Tuesday, August 31, 2010

the wilderness downtown

have you seen this?
made by chris milk, the video to arcade fire's song we used to wait, uses google chrome technology to create an interactive viewer experience thats pretty fun and interesting.
i must say, i've been feeling a bit homesick recently, and seeing an image of my parent's house pop up on the screen accompanied by this lovely song brought tears to my eyes.
oh arcade fire, you get me every time.

Monday, August 30, 2010

did you know

that a blue whale's tongue can weigh almost 6,000 lbs?
thats as heavy as an elephant!

for more interesting factoids about the world's largest animals check out this interactive thingy from npr and the story behind it. and have a wondrous week.
xo.

whale illustration via.

Friday, August 27, 2010

alex prager + despair

alex prager makes beautiful photographs.
the sort of photographs that take my breath away and simultanesouly draw me in to their cinematically composed and strikingly colorful worlds. her photographs feel like a fresh take on william eggleston's color and era, with a shot of cindy sherman's games of identity and artificiality mixed in.
the point is, they're intriguing and gorgeous.
and apparently, prager is now transcending the medium with this visually stunning short film, despair. i've watched it three times this morning and can't stop thinking about it. go take a looksy, you won't regret it. and then check out prager's photographs here and stop by the MOMA this fall to see her work in the new photography show if you're in the city.

ps. happy weekend, loves!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

contraband

a few weeks ago the new york times had a great post about photographer taryn simon's series "strange cargo at kennedy airport." these fascinating photographs documents curious, illicit, and bizarre items of contraband seized and detained at j.f.k. international customs. of the series simon explains, “this is a look at an attempt to control what is considered threatening to economies, to personal safety and to a nation.” in many ways her work provides an amazing portrait of society through objects which are clearly considered precious or important enough for some individuals to take such a risk.











Wednesday, August 25, 2010

summer tastes like


watermelon? blueberries? popsicles? barbeque? vinho verde? light beer? fish tacos? peach sorbet? all true.
but these days, i'd say summer tastes like heirloom cherry tomatoes.
this photo is of a bunch we got from the farmers market a few weeks ago. their amazing flavor and sweetness single handedly changed my ambivalent feelings towards the fruit of the vegetables for good.
aren't they gorgeous?

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

today




i've been ogling these rad arcade fire tour posters. i probably need this one from the olympic island toronto show since i was there and all, right?



i haven't been able to stop listening to this band since a friend introduced me to them a few weeks ago. you should totally download their free EP, like right now.


this overcast day and cooler weather is making me excited for autumn! and also making me want to wear lots of plaid ad tromp around in the woods like these people.



and finally, i'm dying to make this amazing looking apple pie from bon appetit. cheddar cheese baked right into the crust? yes. yes, please.

that is all. xo!

Monday, August 23, 2010

this weekend

was wonderful. thoroughly relaxing, full of smiles. yesterday we drove over to chesapeake bay, explored the coastline, swam and ate blue crabs. it was a lovely adventure, one that i've been meaning to make ever since moving to richmond.

but i woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed by the semester thats beginning, an impending meeting with my advisor later this week and the fact that i still haven't found anyone to move into my apartment.
or defended my thesis proposal.

phwew. but instead of being anxious, i've been visiting the memory of floating on my back under the warm sunlight in the bay yesterday. and listening to the EP all delightful people that sufjan stevens released last week.
and reminding myself to keep moving forward.
and to enjoy it. because life is good, yes?
tell me friends, how do you keep the anxiety sneakies away?

hope you have a lovely week. xo.

Friday, August 20, 2010

we make rainbows.


on the drive to toronto we stopped at niagara falls. i had ice cream and posed in front of the falls just as a rainbow appeared. alas, the resulting polaroid was too over exposed to capture that loveliness, so i drew it in this afternoon. silly!

anyways, happy friday. have a fantastic weekend, friends. and as always, thanks for reading.
xo!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

what if

what if imagination and art are not frosting at all, but the fountainhead of human expirience? what if our logic and science derive from art forms and are fundamentally dependant on them rather than art being merely a decoration for our work when science and logic have produced it.
-rollo may in the courage to create, 1975.
image: adloph gotlieb, glow, 1966

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

everyone needs warm feets

bonjour mon amis! we've had overcast skies for the past few days and a few showers that have left us with dropping temperatures. i'm enjoying the respite from summer heat, but these grey days also seem to be foreshadowing an impending end to summer. talk of labour days plans has begun, and before you know it, it will be october. anyhow, while i'm still trying to soak up every last bit of summer, i cant help but get excited about the coming change of season, the leaves falling, and best of all, cozy fall clothes. and for me, this means procrastinating from thesis research by treasure hunting on etsy for vintage boots. but i decided that rather than buy all these beauties for myself, i'd share them here and maybe one of you will buy them and love them and think of me fondly when your little toes are snug as a bug this fall. happy bootsies!

pretty brown lace up ankle bootsies.



a nice twist on the classic brown riding boot, my fave winter staple.


in love with these lace up darlings. wouldn't they be amazing with skirts and dresses and tights? someone buy them and love them because they're too big for my mini feets.


and how about these stunning italian beauties?

or cozy vintage mukluks? yes please.



unlike anything i've seen before, i'm also smitten with these sweet little tweed numbers.

not exactly boots, and perhaps a little spendy at $100, but oh so freaking cute. i might seriously need these beauts.


and a good pair of classic black booties.


and how cute are the sweater linings in these brown pretties? they look so warm and cozy.

so, i'm not sure i can pull these off, but they certainly are fabulous. someone needs to rock these magic metallic bootsies.


and last but not least, a handsome pair for the fellas.

xo!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

words by everynone


have you seen this lovely short film "words," by will hoffman and daniel mercadante (everynone)?
its beautiful and fascinating.
enjoy.

weekend adventures

well hello and happy tuesday, friends.
i'm getting back into the swing of things after a long and glorious birthday weekend. thursday we embarked on an classic summer road trip northward, stopping first at a nice little camp ground in pennsylvania for the night. we drove the rest of the way to toronto friday, but not before taking an early morning swim in a beautiful mountain river and eating birthday breakfast of blueberry pie.
toronto was awesome our hostel quirky but perfectly located and cozy. as a city toronto feels modern, clean, and friendly. all in all we ate lots of great food, wondered toronto's pretty streets, saw arcade fire on olympic island in the middle of lake ontario (ah-may-zing, btw) and had a pretty magical weekend. it was a perfect way to usher in a new year of life. here are a few pictures, though i must say, i think i sort of failed to take many toronoto photos, perhaps i was just too busy having fun and stuffing my face.

on the road, pit stop somewhere in pennsylvania.

view from our campsite.

swimming hole.

pretty water.

welcome to canada!

rainbow over the falls.


stopped along the way at niagra falls. in canada they have funny signs like this.

isn't toronto cute? (kennsington market area.)


brunch!

view to toronto from the ferry to olympic island.

arcade fire. so good.

view of toronto from the island after the show as we shared noodles and dumplings and waited to take the ferry back.

brunch round two. sunday sleepies. not wanting to leave.

on the road again and blurry. the middle of nowhere, western new york state.

headed home. and a handsome fellow in the passanger seat.

hope you're having a great week! xo.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

burning brightly


I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
– George Bernard Shaw

hello you pretties,
with those wise and lovely words i'm cutting out of here. off in search of some adventures this weekend. taking a little roadtrip to toronto to see a favorite band and explore a new city and find some misheif. also, to celebrate a birthday. i'm turning 26 tomorrow. i think mr. shaw's words on rejoicing in life are exactly how i hope to live this next year. so, thanks for reading my thoughts and being a part of my life. i'll be back next week to tell you all about it my adventures. i hope you make some magic of your own this weekend.
xo!

ps. i can't remember where i found this beautiful image in order to credit it. apologies!