to anyone who stops by this blog: if it seems deserted, it is. The address to my new blog is:

www.pkafka.com

Thanks. I hope you guys enjoy my new blog as much as I have enjoyed working with WordPress on this one.

-pk

Summer is never complete without a trip down I-35 to good ole Austin, Texas. Since graduating high-school in 2005, a weekend in Austin with my Dallas buddies has been a summer staple.

The average Texas capital trip usually consists of a caravan of cars heading from Dallas to Austin; six, seven and sometimes even eight Greenhill (my highschool) grads travel down with hopes of tasty tex-mex  and good fun.

This most recent trip, unlike most, was a smaller, more manageable  group, consisting of three others besides myself. My usual host, Josh Ernst, who I previously wrote about in “jet-setting Joshua” played the part of the gracious host, which he continually does so damn well. However this trip, his promises and predictions of a great time were finally achieved.

Although my trips to Austin are usually enjoyable, it is not the city that makes the get-togethers great, it is the people. I love seeing old friends and making new ones too; however the females that frat parties usually provide are not the type that “will make my weekend.”

This short stint in Longhorn nation did contain a night of foam at the perfectly coined “cool, Jewish frat,” ZBT, however, the crazy party was far from being the best part of the weekend.

I would have to say that the small group played a key part in making this Austin weekend my favorite …ever. Our meals and down time tended to be the most fun of all: whether it was sipping Mexican Martini’s at the best frigin Tex-Mex place ever, Trudy’s, or the four of us trying to take an afternoon siesta to get ready for Saturday night; when we were together, we were having fun.

Even though what Austin had to offer did not make the weekend, there were certain “Austin specific” aspects of it that were integral parts:

First, I really enjoyed spending time with two of my other good high-school buddies, Rob and Colby, who are both residing in Austin for the summer. These enjoyable guys never seem to lose their luster. Although they both contain touches of Texas frat tradition that I am not accustomed to, these guys always help me realize that the average Jewish guy is a much better man than me. Whether I am trying to pick up women with Rob, or making fun of Colby trying to do the same, a good time is always obtainable as long as these guys are in the picture. Their friends are good guys too… as expected.

Second, instead of  sticking to the plan and going to the Saturday day-time party entitled “Fiji Island,” Mickey, Josh, Sam and I headed down to the Barton Creek Greenbelt . In our new-found appreciation of nature, my friends and I truly enjoyed buying some three dollar inner-tubes and giving floating down the river an honest chance. Although our 36″ tubes, were not properly equipped to handle the rushing rapids (due to all the rain) they served us well for the two hundred feet we floated.

Along with going with the tide, watching Josh struggle with the muddy river bank was quite a sight to see. I think he slipped five times and fell three; some quality entertainment.

Anyways, yes, Austin was great. Being joined by only three other people probably made the experience as nice as it was; our ability to agree on activities quickly helped us have a nice itinerary; and the heaping amount of alcohol that Trudy’s puts in their Mexican Martini’s (I was talking to any and every woman  after only one) and that Rob, Colby and the rest of ZBT provided us with Friday night helped us avoid what could have been a disastrous day of drinking at Fiji Island on Saturday.

All in all, the way I do Austin is changed forever. I will no longer go hoping to enjoy the fun but always regrettable times I have at the Frat parties. I will now venture down south seeking outdoor adventures with the right amount of company.

-pk

To my few faithful readers: I will be in Austin for the weekend. I am heading down there with my good friends Josh, Mickey, Sam and Rook – a guaranteed good time.

I will update you on the outing when I return. Have a nice weekend.

-pk

The mY chair, Timothy Schreiber’s modern rendition of the average looking home necessity has made the folding chair a functional home accessory.

The chairs, which are brushed aluminum, come in a variety of colors; and like most of their modernly designed counterparts, have very clean lines.

Schreiber, a London based designer, is contributing to a British creative scene that seems to be sophisticating at a rate which has the rest of the world’s musicians, designers and artists in a constant state of panic. As of now, it seems that most creative territory is being claimed by the Brits.

Tall-e-ho.

-pk

As some of you know, I am currently preparing to venture down to South America. The specifics of the trip are as follows:

1. I will be joined by my good friend Mickey Ashmore

2. We will be spending 3 days at a winery outside of Santiago, 2 weeks (all expenses paid) at a Starwood hotel in Buenos Aires and 2 weeks (all expenses paid) at a Starwood hotel in Rio.

We will be traveling with many hopes, goals, expectations and desires, however, other than the two items mentioned above…we have no plans.

As such, we have been working moderately hard to try and figure out some specifics. We both enjoy active exploration (activities that incorporate some sort of physical exertion and a lot of scenery, ie hiking).

Anyways, trying to hold up my end of the “come on, we need to find stuff do to!” bargain that Mickey and I both agreed upon, I began searching for people that might be able to introduce us to places of interest.

The editor of the publication I work for (Modern Luxury Dallas) recommended I contact one of her ex-cowriters, who is currently a freelance writer/photographer in Lima, Peru. He is an awesome guy and has offered much advice (his website). As he puts it, he is going to try and help us manufacture a trip that includes “weird adventures and finding the South American loves of our lives.”

He lead us to the South American Explorers club. I have been surfing their website and found a very useful section; if anyone is planning a trip to SA they must check out the Trip Reports.

If you are a seeking unique travel experiences – interesting people have posted theirs in that section.

Happy exploring!

-pk

An art collection is a personal thing; dna11 understands that. In fact, their company is built around that philosophy.

Their mantra summarizes exactly what they do, “From Life Comes Art.” Although broadly, that maxim explains the dna11 process. What the company does is obscenely unique.

As a customer, you have two options, you can either provide dna11 with a finger-print or with a DNA sample (they furnish you with finger-print and DNA kits), from there you decide on a color palate. After receiving the vitals, dna11 produces a work of art that incorporates either your finger-print or DNA make-up.

The results are a modern looking work of art that contains quite a story. The prices are very reasonable for a wall-hanging that is one-of-a-kind.

Finger-print prints (vary based on your thumb):

The DNA prints are a bit more abstract:

-pk

My dad, an avid art fan with impeccable taste, recently introduced me to the work of Banksy, a British graffiti artist. Similar to the type of art my father usually collects, Banksy’s art is cutting edge; however contrary to my fathers taste, his art is abstract in meaning, not method.

Like most artists, Banksy is not well known; on the other hand, unlike most artists, Banksy prefers to remain anonymous. With the majority of his followers reporting that they don’t know who he is or what he looks like, it is safe to say that Banksy is an enigma.

Although he specializes in attractive and welcomed public vandalism, he also produces pieces for private collections. In April of 2007 one of his creations, entitled Space Girl and Bird, was auctioned by Sotheby’s for £288,000 ($576,000); unlike most people, Banksy refuses to embrace fame. A day prior to the sale of this work, Southeby’s succeded in auctioning off more of his pieces. In response to the absurd prices people paid, Banksy produced this work of art and posted it on the front page of his website. Be sure to check his website out.

Explore his collection, do some research, all his masterpieces rely on their location for much of their meaning. Here are some of my favorites (click to enlarge):

-pk

Good-morning readers. Although Thursday is my favorite day, I like the forever morning vibe that Sunday gives off. Does anyone else ever feel like Sunday, up until about dark, has that drowsy A.M. feeling? Anyways, maybe it’s just that I went out last night, got a little drunk and ended up skimping on my sleep.

My friend Mickey, the socialite that he is, had a debutant party last night, and I was lucky enough to tag-along. Anyways, after drinking a little, dancing a lot and socializing a good amount, we headed over to Hotel ZaZa for the Modern Luxury Dallas magazine (I am working for them this summer) Bastille day party.

This was my first time to ZaZa; I like it. It was as expected, a good scene, with good-looking people. It kind of epitomizes what Dallas is trying to become, “young, hip, trendy,” a wannabe LA. I’d recommend ZaZa to people looking for an energetic, sceney night-spot; if you go into the evening with the right mindset (ready to conquer) you are sure to have a good time.

After a solid five hours of sleep, Mickey and I were ready to get back at it. Mick did some research and ended up figuring out that the “best breakfast in Dallas” was produced by the kitchen of BuzzBrews. Although the food was good, I won’t be going back. The place gave me a cultish sense; I felt like everyone there, customers included, were characters in some retro comic book.

I enjoyed the “fresh-water” which was watermelon juice with a touch of honey, and their coffee was also quite quenching. All in all, the flavors of the food, although nice, were not enough to overcome the sketchiness of the place.

My negative review will probably make all you Dallas readers curious. And yes, I’d say check the place out, I’m sure BuzzBrews is recruiting, and if you like the vibe, acceptance is probably not too hard to attain.

-pk

After two years of dorm living, I am finally moving into an apartment. And as someone who has been confined to small, uninteresting spaces, I am excited about the prospect of making my room simply awesome.

Even though I am a minimalist (when it comes to design), I often find myself drawn to extra accents and certain touches that are unnecessary. Recently I ran into something called “the woven wall.”

I guess the product could either be called art or an accessory, or even both. I am going to put a picture up, and you can check out the link for further info. It is actually really hard for me to explain the entire concept… but when you see a good amount of pics, you will understand.

-pk

Like most people, I have a love/hate relationship with healthy eating. Flavors from fatty foods often sound appealing, but usually lead to a substantial amount of regret.

As a person who tries to keep my tongue as happy as my body, I am constantly looking for places that provide sinfully healthy food. Last year, as an inhabitant of LA, my goal was easy to accomplish.

On my search, I came across a lot of prime spots. However, my quest ended up leading me to one of the most amazing culinary experiences of my life.

M Cafe De Chaya is more than your average organic sandwich shop. With a kitchen that exclusively serves macrobiotic dishes, the restaurant swears that their food helps their customers find an inner peace and outer glow.

Their menu is awesome. After a once over, the average “non-healthy” eater might feel intimidated and even over-whelmed, but after asking a couple of questions and taking a minute to collect oneself, there is no way that a hungry person won’t be excited.

Honestly, nothing is good at this place; everything is great. Since the restaurant is macrobiotic, they do not serve meat or dairy products… But I swear that their veggie burger on whole-grain bread is better than any beef product on any white-bread bun.

Try the Madras Tempe wrap, and anything else that strikes some intrigue. The place uses top quality ingredients and even serves my favorite whole-grain, Quinoa.

M Cafe is healthy, yes; but it is also amazingly tasty… Even my fat friends like it.

-pk