November 12, 2009
Hippie Peddlers
November 11, 2009
Behave Yourself
New stuff from my friends, Cold War Kids and Long Beach Film Company.
This has been out for a couple weeks, but I was reminded of it when I was driving to work yesterday and heard them on Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Well done.
November 10, 2009
Golfing In Vegas
Or rather, looking like a golfer on a golf course in Las Vegas, trying to hit balls – I don’t think I would consider what I did “golfing”, but it was fun.
See Samuel’s full run down of photos HERE.
Here’s a select few of me, looking like a PGA pro, or something:

Shanked this one so far into the woods… You can tell I played more hockey and baseball as youngster than I did golf.

Don’t worry, I made this putt…I think.

Beautiful fairways in the middle of the desert. Good times.
November 9, 2009
Men Who Stare At Goats – review
Watch the Trailer:
Looks good, right? Funny, right? It has all the right actors that you’d want to see in a move like this, right?
Yes. Right. It was good, and funny, and Clooney, Bridges, Spacey and McGregor had quite delightful characters.
But, it was lacking that magic factor. That little piece of extra goodness that draws a line between a “good movie” and a “great film”.
You know what I mean?
That’s all I have to say.
Had a good time though, and there are definitely some great quotables…
November 6, 2009
Weekend Preview via photos…
I know, the weekend has started yet, but I wanted to give you a preview of what I’m up to.
I’ve got so many projects to catch up on, and yet another wedding to attend.
Here’s the plan for tonight thru Sunday:












Have a great weekend
November 2, 2009
Trade Show…
In Vegas for a trade show…
Posts to be slim over the next few days….
I’ve already had my customary Las Vegas-It’s dry as hell-retarded-I’m a 10 year old-nose bleed episode-in the middle of a sports bar… Neat.
Hope everyone had a smashing holiday weekend.
The shows start tomorrow and there will be plenty of postings with excellent photos in the days to come.
Also, we’ve hire Samuel Lippke to come out for the next few days and shoot our events.
Check back soon for radness..
October 29, 2009
Tim Burton short film, Vincent Price, Spookiness etc…
Heather and I were reviewing some spooky films for our halloween bash this saturday, and this old Tim Burton short film came to mind.
Vincent Price narrates -
Enjoy
PS – did you know that Vincent Price was the Inventor in Edward Scissorhands?
The Original House on Haunted Hill Trailer:
Kermit the Frog and Vincent Price:
And, of course, we can’t forget that Vincent provided the voiceover for MJ’s Thriller. I liked this remix and montage:
October 28, 2009
Lend me a (creepy) caption! (5)
Got a caption for this creepy photograph?
Leave em in the comments…

Photo from the Life archive hosted by google
October 27, 2009
Recent Acquisition (Golf Cart!)
I own a Tee-Bird! A 1961 Taylor Dunn Tee-Bird! What a genius name for a golf cart!



It’s in great shape and running condition, although the top speed is not much more than a brisk walk, well, a very brisk walk, kinda. It’s a good thing too, the 3 wheel set up makes it a little squirrely – but it’s a head turner nonetheless!
Looking forward to doing some fun projects with this new little vehicle!
October 26, 2009
Bruce Sterling on a Multitool…
I was going through a bunch of old bookmarked pages on my computer and found this.
Taken from the Last Viridian note found here some time ago. If you have time, the entire note is a great read. He draws out some very insightful distinctions regarding sustainability, materials possessions, and why it’s important to buy high quality shoes. I particularly liked this excerpt on carrying a multitool:
I strongly recommend that you carry a multitool. There are dozens of species of these remarkable devices now, and for good reason. Do not show them off in a beltpack, because this marks you as a poorly-socialized geek. Keep your multitool hidden in the same discreet way that you would any other set of keys.
That’s because a multitool IS a set of keys. It’s a set of possible creative interventions in your immediate material environment. That is why you want a multitool. They are empowering.
A multitool changes your perceptions of the world. Since you lack your previous untooled learned-helplessness, you will slowly find yourself becoming more capable and more observant. If you have pocket-scissors, you will notice loose threads; if you have a small knife you will notice bad packaging; if you have a file you will notice flashing, metallic burrs, and bad joinery. If you have tweezers you can help injured children, while if you have a pen, you will take notes. Tools in your space, saving your time. A multitool is a design education.
October 23, 2009
Holy Drum n Bass, Jungle Jesus, etc…
This
Is
So
Good!
Pentecostal style church gatherings + drum n bass = awesome!
That should get your weekend going!
If Church meetings were more like this, I’d definitely be more inclined to go!
October 20, 2009
Recent projects and displays at SEED
Here are a few pieces that I’ve built recently at SEED Peoples Market at The Camp:

Above: This was my most recent project. I made custom shelving using 16 gauge steel sheet metal. Covered the wall in different shades of contractors paper.
Above: Custom made 1/2 picnic table for the world music listening station. The 2 listening stations our mounted to the wall – The wall is covered with a collage of world book encyclopedia covers and the pages of the encyclopedias provide the shelving.

Above: The final incarnation of the magazine rack made from salvaged steel. Also a stump pedestal I made using a vintage rolly cart thingy.
Above: Put some feet on the boat, and we loaded it up with toys in the kids section

Above: This is the $20 rack that I bought and dialed out with some new shelving. Looks great when it’s fully loaded with product.
Rad.
October 19, 2009
Lend me a caption! (4)
See previous “Lend Me a Caption” images. (1), (2), (3).
Here’s the deal:
I give you an image, you give me a caption.

My Caption: “1 Cow = 4 billion Mini Sirloin Burgers!”
What’s your caption?
Images via the Life Archive hosted by Google.
October 16, 2009
Recent Acquisitions
A random antique mall in Carpinteria, Ca yielded this great find:



Also, we recently added a pair of ottomans to our living roomish area of our place. We found 1 of them at the Long Beach flea market a month ago, and I found the other one at King Richards antique mall! Crazy thing is, they are the same ottoman! A pair of matching ottomans found in two different places at two different times. Twins separated at birth (or an estate sale), have been reunited once again -

So, the house is coming together bit by bit. We are definitely taking a more colorful route this time around. I think it has a lot to do with light, natural light. Our old apartment was a like a dungeon, so anything with color just ended up getting muted out anyway. So now we have bright natural light and brightly colored stuff. Looking good.

October 15, 2009
Heather’s Terrarium Farm!
Heather, my lovely and talented wife, has been on the terrarium train lately. She’s been making wonderful little creations and putting them all over the house!

I love these things! They’re like miniature environments! Living diaramas!

And, you can put fun little objects in there to make it all the more interesting when the viewer gets up close. Can you see that little stegasaurus?

Every time I break out the camera, the cat wants to be involved. Striking a very regal pose in this shot…




October 13, 2009
The New Instant Film – Wedding Feature
Here are a few photos using my Fujifilm instant camera and film – Instax 200.
Robert and Alex’s Wedding.
Fun fact: I’ve known Robert for 15 years, and I witnessed his first kiss when we were in 6th grade!
Here’s a garter toss sequence:
Robert is linking his cuffs as Evan Hopper waits in the background. A tiger in the grass.

The photo above was shot by Samuel: I’m explaining to Vern that I expect Evan Hopper to catch the garter. Evan caught the garter at my wedding, and as the story goes, he’s caught about 15 garters to date. A champion.
Also above, Robert and Alex planned a little magic trick and pulled out a feather boa, a disco ball, and a live duck from her dress! So amazing! Everyone was stunned!
After all the livestock had been removed from her dress, he removed the garter with his teeth!
As you can clearly see, Evan plucked that flying garter straight out of orbit.


Samuel, above, has a ton of photos from their wedding HERE.
Heather and I.
Great wedding.
And I’m liking how the Instax 200 is working out. The prints themselves are a little bit flimsier than polaroids, but other than that, I’m really liking it. The color is great.
October 12, 2009
Art, Music, Love Making, etc…
Language exists to communicate whatever it can communicate. Some things it communicates so badly that we never attempt to communicate them by words if any other medium is available.
October 9, 2009
Lend me a caption (3)
Here’s the deal:
I give you an image, you give me a caption.
I’m trying to increase some reader participation here!
Best caption wins!

All images for this category will be from the Life Archive hosted by Google.
Have a great weekend! It’s going to be a busy one for me! Follow me on twitter for more regular updates and photos!
October 8, 2009
Jen in the Painting
My dear friend, Matt Aveiro, has just completed his first film project; a short film entitled Jen in the Painting.

Matt and I met about 5 years ago just before walking into an Art History class at Long Beach City College. I approached him, making some smart ass comment, because we were wearing the same exact outfit; same Levis, white vans shoes, olive green t-shirt, and same hair cut. Back then, our resemblance was so striking, that one day when Matt was absent from class, the professor asked me where my brother was. Obviously, she hadn’t taken note that our last names were different. I digress.
I had the privilege of reading through the script before they went into production of the film, and immediately experienced a kinship to the piece. There is somewhat of a collective well, that we all draw from. We, humans, but also, we, those that participate in our distinct group of friendships that have landed us all within a couple square blocks of each other in Long Beach. Artists, musicians, clothing designers, filmmakers, photographers, surfers, rock climbers, philosophers, writers, poets and pastors – All in our mid twenties. The very situation portrayed in this film seems like it could have happened within our group ten times over. But, it’s within this collective experience, that the writer and filmmaker must extract that lore and make it universal. Our collective experience is what gives life to our particular expressed contrivance of said life – not that our worked is contrived in a negative way, it’s simply mediated, or framed. Any mediation is a contrivance – it’s an invocation to experience; it’s not a bad thing, rather, it’s a wonderful thing! Successful mediation is what makes great art great! That, and a willing recipient.
It’s like an organ transplant, where only one of the patients is aware. The writer is opening to give, to make an offering, and the audience is laying on that bed (or sitting in the theater seat) – The task of the writer/filmmaker is to convince invite the audience to open up their chest and receive. I like what C.S. Lewis says regarding viewing any art, “The first demand any work of any art makes upon us is surrender. Look. Listen. Receive. Get yourself out of the way….The distinction can hardly be better expressed than by saying that the many use art and the few receive it.”
Look. Listen. Receive – then give.
Repeat.
So, here’s another soulful offering by a musician and now a filmmaker, and most importantly, a friend:
Long Beach Film Company presents the Premiere of writer/director Matt Aveiro’s debut film Jen In The Painting at The Art Theatre, 2025 E. 4th St. Long Beach CA 90814, Thursday October 15th at 9:30pm. Tickets are free with RSVP as space is limited. Email tickets@longbeachfilmcompany.com
October 6, 2009
The Jazz Club Outing
Ingredients – Jazz Musicians + Jazz enthusiasts + Babes + Beer + Bikini’s + 1960’s? + Raft + Down the River + Men in plaid briefs + Hats = The Jazz Club Outing photographed by Steve Wayman – location unknown, date unknown - The Life Archive.





Is that a waterslide for rafts?

“Shhhh. Just go.”









A bunch of half naked young adults drinking beer on a raft down the river listening to live jazz music, hmmmm…. sounds like a bummer ;)

October 1, 2009
Lend Me a Caption (2)
Here’s the deal:
I give you an image, you give me a caption.
I’m trying to increase some reader participation here!
Best caption wins!

All images for this category will be from the Life Archive hosted by Google.
September 30, 2009
Sculpture Envy
Double whammies via Notcot today:


This resonates with me as powder coating for wood. I assume the process is a paint sprayer with high gloss enamel – they are just gorgeous, candy coated gems. Simple materials + simple process = huge impact!
Also via notcot today, learned about guyandbrown: I was enticed by this clever light design. There is something transfixing about the re use of an orange extension cord.

Of course, they’re also doing some great powder coated steel pieces. I say “of course” because a lot of designers are doing the powder coated steel thing, including myself; making it both exciting and frustrating to see!


I kid you not, I’m working on some very similar designs right now. Ugh!













The piece cost 23 million to make and went to auction at 100 million. The largest price for any new piece of artwork, ever.