Your Dress Would Look Better On Me

My Face Went Into Space

2012-01-10T21:50:00.000-08:00

I'll orbit the Earth someday, but for now this will do.

Keeps Baby Covered All Night!

2012-01-08T17:54:00.000-08:00

Better Homes and Gardens 1935

Betty and Veronica on Saturn: Stupid Girl!

2012-01-08T17:37:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-13T23:53:00.000-08:00

Candyland

Betty and Veronica on Saturn: Wow!!

2011-11-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

Betty and Veronica on Saturn: How Can You Tell?

2011-11-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

Space Stamps

2011-11-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

I have a small envelope of stamps and I don't recall ever having looked through all of them. I'm sure I must have at some point, but I don't remember them. Not sure where I got them from, either. Probably something given to me by my brother or sister when they were cleaning their rooms.

Betty and Veronica on Saturn: Why Safety Belts Work

2011-11-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

Vintage Mod: Bikini

2011-10-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

This two piece cloth sunbathing suit used to be my grandmother's. I don't know if she ever went swimming in the suit, and, if she ever did sit out in the direct sunlight, I am impressed with how vibrant the colors still are. I have yet to wear this while swimming, and I don't like to sit out in the sun for too long, but perhaps it's exactly right for lounging by the pool at the Beverly Hills hotel. My friend Abbie knows how much I like that pool and so surprised me with this lovely towel.

Marlboro ad: Before you scold me, mom...

2011-09-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Advertisment in the book The Iron Gate, a sort of year book for the 21 Club from the '40s.

Idiot Abroad II: The Bucket List

2011-08-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so bloody jealous of this round-headed gump. I can't wait for Idiot Abroad 2. That final clip in the following video, where Karl is on the airplane, looks absolutely spectacular. I'd do that at a moment's notice. Amazing.

Vintage Mod: Vintage-inspired Riding Outfit

2011-08-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Former Munsingwear Employee Tells Stories of His Days at the Company

2011-08-09T22:02:00.000-07:00

This fellow started with Munsingwear in 1959. Before that, he worked at a company called StrutWear. He tells a couple of great stories and even shows off some pieces of his wardrobe that he hasn't parted with in all these years, and even tells how they were made. I can think of a few people who would love to raid his closet! The pieces he kept are fantastic.

I took this video at an event featuring Susan Marks, author of In the Mood for Munsingwear, Minnesota's Claim to Underwear Fame. After she spoke, a couple of former employees stood to share stories of when they worked at the lingerie company.

Vassarette Lingerie Designer Tells Stories from Her Early Design Days

2011-08-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

I took this video at an event featuring Susan Marks, author of In the Mood for Munsingwear, Minnesota's Claim to Underwear Fame. After Susan spoke, a couple of former employees stood to share stories of when they worked at the lingerie company. The visual of this only lasts about a minute -- in the name of better audio, I aimed the microphone of my camera towards her, rather than my lens.

Vintage Mod: Hat Box and Vintage-inspired dress

2011-07-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

Vintage Mod: 1960s-style Summer Shift Dress

2011-07-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Your Big Summertime Road Trip!

2011-07-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

Jump! For giant Robin Hood!

IT'S SUMMERTIME! HAVE YOU gone on any good road trips yet?

When you see a giant roadside attraction while you're out on your travels and wonder where it may have come from and who may have made it -- wonder no more! Just check out Big and F.A.S.T., my 30-minute documentary all about roadside giants.

Happy travels, Chester!

Betty and Veronica on Saturn

2011-05-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Collage from my latest art series. Many more to follow.

Happy Easter from Coco and Indiana Jones

2011-04-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Letter to Ricky Gervais

2011-04-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

A large percentage of Americans don't believe in evolution. The only thing more upsetting than that, I've recently found, is the television talk show The View. I've never watched an entire segment of that show because, on the rare occassion I do come across it, the ladies are all talking at the same time. Maddening. This week I made special exception to watch your segment.

Maddening.

I think you did great fielding their oddly accusatory questions. Honestly though, talk about a pack of horrible interviewers. Now I'm doubting evolution, too -- at least for that bunch of ladies.

Kudos to you, sir.

Sincerely,
Coco

Vintage Mod: 1960s Tall Felt Hat, Natty Blue/Cream Suit Skirt

2011-04-12T18:40:00.000-07:00


Photo by Bunny Sparber

Hat by Lilli of California, skirt (part of a two-piece suit, jacket not pictured) by Four Season Wear, Tailored by Myron Louis of Boston. A coast-to-coast outfit!

Abe Sapien, Skin Specimen Gaffe

2011-04-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

ANY HELLBOY FANS OUT THERE? You probably know what scene this is theoretically from. I made the skin pieces with liquid latex and acrylic paint.

Hypnotherapy

2011-04-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

“WELL, FIRST OFF MR. PETERSON, I HAVE TO ASK. Are you pulling my chain? Are you kidding around here? Because, at $150 an hour, this is a pretty expensive joke.”

Doctor Hanson sat in his office with a new patient. The office had a soothing atmosphere with slate blue walls, a large fishtank, and dim lighting as a result of the curtains being half drawn.

“No, I’m not joking around,” said Mr. Peterson, startled. “Why?” Mr. Peterson had made an appointment with a hypnotherapist as a last resort; he was desperate for help with his addiction.

“So you really have an addiction to sleep?” Dr. Hanson’s arm rested on his chair’s wooden arm rest, his hand dangled over the edge while he loosely flapped a manila folder like it was trash. “And you came to a hypnotherapist? That doesn’t seem a little ironic to you?” And then, in sarcastic tones he said, “You’re sleepy, you’re growing very sleepy.” He even bobbled his head for added effect. He was not going to be fucked with. Not even at $150 an hour.

Dr. Hanson waited for a response with a smug look on his face and was surprised when he was not met with anger and defensiveness. Instead, his brand new patient expelled a heavy breath, his shoulders sunk and he looked down at the floor. “Yes, I really have a sleep addiction,” Mr. Peterson said. He gestured to himself, angling his hands toward his face. “Can’t you tell?” He looked up at the doctor, but did not change his hang-dog posture.

“Ah. So you think I can tell just by looking at you?” Said Dr. Hanson. “I’m not a psychic, Mr. Peterson, but I am insulted.”

“No,” Mr. Peterson put his hands down. He shook his head and again looked down at his shoes. “No, you are not a psychic.” And then his voice grew louder. “I already tried the psychic. She warned me that my life was in danger. She told me to take down the mirror I had hanging over my bed.” And Mr. Peterson then bobbled his head, for effect, right back at the doctor.

“What, are you some kind of a pervert?” the doctor asked.

“No, I am not a pervert. Jeez. It was decorative,” said Mr. Peterson. “It was above my headboard, not on the ceiling. Maybe you’re the pervert.”

“I’m the pervert? I most assuredly am not the pervert, Mr. Peterson. But I do think this session is over.”

“Doctor, I am swear I’m not messing with you. You’re right -- it would be an expensive joke. Can you just let me finish, please?”

There was silence and after a beat, Mr. Peterson figured the doctor had tacitly consented to let him finish.

“The psychic just ended up scaring the hell out of me, actually. And she didn’t even do anything psychic after that. She came out of her trance and lectured me about how I should know better in an earthquake-prone area that I shouldn’t ever hang something that could fall on me while I sleep. I went home and took the mirror off the wall, but then I even moved my bed so I wasn’t under the ceiling fan.”

Again, there was silence for a few moments. Mr. Peterson hoped the doctor would understand that this was him being tacitly ready for a response.

“So she really guessed that you had a mirror over your bed? She was right about that?” The doctor asked with his eyebrows raised. “Wow.”

“Yeah, she was pretty good,” said Mr. Peterson. “I mean, that’s a pretty weird thing to guess about somebody, right?”

“Yes, it really is,” answered Dr. Hanson.

“But you can see how it didn’t really solve my problem. If anything, I sleep even better now knowing I’m not going to die in my sleep,” said Mr. Peterson.

“I mean, let me just say this -- I can’t hold a psychic’s advice in any esteem -- but I must admit that’s pretty impressive. Perhaps you mentioned you were new in town? That would have tipped her off that you are ignorant of earthquake safety.”

“I’m not here to figure out the psychic’s tricks, doctor,” said Mr. Peterson. “But yeah, now that you say that.”

Both of the men fell silent in thought for a moment before Mr. Peterson spoke. “No, I really don’t think I said anything like that.”

“Did you pay before the reading began? Because if you paid with a card and she checked your old I.D. that could have given it away that you were new to town,” said the doctor.

“No, I paid with cash,” said Mr. Peterson.

“Did you pull up in a car with out of state license plates?”

“I parked around the block,” said Mr. Peterson. “I really don’t think I did anything to give it away, but wish I could remember better.”

“Yes, yes,” said the doctor.

“But, really, my addiction to sleep has been seriously affecting my life for months now,” Mr. Peterson said, wanting to move on from the Doctor’s unfocused curiosity. “You’re my last resort. I’ve been fired from several jobs because I’m rarely was on time. I’ll wake up at noon when I should have been at work at eight in the morning, just because I’ll keep finding comfortable sleep positions. Sometimes I’ll keep myself kind of awake and kind of asleep just so I can actively enjoy the sleeping feeling. When I do actually go into a deep sleep and my alarm goes off, I realized I’ve started turning it off without even waking up. When I figured out what I had started doing, I set my alarm clock across the room so I’d have to physically get up to turn it off. That worked for a little bit, but I started turning that off in my sleep, too. Now that I think about it, I may have inadvertently also become a sleepwalker. Oh God, doctor. You have to help me.”

“Well, let me begin by apologizing for being so suspicious of your initial intentions, Mr. Peterson,” said the doctor.

“I really love sleeping,” said Mr Peterson. “I love it.”

“I mean, for a guy who is claiming he’s addicted to sleep to come to a hypno-therapist.” The two men tiredly said at the same time, “You’re getting very sleepy, You’re getting very sleepy.”

Mr. Peterson managed a chuckle. “Yeah, I guess I see your point, Doctor.”

“Well, let’s try an exercise shall we?" Dr. Hanson asked Mr. Peterson. "It will be a simple relaxation exercise -- something we can start with so that you can experience a little bit of my process. We’ll relieve tension in your body, which will then leave your mind free to contemplate my questions in a lucid, dreamlike state. How does that sound.”

“That sounds like a great way to start to me,” said Mr. Peterson.

“Ok, I’d like you to lie back on the couch there, with your feet up, hands at your sides. Close your eyes and let’s take a few deep breaths.”

Mr. Peterson breathed heavily and waited for the doctor to continue on.

“Now I’m going to give you some pleasant ideas to think of to relax you further,” the doctor said. His tone had become much more calm, relaxed, and soft. He turned on some ambient sounds and directed his patient to concentrate. Soon Mr. Peterson was ready for the doctor to proceed with questions.

“You’re new to the city, aren’t you?” asked Dr. Hanson.

“Yes,” replied Mr. Peterson.

“A new city is exciting, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“There are a new set of exciting challenges, too, aren’t there?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell the psychic you were new to the city, Mr. Peterson?”

“Yes.”

Doctor Hanson balled his hand into a fist and shook it slightly in front of his chest as a gesture of victory. And under his breath, too quiet for his patient to hear, he said, “I knew it.”

The Ultramods Celebrate Their First Album, Underwear Party

2011-04-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

IT'S NO SECRET THAT Max "Bunny" Sparber and I enjoy working on projects, some of which we collaborate on. One aesthetic that appeals to us is the idea of "fast, cheap, and out of control." Another guiding idea is that of the mod, or, because we like to heighten things, Ultramod. At some point we will probably legally change our last names to Ultramod during some champagne-fueled fugue.

Until then, we've declared ourselves The Ultramods and we have created something grand under our adopted moniker. It's music that isn't safe to listen to at work, and when you listen to it outside of work, you may be influenced never to return -- you just may turn to a life of throwing parties.

The completed project, Underwear Party, is a musical album of 12 songs that were created entirely on the GarageBand program. That means every instrument is a digital instrument that came bundled in the program. The vocals were recorded directly into the iPad using the device’s built-in microphone.

The songs are stripped-down, noisy, guitar-driven, two- and three-chord songs that are oftentimes decidedly pervy. The Ultramods sing about three-ways, cheap Internet hook-ups, online porn, and the loss of privacy that comes from putting your life onto social media.

The album is entirely within our “fast, cheap, and out of control” aesthetic. And, in celebration of this completed album, Bunny and I threw an underwear party.

Underwear Party is available for purchase through CD Baby and iTunes.

Purchase the album and throw an underwear party of your own. It's fun!

Indy Takes Toys Out of a Washtub

2011-03-09T12:49:00.000-08:00

I like to set up tasks for my parents' Flatcoat Retriever mix, Indiana Jones, to complete.