Dime Museum at Silverlake Lounge

Timur and the Dime Museum had a great performance at the Silverlake Lounge last night, full of making out, dancing, drunk Middle Eastern men, old friends (plus new ones) and a drummer. Here are some photos from the fun evening.

 

me, Auralynn and Jen

Nomadic USSR Central Asia

Oh misunderstood Kazakhstan, I just got used to you and now need to prepare for a dramatic farewell.  Tomorrow is my last day in Almaty, it also is the premiere of the Silent Steppe Cantata and the first showing of my documentary "The Nomad's Song" for an expected crowd of 300 and 25 press/ journalists in the morning's press conference. This was a fun trip and a decadent stay, at the spa fancy Rixos hotel. I think my Russian is improving too.

Forest next to Rixos

Green Bazaar Market

enchanted magic castle

Timur and I were invited by Erica Larson, daughter of the founders of the Hollywood Magic Castle, to spend an evening amused by magicians and sorcerers in an old haunted mansion, (the magic castle in hollywood.) We invited Anne LeBaron and her husband, Ed to join us.

It's a black tie affair, so we got all dolled-up and let the evening unravel to its own fancy.They don't allow photography or cell phone use, so these photos were very sneaky to get. It was a perfect break from reality, (shooting and editing for 'The Nomad's Song' that has consumed every second of my life lately.) Sometimes we just need to believe in a little magic...

 

before one of the show's, with amazing Rob Zabrecky

amazing performer and magician Rob Zabrecky

Timka amused

Tinseltown Magic

It all started with a beautiful freshly prepared banana cream pie, which we picked up from Whole Foods. Then Timur and I drove to our friend and incredibly talented director, Jeremy Kasten's birthday party. (He's directed several supernatural TV shows, but his specialty are gorgeous and gruesome horror features).

We arrived at his magnificent old Hollywood home, at the Eastern building, in downtown Los Angeles and were in awe. Its also home to Johnny Depp, Ryan Gosling and T.R. Knight. We met several new people, including Jeremy's lovely girlfriend Kim, one of the main actors from his latest Discovery Channel TV Series, Anthony (fresh from France 5 months ago) along with his editor (who has Timur's album and is a super fan.)

It was nice to be around such talented industry people, but it doesn't take too much to get us excited. The building was really enough. I guess so much, that I shot some pictures of us on my cell phone.

mirrors lining the main hallway in the building

fancy chairs in the main lobby

the top of the Eastern building at night, there's a pool on the rooftop

inside Jeremy and Kim's home, I think Timur wants money? ;)

my 'in awe, i reallly want to live here' shot

Surreal Night with Rufus Wainwright...

 Last night Timur and I went to our good friend and amazing songwriter, Kristian Hoffman's, for a post-Valentine's party. Well, we didn't realize that he had really only invited a handful of people, specifically the musicians involved in his new album. With that said, there were only 5 people there, one of them the founder of Rhino Records and another one was Rufus Wainwright. There was an abundance of champagne, provided by Rhino Records, so the glasses stayed bubbling full all evening. After chatting with Rufus for a bit he let us hear excerpts of his new opera, then Kristian let him hear Timur's song and then Rufus decided to sing. It was getting late, so I said my goodbyes while Kristian looked for a guitar to give Rufus. However, when I tried to say bye to Rufus he insisted that I stay "for one song". Then he sang and played a beautiful song about his sister on the piano. Then he said, "one more song" and he performed another gorgeous song. Then Kristian gave him a guitar and Rufus said "one more song" then he performed a new song on the guitar, the song was stunning and he says this will be his single that surpasses the Gaga craze. He kept asking me to stay for a song. It was so incredible to be asked personally to stay by an artist that easily sells- out the Hollywood Bowl, with a crowd of 7,000 people.

...Anyways, I managed to leave and Timur walked me to my car. He stayed for a few more hours and later told me that he showed Rufus my 'Autumn' music video and that he was highly impressed and loved it. Timur gave him his CD too.
It was a surreal night to say the least. It left me feeling very inspired. He was so sincere, so talented and oozed of true artistic genius, it was so contagious... it just penetrates to your soul and makes you fall in love with art and expression. It was so refreshing and so needed.... wow.

Rufus at Kristian's piano, with a full glass of champagne

Rufus and Kristian (making a silly face)

Timur and the Dime Museum Photo Shoot

Great photo shoot with the band yesterday. Here are some of my favorites:

 

 

 

 

 

The World's Revolution

Kashmir

First Tunisia, then Egypt, now Algeria... I am guessing the United States will be the last to finally join... I mean I guess Wikileaks is the beginning of our virtual revolution... I really can't wait, really.

These are some thought-inspiring quotes I've come across:

"Under this system of capitalism, so many in this society and so much of humanity are forced to endure great hardship and suffering, exploitation, injustice and brutality, while wars and the ongoing destruction of the natural environment threaten the very future of humanity." -Revolution Newspaper USA

"Government does not work for regular people. It appears to work quite well for big corporations, banks, insurance companies, military contractors, lobbyists, and for the rich and powerful. But it does not work for people."

"Americans must be as willing to dream as the people in Tahrir Square. We must dare to step outside our old understandings and our old fears."

Wars in the World Today

Pakistan

Somalia

India