a little hiatus

happy holidays you guys! Han and I probably won't be around for a couple of weeks because after christmas, she's coming to Melbourne and we'll be too busy lying next to the pool to post... See you in 2011! xx

This photo is by mädchen, via Lolita

please please please

I'm going to Shout Out Louds in January and Warpaint in February and I'm looking forward to both shows ever so much. I'm especially looking forward to Shout Out Louds because Han is coming!

space is the place

The other day I was looking on the internet for the planetarium because I thought going there would be a fun activity for my workmates (we do outings like this sometimes, go karting, cooking classes too) or friends. I accidentally searched for observatory though, not thinking about the difference, and found this and then this. The fact that a website called places of astronomical interest in Australia even exists was enough to be a highlight of my week, but it gets better. It turns out the Old Melbourne Observatory is open every Monday in spring for tours called Gallilleo's Satellites and I'm going, tomorrow night.

You may not know this about me, if you don't know me at all, but, I LOVE SPACE. I have no idea what goes on on these tours and the weather's been kind of shitty which doesn't bode well for a building with no ceiling, but I am still incredibly excited. It helps that the tours are conducted by members of the Astronomical Society - "a volunteer organisation for astronomical enthusiasts" - people who I am excited to meet.

The cat/space posters are by a woman named Boya who I was loosely aquainted to quite a few years ago, I love them and plan to buy and frame them.

you live your life like a page from the book of my fantasy

I'm listening to Warpaint's new album on Hype Machine. I can't wait until it's released next week.

gosh, it has been a while

Lou is on the Wedding Committee and I'm on the Art in the Dark Committee, so we have both been very busy over the past couple of weeks. I'm going to write about mine later on - once all the photos come back - but if you want to have a look at Art in the Dark, the event in Ponsonby that I helped organise with three of my greatest friends (and lots of other amazing helpers) click here!

Now that Art in the Dark is winding down, I'm starting to work on other more superficial projects: getting my eyebrows threaded; buying foundation; looking for a dress to wear to the Wedding Committee's project in March. I think these Miss Crabb dresses may well be the winners on the day. Which do you think I should get? I'm quite fond of the second one, but then the first looks very versatile and sens-u-aaal. I really, really want to buy one (or both!)so I hope they're not, like, thousands of dollars. 

l'été

It feels as though the past couple of weeks have been the coldest of the winter so far. I've been walking to work wrapped head to toe and breathing little clouds but still I am quite certain spring is close. The magnolia trees are flowering, all the different varieties, and the flower shops are filled with hyacinths, jonquils, early cheer and fresias. I'm so ready for this change in seasons I've almost skipped forward a few months and am already anticipating the summer. I intend for this one to be filled with countryside picnics, river swims, beach roadtrips and sleeping in the sun. Nothing out of the ordinary really.

There must something in the air at the moment because I have been repeatedly, pleasantly, surprised with news and possibilities over the last 24 hours. My whole self is filled with anticipation and excitement. This optimism could be applied to anything right now, even the prospect of a far off summer on a freezing Melbourne night.


These photos come from Wild at Heart, Lolita and Heart in a Cage...

small things

(and some bigger things) I'm cheerful about:

• The cutting that's been sitting in a champagne flute of water on my desk for a couple of months has grown two healthy twisty roots, I think that's called propogating?
• My hyacinths and daffodils have started to bloom
• My mum's coming to visit in November
• I have a new job - well, it's not especially new, but it is now official
• I have a new home - it's little and sweet and I move in next week, there's two delightful girls and a little garden out the back which I can't wait to fill with flowers and veges
• I'm going to see Laura Marling tonight, I saw School of Seven Bells on Sunday, and last week Here we go Magic and Grizzly Bear, phew! I'm not sure if/when I'll get to write more about those shows but in a nutshell SSB were great, and pretty, and fun; GB was amazing, I like them far better live; and Here we go Magic were incredible, they played all my favourite songs and beautifully...
• Oh, and I finally get to see Boy this weekend

These lovely plants come from Katie Merchant, Lolita, and some tumblrs I unfortunately have forgotten

boardwalk empire

I am so excited about Boardwalk Empire !!!!111!!!!!!@11
Maybe this will help me forgive HBO for cancelling Deadwood...
Click the link below to watch the new teaser trailer!

Preview Trailer #2

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.

About two years ago all of my closest friends started moving on with their lives. We all lived in Wellington together and had spent four years in each others' pockets. It was the time where I experimented, adventured, and figured out more about what I wanted.

In hindsight, it really was idyllic. There were issues and irritations, but now I appreciate the ease with which we all congregated and spent so much time together. It seems much more difficult these days.

Then we all up and left. There were plans to fulfil and ambitions to meet, so we left a city that we loved, but had begun to feel too small. Perhaps we spurred each other on; if they were leaving, well, then we had to leave too. For somewhere different, but equally exciting. It was a friend diaspora which scattered us across hemispheres.

We have survived - made new friends and found new places where we feel at home. But I suspect that the friends I found when I was on the cusp of joining the real world are the ones who have the strongest hold, and will be around for the longest.

Next week, a large chunk of us will meet again at a wedding in a forest. We're driving there together from Wellington and will spend the weekend celebrating, camping, "clambering, river damming and swimming". I can't wait.


Photographs of the Rimutaka forest from doc and from panoramio.com

merry christmas baby

Bye all, see you next year!

Han and I are going to be seeing eachother In Person in less than a week and I will probably be too busy stomping around Melbourne in cloggish heels with her to sit down with the internet.

Have a lovely lovely holiday x x x

ps Here's a song...

1970s / 1900s

Darling Han is coming to visit Melbourne Very Soon and I had the best idea this morning for a fun, slightly random, away from the city but still inexpensive activity today: a Picnic at Hanging Rock!

(That's us obviously)

Tea party at hanging rock! With a man who slightly resembles a grumpy Donald

Our picnic will probably involve less tea and more quencher (pictured here as 'non-descript alcohol'), and boys in jaunty pants if we're lucky

we will take ipods

Picnic at Hanging Rock1 by Lou1 featuring Miss Selfridge

Items in this set:
VINTAGE COLLECTION Peach Crystal Pleated Dress, $185
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN KL06F04 CREAM SILK -, 540 GBP
High Neck Ruffle Top, $38
Petites Cream Crop Blouse, 28 GBP
Leather Combat Boots, 415 GBP

If you didn't already know (gasp!), Picnic at Hanging rock is the name of a book written in the 60s about a group of school girls in 1900 who vanish during a Valentine's Day picnic at the site of an enormous rock formation. The rock formation featured in the story, Hanging Rock, is an actual geological formation located in Victoria, Australia (thanks Wikipedia). The book was made into a great movie in 1970 which is full of floaty lace dresses and straw boater hats...

hanging rock2 by Lou1 featuring Opening Ceremony shoes

Items in this set:
Chloe Draped silk halterneck gown, $2,338
Stella Mccartney Sheer Organza Silk Blouse, 375 GBP
Free People - Downtown Ruffle Mini Skirt (Nude) - Apparel, $58
Opening Ceremony Suede Bow Front Wedges, 295 GBP
MYPETSQUARE boater hat, 39 AUD

I'm sorry, I just had to put this one in here for it's 'This Guy' potential

hanging rock3 by Lou1 featuring Miss Selfridge

Items in this set:
Nude Lace Crop Top, 25 GBP
Jason Wu Silk-chiffon pleat-knot skirt, $1,105
Halter neck ruched swimsuit, 250 GBP
Two tone wedged ankle boot, 490 GBP
picnic blanket

Side note: The clothesey stuff was totally inspired by this post - thanks Almie, and kind of progressed from Edwardian inspired to slightly more realistic attire for the Melbourne Summer/our tastes to Holy Hell I want those Chloe boots baddd, and that sweet crop top...

PS Thank you thank you han for the Fantastic phone call minutes ago (with operatic office caroling in the background - amazing!)

PPS This idea needs to become a reality, anyone in Melbourne with a car who wants to come/take us, let me know!

"he said yes!"

Two of my best friends got engaged last night, congratulations guys!

Despite all the phone calls I'm still not really sure what happened, though Han (maker of said calls) may shed some light when she resurfaces...

Bursting Capsules!!!

joy!

I just found out that Alice Euphemia is getting the Lonely Hearts Club lingerie line, Lonely. Hoo-rah! I've been looking forward to this day for some time, since my last visit to LHC's store in Auckland was fruitless (turned out I was a month early). Those of you in Melbourne - apparently it'll be in store from the first week of December... Joy!

Also, just in case you missed all the other times I've mentioned this, you can find LHC clothes at Somebuddy Loves You on Smith St and Trimapee on Johnston in Fitzroy, and I imagine a few other places around. They're awesome and I can't sing their praises more.

we love magazines

I am so so very excited about the new issue of POP. A long story short for those who didn't know; POP's very celebrated editor Katie Grand left last year to found the new magazine LOVE. The publishers cancelled the next issue while they searched for a new editor, and eventually hired Dasha Zhukova, which drew a lot of attention (mostly negative) and started a big old blog world debate with a lot of side taking and mud slinging.

Anyway, Zhukova's first issue has been released, there's four editions of the cover, starring Style Rookie Tavi, who is awesome (if you don't know about her, read up, hers is an excellent story). I'm avoiding reading reviews until I can see it for myself, but from what has slipped through it sounds like there's a lot of artist collaboration and fashion blogging inside. I must get my hands on this magazine, ASAP!

If you don't read POP, the whole new editor thing is no big deal, but it's an amazing magazine and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting a new glossy to look forward to....

Hooray, new Lula is out (a little while ago now), and has a gorgeous redhead on the cover! Holding my breath for this to arrive in the post, hopefully today.... Han already posted about this though, as have many others, so you should go read them xx

I got home on the weekend to find a lovely someone had bought me the latest Interview, haven't had the chance to read it yet but am looking forward to Jake G's interview with Natalie Portman, Jason Schwartzman and Chace Crawford sans preppy cardigan! (I now have to try really hard to resist reading these online)

This is another magazine I would strongly reccommend to those who don't already read, full of interviews with famous people by other famous people - recent bests include January Jones interviewed by Jack Nicholson and Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida by Nathan Englander. Also they have an excellent website which means I can read all these great interviews and spend the pennies saved on other favourites like Lula or the Journal, who generally don't put so much of their excellent content on the internet...

oh hi

Hello, it's me, I've not been here for a while. I've not been on holiday or anything either, just lazy and busy and with limited internet access. Here are a few of the best things distracting me from work today...

This blog post, it's funny and snarky in an I'mboycrazy kind of a way. But it's someone different. But if you haven't read boy crazy, please do. It's really a very excellent blog.

This John Hughes tribute, and really everything from this website. And I'll just come right out here and say how much I love his films and how sad I am about his death and I won't take your time up with a whole post about it (well, not today anyway) but here are some other good ones if you're in that sort of a mood (the obituary from the NY Times has links to a great slideshow and lots of sweet quotes).

THIS VIDEO



I am not big on the whole youtube videos of random people covering big pop songs phenomena. But this one is great. It's awesome.
We may be a little biased.
The girl in this video is a beautiful and talented friend of Han and myself, and sent the link in an email with the subject 'missing yous'. If you're very clever you'll recognise her from the film Eagle vs Shark, also starring Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame.

So you see, she is awesome.

All pictures from LOLITA

i didn't want to wake you up, but i really wanna show you something

I have never, ever, so eagerly anticipated the release of a film as I am at the moment. Where the Wild Things are is going to be my favourite movie, whether I like it or not, I've already decided.

I can't imagine any way I won't like it though. It's a recipe for Lou's favorite movie success; 1 part favorite childhood author, 1 part excellent director, a dash of sweet Karen O music (I actually get bursting capsules, real ones Han, every time I hear the Arcade Fire, just because of these trailers), and mix it all in with what looks like some incredible production design and art direction, a cute actor kid, and beautiful cinematography. Oh, and did I mention Dave Eggers co-wrote the script? Sold.

So then there's the whole book to movie debate. Any worries about the film doing the original story justice should hopefully be quelled by listening to what Maurice Sendak has to say in this little featurette, and by reading the incredible We Love You So.

"[The blog was] established to help shed some light on many of the small influences that have converged to make this massive project a reality."

The result is a treasure trove of links and articles about music, art, skateboarding, film making, and Maurice Sendak, which you'll need a day or so to catch up on if you're not already following.

“You know I really love this movie and I hope people like it, because if not they can all go straight to hell.” Maurice Sendak