempo that may contain a little taste of the dark side.

Modeled after that final drop of water clinging to the spout, this silicone-crafted shower head breathes a little life into your average, sterile-white bathroom.

The design is meant to be “squeezed” after you’re finished, which prevents the accumulation of limestone.

Available in several different colors, this royal blue is the one that does it for me. With that comically bulbous drop of water, it’s like turning on a cartoon faucet.

For the die-hard collector, lock eyes on this new collaboration from the Justice/Ed Banger camp.

Geddit from Colette for $1190

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Dreams Japan recently collaborated with Hugo Boss, the international fashion brand from Metzingen, Germany, to create Hugo Boss’ first all white headphones, based on Dreams’ popular Zumreed Sfit headphones.

Unfortunately neither Dreams nor Hugo Boss disclosed the pricings of these ultra special headphones, or where one may be able to obtain one. If you see one in your local store, take a shot and send the picture our way.

In the mean time, you can grab one from either AudioCubes or AC Gears for only $49.99 in white, sans the Hugo Boss logo. We hope the mark-up wasn’t too extreme.