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Our Summer 2010 issue is out! Here’s a sneak preview of all the good stuff inside!
From Subculture to Popular Culture: The New Rhythm Nation
Story by Teena Apeles
Millions of people are embracing Asian American dancers in a way like never before, as numerous groups and individuals are making their mark in the industry as bona fide stars, renowned choreographer and leading innovators.
The Jabbawockeez, winners of the first season of the hit MTV reality competition "America's Best Dance Crew." Photo courtesy of Jbwkz.
The hit television shows America’s Best Dance Crew and Dancing with the Stars have helped propel such crews as the Jabbawockeez, Kaba Modern, Quest Crew and Poreotix into the spotlight, and rewarded the undeniable grace of Olympians Kristi Yamaguchi and Apolo Ohno off the ice. Asian American dancers and performers have also been seen in prominent roles on the big screen in Take the Lead and Step Up 2, as well as the upcoming sci-fi dance film Boogie Town.
Arnel Calvario, founder of Kaba Modern, couldn’t be more pleased by the visibility Asian American dancers have today. During the ’80s and early ’90s you could pretty much count on one hand the number of Asian American dancers appearing in mainstream media. He mentions Nia Peeples from Fame and then-unknown Carrie Ann Inaba as one of the Fly Girls on In Living Color.
It’s not that Asian Americans weren’t actively involved in the dance scene then. “Asian Americans had such a strong presence in underground street dance,” adds Calvario, “with so many poppin’ and breakin’ crews comprised of many Filipinos and other Asian ethnicities since back in the ’70s and ’80s.” But as far as the average American was concerned, there was no such thing as an Asian American urban dance culture, and in a sense that was true.
Before Calvario started Kaba Modern at the University of California, Irvine in 1992, formalized Asian American college crews didn’t exist. “Other Southern California college dance companies such as PacModern, Team Millennia and CADC popped up years later,” he says. “Culture Shock as a national dance organization was growing, and there were several other notable crews such as Jedi and Chain Reaction up in Northern California.”
This movement continued to thrive as more crews started to form, develop their choreography and showcase their dancing prowess at competitions throughout the country.
To catch the entire article, featuring interviews with Ben “B-Tek” Chung of the Jabbawockeez, Mike Song and Arnel Calvario of ABDC runner up Kaba Modern, and hip hop dancer Asako Hara, get our Summer Issue here!
Remember the owl trend a while back? Owls on pendant necklaces, owl prints … it was all about the owl.
Think about this as an update on the owl. Tiffany Lee’s “Golden Hero Beardo” mirrored Lucite necklace is actually in the shape of a mustache and Brad Pitt-worthy beard. It’s ambiguous — and bold — enough to serve as a great conversation starter. And if nothing else, it’s the perfect way to discreetly check if you’ve got anything in your teeth after dinner.
KidViskous "Golden Hero Beardo" necklace.
KidViskous "Golden Hero Beardo" necklace also comes in silver and black.
ISSUE: Summer 2010
DEPT: THE AWFUL TRUTH
GOING THE DISTANCE
Paul Nakayama says long-distance dating can be A-OK. Guest columnist Far East Movement sees things a little bit differently.
Far East Movement. Photo by Paul Sun/The Social Trust.
PAUL SAYS
Whenever I go to karaoke (which is far too often for someone my age) I’m reminded of one of my personal greatest weaknesses — I can’t rap for spit, not even the easy Sesame Street ones meant for toddlers. I was always convinced that if I could just overcome this one hurdle, I would be surrounded by dozens of googly-eyed girlfriend candidates drawn to the masculine rhythms of rap as opposed to my Glee show tunes. And so when I had a chance to hang out with the boys of Far East Movement (FM) and see all the love they got from the ladies, I was surprised to learn that they have love maladies of their own — the issues of dealing with long distances. It’s my job, then, to let them know how good they got it. Long distance is not so bad, and can even be the perfect litmus for a relationship.
If you take a glance at my dating portfolio, you’ll notice a couple of things, besides the fact that it can fit into a fortune cookie. One, my relationships were almost all long term, and two, they almost all transitioned into long-distance relationships. Now, most of you would probably interpret this to mean that my girlfriends were forced to move to another state or country to escape my grasp, and some of you punks might be right. But my interpretation for this trend is that life is short and ever changing, and if you’re like FM, you’ve got to take to the road if you want to realize your ambitions. That means that in any relationship, there is a remarkable possibility of being separated by work or family or crazy 2012 earthquakes. This means, of course, that you either survive the distance or don’t. And me, well, I’m writing a relationship column while being almost monk-like single, so take a guess at my track record.
As painful and frustrating as long-distance relationships can be, I was always subconsciously drawn to them on some molecular level. My former roommate and I would have a running ritual whenever I traveled to another country. He’d say, “Don’t come back with a girlfriend!” I’d promise not to, even pinky swearing despite his homophobic protests, and yet a week later, I’d come home professing that I’d found love. I idealized these girls from Farawaynia, found everything to be marvelous and disregarded anything that resembled straitjackets. I’d fly home, thinking, “For her, I could do the whole long-distance thing.” But truth is, it never lasted very long or went beyond phone calls and IM chats that started and ended with “How was your day?” And why should it last? There was never a real connection strong enough to begin with that could sustain a relationship beyond the superficial.
Despite my failures with long-distance relationships and knowing logically that they’re unlikely to work, I’m still drawn to them … because of the “what ifs.” What if it did work? Would that make her The One? I hate drama as much as I hate mayonnaise or reality TV, but I suspect that I’m constantly finding myself in long-distance relationships because it’s the ultimate test. If you can survive living six hours apart, then you can survive petty arguments, jealousy and probably zombie attacks, because you will trust each other. I guess when I’ve been with a girl for a long time it’s good to know that we can survive anything, if we try. Of course, the problem is, most people I’ve dated didn’t really want to try. Hold on a sec while I wipe my tears with this here fiddle.
Now, the good news is, if the relationship is going to fail anyway, at least with a long-distance relationship you’ve got plenty of free time to do the things you want to do. I went out with my friends if I wanted. I’d spend Friday nights playing hours and hours of video games in my underwear while I stuffed my face full of Red Vines and drank eight liters of Mountain Dew. I’d dance along with America’s Best Dance Crew while eating out of a bucket of fried chicken. I’d choose to watch Bruckheimer over effing Nicholas Sparks. But, if we were living together and the relationship still went sour, well, then I suffered Letters to Juliet for absolutely nothing, and my soul would have a gaping hole in it the shape of a vagina. Yes, I know. Nicholas Sparks brings out the worst in me.
It’s hard being separated and making real relationships work. It takes more energy to send real love when you’re spanning hundreds of miles. But if you can survive it, then that’s good love right there, and that’s not something easily distilled. In my book, long distances aren’t necessarily non-starters for a relationship. Actually, in some ways, it’s a true starter because you have to really want it, and you’re forced to compromise to get the things that matter. And if you mess up, at least you’ve got a head start on running away or the time difference to think of an apology. There are worse things than being in love with someone on the other side of the planet … falling out of love with someone on the other side of the bed, for one. Hearing me rap is another.
FAR EAST MOVEMENT SAYS
Tour life is a dream. You’re so removed from all immediate worries like bills, responsibilities and the general stress of everyday life. No one really knows you when you enter a city, and no one really knows you when you leave the next day. It’s just you and your best friends, going to new places, seeing new things and creating new memories. Life on the road is all we really know so when it comes to romance and relationships, what we know is quick and from a distance. A few of us have had long relationships with girls we might have loved or maybe still do, but keeping those relationships might be harder for us than getting a hit song on the radio.
Over the years we’ve learned good women need good attention, and good intentions don’t take the place of immediate action. We’re going to keep names out of this because we value our privacy, but we can each give examples from our lives for days on end. We’ll tell a few stories, so you know what we’re talking about.
One of us had a girl he wanted to ultimately marry. His mission was to do anything he could to be successful in the music business. He wanted the chance to be able to take care of her for the rest of her life. Extra late nights at the studio, months on tour, and all the hard work were motivated by wanting to take care of this girl and create a family. In the end, however, great intentions don’t make up for being around for things like cooking dinner or the holidays. Slowly that relationship turned to resentment and eventually died. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t make up for lost time. Buying a stuffed animal in every city stop or staying faithful through any temptation don’t counter the feelings a girl gets when her man is away.
Then there’s the flipside to this in FM. One of us has been able to keep a great relationship going like a Duracell battery. For a relationship to last with careers like ours, it takes two people that understand each other better than they understand the English language. This understanding is what allows for crazy trust, which will get you through the lowest, darkest times. We’re constantly away for months, but as soon as we step off the plane in L.A., she’s there to pick us up. Immediately, they chat like he never left. A relationship like that gives us all hope, but to earn what they have, you’ve got to endure more turbulence than our last flight to Tokyo. It takes a strong man to stay true to his woman at a club across the country or overseas, but it takes a stronger woman to trust that man.
As touring artists, we know the single life oh so well. When we were younger, people would always suggest finding a girl quick. Once our careers took off, it would be impossible to find someone who could understand our schedule without having that history in place. Late-night recording sessions, impromptu meetings, booze-fueled shows at nightclubs, tours that last for months can all spell trouble for a budding relationship. In this lifestyle, you always catch yourself looking out the window of the tour bus for your own Penny Lane, like the character from Almost Famous; someone who enjoys freedom and is willing to accompany you on the road. But most girls that we’re drawn to usually have day jobs or school they can’t leave behind. And, besides, we can’t bring anyone with us on the road, because space is tight and limited only to people who own a meaningful role on the tour. But the single life doesn’t necessarily mean we are lonely when it comes to the ladies. We meet some extraordinary girls that sweep us off our feet. It just means we haven’t been able to build that thing called “love” into a relationship. Maybe the time just isn’t right yet.
We love what we do and wouldn’t trade it for the world. Over the next few years, finding a balance between our dreams and our relationships will be essential to keep us inspired and movin’ like a Movement. We have a saying that we, the Far East Movement, are “Free Wired” … and we need girls who are the same. A “Free Wired” girl is supremely comfortable to wild out and just be herself. She’s wired not because she parties all night, but because she’s able to stay connected to us. Her communication skills are off the hook. It’s a free and full exchange in getting to know one another. If you run across one of us someday and want to get to know us, live free and stay wired.
Love Far East Movement? We sure do. Not only did Audrey writer (and Awful Truth columnist) Paul Nakayama get to hang out with the boys in Tokyo during their world tour with Lady Gaga (and lived to tell us about it), he got them to open up their hearts and spill their secrets about dating long distance in our Summer Issue‘s Awful Truth column.
Here, we give you a sneak peek of the goods:
Hip-Hop Groundswell by Paul Nakayama
Far East Moment is tirelessly trying to bring their brand of hip-hop and electronic music to the masses from the group up — and it’s working.
Far East Movement. Photo by Paul Sun/The Social Trust.
It was a fortunate coincidence that brought me to Tokyo the same week that Far East Movement (FM) was opening for Lady Gaga during the Japan leg of her world tour. The group members were kind enough to offer tickets to the show. As they hit the stage in LED-illuminated astronaut helmets, the crowd went from warm to wild for FM’s unique and infectious dance blend of hip-hop and electronica. I stood up and looked around the enormous Yokohama Arena. It was a proud moment to see these Los Angeles natives performing to a sold-out show on the other side of the world. Just last year, I danced whenever I heard their single in a club. “This is my jam,” I told my friends. Never mind that my song was “Girls on the Dance Floor.”
It’s 2 a.m. in a back-alley bar in Shibuya, Tokyo. I’m sipping on cheap whisky as a permanent cloud of cigarette smoke looms over us. I’m with FM and their producers, the Stereotypes, as we celebrate the last night of the tour. There’s a lot of chatter, because just an hour earlier, they had to evacuate their hotel due to a ruptured gas line. In the corner, a woman is passed out with a dog in her lap. Our bartender spontaneously decides to take off his clothes and spin on a stripper pole that magically appears. This interview starts rolling against the chaotic backdrop of Tokyo by night. Witnessing FM’s old-fashioned hard work inspired me to dig deeper with Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Splif and DJ Virman. You see, just four hours earlier, I saw them hustling outside the Arena, converting a sea of Lady Gaga lookalikes into new fans, and I needed to hear their story.
Want to read more (and find out Far East Movement’s take on long distance relationships)? Get the inside story in our Summer 2010 issue, available here.
Famed author Chang-rae Lee is out with yet another stunning novel, The Surrendered. In our Summer Issue, out now, Audrey book reviewer Susan Soon He Stanton reviews the work and talks to Lee about his father, the Korean War and The Iliad.
They Could Be Heroes by Susan Soon He Stanton
Reviewer Susan Soon He Stanton says Chang-rae Lee’s The Surrendered is an engrossing tale of the effects of war.
Author Chang-rae Lee.
Chang-rae Lee opens his fourth novel with the words “the journey was nearly over.” A curiously misleading start to an epic tale which moves from 1934 Manchuria, the aftermath of the Korean War, and New York in the 1980s. Lee spent nearly six years crafting The Surrendered and his uncanny gift of describing the war-ravaged countryside of Korea can make the reader forget Lee himself is not a war survivor. Inspired by a memory of his father’s, Lee turns his attention to the aftermath of the war, creating characters that are profoundly shaped by acts of shocking violence and loss. The result is a haunting story of endurance: survival at a cost.
Find out more about The Surrendered and Chang-rae Lee’s own insight into his latest work of art in our Summer Issue, available here.
Like with a fair number of brand new trends, I cocked a wary eyebrow when I first saw the platform clogs — yes, straight out of the ’70s, bona fide clogs, with the domed nail heads and everything — at the Chanel spring 2010 show.
Chanel clogs, spring 2010.
But, I have to say, fast forward several months and now i think there’s something appealing about the clog and other “ugly” shoes. After all, after seasons and seasons of giant, chunky, sculpturally impossible to wear platform heels, we all did a double take when we saw Marc Jacobs sending his models down the runway in — gasp! — kitten heels!
Lakshmi Menon in Banana Republic spring 2010.
Tao Okamoto in Banana Republic spring 2010.
But as everything in fashion, our eyes adjusted and now not only kitten heels, but maxi skirts, slides and mules are suddenly looking mighty appealing once again.
Take the simple clog-like slide. It works as office wear quite nicely, as seen on Indian model Lakshmi Menon and Japanese model Tao Okamoto at Banana Republic‘s spring show. Zara showed a dark brown woven version and a pointed toe mule in its spring collection, which works just as well with a simple linen shirt dress as cut-off shorts.
But the beauty of the clog, the wedge and the slide is that while you still get the height when wearing a short, flirty romper or mini, the clunkiness and heft “grounds” an otherwise flitty, flowy look, preventing it from looking too done up. A look from Zara’s summer look book shows a perfect example:
A look from Zara's summer collection.
Chanel Iman in Banana Republic, spring 2010.
Zara tasseled clogs.
Indeed, spring’s clog works with so many different looks and styles, virtually anyone can pull it off. The tasseled clogs Zara included in its spring/summer collection — with the oversized pleated panel, perfectly preppy tassels, cognac leather and chunky wood platform heel — is the perfect blend of the preppy shoe and a clog.
And I love the orthopedic-inspired clog wedge, with it’s Dr. Scholls-esque straps and chunky platform.
Zara wedge clogs.
Undoubtedly, I can go on and on about my theoretical love for the clog and its ilk, but it wasn’t until I actually tried on a pair that I discovered Karl Lagerfeld’s genius for myself.
Chanel clogs, spring 2010.
No, I wasn’t able to get my hands on the wait-listed, coveted Chanel clog. But I did get a pretty good second best.
Alice + Olivia for Payless clog.
Not only is the Alice + Olivia for Payless “Hampton” studded clog super comfortable and so wearable, but for $40, I don’t think it gets any better. This is the shoe I’m living in all summer.
That is, until fall comes rollin’ around. I’m gonna have to dig up those ’90s kitten heels …
More clogs, wedges and slides after the jump. Continue Reading »
The guys behind My Ninja!, Korean Americans Peter Rocks and Sam Hong, are all about a positive message, and that message is this: “We love. We live. We balance. We forgive. Repeat.”
Founder and creative director Rocks glommed onto the name while touring the U.S. as a musician a few years back. “As the only Asian on tour, people began to call me ‘My Ninja!’” he says, as a play on “my n****.” And it stuck. Rocks decided to take a negative stereotype and turn it into something positive.
Rocks started My Ninja! clothing in 2008, not as a shirt, design or a concept, he says, but a statement on how people can relate to each other in the constant cultural blend that is our generation. With bold, minimal graphics like “My Ninja!” and “Ninjette” splashed across cut-off tees, My Ninja! clothing is reminiscent of the ’80s Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” tees, with a hearty dose of what Rocks calls ’80s Benetton-meets-streetwear.
So join the conversation with My Ninja!’s Crazy.Sexy.Cool tee. Like their message, it’s simple and to the point. Just don’t forget to repeat.
My Ninja! "Crazy.Sexy.Cool" tee.
tokidoki's milk-stealing "Moofia."
The kooky world of tokidoki.
I know, I know. No matter how “Asian” tokidoki looks, the designer behind the adorably wicked characters is Italian and there is no other Asian connection other than its obvious inspiration from Japanese pop art. We discovered that in the early days of Audrey when we went to a press preview and saw the characters and got excited, thinking it was a new Asian brand or line or designer that we could feature. Nope. Simon Legno, the creator, other than his passion for Japanese culture, has no discernible Asian connection that would allow us to finagle the brand into the magazine.
A colorful look from Tokidoki's exclusive new makeup line at Sephora.
But that doesn’t stop me from loving the line. And besides, what is “Asian” anyway? I think something like tokidoki that perpetuates and mainstreams a visibly “Asian” aesthetic is all good.
Now that I have that out of the way, I can just show you the adorableness that is tokidoki’s exclusive new line at Sephora. So, so, so cute, with its ever-present wicked bent. Kawaii for adults. Get it just so you can look at it on your vanity.
The line includes everything from brightly hued eye and lip makeup to character-splashed makeup tools like the all-important kabuki brush. One of my favorites is the tokidoki Perfetto Eyeliner ($16). It’s a chisel-tipped pen liner, which is incredibly easy to use, and it comes in so many cool colors. Don’t limit yourself to your eyes — get creative with the eight bold shades to draw anywhere, anytime.
tokidoki Perfetto Eyeliners.
I like the tokidoki Fantastico Lip Stain ($15) as well — it’s also got that marker pen applicator that makes you feel like you’re literally painting on a canvas.
tokidoki Cromatico Eyeshadow Palette in Diamante. How adorable is the little phone charm that comes with it?!?
Other goodies include:
* tokidoki Cromatico Eyeshadow, either in their signature tokidoki heart and crossbones packaging ($15), or an illustration-filled quad set ($25).
tokidoki Luminosa Powder.
*tokidoki Luminosa Powder ($22) for a luminescent, radiant glow.
* tokidoki Inferno Bronzer ($22) for a hint of warmth, and it’s good for your skin, too, with its rice lipids and vitamin B.
* tokidoki Cactus Pup Buffers ($8) are three little friends you can take anywhere with you for a quick nail buffing. But with mascots this cute, they’ll just add pizazz hanging from your keychain or bag.
tokidoki Cactus Pup Buffers.
* tokidoki cystal embellished key chains ($16) … just because.
tokidoki "Melodia" key chain.
DETAILS The new tokidoki collection is available exclusively at Sephora stores. 877-Sephora, Sephora.com.
Photos courtesy of Sephora.
tokidoki "'Till Death Do Us Part" characters.
tokidoki's sweet and prickly "SANDy" and her "Cactus Friends."
I love it when I get double duty out of my wardrobe. A pencil skirt as a strapless minidress? Done that. A dress tucked in and belted becomes a cool, blousy top. Clip a few chain bracelets around your ankle and you’ve just updated last year’s pump.
Of course, there’s always the belt-turned-necklace — or vice versa. I’d wear the Gold & Citrus “Au Naturale” chain necklace as a belt. Atop a skirt — any length, lean or poufy — and it instantly transforms the skirt into a designer looking piece. It’d look just as cool belting a plain tunic or a drapey dress.
Needless to say, it’s fabulous enough as a necklace, too. With a 14k gold-plated chain, antiqued brass chains, a brass hook clasp, and clear quartz beads, what’s not to like?
Gold & Citrus "Au Naturale" necklace.
