WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT: KE$HAIR

here at little chief, we are all about some voluminous hair... but this?? maybe we need some rehab, or maybe just need some sleep, but that weird catwoman make-up... WTF, ke$h. and the look on her face screams "i feel like i like to look as if i've been hit by a semi!" 

nice nose ring, by the way.

-EL CAPITÁN

p.s. a massive THANK YOU to the ke$ha lov¢r who made this...should be thinking about entering it into some festivals.

A TRIP TO THE NASHVILLE FLEA MARKET

what's a nashville flea market without boots?

and more boots.

 i don't do many things well, but i am good at flea markets. i'm like the rick steves of flea markets. the merlin of old stuff. so when i finally had the opportunity to escape to nashville on saturday, i cashed my last paycheck, folded down the back seats of my 4runner and hopped on i-24.

 the nashville flea market in particular thrills my soul. it's where i want to be when i'm everywhere else. i daydream about it. sound ridiculous? dorky? pathetic? i accept that.

since i was 6 years old, the flea market was the destination of choice every fourth weekend of the month-- i know my way around. for instance, i know that you should never (ever) pay the asking price for anything. haggling is an art: make eye-contact. smile. wear short shorts and mascara (just kidding) (but seriously).  if the price-tag says $10, confidently ask, "will you take $8 for this?"  or "what's the lowest you'll go on the porcelain pig?" 90% of the time you'll walk away successful. plan ahead-- come knowing what pieces you're looking for and a car with enough cargo space to accommodate any surprise finds. also, bring cash. a fistful of dollars if you will. bring a few blank checks too if you're looking for bigger (i.e. more expensive) items. don't bring your dog, your dog's stroller, your baby, your annoying friend, your large purse, or for that matter, spencer pratt.

be on the lookout later this week for what i scored on saturday (hint: it's great stuff, folks).

*i apologize for the hipster-pic overload today. i like instagram and i had my iphone handy. get over it.

-THE HUNTER

JUST ANOTHER MANLY MONDAY...

...we wish it was sunday...morning coming down.

you know his voice. he's the man in black. music, style, and all-around icon, john r. cash represents more than country music and a tale of tough times. 

have a swig of jack before strumming a while on your d-35 martin. we promise it'll make you feel manlier. or, at the very least, less sober.

if you or someone you know feels inspired to dress like the philosopher-prince of american country music himself, try out some boots or a western ribbon tie--a classic look. 

i think we can all agree, there's nothing manlier than a good snuggle.

-EL CAPITÁN

WEDGED AND WIDELEGGED

sounds uncomfortable, right? don't be alarmed, we are simply referring to a sleek staple of fall fashion--wedges with wide-leg pants.

turquoise spike necklace can be found here; wedges (on sale) can be found here; wide-leg jeans via the sartorialist, i'm sure you've heard of it...

below and on the left, another sartorial image (check out THOSE wedges!); on the right, fall in michigan--can you imagine taking that little-city-vespa-thing for a spin down that road? i think i'd prefer something more like this.

an autumn porch scene on the left, only missing good company; ok, so this girl is looking a bit too...i don't know, what would you say? happy? (is that erin andrews??) especially to be standing alone in what appears to be her under-construction exotic plant sanctuary. maybe we're just guilty of growing accustomed to seeing morose models everywhere. nevertheless, those wide-leg jeans are too good.

how cute is she? we definitely approve of this look below, right up to the pink lipstick.

what would y'all think about adding these to the look...

...then kicking them off and relaxing here? we like that thought too. but hey, next time you're thrifting/shopping/throwing money at things, invest in some ever-flattering wide-leg pants and a pair of wedges. your slimmed thighs, toned calves, and well-supported arches will thank you. maybe with a note or a gift card or something.

-EL CAPITÁN

IT'S KWANZAA IN AUGUST!

just wanted to wish you guys a happy kwanzaa in august! to celebrate, sandra lee of semi-homemade cooking with sandra lee has kindly offered her expertise to concoct one of the most... controversial cakes in the history of the world wide web.

sandra, i want you take that knife and give it a whirl in the jugular of whatever producer thought this segment would be a good idea. if you're feeling guilty, you can always top the wound off with pie filling or shove a florescent taper candle in there to stop the bleeding.

a brief analysis:

her voice..."decorating is so much FUN." not only is it about as soothing as a nasal cheese grater, but you can just tell she's not into it, like your high school girlfriend. skeletor--i mean sandra herself doesn't even believe what's happening before her eyes! 

now, i'm not totally sure if the whole idea behind this cake is semi-racist or semi-ignorant, but i am wholly positive that cake does not taste "dee-licious" or "so amazing." semi-coma-inducing? quasi-nauseating maybe? but i will not accept delicious. i will also not accept this as a hostess gift if i were to throw a kwanzaa/harvest potluck in the near future. 

there's just too many flavors going on here. if you have to embellish a culinary creation with pumpkin seeds and acorns (corn nuts, right?), you better be making bird suet, not a nipple cake with giant, oddly-colored dinner candles in it.

and don't you just love the way she plops that portion down on the plate? we can only acknowledge it as an admission of defeat and failure. look at that.

- EL CAPITÁN

ALL ROADS LEAD TO 'ROME'

it's tuesday-- and isn't tuesday the perfect day for discovering new music? we might as well just call it tunesday. ROME is the brilliant brainchild of pop producer danger mouse and italian composer daniele luppi. wait, wait-- it gets better. jack white and norah jones collaborate on half the album's vocals. oh yeah. moodily reminiscent of 60's and 70's westerns, ROME's cinematic instrumentals and haunting yet hopeful lyrics combine for a nostalgically retro listening experience. i'm no music expert by any means, but as with anyone else, i know what i like and i like this album. download it. 

-THE HUNTER

LET'S PLAY THE FRAME GAME

here at little chief, we sometimes come across ideas that are better left in their pre-edison stage of development-- that is, some people's iconic lightbulb just shouldn't flicker. i don't mean to belittle any diy aspiration or rain on anyone's proverbial pinterest parade, but for the sake of good taste and streamlined practicality, i've compiled a few for-the-love-of-all-that's-holy-never-misuse-a-picture-frame-like-this images for your aesthetic betterment. 

example 1: i love the heart and spirit behind this diy conglomeration, but
picture frames that frame balls are never a good idea. martha stewart would be appalled. 

example 2: you're in love-- we get it.
you also look like you're in jail. (ugh. monogamy can be so stifling.)

example 3: let's play i-spy. can you spy the five barf-inducing cliches in this photograph?
hint-- it's definitely not the ornate gold picture frame, the railroad tracks, the
striped suspenders and tie combo or the fedora that would make sinatra cry. keep looking.

example 4: don't turn two perfectly good picture frames into a damn chair.
no one wants their ass framed.

if you are guilty of any of the above offenses, take heart! take xanax! take that aqua picture frame off your front door and sit your ass down on that god-forsaken yellow chair, because i have beautiful examples of picture frames displayed as the gods intended to light your flickering 20 watt bulb. 

example 1: frames don't have to be the same size or shape.

decide what kind of arrangement suits you and your wall then have

a lawyer make it legal before you nail anyone (excuse me-- anything.)

example 2: the stairway is your gallery. sans plexiglass and heat sensors.

example 3: take rita konig's advice and have fabulous taste. 

hopefully we've all learned something. if not-- please do us a favor and keep spray-painting ugly frames by candlelight. 

-THE HUNTER

WHITE RABBIT BLACK HOLE

a realization dawned on me the other day (small, but worth sharing).

grace slick, of jefferson airplane and florence welch of florence + the machine

i had never noticed how similar these two artists are! gorgeous powerful vocals and iconic style. this may not mean much to you, but i was just shocked at how alike their voices and singing styles are. a lovely, lovely sound. exhibit a and exhibit b. (on a sidenote, wasn't that last music video just wonderful? such artistry...who knew fake foliage could be so, for lack of a better term, epic?)

so there you have it. my little revelation. don't forget to dance, my friends.

- EL CAPITÁN

TIDBIT OF WISDOM

"blogging before job applications except after becoming broke"

here's to life, y'all. we'll hit you with some more substantial posts soon.

- EL CAPITÁN

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT: A NEW HOPE

here at little chief, we do what we can to entertain you. happy friday and enjoy.

wtf, mark hamill

we don't have to save the universe, but let's all do something meaningful with our lives, shall we?

-EL CAPITÁN

GROWING PANGS

this post will introduce you to two things: xkcd (a brilliant webcomic of which i am an adoring fan, and you can be too!) and the therapeutic nature of blogging.

lately, i've been thinking a lot about growing up (whilst acting like i'm not... but i think i am). it's terrifyingly irreversible. and recently, it's been one bad decision after another.  the consequences are infinitely more serious than a spanking, even if it is with a belt circa 1880 and you are as adorable as jason bateman.

from what i can tell, the primary challenge of adulthood (so far, in this young-adult melee we're engaged in) is maintaining a childlike disposition and curiosity in spite of this adult and terrible world around us (and still being responsible and respectful!). i don't want to sound like that preacher from pollyanna.

to quote amy, of gillian armstrong's interpretation of louisa may alcott's little women: "we'll all grow up someday, meg. we might as well know what we want."


so know what you want, but consider your own needs and the needs of the ones who care about you. after all, i think part of being an adult sometimes means fighting that bastardized desire for instant gratification, and realizing our decisions affect others. that being said ... dye your hair, take care of your friends, go for a run, remember what it means to love. just know what you want.

i'll leave you with an honest anthem. lyrics can be found here. take it as you will.


- EL CAPITÁN

PEAR SUMMER

my grandmother has two pear trees in her yard. i think they've been there forever, or at least as long as she has which is practically the same thing. the trees are particular though-- they only bloom into fat pears when they feel like it. i suppose june was sweet to them this year because the two trees were saddled with fruit bigger than my fist and the branches drooped under their weight. when the trees are right and it's another 'pear summer,' my grandmother spends hours picking and peeling and paring and boiling the pears down into sweet, sticky pear preserves. she pours them into clear glass mason jars then boils the whole jar again to seal them tight. "now, these will last forever." she says every time, "that's why they're called 'preserves,'" but by the middle of september, the jars of pink pears are nearly gone-- pilfered to spread on hot biscuits or toast in the mornings or to stir into oatmeal. this year, i've saved a jar. i put it away until i feel 'forever' is too long. 

my grandmother's hands-- the most honest thing i know. 

-THE HUNTER