hammer pants!….

…yes, that’s right! i’m going to tackle the subject of harem pants today. why? normally i could care less to comment on fashion as i feel that personal taste is pretty subjective, but harem pants have been taking such a beating on blogs across the web that i felt like i had to take a stand for them. i saw them two years ago in barcelona and could not get my mind off of them. yeah, they’re comfy, yada yada yada but, they can also be flattering. yes, i said it! flattering. this isn’t the eighties although you couldn’t tell by the looks on the spring runway and yet the cuts are fresher and more sophisticated this second time around. they are doing harem pants in a variety of cuts and fabrications that can be rocked by those with nerve. case in point: and no, don’t hate. she looks good! i even hated those crazy ass shoes she was wearing initially and then i saw the look head to toe and was grudgingly okay with those too…for her. me, i’m going to rock these with some little gold, mid heeled sandals and loop a couple of long simple gold chains. add a pair of sleek hoops and some large frame-less sunnies and i’m good to go. of course, the whole ethnic thing works on me… but! there are even more sedate versions that can give a twist to a prep look: skinny clean tee and some well heeled pumps, pared down jewelry with a sleek updo and you’ve got clean, minimalist chic that’s fashion forward. of course i won’t deny that there are indeed some hideous interpretations of the harem that look like shit on a stick but don’t write them all off. just try a few pairs on and go with what works for your body type. i especially love the jumper by freepeople as i can slide it down into a longer pants version and in the california heat, i know i’ll be super comfy hitting up the occasional outdoor concert or beach side lounge (hello, bikini cover up). i read a post on a blog that bills themselves as “the fashion police” where a woman was reacting to the plethora of harem styles available for spring, wondering “where are all of the women stupid enough to buy these pants?” and i say, “stupid? no. casually chic? yes! and i look good” and so do so many other hotties with the nerve and know how! as much as she rants on about how hideous they are, even her own readers are beginning to warm up to the look and the variety of playful styles out in the market. all i can say, is don’t be swayed by other peoples opinions, get out there and try them for yourself because you may be surprised. if they’re not for you, then so be it but if they are, hold your head up and enjoy them!

and it’s done…

…and it was a beautiful sight to behold! i can only hope this moment didn’t alienate anyone who may have been on the side of mccain and palin but in fact, puts all of the differences aside in an opportunity for us to roll up our sleeves and work together. despite republican or democrat, we need each other, all of us, in order to survive the ordeals ahead. and, fuck it, yes, i’m excited to see an african american in office! how could i not be? i’ll be excited to see a latin american, an asian american, a native american, a gay american or a woman or any other firsts for that matter because change is good! it brings new ideas and new perspective on the american way of life which is so vast and varied. every story is of importance and interest. what kind of world is it anyway when you can’t walk down the street without fear of violence because of who you are ? i have never met anyone whom even if i couldn’t respect, did not deserve the right to share this planet with each and everyone of us. i’ve not met anyone that i was so angry with that i felt violence was the answer. so i watch this parade in admittedly fear, in fear that a camera could be a gun, a grenade or a rifle. a shame that something of this magnitude could be tinged with the possibility of violence. that something so important and historic has to be viewed with my breath held, is so telling. i wish none of us had to feel that way. that none of us lived in fear of being ourselves…p.s. thank you for including us “non-believers”!…

nagi noda…

…andrew just sent me this link to one of her short films. nutty little short yes, but more interesting is her work found here at nagi noda. her editorial work is very interesting and there is no doubt that she was a very talented art director with an eccentric sensibility. in particular anything found under the “works” section is very amusing. my personal favorites are her “hair hats”. unfortunately she passed away in september 08. rip. (all photos are courtesy of naginoda.com

it hurts my heart…

…to see what’s happening in oakland with the murder of oscar grant and to see a picture in the san francisco gate of the little boy i helped to raise now grown up and tackling protesters as a police officer. i know him and i know where his heart is and in any other circumstances, it could have been him on that train platform. he is a large man, easily six foot four and an ex-college football player. intimidating isn’t a word i would ascribe to him having changed those diapers and seen that sweet smile but i can step outside of myself and see him as others would. the uniform and badge make it worse. my uncle is a police officer too. again, one of the most gentlest, even tempered people i know. he quit the l.a. force when he saw the amount of corruption going on and only went back to active duty at the airport. i’ve been on the other side of the baton and cuffs. i’ve been baited by officers and my heart shatters every time i replay that video of grant’s death in my head. i know what it’s like to harden my heart against the police, the mistrust and avoidance and then i see this picture of my child (as close as i’ve ever been to my own) and i just weep because i know who he is, the husband he is, the father he is and i imagine the father grant was and the senselessness of it all is so overwhelming. because of one man’s stupidity, another man’s life is lost and now people that i know and love are in danger as well and i can see the escalation on both sides and know that i can’t convince anyone to back down.

Wurstküche

billed as downtown l.a.’s new beer and sausage kitchen, we were keen to take a look. accommodating the needs of the vegetarian and beer dependent, there was something in store for both of us! boasting exotic sausages ranging from bratwurst to rattlesnake/rabbit (!) combos, they also could be accompanied by an ice cold chimay white! well, on arrival, they did deliver what they advertised but in the schlockiest, most amateur attempt at restaurants. you walked into a dimly lit windowless entry with a tiny counter to your immediate left adjacent a cold case featuring raw sausage selections. there stood two pale creatures with the deer in the headlights stare. not to be outdone, we stared back and after a few seconds andrew spoke up and said “well, how does it work? do we order here, or….?” they finally snapped to and andrew ordered a kielbasa, belgian fries with two sauces and two chimays.

i looked around at the little concrete encased bunker lined with an equally bleak counter with spindly stools and asked one of the staff if there was more dining in the rear. he says yes and i trekked down the longest hallway to find an open unfinished room (also bleak) with a hodgepodge of tables satelliting a huge homemade tavern style plank table balanced on two sawhorses. to say that there was zero ambiance wouldn’t be enough, this place was a black hole to ambiance completely devoid of any flavor. there was a large bar/counter in the rear of the room that connected with the kitchen and the counter up front. unfortunately it wasn’t functioning as of yet. worse, there were two huge chunks of the room hidden by black plastic tarp and a pile of left over construction wood sat on to the random platform by the frosted windows (too high up and opaque to enjoy a view). the jewel in this crown was the unfinished gaping holes high up on the wall next to the bar. there was a scattering of people and yet it was so eerily quiet. and yes, i chose a table on the platform as opposed to the one next to the trash.

after waiting a bit for our food, we wondered finally if they were going to bring it or if we should have waited to pick it up. again, more of that crystal clear communication….. andrew met the guy coming into the back and finally we were in business. needless to say the food was solid and a cold chimay is a plus anywhere, anytime. the dog clocked in at $6 but the beers were $8 each at only 8oz.! frankly, we had eaten at the new farm at l.a. live last weekend and for $1 more i got a bigger beer. the kicker was my visit to the ladies room. the toilet wasn’t bolted down to the floor and after a quick roll, i finally stuck the landing, so to speak. the final flush again showcased the janky assembly job on the john, and i literally washed my hands of the place. all in all, wurstkuche was a straight yawn and i couldn’t wait to leave. with sooooo many restaurants opening for business and competing like crazy to get our dollars, i couldn’t understand why you would even open your doors if you couldn’t at the very least, finish the basic construction of the restaurant. given the un-feng shui friendly layout of the place, i don’t even think the final nails and spackle could help that place and the overall effect was like a college town cliché. we can always do gourmet wienies and beer at home….

damages…

…so i know i’m johnny come lately but i couldn’t watch something so phenomenally entertaining without mentioning it here. hats off to another all time television favorite: damages. that cable has some of the most thought provoking writing on television is a no brainer but just when i think it can’t get any better, i get a little gem like “damages.” glenn close, tate donovan, rose byrne and that tasty little morsel, noah bean, served it up weekly on fx. just a sampling of an all-star cast and ted danson couldn’t play his role any nastier. self entitled, over grown frat rat got his come-upance wrapped up pretty with a bow on top but what i love is the second and third helpings of revenge coming up in the next season. i confess, i did start out watching it weekly but with work getting in the way, one or two missed episodes threw me off (you can’t miss a single thread). so, i netflixed the whole series in hi def, settled back in couch potato mode and got my fix on. it was SOOOO worth it. uninterrupted and one episode after another without commercials or constant chatter. bliss! i caught some article on yahoo about how sad people watch more television but i have to say, what a crock of shit! there’s just good stuff happening out there. i could go out and piss my money away in some overpriced bar or on a half baked hollywood flick, or i can invite some peeps over (or not!) and watch some really fun, action packed, compelling, and yes, flat out entertaining t.v.! so let the experts suck on that!

well, i cried…

…and i’m still crying. my grandma was amazed, thrilled, thankful and elated. we talked about how fortunate we are that she’s still around to see this. having lived through the lynchings in kentucky, seeing her children arrested in the civil rights movement, getting the right to vote and so forth. in her time you didn’t kid your children with the idea of their becoming president. you were lucky to become a teacher or maybe a doctor if you had a lot of money but being president wasn’t even conceivable. yet-here-we-are! we talked about my grandfather, reverend e.b. dunbar and how we wished he was here to see this. my uncle edward and my best friend roger, all passed on and to know they would have been so thrilled. i feel truly humble and thankful that america has a second chance with such a complete 180 from what we have experienced in the past and i’m even more thankful still that i can look out in the world, in my america and see a roll model that every african american kid can look to and know that there is always hope! a new door has opened for the next generation and they will be so much more than we are!

queasy…

…has been my word for today. i did enjoy the rush of standing in line at my local polling place checking out my neighbors and saying hello to familiar faces. i felt a real sense of community as i passed my neighbor heung who had sense enough to cast her vote early. i felt connected as i chatted  with a fellow voter, a recently naturalized immigrant who was casting his first vote ever, thrilled that he was finally able to answer the call in his new country. there was an almost  festive air about the polling place as people chatted in hushed tones and laughed over cups of coffee. after checking and rechecking my ballot again, i dropped it into the box and simply let go. i was adament about not watching the polls or making myself crazy with the talking heads of the various media outlets. instead i threw myself into my work all day and now at home i’ve numbed myself with a glass of wine and reruns of family guy and the office. after being in a constant state of nausea for the past two weeks, anything else would have tipped me over the edge and you know i don’t want to waste a perfectly good fume blanc! aside from that, it felt good to have a candidate that i could really get behind. that i could listen to without rolling my eyes with complete cynicism. that obama thrilled me with imagination, dignity and true compassion should be something that every candidate should instill. and i’ll say it, that he is half african american AND half caucasian i believe provides that bridge for soooo many of us who always believed it could and should happen. this kind of unity is what we’ve all been craving and people really rolled up their sleeves and got behind it. i’m glad my gram is around to see this. i think she will be the first person i call….

that i have been lazy about writing…

…is an understatement to say the least. i’ve been busy yes, but in truth, mostly numb. i’ve been very good about not turning this blog into a political soapbox. there are so many out there with opinions of varying degrees and aside from indulging in very few, i’ve kept my focus on the debates and various interviews of each of the candidates. even at times reading transcripts because i’ve been unable to believe my ears. reading the transcripts of the biden/palin debate was particularly painful in light of the steady support she received from middle america the next day. it was as if people heard exactly what they wanted to hear and nothing more. so scary… so we go to the polls on tuesday and already this weekend i’ve received a recorded message from an unknown number, telling me that my polling place may have changed. it doesn’t tell me where i should go or anything very helpful, only that i should dial away at the voter registration number in the hopes of getting to the truth. last minute undermining tactic? well, i’ve already let my job know that voting comes first on tuesday so come hell or high water, i’ll still tick those ballot boxes one way or another.

until then, i’m sitting on pins and needles with regards to the results unable to let my hopes get too high. no election has ever meant as much to me as this one does. there is no more room for error on the part of america especially when it comes to our role and relationships with the rest of the world. to those who say ‘fuck ‘em’, you really should get out and travel. if only to see how small we are in the big scheme of things and how much we rely upon the cooperation of other strong nations to make large, positive changes in the world. to look at the mccain/palin audience and see only white faces shows you just how disconnected they are from the rest of america and how burdened down they are by fear. like it or not, the majority of america is reflected in the diverse faces of obama/biden supporters. that is the part of america that i connect with, that i understand. to know that people are united despite racial and cultural backgrounds is logical and enlightened and what secures our existence in the 21st century. i don’t want to go back twenty, thirty years to the dark ages of suspicion, divisiveness and fear mongering. i want to move forward and i can only hope that the majority of america agrees with me and takes it to the polls.

shame on us if we settle for the averageness that palin represents. i want leadership that is bigger, smarter and far more enlightened than myself. to see people rally and cheer for the average and mundane precisely because it’s average and mundane is disheartening. i’m sorry and it’s truly nothing personal but i don’t want joe six pack or susie soccer mom to try to lead us through the complexities of foreign policy. i’m not interested in having the manager of walmart or my mechanic make sociopolitical decisions that affect our fate. to celebrate the average is the saddest thing i can think of as it lacks imagination, drive and forward thinking. it gives us nothing to live up to making us delusional dullards indulging in our own ugly ignorance and arrogance. is this what we want in a leader? we are a nation of the diverse and we need leadership that speaks to the common denominator in us all. someone who inspires us to loftier goals, to be exceptional individuals striving to make a strong nation. you can’t legislate morality but you can inspire it by right action, compassion and kindess.

obama 08