Environmental Dopeness: Pharrell & G-Star Announce "RAW for the Oceans"

One thing y'all will learn about me, I'm an unabashed, tree-hugging, ocean conservationist. I'm the woman who will mess up her Jordans while cleaning garbage from a stream on World Ocean's Day. I volunteer for Oceana and The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, I don't run water while I brush my teeth or wash the dishes, have a compost bin in my yard waiting for spring, y'all get the picture.

Imagine my excitement when I heard about Pharrell's announced long-term partnership with recycled textiles maker Bionic Yarn and dutch designer clothing company G-Star RAW. Bionic Yarn is a company that makes material (Bionic Yarn) out of recycled plastic PET, plastic litter collected from the world's oceans and waterways. I know you've seen those sad commercials with the little duck stuck in the soda can six-pack rings, or sticking their little beaks in bottles, that's the trash they're referring to.

Pharrell was announced as the creative director of Bionic Yarn in a New York Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week event held at the Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life at the American Museum of Natural History. Pharrell, visibly energized by the collaboration said;

“Through the collaboration between Bionic Yarn and G-Star, we are making sustainable products more accessible for everyone. By creating yarn from oceans plastic, we are actually moving things forward within the fashion industry. Working with G-Star was an obvious choice, because they have a legacy of pushing the boundaries of fashion and denim forward. Bionic Yarn is a company built around performance, and denim is the perfect category to show the world what Bionic Yarn can do. Everyone has jeans in their closet.”

RAW for the Oceans will feature denim made from Bionic Yarn and polyester in an exclusive collection sold in select G-Star RAW stores. Of course Pharrell will leave his creative mark on the jeans, as he's been named co-designer of the line. An added bonus? The jeans can be re-recycled after wear by separating the Bionic Yarn/cotton material with the polyester. 

I love when artists and entertainers combine their creativity with a good cause. Ocean conservation is often an overlooked cause in the mainstream, I guess because it lacks "sexy." No one wants to be reminded that their over-use of plastic, conscious littering, and water-wasting-ways are destroying the planet. They certainly don't want to see images of little fauna running around soaked in crude oil. 

Maybe more will join me on World Ocean's Day this year since it's now sexy to conserve. The collection is set to release August 15. Hit me!

- Angel

Rare 20th Century Africa Through Eliot Elisofon's Lense

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via the Smithsonian Museum of African Art

Africa ReViewed: The Photographic Legacy of Eliot Elisofon showcases the African photography of celebrated Life magazine photographer Eliot Elisofon and explores the intricate relationships between his photographic archives and art collection at the National Museum of African Art. It was Elisofon's images-perhaps more than any other American photographer's-that framed America's perceptions of Africa and its diverse arts and cultures during the 20th century.

Photography has enriched my life. It has enabled me to travel . . . to almost every corner of the globe, using my camera as a magic carpet to see and study the meaning and beauty of civilizations and environments besides my own.
-Eliot Elisofon

A world-class photographer, Eliot Elisofon was best known for his early color photography and photographic essays in Life magazine. He traveled extensively throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America for Life, Time, National Geographic andSmithsonian magazines, book publishers, and film and television producers. From 1947 to 1972, Elisofon undertook 11 expeditions to Africa and produced five photo feature stories for Life. 

He pioneered color photography during the 1950s and directed and produced motion picture films and television programs on the arts and cultures of Africa during the 1960s and early 1970s. As both a writer and a photographer, Elisofon published illustrated books, including The Sculpture of Africa (with William Fagg, 1958), The Nile (1964), and Color Photography (1964). He was a member of the Photo League in New York City (serving as president from 1940 to 1941), the Explorer's Club, and the Royal Anthropological Society (UK).

Editorial Nature: Chloé S/S 14 Campaign

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If you can't already tell, I'm a step past a nature enthuse. I find peace, serenity and creative energy in anything remotely related to the outdoors. 

Recently, French fashion house Chloé released their editorial images for their Spring 2014 campaign and let me say they did not disappoint. Effortlessly merging fashion and a gorgeous landscape, the campaign is reminiscent of vintage '70s vinyl covers. French singer Lou Doillon and German supermodel Julia Stegner were chosen to model for fashions while Dutch fashion photography pair Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin shot the campaign.

Indulge.

- Angel 

Images via Zoeelysia.com/

When Kenya & Couture Marry: Karen Walker Visible

Dope, dope, dope. I'm an over-enthusiastic fan of Karen Walker's simple, yet statement worthy eyewear. 

This season Karen Walker has partnered with United Nations’ ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative as a part of her new KAREN WALKER VISIBLE campaign to create work in community groups of micro-artisans located in Kenya. The Ethical Fashion Initiative charge is to promote sustainable business in economically disadvantaged areas, and provide business aid over hand-out dependency. Which I'm here for. 

The Kenyan artisans of the Ethical Fashion Initiative will produce pouches and they'll come with every pair of sunglasses from her new collection. The pouches will also be available for purchase separately. Take a look at the Kenyan models in the photo gallery. They're actually the artisans who designed the pouches. The collection launches February 10th. Will you cop? 

Did I tell you I'm here for this type of cultural melting pot-ism? Yeah.

- Angel

Foodie Wanderlust - #LetADCook: Jamaican Curry Chicken & Waffles

by Adam Dickerson

Who doesn’t love chicken and waffles? I know I do. I also like remixing recipes, food is here to be enjoyed and experimented with. I started playing in the kitchen one day and thought it would be a good idea to mix the sweet and savory combination with some unconventional flavors. In comes the idea of Jamaican curry chicken and mini waffles with thyme brown butter sauce!

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets

Deep fryer or sauce pan filled with 2” of vegetable oil 

Frying thermometer (optional but very helpful)

Buttermilk Marinade 

1 cup buttermilk (if butter milk is not available, 1 cup milk & 1tbps white vinegar)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or one whole sprig)

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or one whole sprig)

1 teaspoon fresh sage (or one whole sprig)

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Breading:
1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 table spoons Jamaican curry powder

3 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper

Waffle Recipe: 

2 cups All purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

 1- ½ tablespoon cinnamon

2 eggs 

½ cup vegetable oil

1-1/2 cups milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of kosher salt

Brown Butter Sauce:
1 teaspoon of fresh chopped thyme

8 tablespoons of butter

Mix the marinade ingredients in a non- reactive dish or plastic bag. Cut the chicken into 2 to 2 ½ inch chunks. Seal the chicken inside for at least 1 hour. Overnight is best! Mix all of the waffle batter ingredients together and set aside.  Mix the dry ingredients first. Mix the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients as you combine them while whisking. Set aside. Heat the oil in the frying pan (or deep fryer) to 375 degrees. Mix the breading ingredients together. Beware of the portioning of curry. You don’t want it to overpower the flavors too much. Add your waffle batter to the waffle maker. You can make the waffles and chicken at the same time.  If the oil has reached the target temperature, place the chicken in the breading and cover all sides. Shake off excess. Place breaded chicken into the oil gently, you don’t want any hot oil splashing. Do not over crowd the oil, add a few pieces at a time. As you add cold chicken to the hot oil, it lowers the temperature and overcrowding can result in an undercooked product. Total time in the oil should be about 5 minutes max. Remove the cooked chicken from the oil with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel lined plate or bowl. Repeat steps 6-9 for all of the chicken pieces. For the brown butter sauce, heat a small pan (medium low heat) and melt the butter.  Gently but constantly stir and add the chopped thyme and a pinch of salt. The key to brown butter sauce is removing it from heat before it burns. Just as it turns from the opaque color to a golden brown, pour the warm sauce into a separate dish. Plate and serve. I made small towers with the nuggets of the chicken and the waffles.  

I hope that you enjoy the recipe as much as I did. For more recipes you can follow me @AD_Renaissance.

- Adam