Giant Robot Store and GR2 News
I get a call inviting me to Takashi Murakami’s unveiling of his new line of Louis Vuitton bags, Monogramouflage. It’s made appearances at the Brooklyn Museum, and yesterday June 16th, it made a one day appearance at the Louis Vuitton in the Wynn Hotel. A line formed outside, of course, they were checking credentials, and at the same, I saw a Wynn K-9 unit probably there to sniff out bombs. It was 6pm, and the scene inside was mellow. A DJ, bags, people, drinks, snacks, and people buying bags. Some of the designs are on denim, like the above. I preferred the more solid, leather looking pieces. I did hear them say it was coated canvas. Sort of like a retro aviation jacket. Alexander got a roller bag The scarf looks nice. That little thing is an iphone or ipod holder. Yes, it’s limited. Look for it more widespread on July 1st. This is the Speedy 35. If I were getting a bag, this would be it. It was strange, no one recognized Takashi for a while. We were hanging out talking for a while, then once one autograph happened, a quick line formed. Sayonara bro! He got mobbed. That too is the Speedy 35 Steve Wynn, Takashi Murakami, and Dennis Hopper! That’s why the K9 was there first. That’s Steve Wynn’s wife in the dots. At SW – a restaurant in the Wynn. Guess who’s place this is? The chopped salad was quite great. Takashi’s film showed on the white screen/waterfall. It lights up, there’s a lake in front of it, and it has a crazy Hollywood Bowl feeling. It was only a 12 minute piece, but it was quite grand. Two screenings and a short opening speech. Takashi’s been to Vegas years before, he told me it was 8 or 9 and liked the crazy theatrics at the hotels. Keep in mind, the footage is only 10 seconds, just to show what it looks like, but keep tuned in and watch the rest of the weird stuff they projected afterwards. I hope people didn’t think it was work by Takashi… 20oz bone in rib eye. Steve Wynn was a few arm’s lengths away. I almost hit him up for suggestions on what to get, but didn’t need to. Thanks for dinner Mr Wynn, or was it Takashi… I didn’t know who to thank.
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This is what the nighttime pool party looks like at The Palms. The lights in the pool revolve colors. I think the blue is the best. It was a fundraiser for New Orleans through a film called Dark Streets. A band played, and Bijou Philips who stars in the film came up and sang two songs. Overall, it's party as part of the film festival, and I'm not sure how many people there actually see the films,...
This is what the nighttime pool party looks like at The Palms. The lights in the pool revolve colors. I think the blue is the best. It was a fundraiser for New Orleans through a film called Dark Streets. A band played, and Bijou Philips who stars in the film came up and sang two songs. Overall, it’s party as part of the film festival, and I’m not sure how many people there actually see the films, but it’s culture in the desert. Yep I shot video.
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I almost feel like it's not right to post photos of Hanako this way, so I found one from a few months ago. She's old, but it wasn't just a month ago that she would run around in the backyard for just a bit with me. She acted like a pup, messing around and posturing in a ready to play stance. Of course at 17 years old, she's slowing down quite a lot. Today, her body's giving out and her mannerisms...
I almost feel like it’s not right to post photos of Hanako this way, so I found one from a few months ago. She’s old, but it wasn’t just a month ago that she would run around in the backyard for just a bit with me. She acted like a pup, messing around and posturing in a ready to play stance. Of course at 17 years old, she’s slowing down quite a lot. Today, her body’s giving out and her mannerisms and sounds she’s making are different. Shiba’s are known to sometimes run away at the end of their lives. Some say, to die dignified and in private. Hanako seemed intent on walking around this morning and we couldn’t get her to sit still. After We put on her collar and leash, it made her relax. She loved to go outside and the leash would make her happy. My mom pet her until she went to sleep. I hope Hanako is ok with this. Her days, if that, are quite limited. I stopped in, on the way to this trip I’m on, and said goodbye. This is the scene I left. Now I’m sitting in a hotel, trying to think of the many, many moments of Hanako. She’s been around for a while – practically half my life and through the life of Giant Robot magazine. She was the first Shiba in a succession of them in our family, each family member getting a Shiba probably hoping theirs could match up to Hanako. People talk about their best dogs, and without a doubt, Hanako’s the smartest, cleverest, and perhaps most human. Through past friends, family members, trips, events, and work, I can easily remember moments where she somehow interacted with them. A lot of things have come and gone, and Hanako’s been around for it all. If she wasn’t sitting at the dinner table being part of the action, then she was somewhere nearby taking it in. She’s had a great life and ours have been alright too.
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