Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas!
Out With The Old...

For the past year or so, my favorite shade of blue has been Moroccan blue. But that's old news. In with the new! And for this coming year, no color is more amazing than International Klein Blue, as in the shade made popular by the infamous Yves Klein. Hopefully, this color will be everywhere, because it's sinuous and bright, silky and strong. It's the perfect shade of blue for everything from dresses to running shoes to cars to anything else you could imagine. Merci Monsieur Klein!

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Fall In Love With...

John Krasinski! Not only is he the insanely witty Jim from 'The Office', but his voice can be heard everywhere from Ask.com commericials to 'American Dad' guest spots. Extremely hilarious, and who doesn't want him to end up with Pam?
Fall In Love With...

Andy Samberg! This Lonely Island alum along with comedy cohorts Jorma and Akiva, joined Saturday Night Live last year and instantly hit it big with a bunch of digital shorts that I'm sure everybody on the face of the earth has seen, namely "Lazy Sunday". He'll soon be seen on the big screen in Hot Rod with Isla Fisher, and it seems he's come quite far from his roots in no-budget online comedy skecthes and unloved Fox sketch show pilots. Dan Savage (of Savage Love) surely agrees that he's definitely someone to look out for...
Fall In Love With...

Hilary Rhoda!
It's a little crazy to think that she's my age, considering how many times you can see her while flipping through nearly any magazine. She's the prettiest thing to come out of Maryland (well, maybe even America for that matter) in ages. Google her. She's incredibly gorgeous.

Monday, December 18, 2006

HOT!

Simbang Gabi 2006, with my dad and I in our barongs and my mom and Jeanette in something cultural, and Yvette in something not cultural. Either way, it's good to be home.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Fall In Love With...

Ryan J.B. Taylor. Or is it in lust with? Well, whatever. Because everybody's talking about him. He's the next big thing. Blah blah blah, that's all fine and all. Well, while everybody's falling in love with him, most people are forgetting the fact that he's 16. He sparks debates. He's absolutely gorgeous. All that aside, I was struck by how closely he matched my mental picture of Jon-Michael Barthé/Metro from Melvin Dixon's Vanishing Rooms. Eerie!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Color Systems Final Project!
My biographical movie poster on Hubert de Givenchy...

From Givenchy Poster

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Gift Idea!

What better gift to give your budding shutterbug than a Leica? In particular, the new, beautiful, well-reviewed Leica M8 Digital. It has all the control you could ever want, thanks to those legendary Leica lenses. This isn't one of the silly, rebadged versions of some cheaper camera. It's genuinely Leica, through and through. The digital screen isn't for viewfinding. That wouldn't be Leica! It's only used to reviewing photos taken through the old, hold-the-camera-to-my-eye-and-pray-I-don't-run-into-anything viewfinder. The only hitch? It costs around $4500, which doesn't include the myriad of lenses and accessories you'll be sure to want. A Leica M7 is about $1000, so consider how much you might save on film and developing maybe? Haha. Well, someday, maybe...

Less expensive is the Holga camera, which comes with a bunch of extras, padding the initial $15 or so price. Either way, the results of the camera seem kinda surreal, because I guess the camera is super-cheaply constructed and leaks light, making it kind of a cult favorite among those who like their work "dreamy". Or "steamy," I suppose. Check out some of the prints here.
Word of the Day

Paroxysm -
a sudden uncontrollable attack; "a paroxysm of giggling"

Monday, December 11, 2006

Spring Ads!

So, apparently, after getting cut from the Louis Vuitton ads, Lindsay Lohan is set to star in the spring/summer ads for Miu Miu. Taking over Lohan's spot at Vuitton is Scarlett Johansson, which is shot by Mert & Marcus (I'm pretty sure, correct me if I'm wrong...). Those ads look gorgeous, keeping the airy spirit of the Marc Jacob's nymphs and translating it into something the whole accessory-loving world can enjoy and desire. The creepiest of the season's ads? Marc Jacobs, hands down. Dakota Fanning was shot by Juergen Teller in what I have to say may be the creepiest ads for Jacobs yet. And that's saying a lot.
Men's Stores in Seattle

I'm just gonna finish off the list for now, because I feel like it. I was reading about the Seattle Premium Outlets and I just couldn't stand it. The Seattle Premium Outlets stand as the shiniest and newest outlet mall, although it's nearly 45 minutes or more north of city limits (which could be several hours when there's traffic...and there's always traffic) and half the time it's rather full of Canadian tourists getting helped at stores by silly hicks that dress horrifically and don't really know what's going on, but still feel the need to be snotty because they work at an "upscale outlet". God forbid. But they do have Burberry, Cole Haan, Polo Ralph Lauren, Movado, and all that good stuff. None of it is really amazing, nor a very good deal.

My favorite places to shop are:

- Blackbird, although it's in Ballard, about 10 minutes from downtown, has a great selection of everything from A.P.C. to Filippa K to Trovata to Cheap Monday to whatever slick brand might want.

- Nordstrom Downtown, which surprisingly has an amazing range of designer clothing for men. The selection rotates, but the men's designer section this month has Marc Jacobs Collection, Mason's, Neil Barrett, Marni (for men! yay!), dsquared2, and the like. As for more traditional wear, they have all that, from Armani Collezioni to Zegna. The Bellevue one is good too.

- Made-to-measure Giorgio Armani, Vestimenta and Ermenegildo Zegna is available at Butch Blum on 5th, next door to Barneys. Butch Blum also has a bunch of really great clothes for someone who wants to be very understated, including Ann Demeulemeester, Jil Sander, Nicole Farhi, Yohji Yamamoto, and the like.

- Barneys New York is extremely small, but they have a decently edited collection of everything from Trovata to Costume National to Dries van Noten.

- Anyone looking for something loud and proud can find it at David Lawrence on 4th, which has everything colorful and unsubtle, along the lines of Cavalli, Versace, D&G, dsquared2, Moschino and all that.

- Oslo's on Queen Anne is notable for the incredibly charming feel of the shop. They have what any guy can expect to wear on the weekends, from Earnest Sewn jeans to well-cut jackets. I love how they have a barber on Fridays and Saturdays. He seems to give a lot of hot shaves. And Oslo is the name of the lovely ginormous golden retriever that the owners keep around the store.

- Mario's on 6th feels like a cross between Barneys and Nordstrom. They have a ton of Prada, plus plenty of Kiton, Brioni, Loro Piana, Etro, Paul Smith, Dolce & Gabbana, and anything too expensive for my blood. Surprisingly nice people for the most part.

- Ian also has a location downtown on 2nd, which also has Trovata, Loomstate, Rogan, Duarte, rag & bone, and all that.

Movies!

What movies will I be watching in the next month? Well, if I have anything to say about it, I will be watching The Pursuit of Happyness, Old Joy, and Pan's Labyrinth. Sounds good, eh?
Listen!

I've been listening to Bishop Allen pretty much all year. Not only was their debut LP, Charm School, about as charming a record as any I could ever imagine, but they've also taken on the immensely ambitious task of creating an EP for every month this year. Each one is named after the month it was made, starting with January, up through to December. Each one has an entirely different charm and mood, but the same Bishop Allen thread runs through each and every song. That takes skill. And they've definitely got it. Yay! Don't miss "Corazon", "Things Are What You Make of Them", "Busted Heart", "The Monitor" and "Eve of Destruction", among many others.
Fall In Love With...

Eva Green!
As far as Bond girls go, she was definitely a major upgrade from Denise Richards. She actually appears intelligent enough to make it work. Besides being in the new Bond film, she was also in Bertolucci's The Dreamers and Ridley Scott's (horrifically terrible) Kingdom of Heaven. She could be the next big thing (in France, at the very least).

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Gift Idea!

Just about the coolest coffee-table book ever, Flip the Script is filled with old movie posters re-imagined by some amazing graphic designer, painters, and other crazy artists. My favorites are the ones for 'Cinderella', 'A Clockwork Orange', 'Suite Habana', 'Captain Harlock', 'The Dark Crystal', 'Le Monde Sans Soleil' and 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. Two small problems: the book is actually as large as a movie poster, and it costs $1,250. Yeesh!

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Arty Arty Art Art

Look at this craziness by Dan Mihalyo. Google him and you'll learn more about this crazy cat.
Listen!

Give Paolo Nutini a listen. He's really quite good, and it's amazing that he's only 19. Although his vocal inexperience sometimes shows through, resulting in an almost nasal Adam Levinesque type of wail that doesn't exactly work. But for the most part, very enchanting.
Noticed...

After work, I had the sudden urge to run home, get my camera, and take pictures of the frigid wonderland that was cast upon the trees and sidewalks by the absurdly blinding sun. Unfortunately, running home, I saw ten or twelve people doing exactly that, and it sort of killed the mood for me. Go figure.
Noticed...

People in love just glow. It's exceedingly obvious. Just walking into the 12 degree air, they look as luminous and resilient as a winter rose.

Unfortunately, being awkwardly hit on by a bizarre and overly drunk harlot named Vader does not lead to the same phenomenon.

Friday, December 01, 2006

Artist, Artist, Artist

I'm really tuned into the work of Egon Schiele, who was really quite good at that repetitive, scratchy nature that I tend to overuse. But I really do like Egon's work, especially his self-portrait. Check it out.
Pearls Before Swine

My favorite comics right now are 'Brevity' and 'Pearls Before Swine'. Why? Because they're actually funny. Simple as that. 'Pearls' simply has all the surface cutesy charm and quick wit of several other comics, but it also has a surprisingly sharp tongue that all the best comics are made of. Sometime it can get a little too confusing, especially with the meta-comic idea of adventuring outside the boundaries of the strip, acknowledging its creation, and so on. But it's all good. Check it out here.
Listen To...

Right now, I'm listening to Augustana's 2005 CD All The Stars And Boulevards, which only seems to be getting recognition right now. Some songs, especially "Hotel Roosevelt," are reminiscent of Our Lady Peace, except a little lighter, brighter, and, that most damning of words, dare I say it, commercial. But that's in no way an insult. In fact, lead singer Dan Layus makes the sometimes pointlessly angry reposes of OLP's Raine Maida seem so much more appropriate and approachable, in a way that still doesn't entirely cater to adolescent girls. Just give it a listen.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Recognize World AIDS Day

December 1 is World AIDS Day.

Support World AIDS Day

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

My collaborative Color Systems project with Abbey, with the first half all spiffed up, but the second half could use some polish...
Things I Like

Melvin Dixon's Vanishing Rooms is a pretty decent book that I think you should check out sometime. It was published in 1991, and it's all about Jesse Dixon dealing with the events of his life after his lover is brutally raped and killed. Good stuff.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Things I Like

Beautiful coincidences! One of my favorite songs, Boy Least Likely's "Be Gentle With Me," has an awesome video that I just discovered (I'm rather behind, I know). What makes this video all the more wonderful is that the girl in it is Rashida Jones, one of the lovely new additions to 'The Office.' Check the video out here.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Seattle Shopping ABCs

Where to find the brand you want in Seattle? Look here for updates!

A - Alexander McQueen
Nordstrom Downtown (handbags and ready-to-wear)

B - Balenciaga
Nordstrom Downtown (ready-to-wear)
Barneys New York (handbags, shoes and ready-to-wear)

C - Chanel
Nordstrom Downtown (handbags, shoes, ready-to-wear)
Also check Saks Fifth Avenue in Portland for a tax-free selection. If you can't find what you want at either place, the Chanel Boutique at 900 West Georgia in Vancouver, BC, might do the trick.
The Best Women's Stores In Seattle

Considering how few designer boutiques there are in Seattle, it's surprising to note that virtually every worthwhile designer brand is available somewhere in the area. Here's my first installment of the best shops for women in the Puget Sound region:

1) Barneys New York - downtown
Everybody knows Barneys. While not a flagship location by any longshot (it's a measly 20,000 square feet), it's certainly not short on style. Every chic girl in Seattle can find something to satisfy her cravings. Fashion includes Lanvin, Prada, Jil Sander, and Dries Van Noten in the designer section, while the co-op features Diane von Furstenberg, Hanii Y, Wyeth, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Trovata, with a glorious selection of denim. Particularly of note are the shoes and handbags, most of which aren't available anywhere else in Seattle. Balenciaga reigns supreme, as does Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, Mulberry, Prada, and Miu Miu. While Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik are both available elsewhere (namely Nordstrom downtown and Mario's), the selection are Barneys is unique.
Rating: 7.5/10
The Best Men's Stores In Seattle

Where are the best places for guys to shop in a city more traditionally known for flannel and Birkenstocks? I'm starting to compile a list of my favorite places and the labels they carry:

1) Nordstrom - multiple locations
Yea, this seems like an obvious choice for any Puget Sound male. But of particular note are the downtown and Bellevue stores, which carry a better selection than the rest. Bellevue features sweet suits and dressier attire from Armani Collezioni and Burberry, but they really shine in The Rail department for young men. Highlights include a wider selection of denim (from Kasil to 575 to Earnest Sewn) and a whole slew of shoes. The downtown flagship takes it all one step further, featuring a men's designer department, often overlooked, but stocking some of the sharpest brands available in the city, including Marni, Marc Jacobs, Neil Barrett, dsquared2, and Mason's. The Rail department has a hoard of denim, the accessories department stocks sunglasses from virtually every designer brand you can imagine, and there's plenty of Gucci accessories that seem to sell well with Asian tourists. The shoe department also carries Gucci, as well as Prada, Ferragamo, and more. All in all, more amazing style than you would ever think Seattle men could handle, all with an amazing return policy and (usually) exceptional service.
Rating: 9/10

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Eurydice Falls

Another project is up, hurrah!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006


Some new stuff is now up, with more to come soon.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Breaking down the mass-retailer designer collaborations for the season!

1) Behnaz Sarafpour for GO International at Target: Predominantly lace-trimmed, youthful and sophisticated clothes, from cardigans and tees to skirts and bags. All in all, a pretty decent affair. But I'm still more excited for the Proenza Schouler collection coming early next spring.

2) Viktor & Rolf ♥ H&M: Slick collection for men and women, with dressier work-appropriate attire - think blouses and suits, dresses and shoes, all with the same romantic aplomb and slightly quirky details typical of Viktor & Rolf. The wedding dress is of particular note (and only $350!)

3) Roland Mouret for Gap: Ten plain dresses. Yay. But really, the three red dresses support the (RED) initiative, so that's all for a good cause. They're very basic, very simple and clean, very watered-down Roland Mouret.

4) Rafe for Target: Horrifically cheap looking PVC bogs down these otherwise wonderful accessories. The clutch isn't bad, but the scale of the big totes just emphasize the low-grade material.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

I bet you can't guess what Washington destination has the most visitors every year. Here's a hint: it has as many visitors than Pike Place Market, The Space Needle, Mount Rainier and the Olympic Mountains. Combined. So, yeah, that's a lot of visitors. What's the answer? Bellevue Square, silly!

Thursday, November 09, 2006

From Migratory Habits
Some new art is up on my Picasa web album.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the new Four Seasons Hotel & Residences will be built next to The Lusty Lady in downtown Seattle. Upscale condos (from $2 to $10 million!) next to, well, you know...
I know everybody has already heard it, but I'm still astonished by how ridiculous Bellevue is, most especially the infamous Lincoln Square condo that sold for $1.8 million, then sold again a month later for $2.5 million. And it's only 2,500 square feet! Holy Mahoney!

Friday, October 27, 2006

More interesting is the possibility of Saks Fifth Avenue taking over the anchor tenant spot for the project going up at the old downtown Bellevue Safeway. That would mean three upscale department stores on three different blocks...

Thursday, October 26, 2006

There are 59 Starbucks within a 2 mile radius of the center of Seattle. There are 437 within 50 miles of Seattle. There are only 52 within 50 miles of St. Louis.

There are 17 Costco locations within 50 miles of my house. There are only two within 50 miles of St. Louis.

Sad. Oh, so very sad. For St. Louis!
Seattle vs Bellevue - Round One

Seattle and Bellevue seem to be competing for the fastest growing skyline. In fact, there is a severe crunch to get buildings up. The funny thing is, a construction boom like this hasn't taken place since the tech boom of the 1990s. And even funnier? The only thing constricting construction isn't the lack of investors or interested buyers or anything like that. It's a shortage of high-rise construction cranes! The company that builds them is based in Salem, Ore., and there are apparently only 60 or so allotted for the Puget Sound region. Unfortunately, there are more than 60 high-rises that want to be built, so companies have to reserve them at least a year in advance before they plan to start even breaking ground. It's simply ridiculous, but in a simply delectable way.

The astounding wealth of this area is becoming as big of a concern as it was during the tech boom, and it's strikingly evident in the area's retail landscape. While we have typically been known to be stuck in our North Face jackets and our silly Birkenstocks (with a flash of flannel for good measure), there are several developers who are trying to change that. Two of the biggest are Kemper Freeman Jr. and Schnitzer Northwest. Kemper's family is the original developer of Bellevue Square, and it remains one of the few good shopping malls in America not owned by a development trust (all of the others are also upscale, including South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA, and The Somerset Collection in Troy, MI). His Bellevue Collection is the most exciting thing to happen to the Pacific Northwest retail scene in, well, forever. However, he has had his fair share of setbacks. He has tried to land Saks Fifth Avenue as a tenant for the longest time, but negotiations in 1992 fell through. In 1999, at the height of the tech boom, he came extremely close, enough to talk about it to the press, but I guess the bubble burst and it fell through again. Now the rumor is that they're looking at one of the parking garages, seeing about tearing it down and building a fourth anchor department store at the mall. The other rumor is that J.C. Penney is leaving and Saks could take over, but I highly doubt that scenario. We'll see how that goes, but in the meantime, he has been consistently criticized for not matching the interior of the mall to the caliber of the stores, which he rebukes by saying he wants all the attention on the stores themselves. Further criticism has been raised after he started raising the rent, driving out local tenants and leaving only large national chains to survive. However, considering that the Nordstrom there is one of the top locations in the nation, and the Abercrombie & Fitch is within the chain's top three, it's hard to argue with the rising rent. Smaller local retailers have been forced to move elsewhere, but I guess that's how things go. Apparently, if people aren't buying it, it won't be staying at Bellevue Square! The center has consistently had averages much higher than the national numbers in terms of sales per visitor, length of stay per visitor, and sales per square foot. I honestly love Bellevue Square, and especially the Lincoln Square Cinemas. I'm just waiting to see how things develop...

In the meantime, Kemper has a lot of competition on his hands coming from Schnitzer Northwest, a developing firm intent on taking full advantage of all the Eastside's abundant wealth. In fact, pointing out this abundant wealth was how Schnitzer Northwest was able to land their anchor tenant, Neiman Marcus, for their new two tower development, the Bravern, right next to the Meydenbauer Convention Center. Their developer was originally planning an upscale shopping center and was trying to court Kate Spade to open a boutique there. That fell through, but Neiman Marcus (which owns Kate Spade) was intent on coming back to the Seattle region after their failed Galleries of Neiman Marcus concept failed miserably from the time it opened in Westlake in 1999 to the time it closed in 2002. Neiman Marcus does extensive research before they open new locations, and they were looking at places like Rainier Square and Seattle City Centre before Schnitzer pointed out that, according to the Puget Sound Business Journal, 9 of the 10 wealthiest zip codes in the Puget Sound region were located on the Eastside (the tenth, surprisingly, is in Snohomish). Convinced, Neiman Marcus agreed to anchor the mixed-used development, opening March 2009. Personally, I think Seattle's vast tourist base would have been a healthier option for the store, but what do I know? Now The Bravern is hoping to use Neiman Marcus' symbol of wealth to attract similarly upscale retailers. By the time I graduate from college, I'll be able to see how that turns out!

Across the lake, downtown Seattle has had a relatively upscale retail history. In the 1980s and 1990s, there had been boutiques for Hermes, Gucci, and Burberry, as well as high-end department store I. Magnin in the retail core. Those have all since closed, but others, namely Escada, St. John, Louis Vuitton, and Barneys New York, have all found enough business to survive. In fact, Barneys has found business so good that they are moving to Pacific Place next year, taking over Pottery Barn, which is about to close. This is a strategic move that puts them directly opposite the Nordstrom flagship, and right next door to Tiffany & Co. and Cartier. Their old spot in Seattle City Centre mall along 5th was somewhat less visible, only pedestrians walking towards the "luxury" intersection at 5th & University would have seen it. Interestingly, their new spot in Pacific Place isn't actually too much larger in term of square footage, but it does command a lot more foot traffic, which is what Barneys wants, considering Seattle's influx of Asian tourism. Supposedly, fast-fashion retailer H&M is looking into the old Barneys location. Now that could be exciting!

Saturday, October 14, 2006

My favorite collections for next spring were Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Hussein Chalayan, Valentino, Giles Deacon, Undercover by Jun Takahashi, Miu Miu, Bill Blass, Gianfranco Ferre, and Andrew Gn.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Movies I'm really aching to see:
1) Old Joy
2) Running With Scissors
3) Zodiac
4) Bobby
More to come...

Thursday, October 05, 2006

The newly edited version is now up here The Lovely, Lonely Polar Bear.

And here's the story:

The Lovely, Lonely Polar Bear

Once upon a time, Clif was just a regular, lovely polar bear. His coat of fleece was the brightest, most beautiful white. Sadly, as the years passed, more and more of his fellow arctic dwellers found themselves meeting tragic ends. Melting arctic caps led some to drown, while others met their fate at the hands of intrepid, idiotic explorers. One day, feeling lonely and confused, Clif decided to try his luck at the city life. Unfortunately, he found himself an alien in a confusing, deceiving world. There was no room for this tundra-roaming beast amongst all the celebrated penguins. Loneliness and insecurity consumed Clif. Where was his arctic utopia?


The most talented designers right now are Miuccia Prada, Hussein Chalayan, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Stefano Pilati, Alber Elbaz, Andrew Gn, Alexander McQueen, Ralph Rucci and arguably Marc Jacobs.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Sneak Peek @ The Lovely, Lonely Polar Bear



Posted by Picasa

View the entire series here

Sunday, October 01, 2006

In the simple scheme of things, everything is as it seems.

So, the world will arrange itself justly. Tonight, I watched The Science of Sleep. It was truly something to appreciate. Gael Garcia Bernal (pardon my lack of accents) is a marvel, from Y Tu Mama Tambien to The Motorcycle Diaries. Charlotte Gainsbourg, for those of you who don't know, has been famous for quite a long time. She was in 21 Grams, but most don't remember. She's the daughter of Jane Birkin (a famous, impossibly chic French chanteuse et actrice) and Serge Gainsbourg (a big French songwriter). She's been in movies since she was much younger, has been beloved across Europe, and only recently started catching American eyes in very recent years. She, like her half-sister Lou Doillon, has also been capturing la couer de la mode in recent years. She's quite amazing, really. It's all in the effortless way they put their pieces together, so much ease and refinement. But anyways, the leads in the film were spectacular to say the least.

Did you know that, back when London was the biggest city in the world, all the crossbeams on all the electrical posts were constructed so that they faced London, so that travellers would always know whether they were going towards or heading away from town?

Whenever I'm homesick and/or bored, I go home shopping for houses in the Seattle area. And I've realized that it'll be difficult to afford a house around there once I graduate. The housing market continues to boom, and will do so until midway through 2007. Then it's expected to slow down, but that's a relative term. But there are truly some fantastically gorgeous homes in the area! Ah, if only I had a few million to throw around...

Friday, September 29, 2006

There is a poem, Thunder Perfect Mind, from the first century, and there is an excerpt that I would like to share :

...For I am the first and the last.
I am the wide and the virgin.
I am the mother and the daughter.
I am she whose wedding is great,
and I have not taken a husband.
I am the bride and the bridegroom,
I am the silence that is
incomprehensible
and the idea whose remembrance is
frequent.
I am the voice whose sound is
manifold
I am the senseless and I am wise.
...and establish the great ones
among the small first creatures.
Come forward to childhood,
and do not despise it because it is small and it is little.
And do not turn away greatnesses in
some parts from the smallnesses,
for the smallnesses are known from
the greatnesses.
I am the one who is honored, and
who is praised,
For I am knowledge and ignorance.
I am shame and boldness.
I am shameless; I am ashamed.
I am strength and I am fear.
I am war and peace.
But I, I am compassionate and I am
cruel.
Do not hate my obedience
and do not love my self-control.
But I am she who exists in all fears
and strength in trembling.
I am she who is weak,
and I am well in a pleasant place...
I am peace.
And I am an alien and a citizen.
I a the substance and the one who
has no substance.
I am control and the uncontrollable.
I am the union and the dissolution.
I am the hearing which is attainable to everyone
and the speech which cannot be
grasped.
I am a mute who does not speak, and great is my multitude of words.

I guess it's about the female psyche and intrigue.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

What are some of my favorite songs of all time? I'm going to make this a new feature every so often, whenever I feel like it. My first pick is:

1) Janet Jackson - "Someone to Call My Lover"
This song reminds me of a bunch of things. It reminds me of the summer after 8th grade, when everything seemed perfect and I thought I was the greatest shit on earth. More specifically, it reminds me of winning tickets to my first ever concert. I called into KISS 106.1's night show, which was still hosted by Candy & Jerry. I answered five questions that I remember in vivid detail, but will not repeat here for the sake of my dignity. And I won! I won two tickets to the Janet Jackson concert at Key Arena, plus my name on the VIP list for some club that has since been renamed. I was 14, so that second part didn't really mean much to me. Either way, the song is happy and reminds me of summer and is something I can listen to for the rest of eternity. So there you go.

And because I'm in the mood, here's another:

2) Nelly Furtado - "Shit On The Radio"
This song reminds me of freshmen year of high school. I got the CD at Costco, in Shoreline, and I remember listening to it when I got home. I freaking enjoyed it. I don't know what else to say, except that I think it's my most played Nelly Furtado song on iTunes.
preliminary stages of my A-F for narrative class. i want to beef up the arch, maybe do more for the bride, the clean-cut cowboy is in good shape (it's made of facewash on cut paper towel in a plastic bag with dry-erase marker. get it? clean, cut cowboy? it's funny because he's clean and cut and a cowboy!), the dog needs more stitching, the eyes need a background, and the forest needs a little more work on the pathway. but otherwise, it's getting there! Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, September 26, 2006



The colored piece is acrylics (fingerpainted because I didn't bring a brush to class!), Rembrandt pastel, compressed charcoal, and Nupastel on a 6" x 6" square of balsa wood. It's part of the alphabet narrative project I'm doing, and this represents F, because it's a forest! Yay!

The black and white pieces comprise "Maybe This Holiday Season..."
It's a diptych! There's a whole story to go along with them. Maybe I'll post the full story later, but these are just Char-Kole, compressed charcoal, conti, Nupastels, and some other materials on 20" x 20" squares of Arches Cover BFK. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Gadzooks! Christopher Kane, Giles Deacon, Marios Schwab and Gareth Pugh have all made London worth watching again! Excitement is in the foggy air!

Monday, September 18, 2006

Color Systems Project! My three values were the strength of Zen, joie de vivre, and maintaining continual growth, as evidenced in the purple, yellow, and green, respectively.

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Friday, September 15, 2006

Post!
The original dress from the English gallery walk, senior year, and the resultant sketch:
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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The Spring/Summer shows are here. Here are the five shows to watch for what to wear when the sun comes out:

New York:
1) Marc Jacobs

Milan:
2) Prada

Paris:
3) Yves Saint Laurent
4) Lanvin
5) Balenciaga

Sunday, August 20, 2006

David actually took this photo. It reminds me of a Juergen Teller photo in the composition and lighting, just without the filmy grain of Teller's signature 35mm. It's ironic because that's my Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet, and Teller has shot every Marc Jacobs ad since anyone can remember.
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Friday, July 21, 2006

Tasteful Rules of Summer

In response to all the barfugly whoreanus outfits I've seen people attempt to pull together this summer, I offer this primer on summer attire:

1) Bottoms and footwear combinations. There are certain shoe and pant combinations that may never be worn in the summer without looking like a cheap Nicky Hiltonesque whore. For shorts, in general, the shorter the leg, the more casual and comfortable the heel. For example, short-shorts (anything falling no more than 3 inches to the hem) may NEVER be worn with any form of high heel. Spike heels and shorts make for a tasteless mistake, on the same level as Mariah Carey. In any case, shorts of any length may usually be worn with any of the following:
- Wedges, especially wooden wedges or espadrille wedges. Natural material heels look very fresh and summery and entirely non-whorish. Do not confuse sandals with wooden heels for wedges. Regardless of the natural material, if the heel is not a wedge, it will still looks horrendous. You'll look like Beyonce in the worst way possible.
- Summery flats or sandals. The key word is 'summery.' A sandal is not summery if it has more than a kitten heel (about 1", maybe 1.5" absolute tops).
- Flip-flops, most especially for the under-18 crowd, on whom improper heels too often look whorish.
As for skirts, they should never be more than a couple of inches above the knee and never hit much below the knee in the summer. Pair them with wedges, summery flats or sandals, but please no flip-flops. The look is too sloppy with a skirt.
For jeans, wear anything sleek, but avoid anything whorish. To explain all the jeans rules would take a whole separate primer.

2) UNDERGARMENTS ARE REQUIRED. Yes, bras and panties are pretty much required at all times in all places, no matter the weather. Unless you're wearing a swimsuit, there should be a bra under your shirt. Why? First of all, not wearing a bra leads to nasty, saggy chests. Secondly, it just looks so trashy and foul. Especially if there's air conditioning, in which case you'll look doubly-whorey. So please, don't leave the house without a bra on. Panties too, especially if you're wearing a skirt. Please. Thank you.

3) No short hair. Cutting your hair supershort really won't keep your head that much cooler than it was before. And even if it does, the absolute horrendous new look you'll end up with will counter any such comfort, because people will be too busy confusing you for some crazy dyke. Please don't cut your hair too short. If the back of your neck is hot, then a ponytail is more than perfectly acceptable. Exception: if you are Natalie Portman or otherwise posess heavenly perfect facial features and structure, then go right ahead and do as you please. But that's probably not you.

4) Sundresses. Tricky subject, because it depends so much on the person wearing them. They weren't exactly meant for people with large chests. And make sure it isn't too short or too long. Just above the knee is usually a good, safe length. They can be great summer attire, but please follow the undergarment rule and never wear a sundress without a bra or underwear. It's really just tacky. Whoranus nasty. Just don't do it.

5) Swimsuits. I'm sad to inform most of America that they really shouldn't be wearing bikinis. I don't understand why so many people think they'll be flattering or sexy. If you have a little paunch or in any way do not fit sleekly into the bikini without skin or stomach or anything extending past the edges, then please understand that there are much more flattering options. Soft bellies are gross. Cover them up please. People underestimate the allure of one pieces, as well as two pieces with more coverage (like tankinis). Not only will all imperfections melt away into the suit, making you look better than you better than before, but you also avoid any accidental slippage from not wearing a suitable bikini for your maritime activities.

That's it for now. Maybe more to come later as I see more offensive outfits...

Friday, June 09, 2006

Oscar de la Renta Resort 2007 was absolutely mesmerizing. Let the thumb of oppression be lifted and everything else can just fall apart.

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Art Prom banned from Magic House - News

A hilarious (but sadly completely true) article from the WashU student newspaper. I, unfortunately, didn't go. I wanted to though. When Michael Ian Black came for Final Friday, he didn't need a routine. He just read excerpts from the article. Sad. So sad. My favorite part is about how the art treasurer tries and spin the event. Her spinning skills can only go so far...

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

One of my satirical, ironic James Dean ads for 2D visual memoir final project. Part of a triptych, but the other parts haven't been scanned or anything, so I can't post them. Just believe that they're super-awesome. Posted by Picasa


























Another view of my 2D project, along with an old drawing project (body monster!), my first 2D project (the top of the wave is missing!), and my drawing final (which I still have to edit, but it's my dreamscape). More to come... Posted by Picasa





















My 2D Design project, for which I got an A-, which I was very excited about! I would explain the project, but it's overly complicated, so blegh... Posted by Picasa

Sunday, April 02, 2006

I'm gonna draw this or something. I like the new cropping. Loads of new drawing and 2D projects soon to come. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Art I Like: This is 'Tony' or something like that by Elizabeth Peyton. She's one of the artists of today that I really like. More of her stuff to come. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, March 19, 2006

POTD: Squeezing David's hideous head with my massive, ghostly hand. He couldn't get uglier if he tried... Kidding, I love you! Posted by Picasa

Thursday, March 16, 2006

POT...W?: The Bean in downtown Chicago! Posted by Picasa

Thursday, March 09, 2006

POTD: HOTT. Me and Sara in the bathroomPosted by Picasa

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

POTD: I'll just let this photo stand on its own. It's for my drawing class project. Posted by Picasa