Music | Bird’s Eye

In the vein of the “Moroccan roll” touched on in The Tea Party over Blood+ post, here are two legendary dudes, Serj Tankian and Mike Patton, doing their thing for the closing credits of another legendary dude's movie - Ridley Scott's “Body of Lies”.

Serj Tankian feat. Mike Patton - Bird's eye by Vamoshallagetdown

Food | Skagen

At a restaurant in Gamla Stan, Stockholm. ©MAK

Serendipity is an interesting thing. Before boarding the plane, I perused the magazine stand and grabbed one that I seem to acquire only at an outset of a trip. This time (June), I was on the way to Stockholm. Lo and behold, the front page of Condé Nast Traveler July issue boasted “SWEDEN Europe’s Foodie Sensation (17 spectacular restaurants)”. How’s that for coincidences?! This was a lead for a more aptly titled article, “The Girl with the Crayfish Tattoo: A Tour of Sweden's Rising Culinary Scene.” So here it was. The promise of, what some see as predictable food, but for me, clean palate. And I was up for the titular crayfish, aside from craving the denser bread. In comes Skagen. Crayfish on toast. Named after a Danish fishing port, it is “an elegant combination of shrimp and other ingredients on a small piece of sautéd bread … in Sweden toast Skagen is an appetizer that means “party.” ” As I found out, understandably, the recipe and the presentation come in many culinary permutations, and the appetizer can become a dish of its own: dill flavored sauce on the side, lettuce and asparagus, plus boiled egg (see photo). As Jamie Oliver asserts, it is an equivalent of English prawn cocktail sans ketchup mais avec, the ever important to its taste, dill. Easy, clean, and tasty. Låt oss äta!

Anime | Afro Samurai, you is CRAZY!

“That [is] off the chain!” Sure enough, Ninja Ninja. How can one go wrong with an anime that is smothered in the perpetual cool that is Samuel L. Jackson? And RZA (if you are not Wu-Tang inclined, but also have not chilled out watching “Ghost Dog”, mother f#^ker, SIT DOWN!). “Afro Samurai” is top notch manga back from 1999 – in a magazine format, 2007 – as a TV series, and 2009 – as a film. Few TV episodes won’t kill you; they are easy to come by; they might thrill you. Like “Ghost Dog”, “Afro Samurai” is a great fusion of cultures, with a wacky kick. And Ninja Ninja, Afro’s antithesis, will show you what speaking out, in style with no seeming filter, is all about. Stoic is so yesterday! Word.

Music | The Tea Party over Blood+

The Tea Party is not the Tea Party movement. It is a Canadian rock band formed in 1990 in Toronto. “The Bazaar” video from “The Edges of Twilight” album was my introduction to this band's “Moroccan roll”. Filmed at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, the song was all classic rock with that something undulating through it. And it drove. I nodded my head in mesmerized approval. I bought the album. And “Splendor Soils”, and “Transmission”, and “Triptych”, and “The Interzone Mantras”, and “Seven Circles”. The last one, I have to admit, was just to satisfy the collector in me, alas one that skipped backtracking to their debut “The Tea Party”. At “Triptych” and “The Interzone Mantras” I was moving on, slightly bored, and I truly purchased “Seven Circles” only as my last stab at mild fandom and support. The latter album also happens to be their last studio album to date. One song stood out though, for me. “Luxuria”. So it was quite a glee inducing moment when I found a fan out there who decided to meld it together with….. ANIME! Blood+ it is! Guess what I will be watching next J

Random | Serge the Seal

Ahh so cute! And so psychopathic. But Serge meets his match… well, a twin of sorts?

And his response never fails… but he has a practical side in the end…

Random | “Hipsters in Space: Judgement-o-tron"

“I am so over my blog… whatever……… LAME!” J

Random | “Hipsters in Space: Fashion Edition”

Whatever… right?

At Home | Modern Homes made of LEGO ®

The folks at Dwell hooked up with Pacific Standard Time to test the child within the architect. The challenge: to build a house inspired by California mid-century modern architecture… using only LEGO bricks! Aha. And now they have the five finalists. Which one would you pick?

Click here for more details.

Random | “Hipsters in Space”

Whatever… J

At Home | Retro into Now: The Peacock Chair

This is another 'share what’s out there' post. La Dolce Vita’s Design Under the Influence: The Peacock Chair post caught my attention. Having seen many rattan pieces that are truly vintage (yes, circa 70s) and showing it, not in the best way (frayed, moldy, dusty, dirty), it was interesting to see the peacock chair styling it and achieving a grandeur befitting its name even amidst modern furnishings. I might not be looking to get one, although if I had a sprawling terrace with some shade I might have considered, but it looks to me like a throne worth having for slow sipping of chilled tropical cocktails and munching on refreshing Vietnamese dishes à la “The Scent of Green Papaya”, then watching “Indochine” or “The Quiet American” after sundown that just barely cools the air.

The Decorista | The Familiy Love Tree | Rhapsody Attic

Interesting Couple | Homer Simpson & Marge Bouvier

From Famous Couples