Music Videos and NYC

Hey everyone!

I'm here in nyc for a couple days. It's been really fun, but really cold! Still... no rain or snow yet (fingers crossed!).

I've been painting and taking pictures with some new polaroid film I bought from this lovely space. Hopefully I'll have a few decent photos by the end of the week that I can share with you.

I had the most amazing dinner last night at what may be my new favorite restaurant in nyc--(besides Cafe Habana)--called Il Buco. The ambiance was so cozy and rustic and warm! And the food was... how could I describe it? It was perfect in a mind blowing way. Their menu is seasonal, and their specials are based on what's the freshest for that day, which I really love. Eating what's in season, for whatever area you're in, is so good for you!

Walking by Union Square, all these people were taking photos of this Andy Warhol statue. It must have just been put there, because I don't think I remember seeing it there 2 days earlier. Here's a photo:


Also, I've been making a few music videos lately. Two of them have been done on green screens. Although one was blue. It's fun, but also slightly awkward if you don't have props around you. But I did get to click the 'snappy thing' a few times, which was pretty exciting!


At this blue screen studio, they make a lot of crazy molds and props and sets for a variety of different movies. Everything from "Hellboy" to "Dragonheart" to "Robocop". Hmm... Lots of adjective-noun names. I have lots of pictures from there that I'll have to share in its own post.


Today we worked at a beautiful space, called, well, "The Space" right above Chelsea Market. This time I was in front of a green screen.


At the end of the shoot, they pulled these big black curtains back to reveal these beautiful old windows.


How cool would it be to own your own studio in an old warehouse building like this? I feel like I'd get 200% more creative work done!

So anyway, that's what I've been up to. These music videos are all in the midst of being churned out by some really amazing videographers who I'm lucky enough to call my friends. Each video is very different from the next, and I'm really excited to share them with you!

It's been really nice to see in almost every store I'm in, or taxi cab, or poster on the street, there is some mention of how to donate to Japan. Even Kobe Bryant is telling people to text "RED CROSS" to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross in Japan! Every little bit helps.

love,
p. ahn

Lullatone

Hi everyone,

One of my favorite bands, Lullatone, has put out a brand new album called "Elevator Music". You can listen to the whole album here.

Right now they are making all of their albums available for whatever donation you would like to give, and they are giving 100% of that to the Red Cross to help out in Japan. You can check all their albums out here.

Ok, and here is a video of theirs that I just found that is so beautiful and fills me up with so many feelings...



You should check out all of their videos! You can watch their newest one here. It made me giggle out loud! Enjoy!

Love,
p. ahn

Please Help If You Can

Hi Everyone,

I hope this blog finds everyone well! I'm writing in regards to the events happening in Japan. It's been so hard for me to think about anything else these days.

I feel so helpless for all of my friends over there... I'm sure a lot of you have already donated or are supporting in your own way (positive thoughts of hope help!)... But I'm sort of losing my mind just sitting here knowing all this is going on, so I'm writing to pass on the Red Cross link where you can help by donating if you are able to:

https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=0&5052.donation=form1&df_id=5052

You can also donate $10 by texting "Red Cross" to 90999.

If you have a "Living Social" account, they have an amazing "deal" going on right now, for the next 22 hours, where whatever you donate to the Red Cross through THIS link, they will double it!

I apologize in advance if I'm offending anyone by writing this. Having many friends in Japan, and having spent a good deal of time working, living, and celebrating my marriage over there, I feel very close to what's happening, and it's breaking my heart every day...

That being said, I'm sending lots of love to you all! Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Love,
p. ahn

Just Kids

I finished reading this book late last night, in my hotel room bed in San Francisco. I cried to myself. Not so much because of the ending, as it was about the beautiful bond shared between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe. Vulnerable, endless depths of understanding... The kind of camaraderie, support, and love I want to give to my best friend, forever.


I was saddened to discover that Robert died on March 9th, 1989. My 5th birthday. It made me ponder the circle of life. What was I doing on that day? I think it might have been the day when I was running outside, and had fallen and scraped both my knees. It was my first experience with rubbing alcohol. My Dad gently applied it to my little wounds. I cried from the pain, and probably thought it was the worst day ever. Once I was cleaned up, my Dad started blasting "Birthday" by the Beatles, on the record player. I didn't understand it at first... but my "worst day ever" soon turned right side up again when I realized it was my birthday.


In honor of Robert Mapplethorpe, I will devote my 27th year to creating something every day. For Robert and Patti... true artists.

love,
p. ahn

Hello From Portland

I'm 3 days into the DeVotchka tour, and finally had an afternoon free to catch up on a TON of old emails, and (sigh) blogs... (i miss reading them!)

My heart skipped a beat when I saw that one of my favorite bloggers, Hello Sandwich, left me a comment on my January Vlog! I love her blog, and all the zines she makes, and photos she takes, and envy (in a good way) that she has been able to move to Tokyo. (A lot of my favorite bloggers [hello sando, scout holiday, garance dore] actually, have all moved to cities [tokyo, paris, nyc] that I wish I lived in! I guess I'm just lucky enough to get to pass through them every once in a while.) Which reminds me! I've been bad and didn't make a vlog for February! :P I hope I can make up for it with all the music videos I've been making.

It's a gray day in P town. I'm listening to a new record I got, called Brotherocean, by the band, Syd Matters. I'm really loving this record! And in between emails, I've been looking up at the tv where it looks like there's some kind of Ultimate Fighting going on. It's so intense to watch, yet there's something so primal about it that it's hard to look away.


Then I'll be heading to Sizzle Pie for a slice before the show with some old friends from PA. In between emails and ultimate fighting, I've been salivating over a picture of one of their pizzas in the Portland Monthly magazine that came with my room.

Yum!

Hopefully I'll have some more pictures and tour stories soon!

love,
p. ahn