Les Vacances

In high school, my French teacher once chided me for putting "ma vacance" on my fake vacation diary (what happens to the alternate lives we've lived in our language classes?). I remember thinking, "les vacances" while I was working on it, and then reconsidering it and feeling really proud of myself for changing it to something logical. Because one has a vacation, right? Apparently not - vacations are eternally plural in French.

Well my very much singular fall break is halfway over, but my travels have yet to begin. Frantic last-minute planning fell through, so I've contented myself with enjoying the rare rays of sunshine that have been gracing the city. It's hard to imagine that in a few days (weeks if we're lucky) the unbearable cold will descend upon us and bring the rain and snow and hail and other weapons of mass precipitation.

Yeah, it's been the type of break where you photograph a baguette from numerous angles, the type of break that's a taste of retirement. But it's not over yet; there's still time to see something new. Tomorrow I'm going to Nancy and then Strasbourg to discover a bit of France outside of Paris.

Les Vacances

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Giant Hyperrealistic Lincoln Head Terrifies Los Angeles (Okay Just Me)

I knew there was a reason I left Los Angeles.

It wasn't because of school or wanderlust. It was because I knew, inside, that Lincoln was coming and my worst nightmare was that much closer to coming true.

Hollywood makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji created this hyperrealistic bust of Abraham Lincoln that's on display at the Eden Head Art Festival in Los Angeles. The portrait was sculpted from clay, then scanned and replicated in foam with a CNC machine. From this, several molds were created until the final silicone sculpture was cast and refined by hand.

When I saw this earlier, I willed myself to gather the courage to click on it. Imagine my horror as each photo on the page was more and more detailed, the bust getting closer and closer, as though Lincoln himself were approaching me it's night and I'm alone in a foreign country there's a thunderstorm just pretend you empathize yes I have been told it's an irrational fear.

All phobias aside though, it's really impressive work.

His veiny eyes are staring into your soul.

Sweet dreams.

via My Modern Metropolis

Giant Hyperrealistic Lincoln Head Terrifies Los Angeles (Okay Just Me)

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Japanese Straw Monsters

Growing up, we'd go to the beach every year to see the sand sculpture competitions.  How did it never occur to me that people would do the same thing with straw?

Every year, farming communities in Japan's Kagawa and Niigata prefectures hold a Straw Art Festival, where artists create sculptures out straw left over from the rice harvest.

Now, we've all heard the "3 Little Pigs" enough to ask the important questions. How do the sculptures withstand the elements, let alone babies and dogs climbing all over the place? All the wolf had to do was huff...and puff...and he blew the house down.

Well let me tell you a thing. These sculptures aren't just piles of straw, but wooden frames upon which the hay is laid. (Arguably the little pig also did the same thing but this analogy is spiraling way out of control so we'll lay it to rest like dried grass on an arrangement of dead tree.) Just look at the pretty pictures - that's what the Internet is for, right?

via My Modern Metropolis

Japanese Straw Monsters

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