Awesome Leisure

Tattoo artist Allan Graves created this awesome series of zines celebrating horror illustrations and advertising from the 1970s and 1980s. Each issue has 100 pages packed with gruesome and graphic imagery that is definitely not for kids. Monsterama #4 hits 8.30.2023, and you can grab the first three issues here.

A multi-platinum star without a booze brand is like a day without sunshine. Or, in this case a day without a Tequila Sunrise. Not only does Bay Area hip-hop star E-40 have his own Blanco, Reposado and Anejo tequilas — he named them after himself: E. Cuarenta literally means E-40 in Spanish.

Lebanese singer Tony Abou Jaoudeh, aka looneytony4 is a master of vocal impressions. In this video, he performs The Weeknd’s 1980s-style track Save Your Tears in the voices of artists who were popular in the 1980s like A-Ha, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, and George Michael. His Jimmy Somerville is spot on.

Lại Trần Ninh Kiềm, aka Killusion, is a Vietnamese performer who combines laser light shows with dance. In this brief video, you’ll get a small taste of his skills with a routine choreographed to Arius’ remix of Blinding Lights. Check out Killusion on Instagram and Tik Tok for more great performances, including Laserman.

If Bob Ross and Dr. Zoidberg had a kid, it might look something like this Cthulhu Chia Pet. H.P. Lovecraft’s creepy creature is ready to drive you insane with its beady eyes and tentacled face. Simply coat its head with the chia seeds, and in two weeks or less, your nightmares will come true.

Hammaka’s outdoor bed combines the comfort of a sleeping pad with the ability to hang it up as a hammock. Its inflatable pad can be adjusted to your desired firmness and can be used standalone on the ground as well. It measures 82″L x 35″W x 2.5″H and has a 300 lb weight capacity.

Seedlip developed the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits. Each botanical ingredient is distilled separately in a six-week maceration, distillation, filtration, and blending process, which yields a zero-calorie drink without alcohol and sugar. The Seedlip Trio is an ideal sampler for sophisticated mocktails.

A well-balanced top on a low-friction surface can spin for a long time. Brick Machines wanted to see if he could make a top spin indefinitely like the one in Inception by creating a motorized machine to get it up to speed. It took several iterations, but the final design and top combination turned in some very impressive spin times.

(PG-13: Language) Opposites attract, so naturally, punk-metal band GWAR and NPR hooked up for a Tiny Desk Concert. Blöthar the Berserker held court, saying they brought maestro Wilhelm Fartwrangler along to class things up, then plunged into a surprisingly blood-splatter-free set of Sex Cow, I’ll Be Your Monster, Ratcatcher, and Phantom Limb.

Mexico City is one of the world’s most dog-friendly cities, especially the charming Condesa neighborhood, where dogs outnumber people. At the pet-loving hotel Andaz Mexico City Condesa, canines live it up at the Rooftop Beer Garden & Canine Club. The indoor/outdoor hangout on the second-floor terrace caters to dogs and their humans.

Skateboarder Lance Lynn is an expert at riding on Freeskates, an unusual kind of roller skate that’s like a tiny skateboard for each foot. The have no foot straps, so he can take his feet off of them while riding to pull off some sweet tricks. More tiny Freeskating action here and here.

Just about anything can make a sound if you hit, rub, or touch it just right. Songs by Spencer recorded a bunch of random objects around his house, loaded them into a sampler, and layered them together to perform an original song about overcoming his insecurities.

There are booze cruises, then there’s the 40-week, 60,000 nautical-mile voyage taken by American white oak barrels carrying what would become Goslings Spirited Seas Ocean Aged Rum. Goslings is the Official Rum of US Sailing, so the experiment kinda makes sense. Regardless, the Goslings Spirited Seas rum blend really floats our boat.

Engineering geeks will get a kick out of this video from the Brick Experiment Channel. Using LEGO Technic components, they demonstrated various mechanical principles, including a Schmidt coupling, a Scotch yoke, and a Chebyshev lambda linkage. Even if you don’t know what any of that means, it’s fun to watch.

When Astral Tequila Blanco debuted, it was practically written in the stars that they’d eventually launch two more affordable offerings: Astral Tequila Reposado and Astral Tequila Añejo. For just a couple extra bucks, go for the Añejo, a mellow 100% Blue Weber agave spirit aged 12 months in single-use American Oak Bourbon barrels.

Artist Isaac Dushku loves maps so much that he goes by the nickname Lord of Maps. After making a Highest Mountains Print that shows the tallest mountains in each US state, he teamed up with his brothers Gideon and Alex to create a book that captures the same idea using cutout pages. The Highpoints has a lay-flat binding for easy coffee-table viewing.

Video game and console collector Tristan Ibarra follows up his Video Game Field Guide with a four-volume compendium packed with nearly 2400 pages of consoles, handhelds, tabletops, and checklists for thousands of games, both popular and rare. Available in digital or hardcopy editions.

Beatboxer SO-SO presents a fun, multi-part performance inspired by the world of Super Mario. There are tributes to Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart, Luigi’s Mansion, Donkey Kong Country, and more. The energy level by the end of the medley is off the charts. It’s a must-listen for Nintendo fans.

Algal the Bard presents a bardcore cover version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ track Under the Bridge. Anthony Kiedis’ vocals have been replaced with a penny whistle, with a lute-guitar, Irish bouzouki, and traditional drums taking on the instrumentation.

The Cure’s original drummer Lol Tolhurst, Siouxsie & the Banshees’ drummer Budgie, and producer Jacknife Lee teamed up and have an album on the way. The rhythmic title track, Los Angeles, just dropped and features vocals by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy. Stream the single or pre-order the album now. Video by John Liwag. (Thanks, Christian!)

When a cocktail is this substantial, it’s easy to justify a liquid lunch. For the Taquito-rita, JAJA Tequila took a classic margarita, added muddled jalapeños, and garnished it with a stack of Delimex Taquitos. Genius. The celery stalk makes it a balanced meal in a glass, and Go Puff’s kit makes it easy.

After building a hubless bicycle, inventor and maker The Q used his skills to create a similar pair of roller blades. He created their wheels using large ball bearings, which he wrapped with tire rubber and sandwiched between layers of steel to create a frame for each boot. They kind of look like tiny TRON lightcycles attached to his feet.

Metalworker Koss shows off a bold knife design with an angular profile, a thick blade, and a built-in knuckle guard. Rather than forging the blade, he started with a thick plate of high-carbon steel that he shaped using power tools and files. He crafted the handle scales from white G10, a strong fiberglass and epoxy composite.