The Adventures of Tiki Chris!

Now at tikichris.wordpress.com

2009-02-01T15:54:00.003Z

Hi. I’ve decided to consolidate my personal blogging activities and have started a wordpress blog, tikichris.wordpress.com. Anything that I might have posted here at The Adventures of Tiki Chris will now be posted there. Same goes for content that I might have published at ontoTravel or ontoLondon: it will now be posted on the new site. I'm not doing away with these old sites - just not actively posting on them anymore. Indeed, I may find some need to publish content through them in the future.

For off-the-cuff mobile blogging, I’m keeping my Tumblr blog, tikichris-to-go. If you haven’t checked it out yet. I hope you will, I have a lot of fun with it.

Thanks so much to regular followers of this blog. It means a great deal to me to have had you “tuning in” these past few years. I look forward to continuing the journey with you!

Sincerely,
Chris
- Facebook - Flickr - LinkedIn - Tumblr - Wordpress -

Londonist Behind The Lens: Chris Osburn AKA Tiki Chris

2009-01-24T13:22:00.003Z

Hey! That's me! Very cool, but I'm gonna make you visit the actual Londonist post to see the shots.

Londonist Behind The Lens: Chris Osburn AKA Tiki Chris
By Londonist
Londonist
January 24, 2009

London is (or at least often can be) such a photogenic place. There's just something about it. I mean, for the most part, it's not incredibly beautiful … not like Paris or Barcelona anyway. Nor is London terribly stunning; you really can't compare it to the vertical awe of Manhattan or the mind boggling expanse of, say, Shanghai. However, the story London tells through its streets, landmarks and faces (oh the faces in this town!) is as compelling as any I've ever experienced. The story is one of weathering crises with resolve and engaging the world on its own terms. Through my photography, I hope to share that story with the viewer. Sometimes I think I come close to succeeding.

Read the complete Londonist Behind The Lens post and see the photos at Londonist.

It's Friday Already? (January 23, 2009)

2009-01-23T20:30:00.003Z

It's Friday Already? (January 23, 2009)

I did a whole lotta livin' but not a lotta postin' this week. Unfortunately, I had plenty of pesky desk work to do as well. But hey, that's life.

Anyway, I did happen upon a pack of FURRY wildlife on the streets of London (and luckily had my trusty camera at hand to document the encounter). I also managed to get one more Sickboy article published.

Other than that, not much really. I'm still adjusting to the (INCREDIBLY AWESOME) fact that there's a new President of the United States of America. I had some homemede pasta e ceci and a Moonpie too ... And played surrogate tourist for an old friend back in Chattanooga.

Life is good,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Sickboy: Stay Free (Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art)

2009-01-17T16:04:00.000Z

One more Sickboy article. Here's a link to some more stuff I wrote about his Stay Free show.

Sickboy: Stay Free
Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art
January 2009

Not content to simply wow exhibition goers with a retrospective of his best street and studio work, prolific London graffiti artist, Sickboy (whom we interviewed back in February 08), saw his recent solo show, Stay Free, as an opportunity to give something back to his fans in the way of offering his massive Stay Free Factory installation as a prize to one lucky exhibition visitor. During the December 4th through 10th run of the Stay Free exhibition, a thousand golden keys were released to the exhibition visitors with the person whose key fit the lock becoming the new owner of the Stay Free Factory (worth an estimated £20,000).

See more pics and read the complete Sickboy: Stay Free review at Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art.

The Week (and Then Some) in Review (January 16, 2009)

2009-01-16T16:28:00.009Z

The Week (and Then Some) in Review

As my dear old mom might say, I have returned "from runnin' around all over tarnation." Hi. It's good to be back. Since my last Weekly Update, way back on the 16th of December, I've ...

- had the best damn BBQ ever;

- made some New Year's resolutions;

- got a haircut;

- and oh so much more!

All the while, I've relied upon the kind kitten-like instincts of a super-fantastic London-based cat sitter to care for my two lil kitty-witties. Yay for responsible people.

So there ya have it. My first Weekly Update of 2009. Question is am I gonna be able to keep up with these on a regular basis much longer? We'll see.

Bestest of the best,

Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Yo Jersey Shore Bands: This ROCK GODDESS Needs Some Back Up!

2009-01-15T02:54:00.007Z

I believe this picture speaks for itself. Hook this lady up with some kick ass toonage and you'll be a hit!

Contact me if you'd like to get in touch with this soulful diva of the Shore!

Sweet Toof and Martin Lea Brown at Sartorial Contemporary Art

2009-01-13T06:26:00.000Z

Double-Bill Sweet Toof/Martin Lea Brown Exhibition at Sartorial Contemporary Art
Chris Osburn
Londonist
December 19, 2008

Both [Sweet Toof and Martin Lea Brown] have the uncanny ability to juxtapose images of violence, illegality and desperation with vivid colours and an exuberance too often avoided in contemporary art (at least in this town). The results provide viewers with an opportunity to ponder societal anxiety and the fragility of cultural norms at a time when such topics truly resonate. In other words, this is cool shit that’s worth ogling. Very zeitgeist-y!

Read the complete Sweet Toof/Martin Lea Brown review at Londonist.

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Sweet Toof & Martin Lea Brown: Double Billing at Sartorial Contemporary Art
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Saturday, 20 December 2008

More on Sweet Toof & Martin Lea Brown's double billing at Sartorial Contemporary Art at www.sartorialart.com

See all the Sweet Toof & Martin Lea Brown photos at Juxtapoz.

Online and Looking Ahead!

2009-01-12T16:10:00.007Z

Okay I'm back in town and ready to take on 2009. Of course, if you've been following my tikichris to go and ontoTravel blogs, you'd be forgiven for thinking that I never really went away.

Now two weeks deep into January, I'm feeling energized and inspired about 2009, particularly after reading the "Ten tasks of Atomic Tony Tiki" over at the Atomic Tony Tiki blog. I was so impressed by ATT's "shit list" that I've decided to come up with a few of my own priorities for the year. In addition to eating more leafy greens and getting back into the habit of going to the gym on a regular basis, (in no particular order) I would like to …

1. Be more social with my social media activities:
I spend a lot of time blogging, tweeting, updating my status, uploading photos etc. Of course, it's always great when I receive a kind comment from someone that took the time to respond to me. Not only should I reciprocate more often, but I really ought to take the initiative to let my social media contacts know when I appreciate what they've shared with the online world.

2. Take better pictures:

Practice makes perfect! I've got the knowledge (lodged in my brain somewhere) and certainly can access more photography-related info with ease. I just gotta get out there, take more shots, experiment and learn from my mistakes and successes.

3. Be a better writer:
Similar to "take better pictures" - I hopefully will continue to thoughtfully apply myself to my craft.

4. Be a kinder person:
I've a long way to go but I'll keep at it!

5. Let people know how, when and why I appreciate them.
To align my words with the forces of good and make nice with people more often.

Happy New Year,

Chris

Non-Blog Christmas: See You in '09!

2008-12-18T00:58:00.000Z

The Tiki Chris blogs are on hiatus while I enjoy some holiday cheer with family and friends. My ontoLondon Daily Photos will continue the rest of December and I'll probably post a few on-the-go bits every once in awhile on my mobile tikichris to go blog. Aside from that, I'm gonna lay low for the next few weeks. See you next year!

Voscars Winner - Jizz in My Pants

2008-12-17T17:50:00.000Z

Okay. I wasn't just a Panasonic new talent panelist, but also a judge at the Virgin Mobile Voscars where a bunch of us London bloggers got together and decided on our favourite viral video. Read lots more (than I have time to write at the moment) about the event at one of my fave blogs, Fake Plastic Noodles.

The winner? Jizz in My Pants. Yay!

Here's a list of all the contenders. Mostly hilarious stuff with lots of Obama homages too.

Jizz In My Pants
Diesel’s xXx SFW p0rn x
Cat Man Do
Investing in Wind Energy
BBC BinLaden Tape
Barack Roll
Unexpected Performance
Where the Hell is Matt?
TFL’s Cyclist Awareness
Marmite Breastfeeding Ad
Thriller on the Tube
Berocca Fish
Wassup Obama
Hamster on a Piano
Obama and Ellen
Quicksilver Surfing
Jeans Jumping
Banned Snickers Commercial featuring Mr. T
Manowar
Little Gordon
The Phone Call
Sydney Harbour
Shop at Home Camera
Sneezing Panda
Bike Hero
One-take Thriller
Allah Made Me Funny
Jim Carrey on Ice
Rick Roll
Do the Green Thing

My fave was probably the Diesel’s xXx SFW p0rn x vid. Anyhoo, I had a lot of fun participating and would love to do it again!

Panasonic Next Generation Talent Winner

2008-12-16T16:39:00.000Z

As mentioned back towards the beginning of this month, I participated as a panelist for the Panasonic Next Generation Talent thing-y. Well, the results are in - along with lots of video footage from the evening. Oh boy.

So ... check this clip if ya wanna see me acting way more important than I ever should:

... and this one to see us panelists pontificating about the winning piece:

And, of course, here's the winner! Cool.

Read more about the Panasonic and New Generation Talent here.

Better Late Than Never (December 16, 2008)

2008-12-15T14:43:00.004Z

Better Late Than Never

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, okay. So I'm a little late with this weekly review. But if you knew the kind of hellish Friday I'd had as well as how awesome my Saturday and Sunday were, you'd forgive me. Besides, I took off Friday night for a weekend in Berlin. There are plenty of other highlights that I wrote about during the past week or so. Be sure to take a second or two to sniff around my blogs. Thanks!

Anyway, for the rest of 08, I plan to squeeze out a few more posts. I'll keep the ontoLondon Daily Photos rolling into the New Year and will surely have some scrappy moments to share on my mobile tikichris to go blog. But for all intents and purposes the Tiki Chris blogs are on hiatus until 2009.

Merry Christmas,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Sickboy - Stay Free

2008-12-10T07:20:00.001Z

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Stay Free with Street Artist Sickboy (until 10th December)
Chris Osburn
Londonist
December 4, 2008

... prolific street artist Sickboy stepped up to the challenge of wowing London’s jaded art mob with his first major solo exhibition- an exhibition that’s as defiant and provocative as it is fun and vibrant.

Read the complete Stay Free with Street Artist Sickboy review at Londonist.

---

Photos: Sick Boy's "Stay Free"
Photography by Chris Osburn
Juxtapoz
Tuesday, 09 December 2008

Stay Free is open to the general public through December 10, 2008 at The Tramshed in Shoreditch, London.

See all the Sick Boy's "Stay Free" photos at Juxtapoz.

Panasonic’s Next Generation Talent Competition

2008-12-09T12:44:00.006Z

To kick start its campaign for the new Viera Home Hub TV, Panasonic has teamed up with Young Creatives Network to challenge students across the UK to create a film, storyboard or print ad telling the story of the new Panasonic Viera Home Hub TV. Read the brief here.

Among the many entries, six were short listed last night by a panel of “social media, advertising and tech experts,” a panel which for some crazy reason included me. But don’t worry too much because the rest of the panel were super topnotch expert-y peeps:

- Head of Advertising at Panasonic, John Dixon;
- Beri Cheetham, Creative Director for Billington Cartmell;
- Oli Christie, Creative Director at Inbox digital agency;
- Rich Trenholm, reviewer for technology news site CNET;

- Willem van der Horst, digital strategist for Ice Cream 4 Everyone;
- Social media and tech expert Ged Carroll;
- Guillaume Foutry, social media and photographer/design blogger;
- James from advertising and design site Spinning Around;
- Vice Magazine's Alice Judge-Talbot, an alternative culture and trend spotter magazine; and
- Matt Gierhart of advertising and creative sites Josh Spear and mattgierhart.com.

Very cool. Thanks to Panasonic, Young Creatives Network and PR agency onlinefire (hey Melanie!) for including me. As judges, we were given the very fun and somewhat challenging task of choosing the six pieces we deemed worthy of winning £6000 of Panasonic gear and perhaps playing a role in Panasonic's Viera campaign.

But enough about us! Here’s where you come in: The final winner is to be decided by the general public (that means YOU). View all six and vote for your favourite online (and become eligible to win a Panasonic S7 camcorder!). The voting is on now and continues until midnight tomorrow (Wednesday the 10th). The winner will be announced Thursday morning on the Next Generation Talent website.

Barcelona Street Art at Smithfield Gallery in London

2008-12-07T10:14:00.000Z

(P)review: The Best of Barcelona’s Street Artists at Smithfield Gallery
by Chris Osburn
Londonsit
December 2, 2008

Barcelona XL engages the viewer with a variety of wonderful colours and an array of various styles which somehow work together in the same gallery space exceedingly well with no one artist or piece overshadowing the others. This is one exhibition you shouldn’t miss.

Read the complete Barcelona’s Street Artists at Smithfield Gallery review at Londonist.

---

Photos: "BCNXL, Barcelona XL: Homage to Catalonia"
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Friday, 05 December 2008

"I believe these artists have been inspired by the unique political and social culture of Catalonia, which faced many years of repression during the dictatorship of Franco," explains curator Janspivey.

See all thh Barcelona XL photos at Juxtapoz.

Whitley Neill Gin Cocktail Recipes

2008-12-06T14:48:00.005Z

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR. Can't see the above photos? Click here to view them at Flickr.

As blogged about for Qype does London, Monday was a very fun night out sampling a variety of gin-based cocktails (featuring Whitley Neill gin). What I failed to mention was the night's Whitley Neill Top of the Tree Challenge angle and that it was all ultimately for a good cause. Of course, why should I, when Timinator’s already posted this:

In keeping with gin’s botanical makeup - and the company’s branding - the cocktails had to include only ingredients that come from trees and had to be served in bars that stock Whitley Neill gin. WN are also donating to Tree Aid based on the number of entrants they received.

I guess for me, enjoying a decent cocktail and celebrating the art of mixing a great drink are ends unto themselves. Anyhoo, here are the recipes of my favourite drinks from that evening (as well as info about the bar and bartenders who made these treats):

Lost Cherry
by Roberto De Vivo
Lobby Bar at One Aldwych
One Aldwych, WC2B 4RH

40ml of Whitley Neill15ml Noilly Prat vermouth15ml Maraschino infused with fresh cherriesGlass: MartiniMethod: Pour all ingredients in a shaker and shake well, double strain.
Garnish: 1 x large maraschino cherry at the bottom of the glass.

---

Reciprocal Cocktail
by Jay Lambert
Quo Vadis
26-29 Dean Street, W1D 3LL

Ingredients: 30 ml Whitley Neill25 ml Whitley Neill Tincture-Pink peppercorns-Grapefruit Zest-Liquorice10 ml white CacaoCampari (rinse)Glass: Pony/martiniMethod: Stir with ice (except Campari)and strain into a chilled pony glass rinsed with Campari.Twist orange or grapefruit zest over the glass from a height and discard.Garnish: No garnish.

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Tippler's Tree
by Julian de Feral
Bureau
13 Kingly Court, W1B 5PW

Ingredients: 50ml Whitley Neill15ml Giffard Abricot15ml maple syrup20ml lime juice4 dashes chocolate bittersGlass: cocktailMethod: shake and strainGarnish: a chocolate maple leaf.

The Week in Review (December 5, 2008)

2008-12-05T15:27:00.004Z

The Week in Review

Tequila, gin, massive venison burgers, walnut brownie chunk cookies, guilt-free curries, collaborative street art in a snazzy exhibition space, giant floating snowmen, a frisky Santa and oh so much more!

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Herakut in London

2008-12-02T21:13:00.001Z

Preview: Herakut Airing Their Dirty Laundry in London
Chris Osburn
Londonist
November 28, 2008

... think darkly witty feminine broad strokes (that’s the Hera contribution) emboldened by the thoughtful and masculine touch ups of Akut.

Read the complete Herakut review at Londonist.

---

Photos: Herakut's "Dirty Laundry"
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Monday, 01 December 2008

If you can't make it to Convent Garden to see their stunning Dirty Laundry in person, don't worry, we've got all you need in more exhibit photos here.

See all of Herakut's "Dirty Laundry" photos at Juxtapoz.

All the Good Stuff in Review (November 28, 2008)

2008-11-28T14:44:00.004Z

All the Good Stuff in Review

Okay, T-Day came and went with me settling into full-on Xmas mode and thinking back on all the good stuff that's happend this year. Most recently, the good stuff's included an awesome photography course, a pizza recipe designed just for me and an extraordinary comment left on this blog!

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

THANKS!

2008-11-27T15:56:00.003Z

I’ve got so much to be thankful for. Family, friends, kitties, interesting work, a nice home in the world’s greatest city, etc. 2008 has been a brilliant year for me and judging from stuff lining up for ’09, next year promises to eclipse the ‘08 fun. I hope everybody reading this post has been having a blast as well. Thanks!

Sappy Thanksgiving,
Chris

Good Oil Pizza

2008-11-26T18:03:00.003Z

Wow. Hat's off to the good folks at Good Oil and their Splendid Communications allies for mastering the follow-up (see more about Good Oil here)! A quick convo about my favourite food (on the spot I said pizza) resulted in a recipe for "Chris's Tiki-Margarita Pizza." That's kinda cool. Sounds pretty yummy and - when I find that elusive free time - I might just be inclined to give it a go!

Changed Priorities Ahead - Amazing Story!

2008-11-22T18:17:00.003Z

I just wanted to take a moment to point out an extraordinary comment left about the image on my 14th of November Too Busy Having Fun post. Check it out!

That picture reminds me of the time 12 years ago when I went to visit my little brother in the insane asylum after he tried to commit suicide. I got him out to go for a pint and we were arguing whether or not the universe was inherently good or bad, he said it was bad and i said that "no the universe is good and out to help you, you just have to be positive" and then we turned a corner and the first thing we saw was huge "changed priorities ahead" sign and then the Dali Lama walked past.true story.

- Atomic Tony Tiki

Good Week in Review (November 21, 2008)

2008-11-21T16:56:00.007Z

Good Week in Review

So called Good Food Show (but really just so-so)
Phenomenally educational photography class
Yummy dark Belgian chocolate
Proper burgers on High Street Ken
New pubby pub in Clerkenwell
Brilliant Bloggers Meetup
Creative camera-less photographs
Good Oil

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Why I Love Facebook (and Hate My High School Nickname)

2008-11-19T20:13:00.004Z

A really friendly feller I knew in high school (when sadly a lot of people referred to me as Ozzy) left this comment on a recent Facebook status I posted:

Ozzy, your photos and stories make my day Brother. Party On.

I love it ... and by all means I do indeed intend to PARTY ON!

Too Busy Having Fun (November 14, 2008)

2008-11-14T16:32:00.008Z

Too Busy Having Fun

This was another of those too-busy-having-fun-to-actually-write-about-any-of-it sorts of weeks (but I should be able to blather about the good bits over the weekend and next week). So, I guess it’s a good thing I started my tikichris to go mobile blog to capture moments on the run, such as randomly happening upon Nigella Lawson yesterday or checking out a kick ass view while enjoying a kick ass drink!

I also managed to publish a couple of posts about the super fun time I had roamin’ round Notting Hill with some of my favourite London bloggers and the friendly dudes from Elements 8 premium rum (even got some killer cocktail recipes for ya!).

And yep, my London Daily Photos keep rolling on!

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Subject and Object as One (This is Now)

2008-11-12T08:07:00.003Z

Subject and Object as One
by Chris Osburn
This is Now
11th November 2008

Here’s another shot by yours truly that made the cut and has been included in the This is Now Flickr pool. The photo, of a young woman seemingly immersed into Monet’s Water Lilies (also known as Nympheas) was taken at l’Orangerie in Paris during my summer 2008 visit.

Read the complete by Subject and Object as One post at This is Now.

Elements 8 Rum Cocktails from Montgomery Place

2008-11-11T18:16:00.005Z

Man oh man. I had a blast roaming round Notting Hill for last night's Rum Do with Elements 8. You can read about the "do" in my write-up for Qype does London. In particular, I was blown away by the yummy cocktails served at Montgomery Place. Here are the recipes of the fantastic drinks designed specifically for us by Montgomery Place's Marian Beke. Awesome.

1. Chestnut Tom & Jerry (10 Portions)
8-10 Eggs (depending on size)
400ml Elements 8 Gold
300ml Cognac
100ml Chestnut Liqueur
4 bar spoons caster sugar
1 Litre full fat milk
4 dashes Cream

Separate egg yolks and whites in to 2 bowls. In one bowl whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar until foamy. In another bowl whisk the egg whites until frothy. Bring the milk to a boil. In a big bowl mix the milk with the egg yolk mixture. Add Elements 8 Gold, Cognac and Chestnut Liqueur and mix well. Ladle and float the frothy egg white on top.Sprinkle with cloves, cassia bark, nutmeg and shaved bitter chocolateServe from the bowl in to small, preheated ceramic cups / mugs.

2. Molasses Daiquiri
50ml Elements 8 Platinum
1 barspoon molasses
10ml honey water - honey and water mixed 1:1 (easier to do if water is warm)
Fresh lime juice of 1 fresh lime

Stir the molasses with the other ingredients.
Add mixture and 1/2 of the lime in to a shaker and shake hard.
Strain in to a glass and add a large chunk of ice and garnish with the other lime half.

3. Bohemian Negroni
40ml Elements 8 Gold Rum
25ml Becherovka Cordial
25ml Sweet Vermouth
10ml Campari

Mix all ingredients in mixing glass with 3 large ice chunks. Strain in to a glass filled with a lage ice chunk and sprinkle with Campari Dust (Campari that has been dried and changed in to powder form) and an orange zest.

4. St. Lucian Storming
60ml Elements 8 Gold Rum
Juice of half a lime
Ginger beer (Montgomery Place uses home made ginger beer that has been fermented for 3 days using honey water, and is then cooked and blended with spices, though D&G ginger beer may do the trick for home)

Add rum to a silver mug filled with a big chunk of ice. Fill glass with gingerbeer and squeeze lime juice on top. Finish with tiki bitters sprinkled on top and garnish with a mint sprig.

Glaswegian Mummy Tussle!

2008-11-10T13:29:00.004Z

Just when you thought is was safe to hit the streets of Glasgow (yeah right!) - and for me to move on and start blogging about non-mummy stuff - comes this Herald story:

Men attacked by fancy dress gang - ringleader dressed as mummy

Big thanks to Atomic Tony Tiki for shooting this story my way. Sez ATT about the fancy dress gang article:

... it's such a "only in Glasgow" news story, a few years back now on Halloween I got to see Elvis fighting Ginger Spice in the center of Glasgow. I'm not a fan of violence but Elvis beat Ginger Spice so badly her/his tits exploded.

I love it!

Momentous Week in Review (November 7, 2008)

2008-11-07T18:36:00.003Z

Momentous Week in Review

What a week, huh? When not anticipating, live blogging or reeling from the US election, I did a little shopping at my neighborhood design-centric book and fun stuff shop, caught the new James Bond flick (and hated it), enjoyed a brilliant cocoa-co-operative photography exhibition, checked out some gruesomely hacked up cartoon characters and had a fantastic meal (with some awesome cocktails) at a Thai restaurant in Soho ... and a yummy pizza in Fitzrovia.

I also started guest blogging for the This is Now photography project.

And for Halloween last Friday (which seems like ages ago)? I popped round to the TrustedPlaces’ Day of the Dead party at Chilango. Fun stuff.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris mobile portrait blog - tikichris to go

Hi! (This is Now)

2008-11-07T11:36:00.002Z

Hi!
by tikichris
This is Now
7th November 2008

Hey, I’m Chris Osburn (aka tikichris) and I’ll be guest blogging here from time to time. Although this is my introductory post, it’s not my first. I started posting here on the 4th but there was just too much of an Election Day buzz in the air for anyone to bother reading about lil ole me.

Read the complete introductory Hi! post at This is Now.

Election Day Anticipation (This is Now)

2008-11-04T15:44:00.005Z

Hey y'all, I started guest posting for This is Now, an "an unparalleled collection of images that capture the essence of now." Basically, I'll be digging around their Flickr pool looking for timely photos to then write about. Check out my first topical post:

Election Day Anticipation
by tikichris
This is Now
4th November 2008

It’s the Tuesday that the whole world’s been anticipating for months!

To read the complete Election Day Anticipation and to see its corresponding photo visit This is Now.

Quantum of So What?

2008-11-03T10:17:00.006Z

He's really good. She's absolutely stunning. But, sadly, the new James Bond movie is just boring. It simply wasn't that much fun. The only time I was on the edge of my seat during Quantum of Solace was when I started anticipating the end and thought I could get up and stretch my legs. Casino Royale this ain't.

I Want My Mummy (One More Time)!

2008-11-01T15:22:00.004Z

Just when you thought it was safe to go about your business without having to deal with any more stupid mummies ...

I caught sight of this Sainsbury's employee as I passed by the Fetter Lane Sainsbury's en route to the TrustedPlaces Day of the Dead/Halloween party. It was good to see this mummy making the most of his afterlife and doing his best to be a fully integrated, productive member of society.

Happy Halloween! (October 31, 2008)

2008-10-31T22:22:00.003Z

Happy Halloween!

London Daily Photo: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah by Chris Osburn © 2008

This week:

- A whole month's worth of mummy stuff, including the gruesome end of my Mummy v Panda series,
- Getting man-pampered in the name of online journalism,
- Granola, pork loin, organic cupcakes, so-so burritos, chili cookin', swanky tapas, and as always ...
- Danger!

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

I Want My Mummy Index!

2008-10-30T11:46:00.004Z

Okay, here' s all the mummy stuff from this past month.

I Want My Mummy - HELP!
The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda!
The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: Part 2
The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: Part 3
The Mummy's Plea
Mai Tai Mummy
Kitty Cats Say: Ain't Makin' No Mummy Out of Me!
I Want My Mummy Underwear Model!
Mummy Dogs with Green Goo
Sick Mummy!
The Mummy of Oxford Street Lives!
Hipster Mummy! NoOooOoooOooooOoooo ...
The Curse of the Mummy Hand!
Fortnum & Mason Mummy is a Real Sucker!
Yummy Mummy Baby Grow - NoOoOoOo!
Mummies Invade San Jose!
The Unknown Mummy
The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: Part 4
The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: The Final Chapter

Huge thanks to Amanda Farah, Atomic Tony Tiki, Chongolio, Emiana, Helen Graves, Kimberly, Marmo and Sandokan, Michaela, the Mummy Underwear Model, Tiki Racer and the Unknown Mummy for participation and contribution!

Happy Halloween!

The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: The Final Chapter

2008-10-29T18:05:00.002Z

The End.

And yes, the MvP series was indeed a metaphorical analysis of the recent global financial crisis with a suggestion of what may yet still come! Thanks for noticing.

Make sure to watch all five episodes of the Mummy v Panda series!

The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: Part 4

2008-10-28T16:25:00.001Z

One more Mummy v Panda clip! Coming soon: the dramatic and bloody finale!

The Unknown Mummy

2008-10-27T17:28:00.001Z

Mummies Invade San Jose!

2008-10-26T01:46:00.008Z

Big hugs and thanks to Michaela for documenting these disturbing occurrences in the Bay Area! Yes, mummies have invaded San Jose! They're making phone calls, taking elevators and reading books! Noooooo ....

Yummy Mummy Baby Grow - NoOoOoOo!

2008-10-25T07:12:00.000Z

Big thanks to the one and only Atomic Tony Tiki (aka Johann Von Sleaze) for taking a snap of this silly lil item that he happened upon in the darkened tomb of his local Tesco.

Super Spooky Week in Review (October 24, 2008)

2008-10-24T16:19:00.005Z

Super Spooky Week in Review

Mummies have invaded London. Frightening! But come to think of it, London has never been a particularly safe or salubrious city (as I recently learned on a ghost walk through Southwark).

Yes, there is indeed a chill in the air here these days. I reckon it's best to stay in and cook (how about a big pot of chili for a chilli cook-off?). But if you must venture out, just make sure it's to a quality pub ... or better yet, get outta town for awhile and photograph something near and dear to you. That's what I plan to do!

In closing, whatever you choose to do, always remember to do it with lots and lots of chocolate at hand.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

Chris Osburn Photography Exhibition, Summer 2009, Leeds College of Art & Design

2008-10-23T14:44:00.006Z

I've been champing at the bits to announce the following news: I am to exhibit a series of photographs at Leeds College of Art & Design from 29th June - 11th September.

For the exhibition, I will travel to my hometown of Chickamauga, Georgia (and the general nearby environs of Chattanooga, Tennessee) to shoot pics which depict the area’s transition from agrarian roots to the commodity/service industry culture of today. Hopefully, I will be able to capture these dynamics within the context of the sucky economy and the presidential election.

I look forward to the opportunity to document these changes and to take advantage of any chances to photographically gawk at rednecks. I have a love/hate relationship with the corner of the world where I was brought up; this exhibition should provide me with an excellent channel for examining my relationship with my home culture and heritage.

Essentially, I plan to head over at Christmas and stay on through most of January. I’m sure I’ll blog heaps about the experience whether via this blog, my travel blog, one of my mobile blogs (tikichris to go, tikichris mobile portrait blog) or perhaps even a blog specifically created to chronicle the expedition down south and my show up in Leeds. Blog, blog, blog, blog, blog, blog, blog. Oh yeah, I’ll probably tweet a whole hell of a lot about it too.

Fortnum & Mason Mummy is a Real Sucker!

2008-10-22T17:09:00.004Z

Thanks to Emiana and our good friend Kimberly for picking up this "Halloween Jelly Pop" mummy for me during a recent excursion at F&M. Made in China and featuring colours E110, E122, E129 and E133 and "flavours" among its many ingredients, the lil dude has a shelf life of almost a whole year. ~Spooky stuff~

The Curse of the Mummy Hand!

2008-10-21T08:55:00.006Z

Mummies have been spotted roaming the streets of London! Although a few head shots have been taken, these mummies have proven to be extremely elusive. Often all that has been captured digitally are the ghastly, tattered, groping hands of the mummies.

These mummies apparently have a real craving for raclet and jamon serrano ...

... and are in desperate need for some botox treatment!

Be afraid. Be very afraid!!!

Hipster Mummy! NoOooOoooOooooOoooo ...

2008-10-20T04:54:00.001Z

Accursed mummies roaming Horse Tunnel at Camden Stables Market? Terrifying!

See more brilliant photos (including more mummy shots outside Egyptian-themed Greater London House) at http://www.flickr.com/photos/amandafarah/

Photos: "Burning Candy" & "Remember My Name" in London (Juxtapoz)

2008-10-19T08:38:00.000Z

Photos: "Burning Candy" & "Remember My Name" in London
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Saturday, 18 October 2008

Both exhibitions run until November 11th, 2008.

See all the "Burning Candy" & "Remember My Name" at Juxtapoz.

The Mummy of Oxford Street Lives!

2008-10-18T16:24:00.002Z

Lured inside by the Halloween crap in the window of a news agent on Oxford Street ...

... and 85 pence later ...

... instant mummy!

Yay!

Sugar Rush Week in Review! (October 17, 2008)

2008-10-17T15:04:00.005Z

Sugar Rush Week in Review!

As mentioned yesterday, I've started blogging on the go. Just in time too! Strollin' down Monmouth Street I happened upon Keanu Reeves, doing his best to fend off the tourists.

When not playing the part of il paparazzo, I did my darnedest to get the most out of Chocolate Week. From mini-tastings to port pairings, I stayed busy making the rounds but managed still to make time for posting reviews of a decent pizza joint, a couple of killer blogger events, a trip to the farm (without leaving London) and some really great art (a la Dan Witz).

The relentless onslaught of mummy mania continued as well - featuring a mummy underwear model, edible mummies in freshly baked sarcophagi, and one poorly bedridden mummy.

All that and gourmet candy floss too!

Anyway, I'm off to celebrate Londonist's fourth birthday. Hope to see some of you there.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris - tikichris to go

tikichris to go

2008-10-16T12:53:00.004Z

I recently got my hands on a Blackberry Bold, and have hardly taken my hands or eyes off this pocket-sized gadget since! Anyway, I've started (yet another) blog via Tumblr for mobile posting while I roam around, stumbling in and out of trouble. Mostly, I think my new blog will allow me to annoy my cats, capture WTF moments on the go, and share candid shots of peeps.

Check it out the new tikichris to go blog at http://tikichris.tumblr.com/.

Cheers,

Chris

Sick Mummy!

2008-10-15T16:19:00.011Z

When not posting mouthwatering Food Stories, Helen Graves tends to the convalescent needs of her ailing mummified boyfriend.

Mummy Dogs with Green Goo

2008-10-14T10:27:00.000Z

Big thanks to my ole buddy Chongolio (via Twitter) for providing me with the following "oozy mummy dogs" recipe. They look spooky and yummy. Awesome!

A little bit of presentation turns "pigs in a blanket" into oozy mummy dogs! This is super simple and even healthy if you follow these suggestions.

Read the simple 4-step Mummy Dogs with Green Goo recipe at 365 Halloween.

"Tiki" Moscow Mule

2008-10-13T15:24:00.012Z

I've been meaning to write about the London Bloggers Blogology Meetup for ages but have just been too slammed with other stuff. I considered posting about it on my ontoLondon blog (and still might), but figured the content is more Tiki Chris than London-specific. Anyway ...

Impressively, London Blogger Meetup organizer Andy Bargery brought Smirnoff on board to "design a custom cocktail to match the content of everyone's blog." For me, a "Tiki" Moscow Mule was created. I liked it and felt that the folks involved did a fantastic job pairing my blog with a cocktail (obviously, I'm more a rum-based cocktail sort of dude, but I'm not one to turn away bespoke vodka cocktails).

So what's in a "Tiki" Moscow Mule?
- 35ML Smirnoff
- Muddled raspberries and strawberries
- Top with ginger ale
- Garnish with mint

You can read more about that really fun evening here, here, here and here!

I Want My Mummy Underwear Model!

2008-10-12T19:08:00.006Z

Ever wonder what a mummy's hiding under all those layers? Now ya know! Hubba huuubbba!

See all the Mummy Underwear Model shots here!

Dan Witz: "Night Paintings" (Juxtapoz)

2008-10-11T08:12:00.003Z

Dan Witz: "Night Paintings"
Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Chris Osburn
Friday, 10 October 2008

Influenced by Ed Ruscha’s 26 gasoline stations and Joseph Wright of Derby, in these pieces Witz also references older western religious painting, where physical light was a metaphor for spiritual revelation and enlightenment.

See all the Dan Witz: "Night Paintings" at Juxtapoz.

Mum's the Word (October 10, 2008)

2008-10-10T16:16:00.005Z

Mum's the Word

Is there life beyond the Rabbit Hole? You bet! There's giant-sized (yet still poignant) black and white street photography taking over entire buildings and snazzy galleries. There are new shoe shops, boozy and branded "experiences" and friendly social media networking events.

But hold on. It's not all seasonal feasting and lovely lunches! I mean, it's really dangerous out there (especially here in London!). The world is filled with all sorts of pratfalls and shady characters and lots and lots of mummies! Nooooo ...

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris

Kitty Cats Say: Ain't Makin' No Mummy Out of Me!

2008-10-09T14:26:00.005Z

What's tougher than trying to catch a greased pig? Trying to wrap toilet paper around two kittens. Still, it's a whole lot of fun and despite my utter failure attempting to "mummify" my kittens, I have a feeling I'll give it go yet again! Anyway, it resulted in some ridiculously cute photos.

More photos of Marmo and Sandokan resisting mummification in my I Want My Mummy Flickr photo set Yay!

Mai Tai Mummy

2008-10-08T21:54:00.001Z

Tiki Racer is ... the Mai Tai Mummy!

The Mummy's Plea

2008-10-07T12:44:00.002Z

I'm gonna take a break from the ongoing Mummy V Panda adventure (I'm sure the suspense is killing you) to bring you the chilling short film: The Mummy's Plea! Be afraid! Be very afraid!!!!

The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: Part 3

2008-10-05T16:27:00.001Z

This episode of Mummy V Panda is brought to you by Berocca Blogger Relief Pack. Stay tuned for more Mummy Madness all this month!

Photos: JR's "28 Millimetres: WOMEN" in London (Juxtapoz)

2008-10-04T09:57:00.003Z

Photos: JR's "28 Millimetres: WOMEN" in London
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Friday, 03 October 2008

JR's first solo show at Lazarides, 28 Millimetres: WOMEN opened today, October 3rd, 2008 in both the Greek Street and Charing Cross galleries, and in the surrounding streets of London. 28 Millimetres: WOMEN includes new originals and a truly awe inspiring site-specific installation.

View all of the "28 Millimetres: WOMEN" photos at the Juxtapoz website.

Tiki Chris, Food General (October 3, 2008)

2008-10-03T17:55:00.008Z

Tiki Chris, Food General

Oh man. Whatta week! I gotta get to the gym! The past seven days started with a fantastic Indian cookery class + lunch at Moti Mahal on Saturday; followed a couple o' days later with an over-the-top food and Sherry pairing led by foodie alchemist Heston Blumenthal; a Gold Medal cocktail at the Cavendish on Tuesday; a (get this) seven course seasonal chocolate tasting menu at Almeida on Wednesday; and, coming full circle, an apple chutney tasting at Moti Mahal this afternoon.

Fortunately, I was able to get my share of visual nourishment too! I checked out London artist T Magic's Loaded with Meaning exhibition opening, which was actually one of the most refreshing exhibitions I've seen in this town in a long time.

For the next month's worth of London Daily Photos, I've decided to focus my lens on all the dangers laid out before us Londoners with a batch of pics I like to call London is Dangerous. View with caution.

And, as if that weren't enough, I kicked off this year's 31 Days of Halloween Madness with an ongoing series of mummy movies (with lots more mummy stuff to follow). Who will win in the epic battle between the mummy and the giant panda? See Parts One and Two.

To be honest, I managed to squeeze in even more fun this week - I just ain't found the time to sit down and write about it!

London Daily Photo: Advance Warning by Chris Osburn © 2008

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - The Adventures of Tiki Chris

The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda: Part 2

2008-10-02T13:50:00.001Z

The Saga Continues!

Didn't catch the first part of Mummy v Panda? Click here.

The Mummy Versus the Giant Panda!

2008-10-01T13:58:00.004Z

Welcome to another 31 Days of Halloween Madness! This year's theme? Mummies! Here's a lil something to get you in a spooky mood:

Photos: T.MAGIC's "Loaded with Meaning" in London (Juxtapoz)

2008-09-30T22:01:00.000Z

Photos: T.MAGIC's "Loaded with Meaning" in London
Photography by Chris Osburn, London correspondent
Juxtapoz
Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Loaded with Meaning is an independent solo show mounted by one of the UK’s most colorful talents, T.Magic (shown above,) which features over forty new works of paintings, photographs, sculptures, and silk-screens.

Check out all the T.MAGIC photos at Juxtapoz.

A Week of Wow! (September 26, 2008)

2008-09-26T10:12:00.004Z

A Week of Wow!

Just taking a moment to look back over the past seven days, which included all sorts of fun stuff:

- Hawking fine art, furniture and electronics for a friend (it's all still there except for the Chagalls)

- Reading (or should I say looking at the fun pics in) a zine ...

- Admiring John Waters' filth-laden wit and wisdom ...

- Spinning above London eating organic chocolate ...

- Tweeting-up with Twitter folk, and ... (a deed I'm most proud of) ...

- Bolstering business for a yummy cupcake delivery service.

Time to sit down and collect my thoughts!

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

SPAT Zine Issue 2

2008-09-25T15:58:00.005Z

It's rare these days that I get the chance just to blog about something simply because I want to take the time to write about it. Anyway, I've been meaning to mention a zine I came across the last time I was in Whitstable (I can't even remember the name of the shop where I got it, but it's on the main drag near the entrance to the harbour and has lots of fun art in the windows).

The zine is called Spat, and I bought Issue 2 for £2.20. It features several pages of wobbly, trippy line drawings that must have taken hours of intense concentration to make. The images seem to be of either cute-ified monsters or monster-fied people. Right up my alley. Unfortunately, there's no email address, website or any info about the creator (or how to get my hands on Issue 1). However, on the back inside cover there's an "ad" for Road Kill Zine and it's MySpace page. Images on that webpage look similar to the Spat artwork. I guess I'll start there. But if anybody knows anything ...

Fun stuff!

Shag Prints and More (Dali, Miro, Chagall) for Sale ... Cheap! Furniture and Electronics Too.

2008-09-23T07:52:00.011Z

A good buddy of mine here in London has recently realized that he has "managed to build up a far bigger collection (of good stuff and junk) than I will ever be able to put on my walls/put on the floor." That means BARGAINS for us! Have a look at what he's got and if interested, just shoot me an email and I'll get you in touch with my friend.

Here's his list o' stuff (and might I add that the dude's got impeccable taste - and no, honestly, these aren't my things. Although I am tempted to purchase a few of 'em):

Art - The collection contains works by:

- Toulouse-Lautrec (the complete set of Circus lithographs in presentation box – only sold as a complete set as I want to ensure they get a good home ;-))

- One of Jim Dine’s “heart” lithographs (Heart for the Film Forum), a rapidly appreciating piece in a series of 500.

- A large number of Marc Chagall lithographs in various editions and paper qualities

- Salvador Dali (about a handful including some stunning sketches)

- Joan Miro (a beautiful small piece)

- Marcel Delacroix (some large Parisian street life scenes – I’m keeping the smaller ones, along with an Alexander Calder and a few other pieces for when I move to a bigger house)

- 8 prints by Shag (Josh Agle) who started the entire 60s cool cartoon style art crazy in the late 1990s. All are in editions of up to 350, but most of them come from smaller editions (200).

- And probably a whole lot more that I’ve forgotten about now that everything is packed in tubes

Furniture:

- Original (almost 50 years old) Bertoia Wire Chair (also known as dining chair) with slightly damaged original black leather cushion and unpainted stainless steel frame £350

- 2 x Eames DCM chairs in black stained Ash. Produced by Vitra (original licensee) in 2002 so some general wear and tear with surface scratching, but still a chair that will last forever. Cost £492 today from new. I’ll be selling one at £250 or you can have both for £400

- Original upholstered (plastic fantastic) blue Eames rocker. The proper fibreglass one rather than the injection moulded crap (pardon my French, but they have really butchered it in recent years). The chair has new white wire legs and new beechwood runners (and therefore has a couple of holes in the underside as the new undercarriage is positioned differently to improve stability. £325

- Large two seater dark brown (looks black) leather sofa from Habitat (not stored in apartment) £400 (price new £1300)

- Arm chair to match with above £200 (price new £700)

- King size Oke futon bed from the Futon Company with large, but minimalist wooden frame (with two tatami mats and “deepsleep” king size futon mattress). Price new £800 (now £918). Selling for £300.

- Karim Rashid Butterfly chair in orange. £70 (price new £140)

- Mies van der Rohe “Barcelona” daybed. Described wrongly as the Barcelona daybed due to its proximity in design to the chair , which was showcased in the German pavilion (designed by v.d. Rohe) at the 1929 Barcelona Expo. This daybed was actually designed for Philip Johnson’s New York City apartment a year later. This is one of only two pieces of furniture I have ever owned that is a reproduction rather than an original (I won’t tell you what the other one is because it’s still in the house ;-)). Great value at £250! Legs and cushions come off for easy transportation

- A stack of original Verner Panton Topan pendant shades in various sizes and colours (including blue, orange, stainless steel and black). Priced from £25 to £85 each. You need to buy your own flex and please note that these have never been produced with a ceiling rose either so you need to find one which you think fits (or disappears).

- Kartell Easy pendant lights (3-pack). Designed by Ferruccio Laviani in 2002. Great cylinder shaped lamps in different colours. You can either hang them together or separately. Never used and still in original packaging. They cost £62 each, but you can have the set of three for £125.

- Small steel and plastic garden table with 3 chairs (nice and easy to keep clean). Ideal for a terrace or balcony. If you would prefer it with 2 or 4 chairs that would be possible as well. £80

- Funky Habitat ceramic and frosted glass lamp

- You MIGHT also tempt me into parting with my two original 1950s Eames Aluminium Group Low Back Office Chairs with blue plastic covering. Offers over £750 for the set.

AV and electronics equipment:

- JVC RX-DP10R. 5 years old and hardly used (40 hours of playing time in total). Formerly the range topping surround sound amp from JVC. Cost when new £1400. Price now: £400. Still plays absolutely beautifully and has all the bells and whistles as well as enough power to host your next street party.

- Kenwood L1000C. One of the all-time great pre-amps. These are still as good as anything on the market today, but I can’t use it in my current integrated amplifier set-up L. Please give this a good home… Bargain at £150- Jamo 707. Stunning floor standing speakers in black ash from the design and sound gurus at Jamo in Denmark. Price new £800. Price now £275 for the pair.

- Dual CS 505-4 turntable. A little gem, but now I want to upgrade so am selling this. Cartridge still has plenty of life left in it and it is very easy to find a replacement if you want to change it. £50

- Sony S505ES. One of the classic FM RDS tuners. This used to be the top of the range radio from Sony and it really does tell when listening to it. If you don’t need all of the DAB cack and just listen to old fashioned radio – this is the one for you. If you’re worried about the digital switchover – don’t be. Ofcom haven’t even set a date yet for switching off analogue radio signals and are murmuring about a 2015 target date, but since this is not a firm commitment it will be at least 10 years before it actually happens. Only selling this as I’ve got my hands on the legendary Onkyo T4700 (probably the finest analogue radio ever made). £20

- Panasonic NV-RS7B S-VHS video recorder. £40 including a stack of unused tapes.

- Minolta Dynax 500Si SLR for those who still like to shoot film and want a very small and handy SLR. £30.

- Nikon F55 SLR – a better SLR and still a hugely popular camera among amateurs and the slightly more pro who will use it as a back-up. Comes with 28 – 80mm and 70-300mm lenses. Bought as kit for £380 in 2004, now selling for £120. Picture quality as good as anything I’ve shot digitally.

- Nikon F401 SLR – an absolute gem and a classic Nikon SLR camera. The first Nikon camera to have a built in TTL flash. It comes with the classic 35-70mm 1:3.3-4.5 lens and the black leather case. Great condition and probably my all-time favourite camera. A bargain at £60. I would recommend finding a motor for it as these old SLR’s focus and shoot a lot slower than modern ones.

- Lexon “Ici Pari” radio by Philipe Starck. £20

- Jacob Jensen alarm clock. £10

- Small 14” Sony TV with built-in video recorder. £20? £15? £10?

- Sony TC-K511S tape deck. Tenner anyone? Otherwise, please just take it.

- Philips DCC (remember those?). Please let me know quickly if you want it or it’s going straight to electronic hell.

Interested? Just let me know.

Emiana has a Genius Idea

2008-09-21T17:26:00.002Z

A Genius Idea
by Emiana

Emiana

Friday, September 19, 2008

Please consider making a donation to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. A Planned Parenthood donation is tax deductible, while a political donation isn't. You'll be helping a good cause and even better, PP will send Palin a card telling her of the donation made in her honor!

Read the complete A Genius Idea post at Emiana's blog.

John Waters on Sarah Palin, Abortion and Rednecks

2008-09-20T10:56:00.004Z

Hey, I caught the John Waters "This Filthy Life" stand up routine/monologue at the Hammersmith Apollo earlier in the week. Loved it! Here are a couple of highlights:

Days of Wine and Sushi ... and Cheese ... and ... (September 19, 2008)

2008-09-19T04:08:00.001Z

Days of Wine and Sushi ... and Cheese ... and ...

Whitstable photo by Chris Osburn © 2008

Oh man, I ate some really good seafood down in Whitstable this weekend and had some rockin' cheese back here in London at my favourite cheese shop. I enjoyed fantastic sushi (with fab wine) too ... at what I think has become my fave Japanese restaurant in town. And for dessert, I had a big ole box of freshly baked cupcakes delivered to my door!

I also caught the opening of Paul Insect's Poison exhibition (which closes this Sunday... and is even better than his 08 show) and pondered just how much my voice sounds like Christian Slater's.

Can't see the video? Click here.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Do I Sound like Christian Slater?

2008-09-18T12:24:00.005Z

Last night, somebody told me that "Christian Slater must have stolen his accent from you." Really? I'm not convinced but I think it was meant as a compliment (even though it really embarassed me). Anyway, here are a couple of clips - one of Slater in Pump up the Volume, a movie I really liked as a kid and another of me saying the same line - which will help you decide.

Christian:

Tiki Chris:

Paul Insect - Poison (Juxtapoz)

2008-09-16T08:38:00.006Z

Paul Insect's "Poison" with Lazarides Gallery
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Tuesday, 16 September 2008

Insect’s Poison will only remain on view through September 21st, 2008. Check out some photos of Poison ...

See all the Paul Insect's "Poison" with Lazarides Gallery photos at the Juxtapoz website.

---

... And because I love you all so much, here's a quick video from opening night. However, I must recommend that you go and check out the exhibition for yourselves. It's good stuff!

Nice One in Review (September 12, 2008)

2008-09-12T09:39:00.010Z

Nice One in Review

Can't see the video? Click here.

This week I shot up Shoreditch, wore cats and danced to music by the Queen of the Gypsies ... just not all at once. I also managed to make it to Cafe Spice Namaste, a brilliant Indian restaurant that I'd been meaning to try for some time, and to visit Bodean's, one of my favourite standby restos in Soho. And, should I ever find myself stumped for the right London eatery, I picked up Charles Campion's handy dandy new guide to London restaurants.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Two Cat Night

2008-09-08T00:43:00.003Z

Living cat bodywear. It's the next big thing in accessories.

Gray and Rainy Week in Review (August 5, 2008)

2008-09-05T13:08:00.005Z

Gray and Rainy Week in Review

It's been a gray and rainy week here in London. Perfect for a big bowl of pho or throwing a private karaoke party. Not so much for roamin' round London taking photos. But somehow, I managed. At least the latest pile of freelance work to come my way (and to keep me from blogging as much as I'd like) is dry.

Anyway, I still need mummies, and y'all still need to check out Elizabeth Blish Hughes's Big Island Guide.

London Daily Photo: New Girl by Chris Osburn © 2008

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Happy Birthday, Emi!

2008-08-31T14:34:00.003Z

Happy Birthday, Emi!

Love,
me, Marmo and Sandokan!

More Happy Birthday from Marmo and Sandokan pics.

Awesome New Guidebook to the Big Island of Hawaii

2008-08-31T08:30:00.001Z

If you’ve ever had even a passing conversation with me, I probably mentioned Hawaii … or was very likely wearing one of my many vintage made-in-Hawaii aloha shirts. I absolutely love Hawaii, wish I could spend more time there (like, at least half the year) and am borderline obsessive about virtually every aspect of Hawaiian and Polynesian life, culture, history and food.

Much of my love of the islands is the result of hanging out with my friend, Elizabeth Blish Hughes, a writer/editor who used to live in Hawaii. For years, Beth’s been an encyclopedic source of knowledge for any and all questions I’ve had about Hawaii. Her advice and understanding have helped me to make the most of my trips to Hawaii and to seek out and enjoy aspects of island living that I otherwise wouldn’t have known about. In particular, her tips really paid off when Emiana and I visited the Big Island of Hawaii for our honeymoon.

So I was really stoked when Beth informed me that her new guidebook, Hawaii's Big Island: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide (Great Destinations), is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Emi and I have reserved our copy and I’m really hoping we’ll be able to fully use the book soon! Beth’s a fantastic writer, with local – off-the-beaten-path – knowledge of and deep love for Hawaii, its people and its many wonders. Mahalo Beth for sharing your expertise with the world!

Greetings from the Carbohydrate Coast (August 29, 2008)

2008-08-29T01:09:00.004Z

Greetings from the Carbohydrate Coast

Okay, I'm back from a week on the Jersey Shore which, due to the vast amounts of pizza and bagels lining its sandy beaches, I've renamed the Carbohydrate Coast. Another apt title might be the Costa del Chili Cheese, as NJ's got the goods in that department too.

Back home, I've been trying my darnedest to make the most of time here in London: sampling fine (and innovative) chocolates, enjoying sushi, katsu chicken curry et al with a few other friendly foodies and taking photographs all over London. You know, the usual stuff. Still, I'm already hankering to take off again, especially now that I've pre-order a copy of Hawaii's Big Island: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide (Great Destinations) by good friend and Hawaii expert, Elizabeth Blish Hughes.

And one last thing: I'm in desperate need of mummified mug shots.

London Daily Photo: Lost in Thought by Chris Osburn © 2008

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

I Want My Mummy - HELP!

2008-08-28T22:03:00.022Z

Call for Mummies

Okay, Halloween's almost here (well not really, but October 31st will come!) and that means it's time for me to geek out with another 31 Days of Halloween Madness. Similar to last year's Halloween Skull Mask Project, this year I hope to get a little reader participation help.

For the month of October, I'd like to post a mummy-a-day, in the way of photos and/or videos of people and animals wrapped up like mummies and, essentially, acting stoopid. Ideally, stuff like a mummy family portrait, mummified pets, mummies in public doing ordinary things, breakdancing mummies etc would be extraordinary content.

If interested in contributing your own pics or video - or you live in London and wouldn't mind a goofy photographer coming round to take photos of you wrapped up in toilet paper like a mummy - please contact tikichris ASAP!

The Week in Review (August 22, 2008)

2008-08-22T19:59:00.002Z

I rode rollercoasters, checked out some cool art, took a bunch of photographs of London and more.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

David Bray at StolenSpace (Juxtapoz)

2008-08-16T08:31:00.002Z

Photos: David Bray's "The 2nd Misc Adventure"
Photography by Chris Osburn, London Correspondent
Juxtapoz
Saturday, 16 August 2008

Featuring originals, limited edition prints, sculptures, and collaborative installations by the artist David Bray, The 2nd Misc Adventure will only be open from August 14th - 18th, for one weekend only.

See the complete David Bray post and see all the photos at the Juxtapoz website.

La Settimana in Review (August 15, 2008)

2008-08-14T01:09:00.006Z

La Settimana in Review

Hey Euro-land, watch out! I got me a bona fide Italian passport. No plans to hit the continent just yet though. I seem to be having plenty of fun right here in good ole Inghilterra (despite the rubbish weather).

When not admiring the latest paintings by tikiracer or engaging in lightsaber battles with the fluffy-wuffiest Jedi ever, I was freakin' out over giant balls of opium and creepy dolls in haute couture, raving about my new favourite London restaurant, sampling cheese, sippin' rum and generally having a good time.

Besides, who needs to visit the continent when those friendly continental-types are kind enough to bring over some of their finest booze to try here in London?

Another nice batch of London Daily Photos managed to get posted this week, included a few by London photography A Glass Darkly. Make sure to check 'em out.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Jedi Kitty Cat Lightsaber Battle

2008-08-12T12:33:00.005Z

Yep, Emiana and I just received a pair of Star Wars lightsabers in the post from a couple of incredibly thoughtful and ridiculously generous friends (whom I sure wish to remain anonymous). Anyway, these toys are a lot of fun (one is modelled after Luke Skywalker's saber, the other after Darth Vader's - awesome). In addition to battling each other for supreme domination of the universe, seeing just how strong the force is in our little kitty cats is an ideal way to waste a bit of time.

Can't see the video? Click here to view it at Flickr.

Un Passaporto Italiano per me? Incredibile!

2008-08-10T14:56:00.006Z

Crank up the Eros Ramazzotti and get Sophia Loren on the phone because my Italian passport arrived yesterday. I've started to get the hang of the hand gestures already and was actually eating a bowl of pasta when the delivery guy knocked on my door! Next step? Get back to learning the language (my Italian's really rusty)!

You're welcome to read more about my Italian transformation in a post from back in February when I actually was granted citizenship. It took a few months more to get the passport, but finalmente it's here.

Tikiracer Paints!

2008-08-10T08:22:00.009Z

Good news for fans of tiki art. Tikiracer's been painting! Here are some samples of his recent (and phenomenal) work.

Marq Hook (ink/acrylic on canvas)
Painting of a rare marquesan hook, found in a german print history book

Ivi Poo (ink/acrylic on canvas)
A tikiracer look at the amazing marquesan bone carvings

Uu (ink/acrylic on canvas)
Tikiracer warclub with hints of racing goggles, steering wheels and spanners

Wanna see more cool Tikiracer art? Set sail for an expediditon to Tikiracer Island.

Rock Lobster - B-52's

2008-08-09T07:50:00.002Z

Bizarre, reverb-y with nothing really like it before them, Athens GA's B-52's with their classic Rock Lobster.

This Week I Wrote about ... (August 8, 2008)

2008-08-08T09:08:00.005Z

This Week I Wrote about ...

... going to Paris ... taking photos in Beijing ... taking video of the Olympics stadium and architecture in Beijing ... defending the honour of my neck of the woods ... chowing down on Farringdon Road ... riding on the London Eye ... moseying along in the treetops at Kew Gardens ... trying gourmet Asian ready-meals ... taking our little kitties to the vet ... sampling some fantastic cheese ... and getting kinky with Qype.

While I was doing all that, A Glass Darkly was kind enough to provide a few of this week's London Daily Photos. Look for more pics from AGD in the days to come and check out this one:

London Daily Photo: Fountain Fun by A Glass Darkly Photography © 2008

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

My Girl - Otis Redding

2008-08-02T17:49:00.007Z

I just happened upon this incredible video of a live performance by Otis Redding moanin' and pleadin' his way through My Girl. Everything about this clip is perfect. The dancing is particularly mesmerizing. And Otis was just so damn cool ... and from my home state of Georgia (yeehaw!). This video has inspired me to look for more classic songs by brilliant musicians from Georgia - watch out y'all!

Trouble Accessing the Tiki Chris Blogs?

2008-08-02T12:17:00.006Z

If you've been trying to access any of my blogs (including 5 Good Reasons ... to be Happy) only to see a nasty “Internet Explorer cannot open the internet site,” the problem seems to belong with Sitemeter, which I use track my web stats. I've just removed Sitemeter's tracking code and everything now seems to be fine. Let me know if anyone is still having trouble viewing the blogs.

Here's a link to the One Project Closer post I happened upon that helped me to figure out what the heck was going on with my blogs:

Sitemeter Crashing Web Sites Using Internet Explorer on August 1, 2008; August 2, 2008
Posted by: Fred
One Project Closer
August 1st, 2008

Tens of thousands of publishers use sitemeter to track their content, including thousands of bloggers. The result: sitemeter takes down the internet? not quite.. but its pretty amazing.

Read the complete Sitemeter Crashing post at One Project Closer.

Kitty Witty Week in Review (August 1, 2008)

2008-08-01T07:57:00.009Z

Kitty Witty Week in Review

We got cats. That's the big news this week. Two 10-week old ginger kitties, which we've named Marmo (the Italian word for marble, a reference to his marbled fur) and Sandokan (as in the coolest Malaysian pirate ever written about by an Italian novelist - although our Sandokan is proving to be the definition of a scaredy cat!)

Read more about Marmo and Sandokan - and see a gazillion photos of 'em here.

Anything else? Yeah, a lot of boring non-blog-about work, another weekly installment of London Daily Photos, and some modern gin-based cocktails in a medieval setting.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Kittens!

2008-07-27T15:50:00.004Z

The cute factor here at Tiki Chris manor has just been cranked up to 11. Yep, Emiana and I got kittens. Two little 10 week old brothers, which we'll likely call Marmo and Sandokan.

See the Marmo and Sandokan photo set on Flickr.

Anothernotalotta Week in Review (July 25, 2008)

2008-07-25T01:34:00.003Z

Anothernotalotta Week in Review

I almost published one of my Offline posts instead of this review. But that would have meant I then would need to find the time to post when I came back Online. I've hardly been in front of the monitor this week and just haven't had the time to blog.

Anyhoo, I did manage to keep up with my London Daily Photos and to check out a pretty cool StolenSpace exhibition and pop over to Paris to take some Marais graffiti shots for Juxtapoz. Anything else? You'll just have to wait until I find some time to blog about it!

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Paris Graffiti (Juxtapoz)

2008-07-24T22:17:00.003Z

Photos: French Street Art
Photography by Chris Osburn
Juxtapoz
Thursday, 24 July 2008

Our UK-based buddy Chris Osburn branched out and hit up France for a little vin and fromage and a lot of great street art.

See all the French Street Art photos.

Under a Red Sky Group Show at StolenSpace (Juxtapoz)

2008-07-19T22:05:00.000Z

Photos: "Under A Red Sky" Group Show
Photography by Chris Osburn
Juxtapoz
Friday, 18 July 2008

Click here for all the photos.

Da Week in Review (July 18, 2008)

2008-07-18T10:52:00.003Z

Da Week in Review

This week, I ...

- made Mai Tais,
- had some yummy oysters in Whitstable, and
- enjoyed a decent curry for lunch in The City.

Yummerz.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Because You Asked (How to Make a Mai Tai)

2008-07-15T10:35:00.003Z

Recently, more than a couple of folks have asked me about how to make a Mai Tai. Here's my recipe, kinda sorta based on the recipe of Mai Tai originator, Trader Vic. It could probably use a bit of tweeking but I'm rather inclined to keep it as is and no one's complained yet.

2 jiggers of Jamaican rum (Appleton Estate Reserve)
2 jiggers of Martinique rum (St James)
¾ jigger of orange Curacao (Yes it must be orange!)
¾ jigger of Trader Vic’s Rock Candy Syrup or Saint James’s Sucre de Canne
½ jigger of orgeat (to be honest, I’ve recently been using Italian orzata)
Juice from one fresh lime
Shake vigorously with crushed ice
Add a sprig of fresh mint and a maraschino cherry
Enjoy!

There are a gazillion valid recipes out there and lots of opinions. And if you're looking for a good one at a bar in London, the best I've had have been at Trader Vic's and Trailer Happiness.

Exceptionally Good Week to Review (July 11, 2008)

2008-07-10T19:23:00.001Z

Exceptionally Good Week to Review

This was an exceptionally good week to be me. I interviewed two awesome artists, monster master Chet Zar and Aussie street artist Stormie Mills as well as the kids from Unchained (an awesome new online guide to indie retailers in London). I chowed down on a rib eye while being entertained by burlesque dancers ... sampled some chili cheese fries at a new London diner ... roamed around the big ole Battersea Power Station ... and learned how to make pastasotta.

Enjoy your weekend,
Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents

Stormie Mills Interview (whitehot)

2008-07-05T21:18:00.003Z

Chris Osburn Interviews Stormie Mills
by Chris Osburn
whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art
July 2008

Tenacity, humility and belief in the creative process. Think about what you do and make it your own. Following a small component of what you do with the materials you have available may well become a significant component of your work rather than just a nuance. Work hard. It's got to be an obsession, a driving passion. A friend Reg Bolton told me, when I was having a major crisis of direction and confidence, "love what you do, do what you love, the money will follow" for me that's been good advice.

Click here for complete interview.

Chet Zar Interview (whitehot)

2008-07-05T00:00:00.005Z

Chet Zar's Ugly American @ Strychnin Gallery

by Chris Osburn

whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art

July 2008

There is no question about it - creating your own artwork for your own exhibition is the best. Nobody is standing over your shoulder and telling you what to create and the success or failure of a show rests entirely on your own ability. Fine art is all about freedom for me and being a cog in the machine on the films of other people is a lot less fulfilling and does not offer much freedom. Once in a while you get to work with a director who actually respects your art (Guillermo Del Toro or Adam Jones on the Tool videos, for example) and lets you really be part of the creative process.

Click here for complete post.

Nottalotta Week in Review (4th of July, 2008)

2008-07-03T22:16:00.023Z

Nottalotta Week in Review

There was plenty of activity for me this week, just not much of it online. Anyway, I did start blogging for Qype (about Clerkenwell, an awesome photography exhibition at Tate Modern, and London from a photographer's point of view). I also had some very fantastic tapas on Sunday. Yum.

Enjoy your weekend,

Chris

ontoLondon - ontoTravel - Tiki Chris Presents