Nature Boys

Oh boy, how I love these boys, these strange enchanted boys... Ryne and Adham. Two of my bestest friends, of whom I've been spending much of my time with this winter break. With a solid appreciation for a good frolic through the illusive leafy green forests of the suburbs, there's no pair of nature boys I'd rather spend my days with exploring makeshift wildernesses. 

"The greatest thing

you'll ever learn

is just to love

and be loved

in return."

Almost Famous

Periodic hiatuses come and go... hopefully this one is over! Fall 2011 quarter at UCSB was the most eventful one yet. I was involved in a billion and a half amazing experiences, in the process of exploring the endless possibilites of actually being a proactive college student. This probably goes without saying, but this rendered my free-time a bit limited. No complaints though, as I realized I'm never fully satisfied with idleness. Once you begin to fill your life with meaningful activities, a sense of purposefulness inevitably follows. Soon enough, I'll share these experiences with the web world!

Adding to my recent phase of internet-reclusiveness was the sad demise of my first camera lens. I'm sure she's salvageable, but I'm honestly not enough of a techie to know how to go about it. I'm kind of a wandering nerd, adept at some things but spastically lost in others. Go figure. So in its place, I've acquired a 50mm lens, to which I am left to dabble with a bit. I'm not too familiar, but I've been trying to get a feel for it. Lucky me, I have my wonderful boyfriend Ryne to click away at as I navigate my way through this brand new photographic portal. It's your blog debut... baby, you're Almost Famous.

I Heart Devendra Banhart

Photos by Ara !

So there I am, standing in line to grab an iced coffee at Syrup in Los Angeles, and suddenly a striking mustache catches my eye (more than the usual 'stache, mind you).  Now this is a sight to behold. Utter disbelief soon follows, as my eyes beeline from a luscious horizon of hair to a set of distinct red stripes on each arm... do my senses deceive me? The only confirmation comes in the form of a much hoped for head turn in response to my nervous beckon... "DEVENDRA...?" The angels have smiled upon me. Devendra Banhart in the flesh.

Little Yellow Spider

You best believe I nearly fainted to the floor right then and there. Devendra is a truly marvelous musician. His music sends wisps of smokey sunshine into my soul. He galvanizes the inner flower-picking nature-loving gypsy within me. I can distinctly remember the spirit of his music, particularly the song Little Yellow Spider & pretty much the entire Rejoicing in the Hands album, following me around during my magical trip to Neverland. Devendra's effervescent song Owl Eyes was even the inspiration for my Halloween costume last year, and subsequent recycled Coachella costume. I mean, this is the very man who made me wish I could grow a beard. Needless to say, Devendra has a special place in my heart.

Owl Eyes

Coach-owl-la Eyes

BOYZ 2 MEN. Priceless.

Photo of / by Ara !

Infinite thumbs up to you Devendra! One honestly down to earth fellow right here. It's just a shame I chose this particular outing to be lazy and leave my camera in the car. It would've been an absolute dream come true to have captured the immaculate muse that is Devendra Banhart with my very own lens. But sharing a few delightful words and a friendly embrace, which left me smiling for days, was even more than I could ask for. May all music, coffee, and mustache lovers be brought together as they did on this faithful day. Ain't the universe grand?

Synesthesia / Orange

At times, the stimulation of one sense triggers the subsequent arousal of another sense... This is known as synesthesia. It's a psychological phenomenon, a sort of dominos game of the mind. To me, the most striking example of synesthesia is music's mystical ability to evoke color through sound. I'll admit, I have a slight case of OCD... Obsessive Color Disorder. I'm extremely color-driven. Some songs scream such a vivid hue as they flow into the vessels of my senses. Mood can be attached to color as well, and lately I've been feeling a bright burning orange. So excuse my psych major babble and check out my Synesthesia / Orange playlist:

1. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 2 / The Flaming Lips
2. Wandering Star / Portishead
3. Vanished / Crystal Castles
4. $tunt$ / Flying Lotus
5. Teardrop / Massive Attack
6. Swoon / The Chemical Brothers
7. Strangers / Portishead
8. Sexy Boy / Air
9. Quest / Nosaj Thing
10. Positif / Mr. Oizo
11. Peacebone / Animal Collective
12. Motivation / Clams Casino
13. Massage Situation / Flying Lotus
14. I'm Official / Clams Casino
15. Glory Box / Portishead
16. Glitter Freeze / Gorillaz
17. Fireworks / Animal Collective
18. Courtship Dating / Crystal Castles
19. Ballade of a Paralyzed Citizen
      (Medicine Remix) / The Faint

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Dream Or Nightmare?

In the thick of the night, with your eyes closed tight, a dark figure approaches... but don't worry, he won't bite. That is, at least not with his teeth. It's The Sandman and he's come to bring you a dream. As he enters the tangled web of your slumbering mind, will he render your hallucinations cruel or kind? Will you be lifted from sleep wishing it all came true, or will you rouse in cold sweat feeling black and blue? He feeds off your inner hopes and fears, though the line between dream and nightmare is not always clear. As he envelops your brain with glowing grains, and choreographs your imagination's midnight dance, will you be able to tell the illusory difference?

Off To Wonderland

Once upon a Saturday... Onyx, Goldie, & Luma took a whimsical trip to Wonderland... They loaded their chariot up with tutus, glitter, feathers, beads, and gems and took off into the sunset. Tonight, they were nocturnal.

The night unleashes the most beautiful of creatures. One of which the three girls encountered, dancing in the streets, illuminated by the moon and passing headlights. Her swift gestures said it all. Naturally, she went by the name of... Smooth Jazz.

Fierce.

She even had a bit of MJ in her. Smooth Jazz can't help but stop traffic.

Of course the flower children came out to play as well, to twirl their magic wands and hoops.

Peace & Love