Walking along Canal St. is like going to an exhibit at the zoo called “Bammas in Their Natural Habitat.” Today, I saw these three jokers walking around Chinatown in matching all-over-print “I Love New York” tees and red sunglasses. Enjoy your vacation, bammas!

Yet another thing I forgot…the interview that keeps on giving!

I remember seeing this snowboarding jacket from the company DC a while ago and wondering if it actually featured your map work, or just borrowed from the style. I remember it having a signature of your name, but not in the same block letters that are your trademark. Any thoughts on your work being used in this way?

The DC image was painted using the same color palette as other trail map illustrations.  They have come in with the computer and “stylized” it.  Usually I will call the client and insist that they remove my signature from it since it is NOT any longer my work.  I have not in this case since it is an obvious computer-altered image and the audience realizes that it is.   Many other cases come up when a resort decides to make the winter trail map into a summer view and it is not so clear that tampering is involved.  Then I will ask them to take my name off.

I’ve always loved skiing, and one of my favorite parts of any ski trip growing up was studying the trail map meticulously to figure out exactly how I wanted to tackle the mountain. Last year I got interested in the art of resort maps, and after a little digging online I confirmed a long-held suspicion: most of the maps I liked were painted by the same artist. I contacted James Niehues to learn more about his trade, and he kindly agreed to an interview. It was awesome to hear from him, and it really gave me an added appreciate for the landscapes that had fascinated me for so long. Unfortunately, in my typical indecision about what exactly to do with the piece, I completely forgot about it! Time to rectify that oversight. Instead of letting it sit in “My Documents” any longer, I figured I’d share it here on Highsnobiety. Hope you enjoy.

Telluride, CO

Anyone who has skied extensively in the Northern Hemisphere has probably experienced a feeling of déjà vu upon reaching the mountain for a day on the slopes. Is it a chemical response set off by the smell of pines, the whir of the chairlift, and the smoke rising from the lodge chimney? Or is it the familiar anticipation of the first run?

Those sensations come into play, but the source of that familiar feeling may also be as simple as the trail map. Search through the minutely detailed trees and, nine times out of ten, you’ll find the unmistakable block signature of James Niehues. Since 1986, the Colorado-based artist has hand-painted over 130 resorts, including a majority of the most popular ski mountains in the US. In the process, he’s placed a lasting stamp on the aesthetics of the ski industry.

It’s safe to say that even if they don’t know his name, most skiers recognize a Niehues when they see one.

[Hit the jump for the full interview]

Earlier in the week I had a chance to catch a preview of This Is Jim Jones (due May 12), a documentary about the life and times of the Dipset Capo. As a huge fan of the Dipset since S.D.E. first revealed signs of a burgeoning movement, I never really felt Jimmy as an artist or a personality. I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt like that. He could never rap for shite, and he didn’t have the off-kilter personality or freakish rhyming style that attracted me to the rest of the group. To put it bluntly, he just seemed like a bit of a thug.

Recently, my opinions have changed slightly, mostly in response to Cam going into a two-year hibernation and a new Jim Jones emerging to fill the void. He still sucks at rapping, but at least his clownery is enough to elicit some laughs. And in addition, part of me admires the audacity of putting on a stage production about his own life and releasing songs with hooks that sound like they were written by third graders.

If you’re ever having a bad day, just listen to some Brother Ali and get it in!

My buddy Nate out in LA asked me to share some thoughts over at Portal-A Interactive on hip-hop music video and its future on the small screen. From ghostriding the volvo to staying in Cambodian hostels, they’re doing some cool stuff with online video that’s definitely worth checking out.

Check out the post here.

Recently, Nick Hornby was asked to pick 40 books for a writer’s table at Waterstone’s book store, and he wrote an amusing article about the endeavor in the Times, noting the presumptuousness of anyone saying, “I think you might like this.” I totally agree. Of course, there are friends and family I can say this too quite confidently (my mom is the easiest because she likes literally every book), but to “recommend” something to an audience of strangers is inherently absurd. Still, directly and indirectly we do it every day in the blogosphere, and who knows—perhaps you’ve learned enough about my tastes through these posts to know you either like most things that I do or hate them.

At any rate, I’ve been looking to do a better job of keeping track of the books I read, and so I thought I’d throw them up here. Indulge me, innanet.

via Urban Dictionary

Growing up in DC during the late 80s and early 90s, I was privy to one of the best slang terms in the world: bamma. When I later moved to Connecticut it sort of fell by the wayside, but a few references in pop culture (The Wire, The Jamie Foxx Show, and the rise of DMV rapper Wale) have conspired to inject bamma back into my lexicon. It’s proved extremely useful, as I’ve found bammadom abounds all around me.

For the uninitiated, the Urban Dictionary definition above provides a solid foundation for understanding bammas. When I was coming up, though, it definitely had the connotation of someone sort of “rural” and “backwards” as well. Now, I think it’s pretty safe to use it to describe anyone who is A) wack/embarrassingly misguided, and B) completely unaware of his or her wackness.

Needless to say, that’s quite far-reaching. To work toward a better sense of what it really means to be a bamma, my brother and I have been conducting a little sociological experiment and compiling examples of bamma behavior. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and I plan to update the list as the mood strikes. Feel free to add your thoughts.

OK, without further ado…

Off to London Town in a few — will hopefully have some tales to share on the flipside. In the meantime, check this out:

Against his better judgment, Steven Vogel asked me to take part in a fashion showdown called “It’s a WALK-OFF!!!!” over at Black Lodges. My competitors were my brother and Ryan Willms of h(y)r collective. The theme I chose was “Après-Shred,” which of course is French for “after shredding.” Hit the jump for a rundown of my ‘fit, and see what I’m up against here. Who do you think takes the crown?