Sorry for the slow-down of posting lately. These past two weeks have been really busy - I've gotten my wisdom teeth out, visited a few colleges, and I've been tutoring math a few days a week. And all the rain the east coast has been having leaves me with no energy! I'm going away for the weekend, but here's a couple photos of what's been inspiring me lately: the Minimarket S/S 09 collection. I love the bright color combinations, and the shoes are amazing! I definitely want a pair, but somehow I feel like I wouldn't be the right person to pull off that look.
first photo from elenita.no, second one...I forgot...sorry!
I finally got around to seeing Harry Potter last night; I was pretty satisfied with it. I had just reread the book, so of course I had to notice everything that was missing, but for the most part I was happy with the film. I was also really excited to see the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are, which was my favorite book when I was younger. The movie looks great; the filming looks superb, the lighting is beautiful and very sunset-y, the music is nice, and the monsters look good too :]
Sometimes I find myself fascinated by someone I see in photographs. There's just something about them that draws you in, and I'm finding myself in this situation after seeing all these photos of Florence Welch, singer from Florence and the Machine. Of course I love her music, but there's something about her...maybe it's her red hair, or her super pale skin (like mine!).
all photos from florenceandthemachine.net
I love this video for her single Rabbit Heart, her voice is so soulful and the aesthetic of the video is very ethereal. The rest of her new album Lungs is great as well.
I just found out about Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland, which is expected to be realeased in March 2010. Maybe I'm a little slow...but I'm still really excited! Especially the fact that Mia Wasikowska is Alice, she is beuatiful and I'm sure she'll be wonderful. And Anne Hathaway is the White Queen! She's one of my favorite actresses and I'm anxious to see her play this role. Of course, Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter. I've loved him in every Tim Burton film I've seen, but I love this story so much that I feel like this will be my favorite of his. The film is going to be in 3D; I've actually never seen a movie in 3D so this will be a new experience.
I've been experimenting with some cool photo-manipulation sites like TiltShiftMaker and Holganizer.
This one I did on Holganizer, I took it in Chinatown in San Francisco.
These two I did on TiltShiftMaker. The first is the Bixby Canyon Bridge near Carmel, CA and the second is a marina in Monterey Bay, CA. They're supposed to look miniature, using blurring and focus techniques on the site, but I'm not completely convinced with what I did :) I like these ones from the TiltShiftMaker flickr group better (these are not taken by me).
P.S. I found this photo on The Sartorialist yesterday. Wow...this is the epitome of a great summer look. The red lips, torn jeans and quirky necklace are perfect. Usually I'm not too fond of fedoras (I'm pretty sure that's what this one looks like...) but it really completes this look for me.
I just found the work of artist Raphael Vicenzi. I was flipping through NEET magazine online, and saw some beautiful, bright illustrations and had to take a look. I love the texture and patterns in his work and the contrast between the bold lines and the dreamy watercolor.
Rodrigo y Gabriela - I have fallen in love with this guitar-playing duo, I love their flamenco infused melodies. His quick fingerwork and her percussive beats make this one of my favorite new groups to listen to, and as a guitar player I can truly appreciate their talent. Check out the video of their version of Stairway to Heaven - not t sound cliche, but it really did take my breath away (I posted it below).
Audrye Sessions- Their single "Turn Me Off" has been playing a lot lately on the radio station that I listen to, and I've really been liking it. They have alot of depth to their sound but their songs are still light enough for easy summer listening; I really like "Julianna" too.
Janis Joplin - Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits- I bought this as a record, actually, and I must say that there is nothing quite like listening to "Me and Bobby McGee" from a record player.
The Beach Boys - Sounds of Summer- Perfect music for summertime, I've been listening to this in my car nonstop since I got it for my birthday, because it's 30 tracks long. It's good music to listen to when I'm running, I find.
Cage the Elephant - I first started listening to this band when I was in CA, and they actually played in San Francisco the night I was there, but sadly we had other plans. Anyways, I really like the southern tinge to this band's sound, and the video for "No Rest For the Wicked" is pretty cool.
Angelique Kidjo - Oremi - My mom got me into the afropop genre a while ago, and I really found that I liked Angelique's music. Her cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child" is amazing, reminds me a bit of Beyonce's voice (I'm thinking that could be taken as an insult...but it's not! I like Beyonce), but with more African flavor in the music.
The Whip - X Marks Destination - I've never been a huge fan of techno, but this changed my mind. My friend from France recommended it to me, and I really like how it's kind of a mix of electronic and rock. "Sister Siam" is my favorite track off this album.
David Bowie - Young Americans - I found this record in my parents' collection. I love Bowie, and this has some great material on it. And he covers "Across the Universe"!
Memoirs of a Geisha Soundtrack - John Williams can do no wrong. Ever. This music is beautiful, there's nothing else that can really describe it. The score makes the film, and all the talented musicians that contributed to the music really bring the film to life. My favorite is "The Chairman's Waltz" - it's so sad but beautiful; I love music that is like that.
Regina Spektor - Far - I've finally gotten my hands on this CD, and each time I listen to it I discover something new, like I've remembered doing with all her past albums. To me, this album seems more free form and less strict than Begin to Hope. A fun track is "Dance Anthem of the 80's," but my current favorite (which should probably change next week) is "Human of the Year," where the title of this post comes from. I love the depth and maturity of Regina's voice in this song.
Rodrigo y Gabriela's version of "Stairway to Heaven"
I hope you enjoyed this post, it actually took a while to put together unlike some of my more recent efforts. As always, let me know what you're listening to because I'd love to hear it!
