Reader Kiran sent us these photos the free tote the new Brooklyn Urban Outfitters was handing out at its store opening today, "I don't even know what to make of it, but I do want to see what else they come up with." So do we: While not as confounding as its print ad, it's curious that they used the Yankees NY logo, as the Bombers are in the Bronx. (Yes, it's clever to......

This advertisement for an Urban Outfitters store opening tomorrow among the antique shops and Middle Eastern markets of Atlantic Avenue, in Brooklyn, is rather befuddling. The mystifying amalgam of images, placed in some sort of elementary collage layout is presumably a representation of the borough. Many of the images look like they were cut out of a TV Guide circa 1984, and others, like the shot of Jay-Z has us wondering about legal repercussions. Or......

For the second year running, the Food Bank for New York City and the Lunchbox Fund of South Africa have enlisted over 100 celebrities in their holiday fundraiser. Boldface names like Kanye West, Elton John, Cameron Diaz, Mike Meyers, William Wegman and, um, Urban Outfitters, have created personalized, autographed lunchboxes that are now onsale via online auction. At Thursday night's kick-off event at Saatchi & Saatchi, a lunchbox by Michael Stipe was snatched up......

The NY Times is hinting that Brooklyn may be so over, a theory that seems to be based around Heath Ledger leaving the borough.What if Brooklyn’s recent cachet as the locus for what’s next is little more than a thin and fragile crust of chic, hiding the insecurity of people who constantly measure the social currency of their ZIP code by Manhattan standards? The number of trendy boutiques, bistros and music clubs in Brooklyn may......

The Village Voice is reporting that Hilly Kristal was a millionaire. Not really surprising considering the owner of CBGB, who claimed to be broke, ran more than just a venue. Just look at all those kids wearing their Urban Outfitters t-shirts with the club's logo on it. Those cost money! So does everything branded with their logo at their own store.Just weeks after the legendary former CBGB owner passed away, his heirs—who thought Kristal was......

The NY Times takes a look at Smith Street and the corporate companies creeping into the area and setting up shop. The most recent big announcement is that Trader Joe's is taking over the old bank on Atlantic Avenue and Court Street. How long until more big fish come to feed? Urban Outfitters originally wanted the new Trader Joe's property, so we suppose they'll be hawking "Ski Cobble Hill" T-Shirts soon enough. Just last week......

EVENT: If you haven't taken a trip back to the Summer of Love yet, head over to the Whitney tonight for the exhibit and enjoy their Whitney Live event. DJ Scientific and Dana Leong will be providing the tunes. Friday // 6pm // The Whitney [945 Madison Ave] // Free with museum admission MUSIC: Tonight at the Seaport Music Festival Menomena and Beat the Devil will rock the sun down. Menomena "makes experimental rock that......

Earlier this year, The Sun reported that AvalonBay Communities would "begin construction this summer on a 42-story, residential market-rate tower with approximately 600 units. The property will have ground floor retail, which could house the borough's first Trader Joe's market." And even earlier this year it was suspected that TJ's would move into One Brooklyn Bridge Park. Today, The Brooklyn Eagle is reporting that Trader Joe's will soon be stocking the fridges of many Brooklynites......

The Tomato Diaries' Sally Tomato emailed us to say that the infernal corner of constant construction at West 13th Street and 6th Avenue was finally paved. Sure, the rest of the street looks like "a car bomb" happened there, which means construction workers will be there for a while, but for anyone who attends the New School, goes to the Urban Outfitters or xando or Quad, or simply walks in that part of town, it......

Forget about Bratz - photoblogger David Gallagher has found what should be what every young girl (or boy) should get this holiday season: The How to Be a Journalist kit, at KMart! The secrets of journalism are unlocked through the power of glitter, confetti flowers, lockable journal and an idea booklet. Yes! Screw the Nellie Bly approach - we truly will be breeding a future generation of Mo Dowds, Judith Millers, Mary Mapeses, and......

Stacey Blume, Designer/Owner Blume...

Today kicks off the music portion of SXSW. Gothamist heads out before sunrise on Friday morning to the great state of Texas. And we're totally planning on messing with it, even if that t-shirt in Urban Outfitters says not to. We defy you t-shirt! Ahem. Anyway, as we said, we'll be going to Austin to cover the SXSW music conference for you. We use the term "conference" lightly, as we've been told that SXSW......

Man, it had been so long since America had a good lip-syncing controversy to talk about, so thanks Lorne Michaels, Marci Klein and Joe Simpson! Everyone is buzzing about Ashlee Simpson, the "punkier" (but only in that pre-fab, third generation Avril Lavigne, Urban Outfitters way) sister of Jessica Simpson. Ashlee was either punk'd or revealed on Saturday Night Live when, during her second song, someone played the wrong vocal track (what played was Pieces......

Something we haven't seen in awhile: rain in the forecast, today, and for the next several days. High of 76, scattered thunderstorms. This from the special weather statement link: THE AIRMASS OVER THE TRI STATE AREA IS RATHER TROPICAL...SO THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY CONTAIN TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. From the looks of the 7:14 AM radar grab above, they're not joking. Flood watches and warnings may be issued, so prepare to get your......

Tomorrow, untold numbers of Asians and others will be protesting the controversial 'Gay or Asian' article in Details magazine. More information about the protest can be found here, but expect to see some neatly printed signs at from noon till 1PM in front of the Fairchild Publications building at 7 West 34th Street. In the spirit of Whitney McNally's horribly misguided "spoof," Gothamist imagines that Fairchild Publications is passing around a memo like this:If you......

Urban Outfitters, your cheekiness would be clever if it weren't so stupid. But the "Everybody Loves..." line of shirts, including "Asian Girl," Jewish Girl," "Latin Girl," "Catholic Girl," and "Italian Girl," just wants us to make one that says, "Fuck Urban Outfitters, I'll Just Go To The Salvation Army While We Leave These to the Suburban Kids," 'cause the only semi-racist t-shirt that really floats anyone's boat is "Italians Do It Better" or anything in......

Black clergy in Philadelphia, upset over a new board game called Ghettopoly, had threatened retailer Urban Outfitters with a boycott if it continued to carry the game. And as of Thursday evening, Urban Outfitter is no longer selling the game. According the AP, game creator, David Chang, says "It draws on stereotypes not as a means to degrade, but as a medium to bring together in laughter. If we can't laugh at ourselves .........