smart vending machine

Next time you take a coffee break in Hamburg, Germany- hit the vending machine. Not just any vending machine: the smart vending machine! We need one of these in Times Square, NYC, for the CondeNast lunch set. "Graydon, I'm just stepping out for a sandwich and a smart- see you in an hour."

smart stop NYC: Nom de Guerre

This hidden gem offers dialed-in mens clothing from house label Nom de Guerre, APC, and others. A selection of art publications and Comme des Garçons fragrances rounds out the stocklist. Descend the stairs to the left of the Swatch shop entrance, following the Copy Shop signs. Follow the music to the door on your right. You're in.

Nom de Guerre

640 Broadway, Basement / New York, NY 10012

At the SE corner of Bleecker St.

Street parking: limited, on Bleecker St. West of Broadway

Nearest garage: Crosby St. at Houston, NW corner

Visit Nom de Guerre online

Swatch and smart: cousins by design

If smart were a watch, what brand would it be? A Swatch watch, of course! The European house of Swatch has been making stylish, affordable, and practical watches for over 20 years. So it's no surprise that fans of Swatch watches are fans of smarts. Swatch designers helped engineers develop smart prototypes in the 1990s (view related post).

The bright colored 80s Swatches are looking especially good these days- get one like the beauty above to match your red metallic smart. Vintage Swatch prices on eBay start at around $7.

Vintage Swatch offerings on eBay

smart challenge: let the games begin

For those wondering how I received the appointment of Agent ØØsmart, the answer may be less glamorous than you'd expect.  Since the smart Academy of Excellence graduation ceremony exists only in my mind, I did what any wannabe would do- I appointed myself global missionary of smart love.  Which is not to say I didn't earn the title.  Want proof of my commitment to the cause? Watch my first smart video- just posted on YouTube.

With this video I invite global smart enthusiasts to represent their cities in a little game we'll call the smart car challenge.  To get your city on the scoreboard, email me a YouTube video link of your mission.  It's as easy as that- and just imagine the celebrity that will follow...

smart sounds: nice 'n breezy

Lounge artist Les Hommes released the EP The Mood is Modal in 2000. The nice 'n breezy sound of Girl on a Mission makes me want to sip a cocktail and watch the sun go down over the Hudson- which is exactly what I'll be doing a few hours from now. Grab a few songs (Agent ØØsmart also recommends Touched by the Hand of Tenorio) from iTunes to soundtrack your weekend smart fortwo cabrio cruise.

fill 'er up- smart vs. Hummer

On Monday the national average price of regular unleaded gas hit $4.08. How do a Hummer and a smart compare at the gas pump? Using the manufacturers' MPG stats (which are typically higher than actual), I did the math:

Hummer 3 Alpha fuel capacity: 23.0 gallons

Price of a full tank: $93.84

City (13mpg) range on a full tank: 299 miles

Highway (16mpg) range on a full tank: 368 miles

smart fortwo Passion fuel capacity: 8.7 gallons

Price of a full tank: $35.50

City (33mpg) range on a full tank: 287 miles

Highway (40mpg) range on a full tank: 348 miles

View U.S. Retail Gas Prices

street smart: inspired by Andy

smart fans may assume that "Andy" refers to the one and only Andy Warhol- but here's one to keep you on your toes.  My post on Andy Rooney's Smart video is generating email feedback hinting at a rise in the cult of Rooney. Who would have guessed?

As a follow-up to Andy's street reconnaissance, I will get to the bottom of a few questions posed by the 60 Minutes veteran:

1) is it legal to park "back-in" between two parallel parked cars?

2) do parking garages offer reduced parking prices for smarts?

Stay tuned for updates.  Got good smart recon of your own?  Don't be shy, share it with me.

smart stop NYC: Mamoun's Falafel

Yankees or Mets?  Giants or Jets?  Mamoun's or... Mamoun's?  In a city full of greats, Mamoun's dominates the falafel landscape.  Since 1972, they have served Middle Eastern favorites out of their two tiny locations in lower Manhattan.  Don't let a line out the door scare you- you'll be ordering in no time.  Get a falafel sandwich for $2.50 and add Mamoun's famous hot sauce to taste.

Mamoun's Falafel- Greenwich Village

119 MacDougal Street / New York, NY 10012

Between W 3rd St and Minette Lane

Street parking: limited, on W 3rd Street

Nearest garage: W 3rd St between MacDougal & 6th Ave

Visit Mamoun's Falafel online

smart at the Museum of Modern Art, New York

Many Americans got their first glimpse of smart in 2002, when a fortwo was featured in the MoMA exhibition, "Auto Bodies: Speed, Sport, Transport."  Check out this '02 exhibition ink on the Smart:

"Size matters.  Only eight feet long, the efficient smart Car challenges habits of personal mobility.  It is especially well suited to urban environments.  As suggested by its clever marketing slogan, "reduced to the max," the smart Car has been developed to maximize convenience, comfort, and safety of driver and passenger, while minimizing the impact on the environment.  Low fuel consumption (averaging 49 miles per gallon) and eco-friendly methods of production distinguish the car from others on the market.

The smart Car's body reveals a clear, functional, modular design.  The black frame of reinforced steel is coated with powder paint, considerably less harmful to the environment than conventional painting processes.  Colorful, easily exchangeable body panels made of recycled plastic are virtually dent resistant and rust free.  By locating the engine below the passengers, space is conserved and seats are given additional height.

The smart Car was developed in the early 1990s by Mercedez-Benz.  A team of engineers and designers led by Gerhard Steinle created the prototype in southern California.  The design was further developed with input from the Swatch watch company.  Cars are sold at "smart Centers" throughout Europe, where the brightly colored vehicles are stacked in towers like objects in a display case, clearly aimed at youthful, style-conscious consumers seeking an affordable car. Since their debut in 1988, nearly half a million smart Cars have been produced, and they have become a common sight in Europe- sometimes two per conventional parking space."

Visit the MoMA exhibition webpage

smart video: Rooney rocks NYC, smart-style '04

Not one to be known as an early adaptor, Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes was rocking a smart back in 04!  Before smarts were even available in the USA, Rooney took a smart for a test drive around Manhattan. Watch as he tries to get reduced prices at parking garages (half size = half price?). Not a bad idea, actually.  Has anyone scored reduced smart parking prices?

Roll the 60 Minutes videotape

smart sounds: Danse Avec Moi

My first smart soundtrack recommendation is an ode to the Euro heritage of the smart car.  The French group Noze recently released the album "Songs on the Rocks" featuring this catchy charmer.  "Danse Avec Moi" translates "dance with me," and it's available on iTunes now.

Visit Noze on MySpace

smart video: GQ takes smart for a spin

Let's start with a ride- a virtual test drive hosted by GQ. In this video, Kevin drives a smart on the beautiful backroads of Northern California. For the record I think the guy driving by on the freeway showed smart love with a west coast hang-loose hand gesture, but I won't rule out the rock-on.

pleased to meet you

Welcome to fortheloveofsmart.com- my blog about smart cars and the smart lifestyle.

The first time I saw a smart car was on a cobblestone street in Paris- I wanted to hug it on the spot. My arms wouldn’t quite fit around but I swore I’d never forget that adorable face and remarkably cute body.

And now smarts have arrived in the USA! Those long European license plates are being replaced by New York and California ones. Thankfully, I’m saving a ton of money on smartourism because I no longer have to go to Europe for the love of smart. Which is where my blog gets its catchy name. My mission is simple- spreading love of smart.

Ready? Set? Hold on- in the interest of good manners, let me begin with a formal introduction:

smart Car, meet America.

America, meet smart Car.

And now, dear friends- let’s get this party started.

-Agent ØØsmart