Sure, I just edit the words in this fine publication, but as editor-at-large for the mag, I also help with the “vision” of the mag — or something like that. Anywhoo — the magazine is just AWE-SOME. It also includes that interview I did with John Waters. Check it out:

Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia

On this day in 2009, I was in Barcelona on my European “Traveling Pants” Tour. Here are excerpts from my journal during that time:

May 19, 2009, Tuesday 10:15 p.m.

I’m on the train to Barcelona and my feet really stink. I am sharing my train car with an Asian dude and some old European man — neither of them speak English — but the latter has severe B.O.

Janet and Bertha are “bunking” with girls from Baylor. It turns out that unsupervised Texan college co-eds can annoying no matter what continent you are on — and it also turns out that spray tans look just as bad in a train as they do in broad daylight — wow — that was a snap judgment…

…and the next day:

May 20, 2009, Wednesday 2 a.m.

In Barcelona — our flat has this boho-chic thing going on. It reminds me of the apartment in Single White Female…

We did some grocery shopping earlier in the day and came back so that Janet and Bertha could take a siesta. I, on the other hand, enjoyed an episode of Fama: Baila! (not sure if that was the exact title). It was a really broke down version of So You Think You Can Dance. It looks like it was filmed in a high school cafeteria…

We also went to the Sagrada Familia today. It was quite inspiring. Gaudi was a creative crazy mother fucker. This thing is overwhelming. It looks like the Castle Grayskull.

Check out more memories of my 2009 European trip by clicking here.

This past week, Walter Van Beirendonck was a special guest (along with a slew of others) during the Academy of Art University’s “Fashion Week.” I put quotes around “Fashion Week” because it wasn’t a full week — only four days.

But I digress.

The bearded and bejeweled (he wears some intense rings) artist is a part of the Antwerp Six — a posse of designers that includes Marina Yee, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Dirk Van Saene (who was also a special guest last week). All of them fascinate me. They are like the cool art kids who sat in the corner of the cafeteria eating nothing but Skittles for lunch and listening to Fiona Apple, Pet Shop Boys and The Cure.

Dirk Van Saene (center) preps a bear to walk the runway at the Berkeley Art Museum as Walter (right) looks on

Needless to say, I admire Mr. Van Beirendonck (remember when I blogged about my penis scarf?). He’s esoteric. He’s interesting. He doesn’t take fashion seriously, yet the craftsmanship of his clothing is impeccable — luxury even. There is this bizarre combination of conceptual vision, pop art, absurdity and cultural commentary that melds together to create something that is off-center, but makes sense. It’s as if he is telling a joke to the fashion industry and they are laughing, but they just act like they get it. I’m not even totally sure if I get it.

Pieces from his GLOW collection

Bottom line: his work is so not boring that I can’t help but be interested.

While he was in San Francisco, I had a couple of encounters with him and contrary to my insecurity, I do not think I was stalking him:

1.) I met him for the first time during our luncheon with all the guests. Actually, I didn’t formally meet him. I just saw him walk in.

2.) I sat next to Walter and Dirk in a van ride on the way to a special “Rebel Rebel: Anti-style” discussion with designer Keanan Duffty. I introduced myself and talked about the weather.

3.) At the pre-reception of Graduation Fashion Show, I was asked to introduce him to some designers who were showing collections.

4.) After the show, I walked up to him, along with all of our special guests and gave them my thanks for visiting our school. This is when I thought I might be stalking him. I think he was taken by surprise that I bombarded him with my politeness, therefore he was creeped out by me.

5.) Our school also helped out with Walter’s re-staging of his S/S 2010 collection at the Berkeley Art Museum (where they used burly bears instead of waify supermodels). It’s a pretty big deal because he never shows in the U.S. I wanted to show my support so I went to MAC: Modern Appealing Clothing (one of the few stores in the country that carry his line) to buy a shirt. It just so happens that Walter and Dirk were there prepping for the show that was to happen on the following day. Again, I bombarded with my pleasantries.

6.) The day of his show at BAM, I, of course, saw them again. I tried to lay low and I think I succeeded. For some reason, if I said hi yet again, I’d be like that lady on Misery.

Even if I am an admirer, I am not a stalker. At his BAM show, I saw many people who were wearing pieces from his past collections. They were SO outrageous it made my Walter polo look tame. If I was a stalker, then I was in a room full of Walter stalkers.

I didn’t even get a seat at the re-staging of his “Wonderfur” collection because I was working the event for the Academy and trying to not look like a stalker — but I did get to stand near the door of where the models entered and exited.

Check out this clip from the finale.

Yes. That’s Walter underwear — and I want a pair.

Famed street artist Banksy remains hidden as in ‘Gift Shop’

The movie: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Directed by: Banksy

People in the documentary that hipsters will probably know: Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Thierry Guetta, Rhys Ifans (narrator), Space Invader

The story: Thierry Guetta, a quirky little Frenchman who looks like Ron Jeremy, is a “filmmaker.” He starts documenting the world of guerilla street art and follows people like Shepard Fairey, Space Invader and others. His ultimate goal is to find the world-renowned street artist, Banksy. When he tracks him down, they become fast friends and Guetta takes a crack at being a street artist. Eventually, Banksy turns the camera on him and this documentary was the result.

The review: Exit Through the Gift Ship gives us a peek into the fascinating world of street art and it shows how a person can totally bastardize something that is sacred – and Banksy does a top notch tongue-in-cheek job of doing this.

Putting the microscope on the development of the relationship between Guetta and Banksy (who’s face and voice remains disguised through the entire film) is the bread and butter of the film. They become confidants and Banksy opens up his doors to him, letting him see his process of creating – and that’s a big thing for a guy who is very private.

Seeing them share that brotherhood is touching, but once Guetta starts doing his street art as “Mr. Brain Wash,” the WTFs start. It’s the equivalent of Lindsay Lohan releasing an album.

This film is basically an offshoot of street art for Banksy. It’s odd. It’s subversive. It’s humorous. It’s rebellious. Overall, it’s intriguing and the content burns itself into your brain. Banksy brilliantly evolves his subject matter (Guetta) from an enjoyably offbeat family man with a French accent to a full-blown fame monster and money hungry “artist.”

Overall review: Banksy, in a way, created Guetta – much like Dr. Frankenstein created his monster. He takes full responsibility and the world should thank him for documenting it. To see a sweet French man slowly become obsessive, eccentric and borderline delusional is something that audiences love. Why do you think shows like Hoarders are so successful? Grade: A

If you are in the mood for a documentary this weekend, perhaps you should ingest the film Exit Through the Gift Shop.

The film by the British graffiti/street art genius, Banksy has already gotten major props and – well – it’s just a really provoking look at the world of street art – just stay tuned for my review on Friday.

In the meantime, check out the trailer:

Now MAC isn’t your normal San Francisco store. It is the ultimate destination for label whores like myself. It’s kind of like a Barneys but a lot less corporate and a lot more counterculture. It where all the cool kids go to spend their rent money.

Anyways, they are an sartorially avant-gasmic goldmine when it comes to labels – particularly designers who rolled with the Antwerp Six: Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela and, of course, Walter Van Beirendonck. In fact, they are one of two stores in the nation that carry Walter’s conceptual garb that gleefully violates runway.

His items are brilliant and delightfully offensive. Seeing his pieces gets me excited and actually makes me enjoy fashion rather than criticize it. It’s – and I don’t know if this is appropriate – euphoric and child-like. We’ve been working on a story for him in our magazine, so I have been intrigued about his work.

The store had a gaggle of items on sale from his Fall 2009 Glow collection. So while Cheryl ravaged the racks of Margiela, I violated the racks of Beirendonck and ended up getting this:

Yes, that’s a naked little man (or woman, depending on how you look at it) on the scarf. It epitomizes Walter’s playfully exhibitionist aesthetic – but that’s not his entire aesthetic. His style is provocatively sci-fi and very irreverent. In a nutshell, he has an anti-fashion appeal.

Anyways, people don’t really notice it until you point it out – which is what I did all day. I walked around my office (and to random people on the street) saying, “LOOK! MY SCARF HAS A PENIS!”.

Thus far, it is my best purchase from a winter sale.

The five paneled piece includes portraits of Chace Crawford, Zac Efron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake, and Robert Pattinson.. The pieces will be featured at the White Cube installation at Art Basel Miami Beach from Dec. 3-6. Click here to look at the rest of the portraits. (Please note the fashion label logos in the background of the photos).

And is it me, or does it look like these could be installations in The Max near Bayside High School? I’m not sayin’ that’s a bad thing. I’m jus’ sayin.

Today I found this one:

Question: What does “dickpainter” mean? – m4m (castro / upper market)

Someone called me a dickpainter the other night. What does that mean? I met a cute guy and we almost went home together but his friend, whom I hooked up with before talked with him and he came back and said he changed his mind and said he wasn’t into dickpainters. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I don’t know what it means, but based on this video, I think it was a compliment:

I really do not know how to feel about that video.

To get a little more cultured, I decided to go to the American Museum of Natural History and then the next day I went to The Met (a.k.a. The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

I felt so refined as I walked amidst fifth grade classes and tourists with fanny packs.

All was going well until I saw this at the Museum of Natural History:

Then I saw this at the Met…

Okay. I was laughing to myself when I was taking these pictures. I felt like a 5th grader when they split the class up into boys and girls and show them those “your body is changing” videos. God I am so mature.

P.S. What is the female version of the word “phallus?”