more of this.

i went into my local record/cd store (Music Matters, Park Slope) the other day with two items in mind. the guy who works there was restocking some shelves, and i swing open the door and look him square in the eyes and say, "new Vetiver, and new Beirut." i felt a sense of power - i knew what i wanted! and i think he might have felt a little threatened by my forwardness on account of he literally dropped what he was doing, scurried behind the counter and met my demand! see, usually i will go in... kind of futs around, maybe check out the record section, glance at the wall of "new releases" and of course look at every single CD in the used section, and leave with 2..3... maybe even four items (minimum of one!) that i most likely did not even intend on purchasing. not today. i am a girl who knows what she wants! and i paid, got my "buy 15 CDs get on free!" card stamped (i think i only need to buy 4 more!) and was on my way.

now i've only listened to the new Beirut once, and i'll bite my toungue and not say anything quite yet. Vetiver, on the other hand, was a little easier of a listen (i guess i gave away my initial reaction to Beirut...). i'm really enjoying Tight Knit. the catchiest, cutsiest, fun(est), song of the lot would have to be More of This. and believe me, i want more of this (you knew that was coming, settle down). not-to-mention, i also really enjoy the album art. sample it here!

Vetiver - More of This

alice's world.

so i guess seen as it is london fashion week right now and i promise i am continuously looking at different collections, i should be posting some of my favourite looks... and though i am tickled pink --or maybe orange? we seem to be seeing more and more orange each season!-- by a lot of the shows, i just feel i'd rather take my focus away and look at something else for a moment. or as Phoebe Buffay was once quoted as saying, "i would, but i don't want to."

so let's talk about my favourite sassy/edgy/rebelious/turn-of-the-century, staten island gal: miss Alice Austen. i can't get enough of this passionate teen/young woman with her steel blue-grey eyes. truly a girl way ahead of her time, "princess Alice" (as they called her) was introduced to photography when she was only ten years old by her uncle, who brought home an early-model dry plate camera from a trip abroad. in no time, Alice taught herself how to operate the complex camera mechanism, judge exposure, develop the heavy glass plates, and make prints. she learned this all through experimentation, and showed undeniable natural talent in doing so. by the time she was 18 in 1884, she was not only technically skilled but artistically accomplished as well. friggen timeless, her photos are.

(that's her on the fence!)

i think her personality shows through, too. here are some quotes (given to me by my professor in my 20th Century Fashion class):

"if you haven't anything nice to say about someone, sit next to me."

"i have a simple philosophy: fill what's empty, empty what's full, and scratch where it itches."

umm can we talk about how amazing this girl is? *reminder* this was PRE 1900! you rock, sista!

*gash* all of this reminds me how much i wanted her book of photos! http://www.amazon.com/Alices-World-Photography-American-1866-1952/dp/0856991287(this one is my all time faves titled "Trude and I Masked, Short Skirts" photographed by Austen on August 6, 1891... she's on the left, i believe. and next to her is her bff Gertrude Tate).

credit: http://www.aliceausten.org/

something new to get you through the day.

i have two new additions to my life. they are very special, and they came into my life with a bang, and ever since i have required them with me every day. their names: Andew Bird's Noble Beast and Useless Creatures, and Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion.

when it comes to Andrew Bird, i expected nothing less. i saw him perform at the Highline Ballroom back in October and he put on a sensational show, a lot of songs which would end up on this record. usually i get a little bummed when all i hear is new songs, but it was a good mix of old and new, and some of the songs were so catchy that it felt as if i knew them already! (ex. Oh No and Anonanimal). i've got to say, i was little worried that he might think the whole whistling thing was overdone (it is one of the things he is known for), but thank heavens he did not give it up! in fact i think the first four songs have a high dosage of whistling!

animal collective is a band i've always been interested in (though i'd become more of a fan of Panda Bear's solo stuff), but i am blown away by this album. so catchy that i could break into chorus (with my voice only... and the ones in my head) in the middle of the N train in the morning. catchiest tunes: lion in a coma, my girls and brothersport. i also can't get enough of: summertime clothes, bluish and guys eyes, and.. to be perfectly honest, there is not one song that i don't like. it's pure genious. i can't friggen WAIT to see them in May at Terminal 5!!
cheers! i think i'll wear something bright so as to bring some sunlight to this otherwise GREY day.

*correction - i saw Andrew Bird at the Hiro Ballroom.

my day started with an, "oh, shit!" how did yours begin?

i don't know what compelled me to give my very first blog this title, (mot a ta mere) but i guess i feel it's all encompassing. and the william eggleston photograph just seemed to fit too perfectly.

i'm not entirely sure where this will take me. all i know is that i had this feeling that emerged from deep within... to start a blog. i guess in general terms i see myself 'blogging' about music, fashion, art, literature, photography: what i'm listening to, which concerts i saw, fave new designers, or maybe new things i'm working on... we'll see. i think i just need an outlet for creativity where i can just do it all. no rules. no boundaries... here's to new things!

(the fauxlaroid above is take in my room by me!)