With the new year here, we are trying to bring you more original content and less re-posts from other blogs! So please bear with us while we re-organize ourselves and plan some great content for you guys. Thanks guys for sticking with us! I promise that the content is going to be so much better after we figure everything out! (Give us a few weeks max)

Also our SHOP is still open, so please tell your friends and help us keep this brand alive. Thank you guys for all your support! But seriously, I need motivation people! (Also need to pay the webshop fees..) :D

When I first heard the news about this, ironically, I was at my internship for the Looking East Film Festival. Looking East Film Festival is a two day Korean Film festival happening on June 23-June 24 (I’ll be talking about this more later!) As part of the opening ceremony, the star (imo) of G.I. Joe and G.I. Joe: Retailation, Lee Byung-hun and Korean film veteran Ahn Sung-ki (Slimido, Unbowed) will be the first Koreans to have their hands imprinted on the forefront of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Hence, the irony. This event and the opening could’ve been a great moment for Lee Byung-hun’s career. But now that the release date has moved, the momentum will be gone and won’t be the same. As well as for the film.

The first G.I. Joe movie was entertaining but was flawed by the lackluster editing and storyline. But when the G.I. Joe: Retailation trailer came out with The Glitch Mob‘s remix of The White Stripes “Seven Nation Army“, it created brah-approved, fist-pumping, enthrallment that we never thought we’d feel for any G.I. Joe movie. The anticipation was heightened to dangerous levels when Lee Byung-hun came out guns blazing, with his unreal 41-year-old eight packs. And what? A girl ninja played by none other than The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, Lisabeth Salander‘s gf, Elodie Yung. AND BRUCE WILLIS?! DONE-FREAKING-DEAL! And now, imagine what kind of emotional roller coaster ride I had to digest of the film date’s moving. The real concern on the execs mind should be that considering the hype of the film was at an all time apex for the G.I. Joe series, would it be the same next year or will we just be saying, G.I. who? I mean, will it still be fun and relevant next year? To say the least, I will only go for Lee Byung-hun because as of right now, Paramount is on my black list. Thank you for ruining another deliriously movie packed summer. Does everyone feel me?

So unless you guys actually know me relatively well and/or you know a bit about the crazy world of denim, you are probably wondering what raw denim is. Luckily for me, my favorite denim blog has a guide on it, but I’m going to sum it up for you here.

Also known as “dry denim” for its hard texture, according to Wikipedia, raw denim is “a denim fabric that is not washed after being dyed during its production”. According to the site, raw denim is denim that has been unwashed, untreated, and virtually untouched to the extent that it remains in its pure form. Despite raw denim jeans varying between manufacturers, aesthetically speaking there are some features shared – including the rigid, crisp look and feel; industrial, clean design; and sturdy construction.

My favorite aspect of raw denim jeans is that each pair ends up telling a story. When you buy raw denim, you are making a commitment to wear down and break in these jeans for at least a year without washing them. The end product is something absolutely personal; every fade, wrinkle, crease, and even stain tells a story. And the feeling that you get when you finally wash those jeans after that long period is amazingly satisfying. So you ask why not just buy jeans that are pre-washed and distressed? I ask you, why not buy a used lamborghini instead of a brand new one? The satisfaction is not the same. Its just not personal.

I just recently washed my first real pair of raw denim. They were a pair of Ironhearts 301S 21oz. I have been wearing them for a little over a year and finally decided that it was time to wash them. I even contemplated washing them at the 6 month-ish mark because the thought of not washing them for that long was gross to me, but I pulled through and it was worth it. Now they look beautiful, but I am still hoping for a bit more of a fade now that they’ve been washed. I also just bought a new pair of raws! A pair of dark grey Levi’s Selvedge Goods Calder Jeans, we’ll see how these are. I was originally going to buy a pair of indigo A.P.C.‘s, but the idea of a premium Levi’s selvedge line was intriguing and since they had a huge sale, I decided to grab a pair. And now I’m broke. Sigh.

I even made a little video documenting the process of washing it and also the before, during, and after shots. I know, you guys probably think I’m crazy for this, but trust me, once you go raw you can’t go back. Pause. I did a simple wash on my jeans. Got some Woolite Dark, warm water, soak and massage, and then soak for about 45 minutes. Then hang dry. You can also see more photos from the project on my Flickr HERE.

Be sure to stay tuned for more from our Warp&Weft Wednesday series, where we’ll be posting on everything denim!

For more information on raw denim, check out Rawr Denim.

I have always really wanted to print this shirt because I felt that it was important to the brand, but I was afraid that it might be too late because the song has died out quite a bit. Luckily, its still heard on the radio pretty often and I’m still not tired of the song (even though I heard it 8 times in a row at the Los Angeles show..). So against better judgement, I decided to go ahead and print the shirt, but in a limited run. I’ve only printed 50 of these shirts and I expect to sell out.

The shirts are available now online on both our website and our Facebook page. If they are popular, I’ll probably print them in a different colorway. These are our first official limited release! Please buy one, tell your friends to buy one, and help us fund the printing of more shirts! Dashet cray.

Cool Haus has been a truck/spot that I have been meaning to try out for years, but just never really got around to it. This post is overdue, but a few weeks ago, on my way to grab some dinner drinks with my buddies, I spotted the CoolHaus truck by the Hammer Museum in Westwood and I had to try it (even though I had eaten nothing all day). I hurriedly ran up and looked at their selection (which was super limited compared to what I’ve seen). I decided on the Candied Bacon ice cream between two classic Snickerdoodle cookies. The brown butter base ice cream with brown sugar candied bacon was absolutely amazing. I’ve had brown butter custard and candied bacon ice cream before from my friend and it was good, but this was on a whole ‘nother level. The whole experience was good enough to keep me happy for the rest of the day even though it was my first and only meal of the day. As much as I loved the truck experience, I really need to check out their more permanent spot in Culver City, so I can try some of their, even more, outlandish cookies and flavors of ice cream.

CoolHaus has also just recently introduced a brand new flavor of ice cream. FRIED CHICKEN AND WAFFLE ICE CREAM. It scares me, but I really have to try it. The video below explains in detail on how they make the ice cream, and its pretty ingenius, although I’m not sure how it will taste. I think it will be similar to the candied bacon ice cream, but just with a chicken kick instead of a hog one. Hopefully I can try this soon. Would you guys be down to try an ice cream flavor like this?

via LA I’m Yours

7. Breaking Bad – Drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. The story revolves around Walter White (Bryan Cranston) who is informed that he has terminal cancer. As an underachieving chemistry genius turned high school chemistry teacher, he turns to using his expertise in chemistry to provide a legacy for his family…by producing the world’s highest quality crystal meth. It’s a nail-biting look into how far a person would go on moral grounds and how he inches closer to hell. Overall, the show definitely deserves high praises for its writing, cinematography and acting. After the jaw-dropping (quite literally…in a way) season finale (4^th), AMC renewed the series for a 5^th and final season that will premier in July 2012. The season will consist of 16 episodes and split into 2 parts (July 2012/2013). Breaking Bad is probably one the best shows ever conceived and it’s not an exaggeration. Do check this one out in particular.

8. Dexter – There is something quite odd about a show that gets you rooting and sympathizing for a serial killer. But then again, that’s what makes it all the more fascinating. The show delved deeper into the mind of Dexter Morgan in past seasons as he faced his inner demons or “dark passenger,” his traumatic past, love life, true friendship, and most recently, his spiritual/religious awakening. Fans were left with a stunning cliffhanger last season (6^th). [SPOILER ALERT] Dexter Morgan was discovered by his sister Debra in the middle of finishing off his latest victim — right after Debra realized she has some rather non-sisterly feelings for him [END]. Showtime renewed the acclaimed show for 2 more seasons and the 7^th season will premiere on Sunday, Sept. 30. Tune in to get your blood-thirsty-killing fix.

9. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – If you ever wanted to see Family Guy, South Park, and the like presented in real life, this is “that” show (seriously). The series follows the exploits of “The Gang,” a group of self-centered, depraved and underachieving friends who run Paddy’s Pub, a relatively unsuccessful Irish bar in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It’s crude humor at its best as the five friends find themselves coming up with elaborate schemes, conspiring against one another and others for personal gain, vengeance, or simply for the entertainment of watching one another’s downfall. The extremity and controversial matter of the show is what makes this nihilistic show so successful and just so damn hilarious. FX renewed the series for 2 more seasons (8 & 9) that will resume this fall and run through 2013.

10. Sherlock – A contemporary interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. I am a huge fan of Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr.’s interpretation and vision of the famous detective but BBC offers something quite extraordinary themselves. In a more fast pace and modern approach, this series gives audiences a look into how all of these famous characters in the Sherlock Holmes universe would interact in 21^st century London. It is action packed, stylish, humorous (in that British sense of course), and highly intelligent in its storytelling. The show also made huge stars out of its two leads (Holmes & Watson) played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Both of them will be seen this year in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey while Cumberbatch will also play the main villain in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek 2. Sherlock just wrapped its 2^nd series in January and the 3^rd is expected to start production in early 2013. The first 2 series contain 3 episodes each with a running time of about 1hr. and 30 min. an episode. Each episode is pretty much like a movie of its own, making it that much more entertaining and intriguing. Season 2 will air Sundays (May 6-20) on PBS.

11. The Walking Dead – AMC’s post-apocalyptic drama based on the comic book series of the same name. If it’s zombies, I’ll always be there but this series is what I like to believe as the pinnacle of zombie-storytelling. Sure there is a lot of gory bloodshed, decapitation, and adrenaline-filled thrills of survival but the core of story (strength) is found in the human drama and conflict within the show’s characters. AMC renewed the series for a 3^rd season and it has been announced that David Morissey has been cast as The Governor while Danai Gurira is set to play Michonne. AllenJaeLee convinced me to catch up on the series via comics (this was pretty much like introducing me to drugs, buddy). Being all caught up now, it’s cool to say that I know what will transpire in the future of the show but this upcoming season is hands down my favorite story arc in the series. Let’s just say that there will be a crazy prison and town involved for our favorite characters.

Coming soon (hopefully):

12. Arrested Development – Probably one of the great sitcoms ever conceived. After 7 years, the show has finally found some revival on Netflix. On April 18, 2012, series creator Mitchell Hurwitz and Netflix chief Ted Sarandos announced that 10 new episodes would be filmed in summer 2012 with all 10 debuting at the same time on Netflix in early 2013 (probably an interesting publicity stunt). Maybe it’s counting too many chickens before they hatch but hopefully, these new episodes will lead to a feature length movie.

13. Entourage – A personal favorite HBO show that just came to a conclusion back in September 2011 after 8 seasons. Creator Doug Ellin has stated that was planning to write a film after the series ended. If a show like Sex in the City gets to do 2 films, Entourage sure as hell deserves a movie of its own. I’d do just about anything to see the gang back together in the crazy world of Los Angeles and their dealings in the scary but truthful world of the entertainment business.

14. Bryan Fuller’s Munsters and Hannibal series on NBC – Fuller is without a doubt, my personal favorite television show runner and creator. His brilliant resume of shows includes: Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls, and Dead Like Me. NBC is busy remaking the 1960s The Munsters, now called Mockingbird Lane. It’s another modern day adaptation but an exciting sitcom to look forward to. Fuller has also developed an hour-long drama detailing the early relationship between Dr. Lector and FBI profiler Will Graham. NBC has ordered 13 episodes of the new Hannibal series. Fuller is known for his distinctive writing style, quirky humor, and fascinating art direction in his works.

Thanks for reading guys! If you like this post, please share it with your friends and let us know about the other awesome shows you guys keep up with via comment section below!

I was raised by TV and always found it ridiculously enthralling for its escapism and fantasy. Some of the earliest memories I have are of my parents who popped in a movie in the VCR or kept the telly on to keep me distracted when they had urgent business to attend to and had to leave me home alone. NO, my parents were not neglectful and YES, I still love them to death to this day. TV definitely left its mark on me and I still find these shows strangely addictive.

“I can tell life from TV but TV makes sense. It has structure, logic, rules.” –Abed from Community

TV shows offer some things that films cannot. In the two-hour average running length of movies, there just isn’t enough time to fully explore every character arcs and journeys. To simply put, you get to spend some more time in the desirable world and with your favorite characters in stories that tend to pan out brilliantly. And if a show gets super lucky, it might just get to “six seasons and a movie”.

These are shows that I follow religiously. My own little TV guide. This is part 1 of 2. These are the shows that are currently airing and part 2 will focus on shows that have recently finished up their seasons. I hope you all enjoy!

1. How I Met Your Mother (Season 7, Monday 8:00 PM on CBS) – The title is a framing device for Ted, the main character, recounting to his kids the events that led to his meeting with their mother. The heartfelt scenarios about life’s struggles, character developments, inside jokes and of course, the Barney-isms are what drive the series. Show creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays hated the “Friends” comparison and their show is rightfully unique on its own. Let’s face it; hanging out at a bar is far more interesting than a café. The entire cast signed on to return for two more seasons including the current one. Let’s just hope that season 8 will be the last because the jokes are running a little dry, the plot is going in endless circles and the actors have tiresome looks on their faces. SERIOUSLY, how long will it take Ted to finally meet “the one?”

2. Community (Season 3, Thursday 8:00 PM on NBC) – The story follows a group of very “diverse” students who attend a local community college with an extremely eclectic staff and student body. This is the “it” show that was in a bit of a fiasco for the past couple months due to low ratings. Luckily, the cult following and devoted fans of the show (including myself) wouldn’t dare allow the network to pull the plug. Personally, I just don’t want to let go of Annie’s Boobs (both of them…it’s an inside joke…or is it?). There was also a public dispute between show creator Dan Harmon and Chevy Chase (Pierce Hawthorne). Chase ridiculed Harmon’s “bad” writing and often showed distaste for the show. Harmon retaliated by giving him a “f*ck you” speech at a wrap party. Things have “reportedly” cooled down but who knows. Apart from all the negative press, the show is without-a-doubt, a brilliant one at that with its meta-humor and heavy pop culture references. Make sure to tune in Thursday nights and keep all of your TVs on to boost ratings!

3. Parks and Recreation (Season 4, Thursday 9:30 PM on NBC) – This is a comedy series about the absurd antics of a fictional Indiana town’s public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.  I firmly believe that this show is far more superior to The Office (that’s right, I said it). Sure they have the similar set-up with the mockumentary filming style and the awkward office environment but Parks & Rec delivers an actual plot, laugh-out-loud humor, and loveable/memorable characters…really.

4. Person of Interest (Season 1, Thursday 9:00 PM on CBS) – A crime drama that centers on an ex-CIA hitman and a scientist who team up to prevent crimes before they happen in New York City. The series was developed by J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan (Christopher Nolan’s younger brother). The show received the highest test ratings of any drama pilot in 15 years and one CBS executive called it “crazy broad appeal you don’t usually see.” This prompted CBS to move CSI, which was broadcast on Thursday for over 10 years, to Wednesday, opening up a slot for Person of Interest. It’s also currently the coolest, most action-packed, and stylized show that is reminiscent of “Jason Bourne” on the small screen. Every character/villain that is introduced in the storyline plays such significant roles that it makes the show quite compelling and addictive.

5. The Legend of Korra (Season/Book 1, Saturday 11:00 AM on Nickelodeon) – This isn’t just ANY animation show for kids and let’s face it; everybody is nostalgic for those Saturday morning cartoons. Waking up early to start those 4 hour cartoon marathons with a bucket full of cereal…sigh. Those were the days! The story is set 70 years after the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and follows Korra, the new Avatar, who moves to Republic City to master her final element – air. With the guidance of the previous avatar Aang’s son Tenzin, she has to fight crime and face a growing anti-bending movement that threatens to rip the metropolis apart. Fans of the original series and even anime are in for a big treat with this. The animation (landscapes), storyline, and action are executed quite beautifully. Just forget about M. Night Shyamalan’s dreadful interpretation of a movie and enjoy it for what it is and also for its awesomeness!

6. Mad Men (Season 5, Sunday 10:00 PM on AMC) – I watch this show mainly to get a feel for its 60s setting (my personal favorite). The lifestyle, attitude, and beliefs of those times were just so intriguing. And DAMN did they know how to dress and smoke properly in those days. Try keeping count of how many “smoking” occurrences take place in a single episode because I always lose count. The 60s interpretation might come off as a bit pastiche but I’d like to think of it as a very faithful look into those eccentric days of America’s history. The show is a drama about one of New York’s most prestigious ad agencies and it focuses on one of the firm’s most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper. The biggest appeal of the show (other than the 60s backdrop), really, is just how unpredictable every character is and where exactly the plot takes them. The acting and production value is also quite phenomenal.

This week’s theme is what I like to call bougie-ghetto, which is my main preference in the type of music I listen to nowadays, especially within the hip-hop genre. The tracks on this mix range from super ghetto to super bougie and everything in between. I’ll post the tracklist and the mix below. I hope you guys like it!

10. Total Recall (August 3): Remake of the 1990 sci-fi film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, We Can Remember it for You Wholesale. One of the few sci-fi films in the 90s that wasn’t so cringe-worthy. This interpretation is under the direction of Len Wiseman (Underworld series, Live Free or Die Hard) and has a fantastic cast. I’m mostly looking forward to Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel kicking each other’s asses…and more. There, I said it.

9. The Dark Knight Rises (July 20): Christopher Nolan’s epic conclusion to his Batman trilogy with Christian Bale as the titular character. Bane (Tom Hardy) and Selina Kyle aka Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) play the two villains. Is it even possible to top The Dark Knight (The Godfather of superhero movies as they say)? Or has Nolan created a whole new monster of its own? I’d like to think the latter and “I Believe in Christopher Nolan.”

8. Ted (July 13): A ridiculous premise fit for a hard, profane and raunchy comedy. The story follows John (played by Mark Wahlberg) whose childhood wish for his teddy bear (Ted) to come to life comes true. Conflict arises when Ted’s irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John’s maturity and love life. This is Seth Macfarlane’s (creator of Family Guy) feature-length directorial debut. He also voices and plays Ted via motion-capture suit.

7. The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3): The much anticipated reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. I wasn’t a fan of Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire’s interpretation of the web-slinger even when I was kid. So I am definitely looking forward to this new interpretation. The casting also looks phenomenal with Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) playing the lead – the perfect choice.

6. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (June 22): Very fitting theme for this year apparently. A comedy film about Earth’s impending doom from an asteroid.  The story follows Steve Carell’s character teaming up with his neighbor played by Keira Knightly as they try to find his old childhood sweetheart before the world ends. A good sense of humor with a lot heart to look forward to. Gets you thinking about what you would do before the world ends, doesn’t it?

5. Brave (June 22): A year without watching a Pixar movie is a year wasted in my opinion. This fantasy adventure film from Pixar definitely promises a darker and mature tone. What I love most about Pixar is that they have that perfect balance of entertainment and strong story-telling. They’re always evolving and exploring new ways to tell brilliant stories. The visuals, the landscapes and the action look absolutely fantastic. (Do check out the trailer for this one in particular – below).

4. Prometheus (June 8): What started off as a prequel to the Alien franchise evolved into a whole new mythology. Director Ridley Scott revisits the sci-fi genre with this film that is said to contain “strands of Alien’s DNA.” The plot follows the crew of the spaceship Prometheus in the year 2085, as they explore an advanced alien civilization in search of the origins of humanity.

3. Moonrise Kingdom (May 25): Upcoming film by Wes Anderson (one of the few “real” auteurs of our time). The story is set in the 1960s where a pair of young lovers flees their New England island town, prompting a local search party led by the Sheriff and the girl’s parents to find them. The supporting cast includes: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and more. Definitely the indie film with that quirky humor, wit and brilliant filmmaking to look forward to.

2. Dark Shadows (May 11): Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. What can possibly go wrong? This film will mark their 8^th collaboration together. It is also based on the gothic soap opera series of the same name from 1966-1971. The comedic trailer made it all the more intriguing with the blending of Burton’s signature gothic vibe with a playful 1970s setting.

1. The Avengers (May 4): The upcoming superhero film by Marvel Studios that features a stellar ensemble cast. It may just be epic at its best in terms of the genre. Seemed impossible and a big tease for this movie to actually happen when they first announced it years back but the fact that it’s actually happening…nerdgasm. I was personally skeptical at first but I believe the film is in good hands with director Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly – and a comic book wiz himself).

We’re sure that this is not the last time that you guys will hear about us on-air. Stay tuned!