there’s no better gift than a photograph.

it was a very john cusack oriented work week for me. besides attending the raven premiere on monday, i was asked to also cover his hollywood walk of fame star ceremony (located on hollywood & cherokee). here are the three paragraphs i wrote for it:

Hollywood Boulevard shined just a bit brighter this afternoon, as the incomparable John Cusack was awarded the 2,469th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As fans gathered with various memorabilia and paper printed boom boxes held high, Cusack was introduced to the crowd by what he called, "his very best of friends".  His sister Joan Cusack, kicked things off with a snarky yet loving tribute that illuminated the mystique she believed her brother emitted.

"John is a star. There's magic in him," she boasted. "He makes it look easy even when we know it isn't." Her speech ended with a phrase that seemed to echo a collective sentiment about her brother.  When she called him the "champion of the underdog", heads shook in total agreement and cheers. While Dan Aykroyd and Billy Bob Thornton also took the stage to gush about Cusack, the biggest applause of the day came courtesy of Jack Black's inspired closer: "I love you brohammer. Johnny Cusacko!"

Surrounded by some colleagues from his upcoming film The Raven, Cusack finally took the mic and humbly attributed his success to a long list of actors that he had the pleasure to work with throughout the years. Despite not being able to mention everyone (a filmography of over sixty films equals way too many shout outs), he stood grateful and charmed. Flashing that signature smile and sweetness that continues to resonate in people of all ages and 80s movie archetypes.

i stood next to the smelliest tourists that day. damn.

-t

even when you're in trouble, you can't forget to be true.

once again, blackbird blackbird, sweeps me off my feet. this time with a breeze of island tropics perfect for this sunsoaked sunday.

blackbird blackbird - "waikiki"

-t

in a matter of time, it will slip from my mind.

fourth premiere, first outside of hollywood. the well worn los angeles theater in DTLA served as the perfect outlet to debut the flick, the raven. based on the fictional final few days of legendary writer edgar allan poe, i asked john cusack if poe would be good at twitter. at first he disagreed but then changed his mind mid-answer.

-t

giving ends to my friends and it feels stupendous.

so the old bosser got a new gig. she's now the director of digital marketing for roc nation and i honestly couldn't be more proud or damn excited for her. so we decided, i would take her to movie premieres and she would take me to shows. our first trade was thursday night as she took me to the LA debut of brit firecracker, rita ora.

despite the uncomfortable heat of the viper room and the super bright stage lighting, the showcase was highly enjoyable. girl's got steeze and that cute rapid-fire british accent is sure to win over folks. but as a sucker for all things beyonce, she really got me when she kicked out her version of "say my name".

-t

we were dead even before the ship sank.

now i really gotta go pony up a few extra bucks to get a slice of pie from this arts district operation.

-t

you're an instrument of joy, so get back to doing what you want to be doing.

taking handmade to a crazy unforgettable level.

lernert & sander - handmade for wallpaper* 2012

-t

it has a spine and by the time you’re done reading this - so will you.

at this point, there's nothing more sublime than this new beach house b-side. not even this impeccable end of the week weather, the lakers double OT win or the emergence of my first paycheck despite some payroll confusion the past few days.

-t

memories don't live like people do. they always remember you.

 coachella is a very love/hate situation. i appreciate the assault of music, the roaming feeling of possibility and the company you choose to keep. i despise the dank bathroom situations, the smelly hippies and the flux of ridiculously bad dancing you just can't escape. after attending for work many years in a row, i took a year off and made a triumphant return last weekend sans the weight of responsibility.

the reason for the weekend's success was simple - i surrounded myself with the best. jenn, louvain, ivy and KC you guys were the secret weapon, the hole-in-one, the royale with cheese. our unspeakable saturday over-indulgence will go down as one of my best coachella memories ever. with cameos from the doctor, pare, our version of christina aguilera, brotherbear + lady and rihanna, our time in the desert couldn't have been more symmetrical or amazingly entertaining.

i'm still laughing at what we did. #HAM.

-t

i like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.

while it's difficult to define what excitement means, it's an easily recognizable sensation. whether your heart begins to race or perspiration starts to glisten, it's an immediate reaction that's addicting, fulfilling and completely necessary.

now tell me the song + video from mysterious producer, slow magic, doesn't resemble or mirror that heightened atmosphere of excitement.

-t

you have to have a sense of realism without the filter of nostalgia.

red carpet numero dos. post coachella-no sleep-no voice-all-good!

GIRLS GO CRAZY over this guy. the screams were like i've never heard before.

next monday, i get to tackle the cast of the raven and the incomparable john cusack. swoon.

-t

food, sleep, friends, love, everything.

thanks to dutch producer knight one, i now have the end-all-be-all answer the next time someone asks me what's my "feel good song"?

knight one - "onyx"

-t

we exist in the minds of other people, in thousands of memory clusters and one by one those clusters fade and disappear.

if inside jokes were currency, i'd be the richest person i know. i think that's why i really dig the latest video from local bass wunderkind, thundercat. the clip plays out like the biggest inside joke ever and whether or not you understand it is irrelevant cause luckily, it happens to be awesome all on it's own.

thundercat - "walkin"

is fate up for debate? and does my love only count if it's proved?

the latest breakbot b-side takes you on a longwinded journey of fluidity that concludes with an unexpected but lovely guitar solo.

-t

lots of things look like mistakes, except for you.

with bangers like these, don't expect this london songbird to be dancing all by her lonesome for long.

jessie ware - "110%"

-t

master of my make believe.

the correlation between heat waves and the urge to be outside dancing is pretty high in los angeles. throw in some carafes full of spirits and people not afraid to get close and you've found bliss. summer you're not quite here yet and the new jam from brooklyn outfit, friends, is our pre-party as we await and prepare.

friends - "mind control"

-t

learning to love the state i'm in.

yesterday i popped my red carpet cherry. i had the pleasure of being in the press line at the avengers premiere and i battled a gnarly case of nerves the whole time. even though i had two pages worth of questions and a tip sheet with me, your mind goes blank the second you can smile directly into a celebrity's pores. a whole new level of respect for people who do interviews for a living, especially those on camera kids. for my first solo output, it ended up being super fun and i'll get take two this monday night, as i'll be tackling the lucky one premiere. (let's see what zac efron drops this time.)

-t

the city is my church.

a few hours ago i had the pleasure of meeting ricky powell. he's an old school NYC street photographer and author. he had a composition notebook with him full of awesome photos, knicknacks and vintage basketball trading cards. definitely one of the most interesting people i've come across in awhile and he was kind enough to gift me with a signed copy of frank 151 that he guest curated.

i bet if i had a chance to speak with him longer, he would've told the craziest stories i've ever heard.

-t

do not speak unless you can improve the silence.

the new track from austin threesome, white denim, has a very lost-and-found vibe. almost like it was safely kept in storage for more than it's fair share of years, only to be dug out, dusted off and aged to perfection.

white denim - "get back to love (street joy)"

-t

live fast, smile always.

life can be defined as a sliding scale of patience. but perhaps the greatest test of applying that skill is exercised when dealing with someone we have deep and intimate feelings towards. those who know us best know exactly the quickest route to getting under our skin or worse, can go for the jugular at the most inopportune moments.

the latest brothertiger jam totally gets it and melodically admits to experiencing a failure of patience himself. 

brothertiger - "i've been waiting" MP3

-t

if you open a window and make love to the world, your story will get pneumonia.

-slow motion animals, drake's hyperactive right hand and rihanna's seemingly perfected side eye glare. take care kids.

-next up. my vote for video of the year. yes, year.

-t

what comes after this? a momentary bliss.

i apologize for the lack of programming this week. i've been trying to figure out my new daily schedule and jump into my new job. i'll catch up this weekend and by next week, will hopefully figure out how to devote a good amount of time to this sweet blog o' mine. 

love always,

-t

shut the door, shut the door. on terrible times.

one of princeton's dancier jams gets the yours tru.ly treatment and jesse kivel's live vocals couldn't have sounded better. especially as the camera fades onto his twin brother filling in with background support.

princeton - "to the alps"



-t

the dog days are over.

i began this blog because i was on a journey void of definitive paths or plans. it was supposed to chronicle my adventures with funemployment and aid in keeping the writing crayon sharp. but if you looked closely at the tone, it actually read more as a form of cathartic release. as everything outside of arms reach kept revolving, i continued to move in directions that were clouded with uncertainty but always did my best to have something special to offer to those around me.

604 posts and 28 drafts later, this blog can finally announce a distinct path. i have accepted a full-time position at gofobo. after surviving off of patience, inside jokes and tiny victories for an extended period of time, i am ridiculously excited and anxious to carve out a new routine and redefine personal successes.

but before i embark on new territory, i'd like to take a minute to recognize two things particularly close to the heart. freelancing has been an incredible piece of my life and none of it could have been possible without my former 8055. i cherish our work and collaborations with the highest reverence and feel grateful for your presence in all aspects of my life. and nothing can support that statement more than the fact that my dear blog was named after an inside joke we stumbled upon and i ceased to let you forget.

i also want to turn the spotlight towards my extended family: the xlarge store in los feliz. go spend some serious cash there because the owner, his beautiful family and island of misfit friends are some of the most genuine folks i've ever had the pleasure to spend time with. 20 years later, it's a neighborhood landmark with a legendary history packed in a two-story space and a dog named marlow guarding the door.

and of course, for everyone who offered a rotating amount of encouragement or condescension over the last two years, i love you more than coffee. and if you really knew me, there's no better or higher compliment. 

ps: this is not an april fools joke. i really did get a job. happy faces!

-t