I'm running away...

...to join this band!!! You can't stop me!

Beautiful youtube video here.

Official Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's video for the (wonderful!) song "Home" here.

"Hot and Heavy pumpkin pie
Chocolate candy Jesus Christ
Aint nothin please me more than you

Home... let me come Home
Home is Whenever I'm with you"

Aw!

xx

This time last year...

... and the year before that, and the year before that (what can I say, I'm obsessed!) I was leaving on a jet plane for my beloved NYC. Bags packed, heart in chest, awaiting that first glimpse of the city from the plane... and the inevitable burst of excitement, love and crazy-can't-stop-smiling happiness that I would experience as Central Park became recognisable beneath me.

For a place I have spent most of my life NOT living in, it sure holds a lot of my most beloved memories... seeing my best friend get married in City Hall, my friend's band play the Bowery Ballroom (!!), my first Brooklyn date; drinking iced coffees and watching the sun sink below the buildings of Manhattan from across the East River (and later, my first NYC heartbreak... rushing to catch the subway as Avenue A was blurred by tears and rain before me, one cold and sad New York night a year after) and many, many days of discovering my new favorite dive bar, cupcake bakery, bagel shop, bodega, coffee shop, thrift store, art gallery, record store, dog park, cheap borscht restaurant... and everything else in-between, as I pounded the streets of the East Village, L.E.S and Brooklyn, over and over again on each lovely New York day.

Anyways, over the years I've learnt you can miss somewhere you aren't, while still loving where you ARE. So on this day I am very, very glad and grateful to be here, in my wonderful Melbs, with all my lovely friends... but also...

New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down!

(Click to view song)

I miss the hell outta you NYC!!! *sniff*

So... who's in for NEW YORK 2010??!!! ;)

xx

The Calm AFTER the Storm

I wanted an image to sum up this new feeling and I knew that the wonderful notebookdoodles would provide. Go and have a look at all the beautiful pictures this talented girl has made!

I haven't said much about it on the blog, as I didn't want to be a bummer, but my living situation lately has been... less than ideal. In fact, I would probably describe it as "downright miserable" to be perfectly honest!

Which is why it was so nice to wake up this morning in a new room, with a new view, and the new spring sunshine streaming through my new window (well... window DOORS!!!)

And best of all... a newfound knowledge that this too has passed and I have weathered the storm. Now I can enjoy the sunshine afterwards....

and...


I can't wait!!! :)

xx

Better than Boxes

Lovely tableclothes! For some reason I found trawling through all these pretty patterns strangely addictive... Hmm, could it be that I am desperately procrastinating in order to avoid dealing with the upturned drawers and general calamity which is my half-packed-up room??! No... Surely not! :)

xx

Ladies and Gentlemen, May I Present to You...

TheMostAmazingWebsiteOnTheInternet (.com)

North by Northwest

Apartment therapy are showcasing the Best of the 2008 Colour Contest this week over on their blog, and I found this little beauty amongst the Northwest Homes entries. How lovely is that soft blue with the red? And I love the window frame picture frame! 

Also digging "East #77: Jeanie's Candy Colored World" (although, really, with a name like that... how could I not??!)

And the wee details from entry "East # 20: Bretts Hot Lips" (!!)

Oh! And the reason I have homes on the brain? I found a new house!!! Yippeeeeeeee!!! More dets - and hopefully pictures (once I've found my camera, which I hid in my room from hypothetical burglars and now I can't remember where I put it... security FAIL!!!) - to come....

xx

"Be Orderly In Your Life...

... so you can be violent and original in your work"

The latest Frankie mag (of all places!) used this wonderful Flaubert quote in a recent article about the delightful sounding Charlotte Gainsbourgh, and gosh does it resonate with me at the moment. I struggle with "orderliness" (as anyone who has seen my room can attest) and also, sometimes, with the idea that I'm not violent, crazy, artistic, boisterous "enough"... so this was a wonderful thing to hear and mull over in my head. 

As much as many of my idols lived wild, yelled loud, made a messy artwork of their unconventional lives... I never really will be one of those wild ones... and that's... okay!

Speaking of orderly... this is what I have been dreaming of having lately... Oh for an organised craft area! Which pretty much proves all of the above really! LOL.

Image stolen from the wonderful mornings light blog!

xx

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

... but I did say I would post some more pretty, pretty rooms.

Better late than never!

All these lovely images have been swiped from design*sponge... click the links  to see the whole post and find out more about the amazing homes from whence they come. Wow, I just used "whence" in a sentence. Nerd.

Oh! To wake amongst the trees! This is the bedroom of Penny de Los Santos whose whole house has been designed so that during the day not a single light need be turned on! I would spend all day every day reading books and eating chocolate on that bed if I lived there methinks. Hmmm.... so maybe it's for the best that I don't! 

I totally dig the idea of having indoorsy stuff outdoors... this set up is actually from the shop saipua - but how lovely would one of these "nooks" be in your very own home. Pass the coffee and paper please!

I'm all for interesting displays of found items. And a doily display? Well, that's just an awesomely awesome example of the genre! This is from the home of Elisabeth Dunker - click the link to see even more of her inspired displays.

More soon...

... ish!

xx

It's Been a Bloody Stupid Day...

So here's a pic of one of my happiest:

The day my best friend eloped and got married in NEW YORK FUCKING CITY! Best day ever :)

I made my photo into a snazzy ye olde looking polaroid using rollip. Go make one for your best friend now!! And remember...

Don't Leave the Light On, Baby!

xx

"No no no... he says you are great!"

I just finished reading the short but amusing "Serge Gainsbourg: A Fistful of Gitanes" - which obviously was a rollicking good read... how could it not be with that rogueish drunkard as it's subject matter.

However, you could just save yourself the time and watch this instead... I think in this case a YouTube definitely speaks a thousand words!

Click to watch (trust me, it's worth the 2:03)

Is it completely wrong that my response to Serge's slurred proposal maaaaaaaay have been a "yes"?!! Erm... don't answer that! :)

xx

Rooms to Die For

Since I'm moving!! I am totally in the mood to look at some pretty rooms to get me super excited and inspired! Luckily someone invented this magical thing known as the interwebs... so I didn't have to go very far at all to to find some delicious delicious eye-candy.

First stop... Kayte Terry's wonderful blog Love Forever, which has a whole collection of rooms tagged under "Rooms to Die For"... too easy! I've pillaged her blog for a few of my favourites... but make sure you pop on over and discover some of your own. It's well worth the click!

Pink and red, yet it still looks kind of crisp and minimalist. Well okaaaay, maybe not everyone's idea of "minimalist" I do admit... but quite sparse for my "maximilist" tastes! Even just looking at this picture makes me feel kind of calm, like I've just enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat around that lovely pink table. Ahhhhhhhhh!

Hmmm... speaking of maximalist... I love THIS desk set-up...

And I've already added "making a delightful curtain from old silk scarves" onto the never-ending list of "things I would love to get around to crafting one day" in my head. Item #3,457!! According to Kayte this room belongs to Emily Chambers, the author of Flea Market Style. Now I've gone from covetting these rooms to covetting this book... *sits on itchy credit card number typing fingers*

Kayte found the following in Marie Claire... and oh my, that divine use of colour. And the wallpaper. It's normal that I'm drooling right?? I mean they are kitchens...


Finally, this makes me smile... which I kind of need to remember to do today... it's been a looooooong day!

I'll be back tomorrow with some more scrumptious pics for us to gorge on... until then...

xx

No One Knows About Persian Cats (2009)

Filmed illegally in just seventeen days, this "docu-drama" might have ended up as my favourite of all the MIFF movies this year. A fascinating, sweet, sad and illuminating tale about the underground (literally in many cases) Iranian rock/indie music scene. It's hard to take anything for granted after walking out of this movie - including actually being free to watch a movie like this :)

Proper review here.

It's talented director, Bahman Ghobadi, also wrote and directed the movie "Turtles Can Fly" which looks incredible.

While googling laws in Iran I came across this gem of information, courtesy of wikipedia:

Human rights activist... Shirin Ebadi complains that the section of the penal code "devoted to blood money, diyeh, holds that if a man suffers an injury that damages his testicles, he is entitled to compensation equal to a women's life," and this failure to make account for individual differences or cases is unfair. It means, according to Ebadi, that "if a professional woman with a PhD is run over in the street and killed, and an illiterate thug gets one of the testicles injured in a fight, the value of her life and his damaged testicle are equal."

Nice to know, hey ladies?

xx

Hey ho, let's go!

Aren't these divine??!! Imagine the puppet show you could put on with these, LOL.

You can buy them, or another one of their many awesome friends (Don Vito finger puppet anyone??!!) here.

I found these on the wonderful and inspiring Roxy Marj blog. One of the winds beneath my blogging wings!

And yay.. with that mention of THE RAMONES I finally have an excuse to link to... the BEST ROCK AND ROLL (HIGH SCHOOL) MOVIE EVER MADE!!! (erm, imho!)

(Click image to Rock, Rock, Rock, Rock n Roll!)

xx

"Life moves pretty fast sometimes. If you don't look around once in a while, you might miss it" (RIP, John Hughes)

As if I hadn't bawled enough by the end of this movie on the weekend...

(click to watch Jake Ryan-tastic final scene)

I then get to work and read this.

A more fitting and beautiful tribute I cannot imagine.

Of all the wonderful stories he created this is one of the loveliest!

Thank you John Hughes... from all the "Alisons"

xx

Trouble In This Town

Yay! The Bats play Melbourne this weekend. Can't wait for a dose of lo-fi kiwi indie pop!

My love for all things Flying Nun has been rekindled this year with the release of the sublime 'Not Given Lightly' - a double album of Flying Nun covers released by the obscure (to me!) german label morr ("Putting the Morr back into Morrissey"... GOLD!)

Treat youself to a listen... or maybe a new purchase... here!

Although, it must also so be said, sometimes it IS impossible to beat the original... I mean... HOW COULD YOU??!!

(Click image to play)

I don't know whether to smile because the guitar is so awesome, or cry because the lyrics are so sad. Such a beautiful song.

You know... I think I'll smile! Hope you're smiling too... :)

xx

Hansel and Gretel (2007)

It's not often you see a horror movie and kind of want to move into the haunted house! But Hansel and Gretel could definitely be the exception to this rule. With a set that could have easily been designed by Mark Ryden (perhaps with a little help from David Lynch) where every surface overflows with evil bunnies, intensely cutesy furnishings and macabre dolls, and every meal is banquet of sickly pink cupcakes... why would you want to leave? Not that you can anyways... mwah ha ha ha!!!

Hansel and Gretel on imdb here.

xx

“I look at all the glass buildings and think, who wants to live like that"

I love these people. Well - hold the restraining orders - I mean... I love their aesthetic! Read all about these delightully ye olde style dames and gents and their “extremely previous lifestyle” (love!) here.

Also... LOL @ the comments: "Anyone who uses silk, selvage, and saga in a sentence should be mounted and stuffed too." Dude kind of has a point! I still like their pretty/ creepy apartments though :)

Do you think any of them would like to adopt me??! I'm quiet, and would fit perfectly into the corner of a Brooklyn brownstone!

xx

*(Wonderful!) Photos by Michael Weschler for The New York Times.... Slideshow here.

The Exploding Girl (2009)

The more I think about this movie the more I love it. Probably not for everybody, well definately not for people who like a lot of... well... things actually happening in their movies! But for me that was the beauty of this movie, it perfectly evoked a certain mood, and made it a piece of art, a simple enjoyable tale. Or... non-tale.

The movie basically follows the twenty something Ivy as she and her best friend spend a week long college break in Brooklyn, as their feelings for each other, and their dawning realisation of those feelings grows stronger. There's no Dawson's Creek-esque moment of rising then resolved drama, no kiss on a pier with a swelling emo-soundtrack blaring to life... but that's kind of the point. Moments that end up being important rarely announce themselves with a Sufjan Stevens song and a fireworks display. They just happen, mixed in with, and made up of, the mundanity and "everydayness" of life.

Proper review here.

Interview with the lovely Zoe Kazan, who played Ivy, here.

xx

Ways to Beat (Eat?) the Winter Blues #1

1 and 1/4 cups hot water
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup milk
1 Tblsp yeast
6 cups flour
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
50g butter

Put on 'baking music' (I recommend Radio Dept, Belle and Sebastian or Carole King) Combine hot water, honey and milk. Leave to cool until lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over and leave 10 mins or until frothy. Combine 5 cups of flour and salt in bowl.

Cut in butter and rub till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre and add frothy yeast mixture, stir till mixed. Use left over flour to lightly flour surface and knead dough till smooth and elastic. Add extra flour if it's still sticky.

Lightly oil a bowl and stick dough in... cover and leave in a warm place until double in size. Go do something else for a while - this can take about an hour (suggested activity for break: read my blog!) Punch dough down the centre (yeah!! take that ex-boyfr... I mean "dough") then lightly knead. Divide dough in half. Plait halves into hippie style bread braid if you so desire (if you have been listening to Carole King you will want to do this for sure!) or shape into ovals. Place onto greased tray. Bake at 200 degrees C for 40 mins or till loaf sounds hollow when tapped. If you want really yummy bread, grate cheese on the top for the last ten minutes of baking. BURN YOUR STOMACH SOMEHOW GETTING THE GODDAMN BREAD OUT OF THE OVEN!!! (Not recommended)

Feel much more cheerful now you have made something yummy and fun instead of watching the godawful reality tv program that was on (which you may or may not have snuck peeks at whilst baking... opps!) Draw picture. Go to bed.

xx

In Tat or Tatters You're Entrancing

This video is wonderful... ye olde timey dancing set to the Magnetic Fields song "Nothing Matters When We're Dancing" (hmmm... does that name sound familiar... like it's the name of an AWESOME BLOG mayhaps??!)

I found more sublime dancing from Merle and Gower Champion here. This still from the video is divine! The crappy YouTube resolution actually kind of adds to it's romantic charms, don't you think? So beautiful, like a daydream from the past.


Maybe it's the cold, slighty melancholy weather today... but I felt more than a little sad when I googled Merle and Gower (great names!) and read this snippet about Gower Champion: "After the failures of the previous decade, Champion was able to make a comeback with his longest-running show. In 1980, he choreographed and directed a stage adaptation of the movie classic, 42nd Street. It won the Tony for Best Musical, and Champion was nominated for his direction and choreography, winning for the latter. The show ran for 3486 performances, but Champion did not live to see any. After numerous curtain calls on opening night, the producer stunned the cast and audience by announcing Champion had died earlier that day"

I can just imagine the applause ringing out amongst the theatre, to the empty stage. It must have sounded so sad.

xx

My friends are genius' geniuii clever

Ben and Nat: as smart as they are good looking! They invented these wonderful cards (with cut-out speech bubbley bits... told you they were clever) made from old record covers...

GO GET SOME... here!

xx

The Female Elvis

Janis Martin was dubbed "The Female Elvis" by RCA and Elvis himself at the tender age of FIFTEEN! I'm pretty sure my major accomplishments during the fifteenth year of my life were passing School Cert and sneaking into my first bar (the notorious and abominable "Alfies Nightclub")

Whereas Janis was busy belting out songs like this...

Doop-Dum-Doodley, Doodley-Do!!!

xx