December Playlist (With a Slice of Christmas)

Hello December, nice to see you again, it's been quite a year.

Metronomy - "Everything Goes My Way"
Otis Redding - "White Christmas"
Lianne La Havas - "Age"
Ingrid Michaelson - "You and I"
Marit Larsen - "Under the surface"
Tomi Swick - "Let It Snow"
Warpaint - "Elephants"
The Shins - "New Slang"
Richard Hawley - "There´s A Storm A Comin"
VersaEmerge - "Santa Baby"
Mindy Gledhill - "Anchor"
The Beatles - "Norwegian Wood"
Andrew Bird - "Oh No"
Hellogoodbye - "When We First Met"
Michael Bublé - "Silent Night"

Links open to youtube video of song x

Lucy Chadwick captured by The Selby

I'm slightly completely besotted with The Selby.   It's the site I "right click, save as.." more than any other.  In fact, I plan on decorating my gargantuan Tribeca loft apartment in a plethora of styles, inspired by Todd Selby's interiors photography.  

Oh.  Wait.  I must have dozed off.  That's not actually my life.  C'est le vie.   I'll just make do with ogling the pictures.  For now...

Selby's latest offering to catch my eye, was a video of gallerist Lucy Chadwick, undertaken for the Zara campaign. The video works two-fold: selling a lifestyle most would covet and cosy jumpers most could buy. Quite beautiful.

Here's a sneak peak at a previous photo-shoot The Selby undertook at Chadwick's London pad she shares with her hairstylist boyfriend, Duffy:

You can see more photos inside Lucy's home here

Isabel Lucas - La Femme Du Jour

Contrary to appearances, Isabel Lucas is not just another pretty face ensconced within LaLa land.  She is something of an enigma; style icon, actress and environmental activist.  A sense of style and a conscience?  mais oui.  

Lucas has a boho, easy style and one which caught the world’s attention when she was photographed at Coachella with her musician boyfriend Angus Stone. Irritatingly, she is also one of those people who look better sans makeup (I, alas, am most assuredly not one of those people). Lucas however, has been under the radar of the fashion editor for a while, having graced the cover of Italian Vogue in 2009 as well as this coming December issue in her native Australia.  

                                              

                             






   
The 26 year old has only been on the Hollywood scene for a relatively short time but has come a long way since her Home and Away days, having scored roles in Transformers and Daybreakers.  Of her move to Hollywood, she insists it is a temporary one and out of mere convenience, "I was avoiding moving to LA… it was never my intention…but it was inconvenient flying back and forth all the time….It feels like the right time to be in LA, but I also know it’s not home for me. I know what I’m here for."

Unlike a lot of her peers, Lucas’ passion for environmental activism is the real deal and not just for the obligatory photo-op.  So much so, Japanese police issued an arrest warrant for her role in "interfering with international commerce" for paddling across nets, set to herd dolphins and whales to their death, near the Japanese village of Taiji.  Some fishermen use fishing boats to herd the animals into netted coves where they are held captive before being killed.  A defiant Lucas, said "I'm not scared in the least about going back there (Japan)…In fact, now I think it would draw even more attention to the barbaric act… we couldn't save these whales, but hopefully shining the light on their deaths will save others."
She gets my vote.

Help support Sea Shepherd on their mission to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. 

Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings. - Helen Keller

November Playlist. Chill, Listen, Enjoy

The Decemberists - "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)"
Incubus - "Aqueous Transmission"
Whitley - "More Than Life"
The Cinematic Orchestra - "To Build a Home"
Starsailor - "Lullaby"
She & Him - "You Really Got A Hold On Me"
Regina Spektor - "Us"
Kate Rusby - "I Courted A Sailor"
Midlake - "Acts of Man"
Josh Woodward - "Darien Gap"
The Good Natured - "For the Windows in Paradise.."
James Vincent McMorrow - "From the Woods!"
Great Lake Swimmers - "Pulling on a Line"
Radiohead - "House of Cards"


Links open a new page to video of song on youtube... 
Happy listening

SupaKitch and Koralie

I've only recently discovered this New York based dynamic French duo (and real life couple) SupaKitch and Koralie and I'm hooked already.  Both amazing street artists in their own right, they've joined forces, professionally, to create unique manga inspired works.  Using paint, markers, stencils and cutouts, their two styles seamlessly blend together into fantastically inspiring works of art.

Parisian film maker, Raphael Hache captured the pair as they gave birth to yet another fantastical world.  Song is Euphorie by Leonard de Leonard.

Another amazing video - Metroplastique - at The Museum of World Culture of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Song is by D.L.I.D (Dick Laurent is Dead) 

Now Why Didn't I Think of That

The other day I went to an art exhibition, where a clay "sculpture" of used teabags (yes, used teabags) was displayed alongside a fantastic portrait by Northern Irish artist Colin Davidson (albeit the portrait was of Brian Kennedy but I'll overlook that. This time.) Now, I'm as fond of a PG-tip as anyone but mon dieu, sacre bleu (and other words of astonishment French speakers never actually use) this is just silly.  Isn't it?  I imagine if I had created this mortification would have me skulking in the corner to see it displayed alongside such a skillfully painted portrait.  Art, pah.  What do I know.

Although... on second thought, perhaps I should empty out the contents of my bin, throw in a bit of cement, slap a £1000 price tag on it and name it "Rhapsody des ordures" (that's 'Rubbish' in French. In case you were wondering. I google translated it. Too. Much. Time. On. Hands)

(FYI the pic above is part of the series New Math by Chris Damrauer. Absolutely love them.)

Erato - My Version is Better Than Yours

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled upon a video of the Swedish vocal group, Erato, doing a cover of fellow Swede, Robyn's, "Call your Girlfriend".  The girls sing acapella whilst clapping hands in synchronous beat all the while tapping margarine tubs on the table. You know, as you do.  Of course, I've often wondered what it would feel like to write a song only to have some young buck come along with a margarine tub instrumental and be all kinds of wonderful, making your version look, quite frankly,'meh'.  

Naturally, after watching this, I immediately went into full on tupperware excavation mode and promptly decided I was going to learn an instrumental by rote with my dulcit tones rocking out some cool, unknown cover. My newly acquired skills would then be deployed whilst lanquishing at some hipster party.  I would start humming while some drunk dude lazilly strummed on the guitar, then some random chick would be all "ooohh sing something" and I'd be all "no, no, I couldn't possibl.... oh ok then".  Then I'd belt out my well rehearsed vocal, complete with hand gymnastics and everyone would be all "omg that was soooo amazing, seriously, you should record that" and I'd be all "oh,it was nothing".

Alas, then I remembered that a) I couldn't sing and b) I couldn't be arsed practicing any weird and wonderful synchronized moves.... So instead, I ate a crunchie and watched the video again.  Enjoy