the best of NYC Cult.ure

Cult. MagaziNe

Issue No. 1Winter 2012

11:30pm-3:30am

Cult.ured: (adj.) someone char-acterized by a constant tendency to accumulate, observe and ap-preciate the products of creativity.

Cult.: (n) a clan of enthusiasts who constantly accumulate, observe and appreciate the products of creativity.

*Cult. Magazine is crafted for and geared towards the Morningside Heights community. However our cult.ivated philosophies hold true for all NYC dwellers and devotees. Read up, get cult.ured.

Cult. Music will be your exclusive en-trance into the world of NYC music, familiarizing you with the city’s ever-changing scene. Cult. will cover the best albums, musicians and concerts by exposing you to up-and-coming NYC artists on their daily hustle.

-m.c.

Music: Coming May 2012.

What’s Inside: 2.............Cult.ributors3.............Street Style, The Audacity of Boots5.............Visual Arts Superlatives7.............Near & Far: Vareli & Sevilla9.............Creative College Concoctions10...........Sleep No More11...........Woody Allen: Rediscovering NYC12...........Opinion: Halal, Brooklyn Vintage13...........The List.

Want to join the Cult.? Email us: cultnyc@gmail.com

The Cult.ure CrewOlivia López-Balboa

Nastassia AdkinsChinua Akaosa

Kimiya AlsopMarcus Caraballo

Andre Fuqua Erica Getto

Stella Girkins J. Jirak

Erik KogutCristian López-Balboa

Ruby MellenVictoria van Amson

the lauNCh PartY. March 2, 2012

Vareli Restaurant

18+ to party21+ to drink

Semi-Formal

This NYC native and college student is no joke in the kitchen. Master Chef finalist, entrepreneur, fisher-man and, most recent-ly, restaurateur, Max helps Cult. turn some drab deli ingredients into gourmet creations. Max’s Sag Harbor, Long Island restaurant/night-life destination is in the works, with Max as ex-ecutive chef. His culi-nary team comes from New York’s high-end food scene—restau-rants such as The Spot-ted Pig, Sunset Beach and the Standard. Max hopes to create an atmosphere full of diners who love life and appreciate good food. His bold career moves reflect the in-novative flavors of his dishes. For more on Max see Creative College Concoctions.

Kietrie helps Cult. cap-ture the moment in fashion with her New York City street shots. This Columbia gradu-ate, writer and fashion photographer recently launched her exciting street style blog, www.the-adaptation.com, featuring the best of street fashion, travel and lifestyle. Kietrie has previously worked as the photographer for the blog of E! Net-work’s celebrity styl-ist, Lauren Shane. Behind the lens, Kietrie is influenced by works of photographers such as Scott Schuman and Elliott Erwitt as well as by the diverse styles she encounters on her travels around the world. Turn the page for more on Kietrie and her eye for style.

With Brooklyn and Or-chard Street locations, Epaulet demands a serious clientele. Its main focus is mens-wear, although it does offer some finds for women. Maintaining a classic American sytle with British influence in mind, Epaulet’s stock is both sophisticated and unexpected. Half of Epaulet’s merchandise is Epaulet-exclusive, while the other half stems from carefully chosen partnerships with unique brands. Epaulet stores feature the coveted Carmina shoes, which inspired Cult.’s article on The Audacity of Boots.

Cult.ributorsE p a u l e t .

M a x K r a m e r .

K i e t r i e N o e .

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The Audacity of Boots.

“You have it all figured out,” you tell yourself, confident that you’ve finally mastered that distinct look—that perfect air of subtle sprezzatura and classic americana. Blue suit, crisp white shirt, grey tie, white pocket square. You know that you will, undoubtedly, impress. You made sure that the tai-lor left you with no break on your pants and a slight, rakish Neapolitan tug on the jacket. But you are not quite done yet, not until you’ve put down the shoehorn andtightened the laces. You instinctively reach for your brown suede loafers—comfort-able, but too easy. Why not those os-trich double monks you fawned over for months? Too garish. Way. Too. Garish.

You wonder where to turn, eager to maintain the sophistication and style. Then it hits you;

“If you want to know if a man is well dressed look down” — George Frazier

STYLE Style Street

Fashionista Kietrie Noe oft h e - a d a p t a t i o n . c o m helps Cult. capture the best of New York City winter fashion.

3

Epau

let.

The boot has shod thousands of years of male accomplishment. Abraham Lincoln wore a pair of size 12 1/2 hobnail boots when he delivered the Gettysburg Address. The hundreds of men who built the Empire State Building did so in steel shanked work-boots. The paratroopers who landed in Normandy came crashing down upon nothing less than a good pair of American-made calf-high jump boots. Steel yourself, tie your laces tight and stand up tall. The boot is for men who will do things with their time. The kind of men who have com-panies to run and houses to build; the kind of men that built America.

-c.lb. & e.k.

Epaulet.

You need to consider circumstance and practicality before dressing for the day; a fall breeze may call for your tobacco-suede Alden chukkas, while Diemme’s Roccia Vets, made for those who, with their flock, face the Alps daily, would be better suited for winter’s onslaught. Regardless, the overwhelming diversity of style and function will, undoubtedly, spark your creativity. Be bold. But, most importantly, stay sprezzy.

the scent of worn cordovan fills your nostrils and your eyes are lost in a maze of intricate, brogue, boots.

We must recognize, however, that there is an enemy to our illustrious boot. While the boot is found on millionaire and begger alike, the slip-on is the shoe of misers. Be-ware the suited man in loafers. He is surely plotting to turn this na-tion into a country clutching ciga-rette holders and man-purses. If the boot is the symbol of a brave and ready nation, the loaf-er calls for lax standards, a poor moral character and questionable hygiene. When going for a quo-tidian shoe with a suit, up your game with some boots.

The boot is a fickle shoe despite its rugged reputation. While Timber-lands won’t cut it in the boardroom, most dress boots should not be anywhere near a construction site.

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Visual Arts This Season’s Superlatives

Most PoPular:Maurizio Cattelan’s AllGuggenheim Museum,

1071 Fifth Ave.

Best reason to Have Crossed tHe Bridge:

Hide and Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture

Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway.

Gone but not forGotten...

( )

I Look Just Like My Daddy. By Cass Bird.

Brooklyn Museum

Magazines and newspapers raved about Cat-telan’s collective show, which included works from all points of his career. Born and based in Italy, the artist is famously non-conform-ist—in 1993 he leased his part of an exhi-bition to an advertising agency that erect-ed a billboard. Some criticized that he was giving in to the pressures of the art world by do-ing this collective show. But Cattelan continued

This quintessentially “Brooklyn” exhibit took on the rivaling modern interpretation of the classic art form (the Metropolitan Mu-seum of Art’s “Masterpieces of Renaissance Portraiture” exhibit was about to open). The show travelled from DC, where it sparked controversy. Portraits of every medium focus on the theme of sexual identity in America, one of which was removed. True to its style, NYC received the show with open arms, regardless of DC’s senti-ments. And now the show has continued on to the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington State for those of you willing to travel there yourselves. For the rest of us, a vivid tour of the works is avail-able on the National Portrait Gallery website.

-s.g.

to surprise his audence by suspending his sculptures of animals, people, a foosball table and more in the center of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed rotunda. Even more surprising, the artist announced that he would re-tire once the instillation was complete. However, thanks to the tech-savvy Guggenheim, an app is still available for purchase on their website, featuring breathtaking photos, videos and interviews from the exhibit.

( )

5

Eight Bells Folly. By Hartley.

Broo

klyn

Mus

eum

This Season’s Superlatives

Favorite Bad Boy:Weegee’s Murder Is My Business

International Center for Photography,1133 Avenue of the Americas.

January 20, 2012 - September 2, 2012

Most reCognizaBle FeMale artist (in CostuMe):

Cindy ShermanMoMA, 11 West 53rd St.

February 26, 2012 - June 11, 2012( )

( )

Untitled 213, 425 & 458. Cindy Sherman. MoMA.images have been cropped.

Current ColleCtions...

The question: “Why are there no great fe-male artists?” is no longer legitimate. And Cindy Sherman is one contemporary female that has never let that question get in her way. Famous for photographing herself in mind-boggling guises, Sherman presents a retro-spective survey of her career over the past four decades at the MoMA. As you view the works, contemplate themes such as identity, gender, fiction and performance. The MoMA has either discounted or free admission for major NYC colleges so there’s no excuse not to stop by.

Okay, so Weegee wasn’t the truemurderer in his Great Depression-era tabloid photographs of New York City crime scenes, but he does channel his gritty image to brand himself as an artist. The IFC has installed an exhibition housing many of Weegee’s fa-mous images, lending a unique view into NYC’s history and the mystery that is Wee-gee, who masters an uncanny ability to ar-rive on the crime scene just in time. (Weegee, who’s real name is Arthur Fellig, is named after the Ouija board.) The exhibition includes im-ages of the victims and the cramped and dingy neighborhoods of the time. Also included is some footage from Weegee’s foray into film. 6

Epicure Evaluations

Near Vareli restaurant2869 Broadway212.678.8585

Whether you’re there for a glass of wine, a light dinner or an indulgent, three-course meal, the Vareli experience will leave you craving more. With its unique Mediterranean cuisine and warm atmosphere, this Morningside dining option is irresistable. Diners are spoiled for choice with a menu full of seductive dishes prepared by chef Amitzur Mor. Wine expert Richard Bill presents the best wine selections to compliment Vareli’s flavors, and the extensive beer options are not to be overlooked. A warm seasonal soup, octopus grilled to perfection or the fresh-seared tuna nicoise make for delicious appetizers or a light meal. The succulent pan-seared scallops drizzled in zesty citrus vinaigrette are perfect for seafood lovers, and carnivo-rous selections range from tasty Middle

Eastern beef tartare to a juicy prime ri-beye. A side of rustic herbed fries is al-ways necessity, guaranteeing you’ll be slapping away envious hands. Desserts such as the decadent and fluffy choco-late mousse cake, the sweet and crispy crème-brulee and the tangy seasonal fruit-skillet will have you scraping the decorative drizzle off of the plates.

Cult. recommends making a reser-vation, especially if you want to gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows over-looking Broadway on the coveted second floor. However the hustle of the first floor provides for the perfect bar scene. No matter the nature of your Vareli experience, you’ll emerge onto chilly, bustling Broadway with plans for your next visit already in mind.

The hidden Sevilla Restaurant and Bar bustles with cheerful clientele craving authentic Spanish fare. The restaurant seems filled to capacity and yet there is always room for one more. Something familiar welcomes you to the cozy eatery; perhaps it’s the one particularly charming mus-tached waiter, an old friend to all, happy to chat and wink over divine margaritas. By the menu it is appar-ent that seafood is the specialty, and, after consulting with our waiter, sea-food paella, a spicy shrimp dish and an authentic tortilla Española arrive in steaming copper pots. With simply

Fa

r seVilla restaurant62 Charles street

212. 243. 9513

-n.a.

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irresistible scents, these bottomless dishes will surely pass the test of any Spanish gourmand. As the sangria pitcher diminishes, you’ll realize that hours have passed and the restaurant has cleared. Yet there’s no sense of urgency and you’ll have to practically beg the waiters to bring you the check,

Herbed Fries

Pael

la S

evill

a.

Chef Amitzur Mor Photography

Sumac-Rubbed Pork Chop

regardless of how many times they stop by to chat. And no mat-ter how long it may be before your next Sevilla experience, the authen-ticly Spanish atmosphere and the enthused waiters await you, unchanged.

Mar

garit

a Se

villa

Roasted Free Range Chicken.

Day Boat Chatham Cod..

Pan Seared Scallops.

Creative College Concoctions Up-and-coming chef and college student Max Kramer prepares some seriously tasty dishes using nothing but a college kitchen, some drab deli ingredients and a lot of creativity. With these cheap fixes, there’s no excuse not to fine dine.

Ice Cream Sandwich: Two cookies, one scoop of icecream, and bits of crushed Oreo rolled around the exposed rim.

P a r f a i t :A layer of fruit...a layer of yogurt...a layer of granola bar pieces...a layer of fruit...a layer of yogurt and some nuts to top it off.

Tuna Lettuce Wraps: Grab a small can of tuna & crackers and crunch up the crackers to mix with the tuna in a bowl. Add in some diced raw vegetables and a pack-et of sweet chili sauce from your last Chinese take-out order. Wrap the mixture in lettuce or endive and finish off with salt and pepper.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Remove the noodles from a ramen package or an asian noodle bowl and microwave them in a bowl with water for two minutes. Toss the heated noodles with a mixture of peanut butter and soy sauce. Wrap in a big piece of lettuce with strips of deli grilled chicken and thinly sliced raw vegetables.

Thirsty? Try mixing a Naked Fruit Smoothie with some Redbull and ice to make a sweet Energy Daiquiri. Blender and liqueur optional!

“elegant, accessible, sustainable”

—Three words that Max uses tocharacterize his

cooking style

The Recipes

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Performance Arts

Sleep No More

member you are an invisible in-truder, following characters as you try to grasp the plot, an interpreta-tion of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.

Several scenes tend to bring the majority of the audience together. Regardless of the individual direc-tions you choose to pursue, you will likely find yourself in a few highly dramatized scenes involving most of the characters. One erotic scene in a third floor cocktail bar includes the likes of club music, white strobe lights, and nudity, evoking a creepy and shameful pleasure out of the audience.

You’ll come out of the play confused, overwhelmed, and delirious with an over-stimulated imagination. As you exit, representatives sell guides to “help ya figure out what in God’s name you just witnessed.” Even so, it is the confusion and curiosity that gives Sleep No More its undeniable appeal. You’ll be desperate to return to the McKittrick, yearning to find more, to solve the mystery, to open the cages in the aviary and search through the drawers of a desk or the bookshelf of the cramped study.

Last Performances on aPriL 14th. www.sLeePnomorenyc.com

-t.va. & k.a

As you exit, representAtives sell guides to ‘help yA figure out whAt in god’s nAme you just witnessed.’

“

”

You take a moment to let your eyes adjust to the darkness. You’ve been instructed not to speak from the minute you put the mask on. The el-evator attendant breaks the silence, announcing that it’s time to get off the lift. You take a tentative step for-ward. Faced with what appears to be a graveyard, you turn to look for an-other set of eyes only to realize that the elevator doors have closed. You are completely and utterly alone.

Sleep No More, producd by Brit-ish theater group Punchdrunk, is an exhilarating interactive event. The set—the fictional McKittrick Hotel on West 27th Street—is a converted warehouse. It is deceptively large, with so many rooms that you may not have time to see them all. Sets range from the dimlit interior of a cocktail bar to an apothecary, a chapel, a child’s bedroom and even a greenhouse. Not only is the set immaculate in the sense that every drawer is filled and every scrap of pa-per scribbled on, but every room also carries a distinctive and appropriate smell such that you will leave feeling somewhat intoxicated. You’ll spend your first moments rummaging through a cabinet or peeking down a mysterious hallway. One audience member shamelessly lies across a musty bed. Sporadic characters will soon distract you and occupy these areas, casually proceeding with the play’s intrigue. As an audience 10

-o.lb.

NYC Quintessential

Imagine discovering your neigh-bor is a murderer. Well, actu-ally, as a New Yorker, your “dis-covery” is more like a paranoid fascination in which you’ve de-cided that your neighbor is a murderer and allowed his char-acter to assume this role. “I don’t understand why you’re not more fascinated with this! I mean, we could be living next door to a mur-derer, Larry,” the amused Carol Lipton tells her husband. To which Larry, played by none other than Woody Allen, responds, “New York is a melting pot! I’m used to it!”

Woody Allen’s raw representation of New York City’s quirky, neu-rotic atmosphere nears perfec-tion. Which isn’t to say that every New Yorker shares Allen’s tenden-cies, but rather that a New Yorker can often identify with his films’ usual cast of characters. And if it’s not an exact character, then it’s a

situation—often so ludicrous that it could only occur in New York City.

Allen’s Manhattan Murder Mytery, for example, assaults the viewer with NYC essence. The aimlessly wandering camera is a character of its own. As the viewer, you are an unfocused voyeur, enthusiastically chasing the thickening plot and the shaking camera (which may be distracting or frustrating if you’re unaccustomed to NYC’s hustle.)

The movie opens with a bored couple—Larry and Carol Lipton, played by Diane Keaton and Allen himself—mumbling witty banter en route to their apartment. In a city with millions of self-absorbed peo-ple, communal living is out of place. And Allen captures the irony of apartment buildings beautifully, by revealing that New Yorkers aren’t actually tunnel-visioned. Our tact as New Yorkers is such that we can be so astutely aware while main-taining a seemingly disinterested demeanor. The Liptons exit the elevator faced by their old neigh-bors who invite them into their apartment. Allen is immediately on guard. NYC apartment tenants typically have little desire to asso-ciate with other tenants. Instead, you develop semifictional stories about your neighbors’ lives, those characters you come across in the elevator every day. Like the people you constantly walk past on the street, you just sort of wonder, but

Woody Allen: Rediscovering New York City

never actually go and introduce yourself. Now if, after a certain pe-riod of cohabitation, the neighbor is suddenly nice, he or she either wants something or is deranged. There are exceptions. And be-ing deranged isn’t exactly uncom-mon. Growing up I had a kooky neighbor who would enter our apartment sans knock, asking me—eight years old at the time—to make hors d’oeuvres for immi-nent guests. That’s fine. We loved her eccentricity. But neighbors like this are a constant, they don’t just appear. And still, she did want something.

But in Allen’s case, the neighbors’ invitation is inexplicable. And he knows better than to accept genu-ine kindness. When, days later, the Liptons return home to one of their suspicious neighbors lying dead in the hallway under a white cloth, their keen New York curiousity peaks. The couples’ reaction is hi-larious, mostly because it’s so true to New York City style. The shock carries on through their banter over the next few days, surfacing in mul-tiple conversations. Larry Lipton, who was previously repulsed by the old couple, suddenly warms up to the husband with the obvious inten-tion of gleaning any information. He wants to know what there is to know—in the same way that any New Yorker must know. Because everyone is a proponent of minding his own business until something happens to which he isn’t privy.

Thus Carol Lipton’s curiousity turns to obsession as she starts to unravel what seems to be a murder. When Larry and a few friends join in, the plot takes us on a tour of some of NYC’s precious gems. At the late Café des Artistes, which was built in 1917 and fed low-profile celebrity diners secluded by walls of theatri-cal murals, Allen dines with a casu-ally seductive “French authoress” (Anjelica Huston). The fictional Hotel Waldron, to which the Lip-tons venture following one of their many suspicions, was filmed at the Chelsea Hotel . The 21 Club, a classic wine-and-dine run by none other than the Orient-Express, is an unmistakable setting for cock-tails. And Carol makes a break from The National Arts Club af-ter she sees the recently deceased neighbor boarding a public bus. What becomes evident as you watch the movie is that Allen infused ev-ery aspect of the film with New York City’s essence. You won’t find his protagonists taking a cab through Time Square or chasing a possible suspect to the Empire State Building, but what you will find is brilliantly studied nuances of what it means to be a New Yorker. The opening song, “I Happen to Like New York,” writ-ten in the 1930s, sings New York City’s personna—it’s the arbitrary little traces of this city that make it so spectacular. The locations may have changed and thus be unfa-miliar, but the tone and the es-sence of NYC—those are timeless.

Williamsburg is the place to visit for authentic vintage in NYC. Cult. picked out a few of the best vintage spots for your next subway adventure.

Beacon’s Closet is a buy-sell-trade exchange shop that always keeps things fresh. Beacon’s will ex-change your used clothing for cash or trade on the spot, keeping the vintage cycle going. Not only is the store constantly replenishing and rotating its inventory, but it’s also reasonably priced, so shopping there won’t break your bank. Each visit you’re bound to find something you’ve never seen before, and you’ll leave with one of their many dis-tinctive pieces and accessories—great additions to any wardrobe.

B e a c o n ’ s C l o s e t

88 n 11th street

Subway Adventures Brooklyn Vintage

718.486.0816

Opinion

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u n i o n square

dow

ntow

n.

Walk to the 6th avenue station and trasnfer to the L-train head-ing to Brooklyn. Bedford

a v e n u e

Walk NW on N 7th St, towards Berry St. Turn right onto Berry St. Turn left onto N 11th St and continue on to Beacon’s Closet.

Start going SW on Bedford Ave. towards N 6th St. until you get to Vice Versa.

Start going NE on Bedford Ave. towards N 8th St. Turn right onto N 9th St. Keep walking until you reach Driggs Ave. and Buffalo Exchange

-a.f.

It’s 4 A.M. and you’re making the stumble home from Mel’s with that sad taste of dissatisfaction in your mouth, a taste just begging to be blocked out, a

sauces.” A warm concoction of rice, lamb strips, delicious white and spicy sauce, and—just to even out the health spectrum—lettuce, falls into your hands .

-r.m.

craving begging to be filled. And then you see it. It may be the one right outside of Duane Reade or the one on the corner of 115th and Broadway, but either way, you’re enticed, you’re happy. You are going to be sati-ated. The silver box of hope gleams in the dusky light as you approach and mutter the life-changing phrase, “Lamb over rice. All of the

righteous justification. The Halal cuisine is not the greasy or undercooked specimens of Tom’s Diner—which do have their own merits—but rather a flavorful substance that, though questionably made, seldom makes eager enthusi-asts sick. These cheap, quick, midnight delicacies beat other food trucks with their stubborn consistency. Rarely do you find such a loyal and humble

purveyor of valuable goods. Halal carts have become a signature addi-tion to our corners, forever providing us with full bellies and even fuller hearts.

Halal: A Morningside StapleHalal trucks have become so intrinsic to the Morningside Heights community that many college students have turned to a four-plus-meal-a-day lifestyle. And with

The List

3 x 1 Denim. 15 Mercer Street.Custom Bespoke Denim: the future of denim. Custom jeans from fabric to finish.

Louis Vuitton/Marc Jacobs BookFashion education for the coffee table. Two parallel fashion careers one hundred years apart. Published by Rizzoli. Available April 2012 for $75 USD.

W.I.P. Soho. 34 Vandam Street. Night Club — Art Gallery — Art Center.

Mr. Hyde Sofa by Pablo Cespo PitaA bipolar illuminated sofa that tranforms from day to night.

Superheadz Clap CameraMinimal — Portable — Loveable.

Historic: Jay-Z x Carnegie Hall. On February 6 and 7th, Jay-Z was the first rapper to ever headline Carnegie Hall, raising millions for charity.

Inspiration: Marc Newson Design. Design genius: planes, watch-es, cameras, clothes, jewelry. Latest Design: Pentax K-01 Cam-era, $899 USD. What will be next?w w w . m a r c - n e w s o n . c o m

C o p e n h a g e n , D e n m a r kKnown for its excellent quality oflife, Copenhagen is now starting to develop a heavy focus on mini-malist design for sustainability. It’s not NYC, but at least it’s clean.

things you should know aBout. now.

-c.a.

Another Brooklyn vintage must-stop-shop is Buffalo Exchange. Although the store is small, it buys and trades like Beacon’s and always has what’s current and on trend. You’ll find any-thing from vintage tees and button-ups to designer shoes and bags in any style you’re looking for. Clean cut or grunge, Buffalo probably has it.

B u f f a l oE x c h a n g e

504 Driggs Avenue

Vice Versa offers an eclectic and original selection right on Bedford Avenue, a prime Brooklyn area. Shirts, shoes and jackets are the best finds here. New merchandise rotates through weekly (although Vice Versa doesn’t buy or trade) and the prices are always very reasonable. A good eye will walk away with tons of great items.

Vice Versa 241 Bedford Avenue

718.384.6901

718.782.8847

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