Just E This Time...

Normally this would be an EVBNO style post I guess...but it's just me! Yesterday I was determined to get out of the apt. My mom left me a text suggesting I take my bike and go riding at Venice Beach...and that sounded fine...until I remembered beach=humidity. Black girls have this thing where unless they have access to a flat iron, an electrical outlet, and a mirror, they will not let anything happen to their hair. That means no pool, no rain, and especially no humidity. It's like the silent killer, ya'll. So I voted nay on la playa and decided to stay inland instead.

I went to Silverlake (which is actually a really great place if you get past the general superiority vibe and don't mind if people ask you how long it takes for your bangs to grow out or talk to you about music and politics like they're the same thing) and got lunch at Psychobabble Cafe. I was so tempted to take a photo of my meal because it looked and tasted fantastic but I was sort of being stared down, so I didn't. But it was amazing. I had a cheese panini, Caesar salad and mint tea. Gawd, sometimes eating healthy IS good. Who knew, right??

After that, I parked and walked to Berda Paradise. On the way, I got weird, incredulous looks from everyone on the street. I think Rumer Willis is right. I think I dress more like a New Yorker than an Angeleno. Hmmm...anyway I was wearing my Missbehave X Nails Did tee, a pair of black tights, and white flats. Didn't go over so well I suppose.

Anyway, if you don't know what Berda Paradise is, it's this uber amazing thrift store that works in conjunction with the Sunset Free Clinic so the proceeds from what you buy there go to the Clinic! So you can have fun shopping and give someone a free test for Chlamydia! Sharing is caring...So like I was saying, Berda Paradise has just about everything from books, clothing, hats, bags, shoes, records, vintage sunglasses...glass bottles, if that's your thing...I found a skirt and a sweater that were adorable, and then, oh, the records! I got two Petula Clark vinyls, an old Billie Holiday pressing, and a Barbra Streisand record.

Did I ever tell you guys how awesome I think Babs is? I'll do it sometime.

So after that I drove to Sunset Blvd, went to Amoeba Records and found three seasons of Absolutely Fabulous on VHS for only 1.99 each! I pretty much grabbed them all. Oh and then I had to REbuy that fucking badass Justice record since mine was stolen...all in all I spent way too much money.

Annnnd to wrap this ish up, I had to show my ID just to buy a lighter at the 7-11, I got honked at by an ambulance, the dude at the public parking lot ripped me off, I read on the ticker over the Wachovia bank building that the Hadron Collider will be out of service for at least two months, and MIA's on the side of a building.

I can't wait to do it again! Lookout weekend! Sry for the shittastic pictures. It started getting dark by the time I began shooting snaps. Ah well!

Deuces,
Erika

Are You There Internet? It's Me Erika.

This picture was taken at my mom's house last summer. I did not want said picture to be taken. Note the extreme casual wear I'm rocking. That t-shirt belongs to my mother. It somehow has holes in it in very odd places. That was back when my bangs grew free and happily and people mistook me for a 15/16 yr old alot. But I do look skinny in this picture. Ohai, and this is my bf sitting next to me. So I guess you finally get to see him. His name is Sam. He's 23 and he always buys the beer. He used to have very cute short, curly hair, but he shaved it off and now he thinks he looks like a chick magnet. Dudes are crazy sometimes.

I am not one for admitting defeat or incorrectness. In fact I rarely ever do it. If someone is right and I'm wrong and it's obvious, then I have no choice but to say, "Oh I'm wrong," or "Oh I fucked up. Sorry." But those times are few and far between.

Back in Atlanta, I was so unhappy. My close friends didn't get me, the dudes I did like to hang out with always had previous engagements, my bf spent a lot of time working, my mom couldn't identify, and even my dog was slowly starting to hate me. Well, maybe. She started ignoring me alot more and in turn I stopped feeding her. Just kidding.

LA was my ticket to happiness. The cure for my sorrows, my hopelessness, this feeling of being completely lost in my own life. I kept telling people I was leaving the South and never EVER coming back. Most people just went "ohhhh" and remarked how lucky I was. I got cold feet a few times but the reassurance of the people around me that I would be fine kept me going.

I spent my first evening in LA by myself, eating El Pollo Loco, listening to my Niko LP, and sitting on my bed with the window open, a warm breeze carrying in the sounds of far off conversations and outside noise. I texted my bf: You know what Sam? Sitting here on my bed, looking out at the blue sky ad palms and golden buildings and listening to Niko and eating chicken out of a Styrofoam container...I'm truly happy.

Fast forward a month and a half later. I'm on speaking terms with only two of my roommates. I have three friends, V notwithstanding, and they're kind of cool. All I do is go to school and then come home, day in and day out. I filter through so many emotions daily. I haven't been laid for almost three months now. I pretty much take care of this apartment on my own. I'm hopeful, but at the same time discouraged.

But every time I go to Hollywood I'm reminded of why I love LA so much. The constant excitement, perpetual ADD stimulation, the opportunities and the people and, most recently, the strip clubs, make it an amazing place to live. It's truly like no other place on earth. Plus I'm an LA kid at heart...my hometown is Inglewood (holla!) and a ton of the pictures of me smiling and happy as a kid were taken when we lived in Los Angeles.

What gets me is that I don't live in LA (the city). Of course I live in LA (the county), but I really live in the Valley. It's ironic actually, because when my mom and I came here awhile back, I thought to myself, "This must be where people come to die." But then I think to myself, well, when I graduate I can live in LA. I can live in the heart of W Hollywood, which has been a longtime dream of mine. I can get my magazine ambitions underway. I can head out to strip clubs every night.

So I thought to myself, why should I stay in the Valley if it makes me unhappy to do so? Longer story shorter, I've made the decision to go back to Atlanta, transfer to the state college, and finish my education there. Then, when I'm ready, I can come back to LA. I love it too much to stay away forever.

I guess a part of me wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. That I could handle being 2000 miles away from my fam and friends and still make it. I think that every time I don't call someone I know and I rely on myself to just "figure it out," as my bf likes to say, I am proving myself. Every time I use my map of LA instead of calling my mom, I'm doing it. Every time I meet someone new because I made the first move to talk to them I'm doing it. And I feel good enough with this month and a half, so I know I'll be even prouder of myself nine months from now when the school year's over. And that quote JEWELS said only made things better.

But a part of me feels like this is admitting defeat, saying that I can't stick with anything without eventually just returning to what's easy and comfortable. Because I'd almost rather be minorly unhappy and take the easy way out than be majorly unhappy but know I'm doing what's right.

In any case, this time next year I'll be blogging to you good people from the dirty, smelly city of Atlanta. It's not a place I'm fond of, but the gang from Tilly and the Wall really love it, so I guess there's my consolation prize.

Deuces,
Erika

I Feel Mixed.

So, for me, much of last night, and a good portion of this morning was spent with everyone's favorite Savage Sunshine girl, V. It was probably the longest night/morning of my life. Here is what happened over the course of 10 1/2 hrs we were together.

First, we met up on Hollywood and Vine. "Hello!"s ensued. We both admitted to not really have any knowledge of where were or were going, although Sunset Blvd was supposed to be the end result. Everything started off well enough. We walked down Hollywood Blvd past Normandie, past Little Armenia, and through Thai Town. That's when we started getting really hungry. So we kept walking in search of edibles.

We became more and more lost, so we sat down and laid my map of Metropolitan LA on the ground. We tried to pick out our streets respectively, and then just became resigned to sitting on the sidewalk. That's when this guy walked up with his cowdog. We asked him how to get to Sunset and he pointed us in the direction of straight. He was some kind of art teacher at UCLA and then signaled to Barnsdall Park and Vermont St and Prospect Ave, promising fun and good food, and all-ages type events, since he obvi took us to be younger than we are. There were smiles and "thank you"s and the like, then we pressed on.

After walking for some time, we stumbled upon Pinkberry. Sadly lame and internet obsessed, we agreed that we had to go there last, in order to say, "And then we went to Pinkberry." We moved past it, and stumbled onto some al fresco-ish restaurant where we saw the dudes in the Plain White T's eating and such. The lead singer was all smiles. I didn't recognize him at first, but after some verification with V, it was evident we needed to see them again. And then we walked past a drug deal.

V and I got some delicious Mexican food at Machos Tacos (I got a fish taco, shrimp taco, and mini quesadilla for about 7.00) and then we went to the block directly across from the Plain White T's and their dining area. V tried to get a super stealth picture. Then some assholes drove up in a nice car. We heckled them.

The PWT's soon after left and V and I were soon after hot on their trail. Sadly we lost them, and thus walked and walked and walked and...erm, walked. We walked ourselves all the way to the Los Feliz Village. It seemed pretty nifty. We even saw a million adorable clothing shops and a super hawt tranny wear shop with mannequins with penises and even one that was David Bowie themed. Scary thing was, we both agreed that we would each rock some of the looks we saw. Oh yeah, and then we found the American Apparel, which looked so self absorbed it was practically narcissistic. Oh yeah, and then we stumbled upon a black widow spider, which I totally deducted with some general investigating. I don't know about how prevalent they are in your neck of the woods, but it's pretty fucking cool to see one up close and in the...flesh?

After window shopping, we kept walking until we reached Silverlake. We gawked at the skinny jeaned boys and the cute tiny bakeries. And then we went to Tang's Donuts, Sandwiches, and Ice Cream, where there was a heated battle of chess going on between old people. The donuts were only .65 so I got two and V got three. We like donuts over here.

Then we walked past a bridge that looked just like the one from the Sophomore NYC lookbook, and realized that for as long as we walked, we just weren't getting to the super cool/fun part of Sunset Blvd. It was just getting sketchier. We sat on a wall, pulled out the map, and realized we were just walking into oblivion. We cursed the happy man with the cowdog who talked us into walking all that way. We were tired and our feet hurt and we had to walk all the way back to Hollywood and Vine.

About two or so hours later, we found ourselves very close to where we started. On the way, a homeless man stopped us and was ungrateful/irritated that we gave him 1.60 when we didn't really have a lot of money left. Can you imagine?? And then we walked past some weirdness involving a dude and a box of bras...finally we got back to Hollywood and Vine and not only were we drop dead tired, but our feet felt awful. I'd spent a bit of time just going barefoot out of sheer un-comfort from my shoes, but my feet and legs felt like they were going to vomit, if that makes sense.

Back in the tourist trap this is Hollywood Blvd, we walked over some grates that were blowing hot air. I informed V that I felt...mixed. Both happy and unhappy about the feeling of hot air blowing under me. That happened a lot more that night. As we walked to Hollywood and Ivar, we spotted a group of people doing pot on the corner and begged for a contact high. Then we climbed all the way up Ivar and sat in my car for about twenty minutes.

To make this increasingly long story shorter, we got completely lost trying to get to Pomona and about three hours later, around 5 am, V and I finally made it to her school. Then I got lost briefly and made it home around 6:30-ish am, where I was unable to go to sleep for about an hour and a half due to a delicious and nutritious breakfast of Red Bull and a Butterfinger.

Oh, and now it's about 4 pm and I just woke up. La la la, life is sadfunny sometimes. This Butterfinger still tastes good. Pics and slight proofs of evidence are now up on V's blog for your perusal. Oh, except that wonderfully skilled photograph of the Sunset Junction sign. Enjoy!

Deuces,
Erika

So Close I Can Taste It!

Hey hey hey from Flagstaff, Arizona! There's really nothing cool about this place either, to be honest with you. Today's beautiful temperature is 100*! And I've seen a place that specializes in Birkenstocks. Meh.

However, my mom and I got extremely excited when we noticed that the Hardees places had turned into Carl's Jr's. Oh, and in Arizona, they give you free green chile with your meal. Ole!

So only six more hours till I'm in LA! The fact that I'm this close to a dream I've had since my sophomore year of high school is still baffling me! It's like when you meet your hero, only I don't think I'll be very disappointed about this one...

Oh and I think I accepted a marriage proposal last night.

I'll tell you about it later.

Deuces,
Erika

Think I'm In Love But It Makes Me Kinda Nervous To Say So

When reading this, bear in mind that it was written at about 3-something am. So it happened on Monday, k? Thx...

So today, my now ex-boyfriend came over and helped me pack. Everything was so awesome. We could talk and joke and laugh with an easiness we didn't have before. It was like back when we first started dating and we loved being around each other and had fun. The tension, unease, and sadness was gone. We could look at each other and know what we were thinking.

After we had dinner, he helped me pack a little more. I still have shit to pack up, of course, because we got distracted a lot, joking around and finding everything funny. Right before he left, he made me come outside and then he just held me. For a long time, we didn't speak. Then we did, and it was all good things. I told him to put things in perspective. He told me to never say I couldn't do anything. Tears were shed and memories recounted. It was the perfect way to end things. He swore to me he would be in LA in April. I guess that means you'll get to meet this great guy, V!

Then he told me that I was it. I was all he wanted. I told him I hoped he would find a girl that made him so happy, he forgot about how sad he was because of this. He said it would never happen, because there wasn't anyone else for him. Perhaps we really are soulmates, but we're going to have to meet up a lot later in life for it to work.

Oh yeah, and I'm leaving in about six hours to embark on a crazy four day drive to the Valley to start school. I'll see you in LA, V! I sort of hope Sarah Morrison makes a comeback to LA, too. This is it kids. The end.

For now.

Deuces,
Erika

Pinup Tattoos

For the longest time, I've been playing with the idea of getting a tattoo. I haven't mostly because I'm too lazy to go to the tat shop and make an appointment, although they do allow walk-ins. Still, I don't have the motivation to go, but I do have the motivation to get a tattoo before I move to LA, because then I'll have to do the research on a good parlor all over again. Like hell could I afford (time and money wise) to schlep to Hollywood and go to LA Ink.

But prior to me turning 18, I was super stoked to get a tattoo, so I did a ton of research on designs and art. I've decided to get a Fafi drawing on my right arm, namely this one:

But that still leaves me with a personal conundrum. All my life (or at least since 9th grade), I've sort of been in love with pin-up art. It's just really cute and really timeless to me. Mostly I just love Gil Elvgren, because his, to me, is the best. After spending hours on the computer trying to find a picture, I found these two:

Only, she's going to be sitting on old records and her hand is going to be on a phonograph. That's one of these, for those who don't know.

Because of the colors she's wearing, I think I would make her a lot tanner, closer to my skin tone, but lighter of course so it would show up really well against my skin.

I just haven't decided where to put it. My back seems like the most obvious option because of the space, but I don't want to get a tattoo and then not be able to see it all the time. I like constant reminders of hard work and having fun. I could put it on my stomach, but that's not gonna stay tight and taut forever and I would prefer my tattoo not gain weight as I did.

So does anyone have any advice for trying to get sort of large tats? Anyone have a large tat? Anyone come across more amazing Gil Elvgren pin-ups?

Deuces,
Erika

Agent Ribbons

As I've said before, it's definitely summer. And unyieldingly so, since it's looking like temps in the 90s all week here in ATL. So while the hipsters and businesspeople spar it out with Starbucks in the hot summer sun, I'm gonna stay here in my nice, cool, ceiling fanned room and sort my earrings by color.

In between that, I guess I'll be listening to Agent Ribbons. The two piece combo of Californian retrophiles guitarist/vocalist Natalie Gordon and drummer/guitarist Lauren Hess, Agent Ribbons is like the soundtrack to a summer day in 40s era Brighton Beach or Coney Island. But hey, something else reminds me of Brighton Beach! The perfect combo!

Anyway, I have a hard time describing Agent Ribbons, mostly because while I did do some time as a music journalist, I'm certainly not a trained one. So I'll just say that their music is perfect summer fare. It sounds delicately vintage and shimmering, but at the same time modern. So it is almost the all female equivalent to Beirut (Ohhh Zach Condon, marry me pls). Agent Ribbons have played with Social Studies (my SF FAVES) and even opened for Cake. How boss is that?!

Their debut album, On Time Travel and Romance, is an amazing album, full of light guitars, bells, horns, and happiness. And while I'm aware that happiness isn't an instrument, it's all you can feel when you listen to this album. My absolute favorite song is "Obituary." I'm not sure what it's about exactly, but it's the cutest, nicest song I've heard in a very long time.

Luckily, I found some mp3s for download, but you can actually download a lot of their songs off their myspace. Also luckily, they tour a lot in CA, so when they come back from their UK tour in October, I'll be able to see them live. So suck it GA!!

Unfortunately, there's no really great live video or imeem track to put here, so you'll sort of have to just go listen for yourself, but please do, because these girls are amazing!

Agent Ribbons: "Obituary"
Agent Ribbons: "Birds and Bees"

I guess you can expect a lot more posts on awesome female songwriters/bands because all of a sudden everyone got really good!

Deuces,
Erika

I Wanna Go Back To LA Now!!!

Enough trying to be brave and dour...I wanna go back to Los Angeles!! I am now okay with whining like a little baby to anyone and everyone near me about how much I want to be in California again. Who cares if they want to listen? They have to!!! Ughhhh, I hate summers in Atlanta!!! They're so unpredictable!!

It wasn't even remotely warm here until the end of May and as soon as June hit, the temperature went haywire. It's been 93-95 everyday since like, June 3rd or something! Wahhhh, I'm hot!! I don't mind heat, but it feels like the sun is trying to have a piggyback ride on my back. I'm afraid to wear pants because I will spontaneously combust, but I can't afford new clothes and I don't have any good shorts, except for a high waisted pair I bought from F21 eons ago when I'd planned to lose weight.

But this heat is so dry and brutal! It was supposed to be mid 80s today because it's gonna rain, but it's 93 right now! If I cry, will my tears turn to dust?

In LA, it is not going to get higher than 81 this week. Friday, June 20 in LA looks like 75. In ATL, it looks like 86. Someone kill me, and bury my corpse near an ice floe.

Deuces,
Erika

Holy Shet!

Do you like 90's girl bands?! Do you like AWEsome bands that are fronted by chicks?! Do you like putting a ?! after all your sentences?! Rad!

All of this is just the preamble to the new mp3 I am about to post on this blog. That's right, I'm going to try to get more mp3s up on here so people can be introduced to new, sick, music that they might never hear. I've been told my musical taste is unparalleled.

Yes, it does count if I told myself that, thx.

Anyway, I just heard the most AWEsome song in a long time.

It's by a group called Miss Derringer, it's amazing, it's totally channeling that supreme 90s girl band feeling, I love and you will too.

Miss Derringer: "Black Tears"

More Derringer:

"Better Run Away From Me"



Miss D is touring with Blondie and will be in New York 6/15 - 6/19, then back to
LA on 7/17. Lucky bitches go peep scene!

This is about to become a music pirate's wet dream, I can feel it!

Deuces,
Erika

Let's Get Fucked Up!

Like, ohmagawd. Has anyone heard of Millionaires? They are an AWEsome trio of Hot Topic poster chicks outta LA. Don't let their faces fool you, beneath those innocent looking exteriors like a gaggle of undersexed hotties that "want you in my bed." And they will steal your man, with no remorse, I might add.

Awwwww yeah.

In all honesty, their music is awful, but I can't get it out of my head, and you certainly shouldn't be exempt from this mental pain. You can catch them ALLZ over LA and then some. They write and produce their own music. Points for originality. And for being able to spell "alcohol"



Anyone else feeling like going to an 80's party!

Deuces,
Erika

Damn, I Miss The West Coast

I almost forgot this song existed. I first heard it on Indie 103 (the best radio station ever) in Santa Monica. Originally, I thought Of Montreal just had a new single. They didn't. I really miss living and being in California. I cannot wait to go back.

Coconut Records is the musical project of actor Jason Schwartzman. His album, Nighttiming is incredible and I heard he plays all of the instruments himself.

This song always makes me cry when I listen to it.

"West Coast"


Will someone take me back with them? I'll pay rent on time, trust.

Deuces,
Erika

Flavor Of Love Finale Tuh-Noit!

Yes that's right fam. Three seasons and a weekend of marathons and reunions all culminates in this one hour.Will it be Black, or Thing 2, or...Sinceer? Well, Sinceer is kind of an evil bizznatch and I'm leaning towards Thing 2 anyway.

In other exciting news, I'm typing up this whole post from my Blackberry! Muy divertido! Also, Bad Girls Club reunion tomorrow. Star Jones is mediating. Hopefully Tanisha doesn't mistake her for Lyric. Also hopefully Jenavecia doesn't come drunk and try to fuck her...Ohai TV ratings.

Deuces,
Erika

Thx But No Thx

Once, I liked Gym Class Heroes. It was circa their first album. I saw them live, when the Tournado tour came to the Arena, and I thought Travis was uber sexy. At least his voice was. Then I saw an interview with Travvy on MTV and I fell out of love very quickly.

Anyway, this backstory is just to preface my hate and supreme dislike for his li'l cuz Tyga, who now has that ridiculous single "Coconut Juice" on Sucker Free on MTV2. Now don't get me wrong, I know Sucker Free isn't exactly a paradigm for real, true hip hop, but I mean, this song?

Not to mention the video is all wrong. There are some white hoes shaking asses in their corner, plenty of post-fab hipsters, and that annoying Tyga looks like he bought his whole wardrobe at Urban Outfitters. Not to mention Travis is tossing lines in. And there's a cameo from Pete Wentz, who, might I add, said, "This is Encino, not Compton."

What is that supposed to mean?! Suddenly Wentz listens to to Jay-Z and suddenly he can participate in economic and demographical stereotypes? I don't think so.

Whatevs. Maybe in ten years this will be like Will Smith circa "Willenium." I hope so.

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

Deuces!
Erika