Pasadena Art Night

As I have less and less free time to do things, I lament the diminishing variety of topics on my blog. There used to be more than just fashion--I used to write more about such things as the joys of cooking and cheap/freebie cultural events, but these days I haven't had much time to experience much of either. I'll try to mix things up as time permits.

A few weeks ago, my roommate asked me if I happened to be free after work. I still had enough energy to do something fun, so I was intrigued. We ended up hitting the Pasadena Museum of California Art for free as part of Pasadena Art Night. There were 2 amazing exhibits. One is of Wayne Thiebaud, the other of Frances Gearhart.

I can't believe that I have not heard of Wayne Thiebaud until now. As my friends and I strolled through the exhibits, we just couldn't stop talking about the paintings. The use of color, brushstrokes, and piling paint on thick with a a palette knife are just few of the techniques used to make certain elements of the picture literally pop out. For one painting of a man standing at a lecturn and another of a beach ball, we walked up close to the canvas just to make sure it wasn't 3-dimensional in form.

There are quite a few recurring themes we observed: beaches, food, and buildings. All of them involve the use of many colors. Since we had just eaten dinner before we went to the museum, we salivated after looking at the many paintings of desserts, such as this:


There's a Norman Rockwell sense of homeliness/familiarity to it, but the painting seems to be far less nostalgic and far more deliberate. The pastel-colored food itself looks very inviting, and so does the empty space--I paid an equal amount of attention to the food as I did to the bare shelf. It seems like the space was created after the multi-layered cake vacated the case, but it still left me wondering: what filled out the empty space before they flew off the shelf?

My favorite paintings were of the fantastically-steep hills nestled between skyscrapers, which look something like this:


Based on the aforementioned eye-popping paintings beach balls and lecturers, it is clear that the man knows how to depict a view from a particular perspective very, very well. However, his landscape paintings often conflate a few perspectives together, including those that seem "wrong" together (like diminishing point motifs in the middle of a field at a corner of a bird's eye view painting). But "wrong" has never looked so right in unison--the exaggerated steepness combined with the super-flat surfaces, or the profile views combined with the aerial view, just belong together. It is unlike anything I've ever seen.

The woodcuts of Frances Gearhart just blew my mind away. They're just beautiful, and hardly anyone does woodcuts like those anymore. I love seeing the series of prints that illustrate how multi-colored prints are made. Precision is a must, and there's really no room for error.

I don't know when the next Art Night is, but the two amazing exhibits I saw runs until January 31. I highly encourage anyone who is remotely interested to see it...you will not be disappointed. I look forward to more museum visits the next time Art Night rolls around.

Marc Jacobs Special Items

I've avoided the shopping mecca on Melrose partly because parking is a mess, and largely because the prices are often out of reach (except when there is a sale). Then I read a post about the Marc Jacobs special items, and I became intrigued. I checked out the website and found a couple of things I could use, but I did not know when I would find time to go.

This morning, my friend invited me over for a brunch in her home. After I left, I figured I'd make a slight detour to the Marc Jacobs store on Melrose. As expected, parking was very hard to find, but I did find spaces about 4-5 blocks to the south. I got what I wanted and went home.

The big tote is something I'm thinking of saving as a gift for someone. The bracelets are just great for my small wrists. As for the rubber heart tote, it is just the most adorable thing. The leather version of it from the main line is cute, but prohibitively expensive and not at all practical (because the leather pieces are stiff and get in the way of carrying it on the shoulder). The rubber tote is just right for me, and the label inside indulges my sense of humor. I'm glad I snagged one before they ran out.






[Outfit of the day: Forever 21 tunic with side twist, Express tights, vintage boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs ring (which I already had before today), Marc by Marc Jacobs Latin phrase bracelets, Roots messenger bag.]

Leaving the hood?

I don't know if this is the harbinger of what is to come, but Mike & Chris is having a huge liquidation sale on Friday and Saturday from 10 to 5 at their warehouse (4900 Zambrano St., Commerce), with a number of items expected to be 70-90% off. Here is one illustration of the anticipated rock bottom pricing.

I've been waiting for a long, long time for the leather jackets to fall to this price. Unfortunately, I'll be heading out of town for the long weekend and it is extremely unlikely that I'll have time to take advantage of the sale. It would be even more unfortunate if (gulp) it signals the end of the label; I have thoroughly enjoyed the comfort and practicality of each M&C piece I own, and I have always looked forward to the M&C sample sales to pick up new designs at an affordable price. Hopefully things are not as they appear.

Seized by the Collar

I have always been a fan of subtly unusual clothing--that is, something that looks perfectly staid, but with a detail that really stands out. I rarely buy a piece that completely screams out for attention; given the large amount of time I tend to spend in a professional setting, it is simply not prudent. However, I recently came across a dress that overcame my logical approach.

A New York-based boutique on Third Street (near Fairfax) named Pinkyotto was having a store closing sale, so I went inside to check it out for the first and the last time. I'm quite sad to see the store go, as the clothes were cute, distinctive, but still fitting for my lifestyle. Anyway, I digress...when I walked into the store, I saw one dress on a mannequin that called out my name. It felt like some kind of a deja vu moment--the dress is something that I may have seen before, and I thought it was very "me." The wide collar was the very thing that captured my attention, then other details--the tulip skirt, the plaid print, the wooley fabric--got me hook, line, and sinker. I usually deal with one standout detail at a time, but somehow all of these quirky details worked together seamlessly. I rifled through the racks until I found that dress and a few others. After I tried everything on, I determined that this dress was the only one that worked for my body.

As quirky as the dress is, it is perfectly suitable as a work dress. All I have to do was add stockings, some sharp outerwear, and a nice pair of shoes. I can imagine myself wearing it on a weekend with electric blue stockings and a pair of boots, but I will have to wait until the weather warms up. It has been cold and rainy, and a few more storms are supposed to follow.





[First outfit: Pinkyotto dress, Kenneth Cole camisole, Forever 21 cropped fleece bomber ($5 from the clearance racks last Spring), Target black tights, Christian Lacroix flats. Second outfit: Pinkyotto dress, Target gray tank with metallic silver threads, To the Max jacket, my own Chomping Through the Meadows necklace, black tights, Ciao Bella peeptoe booties.]

"Money can't buy me love..."

Valentine's Day is coming up, and people everywhere are making plans. It might mean flowers and chocolate for some, a getaway or nice dinner for others, or just something plain and simple but meaningful. However, the holiday might be a source of consternation, especially in this economic environment. Love really can't be bought (if it was the purchased kind, then there's a problem), and it is a little disconcerting to think that it takes a pre-set date on the calendar to get someone to make an effort to show the significant other some appreciation. Nonetheless, it is a nice day to do something special. Given how consumed many people are with the financial crisis, it really is important to put that aside to care about and support the person who really matters.

The LA Times has a nice little feature for 8 great 3-hour dates on a $25 budget. Even for those who are not from the LA area, the ideas could be adapted for local specialities. I think that a good time can be had for little or even no money at all, but I do think it is important to put in some thought and care into making the day special--a combination of attentiveness and savvy savings is hot, but focusing on going cheap is not.

A Day at the Museum

I had a great museum trip with a group of friends and their friends today. Part of the fun of seeing an exhibit is discussing it with other people (I highly recommend a visit to the Broad Contemporary section). The other part is taking silly pictures with the artwork. There was also an unexpected bonus: a freebie notebook featuring quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King. It is quite a fitting way to commemorate today and serves as an inspiring lead-in to tomorrow's historic presidential inauguration.

It was easy to decide on what to wear today. Since there was going to be a lot of walking involved, both from the tour and from walking to the museum from the free street parking spot a few blocks away, comfortable flats were in order. As for the clothing, I decided to wear a dress that I found at Loehmann's for practically 90% off. I usually shy away from strapless dresses because I have trouble keeping them on (or that's my fear anyway), but this one just fits. The print is very museum-worthy--it resembles an abstract field of flowers created from dripping paint. I could literally blend in with paintings lining the walls.












[Michael Kors leather hoodie, Plenty by Tracy Reese strapless dress, Liz Claiborne bag, L'Autre Chose navy flats]

Mani's Bakery Survey (and $5 gift card)

When I have to stay up late but still want to catch a few hours of sleep, I use a good chai latte as my midnight oil instead of coffee. However, very few places make it exactly the way I want it. Thus, after I get off the freeway from work, I'm willing to drive out to Mani's Bakery to get my large chai latte, and occasionally, a delicious organic baked treat. While I can't afford the cakes and tarts on a regular basis, the inexpensive day-old muffins serves as a healthy breakfast.

Sadly, I've noticed some changes recently. The operating hours have shrunken, and the price has gone up a little. According to their blog, the drop in sales compounded with rising operating costs may result in the end of the business. That would be quite sad. To look for ways to improve the business, Mani's is offering a $5 gift card to those who complete a customer satisfaction survey. Depending on your initial responses, it can be a fairly lengthy survey, but I think it is well-constructed to seek out honest opinions. I had planned to go there tomorrow before my LACMA trip anyway, so the gift card comes in handy.

If you've been to the cafe before, want to support it, and plan to go back sometime this month (before the gift card expires), you can take the survey here.

Art Appreciation Day

There are many holidays that I would deride as "Hallmark Holidays," which retailers take advantage of in an effort to sell more stuff. I'm not sure if there is an "offical" Art Appreciation Day yet. In any event, I think it is important to have one sometime in our lives, whether it is on a fixed day or not, on an annual basis or once every few years.

Ever the pragmatist, I used to somewhat dismissive of the fine arts (particularly "modern art") as a waste of time and money. However, ever since I took a solo trip to the San Francisco MoMA and spent a whole day to really look at the exhibits with a critical eye, I discovered a newfound sense of appreciation for art in general. It is a feeling that I cannot describe with words (I guess it would be somewhere along the lines of "the Sublime," for the literally-inclined), but in any event, I think everyone should be able to experience it.

Trouble is, funding for the arts have been drastically slashed year after year, because the decisionmakers often see the arts as "nonessential" compared to repairing roads, building schools, and providing essential medical care. When a household is cash-strapped, it does not make sense to spend money on cultural events. While food for the body rightfully has priority over food for the soul, the latter does not have to get to the point of being completely neglected. Many museums have the occasional free admissions day (or hours) which, based on past experiences, have been surprisingly popular. They are not hugely publicized, but thanks to the modern-day search engine, blogs, and various websites, it is fairly easy to seek them out.

It has been years since I visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), even though I drive past it on a regular basis. I have been interested in seeing the Vanity Fair exhibit for myself after reading much (good and bad) press written on it. I plan to fulfill that item on my to-do list on Monday, when Target is sponsoring the free admission (yet another reason to love Target). There are other free admission days this year: Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Columbus Day. You can find more information about the free days, along with other LACMA activities, here.

Larger than Life

This morning, I woke up remarkably early for a Saturday. I've been waking up fairly early lately for work assignments, so I suppose I got used to it. My day started off with a very big breakfast with a group of friends at the Griddle Cafe in West Hollywood. I didn't bring my camera, so I couldn't fully capture the enormity of my breakfast (the dinner plate-sized pancakes were even bigger), but to give you an idea, here is the size of my leftovers. I was full after consuming just one of my Apple Cobbler French toasts with some of the apples served on the side, and I was only able to accomplish that with help from some friends. As I'm typing this, I am stuffed.


I had no idea that the food portions were going to be that big, but I carried some mighty big accessories that were quite befitting of the occasion. I have been wearing a lot of rings. One day I'd be wearing something very dainty, and the next day I would be wearing a big honkin' ring. I found a couple of cheap rings from the Loehmann's clearance bin, including the big greenish-gray cut glass cocktail ring below. It was remarkably inexpensive for something in remarkably good shape.

I also brought along a big, easy-to-carry hobo, which I dug out of the DSW clearance bin a few days ago. Although I have a variety of purses, I did not have one in a simple neutral color ever since my old one went out of commission. Usually I don't like carrying big bags around, since I just don't like having to deal with the bulk, but sometimes I do need something roomy and capable of being thrown-on-and-go for day-to-day errands or a night on the town. The hobo bag, however, has not been very appealing to me. Although I like the casual and easy-to-carry aspects, the bags I have come across were either too slouchy, too big, too small, too casual (and thus not all-purpose), or too expensive. I never did find the perfect one until now. It is both luxurious and casual at the same time--very chic, with the right amount of slouch, a simple design, and a few choice metallic accents that do not add extra weight.

I became disappointed with my last everyday bag because the lining tore within just a couple of months of use, so this time, I looked for something with a sturdy lining, either in cotton or leather; the thin acetate linings just won't do. For something made of soft, supple leather and a well-made suede lining, the bag is incredibly affordable (around $60) and better in quality than bags in the 3-digit dollar range, which all seem to have the type of lining I have been trying to avoid. The fact that it is not a hip and trendy label probably helps keep the price down. Usually I associate the Liz Claiborne brand with dowdy "missy sportswear," but the accessories have been rather modern and wearable. My black Liz Claiborne work bag may have its limitations (the pretty but color-leaching red lining being one of them), but it has been a faithful workhorse for the many years after I discovered it at Ross. I hope that the new bag will also last as many years, and then some.





[Converse One Star for Target jacket, Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt ($15 from Macy's, but at no out-of-pocket costs because I purchased it with a gift card), Liz Claiborne bag, ABS ring, J Brand jeans, Nike sneakers]