Though we’ve already got recycling bins and reusable kitchenware in our office, Flavorpill’s getting serious about going green this year. To teach HQ staffers more about saving energy and supporting earth-friendly solutions in our homes, on Friday we invited Melanie Chopko, an eco-expert from Community Energy and a Red Hook community gardener, to the office. She gave us the lowdown on ways to green our apartments, from switching our Con-Ed to wind energy to using fluorescent, long-lasting light bulbs. You can learn more online; for now, we’re getting ready for carbon-offsetting demos and composting on our roof.

In Flavorpill NYC this week, I spoke about my recent trials and balmy tribulations in getting my new A/C unit into my window. And, it appears my sweat was not all in vain! One faithful and informed reader wrote in with a detailed installation procedure, and the diagram you see above. So: if you find yourself in a similarly sweltering predicament, check out Dean’s advice, after the jump. And if you’ve got a horror story — or a remedy! — post it in the comments.

This was That Weekend. That one I’ve heard about from friends, warning me of my eventual fate: that scorching weekend when I would be forced to set up a window A/C unit. As a former Californian, I’ve languished in this city’s summer humidity for years, too cheap or stubborn to give up my meager fan. Last Saturday, I finally gave in. But nobody told me about all the sweaty obstacles I’d encounter on the road to a 70-degree living room. I hadn’t immediately considered the laborious, $20 cab ride required to get the A/C home from PC Richard & Son — or how the heck I was going to install it. People, is there enough cardboard and duct tape in Brooklyn to keep that thing from falling out my window? A central-air lover wants to know. (more…)

The FP staff was in rare form last night at LVHRD’s DNCHRD party/color contest at the Art Director’s Club on 29th Street. While I was in the building like Def Leppard at a bar mitzvah, Miguel’s moves slayed all the ladies, and the rest of team green just shook their glo-sticks like it was 1992. To relive the glory (OK, the purple team technically won at musical chairs — pffft, whatever!) or catch the spectacle for the first time, check out senior ed Anna B’s Flickr stream. Thanks to everyone who showed up to support Flavorpill, LVHRD, and the green team. If you’ve got choice shots from last night, drop us a link in the comments. Otherwise, nurse that hangover, and we’ll see you out again soon.

Earlier today, sometimes-Gawker editor (and erstwhile Flavorpill contributor — remember those days, Josh?) Joshua David Stein took a look at some Netflix queues, highlighting not necessarily the most viewed films of a particular zip code, but those that deviate from nationwide norms the most. Or something? We never did that great in stats class. Regardless, it’s a fun social examination (or “Urban Anthropology” as Josh calls it), so we thought we’d check out the top picks of Flavorpill cities. (more…)

This Friday, Flavorpill HQ is hosting a Jelly event. Forget about PB&Js for a moment: a Jelly is casual coworking — we invite people to work from our space for the day, providing chairs and sofas, wireless internet, and of course, interesting people to talk to, collaborate with, and bounce ideas off of (that would be us, your fearless Flavorpill employees). Jelly is a pretty cool way to engage in and give back to the cultural/tech/creative community by offering up a positive, free place to work for a day. If all goes well, folks will talk, connections will be made, and constructive things will come from it (like our next big hires, partners, etc.). Ten-to-twelve freelance/startup/creative types (our favorites!) will camp out around our conference room, and go about their day, working on all sorts of projects. Get the 411 on our guests, and stay tuned for a post-Jelly redux on our day.

Muzak blows. And at the headquarters of a culture publication whose mission is to keep you abreast of the Next Big Thing, there’s simply no excuse to play it in the office. To find out what we’ve been listening to (and to get hints on some picks for your iPod), check out our LastFM page. Top office hits include Neon Neon (Super Furry’s Gruff Rhys), MGMT, and the new Gnarls, Beach House, and Jamie Lidell albums. During our office-wide “quiet time,” we generally groove to jazz (think Coltrane and Charlie Parker), though today we jammed to an Andy Votel compilation. Plug in and rock out, readers! And don’t be too jealous about all those early album promos we get…

Some stories, some people, just inspire. Flavorpill friend Scott Harrison is living one such story, and came to HQ last night to tell us about his adventure, Charity: Water. A synopsis here would prove pretty impotent next to Scott’s words, so let’s just say that it was incredibly refreshing to see an original platform for magnanimous action. It’s rare to find a charity that a) sends 100% of donations to its cause, b) proves results to donors through direct cause-and-effect reportage, and c) presents and raises funds for its grassroots giving so ingeniously and, dare we say, stylishly? Charity: Water is dedicated to digging wells around Africa (and now, India and Bangladesh!), providing fresh water to hundreds of thousands. From extremely humble beginnings, in under three years the organization has grown by leaps and bounds. We’re proud to support its continued growth, and encourage you to learn more and give at www.charityis.org.

Flavorfile (noun): A weekly examination of Flavorpill employees’ personalities and preferences via 15 seemingly innocuous prompts.

MORGAN CRONEY:
Programmer and Math Artist

First Album: Nervous Night, The Hooters

Kryptonite: Office phone

Fantasy Supergroup: The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by P. Diddy with Paul Simon on vocals

Most Watched Movie: Caddyshack (1980)

Drunk Munchies: Whatever is left in the fridge, toasted.

Dance-Inducing Song: “Oh, What a Night” (The Four Seasons)

Zombie-Destroying Weapon of Choice: Mouse-trap

White Whale: An exact measure

Hero (Real or Fictional): Will Insley

Desert Island Accessory: Tape measure

I *heart* NY: Gavin Brown’s enterprise, The General Store, and Brooklyn Bridge Park

Least Favorite Color: #000000;

Coveted Piece of Art: A small piece by Paloma Crousillat. It’s yellow with purple text: “Plastic purple people.”

Most Braggable Book Read: A New Kind of Science (Stephen Wolfram)

Guilty Pleasure: Pain au chocolat

Flavorfile (noun): A weekly examination of Flavorpill employees’ personalities and preferences via 15 seemingly innocuous prompts.

ADDA BIRNIR:
Photo goddess

First Album: Talking Heads’ Speaking in Tongues, believe it or not. My friend’s mom gave this to me when I was like seven years old. Of course I had no idea who it was or why they were cool.

Kryptonite: Blue cheese

Fantasy Supergroup: Sandra Bernhard and Lily Tomlin co-starring in a musical

Most Watched Movie: Deconstructing Harry (1997)

Drunk Munchies: French Fries, Buffalo Wings

Dance-Inducing Song: “Major Tom” (Peter Schilling)

Zombie-Destroying Weapon of Choice: Water

White Whale: A reasonably priced artist studio

Hero (Real or Fictional): Angela Davis

Desert Island Accessory: My camera and one of Poppy Z. Brite’s books

I *heart* NY: The light and amazing sky, people-watching on the subway

Least Favorite Color: None, I love color. So maybe grey?

Coveted Piece of Art: A print out of Stephen Shore’s Uncommon Places series

Most Braggable Book Read: Moby Dick (Herman Meliville)

Guilty Pleasure: Morning television — so guilty!

Flavorfile (noun): A weekly examination of Flavorpill employees’ personalities and preferences via 15 seemingly innocuous prompts.

ANDREW STEINMETZ:
Computer dork and programming guru

First Album: DeBarge, Rhythm of the Night

Kryptonite: Social awkwardness

Fantasy Supergroup: Phil Spector and MF Doom producing R. Kelly

Most Watched Movie: Clue (1985)

Drunk Munchies: Pizza

Dance-Inducing Song: “Fists Up” (The Blow)

Zombie-Destroying Weapon of Choice: An axe

White Whale: “Right now, just an excellent piece of wood for building an instrument.”

Hero (Real or Fictional): Tony Conrad

Desert Island Accessory: A piano

I *heart* NY…: “For its architecture and polyglots.”

Least Favorite Color: Taupe

Coveted Piece of Art: Wheat Harvest (Pieter Breugel the Elder)

Most Braggable Book Read: Finnegans Wake (James Joyce)

Guilty pleasure: Yodels