vive la westside:part ii

photo:r.mckinley, originally uploaded by mjane.

christina and amy:
part-time roomies
the hottest chicas on the westside
best style ever.

out.of.it

photo:m.sanbuenaventura, originally uploaded by mjane.

at last:a proper review of the almighty H2

"American Excess" is right

But I'll let you in on this: My Hummer was a paper tiger. It accelerated like a wheelchair on an upslope. It was a Macy's Thanksgiving balloon, huge and unwieldy, with plastic bits where I expected sheet metal, and all the cushy conveniences of a high-end recliner. It was Mr. T on the outside, Mr. Rogers on the inside.

Well said, Ms. Morrison.

Here's to all the H2 drivers in the westside who either have come close to hitting me or have hit on me while in their big, muscle-y tanks: I do apologize for laughing at you (not with you) and also for the inadvertent saliva spitting out of my mouth to your nicely detailed/waxed H2 exteriors.

Rarr.

3 words:kimora lee simmons

NJPD, a.k.a. The Man
(CNN, the headline? You've got to be kidding me.)

just as all good girls were taught, mrs. simmons didn't stop to talk to the strangers following her in her neighborhood and drove all the way home. and yes, even as she was cuffed and arrested by these punks, she still gave her best smile for the camera.
hype - - - > check out baby phat for real, if you haven't already. her pieces are every girl's secret wild side. i know you'll find something that screams your name out. do a little research on this lady, and you'll become an instant fan. good/effortless start: baby phat ad in the elle.fall.2004 issue.

kimora lee simmons, you're fabulous.

avatar.double negative pt.i

avatar.double negative pt.i, originally uploaded by mjane.

One can say that an emcee's lyrics pose as their resume of personal life experiences. It's natural to feel like you're learning a little more about that person, that you're tapping into their mind and the kinds of issues they confront in everyday life. Yet while listening to the bulk of today's mainstream hiphop artists, it's almost too easy to assess that these emcees' personal lives consist of watching MTV programming and that the issues they confront include fitting the data gathered at focus groups of fifteen-year-old girls into their lyrics.

Refreshingly, the opposite is true about Avatar's debut album, Double Negative Part I. Avatar displays a wealth of knowledge in societal issues and doesn't stutter while spitting his opinions on them either. Not only does Avatar have a lot to say on this album, the flow of his rhymes confidently keeps up with, if not speaks faster than his already quick wit. As for the beats, it would be shortsighted to compare them to any one "genre" of style. An eclectic variety of beats are what envelopes Avatar's speech, not to mention enhances the disposition of each subject he presents to listeners.

While he confronts subjects such as the backlash of celebrity, tackling authority, and the pursuit of happiness, the beats that accompany his message create a modern, lulling balance between the two that makes this an altogether ultra-positive piece of work.

camera+courvoisier

photograph: m.tnasuttimonkol, originally uploaded by mjane.

camera ---> my insecurites, fears... i forget about them all. they end up becoming realities to laugh about.

camera ---> like one night last week... some good shots, some bad. but all around, it just is. and that's probably the most amazing part of taking pictures - is how "just is" it really is.

camera ---> a pleasant little buzz you have "forever". distracting enough to have fun. but honest enough to be realistic. it's a hard interest to have because once you get into it... it's over!

you fall in love.
well, maybe.
maybe it's just a passing thing, but i like to think that it will be one "constant" i can count on when it comes to feeling organic, really good, healthy, full of laughter, smiles, affection...

camera ---> affection for it: addicting.

camera ---> "i tried taking pictures. but they're so mediocre. i mean, every girl goes through a photography phase, you know, like horses? you know, you take dumb pictures of your feet." ~lost in translation.

2 weeks notice

"this is absolute bullshit! what the fuck!"
~ the president of my company after receiving the memo that i'm moving to france

he loves me.
isn't it funny the ways people show/tell you that?

true love

there's this little girl.
she's 2 1/2 years old, and for her height, she's ranked in the 98th percentile
(she has long legs like her mommy).
she wears a short brown-haired bob and the sweetest smile you've ever seen.
her name is quirina.
oh, and she's a saggitarius.

grrr!

when you're with her, her energy takes over and the next thing you know you're playing ring around the rosy in fluffy,
green
grass
with the sprinklers on.

rewind

hello Jane,

how are you doing ???? I hope you have fun there..So what do you think about italian guys? They are cute cute cute ,aren't they? The only problem is most of them don't speak  english,the only way to communicate is to kiss them ..i am kidding..(but trust me they are good kissers).You 've been very courageous to leave los angeles like you did,i know it is you first time out of the country and you 're a little bit worried ,but don't,you're doing the  good thing ,it's such a good experience for you .Maybe your girlfriends had been too scared  to follow you in this crazy adventure ,they must be so amazed by you.Mike and i take good care of ross.I cook for him time to time and mike takes him to parties and look after his drinks.He misses you and of course i make fun on him..We had such a good time for july 4th ,the party was crazy,but we left the party early since ross and i were supposed to work the day after.Today it's friday ,my favorite day,and i will get off this stupid building in less than 4 hours..I wish i could be with you ,walking in the street of italia in vacations..are you gonna try to go to the beach topless????

 ok jane ,i am leaving now,we all think about you,please smoke some hash for me ,i miss it so much,and please have fun !!!!!!  and if someone gets on your nerves tell him "va fe enculo" which means "fuck you"  and after you must run very fast ok? kisses...nena and mike

vive la westside:part i

as i have less than 30 days to enjoy this great place, it's no less than obvious that one pay tribute to such a town so chill yet happening known best as the westside.

the santa monica big blue bus #2:
i started taking the bus to work after having come back from a new york summer holiday in 2003. i love new york so much! it's one of the best cities in the world! but as my home is l.a., i guess taking the bus gave me the best of both cities. west l.a. is so chill. hardly anyone takes advantage of public transportation out here. and n.y.c.'s so busy and small where most people either can't afford to have a car in the city or can't afford to be late to work... either way, everyone's on any and every type of public transportation the city has to offer that it becomes nostalgic of new york. true, it's nice to have my car and have that sense of control, but observing/experiencing the various vibes which walk in and out of the bus or train you're on is the best experience. sometimes funny, sometimes a little creepy, sometimes really tall, tan and absolutely gorgeous...

which brings me to "the 2": homie who drives the bus that takes me home tuesday and thursday nights, the engineering majors conversing about defense technology, the peace protesters at the fed bldg who always slip bumper stickers through the bus windows, the vietnam vets who talk different stories the whole way home, and the girl who i always laugh and drink with at parties but never speak to when on the same bus together, among so many interesting experiences on the 2.... thank you! it's been fun!

there you are

photo: c.palarca, originally uploaded by mjane.

this is me. can you believe it? now that that's over with... welcome. to me. sharing a part of what i choose with you.

*first blog entry cherry popped*