rivertimes.

East fork river. 

Next time I want to hike to the Bridge to Nowhere :)

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

lo-lee-ta

I made a reference to Darian (Adrienne) Forrester in a post a lil over a year ago but I'm still feelin' her style today.

nylonmag.com

Gonna watch the movie again just for fun ♥
As luck would have it, The Crush will be available for Instant Watch on Netflix 7/1 :D

Growing up, I always wanted a pair of heart shapped shades.... they remind me of Kubrick's Lolita

Sue (or Suellyn) Lyon & I share birthdays, 7/10

summer reading perhaps? Not for me, my list is full, but if you've never read Nabokov's Lolita you definitely should:

beach ya to it

HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE EVERYONE!!

Designer BAND-AIDS!!

Looking for a cute/chic wetsuit....as soon as this tattoo heals I'll be hitting the waters! Hope you all had an awesome time celebrating International Surfing day!!

AIDS

Currently obsessed w/ brAIDS & of course, mermAIDS! If only I had a head of locks flowing down to my bottom....

xx

As the leaves start to fall and the moon starts to rise: Farwell summer of freedom

LUNASA
Mid beautiful flowers, bright fields and clear streams
We pass precious hours of summer and dreams

The birds' gentle twitter, the frog's silver peep
All seem to have faded, while we were asleep

The song we're now hearing is mournful and strange
As the sun starts to set and the leaves start to change

From the hill over yonder we hear the bulls cry
As the leaves start to fall and the moon starts to rise

Oh the bulls all howl at the moon, it is full and hung over the hill
The autumn leaves will all be falling soon and then winter will come in for the kill

But there are still green trees and one last round for the bees
Before we all freeze over for a spell

So let us treasure these moments together
As we sing along so long and fare thee well

For tonight is the last night of summer my love
Of the summer of love
Of the summer my love

For tonight is the last night of summer my love
Of the summer of love
Of the summer my love

The beautiful flowers will all fade away
The streams will all freeze and the fields turn to gray

The frogs all will slumber, the birds will take flight
And winter's cold wonder will bid us goodnight

I've never had such a hard time saying goodbye to summer. This year my summer was so FREE. Everything about it felt LIBERATED. Absolute Nirvana
When I think about it the whole thing began in May when my brother Alex & I took a road trip to the Bay to see our brother Esteban graduate from Berkeley. While we were up there I realised that I didn't want to go back to LA & continue helping my Dad out at his practice (which I had been doing for 4 mos.) anymore. I adore my pops but his life is in complete disorder. He's extremely depressed and stressed out! I couldn't continue to let myself get caught up in his drama. It was bumming me the fuck out.
Jules happened to be passing through the bay on his way home from a cross-country road trip. The whole thing was magical. I loved every bit of being out there.
Coming back to LA after all of that there was no way I was going to let myself get sucked back in. I resigned from my Dad's & never looked back.

No job. No school. NADA. I haven't enjoyed the heaven that is this season since I was kid in grade school. Even then it wasn't as fun because I was limited to whatever my parents wanted to do. Still now, just like back then, I'm being dragged into reality, back down to earth, the fantasy ends.
Every day I woke up to a world of possibilities. Never knowing where the day would take me and I loved it. PARADISE.
Now that school is back in session and I'm looking for a new job all that freedom and carefree spirit is going going gone...like sand slipping through my fingers. I have places to be and people to see instead of places to find and people to meet!

Far well surfpunk summer.
Ta ta for now!
Next summer I look forward to living on the beach
practice surfing everyday. bbq everday.
Smelling like sun tan lotion and weed.
Let this be the last of my summer funeral. Onwards and upwards!

Today's gloomy weather has flipped the switch in me. HELLO FALL! :D
If you know anything about me, you know how much I love Halloween and Autumn.
THANK GOODNESS we have the fall to ease us into winter. Imagine if summer faded directly into winter?! EEEEk

A video to accompany the the lyrics above. If you haven't already done so you should buy Karen Elson's The Ghost Who Walks

She's WIT IT

Nala is SO cuuute ♥


Chrispy ama hello kitty





I take...




too many




pictures of




myself.
L A M E




Rene is picture worthy!!




so is the pool...





SUCH a gorgeous sunset last wednesday night.




I ♥ Highland Park

I was kidnapped...

The recent heat forced me up and out in search of refuge.

I hope you've been enjoying the last few weeks of summer as well. Are YOU ready for Fall? aye aye aye!