Annuals and Manchester Orchestra Tour

by Josh Teixeira

Finishing up the last leg of their North American tour, Annuals and Manchester Orchestra have been bringing their intense style of melancholic indie rock to cities across the country for the last couple of months.

Cool Hunting was lucky enough to catch their Halloween performance in New York City. Featuring two of the best bands of their ilk that we've heard in a long time, the show, replete with costumes and plenty of stage dramatics, was a memorable one. Manchester Orchestra's melodramatically confessional anthems left more than a few mouths agape, and "amazing" was heard uttered more than once as the crowd milled around after their set. Annuals' eclectic urgency refused to be belied by their zombie costumes, and proved an suitably haunting end to the night.

Both bands are at the top of their game and are really redefining and reenergizing a well-established genre. If you're lucky enough to live in one of the cities left on their tour, do not miss out. You can pick up the Annuals' Frelen Mas and Manchester Orchestra's I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child at iTunes.

Reebok Timetanium

by Tim Yu

John Maeda, graphic designer, computer scientist, MIT professor and author of Laws of Simplicity, teamed up with Reebok to create the Timetanium Ventilator, a sneaker that's been getting attention lately for how it merges math, technology and nature into a wearable product. The sneaker is a representation of time, one of the most important mantras defined in Maeda’s book.

His handwritten code limns the insole of the sneaker and the graphic generated by the code is the complex design featured on the outsole. The heel is an intricate colorful design transitioning into a more simple, linear design towards the toe. Reactions to the look are mixed (including in CH HQ), but as a conceptual piece and an unusual collabo, we think they're worth checking out.

The Reebok Timetanium will be available exclusively on Reebok's customization website, for $150 starting today, 13 November 2007. Limited to 100 pairs you'll have act quick for any chance at owning one of Reebok's more innovative creations.

Check out a video of Maeda talking about the Ventilator here.

11 Women's Bags

by Ami Kealoha

by Christene Barberich and Piera Gelardi

With holiday globe-trotting right around the corner, we found it to be the perfect time to scour our favorite sources to bring you a range of bags that make keeping it together an easy feat. Take your pick from winter's chicest crop of handbags.

From left: Andarei Fede Black Patent Handbag, $550, at Revolve Clothing; Obesity and Speed Hobo Bag, $105, available at Obesity and Speed; Hope Envelope Clutch, $245, available in New York at Bird, 430 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-797-3776.

From left: BOYY Augustus Bag, $670, available at Boyy Club; Mike & Chris Langston bag in Whiskey, $745, available at Barneys New York; Barbour Waxed Cotton Utility Bag, $190, available in New York at Steven Alan.

See all 11 on Refinery29.

2007 New York Chocolate Show Roundup

by Evan Orensten

The New York Chocolate Show never disappoints, and the CH crew performed its annual search for the newest and tastiest chocolates. Our top four picks from this year's show are: Romanicos Chocolate from Miami, Oliver Kita Fine Confections from Rhinebeck, NY, Theo Chocolate from Seattle, and the Comptoir du Cacao from France.

Romanicos Chocolate is the creation of Alejandra Bijai, a Venezualian living in Miami. Her grandmother passed on the gift of truffle making, and Alejandra has evolved her skill into a force to be reckoned with. Romanicos is the most established of this group, and has made their name by not adding sugar or butter to their chocolates, which provides both a smoother, cleaner taste and also exceptionally good truffles that weigh in around 38 calories each (above). The Wild Coconut, Fresh Mint and Passion Caramel are tops. The "Chocolate Art" collection features "exotic" flavored chocolates with designs on top. We loved the Dulce de Leche for its over-the-top taste that wasn't too sweet. Their lactose free Healthy Artisan Chocolate Bars include innovative combinations like Salted Pisatchio and Nutmeg, Wasabi and Honey, and Soy Bean and Sea Salt.

Romanicos Chocolate
181 Coral Way Suite 116
Miami, FL 33145
USA
Tel +1 305.854.9936 Fax +1 877.848.4857

Oliver Kita Fine Confections is new on the scene. Oliver Kita, a well known caterer in Hudson Valley, NY recently opened this chocolate shop, where he and his team hand make a range of traditional chocolates—pralines, marzipan, bon bons, ganaches, truffles and caramels. We loved the Mint and Lemon Balm and Shiki Matcha Crunch truffles, and these solid chocolate buddhas (left), available in dark and milk chocolate, edible gold dust optional.

Oliver Kita Fine Confections
Astor Square
6815 Route 9
Rhinebeck, NY 12572
USA
Tel + 1 845.876.2665

Theo Chocolate is notable for their ingredients, process and results. Most people don't realize that nearly all chocolates are made from a chocolate base (known as couverture) that is made by companies such as Scharffen Berger, Valrhona, Guittard and Domori. Same stuff you see in the store. Very few independent chocolatiers go through the process of making their own couverture as it is complex, time consuming and difficult. Theo does, and they are the first to do so with Fair Trade Certified cocoa beans. They are also the only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the U.S. They produce single origin bars (the 91% Venezuela Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Bar is a rare, remarkably not bitter high percentage bar); Confections; and the quirky 3400 Phinney bars, which include the Bread and Dark Chocolate bar with toasted bread crumbs and 65% chocolate, and the Chai Milk Chocolate bar, with chai spices and black tea.

Theo Chocolate
3400 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
USA
Tel +1 206.632.5100 Fax +1 206.632.0413

Not bad so far. Ami and I worked our way through the chocolate fanatics and would have left the show quite happy with our new discoveries. And then we found the Comptoir du Cacao booth. This small family run chocolate company makes their chocolate about an hour outside of Paris (where they have a shop). Maybe it was the fact that they were in the States for the first time, and only a few people had the opportunity to discover them before us. Maybe it was the traditional/chic French wood boxes they packed their chocolates in. Or maybe it was the out-of-this-world <<Chocolat et cristaux croustillants de brisures de crêpe dentelle avec croustines Gianduja caramel au beurre salé>> (above right), bite size chocolate-covered crunchy bits with caramel, salted butter and crêpe dentelle (those very fine, rolled cookies that are often served with espresso in French cafés). These little delights got our vote for best in show. The family also makes many other tasty chocolates, and has a line with fair trade cocoa, and a line of chocolates made without sugar. Though not yet available stateside at retail, you can order them from the store or by using the downloadable order form.

Comptoir du Cacao
194, avenue de Versailles
75016 Paris
France
Tel 33 (0)1 42 24 09 58

Also on CH: Chocolate Show Roundup 2005