Negative Ghostrider The Pattern Is Full

We all know the story... laying in bed, late at night, flipping through the channels when we see Top Gun coming on -- that old familiar score pounding over silhouetted images of F-14 Tomcats being thrown off carrier decks. We begin to watch, and before you know it, we're an hour deep with no sign of letting up until the credits roll.

AND THEN we notice Tom Cruise's watch in one of the scenes... and we start googling it, and pausing the film, and researching makes, models and reference numbers, and comparing images on google to screen grabs and reading chat rooms and forums devoted to movie watches and reading about discrepancies in continuity and editing and speculation as to the exact origins of the timepiece and searching through eBay and craigslist looking for the exact model for sale and emailing dealers in Germany and buying one from a guy in Austria as 4:30am..... you know.... that same old story. Now it's on my wrist. And I make people refer to me as Maverick.

Porsche Designed Orfina 7176. Claimed to have been worn by Cruise in Days Of Thunder as well, but I haven't caught that film on Showtime at 2am yet. I'll have to get back to you. The below pictures are from the internet... because I'm too sleepy to take pictures of the one on my wrist. And remember kids, don't let your mouths write checks your butt can't cash.

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If You Love Her Leather Go

Check out the outrageously good vintage selection over at CollectedBy. It's sites like this that make me wish my house was bigger.... and my wallet was bigger.... and that bigger wallet was stuffed with money.

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From Spain With Love

On the heels of my previous post about the Russian built Lada Nivas, I received an email from Ignacio Solis from Spain. He sent me pictures and a link to his site, documenting his quest to turn a beat up old Lada Niva into the ultimate surf wagon. The world is a better place with Ignacio and his Lada Niva in it. Read (although you may need to translate before) the entire story here. Thanks for the email, Ignacio.

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Take Me....... Out

Every now and again I'll do a little job that doesn't make it to my portfolio site. Actually, that's not true... it happens a lot. For example: my sisters' Christmas card shoots or when one of oldest friends asks me to take engagement photos. I may pretend to put up a fight, but I am always happy to do these little jobs for the people I love. And hopefully I don't ruin their happy family memories by getting arrested for sneaking around Dodger Stadium... (Editor's Note: Please don't email me asking for engagement photos.)

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That's A Lada 4x4 For Ya

My current late night internet obsession took a turn last night. While Tomorrow Never Dies was softly playing on the TV in the background, I glanced up and saw Pierce rummaging through the back of what looked like a novelty sized 4x4. As soon as I questioned what it was, a shot of the back badging was shown, and I was off. And now I need one...the Russian designed and built Lada Niva. Started in 1977 and still in production today, this little beast, and yes, little, has taken over most of the globe but has somehow never entered the US market. Even with a partnership with GM hasn't helped usher the little guy over the pond. I guess I'll have to just eBay one and pray it passes smog. Go google it and read more on the Wiki page.

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That One Guy From That One Movie

The Grey is one of my favorite films in the last few years, and although I am a Joe Carnahan fan, the cast and story were really the driving forces in this one. So when Rhapsody Mag asked me to shoot Dermot Mulroney, one of the many great actors in the film, I was excited and said, "yup." The creative direction was, "just do what you do and make it cool." Well, I certainly did what I do, and I can only hope it looks cool. And must say, now that I've met and worked with the guy, I am an even bigger Mulroney fan. He's just a star, in every aspect. See the entire story here.

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The Final Frontier

Put the word SPACE on any product and I'll give it a second glance, it's the boy in me. Mix that fact with a vintage Rolex and the game might as well be over. There are plenty of variations of the Explorer, but this piece from the early 60s has got to be the coolest. Hodinkee does it justice with researched rhetoric, so I'll let them give you details, but you may drool over it below.

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Usefully Useless: Michael Jackson's Loafers

In case you were wondering... as I was, what type of loafer made the moonwalk possible, the answer is...... a bunch of different brands including Sebago and Florsheim. The Handsewn Sebago Cayman IIs are from 2010, and in my opinion, the best. So, now you know. Go practice.

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Through The Cracks

I'm a film nerd. Evidence of such is littered throughout the pages of ATG, and I don't apologize for it. I wouldn't call myself a film snob, or elitist though... I celebrate the Fast And Furious franchise as passionately as the collective work of Scorsese... I don't apologize for this either. Every now and again I see a film that is perfect for me. I'm not saying it's perfect in the grand scheme of things, but perfect for me. So far Andrew Dominik is responsible for two such films -- The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford ('07), and Killing Them Softly('12). Both seemed to have avoided the "mainstream" of pop culture, and it's too damn bad. Although Dominik used different DPs on either, both in terms of cinematography, are perfect. Here is a pretty amazing article from The American Society Of Cinematographers on the production of Killing Them Softly. And if you haven't seen the film, kick your own ass, then go scoop it on iTunes.

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This One's For You, Mother

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Do You Like Luck-Shary

For anyone that's ever been to my shrine to OCD... my house, they'll tell you I like things a specific way. I mean, why would the glasses in the cupboard NOT be perfectly aligned with the plates and the bowls? And because I like things a specific way, I like my furniture a specific way as well. I spend the same amount of time cruising design blogs as I do sleeping, and I am WELL rested. About a year or so ago I was turned on to this showroom in LA, Lawson-Fenning, and have paid their rent with my purchases since, I'm sure. Clean, classic with a modern touch, and always in rich materials. Rich.

 

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6 Sheet To The Wind

I blame Film Art Gallery for one of the roughest days of shooting in a while. While I should've been getting some much needed sleep in a hotel in Northern California, I lay awake, on my phone, scrolling through every page of vintage film posters for hours. As soon as I was back in LA, I made an appointment with the small showroom and blew every dollar I had made on the shoot the week before. If you're in LA, I highly recommend dropping in and blowing a pay check or two. Or just be lazy, lay on your bed in your hotel room, don't sleep, and order online.

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