for the third time, henry is in the hospital.
monday, as i was heading toward redondo beach (it wasn't malibu, i realize. sometimes i must make sacrifices for friends), i started hearing some funny noises coming from my little green vespa. it was a sort of high-pitched whirry thing--the kind of sound that annoys me but i usually ignore because, really, what could go wrong? my vespa is fine. well, the thing that could go wrong is, when cruising at seventy-five, headed south on the 405 amidst memorial day traffic, you feel this sudden lurch. a jolt. a throw-you-over-the-handlebars braking feeling. it's then that you wonder about the irony of the signs lining the freeway that yell "click-it or ticket." for me and henry, at least, it's ironic.
in hyperbolic fashion i flew over the handlebars, then slowed down to a stop as henry slowly coasted down the side of the interstate.
fortunately, i had half a piece of california's most tasty red velvet cake to keep me company. unfortunately, i had to make a piece of california's most tasty red velvet cake last for an hour and a half.
hours later, me, henry, and a greasy tow-truck driver rolled into an empty vespa store parking lot somewhere near newport beach. and that is where henry is at the moment. i could sit here and complain about the bus system in la, or decry the american love of large cars, or rant about la's disregard for the environment. but i will not. instead, i will sit quietly, and--in honor of henry--have a silent moment.
May 31, 2006
May 28, 2006
church and cigarettes
over a mai tai and a cigarette, i was discussing my recent plight as a kicked-out college student with my new acquaintance, emily. as emily puffed away, i unraveled the gritty, ugly details of the workings of the baptist college that practices little of the christian principle it supposedly stands for. and here the two of us were, nestled together on a leather couch in a tight corner of a smoking room, hidden away from the rest of the club goers at this little venue in hollywood. hidden away, in fact, from the rest of the world--christian and not.
as i finished my story, i noticed a familiar look in emily's eyes, that somehow easily concocted mixture of concern and repulsion: care for my situation, and disgust at those who have brought me there. emily's wrist slung the butt of her cigarette down and rubbed it harshly against the glass of the ash tray.
"well, if you still want to go to church, my boyfriend and i found this really great place that meets just around the corner. and just so you know, you'll be totally welcomed there."
something between the words that were spoken and the obvious concern behind emily's voice captured me. two years ago, i would have seen an ironic contradiction in this scene: a smoky lounge, alcohol, talk of church, and me. the gay one. now, however, i see more humanity in this situation than i would ever have seen in many of the places i was hanging around. overshadowed by love, sympathy, and the intricate workings of daily life, our vices took a back seat to that small glimpse of truth that was ultimately of importance.
as i finished my story, i noticed a familiar look in emily's eyes, that somehow easily concocted mixture of concern and repulsion: care for my situation, and disgust at those who have brought me there. emily's wrist slung the butt of her cigarette down and rubbed it harshly against the glass of the ash tray.
"well, if you still want to go to church, my boyfriend and i found this really great place that meets just around the corner. and just so you know, you'll be totally welcomed there."
something between the words that were spoken and the obvious concern behind emily's voice captured me. two years ago, i would have seen an ironic contradiction in this scene: a smoky lounge, alcohol, talk of church, and me. the gay one. now, however, i see more humanity in this situation than i would ever have seen in many of the places i was hanging around. overshadowed by love, sympathy, and the intricate workings of daily life, our vices took a back seat to that small glimpse of truth that was ultimately of importance.
May 27, 2006
the secret life of vons
settling in santa monica for a few weeks before i find my own west hollywood pad, i thought i was safe. but that was before yesterday. i was in desperate need of a few essentials, so i made the trip to vons grocery store on lincoln boulevard. i stopped by the "eye care" isle for some contact solution and then grabbed a stick of axe effect deodorant (in defiance of the anti-pop culture side of my personality), becasue it was this week's 50% off deodorant deal. i can handle that.
after finding the short line and waiting 10 minutes longer than anyone els in queue, i stepped up to the register to check out.
"do you have a vons club card?" is all that i heard from the guy at the checkstand. unfortunately, i didn't. and i knew that little card was my only ticket to this week's 50% off deodorant deal. don't worry, this happens to me all the time. just ask nicely and the guy will swipe his own vons club card for me. and in case that doesn't work, there are always other patiently waiting customers who i can bum a card from. so i asked "do you have a card i could borrow?"
there was a pause, and i started getting scared that i would have to pay all $7 of axe effect. the checker guy began scanning the isle in front of him, looking to his right and slowly to his left. He said something, quietly, and it was good thing i was concentrating on his eye movement, or i would have missed it.
"let me ask you again" he said without making eye contact "do you have a vons club card?" and without looking, his hand moved under that check-writing platform and, palm down, slid a hidden vons club card in my direction. i looked at him, incredulously. but he din't waiver. still composed, he waited for my reply.
"um, yeah. i...do."
"slide your card then, sir."
i felt a little strange that this apparently invaluable piece of plastic was treated with such contraband connotations. but i was happy, at least, that i only paid for half the axe effect. the guy didn't say anything else, and i obviously didn't offer a thanks, afraid of even acknowledging that anything had even happened. silently, we finished the rest of the transaction.
slowly and discreetly, i slid the the plastic back towards the guy. there is no way i wanted to be the one caught handling the goods. it was a little to intimidating for me.
as soon as the card was placed in front of him, and without taking his eyes off the next customer in line, the checker said calmy "that's yours" and went on checking the next customer. i took the card and ran. i wasn't about to find out what would happen if the wrong person found a vons club card in my possession. i don't know what would have happened. but i assure you, it wouldn't have been good.
after finding the short line and waiting 10 minutes longer than anyone els in queue, i stepped up to the register to check out.
"do you have a vons club card?" is all that i heard from the guy at the checkstand. unfortunately, i didn't. and i knew that little card was my only ticket to this week's 50% off deodorant deal. don't worry, this happens to me all the time. just ask nicely and the guy will swipe his own vons club card for me. and in case that doesn't work, there are always other patiently waiting customers who i can bum a card from. so i asked "do you have a card i could borrow?"
there was a pause, and i started getting scared that i would have to pay all $7 of axe effect. the checker guy began scanning the isle in front of him, looking to his right and slowly to his left. He said something, quietly, and it was good thing i was concentrating on his eye movement, or i would have missed it.
"let me ask you again" he said without making eye contact "do you have a vons club card?" and without looking, his hand moved under that check-writing platform and, palm down, slid a hidden vons club card in my direction. i looked at him, incredulously. but he din't waiver. still composed, he waited for my reply.
"um, yeah. i...do."
"slide your card then, sir."
i felt a little strange that this apparently invaluable piece of plastic was treated with such contraband connotations. but i was happy, at least, that i only paid for half the axe effect. the guy didn't say anything else, and i obviously didn't offer a thanks, afraid of even acknowledging that anything had even happened. silently, we finished the rest of the transaction.
slowly and discreetly, i slid the the plastic back towards the guy. there is no way i wanted to be the one caught handling the goods. it was a little to intimidating for me.
as soon as the card was placed in front of him, and without taking his eyes off the next customer in line, the checker said calmy "that's yours" and went on checking the next customer. i took the card and ran. i wasn't about to find out what would happen if the wrong person found a vons club card in my possession. i don't know what would have happened. but i assure you, it wouldn't have been good.
May 23, 2006
May 15, 2006
May 13, 2006
i HEART marfa
and let me tell you why. here are a few things to do in town:
get up for a breakfast at austin street cafe. the perfect blend of country simplicity and modernist sensability. the food is delicious too.
go for the early tour at the chinati foundation. view the installation works of donald judd, john chamberlain, and ilya kabakov. the afternoon tour includes pieces by dan flavin and john wesley. beautiful, perfect.
grab a coffee at the marfa book company. an extensive list of art titles combined with the usual bookstore fare in a store which also hosts its own minimalist gallery.
keep an eye out for your own celebrity sighting. films from elizabeth taylor's classic giant to an art film by the band secret machines have been filmed in marfa. currently, both the coen brothers and p.t. anderson are shooting in the area.
visit the marfa ballroom, an old dancehall-turned-gallery space. the most exciting news about this gallery is their collaboration with moma to create the first fine art-based drive-in theater. included in the line-up this fall will be the wind, a silent film that will be accompanied by live orchestration.
after dinner, drive 8 miles out east to see the marfa mystery lights. the source of these desert lights continues to remain a mystery to locals and scientists, even though reports of these floating spectacles have continued night after night for centuries.
when the day is done, crash at the hip thunderbird hotel. a renovated mid-century roadside hotel, this hipness doesn't miss a beat. relax by the pool or fire pit, borrow a turntable and vinyl from the front desk, or even a check out a typewriter for catching up on tardy correspondences. and enjoy. enjoy marfa.
get up for a breakfast at austin street cafe. the perfect blend of country simplicity and modernist sensability. the food is delicious too.
go for the early tour at the chinati foundation. view the installation works of donald judd, john chamberlain, and ilya kabakov. the afternoon tour includes pieces by dan flavin and john wesley. beautiful, perfect.
grab a coffee at the marfa book company. an extensive list of art titles combined with the usual bookstore fare in a store which also hosts its own minimalist gallery.keep an eye out for your own celebrity sighting. films from elizabeth taylor's classic giant to an art film by the band secret machines have been filmed in marfa. currently, both the coen brothers and p.t. anderson are shooting in the area.
visit the marfa ballroom, an old dancehall-turned-gallery space. the most exciting news about this gallery is their collaboration with moma to create the first fine art-based drive-in theater. included in the line-up this fall will be the wind, a silent film that will be accompanied by live orchestration.
after dinner, drive 8 miles out east to see the marfa mystery lights. the source of these desert lights continues to remain a mystery to locals and scientists, even though reports of these floating spectacles have continued night after night for centuries.
when the day is done, crash at the hip thunderbird hotel. a renovated mid-century roadside hotel, this hipness doesn't miss a beat. relax by the pool or fire pit, borrow a turntable and vinyl from the front desk, or even a check out a typewriter for catching up on tardy correspondences. and enjoy. enjoy marfa.
marfa
the last time i felt like this, i was playing an admittedly immature drinking game with a small mismatched group of new friends on the balcony of a hostel in northwest italy, overlooking the sea. sometimes, being alone brings feeling of happiness and relief. sometimes, the emotions creep towards a melancholy joy, or a bittersweet contemplative quietness. on that night, any of those feelings was tempered with a rush of excitement from the familiar and brief kinship with those around me.
tonight, rolling into a dusty mountain-desert town in the middle of western texas, i had no idea what i was looking for, and no idea what i would find. usually, when i'm traveling, i'm happy enough to get a kitschy mom-and-pop motel and a local restaurant with food that is at least decent. tonight, i didn't eat. tonight, my room and board are less mom-and-pop and more aunt-and-uncle visiting from san francisco (which is a treat because they usually travel to new york or overseas, never here).
marfa, texas is an oasis. although it lay, unassuming, between brush and rock, and the only water in sight is the shiny blue pool out my window, the town offers rest for another sort.
at this moment, i'm sitting before my desk in my room at the thunderbird hotel, listening to a vinyl edition of dylan's blonde on blonde. the front desk had a stack-o-matic and various records (as well as an available typewriter and various well-picked dvd titles) available for guests. someone out there was thinking correctly about the needs of the particular guests at this comfortable, happy, hip little hotel.
my vespa ride today was long and hot. the lights of the local eateries were shutting off as i chugged into town, so the only food would have been a frozen burrito at the gas station down the street. i opted to forget about eating. across the street, the hotel has set up a new little bar. a beer is just what i needed.
this town would be nothing if it weren't for the chinati foundation. now, artists and creatives worldwide have descended on marfa texas, population 2100, turning small corners and forlorn spaces into works of art, galleries, and even a trendy little hotel. and that is the reason why, tonight as i drank my beer, i was sitting with an intern from virginia, a girl from nyc who was back to visit, an artist-in-residence from germany, and a girl from australia. certainly not what i expected in this small texas town. but certainly this was the type of unexpected meeting that stretches my nerves, tweaks my curiosity, and shoots through me a touch of excitement for all the undiscovered secrets the world has to offer.
-----------------
tonight, my playlist includes these vinyl selections:
bob dylan//blonde on blonde
harry belafonte//calypso
the muppet movie//original soundtrack recording
ian&sylvia//northern journey
david bowie//let's dance
tonight, rolling into a dusty mountain-desert town in the middle of western texas, i had no idea what i was looking for, and no idea what i would find. usually, when i'm traveling, i'm happy enough to get a kitschy mom-and-pop motel and a local restaurant with food that is at least decent. tonight, i didn't eat. tonight, my room and board are less mom-and-pop and more aunt-and-uncle visiting from san francisco (which is a treat because they usually travel to new york or overseas, never here).
marfa, texas is an oasis. although it lay, unassuming, between brush and rock, and the only water in sight is the shiny blue pool out my window, the town offers rest for another sort.
at this moment, i'm sitting before my desk in my room at the thunderbird hotel, listening to a vinyl edition of dylan's blonde on blonde. the front desk had a stack-o-matic and various records (as well as an available typewriter and various well-picked dvd titles) available for guests. someone out there was thinking correctly about the needs of the particular guests at this comfortable, happy, hip little hotel.
my vespa ride today was long and hot. the lights of the local eateries were shutting off as i chugged into town, so the only food would have been a frozen burrito at the gas station down the street. i opted to forget about eating. across the street, the hotel has set up a new little bar. a beer is just what i needed.
this town would be nothing if it weren't for the chinati foundation. now, artists and creatives worldwide have descended on marfa texas, population 2100, turning small corners and forlorn spaces into works of art, galleries, and even a trendy little hotel. and that is the reason why, tonight as i drank my beer, i was sitting with an intern from virginia, a girl from nyc who was back to visit, an artist-in-residence from germany, and a girl from australia. certainly not what i expected in this small texas town. but certainly this was the type of unexpected meeting that stretches my nerves, tweaks my curiosity, and shoots through me a touch of excitement for all the undiscovered secrets the world has to offer.
tonight, my playlist includes these vinyl selections:
bob dylan//blonde on blonde
harry belafonte//calypso
the muppet movie//original soundtrack recording
ian&sylvia//northern journey
david bowie//let's dance
argentina
scenes from argentina:
1//paragliding in la cumbre
2//the strange shrine of the difunta correa
3//breakfast in argentina: coffee and croissant
4//argentina road trip 2006!
5//mendoza hot springs
6//mendoza wine tasing: bodega la garde
7//back to buenos aires
8//a night at the opera, the beautiful teatro colon
1//paragliding in la cumbre
2//the strange shrine of the difunta correa
3//breakfast in argentina: coffee and croissant
4//argentina road trip 2006!
5//mendoza hot springs
6//mendoza wine tasing: bodega la garde
7//back to buenos aires
8//a night at the opera, the beautiful teatro colon
May 2, 2006
zander and mate
on the road to mendoza, zander and i took part of the argentine ritual of drinking mate (it's pronounced ma-tay). in the past, the yerba was known to offer medicinal or healing powers. now, it's just a cultural ritual bringing together friends from all walks of argentine life. and it's delicious...once you get past the distinct hay-farm-horse taste it seems to have. let's just say it's an acquired taste.
May 1, 2006
buenos aires
i'm trying to fit in all of the strange and beautiful things bsas has to offer. like gettng my hair cut at the salon/bar club milano. however, if that doesn't happen, i still manage to fit in a good amount of fun. like this:
breakfast on the patio of our apartment
football game. boca juniors. things can get pretty rough...look at those cops and we look a little rough for a reason: don't want those crazy fans to know we're foreigners
delicious argentine grill
walk around the old part of the city, san telmo for you madonna fans, that's the "don't cry for me, argentina" balcony
dinner and drink with friends at sucre
a drink and a night out with new "friends" then off to bed at six am...
Apr 26, 2006
last night at the movies
i'm sitting for four hours in the austin airport (there's a guy that's trying to overpower my ipod with his guitar here at an airport eatery. has "the live music capital of the world" taken it too far?) becasue i missed my flight to washington. so, i have a few moments to reflect on the movie i saw last night at the alamo draft house.
i've been to the drive-in, i've been to the $2 second-run theater, and i have been to the plush "home of the sing-along-sound of music" prince edward cinema in leicester square, london. but i have never had a movie experience quite like the alamo draft house. besides the fact that i can order pitchers or buckets of beer as well as typical bar food fare (the server even comes to me while i'm in my theatre seat!), the evening's entertainment itself is eerily relevant. at least, it is when you go see a show called thank you for smoking. before the movie began, i sat watching vintage ads, reels and trailers, laughing at the quirky taglines and absurd ad campaigns. then i realized that i was watching a well-crafted mix of old anti-smoking public service reels juxtaposed against feel-good ads for the likes of kool and virginia slims. not to mention a trailer for cheech and chong's nice dreams.
that's typically the style of the theater. whether the film is new, popular, camp, or kitsch, the programming is well thought out and relevent, often with a dash of quirky wit.
incidentally, thank you for smoking is a well-played satire that targets every side of modern political culture, from the lead character's profession as a "spin doctor" to federal lawmakers and beaurocrats who aim to please public opinion. based on a novel by christopher buckley, the screenplay by writer jason reitman managed to bring together a thoughtful, funny, well-written story. and i liked it.
i've been to the drive-in, i've been to the $2 second-run theater, and i have been to the plush "home of the sing-along-sound of music" prince edward cinema in leicester square, london. but i have never had a movie experience quite like the alamo draft house. besides the fact that i can order pitchers or buckets of beer as well as typical bar food fare (the server even comes to me while i'm in my theatre seat!), the evening's entertainment itself is eerily relevant. at least, it is when you go see a show called thank you for smoking. before the movie began, i sat watching vintage ads, reels and trailers, laughing at the quirky taglines and absurd ad campaigns. then i realized that i was watching a well-crafted mix of old anti-smoking public service reels juxtaposed against feel-good ads for the likes of kool and virginia slims. not to mention a trailer for cheech and chong's nice dreams.that's typically the style of the theater. whether the film is new, popular, camp, or kitsch, the programming is well thought out and relevent, often with a dash of quirky wit.
incidentally, thank you for smoking is a well-played satire that targets every side of modern political culture, from the lead character's profession as a "spin doctor" to federal lawmakers and beaurocrats who aim to please public opinion. based on a novel by christopher buckley, the screenplay by writer jason reitman managed to bring together a thoughtful, funny, well-written story. and i liked it.
podcast//12
playlist
The Concretes//You Can't Hurry Love
Rogue Wave//Eyes
The Little Ones//Cha Cha Cha
TV On The Radio//I Was A Lover
Animal Collective//Who Could Win A Rabbit
Marshmallow Coast//Sail Around The World
The Shins//We Will Become Sihouettes
Kings Of Leon//California Waiting
The Veils//The Leavers Dance
on the river
with my new austin friends this weekend, and in honor of britt's birthday, i took to the river for a day full of...sitting in tubes. all day. just sitting. and drinking. and floating. and sitting. in tubes.
fortunately, that is all it amounted to for me. usually, i would be the one getting a citation of some sort for-who knows what-lying naked in my tube while singing at the top of my lungs and disturbing the neighbors. this time, however, i wasn't the one.
after the tubes rounded the last bend at the end of the day, a few cops on the bank beckoned to us, and we willingly made our way to them. the only problem with this situation: we had been drinking all day, and somehow, no one bothered to check that everyone was of a responsible drinking age (which, apparently, is 21). travis was given an m.i.p. that afternoon. poor guy. but, at least he didn't have to spend a week in jail.
an otherwise happy day, it was a good texas experience. here is the official story, as told by off the record.
fortunately, that is all it amounted to for me. usually, i would be the one getting a citation of some sort for-who knows what-lying naked in my tube while singing at the top of my lungs and disturbing the neighbors. this time, however, i wasn't the one.
after the tubes rounded the last bend at the end of the day, a few cops on the bank beckoned to us, and we willingly made our way to them. the only problem with this situation: we had been drinking all day, and somehow, no one bothered to check that everyone was of a responsible drinking age (which, apparently, is 21). travis was given an m.i.p. that afternoon. poor guy. but, at least he didn't have to spend a week in jail.an otherwise happy day, it was a good texas experience. here is the official story, as told by off the record.
Apr 25, 2006
does anyone understand spanish?
my friend alina and i were in hawaii exactly a year ago, together with other friends from around the world. tomorrow, i will see here again--this time in her hometown of buenos aires. i've heard great and inexpensive things about argentina, and two weeks should suffice for my first visit to the southern continent.
and i'm happy i will see alina. in one happy, margarita-filled aspen night last spring, she and i talked about our plans to pursue entertainment careers. after only minutes of talking, i had convinced her to join me and six others on a road trip through vegas, the california coast, and maui. with no hesitation, she was in.
although her interview with mtv never worked out, alina was able to get work on a b-rated morning show in argentina, and is now doing a little work with the latin branch of much music. if nothing else, she got to interview coldplay recently, and she says she has plans for more, coming soon. unfortunately, i can't understand this video's spanish announcer guy.
at any rate, alina is a beautiful girl, and one that i can't wait to be a wingman with when we both (finally) make our ways to los angeles.
and i'm happy i will see alina. in one happy, margarita-filled aspen night last spring, she and i talked about our plans to pursue entertainment careers. after only minutes of talking, i had convinced her to join me and six others on a road trip through vegas, the california coast, and maui. with no hesitation, she was in.
although her interview with mtv never worked out, alina was able to get work on a b-rated morning show in argentina, and is now doing a little work with the latin branch of much music. if nothing else, she got to interview coldplay recently, and she says she has plans for more, coming soon. unfortunately, i can't understand this video's spanish announcer guy.
at any rate, alina is a beautiful girl, and one that i can't wait to be a wingman with when we both (finally) make our ways to los angeles.
Apr 24, 2006
austin, texas
between surfing on the lake, tubing on the river, and enjoying hors d'oeuvres at an austin film festival benefit, i have continued my tradition of traveling well. i have happily made new friends in this city, as i manage to do elswhere. and, of course, i have stayed out of trouble, too.
Apr 20, 2006
Apr 19, 2006
brenham, texas
my latest vespa travel has brought me to brenham, texas, home of my former 4th grade teacher. although i have neither see nor heard from her in years, she and her family opened up their home to this weary traveller for a night of respite. brenham--home to the famed blue bell creamery (not to be confused with my dad's employer blue bunny ice cream)--is just the sort of all-american home town that many dream of. it also provides the perfect porch on which to sit, drink some coffee, and blog away.
Apr 18, 2006
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