Venice, CA / Do you like to sing?

I spent this past fourth of July hanging out around Venice Beach. Fourth of July two years ago marks pretty much the very beginning of this project which began on a post college roadtrip from Chicago to Jacksonville with my then roommate, Taylor. We spent the fourth of July at her family's beach house, where they've hosted an giant fourth of July party every year for the past few decades. It was epic and so delicious!

 

© Jasmin Chang 2011

 Answer: Actually, I would say I don't like to sing, but I like to talk. I like to speak. I just like listening to music. You know, music soothes the heart and soul. 

What's your favorite song right now?

I think something by Yanni. "Love is All." Yanni. Y-A-N-N-I. He's a good American singer and the song is "Love is All."

Question: What are the most important things in life?
 

Oceano, CA // What is your favorite aroma or smell?

Our road trip continued down the coast. We hiked in Big Sur and picnicked overlooking the ocean and then took a giant detour to our next stop, Pismo Beach. Apparently, there was a mudslide on PCH but despite there being signs for the past 100 miles telling us we would have to take a detour, there was never a sign saying...detour here! The road literally just ended with one roadblock sign in the middle of nowhere. So, we had to take a 3 hour loop all the way back up north through Monterey and then all the way back down, finally making it to Pismo Beach at 2 am, for a lovely dinner of Jack in the Box. So, a wise word of caution to future road trippers... the ocean can be beautiful and mesmerizing, but make sure you take the signs seriously!


© Jasmin Chang 2011



Answer: Lavender. The smell of lavender. It's relaxing and soothing. I plan on planting lavender when I rearrange my yard, so I can dry it and put it in little baggies. When you walk into Bed Bath and Beyond, it's the first thing you smell. At the farmer's market here, it's the first thing you smell. It draws you in because it's just so calming and soothing. My favorite smell used to be vanilla, but lavender has overruled it now. laughs


Question: Do you like to sing?

Napa, CA/What's the first thing you do in the morning when you open your eyes?

I went on a roadtrip down the California coast with a few of my best friends. Day one of our trip began at a winery in Napa and a picnic with wine, lots of cheeses and chocolate chili fudge. It was awesome because I've wanted to visit Napa ever since sixth grade when The Parent Trap, probably one of my favorite movies of all time, came out!


© Jasmin Chang 2011

Answer: The first thing I think of is, "I want to close my eyes and I don't want to wake up. I want to go back to sleep." Laughs. Every day I think that.

Question: What is your favorite aroma or smell?

I ask that because I was in Taipei just about two weeks ago. I grew up in Sydney, Australia and just for a minute, at sunset in Taipei, it smelled like a humid day in Sydney.

Venice, CA / Are you happy? If yes, why? If no, why?

I often go to the Bank of America in Venice for work and every time I go, I always look forward to seeing Magdiel, the attendant in their parking lot, who greets me with a big smile and an enthusiastic, "Hello Jasmin!" I've been hoping to interview him for The Walking Talk for some time now, and this just seemed like the perfect question for him.


© Jasmin Chang 2011

Answer: Of course, I am happy! I am happy to breath fresh air. I'm happy just to be alive.

There was a singer who sings this song... Celia Cruz. She sings, "Life is a carnival. It doesn't matter if you don't have any food, doesn't matter if you don't have any belongings, just be happy. Try to be happy. To be happy, you don't need many things. To be happy, you just need yourself. If you are not rich, if you are poor, enjoy the life cause it's a carnival."

It's the only time we have to celebrate, when we are alive.

Question: What's the first thing you do in the morning when you open your eyes?

Venice, CA/Do you think that the country is headed toward a more socialistic system than we had before? Why do you think so?

© Jasmin Chang 2010

Answer:  Right now, there's a democratic president and the healthcare issue. That passed so that is more socialistic. But I think the real sign is that everyone is intermixing. Before it was like our culture versus your culture. It seems like people are interrelating more. It's more of a celebration of culture rather than paranoia, which I guess is more social.

Question: Why don't people pay more attention to spaying and neutering their cats and dogs? Why don't people take more responsibility for their pets?

Venice, CA/What kind of food do you love the most?

I was driving home from work, along my usual route through a Venice neighborhood, when I turned the corner to see that these two guys had set up an outdoor studio where they were hanging out and spray painting a canvas. 


© Jasmin Chang 2010
 
Answer: (left) Baked ziti. It's the worst. It's criminal. You put some sausage in... then you put it back in the oven...then there's all this cheese everywhere. It's sooo good.
(right) Eggplant parm. That's what I grew up eating. My grandma's eggplant parm.

Question: What makes you interesting?

Los Angeles, CA (Los Feliz)/When's the last time you went to see a movie?

My friend Natalie took me to Sapp Coffee House, which she discovered when she saw this clip of Anthony Bourdain eating their boat noodles. It's a yummy Thai restaurant in a Los Feliz strip mall, despite what you would think from the name. I don't even think there is coffee on the menu at all!


© Jasmin Chang 2010


Answer: Three weeks ago. Shutter Island. It's fun. It was interesting. You saw the preview right? Not scary at all. It interests me. Yea, yeah I liked it!

Question: What kind of food do you love the most?

Los Angeles, CA (Mar Vista)/How old were you when you had your first kiss?

© Jasmin Chang 2010

Answer: I was 14.

Question: Where were you born?

Beverly Hills, CA/ If you could die and come back tomorrow, what race, sex and job title would you like to come back as? Where would you like to live?

Full Question: If you knew tomorrow you would die and come back to this world, what race, nationality, sex and job title would you like to come back as? You can't come back as yourself. You have to come back as someone else. And where would you like to live?

© Jasmin Chang 2010

Answer: That's a bad question! I don't like it and I don't want to answer it. I don't want to think of dying and coming back. I never do think what's going to happen tomorrow. Why you have to think you have to die and come back? I like the way I am and I want to be the same way. I live and I am happy where I am now.

Question: Are you happy? What is going to make you happy?

Wrightwood, CA/Do you think angels are around us everyday?

For anyone that tried to go snowboarding this weekend and got stuck in 3 hours of traffic, this is for you. My friends and I got bundled up at 5 am and drove out to Mt. High to go snowboarding for the first time in a long time, but sadly got stuck in a ton of traffic, crawled up the mountain at snail's pace to discover that not only was the parking lot completely full, but they were completely out of rental equipment. Happy ending though--we ended up finding a hill to play in the snow and this awesome couple that staked out the hill first and shared the hill and their sled with us.

© Jasmin Chang 2010

Answer: Yeah I do. I married one. You know what? I did. It took me 43 years to find her or it took 43 years for God to send her to me. One or the other. I'm not sure which but yeah, I believe in angels. We've been married for 9 years.

Question: Do you enjoy life today?

Culver City, CA/What can we,as human beings living in the 21st century, do to make sure that future generations of chickens will not be so mistreated?

At the Three Apples exhibit, a celebration of 35 years of the cuteness, glory and sass that is Hello Kitty.


Fun fact: Officially, Hello Kitty weighs three apples...hence the name of the exhibit.


© Jasmin Chang 2009
Answer: We actually just watched a video on chickens in our food science class! They seemed happy, but they should have activities to do instead of just having them as machines that produce eggs. They're animals. Instead of just having them for our benefit, we should treat them better. They should have a better life. People should go in and check often to see if they are being mistreated because there is still a lot of animal testing that happens.


Question: Do you think that men and women have more equality in our generation than in the past and is that enough? Will we ever be equal to men?

Los Angeles, CA (Del Rey)/How will you demonstrate love towards someone today?

The two guys have been traveling by walking, hitchhiking and taking the bus up and down the west coast from Portland to San Francisco to Los Angeles since the beginning of the summer.

© Jasmin Chang 2009

Answer: When I go into the Jack in the Box right there to get a salad, I will lean over the counter, not for a kiss...that might be moving too fast...but to say thank you for the salad and I love you for the salad.

Question: What can we do, as human beings living in the 21st century, to make sure that future generations of chickens will not be so mistreated?

Los Angeles, CA (Mar Vista)/How has the economy affected your life?

© Jasmin Chang 2009

Answer: My friends don't have jobs anymore, so I have to spot them whenever we go out.

Question: What part, in your life, does the ocean play...as a California resident or a coastal resident?

Inglewood, CA/What, more than anything, would you like to achieve in your life?

© Jasmin Chang 2009
Answer: I guess I would just like to be happy for everyday, to be grateful for everyday and not let the small stuff get you down.

Question: What would make today a good day for you?

Hollywood, CA/What smell do you find nasty, but interesting?

© Jasmin Chang 2009

Answer: Pussy.

Question: Do you say prude or cheese when you take a picture?

San Francisco, CA/What will you do today if tomorrow is the end of the word? Who will you like to spend the last day with?

© Jasmin Chang 2009

Answer: I would spend the day with my girlfriend...typical right? I've been with her for four years. I would want to see my family too.

Question: What smell do you find nasty but interesting?