Music- quality vs. quantity

In an age of mass produced music for the musically clueless population there is definitely a lack of quality music. When we think of pop music today, names such as Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus and Niki Minaj come to mind. Oh and what the hell is up with Taylor Swift? Is it the ugly hair or the weird cat eyes that attracts people to her, because I know her music sucks so it can't be that. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to be mean here, it's just my opinion and I would rather be blunt about it than sugar coating it. I live in Canada, sugar coating is a national sport here, along with shopping and eating....so I am drowning in sugar by this stage....And below, moving on from my rant .
Quality music is a rare and wonderful surprise when you finally get the chance to discover it and it should be cherished like a prized possession for as long as possible. Sometimes, well actually all the time, when I come across music that I love I will keep on listening to it over and over again for two or three days straight and naturally I will get tired of it (obviously if it's a song like Sylvia by Miike Snow or Electric Feel by MGMT then one can never get tired of it - only a two or three day pause will be required after a binge). I am trying very hard to stop myself from doing so because it kills the whole music experience for me and the pleasure that was gained by the discovery of such a gem is short lived and therefore ineffective.  I wanted to share with you a few names of artists that I find to be worth your time and will not make you throw up in a few days of listening to it making you never come back to it. So here goes:

Miike Snow

Little Dragon

Lana Del Rey

Adele

Florence and The Machine

Hope you enjoy.

Image by Man Ray

Lana Del Rey

It only took a second for me to get sucked in by the mesmerizing voice and the seductively gloomy Lana Del Rey. Where was I for all this time not knowing about this vocal genius. She is what I would call a round singer. On one hand she sings about trailer-trash and the theme of most of her songs are the struggles of what you would consider a "low class" problematic, at least that is the impression the songs give off, yet when you look at her life and her background, the connection is quite puzzling and surprising. How can a woman that grew up in a more than comfortable financial upbringing know about the struggles of "low-class" rebels? I love it though. She makes the gloomy and destructive life of drug addicts more than appealing and somewhat romantic.

Have a listen to her newest single. Both the music and the video are amazing. 

image via silencenogood.net

Travel Essentials

In less than a week I am once again travelling to Slovakia. The flight is over 9 hours so I am preparing well in advance to make my journey more comfortable. I have travelled so much over the years so I have my go to essentials that I take every time I fly, but I also like to include some "new" discoveries, especially when it comes to beauty products.

1. Obviously you need something to put everything in, so a travel bag is essential. I like this Longchamp one its practical and light!

2. Transatlantic flights can be long and boring, so I usually take at least two books(one for "leisure reading and one for "technical" or "theoretical" reading), just in case I get bored of one or the other.

3. I also take a couple magazines along to flip through during take off or before meals, or when I don't feel like readin a book anymore. 

4. There is always something interesting that I need to jot down so I never forget to bring a notebook and  some pens with me.

5. Music is essential to help you relax and make the journey a little more exciting, so I always bring along a CHARGED ipod. Big headphones are really good at drowning out noise like these ones from WESC.

6. Comfort is so important when it comes to flying, so a neck pillow and a blanket is essential. (note: I usually use the one they provide in the plane as a back pillow, to fill the gap between my back and the seat at the bottom of the backrest.) Some airlines do not provide the customer with a blanket so it's always good to have one with you, just in case. I love this blanket by The Hudson's Bay Company.

7. I don't care what you say, it gets cold up there, so furry socks and a furry hoodie are a must. They keep you warm, and it doesn't matter if they're ugly because no one is going to see them under that blanket, plus you can get the hoodie dirty without worries because at the end of the flight you're going to take it off anyways.

8. A toothbrush and a toothpaste or mouthwash because we all have to brush our teeth.

9. Sometimes it's hard to fall asleep on a flight especially if it's during the day, sleeping pills do help. Sitting for 9 hours or more is no cookie, to help soothe that stomach of yours, bring digestive aid. 

To be continued....

Vogue Archive

Just recently Vogue, the fashion bible, launched the Vogue Archive to fashion lovers, art historians, photographers and anyone else who is interested. Individuals can become members for $1575 a year! The archive gives their members access to every issue, from the very first one in 1892 to the current issue. It is such an amazing art history tool, I'm just not too sure about the high price! It makes it all the less accesible to, for example, up and coming designers who do not have the extra $2000 dollars. 

     1. The very first issue and cover of Vogue, 1892          2. The cover of the book Vogue In Covers by Doodie Kazanjian 

1. September  1929 Cover , Illustrated by Pierre Mourgue           2.First cover with a coloured photo by Edward Steichen, July 1932

1. Vogue Cover of Issue 1947                                   2.  Vogue Cover of the April Issue in 1950              

1. November  1988, the first issue  after Anna Wintour took over. 2. The Largest Issue so far, September 2007

If you would like to know what the process of making an issue of Vogue looks like watch the documentary The September Issue. 

Note: The November issue of 1988 was very controversial because it featured JEANS! on the cover. I love that! :)

Hope you enjoy. 

Comment Below :)

Images via cbsnews

September 1929 cover via kimonovintage

Pappi you're like a mocha

 As i was surfing the internet looking for new and inspirational music to listen to I stumbled upon Shakira's Rambiosa ft. Pitbull. I'm usually not a fan of Pitbull or Shakira but this song knocked it out of the park for me.  I love music that makes you feel sexy, forces you to shake your bum wherever you may be, and empowers you as a woman. I decided to get inspired and imagine what a woman that embodies Rambiosa would wear.

The first thing that I thought of when envisioning the outfit of a Rambiosa inspired woman was the gorgeous jackets Spanish toreadors wear. I love the intricate designs that make the jackets so awe inspiring. I was so surprised when I found out that toreador jackets are included in many 2012 collections. 

1. Moschino 2. Balmain 3. Balmain 4. Moschino  5. Dries Van Noten  6. Lady Gaga in March 2011 issue of Vogue, shot by Mario Testino

Shakira keeps on singing how her pappi resembles a mocha so I decided to pair the jackets with some beige coloured dresses. Considering that Shakira is Colombian, I decided to include printed dresses that resemble the prints used by traditional Colombian women. 

1. Asos 2. Zara 3. Asos 4. Zara 5. Zara 6. Zara

Once again, when it comes to the accessories, I was inspired by the mocha colour Shakira sings about and the patterns of Colombian folk clothes. 

All from Zara. 

Colombian women. Notice the beautiful pattern on their belts.

Have a listen to Rabiosa. 

Hope you enjoy the post! xo

Zara, asos

Indo-Hippie

Just wanted to share these beautiful editorial spreads with you. I love the combination of the Indian elements with the hippie inspired hair and headband. Model Christina Tosio made it so easy for photographer Mario Sierra to capture such beautiful photos.


Images via galamcheck

Yves Klein Blue

So for the longest time, I have been wondering who this sculpture is from mainly due to the amazing color that you cannot see in this picture. I took it at the Pompidou Center (or as the Parisians call it the Boubourg)  with my phone in Paris a couple years ago when I still lived there. Today,  I read an article on the upcoming color of 2012, which is, by the way, Tangerine Tango ( the picture below). Thanks to the article I finally found out who the sculpture was by and was reunited with the amazing indigo blue he used on a lot of his pieces. 

                                       

Tangerine Tango ( the new "it" color of 2012)

Via freeartlondon

Here is a picture of Yves Klein with a similar sculpture to the one I saw at the Boubourg behind him.

Via wikipaintings

This is the sculpture I am talking about, but thankfully, this picture does the sculpture justice. 

Via canalblog

Such an amazing hue of blue. 

Via zoolander52

An installation of Yves Klein's work that displays the color beautifully. 

Windows

You know how the saying goes, eyes are the windows to your soul, well these are the windows to another dimension of imagination in my opinion. These high definition photographs by Suren Manvelyan are just amazing. I love how they resemble landscapes. It really feels like you can get lost in them.  Can you believe that this guy is actually a scientist???!!!! What are your thoughts?