The Swanky Shwag Blog

Woah dude.

2007-03-07T23:21:00.001-08:00

This is just messed up:

"Chinese farmer Liu Shuping got a bit of a seemingly lucky surprise when one of her porkers birthed this pig with one head, two mouths, two noses and three eyes. Why seemingly lucky? Because pigs are good luck in China. And, by some freakish coincidence, it also happens to be the year of the pig. Spooky.

This little pig's birth's especially spooky considering that there have been reports of another deformed pig born with two mouths and four eyes. "

2007-02-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

just posting this video so I can watch it whenever I want. This song is so cheesy, but I love it!

Tiffany read my letter!

2007-01-16T22:43:00.000-08:00

...And they now carry the Letter B. In diamonds. Hell yeah. The Beckster gets things done.

6 minutes for a cool skate video?

2007-01-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

I love a good skate movie. These guys at San Fran-based Uprize Skateboards put together a pretty good show. Yeah, there's a lot of the standard tricks, but they definitely mix in a lot of wild stunts inbetween. At first the music mix seems inspired, but then it gets a little boring. I'd give it 3.5 stars. And that's good on the Beckster Scale.

Diamonds, anyone?

2007-01-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

So I could blog about the super sweet iPhone, but I'm tired of hearing about it until I can get one. In the meantime... I discovered that Tiffany.com is quite a fun site to kill some time on.

I really want one of these letter pendants:

...but they don't have the letter "B" available! What kind of bullshit is that? No "B"? The Letter B is where it's at! The Letter B has played a major role in world history, and yet Tiffany's doesn't feel obligated to honor it with a diamond pendant? I am so writing them a letter.

Unfortunately, it looks like they don't sell that diamond skeleton key anymore, either, which is very tragic cause I have a friend that would totally fall in love with it. So it goes with diamond shopping...

Frickin Sweet. I'd like to go back in time to ze dinosaurs.

2006-12-29T21:14:00.000-08:00

I saw this crazy bracelet on Uncrate - crazy dinosaur bone bracelet designed by David Yurman, featuring "polished, fossilized dinosaur bone inlay at the center of the bracelet, making each piece unique." Killer!

I kinda totally want one.

I make bitchin sweet potatoes

2006-12-08T21:37:00.000-08:00

Don't question it! ...I also rocked the Green Bean Casserole ala Becksta with a critical mass of crunchie fried onions thingies on top. That's right!

Flashback to Thanksgiving spent at the lovely Paluch home in the Presidio.

Cutest married couple ever Kimmy & Sergio hosted 10 of us clowns for another wicked turkey day in San Francisco (that's now 4 in a row for the beckster).

I love these kids! I got to be the witness on their marriage certificate the first time they got married at city hall and theeeeen... I got to go to Kingston, Jamaica a few months later for The Best Wedding Ever. There were about 12 of the college crew there and Kimmy's parents got a swank 2-level apartment for all of us to stay at (for free)- it had a pool too! ...But the best part- the place was DIRECTLY across the street from 56 Hope Road... aka Bob Marley's House!

The week ended with my buddy Tashi leading us on a journey to find Billy Mystic at Bull Bay. He ended up surfing with the Jamaican National Surf Team that day.

Anyhow, that's a whole other story and it's better when I tell it in person, so ask me next time you see me round the way.

Kimmy & Sergio put on a great Tday dinner.
Kimmy: "Now don't discriminate against the turkey for being Black. He's juicy on the inside!" She was right - that turkey was juicier than Eva Longoria!

At one point I was kickin it on the sofa with my friend Bacci and we realized we were the only unattached people there (K&S, Scott&Jess, Kevin&Nord, Adam&Tamara, Laura&Lois). Damn. I am a total loser.

It was a super cute table for 12 though!

I love Google Video!

2006-11-25T16:01:00.000-08:00

So I was looking for Babyshambles music videos on Google Video and found this 58-minute documentary about my man Pete Doherty. It's a totally wild glimpse into this lunatic's life - sex, drugs, rock n roll, and Kate Moss. You can watch it below or on Google Video for a higher-quality version. Sweet!

EDIT- I forgot to mention that even if you don't feel like watching the whole movie - just watch the first 20 seconds. You'll get the picture. (No really, it's worth it!)

I can't stop listening to this song!

2006-11-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

Pete Doherty might be the biggest fuckup in the world, but I still love him! I definitely thought he was through after he got kicked out of The Libertines, but now... I think Babyshambles is actually the better band. He might be a crack-head, but he still innovates song arrangement like no other. Seriously, I can't stop listening to this song from last year's album Down in Albion. Every time the chorus kicks in, I rock out like I'm 15 again. It's ridiculous.

"Out of the Poison Tree" premiere screening!

2006-11-14T00:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday night I attended the first screening of the final cut of Out of the Poison Tree, a powerful documentary that I spent about 8 months working on back in 2005. I was really proud of the film's director, my friend Beth Pielert. It was definitely stressful to watch the documentary (that took 7 years to make!) in front of many of its subjects (including the entire Buth-Mam family!), but they all had big smiles on their faces at the end. So I was psyched.

I was especially ecstatic to see that my name was the third one up on the screen when the credits rolled - frickin awesome!

There was also a kick-off performance by Cambodian rapper PrachLy before the film started. Dude's wild - I love him! It was funny because the screening was at the swank Variety Club in downtown SF and the screening room has a giant blue monster from Monsters Inc on the left side of the screen and a big ol' shark from Finding Nemo on the right side. Like, we're talking full-on lifesize models of these things. Crazy.

Anyhow, this first screening was really a wrap party for all the amazing people who worked on the film, and now it's off to the festival circuit next, followed by a PBS airing in 2007. Wicked cool.

If you want to learn more about the film, you can check it out here: GoodFilmWorks.com.

If you click on the Crew section and scroll down a bit, you can even read my "bio."

Many congratulations to Beth!

(yeah, i don't know what was up with my hair that night.)

New Fashion Museum in Paris!

2006-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

This happened a couple weeks ago, but I only just saw it on Purseblog.com - Work has started on a fashion museum that will celebrate French contributions to the art of apparel! The best part of this story is that it taps into one of the most long-standing luxury fashion rivlaries - Louis Vuitton vs. Gucci! I can't wait till they finish this thing - who wants to go with me? It'll be like 5 years from now...

PARIS (Reuters) - France’s biggest fashion group presented plans on Monday for a futuristic museum built out of glass to promote the heritage of its brands, promising the new Paris landmark would be a celebration of creativity.

French tycoon Bernard Arnault, chairman of luxury goods group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, said the 100 million euro ($127 million) museum would show the art that has influenced its designers from Christian Dior to Marc Jacobs.

The “Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation” will be housed in a glass-clad building soaring over the trees in the Bois de Boulogne park on the city’s western edge that Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry said was intended to resemble a cloud.

Critics immediately drew parallels between Arnault’s project and the museum plans of his arch rival in business, Francois Pinault, owner of the luxury Gucci Group.

Pinault, who also owns Christie’s auction house, unveiled his modern art collection earlier this year in Venice after attempts to build a museum on an island in the river Seine in Paris were thwarted by bureaucracy.

“It won’t be a purely contemporary art foundation,” said Arnault, knocking down comparisons with Pinault’s collection.

“Comparisons with other initiatives are not pertinent.”

Gehry, who designed the titanium-clad Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain, said the commission for the Louis Vuitton building was like a dream.

“As I experienced the world, Paris became my favorite city,” said Gehry, 77. “So when a man who leads in fashion, who collects art that I love, invited me to Paris to do a building it was a heavenly assignment.”

Gehry said when he saw the site he thought of the writings of Marcel Proust and “wanted to cry with happiness.”

Arnault said the cost of the building to LVMH, which spends billions each year on advertising, would be spread over five years. He hoped construction could start next year and end before 2009.

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said: “This is an enormous present for Paris, and for France’s image in the world.”

French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres promised the foundation would get favorable tax treatment.

Sweet Jesus this car is RAD!

2006-11-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

I saw this on High Snobiety - Nigo's got a new car on the streets! This time is a wild pink camo Bathing Ape Bugatti Veyron. Now that's a lifestyle. Damn. Only $1.2 million.

Confession!

2006-11-09T12:43:00.000-08:00

Confession- I love well-done tv commercials! Marketing-haters often forget that many of the great film directors started their careers in commercials, including City of God director Fernando Meirelles. Not to sound like a massive tool, but... commercials can be a great place for cinematic experimentation, with big budget branding dollars thrown into camera technique innovation. Lately, I've noticed a good number of producers are moving in the direction of real highend production quality, with more largescale physical effects and less cheapo cgi visuals. They might be ads, but good ads are still better than bad ads.

My roommate Adam called my attention to these insane commercials from Sony Bravia.

The first one (from director Jonathan Glazer) was done with 100% real paint explosions across a Scottish block, with zero computer effects. The result is a pure visual masterpiece that took a crew of 60 people more than 5 days to clean up. Check it:

The second video (from Danish director Nicolai Fuglsig) was actually the predecessor, accomplished by sending 250,000 multi-coloured 'superballs' bouncing down the streets of San Francisco on a hot July morning. The song they use is perfect and the resulting video is absolutely surreal - definitely inflates my sense of town pride too! Watch:

I couldn't resist...DEMOCRATIC VICTORY MAKES HOME-SCHOOLED CHILD CRY

2006-11-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

Rick Santorum has lost his Senate seat! YAAAAAAAY for democracy! I frickin hate this guy. And yeah, I realize that posting a photo of his home-schooled brats crying is a bit...mean... but whatever - he started it!

Vote Early, Vote Often

2006-11-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Just another reminder - Tuesday is election day and you can vote until 8pm. I found this great nonpartisan site, smartvoter.org , which tells you your polling location, ballot information, and candidate histories. It's run by the "League of Women Voters of California," which I know nothing about, but like the sound of it.

Anyhow, here are the Beckster's endorsements:

US Sentate: I know I should be a good hippy and endorse Green candidate Todd Chretien, but I'm a registered Democrat and I like to win: I'm voting for Dianne Feinstein.

US Congress, 8th District: My same liberal-guilt applies here: yay for Green candidate Krissy Keefer, but I'm voting for crazy ol' Nancy Pelosi.

State Assembly: No doubt here, all about my boy Mark Leno (yay for the openly gays!)

Supreme Court & Court o' Appeals: I'm gonna confirm em' all - I heart activist judges!

SF Board of Education: Vote for JANE KIM - she's progressive as hell and a total hottie!

Basically for the rest of the State seats, I'm voting down the Democratic Party line, so I'll spare you...

Just remember - YES on 1D, 84, 87, 89! NO on 85, 86!

Sofia's having a girl!

2006-11-04T19:40:00.000-08:00

Sofia Coppola announced to USA Today that she's going to have a baby girl - congratulations, Sofia! I thought this snippet from the article was cute:

Coppola knows something about pairing brains with fashion. Even on a grim, rainy afternoon, she is all effortless, downtown boho-chic. Her oversized blue T-shirt, paired with gray sweats, black slip-on sneakers and a sleek black Chanel bag, drapes around her growing belly. The fashion trendsetter, who favors Marc Jacobs and Chloe, hasn't shopped up a storm for baby — yet.

"I haven't gone crazy, but I feel like I'm on the verge," she says. "All those little dresses. I tried to be open about both sexes, but it's so fun to have little girl stuff."

What I wore to work today...

2006-10-31T17:07:00.000-08:00

I love my job!

I love this girl!

2006-10-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Felicia "Snoop" Pearson plays the character "Snoop" on my favorite favorite show The Wire. On the show, she plays a badass lieutenant in the Marlo drug crew, but it's a role that reflects her real life - she grew up in Baltimore, had to survive by selling drugs with her gang and ended up going to jail for it.

Unfortunately the only decent bio I could find online was a really cheesy one on the HBO website:

Felecia Pearson was born on May 18th 1980, fighting to survive. The fact that she was premature, only 3lbs. with both of her parents incarcerated only lessened her chances; she was on her own and doctors didn't expect her to live. Felecia was too small to nurse from a bottle, but even as an infant she showed signs of great strength. Eventually she was made a ward of the court. She was placed with a Foster Grandmother on the Eastside of Baltimore.

There is no pretty story here, just the gritty truth of growing up in the system on the Baltimore streets. Having a childhood much like the youth depicted in the show Felecia saw first hand the drugs and violence that plagued Baltimore. However difficult the struggle Felecia managed to get through it. With out knowing who her family was she developed her own. She called the streets of Baltimore home and those who ran them, family. Needless to say she had a multitude of obstacles to overcome. Her pretty face shows no sign of the pitfalls life had set for her, abandonment, violence and ultimately incarceration.

In September of 2000 Felecia made a choice to change her life. This decision took Felecia to heights she never dreamed of. She began by getting back into school. It is said when you strive with intention the universe will open up and guide you on your journey. One night while out on the town Michael K Williams met Felecia. Michael saw a story in Felecia that needed to be told, a "star quality" that comes through those who have it, no matter what. He arranged to have her meet with the producers of "The Wire", David Simon, Ed Burns, Nina Noble and Robert Colesberry. Felecia remembers thinking that this was too good to be true. Soon after the producers offered Felecia a role on the show as the character "Snoop".

Anyhow, you get the idea. This girl's real, she's talented, and she's cute! Plus, I found out in the Dana Roc interview that she's also gay in real life!

from DanaRoc.com:

DR: Do you think that you are a hero for someone right now?

SP: (Laughs) I hope I am. You know what I mean? I hope I am. I hope I am.

DR: Whose hero do you think you might be?

SP: Some kid in a foster home. People in my Gay community out there…I don't know. I don't know.

Love this girl!

I Love This Man!

2006-10-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

Yay Area native LYRICS BORN is releasing his first live album on Halloween day - show him some love!

So way back in October 2003, my boy Berwin came to town for the record release party of his favorite artist's solo debut - "Later that Day". At the time, I'd never heard of this guy Lyrics Born, but I went to Bimbo's 365 to check it out anyway.

The whole Quannum Crew was there performing, partying and just blownin up the spot. Then LB got on stage and tore it up and I've been in love with him ever since.

I got to see him perform for the fourth time last Saturday at one of the two sold-out shows at The Independent. Totally reignited my obsession!

In honor of his upcoming album, I thought I'd post this old video from before he even had his own record out - "I Changed My Mind", the original collaboration with DJ Shadow and Quannum.

How much do you love the line "I changed my mind about this here relationship that you've become so complacent with."?

I want one! I want one! I want one!

2006-10-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

This guy Max Blank makes insane modern fireplaces - the real, wood-burning kind. This is probably my favorite because it rotates 360 degrees! How hot is that? So if you've got $9000 (7370 €) burning a whole in your pocket, you should totally buy this for me. But if not, definitely check out his site anyway because he has a giant portfolio with hundreds of fireplace designs, all of them very cool stuff.

Make your own sneakers!

2006-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

This is old news I guess, but Vans now lets you customize your own Old Skool sneakers and slip-ons, just click here.

You can click on each section of the shoe and choose whatever color or pattern you dig.

You can also get customized kicks from Nike and their little bitch company Converse.

But if you really want some sweet customs, check out the designs at PunkYourChucks.com. This really talented guy named Matt (from Western New York - hell yeah!) will hand paint whatever you want. And he's good. I like these Nightmare Before Christmas kicks.

Love that Tony Cox too!

2006-10-24T14:48:00.000-07:00

These guys are insane! Tony Cox used to be my next-door neighbor before he moved to Spain. Dude's awesome. Anyhow, check out this sweet promo video shot right here in San Francisco. Out of control! Makes me want to go buy some Ipath kicks. You can buy some here .

Loved it!

2006-10-24T14:46:00.001-07:00

Go see Marie Antoinette! Kirsten Dunst has won me over.

Shameless Self-Promotion: Pay Attention to the Beckster!

2006-10-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

I make silkscreens for fun and give them to my friends. I don't like to sell them, so you can't buy one. But if I like you, maybe I'll give you one.

Shout out to my models - Bacci, Scott & Kevin.

Calling it Out - Clothes Contact (aka Vintage by the Pound)

2006-10-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to give some blog love to one of my favorite local shops - Clothes Contact! I always call this place "Vintage by the Pound" because I hate it's gimicky real name and the store is all about... vintage by the pound. ($10/lb to be exact.) Basically, if you need button-up shirts this is your spot. They come to like $3.50 per shirt and they've got a pretty shwagtastic collection to choose from. Yeah, the whole store does smell like your grandmother's closet, but the music is always fun and the people who work there are way friendlier than the "I'm-more-indie-than-John-Waters" geeks that work at most vintage stores.

Hit it up!

Clothes Contact
473 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 621-3212

Because I care about hooker safety...

2006-10-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

I was reading Coolhunting.com the other day and caught a glimpse at these sweet new platforms from The Aphrodite Project , an art experiment/advocacy group for sex workers. These high-tech shoes are designed to empower prostitutes to protect themselves - as the group's website explains, they are "a pair of sandals that are both a conceptual homage to Aphrodite and her prostitute-priestesses as well as a practical object for the contemporary sex worker. "

Cool Hunting had some more design info:

Designed both for improved marketing—the shoes display video, can flash the worker’s name, number, message, email address or web site and can play music—they also have a number of safety features—an alarm, one-button access to 911, hidden compartments, Rave Wireless's Rave Guardian and a GPS system which allows you to send your whereabouts to friends or sex workers rights groups and can also tell you where your friends are.

I gotta admit, I was a bit skeptical about these platforms at first and kind of took it as a joke. But after reading through the Aphrodite website, I gotta give these designers credit: great idea, great execution, great cause.

Beckster rating: "Safety takes no holidays - yay for socially-conscious style!"

New Kanye Bapestas premiere on NikeSB.org

2006-10-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

For all you gold-diggers and God-souljahs, you can now sport your hiphop soul on some BAPEsta soles. Mr. Kanye West has teamed up with Nigo to deliver some new kicks for the kids and you can check them out here. Everyone's talking about how they switched-out the patent leather for premium leather and of course there's Kanye’s signature bear character printed on the heel. Personally, I'm feelin the earthtone, and it's actually the red shoe-lace base makes the sneaker for me.

Beckster rating: "Sweet, I guess..."