Guest Edit

Stretch Armstrong’s Favorite Things

Adrian Bartos, better known as D.J. Stretch Armstrong, has spent decades operating as one of downtown New York’s great cultural intermediaries, connecting music, nightlife, fashion, art, and the occasional future legend before everyone else catches on. As co-host of the legendary Stretch & Bobbito Show on WKCR, he helped launch artists such as Nas, Jay-Z, and The Notorious B.I.G. into the wider world. These days, he hosts a monthly jazz night at Nine Orchard, D.J.’s internationally, and is preparing to launch Top of New York Pizza (T.O.N.Y.), a chef-driven slice shop with serious New York DNA. Somewhere in the mix sits tennis, which Stretch follows and plays with the intensity of a man who absolutely owns multiple wristbands and has opinions about Roland-Garros etiquette. For AIR MAIL, he shares the essentials for a proper tennis summer.

Field Notes

$39.95

Space Pen

“I’ve grown fond of traveling with a pen and pad. It’s a nice break from constant phone use, and useful when your battery inevitably dies. The Space Pen is compact and gravity immune, so the ink always flows.”

Moleskine

$51

Precious & Ethical Notebook

“It opens 180 degrees without splitting, and the orange reminds me of Roland-Garros and clay courts.”

Porter

$400

Tanker Sling Bag S

“When I’m out in a foreign city or heading to tennis matches, I use this shoulder bag to carry everything that doesn’t fit in my pockets, including my pen, pad, and camera.”

Leica

$7,350

Q3 Digital Camera

“This is my grab-and-go camera. I like having one with me most of the time, and the Q3 is my favorite for being on the move. It’s compact enough to carry easily, but has enough weight to remind me it’s there.”

Rizzoli

$65

Courtship: For the Love of Tennis

“Tennis courts are great for playing on, but they’re also wildly photogenic. Courtship is the book for anyone who agrees.”

OPEN Tennis

$50

Magazine Subscription

“Part art project, part literary collection, part what’s going on in tennis, OPEN hits all the notes.”

Andrew Hickey

$20

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs: Volume 1

“If you’ve spent more than a few minutes with me lately, you’ve probably heard me talk about Andrew Hickey’s A History of Rock in 500 Songs. The ambition alone is staggering, but Hickey’s ability to place modern music within a larger cultural and historical story is completely addictive. The first 100 episodes are collected in these books.”

Diadora

$245

B. Elite Star Tennis Shoes

“These handsome tennis shoes are ridiculously comfortable as an everyday sneaker or for actual tennis.”

CDLP

$220

Swim Shorts

“I love these for their minimalist simplicity, appropriate length, and quality craftsmanship.”

James Perse

$165

Elevated Lotus Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt

“With its thin and soft Japanese woven cotton, this simple tee is the most comfortable shirt I have, and it also fits perfectly under a sport coat.”

Ted Bafaloukos

$65

Rockers: The Making of Reggae’s Most Iconic Film

“Rockers is essential viewing for anyone interested in reggae or Jamaican culture. The companion book tells two stories at once: the making of the cult film itself, and director Ted Bafaloukos’s own unlikely path from Greek immigrant to downtown New York filmmaker and photographer.”

Reigning Champ

$98

Solotex Mesh Tiebreak Standard Polo

“The fabric of this kit feels great. It’s technical and heavy but breaths really well, making it work for outdoor summer hitting or winter indoors.”

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