Rodney Smith.

Some songs that are GUARANTEED to make you feel all dapper:

Did I spell guaranteed correctly? It looks a bit funny to me..

ANYWAY, do give these a listen, they just make you feel like dancing. Or perhaps baking someone special a cake? hmm zack..? ;) 

Like Castanets - Bishop Allen

Furr - Blitzen Trapper

North by North - Faded Paper Figures

Elephant Gun - Beirut

I'm Good, I'm Gone - Lykke Li

Mushaboom - Feist

Right as Rain - Adele

My Girls - Animal Collective

Lolita - Throw Me The Statue

Paradise Knife Fights - Vampire Hands

Everyday -Vetiver

Hummingbird - Born Ruffians

Taper Jean Girl - Kings of Leon

That's Entertainment - The Jam

Moving Back Home #2 - Richmond Fontaine

Strictly Game - Harlem Shakes

Over The Hills And Far Away - Led Zeppelin

They all deserve a listen.

feast your eyes

How to make it through the recession and still look FIERCE

So apparently the World Economy is in a bit of a pickle, i.e HUGE RECESSION. 

Apparently in the next Sex in the City film (something I pray every night will never actually come to fruition,) there are scenes which show Carrie/Carey/Kerry taking piles of clothes to clothing recycling stores. Designers are making their new collections more subdued to reflect the economic climate and on top of all this, the price of cheese is RIDICULOUS! That's not FIERCE, dear readers, it is HELL. Just because I have $5.27 in my bank account, it does not mean I have to give up looking FABULOUS! Fuck that shit! Here are my top tips for being a hot mother-bitch, even if you do in fact currently live in the street. I bet you regret throwing away that giant box your washing machine came in now...

#1

So, you have a one million dollar mortgage.. Doesn't mean you can't strut. While you're at it, shoot sexy-hot daggers at everyone you pass, and don't forget to swing your bootay!

You want to be so confident, people will want to slap you right in the face.

#2 

Now, how's your hair? Flat? Unemployed? NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Flip it upside down. Now, grab a hair-dryer and get your fingers involved. Fluff that bitch up like there's not tomorrow. What's that? NO EXTENSIONS? Get some in there. Everybody knows it's impossible to be fierce unless we have each others weaves to rip out when we're upset due to the fact that you/I are/is a "ho."

#3

Feathers are an integral part of looking amazing. The more, the better. Can't afford the latest looks? You could always use your bank overdraft letters and eviction notices to weave a net of fabulous, with which you can simply stroll down to the nearest park or take out to the garden, and nab some birds of paradise..  sparrows and ducks will do. Remember, once you're done with the plucking, DO NOT EAT THE BIRDS! The economy's losing weight, it's about time you did too.

#4

I know it's supposed to be a time to be polite and subdued, especially to your boss/bank manager/landlord, but I'm afraid one cannot be truly fierce without one's vocabulary including the following: "BITCH!" "I'M GON' PULL OUT YOUR WEAVE/PINCH YO' NIPPLE/SLEEP WITH YOUR HUSBAND.. OH WAIT I ALREADY DID" "SEE ME MOVE?" "SUGAR" "MY BREASTS ARE WORTH DIAMONDS OF THE SAME SIZE" "CHAMPAGNE FOR BREAKFAST BITCH" 

#5

Last but not least, SHOES ARE EVERYTHING. Can you walk? Yes? Well then I'll thank you to go a little bit fierce-er in the foot department and invest in something really heelalicious. Behold:

And you've got it! Good luck, bitches. xox

Art is Good For You.

Just thought I'd share some of my personal favourites/some fabulous artistes:

Soo Hong does amazing colourful washy-ish works, she has heaps more at www.soohong.com HURRAH!

This woman, Audrey Kawasaki, is incredible. Her paintings are generally done on wood, and they're kind of a mix of Manga and Art Noveau. She basically wins at life. www.audrey-kawasaki.com


Seriously, wow. Below, of course, is Gustav Klimt, one of the best artists ever to live, not to mention one of the most influential in the 20th century.
ALPHONSE MUCHA: 

Who couldn't love his amazing paintings.. Ok and below are three fabuloso works, but I'm an idiot and can't manage to order them properly so; The first and third (the deer/tree/BUNNY!) and zebra mc stump down there are by Raquel Aparicio.. you can find more on www.raquelissima.com. Truly delicate beautiful works, lots of illustrations for fairytales and whatnot. 
This baby in the middle is by a graphic artist called Lisa Bengtsson. I would KILL for some of the wallpapers she's currently designing. www.lisabengtsson.se

Aha! Now for Moa Lindqvist Bartling (www.moabartling.com). I always have to check how to spell her name. She's amazing and does heaps of fashion-y graphics. Beautiful!

This is by a Spanish graffiti artist called Sixe (sixeart.net), who's incredible. Apparently, "His paintings are divided into three series:

Bad Children with fringe

Circuits

Mutating Animals."

Works for me!
I also tried to put Raphael's School of Athens up but it was HUGE. I'll save it for next time ;)

Quote of the Day: "I thought I'd begin by reading a poem by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine." - Spike Milligan

Man About Town : Dejan Jotanovic

This weeks Man About Town is Dejan Jotanovic! Always a trend-setter and never a follower, Dejan's chic, subtle Serbian style is unpretentious with a hint of FIERCE thrown in, like a dash of pepper in your tomato soup.

A tricky outfit that Mr J. pulls off: DON'T TRY WHITE PANTS AT HOME!!

A hit with the ladies, Dejuan shows off a debonair, classic take on the black suit.

Sometimes his fashion icon status, coupled with a bottle of wine can mean that Mr J. acts the diva. But you can't blame him when he's wearing such an ingenious suit, can you?

Refreshing summer style; it's a win!

In this striped yet subdued outfit, Dejan cuts an impressive figure as he talks about the World Economy, Jean Paul Satre, and other such important matters to another, clearly besotted, young lady.

Sweltering Heat/My Favourite Things Pt. 1

AAGH humidity is once again far too high and all I feel like doing is snoozing. 

But instead, dear readers - a group of people that basically just includes myself- I present to you some of MY FAVOURITE THINGS. 

MALTESERS ICECREAM?!!

I would give my first-born away happily if only I could get my hands on one of these. I ate about a million in Europe but they don't seem to have any back here! 

New Luella Collection, delicious:

I love it and I'd buy it all, but unfortunately I do not have extra thousands lying about. The colours and crazy cuts are fabulous, I WILL NOT BE HAPPY UNTIL I AM A BILLIONAIRE.

And on that note: 

- The Chateau de Villette in Cergy near Pontoise, Paris. It was designed in 1668 and is situated on 185 acre grounds. My future home. The plan is to buy it and fill it with friends, books, cigarettes and small cats. 

And champagne, obviously. 

Just found the Icelandic band Parachutes who make beautiful, gentle, "ahhh" music. It kind of makes me want to prance softly through the countryside in light rain with my french lover Pierre ..  - www.myspace.com/parachutesmakesongs. 

Also, I have to admit that I kind of like Lily Allen's new album.. it's actually rather enjoyable. Well Done. 

Haven't listened to Julia Kent (cellist in Antony and the Johnsons) for ages and looked her up again.. Her solo cello stuff is GORGEOUS. 'Gardermoen' and 'Elmas' are two of the loveliest cello pieces ever written in my humble opinion, go look her up too: www.myspace.com/julia_kent

Another wonderful composer is Dustin O'Halloran (myspace.com/dustinohalloran) who did a lot of the piano pieces for the film 'Marie Antoinette' (best ever), and is also part of the band Devics. (myspace.com/devics).

My ears are in heaven, and now I am going to go and make beef teriyaki with lots of lovely cabbage. YUM!

xox