Another celeb to whom maternity has been extra kind and generous is the British television presenter Holly Willoughby! This lovely lass has always been well-endowed, however pregnancy has made her blossom and reach her full potential! Amen to that!lol
And considering the area of blooming, one could think that I am the almighty responsible!lol Sadly I can’t take credit for that, but mother nature can!
I sometimes take nightwalks in the woods. If you have ever watched Twin Peaks then you can imagine the scenery!lol But seriously, there is no way to describe the refreshing and vitalizing feeling of embarking the realm of nature at night. So humbling. It clears my mind and puts me and my being in perspective. Living in Sweden I have the luxury of witnessing the midnight sun lighting up the woods during the summer and the glowing snow during the latter half of the year. Recently I’ve started feeling the winds of winter sneaking up on me, slowly. And the chill always reminds me of a certain song that I first heard 20 years ago. A song rather insignificant to the world and even to its singer, the former SMOKIE frontman Chris Norman’s career. But highly significant to me as I walked an entire night listening to this song on repeat, at the age of 15! A sweet agony or bitter pleasure, whatever you choose to call it, is always evoked in me when hearing this song ….”The Night Has Turned Cold“.
The Brits might not be world-known for their beautiful women, in fact the opposite, however ironically they always manage to get their best specimens and put together the best looking all-girl bands! A skill they have truly perfected in recent decade. One of their latest manufactured all-girl bands is “The Saturdays”, who somehow remind me of the delicious candies I used to eat when I was kid. Namely the British QUALITY STREET!
I wonder if its the colors of their outfits that remind me of the colorful wraps or the colors of their skins that remind me of the assorted sweetness! 
These gorgeous ladies derive name and fashion inspirations from the 60’s however presented with the typical British girl-band POP sound (which on the other had is not the best of its kind and has repeatedly failed proving itself internationally appealing). The art-directors of the band are so conscious and consistent when it comes to the image and artwork of the band’s pictures and products that it should be a lesson to anyone aspiring to present a popular product. The use of color is central in The Saturdays’ concept, even their selection of the girls is color-based. Aesthetically the ethnic blend of beauties provide assorted eye-candies as mentioned above and commercially the target group of young urban teenage girls from mixed ethnic backgrounds will have someone in the band to relate to. This color signature makes them recognizable as The Saturdays’ at the very first glance! Beneath is the cover image and artwork for their brand new album, you can clearly see how they have used an image in a thought-through composition and color combination. Colors are added and removed in order to achieve a trademark.
Pay attention to the original photo and see how they have replaced two of the girls images in post-production, added colors and digitally altered some of the details like the feathers just to nail the balance of the composition right. Compare the shorts of the girl to the right in both versions for instance! Check out the lettering and choice of font. This is the work of a perfectionist, no doubt about it!
Top designer Tom Ford is constantly on the rise! As a fashion aficionado one can’t help but to admire Ford, he is perhaps one of the few - if not the only - designers who himself/herself looks like a model and dresses fashionably. Why eat straight from the fridge when with just a bit of effort you can throw together a nice meal of whats in the fridge, Ford argues. The same principle applies to clothes, according to the man.
This fashion icon has recently crossed over from his home realm to a new one, namely the film industry. In his directorial debut Ford has adapted the acclaimed Isherwood novel “A Single Man”.
Being openly gay, despite desired by many women, Ford has taken on the challenge of dedramatizing the still controversial subject of homosexuality in a dramatic way. Ford’s work has been praised for its pictorial perfection and philosophical complexion. Parallels have been drawn to another novel-turned-movie namely “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly“, in terms of tone and atmosphere.
The unexpected grandeur of “A Single Man” has already been awarded in all film festivals that it has been shown at. I’m a huge fan of Ford’s and can’t wait to see his new creation in motion!
As I’ve told you before I’m a vinyl nerd! I stopped buying 1991 when the CDs took over the market and picked it up again few years back when they started to once again releasing mainstream records on vinyl. During the 90’s mainly DJ material were released on vinyl. This clip of the Durans shopping for vinyl at the vinyl heaven Amoeba Music in San Francisco is really cool and John’s argument for starting buying vinyls again is pretty much my own! Watch.
One of my own Duran Duran original vinyls, the LIVE album “ARENA”. Considering the New Romantic that I was (am!), I recall skipping class just to get to the store in order pick up this record on sale one day! One of my first LPs. It’s perhaps my most worn out disc with lots of scratches! It was before I knew how to handle the fragile black beauties. What’s interesting is that the album is double folded, featuring a booklet with photos and all the lyrics. God how disappointed I was when the CDs came and made all the eye-candies (images and artwork) of the albums much smaller!
Finally got my hands on an original copy of the rare and sought after “V” magazine cover from last year! If you think shooting a magazine cover like this is just a piece of ass …cake, then let me tell you that you’re wrooooong! There is much more work put behind this cover than Gisele’s firm behind. Those cheeks don’t just oil themselves up you know, oh no! An ill-fated someone was actually hired and assigned for the greasy job. A manual laborer, probably underpaid as well (despite the perk)!
Now what I need to know is where I can sign up for this lucky bearded B:s job!lol Since obviously I’m in the wrong profession!! hehe
Last year I told you about my discovery of Jay Sean and his Jayded Records’ plans to take over USA (I just realized I posted that on Christmas eve, what a devoted blogger!lol). So he’s been over there for the past few months, promoting his music and now his first single “Down” featuring Lil’ Wayne has sold platinum! That’s mah boy! Keep an eye out for his upcoming album “All Or Nothing”, which is the US edition of his latest album. The way he is advancing I have a feeling the album is going to be off the hook! Here is a video recap of his time in the US of A so far:
As you might know the network pulled the plug on the Terminator spin-off “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” after the second season. Due to failing and fading popularity.
However this unique handmade promotion replica is getting more popular and sought after as there is only one of its kind! This is truly one exceptional bust (pun very much intended). The resemblance is so striking that even Summer Glau herself is mesmerized by her bust!
I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m an aspiring children’s story writer. The aspiration comes from my love for the books from my own childhood which I still today keep and read while going on nostalgic trips, but also from my work with kids which has updated my passion for the genre, upgraded my knowledge of the craft and inspired me to create something for all of us children (of all ages). Therefor I am currently working on a couple of projects as both story writer and illustrator. As a fan of children’s story books and an aspiring writer there is simply no higher status to look up to than Maurice Sendak!
Maurice’s multi-awarded “Where the Wild Things Are” was first published back in 1963. Twelve years before I was born! However it has followed the generations through the years ever since, as the timeless story it really is. What makes Maurice’s story so grand is his metacognitive narration and subliminal messages through the images and most importantly the size and serial appearance of his images!
While the few lines of text and the artwork tell one story there is another being told between the lines, or in his case within the pages’ white borders! One is how the size of the images increase the more the child finds his freedom to explore his world of fantasy and how it reduces when the surrounding reality puts outer limits to it! Numerous academic researches and reports have been written analyzing the few but rich pages of this humble yet majestic piece of work. I can’t explain how thrilled I am that this magnum opus has been adapted into a film which will be premiered in a few weeks.
The best part is that it is directed by Spike Jonze who has according to his own directorial style put an “indie” twist to the whole thing (something you can see in the teaser poster above) which will translate the mood of the book into motion pictures. If you happen to be in touch with the child within, then by all means go and watch this beautiful story together!
Spandau Ballet have reunited and I’m sorry to hear that Sweden is not going to be a part of their European tour! Being a reader of my reviews and blog I’m sure that by now you know what the 80’s meant to me musically and culturally, in particular the New Romantic movement with its revival of the 19th century’s romantic art and ideals. Not to forget the awesome Art Deco fashion and hairs style that came with it. Here’s my favorite (Duran Duran inspired) video of theirs which basically samples all the things about them and the genre, “Highly Strung“.
So exaggeratedly elegant and theatrical in attitude and appearance. It was a time of shoulder pads and hairspray! A lot of hairspray!lol Since not a single hair was to be out of place! This yearbook picture from my early teens ( I must have been 13 or 14) is a testimony to my passion and devotion for the new romantic perfection.
So how did the new Star Trek work for me, you might now wonder (you probably wont but lets just pretend you do for the sake of the post!lol). J. J. Abrams has done a hell of job to reinvent Star Trek! He has brought things out of the dark and dusty old sets and given things an exterior. If there is anything a sci-fi scenario provides it is the potential to an unlimited universe and strangely its the first time that Star Trek’s universe is being adequately exhibited and properly explored. Abrams has also given the show’s rather slow pace a jolt and momentum that keeps going all the way through.
However what Abrams’ Star Trek enjoys in terms of visual and stylistic strength it tends to lack in terms of storyline! The story itself is a decent one, however there is a certain termite that consumes it from within (much like a phenomenon in the movie). It seems like Abrams hasn’t really untangled himself from the whole time traveling mess that has plagued his LOST or the alternate reality vision that is taking over his FRINGE (if you are a fan of these shows you will recognize the entire terminology and debate that goes on in this movie)! That having been said this is still a GREAT movie experience (get the limited blu-ray edition above from amazon) and a faithful successor in a line of a long tradition. I still haven’t turned Trekkie though, in case you wonder, but almost! hehe
Abrams’ Star Trek is an excellent lesson in source-respect and consistency for George Lucas to learn from!
Looking so spontaneous and chaotic, yet the synchronization with the music shows that its planned and choreographed down to the finest detail! Its amazing how she pulls off the timing and perfection with such a fluid and fleeting media! Kseniya Simonova is a sand animator from Ukraine who won “Ukraine’s Got Talent” 2009 for this portrayal of USSR’s Great Patriotic War against the Third Reich in World War II. Majestic and magnificent!
I think I’ve got the black board fever! What do you think? Because lately everywhere I look and everything I see, I start to imagine it in black with white chalk writings on! My world is slowly but surely turning black and white as I am constantly consumed by thoughts of turning my entire household into blackboards!lol
If you happened to enjoy my description and recommendation of “Elegy” then I have a new “realistically romantic” gem for you. The movie “Two Lovers” is as the title suggests a story about a love triangle connecting three individuals with interesting characters. In particular the complex male character played perfectly by Joaquin Phoenix, one of the most realistically contradictory characters that I’ve ever seen in a movie. The movie is also supposed to be Joaquin Phoenix’s last cinematic performance! He has apparently decided to go a …rapper! A full-fledged professional one. The guy is one of my favorite actors, who delivers a role even when he isn’t in top shape, so I hope that its just a phase he is going through. Anyways, do check out “Two Lovers” if you’re into unconventional love stories with a character depth.
The Belgian CLUB act Lasgo has just released a new album featuring a new vocalist! The Kim Wilde sound-alike Evi has left the band and been replaced by Jelle who does a decent job to fill her rather large shoes. Evi was namely synonym with Lasgo! Her voice sat a signature to the otherwise generic dance fares and made them recognizable as Lasgo’s whenever heard! Jelle voice does have a resemblance to Evi’s and she manages to deliver Lasgo’s flavor satisfactory. “Smile” is a rather solid third album by the Belgian trio.
I’ve written about photographer Scott Schuman and his influential blog “The Satorialist” before. Now a book by the same name has been published, gathering a selection of the photographies featured on his blog.
Scott’s photos reflect the mood and movement of his random models on the streets of the world’s metropoles. Regardless of your interest in photography or fashion this is a rich and priceworthy collection, to own or to give away as gift!
I had been anticipating Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz’s new venture “Broken Embraces”, especially since I happened to love their previous work “Volver”! Which in my opinion delivered a more mature and balanced Almodóvar. But after having seen his latest opus I’m truly disappointed as Almodóvar has gradually gone from overwhelming to underwhelming!
“Broken Embraces” does start off rather interesting, however a dull and unengaging back-story takes it all away. This is really pale for any director, let alone Almodóvar! All the twists are such clichés and not even of the best kind! You never start to feel for the characters in the movie despite it being called “Broken Embraces” and just screams for empathy! This is in my opinion Almodóvar’s weakest yet and perhaps also an end to a professional love affair!
The lovely Sarah Shahi (1, 2) recently gave birth to a cute little son and we couldn’t be happier for her. However in the process of pregnancy her …frame seems to have gone bigger! Much, much bigger as a matter of fact! And having a thing for …frames, especially big and bold …frames, I can only bow before the wonders and splendor of mother nature!
Its the television season and the shows and series kick off one after the other! Another one that has just premiered its second season is Fringe, which proved itself solid all the way through season one. If you haven’t watched it get yourself the DVD or the Blu-ray with a cool lenticular cover.
Spoiler alert for the trailer!
“It wouldn’t be SHOWTIME without a yearly dose of CALIFORNICATION” says the show’s producer Greenblatt. “This unapologetic show, about a group of characters led by the inimitable David Duchovny, has quickly established itself as one of our signature comedy series. Beneath its veneer of debauchery, however, is a complex take on love and adult relationships that surprisingly turns poetic and romantic just when you least expect it.” And I couldn’t agree more! My annual reunions with the like-minded Hank Moody is one I really look forward to each year. And I’m loving the poster and direction for the new season, hehe!
The entire Beatles back-catalogue has been remastered and is now available both in mono (like the originals) and stereo! This is something the fans have dreamt about for a long time. I’m not a Beatles fan, however this is an essential source of reference for any music collector out there. Since this band and their music have been and still are pivotal for much of the musical creations and productions. Getting this collection is like getting an encyclopedia, you never know when you’re gonna use it but you must have it just in case! The beautifully designed white box-set displayed above comes in mono and features 13 CDs (all miniature LP replicas with original cover art), while the big black beauty beneath comes in stereo and includes 16 CDs and even one DVD. Unlike what you might think its the set above that costs more and not the bigger one! It’s a shame that they didn’t go all the way and transfered the clips to Blu-ray for the maximum experience, even though arguably those old footages wouldn’t have been served better with a HD treatment.
I’m always picking up working space and decoration ideas here and there and recently this black wall caught my attention. Just lay a few panels of black paint on your wall and use the area as a black board for ideas! It’s just paint so you can always paint over when bored with it! Cool and clever!
