Valentine's babbling, goods, and some love poetry

Music: The Magnetic Fields- 69 Love Songs. Reissue or not, vinyl or not, get it and listen up. 

Most appropriate for the holiday...

I am surprised at myself. So far, the approaching crapfest that (usually) is Valentine's Day hasn't been too... depressing? awful? sad and sorry?

The difference this year is that I am finally realizing that I have some extremely great people in my life. I always knew they were there, but I now comprehend their value. I like to think that Valentine's Day is more about love in general, not necessarily only kissy kissy love (I swear, I'm mature). Not to say it wouldn't be nice to have a beau... but you know, you take what you get. I got some lemons, they finally ripened, and now my lemonade rocks.

My plans for the weekend include going to see two films:  

1. Valentine's Day, because it's the single-girl movie that comes out every V-Day. I can't stay away!

2. The Wolfman, because, as the friend I'm going with says, "The only thing that makes me happier than unhappy couples is a half-man, half-wolf tearing apart happy couples."

On that note, here are some fun items for you. Single, Happily Taken, Unhappily Taken, Stuck, Blissful, Confused, Whatever. We all have something to celebrate.

 Umbrella Jewelery Stand from Urban Outfitters

My mom (hey, Mom!) has a crystal ring/jewelry dish that I used to play with when I was very little. This reminds me of it.

  

Petite Soy Candle from Global Girlfriend

Global Girlfriend is a great company that supports women in difficult economic situations. About this specific product: "Made by the Enterprising Kitchen, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides workforce development and support services to women who are working toward self-sufficiency and economic independence."

Daisy Pink & Black Silk Bra from Hopeless on Etsy

I can't get this little number off my mind! Every item in this shop is made-to-order.

Have you ever seen a more striking shower curtain?! This is so beautiful I can't stand it.

Echoing Daydream Shower Curtain from Anthropologie

My favorite flower, and one of my favorite van Gogh paintings.

"I am very busy working on my sunflowers, and in reality I have nothing to say." 

Vincent van Gogh in a letter to Wilhelmina van Gogh, August 1888

And what would the day be without some love poetry?

"A Thunderstorm in Town (A Reminiscence: 1893)" by Thomas Hardy

She wore a new 'terra-cotta' dress,

And we stayed because of the pelting storm,

Within the hansom's dry recess,

Though the horse had stopped; yea, motionless 

     We sat on, snug and warm.

Then the downpour ceased, to my sharp sad pain,

And the glass that had screened our forms before

Flew up, and out she sprang to her door:

I should have kissed her if the rain

     Had lasted a minute more.

"Oh, when I was in love with you..." by A.E. Housman


Oh, when I was in love with you,
Then I was clean and brave,
And miles around the wonder grew
How well did I behave. 

And now the fancy passes by,
And nothing will remain,
And miles around they'll say that I
Am quite myself again.

"Kidnap Poem" by Nikki Giovanni

ever been kidnapped
by a poet
if i were a poet
i'd kidnap you
put you in my phrase and meter
you to jones beach
or maybe coney island
or maybe just to my house
lyric you in lilacs
dash you into the beach
to complement my see
play the lyre for you
ode you with my love song
anything to win you
wrap you in the red Black green
show you off to mama
yeah if i were a poet i'd kid
nap you

And the classic...

"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe

Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods, or steepy mountain yields. 

And we will sit upon rocks,
Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals. 

And I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant poises,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle; 

A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold; 

A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs;
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love. 

The shepherds's swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love. 

Le bel été - un petit film

Vanessa Bruno's printemps été 2010 collection VIDEO gave me the biggest smile today.

{via M via Scout-Holiday}

I love this tshirt

By Ever.

The eyes remind me a bit of a van Gogh drawing I copied once. I can't remember what it's called... I know it's named after a woman. This is my version of it.

Nau Spring '10 Collection

New York City is a winter wonderland today. School is closed, but I don't have classes on Wednesdays anyway. So now I'm just trying to enjoy the pretty, which is hard to do because companies keep putting out all the lovely Spring clothes!

Like Nau. They're a really awesome company for both cold and warm weather styles. Besides using environmentally friendly fabrics and sustainable business practices, they also donate 2% of every sale to the charity of the buyer's choice. 

Also, I love the pictures.

Their very own "About Us" says it all perfectly. My favorite line: "One small step towards unfucking the world."

Nau (pronounced "now") is a clothing company based in Portland, Oregon. We make sustainable urban+outdoor apparel - integrated designs for the modern mobile life.

All aspects of our business - from the product to the business model - are an extension of who we are and how we live.

We design for ourselves, first. If we won't wear it, why should you. The same goes for business: if we can't stand behind the decisions we make, why should you. So, in that sense, we're a little self-absorbed.

We're a small team - less than twenty of us, for now. We spend a lot of time together, always talking, testing things out, sketching, pinning things up, asking, heckling, critiquing, revising. It usually gets too loud.  

We work hard.

We play hard. 

We like to go outside. A lot of us ride bikes. We also ski, snowboard, climb, surf, run, make music, see music, take pictures, grow food, eat food, stay out late, have families, and have dogs who clack around and sleep at our feet.    

Collectively, we go through a lot of prosecco, dark chocolate, and beer.

And we keep coming back to our Portland office, early in the mornings, until pretty late at night, because we're stuck on an idea: to redesign fashion and to redefine business so that each become a powerful force for change. One small step towards unfucking the world.

This might make us fanatics, but it can't be helped. We love what we do. 

There's also a list of inspirations.

There's also a blog.

And some stories from the collective.

A 20-person company! Amazing.

 

 

 

The Organic Cotton Fluent Traveler 

These so-called "principles of design" never cease to amaze me with their possibilities.

She & Him, and other sounds I like

Are you familiar with She? Zooey Deschanel. And Him? M. Ward.

Zooey is sweet as pie. Matt can shred a solo like none other, in my book. It sounds like three guitars syncopated, but it's just him with those magical chords. Love.

Want proof? I'm so glad someone got this footage.

M. Ward has had a pretty prolific career thus far, but things have definitely augmented with his recent collaboration projects. There's She & Him, who broke onto the scene in 2008 with Volume One. This album defines such a distinct period in my life, as I'm sure it does for tons of people. It's simple, artistic, and downright enjoyable. The second installment - you guessed it, Volume Two - is due out on March 23, 2010. It's already pre-ordered, and I'm waiting with baited breath. You can hear the single "In The Sun" here for free!

Usually, I love picking favorites. With She & Him, I find it hard to do this. Here's the audio from one of my preferred songs...

 

                                                   These guys? Who's NOT excited?

More recently, Ward's vocals and playing can be found in the down-home, backyard jam sesh-esque music collective aptly titled Monsters of Folk. The group includes Ward; Jim James (of My Morning Jacket); Conor Oberst (of... a lot); and Mike Mogis, the producer and mastermind who has one fingernail involved in every worthwhile project in the music industry. Each of these guys has a considerably well-established reputation in the "biz". So, when their talents, experiences, and ideas are combined, the fans' brains almost imploded (at least mine did). They played a great show at the Beacon Theatre in November; it was probably one of the most comprehensive and stylistically diverse shows I've seen. They are each individual in their pursuits, but they come together to create an extremely complementary sound. The topper is the album art. It speaks for itself.

A music sample is so necessary:

Josh Ritter

He's releasing a new album on May 4! It's called So Runs The World Away. Lovely title. I'm so excited.

This is from his site. The new song is called "Change of Time". Enjoy!

 

If you've never heard him before, start here:

Shabd Is My Name

Like the Allman Brothers? Maybe some Dead? The Band? And that tie dye T that's on its last thread? There's a new trend of dye going around these days.

  

And I have to say, I like it.

Shabd somehow makes their styles seem... celestial. That's the word that comes to mind. When the first thing I see on a site is some beautiful artwork, I'm hooked.

The pieces: colorful, simple, fun. The best part? Made in the US and hand dyed in New York.

 

  

Jerry approves!

Modern Amusement

Modern Amusement has some very cute pieces. They're a bit hard to find on the internet though! Any suggestions? 

The Waves Tank 

The Henley Tide Dress 

 

             Pour les hommes... Hunter Vee 

Brilliant Green - Ovation TV

Do you ever have those days when you listen to the same song about 6 +/- 3 times at various points throughout the day?

Today's song: Simon and Garfunkel- I Am A Rock

"I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died/ If I never loved, I never would have cried"

Just the way he sings it... so bitter... I can't stop listening. (Especially, "I have my books and my poetry to protect me"... sometimes I'm scared at how much I can relate to the commonality of la tristesse in this life.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I watched a program called Brilliant Green on Ovation TV. This is totally the sort of television I relish in; the kind that is progressive and purposeful. (Guilty as charged: I do also watch Gossip Girl for fluff and Friday Night Lights for drama/ amazing acting/ breathtaking men... but this is a judgment free zone!)

Anywho, this program did a whole writeup on green architecture, design, business practices, art, and fashion. I'm happy to say that when I think of organic clothes I automatically think of Stewart & Brown. Probably because their tagline is "Organic Pioneers!" and I think that's really cute.

I've been a fan of the company for a good long while, but it seems recently that their style is becoming more streamlined and, for lack of better terms, frilly and pretty. In the best way possible, of course. It's been amazing to watch the evolution of a company. Their status is growing, and it makes me so pleased to see good, honest work rewarded.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a total sucker for advertising. GOOD advertising. Ads with an ethical purpose, I suppose? In general, I like things that are aesthetically pleasing. I consider it extra credit if these things are earth-friendly as well. And I love extra credit.

Expect more about these guys in the future. Especially when the Summer '10 collection debuts...*yay*

The White Ribbon

Michael Haneke's new film The White Ribbon has been creating a bit of buzz in my art-centric neighborhood. I was first attracted to it when I saw the preview at Séraphine (2008), which is a whole other post unto itself.

Firstly, Caché (2005) is one of the most... uncanny ("strange or mysterious, especially in and unsettling way") films, among other adjectives. If you haven't seen it, add it to the mental queue immediately. Now, after watching Ribbon, I completely see the commonality between the films. His style is fluid and yet broken; concise, yet ambiguous. These are great discussion films. I could talk about them for years. And I probably will.

Secondly, the cinematography is standout, balls-out amazing. Most any frame in his film(s) could be removed from its original context and be considered a photograph in its own right. This is especially true for Ribbon, I think. It might be the black and white format that does it for me. He has a wonderful sense of symmetry, if not balance. Not one scene is neglected. Intrigued?

Le sighhhhh.

Really though,

I can't get my mind off of Spring. 

Wearing light layers just sounds extremely appealing right about now.

I've found these MYMU espadrilles on multiple blogs now, including Camp Comfort, A Cup of Jo, and Unruly Things (three of my favorites !)

                                

Perhaps something Simple,                                                                or something a bit more kickin'

 I'm obviously tired of wearing wool socks.