Tiny Room Tour

   I've been meaning to do this for awhile...and here it finally is! With two weeks left in my first semi-disastrous semester of college, I give you a tour of my tiny room. 

 

It's Not About Love!

   Happy Monday, I don't have a lot of time to put together a post today, but my love for Zach G. was rekindled in Puss in Boots, yes, I saw that. (Humpty wore a golden egg suit! What's not to love?!)
   Anyways, here's one of his finest, little known works. Enjoy!

It Almost Seems Like You're Avoiding Me

   It's been a hectic week and I'm going home for the long weekend tomorrow. I'll be back on Monday with (hopefully) tons of developed rolls of film, gushing reviews of my fave dishes of Johnstown, Goodwill finds, and completed knitting (and hopefully a sewing!) project.
   Have fun this weekend!*


*Not to induce panic or anything, but before everything turns into a winter wonderland. GET OUT THERE!!!!

Adventures in Pittsburgh

               

Everyone's Favorite Dinosaurs

   Last weekend, I visited some friends in Pittsburgh for our friend Ali's birthday. It was magical. I love Pittsburgh so much. It's the perfect collision between Pennsylvania's mountains and city life. I miss everyone more now, but we'll see each other soon. 

This is Halloween! This is Halloween!

I made a lovely Halloween mix and was surprised to how many haunting songs I have. Enjoy!
Track List:1. Werewolf - CocoRosie2. Ghost! - Kid Cudi3. Skeletons - Tiny Masters of Today4. Rocky Racoon - The Beatles5. Cemeteries of London - Coldplay6. Shankill Butchers - The Decemberists7. She's Not There - The Zombies8. Maniac - Kid Cudi9. In The Mausoleum - Beirut10. My Manic and I - Laura Marling11. Separate and Ever Deadly - The Last Shadow Puppets12. The Afterlife - YACHT

Book Review: READ THESE BOOKS

   Here's some summer reading catch-up for you all.


1. Snuff- Chuck Palahniuk 
   This novel is about the porn industry. Specifically focused on Cassie Wright, a fictional aging porn star who hopes to break the world record with 600 men on screen in one day. (Palahniuk, people.) The story is told from the perspectives of Mr. 600, the man who got Cassie into the industry, Mr. 72, an adopted 20-something who claims to be Cassie's son, Mr. 137, a TV has-been who hopes to jump-start his fading career with Cassie as his publicity stunt, and Sheila, Cassie's assistant.
   It's a quick read, yet can be slow at times. I dug the narrative style and how information was delivered in snippets by each character. Definitely worth the read due to intrigue, a very strange premise, Palahniuk's writing style, and various surprising tidbits about Marilyn Monroe.


2. Fight Club- Chuck Palahniuk
   You all know what this one's about. You've seen the movie, think Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden is soosuperhot/badass, and think Marla is absolutely insane (but she's totally relate-able, READ IT). The film is great. The novel is great.
   If for nothing else, just read this for the writing style. The screenwriter (Jim Uhls) did a great job at infusing Chuck's style and the fast-paced, insomniac ridden vibe that runs throughout the book and film. 
   Not to mention that it's filled with useful quotes to help start your next office revolution and possible Project Mayhem chapter. 

Worker bees can leave
Even drones can fly away
The queen is their slave

Go on, forward that to everyone in the office/class.


3. The Average American Male- Chad Kultgen
   This book pisses me off and makes me want to barf. Is that what it's supposed to do? Is it a jab at angry feminists? Is it a jab at how women act towards men? Is it a jab at how men act towards women? Is it a jab at how men act in general?
   I want to smash the patriarchy, but at times, this book made me laugh out loud. It was candid, funny, and is the male version of my tongue-in-cheek diary. (Still pisses me off and makes me want to retch.) Also, you have to take a moment to look at the two women in the book and shake your head over how we let men influence us.

   RISE UP, LADIES! Read this book. This is the insider's handbook. 

Rockin' Down the Highway

    This weekend, I drove to Pittsburgh to visit some friends. I had a great weekend, and to commemorate, I have this roadtrippin' mix containing some new favorites and some classics I remember from childhood, driving through the desert with my parents. Enjoy! 

Beirut: The Rip Tide

 


   So. The Rip Tide. Released on August 30th of this year as the band's third LP. I'm completely head-over-heels for the album and I'm not planning on hiding it. Commencing with "A Candle's Fire" and closing with "Port of Call" the toe-tapping soul-searching ratio is ace.    "Santa Fe" and "East Harlem", as tracks numero dos y tres, continue to establish a sense of longing, love, and hope through the hard times. (Definitely something we can all relate to right now.)    Next comes "Goshen", "Payne's Bay", and "The Rip Tide". Beirut has graduated with honors. These tracks feature the great vocals, instrumentation (trumpet and drums), and Zach Condon's ever-improving songwriting we've all come to love in Beirut's music. "The Rip Tide" makes a perfect title song--it's filled with the aforementioned themes of hope, love, and determination.    Tracks seven and eight, "Vagabond" and "The Peacock", are, in my opinion, the two most well-written songs on the album. Go listen to them.   The album culminates in "Port of Call", my personal favorite. It's fantastic. The album's fantastic.       Like an episode of 2 Broke Girls (but on a totally different spectrum of art), clocking in at a smidge over 33 minutes, once The Rip Tide is over, you're at a loss, your heart is open, and your time was spent wisely.   Go serenade someone.

Shake It Out

Here's Florence + The Machine's new video for "Shake It Out" and as a bonus, "What the Water Gave Me."

Oh man. Who doesn't love Flo? I want to steal her 1970s vibe and never look back. 

Perfect for this blustery fall day! Enjoy!

It's the First Week of Fall!

It's the first week of fall! Despite the fact that it still feels like summer, thunderstorms and all, stay turned for a recap of my summer and lots of fall themed goodies!
Now's the time to start stocking up on warm clothing for the upcoming chilly weather. My favorite fall colors are rust orange, mustard yellow, chocolate brown, red, and plaid prints. Feast your eyes on the films of the master of color theory and autumnal hues, Wes Anderson.

There's Magic in the Music: OK Go

I'm sure you've seen the infamous treadmill video and the equally amazing Rube Goldberg video, even the wacky A Million Ways video. Point is, the gang's been pulling these crazy stunts since 2005. I love this band, and they put on a wicked good show. Plus, Damian's pretty easy on the eyes, no?

Youtube Porn

 

   Here are some videos I've been crushing on lately:    1)The Muppet Show Theme Song by OkGo. Genius! Have you checked out The Green Album yet? P.S. OkGo has the best music videos. P.S.S. I can't even wait for the new Muppet movie! 
   2)Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5. I know, I know. But boy has PIPES! And have you SEEN him???? Total guilty pleasure.      3)Hellcat Spangled Shalalala by Arctic Monkeys. Probably my favorite band ever next to the Kinks. For lovers of Alex Turner, 1:59 is the perfect moment.
Have fun!

Rodarte for Opening Ceremony

Have you seen the lookbook for Rodarte for Opening Ceremony F/W 2011 yet? 

  

   Pure magic, right? To me, it's dreamy Scandinavian knits meets updated 1930s glamour meets a modern Jane Eyre. Absolute beauty. 

   The mustard yellow (!!!), the beautifully subdued Fair-Isle, knit skirts, my dream dress, and the fact that most of the pieces are separates blows my mind.

   Excuse me while I go pick my jaw up off the floor.

(All photos by Autumn de Wilde and can be found here.) 

More Ganni Fall/Winter 2011 & a Rant

Here are some more of my favorite pieces/looks from Ganni F/W 2011:

   Looking at these makes me weep for my future business professional self. I hate dressing within the lines of what conservative homemaker's husbands have deemed as socially acceptable. All that comes to mind are bad Easter dresses and nude pantyhose. Oh Catholicism! How growing up near you but not in your inner-circle (thank God!) made me feel like a freak of nature at school functions in a tribal print puff-sleeved dress next to this. But that's just how I feel. (Hello college!)
   But then again, that IS all bullshit and maybe I'll just end up living in an apartment that I've decorated to look like Pee Wee's house in his Big Adventure and make crafts all day. All I can really say is to bring on the corduroy, wool, khaki, and chambray--your Easter dress will pale in comparison to my office kicks.

There's Magic in the Music: Takagi Masakatsu

   When I was little and my dad was in the military he went on a deployment to Japan. I was learning to play piano at the time and used to play improvised songs on the black keys with each note strung together by the sustain pedal that I called my "Japanese Songs"--Oh, to be nine! "Flow" instantly reminded me of those songs. (Click the link to see a music video!) Enjoy!

Ganni F/W 2011

After I saw this sweater by Ganni for their F/W 2011 collection I want to knit something similar in some really off color, like bright orange or a pastel purple. Some color I've never worn before.

But who can choose between these two silhouettes?

Hardcore Girls

I love M.I.A., and her girl Rye Rye is every bit as fly as my girl Maya.



My friend and I like to joke about how M.I.A. is my alter ego- and a great alter ego she is! Enjoy!

The Fire

A few more from the fire! 
I love the fuzzy, glowing light the fire gave to these photos.

Panoramas

Some panoramas from my friend Yelena's fire awhile back.

Summer Reading: Lolita

(Via Covering Lolita)

   At the beginning of the summer I started reading Lolita and began a trend. A trend of reading books I found difficult and tedious to read, but loved after I finished them. (Don't let that stop you- it was an enrapturing read, it's merely Nabokov's narrator's style and the third quarter of the book is slow- which is necessary to the plot.)  

   First off, Lolita was MORE than I had expected it would be. After its American publication in 1958, it remains a masterpiece. The writing is flawless, the story, incomparable. Not to mention the fact that it's written in Nabokov's second language, his first being Russian.

   We all pretty much know what Lolita is about. Humbert Humbert, our narrator, writes his story in the first person, referring to his audience as his "jury" in a hopeful attempt to set his story straight and atone for his sins. Humbert, a pedophile, falls for Dolores Haze--or as Humbert and the world lovingly refer to her, Lolita--the daughter of Charlotte Haze while living at their boarding house. The rest of the story follows Humbert and Lolita's relationship and travels throughout America.

   The best part of the novel, in my opinion, includes Nabokov's impeccable description of the American landscape during Humbert and Lolita's road trip across the country. Also, Nabokov's protagonist-as-villain set up is perfect. Creating an engrossing (and repulsing) read, truly a novel that cannot be put down.

Rating: five stars.

In five or less words: People love controversy.

Should you read it?: In the words of Coke Talk, "Duh."

P.S.: The films are totally worth the watch too, after all, they did spark the fashion trend.

I'm Back!

   In the wake of an all-nighter spent cleaning my office and preparing for a two day trip to Virgina I decided to act on my urge to start this thing back up again and keep it going.

   I write this as I struggle to stay awake, knowing that in the event that I fall asleep, I'll become a raging monster fighting tooth and nail for sleep.

   So, I plan on taking a nap in the car, and (fingers crossed) having someone in the car wake me up by yelling something like, "FIRE!" or, "THE ALIENS HAVE LANDED AND ARE ABOUT TO BEGIN THEIR DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH!", or (most favorably) "OH MY GOD. ALEX TURNER AND KID CUDI ARE MAKING OUT ON THE MEDIAN WHILE PLAYING A DUET."

   You know, to get the adrenaline pumping.

   See you (God willing) later with posts on music, summer reading, and the things I've been sewing, knitting, and reading this summer.

Because This Is My Sense of Humor & I Don't Care How You React

Garfunkel and Oates

I can't even begin to tell you how genius I think this is. 

I'm going to prom this weekend. To, you know, THE promenade.

My dress is a mess. 

   Back to the genius! Arrested Development and Snooki allusions, Sarah Silverman, spray tans in the bathroom, and I Don't Understand Job is something me and I friends would do.

Girls, go grab your keyboards and say what you want. It's time you did.

About Time I Got A Style Icon: Penelope Cruz as Maria Elena in Vicky Christina Barcelona

(via this blog)

   I'm a mess. I've been waking up so damn late, dashing off to school, and have been wearing my hair in its naturally wavy state. And I just got a wonderful haircut.

   In the midst of prom dress sewing madness I took a break to watch Vicky Christina Barcelona, which might actually be my favorite Woody Allen.

   When Penelope Cruz's character, Maria Elena, first graces the screen, wonderfully disheveled and woefully dispositioned, its love at first sight (at least in my mind).

   She's got your classic Penelope elements, mussed hair, perfect eyeliner-semi-dramatic yet wearable-and, ahem, low cut tops:

(via Blindie)

   Part of me just wants to get over myself and grow my hair out like hers. Go all hippie and shit. But alas, how does one accrue such volume? Maybe lots of naps (in my dreams).

(via fatlace)

   When I'm able to tear my eyes away from Penelope's hat, all I can think about is how I want to sew up a shirt like Scarlett's. Oh man.

(via Zimbio)

   That hat. Absolute genius. I need one. I'll wear it to prom.

(via This Is Weeny)

   In conclusion, her outfit here embodies exactly what I need to be going for. I'm constantly fighting with dressing the character that is me and trying to be comfortable in "normal" clothes. 

This outfit is elegant in such an idiosyncratic way that it speaks to me. 

   Task at hand: track down pieces that speak to me but also indulge my need to experiment.

(via r9M's photostream)

(via Zimbio)

(via a dead blog- it's mine now!)