mad monkey apparel

bold, simple, and fun.

summed up into these three words is what obinna elechi likes to call his new clothing company. mad monkey is a creative collaboration of 3 close childhood friends for the design and distribution of identities. in non-romantic terms, t-shirts. illustrated by our oh-so-talented friend mr. obi himself!

as a 2-year senior fellow archi-hokie, obi has always been an excellent mentor and personal inspiration to me personally. i absolutely adore the way he draws; every delicate line with the utmost intent and conviction. his blog is chock full of his architectural sketches, quirky characters and robots. he. LOVES. ROBOTS.

buy one. just do it. you know you wanna!

you will find several of his old drawings featured on the t shirts and mad monkey, along with some recently developed designs, my personal fave being the big monkey head icon. shirts are currently on sale at skreend.com. did i also mention you can get the designs printed on hoodies, onesies and tote bags? totes. click me and help a brother out!

i think imma get me one of them totes. love that word. and tote bags.

toodles,

ronald.

PS. as of today, we are both proud owners of mad monkey tote bags. a photoshoot will be in session once they arrive.

squash vs. squash, which is better?

can i just say i love squash? in a variety of forms, i love it all. last week when the crew was in rva, ronald and i made a divine dinner of butternut squash risotto. this recipe was a second try for me and butternut squash risotto. i had made a different variety before, but this one involved a hefty amount of gouda, so, how could it not be wonderful? butternut squash, sage, arugula, and gouda: you just cannot go wrong with ingredients like that? so, nursing a hurt finger after an accident in a grocery cart, ronald came to my aid became my sous chef. i just supervised her in the kitchen. it was lovely. so gooey and SO delicious. we both went back for a full serving of seconds.

in progress



how lovely. completed.



cutest S&P shakers ever! thanks woo!

then last night, my roommate and i happened upon a squash party at balliceaux [which is my new favourite place to go out. great shows, good atmosphere, nice cocktails]. we almost ditched since it was a private party, but once a waiter gave us the green light, we decided to go for it. we got our drinks, sat down at our own huge table, and pondered over what squash actually was. my guess was a british sport, and i was not far off. woo got up the courage to go ask a few guys what it actually was, after much debate on who to ask. the guys she asked happened to be spectators not players, but their good friend was a player and he explained to her how the game was played, while they sent over a man from paraguay to explain it to me. i joined them for a nice conversation about the sport and we were invited to the U.S. Squash Open, the next day, which is being held in Richmond this entire week at U of R. we went and it was actually thrilling. it's similar to racquetball, but different ball, different racquet, and you can't just hit it anywhere on the court. very tactical, apparently. and elite.

we watched the Brit beat the Egyptian, who was playing hurt all week. it only went to the third game because Ramy was hurt. we are going to Vault tonight downtown because the player we met last night is taking a bunch of the Europeans out dancing. it is sure to be a good time had by all.

there are Nick and Ramy!

the question now remains, which is better? as woo put it, "let's see, a vegetable or hot sweaty men on a court. i prefer the latter." i love squash in all forms now. i don't think i can pick a favourite, though i did find a new kind i like last night. go squash!

ciao,
larry

yes, springtime is 'nigh.

i have never looked forward to spring as much as i am this year. with below mentioned snow overload, i can't wait for warmer weather and spring clothes/activities. this past weekend was a small taste of how wonderful it will be. ronald came to town and we had a lovely dinner together before the whole crew arrived in rva for a reunion. the weather was incredible and so was the time we got to spend catching up. this included a long walk through carytown, byrd park, and maymont, which i spent many a saturday looking at zoo animals when i was little.

lately, i have been thinking about proenza schouler, whose collections i was introduced to by our fantastic friend erik. [i must admit, until recently, ronald and i totes thought this was a lady, not so]. these two gents interned with two famous American designers and are now doing well as a team. i saw their fall collection last year, and really wanted one of their jackets, which erik of course picked out that i would love. alas, it was not meant to be, because it was $2,995, which just is not in my budget at the moment, but maybe someday....? they did have a line for target, but, that was before i knew about them, and i missed the boat.

fall 2009

when i started looking at the spring/summer 2010, at first, i didnt really like it. but then i realized, ive been sucked into this whole dreary winter black hole, and im just not used to spring colours! they are so bright and cheerful! i dont even know what to do about it. i guess i am not used to it yet, but after consulting with ronald, i realized that yes, it is good, and i need to start liking colour. i do love dark neutrals, which proenza showcased in the fall, but now that it will be brighter outside longer, bright colour must be introduced into spring wardrobes!

the dress, bottom row, middle: i want that.




yellow is bright. and cheerful.

for spring, per fashion week: bright colours, belt the waist, and stick with the classics. [i hope i can handle that.]

enough about fashion. this duo is about to become a pair of travelers! she is going to ecuador, i: utah. we are getting away from our winter weather and gear to experience South America and the Wild West. we will be sure to heavily document our trips. she's going to see the Galapagos Islands, while i will go camping. which, no, im not a camper, but i think i will actually enjoy it in the West [?]. at least i hope so.

lastly, went to a great house tour last night with a friend. modern richmond is a community group that is appreciative of the modern aesthetic and is an exploration of the modern in rva. who knew? i missed the rice house, by richard neutra in september...but, they meet every month and i am excited to see the houses coming up. the eanes + levine house was done by george edward hoppe, jr., known to be richmond's first modernist architect. he did a few projects throughout richmond, but wasnt a trained architect. i feel like all of the good ones were not trained. hoppe was influenced by modern architecture of Germany in the mid-twenties to early-thirties. the eanes+levine was a very nice renovation of this formerly rundown treasure by the river. i was sad we didnt see it in the daylight because im sure the views of the river through those steel windows are just spectacular. looking forward to upcoming events with this group. very exciting indeed!

lovely kitchen with steps up to dining room

that is all for now.

ciao,
larry

really?

alas, it is snowing yet again. which means more of that canned soup and my inner martha are about to emerge. i've been exploring the crafty side of me during the many blizzards of winter 2010 [curse you who started saying "snowpocolypse," you're super dumb], and not gonna lie, it has been quite the delight. last week i rediscovered the felt scraps i have been saving since i swore never to touch the stuff ever again [long story short: 2 years ago >> felt construction class >> getting ready for exhibition in phoenix >> all-nighter >> mom finds me covered in rit dye, needles, and my own drool]. good stuff. made a bird.

not sure what to do with the lobster monster.

also, i've been teaching myself how to crochet. it is a lot harder than i thought. so far i have these little leaves, not sure what for.

coco chanel biography = best valentine's day gift ever!

today, as soon as i saw those nasty snowflakes falling, i dug out my old sewing machine from the good ol' teenage angst days. i don't know why the picture here made it look so cyan-y, it is more periwinkle in person. not that's it's important... but anyway, i remember putting this baby away after i broke it 6-ish years ago. so there i was, cursing the weather because i thought i had to go to sears. turns out the only thing it needed was a replacement needle. which was inside the accessory box. took maybe 20 seconds to fix. oh, silly 18-year old [aka. dramatic] me!

yes, that is a little caesar's napkin [don't judge me!], nothing like some extra greasy cheese pizza to help you brainstorm for dress designs.

with the recent expansion of my beloved button collection, i've decided i need a bigger container for my sewing needs. i love you, heart shaped box i got for my 13th birthday, but i must move on. i guess you can hold all of my buttons. they're the best part of my sewing kit anyway. when the snow clears, i need to take a trip to the nearest fabric store.

i've been saving those black shoelaces for some reason. i hope to find out soon.

welp, at least tonight i have figure skating to look forward too. did anyone catch ladies short program last night? alls i gotta say is, and i'm not just saying because i support my koreans[i love usa too i swear], but kim yuna is a sick individual.

just how fierce is this chick?

poor thing has so much pressure on her. can't wait to see her tomorrow night!

toodles,

ronald.

shoes, sculpture and squirrels. but of course!

most curious: a collaboration between tracey neuls [a british shoe designer] + nina saunders [a danish artist]

this installation is beyond amazing. taking place in neuls' store in london, a sculpture from saunders and neuls' shoe collection come together to channel, well, pardon my crude interpretation, salvador dali lost in the enchanted forest. love it.

brilliant!

all images from dezeen.com

the prints of the fabric are great as well. all fabric used for the project is from sanderson, a british textile brand [happy 150th birthday!].

for more more details on most curious and the participants, check out dezeen's full article.

toodles,

ronald.

new york fashion week.

as you all may know, this is fashion week in nyc. yes, be jealous of all those fabulous new yorkers just soaking it up this week. i totes wish i were up there. though i would probably not be able to get into any of the fashion shows...maybe someday. vera wang's collection had a very dark tone, aside from the fact that it was all black. so you know i was in love with it even before i looked at it. the title of her collection was "the bride wore black", and i would be priviledged to wear any of these outfits, or one day, one of her wedding gowns.

how cute is she?

some of the american designers also had exciting collections. marc jacobs especially. at his show, no celebrities were allowed in, returning the focus to: the clothes. his line had a more relaxed look, with a neutral palette. though we are not known for fashion, american fashion has always been innovative and modern. and marc jacobs is no exception.

carolina herrera never ceases to amaze me. her fall collection did not disappoint. i love how classic her looks are. the woman is fashion royalty, and for very good reason. i loved the fur. what can i say? fur and leather make me weak. something that ronald and i wholeheartedly agree on. if only i could afford these designers collections...alas, i must borrow their ideas and find cheaper versions of their looks in hopes of being as fabulous as their gorgeous fall collections!

for some reason, posh spice had a runway show. i dont know why, but, how strange...

she would.

[all images are from style.com]

see ya,

larry + ronald. [collabo]

so young, so brilliant, so long.

images from style.com

not much to say. i am still in shock. what a loss. rest in peace alexander mcqueen.

ronald.

so, you can build with what what?

now that ronald has caught you up with our lives, i guess i have to post about something other than that. so, i will tell you about what one of our great friends is doing out in Moab, Utah. i will be going out there to see her in April, but our friend Jodi, is there now until the end of May working with Community Rebuilds. ever the worldsaver, she will be building a strawbale house for a family in need from the foundation up. their start date has been pushed back because of the weather [go figure], but i am excited to see how the strawbale construction techniques work.

go girl!

strawbale construction is obviously a green building method [well, duh, you use straw and mud?] that the interns get to learn about before the build, and then get the hands-on experience while on site as they make it happen! it gets back to natural building techniques. who knew straw was not ULTRA flammable....[not me]. apparently, the walls in this type of construction are actually fairly fire resistant, in comparison with a standard stud wall. unbelievable? yes. because my guess would be, since its straw, it would light up like a christmas tree. au contraire.

isn't it beautiful.

in times like now, sustainability cant just be a fad. i'm so tired of everyone trying to be all "eco". less talking, more action! don't drive a Prius and then flick your cigarette butt out of your window towards my car. that's LITTERING you ID. [sorry, had to let that out.]

but, really, it needs to permeate everything we do, including how we build and design. and groups like Community Rebuilds are making a step in the right direction. and i love that one of our friends is being proactive about it. she would. and will always.



i meant to post this article awhile ago, but i guess i just forgot. so, for people out of work, there is no need to lose hope. there are plenty of things designers can do while out of a job. we designers have such a broad skill set. you just have to get creative, which luckily, is what we do. just put those skillz to use. my personal favourite alternative from the article is the tricked out ice cream truck, though i would have to refrain from getting the "Frank Behry" and opt for the "Mies Vanilla Rohe". i would hope they would have one named after my fave, Scarpa.

too cute!

i am also jelly toast [translation: totes jealous] of the lady who is doing pottery in a converted barn. i have been meaning to find a place in rva to start throwing again. because i miss it very much. there is just nothing like ellen's studio.



oh wait, and one last thing. i love this idea. the best part is the girl suggests digging a hole to plant these seed bombs with a stiletto. can you GET any more fabulous that than? you can save the world in your stilettos. but of course. [thanks jodes!]




ciao,
larry

what the hell is zish wordsh?

wow. sorry for the extreme slackage; a lot has been going on in the past... month i guess[it's been a while!].

there has been some major major weekend traveling - lars and i have been tearing up the east coast! well, sort of. last weekend we were in dc for an architecture reunion/dorkout fest. enough said there. we also went to new york city one weekend for a birthday party, hung out with some cool peeps and walked around. a LOT. some cool things noted: doughnut plant and the tim burton and bauhaus[of course] exhibits at the MoMA.

first things first, doughnut plant. ahhh. tucked away in the more abandoned parts of the lower east side[or was it just really early?] is this teeny tiny exquisite gem of a bakery. with all natural ingredients, simple yet unique flavors like peanut butter and jelly[SO good], and delicious hot beverages including their homemade chai, it was just the best experience i have had involving doughnuts. and i always have a jolly good time with doughnuts. the square shaped coconut creme filled doughnut lars and i shared was perfection. our dear friend matthew got the peanut butter and raspberry jelly filled doughnut, as i mentioned above, was delightful. the three of us sat in the small sitting area they have in the store window with our teas and watched the sea of customers roll in and roll out, buying their boxes full of vanilla bean, creme brulee and tres leches doughnuts, wishing we had more money and hadn't just eaten a breakfast bagel. i now wish i had taken some pictures. thank god for google images!

lil guy in the upper right corner = pure bliss.

we sat right where those ladies are sitting. good choice ladies!

and as always MoMA and their fabulous store did not fail to impress, but i was blown away by the two mentioned exhibits. the tim burton sketches were incredible and instantly took me back to the cartoon-doodling middle schooler i was. also amusing were his poems. i wish i had written one down but i was too busy being claustrophobic with the huge crowd that comes along with target free-fridays. and the full size replica of edward scissor hands... droool. the exhibit goes on till april 26, so if you are a fan and in nyc, be sure to check it out. [side note: i am so excited to alice in wonderland. march!]

our feet were killing us, since we had been walking for about 10 hours at this point, and we took a lot of sitting breaks. in an attempt to take a picture of the pretty pretty wood grains of the MoMA floor, i discovered that my camera does something oh so funny:

these people were in fact not slipping and falling down backwards, but simply walking by. juuust passing by. there are just the shenanigans of my trusty little camera, oh and trust me it is little.

it is a miniature replica of the 1954 leica m3 by minox. i got it for christmas from my favorite boy and it is so darn cute. at first i was just thinking it was a pretty little necklace that takes mediocre pictures[if you can't tell from the first picture it says 5.0 mega pixels] but it has been making me giggle with its silly antics, aka stretching things that are moving. this is what trees look like from a moving car:

IT'S A TORNADO!

also, it comes with a million languages[i accidentally changed mine to turkish while admiring this option] but no flash. nope, like the old fashioned model it was based off of, you have to purchase the clip-on flash that costs about as much as the camera. hey oh. but it does look super adorable...

hahaha. well, so far i have been enjoying the romantic, moody, er, mysterious pictures it has been producing in dim lit situations such as the byrd theatre in richmond and lars at new years.

bam.

and bam. isn't she fab?

okay, enough rambling for now.

toodles,

ronald.