it was this BiG

Friday File: Pizza and a Movie

Friday, February 29, 2008

Just a simple Friday night with a homemade pizza and a movie.

A Few Things To Do This Weekend

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Every Thursday I eagerly anticipate The Guide, a calendar insert of the Los Angeles Times, to see the goings-on in the big bad city. I’m mostly interested in the art exhibits that concern graphic design, design in general, printing or photography. Oh it also helps if they’re free. LA is an expensive town so you gotta save some coin somewhere. There are two openings this weekend that are piquing my curiosity. One is free and the other is a mere five bucks.

STARTS: Sunday, March 2
Hammer Museum: $5 or free on Thursdays.
Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love
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Kara Walker: A Work on Progress:1998
Cut paper on wall. 69 x 80 in. (175.3 x 203.2 cm). Collection of Judie and Howard Ganek.

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‘LOVE*LIFE*LUST’ La Mano Press Free!

What's In Your Sketch Book?

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

I'm hoping to design some cards with these guys on them.

Pretty, eh?

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Or in America you would say, "pretty, huh?" My friend took this photo from her home in St. Catharines, Ontario. It's in response to my post back in January about sunsets. I've started a flickr group if you're interested in posting a sunset or dramatic-sky photo.

Cheer Up It’s Only Monday

Monday, February 25, 2008

Just in case you haven’t seen any of these yet.
Taking Care of Baby
Charlie Bit Me!

It’s just so strange, but funny.
Fainting Goats
Fainting Goats—National Geographic.

“Now, who’s going to Bring me a BOURBON?” — Mag Wildwood

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Actually I can’t stand the stuff, but I always think it tastes pretty good in baked treats. The sweet loaf pictured above is called Hootenholler Whiskey Quick Bread and the recipe is from the I Hate to Cook Cookbook by Peg Bracken. Peg Bracken died last year, but she left a legacy of very funny housekeeping books that where published in the 1960’s and 70’s. I discovered her work, through a radio obituary I heard last year on NPR. Also the New York Time Magazine published her obit in their The Lives They Lived issue last December.

You can listen to an interview with Peg Bracken on NPR or you can read about her at nytimes.com.

I bought some of her books on ebay, but I’ll save that for another post.

Oot and Aboot

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Here are a few artful free things to see.

THE ARMORY GALLERY
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Read Me! Text in Art
145 North Raymond Avenue, near Old Pasadena Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, noon- 5 p.m. Free admission. December 9 – February 24

Okay, only a short time to catch this one, but I’m heading that way today. This is where I take my letterpress classes too.

That Cool REDCAT: Los Angeles at 631 W. 2nd St.

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TWO LINES ALIGN: DRAWINGS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
BY ED FELLA AND GEOFF MCFETRIDGE
February 21 - April 6, 2008

I’ve never been to The Redcat, but this is sure a good excuse to go. I especailly like the fact that the gallery is “always free”.

Really Terrific Teapots

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Saddleback College Art Gallery:
Third International Small Teapot Competition and Show
February 25 - March 27, 2008

I don’t think this one starts until next week, but it looks really neat and it’s “freeeee”. I think Andrew would like to see this one since he’s a tea-dude and all.

Friday File: I'm too late See Saturday's Post

Friday, February 22, 2008

Illustration by John Tenniel.

I Found This at the Antique Mall

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Andrew wasn’t the only one to find something at the antique mall last weekend. I found this cute-little-mid-century-children’s book in almost perfect condition. Is that enough adjectives by the way? As you can see it’s printed in two color which I think always looks very smart.

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I love birch trees.

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Sweet illustrations.

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Wednesday: Letterpress the Antidote

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I have three work-in-progress projects for letterpress. A two-color business card, a thank you note and a mini-movie poster. The poster project is quite involved and I expect it to take me until, give or take, the end of the year. I’m only there once a week for two and half hours so there isn’t much time to get a lot done. Letterpress is like that in general, you have to be patient because it’s a slow progress. It’s the antidote for our hasty society.

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I’m using chip board for my business card.
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I’ve used this plate quite a few times now.

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This linoleum block is ready to be carved.

This Week: Doings

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Reading
Run by Ann Patchett. I didn’t pick this book it was picked for me. I belong to the KCRW book club, they send me five books a year, a premium for sponsoring the station. I’m not sure if it’s my kind of book.

Making
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roast chicken

Eating
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roast chicken

Watching
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Mary Tyler Moore Season 1. Can’t get enough of that 70’s.

Travel Plans
Andrew leaves for Italy this week.

Guest Blog: Holiday Monday

Monday, February 18, 2008

I picked up another vintage shaker when we went to the antique mall over the weekend. This one has pictures of Paris on it. There were quite a few shakers in the store, including one exactly like the one Debbie gave me for Christmas-no cap on it though.

Sunday: Fun With Borders

Sunday, February 17, 2008

After our museum visit on Saturday we headed over to the Sherman Oaks Antique Mall. We didn't buy too much, but it sure was entertaining looking at all that old stuff.

I found some neato grunge borders, from 640pixels.com, to jazz up today's photos.

Saturday: Guest Blogger

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Today we went to the Forest Lawn museum in Glendale to see an exhibit. Behind the museum is a nice patio, with a great view of downtown Glendale and the valley.

Friday File: Around Town this Weekend…

Friday, February 15, 2008

We’re thinking about having a look at one these exhibits this weekend.

ROCKY SCHENCK: LOS ANGELES
Images of an L.A. we don't always notice

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Detail of Rocky Schenck's "The End," 2007, toned, gelatin silver print.

Posters of the WPA (Works Progress Administration)

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Forest Lawn Glendale – Museum

The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design featuring costumes from the previous year's best films and a sampling of Academy Award©-nominated costumes.

Happy Friday.

Life Aquatic: Part 2

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Life Aquatic: Part 1

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

What I’m up to this Week

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Reading:
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I, California by Stacey Grenrock Woods
Second in the pile of books I got for Christmas.

Eating:
All the leftover food from Saturday night’s gathering.

Waiting:
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For West Elm to deliver my table lamp.

Making:
Carving a linoleum-cut for letterpress.

Watching:
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Third season of the Bob Newhart show—so funny.

Gadgets by Google

Monday, February 11, 2008

Because I’m Cheap

Sunday, February 10, 2008

I don’t usually decorate for Valentine’s Day, but since we were hosting a gathering so close to the day I thought I should do something festive. For an inexpensive and recyclable heart garland I strung together some heart-shaped-paper doilies I picked up at Target. Which by the way had at least five rows of crap dedicated to Valentine’s Day. Scary.

The-Cocktail-Club-formally-known-as-the-Book-Club

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Andrew is a very organized bartender.

Tonight Andrew and I had a gathering of people from The-Cocktail-Club-formally-known-as-the-Book-Club. Last year a friend and I started a monthly book club with a membership of nine ladies. It all started out enthusiastically enough but as the months progressed the ladies dropped out, each with some sort of lame excuse like having to spend more time with their children. After six short months our book club was a bust. So last September, over a Friday evening drink, my friend and I founded the Cocktail Club. The Cocktail Club works like this: once a month or so a pre-selected member hosts a gathering at their home. So far we have been treated to a wine-tasting night, a beer-tasting night, gin cocktails and tonight we served vodka cocktails. Next month we’re going to Palm Springs to try champagne. There are so many members in the club that we won’t have to host again until the year 2010.

Friday File: My Neighbourhood

Friday, February 08, 2008

Graffiti photo art.

Thursday: Guest Blogger (Again)

Thursday, February 07, 2008

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Both Debbie and I have colds, which may be relapses of the flu we had a few weeks ago. When we're sick, we drink TheraFlu, WalFlu, Neo Citron...whatever they call the gross-tasting drinks that put you to sleep even when you're so stuffed up you can't breathe. Now I'm willing to drink something yucky if it means getting some sleep instead of sitting on the couch pondering what color of goo will come out of my nose next, but I drew the line at "TheraFlu for Flu and Chest Congestion". It tastes like a moldy old lemon smothered in Vegemite and dipped in sea water. I begged Debbie to pick up something different, and luckily the "TheraFlu for Severe Cold" is something I can at least get down without gagging. Nighty night!

Letterpress Wednesday

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Tuesday: Guest Blogger Day

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Yesterday and today I was riding up in the hills around Malibu for work. And, as is usually the case after a big rain, the sky was almost perfectly clear. The picture is looking Southeast from Deer Creek Road in Ventura County, and the big hill you can see is Palos Verdes, about 35 miles away and the other side of Los Angeles. We could also see Catalina Island, another 20 miles further away. The hills are actually green now, even in some places where the fires hit last October. Just another day in paradise.
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Photo by Big A.

Random Monday: Move Over Method

Monday, February 04, 2008

I found this handsomely packaged liquid-hand soap at Target yesterday. Not only do I like the label, but it smells really nice too. Apparently the company, J.R. Watkins Apothecary, has been around for ages quietly making fine products right under my nose.

I know it’s silly to get excited about liquid hand soap, but come on it’s anxiety free.

Bones Know Best

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Same leg bone, but not the same shape.

I spent the better part of this weekend at an Anatomy and the Joints workshop instructed by Paul Grilley, a well known anatomy expert in the yoga world. Although some people find this a dry subject I'm a bit of an anatomy nerd. Learning about bones and muscles was one of the things I looked forward to the most when I took my teacher training last year. This weekend the lecture explored the uniqueness of bone structure and how it effects an individual’s range of motion. It’s a mystery to a student of yoga (that would be me) as to why one posture is so easy and the next is torture. To put it in a nutshell your bones have the final say in how far you will go in a pose. Sometimes you just have to accept that Gumby beside you in yoga class is a freak and it’s time to get on with your own damn practice.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Photo by Big A.

Friday File: Criss-Cross Skies

Friday, February 01, 2008

Things are looking a little crowded up there.

Click here for a larger view.