Kawaii Nails!

Ok I have to give my mom credit for finding out about the Tokyo Nail Expo. 50,000 people attended this event! I wish we had nail art stateside, even here in NYC it's usually only seen in it's most tacky form. Enjoy the pictures and the film clip from the expo.

my motion graphics haiku

Haiku from Halli Gomberg on Vimeo.

Holiday Wish list

After a few years of great feed back here in my annual wish list for the Holidays. I don't discriminate, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas- it's all good! Here in no particular order are what I'd love to receive. Oh and ps- if you want something special just email me and let me know!

1. Beige perfume by Chanel
2. Gardenia perfume by Chanel
- these are both exclusive fragrances that have to be bought at the store or at a Chanel make-up counter. The scents date back to private perfumes Chanel made for her friends and best customers. SOoooooo amazing!

3. Mexican art work. I like day of the dead, or those cool tin cut outs called mlagros. Plus they're pretty cheap which is always a plus in this economy. Check out this site for some ideas.


4. If you have a few grand laying around I would dig a Cartier Love bracelet

5. A gift card to Amazon.com, American Apparel, Saks...... just about anywhere with books or clothes.

6. Japanese Cell phone charms- I want them all!

Kiichi Tsutaya Coloring Pictures

Just when I think i know everything awesome about Japan another amazing tidbit comes out. The Tenri Cultural Institute of NY happens to be wedged between my class buildings. On my way from one class to another I saw the most beautiful illustrations in the Tenri Gallery. Turns out its an exhibit on Nurie- Japanese picture coloring. Nurie is the phenomena that lead to what we now know as Anime or Manga. It originated during the Meji Era when the government decided to incorporate western culture into Japan. Just as young children were encouraged to trace Japanese characters and learn their alphabet, they were also given coloring books to trace with fabulous "western" pictures. These pictures were usually of sweet faced young geisha and girls, with westernized large eyes as idealized by European drawings.

One of the best nurie artists was Kiichi Tsutaya. He drew girls with large heads, foreshortened bodies and chubby legs. This may sound odd- but just as Michelangelo's "David" is anatomically incorrect but looks good- so does Kiichi's girls. His coloring nurie books sold like hot cakes, typically selling 1 million books a month. I would encourage everyone in Manhattan from 9/25-10/3 to give this exhibit a look over. the art is beautiful and a nice flash back to a time before photoshop and the politically correct blah of today.

What am I up to?

First and foremost I would like to send my best wishes to my Japanese pen pal Tim who is now back in New Zealand due to the economy.

It's amazing the sheer volume of stuff I am producing in "bootcamp", my pre-masters new media program. What have I been doing? Click on these links and take a peek

What's amazing is that this was done only using numbers (code)


Look the ball is moving! HA!

Animation

Boobtastic

I actually have a lot going on right now
but who wants to hear depressing stuff? Let's look at boobies!

Here is proof why South America has yet to produce a Dior or Ralph Lauren. It's as if the models horrible fake boobs are there to distract from the ugly clothing!




In SHARP contrast comes model Yuri Ebihara, known as Ebi-chan in Japan who despite being covered in clothing thinks she is acting too sexy.

God bless those Japanese.

If the Motel's rockin, start that knockin!

Where have I been the past month? Well the answer is working as a shop girl surrounded by amazing clothes. I love dealing with customers and the thrill of a large sale, but it's been torturous being low on cash and not being able to buy squat. My graduate program starts in 3 weeks and I'm trying to save all my nickels and dimes which means canceling my gym membership, ending my beloved trapeze lessons, and taking public transit everywhere. That being said I haven't been perfect.

I have to stand for 8 hours at a time since we're not allowed to lean let alone sit. Yes I have been yelled at for leaning. Many times. So to combat the horrible pain my feet were in by the end of the day I went out to Easyspirit- that Grandma shoe landmark. I'm not a proud woman, and it wasn't easy to find granny shoes that even hinted at pretty, but I bought two pair. And you know what? They're the most comfortable freakin things I have ever worn. Not one blister and at worst minimal pain after 8 hours standing. I'm so happy I want to write the CEO!
As for clothes shopping I broke down and bought an amazing dress off

Motel Rocks out of England. OF COURSE over there the dress is like $20 but with the conversion of the pound I made sure to hold back and only bought one. The dress is amazing! Cute pockets, great fabric! I'm trying to get the owner of my clothing shop to buy the brand for the store. Discount here I come!

Whooooa?

Here are some amazing photos from the Trick Art Museum at the foot of Mount Takao in Japan! And here is a rarity- they have a web site!!! http://www.trickart.jp/en/gallery.html

What's new with me

Good lord my cup over-flowith (is that a word?) with everything. I've managed to pick up a part time retail job selling high end clothing for a whopping $10 an hour with 1% commission. But the owners are cool, I enjoy working with the customers (except the tranny who stole a blouse) AND I need money for graduate school. Yes ladies and gentlemen you are reading the blog of a future Parsons graduate student for Interactive Media and Design. I'm excited but horrified over the main reason I avoided grad school as long as possible: money.

I am about to be in a butt load of debt. To prevent my debt from reaching collasal proportions I am searching for scholarships. This has proven pretty damn difficult. Most places either don't have them available or they are only for undergraduate students. I even explored using my ties to the Masons- sadly the Maseonic moolah's deadline has passed and I need to wait till next year. Do you know about scholarships I can use? Contact me!

When I'm not sifting through scholarships or getting women to buy a dress that is one size to small I have been breaking in my new apartment. I live in this sweet studio next to Central Park West. It also puts me within walking proximity to my mom and step dad's which is great for me and lame for them- I bring over my laundry and take all their leftovers. Yes I have no pride. But money is tight and as I just mentioned I don't like the idea of being in debt and would like to be in debt for as short amount of time as possible.

What else? Nothing on the Japanese front except I saw this adorable video of a Japanese dog doing a work out with his master. You haven't gone "aaawww" until you see this dog standing on his hind legs doing squat thrusts with his master. I asked my cat Nigel why he doesn't do this with me and he promptly rolled over and fell asleep.

Sakura Matsuri, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens 2009

If I had let rumors of rain disuade me from going to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens annual Japanese Cherry Blossom festival, I would have hated myself. I put on my geta sandals (designed to lift geisha and their expensive kimono out of the mud in JUST SUCH a situation) and decided to risk it. Characters dressed in kawaii/ harajuku style were wafting around the gardens. I even came across one girl who had her nails done in the over the top kawaii style! (See below). The weather turned out to be hot and lovely. I made oragami, ate a traditional japanese box lunch, and enjoyed getting a tad bit closer to my beloved Japan.

OOohhhh

This is a good video of Modern Japan even if the film maker seems a bit obsessed with showing us just how many vending machines there are!

So Freakin Cool

hey check it out!

http://www.hallisportfolio.com/

Happy 50th!

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary as the media hailed ways in which they have adapted the world's oldest monarchy to modern times.

In the half century since they married, Japan has emerged from the aftermath of World War II and US occupation to become Asia's economic powerhouse, and the Chrysanthemum Throne has changed along with the times.

While Akihito's father Emperor Hirohito was once worshipped as a living demigod, Akihito and Michiko have tried to be seen as an "ordinary couple" and narrowed the distance between the palace and the people.

Michiko, educated at a Catholic university, was the first commoner in modern times to marry into Japan's imperial family and the first empress to raise her children herself, famously making them "bento" lunch boxes to take to school.

Now 74, she recalled how in the early years, cloistered behind palace walls, "my heart was filled with anxiety and insecurity," but she said now "it feels like a dream to celebrate the golden wedding day by his majesty's side."

Newspapers praised the couple's pilgrimages to former war-ravaged areas to pray for peace, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the sites of the US atomic bombings that led to Japan's World War II surrender.

They also recalled the imperial couple's visits to the city of Kobe after the 1995 earthquake, when both knelt down before survivors -- a stunning scene in a country where the monarch never spoke in public until 1945.

The golden wedding was to be marked Friday in ceremonies at Tokyo's Imperial Palace, including an afternoon tea party with 101 couples invited from across Japan who are also marking their golden wedding anniversaries.

Kyot-NO!

Geisha are being followed in Kyoto- the victim of curious tourists who are apparently pulling at there kimono and tripping them! Listen, I would totally be that tourist with a camera- but please. Try not to commit assault on some poor young Maiko.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/world/asia/07iht-geisha.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Me

I made this self portrait in class tonight- I think it's very true

SOOOoooo good

This has got to be the best POCKY I have ever had.... dark chocolate pretzals from Japan- HEAVEN!

Why was I not informed of this?

So many Japantastic things to report I hardly know where to begin.

Firstly my friend Christi introduced me to Mitsuwa Market in New Jersey. ::drooling:: Since we don't have a "little Japan" in NYC I was shocked to discover that a hop and skip over the George Washington Bridge lands you in Japanese paradise. Who knew anything this kawaiitastic could come out of the armpit state? And the amazing thing is it's not JUST in NJ! That's right folks, if you're lucky enough to live in Chicago, San Jose, or San Diego they have a store right by you! It's aisles of beautiful Japanese groceries, appliances and medicines- at totally not import prices! You want sobu noodles still somehow fresh? From Japan? YES THEY HAVE IT! This is as close as I've come to visiting my beloved Japan so you'll have to excuse my delight. They also have stores with endless Sanrio and Anime toys, and a Japanese book store. For someone who doesn't read a stitch of Japanese this was very exciting for me. I ended up buying my favorite magazines: Fruits, Gothic Lolita- and some new ones: Brutus and Dog Fan. Brutus ran an issue all about the cats of Japan which in turn lead me to discover THIS.

Do you know what it says? Other then being able to decipher that this is a hotel... OMG Where, What, When? Apparently it's in Taiwan but what else?!


Trying to find something in English about this place I discovered THIS. Hello Kitty Junky? Yes, yes, YES! I bow down to this woman. If I had the dedication Kawaii NYC would look like this.

Happy Birthday from Tim San!

Goah I just adore my Japanese pen pal. Look at the amazing bounty of birthday goodness he sent me! Times are tough in Japan and Tim is feeling the pinch- he may have to move back to New Zealand. But in my opinion I love New Zealand almost as much as Japan so it's kinda win/win.

Very bad things in Tokyo.....

This just in...

TOKYO – The U.S. Embassy in Japan has urged Americans to avoid going to bars in Tokyo's raucous nightlife district of Roppongi due to a surge in reports of drink-spiking incidents there.

The number of reports of Americans being drugged in Roppongi bars has increased significantly, the embassy said in a statement released Tuesday. Victims drink drug-mixed beverages and fall unconscious for several hours. They wake up only to realize their credit cards have been stolen, it said.

Harajuku meets Chanel

I can see many influences in Chanel's Fall 2009 fashion show. Clearly some of it is an homage to the great Coco herself, who became the legend she is due to her depression era chick. But I also couldn't help but notice a big Japanese Gothic Lolita/ Harajuku influence as well. Call me crazy- what do you think?

The list goes on...

I do have other things going on besides what I want for my birthday but it's one of those things that you just want to write down before you forget
- A model skull from Evolution. They have a shop in the city as well as being online. Would you believe you need a medical liscense to buy a real skull? This isn't because I'm secretly a killer, I just think it would be a great reference for art. Along those same lines a wooden hand model from an artshop like Dick Blicks would be great for drawing!


- A wallet. Maybe something in a Chanel or a light shade of Louis Vuitton.....

Happy Birthday to me

Yes I am getting older- here are some more things I thought I would enjoy under "what to get Halli for a birthday present"
-2 pairs of pearl earings (I have 4 holes in my ears...)
- Anything Hello Kitty
- Gift certificate to Anthropologie - putting my new apartment together and I can get some stuff there
- Gift certificate to Rickys NYC or Amazon.com (love me some books)
- Beautiful smelling candles or oils pretty whatever to place in my apartment

All I want for my birthday.....

- Hair extensions (looking for a salon in the city to put them in)
- Time with a trainer
- A semester of Trapeze
- Hello Kitty stuff
- DVD player........

and THIS is big

I found this video of an American couple giving a tour of their Japanese apartment. I like it because it demonstrates what a large Japanese apartment looks like, and because the Southern dude is just so damn entertaining. Yes sushi is kind of raw- you'll probably have to get used to that.

Friday the 13th is a "Bonkura"

Not nearly enough Japanese on my Japanese blog. Really need to change that- so today's word is "Bonkura" which mean "dumb/ass".

I have had such an awful day today- battling Time Warner to get a technician over here (no TV is an awful thing), dealing with my cat Nigel's realization that my mom's apartment is waaaaaay nicer then mine, trying to unpack a seemingly endless mountain of boxes, and all the meantime dealing with idiots at every corner.

However some good did manage to come out of today. I sold two nasty old Persian rugs on Craigslist. Yes I only made $45 on two rugs probably worth $500 each. But they were covered in cat hair and vomit. So really both the buyer and I were probably just thinking "sucker". And then tonight some lady is coming to pick up my toaster for $8 (she talked me down from $10). And when you're jobless it all adds up believe me.

My new apartment makes me think about living in the big cities of Japan where housing space is non existent and people have to roll out tatami beds for lack of bed frame space. Personally I probably would be waaaay better off sleeping on a mat and stacking me shit to the ceiling. But some days even rolling out a mat seems like to much effort.

In awesome I-am-so-jealous news my big brother David is going to Japan on business soon. He keeps making the point that it's not for free and he's paying but STILL a girl can be green with envy. Times aren't so great in the land of the rising sun. The Japan Rugby Football Union has indefinitely suspended one of it's players for smoking pot, the economy contracted at an annual pace of more than 10 percent in the fourth quarter, and the U.N. is all up in Japan's grill over greenhouse gas emissions. I feel bad for Japan- mainly because in my dreams it's a place with endless Luis Vuitton purses and sake bottles filled with money. But it's also comforting to know I'm not missing out financially by not being there.

In random news here is a photo of my nephew Tobi after his big brother Liam dumped sand over him. The struggle for dominance continues! MAN can I relate to this photo. It's like a metaphor for everything right now. Goes to show I'm not the only one suffering from Friday the 13th.

wow

I don't like giving credit where credit is due- what with me wanting all the credit I can get. But damn. This guy is good. He draws on those old fashioned paper bags people bring to eat lunch in. He apparently does the work over his lunch break and myGAWD is it AMAZING

She flys through the air with the greatest of ease....

What I did this weekend