I went to Moto Grand Prix in Monterey, CA at Laguna Seca. It’s one of my favorite tracks, one of the best to watch a race and just a generally great area to take a weekend trip. Standing alongside the Corkscrew or above Race Control in the lounge, it’s always a great view. GP is a weekend long moto-bonding session not to be missed by any 2-wheel go fast fan. An annual pilgrimage of gear-goodness and I spent it with some great friends. I got to brainstorm about a new GOOD ART / BATES Leathers Bates Custom Leathers collaboration with Dana who owns the legendary California custom leather jacket company. I feasted with Jason, Tony and Brando, lounged on Ducati Island with Dan from Contour, I met Paul & Becca from Spidergrips, and rider Greg Tracy who took their Multistrada to the win at Pikes Peak last month, and I got very intimate with a good number of amazing bikes, even reuniting for a moment with my first Ducati by chance. It was Ducati-filled funtime for all. Stoner took 2nd and Nicky 5th! Thanks for the great weekend Skipper, really wish I had a photo of your face to share here, next time around I guess.
JW Blog
Montreal Grand Prix
This last weekend I had the good fortune to experience Formula One in the most grand style; as a guest of my friends at Deans Knight. The Montreal Grand Prix trip is an annual event (interrupted last year by no agreement between this beautiful city & Monsieur Ecclestone) for the DK group, and it’s like no other race weekend. From the moment I arrived Thursday morning it was a never ending parade of food, drink, friends, Ferrari’s, Mercedes, drink and maple syrup. I know I wrote food twice. I think I was too busy “eating” to really capture the glory of the event with my camera. So this gallery may be a bit incohesive, but the weekend was one for the ages. Vintage Formula racing, the Ferrari Challenge and the main event were all incredible. Yes, Lewis won… again, he’s amazing. Adrian ran a great race nabbing 9th, despite a punctured tire, and edging out Michael Schumacher. Any day you’re faster than Schumacher is a day you’re fast.
Streets of Long Beach
I spent the weekend with some very fast friends at the Long Beach Grand Prix. Walker Racing is running Speedy Dan Clarke in the Indy Lights series and I was lucky enough to see it from the inside out. Nothing like being on the starting grid when they fire those suckers up, I even said aloud today “it never gets old” about the thump and roar. Thanks a million Deano & Derrick, another brilliant weekend!
The King Is Open
The grand opening of Mario Barth’s King Ink in the Mirage happened this last Saturday. It was a bash in grand style, replete with drink, beauties and familar faces. I’ll let the pictures tell this story. But please feel free to stop by the shop to recreate the fun the next time you’re in the Mirage. And get yourself some GOOD ART. Tell ‘em JW sent you and you might get a gratis swill with purchase.
Road Trip Delivery
With the opening of Mario Barth’s new shop King Ink, in Las Vegas, I’ve been scrambling to get the place stocked up with GOOD ART. The actual delivery called for a road trip with security (unarmed, but dark & surly). TC and Bubs in tow, we started the trip with a stop… at Langers for a few Number 10′s – sorry no pictures, we were enraptured by the smokey pastrami goodness. It was a brilliant Thursday afternoon drive up. We managed a gratuitous stop at the Mad Greek, though only I ate, and after telling a guy to stop throwing trash out his parked car window, and then having him tell me to “get real”, I was a little sorry about the stop. Night one was a breeze. Day two was 13 hours of unpacking and logging in SKUs, we were all run ragged. But not too tired for a little poker. I only remember this; two of the guys at the table were named Kevin, I took money from both my friends and everyone else, and also that I was scolded for taking this picture at the table. The rest of the night was a glass of bourbon.
A Slice of Mexican Heaven
I was hoping to capture enough photos to tell the story of what I’m doing this week. The problem is I’m too busy doing it (and nothing at all, at the same time) and then when I go to get a photo, it just isn’t speaking the volumes to properly tell the story. The short version is this; After a couple years of my friend asking me to come down to his vacation home, I finally had no good reason not to. A short flight from LA to Puerto Vallarta, picked up by JC (yes, you read that correctly), driven through the jungle for 40 minutes, through 2 sets of Jurassic Park-style gates and eventually greeted by Evee with a plate of homemade frejoladas and a margarita, I can truly say, I am Mexican. Or should be. Or at least I’m feeling very much at home. With just a few hours of travel I’ve been transported to paradise, in the most grand style. We’re in Punta Mita, a point jetting out into the pacific, with water on 3 sides, and service that puts the nearby Ritz Carlton to shame. Great friends, drink and food, and this really is Heaven. Thanks a million Deano!
CafÈ Habana
A regular and favorite stop on every trip to NYC is to CafÈ Habana for a steak sandwich (best East of the Hudson), corn and to see the beautiful Leslie Meenan. To go or to stay. So worth the stop. Corner of Prince & Elizabeth.
Alex Prager takes NYC
Timing was perfect for us to catch Alex Prager’s first New York show. Nearly a dozen photos from her recent Week-end series were spread across the walls of the main room in the Yancey Richardson Gallery. Check out more here.
