New York's a graveyard on holiday weekends, but there are rewards to be had for those who stick around. Case in point: the barbecue at Back Forty, Peter Hoffman's East Village restaurant, offering pork-jowl nuggets, crab rolls, and stout floats in addition to the obligatory burgers and dogs in their back garden. Need even more incentive? Mixologist Michael Cecconi's The Red and the Black cocktail (pictured), a potent combination of tequila, Greenmarket strawberries, lime juice, and black pepper that's had the city buzzing since it was served to the discerning crowd at the James Beard Awards reception last month. Consider it a much-improved strawberry margarita—shame on us for thinking there was no improving that erstwhile classic. Another year older, another year wiser, we guess—just like (hopefully) the ol' red, white, and blue.
July 4, 3 to 11 p.m., Back Forty, 190 Ave. B, New York, (212) 288-1990, backfortynyc.com

Paris and Milan have received the lion's share of our attention lately, but we wouldn't want to ignore Sweden's runways, which presented, among others, Acne's S/S '09 line last week. Not surprisingly, denim dominated, but the collection was full of considered touches. Pants were wider than usual for Acne, which normally prefers its painted-on, and came in grown-up-looking trouser cuts. Ties abounded, but in Mad Men-ish shortened proportions. (Be careful with these: A false move here and you'll wind up looking like a Minor League Baseball scout from Tampa.) A chambray shirt was brightened up with a contrast collar (pictured), and sweaters were draped with motorcycle jacket-inspired plackets, a nod from creative director Jonny Johansson to the bad-boy teen culture of the fifties. The fifties may have been in mind, but these looks were all aughts, and after the wild fantasias parading through Europe's more southerly fashion capitals, it felt like a breath of fresh air to see looks that could walk from the runway unadulterated onto the street.

Click here to see some of our favorite looks from the show >

D&AD, an educational charity that supports creative industries in the U.K., recently bestowed its student awards on several young designers, including Charlotte Kingsnorth, whose One sofa won the prize for furniture design. Inspired by the fleshy nudes of the English painter Jenny Saville, the chair's austere frame supports an overstuffed upholstered cushion. Think of it as plus-size furniture with a conscience: Kingsnorth says she means it as a comment on the media's coverage of obesity. Hear that, IKEA? Fat furniture needs love, too.

[DesignBoom]

Form follows function, at least in the case of the renderings for the Netherlands' new Indoor Golf Arena (pictured), which resembles the business end of a club. The project, designed by Dutch firm Zwarts & Jansma Architects, is slated to be completed by 2010 and includes 193,000 square feet of indoor space. Expect the usual driving ranges, chipping greens, and water hazards—not to mention the four-star hotel and conference center that's attached. Something tells us that management retreats are already being planned.

[Born Rich]

Practical? Not really. Still, Mexican designer Omar Huerta's fiberglass Wave Chair concept—which, uh, pays tribute to the ocean—is stunning. The bad news, of course, is that there's no word on when it'll go into production. Still, its durable construction makes it fit for both indoors and outdoors, which means that whenever it's made available, it ought to be put to plenty of use (but not, we suspect, at the beach).

[The Design Blog]

Literally: He's designed a two-euro coin that just went into circulation this week. (You can kind of see it here.) It's part of his new gig as artistic director for France's six-month EU presidency, for which he's also designed pens, notebooks, and a goody bag sent to all EU officials. Apparently that last bit pissed off some of the female ministers, who took umbrage at the bags' inclusion of that most masculine of accessories, a necktie.

But wait, there's more: Starck has also just unveiled his Democratic Ecology wind turbine (pictured). Made for home use, it supposedly provides 20 to 60 percent of the energy needed to power a typical house. Look for it this September for about 600 bucks (or roughly 200 of his newly minted coins). Good to see Starck working on something that doesn't make him feel "ashamed."

[Luxist; Inhabitat]

Fiat is reviving the Topolino, the iconic microcar precursor to its famous 500. This gave Italian magazine Ruoteclassiche (what—you don't subscribe?) a great idea: Recruit legendary designer Paolo Martin (of Bertone and Pininfarina, among others) to sketch how the car should look. Car Body Design has the fully realized renderings, which are perhaps a little on the cute side. Then again, that seems appropriate: Topolino, after all, is the Italian name for Mickey Mouse.

[Autoblog]

For those who find brand-new denim too brand-new and vintage denim too vintage, A.P.C. has just introduced a happy medium: The Butler Worn Out series, a line of pants that have been worn exactly once before going on sale. They'll even have the initials of the person who wore them written on the inside. (Pre-wearing A.P.C. jeans—nice work if you can get it.) The pants were first introduced on Jean Toutiou's blog. Related: Jean Touitou has a blog.

[HighSnobiety]

Further proof that no human job is safe: Mr. Asahi, a new robot bartender. Made by Japanese beer brand Asahi (hence the name), the barbot can serve you a cold one in just two minutes or fewer. (Top that, Robobar.) Look for it at British department store Selfridges—or just watch the video below. And pour one out for flesh-and-blood Sam Malones everywhere.

[Engadget]

No one does nightlife with more panache than the Parisians. An evening there recently reminded me that whenever anyone complains that after-hours action in New York, Miami, or L.A. isn't what it used to be, they're not whining—they're right. Parisian nightlife, on the other hand, is still reassuringly underground and uncorporate, even if velvet-rope burn is an occupational hazard. Club Sandwich is a classic example (pictured above, a scene from the party earlier this year). It started as an invite-only bash but has now morphed into a hundreds-strong megaparty attended by the fashion elite (among them: Kris Van Assche and Matthias Vriens). Club Sandwich celebrated its third anniversary in late June; the theme was Golden Jungle, and indeed there was so much gold—lamé, glitter, leather, and feathers—that the dance floor looked like a Francesco Vezzoli-directed version of A Chorus Line. The whole shindig (complete with a gold sequin-wrapped transsexual stripper) unspooled at Espace Cardin, a manse on the same road as the fortified American embassy. One highlight was watching gun-wielding guards prowl the street, weaving through the Sandwich crowd waiting to get in: Treating this lot like potential suicide bombers was about as absurd as holding your breath and waiting for a rapprochement between Sarko and any of his ex-wives.

Out today: writer-director Jonathan Levine's The Wackness, an indie-minded ode to Giuliani-era NYC. The film presents a slick-looking take on the friendship between an Upper East Side shrink (a wild-haired Ben Kingsley) and his teenage pot dealer (nebbish up-and-comer Josh Peck) who partake in pot and women during the dog days of summer in 1994. Supporting turns from Famke Janssen, Mary-Kate Olsen (who hooks up with Kingsley in a phone booth), and Method Man (as a Jamaican weed kingpin) help infuse the nostalgia with some authenticity. It's the kind of movie that'll make you want to listen to The Low End Theory a few times, kinda loud—and that's never a bad thing.

Five things worth knowing today

- London's New Designers showcase exhibits the works of more than 4,000 grad students in a variety of disciplines—from animation to architecture.
- Jay-Z, M.I.A., Cat Power, and more convene at Denmark's Roskilde Festival.
- The Museum of Modern Art gathers the good stuff from its storied collection for Focus: Picasso Sculptures, opening today.
- Today in 1884, Dow Jones published its first stock average.
- And today in 1979, foxy French actress Ludivine Sagnier (pictured) was born.

As many times as we've stared at Jackson Pollock's Autumn Rhythm (pictured), we've never found ourselves thinking: Man, I bet this guy's got an awesome stereo system! Well, turns out that famous painting's name should have been a clue—the guy knew how to rock (or more accurately, jazz). Cnet's Steve "Not that Steve" Guttenberg has an interesting report on the dead artist's house in East Hampton, where Pollock's Bogen DB-20 tube amp and Crown turntable remain splattered in paint—perhaps making them minor works of art. Turns out the era's craftsmanship wasn't bad, either: They still work.

[via Gizmodo]

A couple cell phone rumors worth tracking: First off, BlackBerry looks to be joining the legion of iPhone clones with the Thunder (pictured), the brand's first-ever touchscreen device. Fan site BlackBerry News reports it'll have a higher-resolution screen than that of Apple's latest market entry, and should come to Verizon in September. That gives you plenty of time to figure out why exactly you would want a touchscreen phone from BlackBerry.

And when the phone world zigs, Apple apparently zags: The brand is rumored to be working on an iPhone with a tactile keypad, reports Britain's The Register. The story's pretty speculative and, frankly, we don't see it happening—but still, it's fun to imagine what Jobs & Co. would come up with. (See CrunchGear's clever take here.)

[via Gizmodo]

Hunter S. Thompson, whose rabid journalism helped define American writing in the sixties and seventies, receives his latest tribute: Alex Gibney's documentary Gonzo, narrated by Johnny Depp, which premieres on Thursday. Thompson's achievements were manifold—without his frenzied campaign coverage in Jann Wenner's then-fledgling Rolling Stone, we might still be in the doldrums of complacent political-journalism politesse—and his drug-addled lunacy was equally legendary. Gibney's doc skirts perilously close to hagiography, but a saint Thompson wasn't, though he may have made occasional martyrs of those who did their best to support him. His talent is undeniable, but the real stars of this film are the members of his coterie, a varied and not-altogether consenting bunch, from his long-suffering ex-wife Sondi Wright and the illustrator Ralph Steadman to one-time presidential hopeful George McGovern. The doc shows that to create a public persona that enormous, Thompson needed plenty of help behind the scenes.

Graphic artist Damion Silver has done artwork for corporate behemoths like Converse, Timex, and, er, Kool, but he has returned to his skating roots for his latest project: a laser-designed skate deck. Silver stumbled upon the technique after trying his hand at crafting boards the old-fashioned way, and we're glad he persevered. Only five will be available when they go on sale in two weeks on digitalgravel.com. Your cost? 300 bucks.

[via Josh Spear]

Across the pond, bike theft is near-epidemic: As the BBC reports, a bike is stolen every 71 seconds in England. Less likely to get snatched? Sheffield Hallam University student Phil Bridge's cardboard bike, which costs only about $30 to produce. It's also made almost entirely of recycled and recyclable materials, and is sturdy enough to support up to 168 lbs. Cheap, good-looking, and green? Seems clear to us: It doesn't suck.

Lost fans suffering from between-season withdrawal can indulge in a little art-house mystery, courtesy of Sundance and Peter Greenaway. Tonight and for the next two Wednesdays in a row, the channel broadcasts the director's three-part film, The Tulse Luper Suitcases, which revolves around the title character's life in the twentieth century and his 92 suitcases, filled with relics of his journeys. (The number refers to uranium's place on the periodic table—expect some nuclear intrigue.) The movie stars Debbie Harry, Isabella Rossellini, and Caroline Dhavernas, among others. For more, see the clip below.

Also on tonight: The Waterfalls—Making Public Art, an hour-long documentary about Olafur Eliasson's ongoing H2O installation around Manhattan's lower third. If you've already heard enough about it—it hasn't exactly gone underreported—don't switch off so fast: The doc also investigates other public works, including Jeff Koons' Balloon Dog at the Met and David Byrne's Playing the Building near Battery Park. Added bonus: It's narrated by Tom "Luke Duke" Wopat.
The Tulse Luper Suitcases, 12 a.m. on Sundance; The Waterfalls—Making Public Art, 8 p.m. on Thirteen

Volkswagen has reportedly greenlighted the one-liter concept (pictured), first introduced in 2002 and capable of getting (no joke) 282 miles per gallon. How's that? An ultra-aerodynamic body that only weighs 700 pounds, thanks to its carbon-fiber construction and lack of such niceties as power steering, power breaks, and rearview mirrors. (Cameras take their place.) Supposedly, there's room for two people inside, but we'd imagine it's pretty cozy in there. (Maybe VW enthusiast Gisele could take us for a test drive some time.) Only 1,000 will be made; look for it in 2010.

[Left Lane News]

Another experience the Internet was designed for: mapping the car chase from Bullitt. Now obsessive fans can see, and presumably drive, the route taken by Steve McQueen in the film. It goes without saying that you shouldn't actually try this yourself, unless, of course, you're a professional stuntman (who has San Francisco's permission).

[Thrillist]

We've long been fans of British sneaker brand Pointer (check it out in our canvas sneakers story), so we're glad to report that a new shipment of the kicks has just arrived at New York's Reed Space. Though big in its native U.K., Pointer hasn't gotten much traction in the States. But with the company's understated riffs on the classics like the Debaser (pictured), that shouldn't last long. All right, then, blokes: To your marks.
Reed Space, 151 Orchard St., New York, (212) 253-0588, thereedspace.com

Gucci announced its limited-edition 8-8-2008 accessories late last year; now, pics of the items (and info on where to find them) are available on the company's site. The collection celebrates the summer's biggest marketing op—the Olympics—but as opposed to other IOC-oriented accessories, these ain't half-bad. The line includes sneakers, a bike, and a mah-jongg set (of course), all with red as the dominant color. The highlight? The brand's I-Gucci digital watch ($1,415, pictured), with a dedicated Beijing time-zone code on the display. Those looking to collect the whole bunch should note: Most of these items are for sale only in China and Hong Kong; the watch is the only one to see worldwide release.
For more information, visit gucci.com

With gas hitting four bucks a gallon (and car sales at a ten-year low), it's an appropriate time to celebrate a dubious anniversary in the history of domestic sports cars: The Pontiac Fiero turns 25. Conceived as a fuel-efficient alternative to the Corvette during the gas lines of the late seventies, the mid-engine two-seater first went into production during the summer of '83. By 1988, the dream—as well as the oil crisis—was over, and the Fiero (Italian for proud) was discontinued.

Not without reason, of course: The car was "powered" by GM's infamously weak "Iron Duke" 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine, good for 40 mpg but only 85 hp. (Subsequent GT editions packed a sportier V6.) It was also prone to engine fires and overheating issues. And yet today, the iconic all-fiberglass body (originally created by John DeLorean) has helped make it a cult favorite—witness the emergence of enthusiast clubs across the country. And of course its miserly consumption rates—dismissed as unimportant during its original run—are right on target now. Go ahead, call it a comeback.

When NYC gallerists Pat Hearn and Matthew Marks titled their lauded 1998 group exhibition Painting Now and Forever: Part I, it was wishful thinking to expect there'd be a follow-up. (The survey of brushwork included pieces from artists like Richard Prince, Brice Marden, and Andy Warhol.) "Pat Hearn was dying of cancer when she and Matthew came up with it," says Matthew Marks director Adrian Rosenfeld. "The tongue-in-cheek title helped contribute to a good feeling during an extremely difficult time." Sadly, Hearn died in 2000, but tomorrow, Matthew Marks and Greene Naftali galleries honor her legacy with Part II, featuring a completely new set of artists, like Mike Kelley, Blinky Palermo, and Ellsworth Kelly (whose 2007 work, Green Relief, is pictured above). And though there aren't any plans yet, Rosenfeld says the prospect of a Part III in 2018 isn't out of the question. "Sure, let's do it again. Good idea."
Today through July 2 at Matthew Marks Gallery, 522 W. 22nd St., New York, (212) 243-0400, matthewmarks.com"; Greene Naftali Gallery, 508 W. 26th St., 8th floor, New York, (212) 463-7770, greenenaftaligallery.com.

Five things worth knowing today

- Pitti Immagine Filati begins, showing knitwear in Milan; the exhibition includes showcases on "Turbonatura" (the intersection of nature and, uh, the future), and "Equo-Eco-Luxe" (highlighting green-friendly materials for use in luxury clothing).
- The 20th annual Toronto Fringe Festival brings arty weirdos to Canada. Well, more of them.
- The Kongsberg Jazz Festival arrives in Norway, marking more than 40 years of jazz in unlikely places.
- Today in 1853, the Crimean War began when Russia invaded Turkey.
- And today in 1904, tennis legend René Lacoste (pictured) was born.

For 3AM Eternal, a new group show open today at London's Alexandre Pollazzon gallery, curators worked to document how clubs influenced artists and vice-versa. Of course, the exhibit is interpretive (voyeurs who'd like to see Last Night's Party pics blown up will be disappointed), but the riff on rave culture includes works from luminaries like Wolfgang Tillmans, Nan Goldin, and Ricky Swallow, whose Guilty Ape 2 (pictured) lends the show a sense of fantasy. From the looks of it, apes aren't fond of the club scene.
Through August 9 at Alexandre Pollazzon Ltd., 11 Howland St., London, 011-44 0207-436-9824, alex-pollazzon.com

Big on the runways of Milan and Paris this season: conspicuous tattoos, some even paying homage to the house in question. Stylish as they are, at least one former tattoo enthusiast won't be showing his off for long: former Louis Vuitton model and Billionaire Boys Club designer Pharrell Williams. The musician told Vogue that he's removing his art by a new technique—having new skin created from donor cells and then grafted onto the tattooed body parts. "I got fire on my arms! I'm a grown man," Williams offered by way of explanation. Given his preference for the luxest of the luxe, perhaps he'd rather graft on some baby croc instead?

[Vogue UK]

Premiering tomorrow in Paris: The Fly, an operatic adaptation of David Cronenberg's 1986 cult film directed by—you guessed it—David Cronenberg. This is the first opera for the Canadian director, but he's got a strong supporting roster of talent: The score was written by Academy Award–winner Howard Shore, the libretto by David Henry Hwang, and the whole project was conceived by the L.A. Opera's general director, Plácido Domingo. (The creature effects are by Stephan L. Dupuis, who also created the monster design for the film—expect to be repulsed.) Stateside sci-fi fans won't have long to wait to see the result: After a brief run at the Théâtre du Châtelet, the work will open the L.A. Opera's fall season in September. It's an unlikely film contender for the operatic treatment, but it's not the strangest, either: An Inconvenient Truth will be headed to La Scala in 2011. Al's a little portlier than when he worked at the White House, but he's still got a few pounds to go before he's ready for the opera house. But then, it ain't over until the ex-veep sings.
Pictured: Laurent Alvaro in the Parisian workshopping of The Fly; for more information, visit theflytheopera.com

The eco-minded design geeks at The Greener Grass have a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek take on building a more environmentally friendly kegstand. (At least we think it's tongue-in-cheek; phrases like "our ethnography informed us that the tap's nozzle should never touch the ice" could really go either way.) We wish them well, though, because their redesigned stand (complete with serving tray) is kind of brilliant. If only they could produce it in time for our Independence Day cookout.

[via Core 77]

Although I spent much of the last week at fashion shows, I was also able to check out designers' clothes off the runway—and got a chance to zero in on some of the details. Some of the shoes were particularly impressive, like the wood-grain high-top from Balenciaga (pictured), a polished and exactingly clean take on an idea you'd expect to be messier were it from a skate company. Other highlights? A limited-edition pair of boots from Martin Margiela studded with hundreds of tiny nails (the rest of his accessories have a nail theme, too); canvas shoes by Adam Kimmel that come with a crepe sole; and midnight-blue suede boots from YSL's cruise collection—yes, YSL did a cruise collection—that exemplified the laid-back cool of Stefano Pilati's entire line. Cool, as you know, starts from the ground up.

Click here to see our favorites >

Evidently, Sylvester Stallone's endorsement still means something down in Brazil: Below is one of his two new ads for Volkswagen. And while it's no Clooney for Nespresso, you'll be happy to know that the ads also star one of the country's finer exports: Gisele.

[Autoblog]

For amateurs who want to take pics like pros: Nikon's D700 has all the specs and frills professional photographers need, albeit in a slightly less comprehensive (and slightly less expensive) model. (Canon took the same approach with the EOS 5D.) The 12.1-megapixel camera comes with a three-inch LCD display, magnesium alloy exterior, and, of course, dust and weather sealing. Much of the tech comes from Nikon's top-of-the-line D3, but the D700 will be about two grand cheaper when it's available at the end of the month.
$2,999.95, nikon.com

[Crave]

The trailer for Quantum of Solace just went online, and we've embedded it below. (You're welcome.) Spoiler alert: It has boat chases, attractive women, and the guy from The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Jacks of all trades, masters of many: Bless, a Berlin- and Paris-based design and fashion collective, has been setting up pop-up stores around the globe for years, peddling a wide array of items—from wallpaper to clothes. (One recent project saw them designing car covers alongside Maison Martin Margiela, Adam Kimmel, and Ksubi for Intersection magazine.) Now Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag have finally touched down for the first time in North America, settling into NYC's Ludlow 38 for a three-week stay. Works on display include everything from their Duchamp-esque ready-mades to our favorite, a coyote-fur hammock (pictured). It's for the man who has everything (except, presumably, a fur hammock).
BLESS Shop #20 NYC through July 13 at Ludlow 38, 38 Ludlow St., New York, (212) 228-6848, ludlow38.org

[Papermag]

You'd have to be living under a rock not to be aware of AMC's Mad Men, the heavily pomaded, critically lauded sixties drama whose first season drops today on DVD. We're not as breathlessly reverent as some of the show's admirers, but Mad Men brings something to TV that few others currently do: an obsessive dedication to style. (In keeping with that commitment—as well as the show's clouds of cigarette smoke, emanating from corporate warriors and pregnant women alike—the DVDs are packaged in an imitation Zippo lighter, which opens to reveal the red "flame" of individual discs.) The bottom line: There are enough torpedo-shaped brassieres, towering mai tais, and waistcoats here to sustain a gentleman of the oughts for weeks—or at least until the show returns on July 27.
$31.99, amazon.com

Looks like someone wants to befriend Al Gore: The British royal announced today that he's converted his beloved Aston Martin, given to him as a 21st-birthday present by Queen Elizabeth, to run exclusively on fuel made from surplus wine. (In other news, there's apparently such thing as surplus wine.) The move is a small part of the Prince's efforts to foster environmental awareness, which also include converting his Jaguars, Audi, and Range Rover to run on cooking oil. So far, so good: Charles' office notes an 18 percent reduction in his carbon footprint over the previous year. There was, however, no note about a corresponding decline in alcohol consumption.

[The Guardian]

Street-art collective Faile, whose work is currently featured on the exterior of the Tate Modern in London, is offering collectors the chance to buy a limited-edition print of their art (pictured). Tender Forever is limited to a run of 315 (currently priced at $1,250 each—which is on the inexpensive side for the group), and will ship by August 10. Not a fan of the Old West? The collective is also holding a lottery sale of other works through fairq.com. Those who wish to decorate their apartments to resemble scaffolding from New York's Lower East Side—admittedly, pretty beautiful scaffolding—should take note: The lottery concludes tomorrow at 4 p.m.
Tender Forever available now at faile.net; other works available at fairq.com

Five things worth knowing about today

- Bans on cell phone use while driving go into effect in California and Washington.
- J.M.W. Turner opens at The Met, the first U.S. retrospective of the Romantic artist's work in more than 40 years.
- It's Canada Day. ("Eh?" joke optional.)
- Today in 1984, the MPAA introduced the PG-13 rating.
- And today in 1945, New Wave legend Debbie Harry was born—below, a look back at the very blonde beginning.

Now open in Brisbane: The Limes Hotel, the country's first of the Design Hotels boutique network. As you might expect, it has that group's typical amenities: Think flat-screen TVs, angular furniture, and a bar serving a seasonal selection of international cuisine. (Current items include cheese plates and Moroccan meatballs.) And while it might be located Down Under, most of the action takes place up top—specifically at the rooftop bar and an outdoor cinema. Consider it an ideal place to catch a screening of Crocodile Dundee.
Limes Hotel, 142 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, +61-7-3852-9000, limeshotel.com.au

[Globorati]

It's hard not to be impressed with the "Swedish-inspired" Stockholm Desk, made by those mid-century modern enthusiasts at, uh, Wal-Mart. (Seriously.) The origin probably explains why it's not made from real wood, and why it's a relative bargain at 150 bucks. What this means for Ikea, however, we cannot say.

[Retro to Go]

High-design skateboards are nothing new, but the designers of Skate Study House may be the first to recast design classics using skate materials. The designers—named for the historic Case Study House project, in which big-name architects built affordable homes for returning WWII vets—have created their own version of the iconic Eames Lounge (pictured), fashioned from repurposed decks. (Fittingly, the Eameses built one of the Case Study Houses in 1945.) Hey, no disrespect to the USPS (who recently feted the design couple with stamps), but where the Eameses are concerned, we like a tribute you can actually sit in.

[DesignBoom]

And hey, the new IFR Aspid is only 150 grand. But for that, you get an ultralight (1,550-pound) roadster capable of going from 0 to 62 in 2.8 seconds, all wrapped up in an oddly appealing retro package. Look for it next month at the London Motor Show.

[Autoblog]

There was plenty of good stuff on stage during this weekend's Glastonbury Festival. (In particular, Jay-Z's rendition of Oasis' "Wonderwall," performed as an f-you to Noel Gallagher, who said that it was "wrong" for a rapper to headline the show.) But there was plenty of interest offstage as well—namely, dudes rocking weather-friendly footwear at the notoriously muddy festival. Click here for a slideshow of our favorite looks.

High-tech expectations and low-tech proficiency used to be a recipe for disappointment. But, at least where TV audio is concerned, Mitsubishi has a solution: The company announced two new sets today that feature 16-speaker iSP (that's "integrated sound projector") technology, designed to mimic surround-sound without the hassle of the real thing. Setup's easy: Just use the graphic interface (which owes more than a little to eighties arcade game design) to calibrate the dynamics to the size of your room, the placement of your couch, even the size of your desired sweet spot—all so you can spend more time on your ass and less time actually exerting yourself. Which, after all, is what watching TV is all about.
LT-46149 46" LCD, $3,299, and LT-52149 52" LCD, $3,699, mitsubishi-tv.com

Dutch start-up CitizenM just opened its first hotel, located at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. Among the usual amenities (flat-screen TVs, iPod docks) is a lobby (pictured) that doubles as a showroom for furniture powerhouse Vitra, which will regularly rotate in new reproductions of designs by the Eameses and Jean Prouvé. As for the building itself, it was constructed in two stages: First, the ground floor was built on site, then prefab rooms were stacked on top. Odd, but it seems to be working: The company has 20 more locations planned for the next five years, including outposts in London, Moscow, and Paris.
Rooms from 69 euros (about $109); CitizenM, Jan Plezierweg, 1118 BB, Amsterdam, citizenm.com

[Hotel Chatter]

It's shaping up to be a banner season for Steve McQueen fans: Two coffee table books, Steve McQueen: A Life in Pictures and Unforgettable Steve McQueen, hit shelves and include (you guessed it) rare and unpublished photos of the tough-guy star. Need a tiebreaker? The latter adds a foreword by Brad Pitt. Also on sale: the legendary 1969 Porsche 908/2 Spyder that McQueen piloted (along with Formula One driver Peter Revson) at Sebring in 1970. Even though the actor had a broken foot at the time, the pair placed second overall, losing to Mario Andretti's Ferrari by a mere 23 seconds; the vehicle later famously appeared in McQueen's 1971 racing flick Le Mans. It's expected to fetch between $1.5 and $2 million, but you still have time to raise the cash: The Bonhams & Butterfields auction takes place during California's Monterey Peninsula Car Week this August.