31

Just a few things...

©Ava Alamshah

these flowers while hiking

©Ava Alamshah

this tree

these women

Taken earlier this morning at Cliff's Edge in Silverlake, celebrating my 31 years of being alive. I am now officially in the midst of my 30s and there is no turning back. It is crazy to think about all that has happened in an entire year. This time last year Amber and I were here. A lot has happened since then... some good things, some sad things, and I am so grateful to have these women in my life. They have seen me at my worst, and at my happiest, and I truly felt the L O V E today. Thank you, my lovelies! xx

your friend,

ava

Annie Hall

In my last entry, I wrote a bit about relationships.  One of my favorite films about relationships..... truly, one of my favorite films, period, is Woody Allen's Annie Hall.  I was happy to be introduced to Allen's comedic brilliance my senior year of high school.  It was in Mr. Zameroski's "film as literature" class.  It was the best class ever.  We watched films, and wrote a page about them.  I was exposed to some of the great classics:  East of Eden, On the Waterfront, Badlands, Run Lola Run, Raging Bull, Annie Hall, Cinema Paradiso, and many others.  We weren't aloud to watch Taxi Driver in class, but Mr. Z recommended that we watch it on our own time!  He was the coolest!!

After Annie Hall, I fell in love with Woody Allen and had to see all his films.  My mother is a New Yorker, and so I think his films spoke naturally to me because of this.  For my mother, his films ring true in a lot of ways. The style, the neurosis, and the mannerisms/expressions.... Manhattan, Hannah & Her Sisters, Love & Death, Sleeper....they are all wonderful, but I always go back to Annie Hall.  I strongly believe that it is his masterpiece.  Diane Keaton was perfect, and he wasn't tainted yet, by that scandal.  Pshhhh..... yeah, you know, it's pretty unforgettable...wikipedia it, if you dare!   

Annie Hall was him at his best.  His golden moment in time.  I am happy to announce that I finally get to see it on the big screen!  Tomorrow, the 11th, it's playing at the silent movie theater on Fairfax.  You can purchase tickets here.

Was She Pretty?

This is the cover of Leanne Shapton's Was She Pretty?  A book about current loves and curiosities about their ex lovers.  I could not stop turning the pages.  Each one spoke about the insecurities, jealousy, and the wonder that enters a new relationship and those thoughts about your partner's exes.  Why didn't it work out? Comparing oneself to the former lover, and in a way, admiring them at the same time.  Would we be friends?  We clearly have the same taste in men/women.

It also touches upon connections and that cycle that happens when you find love, lose love, and then find love all over again.  Sometimes it lasts for a long time, and sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes it's all about timing.

I stumbled upon Leanne's book through my new favorite site, BOOK STAND.  If you love books, especially artist made with a personal touch, handmade zines, beautiful/dreamy picture books to fill your shelves....then this is the perfect little site to fulfill your internet library fantasy come true!  The lovely Claire Cottrell founded BOOK STAND and she'll be at the LA ART BOOK FAIR tomorrow evening!  Here is an interview with Claire that I found on the Madewell blog. 

All work above © Leanne Shapton

It's very cathartic to skim the pages now on the eve of my breakup.  Life is full of bittersweet experiences, and I have to thank my former boyfriend for introducing me to the blog world.  Without him, I wouldn't be writing about my dreams and interests.  The funny thing about relationships is that they stay with you.  All the amazing times, the bad, the awkward, the disappointments/sorrows, and all the love and loss.  It is part of our every day lives and sometimes we grow and sometimes we don't, but it's all about the experience. 

your friend,

ava

Mari Naomi's Kiss & Tell

I was first introduced to Mari Naomi's art through my good friend, Rio, who was curating a show a few years back at SomArts Cultural Center in San Francisco.  Mari's art stood out immediately.  They were large water color images of sumo wrestling clowns, softly painted with bright colors and simple white backgrounds.  Beautiful paintings with such whimsy and humor, depicting the clowns throwing up (..and farting?) a rainbow assortment of balloons!  I remember wishing I had money to buy every single painting of hers on the wall that night.  I truly admired her vision so much and it stuck with me. 

Some time later, I got to connect with her on the social networking extravaganza known as Facebook.  I would check out a drawing of hers every now and then, and left a comment about this one here...

Copyright MariNaomi 2010

I think I told her that this was my favorite image of hers, and to make a long story shorter, we ended up making an old fashioned art trade (her watercolor, for one of my photos).  I was so excited when I got it in the mail, along with one of her zines!  I finally got to hang it in my former apartment.  Thanks Mari! 

See it on the wall, to my right?! :)

I recently ended up cruising her website and found out that she currently has a graphic novel published.  It's called "Kiss & Tell: A Romantic Resume Ages 0 to 22".  This is what inspired me to write this post about her and about the relationships (romantic or otherwise) we come across in our daily lives. Before I reconnected with my man, Jeaux, I had an assortment of tales to tell about my dating trials and tribulations. The good, the bad, and the oh, so ugly.  I always wanted to write about these experiences, but never knew how to start.  A year ago, I finally created a small zine about my last break up, which was both cathartic and liberating. In order to truly move on, I had to jot down my feelings, like the pages from my diaries. I felt exposed, but it was alright because these are experiences we all go through. I have yet to pick up Mari's memoir, but it details her dating history up until her early 20s.  From those first loves, to scandalous rendezvous, to heart breaks.....

I always admired artists who can laugh at themselves and add humor to their creations.  I also respect when life imitates art. I am a huge fan of non-fiction. When artist's tell stories from their own lives, whether its through writing, or visual art. Lately, I've been getting into Bukowski.  I know he was the cliche, alcoholic, & womanizing writer, but there is something so pure and refreshing about his honesty. Believe me, there were times when I would read something from his novel, "Women", and had to put the book down because it was so blunt and outright misogynistic.  Though I can respect that, and commend his late ability to put it all out there.  

I love this kind of honesty, good or bad, it's relatable. How people come in and out of our lives.  Losing and gaining connections.  It's so inspiring. 

Thanks Mari, for giving us a woman's point of view and for being so awesome! 

I can't wait to see your memoir! 

Check out her site at www.marinaomi.com 

your friend,

ava