Random Sunday

Gotta love the pomp.

CHICAGO—Three young men uptown, 1965.

                   
WEST BERLIN—Wannsee Park, 1961.

BAGHERIA, Sicily—Schoolmates working in the classroom, 1960.

Speaking of Grunge...

The good people over at Opening Ceremony are continuing to celebrate their designer Chloë Sevigny's Golden Globe win for best supporting actress in Big Love by posting a menagerie of photos from the ultimate cool girl's chic life. Although the more recent shots get me going fashion wise, I was most tickled by the ones from 1990s when Chloë was a little less Courtney Love a little more skater chick, but so grunge just the same. Check them out...

         

         

       

             

Mid-Winter Remedy

It's that time off year again when everyone is just longing for a break from the dregs of winter. Well, it's summer flashback week over at Mr. Newton's blog and though it may be torturous for some to look to the happier time we call summer, I find it a good quick fix for the wintertime blues. I am rather enjoying checking out the bight colors, funky rompers (my fave) and vintage tees the local hipsters sported at the weekly pool parties at the East River park in Williamsburg last summer. Unfortunately I was in Berlin (boo hoo) and missed out on all the fun, but it has at least brightened my day today. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun seeping out of the computer screen, well almost.
              
              
              
              
              

              
Dare I say that I like Mr. Newton's blog better than the king of street style's The Sartorialist — I think I will. He just shoots more relatable people that you wouldn't necessarily find in the tents at Bryant Park or the pages of a magazine, but still have an edgy fashion sense or spirit — I find that refreshing and frankly more entertaining.

Grunge Lives and Loves

               
                 
                
                
So the other day I was reading some good old celebrity gossip when I came across Celebitchy, well, bitching about this fashion spread Emma Watson did for Vs. magazine — calling it too racy and scandulous for a classy young girl like herself and claiming that it could have been styled by Courtney Love and better suited for Taylor Momsen. For some reason this stirred a few things up inside of me. So here they are:


1) I like Emma and her (or her stylist's) sense of style. I've even featured one of her fittingly Teen Vogue fashion shoots here on the blog. But for some reason I cannot really accept her as a participating member in the adult fashion world (don't get me started on Tavi), I mean she is on the tipping point of gorgeous (just let her hit 20), but call me crazy or does she still have a baby face? She is at least too young to star in a Burberry campaign.


2) Compared to that said Burberry campaign, despite the use of the eyeliner that Celebitchy is so against, I feel these photos are much more age appropriate. She looks like she is just a girl dressing up and having fun with clothes, makeup and jewelry. Nothing wrong with that. Not too sexual or explicit to me either — even though it involves some underwear and lace we are nowhere near Lindsay Lohan territory. Better than an old lady trench I say, I mean I have like five of them but I pretty much am a grandma compared to the 19-year-old.


3) After seeing these photos and reading the comparison to Courtney Love I had to ask myself: am I crazy that I actually like her? Despite the plastic surgery, the drugs, the supposed killing Kurt Cobain, am I crazy that I actually like her? Then I found this picture and realized hell no, she's rad.

RIP JD

I certainly had my Holden Caulfield days, as most of us did, and I just learned last night that The Catcher in the Rye was the first book Karsten ever read in English. It seems that not only did JD Salinger capture a generation of Americans, but lost teenagers all over the globe. I think I will read that dusty copy of Franny and Zooey on my shelf again in his honor.

His n' Hers

Looky looky what I stumbled across today. Do you think it would be weird if my boyfriend and I started wearing matching grandpa, navajo-inspired sweaters (hey, he can get in on the trend too right?). You think not, I think yay!

P.S. This is a joke, I am going to wear both. I think I have had too much coffee or maybe just too much sleep today.

My No Longer Daily O (State of the Union)

It was a confident performance, more defiant than contrite, more conversational than soaring. He appealed to and scolded both parties, threatened vetoes, blamed his predecessor and poked fun at lawmakers. The agenda was largely the same, dressed up in fresh packaging, as he offered point-by-point rebuttals to the litany of critiques he hears with increasing frequency. He acknowledged only a failure to explain his policies without retreating an inch on the policies themselves. His main message: “I don’t quit.

I thought it was an effective and emotional speech, the kind that I was so accustomed to during election fever, goose bumps and all. I especially thought he did a great job addressing health care (even though he didn't even bring it up until the 11th page of his speech), the insane costs of higher education, and the extreme divide between Democrats and Republicans in congress (and the media) that ultimately results in not much getting done. I am sure the haters will still hate (and most of them didn't even clap when he discussed the tax cuts he had given to working families) but there is no denying that Obama is a good man who truly wants the best for his country, and not simply for his own gain like some other politicians we know.

Read more analysis from the New York Times here.

Song on Repeat: "Me and Jane Doe"

Charlotte Gainsbourg's "Me and Jane Doe." Simple. Pretty. Catchy. Beck. I like it, na na na na na na oh na na na na na na.

Am I a Shoe Stalker?

First it was these, then it was these, now it's these dope Chloé Susan boots (yes I said dope). I will also say that The Cherry Blossom Girl has got some good taste in footwear.

Nothing Beats a Grilled Cheese

Waiting patiently. 

Oh my. 

Gimme one. 

Delish.

Hands off. 

One for you?

Fuck Lady Gaga (Song on Repeat Nostalgia)

Fever Ray (Karin Elisabeth Dreijer Andersson's solo project while she is on hiatus from the Knife) blows Lady Gaga out of the water on every possible level. With her avant-garde costuming and acceptance speeches, but especially and more importantly with her music, it's just not even comparible. Oh man, and The Knife, they will always have a very special place in my heart. "Heartbeats" was my song on repeat for a few years of my life, blasting it over and over pretty much before every night out on the town.

THE KNIFE - Heartbeats
Uploaded by The_Knife. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

My Weekend

It is getting down to the wire here in NYC, I have less than a month now before the big move to Berlin, so I am feeling the need more than ever to spend time with the people I love. This weekend I got to do just that - an amazing dinner and night out with the girls, followed by two days at my brother's hanging out with my visiting mom and my nieces. I am going to miss all of these characters so much.

                               Sunny, Me, Rachael, Julia and Mary

                  

                                        Aaron, India and Mom

Rainy Day Turned Sunny Nostalgia #3: Don't You Just Long For...

..the days when my favorite member of a certain legendary group would gather in parks with his model wife to smoke cigs and play guitar for all to see. Speaking of cool couples, Pattie Boyd and George Harrison are up there as well.

P.S. Today went from storming and dumping down rain to blue skies and 55 degree weather. Wish I wasn't stuck inside anymore...

Rainy Day Nostalgia #2: Don't You Just Long For...

              
...the days when Jane Birkin walked around in see-through mini-dresses looking fine and holding the hand of her man Serge Gainsbourg. Gosh, Charlotte's parents are up there giving Kate and Johnny a run for their money as one of coolest couples in history. 

Rainy Day Nostalgia #1: Don't You Just Long For...

                    
...the days when Mary-Kate had long, stringy, over-bleached hair? I know many people might find it a little revolting, but oh man I would love to be able to pull off this look. I remember wanting to go white-blonde when I was in middle school (and I still do), but even in my impressionable adolescent years I knew that with my pale ass skin and light blue eyes I would look more like an albino then I mini fashion maven. I say bring it back MK and I will live vicariously through you!
Thanks for the reminder Olsens Anonymous.

Random Sunday

Sometimes there is really nothing better than curling up with a good book. Think I will close this laptop and go ahead and do so.

FAIRMOUNT, Ind.—James Dean reciting the works of poet James Whitcomb Riley at the Winslow Farm, belonging to his uncle, 1955.

COMISO, Sicily—1980.

LONDON—The Underground from Earls Court to Olympia, 1959.

NEW YORK—Marilyn Monroe on Long Island, 1955.

Guess the Year?

What's that 1991 you say? Oh no 92? 93? Well guess again my friend, it's not a ninety or an aught, it's this February 2010's French Vogue. But you know, I actually love it — she may as well be Cindy Crawford or Christy Turlington or one of the non-emaciated ladies of the supermodel heyday.

The early nineties slowly crept into my wardrobe when last year's snow started to melt and now seem to be a very prevailing component in my daily attire — from the florals, to the combat boots, to the clubmaster shades, the big blazers and the amazing bowler hat I just got, it's like I am Angela Chase and Brenda Walsh's late blooming love child. I guess those two are more on my level than the Linda Evangelista's of the world.

If I Was Going to the Oscars...

...I'd like nothing more than to rock a surrealist dress. I'd be proud to make every Worst Dressed List in Tinsel Town for wearing one of these Viktor and Rolf bad boys, especially the red one. Such a label can be an honor as anyone with a sense of style knows that the real fashionistas are always berated by the tabloid media, praise going to the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman while trendsetters like Chloë Sevigny and Mary-Kate are labeled fashion victims by People Mag and Us Weekly.

Do you think any actress would dare to wear one of these this year? If so, who would be the brave contender?

Bon Appétit

I've been traveling a lot lately as some of you may know and one of the movies that is always offered in flight is Julie and Julia, but for some reason I consider it and then usually decline. Maybe it's because it felt a bit chick flick-y or because those chef shows, Top and Iron, despite their popularity among many I know, always make me annoyingly hungry. But tonight, pretty much due to the lack of selection at my local Blockbuster and from hearing from a few trustworthy sources that it was a good film, I brought it home along with two slices of pizza, a sprite, and pint of Ben and Jerry's Half Baked frozen yogurt to stuff myself with to avoid any hunger pangs mid movie and to beat down a pretty vicious hangover.

Anyway, within minutes of the gargantuan Meryl Streep — who in proper Meryl form transforms completely into character making her mega-star status fade far away — appearing on screen I was smiling, then quickly laughing out loud. And despite having my preconceived judgments of the spritely Amy Adams being just a little vanilla, she melded as well into a totally relatable girl I would see riding on the F train. The story of Julia and the story of Julie told simultaneously are perfectly juxtaposed making you a little sad for a second when one segment ends but then instantly happy to be reacquainted with the other characters. Maybe it's the hangover, or missing my boyfriend, or it being that special time of the month but the chemistry between both couples made me so happy for everyone out there who is love with a sweet man and want it so bad for everyone who isn't. I would say kudos to the casting agent for that one, I would take either husband if I needed to.

And finally, it inspired me to do two things: write this terribly long blog entry (obviously much more likely to occur) and to cook. Here's hoping I follow through with the latter. I did make my first roast chicken for Karsten and I when I was in Berlin a few weeks ago, and I will have to say that I enjoyed the whole experience: grocery shopping, preparing the food, then feeding someone else and having them genuinely like it. Usually I am just chopping up some veggies and tofu for myself, but this felt different and rewarding. Not saying I am going to debone a duck à la Julia any time soon, but I wouldn't mind following a recipe and whipping up something buttery and French. Hopefully as enjoyable, as this enjoyable (not even for a lack of a better word but because that is simply what is was) little flick.

Song on Repeat: "I think Ur a Conta"

           

According to the hipster cool code, I am not sure if I am "supposed" to like the new Vampire Weekend album. And to be honest I am not so sure if I do. But this one song "I think Ur a Contra" (even though using 'Ur' in the title makes me want to vomit) just gets me, hence me playing it over and over again.


Update: I like the song "Diplomat's Son" also far all it's Paul Simon Graceland goodness, but that is pretty much it.

Happy Birthday Dolly!

The coolest "Working Girl" I know turns 64 today.

On a Bicycle Built for Two Grandpas

I came across this old photo the other day and although I am sure it is a little funny to you too to see two old men (one short, one tall, one skinny, one a little rounder) riding tandem on a sunny day — it made me smile ear to ear as they are my mom's dad and my dad's dad who were not only opposite aesthetically, but whose personalities were completely polar. It is hard to imagine them in the same room really, let alone on the same bike. But even though this sweet day was almost ten years before I was born, to know that it happened makes me feel darn good.