Solvang Weekend - Day 1 - Circle Bar B

A narrow single-lane road winding through the Refugio State park brought us to our accommodations for the weekend, the Circle Bar B Ranch in Goleta, CA, aka the middle of nowhere. A perfect way to get away.

We got there just in time to prep bikes for our ride the next day and eat at the family style dinner. At dinner, we ate all of the surprisingly good food with the other guests staying at the ranch who were a mix of horseback riders and weekend excursionists. None of whom knew about the bike ride we were going to do, but were all very excited for us. We wandered around the ranch and noticed all of the taxidermy animals decorating the lobby.

Afterwards, Mike and I played hours of ping pong. There's no tv, radio or cell service here, so we were left with the game room and some books for entertainment, but we liked it that way.

Jason and Meespace arrived later at night. We laid out all of our lycra bikewear, our water, and our snacks for the ride, so we could ride out in the morning.

Who Is You? #16

Wow you really messed up this time.


You = Bernie Madoff

Movie Review: I'm A Cyborg But That's OK

I'm A Cyborg But That's OK, 2006
dir. Chan-wook Park
Romantic Comedy, 105 min
South Korea

This movie was oddly intriguing. After all, we all find some pleasure in crazy people finding love. It's a love story between a woman, Young-goon, who believes she is a Terminator-like cyborg set to destroy and a hyper-paranoid mental patient, Il-sun, who believes he will shrink into a dot if he doesn't brush his teeth constantly. We watch their love grow as Il-sun becomes determined to help Young-goon eat again. (She believes that the food will destroy her cyborg insides)

The colorful color palette and very dramatic performances serve the "live-action-cartooniness" lovingly. They are playful and complement the cast of characters very well. The pacing needs some work and somehow doesn't share the same energy as the sets and clever cinematography. Overall, worth checking out, but I would hold off on watching a second time.

Grace and her Meat Lover's 27th Birthday dinner at Mastro's, Bev Hills

Grace loves steak so it was fitting that she choose a steakhouse for her 27th birthday celebration. This was quite a step up from her last birthday celebration which was not much more than Grace in pajamas and a bucket of chicken. I was surprised that Grace even wore a dress for this beef party.

We wined and dined over gigantic pieces of beef, lobster mashed potatoes, gorgonzola mac and cheese. Grace and Ryan shared a 48 oz porterhouse while the rest of us enjoyed more modest cuts. Nevertheless, Mike's recent transition from vegan back to meateater put him in a biggest food coma of his life.

For dessert, Ryan arranged to have a candle put into a very inviting slice of triple chocolate cake. We were all ready to sing "Happy Birthday" when Grace decided to just blow out the candle and say "Oh too bad. No singing." Our slight disappointment disappeared quickly as we realized how good our desserts were. Oinky oinky.

As Grace puts it, "Good times"

My Perpetual Struggle With Wanting

OK. While I admire those who can live with a single pair of multipurpose shoes (usually men), everyday I enjoy the privilege of choosing which pair of shoes to wear. More often than not, I choose my Toms or a vintage pair. Those are the practical and I don't feel so materialistic when I wear them. Here's the struggle: Despite the comfort, I still wish I could wear a pair of sky high Christian Louboutin's, or YSL's or whatever!

I love fashion. I like the glamour of it despite full knowledge that true glamour doesn't exist. The illusion of glamour, really. I appreciate the energy put into it, I suppose. How much thought is placed into every accessory and how much grace and swagger comes as a result really intrigues me. Something about the dazzle of it all. I wish I was graceful! Then I wish I had that Alexander McQueen dress, the Balenciaga whatever, and the Goyard luggage. Now, the dangerous temptation...

It really is hard to resist, but so delightful to imagine that so much imaginary glamour and good feelings could come from that one LAMB purse, the Chloe glasses and DVF dress or any other overpriced luxury item. Me wantee!

But this is my understanding. I fully know that these things won't bring me glamour or gracefulness for that matter. I'm no Victoria Beckham. Not to mention that my wallet is nowhere near as capable as Posh or the Olsens. I am aware that fashion is a fleeting artform that changes all the time. It is the art of wanting. And best when you can't have it, otherwise they're just clothes.

Ely Kim's Boombox

BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.

Boombox is a video collage of 100 songs, 100 places over the course of 100 days.
Ely is a friend of a friend. He is currently working on his MFA at Yale. This is what you make with an MFA at Yale. Enjoy.

Breakfast Song

Wow.

Bikes and Art

On Saturday, Nathan, Pat, Mike and I trekked to the East Hollywood Art Cycle from Venice. A good 30 mile ride roundtrip.

We managed to take advantage of the great weather to ride. We took a pit stop at the Kaws exhibit (that I didn't get to see a couple weeks ago). There we looked entirely out of place among the sea of fashionable hip hop aficionados wearing sweaty clothes and bike wear.

Afterwards, we trekked through the glorious areas of the Crenshaw and South Central LA up to Koreatown.

At the artfest, we admired all the bikes fixed and roadie alike. Our first stop was Scoops, my favorite ice cream shop in LA. So many exotic and interesting flavors to choose from! I settled with chocolate almond and strawberry poppy seed.

Met up with Lorenzo and took a peek at the local artists' products and listened to some bands. We refueled at LA's coolest vegan spot, Pure Luck, where we didn't miss the meat.

Last stop was Orange 20, the LA capital for the fixed gear bicycle lover in you. They have everything! While the guys admired some pricey track frames, I managed to take a liking in a little sparkly red number with a banana seat like the one above.

The ride home was so nice. Peaceful streets dark enough to mask any filth and ugliness. The temperature was perfect. Ended up in Venice just in time to catch the Kogi BBQ truck for some late night tacos.

Filipino Noses?

Only 2 noses did not belong to Filipinos- #4 and #7.

What makes me Filipino? -- Noses

Here is a collection of noses from Lorenzo's portraits (www.knivesandpillows.com). I've been told before that Filipino people have distinct noses-- usually flat. The folklore goes that when the boat with all the noses arrived, the Filipinos were last to choose because of their short legs. Hmm. Can you tell which noses are Filipino?

Solvang Century Bike Ride 2009

Due to my undying love of aebleskiver, cuckoo clocks, and near torturous recreational activities, I've signed up to ride the Solvang half century (50 miles) on my trusty road bike. Along with fellow bike geeks, Mike, Jason and Meespace, we shall all re-visit the quiet wine country and steep hill to cookie mountain all for what is considered "fun."

Related -- the Lowbrow Art Movement

Image by Jeff Soto

My illustrative pursuits might not be just my soul searching, but my soul becoming current. Apparently, Juxtapoz magazine founder, Robert Williams, has coined the term "Lowbrow Art" for the recent flow of street art and illustration that has come to cover gallery walls in most art meccas. This is our movement here in Los Angeles.

I like to think of this movement as more of an acceptance than a retreat. It's our culmination of pop culture and our subjective awareness that makes it art. Rothko, who's paintings are far more expensive than say Murakami's (a Lowbrow artist)paintings, would argue that this is not fine art. But I am constantly at odds with Mark Rothko because I don't feel that art should be defined, but rather embraced. This art is relative and speaks of the times we live in. It boldly attacks expecation and convention in one swoop.

The artwork that stems from graffiti, cartoons, comic books, and even logos are now being appreciated. Mostly inspired by music and beloved imagery from our youth, we begin to accept cute as an art. So much that people buy it and love it for the accessibility. This is what I'm contributing to now, but who knows what it will be in 5 years.

Dear Kaws (Brian Donnelly)

I stood outside the Honor Fraser Gallery on Saturday to see your work. But you know what? You forgot us. That's so disappointing because nearly a hundred of us stood there in the cold (under raindrops) just to see your work but no one told us we wouldn't get it. What gives, jerk!? I spent 30 minutes to park tucked away on a dark street near shady characters on their lawn just to get in that ridiculous line. It's OK, I'll have to go see your stuff when it's less convenient for your friends.

I really like the stuff you did with Kanye and Kate Moss. I especially love your poop on a stick (which I was anxiously awaiting to purchase). Plus I heard you seemed somewhat annoyed by fans who were asking you to sign their sketchbooks. Look, we're buying your art and are entirely inspired by you, you ingrate. Show an ounce of gratitude. Please.

Friday night with the Midnight Ridazz

After work I rushed over to downtown. I was so disappointed that I had to miss LA's Korean "taco" the town (that's right I went there!), the Kogi BBQ truck but was just in time to meet up with the gang for the "No Name" ride. We were handed spoke cards and a piece of paper with a list of turns. Then off we went pedaling through the streets of East LA. Dogs barking through chainlink fences, but nothing more really. The streets were calm with exception of our group of 60 or so riders shouting and laughing.

We came across some hills and anxiously watched as the brakeless bikes skidded down hills just precisely enough to near miss a run-in with oncoming cars. Our happy group (Eva, Lorenzo, Meespace and Jason) had such a fun time that we had unknowingly gone all the way to Commerce Casino, which is about 10 miles south of Los Angeles.

Upon our return to Los Angeles, Jason and Lorenzo and I craved some lower items in the food chain- Del Taco. At 3:30am, we went to USC where sat at ate surrounded by numerous drunken frat kids on their way home from Mardi Gras night. We had never felt so proud to be from UC Santa Cruz.

The Oscars from 2 blocks away

For Tinseltown, the Academy Awards are a huge event. We're the ones that keep tabs on which movies will win and have pretty on-the-mark predictions for the Oscars' outcomes, yet we STILL sit and watch and get so emotionally involved. (I mean, really, everyone KNEW Slumdog was going to win even if you didn't think it was worthy)

I live within 2 blocks of all this hoopla. My street was congested with locals who have lost their way among the newly posted detours. Helicopters all night! But while watching the broadcast, I couldn't believe how glamorous they made the Kodak theater seem. They hid the Sanrio store and unknown clothing shops so well that no one could tell that it was the most hideous building in Los Angeles .

But all in all I think it's great that our entire Hollywood community gets together annually to celebrate the year's achievements. It's an amazing event and collection of workers/artists whose purpose in life is to make something larger than life. Forget about their clothing and their gossip (like how awkward was it for Jennifer Aniston to present while Brangelina sat in the front row with their Best Actor/Actress nominations?), because all that dazzle will all be returned to normal anyway.

Congrats to everyone who won!

Puppy Screen Cleaner

http://www.raincitystory.com/flash/screenclean.swf

Happy Belated Birthday Kristen

Oh my cousin, Kristen, and I truly are related. The same nerf dart dilemma happened for her ... except she used 2 automatic tommy dart guns and has a fondness for bat wings.


For Uncle Les and Auntie Risa

Exciting news: Woolly Mammoth Bones Found at La Brea Tarpits

Right next door to my office building, a complete woolly mammoth skeleton was found along with a large collection of well preserved fossils. The impact on the paleontology world is huge, but the immediate impact is that a lot of people will be crowding my regular lunch place at the museum. Will have to scout for other food. Darn. Anyway, I think it's great that some good came out of the La Brea Tar Pits...

Colbert Report :: Who has the rights to that Obama picture?

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Obama Poster Debate - David Ross and Ed Colbert

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Funny Political News

Christian Bale Parody
Joke of the Day

An interesting debate over the ownership of an art piece between the Whitney and a Lawyer.

My Friends, the Modern Young Urban Professionals?

Now that my friends have taken the step from 25 to now, from student lifestyle to something more lasting, I have to admit we've become somewhat yuppy-ish. Now that we have our jobs and a modest amount of responsibility, we're considered makers and definitely consumers. We still manage to spread awareness and control dependency via the internet, but are we the new young urban professionals? Because the term has its stigma, and for the most part we pride ourselves in being artists and bohemian...

For instance, the closest guy buddies in my life all commute by bicycle. Historically, a bicycle was deemed somewhat a poor man's mode of transportation. After all it requires minimal maintenance and no fuel costs, which also lend to its hippy stereotypes. But the bikes that my friends have are not cheap bikes. They range in the $1000's in addition to all the equipment and fancy bike wear that is far from wallet-friendly.

My girlfriends (they know who they are) identify with overall hobo-dom with a dash of love from their creature comforts like designer labels. From designer denim to designer shoes, we embrace it all. The men buy their share of designer labels as well. Yes, we know what Mary Kate Olsen wears but also where to buy it.

Oh did I mention to you the kinds of health conscious mumbo jumbo we put consume? Mike and my frequent trips to Whole Foods to find other concoctions to promote a healthy living. Mike, a vegan, and I managed to purchase all the gluten-free, dairy free, organic goodness we could. So much to consider in order to make dinner!

So it's not so much that we are actually yuppies, but that we are a new breed of baby boho yuppies that like to look like hobos and care about the environment and enjoy recreational sports. We still enjoy the fruits of our labor like G-Star, Balenciaga, Iphones over cans of Tecate (a cheap beer). We have a certain consciousness and resourcefulness that the hippies and Reagan-era yupsters just didn't exercise but built a solid platform for us to build upwards.