There were far too many snaps from my last urban safari in San Francisco to post all at once, so this is the second installment (click through for the first) of my graffiti pics from my last trip; enjoy!
Month: January 2014
[Self-Discovery] My ’30 Before 30′ Bucket List
Ever since I turned 29 in December, my head’s been swimming with ways to make the last year of my 20’s a fabulous one. I woke up with the urge to challenge my personal growth last week, and I realized that a ’30 before 30′ bucket list was the perfect way to approach the big 2-9. Sure, maybe it’s a little late and overly ambitious to accomplish 30 things in about 48 weeks, but I’ve always been a better performer under pressure and after the ‘7 Life Resolutions‘ I started living by last year, I know I’m up for the challenge. While compiling this list, I’ve had a handful of ah-ha moments and tiny epiphanies – the first being this: personal goals shouldn’t be tied to anyone else’s existence. Instead, these goals should further your sense of self and individual happiness. After all – how can you successfully contribute to your community, or to a relationship, if you haven’t proven that you can contribute to your own growth? And on the flip-side, don’t believe that growth is a unidirectional endeavor; growth is perpetually infinite and occurs in 360°. In the years after college, there was such a rush to pursue a corporate career that the idea of evolving creatively, or in the kitchen, or spiritually, had fallen by the wayside. Like my parents always said when I was a kid – there’s simply no way to do everything, but like I’ve always believed, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. I can’t wait to incorporating these milestones into my year and become the best version of myself; I know my spirit, my mind and my body will grow in ways I never thought possible.
- Read sheet music
- Make potstickers
- Travel outside of the US
- Get published in the Huffington Post
- Learn how to ride a bicycle
- Get a new tattoo
- Pickle my own vegetables
- See the Grand Canyon (Saw Zion + Bryce, though!
- Have a ‘make-your-own-sushi’ date night
- Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
- Maintain + use an herb garden
- Develop a dedicated Yoga + Meditation Practice
- Read at least a book a month
- Go camping under the stars
- Learn French
- Buy a stranger’s meal
- Cancel Cable for a Month
- Shoot a Gun
- Organize my iTunes Library
- Do the splits
- Watch a Meteor Shower
- Host a dinner party
- Make Candles
- Crochet a blanket
- Road Trip to Oregon
- Find the perfect shade of lipstick
- Visit every museum in LA
- Be an extra in a Movie / TV Show
- Learn to use a DSLR Camera
- Find new hikes
[Friday Fun]
Laughter, wonder, shock, awe – there all parts of our everyday lives and sometimes, I feel like these slip to the wayside during the week because we’re so engulfed in the 9-5, corporate world. This section is my way of celebrating the world around me and preparing my brain, heart and soul to let it all go at 5pm today so I can enjoy this wonderful Los Angeles Winter weather (yes, it’s 70 – and yes, I am bragging).
“Every year for a few days in the month of February, the sun’s angle is such, that it lights up Horsetail Falls in Yosemite, as if it were on fire.”
Fun With Graffiti
“The Piano House is located in An Hui Province, China and there’s an escalator into the building in the transparent violin.”
“Hong Kong Apts from the Ground Up”
[Workin’ It] The Interview Questions You’re Not Asking
When I became part of the ‘working world’ after college, one thing that my parents incessantly drilled into my head is that even though I’m out of school, the schooling is never done. Every day is a fresh opportunity to learn and I should always be looking to evolve on a personal level and improve my employable skill set. And even if you’re not looking to get out of the enterprise you’re currently in, it’s always important that you’re fresh on your interview skills.
As it currently stands, a lot of high level positions that took people lots of time, sweat, energy – and not to mention tuition and housing – to achieve are the ones being taken away. These jobs were considered redundant based on new technological equivalents that cost significantly less than manual labor. On a personal level, over my last three years working in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, I’ve seen a fair amount of turnover just at the Walt Disney Studios; in just 2 years, I’ve seen thousands of coworkers get laid off.
An interview is a two-way street; the interviewer is simply directing the traffic. For as many questions as you’re answering, make sure you ask the interviewer some back – not only is it demonstrating that you’re paying attention, but it shows genuine interest in the role as well as the conversation. Before you ask, be prepared! Do your homework on the company and make sure you can’t answer any of the questions through a simple Google search. Finally, when you do get your opportunity to shine – remember that yes and no answers don’t facilitate an evolving conversation, so make sure you build your question to create an open-ended inquiry that moves things along.
The 9-5
Get the basic 411 on the position
What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?
Keep in mind that these skills might not be part of the job description; for extra brownie points, ask about the personalities of the team that you’d be working with. Are you a good fit in all fronts?
What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
Everyone in every position faces challenges – what makes us unique are the ways we choose to conquer them. Keep an open ear to the problems offered and see if you can donate a solution during the interview.
How has the position evolved over time? If it’s a new position, why was it created?
This is an essential question in my book, to understand where you’ll sit within a new company it helps to understand the history and importance of the position within the company.
Development of Professional Skills
How will this position help you evolve?
How will I be trained?
Who’s going to train you and are you going to be part of a training group? Are there initial classes you’ll be required to take? Extra credit points for this one: are there courses you can take during your time at the company that you can get accredited for?
Are there opportunities for advancement within the position?
Not saying you should be thinking of leaving this position (that you haven’t gotten…) already, but it helps to know the trajectory of a position – it especially helps to know right off the bat if there’s no room for growth (a deterrent for someone like me.) On the flip side: can you become a group manager or even reach the director or Executive Director position? All good things to take into account.
Why is this position available and where is the last person who held it now?
It helps to know the turnover rate of a job: do people in this role have high visibility across the company and get hired on in another department? Or, did they get fired for doing something foul?
Get To Know Your Interviewer
Time to flip the script and get to know your interviewer.
How has the company and your role within it evolved since you’ve been here?
Has the company branched out into new verticals or have they been stagnant? This is a great way of determining how the company, as well as other positions besides the one you’re applying for, have evolved over time.
What gets you most excited about the company’s future?
I don’t know about you, but hearing someone excited about the company they work for makes me excited about the prospect of working with them as well. If they’re not excited about the company, that could be the red light you need to get yourself out of there.
Your Teammates and Company Culture
There might not be an i in ‘TEAM’ but as colleagues have told me, there happens to be one right in the middle of the ‘A’ hole so it helps knowing the personalities you’ll be interacting with on a daily basis. And then there’s the company culture itself – is it laid-back or high-stress? It helps to know exactly what you’re getting into on all fronts!
How’s the team rapport?
Remember how strong teams are and realize that they might have just lost a pivotal player. You might want to understand how close-knit the group you’re about to infiltrate is and how well they get along; this will preemptively prevent you from stepping on people’s toes. And then there’s the chance that your soon to be colleagues are social butterflies that Happy Hour like no-one’s business – this is nice to know as well and might get you excited about an otherwise mundane jo
Who will I work with most closely and which other departments work most closely with this one?
One thing I like knowing is how many people I’ll directly be interacting with on a daily basis – maybe I’m going to be a self-started and micromanage my own tasks, but maybe my daily schedule is riddled with team-meetings and conferences and there are specific people that I’ll want to build special work relationships with. Simply put, how self-sufficient is this position and who will you be interacting with.
What is the company and team culture like?
I’ve never been one to hang out with work associates outside of campus, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want that – I’d love to take part in team building workshops, volunteer opportunities and work related courses and it helps to know off the bat if those are available.
What are the Next Steps?
When you step out of the door, the interview is over – so make sure you wrap things up with your interviewer and ensure they have everything they need to move forward effectively.
Can I answer any last questions for you?
This is your final shot – so ask away. A few of my favorite questions are how I can make myself more competitive for the position and if they would keep me in mind for additional openings within the company.
What are the next steps in the interview process?
Maybe there are additional forms to sign, or other people to talk with once you’re out of the interview – but you won’t know unless you ask. I always get in touch with the team that orchestrated the interview to let them know how it went and double-check that I’ve crossed my T’s and dotted my I’s.
[The Audiofiles] 2013 – A Year In Musical Review
Looking back at my posts from the last year, one that stands out the most to be is my 2012 Year in Musical Review. Partially, because it’s catalyzed my writing career on multiple fronts – but mostly because music, especially kickass live music, is something I truly care about to my core. Music influences our moods, our personalities and even our daily interactions. Unless there’s something highly important and technical that I have a deadline for, I’m literally submersed in music 24/7 – from the time my alarm and I wake up, to my morning runs, to the drive to work, you get the picture: I more or less have provided myself with a soundtrack to my life. With my attention span as short as it is (…squirrel!…), I constantly refresh my collection of original jams, remixes and singles and try to take in as much live music as I can.
I’ve been leafing through the ticket stubs and reminiscing about the excellent year in music that I just had. From attempting to co-start a music forum site and to with The DJ List, my daily extra-curricular activities have always circled around new music, fresh artists and the latest and greatest they have to offer. Somehow, even though I’ve managed to be busier than I’ve ever been I’ve definitely managed to fit in some quality R&R (Rave & Relaxation) into the mix. So, without further ado – here are my musical musings for 2013; enjoy!
Live Shows: Concerts and Festivals
Best Trance Show:
Cosmic Gate @ Palladium (Runner Up)
Truth be told, I’m sitting here trying my hardest to even place Cosmic Gate in second place because Above & Beyond’s sunset at Avila Beach was just so spectacular! It was a small crowd with unexpected surprises in store for everyone in my friend group – we each found someone at the event from out of town (LA, Riverside and SF) that we didn’t know was in attendance and were all simply wowed by the musical prowess the group possesses. But Cosmic Gate is not a team to be underestimated, during the live show they brought out my favorite pixie blonde vocalist, Emma Hewitt, and Jonathan Mendelson who gave a phenomenal first live vocal performance during Nic Chagall’s ‘This Moment’.
Best D&B show: Modestep at the Nokia Club, High Contrast w. Camo & Krooked at Dim Mak Studios
Best Dubstep show: Candyland, Krewella + Seven Lions @ the Hollywood Palladium
Best Deep / Tech House Show: Kaskade @ Focus OC’s 10 Year Anniversary
Best Progressive House Show: Eric Prydz / Pryda / Cirez D @ Create
Best Electro House Show: Gareth Emery @ XIV
Best Festival: Lightning in a Bottle
For the last six or seven years I’ve been a self-professed seasoned festival go-er and have a host of Insomniac, HARD and GoVentures events under my EDM belt (almost 40 if you want to get specific), but truth be told last year I only attended three festivals, one of them being Sea of Dreams on NYE. For as much as the lineup to HARD Summer thrilled my pants off, the event didn’t…however, Lightning in a Bottle and Sea of Dreams surely did. Each was musically right in their own right but on a more personal level, I truly felt bonded to the community that LIB and Burning Man cultivates and have actively been seeking out similar events ever since.
Best Festival Set: Keys n Krates, Dillon Francis, Alex Metric ((HARD Summer)) HeRObust, Pumpkin, Rusko, The Polish Ambassador, Odeza, Andreilien ((LIB)), LowRIDERz, A-Trak, Thievery Corporation ((Sea of Dreams))
Best Venue: Sea of Dreams @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium | NYE was one of the most amazing musical experiences I’ve ever had, everything about the night was golden and a lot of that is due to the venue and soundsystem that came with it; top notch.
Weird but Rad Venue: Lightning in a Bottle @ Lake Skinner, Temecula, CA | I was tempted to give LIB the gold star for ‘Best Venue’ but after the all of the shenanigans with the county and residents of Riverside, I’ll wait until next year to grant the festival that award. Basically, I want to see it shine in all of its glory; not just in my personal experiences but for the greater community in attendance as well.
Best Pool Party: Daylight
Best Party: Sea of Dreams
Best Up and Coming Venue: Sound in Hollywood
Favorite Reopened Venue: Create (previously, known as Vanguard)
Best Crowd: DoLab shows – Avalon | If you only remember one thing about the music scene in LA, let it be this: the Do Lab will always do you right. I always look forward to the art infused musical events they throw. Whether they’re at the Nokia Club, King King or out in the middle of nowhere Riverside – they make sure to cater to all of your senses and the people who show up are some of the nicest friends you hadn’t met you.
Douche-iest Crowd: XIV by Hyde, Greystone Manor, Sutra | I still hold by last year’s statement about Sutra, but now that I’ve finally attended events at Greystone and XIV I can easily bump those two to the top of the list. Maybe it goes hand-in-hand with my appetite for all things Do Lab and underground, but I can’t wrap my head around wearing 3″+ heals to a club and cozy-ing up to people just snag an extra drink (or five). I prefer the let-your-freak-flag-fly mentality of other events and prefer stomping around in flats to trying to maintain a proper demeanor in an outfit that’s definitely not meant for dancing.
Best Lasers: Create and Exchange have most definitely stepped their laser game up in the last year, far surpassing anything that Avalon has ever done (sorry guys – not knocking the place (it’s still rad!) but it’s true).
Ferry Corsten @ Exchange
Hit us with those laser beams
*pew pew pew*
Artists
Favorite Set/Act of 2013: Above & Beyond in Avila Beach
Best Surprise of 2013: Crywolf, Mitis, Kill Paris, Disclosure, Keys n Krates, Flume
So Glad I (Re-)Discovered: Bonobo, Emancipator, Shpongle, The Magician,
Remixes So Nicely: SubFocus, Flume
Best Remix-er: Boy Noize, Dillon Francis, Cazzette
Favorite Vocalists: Jonathan Mendelson, Alex Clare, Annabel Englund, MNEK, Chet Faker, Florence Welch, Emma Hewitt
Most Disappointing: Daft Punk everything; maybe because it was directly juxtaposed to Keys’n’Krates with their live instruments, but Duke Dumont was also pretty underwhelming live and looked like he was just pressing a button; last but not least, Cedric Gervais did absolutely nothing for me.
Vocalists Who Shouldn’t Perform Live with DJs: Danny Brown
People Who Should Be Reminded They’re Not DJs: Will.i.Am, Paris Hilton
Songs:
My Top 10 Songs of the Year
- Depeche Mode – Soothe My Soul (Steve Angello + Jaques Lu Cont Remix)
- Darkside – Papertrails
- Oliver – Night is On My Mind (Dillon Francis Remix)
- Disclosure – You & Me (Baauer Remix)
- Seven Lions + Myon & Shane 54 – Strangers
- Minnesota – Stardust Redux (Crywolf Remix)
- Maya Jane Coles ft Karin Park – Everything
- Thomas Jack – Booka Shake
- Flume ft Freddie Gibbs – Holdin’ On (LKids Remix)
- Lane 8 – Be Mine
- Mat Zo – Lucid Dreams – (M Machine Remix) [runner up]
Favorite Soundcloud Sets:
Show and Tell:
Best Hosted Web Show: BBC Radio 1 Diplo + Friends, Above & Beyond Group Therapy
Best Site for Discovering New Music: Hypem
Best Sites for Shows: MetroWize LA,Resident Advisor, The DJ List
XP Points:
Festivals Attended: Lightning in a Bottle, HARD Summer, Sea of Dreams
Shows Attended: All Day I Dream (/Lee Burridge), Donald Glaude, Richard Vission, Porter Robinson, Seven Lions(x2), Ferry Corsten, Krewella (x3), Modestep, Mimosa, Kill Paris, Crywolf, Markus Schulz, KhoMha, Jamie Jones, Jack Beats, Style of Eye, Gareth Emery, Kaskade, Skrillex, Bauuer, Eric Prydz (x2), Above & Beyond, Cosmic Gate, Candyland.
Parties Frequented: None (weird!)
♥
[Oh, Snap!] Street Art V13 – San Francisco
If there’s one thing I simply can’t get enough of, it’s art – in any way, shape or format. Live music, performance art, museums, musicals; you name it – I love it…and street art is absolutely no exception.
Graffiti, street art and acrylic art are magnificent ways of intertwining nature and art and making the creative process into a public forum. My boyfriend and I have made a habit of taking what we call ‘Urban Safaris’ to hunt down these mystical murals that wind up around, inside and behind abandoned buildings and warehouses; the good news is, those aren’t the only places you can discover great pieces of art. From what I’ve discovered on my own, LA has three amazing areas for Street Art: the Melrose and Fairfax area, the Silver Lake Area and in Downtown around Japantown. And now that we’ve been making bi-monthly trips up to San Francisco, we’ve gotten to explore the Mission and have fallen head over heels for Clarion Alley, Balmy Street and Cypress Alley – where the following pictures were taken; enjoy!
[Happy Caturday!]
The Bouncy Kitty 
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