oh, hello there

SHIMMER

2012-01-04T23:49:00.000+08:00

here's to a shimmering new year!

+ pedro almodóvar's the skin i live in was amazing. go and see it.

+ absolutely smitten with jennifer sarkilahti's home on design*sponge
+ a good sentiment

replies

nancy baric: happy new year to you too! i am really looking forward to seeing shame - it looks very intense and i am all for nineties brit pop - bring it on xx

see hear say, lina, joy, adeline and primoeza: happy new year!!! i hope it brings you only the best.

mandy: i think i'll have to get beginners on dvd too - it's a good one for the collection. i hope you enjoyed melancholia and i am sure that you will love midnight in paris. wishing you every happiness for 2012 xx

janelle: happy new year! i went out for tapas and cocktails and then ate chocolate butterscotch brownies while watching the fireworks at midnight. how was your night in perth? xx

tc: bonne année, tana! you weren't a fan of another earth..?

home collection: two in the wave came out in 2009, but it only came to australia this year. it was great - i highly recommend it. happy 2012, marion!

that kate: i am very keen to check out incendies. i really liked little white lies (i love benoit magimel muchly!). hope you have a wonderful 2012 x

sundari: well done on all of your amazing achievements this year! i look forward to hearing your thoughts on melancholia.

gwyneth: thanks for having me along - your submission was a great day! hehe - being more social is made easier with the thesis out of the way so a catch up will be grand. i still have to give you your submission prezzie! x

niclas: great choices!

herecomesthesun: oh yes, it is a must-see movie!

saer: definitely watch another earth - i am still putting together your activity list and that is definitely on it. woah - it sounds like you've had quite a year! opening yourself up to new experiences and feelings is always a good thing, i think (even if there were a few tears) x

ella: haha - that's so true about owen wilson. you are wise beyond your years!

blue apocalypse: i am sure 2012 will be filled with many food adventures once we have our post-holiday detox. dieeettttt - noooooo! i can't believe i forgot about izakaya - that was an excellent meal! plus, we have some good music times to look forward to as well!

jennifer: i hope you like them!

gerlin: yes, definitely see another earth. i didn't have particularly high expectations for it, but i was really blown away. your taste in music is a little more exciting than mine, which is why you are my music lady! happy 2012 to you too - i hope it will finally be the year that we can meet :)

audrey fretz: thank you! hopefully they turn out to be good recommendations.

vivi: thank you for your kind words. i get what you mean about the premise of melancholia - it is quite strange and slightly unbelievable. the cinematography and music definitely did it for me. happy new year to you!

2011

2011-12-31T14:58:00.000+08:00

i usually end the year with a little round-up of my favourite musical releases (which i emphasise should be taken with a grain of salt - i am no music critic), but this year i felt compelled to also include a list of good films and other miscellany.

THE FILMS

*based on australian cinematic releases

mike cahill's another earth

heart-in-your-mouth amazing.

mike mills' beginners

beautiful and honest.

lars von trier's melancholia

stunningly disturbing.

woody allen's midnight in paris

paris perfection.

emmanuel laurent's two in the wave

a must for all film francophiles.

THE MUSIC

an excellent year in music, i must say.

MISCELLANY

:: the thesis submission (followed by the slight relief of post-thesis life). i was later joined by two of my favourite ladies who also sent their "babies" out into the world this year.

:: a job that i am actually happy to go to in the morning.

:: the arrival of my delightful little nephew.

:: food times (usually with this awesome lady). highlights included everything at la cholita, pork buns at who's your mumma?, marcelita's empanadas, maison saint-honoré macarons, breakfast at the greenhouse, brunch at sayers, tapas at duende, ham and cheese toasties at cantina, salted caramel chocolates at koko black and adjudicating the great almond croissant fest.

:: game of thrones. my small screen obsession for the year.

bonne année friends!
do feel free to share your highlights too.

replies

misslikey: hope you liked it!

koey: oh no :(

anne, amanda jane, amy, tc, kristina, see hear say, carissa clark, indie.tea and nancy baric: thank you!

tracey: that sounds like a lovely accompaniment.

avalonne hall: looking forward to listening to your mix...

JOYEUX NOËL

2011-12-24T22:11:00.000+08:00

happy holidays, friends!

BEACH BABY

2011-12-19T15:01:00.000+08:00

one final mix for 2011.

track listing

☾ - slow magic

stop - twin sister

the day is coming - my morning jacket

lorelai - fleet foxes

cannons - youth lagoon

hanging on - active child

beach baby - bon iver

seashell - seabear

listen here.

replies

helensarahvaughan: i look forward to hearing your thoughts after you've seen it. what is your email address? mine is sayhellotothesea at gmail dot com

vivi: ha - no talking animals for you then!

amy: yes - like an annoying attention-seeking child!

first came love: i felt the same way about the "issues" that the characters faced in the film. they were way too constructed and unrealistic. seriously, who freaks out that much at the prospect of adopting a cat?! and you're right, she should have a hot fudge sundae. might take the edge off.

lina: let me know what you think when you see it. hopefully you'll have a better viewing experience.

tristan: i would suggest not paying to see it at the cinema - i didn't think it was worth it. oh my, lesbians. how did that work out for you?

monica: that is a rather full on prediction.

see hear say: i would definitely recommend her short stories. if paw paw creeps you out in the trailer it gets even worse in the film.

tc: very strange!!!

pierre prospero: indeed...or in a few minutes time :)

jen umm: thanks.

galit: do let me know what you think of the book - i'd love to hear your impressions. also, welcome back!!! it's so good that your flitting about the internet again. in response to your previous comment, the items are from the following: the scarf is mociun (http://mociun.com/), the heart ring is from tiffany & co, the forever ring was a gift from my mother so i don't know where it is from and the necklace is by dores (http://dores.bigcartel.com/).

nancy baric: i hope you like it!

THE FUTURE

2011-12-14T01:05:00.000+08:00

i was first introduced to miranda july when i watched her debut feature, me and you and everyone we know, at the cinema. i can remember anticipating that i would enjoy the film, but i really didn't. that being said i didn't entirely write off miss july: i thoroughly enjoyed her short story collection, no one belongs here more than you, as well as her creative output in general (the pillowcases for third drawer down, her videos and perceptive thoughts on creativity). so when i saw the trailer for the future i was ready to go along for the ride.

i think i got one minute in with paw paw the cat's decidedly creepy voice-over (which i presume is voiced by july herself) and i knew that the journey was going to be somewhat bumpy.

but allow me to start on a positive note: she wears some very lovely frocks in the film and the apartment that she shares with hamish linklater's character has a great shabby chic feel. beyond that i can't say i was terribly fussed - a fact that i found quite sad and disappointing because i wanted to love the film. now, i appreciate magic realism and i have no problem with animals communicating in cinema (arthur the dog in beginners is my current favourite), but everything is so studied and contrived in the future that it makes for painful viewing. instilling the viewer with a self-conscious sense of discomfort is quite obviously at the heart of july's film, with its focus on characters struggling to make sense of the everyday, but while it may be a fine concept it doesn't amount to a great filmic experience.

interestingly, the most recent issue of lula featured an interview with july in which she discussed the philosophy behind the film and its attempt to cinematically realise creative frustration: "i guess what i hoped was, can i, in this short hour and a half time create just that tension and then the feeling of breakthrough." the tension is definitely there, but not necessarily the breakthrough. there is also some very awkward dancing and, well, just plain awkwardness that gestures towards human disconnection and interpersonal alienation.

i was thinking about why it is that july's creative impulses, which work so beautifully in other forms, do not translate to cinema (for me at least). perhaps it is because as readers and viewers of art we are given room for our own imaginations and interpretations - an aspect that can be hindered with the all-absorbing quality of cinema.

if there is something good to come from the film, other than sartorial and interior design tips, it is the excellent the future website that has a function which can predict your future. mine read as follows:

you give into distraction as if it is a murderer. you lay there, waiting to be killed. today: fight for your life.

ok, miranda, i will.

replies

tc and aloÿse: yes, i agree.

monica: me too.

bunny: i think i have become so accustomed to the night sky in perth that i rarely give it a second glance, but i get what you mean :)

koey: thank you x

rina, jessica and jazzy e: glad you like it too.

COME DARKNESS

2011-12-08T12:47:00.001+08:00

another round of mav's excellent come darkness project as displayed at chelliswilson in portland.

the ideas from the folks at more & co. just get better and better.

all photos via notes from more & co.

replies

alexis, aliya, adeline, lina, xochiltyay, mandy, mariella, tc, lauraa and megan taylor: thank you!

see hear say: i'm into checks too. we're wardrobe twins :)

nancy: i'd definitely be up for that!

satin & souffles: i'm pleased you consider coco mademoiselle to be clothing too!

tristan: why thank you. i can give you the full glasses story sometime. i'll be honest: it does feature a few tears.

primoeza: thanks again for tagging me :)

soph: happy stripes!

jane: i am currently on the look out for a new pair of jeans, but the favourite cut that i have ever bought came from uniqlo. i wore them until they had a hole in an unmentionable place.

sally: the necklace is by dores. her jewellery is beautiful.

helensarahvaughan: oh my, that salad sounds delicious! i will have to try roasted beetroot when it turns to autumn here.

gerlin: ha - i am not surprised we have opposing fashion tastes, but that's what makes us such good buddies right? a perfect merging of fun colour and pared-back minimalism...you probably know by now that my wardrobe does not reflect my personality, which is the equivalent of wearing a neon pink polka dot top and green striped pants!

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT DRESSING

2011-12-04T18:41:00.000+08:00

many months ago elizabeth of primoeza very kindly tagged me to write a post on dressing, which i momentarily forgot about and only recently recovered in my drafts folder. although i don't tend to reflect much on fashion here, i really related to what elizabeth wrote about having established what fits with her personal style, as well as her preference for quality over quantity. as i have gotten older i have become increasingly less concerned with what is "in fashion" than with gradually adding select pieces to my wardrobe that accord to what works for my body and style (i do use that word loosely - i am probably better equipped to write a post on fashion don'ts that are directly inspired by my sartorial history).

1. breton stripes

i can't get enough stripes in my wardrobe (although i will draw the lines at pants).

2. uniform simplicity

during my youth i was sent to various schools where it was compulsory to wear a uniform, so it's hardly surprising that i find comfort in familiar attire. jeans (they must be skinny, high rise, straight cut) and black ballet flats with a cotton blouse or shirt are my weekend staples.

3. scarves and totes

my favourite accessories. i have a serious aversion to my neck being cold so i have collected a few scarves over the years out of necessity. i don't need all of the totes that i have, but i find them impossible to resist.

4. cotton blouses

i have acquired a number of blouses over the years. i like them to be simple with little details.

5. perfume

not strictly a part of dressing in its most conventional sense, but i feel somewhat naked if i am not wearing perfume. coco chanel is my signature, but i alternate it with a few other scents.

6. glasses

this aspect of dressing exemplifies function meets fashion; however, they are also a large part of my visual identity. i had an incident a few months ago where a full on collision with another pedestrian saw my glasses fall from my face, become bent out of shape and consequently not stay on my head. when i blindly stumbled into work it was pointed out to me that not only was i finding it difficult to see, but i looked weird too.

7. jewellery

after a few years of going through a plastic jewellery phase i now prefer my jewellery to be dainty and delicate. i do mix gold and silver (genevieve antoine dariaux would be rolling in her grave) and usually wear pearl studs in my ears.

replies

tc, koey, helensarahvaughan, lara, xochiltyay, misslikey, camila faria, nancy baric, satin and souffles and maria: glad you like it too!

gerlin and see hear say: ha - yes, it's probably not the best thing to watch at work. it would leave a pretty suspect impression on any co-workers.

sundari: i think i read about alpine online a little while ago and have been following their music since.

ella: mind you don't get it wet ; )

HANDS

2011-11-21T15:58:00.001+08:00

another stellar video for alpine.
it's a little like a pop version of a vanessa beecroft performance: very erotic, very weird.

replies

tc: it was!

kailey, lidiya and carissa clark: thank you :)

adeline: i would love a bonne maman jar (provided it's not too much trouble to send). i did see the selby video with christine sun kim. i loved her concept of changing the way sound is perceived and felt xx

sundari: the zine with the stitching is a lovely book of photographs taken in japan. i think it would be your cup of tea. ok, you can be my jam buddy and we'll definitely do tea at cabin fever when you come over.

mandy: they're so good, aren't they! publications like this will hopefully ensure that print will never die. and that is exactly what i would use my bonne maman jars for.

joy: christmas is soon...they would be good stocking fillers!

satin and souffles: it's a little book consisting of lovely photographs.

xochiltyay: me too!

nancy baric and jodeska: they were fantastic!

primoeza: it is a beautiful little book.

tiffany: that sounds like a perfect recycling idea for the jars.

koey: i definitely recommend quality of life if you like brian's photography. it's nice to have his images in tangible form.

lisa: thanks for your lovely comment. i can understand why you would get used to them...they are just such a novelty for me, because i never eat jam and it seems quite odd to buy jam just for the jar!

camila faria: glad you like the little bits and pieces too!

helensarahvaughan: get a copy if you can. i think it's on the expensive side, but worth it.

SMALL PRINT

2011-11-20T14:19:00.001+08:00

a collection of fantastic books and zines that i received this week (two of which were a lovely and completely unexpected surprise):

kinfolk magazine
quality of life by brian w. ferry
the little otsu living things series vol. 3 by hannah waldron
a slice of pumpkin island by stanley tan

+ i saw portishead the other night. a definite highlight was their performance of "roads." here is one they prepared earlier.

+ i love danielle huthbert's diy style.
+ sidewalk safari! i like how the bridge has a dorothy parker feeling.
+ lucy chadwick, a selby film for zara. just as an aside: i don't eat jam, but bonne maman jars make me wish that i did. i think i'll have to live with a jam eater one day.

replies

sun: yes, they have extended the café and changed the interior so it's slightly brighter than before. i am pleased that you enjoyed it while you were in perth.

alexis: definitely pop in...it's right near pigeonhole in le bon marche arcade.

sundari: we can go there when you visit! i think it would definitely be your cup of tea.

gerlin: i agree - i really like hybrid shop/cafés.

monica: my home isn't this cute alas, but i am glad you like the look of the café.

helensarahvaughnan: geography is a pain isn't it?

koey: you should come visit! do you have a favourite café in hong kong?

see hear say: you would be just the person to open one :)

nancy baric, camila faria, blackcatwildfox, xochiltyay, mandy, amanda jane, celine, misslikey, duermeveland, anne, satin and souffles, flotsam friends and joy: i am glad that you like it!

anabela: thank you kindly :)

tristan: good eye! i have another photo of dan doing a pretty funny pose, but i didn't think he would appreciate me posting it online.

tc: yes, there is something special about a café that captures the feeling of home.

felix curds: it would be perfect nestled in the woods somewhere!

CABIN FEVER

2011-11-09T15:05:00.000+08:00

secret messages hidden in the drawers of vintage furniture. old fashioned teacups and saucers. design objects fitted in every nook and cranny. cheese toasties. homemade treats. great coffee.

cabin fever is my kind of place.

replies

camila faria: glad to have introduced you to something new.

nancy baric: i hope you enjoy the interview.

primoeza: it would be so much fun!

steph: thanks for the kind words. i loved your post too x

soph: she's pretty diverse in terms of the mediums that she uses - i like her neon and installation work the best.

make it easy and kasia: that's a favourite of mine too.

suzie: i don't love everything she produces, but i respect and admire the concept behind her work.

tc: yes, that's so true. honesty can be a big turn off for some people.

TRACEY EMIN

2011-11-06T20:47:00.000+08:00

...even from when i was at school, when i had to a do a project, i'd use myself as the subject. and when i learnt to draw, after doing life drawing classes, i would then go home and look in the mirror and draw myself. and the people i was really influenced by like edvard munch, egon schiele and german expressionism...these people always used themselves as their subject matter. mind you, then, so did van gogh, so did chagall, so did picasso. so it's not like a new thing, it's just such an old-fashioned thing.

i finally got an opportunity to watch virginia trioli's artscape interview with tracey emin and was left pretty impressed. i've always liked emin's art - even though her work is so enshrouded in the tragedies, humiliations and disappointments of her life that it has been left open for critics to dismiss the confessional and intimate elements of her art as confrontational shock tactics. case in point: i was recently involved in a conversation with an artist who had been to see her latest exhibition at the hayward gallery in london and could see very little merit in the art that she produces (the presence of tampons in the exhibition was particularly affronting- dear me!).

as i was watching the interview i was delighted by emin's warmth, intelligence and humour. although her work is imbued with emotion and melodrama, it is also highly conceptual and she articulated the ideas behind her pieces brilliantly. there is no doubt that her art has the capacity to make the viewer uncomfortable and to polarise wider audiences. she deals with subjects that would conventionally remain hidden and that are generally relegated to the private sphere - not embroidered into fabric, scrawled onto paper and inscribed in neon. using her personal experiences as the raw material for her art is sometimes unsettling in its brutal honesty, but also unapologetically beautiful.

you can watch the interview online here.

replies

hanna: yes, i liked the lykke li session too.

tc: i am glad you like it :)

kristina: definitely give the bread a try - it's unbelievably easy and extremely delicious.

nancy baric: thanks lady!

koey: hong kong really needs a good music festival...maybe in somewhere like victoria park?

see hear say: agreed!

camila faria: oh yes, kate is one talented lady. she always manages to capture the nicest little aspects of life.

primoeza: what a shame we're not seeing the festival in the same city!

1957: i hope your recipe turned out well.

adeline: : )

ttfn: thank you!

sundari: indeed!

UNDISCOVERED FIRST

2011-10-31T11:35:00.000+08:00

feist and friends travelling around in a black cab (or taxi if you're of the british persuasion) singing one of my favourite songs from metals. looking forward to seeing her at laneway next year (along with chairlift, toro y moi, washed out etc. etc.)

+ françoise dorléac on tomboy style
+ kate's wonderful photos of paris: part one/part two
+ this recipe on 101 cookbooks

replies

dqb: i am pleased to read that it will come in handy!

danielle: oh, that's adorable :)

monica: sounds perfect! and do look up breakfast, lunch, tea - it's excellent!

amy: i haven't puddle jumped in many years. i need to get a cute pair of wellies.

audrey, alexis, rachel, petra, sally, amy, karissa, soph, anne and ella: thank you!

tc: you are completely on my wave length. i hope you're enjoying living room songs - i've been listening to them a lot lately.

enia: hehe. that story is tops. i am a firm believer in spontaneous public (sometimes inappropriate) dancing. if you've got the beat there isn't much that can stop you, right?

schorlemädchen: i haven't made the lemon cake (i have a slight aversion to lemon in anything sweet), but i have yet to find a recipe in that cookbook that isn't perfect.

sundari: yes! i think there is an unconscious rainy day theme running through all of the online outlets that i use. and a good foreign film works at all times. have you seen anything good lately?

see hear say: nice additions! internet shopping is the bane of my existence (i have little to no restraint most of the time).

koey: good luck with the baking (you're very creative so i am sure you will master it) and i hope you find your dance song too :)

nancy baric: shake your money maker, lady!

adeline: i always love your responses to my posts. i didn't know that you went to see olafur. i am tres jalouse! looking forward to receiving a letter from you - such a treat. please accept this virtual hug xo

camila faria: hehe - tea is a good substitute for everything.

misslikey: chet baker would be wonderful to listen to on a rainy day

satin and souffles: sounds delightful!

ON A RAINY DAY

2011-10-26T11:29:00.000+08:00

1. stay in your pyjamas. that is, of course, assuming that you wear them. if not, put something comfortable on.

2. download ólafur arnalds' living room songs. listen to them.

3. bake a cake. i highly recommend the recipe for banana cake in breakfast, lunch, tea (in fact, i recommend every recipe in the rose bakery cookbook).

4. read a book. might i suggest great house by nicole krauss - it reads beautifully alongside arnalds' music.

5. write a long email to a good friend. if you write them a letter that you physically send that's even better.

6. do you own an album that makes you ridiculously happy? yes? good. put it on. dance.

7. if you're feeling adventurous: go outside. jump in puddles. if you're not: make a cup of tea. watch the rain from inside.

8. make something. a zine. some wooly socks. a cheese toastie. an art manifesto.

9. prepare yourself an indoor picnic.

10. fill in the blank.

replies

janelle: you should do some silly doodles. with your sense of humour they would be brilliant.

misslikey, steph, nancy baric, alex, primoeza, camila faria, suzie and monica: glad you like kyu's work too.

sundari: the whale on the guitar is a lovely touch.

tc: beautifully said!

KYU

2011-10-23T15:07:00.001+08:00

it is no exaggeration to state that kyu hwang is one of my favourite artists, so i couldn't resist sharing the photographs that he recently captured of his studio and a small selection of his work. kyu is also the artist behind the wonderful illustrations that accompany joanne's superb musical project, ten minutes...not to mention that his tumblr is beautifully curated.

portfolio :: blog :: flickr

replies

tristan: i don't know if you would like the film, but i think you would probably be rather fond of the main actress, monia chokri.

steph: haha - i am probably at the late twenties stage of introspective angst. it's definitely worth watching for the cinematography. let me know what you think if you see it x

that kate: i hope you like it and don't want to come after me following your viewing!

tana: ah, that is a coincidence! yes, i don't think we can hold his age against him - he's pretty talented for someone so young. and i agree - the repetition of "bang bang" was perfect for the film.

anne and sally: thank you!

floddertje: i haven't seen j'ai tué ma mère yet, but i will probably check it out in the future.

koey: you will have to have a movie binge soon to make up for it! and thank you :)

nancy: that is incredible - what a small world.

camila f.: i think you'll probably like the new wave influences.

vivi: yes, the english "translation" of the title is pretty bad. i think it strips the title of its meaning and doesn't seem connected to either the plot or the themes of the film. and it does have a bit of a the dreamers feel - both aesthetically and in terms of the love triangle.

sundari: it came out last year, so it's relatively new. it didn't get a big cinematic release in australia and was predominantly screened at festivals, so that's probably why it's not terribly well known. i will have to look for love for life.

audrey: i felt the exact same way as you: i thought it looked magnificent, but the characters were so shallow and vulgar that they ruined the film a bit.

rebecca: haha - yes, few people can come close to maggie.

joy: wong kar-wai forever!

amanda jane: yes, me too.

kristina: thanks - that's a real compliment coming from you. and do keep up the writing/photography project - i am looking forward to seeing it develop.

mandy: oh, i am as well. i think i spend more time than i should scouring the interiors and sets of films than concentrating on the main action.

LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES

2011-10-18T15:41:00.000+08:00

at its best, xavier dolan's heartbeats is an exquisitely shot and carefully composed reflection on modern love of the unrequited variety. at its worst, it is akin to being exposed to the pretentious ramblings of affected hipsters and uses its beautiful cinematic imagery as nothing more than superfluous surface. essentially, it raises the perennial question of style over substance, and the level of your tolerance for introspective early twenties angst will probably determine your interpretation.

the film focuses on a love triangle and broken friendship that sheds light on how intentions and emotions can be easily misread. this central story is intercut with short vignettes in which various men and women discuss the personal fallout experienced after a bad relationship. while there are a few select moments that perfectly capture the pain of heartache and rejection, the true champion of heartbeats is the cinematography by stéphanie weber-biron. although i found some of the dialogue and situations tedious, i can't say that i minded terribly because this film is gorgeous in every sense of the word. the camerawork zooms in on mundane details and fleeting occurrences and matches the intensity of the characters' affectations and moods in its cinematic representation of desire.

dolan's penchant for slow motion, colour filters, filming his characters from behind and musical repetition has led comparisons to wong kar-wai, but there are also extremely overt homages to the editing and kineticism of the french new wave and the palette of pedro almodóvar. in all of my superficial, aesthetic-loving honesty, this film is what i want cinema to look like (innocuous indie posturing aside): vibrant, sensual, poetic and visually detailed.

...and dolan's response to claims that heartbeats recalls and recycles moments from the cinema of wong kar-wai?

“well, maybe wong kar-wai doesn't have the exclusivity of asses in slow motion, you know?”

fair point, i suppose. but, let's face it, no one is going to come close to maggie cheung's derriere in a cheongsam.

replies

nancy baric, tana, see hear say, alice, hanna and ella: thanks! i am pleased that you like the song too.

amy: oh, i am addicted to crownies too! it definitely exceeded my expectations.

home collection, mariella and camila f.: it's a super little blog.

primoeza: yes, i am intrigued to see what happens with the slap too as i have not read the book either. i loved last week's episode with anouk!

VILLAGES

2011-10-08T16:49:00.001+08:00

on repeat: villages by alpine.

+ by one, two or few - a new blog find via mandy

+ still reeling from the first episode of the slap. did anyone else watch it?

+ happy weekend everyone!

replies

helensarahvaughan: thank you for such a kind comment!

gracia: i am still holding out for our film night : )

camila faria: indeed, they are very similar. breathless is probably my favourite godard film.

nancy baric: ah, a lovely coincidence!

felix curds: hehe - glad you liked it.

r a: yes, godard's films have an uncanny knack of doing that!

arianne: i like your logic : )

tana: excellent.

LE MÉPRIS

2011-10-05T15:26:00.001+08:00

'film', bazin said, 'substitutes a world that conforms to our desires.' contempt is the story of that world.

contempt features some of the best imagery in godard's oeuvre and possibly my favourite trailer of all time which unfolds like a dadaist poem in visual form.

replies

nancy baric: c'est moi! unfortunately it's a digital photograph and not film. i hope to "get it on the neg" soon!

alexis and camila faria: you're welcome!

koey, that kate, adeline and alex: i'm pleased that you like it :)

enia is (almost) here: i read or heard somewhere that if you feel a sense of déjà vu when you hear a song it is the mark of a talented musician.

soda: i am pleased that it arrived at the right time! and thanks for your congrats. i hope all is well with you x

amanda jane, tana and audrey: thank you.

ella: yes, i love st. vincent's new album too!

WILD FLOWERS

2011-10-02T12:51:00.000+08:00

a new season, a new mixtape.

track listing

replicate - fanfarlo
delicate position - wintercoats feat. sea oleena
michicant - bon iver
i found a way (memoryhouse remix) - porcelain raft
sweetness - slowdance
hi life - syd matters
the rip tide - beirut
we put a pearl in the ground - st. vincent

listen here.

replies

floddertje and suite henry: yes, i find her fascinating too.

vintageveggie: dear me, that sounds like an amazing concoction! i can't remember the last time i had a toffee apple.

tristan: i think those are the two looks that i would be most keen to try out. nice picks! thanks for the music suggestions - i have always meant to listen to the antlers so i will have to seek out their album. i hope you enjoy ce soir ou jamais when you get a chance to watch it. you should - it's anna after all!

mariella, mandy, soph, dukke, nileta and camila faria: glad you like it too!

johanna: i have yet to see her work in person and hope to some day.

tana: i shall have to seek out that biography - i would like to learn more about her.

OBUS SUMMER 23

2011-09-25T13:47:00.000+08:00

i am usually quite conservative when it comes to colour, but i am rather enamoured with destino mexico!, the summer 23 collection from obus. inspired by"papel picado cutouts, photographs of frida, flowers, turkish embroideries and beautiful beaded necklaces from india", it conjures the best aspects of summer. plus the obvious nod to the style of frida kahlo is a definite winner in my opinion.

replies

caro-line: i completely get where you're coming from - i always find it strange when people say that music doesn't resonate with them. i have never heard of sea wolf - i love the band title! feel free to hijack my comments anytime :)

camila: thanks again for locating the quote.

koey: a rush of blood to the head was one of my favourite albums a few years back, but it is funnily enough one that i can't listen to anymore because of the personal memories i have associated with it.

hanna: i have seen beginners and i highly recommend it!

wishcandy: the radio dept. are one of my favourite bands of all time. i love the john hughes soundtrack idea - it's so true!

megan taylor: good choices. i am a big fan of washed out and white hinterland in particular.

nancy baric: one of my friends lent me their first album a few years back and i really enjoyed it.

primoeza: i've been enjoying their album too (although without the ny references!). you're really welcome for the link - congratulations again x

tilly: ozzi kotani sounds great - will have to check him out.

amy: yes, how delightful was christopher plummer! the friend who i saw it with noted how charming he is for an older gentleman.

vintageveggie: agreed :)

tana: i love listening to music according to the seasons as well. it sounds as though you have a nice autumn soundtrack.

schorlemädchen: i hope you enjoyed it!

the line sheet: i am pleased to hear that you like her music as much as i do.

see hear say: metronomy's album is definitely on my top 10 for 2011. will have to check out designers.mx - i've never heard of it.

gerlin: i completely get what you mean. there are a number of albums in my collection that i can't listen to anymore because they take me back to times that i don't particularly want to remember or mull over. it is frustrating how personal experiences can ruin music sometimes. thanks for the tips - i always enjoy your music recommendations. also, i am not surprised by what you said re: the new girls album. i have listened to the songs that jarri has posted from it and i am not really digging it.

A TINGE

2011-09-22T17:45:00.000+08:00

i can't remember from where i found this quote or who said it (if you know, please tell me), but i like the truthfulness and the resonance of the sentiment. some songs and albums have such an amazing capacity to take me back in time, to places, people, images and moments long hidden in the recesses of my memories. my first year of university is marked by doves' lost souls, and oasis' (what's the story) morning glory? always reminds me of high school. ryan adams forever, but particularly when i am butterflies-in-the-stomach smitten. at the moment, i can't get enough of beirut's the rip tide and st. vincent's strange mercy.

what are you listening to currently?

+ good tunes from watercolours live on 95b fm

+ i love the new primoeza collection

+ a film that everyone should see

+ a lovely post on collecting from anne louise likes.

edit: the quote is from simon reynolds via here. thanks camila!

replies:

koey: yes, hers is one of the most wonderfully expressive faces ever captured on cinema. and thank you :)

that kate: thanks lovely! expect a long overdue email soon.

megan taylor: i didn't write my thesis on anna karina (although that would have been a very good idea) - i just like any excuse to indulge in some karina magic. your undergrad thesis sounds really interesting - bardot's performance in le mepris is one of her best.

alyce, aliya, ella, vintageveggie, mandy, amy, louise, black-eyed angel, k., tana, piere, saer, primoeza, camila faria, anne, cara edwards, amanda jane, epe, amy and kristina: thank you for your kind words. i truly appreciate them.

sundari: the "what next" question is a scary one! i am working at an art gallery at the moment while i wait for my results and decompress my head a bit.

enia: so there is life on the other side? :)

tristan: merci, merci! i am still getting accustomed to "bob's" absence. ah yes, anna is very mesmerising in that scene...i can lend you the film if you would like. and thank you for the link - so good!

size too small: relieved and in a mild state of shock that it's actually been submitted!

elias: thanks. i am flattered that you would like to read it.

jodeska: i am always trying to work more interpretive dance into my daily life (much to the amusement of those around me).

nancy baric: well, i have to wait a few month to get my results and then officially graduate. after all that, and if all goes well, i can use the title doctor.

FIN

2011-09-10T21:06:00.000+08:00

after many years, thousands of words, hundreds of pages and a multitude of expletives, i finally submitted my phd thesis for examination this week. rather than reflecting on the spectrum of emotions and experiences that accompanied my candidature, i feel that a celebratory dance, courtesy of anna karina, is more fitting.

replies

alex, anne, camila faria, adeline, nancy baric, audrey, vintageveggie, sherry troxell, lindsay k, nothingshortof.com, megan taylor, heather loreto, marinka, laura, duermeveland, amanda jane and devorelebeaumonstre: i'm glad you like it too!

alexis: oh, me too!

steph: he seemed positively tickled pink - quite a change from his usual slightly gruff demeanour.

philip: i agree - her composure was so admirable. i wish i was more like that!

lola is beauty: me too!

kite: it's excellent design inspiration. i hope your decorating is going well.

amy: i feel the same way - most of the time i am in awe and can appreciate the architectural flourishes, but everything about this project was spot on.

lemonade: yes, the proximity to her mum's property was quite lovely.

saer: hehe - sticky beak is an oldie but a goodie.

gerlin: i imagine something a little more colourful and crafty for you :)

tracey: you should try to seek it out - it's well worth watching. definitely one of my favourite episodes.

tc: oh, me too. i could probably imitate it, but i don't have natural flair.

jodeska: so true! it actually has a soul and isn't just a minimalist exercise in boring restraint.

tana: that's such a beautiful way to describe your approach to space.

schorlemädchen: it was my favourite too! i can't remember being so obsessed with the final design and interior.

suite henry: i would love the rocking chair myself.

danielle: ha - i know! he was being a bit condescending with his attitude towards interior designs, but kathryn certainly proved him wrong.

janelleburger: you don't get it in france?

felix curds: oh, you have me pegged :)

CORKELLIS HOUSE

2011-08-18T11:58:00.000+08:00

as an architecture junkie, interior design fan and general sticky beak, i love watching kevin mccloud's grand designs. i might add that i also appreciate kevin's often acerbic and blunt take on some people's whimsical approach to architecture.

anyway, i am usually blown away by the final results of each build, but i have never felt that i would actually want to live in one of the featured houses until corkellis house, the home of interior designer kathryn tyler. the scandanvian influences, clean almost minimalist lines, employment of texture in the building materials, balance between design beauty and functionality, pared back use of colour and vintage touches are just...well, perfect.

just between you and me: i think kevin was a bit smitten as well.

replies

make it easy: yes, it was my radio alarm clock. glad you like the song!

nancy baric: i find the same thing with music.

amanda jane: indeed!

claudette: definitely check out his back catalogue. the album like drawing blood is great.

sibuhan: i love the music video - so intricate and beautiful. the director must be a very patient person.

elias: snap!

camila f.: it's just an australian radio station called triple j. i used to listen to it a lot more when i was younger, but it's still set as my alarm station.

ella: oh, we have our fair share of terrible commercial radio stations that are filled with loud ads and top 40 music. i think you can listen to triple j online if you're interested: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/ p.s i sincerely doubt that you will turn into a pretentious indie kid - you have a good head on your shoulders :)

sally: thank you kindly for the further details on harold and maud. you have definitely peaked my interest!

alyce: i am happy to share some good tunes with you.

felix curds: yes, top choice names! i especially love wally :)

pralinka: thank you for your kind words. your english is very good! will check out your blog :)

galit: i hadn't thought of the sting resemblance, but i have to agree with you. i love the police!

koey: thanks dear.

fiona maria: me too!

indie.tea: not even on college radio? that's a shame.

vivi: thanks! it's nice to know that you enjoy the random things i share here.

chris: but do you like it more than aphex twin?

tracey: welcome back! i did note your unexpected absence.

epe: thanks for the tip on the artist responsible for painting their bodies.

sundari: yes! i actually like the clip more than the song.

taylor, erika lee sears and stefanie: glad that you like it too!

SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW

2011-07-28T19:09:00.000+08:00

i have strangely awoken to this song on the radio almost every morning this week. it's nice to see gotye back. and even better to watch him discussing the genesis and meaning of the song. such a beautiful and intelligent musician.

replies

myrthe: i'm pleased you liked the godard influences too.

amanda, nothingshortof and ginta: i hope you enjoy it!

koey: i particularly agree with you on the coats :)

celine: i completely get what you mean. there is nothing worse than coming out of a cinema feeling disappointed. i hope this film doesn't leave you like that.

nancy baric: definitely see it - i think you'll love it.

gerlin: we have to wait a long time for some films to be released here, unfortunately. i think it is a film that should be watched on the big screen to get the most out of it, both visually and sonically. i'll keep my fingers crossed it gets a late release in belgium.

m. and whatkatiefound: i'm pleased that you like it too!

amy: oh, that's a shame. hopefully a dvd release won't be too far off.

ella: having remembered that you weren't too keen, i was actually thinking of you when i was watching it. although i agree with you that jordana was pretty painful. she is a good representation of all the affected, pretentious indie kids that i have met. p.s unwarranted reviews from you are always welcome!

chris: yes, that scene was great! good advice for all young men :)

principia: i haven't read the book that it is based on...will have to check it out at some stage. have you read it?

camila faria: i love the four hundred blows too, so i hope that you don't find submarine disappointing in comparison (few films can compare to truffaut's).

tristan: ah, that's good news that it's screening at luna. i think you will really love it. did you miss it because you met a girl from greece with a thirst for knowledge studying sculpture at st. martin's college? i am really looking forward to seeing beginners - mélanie laurent and that cute little dog seem like a winning combination to me! also ewan!

sally: unfortunately, i haven't seen harold and maude. i will have to check it out in the future.

mary: i saw it at a screening at the revelation film festival in perth (australia). i suspect that a dvd release may be on the cards soon, so hopefully you'll be able to view it asap!

felix curds: it hasn't been released in australia yet (i saw it at a festival), but i've heard rumours it may be out in september. i will definitely have to get a copy of the book!

anna emilia: thank you :)

SUBMARINE

2011-07-24T15:02:00.001+08:00

i have to admit to approaching richard ayoade's debut feature film, submarine, with some apprehension. here is a film adapted and directed by one of my favourite small screen presences that has obvious echoes of the french new wave. it features a beautifully melancholic soundtrack by alex turner that i have had on repeat for the past few months. the trailer looks more than promising and is rather wonderfully set to a melodramatic chanson by belgian crooner, jacques brel. let's face it, with these factors setting such high expectations, there is a lot of room to be disappointed. thankfully, the only aspect of submarine that i found lacking was that a jacques brel song was not actually played in the film. hardly worth complaining about, really.

from the opening credits, the influence of jean-luc godard is immediately apparent in the style of the font and the composition of the title; however, the poetic touches of françois truffaut are also evident (there is a shot that is almost an exact replica of one in the four hundred blows). the intertextual references flow throughout the remainder of the film and are realised in the structure, aural environment and cinematography. although submarine is so visually gorgeous and self-conscious of its status as a film that it can be a bit over-whelming at times, it actually works perfectly with the precociousness and self-absorption of the protagonist, oliver tate (craig roberts), who often imagines his life as the plot of a film (as i am sure many of us did when we were teenagers).

into this "film" walks jordana bevan (yasmin paige) and her blossoming relationship with oliver and his rampant teenage hormones are juxtaposed to the seemingly stale marriage of his parents (noah taylor and sally hawkins). appropriating new wave self-reflexivity, oliver and jasmin's first romantic dalliance is portrayed in a nostalgically styled sequence that cleverly brings together theme and style. it could all come across as quite teen angst and pretentious but, in ayoade's hands, it is simultaneously bittersweet and hilarious. in fact, there were a number of times in the full capacity screening that i couldn't hear the dialogue because the audience was still laughing at the previous line.

i really loved submarine because it appealed to two different sides of my film viewing personality. on one level, it was a well scripted and brilliantly delivered story that was thoroughly entertaining. on another level, the film geek inside me, who completely fetishises new wave cinema and film aesthetics, was delighted by the references that were threaded through the film. ayoade's approach to filmic storytelling is extremely sophisticated; however, he doesn't lose sight of his characters' emotions, instilling the film with a strong sense of heart and compassion.

thank you, mr ayoade, for not disappointing me.

replies

sundari: ah, i like your story. it is hard to reconcile supporting local bookstores and economics - especially if you are students like us! mary martins sounds like such a cute name for a bookstore...you'll have to take me there if i ever visit adelaide :) and yes, planet books is still going strong. i was there last weekend and it was nice to see that people were not only browsing, but also buying.

a day with kate: i completely agree with your ethos of supporting the people whose work you enjoy. ultimately it is a balancing act between personal values and finance.

indie.tea: that seems to be a pretty good compromise. i always buy my art books online because the difference in price is ridiculous, but i too love the instant gratification of buying a book in a store and not having to wait for it to arrive.

hayden: that bookstore sounds quite magical. i hope that it lasts the distance..surely the fact that it is a hybrid store will increase its longevity.

amy: it's really good that you use australian-based book retailers...i have been using overseas companies, so i think i should consider keeping more local (or national). i completely agree with your comment on balance - it would be preferable to have both "real" bookstores and online ones available to cater to specific needs.

primoeza: i am a particularly impatient person so the instant gratification part of book buying is important to me. i think it is totally justified to pay a little extra to not have to wait :)

sally: it would be fascinating to work in publishing while all of these changes are being made. i completely get your point: it is extremely expensive to add to your own home library and especially difficult if you move around a lot. i lost all of my childhood books when i moved to australia from hong kong so i know where you're coming from. it still makes me sad that i won't be able to pass them on one day.

andrea: oh, amazon is very insidious isn't it? i think using a library for reading literature is a great idea..if you really love a book and know that you will want to buy it again you can always get your own copy and if you hate a book you can return it and not be out of pocket.

amelia: i think that is the main course of action to be taken. it's the most obvious way to show support for bookstores and hard copy literature. going to bookstores was one of my favourite activities as a child too :)

felix curds: i am pleased that you feel the same way i do. i have to admit to being close-minded in terms of e-reading ventures - i just don't want to know.

lisa: your comment made complete sense to me - it is like venturing into another world :) and i don't get the point of reading a book off of a screen either. i hope that i don't have to cave in one day and actually do it!

tana: yes, television and the internet etc. have impacted on what people read. but i agree with you, there are always going to be people who are devoted to reading books.

amanda jane: oh yes, that woolf quote is one of my favourites.

camila faria: so true :)

bronwyn: that used bookstore sounds wonderful. personally, i am trying to make a conscientious choice to support local while also purchasing more obscure film and art books online. hopefully using both will result in a happy medium?

tristan: yeah, the current situation for video stores is pretty dire. thankfully, i am confident that planet will never close. and, you're right, the happy accident is one of the best parts of the bookstore experience...especially if you're an impulse buyer like me. geez, reading books off tablets? i don't think i would want to bring a child into a world like that.

marchel: i am impressed that you buy all of your books in physical stores...not many people can say that.

bonjour johanna: no need to correct your english - everything that you said made perfect sense to me. i too would prefer to have aching eyes from reading the pages of a book rather than from reading off a screen. the entire experience would be ruined.

joanne: i couldn't have put it better (or in a more poetic way). after all, "passing on" an electronic copy of a book to a friend seems so cold.

audrey: i think it's so sweet that you bought something before leaving that bookstore. i bet the owners appreciated it after having so many people go in merely to browse!

ella: i think i would have to have a lobotomy before i considered reading from a kindle!

suite henry: i think it is comforting to know that although a lot of bloggers obviously use the internet a substantial amount they still value the importance of reading physical books.

floddertje: i can't imagine it either. how bleak :(

nancy baric: i feel the same way. also, i have yet to visit ofr...hopefully soon!

tracey: it's interesting to read your perspective, as i have been very anti e-readers; however, i see your point that they would be useful for commuting. i usually take a book on the train with me to work and i can see how it might be easier to have something portable.

BUYING BOOKS

2011-07-17T21:23:00.000+08:00

come indoors then, and open the books on your library shelves. for you have a library and a good one. a working library, a living library; a library where nothing is chained down and nothing is locked up; a library where the songs of the singers rise naturally from the lives of the livers.

- virginia woolf

the recent spring/summer magazine produced by german publishing company taschen includes a fascinating tête-à-tête with taschen's main gentleman, benedikt taschen, and highly respected art publisher and bookstore owner walther könig. reflecting on the changing status of reading and book buying, könig made a comment that i found particularly resonant:

the real bummer is the fact that we retail booksellers are used as a source of information but get no business. it's an insoluble problem, in fact. but i feel publishers ought to give it some thought all the same, because we are not only your customers but also your public. picture this: in ten years' time you won't be able to physically pick up a third of your titles, let's say, before you actually order them...it will be the end of bookstores if we come to exist merely as exotic specimens, satisfying people who love books as luxury items, but no longer selling to the general public.

the internet and new book reading technologies, such as the e-book reader kindle, have obviously played a significant role in altering the way we consume our reading material, but they are also impacting on the very places where books have been sourced and enjoyed for years. although i find the idea of replacing the good, old-fashioned process of reading a book that you can feel and hold with a tool that transforms the act of reading into mediation, there is no denying that the future of bookstores is looking quite bleak. in australia alone we have seen the recent closure of both angus and robertson and borders stores, and i noted with some sadness that a secondhand bookstore near my home, which had been open for around twenty years, was also forced to close its doors.

all of this information coalesced with a recent memory of visiting a relatively new store on the perth book scene a few weeks back. it was a saturday and although all of the neighbouring cafes were packed, i was the only person in the store. the plush couches were sitting desolately empty and the beautiful books remained neatly stacked...and untouched.

i have to admit to finding the thought that bookstores may one day be a dying species depressing to say the least. however, i am equally guilty of purchasing books online in situations where i have a greater selection and pay much less than i would at a local store. that being said, the internet is never going to be able to replace the sensory experience of going to a bookstore: the smell and tactility of freshly bound pages, the joy of ensconcing yourself behind a bookcase and the journey of wandering from art books to cooking books to new literature.

what are your thoughts?

image by elias.

replies

herecomesthesun, lisa and 0000: i am glad to have introduced you to his work.

rachel, amanda jane, felix curds, vintage veggie, the line sheet, the tame lion, epe, bronwyn, nancy baric and lindsay k: i'm pleased you like his work too.

tana: yes, i love excavating those details too.

gracia: i agree! it has been lovely to see which works different people have been drawn to...kind of like a multi-curated retrospective of his art.

angie: the first one is my favourite too.

camila faria: i haven't seen much of his sculptural work. shall have to look into it.

joy: you're welcome for the plath tip - it was the first one that popped into my head.

kaitlyn: that is a very strange coincidence!

primoeza: i hope so too.

ella: a very apt wallpaper indeed! although i am sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

indie.tea: oh, spring and the sea, that is a beautiful analogy!

claire: i have been admiring the images that you took of the exhibition on instagram. i wish i had been able to see it!

janelle burger: me too.

nothingshortof.com: thank you, that's very kind of you to say.

amy: i can imagine that viewing his work in the flesh would be an entirely different experience...you just can't replicate tactility and texture.

galit: it is not sad when you think of it like that :)

audrey: you should do it!

CY TWOMBLY

2011-07-06T14:46:00.000+08:00

a sad passing:

cy twombly 1928-2011

view more of his work here.

replies

joy, bianca, kitiya palaskas, angie, liza, cara and claire m.: i'm glad you like them too!

vivi: thank you. i hope you enjoy the pang films as much as i do.

tana: oh, i agree. the textures and the colours in the final photograph are really inspiring.

herecomesthesun: you're welcome.

indie.tea: you have picked up on the creepy undertone of the film perfectly - it was very menacing. the triangle bracelet was the one that i managed to purchase. i have the matching necklace so i was very happy.

sundari: i think jane campion served as a mentor to the director, julia leigh. there was definitely a little cheese element to the film, but i mostly found it a bit implausible and slightly ridiculous. overall, it's a great exercise in minimalist film aesthetics, but not much beyond that.

ella: thanks! it's so i can remember all of the interesting things that i find :)

0000: i completely get where you are coming from. admittedly i have very little colour in my wardrobe and predominantly work with a palette of black and shades of grey. i have gone through certain "coloured" phases, but i inevitably lose interest and end up removing said colour from my wardrobe.

tristan: yeah, i enjoyed looking at it, but some scenes were so repugnant (i am sure you know which ones i am referring to) and/or ridiculous (the ending in particular) that i found it all a bit naff. although it did make me wonder whether such a service actually exists. on further reflection, the film needed guns and explosions and for all of the characters to die. boo, i say!

lindsey k: yes, it could be incorporated without it being too out there or "loud" in tone.

camila faria: i don't think i would recommend sleeping beauty to see at the cinema...maybe as a rental and just from an aesthetic point of view :)

amanda jane: me too!

BLUSH/BURN

2011-07-02T13:42:00.002+08:00

layer. fold. pink. peach. perfect.

overlappen styled by carline van oel

found via the always inspiring anne louise likes.

notes
:: janelle burger zine! yes!
:: the latest dores collection is beautiful and has unsurprisingly almost sold out (thankfully i managed to snap up a bracelet)
:: anabel and erin's new venture rose golden is just lovely
:: i saw this film the other night. the cinematography was elegant in its minimalism, but the actual film was so completely bereft of any emotion that it was hard to be engaged.

replies

primoeza: they do make an exceptional super group - i love how their voices work so well together. thank you so much for offering to send me a copy of apartmento - apparently i have a copy coming from europe, but i really appreciate you offering x

jenny: yes, it was a really good interview.

joy, heather loreto, make it easy: hmm, it must be restricted to certain countries. sorry about that!

gerlin: i'm glad you like the song (although not the video). i have to say i love the expressions on the actor's face.

anabela: you're welcome. i hope the canada post situation rectifies itself soon!

tracey: i love that they have joined forces too.

chris: i still can't believe you find him creepy - his facial expressions are gold!

camila faria: i'm pleased that you like them too!

0000: ooh, there are a few names in your list that i have yet to come across. thank you for the tips - will check them out now.

bad joan: the image was part of the reason why i bought the album :)

ella: boo - that's crap. i don't think that we're way too cool, just terribly elusive.

claire m: indeed!

bonjour johanna: i could imagine that it would be well within your artistic powers to create a super teleportation machine. if you ever do, let me know :) congratulations again on your exhibition xx

SEEKER LOVER KEEPER

2011-06-25T13:35:00.003+08:00

sarah blasko + sally seltmann + holly throsby = seeker lover keeper
beautiful harmonies, sweet melodies and one of the best band names i have seen in a while.

:: website ::

notes
:: a video tour of johanna's new exhibition, pink dots poetry.
:: fieldguided's new tote collaboration with robber is pretty damn fine.

replies

deborah: i am glad that you liked it too!

k.: it made me miss hong kong too! i think it is a film that has a special resonance for people who are from there x

felix curds: i hope you enjoy it!

see hear say: my phd thesis is on wong kar-wai and hong kong cinema so i tend to read a lot about various hong kong films (and cinema in general) while doing my research. i also watch sbs when i have insomnia so i discover foreign films through random late night viewing. will definitely let you know what i think of norwegian wood when i see it. have a great weekend x

amanda jane: yes, the film has this lovely hazy quality from all of the cigarette smoke. and i am definitely anti-smoking - my grandfather died of lung cancer so i am not a fan.

koey: i particularly love the realism of it.

ella: enjoy your summer break! i hope you indulge in lots of movie watching.

that kate: i think you would like it. definitely one of the best romantic comedies to come out of hong kong.

tana: thank you. i hope you can track down a copy.

galit: i have many more recommendations and would be happy to pass them along. i'll start drawing up a list for you. my intuition must be switched on at the moment :) haha - i am not a promoter of smoking at all, but i can see why it could appear that way. whoops...

LOVE IN A PUFF

2011-06-24T15:55:00.002+08:00

hong kong is the quintessential site of spatial appropriation. the interstices of the urban fabric are used and re-used with an extraordinary intensity.

- neil leach, "drag spaces", hk lab 2

the more i get to know the work of hong kong director pang ho-cheung, the more i appreciate his personal approach to film. constantly evolving as a cinematic storyteller, pang's cinema is notable for its wonderful play with genre conventions, moving his plots - as well as the viewer - in unexpected directions.

a striking change in mood and tone from isabella (another pang film that i really like), love in a puff is a frank and often hilarious exploration of the state of male-female relationships in contemporary hong kong where text messages are a prevalent form of communication and the path to meeting the right person is beset with complications. set against the political background of the 2007 ban on smoking in public indoor areas, the film maps unique sites of engagement within public spaces that exist in the cracks between hong kong's monolithic architecture. part of the charm of the film is the manner in which it is sensitive to the real topography of hong kong, revealing the manner in which people appropriate spatial recesses and transform them into sites of social - and romantic - connection. miriam yeung and shaun yue's relationship starts in such a place, as they attempt to delineate spaces of intimacy in the high density city.

in much the same way that woody allen fused new york city with a distinct filmic consciousness in his cinema of the late 1970s, pang has produced a film that speaks to the minutiae of everyday existence in hong kong: the late night encounters in convenient stores, drunken karaoke parties and smoke-infused alleyway socialising. inscribing desire in these fleeting moments and in-between spaces, pang's film always maintains a certain humour and awareness that prevents it from being too sweet or twee.

a quirky love story enshrouded in the heady fumes of nicotine may not be appealing to the most health-conscious of film viewers, but love in a puff is so delightful that it could impel a girl to start smoking. well...almost.*

view the trailer here.

*oh, hello there does not actually endorse the smoking of cigarettes.

replies

indie.tea: yes, i am not a huge fan of geometric or op art either, but calder always gets to me.

tana: hypnotising is the perfect way to describe it!

if jane: i love that you have used the word ludique.

amanda jane: it's winter here at the moment, so an indoor picnic seems terribly appropriate.

primoeza: agreed! i find that spending a lot of time on my computer makes me appreciate the printed word even more.

tim: : ) right back at you.

felix curds: well, that was good timing on my behalf. i hope your project is going well.

sundari: sitting in the library and looking up artists sounds like a lovely way to spend your time. i am pleased i have introduced you to some new art.

camila f.: yes, i love the contained drama of it!

tofu: : )

rebecca: yes, there's definitely an aesthetic sensibility that is reminiscent of miro's work.

CALDER

2011-06-20T14:34:00.003+08:00

to an engineer, good enough means perfect. with an artist, there's no such thing as perfect.

- alexander calder

calder everywhere. a few weeks ago i managed to catch the fascinating documentary calder: sculpteur de l'air on the abc and then i (rather unexpectedly) saw one of his mobiles hanging in agwa on the weekend. although he worked within a number of mediums, i am rather partial to his hanging mobiles and the manner in which their movement is affected by the natural environment. his suspended constellations of found objects and abstract shapes and forms are stunning. i can only imagine how groundbreaking they must have been in the early 20th century.

also, that photograph of calder by marc vaux has to be one of my favourite artist's shots ever.

see more of calder's work here.

+ reanna does peach. oh so good.
+ would like to get my hands on a copy of this.
+ i want to partake in more indoor picnics.
+ saw a piece by laura adel johnson in agwa's remix exhibition and was blown away. fairy lights are the new neon.
+ the milkshake. i don't know tim, but this post makes me think that he gets me.

replies

alex, see hear say, mandy, tracey, alyssa, amanda jane, tofu, if jane and cristina: thank you.

heather loreto: agreed!

ella: i am dying to see submarine, but have to wait another month until it premieres in australia.

tana and steph: i hope you enjoyed it!

audrey: that's lovely to read. will try to add more music-inspired posts in the future.

mari: you're welcome.

celine: it sounds as though summer has been slow to come to canada. i hope you get some sun and balmy days soon!

cara and camila f.: hehe. i hope you both managed to procure a cup of cocoa :)

MIST

2011-06-12T19:45:00.003+08:00

a mix for chilly days. best enjoyed with a cup of cocoa.

track list

when the sun don't shine - best coast

locked inside - golden glow

emlin - glisk

trouble - metronomy

glass in the park - alex turner

ultra violet light - ryan adams and the cardinals

bonfire - memoryhouse

hummingbird - cocoon

play here.

replies

janelle: i agree with you on the distinction. in this context i think it was mainly about taking photographs for personal enjoyment and not for media-related purposes.

mandy: :)

if jane: thank you kindly!

jazzy e: hehe - we could have a (bad) dance-off.

steph: oh yeah, my creative writing abilities are zero at the moment. i love that you used to dance during your school lunch breaks as well. it must have been what all the cool kid were doing ;)

see hear say: yes! "who do you love" is on my top 25 on itunes - such a great song.

tana: i'm glad you liked it. happy (belated) weekend to you too!

primoeza: i really need to be less shy about asking people to take photographs, but i have become quite adept at the art of sneaky photo taking.

ella: haha. i doubt that it was your lack of coordination. when in doubt, pass it off as avant garde :)

audrey: i like your rationale! i never take photos of things that i don't like or find unappealing so if i ever take an image of something it's usually because it's so good that i want to share it. from that angle, it doesn't do any harm to anyone.

tracey: i think you raise a good point about the distinction between taking photos of food and products. thanks for sharing.

stefanie: i love the other version too, but this one is cool given it has the ghent connection.

indie.tea: it's definitely the right of the shop to refuse a person the opportunity to take photographs...sometimes i ask and sometimes i am sneaky.

a day with kate: you're welcome.

katrina: yes, i think the dslr makes people nervous...most people have a phone that can take image these days so it is much less conspicuous.

joanne: that's great news that you're going back to sweden! i am jealous. things are not too shabby on my end: really busy with work and finishing my thesis, but otherwise good.

bonjour johanna: i can just get by with my so-so french. it's very basic, but i try my best.

mari: cheers for the extra info. much appreciated!

0000: i loved your response - you put forward a very solid case. if my memory serves me correctly, you're currently in china, right? i can imagine that taking photos there might be tricky sometimes.

DAYS AHEAD

2011-05-27T22:17:00.002+08:00

my super friend gerlin, who always has the best music tips, recently wrote a great post featuring the music video for museum of bellas artes' "days ahead" and i instantly loved it. it may be the lo-fi, nostaglic vibe, but the video rather embarrassingly reminded me of the dances my friends and i would choreograph during our lunch breaks at primary school. unfortunately we looked neither chic nor coordinated.

happy weekend!
it would be nice to spend it record shopping with museum of bellas artes.

notes

:: a really interesting post and discussion on a day with kate dealing with issues of asking permission to photograph cafes and shops etc. what are your thoughts?

:: excited to see christophe honoré's new film.

replies

alyson redding and fi: yes, the palette is perfection.

bianca, amanda jane, mandy and vintage veggie: pleased to read that you like it too.

steph: i am sure you could pull an installation off, but i do get what you mean about not knowing where to start. i think we should start a writer's collective that crosses over into art installations!

tana: i am always drawn to artists' interpretations of their own work as well. even if you have a different reading, it's fascinating to discover the genesis of a particular work.

felix curds: ah, pastel dream...so true :)

gerlin: i haven't been to london since the nineties, so a visit is well overdue. i would love to make this happen! would you be offended if i ate lots of full english breakfasts in your presence? not to mention bangers and mash!

primoeza: some days (the bad ones) it involves a lot of deleting and destroying words too :)

see hear say: i'll definitely let you know if i head over to sydney. i hope to one day! i think we could get up to some mischief :)

NATALIE ROGNSØY

2011-05-26T13:02:00.001+08:00

the art pieces by natalie rognsøy work for me on so many levels: the juxtaposition of materials and textures, the subdued palette, the insertion of typographical elements and the minimalist compositions are simple and yet ambiguously beautiful.

whenever i see art installations in galleries, in print or online i always wish i could create something along those lines and construct self-contained worlds that exist predominantly for the purpose of concept and aesthetics. unfortunately, i have no talent for such things...i am set on a path of arranging and shifting words, rather than objects.

i have been using textiles since i started working with installations and sculptures and i like the versatility of the material, how it can cover big surfaces and also be light. my pieces often consist of few parts which makes the choice of material more important, and by painting them or covering them with smudge i can create a tension between the different parts. lately i have become more interested in paintings and how they can occur both randomly and intentionally, like traces of events or actions.

- natalie rognsøy interviewed for little paper planes.

replies

see hear say: thank you! i will endeavour to post more photographs (although i tend to prefer other people's images to my own). and if you ever make it over to perth, let me know and i'll take you out to the best cafes, shops and galleries.

katie merchant: it would be nice if one day we could take photos of cafe together x

mandy: olga's book is really wonderful - i am not surprised that you like it as well given your taste for interiors.

gerlin: yes! i am a huge fan of the full english breakfast. i often feel i should order something a bit more dainty, but i am always too greedy :) i would love it if you would visit one day...although the other places on your itinerary should definitely come first. perhaps we can meet somewhere in between perth and ghent?

lina: it will be great to see how it comes together when it finally launches.

sunken treasure: thanks, sophie. i just realised the abundance of pink in the images. hope you had a lovely weekend too x

adeline: merci. we need to hang out in a cafe together one day xx

fashion intel: it was!

tofu, alex, alexis, mimii, pia, mandy, amanda jane, 0000, make it easy, audrey and rebecca: thank you kindly :)

steph, primoeza and sundari: thanks ladies. i will try to get over my shyness and post more in the future.

herecomesthesun: poached eggs are my favourite!

cara: it is easy to be distracted by the food and want to dive in straight away. my friends now know that they have to pause for a second so that i can take a shot and then we can start eating. silly, but fun.

tana: gonzales sounds like a perfect soundtrack! and thank you - hope you have a nice week too :)

saer: it makes me so envious that you can just pop in. i live on the wrong side of the world! x

kristina: thank you. glad to read that your enjoying olga's book too.

soph: me too! i am a sucker for a nicely designed cafe.

anabela: thanks. i liked the little touch of the sign as well (although at time love isn't the word i have used to described perth).

floddertje: snap! i love your set of photographs too.

michael ann: aww, thanks for visiting and leaving such a kind comment.

SOMEDAYS

2011-05-21T17:56:00.001+08:00

a small collection of photographs taken over the past few weeks. i think that cafés are among my favourite things to photograph.

+ the mociun pop up store (as captured by jenny from wikstenmade here and here) is my idea of the perfect space with the perfect wares.

+ i am eagerly anticipating the launch of kinfolk: a guide for small gatherings in july. found via saer, my favourite foodie friend, of craven maven.

+ currently rather enamoured with my copy of olga bennett's environments (pictured above). capturing the intimate work spaces of melbourne-based creatives it is a real gem of a book. you can order a copy here.

replies

tristan: i think it's definitely worth putting yourself through. some of the imagery is quite confronting (although i have seen worse), but it is a really engaging film. yeah, i get what you mean about miranda july's new film - i hope it isn't as flaccid as her first and more in line with her prose.

celine: i want just about everything that s&c do! and i'm with you on autumn food - i love all of the root vegetables and comfort food.

mandy: this past summer was pretty horrendous, so it such a relief to finally have cooler weather. i function much better in the cooler seasons too!

vintageveggie: agreed!

primoeza: i hope your internet connection has improved. now that i am accustomed to high-speed internet i go a bit troppo when it slows down on me :)

if jane: spring hasn't arrived in montreal yet? and yeah, i wasn't too fussed on july's first film...a bit too twee and indie for my taste, but i am willing to give "the future" a shot.

tana, joy, mandy and amanda jane: thanks! i am pleased you liked them :)

ella: merci! i hope your exams and assessments are going well.

herecomesthesun: i love it for the same reasons as you - nothing better than winter food and rainy days!

sunkentreasure: thanks sophie. happy spring to you :)

indie.tea: that's my favourite too.

galit: oh dear, i hope your fever has subsided and that you're feeling better. i am impressed that you have seen dumplings and that you managed to see the beauty in it - it's not a film that appeals to many viewers.

NOMAD

2011-05-15T17:56:00.001+08:00

nomad /nəumad/ n. & adj. 1 a member of people roaming from place to place for fresh pasture. 2 a wanderer.

there is something of the itinerant dreamer in the latest collection from scout & catalogue that resonates with mark borthwick's video for mykita. both evoke hazy, sorbet-drenched days and quiet drifting, which make them (in my book) ideal aesthetic companions.

+ autumn is finally here! homemade pumpkin soup and eurovision tonight (judge me if you must).
+ i didn't like me and you and everyone we know, but miranda july's new film looks promising.
+ i watched this film the other night. definitely not for the faint of heart.
+ a great piece of writing on casual poet.

replies

gracia: it is pretty amazing!

felix curds and ella: me too. it definitely deserves the funding, i believe.

if jane: de rien.

see hear say: hope you're well too! i'm a little behind in my blog reading as well.

audrey and t h e l i n e s h e e t: thank you both for your kind words.

TINY EARTHQUAKES

2011-05-10T17:21:00.001+08:00

if the image featured above does not make you want to see tiny earthquakes, then i don't know what will. intrigued? want to know more? well, tiny earthquakes is a short film that delves into the complexities of loss as it narrates the story of a "young woman's grief a decade after the mysterious disappearance of her younger brother as a child."

the film is set to begin production in june of this year; however, writer/director nathania gilson and her cast and crew need your your help to get it off the ground. anyone who is remotely connected to the film industry in australia knows how difficult it is to acquire funding, so gilson has set up a pozible profile to garner support. they are practically one third of the way to reaching their budget and supporters will receive all manner of goodies depending on the amount pledged. i really want to see this project come to fruition, so let's make it happen. after all, every little bit counts.

find out more and contribute to the production of tiny earthquakes here. do also check out the film's facebook page.

replies

marinka: with your photographic sensibility, i am sure you will like the film!

if jane: thank you! i am pleased that someone can see the logic in my strange connections.

mandy, nikaela marie and ella: yes, definitely check it out if you can.

christine: thanks - cindy sherman is a favourite of mine.

sj: i discovered her in my first year of uni and was immediately enthralled. i have only seen one of her photographs in a gallery and would love the opportunity to see more. it's a shame that you missed the retrospective in sydney.

tana: definitely!

mlle paradis: nice eye! i think you're right on the manet and cindy connection there.

galit: haha - i love it! i've not seen *that film* myself, but i see no shame in embracing slightly daggy comedies.

sundari: there are so many images in sherman's film still series that i doubt that i have seen them all. i'm pretty good - insanely busy with work and final edits of the thesis, but not too shabby. i hope your honours year is going well!

francesca: thank you!

make it easy: that's fantastic! her body of work is amazing to explore in more detail.

CINDY

2011-05-05T20:47:00.001+08:00

the still must tease with the promise of a story the viewer of it itches to be told.
- cindy sherman

after watching cléo from 5 to 7 i started thinking about cindy sherman's untitled film stills. although the whole point of sherman's photographic series is to gesture towards that which cannot be directly referenced, i can't help but feel that there is little bit of cléo behind some of sherman's constructions of femininity. even the motifs of the voyeuristic gaze, performance and photographic/cinematic seduction resonate with varda's film.

images:
:: untitled film still # 53 (1980) :: untitled film still # 56 (1980) ::

replies

a.n.e: thank you - i'm glad to read that you liked my thoughts on the film. do check it out if you can.

if jane: i have a few of her other films to watch as well. do you have any recommendations? i think i will check out le bonheur next!

kenziefaith, marinka, mandy and tana: merci for your kind words!

vivi: an agnès marathon sounds like a great idea. i want to see more after watching cléo.

tracey: from what i have gleaned from your blog, i think that this film would definitely appeal to you.

stephanie: oh yes, those final scenes are so touching. they're such a contrast to the earlier mood of melodrama and beautifully capture unexpected intimacy and connection.

galit: i'm curious now - i want to know what you watched :) i get what you mean about longing for foreign cities - i have no travel prospects on the horizon and all i can think about is being somewhere else. even melbourne would be lovely!

mlle paradis: i am reasonably new to varda's work, but i like what i have seen so far. thank you.

CLÉO DE 5 À 7

2011-05-02T16:28:00.002+08:00

i try to translate into cinema my visual and/or human emotions and plastic discoveries.

- agnès varda

in a recent issue of lula, varda described cléo from 5 to 7 as "a story of...a woman afraid of illness and death...told in real time and real geography." the structure of the film, which does indeed unfold in real time, perfectly captures cléo's emotional journey as she awaits a medical diagnosis just as it precisely maps her movements through paris. it touches on time (in both a filmic and metaphysical sense), mortality, fame and vanity, melancholy and possibility. these ideas interestingly converge on the repeated visual motif of masks and mirrors that track and reflect cléo's changing emotional visages throughout the film's 1.5 hour time frame, as she deals with her fear of death. cléo is one of the most indulgent and narcissistic characters that i have encountered onscreen in a while; however, for all of the flaws in her personality, she is nonetheless compelling to watch.

running parallel to cléo's story is a narrative of the city that charts the everyday life of the left bank in the 1960s. the cinéma vérité style that varda uses to frame the action consistently shifts attention away from cléo to people on the streets, in cafés and in the process of travelling to display a clever intermingling of fact and fiction that often breaks down the "fourth wall." this idea is taken further with the inclusion of a short film that varda directed that stars jean-luc godard and anna karina. "les fiancés du pont macdonald" (watch it here) is not particularly connected to the central narrative; however, it functions as a thread that self-consciously draws attention to the act of constructing and editing film. cléo from 5 to 7 is steeped in the nouvelle vague tradition of rethinking and altering how film is made and consumed, but does so from a uniquely feminine perspective. it is also a document of paris in a particular period and an intimate exploration of female subjectivity.

replies

home collection, amanda jane, heather, cassandra marie, camila f., if jane, primoeza, stippel, ella, adeline, tracey and nileta: i'm so pleased you enjoyed it too!

avalonne hall: ha - that image is a perfect meeting of something you love and something you hate. i hope it didn't freak you out too much. and coral lipstick does sound like a winner!

vintageveggie: i have heard some of her work with teacups and i have to say that her solo venture does seem like quite a departure from her previous folky sound.

ginta: let's keep our fingers crossed for something new soon!

UNDER

2011-04-27T12:52:00.002+08:00

the ethereal debut video from watercolours aka chelsea jade's magical solo musical venture.

yes, the music video is gorgeous, but how good is the song itself?! i can't wait to hear more.

replies

soph: oh damn, that is frustrating, but i know that there was heaps of other amazing stuff to do and see - the slide, the balloons, the pool! do let me know if you made a last minute dash yesterday. and thank you for the congrats :)

amy: me too! anything that tries to create an environment or establish its own space within the gallery immediately appeals to me. my easter break wasn't too shabby - i was a bit under the weather, but spent time relaxing.

tracey: well if you ever hear about any jobs for an arty type with writing and research skills, let me know. all of my family live in brisbane, but i haven't lived there since 1990! i am envious that you managed to see the exhibition.

home collection, cassandra marie, nikaela marie and behind the lashes: yes, his work is amazing. i'm glad you like it too.

claire: i don't like the idea of the finches being distressed. i can imagine animal protection would be all over that. it does, however, sound like an incredible artwork to watch. i hope i can see his work one day in the flesh.

koey: i hope to do the same one day too :)

janelle: you too can do crazy things with coat hangers ;) speaking of arty things, your new portfolio site looks fantastic - i took a peek this morning. and thanks for the congrats.

0000: thank you kindly.

camila: ah, congrats are in order for you too!

primoeza: yeah, i love the intersection between aesthetic and concept in the work. and the new addition is a boy!

FROM HERE TO EAR (V. 13)

2011-04-26T12:02:00.001+08:00

i haven't been fortunate enough to travel to brisbane* to see the 21st century: art in the first decade exhibition that is currently being held at goma; however, i did vicariously experience some of the artworks through a documentary shown on the abc last week (it's also on iview for aussie viewiers).

i was particularly taken by the installation from here to ear (v. 13) by french artist, musician and composer céleste boursier-mougenot. the images don't really do the work justice as, although it is aesthetically beautiful, the piece is actually concerned with creating a sonorous environment facilitated by the movement of the finches - thereby producing what boursier-mougenot refers to as a "musical aviary" or a "three dimensional score." you can watch an interview with boursier-mougenot here.

* i have another reason to travel to brisbane soon - i became an auntie (of sorts - it's my cousin's baby) on saturday! i hope everyone had a relaxing easter break.

all images via the qag/goma flickr.

replies

lina: i'm pleased you like it! i get what you mean about fashion posts on some blogs...i guess i'm not into high fashion so i prefer simple elegance.

camille, see hear say, camila f., make it easy and siubhan: thank you. great to read you liked the collection as much as i do.

joy sohn: yes, there is definitely a style similarity to steve alan. i wish i could buy alan's designs in australia!

sunkentreasure: oh, me too. even though i am currently in autumn i would still wear the majority of these designs.

if jane and amy: indeed!

ella: i've never been one for loafers, but i think i may be coming around.

steph.: i am with you on the boxy grey top all the way. and thanks again for introducing me to glisk - i am still listening to their ep heaps.

janelle burger: oh, i agree!

hannah rose: ah, you clearly have minimalist style down to a tee :)

tracey: yeah, my bank account would go into serious shock if i splurged on anything from this collection.

MARGARET HOWELL S/S 2011

2011-04-20T21:22:00.001+08:00

margaret howell's spring/summer collection 2011 continues her perfect approach to elegant simplicity.

i will take one of each, please. i just can't say no to anything with stripes or pleats.

replies

joy: woah, telephone is a pretty complex word to be your first! yes, i try to avoid narcissism. hopefully i succeed :)

adeline: 1. i vouch to protect you from stupid people - i'm not a fan of them either. 2. yay! 3. oh, do find out if you can - surely your mum might remember? it was probably something stylish or fashionable, knowing you. 4. i've done pink as well. knee socks look awesome on you - they just look terrible on me. i went through a bit of a clueless phase - if you know what i mean. 5. :) 6. is that a particular type of beauty spot? 7. you're welcome. thank you for your delightful responses xx

if jane: you're always clever. i am sure your responses will be amazing.

primoeza: you're welcome! the birthmark is probably more on the weird side of cute :)

bre: definitely the worst mistake i've ever made. i'm just pleased i managed to salvage the mess!

soph: i love grace jones now, so i find it hilarious that i was so freaked out by her. i feel for your friend danika - she would probably get some of the same strange interpretations that i have encountered. i can't believe people would get your name wrong - some folk are bizarre!

tracey: i'm relieved i am not the only one that saw the scary side of grace.

laura: oh, you poor thing. i think it took me around a year to grow mine back - i feel your pain!

see hear say: thanks laura! that video is slightly frightening, right? i think that the reason why both you and i have blogs where we predominantly post on art, music, films etc. that we like is an indication that we're not big on talking about ourselves.

tc: i had to google mr clean...he looks like hulk hogan with shorter hair. no wonder he creeped you out as a kid!

heleen: thanks - if i listed my favourite food or film it would be a massive list! this was easier :)

saer: i think you're right about grace and dolph. dear me, that's quite a combination. i can remember watching one of his films as a child called dark angel that scared me half to death. if i had seen the two of them together i probably would have had a massive freak out. ugh, i hate it when people spell my name wrong. i hope i've never done that to you!

ella: only children are the best, i believe ;)

galit: ahh, i am sure that your facts would be more interesting than mine! i just tended towards the kookiest i could think of.

7

2011-04-17T12:07:00.001+08:00

ella and laura kindly passed on the versatile blogger award, which involves listing seven facts (i've tried to include things that you wouldn't necessarily glean from reading my blog) and passing the award on to other fab bloggers. my chosen recipients are elizabeth, galit, gerlin, nancy and reanna.

1. i wasn't frightened of monsters or ghosts as a child; however, i was (apparently) petrified of grace jones and would start crying if one of her music videos appeared on tv. having seen "slave to the rhythm" again recently i can see why a two year old would be a bit perturbed.

2. i am an only child, but i will share my toys...if i like you enough.

3. my first word was "more." i don't think that anyone in my family was particularly surprised by this.

4. throughout my twenty-something years of existence i have made all manner of fashion faux pas. some of these include (but are not limited to): over-plucking my eyebrows (they grew back, thankfully), managing to dye only the roots of my hair orangey blonde and wearing knee socks beyond the age of five.

5. the pronunciation of my name often confuses people. for the record, it is said a little like this: darn-eee-ca

6. i have a birthmark on my right thigh that is in the shape of a cat's paw.

7. i don't like talking about myself all that much (hence this final cop out).

image credit:
where the wild thing was by sharkskeepmoving

replies

joy c: ducks or seagulls perhaps. they're really cute, irrespective :)

jeana sohn and elias: yay!

kristina and if jane: cheers :)

see hear say: i'm glad you like it and merci beaucoup for the award too!

floddertje and nikaela marie: happy to be of service.

gerlin: i am eagerly awaiting the release of their new album in australia. i'll have to check out veronica falls - i have seen you mention them on twitter. plus, i lovvvve british accents!

ella: indeed!

bonjour johanna: i have been watching it compulsively too. i'm please you like it as much as i do.

THE LOOK

2011-04-08T22:21:00.002+08:00

metronomy is the cure for a long, exhausting week.
happy weekend everyone!

replies

shookoofeh, isabelle, whit, adeline, duermevela, moandka, make it easy, a.n.e, megan taylor, indie.tea, cassidy, ispstyle, floddertje and tofu: thank you! i am glad that you liked it.

amanda jane: i am pleased you said that, as there are other strange similarities that i share with her well.

if jane: you need to visit me in perth. i can give you summer in abundance!

see hear say: hehe - thank you for saying that!

sally: off to check out your spring mix now.

tc: the weather bureau is teasing me with the news that we will have cooler weather at the end of next week, so i am keeping my fingers crossed xx

mr. maus: oh, mine too!

size too small: one of two exciting arrivals in your life ;)

camila f.: antoine doinel is my favourite film character of all time. i could watch those films over and over.

celine: i hope spring arrives for you soon!

primoeza: ahh, i am so jealous!

nikaela marie: my mother always claims that once you get older you find small inconveniences trivial, so that it something i am looking forward to xx

ella: thanks for the award :)

tracey: yes, it's the crisp feeling in the air that i am longing for. i think someone needs to do some research on the correlation between weather talk and old age - perhaps we would be good subjects?

galit: hehe - we've been joking about a weather swap for some time now. i really wish we could make this happen. i could send the sun over to you and you could pass on some cold mornings and we would both be content :)

vivi: thank you for your kind words. they made my day.

julia: thank you! and no need to apologise for your english - it's fantastic.

reanna: hehe, our autumn has gotten slightly colder, but is still in the high twenties so i'd probably be able to be give you a reasonably summery experience :)

wo we collection: aww that's sweet of you to notice my absence. i will try my best to update this space more often.

the velvet bow: i agree - even after the "cooler" days this week, it's still warm!

bronwyn: i always hope (usually in vain) that summer will pass quickly as well. there is something wonderful about autumn.

sundari: if that is the case, i think i should move to adelaide! do let me know if you plan on visiting perth. it would be lovely to see you.

pia: glad to read that spring has finally reached you.

amy: it's nice that you're making the most of it :)

marinka: that actually sounds like a good deal - i've been wanting to visit canada for sometime now.

saer: ha - i'll be keeping my fingers crossed that spring arrives soon - it sounds as though you have quite a bit planned. warm salads and soy chocolate milk sounds pretty good to me as well.

julie: thank you for your kind words, all the way from boston :)

AUTUMN....

2011-03-29T19:01:00.004+08:00

...où êtes vous?

i have scarves to wear, pumpkin soup to cook, hot chocolate to drink, autumn leaves to crackle, cool nights to fill with truffaut films, blankets to snuggle under, afternoon walks and bike rides to enjoy and - quite frankly - i am getting impatient with your lack of cooperation. i'll even refer to you as "fall" if that would better suit your current mood.

p.s as a child i noted that my grandma's favourite topic of conversation was the weather. funny how i now obsess over it constantly. i must be well and truly on the slippery slope to old age.

image credits:
:: autumn breakfast by simply photo :: untitled by tara thayer-public::bookstore :: untitled by hui+ :: untitled by ye rin mok :: untitled by debbie carlos :: film still from le quatre cent coups :: untitled by atlantic treefox :: visitation of the bird ii (2007) by kiki smith :: untitled by primoeza :: untitled by brianwferry :: untitled by celluloidmonamour ::

replies

see hear say: yes, the word "disheartening" sums up this issue perfectly.

ula: i really hope that you don't ever have a similar experience with your photographs.

stephanie: you should do it. i know that i would appreciate reading your thoughts and i imagine others would too.

amanda jane: yeah, it's pretty disappointing. hopefully all forms of plagiarism and copying will start to be taken more seriously in the blogging community.

camille: i think that we've all posted something that may not have had an appropriate link at some stage or another. i definitely did when i was first learning the ropes with blogging. the issue is with people that do it blatantly and without a hint of apology. i'm really pleased that you appreciated what i wrote - thank you!

tc: i've heard bloggers talking about a site called tinyeye that can find the original source of an image. i haven't tried it yet, but it may be worth looking into. hopefully if some form of copyright law does become applicable to blogging it isn't too restrictive and doesn't change the nature of keeping an online journal.

a day with kate: firstly, thank you! i just checked out your blog and am equally a fan. as for some bloggers' persective on copying: i think it's maybe a combination of carelessness and ignorance. it's such a shame.

paris parfait: good on you for issuing take-down notices! although i am not happy to read that people have misappropriated your work, i am pleased that you have taken a stand and sought to actively rectify the situation. i think that more of us will have to be more proactive with this issue.

adeline: thank you xx

kristen: ugh, that is terrible to read! even when it's not your work (i.e. image or text) i still think it is common courtesy to do a "via" link that acknowledges where it's been found. this is especially the case for a blog like modern nostalgia. you clearly spend a lot of time finding different and unique items to post and it's crap that other people are taking the credit for it. tumblr has a lot to answer for.

primoeza: publicly naming and shaming definitely seems like the best step to take considering how expensive litigation can be.

tofu: yes, respect! that should be paramount.

marinka: me too.

tracey: i agree. it is a shame that blogging is considered to be such a low form of expression that copying isn't considered a serious issue in some circles. we just have to keep fighting the good fight.

nikaela marie: i too, at times, have considered giving up blogging because i have found this issue so troubling (and annoying). and you're right: if it means that artists are going to stop sharing their work then it has completely destroyed the very spirit that supports the community.

lin: thanks - i am in complete agreement.

camila f.: thanks for your considered words.

jane flanagan: there are so many blogs that are merely "image dumps" (to use bobby solomon's favourite insult) that it is sad that people who spend time composing words are seemingly overlooked. needless to say, i was glad to have found your blog through your comment on chelsea's post!

kristina: that quote is amazing. i am intrigued by your local plagiarism scandal - will have to look it up.

chris: de rien :)

sundari: it's a cycle of non-accreditation. i hope it doesn't happen to any of your work.

urban weeds: thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lengthy and informative reply. your words are as good a guide as any that i have come across.

cassidy: reading through your comment (and those of others) it seems that tumblr is the biggest offender.

ella: thank you :)

rachell taylor: cheers. and i agree: lisa has done an amazing job of engaging with this sensitive topic.

cinta/sepi/sayu: that's horrible. i hope that it was resolved quickly and without too much heartache.

heartsofsand: i am also less inclined to read a blog when they fail to credit properly. i have yet to come across a blog that has disabled the right-click action, but that seems like a good option. it's definitely better than watermarking, which tends to ruin the overall aesthetic of an image.

ON WRITING

2011-03-11T19:30:00.005+08:00

intellectual property and the internet have always had a fraught relationship. in the three years that i have been blogging, i have observed instances of artists' designs being copied, appropriated or uncredited by big businesses, the failure of a small minority of bloggers to link to their sources and general instances of blatant copying.

a recent post on frolic!, which i definitely recommend that you have a read through if you have your own blog, discusses in detail the issue of photographic crediting: "...when i see a blog without proper credits to photos, i consider it theft and i discontinue reading the blog. not properly crediting photos is incredibly disrespectful to the photographers and the people who created the images. i've seen it on small blogs and big ones too. it doesn't matter whether you blog for fun or for your job, everyone has the responsibility to credit the images they use."

chelsea's post, and the comments that follow it, stirred up a few things that i had been thinking about recently. one of the comments, from lisa warninger who is the lady behind portland street style blog urban weeds, stated the following: "would you copy and paste someones paragraph without crediting? of course not!"

unfortunately, words are not immune - a fact pointed out by jane flanagan of ill seen ill said and something that i have experienced myself.

i occasionally write (do hire me: i'll compose some delightful prose for you!) for various online publications and have seen my writing pop up in other places - most notably tumblr - completely uncredited. if this occurred anywhere other than the internet it would be considered serious plagiarism, but blogging appears to fall into some strange dead zone where normal rules don't apply. in her post, chelsea highlighted the time and effort that goes into composing a photograph and the manner in which it is undermined when it is carelessly reblogged. writing is, of course, no different...and to think that all it takes is some inverted commas and a link to properly credit the source.

as far as i am aware copyright infringement via blogging has yet to received any serious legal attention. if chelsea's post and the comments that follow it are anything to go by some form of legal intervention may not be too far away. bravo to chelsea for putting this issue back in the spotlight.

image: eliot.

replies

a l e x i s † (amgoorie): hopefully autumn won't be too far away!

camille: thank you! and i completely get what you mean - i always find it funny that the northern hemisphere can't wait for warm weather while i am holding out for chilly days.

elias: thanks - i'm glad you liked it.

marinka: you're welcome.

ella: you're too kind, but i am happy that you enjoy the mixes that i put together :)

galit: aww, i did have you in mind while i was putting it together. i was worried that you might think "ugh. this isn't what i was hoping for", so i am really pleased that you enjoyed it. the lykke li song was a lucky coincidence too!

see hear say: i hope it helped your friday pass quickly. and yes, feel free to do a similar thing with your comments. i realised that people probably weren't aware that i reply to their comments, so i decided to try this layout. i am indebted to anabela of fieldguided, as it is based on her approach to replying to comments.

amanda jane: thank you and welcome!

camila f.: you're most welcome.

nikaela marie: i hope you get your budding branches soon!

des: cheers - great to read that it hit the spot.

AUTOMNE

2011-03-09T20:40:00.006+08:00

at the request of galit i have put together a little mix for autumn. it feels nothing like autumn in perth at the moment, but i am keeping my hopes up for falling leaves and chilly days.

track list

maple leaves ep version - jens lekman
black gold - foals
switchblade - jenny and johnny
before i'm done - toro y moi
ne dis pas aux copains - france gall
heartbreaker - girls
i follow rivers - lykke li
#6 - twin sister

play here.

replies

felix curds: my sentiments exactly!

sundari: oh, i wish my wardrobe looked even remotely like this! i do have lots of black and grey, but not a lot of colour. as for the thesis: i'm at the end of editing and going a bit mad (what's new?) at the moment, but getting there. will hopefully be able to send you a big newsy email soon. i hope honours is going well - i want to hear more about your project!

tofu, if jane, tracey, rina, ella, piia and chuck: glad you like it.

primoeza: ha - they do look like jellybeans!

gerlin: not in my price range either, i'm afraid. maybe one day when we strike it big.

galit: here it is! if you don't like it, i will be crushed because i had you in mind when i was putting it together.

avalonne hall: oh, i thought that you expressed yourself beautifully...you got through to me anyway. i love peter pan collars - although i don't think i have one anywhere in my wardrobe, alas.

SESSÙN PRINTEMPS-ÉTÉ

2011-03-05T14:29:00.002+08:00

sessùn have designed yet another beautifully feminine collection for spring/summer 2011. i love the subtle frills, floral prints and peter pan collars. they also play the best music on their site - i've had their mix for company while i've been writing this afternoon.

via where the lovely things are.

JUDY KAUFMANN

2011-03-05T13:45:00.002+08:00

woody, david, andy and a cute girl with a mustache. the delightful judy kaufmann sure knows how to capture history's great characters in illustrative form. being a bit of a cinephile, i think it goes without saying that woody is my favourite.

thanks for sharing your work, judy!

:: site :: etsy ::

MEMORYHOUSE

2011-02-28T17:05:00.001+08:00

a lovely little bar session with one of my favourite bands.

found via shiromoiro.

EVERY MORNING

2011-02-27T18:03:00.002+08:00

a new photography project from nanako koyama: every morning captures the private routines and morning rituals of people from various parts of the world. i love the intimate feel of these shots and how they offer a small insight into the lives of other people.

we're in the midst of a heat wave in perth. for the past few days i've felt like this.

DAGMAR ROUSSET

2011-02-23T13:53:00.002+08:00

yet another reason why i really want to visit melbourne again. dagmar rousset is a combined boutique and - wait for it - french school. i have to say the concept is brilliant: shopping and francophilia is a pretty perfect match in my book. merci to andrew for reminding me of the shop/school's existence.

images via cool hunting and the design files.

LANEWAY

2011-02-21T13:13:00.002+08:00

a round-up of my highlights:

best hair: jenny lewis (jenny and johnny) obviously

best dance moment: "beverly kills" by ariel pink's haunted graffiti

best dance moves: kazu makino (blonde redhead)

best on-set decor: beach house. confetti system - need i say more?

best dressed: tim koh (ariel pink's haunted graffiti) for his neon pink tights and sequin dress number

best showmanship: yannis philippakis (foals) for jumping off a six foot high amp while playing his guitar (also for being devastatingly handsome).

did you go? what were your highlights?

ANNA KARINA

2011-02-17T11:48:00.001+08:00

if anyone should have an entire collection inspired by and named after them it's definitely anna. with the bold palette, bow details and coloured tights, it's very une femme est une femme.

peter jensen a/w 2011

via so much to tell you.

CONFETTI SYSTEM

2011-02-09T14:30:00.002+08:00

i wrote on where they create, paul barbera's wonderful creative interiors project, for the fox is black last year, but i didn't know that barbera had photographed the studio of the confetti system duo until vic posted on it. oh my, everything they touch is magic! i seriously want this tassel garland.

exciting news that where they create is going to be turned into a book too!

FIGURES

2011-02-07T19:16:00.004+08:00

a few things captured through the camera lens...

:: little metallic stickers around leederville (does anyone know who the artist is?)
:: bacon stack at milkd. i'm terrible at getting out of bed, but the promise of bacon always works for me
:: the new mural by stormie mills in milkd's maylands space

:: the central bench at the gorgeous distracted (a curiosity shop/coffee shop/haircut shop/brazilian wax specialist/art shop). no wonder they chose distracted as their name

:: my godard tee by alpha 60. it never fails to attract attention - a fellow patron in distracted actually asked if he was my boyfriend. i suppose, in a sense, he is :)

*edit: thank to cerebral e for giving me the tip that the stickers are by artist sam knest.

VALERIE CHIANG

2011-02-04T17:47:00.001+08:00

i don't know about you, but my jaw tends to drop when i read the age of many emerging photographers. i was equally impressed when i received an email from valerie chiang (who is all of 18!). her photographic work reveals a calm, quiet and still beauty that is stunningly ethereal. she describes her photography in terms of "escapism" and uses elements of surrealism to create her elegant dreamscapes. her images are so delicately emotive that they make using words to describe them almost redundant.

:: site :: flickr :: tumblr ::

GENTLEMEN

2011-02-04T00:40:00.005+08:00

two favourite gentlemen who both happen to have very fetching hair: richard ayoade and chaz bundwick (aka toro y moi). one makes me laugh and the other makes my ears happy.*

*if you've never watched the it crowd or listened to causers of this i suggest you do so immediately.

MADAME HAWKE

2011-02-02T03:14:00.001+08:00

it's hardly a surprise that i love the photographs by guy coombs for the third volume of madam hawke journal. the clothes, seaside setting, vintage cameras and beautiful girls are pretty close to perfection in my book.

the journal is available to purchase on ruby boutique.

found via willow ships (perhaps you recognise the dreamy blonde?).

MR KITLY

2011-01-29T18:48:00.001+08:00

i really hope that i am able to make a trip to melbourne soon...mainly so that i can visit mr kitly in brunswick. stocking pottery, books, jewellery, tea, textiles and plants, mr kitley also has an in-store gallery with an interesting rotation of artists. the shop decor and the internationally-sourced wares predominantly possess a gorgeous japanese minimalist aesthetic that i really love. definitely looks like my kind of place.

have any melb readers popped by yet?

:: mr kitly site :: blog :: online shop ::

ESSENTIALS

2011-01-27T18:23:00.001+08:00

lovely elizabeth tagged me to post my five daily essentials. nothing too exciting: kiehl's lip balm # 1 (i hate dry lips), glasses (absolutely essential - i need them to see!), moleskine notebook and pen (i am always making lists, jotting down reminders and ideas), iphone (couldn't imagine life without it now).

i will tag: anabela, katie and soph.

OWL EYES

2011-01-24T15:27:00.001+08:00

1 + 1 by owl eyes.
saw this late friday night on rage and thought it was darling.

who knew that someone this amazing would come out of australian idol?

listen to more here.

ERIC HURTGEN

2011-01-22T18:38:00.002+08:00

i could happily get lost in the quiet and desolate landscapes captured by eric hurtgen. the worn vintage aesthetic, subtle use of colour and abstract touches are simply gorgeous. i love everything he has done so far and am looking forward to seeing what eric has in store for 2011. definitely take a peek at his portfolio - i almost posted everything on his site because i found it difficult to choose just a selection of favourite pieces!

NEVER LET ME GO

2011-01-19T15:56:00.002+08:00

i must confess that i have yet to read kazuo ishiguro's novel, upon which mark romanek's 2010 adaptation is based, so any subsequent thoughts collected here are based on the film alone. a film that i think is absolutely wonderful.

i was keen to view never let me go after i watched the trailer last year, but i must admit that i was slightly apprehensive that the science fiction element of the plot would overwhelm the film. fortunately, alex garland's screenplay and romanek's direction is a near perfect balance of dystopian narrative and romantic, period drama sensibilities.

the themes of love and death, and issues concerning the ethics of cloning and whether clones have souls, are beautifully handled through the moving performances of carey mulligan, keira knightley and andrew garfield (*new crush*). each possesses a strangely fragile sense of strength that is also reflected in the cinematography, which is dreamily sedate, washed-out and yet visceral. there is a lingering melancholy that is even present in the movement of the camera as it traces the sights of the film, attempting to indelibly apply each visual to memory just as the characters do.

i always try to watch films that are endowed with a visual elegance that is matched by a strong story, and never let me go did not disappoint.

ALL THE MOUNTAINS X ETSY

2011-01-13T13:47:00.002+08:00

i adore amy's guest curator spot on the etsy blog. i want one of everything!

check it out.

ROB HODGSON

2011-01-13T00:51:00.002+08:00

rob hodgson is a british illustrator whose work reminds me of wintery days, old poems written on faded paper and folk songs. he is a man after my own heart, as he lists myth and memory, windows and doors, coffee in the morning, tea at bedtime, cities and forests as some of his inspirations. these motifs certainly come through in his warm and organic aesthetic and the beautiful content of his illustrations. i particularly love his images of françoise hardy.

do check out his blog and shop.

MY LITTLE AIRPORT

2011-01-09T23:50:00.002+08:00

my little airport are my favourite local hong kong band. i originally came across them in an article discussing one of their more politically motivated songs (you'll know it when you hear it - the message is pretty unambiguous). their sound is a bit belle and sebastian filtered through dream-pop casio beats with chinglish lyrics. in other words, it's super catchy and cute. definitely check out their other songs on youtube if they take your fancy.

CLOSET VISITS

2011-01-03T23:46:00.008+08:00

jeana's closet visit series is one of the most inspiring fashion-related projects on the web. it's not just about labels and trends, but focuses on the personal styles of jeana's friends and acquaintances. in particular, there is a real intimacy to jeana's photography that i love, whereby she captures each subject dressed in their own clothes within their own dwelling.

view the series via jeana's blog.

BONNE ANNÉE!

2011-01-01T21:38:00.003+08:00

happy new year everyone!

i hope that 2011 is filled with all kinds of happiness...including the cake variety.

LISTENING IN 2010

2010-12-30T22:48:00.002+08:00

i know - yet another top 10 album list for 2010 wasn't really necessary, but i always like an excuse to share musical loves. so in no particular order:

beach house teen dream; memoryhouse the years ep; white hinterland kairos; darwin deez darwin deez; broken bells broken bells; erykah badu new amerykah part 2: return of the ankh; warpaint the fool; toro y moi causers of this; wild nothing gemini; violens amoral.

what did you have on repeat in 2010?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2010-12-24T12:01:00.002+08:00

image via french cinema.

PRIMOEZA SPRING/SUMMER 2011

2010-12-23T11:51:00.002+08:00

this is, in my opinion, the perfect meeting of minds: the ss2011 lookbook for elizabeth rayman young's beautiful primoeza knitwear line as photographed by olga bennett with some finishing hand-painted flourishes by luci everett. one word: dreamy.

the scarves will be available in the primoeza shop in january. woot!

I AM A PARISIAN LADY

2010-12-16T18:08:00.005+08:00

world feminine myth, the parisian' lady is renowned to be an icon of elegance and of savoir vivre. often dreamt but rarely unveiled; these women are a mystery for all. we all have our own vision of the parisian lady but everybody got it wrong. hence, i engaged in a photographic process of 'les parisiennes' to unveil this myth, or at least to lighten it up or to update it.

the concept of the following photographs is to shoot some parisian ladies from unknown background at home and in the middle of their daily life. we are going away from the cliché of the actress of from the celebrity to the unknown who represent the real parisian lady. so as to get as close as possible from the essence of the parisian culture. the goal is hence to describe their way of life throw trends and codes. i have made a point that all the photographed women have been born, raised and educated within the city of paris. those are the ones that naturally carry the parisian culture without the desire to become parisians. they can be opposed to those who can just be described as aspirants.

......................................................

the concept behind baudouin's fabulous i am a parisian lady project. i may be an "aspirant", but i am not going to give up trying to capture that parisian je ne sais quoi.

a huge merci to my francophile friend andrew lowe for passing on the link.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

2010-12-15T14:52:00.002+08:00

i took part in mariah's fantastic 12 days of christmas series on size too small.

take a peek here.

feeling the christmas cheer yet?

SOMEWHERE

2010-12-12T15:12:00.002+08:00

i love the layout and content of the official site for sofia coppola's upcoming film somewhere. rather than filling the space with the usual promotional material, coppola has taken a more intimate approach and presented her inspiration board for the film, as well as her photo diary. i have always loved stephen dorff (have any of you seen entropy?) and i am excited to see his collaboration with coppola. bring on 26 december!

EN ÉTÉ

2010-12-09T13:18:00.002+08:00

my final mix for 2010 has a bit of a summery theme, as i still can't help but think of music in terms of the seasons.
i hope you enjoy it.

track list
runabout - little dragon

cremona memories - keep shelly in athens

forget me not - thieves like us

day by day - taken by trees

bed down - split seconds

ghosts - fanfarlo

lissie's heart murmur - warpaint

for emma - bon iver

play here.

WO & WÉ

2010-12-06T16:42:00.002+08:00

i am rather entranced by the beautiful vintage and restored lamp fixtures by wo & wé. not to mention the well-curated selection of inspiration from the wo & wé blog. olivier has a very defined and elegant sense of taste and i highly recommend that you check out his stunning lamp designs that mix utilitarian functionalism and simple beauty.

SOME DEAR THINGS

2010-12-01T12:16:00.002+08:00

i haven't had much time to blog for various reasons (mostly thesis/work-related), so i wanted to do a post featuring some of the super bits and pieces i have seen lately and that have made me smile:

knowing how to say meow in many languages. i love everything fieldguided does.
+
the girl i would like to be - sometimes posted on jokemijn. at times, i'd like to be her too.
+
autumn pine cone gold necklace by friedasophie. reminds me of the winter that i am sorely missing at the moment.
+
folk art by brooklyn artist jamie mcpartland. such wonderful textures and colours.

louis garrel. laura's post on la belle personne reminded me how much i adore his screen presence...and his hair. damn, has he got great hair.
+
attik27 holiday decals via design*sponge. i'm starting to get a wee bit excited for the holiday period.
+
new online interiors magazine covet garden. so beautifully designed and written. i want to live in every place that they have featured.
+
lines and shapes' holiday book bundles. if i didn't already have both of these books, they would be on my list for santa. i wish they sold the tote separately.

ISABELLA

2010-11-25T14:12:00.006+08:00

i have a natural ear for cantonese. although i can only understand a very limited set of words and phrases (particularly those of the naughty variety), i can still pick it up a mile away. flicking through channels late one night i happened across pang ho-cheung's isabella and decided to record it merely for the fact that it was obviously a hong kong film. i'm really pleased that i did.

i don't want to go into the specifics of the plot, because i think it is best viewed with little to no knowledge of its background. some people may find some of the themes initially quite confronting; however, it is worth sticking out the early scenes. while the performances are fantastic (especially from chapman to in his best screen role that i have seen thus far), charlie lam's cinematography is stunning. i've not seen macao photographed so beautifully in any other film, and the composition of each frame lends to the emotion of the film, using angles to symbolically reveal tension and inner turmoil. isabella is the kind of story that slowly creeps up on you and pulls you in.

i also found it extremely refreshing to discover a film that is essentially a character study from the hong kong film industry. the industry is so often pigeonholed for producing films that solely conform to the martial arts, action and policier genres, so it is wonderful to see a film that focuses on a "small" narrative.

definitely check it out if you can find a copy. you can view the trailer here.

LITTLE WINTER

2010-11-19T22:27:00.005+08:00

i dare say that you have been dwelling in a cave if you have yet to hear about the little winter market that recently took place in portland, or. let me just say that i have never seen a market quite like this in australia (do these kind of markets pop up all the time in the states?). as the photographs above display, the artisans involved all possess an aesthetic that is clean, sophisticated, professional and elegant - about as far away as you can get from general associations with "craft." coincidentally someone i know (although i can't remember exactly who) recently made the comment that there are only a few letters difference between "craft" and "crap", suggesting that crafted goods are no longer aligned with skill.

i started to wonder whether the choice to name little winter a "handmade" market, rather than a craft market, might explain why it was so different to other craft fairs:

craft /kra:ft/ n. & v. 1 skill, esp. in practical arts. 2 a (esp. in comb.) a trade or an art (statecraft; handicraft; priestcraft; the craft of pottery). b the members of a craft. 3 (pl. craft) a a boat or vessel. b an aircraft or spacecraft. 4 cunning or deceit. 5 (the Craft) the brotherhood of Freemasons v.tr. make in a skilful way (crafted a poem; a well-crafted piece of work). [Old English croeft]

handmade /han(d)'meid/ adj. made by hand and not by machine, esp. as designating superior quality.

notice that the definition for handmade designates "superior quality"?

irrespective of whether little winter is classified in terms of crafted or handmade goods (or both!), i really wish i had been able to attend this event. had i been there i would have empty pockets right now.

image credits
:: secret pocket :: my house party :: fieldguided :: fieldguided ::
:: fieldguided :: abbytrysagain :: my house party :: my house party ::

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

2010-11-13T16:32:00.007+08:00

the stylish fleurette from dead fleurette, gorgeous nancy from nearness of distance and lovely claire of lola is beauty have presented me with the "i love your blog" prize. thanks to all of you for the recognition and for creating blogs that are so inspiring to read.

the rules of the prize are:

- do an entry with the prize.

- answer the questions.

- give the prize to 10 blogs.

1. why did you create the blog?

i originally started this blog as a place to collate some of my favourite things. there was no overriding concept or approach, but rather it proceeded organically as a space for my thoughts on film, art, fashion and everything in between. i like to think of it as a little visual collection that is randomly, but lovingly curated.

2. what kind of blogs do you follow?

i follow blogs that have an original voice and beautiful aesthetic. i tend to follow people who allow their personality to come through in their posts, who offer their own perspective and have a great sense of style.

3. favorite makeup brand?

i am fickle when it comes to makeup - mainly because a number of the products that i have used and loved have been discontinued. i do like chanel, naturally.

4. favorite clothing brand?

ah, this is easy: a.p.c. i love everything they do.

5. your indispensable makeup product:

kiehl's lip balm #1.

6. your favorite color:

soft grey.

7. your perfume:

coco by chanel. you know a perfume is your signature scent when you feel "done" once you have sprayed it on.

8. your favorite film:

similar to fleurette, nancy and claire i find it impossible to choose just one; however, my favourite filmmakers are sofia coppola, wong kar-wai, kim ki-duk, fatih akin, françois truffaut, jean-luc godard, christophe honoré and many, many more. j'aime les cinéma!

9. what country would you like to visit and why?

at the moment, i really want to visit south korea. this is largely inspired by katie and her seoul posts on thank you, ok. trust me, they'll make you want to visit too!

10. make the last question and answer to yourself: what is the meaning of life?

cookies.

and the 10 blogs i give the prize to:

adeline from lady croissant
aron from make it easy

ella from reve de la mode

kate from that kate

katie from thank you, ok

laura from see hear say

sophie from sunken treasure

steph from mayhem and miscellany

stephanie from stipthings

sundari from intimate vignettes

image by sunbear.