Fantastic!

I have finished all but one of my finals. I have had three interviews in the past two days. and I have finally completed all of my Christmas shopping. It's truly fantastic. I love Christmas.

I get to fly home for the holidays on Saturday and I'm really really excited. The bad news is that its the Saturday before Christmas. So I will pack light, bring a good book, make sure my hardy iPod, Jack - the Pumpkin King, is charged and pray that there's no small children seated around me.

I always loved the idea of flying. I love the take off, when you're careening down the runway and then, for just a brief second, you experience that moment of weightlessness and pause before you're up in the air. But I fly so often now that it just becomes such a hassle. I've been flying since before I could remember and somehow I've managed to blind myself with love for something that I do so often, and then I'm going through security and remembering why it sorta sucks to have to take a plane and why Holiday travel is the worst. So, from a fellow traveler who knows what it's like, I wish you all happy and safe flights and good memories, because travel is glamorous in retrospect and that's what it will be when we are done.

Showoff Shoulder

I will not be appeased until my shoulders are adorned and embellished with all sorts of tomfoolery. Not even the Rapscallion by Samantha Pleet Souvenier Jacket from Urban Outfitters will dissuade me. It must stem from my never-ending quest to don the oft-disputed and highly controversial jacket of the Killers frontman, Brandon Flowers - of whom you know I am a fan [of both the jacket and the band].

Revel in my discoveries and consider which you like best, if any at all. Fashion is judged by opinion and it is acknowledged that we all like what we like - nothing more to it.

Balmain Spring 2010 RTW

RM by Rouland Mouret Spring 2010 RTW

Brandon Flowers' Feathered Jacket

~Ferdinando

12/16 UPDATE:

Right, so I know what you're thinking, this girl is partly, if not wholly, insane and obsessed. Well, yes, but I'm almost sure I can't be blamed.

Another fab - and significantly cheaper - shoulder model that mimics feather epaulettes are sold by fellow blogger Makemi - A Girl and A Glue Gun. I find them to be more than adequately charming. And for $25 no less. Sometimes a girl just can't be swayed, and for times like that, there's google.

pick it up it's alive

VAN DER GLAS

Polly van der Glas has found a new use for your fallen out teeth and freshly snipped hair. Jewelry, of course. I know what your thinking, "By god, why didn't I think of that?"

Hailing from Melbourne, the artists' confections include sterling silver rings, like the one above, with human teeth embedded on the band and necklaces featuring a braid of human hair dangling from a silver pendant.

Now, I must admit, I was quite disgusted at first. And confused. Where did these materials come from? Kind of sketch don't you think?

Well the teeth and hair are either locally donated or sourced from China or India, so really, its not sketch at all.

So I warmed up to the idea of wearing human parts on my body. The pieces are beautiful, in a disturbing kind of way. They're almost like a kind of ode to the beauty of the human being.

For the kid that rocks only the strange, I highly recommend picking one up.

While you're there, I suggest donating a few teeth, so someone else can rock you on their pointer.

vanderglas.com.au

-Francois

With A Child-Like Sense of Wonder

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to report that Disney has done it again. In the same fashion as their classics (Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Aladdin, etc.) Disney has recently released The Princess and the Frog to some pretty fantastic reviews.

Yesterday, myself and the lovely Ferdinando, made the decision to chance the freezing cold temperature that has fallen over NYC and go see a movie. Making the decision, the normal debate began over which movie to see. Originally, our choices were all very depressing and morbid, but after watching the trailers, our inner-child spoke to us and basically screamed that we need to go see The Princess and The Frog. Long story short, our inner-child was not disappointed.

Being a New Orleans native, this movie brought me right back to my childhood. It is very much a Disney movie, but that's what I loved about it. It was a story about a princess who must overcome an obstacle in order to fulfill her dreams, and along the way ends up falling for a prince. I know, happens everyday. Between the upbeat Jazz-styled music and the 2D animation, this movie was highly enjoyable. Therefore I am passing this along to you, a very strong recommendation to spend the money and go see it. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

~Hans

Chester French 'She Loves Everybody'

~Ferdinando

Matt Helders sings Last Christmas and Ferdinando Cries about Winter

Bonjour, mes amis!

I took one semester of French and while I adored the language, I came to the very startling conclusion that I am not a linguiphile. I should stick with English, my native tongue, and the little bit of high school Spanish I recall. On second thought, I've always been fine with just English.

It is bloody chilly right now in the N-Y-C and I strongly dislike it. I grew up with warmer winters than this, but it does bring a fantastic feeling of Christmas to the city, doesn't it?

Speaking of Christmas, The Killers have released a new Christmas single, which is always fantastic. It's called ¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe! and clicking on that link gets you to Amazon.com where songs are still $.99 [as opposed to iTunes which has increased their prices]. If you have a -cough cough- significantly cheaper way to get music, I beseech you to hold off on this song because all proceeds from the Killers' Christmas songs are donated to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa. Just an idea.

Last night, I hit up the Arctic Monkeys [yes again] here in NYC at Terminal 5 and I must say I was doubly impressed by their connection to a NY crowd. If anyone has a chance to check them out in the city, I recommend it over other cities. They seem to have a different feel for the crowd and an old love for playing here. Matt Helders came down from his pedestal on the drums and sang "Last Christmas" for us folk. It was brilliant. Okay, just found it on youtube. Thanks to whoever posted it because my camera died. Brilliant!



Haha this cracks me up. At least I'm not the only one in the Christmas mood. 5th Avenue is decked to the nines and full of tourists and Manhattanites shopping excessively and the streets are rimmed in lights. I loove Christmas, even if winter isn't exactly my cup of tea. Hopefully it's very warm tea to keep you warm at night.

Au Revoir!
~Ferdinando

Sex and the City 2 Poster

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little disappointed in it. I can't wait for the film, but the poster doesn't make me want to see it.

In the US, the release date is May 28th 2010. Not long to go to figure out just what SJP is doing in Morocco, where some of the filming took place. Looks like the ladies are stepping way out of their comfort zone.

-Ferdinando

Who Say's I Can't Get Stoned?

Since apparently I am slacking on my blog updates, I am finally writing this based on a show I saw two weeks ago.

Two weeks ago, we were given a tip that John Mayer was giving a secret show in the Brooklyn. So myself and my roommate (who is in love with him) made the trek out there at 5 o'clock in the morning and stood in line in the cold for 4 hours before being given free passes into this event.

One of my best friends (not one of my fellow contributors) has been a massive John Mayer fan for as long as I've known her and because of her love of him, I began to appreciate the sexiness that is his music.

I went into the concert expecting a good show but what I wasn't expecting was his amazing stage pressence. Like everyone else, I've read of his exploits with woman and the rumors of his douche bag-ness, and came to the conclusion that he was an awesome musician but not a very nice guy. But when you watch the man on stage you are able to forgive him for his sins. Amongst fantastic, heartstopping performances of songs like Belief (my personal favorite), Crossroads, Who Say's I Can't Get Stoned (one of my new all-time favorite songs), etc. he talked of his tabloid self, making comments about (and I'm paraphrasing here) how he didn't know that it was such a crime to want to get to know a girl. Why is he unable to approach a cute girl, there are so many of them, and how it shouldn't be such a sin to want to get to know as many cute girls as possible. During this discussion, he had them turn up the house lights and started pointing out cute girls in the audience. I don't know how hearing this second hand will sound (I can only picture him saying it) but he came across as ridiculously charming and completely comprehensible when he put it like that.

In my opinion, I think it's a shame that he "equate(s) dating a woman with punishment, shame, guilt, disappointment, reproach, reprimand, persecution. It's a nightmare. It's crazy to (him) that in (his) head, that being 32 and dating women is going to get (him) in trouble. (He) can't even explain to you how terrible that feels" (New York Times). Like I said about Rob and Kristen, just let him be. People should lead their lives how they wish to. As John so eloquently put (again paraphrasing) at the end of your life, you'll be the only one in that coffin. So why should anyone give a shit? They won't be laying on top of you.

Now that I am off my soap box, I must tell you all how amazing this show was. I've seen my share of concerts but this one...was almost indescribable. I've never seen anyone interact so much with an audience. He literally was taking people's cameras and leaning down to take pictures with them. At his show, you were able to feel how much he loved performing. You could see how he enjoyed being on that stage and it wasn't in a vanity sense, it was purely for his love of music. While watching him, all I kept thinking was how much I wanted to be onstage belting out songs with him (the problem with that is, I don't have a musical bone in my body). It reminded me of how important passion was in your choosen career. And how when you REALLY love something, everyone around you can feel and wants a piece of it. I suppose that passion/love can be directed at a person, but I've never felt that way about a person (except Johnny Depp, but I don't know how much of chance I've got with him...) For me, my passion is directed towards movies and books.

Holy crap, I went on quite a ramble didn't I? Well it's over now, so if anyone is still reading, you can breath easy now. lol.

~Hans

PS this is one of the many pictures I took this night. I think it's pretty cool.

"Who says I can’t be free? From all of the things that I used to be. Re-write my history. Who says I can’t be free?"

dimelo, dimelo

its the first snow of the season.

goodbye long days amongst the trees, under the sun.

dreaming.

oh, hello winter.

- Francois

"...I hardly think I'm Sid Vicious"

"Noooo, I'm Sid."

"..Oh, so I'm Nancy."

- (500) Days of Summer

You guys have to see this. It's a fantastic portrayal of Sid and Nancy from the stars of (500) Days of Summer, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It was even directed by the director of (500) Days of Summer, Marc Webb.

This short is part of a series of online shorts from Mean Magazine called CineMash, in which different stars portray their favorite scenes from classic movies.

As stated in (500) Days of Summer - if you saw the movie...which you should...or the trailer - Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Nancy and Zooey Deshanel is Sid. The role reversals are hilarious and I commend JGD for getting me to not only be able to take him seriously but to also sympathize with him as Nancy (say what?!) And does anyone else think ZD looks vaguely like Jared Leto? Something about the eyes..?

Sadly, blogger isn't letting me embed the video, so just click here. Before I go though, I can't tell a lie. I sorta stole this from Hans, but she never posted it, so I am. Too great to pass up. Sorry Hans! But credit is due where credit is due. She's the genius that discovered it.

~Ferdinando

High Drama

requires dramatic pieces.

Plus the capelet is removable!

fancy that, Modcloth has done it again.

~Ferdinando