Back in 1996, Sneaker Pimps
had a sultry female singer “with sensual evocation”. Then she was swapped out for
one of the founding members. He was also quite good, even though his delivery
was less tantalizing.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
At Home | Best café … is in your home library
 |
Still
from The Best Café. Yours. | U.S. Ad Campaign 2012 | Nespresso
|
Recently I
caught up on some mindless, and lengthy, watching of the “Idiot Box”, and hence
had some solid exposure to advertising. Not always a good thing, the latter, if
I want to stop thinking-analyzing. Yes, such is my lot. Yet, the current ad
campaign for Nespresso caught my attention in a pleasant way – not only because
I can seriously abuse coffee – because it had the components I blogged about
(!): a nice box of capsules (I own a machine but not the other paraphernalia, like
the boxes that were part of the Year of the Dragon set that I coveted, key word
here, some time back), Lana Del Ray’s “Blue Jeans” as a soundtrack, and a nice
home library! Alright, maybe I can be easily marketed to after all .
Monday, October 29, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
At Home | What is your home library style?
Idea lifted from La Boheme design blog in preparation for autumn rain and winter snow.
 |
Left: tumblr.com via Daniel Bear on Pinterest
Right: Interior design by
Lulu Powers via Lonny Magazine
via Knight Moves
via Savvy Home via Apartment Therapy
(yes, this image traveled quite a bit) |
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Booze | Serving suggestion for Halloween
 |
Photo © Thayer Allyson Gowdy
|
Shine from YAHOO! threw out there “Spooky, sexy, gothic ideas for grown-up Halloween party.” Ha?! That means booze! The Killer / Autumn Punch
sounds like a nice mix, but I was more tickled by the serving suggestion.
Noroc!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Movies | The Good Life, or the riches-to-rags life of Matte and Annemette Beckmann
Reminiscent
of Royce & Marilyn’s tarnished-but-still-holding-on-to-“class” glory, “The
Good Life” is a Danish documentary which “relates the tragicomic life story of
once-wealthy dowager Mette Beckmann and her middle-aged daughter, Annemette,
who subsist in a cramped Portuguese apartment on Mette's tiny pension and their
own bickering company.” Already on my to-see list.
Interesting Couple | “God on a wheel!” at Decadent Old Bitches
The beauty of scouring internet and, thus, other blogs
is all about finding the gems that hide out there in the ether. Here is one – Decadent Old Bitches. Loved it first for the title. I mean, it is just brilliantly
arresting! This fabulosity of a blog was, alas, short lived – February to December
2011.
Ran by Red Revolution, Decadent Old Bitches was “set up […] as an educational resource and a canvas for [Red Revolution’s] market research. [In 2011, Red Revolution was] a final year fashion student in Brisbane, Australia preparing [their] graduate collection. [Their] target market [was] decadent old bitches and [Red Revolution] created this blog as a scrapbook to store all the information [they] could gather of various icons [they] perceive[d] to be [their] potential customer.” Love it even more! Pity Red Revolution did not continue, but on December 3, 2011 they left on a fine note. Yes, this ROYCE & MARILYN video. Ah, the Dahlings! |
Booze | Beer relationships
It has been a while since I
posted anything on booze,
then I came across this relationship chart in the
Crate & Barrel Holiday Inspiration 2012 catalogue.
Thirsty?
 |
| Crate & Barrel Holiday Inspiration 2012 |
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Art | Valerie Vargas can do old-school and far far beyond into fantasy tattoos
Born in Scotland, Valerie Vargas is a lass that works
at Firth Street Tattoo in London. Her work spans across a good range of tattoo
styles. She has astounding skills, all thanks to those inspiring drawing sessions
with her Mum. And no, the lady does not kid around, skill-wise that is. As CVLT Nation described
it, it is all “Oceans of color crashing against mountains of detail”.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Movies | Iconic Rita Hayworth
|
But my favorite picture of Rita is this one with her spaniel, Pookles,
 |
Photo © Getty-Images | Text –
Judith Watt & Peter Dyer
|
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Art | Because it looks like a geisha - Van Cleef & Arpels L’art de la haute joaillerie at Les Arts Décoratifs
Lifted from Anna dello Russo’s
blog, AdR Factory, because … well, you know, it looks Japanesa. It is a piece
that seems to be part of
Van
Cleef & Arpels. L’art de la haute joaillerie
20
September 2012 – 10 February 2013
Les
Arts Décoratifs – 107, rue de Rivoli
Paris
“
“Les Arts Décoratifs” hosts 400 pieces that have made
the fame of Van Cleef & Arpels since 1906. These prestigious
pieces will be shown with archive documents and drawings, in an exhibition
design by Jouin-Manku. From the famous ‘Zip’ necklace to the
Zodiac set, which include 12 pieces inspired by
astrology. The history of Van Cleef & Arpels is
based on technical inventions handed down from generation to generation. A
signature whose hallmark is legendary mastery and
savoir-faire, a passionate love of precious stones and
a taste for innovation and metamorphosis.”
Monday, October 15, 2012
Art | The ‘Who’ and ‘What’ behind A Shaded View on Fashion Film (ASVOFF)
 |
| From Young Offenders |
“A
Shaded View on Fashion Film (ASVOFF) is the first annual festival in the world
about fashion films. Created by journalist Diane Pernet and launched in
September 2008 as a three day event […]” – from Wikipedia.
Coded Candy | Today Google celebrates 107th anniversary of Winsor McCay’s “Little Nemo in Slumberland”
It
is nice to be educated, ever so subtly, to rise above one’s ignorance of one
culture’s markers – or, in reality, to add to one’s upbringing conducted
elsewhere with other bits and pieces to draw upon.
Today Google did that for
me, and no doubt countless others. “Little Nemo in Slumberland” anniversary. The
title has a nice ring to it. Let’s see. Winsor McCay was a cartoonist from
early 20th century – born in Michigan, U.S. according to his claim, born in
Canada according to his gravestone and census reports – North American either
way – inclined to depict the landscapes of dreams, both in Little Nemo (yes, the Slumberland) and Dream of the Rarebit Fiend cartoons. Pure fantasy like that is
good for the soul, and it’s a pity I did not stumble onto McCay’s work sooner,
although the style of the pictures seems vaguely familiar. Better late than
never, though.
Let’s feast our eyes together. Thanks Google team for the
pointer and the animated sequence.
Art | If you happen to be in Paris Nov. 9-11, 2012 attend A Shaded View on Fashion Film 5
Art | Go David LaChapelle Go!
Crazy photography. Crazy
good. Crazy wacky. Plastic fantastic. Out there. This is David LaChapelle back
in gallery (until March 2012 – sorry, am a bit late). Love it or not so much,
it is arresting stuff.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Art | Fashion Film: Ruth Hogben for Gareth Pugh, 2011
Friday, October 12, 2012
Art | CraneTV interview with Rico Zombie
You have seen him no doubt.
But have you heard him?
Intensely dark yet somewhat calm.
Definitely not one dimensional.
But have you heard him?
Intensely dark yet somewhat calm.
Definitely not one dimensional.
Cartoon | The Simpsons opening going real-life style like
In that case,
this is as distinct as it gets.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
At Home | Shearers Quarters by John Wardle Architects on North Bruny Island sheep farm, Tasmania, Australia
One cannot go wrong in these
beautiful surroundings, but one can get it very right. Based in a suburb of
Melbourne, Collingwood, John Wardle Architects did just that by putting together
snazzy quarters for Tasmanian shearers. They won a bunch of well-deserved awards
for the effort, too (2012 Winner, Australian House of the Year, HOUSES Award. -
2012 Winner, New House Under 200m2, HOUSES Award. - The Esmond Dorney Award for
Residential Architecture. Australian Institute of Architects Tasmanian Chapter
2012 - Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture, Australian Institute of
Architects Tasmanian Chapter 2012 - Runner up in The AR House Award 2012,
London, United Kingdom).
 |
| Photography ©Trevor Mein |
 |
| Photography ©Trevor Mein |
Art | Selfridges Presents the Film Project – Fashion Designers Get Their Art On
Seven designers infused themselves
into production of films for Selfridges – that is, short films that describe,
artistically, the essence of the woman they design for. Here are my three
favorites, thanks to some personal bias, but all seven are worth the look (see
links below for the remaining four).
In the Desert Sun by Ann Demeulemeester | Obscure Desires by Alexander McQueen | D’Amore Sill’Ali Rosee by Rick Owens
See also: Club Nouveau by Gareth Pugh
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Fashion | Gareth Pugh’s Fantasy Land
To be honest, heard the name
but had no idea the stuff I saw was his.
Nice “drama” from a chilled sculptor J
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Fashion | Ann Demeulemeester looked at "the duality of butterflies"
Who knows what it really is. Miuccia
declared that “beauty by itself is too easy” and sent down the Milanese runway
(Prada’s Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection) looks for a geisha with a
power twist. Fast forward a few days to the Parisian runway (Ann Demeulemeester’s
Spring 2013 Ready-to-Wear collection) and opposites were still at play courtesy
of Ann, to whom "beauty can be frightening." Tim Blanks of style.com reported what that means and it’s all poetic. Then I saw that black pagan dress
and I got it. Yes, please!
Ann Demeulemeester does edgy-modern-rocker-punk
femininity par excellence. It may confuse with its lack of trendiness yet
entice with its rebellious timelessness and ease. For me the so called seal-of-approval,
if one could be dispensed at a visionary, came by the way of an article by Mark
Holgate “Kindred Spirits” published in Vogue US Fashion Rocks Supplement (Fall 2007).
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, and spread over two pages, was a café scene in
which Ann hung out with the “first lady of punk” (quite a notion if you ARE
punk), Patti Smith. I still have the copy. The story goes that in 1976
sixteen-year-old Ann came across Patti’s album “Horses” and thought that she
was going to know her. It happened, so the conclusion is Ann delivers on her
visions and can predict the future. And the vision du jour / future is “Pagan
Glamour.” Blessed be.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 | PARIS | By Tim Blanks
"Beauty can be frightening," Ann Demeulemeester declared today. Quite what she meant by that was semi-clarified by a show that was, she said, inspired by "the duality of butterflies," solid bug versus ethereal wings. So it figured that her new collection was a thing of strong extremes. Her butterflies didn't flutter by—they kicked butt. There was a flavor of manga martial arts in the super-short, corset-belted dresses and jackets over jackets. They represented a tough new stance for Demeulemeester. "Without losing the poetry," she was quick to add: That came in the form of pagan priestesses in floor-sweeping gowns. But even those outfits were edged in by anatomical leather harnesses.
It was time, the designer felt, for something new. A new sleeve, for instance. As Demeulemeester hiked skirts, she let sleeves fly away like wings, or she folded them closer to the body, like wings at rest. The long, flowing silk gowns, on the other hand, had a different kind of airiness, billowing rather than streaming, neo-medieval, monastic. "I didn't know what year it was," Demeulemeester said post-show. Year zero, perhaps, of a new chapter in her career.
And how did beauty have the potential to be frightening? For Demeulemeester, it was all about that insectoid duality. Light and dark. Beautiful and deadly.
|
Design | Still fascinated by “Save[ing] Food from the Refrigerator”
In Design | Recycle, Save and Style I mentioned a
Korean artist who designed shelves that save food from the refrigerator. In this video
Jihyun Ryou talks about the concepts behind her nifty shelves.
Still liking it.
A lot.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Design | Good Fucking Design Advice
Good Fucking Design Advice is an outgrowth of a graduate school side project. It is a child of designers and educators Brian Buirge and Jason Bacher that inspires the process of designing, or really mentally kicks your butt to DO design. To seal the deal, you can take a pledge and have it stare in your face. Or for further motivation, you can have desktop wallpaper that beams at you each time you stare at an empty screen. Now get cracking!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Music | That’s right, I know what I am … by Band of Skulls
New single, “You’re not pretty but you got it goin’ on” – love the title, out November 4th. *grin*
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Music | Female singer-songwriters №2: Ellie Goulding & Marsha Ambrosius
Both from east of the Atlantic pond. Slotted as Grey Goose
Rising Icons on VEVO. OK. Ellie “confuses” me because she reminds me of this
and that and those but still makes it her own. The video below is from two
years ago and here is a sampler of her new album to be released in 6-7 days. Marsha
“confuses” me because it is new but has the old school, well not that old, soul
flavor. As someone said, “oozes soul”. Then there is this video. It’s from last
year and shares its title with her solo debut album, and with those signs… you’ll
see. Good reminder. And here is a live glimpse of her new song to be yet
released.
Monday, October 1, 2012
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