Our Hallow's Eve

thank you X

I hope everyone had an exciting Halloween weekend!  I had to work on the actual day since it was a Monday, but luckily I got to dress up. Sometimes I day dream about the ideal job and wonder if I will ever have one where I can use my art degree to it's full potential. However, I'm lucky to have a job period and really blessed that I can work in an environment that allows me to express myself creatively one day out of the year. My favorite day!  

A couple of posts ago, I expressed how much I love to dress up for Halloween.  It has always been my favorite time of year.  Coming up with costume ideas always takes valuable time and consideration.  Last year my costume was kind of thrown together in a flash and was a little disappointing.  This year, I promised myself that I would put in more effort and come up with something fabulous. Down below is my interpretation of Liza. Complete with freshly painted teal green nails!

I didn't get the hair quite right (she has that amazing Vulcan/widow's peak point), but I'm really happy about my curls. It's been fun playing around with my pixie cut now that it's grown in a little. I think I may start doing pin curls more often.

 

This was Friday night. We decided to head downtown for a massive, MASSIVE party thrown by a fellow artist, Jay Lopez. I met Jay at Synchronicity Space gallery where my friend, Gilda use to host potlucks. This was also his birthday party and somehow he knows a lot of people because there were probably well over 500, I'm estimating.  Jeaux went as a 1992 "Dead Head".  A family friend gave him that amazingly bad (he begs to differ) Grateful Dead tee and I must say, it was a show stopper. He was so proud to get many compliments, but nobody got his costume. Tons of people yelled out "Cheech!", although we both thought he looked more like Tommy Chong with the beard, bandanna and glasses. He just "rolled" with it. 

While trying to find parking, we spotted this crazy, awesome van.  I am always drawn to graffiti and I love how busy this photo is. I think that eye is looking at me.  Love at first sight. 

I also really love brick buildings.  This one houses loft spaces. Oh, to afford one of those would be magical. This shot was taken after deciding not to stand in line anymore. The party had reached full capacity and the hired help were starting to turn people away.  It was exciting to see all the costumes, so being turned away wasn't so bad. It had also been a long while since Jeaux and I have had an actual date. Money has been tight and we have been forced to spend many nights at home, which can turn really monotonous.  It felt good to be together and to bring a little spark and adventure back into our relationship.

Cheers to Halloween, nighttime photo adventures and love! 

your friend,

ava

Life is a Cabaret

Anyone who knows me, knows that I enjoy dressing up.  I take pride in putting together the perfect outfit, so imagine how excited I must feel that Halloween is fast approaching?  This time of year has always been a joy for me.  That chance to be someone else for a night.  Times have been tough this year with having to move back under my mother's roof, to my recent car accident.  I'm definitely on a tight budget, & probably not the only one, considering our country's economic status.   

It's funny that I chose to be Sally Bowles this year because behind her decadent facade, are her struggles to make it & that vulnerability that ever so slightly rises to the surface.  I have to quote my mother here in reference to my father; "..he may be poor, but he looks like a million bucks."  That is something that has been passed down to me, which gives me great pride.  It's all about utilizing what is already around you.  Luckily, being Liza won't be too tough.  I already have the short hair &  have managed to accumulate a sweet collection of unmentionables over the years (blush).  The icing on the cake is this nail polish I bought a while back at Sephora.  When I saw it, I immediately thought Cabaret.  It's almost the exact wild, dark teal blue polish she had in the film.  That same amazing color I have seen in Kenneth Anger's Puce Moment.  If you look closely, the starlet  has her toe nails painted that blue/green.  I'm not sure if they even had colors like that back in the 30s & 40s.  It seems so progressive. By the way, if you haven't seen Cabaret, I suggest you Netflix it immediately.  Liza Minnelli is perfection, not to mention Fosse!

Have a rad & safe Halloween everybody!

your friend,

ava