Capuchin(ed). Captioned.

Macaron(i)

2011-08-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

Come see me over at Macaron(i)

Cosmos

2011-07-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

As Emma and I watched the fireworks this past weekend in Big Bear with Chanel's family, we noticed that fireworks spectaculars, with their swirly gunpowder clouds and bursts of light, look a lot like the cosmos. So we stared up at the open, exploding sky and we couldn't help but ponder our existence in this strange but beautiful world. We are just small little specks in the grand scheme of things; yet we still keep plugging on, doing our thing, trying to create things and connect to people that matter, and I find that to be so noble, so brave. The science god/geek Carl Sagan felt this way too. He simultaneously acknowledged the importance yet insignificance of the wee human species...
(image found by Emma)

Mojo and Swagga

2011-06-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

I do judge books (and people) by their cover:

It is in my opinion that Murakami, with his latest releases, has lost his mojo, his swagga, but I will always remember his seminal work The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle fondly. The opening lines describe the protagonist cooking spaghetti al dente...you know you're good when you can make something as prosaic as boiling noodles sound absolutely poetic. And of course a character that will troll high and low to find his beloved cat certainly speaks (meows) to me.

Mercury Rises and Explodes

2011-06-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/06/justin-timberlake-on-richard-serra-and-banksy.html

My like-o-meter for JT is already blowin up the mercury but add the comparison to Sammy Davis Jr. and spate of recent art activities (ok, so he bought a Banksy, yawn, how cliche, but we'll give the novice collector a pass on this one) and my affection grows even more.

Seen at MOCA's Art in the Streets opening hawking street cred in a skull cap, via http://thearabparrot.com/

The Sun, the Moon, the Stars...

2011-06-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

shimmy shimmy sequins and scream...yeeow! I want to see Prince in concert at the Forum so bad. (image via http://www.openingceremony.us/entry.asp?pid=3633)

07 - The Sun, The Moon And Stars by Feel The Prince

May

2011-05-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

"Bright floating hearts in a fresh cut grass in May."

Bouffant: In a JGL Trance

2011-04-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

Not since my JT-crazed days have I felt such ardor for an abstract entity.

Gangsta Love

2011-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

(via http://www.baubauhaus.com/post/3295830417/nevver-love-is-real)
A day late and a dolla short but Snoop Dogg wishes all the lovers out there a Happy Valentine's Day.

I escaped the rain in Los Angeles for the sunshine in Seattle...

2010-10-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

LA failed me this past week with all of its dripping, dreary raindrops. How ironic that sun and dry weather was to be found in Seattle.

Fresh baked goods and flowers at Pike Place Market.

It's a lovely city: full of art, design and epicureanism (the highfalutin trinity of human needs, up several levels from the basic food, water, shelter), with scenic views framed by amber maple leaves. I kept thinking, I could live here.

Extra

2010-10-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Catching up on back-issues of The New Yorker:

“The thing that strikes you first is how delicate he is. He is not trying to protect himself. He is almost like E.T., like they sent him from another planet—someone who is extra sensitive, almost skinless—to come and detect all these fragments about the human society that he lives in.”

-Artist Michal Rovner on Israeli writer David Grossman

Apple Green

2010-09-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

My sister christened her new Le Creuset cookware by making sugar-glazed Granny Smith apple fritters this morning.

Encounter on Fountain/Fuller

2010-09-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

It's easy to love dogs. They are indiscriminately loving and loyal. It takes a special kind of tolerance and patience to love cats. They scowl, scurry and hiss. But underneath this cold facade they are adorable balls of smushy fuzz that want to be loved and will put on the funniest antics to achieve that affection. Case in point, these beauties I encountered on Fountain/Fuller.

Art You can Eat, Touch and Take Home

2010-09-11T10:54:00.000-07:00

Wayne Thiebaud-inspired layer cake.

Felix Gonzales-Torres, SFMOMA.

Deserted Island

2010-08-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

photo by B

Santa Rosa, Channel Islands is so secluded and protected that even though it's just a short distance from LA (20 minutes by plane, a few hours by boat) our stay of 2 nights and 3 days felt like an epic getaway to some luscious, faraway locale.

The weekend included:
Tons of Cutie Pie Seals
1 Massive Blue Whale
0 Showers
Beauty to infinity.

Lacking

2010-04-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Too much activity in life, too little action on this blog.

Cat Landscape

2010-02-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

The Club Life

2010-01-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

These days the euphemism is "going dancing," but I remember when the proper terminology was "clubbing." That term is unbelievably cheesy, but then again so is the activity. I have a love-hate relationship with that whole scene. I lovelovelove dancing, and I'm quite fond of donning a short skirt with tall heels and seeing other girls in their respectively scandalous outfits. But, the hollow exclusivity and random mash-up of people in general really puts a damper on things. My slowly creeping disgust is perfectly timed though, as I am turning 29 in a couple of weeks...which is practically 30...and a 30-year old at a club is mildly inappropriate...

Under the dark cover of night.

It's a good thing I'm also quite fond of brunch. Brunch is a very appropriate activity for an almost 30 year-old.

Fish-wich

2010-01-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

Some incongruous facts: It's January. It's winter. It's 77 degrees and sunny outside.

It's Los Angeles. Aah, it all makes sense now.

The amazing weather of late prompted us to head out to Malibu for a day, where we stopped by the Eames house, hiked in the hills, then cruised down to Neptune's Net for a much anticipated fish-wich.

weeeeeee-Eames!

Elephant ride by Eames.

Like a mini Spiral Jetty.

L.A.--you are so beautiful and I love you!

Funny Sister

2010-01-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

My sister cracks me up sometimes. We love Law & Order, and it's our ritual to watch it together. Today I got a bright idea for a spin-off and emailed her about it (this will only be funny to you too if you actually watch L&O...):

From: Jennifer Li [mailto:JLi@getty.edu] Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 9:59 AMTo: Angela LiSubject: law and order
What do you think of...Law & Order: Los Angeles

????

I think they should make one!!!!

>>> "Angela Li" 1/8/2010 10:07 AM >>>
Hahaha.. what the heck? Yes.. it’s a good idea. Why are you going to make it happen somehow?

Angela Li
Manager, Development Services

From: Jennifer Li [mailto:JLi@getty.edu] Sent: Friday, January 08, 2010 12:40 PMTo: Angela LiSubject: RE: law and order
Yes, I'm gonna email NBC. It would be so fun to recognize all the landmarks and establishments they go to. And then you know how sometimes they have to go upstate to the NY suburbs, well they could be like oh, the brother lives in Glendale, let's go question him.

haha!~

>>> "Angela Li" 1/8/2010 2:01 PM >>
*Dun Dun*

Residence of the Li Sisters
Glendale, California

Angela Li
Manager, Development Services

A Literary Warning

2009-10-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

The cooler weather had me cozied up and reading under blankets yesterday.

This is a warning to all who were charmed by Julie & Julia, the movie: do not, absolutely do not venture to read the bore of a book by Julie Powell that it was based upon.

The memoir packs a potent dose of the obnoxious, pouting Powell (BARF! I had to stop reading because it was literally--or *literarily*--giving me a headache) with none of the Meryl Streep-sparkle.

If you want to read a memoir, and read something good, might I suggest The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, who, having grown up poor in Appalachia living in a deplorable shack, pooping in a growing trash pit in the backyard, and digging through refuse for her meals, still does not complain as much as middle-class, mediocre writer Julie Powell.

Summer is...

2009-09-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

A tropical popsicle by an infinity pool with a view of the city.

photo courtesy Christine Goo

Ah....

(BAKED) GOOD NEWS

2009-09-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

BIGGEST, HAPPIEST NEWS EVER since Sprinkles stepped onto the sweets-scene.......

Magnolia comes to the West coast this fall!!!

My penchant for petite-sweets will have yet another outlet...I want to do a sugar-high happy dance!

Blog Blues, or Blahs

2009-08-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

I watched Julie & Julia today, and am currently annoyed with the 'Julie' character. What a mope. A mope with an ugly mop of hair. So for the moment I am grossed out about writing a 'me-me-me' blog. This personal sentiment in no way extends to other blogging friends, whose pages I love reading and commenting on, by the way.

How amazing is Meryl Streep though??

Pet a Piggie

2009-07-06T14:28:00.001-07:00

The best part of my weekend was petting this little black pot-bellied piglet at the Montrose Farmer's Market (no offense to friends and family and all the other fun activities--I just love pigs that much). Other kids tried to pet the piggie but I *hogged* her the whole time.

Jessica the piglet.

Baking Bygones

2009-06-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

I used to be really into baking. Some highlights include pineapple upside down cake with this amazing caramelized brown sugar glaze, carrot cake with raisins and pineapple, just the way I like it, bagels (involves finicky yeast and you have to BOIL them first!), and chocolate cheesecake (the water bath was so complicated).

Then one day I realized I hated the cleaning part--ooey gooey batters and viscous chocolately mixtures do not wash away easily, and encrusted remnants are difficult to get out without soaking for like 50 hours. So I gave it up.

That being said, I admire people who put up with the clean up. My sister baked a delicious strawberry cheesecake this weekend for my mom's birthday, and Katherine made three separate items for Ban's birthday bash at Hotel Fig.

Triple-Chocolate: Bakestress Katherine and her chocolate cupcakes with nonpareils, chocolate white chocolate chip cookies, chocolate covered grahams topped with fleur de sel.

A Puppet. A Puppet Pet.

2009-05-15T23:23:00.000-07:00

After two years in the making, Ben Jackel's first solo exhibition at LA Louver finally came and went (if you find yourself in Venice/Marina del Rey, definitely check it out). The pieces and the turnout were amazing. The best part of the evening, however, had nothing to do with Ben's beautiful creations...

What?! That eccentric old woman brought a little fuzzy kitty with her to the art opening!

How adorable! Can I pet it?

It's cute. but strange. eh?

It's not a pet--it's a puppet!

So random, so wonderful.

*puppeteer/puppet-maker Evelin Popp

Love ya, Mother!

2009-05-10T20:43:00.000-07:00

Celebrated Mother's Day with mini-foods and milky tea at the posh Peninsula Hotel.

Happy Mother's Day!

Pilgrimage

2009-05-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

I used to think the Getty was really cool. Then I spent four days in New York, visiting five museums and one gallery with fellow art-pilgrim Noelle, and realized the Getty is only a little bit cool.

MoMA--Sol Lewitt wall drawings.

Christie's Auction House--mini-Moore.

We also stopped by the Guggenheim to revel in the genius of Frank LLoyd Wright, the Frick for fabulous French furniture and lots of Old Master paintings, and the Neue Gallery to visit Klimt's Adele.

And then of course, the Met--mecca for all that are art-inclined. We went twice and still didn't finish.

At least our Getty badge gained us free entrance (probably saving us well over $100) to all these places.

After spending an eventful, fun-filled four days with high-strung, neurotic people, walking through urine-laced subway tunnels, sleeping in glorified hallways and closets posing as apartments, standing in unavoidable lines and wading through thick crowds, I realize that while of course I heart New York, LA, I heart you soooo much more :)

(for complete pictures see flickr page)

Reviews: Eats and Beats

2009-03-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Across the street from Canter's, longtime landmark and elder statesman of Los Angeles eateries, comes the edgy, scrappy new kid on the block--The Golden State. The creation of 20-somethings Jim and Jason (Jim is nephew to my friend Christine, hence the writing of this review), The Golden State boasts a spare and functional decor, and serves a small, specialized menu of typical American fare--hamburgers, ham and cheese sandwiches, selections of sausages and beer--but all with a subtle twist. The juicy, robust burger (BEST I've EVER had...) is offset with the sweetness of thick-cut brown sugar glazed bacon. Run-of-the-mill french fries are spiced up with a side of Hazelnut Romesco dip, and the ketchup is curried. Dessert features Scoops ice cream, the fairly new but now indispensible neighborhood ice creamery in Silverlake. Like the purveyors of The Golden State, the crowd is made up of 20-somethings looking to forgo the glitz and grime of Sunset Blvd. a few streets away for the quirkier feel of Fairfax Ave.

( a smorgasboard of Scoops! served up special just for us)

On a different NOTE, I've been listening to Raphael Saadiq non-stop and it makes my commute actually pretty tolerable...soothe the traffic jam with a jive. The New Yorker calls it "so retro it's avant."

Atelier Bow-Wow

2009-02-26T20:08:00.000-08:00

Reviewing Atelier Bow-Wow show at REDCAT for Art Asia Pacific.

Early verdict: A definite must-see (and not just see but touch and sit and rock and swing!)

The note-scribbling stirred quite an appetite. Mo was my guide at Orochon in Little Tokyo ("I like the #4, it's the right amount of spicy, and I like to add a cha-su slice and bamboo..."), which I've been dying to try after hearing her rave about their ramen time and again. I haven't been able to stop thinking about the spicy warm broth... (verdict: a must-eat)

Brokedown Baroque

2009-02-22T14:13:00.000-08:00

Diana Al-Hadid, Spun of the Limits of My Lonely Waltz, 2006, Perry Rubenstein Gallery

One of the best things about working at the Getty is that inspiration is all around--beautiful weather (conducive to mid-day hikes with co-worker-friends), gorgeous landscape, aura of amazing art, and tomes upon volumes upon stacks of books and magazines that pique curiosity. Perusing the periodicals, I was reminded of the work of Diana Al-Hadid. I first saw Al-Hadid featured in ArtNews "Artists to Watch"; she reminds me of Jhumpa Lahiri or Zadie Smith--stunning young women with serious thoughts. (To see more of her work, click link.)

mini-belts

2009-02-18T20:55:00.000-08:00

vintage mini-belt bracelets cinched upon my wrist.

Starting the New Year

2009-01-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

(photo by Emma Goo)
It was the New Year and we had a romp(er)rollin good time...