Dick Hebdige

Tomorrow evening on the west side - Dick Hebdige: "After the fall: from punk to pornetration to 'let's be Facebook Frendz!!'

PING!

Okay I can't help myself. I seriously was not going to blog on Owley Patrol for a while as I focus on something much more important, much more life-changing and stimulating than erm... this... but this is special...this is precious... I needed to follow up on this... This will complete the cycle.

This morning, a fellow LOS told me about Ping! for the iPhone. Remember how I went on and on about BBM and that's why it's been so hard to fully embrace the iPhone in this last year? Well... Have a look at this application. It is totally Awesome. And it actually works! I've Ping! four friends (John, Amy, Sam and Bob) just in the last hour. I'm hooked! Just like when I was addicted to BBM.

Don't ask for my Ping! ping... You should know that already you dolt... dolt! It's a given! And remember to keep up okay?

How well do you know Owley Patrol?

What a fulfilling evening I had last night. I spent two hours making this quiz on facebook. It would have taken an hour but fb had technical issues and I had to do it again (again). If you're a fan, you should get at least a C. There are some trick questions and this will test your online research skills.

But if you're a true Owley Patrol devotee, a perfect score will be a breeze and you will be rewarded with a very special gift from me. x


HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW OWLEY PATROL?

1) Where does the title Owley Patrol come from?
a) An Asian girl blog dog.
b) An Asian girl with oversized glasses.
c) An Asian girl who likes to climb trees.
d) An Asian girl who likes reality TV.
e) An Asian girl bird watcher.

2) Which is not a nickname that appears on Owley Patrol?
a) Wiggles
b) Mr. Bickerson
c) Yorkshire Pudding
d) Daddy D
e) Easy

3) Which French chanteuse has not appeared on Owley Patrol?
a) Jane Birkin
b) France Gall
c) Brigitte Fontaine
d) Claudine Longet
e) Anna Karina

4) Which animal has Owley Patrol never eaten?
a) Dog
b) Cat
c) Frog
d) Turtle
e) Horse

5) Who is the author of "Seasonal Blues," a favorite on Owley Patrol?
a) Yoko Ono
b) Linda Thompson
c) Jackie DeShannon
d) Dory Previn
e) Laurie Styvers

6) What does FFC stand for on Owley Patrol?
a) Fulham Football Club
b) Failure to Fully Comply
c) Fat Fucking Cunts
d) Fall Fitness Cat
e) None of the Above

7) Which museum has Owley Patrol never visited?
a) The Cold War Museum, Washington DC
b) Imperial War Museum, London
c) War Crimes Museum, Saigon
d) Anti-War Museum, Berlin
e) Musee de l'Armee, Paris

8) Which sporting event has Owley Patrol never attended?
a) PGA
b) MLB
c) NBA
d) Barclays Premier League
e) NFL

9) What word is used the most on Owley Patrol?
a) Sick
b) Awesome
c) Peace
d) Wicked
e) Hella

10) Which best describes Owley Patrol?
a) Bossy
b) Dilettante
c) Judgmental
d) Hypocritical
e) All of the Above

Show + Tell

Someone told me yesterday that I act like an 8th grader when I'm with my girlfriends. Well, that's debatable but since it was my birthday week, I was thinking it was acceptable to act as troublesome and adorable more than ever. Afterall, I'm at a tender age now. I didn't have any plans this year; I was just too busy playing with my new toy* to bother. But as it turned out, it was rather awesome. I would rate this week a 9.75 out of 10. (Striving for perfection is motivating, not demoralizing).

There were so many amazing things that made it almost perfect: having the pleasure of working all week with a fellow NY LOS; having another fellow NY LOS surprise me with her elegant presence; gorging on the delicious cakes and cupcakes; the massive golden letter balloons spelling out my name; and dancing with other 8th graders.



This was my week.



There were the last few rehearsals with the band before the show with those Scots.



My beloved Wurly. One of its legs broke. It's been too settled at home these past couple of years and has lost its strength (but not its muscle tone). All fixed (for now).



C'est moi. Roland, the preferred sound for my instruments.



Pre-show Shambhala mediation led by Tsering Rangjung. The only follower: Mr. Bickerson.



His expression, "oy vey."

And THE GIFT. The best gift that could of happened right now.

His show was the same night as mine. I have come to accept that I will never get to see Destroyer live. But by some random chance, there was this most special encounter with this lyrical genius. Mr. Bickerson was there too! He said to him that he was partly responsible for our divorce. I continued with the fan attack by adding that we had listened to Destroyer's Rubies every day on that Last Tour. Then when we got home, we broke up. He was impressed. I spasmodically announced that I would come out of retirement only if his band and mine are to do an European only tour. He agreed. So there you have it. And now I'm listening to Strawberry Wine for the 131st time.



And the festivities ended with a trio birthday POTluck dinner party avec Hannah + Alex...



From the one who inspired this blog. Third year in a row. The best arrangement so far. I hope it never ends.


*All these pics are taken from my new Leica D-Lux 4 camera which my dear sister and lovely friends generously gave me. What a wonderful gift, what a perfect gift. I guess they really want my blog to improve...

Analog rules, vinyl's forever...

My Dual Noresco turntable and Marantz 2230B receiver (sans speakers in this pic). 3 things to get you going.



I had a feeling that this would be the case soon enough. When you've traveled so far and that which it embodies has re-appropriated (mostly) for the better (though many would disagree), the only way is to return to the original.

Three examples:

1. Jarvis on Record Store Day, His New Album & Pirates


I totally agree with everything Jarvis is saying. Thank goodness (!) I kept my cassettes and didn't chuck them in the last move...


2. The LA Times had a piece on it this past weekend which highlights my new neighborhood record shop!... "In a digital age, vinyl albums are making a comeback."


3. And something rather ingenious... the best of two worlds...


Spinning vinyl iPod application

Pano iPhone in Paris

I decided to test out the Pano for iPhone application in Paris. Was suffering from a triple hangover so these are not as seamlessly panoramic as I would of preferred but the subjects were the loveliest.









Paris, je t'aime. x

10 Things I Love About You.

I was down on the blog, it got weird as I got weird. But I'm keeping calm and carrying on...

And oh, I discovered many wondrous things in the last month and put them all to good use this past weekend...

1. I'm Googled out! My new bf, just perfect + lovely + adorkable, gave me a new Google tutorial every night when he stayed with me a couple of weeks ago. [One of the best weeks of my life! I love to get schooled by someone much smarter than me. So rare these days...] I was already using Calendar + Analytics but was reluctant with Reader. Even his bf (don't ask, it's a very complicated, sensitive situation) was trying to sell me on it... how wasted time is not squandered time with Reader at the airport. Now, I'm obsessed! And I put it to v good use on Sunday at JFK when my flight was delayed for 5.5 hours. After my freak-out at the counter, I settled in nicely with my Reader on the iPhone. But am still v bewildered and suspicious about Latitude. Do I really want you to know where I am exactly? I mean I could fib and say I'm at Taj Mahal (in Jersey, not Agra you dolt!) but right now I'm sitting on my couch listening to my Winter's mix while American Idol is on mute.




2. Though it's finally raining here, it's still v unnatural in LA and I'm getting sick of it. I want SEASONS! Sea Urchins' Please Rain Fall is an excellent song to fall asleep to...

3. As grating and demented Fishbeck can be, he redeems himself (just barely) with the tender compliment, with the gentlest gesture. He made me this drawing for me, inspired by my recent haircut. It's Rei! How can I be mad at him?



4. And I'm already dreaming of Scott Walker's Copenhagen. In 6 weeks!

5. My friend recently gave me the first two Destroyer records. "Cuz nothing good can come from leaving London..." This is how I will feel in 7 weeks...

6. The Cold: The thing that surprised me the most during my NY weekend jaunt was how pleasant the cold was for me. I loved it. I thought I was a weather wimp as I come from a hot exotic climate (erm, not LA but Vietnam)... But it felt fantastic walking 10 blocks at 3am in the freezing cold in LES. It was invigorating. I'm fantasizing a life of winter hibernation. I say this now but 3 months of it could do me in...

7. I went to see "He's Just Not That Into You" yesterday evening. I'm glad I went by myself cuz' when I wasn't laughing, I was in tears and cringing uncomfortably in my comfy seat. A film full of cliches and of actors I detest, I did relate to it on many levels. I'm so pedestrian; I'm a pathetic c***! Hmm, I meant bunt.

8. Nite Moon Cafe at Golden Bridge. Yes, one of my rules (as I'm not the exception) is "Kill All Hippies" so it's ironic that I should frequent the hippie "spiritual village" of LA every day for their yummy vegan lunch and to get my daily smoothie fix. Ugh! Quel est mauvais avec moi? But I do feel "fresh, alive and whole!"

9. I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Lauren this past weekend. She does arty things at the New Museum and you know how I adore arty people. I went for a visit and was emotionally captivated by Jeremy Deller's "It Is What It Is: Conversations about Iraq."

10. CameraBag app for the iPhone (thx Kate). I'm obsessed with making every image into a Polaroid right now... Let's have a look at my work shall we? Feel free to critique!


Like the last few times, I went straight to UWS. Central Park was eerily quiet and extremely beautiful.


Pond ice and leaves..


Damhave's precious petite mobile phone in my palm. You were awfully sweet to me this time around Damhave. And boy, did you look good!


Modern and elegant with beams and beams of sunlight.


Scott's library. I love this photo; it's reminds of a Godard film, full of pretension and primary colors.


Carl's pet turtle in Brooklyn. I spent some time in this borough and it's not so bad or far like I had imagined all these years. But still, no thanks...



I couldn't do a Polaroid of this as it would have cut the "B'L'ing" part out and then there would be no point to this at all.


Mary's whimsical SSWTR installation at Kiosk.


Ippudo goodness in the East Village. The 1.15 hour wait was well worth it.


The view from Canal, right before I left.


(*****I wonder how many of my shared friends will star this entry as it's so fucking good. It was well worth the wait, no?)

it's just casual

I'm not gonna consider this as the usual "serious" post but I cannot resist the temptation to blog tonight even though I have no time for this right now, especially this month... but I love my blog (j'adore!) so I'm making the time, I guess it's just that important? Well, yes it is... totalement indispensable! I'm actually using my old powerbook I am borrowing from Mr. Bickerson (can you believe it? what steps we've both taken!) as my precious macbook is somewhere in Appleland (i.e. Texas) getting mended and hopefully tomorrow, it'll be returned to moi in its original glory, all shiny and new. I really believe karma has bitten me in the ass... within the same week as me getting an iPhone (finally), my macbook acts up on me. I guess the lesson here is not to be hypocritical. I hate you Blackberry!

I've been pretty excited lately (it's been awesome with adventures) which I will go in further detail later this week when life resumes once my beloved mac is back in my arms. But I want to share a couple of quick things I've been obsessed with this week: (all superficial rather... again, I am being duplicitous as my purpose in life of late is trying to get rid of my material things but here I go again, wanting and wanting and wanting...)

1. Thursday is the day. I've already endlessly looked at the entire collection, mens and womens. CDG for H&M. OMFG. This will get its own post, a full analysis, a total discourse that will blow your mind. I swear. I promise...

2. The Margiela Gift Bow Ring. A gift in form of a gift! A double gift! The ultimate gift! Oh dear, I know I've been a good girl this year... this is number one on my list for Santa. Propose to me with this and I'll prolly say YES! I still believe! It's just that good! Yum yum piggy's bum...

People couldn't believe what I'd become...

Seriously, I was possessed today. I've been on the waiting list at my local AT&T for the new BB Bold which becomes available tomorrow. My current one is on its last legs, it barely works, the battery dies instantly and I don't even get email anymore! It's been overused, misused and abused; I've pillaged it like it was My Lai.

So I've been talking to anyone who would listen to why BBs are infinitely superior, the practicality of its "copy & paste," its quiet confidence, its refined elegance, a tour de force, but mainly and (un)fortunately, it was my sick sadistic love for bbm that has propelled me to this hypocritical hullabaloo. And out of nowhere today, I was compelled to end it all. This evening, I drove to the Apple store and bought myself an iPhone. And 30 minutes later, a new era began. Just like what's gonna happen tomorrow... I'm so amped to vote. All my friends, ALL MY FRIENDS, EVERYONE OF MY FRIENDS, EVERYONE I FUCKING KNOW, we're just so stoked for tomorrow. In the next 24 hours, my city, this country will go insane, absolutely mental. And like Akon, it's gonna determine if I plan on staying in this country or go elsewhere.

PLEASE VOTE TOMORROW!!!

So Bold

For all my geeky lovable friends who are trying to persuade me to get the new iPhone when it comes out next month, dude, I'm not going to. There's no "copy and paste"! and BBM! Not everyone is impressed nor prefers a touchscreen... No thank you. xo

Coldest Night of the Year

Nothing much to report this month, just trying to get fit and smart, playing records, buying stuff, drinking loads of tea (& vsop) and pigging out as usual. The best thing I'm doing is converting my favorite records from analog to digital on my new USB turntable I just bought. This is good winter music...

V. Bunyan's "Coldest Night of the Year.mp3"
Y. Ono's "Remember Love.mp3"