Don't you love this tattered portrait of Paris?
The first time I visited Madison Square Garden and the surrounding Penn Station area, I was 15. It was my first in-person look at this insane city and , trust me, I did NOT like it AT ALL. I found New York filthy, repulsive and far too confusing to understand. I couldn't believe that people operated in such shocking squallor. Magnifying this contrast was the fact that I had just flown in from sunny synthetic Orlando that morning.
Needless to say, in my 15 year old Colorado teen mind: I was not impressed.
Cut to today, I LIVE in this neighborhood.. the neighborhood that I first saw and thought so ugly. I've never really loved being near Penn Station because it's more like living in a bus terminal than an actual residential neighborhood. There is little sunlight on my street, too much vehicle exhaust and since I began living here, I dress more and more like the neighborhood transients. And the air is AWFUL on my skin.
However, I shouldn't be so quick to criticize...K-Town, H& M, and D'aiuto's bakery are all just steps away.
Another reason I love the neighborhood today:
The part of me that loves Tim Burton, Alice in Wonderland and the Ed Gorey illustrations is in love with her work.
The artist known as Makani (real name Heather) is a Harry Potter fiend (with a charmingly strong interest in the villains) and she posts her very beautiful and very cool work on the site Accio brain!
She's a girl after my own heart, as she realizes her crushes on Snape, and Lucious Malfoy in these gorgeous sketches. THe above sketch is of younger portrait of Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco Malfoy's aunt. 
I wish we could take an art class together at Hogwarts. *sigh* Her work makes me long for my days as an art school girl...
You can also find her work here: http://makani.deviantart.com/
Love them both. Why do they remind me of Popeye and Olive Oyl?
Marco & I were in town for a friend's lovely wedding...whose reception I think I may have had a bit too much to drink... regardless
I liked that some of the fashionistas seemed to be working a Rolling Stones groupie look-- primarily Marianne Faithful - or the Mod thing. 
The guys were typical beautiful British fodder, tall, great skin, smart clothing... rarely can you go wrong with that combo.
We stayed in Notting Hill this trip
When in London it is good to:
1. eat curry
2. eat chinese
3. drink beer in a pub
4. go shopping (unfortunately the dollar is pretty weak against the pound)
5. stroll
The local all girls school.. Later on in that night, M and I had an argument on that same corner.
When in London, it is NOT good to:
1)expect to find Korean food
2) lose your ticket before you exit the Tube
Out in the suburbs: Pinner
Hope to be back again soon.
..I'm very sad that the twins cut their hair....
Pitch Perfect casting.
And as always, please check out www.popfantastic.com
The site has been redesigned, new layout, new work.. enjoy!
My fondest memory of Book of Love was going to one of their Gothic Theater performances back when I was in Colorado. We had a group of assholes in front of us during the show who thought thaty they were the shit because they scored backstage passes after the band threw them into the crowd. 15 minutes later, Tam has pickpocketed them, and when those idiots realized their tickets were gone, they immediately turned around and started yelling at Sharon, who, as usual, had NO idea what stunt one of us had pulled.
Anyway, they have a new site up and it looks wonderful...Book of Love influenced my art so much.. their sound was so dreamy and danceable.. *sigh*
I didn't know that they hailed from NYC....I always thought they were European or something.
(I recommend turning the volume down because the website delivers the Susan Ottaviano "uh-huh" from Boy everytime you click a link, which you may or may not find annoying.)
Gennady Tartakovsky (that's Mr. Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack ) will be directing the remake of Jim Henson's Dark Crystal. It's not happening until it's happening. I, for one, do not think that the film needs to be remade. That was genius Henson Magic on screen-- there is no way to recapture that, you know.
source: Animation World Network
