I have posted about my beer festival weekend on my beer blog:
http://impymalting.wordpress.com/2008/05/09/wwjb/

The first part isn't just about beer but what it's like to go to a tiny village fete and be cornered by freaky Americans with spreadsheets and WHAT WOULD JESUS BREW teeshirts, so even if you are bored by beer geekery you might enjoy it.

stutefish made an LJ rss feed for my beer blog, Impy Malting. Go here: http://syndicated.livejournal.com/impymalting/

to add it to your friend's page!

Amazing collaboration between Edith Abeyta and Camilla Stacey crunchcandy.

All pieces are for sale-- for more information see Edithabeyta.net

Yesterday was May Day, and there was a lot happening in London. I convinced M to take the day off (miracle!) and we got dolled up. Well, at first he gave me a hard time about what I was wearing-- (M: You're not wearing *that* are you? People can see your underwear. Me: uh, that is the point.) It turns out what I was wearing was not only spot on, but anything less would have been an utter failure in the face of joie de vivre.
( pictures behind the cut )

(more on the parties in another post...)



acid wash bolero, barter/trade-- modified by me
corset-- made by wyte_phantom
bustle-- made by artnouveauho
bloomers-- ebay
striped tights-- little shop in Edinburgh-- almost 10 years ago.
boots-- Payless Kids
Vintage net gloves-- Butterfly Girl, Brentford
Brolly-- brolliesgalore.com

A board game company in Switzerland contacted me and they want to use this image on a trivia board game card. They sent me a form to fill out to give them permission to use the photo-- for free.

They don't even offer a copy of the game as payment.

I have given permission for an online travel guide to use a few of my photos-- they were able to show me the exact context in which my photo would be used, and linked directly back to my flickr stream. Plus the site itself is free to users, even if the people putting it together make money from advertising, etc.

But these people are selling a product, yet they are hoping to use my material for free? I don't get it.

I am just tired of giving things away for free. All those years I worked editing literary journals and putting up with all kinds of exploitative bs around my work, like I was supposed to just be grateful I was getting exposure-- it stops now.

I know this has touched a nerve for me. I took this Swatch picture basically as a joke for friends and now it has 1400 hits on flickr-- I'm sure it would be easy enough to "steal" it. I realize everything I upload to the internet is free on some level. I am just done being good natured about it.

Tonight I made corn tortillas from scratch, spicy mango salsa, fresh guacamole and chipotle black beans. It was soooo good.

My friend Alice's band Arthur and Martha have a new spiffy video out for their single! Doesn't Alice's voice sound lush?

OK so Liza took this video accidentally. I didn't even know my phone had a video feature. Now you can see what a beer dork I am in REAL TIME. And, upside down.

artnouveauho and I went to the obscenity that is Whole Foods yesterday. They were out of or stopped carrying (eeeep) canned chipotle in adobo. I WEEP. I mean, I didn't buy any in America because I was thinking I could get it there. Hubris.

I bought some nopalitos instead and some Dr. Bronners rose soap. Wee.

Some dude from NYC asked us for cooking advice. It was very cute.

And I discovered that despite the rather damning and large Sam Adams display, Whole Foods has a decent beer case. I found some Duchess de Bourgogne-- which is like blood and prune juice-- in a good way. It's the Bloody Countess of beers. razorclaw turned me on to this one in Portland. And i found a Dark Star (yes, named after the Dead song) Imperial Stout...can hippies do an Imperial Stout? I will find out...

Just looking back over my "London" flickr set. There was a time when I was in love with London. I took so many good pictures.

I know we had to move from that mouldy flat in Acton, but being even further out is a buzzkill. I don't go into town as much as I used to. I need to just suck it up and go in, do the flaneur thing again. But it shouldn't feel like such a chore.

TFL has added another bus route on our street that goes to the tube station so I am hoping that will cut time off the journey.

What I'm looking for:
♥ drapey jersey cocktail dress
♥ bright tights
♥ white mary janes
♥ a vintage clutch
♥ a timepiece on a chain
♥ a rabbit hole to fall through

microwave popcorn + nutritional yeast = food of the gods

party!

polished party challenge.

Yesterday artnouveauho, wyte_phantom, M and my friend Hadyn and I went to the Frock Me! vintage fair in Chelsea.  wyte_phantom looked amazing as aways in a sleek corset and this fabulous hooded coat she made.  I found some perfect fitting vintage gloves.  We spotted Yoko Ono and her bodyguard shopping for frocks.  She was rocking the Witness Protection Program chic.

There is another Frock Me!  fair in Brighton-- I'm sorely tempted to go and make a day of it.

I saw this crazy jacket and immediately thought of the Queensferry folk festival where a man is dressed in a suit of burrs and paraded around town. People give him beer to get him drunk as he goes along.

Also, I have become obsessed with flower hair clips and must make myself some.

Spring is inching its way here and I find I'm obsessed with brollies. I just bought this one. I need a hat like that. I wish I could wear heels...I do too much walking!

To wear in her Mythical Beast Sweet Shoppe