I'm getting NY fever

Meaning, I gotta get out again. Travel to somewhere tropical. Foreign. Or just out of NYC. My friend Erin is in Thailand doing AIDS/HIV research and outreach and seeing photos of her all tanned and in 50 different pairs of sandals against backdrops of beaches and street markets makes me jelly. I've been all over Southeast Asia but always for horse shows and never for pleasure.

Check this adorable duffle bag from Marc Newson, available at Moss.

I love this color and the fact that the bag is split into two levels. Makes packing more efficient.



Belle by Sigerson Morrisson. Normally I can't wear her shoes because they are so delicate and my big flat duck feet spill out the sides but I think I could pull off these adorable sandals. The gladiator look is huge right now but these don't look too warrior-like. Of course, they are something around the $548953298 range. But not to worry, there is a Matt Berson sale tomorrow in the West Village that I am hoping to check. $50 and under is more my speed. Examples:




Alas, our next destination this year is not until October. We will be going to foggy San Francisco for our friends' wedding. I have a lot of friends and family still there so it will be an action-packed week. We will be staying with my dear friends T&T close to Hayes Valley, and I am planning a short jaunt back to the farm so Alex can see some real live cows. I would also love to go to Napa and do some wine tours but I am still planning and working that part out. First, we need to get tickets out there. Then we will worry about itinerary.

P.S. I know it's only May. I know.

Happy Hump Day!

We're getting a cat! Alex's mom is coming up in two weeks and is bringing Skeeba, his cat that he's had since Austin. I'm excited and also a little nervous as I'm not sure how I'll react to the cat hair.

Mom will be here for a week but the cat is staying forever.

Rogan for Target pre-launch at Barney's

On May 8th, Rogan for Target will be unveiled at Barney's Co-Op in New York.

On May 15th, the collection will be launched at Co-Op L.A.

The line goes on sale at Target on May 18th.

WHO'S GONNA BE FIRST?!?!?!
Bahahahahaha!

Sundance at BAM

May 30-June8

I've been going to this for the past few years and there are always some great little independent films to see. Q&A with the filmmakers is always good too - the theater is small enough to see and hear them and not have to pretend they are little ants.

Some highlights for 2008:
Friday, May 30
Man on Wire - I've seen something on this man before - he really loves being up there. It's crazy.

Saturday, May 31
Gonzo: The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson - one of my literary heroes.

Monday, June 2
The Linguists - this is so fascinating to me. I've always loved languages and as the world becomes smaller, it's sad to think that we are losing a big part of what makes it so great.

American Son - I mean, Nick Cannon is in it. Also on Wednesday, June 4. Both days with Q&A.

Two Gregg Araki flicks:
The Living End, Friday June 6 w/ Q&A
Smiley Face, Friday June 6 w/ intro by Araki
Another one of my heroes. The Living End was his first movie and Smiley Face is his latest. They are two totally different films. I might be down for a double feature.

Silence

I miss living on the farm. On the farm I was alone. It was quiet, there were animals. I got paid $1500/month which is small beans compared to what I'm making right now but I also didn't have to pay rent. I didn't have to pay for utilities. In essence, I was getting paid to do what I loved to do: ride and take care of animals.

I'd go to sleep every night with the 3 Jack Russells, Missy and Max who were from the same litter (Missy between my legs, Max atop the pillow next to me) and Bull, the big daddy dog, snoring soundly still as a log next to me.

Why did I leave? My bosses came back from New Zealand. My space got invaded. It's their space but at the same time I had no space. No private area despite the fact that I slept in the same room I'd been sleeping in since i was 13. They're my second set of parents. I've been eating off the same custom-made plates for the past 20+ years. I'd also gotten injured my first week there - I fell off a horse and smashed my tailbone. YOUCH! I didn't want to continue like that without getting a lot of rest. I also missed the hustle of NYC.

The pony I learned to kick ass on is slowly deteriorating. After the last winter that I was there (2005-2006) they asked me how she looked and I sadly told them, "Not good." They wondered if she'd last another one. She was already running on one eye and her sway back was dipping lower and lower with each year.

I watched 9 cows give birth, one of which was still. I chased after a lamb that had gotten torn up in the barbed wire and jabbed penicillin into it for three days. I got up at 3am every day for a week to peer out my window at a very pregnant Jeri, to make sure she was still alive. And pregnant.

Time slows down when you're on a farm. But it also flies by as most days are about the same. You get up at 7am, get on your first horse by 8am. By 5pm you've ridden 6-7 horses and you're dead tired. There's only time left in the day to shower, make dinner and wash the dishes.

I miss that tired feeling - that deep, satisfying tiredness. The kind that makes Sunday bubble baths extra rewarding. Being tired from office work isn't the same. Your mind keeps racing and there is no rest. Not even for the wicked.

All photos taken with a Lomo LC-A

Get off Murakami's nuts

Chiho Aoshima
Crazy, gigantic digital prints. Sometimes my dreams look like these:



Aya Takano
One of my absolute favorites. If the Virgin Suicides were done Nihonggo style, this would be it. Dreamy, sometimes sad and always with lanky, doe-eyed girls and boys.




Mr.
The first time I saw his work, they were tiny gel pen drawings on scrap paper and receipts. Slightly pedophillic and otaku-inspired.



Yoshitomo Nara
Japan's OG punk rock artist. I love his style of sleepy, angry children/animals. And his muted color palette. I saw a book he did with Banana Yoshimoto (one of my favorite authors) at Kinokuniya but can't find it in English anywhere.

Lars & the Real Girl

Watched this yesterday on DVD. Ryan Gosling was amazing as usual but I thought the real star was Patricia Clarkson as his doctor. Very subtle, calm and steady. A good foil to his quiet neuroses. The movie was funny, in a heartbreaking kind of way. I don't want to call it quirky because I absolutely hate that word. Definitely try to watch it - watch yourself fall in love with a non-character.

OKAY

photo by Kai Regan for V Magazine

Saturday in pictures

Sky blue ecstasy

I've always loved perfumes and colognes. When I was a baby we used Nenuco and Johnson's Baby Cologne. In middle school, I went from Love's Baby Soft to men's colognes: Davidoff Cool Water and Drakkar Noir (later snatched up by my brother). Then came the Body Shop craze where all we wore was Dewberry and White Musk. Later on, my friend Kelly worked at a perfume company, and there came free bottles of Vera Wang, BCBG Nature and one of my current faves, Origins Ginger Essence. I used Masaki Matsushima's Mat and Bath & Body Works' Freesia (now discontinued). Currently, I use Philosophy's Grace, D&G's Light Blue and CB I Hate Perfume's In the Summer Kitchen. And this will be my next purchase. I used the original Clean for a long time. It smells of laundry, baby powder, fresh soap and citrus. Fresh Laundry is more of the same notes but not as strong - it's muted and fresh and makes me swoon. I sprayed a sample on my hand to try and couldn't stop sniffing myself. No wonder Alex says I live like an animal.


My latest splurge - stupid Bluefly's $10,000 shopping spree is a no-go but I did score $30 off my next purchase...which I used towards this gorgeous suede Furla bag.

Mottoinai Furoshiki

I love this! Great excuse to buy all those giant shawls and scarves I love so much. Via Greenupgrader.com in honor of Earth Day.

Liquid puro

My friend Chad's band in the Philippines, Liquid Jane is named after some special Sagada funk. Listen online here or buy the CD here. They sound kind of like Incubus but more chill and jazzy.

This is one dude I miss a lot. Support (non-)local music pls!

No shame in my game

Alex and I have been watching VH1's Miss Rap Supreme at home. Blame the shitty TV choices. We're already paying $100 every month for internet and TV and still can't get anything decent. No Animal Planet, no Travel Channel, no Sundance Channel! Khia just got kicked off last night but don't you think she looks like Lil Wayne?

Khia:


Lil Wayne:


Hahahahahahahahahaha!! We kill ourselves.

But no seriously. Between this and Flavor of Love what else do you need to come home to?

Angels

Sigur Ros' Heima via Richard Lau. Thank you, Richard.

Note: it's about an hour and a half long so make sure you've got the time to watch this.

BAM in May

To celebrate Wong Kar Wai's 20 years as a director, BAM is presenting As Tears Go By from May 2-8. This is one of the few WKW films I haven't seen yet so I'll be there to catch one of the dates. Say...during the week?


Ken Park, directed by Larry Clark & Ed Lachman - this was undistributed in the U.S. and banned in Australia for (surprise!) the graphic sex scenes between its characters. Showing Friday, May 9th at 7pm only and is part of the Ed Lachman cinematography series. Other movies in this series include: Desperately Seeking Susan, The Virgin Suicides, Far From Heaven, Less than Zero, I'm Not There and Blank Generation starring Richard Hell (of Richard Hell & the Voidoids - wooooo!!!!).

Also at the end of May, Sundance at BAM begins. Check BAM.org for more information.

Through the eyes of a child

Els Dibus de Joanet is a blog of drawings and paintings by Joan, the son of Joan, Sr. who keeps Acuarela, a blog about all things watercolor. It's mostly done in pen & ink but you can see very imaginative, weird, skillful things emerging. My personal favorite is the T. Rex with visible skeleton.

More BK Love

This week has been ridiculously beautiful. It started on Monday, still cool but clear and sunny. It got better and better all week and today, warm sunshine. Finally finally finally.

We took the bikes to Bicycle Station on Vanderbilt (at Dean St.) where I had my brake cable repaired. While I was waiting, in walks M.I.A. and her beau, wheeling in a dinky little child's bike. She was so close I could've dropkicked her. Because she is that short too.

The greenmarket at Fort Greene park was alive and kicking today and we walked around the park for a while before heading home. Now, beers and basketball. GO SUNS!!

BK Love

Cute Brooklyn bag by Maptote. Available at Flight 001, Air Market & other NY stores.

Mother mother

Going on now - Earth Day at Grand Central Terminal. Giant earth images will be projected onto the walls of Grand Central's main hall until 4/22. This weekend, Earth Fair 08 will be in effect on Vanderbilt and 42nd Street.

When I was in 4th grade I wrote a letter to G.W. Sr. telling him he should do something about the environment. What I got back was a form letter and an autographed picture, which I promptly ripped up and threw away. Thanks, Mr. Prez.

Please take my debit card away

Philip Lim 3.1 for Gap - $78 is a bit much for Gap but I couldn't resist. Cute with a pair of skinny jeans or a mini skirt. It's a bit smock-like so you want slim bottoms. I also walked with a spring green striped cashmere cardigan on sale from $98 down to $22 so I don't feel too bad about the shirt. The cardigan will look so cute with my new necklace - is it wrong to be planning outfits around a single piece of jewelry? I don't think so.

This blog is totally becoming my shopping wish list!


For instance, I need these adorable Marc by Marc Jacobs patent flats. NEED.

Sunlight so bright it kills me

My newest piece of jewelry, acquired today from the awesome Deb of Bonbon Oiseau. I went in to alter a necklace I bought a couple weeks ago and ended up walking out with a new one! It's a key fob with a racehorse on it and attached is a short chain with 3 (triple) crowns. Picked out a chain to go with et voila - a new necklace for me. Catch her at Brooklyn Flea April 27th and May 4th. Thanks Deb!


Love these little sandals from J. Crew - they come in other colors but I liked this plain and simple combo best. About 1/4 of my wardrobe is from J. Crew - I have enough so that if I wanted to, I could fashion an all-J. Crew outfit. I've been wearing this brand since they were more like Eddie Bauer chic and it's great to see how the brand and design have evolved. The prices have evolved too. Ha!

I've got spring fever - can't help myself with this weather!

Design for all mankind

Rogan for Target





Wowow! Rogan Gregory for Target, in stores May 18th. Let's hope it's better than the Jovovich-Hawk collection. So far most of these designer collabos have been disappointing. Very much looking forward to this one though - I might even try to beat the crowds by buying online. I can always eBayyyyy.

Not sure why the models are blue. You can click here to see all the looks.

And check this out too: Philip Lim, As Four, Band of Outsiders, and more for GAP.