In Case You Haven't Been Reading Kieran's Blog...

Yes, I am still alive, and yes I am still blogging.

I just haven't been here (look here).

So being a mom is a lot more time consuming than a previously non-mom thought (that previously non-mom being me). Being a mom and finishing up your last semester of college is even more time consuming. Being a mom, graduating from college, and trying to keep your house clean is pretty much impossible. Try and throw blogging into the mix and, well, I'd rather sleep for thirty minutes. Sorry. Those are the priorities these days.

And really, I haven't blogged on my own site because my life has just been baby baby baby. I can tell you what my favorite diapers are (Nature Babycare). I can tell you all about how awesome the Quinny stroller is. And I'm an expert on relieving clogged milk ducts (after TWELVE, I had better be).

Not that it's bad that these topics have been my life. In fact, let me know if any of these subjects interest you and I'd be happy to discuss further. I just figured nobody would be particularly interested in the things that have interested me the last two months. 

So anyways... Yes, I have officially earned my BFA in Computer Arts, New Media from the Academy or Art University. I'm super stoked, super relieved, and slightly... missing it? Is that crazy? Okay, I guess it's more the design work that I miss. Although that void will quickly be filled NEXT WEEK when I return to work. 

Oh my gosh... How did the last eleven and a half weeks go by so fast? I am actually looking forward to getting back to work, but I start to cry whenever I think of being away from my son. I haven't been away from him for more than a few hours. I'm really really really not okay with leaving him. But knowing he will be with Grandma and Grandpa eases my mind a bit (that and knowing I can call them every hour). 

And don't get me started on missing watching Martha and Ellen everyday.

But anywho, so far motherhood has been more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. The first six weeks were pretty challenging, and I spent a lot of time crying (man, people weren't kidding when they talk about postpartum emotions), but half as many tears were of joy. Every day he does something that overwhelms me with joy. 

Now that things have settled and we're in (some what) of a routine, I hope to be able to blog more. And yes, it will be about diapers and strollers and all the challenges that come with raising a baby. But I do still have my own life (I keep reminding myself), so I'll throw in some creative stuff as well.

Speaking of which, it's time again for the annual Academy of Art Spring Show! If you haven't been before (or even if you have), this is a must see. The artwork always impresses, and there is often some great work for sale. It's running through June 11th, so try to get there this weekend if you can!

Where: 
Academy of Art University 
601 Brannan St. (at 5th Street) (map) 
San Francisco, CA 94107

When: 
May 21 – June 11 
9 AM – 5 PM (ongoing) 
*Closed Sundays and Holidays

Thanksgiving is for Lovahs '08.

Man, am I exhausted. It's been a busy week for the Johnsons. Trip's mom is in town for almost two weeks, we hosted Thanksgiving, made a trip to Sacramento, another to San Francisco, and up to Summit Road to cut down our Christmas tree.

We'll start with Thanksgiving... My parents came the night before so that they could cook the turkey for all the meat-eaters (meaning everyone except Trip and I). There were 11 of us, and it was really wonderful. I filled up early on butternut squash soup, then casseroles (yes -- the broccoli casserole was a hit again), and of course dessert. And bit more dessert. And then some more. A few of us went for a little walk afterwards, which probably saved me from heartburn hell. Although baby did somersaults all night from all the sugar I fed him. Bad mommy.

Baby is thankful for Mommy being such a piggy.

The next day Trip and I went with Zack and Vicky and their kids to cut down a Christmas tree. Now, if you remember from last year, I did quite a bit of research and tried to find the "greenest" (as in eco-friendly) option for a Christmas tree -- which was to get a live tree. Well, apparently you also need a green thumb to go along with that live tree... something I apparently do not have. So we gave that tree to a better home, where it could be planted and flourish. After more research, we decided our next best option would be to cut down our own tree at a tree farm. So it was perfect timing when Zack and Vicky invited us along.

Purdy!

Saturday we went to Sacramento to go to my parent's house, and then headed to Old Sac for some piddling and dinner at the Firehouse (which, by the way, was one of the best meals I've ever had. And I've had some good meals.)

Adam and Nay watching the train conductor having a heck of a time trying to connect.

Trip, Rachel, Nay and I all took Monday off (and Amii joined us, who always has Mondays off -- great job on waking up early, girl!), and we took my mother-in-law to the new California Academy of Sciences. Another great excursion! The  aquariums are mind-blowing, and the rain forest is truly a unique experience. 

Leave it to Amii to provide the biggest laugh of the day. "Control, some lady dropped her hairbrush on the Living Roof." Hil-ar-i-ous. 

The Living Roof... and Amii's Brush.

So it's been a busy Thanksgiving holiday, as I'm sure it has for all of you.

I'M THANKFUL FOR:

• The most amazing partner, the love of my life, my best friend.
  
• The most loving and caring family a girl could ever ask for. I know without a doubt any of us would do anything for each other. 
  
• The best in-laws in the world. Like, for reals. 
  
• Friends that love me unconditionally, just as I love them.
• Two kitties that always seem to know when we need a kissy or some nuggles.
  
• And of course, our amazing little miracle, that now moves whenever he hears his daddy whistle. <sniff sniff>
  

Another Great Reason to Live in the Bay Area.

How am I going to make the time see all the things I want to see! First there is the grand opening of the California Academy of Sciences, and now this!

Opening the very same weekend, September 27th, is the exclusive U.S. appearance of Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose.

For the first time ever in the U.S.!
The world premiere of the largest, most comprehensive exhibit of the innovative art, science and engineering works of Leonardo da Vinci and his contemporaries comes to The Tech Museum of Innovation this Fall for only 99 days.

Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future will be at The Tech September 27, 2008 to January 4, 2009. Have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see how this genius of the Renaissance has influenced and inspired much of the technology we use today.

Not only will the extraordinary machines and mechanical devices be on display, but also two beautiful paintings on loan from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

99 days, people. You have no excuses.

I Can't Wait to See the Penguins!

Going to Golden Gate Park was a big part of my childhood. We would go pretty much every summer, as we always came to San Francisco for our annual physicals. I have fond memories of the Japanese Tea Garden, the Asian Art Museum, the de Young Museum, or even just playing in the playground. But what I always looked forward to was visiting the Steinhart Aquarium (or the California Academy of Sciences, as it is referred to now). I think that's what started my elementary school aged obsession with penguins (emphasis on the "PEN").

The end of this month, the CAS (wonderful website, by the way -- check out the PenguinCams!) will reopen its doors after an astonishing remodel. It's taken ten years and great vision to unify the Academy's twelve buildings into one notable structure. Under one Living Roof, the new Academy contains a planetarium, aquarium, and natural history museum. When the facility opens, the Academy hopes to earn the highest rating-platinum- for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, working with the Genoa-based Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), in collaboration with the San Francisco-based Chong Partners, has created one of the city's greenest buildings. It's really quite fascinating what they have accomplished:

• 90% of all demolition materials were recycled
  
• 32,000 tons of sand from foundation excavation applied to dune restoration projects in San Francisco
  
• 95% of all steel from recycled sources
  
• 15% fly ash (a recycled coal by-product), 35% slag in concrete
  
• 50% of lumber harvested from sustainable-yield forests
  
• 68% of insulation comes from recycled blue jeans
  
• 90% of office space will have natural light and ventilation
  
• 60,000 photovoltaic cells; 213,000 kilowatt-hours; 5% to 10% savings of electricity
  
• 30% less energy consumption than federal code requirement

And even with such a strong focus on being green, they did not slack on the overall design aesthetic one bit. The building is breathtaking to say the least.

Opening weekend celebration starts the 27th, with free admission on Saturday. You can find the details here. 

Free Pie! Free Pie!

Two reasons to be happy on a Wednesday afternoon:

1.  I just found out that one of my favorite shows from last year, Pushing Daisies is premiering October 1st.
2. In some very clever marketing, ABC is kicking off the second season with a Pushing Daisies Touch of Wonder Tour. The tour will hit 10 cities across the U.S., with pop-up facsimiles of Ned's bakery, the Pie Hole, and offering free pie to all comers. I repeat, FREE PIE, people! Can you tell I'm excited about free pie! The super cutie website The Pie Maker has all the deets.
   

The Pie Hole Tour 2008:

• August 31: Anaheim, CA – Downtown Disney
  
• September 7: San Francisco, CA – Ghirardelli Square– Chocolate Festival
  
• September 10: Los Angeles, CA – Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade
  
• September 12: Las Vegas, NV – Fashion Show Mall
  
• September 14: Phoenix, AZ – Westgate Complex
  
• September 17: Denver, CO – Larimer Square
  
• September 20: Dallas, TX – Addison Oktober Fest
  
• September 24: Chicago, IL – Lincoln Park
  
• September 26: Philadelphia, PA – The Shops at Liberty Place
  
• September 29: New York, NY – Times Square

Now to convince Tripple that we have to go up to the city to get some free pie...

An Exhibit Not to Be Missed!

Here in the Bay Area, we're so fortunate to have such a range of amazing museums: the de Young, the Legion of Honor, the Asian Art Museum, and of course the Museum of Modern Art, which Trip and I have been members of for some time now. But there are also some great places to view art right here in San Jose.

Some time last year, Trip and I decided to explore our local museums, and stumbled upon the fabulous Anno Domini, as well as a fabulous artist exhibiting -- Bruno 9Li from Sao Paolo, Brazil. Since the exhibit, Mysterium Tremendum, Bruno 9Li has experienced some great exposure here in San Jose, with a mural along the side of Anno Domini (which used to be Camera One) and a cover of The Wave magazine.

Well he's back with his second solo exhibit, META. It is a reflection on its Greek origin relating to the concept of "beyond." What lies beyond the perceptible reality that we share in our day to day lives? What follows our existence here on Earth? Bruno continues his process of drawing as a means of contemplative action while these ideas flow through him and into the art. He pulls his inspiration from the themes of spiritism, metaphysics, ovnis (UFOs) and exotic, aquatic plants and animals.

His work is hard to describe. It's graphically bold, colorful, and extremely intricate. It definitely has a street-art influence, but I wouldn't categorize him in such a way. From his website: He often speaks of "all being one," and is deeply aware of the unity of people, animals and nature itself. 9Li creates works of art that share this vision with his audience through epic encounters of natural and supernatural beings. These encounters, depending on the viewer, can be seen as mythic morality tales of the past, or a keen foretelling of the future.

Not only is his breathtaking work on display, but it is all surrounded by a beautiful site-specific installation that adds to the overall exhibit, bringing together all the pieces to this one magnificent vision.

There are still a couple of works available for purchase, but I was really surprised at how fast many of his pieces have sold. So if you are interested, you should act fast. Of course, you should also have $2700 of disposable income (Me, not so much. Sad.)

META
Solo Exhibit by Bruno 9li
Exhibit dates: 1st August thru 20th September, 2008.

Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design
366 So. First Street
San Jose, CA 95113
408.271.5155

Gallery & Store Hours:
Tuesday through Friday, noon - 7 p.m.
Saturday, noon - 5 p.m.

01SJ Festival - Better Late Than Never

Last week marked the 2nd Biennial 01SJ Global Festival of Art on the Edge, and I really did have good intentions to blog about. Instead I went and enjoyed too much wine and forgot to. So, you get a recap instead of a plug.

In case you are unfamiliar with it, 01SJ is:

North America’s newest and largest festival of digital arts, and a great deal more. From a hip hop, multi-media meditation on Antarctica to robot art, from conversations with artificial intelligence to operatic performances of Google headlines about the environment, from avant-garde cinema to new musical forms - well over 100 artworks, performances, screenings, talks, and workshops will be featured at 01SJ. Festival organizers expect it to be a perspective-altering experience that entertains, enlightens, educates and involves attendees in a new understanding of our changing world.

Last Wednesday night was the opening ceremonies, and my friend Amii and I (who was my companion to the event last year), went to check it out -- specifically the lighting of City Hall's Rotunda. Of course we were both a bit hungry and thirsty when we got there, so started off the evening with some wonderful wine and appetizers at Bella Mia. Feeling satisfied and toasty, we then walked down to City Hall to meet up with our friend Mariah to check it out. I have to say, although there wasn't smoke and lots of lights projected everywhere like last year, this year's installation was much cooler.

Incursion 37:20:15.71” N - 121: 53:09.51” W continues Craig Walsh’s series of large-scale projection installations occupying specific sites and responding to contrasting environmental contexts. These urban interventions provide surreal visions of nature dominating architectural sites and altering their perceived function. This new project for 01SJ will continue this strain of enquiry whilst considering the impact technology might have on these simulated clashes between Nature and the built environment.

I got to take some really cool, interesting photos -- which is always a plus.

Friday night Trip, Amii and I went to SubZero, a huge block party on south First that celebrates unique and emerging arts movements ranging from contemporary music, street performances, Do-It-Yourself and interactive, on-the-edge art installations. As always Anno Domini was displaying an interesting artist, and I still love the huge mural they have on the side of the building -- something I shot a while back for a web site project. But it was the Fingerbangers turntablism (is that even a word? it should be) that provided the most entertainment, and the biggest draw.

Oh, I should mention that Friday started out with dinner at La Pastaia, in the Hotel De Anza. Absolutely fantastic meal with a lot of vegetarian options. I highly recommend the fried artichokes and the asparagus risotto to start, and the cappellini con salsa fresca for your main course. And the wine list was great :)

So if you didn't check it out this year, make sure you get out to 01SJ next year. Hopefully the City Hall Rotunda installation continues - and continues to progress - as it really is a very very cool concept.

Academy of Art Spring Show - A MUST SEE!

Trip and I ventured out to the city last night (trust me - a rare event) to attend opening night of the Academy of Art Spring Show. I know I may be bias, but honestly, this is some of the most talented work I have seen in my life. We were both completely blown away - and Trip is a hard critic to please.

From the sculptured jewelry to the animation to the industrial design to the illustrations, there is definitely something for everyone. Trip was in awe over the illustration section, where simple sketch book displays were anything but simple. And I of course was green with envy with the New Media work. There were about ten computer stations set up to experience multiple projects, which was perfect for such interactive art. I was totally inspired to get in gear for next year and submit some work!

I had the pleasure of meeting two of my instructors (the Director and Assistant Director of New Media), and they encouraged me to go to the complete New Media gallery at 180 New Montgomery, as the Spring Show is only about a third of what they have on display there. If it's anything near the caliber of work I saw at the Spring Show, I'm afraid my head may explode. This gallery is also open all summer.

The Spring Show is a free exhibit, open to the public - so you really have no excuse. Give yourself plenty of time. We were there for about an hour and a half and still didn't get to really see everything (the place was mad crowded, yo).

When
May 23 – July 25, 2008
10AM TO 6PM
(closed Sundays and Holidays)

Where
Academy of Art University
601 Brannan Street (at 5th Street)
San Francisco, CA 94107

On a side note -- we parked on Townsend, and as we walked to AAU gallery we passed a couple alleys with FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC street art. We're going back to the Spring Show partly to see the show again, and partly to shoot that street art!

Merry F'n Christmas

I'm trying really hard to stay in the holiday spirit. But there are so many a-holes in my universe that it makes it very difficult.

After a wonderful date night Saturday (the Cirque du Soleil show Kooza, enjoying the lights at Union Square, then dinner at Millennium), Mr. Johnson and I woke up Sunday ready to tackle a long list of to-do's. We spent the morning cleaning the house, did our Winter cleaning of the closet, then went out to run our errands.

First stop was Crossroads Trading Co., where we brought in FOUR bags of clothes and accessories. There was a line when we got there, so we looked around the store. We knew some of the stuff we brought in wouldn't be purchased, but once we started looking around, we knew quite a few would.

Looking around... looking around...Oh my gosh, I kid you not... LA GEARS. And not just any, but HIGH TOP LA GEARS. Okay, now I know they will be taking a bunch of our stuff.

So then it was our turn and the girl starts going through our stuff. Another employee - who hopefully was on her break - was trying on clothes and kept coming behind the register for her co-workers approval, which kind of bugged. A few minutes go by, then she calls me up. Did she really have time to go through all FOUR bags?

"Hi. I bought 2 of your items, for a total of $7.18."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Ya, those were the only things we'll be buying."

"Okay, I know I had some Old Navy stuff in there, but what about the Betsey Johnson dress, the four Urban Outfitters jackets, the Chanel sunglasses, or the Dior scarf? Or the polo shirts that had never been worn?"

"Ya, they weren't really the quality we look for."

But dirty-ass neon-pink high top LA Gears from 1991 are? I'm so confused. And why did I feel like this twenty year old was judging my fashion sense? My handbag cost more than her rent!

But I'm not vain like that (ya I am). We were offended for about 5 minutes, and figured we'd probably benefit more from the Goodwill tax write-off anyway. I'm sure there's some kind of science to having your clothes purchased there (probably should have separated out the Goodwill stuff), but I just don't have the time for that. I barely got around to cleaning out my closet - now I have to go through and determine what some wanna-be hipster thinks other wanna-be hipsters would want to buy? Not happening.

So we took our $7.18 and went to our next stop - Cost Plus.

We had to go to Cost Plus because a few weeks early I had bought some wine glasses, and the top of one of them looked like some kind of crazy weapon. Meaning it was totally jagged and you could definitely hurt yourself with it.

While Mr. Johnson looked for the glasses, I walked up to the register just as the salesperson was putting up her "Closed" sign. To which she looks at me and says, "I guess I'll help you first". Off to a great start. So I told her the deal, showed her the glass, and she told me to just go grab one out of another box and replace it with the lip-cutting one, and that they'll just give the next person that buys it a discount.

Ummm okay.

So I go and find another box (where the heck is my husband?) and go to replace the glass. But then I start having these visions of some grandma excited to take her first sip of Chablis, and as she puts it to her mouth she cuts her lip open, blood starts gushing out all over the place, and she has to spend the rest of the night in the emergency room.

Yeah, I can't do this.

I bring the deadly glass and the new box of glasses up to another register, at which point Mr. Johnson joins me. I tell the new sales person the deal. And she says, "Oh ya, these aren't the hand blown ones, they're factory made, so you'll have some defects."

Nice. For the second time today my purchases are questioned by some twenty-something. Don't judge me bitch. We have a mortgage and student loans.

"Well someone could seriously hurt themselves on this defect," Mr. Johnson sternly says.

"Oh yeah, you're right. I'll put this in the damages." Oh, so she'll listen to him. But then she wrote "Scary Broken Glasses" on the box and that made me smile. You have redeemed yourself.

Off to OSH, to buy a carpet cleaner. We're merrily on our way, over the fashion judgments of Crossroads and the near grandma-lip-cutting at Cost Plus.

I'm feeling the Christmas spirit again; I've got $7.18 burning a hole in my pocket. Things are good. I turn the radio to the holiday station.

<singing>
"Oh the weather outside is frightful..."

We're first in line at a stop light. I look over and see a panhandler holding a sign:

MONEY.
ARM.
ANY THINY WILL HELP.

Me: "Wait. What does that guys sign say?"
Husband: "I think he's trying to be clever. He only has one arm."

Now, usually I try to avoid any indication that I acknowledge a panhandlers presence. But I was so confused by this guys sign, I had to make sure I was reading it right. And I was. But it was too late.

He saw me looking.

So he starts to do a little dance with his sign, and we pretend we see something interesting on the other side of the road. You know, the "look over there!" routine.

We were not to be let off so easily. He starts to walk up to the car.

"I know you know how to read mother f***ing english."

Oh. No. He. Didn't.

Yes, yes I do know how to read "mother f***ing english", kind sir. But last time I checked "thiny" was not part of the english language.

<sigh>

So there you have it folks, a day full of Christmas cheer.

Epilogue

This story does have a happy (in somewhat roundabout way) ending.

Mr. Johnson received an email today from one of his colleagues that a friend suffered an apartment fire over the weekend. They unfortunately didn't have renters insurance, and 60% of their belongings were lost. As the fire happened near their closet, 90% of their clothes were lost.

The husband happens to wear the exact same size as mine. And the wife, although of normal size thus not fitting into any of my pigmy-sized clothes, will be pimping some Chanel sunglasses and Dior scarfs.

The Best Christmas Light Display EVER.

This picture does not do it justice. When I say the two houses at 1164 & 1168 Tangerine Way in Sunnyvale are the best Christmas lights I have ever seen, I don't think you understand. I am talking the best. EVER.

Last year Mr. Johnson and I went, then had to go back a few times to show other people. It's that good. Tune into channel 104.1 FM when you get there and witness 55,000 computer controlled lights on 178 different channels, synchronized to MUSIC! I know, right!!!!

They have their own website where you can download the playlist with times (and also which songs are animated and when they do "low power"), some behind the scenes info and pics, and a bunch of other stuff. While reading through, I found this:

"Our dog Sparky passed away in the Spring of '07. He was my Xmas light buddy and loved to be outside working on the lights (or sitting on them) with me. In memory of Sparky, Rudolf is wearing his collar and tags this year."

I am seriously crying as I type this.

As if the lights and music and snow and Rudolf weren't enough, they also have provided a great opportunity to do some good this holiday season - by setting up a donation can for Second Harvest Food Bank. Opening night was the Saturday after Thanksgiving and they raised $16,362 and filled 1.5 barrels with food. Last year they raised $27,836 & 10.0 barrels, so help them beat it! All donations up to $500 will be matched! If you decide to bring food, please see the following recommendations from Second Harvest:

MOST NEEDED FOODS
The Food Bank needs nutritious, non-perishable foods:
Please avoid donating items in glass containers (they break and make a mess).

Powdered milk
Peanut butter
Pasta
Tuna
Low sugar cereal
Meals in a can (stew, chili, soup)
Canned foods with pop-top lids

Click here more info, and details on how to donate online.

So if you're not yet feeling the spirit of Christmas, pay a visit to these houses and I promise you you'll be ho-ho-ho-ing in no time.

Can you tell I love Christmas?

Superflat meets Superego.

I saw a CD for Kanye West's single Stronger while shopping at Target yesterday, and thought the artwork was a complete ripe-off of Takashi Murakami. Well apparently it isn't a rip-off (really? <>).

I am a big fan of Murakami's work. Pre-LV (you know, the Louis Vuitton handbags with those cute little smiley-faced cherry blossoms - the most bootlegged purses in history). I first fell in love with his work when Art in America had an article on his 2001 "Superflat" exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. The bizarre, vibrant paintings of mushrooms were absolutely captivating! Love at first site.

My first experience seeing his work in person was in 2004, when Mr. Johnson and I went to the Supernova: Art of the 1990s from the Logan Collection exhibit at SFMoMA. In one of the rooms was a giant sculpture of a manga-esque man, ahem, pleasuring himself and a woman with Pamela Anderson-sized boobies squirting a blue liquid out of them. Really, whats not to love.

Don't judge him on his Kanye work alone (although I hate to admit, as is the case with Kanye's music, it's all pretty bitchin'). Check out this Jonathon Ross interview. It's a really interesting look into what inspires Murakami. Plus the background music is rad.