love; ten things i love this week

1. Charles Pheonix! Sorry guys but this week is going to be a little influenced by kitsch as I went to see the King of Kitsch here in L.A on Friday night and fell in love with all things kitsch! If you're in town, you MUST check out the dates of his performances and tours as he is a gem right here in L.A. LOVE!

2. Programmatic Architecture! Australia definitely has it's fare share of Programmatic Architecture, but nothing like what's here in L.A! Here is a link to some existing and some long gone Programatic architecture in L.A. LOVE!

bronxbanterblog.com

3. Galco's soda pop store here in Los Angeles! I'm venturing out to it later in the week to check out the store and have a chat.  I'm not a huge fan of soda pop but what makes this store different is that he holds only small independent companies soda's bringing back Americas favourite oldies, in glass bottles! LOVE!

retaildj.com

4. So I stumbled across this bulldog photo whilst googling for images and I really can't find anything that goes with it. Have no idea WTF it is or where it is but I do love it! I think I might have to make her my F.B profile pic! So wrong, but oh sooo right! LOVE!

5. Which brings me to poodles!!! I think I may need to own a poodle one day and have it groomed like this one. Too funny! Check out the array of grooming that has happened here! CRAZY!

moblog.net

6. I know we are no where near Christmas but this poodle sitting all raunchy as a Christmas decoration was tooooo cute to leave out this week when I stumbled across her! LOVE!!!

hiddenlosangeles.com

7. Papa Christo's Greek Tavern here in L.A! Coming from Melbourne, Australia, which has the largest population of Greeks outside of Athens, I'm definitely going to have high standards! I'm hoping to head out there in a few weeks to check it out. They have Big Fat Thursday Greek Dinners with a bellydancer dragging people up to dance! Too funny! Check out the mural!!!!

8. Which brings me to my friends new adventure...making those gorgeous ear rings and selling them on etsy! Totally not kitsch but I couldn't resist adding her earrings this week. I love them so, but I don't get into earrings much. She has promised to get onto rings and bangles very, very soon. Check them out here! LOVE!

legendsofamerica.com

9. Being back in Lala Land. As soon as the airplane hit the tarmac, I felt like I was home. And it's HOT! Gotta love that! Been eating salads all week...my favourite food in the world! LOVE!

buyyourlahome.com

10. Living in Los Feliz! Such a great area full of bars, eateries and GELATO! OMG! Loving the gelato a little too much! People have dining tables set out on their front porches and spend their evenings having dinner there. How great is that! Makes an evening stroll quite lovely. LOVE!

eat; raw zucchini pasta with yellow pepper cashew cheese sauce

fifthelementparfumerie.wordpress.com

A few weeks ago I posted how to make cashew cheese and said that I would post the amazing dinner I had using the cashew cheese as a sauce. So here it is!

Serves 2

What you need;
Cashew cheese recipe, watered down a little
2 zucchini at room temprature
2 handfulls of rocket (arugula)
2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
marinated artichokes, as many as you like
handful of olives, which ever flavor you like

I now have a spirooli in my life which makes making raw zucchini pasta a hell of alot easier! If you don't have on and can't really be bothered cutting it by hand, you can always make papperdelle pasta by using a vegetable peeler. Peel the skin off the zucchini first.

In a big bowl, add the zucchini pasta, rocket (arugula) and tomatoes. Pour the sauce over it all and mix well. Add as much as you like onto each plate and then lay the artichoke pieces on top. Best not to mix them in. I haven't stated how much artichoke to use as I LOVE them and always heap them on when I get a chance, but maybe four to five pieces will be fine.

Top with cracked pepper and serve!

Buon Appetito!

pink; the total female animal

photo Elyss McCleary

Google Me This is an exhibition I am currently showing in but I wont write about my own work as it is not pink (even though it is full of glitter and even features a tiara!). Instead, I have chosen Carmen Reid's work who is co-curator of the exhibition.

Google Me This asked artists involved to google their own names and create a work based on someone else's identity. As you can imagine, the result is a mixed bag of easy to get and absolutely way out interpretations, especially as there are 53 artists from various backgrounds involved in the exhibition. 

Carmen Reid chose Carmen Miranda as her source of inspiration. Judging by the title of the work, Reid obviously wanted to have fun (lots of fun) with this work! The image above shows an installation of pink champagne, maracas, a scarf head piece and even garter belts! Full of feminine symbols, Carmen went the hack with all things pink to create the work. The funny thing is Carmen herself is not a pink person and her work never deals with the feminine. This is what was great about creating work for an exhibition with such a strong brief; it gave us permission to explore themes we would never really consider within our practice. 

You can check out the rest of the works here. The exhibition is on until June 5th at The Library Artspace, 100 Barkly St, North Fitzroy, Wed-Sun 12-5pm.

love; ten things i love this week

1. Installing for an exhibition. Yes it IS the most stressful time for an artist and exhausting but there is something kinda great about seeing your work all finished and ready for the showing. It's that satisfaction you get when something you imagined in your head finally comes to fruition. LOVE!

2. Opening night of an exhibition you're involved with. Scary yet thrilling. The idea that no-one may come is soooo overwhelming! Nice to share your work with loved ones though. LOVE!

3. Getting a phone call from the Italian radio station, Rete Italia here in Melbourne for an interview THIS FRIDAY about my work in Google Me This! They will be pod casting it so there is noooooo escape! LOVE!

4. Cannoli from Bisetto! I am thoroughly enjoying catching up on a years supply of these! My family have been going to this Italian cakeshop since it opened in 1972 and the tradition is still going. Every birthday has a 'Bisetto' birthday cake. When in Melbourne, you MUST travel out to Northcote for one of these delights! LOVE!

5. This 'spray' food dye! I've gone all gold over the last week as I'm doing research for an upcoming exhibition and came across this! How amazing to EAT gold food! LOVE!

6. Calliope music! I am a little obsessed with this right now! Yep, doing more research! You can check out some amazing clips on youtube of the machines doing there thing here.  LOVE!

7. Too funny! Sculptures made from food. Check it out here. LOVE!

8. The smell of the sea. This week, I ended up in the bayside suburbs here in Melbourne and was reminded of how great the smell of the sea actually is.  LOVE!

 9. And the sounds of the sea! These poor birds always get a bad wrap. I've had a soft spot for them ever since I was a kid, maybe because they are always targeted by people or maybe because there is ALWAYS one in the flock that has a broken, missing or distorted leg. LOVE!

10. Introducing my friends 7 year old daughter to one of my favorite kitchen equipment; the spirooli! We made raw zucchini spaghetti and she looooooved it! My friend hopped onto Amazon the second we finished eating  and ordered one. Apparently it's been working overtime since it arrived in the mail. LOVE!

eat; tabouli inspired chickpea salad

thelongestlife.com

This is a simple salad I create often as it makes a very filling and satisfying meal. It stores really well for a few days 'undressed' and is easy to take with you for work or play and can be made a day ahead. The type of parsley you choose to use is entirely up to you; I prefer the Italian parsley. Also, if you want to make it completely raw, use a cup of dried chickpea that have been soaked in filtered water, overnight and leave out the bulgur wheat. Bulgur wheat can be cooked or soaked, but I like to add this to the salad after simply rinsing it and then leave the salad to soak for a few hours.

Serves 4

What you need;

1/2 bunch of pasley

a handful of mint

1/2 small Spanish onion

2 tomatoes

1 red capsicum (bell pepper)

1 can chickpea (organic please!)

1/2 cup bulgur wheat

Dressing

1/4 lemon juice

1/4 olive oil

2 Tbs sumac spice

salt and pepper to taste

Start by rinsing the bulgur wheat and set aside to drain well. Chop the onion, tomatoes and red capsicum into small cubes and add to a bowl.

Chop the mint and parsley into fine pieces.

Rinse the can of chickpea under running water and add to the awaiting salad, along with the bulgur wheat. Mix well. At this stage, add a splash of filtered water to the salad, toss again then place in the fridge for at least two hours. Make sure you do not add too much water! Best to add less than to add too much! The bulgur wheat will 'swell up' during this time.

Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside. When you are ready to eat, pour dressing over salad and serve.

Buon Appetito!

pink; the manual input station

I've been sooooo busy working on my own video this week for an upcoming exhibition that I haven't seen any shows, nor do I have time to write about any pink works! I stumbled across this little beauty by Flong to share with you guys a few weeks ago. All I'll say is I wish my Cranberry and Vodka drinks did this when the bar tender puts ice into it! It is a work that doesn't need any explanations anyway. 

Here is a link to the website to check out more info on it. In the meantime, enjoy the video of the work below.

love; ten things i love this week

1. Hestons Feast! I'm sooooo in love with this guy and completely obsessed with his show to the point where I actually don't make plans on Thursday nights because of it! He has a show on SBS here in Australia but you can check them out here or on youtube. This coming week, he is doing a Fairytale theme, pumpkin and all! Click here to see how he creates Alice In Wonderlands Drink Me potion. LOVE!

2. Having my mum in one of my upcoming video installations wearing a tiara! She walked down the street where she lives with it on as we filmed her. Too funny really! Keep you all posted on eatpinklove's Facebook page of where it will be streaming! LOVE!

3. One of my dearest L.A friends brought my attention to this! How amazing is the idea?!?!? LOVE!

4. Alexander McQueens upcoming show! Wish I was in New York for it! Check this out! LOVE his chessboard show!

5. Op shopping! Thrift Stores to all ye Americans out there! I went for a big binge this week and came home with some great new outfits! I'm heading back to Lala Land for the summer so was on the search for some amazing summer dresses. Can't wait to wear them! LOVE!

6. Hula hoops! I gotta get me one soon! Check out the benefits of practicing hula hooping here. LOVE!

7. My friend glo's (she likes to use a little 'g' when writing her name!) latest post on how to make a green smoothie! She beat me to it and did a mighty fine job at it! Check it out here. LOVE!

8. My friend Sam. She knows I love anything heart shaped and sent me a photo of her thumb with chipped nail polish that happened to be in the shape of a heart! LOVE!

9. Pleasantville! What a lully movie! I watched this last week at a friends place while eating popcorn. LOVE!

10. I know Easter is over, but I am loving biting into the ears of chocolate bunnies this week! Check out this video on how to kill a chocolate bunny! LOVE!