I FOUND YOU IN A CHAIN OF FLOWERS, SLEEPING LIKE A MARBLE GIRL

The same time we went to see Mike Shinoda's Glorious Excess (Dies) exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum, we stumbled upon a tribute to the kokeshi doll. Kokeshi dolls were originally given as souvenirs to visitors to the hot springs in Northern Japan. Different towns put their own spin on the plain-faced originals, and they've been re-vamped and customized ever since. Check out my favourites from the exhibit, which are actually on sale for about $200-300 each. I would love one...or 6. You should really go check out the rest before the exhibit ends on October 4th, and absolutely don't show me what you ended up buying; or you can just click here.

TURN INTO

As if I wasn't already excited about Space 15 Twenty's Where the Wild Things Are gallery opening reception tomorrow (Saturday 19th), Christian Joy (who creates Karen O's wild stage costumes) made a couple of monster costumes that will be on display AND ON SALE at the event. Read more about it here and get jealous.

My favourite, courtesy the Urban Outfitters blog, where you can view the rest.
They're really going all out for this event. Check out the props.

MODERN THINGS DON'T DIE, JUST STAIN

So we had hella errands to run in town yesterday and conveniently, it was Free Thursdays at the Japanese American National Museum and Panda had been wanting to see Mike Shinoda's show 'Glorious Excess (Dies)' - yeah, he's a big Linkin Park fan, bless him. So it was there we ended up after picking up new mags and film books and free clothes at Kill City (Seb please don't kill me - very last minute).

It was aite...A bit too glossy street art for me (which, I suppose, was his intention, and don't get me wrong, glossy street art can be heights - cue Fafi). But it's about consumption and celebrity culture, and society obsessions and...excessiveness. I just love that it sort of stemmed from him watching some pop culture show on british TV and not knowing a single one of the people they were calling celebrities (which is exactly what I've been ranting about for years when I lived in London - british celebrities aren't really celebrities, and all across the world, it seems it's becoming a trend - cue reality tv).


Loved the celebrity collage (Rihanna's busted up face stuck out most). I stayed at this wall the longest, catching up on my gossip. I used to do a lot mag collages in my early high school days. It was generally a lot of glossy skulls intruding on 'the good life' that was illustrated by party-going VIPs made up of millions of dollar signs; they all died. But maybe you're interesed in the show - check out more here.

After browsing the rest of the museum, we encountered the Kogi truck right outside which, the longer I've stayed here, I realised, has a lot of followers, so we decided to see what all the hype was about. I had the kimchi quesadilla (it was good, but not 'follow me around town' good). Panda tried the short ribs taco and spicy chicken taco. With regards to the hype, he concurs. He also became severely sick by the time we got home.

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Today I'm visiting a dungeon near Disneyland (sounds weird) and then Panda and I might go to a couchsurfng party in Hollywood.

I MUST BE DREAMING, FOR I DON'T FALL IN LOVE LAWLESSLY

Introducing Lauren. So adorable and ever so stylish, and a super friendly girl I may be hanging out with again soon; also a really great, really helpful and attentive employee at...

...and I'm sort of in a sartorial relationship with KC, as you'll probably notice in the right column, now that I've pointed it out to you. Anyway, as I've also mentioned before, their store on Melrose is HEIGHTS! ...and just chock full of free shit for me that's waiting to get close to my skin (within reasonable budget). It was so hard to choose today!




I particularly love the collages covering the dressing room walls (AHHH), and the fact that they have mags like Purple and Paper lying around...and then some, like the sick collaborations and ideas they have coming in the not too distant future. You'll die.

Anyways, I walked away with the shredded skinnies she's wearing and this dope black jacket with diagonal front zipper. I've got to do a photo for the revamped KC website where I'll be featured as usual as one of the KC100, so you'll see the pieces after the shoot; too much excitement was had today for me to even move a picture-taking finger right now.

THE BEST DAYS ARE COMING RIGHT UP IF WE CAN JUST GET THROUGH THIS ONE

Earlier today - full of food and fortune

Mine

His

and then...

...which is funny because when I woke up this morning, I got my first Abu Dhabi newspaper rejection email. They're offering an internship though...I think I'm way beyond that now, but we'll see.

THIS ONE'S FOR THE DUMPSTER

Because I have nothing to say about Alexander Wang's S/S 10 line (and I'm not the only one - armageddon cometh?), check out the Trashicist's fierce wardrobe for the Rad Hourani (I don't mind talking about him) diffusion line party/show. I DIE! I die and steal her soul.

I truly am the only blogger miles and miles away from a catwalk right now. I'm also leaving a week before L.A. Fashion Week. Nice, right? Nothing doing today except copious tweeting in front of the tv.

UPDATE: sorry babes, so this is from a show back in July. No biggie. Either way, I really don't have anything to say about Fahion Week right now anyway.

A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN A PARTY

It's been a crazy weekend; like so crazy, I am trying to recall what I did Friday and it's completely vanished from my mind. But Saturday, I went traipsing up and down Los Angeles because I went to check out a dungeon in North Hollywood for my article research, and it turned out Jay Wiseman was there teaching a really cool class in Tight Immobilizing Bondage. He is like THE go-to guy when it comes to BDSM 101. He's written a myriad of key BDSM references including SM101 and The Loving Dominant, and I've reviewed the latter (dude's got all that kinky shit down to a science). So it was an insightful workshop for a master rigger wannabe like myself.

After that we went to Fetish Nation at Circus, which was pretty neat. I suppose it would be the LA equivalent of Torture Garden or Subversion in London. To sum up, pretty interesting performances and pretty extravagant garb, but pretty exorbitantly priced drinks. One of the girls being spanked over a domina's knees had my f-hole tattoos on her back. Mine are way better though.

Then Sunday, the boyf and I met up with Dulce, our Italian friend who is now here for a coulple years studying whatever she feels like because she has nothing better to do. We went to Bossa Nova for some pretty decent, filling Brazilian food and racked up an $80+ bill among the 3 of us. I would recommend it despite that though because service was toppa top, the sangria hit the spot, the portions were so huge as to provide you with meals the following day (about to eat some for dinner), and sitting outside chilling with good people on an easy Sunday evening is just the ticket sometimes.

Then today was just mad emailing and liaising trying to make sure that every minute of this week keeps me huffing and puffing until the end of the day. Craziness. Most of the shit happening this week is for the article or for friends I need to see before October 2nd when I fly out, but this?
I'll be going to for fun.

DISTURB NOT THE HARMONY

I just have a serious love for stacks and stacks of books on a towering bookshelf. I found this beauty on Plastolux.

Meanwhile, Panda got a new apartment in Hollywood. And it's all naked just WAITING for me to get my hands on it.
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It's Friday night. Are you also drinking artichoke tea and admiring bookshelves?

I TREAT YOU LIKE A JOKE BUT YOU CAN'T TELL WHEN I'M JOKIN'

Today sucked balls! Didn't get to go to Kill City, realised at the last exorbitant minute that the Yeah Yeah Yeah's were in town touring (this is the 2nd bloody time the YYYs have done this to me, in 2 separate continents - I think I need a gigs drip in my arm and I think they need to supply it). Also my friend Dulce, who just moved here from Italy, and who I haven't seen yet, cancelled on dinner tonight in town, which means I am all dressed up in lots of random green for no goddamned reason but to share salty bits with a pack of Wheat Thins. I took my ipod for a 40 minute walk this morning though and proceeded to watch an old season of America's Next Top Model then stopped after my girl of choice made it nowhere past the double doors of the model loft. Everyone else was ugly or had a Bostonian accent (my finger is down my throat).

Anyway, I did manage to take some appalling bathroom shots yet again. I'm starting to like it. I'm also starting to like rich, royal greens in my wardrobe. The blazer is new, from the Cobra Snake yard sale. And those converse haven't gotten wear in years.

and have some sad spoof

HATE TODAY! (September 11th)

COLLECTING THINGS

First off, 'Collecting Things' is a really good sound snippet created by Jon Brion (legendary!) for the Eternal Sunshine...soundtrack and I'm listening to and adoring it right now. He is such a talented composer, and one of my faves. Also, Jon Brion does stand-up at Largo most weeks apparently. I'd like to check him before I leave. ALSO, speaking of Largo, funny person Aziz Ansari is performing there this Saturday. Check it! Yes, as you've probably observed, this post is a catch-up of all the cool knowledge I've gained on my adventures around LA. I've been slightly shitty at documenting the trip and it's almost up. And this is me today running errands:


I have to say, the crowd of bare-backed mexicans rigorously competing at handball around the corner really appreciated the fluttery skirt today. It was sooo hot that when my bare legs were resting on the seat of the leather chair as I lay back to get my eyebrows threaded, it looked like I had pissed myself when I got up. MUCHO EMBARASSING! And here's a better look at my necklace. It's in progress...collecting things...
And then all other accessories worn today. Vans with purple lacings were my shoes of choice. I am really shit at doing the whole daily outfit documentation. I love the speckled bathroom mirror in full length shot above. Can't be bovvered.

I know. I still have to show you what I bought at Cobra Snake's yard sale. He was...delightfully messy. He also couldn't understand what the fuck I was saying when I asked for a mirror to see my purchases so I had to americanize it and slow it down: MEE-RURRREE. But anyways, apart from those purchases, I received the best fucking things in the mail this week.

#1
One of my favourite authors, whose awesome book I reviewed way back while interning at Skin Two (before I could write reviews very well, might I add), well he started following me on twitter and then proceeded to send me a free copy of his latest book, which came out like a week ago, and which I've omg'd about in the past here. Yes, reader; just die! Anddd he's stopping in LA on the 24th and 25th for his book tour, where I will be in full stalker swing. Really, he's very talented. Like, my boyfriend's worried talented.
#2
Of lesser importance in my eyes right now, my temporary free Vistaprint business cards came in the mail too. As I briefly mentioned before, I'm working on my career and so there's a wordpress page for the 'no-bullshit' me in the works too, until I can pay for a domain etc. Shit's getting serious, yo.

Apart from that, I've been spending loads of money experimenting with beauty and body enhancing products, drinking sangria, hanging with awesome pretty-haired friends, interviewing loads of kinky, crazy people in dungeons and fetish clubs, and this weekend I've been invited to a tight immobilizing bondage workshop (YES HAHAHAA - Panda is not impressed). I'll probably also spend a day in the cinema watching It Might Get Loud, 500 Days of Summer and The September Issue, and I'm also meeting up with the Kill City store manager on Melrose to pick out some free shit. As much as you don't want to hear it, life is good. IT IS! Seriously, do a double take.

I have a cheesy american dinner and a movie date now with Panda and he just got home. Must run.

I'M ADDICTED TO THE THRILL, IT'S A DANGEROUS LOVE AFFAIR

As much as Rihanna really (really really really) doesn't do it for me, she still manages to find her way into my life at least once a week. This look from the latest video she did 'Run This Town' is beyond fierce. There, I said it.

WILD 'N' OUT

Pamela Love, Opening Ceremony, Spike Jonze - yeah, I know, it's starting to sound like an IT list, but infused with inspiration from this October's Where the Wild Things Are, it's also starting to sound like this MAD jewelry collection out now involving the 3!!! ARE YOU FUCKING WITH ME?! That head-band cum choker cum bracelet is just TOO good for more words than this full stop

Just check out the deets on this here.

LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GO, WHERE THE SUN GOES DOWN, AND STAYS LOW

I EXTENDED MY STAY IN LA! Researching my article is getting a bit crazy so I need a little more time. Not to mention, having an open ticket means I was probably gonna extend my stay anyway, because I'm more likely to be seeing 2010 before I see the boyf again next. *sad face*

Moi all bored and melting at the bus stop waiting to head over to The Cobra Snake's yard sale (oh and where they take their shop photos was where mark sent me to try on my purchases, among a room full of half dressed cobra models - didn't help my fat case much). Also, I just went over to Mark's site and saw that this guy I ogled once on some other random site was among the pics - SOOOO PRETTTYYYY!!! Anyway, I picked up 2 really great pieces that I'll have to showcase some other time when Family Guy isn't on. I'm also transferring THE DEAD WEATHER album that F burned for me onto my ipod (I couldn't be staying with a better bunch).

ALSO HEY! Since I know a lot of fashion peeps read me, did anyone hear about the Anna Wintour movie coming out September 11th? I'm not convinced but I know I'll find myself in a darkened theatre watching it regardless....fashion's hold on me is just too ridconculously strong. Think it'll be good?

I hate overly tangential blog posts...Sorry. Had to try to get it all in during the TV adverts. Robot Chicken now!

I LIKE NIGHTMARES

Replace this girl's face with Tasha Tilberg's and I'm exploding all over again in my cutoffs. This girl in Melbourne who's obsessed with Latex fashion, heels, corsets et al started following me on Twitter for some reason and she runs a really good blog ram-packed with latex-fueled imagery. Lookie...

Speaking of...tomorrow I'm attending a kinky photo shoot put on by Severe Society Films, then a fashion show where Venus_Prototype will be unveiling their new fashion latex creations. Stoked dot com.

WE CHASED OUR PLEASURES HERE

Technically I'm not stealing if I credit her. Today, laziness has me copying Sharma's post format. It's just way more efficient:

At the moment, I am:

Looking: a bit of a ragamuffin with no bra and side boob in an over-large American Indian art print tank and denim cutoffs. bare-footed and happily unshaved.
Reading: Writer's Market 2009 - It's like a fucking cinder block sized directory for freelance writers. Bought it cheap at Iliad bookshop (amazing secondhand bookstore).
Living: in my boyfriend's place. Well, have been for nearly 2 months, but gotta go soon if I ever wanna come back... :(
Working: on...everything.
Listening to: The Doors and Peter Bjorn and John (conveniently from their album titled 'Writer's Block')
Drinking: Sangria
Watching: Weeds season 5
Smelling of: sauteed veggies
Eating: just scarfed down some sauteed red-peppered mushrooms, onions and broccoli topped with melted cheese (trying really hard not to eat as much carbs)
Dreaming of: getting more and more shit published
Wearing: see 'Looking'
Walking in: Billabong flip flops, I'm afraid
Singing: Siouxsie and the Banshees' 'Hong Kong Garden'
Trying: to improve my writing career
Wanting: to re-capture and maintain my once banging bod.

I'VE GOT EVERY SICKNESS THERE IS TO BE HAD

Love Magazine's 2nd issue (Autumn/Winter) is out soon! I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I WANT ONE I DOOOO!!! TO MY FRIENDS IN LONDON: GET ME ONE!!!!

PINKY AND THE BRAIN

So I've been slowly discovering Twitter and through the people I've been following, I've been exploring who they're following..and who that person is following and....yeah, so that's how I ended up coming across ChinaShop Magazine, where a post on Necklush was written by the infamous Gala Darling. LOVES IT! The designers are experimenting with different materials, shredding them, layering and intertwining them and making them into some hot shit I'm gonna call a narf (necklace + scarf). Of course if I had to choose, I'd have dibs on the black. 2nd would be the pink, grey and white one - heights!

TEENAGE WASTELAND

There's something about Geoff Cordner's beach photos that are just so...ideal? Aside from his surfer lifestyle shots, he's probably most known for documenting the raw, gnarly side of life, and at the same time, making it so beautifully stimulating. Like 'Hotel Hopscotch' is the best thing ever. But where the fuck do I get my hands on the rest of the series?? So good.

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A lot's been going on over here, but I've mostly been working and updating my portfolio etc.; business cards, website, new resume et al. I think I'd really like to dabble in stylist and interior decorating work, along with the usual freelance writing. I think I'm a little more fashion forward than the average person (can I say that?) and with my mother being an interior decorator, I grew up in an environment where I woke up everyday and the house wasn't the same as yesterday...then followed suit with every room I owned after that (in smaller doses). And I realised that those 3 things are my passions. So I'm gonna stop being cheesy now and just conclude that that's my new plan. Bye.

.....god..