Stepbrothers

I found stepbrothers to be a beautifully inspirational family comedy. It was motivational in a very cool way, similar to 'run fat boy run' it poked fun at the loser, the down and out underacheiver and encouraged them to get it together. The Underdog anti heros are loveable and tragically flawed and just need some encouragement to be the best they could be. The movie simultaneously pokes fun at the 40 year old virgin who failed to launch, but also portrays the charaters very lovingly, the victims of classroom bullying and divorced parent post traumatical induced lazyness. Like the 'just shoot me' brother who feigned retardation to never work. Or the will ferrel bit part in wedding crashers, the 2 main characters in step brothers are an archetype of percentage of adults who could use some encouragement. This movie holds a mirror up to your fat ass and dares you to give trying a chance. Cause we can all in this world apply ourselves just a little more it is inspirational to even employed successful adults. Its an off beat comedy of dysfunctional families and my favorite is how the parent characters are so human, torn between wanting to take care of and nuture their kids and wanting to not enable nor endure their behavior anymore. And there was a few subtle hints about the benefits of going to therapy and taking meds which i thought was very subtley and tastfully thrown in there, cause to overdo that would have not been good, but a couple very subtle advocacies of psychiatric assistance for those in real need was good. Whats great about this movie is that it covers deep and relevant subject matter while remaining a comedy and an upbeat one at that. The two main characters the step brothers are hilarious and just so fun to watch. I totally laughed my ass off. Its one of those live your dream and fly your flag and try to be successful cause that would be cool kinda things.

The other funny thing is that i am friends with will ferrel's brother, who is a phd student in ny, such a nice guy (not at all like the movie character generally speaking, very much like will in humor)... Anyway he does happen to have a big booming voice that you can hear a city block away. I had never thought of it before but i bet it would be a pretty good singing voice if he were so inclined.

Zee Ink

I recently went to Jules Jazz Bistro to drink wine hear music and read a book at the bar (one of my favorite ways to spend an evening) After a while I got to talking to the guy next to me named Zee. He offered me a ink temp tattoo for a dollar, which got me so excited. In college I used to draw on people a lot and on myself a lot. I used to go to parties and decorate my friends. It brought back memories for me and made me very happy, he did very col work, which sadly i didn't photograph so i put some cool ink above to illustrate my love of body art. Though the permanence of actual tattoos is prohibative, drawing on yourself or your friends with a pen is a great way to express your inner punk for a couple days. The discussion of what sort of ink or paint to work with is a whole other story but here's a nod to Zee.

Incidentally Zee actually went to high school in Iran with the author of the novel and subject of the movie Persepolis, he's mentioned in the book as well. If you get a chance i reccomend this film, don't be fooled by the fact that its animated, this is an autobiography of a girl who grew up in Iran, its an inde film thats very informative and politically relevant, as well as entertaining.

Vorcan

One of my dearest friends ever is my little chris. He and i went to art school together, and painted this magical attic, and he taught me how draw with lit matches. And thats how i paid for forr in paris, exchanging lit match drawings for cash and edibles... well that and watercolors. Anyway Chris has formed an aliance with this dude Vort who is also pretty damn cool. The two of them collaborate on paintings, typically vort does the background and chris the foreground, though they mix it up and are experimental. Anyway they fun part is they are live artists. Which is to say they paint at music venues during the performance, their drawings are based on the music, and painted during the set. They make several a night and they are for sale, pretty affordably for original artwork. And since they accompany bands they tour from city to city as a music group would. They are living off painting this way.

Their advice is paint PAINT Paint everyday. Paint quickly and pass out cards, paint Everyday. What are you doing tomorrow?? Answer: PAINTING

Pep talk received. Thank you sir may i have another.

Kersplaaash instead of Kerbang!

Dear Pilot
I LOVE YOU!!!!

I want to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for choosing to crsh land in hypothermia waters instead on on my apartment. I live at 47th and 9th, its a little unclear of where exactly you touched down but some people are saying 57thst on the hudson., That means that if you did land on the island it was highly likely you would have hit one of us in hells kitchen. You landed in the water right by the circle line too so the boats were esily able to swoop in and rescue everyone on board. I am so impressed and so grateful to you for saving so many lives possibly including my own.

I owe you one man.

xoxo
nancy
hells kitchen

Cardboard Furniture

Welcome one and all to the recession - its like college only we're kinda older. So just to refresh your memory if you want furniture you best use materials which are readily available instead of begging visa for overpriced nonsense. So welcome back to found materials. The its not what you got its how you use it mentality.

Y'know whats so less creepy than a preowned couch, a cardboard one. I know it sounds unsturdy but trust me if you build them right they're actually quite durable. the trick is to stack the cardboard, and to use a band saw or equivalent to create a consistent edge. You could even use a sander on these to create an almost velvety texture. I suggest covering them in a layer of cotton and fabric. You can make very intriquing shapes. Cheap recyclable materials like these can truly take the edge off the price of moving. And most of these designs you could make yourself.
Glens Miller and Frank Gehry are just a few of the designers shown here.
oh and ps wouldn't your cat just love this!

Bird Mobile

I once layed under a magnificent mobile, it was birds. I used to see my ceiling and imagine sky and even painted sky on my ceiling but years later layed under a birds mobile and felt the 3dimensionality of the ceiling space even better. Have since been searching for the right bird mobile to buy or make. material has been the biggest debate in making them, was thinking aluminim, then paper mache, then clay then plaster gauze, poster board, wood, and then back to aluminum. So i'm always interested in finding one that's already made and meets my mental image.. these are some pictures of what i like.

Protest Art

The history of art has many star moments of protesting political events. Below Picasso protests a massacre in 1937, above is some contemporary examples of this very important and passionate genre.

Party Idea: Game time - How to play "i never"

Its a drinking game and it goes like this:
- Everybody get a drink and sit relatively in a circle
- Go around the circle each person taking a turn
- When its your turn you finish the sentence "I never....."
- Anyone in the game who has done the thing that is named has to drink

for instance if the person who's turn it is says "I have never had sex" anyone who is not a virgin has to drink, this may include the person who's turn it is.

examples
I have never been to paris
I have never written a blog
I have never painted my toe nails
I have never had sex in a bed

i would have had to drink four times so far...

-----------------------------

An alternate way of playing is to mix it with strip or spin, so the person who's turn it is has the option of saying "i never...", stripping off a pieces of clothing, or spinning the bottle and kissing whoever it points to.

(Though that's a fun combination its maybe a bit too complicated an alternative as so many choices causes some chaos among the drunken- just sayin)

Bye Bye Bush!

Hey Ladies! Bliss Spa is having a Halarious sale, 20% off brazilians on inauguration weekend. I think we should all do our part to celebrate W's departure from the white house by saying goodbye to Bush :)

LOL pass it on!

Hindu God Statues

I am collecting a series of sculptures of Hindu Gods. Because they are absolutely beautiful. I enjoy hearing the stories about the various elements and themes they represent. Each deity has different interests, creation, destruction, partying, wisdom, vitality etc. They are made with such attention to detail, carved beaded bracelets, complicated clothing and head pieces, swords, multiple hands, defeated enemies, ornate pedestals etc. I hope to one day have a larger collection i could display on shelves on an exposed brick wall with candles. It'd also be neat to sculpt a reproduction of one, an exercise in extreme detail. A reverent homage to allegory and the sacred forces of nature.

wishlist me a natraz and a bigger apartment with exposed brick and candles

Wigtastic

My crush on wigs goes back to my obsession with movies. Actors get to change their look dramatically from project to project. Having grown up with that as the backdrop to my life I desire to be a shape shifter too. Its funny how your look defines you and how dressing differently for a night can be like walking in someone else's shoes for a bit. Plus I am always fantasizing about doing permanent things to my hair like cutting it short or straightening it or dying it some crazy color. So to preserve the integrety of my curly reddish locks, i have a few wigs. I wore one to a party this weekend, and find its a great accessory in the winter since its pretty warm. Its like wearing a hat kinda, only has the potential to look so much cooler. Above are some hot moments in wigs, there are so many weaves and extensions and wigs in hollywood. Totally fun.

Chocolate

While i'm making a list of my favorite things, lets get one thing straight - I friggin love chocolate!
I had a chocolate fiend moment yesterday. First i had a kitkat, which is always a good idea. But I decided i could do better. I was craving a crepe, but as it was 3am my options were limited, so I got the ingredients together and made chocolate chip pancakes and smothered them in nutella, served with oj eggs and BACON, it was Such a good time. I highly recommene, the salt from the bacon played well with the decadent pancakes. I'm surprised after the invention of chocolate that people still cook and eat other things. Chocolate mmmmmmm!

Just Sayin

The Origin of Pigment

My newest pet research project is about pigment's origin. I've always been interested in how the old masters procured colors and how much trouble it was for artists in various regions to get the different colors. Before the invention of paint companies and art stores each painter had to hunt down each color's raw material and grind, boil, burn and stew up their ingredients. For a good description of the tedious and all consuming nature of creating a palette to paint with you could check out the book Girl with Pearl Earring (skip the movie though lol)
So I bought a book on the it, 'the origin of pigment,' but was disappointed when the author meandered off topic and talked instead mostly about the anthropology of autrailian aboriginal society and their socio economic structure's reliance on the color ochre etc, Sooo now i'm compiling research on the topic from the internet etc, seeking out the book i'd supposedly already purchased, though said purchase was mislabeled.

Color is such an intriguing story, a story i'll share with you once i've gathered all the pieces.

Painting Update 2

So here's a progress report on my new piece, i worked on it last night. I discovered something very important actually, as it turns out i need a chaperone to paint land. OK I don't Need one, but I found myself much more motivated to continue when I had someone to chat with. I am going to make a habit of asking people over and providing them with art supplies and even instruction in exchange for company while I work. I'd get so much more done if I didn't feel the need to wander into the tv room to chat with peoples. Its also an inexpensive way to hang all happily. This piece is about 5 feet tall so i imagine i can use 6 - 12 more sessions with it to get the detail i'm hoping for, though we'll see, sometimes on the way from abstract to realistic i find a midway point intriguing and opt to leave it as such, so we'll see where this one goes. Times Square in too much detail is all business logos, and i know i'm not going there with it, so we'll see. For now I'm hoping to focus on the light and forms...

Mini Me

OK Put this on my wishlist - Yknow those miniature liquor bottles, it'd be so neat to have a whole collection of a variety of them on my wall in my room. The last several bottles of liquor I bought were consumed by my roomates and i only got to taste about as much as is in one of these adorable little bottles anyway, so it'd be neat to keep a variety of them on a little pretty rack to flavor coffee or whatever, if you drink them straight from the bottle it'll be like being that chick in Romancing the Stone, that was her move and it was cute :)

Happy New Year

Right after posting about feathers and masks i showed up to the new years party to find everyone wearing feather masks, and there was even one for me :) Thanks Simon!

Happy New Year!