You didn’t ask for it, but I delivered! Here are five cool things to think about this weekend. From nine slots to gonzos; blue notes to huggy puppies and truly mobile homes, here are a few things to ponder, pet, bebop, hallucinate and reminisce about.
Baseball & The DH
I’m throwing down the gauntlet. Baseball is officially back this week, and the DH (designated hitter) has encroached into National League territory. Good. Snobby baseballeratti will constantly defend the purity of pitchers doing un-pitchy things, but I for one welcome its removal. No more nine slots beating down the momentum of an otherwise entertaining game.
Reid Miles & The Blue Note
Arriving about sixty years late to this column, might I encourage our readers to investigate the graphic design prowess of Reid Miles and his tribute to the world of jazz. Having completed roughly six bajillion album covers for the likes of Coltrane, Burrell, Thelonius, Morgan and anyone else with a brass instrument in their vicinity, Miles’ Blue Note album covers are legendary. Can you view his work without tapping your feet? I dare you to try!
“Savage Journey” by Peter Richardson
Go Gonzo for this new biography of Hunter S. Thompson. You could read ten books on the iconic journalist and still need ten more to get an understanding of the man. This is a good one, and quite possibly does the best at shining a spotlight on the ever-moving shadow of Thompson. He’s weird but so are you. Enjoy.
Woodgreen Branding
Don’t you love the simple things? This snuggly wuggly new branding work out of Pentagram is clear, modern and adorable. Bright colors and direct messaging keep things instantly endearing and memorable. The genius here is that it’s not genius at all. It’s just a big, warm hug, free of pretention.
125
Lastly and most importantly, a very proud shout out to our homeland; our alma mater; the Sparta to our 300; the wonderful Village of Katonah. This week, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of “New Katonah” setting up shop in its current location. After New York City kindly requested that Katonah get a teeny bit flooded and erased from the map to make way for a new reservoir, the people of our fair village politely declined. They slowly but surely moved their homes out of harm’s way, preserving the history and spirit of this incredible community for generations to come.
Justin is an award-winning designer and photographer. He was the owner and creative director at Future Boy Design, producing work for clients such as National Parks Service, Vintage Cinemas, The Tarrytown Music Hall, and others. His work has appeared in Bloomberg TV, South by Southwest (SXSW), Edible Magazine, Westchester Magazine, Refinery 29, the Art Directors Club, AIGA and more.
Justin is a two-time winner of the International Design Awards, American Photography and Latin America Fotografia. Vice News has called Justin Negard as “one of the best artists working today.”
He is the author of two books, On Design, which discusses principles and the business of design, and Bogotà which is a photographic journey through the Colombian capital.
Additionally, Justin has served as Creative Director at CityMouse Inc., an NYC-based design firm which provides accessible design for people with disabilities, and has been awarded by the City of New York, MIT Media Lab and South By Southwest.
He lives in Katonah with his wonderfully patient wife, son and daughter.
