Moving to a new site

The time has come... to make the transition. I've been super-busy, working to get the new website started. So much to do, so little time--you know how that goes. Hopefully, it'll be done by October. Will try to keep you posted.

Can't go wrong with Polo

The brand Polo, by Ralph Lauren, once filled up 25% of my wardrobe. Well that was 10 years ago and like everyone else, I turned my head the other way after I got tired of the brand. The thing is, throughout all these years, the concept of Polo have never changed. One item in particular, the basic polo shirt, is still a favorite among many. Although basic, if you understand cut & sew, many brands have failed to achieve an exact construction of RL's polo (please don't mention or compare it to Abercrombie). With that said, Ralph Lauren is back into my life. I've just made some room for RL's polo & sweaters. Love the bold colors!

And of course, its goes beyond polo shirts.

Brilliant Commerical

This gets me every time. It's hilarious! Whoever thought of this deserves a huge raise.

Michael Jackson's Last

King of pop? With 750 million album sold, no doubt about that. I'm sure you heard about it. So this is it heh? The final performance, starting July 8th. And it's only in London. Damn! Too bad for the rest of the world. The man is a musical genius! There were rumors that MJ wants to perform in Vegas but I think that's just BS. For dates, go to his Website. Michael Jackson, like Elvis, often imitated, but never duplicated.

I must add, that is one bad-ass artwork. I want the poster.

Back to work

Done with my break. Well, not exactly a break but a stab at other projects, besides my own. I completed a few design work for friends, building a website for one and designing a logo for another. yes, I did it for free. Don't be surprise, this is the typical "me". As long as they appreciate what I've done for them, I have no problem using my skills to help their business. My web-design skill is fairly basic, but my friend was extremely happy with the result nonetheless. In case you didn't know, I'm just more of a graphic designer, which most people think is the same thing. Let me say it again, I'm an artist slash designer with basic web design skills. :)
Some updates about the brand, aRMY wear, which I haven't said much about. There are many reasons why but I rather not say too much until the time comes. One major change is the redesigned logo & a slight change of the name to go with it. Well, even the slightest, just imagine all the things I would have to update-business cards, garment labels, business letters, trademark, etc. That definitely will change a lot of things for marketing too. More details on that later.

Taking a break

Yep, just taking a short break from everything :)

Enjoying the good news with some friends.

Our Supporters - RADIx & J-Trix

Recent picture of QUITE NYCE (RADIx) wearing our old school tee

And our favorite DJ from the Bay Area... J-Trix (94.9 KYLD) on the turntables

Our tees from the '07 collection

81st Annual Academy Awards

In case you've forgotten, the Oscars is just around the corner. This Sunday, February 22nd, big names from Hollywood will be all over the red carpet. Too bad I didn't get a chance to catch all the great flicks this year--movies like The Wrestler, Slumdog Millionaire and MILK(considering that I'm from San Francisco). :( Tsk Tsk

To see if your favorite 2008 movie made the list, here are the Nominees. I just hope Heath Ledger gets Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Dark Knight.

For the Wrong Reason

4 people, belonging to animal rights group, was arrested for violence and threats against researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Besides the threats, 3 of them were accused of entering one of the professor's house and attacking him with an object. The FBI also suspected that these members were also part of the 2 firebomb attacks at the homes of the researchers, days after the members passed out flyers with the headline "Murderers and torturers alive & well in Santa Cruz July 2008 edition".

In most cases, I would agree with the people who defends the weak, or animals in this case, but for these attacks, I would have to agree with the FBI. Whether this accusation is true or not, this behavior is inexcusable. Using violence towards the researchers and their family is beyond what any activist would suggest. Sorry, but this was a bad idea.

Underrated

Another beautiful female actress that needs a little bit of light, Emmanuelle Chriqui. Along with Adam Sandler, she starred in the outrageous comedy, Dont Mess with the Zohan. Not exactly "the movie" for actresses to get to the top. Yes, it sucked.

Who's to blame for the Financial Crisis?!?

Here is a list created by CNN--top 25 people to blame for the Financial Crisis. Take a look at number 16, instead of a person, it listed the American consumer as part of the blame for this recession. Really?!? Well, I guess living lavishly, constantly spending and borrowing beyond our means, may have pushed us in more debt than we've ever been. Ok, I'm not that shock about our debts, but I'm a little surprised that we've sitting right under George Bush. Also, why is Bill Clinton on this list? While he was president, America was doing great. Then again, maybe it's because Bill Clinton made us feel so comfortable that we started spending more. :/

Click here if you want to know who these people are.

Our Favorite Artist arrested

With 2 outstanding warrants, Shepard Fairey was arrested last night at his exhibition, Supply & Demand. He was charged for damage to property for the graffiti that he did in Boston. Although this may be shocking to some, many people have known him for his relentless effort to push street art, with his Obey the Giant stickers/posters, and have questioned the legality of his work. As an artist/designer myself, I constantly wonder about the rights to display work and from my understanding, it's only legal if the property owner allows you to do so-even if it's a sticker, it needs to be approved before getting it on the property. I personally wouldn't even dare putting my company stickers on properties without an approval. And still, people do it anyways.
For Fairey to be arrested, I think this is partly because of the recent fame from the popular Obama posters. Even the photographer who snapped the original picture is sueing him for infringement. Whether it was legal or not, I feel that this may not be the end of it. Now that people recognize him, more will claim for the property damage that he've done in the past.

I'm still a PC

Thanks to Bill Gates, I've been a PC since High school, 1999 to be exact. Almost every art teacher recommended that I "switch to a mac because it works better on graphics". Well, I was reluctant to make the switch because of the abundance of software for PC. Then again, I didn't realize how popular Mac was until I arrived at San Jose State University. I was completely stunned to find out that 75% of design students & professors preferred Mac. Still, I refused to switch because with the amount of money for a low-end Mac, I could purchase a top-of-the-line PC. On top of that, PC or Mac, using either one doesn't make me a better designer. Today, with all the negative talks about PC, the journey to success worked out fine for me. Even though, my last 2 design companies preferred Mac, I had no problem switching from PC to Mac user mode. Keep in mind, computers are just tools to help us do things easier and faster. If you think about it, back in the days, old school designers had no computers to assist them. Considering the amount of preliminary versions you have to do, can you imagine doing design work without the "undo" button?

The Dock of the Bay

Although this city is known for its sporadic change in weather, San Francisco is still a beautiful place to live. Even though, sometimes I wish I was in other parts of the world, I'd rather live here for the rest of my life. If not S.F, then maybe other parts of the Bay like Foster City or Millbrae. For the most part, I just love how diverse this city is, from food to culture, giving visitors the opportunity to taste a little bit of everything. Here's one spot you'd probably visit... the pier.

No Reservations

This show, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, is one of my favorite shows of all time. Similar to Andrew Zimmern's Bizzarred Food, he travels around the world but instead of finding strange(sometimes terrifying) meals, he explores the world of great cooks. Unlike most shows, stripped from "real-life" experiences and completely scripted, Anythony Bourdain has no shame in devouring a whole plate of food, in minutes-with sauce dripping out of his mouth, in the middle of a jam-packed fancy restaurant. What's interesting is that he, sometimes, goes overboard with his random outburst and if taken too seriously, could be mistaken as rudeness. For me, not only is he sincere, I like the fact that he is completely free-spirited when absorbing other cultures. If you watch the show, you'll notice that Bourdain can be shockingly blunt at times, which is exactly how some of us are whenever we encounter unfamiliar food. We, sometimes, spit and say inappropriate things, to a certain extent of course, but we don't mean that in a disrespectful manner. You should check it out if you haven't seen it. Also, try reading one of his book, The Nasty Bits, and you'll appreciate the show even more.

Martin Luther King, Jr

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -Martin Luther King, Jr

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction... The chain reaction of evil--hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars---must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." -Martin Luther King, Jr

The World's Thinnest Cookie

With the label, the world's thinnest cookie, you know I have to try it. The Moravian Ginger Spice Cookies, a super-thin crispy snack with ingredients like Cloves from Indonesia, Cinnamon from Ceylon(Sri Lanka) and ginger from Jamaica. Well, I was sold on the idea but not so much on taste. After about 5, it sort of tastes like dried up pumpkin pie. Damn, they got me! Ha! I give these little crunchy bites 5 out of 10.

Drinking and smoking is still disgusting

Someone asked me the other day, "what kinds of alcohol do you like?" Without any hesitation, I responded, "I like at least one for each category: Hennessy and Remy for cognac, Grey Goose for vodka and Patron for Tequila." Almost simultaneously, ignoring my answer, he asked, "Do you drink it straight up or mixed with candy?" Of course, immediately, I knew where the conversation was heading. Obviously, he wants to prove his "Macho" and "manly" ways with me. And then he said, "Come on, you can't mix it like that! You gotta down it". As he continued to talk, I was waiting for him to display his so-called "manhood"(or at least fake it) by: barking like a dog, spitting on the floor and if I'm lucky, grab his crotch. Ha! Is that how a man supposed to behave? I'm certain that his cockiness thickens every time someone replies, "mixed drinks". To be honest, it was a little entertaining but annoying at the same time. Look, it doesn't matter how many ways we creatively mix an alcohol drink, it will never be as smooth as drinking a can of soda. Alcohol is part disgusting and part enjoyable, whether its "straight up", chilled in ice or mixed with sweets. As for cigarettes, regular, mild or light, makes no difference in damaging your lung. There's no way that having a harsher drink or smoke makes a person more of a man(or woman). You can either enjoy alcohol with or without another ingredient because it's not something you drink on a regular basis. A cigarette, although I haven't had one since '03, can just be a simple remedy for stress or a long day at work. If you think about it, both are equally distasteful so let's just leave it at that.

It's sunny in San Francisco

With this weather, all I need is my Ray Ban shade, a lawn chair, a 6-pack of corona and some ripe lemons. This reminds me, I need a vacation! It's been awhile since I've taken time away, and not just to another state, I'm talking about another country-Europe or Asia. Seriously, off the top of my head, I don't remember the last time I've taken a vacation! Anyways, here's a look of the outer edge of downtown San Francisco. Hmmm I don't think the view, where I was standing, did the city any justice.

The downside of being a designer

Whether you're into fashion, music or sports, being a designer does have some negative factors. I remember, my former co-worker said jokingly, "Dude, I feel like a zombie. I can't communicate with people anymore. This damn screen is sucking all the energy out of me". Although I laughed, I can't help but pause with amazement to the amount of hours that I've spent looking at the computer screen. My eyes, unwilling to cooperate to the distance farther than 30 inches, seem to have also lost its spatial visualization ability. For a quick second, I wonder if I'm better off as a painter, doing landscape painting - sitting on a hill with an undisturbed view of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Instead, I'm sitting here in front of a flat surface, left hand on the keyboard and right hand on the mouse, cranking out one design after another. By the end of the day, thinking to myself, "Oh, how I hate colors". To make matters worst, I have this indescribable soreness extending from the wrist to the elbow, evidently from moving the mouse all day long. With that said, I have to face the fact that it could possibly lead to the syndrome known as carpel tunnel.

So, with this dilemma, what keeps my creative juice flowing? Simple... the final product. Nothing makes me feel more rejuvenated than to see my creation come to life. On that day, when the final product arrives, I try not to get carried away and express only a soft smile as if I was a veteran. The fact that everyone around me is always mesmerize to see new products, it becomes a much anticipated event. All of sudden, my love for color is replenished and my passion for art is embedded in me once again.

Less Means More

You can have many different perspectives on this but it applies appropriately to the fallen economy, "Less means more". I think spending less and being more conscious about your money gives everything more value. Like a little kid with a candy bar in his hand, completely satisfied. As he gets older, realizing the fact that he can now buy the entire box, it no longer holds the same value. In this period of economic uncertainty, I'm not saying that it's okay to be less fortunate, however, I do believe that people will start holding everything much closer to their heart. As a result, people will have a much healthier lifestyle. :)