Hello Summer, my very old friend.

As of yesterday, it's Summer. I'm not talking about--oh, it's warm and the birds are singing outside my window and I'm breaking out my short shorts--it's Summer. I'm talking about--Solstice and the sun's at an extreme point in the sky and the day was super long--official Summer sh+t.

So, let's talk about Summer. And let's, while we're at it, talk about my favorite Summer things and activities and some Summer rules and regulations I think we'll all be better off for if we can follow this season.

1. I mentioned short shorts earlier. Short shorts are cute. They are, however, not cute on everyone. Let's all say that together now. Short shorts are not cute on everyone. Take a look at yourself in the mirror. You'll know what the right thing to do is. So, do it this Summer 2010.

2. I love ice cream. And ice cream is best consumed during summer months. Preferably purchased from a man who will take your ice cream out of a cart he pushes around with a bell in the park.

3. Speaking of parks. Let's hear it for public parks. Not to be confused with public pools which are most often germ infested and certainly have too many small people (aka children) running around them for safety or enjoyment. I vote for Griffith Park in LA and Central Park in NY. You can vote for your own park if you like. In fact, please do. My favorite parks are too crowded as is.

4. Young, hot love is best consumed in Summer months. What's better than walking around the city (any city) with a new beau or beaudette, holding hands, getting sweaty, picking up ice cream and eating it in a park (look how we can combine our favorite things during Summer!) as the sun sets. This said, before things get too sweaty, please take your young, hot love and enjoy it in the privacy of your own home.

5. Every summer, the radios start overplaying a good pop song. Next thing we know, we think this pop song is great. And next thing we know right after that, we hate that pop song. We want to tear the radio right out of our cars every time it comes on but we can't cause we just got a manicure and we don't really have the money to go replacing radios left and right. I predict that this Summer's first greatest hit, soon to be mega hit, soon thereafter to be the song that drives me crazy is Jay Z's Young Forever. So please, play with caution.

Happy Summer everyone. Play by the rules, don't forget your SPF, and let's enjoy the next three months together.

[Image Credit: Jessie B. R. in the bestest park LA has to offer, Griffith, on the day before Summer began. So shoot me.]

Ice Cream + Art + Gadgets = Blood is the New Black's Summer Fling

What happens when two beautiful people get together and [fill in the blank] and then invite a 3rd amazing partner to [fill in the blank more]? A beautiful love child is conceived, that's what.

Am I being too metaphorically obtuse for you? Allow me to be explicit. Two of my favorite brands, revolutionary tee-shirt meets art collection, Blood is the New Black, and magically delicious ice cream sandwich purveyors, Coolhaus, have joined forces and brought in handy-dandy gadget protectors, Case-Mate, to bring Summer Fling, A Mobile Pop Up Shop and Ice Cream Truck to Los Angeles this summer.

You'll be able to customize your own phone cases with incredible art courtesy of BITNB's roster of sick artists. You'll be able to indulge in ice cream flavors like pistachio with black truffles. And you'll be able to hang out with me. Cause I'll be hanging around them all summer.

The launch party for LA's awesomest new mobile retailer is this Saturday. Find the details below and find me at the party!

Saturday, June 5th
8 PM - 12 AM

Nomad Gallery
1993 Blake Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Live Performance by Dunes
DJ's Jacob Safari and Sara T
Live Screen-printing by Nomad Gallery
Open Bar available thanks to Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer

RSVP info@bloodisthenewblack.com requested but not required

Can't make it? Stay tuned to twitter.com/summerflingtruk and bloodisthenewblack.com/summerfling to find the truck near you this summer!

Summer time & the living's easy (and wet).

I have been working like a mad woman--a woman so mad she is working more hours than most spend awake in any given week. But I have noticed, during brief strolls outside for lunch, that the weather is turning in Los Angeles. And though I may not have a free hour before summer's over, temperatures have reached bikini highs. So, in honor of the leisure hours I wish I had, here are some pools to get your summer started right. Which is warm. And wet.

Annenberg Community Beach House

This community center opened last year and features a pool, splash pad, volleyball and more. The pool is open for a 'Spring Break Splash on select days this month and will then reopen in June. No membership is required but be sure to arrive early to purchase your day pass ($10 for adults with a break for families of 4 at $24).

Interesting factoid: the Annenberg Community Beach House was established at the former site of actress Marion Davies' mansion, built for her by William Randolph Hearst. Oh, how it pays to be the mistress of a wealthy man.

The Standard Hotel Hollywood

If you actually want to get in the water, I recommend stopping by on a weekday or calling ahead to make sure there's not a rowdy party going on. There's nothing quite like water, ping pong and The Standard's 'Mimosa for Two' (for only $20!!) served poolside.

Hotel Erwin

Hotel Erwin may not actually have a pool. But it's right atop the ocean and last I checked that's pretty much the biggest pool you can get down with. Start with drinks at the High Rooftop Lounge and when you've had your fill of mojitos, [safely] take your dip in the great wide open Venice beach. Just be sure not to trip over tourists or needles on the way down to the water.

Esprit de corps

Happy Labor Day to all of you who are celebrating the national holiday today. Or to all of you, I should say, who even know why they've got a day off. In order to be self-righteous and make a comment like that, I needed to get my own Labor Day facts straight. So I looked the holiday up on Wikipedia--[the only source for information that is produced by your fellow layman, making it full of room for error, but truly democratic, and isn't that what counts]--and learned that the holiday was originally intended to celebrate "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" and was to be "followed by a festival for the workers and their families." Nowadays, of course, we generally celebrate with a pool party where those who really need the day off are treated to a day of serving us mojitos and emptying our ashtrays. But as long as we celebrate their strength and spirit as they move lounge chairs away from the barbeque smoke, I guess we've retained the dignity of the holiday. So, enjoy the remaining few hours of your day off, the last hoorahs of summer.

Another year gone. Older, but back in action.

I'm back to blogging as part of me is convinced that someone out there might be interested in my life. I, myself, am constantly stimulated by myself. So, perhaps you will be too. Since I've last written lots has happened, but most crucially, I've had another birthday. I'm 27 now, still unmarried, living in a studio apartment in Koreatown. And many would count me amongst a demo most popularly referred to as old maids. I would just refer to me as really fucking unlucky.

Here are the flowers my boyfriend was so sweet to bring me on my birthday. A few red roses aren't going to erase the wrinkles starting at my eyes, but it was a lovely gesture.

Beside entering my late 20s with a debatably small amount to show for it, I've not wanted for things to keep me busy and out of my 15 x 15 so-called apartment this summer.

I checked out some of LA's new supposed hotspots. Here we are at the opening of The Kress. What the club lacked in cohesive design, class or modesty, it made up for in size...really, really big size. I guess this counts for something?

I checked out SA Studio's Righteous Kill pop up space in Downtown. Mister Cartoon, Estevan Oriol and a couple hundred bad ass tatted guests were in the house to celebrate DeNiro and Pacino's newest film project. I don't think that any of us could tell you what this film is about. So much for experiential marketing.

Amongst the guests was a rep from the bad-asses of tomorrow club. Too f-ing cute.

And what would summertime be without some impulsive and irrational spending. That is, if you don't consider the purchase of designer diet coke bottles rational. Damn you Patty Field for so slyly using the phrase 'limited edition.' Nothing says 'buy me immediately with no thought of practicality or your dwindling checking account' like 'limited edition' tacked on to a product description.