Joel Harrington has covered a lot of ground since his days as a teenage fry cook at a family-owned restaurant in Vermont. The Chef de Cuisine at Core Kitchen and Wine Bar of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain in Arizona, has spent time in New York, California and Texas—earning praise and nominations along the way from the likes of the James Beard Foundation, Zagat, and Esquire—but seems to have settled nicely at his new location, tucked away in the high Sonoran Desert outside Tucson. Harrington incorporates the bold, diverse flavors of the Southwest, while also bringing his passion for seafood and coastal cuisine inland. He has been instrumental in establishing all aspects of the restaurant, arriving a year early to peruse local farmers markets and meet various purveyors, while creating the overall ambiance at Core.

At a well-attended demonstration of his adventurous cooking at the French Culinary Institute this past weekend, the mohawked, mountain biking chef divulged his passion for learning about and incorporating local produce in his restaurant, and sat down afterward to discuss the ways in which his past experiences have shaped his new position at Core.

oM: As a chef, it’s a bit of a no-brainer to want fresh, top quality ingredients for your meals. Have you always had, or tried to have, access to a growing space or garden for your restaurants, or was this a more recent development for the Ritz?

Chef: It does align with the Ritz’s goals in terms of using local, fresh ingredients. The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua on Maui has two organic gardens on the property that feature a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and works closely with killer local farmers as well. But this was also something I was really into before I arrived at Dove Mountain. I was in Tucson before the opening so I could get a grasp of the area and what was available. I’ve always been into using local ingredients in the areas I’ve worked and I was really excited to begin meeting with local farmers and browsing markets in the Tucson area. I’m working on getting a growing space for the property, but at the moment, I have one nearby farm that I work with for obtaining ingredients for my menu.

oM: What’s your view on the present local food movement that’s so popular in New York? It seems as though people are turning out for farmers markets and at specialty food stops with a greater frequency than five years ago. Is this a trend you notice in Tuscon as well? Are there any similarities?

Chef: To some extent, I think the roots have always been in place in New York. You have a variety of farms available, and you also have a population that is food-savvy and demands consistently high-level quality in what they consume. People are now more aware of the process of bringing food to the plate, of eating seasonally, and also the impact of their consumption. My hope is that it doesn’t become something that’s available only to a certain population. It’s not a gourmet food shop; quality food should be made available to whomever wants it. In Tucson, likewise, you definitely have a connection between farmers and buyers. I visit markets Friday, Saturday and Sunday if I need to. Through those markets, I met the farm I now work with, as well as the potter who provides tableware for the restaurant. I also learned so much about local spices, cactus uses and chili varieties. I have a mesquite lady that I visit often as well.

oM: You’ve said that you enjoy working with seafood and also bring a lot of your past experiences with you to Arizona. Do you have a variety of purveyors on hand, or only a select number?

Chef: I like to have a small number of people that I work very closely with. It’s important for me to know them and their methods, and I enjoy having a few suppliers with whom I can establish close relationships that will be long lasting and mutually beneficial. This fall, I’ll be able to go out and fish with my fishmonger in Nantucket. I work with the awesome Bowen family in Laughing Bird Caye, in Belize, for Core’s shrimp. As I mentioned before, I buy from a farmer in the Tucson area who’s growing nine different varieties of chilies this year, which I’ll be able to incorporate in the restaurant. So although I’ve moved around quite a bit during my career, I like to find those people that I’ll be able to work with for a long time.

oM: Are you finding ways—or time—to be involved in the community around Dove Mountain?

Chef: Well, we’re located five miles up in a very private spot, but I do, yes. I’m on an advisory board right now that’s looking at ways of improving local school lunches. That’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time. Even if it’s an after-school snack of locally grown produce given to them, it makes a difference. There’s a lot we can do with teaching young kids about food, but also a lot we’re trying to do with making good food available to them.

At Core, about 40% of our patrons are local, so it’s really important that I connect with people who live in the area and will potentially be back again and again. I like to think of the restaurant as one big picture; we’re all approachable and everyone is important. I spend a lot of time in the front of the restaurant, meeting diners and interacting with other guests.

oM: You’ve worked in Vermont, New York and Texas before moving to Arizona. What has been the most exciting region for you, as far as working with locally-sourced foods?

Chef: I love Arizona. I think the local flavors, spice and variety here are excellent and exciting. It’s an amazing place to have a restaurant. I have Asian influences [from Vermont] and Scandinavian [from Aquavit in New York] as well, and I’m always looking to bring those into what I cook. But dude, I’ve had so much fun working with cactus, chilies, and mesquite flour pods, to name a few.

The warm evening air at an estate in Watermill, NY pulsed with the beat of DJ Tyger Lilly, as guests munched on hors d’oeuvres, sipped summer cocktails and chatted about summer plans. The Social Life Magazine Memorial Day kickoff event drew an elite gathering of Hampton locals and those in for the weekend festivities, including featured celebs Matt Lanter of the new 90210 series and Sara Canning of Vampire Diaries. Among the memorably dressed guests, one young man draped in a sequin-encrusted floor-length jacket, topped it all off with some serious neck bling and sunglasses worn even in the fading light.

Read on to get a sense–from the tanned and tippled partygoers—of the green movement in the Hamptons.

“I’ve actually changed my client’s lives. I work with B. Spoke Tailor and try to make my canvasses green for the environment; I communicate with the mill in Italy to produce greener products. That’s really how I’ve been trying to make a change, through clothes. The hot places this summer are going to be private homes, but a big club is Axe Lounge, which is a hot spot in Southampton.”
—Doug Rosenblum, menswear designer, C. Oliver Custom

“One green thing that I did today…I threw away my bottled water into a recycling bin. That’s a cool thing that I think we should all do more of. Back home in LA, they actually provide everybody with recycling bins, so it’s really nice. We opened all the windows [at the hotel] and let the natural air flow through.” His publicist adds, “And we totally carpooled here.”
—Matt Lanter, actor, 90210

“I have an engineering company and we invent a variety of products in different industries and we really put a lot of effort in the green movement in a different kind of way. Right now we’re creating musical instruments with a green component. It’s going to be like a party favor and instead of throwing stuff out you can actually plant it.”
—Eric Koenig, inventor, President of Koe Lab

“What’s really exciting is that the younger generation is very conscious of the environment and that’s amazing. It’s an awareness that wasn’t around before and it’s very striking now. It’s a positive difference and I think it’s great to have vehicles that are environmentally conscious, and lots of  development in that area, even in the Hamptons, where I’ve seen a lot of solar paneling, which is great. It [greening of the magazine] is one things that we’re looking into that I would love to do.”
—Devorah Rose, Editor-in-chief of Social Life Magazine

“It’s tough to integrate to be honest with you. To do it is a difficult thing. You have to think about it and you have to find out how to go green without it affecting the quality. I think it’s going to take some time. The thing is, I really have a great interest in green energy, especially the green credits that they have. But to integrate it into a publication is very difficult, but we will be trying to do it a little bit more.”
—Justin Mitchell, Publisher/President of Social Life Magazine

The Queens-based band Freelance Whales is a group of musical hustlers on a mobile mission, panhandling for listening ears by any means necessary. They recently sold out the Bell House, overtook the Williamsburg Bedford stop on the L-train for an impromptu platform concert, and played 11 shows at SXSW, before returning to Boston where they will join the Shout Out Louds for a tour in May, and on the heels of a brand new album.

Whether on stage or atop an underground subway platform, Freelance Whales is spreading the gospel of experimental sound by pop-crooning over cellos, hammering glockenspiels, and synthesizing melodies with microKorgs. While knitting a scarf on the way to a gig with Cymbals Eat Guitar and Bear in Heaven, Doris Cellar, the only girl member of FW, took a moment to speak to us—about what’s good in Queens, inspiring dreams from Delaware, and wanting more hands—from Nashville, Tennessee.

oM: FW is listed as one of the bands to watch in 2010. What is it that’s making you guys the subject of indie-band talk this year?
DC: Things are happening so fast, usually bands aren’t talked about until they’ve been around for maybe 10 years. A lot has to do with how we started playing the subways of New York back in October of 2009. It was an idea we had to try to get the attention of strangers—those just walking by in the subway. We played six hours at a time every Friday and Saturday night. People started hearing us and spreading the word. And then we opened for Fanfarlo on their U.S. tour and they started tweeting about us.

oM: We actually became aware of Freelance Whales through one of Fanfarlo’s tweets. Your music feels young and innocent, there is suspense to its rhythms, makes the listener feel free. How did the arranging of the music come about?
DC: Judah Dadone wrote the songs and he put them out in search of a band. I was searching for a band too. He contacted me and said I have these songs do you want to get together and play them. We clicked right away. He had a harmonium and I was excited to pick up a new instrument and see what could come out of it. We went to the studio with his ideas and ornamented them with a base line and some harmonies. It was like he planted the seeds then we watered them and gave them life. It took us a year in the studio, and then performing in subways was a big factor for us; experimenting in front of new people helped us harmonize our sound.

oM: How would you describe the experience of FW to someone hearing you for the first time?
DC: We’re new so we try and have fun with it. We execute songs in a way where it’s enjoyable. Improvising is really important to us. We’re always thinking of new ways to do our songs. We feel each other out while on stage too—Judah and Kevin just played a show where they kept bleeding the guitar and it’s that moment where you’re brain expands and says I think this part would go great here. A huge part of doing a good performance is having a bright full sound. On one of our songs, I’m hammering on the belt harp while my right hand is doing bell noise on the glockenspiel. It’s unfortunate that we only have so many hands, but we try to incorporate as many instruments as we can.

oM: The title of your debut album is WeatherVanes? Are you trying to point people in a specific direction musically?
DC: I’m speaking for Judah because he had a dream log. The lyrics are based upon some recurring dreams he was having in a house where he lived in Delaware as a young boy. When he decided what he wanted the cover art to look like he got his girlfriend at the time to sew pieces of fabric together for the album art. But, let me pass the phone to Judah to have him answer because it’s such a good question and I should let him answer it. [Doris passes the phone to Judah.]

JD: There are a few reasons for the name Weathervanes. It was a word used in one of the songs that got cut. But then we started thinking about what weathervanes looked like with the little animals perched on top. There’s a notion that there’s an animal spirit encapsulated on the perch. There are also a lot of moments on the record about spirits of animals being trapped or in a holding vessel.

oM: Does FW feel that it’s trying in some way to musically free the souls of its listeners?
JD: Good question. I’m not sure. But the music is about souls moving from one place to another. The transferring of energy is a persistent theme in our music. Even the opening song on the record is about cranking hand held generators to power up a house. It’s about that potential energy converting to kinetic energy.

oM: Doris, it’s not often that we hear of bands being based in Queens? How did that happen and what do you love about the borough?
DC: Although we live all over New York, we’re Queens-based because my rehearsal space was there and we’d rehearse there twice a week. I live in Astoria and it’s a great place for any kind of food—India, Thai, Greek, American and Mexican—and I’m not saying that because I’m Greek. I hang out up and down Broadway and 30th; it’s a friendly place to relax, get a coffee, dinner.

oM: Lastly, like your friends Fanfarlo, you’re the only girl in this band, what’s that like?
DC: [Laughs] It’s like having a whole bunch of brothers. And being with a whole bunch of guys makes me want to be more feminine. I’m trying to level out all this masculinity with some femininity. They take care of me like I’m their little sister; we’re all one big happy family.

The band’s next record, LP WeatherVanes, is out April 13th On Frenchkiss/Mom + Pop Records. For tour dates visit TheFreelanceWhales.

Photo: Courtesy of faithdesired

Merrill Garbus—the one woman powerhouse behind tUnEyArDs–spent the last month preparing for her sold out Sounds Like Brooklyn show this weekend, a European tour this month, and an upcoming spring tour with experimental band, Xiu Xiu. She’s a human tuner whose vocal fretwork of soulful howls has the spontaneous tenets of imaginative artists like Kaki King, Jamie Lidell, and Animal Collective. The Oakland-based performer discusses how she feels about being the industry’s current D.I.Y star, what she intends to do with her music muscle, and why her voice is the instrument she plays best.

oM: Can you describe the moment when you realized that tUnEyArDs was a sound people were appreciating?

MG: There were a couple of moments, beginning with when I made my initial recording. The first song I heard in me and worked on was “When You Tell The Lions.” I never heard anything like it before, but I had an inkling others would want to hear it too. I was so intrigued by its sound; it carried me through for a while. And I studied theater in school so the stronger part of my performance is what I do live. I had a lot of support from my friends doing open mics and playing for others. I remember playing Casa del Popolo and it was filled. I did Hatari; the crowd cheered and for me like it was the freakin’ Super Bowl. I was like ‘oh my god, they like it as much as I do.’ That moment is one I’ll remember forever.

oM: You’re being hailed as the one woman powerhouse. Do you embrace the term and what do you intend to do with the power?

MG: Yes, I do embrace the term. Any moment where it’s possible to show women a powerful woman figure is great. I take a lot of pride in being described in that way because I spent a lot of years as a self-hating, deprecating and passive woman. In terms of what to do with the power, I’m at the moment where I’m still wondering. I still feel like a struggling artist and this all could go away very fast. It’s imperative that I use the power I have in my career to help those who don’t have the power. . .like sharing my resources with musicians in South Africa who don’t have any. This power is not for me to be a rock star who’s inaccessible, but an artist who’s aware and connected.

oM: Since your sound is a composite of so many influences and instruments, how do you feel when your music is labeled to a specific category?

MG: To be put in a category can feel like someone is oversimplifying your entire existence. But, I feel that boxes and categorizing is something that the brain needs. So, if someone says I’m experimental hip-hop, I say, ‘Well, what about this song that sounds like a folk ballad?’ To be categorized by people is fine as long as I don’t have to abide by it. My category for me is me. Whatever comes out of me is a whole bunch of stuff.

oM: Although you play a lot of instruments, your primary instrument is your own voice. How did you find it?

MG: You’re right, it is. My voice has followed the trajectory of me finding myself. As cheesy as that sounds it’s the truth. As I got more comfortable as a human being, I became more comfortable with my voice and it can be a lot of instruments. I am intent on never being one thing because I’m not one thing. If one’s sound is viscerally rooted in the heart and soul and it’s the sound coming out of you, then imagine how many different feelings we have in one day. Shouldn’t a voice have the same?

oM: You’ve said in previous interviews that you like to create a “pause moment” when you’re on stage. How do you get to the point of creating when you’re performing?

MG: It takes a lot of rehearsal. The performance is always based upon what’s happening at the moment. Nate (bassist) and I come from a background of improvisation—I was part of an all-girls improve comedy group at Smith college. We come in with a set for a show and play it. But the character of the songs and what happens in them and in between them is totally up for grabs.  “Hatari” is a song that I’ve played for so long; I can go anywhere with it and it’s different every time I play it. For me that’s one of the most enjoyable parts: the music is constantly evolving and changing.

The debut CD, BiRd-BrAiNs and two previously unreleased bonus tracks, is available through 4AD.

As President Obama takes off tonight for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, we turn our attention to the environmental efforts underway in New York City this week. On Tuesday evening, downtown at the Wired Holiday Pop-Up store, we celebrated the launch of SHFT, a website pedaling green products like $2,200 folding bikes, $90 recycled cassette tape ties, and $40 woolen wine racks. And so, as we follow discouraging news out of Denmark and reports that there will need to be “seismic shifts to really close a deal” we have found some reassurance in Adrian Grenier’s latest project. Along with producer Peter Glatzer and founding partner Stonyfield Farm’s Gary Hirshberg, the star of Entourage has developed a refined, down to earth vehicle through which people can easily “shift their lifestyle, shift outlooks” for the good of the planet. 

“SHFT.com is where taste and ethics converge,” said Grenier, standing between tables filled with high-tech toys. “It’s an alternative media for alternative thinking people. Peter and I have been talking about this for a couple years actually . . . the idea came from our feeling that there isn’t a resource for the things we like. We wanted to do something that was a bit cooler and a bit more limited in scope.”

While SHFT may just be yet another eco site sprouting up at a time when promoting the environment is the trendy, noble (and somewhat profitable) thing to do, the spokespeople at the launch party seemed to rally around a fresher sense of purpose. When asked how he would define the success of his latest venture, Grenier said, “As long as it doesn’t become a dumping ground for just anything and everything green.” When Grenier isn’t an actor playing an actor on HBO, the scruffy, mop-headed guy spends his time in the outer borough of Brooklyn, where he volunteers for the Park Slope Food Co-Op, bikes in Prospect Park with his buddies, and drums in his band, The Honey Brothers. (Oh, and he wears “green” underwear, naturally.)

As guests sipped organic vodka cocktails and nibbled on ruby beet parfait, Hirshberg spoke about the market-driven solutions needed to impact climate change. At moments nostalgic about milking cows in 1983—at the start of his now $300 million business—he stressed SHFT’s role in simply helping to create a more sustainable society by giving people the tools and options that will enable them to be eco-friendly.

Referencing Mahatma Gandi, “If you think you’re too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito,” Hirshberg urged the crowd not to get negative about the slow progress in Copenhagen. “It’s not about what’s going on in the building, but what’s happening outside in the streets that is exciting.”  While the 100 attendees did not line up at the cashier, recycled “Go Green” goods in hand (which raises the bigger issue of how the economy may impede great ideas like SHFT), the consensus seemed to be that the website was cool, interesting, and innovative. “The message will resonate with people in New York City and around the country,” one guest assured us. “The site is saying you don’t have to be a super ‘green’ hero in order to lighten your carbon footprint in a significant way.”

And you didn’t hear it from us, but if you ever to want to meet Grenier, head to Habana Outpost in Brooklyn this April. Apparently, the place runs on solar panels, has a chill outdoor space, and allows folks to blend their own margaritas by riding a bike. “Come spring time, I’ll be there.” So will we, Adrian, so will we.

The SHFT pop-up is open through December 27. The Wired Holiday Store is located at 415 West 13th Street, New York.

Peter Glatzer.Adrian.Gary.Lauren

Peter Glatzer addressing the guests

Graypants recycled scrap lights in the Go/Green section

Checking out the "green" products

Wired holiday pop-up wares

Wired Pop-Up

Log iphone docking station

Recycled technology box

Robot

Camero, 30 mi/gallon

One WIRED Wish booth

Wired Pop-Up

From home base in Park Slope, the star of Great Weekends spoke candidly with us on the phone about her time off camera, what’s planned for the big anniversary, and where we should head for our next weekend getaway near New York City.

oM: We recently started following you on Twitter. What is the most remote place you’ve ever Tweeted?
SB: I Tweeted in Vietnam, in Ha Long Bay. Beautiful place on the ocean populated by 3,000 people. There are these striking limestone cliffs, like something out of a movie, maybe Lord of the Rings. I was just waiting for the dragons to appear.

oM: Sounds like you just answered our second question; Where was the last place you felt truly inspired by your surroundings?
SB: Same place. Something I never knew that existed. You felt you had been transported to a fantasy land where sorcerers lived. We’re usually very focused when we’re filming, but all of us, even Will the camera man, had to pause to take it in. Really the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen. It’s a floating fishing village, people live on the water, children go to school on the water. There are about 200 communities, all protected by the limestone cliffs.

oM: Bringing things a little closer to our shores, where would you recommend visiting next weekend without a car?
SB: Asbury Park in New Jersey is awesome. Take the New Jersey Transit from Penn Station two hours to the town. It’s like having Austin in our own backyard; it’s very laid back and was made famous by Bruce Springsteen’s “Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ” album and Bon Jovi’s “Stone Pony.” The place is a reminder of when we used to stay up past ten o’clock, go listen to rock and roll with our tight jeans, and feathered aqua net-sprayed hair. Wonder Bar has got a great vibe. It’s also a great historical preservation community, lots of storied buildings—the town was founded in the 1800s and has a fun, old boardwalk, so it’s like stepping back in time—and it’s also got great restaurants. The Langosta Lounge has wonderful Tex Mex Asian fusion. Asbury Park also has its own roller derby team; I gave it a whirl in fishnet stockings and discovered my signature move—which gave me my handle “Green Eggs and Slam”—I had bruises for four months. That episode should air sometime in March.

oM: We will be tuning in for that. So in the third season, how will the Travel Channel celebrate your 10th anniversary?
SB: We’ll be doing a big show at Disney World along with a Fanathon, where fans will get to vote for their favorite most embarrassing moments and their perspective on the different travels. It will be a big trip down memory lane. We’re also doing “Inside the Suitcase,” which will have all the juicy behind-the-camera details like when things went wrong. It’ll be an inside look at the greatest job in the world. I believe that will air in February.

oM: You’ve been a New Yorker for over 10 years. When you’re not globe trotting, what are some ways you enjoy your weekends in the outer boroughs?
SB: Though I’m hardly here [Brooklyn], I like to stay more around the Park Slope area. There are two wonderful greenmarkets near Prospect Park, where I spend a lot of time riding my bike. I think people are happiest on their bicycle, don’t’ you think? I used to live on the Upper West Side near Central Park, which is very manicured. I love that Brooklyn has let Prospect Park go natural. You’re heading in to the woods, and it’s the city’s largest forest. I also like to shop at a place called Matter in Park Slope. It has fun, artistic takes on everyday items: a salad bowl that was made by melting green army men. You can find great gifts ideas for when you just don’t know what to buy a person.

oM: When offManhattan met you at the New York Food & Wine Festival last fall, you said you were waiting tables before you were a Travel Channel host. Any thoughts on what you might want to do after this job?
SB: I’ve found in my travels that it’s not about seeing places, but about meeting people, connecting with people. I would love to do a show just talking to everyday people, maybe something similar to Charlie Rose or Leonard Lopate. Just sit down and spend quality time with people. I’d also like to visit more difficult countries. Go to the Middle East and focus on understanding each other, and really how all alike we are. Specifically Afghanistan, I would love to find out more about the culture. All we hear is negative. I wish we weren’t so scared of things we don’t know and open our eyes more. In the show we recently filmed in Vietnam, we explore the complicated history; we don’t candy coat it. We ask questions about the awful moments, and celebrate the country for what it is today. We strive always to see things in a positive light.

To keep up with Samantha as she tours the world, visit travelchannel.com.

Although the travel industry has hardly escaped being marred by bad economic times, a new website meant to motivate “heritage- and culture-rich experiences” thinks this is a great moment to launch. Gozaic.com (go-zay-ik) offers insights and guided tours on destinations around the world—from the Maya Ruins to San Francisco to the Cape of Good Hope.

With beach bumming behind us for now, we met up with Gozaic’s Amtrak-roving president and CEO John Williams for his top winter recommendations on public transit accessible “places that matter” near NYC.

oM: You have a degree from Harvard Law School, and previously lead the Platinum Card and Consumer Travel Network as SVP at American Express. Why did you get involved with Gozaic?

JW: Leading the effort to build Gozaic was a culmination of everything I’ve done over the last 20 plus years. I’ve served on the board at the Museum of Afro-American History in Boston, and Prep-for-Prep as well in New York City. I’m a baby boomer, making transitions in life and looking for meaningful experiences in travel. The National Trust for Historic Preservation reached out to me, and I raised my hand and said, ‘Yes, you bet.’

oM: Just so we’re clear, since you do live in Boston now, you are in fact a Yankees fan?

JW: I grew up in Long Island, and lived in New Rochelle for 16 years. Yes, I am a Yankees fan, and thrilled they took game six. I’ve lived in Boston since 2000, and take Amtrak weekly to D.C. and often to New York. I highly recommend ACELA between those cities.

oM: Okay good, we can continue the interview now. Where did the idea for Gozaic come from and how long had the site been in the works before it launched this fall?

JW: The National Trust, which is just celebrating its 60th anniversary, was created by congress to advocate the protection of “places that matter.” The Gozaic program has been long in the development, but I’d say we’ve been preparing the launch for a little more than a year. We work with 3rd party content providers, an editorial staff, and rely heavily on the community; there are already over 5,000 registered members.

oM: You weren’t concerned at all about the timing of the launch?

JW: The consumer market has responded well. 40% of leisure travelers are actively engaged in heritage culture acitivities. Our customers are people who are mindful in their travel; for them, it’s more than just recreation. They’re looking for life enriching experiences, things they can learn from, places to visit that are historically significant. In challenging economic times, heritage and cultural tourism is popular because historic sites and museums are inexpensive. Entry fees to house museums are free or $3, which is far less than a water park or theme park.

oM: What are some of your favorite heritage – and culture-rich destinations worth visiting over winter?

JW: In addition to the Lower East side Tenement Museum on Orchard Street, I’d suggest taking Metro North to Tarrytown, where you’ll find two historic sites, Kykuit, a Rockefeller estate, and Lyndhurst, a beautiful castle built in 1838. I’d also say take New Jersey Transit to Princeton, which is really a lovely town anytime of year. It’s an active college community and has a tremendous amount of history. Leaving Penn Station on Amtrak, go to Boston for the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile guided walking tour which passes 16 historic landmarks. And the Museum of African American History provides fascinating insights on the history of African Americans in Beacon Hill. I’d put Philly on that list but it might be too soon after the World Series. . . I used to take family vacations in Colonial Williamsburg. It’s on the Amtrak line and is a wonderful Thanksgiving destination.

For more information on “places that matter” near NYC and beyond, visit gozaic.com.

The organization that promotes cycling with an almost contagious exuberance has a new mission to curb the traffic deaths and reinforce the importance of being civic-minded in New York City. Ahead of the event at BAM, we caught up with Wiley Norvell, TA communications director and Fuji single speed owner, to get the skinny on bad bike habits, the top three most important road rules, and to spread the word that biking is not some “rosy bourgeois Copenhagen sort of thing.” Got it?

oM: TA talks about cyclists as the “Fastest-growing commuter group in NYC…and the most obvious ambassadors for calmer and more livable streets.” How will you measure the success of the new Biking Rules campaign?

WN: Hopefully we’ll be seeing it with our own eyes on city streets. There’s a culture of survival of the biggest in NYC. Regardless of how you get around, walking, biking, or driving a big rig, it’s a very ‘me first’ culture. The film fest/Biking Rules campaign is setting a new standard of civic-minded cycling in NYC; there’s a window of opportunity to break some bad habits.

oM: Speaking of misbehaving, what are the top three most important rules of the campaign’s street code you want cyclists to foster?

WN: 1) Pedestrian’s have the right of way, always. If bicyclists put pedestrians first, it will change how street culture traditionally works, and will send a message to the world that you yield to the little guy. Cars should intuitively do the same.

2) Riding with traffic, bikes need to think of themselves as vehicles on the road, and not as pedestrians meandering at will.

3) Claim a lane. Realize that when you don’t have a bike lane, your place is on the street, not on the sidewalk.

oM: Why did TA decide to launch Biking Rules at BAM?

WN: The organization has a real civic-minded bent, and our brand is really anchored in the heart of Brooklyn’s bike belt. There is more biking in BK than Portland, Oregon. Red Hook to Greenpoint is great biking territory, populated by tens of thousands of cyclists. Obviously, we don’t just want to be out there preaching to the choir. We’re going to be reaching out beyond our own audience, targeting newer demographics with ads on TV, and with outdoor film screenings next summer.

oM: Last week, New Yorker staff writer David Owen wrote a story about how the nation’s “biggest and greenest” metropolis is New York City. How do you see NYC changing in the next decade with regard to the way we travel?

WN: Great. New York is probably the biggest transportation innovator in the country; we had that in the 1930s when we were building the country’s first highway; then the first subways; and now again with things like biking. For the future, I imagine it will still be noisy, dense, and dynamic, but infinitely safer to get around on foot and bike. Hopefully there will be a bit more civility in the way New Yorkers interact and get from point A to point B. No more statistics like 300 people dying annually in traffic. The most important thing is to make biking safer, damp down some of the tension.

oM: What’s the biggest incentive for people to bike?

WN: It’s the only non depressing way to commute. The commute is the worst part of the day for many people. It’s the best part of my day. I ride from north Brooklyn to our offices in Chelsea, and it’s a predictable 30 minutes door to door.

oM: And during winter?

WN: I ride in winter as well. Many folks who don’t ride think it’s a seasonal activity. But if you go out to the Brooklyn Bridge this winter, you’ll find lots of Long John-clad cyclists. It’s warmer than you might think.

Biking Rules launch event will be held November 17, 7-10p.m. at BAM, 30 Lafayette Ave. Admission is $12. Stay for the reception to mingle with Transportation Alternatives and drink a few Brooklyn Brewery beers. For more information on other Transportation Alternatives campaigns, visit transalt.org.

For the July 4th weekend, offManhattan chose to brave the crowds at the beach rather than on the banks of the Hudson River this year. And while the three wimpy fireworks that we managed to see in the Hamptons were disappointing, the setting at Social Life Magazine’s Gatsby Under the Red, White, and Blue soirée was anything but.

Poolside, with Peronis in hand, we chatted up celebrities like Twilight star Kellan Lutz and 90210’s AnnaLynne McCord while MJ songs blared through the speakers. In the backyard of a 10,000-square-foot pink mansion in Watermill, we found out who used to bring a whip to set and the best place—we verified—to get breakfast in Southampton.

Read on to find out what guests had to say.

“This is my first time in the Hamptons, which is so beautiful and a great escape from LA. I’d recommend Georgica for dinner; the white truffle ravioli was the best thing I’ve tasted in a long time. I also lived in the city for four years, Williamsburg for a year and half—they have the most amazing sushi restaurants. There is one off Bedford and 7th that I think is called Mizu. And on the subject of being green, I’m obsessed with recycling, I think it’s one of the easiest things we can do. On the set of 90210, I run around and take bottles out of the trash cans. Initially, they didn’t have recycling at all. I started bringing garbage bags like I was homeless. People know they’ll get it from me if they don’t recycle. Last year I had a whip. We are creating the environment our children will live in. So think about that.” —AnnaLynne McCord, actress, 90210

“Hamptons is a great weekend getaway to the beach, but it’s also a relaxing place to tour around and be anonymous—most of the time. And yes, I think being environmentally conscious is incredibly important. I do want to get more involved in charity work. I was just in Cape Town for a project, and it really opened my eyes to a lot of things.” —Kellan Lutz, actor, Twilight

“We are here in the Hamptons throughout the summer maybe four or five weekends. Seth Levine at Georgica is doing a great job there and you can’t miss places like 75 Main. We’ve been on the show for two seasons, and people say, ‘Why are you on the Real Housewives of New York City if you live in Brooklyn?’ And we have to say ‘Well, look, Brooklyn is part of New York City.’ Inner city Brooklyn areas are like the 21st century Westchester. People aren’t escaping now to the suburbs, because they don’t need to. There are great private schools, fabulous houses, great French restaurants, mom and pop stores, and the quality of life is really improving as it should. Brooklyn, in a way, is going through what Tribeca has gone through and the other neighborhoods [in Manhattan]. Williamsburg is either Hasidic Jews or young, hip, trendy designers living in lofts and so on. Brooklyn has so much to offer.” —Simon van Kempen, Real Housewives of New York City

“People in Manhattan never go to Jersey City. In downtown Jersey City, we’ve got Marco & Pepe, we got the Sand Bar, a brand new beer garden, where I got a ginormous jug of great beer for ten bucks. All of it’s right there. Take the Path train, costs half of everything else. It’s $1.75 for the PATH train, running every half hour, especially in late night. For the Manhattanite who doesn’t want to go to the Hamptons for the weekend, they should go to Central Jersey. Take the train to New Brunswick and for $75 dollars, guarantee it’ll be a great time outside the city. It’ll be like the whole town of SoHo—and you don’t need a car.” —Marcus “DJ Marvilous” Malloy

“In NASCAR, we work on a lot of technology to help increase fuel mileage. The transfer to full green technology won’t happen for a while, but we’re trying to do what we can now. I actually don’t like driving in the Hamptons because people don’t have patience. On the racetrack, people have more patience, seriously. I say go for a nice bike ride. One of my favorite places to go in the morning is go to The Village Cheese Shop in Southampton. I get a full wheat wrap with egg whites, turkey, avocado and low fat Swiss cheese and then they grill it. I get a cup of coffee and sit on a bench outside and watch the cars drive by.” It’s sentimental to me because I grew up going there.” —NASCAR Development Driver, Tim George Jr.

This is the fifth of five interviews with small business owners at their boutique shops on Bergen Street, Brooklyn.

Shop: Private Stock

Wares: Affordable modern clothes, footwear, and merchandise.

Location: 458 Bergen Street

Woody Pierre, what was the motivation behind Private Stock? There was a big demand for contemporary men’s clothing in the area, and we always had men’s clothing at our women’s location La Vedette, which was a little cramped up. So we decided to branch off and open up a men’s clothing store.

What was the idea behind the name? Private Stock is a malt liquor. When I was a teenager that was the drink of choice. You just put it in a brown paper bag. There was nothing classy about it, and that was like our drink of choice. It wasn’t Cristal, or anything like that. And that is kind of my target market: the guy that was cool back then and is older now, but still wants to be cool. I don’t know if you’re a fan of Biggie Smalls…

Of course. He has a verse: “I let my tape rock ‘til my tape popped/Smokin’ weed and bamboo, sippin’ on private stock.” So it’s like, you want to keep your same swag now that you had before. It’s traditional stuff. Private Stock, to me, is kind of a tradition of being cool and hip. A lot of guys think that once they get past 40 they need to wear hard bottom shoes and a blazer, but you can still be cool and hip, which is the type of stuff we sell. Our price points aren’t outrageous. It’s not logo or brand driven. It’s just cool, nice stuff that you can wear without worrying about flashy labels. We carry Levi’s, Wrangler, Converse, so when you come in here you say, “Oh wow, I remember this from when I was a kid.” As opposed to, “What the hell is this? Is this what everyone is wearing now?” And they get scared away as if this is a youth store—something for my son and not me.

As an African-American small business owner, does it present extra challenges opening up your own business? Oh, definitely. We started off from the bottom up. My fiancée and I had a space over in Bedford Stuyvesant a couple of years ago, and the rent was really dirt-cheap. We saved up, and the hurdles we faced when looking to move to Park Slope were people discriminated because we were younger and were people of color, and this is Park Slope, which can be kind of eerie. But thanks to my landlords, it’s a co-op owned building, we were blessed to get a chance. The people who own the building are really old, and I don’t want to call them crazy but you wouldn’t consider them to be your average landlords because the city gave them the building. So no one else really inquired about the space. They felt that the owners were weird people, and it was like a personal blessing because it was the weird people who gave us our opportunity.

”Weird” people are usually cool people. Exactly. I love my landlords to death. And the Pintchiks—the people who own this whole strip—they had a plan for this block. So they used La Vedette as a reference, and they could see what I was doing and gave me the chance.

The Pintchik’s? Matthew and Michael. They’re two brothers, and they own a lot of property in Park Slope. Their dad had property, and they own the famous Pintchik painting place on the corner (Flatbush and Bergen). They wanted to have a cluster of small businesses on this block and build up a whole shopping outlet in the neighborhood.

The clothes you sell have a blend of urban sensibility and more formal designs. I guess you could say more gentlemen’s wear. And that seems to me like a fashion trend in hip-hop, in general. I think it all started in the NBA when they wanted players to wear suits to games, and it was kind of like a whole movement. Hip-hop culture wanted to get a lot more mature—a lot more gentlemen like. So that’s why I refer to us as “Private Stock the Gentlemen’s Shop.” We found that bow ties are pretty cool. It’s cooler than having a tie, because it just kind of sets you apart.

Do you use any local designers? We carry a friend of mine who does a t-shirt brand called Kaiser. And Downside Up. We also carry Brooklyn Circus, which is another local shop in the neighborhood and another friend of mine so I support him and bring in his stuff. We also have our in-house brand Private Stock, which is mainly t-shirts and hats.

About the neighborhood, it’s a different vibe here by 5th avenue then on 7th avenue. Is your store indicative of that more “hip” section of the Slope? It is. 7th Avenue is a lot older, more family orientated. I actually was brought up in this neighborhood. I lived on Sterling, between 6th and 7th avenue all my life. So I’ve seen the changes. They used to have prostitution on the corner. Even on Union St. and 5th avenue growing up and going to school, you had to walk past drug dealings and all that other stuff. So this block has seen change. I’m still for the neighborhood so when I opened up the shop there wasn’t a place where I could make tons of money. I just wanted to create a lifestyle where, you know what, this is where I’m at and this is what I’m doing. If you fit in, come in. A lot of people think, “Oh, you’re in Park Slope? You must be making a lot of money.” And I tell them, I’d be making a lot of money if I were just selling expensive stuff, but I’m not. I’m realistic. I’m here to cater to the neighborhood from where it used to be back then. That’s why it’s called Private Stock. Like I told you, it’s all traditional stuff.

How to get there: Use the Hopstop link below for specific directions. (Private Stock, 458 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, 718.230.0055)