YOUR DAILY INSIGHT // As Told By: Lester Bangs

We proudly return to kick off your week with a good one from Lester Bangs; possibly the greatest rock writer to ever be portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. For those unfamiliar with Bangs, make yourself familiar immediately. Begin by doing yourself a favor and seeking out his piece on Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, it's devastating (in the best way.)

Meanwhile:

I'll probably never produce a masterpiece, but so what? I feel I have a Sound aborning, which is my own, and that Sound, if erratic, is still my greatest pride -- because I would rather write like a dancer shaking my ass to boogaloo inside my head, and perhaps reach only readers who like to use books to shake their asses, than to be or write for the man cloistered in a closet somewhere reading Aeschylus while this stupefying world careens crazily past his waxy windows toward its last raving sooty feedback pirouette.

Holiday Closure Reminder

3rd Ward will be closed Wednesday, November 23rd - Friday, November 25th, for Thanksgiving. We will re-open at 9am on Saturday, November 26th.

Happy Turkey Day!

YOUR DAILY INSIGHT // As Told By: Coco Chanel

Take it from fashion icon Coco Chanel--a woman who knew a thing or two about following through:

How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.

NEW MEMBER PROFILE // Lingerie Designer Anais Bouchard Gets Intimate

If there's one thing Anais Bouchard believes, it's that folks don't have enough fun with lingerie. Bouchard is the head designer behind Be Nais lingerie launching this January and is one of 3rd Ward's latest members.

"I came to the U.S. to start this business--because I think it's so sad to only wear lingerie once a month," Bouchard tells us. In her native France, lingerie is seen as a way for women to treat themselves--something silky and fun that gives the wearer a boost (in confidence, guys, jeez) whether anyone else sees it or not.

But while the concept is very French, the execution is All-American. Bouchard draws a lot of her inspiration from urban street culture--think bright, quirky color combos with a bit of an edge--but there's that distinct Old Hollywood vibe in her high-cut hipster panties and full-coverage bras.  As a bonus, the lingerie is all made here in the city. 

It's been a long process for Bouchard to even get this far. She worked under numerous lingerie designers before moving to the U.S. and seeking investors. "Now we're trying to work with other stores to carry the line," she says. "The plan now is for e-commerce, but maybe in the next 5 years or something we'll open our own shop."

In the meantime, we're just excited to have this up-and-comer in our midst.  Here's one of our faves from Be Nais' upcoming collection--ladies, take note:

-- Layla Schlack

YOUR DAILY INSIGHT // As Told By: Howard Thurman

In which oft-quoted author and educator Howard Thurman lays it all down for you:

Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

NEW MEMBER PROFILE // Gary Boas Explores The Cutting Edge of Science and Technology

Gary Boas at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.

Freelancer writer, editor and web content developer Gary Boas has been working remotely for years, but now you'll find him in our new top-of-the-line coworking space. "While the home office thing has its advantages, it has glaring disadvantages as well," he says. "Namely, it's totally isolating."

In the past Boas has longed to break from that isolation, but that's difficult to do when you work independently:

"I've toyed with setting up a water cooler in my house and inviting people in off the street to chat about who won American Idol or whatever," he says. "In the end I decided joining something like 3rd Ward was a much better idea."

Boas works primarily in the sciences. "I'm an editor with a trade journal devoted to the biomedical applications of optics, for example, and the webmaster with a biomedical imaging center at Mass General Hospital in Boston," he explains.

He recently wrapped up work on a feature article about the "far-flung future" of optics technology, which he says "is probably at least slightly more interesting than it sounds. I'm looking at technologies currently being developed for military (laser weapons), automotive (self-driving cars) and organic LED (designer lighting) applications." He's also participating in National Novel Writing Month. "I'm not writing a novel, per se, but rather what I lovingly call 'my memoirs'—a collection of stories from a year I spent hobo-ing around the US, with occasional incursions into Mexico and Ireland."

On top of being able to interact with others during his work day, Boas was also attracted to our coworking space by the range of people and ideas. "I like 3rd Ward specifically for the mix of people and the variety of activities you'll find here," he says.

Want to check out some of Boas' work? Try "Photonics in Space: Optics-based instruments will help crack the mysteries of the cosmos," an amazing cover story for Photonics Spectra, or this entertain article about past ideas of what the future would look like.

-- John Ruscher

NEW MEMBER PROFILE // Jeweler Eva Marcus Hits the Big Time

Eva Marcus models a necklace for her lookbook

It was less than a year ago that Eva Marcus left Los Angeles and an acting career to come to New York and start a jewelry line. She searched and searched for a place to go make jewelry, until she found 3rd Ward and got to work. Now she has a shop on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and Women's Wear Daily gave her line a glowing review. Apparently a lot can happen in a year.

"I'm not a very patient person," Marcus tells us. "Once I decided this is what I want to do, I didn't want to drag it out." 

Marcus learned how to make jewelry in Italy from a woman experienced in cuttlebone casting, which is the material her pieces are made from. Initially, she did it purely as form of meditation, though eventually people began asking her where the jewelry came from. "I thought it was kind of like how your mom hangs your pictures on the fridge when you're little," she says. "I didn't think people actually liked it." Meanwhile, disenchanted with show business, she decided to give the jewelry line a go. 

Hit the jump to find out more and catch a glimpse of Marcus' work.

                             

When we ask about the relatively primitive nature behind actually making the jewelry, Marcus explains, "What's funny is I'm not an outdoors person at all, and I don't really pay attention to the trends. I'll just put on a song or something and start sketching and carve that right into the cuttlebone." She loves the rustic, imprecise nature of the entire process and how substantial the finished products actually feel. Her prices range from about $200-$2,000 (hey, it's the holiday season, people.)

We, for one, are thrilled to have Eva on board as a member--and for your further enticement, here's one more gorgeous piece of hers:

--Layla Schlack

YOUR DAILY INSIGHT // As Told By: Andy Warhol

Let's kick off Friday--as well as the rest of your life--with this one from the man who needs no introduction, Andy Warhol (and let's hope your in Andy's second camp):

When people are ready to, they change. They never do it before then, and sometimes they die before they get around to it. You can’t make them change if they don’t want to, just like when they DO want to, you can’t stop them.

ESSENTIAL EVENT // Top Designers Compete In The Annual World Graphic Design Foosball Championship This Friday

This friday night some of the biggest names in graphic design will go head to head in fierce competition at the Art Directors Club, vying for the title of World Champion. No, this isn't a live design tournament—it's the 8th Annual World Graphic Design Foosball Championship. (For those wondering, yes, the logo is meant to be backwards.)

Presented by leading NYC design studios karlssonwilker inc. and the Office of Paul Sahre, the double elimination tournament will feature teams representing more than 50 different professional design organizations, including creative agencies like McGarryBowen and Big Spaceship, studios like Hoefler & Frere-Jones and AHL&CO, publishing companies such as HarperCollins and Penguin, and the design departments at Fortune Magazine and the Metropolitan Opera.

As you'd expect, the championship has a cool interactive website (click on any of the background images to unlock those features, but watch out—a couple parts are semi-NSFW).

Spectators are welcome at the tournament, which kicks off at 7pm this Friday, November 18, and there will be beer from Brooklyn Brewery. The winning team will pedal away with some awesome bikes from Puma.

For a taste of what to expect, hit the jump for a clip from the 2008 championship.

-- John Ruscher

'TIS THE SEASON // New Museum And MakerBot Team Up And Get In The Holiday Spirit

Photo from Bowery Boogie

A new window display recently popped up at the New Museum, and though it's definitely got a holiday theme, this isn't your typical nativity scene or artificial snow winter wonderland. Surrounding a pile of presents stacked in the shape of the museum are fluorescent aliens wearing Star Trek suits and Santa hats, riding atop a toy train and pulling Santa's sleigh in X-Wings.

The display comes from the folks at MakerBot, who teamed up with the New Museum last month to present the New Museum MakerBot Challenge, which invited designers to submit 3D designs that improve on existing design conventions. You can peruse some of the best entries on Thingiverse, and this Friday the winning design will be celebrated at the New Museum MakerBot Challenge launch party.

Usually we'd side with Nordstrom in waiting until after Thanksgiving to get in the holiday spirit, but we'll make an exception for something this awesome.

Check out more photos of the display on Bowery Boogie.

-- John Ruscher