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Wednesday
Jul182012

Objectus Obscura : An Outerspace Chat w/ Janna Levin

Hey Fam,

Tomorrow's installment in the Terreform One Design + Science series features Janna Levin, an astronomer, physicist and novelist, who'll be taking us on an outerspace journey that delves into questions pondered for centuries. Is space finite or infinite? What's a black hole like?


Smart is an understatement. She's a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University. Her scientific research concerns the Early Universe, Chaos, and Black Holes. She's also the author of two novels, A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines (Knopf, 2006), which won the PEN/Bingham Fellowship for Writers, as well as the popular science book, How the Universe Got Its Spots: Diary of a Finite Time in a Finite Space.

We caught up with Janna to ask her a few questions about her talk. Now, we're more than amped to be graced with her knowledge of the universe.

3W: Give us a clue about what you'll be talking about. What we've got you down for is Space, Time, and a Universe in Many Dimensions.

JL: I'm going to share some space-time diagrams, ways of mapping space and time, making a map of the universe in some sense. We'll go from there to talk about what if the universe is finite or infinite, and then even get into black holes, which will get into some fun stuff. I have this theory that there are colliding black holes, which bang into each other like a drum, and one day we will hear them....

3W: Sounds wild. There's a lot of popculture around black holes and their existence. What are black holes like?

JL: There are two ways to think of black holes. One way is to think about black holes as astrophysical objects, made of the dust of stars --and there are hardcore, real observations and documentation to prove their existence. Then there's the purely theoretical terrain, those black holes are often math on paper. These people do the "what's inside of a black hole?" questions. These aren't bad questions. 

3W: So you seem to do a lot, if not everything. You're a novelist too. Do you use a different part of your brain for that?

JL: (Laughs) Yes! It's so strange, it's really a zone. i have to marinate for hours or days before anything really clicks. When it works right it's almost musical. The writing has a musicality or pace to it. i draw storyboards, i almost figure out what i'm doing it's like a sculpture, actually it's more like a space. How the Universe Got its Spots--it's for non scientists. It's more like a little travelogue. There's a different sort of angle--the book is novelistic in tone in writing. I didn't write that book as a professor emeritus coming own from the mountains to educate the masses. It's not authoritative.

3W: Do you ever think about going to space? It seems like with all these privatized missions it's a really possibility if you have money.

JL: It's something I used to think about. Maybe when I'm like 80. 

 

As you know as part of our Design + Science series, with Terreform One, we're hosting a bunch of awesome speakers who are the brightest minds in a multitude of fields, from physics to fashion design, music to architecture. 

FOR TICKETS FOR JANNA'S LECTURE ON SPACE, TIME AND A UNIVERSE IN MANY DIMENSIONS RSVP HERE >>>

7/26 AMANDA PARKES // GESTURE, FORM, COMPUTATION in FASHION RSVP HERE >>>

8/2 BILL WASHABAUGH // GROUNDBREAKING INTERACTIVE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES

RSVP HERE>>>

 

Monday
Jul162012

3rd Ward DJ Set: Surfer Edition

Hey Y'all!

Surfers in NYC may be like a chupacabra, but there's always the Rockaways for the strong at heart who can brave those frigid Atlantic waves.

To celebrate the next installment of our super popular class "Build Your Own Surfboard," which commences Thursday, August 16 , we have a hot playlist for the surfer in all of us.

 

#1 The Ventures - "Walk Don't Run '64" Classic, hell yes.

#2 The Lively Ones - "Surf Riders"  Perfect for the roadtrip en route to la playa.

 

#3 Dick Dale and His Del Tones - "Miserlou" Pulp Fiction immortalized this forever.

 

#4 Surfaris - "Wipe Out" This video is pretty awesome. Gramps' rockin' out!

#5 La Mar - "The Beatiful Girls"

This Week's DJ is Barry Pousman, Education Coordinator @ 3rd Ward

image courtesy of Barry P

Monday
Jul162012

3W Salon // Thor Neureiter Speaks July 17th @ Design of the Times

Hey Fam,

We're super excited to host a screening and conversation with independent documentary producer, cameraman, and editor Thor Neureiter here at 3rd Ward on Tuesday, July 17. Besides having a really cool name, his crucial POV in conversations around US foreign policy and domestic politics.

We had a minute to interview Thor amid his busy traveling schedule:

3W: How'd you get so into exploring U.S. foreign policy in your work?

TN: My interest in foreign policy isn't so much the obvious thing of reporting the war. don't have that interest in dodging bullets, and it's great that other people do. War is our most impactful form of foreign policy, but what I want to know is, what happens afterwards? We've been in Afghanistan for how long? 9 years, almost 10 years. There was an article in the NY Times, it was a very rosy picture article about the mineral wealth in the country, sort of like a knight-in shining-armor story. So I started doing research about minerals in Afghanistan.

3W: Is this a new discovery, these minerals in Afghanistan?

TN: This story goes back hundreds of years. But the terrain is so rugged, it's really hard to access the mountainside and the minerals. There's really no infrastructure; Afghanistan doesn't really have a railroad. It's not like a shining moment. It started with the English, then the Indians, the Italians and Germans, and of course the Soviets. the U.S. took all that info and created their own high-tech database that sort of mapped everything out. It is a really phenomenal thing, a century's worth of geological location. 



3W: Where in Brooklyn do you live?

TN: Park Slope-- been there off and on since 2001. I always come back to Brooklyn. I like the trees and the neighborhood feel. As a transplant, it's one of the first places i lived, and I guess I keep going back.

3W: So, your latest film is about Mitt Romney being Mormon. What's that about?

TN: I've been fortunate to work with senior producers of a weekly current affairs show, People & Power, at Al-Jazeerah, Bob Abeshouse. With this being an election year, it's especially important. Mitt Romney is a 5th generation Mormon, from the founding family's of the religion in the U.S. If he does become president, he will be the most religious person to ever become president. He was basically the Boston Archdiocese if you make a comparison to the Catholic religion. On the surface it's sort of a weird story, oh he's a Mormon so what? But he's actually a very influential person in his church. We tried to add to the conversation about domestic politics.

 

As you can see, he's no stranger to knocking on the toughest doors and getting answers.

While attending Columbia Journalism School's mid-career MA program, Thor traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan in 2010/11 to report and shoot The Afghan Project.

His investigations uncovered that a war-torn Afghanistan's untapped mineral riches have the potential to reshape the broken economy. What's it worth? 

About $1 trillion dollars. This can change everything. As the war and regional instability continues to drive people into Kabul, the film includes sentiments of everyday Afghani people.

Check out this clip and come join us Tuesday night to hear Thor speak about this thought-provoking work.

The Afghan Project - Open (WIP) from Thor Neureiter on Vimeo.

 

film clip courtesy of Thor Neureiter

 

Friday
Jul132012

Hey, Weekend!

Hey Fam,

It's mid-July, and time for hard beats and homage to NYC's most versatile of creations: this weekend is dedicated to Hiphop and the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market, where 3rd Ward Members have a booth!

See all the deets below!

Love,

3rd Ward

 

Friday, July 13 // Photographs by Mike Schreiber, TRUE HIP HOP @ powerHouse Arena in DUMBO, 6-9 pm

Mighty Tanaka and DUMBO's powerHouse Arena present acclaimed NYC photog Mike Schreiber's book launch for TRUE HIP HOP. Mike's captured some of the most essential Hiphop artists of our times, and the show will feature never before seen works that are making their way out of his visual archives.


images courtesy of Mike Schreiber

Friday, July 13 //CALLE 13 + ANA TIJOUX + RITMO MACHINE, Prospect Park Bandshell, 7 pm  

Get your Latin Alternative and Chilean Rap on. MC Ana Tijoux performs tonight at Prospect Park. 

 

Saturday, July 14 + Sunday, July 15 // Member Made @ Hell's Kitchen Flea Market 

10am – 5pm at 39th St, between 9th & 10th Avenues

We've got an amazing collabo with Hell's Kitchen Flea Market, THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. Usually a place to score rare finds, our friends at HKFM opened up their booths for a special Member Made event! 4 lucky winners will win a $100 Gift Certificate to use towards a 3rd Ward class or membership!

 Our friends at Planet Mag did an awesome write up: [it's] a "one-off specialty market featuring merchandise made by New York City artisans. 3rd Ward is the DIYer’s most invaluable resource in the city, a workspace that rents equipment to photographers, woodworkers, and metallurgists, and offers studio space for artists and classes for novices. Member Made rounds up the best of 3rd Ward’s member professionals, who are independent designers and business- owners in their own right." Read more >>>

On Twitter, Follow @nycfleamarkets and @3rdWardBrooklyn //  RT to win $100 to shop @ Hell’s Kitchen Flea, $100 towards a membership or class & more! 

 

Saturday, July 14 // Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, headliner : Busta Rhymes

Sunday, July 15 // Dance @ the Rong Music Summer Block Party at Dekalb Market 3 pm

The Rong Music label throws an old-school block party in the heart of Brooklyn, with one of Hiphop's golden era wonders, Mr. Afrika Bambaataa.

 

Don't forget to visit us @ SHOPBOX and buy some goodies from The Store! (We're near the entrance to Dekalb Market, 138 Willoughby St.)


Donna // 27 Broadway, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

When you've done it all in South BK, wind down for drinks at the darling and fresh restaurant, Donna, which stays open until 4 a.m. It's a stone's throw from the Williamsburg Waterfront, With its vaulted ceilings, pristine woodwork reminiscent of a lone Latin-American church, and DJs spinning mostly old soul and R&B 45s, this is a gem.

image courtesy of Kate Sokoler/Gothamist

Thursday
Jul122012

Sweet Homes, Small Pockets: Tin Foil Vintage 

There's lots of goodies you can find around these parts, esp. at vintage joints in Williamsburg (for a once-in-a-while wonder @ Meeker Avenue Flea Market or Junk ), but often you have to look reaaaaally carefully to envision the possibilities.

Some folks are just better at doing that, and we love Vintage Revivals, a blog dedicated to "Thrift Shop Glam" -- as coined by the creator herself, Mandi Gubler. We'll be checking out a lot more of Mandi's easy and imaginative redos.

The tin foil vintage nightside table adds a lot of character to an old piece of furniture, and the look of antique furniture is made out of stuff right out of your kitchen drawer!

What You'll Need:

A nightside table, chair or coffee table in need of some love

Mod Podge 

Aluminum Foil

Popsicle Stick

Modern Options Sophisticated Finishes - Steel 

Ralph Lauren Faux Glaze in Black Silk

Friday
Jun292012

Hey, Weekend!

 

Fam,

We're so excited to get this weekend on!  There's always stuff happening in and around Brooklyn, and we wanted to give you our tips to keep it cool this weekend.

#1

McCarren Park Pool Swimming //

We kinda love how McCarren Pool's kept their kitsch-to-the-point-of-ugly website to celebrate their updo. Flaunt your new bathing gear and remember to keep yourself sunscreened. The grand opening continues this weekend. Don't get scared, the pool's big enough to accomodate 1,500 folks.

WHERE: 475 Lorimer St. // Driggs Ave. and Bayard St.

WHEN: 11am-3pm and 4pm-7pm

$$: Free!!!! 


image courtesy of mccarren park pool

#2

Spread Love Party // Tonight GREENPOINT WATERFRONT

Brought to you by The Brooklyn Good Guys. This crowd has got the style, vibe and fly moves. DJ Sucio Smash makes you want to wind, grind and maybe find summer love. Tequila and dancehall can do that.

WHERE: 10 Java St.

WHEN: TONIGHT @ 8pm -----> onwards

$$: FREE

 

#3

Party Like it's 1999 // Bell House

Bring on the grunge, cutoffs and sleeveless flannel at this epic party in Gowanus. It'll probably smell like teen spirit....woot!

WHERE: BELL HOUSE // 149 7th Street // 2nd and 3rd Ave.

WHEN: 10pm to 3am

$$: FREE!!!

 

#4

New Museum // Klara Lidén Exhibit Ends July 1

Check out this ingenious and psychologically charged cluster of installations. A motley of discarded objects from cities around the world compose sculptural hideaways, scaled to her own body, in unexpected places. 

WHERE: New Museum 235 Bowery New York, NY 10002

WHEN: THROUGH JULY 1 Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11-6 PM

$$: $14/General $10/Student

image courtesy of the New Museum

#5

Black & White Gallery (WILLIAMSBURG)

Black & White Gallery/Project Space, Brooklyn, NY proudly presets The Visitor - summer group show featuring artists working in film, drawing, sound, collage, painting and installation. From their press release: "[These are] portals to alternate universes, running simultaneously with our current time, existing somewhere between reality, myth, fantasy, and the post-apocalypse."

Sounds really friggin' cool.

WHERE: 483 Driggs Ave

WHEN: GALLERY HOURS: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12 noon - 6 pm

$$: FREE

Video courtesy of Black & White Gallery

#5

 

****New Spike Lee Trailer // Red Hook Summer

 

 

 

 

 


Thursday
Jun282012

Sweet Homes, Small Pockets // Copper Coil Vases

 

This week's installment of Sweet Homes, Small Pockets features Kate Pruitt, from our friends at Design * Sponge. Kate's come up with this ingenious way of twisting ultra-malleable metal copper into beautiful structures to flaunt your flowers.

This is a great exercise in letting a project take the shape it will take, and no two pieces will be exactly alike. We think this project feels like a interior design science experiment, copper wires, test tubes, plant life and all!

Here are the materials you'll need: 

  • 1/4″ x 20′ copper coil (you can find this in the plumbing section of hardware stores)
  • needle nose pliers
  • glass test tubes or some other cylindrical glass vessels
  • quick set epoxy
  • painter’s tape (optional)

Here is the play by play of how to make these simple and gorgeous vases

Listen to 3rd Ward Co-Founder/CEO Jason Goodman's Design Sponge Interview with Grace Bonney.

 Materials // Courtesy of Design SpongeBeautiful Results // Courtesy of Design Sponge

 

 

Wednesday
Jun272012

Member Made // The Sounder by Howard Fink

Our members are designers and visionaries that we love to support. 

We love The Sounder, a gorgeous amplifier that has a simplicity of form and function that's super travel-friendly. Inventor Howard Fink is a dedicated 3rd Ward member. 

The Sounder is an iPad and iPhone stand and natural amplifier that doubles the volume when you place your iPad in the slot.. No wires or plugs, just amplification with this handy stand.

Each piece is made from wood salvaged from 19th century factories or reclaimed from demolition sites. Each Sounder has a bit of history, a wholly modern piece crafted from the wood of 200 yr old trees.

Here's his Kickstarter video. Help Howard bring The Sounder to production by donating today!

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE SOUNDER PROJECT >>>

The Sounder // Image courtesy of Howard Fink

Monday
Jun252012

3rd Ward DJ Set: Clueless Edition

This week's installment of 3rd Ward DJ Set pays homage to our 90s fave Clueless. Knee highs, plaid skirts, fedoras--as if we'd ever forget.

Enjoy!

Love,

3rd Ward

#1. Fake Plastic Trees, Radiohead

 

#2. Supermodel, Jill Sobule. Yes, she invented "I Kissed A Girl" pre-Katy Perry, but we like this jam too.
#3. Kids in America, The Muffs
#4. All the Young Dudes, World Party. We love David Bowie's version, but this is probably how we first learned about this tune.
#5. Rollin' with the Homies, Coolio. This is when the girls met "Elt'n".

 

 

 

Friday
Jun222012

Hey, Weekend!

Hey Everybody!

This week's installment of Hey, Weekend features a fun mix of photography, film, music, and NYC Pride. We're excited about this heat, and if you aren't just headed to the beach--we got you covered.

We'll see you next week!

Love,

3rd Ward

#1

FRIDAY, 6/22 // PHOTOVILLE

June 22 to July 1, 2012

Why call it a festival, when you've got a town? This pop up photography village is made of freight containers transformed into temporary exhibition spaces in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The scope is huge: exhibitions, lectures, hands-on workshops, nighttime projections, a photo dog run, a camera greenhouse, and a summer beer garden amid food trucks.

image courtesy of Photoville

#2

THROUGH 7/11 // BAMCINEMAFEST

 We're lucky that all the celebrated films from Cannes, Sundance, SXSW (and more) come to us here in NY first. Even better that it's in Brooklyn! Besides the motley of flicks we want to check out, we want to see Jon Krasinski (Jim from The Office!) play half of an LA couple, whose lives are stirred up when a woman moves in with them.

photo courtesy of BAMcinemaFest

 #3

SATURDAY, 6/23 // GHOSTFACE KILLAH HEADLINES LYRICIST LOUNGE 20TH ANNIVERSARY 

Doors Open @ 6:30. Def Jam core artist GHOSTFACE KILLAH, hailing from the Wu-Tang Clan pantheon, headlines this birthday celebration for the legendary Lyricist Lounge.  Special guests include: CAMP LO, ASTRO,  FARAH BURNS, RAH DIGGA, KID CAPRI, and more!

photo courtesy of Celebrate Brooklyn!

 

#4

SATURDAY, 6/23 // I LOVE VINYL @ LE POISSON ROUGE 

Keep listening to Hiphop after the Ghostface show is over. This party features NYC DJ heavy-hitters who know how to play the classics we wanna hear. If listening to 90s music does you right, or you prefer traveling even farther back into the funk and soul era, then this is where you need to be. 

photo courtesy of ilovevinyl.org 

#5

SUNDAY, 6/24 //  NYC PRIDE MARCH 

March begins at Fifth Ave and 36th St and proceeds south to the reviewing stand at Fifth Ave and 8th St before turning west down Christopher St to Greenwich St.  

Grand Marshals of this year's pride: Cyndi Lauper, Kiehl's president Chris Salgardo, the first same-sex couple to legally marry in New York, Phyllis Siegel and Connie Kopelov! 

Pride // NYC courtesy of bestofnewyork.com