When I was growing up, TV wasn't really a big part of my life. I actually only started watching when I was about 10, and that was back when I lived in the Middle East. Even then, all I really got was a censored version of TV channels in the US and Europe - at the time, that meant Full House, random cartoons (Centurions what!), and crazy British shows like "The Crystal Maze".

The Maze was like a massive Japanese game show, complete with an acid-fueled host and setups straight out of Rube Goldberg's wet dreams. In the game, teams of contestants worked their way through 4 worlds - Aztec, Industrial, Futuristic and Medieval. Each world had different types of games - Physical, Mental, Skill or Mystery. Winning a game got you a crystal, and the objective of the game was to collect as many as possible. Simple enough right? Yeah, keep reading.

This is when the writers really must've been shrooming. Each Crystal counted towards time in a giant glass dome called, well, The Crystal Dome. It came complete with an industrial fan (probably stolen from an Aston Martin aerodynamics facility) that blew around thousands of little gold papers in the dome. The team that grabbed more than like 50 papers (!!) in the dome within a few minutes won a prize. The worst part of this is that hardly ANYONE ever won the grand prize (in the history of the show) - most were just sent home with a souvenir.

Anyways, I actually loved this show (explains a lot...ha). Check out a clip - there's tons more on Youtube:

Here's a look at the Fall/Winter 2009 Collection...

ManifesTO was an amazing event, and it really gave me the opportunity to talk about the brand and designs face to face with people. I appreciate everyone that stopped by and showed their support, especially the homies helping us man the booth all day - you know who you are. There's a ton I want to say, but I'll leave it for another post. Until then, here's some pictures.

This is my first show for bombayhustle, and I'm really excited, especially to show the new Fall/Winter tees. I'm doing the last minute prep for the table setup now. If you're in Toronto this weekend, come by and check it out.

No additional story required here. Just wanted a new colorway for one of the favorites, Heart of the City.

The 3rd Annual Manifesto Festival taking place in Toronto on September 16-20th. Manifesto is an incredible event, and I'm glad to be participating in the festival as part of the "Freshest Goods" market on September 19th and 20th in Nathan Philips Square. More information is in the flyer and press release below, and at http://www.themanifesto.ca/.



Toronto, ON – August 25, 2009 – Once in a while music, art, culture and technology collide in a way that opens up unique possibilities and shifts consciousness – a catalyst for creative evolution and social change. Get ready Toronto - MANIFESTO returns for their Third Annual Festival of Community & Culture from September 16th – 20th! Toronto will host events around the city with live musical performances, art exhibitions, a film festival, a professional breakdance competition, workshops, an artists’ market and a massive after party showcasing local, national and international artists in the hip hop community.

Event highlights for this year’s festival include the Manifesto Film Festival that will debut a secret cinema in the heart of the city; the high energy, crowd-pleasing Canada Pro Bboy Championship that will see top crews from across North America battle for a $5,000 cash prize; a 3-floor Art Exhibition featuring top notch, cutting edge artists in graffiti, street art, design, illustration, photography and new media with guests that include Montreal’s Roadsworth and world-renowned street artist NUNCA from Brazil; two block parties spotlighting GTA-wide community talent at the Parkdale Youth Festival and 106 & York Urban Arts Festival, a Featured Party with special guest and superstar producer 9th Wonder, the dual-venue Manifesto After Party with special guest DJ’s to be announced; and of course the festival’s Main Event – a FREE family-friendly day of arts and music at Nathan Phillips Square that escalates into an epic outdoor concert, this year featuring a rare free performance by headliners and hip hop royalty Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek as REFLECTION ETERNAL! The Main Event also includes the “Freshest Goods” market where young designers and collectives sell merchandise and gain exposure; “Know Your Craft” workshops including capoeira, hand drumming, breakdancing, DJing, and a variety of other art forms; a 70-foot mural painted live throughout the day by Toronto’s cream of the crop, and an open collaborative mural and community dance floor for those itching to get involved!

More special guests are being added to the Manifesto Festival 2009 lineup. The final lineup will be announced by September 8th.”