Crack is Wack!

Posted on May 23, 2012

Yes, crack is definitely wack, just like Whitney Houston said in her epic interview with Diane Sawyer when she answered probing questions about her rumored drug use back in 2002. She went on to say confidently that “I make too much money to smoke crack, crack is wack!” before she sarcastically (and quite aggressively) asked Diane Sawyer to “show me the receipts” to prove her wrong—all while practically wiping the sweat off her forehead! Now whether Whitney Houston actually abused crack or not is irrelevant in my opinion because her untimely death (obviously attributed to drug addiction) is not only tragic but yet another reminder of how drugs of all kind can really ruin a persons life—no matter how talented or wealthy they may be. Keith Haring was well aware of the dangers of not only drug use but unsafe sex and as an artist, he left behind some of the most iconic street art ever made all over this city in response to many political and social issues such as the epidemic of crack in the Black Community and Aids and HIV in the Gay Community. A while back, we Biscuits snuck Mamma Biscuit into the LGBT Community Center (hey, pugs need art in their life too) to visit the highly sexualized murals that Keith illustrated in the mens bathroom back in the day so it seemed fitting to come full circle and visit the amazing and often neglected Crack is Wack Park in Harlem! Now this park may not have a swingin’ dog run but Mamma Biscuit fully enjoyed snacking away on some soft-chew treats while viewing such an amazing piece of iconic art!



So after a long, exhaustive week of rain and clouds, mother nature decided to bless us all with an entire weekend of gorgeous, sunny weather—a perfect opportunity to embark on a New York City excursion! Tommy and I threw our little gremlin lady into her nifty Lacosté travel bag, hopped on a subway and headed down to Harlem to check out this park. Keith Haring created this double sided mural in 1986 on a handball court alongside a small park located on 128th Street and 2nd Avenue.


Clearly inspired by the crack epidemic and its effect on New York City, this art continues to serve as a warning to the community of just how dangerous the drug really is. He initially executed the mural independently, without the City permission but it was later put under the protection and jurisdiction of the City Department of Parks. In my opinion, public Art needs to be preserved and protected and totally accessible to ALL people everywhere—especially Art that serves up such an important message like this!



Dressed in a tight fitted violet and pink trimmed monkey T-shirt, Mamma Biscuit pranced around the grounds, basking in the sunlight creeping through the leaves on the trees alongside the chain-link fence while generally waiting for a soft-chew treat to come her way! It’s kind of ironic that Mamma’s paw knocked into a silver spoon alongside the white wall as she ran around the handball court—a frightening reminder that this drug is still being cooked and used!


There were a few homeless men sleeping on some of the park benches scattered about but their rest and relaxation went undisturbed as Mamma Biscuit rarely barks or makes any noises! Directly across from the murals were several new basketball courts in which young kids and young adults were engrossed in a game of hoops with their friends! Tommy and I sat down on a bench alongside the murals and had ourselves an incredible vegan lunch! We had a giant tray of vegan soul food dishes from Uptown Juice Bar on 125th Street—where Tommy sells his delectable Sweet Semosh treats! We stopped in to make a delivery before heading over to the park for an outdoor lunch! After lunch, I snapped a few portraits of us with the Biscuit Lady in front of the art!



All in all, this visit was totally worth it. If you have a chance to venture up into Harlem, we do recommend checking this park out! In conclusion, Mamma Biscuit would like to leave you all with her very own PSA on drugs: CHOOSE PUGS, NOT DRUGS! OK, that statement isn’t entirely original, the very talented Gemma Correll came up with that slogan and an adorable drawing of a pug for a T-shirt that’s sold at Urban Outfitters but you all get the picture! It’s way better than Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No campaign, that’s for sure!


So stay safe, love yourself, life and respect your body, it’s the only one you’ve got!

Oh, and lastly, check out the incredible Madonna performing Get Into the Groove incorporating some really fun Keith Haring visuals in the background during The Sticky & Sweet Tour a few years back! Madonna and Keith were friends back in the day and I think she did him justice here!

Enjoy the upcoming Memorial Day weekend!

Posted in Music, NYC Life, Outdoor Life | 6 Comments

Mamma’s Teal Cat!

Posted on May 16, 2012

Guess what came in the mail recently that has gotten everyone excited at the pug palace? A one of a kind teal cat tchotchke from The Teal Cat Project: a fundraiser run by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, author of vegan cook book Appetite for Reduction, Veganomicon and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Also, alongside Isa is our good friend Anna Dorfman at Doorsixteen who designed the site and logo for the project and Leigh Ellis who runs the spray-painting process of every kitty litter of ceramic cats that come into the group. Now these girls mean business when it comes to saving feral cats everywhere and they do a great job at raising a ton of money through this unique project in which all of the proceeds are donated to affiliated kitty cat rescue programs such as San Francisco SPCA, Alley Cat Allies and NYC Feral Cat Initiatives.


Here’s how it works: The Teal Cat Project is a campaign in which ceramic cats are acquired through scouring thrift stores, eBay and from donations from cat lovers all over the world to create a kitty litter of cats that the group spray paints teal (I know, they look so damn cool in that color.) The cats are then collared and numbered with the Teal Cat Project logo and shipped out. Twenty-five dollars gets you a small cat as you see here in Mamma’s photos and thirty-five dollars gets you a larger size—and again, all of the money is donated to kitty cat rescue groups listed above that trap and neuter feral cats in a colony and return them to their territory where caretakers provide them with regular food and shelter. The teal cats are only available a few times a year and each campaign lasts until they run out of cats. Our teal cat is part of Isa’s fourth campaign and let me tell you, these cats sell out faster than a Madonna concert at Madison Square Garden—and if you miss out, it takes a few months for the next new litter of donated tchotchke cats to replenish. If you want to get involved with the donation aspect of this project, click here otherwise, check back often on their web site and get yourself a cool teal cat—they could easily fit into any Jonathan Adler trimmed home and quite frankly, they look cooler and more vintage-chic in my opinion!


So here is Mamma’s new decorative tchotchke cat with a lovely signed note from Isa Chandra Moskowitz! We hear she is a big fan of Mamma Biscuit (who isn’t?) and well, we love her and all the work that she does for cats in need too! Mamma Biscuit and family are all about being compassionate to animals and we like to donate to such causes when we can. The great thing about The Teal Cat Project is you can show your support and beautify your home at the same time—and that’s a win-win situation in our book!

Meow, Meow
Enjoy

Posted in Animal Welfare, Vintage | 6 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day, Mamma & Mom!

Posted on May 12, 2012

Mother’s Day is a special day to honor all of the mothers around the world who have given life and have nurtured their young to be who they are today! The tremendous sacrifices every mother makes is beyond selflessness and the abundance of unconditional love they give to the world and their children (biological or adopted) is the very core of our existence. There is nothing quite like a mother’s love and support and it should never be taken for granted and should always be appreciated, highlighted and celebrated—not just for one day but every day of the year! With that said, I want to take this opportunity to dedicate this entire post to the two most important ladies in my life, Mamma Biscuit and my very own mother.

My mother, pictured here embracing Mamma Biscuit, is one of the most inspiring women I know. She is loving, caring, expressive, compassionate, creative, religious and smart. Born and raised in a small town called Carolei in the region of Calabria, Italy (in case you were wondering, it’s the toe part of the boot of Italy) she emigrated to this country with my father without any family members and not knowing how to speak any English at all. Upon arrival, they both settled into the South Bronx (that’s right, the boogie-down Bronx) and she quickly immersed herself into the American way of life! Learning English and taking classes to further her education only fueled her interest in reading, drawing and painting—and these interests only served to encourage and inspire my natural inclinations towards creativity and the fine arts as I was growing up. I have vivid memories of my mom drawing giant Renaissance figures of the mythical and religious variety on the walls with graphite going up the staircase in the house that I grew up in. By the time I was born, my parents moved from the Bronx to a home in Westchester County, a suburb of New York City with both my sister and brother. I always thought that my mom was so talented and bold to draw and redraw on the walls. It’s not like my father minded at all considering he too enjoyed painting landscapes when he was younger on canvas with oil paints and understood the beauty of creating art of any kind—and he placed more importance on art rather than sports which made him cool in my eyes. My mother as well as my father both supported me fully when I decided to attend an art college to pursue studies in a creative field. Unlike most parents, they never brought up any issues of making a living or money. What was important for them was that I had an interest in pursuing a higher education and that I was happy doing what I wanted to do. My mother’s support was and still is boundless! Her capacity to not only love me unconditionally as her gay son but to view and respect me as a free-thinking adult really defines who she is—not just as a mother but as a human being!


So today, I want to thank my mom for being this amazing woman who continues to see the potential in me as well as within herself despite all of the crazy struggles, obstacles and distractions that life throws our way. I want to thank her for being so open to new ideas, new thoughts, new viewpoints and new agreements as well as disagreements we may arrive to with every intense conversation we engage in together. For a woman who was born into a culture full of sexism, homophobia and religion, my mom epitomizes the freedom and joys that come from the curiosity of asking questions and viewing everything in life with an open mind! Most of all, I want to thank her for loving Mamma Biscuit as much as Tommy and I do. Mamma Biscuit has found her most comfort within the arms of my mother. There is something about my mother’s voice and the grip of her embrace that has captured Mamma Biscuit’s spirit and that speaks volumes to me of how special my mom really is!

From Mamma Biscuit and the Biscuit household, we wish you all a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Enjoy!

Posted in Holiday, Portraits | 4 Comments

Sweet Semosh Makes a Good Filling!

Posted on May 8, 2012

Sweet Semosh has gone and done the unthinkable here by taking the iconic American chocolate chip cookie and making sandwich treats out of them with chocolate frosting in the middle—and quite frankly, this is the best baked treat to have ever come out of Tommy’s oven in my opinion! I know I can be a bit of a chocolate-overload junkie at times but I can honestly say that these treats are beyond amazing and totally perfect for any occasion or holiday.


Now Mamma Biscuit may not be able to sample chocolate treats of any kind, but her nose was working over time while we were assembling a tray of these chocolate chip treats for a friends naturalization party two weeks ago. I’m not surprised though, her nose has an impeccable palette and it’s only fitting that she share with you all the very best in vegan baked goods that Sweet Semosh has to offer!


The idea of taking two soft-chew chocolate chip cookies and joining them together with the most decadent, buttery chocolate frosting you’ve ever tasted is really part of the Sweet Semosh genius! There really is no better sweet treat to share with our newly naturalized buddy than this incredibly yummy sandwich cookie and Ruth Wakefield would be so proud!

Now even though one of these sandwich goodies packs enough chocolate to satisfy the most insatiable of sweet tooths, some of you fellow Cookie Monsters out there (like us) will crave more. Our advice would be to not fight it. Go on and have another cookie—after all, they are vegan and totally cruelty-free which makes them guilt-free too!

Have one with a cup of coffee, tea, or a tall glass of non-dairy milk. Either way, enjoy. Just please remember to sugar responsibly!

Enjoy

Posted in Sweet Semosh | 4 Comments

M. B. Loves Givenchy!

Posted on May 2, 2012

You don’t need to be a fashionista (or even a Maxxinasta) to realize that bright, bold colors are currently on trend for this Spring season here in New York City. Everywhere you look, guys, girls and even pugs are wearing super bright colors—and some are even brave enough to venture into the neon palette in their unyielding endeavors to stand out. Now Mamma Biscuit is no stranger to making bold statements regarding her fashion choices. No, our Biscuit Lady had been locked up in a puppy mill for the first eight years of her life so she’s not about to wear neutrals now that she’s living a free life in one of the most fashionable cities in the world. In fact, bright colors and designer cuts are really at the core of Mamma’s fashionable tastes and despite what the trends may be currently or what the fashion forecast calls for, our Bitch will always have a special place in her little puggie heart for colour—yes, I spelled it that way because I think it’s more romantic, so deal with it! Now the warmer weather calls for a light-weight garment for our pug to wear so we’ve put together a neckerchief look that incorporates those bright colors that are on trend right now with a touch of Nan Kempner whimsy and a love for the vintage!


Around June of last summer, the Biscuits took a walk up to Indian Hill Road and 218th Street in Inwood to check out Scavengers, a tiny, closet-sized vintage shop that carries anything you could possibly dream of from yesteryear. While Tommy was outside systematically leafing through every milk crate full of records that he could find (what else is new?) I was inside holding Mamma Biscuit in one hand while rummaging through a pile of vintage scarves for ladies with the other hand. Within minutes, I came across this original Givenchy scarf/neckerchief and I nearly passed out when the asking price on the sale tag for this gem was only ten bucks. TEN BUCKS FOR GIVENCHY? Now you know I snatched this baby up with the quickness while looking over my shoulders, worried that I was going to get called out by another shopper (not that there was anyone else in the store with me) for getting such a bargain! I immediately envisioned Mamma Biscuit wearing this for the following Spring as I left the vintage shop and so here we are, Spring 2012—and here she is, in all of her fashionable Springtime glory!




Now most of you longtime readers here already know that Mamma Biscuit is no stranger to a vintage collar or neckerchief. Last year, we picked up a couple of handmade bobbin lace and trim collars from the 1920’s to the late 1950’s from the St. Lawrence Antique Market in Toronto however, this Givenchy scarf is way more modern with it’s 60’s inspired four panels of warm complimentary colors of pinks and oranges. The repetitive letters spelling out the name of the designer label in white matches the contemporary, logo-clad designer aesthetics of todays luxury garments. Pairing this scarf with a diamond wreath brooch from Mamma’s private collection really finished off this chic look—and I have no doubt that the French would be so proud!


Now Mamma Biscuit would like to end this post with some advice for all of you gals and gents out there who fear bringing color into your wardrobe: try to use color as an accent to your entire outfit—a hot pink necktie on a gentleman wearing a crisp, modern black suit or a woman wearing lime heels with a chic black dress can make any man or woman look editorial-ready without looking ridiculous. If you want to go full throttle with color and patterns, make sure there is a sense of control and consideration to detail within the overall chaos of your look—the last thing you want is to evoke an infantile, preteen mall rat with tons of sparkle and bling (ughh, that word leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.) Also, always remember that a colorful scarf, tie, hat, belt or shoe can replace any piece of jewelry on almost any type of outfit and that color blocking is a totally modern and bold way to infuse bright colors into your shoes or wardrobe without looking messy or insane! Have fun with it, and when in doubt, use neutral colors to draw looks back together with your color selection.


Happy Spring and good luck!

Enjoy

Posted in Editor's Note, Fashion, NYC Life, Vintage | 4 Comments