I’ve always had the slightly gonzo dream of flying down the highway on one black shiny beast of  a bike, a veritable Hunter S. Thompson, chasing down The Edge: “There was no helmet on those nights, no speed limits, and no cooling it down on the curves.” The fact that I can’t ride a bike has never factored into these fantasies, nor should it. Although the ability to ride might help, it is by no means a necessity when it comes to my appreciation for the aesthetics of the motorcycle. 

Falcon motorcycles are aesthetics at their best. They’re utterly beautiful. Each bike starts its life with a vintage frame and engine salvaged from old British marques and is then rebuilt from there. Although you can see elements of the classic makes, such as Royal Enfield and Norton, each bike is distinctly Falcon. Crafted as a labor of love by founder Ian Barry, these bespoke cycles are tailored with the rider in mind, and each creation aims to expedite a dream. With motorcycles getting steadily more high-tech, it’s refreshing to see a brand that focuses on the gorgeous essentials. 

I recently came across an article about the Mavizen TTX02 — the name meant nothing to me, either. Dubbed a “laptop on wheels,” each TTX02 has Wi-Fi, an onboard server and a USB port. This raises the question: Who would check e-mail and upload vacation photos while riding at 130 mph, the bike’s top speed? In the interest of road safety, one hopes, no one will take advantage of these features. With the industry moving increasingly toward the high-tech “look how many pointless things our bike can do!” sales pitch, Falcon is the perfect antidote: sleek, timeless and just plain cool. (more…)

Kate Moss has once again graced our screens and issues of Vogue the world over as the face of Yves Saint Laurent’s new fragrance, Parisienne. In the ad, Moss is doing exactly what she does best: writhing around on a bed of roses in a leather bodice and looking pretty stunning while she does so. She does all of this — just in case the ad wasn’t sexy enough — to the sound of Depeche Mode’s “I Feel It.” The perfume and ad itself, courtesy of French director Samuel Benchetrit, are classic YSL. But if you’re far from the Eiffel Tower and have trouble getting into the spirit of Paris (which YSL is hoping will capture the imagination of American women), the fashion house has also provided another, rather ingenious solution.

ExperienceParisienne.com is a limited-run blog in which YSL has taken five top fashion bloggers and had them travel the U.S. in search of Parisian chic. Although its presumed intent was to find the best French restaurants, stores and Fifth Republic–inspired spots across the country, it has extended well beyond that. What you’re left with is a blog comprising hints to some of the best hidden spots in New York, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

If, like me, you’re a bit of a sneaker freak, you’ve doubtless heard of Supra, purveyors of some of the finest kicks to hit shelves both in the U.S. and worldwide. People go crazy over their limited editions; recent offerings from Steve Aoki and Samantha Ronson sold like mad. A new limited edition that will surely sell out at the same lighting speed are the new hyper-colored TK’s. Although at first the shoes were designed solely for skateboarder Terry Kennedy to wear at the X Games, Supra recently announced that 600 pairs of each color will be released in the coming weeks, beginning in late November. They’re likely to disappear faster than you can lace up whatever’s currently on your feet, so if you plan to snag a pair, get to a Supra store quickly once they’re released. Either that, or be willing to fight a mob of skaters to the death for them. . . . (more…)