"Cal Punk & Performance"

I was very fortunate to catch this incredible exhibition at Annie Warton Los Angeles just before it came down.
Annie is such a sweet woman. She let me stay late on the exhibition's final day and even offered me a glass of wine, which I gladly accepted.

This exhibition really resonated with me. Particularly when I came across this:

I guess you could say I was initially introduced to the San Francisco rock scene by the lead singer of The Lucky Stiffs. I had met Greg at a bar called Zeitgeist on my 21st birthday. He was there with a friend & I suppose you could say I caught his attention.
He introduced himself politely and when I told him it was my birthday, he proceeded to belt out a punky rendition of a Happy Birthday right there in front of everyone. It was adorable. I was love-struck...
And so began the first of MANY rock n' roll adventures in San Francisco.

Entitled "Cal Punk & Performance" the exhibition featured select works from "targetvideo77" a rich archive of rare punk rock performance footage by Joe Rees.  

The show was truly wonderfully curated. It was clean but raw at the same time. Very true to the punk sensibility.

Here are some shots from the exhibition:

Punk Princess Point of View

I can remember the first time I saw a photograph of glamour girl Elizabeth Hurley in the infamous Versace safety pin dress back in the nineties.

It changed my life:

I suppose you can say that it taught me that little punk ducklings could one day blossom into swans that embody elegance but without necessarily having to abandon who they are.

I didn't know anything about Elizabeth Hurley's past at the time. All I knew was that there was this stunning woman on a red carpet wearing this stunning designer dress with safety pins in it...

Well as it turns out, Elizabeth Hurley used to be QUITE the punk chick back in the day:

Do you have a punk rock past too?

This is a photo of me taken almost 10 years ago. Back when I was too cool to smile...

There was a time in my life when I pretty much exclusively dated musicians.

When you hang out in a scene, you attract "a type" and I certainly had a type...

Almost 10 years ago. In Betsey Johnson. I was SUCH a Betsey Girl:

Was my taste in men simply an act of rebellion against my conservative diplomat father or was I just a wild child with a thing for wild boys?

I don't know, and I don't get care. It was fun! ...Well most of the time, it was...

While my lifestyle and image have altered considerably with time, there are still remnants of my past evident in my personal point of view as a designer and in my personal sense of style.

Elegance, but always with an UnExPeCteD edge.

This is a picture of me taken just yesterday morning during my daily morning ritual of doing my

 make-up in the loo at the PDC:

And here is a pic of me leaving my boyfriend's house taken last Monday:

Some people are embarrassed by their crazy past lives. I personally don't believe in the past, present, and future as separate entities we can disassociate ourselves from. I believe every piece of the timeline is a beautiful and significant piece of the singular, unified and unique patchwork that makes us who we are.

Embrace Who You Are!

In many ways, the beautiful thing about being a designer is that one is given an opportunity to tell their story. It can be tricky at times, but if you look at every project as a collaboration rather than a job, there's always a way to find room for your personal stamp. ;-)

Another Fancy Nancy

NANCY CORZINE aka My Heroine.

There literally are no words that could thoroughly express the degree of respect and admiration I have for this woman as a deigner. Granted I am relatively new to PDC and I have ALOT of exploring to do, her showroom tickles my fancy to know end. I could LITERALLY stare at a single wallpaper selection from her showroom for an entire day! She has the most exquisite taste. Such refinement!

I had a really difficult time choosing one image online to showcase, but I settled on this vanity:

I'm kind of obsessed with it! The seamless fusion of two vastly opposing design aesthetics: classical Venetian and modern Deco. It's just stunning!

I have already spoken to a member of her staff about taking some photos of her showroom for my blog and they kindly advised that I consult with Nancy, first....
This is why I feel like the luckiest girl in the world! I feel so fortunate to be in a position where I can meet people of such caliber.

I will probably wait until my blog further develops before propositioning Nancy about taking the photographs. Until then, I'll just enjoy the photographs in her lovely book:

Pick up your copy at Amazon.com today!

Chocolat!

Today started out on a high note! I suppose a little cardio goes along way becuz for the first time in months I didn't have to squeeze into my favorite pair of Helmut Lang pants!

It's ironic that I would spend the majority of the day on a secret massive chocolate bender... It was one of those days I suppose... I consumed no fewer than 15 pieces of chocolate today!

Hence quite frankly today's blog post wouldn't be complete without a post on my favorite guilty pleasure...

If I had to choose one brand of chocolates that best pleases my personal palette I would have to go with Schoggi, a chocolatier based out of Switzerland.

Part of what makes these imported chocolates so unique and delicious is the fact that they are actually hand-crafted, which is quite unique in this era of mass production.

They are available for purchase through their website at www.schoggi.us or at their store located in downtown San Francisco.

If you're in the Bay Area, stop by at their lovely store and try one of their delicious chocolate and tea pairings. As a former San Francisco native, who primarily worked downtown, I admittedly made frequent trips, myself.

Designspiration Du Jour

Although I think most would consider this to be more of a public art installation, to me this striking sculputure located just outside the Pacific Design Center on San Vincente embodies the elegance of modern design . I'm embarrased to say that I literally noticed it for my first time this evening after work, so I have yet to inquire as to who designed it... I wonder how long its been there?

I am somewhat reminded of the mini chair sculptures I purchased as Christmas presents for my co-workers last month:

These chairs are actually Christmas Ornaments that I purchased at Crate & Barrell, that also serve as place card holders. Hopefully, the store will be carrying them again, next season. They're so charming!

Artspiration Du Jour.

In addition to housing over 130 showrooms for some of the most luxurious lines in interior design, the Pacific Design Center also features a vast array of exquisitely curated art galleries.
This one caught my eye this morning. Due to the fact that these shots were taken before the gallery had opened its doors that morning, these are all external shots.

"The Chromatic Convergence Project" by Mary Younakof.

                                          

Back II Work.

My first day back at work in the new year  was a lovely one indeed. I don't know if it was the excitement over the new year or the glow of a post- 4 day vacation, but everyone in the building seemed particularly cheery today.

I work at a showroom in the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.
I took this picture minutes after grabbing a coffee at green tea soy latte at Urth Cafe (my favorite!). Twas a lovely morning indeed! :-)

....And this is what I wore:

This is actually one of my favorite dresses. It was gifted to me by a friend who designs for LA based designer Megan Fabulous. Anyone who knows me knows I wear ALOT of black and anyone who knows Megan Fabulous know she's obsessed with color. I was told to pick out anything I wanted, and truth be told I did NOT think I would come accross such a gem! It's absolutely exquisite in person. Details upon Details upon Details upon Details. :-)

I have to say, today was a good day...

SUNDARI

This is a self-portrait taken at the Kabuki Spa in San Francisco in May of of 2011.

In April of 2011, I moved into an ashram in San Francisco. It would be four months before I checked out. During my stay, I was christened with the spiritual name Sundari by an ordained Hindu Monk. I spent four months meditating and chanting twice a day, along with practicing yoga... I stuck to a strict Vegan diet and had an intense schedule which involved daily chores, courses on Hinduism and a curfew.

This is a photo of me & a darling girlfriend, who too was an ashram-inmate. It was taken at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco. The eve of the infamous "monk slumber party."

We had purposely decided to break curfew that night and the only punishment suitable was a night a luxury hotel.

Although I did have my share of rebellious moments, my stay at the ashram was indeed life altering and I absorbed several tools and techniques that I plan on sharing in this blog as well...

Did you know there was a chant to help you attract a boyfriend?

RETNA

As someone who has worked at several art galleries, I understand the importance of giving credit where credit is due. The stunning background image of my blog is a mural by renowned street artist Retna.

I took this photo of Retna at an art opening being held at New Image Art in the Fall of 2011. I was fortunate to intern at the gallery in the summer of 2010 & was given a life-altering immersion into the LA art scene by Gallery Director and friend Marsea Goldberg. The vitality of the art and design world in Los Angeles is what brought me back to the city...

For being a man whose visual imprint has undeniably reshaped the urban landscape of this city, Retna is by far one of the most charming and down to earth artists you'll ever meet.

I took this picture while cruising down some side-steet in Hollywood. I can't remember exactly where it was taken, but Retna's work is EVERYWHERE! Who can keep up? His talent never ceases to amaze me...

I encourage everyone to explore Retna's impressive archive of art work. Here's one of my favorites:

                                                           (Sonia)

JAN 1, 2012.

They say the way you begin the new year determines how the rest of the year should progress. I spent January 1st by myself. 2012 is all about focus.

Took a 6 mile jog through West Hollywood. If you're going to do a morning jog in LA, make sure you get an early start... I procrastinated and didn't start till around 10 am. By 10:30, I kinda wished I'd chosen the controlled climate of the gym to begin my New Years Workout...

I had spent a small fortune on some vitamins the day before at Great Earth on Hollywood & La Brea...

....And decided that I would start the premier day of the month with a kick! I thus turned to Hollywood Alchemist Anne Marie of The Erewhon Tonic Bar!

And boy, did she concoct a magical potion for me!!

For Breakfast, I had Ice Cream that day! Lol. It was actually a customized herb-infused Superfood Ice Cream Elixer! Usually after I over-indulge in dessert I feel heavy and guilt-ridden. Not the case with this icecream! It left me feeling light, energized and inspired. I could literally feel a charge circulate through my body... $20 well spent, in my opinion! :-)

Then to add a little more Zing to my Kaboom, Anne-Marie suggested that I try a shot of deer antler...

Not the yummiest thing I've ever had, but I definitely felt the Zing!

Before I left the Tonic Bar, I had a little New Years tarot card reading...

It seemed to be particularly focused on my current relationship... I won't disclose what it said, but it left me with the impression, that I should hold on to this one for a bit. He's a bit of a whack job. But then again, so am I! ;-)