I'm heading to Beijing, China...one of my new favorite cities in the world.
#1 reason: For (obviously) the best Peking Duck in the world.
#2, for the Nike AF25th Launch at "706" which is their new concept space (think 255 Elizabeth and Blue House, but like, the size of Rhode Island.)

Best way to Newark...

And in the blink of an eye....NYC ---> BEIJING.
How sick is that landscape? Straight out of a movie...
OK I've had some weird flights in my life (as documented at great length on this blog), but this was truly an alignment of the planets...I found myself on the same flight as Futura, Stash and Bobbito aka Cucumber Slice! (OK maybe it wasn't such a major coincidence since Nike put us all together on the same flight...but still; it was pretty damn cool to fly all together). I figured since this was truly a rare mile-high gathering (no homo)...I would do a little impromptu Q+A for all the readers on travel tips by these globetrotters.
BOBBITO THE BARBER aka DJ CUCUMBER SLICE aka COOL BOB LOVE
Living Hip-Hop Historian/author/DJ/Offical Spokesman of Nike AF25/All-Time Leading Scorer in the
NRF
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
On my way to Beijing, China, and then to Hong Kong for more Air Force 25th Ann work.
From there I have to go to Chicago, Toronto, then Las Vegas for All Star weekend in Feb...
Then Paris and London in March.
On April 1st, the Cool Bob Love AF1 Lows drop and somehow, I need to be in LA and Tokyo on the SAME DAY for the launch of those! I don't know how yet....
WHAT MUSIC PLAYER DO YOU TRAVEL WITH?
No ipod, no walkman. I bring a Denon portable record player with me and a handful of wax.
TOP 3 PLAYLIST?
Donnie, The Colored Section
Minnie Ripperton, Adventures in Paradise
DJ Spinna, Intergalactic Soul
READING MATERIAL?
The Tainos by Irving Rouse
Sneaker Freaker Magazine
Left Turn Magazine
and of course, Bounce Magazine.
CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?
Dental Floss and a basketball.
MOVIES?
None. Just read and slept.
WHAT KICKS DO YOU WEAR ON A LONG FLIGHT?
Today, I'm wearing the recently reissued AF1 Highs which I hand painted last night with the burgundy red Swoosh (till 2am!)
Back in 1983, when I was playing basketball for Lower Merion HS, we wore these same kicks and painted them also so it would match our uniforms. Back then, we called these the AF Zeros. This is because when they released the version with the perf on the toebox, they were also called AF1s, so we didn't know what to call these, so we dubbed them the AF Zeros. It was bugged out when I was painting these last night...just thinking back...that 25 years later I'm doing the same thing...the same love...it never changes you know?
WHAT OTHER KICKS DID YOU BRING WITH YOU?
Just this. 1 pair only. DJ Rich Medina gave me the nickname, DJ PACKLIGHT. I get really zen about being minimal when I pack.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT TRAVEL?
This is gonna sound really corny....but to be honest, it's learning about common inequities in people all over the world. For instance, I was just in Hawaii and even though it was a vacation, I started to talking to people about how they lost their soverignty...or building with politically progressive heads in Puerto Rico. In Denmark, I learned all about what a social democracy is. In China, I hope to talk to some people their government. You can read all about it in the papers, but it's totally different when you talk to people about it face to face.
LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT TRAVEL?
That's easy. Jetlag and the flights. It can bring a man down...
+++
STASH
Founder of Nort, Recon, Subware, Project Dragon and designer of the recently announced #1 AF 1 of ALL-TIME!!! (Wowzers...)

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
On my way to Beijing, China, and then to Hong Kong. Thanks Nike!!
From there I want to keep it pretty domestic. Its tough with the wife and kid. I have to get my daughter's permission first and then my wife's. its tough man.
WHAT MUSIC PLAYER TO YOU TRAVEL WITH?
I'm using one of like six iPod Nano's Nike has given me (mostly thru the Nike+ Apple campaign recently launched.) I'm housing it in this dope Gucci case my friend hooked me up with.
TOP 3 PLAYLIST?
Foo Fighters
The Clash
Boogie Down Productions / KRS-One
READING MATERIAL?
Nada
CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?
First tip I want to say is that I try to avoid all food on the plane as much as possible. I'll nibble a bit here and there but Ginger Ale goes a long way bro. Settles the stomach and fills it at the same time. And the best tip I can offer you? Pillows at the feet man. Take an extra pillow and put it down by your feet. After all, who sleeps with a metal plate under their feet? Pillows by the feet makes your trip a completely different experience.
I also like to bring some herbal inhalers (not that kind, ha!) from this company called
Lunaroma from Vermont. They make the best natural products. Its nice just to clear your head/nasal passages on these flights.
MOVIES?
Nada. I really try and sleep as much as possible on these flights. Even if I'm not sleeping, I just put the blanket over my head and power down, you know what I mean? I wish I was like Lenny over there though...[points to Futura, who is hibernating like a grizzly bear under some blankets.]
I am having a little PSP resurrection and playing a lot of Ridge Racer. My daughter has permanently borrowed my DS Lite.
WHAT KICKS DO YOU WEAR ON A LONG FLIGHT?
I'm field testing the new AF25s in all black. Figure why not since we're coming here for this shoe. I gotta say they are mad comfortable. They make me wish I played basketball.
WHAT OTHER KICKS DO YOU BRING WITH YOU?
I also brought another pair of AF1 Lows in the Brown Peanut Butter colorway. I'm saving some extra room in my luggage for any potential kicks i might pick up along the way.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT TRAVEL?
Juse seeing new places and meeting new people.
LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT TRAVEL?
I am really disappointed with how antiquated air travel is these days. Like you hear these metal doors slamming shut...shit, when was the last time they changed these cushions? How much drool is on this pillow? Don't even want to get into the process of getting ON TO the plane itself. 9-1-1 is a joke for real.
+++
JEFFSTAPLE
Yours truly.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
Beijing..then back home. Prob not going to HK. Then to Barcelona.
WHAT MUSIC PLAYER TO YOU TRAVEL WITH?
Using the Video iPod mainly. Nano in case I wanna get some running in, and a Gen I Shuffle in case I need to transfer some files on the quick.
TOP 3 PLAYLIST?
Nas, Hip Hop Is Dead (All songs AFTER Black Republican. Before that...eh)
Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt (Still sounds so lovely)
Anything in my Tyler Askew playlist.
READING MATERIAL?
National Geographic Magazine
CAN'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT?
Chap stick.
MOVIES?
The Departed on the flight. Great to see again. You pick so many little things the second go.
WHAT KICKS DO YOU WEAR ON A LONG FLIGHT?
I'm wearing the ACG Air Zoom Goateks from 2002. LOVE these shoes and hope Jesse NEVER brings them back so I am the only human still rocking them.
WHAT OTHER KICKS DO YOU BRING WITH YOU?
Celux Air Force 1. That's it.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT TRAVEL?
Just the new experiences..learning fresh perspectives on life...and realizing that America ain't the center of the Universe. Bob told me a scary stat: Only 20% of Americans living in the US own a passport. That means 80% of our country has never seen any other culture besides "merkian". That's scary....
LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT TRAVEL?
I don't mind the flight, I found a way around the airport security bullshit (secret) and even jetlag doesn't bother me...but for some reason, I get gas whenever I fly. Sucks.
+++
FUTURA
Legendary graf artist turned legendary designer

[...unavailable for comment...He literally looked like this for 13 straight hours. Amazing...]