happy new year

December 31, 2013 in INSPIRATION, STYLE, IN THE STUDIO

Wishing you and yours a very happy new year. May all your dreams come true, especially those that you haven't yet imagined...

a new year, a new calendar

December 31, 2013 in INSPIRATION, STYLE, IN THE STUDIO

It's the last day of 2013, which means time to pull our your 2014 calendar. Stay classic with Muji's selection of calendars that are simple and super affordable so you can have one at home and one in your office.

Try Mark's 2014 Calendar in Pink Peony for a colorful take-me-anywhere pocket notebook.

Try KMala's 2014 Handpainted Fashion Wall Calendar to watercolor your wall. Each month has a unique illustration done by my friend Kimberly.

San Jalisco Calendar 2014

And if you're lucky, your favorite local (San Jalisco in my case) joint might just have its very own calendars!

Here's to staying organized in 2014!

my favorite songs 2013

December 30, 2013 in INSPIRATION, IN THE STUDIO

This year, my music discovery was pretty limited to NPR, KCRW, Radio 3 (Spain), Radio Eins + Flux FM (Germany), random minimal techno via soundcloud, things I have on vinyl (usually Vanity 6, Fleetwood Mac or Miles Davis, over and over again), friend and sister suggestions and Beyoncé. So here's my attempt at picking relevant pop songs of 2013. They aren't really in any particular order.

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/18640873" params="color=ff00f0&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]

22. Royals by Lorde https://soundcloud.com/lordemusic/royals

This song was heaven-sent as it was one of the few things our whole family would listen to and actually enjoy during the holidays. We love Lorde (who is from New Zealand...Emily!).

21. Bugatti by Ace Hood Feat Future & Rick Ross https://soundcloud.com/the-media-leak/ace-hood-feat-future-rick-ross

The opposite...kind of...

20. The Mother We Share by CHVRCHES https://soundcloud.com/chvrches/the-mother-we-share?in=morgan-lawrenz/sets/pitchfork_top_2013

My sister told me about CHVRCHES and I said, I think I saw them in San Francisco inside a church a long time ago. I may have made that up. Who knows. I love this song though.

19. Crazy Kids by Ke$ha (feat. will.i.am) https://soundcloud.com/kesha/ke-ha-crazy-kids-feat-will-i

Because my sister makes a mean Ke$ha impression. And WE ARE THE CRAZY PEOPLE.

18. Need U 100 by Duke Dumont ft. A*M*E https://soundcloud.com/dukedumont/duke-dumont-need-u-100-ft-a-m?in=morgan-lawrenz/sets/pitchfork_top_2013

I need my family, and this song, 100 (percent).

17. Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey (Cedric Gervais Remix) https://soundcloud.com/housemusic/summertime-sadness-by-lana-del-cedric-gervais-remix?in=flossmag/sets/top-2013-hits

Summertime sadness = seeing Lana del Rey plastered all over my neighborhood (in the Mission) AND seeing the same poster in my favorite neighborhood in Berlin. Lana came out last year, but this remix came out in February!

16. Vital by Grouper https://soundcloud.com/kranky/grouper-vital?in=morgan-lawrenz/sets/pitchfork_top_2013

For chillin' out. My favorite song from the man who died in a boat.

15. Thinking about you by Frank Ocean https://soundcloud.com/islanddefjam/frank-ocean-thinking-about-you?in=user255591488/sets/top-2013

If you catch me singing out loud, it's highly probable that I'm singing this...I'm also the person that keeps playing it at the Phone Booth.

14. Simple Man by Andreas Kümmert (JeanMuzika Edit) https://soundcloud.com/jeanmuzikaofficial/andreas-k-mmert-simple-man

I don't know why I like this, but I do. Maybe it's that sound I cannot identify.

13. You (Ha Ha Ha) by Charli XCX https://soundcloud.com/charlixcx/charli-xcx-you-ha-ha-ha?in=morgan-lawrenz/sets/pitchfork_top_2013

Because we used to be the cool kids. JK we still are.

12. Treasure by Bruno Mars https://soundcloud.com/brco00386/bruno

I honestly thought I first heard this song at Sweater Funk at the Knockout (RIP Li Po Lounge location). Again, something I may have made up, considering it's by Bruno Mars.

11. Straight into Diamonds (Fran Pareja Mashup) by Hannah Mancini ft. Rihanna https://soundcloud.com/housemusicinternational/rihanna-diamonds-fran-pareja

I don't care how annoying this song is. Here's a new mix.

10. Lovers in the Parking Lot by Solange http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed0BMSfEwuI

Does this count as the video was released in 2013?

9. Help Me Lose My Mind ft. London Grammar https://soundcloud.com/disclosuremusic/help-me-lose-my-mind?in=morgan-lawrenz/sets/pitchfork_top_2013

Hello 2014 - kind of starting over...

8. I love it by Icona Pop https://soundcloud.com/bereniceeh/i-love-it-i-dont-care-icona?in=user255591488/sets/top-2013

I don't care...that this came out in 2012, no one in the USA heard it until this year. (Unless they were listening to international radio like me. I distinctly remember googling 'I don't care I love it' quite a bit before I actually tracked it down last year).

7. Changes by FAUL & Wad Ad vs Pnau https://soundcloud.com/faul-official/changes-feat-wad-ad

Just listen. For all the Cosby show lovers out there.

6. Black Skinhead by Kanye West Ft. Daft Punk https://soundcloud.com/ismail-bousseb/kanye-west-ft-daft-punk-black

I did not know what Yeezus was until a month ago...but I did see the Pope this year! I like this version. Gaw.

5. Started From The Bottom by Drake https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/drake-started-from-the-bottom?in=flossmag/sets/top-2013-hits

I started from the bottom.

4. Drunk in Love by Beyoncé (Feat. Jay Z) https://soundcloud.com/madamatoutnoire/drunk-in-love-feat-jay-z?in=flossmag/sets/top-2013-hits

And I am still laughing at my 16-year-old sister's impression of Beyoncé in Beyoncé video of this:

3. Lose yourself to Dance by Daft Punk https://soundcloud.com/daft-punk-sound/daft-punk-lose-yourself-to-dance

This should be played at every gathering. Accompanied by a choreographed slow clap.

2. Animals by Martin Garrix (Hypnotik TrapEdit) https://soundcloud.com/djhypnotik21/animals-martin-garrix-hypnotik

For dancing.

1. Papi Pacify by FKA Twigs https://soundcloud.com/marc-cartany/fka-twigs-papi-pacify-ep

For dancing in your head.

0. Dark Horse - Katy Perry Katy Perry ft. Juicy J https://soundcloud.com/minh-tran-12/dark-horse-katy-perry-feat?in=sme-1/sets/2013-love

And my favorite song that I heard on the radio while driving a car in a suburb--this year...who would've thought...Katy Perry.

have yourself a merry little christmas tv ad nice cry

December 26, 2013 in INSPIRATION, STYLE

http://youtu.be/ImlmVqH_5HM I just checked apple.com (to see if they have any worthwhile deals, which of course they don't), but they do have this amazing video that I've watched maybe five times and cried once. I don't know how I missed this ad--maybe it is because I do not have a television and have been busy with family holiday chaos? It came out a few weeks ago. It's genius, beautiful, and gives us all enough hope to buy more electronics for our kids and siblings, another Apple win.

Watch the video. Then go hug your teenager, because maybe, just maybe, she is making something instead of simply snapchatting her face in different expressions to her friends. Or is that just my sister?

I only work with lost and founds...

December 08, 2013 in INSPIRATION

Isa Genzken: Retrospective at the MOMA until March 10, 2014. Up close. A place within a place within a building.

“I work only with lost and founds.” ― Clarice Lispector

Home therapy: Sofar SF at the Army Lofts

December 06, 2013 in TRAVEL, INSPIRATION, IN THE STUDIO

The first time I stepped foot in 3435 Cesar Chavez I was interviewing. I took my nylons off in the parking lot and slipped on my stilettos. I don't remember now where I stashed them, but I remember being dropped off by a friend and thinking, this is it. I belong here.

I wandered around the gate, past the print shop, to the glass doors and dialed for studio 222. I got the job and spent many days in that studio...running out for taco snacks or cappuccinos. Eventually I got a different job, in a different studio, and instead was running out to sew shops and pattern makers, receiving fabric swatches and models. I would take walks with co-workers to Mitchell's Ice Cream and see what new coffee shop had opened or closed nearby. We'd end our days at El Rio or gather on the roof.

Over the years I made friends in the building and got to see the place after-hours. Many different artists, musicians and creatives live and/or work in The Army Lofts, which was originally a Sears Building. Each studio is completely different in shape and size. Every time a new loft welcomed me inside, I was surprised by its unique use of space and decor. Jam sessions, photo shoots, chili parties & New Year's Eve 2011 are some of the highlights. I've woken up in the Army Lofts, only to run home, change, and go back to work. I've thrown up in the bathroom. I've cried in the rooftop garden and done photo shoots beyond the do-not-enter gates. I spent my mid-twenties in that building. Growing up, growing pains. Last night I got to attend a Sofar SF concert, and it happened to be in one of the Army Lofts, one in which I had never been before, but have passed by a million times. Turn right at the dancing frog, and you're in.

Sofar Sounds is an organization based in London and active all over the world. They organize intimate concerts inside an individual's home. It can be anywhere; last night it was in a place I used to consider a home away from home. Being inside the building again reminded me of my past and made me even more excited about my future.

The goal is to create an environment where you can actually hear and appreciate the music, instead of being in a loud, crowded venue with people too drunk or too preoccupied to watch the band. You don't know the lineup until you show up, and don't have the location until the last minute. Now, plenty of people were on their phones last night, but only during breaks or to take a quick photo. During the sets you could hear a pin drop.

Being invited into a stranger's home is so essential to the human experience, so evident of community, that just the act of walking through an open door made me feel warm inside. The small details of the home--a deck of cards, an old crate and barrel box, the stacked library books, gave us a small sense of the home dwellers, a gentle reminder we were outsiders, yet unconditionally included all the same. Home is just that-- a place where one can go to rest, to recover, to explore, to just be.

https://vimeo.com/81229160

The Herbert Bail Orchestra was the first act. They almost brought me to tears. Being so close to something so magical reminded me of why I love live music. They are based in Los Angeles. The second act was The Tambo Rays, based in Oakland. They included a sister-brother pair; the power of siblings centering the group. The third act was Anthony Hall, a singer/songwriter also from Los Angeles. He flirted with the crowd and surprised us with his strong vocals and inspired narratives.

I can't wait to experience Sofar Sounds in other places. Phoenix? Bilbao? Berlin? Who knows. The pleasure is in the infinite possibilities. Future homes and future sounds could be anywhere, could sound like anything, and will definitely remind me of something, some other home somewhere else. Like the name of Herbert Bail's album, the future's in the past.