Free Style Scraps 7: Decoration

The book project I was working on is out!!!!!! Woo hooo!!!! It's always so gratifying to see the final product. Can't wait to tell my Mom and Dad about this:-). There's just something very legitimatizing about the book format....(@^__^@)!!

**thanks, seika for the suggestion. i checked out the illustrator you mentioned and her work is great! it would be amazing to work with millo someday....:-)

ほしいい〜〜〜！

このグラサンはすごい！ほしいいよ！お金があったらな~。でも私サングラスにお金かけないほうなんだよね...でもこのデザインはまじですごい、お金かけてもいい！いつかまたあえる日まで。。。今ほしい人はこちらへhere.

Neither here nor there.

I'm always interested in Tokyo when I'm in L.A and interested in L.A. when I'm in Tokyo. Seeing the culture from afar with a filter of a different culture around me lets me look objectively and without the "guilt" of being a mere consumer/participant/follower. For instance it was interesting to check out thecobrasnake website when I was in Tokyo because I enjoyed observing the differences in clothing, style, self-expresssion...even down to the way people pose in pictures. I mean it's not as quintessential and easily recognizable as Asians and the ever present peace sign but there are distinct ways Americans pose, too. And now that I'm in L.A. I'm combing Youtube for J-pop and K-pop acts that I never paid attention to when I had the chance to observe them first hand.

I guess it's just the way I process things.

(three members of Korean group, Big Bang)

laundry day.

Been taking some fun pictures with Yoko, lately. So fun! She started an etsy store. Go check it out here.

Finally got around to watching, "Science of Sleep" tonight. I love the line where Stephane says to Stephanie, "other people are boring and you make things with your hands"....it's very honest and real the way they keep sending the wrong signals to each other when deep down they like each other so much. Like when Stephanie dances with that guy at the party at first I was confused why she did that but then I realized....I do that, too, sometimes when I'm not sure if the person I like likes me I try to act cool and she was probably just having fun and in the moment....besides he kissed that goth girl in the beginning....yes, mixed signals indeed. It's hard to be straightforward sometimes.....and not always advantageous......besides its no fun that way. ;-)

toast girl

Totally weird and great video by Toast Girl.

comme des garcons

Has anyone checked out the H&M/Comme des Garcons collaboration yet? I'm going to take a peek today....I really like this outfit. It's very Yayoi Kusama with all the dot on dot action.

*sold out...didn't get to see anything.

kooky glasses.

Someday I want glasses like this....

new people meeting time.

Last Sunday I met up with Elisa, an editor at Bon Appetit. Did you know that they have higher subscription rates than Vogue? Who knew? Anyways, it's always lovely talking to super smart girls like Elisa. We met at Lamill coffee and although the drinks and dessert were good our service was really, really bad. I just read a NYTimes article about how wait staff can be biased towards women customers because we tend to eat less and talk more. So we tie up the tables and leave smaller tips. Yes, I understand this might be annoying if the place was busy but it was not THAT busy when we were there. But I'm gonna let it go and give the waiter the benefit of the doubt, maybe he didn't get the part he auditioned for and was feeling peeved. Who knows?

Later on I went to Little Tokyo to meet Lisa Soltis, a really cool friend of a friend, fellow illustrator. She introduced me to Yogurtland and I think Pinkberry for me will never be the same. Yogurtland is the democratized version of Pinkberry: self-service, multi-flavor, really cheap frozen yogurt spot. I tried N.Y. cheesecake, pumpkin and blueberry frozen yogurt with tons of fruit toppings: strawberry, mango, pineapple and kiwi in a gigantic cup(the only size they have) and it was like $3.25!!! It would've been a million bucks anywhere else....but in defense of Pinkberry, the ambiance of Yogurtland is kind of like a cafeteria. Pinkberry still has it's place but it needs to watch it's back. (the pumpkin and cheesecake were sooooo good!!!!)

Here's what I wore that day:

Obama!

This feels like a new America to me. Having lived abroad for many years I do not take for granted the privilege of being an American citizen. Despite our bad reputation around the world through the past eight years and peoples' disgust at all the wrongs in our society the fundamental values at the core of this nation of freedom and liberty for all still ring true and still make people yearn to live here. Even so I never expected Obama to win. I hoped and was inspired by his campaign but I underestimated America. I did not expect so many people to be able to support a black candidate, even now I'm flabbergasted. It makes me see America in a hopeful, new light; as Obama said as a nation of people who believe in their power to affect change. I am particularly inspired by his sincere efforts to unite this nation. In truth I am sick of this red/blue dichotomy. We really do weaken the whole when we don't attempt to create a dialogue of understanding between opposing groups. It's easy to look down at the other side. Anyone can dismiss someone they don't like but how many people can come to an understanding, a common ground with someone that opposes them. I admire Obama for his commitment to America as a whole. For me that message challenges me to make changes in my personal life to create bridges and to try to meet people on common ground as difficult as it sometimes is. I wish Obama the best of luck and am excited for this new chapter in American history.