The Usual Montauk Issue Two

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A Love Letter to Montauk / Endless Summer 2011 $ FREE FOR YOU. TAKE ONE AND PASS IT ON.

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Mapping MONTAUK’S UNUSUAL 02 / Greetings from Margaritaville with SAVANNAH BUFFETT 03 / Surf Legend TOM CURREN’S RETRO REVOLUTION 04 / Mantauk with RED HOT CHILI PEPPER'S CHAD SMITH 07 / Photo Essay: Bumming Around with RACHEL CHANDLER 08 / Stauker: STALKING ECO FASHION DESIGNER ROGAN11 / Artist DAVID MATTERHORN'S DEADLY DASHES 13 / Q&A with THE POSTELLES 13 / My Fishing Village is Better Than Your Fishing Village: PADSTOW VS. MONTAUK 14 / History Lesson: MAD SCIENTIST15

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CUT THE MAP OUT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY. PLEASE DON’T LIT TER!

MONTAUK GOLF COURSE: A GREAT, SLIGHTLY-HIDDEN TREASURE, IS THE MTK GOLF COURSE. EVERYONE IS USUALLY TOO BUSY TRYING TO PADDLE OUT ON A 6 FOOTER TO STOP AND PLAY AND A CIVILIZED GAME OF GOLF. ALWAYS EMPTY.

MONTAUK: OUR FAVORITE COORDINATES IN THE WORLD

41°2’18”N 71°57’2”W

50 SOUTH FAIRVIEW AVENUE

NAPEGUE BAY: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A GOOD SPOT FOR WIND SURFING AND KITE BOARDING, OR TO WATCH GUYS THAT DO THAT, HEAD STRAIGHT TO HERE, AND BLOW THAT SHIT UP.

MONTAUK LIGHTHOUSE: YOU HAVE TO DO IT. JUST GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY.

BUENOS DIOS VINTAGE: STOP YOUR SEARCH ON EBAY FOR THOSE 80S STYLE BOARD SHORTS. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN BUENOS DIOS VINTAGE. 6 SOUTH ELMWOOD AVENUE

WHALEBONE CREATIVE: AFTER YOU KITE BOARD ALL OVER THE BAY, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO CARRY SOME GEAR IN A "MURSE." FOR THE BEST DESIGNED ONE HEAD TO WHALEBONE CREATIVE.

MONTAUK POINT STATE PARKWAY

FORTRESS: AS A SURFER IN MONTAUK, I'M TOTALLY AGAINST THIS PUBLICATION TELLING YOU WHERE ONE OF THE BEST SECRET SURF SPOTS IS. BUT NOW THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU A HINT, WATCH OUT FOR TICK BITES! NOT TELLING YOU

65 TUTHILL ROAD

BINGO THURSDAY'S AT RUSCHMEYER'S: THESE GUYS TAKE THE GAME TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. AND THERE'S A BINGO DANCE OFF TO BOOT. 161 SECOND HOUSE ROAD

MONTAUK PROJECT: MONTAUK'S BEST KEPT SECRET (AND THERE ARE A LOT) IS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THE "MONTAUK PROJECT." GET YOUR FOX MULDER ON AND TRY TO FIND OUT ABOUT ALIEN COMMUNICATION AND THE MIND CONTROL EXPERIMENTS FROM THE 50S AT THIS INFAMOUS SITE. THE TRUTH IS SCARIER THAN YOU THINK. ALLEGEDLY AT CAMP HERO STATE PARK

SOUTH EDISON, $1 OYSTERS AT HAPPY HOUR: THIS MAP SHOULD BE YOUR INCENTIVE TO FINALLY GO TO THE RESTAURANT EVERYONE'S RAVING ABOUT BUT YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN OFF YOUR BUTT TO ACTUALLY GO TO. 17 SOUTH EDISON STREET

DEAD MAN'S COVE: IF YOU'RE A "LAW AND ORDER: SVU" NUT OR JUST WATCH A LOT OF THE "INVESTIGATIVE ID" CHANNEL, YOU'LL BE INTO THIS SITE WHERE MYSTERIOUSLY IN 1876 18 DEAD BODIES WASHED ASHORE, INCLUDING 10 SHINNECOCK INDIANS. IT'S TIME THIS COLD CASE GOT SOLVED!

"MAN UP" CLASS AT LOVE YOGA: IF YOUR BACK IS OUT FROM HITTING TOO MANY RIPPERS AT DITCH, THE BEST WAY TO ROLL THAT OUT IS WITH THIS CLASS. ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'D WANT TO MISS ALL THE LOVELY LADIES WHO ARE IN ALL THE OTHER CLASSES. 83 SOUTH ELMWOOD AVENUE

DITCH PLAINS: MONTAUK'S MOST POPULAR SURF SPOT. WATCH HORDES OF PEOPLE TRY TO BE KELLY SLATER, BUT END UP LOOKING LIKE KELLY OSBOURNE. DITCH PLAINS ROAD

OUR ALTERNATIVE GUIDE TO THE EASTERNMOST TIP OF LONG ISLAND

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TEXT: SETH HERZOG, TWITTER.COM /THEZO

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Scale 1600 feet to the inch.

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We've been killing it this summer. And by killing it we mean we've been at Jimmy's surfboard ding repair more times than we can count. But when not there, we've been getting to know more of the people and places that make the easternmost tip of Long Island so special. With Issue 1 we wrote our first "love letter to Montauk," and suprisingly no one actually used it as a birdcage liner (that we know of) and only one person threatened to run us out of town.

Now for our second installment we interviewed surf pioneer Tom Curren; Montauk's loudest local: Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith; daughter of island music royalty Savannah Buffett; and fashion designer Rogan. Rachel Chandler

photographed the babes of Ditch Plains; local artist David Matterhorn pondered the meaning of time; the Fat Radish/ Ruschmeyer's restauranteurs debated Padstow, UK versus Montauk - who's fishing village is better?; and we visit the lab where the infamous Sea Monkeys were "invented" by the area's first Jewish neo-Nazi. If all of this isn't enough to entertain you during a day on the beach, we don't know what will.

This is our last issue of summer 2011. We might not be surfing through the darkest months of the winter, but we’ll still be hard at work creating content for The Usual 2012 and posting extended interviews and photo essays on www.theusualmontauk.com.

INTERVIEW

GREETINGS FROM MARGARITAVILLE WITH ISLAND MUSIC LOVER SAVANNAH BUFFETT

As the daughter of the legendary “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett, Savannah Buffett was born into island music royalty. It’s no surprise then that she would fall into the business as a DJ, consultant and host of her own radio show, "Savannah Daydreamin' Radio Hour," on Satellite’s Sirius/XM. She’s also currently working on a clothing line, A1A, inspired by the state of Florida, where she lives when she’s not at her father’s “man cave” in Montauk.

You lived in L.A. for a while when you were younger. Tell me about your experience there.

I lived in L.A. with Adam Levine and also

James Valentine from Maroon 5 and Sam Farrar, who was in Phantom Planet. I was the one girl and I was like the den mother.

We had a stand-up comedian, a BMX biker, and an artist. It was basically like running a musical frat house. We had a recording studio in the back that we built, but nobody was famous yet. Adam couldn’t afford rent, so I basically subsidized him for a couple of years. I just had faith in them.

Regardless of your father, you’ve always been involved in music – is that something you felt came naturally to you?

Yeah, I mean growing up in it, maybe that was the way it was always going to end up.

I didn’t really have a choice. I was always really into music from the time I was young.

The first concert I remember seeing was Victory Tour in Denver. I think I was six. I just always had a certain ear – so as much as I tried to steer away from the music business, it’s pretty pervasive in my life. I almost wanted to stay away from it because I loved it so much, I wanted to keep it precious; but then as I got a little older, I realized I could incorporate everything.

Do you remember some of your first memories being on tour with your dad?

I sort of grew up on the road. My first memories with him are always traveling with him, going to different cities. I love going on the road. Especially the way my father does it, getting to know America and American cities. My dad spent so much time touring

before and after I was born that he knows every city and has a story and a restaurant and a friend and a bar...in every city. It was a different time for him because to get your music out to people back then, the only way to do that was to take your music to them. So he toured endlessly. There was no Internet.

Did you ever want to be in a band?

I think at some point everyone wants to be a musician. And all musicians want to be actors, and so on. But I’m actually a little self-conscious about it. I don’t know what it is because I know a lot of kids [with the same upbringing] and that’s what they do: they become singers and they sound like their dad. But maybe for me there was too much pressure or expectation.

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Clockwise from top: Osprey, Montauk; Herb Ritts photograph from Rolling Stone, 1987; With Skip Frye fish, Outer Hebrides, Scotland; "Chairman of the Board," Rolling Stone, 1987, photo by Herb Ritts; With old Scotsman, Stones of Callinish, 9/11/01; opposite page: Outer Hebrides, Scotland.

PHOTOS : IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR: JOE CURREN PHOTOGRAPHED HIS BROTHER TOM WHILE TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD.

FOUR

FEATURE INTERVIEW

CHECKING IN ON SURF REVOLUTIONARY TOM CURREN

Surf legend Tom Curren doesn’t have a favorite spot in Montauk to surf, but we’re trying not to take that personally.

Admittedly, the waves are just a little too small and inconsistent for this Santa Barbara native. But that hasn’t stopped him from visiting often – to play live shows (a passion of his since he was a teenager) or for the “enthusiasm” – a term of endearment we’d never expect a Californian to use on us salty New Yorkers. The three-time ASP World Champion – who took home his last title in 1993 on a secondhand 5’5" 1970 Rick twin-fin – pioneered a new era of wave riding with a retro feel. To this day, Tom Curren remains one of the most revered surfers of all time, so we couldn’t help swoon a little bit when he agreed to the interview below.

I think style is just technique, really. It comes as you work on it, just like anything else – like with doing tricks. Just about anybody that surfs well now can have their own technique and that keeps it interesting.

I read an interview with your daughter [pro surfer Lee Ann Curren], who mentioned that you were in a band together. Do you prefer to play solo or to collaborate?

My daughter is pretty good. She plays the

Yeah, actually, it was the same kind of thing.

He was available to me, and helped me out in a few situations; but not really with giving me instruction, it was more just being there.

You took a hiatus from competitive surfing for a while. What was it about the industry or competition that inspired the break?

I was just doing a lot of traveling to contests, and I took a break from that and then started to travel to do filming and surf on my own

What boards have you been riding lately?

Channel Islands boards are pretty much what I ride – these days it’s been some of the newer models.

What’s your favorite surf spot in Montauk?

I don’t actually have a favorite. I haven’t ever gotten it very good – it’s pretty small. But we go to Ditch and that’s kind of the spot. It kind of seems like it’s the most local place to surf in the Northeast. It’s just a nice place.

Are you ever out with a long-board?

Yeah, a little bit. Not too much, but here in Santa Barbara we get really good long board waves, and in the summertime it’s really a good time to do that; but mostly I just short board.

Is it as fun for you to come back to the East Coast and surf, given that the waves are so much better in California?

Oh, totally. It’s super fun, and the enthusiasm is really remarkable. Especially for us, it seems like it’s a good all-around vibe.

You've played The Surf Lodge a couple of times, when you've come to town. How often do you play music live?

It depends, but more and more I’m kind of in between surfing and music right now. The Surf Lodge is a nice place, and those guys are really supportive. It’s definitely a good place to stop in.

How much do these two passions feed each other? Is music important for your creativity as a surfer?

Sure. It’s something that I really enjoy doing.

Surfing is always the best, but music is definitely fun and there are a lot of satisfying moments in that as well.

You are often called a “transcendent surfer.”

Is that an appropriate description?

I think that’s pretty generous. That’s a really nice thing to say. I don’t quite know what that means, but I always try to surf with good style, so I think that has something to do with it.

How much is a style formed and how much comes naturally?

Actually, I think they already do have all that in place. I don’t know if they’ve ever done the actual testing, but they have it in the rule books. I think mostly the issue isn’t really steroids, or that sort of thing. It’s the parties – the parties and drugs and that sort of thing. As far as I know, the situation with the guys competing is that if there’s anything going on, it’s very minimal. I mean, I don’t actually follow the tour, so I don’t really know who’s doing what. But overall, as far as I can tell, nobody’s doing drugs and competing, so that’s not really an issue.

It’s just the partying and going out and all that. I don’t know where ASP can go in and address that. But I think it’s probably better to ask somebody who’s really seasoned in exactly what happens. All I can say is that the testing is there as an option, so people are being careful and not getting involved with performance-enhancing drugs.

What’s your favorite all-time spot to surf?

The place near where I live in Santa Barbara is a really good spot. The waves aren’t so consistent; but when they do break it’s pretty special.

bass guitar. She started when she was little.

It’s been a lot of fun to play with her, and my other kids also play. I actually prefer to play in a band, but that doesn’t happen that often.

But it’s way more fun.

Did you teach your kids to play music?

A little bit, but mostly they taught themselves.

and look for really good waves. So that was sort of a shift for me - that expression and the change of pace. So I didn’t really focus on the contests too much- but I did come back and did one year, I just kind of kept up with the filming after that.

But you must have taught them to surf?

Sort of- but not really. They were just always in the water, so they developed. I told them a few things without overstepping. Sometimes you see that they need a little advice or you try to tell them one or two things. It’s better to just be less of a burden and be around for them just in case or when they actually need help, but they mostly learned on their own.

Andy Irons’ death brought to light issues of drugs and alcohol within the surf community. Do you think it’s the surf media’s responsibility to talk about how this is a problem more than it does?

You know I found out [about his death] like everyone else and it was really sad. I think that it’s always the case of “Oh we should have known,” or “We should have done more.” It’s always something like that, but it’s just a tragedy.

Did you learn from your father [big wave rider Pat Curren] or was it the same kind of thing?

As surfing is being taken more seriously as a mainstream sport, do you believe drug testing should be implemented at contests?

When you first started surfing, the sport and the culture in general were a lot different than they are today. Now that it’s more popular – do you see this as a good thing?

Yeah, I think it’s a good thing. It can be a little more crowded, but overall I think it’s pretty good. When you surf – you can’t help it – you just want to share it. That’s kind of what’s happening. Of course, the downside to that is that the lineups are more crowded than they used to be; but I think the good points outweigh the bad. Sometimes you have to be happy surfing in crowds or surfing in waves that aren’t as good; but overall, I think it’s its rise in popularity is better.

Hopefully we’ll see Tom Curren back in the overcrowded waters at Ditch soon; but in the meantime check out his music at www.myspace.com/surfingchyyeaaa.

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MANTAUK:

CHAD SMITH, DRUMMER OF THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, IS MONTAUK'S LOUDEST LOCAL

By Ken Miller

Chad Smith has two homes, five kids, one celebrity twin, and more musical side projects than anyone could reasonably keep track of. Most famously, he has been the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers for 25 years. A Midwest native, Smith grew up listening to both classic Detroit funk and that city’s furious hard rock groups. Somehow, he also developed a fondness for living on the beach – and as a longtime Montauk resident, he’s equally committed to maintaining the town’s 1970s beach town vibe.

for the same peace and honesty that our music is about. You'd be hard pressed to find a band that writes in the peaceful honest way we do-completely together in one room, super organic, no hierarchy, all democratictrying to reach that musical goal of all being in the moment.

What first brought you to Montauk?

My wife grew up out here - I think she just knew I'd fall in love with it here over any other Hampton town. It’s the laid back, low key, unpretentious life in Montauk that speaks to me. Plus, I love the Irish! And they used to be everywhere here. Come back!

What are some of your favorite beach songs?

Definitely "The Ocean" (of course!) by Led Zeppelin and "California Dreaming" by The Mama's & the Papa's (I parlayed that song into something that helped me convince my wife to move west!).

What enticed you to stay?

We found a little place with a face only a mother could love and my wife made it Home. Our children think this is the best place on earth all year round. We were also fortunate to be neighbors with some very longtime local Montauk families and that has only encouraged our commitment to preserving Montauk as they grew up knowing it.

Most people think of you as a Californian and would be surprised to know you have a house here. What amount of time do you spend on each coast?

I'm so busy I can only be here in between tour legs. It's a haul from wherever you are in the world, but it's so worth it!

Growing up in the Midwest, were you more influenced by Detroit funk or hard rock?

Both . . . and everything in between. God bless the Motor City!

Describe the first time you played with Flea.

It was an explosion, like a bomb went off in the room, I swear to God. We don't have a ton of verbal musical conversations; we have an amazing telepathy that can come only from playing together almost 25 years. Yes, he and I have played a lot of notes together.

Red Hot Chili Peppers have recorded with Rick Rubin and one of the Beach Boys. What role does surfing and surf culture have in your music?

Ha! Surfing and sobriety kinda go together, don't they? There are a lot of people searching

RHCP has already had a couple of huge all time radio hits. What keeps you motivated?

Playing music is what I was put on this planet to do. . . there is no greater motivator.

I'm so lucky.

You have five kids- how do you balance that with touring?

I see my children as often as I can, and we all have Skype accounts, thankfully!

My children are each delightful growing individuals and I am honored to walk this earth with them.

Are you nervous or excited about getting back to touring?

Are you kidding me? (Laughs) This is what I do! It’s my oxygen. I love it and we are so excited to play our new album for the world.

In your spare time, you record with a lot of young bands, do they teach you anything or do you teach them?

There's a great band from New York City, called Outernational that Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine) and I produced recently. It was a blast soaking up their energy and maybe I gave them some wisdom! (Laughs) Since you also play with a lot of classic rock musicians, is there anyone who has particularly inspired or influenced you?

I grew up an English hard rock/blues junkie. Deep Purple, Zep, Cream, Sabbath, Humble Pie, Queen and The Who – those were my early favorites. Still love ‘em.

Is it possible to get a decent taco on the East Coast?

Not yet and we are still holding out for the Ditch Witch! Though Joni's makes a mean breakfast burrito.

Do you get asked about hats in every interview?

Not as much as I get asked about my twin brother [Will Ferrell] separated at birth.

Chad Smith, image by Wendy Bird via www.flickr.com; Chad Smith's play-along transcription book of his video, "Red Hot Rhythm Method;" Chad Smith and his Grammy's via www.drummerworld.com

SEVEN

BUMMING AROUND MONTAUK WITH PURPLE MAGAZINE AND VOGUE PHOTOGRAPHER RACHEL CHANDLER

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STAUK ER*

ROGAN PUTS A SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS TOUCH ON EVERYTHING HE DESIGNS *STALKING OUR FAVORITE MONTAUK RESIDENTS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO

Even if you don’t know Rogan, you’ve probably seen his ride – a matte black Volvo sedan – driving around town. His car exudes a particular style: sleek, urban, yet down to earth (Volvo, anyone?). This description also aptly describes the aesthetic of the fashion designer, his eponymous clothing line, and that of Loomstate – his more environmentally focused brand. Always one to experiment creatively, for this feature Rogan proposed the idea of photographing Montauk's present-day evolution, through the eyes of his best friend- his dog Choncho. And because we're suckers for anything quirky, we said yes.

Why are you having your dog take the photos for this piece if it’s your interview?

Choncho hasn’t been properly represented.

He represents a group of Montauk dogs that haven’t been accurately portrayed (laughs).

He’s not a wild animal. He’s a city dog.

When did you first start coming to Montauk?

Twelve to 15 years ago. I’m kind of like Choncho in that I can deal with the city, but not unless I have somewhere to go that is wilder and not as confining. And the ocean is more accessible here than in the city. It helps me cope with the city.

I couldn’t find clothing that I thought was very interesting. So I just kind of created a genre of clothing that made sense for me at the time. I didn’t have huge business aspirations in mind. I just thought I was going to make things that made sense. To put it simply: Rogan is a city-oriented line; Loomstate is my nature-obsessed line. It’s hard to do both when you’re in the city. So we have two groups for dueling lifestyles.

Loomstate extends to different creative media like the 41 Strings show you just held with Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Is it important for the brand to reach out to other creative pursuits?

Absolutely! That’s the stimulus for the whole thing. Like I was saying, Loomstate, in particular, is that convergence of different mediums: music, clothing, design, surf, and food; it's all connected: whether it is the manufacturing process or the cultural connections.

Meaning?

Usually a bottom line is: are we profitable or are we not profitable? And we obviously have to be profitable, but we’re also considering the environmental and social impact of what we do as part of the equation. So that’s just a way that we choose to do business. Going forward everyone is going to have to consider those things: who’s suffering as a result of the decision you’re making right now; who’s benefiting; who’s getting screwed.

Is that how you consider the two lifestyles – as dueling?

They are merging, more and more. The quality of life thing is becoming more important. For my partner Scott [Mackinlay Hahn] and me, we want to make people more aware of where things come from and where things are made – that’s always been important to us. I think people are getting in touch with a little more modesty and scale, after a decade of excess. It’s not about these giant mansions in the Hamptons, it’s about coming to Montauk, and I think people are The Loomstate line is made from 100% organic fabrics. What are some of the challenges you face working with materials like these?

It’s more expensive and it requires a lot more coordination and organization, because it isn’t just readily available. You have to make it happen: getting people to understand and educate themselves as to why it’s important.

It’s a lot easier to not worry about it, and I totally get that and appreciate that. But you’re discounting the future when you do that. To us, right this second, it might not seem like it matters: but to our kids, and to our kid’s kids, we’re doing things to this planet that are irreparable.

When did you first learn to surf?

I kind of started taking surfing more seriously when I stopped taking skateboarding and snowboarding seriously. That was about the time I started coming out here. Surfing might require stitches, but it doesn’t require surgery.

Did you move to New York with the intention of starting a clothing line?

No. I didn’t really have an intent to be honest. I just wanted to be somewhere that I felt like I would be at ease - somewhere that felt appropriate. At that point I was making earlier work and here I didn’t feel judged.

appreciating life’s more modest activities as opposed to the real excess. I love the idea that the only thing that’s out here is fishermen, and parkland and ocean. I mean East Hampton is moving east. So that’s what’s happening now. And that’s why it’s funny to have Choncho’s perspective- because from his point of view, nothing has changed.

You don’t think from his perspective, the garbage he sees on the ground or the cars he pees on are a bit fancier or different from a year ago?

That is a good point. That’s probably from his point of view how Montauk has changed.

How did the two lines, Rogan and Loomstate, first come about?

evolve to live in cities. For hundreds and thousands of years we lived in the woods.

So it’s important to reconnect yourself.

Montauk is a big part of my quality of life having that balance between the city energy and nature energy. It sounds cliché but I couldn’t survive without it.

Do you feel like you have to leave the city often to make living in New York still enjoyable?

I mean you can do it, but my perspective is that we didn’t evolve this way – we didn’t

Is this something you started thinking about long before you had a child?

Yeah. I mean, it’s a small thing, but I hate seeing trash at the beach. It’s a bummer when people just don’t give a fuck. People choose to behave how they want to; and I try never to pass judgment because I hate being judged, but that kind of disrespectful behavior is not cool.

Loomstate’s employment model began by working with a team in developing countries, like Tunisia and Peru, where jobs are most scarce. Is this still true today?

That is for sure a consideration and an aspiration, but things are changing constantly and people’s definition of sustainability is constantly evolving. As technology develops and things change and how economics in the world are working you kind of have to consider what I call a quadruple bottom line.

Is Rogan also using organic materials in the same way Loomstate is?

Yes. Put it this way: we make relatively small quantities at Rogan, so if there’s a fabric that I absolutely must have and they don’t make it organically – if it’s only like 50 pieces, then the aesthetic trumps the environmental impact. But that’s only with the small quantities. There’s a rationale behind it. In the end, you need clothing, but you don’t need expensive clothing. You need food, but you don’t need expensive or “arty food." So there’s an argument that as long as you’re being responsible about it, the aesthetic and the art sometimes trump our ability to make it perfectly sustainable.

Will you teach your daughter to surf?

You know, she’s kind of obsessed with water and swimming already, so I don’t think it’s going to be that much of a challenge. That’s all she talks about. She doesn’t have a large vocabulary but every other word is “agua.”

She will be two in December. They develop little personalities at birth.

You guys did the outfits for The Surf Lodge.

What was the approach to the design?

I worked with Rob [McKinley] and he had a vision for the aesthetic. We talked about that vision and came up with a design that he thought was appropriate, given the functional considerations. So there was an aesthetic component and a functional component.

Will the outfits stay for a while or will we see something new soon?

I think next year we’ll change it up to keep it interesting. Let’s see what Rob says.

To see more of the Loomstate x The Surf Lodge collab visit www.loomstate.org/surf-lodge.

ELEVEN

EVENTS

By our estimation we have a couple of good months left of summer, even though we'll probably still be in our bikinis - in denial - when frost starts to form on Fort Pond. By then we'll have collected more memories that can fit on one page. In the meantime, we bring you a few highlights from the season so far, from our new favorite place, Ruschmeyer's; as well as the events we have yet to look forward to.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

< PING PONG AT THE SAND BAR

< DAY TIME

LEGEND: SL: THE SURF LODGE. 183 SOUTH EDGEMERE ST

The Surf Lodge summer music series is presented by Svedka RM: RUSCHMEYER'S. 161 SECOND HOUSE RD EE: ELECTRIC EEL at RUSCHMEYER'S SE: SOLE EAST. 90 SECOND HOUSE RD

Sole East’s Cinema Under the Stars is presented by The Hamptons International Film Festival.

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SL: DUSTIN FRANKS 7–9 PM --------EE: BINGO THURSDAY'S WITH DJ DUSTIN FRANKS 10 PM

SL: DJ CHELSEA LEYLAND 7–9 PM --------EE: DJ DUSTIN FRANKS

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SL: DJ RENE LOPEZ 5–7 PM THE POSTELLES W/ MUSIC UNITES 7–9 PM DJ TITO CRUZ 10 PM --------RM: STRING DUO ON THE LAWN 6:30–8:30 PM

SL: DJ JACK LUBER 4–7 PM --------RM: BIM BOM AT THE POOL --------SE: CINEMA UNDER THE STARS

EE: DJ CHELSEA LEYLAND 10 PM–3 AM --------SE: AFTERNOON DJ + POOL PARTY

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RM: MOVIES ON THE LAWN 9 PM --------SE: MEXICAN MONDAYS

SL: DUSTIN FRANKS 7–9 PM --------EE: INDUSTRY NIGHT LIVE MUSIC

SL: NANCY ATLAS 6–8 PM

SL: DJ RENE LOPEZ 5–7 PM ALOE BLAAC 7–9 PM DJ TITO CRUZ 10 PM --------RM: STRING DUO ON THE LAWN 6:30–8:30 PM

SL: DJ JACK LUBER 4–7 PM BRETT DENNEN 7–9 PM --------RM: BIM BOM AT THE POOL --------SE: CINEMA UNDER THE STARS

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RM: MOVIES ON THE LAWN 9 PM --------SE: MEXICAN MONDAYS

SL: DUSTIN FRANKS 7–9 PM --------EE: INDUSTRY NIGHT LIVE MUSIC

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SL: DUSTIN FRANKS 7–9 PM --------EE: BINGO THURSDAY'S WITH DJ DUSTIN FRANKS 10 PM

SL: DJ CHELSEA LEYLAND 7–9 PM --------EE: DJ DUSTIN FRANKS

< UNLEASHING OUR INNER ARTIST

DJ DUSTIN FRANKS >

EE: DJ CHELSEA LEYLAND 10 PM–3 AM --------SE: AFTERNOON DJ + POOL PARTY

< NIGHT TIME

< GARY CL ARK JR. - WHAT A NIGHT!

NANCY ATL AS >

< A TEE PEE ON THE

L AWN BY TRACY FEITH < BALSA-WOOD AIRPL ANES BINGO! >

THE SURF LODGE SIGNATURE COCKTAIL < GREG LONG, SHELBY MEADE, TOM CURREN, AND DUSTIN FRANKS DJ CHELSEA LEYL AND >

* 3/4 oz fresh lime juice 3/4 oz agave syrup 1 oz fresh ginger (juiced in house) 2 oz Goslings Rum

Preparation: Shake and strain over ice. Top with Club Soda.

Garnish: lime wheel and candied ginger.

credit: Minas Kaliamouris

TWELVE

*(The Surf Lodge Usual!)

FEATURED ARTIST

IN ARTIST DAVID MATTERHORN'S WORLD, LIFE IS MORE THAN JUST A "DASH"

When David Matterhorn went to photograph Harry Houdini’s grave, his camera simply stopped working. It happened again at Aaliyah’s tombstone. In both instances, as soon as he left the site, the camera sprang back to life. This paranormal cockblocking could only occur after spending a sufficient amount of time lurking around cemeteries, which Matterhorn does frequently. The Montauk-based artist has spent the last three years on his ongoing photographic series documenting the tiny dash on tombstones that separate the birth and death dates of an individual.

life a focus on his misery, before adding, “life’s just a dash and it’s not that long.” This snapped Matterhorn out of his rut, and he’s been capturing life’s dashes on the graves of the well known and unknown through a macro lens ever since. The dashes of the Hamptons’ famous residents, such as Jackson Pollock, have been immortalized. Matterhorn has also traveled the world documenting everyone from Oscar Wilde to Joan of Arc. As for Aaliyah, who is buried in New York, Matterhorn’s camera worked without fail on his second visit to her grave, once he assured her they had mutual friends.

The inspiration for the project came one day when Matterhorn complained to a friend about his Lyme disease. His friend asked if Matterhorn wanted to make this part of his

For more information on David Matterhorn and to download the Dash app, visit www.davidmatterhorn.com.

Matterhorn’s interest in the dash led to the development of an iPhone app – the Matterhorn Dash Project – where users can measure their life span based on the very questions - 15 - insurance companies ask their clients. If all of this sounds a little morbid, Matterhorn insists on the contrary, that he's instead fixated on life. More specifically, however, the artist’s primary concern is the conceptual meaning of time. “What is time?” He asks everyone he encounters – interested in answers from both the living and the dead. His favorite reply so far was in the book "The Elegant Universe," by the cosmologist Brian Greene which said, “Time is so [that] everything doesn’t happen at once.”

Matterhorn himself tries not to come up with any specific conclusions about time, which is what keeps his artistic practice thriving.

Beginning September 14th, the sum of his efforts investigating life and time will be on view in Manhattan at John McWhinnie Gallery.

Top row: "Bruce Lee, 1940-1973"; "Easy E, 1963-1995"; "Gertrude Stein, 1874-1946"; "Martin Luther King, 1929-1968"; Bottom row: "Jackson Pollack, 1912-1956"; "Jam Master Jay, 1965-2002"; "Joan of Arc, 1412-1431"; "Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900" All images: C Print on dibond, 40x40" PHOTOS : DAVID MAT TERHORN

Q&A:

THE NEW YORK-BASED FOURSOME PLAY THE SURF LODGE ON AUGUST 27TH AS PART OF THE SVEDKA SUMMER MUSIC SERIES WHICH SIGNED THEM BEFORE THEY WENT INDIE. THE POSTELLES ARE NOW ENJOYING A TOURING SCHEDULE THAT IS TAKING THEIR “WHITE NIGHTS” TO CITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING AN AUGUST 27TH SHOW AT THE SURF LODGE. WE CHATTED WITH VOCALIST DANIEL BALK DURING A WELL-DESERVED BREAK FROM THE ROAD.

BORN AND BRED IN NEW YORK CITY, THE POSTELLES ARE A BURST OF ENERGY; THEIR PUNCHY POP ANTHEMS RARELY LASTING LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES. THEIR INFECTIOUS “WHITE NIGHTS” EP AND SUBSEQUENT FULL-LENGTH ALBUM EARNED THEM EARLY ATTENTION FROM THE STROKES’ GUITARIST ALBERT HAMMOND JR. AND CAPITOL RECORDS,

A lot of your songs sound like you guys spend a lot of time on the beach – but you’re really just a bunch of city boys.

Yeah, not really, the only beaches we spend time on are in places like Montauk. There are no beaches in Manhattan, or I haven’t found them at least. None of us surf, let’s put it that way.

The Postelles were on a major label for a while, but have since made the move to indie. How has the change been?

There are pros and cons for both. I like being on an indie label a lot more, in terms of being creative and being actual artists and writing songs. On a major label, you’re really not allowed to do anything without 50 people involved. It’s great because they give you a lot of money and you can sort of do whatever you want on tour – you have these huge budgets – and you act like you’re Coldplay (laughs). But that’s the only real positive thing about it. We got signed to a major label so quickly and early on as our existence as a band, that it was a good learning experience;because we learned what not to do and what was wrong. But we also screwed up a lot.

There are four guys in the band – that’s a lot of testosterone. Who would win if you guys got into a fistfight?

I would say John. our bassist, would win. When we go on tour, he does all the heavy lifting of all the

amps. He’s a nice guy, but if it came down to it, he’d definitely beat you up.

Who would win in a battle of wits?

It depends on the day. Maybe I have a little bit of an advantage with the lyrics … I could sort of go at it with anyone, but David, our guitarist does too.

What’s the meaning behind the song “White Night?”

“White Night” is basically about going out in New York. We were growing up in New York, and there were so many ways to get into trouble. In terms of the actual subject matter, if you’ve experienced it, then you’ll know exactly what it’s about. It’s probably the most to-the-point song on the album about the vices of New York. We’re still doing them – making all these mistakes and getting into trouble – the only difference now is that we’re doing them in different states and all over the country.

THIRTEEN

Ben Towill is no stranger to small fishing towns, having spent his formative years learning to cook in Cornwall, England, where his childhood friend Phil Winser was a frequent visitor.

Now, as the creators of the Lower East Side's farm-to-table restaurant Fat Radish, they are spending the summer in Montauk, perfecting the eclectic, seafood-heavy menu at Ruschmeyer's. While their new digs may be slightly more glamorous than blue collar Padstow, Cornwall, each village

has its own unparalleled charms. Having never been, or even heard of Padstow, we picked the restauranteur's brains to tell us who's fishing village is really better - Montauk or Padstow. The evidence was at times indiscernible, due to a thick accent and a liberal use of the Queen's English, so based on the information below, we'll let you be the judge as to who has the best catch, the biggest drinking problem, and the tastiest "cockles".

PHIL AND BEN

NOT ALWAYS WELCOMING TO NEWCOMERS WORKING CLASS FISHING TOWN HOME TO RICK STEIN

BRITAIN'S BIGGEST FISHING CHEF

SUNSCREEN DISCOURAGED

BRITS USE THEIR ONE BEACH DAY TO GET AS MUCH COLOR AS POSSIBLE, EVEN IF THAT MEANS TURNING A BRIGHT SHADE OF PINK

DECK CHAIRS DISCOURAGED NO WOMEN IN TOWN

IF YOU'RE A WOMAN AND BREATHING YOU'RE NOT SINGLE FOR LONG

HOT CORNISH PASTIES

ARE THE SEXIEST THING IN PADSTOW IN THE SUMMER

PHIL AND BEN HAVEN'T HAD MUCH LUCK WITH WOMEN IN PADSTOW "GET ON ME COCK"

IS THE EXPRESSION TO SAY HELLO

HOME OF COCKLES AND WINKLES ON "DARKIE DAY" RESIDENTS DRESS UP IN BLACKFACE AND SING MINSTREL SONGS HOME TO A MAY DAY CELEBRATION

THE TOWN BUILDS AN ANIMAL THAT IS HALF HORSE, HALF SEA CREATURE AND LOOKS LIKE THIS >

FOURTEEN

NOT ALWAYS WELCOMING TO NEWCOMERS WORKING CLASS FISHING TOWN HOME TO SAM TALBOT

NEW YORK'S HOTTEST "TOP CHEF" ALUM

SUNSCREEN ENCOURAGED

NEW YORKERS ARE SENSIBLE ABOUT THEIR TANNING EXPERIENCE

DECK CHAIRS ENCOURAGED LOTS OF WOMEN IN TOWN

GOOD LUCK GETTING ANYONE TO COMMIT

HOT LOCALS

ARE THE SEXIEST THINGS IN MONTAUK IN THE SUMMER

PHIL AND BEN HAVEN'T HAD MUCH LUCK WITH WOMEN IN MONTAUK "HEY DUDE"

IS THE EXPRESSION TO SAY HELLO

HOME OF THE LOBSTER ROLL NOTHING IN MONTAUK COMPARES TO HOW OUTRAGEOUS "DARKIE DAY" SOUNDS HOME TO THE MONTAUK MONSTER

HISTORY LESSON

COLOPHON

MONTAUK’S MOST FAMOUS INVENTOR WAS ALSO THE FIRST JEWISH MEMBER OF THE ARYAN NATION

Tucked away on a long dirt road, well past the train station and available only by coercing a modern day Rough Rider with a handlebar moustache and a kind smile to let us pass, is Montauk Marine Sciences Laboratory. The building’s dusty interior, visible by peering into an even dustier set of glass doors, looks like it hasn’t been inhabited in years. Faded welcome signs and indiscernible visitor information allude to a time that once was, with promises of marine-life discovery tours and insights into Montauk’s underwater crustacean community.

But the reason we’re really here, knocking on this tumbleweed infested exterior, is because this is the site where Sea-Monkeys – those tiny little brine and shrimp hybrids you may remember as a kid – were invented.

It all started in 1957 when Harold von Braunhut had discovered that brine shrimp were an anomaly of nature – able to live for long periods of time in “suspended animation”. It was in this form that the scientist developed and packaged them in his tiny Montauk laboratory. When stores

refused to sell his Sea-Monkeys he took out ads in comic books. Soon, his Monkeys became an overnight phenomena. In addition to his successful sea empire, von Braunhut had over 195 patents in all before his death in 2003– with every innovation more obscure than the first; X-Ray Specs promised users that they could see through clothing; Amazing Hair-Raising Monsters grew hair on a picture of a monster when water was added; there was even a Sea Monkey aphrodisiac. Von Braunhut’s other career aspirations included managing a man who would jump from 40 feet into a kiddie pool filled with 12 inches of water and selling “invisible” goldfish – with a 100% guarantee that owners would never see them.

If all of his ingenuity sounds like the makings of a science-fiction novel, von Braunhut’s personal life proved to be just as eccentric.

While the “scientist” was spending his days perfecting a new crustacean species, the Jewish New Yorker was also dabbling in the KKK and attending conferences for the Aryan Nation where he took part in cross burnings. He collected Nazi memorabilia and once said Hitler “just got bad press.”

There was also the time he loaned the Aryan Nation $12,000 so they could buy 83 firearms. In fact - if there ever was evidence of a more self-hating Jew - von Braunhut was actually born Harold Nathan Braunhut, but added the “von” to his name in the 1950s to sound more German.

children smile with his quirky toy inventions in Montauk – doing, involved with some of the most anti-Semitic organizations in the country? And equally as curious- what were these hate-mongers doing allowing a Jew into their exclusive club? Articles written on the subject speculate that for these groups it may have come down to the generous sums of money he contributed. Our expert research team, however, concludes that he had those X Ray glasses on for a few too many hours and dabbled in one too many mutating shrimp to be operating with a full deck.

Before he died at age 77, von Braunhut was developing a pet lobster, which had it worked out, wouldn’t have lasted too long in Montauk, given the area’s penchant for seafood. So while the world won’t see any more of this mad scientist’s creations, his legacy – as mysterious as his inventions – lives on, hidden away in a dust-covered laboratory behind where the LIRR takes you all the way to The End.

Von Braunhut vehemently denied his affiliation, however often evidence – such as a Los Angeles Times article describing a photo of him posing in a priest's collar in front of a Nazi flag – proved otherwise. So just what was this seemingly affable old man - who earned a fortune making American

Publishers: Ben Pundole/Robert McKinley King and Grove, Kingandgrove.com Editor: Yasha Wallin Creative Director/Designer: Emily Anderson Contributors: Will Adler, Rachel Chandler, Choncho, Joe Curren, Seth Herzog, Stefan Knecht, Ken Miller Special Thanks: Glenn Glasser, Trip Hosmer, Shelby Meade, Molly McCormick, Abe Wallin, Saturdays NYC Copy Editors/Proofreaders: Theodore Bouloukos, Jennifer Piejko Front and back cover images: Will Adler The Usual Issue #2 Summer 2011 Captain Kidds Path Montauk, NY 11954 info@theusualmontauk.com Printed in New York © 2011 The Usual The entire contents of The Usual is © copyrighted and may not be reproduced, either in whole or part, without written permission from the publisher.

Harold von Braunhut; Montauk Marine Sciences Laboratory, photos by Vivan Tang; Sea-Monkeys advertisement

CONTRIBUTERS Emily Anderson, Creative Director/Designer. Hailing from the UK, Emily emigrated to New York eight years ago to work in the New York art world and to surf warmer waves. She found her niche in advertising and now spends her week "Art directing the shit out of things." She lives between NYC and Montauk. Emily's favorite Montauk memory was when she found her ideal man: not only did the car he loan her for the summer work, it also came with roofrack and a valid parking permit. Let's see you do better.

Yasha Wallin, Editor. A native of California, Yasha’s background is in the New York art world, having run artist studios and galleries. Currently she is editor and writer of art, fashion and pop culture. Her work has appeared in the Guardian UK, Art in America, Hollywood Reporter, Interview Magazine, Paper Magazine, Flaunt, Heeb Magazine and Hintmag.com, among others. Yasha’s favorite Montauk memory was the time her friend Kyle proposed to his girlfriend with a sunburnt "Marry Me" on his chest.

Will Adler is a Santa Barbara, California-based photographer. He spent a good deal of time in Montauk this summer and for this issue, his images grace our front and back covers. More of his beautiful shots of women, water and the natural world can be found at www.willadler.com.

Rachel Chandler is a contributing editor and photographer at Vogue.com and an Editor-at-large at Purple Magazine. She also takes beautiful photographs. Rachel was born and raised in Los Angeles before coming to New York in 2005. She’s in Montauk “as often as possible” and her favorite memory from the area was “making out with my now boyfriend, for the first time, at Ditch Plains.” Rachel captured the babes of Ditch Plains for us. www.rachelchandler.tumblr.com.

Joe Curren is a photographer, writer and surfer. Youngest son of 1950s surfing pioneer Pat Curren, Joe uses his camera to capture profound, yet often-overlooked facets of the surfing journey and beyond. More of his photography can be seen at www.joecurren.com. Joe contributed photographs of his brother Tom Curren to accompany his interview.

Ken Miller is the editor and curator of several popular books of art and photography including "SHOOT" published with Rizzoli and "Revisionaries" published with Abrams Image. Previously, Ken was Editor-in-chief of Tokion magazine. In his spare time, Ken is a contributing writer for Interview, W, V, and The New York Times. Ken hasn't spent time in Montauk since he was a kid, but "apparently my folks went there before I was born and camped on a beach. In the morning they woke up and realized they'd camped on the beach where local kids went to 'makeout.' Gross!" Ken interviewed Chad Smith for this issue.

Seth Herzog is a popular comedian and actor. He has a recurring character on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and has had roles on "Best Week Ever,” among others. For the last seven years, he's produced a the popular Tuesday night show "Sweet" (which often features his Mom). Seth recalls, "A few years back I was writing a piece about finding the one girl actually from Montauk in the Playboy spread "Girls of Montauk." I spent three days looking. I had a Montauk brain trust meeting at Joni's. When I was about to leave town, I get a call that she was our waitress at Joni's that day. I raced back over, but alas she was already gone." For this issue, Seth made us laugh with his Montauk map.

FIFTEEN