Aviva Yael.

Aviva Yael is to funny as french fries are to delicious (and I am to unfunny metaphors). Back in the good old days she would spend every Friday night at my house participating in an event we dubbed NannySwap Fridays, which entailed the viewing of Super Nanny and Wife Swap as well as about nine hours of silently sitting beside each other on my couch with our laptops, with only the sounds of keyboard clicking and occasional chewing breaking up the quiet. But you know, in a cool, sexy way.

Besides being a former resident of my couch and former fashion editor of Vice Magazine, Aviva is a brilliant writer and comedian whose blog EVERYTHING IS ANNOYING amuses daily. She contributes to Street Carnage and The Huffington Post amongst others, knows more about pop culture than anyone I have ever met, and wrote a hilarious book called No Regrets about bad tattoos. You can buy it HERE.

1. Who do you admire?
It sounds corny, but I admire my family because they’re the kindest people I know, they are intellectual, and extremely supportive of me. But I am truly amazed by Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Raymond Kurzweil. I want to go to the World Future Society’s annual conference to hear Mr. Kurzweil speak this year.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
Perfect boobs?

3. What next?
I have another book on the way but it’s taking me a long time to finish. I get into it, then I drop it. I have a new job starting next month, but I don’t consider work a part of who I am really. It’s my writing and other projects that keep me alive.

4. What is your present state of mind?
I’m a pretty happy guy these days and it seems to get better each year.

5. How would you like to die?
Sitting on the beach in Boca talking shit about all my friends.

This was posted by yasi on the 8th of February, 2010

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Hanni El Khatib.

Hanni El Khatib once wore the same pair of jeans for an entire year. Such is the strength of his resolve, the dedication to art, the aesthetic devotion of this man. One time we went to Jumbo’s Clown Room at 1am and he managed to charm the wayward strippers with the grace of a horse whisperer, even after his friend decided to throw a (motel) room key on the stage during one dancer’s performance (to “Welcome to the Jungle”).

On an unrelated note, I should also mention that Hanni writes great songs, gritty yet melodic, the kind that remind you of something you thought you had forgotten. He claims to make music for anybody who has ever been shot or hit by a train, but to me it’s more music for anybody whose ever just felt like they’ve been shot or hit by a train. Like a hangover, a little sad and somewhat weary, but a lot familiar and little bit hopeful.

If that doesn’t make any sense, take a listen for yourself HERE. You can also visit Hanni’s website.

1. Who do you admire?
The freebird type.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
I never read.

3. What next?
Not sure. I’m going for that day by day thing.

4. What is your present state of mind?
No bueno

5. How would you like to die?
The boring way - in my sleep
The fun way - in an epic knife fight with my arch nemesis. duh.

This was posted by yasi on the 5th of February, 2010

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Lesley Arfin.

Lesley Arfin has excellent eyebrows. This is by no means her most important attribute, but nonetheless it should be known that her face is well-framed. Much like her eyebrows, her talent for writing is more a result of genetics than of grooming. Her writing is funny, insightful, and above all, honest. Her book Dear Diary (based on her column in Vice Magazine) resonates with any girl who grew up in the suburbs of anywhere (except in my case subtract heroin and add Kumon) and inspired me to look up my fifth-grade crush Ben Lee on Facebook (he’s now getting his master’s in Atmospheric Chemistry at a little place called HARVARD so I’m not entirely sure where my taste went downhill).

Other notable things about Miss Arfin: she has excellent taste in music (as evidenced HERE), she has a column in RUSSH Magazine and writes for STREET CARNAGE and is in-training to become a substance abuse counselor (no big deal everyone does that). She also used to be my boss (when she served at EIC of Missbehave Magazine).

Find Arfin’s work at lesleyarfin.com and on her blog Cafe Con Lesley. You can buy her book HERE.

1. Who do you admire?
Cookie Mueller (RIP), Conan O’Brien, Rosie O’Donnell, Tina Fey. People who live and work as honestly and as open-minded as they can so that people like me can keep chugging along.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
Co-dependance, ego, fear.

3. What next?
Everything.

4. What books do you recommend?
Go Ask Dr. Mueller by Cookie Mueller, Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenidides, Growing Up Underground by Jane Alpert, DEAR DIARY!

5. How would you like to die?
Tickle Torture

This was posted by yasi on the 2nd of February, 2010

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Ben Bator.

With Google and Apple hard at work to deny us our god-given right to send completely inappropriate, sometimes sexual, often moronic, and always embarrassing text messages and emails whilst completely inebriated at all hours of the night, Texts From Last Night is working hard to keep the torch of regrettable drunk cell phone communication alive. Ben Bator is the co-founder of the website that archives some of the best of the best (such as this gem from the 847: “just woke up in a hotel room.. realizing its the hotel i work at.. lets see how this walk of shame turns out”). The TFLN book co-authored by Bator and Lauren Leto hit stores this week, and there is an impending sitcom of the same name. I’m not sure how that will be executed, but I’m pretty sure I’ll watch it anyway.

You can see Bator’s contribution to society at textsfromlastnight.com, and buy the book HERE. His personal blog is benbator.com.

1. Who do you admire?
I don’t admire the dreamers, I admire the people who convert their dreams into something we can all enjoy.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
I am horrible at relinquishing control of anything I’m involved with creatively.

3. What’s next?
What isn’t? I always have a few projects, but since last year was so good to me, I’m focusing on helping others this year. Judging by the response people have shown to Haiti, I don’t think I’m alone.

4. What is your present state of mind?
Hungover yet hopeful.

5. How would you like to die?
Either in a explosion/gunfight/car chase involving fighter jets or in my sleep from old age. There is no in-between.

This was posted by yasi on the 28th of January, 2010

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Jerry Hsu.

Jerry Hsu is, much like Shrek, a man of many layers. Besides that whole skateboarding thing (according to his Wikipedia entry,* he was a “skateboarding prodigy” which seems to have something to do with “darkslides,” whatever that means), he is a talented photographer, an excellent thrifter, and arguably the most adept search engine user Google or Bing have ever seen (the images he deftly procures with his nimble typing fingers are truly breath-taking). He’s also really good at the buffet at Sizzler.

You can see some of Jerry’s photography HERE and HERE.

*I tried to amend said article to read “and is widely known as a sex pervert” but Wikipedia
deleted it right away which just goes to show that Wikipedia hates the truth.

1. Who do you admire?
Those tiny little birds that just hang out in crocodiles’ mouths cleaning its teeth. That’s a scary life.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
I’m a liar and I think about killing people sometimes.

3. What next?
I’m getting back on my meds and cleaning up my life. This is ridiculous!

4. What is your present state of mind?
I want to be drunk.

5. How would you like to die?
Being crushed under the weight of my own greatness.

This was posted by yasi on the 26th of January, 2010

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Kerin Rose.

(photo: Brad Walsh)

While I’ve known Kerin Rose for some time now, through the miracle of the internet, I’ve actually never met her in real life. As a result, the mythology of Kerin has slowly built up in my mind. To me, she is some sort of flame-haired amazon, drizzled in sparkles, constantly brandishing a bedazzler, and never ever wearing pants. The woman responsible for some of the most outrageous/beautiful eyewear seen on the likes of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Snoop Dogg (yes, Snoop Dogg) wears sequined shorts to the gym and has more where those lace covered and studded sunglasses came from. (See “severed hand harness bra”).

You can check her work out at www.a-morir.com and follow her funny musings at twitter.com/kerinrose.

1. Who do you admire?
I don’t like the concept of putting people on platforms like that - and I don’t believe in the concept of role models. I have respect for hard working adults who stay true to their character, whatever their character may be.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
I was that kid in school who, in group projects, would do all of the work because I was afraid of someone else fucking up and making me look bad. I’m that way now too. I have to learn to let go and delagate work to others. I can just buy a whip to keep ‘em in line.

3. What next?
A little bit of everything. Some new shapes, and some new colorways on the favorites. a new spin on my convertible shtick; a piece that can be worn as eyewear OR as a headband with equal effectiveness. Masks. A severed hand harness-bra. Y’know, more mind blowing shit.

4. What is your present state of mind?
Always: happy. healthy. go big or go home. getting better. trusting my gut. trying to outdo myself.
Sometimes: hungry. tired. agitated.
Never: scared. wearing pants

5. How would you like to die?
Between answering questions 4 & 5 I found out my eyewear made 3 separate pages of January’s Italian Vogue. Now would be as good a time as any to off me.

This was posted by yasi on the 25th of January, 2010

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JULES KIM.

(photo by Francois Dischinger)

Jules Kim was one of the first friends I made when I first moved to New York City many moons ago. I was (and admittedly, still am) hopelessly uncool especially compared to this gorgeous stylish creative creature, but she was nice to me anyway. Over the years we’ve remained friends, and I continue to marvel at the strides she is making with her jewelry line, Bijules. Launched in 2004, each collection has been more inspired and intriguing than the last, garnering international press as well as a small army of celebrity clients, including MIA, Karen O, Beyonce, Eve, Janet Jackson, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Gwen Stefani, Peaches, Katy Perry, Fergie and Britney Spears.

You can check out her collections at www.bijulesnyc.com.

Check out this video, BIJULES X BEYONCE

1. You recently held two charity events titled “Flip Fashion, Not Humanity” to benefit the Keep A Child Alive Organization. Can you tell me a little about the event, how you came up with the name, and what it means?

Well, this season I am collaborating with Keep A Child Alive in order help support humanity’s natural inclination to help others. I believe it is within good faith to donate yourself to something other than yourself…I have a tattoo on my left side which reads” il faut se preter aux autres et se donner a soi-meme”…Fashion is really not that important! It is the choices we make which are! I chose “Flip Fashion” bc I wanted to encourage a look to the other side of fashion and not the obvious surface imagery affiliated with the industry…

2. How important is your image to the promotion of your jewelry?

Very. I am the face of my brand. i have branded my jewelry based on my life and its style. It is important that my clients see this because they all live similarly- fast, researched, collected, strategic, smart, and driven.

3. Do you see any perils, in terms of long-term sustainability, in having your image so closely associated with your brands?

Yeah, if I get fat, I’m fucked. Haha, well- in all reality I am presently enlisting more people to work with me in order to take some pressure off…it is a daunting task to know that I am responsible for not only myself, but my brands as well…I also am the creative director for a new NY aspirational swimwear brand, a jewelry/accessories consulting firm, special events/collabs, and other appearances…the more work I expand into which does not pertain to my actual image the better- I am a creative brain for hire. Concepts are difficult to understand if there is not a storyteller behind them to explain or enlighten.

4. If you could design jewelry for anyone dead or alive, who would it be?

Grace Jones. I already designed- I just need budget to make it- it’ll be smoking! wink wink…

5. How did growing up in Virginia affect your sense of aesthetics?

I like black and white shit…hehe. Kidding. Virginia is beautiful. I love colors and change. That was everywhere…also my childhood was very free spirited, maybe to my disadvantge bc now I believe I am entitled to anything I want bc I work for it!

6.  While I didn’t choose if for this purpose (more because it’s just so darn cute), I once got in a fight at a bar whilst wearing your bar ring and it was quite helpful. Was this one of your intended uses of the ring?

Shit yeah, any use was intended. My work has many intentional, pun–inspired uses…drugs, fighting, fashion, letter opening, lock cracking, makeup applying…

7. What is your favorite material to work with?

Silver. Gold if I’m lucky.

8. Put me on to a great book, a delicious restaurant, and a new artist worth checking out:

I’m embarrassed at my reading roster right now because it is not extracurricular or fun…all business- simple strategic planning but if you want something interesting, Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich…Barbara dives into the trenches of the minimum wage workclass to document the impossiblities of survival on the lowest of low hourly pay…our economic system is baaaaaaad. A delicious restaurant is Bacaro on Division and Orchard…yummy Italian food and amazing wine selection. An artist to check out is my homie, Francois Dischinger. http://francoisdischinger.com/#p=style…check out 5/52 and on! He is an amazing photographer!

9. What is your present state of mind?

Hurried, rushed, trop caffeinated, multi-tasked out, yet calm and diligent. It is naturally the state of mind I am perpetually in these days…

10. How would you like to die?

Peacefully.

This was posted by yasi on the 24th of December, 2009

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Angela Boatwright.

(photo: Brandee Brown)

Angela Boatwright is one of my favorite photographers working right now. During her time as Creative Director at the now defunct Mass Appeal, she put together amazing projects with the likes of the Beastie Boys and Ed Templeton, and subsequently has done editorial work for magazines like W, Vice, and Nylon. All her work has this great sort of fuck you quality, and come to think of it, so does she. She also knows more about metal than most music critics and while I have no proof of this, I suspect she can shotgun an O’Douls in under 3 seconds. She’s just that cool.

You can find more of her work at http://angelaboatwright.com and on her blog.
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1. What was the best part about growing up in the midwest (besides $1 beers at the bar and a collective affinity for mayonnaise)?

OH MAN. I CAN NOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH I HATE MAYONNAISE. Hate, hate, hate.

2. Top 5 metal albums that came out between 1982 and 1987. Go.

Okay - I can approach this one of 2 ways. Either I can write down what the best LPs were from this era as per what a critic would say/ an overall assessment or I can write them down in order based solely on my opinion. For example “Reign in Blood” probably deserves to be #1 but I’m gonna go with “Appetite…”

Also - I could answer this as me in 1989 or me now. I guess I’ll go with what I think now. If I had answered this in ‘89 “Back in Black” would have been listed instead of “Pyromania” and the Maiden LP would have been “Somewhere in Time”.

1. “Appetite for Destruction” - GN’R
2. “Pyromania” - Def Leppard
3. “Reign in Blood” - Slayer
4. “Ride the Lightning” - Metallica
5. “Number of the Beast” - Iron Maiden (at this point I prefer Paul Di’Anno Maiden however both LPs he sang on came out before ‘82 - I mean Iron Maiden’s s/t LP is probably top 10 of all time.)

3. If you hadn’t become a photographer, what profession do you think you’d be in now?

I’d be playing guitar, I guess or something in production or teaching. The older I get the more I’m convinced that I was meant to be a photographer. And I mean that in the most un-romantic way possible.

4. I saw pictures of you in high school on your Facebook and basically I need you to give me all those clothes. Do you still have them?

I wish. Shit. My step-mom tanked all my t-shirts in the early ’90s (to the best of my knowledge) as well as all my posters. Some of the stuff I gave away when I got really into Dinosaur Jr. etc. I do have one Ratt t-shirt that remains in my collection, other than that everything else is gone. I have all my vinyl though.

5. Who has been your all-time favorite subject thus far?

There are lots. Scott Gorham from Thin Lizzy was beyond incredible. I love shooting JR - she’s always a blast. Everyone I know from Rhode Island over the past 5 years… DJ AM was awesome, The Donnas, DJ A Trak, Kembra from Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black… I got to photograph the guitar players for Def Leppard a few years back - my hands shook the entire time.

6. I heard you’re in the process of breaking into documentary film-making. Can you tell me a little about that?

hahaha… I’m getting into film, yes. Slowly. I have ideas - I’ll just say that for now.

7. If you could go on a date with either Rob Zombie, Mike Patton, or Lemmy, who would it be and where would you go?

Rob Zombie? How did he get thrown in there? Every single one of my friends is gonna kill me but I’m gonna say Mike Patton. He’s amazing although I’m pretty sure I’m not his type. Can I say Mark Slaughter/ Vinnie Vincent era only?

8. Put me on to the best new metal band, an interesting website, and the best bar in your hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

Bar? The obvious is the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. This is the metal bar that I grew up in and it still exists to this day. We spent many nights hanging out in the parking lot waiting for some ‘local band’ member to come outside and get us into the show (we were waaay underage). I think most of my friends that still live in Columbus associate the Alrosa with total trash, however. My best friend works at Bodega so I’ll say that. It’s a restaurant but whatever…

Website? I check this and Facebook everyday. Not much else. Be forewarned as it is of ill humor:
http://www.bastardsquadron.com/

As for new bands, I’m just gonna run down the list of sick homies as most of the music I’ve been listening to lately isn’t metal at all…
Early Man, Toxic Holocaust, Atakke, Battletorn, Holy Grail, Space Vacation, Valient Thorr, Dead Sea, Skeletonwitch, Demassek, Natur and Barn Burner

9. What is your present state of mind?

Slightly jet-laggish.

10. How would you like to die?

Never. Can I say that?

This was posted by yasi on the 23rd of October, 2009

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Lindsey Thornburg.

Lindsey Thornburg is an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a gorgeous cloak. Raised in Aspen and based in New York City, Miss Thornburg creates magical wearable cocoons and counts the likes of Devendra Banhart as fans. She tells some of the worst jokes I have ever heard but I’d still share a bottle of sake with her any day.

You can find her cloaks at http://www.lindseythornburg.com/.
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1. Cloaks tend to carry a dark and somewhat mysterious connotation. Wizards, the KKK, secret societies, Free Masons, Gargamel, Obi Wan Kenobi, several of the Fraggles etc. So, why cloaks?

Wait, Fraggles wore cloaks? Sick.

Just kidding..kinda. I’m drawn to the silhouette of a cloak because the structure is a half circle, leaving no construction lines to interfere with the fabric. I love being able to use uninterrupted unusual textiles and prints. Not to mention there is something indescribably comfortable about the cocoon effect of a cloak.

2. How did studying philosophy impact your take on design?

By giving me the confidence to question everything.

3. Other than yourself, is there one person who perfectly embodies your designs?

Chase Cohl (singer/ songwriter, accessories designer)
Meryl Smith (artist)

4. What’s your take on fast-fashion - the quick turnaround, low priced designs coming from the likes of Forever 21, Zara, H&M and Topshop?

For me fashion is about transforming a feeling. You can truly feel the soul and love when artistic intent is put forth into a garment. The ‘throwaway’ market lacks artistic integrity, which I find to be the motivation behind my designs. These uber stores are primarily about business, which essentially can leave you feeling unoriginal… not a sound investment in my book.

5. What or where is the strangest thing or place you draw inspiration from?

Mary Kate Olsen

6. If you could choose one other era to live and work in (for example, I might choose late 70s in New York), when would it be and why?

I like now… I’m just getting use to it, you know?

7. Do you have plans to expand your line outside of cloaks?

I will be showing a full collection for fall 2010.

8. Put me on to a great song, a great artist, and a great store:

What would I want (sky?) - Animal Collective BBC Sessions,
Kevin Long
Maryam Nassir Zedth

9. What is your present state of mind?

Sunny and 72 with a slight chance of thunderstorms later this evening.

10. How would you like to die?

I don’t want to get into the perfect spectacular hang gliding accident right now.

This was posted by yasi on the 20th of October, 2009

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Hey, Bunny.

Oscar Wilde once said “Questions are never indiscreet, answers sometimes are.” With that pretentious literary quote out of the way, let me welcome to you Hey Bunny on the POP blog. This blog will be a little bit contingent and a lot haphazard, and will consist of pictures, thoughts, and ten (never indiscreet) question interviews with interesting, infamous, and occasionally ill-tempered people. I myself am thoroughly boring but as a gesture of good will have interviewed myself for this first post. These questions are modified from the Proust personality questionnaire, and if that doesn’t make you loathe me I don’t know what else will. Here we go:

1. What is your favorite virtue?
wit.

2. What is your biggest flaw?
wit.

3. What are your favorite qualities in a man?
sincerity.

4. What are your favorite qualities in a woman?
sarcasm.

5. What is your idea of happiness?
semi-seclusion and an ebony wood library.

6. What is your idea of misery?
talking about the weather.

7. Who is your muse?
stevelee.

8. What is your present state of mind?
naive melody.

9. How would you like to die?
with no parentheses.

10. What is your motto?
“I don’t care what anyone says about me as long as it isn’t true.”
-Dorothy Parker

This was posted by yasi on the 20th of October, 2009

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