a life's style

accountable fashion

2012-02-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

Bruno Pieters wants to make fashion accountable

 More transparency in fashion, this is Bruno Pieters’ new credo. The designer and art director had disappeared from the Belgian fashion scene for a year of sabbatical, which proved rich in travel and reflections. We now get to see the fruit of his efforts with the launch of the Honest By label - a high-end designer label which aims to shed light on its products, materials and design, by providing information about the true cost and impact of their production. This type of detailed information, which is much more than is normally available to consumers about the products they buy, is available on the Honest By website, the collection’s only distributor.

First pieces for Honest By Bruno Pieters

While Honest By ultimately wants to create a platform that would attract other designers, it is naturally Bruno Pieters who inaugurated it first. In the rigorous style for which he is known, the former artistic director of the Hugo line for Hugo Boss and his eponymous label reinvents the classics and reinterprets the ideal cut. Some fifty pieces for men and women are already available on the site and others will be added throughout the year, with no concept of seasonality.

Whether they are interested in dresses, shirts, coats or pants, potential buyers will know everything from the origin of the fabric, to the number of employees in the clothing factory, to the cost of the zipper and fabric content of the label itself. Even information about the carbon footprint of each product has been made available. And, as expected from an ethical and eco-conscious company, the brand also specifies for each product whether it is organic or completely vegan (there is absolutely no animal exploitation), whether it is 100% European (and sometimes even Made in Belgium), whether it is recycled or, for those interested, whether it is made for sensitive skin.

So far, the only downside has been that some suppliers have been more willing to play the game than others: some have not submitted all the requested data on the traceability of a fabric or the cost of an operation. But this is a very small downside to an exciting and unique approach to fashion. Even before knowing what fate the customer has in store for him, Bruno Pieters has said that 20% of Honest By’s profits will be donated to charities, thus coming full circle. 

By Anaïs Lerévérend

free calendar download

2012-02-07T13:06:00.000-08:00

The next two months of the 2012 calendar are now available.

Go here to download. Print on letter size card stock. Then cut down the middle.

up-inspired floating house

2012-02-07T12:57:00.000-08:00

On March 5 at dawn, National Geographic Channel and a team of scientists, engineers, and two world-class balloon pilots successfully launched a 16' X 16' house 18' tall with 300 8' colored weather balloons from a private airfield east of Los Angeles, and set a new world record for the largest balloon cluster flight ever attempted. The entire experimental aircraft was more than 10 stories high, reached an altitude of over 10,000 feet, and flew for approximately one hour.

The filming of the event, from a private airstrip, is part of a National Geographic Channel series called How Hard Can it Be?, which premiered in the fall of 2011.

Watch a short clip of their accomplishment here.

A lot more photos here.

the art of deception

2012-02-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

'Trompe l'oeil' on show in Paris
PARIS - "Trompe l'oeil" -- or art designed to trick the eye -- is the title of a new Paris exhibit exploring the history of illusion and pastiche, from ancient frescoes to fashion and the decorative arts.

A visitor walks past "Down The Rabbit Hole" by Rasch (AFP, Francois Guillot)

The first known use of trompe l'oeil, as legend would have it, dates back to ancient Greece, in the fifth century BC, when the artist Zeuxis painted a bunch of grapes so realistic that a bird flew down to peck at them.

"It's a game between the creator and the viewer, it's all about reality and perception," said curator Veronique Belloir, summing up the subject of the show which runs for 18 months at the Paris Museum of Decorative Arts.

A small selection of paintings opens the display of more than 400 artefacts, one of them a surrealist closet by the French artist Marcel Jean, its imaginary doors cracked open to offer a glimpse of the landscape beyond.

But the core of the exhibit is the place of illusion in the decorative arts, which took off in the late 19th century when wallpaper for instance was used to imitate everything from ceramic to lace or lacquer.

"Imitation is one of the great themes of the decorative arts," said co-curator Dominique Fourest. "Cost is part of the reason, but not the whole story. This was also a way for creators to develop their virtuosity."

Technical innovations such as linoleum were used to reproduce floorboards or mosaic, while glass imitated onyx or malachite, and ceramic posed as wood, leather or woven reeds.

Late 19th century handbooks offered craftsmen exquisitely precise guides to imitating rare materials, such as specific types of marble, or decorative styles from ancient Greece to China or the Islamic world.

"It's an endless game," said Fourest.

Reaching back in history, trick jugs from the 16th century had holes pierced in the sides, the liquid poured through concealed double walls.

A thick pile of leather-bound books, mounted on a wooden stool, prises open to reveal a chamber pot, an 18th-century marvel of invention and coyness.

Fashion has also made copious use of the trompe l'oeil genre, starting in the 1920s with Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who created knitted sweaters patterned with make-believe scarves or accessories.

"Fashion is quite unashamed to talk about faux-collars, false lashes, wigs and faux-crocodile," said Belloir.

Among a dozen anthology outfits on display is a sporty, zippered man's coat by Jean Paul Gaultier printed with the pattern of a tweed jacket.

Likewise a piece carried out for Chanel's haute couture collection in 1983, by the embroidery master Francois Lesage, imitates a set of jewellery.

There is also a woman's jumpsuit, created by Sonia Rykiel in 2008, with a classic dungaree top patterned on the front.

The fashion world's love affair with trompe l'oeil is highlighted by the exhibition's cover photograph, a 1973 snap of a man seated at a Paris cafe, a jacket painted onto his naked torso.

In a quirky twist, the curators discovered the story behind the picture on the eve of the opening, from the designer himself, Ruben Torres, who told them he drew clothes onto his models' bodies after failing to complete his collection on time for a fashion show.

(www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr)

by Emma Charlton

friday wisdom

2012-02-03T08:03:00.001-08:00

trend report

2012-02-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

My Fair Lady

From garden parties to the Royal Ascot, Spring's colorful accessories are poised for any occasion. Think fascinator hats, chic clutches, sparkling jewels and a touch of gold--à la the Duchess of Cambridge.

New Frontier

The American West continues its influence this Fall. Navajo prints, Western details, faux fur and plenty of denim combine for today's take on the look.

Ethnic Chic

Exotic and colorful, Summer's chic ethnic look is updated with original artwork and hand-crafted elements such as beading, macramé and pompoms.

Wild Ones

Snake prints and animal patterns continue to be the look du jour. Natural materials and sleek modern shapes accent the look.

The Tropics

Tropical prints take a '70s turn to create Summer's easy, island-inspired look.

From today's California Apparel News. For more info go here.

vintage navajo rug restoration

2012-02-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

If you ever come across a vintage Navajo rug that looks like it should be a rag, buy it if the price is right! It's amazing how easy and inexpensive it is to have it repaired. I purchased this rug on eBay for a very low price because it had several holes in it.

I took it to Persian Rug Cleaning Co. in Los Angeles. They're a wonderful company: quick turnaround, exquisite workmanship and reasonable pricing.

It now looks like new. I can't even tell where the holes were. They also cleaned it.

The yarn along the wall is in every color imaginable. On the table are rugs waiting to be repaired.

Here's a beauty that's next in line.

This one is just beginning to be repaired. First they locate the warp threads. Then they replace the ones that are broken. And finally they work new colored fill yarns in.

Reds are difficult to match.

These are natural undyed yarns that were used in my rug.

amazing

2012-01-31T07:08:00.001-08:00

A chance encounter and shared moment with one of natures greatest and most fleeting phenomena.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

friday wisdom

2012-01-27T06:19:00.001-08:00

life in topanga

2012-01-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's sunset.

Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

etched arcadia mural

2012-01-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

I just found this at Anthropolgie. I'd love to put it on one of my walls.

Towering trees and an endless sky cover your wall in graphite-hued forestry. An Anthropologie exclusive by Over & Over.

friday humor

2012-01-20T08:43:00.001-08:00

songs without borders

2012-01-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

It was only a matter of time before a film was made about composer Morten Lauridsen. His music, beloved by millions, is the most performed contemporary choral music in the world. And for good reason! It's accessible, well crafted, and quite frankly some of the most beautiful music for the human voice that has been penned to paper.

World Premiere

February 7, 2012
Camelot Theater, Palm Springs, California
Prelude Event for The American Documentary Film Festival

More info here.

Watch the trailer:

Featuring Choral Performance with Morten Lauridsen and the USC Chamber Singers

movies for a rainy weekend

2012-01-20T07:39:00.000-08:00

Sundance shorts stream on Yahoo for online Audience Award voting

From the LA Times:

In the past, any independent film fan who couldn’t make it to Park City, Utah, in the last two weeks of January had to wait until distribution deals went through to see Sundance Film Festival hits such as “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Napoleon Dynamite.” That’s starting to change. Recently, Sundance started bringing its programming into select cities during the festival, and starting this year, nine of the short films in the festival will be available to watch online.

Starting yesterday, the short films premiering at Sundance are viewable at sundance.yahoo.com via Yahoo, a sponsor of the festival. Through Jan. 27, Web users can watch the films and vote on them for the Yahoo! Audience Award. The winning filmmaker will be announced Jan. 28 and will receive $5,000.

“Some of the best filmmakers started their careers developing short films and now our audience has the chance to pick what could be the next big name in the film industry,” Mickie Rosen, senior vice president of Yahoo Media Network, said in a statement.

The nine films were selected by festival organizers and Yahoo movie editors. See the full list along with synopses below:

“ '92 Skybox Alonzo Mourning Rookie Card”
Jim and Dave, two brothers who don't like each other very much, are forced to come together when their dad dies. Dave is pretty sure he has an Alonzo Mourning Skybox Series rookie card, but Jim has other ideas.

“Aquadettes”
A meditation on life, death and synchronized swimming.

“The Arm”
To keep up with social pressure in a technologically advanced world, Chance starts a texting relationship with Genevieve, a girl he meets at a yogurt shop. But tragedy forces Chance to realize that he was never in a relationship at all.

“Debutante Hunters”
In the low country of South Carolina, some true Southern belles reveal their more rugged side, providing a glimpse into what drives them to hunt in the wild.

“Dol (First Birthday)”
A gay Korean American man yearns for a family life that is just out of reach.

“Henley”
Meet 9-year-old Ted Henley, budding motel manager and roadkill entrepreneur.

“Long Distance Information”
Father always told us, “Never talk to strangers.” But surely we have to phone home sometimes.

“Odysseus’ Gambit”
During his lifetime, each man plays cosmic chess against the devil.

“Una Hora por Favora”
A woman hires a day laborer for an hour and gets more than she bargained for.

The Sundance Film Festival 2012 kicked off Thursday and continues through Jan. 29.

Photo: Ten-minute documentary "Aquadettes" is one of nine Sundance films contending for the Yahoo! Audience Award. Credit: Sundance Film Festival

protect a free internet

2012-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

From the NY Times:

Under the proposed legislation, if a copyright holder like Warner Brothers discovers that a foreign site is focused on offering illegal copies of songs or movies, it could seek a court order that would require search engines like Google to remove links to the site and require advertising companies to cut off payments to it.

Internet companies fear that because the definitions of terms like “search engine” are so broad in the legislation, Web sites big and small could be responsible for monitoring all material on their pages for potential violations — an expensive and complex challenge.

They say they support current law, which requires Web sites with copyright-infringing content to take it down if copyright holders ask them to, leaving the rest of the site intact. Google, which owns YouTube and other sites, received five million requests to remove content or links last year, and it says it acts in less than six hours if it determines that the request is legitimate.

Read more here.

From Craigslist:

about > SOPA

Corporate supporters of Senate 968 (PIPA) and HR 3261 (SOPA) demand the ability to take down any web site (including craigslist, Wikipedia, or Google) that hurts their profits -- without prior judicial oversight or due process -- in the name of combating "online piracy."

PIPA and SOPA authors and supporters insist they'd only go after foreign piracy sites, but Internet Engineers understand this is an attempt to impose "Big Brother" controls on our Internet, complete with DNS hijacking and censoring search results. Incredibly, many Congress Members favor this idea.

Try to imagine jack-booted thugs throttling free speech, poisoning the Internet (greatest of American inventions, the very pillar of modern democracy), and devastating one of the our most successful industries. Totalitarian, anti-American, massively-job-killing nonsense.

From Wikipedia:
Lateef Mtima, director of the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice at Howard University School of Law, expressed concern that users who upload copyrighted content to sites could potentially be held criminally liable themselves, saying, "Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the bill is that the conduct it would criminalize is so poorly defined. While on its face the bill seems to attempt to distinguish between commercial and non-commercial conduct, purportedly criminalizing the former and permitting the latter, in actuality the bill not only fails to accomplish this but, because of its lack of concrete definitions, it potentially criminalizes conduct that is currently permitted under the law."^[55]

More here and here.

simon's cat

2012-01-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

Life with a kitten.

new member of the family

2012-01-16T08:18:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we adopted a 4-month old kitten we've named Lupo because he looks, and acts, a little wolf-ish.

We were a little worried how our 2-year old, Grigio, would get along with him. We shouldn't have been because they've become best buddies.

friday wisdom

2012-01-13T16:55:00.001-08:00

for Julie

postcard from provence

2012-01-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

Abandoned house
20cm x 13cm, oil on canvas

To be auctioned over 24hrs.
Auction starts;
Thursday 12 January at
19:00 GMT -00:00
(14:00 EST -05:00)
shiftinglight.com

friday wisdom

2012-01-06T10:17:00.001-08:00

tangerine tango

2012-01-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

2012 Pantone Color of the Year

The 2011 color of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Over the past several years, orange has grown in popularity and acceptance among designers and consumers alike. A provocative attention-getter, Tangerine Tango is especially appealing in men’s and women’s fashion. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Color Report Spring 2012, including Tommy Hilfiger, Nanette Lepore, Cynthia Steffe by Shaun Kearney, Elie Tahari and Adrienne Vittadini, are incorporating this attractive orange into their spring collections. A fun, lively take on a traditional autumnal hue, Tangerine Tango will surely carry through to fall fashion as well.

A winner in cosmetics because of its versatility, Tangerine Tango is a bit exotic, but in a very friendly, non-threatening way. Add a sultry flair to lips, cheeks and nails with Tangerine Tango. An unexpected eye shadow color, Tangerine Tango is a complementary opposite that flatters blue or green eyes. When paired with brown eyes, it brings out an amber cast.

Energize interior spaces with Tangerine Tango patterned home accessories. Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue add spice to any room. Or incorporate Tangerine Tango appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of color. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Tangerine Tango for a dynamic burst of energy in the kitchen, entryway or hallway.

Read an interview in today's NY Times with Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, author and the owner of a color consulting company, who has headed the committee that chooses Pantone’s color of the year, in an effort, she says, to distill the prevailing mood into a single hue.

2012 is finally here -

2012-01-01T15:31:00.001-08:00

friday wisdom

2011-12-30T20:04:00.001-08:00

eva zeisel : good night

2011-12-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

NY Times: Eva Zeisel, a ceramic artist whose elegant, eccentric designs for dinnerware in the 1940s and ’50s helped to revolutionize the way Americans set their tables, died on Friday in New City, N.Y. She was 105.

Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Jean Richards.

Ms. Zeisel (pronounced ZY-sel), along with designers like Mary and Russel Wright and Charles and Ray Eames, brought the clean, casual shapes of modernist design into middle-class American homes with furnishings that encouraged a postwar desire for fresh, less formal styles of living.

calendar give-away

2011-12-30T10:14:00.000-08:00

I got caught without a 2012 calendar and no time to shop for one. So I made my own and decided to share it with everyone. As the months go by, I'll add the upcoming two months.

Click here to print or download. Print it on 8 1/2 x 11 card stock and cut down the middle. Enjoy!

PS: I haven't given credit for the photos because I don't remember where I found them.

choose your celebration

2011-12-24T10:43:00.001-08:00

from paperfinger

friday wisdom

2011-12-23T16:23:00.000-08:00

winter solstice 2011

2011-12-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

Winter solstice explained

By Justin Grieser

If you’ve grown weary of short days and are looking forward to more sunlight, you won’t have to wait much longer. Today is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, bringing us the shortest daylight period and longest night of the year. Going forward, the days will gradually lengthen as the sun climbs higher in the sky over the next six months.

In 2011 (this year), the winter solstice occurs at 12:30 a.m. EST on December 22. As the first day of astronomical winter* in the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice marks the time at which the sun shines directly overhead at 23.5 degrees south latitude. With the North Pole tilted away from the sun, locations north of the equator see the sun take its lowest and shortest path across the southern sky.

new digital mag - heart home

2011-12-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

Launched in September 2011, British Interior Design magazine Heart Home is a quarterly publication celebrating all that is unique and good about interior decor and lifestyle. Championing independent British Designers and inspiring readers to create their own great British Homes.

See it here.

in tough economic times, women buy nail polish

2011-12-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

Who would have thought . . . .

NEW YORK: For the first ten months of 2011, sales of nail polish and products were up 59 percent from the same period in 2010, according to market research firm NPD Group, which also showed sales have grown since the onset of the economic downturn.

Photo: Corbis Images

"Nail color is an affordable indulgence," said Karen Grant, vice president and global beauty industry analyst at NPD. "It's an easy way to be on-trend and to make a statement."

Although NPD's research focused on department stores, Grant said the trend extends to the mass market as well.

Demitrius Simpkins, manager of New York salon Lali Lali in New York, agreed.
"Beauty is one thing women never forget about," he said. "Manicures are a way to lift spirits."

NPD's research showed that both colored nail polish and base coats were selling well, which suggests that more women may be skipping the salon manicures and doing their own nails.

"With so many looks that you can play with for relatively little expense or commitment, it lends itself to being a DIY treatment," Grant explained.

Simpkins said that although the salon's nail services are popular, he has noticed some customers are looking for ways to save money and opting for long-lasting gel manicures to reduce salon visits.

"Some women who used to come every Monday now come maybe every other Monday," he said.

Grant and Simpkins also think women are aiming for value.

"A bottle of nail polish can last a month or two at least," said Grant. "If you go out to dinner, you only get one night."

Grant also noted the capacity for growth in the nail cosmetics market, which she said is larger than for other color cosmetics.

In 2001, when lipstick sales shot up former Estee Lauder chairman Leonard Lauder coined the term "lipstick index" to describe the increase in demand for lipstick after the late 1990s tech bubble burst.

"The size of the market is burgeoning, and there's a huge opportunity for doubling or even tripling growth," Grant said of nail cosmetics. "It's like lipstick ten years ago."

© Thomson Reuters 2011 All rights reserved.

spanish country house

2011-12-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

An abandoned stable in the western province of Cáceres in Spain carefully renovated by architectural and development firm Ábaton. A stunning family home that not only makes you want to pack your bags and book a flight to Spain because someone made a mistake ... you're sure this is your home. On top of aesthetic perfection it's sustainable as well. Solar panels supply energy during the summer while turbines take advantage of the two streams that run through the property providing electricity in the winter. Rain water is returned to the ground. Materials are recyclable. Large expanses of stone floors provide thermal mass. Una casa de inspiración.

reposted from here

friday humor

2011-12-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

from here

christopher hitchens - good night

2011-12-16T06:28:00.000-08:00

NY Times: Christopher Hitchens, a slashing polemicist in the tradition of Thomas Paine and George Orwell who trained his sights on targets as various as Henry Kissinger, the British monarchy and Mother Teresa, wrote a best-seller attacking religious belief, and dismayed his former comrades on the left by enthusiastically supporting the American-led war in Iraq, died Thursday at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He was 62.

Michael Stravato for The New York Times

Christopher Hitchens a few hours after being released from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in October.

The cause was pneumonia, a complication of esophageal cancer, said the magazine Vanity Fair, which announced the death. In recent days Mr. Hitchens had stopped treatment and entered hospice care at the Houston hospital. He learned he had cancer while on a publicity tour in 2010 for his memoir,“Hitch-22,” and began writing and, on television, speaking about his illness frequently.

“In whatever kind of a ‘race’ life may be, I have very abruptly become a finalist,” Mr. Hitchens wrote in Vanity Fair, for which he was a contributing editor.

Read more here.

Past deaths from esophageal cancer:
Harmon Killebrew, Hall of Fame Slugger for the Minnesota Twins - died May 2011
Ron Silver, actor - died March 2009

Tom Lantos, US Representative from N. California - died Feb 2008
Ann Richards, governor of Texas - died Sept 2006

q & a with diane keaton

2011-12-15T07:24:00.001-08:00

It was a real treat to open up my e-mail this morning to find in today's Remodelista Daily this q & a with Diane Keaton. She's up at the top of my most favorite people list.

While Diane Keaton may forever be linked to her role as Annie Hall, we are equally enamored of her design sensibility. Keaton has been branching out from movies for a while now (she's known for her photography and for her writing), and she recently designed a small housewares line called K by Keaton, inspired by "great old barns standing by the side of the road" for Bed Bath & Beyond. We recently had the opportunity to quiz Keaton on her favorite LA design haunts, her own bedding preferences, and her secrets for falling asleep.

Above: K by Keaton bedlinens for Bed Bath & Beyond.

Remodelista: Favorite reading light?
Diane Keaton: I'm in favor of vintage industrial lighting. Old flood lamps have a ton of character and give off a lot of light. I have a great 1940s search-and-rescue lamp in my bedroom.

RM: Favorite paint shade for the bedroom?
DK: Winter white or dark and dramatic. I think the wall color should set the stage for everything interesting in front of it. I don’t think the wall should be the center of attention.

Above: A blanket from Navajo Pictorial Weaving 1880-1950.

RM: Essential bedside reading?
DK : A ladder is a great way to display art books. I am an art and architecture type of person; some current favorites are Shaker Life Work and Art, Navajo Pictorial Weaving 1880-1950, and Detroit 138 Square Miles (it’s an archive like no other). Oh, and Six Bridges—just to look at the beauty of bridges and how astonishing they are.

RM: Where do you go for design inspiration?
DK: You know, I love deserted areas with history. Like downtown LA. It’s just amazing down there with the 6th Street Bridge, the factories, and the Biscuit building; all those things combine to be visually really exciting. It’s really happening.

Above: An interior tableau at Galerie Half in Los Angeles.

RM: Favorite LA design haunt?
DK: Big Daddy's Antiques. Juxtaposition. Galerie Half. And my favorite antiques picker, Dorrie Hall of the Monterey Garage at the Pasadena Antique Center.

RM: Bare wood floor or rugs?
DK: It’s all about wood. But what kind of wood is the question. Reclaimed barn wood has amazing patina and character. Not just any old barn wood—white-washed barn wood.

Above: Amangiri in southern Utah.

RM: Dream destination?
DK: The dream I’ve never been able to realize is a hotel called Amangiri in Utah. I’ve never been there, but that’s my dream. It’s surrounded by unbelievable natural beauty. I’ll be going there. The setting looks out of this world.

RM: Duvet or wool blanket?
DK: I collect vintage wool and Navajo blankets. I admire the work that went into them and the bold symbols and graphics. Who said blankets have to be plain?

RM: Favorite nighttime tea?
DK: Nighttime tea? Red wine on ice. One glass.

RM: Secrets for falling asleep?
DK: A well-designed bedroom. Looking out a bank of windows; big casement windows looking out onto light and life. That’s very peaceful. Lots of books. A busy day. I keep it very busy.

Photos curated by Diane Keaton.

friday humor

2011-12-09T07:32:00.001-08:00

total lunar eclipse

2011-12-09T07:28:00.000-08:00

Bullet Marquez /Associated Press

LA Times: Bright and early Saturday morning, people in Asia and Australia and on the western coast of America will be treated to a total eclipse of the moon—the last one until 2014.

You'll have to wake up early to see it—NASA says a red shadow will start to fall across the moon at 4:45 a.m. PST. By 6:05 a.m. PST, the moon will be totally engulfed in red light.

Red?

Yes, red.

As Dr. Tony Phillips explains in a NASA release, the lunar eclipse will appear red, not black, because a delicate layer of dusty air surrounding our planet will redirect the light of the sun, filling the darkness behind Earth with a sunset-red glow.

Whether the moon will appear bright orange or blood red or somewhere in between is still up for debate. However, atmospheric scientist Richard Keen of the University of Colorado has hazarded a guess: "I expect this eclipse to be bright orange, or even copper-colored, with a possible hint of turquoise at the edge," he told NASA.

It all sounds pretty spectacular, but unfortunately, the totality of this eclipse will not be fully visible all over the world. In fact, it will only be visible in its entirety from Australia, Asia and the extreme northwest portion of North America.

But no need to despair—the Internet has come to the rescue.

Slooh, the online Space Camera, plans to broadcast a free, real-time feed of the eclipse from telescopes in Australia, Asia and Hawaii. You can access the feed via Slooh's homepage, or by downloading the Android app at the Android Market store.

If you watch the lunar eclipse on Slooh, you'll get the benefit of live narration of the event from astronomer and Slooh editor Bob Berman, who will be joined by guests such as solar researcher Dr. Lucie Green and documentary maker Duncan Copp.

Of course, if you can go outside and see it yourself, you'll get the benefit of fresh air.

felt

2011-12-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

An 8000-Year-Old Technology That's Innovative to This Day

A felt home. Central Aisa, circa 1910.

Felt is said to be the oldest man-made material: its story goes back 8,000 years. It’s used in everything from carpets to garments to chalkboard erasers. Felt is basically the matted fibers of sheep, so it has all the virtues of wool — warm, waterproof, resilient, durable — but denser, more compact and much more versatile. It is extremely adaptable and can be made with little more than a pair of hands for tools.

Wool “felts” because the animal fibers have natural directional scales and kinks (like a lizard, or a pine cone) that bristle into action when water and friction is applied. The scales reach up to the source of friction at a 90 degree angle and then back again, which causes the fibers to stitch together and form felt.

In India, felt is made for the mass market by laying down wool in shallow pools of water and going over it with giant steamrollers. Watch a modern-day Mongolian tribe demonstrate the process of building a traditional home out of felt in this You Tube video. The entire process is recorded, from herding and shearing the sheep, to beating pelts of unprocessed wool with long reeds, to erecting a ger, or yurt, just like the Xanadu pleasure palace of Kublai Khan, or the mighty military bases of Ghengis Khan. Felt is moisture-wicking and insulating, because even the badasses of the Mongolian plain desired a cozy and durable dwelling.

A felt hat if nothing else. Collecting surplus goods in Arizona. Photo by Russell Lee via The Denver Post.

Felt wall paneling at the auditorium of the Museum of Tolerance

Read more on the Kaufmann Mercantile blog here.

rue - holiday

2011-12-06T08:29:00.000-08:00

Click here.

friday humor

2011-12-02T10:16:00.001-08:00

world aids day

2011-12-01T09:37:00.000-08:00

World AIDS Day began as a way to increase awareness of the disease and support those affected by it.

Nepalese people light candles in the shape of the red ribbon, the universal symbol of awareness and support for those living with HIV, in Katmandu, Nepal, Wednesday Nov. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Niranajan Shrestha)

On December 1st, we observe World AIDS day. First observed in 1988, World AIDS Day began as a way to increase awareness of the disease and support those affected by it, their families, their communities, even entire countries. It provided an opportunity to fight prejudice against people living with HIV, improve knowledge about the disease among the wider population, and raise money for research.

World AIDS Day was first conceived at the World Health Organization, or WHO, a specialized agency of the United Nations. This year's theme, which runs until 2015, is "Getting to Zero:" Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Related Deaths. Other countries at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS, including the United States, have come up with additional themes, reflecting their own efforts to eliminate the disease.

The Centers for Disease Control, a branch of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, first identified the Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS, and its cause, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, in 1981.

The early years were tragic. The infection spread widely around the world, but the medical community had few weapons in its arsenal. In 1988, the life expectancy of most patients with AIDS was about two years.

We've come a long way since then. Today, for those who have access to medical treatment, a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is no longer an automatic death sentence. Over 6 million people in the developing world are now receiving lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. In Africa, the world’s hardest-hit region, over 3 million people are receiving treatment with support from the U.S. President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. And the number of new infections each year around the world has dropped by approximately 25 percent over the past decade.

These are encouraging signs, and new scientific advances hold great promise. This year's U.S. Government theme, "Leading with Science, Uniting for Action," highlights the opportunity to do more. Ultimately, the shared responsibility to fight this disease is one in which all have roles to play. This World AIDS Day is a time for all of us to commit to the goal of an AIDS-free generation.

via Voice of America

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2011-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

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eva zeisel

2011-11-30T07:44:00.000-08:00

Solitary Refinement
By STEPHEN HEYMAN | NOVEMBER 21, 2011

A photograph of Eva Zeisel taken shortly after her arrest in 1936.

NY Times: On Nov. 13, the celebrated Modernist designer Eva Zeisel turned 105. As if this weren’t impressive enough, Zeisel marked the occasion by publishing a memoir about the 16 months she spent in a Soviet prison in the 1930s, during which time she tried to commit suicide by cutting her wrists with a copper wire pulled from a toilet. “For many years Eva did not want to make her prison experiences public, in part because she was afraid that the K.G.B. would come after her in the U.S.,” said her daughter, Jean Richards.

Zeisel, who was born in Hungary and moved to Russia in 1932, had been falsely accused of plotting to kill Stalin. (Zeisel’s childhood friend Arthur Koestler later channeled her experience when writing “Darkness at Noon.”) She was rounded up by members of the secret police and tossed into a Leningrad prison, where she spent months alone in a cell she describes almost cheerily as “a cupboard.” “I started to do gymnastics,” she writes in the memoir, published this month in the literary journal A Public Space. “I tried to stand on my head. This was rather easy in the cupboard because there is not too much room to fall.”

Zeisel now lives in Rockland County, N.Y. Brigid Hughes, the founding editor of A Public Space, visited her earlier this year to discuss some edits. “She’s very, very sharp,” said Hughes, who noted that even though Zeisel’s vision and hearing are fading, she was still at work on new designs, among them a little ceramic egg holder.

Eva Striker Zeisel (born Eva Amalia Striker, November 13, 1906) is a Hungarian born industrial designer known for her work with ceramics, primarily from the period after she immigrated to the United States. Her forms are often abstractions of the natural world and human relationships. Work from throughout her prodigious career is included in important museum collections across the world. Zeisel declares herself a "maker of useful things". Zeisel continues to design furniture as well as glass and ceramic objects.

More from Wikipedia.

anthology - holiday

2011-11-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

Click here.

next year's fashion trends - autumn/winter 2012/2013

2011-11-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Mudpie : Garment Inspiration Myriad Career

Refined opulence and luxury provide the foundations for AW 12/13 as we look to the Middle East for inspiration, paying close attention to its ardency for decadent living and design. The current market for Muslim-inspired fashion is estimated to be worth over $96 billion per year, while major players, such as Gucci and Giorgio Armani, who serve up a pastiche of Middle Eastern influences on the runway, confirm a burgeoning global appeal. ‘Myriad’ absorbs these coveted themes in a sumptuous trend, stripped-back for contemporary appeal. An ultra-chic style ethos reigns as cutting-edge tailoring adopts a quietly exotic silhouette, employing subtle references from Western Asia and North Africa. Long-line layers are crucial, reminiscent of traditional hijab and djellaba robes. Ankle-grazing tailored jackets sport characteristic side vents while re-worked smock and nehru-collared shirts come in crisp organic cotton and silk.

Sparkle and embellishment are rendered sparingly, evoking the Arabian penchant for glamour and decoration; sporadic interwoven metallic threads and a peppering of micro crystals ensure a modern veneer. Fresh white, camel and Saharan twilight blue are used in clean blocks, occasionally softened with a hand-crafted finish. Here laser-cuts beadwork and tonal knit patterns mimic the hypnotising geometrics of Middle-Eastern design. Giorgio Armani’s Saharan nomad collection for SS11 proffers inspiration with shaded navy hues and a dusting of sequins referencing thematic ideas in a viable way. Luxury layers communicate an urban identity as tailored and jersey dropped crotch pants are teamed with contemporary staples such as a fitted leather biker jacket, while ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ becomes a fashion icon pushing desert utility looks. Flak-style vests, jumpsuits and silky cargo pants are integral items while tureg inspired head-wraps and cut glass jewellery finish trend-led looks.

www.mpdclick.com

judgement

2011-11-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

As we go forth this holiday season, either shopping for bargains, cooking big meals or attending the myriad parties, conflict and stress can easily enter the picture.

"Often times, when we occupy the space of 'I'm right and you're wrong' it keeps us from seeing our own responsibility in matters. When we judge others' foibles and personality traits, what does it really say about us? What can we do to identify and get rid of judgment in ourselves and in our lives?"

Here's an excerpt from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, GOOP, posted yesterday:

From Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel:

"What I hear in this question is a common concern for all of us: we want to be able to respond to our relationships with skillfulness and clarity. But when we critically examine, say, a conflict we might be having with a friend or family member, we often find ourselves judging others based on 'right' or 'wrong.' So to me the fundamental question comes down to this: 'Is there a way of working with relationships without judging or ignoring?'

For me this question opened up a query into the difference between discernment and judgment. When we look at another human being—or ourselves—we see that we are not 'one way.' Human beings are creative and destructive, cranky and kind, joyful and miserable…it's impossible to pin down a human being. We are always a 'work in progress.' So when we judge others (or ourselves) we are objectifying or seeing them in a one-dimensional way. There is a closing down around a negative idea, and simultaneously, there is a non-acceptance of the "fullness" of who they are. This is why, when we judge others, we experience first and foremost the negativity of our own mind.

One thing I like to do when I find myself in these situations is to try to remember at least two other qualities about the person whom I have just 'put in a box.' For instance, aside from what is irritating us, we may acknowledge that she is a good mother to her children. We may remember that she brought us soup when we were sick. In this way, all of us move out of our tendency to judge them—to form a solid picture of them—which in turn moves us out of our own negativity. This helps us see this person more fully, which, if we are honest with ourselves, is more accurate.

This doesn't mean that this person doesn't exhibit habits that challenge us. Nor does it mean that we shouldn't also find a way to work with or even communicate with this person, set boundaries, and so on… But when we don't shut down by making judgments, the atmosphere of our minds is open, gentle and non-reactive. This gives us a greater capacity for clear seeing and how to relate to them skillfully in order to obtain a positive outcome.

I deeply believe that seeing the fullness of others, in all their pain and glory, allows us to express the greatest love and respect we can offer. It is an unconditional kind of love. And this kind of love has a profound effect on our own minds.

Not long ago a dear friend of mine lost her father. She told me that after his passing, her family and friends began to praise and deify him. Although she adored and respected her father, this was hard for her. She said that her father was many things: he was intelligent and kind, but also sometimes rough and gritty, 'like a prickly pear cactus.' She had trouble listening to people describe her father in such a one-dimensional way. She felt that her love for her father included the fullness of his human-ness.

I found this touching because her love for her father was inclusive … she didn't have to forget or disregard him in any way. She could accept him completely for who he was. She was able to see him clearly and accept him fully, both at the same time.

We can have an inclusive stance that makes room for the full humanity of others. From this ground, we can respond to a parent, friend or co-worker without judgment. When we realize that we can be both open and discerning at the same time, we experience freedom from negativity and meaningfulness in our relationship with the world."

Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel is a Buddhist scholar and the author of the book, The Power of an Open Question (Shambhala Publications).

Read more from other contributors here.

2011-11-23T20:04:00.001-08:00

what your home’s interior design says about you

2011-11-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

This is kind of fun. A guestpost on Let me be inspired by Philip J Reed, on behalf of Westwood College, attempts to psychoanalyze our interior design choices. Where do you fit in?

It’s often been observed that “the clothes make the man.” And, certainly, you can also tell a lot about a person from the company they keep, the films they enjoy and the issues that interest them most. But what about their home’s interior design?

Yes, you can also tell a lot about a person by the place in which they choose to live. Maybe they need a spotless kitchen before they feel prepared to cook, or maybe they look to a wall full of books for inspiration. How you decorate your home doesn’t just influence you, it also provides a window to your psyche.

The colors you choose, the styles you prefer and even the degree of order you impose on your surroundings speak volumes about who you are. Here are just a few ways to determine what your home might be saying about you.

Warm or Cool?
Warm colors are vibrant and inviting, while cool colors create an atmosphere of tranquility. Your home decor color choices say much about your desire for a stimulating environment or your preference for a calming retreat from stress. Color balances you, giving you a visual representation of what you crave. If you have a hectic life, you probably prefer soothing colors that let you relax into them. If you feel the need for more energy, then warm colors could give you the charge you need to start your day.

Neutrals also play a role in home decor. If your home contains plenty of white space, you admire simplicity; black accents reveal a love of mystery. Browns and taupes provide transitions between warm and cool hues, bringing balance to your home.

Simple or Ornate?
Whether you prefer clean-lined minimalism or Victorian ornamentation speaks to your worldly nature. If you appreciate modern design influenced by Japanese or Scandinavian styles that draw attention to the natural beauty of the materials, you tend to lead a more contemplative life. Lushly decorative elements like Louis XIV style furnishings or Victorian embellishments create a sensuous environment that appeals to your love of physical beauty. Books span the gap between contemplation and action. If you use books as a design element as well as a resource, you’re probably intellectually inclined and spend as much time thinking as you do dreaming or taking action.

Whether you have an interior design degree or just a good eye for style, you’ll probably combine the simple and the ornate in your home decor. This eclectic blend of styles indicates a balanced outlook that integrates both your inner and outer selves into a harmonious whole.

Neat or Messy?
Are you someone who can’t think in a messy room, or do you need some clutter to make a house feel like home? How you keep your house sometimes indicates your need for control. A spotless home means you feel the need to exercise control over your environment, while a somewhat chaotic environment means you’re willing to take life as it comes. This guideline is general, though; sometimes a messy home indicates nothing more than a busy week.

These are just a few of the ways that your home speaks for you. Before it says too much, take a good long look at your home’s interior design, and make sure it’s representing you accurately!

Images from: Alvhem & Stadshem

new e-mag

2011-11-22T17:59:00.001-08:00

Check it out here.

first ladies

2011-11-22T06:40:00.000-08:00

Washington showcases ballgowns of US first ladies

WASHINGTON, Nov 20, 2011 (AFP) - The slate-blue crepe dress worn in 1933 by Eleanor Roosevelt at her husband's inauguration ball and Michelle Obama's white silk chiffon gown are among treasures on display at a new first ladies' exhibit in Washington.

The National Museum of American History opened last weekend the exhibit of 26 dresses and over 160 artifacts including portraits and silverware that belonged to US first ladies that will refresh a longstanding section of the museum.

The highlight, however, is the inaugural ballgowns, such as a strapless lace number worn by Julia Grant (wife of Ulysses Grant) in 1869, the all burgundy velvet chosen by Caroline Harrison (wife of Benjamin Harrison) in 1889 and Nancy Reagan's white satin and lace from 1981.

"It's their debut, this is the dress of record, and the one which stays in people's memory," Lisa Kathleen Graddy, the exhibit's curator, told AFP, noting that it is a century-old custom for the dresses to enter the museum.

First ladies "on the public stage all the time and want to look appropriate because they are representing the nation," she added.

The term "first lady" is not official -- the first presidential spouse was known as "Lady Washington" and the term did not come into use until Dolly Madison, wife of James Madison, was buried in 1849.

For the inaugural ball, first ladies got a chance to make their statement through their dresses, according to Graddy. Lady Bird Johnson wanted hers to be made out of a fabric "that could stand the test of time," and the resulting yellow satin dress and matching coat was "very beautiful, but very simple," Graddy said. Also on display is Barbara Bush's blue velvet and satin dress from the inauguration ball in 1989 and the violet lace chosen by Hillary Clinton four years later.

But the display includes other dresses, such as the pale yellow silk evening gown that Jackie Kennedy wore in 1961 to the first state dinner hosted by JFK.

The ball gowns were also used to serve the nation. Lou Hoover (Herbert Hoover's wife), renowned for her elegance, was the first president's wife to be pictured in Vogue, and in 1929 she wore a cotton evening dress to promote the US textiles industry.

But not every first lady was as patriotic when it came to fashion.
Frances Cleveland (wife of Grover Cleveland) in 1895 bought a Jacques Doucet dress in Paris, while Edith Wilson (Woodrow Wilson's spouse) in the 1920s favored black robes from Worth, another French fashion house.

"It's a changing thing. Each first lady recreates the job to suit the president, to suit the needs of the country," said Graddy. "But there is also a constant," she added. "The first lady is a hostess and a representative of the nation at home and abroad, of her husband's administration."

The Jimmy Choo shoes worn by Michelle Obama at the event are on display in the new first ladies' exhibit as well as her jewelry and gown. The ensemble worn by the current first lady included earrings with a center cluster of briolettes, set in white gold, with a total carat weight of 61.

by Fabienne Faur

lounge act

2011-11-21T11:18:00.000-08:00

A pair of vintage Eames Lounge Chairs at Moss are reupholstered in Repeat Dot fabric by Hella Jongerius for Maharam.

NY Times: Talk about a makeover. Among the latest offerings at the SoHo design mecca Moss is this pair of vintage Eames Lounge Chairs, which Murray Moss decided to re-cover in Hella Jongerius’s Repeat Dot fabric from Maharam. The chairs (which have been manufactured by Herman Miller since 1956) have a built-in pedigree because they’re made with Brazilian rosewood veneer, the material that was originally specified by Charles and Ray Eames, but which was discontinued in 1992 when Brazilian rosewood landed on the endangered species list. Jongerius’s eye-popping fabric, however, is what really makes them — it takes a design icon from the “Mad Men” era and catapults it into the 21st century. (As with many Moss creations, these don’t come cheap: the chairs are $16,000 each, or $30,000 for the pair.) They’re just the first (or first two) in a planned series of one-off furniture pieces on which Moss and Maharam will collaborate.

More here.

Here's the original. Available for a mere $5,550 - $6,700 - such a deal!

friday wisdom

2011-11-18T07:45:00.001-08:00

sweet paul - winter 2011

2011-11-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

I love this e-mag. See it here.

gift giving

2011-11-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

Need some ideas for gifts? Check this e-mag out here.

poster boy

2011-11-14T06:57:00.000-08:00

Shepard Fairey’s “The Future is Unwritten” was commissioned by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.

NY Times: Shepard Fairey, the influential street artist who last month designed an invitation for an Occupy Wall Street party in Times Square, is once again unfurling the income equality banner, this time to raise money for the homeless. The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation selected Fairey to inaugurate its Artist as Activist series; 100 signed prints of the new Fairey poster, “The Future is Unwritten,” is available for purchase at artnet.com/auctions, starting at $1,250. Almost all of the proceeds benefit the nonprofit organization Coalition for the Homeless, which provides soup kitchens and job training for destitute New Yorkers. Fairey said that his poster references Depression-era styles like Art Deco, and that its title comes from Joe Strummer of the Clash, whom he called “a dedicated advocate for the working class.”

to the crazy ones

2011-11-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

A nice way to end the week.

This was a 1997 Apple commercial that kicked off the "Think Different" campaign. It originally aired with a voice over by Richard Dreyfuss. Steve Jobs did a version but it was never used. After Jobs death Jeremy Abbett remixed it with the Jobs narration. Very poignant.

Click here for the original version.

I found this on Richard Branson's blog. (You'll notice he's in the commercial). It's really great. Check it out here.

11.11.11 - veterans day

2011-11-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

poppy photo by irving penn

Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

friday wisdom

2011-11-11T07:50:00.000-08:00

back on the market

2011-11-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Tucson, Arizona
STATS
2 bedrooms
2.5 baths
1,540 sq. ft.
$875,000

Pedigree: Designed by architect Rick Joy for a San Francisco art dealer, this award-winning 2005 residence (christened the Desert Nomad House) consists of three separate structures positioned in the landscape for optimal light and to create a shared courtyard. Clad in weathered steel, the rectilinear volumes contain an office/guest room, a master suite, and a combined living/dining/kitchen area, respectively. Maple paneling and glass partitions define the interiors.

Property Values: Towering saguaro cacti grow wild across the five-acre plot, which sits at the base of the Tucson Mountains.

Talking Point: Floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping vistas of the surrounding wildlife and nearby range.

Contact: Crosby Doe Associates, 310-275-2222; crosbydoe.com

More Rick Joy images here.

latest lonny

2011-11-10T12:44:00.000-08:00

Click here.

room dreams

2011-11-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

From photographer Eric Piasecki.

andy rooney - good night

2011-11-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

Andy Rooney, Mainstay on ‘60 Minutes’, Dead at 92

Andy Rooney, whose prickly wit was long a mainstay of CBS News and whose homespun commentary on “60 Minutes,” delivered every week from 1978 until 2011, made him a household name, died Friday in New York City.

CBS News said in a statement that Mr. Rooney died after complications following minor surgery.

Read more here.

in case you missed it

2011-11-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

A Sister’s Eulogy

By MONA SIMPSON
Published: October 30, 2011

Mona Simpson delivered this eulogy for her brother, Steve Jobs, on Oct. 16, 2011, at his memorial service at the Memorial Church of Stanford University.

I grew up as an only child, with a single mother. Because we were poor and because I knew my father had emigrated from Syria, I imagined he looked like Omar Sharif. I hoped he would be rich and kind and would come into our lives (and our not yet furnished apartment) and help us. Later, after I’d met my father, I tried to believe he’d changed his number and left no forwarding address because he was an idealistic revolutionary, plotting a new world for the Arab people.

Even as a feminist, my whole life I’d been waiting for a man to love, who could love me. For decades, I’d thought that man would be my father. When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother.

The rest is here.

friday inspiration

2011-11-04T08:53:00.000-07:00

Amazing holographic 3d image of Kate Moss floating during the Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2006 runway show. It is set to the exquisite theme from Schindler's List. It was later shown at the incredible exhibit Savage Beauty at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Update: the violin soloist is Itzhak Perlman, music by John Williams

friday wisdom

2011-11-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

eames: the movie

2011-11-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Mid-century design all-stars Charles and Ray Eames are getting the documentary treatment this month, with the release of Eames: The Architect and the Painter, showing at the Laemmle Music Hall starting November 18.

The film includes never-before-seen 'cache of archival material, visually-stunning films, love letters, photographs and artifacts' from over 40 years of work and collaboration.

make tacos

2011-11-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

Designer Barbara Hill lives in a restored dance hall in Marfa, Texas. Look closely at the area above the sink.

I love this!

See more of her house here.

happy halloween

2011-10-31T07:36:00.001-07:00

Vincent Price reads to Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, and Basil Rathbone.

(via awesome people reading)

friday wisdom

2011-10-28T07:57:00.001-07:00

hepburn in rome

2011-10-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hepburn scooter, photos in Rome exhibition

ROME — A collection of dresses and other wardrobe treasures worn by Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn -- along with the scooter she immortalised in her breakout role in "Roman Holiday" -- went on display Wednesday in Rome.

Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck on the iconic Vespa from the film Roman Holiday (1953)

The Vespa scooter on which Hepburn explored the Eternal City with co-star Gregory Peck -- the role that shot the petite and stylish British actress to international stardom -- is foremost among the items featured in the "Audrey in Rome" exhibition at the Ara Pacis museum.

Alongside the green Vespa, the display features Hepburn's oversized sunglasses, scarves and dresses.

Hepburn's sons Shawn (R) and Luca (L) pose next the "Roman Holiday" (Vacanze Romane) Vespa (AFP, Alberto Pizzoli)

There are also some 150 photographs of Hepburn in Rome, many of them catching her going about her private life after she settled in the city following her marriage to Italian neuro-psychiatrist Andrea Dotti, with whom she had a son, Luca, in 1970.

One shows Hepburn buying flowers; another walking her Yorkshire terrier.

Part of the proceeds from the show will go to the UN Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), for which Hepburn served as a goodwill ambassador before dying of cancer in 1993 aged 63.

Read more here.

"technobohemian"

2011-10-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

John Malkovich brings pop-up fashions to Paris

PARIS, Oct 25, 2011 (AFP) - Clothes fit for a star, designed by a star: Hollywood's John Malkovich is opening a pop-up fashion store in Paris in the run-up to Christmas to showcase his new menswear line, his firm said Tuesday.

John Malkovich - Photo: Corbis

Actor-director Malkovich will host a VIP party in Paris for the commercial launch of the Italian-made collection dubbed "Technobohemian by John Malkovich" before it goes on sale to the public from December 5 to 24.

First created three years ago, Malkovich's clothes were until now on limited display in a dozen stores around the world, but his spring-summer look is being rolled out to the general public for the first time this Christmas season.

Billed as "dandy and bohemian" in style, the line -- which was previewed in a similar pop-up store in Milan last month -- is aimed at "modern men who care about how they look, and who are firmly rooted in the 21st century."

Entitled Opificio JM, the temporary concept store will showcase suits, shirts, ties and accessories alongside a selection of luxury goods from Tuscany, from jewels to artworks and scents, hand-picked by Malkovich, whose wife is Italian.

Christmas shoppers will be able to treat themselves to a Malkovich-labelled suit for around 600 euros (830 dollars), or a shirt for 150 euros, said Liliana Pavesi Serri, head of international retail for the brand.

Malkovich, who studied costume design for the theatre in his youth, created the "Technobohemian" line in partnership with an Italian friend and designer, Ricardo Rami.

"John has always had a passion for fashion and design," said Pavesi Serri. "His inspiration is the film world, theatre and the street -- he is someone who is happy to take the metro when he is in Paris."

The US actor sketches the designs and selects fabrics for the clothes, which are produced by Rami in the Italian textile industry hub of Prato, where the Opificio JM brand has its headquarters.

friday wisdom

2011-10-21T10:46:00.001-07:00

spring - summer 2012 fashion trends

2011-10-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

Promostyl : Casual trends summer 2012

Promostyl is an international trend forecasting service that relies heavily on social and political undercurrents to forecast fashion. Here's their take on what's coming next for all you fashionistas.

Faced with multiple "crises" of all types and of all times -social, economic, ecological, the human being has always had the formidable capacity of resisting, on one hand, and committing, on the other. Summer 2012 is a season under the sign of Commitment, as our four themes illustrate this positive movement of individual and collective involvement.

Casual wear brightens up and perks up for Spring-Summer 2012. From the color palette to the decors and designs, this entire season’s mood lightens up. Even vintage styles seem to have undergone a revivifying nip and tuck, under the influence of Art Nouveau or preppy references, the latter remaining a strong provider of energy and spontaneity. Revitalized by the clean, ultra fresh dynamics, this casual mood works well, both for the most feminine styles and the new relaxed tomboy looks.

one day on earth

2011-10-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

What's Your Human Rights Story?

Do you have a video camera and something to say about human rights? If so, this is your chance to show the world how rights affect your life and your community.

On November 11, 2011 (11/11/11), join thousands of other inspired citizens around the world in recording the human experience over a 24-hour period as part of One Day On Earth. Help us show the world why human rights are vital by taking part in this day of filming. All you need is a video camera and an internet connection, and your video can be as short as 1 minute. You could describe rights that are denied or document the rights that you particularly appreciate, such as the right to health, education, or freedom of speech.

The videos will be stored and shared online at One Day on Earth and later turned into a longer film. Click here for more details on how to participate. When people across the Middle East and North Africa used video to document abuses and demand their rights, it inspired the rest of the world. Let’s build on their achievements and use video to raise awareness about the importance of human rights.

friday humor

2011-10-14T07:50:00.001-07:00

friday wisdom

2011-10-14T07:42:00.001-07:00

a beautiful house in biarritz

2011-10-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

The portfolio of Spanish designer Isabel López-Quesada is full of beautiful homes. Rustic yet elegant. Casual and real but steeped with history and a sense of place. Here, a dream house in Biarritz, France.

via desire to inspire

being elmo

2011-10-07T07:22:00.000-07:00

After days of sadness, some joy.

friday wisdom

2011-10-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

think different

2011-10-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg News

A Twitter user named Matt Galligan wrote: “R.I.P. Steve Jobs. You touched an ugly world of technology and made it beautiful.”

steve jobs: good night

2011-10-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Jobs, Apple Co-Founder and Visionary, Is Dead

Steven P. Jobs introduced the iPhone 4 in 2010.

SAN FRANCISCO — Steven P. Jobs, the visionary co-founder and former chief executive of Apple, has died at 56.

Apple said in a press release that it was “deeply saddened” to announce that Mr. Jobs had passed away on Wednesday.

“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives,” the company said. “The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

With John Sculley, Apple's president, in 1984.

More here.

2011 solar decathlon winners

2011-10-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

From the LA Times: The University of Maryland won the 2011 Solar Decathlon on Saturday afternoon, beating students from Purdue, a New Zealand team and a combined entry from Caltech and the Southern California Institute of Architecture in the U.S. Department of Energy's biannual design competition.

Photos: 41-image gallery of the Solar Decathlon entries

Maryland's entry, pictured above, earned about 951.2 points out of 1,000 from judges scoring criteria such as architectural merit, engineering and affordability of construction. The house's photovoltaic and solar thermal arrays can harness the sun to provide all of its power and to heat all of its water, and it also has been designed to filter storm water and recycle gray water.

Purdue, the Indiana school finished second with 931.4 points. The Victoria University of Wellington finished third with 919.1 points. The Caltech and SCI-Arc team finished sixth with 899.5 points.

Nineteen teams competed, and complete Solar Decathlon final standings are posted on the event's site.

new rue

2011-10-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Anniversary issue - click here

friday wisdom - a day late

2011-10-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

solar decathlon 2011

2011-09-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency.

The houses will be open Friday through Oct. 2. Visitors can expect long lines, given the compactness of the houses and the intense interest among advocates of energy conservation. In 2009, there were more than 300,000 visitors over 10 days, said Richard King, director of the event. Because the German team didn’t enter this year, he added, “it’s a wide-open competition.”

friday wisdom

2011-09-23T12:16:00.001-07:00

leaves are falling

2011-09-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Fall begins in the Northern Hemisphere on September 23, 2011, at 5:05 A.M. (EDT).

On the first day of fall - the autumnal equinox - day and night are each about 12 hours long (with the actual time of equal day and night, in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring a few days after the autumnal equinox). The Sun crosses the celestial equator going southward; it rises exactly due east and sets exactly due west.

The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night." The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

From here on out, the temperatures begin to drop and the days start to get shorter.

dance like no one is watching!

2011-09-21T10:59:00.001-07:00

matilija dam

2011-09-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Tear the thing down already

Mel Melcon, Los Angeles Times / September 19, 2011

An anonymous band of artists painted a giant pair of scissors and a dotted line on the face of 200-foot Matilija Dam near Ojai. For years, an alliance of environmentalists, fishermen, surfers and officials from every level of government has called for demolishing the obsolete structure, which was built in 1947.

Read more here.

ny fashion week boots uzbek show

2011-09-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

Clothing Line ‘Guli’ off New York Catwalk

Enslaving children and torturing dissidents is never chic.

The daughter of Uzbekistan’s dictator planned to unveil her spring fashion line at New York City’s prestigious Fashion Week. But her show was canceled after Human Rights Watch and a coalition of like-minded organizations spotlighted her connection to her father’s tyrannical government.

Gulnara Karimova isn’t just the eldest daughter of Islam Karimov – Uzbekistan’s autocratic leader since the Soviet era – she also serves as the government’s ambassador to Spain and the United Nations, a high-level position in a regime known for imprisoning and torturing political opponents and rights activists. Her father’s government forces up to two million Uzbek children to leave school for two months each year to pick cotton – a fabric woven throughout Karimova’s designs.

Karimova maintains a jet-setter lifestyle, which includes making a pop video with Julio Iglesias and launching her fashion line “Guli.” But according to a cable released by Wikileaks, US diplomats said most Uzbeks view her as “a greedy, power-hungry individual who uses her father to crush business people or anyone else who stands in her way.”

To get her Fashion Week show canceled, Human Rights Watch reached out to senior management at IMG, the event organizer, and Fashion Week’s main sponsors, like Mercedes-Benz – providing examples of the abuses that our Uzbekistan researchers documented on the ground.

As the pressure grew, IMG canceled her Fashion Week show.

Human Rights Watch is now working with IMG and the event’s sponsors, urging them to better vet their potential participants so that abusers don’t have Fashion Week as a platform.

It’s fitting that Fashion Week won’t showcase a designer who represents such a repressive government. It sends a strong message: abusers shouldn’t be allowed to launder their image at the expense of human rights.

Read more here.

friday humor

2011-09-16T09:48:00.001-07:00

sale days

2011-09-16T07:41:00.001-07:00

This is the only time I shop here.

torre di moravola - revisited

2011-09-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Last February I blogged about the beautiful boutique hotel Torre di Moravola, a thousand-year-old Umbrian hilltop watchtower converted into a seven-room boutique hotel. The owners, Christopher Chong, an architect and former Norman Foster associate, and his wife, Seonaid Mackenzie, a designer have done more than a renovation. Within the outer shell of the tower they’ve constructed an entirely new inner structure, with seven strikingly modern suites arranged around a central stair. Some day I hope to stay here.

Tablet Hotels, the booking agency, recently interviewed Christopher Chong in their on-line magazine Tablet 10. Following is an excerpt.

Christopher, how much of the architecture work you did here is conceptual, and how much is intuitive or reacting to the site?
Well, we saw the site, we did a survey, and you have some sort of idea, but it’s only when you put the pieces all together that you can see what the existing plan was like. We put it in front of us, we put a piece of tracing paper over it, and in five minutes we came up with the concept. Probably just because we were thinking about it all the time, before we got back to Britain.

That was the initial concept, and then you refine it all the time as you get more information, because it’s hard to clamber about in an old building, because it’s dangerous, and half the floors are inaccessible. And then as you work through the process it’s more and more detailed, and you put layer upon layer, and you end up with the result that you’re looking for.

There must have been some challenges issuing from the intended use as a hotel.
We had to build a lot of it ourselves, due to budget constraints, and it’s one thing being an architect and designing this stuff — if you’ve got a huge budget, it’s easy. But in our case it was trying to be clever with what we had available, with whatever tools we had, and making the best of that. And when you’re actually building it, the details that you draw — we had over 1,500 drawings that we made over six years — some of the time you actually sit on the site and you say, “how do you build this?” Even at that stage, when you thought you’d thought through everything, you have to make changes. So it’s a good thing that we were on site all the time.

You also had to come up with an interesting solution for climate control.
We created these atria, two light wells, which when you stand in them you can actually see the full height of the tower, which you wouldn’t normally be able to see, as you pass through the building. It’s quite hard to imagine. But either side of this tower we have these skylights which allow you to view the actual tower itself. And they allow light right into the heart of the building, but they also allow the hot air in the summers to cool, through the stack effect, the actual building itself. Because hot air rises, and it draws the cool air through the building.

In Italy in summer you could easily have a huge air conditioning system humming away all the time.
We just thought it was terrible, environmentally. We’ve got these incredibly thick walls, which are great at preventing heat conduct. Because the walls heat up in the sunshine, and just release the back out. But inside, because the walls are so think, they’re pretty cool, they don’t get that hot. Over half a meter thick.

As an architect it’s probably quite a satisfying feeling, having the design and construction finished, and letting the place just operate.
That’s true. I’ve been exploring creative input in other ways, like cooking, and doing things like that, when the guests are here. But fortunately for me, I have other projects in the pipeline, so that in the winter months, we’ve been really busy doing other projects.

I imagine trading in the life of an urban firm architect for the life of a self-employed one in the Italian countryside is kind of a dream.
It’s very creative, and it doesn’t have those constraints of nine-to-five and commuting — which, I couldn’t do that in Hong Kong again.

home made

2011-09-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

Yvette van Boven, author of Home Made, sketched this recipe of her take on peanut butter made right in your own kitchen. The results are simple and sweet with a spicy kick.

via Terrain

patagonia on ebay

2011-09-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

Patagonia opens a re-sale store on eBay

The sale of second-hand merchandise has been the province of the internet heavy-hitter eBay. So far, individuals and companies who specialize in resale turned there to offer used goods for sale. However, Patagonia has just broken a taboo: in the last several days, the brand has begun to offer second-hand merchandise on its eBay marketplace.

The clothing and mountain-sport brand of was already a pioneer in the recycling of textile products. It has now gone a step further with this partnership with the American giant, espousing the rationale that “the greenest product is that which already exists." Patagonia thus encourages its customers to sell the brand products they no longer use and to buy used merchandise. For that which is un-usable, it offers a recycling service to which the items may be sent.

The online eBay store is the first of its kind and part of Patagonia’s global project called the Common Threads Initiative, whose aim is to reduce the brand’s environmental footprint. The basic idea is to experience the product for as long as possible, through its repair, resale or barter before finally recycling it when it is no longer usable. For now, the eBay store is available only for the U.S. market.

By Olivier Guyot
Copyright © 2011 FashionMag.com All rights reserved

the climate reality project starts today

2011-09-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS 24 HOURS OF REALITY?
24 Presenters. 24 Time Zones. 13 Languages. 1 Message. 24 Hours of Reality is a worldwide event to broadcast the reality of the climate crisis. It will consist of a new multimedia presentation created by Al Gore and delivered once per hour for 24 hours, representing every time zone around the globe. Each hour people living with the reality of climate change will connect the dots between recent extreme weather events — including floods, droughts and storms — and the manmade pollution that is changing our climate. We will offer a round-the-clock, round-the-globe snapshot of the climate crisis in real time. The deniers may have millions of dollars to spend, but we have a powerful advantage. We have reality.

WHEN IS 24 HOURS OF REALITY?
24 Hours of Reality will be broadcast live online from September 14 to 15, over 24 hours, representing 24 time zones and 13 languages.

WHERE IS 24 HOURS OF REALITY?
From Tonga to Cape Verde, Mexico City to Alaska, Jakarta to London, people living with the impacts of climate change every day will tell their story. You can experience as much as you like without even leaving your home. Click here to find the location — or locations — where you would like to watch a presentation. Due to logistical considerations, three of the presentations will be broadcast remotely from New York — Tonga, the Solomon Islands and French Polynesia — but will include local footage and information. All other presentations will be filmed on location around the world.

fluorescents can be beautiful

2011-09-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Parisian cafe by Cut Architectures is outfitted with the latest in energy-saving light bulbs. Cofounder Tom Clark of Cafe Coutume chose the sculptural Plumen to light the way.

The Plumen lightbulb uses 80 percent less energy and lasts eight times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb; $30 at Anthropologie and Unica.

Somebody needs to clue Michelle Bachman in.

via remodelista

sweet paul - fall

2011-09-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of Sweet Paul just launched. It's chock full of gorgeous photos, great craft ideas and mouth-watering recipes. I think this virtual mag is by far the best of the bunch.

Click here.

postcard from provence

2011-09-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

le pont d'Avignon

Built in the 12th Century the Pont Saint-Bénezet originally spanned the 3000ft between Avignon in the popes Comtat-venaissin and Villeneuve-les-Avignon of Louis 7th's France. After many collapses and subsequet rickety patching up it was abandoned in the 17th century when almost half of it collapsed in a flood. It is the bridge made famous by the song Sur le pont d'Avignon written in the 16th Century.

18cm x 13cm, oil on panel (approx 7"x5")

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friday humor

2011-09-09T08:30:00.001-07:00

the reckoning

2011-09-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

The New York Times has just posted a a section on their web site entitled "The Reckoning". It's an indepth thoughtful analysis of the costs and consequences of 9/11.