THE BLOG OF DIS

Japan Relief Logo

2011-03-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Support the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief efforts! Please feel free to use this logo I've designed.

Life Imitates Art, Again

2009-09-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

I love this new Volkswagen L1 concept vehicle and this article makes an interesting comparison.

Dream Rock Band

2009-09-16T00:11:00.001-07:00

With the release of The Beatles Rock Band, I was wishing that they would release something a little more modern and part of our times. So, here's my dream Rock Band release.

ROCK BAND NIPPON

Keiji Heino

Acid Mothers Temple

Boredoms

100 IN CONCERT

2009-08-12T17:16:00.000-07:00

Inspired by a friend. Here are 100 bands/musicians I've seen in concert (in no order):

01. P J Harvey*
02. Lou Reed*
03. Patti Smith*
04. John Parish*
05. Einstürzende Neubauten*
06. Swans*
07. Nirvana*
08. Sonic Youth*
09. Jane's Addiction*
10. Pixies*
11. Redd Kross*
12. The Angels of Light*
13. A Silver Mt. Zion*
14. Godspeed You Black Emperor!
15. lowercase*
16. Imaad Wasif with Two Part Beast*
17. Pan Sonic*
18. Ryoji Ikeda*
19. Mudhoney*
20. Sugarcubes
21. Red Hot Chili Peppers*
22. Porno for Pyros
23. Giant Sand*
24. Scout Niblett*
25. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds*
26. Dirty Three*
27. Shellac*
28. Low*
29. Cat Power*
30. The Cure*
31. Eels
32. John Cale
33. Siouxsie & the Banshees*
34. The Creatures*
35. Skinny Puppy*
36. Pigface
37. Pentagram
38. Mötley Crüe*
39. SunnO)))*
40. Earth
41. Xymox
42. Depeche Mode*
43. O.M.D.
44. Smashing Pumpkins*
45. Love & Rockets
46. Lush
47. Grandaddy*
48. Bad Religion
49. Smog*
50. Radiohead
51. Murcof
52. Michael Gira*
53. Phil Niblock
54. Blixa Bargeld
55. Kiss
56. W.A.S.P.
57. The Buck Pets
58. Apparat
59. Lusine
60. Static Static*
61. Roger O'Donnell
62. Jim O'Rourke
63. The Dead Texan
64. Thomas Fehlemann*
65. Björk
66. Devendra Banhart
67. Mouse on Mars*
68. John Parish & Polly Jean Harvey*
69. Howe Gelb*
70. Hazel Winter
71. alaska!*
72. Yeah Yeah Yeahs!
73. Laika
74. Nina Hagen*
75. Múm*
76. Morrissey
77. Sigur Rós
78. The The
79. Do Make Say Think*
80. Rachels
81. Adult.
82. Animal Collective
83. Book of Love
84. Diamanda Galas
85. Tim Hecker
86. Tracy Chapman
87. Tricky*
88. Dinosaur Jr.
89. The Wonderstuff
90. Nitzer Ebb*
91. John Zorn
92. Kim Hiorthøy
93. T. Raumschmiere
94. The Legendary Pink Dots*
95. Oranj Symphonette*
96. Sebadoh
97. Sex Gang Children*
98. Marianne Faithfull
99. New Model Army
100. OOIOO

*means I've seen them more than once

30 YEARS!

2009-07-14T20:07:00.000-07:00

I just came across this video and I can't believe it was done 30 years ago!

I feel it's my obligation to share it with people who have not seen it.

Enjoy!

DIScourse

2009-05-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

I'm putting this up a little late, but here's some exciting news, for me anyway.

In March, I was asked by John Parish to come up with a playlist for the Guardian UK and as of April 1 the (edited) list was published.

Guardian Playlist

Here's the complete list:

1. Scout Niblett - "Let Thine Heart Be Warned" This Fool Can Die Now

Since I was asked to create this playlist for the British based Guardian, I
wanted to start off my set with something that joins England with my city. This
is my favorite track from Bristish musician and Portland transplant, Scout
Niblett's latest LP, "This Fool Can Die Now". This is a perfect Scout Niblett
track covering her soft and hard vocal styles with her distinctive guitar
playing and great drum beat.

2. Imaad Wasif with Two Part Beast - "Seventh Sign" Strange Hexes

Imaad Wasif is an under-appreciated guitarist and songwriter and it was hard to
chose what song from this album to put on this but I ended up choosing "Seventh
Sign" because I feel it showcases Imaads range as a musician. This album also
is the debut for Two Part Beast, consisting of Bobb Bruno on bass and Adam
Garcia on drums, giving a great structure for Imaad to build upon.

3. Hazel Winter - "Don't Send Me Back to the Dark Place" Situation Normal Then

The third and most recent release for Bristol based musician, Hazel Winter,
"Situation Normal Then" is a nice progression from Hazel's previous albums.
What I really enjoy about this track is that retains the familiar sound of her
voice and guitar while adding some interesting instrumentation that's not often
heard in this type of music.

4. Holy Sons - "Evil Falls" Decline of the West

Another track from a Portland based musician. This one from the prolific song
writer Emil Amos under his Holy Sons solo project. Holy Sons is a new band for
me but I've been listening to this album a lot as of late. Emil has a great
voice and I love how this song swells up, breaks and ends with a noise and
samples.

5. Food - "Last Supper" Last Supper

Food along with label-mate Supersilent, are responsible for getting me
interested in Jazz. This is the final track from the 2004 album of the same
name released on the very dependable Norwegian label Rune Grammofon. I chose
this track because I like the use of the traditional jazz instruments mixed
with electronics and vocals and I feel it's a good representation of the band.

6. Giya Kancheli - "Enimal" Exil

I found out about Georgian born, Giya Kancheli purely by chance but feel he is
a great example of a contemporary composer making meaningful works today.
"Enimal" is written around a Paul celan poem and features the perfect saprano
Maacha Deubner along with a five piece ensemble. I love the simplicity and
sadness of this track as well as its use of silence. Kancheli is currently
living and working in Antwerp, so now there's another reason besides diamonds,
chocolate and fashion to visit that great city.

7. Elegi - "Søvnens Kvelertak" Varde

Tommy Jansen (aka Elegi) is another new artist to me but his latest release,
"Varde" has been in constant rotation at home since its release in January. It
tells the story of artic explores and their hardships as they trek across
barren lands. I love how this track opens and closes creating resting places
for the listener during their travels. I can't help but picture this being
used in a Guy Maddin film.

8. Murcof - "Cielo" Cosmos

Since 2002, Mexican born artist, Fernando Corona has consistantly been
releasing great electronic music and the 2007 release of "Cosmos" on the Leaf
label is probably my favorite to date. The entire album is great from start to
finish (especially through headphones or a good stereo) but I really enjoy the
track progression and tempo of "Cielo" as well as Corona's use of string and
what seem to be vocal samples. Get the triple vinyl edition while you can.

9. COH - "No Monsters No Rock (Part I - Mezzo Forte Passionato) Strings

I have been listening to Ivan Pavlov (aka COH) since the his 20' to 2000
release on Rasten Noton.　The full length album, "Strings" was released in 2007
and is broken into three parts that relate to the artists personal history and
experience with music. The second part, "No Monsters No Rock" is based on
Pavlov's time playing in a Russian heavy metal band. The main instrument is
his old Russian guitar but the composition has been filtered through the
musicians current interest in electronics.

10. Ester Brinkmann - "Mimesis" Totes Rennen

Thomas Brinkmann and his side project, Ester Brinkmann, are responsible for
opening the door to minimalist techno music for me. "Totes Rennen" was the
first album to be released under the Ester Brinkmann monicker and dates from
1998, but I keep going back to it. Brinkmann is a master at creating
infectuous rhythms and "Mimesis" is no exception. Building on a study beat
Brinkmann starts to gradually layer in glitches, noise, and even samples from
philosophic recordings.

11. Einstuerzende Neubauten - "Grundstueck: GS 1" Grundstueck

This is my favorite recent recording by the pioneers of industrial music.
Recorded and released to only to supporters during Phase II of their online
music experiment, "Grundstueck" is proof that albums can benefit from the
absence of record executives. This song is a great example of Blixa Bargeld's
writing and vocal style, while also showcasing the bands expertise in creating
new sounds using scrap metal, PVC piping, de-tuned instruments and various
other unusual sound sources. The song also feature a 100+ person choir largely
made up of the online supporters. It is the beginning of a bigger piece, but
stands up on its own.

12. Ryoji Ikeda - "Data.Reflex" Dataplex

Ryoji Ikeda is primarily responsible for getting me interested in minimalist
electronic music and multimedia installations. It's hard to choose one track
from his multitude of releases for inclusion on this list since his music,
while all related, varies quite a bit. However, I chose "Data.Reflex" from the
2005 "Dataplex" album since it is a good representation of how Ikeda approaches
his compositions. Created purely from data the piece is like walking through a
supercomputer and being able to see the information being sent and received.
While some people may find Ikeda's music to be hard to listen to I always feel
like my mind is more clear after listening to his recordings.

13. Pan Sonic - "Arktinen/Arctic" Kesto (234.48:4)

This is my favorite track from Pan Sonic's lenghty discography and was the
final track on the disc two of Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen's 2004 mammoth
four cd release, "Kesto (234.48:4)". By mixing Ilpo Väisänen's rhythmic
minimalism with Vainio's darker aesthetic of glitches, noise and loops, this
track is a great example of how two artists with different styles can create
something wonderful.

14. Bohren & Der Club of Gore - "Unkerich" Dolores

Bohren & Der Club of Gore is another new band for me although they have
officially been around since 1986. "Dolores", their most recent full length,
was released at the end of 2008 and I've been listening to it quite often.
With "Unkerich" this jazz band has created a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere.
I can picture Agent Cooper listening to this in the Black Lodge.

15. The Gentleman Losers - "Silver Mountain" The Gentleman Losers

Like Pan Sonic, The Gentleman Losers are also a Finnish duo, but that's where
the comparison stops. This 2006 self titled release is the debut from the
brothers, Ville and Samu Kuukka, and is primarily based around acoutsic guitar,
organ and synthesizer. I chose "Silver Mountain" because it feels very
hopeful, as if you're traveling down a road at sunset, headed towards a better
place, hopefully, a place with a follow-up album by these musicians.

NOW

2009-03-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for adventures!!!

DIScourse - Returns

2009-03-03T17:06:00.000-08:00

Wow! I cannot believe I've neglected my blog for so long. If my blog was an egg pretending to be a baby, or dog, it would be dead by now. I'm sorry little blog, I didn't mean to kill you, I just got preoccupied with life.

I've been listening to a lot of great music lately: most importantly, the new PJ Harvey and John Parish album that will be released at the end of the month, I've also been listening to a lot of 20th century composers: the amazing Schönberg Ensemble Edition 25 CD box set, 50 Years of New Music in Darmstadt compilation, and the Rückblick Moderne box set, as well as couple versions of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Some other stuff I've been listening to is the latest Holy Sons lp, a Bessie Smith dbl lp I found and various other things that have been shuffling through my ipod.

After a long dry spell, I have started a few new art projects. One project will be a multimedia piece based on self identity and I hope to eventually get a show for it. The second project is a series of pen & ink drawings that deal with repetition. After so many years of doing almost everything on a computer, it's really great to actually pick up a pen and draw on actual paper. What a concept!

I'm also in the embryonic stages of setting up a website for a new art/social movement to embrace the times we are in and the possibilities of the future. These are tough times in a lot of ways but in many ways they present a lot of opportunities, but we aren't going to do anything if we all just stop, or if we dwell on the past and the "what ifs". We have a new President (one that I can proudly claim, for once) and we have the future, and with that we should focus on positive changes. I don't want to really say anything else at this point because the idea is still developing and I don't really know what it will become. I do hope that it will encompass many people and many fields. I will make an announcement when there is more to say.

I've been watching too much television and I have to say when HD is available and working is does look fantastic. I've also started watching the complete first season of Saturday Night Live (Patti Smith in '76 is something to see!), which makes me remember my childhood and reminds me how much I miss Gilda Radner. In addition to that box set I've been watching the Neon Genesis Evangelion Platinum Edition. I was never one to be into animation with robots and fighting but this is a great anime series and worth watching. It also looks much better on DVD than it did on the original VHS tapes that I watched years ago.

I leave for Japan in a few days, on what will be my sixth trip to Tokyo. I'm really looking forward to seeing my friends there and hopefully making new friends. After a few days in Tokyo I'll head north to Sendai, which I've never seen but have been wanting to for awhile. I'll celebrate my birthday in Sendai and then fly to LA to see more friends and attend the PJ Harvey and John Parish concert at El Rey. It's been a long time since I saw John perform and the new album is fantastic, so I expect nothing but excellence at the show. It will be nice to spend some time with John in LA too, since he's more familiar with the city than I am. I'm sure it's changed a lot since 1992 when I was there last.

I've started Twitter and LinkedIn accounts as well, if any of you want to find me on those sites.

That's all for now. -Dis

DIScourse

2008-10-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

I've posted my résumé and some work samples online at COROFLOT

Check it out and then hire me.

DIScourse

2008-10-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hello. I just thought I'd check in here since it's been awhile since I posted anything.

I've been back in the States for almost two months and time is going by very fast. I'm doing something I didn't think I'd ever do again and that is live with my parents. I really can't believe it but it's not so bad and it's allowing me to take some classes in multimedia so I can learn some new skills and expand my digital design capabilities.

I went to see the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds show last month. It was a great show but I miss seeing Blixa on stage, especially during The Weeping Song. The band sounded great though and I don't know if I should laugh or cry at all the facial hair.

The weather here is finally turning and fall is practically here. I'm excited for the colder weather but not looking forward to the coming eight months of rain. At least I have a new Demeulemeester coat to wear!

Here's a photo of me (taken with my new iPhone, which I've become addicted to) at the school campus wearing some color.

Daily DIScription

2008-08-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody!

I'm back in the States and I'm taking a break from the Daily DIScription posts until I get settled into my new "home", where ever that may end up being. Hopefully, I'll be back in Antwerp in a couple of months, but New York and Japan are also possibilities.

Right now I'm at my parents house (I didn't think that would ever happen) and I'm just looking at my options. Anyway, most of my clothes are still in storage and I can't be bothered setting up a camera or posting photos. Once everything settles into place and I have access to my things I'll resume the photos.

I hope all is well with whoever is reading this. Hello person!

DIScourse

2008-08-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

After three months abroad, I'm back in the Portland area for an indefinite amount of time.

I had a great final day in Antwerp. I began the day by getting some of my things together to take to the office so I could mail them back to the states (since my luggage was already full). Of course it grey and raining when I left the apartment, so I put the things in plastic bags and then on the back rack of the bike. Immediately after tying them on and unlocking the bike the whole lot fell off the rack and I thought I was going to be doomed. However, a man walking by helped me get everything back on the rack and then I was able to slowly and carefully ride to work keeping the packages on the rack with one hand.

At work I spent the day getting the package ready, cleaning up my desk, getting the papers I needed, and saying goodbye to the people that were in the office (a lot of people were on vacation). At 12:30 I said my final goodbyes and went to the Demeulemeester shop to try on the suit that was waiting there for me. For some reason the jacket was twice the amount as the jackets I had seen in the same cut on the first day of the fall collection. I suppose it was just the fabric, but it really didn't seem like it was that different, a black wool, linen and cotton blend. After trying on the coat I decided that it really seemed a little too big in the shoulders and chest (it was an XS and I probably really take an XXS in her tops). I really wanted to get something else for fall though so I kept looking around and trying things on. I tried on pants, vests, sweaters, cardigans, coats, hats, etc and finally I saw a double breasted coat (sort of a peacoat) in the women's section that was in a heavy wool/metal fabric. It was the only one available in that fabric and it was a size 38, so I tried it on. It fit perfect and looked great with my new glasses as well as the the shirt, t-shirt and scarf I got earlier. So, after three hours we had a toast at the store, I said my goodbyes to the staff and left with a new winter coat!

Halfway home I realized that I had forgotten about the money that I had put down to hold the pants until the suit jacket came in. I walked home and hung up my coat then walked back to the shop, making a short detour at the Kulminator for a final Belgian ale (actually it was a Dutch trappist triple ale). When I got back to Ann's shop I decided that I wanted another accessory, so after another hour I left with a black flower brooch and scarf.

I walked back home and had some left over curry and rice from the night before and packed most of my things. After packing my small trolley and weekend bags I walked them to the train station and put them in a locker (to save time and pain in the morning). I then went to the ticket office and bought my train ticket for the following morning. I then went back to my apartment and took a short nap before my final meeting with Romy Smits.

What was going to be an early night of meeting a friend (for a single drink) and then packing and getting to bed early so that I'd be prepared for my 7am train ride to Amsterdam, turned out to be a very long night of drinking (beer, wine, whiskey and vodka), eating mussels and frites and talking. I got back to my apartment after 3am and nearly overslept. When I got up I was in a panick since it was 6am and I wasn't completely packed. I quickly got ready and threw what was remaining in my large suit case and back pack then quickly walked to the train station. Luckily it wasn't raining.

By the time I got to the station I was dripping in sweat from wearing my new coat as well as a sweater vest, long sleeve shirt, and boots (stuff that took up too much stuff in my suit case). I got the bags out of the locker and went to the platform where to my surprise I was 9 minutes early. Getting all the bags on the train was a little struggle but I got a seat near the door. The next two hours were uneventful and I was just trying to stay awake so I wouldn't miss my stop.

I arrived at Schiphol in plenty of time and got a luggage cart to push all my things. Checking in was simple enough and I got priority treatment on my luggage which was nice. I then had to take my receipt to the VAT returns office to get stamped. When I arrived at the office there was a huge line of Chinese tourists getting a demonstration of what to do at the VAT office in order to get the refund. I wasn't about to wait my turn behind the group of tourists with all their shopping bags so while their guide was talking to them I walked past them and into the office. The woman in the office looked at my papers and quickly stamped them so the whole thing took less than 5 minutes, which was a relief. All I had left to do was walk to the gate, board the plane and sleep for 10 hours.

Once I was on the plane and we were in the air I had a hard time sleeping and ended up watching movies between meals, dozing off and drinking water. The flight went by pretty fast and without any real complications. After landing in Portland I had to wait for my bags for a few minutes (the were some of the first ones out) then went through immigration and customs which all went fairly quickly. Once I got into the terminal I went outside and immediately saw my mom's car waiting for me.

The next few hours were spent getting an iced americano (thank you Stumptown) and then visiting with my grandmother and her friends in Portland.

I finally got back to my parents house around 3:30 (some 18 hours after getting on the train). The following hours are all just a blur. I talked with my parents, watched television, napped, drank some wine and unpacked some things.

Now I've been here a few days and am trying to decide what my plan is going to be. For right now I have to wait to hear back from Antwerp about the job, so I'm just going to readjust to life in the US while I decide what my options are.

DIScourse - Antwerp

2008-08-12T01:41:00.001-07:00

Today is my last day in Antwerp. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by!

I spent Thursday in Bruges and on Friday evening I went to Bristol, England to visit friends for the weekend. I'll write more about this when I return to the US.

Yesterday I returned to Belgium at 10:00 only to run into a baggage handlers strike at the airport. I ended up not leaving the airport until 17:00! After six hours I finally filed out the lost luggage forms and was going to leave but it was 16:10 and the bus to Antwerp leaves on the hour. So, I sat down and after about ten minutes the words "THE HOUSE OF DIS" caught my eye. I couldn't believe it. My luggage had finally made it out of the basement. It was supposed to arrive on Belt 2 but ended up coming out on Belt 7 so it was pure luck/fate that I happened to sit down across from Belt 7 (in a completely different part of the terminal).

Today I'm at the office for part of the day to mail out a box to clothes to the US, check my mail, say my good byes and clean out my desk. I'm still not sure what my future is going to be at Theo but I am hoping that I can at least continue to do some freelance work with them.

Tomorrow I have to catch a train from Antwerp to Schiphol in Amsterdam at 07:00 for my 10:30 flight back to Portland. I'm glad that it's a direct flight because I'm not looking forward to hauling my luggage around.

New Glasses

2008-08-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

I just picked up my new glasses. I love them. I'm not used to wearing such thick frames though, so it will take some getting used to.

PS Ignore my hair. I woke up late today and didn't have time to do anything with it.

Daily DIScription

2008-08-06T01:11:00.000-07:00

I just realized that in exactly a week I'll be on a plane heading back to Portland. I'm so not ready to face that future. I am looking forward to seeing some people but I really need a little more time in Antwerp, say 2-3 years.

Today is also my last full day at work. Tomorrow I will go to Bruges to visit the main designer behind Theo, Patrick Hoet. I'm also going to check out the fine art museum to see a Hieronymus Bosch painting (I've never seen one in person). I normally am not too interested in historical paintings but in this case I'll make an exception. I also found out that there are some Bosch paintings in Antwerp, so I'm going to see if I can fit them into my schedule.

Yesterday I got paid and made my first purchase for Fall/Winter 08-09. I bought a beautiful black pleated shirt with a collar that disappears into the neckline (hard to describe), a silk scarf with a floral print that was sort of the signature print of the season and a purple long sleeve thin cotton shirt with the word Heaven printed in black on the front.

Today I got a call saying my glasses are finished and ready to be picked up. I'm really excited! I've wanted these since April and I've been looking for a thicker pair of glasses for awhile. Too bad I could get two pair and turn one pair into sunglasses.

Friday I head to Bristol, England to visit some friends. I may not post anything else until I get back to Portland. It all depends on my internet access in the coming week.

06 Augustus 2008

05 Augustus 2008

DIScourse - Countdown Begins

2008-08-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

I've been in Antwerp for about 11 weeks now and I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I only have 9 more days left in Europe and a few of those will be spent visiting some friends in Bristol, which I'm really excited about but I'm really not ready to go back to the States and I'm not ready to face the possibility of not being able to come back to Belgium to live and work. However, I am ready to see friends and family. I'm also ready for a burrito, dancing and riding my bike.

This weekend I was planning on going to Bruges (or Brugge in Flemish) but the weather wasn't cooperating and I was informed at work on Friday that I could take a few days off during my last week at work. So, I think I'm going to try and go to Bruges on Thursday instead.

Friday at work I was was also told that there will be some discussions at the end of August (when the owner of the company will be back from vacation) about my future with the company. This could include everything from getting an offer to come back to Antwerp and work full time at the company, to a freelance position or possibly a thank you and good luck. So, it's still very much up in the air. The main issue seems to be that my lack of knowing Flemish makes me an outsider and possibly makes it uncomfortable for my coworkers. Of course everyone can speak English here, but normal office conversation is in Flemish so I miss out on most small talk/gossip/etc. I've also been told that even if I spoke Flemish my accent would be strong enough that people would prefer to speak English to me, it would give me a better understanding of the day to day life here though. If I am offered a position I am planning on enrolling in a Flemish course.

On Friday we also received the new buffalo horn glasses in the office, which I saw in April when I was in New York, and which I wanted since I saw them. We received 4 styles in 6 colors per style and I helped to check them in (making sure they were made correctly and not warped). So, I found the style that I liked the best and narrowed it down to two colors and was going to ask the owner on Monday if I could get a pair at cost (normally employees get two free pair a year). However, since I found out the owner was leaving for Spain after work I had to ask him directly. To my surprise, he offered to let me have a pair for free, and I said I'd get the lenses done at his shop in town. This morning when I got into work I decided on the color and then went through the frames and made my final selection. Since horn is a natural material the color and grain varies from frame to frame, sometimes drastically. I'm going to go to the opticians during my lunch break, but here are the frames I picked out:

Saturday was the first day of the fall collection at the Ann Demeulemeester shop in town and a day that I had been looking forward to since I found it would occur during my stay in Antwerp. The collection is fantastic and as always has a lot of black in it but there are a lot of purples, earthy greens and pinks in the collection as the main print for the season is a photograph of dried hydrangeas from her garden. The store opens at 10:30, but I didn't want to be the first person there, since I've already spent too much time in the shop, so I decided to go at noon.

When I got to the shop I went upstairs to where the men's collection is, along with some of the women's. I started at one end of the rack and worked my way to the other (maybe 10 meters) and to my surprise and disappointment there were no coats, jackets, vests or cardigans in XXS or XS. There were some t-shirts, shirts and pants in XS but the selection was very limited. Of course not everything has arrived but what was in the store was the majority of what would be in. Very disappointing and one of the few times that I wished I was just a little taller and bigger. I would have a much bigger selection if I was a size S (38 US) and wore size 8-9 shoes instead of size 7. I did end up trying on some shirts and pants and then found out that there would be at least one XS suit jacket coming in later this week. I also found out that they sold two XS jackets before I got to the store (damn!), I didn't ask which ones since that would probably be torturous. In the end I did find some nice things to add to my waredrobe and now I'm just waiting to try on the jacket when it comes in, hopefully it will fit.

Sunday it was raining off and on all day and I was felling a little down and unmotivated. I was going to get a drink with a coworker but it fell through. Around 8pm I decided to go for a walk, since it's my last weekend in the city. I ended up walking around for a little over an hour before heading back to the apartment.

Now it's Monday and I only have a few things to do at work this week. I'm looking forward to having a couple days off and looking forward to going to England again (I hope the weather will be better there). I really can't believe I have to leave in just a few days. It feels like I've only been here a month.

Daily DIScription

2008-08-04T01:07:00.000-07:00

04 Augustus 2008

03 Augustus 2008

02 Augustus 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-08-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

01 Augustus 2008

31 Juli 2008 (Missing)

30 Juli 2008 (Missing)

29 Juli 2008

DIScourse - Antwerp

2008-07-28T04:08:00.001-07:00

Antwerp, BVBA 32

Antwerp, Ogre Statue at the National Shipyard Museum

Brussels, View from the Wiel Museum

Brussels, The Original Maison Martin Margiela boutique

Antwerp, Kulminator sharing a Kasteel beer from 1989.

Here are some photos from the past weekend. The weather was finally looking like summer which was a real relief after all the grey skies and rain.

A longtime friend was visiting from Vienna so the weekend was more active than usual. Not long after I got off work my friend got in so I met him in front of the train station. We walked back to my apartment and then walked to a few shops before meeting up with a mutual artist friend (and a friend of his that I'd met before) for drinks at Berlin which is a little restaurant/bar that I'd been meaning to go to. After our friends left we walked to Kulminator to continue drinking in the sun. Since my friend and I met nearly 19 years ago in the fall of 1989 I decided we should try having a beer from that year. After scanning the extensive menu I found an '89 Kasteelbier that we decided to get not realizing it was 12% alcohol. It was a rich brownish auburn and almost like a liquor in taste. Very smooth and heavy. Since it was so warm out we ordered a couple other blonde beers to keep us refreshed while we sipped the Kasteel. Somehow we managed to walk home and make it up the stairs to my apartment.

Saturday I woke up not feeling so hot and saw a half eaten sandwich on the table next to my bed. I suppose I needed a snack when I got home the night before since I hadn't had dinner after work. After a somewhat slow start my friend and I made it out of the apartment and to a shop we had been to the day before so my friend could buy a hat that he had tried on (his first hat in years). We walked around town a bit and to a couple other stores then headed to the train station so we could check out Brussels.

In Brussels we went to a few shops that we had wanted to check out before they cleared out all the sale stuff (Saturday was the last day of sales at most shops). I was extremely lucky and found a pair of summer boots in my size that I had been wanting, along with a new button up shirt at Stijl. I actually found several shoes that I wanted to get but I'm really looking forward to the fall collection and need to save some money for its arrival in the store. We made our way to the Hoet optical store (Hoet is owned my the main designer of Theo) to look at the Hoet line of frames and so I could introduce myself. We then went to a cafe for an afternoon drink and stopped into a gallery to check out a small group show.

We then caught a cab to the Wiels museum where the Mike Kelley retrospective was that had been recommended to us. The museum is in an old brewery and is on the edge of Brussels. The show covered three floors and was a really great overview of his work complete with sculptures, paintings, videos, music, sketches, and photographs. When we were done at the museum it was getting close to 7:0o so we walked to the Brussels south train station and caught the next train back to Antwerp.

Back in Antwerp we dropped our things off at the apartment and then walked to the city hall neighborhood for some pizza and people watching. After pizza we walked around for quite awhile. We picked up some bicycles from my office and took them back to my apartment then sat on the balcony and had some beer while listening to music. Later in the evening we went for another walk before heading home.

On Sunday, after we got up we had coffee and got ready for the day (me in my new boots, my friend in his hat). It was super sunny and warm. After leaving the apartment we went to le Pain Quotidien (daily bread) for a light lunch. We then wandered around the city stopping for beer later in the day near the Demeulemeester boutique (which is closed until the 2nd). After having a drink we went to the MuHKA (the modern art museum) to see the group show that was going on Die Lucky Bush, which turned out to be a great show and also included some Mike Kelley pieces. It's funny that I've been in Antwerp for 2 1/2 months and for some reason never new about MuHKA.

After leaving the museum we headed back to my apartment for a brief rest before getting on our bikes and riding to the suburbs to see and take photos of Ann Demeulemeester's le Corbusier house. We rode around some more and then took the bikes back to the office before heading back to the apartment. I was going to cook Japanese curry that another friend had sent me but the gas was out on my cooktop, so we ended up just having a cold dinner which was fine since it was so warm out. We sat on the balcony and listened to music while eating, drinking and people watching.

We then decided to head back out on the town for some more people watching and a beer at one of the many outdoor cafe's. It was already past 10pm but there were crowds of people out eating and drinking still. We went to the Pelikan Bar and had a La Chouffe as we talked and watched people walk by. We kept seeing flashes of light every 10-15 minutes and assumed that it was coming from the outdoor concert that was happening nearby but as the flashes increased we realized a storm was coming. So around 11:30 we headed back to the apartment. About ten minutes after we got in the first rain drops fell. We sat at the balcony doors watching the lighting and rain until the wind picked up enough that we closed the doors. It was a huge electrical storm that also created some of the heaviest rains I've seen in Antwerp. It was still raining when I fell asleep.

Daily DIScription

2008-07-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

28 Juli 2008

27 Juli 2008

26 Juli 2008

25 Juli 2008 (Missing)

24 Juli 2008 (Missing)

Daily DIScription

2008-07-23T04:25:00.000-07:00

23 Juli 2008

22 Juli 2008

21 Juli 2008

DIScourse

2008-07-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday and I'm in Rotterdam since Monday is a National Holiday in Belgium and everything will be closed tomorrow. Unfortunately, I didn't really think about it and all the galleries and museums are closed in Rotterdam tomorrow.

Friday was a good day for me in Antwerp though. I mailed the current issue of Plazm magazine to Ann Demeulemeester's publicist in Paris and it looks like I may actually get to interview her for the forthcoming issue of Plazm. After going to the post office on my lunch break I rode my bike to the Demeulemeester boutique to see if there was anything left from the sales that I "needed" to get. Surprisingly there were still things left in size XS but I was a little disappointed that everything was still only 30% off. While I was there I was speaking to some of the staff and one person mentioned that they are looking for another sales person for the store and that he thought I would fit. While sales are not really my strong point, the employees at the shop also help with the runway shows, sales, etc in the company which seems really exciting to me. Anyway, immediately all these thoughts went swimming arounf in my head and I was trying to figure out a way that I could come back to Antwerp and work for Demeulmeester in case the job at Theo doens't work out. While I was in the store I also heard a John Parish song from his new album which made me really happy since I don't hear his music in public very often and I always like hearing music from friends.

When I got back to work after lunch I had an email from Vice magazine in my mailbox. I'm really not sure how they found me or why they wanted to contact me but it appears that they've seen my website and this blog. So, who knows if anything will come of it but it's nice that my website and blog are being viewed by people other than close friends and family.

Friday after work I went to STAN salon for a cut and color, my second since arriving in Antwerp and most likely the last time during this stay. I went for a shorted cut and got rid of the purple-ish red in favor of brown and black. As always it was a good experience and afterwards I was asked if I'd like to be a hair model for the salon. Of course I'd do it but I originally thought they'd just want me to come in and to be photographed but apparently they do a photo shoot or show twice a year and I might not be in Antwerp during the next shoot.

New Hair

After I was finished at the salon I called my American friend, whos sister was visting from Montana, and her husband came to pick me up for dinner at their home in Mortsel. So, we had a nice evening eating some of the seasons first mosselen (mussels), listening to music, drinking wine, having conversation and watching a great version of the "Ice Ice Baby" video.

Saturday was a pretty uneventful day. I slept in and when I woke up it was raining. I made and ate breakfast then watched some television and went grocery shopping. When I got home I fell asleep again. Later when I woke up it was still raining and I got dressed. By the time I was dressed it had cleared up and I decided to go back to the Demeulemeester shop. Half way there I got caught in a thunderstorm and downpour. I had my umbrella with me but still got soaked up to my knees. When I got to the shop the pair of pants I was thinking of getting had been sold. I tried on another pair of pants but decided that I should wait to see the fall collection before I bought anymore clothes. I also had brought in a jacket that I'd bought in Tokyo a year or so ago and had it marked for alterations. In the shop there was a blackened silver necklace/belt/bracelet from last fall that I'd been looking at that was still in the case and I decided I was something I "needed" especially since I couldn't get the necklace I saw in NY (which I still want). So, I got the accessory and went on my way home.

I ended up deciding not to do anything Saturday night since I didn't want to be tired for my trip to Rotterdam.

This morning I woke up really early and watched cartoons on television. It was my first time seeing the Smurfs (den Smurfen) on television in Belgium but it was some new version with a grandpa Smurf (he had yellow pants) and Gargamel had a boy assistant who I don't remember seeing. One thing that crossed my mind that had never crosses it before in my years of watching cartoons, is how do the Smurfs keep their shoes and pants so white even though they are walking on dirt and grass most of the time? If anyone knows the answer to this I'd like to know.

Rotterdam

I got to the train station about 1:00 and bought my tickets for Rotterdam but I has some time to kill to I had my first Belgian waffle from a cart and a cip of black coffee. The train to Rotterdam only takes an hour from Antwerp so I was at my hotel by 3:15. I put my things, plugged in my computer (€22.00 for 24 hours of internet) then went out to explore the city a little. Rotterdam seems much larger than Antwerp but it's a very new city having been bombed in the WWII. That said there is a lot of boring if not ugly architecture in the city. However, most of my favorite furniture/product design and architecture is coming from Rotterdam or the Netherlands in general, so things are getting better here. I noticed a lot more contemporary public in the city as well.

Rotterdam

Since it's Sunday most shops are closed and the ones that were open today were closed by the time I got to them. I did manage to make it to a couple of small galleries and found a restaurant to have dinner at. After dinner, I walked around some more and ended up walking through a park before going back to the hotel.

Het Park

So, now it's 11:00 and I'm watching The Gathering on television. Tomorrow I'm hoping to make it to some shops and if all goes well, to a couple studios of designers I like. In the evening I'm planning to meet a friend of a friend before I head back to Antwerp.

Daily DIScription

2008-07-20T12:29:00.001-07:00

Okay, I've been forgetting to take photos on a daily basis, but since I already failed at taking a daily photo missing a few more days doesn't make a lot of difference. If you have a problem with it take it up with the boss (me).

20 Juli 2008

19 Juli 2008 (Missing)

18 Juli 2008

17 Juli 2008

16 Juli 2008 (Missing)

DIScourse - Antwerp

2008-07-17T04:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

I recently realized that I only have four more weeks to spend in Antwerp and I've been terrible at keeping up to date on my blogs. I have yet to find a cafe or bar with free wi-fi, although admittedly I haven't been looking hard. I have noticed a lack of people using laptops around town and coming from Portland that seems strange.

Anyway my last "real" post was about my trip to Amsterdam, which was over a month ago. I'm going to attempt to give a brief overview of what's happened since then, a difficult thing for me since I tend to give pretty detailed information on things.

My work life here isn't much different than it would be in Portland, so I usually don't have much to say about Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30. I'm enjoying working at Theo though and am hoping to work here for at least the next couple of years. After I got back from Amsterdam, most evenings I watched Waltz which was a Dutch miniseries based on a traveling circus and the family that runs it (it's nothing anything like Carnivàle). The series was being rebroadcast for the first time since it's debut in 2006 and features a soundtrack by John Parish.

The weekend after my trip to Amsterdam was the student fashion show for the Royal Academy of Arts Fashion Show 2008. The Friday before the show I got my hair colored (and now I'm about to get it cut and colored again).

Saturday afternoon was the awards lunch for the fashion students which we (Theo) got an invitation to. It was raining in the morning but I decided I couldn't pass up the chance to maybe run into some fashion folks. Also, since Theo produced glasses for a couple of the students I thought I would at least have someone to talk to. No one else from Theo showed up for the awards, but I immediately recognized Dries Van Noten when he came into the space. Of course Walter Van Beirendonck was there (he's running the fashion dept. now).

My first time in Belgium I was a little disappointed to find that the Belgian fashion I love so much didn't seem to be as loved (or worn) by the Belgians. So, it was nice to finally see some people dresses in Belgian fashion as well. I saw a small group of people obviously dressed in Ann Demeulemeester clothing but I didn't see Ann at the event, and I didn't have to nerve to strike up a conversation. I just figured they all worked for Ann in some respect. I also saw a guy that I recognized from Demeulemeester's runways. It turns out that he is, David Flamee, the project manager of the Flanders Fashion Institute.

There was an interesting woman wearing a head piece which I later found out was Diane Pernet. I also saw a man that I think was Stephen Jones, as he was featured in the Fashion Show catalog and I believe his company produced some of the headwear the students designed (some of which were fantastic).

In the evening I walked back to the Hangar were the awards show was and met up with several people from Theo so we could see the final fashion show and attend the aftershow dance party. It was nice of Theo to provide tickets for any employee that wished to attend (which I was a little surprised it wasn't everyone). I can't really go into the details of the fashion show but it was a show for the first through fourth year students. Each year of students showed a range of clothing with the first year students showing, three pieces and the graduates showing about 12 full silhouettes including shoes, hats, accessories, make-up, etc... I was astonished at the amount of work produced by all the students. It made my feel that the Cornish interiors department wasn't so demanding. I didn't care for a lot of the clothing but some things were really great and a lot of the concepts were interesting. The show I felt was an overall success.

At the afterparty I ran into some friends I had made on my previous visit to Antwerp. I talked to some of my coworkers, danced a little (the music wasn't so good) but mostly I just walked around, drank and looked at people. I think I arrived back at my apartment around 3am.

The following week at work was pretty uneventful if I recall. I did finally contact Romy Smits, a Dutch designer living in Antwerp for the last 14 years or so and on Friday, July 20 I met her at her studio. We talked for about an hour and she gave me a little background on herself (she worked for Dries Van Noten for 8 years) and the design community in Antwerp. She also introduced me to Roland Maas who was finishing a collaborative video for London Fashion Week. It was nice talking about design/art/fashion as well as getting more information about Antwerp in general. I was feeling really inspired by the time I left Romy's showroom.

On Saturday I finally went shopping at the Demeulemeester boutique! I ended up getting a great pair of printed pants and my first pair of Demeulemeester sneakers (which were off season and the last pair happened to be my size). Sales don't start until the first of July but I ended up getting a discount on my pants as well since I'm obviously a fan of clothing, and I recognized the woman that I purchased things from on my first visit in 2006.

Saturday night I went dancing at Pier 19 which hosts a party once a month. They tend to play more alternative rock and new wave-ish stuff. I arrived around 11 and returned home around 4 am. I was the only person dancing to a few songs at the beginning of the night which was a little awkward given the layout of the space (not designed for dancing) but who ran listen to Red Right Hand and not dance? Obviously a lot of people, but not me. Anyway, people finally did start dancing. I got approached about where to buy drugs and then realized I was wearing my white pants again. Apparently drug dealers wear white. Attention drug dealers: Don't wear white if you want to avoid getting singled out by police. I also was told I was beautiful, which is always nice, but it would be great if it was by a woman for once.

Sunday I walked and rode around the city. I also went to the MoMu to see the Veronique Branquihno show which turned out to be excellent. Later in the day I finally got out my maps and rode my bike to BVBA 32 otherwise known as Demeulemeester's home and office/studio. It was only about a 20-25 minute bike ride and that includes stopping to look the map. The area she lives in is very close to an expensive part of town but her house (the only Corbusier house in Belgium) is between a open greenspace and an beat up apartment building on a small street leading to a less expensive neighborhood. I was happy to finally see the house in person though but the studio façade is covered in ivy so there's not much to see.

The following week I picked up my pants from the Demeulemeester shop (they had to be altered) and I ended up getting a black suede belt (to match a second pair of Demeulemeester shoes that I found on line along with a couple other things).

On Wednesday I met up with a good friend of a friend mine in Portland. The two haven't seen each other in 15 years or so, but they have kept in contact, so my friend thought her friend and I should meet. We meet up in Groenplaats and walked to a cafe near the Demeulemeester boutique for a drink. It was nice talking to an American that has lived in Antwerp for a few years (she married a Belgian) and could give me a little insight into this country.

I found out that a friend of mine, Carlos Aires, who I saw at the fashion show party was having a gallery show Thursday night so I went to the gallery after to see him again. The show featured three artists and Carlos, who I only knew worked in photography and video, was showing vinyl silhouettes made from recycled records, which were great. There was another artist at the show that covered one wall with large charcoal drawings. I ran into one of the fashion students that we had helped at the opening as well and it turned out he also knows Carlos (Antwerp is a small city). I did manage to strike up conversations with a few people which is good and doesn't happen nearly enough.

I didn't really do anything over the weekend except hang out in my apartment, ride my bike, walk around and watch television.

The next week I found out through a friend on mine in the Netherlands that there was going to be a minimalist electronic music performance by Phill Niblock (a pioneer in minimalism) on the following Friday. On Wednesday I went back to Demeulemeester for the start of the official sale and I found a pair of pink-ish corduroy pants and a black cotton v-neck sweater which were both from past season so they were 70% off. I also saw a great off-white leather jacket that I was seriously considering but int he end decided against it. I am definately going to have to ship some things back to the states before I leave since there is no way everything will fit in my suitcases.

Friday evening, July 4, I rode my bike to 't Werkhuys in Borgerhout, a suburb of Antwerp, where the Niblock show was going to be. Like usual I was early and had to wait around for the doors to open. It was nice to get out to a different part of the city. The venue was pretty small but it was a nice change after the AB shows in Brussels. I expected a larger crowd as well but it always surprises me that there isn't a bigger audience for challenging modern music. Phill was joined by a few other musicians (electronic and acoustic) and was showing films from a small fishing village. I couldn't tell when the film was made but it looked like it was 20-30 old. After the show I waited around a bit to see if I could maybe introduce myself to Phill (he's known my friend in the Netherlands for years), but he was in conversation with other people and I was getting tired. I did manage to meet, Giles and Patries, the couple that run the space (and also know my friend).

Saturday I walked around the city some more and bought some socks. I picked up some old shirts from the Demeulemeester shop that were being altered for me and ended up coming out with a new shoulder bag, which I had almost bought in Tokyo in March, and I saw it again in NYC. Saturday night I made reservations for dinner at Den Arme Duivel, the restaurant that a coworker of mine works at on the weekends. The city is really getting busy on the weekends, with sales and vacations bringing in a lot of vistors. This was only my third dinner out in Antwerp as I'm still trying to adjust to the high restaurant prices (almost 2x as much as in Portland) thankfully tipping here isn't done much, or to the degree it is in the states. At dinner the couple sitting next to me started up a conversation. They were both from Amsterdam (the Dutch, I've been told, are more likely to chat with strangers). It was nice talking to them and they told me they thought I was probably Belgian until they heard me talk and then they could tell I just wasn't a typical American, which thankfully I am not.

On Sunday I rode my bike for four hours or so and eventually went back to Ann neighborhood to take photos of the Corbusier house (most of which came out really over exposed).

During the week I at work I continued to work on some frame designs as well as some stands and displays. I also finally met Patrick Hoet who is the original and main designer behind Theo.

Thursday night I didn't sleep well and on Friday I had to get up at 5am to catch the train to the Brussels National Airport for my flight to Vienna. I tried to pack as light a possible since I had to bring my dj-ing equipment.

I got into Vienna around 12:30 and was met by my friend. We took the subway back to his neighborhood and then I freshed up a little since Vienna was much hotter than Belgium and traveling always makes me sticky. I put on my new shoes (my third pair of Demeulemeester trainers that had been shipped to my friends house) and we went out for a walk. I took some photos and we went for an early dinner at a Japanese restaurant on the same block as my friends apt. bldg. After dinner we went back to the apartment and rested then got ready for our dj gig at FLUC, where we had dj-ed together in 2006. It was very warm out when we got to the club so we, along with everyone else, sat outside, drank and chatted. I met some more friends of my friend and some people I had met on previouse trips to Austria. There were actually 4 djs so we all took turns playing and late in the evening people finally started to dance. At 4am the bartenders were ready to shut down so they turned off the power to the stereo, which was a bad way to end the night. We hung around for another hour and caught the first subway back to the apartment.

Saturday we woke up a little bit late and then went to see a couple exhibits in the MuseumsQuarter. One show was titled PUNK and was about the punk movement in London, Berlin and New York. Overall I thought the show was good but there were a lot of people and bands missing. I also thought they could have made the show a little more punk. The other exhibit was on Derek Jarman and included many of his films and paintings/sculpture as well as a new biographical film on his life. This show was good but really required a lot more time than I had to spare. I am looking forward to seeing the biography on dvd at some point.

Saturday evening we went to a friends apartment for a rooftop bbq. However, by the time we arrived the sky was clouding over and thunderstorms were in the future. We started off the evening with some laundry as my friend's machine broke while we were washing some clothes.

The hosts of the bbq had a top floor apartment with some nice furniture and a great art collection. We spent a little time on the roof deck but then retreated inside when the wind started to pick up and the thunder was seen in the distance. We talked and drank and ate for several hours and were joined by a couple more friends. Finally, sometime after 1:00 (I think) we made our way back home.

Sunday we got up and had breakfast and looked through some slide film. In the afternoon we made our way to a grocery store that was open and then went back to our friends' apartment for a second bbq (since there was so much food left over from the previous night). This time we actually got to sit on the roof deck and enjoy the view while we talked.

Sunday evening my friend and I went to the Arena to see Patti Smith and her band. It was an open air show and was pretty crowded by the time we arrived. The concert was fantastic and she opened the set with Pissing in a River which was great. They also did a great cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit which was really powerful. It threatened to rain for most of the show but we had luck and were spared from another wet outdoor concert experience.

After the show we the friends we had met at the show (the bbq hosts) took a cab to Fluc for some more conversation and drinks. A musician I really like, FM Einheit was going to play that evening but we ended up leaving in time to catch the final train back into town.

Monday we got up and had breakfast. I packed my things up and then we headed off to a cafe. It was great being in Vienna again and I was surprised that it felt like a much bigger city to me than Antwerp. The buildings are all taller and more massive and the streets are wider. I don't think it's something I would notice except now that I've spent some time here I'm used to the size of Antwerp.

I returned home Monday evening and after going to the grocery store spent the resting and watching television. The weather here is a grey as usual. I'm really used to this type of weather being from the NW but it's July and this is getting tiring.

Tuesday was a pretty uneventful evening which was fine since Wednesday was the big Lou Reed BERLIN show at Bozar in Brussels. I was really looking forward to the show since I first got my ticket in May. Both the album Berlin and myself had release dates in 1973, so I sort of felt like this was a 35th birthday gift. After work I rode to the train station and caught an early train to Brussels. I was in the city by 7:00 and the show didn't start until 8:30. I picked up my ticket from the box office and then walked around a bit and went to a cafe for a beer. Around 8:00 I walked to the venue and took my seat. I was in row P seat 21, which is in the front section on the right side. I was maybe 15 yards away from the stage but I had a great view of Lou and the stage.

I was looking around the crowd to see if I'd recognize anyone, but I didn't. I was hoping to see Ann Demeulemeester at the show as she is a fan of his but I didn't see anyone I knew. The woman sitting in front of me was wearing a Demeulemeester coat though, which I thought was a good sign.

The band was introduced and came out along with a choir and a string and horn section. The sets were done by Julien Schnabel. The full Berlin set was performed and I was going to leave after Lou gave acknowledgements and left the stage but the lights didn't go on so I went back to my seat and about 10 minutes later the band was back on stage doing a cover of Satellite of Love, followed by Walk on the Wild Side and Rock-n-Roll then turned into a cover of another song. The band left again but came back for one final number.

After the show I ran to the station to see if I could catch an earlier train but missed it by a couple minutes, so I had some time to kill. You can drink in public, in the station and on the train Belgium, so I thought I'd take advantage of it. I walked to the city center and bought a Chimay (it had an unusual all brown label on it) and a water then walked back to the station. The last train from Brussels to Antwerp is at 23:35 (11:35PM) and is a local train which means it stops at every small village. I got back into Antwerp after 12:30 and rode my bike back to the apartment.

So now it's Thursday and the workday is nearly over. I got a package from my friend in Japan that I picked up at the post office during lunch. It will be nice wearing new pajamas and being able to make Japanese curry at home this weekend.

The square in front of my building is nearing completion which is great. The cafe seating areas have a lot more room now and aren't right up against the building. I'm anxious to see what will happen this weekend when the market opens.

Tomorrow I have a hair appointment and then I'm going to Morstel Belgium to have a traditional Belgian dinner with my new American friend, her husband and sister.

Until the next time.

-Dustin

Daily DIScription

2008-07-15T02:40:00.000-07:00

15 Juli 2008

10 Juli - 14 Juli (MISSING)

I spent Friday-Monday in Vienna and was too busy and forgetful to take photos each day. However, I had a great time, visiting friends, dj-ing @ FLUC and seeing Patti Smith in concert. Here's a photo from Saturday on my way to see the PUNK and Derek Jarman exhibits in the MuseumsQuarter.

09 Juli 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-07-08T04:42:00.001-07:00

08 Juli 2008

07 Juli 2008

06 Juli 2008

05 Juli 2008

04 Juli 2008 (evening)

04 Juli 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-07-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

03 Juli 2008

02 Juli 2008

01 Juli 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-07-03T05:07:00.000-07:00

30 Juni 2008

29 Juni 2008

28 Juni 2008

27 Juni 2008

26 Juni 2008

DIScourse - Amsterdam

2008-06-25T03:35:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last journal entry and a lot has happened so let me start with what went later in the day after my last entry, June 6. After work I rode my bike to the salon, STAN, and got my hair dyed. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do with it other than making it darker so I let the woman doing my hair sort of do whatever she wanted. We ended up going for a dark reddish-purple with the front part dyed black. It pretty much looks black unless I'm under a light or out in the sun. I was worried about missing my train to Amsterdam but I ended up getting out of the salon early.

I rode my bike to the train station and got my bag out of the locker then went to a cafe and had a beer before getting on the train. The train ride to Amsterdam takes about 2 hours and goes by pretty quickly. I just listened to music and watched the scenery go by.

When I got to Amsterdam I got a taxi and told him to take me to Hotel Europa 92 and showed him a print out I had. I had a bad feeling that something was going to happen but the driver seemed nice so I just got in the cab and looked at the city. We finally got to the hotel but it looked different (nicer) than the photos on the internet, so I asked if it was the right hotel and it turned out that he took to my Hotel Europe which is a different part of town. He reset the meter and we left. When we finally got to the correct address I paid the driver and gave a good tip and got my bag and as I was going into the hotel he said that I owed him another 10 euros for the ride to the first hotel. I refused saying it was his fault since I showed him the print out and he obviously didn't look at it, then went into the hotel.

I checked in, put my things in the room and walked to the Paradiso, hoping that I wasn't going to be late for the show. In true Dustin form I got a little lost and what should have taken me ten minutes took me about 30, but I made it in time for the show, in fact I was early. The Paradiso is a legendary venue and I was glad to finally see a show there. When I arrived there was a dj playing music and a few people milling around, but it wasn't as crowded as I was expecting considering it was premier of a new Ryoji Ikeda piece. After about an hour Ikeda was on stage and I was surprised to see that he looked younger than I was expecting. The music and video projections were fantastic! It's amazing how loud something can be and not damage your hearing when the sound quality is good. After Ikeda played Olaf Bender (aka BYETONE) went on stage and played an almost equally good set. Once the show was over the dance party started. Some of the crowd left while more showed up. I wandered around the venue a little and found another dance party going on the first floor (second floor) which I danced at a little. Getting back to the main floor I danced on and off for awhile and then headed back to the hotel.

In the morning I got up and dressed and went down stairs for breakfast. I then headed into town to finally do some shopping and sightseeing. I found my way to the 9 Streets (a famous shopping part of town) and wandered around until the stores opened and took some photos:

When the stores opened I made my way to Van Ravenstein which opens a basement sale room on Saturdays. I tried on some great Demeulemeester boots but the pair I really wanted was too large. In the end I got a black tank top with the AMOUR print on it. I talked to the sales associates and they gave me some ideas on other shops to look at, including telling me where the Droog shop was, since I couldn't remember from my last trip. They also told me about another shop, Frozen Fountain, which turned out to be great.

So I walked and walked and walked...

It is amazing how many bikes there are in Amsterdam. Tens of thousands of bikes and all kinds of bikes: delivery bikes, bikes with kid baskets, old bikes, mountain bikes, tandem bikes, recumbant bikes, etc...

I ended up going to a shop, Ennu, that was recommended to me by the women and Van Ravenstein and found a new bag (my white leather bag is falling apart) and a scissor pendant that I had been wanting since the beginning of the season. The people in the shop were really nice and one of the owners was wear the Theo Brainwear frame, so I told them I was working there at the moment, to which they said "great, but you should move to Amsterdam." I've been told and I've noticed there is a lot of rivalary between Netherlands and Belgium.

After going to the Droog shop I stopped into a Smart Cafe and purchased my evenings activity, Philosophers Stones. I then did some more walking and eventually found my way to a bar called the Chaos Cafe, where I sat on a bench outside and enjoyed a La Chouffe while looking at a canal. I then headed back to my hotel and ate the Philosopher Stones along with some chocolate. The next 6 hours is hard to describe, but it was a trip.

Sunday morning I woke up feeling a little more tired than usual but got dressed, packed my things and had breakfast. I checked out, leaving my bag at the hotel, and walked around the city for about 4 hours, taking in the scenery, taking photos and finally stopping for a beer, Kwak, at a Belgian pub. I then caught the 2pm train back to Antwerp.

Daily DIScription

2008-06-25T02:09:00.001-07:00

25 Juni 2008

24 Juni 2008

23 Juni 2008

22 Juni 2008 (photo missing)

Black leather sandals
Black cotton/linen striped short pants
Black cotton t-shirt with white cotton inset with black and red "Dada" print
Black titanium and plastic mirrored sunglasses

21 Juni 2008

20 Juni 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-06-19T07:39:00.001-07:00

19 Juni 2008

18 Juni 2008

17 Juni 2008

16 Juni 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-06-16T04:11:00.000-07:00

DISclaimer: This is my first blog with a missing photo. On Saturday afternoon I attended the brunch and award ceremony for the fashion students at the Royal Academy of Art (held at Hangar 29). Later in the evening after changing clothes, I returned to the Hangar to attend the fashion show for the 1st - 4th year students. It's a huge event and I returned home after 4am, exhausted from the after party and the walk to and from the Hangar (twice). Anyway, I forgot to take photos of what I wore and didn't realize it until today. So, the goal to document my outfits everyday for a year is incomplete.

Also, since I brought a limited amount of clothing with me to Antwerp and I'm now starting my second month in Belgium (everything has been worn at this point) I've decided to just post photos and and the date from now on.

15 Juni 2008

14 Juni 2008 (missing)

13 Juni 2008

12 Juni 2008

11 Juni 2008

10 Juni 2008

Daily DIScription

2008-06-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

09 Juni 2008

Black leather oxfords
Black light weight cotton denim jeans with white stitching
Black light weight cotton tank top
Black silk/cotton asymmetrical shirt with cream and black striped extension piece
Clear and black plastic sunglasses with black "chewed" temples

08 Juni 2008

Black leather lace up ankle boots
Black cotton/linen short pants with button cuff
Black cotton t-shirt with white SIN print
Black plastic and titanium mirrored sunglasses

07 Juni 2008 (Amsterdam)

Black leather lace up ankle boots
Black cotton x-long leggings
Black cotton/spandex Ryoji Ikeda concert t-shirt with white printing
Black cotton long shirt with hip pockets, arm straps and bubble hem
Black leather pendant necklace
Black leather shoulder bag with painted white distressed finish
Silver Connected Rings
Black rubberized titanium asymmetrical glasses
New haircut from STAN in Antwerp on Friday afternoon

DIScourse - Antwerp

2008-06-06T04:14:00.000-07:00

Just a short entry before I head to Amsterdam for the weekend. Earlier in the week I found out about some special live performances and installations by Ryoji Ikeda that are happening in Amsterdam being today and ending on June 21 (DreamAmsterdam). There isn't a lot of opportunity to see Ikeda in concert in the states and the idea of a city shutting off it's lights for an art installation by a somewhat obscure Japanese musician/artist is something I couldn't miss out on, so I rescheduled my hair appointment that was for Saturday and bought concert and train tickets and booked a hotel room near Paradiso (the venue where the concert is being held).

Speaking of concerts, on Tuesday I caught a train to Brussels and went back to AB Club to see Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues Band. I got there a little early so I walked around the city a bit, but I didn't bring my camera, so no photos. When the doors opened I got my pass which turned out to be an all access pass, which was great. I got a drink and then headed back stage to see if I could find my friend, Jim, who's drumming in the band. It turned out that he was back at the hotel, so I went back out front and bought a t-shirt and another drink and waited for the show to start. I hadn't heard of the opening band, Appalooza, they turned out to be a two piece: vocals and electronics/guitar. It wasn't bad but I think it would work better as a recording. It was very dance oriented. Cat Power and band came on at 9:00 (I love these early shows). The band was great and Chan Marshall was much more involved with the crowd than I'd seen her before, however she wasn't playing guitar so she could move around stage more easily. Her voice has improved a lot since the first time I saw her and but she seemed to be having throat problems and left the stage for a few minutes about half way through the show. She played until 10:30 when the curfew starts. Overall the show was really good and I was happy to see it. After the show I went back stage again and hung out with Jim and most of the band (Jim introduced me to everyone). I seemed to be the only person back there that wasn't in the band or crew, which was nice but surprising, since the show was sold out. It was nice catching up with Jim but I had to leave early to catch the last train. On my way to the train station as I was getting into a cab (I got turned around and was afraid of missing the train) Chan passed me in a van and through a flower to me, which was nice. Not sure what kind of flower it is (do you?) but I kept it:

Wednesday night I went with a co-worker to a Pré-Soirée party that was being held on a barge. The first Wednesday of each month, from 7-12, there is a party held in Antwerp basically for the 25-45 year old people (aka Yuppies). This was the last party of the season which is why my coworker decided to go. So, it was all drinks, techno dance music and button shirts for the men while the women mostly wore skirts and heels. Pretty similar to 30 year old professional crowds I've seen in Portland, Seattle, New York... As soon as we got there we both agreed that it was not our idea of a good party. However it had the benefit of being on a barge, on the Schelde river, in Antwerp, so I spent most of my time on the deck outside with a drink in my hand talking to my coworker. I did dance a little towards the end, just because I'm missing dancing in Portland a bit.

That's about all for now. I'm getting my hair cut soon and then I'm on a train to Amsterdam (about 2 hours north of here). I'm bringing my camera so, pictures to come...

-Dustin

Daily DIScription

2008-06-06T03:50:00.000-07:00

06 Juni 2008

Black leather lace-up ankle boots
White cotton cargo pants with leg straps
White cotton t-shirt
Black on black striped cotton shirt with black and white silk striped placket
Black on black striped cotton vest
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Silver Connected Rings
Black rubberized titanium frames

05 Juni 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers
Black wool/cotton straight leg trousers
Black cotton t-shirt with white Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues Band print
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Clear plastic frames with black scribble print

04 Juni 2008

Black leather oxfords
Black wool/synthetic blend fitted pants with knee strap detail and zip ankles
White cotton t-shirt
White cotton shirt with black and grey abstract flower print
Black wool/silk three button jacket
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Silver Connected Rings
Black rubberized titanium frames

03 Juni 2008

Black leather lace-up ankle boots
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching
Black cotton long sleeve t-shirt white white stars print
White cotton three button jacket with ruched sleeves
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Black rubberized titanium frames

DIScourse - Antwerp

2008-06-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

It's Monday evening and shortly after I got returned home from work the sky started to get really dark and a storm started to move in. It's alomost 8:00 pm as I type this and the storm has past my apartment but it can still be heard in the distance. I love thunder storms and this one was really good! I didn't see a lot of lightning but I did see a lot of flashing in the sky. I'm going to try and post some footage I shot with my camera if I can.

The weekend was pretty uneventful. I didn't end up going to the "Vampire Party" on Friday because I saw the set list from the previous party and there were only three songs that I liked in the 8 hour set, and nothing that I love. Since when to vampires listen to "cyber punk" music? After work I did take a long walk and ended up finding a really good jewelry store, Atelier 11 (they do all the jewelry for Raf Simons along with having done jewelry for many other Belgian designers). I didn't buy anything but I think I might have to get something before I leave.

Saturday I watched some television in the morning and then got up to go to the open air market and then the grocery store. I still find it strange that grocery stores are closed on Sunday. Who knows what they are going to want to eat on Sunday on Saturday? After doing my shopping I ended up walking to work to pick up my bike and then I rode around for awhile. I found a couple more offices of designers that I like (Dries Van Noten and Veronique Branquinho) then I got Westmalle Triple at the Cappucinno Club. On my way back home I ended up riding past the placed I stayed at two years ago (Seamens Huis). Who knew it was in the Red Light District? I also found the house that a couple of local architects built that's a little over 2 meters wide and is all glass on the exterior. I am still trying to figure out what to do in the evenings on the weekend. The people I know from my previous trip to Antwerp haven't been available and I'm not up to going to pubs (the only thing open in the evening on weekends) in the evening by myself.

After I got up on Sunday I decided it was time to do laundry. Unfortunately, my apartment doesn't have laundry facilities which means I needed to brave the laundry mat. Luckily I don't have that many clothes with me and the apartment owner comes in once a week to clean and do the towels and bedding. To my horror each load of laundry cost 3.60 euro to wash (about $5.50) and another 1.50 euro to dry (luckily i don't dry many things. The washers are nicer than in the US but not that much nicer. I got through the laundry and went back home where I began to make a pasta dinner. I have to say that I am cooking more again since being in Antwerp, which is nice. I would be nicer if I had an oven but I'm getting by. I'm glad I brought my knives from home though. I opened a really nice bottle of 2006 Côtes de Rhône to go along with dinner and then proceeded to watch too much television.

Television is strange here, interesting but strange. I have about 50 channels but there are triplets of many channels so I actually think there are about 20 channels. Like I said before, it's great switching between all the different languages and seeing what US programs get shown abroad (Different Strokes, Sex in the City, South Park, Sponge Bob Square Pants, Simpsons...). Last night there was some French show on about sexuality and they had three guys testing different "male enhancement" methods (all devices). It was really strange and I could only deducts from the doctor on the show that none of the methods work after the doctor said something and then all the guys took off their pumps, stretchers and weights with looks of defeat. It was hilarious!

Tomorrow is Tuesday and I'm going back to Brussels to watch a Cat Power show. My friend is drumming for her and he's my favorite drummer. I'm looking forward to the show and being back in Brussels. Hopefully, I will be able to spend a little more time there and be a little more relaxed.

Cheers!

Dustin

Daily DIScription

2008-06-02T10:43:00.001-07:00

02 Juni 2008

Black leather oxfords
Brownish grey cotton/triacetate wide leg trousers
White cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White cotton gauze tuxedo shirt
Black cotton/rayon satin military style coat with metal buttons
Matte black rubberized titanium aymmetrical frames

Daily DIScription

2008-06-01T07:43:00.001-07:00

1 Juni 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching
Black cotton t-shirt with raw cut sleeves and white SIN print
Clear plastic frames with black "scribble" print

31 Mei 2008

Black leather lace up ankle boots
Black cotton velvet short pants with self belt
Pale peach cotton asymmetrical t-shirt with black stitching and black/grey/white circular feather print
Black on black striped cotton vest
White leather and stainless watch (Muji)
Black plastic and titanium mirrored sunglasses

30 Mei 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black leather jean cut pants
White cotton tank top with black holy print
Grey cotton v-neck sweater with raw cut collar (Margiela)
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Clear plastic frames with black "scribble" print

29 Mei 2008

Black leather lace up ankle boots
Black on black striped wool/cotton/linen short pants with button cuff
Off white cotton t-shirt with black circular arrow print
Black wool/silk three button jacket
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames

DIScourse

2008-05-29T03:45:00.000-07:00

Grand-Place / Grote Markt / Market Square, Brussels

Stadhuis (City Hall) Antwerp

Bonapartedok and the Lightboat with new the MAS(Museum of City History)building in the background

Inside the De Brandt Park, Antwerp

Sorry for the delay in my blog posts but my internet connection at my apartment is not very reliable (I am picking it up free). A lot has happened since my last post.

On the 21st, after work, I took the train to Brussels (about 45 minutes) so I could attend the Einstürzende Neubauten Alles Wieder Offen show at AB Club. I missed the trains I was hoping to catch but ended up getting to the club just before the band went on stage. I met up with another EN supporter at the show and we talked a bit before the show started. I was happy that the show started on time, which I'm not used to. The show lasted about 2 hours and there were a couple encores but it was over and I was out of the venue by 10:30 which was great since the last train to Antwerp left at 11:30. The band played newer songs but it was an excellent show complete with an actual set design (lighting, backdrop, etc).

On Thursday after work I made my way to KULMINATOR (the best bar ever with over 500 beers, many of which are aged) and managed to book an appointment for a hair cut and color on the 7th.

I did not end up doing as much as I had wanted to over my first full weekend in Antwerp as the weather was not particularly good. On Friday I learned that we quit work 2 hours early to get in shopping and relaxing before the start of the weekend. I ended up going to Kulminator again, then went home and made dinner then watched television.

On Saturday I got up a little later than I was planning but made it out of the apartment and to the open air market outside my apartment for some vegetable shopping. I later went for a walk and to finally check out the designer stores (Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Veronique Branquinho, Walter Van Beirendonck). I didn't end up buying anything since the sales start in a month. After my walk and window shopping I went to the grocery store to get things for the rest of the weekend. In the evening I decided to try out the 80's Night at a local club, Den Aalmoezenier. The doors open at 10 but I didn't want to arrive too early so I got there at 11. Unfortunately, that was too early and there were only two people there, the DJ and the coat-check/drink-ticket lady. I left and decided to come back later after going for another walk around town. It started to rain a little around 11:30 so I headed back to the club to find some people there, but it was really slow until about 1:00 when people finally started to dance. I think I was there until 2 or 2:30 (the club closes at 6) when I was too tired to keep my eyes open.

On Sunday the weather wasn't very nice in the morning so I stayed in bed watching television (it's fun switching between Dutch, French, German and English channels). After I got up I walked to the office to pick up my bike and decided to go for a ride to the docks. I found the bar that I went to two years ago (Cappuccino Club) which is right next to an old Light Boat (one of two in existence, I think). On a bike you get a better sense of the size of a city. Antwerp is pretty small compared to a lot of major cities, but I was able to see some things I hadn't seen yet, like the new MAS building that's going up. I later came across the Burning Plague pub and decided that I needed to go in based on the name alone. It looked like it was owned by a former rocker with punk music playing, a Harley Davidson poster and a signed electric guitar on the wall. Not a very good drink menu though.

So that was pretty much my weekend. I didn't meet anyone new or meet up with any of my coworkers or friends, but I guess these things will take time.

Now it's Thursday and the week has been pretty uneventful so far except I did find the addresses for most of the designer's ateliers/offices and on Monday I managed to find the offices for Raf Simons, Walter Van Beirendonck and Bruno Pieters. I was surprised to find out how close all of them are to my building. On Tuesday I met up with a coworker after work and we went to De Brandt Park (a little outside the city) so he could go for a run and I could walk around and take photos. It was a nice large park that I think used to be a private residence complete with a mote and thatched grounds keepers house. I think there was a large wall surrounding the property because on my walk I kept coming across concrete and brick foundations. After the park we went to the Kulminator and I had a Westmalle Dubbel beer from 1994 for about the same price as a new Westmalle is in New York, quite a difference in taste after 14 years of aging.

Tomorrow night is the Vampire Party (otherwise known as goth night) at Den Aalmoezenier which I am planning on attending, but now I know not to show up until midnight.

Daily DIScription

2008-05-28T04:25:00.001-07:00

28 Mei 2008

Black leather oxfords
Black wool/cotton flat front trousers
Black v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
Black on black cotton striped shirt with black and white silk placket
Black rubberized titanium frames

27 Mei 2008

Black leather oxfords
Black and grey twill silk/cotton flat front trousers
Grey cotton v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
White cotton button up shirt with black and grey abstract floral print
Black leather box pendant
Silver Silver Connected Rings
Metallic grey titanium asymmetrical frames

26 Mei 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black light weight cotton denim jeans with white stitching
White cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White cotton button up shirt with silver stitching
Black cotton/poly denim jean coat
Silver leather cap
Clear and black plastic sunglasses with "chewed" temples

25 Mei 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black light weight cotton denim jeans with white stitching
Grey cotton v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
Black cotton/poly denim jean coat
Silver leather cap
Clear and black plastic sunglasses with "chewed" temples

24 Mei 2008 (avond)

Black glove leather winkle pickers
Black wool/synthetic blend pants with knee straps and ankle zippers
Black cotton tank top with black WHAT REMAINS IS FUTURE print
Black wool/silk three button jacket
Black leather box pendant
Silver Connected Rings

24 Mei 2008

Black leather lace up boots
Grey wool gauze short pants with self belt
Black cotton t-shirt with white hand print
Black leather messenger bag with distressed white painted finish
Silver feather bracelet
Silver Connected Rings
Clear and black plastic sunglasses with "chewed" temples

Daily DIScription

2008-05-23T04:35:00.001-07:00

23 Mei 2008

Black saddle leather saddles
Black cotton/linen/wool striped short pants with button cuff
Black cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Greyish brown cotton military style button up shirt
Clear plastic frames with black scribble print

22 Mei 2008

Black glove leather winkle pickers
Black leather pants with distressed white painted finish
Black cotton t-shirt with white hand print
Black wool/silk three button jacket
Black leather messenger bag with distressed white painted finish
Silver Connected Rings
Silver feather bracelet
Black rubberized asymmetrical frames

21 Mei 2008

Black leather oxfords
Dark grey cotton/ramie wide leg pants
Black cotton v-neck t-short (Van Noten)
Grey linen/wool sleeveless zip cardigan with leather zipper pull
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames

20 Mei 2008

Black leather lace up boots
Black cotton velvet short pants with self belt
Pale pink cotton t-shirt with black stitching and grey/white/black feather print
Black silk/wool three button jacket
Silver Connected Rings
Black titanium and plastic mirrored sunglasses

19 Mei 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black cotton/wool straight leg trousers
White cotton tank top (American Apparel)
White on white striped asymmetrical button up shirt with black dots print
Silver Connected Rings
Black rubberized asymmetrical frames

DIScourse

2008-05-19T22:47:00.000-07:00

I finished my first day of work and all seemed to go well. We sort of reviewed what I'm possibly going to be working on over the next three months. Everyone in the office seem to be nice. I have only had a chance to talk to a couple people so far.

I think I heard the new Nick Cave single coming from someone's computer. I can't believe I haven't bought the album though.

Last night I slept a little better and I'm finally feeling a little more normal after all the moving. I'm still not 100% though.

After work I walked to the grocery store and though I found it, I totally went the long way, which I only realized when I was leaving. I made my first dinner (pasta and a salad). Some groceries are more expensive here but then some like cheese and beer are much less (I can't get over the $1+ Belgian ales!).

Off to my second day of work. Cheers!

-Dustin

DIScourse - Antwerp

2008-05-18T04:05:00.001-07:00

a view from my apartment balcony

I arrived at the Centraal Station in Antwerp, Belgium yesterday around 2:30. I was met by Mik and his girlfriend, Tina. We then walked to my new apartment which took about 10 minutes. The weather was pretty grey and not too warm (coming from the too warm Portland) but it was good to be back in Antwerp after two years.

My apartment is pretty large and came furnished including dish soap, bath towels and even a guitar. It's on the 1st floor (or 2nd floor to Americans) right above a pub. It overlooks a large square (unfortunately they are working on most of it, so there is a lot of construction mess) and is sort of in the theater district. After putting my things away I had lunch with Mik and Tina in there apartment (the top floor in the same building as me) then I went to the grocery store with Mik to get some food for my apartment since stores are closed on Sunday. After that Mik, Tina and I went to get a SIM card for my phone and then we went to an art opening (The Phonebook of Atlantis) and then met Tina's parents for drinks. We then met up with Filip (another Theo employee) and he and I went out for dinner. I pretty much instantly fell asleep when I came back to my flat. I'm not really sure what time I got back to my apartment because I was a little out of sorts from being tired and having too many drinks.

Today is my first full day living in Antwerp. It actually started of poorly, since I woke up at 4:30am only to find that my refrigerator and hot water heater weren't working, neither of which are the end of the world but I really wanted to take a bath (I'm sore from moving, and traveling) and I bought some perishable groceries yesterday that I'm afraid are spoiled now.

It was nice to wake up early though and watch the light change outside and watch the market slowly come together as carts and stalls showed up. I also watched a little TV (Dutch, Flemish, French and British programs) and played the dime-store guitar that is in my apartment.

After making coffee and eating some bread, fruit and cheese I went to the open market in the Vogelmarkt (Bird Market) and walked around the city some. The city is pretty much shut down on Sundays except for some cafes, restaurants and of course the churches. There are a lot of people walking around though which is a big change from when I was here 2 years ago in August when Antwerp was more like a ghost town.

After my walk I came back and found the the circuit board for my apartment and saw that one switch was off. After turning it back on everything seems to be working now. I figured out that there are some free wi-fi signals that I can pick up from my apartment which is great even though they don't seem to be too reliable.

I'm not sure what the rest of today will bring besides dinner with some of the Theo Family and a hot bath.

Daily DIScription

2008-05-18T02:58:00.001-07:00

18 Mei 2008

Black leather lace up ankle boots
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching
Black cotton t-shirt with white cotton inset with black and red DADA print
Black leather bag shoulder with distressed white finish
White leather and stainless steel watch (Muji)
Silver Connected Rings
Black and clear plastic sunglasses

17 Mei 2008

Black leather oxfords
Black and grey silk/cotton flat front trousers
Black cotton long sleeve t-shirt with black bird print
Black cotton/poly denim coat
Metallic grey titanium frames

This is officially my first post from Antwerp. I'm going to change the way I'm posting the Daily Description and will no longer be posting who the articles of clothing are by (besides the exceptions) since all but a couple of things I brought are by Ann Demeulemeester and all the glasses are by Theo.

ANTWERPEN

2008-05-16T13:29:00.001-07:00

I coming for you!

Getting on the plane in just a couple of hours.

Daily DIScription

2008-05-16T10:50:00.000-07:00

16 May 2008 (Last Day in USA)

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black leather jean cut pants (Demeulemeester)
White cotton tank top (American Apparel)
White cotton short sleeve button up shirt with black polka dot print (Muji)
Black silk/wool three button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Black titanium and plastic mirrored sunglasses (Theo)

15 May 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Blue cotton denim jeans with black over wash (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton Nina Hagen concert t-shirt
Silver leather cap (Demeulemeester)
Matte black rubberized titanium frames (Theo)

14 May 2008 (Moving Day)

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Blue cotton light weight denim jeans with metallic over wash (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton polo shirt (American Apparel)
Matte black rubberized titanium frames (Theo)

13 May 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Faded black cotton corduroy jean cut pants (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton Imaad Wasif with Two Part Beast concert t-shirt
Matte black rubberized titanium frames (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-05-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

12 May 2008

Black leather and suede All Black trainers (adidas)
Faded black cotton corduroy jean cut pants (Demeulemeester)
Light grey cotton T Raumschmiere custom made t-shirt (S Blake)
Black cotton denim jean jacket with snap closures (Demeulemeester)
Silver leather cap (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

11 May 2008

Black leather pointed cap toe shoe with studs (Comme des Garçons)
Black cotton denim jeans with black cotton tape side stripes and beaded quote on right leg (Demeulemeester)
Charcoal grey cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Black cotton long sleeve button up shirt with knit cuff (Van Noten)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

10 May 2008

Black leather winkle pickers (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/cotton flat front trousers (Demeulemeester)
Grey cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Grey cotton button up shirt with button down collar (Yamamoto)
Black wool/ramie zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

Packing

2008-05-12T21:41:00.000-07:00

I'm in the middle of packing up my things to put in storage while I'm spending the summer in Antwerp, Belgium. There's a lot to do but I had to take a break from packing boxes and turn to packing my suitcase. What do you bring for a three month stay in one of the most fashionable cities in the world? Belgian clothes of course.

I recently got new Globe-Trotter luggage after I saw them in an editorial photo spread. I had never heard of the company before but I wanted something simple and black with wheels to bring with me to Tokyo and I really liked the design, as well as the heritage of the luggage company. However, I wanted to customize my luggage a bit, especially after seeing the luggage everywhere in Tokyo, so I decided to brand them with a stencil.

A friend of mine who owns a sign shop, Sign On, made the stencils based on my font layout and I sprayed them on the cases. I had a little problem with bleeding on the large case (the paint started to react with the vinyl) but overall I'm really happy with the way they turned out. Now people will really think I'm wheeling around instruments.

Daily DIScription

2008-05-09T14:59:00.001-07:00

09 May 2008

Black leather and suede All Black trainers (adidas)
Blue denim jeans with black overwash (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton knit v-neck short sleeve sweater (Smedley)
Black wool/rayon zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/silk cap (Demeulemeester)
Black/brown striped plastic frames (Theo)

08 May 2008

Black leather side zip boots with loose cuff (Demeulemeester)
Blue cotton denim jeans with twisted seams (Levi's RED)
Red cotton knit polo shirt (Smedley)
Black wool/nylon reversible jacket (Final Home)
Pale yellow plastic frames (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-05-08T11:12:00.001-07:00

07 May 2008

Black leather oxfords spray painted white customized (Lang)
Pale peach cotton/silk twill flat front trousers (Demeulemeester)
White cotton t-shirt with contrast stitching (American Apparel)
Greyish brown cotton washed velvet jacket with wired lapel (Edge)
Black large button with white silhouette (Demeulemeester)
Pale yellow plastic frames (Theo)

06 Mat 2008

Black leather side zip boots with loose leather cuff (Demeulemeester)
Warm grey cotton/triacetate wide leg pants (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton polo shirt (American Apparel)
Black silk/wool jacket (Demeulemeester)
Black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

05 May 2008

Black leather oxfords spray painted white customized (Lang)
Faded black cotton corduroy jean cut pants (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton Nina Hagen concert t-shirt
White cotton jacket with ruched sleeves and shoulder detail (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with "scribble" print (Theo)

04 May 2008

Black leather oxfords spray painted white customized (Lang)
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with black crow print
Black on black stripe button up shirt with black and white striped placket (Demeulemeester)
White cotton jacket with ruched sleeves and shoulder detail (Demeulemeester)
White leather ball pendant necklace (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with "scribble" print (Theo)

03 May 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with white cotton inset and black/red DADA print (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with "scribble" print (Theo)

02 May 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
White cotton denim jeans with grey over-wash (Dior Homme)
Grey cotton long sleeve t-shirt with black BLACKEYED print (Delcour)
Black wool and nylon reversible jacket (Final Home)
Clear plastic frames with "scribble" print (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-05-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

May 01 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black cotton demin jeans with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with white SIN print (Demeulemeester)
Black distressed raw leather "motorcycle" jacket with raw leather zip pulls (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with scribble print (Theo)

30 April 2008

Metallic bronze and black leather Stan Smith Comfort trainers (adidas)
Black leather jean cut pants (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton polo shirt (American Apparel)
Grey wool/linen zip sweater vest with raw leather zip pulls (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton denim jean jacket with white stitching and snap closures (Demeulemeester)
Black titanium oval frames (Theo)

29 April 2008

Metallic bronze and black leather Stan Smith Comfort trainers (adidas)
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Grey cotton v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
Grey cotton v-neck sweater with raw edge collar (Margiela)
Black wool/ramie zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

28 April 2008

Black leather zip boots with loose cuff (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton light weight denim jeans with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black leather belt with blacked metal grommets and chain accessory
Black cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Black leather long sleeve shirt with snap closures (Demeulemeester)
Greyish brown washed velvet jacket with wired lapel (Edge)
Large black button with white silhouette image (Demeulemeester)
Blackened metal chain necklace (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

27 April 2008

Black leather oxford spray painted white (customized Helmut Lang)
Black cotton corduroy jeans (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton Nina Hagen concert t-shirt
Black cotton denim jean jacket with white stitching and snap closures (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/silk cap (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with scribble print (Theo)

DIScourse

2008-04-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since I last wrote a journal entry and I'm not going to go recount everything that has happened because it's all in the past now.

I will say that on March 31 I found out that I was not accepted into MIT for the VAP masters program, which was a blow. Shortly afterwards I went to New York to visit friends and interview for jobs (within a week of sending out applications to East Coast firms I got three interviews at a variety of good firms).

While in New York I met with the owner of Theo (the Belgian eyewear company I've been wearing for 13+ years) just to introduce myself to him and his son. The introduction turned into something more and after four hours I was offered the opportunity to move to Antwerp for the summer and work as a designer at Theo. This will give me time to see if I like living in Antwerp (it's been a dream of mine for about ten years) and to see how well I mesh within the Theo family. If everything goes well it may turn into a permanent position, which would be ideal as it would help me get into the product design field while still allowing me to work on exhibition spaces and maybe even some retail design. I'm very excited about the possibilities that could arise from living and working in Antwerp.

I bought my ticket to Amsterdam (I'll take the train to Antwerp) on Thursday, so it's all starting to feel more concrete now. An apartment has also been found for me which a relief. I've been told it's in a great location and it will be newly renovated and furnished, so it sounds great. I can't wait to see pictures of the building and find out the actual address.

I have a lot to do in the next three weeks to prepare for the move but I'm sure it will be worth it once I find myself having a Belgian ale in a café in Antwerp.

The Glasses of Dis

2008-04-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to photographing all of my glasses for those of you that wanted to get a better look at some of them. Some of these I hardly ever wear and some of them I feel I wear too much. It may look excessive, but these go back 14 years or so.

All of them are by Theo (Belgium) except for the bottom right pair of sunglasses which wear made by the now defunct German company, Proksch.

Daily DIScription

2008-04-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

26 April 2008

Black saddle leather sandals (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/ramie short pants with button cuffs (Demeulemeester)
Off-white cotton t-shirt with black circular arrow print (Demeulemeester)
Silver Feather bracelet (Japanese)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Black and clear plastic asymmetrical frames with chewed temples (Theo)

25 April 2008 (evening)

Black glove leather winkle pickers (Demeulemeester)
Black wool and synthetic flat front trousers with leg straps and ankle zippers (Demeulemeester)
Grey and white cotton two layer v-neck t-shirt with raw edges (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton long sleeve button up shirt with elastic arm bands (Van Noten)
Black wool/nylon reversible jacket (Final Home)
Black leather box pendant (Demeulemeester)
Black leather circular messenger bag (Van Noten)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)

25 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith 2 trainers (adidas)
Grey cotton herringbone trousers without side seams (Margiela)
Grey and white cotton two layer v-neck t-shirt with raw edges (Demeulemeester)
White cotton shirt jacket (Van Noten)
Metallic grey titanium asymmetrical glasses (Theo)

24 April 2008

Black leather zip boots with loose leather cuff (Demeulemeester)
Blue cotton denim jeans with silver over wash (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton polo shirt (American Apparel)
Black cotton/nylon sweater vest (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/nylon reversible jacket (Final Home)
Silver leather cap (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with scribble print (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-22T13:22:00.001-07:00

23 April 2008

Black leather pointed oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Dark grey cotton cargo pants with leg straps (Demeulemeester)
Grey cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White striped Western style button up shirt with grey flower and stripe print (Margiela)
Greyish tan wool/cotton coat (Demeulemeester)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Metallic grey titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

22 April 2008

Black leather oxfords with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/metal pants with tabbed waist (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with black crow print on front and back (Japanese)
Grey wool/linen zip vest with high collar (Demeulemeester)
Black distressed leather zip jacket with high collar (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/silk cap (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with black scribble print (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-21T12:52:00.001-07:00

21 April 2008

Black suede and white leather trainers (adidas)
Black cotton denim jeans with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt (Petite Bateau)
Black on black striped button-up shirt with black and white silk placket (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton denim jacket with snap closures and white stitching (Demeulemeester)
White button with black silhouette (Demeulemeester)
Matte black rubberized titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

20 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
White cotton denim jeans with grey over wash (Dior Homme)
Grey cotton v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
Grey cotton v-neck sweater (Margiela)
White cotton gauze scarf with grey flower print (Muji)
Black wool/ramie zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulmeester)
Silver leather cap (Demeulemeester)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Metallic grey titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

DIScourse

2008-04-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a few days in New York and while I was there I found a couple of stores that had some of the Ann Demeulemeester jewelry collection. After seeing so much of the collection at the Tokyo Demeulemeester boutique and not being able to afford any of it I was happy to come across some of it in the Big Apple.

I ended up getting the ring pictured above which is actually 5 rings attached together by 4 little rings. (Perfect! Just like the 9 rings of hell.) The rings have an oxidized finish and the thicker rings are slightly curved. It's actually comfortable on despite the little connecting rings.

I also found out that the jewelry line is being produced by Werkstatt München which usually makes more "gothic/industrial" jewelry. I saw some great necklaces while I was there as well but they were beyond my "budget" at this point.

Daily DIScription

2008-04-19T14:45:00.001-07:00

19 April 2008

Black leather oxfords with white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/rayon single pleat pants with cuff (Demeulemeester)
White cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White cotton button up shirt with pleated tuxedo placket (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/rayon satin military style coat with metal buttons (Demeulemeester)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Matte black rubberized asymmetrical frames (Theo)

18 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
Black leather pants with white cracked finish (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton Imaad Wasif with Two Part Beast concert t-shirt with white print
White leather ball pendant (Demeulemeester)
Black silk/wool three button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with black "scribble" print (Theo)

17 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
Black cotton/linen/wool striped shirt pants with button hem (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with white cotton inset and black and red DADA print (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

16 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
Black cotton denim jeans with black cotton tape tuxedo stripe with beaded text on right leg (Demeulemeester)
Grey cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White cotton button up shirt with black and grey abstract floral print (Demeulemeester)
Black silk/wool three button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

15 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
White cotton cargo pants with leg straps (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton x-long sleeve t-shirt with black bird print (Demeulemeester)
White leather ball pendant (Demeulemeester)
Black silk/wool three button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Silver Connected Ring (Demeulemeester)
Black titanium and plastic frames with mirrored lenses (Theo)

14 April 2008

Black leather pointed oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/cotton flat front slacks (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
Grey wool/cashmere/nylon large cable knit v-neck sweater (Demeulemeester)
Clear plastic frames with black "scribble" print (Theo)

13 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
Black cotton denim jeans with black cotton tape tuxedo stripe with beaded text on right leg (Demeulemeester)
Grey cotton v-neck t-shirt (Van Noten)
White cotton button up shirt with black and grey abstract floral print (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/poly denim coat (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

12 April 2008

Black leather pointed oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black leather pants with white cracked finish (Demeulemeester)
Grey cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Black cotton button up shirt with gathered and buttoned hem and cuffs (Demeulemeester)
White leather ball pendant (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/poly denim coat (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

11 April 2008

Black leather pointed oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/cotton flat front slacks (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Black on black striped cotton button up shirt with black and white silk placket (Demeulemeester)
Black on black striped cotton vest (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/poly denim coat (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

10 April 2008

White leather Stan Smith trainers (adidas)
Black cotton denim jeans with black cotton tape tuxedo stripe with beaded text on right leg (Demeulemeester)
White cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White on white cotton striped asymmetrical button up shirt with black dots print (Demeulemeester)
Black silk/wool three button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/poly denim coat (Demeulemeester)
Matte black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-09T15:14:00.001-07:00

09 April 2008

Black leather oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black, grey, tan and cream wool/silk tweed wide leg pants (Adam Arnold)
Charcoal grey cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Grey cotton button up long sleeve shirt with faded treatment (Margiela)
Black wool/ramie zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulemeester)
Matte black rubberized frames (Theo)

08 April 2008

Black leather and suede All Black trainers (adidas)
Burgundy cotton pants with black over wash (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with black print (Comme des Garçons)
Black wool crew neck sweater with dart detail (Dior Homme)
Black wool gauze scarf (Yamamoto)
Black wool/nylon reversible jacket (Final Home)
Matte black rubberized frames (Theo)
New haircut (Luke)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

07 April 2008

Black leather oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Grey and black cotton/silk twill flat front slacks (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/poly Nina Hagen concert t-shirt
Black wool crew neck sweater with dart details (Dior Homme)
Black cotton/rayon satin jacket with metal buttons (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/silk cap (Demeulemeester)
Black plastic and titanium frames with mirrored lenses (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-06T16:11:00.001-07:00

06 April 2008

White leather and black suede high tops (adidas)
Black light weight cotton denim jeans (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton Imaad Wasif with Two Part Beast concert t-shirt with white hand print
White on white striped cotton asymmetrical button up shirt with black dots print (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/ramie zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulemeester)
Matte black rubberized titanium frames (Theo)

05 April 2008

Black suede slippers (Bally)
Grey and white striped pajamas (Muji)

I didn't feel very well today so I didn't leave my apartment or get dressed. I did listen to a lot of talk radio and watch the Simpsons.

04 April 2008

Black leather pointed toe lace up shoes (Demeulemeester)
Black distressed leather pants (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with white hand print (Demeulemeester)
Black on black striped cotton vest (Demeulemeester)
Black beaded necklace with buffalo horn skull (Demeulemeester)
Greyish brown cotton velvet jacket with wired lapel (Edge)
Matte black rubberized titanium frames (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

03 April 2008

White leather and black suede trainers (adidas)
Black tabi socks (Muji)
Black crushed cotton/rayon/metal short pants with button detail (Demeulemeester)
White cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
White cotton short sleeve button up shirt with black polka dot print (Muji)
Black cotton denim jean jacket (Demeulemeester)
White cracked leather wrap bracelet (Demeulemeester)
Black plastic and titanium frames with mirrored lenses (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-02T11:36:00.001-07:00

02 April 2008

Black leather and suede All Black trainers (adidas)
White cotton denim jeans with grey stain wash (Dior Homme)
Black leather skinny suspenders (Dior Homme)
Black cotton t-shirt (Petite Abeille)
White cotton tank top with Holy print (Demeulemeester)
Black on black cotton striped vest (Demeulemeester)
Black silk/wool three button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Black plastic and titanium mirrored sunglasses (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-01T17:58:00.001-07:00

01 April 2008

Black leather pointed toe lace up shoes (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/cotton flat front trousers (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton LOW concert t-shirt
Black cotton button-up shirt/jacket with bubble hem, button detail sleeves and pockets (Demeulemeester)
Black beaded necklace with buffalo horn skull pendant (Demeulemeester)
Black leather cuff bracelet (Hermes)
Black and clear plastic square sunglasses with black plastic "chewed" temples (Theo)

Daily DIScription

2008-04-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

31 March 2008

Black leather oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black and grey striped socks (Muji)
Black wool/ramie short pants with button cuff (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with black crow print
Black silk/wool 3 button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Matte black asymmetrical frames (Theo)

30 March 2008

White terry cloth slippers from Japanese hotel (I didn't leave the house today)
Blue cotton jeans with silver metallic wash and white stitching (Demeulemeester)
Burgundy cotton t-shirt (American Apparel)
Multi-colored cotton button up shirt with digitized floral print (Branquinho)
Matte black asymmetrical frames (Theo)

DISappointment

2008-03-30T02:03:00.000-07:00

I finally got a letter from MIT today, but unfortunately it was to inform me that I was not admitted to the Visual Arts Program.

It's a bit crushing and overwhelming and I'm not sure what to do now. I was pretty postive that I was going to get in, so this is a little too much for me right now.

Daily DIScription

2008-03-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

29 March 2008

Black leather oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black grey and grey striped socks (Muji)
Black wool/ramie short pants with button cuff (Demeulemeester)
Grey cotton v-neck t-shirt (van Noten)
Black cotton cardigan (Smedley)
Black silk/wool 3 button jacket (Demeulemeester)
Silver leather cap (Demeulemeester)
Metallic grey asymmetrical frames (Theo)

28 March 2008 (evening)

Black leather capped toe pointed lace up shoes with studs (Comme des Garçons)
Black cotton denim jeans with black cotton tape tuxedo stripe with beading on right leg (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton tank top with black WHAT REMAINS IS FUTURE print (Demeulemeester)
Black on black cotton striped vest (Demeulemeester)
Black wool/ramie zip jacket with removable hood (Demeulemeester)
Black leather box pendant (Demeulemeester)
Black leather cuff bracelet (Hermes)

DIScourse

2008-03-28T18:21:00.002-07:00

Today it started to snow a little in Portland and then it quickly changed to hail and then very heavy hail. It's dry outside now, so I'm thinking I should head home. I need to replace the umbrella I lost.

Tonight I am celebrating my birthday with friends at the Fez. Nothing like dancing to music from the 80's to make you feel like you're 35!

I'm still waiting to hear from MIT. I am now under the belief that I will not hear from them until Monday or possibly Tuesday, either through phone or email. I really need to know if I've been accepted into the program. The waiting is KILLING me. I feel I'm at a total standstill until I hear from them.

Daily DIScription

2008-03-28T16:27:00.001-07:00

28 March 2008

White leather and black suede high tops (adidas)
Black cotton denim jeans with black cotton tape tuxedo stripes and black beading of Patti Smith quote on right leg (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton v-neck t-shirt (Hanro)
Black on black cotton striped button up shirt with black and white striped placket (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton/poly denim coat (Demeulemeester)
Black titanium asymmetrical frames (Theo)

JAPAN #5

2008-03-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

I was recently in Japan and have posted some photos on my Flickr account.

Please have a look here.

Daily DIScription

2008-03-27T14:34:00.001-07:00

27 March 2008

Black leather pointed oxfords (Demeulemeester)
Black and heather grey wool herring bone suit (Demeulemeester)
Black cotton t-shirt with black crow print
Black cotton button up shirt with arm bands (van Noten)
Black on black cotton striped vest (Demeulemeester)
Matte black rubberized titanium frames (Theo)