Mauricio Vargas and Miles Quillen run The Blaaahg out of New York and Richmond, Virginia respectively. Sharing many of the same interests as Out With the In Crowd, we thought it might be fun to do some post-swapping, so that we could all get a feel for what’s good in NY and they, for London. So over the next month look out for some exclusive posts from our American friends. By means of an introduction to what The Blaaaahg is all about, check out a little Q&A with Mauricio after the jump…

What prompted you to start the blaaahg?

It started as a logo idea first. I just liked how the typography looked in our logo. So me and my best friend Miles started it as a way to keep in touch and making a link between Richmond VA and NYC. That mixed with the realization of the affects blogs were making on the internet, and the opportunity they gave “the everyman”, it became a bit of a social experiment in the way culture works online.

What do you hope people get out of reading your blog?

Inspiration, a smile, a boner, a spark, a light switched on, a closed circuit. Anything really. If someone likes even one aspect, we’re glad to provide.

You mention the blaaahg is intended for ‘the like-minded individual’….what kind of audience do you feel you specifically cater for?

Being that its run by a couple of broski’s ( myself and Miles Quillen ) who grew up around skateboard culture and grew INTO the art/design culture, we cater to people like us. People who don’t take life too seriously, but all the same have a very specific appreciation that extends from classic art history aesthetics, to babes and straight up cool shit.

Just to verify the origin of your blog’s name… ‘blaaaahg’ is just a phonetic spelling of an American pronunciation of ‘blog’ right?!

Yessir. Wanted to keep it open ended.

How long have you lived in New York?

Though I miss my friends and the weather in hometown Richmond, VA , I’m closing in on 2 years in NY, and I must say its been a hell of a ride. It’s quickly become home.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a graphic artist / designer at an agency called All Day Everyday. We concentrate on digital strategy and execution, and how it integrates into the tangible world.

My partner in crime and blog tag teamer, Miles Quillen, is the creative director at a local, independent market in Richmond, as well as doing freelance design work for companies such as Need Supply Co. (www.needsupply.com), Dominion Skateboards (www.dominionskateboards.com) and RVA Magazine (www.rvamagazine.com).