Monday, November 28, 2011

BEG 4 SNOW

It's been 10 days now since opening day and the conditions out there are crap. I found this painting stumbling through the interweb sometime over the summer and I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to share it. I think now's a good time. This painting is my love for polar bears, snow and art combined so naturally I absolutely love it, but I'm an idiot and didn't make note of where it came from, so I have no idea who I'm supposed to give credit for the happiness it brings me which makes me sad. How's that for irony. Anywho, a big thank you is in order to the random artist who made this (Rlusaver?) ..and I'm sorry I don't know you. Sincerely, your admirer.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Saturday, November 19, 2011

It's Physics

I've thrown myself into another one, another familiar cycle.

Okay so I guess I didn't throw myself this time. In fact I've spent quite some time tip toe-ing around this situation. But then suddenly I tripped, possibly on a few bottles of booze, and I just went lunging forward. It's typical for thrown objects to eventually hit the ground, it's physics. But I've been thrown hard, and I feel like I'm still shooting through the air right into outer fuckin space. I'm seconds away from getting lost out here, losing direction, losing my mind (hey, maybe it's in this black hole) it's different this time though. My eyes are still closed, fingers fidgety, heart pounding, and occasionally gasping for air, but only because I'm laughing. Hard. Because you're so. fucking. hilarious. If I drank milk it'd be it'd be squirting out my nose, but I'm lactose intolerant so luckily I dodged that nerdy bullet. Always anticipating the next time, not regretting the seconds, the minutes, the days that slip by, I hope it lasts for as long as it's potential. I'm floating out here, but eventually I'll cross back through into the atmosphere, I'll be a victim to gravity once more, and once more without a goddamn parachute, I'll most likely fall hard, and uh..I hate to break it to you, but you will most likely too.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Substance

I probably have about 3 posts in draft mode, because everything I've been trying to write with any sort of substance just seems to end up sounding absolutely ridiculous about 10 minutes after I'm finished writing it. In hopes to just keep things rolling until I have something remotely significant to say, I'll just post some more photo's from around Denver. After all, I have less than a week 'til I'm back to being a mountain woman..


Snaps of - The Sounds Concert, Maja Ivarsson, Portishead Concert, Maria Taylor, The Big Harp, Halloween at Unit E, Josh as Joaquin Phoenix, Adam as Thom Yorke, yours truly as Wednesday Addams.

The Sounds was an incredibly active concert. Maja, she puts on quite the show. I probably burned all of my PBR calorie intake for the night (and believe me..there was a lot). With questionable expectations, especially with stadium seating, Portishead turned out to be mind-blowingly incredible. Beth sings like a depressed angel, with such sweet sorrow. Maria Taylor and the Big Harp at the Hi-Dive was charming and laid back. Although disappointed for the bands that there was such a small crowd, I personally enjoyed the space and intimacy. Halloween is pretty self explanatory. Kept it small this year at a new gallery/music venue, a small space on Santa Fe and 12th in Denver called Unit E. A few bands, quirky costumes, couple of friends, definitely no shit show like previous years.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Saturday, October 15, 2011

A Day for Film and Music

Today has been a day of visiting the distant to relatively recent past. It has been a day of sitting, watching, listening and connecting. I caught up with an old friend today and we watched Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive, as he was kind enough to watch it for the third time on my behalf. Luckily to his advantage it was pretty amazing, which is probably why he agreed to watch it so many times. This film comes with an equally amazing soundtrack, scored mainly by Cliff Martinez with additional tracks by chillwave electronic artists like Kavinsky, College, and Desire. From the 90's style typography of the credits to the 80's style dream pop, I was pushed into the past (not too far though with the cars being a reference to present day). I fell in love with the music immediately and the film soon after. The trailer was definitely misleading, and I honestly didn't have very high expectations going in to it. I went in thinking I was going to experience a series of cliched action film montages so I was definitely thrown off guard with the eerily subtle dialogue and the dreamy yet somehow realistic chase/murder scenes. Slow motion sequences, usually deemed a bit tacky in my opinion, was actually done quite tastefully and worked wonders with the music. Most films that I've seen with one murder scene following another leave me numb to the idea of death, where by the end I'm not even flinching at a gunshot to the head. But unlike these, Drive left me horrified by each death and kept me guessing right up to the very end. Alright so, there are probably a lot of people who could have predicted that ending, but I like to think that I consciously choose not to guess for the sake of enjoying the film the way it was made to be. Here's one of the main tracks from the flick.


I wasn't given much time to digest all of this after it was over, however, because I needed to rush to meet my parents to see the Colorado Symphony Orchestra perform Beethoven's Symphony Number 7, quite the contrast from the former. I thought about all the times they've taken my brother and me to see the Los Angeles Philharmonic perform at the Hollywood Bowl, back when he was still and angsty teenager and I, still a naive child. Of course I didn't appreciate it then, and at every child that crossed my path as we walked in, I wondered how many of them were dragged along against their will, and which ones would come back 10 years later to actually appreciate it. Of course there weren't many children, given the majority of the audience were Denver's white-elite, and well over their 40s. I couldn't help but compare this experience with other concerts I've been to this month. I wondered if any of these people knew what it was like to drink a beer out of a plastic cup, stand in a grimey venue and aggressively nod heads to rock music while screaming, spilling beers and bumping into one another. It was refreshing to see younger groups of people, even though there weren't many, and I almost had the urge to give them a nod as I walked by them as if we had some kind of connection/understanding. A small part of me worries that there isn't a big enough younger generation attending the orchestra to carry on an audience to classical music when the older generation fades. I'll admit, I dozed off a bit during the first Violin Concerto (the opening act), by some postmodern composer by the name of Glass. But when they started Beethoven's 7th, the nostalgia tied to this piece came rushing through me. I remembered hearing this on road trips with my family, or sitting in the living room of our house in California, on a Sunday, having a reading session with my dad as he read the paper and I read Nancy Drew. I melted with his second movement. This holds a special place in my heart more than I believe anyone could understand. This youtube video doesn't nearly do it justice in all of its majesty...

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Lomo

Well, it's been about a month now since I've been back in the states, and I've been keeping busy to say the least. It feels weird to be busy, when I'm not even currently working, but it's kind of nice to know that there's always something to keep me occupied. Never a dull moment. Constantly spending money with nothing coming in, and being a witness to my diminishing savings account, however, is pretty depressing. Going back to Vail and back to work is going to be a nice change but a teeny tiny part of me is dreading it (just the work part). I've recently picked up (yet another) hobby, as if I don't have enough hobbies already. Lomography! I'd like to personally place blame on my friend Josh aka Popping Yolk who gifted me my Fisheye Lomo, and I find myself getting more emotionally involved with this toy of a camera with every roll.

Meet Josh. He's a whore... for cameras.
My recent obsession has been Colorado Skies. They're absolutely beautiful damn near every single day. Sometime throughout any given day, you can find me blasting music as I cruise control at 85 MPH down E-470, sticking my camera out the window as I grab onto it for dear life, trying to capture what's in the sky that day.

Jam sesh, pizza and beers downtown
 
A beautiful room with daytime stars.
 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Denver Love

Soo I've been back in Denver for two days now, and I've probably had the best time crammed in the last 48 hours than in the last 5 months spent in Seoul. Not to say that visiting (turned to living in) the motherland wasn't an unforgettable learning experience, but damn, considering I LOVE Denver, and didn't think it'd be possible to love it more, learning that my feelings for this city run deeper than I could have ever imagined is pretty amazing. That being said, I was also quick to realize that having a relationship with your home city is a lot like a relationship between parent and child. You love it more than anything, but know that eventually you have to let it go, and allow it to grow on its own with out you. Sure, I'm back doing the same thing I was last year, but knowing that I'll be leaving Colorado at the end of the season this time around gives me a rather bittersweet feelings towards the short amount of time that I'll be staying here. Currently making effortless efforts to make the most of my time here. It's turning out to be pretty darn easy. Here's some shots from The Ogden in Downtown Denver. Impromptu Concert makes amazing night with amazing friends.

Broken Social Scene & T.V on the Radio


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Popping Yolk

Today, September 15, 2011 marks the day my good friend takes his first blinking step (publicly) into the world of photo editing. Please make sure to stop by and acknowledge his glorious day.

Such pretty colors. ;) Seriously though, check out his blog. He's got some good shit goin. And more to come.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Thankful for Daytrotter


As many of you may already know, yesterday was Chu-Seok aka Korean Thanksgiving, so my parents have flown in from the states for this and for a wedding (not mine!) It's 12am and I have just hit day 3 of sharing a room with them. Currently, I am attempting to drown out the sound of my parents obnoxiously harmonized snoring while listening to a couple of (free!) RYAT tracks recorded at the Daytrotter studio, a marvelous site I discovered just two days ago. It was two nights prior, and I was in a similar position, laying on the ground (where I now sleep ever since the parental invasion) surfin blogs, listening to some tunes, when I came across the miracle of Daytrotter. Apparently they've been around for about 5 years now, so it's freakin beyond me how I haven't heard of their marvelous production till now, but hey, better late then never right? Anywho, these guys have a recording studio in Rock Island, Ill where pretty much all of my favorite artists (and then some) have stopped by mid-tours to record original songs and live tracks for our listening pleasure. How neat is that? and Daytrotter ever so conveniently puts it on their page along with a genuine description/review and original artwork for each artist, for ours to take and for us to read. Simply mind blowing. I was honestly, so impressed, I had to blog about it! So since two days ago, I've been able to download/enjoy some new tracks from a bunch of my favorite artists like The Books, Local Natives, The Dandy Warhols..watch some beautiful video sessions like that of the great Iron&Wine and come across a ton of new artists I had never heard of. Serious eye and ear candy. If any of you guys are lookin for some fresh tracks by some wonderful indie artists, or are simply looking for something new, this is it. It's not for everyone I guess, but DEFINITELY for me. love love loving it.

I found a great video about them, showing us the efforts of their work.



<3&Enjoy

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Seoul Snaps

Some of the highlights during my time here :) Nephew, Sketchbook, Samsung Yuk, Tattoo Virus, Subway, Mulla, Zacpot, Dong Nim Mun, Gyung Bok Gung

Also, here's a pretty sweet video of a band my friend Jefferson just introduced me too. They're called Gotye. Enjoy!

Ironically, the shapes drawn on the walls and on the people in this video somewhat resemble those of MWM's work shown in my previous post. Funny how life works.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Sharing my love for MWM

Matt W. Moore - I absolutely LOVE this guy's work, he's my freakin hero!!*&)#*&A"lk!aj!! and when I grow up I'd like to be just like him :D
Clean, colorful, meticulous, just my style.
Reminds me of a modern vectorfied Kandinsky
A bunch of you Vail-ites might recognize the work he's done with Burton a few years back, but a lot of his art has been featured in a variety of sectors in fashion, design, shoes, pop culture media, automotive, street art..the list goes on and on. Check out his Blog (which I follow rather religiously) where's there's eye candy for boys and girls of all ages.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Dreaded Seoul

  One of the biggest things that came to my attention during my first visit to Seoul are the many existing classes and Korean subcultures that I've been unaware of (and no, I don't watch Korean drama's and I highly doubt they're anywhere near an accurate depiction of Korean society anyway). The majority of Korean's I've known throughout my life (aside from visiting family members who live here already) have been Korean families who have had the means to immigrate to the states, so generally middle to upper class. I grew up thinking that all Korean families were the same. Most parents were conservative business owners who gave up everything they had to immigrate, used that guilt to push their children to excel in academics and tried their best to be "normal" and fit into American society. To see the lives of middle to lower class Koreans is a completely different emotional experience. These people simply don't exist (or are pretty rare) in the states because it's damn near impossible to immigrate without money, but these are the people that give me hope in a culture I wrongfully despised. Turns out, it wasn't the culture, but the people that represented my heritage in the states that I was somewhat ashamed of - people who care only about money and financial success, that's basically what it comes down to. Sure, I understand the struggles they went through to give their children an opportunity within the "American Dream" but doesn't that entail the freedom to whatever they desire and to pursue their OWN dreams?
I'm a pretty firm believer that with suffering comes creativity, and I think it's safe to say that financial stability comes hand in hand with one's comfort in life (yes I understand that it shouldn't be that way but unfortunately it is). At first glance, I noticed what I knew. I knew that these people were obsessed with status, in which they represented with what they wore and how they looked. Everywhere I looked, I saw people with designer clothes and accessories, altered faces - eyes cut and sewn, jawlines shaved, noses poked and prodded, men in suits...but the more I looked around I noticed the people behind them, living in the nooks and crannies of Seoul, painting the town, expressing their individuality, being shunned by the "ahjumma's" (old ladies) of society.
At first, I thought, "you belong in America!" where people won't judge you and shake their heads at you from the bus, where people won't talk shit to you at the spa for being a lady and having tattoo's, where people encourage creativity, not look down on it as "something you do when you suck at gongboo (academics)." But after giving it some thought, I realized, these are the people who are going to give value and significance to Korea's youth and vibrant future. So, rock on you people. Grow them dreads and stick it to the man. Bitch slap the black, white and beige right off the face of Seoul and color it WILD.


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Sofia Coppola and Thomas Mars

It's still frikken hot as balls in Seoul (especially today with a high of 92ยบ) but believe it or not, with the fall equinox coming in less than a month, Summer is gradually coming to an end which means Fall wedding season is to begin. Thanks to Yahoo!News I've recently been informed of the Coppola/Mars wedding. Being a huge fan of Sofia Coppola this immediately caught my attention. I just recently watched her most recent film (about a year old), Somewhere (2010) that gives us a bittersweet look into the existential struggles of a quintessential Hollywood Actor. If action packed films are your style, I'd say steer clear of this one, but if you're into subtly voyeuristic films that take you on a realistic journey through a blip of someone elses life, then I definitely recommend it. Gotta be honest though, I'm a huge fan of her work, but since I'm not too big on following tabloids and what not, I had no idea who Thomas Mars was. Anyone else on the same boat? And though I've even seen his band, Phoenix, play live(Coachella 2010), I had no idea who he was until I read news of his and Sofia's joyous occasion. I guess I'm just a bigger fan of her films than I am of his music. (No offense Mr. Mars!)

A handsome couple they are though aren't they? I sincerely hope they last longer than the average Hollywood couple. I think they're worthy of that much at least.

Here's the beautiful region of Basilicata in Italy where they wed and where her great-grandfather was born. Jealous much??
 

Weddings have pretty much been the topic of conversation where I've been staying, since my cousin, who I'm staying with, has been planning for her wedding that's coming up in a few weeks. They picked a gorgeous spot in a traditional Korean outdoor venue called SamCheongGak in the heart of Seoul, minutes away from the Presidential Blue House. Here's a picture I took at the wedding fair that was held there last week..

T-20 days till their big day. Her fiance flew in today so I can imagine it's going to be a madhouse in this household for the next couple weeks with wedding preparations and all the family/friends that are soon to follow..

View of a typical SamCheongGak wedding from the above..
It's gonna be beautiful. :)

Thursday, August 25, 2011

these are a few of my..

Transforming shirts to dresses in the loft,
on Dani's singer with rainbow thread.

Speed demon fingers with jesus yarn and plastic neon needles.
Odd shaped buttons on Jasmin's head.

Projectile pooping horror stories and
Allison's curly locks that don't dread.

Snuggle parties and breakfast club
Layer after layer after layer..

Bikini's in the parking lot in April
"Finally!" she says.
Photo Cred: Jasmin Selva
Hats by Poli<3

Sunday, August 21, 2011

latte king

Latte King in DMC seoul with the cousin :) best soy latte ever.
Found a perfect video on youtube.



i actually left the apartment and did real people things this week, aka not sit at home and pity myself. feels nice to make some real decisions and have a plan for the next few years. now all i have to do is get going. all this time i made the realistic seem impossible and the possible seem unrealistic, but now that i'm free of "the fear" i feel oddly weightless. like, "shit, that was easy." maybe they've changed. or perhaps i approached the situation differently than i normally would have. either way, grabbing life by the balls starts now!