Hold You in My Arms...I Just Wanted to Hold

Working in a place where they don't pay for parking is a bummer, and I'm cheap and poor enough to not want to have to pay for parking, so I go to great lengths not to.

Having to move my car from an area that starts street sweeping to another place for the last hour and a half I have at work seems like nonsense, but at least I get a minute out of the office (even when I can't afford to do so), and other moments of wonderful happen upon me.

As I was approaching my car, I passed by a car lot with an attendant, who had his radio blasting pretty loud. And for that, I was happy and it made my day, and really should have slowed my pace as it was playing this:



Muse, play and save the world, but at least save my sanity.

Good Day, Sunshine

Greeting the morning meeting up with the sun as the day breaks on the 10 Freeway makes me like the 10 a little more now.

I can kick myself for this, but I never actually made the effort I should have to get myself up and out early enough to see the sun rise on the East Coast.

Perhaps that's what I should set as a goal for myself by next year: Find some awesome peak and watch the sunrise atop it. The two that come to mind is Mt. Fuji and that one big volcano on Maui. Or maybe do it somewhere over the water on the East Coast.

The past 36 hours have been very remarkable.

Beauty Movement

I already love Fleet Foxes. I really want to see them live.

Their album is great, and I really like their song, "White Winter Hymnal"



As good as it is already, an LA-based acappella group made a hauntingly beautiful cover of it that can bring me to tears: Sonos

You will have to click on "White Winter Hymnal" on the player to hear it, though their "Oh What a World" is cute, too. Their "Everything in its Right Place" is also solid and good, but I've heard it one too many times, though I do not think I can ever tire of WWH with them singing it at all. It makes it a bit more difficult to hear the original sometimes; they have such different feels to it.

Excuse me while I shed a tear to hear it again. I am happy to be around and have the facilities to be able to appreciate this kind of beauty. If Sonos wants to arrange acappella versions of the whole Fleet Foxes album, I would buy it in an instant and listen to it constantly, crying the whole time, haunted by their voices and harmonies while thinking that even though there is so much pain and ugliness in our world today, there is music like this.

And once I manage to recover from my lotus eaters-like state from their siren ways, I'd probably go out and try as hard as I might to make my own beauty out in the world.

Who do You Love?

Although SNL's skit making fun of him was pretty funny (and unnecessarily long), Keith Olbermann is on the mark more often than not, and eloquently conveys the same sentiment I share on the passing of CA's Proposition 8. Except, of course, I can't do it as well as he.

My Former Life

I'm still pretty much convinced that I was Latin in a former life.

It's very rare that I'm NOT in the mood for a burrito, or something Mexican, Salvadoran, Peruvian, etc. More often than not, I am ALWAYS down for some chaufa de pollo, a good bean burrito, a pupusa.

For the past week, I've had the biggest craving for tostadas. I was thinking of making them myself, but knowing I didn't have the proper ingredients and the time to get them, I was trying to think of things I could have in lieu of them. I tried cooking up some fake chicken sold at Trader Joe's (which I didn't like - the texture was way too gummy) and season it all tasty-like, but that didn't work. The bean burrito run from Taco Bell was a major fail and am a bit embarrassed to even admit I spent money and ate them. Saturday I was looooooving the carne asada that was grilled, and then later the awesome guacamole and freshly made tortilla chips someone brought. Even though it was planned to get Arby's with the coupon I had on Sunday, I wound up getting Green Burrito flautas instead, and enjoyed mooching off another's carnitas nachos (good thing we decided to upgrade).

Still, that didn't satisfy my fix, and yesterday, I went and got some tostada discs, and was so excited to make them, I forgot to get other ingredients to add (mushroom would have been good, as well as tomatoes, but the bell peppers didn't look so good) and went home with that. At least I had onions, and to compensate for the lack of other veggies, I just chopped an entire onion into the mix. Then I used veggie ground meat and seasoned it with some cayenne and white pepper, as well as a generous dose of Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute. I also bought myself some vegetarian refried beans, even though I should have known myself better and had two cans of refried beans waiting at home. I added some veggie broth to thin it out and added a few splashes of Tabasco. Once that was all done, I busted out the Tapatio and I was ready to feast.

I was pretty surprised that it actually turned out pretty well!

Needless to say, that's all I've been eating since (save breakfast, where I had Oriental ramen with egg), and I'm contemplating having one more after already eating one for dinner.

Next time, I definitely need to make sure I have stuff like mushrooms, tomatoes, perhaps some bell peppers and maybe, maaaaaaaybe some cheese. OH! Lime. The lime would also make things pretty yummy.

I would need to get more ground meat of some sort, and of course, the above mentioned veggies to make more. After all, I still have a lot of tostada shells to polish off before they go bad.

Speaking of Latin food, I'm starting to learn how much I really do like Salvadoran food. I fell in love with the pupusa as soon as I discovered it, and even though some people don't favor it, I loooove their horchata made with toasted rice. I know some of their dishes they call one thing is different than the Mexican version, but I was so surprised when I was given a Salvadoran empanada yesterday. I had a feeling that it would be different than the other empanadas I'm used to (basically it being a food pocket), but I did not expect a lump of refried beans surrounded by sweet plantains, then fried. Even though it was a little heavier and sweeter than I kind of wanted, it was still really good. As I was enjoying it, my boss' housekeeper were trying to figure out how it's made, as she was the one who gave it to me, but didn't make it herself. Now we have this mission to try making our own Salvadoran empanadas, and allowing ourselves to have it in different sizes rather than that fist-sized lump of mushy.

I'm still kind of surprised that in the past few years people have mistaken me or thought I am Latin. It's a HUGE difference from when I was growing up and had people telling me I could only be Chinese or Japanese, because I was clearly Asian and those were the only kinds of Asian they knew. I was tickled when I overheard a conversation between two friends telling one another that they thought I was Latina when they first met me, and was kind of hoping I was so I'd be "part of their team."

At that moment, I wished I was.

Today's Moment of Zen

Or, what I wouldn't mind doing of the rest of my life.

It's also a testament of why I love my friends so much, because we talk about things that are crazy and silly, but are totally awesome and uses the power of the internet to prove that we're not so crazy and silly talking about them.

Some of you may have not seen Human Tetris yet, and that was evidenced by the fact that my two friends didn't know what I was talking about when I was squealing with joy when it came on the TV I was watching when we were at a Chinese cafe in Monterey Park.

They were completely enamored by it. So much in fact, one of them sat on my side of the table so he could watch the next round of human tetris that came on.

Then discussion started about how cool it would be to make a version of that for house parties, and we discussed the logistics behind that. Then the question came up on how we could find silver unitards for the finishing touches (unfortunately, our "guaranteed" easy pick is only halfway there). One was amazed that a place would actually make metallic leotards, and the other confirmed it, and that they came in several colors. At that point, I started chuckling, because I knew it was true and started chuckling, visualizing me and my friends all in different colored metallic unitards in my friend's parents' backyard trying to pass through interestingly cut pieces of foamcore. Then I just imagined my friends in different colored metallic unitards walking around, which made me chuckle even more. Then I shared that I thought it would be the best thing to make a photo series.

Maybe I can have my friends in different colored metallic unitards and shoot them doing random things, and for some reason, across the table, it was suggested that they could be tending to the basil, watering the lawn, for she was imagining this happening in her parents' backyard, so she was working with what was there. I thought people in different colored metallic unitards (hereinafter, DCMU even though I'm sure this will be the last time I refer to them), doing things that people wouldn't expect people in DCMU's doing, like, tending to a vegetable garden, would be pretty fun. It could be titled, "This is the Future."

Anyway, this collection of images totally trumps any of those ideas that were cooked up last night. I'd provide some teaser images to get you to click, but I feel like I'd be spoiling the amazing. Just trust me and click.

It reminds me of this artist who makes realistic paintings from childrens' drawings

Sunny California, Sunday Drives

I need to write this before I completely forget this ever happened.

Sunday, May 11 around 1:00PM

It's not like these kinds of days rarely or never happen, but it was just one of those days that you've been hoping for some time.

Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day. I needed to be at a rehearsal first thing in the morning to take a look at movement and take some sample pictures, and then had to rush back to Monrovia to spend time with mother/sister/Lakers game since it was Mother's Day/Sister's birthday the next day/Lakers better not lose again all in one go. I didn't get out of the rehearsal until near one, and the game had already started at 12:30, so I had to book it from the "Arts District" of Downtown over to the San Gabriel Valley.

I'm telling you, I couldn't have had a better day and time to be driving up the 110. I shed the hoodie I had on from the cold studio, and rolled down my windows to enjoy the perfect weather. The temperature was at the perfect level for me - just warm enough to be in short sleeves, but had a bit of chill that a light covering would be acceptable, too. I was very happy I didn't have loose papers/bags lying about my car, which allowed me to have the windows rolled down as I cruised through Downtown and kept them down all the way up to Pasadena. Traffic was light, and I was able to keep at an even 65 without too much wind, so I could still listen to the jazz on the radio without having to blast it.

The light was also perfect - it was bright, but not really sunny. Thanks to the "June Gloom" marine layer about the area, the sun was completely diffused, which made the colors all around bright and saturated against the white backdrop of sky.

Going up the 110 in all these conditions made me feel like I was driving through old pictures my parents would have taken before and right after I was born, with the colors so rich and nostalgic, you would almost wish that Downtown to Pasadena wasn't so short of a distance.

When I'm not pressed for time, or am eager to get somewhere, I really do enjoy driving. Sure, I had to get to my destination ASAP, including making a stop to get some food, but all the elements of yesterday was a testament of how much pleasure I get from a good drive.

Even with gas at the cost as it is, I would almost consider making an effort to get out of the house and in my car on Sundays, especially at this time of year, as it's seemed to be working out for me for a few Sundays now, provided I have an actual destination at which I can do things.

How Do I Feel at the End of the Day

I do not exaggerate when I say that one giant reason why I am still alive on this earth is because I have the most awesome set of friends a hapless gal like me can ever be so fortunate to have.

I could list all the ways in great detail, but let's face it. We all know I'd never have the motivation to do such a thing, not to mention nothing close to that is happening right now because I can't even keep my eyes open right now.

The highlight of the day and perhaps the whole weekend was seeing Rodney Bigenheimer sit one table over from us, alone at a big table at Canter's. He's tiny and people watches and is so adorable and awesome. Had it not been for that, I would say all the love, support and assistance I've got from my friends today would have been the best thing to happen to me, dare I say it? All month (thus far). They have definitely saved me from inevitable doom for being there for me, even though one may have eaten too much food and drank too much wine and did nothing but try to see lady dancers in their nudies.

Next to my family and kitties, my friends are the reasons why I haven't succumbed to my fate in the world, which is to completely destroy this life I've been given.

I will forever be thankful in every way imaginable.

Today's Moment of Zen

I might be going to hell, but this gave me a hearty laugh just now:


click to look at more of these!

I may be going to Hell because I found a lot of these to be funny. If you don't know if you're going to Hell, click on the link and if you think they're funny, then you're there. If you already know you're well on your way, then by all means, click for the laughs.

Reason Why I'm Going to Hell

I've been actually planning on doing this for some time, and have half a post written about this subject, but that entry is a little involved.

I already know I'm going to Hell. There are the given reasons why, such as being a baptized Catholic who never goes to church or hasn't even officially got her first communion (that's bad in itself, right?), I own several music albums that have been burned for me, and I can't guarantee that I wouldn't covet my neighbor's wife if either one of them actually had one. But there are lots of other reasons, from the really mean to the mundane, that have me convinced that gives me another stamp towards getting that express ticket to Eternal Damnation.

So here's my first reason in this series.

One reason I'm going to Hell is because this email made me laugh:

Subject: How the fight started


HOW THE FIGHT STARTED

I rear-ended a car this morning.

So, there we are alongside the road and slowly the driver gets out of the car . . . and you know how you just get sooooo stressed and life-stuff seems to get funny?

Yeah, well, I could NOT believe it . . . he was a DWARF!

He storms over to my car, looks up at me and says, 'I AM NOT HAPPY!'



So, I look down at him and simply say, 'Well, which one are you then?'

. . . and that's when the fight started . . .

Yes, little people are people just like me and you, just smaller. They go through all the same emotions and feelings that everyone else does on the same scale. So where is the humor in the fact that someone got in a car accident? I don't think anyone would be happy to get into one, even IF your name is Happy, right?

I say I get 1-2 stamps for this one.



Thanks to Nikki for sending me the email.

Freecycling

Being Pilipino-American, it's in my genes that I swoop on anything I can get for free. If possible, I'm taking two. On a similar token, I'm also not one to waste things. Just because someone no longer wants something doesn't mean it's condemned as rubbish. If something is still usable, whether in its current condition or if some repair is necessary, I'm all for it.

That's why I'm so glad there are places like Craigslist's free section and Freecycle, amongst others. These sites really apply the adage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." I know of people who were not working at the time (my roommate included), and would scour the Craigslist Free section for gems whose cost would be the gasoline and time used to go pick those items up, and possibly any repair the item may need. Perhaps the only thing that stopped me from doing this int he 6 weeks I was unemployed was the fact I holed myself up in my room trying to knit like crazy.

What's also interesting is the type of people who frequent these things. Craigslist is typically known to draw an interesting mix of people, and for Freecycle, each region is moderated by something like a Yahoo! Group, so one would have to subscribe to the service, and therefore have more reliable postings/responders.

I was put in charge of getting rid of some old props out of my work's storage unit, so I posted ads in both places. I made the mistake to post the phone number to the office in the Craigslist ad, and after one call, I immediately removed it. Thanks to the fact all of Freecycle's posts are reviewed by moderators, so that was removed from my posting. It wasn't long before people were responding, and it's really interesting the stories people have when asking for free things. People also have some strange requests at all. I'm very glad that I did find someone who wanted everything, compared to the people who were picking and choosing, looking for the cleanest, not too big, best-looking ONE item when I wanted to rid of them all, and it was going to a good cause. BONUS was that they had a truck and were located closer than I was to the storage unit.

I'm glad that I've finally taken the initiative to sign myself up for Freecycle, as I used to rely on my former co-worker telling me of interesting offers in the group. Of course, when my co-worker left my old job, I never got to know of great offers. My roommate was great in telling me of some choice Craigslist postings. The other day, someone posted he was getting rid of basically an entire darkroom, including the enlarger, trays, and from the image, it looked like he had the easels I REALLY LOVE USING (and are moderately pricey). Sadly, she found the post 2.5 hours after its posting, and when I called to leave a voicemail, I never got a response. I figured something like that wouldn't be around for too long. :(

I'm also very happy that I changed my subscription to Freecycle from my work email to my personal address, and that I'm getting individual emails that are posted as soon as its okay'd rather getting a delayed, daily digest. When checking my email this morning, I saw that someone is getting rid of their busted, old Schwinn. Seeing it was posted within the hour, I responded, and was the first person to respond and now I'm an owner of an old bike! All I need to do now is to pick it up and get it repaired at one of many places I can go. I'm stoked, as getting a bike has been something that's been on my mind for a long time, especially now when my roommate got herself a cute, classic bike, and my family's been biking a lot more themselves.

What really matters at this point is that I fully utilize my new acquisition. Maybe I can take it to run small errands, or taco runs...perhaps take it to a bike path and cruise for a day. It sounds like that would be really fun, especially if going on a nice, scenic path :)

UPDATE EDIT:
I think Freecycle is going to be a great source for entertainment. Even though it's generally discouraged, people can create postings for things they want/need. Of course, one never knows what others have that they may want.

I just received another batch of postings. Granted, this one user is offering a brand-new, still-in-box wireless router, this person also posted a string of wanted posts, asking for a car, a laptop and an aquarium. No details provided on these objects, I suppose any kind of the above listed will do fine. Or maybe I'm just some dork who finds that amusing.

Reason #2 Why I Miss Working at the Armory

Well, it's at least in the top five.

I often claim I'm not the strongest in visual arts comprehension; I'm more of a performance and literary arts sort of gal. But I suppose one does develop an eye for things over time. The short time I spent working at the Armory, particularly in the Gallery Department helped me become better versed with it, and helped me discover new and awesome artists out there. Like a former co-worker once told me, everyone has a different aesthetic, and when people get together, it's inevitable that someone learns about something new. I definitely got that, even so much that I considered, and quite possibly am still considering pursuing a career in curating, even though my most recent career move has me off that trail (for now).

Und dann, one BIG thing I miss working at the Armory is the fact that it's much more difficult to know about the upcoming and current awesome exhibitions around town. They say LA has no culture, but really, we've got a lot of it that's oftentimes diluted by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

Here are some of the shows that I know about that's getting me REALLY excited:

KARA WALKER AT THE HAMMER

I am SUPER excited about this one. The first time I heard Kara Walker's name was in preparation for the Armory's (very impressive, and I'm not saying that because I was a lot involved with it) installment for the citywide Skin festival. At the start, I associated her work with headache, as we were to loan an entire set of 26 of a series of hers from the Broad Foundation, and they required SO MUCH paperwork, including my having to update the building's facility report, which was the bane of my existence for nearly a month. It was a big task trying to get all the pertinent information which involved talking through a lot of red tape, borrowing equipment from other museums in order to measure light, in candlelights of various rooms that's not even near where the pieces were going, security questions, a list of major exhibitions, partners, etc. etc. die. die.

When they finally came, I realized it was worth every bit of headache. Although the series didn't fully show her amazing range, it was a stunning set of work that was very small but very very memorable. I often dreamed of spending my lunch break just to go in the room where they were and just take in each piece for their powerful little selves.

I should kick myself for not taking advantage of the book that was lying on my desk that had the art of Kara Walker and her sisters, who are all established artists in their own rights. That's another thing about what I miss about being there: there were SO MANY volumes of exhibition books I didn't bother opening. I want to scold myself thinking about it.

This show at the Hammer is a touring exhibition, and has a much broader range of what she can do, and lucky for us, it's the only West Coast stop of this tour. I NEED TO GO.

BONUS ART (AS IF I can actually make it there by Sunday): Recent Acquisitions from the Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts
Closing on the 9th, they're showing off what the UCLA Center has recently acquired. Catherine Opie! I kinda worked with her in the darkrooms of UCLA! Edvard Munch! A few Barry McGees! Must-see! Must-See! I'm going to do some pre-empt crying because it will take every fiber in my being at full throttle to get me to Westwood by Sunday after working an entire evening at my first show for my new job. Will I make it? Probably not. Will I still wish and hope and think I will at least try? At least in my mind. How awesome would it be if I surprise myself and actually make it out there by weekend's end? VERY, but not as awesome as the show itself, no doubt. OR MAYBE IT WOULD...

On that UCLA note, there's:

MAKE ART/STOP AIDS at the Fowler Museum at UCLA (interesting, they changed the name back?)

Another kick myself in the ass for not better taking advantage of this place when my building shared a much-forgotten path. The Fowler's exhibitions really embody why I joined WAC in the first place, focusing on "non-Western" art. They've had shows featuring the art and artifacts of Vodou, Lucumi and other Afro-Caribbean syncratic religions, as well as a show about advertising and HUGE billboards (aptly curated in Westwood, a place notorious for that stuff).

I've recently spent some time looking back at my old emails from when I trained for the New Orleans Marathon, when I invested my time and body to run and raise money in the efforts to better those who live with AIDS and possibly one day, find a cure. This exhibition is a touring show as well, with its debut at the Fowler, features work of artists from around the world responding to the AIDS epidemic that plagues us. Although my involvement towards helping find a cure hasn't been as active as I wish it was as of late, I still feel very strongly for the cause, and reading those weekly emails my Program Rep (who is now now dear friend from my process), makes me realized how much I miss that time of my life when I was doing something that benefits myself (mostly from feeling that I was doing something worthwhile with my life at a time when I really didn't feel I was doing anything of that sort), at the same time, benefited others.

Just when I started thinking I miss Westwood again, the deal is sealed the trifecta is completed with:

THE GOAT'S DANCE: PHOTOGRAPHS BY GRACIELA ITURBIDE

If I haven't mentioned it enough times, I'll mention it again: I'm more than certain I was Latina in a previous life, because I always feel so strongly when it comes to things and people of that persuasion (that sounds so fetishist, but I can't otherwise aptly describe it). Manuel Alvarez Bravo is one of my all-time favorite photographers. This show of 30 years of Graciela's work based mainly highlighting the culture, people, and aesthetic in Mexico as well as studies of Mexican-Americans. It's hard not to think of Alvarez Bravo when thinking of her show, as he was a pioneer not only of his style by also of his subject matter, and perhaps Graciela's work may not be around had it not been for him. All the same, they're great images in their own right, and the photographic curators at The Getty never fail in putting together amazing shows.

BONUS EXHIBITS AT THE GETTY: In the very immediate future (next week and the week after) are two exciting shows: California Video satarting March 15 and Ten Years in Focus: The Artist and the Camera starting March 25. To think I applied for a position that would involve me in the preparation of the former show makes me kind of sad, but it doesn't diminish my excitement for it. The show features 40 years of video art made by the locals, including work from Bill Viola, Allan Kaprow, Brian Bress, Nancy Buchanan, amongst many others. The latter show features photographic pieces The Trust has acquired in the past 10 years. I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that there is a trust created from the interest from a man's savings that can fund an entire, AMAZING institution and center that is responsible for an inconceivable collection of art. I don't care J. Paul's personal aesthetic isn't too similar to mine (I do fancy the ancient Roman and Greek stuff, though), but I just wet myself thinking what The Trust has amassed since (all stolen Italian art drama aside). I'm sure it's amazing stuff, and I want to see it.

As if this post can get any longer, there are other places I must go to, and SOON:

The Garden of Flowing Fragrance at the Huntington

Iiiiiiit's OPEN! And dammed it be all if I don't fully utilize my Huntington membership and check this sucker out! My roommate just got an amazing tattoo done from artwork inspired by this garden from my membership's newsletter, I MUST check this place out! As beautiful as the Japanese Garden is, I have to say, they really pulled out all the stops with this place. I remember when the area the garden is now was a ghastly plot of dirt, and now they've transformed it into a place that holds so much beauty.

This place, I'm afraid to say, warrants perhaps a work ditch day just to take in its beauty minus the weekend crowd. I may do it before my membership expires next month (though there is talks my roommate wants to renew, as I named her the co-member on my memberhsip). I may also have to employ the motivation of others to drag my butt away from Animal Crossing and out to this place (as well as all the other amazing aforementioned shows).

Last but not least and I'm hungry and tired of finding links and images to go with this entry, is BCAM at LACMA. Maybe because a part of me thinks that The Broad Foundation owes me more awesome for putting me through so much in order to acquire the Kara Walkers (WITNESS: post = Full Circle.), I really want to see this new place the Foundation has made to help show off more of LACMA's contemporary collection. As an ever-persistent problem with museums and galleries, there never is enough space to adequately show the collections they have. It's a shame to have so much amazing work stored away when others can get so much from viewing it. I'm happy this place is now around to help remedy this problem, and I'd love to see what they've got.

So, yes. There's a lot out there to see, and crazy long this entry is, it's not even scratching the surface of what amazing stuff is out there in LA.

Now it's all a matter of seizing the opportunities presented here and going to these wonderful sights in person.