Sunday’s low pressure system and subsequent storms brought a
phenomenal eastern swell and strong offshore winds to the Mid-Atlantic region, the likes of which we at Fort Saint Davids
have never seen on this part of the coast. We, of course, did not know this as we departed Philadelphia noontime Sunday in
search of some hearty fare for a business luncheon. We were headed in the wayward direction of the Chatterbox in Ocean City,
to hunker down with some data, our maps, notes, charts, and graphs, have a bite to eat, and come out with some resolutions
on the current projects (we cannot tell you what these projects are - it’s a secret, and you’re just gonna have to wait).
Unfortunately, when we got to the island, we found that we were still being welcomed by the off-season - The Chatterbox
was shackled up, as if awaiting some super-late hurricane, or perhaps a sinister nor’easter. What was this all about?
The weekend incidentally marked the three-year anniversary of an epic weekend spent by ten people (most of whom were strangers),
in OCNJ at our friend Scott’s beach house (remember that we are also marking the anniversary of the “Shock and Awe” phase of the
war) - so there we were - all friends of Scott’s at his parents beach house, unseasonably hot (90°) weather outside, Shock and
Awe on tv, crab legs a-boiling, and calm seas rolling by. The scene in the same town this year was much different - menacing
offshore winds howling, glassing out the sea and blowing huge plumes of spray off the face of the waves, slate-grey sky
threatening storms, dozens of full-suited townie surfers the only occupants advancing on the Atlantic, and the beachbreak 5 to 7
feet and counting, rolling in perfect lefts down the coast. Now, I haven’t surfed for 4 years, but I used to spend as much of my
summers as possible surfing and it was hard to see that and not be able to be out in the water. I literally panicked and was two
seconds away from running into the closest surf shop, renting any longboard I could get my hands on, buying a hooded wetsuit,
and paddling out. Luckily for the True Jersey project, business priorities kept me tied to the sand to take pictures.
FORT SAINT DAVIDS DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL THANKS
We would like to take this time to express our sincerest gratitude to Mr. Henry Floss for his kind words. From what we
understand, his letter is currently making its way through the troposphere, to all of Mr. Floss’s associates and enemies
(Mr. Floss doesn’t have friends). If you first arrived here because you received his letter, welcome. Take a look around
and make yourself comfortable.
FORT SAINT DAVIDS PRESS CORPS
Just in case you missed any of the excitement, we were covered in the City Paper this month. Bader breaks it down for us on the novel and the concepts behind why it is what it is. Stay posted for further correspondence - we’ve got something pretty excited lined up for the Press Corps.
FORT SAINT DAVIDS SHOWS OF THE MONTH
Erik’s show of the month was the Animal Collective at the Starlight Ballroom and Alexander’s was Belle and Sebastian at the
Electric Factory, which was a birthday present from his girlfriend. Belle and Sebastian decided to play almost exclusively
from Tigermilk and The Life Pursuit (which is quite alright if you ask me) and even performed "Electronic
Renaissance" and "I Don’t Love Anyone". Animal Collective was almost (or maybe even was?) better than they
were at this wild Harverford College basement coffeehouse show (see photo below) with Ariel Pink that Fort Saint Davids attended
last year, after which we threw a bonfire party in the woods on the college grounds with some of the good people from the show.
OLD HILL RE-DESIGN
Our flagship section, Old Hill, has undergone a bit of a facelift. The original section was adapted straight from my original print concept, with gentle Centaur Roman letterforms, huge page blocks, and black + white photography.
In the early serializations on Philebrity, I had simply switched out the black + white for color - maintaining the design as
faithfully as I possibly could. It was clear from the start that the translation was not successfully adaptable across many web
formats, browsers, screen resolutions, etc. Autos Sacramentales came and proved itself to be a much more legible section, by
bolding the type, increasing the point size, slightly tracking the text, decreasing the page size, and using bolder colors.
If you haven’t noticed, True Jersey is an ongoing experiment in design, fiction, entertainment and literature. Bader provides
the plot, and I try to come up with the wildest way I can tell the story. So give Old Hill another spin and enjoy the re-design.
search of some hearty fare for a business luncheon. We were headed in the wayward direction of the Chatterbox in Ocean City,
to hunker down with some data, our maps, notes, charts, and graphs, have a bite to eat, and come out with some resolutions
on the current projects (we cannot tell you what these projects are - it’s a secret, and you’re just gonna have to wait).
Unfortunately, when we got to the island, we found that we were still being welcomed by the off-season - The Chatterbox
was shackled up, as if awaiting some super-late hurricane, or perhaps a sinister nor’easter. What was this all about?
The weekend incidentally marked the three-year anniversary of an epic weekend spent by ten people (most of whom were strangers),
in OCNJ at our friend Scott’s beach house (remember that we are also marking the anniversary of the “Shock and Awe” phase of the
war) - so there we were - all friends of Scott’s at his parents beach house, unseasonably hot (90°) weather outside, Shock and
Awe on tv, crab legs a-boiling, and calm seas rolling by. The scene in the same town this year was much different - menacing
offshore winds howling, glassing out the sea and blowing huge plumes of spray off the face of the waves, slate-grey sky
threatening storms, dozens of full-suited townie surfers the only occupants advancing on the Atlantic, and the beachbreak 5 to 7
feet and counting, rolling in perfect lefts down the coast. Now, I haven’t surfed for 4 years, but I used to spend as much of my
summers as possible surfing and it was hard to see that and not be able to be out in the water. I literally panicked and was two
seconds away from running into the closest surf shop, renting any longboard I could get my hands on, buying a hooded wetsuit,
and paddling out. Luckily for the True Jersey project, business priorities kept me tied to the sand to take pictures.
(Mr. Floss doesn’t have friends). If you first arrived here because you received his letter, welcome. Take a look around
and make yourself comfortable.
Electric Factory, which was a birthday present from his girlfriend. Belle and Sebastian decided to play almost exclusively
from Tigermilk and The Life Pursuit (which is quite alright if you ask me) and even performed "Electronic
Renaissance" and "I Don’t Love Anyone". Animal Collective was almost (or maybe even was?) better than they
were at this wild Harverford College basement coffeehouse show (see photo below) with Ariel Pink that Fort Saint Davids attended
last year, after which we threw a bonfire party in the woods on the college grounds with some of the good people from the show.
formats, browsers, screen resolutions, etc. Autos Sacramentales came and proved itself to be a much more legible section, by
bolding the type, increasing the point size, slightly tracking the text, decreasing the page size, and using bolder colors.
If you haven’t noticed, True Jersey is an ongoing experiment in design, fiction, entertainment and literature. Bader provides
the plot, and I try to come up with the wildest way I can tell the story. So give Old Hill another spin and enjoy the re-design.
