Los Angeles, I'm Yours

Okay.
It is July 4th, and I am typing this entry from Casbah Cafe, in Silverlake. I've always loved the beauty of this place, with it's Moroccan flair. Almost like being there (well, not really....I wouldn't know, but I can only imagine). My friend's independence day bbq was canceled, and I haven't had internet, so I almost went there with a huge watermelon in hand (sort of like that scene in Dirty Dancing!) I wonder if the bbq would have ended up with all of us gyrating our hips? One can dream, right?

It's been an overwhelming couple of months. Sad/new/tragic/wonderful/weird/lonely....I have been feeling somewhat out of place, going through a transitional period. May was a very hard month. It would have been three years together for Jeaux and I if we decided to stick things out. I went through a dog attack (a scar remains just inches below my left eye), and early last month, I moved into my own, little apartment. I've been adjusting alright to living alone for the first time. I've had maybe one or two little crying spells, which is pretty good considering I cry a lot, even when I'm really happy, or during a really good orgasm. Yes, it is true, I like a good cry. I'm happy to take this time to write again, and I am being awfully candid, but I haven't had this outlet in two weeks! 

Some positive things I'd like to share...

This photo of Katie

Katie, I hope you are not mad at me for putting this up, but I think you look stunning! Fun fact about Katie: I met her through my friend, Angie. Stef and Gilda blogged about her...AND through facebook, I found out that she is good friends with Mari Naomi. Cool thing is that I got to meet Mari in person for the very first time after being internet friends since 2010! Her and her husband moved to LA from San Francisco. I shot this photo of Katie at Mari's housewarming. Awesome small world! 

Palm trees at the reopened Echo Park Lake, which I live very close to. About a five minute walk!  Some friends and I had a picnic there a couple of weeks ago. It looks beautiful and I can't wait to take more photos of it.  I want to be there every day. My friend Taylor and I talked about that scene in Chinatown, which I think about every time I visit the lake. 

Some dear friends had babies...

 

 

plants in my kitchen window, an Assyrian rug from my aunt Violet, and the first tea at my new home...

 Lydia

Last Friday, we finally went to Ooga Booga together and got to meet DEATH! Look how happy we all are! More on that later, but I couldn't wait to show you. UGH..it was so much fun. Such cutie pies. Those pearly whites. MAGIC. 
Check this out. And this! And THIS!! Also this!!! 

xx So much love xx

That's me holding a signed 7" from their very first band, "ROCKFIRE FUNK EXPRESS"! They were a funk band. 

all images ©Ava Alamshah

Also, this blog is pretty great. And the song of the same name, by The Decemberists. That song came on the radio while driving to my apartment, and guess what? Yep..... I cried. 

your friend,

ava

Nail Party

!  O O G A    B O O G A  !

 

  Hi friends!  

  Here are the photos I promised to you from this post.  Pretty sweet times at Nail Party 2012!

  Tea at Intelligentsia.  The tea was delicious (and expensive).  Still not sure what all the fuss is about.  I was just happy to be with my friend.

B E F O R E

A F T E R

© 2012 Ava Alamshah

your friend,

ava

Ooga Booga/Madeline Poole

  Last night, I got to hang out with my pal Sasha of The Holy Nail.  It was so lovely to see her and get to hang out for realsies.  It is so nice when the stars align, and I really cherish those moments because they only happen every so often.  Being an adult is hard.

  

  So back to the evening...

  When I saw that Ooga Booga opened up another pop up, and that Madeline Poole was doing nails, I knew Sasha and I would have to be there!  I've always loved having my nails painted and I have such respect and admiration for women who can keep up the classic look 24/7.  I also love that it has become such an art form and yet another way to express yourself.  

  So I guess Madeline Poole is a big deal in the nail scene and I've been kind of out of the loop, but she is very friendly/down to earth person and makes nails look like jewelry.  It's unbelievable what she can do. I cannot wait to show you photos of her handiwork, and of the event.  If I didn't already end up spending a ton of money on mix tapes, a zine, and a gift, I would have picked up the book in that image above.  There was a short reading of it during the festivities, and it sounded really smart and funny.  Stuff about cults, stealing small items, and friendship....SOLD. 

your friend,

ava

Ooga Booga

  One of my all time favorite stores, Ooga Booga, has a pop up shop in San Francisco that will be ending it's run in the next two weeks!  If you are in town, I suggest you head on over to grab some zines and some records.  November 30th is the last day.  The location is at the Kadist Art Foundation on the corner of 20th and Folsom.

  I first heard about Ooga Booga about six or seven years ago from an article in Nylon Magazine, about the owner, Wendy Yao.  HERE is an article from 2007, about Wendy, her amazing space, and what influenced her to start her business.  Some more recent articles from KCET here and here.  I am happy that I've gotten to meet Wendy and volunteer a couple of times at her shop.  Really glad that her store exists.

 R I O

Mike Kelley's Destroy All Monsters.  RIP

  The shop in San Francisco was great.  I loved the polka dots in the windows.  I happened to be wearing a polka dot dress that day, too.  It's such a happy design.  It felt nice to be the only ones in the store for a while.  We could just hang out and gaze at all the art and zines.  The plant, in the image below, gave me such fuzzy feelings.  Everything is a visual feast, from the potted plant, to the different colored books and zines laying on the wooden surface, to the beautifully woven rug underneath....M A G I C.

Underneath it reads:  Chris Johanson & Jo Jackson, Sic Alps/Awesome, Vistas print, $200

Fruits and Nuts by Laura Owens

your friend,

ava

Images © 2012 Ava Alamshah

July 4th, 2012

C H I N A T O W N

 
  Jeaux is pretending to be happy, even though we were sad that Ooga Booga wasn't open.  I'm glad we stopped by anyway because low and behold, a window display from Beautification Solutions.  AKA Katie Vonderheide of Synchronicity Space and Justin McInteer, formerly of Echo Curio.  They painted some favorite, and glorious Ooga Booga items directly onto the glass.  How cute is that No Age tee?   My friend, Katie, is one half of Synchronicity!  She is really nice, very talented, and wears cute dresses.  Did you guys see my post about Friday night?!  Check it out!   Hope some of you homies were able to catch the live readings not too long ago this evening (well, Saturday evening now).

I like to stand in alleys (only in the daytime)

  The buildings in Chinatown are unreal.  Full of color and life.  Crazy shapes... almost European looking.  I can spend hours shooting photographs here.  

 Speaking of colors, we got to see Moonrise Kingdom.  The art direction is beautiful, but what I really enjoyed was the story.  First love, that is so sweet and innocent, and kind of sexy (in the purest way). It almost made me cry. Oh, to be a little girl again.  Here is the trailer. 

your friend,

ava