Raves & Wrecks: Full Moon Buy Night 2009

Oakland, CA - Walking a spiral through the maze of booths that Full Moon Buy Night (FMBN) had to offer me, I couldn't help but come out of it with mixed feelings. 

I go to so many of these things, and I'm always looking for something new and different, even a different presentation or ambiance of some sort.  So when I saw the online flyer for this event, the presentation of certain images and words made this event a shoo-in for me.  I was lured by the images of a full moon and the string lights and the words "night", "bazaar" & "waterfront".  When I got there, that's exactly the ambiance that FMBN offered me...a night bazaar with string lights on the waterfront under the moonlight. 

There were some local food vendors, a small farmer's market, some local fashion vendors, some exhibitors and some entertainment.  The bazaar offered such a variety of things.  So why oh why did I feel shorted in some way? Why oh why did I feel like I needed more?

And then it hit me.  The last East Bay event I went to was East Bay Express' Best of the East Bay Party at the Oakland Museum.  Yes, yes, YES!  Need I say more?!

Now if you'll see the bottom of FMBN's flyer, East Bay Express had a hand in this event.  I don't know what kind of hand it was or how much of its hand was allowed in the FMBN cookie jar, but let's just say that this year, FMBN is your father's Best of the East Bay Party...maybe even your grandfather's.

With an awesome 5 for Rave and an abysmal 1 for Wreck...

• 5 raving stars to whoever designed the flyer
• 5 raving stars for the ambiance
• 3 stars for what was offered.  A good variety of offerings...but I just wanted more.
  

They Pull Me Back In!

Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in!

I can't help it y'all.  I'm being tempted by all the fun on the waterfront of Jack London Square in Oakland tonight:  http://bit.ly/fullmoonbuynight

I hope I don't find anything expensive, 'cause then I'll be in trouble.  Does anyone know the number to Shopaholics Anonymous?

Time to Hustle

It's been awhile hasn't it? I keep on telling everybody about these awesome, just-can't-pass-em-up independent designer trunk shows that I can't even attend because, basically, I am BRRRR-OKE!

The recession has hit me with a pay cut, I'm in the middle of dishing out cash for the divorce process and the fact that I can't find a girl roommate to help me pay for this godforsaken rent is totally killing me and my savings. I'm not technically a starving artist just yet, but if I don't get me dolla billz in some form, I may fit the bill soon.

Right now though...I'm just glad I have a job. But I need a side job to get by. I'm thinking about delving into my other skills...dog training, dog boarding...maybe try my hand out at sewing my own line. Either way, I don't want to work for "the man". I want to work for myself, so here goes...

Got a dog that needs training? I've got references. I specialize in basic & trick training. I'll show you and your dog the ropes. ;)

Got a dog that needs to be supervised during your day job? The dog can't be a nuisance barker and must get along with my dog. Your dog will hang with me and my Bull Mastiff-Rhodesian Ridgeback mix during my work day from 8am to 7pm.

How about puppy socialization. If your puppy is afraid of people with hats or sunglasses, other dogs, vacuums and so on, I can help with that, too.

I also organize dog parties. Depending on your budget, you can propose locations, I can make or provide favors, moderate games, coordinate prizes for both owners and your dogs friends, and more!

Have a source for cheap fabric? Message me via my website.

THE LEEK: Party With Big Pool Mistaken for Big Party With Pool

By P. Ordonia. September 4, 2009

Orinda, CA - Independent artist, Malaya Mai, misinterpreted a text from her rapper friend and fellow performer, who requested his name remain anonymous. "When he texted me that his manager was having a party at his place, with a big pool, to celebrate his birthday and that he wanted me to meet some people and perform, naturally I got hella excited and thought it would be a big party," said Malaya. That was not the case as Malaya and her rapper friends took the stage, or more accurately, the cement floor near the big pool outside, in the big backyard. "Just as soon as my rapper friend announced that we were about to perform, the manager's 6 or 7 friends that were in attendance disappeared into his house. What was left was 1 DJ, 2 rappers, 1 rapper's day job co-worker, 2 of my friends and me."

Despite the abysmal attendance, words shouted from Malaya's rapper friend as she took the stage were encouraging, "Perform like you're singing to a crowd of people!" And so she screamed into the "crowd", "Hellooooooo, Orinda!" And at the end of her debut performance of 1 Thing, Malaya made light of the situation by shouting into the mic, "Thank you! And good night!"

The small attendance was explained away with overheard laments of, "The venue was just too big for these small-time but very talented artists." "The manager is a manager, not a promoter. Duh!" "Where did the promoter disappear off to again?" "Wait! Was there even a promoter?" Some made it personal and theorized, "The manager must just have a small amount of genuine and real friends as opposed to those poser managers that befriend everybody. But are they really friends to any of them?! NO!" And one reminisced, "Kids these days. All they think about is staying inside the house and partying. What happened to good ole' fashioned outside pool parties with live rappers and singers?!"

Despite the low attendance, Malaya found positives in this private, not-really-a-party performance situation, "Big pools do not necessarily beget big parties."

Malaya Mai

"Malaya Mai" is symbolic of my 2 loves...

Freedom:  "Malaya" means "freedom" in Tagalog - a popular language spoken in the Philippines. I'm a free spirit...mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  I get feisty when those freedoms are taken from me.

Dancing:  "Mai", I've read, means "dance" in Japanese.  Interesting...'cause that's what I do! Spin me some Timberland, JT, LMFAO...whatevs! I feel it in my bones, therefore I dance. My parents are responsible for tagging me with that nickname. What a foreshadowing that turned out to be.

Message me via my website.

Check out this YouTube video, compliments of DJ Maniakal!:

My Time To Move & Shake

Yaaay! I get to be a Mover & Shaker this time! So if you've been keeping abreast of my blog entries, you may have noticed that I've been working on somethin' a little Pop, somethin' a little Dance, somethin' a little Club.

I've also been working on my new artist MySpace page! It's not much right now, but if you still want to become my friend (HINT! HINT!), click here!

So, without further adieu, here's my new debut single, "Flip the Coin". I hope you like it! If you do like it, pretty please with a cherry on top...show a little support in whatever way you can by commenting on the song, sharing the song with friends and/or buying the song and blasting it through your open car window at every stoplight!

XOXO!
Malaya

Message me via my website.

THE LEEK: Questionable Gender of Cop Falls in Favor of Cop

San Mateo, CA - After being pulled over in her car, independent recording artist, Malaya Mai was not sure how to act when the police officer arrived at her car window to ask her the usual question, "Do you know why I pulled you over, ma'am?"

"It was kind of dark and the officer had a voice that was neither feminine nor masculine...just somewhere smack dab in the middle," explained Mai.  "As soon as I saw she-man's face, it was unclear to me whether to unbutton the top of my blouse or just feign 'woman' problems or what.  Usually, I know for sure right off hand what to do, but I was just caught off-guard and did neither."

The police officer, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote her a traffic ticket for speeding.  "Although she looked alert and was looking straight at me, she looked confused, but followed my instructions and had all the necessary paperwork.  She was clearly going 15mph over the speed limit."

Mai claimed that Lady Gaga's "Pokerface" was to blame.  "Every time it comes on, I just wanna go fast.  But either way I should've just unbuttoned my shirt.  We are in the Bay Area after all, and people don't go fast around here...they just go both ways."