BLOG: JOHN MAYER SHADOW DAYS

John Mayer has had about the toughest time a singer can endure, what with his vocal chord problems that has put him on hiatus by default for the past couple of years. Yet he came through it a changed man, as he describes in this new single "Shadow Days", of which the video was released earlier today. It's the first track off the upcoming fifth studio album, which was of course delayed due to his health issues, but it will finally be arriving later this month on May 22. I was gutted to hear that his granulomas returned this year, and that he would face yet another battle. As a fan of his music, I'm sad to see him unable to do his thing, and as a human I can't help but feel for him. He says he will continue to write but must remain quiet for recovery with no estimate to a possible return, if at all. I genuinely wish he gets through this one more and enlighten us with his musical talent.

PS. He wears visvim everythang in this video.

BLOG: TANNER GOODS

An Exploration in Craft: featuring Tanner Goods, by Ryan J Bush.

MAG: CORTER LEATHER TOTE BAGS

From: Selectism

Eric Heins from Boston runs a one man operation, Corter Leather, handcrafting natural leather goods that epitomise quality, mastery and simplicity. I was amazed to find out that measurements are taken from memory and templates are non-existent, meaning that every piece is genuinely unique.

Here are his latest items in the shape of tote bags, The Full Leather Business Tote and Personal Tote. Using only 5oz hide and hand-stitching, they are made of leather in its purest form, ready to wear and age. Crafted with functionality in mind, there are little details such as pencil sleeves, removable card holders, short top handle and a simple press stud fastener. It's absolutely beautiful.

DIARY: SEVEN DIALS SHOPPING PARTY

From: Seven Dials WC2

Today was my project deadline. Should have been out the way five weeks ago but they extended the date over the spring holiday unfortunately, meaning it's been looming on my mind for too long. It's all handed in and done with now though.

More importantly, however, yesterday evening was the Shopping Party at Seven Dials, Covent Garden. The biannual event offers 20% discounts at almost every store, as well as live music and complimentary drinks everywhere. You can see why it's a big deal. Combined with a similar event at Carnaby as well, I'm quite the seasoned veteran at these, mostly going for the free booze! Yesterday was no different with chilled lagers, on-the-house cocktails and bubbly champagne for us to enjoy. And enjoy we did, I was admittedly slightly 'happy' all evening.

I did buy some little things, including some paper and stationery at London Graphics Centre, the new issue of Apartamento, and also a replacement case for my iPhone finally. Been on the hunt for two months now, walking around nervously with a naked iPhone all that time. Hopefully I'll keep this one intact until the next iPhone come autumn time. Plan.

DIARY: CHELSEA KNOCK OUT BARCELONA

It is no exaggeration whatsoever to say that that was the most exciting game of football in my life. Tom Jones and Danny seem to use the term so freely in The Voice UK, but I genuinely mean it. I don't think a non sports fan will ever understand the feeling either. And nor can I explain it. I woke up this morning with a huge grin on my face.

I went to a pub with my coach colleagues to see the widely anticipated Champions League semi-final second leg between Chelsea and Barcelona, with the Blues carrying a 1-0 advantage going into the tie. I feared the worst as soon as Cahill pulled his hamstring and was subsequently substituted after like 7 minutes in. And that was fast heading to become reality as went 2-0 down and saw our captain sent off. Which, by the way, was plain stupid. Never have I not had reason to defend John Terry through all his controversies in the recent past. Shocking really.

But then Ramires pops up out of nowhere with the best finish, doing a chip more delightful than any of Messi's hundreds of successes. And what an exquisite pass by Lampard too, worth more than one assist. And after the longest 45 minutes in the history of football, defending and blocking everything Barca sent our way, Torres kills the lobbed ball with magnetic control, before running half an empty pitch and rounding Victor Váldes to seal our place in the Final for only the second time. The lack of population in that Barca half was more ridiculous than anything I've ever seen in a game of FIFA let alone at such a huge (and very real) stage. What a fucking moment that was. The atmosphere in the pub was awesome, my emotion was through the roof and it was simply an experience I will never have again. For sure. It was that good. If only you could understand...

MAG: RONNIE FIEG x ASICS GT-II SUPER RED 2.0

From: Kith NYC

Ronnie Fieg's footwear caught my eye a couple of years back and he is now internationally the go-to man for a shoe collaboration. I have a pair of Chippewas myself, which continue to impress me every time I take them out. The unique quality, expertise and attention to detail undoubtedly make him one of the most respected designers around. And today, his new product has been finished and unveiled. The second of his Super Red project takes action on the GT-IIs by Asics, a brand Ronnie Fieg himself has made me turn my head towards, having not at all been interested in at all. That Rose Gold collection instantly convinced me. Anyway, the Super Red 2.0 GT-II comes in a smooth full pigskin upper, gel cushioning and a two-tone outsole in an all-red colourway with grey accents. Modelled by Casey Diego, these sneakers look like some sexy shit. As always, in only a very limited number of pieces, it goes on sale this Friday from Kith.

BLOG: LANA DEL REY CARMEN VIDEO

Over the weekend, one of my favourite artists of the moment Lana Del Rey released her latest music video, this time for the album track "Carmen". There's no official confirmation, but perhaps this is a heads up for the next single? Her album "Born To Die" is genuinely something to die for. Critics have had their say but I have never heard a voice that has sounded so deep and enticing, very seductive and hard to resist. I am a huge fan.

She also appeared on BBC Radio 1 for a Live Lounge session with Fearne Cotton this week, which I was super lucky to have dropped in to. It was amazing. She gave a candid and in-depth interview with Fearne, who basically gave her her break in summer last year, followed by expectedly stunning performances of "Blue Jeans" and a Kasabian cover, both making me tremble. You can watch the latter in HD right here.

BLOG: BROWNS OF BROCKLEY

For all coffee lovers, this place is a must. Browns Of Brockley in Brockley, London. I discovered it with my friend and it's a beautiful little place. Simple white interior, one shared wooden bench table and delicious coffee. They serve Square Mile, which I'm trustingly told is one of the best around. Together with some lovely company, it's a must visit. Chances are you'll see me there to be honest!

MAG: BON IVER ON THE ELLEN SHOW

After their Coachella set, Bon Iver have now performed on The Ellen Show, playing "Towers" and "Michicant" to delightful execution. Every live performance they offer something different, always adding multiple layers and textures to their already wholesome sound, which can only be done by real musicians. All the while though, it's amazing every time and quite simply breathtaking. Here are the two beautiful clips from their latest performance.

DIARY: LONDON OLYMPICS 2012

From: London 2012

100 days to go apparently. I live in London, working and studying in the heart of it all, but to be honest there's not much of a buzz going around just yet. People are more concerned with the preceding football. I know I am.

Come summer time, I'll be volunteering as a Games Maker (the Olympics volunteer scheme) and a London Ambassador (the Mayor of London's volunteer scheme). I didn't think them through when I applied, but I'm currently in the middle of all the training modules and whatnot, and it's pretty busy and tedious. I'm excited to be part of it all nonetheless, but it just means I've pretty much given up my summer holiday. Last week I received my official Games Maker shifts and I'm based in Egham, Royal Holloway Village for the athletes competing in Eton Dorney, that's the rowing and canoeing events I believe. Sounds ok to those who have no geographical knowledge of these places, but Egham is FAR. It's not even in London, and I have to be there at 6am every day for a month! Haha thanks for that. Somehow I can't see that happening.

DIARY: HARD GRAFT X POCKET IPAD CASE

Having recently acquired the new iPad, I of course needed a new case for it. I'm late to the iPad scene, this being the first of the household, but I'm certainly not unawares of the accessories out there. And there are some beautiful pieces around!

But Hard Graft have been my favourite. They specialise in wool and leather craft, a killer combination for any accessory, all handmade to fine detail in Italy. I've had my eye on the X Pocket iPad Case for a while now, way before considering the actual device itself. And finally I have something to protect inside. So here it is, delivered only two days ago, my new Hard Graft 100% wool felt and vegetable-tanned leather iPad case. Beautiful, right?

MAG: SBTRKT COACHELLA 2012

SBTRKT performed one of my favourite sets at Coachella this year. Here's the official HD clip of "Wildfire" featuring a surprise verse by Drake.

DIARY: BRUXELLES BELGIUM

I went to Brussels over the weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday, marking my first return to Belgium since a family holiday 4 or 5 years ago. This means it was a whole different trip for me, because back then I wasn't interested in beer or mussels. And damn I'm glad I've grown up!

It was two days of pure chill, much appreciated with our busy student lives. We went from bar to bar enjoying beers of all sorts as well as delightful meals in brasseries and even a tour of a brewery. A weekend well spent. We should do it again some time.

 

BLOG: THE VOICE

The Voice UK has just completed the Blind Auditions stage on BBC One, and I have to say I have been totally impressed. Impressed with the performances, the coaches and certainly the show's format and concept. When I first heard of the show as it started in America, I thought it was just 'another singing competition'. And I suppose literally it is but it's very different and, more importantly, it's better.

It's not just the fact that the coaches have their backs turned to make looks and style irrelevant, but the show focuses on finding and nurturing talented vocalists, and eventually producing artists from them. It sounds obvious enough but there really isn't a show like it around. The coaches are genuine coaches, each with a different flavour for sure, but all sharing priceless experience and wisdom of both the industry and music as an art. Their passion and values lie with the goodness of what music is all about and it comes through, along with their individual oozing personalities which work so well together (and indeed against each other too). All of these combine to make The Voice real, exciting, meaningful and engaging for me; like you'd think an hour and a half with no ad breaks every Saturday night would be a struggle to focus throughout, but I have, and I've genuinely enjoyed it.

What happens now with the auditions over I'm still not quite sure, but it's so far so good and I'm super looking forward to the weekend. And if it was ever a comparison, I know I'm not watching The X Factor again. That shit's old.

BLOG: LOOPER TRAILER

One of my most favourite artists (in the most general sense) around, Mr Joseph Gordon-Levitt, stars along side Bruce Willis in a new movie "Looper". In cinemas later this year, a busy one at that for JGL what with "The Dark Knight Rises" of course, which for sure will heap more attraction than this action thriller. But, written and directed by Rian Johnson, "Looper" has a pretty mean plot itself. Set in 2074 when time travel has been invented, criminal organisations use the technology to send their victims back 30 years to Joe, the Looper, for assassination. Which is great until he gets sent his future self to kill, in order to 'close the loop'. That's just genius, right?! I'm not quite sure how much movie activity can happen once the realisation is made, but I'm excited to find out.

It's another very different role to add to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's already diverse list of characters, which I don't think is commended enough. He also looks almost unrecognisable in this upcoming picture, morphed into a young Bruce Willis. I suppose there was never a case for considering a transformation the other way around. He says he had three hours of make up every morning to change specific facial features, and I'm pretty impressed with its result! Arriving to the UK in September, it's one I am definitely looking forward to.

MAG: INVERALLAN SPRING/SUMMER '12

From: End Clothing

New in at End Clothing is Spring knitwear from traditional Scottish handcraft brand, Inverallan. These lookbook shots show their new cardigans, each hand-knitted with local lambswool. With the craft being passed on from generation to generation, premium quality is ensured throughout to produce the thick, tight and complex cable patterns. The colours are beautiful too; I particularly love the wine colourway, complemented well with the oversized wooden buttons. Worn as either layers or outerwear, these cardigans are perfect for a smart spring finish for any outfit.

MAG: CHELSEA HOME KIT 2012/13 BY ADIDAS

From: chelseafc

As promised, Chelsea FC's new adidas home strip has been unveiled today, arriving in a clean blue and gold combination. The shirt is a simple crew neck shape, built with the TechFit technology which I don't really care about to be honest. But I have to say I do like how it looks, very slick. There's some subtle dark blue stripes across the whole kit on a primarily royal blue base. The main design feature is the gold highlights from the Chelsea crest, adidas and Samsung logos to the piping details and three stripes across the shoulder. It's the first time gold has featured in our kits since the club's centenary outfit by Umbro for the 05/06 season. Apparently the colourway represents 2012 as the year of celebrating sport, although it seems a little second fiddle from Real Madrid's or Bayern Munich's kits this year. Nonetheless, it looks strong. Sure it's just a kit, but I can see the team winning in this. Also, I love the choice of green for the goalkeeper kit. It strikes a beautiful, traditional look with the gold, rather regal.

BLOG: THE WEEKND 2012 TOUR

R&B's hype of the moment, The Weeknd, has announced plans for his first nationwide tour according to Consequence of Sound. And he's coming to London too!

I remember when I was first introduced to his material, probably around this time last year, and how I spent every evening for the next month or something banging our his debut mixtape "House Of Balloons". His sounds reached heights I'd never heard before and I felt he had completely changed the R&B game. I was fucking hooked and I still am. I'd be checking his Tumblr every day to see if there was anything new to hear. And he dropped two more mixtapes in 2011, though not as overwhelmingly amazing as his first, they were still pretty great. For sure I was on the hype.

And now he's touring, which is super exciting. He's not released any official marketed music, but what we've heard is certainly enough to go on. Plus he's proper down with Drake and the rest of the 'crew' so I'm high in anticipation. He kicks off with Coachella this weekend and continues dates in America through May until he flies over to Europe before finishing with festivals in Montreal and Chicago. London's very own Wireless Festival welcomes him on June 7th, the Saturday that is headlined by Drake of course. Man, I need to get a ticket for that because shit is gonna happen!

DIARY: SADDEST DAY OF THE YEAR

Our garden is really nice. Its size is generous, the greenery is beautiful, my mum takes care of the colour with cute flowers, and of course the nature is buzzing with birds and animals. One of the biggest assets of this garden, and in fact of the house as a whole, is a grand cherry blossom tree, unveiling its wonder come spring time. It's amazing, we always await its blossoming eagerly, and although it lasts only one or two weeks per year, it's a big deal. It marks the arrival of Spring and it's genuinely one of the most beautiful of sights, I'd say it's something we cherish.

We've had new neighbours recently (who by the way have not come to introduce themselves, which I believe would be a polite thing to do) and they chopped the sakura tree down! The whole thing. The tree actually stems on their side of the fence, so I think they are entitled legally, but the tree grows over into our airspace giving us the most overwhelming view. Yesterday, I saw the man climb his ladder and saw the poor thing down with his stupid chainsaw, slowly and painfully. I'm not even exaggerating with my words you know, I'm genuinely upset. I was so shocked I couldn't move, literally felt my heart beat odd. I'm not sure I've overcome it yet to be honest, the fact that we won't ever get to see the sakura majestically paint our garden in its oh-so-elegant pink. Such a shame, I can't believe it. I just wish the neighbours would have at least had the courtesy to inform us before tearing it down. I also wish that they knew how much we valued it.

I know it's just a tree. And we'll get over it. But today we're fucking unhappy.

MAG: HEAD PORTER PLUS SPRING/SUMMER '12

From: Freshness

This is the 2012 Spring/Summer range from Tokyo's Head Porter Plus, entitled "Cut & Sewn", all made from high quality Japanese material and execution. Featuring traditional style garments with zips of summer colour, every product looks exciting. The collection pretty much provides every item you could want to fill a wardrobe. Items range from multicoloured chino pants and denim bottoms to refreshing shirts and essential knitwear. If ever I'd consider to wear one brand from top to bottom and compile a look, this is probably the one to do that with. They compliment each other so well, themed subtly, and strike a perfect balance between trad and querk. Much love for this.

BLOG: PINTEREST

I received my official invite to Pinterest yesterday. I'm one of the cool kids now. Tipped to become one of the frontrunners in social media, Pinterest is taking off with its pins and boards, filling in the niche for providing quick inspiration. Users create boards on which to pin images of interest to easily give an overview of what your taste is like. And by scanning through other users' boards, we can find cool things, take inspiration and share them. I've understood it to be a visual Twitter or a compact Tumblr. Simple enough. (Simplicity is very often the key to success with these, albeit that itself is extremely complex to nail.) It's impressive to see new social media of this kind to be so welcomed in an age where there's so many similar platforms already out there, all merely copying each other. We'll soon find out whether this one is genuinely any good, but its signs are positive. So follow tlee. on Pinterest and let's pinspire ourselves.

BLOG: HELLO

Hello. I'm only just beginning. Please read my foreword to find out why I am here. Thank you for your support, whether that be now or later. I appreciate it very much.