USA: Mit dem Erwerb des Objekts "BAC Colonnade" in Coral Gables, Florida engagiert sich die Deka Immobilien wieder auf dem amerikanischen Investmentmarkt.

Für rund 83 Mio. US-Dollar (ca. 53 Mio. Euro) erwarb sie das Class-A-Büro- und Geschäftsgebäude für den Offenen Immobilienpublikumsfonds Deka-ImmobilienGlobal. Nicht Bestandteil des Ankaufs ist ein 157-Betten-Hotel, das Teil des Gebäudekomplexes ist. Verkäufer ist Crescent, ein Tochterunternehmen von Morgan Stanley.

BAC Colonnade befindet sich im Teilmarkt Coral Gables, der durch seine ...

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Press Release from the Nassau County Website,  

Suozzi Unveils Campaign Promoting Nassau County Tourism

Nassau: 'The Island Next Door'

 

Mineola, NY – Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today announced the launch of a comprehensive advertising, promotion and event marketing campaign, designed to attract tourists to Nassau County from the metropolitan area and beyond, and to encourage residents to make greater use of the County's resources.

 

The campaign positions Nassau County as "The Island Next Door," emphasizing its proximity, in an environment of high gasoline prices, a tight economy and expensive air travel. "What other place in the United States has the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island Sound, first-class restaurants, top-notch museums and parks, and world-class golf and shopping, just minutes from the world's greatest city?" Suozzi said. "Nassau County has always been known as a great place to live. Now, we're showing people that we're also a great place to visit."

 

"Short-term," Suozzi said, "we expect this program to increase revenues for the County and for our businesses. Long-term, we're going to create a strong and clear 'brand' for Nassau County that will portray us as the fantastic place we are to live, work and play."

 

The campaign is launching with a travel guide in this Sunday's New York Times, headlined "Aloha, Baby," that pictures a surfer catching a wave off the Manhattan skyline. It highlights attractions including Nickerson and Jones beaches, Old Bethpage Village Restoration, the Gold Coast mansions, Sagamore Hill, Belmont Park, Museum Row, Roosevelt Field Mall, Freeport's Nautical Mile and Manhasset's 'Miracle Mile.' It also features five high-value hotel packages from the Long Island Marriott, the Glen Cove Mansion, the Garden City Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton-Plainview.

 

Early next month, radio advertising will begin running weekends on some six area radio stations.

Additional print advertising will run in area newspapers. Also next month, the County will establish a website, providing tourists with comprehensive information about County attractions, resources and businesses, and with links to beaches, restaurants, hotels, sporting events and museums.

In early July, Nassau County will conduct a "casting call" for residents who are experts in activities including surfing, golf, fishing, biking, hospitality, bargain-hunting and restaurants, to serve as online ambassadors, and as spokespeople for the tourism initiative.

 

The campaign brings to life a commitment Suozzi made in his State of The County address to showcase County resources and to attract tourism in the area.

 

The tourism initiative is being managed by Regina Zara and Mary Dolan-Grippo, experienced tourism marketing executives recruited this winter by the Industrial Development Agency. The campaign has been created by Blue Wolf Communications whose principals, Stan Bratskeir and Matt Harris, have developed national advertising and public relations programs for brands including Burger King, Perrier, General Motors, Coca-Cola, Jello, Adidas, Hasbro, Pepsico and Chiquita Banana.

The most incredible summer ever is closer than you think. Click here to download your guide to Nassau County, The Island Next Door

Comentario al margen del pie, totalmente descalzo: La vez pasada mencioné un libro de Guillermo Arriaga (el mismo que escribió Amores perros, Babel y El búfalo de la noche) que estoy empezando a leer, se titula Un dulce olor a muerte. Me está gustando, lo que he leído de Arriaga me ha gustado, porque retrata muy bien situaciones y maneras de hablar de los mexicanos. Me encanta la narrativa de ese autor, es muy natural y fluida, como mantequilla en sartén caliente. Se trata de un cadáver encontrado. Por lo menos lo que llevo leído me está gustando. El libro que acabo de terminar es Enrique Bunbury, Lo demás es silencio, de Pep Blay, una biografía interesante, y nada tediosa (como suelen ser las biografías), de uno de mis cantantes-compositores favoritos. Allí también se habla de la historia de los Héroes del silencio. Yo a ese grupo lo oía porque le gustaba a todos mis hermanos, pero a mí nomás no me entraba, sus letras me daban flojera. A Bunbury lo descubrí cuando leía un libro de Dostoievsky, creo que era Los hermanos Karamazov. Estaba tendido en una habitación leyendo cuando desde la sala de la casa me llegaron unas notas musicales que me gustaron. Sonaba a algo distinto a lo acostumbrado, fue como mágico. Bajé a ver qué era. En la sala estaban mi hermano y su novia, escuchando Pequeño, el segundo CD solista de Bunbury, de allí salían las melodías encantadoras. Ella era fanática del zaragozano, y cuando pregunté qué estaban escuchando, como anuncio comercial me lanzó un discurso tratando de convencerme de algo que ya me había convencido minutos atrás una tonada sin necesidad de discurso. En fin, tanto el libro sobre Bunbury, como el CD de Bunbury, son altamente recomendables, aunque debo decir que ése no es mi CD favorito de ese cantante, pero me sigue gustando mucho. Bueno, esto nada tenía que ver con calles chic de Miami, Glúteos Máximus Adoloridus, ni cafres en ciudades latinoamericanas, pero es algo que estoy leyendo.

20 de marzo de 2008

As a young lad of probably 6 or 7, I can remember being starstruck by Parker in a little film I liked to call "Tomato tomato," which is of course the film that normal people referred to as Fried Green Tomatoes. What seven year old boy can't recall plopping down in front of the television to watch Kathy Bates roll herself in saran wrap to entice her husband? Or Mary Louise engaging in some heavy cannibalism, and lest we should forget: Chris O'Donnel's tragic end on the railroad tracks (I literally wouldn't go near railroad tracks until my teen years because of this movie). A cautionary tale for all ages.

It was then that I told my mom that I had a crush on "that lady." Not Kathy Bates rolled in saran wrap, but Mary Louise. This, I would later come to find out, was my first "gay crush." Those stirrings gay men have toward women of substance and talent. Hmmm. Sorry mom, I wasn't admiring her ta-ta's, but her cinematic presence.

I took a break from Mary Louise for a while to focus more on God. It wasn't until I was in highschool that I witnessed the brilliance that was Boys on the Side. Hello? AIDS? Lesbians? How could a young, closeted guy not find THAT fascinating? I believe this was in my "I'm secretly watching lifetime movies" phase. Oops. Mary was great, yadda yadda. But this started my other obsession: Whoopi, you're really not a lesbian? Really? Come on. But I digress.

I admit, after doing a bit of research a couple of years ago (read: IMDB) I realized that my Mary Louise vocabulary was sadly lacking. At that point I checked out movies such as The Client (RIP Brad Renfro), Pipedream and Bullets Over Broadway among others. It's one of the great tragedies of film that she lost out to Gwenyth Paltrow to reprise her role in Proof. Too old? Fuck that. Not enough star power? Redic.

I guess you could say I wasn't completely aware that I was obsessed until I saw Angels In America my senior year. I guess you could also say I didn't know what fucking mindblowing was either until I saw that movie. Before then she lauded giggles and a post-it in the back of my brain with movies like Saved!, but it was then, seeing her desperate and naked on a rooftop, pleading with her mormon husband to fuck'er that I can remember my path down fanboy lane truly began. It's not often that the sight of a vagina can stir that much emotion in me, but damnit all, Mary Louise has got fire!

Does anyone remember this? :

It's ok, not many people do. It's Zac Efron playing autistic track star, Steven Thomas in Lifetime's Miracle Run (a true "lifetime original"). Notable for it's awkwardness yes, but also for- you guessed it! Mary Louise as his mother. I'm not gonna lie. I watched this movie, and wondered aloud in my basement "Why is Mary Louise Parker in this movie?" We all have our professional missteps. Forgive and forget I always say. But somehow I don't think I can ever forget that.

Mary Louise was originally offered Teri Hatcher's role on Desperate Housewives back when it was in pre-production, and as much as that would undoubtedly been genius, I'm glad she turned it down (although she turned it down because she didn't think the show would do well. tut-tut MLP, tut-tut. Who you getting your advice from?) because she would later go on to star in the hit Showtime original series Weeds, which has quickly become my absolute favorite show on television. Next to Gilmore Girls (more on this later). Interestingly enough, the show also stars one of my other favorites from Angels, Justin Kirk (more on him later). Weeds is great. Even MKO (Mary Kate Olsen) can't taint the fun.

Such has been my journey with Mary Louise Parker. And what a journey it's been. I can only hope that her body of work continues to grow in such a way that will force me to continually question my own sexuality in the face of her beauty and talent. Here's to you Mary Louise, here's to you.

Here are some examples of her brilliance. Youtube, go!

The stuff at the beginning is only mildly useless. just wait for it...

While not all about Mary Louise, this is one of the many examples of why I love her. Just keep watching. It's worth it. Or maybe it's not. But either way, I fear Cher after watching this.

There are no words. Just... Fantastic.

There are a saddening amount of quality MLP videos on the internet right now. If anyone can find me her golden globes speech... I'll give you a crisp two dollar bill.

Recently, when discussing Cloverfield, someone said "it reminded me of Miracle Mile." As it will hopefully become more evident over time, I like to consider myself a bit of a B-Movie aficionado, and yet I had never heard of this film - clearly a gauntlet had been thrown into my midst!

So, here are the facts - it's a low budget thriller from 1988, starring Anthony Edwards (aka: "oh - the bald guy from ER!") as Harry - a budding romantic and part time trombone player who, by a quirk of fate, is tardy for a hot date. Consequently, he happens to intercept a panicked phone call claiming an imminent nuclear attack on the US. (Well, who doesn't?)

Thenceforth, the almost-real-time plot revolves around Harry's flight from the city, the mishaps and adventures he experiences, and his determination to get the girl before catching a flight to Alaska.

There is a real sense of other-worldliness to the film. Roger Ebert in his review made the keen observation that in many ways "MM" is reminiscent of Scorcese's "After Hours." He is (naturally) quite right - both films revolve around a good-natured bumbler who is bounced from one bizarre scenario to the next over the course of one night, purely in the interest of finding his loved one. Both films have a surreal, dream-like quality to them, aided of course by the night time settings and empty streets. Scorcese's film, however, has always felt unrelentingly menacing to me, despite it's comedic intentions. The interesting thing about Miracle Mile is that there is such a naivete to Harry that for the bulk of the film, the audience cant genuinely take him seriously.. He even refers to himself as Chicken Little at one point, and the dated, 80's quirkiness to proceedings does make you wonder if The Wizard is going to jump out from behind the curtain and will reveal all to be a goofy stunt. It seems churlish to concern myself with spoiling the ending of a film which is 20 years old, but I'd recommend you find a copy and find out for yourself.

Whilst the film seems all sweetness and light on the surface, there are numerous little moments that seem to pepper the periphery of the focus, and are signifiers to a far darker reading - rats fall out of a tree at one point, a random couple are seen having sex in the background at another, one character is seen reading a study guide for Gravity's Rainbow, and so on. Little things that are either blink-or-you'll-miss-‘em, or just seemingly innoccuous are cleverly woven in, and it's only later when you're having a cup of tea and reflecting on the film that you find yourself thinking about them.

The whole concept and execution both feel very much of their time, to an extent that they make the overall experience even more surreal. All the characters in the film sport truly grotesque, garish outfits - Harry our hero is introduced in an electric blue blazer when we first meet him, Julie the love interest has a really nasty mullet that must have looked outdated even in 1988, and she spends most of her screen time in little more than pyjamas and cowboy boots. When Harry later goes into a gym to try and recruit a helicopter pilot (don't ask!) the lycra on display will have you jumping up and adjusting the contrast on your set!

One other thing that occurred to me whilst watching was how ready to accept their fates people seem in the film - the Reagan-ite 80's were of course a time of nuclear paranoia, and most characters take little more than a knowing look to believe Harry. I couldn't help but feel that if a man ran up to you in the street today claiming a nuke was on the way, you'd laugh in his face before continuing to film some happy slapping on your mobile whilst binge drinking with some obese hoodies.

Naturally, in the 21st century, the opposite could be said for a terrorist attack, and this is the metaphor which the makers of Cloverfield have cleverly appropriated for their own film (along with crucial plot devices and whole scenes). I'm not going to waste my breath comparing the two films, but a brisk google search with their names should bring up other people's detailed analyses.

I did find myself surprised that Miracle Mile's plot didn't follow more along the lines of seminal Twilight Zone episode "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street," but I suppose that is more indicative of its time than it is my natural suspicion and paranoia. That being said, imdb does say that this was originally intended as a segment of the Twilight Zone Movie from the 80's, and that knowledge suddenly makes the whole feature make a whole lot more sense. Without wanting to digress too much, "The Monsters . . " was seemingly a very heavy influence on recent Stephen King adaptation "The Mist" - an excellent, bleak horror film that seems to create an instant gulf in audience reception, and another one for your list if you've not seen it.

So, I've probably written too much already, and should try and get a handle on reasonable durations for these posts, but what the hey, this is my third post and I'm still finding my feet . .

"Miracle Mile" is an intensely powerful film that catches you off guard by initially pretending to be nowhere near as disturbing as it truly is. It appears to have sunk without much of a trace at the time of release, and I can only hope that the Cloverfield allusions might combine with dvd companies' love of releasing "20th Anniversary Editions" into bringing this unsettling piece of cinema to a wider audience. If you have the chance, I would urge you to find a copy and watch it in the safety of your lead-coated bunker.

I like the openness of Joan's on Third and their display cases reminded me of the Italian deli I go to back at home. Everything was clean, bright and inviting. Pictures are not allowed inside (I got scolded for taking out my camera - boo!) but just imagine a deli counter where you order your food at the register and they bring it to your table.

One awesome thing about LA is that the weather is great 99% of the time so you can sit outside and eat. Randall mentioned a couple times that he misses that about LA now that he lives in NY. We sat at our table on the sidewalk and people watched while we talked and waited for our food to come out.

Tap water comes to you in a bottle at Joan's! We double checked the receipt to make sure it was free tap water. (I once got charged $9.00 for a bottle of flat water unknowingly.)

I had forgotten Randall's obsession with chicken. We ordered the same thing... the chicken milanese (lightly breaded chicken) with provolone. His on ciabatta, mine on a French baguette. You can choose to get your sandwich warm or cold... honestly, who would choose to get this cold?!? It was very light and had a real lemon-y taste. (There were sliced lemons in between each piece of chicken on display.) I'm not a pickle fan so the sweet pickles on the side went to Boyfriend. I could've gone for fries but that's just because I'm a french fry fiend.

Boyfriend went with the turkey meatloaf sandwich on ciabatta with chili aioli. This sandwich was highly recommended on Yelp and I think Boyfriend had no complaints. It tasted like chili.

I had heard that Joan's has amazing cheeses and cupcakes but I didn't bother trying to fit those in since I knew we already had Red Mango on our itinerary.  If there's a next time, what I'd really like to try is the Chinese Chicken salad.  It looked amazing!

Supposedly, Red Mango is the original fro yo place and Pinkberry copied them. It was EXACTLY like Pinkberry. They have original and green tea yogurt with the green tea tasting nasty and weird. The toppings were the same. Even the style of the decor was similar to Pinkberry... except it was mostly red inside Red Mango. Go figure.

I guess some things never change. Randall is still attached to his phone/Blackberry and ignores his company! :p

Joan's on Third: 8350 West Third Street (between La Cienega Blvd. and Fairfax Ave.) Los Angeles, CA

Red Mango: 5115 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA

Miracle Mile, um den Cloverfield-Post nach nochmaliger Ansicht des Films abzuschließen, ist ein relativ lässiger, manchmal karikierender B-Katastrophen-Film, mit dem Unterschied, dass es hier um Reaktion auf die herannahende Katastrophe geht. Das Budget war offensichtlich überschaubar, aber dafür holt es alles raus, was man aus der Geschichte machen kann. Die lebt derweil hauptsächlich von dem gnadenlos runterzählenden Countdown, mit dem der erwartete Nuklearangriff näherzukommen scheint, und der zentralen Frage, ob das überhaupt alles real ist -- die wachsende Panik der Stadt beruft sich allein auf die immer weiter gesteigerten Gerüchte, die der Hauptcharakter erst in Gang gebracht hat, von deren Zuverlässigkeit er aber selbst nicht überzeugt ist. Natürlich gibt's ein paar unnötige Plot-Verwicklungen, um die Zeit zu füllen: die unnötigsten sind da wohl die vorhersehbaren Schwierigkeiten, wenn ein Pärchen zusammen fliehen will, aber sich dabei wiederholt aus den Augen verliert. Ein Katastrophenszenario mit einer rückblickenden Narration der Hauptfigur beginnen zu lassen, verrät natürlich einiges über den Ausgang -- andererseits hat das bei Fred Zinnemanns Verfilmung von Das Siebte Kreuz, da allerdings ganz anders gerechtfertigt, ja auch nicht viel zu bedeuten gehabt.

In einer der wichtigeren Nebenrollen ist Denise Crosby dabei, die mein Halb-so-altes-Ich damals vermutlich gerade noch nicht als Tasha Yar kannte. Und dasjenige konnte wohl auch noch nichts damit anfangen, dass sie in ihrem einführenden Auftritt aus dem Aktenkoffer eine (fiktive) CliffsNotes-Ausgabe zu Thomas Pynchons Gravity's Rainbow aus dem Aktenkoffer zieht und die per SpeedReading durchzugehen beginnt -- präziser kann man den Platz eines Films in der Kulturgeschichte wohl kaum in einer fünfsekündigen Szene charakterisieren.

Eine prominente Rolle, unter anderem spielt da die fünfminütige Anfangssequenz, nehmen auch die La Brea Teergruben samt angeschlossenen Museums mitten in Los Angeles ein. Das ist eine der bekanntesten Fossilien-Lagerstätten in den Vereinigten Staaten, wenn sie auch nur etwa 30.000 Jahre zurückgeht: die Skulptur des im flüssigen Asphalts versinkenden Mammuts könnte bekannt sein. [1] Der Zufall dabei war, dass ich gerade erst einen längeren Artikel dazu gelesen hatte, den ich hiermit dringlichst anempfehlen möchte: Jennifer Ouellette von Cocktail Party Physics hat vor einer Woche zum ersten Mal das Museum besucht und einen Beitrag darüber just vergangenen Freitag veröffentlicht, in dem sie ausgiebig Geschichte und Bedeutung der La Brea Tar Pits darstellt.

Die eine, ziemlich unbedeutende Sache, die ich (in stark erweitereten Begriffsverständnis:) physikalisch nicht in Ordnung fand, erspar ich mir hier zu erläutern. Insgesamt war's ein netter Film mit ein paar Erinnerungen, nicht immer ganz sicher, in welches Genre er sich einordnen will, aber dadurch auch nicht ganz so vorhersehbar. Kein Meisterwerk, aber gute und teils auch ernste Unterhaltung für die 87 Minuten, die er dauert.

[1] La Brea ist wohl auch Schauplatz in den Filmen Volcano und Last Action Hero. Dazu kann ich nichts sagen.

Das kann jetzt immer noch einer der schlechtesten und, auf mindestens 90 Minuten gedehnt, langweiligsten Filme überhaupt sein, aber immerhin ist es eine clevere Idee. Und das virale Marketing scheint ja schon mal zu funktionieren. Inzwischen gibt's auch einen zweiten Trailer, der zwar noch weniger Handlung erklärt, aber in Kombination schon zeigt, wohin der Film wohl gehen könnte.

Das ist aber unwesentlich. Für mich hat der Trailer, seine Beschränkung auf die Perspektive der Handelnden, die nicht wissen, was vor sich geht und trotzdem davor fliehen müssen, wieder Erinnerungen ausgelöst an einen ewig alten anderen Film, von dem sich das Halb-so-alte-Ich damals offenbar so sehr beeindrucken ließ, dass im Hinterkopf immer noch ein paar Eindrücke und Plot-Fragmente gespeichert waren --- und mehr braucht man dank Google heute nicht mehr, um jeden noch so obskuren Film zumindest identifizieren zu können [1]. Der ungefähre Plot: junges amerikanisches Pärchen trifft sich in einem Diner und fängt mehr zufällig einen Anruf in einer Telefonzelle an einem öffentlichen Fernsprecher ab. Der Anrufer kann noch erklären, dass gerade der Dritte Weltkrieg ausgebrochen und der atomare Holocaust schon auf dem Weg sei, bevor er offenbar niedergeschossen wird. Die beiden Protagonisten müssen erstmal rausfinden, ob das nicht alles nur Verarsche war, haben dafür aber keine Zeit, weil Atomraketen auch nicht so ewig lange zur halben Erdumrundung brauchen. Aber wohin fliehen, wenn der ganze Kontinent gerade untergeht? Offenbar gibt es einen Notfallplan zur Evakuierung der Elite in die Antarktis. In einer Stadt, die langsam merkt, dass es ihre letzte sein wird, versuchen die beiden, ihre Flucht vor dem unmittelbar bevorstehenden Tod zu bewerkstelligen.

Ob's wirklich ein so guter Film war, kann ich jetzt (noch) nicht sagen, weil mein Halb-so-altes-Ich nicht unbedingt ein verlässlicher Filmkritiker war. Aber immerhin konnte ich den Film nach ein paar Versuchen finden: augenscheinlich handelt es sich um den 1988er Film Miracle Mile von Steve De Jarnatt, in Deutschland unter dem sinnfreien, weil beliebig oft verwendeten Namen Nacht der Entscheidung veröffentlicht. Zumindest ist er Träger des Großen Jury-Preises des Sundance Film Festivals 1989, von daher kann er nicht ganz schlecht sein. Hauptdarsteller ist übrigens der junge und später durch ER bekannter gewordene Anthony Edwards, der es allerdings wohl nicht in die Reihe von Assistenzärztins Sexiest Docs Alive schaffen wird [2]. Reine Spekulation bleibt, ob der Film durch sein Timing und mit seiner Heraufbeschwörung des nuklearen Untergangs [3] vielleicht nicht sogar mehr zum Ende des Kalten Krieges beigetragen hat, als der betrunkene David Hasselhoff mit Ukulele und seinem Song: I've been looking for freedom...

Die Frage überlasse ich den Historikern. Ich werd jedenfalls versuchen, mir bald eine Kopie von dem Film zu beschaffen und dann zu schauen, ob der wirklich was taugt. Manchmal führt einen diese ganze Internet-Sache, die einen sonst auch schön vom realen Leben abhalten kann, halt doch auf die von traditionellen Medien geprägten Erinnerungen des heranwachsenden Selbst zurück.

[1] Warum gibt's bei Wer wird Millionär eigentlich noch keinen Google-Joker? Eine Suchanfrage mit drei Begriffen, und man darf sich nicht mehr als die erste Google-Seite anschauen, also keinesfalls auf die Links klicken. Zu einfach? Zu erklärungsbedürftig und verwirrend für das ältere Publikum?

[2] Mein Favorit: Dr. Spaceman aus 30 Rock! Trivia am Rande: Die Hauptdarstellerin von Miracle Mile, Mare Winningham, hat es aber zumindest in die dort wohl gern gesehene Serie Grey's Anatomy geschafft, wenn auch nur für ein paar Episoden als Susan Grey.

[3] Es gibt ja immer noch Leute, die sich für ungemein clever halten, weil sie "humanitäre Katastrophe" für ganz furchtbares Deutsch halten. Kann man sich auch wunderbar drüber aufregen und sich dabei ganz toll tief bei vorkommen. Geht aber leider an der Sprachrealität vorbei, in der man solche Beispiele zuhauf finden kann. Und wenn Sprachrealität gegen Bastian-Sick'sche Sprachtheorie steht, hat die Sprachrealität meistens die besseren (und besser ausformulierten) Argumente.

G and I have to tell each other this at least once a day to keep our feet on the ground.

It's pretty cool. This is my favorite city, and I can hardly believe that I'm here. It's totally dorky, and I don't feel at all ashamed or self conscious about it. Okay, maybe I do a little, but mostly I'm just trying to let myself take it all in, look around in wonder at this absolutely wonderful place.

I love taking the crowded train downtown to work each day. On my way to my office from the El, I pass the legendary Jazz Record Mart, and my office is on the Magnificent Mile.

When I crossed the plaza of my building after my first day of work, this is what I saw:

Though I really wanted to, I refrained from throwing my hat (and I did have a hat because it is November, and there is real-fall-going-on-winter weather here) in the air the way Mary Tyler Moore did at the end of the show's opening credits. But I did it on the inside.

I live in Chicago. It's awesome.

Intrigued by this transient lifestyle, I request an evening vigil through the ghastly district of failed dreams. The Fashion District, central in the West Coast apparel industry, is blocks from “one of the largest stable populations of homeless in United States . . . estimates rang[ing] from 7,000 to 8,000.” Where the sidewalks, according to city research, have up to 30 times the bacterial contamination of raw sewage. Even by night, the situation allows for the visitor to experience the heavy toll of this observance; the intrinsic influence the lifestyle in downtown Los Angeles offers.

Naivety had left me dumb to the beauty fashion designers have embraced and attempted to convey to the public. First-handedly, I was able to appreciate the inspiration found from the usage of deconstructed materials, graceful lines discovered in layers built for insulation from the harsh city street life. Function essential for construction of each garment; the innovative form consequential, thus playing a secondary role upon evaluating design in relation to aesthetic.

They say everyone on Skid Row belongs, it is by no mistake life has led them there. It is here, Synchronicity provided the eerie location for the lesson Life had to offer. In finding truth within the realm of creativity and interpretation: I find resolution with my decision to learn from the environment while travelling.