The Local Boy
Fashion Spotlight

The gentlemen from Loden Dager are unassuming individuals.  Their dress, to be sure, is impeccable but even their attire carries a sense of relaxed confidence that matches the calm, friendly demeanor which is so wonderfully refreshing in an industry of megalomania.  So it’s no surprise that their line can be described as nothing less than a revelation–a close to perfect collection for a balmy 2010 spring summer and an offering for fall winter that will leave jaws on the floor.  On-the-floor. →

The Local Boy
Film Opinion

The first time I came across “Kick-Ass “was browsing trailers on apple.com.  God, that looks retarded, I mused, quickly glossing over the row and clicking to the next page.  In the sea of stupid, someone managed to net a freaking whale.  But as clever ads started popping up all over Los Angeles, my curiosity was piqued.  I sampled the trailer.  Interesting.  I consulted the talking heads.  Positive feedback.  So with guarded expectations I grabbed a friend and swung by a late night showing at downtown’s beautiful Nokia Theater in the LA Live.  What we experienced was nothing like I imagined. →

Flying Lotus
Warp Records
(2010)

Should I pick up Cosmogramma? That’s the million dollar question, right? If that’s all you need to know then let’s cut to the bloody chase: yes—buy it, download it, do what you do—because FlyLo’s latest is what some might call magic. Put simply, it’s a bit of a masterpiece. →

The Local Boy
Film Opinion

A friend of mine has been completely broadsided by Banksy’s “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”  That is, he came from being completely unaware of the film’s existence til the day of the LA premier (where he frantically contacted me for entrance) to blowing up my BlackBerry at the most ungodly hours of the morning with outrageous conspiracy theories that would have Jesse Ventura throwing fist pumps.  He’s become obsessed, and I’ve become the pathetic victim of his rabid musings. →

The Local Boy
Political Opinion

Police chief decapitated.  Acronym of drug cartel written in blood on windshield.  This is not a movie synopsis.  It’s one of last weekend’s international news headlines and only the tip of the iceberg concerning the rising patterns of violence and corruption in Mexico.  Across the ocean a subversive modern genocide is taking place in the supposedly democratic republic of  Congo.  Which brings us to the all-important question: what the hell are we doing in Afghanistan? →

The Local Boy
Film Opinion

There’s a lot of trash flooding the box office these days.  I swear it wasn’t long ago where you could randomly drop by the movies once a week and catch something half-decent, but those days are gone like gas under $2 a gallon.  Luckily, if you’re spoiled like I am and have a theater like LA’s Landmark providing screentime for more deserving features that lack mainstream clout, there’s still hope.  There are two particular films that recently released are worth taking the time to hunt down or request at your local box office: Un Prophete and Bong Joon-Ho’s Mother.  And trust me–they’re worth the effort. →

The Local Boy
Culture Opinion

I’m blessed with a job that affords me the opportunity to see in-person the people we gawk at on TV.  Some I see randomly, others are consistent visitors.  It’s nothing worth name-dropping; I don’t delude myself–it’s not like they came to see me–I’m just the lucky bystander who happened to cross their path.  I chat with them, show them the collections, bring them pieces, and do my best to not look awkward while I stand by and watch them browse obliviously through the store.  It’s not much, but I still feel lucky.  Those moments are still a world more than most will ever get to experience. →

The Bloggomist: The Local Boy
Film Opinion

Don’t laugh but one of my guilty pleasures used to be old Louis L’Amour western novels.  My father palmed me one while I was doing homework during high school.  ”Read it,” he told me, grinning.  ”It’s just fun.”  The cheesy looking cover and yellowed edges weren’t doing an convincing, but I figured I might as well humor Ba and just tell him I was bored out of my mind if it didn’t work out.  A day later I was asking if he had anymore. →

The Bloggomist: The Local Boy
Fashion Opinion

Yuki Matsuda has a look about him.  He has a disarmingly gentle smile that only disappears when engrossed in particularly passionate topics.  His long black hair bears wisps of grey, neatly tied back in a short pony tail.  His arms are crossed across a crisp button down that looks comfortable and well-worn.  But it’s his eyes that bear the unmistakable mark–a look of genuine satisfaction that can be neither feigned nor manufactured.   →

The Bloggomist: The Local Boy
Film Opinion

I’ve been sitting tentatively pawing this keyboard for the last two hours.  To be honest it’s been hard to sit still this weekend much less hunker down and try to write about anything remotely “cool” or interesting.  If you’ll allow me slightly more creative license this week, I might get a little personal before my review of Tom Ford’s “A Single Man.”  Friday night was an exhausting but incredible private dinner we hosted at OCLA with M.I.A. for Alexander Wang‘s new collection of sunglasses for Linda Farrow →