Mr. Udo's Poster Collection

Just wanted to share these photos of rock posters I took while in Japan last week. Just look, they're pretty rad. Disclaimer: Sorry about the reflection from the lighting; I don't use flash.

Yoko Ono looks quite decent here.
Suzy Quatro, The Queen of Rock'n'Roll
Lou Reed, Transformer Freak-Out
Come on Sportsman!
Hawaiian Style
Suntory Beer tastes of perfume
You better guard this one.

Irasshaimase!

I was wondering why the shopkeepers in Tokyo (Osaka is not as clamorous) scream out "Irasshaimase!" at such a disturbingly high volume when you enter a store (esp. at Shibuya 109 and Harajuku's Laforet). I know that it's a formal, polite way to greet customers but I got startled a few times by this earsplitting gesture (mostly Cuties and Sweeties with extremely shrill voices). Sometimes I would hear them mumbling this to themselves even when nobody is around; out of habit I guess, all the years of hardcore training forever instilled. I was at the malls during the annual sale so "Irasshaimase!" was raised several decibals; louder than I've ever remembered. It's like Chinese water torture taken to new heights. I want it to stop but then again I don't; in a demented, sadist way, I love it. It just makes me wanna focus harder on the task at hand which is shopping. Everything fits me to a tee in Japan. One of the best shopping experiences I've ever had.

Japanese Toilets

I am just transfixed by this. It's an all-in-one machine though to perfect it, one would need a blow dryer feature as well (though I'm sure these futurists might have figured this one out by now). The water temperature & flushing sound features are so Japanese, trying to make the whole experience a little more pleasant and polite.

Guardian Angel

Seriously, who wears this an 11-hour flight from LA to Tokyo? Flying economy on Korean Air is bad enough (can anyone say bibimap?) but I guess this girl is most snug almost naked (w/pink heels on naturally!) Too bad there isn't a frontal pic for you but as you can see, I had to keep my stalking on the DL (why do I love to stalk strangers?) Her make-up consisted of just black lipstick and black eyeliner, a true guardian angel protecting us on this flight. My husband "accidently" bumped into her on her way out of the bathroom on the plane. He had wanted to say "meet me back here in 15 minutes" but being married and all, it's rather inappropriate. BUT to wear a get-up like this on a plane just says "I don't really give a fuck what you think about me, I know I'm hot." So you can file this under "Don'ts" and "Dos" I suppose. And if you know this girl, I apologize for the harsh comments. Can you introduce us? :)

On the 49th day...

On the 49th day after the death, Buddhists help their recently departed love one enter the path of rebirth through a series of prayer and offering. My grandmother passed away 49 days ago and today was the day that karmic forces would decide her fate, her soul departed. I don’t exactly know the true reasons behind the 49th day but I think it has to do with the auspicious number 7; 7 stairs to heaven, 7 weeks, 7 as an odd number, 7 squared, etc. I should know more about this but sadly, I don’t.

I grew up Catholic but many a Sunday were spent at the Buddhist temple as well, praying for past loved family members, feasting afterwards on Buddhist vegetarian dishes. It’s interesting for me to see myself be intertwined within these two cultures & religions; how it has been an ongoing psychological influence on my identity. Yeah I already know, I’m insane. It was also interesting to see husband, the only white, towering over us little people.

My grandfathers

My grandmother

Yep

Art shows galore tonight. Artist Thomas Campbell brought out pretty much every rad person in the California surfing scene from San Diego to Santa Cruz for his show opening, Yep. Kudos to Mattson 2 who provided serious jazzy guitar shredding and The Japanese Motors, kooking out as usual.

Mattson 2 with Ray Barbee
Darren with Thomas Campbell
My OC girls in Hollywood (Bee, Syd & Merz)
The Japanese Motors
These gremmies love it loud!

Batman & Robin 2

Holy Shit Batman! I don't know which one is Batman and which one is Robin. Actually, maybe I do. I think Fishbeck is Batman and Rosenberg is his ward, Robin, in this dynamic duo. But only Alfred knows the truth. I've been enjoying this tune for a few years now, back in the old BatCave on Lakeshore.

Holy Shit's I Don't Need Enemies.mp3

Two Music Freaks

Kurt Lily and Darren Further, the odd pair
Was so excited to go see The Lilys tonight but missed them as I was too lame to realize that an early show means an early show. Heard they played "Nanny in Manhattan", an absolute pop delight. They better play that on Wednesday or the Owley wrath is going come out in full force!

First verse, same melody, eh?
Lilys' Returns Every Morning.mp3
Further's California Bummer.mp3

Addendum

I made a gross blunder by neglecting to add Woju's 3/4 profile "demure" look. This girl has got it down flawlessly. Fierce.

Three-Quarter Profile

Miss Folkhands and I were practicing our three-quarter profile pose the other night at the B&S show at the Bowl. We're trying to achieve that comment vous dites "demure" look. We're obviously not there yet as this is coming off severely fish face. We'll perfect it by the end of summer... definitely. I'll keep you posted.

This is what I've been listening to at the moment. The music is so Bacharach. So good.

I will not sleep (I will remain awake)

I generally sleep pretty well but there was a time when I was suffering from sleep deprivation due to what seemed like a never-ending month of daily travel. It's not fun being on an airplane almost everyday; it wears you down. My sage yogi friend recommended I try Yoga Nidra, also known as Psychic Sleep. It's a deep relaxation technique to eliminate physical, mental and emotional tension while maintaining consciousness. He gave me some audio tracks that his Guru made of this meditation practice.

OMG, It worked! Well it worked for me even if I wasn't doing it properly. This "yogic sleep" is supposed to give you like 3-6 hours of sleep/rest in 30 minutes! Seriously, for reals... You have to stay conscious during the entire practice through visualization; this takes you past the dreaming state and onto deep sleep. BUT this guru's voice is so relaxing that it becomes almost impossible for me to remain awake; I tend to just fall into deep sleep within 15 minutes. So it works in a weird way for me and I'm cured now.

Try it for yourself and hopefully you'll get something out of it. Namaste Bitches.

Yoga Nidra.mp3

It's like Fallujah (in Echo Park)

It's the 4th and it's time again for ExP to come out and celebrate with illegal fireworks. They are going off everywhere right now and it's freaking me out. Bombs away.

VietSoy

Had the white fish with dill & tumeric noodle dish for dinner at VietSoy again today. A photo wouldn't do it justice, it's my new favorite thing. Vietsoy is run by Viet (owner & chef) and Bun (she wouldn't let me take a photo of her lovely self). I have to say it's a really special place, a small gem. They are the sweetest people I've met this year. The food is fresh, succulent, and most importanly, tasty. Viet makes his own exceptional soy which is so labor-intensive (my favorite is the mint-flavored soymilk). Their sandwiches are pretty good too, the bread is trés french and buttery!

I hadn't been in a while and was sad to see that Viet's mural painting of the mom breast-feeding a baby with the father on the side was painted over. It's similar to the Socialist type of public art one sees throughout Vietnam. In a Communist state that does not favor artists, their government "approved" public art does certainly make a strong impression. Here are a couple I took from when I lived there in 1997.

This means "green, clean, beautiful." Three words to live by.


"ma túy" literally means "crazy ghost." How crazy is that? A very sobering anti-drug poster indeed.

VietSoy is located next to a former gay bar, Cuffs, now a soon-to-be trendy bar in Silverlake. Bun invited me to their private opening party after my meal. Turns out that one of the Pho Café ladies owns this new establishment, Hyperion Tavern. The interior is trés bibliothèque with two entire walls of façade books & two huge antiquey chandeliers. I can tell that it's going to be packed in weeks; it's just the perfect size, a bit dingy, romantic & gloomy, total hipster heaven. It's just so rad how so many Viet-kieu are establishing themselves in LA. And everything they are doing is actually very very cool! Go Viets!

Front Row Seat

Drove to Sano early yesterday and caught the sunrise. We got our desired spot at The Point, a front row seat at the beach. We were joined by a few friends, bbq'ed, surfed, slept, read, relaxed. There was a cute OP family near us. They they were practicing their tandem moves. Pretty good I'd say. There's Alex kooking out. Kooking out is what it's all about these days.