My friend Jeremy Somers has gone on and produced a range of women’s swimwear called We Are Handsome which is very unique. Okay, it’s totally unique. Check it out ladies. What do you think?

Monsieur T has always provided us with plenty of kick ass tees to rave about on a regular basis. However, with the sizzling season officially upon us, our good friends have upped the ante on their kick ass-ness to not only warm the cockles of our hearts, but our otherwise naked torsos as well. Their scorching new Summer ‘09 collection features designs from a gaggle of top-notch talents such as Arbito (best known for teaming up with MHAK, and Evan B. Harris). While there’s no shortage of eye-popping graphics on this set, there are very limited quantities of the actual shirts. So whether you’re walking around half-naked and need to cover up to get into that fast food restaurant or you’re just looking for a top that will catch that special someone’s attention while cruising the skate park this summer, we suggest you head on over to the Monsieur T website and grab something before they’re all gone.

Perennial VA/DC favorite Commonwealth has teamed up with Billabong for a series of board shorts made from a new fabric called Eco-Supreme Suede. The material is made from recycled pure polyester and can be recycled at the end of their life. It takes about ten recycled 12 oz plastic bottles to produce a pair of the tiger camo shorts. I am not a fan of the current options for men’s beachwear but depending how this new Billabong fabric feels, I will probably grab a pair when I am in DC next week. Via Highsnobiety

There are plenty in the creative arena who scoff at the idea of sport, likening athletic competition as entertainment for uncivilized mongrels. However, when the chasm between brute force and artistic inspiration is bridged, some wonderful things can occur. The Lawn Series from Recess is a refreshing and original happening aiming to eliminate the gap between endlessly inventive artisans and the arena of athletics. For three glorious days during the sweltering NYC summer on Governor’s Island, playful pastimes will overtake the creatively inclined as they attempt to best one another in exhilarating events such as badminton, table tennis, and bocce. In addition to the flowing of the competitive juices, each event will be met with some pretty kick ass sponsors as the likes of Tretorn and Puma will be putting their stamp on the festivities while Biomega and Kronan will be on hand to offer bike test rides. Count us in and bring it on. The first day of competition is June 20th. We’ll see you there…unless you’re afraid of defeat.

What will I be rocking all summer? The Zuriick Ake Slip Ons ($55). More pictures after the jump. They’re fantastic– available in a handful of colors like Cub Red, Bronx (blue) Charcoal Night and Wrigley (shown here). More pictures after the jump…

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Sometimes the best thing about catching an arena rock spectacle isn’t your favorite headliner, but the chance to see some pretty amazing opening acts before they start selling out arenas. If you’ve already snatched up tickets to the late summer leg of Coldplay’s North American summer tour (hitting a venue near you from July 20th to August 4th) we recommend you arrive at the show extra early to catch supporting act Santogold. The Brooklyn-based band fronted by Santi White busts out bombastic, bass-heavy tunes that mix elements of indie rock, punk, reggae and electro music that will add a little bounce to the step of Coldplay fans getting their quiet chill on.

What if you could go back to a summer camp where all you did was arts and crafts? Well, Firebelly Design is about to make you one happy camper. Camp Firebelly, a two week graphic arts program / sleepaway camp, is ready to accept applications for ten gifted design students to take part in a work-intensive project for a non-profit client. In lieu of tents, Firebelly is letting you camp out in their Chicago loft. And, if you really miss the swimming and canoing of your childhood…there’s always Lake Michigan. From the sound of it, the days will be long, and the nights may not be full of s’mores and ghost stories. But, it will look a heck of a lot better on your resume than that first place archery ribbon.

There are a few moments in the never-ending ’80s revival that are positives to pop culture, I promise you. Like the comeback of Wayfarers, for instance, which have an addictive look-good-on-anybody aspect. While we strongly advocate digging through your brother’s closet for his old pair rather than pay some dude on eBay who already did the same, you still likely won’t find anything like these Face It Sunglasses. The frames change color with the light (hello, Generra Hypercolor!) and the handcrafted lenses have a flash-finish mirror printed with Xs, triangles or lines, which remind me a lot of the old Coca Cola sunglasses that are so coveted now. They’re $66 a pop, but because your girlfriend will be jacking these from you, get her to split the cost.

Warm weather means more than shorts, t-shirts, and flip flops…it also means it’s time to brush off that grill and start bbq-ing. Whether you’re a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore, you’re going to need more than just fire and coal to make your flame broiled fantasies a reality. Every grill master needs some quality utensils — and we’ve got just what the doctor (or chef) ordered. This set of stainless steel folding grill tools from Sur La Table includes a brush, a pair of tongs, and a spatula with eco-friendly pakkawood handles that allow these cooking tools to become compact providing a sleek space saving solution to your searing situation. Also, they might be useful in fending off a mugging providing you can convince your would be attacker that the folding spatula is also a switchblade.

Related: Meat = Mine

I don’t surf. I don’t know the first thing about surfing, beyond whatever I’ve garnered from TV and movies. So how I ended up on the mailing list for Swell is beyond me. But I’m glad I did! The catalog is beautifully shot and immediately eye-catching — my first thought was that it was a Patagonia catalog — and it’s full of interesting, laid-back styles. No surprise there, given the clientele. The catalog is also fully integrated with their website. The bottom of every page, whether it’s a photo spread of a couple of models or a line-up of shirt, has a keyword that reveals more of the same type of item on their website.

Now, I know the swells out here on the East coast don’t get so big, but I’ve definitely seen a few people wandering toward the subways with a surf board. And if Brooklyn can support its own surf shop, then someone round here must be interested in Swell (not to mention, those of you in Cali and beyond who hog all the nice beaches). Take a look, even if it’s just to have a gander at their slick photography. They’ve also got a serious line-up of surf inspired tees. Makes the death of summer just that little more bittersweet, no?

Yesterday, I had one of those ideal days that summer seems made for. I headed out to McCarren Park Pool to saw the bands Illinois and Man Man, had some (see also: too much) beer and met some really cool new friends; among these was Matt Allen, a person known affectionately to many as “the Ice Cream Man.” Not to be confused with your local neighborhood purveyor or Master P circa 1996, this ice cream man has what could confidently be stated as one of the best jobs of all time. Allen travels all over the nation to concerts and music festivals such as Bonaroo and Lollapalooza to dole out free ice cream and is financially supported through advertisers, sponsors, promotions, branding and merchandising. According to his Myspace Page, he’s has handed out around 80,000 frozen treats, carrying a vast variety of favorites including neapolitan bars, chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches and nostalgia-inducing TMNT pops. His goal is to serve up half a million goodies and I am happy to say I helped him on the way with a much appreciated Reese's Pieces Ice Cream Bar. Check out his website for music and concert reviews, stories from the road and schedule updates. For those of you dying to bust out of your cubicle and go “slingin' the cream, livin' the dream,” you can also volunteer to be a part of his team.

–Mara Siegler

My last pair of sunglasses (very classy, very chic Diors) recently met an unfortunate demise, and it’s days like today (very sunny, very hungover) I kick myself that I haven’t yet replaced them. It doesn’t help me feel any better seeing these super-hot “Tron” shades over at Uncrate, either — the team at Spy seem to be channeling all the Transformers love around at the moment; contrary to popular belief, I don’t have a problem with that at all. Tech specs are pretty awesome, too: along with an injection-molded Epsylon frame and hand-crafted custom metal frame, these babies come in your choice of blue, pink, black or checkered for a slick $115. If you’ll excuse me now, I have a pool of self-pity to wade in.

This summer will see the launch of the Neptune Foundation’s Floating Pool, an erstwhile Lousiana river barge taking its cues from turn-of-the-century public bathing pools which once skirted the waters of New York City. The longtime dream of Ann Buttenweiser, the Floating Pool endured a five-month setback after Hurricane Katrina but finally made it to moor in Brooklyn last October, where a massive retrofitting has taken place to provide up to 174 swimmers at any given time a chance to swim and relax above waters they normally wouldn’t dream of entering…even in hazmat suits. No exact date has been set for the launch, but we’ll be sure to update you as soon as we hear anything.

It’s Friday, and it’s supposed to reach ninety-two degrees here in NYC. That has me thinking, even with my monumental hangover, about icy cold cocktails. Not like the martinis I drank last night that ensured me feeling like junk today, but something you’d drink on a tropical vacation…or if you happen to have me as your bartender. One of the perks of the downtown bar I worked in previously was that I was intensely involved in rehauling the cocktail menu, and on it still lies my signature, the Thaihito: cilantro and mint muddled with lime, jalapeno and sugar, shaken with ice and Malibu rum and topped off with soda. You’re thinking that I’ve lost it, right? Trust me, the spicy-sweet palate combines perfectly with balmy (or beyond balmy) weather.

That got me a little hyperfocused on cocktails, and maybe infusing my repertoire with something a little fresh and new. There’s no better place get inspired than on Talk Shop Fridays. So tell me guys, what’s in your signature cocktail?

Attention Boulderites! Word on the street is that this coming Saturday, for six hours only, there’s going to be a sample sale for some drastically discounted summer necessities from Billabong, Reef, Dragon, and Ipath shoes. Who knows, you may even be able to score some gear that won’t make it to the stores. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., head over to 2610 Pine St. in Boulder (it’s on Pine St. between Folsom and 28th St.). Obviously, the earlier the better from a selection standpoint, and tell em we sent you.