Las Vegas, City of Sin and Shows.

For those of you who have wondered how I ended up going straight from a Buddhist Monastery to Las Vegas, City of Sin, this is how...

I'm happily working on talent and Presenters for the WMMA Awards again. I'll admit--I'm not well versed in the new sport, but the folks involved in this industry as well as the fighters themselves are as nice as can be. A fact that's hard to believe considering it's a sport popular for its blood, guts and violence.

If you happen to be in Vegas this Wednesday, December 1st, join us at the event!

Tickets are available online through the Palms Hotel.

The Making of a Bed, Part Un: The Bed.

Three years ago I moved into the studio which I'm still residing in in always sunny, always shady Koreatown, Los Angeles. At that time, I moved without anything more than a shoddy metal bookshelf and some sheets. I slept on the floor for 2 days and then hurriedly bought the cheapest mattress I could find with the standard, chinsy metal frame that comes practically free with purchase. In that time, my bed has withstood spills, bugs and breakage (no, there is no elicit story here. it is just. a cheap. bed!). Last month I decided it was high time for a proper adult bed. And though I don't yet have a proper adult budget, I'm slowly piecing together a bed that I'll be proud[er] to see as I walk in the door (and hopefully one that I'll sleep a bit easier on too).

First came first: the bed frame.

Ikea's all fine and good in the post-grad years. But several years later, I needed a step up. Enter Pottery Barn's baby sister company, west elm.

I have now ordered [drum roll please] this bed....in Queen size!

Will the larger size bed look ridiculous in my teeny tiny studio? Maybe.

Am I forgoing a headboard which may or may not work for me. Darn straight I am. Headboards, I've learned, are expensive!!

Can I afford to go mattress shopping right now? No.

Am I excited as anything to buy new bedding which I also can't afford to change the look of my apartment and give it new character? Um, yeah.

Over the next couple of weeks I will [hopefully] and slowly build my new bed. I'll document as I go (an action packed design adventure, I know!). Until then it will be my new Queen size bedframe sat upon by my old full size janky mattress and cheap sheets. And zero photos will likely be shared with you.

Narrow-Leg Nailhead Upholstered Bed Frame
$349.00 – $499.00
Available on westelm.com or in stores.

Leaving Los Angeles. Me and the monks.

I told my friend a few weeks ago, 'So, I'm going to a Buddhist monastery next month for a week.'

Maybe I wasn't expecting a reaction quite of shock. Or exactly resembling excited, impressed wonderment. But something along the lines of 'Oh my goodness! How unlike you! Isn't this totally unexpected and unanticipated?!' Okay. So perhaps I was expecting shock and wonderment after all.

I certainly wasn't expecting my friend to say 'Oh......I'm not surprised.'

Well, despite my friend's opinion that it is exactly like me to get up and do something ridiculous, it was a bit of a surprise to me when I decided to register for 5 nights at the Deer Park Monastery, a Buddhist monastery in Escondido.

And today, I am departing. Without access to email or phones for nearly a week. No blogging, no Twitter, no Facebook updates. Radio silence from the 400 acre sanctuary just a couple of hours south of Los Angeles.

I'll end this last post before my journey with the same message I sent to my friends and family last night...

In olden days, a trip to the monastery would mean I was pregnant out of wedlock. Today, it just means I'm a privileged yuppy from the city who needs 'a break.'

I will have no access to email, phones or other electronic devices during this time. Smoke signals, maybe. But I haven't checked the fog levels out there yet. So, please refrain from emailing, calling or texting me as your expressions of love and/or tomfoolery will fall on deaf ears (no jokes about my poor hearing, please).

In the case of emergency, you may try to reach me via the Deer Park Monastery. I actually have no idea if anyone will answer the phone.

In case you are unclear about what constitutes an emergency, please use the following quick guide.

This is an Emergency...

* My apartment's on fire.
* You're dead.

This is NOT an Emergency...

* You stubbed your toe.
* Your boyfriend was rude to you.
* You're experiencing digestion issues.

I look forward to talking to you all when I return next week. Until then, have a great week and a very happy Thanksgiving!

Duty calls in a large waiting room in Downtown LA.

I'd like to make it clear that jury duty in Downtown LA looks absolutely nothing like the above stock photo.

Jury duty at the LA County Metropolitan Branch Court House looks like dozens of average looking people slumped in couches, eating chips and Cheetos for breakfast--some of them reading less than quality novels, another disproportionate number reading what I think from this distance may be gay bondage magazines.

And we are all sitting underneath Jury Service promotional ads featuring has-been actors and decorations like this which may have been on sale at the 99 Cent store. I know I would not have paid the full dollar for this poor attempt at a feeling of patriotism.

My red dot at Mercedes Helnwein.

Last night was the opening reception for Mercedes Helnwein's new show, Temptation to be Good, at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery (yes, I know this information would have been more helpful to you yesterday as opposed to quarter to eight on the day after--sorry).

I was a fan of this for a few reasons.

* More galleries should be as close to my home as the Merry Karnowsky Gallery is. To heck with Culver City. Let's build an art scene [around me] in Koreatown and Mid-City!

* Mercedes Helnwein is a favorite local artist of mine. Her drawings are incredible. And her new, larger format work is equally exciting, though a departure in ways of style as well as scope.

* My darling friend Elizabeth Ai was hosting (alongside a mysterious Beck who my friend and I never did spot). You may recall a while back I shared that Mercedes was doing some collaborative work with the Ai sisters for their awesome clothing line, Ai for Ai.

* I am a compulsive shopper and it's best that at least I have something worthwhile to toss my hard-earned money away for.

* Damien Hirst bought out Helnwein's last show in London. And it it's good enough for Hirst, it's better for me.

This was last night's guilty pleasure that's soon to be mine...

And this is my red dot. I just love when I can claim a red dot to be mine (says the art collector wannabe)...

I might make some snarky quip about reading it and weeping. But then again, it's my pocketbook I've hit and I feel if anyone should be weeping it might actually be me and not you.

Catch the show while it's still up.

MERCEDES HELNWEIN: TEMPTATION TO BE GOOD
November 13 - December 11, 2010

Merry Karnowsky Gallery
170 S. La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

And while you're at it, read my March 2010 interview with Mercedes Helnwein here.

Between the sheets with model Daisy Lowe.

In the name of my many friends who continuously surprise me with their unbounded talents, I present the work of one more of these splendid, creative folks in my life.

(As an added bonus, British model Daisy Lowe rolls around for most of this video only half clothed.)

Enjoy.

Lazy Daisy from Patrick Fraser on Vimeo.

Director+DP: Patrick Fraser
Model: Daisy Lowe
Shot on location in Paris along side a fashion shoot for Blast magazine.

OK Go's tribute to toast.

This video, featuring toast and only toast, is as beautiful as the song its made for, Last Leaf.

Last Leaf

OK Go | Myspace Music Videos

Prada's virtual video lookbook. Awesome.

Oh, hey there Awesome. So, that's what you look like in Prada!

Give peace a chance.

As someone brighter and wittier than me once said, if you don't like something, do something about it.

Well, some folks in town didn't like the recent news about hate crimes and the awful consequences to those who are victim to discrimination.

So, they're doing this:

Starting Location
6356 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA

November 21, 2010
3:00 p

We are walking for everyone who has ever been an innocent victim of a hate crime(s), for everyone who has ever been discriminated against, we are walking for everyone who has ever lived in fear because they were "different," and we are walking against intolerance so that perhaps we can impact those fearful and angry. So that we may send a message to those who strike against beautiful, innocent human beings. Beings who deserve nothing more than to be swimming gracefully and confidently in the same pool we swim in. No one here in this world is different lest they choose to be and even then, "the sun rises in the morning on ALL of us." Let's come together, create a buzz, and show Los Angeles and anyone who hears about or reads about our rally what we stand for and what we all deserve!