Illustration by Wes Duvall 1. John From Cincinnati
Deadwood fans in our office are still smarting over last year's cancellation of their favorite show. But they won't be able to resist writer David Milch's follow-up series, John From Cincinnati, which debuts June 10 on HBO. It's got mystic philosophizing, SoCal surfing, drug addiction, and a mysterious person (or is he an alien?) named John, who is most definitely not from Cincinnati. Plus, Rebecca De Mornay plays a smokin' grandma! What's not to like? Whereas Deadwood was lavish and profane (think Cormac McCarthy with Tourette's syndrome), JFC is spare and spiritual (think William James with surfboards). But it's pure Milch, so expect another overnight cult hit with memorable taglines ("Meet the fuckin' Jetsons!") and fanboy pilgrimages to Imperial Beach, California, where the series is set.
2. Elta MD UV Shield SPF 45
Zinc oxide's powerful ability to reflect ultraviolet light is as undeniable as the white residue it leaves on your skin. So not cool. But neither is leather face. Elta's oil-free emulsion comes to the rescue with micronized ZnO, which glides on invisibly to protect you from UVA and UVB. Way cool.
3. Top Secret Tourism
Why go to Disneyland when you can kick it at Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, the cold war era complex designed to withstand a direct hit from an A-bomb? This 277-page guide gives you the scoop on summer hideaways like Plum Island Animal Disease Center and White Sands Missile Range that the Feds would probably prefer you leave off your itinerary.
4. Automatic Update
Has high tech high art been around long enough to warrant a retrospective? New York's MoMA thinks so. Starting June 27, you can wax nostalgic about geeky projects like Cory Arcangel's hacked Super Mario Bros. cartridges and catch a screening of 8 BIT, a doc about videogames' influence on contemporary culture.
5. Paper Pilot: The Paper Airplane Pilot's Manual
This handsome book opens with 24 marvels of modern aeronautics, from the iconic Mk. I-XXI Spitfire to the sleek F-22 Raptor. Each airplane's profile is packed with stats about its top speed, dimensions, and cost. But the really sexy stuff comes in the second half: All two dozen planes are illustrated as paper models that can actually be assembled and flown. Break out the utility knife and model glue and get lost in the clouds.
6. Stars: Do You Trust Your Friends?
Remixes are like love letters — they can be incredibly flattering or totally awkward for the recipient. Fortunately, Do You Trust Your Friends? falls into the former category. The band Stars, which includes Evan Cranley of Broken Social Scene, handed some pals its 2005 release, the shimmering Set Yourself on Fire, and said, "Have at it." The reworked tracks by Metric, the Stills, the Dears, and members of BSS are a dazzling tribute.
7. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
A manic schoolgirl, the title character of this hilariously self-referential anime, attempts to stave off boredom by searching for extraterrestrials. The TV show is a phenomenon in Japan, and fan translations on YouTube have primed the pump for the official US DVD release. Expect it to convert American geeks to Haruhi-ism.
8. Ironweed Films
For three bucks a month less than Netflix, this progressive film club will send you a DVD containing thought-provoking shorts and full-length movies (often hard-to-find documentaries).
9. Dragon's Lair
When it hit arcades in 1983, Dragon's Lair made Galaga look primitive . Now it's been beautifully remastered in 1080p hi-def for PS3, so we can finally appreciate Don Bluth's animation — without raiding our laundry quarters.
10. Sprint Mobile Broadband USB Modem
Wi-Fi-less wireless Web surfing is no longer a logistic quagmire. This sharply designed broadband modem ($100, plus Sprint's monthly fees) ditches the PC card format for USB. But the real draw is the blazing speed.
Play Next: Meet the Body Behind Fantastic Four's Silver Surfer
