We Love You So – Where The Wild Things Are – Spike Jonze

That’s right this Sunday our favorite bookstore Family plays host to the release of the fantastic making of WTWTA book Heads On And We Shoot. Spike’s going to be signing copies, shaking hands and kissing babies. Promises to be a blast. Family is a wonderful, but petite place so early arrival is suggested.

Sunday Nov. 15th
Family Books
436 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036-1717
(323) 782-9221

We’d all agree that the worst part of being a baby is the color-blindness. Fact: cones don’t begin functioning until a baby is 4 months old, which means that the world before that time is sadly rainbow-free.

It follows that as a color-seeing grown-up human we should take full advantage of our abilities and surround ourselves with interesting hues. Take Pantone, for example— the company that calls itself “the global authority on color”— which started in 1962 as a manufacturer of color cards for cosmetics companies. When Pantone recently branched out into the world of everyday goods with a collection of mugs and espresso cups— each reproducing a classic hue like 3395 C SPEARMINT or 520 C GRAPE— it gave coffee-drinkers one more way to saturate their lives with bright hues. Yet another reason to be glad we’re not babies.

You might remember Nina Matsumoto from a single perfect image she created in 2007 called Simpsonzu (above). The illustration was simple: a portrait of the entire Simpsons cast rendered in manga style. The internet rejoiced, Matsumoto was named a new talent, and she landed penciler positions for both The Simpsons and Futurama comic book series.

Matsumoto went on to publish a full-length English manga about the world of yokai (Japanese spirits) in 2008, to loads of acclaim. Del Rey published the book, Yokaiden, and it’s one to add to your list if you’re into the enchanting/adventurous theatrics of manga. At the very least, it’s awfully charming!

Oh, no biggie. Just some DIY Wild Things headphones and a rumpus party shot.

Director/animator Stefan Nadelman evokes a grippingly eerie, antiquated tone in this dark video for Menomena frontman Brent Knopf’s solo project, Ramona Falls. As a general rule, vast quarries of emotion may be mined from olde thyme linocuts, as evidenced by the invariably funny misappropriations of web comic Married to the Sea.

Oops we were late on this. But you should still go!

Michael, Kevin & Geoff
New works on paper from three old friends from Los Angeles.

HVW8 Art + Design Gallery
661 N. Spaulding Ave. L.A. Ca 90036
Hours: Tues to Sun, 1 – 6pm
www.hvw8.com
323 788 4898

In 2009, what makes a music magazine worth buying? The plethora of quality cyber sources dedicated to discovering just-breaking bands (and instantly downloading their music) have claim jumped the traditional music press’ function as vanguards of the cutting edge. Buying a mainstream music mag for their big interviews seems futile, because they all get transcribed online anyway. So what’s left?

Yeti magazine. Forgoing the faulty forced eclecticism of too many crowd-pleasing glossies, Yeti is lovingly curated by Seattle-based editor Mike McGonigal, whose impeccable taste serves as the living soul for this unique publication. Featuring a collection of unhurried, engrossing writings on obscure music, interviews with comic book artists, short stories, and stunning outsider art, Yeti is a handsome black and white book-sized zine that also boasts a highly listenable mix CD in every issue.

Musicians featured include everyone from Will Oldham to Abner Jay, Terry Riley to Vivian Girls and Tara Jane O’Neil. Jeff Magnum has published his illustrations as well as exclusive Neutral Milk Hotel rarities in Yeti. Carson Ellis, Brian Chippendale and Mingering Mike are just a few of the rad visual artists who have contributed illustrations, and their first issue, way back in the early 00’s, featured the official debut of indie folk stalwarts Iron & Wine. The eighth and latest issue of Yeti hits mailboxes on November 23rd, with a CD containing 80 minutes of rare music from rad artists like Ty Segall, Zola Jesus and Vaselines, along with 200 pages of excellent writing.

Not sure what’s cooler, the verisimillitude of tallulahblue’s cake or the fact that it’s designated for a youngster named Atticus. As if the legacy of that name weren’t enough to guarantee success, the birthday boy even resembles Max! Some people are born lucky.

There’s something seductive about toys that have to forcefully announce that they are NON-TOXIC. Such is the allure of the Amazing Do-It-Yourself Magic Tree—which, indeed, is a distant cousin of the Magic Garden.

This delightfully bizarre toy involves assembling a cardboard Christmas tree (complete with faux cranberry garland, glitter and gold tree-topper ornament) and squeezing an included “mystery liquid” into the base. In six hours a vibrant chemical fuzz will spread across the branches, replicating the appearance of a healthy Douglas fir. Voila: an economical and festive decoration in less than 360 minutes.

Finally, a culmination of our interests in chemistry, DIY, and the holiday spirit. Next up: Magic Menorahs!

In a refreshing departure from both contrived celebrity fashion shoots and impersonal street safari style sites, Backyard Bill is a blog that showcases the personal predilictions of regular ol’ chic people. Choosing one subject for each post and then shooting them in beautiful real-world environments wearing their own clothes, photographer William Gentle creates delicate, naturalistic images that elevate to an art the seemingly simple genre of fashion portraiture.

Following each beguiling photo essay with a brief interview, Gentle’s work teases us with brief, yet somehow intimately revealing glimpses into the lives of these dapper New York denizens. Backyard Bill draws easy comparisons to stunning interior decoration documentary blog The Selby, whose eponymous creator, Todd Selby, has his own photo shoot on Backyard Bill.