NATALIA FABIA

“I have a weird thing with voyeurism,” says artist Natalia Fabia, whose paintings depict “rad, talented chicks” in private, doing things like hugging a stuffed bunny or eating an ice-cream cone, often while wearing little more than their undies. Fabia’s colorful paintings, which have made her one of the Los Angeles art scene’s fastest-rising stars, reflect a constellation of influences: fashion, pinup girls, burlesque, glitter, and rock ‘n’ roll. If the hyperfeminine world she portrays is sexy but not exactly sexual, that’s because Fabia is more interested in celebrating female camaraderie. Her girls are BFFs with awesome tattoos, killer bodies, and a taste for skin-baring fashion. They’re the Sisterhood of ...

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NATE APPLEMAN

Nate Appleman, executive chef at San Francisco’s acclaimed A16 and SPQR restaurants, didn’t inherit his culinary chops from his parents. “They don’t cook,” says the chef. However, Appleman’s father did pass on another lifelong passion. When Mr. Appleman, a physician, returned from a business trip with a small spider inked on his leg, the future chef, then only 4, was in awe. “It made such a huge impression on me. I wantedone right away,” says Appleman. He had to wait 13 years, though, until he had a tribal mask the size of a basketball inked across his back at 17. “Of course, it’s the only one I don’t like,” he ...

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NEW FOUND GLORY

Believe it: The Bible is better fodder for tattoo inspiration than it might seem. In fact, New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert probably wouldn't have gotten his first tattoo if it weren't for the good book. "When I was really little, my mom gave me this Bible. On the spine, there was a shield with a cross in it," he explains. "At 15, I decided to get that shield tattooed on my left calf. I went to a shop called Bruce Bart's in Florida, and the guy told me if I got permission from my mom, he'd do it. I got permission, and he tattooed that shield on me. Now, ...

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NEW FRIEND REQUEST: GYM CLASS HEROES

Hip-hop? Punk? R&B? No one can categorize this group of outcasts from upstate New York - and that's just the way they like it.

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NEW YORK DOLLS

On location: Imagine hitting the best rock clubs, checking out lowbrow artists on display at up-and-coming galleries, and browsing a history museum—all in one night. That’s the idea behind a stay at New York City’s Ace Hotel, where these photos were shot. For the museum fix, Ace’s historic rooms (the building dates to 1904) are scattered with vintage furnishings, custom pieces, and antiques curated by design firm Roman & Williams. The art comes from artists such as Brooklyn-based graphic guru Mike Perry and duo Doug Cunningham and Jason Noto, who got their start designing skateboards. There’s even a Michael Anderson mural composed of hundreds of graffiti stickers in the lobby (check out page 61 for a glimpse). So where does the rock ‘n’ roll come in? Take your pick: the lobby bar that looks like a stage set, the turntables parked next to stacks of vintage records, or your own iPod (all the rooms have stereo docks). With all that going on, plus the Breslin Bar and Dining Room—a carnivore’s delight from the crew at The Spotted Pig—there’s really no reason to take to the streets.

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NHL 10
SYSTEMS: PLAYSTATION 3, XBOX 360

With record TV ratings, raucous fistfights, and the dazzling skill of young stars Patrick Kane and Sidney Crosby, hockey is back. The NHL’s newfound success injects new life into this award-winning series. Players now scrum along the boards while fighting for possession, score from their knees, and bat pucks out of the air for goals worthy of the highlight reel. In the front office, a revamped franchise mode features a new trade system that makes it easier to build a Cup contender, and the retooled EA Sports six-on-six online hockey league now features monthly seasons to keep the competition fierce throughout the winter. Our favorite: a new first-person fighting mode that lets you drop the gloves and send someone to the dental ward.

NICHOLE EAST

Nichole East's business card reads "Kid Robot, Toy Baroness." That says enough. As one of the first employees at quirky-cool adult toy company Kid Robot, she remembers when the team was so tiny that they were excited just to have business cards. "There were only maybe six or seven of us total," she recalls. "We had so many tasks that when it came to having a title, there was too much stuff to put down. Baroness meant bitch and we were like, ‘Fuck yeah, baroness, that's perfect.'" Born and raised in Oregon, East enrolled in college in Jersey City because of its proximity to New York. She excelled in marketing ...

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NICOLE MUCCIOLA

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