The Arka Blog

The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles

2015-05-05T13:50:00.003-07:00

This past weekend, my girlfriend took me out to the Griffith Observatory for my birthday. Knowing that I have a fascination with the universe and all of its mysteries, it was the perfect place for me to get my nerd fix. Parking was a pain in the ass, as we couldn't find anything close so we had to park on the of the curvy roads that lead to the observatory. We didn't mind the long, uphill, walk though, because of the nice weather and views it had to offer us.

As we reached it, the place looked small and I wondered how long can we even be here for. But it's different levels and many exhibits had us awed and engaged. Here's how the Griffith Observatory looks before entering it.

Here are a few of the things we found inside.

We have a huge appreciation for Nikola Tesla, here at Arka, and so when we saw this, we geeked out like no other.

These scales showed us the our weight if we were to be on each planet in our solar system. My girlfriend loved this one. -_-

This was my favorite part inside the observatory. It is the view of the projector in their planetarium where they have a bunch of shows teaching us about the universe. You simply have to sit back, relax and look up and around you to enjoy the show.

There were a bunch of other exhibits that have live views of Mars, Venus, etc. Also one that shows how our sun isn't that big of a star after all.

Next are some views from daytime to night time.

Obligatory picture in deep thought while looking at the view.

I definitely want to go here again. I loved it! A fun place to take your family or even go out for a date.

Hauk Vagner

www.arkaclothing.com

The 100 Year Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide

2015-04-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

On Friday April 24 Armenians from around the world commemorated the Armenian Genocide that occurred 100 years ago in 1915. During and after the first world war, the Ottoman Empire, which is present day Turkey, systematically killed 1.5 million Armenians. Until today, the Turkish government denies that this was a genocide and claim that all the deaths were a result of the wars that were occurring at the time. Not only were Armenians effected by this, but so were the Greeks, Kurds and Assyrians of the region. The US government also denies that this was a genocide, however 43 out of the 50 states have officially announced that they recognize the events of 1915. Today, there are 11 million Armenians worldwide with only 3 million residing in Armenia. This has created a strong diaspora that has strong ties to its homeland. Every year we come out in droves and try to educate the world on the atrocities of 1915 and every year feels like more and more people are gaining awareness of our cause. This year however, felt like a major breakthrough. Never have I seen so much coverage of the Genocide. Everyone from Bill Maher, John Oliver, the Pope, and Vladamir Putin were talking about the Armenian Genocide. Seeing 130,000 people, Armenians and non-Armenians, marching on the streets in Los Angeles, my hometown, was very touching. Than to see thousands of people around the world also demonstrating in the streets, the amount of support received throughout gave me goosebumps. The Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum in Rome dimmed their lights. The Empire State Building lit its lights to Red, Blue and Orange, the colors of the Armenian flag. Seeing all this coverage is proof that when people unite, eventually their voices will be heard.
All over the world, we see many people demonstrating for various causes. Unfortunately, a lot of people will tune out the message and go about their daily lives. However, with persistence and patience, it is possible to reach an audience. I urge all these movements to fight on, because at the end of the day, we are all on the side of humanity. Everyone wants a better future, without standing up for what we believe in, change will never be possible. I would like to thank everyone for their overwhelming support and for those of you who have lost faith in society, I would like for them to think about moments like these and realize that there are a lot of good people with good intentions hoping to make the world a better place.

Buddy Bravado
arkaclothing.com

How to curse in ASL

2015-04-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have no idea why this thought popped into my head today but it did and now i'm obsessed with it. All I can think of is how do deaf people tell the world to go fuck themselves. After a simple search, I came across the site Dirty Signs With Kristin and it was love at first site. This wonderful woman goes around teaching the world how to say the most vulgar things in sign language (ASL). So I thought, hey, why not share this totally obscene topic as a blog post.

Here it is folks... 9 of the dirtiest phrases in ASL.

DISCLAIMER::: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO LEARN IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. DO NOT GO AROUND USING ASL PROFANITY OR ANY OTHER KIND OF PROFANITY UNLESS THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU REALLY REALLY DESERVES IT. Enjoy!

Wow! I don't know about you but I learned a lot. If you wanna learn more you can buy Kristin Hensons book "Super Smutty Sign Language" or visit her site mentioned at the top of this post.

Oh and I found this too...hehe

Don't ever say I didn't teach you kids anything You're welcome!

Charles Darwizard

Here are some lessons I live by

2015-04-16T14:14:00.004-07:00

I'm 32 years old, I try to learn new things everyday. I have an unwritten set of rules I live by and as time goes, I add more rules to this list. Some of these rules are just shortcuts to get me through a situation, others are because I just feel that would be the right way to handle myself. So in no particular order of importance, here is my list.

1. Say hello to everyone.
Let me elaborate. Obviously if there are 150 people in a room, its takes way to long to say hello to everyone. However, when I do business with another company, when I walk through their offices or warehouse, I make it a point to say hello to the owners, employees, and anyone else I come across.

2. Always give people credit when its due.
When someone deserves to be appreciated, they should be. Simple as that.

3. Don't hesitate to take blame.
A true leader knows when they are wrong. Acknowledge it than move on.

4. Always be early to an appointment.
This one seems obvious, but I still force myself to make it a point.

5. Positivity is contagious.
Simple things like saying 'Thank you' and 'Please' more often than not will result in people reciprocating. By being nice to other people, you will hopefully think the world is a happier place, a positive outlook goes a long way.

6. Being nice is not the exception, it's the norm.
It shouldn't be a big deal that someone is 'nice'. Everybody SHOULD be nice just for the sake of being a good person.

7. Don't say no to trying different food.
The best part of other cultures is their food. Whether you like the taste or not, at least you can say you tried it.

8. Be well rounded.
Its always good to know a little bit about as many topics as possible. Networking is important for business, having the ability to talk about various subjects can help you relate to people.

9. If you don't remember or don't understand, don't be afraid to ask.
Some people get annoyed when you repeat a question. I don't care honestly. If I need to know, I will ask again.

10. We normally get upset at other people because they don't handle a situation the same way we would have.
This comes down to the fact that we are all different. If you expect everyone to be like you, than you you're going to be disappointed.

11. Never gloat.
Act like you've been there before. Anyone could end up at the bottom of the totem pole in a blink of an eye.

12. Remember the small victories.
Small victories pile up and move you closer and closer to your goal. A building is built one brick at a time. Everyone has had humble beginnings, don't forget what got you there.

13. If life permits, travel.
Seeing how other countries operate differently will be one of the most eye opening experiences for anyone. I'm not talking about going to a resort and getting wasted, which is its own kind of fun. I'm talking about exploring a foreign city and doing what the locals do.

14. Don't dumb anything down.
Give everyone the benefit of the doubt until they prove you wrong.

15. Always show up when you say you are.
Nobody likes a flake.

16. Don't fail at something because you didn't try hard enough.

There are certain times where shortcomings are hard to overcome. Lack of funding, general resources, bad luck, these are things that spell doom for many. Sometimes no matter what you do, you can't get over the hump, however, if you gave it your best effort, you deserve to keep your head up.

17. Don't criticize everyone the same way.
Part of being a leader is knowing how to get the best out of everyone. Not everybody responds to certain types of criticism the same way. The best way to go about it, is to do so constructively. Try to help that person improve, the results will be better and they will appreciate it.

18. Write down all your ideas.
I jot down any idea I have about anything. I feel like if I write it down, thats the first step to that idea coming to fruition. Either carry a notebook on you or download a note taking application on your phone. You never know when a great idea will come along and you don't want to forget it. Sometimes, when I revisit the idea, I realize it wasn't such a good idea in the first place. In a way it allows me filter good concepts from the bad ones. It also reminds you what to focus on.

Buddy Bravado
www.Arkaclothing.com

The Five Random Facts About Nikola Tesla

2015-04-01T10:21:00.001-07:00

Nikola Tesla was a man way ahead of his time. He's had countless contributions to man kind such as the radio, alternating current, and the electric motor. Not only was he a genius in every sense of the word, he had some amazing insight on the world in general. Here are a few facts about Tesla you didn't know.
1. Tesla and Edison didn't really hate each other

Tesla leaving Edison's company after a broken promise is well documented. However this never really led to a grudge. After a fire destroyed Tesla's lab, Edison opened his doors to allow Tesla to continue his experimenting. Their relationship should be viewed more as a rivalry with mutual respect.

2. He envisioned the idea of cell phones decades before they ever were invented

He was quoted saying;
"It will soon be possible to transmit wireless messages around the world so simply that any individual can carry and operate his own apparatus."
Pretty amazing to be able to have this foresight at a time when technology was far behind what it is today.

3. Tesla had photographic memory

He could memorize anything from books, blueprints to inventions, and could work on his inventions purely from his memory.

4. Tesla spoke six languages

In addition to speaking his native tongue, Serbo-Croatian, Tesla also spoke Latin, French, English, German, and Italian.

5. Tesla passed away in the New Yorker Hotel without a penny to his name

His ashes were placed in a sphere because it was his favorite geometric shape and is currently displayed at the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade.

Buddy Bravado
www.Arkaclothing.com

Let me show you how to model

2015-03-27T11:15:00.003-07:00

Since everyone who reads this blog is a die hard ARKA fan, I'm gonna assume you know that we release about 12 new designs every 3 months. And as we release these new designs, we need to take product shots to show you good folks what they look like hoping that you'll go...OH MY GOD...HOW DO THEY THINK OF THESE THINGS?? and of course buy our tees and rock the living shit out of them thus making your friends jealous and less cool.

Now in order to achieve these cool product photos we need a model. Normally we choose someone with at least 65 years experience in the industry but this time we picked a greenhorn. He came in all excited and ready but we needed to teach him how to wear greatness. That's where I come in. I'm the model whisperer! LOL.

So here are the behind the scenes pics of the shoot and my how to model manual.

Any time there's a new model in the house I like to start with some stretches to loosen them up.

My personal favorite stretch is the piggy back ride

Where I plop all 275 pounds of myself onto the models back leaving him paralyzed

After a minor recovery period I ask them what they want for christmas

And give them worldly advice about life as it pertains to the clothing industry

Once they get loosened up, we start with the very basic model stance

Head up...feet apart

Chin up...way up

Ass out....clench tight

Hands on the hips....attitude...I NEED ATTITUDE

Slight twist to accentuate the figure

And stare into the heavens. Obviously our model was a fast learner :)

LOL!!

Our photographer decided to step in and try teaching him how to model using a strange mime method.. I didn't get it.

After which we both gave up and decided to model ourselves.. you know to show the young blood how its done

SUPER SEXY!

She of course let her ego get the best of her

Which made me panic and call an adult

All while "The Cashish" is running business deals from the corner of the room.

Once the dust settled I tried one more crack at modeling the tees myself

So PRO!!

Of course our model got upset for wasting his time and decided to shatter my leg

OUCH!! I accepted defeat, limped off the photo stage, and let my people do their thing

We ended up with 3 good photos.

And this one. I forgot this one. So be honest....who wore it better?

You don't need to answer that we all know it was me. But all joking aside we had a blast. Our model (Mihran) was a bad ass and did a great job. I hope these photos gave you an inside look into our philosophy here at ARKA.

Work hard and play hard....all at the same time!

One last selfie with my photographer Leo! Super sexy...lol

Till next time....

Charles DarWizard

Graffiti vs. Vandalism

2015-03-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

Graffiti is a movement that began before anyone ever even realized it. During the times of the Roman Empire, candidates to become the "mayor" of a city or "governor" of a state would tag their names and a quote on a wall to advertise themselves to the public. They used this method as a way for their peers to recognize their names, so when they voted on a person to govern their city, the individual would remember who wrote their name on the wall.

Now it has evolved to something more. It's become a lifestyle - a movement that brought either praise or jail time to the graffiti artist. You either received a lot of love for tagging up a wall or you pissed off the person who owns that wall.

So what's the difference between graffiti and vandalism? Where is the fine line between the two? Is there even a fine line?

There's a huge difference between graffiti and vandalism. One is art and the other is just really hard to read writing on a wall. Graffiti uses many different techniques and methods to reach its final result. It plays on color and canvas as no wall, billboard, sidewalk, and building door is the same. Vandalism, on the other hand, is tasteless and is usually meant to be as a way to "claim" an area or wall as their gang's or clan's or what-have-you. This type of tagging degrades neighborhoods and really the people who do it as well. It really is just a public display of how bad you are at art.

Here are some examples of graffiti that is indeed art.

Banksy

Swoon

Mac and Retna

Now here are examples of vandalism that is, just, awful.

Alright. So which is the graffiti these critics speak of that wouldn't want it on their business or home wall? People charge when a Banksy or Swoon piece end up on their walls. They literally cut the piece off the wall and either sell it or keep it. Go see "Banksy Does New York" if you think I'm joking. Crowds were gathered around his work and the business owners either sold it or preserved it so people can take photos of them. It was insane.

What people don't get is that no graffiti artist is going to go to a home in the suburbs and tag it up. They want somewhere that will get noticed and has a ton of foot traffic. Urban areas are far more suited for a work of art. If I lived in the suburbs and woke up to see a Banksy on my wall, I might be pissed. Okay, no I would be stoked because I love his work. But the average person would be pissed. Yet when the average person sees it on a brick wall in the city, they adore his work. It's hard to blame them. It really works on a wall that has decay or character to it.

I've read articles that debate what's right and wrong about tagging up walls and it's clear to see that each argument is based on an opinion - not a fact. It's all a preference as to what pisses you off and what doesn't. The same person who would be mad at Retna drawing up his classic typography on their home would be upset if they saw the Mona Lisa framed on the same wall. Some people just don't like it. Others are open to having something like that to come home to everyday or to come to work to everyday.

When New York cleaned up the subways of graffiti, they really just got rid of the gangs and drug dealers that ran around those areas. The true artist still gets around and finds a way to put up their art work on a wall. Basically what I'm getting at is - know the difference between the two and appreciate it when you see something special. It's different when you see a Banksy piece on your wall and when you see some random gang banger write letters that no one can read.

Hauk Vagner

2015 Magic Open

2015-03-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

So just like last year, the good folks at Magic held their annual Magic Open Golf Tournament at the Rio Secco Golf course in February. We had the honor of being invited back to participate again this year and we of course graciously accepted.

Here's the play by play of that day, or at least whatever I took photos of :)

We woke up at 5am and hopped on the shuttle to Rio Secco

Arrived to a bunch of porters waiting to help take our clubs to our carts

While they were busy with that, we got to go enjoy a breakfast brunch

Look at that plate! Someone was hungry

Then we headed out to find our carts

The tournament was sponsored by Bellvedere Vodka and we made sure to thank the good people at Bellvedere by consuming as much of their spirits as the laws of biology allow

I personally started the day off double fisting bloody mary's

Then we jumped right into it

Here you see The Cashish himelf about to tea off

Hauk Vagner showing off some skills

Oh! Did I mention every team got female caddys this year? Pretty snazzy!

But I digress from whats more important...more alcohol!

Which led to awkward chest bumps..lol. But this one was deserved after a nice 15ft putt.

Such power and confidence in the man

We even tried our luck at the $1,000,000 hole....but failed

Here's a good shot of Buddy Bravado. He'll probably make this his background as soon as I post it.

And we ended the day holding hands and riding carts into the sunset

We took a group photo for the future best seller book about ARKA

And grabbed lunch at the clubhouse

Now just like last year we managed to come in dead last but it didn't bother us because we walked out with the greatest honor you can get at a golf tournament hosted by a fashion expo....THE BEST DRESSED AWARD!!!!

That's right!! Feast your eyes on the trophy of kings. We got this awesome keepsake bottle to remember that on that day....we were the best!

Here's that photo of what we were wearing one more time....for dramatic effect ;)

Now we just need to get invited back to defend our title.

Till next time...

Charles DarWizard

I'm a Furry Dude

2015-03-09T11:06:00.001-07:00

I will be the first to say I'm one hairy dude, but in a weird way it doesn't bother me. As much as society looks down on it, I embrace my wolf heritage..... Except when I see awesome tattoos.

When I come across a bad ass tattoo, I contemplate getting laser hair removal just to get one of these guys.

I've compiled some of the coolest tats I've seen in a while. No words, just art.

Check em out!

By far the most realistic one to me is the Gene Simmons tat. The clock with the gears showing and the bear on the chest is cool, and this last one with the oil pump is awesome! The concept and execution are right up my alley.

I hope you got a kick from these pics.

Till next time

Charles DarWizard

The Secret World of Licensing

2015-03-05T09:53:00.002-08:00

So last year the guys and I started looking into licensing our graphics to open new opportunities for our business. Unfortunately, like most people, we had no idea how to approach the topic so we went ahead and started looking online for anything that would guide us in the right direction and sure enough we stumbled upon a trade show specifically for licensing that takes place twice a year in Vegas. So we pulled the trigger and decided to make a road trip out of it. Myself and Buddy Bravado went down for 3 days to see the show and learn as much as we could from their seminars. Here's the photo recap of our trip....enjoy!

So we started the journey on a Sunday night and of course on the way there we had to make a stop at In N Out. (It's tradition people)

After fueling our bellies and my truck, we hit the pitch black desert road for 3 hours till we arrived at "Fabulous Las Vegas" !

We arrived at our hotel at around 2:30am and it was lucky for us that we did. I guess the check in clerk was bored out of her mind and coupling that with the my super polite behavior triggered her to give us an upgrade. We ended up staying in the Hard Rock Suites for $30 a night! I felt like they were gonna arrest us for robbery

The room was awesome, it had a separate lounge area with a TV and bar (not pictured).

And a bedroom with 2 beds on the other side of the wall. I know what you're thinking...why didn't I share a bed with Buddy Bravado? I've known Buddy for 30 years. When you have a friend for that long, and you work with him, you basically hate him and love him at the same time. So ya, I'd rather sleep in the bathtub...lol

Anyways, seeing as how it was still only 3am we decided to go buy a case of beer.

We returned with a modest case of Modelo Especial... and we just chilled that night in the room drinking and farting and making fun of each other....you know, typical guy stuff.

Research road trip right?! My ASS!!

So the next morning we went down, picked up our badges from the registration desk and attended the first lecture.

It wasn't as full as I thought it would be, but the lecture itself was pretty entertaining.

Between lectures we found ourselves at the cantina bar eating chips and salsa and drinking more Modelo.

Followed by more lectures which pretty much took all day.

At night we found ourselves watching soccer games at a German beer house right across the street from Hard Rock. They had set up this cool indoor patio for people to sit around and cheer for their favorite teams.

Oh, I should mention that I'm a crazy procrastinator and that these soccer games were actually world cup games. So ya, this blog should have gone up in June, but I suck so here it is now. I hope you forgive me.

So we drank even more beer (YAY US!).

And ate a giant sampler tower of sausagy goodness.

Not wanting to go back to the hotel, we found ourselves shopping for shoes. (DON'T JUDGE...It's a sickness).

I don't know about you guys but I pretty much buy the shoes no other human would want to wear and rock the living shit out of them. On this trip, I found myself face to face with a pair of Nike Poncho All Stars. They were beautiful in the ugliest sense of the word. But the price didn't agree with my wallet. As much as I love to rock weird shoes, I also have trouble paying top dollar for weird. I'm pretty sure these will be there the next time I go back and I can grab em at next to nothing.

I also found these majestic copper and white high tops but again the price didn't work. I should mention also that I abuse my shoes. I wish I was the guy to take care of his kicks but I'm just not that person. So knowing that, I feel bad buying shoes that will probably be ruined by the 5th time I wear them.

So ya, that day ended and we found ourselves at yet more lectures the following day.

Finally after all the lectures were done we took the opportunity to actually walk the show.

It's mind blowing how much money these companies throw at their booths. The build-outs are larger then life and they kind of need to be because everyone is competing to get attention.

I would say the biggest booths were probably on the entertainment side of the show.

Sony even had the Ecto-1 in their booth. I'm a huge ghostbusters fan so I got a kick out of this.

So we walked the floor for a few hours and called it a day.

We winded down that night at a hookah bar (again it was located across the Hard Rock). As you can see we wanted to keep most of our activities walking distance.

It started pretty normal, but ended kind of weird.

Let me elaborate... So when we got there, we were greeted by a hostess who was very nice and hospitable. From just a 2 minute interaction with her, both Buddy and I got the sense she was an intelligent girl and we liked the way she carried herself. So we thought we'd ask to see if she would be interested in working a trade show booth for us in the future. We're always looking for fun and intelligent people who have good people skills to work at our booth.... But we didn't know that she was a part owner of the hookah bar. So when we asked, it kind of offended her. All I remember is leaving that place feeling like we hit on her and got rejected in a brutal fashion.

Anyways, a few more hours of sleep later we ended up at the show again. This time we had no lectures and just browsed the aisles looking for anyone that would possible license our graphics.

What we found is that most of the booths are looking to license out, and not acquire licenses. So if we wanted to license out, we'd have to get a booth. But then again no one there was licensing out graphics like ours. Everyone was either doing animal or scenery paintings....or licensing characters that they've built a following for. Basically not our scene. Not yet anyways.

On the drive home we discussed what direction to take the licensing of our graphics now that we had a better grasp of how it all worked. And the conclusion was....International Licensing! Lets see if we can take ARKA global!

Till next time!

Charles DarWizard

Barbara Kruger's Influence in the Streetwear Industry

2015-03-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

From its early stages, the streetwear industry took on a rebellious form. It is rooted in the west coast surf and skate culture and eventually absorbed the hip hop scene to be what it is today. What was once an underground sub culture is now a multi billion dollar industry with many major corporate players.
What has always been a staple in streetwear has been the tweaking of corporate logos or familiar artwork and putting the labels own twist. This brings me to Barbara Kruger. Kruger was an artist who used black and white photography overlaid with bold fonts that contain a message. Below are some examples of her artwork.

Does any of this look familiar? It should because two of the biggest streetwear brands today have openly said that they are influenced by Kruger. Them being Shephard Fairey of Obey and James Jebbia of Supreme.

This leads to an interesting case between Supreme and Married to the Mob where MTTM made a t-shirt with likeness to the Supreme logo that stated "Supreme Bitch".

Supreme decided to sue MTTM for this design however I find it funny that Supreme's aesthetic isn't really his, it belongs to Kruger. When Kruger was reached for a comment, she gave a great response with the document titled 'Fools".

So many great things about email. For one, the attached document's title; 'Fools'. Second, calling out both labels as uncool jokers. Lastly, the fact that a 70 year old lady used the word clusterfuck. So good. Its easy to see why Fairey and Jebbia would be influenced by Kruger. Her message is bold, direct to the point and anti-authoritative. Plus her work is features in many art school text books making it even more impressionable on young artists.

After this ordeal, the streetwear industry responded in pure streetwear fashion. They tried to bank off of this because its all about being opportunistic. Got to love it.

So from now on, whenever you look at any streetwear brand, just know that all this was sparked because of a bitter 70 year old feminist art teacher named Barbara Kruger who liked combining black and white imagery with helvetica text in red boxes.

Buddy Bravado

@buddybravado

Arkaclothing.com

Play with your food

2015-02-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

Since I can remember my parents have been telling me not to play with my food, but then again I never had the talent to do what some of these guys do. I've put together a collection of the coolest things people have done with their food. Enjoy!

This pic was probably taken on a cruise ship. These cruise ship artists are amazing!

Such attention to detail!

Star Wars Easter egg hunt anyone?

Bad ass!

So cool!

This is just amazing!

And my favorite is the Colosseum carved out of a block of cheese. I just picture the artist carving and eating the left overs for hours.

The moral of this blog.....The only thing cooler then Art is Art you can eat!

Till next time

Charles DarWizard

Who is the Real Kanye West?

2015-02-13T09:28:00.000-08:00

The year was 2002. I was a sophomore in college and I remember vividly walking into the student store and buying the new Talib Kweli album. At a time when Hip Hop was still about talent, his new album Quality was receiving some well deserved hype. It was a solid follow up to Black Star and Reflection Eternal. I noticed, however, that there was something different about this album. The style of production was definitely different from what I'm used to with Talib. Songs like "Get By" with the Nina Simone sample or "Guerilla Monsoon Rap" with that anthem beat. Those songs had a distinct bite to them and Kweli did these songs justice. I began to look into the production and noticed a certain name pop up over and over again; Kanye West. I began to do some research on the name and noticed that a lot of the tracks I liked from other artists, such as Nas and Jay Z, were also made by Kanye.

I began searching for songs and downloading anything associated with Kanye. That's when I came across "Through the Wire." This song sampled "Through the Fire" by Chaka Khan and it was our first glimpse at Kanye's vocals. The significance of the song was that he recorded it after a car accident that almost took his life. He had to have his jaw wired and he actually went to the studio in that very condition to record the track. I was a little indifferent to the song, I didn't hate it but it was by no means a classic. I was still looking forward to what this young producer/rapper would come up with in the future.

Fast forward to April 2003. I was at the Audiotistic Music Festival that took place at the L.A. Sports Arena. What had started as a shit-show for Ravers eventually evolved to an event that drew Hip Hop enthusiasts because of acts like Talib, Mos Def, The Roots and Big Boi form Outkast. They still kept the trance scene, but that was indoors at the Arena. There was a great energy in the air, Nas was the headlining act, fresh off his beef with Jay Z. Leading up to him was Common, Mos Def, Talib and Big Boi which is a ridiculous lineup. Between sets they would bring out DJ's to make sure the crowds didn't stop bobbing their heads while the following act got ready to go on stage, creating even more anticipation.

By the end of the day the air reeked of body odor and liquor. Talib got on stage right after DJ Z-trip blew the crowd away. His set began perfectly with "Africa Dream," which has a nice intro drum beat that transitions into a rhythmic hypnotizing track, and followed that with "Move Something," which is one of my favorites from his Reflection Eternal Album. After finishing this song he began to speak to the crowd saying that he wanted to bring a friend on stage, so he can do a song. He brought out Kanye West. Kanye was dressed in a striped rugby polo with an untucked button shirt underneath. He looked like he had just come from American Eagle. He also had a Louis Vuitton backpack on, he called himself a backpack rapper which was the new term for conscious rap. The crowd got a little quiet, he began to speak. He said something along the lines of "Hi my name is Kanye West, I hope you like my song 'Through the Wire.'" He got some applause, the crowd seemed to like the song, and when he was finished he thanked the crowd and stepped off stage. He seemed awkward and nervous, not like the showman with the bravado that he is today. In contrast with the persona we see today, he appeared to be approachable and likable.

After reading into his back story, I learned about how he was denied record deals simply because the record companies didn't think he fit the rapper persona. He never sold drugs and he wasn't a gangster. The opposite was actually true. He was, dare I say, normal. With reluctance from Damon Dash, then CEO of Roc-a-fella Records, he was signed to their label. That's when the hype machine started. He began touring with Jay Z and people began to take a liking to this normal guy dressed like a college frat boy that would rap about normal things. He finally dropped his first album, College Dropout, in 2004 which took him four years to put together. It was a masterpiece. It was exactly what the genre needed at that time. The featured guests were on point. The beats, the rhymes, even the album art, everything was great. I probably listened to "Spaceship" a million times.

Through that album Kanye became a full on juggernaut, selling close to 4 million albums. He followed that up with Late Registration in 2005, which was also a solid album. About a week before the release of this album was when he had the whole 'George Bush doesn't care about black people' incident which is incredibly funny when you watch it today. Even then, he was having a difficult time articulating his thoughts and seemed a bit nervous in front of the camera. Not to mention he was wearing another terrible rugby polo.

I noticed, however, that after that incident there was a rather strong reaction from the media. That clip was on repeat on all the major news networks. So with all that press he drops a new album, which again is critically acclaimed and sold close to 4 million copies. A star was born. It seemed that incident changed his persona. He began to speak honestly, mostly about himself, coming off as a guy with a huge chip on his shoulder which, in some ways many people could relate to. He seemed to embrace being the arrogant villain. He was more comfortable in front of the camera, started dressing fashion forward (e.g. the leather skirt and shutter shades). He still produced good music, except for 808s and Heartbreaks and Yeezus (we'll pretend like those never happened), but he just wasn't very likable anymore. I began to wonder if this is really who he is or if it's all an act so people always talk about him?

The reason I write this is because I came across an article yesterday called 'Kanye West is Fucking Real.' You can read the article here. I couldn't disagree more. The author's argument was that Kanye would only compliment you if he means it, therefore it's not really disrespect, it's just him being honest. I'm all for honesty, but there is a time and place to be a dick. The author claims that people are upset only because he didn't give a diplomatic answer. It's a little hard for anyone to think he is going to be diplomatic with Beyonce when her husband is one of Kanye's good friends. So in essence he's just pouting that his buddy lost. Kanye wanting Beyonce to win the album of the year award is an opinion of his. There is no reason his opinion should be valued more than the panel of judges who decide the winners. Besides, if Metallica could lose Rock album of the year to some band called Jethro Tull, than nothing should surprise you.

Back to him being real. Is it safe to say that he realized that by acting polarizing he was gaining popularity? So now he plays the arrogant jerk card to fuel the haters so they listen to his music and find something to hate on and have the Kanye supporters come out in full force to defend him? Perhaps the fame started going to his head and this is his actual hyper-ego asshole personality? Perhaps he's not really a musical genius but actually a marketing genius? Perhaps he's trolling everyone so they constantly talk about him?

Anyways, the point I'm trying to make here is that Kanye used to be a normal dude that wanted to break into the music industry. He used to dress normal and act normal. He didn't say polarizing things, he just made good beats and rhymes. So is Kanye really real? In a word ... NO. In today's environment it really isn't enough to just be good at what you do. You need to create a persona that people can form an opinion on. That's what he has become ... a product of the environment. How else could he sell out arenas and constantly be talked about? This is a result of today's celebrity worshiping society that has awareness of all superficial things but indifference towards what truly is important. All the news networks today headline with some type of celebrity gossip, while all four corners of the Earth are in some kind of turmoil. Whether or not people want to care about a certain topic is their choice, but let's direct our outrage towards something a little more important than a millionaire who probably wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire. No need to get all fired up over any of this.

Don't forget to be awesome.

Buddy Bravado
Arkaclothing.com

Interactive Street Art

2015-02-11T11:49:00.003-08:00

The DarWizard has done it again! How does he find these things?

Who knows and who cares....Right?

The title says it all folks. I just wanted to share some of the photos I found recently of street artists that see the world a little differently then most. This is probably my favorite form of expression because it's the hardest to achieve. You literally need to see the world through the eyes of a child. Check out the images below and you'll see what I mean.

Using weeds growing through the cracks of a street as pom poms.. OUTSIDE THE BOX

Sculpture showing life growing out of a hand....OUTSIDE THE BOX

Showing the world going down the drain....OUTSIDE THE BOX

Comparing a small road passing through a park to a river passing through.....OUTSIDE THE BOX

Shaving a horse to make it look like an xray of that horse....OUTSIDE THE BOX

And my favorite one incorporates a shadow of an object into the art. It only makes sense at night. How cool is that! Definitely thinking OUTSIDE THE BOX

You'll see more of these posts in the future. Like I said, this is my favorite form of art and i'll be posting new things I find as often as I can.

Till next time.

Charles DarWizard

Creative Beer Labels

2015-02-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Good beer makes beer drinkers worldwide happy. It's a plus when your favorite beer has a cool label on it that you can shelve after you drink it.

When you're at the store and are looking for something new to drink, the first thing that draws your attention is the design of the label. So, here's a list of some creative beer labels that will certainly draw your attention.

Arrogant Bastard Ale labels by Stone

Variety of beer labels by Avery

Cerveceria Sagrada Guero Gomez Lager

Variety of Einstok beer labels

Flying Dog beer labels made by Ralph Steadman

Hitching beer labels

Beer labels by Ommegang

Game of Thrones beer labels by Ommegang

Beer labels by Rogue

Variety of Unibroue beer labels

Hauk Vagner

THE Gun Show!!

2015-02-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

Every year, on the first weekend of June, all the major firearms manufacturers head down to a little patch of dirt in Corona California to be a part of an annual shooting fair. The host of this magnificent shootapalooza is Mike Raahauge's Shooter Enterprises. Year round, Raahauges is a standard outdoor shooting range, same kind you'd visit anywhere else with ranges for shotguns, pistols, and rifles, but one weekend a year, it comes to life.

I ended up going with two buddies this year and here are some of the pics from that day.

After driving through a good chunk of farmland

followed by cow farms (that smell amazing)

You see this wonderful sign which lets you know you've arrived

Once you pay the admission fee you arrive to this.... a dirt road with tents on either side trying to sell you stuff that ranges from memberships to gun clubs, homemade jams and jellys, and even the accessories for your firearms can be bought in one of these tents

Once you make it though the gauntlet you arrive to the shotgun range where you can test your luck at sporting clays

They even set up some decoy birds which creep me out because they look so damn real.

After all that we finally arrived to the firing line. Its basically a row of tents. Each manufacturer has their own tent and display the guns you can shoot. All you need to pay for is ammo, which is reasonably priced.

As you can see, the lines are crazy but they move pretty fast

Once you buy the ammo, they give you a small tutorial on how to use the firearm and you all set

They give you two options for targets. You can either shoot at clay pigeons they launch into the air

Or you can shoot at stationary clay pigeons or bowling pins

If you happen to get bored you can check out the Safari club trailer which is basically a giant truck full of dead animals

Or go back to shopping the gauntlet. My favorite booth there btw was for something called a gun stroller

I know people baby their guns but this is a bit excessive

Oh and if you have the cash, you can shoot some amazing guns...like, a CANON, a 50CAL sniper rifle, or even a 1883 COLT GATLING GUN.... the prices are below, if you're interested

So ya, we went, we saw, we shot the crap out of it and came back. It was a fun day and you'll probably see me there this year too.

Charles DarWizard

Arka Sales Promotion on Amazon

2015-01-28T12:41:00.003-08:00

Sneakerboots are Awesome

2015-01-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

For someone like myself, you enjoys the comfort of sneakers but also likes the ruggedness of a boot, there finally is a option for the best of both worlds. Nike is taking this to the next level by using some of their popular styles and giving them an upgrade.
Below is the Nike Air Force 1 Sneakerboot for the 2014 holiday season. I got myself a pair of these in the dark brown color. The soles on these are slightly stiffer than the traditional AF 1 but the comfort is definitely not compromised.

Next up is the all leather Nike Roshe. The sole again is thicker than its running shoe counterpart. I purchased a pair of these last year in Grey. I still wear them all the time. The leather on these are super soft and extremely light making the shoe feel weightless.

Next up is the Cole Haan ZeroGrand boot. After Nike acquired Cole Haan, the stylish dress shoe manufacturer looks to appeal to a trendier clientele. The sole of these boots resemble those of Nike Trainers. I'm a big fan of these.

For fans of the duck boot, Cole Haan also made a their own version with the Trentons. These feel like they are bulletproof and super comfortable. The inside lining is waterproof and equipped for any terrain.

For non-Nike affiliated companies that have top notch sneakerboots, I'd go with Tretorn. These Highlander sneakerboots are lined with fur that not only keep your feet warm and toasty, they also give the shoe additional padding which feels like you're walking on clouds.

Below is another Tetorn boot called the Klipporone. They are very lightweight and have a great military inspired style.

The best quality that sneakerboots posess is their casual aesthetic that allows you to pair them with a pair of jeans, khakis and of course an Arka Tee.

www.arkaclothing.com

Buddy Bravado

Getting Pampered Arka Style

2015-01-12T09:51:00.004-08:00

Arka designer Charles Darwiz had always wanted to get a straight razor shave. So naturally he convinced all of us to get one also. So we found a local spot in Canoga Park California called Executive Cut and Shave.

This place had a lot of great offerings besides their grooming services such as complimentary drinks, billiards while you wait and a bunch of TV's showing whatever games are on that day.

So this is us, to the left is me, Buddy Bravado, in the middle is Shant, who handles our sales and distribution and to the right is Charles Darwiz. Unfortunately, Hauk Vagner, our third Arka designer couldn't join us on this day. I spent about two months growing a solid beard and building up a ton of mojo along the way only to have it chopped off within minutes, losing massive cool points.

Charles Darwiz is really excited about looking like a normal human being again.

For sure I missed this shot.

So we begin.

I wish he kept this.

Here is the after photo.

So the end result is that I look slightly uglier and lost all my swagger. Shant looks exactly the same. Darwiz, well, I really don't know how you fix that. Looking forward to growing out my beard once again. Thanks again, to Executive Cut and Shave for taking good care of us.

www.arkaclothing.com

Buddy Bravado

Absolut Vodka Ads from 1980 - 2000

2015-01-07T14:39:00.000-08:00

Absolut isn't known for having the greatest tasting vodka. It's better to mix it, then to drink it straight. However, their ad campaign from the 1980s saw great success and they only got better and better at it.

Here's a collection of ads from the 1980s to the 2000s.

1980s

1990s

2000s

Hauk Vagner

Woodworking with Skateboards

2014-12-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

Skateboarding is pretty bad ass on its own and when it's mashed up with woodworking, it's as if Chuck Norris' and Van Damme's fists came together and something beautiful was created. There's a Japanese skateboarder out there named Haroshi, who happens to collect old skateboards and make sculptures with it. He taught himself how to work with wood and create awe-inspiring art work. Because of the color of wood and the skateboard, it gives the sculpture a very pop art feel to it. These are pieces that would work great with a modern home or even an art studio that is looking to have a great piece to put on display.

Here's what he has to show.

There's way more out there with a simple Google search. Here is Haroshi's website for my info.

Hauk Vagner

All Arka Tees Now Qualify for Free Shipping for Amazon Prime Members!

2014-12-17T12:07:00.002-08:00

Just Log In with your Amazon Prime account information and get your favorite styles delivered fast and free!

2014 Holiday Gift Guide

2014-12-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

So every year I scavenge the basement of the internet for the coolest gifts I can find for my friends and family. Gifts that usually solicit reactions like, "Who are you?" and "Where the hell did you find this? No one should be making stuff like this!" I usually keep these treasures to myself but seeing as how I put up a post last year for a holiday gift guide, I thought i'd make it a tradition. And to make it easier i've split it up into categories. Enjoy!

Gifts for the house:

Gifts like the death star looking lamp. So cool!

Star Trek coffee table

Birds Nest couch? I don't know what this is but I want one for my living room

And while I lay in my nest i'd like to do some cleaning around the house with this amazing remote control mop

Cool gifts for the bathroom

Your kids will love this...and when I say kid I mean any man at any age

Even though this next Gif has the "Hello nightmares" headline, I still think it's an awesome piggy bank gift for a small child or creepy pervy friend you have that might try to do disgusting things to it

Moving along....PURE GENIUS. What kid wouldn't love this paper airplane gun

I also found some gifts for pet owners, like this gun leash. It's the sure fire way to get your dog to obey

Or this DJ PussPuss cat scratch turntable

Now for the bedroom I found some really cool hangers

And this awesome alarm clock that won't stop buzzing till you shoot a bullseye

For those cold nights I found the perfect gift. A BLANKET TO HAVE SEX INSIDE OF!!! GENIUS

Coming back to reality...You can grab this iPhone case that prints out your photos on the spot

And since Buddy Bravado and Hauk Vagner are gonna read this... I give you the coolest golf cart in the world

Gifts for the Kitchen:

I know I separated this from the Home category but I was to lazy to back and fix it so ya...

I found a bunch of cool cutting boards like this OCD cutting board

This bad ass mario brothers cutting board

And this cool folding cutting board to make it easier to get you veggies in the pan

I also found this really cool juicer for the alien loving lemonade lover in the family

The spartan knife block would make an awesome gift

One of my personal favs.....rubber wine glasses for kids! No but seriously, these would be ideal for drinking wine poolside

And if the woman of the house get wine glasses the man should get these iceberg whiskey glasses

While on the topic of alcohol, I thought i'd mention Snake Venom. I came across this beer claiming its the worlds most alcoholic beer. Its 67% alcohol by vol. NUTS!!!

And to top off this category, I found the most vulgar vegan cookbook. It's called Thug Kitchen

and it has recipes like the one pictured below

Gifts for Granny:

Everyone loves their grandmother so I thought I'd add a section of gifts that would cheer up any granny.

Simple gifts like this butterfly tea holder thing. Whatever it is, its pleasing to my eye and i'm sure granny would love it too

And if you're drinking tea you need sugar. What cooler gift then sugar cut up like puzzle pieces

Oh thats right, the only thing cooler then that is sugar cut out like a Doilie! Granny just fainted

And this last gift is actually for anyone with bad memory. You just slip on this cover on you iPhone or keys and presto...you can track them anywhere anytime

Gifts to wear:

I know no one likes getting sweater as a Christmas gift but I think these sweaters are the exception.

For the Home Alone fan in the house

For the Perv in the house

For the Bigger Perv in the house

This is just hilarious. There is so much going on in this sweater.

For the girl who has everything

For the guy who has everything

Toilet paper earings!!

And you can pair them with this 2-part Jaws necklace. Any girl would love this!

And for the Star Wars fan in your life....So good!

Gifts that are for fun:

I also found some gifts that I would buy for say a white elephant or a company xmas party...like this Bluetooth Glove Phone.

Or this tub of Hair Mayonnaise!! The perfect stocking stuffer.

And finally... Accordion Hero. Whoever this man is??? I like his style.

That's all I found this year folks. Hopefully there are one or two things in there that'll get you in the gift giving mood. Or at least, you'll buy some amazing stuff for yourself.

Merry Xmas in advance

Charles DarWizard

Banksy Does New York

2014-12-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

We mention Banksy a lot on our blog, mainly because he provides us with such great social commentary. Our first office in Downtown LA used to be right next to one of his famous pieces, the girl swinging on the (Park)ing sign.

I used to walk by this every day and I truly appreciated the thought provoking aspect of this. It used to make me think of what other people thought of this particular artwork. Today, unfortunately it has been painted over and it no longer can be seen.

In the film 'Banksy Does New York', Banksy put on an amazing show for 31 days, using New York as an art gallery and the entire public was invited. With each day, there was a huge anticipation for what was to come. He even sold some of his artwork on canvas at a booth in Central Park. Pieces were sold for $60 and are now being appraised at $250,000! Of course people had no idea that those were original Banksy's so only a handful of canvases were sold.

What I find interesting about all of this, is the public reaction to this event. Banksy has always tagged with the purpose of sending a message and bring awareness to a certain cause. What I'm curious to know is if he is happy with the type of attention he's receiving? Judging from the film, it seems like people are drawn to the rebellious aspect of what Banksy does, along with the fact that he is some mysterious figure who constantly eludes the authorities. By orchestrating such a huge spectacle, all that publicity resulted in people seeking a financial gain from his street art. For example, Banksy's Sphinx (pictured below) was snatched by three mechanics and sold to an art gallery.

Another man was charging $5 to take pictures of a piece (pictured below) that Banksy painted in Brooklyn. The odd thing is, that the art doesn't belong to him. Just like how the Sphinx didn't belong to the mechanics. It belongs to the people, for everyone to see and appreciate. Its unfortunate that a lot of this has been lost in translation.

On the other hand, this also says a lot about us as a society. What we humans give importance to. The man charging people to take pictures of Banksy's art was repeatedly saying how he didn't care at all about the artwork and that he would ruin it if anyone tried to sneak a photo without paying him. Even if it wasn't Banksy's intention for other's to make money from his art, it still interesting that there is a clear message being communicated. It shows how he 'gifts' his artwork to the public and allows them to decide its value, whether monetary or emotionally. Certain pieces were revered in galleries, others were painted over by disgruntled store owners. For the most part, there was a strong social reaction one way or another. What Banksy did in New York for that brief period, said more about us than it did about Banksy. If you haven't had the chance to watch Banksy Does New York, I highly recommend watching it, just like everything else he's involved with, it will definitely make you think.

Not So Bald Eagle

2014-11-25T13:11:00.001-08:00

So I came across these photos the other day and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the most amazing thing I've seen in 2014. This type of art is right up my alley.

Basically a photographer by the name of Rene Mesman (my new favorite living person) collaborated with the creative studio Souverein Weesp to create a wild photo project called Coiffure le Bird.

It really needs no explanation. It's just birds with the most amazing hair styles.

Enjoy!

My personal favorite is the owl and not just because the ARKA logo is an owl, but because it truly has the most magnificent hair of the 3 birds.

If you'd like to see more of Rene's photos, feel free to check out his website http://www.renemesman.nl/

Charles D. Wiz