hana means what mana means and ganda means that too

Readers of this blog know that in terms of fashion inspiration, I often reach back to the 60's and people like Pattie Boyd and Anita Pallenberg. But lately, I've been reaching back a lot further.
My greatest fashion inspiration has been the Native American people.

I know this can be a sensitive subject, as the cruel way their culture has been snatched from them has left them rightly angry. I really want to make it clear that for my entire life, I've had a deep fascination - and respect for - Native American people, and I'm not trying to trivialize their fantastic culture to simply a fashion trend. I really, really don't mean to offend anyone.
When I was little, I had all sorts of politically incorrect books about "Indians". I'm lucky enough to live in an area that is rich with Native American history, as well as the site of the tallest free-standing totem pole in the world. So I've always been surrounded by the culture, but it was just last week that I was digging out my old books that my interest was re-piqued. I will cop to having an intense love for the (I'll admit it, horribly racist) Peter Pan tune "What Made the Red Man Red". I found myself enviously eye-ing the clothes in the book: moccasins, feathers, beads, turquoise, suede, furs and fringe galore...my dream wardrobe.

I hope you find these pictures half as inspiring as I do.

I'm thinking Keith Richards copped his entire public persona from this one picture.
If I could dress like this without offending the local Aboriginal people, I would.
If the Olsens were Native American...
I'm definitely not the first to think like this. Many public figures have let their look be inspired by Native American culture, sometimes subtly, sometimes very bluntly.
Some of the more in-your-face looks that I've liked have been:
Erykah Badu, looking less American Indian and more Aztec, manages to look awesome, unique, modern and stylish.
My favourite member of the P-Funk Mob, Glenn Goins (may he rest in peace), looks absolutely incredible in the feathered headdress and stellar poncho.

This has been my favourite picture of Mary-Kate Olsen since I first saw it.
I know this was a very controversial performance but I think Andre 3000 had an excellent concept, just maybe a bit of an insensitive execution. Still, he and his backup dancers look wicked.

One or two Native American inspired accessories can take an outfit to an entirely new level of genius without looking racially insensitive. When has Anita Pallenberg ever steered me wrong? Fringed boots and a fringed coat might be too much in theory, but somehow, she looks incredible.If I ever encounter a boy wearing this outfit, I will surrender myself to him then and there. That goes double if he looks as great in it as Keith Richards.Now, I'm not a Miley Cyrus fan by any means, but I love this outfit and I adore those electric blue fringed boots.

This picture of Sharon Tate would be perfect if she wasn't wearing so much makeup. Still, she looks gorgeous as always.
I borrowed three pictures from an amazing blog I recently found called Child of the Moon. I hope the ridiculously cool and mysterious owner of this blog does not mind!
I know I should probably stop now, but I'm so filled with Native American love, I just need to share with you a couple paintings that I hope will inspire you as well.
I suppose I've made it clear that I wish that I was 1/32 Blackfoot like Nicola, or simply born into the Osage Tribe a thousand years ago. Until then, I remain on the quest for the perfect pair of fringed boots...

she lets her hair down, she lets her body down

Just to clarify: I'm not actually a Jonas Brothers fan. I dislike their music. I think the hoopla surrounding them is ridiculous. That being said, I have a strong sexual attraction to Nick. He's handsome and well-dressed, okay? So don't fear, and don't change your opinions of me. (Yes, I just wanted to clarify that solely as an excuse to post another picture of him)

Anyway, it's that time again....hubba, hubba, hubba, new header...I know people really liked the Polaroid header, but I go to my blog like a half dozen times a day and any picture, no matter how great, gets boring to me after awhile. I made this one while feeling a little burnt out with Eddie Murphy's "Party All the Time" stuck in my head.

It has, clockwise from bottom left, Mary-Kate and Ashley, Jimi Hendrix and girlfriend, Betty Davis, Cory Kennedy and Mick Jagger. (Ashcan Rantings does not advocate smoking, though if you're gonna do it anyway, I ain't gonna stop ya, it's pretty sexy) The background trips me out, and I hope it doesn't give you seizures. The fantasticly irrelevant quote in the upper left hand corner is from Batman, the Joker of course. If you can't read it, it says "And now, folks, it's time for 'who do you trust?' Hubba, hubba, hubba! Money, money, money! Me? I'm giving away free money! And where is the Batman? He's at home, washing his tights!" Does it apply to my blog at all? Uh, no, and don't look at me expectantly like you're gonna get free money. I will, however, dish out Batman quotes at will.
Hey, take what you can get, right?

i can tell you things to get you excited, things you never heard

The other night, as I was juggling oranges while watching Sherlock Holmes, I came to a realization. An epiphany, if you will.

A rough image of what I'd been doing. Note the lines between oranges indicating motion.*

I thought to myself, what am I doing?? How could four so very separate commodities - me, oranges, Sherlock Holmes and juggling - have collided into such a satisfying moment? It was there are then that I drew the conclusion that life's best moments are just that: a collision of little joys.
(I really ought to climb to the top of a mountain, grow a beard and charge people kumquats for advice.)
Sometimes, however, life, or should I say universe is overly generous and allows collisions of extreme greatness. Its the equivelant of the really expensive Christmas gift from an aunt you never see, that leaves you wondering what you did to deserve such magnificance.
I'll share some examples from my life.

Tim Burton's 1988 version of Batman really seems like the movie made for me. It stars my favourite actor, Jack Nicholson, with a soundtrack by my favourite artist, Prince. Before I saw it, I was a bit concerned because I hate action movies, plus I was worried it would be too much a good thing. Let me tell you something. "Too much of a good thing" doesn't exist. It's a fascist plot by the government to make people less greedy, so they can easily be more greedy. A good thing is infinity, which is why Batman is one of my favourite movies ever.

Continuing with the Jack Nicholson theme, I was really stoked about Chinatown, directed by my favourite director, Roman Polanski, starring Jack Nicholson. I didn't bother to worry about it being too much of a good thing, and it's a good thing I didn't because the movie was a very good thing.
Another good example is the fantastic duet "We Can Funk" by Prince and P-Funk leader George Clinton. I was into this song before I discovered Parliament-Funkadelic, but I certainly have a whole new appreciation for it now that I know who exactly the deep-voiced character singing "I'm testin' positive for the funk/I'll gladly pee in anybody's cup" is.
And then there's "Dancing in the Streets". Okay, so the song itself is no "Gimme Shelter" or "Moonage Daydream". What makes this Bowie/Jagger duet so magical is the rumours of a secret, forbidden (no! not forbidden! loved and accepted by all!) love affair between the two known bisexuals. I'm not the type to spell "hot" with an "aw" but if I did, I be typing "hawwwt" right now. Oh shit...

And then sometimes there's just pictures. You know, just a snapshot of an unexpected match of celebrities that just makes your day.

There's Pattie Boyd with the Rolling Stones.

Why did nobody tell me Jason Schwartzman and Zooey Deschanel dated?? I had to celebrate their coupling and mourn their breakup in the same thought! It was an emotional roller coaster...When the Olsens met Winehouse...I'd be very surprised if no cocaine was exchanged.
When Cory Kennedy met Lindsay Lohan...I'd be very surprised if no tales of herbal STD-treatments were exchanged.My precious, precious Arthur Lee with Jimi Hendrix. (Photo credit: Jeffrey Eisen)

There! Proof! Greatness + greatness = superterrifichappy greatness! And don't get me started on when evil joins forces (cough4minutestosavetheworldcough)

*May be slightly embellished. I can't juggle. It was just two oranges.

christmas cheer!

In school we had to make a resume and write a cover letter, so I actually wrote mine to Jamie-Lynn Spears, and if anyone can hook me up with an address - even a fan mail address - I promise I'll send it.

Anyway, here's a little collage I whipped up in the spirit of the holiday season. Which, by the way, I have yet to feel, as we are still experiencing a devastating lack of snow.

Have a fantastic break!
I will continue blogging, just thought I'd post this now because I was in a collage making mood!

olsen twins power......activate!

I'm taking time from my busy watching old episodes of Popworld on Youtube schedule (ha, that reminded me of "...get Marky Mark to take time from his busy pants-dropping schedule to plant a tree"), to return to an old love of mine...Miss Mary-Kate Olsen.
How long has it been? Days? Weeks? Months? My love for her has not faded. I did, however, find a rather alarming picture, though I think it's a bit old.
To remind you, she's 21, not a 74-year-old ex-hippie.
And according to their website, this is Mary-Kate's clothing recommendation for 2007.
I whole-heartedly approve. I would have a Christmas without a Christmas tree if it meant receiving this jacket. Unfortunately, it's from their haute couture line The Row, meaning it costs about $300.
I could get a job on the mainland as a lumberjack and guess what? I'd probably get one for free. But it wouldn't say "Olsen" on the tag, and if there's no Olsen, there's no point.

she's kissing all the boys, she's too clever to be slack

Yess, perfect timing! Mary-Kate Olsen gets on the cover of NYLON just as I get a subscription. She looks amazing (and actually a lot like Ashley here), plus its the holiday issue which always puts me in a jolly mood.
Could anyone else rock a top hat like Mary-Kate? I love her hair here too.

So I had a good weekend. The other night I slept over at Nicola's and we watched three great movies.

First we watched Rain, which is an independant film from New Zealand. In some ways it's sort of a typical coming of age story, but its very dark. Its quite interesting to watch, though I think it's too depressing for me to want to watch again, though I would recommend it, especially if you like dark movies.
Then the old tried-and-true favorite, A Clockwork Orange, excellent as usual.
Then we watched Midnight Cowboy, which was very cool. I loved seeing them go to a party at the Factory, and it was a trip seeing Dustin Hoffman play such an oily character, especially just two years after The Graduate.

Okay, okay, I gotta give in and admit it. Alex Turner and Alexa Chung make a very cute couple.
This is my favorite picture of them because they both look great (I loove him in that jacket) but they aren't actually together. Because that still depresses me a little.

Bonus: This is an extremely fantastic picture.

okay...nine, i guess

I figure, I give so much love to the sexy males, I don't recognize the gorgeous ladies out there. There is a reason for this: I'm straight. But, hey, I can appreciate beauty without being sexually attracted to it.

Lo and behold: the 10 Most Beautiful Women Of All Time (subject to change depending on my mood)

In alphabetical order:


Fiona Apple
She has the most unbelievable features: gorgeous eyes, such beautiful lips. She looks so ethereal and just naturally gorgeous

Alexa Chung
Yes, I know she's dating Alex Turner. You don't have to remind me, okay??

Ashley Olsen
Probably the more conventionally gorgeous twin. She was originally going to be the only twin on the list, but MK won me over with her Harper's Bazaar shoot...

Mary-Kate Olsen
Who would have ever made the connection between an Olsen and red hair? It's incredible!

Anita Pallenberg
Her eyes! If I was a lesbian in the 60's...

Chelsea Rodgers
Prince's new protegee. I wish I could find a better picture, because she's stunning.
Amerie Rogers
Gorgeous and incredible voice!
Sharon Tate
The most gorgeous smile in the world.
Cassandra Ventura
Better known as Cassie, I suppose. She looks fucking amazing in the "Stronger" video, but that's not surprising because she looks amazing everywhere.

mka

Happy Olsen Twins Birthday Day! My lovelies Mary-Kate and Ashley are 21, finally able to buy alcohol legally.
And 'legally' is the operative word here.
Because for years now they've been doing the "We're not the Olsen Twins, we're Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen" (whiny voice: but that takes so much longer to type), I refused to post a picture of them together. Instead we see the Independant Olsens.
Sorry, the Independant Mary-Kate and the Independant Ashley.

I, actually, am really digging the headband. I believe it's Chanel. Well, there's really not much more to say, because I want you to see this next picture, which made me giggle like a maniac.I do not know why Ashley is holding a baby. My guess would be...her publicist thought it would be a cute photo op and just grabbed a random toddler out of a passing stroller and thrust it into an unsuspecting Ashley's arms. There she was, innocently shopping as she does everyday, and suddenly "Oh, hee hee, uh, well, what's this? What is this device? Animal, vegetable or mineral? Hee hee, uh, do I support the head? Good God, why is it wearing camo? Ewwwww, the camo is touching me, I'll have to burn this outfit! Good thing I buy everything in eights. Hee hee..."

la, la, lala wait til i get my money right

Yesss. The Olsens, as you probably know, have their crappy little kiddie line which I'm not they're not very proud of seeing as the images on them are from about five years ago, and then they also have their high-fashion (and appropriately priced) line The Row. But now they've just announced a cheaper high-fashion line called Elizabeth and James, after two lesser-known Olsens. You all remember Lizzie and Trent from The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley and The New Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley books and movies. Well, Trent doesn't get his name on a clothing line. Their half-brother James does.
Goes, Lizzie must be older than me now...that's bizarre!

Anyways, I'm excited for this line, though I still doubt I could afford it.

As I've probably mentioned before, every year, I listen to less and less pop music. But I still loove Kanye West. I have his CD Late Registration and it's oh so very good. But I happen to hate alll his singles..."Gold Digger", "Heard 'Em Say", "Touch the Sky". Those were the three worst songs on the album! And so imagine my suprised glee when the single, "Can't Tell Me Nothing", from his next CD, due in September, is rad. The video is above, and it's incredible too.
They say I talk with so much emphasis

OOO, they so senSItive

The thing about Kanye West is he's not a phenomenol rapper, but his lyrics are fantastic and he's a genius with beats and samples.
Haha, it makes me sound like I know so much about hip-hop.
I don't.

lets have an olsens moment...

If you were trapped on a desert island and youre only communication with the outside world was my blog (oooh, heaven, right?), you'd think Mary-Kate and Ashley sort of melted away. I used to post on them all the time, but it's been ages since their lithe (quite lithe), excellently-swathed frames made an appearence around these parts (said in an old-man cowboy voice) Far overdue, here's Mary-Kate looking incredible (and quite Ashley-esque, with that hair) This is the best hairstyle I've seen on her in ages.

In PEOPLE Magazine's Most Beautiful issue they had a section for Curvy stars, featuring...Christina Aguilera?
That girl is tiny! On what planet would she be considered curvy?

Oh, right, Hollywood.