Copy + Paste of the article that went with the slideshow:

In a season full of black-tie benefits, it was at the more dressed-down art events where Los Angeles’ most interesting fall fashion could be found. Last week’s LAX Art’s benefit auction, held at The Brick Building in the Culver City, Calif. gallery district, drew a mix of street-chic looks and vintage flair — from colorful coats and tights to quirky accessories to, of course, the requisite black.

Link: WWD

We were coming from another event down the street, and I suppose since we looked the part, we were able to walk right in, past the person manning the door with no problems. hahahahaha.

Looked like any lounge/club, just with less people.

Link: Club Nokia VIP

Link: Art Platform

The whole experience took about 2 hours. It was pretty fun. Here are some of the highlights…….

We started on the ground floor, where we met a curator who gave us a very informative tour. I especially liked hearing the back stories of the selected paintings.

Surrounded by works by Christopher Wool.

I liked this one for the humor.

from here, we took an elevator to a floor that had a lot of creepy shit, like this video installation.

..then we went to the rooftop to check out sculptures and the awesome Venice beach view. it was a nice day, so a group photo was taken.

..then we descended to my favorite floor, or the German room.. I really liked this work, Abstand by Albert Oehlen.

Many people gravitated towards Anselm Kiefer’s Laßt tausend Blumen blühen (Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom). It was impressive. I really liked the textures.

From here, we went to another floor of familiar works, like Jenny Saville’s Stare, which was used on the cover of Manic Street Preacher’s Journal for Plague Lovers album.

Finally, we went to a floor featuring new works like Richard Prince’s Another Girl, aka “the porn painting”

The other really strong work on this floor was Elliot Hundley’s Dionysus..

However, to really appreciate it, I had to get close….so many pins sticking out of it.

And there was this humorous box…

Friskies Human Flavor!

….and that’s all the photos that I found in my iphone.

Link: IFS

 i don’t consider myself a christian, or religious for that matter, but can appreciate the powerful role religion plays in people’s lives…..

pastor talked about how bad sex outside of marriage is………….

which, i guess, inspired this guy (probably overcome with sin) to pop the question right after the show………..

“I give in to sin because you have to make this life liveable” – Depeche Mode

Link: Harvest Ministries

Twelve seconds into the first round (picture above), Kickboxer landed a clean high left kick to his opponent’s head, sending him down to the canvas for the count. After almost 10 seconds, the bearded guy foolishly got up to continue the match.

Kickboxer continued to smack this guy around with a combination of jabs and kicks, and when tangled in the ropes, high knees. The fight went for 3 rounds. Though it got close, there was no TKO. My friend still won by unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 29-27. It was a great match.

Entering the ring ….

Performing Wai Khru Ram Muay, pre-fight dance to pay respect to Thai culture.

Lethal high kicks proved to be indispensable in this match up.

Looks ruthless, but eriously, one of the nicest guys I know.

Afterwards, celebrated in Thai town.

However, before and while waiting for the tour to start…. we do what we do best………..

so… we stuck around with the tour for about  half hour before going off on our own…..  to enjoy and interact with the art.

…. living in the moment…….

Lastly, I got Deitch to sign my book!

Woohoo! Planning to go back again this weekend.

Colors in the work function as the composition. The black and white gessoed surfaces function as the symbolic color of intellectuality, and an idea of formality. The saturated colors of paint are a vital part of these paintings by disrupting surface. Paint is poured across the upper spine of the canvas, directly from the bottle. Gravitational force slowly draws the color down the length of the surface, leaving behind vertical lines of varying densities and widths.

Link: Thai New Year Los Angeles

Tip: Cash Only

Link: Hyperion Tavern

drago centro is one of my favorite downtown LA places. i love their smokehouse drink. anyways, ate a lot. tried new things.

amuse bouche

duck risotto. swiss chard, gorgonzola crème. SO flaavorful.

caciucco. spicy seafood broth, crostini

braised rabbit. gnocchi, fennel, carrots. in celebration of chinese new year =)

veal loin. speck, chick peas, parsnips

chocolate budino. walnut soil, banana chips, chantilly cream

apple cranberry crumble. vanilla ice cream

zabaglione semifreddo. tropical fruit. YUM!

mignardises.

c’est tout. will be back for sure!

Link: Drago Centro

stories of massive feasts and gluttinous indulgences were true..

yumm..

observing PR girls in the wild is quite entertaining.

… in Dior.

Link: Cha For Tea

On the career front, I finally accomplished a goal I set for myself while finishing graduate school (in 2007). I obtained an internationally-recognized, professional certification. It’s a stepping stone that will open doors, give me options, and quite a bit more earning potential (Hello, Ferrari!.. j/k.. can’t get one yet). It required a few years of intense work experience, a tedious application, months of self-study of some of the boringest shit to ever grace paper, and concluding with a 4-hour exam. 

Initially, I was supposed to get certified last year, but I was still dealing with the heartbreak from a relationship that went to the shitter. For a while, I was in denial about the whole situation. I know now that I can do waaaaay better. Hahaha. Anyways, with the help and encouragement of real friends and colleagues, I finally did it! I passed the exam around Thanksgiving. I am now eligible for a promotion and am entertaining career options. =)

As far as current relationship status, I am single and for now, content. In 2010, I was associated with a few women, but nothing meaningful panned out. What was very interesting was how different each of them were in terms of personal goals, station in life, and even appearance. In no particular order: one was a serious career woman with her own company and in hindsight, reminded me of another girl that got away in college (bad, I know). Another was a carefree party girl in the Downtown LA scene. Another still, was an out-of-state graduate student with big dreams. And, there were a couple of other party girls. 

Out of all of them, the grad student was able to elicit butterflies in my stomache, a feeling that I have not felt in a really long time. Granted that I did go out with her before in my early 20s, it was amazing then to reconnect after not speaking to each other during the last 7 or 8 years. Us going out was pretty unexpected, but at the time, still seemed destined. It was as if the stars aligned. Alas, this second time didn’t work out either. If I’m honest, I hope there will be a third chance for us – the third time is the charm, right?

In the mean time, I continue to devote myself to living life and having fun, to experiencing new things, and to mental and physical self-improvement.

Looking back at photos, I did quite a bit! I saw Cirque du Soleil’s show Kooza! in Irvine, La Roux in concert at Club Nokia, a couple of professional Muay Thai kickboxing fights, and a Los Angeles Kings game. I also attended Oktoberfest at Alpine Village, Fashion’s Night Out, a couple of weddings, and many notable art openings at Ace Gallery, LACMA, MOCA, TAM, CGU, and LAzarides Gallery. Satisfying my desire for gastronomic exploration, I tried out a bunch of restaurants for the first time.

Since knowledge is power, I read a lot of books on a variety of topics, from Wall Street and the US financial system to Freemasonry and Contemporary Art History. Of course, I threw in a couple of guilty pleasures, as well.

In the latter part of this year, to fulfil my mission to be hot (in time for Spring Break), I joined what Fitness magazine considers to be The Best Gym in America. I became a Spinning addict. Religiously, I wake up at 4am on weekdays (6am on weekends) just to go. The class is so much fun and is always full of eye candy. More importantly, it’s done wonders for my mood, my body, and motivation to eat healthier.

…. and that’s pretty much my 2010. 

Lastly, I’m very thankful for my current crop of friends, old and new. Without them, I would not have been able to experience some of the cool things or get through some of my troubles this past year. I know that I’m pretty crappy when it comes to showing appreciation, but I hope to be much better at it next year.

Cheers to 2011 being a better year.

darth.

madame.

lots of people.

At this point, she called herself Darls

HC

cheers.

There were 11 fights total, 2 of which were professional fights, where head gear and shin guards were absent, and elbow throws were present. Good times.

Of the two girl fights, the one with Marie “the Angry Korean” Kim (in pink) was the most entertaining. It was trouble for Cindy “Chun Li” Codero whenever they were separated; she got beat with a bunch of side kick/jab combinations. 

this was another amateur fight where Victor Acosta knocked out Oscar Sanchez to win the MTAA National Belt. Sanchez’s chin was way too exposed, and it cost him. 

out cold.

my favorite fight of the night was the Pro Fight between Joe Schilling (black shorts) and Chaz Mulkey (red shorts). Both very scary looking guys. They were fighting at 165 lbs.

 performing ram muay (ceremonial dance).

ripped and tatted up.

really wanted it to go all 5 rounds.

unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.

done in the 3rd. Mulkey got knocked down too many times. The ref called it. Still, it was a good fight.

Fun Times.

some of Joe Wong’s jokes… 

Link:  Comedy Zen

the piece is titled, Symbol of Wealth

Bonus. Checked out her workspace. Like Studio 54, but way cooler.

I was immediately drawn to the piece on the right, and guess what? She said I can have it. SCORE!!!!

my favorite part was discovering that a spider had a Han Solo stuck in carbonite moment.

cool floor, huh?

Cheers!

 My friend was supposed to compete, but his opponent backed out (chicken). Instead, we watched one of his gym mates (blue shorts) break the nose and TKO his opponent. It was awesome!

Link: International Fight Showdown

she came up on great seats.

the Kings won 3 to 1

It was fun. =)

Here’s a professionally written recap (if you care): Kings hold off Stars for 5th Straight Win by Greg Beacham

table where i sat

different kinds of food.

We ate well and had lots of laughs. It was fun.

Jar is known for the pot roast, but I wasn’t really in the mood for meat. Instead, I ordered the butter lettuce salad, the mussels, and the cream corn. Since we like to do things family style, i was able try a bit of the lamb shank, burrata, and fries. They were all pretty delicious.

Was way too stuffed for dessert.

Tip: Street Parking is available.

Link: Jar

german beer and german food.

not german, but still good.

We sat outside and missed most of this. We’re going to have to show up earlier next time to snah a table.

Link: Alpine Village

In the chaos, almost bought a jacket. Thinking about it, I might go back.. =X

Started in Beverly Hills (Saks Fifth Avenue Club) and ended in West Hollywood (Carolina Herrera). Lots of people liked the madame’s hair and outfit. Some random chiq even took her picture to put on a street fashion blog.

Sooj rang.

I have a new name for SH. Other people call her Rin; I’m calling her Chucky’s Bride. Her meaness is that awesome.

Anyways, a bunch of us gathered to have one last summer dinner before Darth heads to the east coast for grad school. Because our party was larger than normal, we dined within the Assouline bookstore… had the room all to ourselves. They even had a white Goyard x Assouline case within spitting distance. You can see it in the above picture behind SH. Awesome.

so…. I started with the Squid….

Tried the Leek Risotto with poached egg, prosciutto, and croutons. It was mMMMm.

My main was the Pork Chop, which was surprisingly flavorful and not dry. Served with grain mustard potatoes, long beans, fried almonds, and an apple rosemary sauce, it was yum. The riesling worked well with this dish.

Finished with some panna cotta topped with mint and a rasberry consomme.

Misc….

Sooj brought her new beau, Rico Suave.. hahaha.

Madame started her own Jihad. Fun Times.

i learned a lot about women’s shoes. apparently, these are dior, jil sander, and nicholas kirkwood.

And then we called it a night…Bye Darth!

C’est tout.

Links:
Assouline
Bastide

cool kids are all casual…

Darth!

She even did a Rolling Stone’s cover

CHEERS!

MOCA members were given easy entrance, but still had to wait in line to see the exhibition. Killing time in line.

View from the line….

See? Crowded.

Art Highlights… Dennis Hopper had an eclectic body of work…

this is what my friends and I usually do when we come to these things… become each other’s paparazzi.

….and that was the show.

After-show shenanigans.

Late dinner at Koraku..

Cheers!

It was a great wedding.

Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell
A High Wind in Jamaica by Richard Hughes

..and that’s my ring that I wear everyday, right middle finger.

Get the books off of Amazon for cheap. No tax (at least in California) and Free shipping (spend over $25).

The Madame went all out to feed the army… made 3 kinds of pasta….

Bowtie pasta, prosciutto, alfredo…. soooooooooo good.

For seafood lovers….  mMmMmMmmmmm.

Spicy Cod Roe…..getting hungry again..

Savory….

Darth and Sooj prepared dessert.

mMmMMmmm.

Clean Up Crew.

Later, all retired for fun and games..

Darth monster…

C’est Tout! We’ll do it again…

Besides the vibrant colors, which has roots in Hindu legend, this celebration brings together people of all castes, sexes, status and age…. my kind of party.

Bura na mano, Holi hai. Cheers!

Link:
Awesome photos by Poras Chaudhary

Copy + Paste from Roberts + Tilton:

There is a scribble of asphalt and meandering ribbons of concrete tangled all over North America in a contiguous line of material that connects each of us to whomever else is also in contact. I sometimes marvel at this, walking from my front door and standing on the asphalt looking down at its grimy blackness, wishing I could rest my ear down on it and hear everything like the Indians in an old western film. The pavement I’m standing on is connected to other pavement, concrete, or steel to almost anywhere I can think of. Certainly everywhere you can drive to. Someone in Burnt Church, Tennessee is standing on gravel that is connected by touch to my street, just like someone is in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I can be in New York City in 3 days from my home in the suburban sprawl of Orange County, California without ever touching the earth.

T h e S e co n ds Pa ss. . .

…Was the starting line of an old friend’s poem. The line was the seconds pass / like hands thru glass. I always loved those lines. In my head I always replaced hands with eyes. It puts a name on those moments when you stare into space, lapsing into a daydream, and the world is just spinning by. Sometimes I step out of those moments, only a little, just enough to think in my head those words – the seconds pass. Like an inner tick-tock, taking note that everything is slipping away, especially time.

In America the automobile is omnipresent, and in Southern California cars are life-blood. You are always in a car here. I came to driving late, not getting my license until I was 18. Before that I had my girlfriend, Deanna to chauffeur me around. As a young skateboarder I used cars to explore every last tendril of road I could find in search of skate spots and experienced much of my adolescent sex-life and adventures inside of a car. I like when I hear someone on the television call a busy street a major artery, like the roads are veins bringing life to the far reaches, with most of humanity lurking within reach of that life-giving connectivity. The tips of your toes are Fairbanks, the capillaries the Dalton Highway. For the preceding 22 years I have been a passenger all over the world, shooting pictures through the glass at those ephemeral winks, those trifles and curios that one races past, never enough time to stop.

And what better social study is there than driving and looking? It’s like taking a core samplefrom the social fabric, each layer exposing a new understanding of truth. My drive to Los Angeles takes me through streets lined with strip malls anchored with liquor stores and bail bond sellers, Colt 45 billboard sails, and 99-cent stores with brighter-than-daylight fluorescent lighting. Five minutes later I am passing high-end hipster sneaker shops and women in short dresses flittering about with a payload of shopping bags. A group of bearded Jewish men huddle on a corner in black suits and hats. You can look through the window right next to you at a person immersed in the enclosed world of their car, and secretly watch them live, rock out to music, talk on the phone, put on make-up or sit at a red light with thoughts elsewhere. The way people act depending on their various trips as they walk down the sidewalk or wait at a bench. The continuous remorseless traffic – each car bound for some purpose, going somewhere for some reason, all day long 24 hours a day in every city of the world. The section of street you happen to be on, the block, the intersection is a microcosm for all of humanity. All of this just rolls out perpetually in front you as you roll by the man-made scenery, colors, words, all coming into focus then fading back onto the horizon.

These photographs were all shot from inside a car, mostly a moving one. I never went out driving just to shoot pictures. Each one of these was shot going from point A to point B for some other reason, organically; they represent the in-between. Most of it is from my frequent visits to LA from my home in Huntington Beach, 1 hours’ drive south. But there is also a lot from taxi rides in Paris, Moscow, London, Barcelona, and St Petersburg. Cross-country tours of USA, Australia, Chile and Argentina. These photos have been collected from my archives and span back over 15 years.

Links:
Roberts + Tilton Gallery
Ed Templeton

Here are a few of the standouts…

Copy + Paste from LeBasse Projects:

Legendary artist Yoshitaka Amano will make a rare U.S. appearance with his newest exhibit, DEVA LOKA, created especially for a U.S exhibition and named for the ancient Indian land of God. As an ode to his childhood love for American comics, culture and automobiles, Amanoʼs latest breathtaking and vibrant pieces are boldly coated with auto paint and metallic glitter.

Amano is widely acclaimed for his work in animation and video games. He is renowned for designing the characters for the hit video game, Final Fantasy, as well as for anime films includingVampire Hunter D, Guin Saga, Final Fantasy, and Front Mission.

“Between the late 60ʼs and the 70ʼs, and during my early years in the art world, I was greatly influenced by American comic books and pop culture. Iʼd like to show my gratitude for the inspiration America gave me with this exhibit. With the theme of DEVA LOKA, all of my concepts and influences are able to come together, centered in one place. I hope everyone enjoys my show.” Deva Loka will be Amanoʼs first major exhibition in Los Angeles.

It’s worth checking out.

Links:
Yoshitaka Amano
LeBasse Projects

… where one of the featured artists was Yoskay Yamamoto, who first caught my eye a couple of years ago with Koibito. Without going too much into it, I attended the opening reception expecting similar works of art. Instead, Yamamoto presented something cooler. 

….in one room, a bunch of multi-colored raindrops hung from the ceiling. Installed in such a way that, with a little imagination (and maybe some LSD), could briefly transport attendees into a world where nature speaks to you and goa trance is playing in the background…. may be worthwhile experiencing.

Anyways, cool kids kicking it in the Yoksay room….

SH double-fisting beer and wine. i like that. hahaha.

Sooj not pleased?

Madame dropping some art knowledge.

The outside wall was lined with these resin heads. The black astro boy-looking one was my favorite.

It was a small show, but solid in presentation.

Cheers!

Links:
Yoskay Yamamoto
LeBasse Gallery

watching cool kids dance.

JT and the sooj looking fierce.

is that a smile on darthy?

Cheers!

..amazed.

Copy + Paste from Ace Gallery:

Totems have pan-cultural associations throughout diverse cultures around the world, and these vertical forms have been used over the course of history as tribal talismans representative of genealogies, ancestors and documenting societies. Herb Alpert, in his Black Totem series, has focused on this totemic language of sculpture for the past 20 years.

Alpert’s process for creating these sculptures is very hands on. He works with wet clay first molding it into vertical forms ranging from 8 to 36 inches tall. From these he selects the ones he will make into larger sculptures, that will range from 12 to 20 feet in height. These larger works are also hand formed with the wet clay. When completed, molds are made and then the sculptures are cast in bronze and patinaed black. Alpert’s totems read abstractly yet suggestions of recognizable forms appear; an eagle form seemly emerging from the top of one, or human shapes surfacing. That their forms evolved naturally, organically, and are formed by the artist without carving tools that further convey their biomorphic qualities.

Alpert was, for the most part, inspired by the totems unique to the Pacific Northwest of North America such as those of the Haida, Tlingit and Kwakiutl tribes, whose totem poles were made of single pieces of cedar, some up to forty feet in height. For the Haida tribe, these ancestral totems are, and have been for hundreds of years, the essence of family and tribal identity and sometimes were used to mark entranceways to their lodgings. The totems of the Pacific Northwest function as crests of families or chiefs commemorating major events or occasions, represented by hierarchies of different creatures, animals or various supernatural beings (each signifying different human attributes). In Native American tradition, a totem is an entity or symbol that watches over or ‘assists’ a family, clan or tribe. Totemism, derived from the Ojibwe language, refers to that which is kinship-related, and it is also a belief system that is frequently associated with shamanistic religions. Totems act as ‘familiars’ or guides accompanying one through life, both in the physical and spiritual worlds. Alpert’s totems subliminally engage these theories and histories.

Alpert’s attraction to this sculptural form is understandable as it contains an enormous history. The black patina of his totems is evocative of ancient primal forms and the contemporary material belies an ancient prehistory. The pan-cultural consciousness invested into these dark sculptural forms also relate back in time to Egyptian obelisks as much as they evoke the Modernist sculpture of Constantin Brancusi – specifically Brancusi’s Endless Column (1937), Alberto Giacometti’s extended figures and early Louise Bourgeois sculpture. Alpert’s work shares with Bourgeois’ sculpture an affinity to Animistic entities or guardians. Bourgeois’ first major body of sculpture were slender wooden sculptures – reminiscent of pillars or tribal effigies (she travelled to Africa in the late 1940s), which later developed into totemic constructions – a fusion of architecture with the body, its substitution for the body, or phallic surrogates. Alpert’s biomorphic totems are composed within the gallery space, yet while each is singular, they gain intensity as a group, amplified with Alpert’s use of black for the totems.

Totemism was also a key element of study in the development of 19th and early 20th century theories of religions, especially for philosophers such as Émile Durkheim, who concentrated his studies on indigenous societies. Drawing on the identification of social groups with spiritual totems in Australian aboriginal tribes, Durkheim theorized how human religious expression was intrinsically founded in the relationship to a group. Sigmund Freud’s Totem and Taboo first published in 1913, employed the application of psychoanalysis to the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and the study of religion. Given a revisionist post-Colonial perception of tribal and indigenous cultures these perspectives now seem curiously Eurocentric. Author Edward Saïd’s Orientalism has been one of the most influential texts readdressing Eurocentric perspectives which has further generated a globalized dialectic. The structural anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss posited in his text Le Totémisme aujourd’hui (Totemism Today), that totems are chosen arbitrarily for the purpose of making the physical world a comprehensive and coherent classificatory system, but also recognized that the concept of totemism is an artifact of western thinking imposed by anthropology.

For Alpert, these towering spires are like frozen smoke, or akin to the ineffable notes of music captured and held still as interminable forms. These abstract, yet formal structures and their process of creation are fluid in a way that jazz is, making intangible compositions physical. Alpert who is also a musician and composer, would not deny that there is a focused fluidity in the making of these sculptures consistent with the intuitive, harmonious and spontaneous moves and swings embodied in his approach to his music.

Herb Alpert was born in 1935 and lives and works in Los Angeles.

Link:
Ace Gallery
Herb Alpert

This time, however, was pretty spontaneous. Bought tickets the night before, and scored a couple of premier seats.

t the end, when everyone was giving a standing ovation, which was very much deserved.

A lot of the reviews online cited how Cirque wanted to get back to its roots with this show. After sitting with child-like amazement, I could see that. In any case, I’d definitely recommend this show to both newbies and veterans of Cirque du Soleil. It’s familiar, yet different enough to stand on its own.

Link: Cirque du Soleil – Kooza

Well, the ultra talented folks at Exosphere 3D created this cool reconstruction of the incident, using actual tape recordings and data of the flight from the National Transportation Safety Board.

Links:
Exosphere 3D – Cactus Flight 1549 Accident Reconstruction (US Airways)
Tracking US Airways Flight 1549, New York Times, 1/15/2009.

Plate 1 was all about trying different things that caught my eye, so I kept portions to a minimum:  Hush Puppy, Fried Fish, BBQ Rib, Garlic Shrimp, Crab legs, Slice of Prime Rib, Chinese-style beef, and Salmon Sushi.

Plate 2 was the real meal: More BBQ Ribs, more Chinese-style beef, Siu Mai, one more hush puppy, piece of boiled chicken, a meatball with marinara sauce, piece of roast duck, slice of char siu, another slice of prime rib, some seasoned cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella balls. 

Plate 3 topped it off: more mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes, some clams, and har gow..

…was too stuffed to get dessert.

Link: Rio – Carnival World Buffet

In between activities and to unwind, stayed off the strip, in a Studio Suite (600 sq. ft) at Palms Place, a sophisticated place with modern decor…

…and quite the balcony view.

Among the amenities, I definitely appreciated the Aveda products and two 42″ plasma TVs.

Link: Palms Place

His wife doesn’t know it yet, but here’s JC’s future ride.

Here were the car-related highlights for me:

Mercedes Benz AMG SLS. It’s not as cool as the SLR, but still pretty classy.

coolest Concept car. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics.

one of my future cars. Spyker!

And the best showroom. Porsche unveiled the new 2011 Boxter Spyder.

C’est tout!

Madame J exhibited. However subtle it may be, everything here has a meaning. It’s up to the viewer to figure it out. That’s the game.

Up close and personal.

pretty, pretty ponies.

vroom vroom.

…. I wonder how many times she glued her finger tips together while making this.

For me, the process is as important as, if not more so than, the final product.

BONUS:

Glimpse inside Madame J’s studio.

She always wears cool shoes. Balmain Bling Bling.

She wasn’t kidding when she said we would be painting also.

she prepared a bunch of mini square canvases for all of her friends to paint on. it’s all part of her master plan.

my contribution =)

artist at work.

empty paint cans.

C’est tout!

Photo from my Blackberry. Here are a few of them cooling down, before being drained and wrapped.

It was exhausting, but a lot of fun. Lets do it again.

Link: Giovanni Ristorante

CHEERS!!!!!

I haven’t been to a really good air show since I was a little kid and wore overalls. These things used to be regular family outtings. While my pops took film pictures of airplanes with his SLR, my mom carry the provisions, my younger brother and i would pretend to be fighter pilots like in Top Gun; I, Maverick and my brother, Iceman. That’s right! 

My pops has a huge fascination with military and defense-related stuff. He’s really like a military encyclopedia. He knows so much about fighter jets, missiles, rockets, guns, and bombers. Just glancing at a silhouette, he could tell you the name of the plane, who made them, how old it is, what military branch and war they were part of, what makes them special, and sometimes, the name of the original test pilot.  This day was no exception.

Here are some of the highlights and knowledge learned:

Nice morning ride in the convertible. Edwards Air Force base is built over a dry lake bed; its flat surface makes it ideal as an airplane runway.

We showed up around mid-day, with the show well underway. Huge C-17 circling around for the crowd. Its big size gives it away as a cargo plane with the ability to carry massive amounts of stuff.

Along the route to the parking lot, saw some historic airlanes. The F-4 Phantom was one of my favorites growing up; it still looks pretty bad ass. They also had a rare, 2-person YA-10. Y stands for experimental. Normal A-10s seat only one.

Walking from the parking lot to the main hangar (1.4 miles one way), the B-2 Bomber took flight. It was a really quiet plane; reminded me of the Audi R10 TDI Le Mans Protype race car. I expected it to be loud and obnoxious, but instead it emitted a sexy purrrrrr.

One of the main attractions of the static display was this badboy, the F-35 Lightning II. There are currently 3 variants of this aircraft that allow for different kinds of take-offs, with the short-takeoff/vertical, Harrier-like one being my favorite. This jet fighter is pretty badass. It looks fierce, and as part of the Joint Strike Fighter Program, you know it’s got the latest in technology.

While inside checking out the other displays, I was drawn to the noise outside.

Tora! Tora! Tora!

One of the main attractions to this year’s air show, was the Commemorative Air Force’s recreation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that signaled the beginning of the American Involvement in World War II.

This show was amazing! Airplane noises, bombs blowing up, fire, and plumes of smoke everywhere. It really felt like a movie come to life.

Back to the static displays, some of my favorites include…

The White Knight. It is a carrier plane that takes stuff way up in the air. Its wings were designed to make use of and benefit from laminar flow, making it very aerodynamic. It was used to launch SpaceShipOne, which won the Ansari X Prize.

The SR-71 Blackbird. An oldie, but a goodie. This spy plane is a lot smaller than what I had remember. Still a sleek looking plane. One of my favorite toys as a kid was  the Cobra Raven, a G.I. Joe toy that was inspired by this aircraft. 

While outside, saw another awesome  demo from the F-22 Raptor. The pilot performed some crazy maneuvers, including taking it up a 90 degree vertical and crowd-pleasing looptiy loops. It ranked high up there as the Tora Tora Tora show. My pops even had a Paris Hilton moment and concluded, “That’s hot.”

The show later ended with various aircrafts flying together in formation.

When everything was over, it was time to go home. Leaving Edwards Air Force Base was a freaking nightmare. It took us two hours to get out of the parking lot. I assume that the organizers didn’t anticipate such a large attendance. Oh well.

When we finally made it to the exit on the north side, we headed west, and caught this picturesque scene.

10 miles or so later, we found out that if we wanted to go home, we needed to head east. =X

Just for completeness, here is an advertisement for the show. It gives a pretty good sense of the atmosphere.

This was fun. Until next time, Cheers!

Links:
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Edwards Air Force Base

Note, Thursdays are pretty dead here, so it’s worthwhile to bring some good company. =)

Cheers!

A great way to spend a Wednesday Night. 

Link: The Standard Hotel

PH entranced by the TV next to our table, which was at a pretty good location, situated right outside of the dance room. Not as packed as the ones in the dance room, nor smoky like the ones underneath the stars. There was good foot traffic for people watching. We drank bottles of Grey Goose and Champagne with a few mixers. I primarily had red bull vodkas.

After the festivities, we were going to hail a cab, but ran into one of PH’s friends, who lent us his car to take back to the Batcave. 

At the back of the Batcave. TM and JC5, looking at pictures taken throughout the night. 

We all ate $1 tacos and some continued to drink some more.

Until the birthday boy knocked the eff out. Then we pretty much called it a night.

Cheers, buddy!

Link: J Lounge

Remembering the awesomely delicious cake HH had for her birthday, PH and I went to Susina Bakery and picked out random stuff to put a cake together for VL =)
The bottom is a banana cream pie,  which one of the employees said was popular among guys. The middle layer was a molton chocolate cake (soooo good). The top was a huge strawberry dipped in white chocolate…

CS made a special appearance and joined the festivities via iChat….

Happy Birthday!

Link: Susina Bakery

Last night, a bunch of us celebrated HH’s birthday at the Library Bar.

Early on, double fisted Arrogant Bastard Ale. Then, ate some Berry Blossom cake from Susina bakery. It was pretty chill.

Afterwards, went to our usual taco stand.

 Cheers!

Links:
Library Bar
Susina Bakery

madame J whipping everyone into shape.  

some bowling did take place…

…overall, lots of fun.

i have to bring a camcorder next time. Peace!

Before heading out, checked out PH‘s awesome mountain bike. He finally got it up and running.

…. picked up food from the taco stand across the street…

eventually, cabbed it to Boulevard 3 for the main festivities….our table was in the back near the dance floor.
..i really like the inside of this venue.  However, the combination of pre-drink, mixing of beer and hard alcohol, fatigue from previous night’s festivities, and comfy couch had me passed out most of the night.

.. later, back at PH/JC’s place…

Cheers!

..but with the right company, still fun as hell…

ppre-pahtee-ing at Arang…

blingtastic. the heel on these were crazy. couldn’t believe she could actually dance in them.

Link: Le Cercle Super Club

Here are some of the highlights…

The dog act was pretty cute. They had dogs walking on their hind legs, running on their front two legs, and even doing back flips!

Russian swings. Not as cool as Cirque du Soleil, but still entertaining.

Tight-rope walkers.

Someone was supposed to be shot out of the canon. Instead, they performed an illusion where the human cannonball disappeared, or rather, did not land in the designated landing pad, but somehow teleported to the light fixtures way above the crowd.

Intermission.

Elephants! They performed great as usual.

Tigers! In this photo, the tigers are jumping over the animal trainer. This act was pretty cool, and wish it lasted a bit longer. One of the tigers, apparently did not understand english and gave a confused look until the trainer spoke in spanish! kind of funny, right?

For a better idea, peep this promotional trailer:

 Fun! 

Link: Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus

BONUS:

Before going to the circus, madame J cooked for us! I didn’t know she was so domesticated =X

She made some good spaghetti. mmMMMm..

..and potatoes…

killed it!

Cheers!

for more pictures….

bbqing.

this was pretty tempting, but i was too stuff to eat one.

the cooks…

as the night wound down…

..the extent of fireworks i saw…. nothing in the sky…. they’re illegal where we were at.

oh well, at least we had mahjong!

we played the Taiwanese way…

Fun times. Cheers!

Though we could only make it out for Sunday, we were still able to experience a good, eclectic lineup.

Here are some of the highlights:

We parked across the street in Lot D.

Though the poor car was subjected to “stacked parking,” we were still able to beat the crowd and leave right away. woohooo! When we came out, there was no one parked next to me =)

JS sipping iced coffee… ready for some Jazz. She was all about the Wayne Shorter Quartet.

This was the view from our seats. Not bad considering these tickets were bought pretty late.

We were in section M2, right behind the “Super Seats.”

some of the picnic food we brought: 4 kinds of cheeses (cheddar, jack, havarati, and brie) expertly cut by yours truly… served with sliced baguette and strawberries…  washed down with some Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut.

Bill Cosby (in some of the festival merchandise and sweat pants) mc-ing the event. I hate to say it but he wasn’t really good at hosting the festival. He did have a couple of jokes, but he was pretty inconsistent at introducing the acts. Oh well.

The set played by Monty Alexander’s Jazz and Roots was my favorite of the festival. From Jamaica, they masterfully fused jazz and reggae beats.

Here is a clip of the band performing Bob Marley hit, No Woman, No Cry.

Here is a much-better YouTube video of the group doing their thing… Aren’t they awesome?!

As the sun went down, the lights came out…

Apparently, Kenny G was the headline (JS’ favorite..kidding) and ended the festival. I thought his entire performance was rather cheesy. However, he did do the thing where he held a note for what seemed like an eternity; that was kind of cool.

Overall, it was really fun, and next time, I will definitely have to purchase seats much earlier.

Cheers!

Link:
31st annual Playboy Jazz Festival

i wonder if she made a wish….

strawberries and whipped cream….

.. it’s all about the smile… =)

Cheers!

Link: Chobimay

I like how they update their menu from time to time to take advantage of the freshest products in season.

One of the most popular dishes served this night were these little barbeque pork belly, slaw sandwiches…  so good.

 the melted petit basque, chorizo, garlic bread .. cheesy.. mMmMMm..

poutine, oxtail gravy, cheddar …

sliced fluke, citrus, mint, sea salt, jalapeno …. clean tasting.

the pork belly sandwiches were so good we had to order more!

balsamic pork ribs…
served with rocket (type of arugula), mustard greens, raisins, pine nuts on the side…
..the meat was so tender and was easily pulled away from the bone.

foie gras loco moco, quail egg, spam, hamburger …

something kind of funny… when dessert rolled around.. we tried to deter MF from picking the strawberry option since we had planned to surprise her at midnight with a strawberry cake.. however, with strawberries in season, i knew it would be a challenge to get MF to not eat strawberries…. i was able to convince most of the table to just get the chocolate pudding….but of course, she really wanted the strawberries… we couldn’t say no…. we failed… to make up for it.. gave a brief note to the hostess… and they presented the strawberry option with a candle.. =) 

pound cake, strawberries, cream ….

Happy Birthday My Precious!

oh, and the jar of pudding was pretty good as well…

it was a nice evening.

Cheers!

Links:
Animal Restaurant
Chobimay (MF’s blog)

Here are some highlights:

Posters.

Meat plush.

=D

took a mold and melted some crayons. pretty cool. psychedelic.

nice tie. cool jeans.

more plush in the shape of organs. i liked the black heart.

picked up a souvenir for myself…. a mini-shark pendant that MF actually noticed. the jaws move. so cool!

that’s it.

Link: Unique Los Angeles

JS and JL.

No, I am not drunk!

i got this under control.

i like my nails.

funny shoes.

The End.

In the morning, MF and I went to the on-site store to get some cofee.

Came back to make breakfast. Scrambled eggs with sliced cherry tomatoes and broken up tater tots.

Meanwhile…

PH playing with fire.

the already beautiful MF putting on makeup.

CC’s photo shoot with JT. MC helping to cook.

Bacon sizzling.

Not liking our technique, MF intervened.

Cooked bacon chilling.

PH pouring some bubbly into cups of cranberry juice.

I wish I took more pictures….

Anyways, Leo Carillo was fun. We have to do it again soon.

Cheers!

Bonus Material:

After camping, MF and I did some shopping at the nearby Camarillo Premium Outlets. More than the actual shopping, the drive up the coast was amazing; it made me long for a convertible.

Here are some random pics…

MF did most of the spending.

I was just happy to be there.

Links:
Our Leo Carillo Camping Trip: Day 1
Our Leo Carillo Camping Trip: Day 2
Camarillo Premium Outlets

MC making breakfast - scrambled eggs, tater tots, sausages. Using leftover cheese and tortillas from the night before, we made tacos/burritos.

In the morning, we were debating whether to first go hiking or go to the beach.

We went to the beach….

Power Rangers CS and MF

Chilling.

AL and CC standing on wet sand.

After getting some sun, we came back to the campsite to eat.

Team ROCKIN THE WURST (CS, DK, and MF) made bacon-wrapped hot dogs with onions cooked in bacon fat. I’ve always wanted to try this but was hesitant to eat this on the street.

DK digging for some inspiration.

CS and MF. In the background, JT2 and Deuce.

mMmmMMMmmMmmmmmmmm.

MF toasting buns.

More chilling.

Deuce walking around.

After lunch, most everyone took a nap. CC and AL went hiking.

This picture gives the illusion of real camping.

As the sun went down, Team ROCK YO SOCKS OFF (AL, JC, and JT2) did some cooking. They made galbi burgers.

JT managing the fire.

Running low on firewood, we found things around the campsite to burn. We told stories and made more s’mores.

… when we ran out of things to burn, we called it a night.

Tips/Tricks/Essentials:
Running shoes. JT went running in the morning; wish I brought mine. Some light exercise would’ve been a good way to feel less guilty about all of the calories ingested over the weekend.
Plan for a case of beer per person. We ran out on the second day and fortunately, the stock was replenished when JT2 showed up.
Lanterns. Cannot be stressed enough.

Links:
Our Leo Carillo Camping Trip: Day 1
Our Leo Carillo Camping Trip: Day 3

Here are some of the highlights from Day 1.

Our campsite was up a mini hill from the cars; it was pretty spacious, easily accommodating our 5 tents and 15 person-or-so party. Tip: the campground rules allow 8 people and only 3 cars per site [yes, we broke them and even had the rangers pay us a visit =X]. There is an overflow parking lot near the entrance, which is where I ended up moving my car. Overnight parking is $10 and gates are closed between 10pm and 7am.

It took a few of us 20-minutes or so to put up our tent, which performed beautifully. It’s a 6-person (King Pine) Dome from L.L. Bean. With a built-in mesh-enclosed patio, it looked cool and totally fit our needs. Not seen here, but the patio can also close up (cover the mesh) and could have fit additional people; we used it to hold our bags and gear. Tip: the footprint that is sold separately for the tent covers the patio’s floor. In the sleeping area, we were able to fit two fully-inflated queen-sized, Aerobed air mattresses. I get cranky if I don’t get good sleep, so these were a must, and are highly recommended, if NOT roughing it is an option!

MF color coordinating with the tent.

The view from the entrance of our tent.

with shelter all set up, it was time to chill……..

CC holding a beer. JT sitting.

TM, JT, and MC enjoying a japanese magazine. Well, TM mostly. JT is probably facebooking and MC is happy to be there.

JC holding a stick and PH looking cool. MF also taking a picture of PH looking cool.

JT grilling a few hot dogs.

Satisfying some hunger.

mini-sirloin burger from Jack in the Box..mMmmmMmmm.

More chilling. CC getting another beer.

CS posing with a magazine.

MF toasting a marshmallow.

TM taking photos.

CS performing heimlich maneuver on MF.

Getting late……MF2, TM, PH, and JT started cooking dinner. Corn in foil.

Cooking and cutting meat… lots of meat.

Tacos.

After dinner… MF playing with night vision goggles.

CS and AL toasting more marshmallows.

CS, DK, and MF making some s’mores.

End of Day 1.

Tips/Tricks/Essentials:
Reservations are a must.
Overnight parking is plentiful and costs $10.
There are coin-operated hot showers and flushable toilets.
In case you forget something, there is a store that carries everything you might need.
The onsite store opens at 8am and serves coffee. Starbuxxx is also nearby.
Bring Lanterns. Propane ones are best for outdoors. The more the better.

Links:
Our Leo Carillo Camping Trip: Day 2
Our Leo Carillo Camping Trip: Day 3
Leo Carillo State Park

We sat at the outside terrace of the resident Jer-Ne Restaurant+Bar. It was fun.

..while breaking in this new deck of cards…. and sipping tea..
..we munched on crème brûlée…. topped with fresh berries..
……..it was mMMMmmmmm good…..

..i can see that this is going to be a regular kick it spot. =)

Links:
Ritz Carlton, Marina del Rey
Jer-Ne Restaurant + Bar

Tip: restaurant guests pay $8 for parking, with validation.

This morning, a friend and I hit up the Mike & Chris Going Out of Business Sale at the POOLTRADESHOW. We got there about 30 minutes early and there were about 70 people or so ahead of us. So by the time we got in, the racks were ravaged and all the leather jackets (which was the reason why everyone came or continued to line up outside when we left) were accounted for. The jackets were selling for about 3bills (they usually retail for a grand). Note to self: next time, arrive at least 1 hour early. Regardless, I did manage to find a few decent pieces.

I picked this light cotton twill coat from the Spring/Summer 09 Collection for the price of a Lacoste polo. It fit nicely, but I’m going to change the buttons to something a little more…. me… maybe red?

I also got this jersey cotton hoody also from the Spring/Summer 09 Collection. This was really cheap and I liked the fit.

Though the main draw was Mike & Chris, there were quite a few other labels represented. I scored these Generic Man - Savant shoes in a grey patent leather for a 1/3 of the retail price.

Overall, the event was cool. A lot of hipsters, free drinks, and a cool soundtrack.

By the way, Mike & Chris are not really going out of business; it’s just some miscommunication.

Link:
Mike & Chris
Generic Man

Last weekend, we experienced a rare phenomena here in Southern California – it rained. Consequently, I didn’t feel like going out. To my chagrin, when it was time to get back to the daily grind of work, I found the door sill of my car blanketed with thousands and thousands of ants. And of course, that’s not all. There were EGGS!

Shocked and grossed out, my intial reaction was “EWWWW!” I really needed to get rid of those ants. However, I was running late and needed to get into the office. So, I did my best to get myself in the driver’s seat as fast as I could and close the door to keep the ants out. I had to delay cleaning up the door sill until after work. BIG MISTAKE.

Over the course of the day, the ants did some exploring, found the intake vents, and some were able to gain entry into the cabin of my car. Guess how I found out? You’re going to love this…..

The next morning, when I pressed the button to activate the windshield defogger, the vents started spitting ants! Not only did ants come flying out, but because of the shock of hot air, the ants that were not flying, en masse started crawling all over the dashboard. It seriously looked like a scene from the worst horror flick come to life……… yea, oh shit!

To make what could be a long story short, I did some online research and found the culprits to be called “pavement ants,” and the only real way to get rid of them is to get at the queen. I have since purchased 4 things of ant bait and hope to be ant-free very soon. Wish me Luck!