March 1, 2008

It's Not Much, But It'll Do...

My New Studio Space - Looking In My New Studio Space - Looking Out

Views of my new studio. Looking in and out.

Click to go to Google Maps

The lower point is my apt. The upper point is the studio.

I finally got a studio space! And as the title suggests, there are a few shortcomings. But really, I'm so happy to finally have a place to work. It's 212 ft2 of bliss (50 more than my dining room!). It's also only a five minute bike ride from my house.

Took me and E a few days to get the old studio packed up and moved in. The hardest part was/is figuring out the most logical way to cram a bunch of sh*t into a small space and still have easy access to what I need without having to move everything around each time.

I've just started to work and I'm already working through long standing problems that have been difficult to think through without a space to do it in.

As my close friends know, it's not been easy to find a studio space here in Los Angeles. I visited around 4 spaces and read through hundreds of ads in Craigslist's commercial space section with a simple "art" keyword. The spaces were either too expensive (I'm paying $495, still way too much but it's within my budget) or not fit to work in (lack of ventilation and no water source). One space I found was great except I had to become a member of an art collective to get the space. Not sure what an art collective is supposed to accomplish but what I basically took away was that it was about people living an "artist/creative" lifestyle. It felt more like the set of "The Real World" without all the funding. Not what I was looking for.

While the space is small it will do for now. I hope to grow out of it as soon as possible! As well as update this site with my process.

February 21, 2008

7:35 de la Mañana

7:35 de la Mañana.

A short film by Nacho Vigalondo. Not having found a video store on the level of Premier Video (in Dallas) here in LA (I'm sure they exist of course), I'm starved for something more intelligent than the usual titles at Blockbuster. For some reason, I still haven't wanted to do NetFlix yet. Having that monthly bill makes feel obligated to watch movies.

February 12, 2008

Songs From a Hat

Songs From a Hat is a Youtube series I happened upon tonight after a long day of apartment cleaning (well, half a long day). The musician, Abby Simons, solicits song titles from her viewers and writes a new song every Sunday. Most are excellent and have a lot in common with Kimya Dawson. My favorites so far are:

CackerJacks and Cornflakes Don't Taste Good Together Winnie the Pooh Life of a Sidekick Please Don't Dance Left on the Right Side of the Road.

Her youth and candor make me feel a bit old mature and stuffy reserved :)

February 10, 2008

The Groundlings

We've been getting out a taking in some of the LA entertainment. Last Friday we got tickets to The Groundlings. It was soo great! For those of you who don't know anything about them, it is a comedy troop that does sketch comedy and improv. A lot of famous Saturday Night Live performers started there, including Will Farrell, Kristen Wiig and Will Forte. Here is a sketch from The Groundlings with Kristen Wiig.

January 30, 2008

Coyotes at Griffith Observatory

Coyotes at Griffith Observatory

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January 21, 2008

1/20/08 State of Things

I'm working through some "aggressive" deadlines (that's what they call 'em at work, kinda lame) culminating next Friday. Visited some studio space last week. It consisted of a series of basement servants quarters from the early 1900's. Couldn't have been more than 100 square feet, a sink and a water heater. Not much of an existence. The landlord said that they were probably Puerto Rican immigrants who felt lucky to have a space to themselves and to be pursuing the "American Dream". The rooms were just filled with junk, as if their function was always storage, regardless of what they contained. Really erie. Needless to say, it didn't work out.

I'm really getting desperate for space. Elizabeth put up a Craigslist posting for me tonight. Hope something comes through.

January 10, 2008

CES Hilarity

Gizmodo having fun with TV-Be-Gone remotes at the CES show. Soooo mean. I've always wanted to get one for the three million competing TVs at the laundromat.

January 10, 2008

Another Photoshop Tutorial

In this new Photoshop tutorial he makes his identity obvious. Not as funny as the first but the end is great.

January 6, 2008

Tiki Ti

Tonight was the first bar I've ever been to that has its own entry on Wikipedia. I first heard of the Tiki Ti from my newly transplanted friend Matt Causey (we met in PA). It was a nice place. Very small and lived-in. Me and E ordered two gin and tonics (and not the good kind-o-gin) and paid $9 a piece. Of course, they are known for there large pours and we basically received 4 for the price of 2. Not bad. Saves you a trip back to the bar, which is good because if I could explain it in an equation it would be dinky²+popular=f*cking-crowded.