Inspiration Item #1

Papa vs Pretty... and a little Heavy Harm.

2010-08-19T21:41:00.000+10:00

Heavy Harm from Papa Vs Pretty on Vimeo.

I love these guys! They're from Melbourne and were a part of triple j Unearthed High in 2008.

And they still haven't left school... Thomas who does lead vocals is just 17 (where did that voice come from??).

Anyways here is my favourite song, the clip makes me want to write Viking love stories - not sure why.

p.s. They're playing at the Oxford Art Factory this Saturday in Sydney.. get down there.

Hot little kippers!!!

2010-08-17T20:32:00.000+10:00

How cute are these!!!

They're called Kipper shoes, which sends me off into a mind tangent.

I keep on trying to compare them to dried kippers, which my parents insisted was a normal breakfast dish when I was a kid.

Sigh, salty memories.

Little teapot

2010-03-08T13:43:00.000+10:00

I could have done a post about the Oscars, but then I thought... NO, let's talk about teapots.

Actually one teapot in particular, designed by Canadian potter, Margit Nellemann.

How cute is it??? I want one for my new office.

Why join the navy when you can be a pirate?

2010-03-01T16:20:00.009+10:00

This makes perfect sense.

I have never been tempted to join the navy (except for maybe when watching Ioan Gruffudd beating the French in Hornblower... but only for a second, like a minisecond, and then the whole 'Oh that was 200+ years ago thing took over).

But really, think about it. Pirates have way more fun, are wealthier, get to wear cool clothes and are more likely to own a parrot.

What's not to like?

There is the whole stealing from people, making them walk the plank bit which could trouble your conscience.

Becoming a buccaneer might be the best option.

Those guys had it all.... Spanish gold, big hats with a feather and permission from the Queen to pillage.

How to tame lions.

2010-02-28T22:51:00.006+10:00

Loving Washington at the moment, she's just like a soothing balm of solace.

This song is a little bit stronger than the rest on her most recent album and has a decent rhythm beat.

The lyrics are hilarious... I'm still trying to work out whether Arthur Miller is the lion and Monroe the tamer or whether it's the other way round.

"How do you tame a lion when they are lying low?

You be my Arthur Miller and I will be your Marilyn..."

And to top it all, how cute is the cover art?? I love heartwarming colours.

Watch the video of How to Tame Lions here.

A fine frenzy...

2010-02-27T15:24:00.000+10:00

Haven't blogged in ages my friends - sorry about that.

I got momentarily distracted firstly by a cooking to music blog I'm setting up and then *drumroll* by an AWESOME job I am about to start in Sydney.

It's radio producing with the best radio station ever (and it is at this point I should say any views stated in this blog are my own and not those of my soon to be employer).

I move in under two weeks and this song, by the beautiful Alison Sudol from A Fine Frenzy, is perfect... no need to be scared, just breathe deeply.

P.S. If ur wondering the pic is of her, not me.

Stood Up
We are not frightened anymore,
We stood up, we stood up
And there are two of us there will be more,
They'll show up, they'll show up, they'll show up

Blame a change of mind
A seismic shift in times
They told us not to fight
But we'll fight it till we die

'Cause we are not frightened anymore,
We stood up, we stood up
And there are two of us there will be many more,
They'll show up, yeah, they'll show up

And so they sunk every ship we sailed
But we stood up, yeah we stood up
And they fought hard, but somewhere fighting failed
They're all shook up, they're all shook up, all shook up

Steel and concrete break
Beneath the steady waves
Of fearless hope and grace
In kindness there is strength.

'Cause we are not frightened anymore,
We stood up, we stood up
And there are two of us there will be many more,
They'll show up, they'll show up, yeah they'll show up

We are not, we are not, we are not
We are not, we are not frightened anymore
We are not frightened anymore.

Mr Darcy goes TOO far...

2009-12-16T13:52:00.005+10:00

Okay, it's Jane Austen's birthday today... but this is too FAR.

I'm a massive fan but who on God's good earth would wear such a thing???

Especially if it implies that you look like the woman emblazoned on the bit of ceramic.

Eww.

Here comes the sun...

2009-12-16T12:32:00.006+10:00

Gimme Sympathy, Metric

Get hot
Get too close to the flame
Wild open space
Talk like an open book
Sign me up
Got no time to take a picture
I'll remember someday
All the chances we took

We're so close
To something better left unknown

I can feel it in my bones
Gimme sympathy
After all this is gone
Who would you rather be
The Beatles or The Rolling Stones
Oh seriously
You're gonna make mistakes you're young
Come on baby play me something
Like here comes the sun
Come on baby play be something
Like here comes the sun

Don't go
Stay with the all unknown
Stay away from the hooks
All the chances we took

Pitchfork pulls in the net...

2009-12-15T21:42:00.009+10:00

Yesterday Pitchfork posted their Top 100 tracks of 2009... it's going to take me a while to listen to them all so let's just cut to the chase:

Number 1 went to Animal Collective with "My Girls", (well deserved, but whenever I listen to it I can't help feeling disappointed with myself.. not them.. for not liking it more).

Number 2 was Dirty Projectors with "Stillness in the move"... they simply have one of the best videos of 2009, maybe because its the only video hit I've ever seen with lamas or maybe they're alpacas? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMPF6lpM0XM

Number 3 was Phoneix with "1901".

Number 4 was Bat for Lashes sweeping in on the wave of "Daniel"... I don't know who Daniel is but he should be very proud - one of my favourite songs of the year.

Number 5 was Grizzly Bear with "Two Weeks".

Number 6 was the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with "Zero".

Number 7 was Big Boi ft. Gucci Mane with "Shine Blockas", a song I have never listened to up until about 20 secs ago and now having listened for 40 secs... it's ok, but is using the word shawty which is so unrelatable when ur 6ft.

Number 8 was Phoneix (again) with "Listomania".

Number 9 was Girls, "Lust for life".

Number 10 was Washed Out with "Feel it all around"...

And if you want the rest go to http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/.

** If you think these songs stink/are terrible/should never be associated in our memory with 2009... vote for your favs with pitchfork's survey thing: http://2k9survey.pitchfork.com/.

Which reminds me triple j's top 100 poll is coming up so DON'T FORGET TO VOTE.

The Satorialist sees red in Sydney...

2009-12-15T21:34:00.003+10:00

So the Satorialist was in Australia again (unfortunately he skipped Brisbane).

But he made up for only heading to the southern states by taking this gorgeous photo of a girl at Bondi, calling it "Red on Red".

I feel kind of bad even posting this because it's SO clearly his image, not mine... so to make me feel better, follow this link: http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/.

Big Ben tweeting...

2009-12-14T10:37:00.006+10:00

It's so comforting that Big Ben is on twitter

While the rest of the world is trying to impress in 140 characters... Big Ben just keeps it's tweeting simple.

The number of BONGS aren't just random either - they change according to the hour.

The only problem is that I've always thought of it as a DONG rather than a BONG.

And obviously there's the reliability issue referred to in the bio: "sorry for the missed tweets, think problem is at Twitter's end."

Are we at the middle name stage?

2009-12-10T09:40:00.009+10:00

"I never knew your middle name, no need to play that game" Architecture in Helsinki.

We went out to dinner last night at a gorgeous Indian place, which had drapery hanging artistically from the ceiling.

I was finally brave enough to have vegetarian curry... we have it at home all the time, but I've always felt like it's not true Indian when I go out if its missing chunks of lamb or chicken (gory I know, sorry if you're a vege).

Anyway on the other side of the artistic drapery was a couple, obviously on the second date.

She found out that he liked cheesecake.

He found out she didn't like hot curries.

They then discussed Lady Gaga, both fencing around the topic and not daring any criticism just in case the other was an ardent fan.

I don't think there were up to the middle name stage yet, but they were rolling steadily down the path to relationship solidity.

"And we talked about nothing which was more than I wanted you to know" Modest Mouse.

Britain's eyebrows...

2009-12-09T13:05:00.003+10:00

Does Britain's Chancellor, Alistair Darling have possibly the scariest eyebrows EVER?

There is a reason why he wears rimless glasses.

But then maybe they inspire the British public with confidence in a time of economic crisis (i.e. recession, recession, recession).

Tony Abbott goes retro...

2009-12-09T10:00:00.006+10:00

Is it just me or have we gone back on a little bit of a time warp with Tony Abbott, the Liberal's new leader in arms?

First there was the announcement of his shadow front bench who seem to be a regurgitation of the Howard era.

He even justified his decision of MP Bronwyn Bishiop by saying "67 is the new 57", adding that she will feel right at home with the Senior's portfolio because "she will be one of them" (poor Bronwyn).

Then this morning he announces that Workchoices would be brought back if the Coalition win the next election.

One can already see the Unions ordering another print run on the "Your rights at work, worth fighting for" stickers which were plastered over every bus, backpack and walkway in Australia during the last election.

But the cream of the crop is his announcement on 4BC radio that he might increase Australia's commitment in Afghanistan. What the???

Isn't everyone trying to creep out of Afghanistan slowly... hoping no one will notice the retreat?

Is there some overarching, masterful strategy I'm not seeing?

Bright Star...

2009-12-09T09:47:00.001+10:00

I'm going to see an advanced screening of Bright Star tonight.

So excited... season of mists and mellow fruitfulness here we come.

The XX.. Heart skipped a beat

2009-12-08T23:04:00.007+10:00

Sometimes I wish these posts could be backdated.

I discovered The XX just before I went on exams and they helped get through the mountain of study awaiting.

Once the glow of the song Islands wore off this became my favourite:

Heart skipped a beat

Please don't say we're done

When I'm not finished

I could give you so much

Make you feel, like never before

Welcome, they said welcome to the floor

It's been a while

And you've found someone better

But I've been waiting too long to give this up

The more I see, I understand

But sometimes, I still need you

Sometimes, I still need you

I was struggling to get in

Left waiting outside your door

I was sure

You'd give me more

No need to come to me

When I can make it all the way to you

You made it clear

You weren't near

Near enough to me

Heart skipped a beat

And when I caught it you were out of reach

But I'm sure, I'm sure

You've heard if before

Please don't say we're done

When I'm not finished

I could give you so much

James Brown... Papa's got a brand new bag

2009-12-07T16:28:00.008+10:00

I have just fallen for James Brown... the man is AMAZING.

Let's just say before Michael Jackson there was James Brown.

You have to watch this link to get the full effect: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtqDB2spyG0.

Queen in the Caribbean

2009-12-02T12:57:00.004+10:00

How gorgeous are these outfits?

The Queen has apparently journeyed to the Caribbean and is getting into the spirit of things.

The third image definitely looks like there's been some time spent in the sun or alternatively she's given into the pressure of the fake tan brigade.

For the full fashion goss: www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/01/queen-caribbean-wardrobe

UK troops get a long term sentence...

2009-12-02T09:45:00.002+10:00

I'm just chucking this in because it is a beautiful picture (courtesy of Reuters.. no, I am not currently in Afghanistan).

Hard, gritty, tense... British soldiers somehow look strong and wiry compared to their beefed up American counterparts.

Overnight the UK's Foreign Secretary, David Miliband announced UK forces with remain in Afghanistan for five more long years.

Whether that will be the case with a looming UK election next year is another question entirely.

The UK is also upping its commitment to the war by 500 troops, nothing compared to Obama's dedication of 30,000 more American soldiers, but a strong show of allied support all the same.

Abbott takes the liberal leadership...

2009-12-01T23:12:00.009+10:00

*New Liberal leader Tony Abbott enters presser with deputy Julie Bishop.

Tony Abbott today became leader of the Australian Liberal party.

It was a bit of a surprise for everybody, including Abbott himself who looked a little shell shocked as he emerged from the party room.

Twitter went wild, with both #spill and Tony Abbott becoming trending topics (the funny thing was noticing confused Americans tweeps going... "can someone please tell me what the heck #spill is?).

Anyways, our fine leader K.Rudd was off in Washington while all the drama happened so Julia Gillard (Abbott's old health portfolio political/flirting sparring partner) was left to welcome the new top dog.

But the question is will the chemistry between Abbott and Gillard continue... now the 'mad monk'/aka Abbott has taken control of the liberal abbey?

*Julia Gillard... bring it on baby... (note: to be fair this image is 2 months old, but appropriate I felt).

Pumpkin days...

2009-11-26T19:37:00.004+10:00

Sometimes I have pumpkin days.

They're days when I feel like Cinderella, my glittering carriage has stopped taking me places and has turned into a stolid pumpkin - very seditary, very uninspiring and very orange.

It's enough to make anyone feel glum.

The King and All His Men... Wolf Gang

2009-11-26T19:23:00.004+10:00

Very, very nice. What more can I say... I liked this song on sight mainly for the lyrics and the pitch of his voice.

However it might, just might, be one of those quick faders which I love initally but despise eventually.

The song above is The king and all his men by Wolfgang, a scarily makeuped Londoner whose album came out on the 16th of November (he doesn't have much resemblance to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart if you start thinking along those lines).

If you do like this song listen to his other one, Pieces of me which has a fantastic gutair opener straight from the seventies: www.myspace.com/thisiswolfgang.

Croc hugging...

2009-08-19T12:55:00.002+10:00

Love this picture. It's a man in Costa Rica who's become best friends with a half-tonne croc and is on hugging terms!

Apparently he came across the croc 20 years ago, injured with a gunshot wound. He nursed the croc back to health and now they're best mates.

Paul Dempsey in the Studio

2009-08-18T21:52:00.006+10:00

Paul Dempsey came into the studio the other day. (***NEWS FLASH: I'm working as an 'acting' radio producer for the ABC).

Anyways, he was 6.5ft and a little on the quiet side.

But he was great on air and had a nice chat to the presenter Steve about why he picked Brissy of all places to launch his album (he's originally from Melbourne.. actually still is).

Plus he talked about what it was like to write, what his band thought of his solo shift forward etc.
I went along to the album launch a couple of hours later, quite a crowd of skinny young things looking appropriately soul searching... but he was GREAT live.. loved nearly all of the songs.

Like everyone I think Romona was a Waitress has to be my fav... have a listen below.

Generation Y is done, dusted and dead... (someone shoot it down please)

2009-06-24T08:26:00.005+10:00

Generation Y is old. Not in the terms of actual age (we're still giving the up and coming tweens a run for their money) but in terms of a label, frankly darling it's dated.

Practically anyone could could write a 25,000 word thesis on the sizzling habits on the Gen Y demographic, what they like, how they shop, love, eat, don't fly the nest and generally sail through the world unimpeded by a hard work ethic. Since the world got hold of the term Gen Y the everything has been analysed from the free wheeling perspective of a 20 something year old. And it's boring. It's done, it's dusted and it's time to think of something new. Blah, blah, blah. As a member of the infamous sons and daughters of the baby boomers demographic I'm well and truly over the hype of the young bloods.

As soon as marketers and journos got hold of the Gen Y idea and started analysing the world from a Gen Y perspective in order to lasoo the elusive youth market into their profit margins it was over. When it becomes mainstream and chewed over by academics and media alike a concept may as well roll over a die. It's like cud - chewed, digested, churned up, chewed again, digested, churned up and the story goes on until Gen Y become, frankly, a very unappealing, unappetising label to live by.

I should confess that my own passion for the tatilising but frankly over-publicised age group I belong too has been waning ever since mentioning Gen Y as a segment became imperiative to getting high marks in a university marketing assignment.

But here's the news... Gen Y officially don't care about being labled Gen Y. So if you're a marketing guru, journo, entreprenurial business person or Generation X citizen who's spouting Gen Y effusions the chances are you'll not be connecting with them.

Note: the author of this article will still be using Gen Y as a target market in her uni marketing plans, (despite obvious self-hypocrisy) as a bit of generational name dropping usually guarantees high marks.

Why Chanel No.5 of course... Inspiration Item #46

2009-05-05T09:21:00.007+10:00

Chanel has just released a new 'film' (or shall we say VERY expensive ad) starring Audrey Tautou for their fragrance Chanel No.5.

It's release coincides with the French premiere of Coco Avant Chanel, a new film focusing on the young Gabirelle Chanel and her rise to fame as one of fashion's most lauded designers.
The film was directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the man behind Tautou's rise to fame in Amelie and it has the same amazing golden colour tones which can't but help warm the cockles of your heart.
If you're wondering who the man is who manages to track Tautou across southern France just by following her scent, he's American model Travis Davenport.
Have a watch of the film below... but if you want the best quality look at http://www.chanel5.com/.

Inspiration Item #46

Bollywood dance beats... Inspiration Item #46

2009-05-04T19:51:00.007+10:00

So I was at work awhile back and was talking to one of the girls about Bollywood movies. Her mum is Indian and she loves the big dance blockbusters and mentioned a few of her favourites.

Anyway time passed, exams came along, I got invited to a Sikh wedding and was all inspired so looked up Bollywood music in a bout of study procrastination. These are a few of my discoveries...

First up is Leija Leija from the 2001 hit Khabi Khushi Khabie Gham (meaning sometimes happy, sometimes sad). It has a great intro and there's no holding back on the dancefloor by either sex (plus can I mention it has one of the most beautiful men on the planet feauring as the male lead, Hritick Roshan).

If I need to get moving this next one is definitely my fav, starts off slow and builds with cracking beats. The clip is a bit old but I think the man responsible for this awesome love-song in the rain clip is A.J. Rahman (he wrote and performed Jai Ho which has hit the music charts as the Pussycat Doll's take on Bollywood from the movie Slumdog Millionare).

I stumbled across this song, Eli Re Eli a little while back. Great undulating rythmn and female solos, but the guys are a little weak. What I'm gathering from the English subtitles is that this is some type of empowered Bollywood Bridget Jones called Yaadein (definitely on the list to watch).

This one makes it into the list solely because of Aishwarya Rai's absolute sex-bombness. It has the classic Bollywood depiction of guys vs. girls on the dancefloor... with girls definitely winning out (don't think the guys ever recovered form Aishwarya's amazing hip flexibility).

If all this has been a little too exhausing have a listen to the theme music for Mumbai also by A.R. Rahman. I find it's very relaxing after the soprano notes and ever-speeding beats of the classic dance songs.

P.S. had a chat with my mate from work and we're going to have a Bollywood movie sleepover.. sounds good to me.

Inspiration Item #46

The Hunt for Gollum, the best fan movie ever.. Inspiration Item#45

2009-05-04T08:58:00.007+10:00

Trailer 2 - The Hunt For Gollum [2]
Uploaded by HuntForGollum

I just watched possibly the best fan movie ever, The Hunt for Gollum. It was forty minutes of absolute professionalism made on a $3000 budget.

The film was adapted from appendices from The Lord of the Rings and follows Aragorn as he hunts for the creature Gollum to prevent Sauron and the nine riders finding the location of the ring.

Costumes, setting and weaponary were amazing. My sister and I were amazed at the fight scenes, really well doneThe orcs were especially good and if possible even uglier than the Peter Jackson triolgy.Viggo Mortensen was always going to be hard to live up to and fan actor, Adrian Webster did a good job (I couldn't help thinking the whole time that if he'd just tinted his eyelashes and eyebrows he would have looked 10 times more Aragorn like.. superficial, I know).The movie was released independently online on the 3rd of May, to watch go to thehuntforgollum.com.

Inspiration Item 45#

14yr old Duncan Harrison.. Inspiration Item #44

2009-05-03T22:48:00.004+10:00

So I stumbled across one of the BBC's latest offerings which sadly hasn't made it to Australia and probably never will.

It's the slightly high-brow reality TV show The Speaker which aims to find the best young public speaker in the UK.

Anyway the winner was the youngest of the bunch, Duncan Harrison, a 14 year old from Bristol.

His final speech was on child education in Malawi - it was brilliant and something I'll pull out and re-watch before my next presentation for uni/work.

Inspiration Item #44

Britain's PMs battle it out... Inspiration Item # 43

2009-05-03T22:21:00.008+10:00

Am reading a fantastic book I've been wanting to get my hands on for ages.

It's The Blair Years by Alastair Campbell and as well as being VERY politically informative, it's hilarious.

I've just typed up one of the funniest bits... shows how human Britain's most recent Prime Ministers are.

NOTE: TB stands for Tony Blair and GB for Gordon Brown.

Monday, March 27 1995

"...Arrived in Glasgow. We drove over to Edinburgh and had dinner with his old school friend Nick Ryden. TB told the hilarious story of when he and GB met in Nick's house for one of the big discussions post John Smith's death. Nick left them to it and they went round and round in circles. TB was clear he should stand because he felt that was the best chance for the party, but GB was not convinced. At one point, GB went to the toilet. Minutes passed and TB was sitting twiddling his thumbs and even wondered if GB had done a runner. Eventually the phone went. TB left it, so then the answering machine kicked in and GB's disembodied voice came on: 'Tony. It's Gordon. I'm locked in the toilet.' They both ended up laughing about it. TB went upstairs and said 'You're staying in there till you agree.' "

p.54 The Blair Years Alastair Campbell

Inspiration Item #43

Faulkner ... Inspiration Item #42

2009-05-01T09:26:00.008+10:00

"Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."

William Faulkner (by way of Frankie magazine).

*Picture courtesy of Katy Spade's gorgeous fashion shoots

Inspiration Item #42

They can't just get any old freak to be a vampire... Deinspiration Item #41

2009-04-30T20:08:00.005+10:00

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I wasn't that keen on Edward Cullen biting my neck, but HIM??? They can't just get any old freak..." (my sister).

Vampire obsession might be a global phenomonen but THIS is a step too far.

Tonight I guiltly got my dose of RNB by watching Israel's latest song Freak Tonight on youtube (ignore this embarassing fact please and move on to the real goss of this story)...

I was HORRIFIED.

What is the world coming to if a perfectly respectable RNB toughman has to resort to fake fang teeth and neck biting scenes in order to hit the music charts??

Plus why is he sporting a mohawk which looks like a stoat's tail on the top of his head? Not attractive.

And while we're on the note of RNB selling out... could the lyrics of Soulja Boy's latest song be anyworse?

"Baby, kiss me through the phone"

"dadadadadadadada we're on the phone like dadadadadadada we're taking pics like dadadadada she dial my number like dadadadada"

Have a listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbFmWFOwxy4

Deinspiration Item #41

Olivia Bee... Inspiration Item #40

2009-04-29T23:32:00.002+10:00

You're looking at Olivia Bee.

She's the 15-year-old elf child who is not only the subject of this magical shot, but also the photographer (ahhh the blessings of the modern camera).

I think I'm going to post an extra long post on her magical shutter work shortly, but here's the link to her flickr portfolio for the moment: www.flickr.com/photos/-oliviabee-/.

Inspiration Item#40

Bertie Blackman... Inspiration Item #39

2009-04-29T23:04:00.004+10:00

Nothing is beating the beauty of Sky is falling by Sydney based singer, Bertie Blackman.

I heard the track on JJJ this morning and was blown away into stupefyed silence on the train.

Obviously I was already silent and not talking outloud all by myself in the third carriage as I am not a weird person.

What I mean is that my mind was FORCED to stop and listen, silently repressing all other thoughts, so it could fully absorb the epic beautifulness of the song.

It's very dreamlike, with lyrics thrumming - yes, thrumming - over the music.

Bertie Blackman's new album came out last Friday... Heart is the new single every one is raving about cos apparently it sounds like Bjork, but personally Sky is falling is definitely my favourite.
www.myspace.com/bertieblackman

Inspiration Item #39

lungs of the world... Inspiration Item #38

2009-04-28T19:54:00.002+10:00

How fantastic is this ad????

In case u can't read the bit down the bottom it says: Before it's too late...

It certainly made me stop and think (but maybe it wouldn't be so effective if I wasn't massively anti-smoking).

Inspration Item # 38

Slice of life... Inspiration Item#37

2009-04-28T13:17:00.005+10:00

The purpose of this blog was just to keep track of all the little pieces of life that inspire or despire a day.

Right now the little pieces of life I'm experiencing right now make up the equation below:

Inspire slices:
+ Courtney Brookes photo.. see above
+ Breakeven by Irish band The Script
+ The Princess Bride (book of the moment)
+ the thought of work in 1.5 hours (yes, I like my retail job)

Despire slices
- the knowledge that I am procrastinating
- the fact that I have exam on saturday
- no possible way I can get to the gym today and feel fittish

Anyhooo now I've recorded this vitally important info have a listen to the clip below (if ur ears haven't already overheard it on the top 40 list already... but who can resist Irishmen???)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2omyqxbsKw

Inspiration Item #37

Who is the man??? ... twitter stalkers... Inspiration Item#36

2009-04-28T13:02:00.006+10:00

Checked my inbox this morning and weird man Joshua Byrd is now 'following' me on Twitter... the word following itself has stalkerish connotations.

Anyways I spent a while trying to figure out how he connected to my life.. ie friend of friend, uni person, workmate, person I sit next to on train maybe?

Finally I concluded I DO NOT know this man.

Once reaching this conclusion I had to deliberate about whether this was an inspiration item or not.

Is someone just randomly adding you on Twitter a compliment, a random fact of life or alternativly just plain freaky???

Eventually I decided to be flattered and allocate it to the inspiration item pile.

***If u can help identify this potential stalker (see picture below), please comment.

p.s. interesting side note.... I 'tweeted' that I liked Bombay Bicycle Club and who starts following me but a San Francisco based bike shop... freaky. You can't say anything anymore without being viral marketed.

Inspiration Item #36

Bombay Bicycle Club .. Inspiration Item#35

2009-04-27T15:08:00.003+10:00

Loving these boys from north London, esp their single: 'Always like this', which was released OFFICIALLY 14 days ago.

They are absurdly young (which decoded means they're young enought to make me feel old), plus they've got that 'genuine' feel to them... tho they will prob end up being mass media indie hit-wonders - sniff.

Unfortunately I can't find the embed info.. so you'll just have to follow the link below - enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj-A-XPMnhY

Inspirtation Item#35

Bushfire inspires giving hearts..Inspiration Item #34

2009-02-10T23:10:00.011+10:00

* GUTTED: A house in Bendigo, Victoria burns to the ground.

Australia is in shock at the moment. Over 173 people are dead and more than 700 homes destroyed in the biggest bushfires the nation has seen in recorded history.

The state of Victoria in the south of the country is still ablaze with 23 fires and the death toll is expected to rise.

* REUNITED: Jennifer Wood is reunited with her partner Mark who stayed to fight the fires while she evacuated with their son Jack.

Australians across the nation are opening their wallets to help people who've lost there homes and loved ones... over $30million has been given already.

* SURVIVAL: Anthony Sexton is reunited with his horse which managed to survive the blaze that burnt his house to the ground

If you can give please donate to the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire appeal.. anything will help:

Go to redcross.org.au. If you're in Victoria think about giving blood to help the huge amount of injured: http://www.donateblood.com.au/.

*ENGULFED: Fires blaze through Kingsvale National Park on Victoria's hottest day in history. Winds were at record speeds causing fires to cover thouands of hectares at 100kms an hour.

Inspiration Item#34

Lyell.. the result of flickr foraging .. Inspiration item#33

2009-02-05T22:37:00.014+10:00

I was doing some flickr foraging in Grey's Anatomy ad breaks when I stumbled across Lyell. As you can see from the quantity of the photos I was impressed. Very impressed and slightly intoxicatingly in love.I discovered that Lyell is the lovechild of Emma Fletcher, an Australian designer (yes, I know yet again another brilliant child is spawned from our shores).
Apparently she was inspired by a childhood in Sydney where she was dragged by her mother to an inordinate number of flea markets and antique shops (ok, the article didn't say dragged but 8yr olds aren't that keen on antiques, even abnormally stylish ones).

These are shots from Fletcher's Fall 2008 collection... I love the fact that they've used a curly-haired model and a crazy 1920s art deco house, with a little Darajeeling thrown in (forget about non-intrusive minimalism).
Fletcher won the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award last year and used it to fund this collection. Personally I'm also loving the Fall collection of the previous year which heavily dipped into 1920s 'I'm trimming the hedgerows' type elegance (will have to blog later down the track - can't use all the pretty images at once). But if you can't wait have a look at www.fabsugar.com/994358.Emma Fletcher also owns a small boutique in nyc where she stocks her own designs and rare vintage finds from European labels.

I'm not the only one who's in sweet love with Fletcher's designs. Apparently Michelle Williams has been shopping at the store since 2004. And quote: "Her fans also include like-minded, low-key beauties, such as Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel, who sports Lyell in her new movie Gigantic." (www.elle.com/Fashion/Fashion-Spotlight/Lyell).The label is going into its fifth year and can be found at www.lyellnyc.com.

Inspiration Item #33

The Lady Eve.. Inspiration Item #32

2009-02-03T21:59:00.004+10:00

Charles: Are you an adventuress?

Jean: Of course I am. All women are. They have to be. If you waited for a man to propose to you from natural causes, you'd die of old maidenhood. That's why I let you try my slippers on. And then I put my cheek against yours. And then I made you put your arms around me. And then I, I fell in love with you, which wasn't in the cards.

____

I just finished watching The Lady Eve. The 1941 classic femme fatale, 'adam bites the apple again' movie. Barbara Stanwyck was fantastic. Unwittingly falling for the man she was trying to con a fortune from and then facing rejection.. what can she do but win him back?

Jean Harrington: I need him like the axe needs the turkey.

Deception, humiliation, for poor Henry Fonda, not Stanwyck, and the most awkard proposal scene ever (a horse keeps butting in), all combine into the movie which was number 1 on the New York Times Top Ten Movies list of 1941.

And did I mention the fashion? The highlight of the shoe-fitting scene.. seduction at its finest.. is Stanwyck's amazing black dress.

It's virtually a two piece bejewelled gown which breaks in the middle to show off a substantial amount of midriff (and this was 1941). I couldn't find any pictures to do it justice so you'll just have to watch the movie.

*All credit for the costumes goes to 8 times Oscar winner, Edith Head. As you can see below she was one stylish woman.

Jean: I'm terribly in love, and you seem to be too, so one of us has to think and try and keep things clear. And maybe I can do that better than you can. They say a moonlit deck is a woman's business office.

Inspiration Item #32

Library girl. + TZU (Aussie hip hop)... Inspiration Item #31

2009-02-02T22:40:00.008+10:00

She's sitting right in front of me
I'm caught up in a fantasy
Yeah, she's sitting right in front of me
I can't believe her company
She's taking all my mind away
And she's sitting right in front of me

Chicks these days have a soft spot for hip hop. 4 hours ago I wouldn't have agreed, but Melbourne groupies TZU have converted me. Have a listen... it's all about a libarian named Kylie who works in a library and 'damn she's sexy'..

Right there in front of me I think her name's Kylie
Real intellectual she works in a library
Damn she's sexy
'Man your Keen'
What should I say?
'I don't know , tell her you read'
I'ma tell her that I rap in the hope that she likes me
'She'll think your a freak'
Nah, she'll think I'm exciting
Chicks these days have a soft spot for hiphop
'Nah , she only likes alt country and prog rock'
I'll tell her I'm a balladeer with a career
a guitar and a car and I breathe clean air
'She'll only want you for your money'
That's funny, I'm as broke as a third world economy buddy
'It doesn't matter mr. rapper you connect like hippies do'
What she likes the inner me?
'Yeah, she likes the inner you'

*Turn the song up LOUD for best affect but I advise starting the song 20secs in... for some UNKNOWN + STOOPID reason they've overlaid the song over Play School!?!?! oh well, guess its not too bad.. I have to admit I was/am a big fan (my mum taped the show in Aus so we could watch it growing up in the UK).

** images courtesy of lafemmecatherine from Brasil.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lafemmecatherine/ .. unfortunately no details on what mag they came from.

Inspiration Item #31

Ferrari Daytona.. Inspiration Item #30

2009-02-02T22:02:00.007+10:00

Wish this was my first car. So hot it could almost burn. I saw a blue version on Top Gear (I know it's sad, but I get all my limited knowledge of cars from that show).

Roughly I'm guessing it'll set me back 200,000 British pounds and with the exchange rate throwing a wobbly guess I could be doing a lot more stocktake shifts at work (all I did today, fun I know).

But for the moment who cares about the money, I want the car. Ferrari Daytona, you're mine.. V12 engine, 40year old history and all, mwahhhh!

Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders ? The Dø... Inspiration Item #29

2009-02-02T21:25:00.010+10:00

*Awesome duo, The Dø, who according to their myspace hail from two music meccas, Paris and Helsinki. Love the beat of this song. Have a listen to track, Playground Hustle, http://www.myspace.com/thedoband, it's good too.

ON MY SHOULDERS
Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders ?
Why do I always help you carry your boulders ?
You wonder why I carry such a weight on my shoulders
And why would I tttts such a load

Cos someday you'll see
Next time I'll try it another way

Why would you try to make me friends with them soldiers ?
When you know that I've never been familiar with orders
When you know that my heart is in a pretty disorder
And you should know that in my heart you fill every corner

And someday you'll see that all I want is to please
Next time I'll try it another way

How long will I sit and wait like a soldier ?
How many summers will it take ?
How many summers will I wait ?
How many shoulders will I break ?

Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders ?
Why am I always by your side when you're down ?
Why did I help you build a beautiful house ?
And why did I break my back for you in the cold ?

Cos someday you'll see
Next time I'll try it another way

Why would I have to quit if time makes me older ?
Why do they wonder why I never get bored ?
How could I tell them that I'll never let go
But hey, you're my man but they just won't understand

And someday you'll see that all I want is to please
Next time I'll try it another way

How long will I sit and wait like a soldier ?
How many summers will it take ?
How many summers will I wait ?
How many shoulders will I break ?

Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders ?
Why do I always help you carry your boulders ?
You wonder why I carry such a weight on my shoulders
And why would I tttts such a load

And someday you'll see that all I want is to please
Next time I'll try it another way

How long will I sit and wait like a soldier ?
How many summers will it take ?
How many summers will I wait ?
How many summers will I wait ? P.S. They're coming to V-festival on the Gold Coast really soon, should I go?

Inspiration Item #29

Lost my train of thought.. Inspiration Item #28

2009-02-01T23:49:00.002+10:00

Time to go to bed... starting to feel like this. Just wish I looked like it too.

Sigh, bed is the only option when you've lost your train of thought.

Inspiration Item #28

Monopoly + Jeremy Clarkson.. Inspiration Item #27

2009-02-01T23:02:00.010+10:00

In his recent column for the Times Online, Jeremy Clarkson - the big man off Top Gear, not the little one or slow one with long hair - says sales of board games in the UK are dangerously on the increase.

Maybe it's the economic crisis with people cutting back on big family holidays, but sales of Trivial Pursuit have tripled, Monopoly is 13% up and Scrabble is 23 times more popular than it was in 2007.

This, according to Clarkson, is a dangerous state of affairs... because board games, he says, don't bring the family closer together at all. Instead "...they rip out its heart in a seething cauldron of rage, hysteria, accusations and hate."

And from my personal, and very recent observations, I have to assert this to be true. My sister played monopoly with her boyfriend the other day and he CHEATED.

I mean who cheats at monopoly??? What type of person? She forgave him though, but not before she'd had an insight into the icky darkness of what he's capable of. He's just lucky she let him off easily.. if it was me he'd be out on his ear.

But then again board games don't always bring out the best in people.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/jeremy_clarkson/article5488548.ece

Inspiration Item #27

This made me think.. Inspiration Item #26

2009-02-01T22:31:00.007+10:00

"If Jesus had never lived, we would not have been able to invent him" Walter Wink

I have no idea who Walter Wink is but I came across this quote and I have to agree with this stranger. The man who divided history into A.D. and B.C. is a contradictory riddle. Wish I could understand him more. Maybe then I'd understand the world better.

Inspiration Item #26

Crystal Castles.. Inspiration Item #25

2009-02-01T22:21:00.009+10:00

Loving getting ready to go out while listening to this duo. Then I found out they're coming to Brisbane.. this FRIDAY!!!

Yay.. have to see if I've got any mates who are fans.

hmm.. hope the tickets are still on sale.

Inspiration Item #25

In honour of the BOGAN.. Inspiration Item #24

2009-02-01T16:39:00.009+10:00

The Bogan... is a man, woman or child who has been honoured with a title reaching folkloric proportions in the Australian psyche.

The Bogan is an individual proud of being Aussie, proud of their Ute, proud of their beer and proud of their mates.

They love their sport and are fiercely loyal to their home team, NRL or AFL depending on the state.

*If the bogan in question is from Queensland or NSW it'll be NRL (national rugby league) or possibly if they're Victorian imports, AFL. If they're from Victoria it'll DEFINITELY - no question about it mate - be AFL or Australian football league. Cricket, tennis or any other sport will also be frequently tuned in on the telly.

Bogans can usually be found in the Burbs, or suburbs. Older men will usually have a beer gut (generated by XXXX beer or Victorian bitters) and quite possibly a mullet (hair cutting being abhorrent to the Bogan).

The young male bogan can often be found at festivals wearing short footy/tradie shorts, thongs (the foot type), plastic aviator sunnies and a flanalette shirt or alternately a tshirt saying 'BRING BACK THE BIFF.

This stylish ensemble would not be complete without being smashed on Tooheys or whatever beer is readily on tap at said festival (Big Day Out, Splendor in the Grass being favourites among Bogans). The Australian flag will be used as a cloak if Bogan decides to go shirtless.

Female bogans are harder to spot stylistically and are a rarer species. However they can be recognised by speech and in younger females, a love of fluro clothing/accessories and tshirts with large block letter slogans.

*WARNING* within the confines of Australia and New Zealand (another bogan nation) the term BOGAN is not necessarily offensive. The term is one of honour.

For future reference:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogan - full definition, appropriate links etc

www.bogan.com.au/definition/index.php - best website around, join if you like

Inspiration Item #24

Emmanuelle Alt + Boganism.. Inspiration Item #23

2009-02-01T16:04:00.007+10:00

It's nice to know while we were celebrating Australia Day by being proud bogans, with XXXX beer and Triple J's hottest 100 playing in the background... on the other side of the world Paris Fashion Week was well under way, revering style and 'unboganism' (made up word, but appropriate I feel).

For those who don't know a Bogan - is someone who is proudly un-fashionable or 'rough around the edges' (this defn is courteousy of Wikipedia and somehow isn't doing the term justice.. think I'll have to come back and do a whole post in honour of bogans).

Anyway getting to the point.. On Australia day blogger Jak & Jil posted an image he'd taken of fr vogue's revered Emmanuelle Alt... to see the post and outfit details click here http://jakandjil.com/blog/?p=1182.

p.s. wish I was so unconciously stylish (hmm.. just thought about that, she's not really unconciously stylish, it's more like an inbuilt 'of course I couldn't put a foot wrong I'm French and called Emmanuelle' style).

Inspiration Item #22

Tavi.. Inspiration Item#22

2009-02-01T15:23:00.006+10:00

French Vogue has just done a beautiful article/interview with Tavi, the 12 year old blogger who has taken the fashion blogging world by storm (yes, I did say 12). I'm still trying to find out where she's from, because the place she grew up in should certainly get some credit for raising such a style prodigy. My only clue is that it snows abundantly.

Anyway, this jeune blogueuse is 4.6ft and has the ability to construct her own fashion shoot using A Streetcar of Desire as a prop. Sometimes I feel so far behind *sigh*.

You can see the whole article here: http://www.vogue.fr/mode/en_vogue/090127-tavi-teen-fashion-bloggeuse.aspx

Or more importantly just view Tavi's blog Style Rookie for yourself.

Inspiration Item #21

For Iceland... Inspiration Item #21

2009-01-31T15:20:00.022+10:00

Poor Iceland. What a week.. Could it get worse?

The government quits, the banks are still bankrupt (which should be impossible, but as we have sadly found out in recent months it isn't).

Plus there's the guilt of being THE Island that sunk the economies of Europe (esp the UK which lost billions in the happy-go-lucky posivitism of Iceland's bankers).

And in case they started to feel happy about it all, its going to snow tomo and the temp will hit minus 19. Poor things!

But as this is a positive inspiration item, I'm going to stop my rambling and get to the point. Iceland is still producing some VERY FINE musical talent.

And as long as they keep their gutairs strung and their voices primed the economic crisis might only strengthen the worth of their heartpulling music. What lyrics can't be improved by poverty?

So here it is.. a homage to Iceland and its music. Long may it live through the economic storm ahead.

1. Sigur Ros - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
Had to mention the fame laudered boys who like to run naked on their album art. Their song Festival is my favourite, but Gobbledigook won out in the Triple J Hottest 100 at number 93.
www.myspace.com/sigurros

*For those not in the know, Triple J is Australia's BEST radio station devoted to the latest and greatest in music. The Hottest 100 is the annual vote on what's the best songs of that year.. duh, that was obvious (but according to rumours it is the largest music voting thing in THE WORLD with 800,000+ votes.. which makes me feel all proud and patriotic.. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi oi oi).

2. FM Belfast - new album How to make Friends (advice we all need)

Why they name themselves after a radio frequency of a much conflicted city in Ireland I don't know. But they are bloody good.

Little bit of electronica mixed with a dose of indie edged pop. And the lyrics are in ENGLISH! I know.. they're selling out on good, old Icelandic, but it does make the songs slightly more relatable (plus I can't sing in Icelandic, I've tried and failed).

* Synthia is the best song
www.myspace.com/fmbelfast

3. Emiliana Torrini - Me and Armini (her latest album)

Already mentioned on this blog this songstress has conquered the hearts of many. Her new album came out in September and has pleased many a hard-eyed critic. Personally I can't get past the track Jungle Drum but Gun is kinda freakishly good.

p.s. this got me really excited.. she was the girl who sang the gollum song out of LOTR.. you know, the one which was eerily good.

www.myspace.com/emilianatorrini

4. Seabear - The Ghost that carried us away (presumably over the sea?)

These guys just have a good name so I had to put them in. Plus I like their colourful clothing style and the innocent happiness that pervades their songs. And there are seven of them.. seven little seabears! Any band that can have seven people contending to play music and live to tell a happy tale deserve some loving.

* cute lyrics too.. "when the birds are sleeping that's when the trees sing"

www.myspace.com/seabear

5. Sin Fang Bous - Clangour (if you liked Seabear, you'll like this)

Okay, the man behind Sin Fang Bous is Sindri Mar Sigfusson and his album has been voted second to Sigur Ros in an Icelandic music poll.

I have no idea of the realiability of the voting, it could have been rigged, but lets just believe in the musical genius of the the man who is Sin Fang Bous... you'd have to be a genius to make music under such a name and be taken seriously - say it out loud and you'll see what I mean, but then again maybe he doesn't want to be taken seriously.

Anyways, getting to the point Sin Fang Bous is the little treasure who started Seabear. Apparently Seabear was meant to be a singldom thing but morphed to a seven band member ensemble.

Have a listen to his jingle and jangle www.myspace.com/sinfangbous.

Inspiration Item #21

Book quote from the man himself... Inspiration Item #20

2009-01-31T10:59:00.007+10:00

"Books are a hardbound drug with no danger of overdose."
Karl Lagerfeld

* some of the many bookshelves in Lagerfeld's appartment (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rejeanpellerin/461058650/)

Karl Lagerfeld is a book lover.

Suddenly I like the man so much better. Apparently he has a personal book collection reaching the numerical heights of 230,000. Who couldn't like a man like that?

And he also has a book shop... forget about the fashion emperor/god he is revered as. A bookshop is so much more then that. I'm still trying to figure out why he called it 7L though...

Ok, I just did some research using the unsurpassable google and Lagerfeld is...

"An avid reader in four languages—English, French, German, and Italian—Lagerfeld also publishes books; his imprint, a division of the German house Steidl, is called Édition 7L, and a few years ago he opened a bookstore, also called 7L, in space adjoining his photo studio, on the Rue Lille. Édition 7L has published forty-one titles, on subjects that range across his many interests, which include (besides fashion and photography) literature, humor, advertising, music, newspapers, mythology, illustration, and architecture. Some of these books have a bracing impracticality: an anthology of the first ten years of the magazine Interview weighed forty-three kilos and was packaged in a wooden trolley of Lagerfeld’s devising."
"In the now: where Karl Lagerfeld lives" The New Yorker
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/03/19/070319fa_fact_colapinto

Inspiration Item #20

I'm in love with idea of love... Inspiration Item #19

2009-01-30T23:27:00.013+10:00

I just realised I posted greatly conflicting posts within the last hour.

One minute I'm raving on about my heart beating like a jungle drum, the next I'm angrily chewing the cud on the idealised bliss of young married lovers.

And I've come up with a diagnosis for my inner confliction about the L-word.

I'm in love with the idea of love. GREAT IDEA . Nice, comforting, and altogether safe. What could be more romantic then being in love with the idea of love?

Splendid.

*Pic is compliments of Blinky Bill Grows Up.

Inspiration Item #19

Young married love.. Negative Inspiration Item #3

2009-01-30T23:02:00.008+10:00

*nothing like a pic of a swallow to convey the feeling of disgruntled unlovedness.. gosh, just get off and fly away you stoopid bird. Stop torturing yourself.

Young married love.. is it too much when they tie the knot at twenty or nineteen or eighteen or even, God forbid, seventeen????

Is it just me, in my singleness, feeling that the knot (or noose) is being tied and tightened a bit too young?

An old schoolie acqaintance got married the other day. And she's not the first to bite the dust in recent months.

It's not that I'm not a big fan of monogamous love, but adult life has barly kickstarted at twenty. How can you know that you've met the ONE?

I have a feeling I'm speaking out of ignorance. But I'm kind of glad I'm not the one who's been lovebitten with a ring on my finger.

But then again I might be unadmittedly jealous, like the sweet swallow above.

Negative Inspiration Item #3
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/todorrovic/2806123866/

My heart is beating like a jungle drum.. Inspiration Item #18

2009-01-30T22:35:00.007+10:00

* Icelandic songstress Emiliana Torrini http://www.myspace.com/emilianatorrini

Jungle Drum

Hey, I'm in love,
My fingers keep on clicking to the beating of my heart.
Hey, I can't stop my feet,
Ebony and ivory and dancing in the street.
Hey, it's because of you,
The world is in a crazy, hazy hue.

My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.

Man, you got me burning,
I'm the moment between the striking and the fire.
Hey, read my lips,
Cause all they say is kiss, kiss, kiss.
No, it'll never stop,
My hands are in the air, yes I'm in love.

My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.

My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.
My heart is beating like a jungle drum.

Inspiration Item #18

Kyte.. Inspiration Item #17

2009-01-30T00:10:00.008+10:00

"It's all about music that doesn't stare at its shoes. It stares at the stars." James Chapman.

It's a year and a half since the Guardian's Jude Rogers wrote his article on the "supple, shimmery thread" which had "started darning itself through a long line of euphoric-sounding albums".

Rodgers labled this thread of distorted, shimmery sound mixed with soul lifting lyrics a reawakening and repositioning of the 1990s Indie Shoegaze movement.. he called it Nu-Gaze.

One of the bands grouped into the new wave of psychadelic sound by Rogers is Kyte.

Made up of four boys from Leicestshire the band captures the spirt of the bird of prey it is named for.

The sound and texture is soft and smooth, but with a delicate edge that could fly at speed and soar.

http://www.myspace.com/kyteband
p.s. my favourite is Boundaries.

To see the Julie Roger's original article click here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/jul/27/popandrock

Inspiration Item #17

The Delays... Go Southampton! Inspiration Item #16

2009-01-12T21:37:00.003+10:00

I'm loving this song.. added it to my 21st birthday party playlist. It's by the Delays and called Valentine. It's kind of psychadelic pop rock (appropriate since I just watched Mumma Mia with the family).

Inspiration Item#16

Burberry's Latest Campaign - Inspiration Item #15

2008-12-31T09:22:00.004+10:00

* Lily Donaldson & George Craig, lead sing of One Night Only

The broken down romance of an English country garden is the inspiration for Burberry's latest campaign. The campaign was shot by renowned photographer Mario Testino in a rambling wilderness of Petersham's Nurseries on the edge of the Thames.

* Lily Donaldson & designer Christopher Bailey

The house's chief designer, Christopher Bailey says the campaign celebrates the rich heritage of Burberry with its distinct brand of restrained and discreet luxury. He also hasn't forgotten the iconic tartan of the fashion house.

* Lily Donaldson & Eden Clarke

Bailey has stuck to the tradition of the last few campaigns by using an eclectic group of British young people to model his designs.

*Alexina Graham, Lily Donaldson & Eden Clarke

Model Lily Donaldson leads the show flanked by fellow catwalkers Eden Clarke and Alexina Graham. I found the modern Burberry man personified less appealing.. a bit too underdeveloped pour moi. * Alex Pettyfer, George Craig & Richard Wyndham

And heads up... this is the latest 'it-bag' according to French Vogue. The patchwork crocodile tote, called Le Gardener or The Garden it is set to become all the rage (unless the gorgeous shoes do instead).

Inspiration Item #15

http://www.vogue.fr/mode/en_vogue/081210-les-coulisses-du-shooting-de-la-cam.aspx

Man Shopping.. Inspiration Item #14

2008-12-21T07:51:00.006+10:00

Yesterday, I went man shopping.

This doesn't mean I went out and shopped for a man, though it would be nice if that was possible (6ft+ please, dark haired preferably, with infectious sense of humor and love of books).

No, it means that I went into the men's section of the department store where I work and shopped for a guy. Admittedly this 'man' was my Dad, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment.

Guys' clothes have such simplicity and gorgeousness about them.. very few items are fussy, most were beautifually made and had the simple edged lines of coolness (there were a course a lot of fuddy duddy, grandpa inspired items, but I didn't look at them - no offence grandpa).

I ended up buying a gorgeous periwinkle blue tshirt from industrie and a green French Connection scarf, which had a myriad of colours woven through it.. very nice.

That's my Christmas pressies for Dad solved.

Inspiration Item #14

Abridged Books.. NEGATIVE Inspiration Item #3

2008-12-21T07:37:00.005+10:00

I just discovered the copy of The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay I'm reading is abridged, arggggh!

So annoyed... I'm 2/3rds of the way through and was up until 12:30 reading (even the abridged version is brilliant) and then I turned to the back and saw author's note: book is abridged, hope when you grow up you enjoy the full version.

I guess that teaches me to get books from the YA section of the library.

Abridged books should be BANNED!!! You get all the trial and hardship of reading the stooopid novel and then none of the glory.

Similar scenario happened when I read War and Peace - except then the abridged version was still 700 pages.

Broken Ray Bans.. NEGATIVE Inspiration Item #2

2008-12-20T10:08:00.004+10:00

I just broke my Ray Bans I got for my Birthday :( They were gorgeous old school, tortoiseshell ones and now I can never wear them again.

I feel like the little superboy in this photo, who's just realised he's a long way off superman.

So, sigh, big negative inspiration sob story.. I sat on them and now they're cracked and unwearable.

Goodbye, Ray Bans.

* photo compliments of Soffia

Negative Inspiration Item #2

Art Garfunkel's reading list.. Inspiration Item #13

2008-12-20T00:07:00.002+10:00

http://www.artgarfunkel.com/library/list1.html more will be added tomo.. now it's time for bed.

This post will be updated soon... now I have to go Christmas shopping, wish me luck!

Soffia Gisladóttir, Icelandic Photographer.. Inspiration Item #12

2008-12-19T19:16:00.003+10:00

It's the type of beauty inspiration which is almost impossible to capture and translate to another person.

A lot of the photos have a rich narrative.. something you could imagine a story to.

To see some of Soffia's personal favs click on the stream below.. beautiful.

** if you want an extra special watching experience listen to Icelandic singer Erby's song Inside your head while viewing the slideshow, Soffia did the music video.

www.soffia.net

Inspiration Item #12

Ugly Blue Shoe.. NEGATIVE Inspiration Item #1

2008-12-19T18:24:00.001+10:00

I was just reading a blog, or rather I was looking at it because it was in Spanish, when I saw something which should be recorded as a negative inspiration item.

So here goes.. Negative Inspiration Item #1: ugly blue shoe.

Though it treads the realm of coolness, it's still and always will be - UGLY FUGLY.

There's no getting away from it there is just no way this shoe could be attractive.. cool, yes.. attractive, no.

*** for those who are truly intrested in the blueness of this shoe you are going to be disappointed. The shoe is SOLD OUT on www.alifenyc.com, but other colours like sunshine yellow and passionfruit purple are avaliable. For the truly brave there is black crocodile skin with a white sole.

Negative Inspiration Item #1

Rediscovered quotes.. Inspiration Item #11

2008-12-19T18:11:00.001+10:00

I love rediscovering quotes which I had forgotten all about. This one is a classic:

"The green stuff outside is grass and the yellow stuff coming down on it is sunshine"
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

Inspiration Item #11

Atonement, an old review.. Inspiration Item #10

2008-12-19T18:06:00.000+10:00

***this is an old review I wrote on the 9th of May 2008, after having just finished reading Atonement by Ian McEwan.
_____

hmmm... sigh, isn't this shot just beautiful? I think it epitomises everything I like about period pieces (ie flowers, costumes and emotive looks - obviously the all important dialogue is missing).

I finished reading Ian McEwan's Atonement a week ago. I have to confess that I was inspired by Joe Wright's movie version which is coming out soon (I was a big fan of his Pride and Prejudice and I know its sacrilege to the 1996 BBC TV version, but I do like his interpretation even if it wasn't a strict adaptation).

Anyway, continuing on (I refuse to be sucked down a Pride and Prejudice tangent yet again)... I felt the book was beautiful despite its heavy description and raw war scenes. Actually these 'raw' war scenes and follow up hospital chapters were McEwan's strong point. The sudden switch between a Britain disconnected from war across the channel and a Britain reeling from the Dunkirk evacuation, made the book and strengthened McEwan's rush towards an **spoiler** unhappy end. But I couldn't help but feel that the war scenes and the grimy 'otherworld' reality were vaguely reminiscenet of Sebastian Faulks Birdsong (maybe I should check my dates before I assert that and work out which one was published first)!

The first act and its long, languid description of the hottest day in 1935 had all the steamy tension necessary for a romantic pre-war drama, plus a little more. Lets just say a four letter word, a missent letter and two bodies -very much alive- in the library had a lot to do with speeding/steaming up McEwan's plot.

The suffocating heat of the book's opening act morphed into the cold, clammy war reality, tinged with psychological suspense. The pace of the book also increased before it crashed (unfortunately in my opinion), into a heavy, 'years later' epilogue - it reminded me of a certain Rowling book which left too little to the imagination in an all inculusive and binding epilogue.

Thankfully this epilogue and McEwan's knife twist final plot turner, which he spung on an unsuspecting and trusting reader, did not quite extinguish all my love for the book and its characters. I'll definitely be there when the movie eventually reaches Australia's shores in December (I think they must be sending the movie over by super slow snail mail as lucky UK and US movie goers get to see Joe Wright's version right about now).

Inspiration Item #10

$2 books at Op Shops.. Inspiration Item #9

2008-12-19T17:45:00.000+10:00

I went book shopping today and before visiting the 'official' bookstores I hit the op shop and found a stack of $2 Atonements!

Perfect for Christmas presents, so I bought 3 but think I will go back and get some more... gifts for everyone.

I read the book 9 months ago, before the movie came out here in Australia.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Though I was a little bit glum at the ending.

Despite the merits of a high literary, 'realistic' ending I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

In my opinion authors should always work against fate and their inner literary genius to give a happily-ever-after to the stalwart, well-deserving reader.

Anyways, while writing this post I suddenly remembered that I did a review of Atonement the movie... so I've pasted it as the next Inspiration Item.

Inspiration Item #9

Black Kids + Dinner Party = inspiration item #8

2008-12-19T12:02:00.001+10:00

A couple of nights back I went to a dinner party (ok, maybe that term's a little bit grandiose), but it was dinner and a semi-party/gathering.

Mostly they were old school mates, some of whom I hadn't seen in ages.

To sum up how they're going:

1. One had found love and seemed to be pedalling down the right track with a girl who was gorgeous and close to his 6.5ft height.

2. Another guy made some delicious pasta for us all and therefore can't be accused of not having his life together.

3. & 4. The other two boys were a bit quiet on the whole 'my life's a success' part but seemed to be breathing and living okay.

5. As for the girls one has a crazy bitch of a boss and had just been put through the wringer at work so was a bit saddened.

6. The other has just got a new job in a high-end fashion store and has started off on the first leg of what could be a long-term romance.

7. And me? I'm working in a poshie dept store, earning money in the lead up to Christmas.. 6 sleeps to go.

The soundtrack for this night was Black Kid's new album 'Partie Traumatic'. Good stuff and particuarly appropriate I felt...

Inspiration item #8

The Depp Family.. Inspiration item #7

2008-12-19T11:51:00.001+10:00

If anything was going to make me feel non-apathetic about singledom (see previous post). It would be this gorgeous picture.

A bigger argument for happy families would be hard to find.

Inspiration item #7

Singledom.. inspiration item #6

2008-12-19T11:39:00.001+10:00

DEFINITION:

1. Singledom
someone who is single. singledom- similar to freedom.

2. Singledom
a realm of solitude whose cohorts are apathetic to their condition.

According to the Urban Dictionary there are two definitions of 'singledom'.

Personally I'm going for the first one, where singledom is seen as an attitude of freedom. I can't help but picture a whole kingdom, ruled by me and my imagination (slightly egotistical I know).

Though I do like the whole idea of 'A realm of solitude', which is where Sharon Tate looks like she's at (see pic above).

But I'm just not sure if I'm apathetic to my condition.. am I comfy enough with singledom to inhabit my own kingdom of solitude?

Inspiration item #6

the banana leaf parable by Charles Eames (the great American designer)... Inspiration item #5

2008-12-16T23:22:00.001+10:00

Excerpt from Norton Lecture #1 1970-1971

There's sort of a parable I'd like to . . . In India . . . I guess it's a parable: In India, sort of the lowest, the poorest, the, those, those without and the lowest in caste, eat very often--particularly in southern India--they eat off of a banana leaf. And those a little bit up the scale, eat off of a sort of a un . . . a low-fired ceramic dish.

And a little bit higher, why, they have a glaze on--a thing they call a "tali"--they use a banana leaf and then the ceramic as a tali upon which they put all the food. And there get to be some fairly elegant glazed talis, but it graduates to--if you're up the scale a little bit more--why, a brass tali, and a bell-bronze tali is absolutely marvelous, it has a sort of a ring to it.

And then things get to be a little questionable. There are things like silver-plated talis and there are solid silver talis and I suppose some nut has had a gold tali that he's eaten off of, but I've never seen one.

But you can go beyond that and the guys that have not only means, but a certain amount of knowledge and understanding, go the next step and they eat off of a banana leaf.

And I think that in these times when we fall back and regroup, that somehow or other, the banana leaf parable sort of got to get working there, because I'm not prepared to say that the banana leaf that one eats off of is the same as the other eats off of, but it's that process that has happened within the man that changes the banana leaf.

And as we attack these problems--and I hope and I expect that the total amount of energy used in this world is going to go from high to medium to a little bit lower--the banana leaf idea might have a great part in it.

Inspiration item #5

eating into the book challenge... The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch Inspiration item #4

2008-12-16T22:50:00.000+10:00

First off the angus+robinson book list is 'The Last Lecture' by Randy Pausch. Kicking off with a book written by a man in the last few months of life before pancreatic cancer takes over is probably not the most cheerful way to start my lastest challenge.. but it is inspiring.

And to top it all the book is definitely quotable:

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." p.148

Luck is what happens when luck meets opportunity." p.147 (Seneca, Roman philosopher born 5B.C.).

"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right.

"Proper apologies have three parts:
1) What I did was wrong.
2) I feel badly that I hurt you.
3) How do I make this better?" p. 162

"...the moral is: If you want something bad enough, never give up (and take a boost when offered). Brick walls are there for a reason. And once you get over them - even if someone has practically had to throw you over - it can be helpful to others to tell them how you did it." p.174

* The copy I've got is published Hachette Australia.. and they've got a little space rocket adorning the cover, but I thought a disney picture pretty much summed the book up. One of Randy Pausch's dreams was being an 'imaginer' at Disney.. a fulfilled dream he details in the book.

Inspiration item #4

my book list challenge.. inspiration item #3

2008-12-16T22:31:00.000+10:00

One of Australia's biggest book store chains yearly puts out a list of Australia's favourite books (voted by 25,000 online opinonated and avid readers). Late last night I sussed out the list and worked out I've only read 15 of the 100 (see the ones bolded).

My heart was saddened and I've set myself a challenge...

Read the remaining 85 in the shortest amount of time possible... so here goes

1 Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling

2 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

3 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

4 The Obernewtyn Chronicles - Isobelle Carmody

5 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

6 To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

7 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
8 Breath - Tim Winton

9 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini1

10 Break No Bones - Kathy Reichs

11 The Power Of One - Bryce Courtenay

12 Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk

13 Magician - Raymond E. Feist

14 The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons

15 Mao's Last Dancer - Li Cunxin

16 Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden

17 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

18 Cross - James Patterson

19 Persuasion - Jane Austen

20 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

21 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

22 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne

23 Marley and Me - John Grogan

24 Antony and Cleopatra - Colleen McCullough

25 April Fools Day - Bryce Courtney

26 North & South - Elizabeth Gaskell

27 In My Skin - Kate Holden

28 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

29 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

30 The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory

31 Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult

32 Atonement - Ian McEwan

33 Shantaram Gregory - David Roberts

34 Pillars Of The Earth - Ken Follett

35 The Pact - Jodi Picoult

36 Ice Station - Matthew Reilly

37 Cloudstreet - Tim Winton

38 Jessica - Bryce Courtenay

39 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle

40 The Princess Bride - William Goldman

41 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs

42 Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes

43 Life Of Pi - Yann Martel

44 Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly

45 People Of The Book - Geraldine Brooks

46 Six Sacred Stones - Matthew Reilly

47 Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards

48 Brother Odd - Dean Koontz

49 Tully - Paullina Simons

50 Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom

51 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D Salinger

52 Eragon - Christopher Paolini

53 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

54 It's Not About The Bike - Lance Armstrong

55 A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

56 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

57 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

58 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

59 A Fortunate Life - A.B. Facey

60 The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley

61 The Notebook -Nicholas Sparks

62 Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen

63 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

64 The Host - Stephenie Meyer

65 Dirt Music - Tim Winton

66 Eldest - Christopher Paolini

67 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

68 It - Stephen King

69 World Without End - Ken Follett

70 Emma - Jane Austen

71 Temple - Matthew Reilly

72 Little Women - Alcott Louisa May

73 Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich

74 Scarecrow - Matthew Reilly

75 American Gods - Neil Gaiman

76 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

77 P.S, I Love You - Cecelia Ahern

78 All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell

79 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

80 Past Secrets - Cathy Kelly

81 The Persimmon Tree - Bryce Courtenay

82 Husband - Dean Koontz

83 Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult

84 Wicked - Gregory Maguire

85 Spot Of Bother - Mark Haddon

86 Always And Forever - Cathy Kelly

87 The Road - Cormac McCarthy

88 Cents & Sensibility - Maggie Alderson

89 Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris

90 The Shifting Fog - Kate Morton

91 We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver

92 Everyone Worth Knowing - Lauren Weisberger

93 Hour Game - David Baldacci

94 Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

95 The Woods - Harlan Coben

96 Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

97 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides

98 Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis

99 Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali

100 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

Inspiration item #3

Could any song have a sexier beginning? Inspiration item #2 - Supermassive Black Hole

2008-12-16T22:21:00.000+10:00

Muse marries it all.... intrepid drum beat, sexy wailing tenor and best gutair intro to be heard in a long while. No song could be better at kickstarting a fuddy duddy day into fifth gear.

Inspiration item #2

** if you haven't already guessed credit should be given to the baseball scene of twilight

Inspiration item #1 .. edward cullen's room

2008-12-16T22:12:00.001+10:00

Twilight fever is everywhere (you'd have to have your head down a hell hole to be oblivious to the epidemic). But forget about the vampire number 1, Edward Cullen.. it's his room I have the hots for... absorb it's sheer understated vampish beauty.

Inspiration Item #1