RAY'S REPORTS

So just finished 5 days in Munich, and 5 days in Berlin, and then 3 days in NYC was the plan. I ended up staying 10 days in New York. The weather was good, 8 Ball Zine Fair was coming up, and this is the first time Dave didn’t have tons of room mates and animals around.

I swear to GOD when we got home from the airport we saw a rat cruising the block with a slice of pizza in his mouth. I went for the photo and chased him maybe 20 ft before he bailed the pizza and jumped into this yard.

It was cool being able to catch up on the NBA finals. We couldn’t get it cracking in Germany.

Dave’s deck. So chill.

I was stressed about making the decision to stay an extra week or so. I couldn’t just change the ticket, I had to buy a whole new one way and it was pretty much all my money. Dave said to pull a card. This was it. I forgot what it meant.

Dave had access to a car for a day, we went to Ikea so he could buy a bed. Dude in the back is psyched too.

This is the worst pizza I have ever seen and eaten.

This is Anita visiting from Australia. She’s rad. We sent this photo to Andrea.

Jimmie and Vic. The first time I moved to SF, I lived with these guys.

This dude was sipping and riding one footed for a sec, I missed the shot.

This dog has red socks on all his paws.

Julia chilling, dude in back chilling.

This pizza place really was the best.

Draymond was balling out of control in the first half. Bummer they lost. Epic season though.

This is Gabe at Desert Island. You can find our zines there. He has been buying our stuff for years. He’s rad.

If you haven’t seen “Spy” yet, watch it asap. It’s hilarious.

This dog had cool wheels.

I was ready to spend $100 here but these guys were dicks and ignoring me so I bailed.

90% of the time I feel like my phone can shoot anything and it’s all I need. But that 10% of the time when I need it to freeze action or nail something and it misses, man it bums me out so much. I know I need to get a new camera and just run a camera around my neck like a normal photographer. Gear is expensive though, and fragile, and will be outdated in a year. My first choice is about $1200 and my second choice is $800.

We went to Rockaway Beach. I told Sofia to just meet us there, but when we got off to transfer, it turned out she was already on the same train as us.

My new phone is water proof. So of course I was selfie-ing…

…until this wave took me out. My hat, my phone, and my glasses went flying. Somehow I caught my hat and phone super quick, handed them to Kappy and then went back for the glasses. Searched for a couple hours. Nothing.

Still had fun though. Dave works at Rippers.

The clouds are so different here.

This is huge for New York. I never hated the Knicks, I will watch some of their games but now I am for sure watching most of them probs.

8 Ball HQ.

Got way into this racing game. I bought the Lamborghini Countach.

This dude makes delicious pizza.

Look at it.

8 Ball Zine Fair. But first the Pride Parade was happening a block away.

Dubnation represented.

My phone missed this shot. Sure not all cameras are gonna get everything, but some cameras are def more responsive and quicker to focus. Camera phones are on the low end of this action scale. And it’s not cool, 10% of the time.

Empire State Building. RIP King Kong.

Nick and Andreas.

Troy made a virtual reality zine.

Kappy and Devin.

Cooper and Yoma.

Julia and Kenny.

Jill Freedman and Lele.

One last meal. The collar of a Blue Fish.

And one last stroll through the park. See you again in Sept NYC.

After the opening it was straight to Berlin for the Berlin Art Book Fair. I would be getting there on Day 2 of it, but Dennis was there already and manning the table we had split.

This was a weird structure at the Munich airport.

The location of the book fair was a 10 min cab ride from the Berlin airport. Chill.

Dennis chilling.

After the fair, we headed back to Dennis’ place. This dude was passed out on the train and his 2 dogs would bark at anyone coming near him. It was awesome.

But as soon as the next stop, the cops came and got him.

We got off on our stop and this tripper barged on Dennis.

Berlin is cool.

Dennis was subletting Beaver’s place. I stayed there 1 night because cousin Rob was still in Munich. This ice cream cone was in the little front door lobby area.

We hit the streets with some beers.

Day 2 and there was 2 ice creams cones this time.

Went cruising for some breakfast.

Then back to the book fair for the last day.

Our table was right in between Claudio (Pogo Books) and Sergej (Sergej Vutuc), so we had the best spot in the whole place.

After the book fair, went and chilled at cousin Rob’s place. The next morning we went for some breakfast and beers.

Boser Hund.

Rob gave Dave 2 tattoos, but Dave didn’t give Rob any.

Then we hit the streets again.

Dave had to go to Copenhagen for a day and then back to New York. I had one more day in Berlin.

I met Meloo in LA randomly years ago. We re-connected at the book fair and he is now carrying our zines and books at his store, In Surgo.

I always love these hand painted movie posters.

He has a rad toilet too.

We went cruising.

Alexander Platz needle.

There is a chill lake near Rob’s house.

Currywurst.

Ball is life.

Sick Dr. Doom.

Street Pong.

One last pretzel and weird sausage. I had a such a cool time in Germany, I told everyone there that I will come back once a year. In fact, I have never wrote out budgets before, but I have done it for the next few months and I am sure I can map out next year and get back there.

Mermaid at the Airport. Ich leibe dich, Deutschland.

** BOSER HUND is German for “bad dog”. Just something I learned on this trip and then got stuck saying it all the time.

We got the opportunity to do a Hamburger Eyes show in Munich! We had just wrapped up a show in Los Angeles where we hung 500 photos, so for this show in Germany I wanted to go for exhibiting 1000 photos. Chris, an old friend from SF, is now the director of the Kunstverin Munchen and he said try to think of a new show where we don’t hang photos on the wall. I was like okaaayyyy… He came up with the idea of zig zagging a handrail structure with photos on top. We made it tables instead and the idea is of an epic sequencing. I was excited to travel and to see cousin Rob who lives in Berlin and brother Dave who lives in New York.

My itinerary was nuts, as per usual. First flight was to New York. I upgraded because it was only $30 to do so. Look how much leg room. I have never seen so much leg room.

Stayed up all night partying with Dave, he made some breakfast, then I had to go to Zurich.

But not till I got a photo of these flamingos. His deck is super chill.

Can’t remember but I think it was Swiss Airlines.

I ate it anyways.

Oh yeah, so my flight was delayed in New York, which meant I missed my transfer to Milan and then another flight to Munich. I had to wait in a line for about 3 hrs to get another flight but at least it was straight to Munich and I didn’t have to pay anything.

Munich. I made it.

Met up with Matt and Chris and the gallery. Then checked into the hotel. Then passed out.

This is where Hitler rose to power.

Next day, went cruising a little, bust mostly working on installing the show.

Then straight to getting drunk with Robbo.

Little Boser Hunds.

More setup the next day.

I was psyched they liked my weird videos and wanted to show them.

Crazy surf spot nearby.

First opening night.

Dave made it.

These ladies were nice and enjoyed the show.

Then they took us to the most fanciest dinner I have ever had.

In another room of the restaurant was this sit down bar. It was rad. I am probably fucking this story up but here goes: apparently the owner was in Oregon, picked out a tree, shipped it to Japan where they carved out this bar all in one piece, and then shipped it to Munich and built this bar and restaurant around it? I don’t know. But I do know I will go to Munich again and I will come here and get drunk.

I sat down next to some random girl who turned out to be kinda cool and kinda cute. I thought I was going to at least make out with her but nothing happened. She named this turtle “Freddy”.

Somehow made it back to “Das Hotel”. That was the name of it.

About to overload you with install shots. Get ready.

Second opening night, the official opening. It was awesome. I got too drunk to take pictures. We all dj’ed off our phones and killed it. Thanks so much to Chris and Matt and the gang. I wanna come back!

Stay tuned for Part II. Berlin.

Forgot to post this one of Lindsay’s butt. It’s a good starter one though.

So I’m back in LA for 2 days. In my head that was plenty of time to replenish my inventory, make new shit, make new shirts, and get back to SF with a car load of new product. In reality, didn’t even really unpack and didn’t have dough to make anything. So I just hit the beach and did laundry.

This is a photo of Amart and Oskie at the Keep 10 year anniversary party. It’s huge to be running a company for that long. Congrats to Una. It was fun but as soon as I got warmed up the beer was gone, the food was gone, and all the chicks had left. People start early in LA, and end early too. Driving is a big part of that.

Time to get back to SF for the inaugural SF Art Book Fair. I had a situation with the rental car and couldn’t get it till 9pm. So I drove all night and didn’t get in till like 4 am. Slept for 4 hours, then helped Monkey load up his kayak for his camping trip.

Straight to the book fair. Set up all day, opening that night. Georgie came through.

Straight to the bar. Troy and Michelle.

Day 2.

Paul and I have been doing this since way before all these book fairs. He is killing it. I met his friend but I forgot his name.

Tiff Tiff.

Troy Holden. I met him through Hamburger Eyes photo submissions. When I was in New York, his name came up and Jimmie and Victor were like, “Oh you mean Charlie Buckets?,” which is his old DJ name. Sick!

Tommy G!

We went to the bar. It soon closed. I was the guy trying to go to bed, yeah right. Party back at the crib.

Jesse was in town too.

John and Bootsy.

SFABF. Day 3. Jim and Ed.

This was a great fair. I know I was pleasantly surprised. I was thinking hardly anyone would come and for sure not spend any money. I am glad I was dead wrong. Can’t hardly wait for next year.

Ran into Gina at the fair and she hooked up a ticket to the MOMA. It was closed for re-modeling for like 3 years, so I was psyched about going. Plus, I don’t know if I would ever pay $25 to go.

The bathroom was trippy. The janitor was tripping on me shooting photos and video while he was trying to hook up the trash. (Follow my snapchat @rays_reports)

Till next time SF.

I had to go to SF for 2 weekends in a row. I could have stayed for 10 days or whatever, but I couldn’t afford renting a car for that long. So instead I rented it for 3 days, came back, then rented another car for another 3 days. The first weekend was for 8 Ball Zine Fair.

Straight to the bar to meet up with these guys. Hong said he never had a moustache before, I said it looks good.

The 2 Sydneys. Me and this Sydney have the same birthday. The only one I know of that does.

There was an article in the Chronicle saying what the people of SF spent the most money on. Number 1 was books. Number 2 was booze.

This back yard patio zone is a mini chill paradise in this city.

Mike’s Barbershop opening was happening this weekend too. So psyched for him. It was a lot of work and stress building this place out, but most people don’t know that he’s been wanting to do this since we were kids.

Everything is leather and chrome.

He wanted to wall paper the bathroom with photos. I gave him the proofs we got from the Hong Kong print shop that printed the Hamburger Eyes book.

I also gave him this 40×60 from a show we did at Oakland Museum. The photo is from when the Giants won the World Series 2010 and people were going nuts on the streets.

Mike had Moochie out front bbq’ing for everyone. He also got all the OG’s to bring out their old cars and park them out front. I feel dumb for not getting more photos. With snapchat and insta it’s hard to remember to do a little more for the blog. But I’ll get better! And get more horizontals too. It’ll be smoother when I get a good digital camera.

He put secret trap doors everywhere. And filled them with beer.

This grip job is everything.

Meanwhile, back on 24th street.

And then back to the bar. Deez guys.

8 Ball Zine Fair.

George and Georgie slay it.

Again, I should’ve shot more.

Shout out to Tiffany for helping me run the Hamburger Eyes table. Lots of people offer to help, but are kind of only half offering and never come through. She always comes through. Rare specimen. Exquisite if you will.

Straight to the bar to DJ goth jams with these 2. Fun times.

And Pam was there!

Bibi and Pam. I miss SF.

I forgot I rode my bike to Venice Beach on the 4th. I cruised for about an hour or less, went for a swim, and then went home. Something about that place makes me want to leave right away. I tried. I didn’t stay for the fireworks, didn’t eat, nothing. Here’s a few photos off my phone..

This year’s off season has been one of the craziest ones in a long time. Kd welcome to Dubnation. 

We had a day of laying around (see previous post) flipping channels when SPEED came on.

This movie has everything. Whatever you are doing with your life, apply the principles of this movie. But what are they? I would say 1. Do not slow down, 2. Shoot the hostage, 3. Pop quizzes. I don’t know I am just free styling and breaking down success formulas over here.

I will be writing on things other than movies too, it’s just what is happening now.

I found this iced tea and breakfast sandwich spot by my house. It’s less than $5 total, so I started going everyday. It was around the time I first got Snapchat so these daily morning snaps just became a thing. My thing. And then I couldn’t stop. I have hundreds more of these photos and I am still going. I don’t know what’s happening to me.

**Note : People think that I twist the straws up. I don’t. The waitress hands it to me like this, she be doing the twisting. Which is why the documentation is the thing maybe? I don’t know.