to see and to be scene

Art Murmur, or First Friday is the scene. These hipsters are all hella hyphy. These are the perfect terms to describe these scensters. Art murmur happens on the first friday of each month. It's basically a bunch of hippies getting together at a few local art galleries in Oakland, smoking their joints, drinking their drinks, and acting all hyphy. You walk through the various galleries of local artists and some of the stuff is really trippy, some kind of boring. It's basically an excuse for the kids to come out and play, show off their new dread locks and "vintage" clothing and run in to old friends. It's like a contest of who is more East Bay at this event. Random people playing random instruments on the street. Everyone looks kind of dirty, but in a really cool way. They populate the streets and bring their buses and vans and some even their kids, dressing them in ponchos and Chilean hats. Very intriguing.

Caroline and I had a moment when we were looking at a piece of art with 3 images on it, all contortions of a butterfly:

V: Hey Caroline, that kind of looks like the Rorschach, what do you see?
C: I see your mom's vagina and over there her back tattoo... yep that's her tramp stamp alright.

silence

Random Guy: I was with your mom last night and that is definitely her vagina.
V: Your an asshole. Caroline lets get out of here.

silence. laughter filled with tears.


I also managed to run in to a camp person at the event, an old timer. something about JCA that brings people together, no matter where in the world I am. makes me feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside.

Following a very interesting visit to the murmur, Caroline, Charlotte and I headed to Cafe Van Kleef, another super hipster spot. there was a $7 cover and since all 3 of us are scrubs we ended up in our very favorite Ruby Room. the Ruby Room, another local hipster favorite has a different zing to it. situated right by the lake, it draws an eclectic crowd, but loyal to its Oakland roots. it's name speaks for itself, the inside is dim and, well, ruby. the DJ's always playing some oldies, and these kids getting all hyphy again. This is the spot if you want to meet some interesting characters or strike up a friendly conversation. Also a good place if you are sad and lonely and want to just sit in the dark corner and write in your journal.


Besides visiting the Oaksterdam district that I currently reside in I went to Vegas last weekend.
In short:
clubs
bad music
people humping on the dance floor
drugs
booze
limos
strip clubs
lap dances, or should i say... nothing lap about it.
buffet
tequila
chicken fried steak
no money

yep that about sums it up. everything else stays in Vegas, including all my money. I was supposed to bring good luck to the tables as it was my first time, and maybe I did to those around me. But I left empty handed, and even in the negative.

I decided to do things different and being frustrated and anxious about things not falling in to place is giving me such a bad attitude. so starting today I will do 1 thing to work towards my goal every day. i realized that nothing happens over night and this step by step will take me to more places than i would be going to at this rate. i'm hella gonna make this work. i welcome myself to East Bay....

currently listening to The Bird and the Bee.