Monday, October 31, 2011

take all of your tokens out and figure out which one you are.

coffee (coffee) club (club) had our second meeting last friday at coffee commissary off fairfax. a huge cafe with an apparent problematic wi-fi situation, we were surrounded by tons of yoga-panted patrons and unfortunately, more than a few socially acceptable gnats in the pastry case. 

we threw down on a cup of coava guatemalan san rafael for bosser and an ethiopian sidamo from seattle's own victrola for me. potentially boosted by two brown sugar cubes, my cup was berry delicious and was ultimately declared the day's clear winner. not to be overshadowed by caffeine, our meetings tend to illicit stellar conversations and per usual, our halloween edition didn't disappoint. 

yes i brought that pumpkin,

-t

this is my inception, i'm writing what i'm gonna do.

when in pursuit of your dreams, most people tend to reference the notion of up. with success being measured by promotions and bigger options, moving up and looking up are parallel indicators of hard work, hustle and eventual accomplishment. the latest single from common utilizes the idea of a beautiful blue sky as a launching pad to express your dreams and inspirations.

it's a positive message delivered from the emcee/actor, but projected from much higher and bolder view. 


the dreamer, the believer hits stores this december.

-t

all we ever wanted was everything.


it's hard to believe we've made it through 10 months already. with only two measly months before we're toasting to another 365, the only financial speed bumps that lay ahead are two more months of rent, the usual wave of bills, my friend lina's birthday and of course, christmas.

while december tends to be more spendy with the holiday season, i'm keeping track of what's essential and what's just careless when it comes to the hemorrhaging of money. but if i did have a few extra sheckles to spend, wouldn't it be amazing to have these beauties on my face?



-t

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

shake until your heart breaks.

all broken hearts sound different. sometime they drip with whiskey and tears. occasionally they'll sound oddly calm and rational. but for the most part, they allocate their expressions with questions. 

"why?"
"how could you do that to me?"
"don't you love me?"

the new single from bombay bicycle club has absorbed all of these grievances and cries with something more beautiful than anyone who broke your heart should ever deserve. 


a different kind of fix is available now.

-t

it's like my heart is trying to hug my brain.

yee, my favorite french artists are back!

supakitch x koralie euphorie mural collab.


-t

you almost feel ashamed that someone can be that important.

some days feel counterproductive and distant. like all of your work has suddenly been erased, or whatever good fortune you're convinced you deserve will never make it's way towards you. sometimes these feelings are brought on by others, but sometimes they're actually brought on by your own insecurities. 

the ideas behind love and affection can really mess with your mood and mind. adding angles that both isolate and control us, it's a goal we aimlessly one day hope to achieve. and for some, it appears to be by any means necessary. 



i can't remember if i liked what i said,

-t

and i think that if you thought about it, you know you'd like me too.

the internet is good for curing boredom, research and of course stalking. but my current favorite part of the world wide web are GIFs. i can spend hours chucking at them and often send them to friends when it's appropriate (but we all know the best ones are always inappropriate).

uk darlings, summer camp, must share my affinity for these gems because their new video is comprised of over 50 looping gif files! genius!

their debut, welcome to condale, is streaming now via prefix

summer camp - "down"


-t

but you'll never talk, cause you're so messed up.

holy balls. i'm already scared, disturbed and intrigued and it's only the trailer.

we need to talk about kevin haunts the cinema this winter. 


ps: doesn't ezra miller look like edward furlong's doppelganger?

-t

Friday, October 21, 2011

less stuff, more happiness.

it's no secret that i harbor an intense love affair with coffee. fresh beans, high quality milk or intricate extraction methods are like crack to me. i. can't. get. enough. while most of my life has called for a scaling back of extravagances, my addiction to coffee has yet to suffer and i'm always more than willing to throw down on a good cup.

my friend (and occasional boss) shares my addiction and we have made it our mission to visit some of los angeles' highest rated coffee shops. our first meeting for our coffee club was the aptly named coffeebar in downtown.

an amazing space that turns out one hell of a cup (we selected the sangre de toro from the pour-over bar). with a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese on the side, it's a recommended friday morning luxury.

till the next cup!

-t

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

we are young, we're just gonna mess it up.

with subtle nods to trainspotting and wong kar wai movies, the new video for rihanna's euro-trash dance banger reads more like a short-film than a music video. (and i love it!)

sex, drugs and rihanna.


-t

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

do it without me, do it when i'm gone.

small black always seem to beautifully accomplish the contradictory. they make muted and hazy jams that somehow still find distinct ways to shine. "moon killer" thrives off a balance of filtered, distorted synths and lush melodies, met with bright exclamations of background movements. a cross pattern of sound that makes for a pleasing middle ground.

the brooklyn foursome will drop the ever popular, "mixtape" this november. 


-t

Monday, October 17, 2011

my soul is in the atmosphere like airplay.

with their new single from their concept heavy upcoming record, the roots once again distribute their signature smoothness but this time it's met with a few ounces of sweetness. splitting verses between label mate big K.R.I.T and roots lynchpin black thought, "make my" debates the finer things in life and the sacrifices (or dangers?) in attaining such luxuries. 

undone hits stores december 9th.


-t

your looks have me putty in your hands now.

mayer hawthorne record release shows have a special place in my heart. for his debut release in 2009, my brother and i had a great time hanging around a bunch of red heart shaped balloons at the roxy. then sometime around midnight, i turned 25, drank my weight in whiskey and then proceeded to fall into my own kitchen sink (yes i said kitchen) to the utter delight of my brother at the end of the night.

while saturday night's celebration for his recently released how do you do, didn't cause me to fall into any appliances, it was still an amazing night of music. i've seen him perform a variety of times over the past few years and he's become such a polished and confident entertainer. blending the old, new and a few covers in a sharp red suit, it was quite the affair that concluded with a massive confetti explosion and his version of "i've got a crush on you".

and yes that is the set list, which now has a home on my fridge.

-t

do good work and everything else happens.

WHAT THE WHAT! THIS MAN IS A GENIUS.

chan hwee chong x spiral drawings collabo!



-t

all of a sudden i miss everyone.

considering i have not one design skill to save my life, i love seeing the process of creativity chronicled from the initial sketch to the final product. 



-t

Sunday, October 16, 2011

once upon a time we fell apart.

omitting an assortment of feelings that range from anxiety to hope, it's awfully fitting that this song is called "first date". all that's missing is a pair of sweaty palms and a perma-smile.




-t

Friday, October 14, 2011

if your ship doesn't come in, swim out to it.

i've spent a lot of time in libraries the past year, mostly because of the unstable state of internet access at my apartment. i used to frequent the new(ish) silver lake location, but eventually made my home at the los feliz library cause of its friendly parking situation and 2 minute distance from my place. 

i have yet to visit the west hollywood library but after watching these three amazing clips, it's definitely a priority destination. check out shepard fairey, retna and kenny scharf rise above the typical los angeles skyline to share their artistic visions. 




-t

enquire within upon everything.

the challenge: to create an image out of a word using only the letters in the word.

the result: success.

word as image by ji lee.


-t

storytelling is inherently dangerous.

drake trades his signature broken heartedness for a dedication of praise to a lucky lady in his life. whether or not it's the pink-wig-thick-ass-give-em-whip-lash chick featured on the track, it's definitely a welcomed cheer up.


-t

Friday, October 7, 2011

we'd be making love in five.

ladies and gents. she's (dun) done it again. baby bump and all.

 beyonce - "countdown"


-t

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

the past and the future are equally real.

there is an upbeat fullness to the new phantogram track "don't move". continuing to establish their penchant for darker emotional spaces and syncopated movements, the song now benefits from an assault of bright background arrangements and brass ad-libs. it emits an inescapable momentum and foreshadows an impressive structure for their forthcoming mini lp, nightlife.


keep your body still,

-t

everyone has a plan, till they get punched in the mouth.

even after the dust settles post-break up and you've actually managed to pull through the heartache, there's going to be moments when an irreplaceable nostalgia reappears towards your former significant other. before you realize it, your subconscious has become protective of such memories and will block your logic's attempt at recalling the bad times. the conflict between your head and heart is never more difficult than when you're deciding if it's time to finally move on or attempt to go back in time.

"how it ended" is the drums interpretation of this emotional showdown. check out its burlap-grain video below.



-t

today you. tomorrow me.

watch my mayer, my man get his "brangelina" on in the new clip for "the walk".


i bought #howdoyoudo yesterday, did you?

-t

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

i'll buy you a mountain and we can be lonely on top.

there's a lot of emphasis on connection throughout the movie 50/50 and you've got to give it up to joseph gordon levitt's adam, for handling each relationship with a varying scale of tenderness and vulnerability. the first relationship is with adam's best friend kyle (a vulgar yet surprisingly heartfelt seth rogan). as much as kyle tries to keep things light by using adam's cancer as a catalyst for meeting girls, as the story unfolds his struggles with his friend's illness becomes clear.

adam's overbearing mother (anjelica huston) is also a complex character as she yearns for companionship via the balance of trying to take care of others. her dementia riddled husband doesn't provide her with much comfort and adam's constant dismissal has left her lonely, broken and in search for validation elsewhere. 

but perhaps my favorite relationship throughout the film was adam's unconventional connection with his inexperienced therapist-in-training, a delicate and delightful anna kendrick as katherine. watching their various attempts at protecting each other is sweet and their general chemistry shines despite their characters awkward missteps and nervous trembles.

there's also interesting plot turns with adam's girlfriend and his chemo buddies but i won't giveaway much more. 50/50 is truly a beautiful story that highlights the value of life's little things, the power of loved ones and the importance of a well-placed seth rogan dick joke.


-t

i think a lot of people think that a new town is going to get rid of their problems or something.

exploring an alternative side of san francisco that rivals even the most ethereal urban landscape, bay area born-and-bred dominant legs offers their latest single behind a day-glow waterfront and candid city expressions. 



bravo yours truly, bravo.

-t

Sunday, October 2, 2011

last night i heard everything in slow motion.

if there's an old drake and a new drake, then i'd like one of each. thanks. 

drake - "headlines"


take care drops october 24th.

-t