not very pretty

Peace & love (and tongue)

2012-01-27T17:54:00.000-08:00

One week until I get to see the beauty on the right!

I chose red eyes to match my red sweater

2012-01-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

Catch me playing pretty over here today. I most certainly give it:

Nothing devilish about this

2012-01-17T22:39:00.001-08:00

More like "Perfect NVP".

P.S. My brother got some good news back from the Veterans Board today. One step further in his return home. Woohoo!

Awk side face + three lovely ladies

2012-01-16T11:41:00.000-08:00

A little breakfast-time NVP

2012-01-14T20:09:00.000-08:00

Captured by Nicholas Wray at Cornerstone.

NVP in the front, NVP in the back

2012-01-13T00:16:00.001-08:00

Or, NVP Photobomb.

This is from the same night as this.

Falafel Face

2012-01-08T22:50:00.000-08:00

Miss Maria is in town (hooray!) and we were recounting my trip to New York and how Brian Wong made me eat spicy falafel. Here's another from the occasion:

Furrow those brows

2012-01-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Last night we serendipitously walked past Dive Bar in time for Fishnet Fridays and therefore stumbled into an evening of burlesque. It reminded me of a less risque and much more NVP evening at Dive Bar a few months back:

(NVP-ness captured by Nicholas Wray)

Old Sugar Mill in July

2012-01-04T21:08:00.000-08:00

In July 2011, I spent a lovely ladies day out wine tasting at the Old Sugar Mill and being generally Not Pretty.

Sometimes with my dear friend Lindsay

who I just found out is getting married there this coming August. This is the face I made:

Congratulations Lindsay & Andrew! I can't wait to be Not Pretty at your wedding--it's the moment I've been waiting for ever since Lindsay & I befriended each other in 1st grade.

Boob grabs are beautiful

2011-12-28T17:01:00.000-08:00

LOOK AT MY HAIR! And my sweet double chin. This is at True Love 2, which is already a long time ago (2006!).

'Tis the season for lurking on Grandma

2011-12-23T15:46:00.000-08:00

It helps to be Not Pretty whilst doing so.

Welcome back little car, welcome back

2011-12-18T16:20:00.000-08:00

Aren't you glad you get to see this face again?

Just now I was thinking "I miss the sun"

2011-12-14T22:39:00.001-08:00

But then I saw this picture and reconsidered:

P.S. Check out Devora being a total balla in the background!

Oh where oh where did my little car go?

2011-12-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

I am searching for thee.

Happy almost-Thanksgiving from Not Very Pretty

2011-11-22T20:49:00.001-08:00

Every year for as long as I can remember (which is not very long in the overall scheme of remembrance), we've had Thanksgiving at my Aunt Lisa & Uncle Brian's house in Santa Rosa. When I was about 11, they moved across town into a big ol' Victorian house. It had been split up into apartments and extremely run down. Over the next however many years, they've been working on remodeling and revamping it, all while keeping to traditional Victorian style. Every year's visit sees a different room or project at completion. In recent years, it also means a visit with the world's best cat (no offense, Sugar).

Along with all the pretty times we've had there, there have also been some good Not Pretty times, including this one from the good ol' days:

This was before much had been done to the house, which was pretty fun as a kid, since it meant sleeping in tents (check out my sweet Barbie sleeping bag!) and being allowed to draw on the walls since they were just going to be painted over anyway.

Brian Wong made me take a bite of his falafel and it was SPICY

2011-11-17T00:16:00.000-08:00

At Mamouns, New York City. The hot sauce was spicy, not the falafel itself persay.

Watch out for that...CREEP!

2011-11-13T22:06:00.001-08:00

an aside: the new david lynch single (featuring karen o!) is sufficiently creepy. and catchy. not that i'd expect anything less.

Happy day-after-her-birthday to my favorite Panda

2011-11-12T15:46:00.001-08:00

<3 <3 <3 <3

It's pretty exciting having the brother in town.

2011-11-08T21:24:00.000-08:00

Just like it was this time. Except for with more of a head cold.

Being in a fashion show doesn't guarantee you look pretty

2011-11-07T18:10:00.001-08:00

Exhibit A:

I miss me some Cafe Van Kleef

2011-10-16T23:23:00.000-07:00

It's my old friend/roomie Danica's birthday today, so I figured it fitting to post this pic. We're accompanied by the ever-lovely Devora and getting perhaps slightly sloshed on the delicious greyhounds at Cafe Van Kleef.

I would not stop eating my grilled cheese

2011-10-09T23:14:00.000-07:00

Photo by Devora at Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe in Oakland.

Cloudy Day

2011-10-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Cloudy day cloudy day

I am glad you are here, so:

Hello, Fall. I hope you are here to stay.(Custom Cloudy by Kristin K)

Loverly Ladiez

2011-10-02T21:52:00.000-07:00

World's smallest balcony

2011-10-01T12:48:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was reminiscing about my trip to Mexico (and how I met my match). Looking through photos of the trip, I came across this long-lost NVP gem:

Our hotel room had the teeniest balcony, so I decided to sunbathe on it and Maria decided to take pictures of me on it.

Walruses can be NVP too

2011-10-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

This photo makes me giggle. Thanks to Devora for submitting.

I've been listening to old songs on my iTunes lately

2011-09-27T00:35:00.000-07:00

And reliving my high school years, musically. Visually, they looked a lot like this:

pout pout

2011-09-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

(i've gone back to procrastinating, like i did in my college days)

200th NVP of me

2011-09-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Oh my!

Squeeze it!

2011-09-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Kate for the above self-NVP-submission!

OMG it's been too long for NVP

2011-09-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why it says "Search" above my head, but I'm going to roll with it. Welcome to September (almost half-way through).

Celebrity NVP

2011-08-29T22:50:00.000-07:00

Marlon Brando is not so sure he likes hanging out with Elizabeth Taylor.

This celebrity NVP was discovered by Devora P(anda) at Suicide Blonde.

I excel at the squishy NVP face

2011-08-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Maria excels at the hiding-the-braces-while-still-looking-pretty face! Hey, guess what? I'm going to visit her in NYC this weekend. I can't believe it's happening. Like, now. Wooaaaah! Cannot wait cannot wait.

I do not care what I look like. I am at a gourmet mac & cheese restaurant.

2011-08-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

Not. Even. Kidding. Homeroom in Oakland. Go there.

Guess who I'm going to visit this weekend...

2011-08-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

HINT: The one in the middle omg.

LEAVE ME ALONE

2011-08-04T23:26:00.000-07:00

ps on a related theme.

Unfortunate face

2011-07-31T16:07:00.001-07:00

Photo courtesy of Ashley Knight.

Ready for your close up?

2011-07-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

Devora is.

Total embodiment of a grandma

2011-07-18T23:25:00.000-07:00

At the ripe old age of 24, skin all sorts of shades of grey.

The above is documentation of the prep-time prior to the last time I did a live fashion show for Van Der Neer. This Saturday, I'm doing another live fashion show for them, and I'm sure I'll go into it looking even more eye-baggish and skin-shades-of-grey than in this one.

And the reason for that is because the fashion show is for Launch and instead of just sleeping in, showing up, and looking Not Pretty until someone makes me Pretty, I am also this time holding down/coordinating the art portion of Launch <--check it out!

BUT, it won't matter because someone with magical make-up skills will fix my haggard face, my outfit's fucking BAD ASS, eventually it will be go time and I'll have to forget everything else, and, inevitably there will be some NVP pix to boot. Win win win win.

The Kaitlynn Face

2011-07-02T19:26:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing several of my oldest friends together at one location. Seeing everyone happened to remind me of The Kaitlynn Face, a project I embarked on documenting during the Summer of '07 (prior to the incarnation of this blog).

It began with this photo:

which was immediately imitated:

And, from those humble beginnings, I decided to pose the question of The Kaitlynn Face to many more friends, to see if it was possible for them to make it.

Of those surveyed, 10 could:

and two could not:

Straight up NVP sleazin' on the pretty ladies

2011-06-30T22:51:00.001-07:00

This is how you do it.

Rumor is the other Kranz child may be in town this weekend

2011-06-29T23:22:00.001-07:00

Those are rumors I like to hear.

Oh, Dustin Hoffman, as if I needed another reason to adore you

2011-06-27T22:35:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Devora courtesy of Awesome People Hanging Out Together.

Nixon Not Pretty Bomb

2011-06-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read the title correctly.

Hella G NVP

2011-06-25T16:40:00.001-07:00

Devora knows her gang signs!

This is what I would look like if I ate squid too

2011-06-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to My Favorite Dad

2011-06-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Thank you for propping me up for all these years.

xo

alison.

A full day at the fair

2011-06-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the San Joaquin County Fair to attend the 10th Annual Dick Kranz Memorial Horse Race. I was glad Devora was able to join for the festivities (including: a beer in makeshift barn saloon with a peanut shell and hay covered floor, the end of a puppet-show sung by a marionette mouse who grew a garden full of balloons, and plenty of cheesy/awesome artwork--including a diorama of the battle of Helm's Deep). We tried to hunt down a photobooth at the fair but were unable to locate one. So, in honor of our efforts, I thought it fitting to post this photobooth NVP from days past.

Oh wait, a photobooth takes photos?

2011-06-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Over in NVP-land, we have a fond fondness for NVP photobooth shots (both original and digital). The best thing about a non-Mac photobooth is that one does not always know when the photobooth may start, as duly noted by Devora and her sister above.

Rabid rabbit

2011-06-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

(same day as this)

Sometimes you just have to go for a swing.

2011-06-11T00:51:00.000-07:00

Waking up is when one looks one's finest

2011-06-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Not Very Pretty Photobombs the Prettiness

2011-06-08T23:44:00.001-07:00

Man, Rachel really is good at being pretty around Not Pretties:

Ok, in those last couple, Mouse is more manic than Not Pretty, but they're still silly pics and deserved of posting.

Previous NVP photobombs: 1, 2

Where has this NVP been hiding my whole life?

2011-06-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

Oh wait! Right next to this one:

AMAZING. Kudos to all involved.

One time Devora made an epic breakfast

2011-06-07T22:44:00.001-07:00

and it was so epic I made this face:

It was also so epic I didn't bother getting out of my pajamas (DUH).

What was that again?

2011-06-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

I'd make that face for gelato too

2011-06-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

Anything for gelato!!

Ready for your close up?

2011-06-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

Natalie is:

And Mouse definitely is:

All photos courtesy of Devora dearest.

"Don't you DARE touch her"

2011-06-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sam K has given me this exclusive photo for inclusion in the Not Very Pretty canon. I am honored to receive it, as not human Not Pretties are some of my favorite sorts.

Also, in case you didn't already know or could not tell from the above photo:
do not attempt to mess with kittehs.

She's trying to hide...

2011-05-29T11:51:00.001-07:00

Another glorious submission from Devora.

Gesundheit

2011-05-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

Not Pretty Storefront

2011-05-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

While in Victoria last month, I stumbled across a store-name very similar to this blog (though meant as being more than pretty, as opposed to being pretty with some Not Pretty thrown in):

And this is what I looked like as I prepared to set foot in Victoria:

Sometimes NVPs come in threes

2011-05-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

Though I must say, Rachel needs to practice her NVP faces!

Thanks, again, to Devora for sending. She's got a stockpile! (And a fabulous top) <3

Someone needs to make an animated gif of these

2011-05-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

I did it with the arrow keys on my laptop but I can't do that for you here.

Sometimes, things get tripled

2011-05-15T09:43:00.001-07:00

Spring is here...

2011-05-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

best protect yourself!

Sailor hat gets around...

2011-04-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

like a sailor?

This Not Very Prettiness brought to you by Devora, panda collaborator extraordinaire.

Not Pretty Panda

2011-04-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

Photo by Devora dearest, panda collaborator extraordinaire.

It's been way too long since I've seen my brother

2011-03-26T15:41:00.000-07:00

Luckily I have this picture to remind me what he looks like.

Guess who I got to see last night?

2011-03-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

These two!

What's that over there?

2011-03-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Oh no, not that!

Sometimes you just get caught forking around

2011-03-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

Here we learn an important lesson from Mouse

2011-03-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

Eat, then drink:

(Unless, of course, your goal is to be as Not Pretty as possible at any given moment. In that case, by all means, drink, then eat.)

It's tiara time!

2011-03-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Received another good batch of enn vee pees from Miss Devora.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Not Very Pretty

2011-03-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

One thumb up!

How to be Not Pretty in a photobooth

2011-03-14T22:21:00.000-07:00

Here, Liz & Nat exemplify one of my favorite past-times: looking Not Pretty in an analog photobooth (though we all know Mac Photobooth can be a useful tool as well!).

Unexpected lolz

2011-03-11T13:08:00.001-08:00

Long-time contributor Devora sent in another batch of NVP-worthy photos.

Including this one, which I'd only seen in thumbnail. When I enlarged it I seriously lol-ed. What a fabulous face! Was not expecting it.

So I went on this BART ride once

2011-03-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

It was pretty awesome.

Mmhmmm.

Graduation

2011-03-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

Always a beautiful feat.

Hey, I'm hungry

2011-03-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Hungover hungry!!!

Thanks once again to the awesome team of Mouse & Devora for keeping me in a steady stream of NVP guest submissions. <3

Don't forget, it's always open call if you feel like being awesomely Not Pretty.

This is what a NVP PP supporter looks like

2011-02-28T18:13:00.000-08:00

Miss Maria and I participated in the Walk For Choice this past weekend. Just like the proposed cuts to Planned Parenthood, I was Not Very Pretty:

(On the right, with the gaping mouth)

ps Sign the letter to Congress if you haven't already!

In honor of today's rain storm

2011-02-25T10:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a little problem I encountered with water awhile back.

Went to Grandmother's house this weekend

2011-02-20T16:37:00.001-08:00

Just stood around picking my wedgie most of the time. And wearing shoes that are too large for me. Not much has changed:

Wore my Snuggie to bed last night

2011-02-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

Glad I wasn't haunted by the Snuggie monster!

Cake for breakfast

2011-02-17T21:09:00.001-08:00

Since I just got done spamming Miss Devora's newly-formed Facebook album with photo comments (although, the album is actually a couple of days old, which is pretty ancient in Facebook time), I wanted to draw attention to the one I came across during that activity:

Once again, my mouth is full of cake. Can't seem to get over that habit.

Oh well.

ps Want to see my favorite part of the Internet this week?

Sugar is THRILLED

2011-02-10T00:31:00.000-08:00

She loves the cone so much. To show my solidarity, I put on my hood (closest I have to a human cone) and we reclined on the floor in contempt. She was purring.

Retainers aren't just for Middle Schoolers, you know

2011-02-08T23:05:00.000-08:00

With yesterday's review of Mac Photobooth as prime NVP-collecting tool fresh in my mind, I figured now was a fitting time to debut this gem, which I've been holding in ye olde files for a few years now:

Fake Photobooth = Real NVP

2011-02-08T00:26:00.001-08:00

Though I have long been a proponent of the analog photobooth, I have discovered that the Mac version is very adept at capturing NVP pictures.
(See examples: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

And so, I am particularly honored to be privy to not one, but TWO Mac Photobooth shoots I was not even a part of:

Mr. Tie Head (real name)

2011-02-06T21:15:00.001-08:00

Miss Devora came to visit this weekend and brought with her a slew of NVP-worthy photos. Prepare for the onslaught as they are released here over time. Here's the first:

I guess it's a good thing there aren't many pictures of me ages 12-15

2011-02-01T21:33:00.001-08:00

But, honestly, I would have so many more gems for this site if that were the case. Alas, unless my parents have stashed them to spring on me at some inopportune time, I believe the case is closed and these few will have to do.

Side note: Remember disposable cameras? Not too good for taking Myspace pictures of one's self. I guess that's why Myspace didn't exist yet.

An experiment in destroying, or, photos that are no longer in the form they appear here

2011-01-31T22:26:00.000-08:00

A long, long time ago, I took a photobooth strip in Berkeley. I only liked two of the photos. The two I didn't like, I ripped up and put in a book about photobooths, for someone else to find and piece together (hint: the book is publicly accessible. also, as far as my knowledge, they are still there).

Despite this experiment occuring prior to the start of this blog, I was still astute enough to scan the two offending squares. So, without further ado, here they are:

This picture was taken at the wrong time

2011-01-30T15:28:00.000-08:00

These past couple weeks

2011-01-12T22:32:00.000-08:00

Have been a lot like having someone consistently vomiting in your ear (see example in photo above). Luckily, I have a good boy to reassure me through the messes (see example in photo above).

Looking like this right now

2011-01-12T00:10:00.000-08:00

Except with a different kitty (traitor, I know) and a blue snuggie instead of a blue blanket (upgrade). Now that I think about it, the only thing that is the same between these photos and my current state is the fact that a cat and I have not pretty looks on our faces. But, still, this ought to suffice for getting the picture.

AAAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILAD!

2011-01-09T16:33:00.000-08:00

I made this not pretty face just for you! Just like we made these not pretty faces for Dylan!

The photobooth squished my face like that

2011-01-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

Hey, it's small quarters in there! ANYWAY, my favorite panda had her first day of work at GOOGLE today! I thought it fitting, therefore, to share a photo that includes her. But, of course, her silly face is actually pretty adorable, whereas mine is a not pretty goldmine that strongly resembles a suffocating fish:

Speaking of photobooths!

ATTACK.

2011-01-03T21:53:00.000-08:00

This is the same scene as this day.

I'm not even chewing

2011-01-02T00:24:00.000-08:00

even though it appears so.

Sushi face

2010-12-31T12:49:00.000-08:00

Up close and personal (I love the Winter)

2010-12-26T22:43:00.000-08:00

See that snow in the background? That's right, I went to the snow. I am full of Winter.