Monday, August 23, 2010
Wheels of Italy 2010
Finally made it the Wheels of Italy show at Lake Calhoun. I've known about the show for a couple years, just never been able to make it out. I almost forgot about it this year, but found out that it was earlier today so I was able to make it at the last minute. There were still some cool cars at the show, and even though it was hot out, it was still a good time. I will definitely have the show marked on my calender for next year.
More pictures here: Photos by Kaien
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Kaien the Husky
Finally, some artwork of me! I've wanted some artwork done for awhile, just never got around to talking to the right people. ^^; Albeit, I'm lagging on updates, these pieces are rather recent, showing the evolution of my fursona from when my friend Aetherfax first penned me with my mate.
The first drawing is from my friend Carissa, or Adorable Foxie. She's a fursuit builder and artist, and quite talented at both. I saw a similar drawing of another character which is absolutely adored. I asked her if she could draw one of me in the same style. When she finally showed me the finished piece, I was quite ecstatic. Captures my mischievous, playful nature perfectly. Although, I am probably just fixated on my wonderful mate just out of picture. =P
Next up is another piece from my good friend Aetherfax. I needed a character reference sheet so I could finally have my own fursuit commissioned. I figured since Aeth was the first to ever pen me, he should be the one to create my reference sheet. I am truly honored to be able to work with Aeth in such a way. He basically takes my ideas and brings them to my character just how I envisioned them. After a lot of back and forth, sharing ideas and viewing numerous sketches (Aeth, thanks so much for making any changes that I requested!), Aeth finally delivered to me a finished reference sheet, and I couldn't have been happier with the result. Not only is it a great representation of my fursona, but captures all of my unique touches that I wanted to incorporate. I then sent it off to a few builders and now have a commission for my fursuit on order, which will be completed in December (more on that when updates come from the builder).
The first drawing is from my friend Carissa, or Adorable Foxie. She's a fursuit builder and artist, and quite talented at both. I saw a similar drawing of another character which is absolutely adored. I asked her if she could draw one of me in the same style. When she finally showed me the finished piece, I was quite ecstatic. Captures my mischievous, playful nature perfectly. Although, I am probably just fixated on my wonderful mate just out of picture. =P
Next up is another piece from my good friend Aetherfax. I needed a character reference sheet so I could finally have my own fursuit commissioned. I figured since Aeth was the first to ever pen me, he should be the one to create my reference sheet. I am truly honored to be able to work with Aeth in such a way. He basically takes my ideas and brings them to my character just how I envisioned them. After a lot of back and forth, sharing ideas and viewing numerous sketches (Aeth, thanks so much for making any changes that I requested!), Aeth finally delivered to me a finished reference sheet, and I couldn't have been happier with the result. Not only is it a great representation of my fursona, but captures all of my unique touches that I wanted to incorporate. I then sent it off to a few builders and now have a commission for my fursuit on order, which will be completed in December (more on that when updates come from the builder).
I am very pleased with both pieces. If you wish to contact either artist, please visit these links:
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Less is More
Watching the current trends in the automotive industry, it seems people are still taking the "bigger is better," approach, even though they may change the meaning slightly. People are going with bigger turbos, bigger motors, bigger shots of nitrous for more power and lower ETs. Others are going lower, wider, more stretch, more camber, aiming to be the next feature on Hellaflush or Stanceworks. I am guilty of it, no denying that. My IS300 is torn apart for a newer, bigger setup, and my LS400 got the low and wide treatment. I stopped and thought about it today, remembered the days when 300hp was more than enough, coilovers were all you needed, and you didn't need to bust out the tape measure and slide rule to figure out your next set of wheels. What happened people? What happened to simple cars?
Erik Anderson's 98 VW GTI is a breath of fresh air in today's scene. It's simple, it's clean, and a whole lot of fun to drive. It's amazing how clean the car is given it's his daily driver and he racks up the miles and uses the car to its potential too. Gosh, isn't that what this game is all about? Building a fun car AND using it? Man, where did I miss the plot?
Funny thing is, Erik, while not a new-comer to the scene, hasn't been in it too long, but taking a look at his car, one would think otherwise. I've known Erik for a number of years, we went to high school together, and hung out with the same circle of friends. Odd thing is though, back then, he never showed any interest in cars. It was a shock to find out years later that this clean GTI that I had always had my eye on belonged to him.
I think the first thing that everyone notices about this car is the stance. It's on point; low, wide, heavy rake, and always rocking a set of fresh wheels. That's one thing about Erik, he's a self-confessed wheel-whore, with more sets than he can count. Keep an eye out of some killer setups about to adorn the arches of his MK3. Despite the killer stance, this setup is all functional. Oh yeah, you function & form haters can put out your torches, this little MK3 gets tracked and auto-x, hard, and brings home the hardware too. The last event Erik attended, which was MAP's Proving Grounds up in Brainerd, he not only took home Best Euro, but also won his class in the auto-x.
The next area of the car that stands out, or flies below the radar is the exterior. With it's fair share of Euro-flare, this GTI definitely fits into the OEM+ category. Nothing flashy here, just clean, subtle mods that play into the whole look of the car. One thing many notice is the air-vent grafted into the passenger fender that is, you guessed it, 100% functional. The interior is also pure business; simple and to the point. Corbeau buckets with matching harnesses hold the driver and passenger in place while the driver is treated to a Momo steering wheel. The 12v, 2.8L VR6 follows suit as well with a few choice mods. No crazy turbo setups or anything here as power isn't the goal, but the polished intake manifold is definitely a highlight for me.
Now, the real treat for me, is over the last few weeks, this car has been in my care. Erik had to leave for two weeks for drill as he is in the US Army. He gave me complete freedom to drive the car and enjoy it for what it was built for. Now, I didn't put it through its paces like Erik does, but I certainly got well acquainted with this GTI. My thoughts? Easily one of the most fun cars I have driven. It made me really miss having a simple car. I spent many nights standing in my garage, looking at the GTI sitting next to my IS300 which had been sitting on jack-stands all torn apart, just thinking about why I had gotten so carried away with my own car.
It was really a revitalizing experience, taking me back to the good old days of my car modding career. I reconnected on so many levels and realized that sometimes the extreme is not always the best. This GTI taught me that less is indeed more and just how simple can create such a big impact.
Gallery: Photos by Kaien
Erik Anderson's 98 VW GTI is a breath of fresh air in today's scene. It's simple, it's clean, and a whole lot of fun to drive. It's amazing how clean the car is given it's his daily driver and he racks up the miles and uses the car to its potential too. Gosh, isn't that what this game is all about? Building a fun car AND using it? Man, where did I miss the plot?
Funny thing is, Erik, while not a new-comer to the scene, hasn't been in it too long, but taking a look at his car, one would think otherwise. I've known Erik for a number of years, we went to high school together, and hung out with the same circle of friends. Odd thing is though, back then, he never showed any interest in cars. It was a shock to find out years later that this clean GTI that I had always had my eye on belonged to him.
I think the first thing that everyone notices about this car is the stance. It's on point; low, wide, heavy rake, and always rocking a set of fresh wheels. That's one thing about Erik, he's a self-confessed wheel-whore, with more sets than he can count. Keep an eye out of some killer setups about to adorn the arches of his MK3. Despite the killer stance, this setup is all functional. Oh yeah, you function & form haters can put out your torches, this little MK3 gets tracked and auto-x, hard, and brings home the hardware too. The last event Erik attended, which was MAP's Proving Grounds up in Brainerd, he not only took home Best Euro, but also won his class in the auto-x.
The next area of the car that stands out, or flies below the radar is the exterior. With it's fair share of Euro-flare, this GTI definitely fits into the OEM+ category. Nothing flashy here, just clean, subtle mods that play into the whole look of the car. One thing many notice is the air-vent grafted into the passenger fender that is, you guessed it, 100% functional. The interior is also pure business; simple and to the point. Corbeau buckets with matching harnesses hold the driver and passenger in place while the driver is treated to a Momo steering wheel. The 12v, 2.8L VR6 follows suit as well with a few choice mods. No crazy turbo setups or anything here as power isn't the goal, but the polished intake manifold is definitely a highlight for me.
Now, the real treat for me, is over the last few weeks, this car has been in my care. Erik had to leave for two weeks for drill as he is in the US Army. He gave me complete freedom to drive the car and enjoy it for what it was built for. Now, I didn't put it through its paces like Erik does, but I certainly got well acquainted with this GTI. My thoughts? Easily one of the most fun cars I have driven. It made me really miss having a simple car. I spent many nights standing in my garage, looking at the GTI sitting next to my IS300 which had been sitting on jack-stands all torn apart, just thinking about why I had gotten so carried away with my own car.
It was really a revitalizing experience, taking me back to the good old days of my car modding career. I reconnected on so many levels and realized that sometimes the extreme is not always the best. This GTI taught me that less is indeed more and just how simple can create such a big impact.
Gallery: Photos by Kaien
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Chicago Fur Meet
Two weekends ago I made a much needed trip back to Chicago to visit family and friends. It had been awhile since I had been back that way, and with my promise to do as much traveling as I could this summer, I took a little, 5-day trip down to the Windy-City. There was a little twist to this trip however.
Remember my good friend in North Carolina, Foxglove? Well, through him, I was introduced to a fellow husky named Razz, who interestingly enough, lives in Chicago. Not only that, but the time of my visit was during his birthday. So, aside from meeting a friend for the first time in real life, I get to celebrate his birthday with him as well! These are the trips worth remembering.
Okay, so I didn't really get to celebrate his birthday ON his birthday. His mate was taking him on their own little trip the weekend prior to my visit and were returning on the Thursday I was getting into town. Razz's birthday fell on a Tuesday, July 13th. I got to my family's house on the 15th. I did get to spend a good amount of time with my family, especially with my cousins Jenni and Tom, and Jenni's son, Tanner.
Friday was the day that I met Razz. I went to go visit him at his work. It was quite the experience, butterflies in my stomach, the whole excitement of meeting someone whom you got to know online for the very first time. I felt the same way with Foxglove, as well as when I met my boyfriend and mate for the first time in Arizona. It was kind of funny, because he came to the door first. We greeted each other like we had always known each other, but in reality, it was our first time meeting, ever. I stayed for a bit and chatted, keeping out of the way so he wouldn't get in trouble. Luckily, his boss and the other employees he works with are all really cool and didn't mind that he had a visitor. After about an hour though, I left so I didn't over stay my visit at his work. I was going to meet him and his mate later to hang out, which gave me the chance to pay a little visit to my friends at Sound Performance and see what I could buy for my IS300. I caught them just as they were putting cars away for the day but Reid and the owner Larry stayed and we talked shop for a bit, coming up with a new setup for my IS300. The guys at SP are very knowledgeable, and Larry is one of the best tuners in the Mid-West. I highly recommend clicking the link provided and checking out what they have to offer.
Later that night, I met Razz and his mate, Gixxer at the Woodfield mall. I took them out to dinner in celebration of Razz's birthday. We went to the Rainforest Cafe, which I hadn't been to in years. We all had a good meal and a fun time. We went back to Gixxer's place, where we made plans for the festivities on Saturday. See, the reason Razz wanted me to come was because there was a big fur meet that weekend and wanted me to come down and check it out with them. The start of the meet was going to be in Waukegan, WI, for a softball game and picnic, followed by bowling that night back in Chicago. So, it was going to be an early, and long day. I went back to my family's house and stayed up way too late still, hehe.
After a nice 3 hour nap, I had to wake up to go meet Razz at Gixxer's place. Gixxer unfortunately had to work, so he wouldn't be joining us till later. We left my LS400 at his house and took Razz's car to pick up his friend Heath, and then we were off to the softball game. I was excited and nervous because my last experience with a fur meet wasn't the greatest. I wondered if I would get the same reaction, but who knew. The park we arrived at was pretty nice, next to a man-made lake which also had a nice recreational and fitness center. The lake could have come in handy because it was HOT. Probably near 100* with humidity and no clouds and no wind. This was going to be a workout.
We got there kind of early, but after a little bit, the furs started arriving in full force. It was shaping up to be big, but Razz informed me that this was the biggest game of the year, so the turnout was expected. Razz did a great job introducing me to a lot of other furs, a few of which I talked to a little. Everyone was very friendly. I was surprised to see some people getting into suit despite the heat. Of course the socializing paused for a bit once the games got underway. Since I was the newcomer, I sat on the sidelines and cheered Razz on. I suck at softball anyways, so I wouldn't have been much use. At the end of the day, Razz's team lost one game and one the other.
After the games, we drove back to the city and picked up his mate from work, where we headed back to Gixxer's place to get ready for bowling that night. We sat around and talked for a little bit before heading out to grab some food at the Steak N' Shake, then headed to bowling. The group pretty much rented the place out, and we had it to ourselves, including the billiards room, so I was a very happy husky. I started racking them up and playing whoever wanted to play. It was a lot of fun. After a little the suiters started coming out in full-force, including Razz, who came to shoot some pool, even beating me, in suit. Impressive to say the least. After a few games, I started floating around with the camera, that is until the music started.
Now, Razz has a funny way of making people do things they normally wouldn't do. He also told me, one way to get people to come talk to you at a fur meet, is to do something out of the ordinary. Once the music got going, some of the people and suiters started dancing. I've told Razz, without a lot of detail, that I breakdance a little, dancing at car shows and other events. Well, Razz put me on the spot and challenged me to a battle. Needless to say, once I started breaking and spinning, others took notice, really getting into our friendly battle. It was great, I was not embarrassed at all, and afterwords, people were coming up and talking to me, asking me about all sorts of things, especially my cars (thanks Gixxer!). At the end of the night, I had an absolute BLAST! I met a lot of people, took a ton of pics, and just had a great time really hanging out with other furs. We ended the night with some shakes again at Steak N' Shake, and then I was back at the family's, getting ready to leave in the morning.
It was a great trip, and well worth the time and money. I needed a great experience with a big fur group to really boost my confidence in the fandom, and I got it at that meet. I really can't thank Razz enough for inviting me down to hang out and share that with me. I hope to be back at more of them in the future. It was also great to make another friend (or a lot), finally meeting Razz in person. Just something about meeting people in person whom you normally associate with just online.
Anyways, onto the pictures. I will have a link to the gallery to make it easier. Enjoy
Razz and I
Gallery: Photos by Kaien
Remember my good friend in North Carolina, Foxglove? Well, through him, I was introduced to a fellow husky named Razz, who interestingly enough, lives in Chicago. Not only that, but the time of my visit was during his birthday. So, aside from meeting a friend for the first time in real life, I get to celebrate his birthday with him as well! These are the trips worth remembering.
Okay, so I didn't really get to celebrate his birthday ON his birthday. His mate was taking him on their own little trip the weekend prior to my visit and were returning on the Thursday I was getting into town. Razz's birthday fell on a Tuesday, July 13th. I got to my family's house on the 15th. I did get to spend a good amount of time with my family, especially with my cousins Jenni and Tom, and Jenni's son, Tanner.
Friday was the day that I met Razz. I went to go visit him at his work. It was quite the experience, butterflies in my stomach, the whole excitement of meeting someone whom you got to know online for the very first time. I felt the same way with Foxglove, as well as when I met my boyfriend and mate for the first time in Arizona. It was kind of funny, because he came to the door first. We greeted each other like we had always known each other, but in reality, it was our first time meeting, ever. I stayed for a bit and chatted, keeping out of the way so he wouldn't get in trouble. Luckily, his boss and the other employees he works with are all really cool and didn't mind that he had a visitor. After about an hour though, I left so I didn't over stay my visit at his work. I was going to meet him and his mate later to hang out, which gave me the chance to pay a little visit to my friends at Sound Performance and see what I could buy for my IS300. I caught them just as they were putting cars away for the day but Reid and the owner Larry stayed and we talked shop for a bit, coming up with a new setup for my IS300. The guys at SP are very knowledgeable, and Larry is one of the best tuners in the Mid-West. I highly recommend clicking the link provided and checking out what they have to offer.
Later that night, I met Razz and his mate, Gixxer at the Woodfield mall. I took them out to dinner in celebration of Razz's birthday. We went to the Rainforest Cafe, which I hadn't been to in years. We all had a good meal and a fun time. We went back to Gixxer's place, where we made plans for the festivities on Saturday. See, the reason Razz wanted me to come was because there was a big fur meet that weekend and wanted me to come down and check it out with them. The start of the meet was going to be in Waukegan, WI, for a softball game and picnic, followed by bowling that night back in Chicago. So, it was going to be an early, and long day. I went back to my family's house and stayed up way too late still, hehe.
After a nice 3 hour nap, I had to wake up to go meet Razz at Gixxer's place. Gixxer unfortunately had to work, so he wouldn't be joining us till later. We left my LS400 at his house and took Razz's car to pick up his friend Heath, and then we were off to the softball game. I was excited and nervous because my last experience with a fur meet wasn't the greatest. I wondered if I would get the same reaction, but who knew. The park we arrived at was pretty nice, next to a man-made lake which also had a nice recreational and fitness center. The lake could have come in handy because it was HOT. Probably near 100* with humidity and no clouds and no wind. This was going to be a workout.
We got there kind of early, but after a little bit, the furs started arriving in full force. It was shaping up to be big, but Razz informed me that this was the biggest game of the year, so the turnout was expected. Razz did a great job introducing me to a lot of other furs, a few of which I talked to a little. Everyone was very friendly. I was surprised to see some people getting into suit despite the heat. Of course the socializing paused for a bit once the games got underway. Since I was the newcomer, I sat on the sidelines and cheered Razz on. I suck at softball anyways, so I wouldn't have been much use. At the end of the day, Razz's team lost one game and one the other.
After the games, we drove back to the city and picked up his mate from work, where we headed back to Gixxer's place to get ready for bowling that night. We sat around and talked for a little bit before heading out to grab some food at the Steak N' Shake, then headed to bowling. The group pretty much rented the place out, and we had it to ourselves, including the billiards room, so I was a very happy husky. I started racking them up and playing whoever wanted to play. It was a lot of fun. After a little the suiters started coming out in full-force, including Razz, who came to shoot some pool, even beating me, in suit. Impressive to say the least. After a few games, I started floating around with the camera, that is until the music started.
Now, Razz has a funny way of making people do things they normally wouldn't do. He also told me, one way to get people to come talk to you at a fur meet, is to do something out of the ordinary. Once the music got going, some of the people and suiters started dancing. I've told Razz, without a lot of detail, that I breakdance a little, dancing at car shows and other events. Well, Razz put me on the spot and challenged me to a battle. Needless to say, once I started breaking and spinning, others took notice, really getting into our friendly battle. It was great, I was not embarrassed at all, and afterwords, people were coming up and talking to me, asking me about all sorts of things, especially my cars (thanks Gixxer!). At the end of the night, I had an absolute BLAST! I met a lot of people, took a ton of pics, and just had a great time really hanging out with other furs. We ended the night with some shakes again at Steak N' Shake, and then I was back at the family's, getting ready to leave in the morning.
It was a great trip, and well worth the time and money. I needed a great experience with a big fur group to really boost my confidence in the fandom, and I got it at that meet. I really can't thank Razz enough for inviting me down to hang out and share that with me. I hope to be back at more of them in the future. It was also great to make another friend (or a lot), finally meeting Razz in person. Just something about meeting people in person whom you normally associate with just online.
Anyways, onto the pictures. I will have a link to the gallery to make it easier. Enjoy
Gallery: Photos by Kaien
Saturday, July 10, 2010
PS117 Updates
It has been awhile since I've given a proper update on why things have slowed down a bit. The most simple answer is; life got busy. Family, work, cars, relationships, everything got hectic and I'm trying my best to hold everything together.
The IS finally has it's first serious break since getting built. The head-gasket popped between cylinders 3 & 4. Still ran fine, just down two cylinders. So, it's been sitting in my garage as my friends and I have slowly torn into it on our free time. We have almost everything off the head, sans the timing belt. My friend Brando will come down to mock up a new intake manifold for it before we go any further with it. The rebuild is shaping up to be quite good. Complete head work, new springs and retainers, new valves, new cams, bigger injectors, new intake manifold, and if all goes well, a new turbo. Should be quite the car come 2011.
I'm back on the Civic again too. After sitting for months, deciding if I should sell or not, I changed directions AGAIN. This time though, I will stick to my guns. I knew this project was going to take awhile anyways. I've wanted to get back into drag racing, and while my IS300 is a great candidate, I've wanted to build a drag Honda for some time now. Since my coupe is a stripped shell, I figure, what better place to start. I finished prepping the bay for paint and did some work to the front-end to get it ready for a good-sized FMIC and some big tires. I will be joining the ever increasing group of Civics running an Exospeed Racing front end for the car. Check them out here: Exospeed Racing. Going to be a blast when it's done.
I also sold my truck, so with two cars just sitting in the garage all torn apart, I needed some form of transportation to get around. Another project I have been wanting to build is something in the VIP area. I also looked into getting back into VWs, but I guess I still have to wait on that. Some searching turned up a great candidate in Chicago and I had the car delivered to MN. It's a 2000 Lexus LS400. Yes, another Lexus in the stable. This car is very clean, sporting just 77,800 on the odometer when I took delivery. Paint, body, and interior are all immaculate. I've already "borrowed" the Enkeis off my IS300 to bolt on for the time being, and am getting my suspension sorted thanks to GPR Auto. Keep your eyes peeled for updates.
Otherwise, life has been life, filled with ups and downs. Right now, it seems more downs than ups, but I just keep trudging along. I'm still working hard to keep a relationship afloat and have some great friends to thank for being there when I needed the moral support to keep my head straight. Working on some cool projects with my media-marketing company, so that helps take my mind off of things.
On the furry side of things, I am finally having a suit made, which I am excited about. First though, I needed a good reference sheet. I got a hold of Aetherfax again, who drew the commission I had done for Dracul and I, to pretty much bring my character to life. What he has shown me so far is great. I can't wait for the final piece. When it's all done, I will have a stand-alone feature showing the step-by-step process of my reference sheet. Thanks again Aeth !
The IS finally has it's first serious break since getting built. The head-gasket popped between cylinders 3 & 4. Still ran fine, just down two cylinders. So, it's been sitting in my garage as my friends and I have slowly torn into it on our free time. We have almost everything off the head, sans the timing belt. My friend Brando will come down to mock up a new intake manifold for it before we go any further with it. The rebuild is shaping up to be quite good. Complete head work, new springs and retainers, new valves, new cams, bigger injectors, new intake manifold, and if all goes well, a new turbo. Should be quite the car come 2011.
I'm back on the Civic again too. After sitting for months, deciding if I should sell or not, I changed directions AGAIN. This time though, I will stick to my guns. I knew this project was going to take awhile anyways. I've wanted to get back into drag racing, and while my IS300 is a great candidate, I've wanted to build a drag Honda for some time now. Since my coupe is a stripped shell, I figure, what better place to start. I finished prepping the bay for paint and did some work to the front-end to get it ready for a good-sized FMIC and some big tires. I will be joining the ever increasing group of Civics running an Exospeed Racing front end for the car. Check them out here: Exospeed Racing. Going to be a blast when it's done.
I also sold my truck, so with two cars just sitting in the garage all torn apart, I needed some form of transportation to get around. Another project I have been wanting to build is something in the VIP area. I also looked into getting back into VWs, but I guess I still have to wait on that. Some searching turned up a great candidate in Chicago and I had the car delivered to MN. It's a 2000 Lexus LS400. Yes, another Lexus in the stable. This car is very clean, sporting just 77,800 on the odometer when I took delivery. Paint, body, and interior are all immaculate. I've already "borrowed" the Enkeis off my IS300 to bolt on for the time being, and am getting my suspension sorted thanks to GPR Auto. Keep your eyes peeled for updates.
Otherwise, life has been life, filled with ups and downs. Right now, it seems more downs than ups, but I just keep trudging along. I'm still working hard to keep a relationship afloat and have some great friends to thank for being there when I needed the moral support to keep my head straight. Working on some cool projects with my media-marketing company, so that helps take my mind off of things.
On the furry side of things, I am finally having a suit made, which I am excited about. First though, I needed a good reference sheet. I got a hold of Aetherfax again, who drew the commission I had done for Dracul and I, to pretty much bring my character to life. What he has shown me so far is great. I can't wait for the final piece. When it's all done, I will have a stand-alone feature showing the step-by-step process of my reference sheet. Thanks again Aeth !
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Eurowerks 4 Pictures
Yeah, they're late, but here are the pictures from EW4. Despite the weather, it was still an awesome show with some absolutely stunning cars showing up. Still my favorite show to attend.
Photo album: EW4 PIctures by Kaien
Photo album: EW4 PIctures by Kaien
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A Busy Weekend: EW4 and MN Furs Picnic
Whew, what a weekend! I experienced all sorts of new things this past weekend since it was full-up with events and activities. Good times, with good friends, and some amazing cars.
First up on Friday was the Eurowerks 4 pre-show party which kicked off with a car wash at SCI Performance followed by the traditional parking lot show at Kim Huoy Chor on University Ave. Of course, the parking lot was PACKED despite the looming weather. It was great seeing all of the out-of-towners who made long journeys to be at the show. With the quality of the cars at the pre-show get-together, the actual show itself was shaping up to be a blast.
Saturday brought a lot of exciting things and a lot of rain. First off, my good friend Howlie came down Friday night, but spent it with his family. I picked him up Saturday morning and we were off to St. Paul for the MN Furs summer picnic. First, we stopped at Cecil's Deli for a good breakfast though, haha. Anyways, I was both excited and nervous about the picnic. I had heard a lot about the event from a few of my friends. These picnics (there are two a year I believe) are the closest thing to a convention that we get in MN with the turnouts being pretty big. Of course, it was raining all day Saturday so who knew. I was excited to really get a taste of hanging with a big group of furs, but nervous at meeting so many new people. I am relatively new to the community, and if it wasn't for my friend Howlie, I probably would have been extremely shy all day. In the end it was a good experience overall. I got to see a lot of cool things and learned a lot. I still feel very new to the whole community, but hopefully I will open up more and so will the community. All-in-all, a great bunch of furs.
The picnic ran all day, so I took a leave to head to the old Grainbelt Brewery for the Eurowerks 4 show. This is by far my favorite show to hit all year, and I can't even participate! Some of the best Euros around gather here to show off. Despite bringing out some top-class cars, the show remains very relaxed and welcoming with the annual trike-race and cup-cake eating contests. Despite the weather, the show was great and I had a lot of fun taking pictures.
Expect a separate entry for the Eurowerks event covering both Friday and Saturday with pictures from both. It was a great weekend though, and I spent it with an awesome friend. It was a great experience, taking in both of my passions on the same weekend.
Oh, and I really, really want a suit now! How can you not find this adorable?
Wish I took more pictures of the suiters, but I was too shy, even with the camera!
First up on Friday was the Eurowerks 4 pre-show party which kicked off with a car wash at SCI Performance followed by the traditional parking lot show at Kim Huoy Chor on University Ave. Of course, the parking lot was PACKED despite the looming weather. It was great seeing all of the out-of-towners who made long journeys to be at the show. With the quality of the cars at the pre-show get-together, the actual show itself was shaping up to be a blast.
Saturday brought a lot of exciting things and a lot of rain. First off, my good friend Howlie came down Friday night, but spent it with his family. I picked him up Saturday morning and we were off to St. Paul for the MN Furs summer picnic. First, we stopped at Cecil's Deli for a good breakfast though, haha. Anyways, I was both excited and nervous about the picnic. I had heard a lot about the event from a few of my friends. These picnics (there are two a year I believe) are the closest thing to a convention that we get in MN with the turnouts being pretty big. Of course, it was raining all day Saturday so who knew. I was excited to really get a taste of hanging with a big group of furs, but nervous at meeting so many new people. I am relatively new to the community, and if it wasn't for my friend Howlie, I probably would have been extremely shy all day. In the end it was a good experience overall. I got to see a lot of cool things and learned a lot. I still feel very new to the whole community, but hopefully I will open up more and so will the community. All-in-all, a great bunch of furs.
The picnic ran all day, so I took a leave to head to the old Grainbelt Brewery for the Eurowerks 4 show. This is by far my favorite show to hit all year, and I can't even participate! Some of the best Euros around gather here to show off. Despite bringing out some top-class cars, the show remains very relaxed and welcoming with the annual trike-race and cup-cake eating contests. Despite the weather, the show was great and I had a lot of fun taking pictures.
Expect a separate entry for the Eurowerks event covering both Friday and Saturday with pictures from both. It was a great weekend though, and I spent it with an awesome friend. It was a great experience, taking in both of my passions on the same weekend.
Oh, and I really, really want a suit now! How can you not find this adorable?
Wish I took more pictures of the suiters, but I was too shy, even with the camera!
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