Sunday, February 28, 2010

I must get better at this whole thing.

Consistency, that is.

I've been a bad blogger, but I'm still learning. I'm really good at collecting content every day, but I'm not so great at posting that content every day. It really makes no sense why I don't just put in the hour of work or so to compose a blog post. It must stem with my Writer's Block-inducing fears of taking words out of my head and putting them on a page! (Maybe that's why I am most productive late at night ... I'm too tired to feel inhibited.)

This was Wednesday's outfit. Wednesday was a beautiful day. No work AND no classes! All morning UT classes were pre-emptively canceled due to ice fears. HA! Wednesday was a beautiful, sunny, spring day. Oh Texas ...

I spent my free day down around 2nd street with Michelle as she applied for jobs. I visited the Cafe de Crepe (more on that later) while I waited.

Top: Savers -- $5
Belt: Birdville High School Costume Closet!
Shorts: Wal-Mart -- $12
Necklace: Hand me down?
Tights: Target -- $3 on sale!
Boots: Forever 21 -- $21.80

Saturday, February 27, 2010

found in austin: second street

I'm no photographer, but I appreciate pretty things. I want to share these pretty things with you. Here are some pretty buildings I saw on Second Street on Wednesday.





Thursday, February 25, 2010

She wore a raspberry beret

The kind that you find in the second hand store
Raspberry beret
And when it was warm, she didn't wear much more


I've come to realize that The Universe will not excuse my procrastination. I took an outfit photo in winter wear about 48 hours ago and now it's spring (again?) in Austin. It looks kinda silly posting a picture of my snow outfit when I wore a sundress today!

Beret: Scarborough Faire! - $25
Jumper: Wet Seal - $12
Shirt: Target - $5
Tights: Forever 21 - $4.80
Rainboots: Forever 21 - $27.80
Necklace: Forever 21 - $7.80
Belt: Savers - $4

Tuesday was free pancake day at IHOP. Becky and I took the children (Travis, Debo, and Michael) to get pancakes down at the Cesar Chavez location. I gotta say -- free pancake day is probably the only time I'd ever go to an IHOP in Austin. There's just too many better breakfast establishments around here to visit instead! Although free pancakes aren't actually free after tip, and a donation to the children's hospital -- it's still fun to know that your dollars are going to a good cause instead of lining some pancake president's pocket. (huzzah, hows THAT for alliteration??)

Oh and the host at IHOP? Totally greeted me by singing "Raspberry Beret."

YES!

I was sort of hoping all day that someone would think of the song when they saw me. And when they called my party? "Raspberry -- table of five."

DOUBLE YES!


And when we returned back to MHD after the flapjacks?


This little tiny snowman was all that remained of the spontaneous snowstorm.

Monday, February 22, 2010

busy bee.

Hmm. It's going to be a busy week. Lots of assignments, applications, and essays to do. I need to come up with something fun to do this weekend to reward myself for surviving. We'll see.

I went to Savers for the first time yesterday with Kelly and Ariel! So great. I found some pretty amazing finds that you'll see over the next few weeks. I got: a groovy silverware set, this mustard sweater, two ugly-pretty tunic shirts, two belts (including the best freakin' belt ever!), a purple courduroy skirt with buttons down the front, a weird sort of 50's shirt with cute buttons, and red pants. For $45. Huzzah huzzah.

We should have taken a picture of the pile of our loot. Thought about it. Forgot about it.




Sweater - Savers $5
Dress - Target $25
Flats - Target $17 (I wore these shoes to prom!)
Belt - Target $14
Necklace - Hand me down from Grandma


I've been going sans-makeup lately to appease the nagging of my friend, Travis. He says that girls look better without it. I'm not sure. But, I like the exercise in becoming more comfortable with my appearance without a painted face, and it's nice to believe that maybe there's a breed of man out there who prefers this look? Hmm. Any thoughts on this?


Savers is located at 5222 Burnet Road


Thursday, February 18, 2010

"I like this one. It's colored ... accurately."

It's been the inspiration for chairs, necklaces, and plethora of paintings of "flowers". But today while walking across the West Mall of the UT campus, I found the vulva immortalized in sweet cream and cocoa beans in such a way I couldn't help but entertain images of Han Solo cast in carbonite.


Han could use some serotonin pick-me-up right around now.

Oh, the vulva pop. Taboo treat for only two bucks.


It's all part of the publicity agenda of the UT Women's Resource Center's Production of "The Vagina Monlogues".
Here's a video made about the WRO's annual project to give you an idea of what it's all about.



It'll be a sensational show! (har har).
"The Vagina Monologues" runs tonight, tomorrow and Saturday night at the UT Rec Sports center. Curtain is at 7 pm and tickets are $10 at the door. Come a little early to ensure seating.


UT Rec Sports is located at the intersection of San Jacinto and 20th Streets.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Lovers of live music, It’s pop quiz time!

Lovers of live music, It’s pop quiz time!

What do a
random Corona-drinking Spanish singer named Oscar, a convulsing fiddle player/Boerne schoolteacher with a tattoo of an octopus tentacle, and a slightly intoxicated young ingénue engaging in a public crash course in harmonica all have in common?

These were all just a few of the colorful characters that took the stage during Frank Turner's performance on Monday night at Emo's.

Turner's music can best be described as what would happen if a mix of Bob Dylan, Flogging Molly, and The Clash was brewed on tap and served to a crowd of roughly 70 rowdy Austinites. With lyrics exploring existentialism, revolution, disillusionment, and loss, his music far transcends the immature styling one would expect from an artist leading a hybrid genre labeled "British Punk Folk".

Turner carefully toed the line between hope and cynicism as he sang of the idealism of youth and consequential disillusionment. There's nothing quite like shouting lyrics of rebellion while drunken Limeys drizzle Lonestar on your shoulder to bring you back to your teenage punk phase and a feeling of infinite invincibility.


Image courtesy of AV Club Austin

By confronting the audience like friends, not fans, Turner created the feeling of an intimate weekend house party. Part of this rapport included giving a harmonica solo to a fan, telling the story behind his tattoo of Texas, accepting shots from the audience, and admitting outright that he wasn’t found of “ the whole pretend to walk off thing and wait for an encore”.

Instead, Turner ended his set with three rousing numbers while gracefully thanking every member in his band, including his charismatic drummer, Nigel Powell, (a Michael Stipe doppelganger indeed!).

Also featured in the encore was a fan named Oscar, invited to take the stage and translate the final song in Spanish, and opening act Conrad White (stage name “Possessed by Paul James”) who returned to contribute his manic fiddling skills.

However, as much as a humble pop culture blogger may try to capture the magic of Turner’s performance tonight at Emo’s, no one can quite express the evening like Turner himself. As stated in his final song of the night, “Photosynthesize”:

“Now I'll play, and you sing- the perfect way for the evening to begin. I won't sit down, and I won't shut up, and most of all I won't "grow up".”


Emo's is located at 603 Red River St

Monday, February 1, 2010

Ideas of Mountains @ CRL

I thought the Creative Research Lab was walking distance from campus. (It wasn't.) But I boarded bus #18 and found my way to the CRL in the heart of East Austin only 16 minutes late for the artists talk about their current exhibition, "Ideas of Mountains", last Thursday.
I didn't bring my camera to the event, but went back today to take pictures of some of the pieces. (Sorry the photo quality isn't great and not all the pieces are documented -- my camera kept dying!)

I got to the gallery space just as the presentation was beginning with Kendra Kinsey discussing her piece -- a brown corduroy nest of buzzing televisions with the cords meeting in the middle.

"A stuffed TV incorporated more what I see them used for -- comforting to people ... it was a lot of experimentation. I didn't know how it would turn out, it ended up differently than I expected." - Kinsey

Megan Riley and Misha Penton collaborated on a multimedia installation that included a vocal track from a Celtic singer, original lyrics penned on the walls, an etheral light display, as well as the visual art elements of the piece. It was beautiful. When discussing the piece, Riley, who is actually a professional lighting designer by trade, said that it told the story of a woman who "had a lover that was a selkie, drawn back to sea."

Nicholas Dertien's piece, "Asthma through a Transparent Body", comprised of a series of 3 blown glass forms suspended from the ceiling with a light projected through them, casting shadows on the walls.

The piece actually extended out to the left of this, with three most busts grouped together in juxtaposition of this stand alone piece.

Inspired by the work of psychologist, Abraham Maslow and his theory of peak experiences, Dertien would exercise until he'd force himself to have an asthma attack. Then, he would sketch the sensation and make molds of these forms.

When I went back to the CRL to photograph the work today, I talked for a while to Nicholas Diertien. It was so exhilarating! I loved talking to an artist about his art and discussing the role of art in society, the importance of letting the work speak on its own, and the resources of an academic community and its influence on art.

Peter Reichardt, Mary Rothlisberger, and Kristyn Weaver's installation: "Camp Base Camp: Everest Friends" was filled with whimsy and little details. I felt like I was exploring a giant play set. I was in love!


"We literally took the 'ideas of mountains' and came together as individuals to form a base camp where we could produce work and live. Instead of climbing a mountain we decided to deal with our friendship with each other. We chose to focus on Everest because it's a three sided mountain, like the three of us." - Reichardt

Each artist designed their own tent to best reflect their personality and role in the friendship. There was a recurring triangle motif that was subtle but brought all the elements of the installation together nicely. After the talk, I asked the artists if they had ever considered working in production design for films. Their installation was so nuanced, I bet they would be wonderful at such a job!


I wish I was an awesome photographer with a better (not dying) camera so I could have really shown off these works, they're great! The exhibit runs through this Saturday. I definitely recommend it.

The Creative Research Lab is located in the Flatbed gallery space at 2832 East Martin Luther King, Jr.
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