∆∆∆∆∆

MOVED!!!

2010-11-29T23:49:00.002-05:00

todojustthis.tumblr.com

ON MY MIND

2010-07-20T23:22:00.009-04:00

"An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's." -Franny And Zooey by J.D Salinger

A VERY VEGAN WEEKEND

2010-07-19T00:10:00.003-04:00

Was welcomed by Gita at the Ginger Cat B&B
Had a delicious dinner at Moosewood.
Went on a leisurely hike in Watkins Glen state park.
Made a special visit to the Farm Sanctuary.
Thanks to Grace.

LA + HI + SF

2010-07-19T00:00:00.007-04:00

So I went on an early summer vacation but didn't feel like taking pictures much.
Many thanks to everyone who picked me up and took me to airports and who housed and fed me and made the time to hang. Stay cool and Friendz 4eva!

SANDWICH LOVE!

2010-06-02T12:01:00.004-04:00

OMG, someone has heard my prayers.....
Just discovered The 101 Best Sandwiches in New York via New York Magazine

WERKSTäTTE CARL AUBöCK

2010-05-28T00:29:00.010-04:00

Carl Auböck is a Viennese designer who was associated with the Wiener Werkstätte and Bauhaus.
Held in esteem by Eames and Gropius.

Exhibition at Mondo Cane
NYTimes article here

beautiful beautiful forms.

photos via mondo cane

BRILLIANT

2010-05-22T18:01:00.006-04:00

Choreography by Michael Clark
Wardrobe by Leigh Bowery
Music by The Fall

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-12-31T11:59:00.007-05:00

It's a new decade, how are you celebrating?

got my dress, got my dance party!

AT WORK ON NYE

2009-12-31T11:33:00.002-05:00

and bored.
day dreaming about.......

mikael kennedy photography
love.

MERRY XMAS TO THE 13TH POWER!

2009-12-24T21:01:00.009-05:00

Enjoy!

1) bing crosby - mele kalikimaka
2) barrington levy - christmas day
3) otis redding - white christmas
4) james brown - please come home for christmas
5) wham! - last christmas
6) the dirtbombs - my last christmas
7) low - just like christmas
8) belle & sebastian - are you coming home for christmas
9) arab strap - xmas baby please come home
10) cocteau twins - winter wonderland
11) snowden - white christmas
12) tom petty - christmas all over again
13) vince guaraldi trio - christmas time is here

Disclaimer: Due to the holiday season's potential to evoke feelings of loneliness, please be advised that a few of these songs may be rather sad and depressing, even anti-christmas. Sorry, they're still about christmas and they're great songs.

WINTER IN PARADISE

2009-12-22T00:05:00.021-05:00

I'm home in Hawaii for the holidays and you know, it really does pay off to be from paradise. My days are filled with eating the best food this world has to offer, hanging with old friends, playing with lots of babies and going to the beach. I hear the northeast got hit with a snowstorm and all I have to say is.....suckas!

sunset beach, north shore

Some tunes from the "i know it's winter but it sure feels like summer" playlist:
yura yura teikoku - ohayo mada yaro
neon indian - deadbeat summer
small black - despicable dog (washed out remix)
best coast - when i'm with you
generationals - when they fight, they fight
girls - lust for life

O CHRISTMAS TREE...

2009-12-09T04:01:00.004-05:00

yup, that's a unicorn on top.

SF CONTINUED

2009-11-30T01:15:00.011-05:00

T-day

some of my favorite eats...

Some of my favorite people...

And no SF trip is complete without Tartine....

Thank you G+M for housing, feeding and entertaining me. You guys are the BEST!

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!

2009-11-26T14:50:00.007-05:00

Spending Thanksgiving with my favorite couple in San Francisco. The eating extravaganza has already begun. It's only thursday morning and my pants already feel too tight.

Max's suit hanging in the 826 Valencia pirate store window

pumpkin pie ice cream!

SAIGON PART III - MEKONG DELTA

2009-11-22T15:04:00.010-05:00

SAIGON PART II - MOPED MADNESS

2009-11-22T14:50:00.010-05:00

For the Vietnamese, the name of the game is how much can you fit on that moped/scooter.
The answer: A lot!

SAIGON PART I

2009-11-20T08:40:00.008-05:00

HK PART II - HONG KONG CITY

2009-11-19T07:47:00.002-05:00

I would just like to take this moment to give a shout out to that person who searched "boa constrictor sleep in bed getting ready to eat owner" and found my blog.
Riiiiight......
Hope you found what you were looking for.

So these next set of pics were from the Hong Kong Island side. Thanks Kenzo for the tips on where to go.

JET LAG SUCKS

2009-11-18T02:38:00.039-05:00

It is soooo late, it's early.
My circadian rhythms are so out of whack right now, I thought it would be a good time to filter through all those music blogs I've neglected over the past three weeks.

Here are my findings:

∆ ducktails - wishes
∆ toro y moi - blessa
∆ ola podrida - donkey
∆ sparks - sherlock holmes
∆ atlas sound - the screens
∆ small black - despicable dogs
∆ ganglians - blood on the sand
∆ wilderness of manitoba - bluebirds
∆ simon joyner - one for the catholic girls

This Best Coast video isn't an "official" video but it still made me smile.

Genius. The below video is so weird and absurd it makes me laugh. It gets a little redundant after a while but it's still HILARIOUS. I think it's in Indonesian.

HK PART I - KOWLOON

2009-11-17T23:48:00.000-05:00

The hotel I stayed at was situated along the water in Kowloon with a view of Hong Kong Island. On my day off, I explored the Mong Kok district famous for its Bird Garden, Flower market, Goldfish market, Jade market, and well, every kind of market you can think of.

HOME SWEET BROOKLYN

2009-11-17T14:17:00.005-05:00

Ahhhhh......
I love my bed. Got in last night and had the best sleep ever.
It's great to be back but also a little strange to be on a certain trajectory and then to stop and have to adjust back to the old routine. I could have gone on a little longer but was starting to miss the familiarity of Brooklyn but now that i'm back, I kind of miss the excitement of traveling. The grass is always greener on the other side right?

Also, my poor butt!!!
I think it might have sustained permanent numbness from all the ridiculously long flights and long car rides that I've had to endure. I'm going to give it a couple days and see if i get the feeling back. Let's all pray for my butt.

Will post pics very soon.
Stay tuned......

BANANA TWINKIE

2009-11-14T10:27:00.005-05:00

I have failed as a 1st generation Chinese-American. I can't speak Mandarin. Though my dad can't speak a word of it, my mother speaks fluently. I know I look the part which must be confusing to mainland Chinese people but the truth is, back when i was 7 and my mom was the principle of a chinese school, the classes conflicted with my tap dance lessons on saturday mornings and I regretfully chose tap over the chinese classes. As a result, my vocabulary/phrasebook is limited to "hello", "i am an american", "i don't know", "that is too expensive", "don't slouch", "where is the bathroom", and "poop". I have had to endure countless looks of disappointment each time someone speaks to me in Mandarin and I have to reply back apologetically in terrible broken Chinese. If only i could have tapped my way through China.....
I am what you call a banana, or is it twinkie? I am a banana twinkie.

Other than that, trip has been going well, starting to feel extremely exhausted as i have spent the last 5 nights at a different hotel in various armpits of China.
Am finally back in Hong Kong today and you have no idea how nice it to be in a business center with hi-speed internet and privacy.

alright, the peking duck is sitting heavy in the tummy and am feeling very sleepy......

SAIGON CRUSH

2009-11-08T06:02:00.008-05:00

Or rather i have a crush on Saigon.

Whizzed through Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and have finally settled into a place for more than 24 hours and am loving Saigon or as it is now called Ho Chi Minh city. So far it's been the most different and unique of all the cities. It feels alive and vibrant, buzzing with activity and energy and the people are great. I've also never seen so many mopeds and scooters on the streets in my entire life, i'm talking moped madness. And traffic laws? just a suggestion. Trying to cross the street is no small feat. The Park Hyatt is also the best hotel ever and one of the signature drinks you can get at the bar is called the Saigon Crush....so good, i've had one every night.

Had a day off today and went to My Tho and took a boat to some villages along the Mekong delta. I was a hot, sweaty mess but being on a sampan meandering through narrow waterways is pretty awesome.

Off to China soon.....

LONGEST FLIGHT OF MY LIFE

2009-11-03T19:25:00.004-05:00

All i can say is thank god for movies. I watched 7, yes 7 movies in a row on my 15+ hour flight from NY to Hong Kong.
1) 500 days of summer
2) Moon
3) A Scanner Darkly
4) Julie and Julia
5) Lost and Found (HK movie, fell asleep during this one so technically did not watch this one)
6) City Island
7) The Shrink
8) The Time Traveler's Wife (i was getting desperate)

I will say though, the 4 hour flight from HK to Jakarta felt way longer....probably the stinkiest and loudest flight I've ever been on.

So haven't even been in Jakarta for 24 hours yet and I'm off to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this afternoon.

This is crazy.

I'M LEAVING ON A JET PLANE

2009-10-31T22:57:00.003-04:00

Won't know when i'll be back again....
Well that's a lie but i wish it were true.
Heading off to Asia tomorrow for a whirlwind tour of the armpits of Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and China. Posting will probably be difficult but i'll try my hardest to not keep all you loyal followers, (all five of you) in suspense.

robots rule.
one of the better costumes spotted this evening....

D.I.B.

2009-10-31T14:57:00.004-04:00

ANOTHER SATURDAY NIGHT

2009-10-25T02:23:00.003-04:00

JUST ME & MR. MOOSE

2009-10-22T21:32:00.005-04:00

Meet Moose, the most regal lookin' longhaired chihuahua this side of brooklyn.

I've been dog sittin' for a couple days while his ma and pa are on vacation. Poor guy, he misses them so much.

COOKING MORE = STAYING WARM

2009-10-18T19:31:00.006-04:00

So fall lasted 2 weeks and now it feels like the dead of winter in the middle of october. Been trying to cook more so i don't have to leave the warmth of the apartment.

farmer's market ingredients waiting to go into a corn chowder

sage apple pie with shaker crust
the product of last week's apple pickin'

HAWAII, A ROLE MODEL?

2009-10-17T17:32:00.007-04:00

Interesting article in NYTimes today about Hawaii's mandatory law instituted in 1974 which requires that employers provide affordable health care to employees working over 20 hours a week. Though other states have tried to implement a similar law, it often ends up being repealed. The article explains that part of the reason it works in Hawaii and not in other states is partly due to Hawaii's geographical isolation. Employers can not threaten to move across state lines as easily as their counterparts on the mainland.

Article also gives some surprising statistics such as:

"But perhaps the most intriguing lesson from Hawaii has to do with costs. This is a state where regular milk sells for $8 a gallon, gasoline costs $3.60 a gallon and the median price of a home in 2008 was $624,000 — the second-highest in the nation. Despite this, Hawaii’s health insurance premiums are nearly tied with North Dakota for the lowest in the country, and Medicare costs per beneficiary are the nation’s lowest."

Read full article here.

I have to say it's kind of surprising to hear that Hawaii is doing something right. As for public education, well now, that's a different story.

Parent's Fear Furlough's Effects

I WANT YOU AND WON'T BE FOUND

2009-10-14T23:20:00.005-04:00

Listen to Tallest Man on Earth Daytrotter session here.

Listen to I Want You and I Won't Be Found

APPLE PICKING

2009-10-12T00:50:00.010-04:00

2009-10-07T01:01:00.010-04:00

Laura Gibson - "Shadows On Parade" from HUSH Records on Vimeo.

She is from Oregon.
She released her 3rd album earlier this year called Beasts of Seasons.
That is all i know.

∆ laura gibson - sweet deception

POETRY PLEASE!

2009-10-07T00:33:00.007-04:00

and now for a poetry plug:

My old roomate Steven Karl of Lover's Last Go Around has just put out a collaborative chapbook (for all you non literary/poetry types, a chapbook is a small pocket-sized pamphlet or booklet of sorts filled with words, beautiful and strange) called.....

• STATE(S) OF FLUX •

32 pages of poetical action! (Wow!)
6 pages two-color concertina of visual goodness (Awesome!!)
hand-bound in orange bookcloth (Say It Again!!!)
Printed & Published by Peptic Robot Press.

Hooray! Someone has put forth something meaningful into this world.
check him out here or support him here

thank you.

PARTY IN THE USA

2009-10-05T21:44:00.006-04:00

Yes, it was another birthday party in the USA this weekend...New Lebanon, NY USA that is.
Somehow it turned into Flannel Family Slumber Party 2009 where 2 songs were vying for party anthem of the night.

Party in the USA vs. Empire State of Mind
My vote was for the latter.

∆ jay-z (feat. alicia keys) - empire state of mind

FALL

2009-10-05T00:46:00.024-04:00

The leaves are turning, the air is crisp. Fall is in full effect.

SHORT BUT SWEET

2009-09-30T23:59:00.004-04:00

I apologize for not taking many pics but the trip was so quick i really wanted to focus on getting quality time in with family, friends, the beach and eating all my favorite local kine grinds.

Liam Ka'imi McCabe
so precious.

Lyon and McKenna Tang

Shout out to Airspace Workshop for letting me hang.
Always a pleasure and keep fighting the good fight.
ps- let me know when you're ready to hire me.

...and special mahalos to Rad Not Sad for the lovely prints. LOVE them!

ALOOOOOOOHA!

ANOTHER YEAR OLDER AND HOPEFULLY THE WISER

2009-09-30T19:42:00.019-04:00

So on a whim, hopped on a plane and decided to go back home to spend the weekend with family and some old friends, meet my new nephew and to celebrate being another year older.

Thanks to everyone who came out last thursday for the impromptu celebration or had intentions of coming out and to those of you who sent birthday wishes over the weekend. I truly appreciate it.

In an ode to Hawai'i and it's love for reggae, I leave you with Party Time by the Heptones.
It's simple, (i mean it is reggae) but the lyrics are words to live by

We're having a party tonight
Where everything will be alright
And come on, come on everyone, come on
It's time that we should have some fun

We've got to live some life
Before we're old
We've got to live some life
Before we're cold

Time is short, so hear me man
Let's live the life the best we can
Don't try to work your soul away
Remember there's another day

And we've got to live some life
Before we're old
And we've got to live some life
Before we're cold

MORE BIRTHDAYS

2009-09-22T00:08:00.006-04:00

Can't go wrong with pizza and beer at Brooklyn Brewery

YET ANOTHER TRIP TO BRIMFIELD

2009-09-22T00:06:00.002-04:00

scored big this time.....YAY!

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE

2009-09-22T00:04:00.005-04:00

saw this while getting lunch one day.
sometimes i wish i was a bodega cat.

WOW

2009-09-21T23:58:00.004-04:00

Saw AA bondy (comprised of Scott Bondy + 2 bandmates) at Mercury Lounge a couple weeks ago. I'm just going to put this out there and i know it's a bold claim but i think it may have been the most rewarding concert i've been to in awhile. Granted i was expecting a rather mediocre show but imagine a nerdier, scragglier, rougher version of JFK Jr. singing about heaven and hell, god and man, love and hurt, turning in an almost flawless performance with the ease of a seasoned troubadour.

1) Live, these guys sound 100 times better than there recorded album. Sound quality was excellent. Bondy's voice has this unusual characteristic of sounding hallow yet full. A slight hoarseness and wavering implies a delicate rawness yet he's able to project with such clarity and power.
2) I had kind of dismissed AA bondy as kind of mellow folk act but they rock hard when they want to and it's convincing, think neil young kind of rockin'
3) Bondy plays the harmonica with such bravado it's hard not to be impressed.
4) The arrangements were so much more fluid and dynamic, even raw in comparison to the album versions.
5) he has very loyal fan base who seem to know all the lyrics to his songs and usually i would find this annoying but i guess it could also be seen as a testament to what his songs/lyrics invoke in people.

favorite Bondy quote of the evening:
"Go tweet about it, shit...." in reference to a movie that no one had seen but should see.

i'm going to post some songs but keep in mind these recordings just don't do the music justice which is really unfortunate.
Just go see AA Bondy live and ignore the overzealous frat boys and obnoxious skull cap, jersey wearin' dudes who will breath heavily on you and block your view. I feel like their presence may have been more a product of the location (manhattan) and circumstance (as there were 3 other bands playing that night) than indicative of AA bondy's music or at least i'd like to think so. In any case, not sure why they were there but i guess they're entitled to like good music too.

∆ there's a reason
∆ lover's waltz

.........................................................................................

but then i saw the Dirty Three a week later which was actually a dirty foursome as Nick Cave made a cameo appearance and played on piano and i'm now going to say that this was the one of the best concerts i've ever been to. period.
so good it moved me to tears and has left me speechless.

DO NOT EVEN HESITATE TO SEE THEM LIVE.

∆ i really should've gone out last night
∆ distant shore

TOTALLY RADICAL

2009-09-08T22:26:00.021-04:00

So, stumbled upon this chill lo-fi rockabilly-ish surf song today called Big Wave Rider by Rainbow Bridge....pretty groovy but also kinda boring. Then, play it while watching this...............

and it becomes totally RADICAL!

Ok, this requires a little bit of coordinating but it's totally rewarding even if you don't surf (i think).

1) start playing video and turn off volume on you tube window (NOT computer volume or else you won't hear anything).

2) play music link below

∆ rainbow bridge - big wave rider

3) then for a different vibe but equally as good, play below because the video won't even be halfway done.

∆ washed out - feel it all around

God, the combos are so good it makes me want to quit my job, get on the first plane home and surf into eternity.....or until i get hungry.

THE CLOISTERS

2009-09-08T19:51:00.001-04:00

SO LONG, FAREWELL

2009-09-08T19:47:00.001-04:00

Auf Weidersehen, goodbye...
i'll miss you Summer!
Don't ever change!
Friendz 4eva!
Stay cool!

IT CAN'T BE THE FIRST TIME

2009-09-08T19:45:00.001-04:00

this has happened....

D.I.B.

2009-09-04T11:06:00.005-04:00

A.K.A. ADAM SPIEGEL

2009-09-04T11:03:00.000-04:00

Interesting piece on Spike Jonze and the making of Where the Wild Things Are in NYTimes magazine here

Here are some of my favorite quotes/excerpts from the article:

Although he has no children of his own, his feeling for what it’s like to be a child seems to be stronger and more immediate than that of most people his age, and children are often drawn to him. Catherine Keener, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work in “Being John Malkovich” and who plays a divorced mother in “Where the Wild Things Are,” told me that her 10-year-old son, Clyde, once asked her why Jonze didn’t live with his parents; apparently Clyde didn’t realize that Jonze was an adult.

Considering Jonze’s own propensity toward mischief, it was tempting to see his fight with the studio (which, by the time I sat down with him, was more than a year old) as an embodiment of the eternal struggle between freedom-seeking child and authoritarian parent. Jonze chose a different family metaphor. “It’s like the studio was expecting a boy, and I gave birth to a girl,” he told me. “And now they’re learning to love and accept their daughter.”

“I realized only then that it happens millimeter by millimeter,” he told me. “If you compromise what you’re trying to do just a little bit, you’ll end up compromising a little more the next day or the next week, and when you lift your head you’re suddenly really far away from where you’re trying to go.”

In July, Warner Brothers screened 10 minutes of the movie at Comic-Con, the annual gathering of comic-book artists, science-fiction authors, movie executives and assorted nerds in San Diego. Rapturous blogging ensued. Devin Faraci of CHUD wrote: “It is not acceptable for a grown man to be getting teary-eyed at out-of-context snippets of a movie played at a comic-book convention. And yet there I was, sitting in Hall H, fighting back tears.”

“Just come up with an idea,” he said, “and make it.”

Remember Oct. 16th, Oct. 16th, Oct. 16th.
So excited!

GOLDMINE!

2009-09-02T23:56:00.008-04:00

So I've known about Daytrotter for awhile now but only recently delved into their sessions archives.
Let me tell you....goldmine!

What is Daytrotter you ask...
taken from their website:
There are so many music/entertainment websites that copy one another, scrambling so fast to “discover” or present something new to the world. And just because you get there first, it doesn’t really make you an explorer. We did poke a stars and stripes into the moon, but we could always see it. We knew it was there. It wasn’t new. We can always come along and say we did, saw, heard something first, but we’re never right. What Daytrotter is attempting to do is to not kid around with you and tell you that we found something that you never knew existed. We are going to contribute to the musical landscape, not just toss it around like a used book or a stolen pick-up line. We’re going to give you something that you truly have never heard. We are not giving you songs from someone you love’s record album, thereby stealing from someone you love. We’re giving you exclusive, re-worked, alternate versions of old songs and unreleased tracks by some of your favorite bands and by a lot of your next favorite bands.

Some of my favorite sessions are:
Bon Iver
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Cass McCombs
Sleeping States
Dawes
Dinosaur Jr.
Chairlift
Elvis Perkins

lots and lots of good stuff to be found here!
check it out now!

SUBTLE SURPRISES

2009-09-02T23:34:00.011-04:00

One of my current obsessions is the Sleeping States which is the solo project of Markland Starkie. I discovered the album There The Open Spaces about 2 years ago and have been listening to that same album ever since. In fact, i listened to several songs from that album today and still have not grown tired of it.
If i had to pick a color to represent his music, i would no doubt pick grey flecked, no....maybe marbled, with aquamarine and hot pink. The general mood is very subdued and melancholic but with that said, upon hearing the first 30 seconds of a song, i oftentimes can not predict where it will go or how it will end. I find that his music is unformulaic and full of subtle surprises.
he is one of the few that i have yet to see live and am waiting patiently for him to pay a visit to NY. It's been a good 2 years since he's come out with new material but while i was away in North Carolina, Sleeping States released their 3rd full length album, Gardens of the North!!!!!!
It has been on heavy rotation ever since.

My favorite song from the new album is Rings of Saturn but couldn't find it anywhere so here are...
∆ gardens of the south
∆ sleeping states, or who has been rocking my dreamboat (from There the Open Spaces)

PERCEPTION VS. REALITY

2009-09-02T22:45:00.002-04:00

Discovered Staccato today. Really liked the following story.
made me think about perception vs. reality and how the two can be confused....
and well, also relationships.

The Change In My Boa Constrictor
by Sam Beebe August 24th, 2009

My boa constrictor used to sleep in my bed. I would feel him slide in under the covers, his weight next to mine on the mattress, and it would rouse me quietly from my dozing, or my sleep. It was sweet, how after dark he sought out my warmth and company. In that way he reminded me of someone who might love me. Sometimes I would turn to him and stroke his cool skin, which was so inviting in the humid heat of summer. I traced the line of his coil with my fingertips. I could feel him falling asleep, his body going slack and supple, his heartbeat slowing.

At a certain point there was a change in him. When he was in the bed, he would no longer coil and sleep. Instead, he extended himself straightly, his body pulling taut. I felt his muscles stretching, straining to make himself as long as he could. His head would be on the extra pillow I keep for symmetry, his tail extending stiffly beyond the bottom edge of the bed, a stiffness I could feel with my searching feet. I would stroke him more then, tenderly, and whisper in what I hoped would be soothing tones. I feared he was getting sick.

I told the veterinarian. She looked at me with urgent eyes, from a blanched face. He is making himself long, the veterinarian said, to see if you would fit inside. This is how boas decide what they will or will not eat, she said. I told her that was impossible, but she shook her head and said under no circumstances should you let your boa constrictor into your bed, while you sleep.

Now, my boa constrictor spends nights in his terrarium. Before I turn out the lights, I can see him in the reflection of the mirror, through the open bathroom door, watching me, as I take off my makeup and get ready for sleep.

FORT TILDEN

2009-08-31T07:55:00.005-04:00

LEFT ON MY LOOM

2009-08-31T07:47:00.004-04:00

this drawing is so sweet, i had to post it.
i found it sittting on my loom one day after lunch.

VIRGO/LIBRA BIRTHDAY MADNESS

2009-08-26T00:28:00.011-04:00

begins....

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

2009-08-25T00:09:00.001-04:00

what makes an experience meaningful are the people.
here are just a few whom were so kind enough to befriend a li'l 'ole yankee island girl.

ALL YOU CAN EAT DELICIOUSNESS

2009-08-24T22:15:00.003-04:00

The food at penland is reason enough to visit. It was all you can eat deliciousness. I admit i complained alot, not because it was lacking but because it felt like eating almost became the main event and then you were left to fit studio time in between the meals. I felt I was constantly eating and even though i sat at a loom all day and exercised maybe twice while i was there, i was strangely and incredibly ravenous when it came time to eat. Eventually you just weren't hungry anymore but ate because the food was so good you couldn't not eat it. Plus if you didn't eat during the allotted 45 minute window, you were stuck to fend for yourself.

ASHEVILLE PART II

2009-08-24T21:38:00.002-04:00

So near Asheville is the Biltmore Estate. The house was built by George Vanderbilt and is considered to be America's largest privately owned home. It is essentially America's version of Versaille. It was a pretty ridculous entrance fee at $55 plus $10 audio tour (i mean i feel like Versaille was half that much) but i figured the chances of me coming down here again are pretty slim so i splurged. I also love this kind thing....furniture...history....totally right up my alley and don't get me wrong, it is spectacular; i'm talkin' leather embossed wallpaper, frescoes imported from italy, real silver woven into velvet upholstery. The house is even equipped with indoor swimming pool and a bowling alley and this is at a time when toilets barely existed.
Olmstead designed the gardens surrounding the estate which adds to the splendor of this place.
Unfortunately, pictures of the interiors were not allowed so only got exterior shots.
If ever in the area, suck it up just pay the $60, it's pretty fantastic.

ASHEVILLE PART I

2009-08-24T19:46:00.012-04:00

So, lucked out by having a dorm mate that had a car and got to check out Asheville, NC which is a very young and pretty happening town. Had a star studded weekend as i saw Will Oldham a.k.a. Bonnie "Prince" Billy, on the street and yelled his name from a car window which got his attention (he had played a show the night before). Also caught a Mt.Eerie and the Books concert and let me tell you....Asheville loves the Books. After the concert, i was chompin' on some chips waiting for my friends at a supermarket between the 2 sets of double glass doors when low and behold, Phil Elverum walks right by me. Jaw dropped and chip was suspended in mid air as my eyeballs stalked him into the supermarket as he made a hard left to look at the free papers right inside the entrance. i then proceeded to stare at him for a good 30 seconds until i got the nerve to not even walk into the supermarket but pop my head past the glass doors with open potato chip bag in hand and nervously and bashfully say, "hi, i just caught your show and...thank you!"
i know, i'm an idiot but i never know what to say in those kind of situations. It's hard not to sound like a chump but what the hell, i'll probably never see him again. Besides, he's cool and was cool about it, responding with what seemed like a sincere thank you.
it was worth it.

STUDIO LIFE

2009-08-23T13:48:00.009-04:00

There were at least 10 other workshops going on and a bunch of resident artists staying at Penland. Tried to check out as many studios as i could but only documented a couple. here's a look at some of them....

WEAVIN'

2009-08-23T10:04:00.016-04:00

This is Barbara Setsu Pickett, the most patient teacher in the world. She is an expert on weaving velvet and has studied in Italy, France, England, Turkey, Japan and China. She is also the curricular coordinator for the Fibers Area and its principal instructor at University of Oregon.

These are some of Barbara's velvet samples from some several Italian and French ateliers. There are less then 30 velvet weavers in the world and having yardage made is pricey. Really, only the very wealthy can afford to commission pieces. Just to give you an idea, some of Barbara's samples were taken from commissions by the pope and prince charles. It is an extremely time consuming and tedious process as velvet is still hand woven to this day. Each row of pile is inserted with a metal rod and hand cut per the design. As our teacher would say "you kind of have to be somewhat of a masochist to be a velvet weaver".

carved velvet sample from japan

carved velvet sample form Japan

ikat velvet from uzbekistan

..............................................................................................

So supposedly velvet has one of the most complicated weaving structures and i decided that i would try it as a first time weaver. I'm not sure if that was stupid or smart. Now hopefully, weaving anything else will seem like childs play in comparison.

..............................................................................................

ikat dying demonstration (the uzbek way)

..............................................................................................

my finished pieces

this is macro velvet

my first scarf ever

my second scarf ever

my third scarf ever
donated to Penland scholarship auction and sold for $70.

HEY YA'LL

2009-08-22T02:05:00.027-04:00

Am back from the Blue ridge mountains of North Carolina and struggling to settle back into brooklyn life. P enland was INCREDIBLE and successfully turned me into a lean mean weavin' machine. Have a lot of pics to post and will do so slowly in batches as i took over 400. i have to admit it's only been half a day and I already miss mountain life, being force fed delicious food, all those super nice drawl-talkin', hoola-hoopin' artsy folk, and even working in the studio till 4am like a crazy person.

the last two pictures were views from my weaving studio, one on a bright sunny day and the other one after a thunder storm. i had to look at this everyday.
uh..why do i live in brooklyn again?

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

2009-08-09T02:30:00.001-04:00

taking some time off for a little weaving and wilderness.

SUZANNE

2009-08-09T01:33:00.010-04:00

My new roommate and i were discussing nina simone and he had mentioned that he is currently obsessed with her cover of Leonard Cohen's Suzanne.

leonard cohen's version is good no doubt, but Nina, she puts some soul into it. That's (!) what you call an original musical arrangement.
∆ nina simone - suzanne

D.I.B.

2009-08-09T01:20:00.005-04:00

HAND JOINERY

2009-08-07T22:43:00.003-04:00

Some things i miss most about art school are :
1) using your hands to physically make something (as opposed to using your hands to operate mouse and keyboard so your computer can make something virtual)
2) having the time to lose yourself in your work/project, even if it means sanding for a week straight.
3) gettin' dirty

My Hand Tools Workshop for Furniture Making class satisfied all of the above.

Kate glueing up

inserting shims

planing

et voila
Rob carefully measuring out his mortise and tenons

JENNA

2009-08-03T22:42:00.004-04:00

always kind of sad to see a good roommate move out.

2009-08-03T22:40:00.004-04:00

Yay to the G that now services Park Slope hopefully increasing the chances of seeing this li'l lady more than once a year even though we live in the same city, the same borough even.

CRUSHIN' ON CASS

2009-07-27T22:43:00.011-04:00

Caught an amazing show tonight. So amazing i just might go see Cass McCombs again on saturday at Union Hall. It amazes me that he's still somewhat under the radar.

mental notes from the concert:
1) cass played barefoot
2) he was also wearing an amazing jean jacket and sparkly (diamond?) bracelet
3) he was extremely appreciative and almost surprised when a song finished and the audience broke out in applause and whistles. it was cute.
4) he's also kind of funny
5) his voice is crystal clear live, just as good if not better than recordings
6) the drummer was money
7) set list comprised of equal parts oldies but goodies and songs from new album
8) band definitely changed it up from album versions
9) totally worth the $14

BROOKLYN BOWL BOOTH FUN

2009-07-27T16:38:00.004-04:00

GOZER SUMMONED

2009-07-27T11:23:00.003-04:00

It's not entirely out of the question that the keymaster and the gatekeeper decided to possess some dirty hipster kids who were totally psyched about Black lips playing free in williamsburg this past sunday. Unfortunately, their union caused the summoning of Gozer....
Ominous clouds and crazy lightning show forced the Jelly NYC concert to shutdown right before trail of dead were about to go on...something about lightening and electrical equipment being dangerous.
Kind of a bum out but the apocalyptic storm that went down shortly thereafter kind of made up for it.

P.S.

2009-07-22T10:18:00.008-04:00

I'm officially an auntie!
Liam McCabe was born on July 21st at 7 lbs, 12 oz. and 21 inches long.
way to go sis!

Like to take this time to welcome the most irish sounding hapa boy into the family and world.
Here's to you kid....
∆ explosions in the sky - Day 1

update: official name is Liam Ka'imi McCabe

SUMMERY SOUNDS

2009-07-22T09:15:00.001-04:00

∆ lotus plaza - whiteout
∆ grizzly bear - two weeks

2009-07-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

NAMI by syoin kajii

WEEKEND

2009-07-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

BRIMFIELD
the fields

fit for a dog

Debbie was a doll. we talked for an hour about textiles, weaving, work....life. I was considering buying the turkish kilim rug she's sitting on but was worried it wouldn't fit in my living room. Not only did she knock off $100 but she let me take home the rug without paying for it and without any obligation. If i decide to keep it, i just send her a check. If I decide i don't like it, i just send it back to her. The honor system is alive and well.

almost bought this for the living room until i saw the price tag. it was pretty substantial in size but $450 is crazy talk.
i asked the guy manning the booth what's the story with the painting, he didn't know much about it but apparently it's from the book of revelations and it depicts a clearly awesome dream that john had.......

absolutely the best kettle corn ever!

it's officially tradition along with the lobster roll and lemonade

D.I.B.

2009-07-20T01:47:00.000-04:00

WILLIAMSBURG WATERFRONT

2009-07-15T00:59:00.006-04:00

bike ridin' + free concert + tacos = perfect summer day

RELATIVELY NEW, IF NOT NEW

2009-07-15T00:45:00.006-04:00

∆ bowerbirds - house of diamonds

∆ bill callahan - jim cain

∆ yim yames - all things must pass (george harrison cover)

MY GUILTY PLEASURE

2009-07-08T11:47:00.007-04:00

I have a guilty pleasure and it sounds like My Morning Jacket ballads. My old roommate once told me that frat boys listen to MMJ and I have been cautious ever since to proclaim my love for them, but i do...like them...alot.
So when i discovered that Jim James (frontman for MMJ), under the moniker Yim Yames is releasing a solo record, i got really really excited and that an EP is being released of Jim singing beatles covers, i nearly swooned.

∆ long, long, long

CUTE + CLEVER = JAPANESE

2009-07-06T23:22:00.004-04:00

what are they singing about and what does "Hibi no neiro" mean?

....

i just looked it up. it means "tone of of everyday".

2009-07-06T21:54:00.006-04:00

FUN TIME USA!

2009-07-06T21:32:00.004-04:00

Finally saw Food Inc.
It is more than just about food, it is about health, environment, people, politics. If you care about any of these things, you should watch it.

Here We Go Magic at Southstreet Seaport

The Annual 4th of July BBQ "Calf Off"

A Roof with a View

BEACH!!!

FIRE ISLAND

2009-06-28T22:52:00.001-04:00

"AT LEAST I KNOW..."

2009-06-28T22:50:00.002-04:00

"....I'm somebody's fetish"

SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK

2009-06-28T22:46:00.001-04:00

biked over to Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens to check out Makers Market.

STORMY FRIDAY

2009-06-28T18:30:00.004-04:00

did you see the cotton puff skies after the storm?

i apparently missed them.
(thanks grappleseed for the pics)
all the while...

PYT

2009-06-26T01:18:00.005-04:00

What a sad day...
i thought it only appropriate to post one of my favorite MJ songs, Pretty Young Thing.
∆ P.Y.T

DANGER MOUSE + SPARKLEHORSE + DAVID LYNCH

2009-06-25T00:42:00.011-04:00

= DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL (not to be confused with Dark was the Night although, it is kind of confusing)
ok, i know i'm a little late to post this NYTimes worthy news (although i have to give props to Rad Not Sad as i read it there first) and everyone probably already knows about it by now, but just in case you missed it....
here's the NPR link to stream entire album

as for the Lynch photographs, a few:

click here to see more

remember music came first, then photographs.

YUM!

2009-06-24T23:48:00.002-04:00

never know where to go to eat in the West village.
enter Moustache...
delicious and more importantly affordable.