Walking into Target today with my rec group, I was greeted by  heavily branded Halloween signage pushing Skelanimals, a new Target exclusive deal. Immediately I was all “OMG, Simone Legno got another deal with Target to do the whole Halloween display! Way to go!” Something wasn’t right, however, as I took a deeper look at the displays and toys, and shirt, and all the other exhaustive merch with Skelanimals emblazed. These didn’t seem exactly Tokidoki, and so I thought that Simone was contracted to design a new line for Halloween, apart from his Tokidoki line. A little bit of research, and I found nothing to show Simone had any involvement with the Skelanimals brand.

It appears the Skelanimals brand, featuring playful skeletony characters in black, was the brainchild of Mitchell Bernal, not Simone Legno. Skelanimals was created in 2005, as was the Tokidoki brand, both in Los Angeles. I’m inclined to believe that Simone was the originator, as he has an arsenal of characters in his brand, and I believe his designs to be straight from his Asian culture loving fabulously gay mind.

Above is an example of Simone’s “Til Death do Us Part” line, featuring Adios, Ciao Ciao, Skelatrino, and Skelatrina. I own every fucking one of these in vinyl; they are so cute.

In the above image, we have a Skelanimals character on the left, and Tokidoki’s Skeletrino. Notice the black fill, white skull, and fangs. Lame.

Art thievery happens all the time, too often (Hot Topic is a major thief), but what irritates me the most is that a few months ago, the same cardboard mod, signage display, every placement of product from Skelanimals, was Simone Legno’s Tokidoki back to school line for Target. Why couldn’t Target give the Halloween contract to Simone? Did he want too much money? If so, did Target say “fuck you then” and went to a cheaper imitation? Simone is a valuable contributor to the vinyl/art/fashion scene, Skelanimals is a tweenage-cute-dead-thing line licensed by a company named Art Impressions Media Group Inc. A quick look at their site and their other brands appear to be conceptual imitations of several other design trends.

I’m pissed enough at the Skelanimals brand, but I’m more pissed at Target for tossing aside a designer, and adding on another line that blatantly borrows concepts from another line that Target carries. Maybe this is why a lot of artists are wary about going mainstream retail, they always get fucked over.

I really want to be wrong about this, I really want someone to tell me Simone has a part in this, that Target didn’t know (HA!) and that this is a big misunderstanding. I don’t think I’ll get that comment.

Awhile back, I tried Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, both dry, and wet, and panned it as Skanka. Well, I’m a bit more open-minded… and since the official launch, I’ve grown quite fond of the little packets of instant coffee. VIA can’t beat fresh brewed coffee, but in places where you can’t get to a Starbucks, like work, camping, or Bradford, PA, VIA works quite well. If you have access to hot water, although it works well in cold water too, then you can set up your very own Office Starbucks coffee Station.

• Go to any Starbucks and pick up a 12-pack of Starbucks Via Ready Brew, I like Columbia, it’s a nice medium roast.
• Ask your barista for 12 short cups. Short is the 8oz cups that they don’t advertise, but have available in abundance.
• Also, ask your barista for the bag of napkins, stir sticks, and sugar packets that come with the Coffee Traveler.
• For $10 (they will give you the cups and goodie pack for free if you are nice about it), you have all the stuff to keep your Starbucks addiction at bay while at work. Life is too short for bad coffee.
• I’m sorry, there is no way to get a badass Starbucks “flower” arrangement like the one I have. It was made by a very talented barista in Buffalo, NY.  I think he only made 3. I’ve had it for a couple years and it has lasted wonderfully.
• If you are able, get a carafe and fill it with hot water and keep it close (the water should stay hot all day), and if you plan on sharing your VIA, you can also get a cold cup from your barista filled with chilly moo, to cream it up.

Not that I’m too terribly interested about the iPhone, but seeing as Verizon is set to carry at least 3 unique Android phones by early 2010, this bit of information came with a beard scratch and a “hmmmmm.” I was recently told very nonchalantly by an unknown informer, who happens to be a Verizon reseller, that the iPhone would show up in his store in February 2010. That’s all, nothing more.  Chew on it, and now let me get back to the imminent Android takeover.

The reason for the beard scratch is this: Android and iPhone are pretty much platform enemies.. and with the recent advertising campaign launched by Verizon, it almost seems like they are snubbing the iPhone completely. Rumors of Verizon carrying the iPhone have been out longer than the now true rumors of VZW getting Android; will VZW be the first step of the mass exodus for iPhone lovers fleeing the constantly overloaded AT&T Network? And if so, is that just a ploy to get them to eventually realize the iPhone isn’t right for them, and move to one of Verizon’s “Droids?”  The Carrier Wars are getting ramped up once again: VZW and “Droid,” T-Mobile and “Project Dark,” AT&T and “We’re still the best, despite when we aren’t,” and then Sprint with “Shit the Pre bombed, um hows that Android contract going?” 2010 will be the year of Android pushing its way into every carriers catalog, and I’m thinking that Windows Mobile will never be able to catch up, and the iPhone will become the Razr of Decade Two.

This is admittedly  biased, but give it a though, eh?

My all time favorite type of food is Mexican. My mom was Texan so we ate a
lot of beans and Mexican rice, but we never had tacos like this. Flank steak
rubbed down with chili powder, cumin, cilantro, and lime juice, left
overnight, then grilled. I love crunchy tacos, but I absolutely detest taco
kit shells; just pick up some white corn tortillas, drop them in hot oil and
shape… I know it may not seem worth all that hassle, but the best crunch
is a fresh crunch. Quote me. #snap

Beth is co-owner of Hero Design Studio (with her husband Mark), a truly talented artist, a style diva, and one of my favoritest gal pals. AND… today is her birthday! Going back to the artist part, when she isn’t dealing me the best in vinyl crack, she’s grinding out gig posters, clever cards, and some pretty awesome art prints. I’m gonna highlight my favorites below and you should absolutely buy one or two or three or all of them! It’s her birthday remember, and money is the best present evar!

Get Well Soon Greeting Card – $4.00 each /$12 for 4-pack

Who likes pills? Pills are awesome, and these get well soon cards are classic and cute, if not to the point. 5″ x 5″ Three color silkscreened greeting card printed on100# Cover Cougar Bright White. Includes a frosted transparent vellum envelope and is enclosed in a resealable poly bag for protection. Limited Edition.

Birthday Cards – $4.00 each/$12 for 4-pack

Once again, simple and to the point, but absolutely awesome. I bought my two dads the “Happy Fucking Birthday” cards, and pops loved them. the card stock reminds me of a yummy chocolate cupcake too! 5″ x 5″ One color silkscreened greeting card printed on 113# cover Gmund Treasury in Tradition. It is a beautiful metallic, shimmery, chocolate brown paper with a matte black inside. Limited edition. Includes a frosted transparent vellum envelope and is enclosed in a resealable poly bag for protection. Limited Edition.

Raccoon Artprint – $20

This raccoon artprint glows in the freaking dark! I shouldn’t have to pimp this print anymore, because it GLOWS in the DARK! 16″ x 20″ Four color silkscreen, printed on 100# cover, French Dur-O-Tone Paper in Steel Gray. Signed and numbered edition of 100. The raccoon’s eyes, the stars and the moon all glow in the dark.

Owl Greeting Cards – $4 each/ $12 for 4-pack

Beth was rocking Owls before the hipsters got a hold of them and said they were cool. In fact: Beth said “Owls fucking rock” and everyone else listened up. for realz. 5″ x 5″ Three color silkscreened greeting card printed on 100# Cover Cougar Bright White. Includes a frosted transparent vellum envelope and is enclosed in a resealable poly bag for protection. Limited Edition.

Grizzly Bear – Chicago, IL / 07.19.09 / Pitchfork Music Festival - $25
You really have to see this poster to know why I love it. behind the thumbprint is menagerie of spirographs, offset just enough to show that awesome hand screenprinted style that makes poster shops like Hero design stand out from the Kinko’s poseurs.  16″ x 20″ Four color silkscreen, printed on 100# Cover Cougar Bright White. Signed and numbered edition of 150.

While these may be my favorite, there is a butt-load (indeed) of posters, art prints, and greeting cards on the Hero Design Studio webstore. They also rock on on Etsy, and GigPosters.  Beth and Mark are an awesome team, I’m glad to have friends/dealers like them.

Just to recap, its Beth’s birthday.. and yer gonna buy some of her stuff right? Good.

p.s. – any time of the year is a good time for buying posters, you don’t just have to wait for a birthday.

I love me a good angsty, comic loving, leather jacket wearing cub as much as
the next guy, but that hair needs to go. Poor guy looks like he has a goatee
hanging off his forehead. I like my boys trim on top, woofy on the bottom…
but then again, hair is meant fer the pullin! #snap

*I meant to post this yesterday but I hit "draft" instead of send and
therefore nothing happenated.*

My good bear buddy Yosiell Lorenzo (AKA ProjectDetonate) never disappoints whenever he drops some new work in my inbox. Right now he has a limited number of Gliclee prints available based off of his “Listen Buddy! I’m in charge here” painting.  They are printed on 8″x8″ Velvet fine art paper (270 gsm) and are available at his shop for $25.00 shipped within the US. They are hand signed and numbered with certificate of authenticity. Oh yea, there’s only 16 of ‘em, so pick one up quick. Do it, and check out the rest of his wares on BigCartel, the very gangster equivalent of Etsy.

update 10/16 – WHOA!!! Yosiell sold out in less than 24hrs… nice.

Fun Fact: Chicago is as far West as I’ve ever been/wanted to go. Bonus Fact: I went to Chicago for my first time ever last weekend. Super bonus Fact: Jonathon Coulton can suck it, as can Paul and Storm, They Might Be Giants, however, rule.

It was a weekend of firsts for me. First trip to Chicago, first They Might Be Giants concert, first taste of real Chicago Deep Dish…

My two travel companions were my loverly boyfriend Jay, and his/our wonderfully quirky albeit difficult-as-an-ass friend Daniel Danielle Danni. Although the trip was fumbled by an overzealous JoCo fan (Danny), I think every little bit turned out into a spectacular weekend.

Friday

Friday was one of thee longest 8+ hours ever in the back of a smelly Prius. I’m not really claustrophobic but I do get the ADD tingles when my view doesn’t change. We all survived and checked into the hotel before running off to Gino’s East, a Chicagoan staple, for some real deep pizza. Deep dish is good, although I tend to wonder why you need to eat a pizza whose only purpose is to send you to an early grave… but then again, I consider butter a vitamin.

Saturday

Brunch was at M. Henry’s, the source of that delicious stack of hotcakes with mango raspberry compote I photo-blogged earlier. I make a tastier candied bacon, but the toasted oats on top of the hotcakes sent my face into foodgasms. After lunch and a quick jaunt into a few shops to find some pillows for Avant Andy, we rolled over to the Museum of Science and Industry. I kept marveling over the Mold-a-rama stashed in a corner, and I may have drooled a bit over the tour guide of the U-505 submarine. Jay is such an understanding boyfriend.  After the museum, we had to hurry to make the They Might Be Giants show, which was at 4. Walking in, a security guard quipped that “no one in the mosh pit over 30lbs.” That made little sense until we made it all the way inside. Apparently, TMBG made a children’s album, which was the source material for the “all-ages” show we were attending, mind you in no sober state to properly enjoy like a normal raucous TMBG fan. Children everywhere: infants, toddlers, pre-tweens… and here we were, downing Guinness like a drunk irish uncle at a family reunion. 40 minutes later, the crowd was dismissed, as I’m sure it was naptime. 3 hours to kill now before this second show, which Danny promised us would be “a Flood tribute show” by this guy named Jonathon Coulton. We went and ate some more deep dish, then crowded into the Park West venue for what would be 3 more hours of nonsense. NONSENSE. Paul and Storm plus Jonathon Coulton do not a TMBG cover band make. Looking around, the audience was composed of nerds far past the acceptable range… I think I have had more sex than all of them combined… those who know me know that isn’t really a far fetched metric.  Granted, Jonathon Coulton wrote the Portal Cake song, but he wasn’t a swarthy homicidal robot. Jay and I actually left before the end, I was falling asleep and wondering how many WoW raids were missing members that night.

Sunday

Sunday we embarked on Boys Town for a little bite of Mexigay, at Las Mananitas. delicious Mexican served with a swish, thanks to Matt for the tip! Believe it or not, I had actually forgotten that Rotofugi was in Chicago, but we made a stop before our trip home. So many Kaiju, so few dead presidents with which to purchase but I managed to snag a little Rose Vampire. I also got to see the last day of the Rotofugi art show and the Artist Brush exhibit. I was very tempted to make off with Tara McPhearson’s brush, but I behaved.

We ended up getting home at around 1am, and Jay and I spent Monday decompressing from the stress of travel. I had a lot of fun, I feel a lot closer to Jay, and I hate the Midwest slightly less now. Kansas… can still suck it.

Our last day in Chicago, and we’re up early…er to get out of the hotel.
Last night was an incredible series of events… from They Might Be Giants
playing an all kids show, to deep dish at a place I can’t remember, to being
locked in Park West with a bunch of virginally akward nerds and Joss Whedon
fans to see Jonathon Coultan attempt a TMBG "Flood" show… escaping that
hell for a pint at a quaint irish pub, then finally a near fatal dose of BK
Burger Shot before bed…. you can see why I need a little extra time this
morning to get ready.

One of my Chicago twitter bear buddies, Matt, recommended we go to Las
Mananitas for a spicy Mexican brunch. That’s next. #snap

Jay and I headed up to Chicago with a friend to see They Might Be Giants,
and brunch is a must for a chilly Saturday. M. Henry was recomended by a
friend and oh my god this is delicous. Mango Rasberry Blisscakes…. yum.
You won’t see this in Buffalo. #snap