celebrating stolen land & other truths

My little sister summed up my sentiments on the 4th of July pretty well. She sent me a text which read: "Go American idiots watching lights going up in the sky"...she just turned 13. So poignant.

Most Americans celebrate 'Independence' Day by having a BBQ & blowing things up all night. Toasting to 'Freedom' & keeping the fire and police departments plenty busy.... But what are they really celebrating? Declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.....that shit was done on July 2nd! My guess is for most it's really all about having the day off of work, spending quality time with family/friends, & not so much about patriotism. I'm down for a good time, but something about celebrating this country rubs me the wrong way...

Still, I'd be lying if I said that's the only reason I dislike this holiday.....

It was the summer of 1997 that forever changed this holiday for me. A beautiful day in So Cal; spent on my dad's boat in my favorite pink rose print swimsuit. We made crêpes, snorkeled, & watched fireworks (put on by PROFESSIONALS & not the bad ass lil kids in the neighborhood) from a safe distance (i.e., watching from the deck of the boat that was anchored near the beach).
The entire day had been really lovely & coming home to find the giant driveway gate had been somehow knocked down by our 3, probably terrified, dogs was a real shock. The bubble literally burst. Full on panic set in when we realized that only 2 of the 3 dogs were accounted for & the search began. We all ran around the neighborhood frantically searching for our beloved Shar-Pei. Sadly the search ended rather quickly when I spotted what looked like a mangled paper bag laying lifelessly on the side of the road. A quick inspection by my then step-mother Sarah confirmed the worst-our lil wrinkly bundle of joy had been run over by a car & killed. My dad wrapped him up in a bed sheet & we had him (illegally) buried in our backyard in between the tree house & the plum tree.  :'(
When I think about it, that summer, and our pup's death was a pretty major marker in my life.
By the following summer almost everything in my life was different! Moved from Beverly Hills to a to the equestrian side of Glendale, where I didn't know a single soul. Dad divorced Sarah & got with his current wife, whom I still can't fucking stand. I graduated from the 5th grade, which in my school also meant moving from the 'little kid' grassy playground to the 'big kid' black top basketball courts that the middle & high school kids shared-A scary step I wasn't looking forward to!!!
My little sister was born July 2nd, 1998 & the world was new.

I have a feeling I won't be in the US this time next year so maybe I'll be looking at this holiday with a different sentiment, but currently it's one of contempt.....

America.............FUCK YEAH NAH

Happy Holidaze

Just wanted to take this moment and wish you all a happy holiday season!

I'm busy with finals and can't blog as much as I'd like to. Just as well I suppose because I seem to be going through some sort of writer's block/uninspired/mercury in retrograde/ funk thing anyway...

Lots of fun holiday party pictures and last minute gift ideas to come I promise :)

I've been an awful good girl...

Dia de los Muertos!

Day of the Dead!!! 

One of my favorite holidays! A time of remembrance, a time of celebration! When family and friends gather to celebrate (NOT mourn) the lives of the ones we love and lost. This year I had all these special plans for an grand, colorful altar filled with ofrendas like baked goodies and flowers (Marigolds) and more! Then time and reality kicked in and I realized I didn't even have the means for the materials nor the time that a project like this demands. Next year I will save up ahead of time. I still have the sketches and plans laid out in my notebook so it's no big deal. Lucky for me, Self Help Graphics had loads of altars for me to admire at their 37th annual (longest running in the COUNTRY) Dia de los Muertos Celebration!!! 

Eryc, Rene, and Gabe joined me for the fun. We decided to grab a snack at the weekly Farmer's Market near the Highland Park Gold line station before heading to the event. There was a bouncy house!!

This jacket was priced at TEN dollars!!!! It was too small for me and I tried convincing Rene to buy it but he passed. Such a great deal- so cool. I'd wear it all year. 

After sampling a lil bit of everything from each vendor, munching down on some gourmet tamales, and being serenaded by this cutie who was singing in PORTUGUESE (omfg just shut up and kiss me) it was time to catch the metro.

 The sun was starting to set so of course I couldn't put down the camera.

 

The pinks! The purples! I can't take itttt!

Did you VOTE? We did :D All four of us did! (Eryc's sticker isn't pictured)

A view from the rail....

We arrived!!

A view of the main stage...

Self Help Graphics had photo areas set up with props and backgrounds made by the kids, volunteers/participants at their workshops/events. They were requesting donations and well all happily pitched in and lined up for photos...

Face painting!!!!

Sooooo many awesome booths with heaps of neat stuff to buy!! (xmas IS around the corner!)

Edible sugar skulls and chocolate!!!

Awesome pumpkin...

I ended up buying that lil doll with the unibrow (more on that in another post) and i reeeally wanted that owl sack. So cute.

Key holders. Love the FOUR LOKO one!!!

Calaveras galore....

More art than I could give proper attention to...

A pit stop for some food. Elotes, pupusas, tacos, and more! The lines were long and slow =/

It was such a beautiful night with great people, music, art, and funny man,winner of this year's Last Comic Standing (RIP Greg D':), Felipe Esparza. One of our own. He had me in stitches the entire night.

Front and center!

The crowd...

I ran into my good friend Drea!! :D

Gabe smoking a cig backstage...

The altars were spectacular! All of them were colorful and all lit up with strung lights and candles ♥
Of course everyone included photos of their loved ones along with plenty of magnificent ofrendas to entice the passed on to come and party.

I could take up your entire day with photos of all the super awesome altars but I won't. Instead I'll keep it short and sweet and show you my favorite of them all:

They included a framed photo of Dodger great Jackie Robinson....

And the most adorable faux camping scenario! Complete with a lil fire and supplies...

I also really loved this little waking dead display. They were all there in spirit for sure!!

 The event was so so so much fun and it was so nice to run into friends I haven't seen in a while. I really look forward to next year's fun. Best of all the guys weren't sorry they come with me!!! They actually had a good time!!!!! Dare I say they even want to come with me to next year's celebration too?? Stay tuned :)

I'm sad to see that Prop.19 did not pass because I really feel like California could benefit from the added revenue and I am also disappointed to see that Cooley won....but politics and money are 2 things I don't like to discuss in mixed company so let's not get into it....there's always 2012 right?
On a completely unrelated note, my tan from this year's super surftastic summer has finally begun to fade. I couldn't be happier about it! Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of my heritage and my glorious brown skin but this summer I took it to the max and turned into a Bronze Goddess. It was ridiculous! Just out of control.
When October rolled around I began to panic because the tan I worked all summer to perfect (It's harder to be perfectly/evenly gold than it looks!) was now lingering too long and hating on my Fall wardrobe/makeup.  Luckily with school and the weird weather LA has been having these past few weeks I have been able to take cover inside. Observe...