MV::OWEN COOK DIRECTS BEIRUT "LA LLORONA"

Owen Cook directs new animated video for Beirut’s single “La Llorona”, off their upcoming album, March of the Zapotec/Holland. In it, a melancholic story is told through water painted landscapes that sync with the moody track.

ARTIST::BEIRUT
TRACK::LA LLORONA
DIRECTOR::OWEN COOK
PROD.CO::N/A

LOCAL::SECOND STOP CAFÉ IN WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN

Upon entrance to Second Stop Café, the newest addition to trendy Williamsburg hangouts, the smell of freshly baked pastries and aromatic teas boost your senses to new heights. It’s a cozy hideaway with optimal décor including leather cushions from an Alexander McQueen store, table bases from the Oak Room of the Plaza Hotel, even a fireplace mantel from Johnny Depp’s townhouse in West Village. But the proverbial “icing on the cake” is renowned Le Bernardin pastry chef, Merrin Frazier, whose decadent deserts leave patrons wanting more, particularly the lemon-infused pound cake. Second Stop is located at the Lorimer stop on the L train (cross streets: Lorimer & Ainslie).

MORE INFO::SECOND STOP CAFE 524 LORIMER STREET BROOKLYN NY

SONG OF THE WEEK::SIMON & GARFUNKEL "A HAZY SHADE OF WINTER"

To my fellow New Yorkers who are experiencing doomsday in New York, with falling snow plastering our streets, here is a little tune to get you through the week: Simon and Garfunkel's track "A Hazy Shade of Winter" off their 1968 hit album, Bookends.

For those of you unfamiliar with Platform's pick for Song of the Week, the Quicktime player is located to the far right. Enjoy!

BUY::SIMON & GARFUNKEL, BOOKENDS $7.98 & UP

THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Watch it live on CNN.com!

MUSIC::ANIMAL COLLECTIVE DISCUSS THEIR NEW ALBUM "MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILLION" WITH PITCHFORK WRITER, MARK RICHARDSON

"It seems like there's one moment where everything clicks with [our music]", says Dave Portner of Animal Collective, as he refers to the way listeners approach their music, which is with a couple of tries.

Animal Collective is a collective trio consisted of Dave Portner (aka Avey Tare), Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear), and Brian Weitz (aka Geologist), all of whom have mildly succeeded with side solo projects. They've been making music together for over ten years now (since Clinton was in office) and their notoriety keeps growing with devoted listeners and those who try to become a listener, but much to their chagrin, "just don't get it all". Their latest album, Merriweather Post Pavillion, is a follow-up to Stawberry Jam (released 2007). And in a Pitchfork interview out today, interviewer Mark Richardson sheds a little perspective on the band's sometimes misunderstood reputation.

"There have definitely been other times when we want people to understand we're just normal guys. We're not these weirdoes that a lot of people pin us down as trying to be. It's been, in that way, important for us to talk to our fans and meet people. That takes away from the mystery, I guess. But it's important to have an understanding when you feel like you're stepping over the boundaries that we've set. I think there are still certain things about our records, or the music-making process, that we really don't care for people to know." -Dave Portner

READ::ANIMAL COLLECTIVE INTERVIEW (PITCHFORK)

OFFICIAL SITE::ANIMAL COLLECTIVE

SONG OF THE WEEK::PASSION PIT "SLEEPYHEAD"

Passion Pit's track "Sleepyhead" is Platform's pick for Song of the Week.

The boys from Maryland released their album Chunk of Change last year and since been on rotation amongst the turntables of trendsetting DJ's. Word on the street is that this dance-y single is a hallmark to lead singer Michael Angelakos' girlfriend. Just in time for Valentines Day (The Fader).

OFFICIAL SITE::PASSION PIT (MYSPACE)

FILM/ART:: JULIAN SCHNABEL SHOOTS "CHE" STAR, BENICIO DEL TORO, FOR LATEST ISSUE OF TAR ART

Cannes winner for Best Actor, Benicio Del Toro, portrays Argentine revolutionary, Che Guevara, in the new film Che, directed by Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich). Artist Julian Schnabel shoots Del Toro for the new issue of Tar Art, where the actor highlights key elements from the award winning film.

OFFICIAL SITE::TAR ART

FASHION::RAG & BONE OPENS SECOND NY STORE DESPITE DWINDLING ECONOMY

Chic proprietors of fashion brand, Rag & Bone, open their second New York store on Christopher Street in the West Village. As fellow brands close shop left and right, the easy to wear menswear label continues to grow despite the economic downturn that’s making notable names in the fashion industry, recession casualties.

OFFICIAL SITE::RAG & BONE
RELATED::RAG & BONE AT 100 CHRISTOPHER STREET WEST VILLAGE NEW YORK NY

FASHION/FILM::SNEAK PEEK AT VOGUE DOCUMENTARY "THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE", DIRECTED BY R.J. CUTLER

After the release of 2006 film, Devil Wears Prada, which was apparently based on writer Lauren Weisberger's experience assisting Vogue Editor-in-Chief-slash-"ice queen", Anna Wintour, viewers (myself included) were itching to get a peek at the interiors of the real fashion mother ship. Well, wonder no more. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler’s documentary, The September Issue, documents a month at Vogue and what it's really like to work for a woman who...ehem...has high standards.

The film, will screen at Sundance this weekend.

MORE INFO::THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE DIRECTED BY R.J. CUTLER

MUSIC::ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS NEW ALBUM "THE CRYING LIGHT" OUT JAN.20TH

Despite his portly presence, Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons, is endearingly fragile looking. His engaging eyes and sorrowful - yet emotionally enrapturing voice - sparks similarities to an older era of bluesy songstresses like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. His album, The Crying Light (out Jan.20 on Secretly Canadian) is a follow-up to his 2005 album, I Am a Bird Now, which will bare the same sensitivity and emotionality his prior songs offer.

NOT FAMILIAR? LISTEN TO THIS::ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS "HOPE THERE'S SOMEONE


OFFICIAL SITE::ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS

ART FEATURE::ARTIST TODD SELBY AT HOME WITH MODEL ERIN WASSON, MUSICIAN MICHAEL STIPE, AND DESIGNER ALEXANDER WANG

Go ahead and feed your voyeuristic obsessions with The Selby: a project (and site) that features photographs, paintings and videos by artist Todd Selby. His subjects? Oh, just models, famous musicians, artists, designers, the latter. You know, common people.

TAKE A LOOK-SEE::THE SELBY

MUSIC::ANOTHER CHANCE TO SEE LYKKE LI @ MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

Dance, Dance, Dance, which is what you’ll be surely doing at Lykke Li’s upcoming concert at Music Hall of Williamsburg, February 2nd. Now that the petite songstress is a Brooklyn resident, she’s granting more devoted listeners with her eclectic vocals once again. Advance tickets are $22 and $25/day of.

OFFICIAL SITE::LYKKE LI
PURCHASE::LYKKE LI @ MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG $22 ADV/$25 DAY OF

EVENT::NEW YORK RESTAURANT WEEK '09

NYC Restaurant Week participant, KittiChai

New York Restaurant Week 09: It’s the time of year when New Yorkers get to satisfy their inner-foodie with decadent meals from some of the best restaurants in the world for a fraction of the price. Over two hundred restaurants will partake in the much-anticipated event, which will commence January 18-23rd and again January 25-30th (not available during weekend hours).

VIEW RESTAURANT LIST::NEW YORK RESTAURANT WEEK '09

READ::DIRECTOR MICHEL GONDRY IN NEW ISSUE OF CORDUROY MAGAZINE

Corduroy Magazine writer, Nick Haramis sits down with French visionary, Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind) to discuss his career path, upcoming projects, and lazy journalists. Pick up the issue to read full article.

READ::CORDUROY MAGAZINE

FILM::BRODY BAKER DIRECTS EPISODIC LOVE STORY "BROOKLYN 09"

"In this episodic love story by the New York writer and director Brody Baker, six short improvised films draw a portrait of Charlie, a young transplanted Briton, as he navigates relationships with his eccentric family and future wife. Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, Lily Cole, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Angela McCluskey and Zoe Lister Jones star." - T Magazine

VIEW TRAILER(S)::T MAGAZINE BROOKLYN 09

BOOK::TASCHEN "NEW YORK INTERIORS"

If you're already the proud owner of Taschen's Paris Interiors book, yet still looking for more inspiration, then check out their newest release, New York Interiors. The book features a peek into the apartments of artist Terence Koh, artist and director Julian Schnabel, musician Rufus Wainwright, porn diva Vanessa del Rio, and actress Julianne Moore. If you can't find inspiration in these homes, then what hope do you have?

BUY::NEW YORK INTERIORS $39.99

ART::ONE MORE MONTH TO VIEW PIPILOTTI RIST EXHIBIT AT MOMA (NYC)

Viewers still have a chance to view Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist's exhibit at MoMa, which closes February 2nd. It's a spectacle of sorts with subversive moving images and oversized couches spectators can sprawl out on. Together. The various video installations projected feature pigs chewing on apples, toes squishing fruit, naked girls crawling in the grass. As NYMag puts it, Rist's exhibit "cheekily feminizes a bastion of masculinity" as her work comments on the absence of prominent femininity in the museum, at least in their permanent collections. The site-specific work is a trippy escape that can be easily thought as a full body experience not to be missed.

MORE INFO::PIPILOTTI RIST @ MOMA

FASHION::PRADA RTW SALE UP TO 60% OFF

Ready-to-wear collection closer to affordable for today only. Check out Prada for store hours and locations.

FASHION::MUST-HAVE MARNI SHOES

Here's a little Wednesday evening eye candy: a pair a versatile Marni pumps that work through many seasons.

BUY::MARNI $378

SONG OF THE WEEK::JEANETTE "PORQUE TE VAS"

I just moved into a new apartment (thankfully) and all weekend I had this song playing on repeat while I organized. It made the moving experience much easier to bare. It's from the 70s and sung by French pop singer, Jeanette, although the song is entirely in Spanish. You can also find this song in Carlos Saura's film Cria Cuervos, which in my opinion is one of the most brilliant films to come out of Spain (preview for the film below).



BUY::THE CRITERION COLLECTION, CRIA CUERVOS $31.96

MV::ANDREAS NILSSON DIRECTS FEVER RAY "IF I HAD A HEART"!

I've been fiending to view this video and it's finally here! The outcome is everything I expected: amazing. To those unfamiliar with Nilsson's work or Fever Ray for that matter (which is vocalist Karin Dreijer of The Knife's solo project), this work epitomizes the music and visuals both artists are known for. Along with originality, the set and costume design really pulls the whole video together.

Let's enjoy the tranquility.

ARTIST::FEVER RAY
TRACK::IF I HAD A HEART
DIRECTOR::ANDREAS NILSSON
PROD.CO::N/A