Utilitarian Footwear

I recently found a new love for utilitarian footwear. Traditional footwear that has worked for ages for people. It started recently when I bought a pair of inexpensive shearling moccasins. Since then I got it, these shoes have been produced for years and years and they are tried and true. They are breathable (because it's all natural leather) and very comfortable.

I am a big fan of boots (even though I hardly wear them because I love wearing sneakers too much) but because of the snow I have been wearing a pair of 10 yer old work boots from back in the day. I must say I am impressed with them, they are waterproof, they have a steel toe and I am protected from electrocution.

From the ongoing snowfall I went into researching things like snow boots and gum boots. Again footwear that has been around for years and years, they both have their own particular purpose and history. I mean a pair of $12 gum boots will protect my socks from this puddle why didn't I get a pair earlier (I actually still don't have a pair because they are sold out), I mean I can get a pair and own them for life. Snow boots that protect me from arctic temperature, they keep my feet dry and they have gators to protect my jeans, they cost less then Jordans, why didn't I get a pair earlier. Again I can get one pair and have them for life.

Pretty much all the footwear I mentioned Hiroki Nakamura from Visvim pretty much made his own version of it. Snowboots, workboots, moccasins, mountaineering boots, vans, cucks, he pretty much remade all the shoes and silhouettes that I like right now and freaked them in his style. Pretty much if his shoes weren't $300+ a pop and hard to find I can just have one of each of his shoes and I'll be good.

I gotta say I am going to be ready for next years snowfall. Snowboots, Rain boots for the winter spring, moccasins for the summer months I'm going to be good.






Love,

Vince

Top 5 Albums

Here are my top 5 albums of this year. In no particular order:


Kanye West "808's and Heartbreak"



The only album that I actually went out and bought the CD. It now sits on my desk while I listen to the mp3 rip on my iPod endlessly. I was surprised how much I ended up liking "Robocop". I do miss rapping Kanye though.




Ludacris "Theatre of the Mind"



This is a really good Hip Hop album, not just a good rap album a good hip Hop album. "I do it for Hip Hop" with Nas and Jay-Z, a song with Common produced by 9th Wonder, a song produced by Primo, nuff said.




Santogold



I really like this album, I didn't think I would. I really like it. I guess it was one of those years where I didn't listen to just Hip Hop only.

Feist "the Reminder"



I know this was released in 2007 but I love this album, so damn good. This is the second most played album on my iPod next to Graduation. I really love this album.



Kid Cudi "A Kid Named Cudi"



This was actually a free mixtape. I can say hands down one of the best releases this year. This mixtape is a classic, I dunno how he's going to top this with his album.

I wish I had ore obscure and interesting picks, but really I don't give a fuck, this is me. Love me or leave me alone.


Love,

Vince

This iPhone game is amazing

Love,

Vince

Merry Xmas

I actually thought I would title this entry with Happy Holidays, or Merry XXXmas. Anyways, it's been snowing a lot in Vancouver. I mean a lot. I don't remember the last time we got this much snow in the city. I managed to fall down my stairs twice. Trek to work via bus / walking for an hour and a half (when it's less then a 15 minute drive. I'm so glad it's Christmas, I just want to take some time off and not do anything.


Merry XXXmas,


Love,

Vince

True

True Hip-Hop Stories: Lords of The Underground from D-Nice on Vimeo.



True Hip-Hop Stories: Masta Ace from D-Nice on Vimeo.

D-Nice needs to release a DVD full of this stuff.



Love,

Vince

Snow Day

Stayed in today, I think we had more then a foot of snow so far. I'm pretty sure it's more then a foot. I watched Eastern Promises, I love the movie poster, it took me a while before I finally watched the movie. It's damn good. I also watched Vantage Point, that wasn't so good.


Love,

Vince

Lykke Li

I am super late on this. I actually didn't give her album a fair listen because of Jeff's blog post about her being an alternative to Feist threw me off. Yesterday I was talking to Matt about music and we talked about Lykke Li and I said I would give it a fair listen, and I did. I can say I like her music.

This tune is part of my soundtrack for the winter:



Better late then never.



Love,

Vince

Something New

I got a new jacket today, it's not a puffy, but a polar fleece.


Love,

Vince

The Vancouver Special

I was born and raised in East Van. I was actually born in Children's Hospital. Growing up a lived in a little 2 bedroom 1 level house. We ended up moving to this three story house that has been the main house for my mom's side of the family since they moved to Canada. This house is exactly one block away from from our old house.

Now both houses are not great houses by any means. One time I was visiting my parents I found that kids have writen "crazy house" on the sidewalk outside.

Now one thing that I have always dreamed about was to live in a house that was nice and presentable, much like Rich's and Danny's.

You know what I would love is to own a Vancouver Special, it's a nice home, presentable, looks nice and is a Vancouver icon. One thing I wish it wasn't is the fact that hipsters and transplants use the Vancouver Special as a it's so lame it's cool kind of ironic symbol. Leave it alone, leave it alone, I'm sure you are missing out on taking some blurry picture for your blog right now, just leave the Vancouver Special alone. Somewhere a weird haircut and some Cheap Monday's are left unworn, you have a bigger purpose, go forth and make some kidish art and leave the Vancouver Special alone.


Love,

Vince

Hypebeast Essentials

I got this little write up in Hypebeast.



Love,

Vince

43 things

I recently joined 43 things. It's a website where you list 43 things that you want to do in your life. They say that 43 is the perfect number as 50 would be too many. I only have 30 things right now, it's getting hard for me to fill the list. What I listed isn't in order of importance nor should it cause it would take forever or rank what you want to do in life it is also pointless.

Here is the link to my 43things

Love,

Vince

Nintendo DSI + Straw = Autotune

Love,

Vince

Feiyue

I just got these Feiyue today. I gotta say they are mad comfortable, I was thoroughly impressed on the comfort steez. The second thing that impressed me was how grippy the soles were, I can understand why they were used as kung fu shoes. Here's a little info about the shoes:

Feiyue shoes was born in Shanghai in the 1920’s. It has been a reference among all Chinese social categories from the countryman to the politician, from the captain of the national soccer Team to the famous Shaolin masters... Feiyue became famous during the 30's for its robustness, its flexibility and its comfort, essential requirements for Chinese martial arts. According to Chinese tradition, Feiyue symbolizes the dual elevation of both body and mind.

I gotta say I feel mad Chinese in these shoes, I feel great in them, it feels like I can run faster and jump higher. Maybe it's in my head, I gotta get another couple pairs of these.


Love,

Vince

Another view of the people in Dark Days

Yesterday Jasmine and I started to talk about different people's situations. We started to talk about homelessness. I started to tell her about Dark Days. We ended up watching the whole documentary on youtube. I just found this short interviewing some of the same people from Dark Days



Love,

Vince

Vans Black Pack

I'm all over these.


Love,

Vince

MyPod

Love,

Vince