Paul Wong: The Best
Taking in some form of the arts in every public space.
Chilling in the many waterfront parks.
Gourmet popsicles at the High Line.
Biking down the Hudson River Greenway in shorts and sandals!

The Worst
Even more stereotypical tourists.

I have heard and read great things about the High Line. Remind me to go visit next time I’m in town. What are some traits of a stereotypical tourist? Holding big maps in the middle of a busy sidewalk?
Yes! The High Line should not be missed.

Stereotypical tourists do everything in the middle of busy sidewalks — messing around with maps, cameras, fanny packs, or just milling around aimlessly. They always do it slowly and in a group. Then when someone shoves them aside they go home and tell their friends about the rude New Yorkers.

Your favorite spot to be at the moment?
The spot that I return to the most is the Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge. It’s right on the Hudson and it’s so peaceful and pretty there. I sometimes pack a lunch to enjoy by the river’s edge.

I just enjoyed a great view of the Fourth of July fireworks with local families, away from the mad crowds further downtown. This spot never fails me.

What are some things you can’t live without in New York?
1. Subways
2. My bike (and the great bike lanes)
3. 24-hour bodegas that all make incredible sandwiches
4. Xiao long bao
5. Starbucks (for the restrooms)
6. True diversity and open-mindedness

What is a typical day like for you?
I’ve been lucky so far not to have a ‘typical’ day. I freelance in different parts of town and also work at home, so things are always different. I’m currently on an extended break to enjoy the city, and have been exploring different neighbourhoods by bike.

My only constants right now are: showering, brushing teeth and feeding the cat.

Photographs: Paul Wong

Johnny Mei: You’ve recently moved to Chicago from California. How are you adjusting? Are you enjoying the skyline?
Quynh Pham: I kind of jumped off the deep end when I moved to Chicago by myself without really knowing anybody. I didn’t know anything about the city other than it being nicknamed the Windy City (and rightfully so). So I was immediately in an almost “panic zone” situation, but I had to adjust quickly and learned quite a bit in a short amount of time this way. I’m a winger.

As far as adjusting to the city, people, and lifestyle. I’ve actually found that I’m much more suited to this place rather than where I came from. Having lived nearly my whole life in California, of course, I didn’t realize that I didn’t belong there until I actually left. I love everything about Chicago. My place is about a 2 minute walk from the lake and I can see the downtown skyline from there. It still leaves me in awe every time I see it.

JM: You’re a self-taught designer and illustrator. You studied social work in university however. Do you remember the day that you made up your decision to go forward with the change?
QP: Some time in March last year. About 2 months before I actually moved. I had actually applied to a masters program for social work. I waited till the night before to fill out my application. When the day came and I handed it in, it became very apparent to me that I couldn’t go through with it and that I had to leave.

JM: Illustration plays a major part in your work so far. What do you use to draw? Pencil, pen, stylus, mouse?
QP: All of the above. More often than not it’s a combination of them. I’d sketch in pencil or ink. Then bring it into illustrator or photoshop, in which I’d use the mouse and stylus/tablet. But if it’s just doodling for leisure, I almost always only use my black Pilot pen. I had a 20-pack of them, but I’ve somehow managed to misplace 18.

JM: Animals, food, and shoes. These are some of the recurring elements in your professional and personal work. First, what’s your favorite animal?
QP: I don’t have a favorite animal, although the ones that are fluffy and cute are higher up on my likable list.

JM: Food. What did you eat today?
QP: Stir fried noodles. A mini muffin. Iced milk tea. One wheat cracker. Some more leftover noodles and roast duck. Three pieces of dark chocolate. Some steamed taro root with condensed milk. A slice of green tea cake.

JM: Which pair of shoes are you wearing most often now?
QP: Depends on the weather. When it’s chilly like it is now, I wear my leather oxford boots the most.

JM: What is on the last page of your sketchbook?
QP: An armless legless girl.

Publication selections by Paul Maeda:
• +81: plus81.com
• Colors: colorsmagazine.com
• graniph: graniph.com
• Big: bigmagazine.com
• TRACE: trace212.com
• blag: blagmagazine.com
• Grafik: grafikmag.com
• Baseline: baselinemagazine.com
• Idea: idea-mag.com
• Uniqlo Paper: uniqlo.archive.tha.jp

+81, Issue 40, May 25, 2008

Colors, Issue 57, Aug./Sept. 2003

graniph, Issue 1, May 1, 2005

Big, Issue 40

TRACE, Issue 35, 2002

blag, 1999

Grafik, Issue 128, May 2005

Baseline, Issue 35, 2001

Idea vs. The Designers Republic, September 28, 2001

Uniqlo Paper No. 1, Fall/Winter 2006

A film by Michal Janicki.

Traffic report: episode 2

Johnny Mei: Favorite food combination?
Kristen Williams: Potato chips & hot sauce.

What was unexpectedly delicious?
Bacon flavored cupcakes.

Trying once was enough?
Liver & onions.

What is always in your fridge?
Milk.

Favorite childhood food?
French fries.

What does a dollar bill get you from the vending machine?
Trail mix.

Big Apple: egg white omelets w/ spinach and mushrooms, w/ sliced tomato on the side

Harold's Chicken Shack: six wing dinner w/ mild sauce

The Marriott: two shots of 1800 Silver

Walgreens: sushi

Subway: minestrone soup

Chick-fil-A: chicken sandwich w/ fries

Illustrations: Kristen Williams

Keith Streble is a designer who is handy with bikes, words, and simplicity. He recently traveled 3,240 miles by train to clear his head and enjoy the discovery that comes with patience. Along the way he noticed a relationship between distraction and creativity.

I’ve been surrounded by people all my life.

But I do my best work in seclusion.

Things get figured out.

Moments of silence and boredom only bring misunderstanding.

To those who misunderstand.

But clarity to the last time I’ve been lost in wonder.

Push the conditioning aside.

And know this.

The more we are together, the less you should expect from me.

Only the simplest can make it all clear.

Remnants of our better selves are still around.

We’ve just forgotten.

Buried under layers of today.

Text and photographs: Keith Streble
Illustration: Johnny Mei

Johnny Mei: You’ve recently moved to Los Angeles. How big of a change is that for you compared to Chicago?
Zarah Delrosario: I enjoy the fact that this question is about change rather than whether or not I like or dislike Los Angeles. Chicago was my home since I was five years old, having immigrated with my family from Samar. Chicago and I have history. It’s almost unfair to compare it to Los Angeles, which has only been my home for a mere four months. The comparison can be likened to leaving a very long and deep relationship with someone, and juxtaposing every relationship you have afterwards to antecedents of memories that only have time as its glorifying factor. I have a connection with Chicago because of time. I grew up playing with Serbian and Indian children, riding bikes in the alleys of West Roger’s park. In high school, my friends would shop for fishnet stockings on Belmont Ave, go to Catholic School, and study religion while losing it at home. My first kiss was with a skateboarding punk with a tongue ring. He taught me to ride in between moving train cars on the Red Line ‘L.’ Chicago was where snow storms happened. People were laid back, no nonsense, and practical.

Out here, sunshine happens all the time. Sometimes, even when it’s still cold. There are no elevated trains to break the rules on. No riding in between train cars so you can see the city up high while moving fast. The palm trees don’t turn orange. They fall together in brown piles. It’s both depressing with its lack of transition and beautiful. The alleys attached to other alleys, that run in grid-like patterns are missing. This time around, there’s no backyard for me. There’s stone, a parking garage, a pool, and uneven ground. In my neighborhood, people shed their practicality for style; the heels are high, the boots are long, there is a modus operandi to hair and wear. The young look like they’re all around the same age. It’s like the palm trees. Transition is missing. However, none of the differences are a deal-breaker for me. It’s just an unfamiliar atmosphere—a carefree, do what you want with leisure, time, and sun. Recurrently, I feel detached and lonely, but I understand where it’s coming from and can’t blame the city. If anything, Los Angeles is giving me a chance that Chicago was unable to give me, which is to see things from a different angle even if the road is uneven and the ground full of hills.

JM: What happens to you on a typical day?
ZD: I think of pool. I dream of playing pool. Although, I have to admit that lately I’ve also been dreaming about hugging ghosts, feeding seagulls shelled fish, and earthquakes. I wake up. Feel empty. Have coffee. Think of pool. Play pool.

If it’s a day that I can’t shoot. I look at billiard diagrams. Think of pool. Watch pool online. When I tire of that, I draw, take pictures, or read about anything. Today it was nihilism. Yesterday, it was an article on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Medieval Knights. Life has been selfishly introspective lately. Too much time by myself maybe.

I go to sleep.

JM: What’s on your playlist right now?
ZD: AA Bondy – I Can See the Pines are Dancing
Rachael Yamagata – Meet Me By the Water
Mesita – Excited For The Future
Ladyhawke – Better Than Sunday
Love of Diagrams – Look Out
Wolf Parade – I’ll Believe in Anything
Zero 7 – Swing

JM: What do you see happening in the next 30 days?
ZD: The pessimist says, “Different day, same jeans.”

The optimist says, … the optimist… hmmm… okay. The optimist sees me channeling optimism for the next 30 days.

Seriously, I try to avoid seeing things further than today; which has gotten me into trouble but you really can’t plan to hit every curve ball. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen and feel that you’re prepared for it, something comes up and hits you at a different angle. What I can hope to see happen in the next 30 days is more sunshine, maybe have an unpredictable conversation with someone, go somewhere far and not tell anybody, and possibly find a new good friend.

That’s it I guess.

Photographs: Zarah Delrosario

This month’s playlist is brought to you by:

Paul Maeda
Johnny Mei
Keith Streble
Reina Takahashi

Paper cut illustration: Reina Takahashi

This month’s playlist is brought to you by:

Adnan Aličušić
Glenn Chan
Carol Chu
Johnny Mei

Animation: Johnny Mei