It was the favorite movie of Ian Curtis of Joy Division and, according to Wikipedia, the one he was watching the night he hanged himself. Not surprisingly, it's a movie about a troubled artist who commits suicide.

Rumor has it that later that night while listening to Iggy Pop's The Idiot, Curtis tied the knot that ended his life in the his kitchen.

Secret Machines is doing just that. After seeing the Brooklyn-based Texans play at McCarren Pool, I'm a convert.

Much like Arcade Fire, it took me forever to really get into these guys. The songs on their second CD "Ten Silver Drops" are moody, layered and take several listens to really appreciate. Once you do, though, it just keeps getting better and better. And, how could you not like a band that has a song entitled "Alone, Jealous, and Stoned"?

Checkout: Alone, Jealous, and Stoned, The Road Leads Where Its Lead, I Hate Pretending and Lightning Blue Eyes.

Even at the furthest point back, you're close enough so you don't feel like you're missing anything. The place is so huge and open that even at capacity, there's still plenty of room to sit, stand, or roam around, unlike Summer Stage, which always seems cramped and awkward.

The pool has been shut down for over 20 years and it's beat up. Covered in grafitti with chipped paint everywhere, it totally feels like you're in some bombed out eastern european country, definitely adds to the experience.

Bloc Party kicked ass. For them to live up to the hype of their debut album AND play well live was a feat. They played every song from the album and one new one, which rocked. The crowd was enthralled and sang along enthusiastically.

Brooklyn's own Secret Machines opened the show. Their set was unbelievable. Equally as good as Bloc Party--maybe even better--but a totally different sound. This is one to watch.

Overall, it was quite the show. The most fun I've had in a loooooooong time. It was definitely a pivotal moment and hopefully a harbinger of something good to come.

In the midst of a slew of really nice stores (albeit ones that we already have here in New York), Base is on par with the coolest stores I've been to anywhere. A real breath of fresh air.

It's the type of store that as soon as you walk in, you know it's hot. In addition to the sleek design, the store smells amazing. It's a custom Sand scent they had made for the shop, that comes in home spray so your place can smell as good as theirs.

From the Margiela jewelry to the toys, books, and limited edition clothing (Westwood, Tsubi, Ju$t Another Rich Kid, Y-3, to name a few) and footwear, Base is the place.

PS: if you're staying at the Delano, there's a Base outpost there for you to checkout too.

Broken Social Scene is hot and I've just gotten into them. I read about them a few weeks ago, logged onto Limewire and downloaded some MP3's. I had that instant "these guys fucking rock" feeling on first listen with these guys.

*My foolproof method for downloading the best songs first to see if I'm into a band is as follows: go to iTunes, see what the top downloaded songs by a given artist are, then head to Limewire and download.

A few of the songs I got: Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl (this one begs to be listened to stoned), Lover's Spit, and 7/4 (Shoreline).

Get a pair of Nikes, your iPod Nano, and the Nike/Ipod Sport Kit. Put the sensor in the sole of your sneakers, the tiny receiver in the dock connector of your Nano, and go running.

The sensor sends info to your Nano to track time, distance, pace, and calories burned. Back at your computer, synch your Nano to iTunes and NikePlus.com to evaluate your performance history and to set goals.

It's genius.

1... Queen Bitch (David Bowie)
2... Grounds For Divorce (Wolf Parade)
3... Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl (Broken Social Scene)
4... Steady As She Goes (The Raconteurs)
5... The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah)
6... No Love Lost (Joy Division)
7... Angeles (Elliott Smith)
8... Alone, Jealous & Stoned (Secret Machines)
9... The Dugout (Ladyhawk)
10... Los Angeles, I'm Yours (The Decemberists)

Odin is on the brink of being the hottest store in New York. The all menswear boutique surfaced quietly a few years ago with a small but slickly-designed shop on East 11th Street. Word caught on quickly, especially given the shocking lack of cool guys stores in New York.

With a recently opened, impeccably designed flagship store in Soho (199 Lafayette at Kenmare) and an amazing mix of clothing, accessories, fragrances, books, and toys, Odin is about to take over.

Lines: Commes des Garcons, Y-3, Paul Smith, Modern Amusement, Ju$t Another Rich Kid, et al.

Checkout: Disco Sheets, Grounds for Divorce, You Are A Runner and I Am My Father's Son (Apologies to the Queen Mary), to name a few. I can't really put into words what their sound is. Just trust me on this one: it's hot. And the lyrics totally rock. Check them out here.

And I promise I'll only post really cool stuff, even if it means going a day or two without posting. I want this site to be about quality and not quantity. If I ever put anything up on yoga clothes or dog sweaters, PLEASE KILL ME. (If you haven't read that yet, this site isn't for you.)

I welcome any tips.