If there's one thing you could say about all bloggers everywhere, it's probably that there's nothing they love more than a giant clusterfuck. That's right, we said it. One blog links to another, who links back to the first, who comments on the link, and so on ad naseum. You get the picture. We'll to cut to the chase:
MISS ROSEN HAS A BLOG!
On the Town with Miss Rosen will take you on a behind-the-scenes, whirlwind tour of the life and times of the mad genius behind powerHouse publicity and the publisher of Miss Rosen Editions...hopefully in sentences shorter than that one.
Apr 28, 2006
A Fair Grows In Brooklyn
Yech. Who's writing these headlines, anyway? Anyway...
What happens when Howard Zinn and Nicole Krause get together to make babies? Or Jonathan Safran Foer and Russell Simmons? The answer to both of the above is "a Brooklyn book fair" of course. The four parents-to-be are members of the honorary committee of a new fair, projected to open on September 16 in Borough Hall Plaza. The organizers will focus the event on the indigenous peoples of our fair Kings county, everyone from Walt Whitman to Paul Auster. We hope it'll be great, not least because from now on we can always say we were there first.
What happens when Howard Zinn and Nicole Krause get together to make babies? Or Jonathan Safran Foer and Russell Simmons? The answer to both of the above is "a Brooklyn book fair" of course. The four parents-to-be are members of the honorary committee of a new fair, projected to open on September 16 in Borough Hall Plaza. The organizers will focus the event on the indigenous peoples of our fair Kings county, everyone from Walt Whitman to Paul Auster. We hope it'll be great, not least because from now on we can always say we were there first.
Apr 27, 2006
Thoughtlab 101
In case you haven't been to DUMBO to see it yourself, here's how we're advertising our new space. With over 175 running feet of glass frontage, there's plenty of room for signs like this:
Photo by Helen Levitt, from Slide Show.
Photo by Helen Levitt, from Slide Show.
Apr 26, 2006
Overheard in New York
Sent from a friend at Publishers Weekly, who was in DUMBO recently and had this conversation in an elevator:
Guy: Did you see there's a bookstore going in around the corner?
Me: Where?
Guy: On Main. By Bubby's.
Me: Oh, no, that's not a...
Guy: Yeah, art books.
Me: Actually, they...
Guy: I can't wait. it should be awesome. it's such a greeeeaaaat space.
Me: No, see...
Guy: What a cute dog you have!
Me: Yeah, she's pretty awesome.
Guess people like them art books. And have no idea they'll be blown away by our laboratory of thought!
Guy: Did you see there's a bookstore going in around the corner?
Me: Where?
Guy: On Main. By Bubby's.
Me: Oh, no, that's not a...
Guy: Yeah, art books.
Me: Actually, they...
Guy: I can't wait. it should be awesome. it's such a greeeeaaaat space.
Me: No, see...
Guy: What a cute dog you have!
Me: Yeah, she's pretty awesome.
Guess people like them art books. And have no idea they'll be blown away by our laboratory of thought!
Apr 25, 2006
The Circle of Life
We just had quintuplets! To celebrate the birth of our five new babies, we're having a little discount party. If you order Gentleman of Leisure, Pedal, Perfect Intimacy, Pees on Earth, or Salt Dreams before the end of the month, you can get 20% off! Just enter the coupon code "SPRINGFLING" at checkout.
Goodnight Sweet Princess
It is with great sadness that we inform you Chimay is dead. Long live Chimay.
Apr 24, 2006
Answers to Questions You Didn't Know Existed
Did you know that Our Benevolent Leader, the Power of powerHouse, is a philanthropist as well as a publisher? Apparently he's spent the past year mentoring an SVA student, whatever that means. After having her brain massaged for these past 12 months, our little Eliza is ready for her close-up. Jesse Jane, as she's known around the office, has a sick portfolio of bi-coastal punks. Who knew there were punks in LA? To see the rest of SVA's graduating class, click here.
Photo by tiger victim Jesse Jane.
Photo by tiger victim Jesse Jane.
Apr 21, 2006
Grime Finds Roots, Coop
Martha Cooper and her ever-lovin band of fiesty hip hop ladies are in London today: eating crumpets, kissing the queen, screening the film Redder than Red, and signing copies of Marty's book We B*Girlz. The film is about Bubbles, legendary breaker and all-around style queen. Picture Missy with a Cockney accent and better hair and you'll get the idea. To London!
Apr 20, 2006
Rickford Z. Powell: Canadian Superstar
Our boy wonder Ricknacious L. Powellot has a show up in the hinterlands opening tonight. For all you Canucks that know what's what in the big apple, swing by Brave Art in BC for booze, bitches, and good times. Can you say bitches on the Internet?
Apr 19, 2006
Vapors Villifies, Or Maybe Validates
Uh, thanks go to Vapors for this post. We think. Anyone know what Bruknam is?
...And we thought we were so cool.
...And we thought we were so cool.
Apr 18, 2006
Apr 17, 2006
Boogie Fever
Bunnies and Bricks
Whether Easter or Passover, it's all over and done with now...so get back to work you ninnies! Oh, except you Greeks. You all can continue to rape and pillage for a full week before taking your hard-earned break.
Apr 14, 2006
2 Months, At More Than 2,000 Per
It's been a slow news week around the old office, so we thought we'd take some time and reflect on this, the two-month anniversary of the pH blog. Almost 4,500 of you have visited us: at first a tremendous outpouring of support for an embattled cultural institution, and now a testiment to the vitality of our work. You've stayed through rats, spies, near-death experiences, potential lawsuits, angry machinations from the principality of Dubai, and some great moments in spam. Thanks for stickin' with, and we promise to keep delivering what you want to read and see. Like, you know, pictures of ugly drag queens.
Photo from Casa Susanna. Click for larger view.
Photo from Casa Susanna. Click for larger view.
Midnight: Man, Myth, Szichophrenic
Arlene Gottfried dropped by the office today...her book Midnight is one of the craziest we've ever published. This guy Midnight, see, was a dancer in some nightclubs...handsome, charming...and just a few years later was rescued by police when they found him at the top of the Williamsburg Bridge (not the apex: the top). Learn more about Midnight's, cough, ups and downs here.
Apr 13, 2006
Apr 12, 2006
Shhh! It's a Secret!
We get inquiries about books that haven't yet reached the shelves every day. It makes us feel great when people are so excited about our work that they take time out to actually get in touch. By way of expressing our gratitude, we're starting to offer preorders on select titles, with 15 bucks gratis when you seal the deal. Technically this is something we just let the artists' friends in on, but as far as we're concerned, you're a friend of ours, so...
First at bat is Lost Boys by Slava Mogutin. Slava escaped from the KGB under threats of death before the USSR fell apart, and now he's making pictures, of, well...let's just say we're not entirely surprised they threw him out. See more of the work here, or get out that wallet and preorder here.
First at bat is Lost Boys by Slava Mogutin. Slava escaped from the KGB under threats of death before the USSR fell apart, and now he's making pictures, of, well...let's just say we're not entirely surprised they threw him out. See more of the work here, or get out that wallet and preorder here.
Apr 11, 2006
Apr 10, 2006
Apr 7, 2006
Spoonful of Sugar
Thanks for the kind words, everyone! Below are some from our friends and neighbors at The New York Post, CNN, British Vogue, Le Book, Rolling Stone Italia, Elemental, and Morphizm...
whoa! kick ass! big congrats, that is huge!
CONGRATS! Welcome to Brooklyn. Even though we're way up in Greenpoint, it's all fam. Our landlords own tons in DUMBO, and thank goodness you are NOT with them! You guys are gonna be so happy. It's a change for the better I think.
congratulations! that's really exciting, good news.
Sounds fresh as hell! Wish I could head out to NYC and check it out.
YAYA! Congrats on your new home!!
Congratulations on your new Power Station! A lab for creative thought is just what the city needs! I wish we had had one when I was growing up. Glad to see something good come from adversity. . . once again.
Congratulations, powerHouse! Manhattan's loss is Brooklyn's gain. Looking forward to seeing the new space one of these days soon.
wow! exciting!
It is better on this side.
whoa! kick ass! big congrats, that is huge!
CONGRATS! Welcome to Brooklyn. Even though we're way up in Greenpoint, it's all fam. Our landlords own tons in DUMBO, and thank goodness you are NOT with them! You guys are gonna be so happy. It's a change for the better I think.
congratulations! that's really exciting, good news.
Sounds fresh as hell! Wish I could head out to NYC and check it out.
YAYA! Congrats on your new home!!
Congratulations on your new Power Station! A lab for creative thought is just what the city needs! I wish we had had one when I was growing up. Glad to see something good come from adversity. . . once again.
Congratulations, powerHouse! Manhattan's loss is Brooklyn's gain. Looking forward to seeing the new space one of these days soon.
wow! exciting!
It is better on this side.
Apr 6, 2006
VRAHOS Writes Poorly, Thinks Our Gallery Was Beautiful
Hey! Who knew you had to approve comments to these crazy things called weblogs? Not us, certainly, not until today. We just approved a bunch from the past two months, and two in particular caught our eye, the first of which is below:
Honestly, you are acting as if you and your beautiful gallery were part of a historical landmark. This is NYC. Working here and living here is strictly business. The sooner you realize that the better chances your cultural entity will flourish. Honestly, if you didn't sound so childish, maybe your complaints would have sounded more justified and legit. This is not a Sci-fi movie of evil-doers and the poor little victims with dreams getting crushed.
Like I said, this is New York City.
Get with the flow of things which is business, Not personal, and you will be able to have more personal happiness and freedom.
Best of luck to you, and maybe this was a blessing in disguise... if you do your research, those evil-doers are actually some of the most charitable men in the city. For every one of your wah wah cries, there are 20 people thanking them on their knees for saving them from poverty and hunger. We are talking about charity that is NOT tax deductable. That's personal... This isn't. Stop making it as it is. If you are gonna cry at this, you will have to move to Philly or something. We are a the most generous city, but in order to be the greatest city in the world we don't have time to sprinkle sugar on our conduct. Get a grip.
...so the, cough cough, anonymous poster berates us (in any number of tenses) for not digging deep enough to find out The Steves donate to charity (For which the recipients apparently, how did they put it? Get "on their knees"? Real charitable, Steves. Glad you know where the poor belong...), think we should stop "making it as it is" (Is that anything like telling it as it is?), and (wait what?) wish us "best of luck." The only thing worse than the grammar above (apart from the rampant mis-capitalization, grossly improper articles, and intensely bad agreement), is the logic!
Honestly, you are acting as if you and your beautiful gallery were part of a historical landmark. This is NYC. Working here and living here is strictly business. The sooner you realize that the better chances your cultural entity will flourish. Honestly, if you didn't sound so childish, maybe your complaints would have sounded more justified and legit. This is not a Sci-fi movie of evil-doers and the poor little victims with dreams getting crushed.
Like I said, this is New York City.
Get with the flow of things which is business, Not personal, and you will be able to have more personal happiness and freedom.
Best of luck to you, and maybe this was a blessing in disguise... if you do your research, those evil-doers are actually some of the most charitable men in the city. For every one of your wah wah cries, there are 20 people thanking them on their knees for saving them from poverty and hunger. We are talking about charity that is NOT tax deductable. That's personal... This isn't. Stop making it as it is. If you are gonna cry at this, you will have to move to Philly or something. We are a the most generous city, but in order to be the greatest city in the world we don't have time to sprinkle sugar on our conduct. Get a grip.
...so the, cough cough, anonymous poster berates us (in any number of tenses) for not digging deep enough to find out The Steves donate to charity (For which the recipients apparently, how did they put it? Get "on their knees"? Real charitable, Steves. Glad you know where the poor belong...), think we should stop "making it as it is" (Is that anything like telling it as it is?), and (wait what?) wish us "best of luck." The only thing worse than the grammar above (apart from the rampant mis-capitalization, grossly improper articles, and intensely bad agreement), is the logic!
Great Moments in Spam vol 9
Jackpot!
Rosa Parks: back from the dead, with a whole new set of friends.
Rosa Parks: back from the dead, with a whole new set of friends.
Apr 5, 2006
We Live in Brooklyn Baby!
A little more info on the new space, located at 37 Main Street in DUMBO, so all y'all know why we crossed the river...
"I've always dreamed that powerHouse would inhabit inspirational space, a space where classical architecture mixes with vaulted ceilings and height to emphasize the nobility of man's loftier pursuits of knowledge and pleasure. Nothing in any borough comes close to the feeling that comes from what will be our new home, save for Grand Central Station," said Daniel Power, publisher of powerHouse Books. "The general vibe of DUMBO is what certain places in Manhattan felt like decades ago; the East Village and SoHo in the late 80s, Hudson Square in the 90s. In DUMBO, questions and possibilities abound; this will be a perfect place to situate a laboratory of thought, which is what powerHouse intends to do."
powerHouse Books was selected for the 37 Main Street space by Two Trees Management Co., which owns most of the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO ("Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass"). The company's holdings include 13 buildings and the second largest portfolio of commercial space on the Brooklyn waterfront, which is 3 million square feet in size.
"We're excited to welcome powerHouse to our DUMBO community," said Jed Walentas, a partner in Two Trees Management. "The addition of this bookstore/creative laboratory brings us closer to the vision we have for DUMBO: an intoxicating lifestyle and environment where people can live, work, shop, and play."
Power says this is only the start. "We've only just gotten the place, and it has already paid numerous dividends in the form of future cultural collaborations with the city's leading arts entities and our corporate partners, including the most dynamic and innovative agency out there doing anything. The future is white hot, and the possibilities seem to be growing themselves."
"I've always dreamed that powerHouse would inhabit inspirational space, a space where classical architecture mixes with vaulted ceilings and height to emphasize the nobility of man's loftier pursuits of knowledge and pleasure. Nothing in any borough comes close to the feeling that comes from what will be our new home, save for Grand Central Station," said Daniel Power, publisher of powerHouse Books. "The general vibe of DUMBO is what certain places in Manhattan felt like decades ago; the East Village and SoHo in the late 80s, Hudson Square in the 90s. In DUMBO, questions and possibilities abound; this will be a perfect place to situate a laboratory of thought, which is what powerHouse intends to do."
powerHouse Books was selected for the 37 Main Street space by Two Trees Management Co., which owns most of the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO ("Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass"). The company's holdings include 13 buildings and the second largest portfolio of commercial space on the Brooklyn waterfront, which is 3 million square feet in size.
"We're excited to welcome powerHouse to our DUMBO community," said Jed Walentas, a partner in Two Trees Management. "The addition of this bookstore/creative laboratory brings us closer to the vision we have for DUMBO: an intoxicating lifestyle and environment where people can live, work, shop, and play."
Power says this is only the start. "We've only just gotten the place, and it has already paid numerous dividends in the form of future cultural collaborations with the city's leading arts entities and our corporate partners, including the most dynamic and innovative agency out there doing anything. The future is white hot, and the possibilities seem to be growing themselves."
Apr 4, 2006
R.I.P. 68 Charlton
Sorry to have been out of touch, but the last few days have been sheer madness. Where to begin?...
Wednesday, 3 workdays left:
As previously posted, Wednesday was largely a packing day for us back at 68 Charlton. Scarily enough, it was also a day of consultation with lawyers and leasing agents—because we did not yet have a signed lease for a new office. Just a scant 72 hours before we would be forcibly removed from 68 Charlton, and we had nowhere to go! Well actually we had picked a place but it just wasn't ours yet. More on that later. As we were frantically moving files into bankers' boxes and books into whatever would hold them, we welcomed a new friend to 68 Charlton: King. King is great guy to have around if you installed a beautiful hardwood floor into a place you subsequently get evicted from, and you're loathe to part with it. Yup; King and his team of guys were literally taking up the floorboards as we packed. We wanted to tell you then, we really did, but fear of reprisal from VRAHOS and it's dark army silenced us. At least as long as it took to get away with it!
Thursday, 2 workdays left:
With the floor mostly gone (well the parquet, anyway—plywood in it's place) and everything packed, we were finally ready to go. Our movers came to get the essentials and most of the office was ready to fly by the early afternoon. But where were we to go? In a masterful eleventh-hour move, Daniel Power, founder, publisher, and commander-in-chief of powerHouse Books, had signed a lease for a 10,000–square foot blue chip ground floor space in DUMBO! Yes—powerHouse kissed Manhattan goodbye and fell into the welcoming embrace of Brooklyn. Only one catch, though, the space is raw, and won't be ready until fall 2006. Until then, we will be housed in a temp office upstairs. The remainder of Thursday was spent moving everything into our new suite.
Friday, the last day:
Friday was consumed by shifting furniture and unpacking computers in DUMBO. And taking everything that wasn't nailed down at 68 Charlton. Wait, scratch that. We took quite a few things that were nailed, screwed, glued, or otherwise fastened. A partial list includes: ceiling fans, sinks, toilets, some drywall, the wires we tore out of the walls, and (our personal favorite) the windows and bay door on the street side of the building. We also smashed all the tiles and put holes in the ceiling and the walls we couldn't kick in. It hurt to hurt our baby, but we built it and weren't about to let it fall into the hands of evil.
The first week out:
Things had largely been sorted out by yesterday, and we're adjusting to the new commute and the feel of our new neighborhood. Wish we could've posted something on Monday, but we had no Internet. Everything's solid now though. Even though the banner above says we were scheduled to stop this blog last Friday, we like it too much to discontinue. So check back soon: we're sure to have plenty to talk about with our new life in Brooklyn!
Wednesday, 3 workdays left:
As previously posted, Wednesday was largely a packing day for us back at 68 Charlton. Scarily enough, it was also a day of consultation with lawyers and leasing agents—because we did not yet have a signed lease for a new office. Just a scant 72 hours before we would be forcibly removed from 68 Charlton, and we had nowhere to go! Well actually we had picked a place but it just wasn't ours yet. More on that later. As we were frantically moving files into bankers' boxes and books into whatever would hold them, we welcomed a new friend to 68 Charlton: King. King is great guy to have around if you installed a beautiful hardwood floor into a place you subsequently get evicted from, and you're loathe to part with it. Yup; King and his team of guys were literally taking up the floorboards as we packed. We wanted to tell you then, we really did, but fear of reprisal from VRAHOS and it's dark army silenced us. At least as long as it took to get away with it!
Thursday, 2 workdays left:
With the floor mostly gone (well the parquet, anyway—plywood in it's place) and everything packed, we were finally ready to go. Our movers came to get the essentials and most of the office was ready to fly by the early afternoon. But where were we to go? In a masterful eleventh-hour move, Daniel Power, founder, publisher, and commander-in-chief of powerHouse Books, had signed a lease for a 10,000–square foot blue chip ground floor space in DUMBO! Yes—powerHouse kissed Manhattan goodbye and fell into the welcoming embrace of Brooklyn. Only one catch, though, the space is raw, and won't be ready until fall 2006. Until then, we will be housed in a temp office upstairs. The remainder of Thursday was spent moving everything into our new suite.
Friday, the last day:
Friday was consumed by shifting furniture and unpacking computers in DUMBO. And taking everything that wasn't nailed down at 68 Charlton. Wait, scratch that. We took quite a few things that were nailed, screwed, glued, or otherwise fastened. A partial list includes: ceiling fans, sinks, toilets, some drywall, the wires we tore out of the walls, and (our personal favorite) the windows and bay door on the street side of the building. We also smashed all the tiles and put holes in the ceiling and the walls we couldn't kick in. It hurt to hurt our baby, but we built it and weren't about to let it fall into the hands of evil.
The first week out:
Things had largely been sorted out by yesterday, and we're adjusting to the new commute and the feel of our new neighborhood. Wish we could've posted something on Monday, but we had no Internet. Everything's solid now though. Even though the banner above says we were scheduled to stop this blog last Friday, we like it too much to discontinue. So check back soon: we're sure to have plenty to talk about with our new life in Brooklyn!
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