Day of the Dead imagery @ MOLAA

Photography, sculpture, and community art abound at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, CA.  These days they're celebrating Day of the Dead.  They also feature a colorful, outdoor sculpture garden with vividly painted walls. Someday I'll throw a party there.

Log Lady Costume for 2

I want to throw a Twin Peaks Halloween party.  Problem #1: I have only four friends (having recently moved).  Problem #2:  Only one of them is familiar with the 90s TV series.  If I dressed as a Twin Peaks character, it'd be the Log Lady.  Check out the Log Lady costume from Chinotto is my Nemesis, above.  How genius to get her kid involved!  The real Log Lady from Twin Peaks is below.

 

And here's my chihuahua, Cooper.  He's named after the diminutive car and the Twin Peaks FBI agent, Dale Cooper.

California, why U so boring?

California hails oceans, mountains, valleys, palm trees, cacti, a colorful Hispanic culture (among others), and movie stars.  So why the heck is our license plate so BORING?  It's been boring all through history.  Part of me thinks the government makes license plates plain so police can easily read them when pursuing vehicles, which they do frequently.  Other states have car chases but boast interesting and attractive plates.  They prove aesthetics don't have to fly out the window.  My favorites are:

 

Utah: Bold, bright. Utah has cool rocks and they know it.

 

Hawaii: When I see this plate I feel like smiling.

Mississippi: Do it, Mississippi.  This state doesn't scrimp on colors.  It looks like they commissioned Thomas Kinkaid to design their plate.  Now I want to go to Mississippi, sit on the shore and gaze at this lighthouse at sunset.

Georgia: I have a strange obsession with images of fruit.  I appreciate the graphic simplicity of Georgia's purty peach, combined with how its image immediately brings to mind their state.

Oregon: Oregon's not trying to fool anyone.  They're not known for sun or fruit.  They strut their stuff with three solid colors offset by white, showing threes and mountains. 

You can see license plates from all 50 states (some which are a few years old) at The US 50.

Images via The US50, Tenkara USA, The Plate Shack

Girl Scout Cupcakes

By Crumbs Bake Shop

Their hearts bleed white and Dodger blue

 

Folks in L.A. have serious love for the Dodgers.  This funky shirt is from my favorite shop in Uptown Whittier, La Casita Del Pueblo.

Steven Yeun without eyebrows

Pic via Stars Without Eyebrows

Delightful, devilish pumpkins

I love Halloween.  I love that kids get to make believe and dress up. I love that they get to go to neighbors and ask for candy. I love that they get to gather a stash of sweets. I love giving candy to kids--even teens if they're polite and don't show up wearing their regular clothes.  I love that Halloween involves ghosts, goblins, and the dark side.  Speaking of the dark side, Martha Stewart and her staff have come up with a load of creative, spooky decorations for All Hallow's Eve.

James Franco's art in This Is the End

Do you recall the paintings hanging in James Franco's house in the movie, This is the End?  It turns out he created them himself.  See his work at Business Outsider.

Almost any photo of James Franco is a good photo.

Even Better Haircut of 2013: Shaun White

Praaaaaaaaaaaise beeee!  Shaun White looks sharp in his new do.  Somewhere in Southern California Shaun's mom and grandma are clapping their hands. 

Previous:
Haircut of 2013 (Sorry to bump you, Tim Lincecum.)
Haircut of 2011

Favorite jam out songs for the road

Few pleasures can beat a sunny day, my favorite songs, and a traffic-free highway.  As I speed down the road, I'm listening to:

Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn
Dancing on My Own by Robyn
Hang With Me by Robyn
Applause by Lady Gaga
Forever by Chris Brown
Somebody Loves You by Betty Who (Mark J. Remix)
Who's That Girl? by Rihanna (feat. David Guetta)
Renegades of Funk by Rage Against the Machine
Phone Number by Jinusean
Bad Girls by M.I.A.