The London Everyone Should Know...

I finally got around watching the dvd I bought at RT East the other night, "The London Nobody Knows," a documentary narrated by the ever so witty, elegant and gorgeous James Mason as he meanders through London's more slovenly and janky locations circa 1967. The whole thing is pretty heartbreaking, like the boy at the end who has tears down his cheeks but he starts beaming. Everyone should see this.

Bob Stanley's write-up of this documentary in the Guardian sums it all, "There is romance and adventure, but mostly there is malnourishment. London looks like a shithole."

But this shithole of a town is as inspiring and beautiful today as it was back then. It's the shit.


The Hoxton trees I loved looking at everyday.


Had the best breakfast down the street at the Cottage Cafe. Everything here was delicious, esp. the bubble and black pudding.


Maria's "new" mini. She knows how I loved getting chauffeured around town.


Fournier Street. Just watch the documentary and you'll know what I'm talking about.


Another fancy dinner. My first time at Rivington. I ordered suckling pig, Lacenaire ordered scallops but I actually had both! And the thing about that week were the chips. I think I ate chips everyday while I was in London. Now I'm on a diet.


This is what I love about London.


This too.


This was posted in front of Joiners Arms on my first night. So polite right?


I followed this girl for 2 minutes from the Old Street Tube stop. This just doesn't happen in America: a hot stylish girl with a beer casually walking on the street, minding her own business, just chilling. I was really crushing on her.


While describing my epicurean delicacies during my week in the UK to new friend Ian, he gasped when I told him my love for St. John. He said it was a vile place and that my week was full of hoity toity art & music piss. He's right. It was... kinda like this blog.

Total afflatus

I don't know what else I can say about London. I love my English friends... truly truly inspirational folks. When I am with them, it's like listening to devotional music.


Maria took us to Story, a special shop on a small street off Brick Lane where we both got the loveliest ceramic tealight candle holders in the shape of roses.


Paul & Sorrel, the gentlest, sweetest couple.


My all-time faves... J&J, here across from Regent's Canal having their veggie breakfast. You just get it all, don't you Jeremy? You are pastels, stripes, solids, cotton, creamy, clear, sweet, salty, nutty and so much more!


Cary. Cary. Cary. When Cary cuts my hair, it's like a love affair... He gave me a fringe (a Penelope Tree fringe!) at the bookshop within the gallery. I'm into it; I feel a bit goth with so much hair now it seems. Then he gave Conor (another Irishman!) a trim. Cary's quite good you know.


Al & Mel. Your performance was as tender and heartbreaking as ever.


Victor and Eva, my beloved cousins dancing on a hot day in Greenwich Park.


And the highlight... I got to meet one of my heroes, Kevin Shields... We clicked, I'm sure of it. This photo is pretty ultimate; J's in the background on the left and Gtr Hero is on the back right (song failed! and on easy too!) Thanks Schwartz for the introduction. I really appreciate it.

Ireland's favorite airline

Damn you Aer Lingus. I was delayed both ways each time. Kev said this always happens; flights to/from Dublin/Heathrow are not top priority so delays are commonplace. Getting there an hour later was okay but it was hectic returning to London two hours late for a delicious home cook meal back in Hoxton, Irish fish pie with fennel salad. It was prolly the best real meal I had all that week. Oh Dublin, I'm kinda glad I just stayed the time I did... Book of Kells was disappointing though the library upstairs was like out of a Harry Potter set (awesome), Grafton Street had some pretty good finds and that Indie rock chick DJ played some really good tunes at one of the countless bars I went to that night. If I had stayed any longer, Wax would of gotten me addicted to vodka and Red Bull even though I had protested that I just preferred Guinness.


Thanks Conor for your comfy room/sweet pad. The river view was quite nice.


Wax treated me & Kev to a nice home cook Indian meal. Yummy.


Wax with his beloved 30 year old Kobo family parrot who is one of the smartest pets I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I loved the way Kobo said goodbye to us as we made our way out for the night.


And so it goes... The view from the Guinness factory.

1066 Country

Where do you go after a place like Dungeness? Well Rye sounded like a nice name on the GPS map [the rental company upgraded me to a Landrover(!) cuz' I was a well-mannered American. wtf right?], a lot nicer than say, Dymchurch... Lacenaire googled it on his mobile and it said it was a medieval town filled with cobble stone streets! Could this trip get any better?

So Rye is part of this 1066 country, a maritime maze of medieval and Georgian buildings (let's not forget those cobbled streets and some real Tudor style architecture houses thrown in too!). We're kinda obsessed with all things nautical at the moment (including old sailor tattoos but purely from an admiration point of view, not something we would ever EVER get, well at least not for me anyways...) Apparently, Rye has long been a haven for artists and writers; former residents have been HG Wells, Henry James and Edith Wharton!




Outfitted in my new Barbour jacket (best find of this trip!), a whole milk latte and a canvas bag filled with goodies (Rye is a haven for antiquing as well as second-hand bookshops, but let's not go there as it would bore you to death... a slow, agonizing death...)


We discovered this town model of Rye, illuminating and precious right? Stayed at the Old Borough Arms, on the foot of Mermaid Street where all the action happens at night. Thanks Ian & Sara for a lovely stay.



Simon had yummy gingerbreads, eccles cakes, cornish pasties, but not pork pies.


The most amazing thing in Rye is at Waterman's. A perfect life-size wicker motorcycle. Need I say anything else?

Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands

So I found myself at this shingle wonderland/wasteland, the tide so low I could barely make out where land ended and where sea began. Even at the end of the world, I could see the waves!


From London to Dungeness, what originally was a pilgrimage to Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage became this incredible adventure, bursting with magic, impulse, inspiration.

I couldn't resist taking a few shingles as a reminder. They're placed on a special corner of my window sill at home now.

Dungeness is a strange feeling sort of town. I guess the best way to portray it is that you feel you are in the wetlands (or "hinterlands" as Lacenaire would like it described). You're not completely on dry land nor or you completely underwater, you're somewhere in between, stuck in a horror film setting, like you're in quicksand. Houses (they're more like cabins) are painted matte black, driftwood-like wooden boats act as cars permanently parked on the lawn, fisherman's junk scatter throughout, salty neon yellow cactus like flowers blossom through the shingles, the weird toy train that crosses through the village with its narrow gauge railway blowing smoke, adding to the eeriness of it all.

The black lighthouse, unfortunately closed that day. Lacenaire has aspirations to sleep in one of these one day. Dreams do come true.

The random but elegant gate next to the nuclear power station. Dungeness is like this perfect desolate town, all the bits make it so achingly bleak, so achingly beautiful.

The iconic house.


The experimental shingle garden. Jarman knew crystals have special healing powers.




My '80s Breakfast Club goth chic look fits well within this environment.


Lacenaire said that it was actually better that the sky was grey and partially drizzling; the lighting made way for the vibrancy of the flowers and situated our mood.

As it rains here tonight, I feel that I brought the English weather back with me to California. I love falling asleep to the rain.

Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it, and the bloom is gone.

I woke up this morning and saw that my cactus plant bloomed its magnificent fuschia flowers overnight. The blooms only last for one day and I'm so fortunate to be back home in time to have have witnessed this. Isn't this just beyond lovely?

I hope this will placate those who have been eagerly waiting for updates from my UK trip. I'm still in a jetlag/cold haze and when I sort myself into one piece again, I'll try to make sense of what was possibly one of the best holidays I've ever had. May has always treated me well.

Lykke Li

As I can't do much cuz' I'm letting my nails dry, I thought I should share this new obsession I have while making my dublab playlist for tomorrow. TED introduced me to Lykke Li last week. Let's just say I'm a little bit in love with her. She's kinda ultimate. Too bad I have to miss her open for my fave El Perro del Mar in LA in a few weeks; it's the same night as Destroyer and I just can't miss Dan Bejar for the world!

The lyrics to this song are really precious, a lite fare tale of love. She's playing NY this week. Kuo, you better go! I know how much you love music by girls! Bangs music!


p.s. I'm bringing Folkhands tomorrow as my special guest dj! Woohoo!!!

Dublab Proton Session

It's that time of the year again and I will be djing LIVE (I have so many yummy treats for you!) tomorrow starting at 9pm until late (Pacific Standard Time). Please tune in and donate (cuz' you know that's good for you)! Happy Cinco de Mayo!


THE DUBLAB “HANDS-ON” PROTON DRIVE

It’s time for collective construction! During the spring 2008 Proton Drive the Labrats and super special guests will be broadcasting live worldwide asking for financial support from dublab listeners. These “Proton Grants” power the lab’s creative operations and continued growth. Get hands-on and help dublab bring you beautiful music!

PROTON DRIVE LIVE BROADCAST HOURS MAY 5-21

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 7am-7pm
Tuesday, Thursday: 10am-10pm
+ 24 hour “No Sleep” Session: May 20th 10am - May 21st 10am

For more infomation and to donate please visit: dublab.com/protondrive

My May

This is what I want for my birthday. My Ted needs a mini-Ted. He's getting lonely these days.

Things to look forward to this month:
My bday, London, Dublin, Dungeness(!), St. John Bread & Wine, driving on the other side for the first time (insanity, I'm visualizing an Annie Hall moment here!), possibly a major haircut, Jeremy, Jamie, my English friends, my NY friends, my LA friends, the new and unknown, Destroyer(!), book fair, sis' bday and May itself(!)

My friend, Professor Wendy, published this enjoyable book on indie rock a couple of years ago. The Guardian just did a piece on it. I find it pretty funny. Read it here.

In the Privacy of Hot Chip

Last weekend was a fun music weekend. After SPZ in SD, I went back home and made my way to the release party for the new Safe Crackers fanzine series at Ooga Booga where Hot Chip dj'ed. It was packed, hot and sweaty (early LA summer heat) and there were moments of genius from the dj set esp. when it transitioned from Luther Vandross to Britney ("Gimme More..." Yes!) to Hall & Oates to current Snoop and then to Hot Chip, of course.


"Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it now... Say it, say it, say it, say it, say it, say it, say it now."


Safe Crackers! I got all 5 issues!


Ooh yes, during the oompah, Wiggles and Tessa oozed of oomph and sold oodles at Ooga Booga.


There's something hot about Hot Chip. During their exciting show the following night, they declared that they were going to go "ape shit" for the crowd. They did and the audience did as well. The show was so much fun. Uncharacteristic of my typical stiff self, I went ape shit. I haven't rollicked like that (and within the crowd, yes I was with the people) in a v. long time. I was dancing like a 15 year old at a Happy Mondays or New Kids on the Block show (I've been to both btw). It was just pure fun. Though a bit of a brodio crowd, it was precious. So many hot nerds in cute nerdy glasses dancing awkwardly but naturally. So hot.

"Godard: le plus con des Suisses pro-chinois!"

A while back, I was obsessed with the French events of May 1968. Enragés and Situationists in the Occupation Movement: Paris, May, 1968 by René Viénet gives good history on this important social movement of the last century. Starting next month in NY, the Film Forum and the Lincoln Center will be presenting a series of films relating to and inspired by May 1968. Man, I really want to go to NY for this... Read the NY Times article... go to Film Forum...

But when I looked in her eyes well I almost fell for Lola...

Lola is a magnet, always the center of attention where ever she goes. People love her. Now it's my turn to see what the fuss is all about.

We drove down to San Diego to see the amazing SPZ perform last night. I was ready to be in the same car and even be roomies with Folkhands' terrier, Lola. This year, I want to overcome all my fears and my terror of dogs has been the hardest to overcome. My one goal was to just have Lola on my lap and lightly pet her... Simple right?


We were all hungry so we made a quick stop at In'n'Out in Long Beach. Animal style was great at the time but haunting afterwards.


Checked into the W and munched on some passable sliders and cocktails at The Beach, their rooftop lounge (yes that's really sand in the pic). The crowd were TGIF types who were digging the light techno/house music universally found at every trendy boutiquey hotel lounge. But all of the sudden, Vampire Weekend came on followed by B&S. Felt like the invisible DJ was scanning the crowd and thought that he should play some indie music to satisfy us. But then it was back to self-inducing vomiting house music with some Brazilian flair thrown in. Thanks for being edgy DJ, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.


Kev was once afraid of dogs (never even touched one really) but on a recent SF trip with Lola, they bonded and are now mates. He said that Lola is special; she is super predictable so holding her, you know she won't go berserk and say, bite you in the face...


Lola with her surrogate master as Folkhands is still in NY.


After the thrilling show, we hung out at Tilbury's nice loft with amazing views of downtown (thanks for the late-nite yummy omelettes). Pictures of the SPZ show won't do it any justice as you had to be in that room to experience how such simply crafted songs can impact you so emotionally, so profoundly. These songs are romantic, mournful, full of rue and acceptance, transcendent. When I first heard Acoustic Mainlines around a year ago, I weeped. I loved how it made me feel even sadder and welcomed it. Then, when I saw the show for the first time last fall, the songs made me nostalgic of my past but never wanting to go back to that past. Last night, those same songs made me happy, I have so much to look forward to. SPZ is rock music. It's soul music. It's modern day classical music.


After getting up super late the next day, we headed up the coast to Encinitas. The day before, a surfer was killed a mile away by a Great White.


Lola is not fond of other dogs. This is the only time she barked and freaked out, a full on epileptic seizure. Conor quickly calmed her down and all was good again.


As we were pulling up into the parking lot at yummy Swami's Natural Foods Cafe, Jason Spaceman, in the same shirt and dark glasses from the night before, walked past us!!! Wtf? What are the chances of this happening? What are the chances???


This fortuitousness encounter gave me strength and I felt it was time. I motioned to Lola, then picked her up and put her on my lap. She was into it. I was into it. It felt fantastic. Major breakthrough.