I'm all ears

Call me on the elephone. I suppose it's a trunk call, etc, etc...

Boden Summer 2010

The eagle eyed among you might have put 2 and 2 together, what with all my jaunts to Cuba recently. Indeed, I was there, with my fantastic crew, to shoot Boden's Summer collection. Here are the fruits of our labour. The photography is by Cathrine Wessel.

Vintage New York Signs

Englishman in New York

I was only there for 3 weeks, but there's no doubt you start to hanker after a few home comforts. The Americans can't half rustle up a good breakfast, but there's never any HP (I'm not sure how that can work for a man). Now, all New York Brits know there is a place to go to if you're feeling in need of some sustenance from Blighty... good old Myers of Keswick on Greenwich Ave. My photographer friend scooted out of the studio on time the other night to pick up his bangers with a spring in his step. It's all very nice, though it does tend to give an impression of Britain in the 50s. I waited til I was home to tuck into a nice bag of Walkers Cheese and Onion.

Baseball Caps

The JCrew men's store in Tribeca is a nice little haunt to while away some time. Their current affiliations with many tried and tested men's labels (Barracuta, Belstaff, Saint James, Adidas, Sperry et al) are proving to be quite a draw for a label that was all about bright jumpers not so very long ago. These spiffing felt baseball caps caught my eye when I popped in the other day. Only available fitted, they feature the logos of baseball teams of yesteryear. I am not advocating that grown men should wear such attire, in the same way one should not sport a football shirt in public (cup finals possibly excepted - no danger in my case), but I admire their simplicity of design.

Midtown

I always like this spot in New York. It's 6th Ave by Radio City music hall. It always makes me feel like I'm in the middle of it all. It's not that there's anything to do here particularly, no decent bars or the kind of places I want to eat, it's just midtown, but makes me feel a little bit in awe of the place. If you've ever seen Buena Vista Social Club, this is the spot where Ibrahim Ferrer just walks around like a child, taking in the wonder of it all. I can see his point.

New York Pinhole

Actually not strictly pinhole. Just a little mode feature I found on my new camera that kept me amused for a day or two, particularly as it seemed so effective at portraying Gotham City in such a suitably gothic way during the downpours.

New York Rain

Is all very nice and romantic and that, but a bugger to try and get any work done in. Now I'm home, I hear it's gorgeous and just like summer.

Matt Brooke

I'd like you to think I found these like this in the tacky 5th Ave store. But you'd never believe me.

Event Horizon

Just back from a long spell in NYC, where both my crews were obsessed by the Anthony Gormley installations around Madison Square Park. The original exhibition around London's South Bank was impressive but I think the Manhattan one tops it. There is something very Gotham about figures looking sentinel like from skyscrapers, I think they should stay there forever.