New Album

His new album is out October 27th...can't wait.

Neighborhood SF

Last week I went to an art opening at 111 Minna Gallery, where the show was NeighborhoodSF. A collection of art from local artists who were given the task to represent the different neighborhoods in San Francisco. A lot of people and some very cool art.

Street Art de Chile

In South America, Sao Paolo is considered the epicenter for graffiti and street art. But, I'm proud to say that Santiago isn't far behind.
Two years ago I went to visit and was able to hang out in Barrio Bellavista, which is known for being the bohemian party neighborhood. But I also found here a place rich in vibrant grafitti and artwork. Graffiti and stencil art is present all over Santiago, but in this borough there's a large concentration as virtually every house serves as a canvas.
While the muralist brigades in Chile don't have a set aesthetic, political fires fuel their inspiration. I suppose that is part of graffiti, being a reactionary form of art. A way of protesting in a peaceful manner.
Big issues that are seen in the mural art in Chile are the countries divide in relation to Pinochet-Allende, our September 11th coup, globalization, rebelling against authority and social norms, the marginalized people's neverending struggle against poverty, among so many other social issues that affect the country.
These are some of the pictures of the street art I took.

The Birds

Vintage is Lost

After finding the previous piece one thing lead to another and I came across several "vintage" Dharma Initiative ads. Pretty fucking cool.

Lost Design

In trying to quench my Lost thirst, (it's only been 2 months since the 5th season finale and I still have to make it all the way to next year for next season!) I stumbled upon this ridiculously awesome awesome poster from british designer, Olly Moss.
16 top artists were commissioned to create work celebrating the series' most unforgettable, standout moments. There is limited number of each work and they will not be reprinted (this one is already sold out). I haven't come across the others but will be on the look out. In true Lost fashion the others are mysteriously hidden and will be revealed through time.

More Summer (Still Not Enough)

The summer movie season in the US is known pretty much for blockbusters, action and adventure flicks whose sole reason for being is pure entertainment and popcorn fun. It seldom seems moviemakers can marry entertainment with something actually smart and clever (thank you JJ Abrams for Star Trek, curse you makers of Transformers, which I refuse to see and looks downright inane). So, often when looking for a bit more substance we must seek out movies that do not have the "Made in America" tag.
But there are hidden gems in the rough.
My by far favorite movie this summer and in a while was (500)Days of Summer. A story about love, not be confused with a love story (enough of those). Wry, clever, moving, relatable and charming, due in large part to the non linear narrative and it's main stars, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel.
The films glides along smoothly, aided by a fresh soundtrack and I have to mention the awesome, tongue in cheek dance routine to the Hall and Oates' "You Make My Dreams Come True".
For those of us who left the theater thirsty for more I came upon this. Because you can never get enough Summer.

Russian River

Circling the Drain (Appropiate Response)

After leaving Chile to live so far away I often considered what I would do if one of the members of my family I was closest to would become sick or die. Would I get on a plane and rush down? It's a day or so of flight time and the ticket is a bit more than say, going down to San Diego. What would that phone call be like? What would it feel like?
Well wonder no more.
Last October I wrote a mini short about one of my aunts who raised me during my teen years Chile, who had suffered a severe stroke and was paralized and probably not going to recover. Well she did for a while only to worsen again a few days ago.
I received some emails from cousins updating on her condition and now it seems nothing but a miracle can save her.
I called my cousin I'm closest to, she was in the hospital and needless to say it was an awkward conversation at best.
I remained silent most of the time, which isn't really proper phone etiquette. Since you can't see the person, you need some kind of acknowledgement that they are still on the line. But what do you say? What is the proper response?

Her condition has only gotten worse, for the last 2 days she's been vomiting blood and her condition is so fragile that the doctors can't even perform the appropriate exam to determine where the internal bleeding is coming from.

Silence.

She's at peace, she's ready. She called us all in and said her goodbyes one by one. We talked for 3 hours or so. She said she loves you very much. She said she wants to leave what little she has to you. She says she'll always be with us.

A gasp, then more silence.

Are you there?

Yes, I'm here.

The doctors say if she makes it through the night there might still be hope. But it doesn't seem likely.

I see.

Except I don't. I don't see. I don't see what you can possibly say to a conversation like that. What the correct response is. What the fuck do you answer, when someone tells you a person you care about is circling the drain and has been coughing up blood for the last couple of days? And you can't even go and say goodbye? Or support and comfort everyone else who is being put through the ringer?
Worst of all how do you end the conversation?

Yeah I'll call you later and check up. If you talk to her again before...if you talk to her later can you tell her I love her?

Then you hang up. When you hang up you're transported back to your cozy room in your San Francisco apartment. You hear your roommate laughing upstairs. Gone is the hospital, gone is your heartbroken family who is...waiting. Waiting for her to die.
Such a large distance plays such an important role. It's all happening so far away it almost isn't real. There's really no one you can really share this with. No one knows this person. She doesn't exist in your reality. So you can't really mourn her if she dies. Can you? It's such a bizarre mix of emotions bubbling up in that dark cauldron.
After reeling from probably one of the most intense phone conversations ever I got up from my chair and continued my day as usual. Running errands and preparing dinner. There's this strange feeling of cheating. Because I'm so far and not there, there's this odd sensation of feeling like a flake. I was supposed to be somewhere for something important but didn't go. Maybe also of being robbed.
So the day is coming to a close as every other day has. Except that it's different because someone I only know is dying or might have died already. For everyone in Chile everything will change. For me...very little.
There's not much to do except wait for the next phone call...I think a drink is order. It's suddenly really cold...perhaps a hot toddy.

Previously Occupied

Circles and Lines

Cities of Romance

n trying to find the Natalie Portman short (my favorite) from Paris, Je' taime and update it on an older post I wound up deleting the post entirely. So here I'm raising it again because I just like it that much.
After Paris, Je'taime, will come sometime in the near future New York, I Love You, which I am quite excited about. I've become a sucker for any story set in NYC. Not so interested in anything set in eternally sunny LA.
There was a long time last year when I fantasized about moving to NYC, and finding myself anew admist neon lights, skyscrapers, manhattans and endless, moving, concrete roads. While the possibility has never gone away, I've since decided to stay in San Francisco, at least for a while longer. My love for this city has only grown stronger and in the past few weeks of shakespearean woes, random strangers brought to my attention just how lucky I am.
I was doing laundry with my roommate at the Starwash Laundrymat, which is around the corner from our house. As we were there piling clothes in the drier with our frizzy hair and frumpy, laundry day outfits, tourists came in to take pictures of the laundrymat. Its a cute, tiny, clean laundry mat that is plastered to the ceiling with pictures of old stars from the days of black and white.
My roommate and I looked at each other and had to comment on how amazing it is that we live in such a place and do our laundry where others come to purposefully take pictures. I walked in dirty and came out feeling grateful once again.
So yes, I have a long term relationship with SF, and happy to have NYC as long distance lover.