Defy Domestication

Published in FREE Magazine Issue No. 12

John Hitchcox is an artist. His tangible product may not become a museum placeholder, nor does he have a specific medium, but his work explores the inherent human need of shelter as a form of creative expression. Analogous to the way anyone with a glimmer of insight could never simply refer to Frank Lloyd Wright as an architect and interior designer, Hitchcox’s innovations in the real estate landscape make the moniker of “Property Developer” seem immensely shortcoming.

Joining with celebrated designers Philippe Starck and Jade Jagger, Hitchcox’s newest endeavor, Yoo, unites property development and interior design to take a significant step forward in redefining the home. The inspiration was spawned as a progression from his former business, Manhattan Loft Company, which exported New York City’s loft concept to London, selling the shell - four walls and a door - to old building spaces, leaving customers the task of fitting the apartment themselves. With Yoo, Hitchcox’s focus has evolved, as he explains, “The concept is to start from the inside and work out, and really recognize it’s about your home, it’s the most expensive investment in your life and it should center around you.” The collaborations with Starck, Jagger, and more to come, are part of Yoo’s democratic push for a greater distribution of design, giving their socio-economically ranging patrons access to world-class designers in an effort to create an improved living experience. “The concept of the decorator is quite an elite thing to have, so why not provide that with the development service, i.e. you rent an apartment and you can purchase the furniture pack based on the designer’s idea of how they might lay it out,” emphasizes Hitchcox with his charismatic David Bowie meets James Bond manner.

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Published in FREE Magazine Issue 12 

London, England

Why London?

An innovative flood prevention system, an aggressively green local government, and all the eco-perks of living in a major city; London has outdone the national government’s plans by proposing emission cuts of 60% within the next 18 years.  If successful, the city will have met their reduction goal more than 20 years before the rest of  England.  Part of the proposal involves shifting 25% of the city’s power supply to local energy sources.  There will also be noticeably less traffic congestion, as the new legislation will charge SUV’s and other non fuel-efficient vehicles the equivalent of approximately $47 a day – more than a $30 dollar increase - to enter London during business hours.  As a reward for their forward thinking, drivers of hybrids and electric vehicles are exempt from the tax.  The tourism board has taken a special interest in drawing Green Travelers, with their London Goes Green initiative.  Find out where to shop for organic foods, and more ways to experience the eco-friendly side of London at VisitLondon.com/Green

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Published in FREE Magazine Issue 11 -  May 2008

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Story Layout from FREE Magazine Issue 11 

“If you feel like you might pass out, that’s normal, especially if you’re new to the practice.  Push through it,” instructs Santiago Solis of Bikram Yoga NYC.

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Rose petals scattered aimlessly, melted lavender candles, and a half bottle of an aromatic wine are all that remain of the romantic evening you won’t soon forget.  The next day, as the pedals begin to wilt and the candles are discarded, you may find yourself asking what of the wine?  Chicken Lo-Mein, vegetable egg rolls, the digitally remastered Casablanca DVD, and a cozy couch is certainly an option, but for the more ambitious diner we present some delicious alternatives alongside some helpful advice for cooking with wine.  More →

It isn’t ok to eat meat, and it’s even worse to attempt to make others do the same

Sorry we’re such an inconvenience for you, Mr. Rinella, but with all do respect, don’t tread on my beliefs with your fascist insistence of carnivorism.  As a vegetarian, I’ve encountered the “what’s wrong with meat?” inquiries and I’ve always been able to offer a thoughtful response that extends far beyond health concerns or my desire for the ethical treatment of animals. 

As a nature enthusiast and forward thinking conservationist (or tree-hugger for those lacking originality), I’ve been a long-time fan of Outside Magazine.  So you can imagine my excitement by this March’s “Green” themed issue.  Page 46, however, leaves a gaping wound on the skin of the magazine’s otherwise stellar attempt at promoting a more eco-friendly way of life.  I was honestly shocked that the “Green” issue would include such a misleading story.  When reading Rinella’s assurance that it’s ok to eat meat, consider this excerpt from Time Magazine’s special edition on Global Warming:

 “The international meat industry generates roughly 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – even more than transportation…” 

More than transportation!  While people boast about their hybrid cars, I’ll be content with my tofu.  It doesn’t end there.  A November 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization entitled Livestock’s Long Shadow, notes that, “Worldwide, animal agriculture is likely the largest source of water pollution.”  So, guilt trip me about the Native American agriculture and I’ll simply smile and ask you about your destruction of the earth. 

The political solutions offered in Rinella’s piece are impractical at best, as the everyday American will have a difficult time finding such eco-friendly meat at their local grocer.  And I’m sure I wasn’t the only reader to be alarmed by the story’s casual, matter-of-fact mention of,  “the increased cancer risk of an overly meated diet 

After receiving critical acclaim for his work with Garry & The Moodswingers, Garry Segal is entering the realm of solo act, well, sort of. Taking Notes, his 2008 solo debut, is a collection of Segal’s original compositions, but he is accompanied on the album (and often in live shows) by the To Dye For Band. The band is a collaboration of friends Segal has amassed over his 25 year playing career, and the collective credentials are astonishing; to name a few: Jeff Pevar from Crosby Stills & Nash and Phil Lesh & Friends, Phil Rosenthal from Seldom Scene, saxophonist Collin Tilton from Van Morrison’s Moondance, and Grammy Award winning dobro player Stacey Phillips. Segal adds vocals and acoustic guitar for all the tracks on the album, along with a bit of his renowned harmonica playing on “Cartwheels” and “Everything’s Jake.”

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These unwanted acres of baron land are filled with the dry smell of dirt, drifting through each makeshift shelter with a cool breeze. As each year passes, hope of returning home is slowly overtaken by a more primal instinct: survival. The 86,000 refugees of Kakuma camp, located in the northern desert of Kenya, are forced to live with destitution. Even with the generous efforts of host communities and relief organizations the most basic of human needs are often in short supply. In a time of such heightened vulnerability wanting anything more seems inconsiderate. Yet, as time passes, the absence of mental stimulation and hope-lifting diversion begins to create a void. Social norms and sense of community erode away as the outside world becomes increasingly disconnected. For some, this is a life of displacement. For others, like children born in these camps, it’s the only life they’ve ever known.

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A few days ago, a friend gave me a “Grow A Buddha” she’d found in a little hippie shop in a seaside Rhode Island town. I must have spent hours marveling at the tan figurine as it grew to 600% its original size. So, it seems coincidental later that evening I would be reviewing – and listening to on constant repeat long after this critique was finished - a band called Red Plastic Buddha. Neither the toy or the record evoked any sort of religious experience but Sunflower Sessions, the bands debut record released on Spade Kitty Records, was a pleasant surprise.
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Story Published in FREE Magazine Issue No. 10

MTV Doesn’t Love You

On August 1^st 1981 at 12:15 a.m. death came for the radio star like a Darwinian matter of fate. Smiling with guilt, the transgressor, a new broadcast channel with a 24-hour music format, mockingly launched its station with a confession of the crime, iniquitously playing The Buggles “Video Killed the Radio Star.” The trailblazing music video, featuring Trevor Horn’s falsetto chiming and a backdrop of the moon dancing over rippling water, was the catalyst for a new dimension in the music experience, MTV.

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