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July 31, 2006
Designlush Table
I am by no means a traditionalist when it comes to art and design. I like to look forward and embrace artists who experiment with the latest in technology and philosophy. This coffee table by John Houshmand for DESIGNLUSH may be traditional in construction, but is very experimental in execution. The visual contrast set by the clean-cut block of wooden base, sleek glass pane and the organic shape of the tabletop is subtle and delicate, yet striking in appearance. This table will be perfect when set upon an off-white area rug with deep pile.
Posted by Charlie at 09:50 AM | Comments (1)
July 28, 2006
John Houshmand
This utterly scrumptious folding screen by John Houshmand has Nakashima written all over it. In an apartment world filled with polypropylene and aluminum mid-century modern furniture, having something as organic and individually unique as this will definitely balance the visual impact of the home. Sexy.
Posted by Charlie at 11:37 AM | Comments (0)
July 27, 2006
Little Miss Sunshine
Posted by Charlie at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)
July 24, 2006
My Mom Emailed Me This Today
My mom knows I'm kinda going through a rough patch at the moment, so she emailed me this:
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone
around you is crying.
My heart melted just a little bit after reading this.
Posted by Charlie at 11:45 PM | Comments (1)
McCarren Pool
McCarren Pool is the hip, trendy place to be if you live in overly hip, overly trendy Williamsburg. This summer has brought out some of the biggest names and biggest up-and-comers in indie rock music. Asobi Seksu, Of Montreal, Deerhoof, Beirut, Enon; the list goes on. The best news is, all of this is free. FREE. Can I die happy now, please?
Posted by Charlie at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)
Thirty Years
My parents celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this past weekend. They were surrounded by friends and family at our house at Ocean Shores; I wish I was there to partake in the festivities, but I can't really afford the time to fly back home at the moment. I think I'm finally feeling my first pangs of homesickness, exactly nine months after landing in this crazy city. How ironic it is, seeing as in a week's time Ireneo will be here and, a week after that, Cynthia.
It's almost mind-boggling, really, the length of time my parents have been together. Thirty years. Where has time gone? Of course, like most marriages theirs wasn't perfect; it was far from it. They fight like most people, but unlike most relationships that do end in divorce, they forced themselves to work through it. And for them, it seems to be working. Thirty years is a long time.
Now I would probably want to blueprint my relationship/civil union/marriage like that of my parents. I think Madonna said it best—and I can't believe I'm quoting her on this—that when you meet the perfect guy, the perfect girl, you'd better turn around and run as fast as you can. The relationship that I want to be in is with someone who can push all my buttons, make me reassess what I want out of that relationship, make me think. Romance novels call it 'fireworks.' In other words, the imperfect guy. Because when you're contentedly happy there is no need for anything else, right? You stop learning new things, close your mind to the possibility of a new experience, and that, to me at least, is when you stop living. I've been with guys who were, on paper, perfect for me. But perfection, like Sam's* new lover, is one ugly, rude gay guy.
Here's to my parents.
Posted by Charlie at 12:05 AM | Comments (0)
July 23, 2006
ROXY
From one extreme to the next: the photograph above is what would have happened had I taken advantage of Roxy's $1 drink specials. Alas, I spent a grand total of $3 last night, and that was for the coat check. Damn you, Manhattan.
Posted by Charlie at 01:16 PM | Comments (0)
Seaglopur
James No. 2 believes in reincarnation. I am still questioning whether or not I do, but if I did, there is no question that in my previous life I was my grandfather. My marks prove it.
Posted by Charlie at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
July 21, 2006
Dune
Clean, simple lines are the behind the aesthetic philosophy of DUNE, a furniture company based here in New York City. Drawing inspiration from mid-century design and contemporary-day technology, DUNE doesn't mass-produce their lines, preferring instead to work closely with the designers in preserving the quality and integrity of their work. I am in love with the L.E.M. sofa by Nick Dine, a deep, thin upholstered shell sitting on a skinny steel base. Karim Rashid would be proud.
Posted by Charlie at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)
July 20, 2006
Asian Fusion
On warm sunny days I am part-Black, says so my Black friends. On winter days my extended family thinks I'm part-white. My dad likes to joke that I was sired by the neighborhood milkman. I've heard this story so many times, I'm starting to wonder if it's true; I was an 'accident' after all. Most of my friends back in high school thought I was Japanese for some reason. The Filipinos claim me as one of their own. I feel like my Thai relatives are exotically praising me when they compliment me on my white skin. A work colleague at my previous job befriended me because she initially thought I was the same ethnic makeup as her, Filipina/Italian. I know there are guys out there who would love to be in my shoes—a recent Fridae profile browsing has confirmed this—but there are many days where I wonder what it would be like to look, you know, mono-ethnic.
Posted by Charlie at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)
Asian Soap Operas
I'm watching this Korean drama on FUJI TV at work right now, and I must say: Korean guys can be pretty cute after eye surgery. It's nice knowing that all the traditional Asian gender stereotypes are still in place though, at least in the media. You know I'm being sarcastic, right?
Posted by Charlie at 01:39 PM | Comments (1)
July 19, 2006
On the Hooper Cooper Scooper
Posted by Charlie at 09:33 PM | Comments (0)
July 18, 2006
...Yeah...
Do you know how hard it is for me to lose my cool? It's really hard. Even in the face of the greatest adversary I can usually hold my ground with calmness and collectiveness. I attribute this quality of my personality to the fact that I did not grow up in the most emotive and affectionate of environments. Much of my childhood and adolescence consisted of daily fights between me and my parents, and I've pretty much mastered the not-so-very-desirable ability to project myself out of a conflict and just be... Zen. Coolness is second nature to me.
However, during the moments when I do lose my cool, I become a bumbling idiot. I say things I don't really mean and this exposed, vulnerable side of me becomes so painfully visible. Most times I resent it, but last night I embraced it. I don't know why, but I couldn't stop smiling on the way home. Butterflies? Reckless hope? A lost cause? Who knows.
Posted by Charlie at 02:00 PM | Comments (0)
July 17, 2006
The Heat Wave
Kill me now, please. It's 11PM and it's close to 90 degrees out. Kill me. Now.
Posted by Charlie at 10:55 PM | Comments (0)
Lounge Chair Hunting
Years ago, when I was much, much shorter, the first thing I would do when I got home from school was to stretch out on my living room's loveseat for a nice afternoon nap. Those days are long gone, but I would still use that loveseat for those curling-up-to-a-good-book-during-rainy-day times.
Searching for the perfect lounge chair for my soon-to-be-fabulous apartment has been an arduous process in itself, and I have made things a little bit more complicated by expanding my options to include loveseats, assuming that my bedroom is large enough to accomodate one and my bed. A loveseat doesn't really take up more space than a single-occupency chair, nor does it cost substantially more. It's perfect for those solitary reading times as well as those double-occupancy cuddling times.
Back to hunting...
Posted by Charlie at 01:00 PM | Comments (0)
This Time It's Different
I have so little faith in humanity, especially during wartimes like these. The world is in so much pain right now, and it breaks my heart whenever I think about what's going on in the Middle East at this moment.
Posted by Charlie at 02:48 AM | Comments (0)
July 16, 2006
The JMZ Line
The L Train is once again going under construction, which means I will be relying on the JMZ line to get into the city during the weekends. This isn't so bad now since I have been using that line to get to work—a 15-minute commute!—but I am now rethinking about how I feel about staying in Williamsburg. The ideal location here, I think, would be between the first stops of the L and the JMZ. It's near the water and has a fantastic view of Manhattan, a short walk to the cheap restaurants and pretentious hipness, and is relatively quiet and clean. Now that would be a good location. I dunno why I'm writing about this... just killing time to get over this stupid hangover I guess.
Posted by Charlie at 01:41 PM | Comments (0)
July 13, 2006
Na.Ka.Ma
Posted by Charlie at 12:02 PM | Comments (0)
July 11, 2006
More Text, Less Pictures
Haven't been writing much as of late, which usually means two things: Either I'm just way too busy living out life to actually sit down and articulate the day's events down on paper, or I'm just hiding a lot of facts from my current affairs in an effort to preserve my clean, wholesome and innocent public image. Words are very powerful tools, and their effect is so much stronger when it is written down, because everything that is written down ever is the truth.
Posted by Charlie at 11:45 AM | Comments (2)
July 09, 2006
In Stock and Ready to Ship
There's nothing like a good room re-arrangement to get the heart rates going. After catching dim sum with the Gaysians and trolling around furniture shops with Tristan, I came back home with a renewed passion for my room. I remodulated my MUJI shelves, swapped the covers on my decorative pillows, and rearranged the furniture. My room feels a lot airier now. Motel Charlie is now open for business.
Posted by Charlie at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)
Signage Play
Posted by Charlie at 06:59 PM | Comments (0)
July 06, 2006
I.TSU.KA.
Posted by Charlie at 02:16 PM
July 04, 2006
Jumping Ship
With Cynthia's (and Ireneo's) impending arrival to the Big Apple, Motel Charlie is revamping and redecorating itself to be more platonic spooning-friendly. The guest pillows and towels have been bought. The sheets have been dry-cleaned. I've been eyeing the latest bedding collection from Calvin Klein Home, and have added it to my growing list of must-buys for when I move.
Speaking of which, I've been looking again for my next place of residence, and I've forgotten just how frustrating it is to find the perfect place. After working at this interior design magazine, I feel my standards have risen quite considerably for my next home. This means two things: 1) I will work extra hard at finding that perfect place and will end up paying half my current salary for it; and 2) I will end up sorely disappointed and will harbor a grudge that will remain unabated for months to come. You see, after viewing $15million lofts and attending furniture fairs and staying over at jaw-droppingly gorgeous apartments, there is no way I can't just take any other two-bedroom in some cheap neighborhood. I've been contaminated by high design. It is now literally my life; I have to now showcase that life.
So, without further delay, a brief description of my current dream bedroom. Imagine, if you will, sheets of white textured linen flowing down over 8-foot West-facing windows and onto an ebony-stained hardwood floor. Directly across from the windows, on the opposite wall, a Chunky Console Table in chocolate from West Elm, minimalist yet visually anchoring. An antique mirror, several candles, small white ceramic vases with flowers, cologne and a small dish for keys and my wallet will have the console table serving as a sort of male vanity. My Alu Bed (with its Calvin Klein bedding) will flank the Northern end of the bedroom, on one side my Sapien bookshelf, on the other a small side table. The Northern wall will be covered with Damask wallcoverings from Timorous Beasties, and the rest of the room will be painted in Chelsea Gray from Benjamin Moore. Either an Akari Ceiling Lamp or a Random Lamp will suspend above for a dramatic effect, like that of a full moon. At the foot of the bed will be a 48" Nelson Bench. An area rug (FLOR or Thomas O'Brien for Target) will define the space at the foot of the bed. A lounge chair (to be determined) will flank the Southwest corner of the room, and a reading lamp will accompany it (also to be determined). No clothes closet (I'll have a separate alcove for that) and no television. The two main functions for a bedroom are to sleep in and to have sex.
Does this sound a little too overreaching? Yes. Obviously I'm setting myself up for some major disappointment. While the budget for all those items would only amount to about one month's pay, finding the perfect room to execute this design is what's going to be tough. Getting a nice loft in Soho, DUMBO or Long Island City is something that I'll have to plan for five years into the future, if I'm even still in New York by then. We're looking at Fort Greene, Williamsburg, Park Slope, Sunset Park... pretty much any place reasonably close to the city, and if I wanted my nice factory-converted loft apartment, it looks like I'm gonna have to move out a bit more east, to East Williamsburg.
What does that mean? On one hand, moving from my current location would mean the end of late-night street gang fights, (hopefully) less garbage lining the sidewalks, and (hopefully) a tree-lined street. On the other hand, it would also be the end of the fifteen-minute commute to work, the ten-minute rides to the East Village, the five-minute stroll to the Bedford scene and, probably most importantly, the end of all the gorgeous Puerto Rican bois roaming the streets in their wife beaters. Sigh.
Egad, this is a long post. Long story short: life is going to accelerate again in the next several months. Gotta stop rambling now, and gotta start looking for that perfect lounge chair.
And dream.
Posted by Charlie at 08:13 PM | Comments (0)
July 03, 2006
Candy
Lots of dogs in my life lately.
Posted by Charlie at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)