Children of the Bee Priestess

communion

2009-01-06T20:25:00.000-08:00

This is video documentation of an installation I recently completed. The piece is about the complexities of wanting to hold on to one’s self, and about an inability to give enough of ourselves without being lost. It is about giving, receiving, and begging. The hands are asking for communion.

Love without Mercy

2008-12-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

Josefina Ayerza

Chicken Soup Public Art Style

2008-11-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

So, I admit, I've been kind of disappointed in the world recently. (other than the election...so exciting!!!!) Anyway, I was looking at this public art project, http://www.learningtoloveyoumore.com/, for one of my classes this morning, and it's made me feel much better about life. Check it out and read some of the submitted assignments. I've tried one so far, #37 "Write down a recent argument"- a very interesting exercise.

Faux pas for PRADA

2008-09-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

No more torture devices!

I'm back and ready for action!

2008-09-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

Dearest Readers (though there may only be one or two),

It's been a good month since I last posted anything. Luckily, LR has been holding down the fort with some exquisite posts complete with fantastic adjoining visuals. August ended with an amazing trip to Seattle and a quick sailing adventure around the San Juan Islands (pictures to come). Then it was a rough couple weeks personally and economically. It might have been hormones, it might have also been the stock market. Did anyone else notice a change in their mood? I managed to sneak in another trip up to San Fran to see LR. We spent a lovely morning drinking tea and discussing the topics we like most, life, art, and feminism or more importantly, the intersection of these concepts and practices.

I know everyone is about Palined out, but I came across this article on the New York Times website I wanted to share. Although I don't quite agree with Ms. Warner's Elle Woods analogy to Palin, I have met a lot of women who suffer from "Impostor Syndrome" (myself included) and wonder when we as women are going to start to be honest with ourselves. Conforming to an image created by the media about how a woman should look, dress, and act does us a disservice at demonstrating what we are truely capable of when it comes to tackling major issues.

Republican women may be rallying around Sarah Palin because she is someone they can relate to, but her brazen self-confidence is one of the things I can't stand about her. She is unwilling and unable to show her insecurities because that would make her appear weak and timid. These are the very things that make us able to relate to each other as human beings. Not to mention that fact that women are generally thought to be more nurturing and thereby better able to encourage and support others who might need some help gain true confidence rather than the false sense of self that makes Palin out to be the "frontierswoman". Call me a bleeding heart liberal, but I am sick to death of this power-hunger, winner-take-all, Manifest Destiny complex that many Americans have and feel like they need to have in order to achieve individual success.

Which brings me to my point. How are we measuring success these days? A failed economy, a country almost 10 trillion dollars in debt to countries like China and Saudi Arabi, a sensless war that continues, an abysmal healthcare system, the list goes on. Conforming to a patriarchal society hasn't really gotten us very far in terms of looking out for everyone's best interest. So let's ditch the "mavericks" and look to the community organizers, because it's all about unification and solidarity baby. I hear socialism calling in the death knoll of corporate capitalism.

La Jetée

2008-09-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed this film, and not just because it has a bunch of stuffed animals… It’s a science fiction piece about place, memory and loss. I love the stills- because we remember in snapshots, without movement. The stills also give a freedom and anxiety about the direction of the piece. Unlike film,which moves from beginning to end, the stills are unbound from a chronological ordering. They mimic our minds hopping back and forth from present to past to imagined future.

View

2008-09-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

Blue Dahlia Forever....errr, for drinks only

2008-09-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

My brother and I had a dinner date in LA a few weekends ago, and I was set on finding a real LA-ish spot- somewhere he wouldn't stumble upon with his college friends. After some serious yelp research, I settled on Blue Dahlia. The two of us had a lovely evening despite so-awful-as-to-be-endearing service and food/drinks that ranged from "the best burger since leaving the Midwest" (brother) to most disgusting cheesecake of all time (brother and me). Regardless, it was a wonderful evening spent on Blue Dahlia's splendid patio slash fairy garden, and we were too pleased to be in one another's company to mind questionable food.

Cactus

2008-09-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

This cactus was among the first things I purchased for my new (living) studio in San Francisco- before a shower curtain for my tub or a number of other rather necessary items. It is my sort of stand in housemate or pet. On my walk home from the flower shop, I told my mom about my cactus, (who is actually 4 cacti living in one nice pot). She laughed at me and then said, "It sounds more like a boyfriend- if you get too close, you might get hurt." Oh, my mom. Anyway, if you live in SF, you should check out PK Art and Floral Design. It is a lovely shop- run by two wonderfully artistic, kind people. Their cacti and floral arrangements are stunning.

2008-09-09T01:06:00.000-07:00

And what you thought you came for
Is only a shell, a husk of meaning....
Either you had no purpose
Or the purpose is beyond the end you figured
And is altered in fulfillment.

-T.S. Eliot

A Hike Through Muir Woods

2008-09-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

Intervals by Peter Greenaway

2008-09-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

A lovely (very short) film you should all watch: http://www.livevideo.com/video/embedLink/50F2729C98E448B99056C12478358224/579556/peter-greenaway-intervals-1.aspx

And my thoughts....

Greenaway’s film is essentially composed of small segments recording doorways and walkways on the streets of Venice, set to various sounds- some specific to Italy and some apparently random. Although the canals are an integral part of the city’s identity, there is only one clip showing the water- just enough to place us within the particular.

While viewing this film I was initially struck by the lovely decay of the city- old bricks, worn stones, graffiti, and torn and faded posters or advertisements, which people bustle past, engaged in present, more pressing matters than the history of the city they inhabit. The background sounds begin with odd rhythmic beats and an occasional scattering of signature Italian sounds- pigeons flying, church bells tolling, the taxi boat honking. Different scenes begin to repeat, sometimes with their sounds, sometimes without. It reminded me of traveling through San Francisco to school with my ipod playing peaceful, familiar music. Somehow by blocking the sounds of the city I have the interior space to take in more visual information. Perhaps this is Greenaway’s intent as well.

Queen Bee

2008-08-22T21:26:00.000-07:00

The theme of this party was to come dressed as a queen. The term was left open for interpretation.

Tree House Living

2008-08-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

becomes a reality with numerous architecture firms designing alternative living structures...

Pull it together, Woman.

2008-08-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

She dresses in style (Fruit Salad Dress, 4 headbands, and Pink Boots), while protecting her child with found objects.

I'm back.

2008-08-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

The children of the Bee Priestess are now split between SF and LA. Sad for us, but wonderful in terms of us reporting life in two fabulous places.

The child in SF has been suffering from zero to sporadic internet access for the past month and apologizes profusely. It will get better, hopefully.

As consolation for my lack of posting, I will share some photos from my past month.

Sweet Shades

2008-08-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Sarah may have found her next career in sunglasses modeling.

Words to Live By

2008-08-12T00:45:00.000-07:00

"In an orderly world, there's always a place for the disorderly."
~Ashleigh Brilliant

"Life is what you make it. Always has been.
Always will be."
~Grandma Moses

Day Two of Dead Crows

2008-08-12T00:16:00.000-07:00

Crow's Theology

Crow realized God loved him-

Otherwise, he would have dropped dead.
So that was proved.
Crow reclined, marvelling, on his heart-beat.

And he realized that God spoke Crow-
Just existing was His revelation.

But what Loved the stones and spoke stone?
They seemed to exist too.
And what spoke that strange silence
After his clamour of caws faded?

And what loved the shot-pellets
That dribbled from those strung-up mummifying crows?
What spoke the silence of lead?

Crow realized there were two Gods-

One of them much bigger than the other
Loving his enemies
And having all the weapons.

~Ted Hughes

Colorado Thunderstorms, Mornings with Davis and Thoughts on the Presidency

2008-08-12T00:05:00.000-07:00

Osteria Mozza

2008-08-11T23:12:00.000-07:00

Located at the intersection of Highland and Melrose, Osteria Mozza offers a spectacular menu in terms of Italian fare, not to mention exceptional service and atmosphere. Spontaneous girls that we are, we did not make a reservation. However, they had no trouble seating us at the mozzarella bar, which quite frankly, was the best seat in the house. Not only did we get to see the prep work, we also greatly enjoyed the table dressing that consisted of monochromatic floral decorations and giant brass animals. We started off with the Red Endive, Fennel and Parmigiano with anchovy date dressing salad. I had the Goat Cheese Ravioli with five lilies. I've sampled a fair amount of ravioli and this was by far some of the best ravioli I have EVER tasted. It was creamy but not overwhelming and cooked to perfection. We finished the evening off with the Orange Creme Gelato and mulberries. I went home content with good food and great company.

Two years ago...

2008-07-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

"Have you been to Africa?" My great aunt, Esther, asks me. I'm sitting on her pee-stained couch staring out the window of her corner room into the parking lot of the assisted living complex. She used to live in the retirement home across the street. That was back when she recognized us. After finding her on the bathroom floor one Christmas Eve morning lying in her own urine we decided she had made the jump, which we all fear, from being a 'retiree' to 'elderly'. "No, I've never been to Africa, Auntie. You're thinking of mom." I gesture to my mother who is seated next to me on the same ill-fated couch. "Did Momma and Poppa just get back from Africa?" She asks my mother. It's clear she's referring to a different momma. Her niece adjusts the pillows and sighs. "Auntie, Poppa's in heaven. He died two years ago. Don't you remember going to his funeral?" "Two years ago?" Esther is confused. She's trying to make sense of the things she knows, I've recently come back from being abroad and my parents are planning a trip to South Africa in the fall. For some reason the fact never sunk in that my grandfather, her twin brother, died on my parent's anniversary two years ago. Usually, when she gets to this stage, she starts asking about our footwear. "Where did you get those shoes?" She admires my retro Asics with the pale pink A's on the side. She asks the same question to my mother. "I got these sandals in North Carolina two years ago, Auntie". "Two years ago?" It's about time to go. We both get up to say good-bye. This is a pretty typical visit with my great aunt, just as it was with her mother. Although my mother and I wish it won't be this way when we're 'elderly', there is an unspoken knowledge between us that this might be the case.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike

2008-07-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Here it is, I finished my bike. I'm still coming up with a name and waiting on a lock. I feel such a sense of accomplishment. It all started with a beat-up frame and a crooked wheel. There is still a little rust and the paint is chipped in places but it's done. I'm looking forward to building a road bike next to take on the streets of Los Angeles.

Summer in Iowa

2008-07-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

I am home in Iowa for a few more days. There are so many things to love and despise about Iowa. For example, my sister needed a snack as we were driving to our home. To our dismay, we were only able to find the following:

Last night there was a beautiful thunderstorm. I was doing dishes when the storm began, and as it got more wild, I turned off the house lights and ran outside. Our deck is pretty much like being in a treehouse. As the thunder cracked through the trees, the lightening created a cathedral-like effect, silhouettes of branches appearing and disappearing with every flash, me feeling small and protected by tree branches as the rain tried to push me into the ground. So wild and so lovely.

Also lovely: A deer peacefully grazing through the woods. Such a delicate, sensitive animal with such beautiful eyes. Deer are so good at quiet and solitude and remaining alert to everything around them. A sort of un-self-absorbed solitude. A patch of lingering sunset light found its way through the branches and leaves. She stopped just there to nibble something, unaware of our eyes admiring her beauty. Rustling trees made the light and shadows waltz over her soft body. A dog barked, instantly her body was tense and strong, she bounded through the meadow, leapt over the creek, and kept running until she disappeared into the dark woods.

Good Windows

2008-07-15T21:17:00.001-07:00

awesomeness and wig store,

clearly rocking despite poor photographs and bars

Bastille Day

2008-07-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

For you Francophiles out there, today is Bastille Day. I celebrated yesterday at the annual celebration in West Hollywood Park, sipping Pastis and watching some excellent bands perform. Funny how after massive blood shed and the upheaval of a monarchy, independence days are now an excuse to relax and be entertained. How very bourgeois. It's interesting to reflect on another country's independence day because it's clear we aren't the only nation struggling with how to redefine ourselves in an era of globalization. This article from the LA Times discusses how the French are finding it hard to celebrate Bastille Day these days.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-nagel13-2008jul13,0,683090.story

The Smell

2008-07-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

Tucked away in alley south of Main Street lies The Smell. It's hard to describe what The Smell is exactly. A mix of hipster artists who gather together to in this funky and DIY friendly venue might give some people the wrong impression. This place seems to attract people looking for fellow creative types and something off the beaten path, at least this was the crowd last night. I went to see my favorite dance troupe Body City perform with musical guest Glasser.

Here is a video from a show Body City did last summer at Gregg Fleishman's gallery in Culver City.
bodycity VII: Tales from Future Mountain from bodycity on Vimeo.

Another Lunch in West LA

2008-07-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

So, we haven't written in a while. Oops. Things have been crazy, ie, L has been moving.

Regardless, we have a cheap, delicious restaurant suggestion: Nyala, a restaurant featuring Ethiopian cuisine on Fairfax. We hit up the $6.95 lunch buffet, and left stuffed full of delectable vegetarian food. Below: Half-eaten plate of yummy food. Above: Our friend, in business cas, displays her lunch on her shirt.

Go Fly a Kite

2008-06-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/exp_kite.html

How to be a Starfish

2008-06-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

Life with an almost 4 year old:

"I am going to show you how to be a starfish. You lie on the ground like this. Put your arms out. Then you are a starfish. Except starfish have more arms. Now you do it."

"I'll make a deal. If you make me take a nap, you can't come to my birthday party."

I didn't try to explain that this was actually a threat, not a deal. Lucky for me, post-nap I was asked if I would wear a pink dress to her party. She was astonished that I do not, in fact, own a pink dress. I told her I would wear my best birthday party dress, with polka dots. This satisfied her and I have been officially re-invited to the party.

Iowa under water

2008-06-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

sandbags, water, sad iowans.

The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins

2008-06-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

Getting back to our roots I have been meaning to post about Pietra Brettkelly's recent documentary 'The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins', which was featured in Sundance Film Festival’s World Cinema Documentary Competition. The film focuses on Vanessa Beecroft, a contemporary artist, who is determined to adopt two children that she encounters on a trip to Sudan. Referencing the Madonna as well as colonialism in the controversial photograph that Beecroft takes with the infants, this documentary and the work of the artist has brought into question the benefit of foreign adoption as well as appropriate reactions to the genocide occurring in Sudan.

Read the article Vanessa Beecroft's Love Triangle in the LA Times Magazine.

Wine Poached Pears

2008-06-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

I am willing to admit that RL and I approached our first poached pear making endeavor with a rather relaxed, this-is-a-piece-of-cake attitude. With the memory of that delightful evening still fresh and the saucepan currently soaking on my driveway, I must preface these directions with some advice: one should not be distracted, and say, sit down with dinner guests, while the wine is reducing. Luckily, we like picnicking on our driveway. And, despite carcinogen filled lungs, the pears sans sauce were delicious.

I acquired this basic recipe from a friend, but turns out you can vary it any number of ways: red or white wine, anjou or bosc pears, peeled or skin-still-on pears, add a bit of vanilla or lemon juice to the wine.... lots of room to experiment and end up with a delicious creation.

1. Wash, core, slice pears.

2. Bring wine (and any other additions) to a boil, then reduce heat, add pears, simmer.

3. When pears are tender (about 10 minutes of simmering), remove, and let them cool.

4. Reduce wine sauce (ie, boil wine until the liquid has been reduced in half, it should be syrupy.)

You can eat them as is, with creme fraiche, or atop gelato. Yum!

"This morning the green fists of the peonies are getting ready to break my heart, as the sun rises,"

2008-06-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

I am in love with peonies. I have always loved these flowers, but my love has become a bit mad recently.... fiscal responsibility has been cast aside and peonies are blooming throughout our little house.

As a child in my great auntie's garden, I remember being drawn to the flowers' fragrance, and repulsed by the ants crawling, scurrying all over them. Recently, both the peonies and ants are perhaps one of the most lovely things in my life...(though, as I have no garden, it is really the thought of the ants drinking sweet sap and dancing all over the peonies....)

I found a poem by Mary Oliver (surprise...I've been on a kick.) Here is a bit below:

Peonies

"....the flowers bend their bright bodies,

and tip their fragrance to the air,

and rise,

their red stems holding

all that dampness and recklessness,

gladly and lightly,

and there it is again-

beauty the brave, the exemplary,

blazing open.

Do you love this world?

Do you cherish your humble and silky life?

Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath?

Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden,

and softly,

and exclaiming of their dearness,

fill your arms with the white and pink flowers,

with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling,

their eagerness

to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are

nothing, forever?"

Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems

Another gem from my housemates' school

2008-06-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Side 1:

Side 2:

Another lunch on West Pico and other offers

2008-06-16T11:19:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, RL and LR met on their favorite street for a typical Friday lunch. We have a number of favorites on West Pico, each quietly sequestered from the endless auto body shops that reign the street. Our new spot, India Sweet House, is both delicious and affordable. We were a bit unsure about the proper ordering/paying process at this establishment, but I would say it ended fairly well:

Server to RL: "Have you been to India?"

RL: "No, but I hope to go someday."

S: "Your boyfriend should take you. Do you have a boyfriend?"

RL: "No."

S: "Well, I will take you."

RL: "Okay."

S to LR: "Have you been to India?"

LR: "Nope."

S: "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Upon re-hashing this event, RL and I were both considering telling the man that we were together so as to confuse his world view a bit, but we figured it would be lost in translation, and, frankly, RL was about to be 5 minutes late for work.

LR: "Nope."

S: "Okay. I will take you both. Next September."

LR: "Perfect."

RL: "Okay. We'll be back."

Note: If you choose to visit India Sweet House, bring cash. You pay at the counter after eating. Also, check out the store/belly dance studio next door... awesome awesome awesome imported shoes, lanterns, belts, dresses, jewelry.

On the topic of restaurants, auto body shops, and "Follow the white man with the baby!" (yes, we saw it. more on that later.): a comic by Keith Knight on gentrification in LR's part of LA, Culver City.

CAHSRA

2008-06-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Talk of a high-speed rail system coming to California is exciting. Especially, since I spent 8 hours in the car on Memorial Day stuck in traffic coming back from Vegas. CAHSRA claims you will be able to get from downtown Los Angeles to downtown San Francisco in 2 & 1/2 hours! LR and RL reunited. However, if the ballot passes this thing won't be finished until 2020. VOTE.

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov

Sewing paper

2008-06-10T08:35:00.001-07:00

* * * * * * * * * * * *

The Journey

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice--

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do-

determined to save

the only life you could save.

Mary Oliver, Dreamwork

Teacher confiscates priceless note

2008-06-09T18:57:00.000-07:00

One of my housemates took this from a sixth grade student last week.

Farmers' Markets

2008-06-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

As we gear up for the summer months I'm anxious to discover the best of the best in terms of produce at my local Farmers' Market. I have found a wonderful website that will tell you where your local Farmers' Market is located, when it's happening, and what's in season. This is only for Southern California, but I'm sure with a little research you can find one near you.

http://www.farmernet.com/

Also, here is a list of the LA farmers markets, sorted by day of the week.

Portrait of a blogger

2008-06-04T22:29:00.000-07:00

Drawn by one of the 3-4 yr olds I care for. The resemblance is stunning.

2008-06-03T23:42:00.001-07:00

Sunrise

2008-06-03T23:34:00.000-07:00

You can
die for it--
an idea,
or the world. People

have done so,
brilliantly,
letting
their small bodies be bound

to the stake,
creating
an unforgettable
fury of light. But

this morning,
climbing the familiar hills
in the familiar
fabric of dawn, I thought

of China,
and India
and Europe, and I thought
how the sun

blazes
for everyone just
so joyfully
as it rises

under the lashes
of my own eyes, and I thought
I am so many!
What is my name?

What is the name
of the deep breath I would take
over and over
for all of us? Call it

whatever you want, it is
happiness, it is another one
of the ways to enter
fire.

~ Mary Oliver ~

(Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems)

Culver City Art Walk Review...a favorite artist

2008-06-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Edwin Ushiro, a young artist from Hawaii, displayed recent work in project: gallery’s day long group show, Insider Trading. Ushiro’s colorful images are layered memories of his childhood and Hawaiian mythology. The semi-transparent acrylic transfers reference both a specific remembering and a continuity in Hawaii’s mythology, re-connecting the artist to his past. Ushiro’s solo exhibition, “while tides guide you back home” will open at project: gallery on July 12, 2008.

At project: gallery
8545 Washington Blvd
Culver City
www.projectgalleryLA.com

Recipe Corner

2008-06-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

A light summer snack:
Dill Dip for Cucumber Slices

6 tablespoons plain fat free yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced

Mix all ingredients. Wash and slice a cucumber. Dip, eat.

"No wire hangers, ever!"

2008-06-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

When I moved into my new place about a month ago I found dozens of wire hangers stuck in closet that the previous tenant had left behind. Joan Crawford and I share the same disdain for these items. Since I did not want to use them as torture devices I asked around about what to do with old wire hangers. Turns out your local dry cleaner will be happy to reuse them. Yes, Mommie Dearest.

Anna Karina you make me smile.

2008-05-29T23:32:00.000-07:00

A review of Vivre Sa Vie by Charles Mudede, writer for The Stranger "Seattle's Only Newspaper".

In the spirit of recycling

2008-05-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

I have started collecting things that I find discarded on the sidewalk while I walk to and from work.  Actually, this only happened today, but I'm going to make it a regular habit.  The chandelier was my find of the day.   A friend had a similar idea and made a planter from old bicycle parts. Currently, I am in the market to obtain some parts to make my own bike.  There is this great place I am told called the Bicycle Kitchen in Hollywood that will help you assemble and care for your bike. http://www.bicyclekitchen.com/

Musical Fruit...and Vegetables!

2008-05-10T00:07:00.000-07:00

Art Opening Tomorrow: Blood and Glitter

2008-05-09T18:18:00.000-07:00

Blood and Glitter
Co-Curated by Heather Harmon & Ashley McLean Emenegger
May 10-June 21, 2008
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 10, 6pm - 8 pm

A group exhibition by artists whose work explores gender as a social construct. Read more at http://www.bandiniart.com/

Bandini Art Gallery
2635 S. Fairfax Avenue, Culver City
310.837.6230

Picnicking in LA

2008-05-08T14:43:00.001-07:00

Picnics rank high among the things we love.

Coming soon: Lists of Delicious Picnic Recipes and Places to Legally Picnic, Huntington Gardens not included.

I like the idea of reappropriating public spaces for our picnics. These are the spots we have tried thus far...

Stater Bros.
the driveway of LR's house

Upcoming Art Opening: Terence Koh

2008-05-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Terence Koh

The Whole Family

Saturday May 10

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Peres Projects

969 Chung King Road

Los Angeles, CA

Javier Peres is pleased to announce Terence Koh's third solo exhibition in Los Angeles, "The Whole Family." Terence Koh (b. 1980, China. Lives in NY, Beijing and Berlin) will be present for the opening.

http://www.asianpunkboy.com

We attended the opening and LOVED it. Note white powder on feet.

There is another gallery on Chung King Road called The Box, featuring films by Naotaka Hiro. We will write a better review of these openings when we are not trying to prepare for RL's birthday.

Dolores Mission

2008-05-06T15:03:00.001-07:00

If you happen to be interested in social justice and/or religion or religious imagery, you should check out Dolores Mission in East LA and their extension, Proyecto Pastoral.

Last Sunday, after 3 hours of sleep, a drunken morning run, and half a cup of coffee, I begrudgingly drove the empty freeways of LA toward Dolores Mission. Accompanied by a vicious hangover and a number of friends who work for Proyecto Pastoral in various capacities, I parked my car in the gated lot. After pulling down my maybe-too-short-for-church dress, I crossed the street to enter the quiet building. The place is simple- old pews, whitewashed walls. The religious imagery is a beautifully intimate mixture of handmade memorials (to victims of the SOA- white crosses with typed names simply pasted to the crosses) and various pieces from the last 6 or so decades. The cacaphony includes posters, cheap plaster stations of the cross, a tapestry of the Virgin de Guadelupe, and a fantastically violent mural honoring Oscar Romero at the back of the church.

Check out their website if you're looking for cool volunteer opportunities....or, if you want to visit Dolores Mission, they have a mass in English at 9am on Sundays.

Monday concerts

2008-05-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Not only is the weekend officially over, but panic has set in as to how I should spend my Monday evening. Is this a cruel twist of fate? Free concerts at the Viper Room, the Echo, and Spaceland with an all-star line up playing at every venue.

Viper Room- I Make This Sound, Rademacher, The Henry Clay People, Ride on Rides

MySpace.com - Monday’s 103.1 Check One...Two at Viper Room - Indie / Americana - www.myspace.com/mondayscheckonetwo

The Echo- Le Switch, Frankel, Amnion

Spaceland- Wait Think Fast, Minipop, In Waves, Mezzanine Owls

Luckily, Le Switch and Mezzanine Owls have residencies all this month at their respective locales. I'll keep you posted with my decision.

I ended up at the Viper Room and left after the Henry Clay People performed (sorry Ride on Rides, I had to get up early for work). Please if you have a chance to see any of these bands in the future, GO! They were amazing.

wee fairy tree

2008-05-01T15:00:00.001-07:00

"You must love the crust of the earth on which you dwell.

You must be able to extract nutriment out of a sandheap.

You must have so good an appetite as this, else you will live in vain."

-Thoreau

Remington

2008-05-01T14:50:00.001-07:00

Are we one and the same person?

2008-05-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

No, though after meeting at Shine n Brite yesterday morning dressed in matching outfits (dress shorts, flats, and light pink shirts), there was some cause for worry. No, we didn't plan it. Then, the panic set in: would our readers would be receiving an unbiased, balanced, and relatively accurate account of whatever this blog is about? After each consuming a generous serving of flourless chocolate cake for breakfast, we decided not to fret. It was 9:30 am, and the day had to go on! To avoid any confusion on the topic Are We The Same Person, I will provide a portrait of myself, courtesy of Ella.

This is what I actually look like:

Shine n Brite (4/5 stars in the Car Wash Review Category)

I don't believe in car washes, but because I frequent the beach and don't own a vacuum, I've started to use the water wasters on occasion. It may have been my air freshener of choice (Pina Colada- reminiscent of high school, riding in my best friend's '73 Impala/Boat and listening to Sheryl Crow) that put me in a great post-car wash mood, but really, we loved it.

reader quality of life hint: wednesday is $2 off day at Shine n Brite, located on Venice and Sepulveda

Tabbouleh Everlasting Recipe

2008-05-01T13:43:00.000-07:00

Due to numerous people's intense love for my top secret Couscous salad, I've decided to share the recipe. This is a great summer dish, especially if you tend to host one dinner party after another. Just fluff it up with some fresh veggies once in a while and it'll be fine. My last (double) batch lasted 6 dinner parties.

Recipe for Lauren’s Everlasting Tabbouleh

1. Cook couscous using water and a little olive oil. Let cool.

2. Wash, Slice/halve/squeeze/crumble, Add:

a. Persian cucumbers
b. Heirloom cherry tomatoes
c. Feta cheese
d. Green onions
e. Parsley (a lot or a little, depending on your love for parsley)
f. Lemon juice (1 or 2 small lemons)

3. Eat
4. Store leftovers in fridge in an airtight container until your next dinner party.

Nancy's Show

2008-04-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hive Moments: Nancy Macko
Works on Paper

May 3- June 14, 2008

Opening Reception Saturday, May 3, 7 to 9 pm

Commissary Arts
68 North Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291

gallery hours Thu - Sat 12-6 pm