more vegas

When in Vegas I took along my trusty Fuji Instamatic. It's too bad these aren't scratch and sniff... there were some interesting pockets of odor that I can only compare to a special port-a-potty kind of smell. Good stuff.

One of the best parts of our visit was watching a man named Big Elvis perform. I think he may have a few hundred pounds on the real Elvis, even at his heaviest. His singing was pretty on par though. I also participated in a dancing "contest". I blame the beer special. But hey, I got a signed certificate and everything. Woo hoo.  The shame and embarrassment was worth it.

More photos after the jump...

Viva Lost Vegas

A few weeks ago my boyfriend and I went to Las Vegas. He was assigned to a work conference and I got to tag along. This was my first time to go. Vegas had never been one of my top destination places, but I always considered it somewhere I should visit before I die. The allure was not so much in the potential to dive into debauchery and then leave it all behind, but to hopefully get a peek at the glitz and sparkle that I came to know in films of the 60's and 70's. Apparently there's not much of that left. Yes, there's glitz and sparkle but its shine is more Dion than Dino. 

We stayed on the strip but fortunately found some time to head downtown. While it did not quite hold up to my retro notions and hopes, we were able to see that many relics were still there hearkening back to more Rat Packy times. Many of the old neon signs were there simply as landmarks, but there were also tons welcoming visitors to casinos and restaurants that were still very much open. Seeing these signs made me hungry for more history, and I quickly realized that most of what I wanted existed only on paper and photographs. 

Vegas seems to shed its skin like its constantly preparing for another layer of self-tanner. It's kinda gross and never content with how it looks. I'm sad for this, and like with many of my other hopeless wishes for times passed I'll have to settle for "progress" and find solace in Google searches, memories and movies. As my kind of love letter to the old days I made a series called "Viva Lost Vegas" which are simplified signs from a few of the Casinos and Hotels that once were or still are and reach back to those times. You can see them all after the jump...

mike osborne

My portrait envy is at an emerald green level. I love this series, Underground, by Austin photographer Mike Osborne. If you live or will be in Dallas anytime soon I urge you to check out his work at Holly Johnson Gallery.

More of his photos after the jump...

i love new york

A couple of weeks ago my boyfriend (thank you for the ticket!!), some friends and I traveled to New York. This was my first time to go, but it's somewhere I have wanted to go since I can remember. It is one of those places that simultaneously feels familiar and mythical, largely due to my (over)exposure to film and television. In fact I found myself (and I'm probably not alone in this), creating a visual overlay in my mind of many sites, syncing them up to memorable celluloid moments. From Sesame Street, to The Cosby Show, to Breakfast at Tiffany's, to Tootsie, to The Warriors, to 30 Rock, to Taxi Driver, and almost any Woody Allen film... the list goes on forever.

I wasn't so busy in my alternate reality to miss New York for what it really is (as much as you can in a few days), and was able to create unique experiences free of pop culture's shadow. We managed to hit many of the tourist attractions (like Time Square, Ground Zero, The Chelsea Hotel), and I literally got goosebumps when crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, but we also went to some more low key places which truly made the trip memorable. Beer Table (the good stuff), Rosemary's Greenpoint Tavern (32oz $4 beer, what a gross bargain), Union Hall (indoor bocce ball and my friends performing in their band downstairs) and Saraghina (mmm, squash gnocchi) were highlights in the entertainment department. We also stayed in an apartment which made us (almost) feel like natives. I couldn't have wished for a better bunch to have been with and I can't wait to go back.

I wish I had taken a few more photos but it's hard to focus when your mouth is hanging wide open in awe. You can see them all here.

I particularly like this one...



All you New York experts and locals, anywhere I should visit when I go back?

more san fran

It seems like forever ago, however here are a few more photos from my San Francisco trip, pretending it was just yesterday. On this holiday I'm wishing I was there and not serving pizza. Ah, at least I have the memories to provide serenity when I find myself overwhelmed by pepperoni.







If want to see any larger you can check out my Flickr set.

seal rocks

So I'm not going to give you a play by play of everything that my boyfriend and I saw/did while on our trip, but I am going to share a few photos here and there.

Heading into it we intended to be as thrifty as possible and I think we were fairly successful in that. It's always helpful when you are somewhere with a lot of scenery to feast your eyes upon, and when you decide that walking will be your main mode of transportation that also takes some heat off the pocket book. I am surprised that for every penny saved we did not some gain muscle mass in our legs. Damn, walking in San Francisco is not always an easy task. How does everybody do it... or do they?

One day we walked across Golden Gate park, determined to make it to the ocean. Calling our surroundings gorgeous really doesn't do it justice. There is a lush cleanness on the West Coast that you just don't find in Texas. Walking on soft ground as a canopy of towering trees look down upon you is also just as rare. Needless to say I was feeling a bit like a fish out of water... or a Southerner out of a dried up creek bed.

ANYWAY, we made it to the beach and hung out around a place called the Cliff House and Seal Rocks. The former is what is photographed above. No seals, lots of bird poop. There were also the remnants of an old bath house and a tunnel/cave that overlooked the ocean. As much as I like ruins I would have liked to see it in its heyday too.



All in all a great way to spend part of a day. And also apparently a great way to get completely sunburned. Some delicious BBQ sweet potato fries and a cold glass of Porter helped ease the pain.

[ image via The Hive ]

If you want to see my photo bigger go here.

the last of baltimore

I miss that red brick.

even more baltimore

Baltimore almost seems like a distant memory at this point, but I'm finally getting around to posting the last batch of photos I took while there. In order not overload everyone I'll try to space it out over this week.

and more baltimore...

moxie

I have some news... I'm excited to say that I will be selling some of my stuff at a new local shop in Austin called Moxie. It will be on E 11th St and host several local artists' work as well as vintage goodies. The store officially opens on May 1st but I believe it will be open tonight for East End 4th Friday, so you can get a sneak peek. I will not have anything there yet; in fact I'm feeling the time crunch trying to get everything together. Ah, hopefully it will all work out. I encourage any of you Austinites to go check it out. And for updates find Moxie on Facebook.

a little bit of baltimore

As I mentioned recently, I went to Baltimore, Maryland. I should say WE. My boyfriend had to go for work and was nice enough to let me get a free ride out of it. Yeah, I know... VERY nice. Now I can't say that Baltimore is one of the first cities that would pop into my mind to go to if faced with multiple options BUT I'm so glad I went.

I love traveling and especially enjoy going somewhere new. There is always a lot of eye candy that makes me happy but more importantly I am exposed to culture, skylines, architecture, sites... even sandwiches that do not exist here in Austin. I like where I live but let's face it, Austin lacks a certain history and diversity that older parts of the country/world have.

About all I knew of Baltimore I learned on The Wire, which although one of the best shows ever, a bit of a narrow (and fictional) guide to the city. Without making this post a mile long I'll try to wrap this up (my ADD is kicking in)...

In my 5 day stay I was able to explore a good portion of the city. I like that it's just that easy; you can see so much in a short time and I found the city surprisingly (seemingly?) small. And from block to block you never knew what kind of neighborhood you were going to get. Transition is one word I would use to describe the landscape. Things were falling apart, but things were patching up, and back and forth. Stuff was dirty, but stuff was just gorgeous. The tulips, greenery, cobble stones, and statues were beautiful, not to mention the old buildings. The buildings... this was most fascinating to me. Some areas were like ghosts of eras past, so much so if you squinted you could see everything in its heyday. One thing in particular I liked were the clocks embedded in many of the buildings (maybe a standard to some of you, but not the norm here).

I have no cold hard facts about Baltimore's economy and crime rate. I can guess. And I have eyes; my inner scaredy cat said "turn around" a few times. I do hope that any numbers you look up do not deter you from going. And I hope the future is looking brighter for the city. Really, there a richness and vibrancy even among some of the less obvious spots. Nice people, good food, and at the time fabulous weather. And somewhere, if you're lucky, maybe you'll see a herd of guys on motorcycles that will ride down the streets doing tricks. That made a great trip amazing. The only thing that would have made it better... two words, John Waters.

A few photos below. After, a quick run-down of some good stuff to see/do/eat.





Crab cakes, broiled crab, crab omelet, Museum of Dentistry (a fewmost may debate this), Natty Boh beer (the secret/not so secret twin to Lone Star), Little Italy, the inner harbor, The Brewer's Art, Edgar Allen Poe's grave, the Washington Monument, cherry blossoms, the Bromo-Seltzer Tower, Lexington Market, Cafe Hon, Geppi's Entertainment Museum, the Shot Tower, Charles St., Vaccaro's, Federal Hill... and probably a bunch of other things I'm forgetting.

game night!

I'm so thrilled about my recent partnership with Austin record label Artifact Workshop and musician Neiliyo. I made the poster and graphics for the "album" (see below). Tomorrow is the CD release party at Club DeVille and it should not disappoint. Between AW's atypical (and creative packaging) and flair for creating an interactive experience, and Neiliyo's non-stop explosion of pastel energy will be a night to remember.



The CD's tracks will be available through a time-sensitive link which is printed on one-of-a-kind slap bracelets (which I have blurred in the above photos). SLAP BRACELETS! I never dreamed that anything I made would appear on such a tacky (in a good way) relic of youth, but I am elated. Seriously. The theme for the evening is "Game Night", which ties into the album, and a variety of games will be happening throughout the evening. Hopscotch, telephone, musical chairs, spin the bottle are the featured attractions, but I believe board games will be available as well. For more details check out Artifact Workshop's site or the Facebook Event page. Last but not least, to get you in the mood AE is also offering a free download of one of the songs, Hopscotch. Check it out here.

Hope to see a big turn out. If you want to say hi I will probably be the jackass trying to remember how to play hopscotch and failing miserably.

as liz lemon would say...

I want to go to there.

[ House in Iceland via Cup of Joe ]

the shop has photography and stuff!

Holy cow, I never thought this day would come. I FINALLY have something for sale in my dusty Etsy shop. I can not decide if this is exciting or anticlimactic. On the one hand I am beyond glad to have scratched something off a list and fulfill a little dream, but I also wonder if anyone will want anything and if I "done good". I don't know... I will think about it later because I am a little bit tired of looking at the thing right now.

To give you a quick overview of what's in there before signing off --

A few 5 x 5 Polaroid prints; 5 selections from the "Want to Need Less" series and 5 selections from the "One Minute Photoshop" series, all of which are 8 x 8 prints; a set of 5 magnets from the "Reminders" series; and last, a silly selection of "prescriptions" ranging from mini lists, to mini reminders, to mini creative exercises of sorts.

I still feel a bit unsure of everything from pricing to descriptions to shipping and so on, but I think it's all affordable, fair, and straight forward... and hopefully stuff someone somewhere wants.

I also will have more things added within the week... large photo prints from the "Reminders" series as well as prints of photos featured on my website (images that are actually letter/word free). Then I can let the shop be and see if people will come. I have to say that I am glad to move on to the next thing on my list, which is starting my "Lazyholic Do's and Don'ts" project and taking LOTS of photos. I have missed you camera.

Thanks in advance if you go to my shop and please let me know if you have any questions/requests.

AND thank you parents and sponsors for helping me fund the supplies/materials to get this off the ground once and for all!!!!

weekly prescription

Sometimes ideas and thoughts have an accidental way of aligning. Such is the case with this week's prescription. An old friend that Facebook found for me (an actual friend suggestion that was logical) turns out is coming out with a book soon, penned by her and her siblings. After looking at the site I simply can't wait and in an effort to help them achieve their dream of becoming a bestseller I want to do my part and urge folks to buy an advance copy. Trust me, you don't need to know her for this book to be a good read.

I also just heard the horrible news about John Hughes passing, which I could not ignore, and that along with the Public School (a bunch of local talents that are part of a collective) art show, a theme ended up making itself (and if that is a grammatically correct sentence I will be very surprised).

So channel your inner child, get a little angsty, soothe it with some Pepto ice cream, and go back to school for a bit. There are no trips to the Principal or homework required.

HELPFUL WAYS TO GET THERE:
Read -- [ The Kids Are All Right Book ]
Watch -- [ IMDB ]
Listen -- [ MP3 Link ]
Do -- [ BuzzFeed ]
Austin Event -- [ Public School ]

weekly prescription

This week I encourage you indulge a bit. Say hello to the genius that is a mini pie on a stick and listen to some tunes handpicked by Beck. And if you are in Austin let me please personally serve you a beer at the 512 Anniversary party. I will be slinging their brand new brew "One" from 2-5.

HELPFUL WAYS TO GET THERE:
Read -- [ Amazon ]
Watch -- [ Vimeo ]
Listen -- [ Beck.com ]
Do -- [ Laughing Squid ]
Austin Event -- [ 512 Brewing ]

birthday fun pt. 2

On the way back to Austin I had it in my mind that I was finally going to pull over and take a picture of this strange metal longhorn that is on the side of the road. Numerous times it has captured my eye. It's literally the middle of nowhere and there stands this shiny structure among many trees and an expanse of green grass. So we pull over and I find that if you look in the right place you'll see a sign advertising a Sculpture Ranch (apparently it has been there since the late 70's) down a one lane country road. With no time table we decided to investigate and head towards it. It was also free so really nothing to lose.

After about a 20 minute drive we found ourselves truly in the middle of nowhere, nestled in the hill country, and on a dirt road that led us throughout a scattering of outdoor monuments and artwork. It was seriously the best surprise that I've come across in forever. The sculptures were all pretty bizarre but ranged from mind bending sci-fi drugged out like to fanciful fairy tale like. We were the only ones there which added a surreal touch to an already weird atmosphere.

I didn't take pictures of everything on display but the above image is one photo as well as this, this, this, this, AND that. And for grins if you want to see John in a silly hat, standing next to ugly underwear in the presence of an American flag go here. Anyway, it's a Texas attraction that should not be missed (the park not John in a hat).

The birthday ended in Austin with lots of friends and fun. It wasn't my birthday but I had a great time and hope John did too.

birthday fun pt. 1

As I mentioned the other day (in my downer of a post) John and I went to Fredericksburg for his birthday. In case anyone doesn't know Fredericksburg is about an hour and half west of Austin (maybe a bit longer when you're me and don't pay attention to the road you're on). It's a small town with German roots, beautiful old buildings, lots of charm and also on occasion many tourists. Luckily we went during the middle of the week and I'm guessing a not so popular time of year.

I don't want to go and on about our adventures but I will say we sampled some good beer and delicious food, celebrated at a bar where we were the only patrons, stayed at a gorgeous winery, and did some shopping at a fabulous dime store. I will be the first to admit that I was strangely excited about the latter. To highlight, I found two hairnets that look like they were made in the 50's (you have to see them to even remotely appreciate... thanks again John for buying me a couple), heard a man in a horse shirt excitedly ask where the cat crossing signs were, and smelled the worst soap of my life (want to scrub up with eau de burning rubber).

If you ever find yourself in the area make sure you check out Rustlin Rob's which has the best array of condiments/sauces/dressings you will ever find (and you can sample each and every one of them).

skip 6 degrees, get 6 courses of bacon

I am almost giddy with the news that the Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a Kevin Bacon feast tonight. It's like a dream just came true. One Kevin Bacon movie, Flatliners, a so-so film but drowning in 90's Joel Schumacher-iness which is a recipe for something so bad it's good... six courses of bacon themed food, along with accompanying beers. I will leave 20 pounds heavier and probably have a massive heart attack but I consider that a positive way to go out.

Details and pricing for the event can be found here.

Image by me (one of the first silly things from 1 Minute Photoshop Thoughts)

GREASY GOODIES:
Bacon Watch [ Archie McPhee ]
Bacon is Like a Hug From God poster [ Nicodemus Green Etsy ]
Bacon for your website [ Bacolicio.us ]
Best Kevin Bacon Roles You've Never Seen [ AMC ]
Food that makes you fat [ Thisiswhyyourefat.com ]

blue genie art bazaar

Alrighty, so we're down to the wire. Today is the last day for any Christmas shopping. It is also the last day for Austin's Blue Genie Art Bazaar... tons of vendors featuring local artwork/jewelry/photography. Get to it!

[ Blue Genie Art Bazaar ]