Brit Chick (not so much) USA

Moving On...

2009-04-26T16:09:00.002+01:00

A number of years ago I started this blog and choose a name quiet fitting for then; British girl, living in America, sharing her opinion on anything and everything in between. Now I'm no multinational company, but as a company changes it's advertising to fit in with the times, I am moving on from the Brit Chick USA brand and can now be found at Residual Waste. I hope to see you all there, Ciao! Ciao!

Smiley Face

2009-04-07T13:54:00.003+01:00

Now, I'm no graphic novel geek, so as far as acurracy goes I'm out. What I can say is Watchmen is one amazingly violent, pessimistic, grey, apocalyptic yet optamistic in a completely roundabout deranged manner of a film. A group of everyday citizens, turned caped crusaders revived by all, have fallen on hard times as the public and press turn against them and are forced to go into hiding. Don't worry if you have come into this movie blind, a trip down memory lane cutsey of flash backs, brings us up to speed with our current predicament of dire straits.

A film to gawk at for its visual integrity, hue, feel and costumes transport you back in time with lighting that draws you in until you jump from your seat with every punch that's thrown. This is not for the faint hearted with a vast amount of running time spent busting jaws and even the odd villian spontaneously combusting, leaving organs embedded in walls.

Watchmen drags you deep down into the uglest hollows that only human hatred can achieve. If you're paying close enough attention, you'll work out part of the ending, but not the real zinger of a twist. I'm still marvelling over the creative talent to it's logic and it's playful takes on some highly iconic images.

Bargain Basement

2008-12-15T00:32:00.004Z

"The following is written after reading "In Poland, Style Comes Used and by the Pound" by NICHOLAS KULISH in The NYTimes."

In Chicago I had a plethora of secondhand stores to cherry pick: The Ark on Lincoln, The Brown Elephant in Wicker Park and The Salvation Army next to the tracks behind Grand, were my favorites. And if I was in the market for vintage or a unique gift, a quick trip to Milwaukee avenue between Damen and Ashland would give me more choice than necessary with Recycle, Lenny & Me and Uma Ma. Back in London the availability of quality, style and bargain price is not as accessible. While I have been lucky to find the odd treasure, a repeat visit to the same locale has proven fruitless. Vintage chic on the other hand is plentiful, however the price tag is not one I'm willing to pay. London's high sense of fashion and heavy pound is seemingly hindering this lady's healthy wardrobe and gifts for the holidays. Books I would pay 25cents for State side, start at $2 and go sharply up dependent on your postcode. The Brit's appear to have mistaken the penny wise shopper for the Kensington tractor and fleecing us all. So my advice to Poland is grab it before someone realizes there's money to be made in what's left behind.

Free Falling

2008-12-14T23:59:00.005Z

Heartache, new frontiers and a child's lucid imagination, come together under the blue sky of an early twentieth century Hollywood. With a palette of vivid primaries, in a wash of golden yellows, Alexandria, a mischievous little migrant girl recuperates after a fall leaves her in hospital with a broken arm. In need of stimulation, Roy, a newly acquired friend aids her in a fantasy adventure. Unfortunately her guide, a stuntman who has suffered a fall to impress a lady, has ulterior motives in mind. As the fall guy weaves his bandits through truth and fiction, the real world takes greater presence within his magnificent fable, until fatal consequences fall out. A real treat of the senses with sweeping landscapes of distant shores, beautiful dialogue that ebbs naturally and a cheeky little monkey to boot. The Fall (2006) was released on the festival circuit in 2006 and has hit select cinemas since. Now on DVD, a great excuse to get the projector out and remind yourself what the movies is all about.

London Knowledge

2008-12-12T23:50:00.008Z

My first experience of Will Self was at The Green Carnation. The tall somewhat timid man passed me twice before my friend pointed out to me I was obstructing the author's path. Self called for the crowds attention and we took our places cross legged on the floor ready for story time. Within moments I was catching flies with ears agog, as without actively knowing I lived every word he spoke. Self's unique prouse that roll fourth with a bounty of rich texture are illuminated by their own language and dialect, excentuating their every fiber. After the reading I left high on literary prowess, caipirinhas and a promise to read everything Will Self.

The Book Of Dave was my first accomplishment and what an excellent introduction. Set in three different time periods, Dave is a black cab driver, a pathetic shell of a man and a god. We follow him through life, the points and eternal being. His Knowledge is unquestionable, yet he finds the simplest of tasks excurciating. Pages of dense dialogue turn with verlocity as Dave monouvres the city, fatherhood and future London. As I pick up The Quantity Theory Of Insanity I attempt to push high expectations aside.

Breath New Life Into Old

2008-12-12T16:04:00.003Z

"This entry was originally written 2nd of November, but unfortunately since updating the ShoZu app' on my iPhone, none of my entries have actually been published on Blogger, even though ShoZu confirms they have."

It's always impressive when a concept conceived decades ago, can survive in today's fast-paced entertainment circus and Quantum of Solace does so effortlessly. Growing up, 007 was full of charm, intellegence and a sly smile that knew exactly how to deliver those double entendres. Daniel Craig's Bond still has the quick witty banter of Her MAjesty's Secret Service, but it takes a back seat to his down & dirty tactics.

Quantum of Solace continues on from Casino Royale, a first for Bond. With his sights focused on a personal vendetta, the authority that empowered him, seek to rein him in. Daniel Craig delivers an outstanding performance as a Bond on the brink of self destruct, with little hope on the horizon of a positive resolution. Beautifully shot vistas and a subtle twist in the plot, bring this old school advisory very much into the contemporary foray.

Warning Sign

2008-09-19T16:52:00.001+01:00

The Power Of Photography

2008-09-05T22:32:00.003+01:00

Film Of The Year

2008-08-31T22:57:00.002+01:00

It is something quite remarkable and daring to spend the first 20plus minutes of a film with no dialogue. But here it is and it's delivered with subtlty and success. Sublime and awe inspiring vistas of a possible distant future, consumed by it's own self absorbed conseit, have left planet Earth hidden under towering skyscrappers of rubbish. The human race has abandoned this arid Metropolis of scrap metal for a life of further more ablivious consumerism, on a spaceship light years away. Our one survivor left to clean up is the happy-go-lucky WALL.E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth class) and his friend the cockroach. WALL.E goes to work everyday, collecting, compacting, coverting kitsch and ends everday the same...watching "Hello Dolly" on his VHS and trying to hold his own hand. As you may have gathered WALL.E not only has emotions, but is also very lonely. Along comes EVE sent by the populous of starship cardiac arresst to find signs of organic life.

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I don't need to tell you where this is going and the point is that it's somewhat obvious storyline in no way renders the film a flop. Far from it. The fact it's an animated film is irrelevant (apart from the amazing skill and craftmanship) as the story, it's development, twists and execution totally envelope you. As with all art there is a message, weather on an individual or global level. With WALL.E we are reminded not to lose sight of the bigger picture and how everyones actions play a part, in ways beyond our line of sight. As technology develops and becomes ever more present, we become more dependent upon it for solutions. Love tour Wii but Dont forget there's no substitute for human interaction. This is hands down the film of the year and I'm just sorry that as an animated film it won't get the recognition it truly deserves. Please, prove me wrong.

Personal Demons

2008-08-25T09:21:00.004+01:00

Looking at my bookshelf it's easy to recognise some obscure prerequisite I have in reading. And so there should be. Books are a most intimate of mediums, something we hold in our very hands. Reading alone or transporting us from the over crowded commute, where helvetica contours spiral off the page and imagination intertwined, making our senses deaf to the immediate environment. Creative non fiction, unknown poets, dated manuals, children's classics, art, textbook literature, environmental awareness and critical essays, all have their place. Simply put, anything that tackles our conscience and our actions, what we are and where we are going to. Design and rhythm, weather it be in imagery, text or engineering, all have a history and a future to behold.

Franz Kafka was no stranger to these struggles of self and circumstance. Writing three books based on such experiences, all of which he never completed, The Castle ending in mid sentence. A some what biographical novel, if only in tricks of the mind, we follow K. a land surveyor new to a village controlled by a castle. His every thought and action are contradicted with the next interaction. This kaleidoscopic labyrinth of here say and assumptions make each sentence a rebuttal to the previous. I'll admit the first few chapters were a challenge, but once I had accepted patina as true, the pages turned with some velocity. Divided by love, governmental procedures and the desire to survive, K. is suspended in limbo, although he can never openly say such. Kowtowing to everyone he attempts diplomacy, whilst in the same instant brandishing a horse crop at the very people sent to assist him. An acutely intelligible web of deceit and intrigue keep both the reader and K. transfixed on a solution which will never appear. A fantastic introduction to Kafka and the games our hearts play with our minds.

Men Behaving Madly

2008-08-20T19:01:00.004+01:00

Delightful, quirky and quiet, who could resist such a film. Brent Hamer's Kitchen Stories (2003) is all that and much, much more. Set in Norway in the early 1950's, a group of Swedish behavioural researchers have a new study at hand. The kitchen routines of single Norwegian men. Observers are paired with a host, who they are forbidden to talk to or interact with in anyway what so ever. Observations and recording is their very being.

We follow Isak, a strange somewhat recluse of a man and his mild mannered house trained observer, Folke. The relationship is beyond awkward to start with Isak refusing to what he volunteered for. To be observed. But as the men get used to each other's constant presence, barriers recede and misconceptions evaporate.

This film is an absolute treasure of wealth, with it's simple yet beautiful cinematography and off kilter synopsis. Men are a funny breed, hiding emotions under a layered multitude of thick skin. Slow and steady wins the race...this film rewards those with patience.

Trash & Dying

2008-06-22T21:11:00.000+01:00

Check out the summer issue of Ausgang. An online magazine based in Chicago, of photographs and creative writing, focusing on 2 topics each quarter. Summer 2008 is turning inward on Trash & Dying, which seems more than apt when you have experienced August in the windy city. I have a few photos up (under Trash) and I'm using this to put some serious editing time and post much needed new images on my website. Cheers!

Warning Signs

2008-06-01T18:04:00.004+01:00

We Need To Talk About Kevin may seem pretty straight forward and yes you have already taken a good guess at the subject and possible events occurring, but take a seat as you'll discover it's so much more. Writing letters (serving as chapters) to her husband, Eva, Kevin's mother, tells the story of their family, it's foundations, it's everyday suburbia and all the potential clues that lead to one calamitous day. The unique delivery and rich vocabulary of this most dire of circumstances slowly draws you in and then in the penultimate letter throws you aside as your eyes widen with understanding, pain and anguish. This book requires real investment from it's reader, that pays off by leaving you spent yet concious of the undeniable effect we all have on those around us.

Floating On Candy Cotton Clouds

2008-05-26T15:26:00.003+01:00

Another night at The Regal Room in Hammersmith and never a disappointment. The purpose of this visit was to see Rumer, one of those artist's who sounds so good on her myspace profile, that when she whispers those first few notes on stage, you do a double take. Effortlessly sung ballads of heartbreak and growing up, it's hard to believe Rumer is so young. With a voice reminiscent of Karen Carpenter, Rumer takes us on her own journey of life's sorrow and love lost. Reminding us how even when we're feeling lost and all alone, music can bring us back around.

The Wonder Of Wood

2008-05-18T21:23:00.002+01:00

For All To See

2008-05-14T22:06:00.008+01:00

Selfridges in London is known for it's lavish window diplays, but this time they've out done themselves. The main windows on Oxford Street features vibrant and quirky scenes of fashion partaking in outdoor activities in some quite bizarre modes. These are courtesy of The White Wall Company Ltd and are most impressive with mannequins contorted into the most impossible of positions and flights of transportation. Although I press you to go and take a look at the cart-wheeling-connect-four playing dummies and their stylish head gear, you must walk to the most westerly window and around the corner for more artist flare.

There you will find the work of Haberdashery London, a collective of artists of many definitions and their simple yet beautiful sculptures and "no tech" scrolling windows into the unseen city you're breathing in standing there. The craftmanship and execution of each display of highly detail oriented simplicity is, can I use the word again, beautiful. Trek down to Oxford Street before 10am and experience these visual delights without the slew that is London's West End.

If Looks Could Kill

2008-05-10T10:02:00.000+01:00

Imagine being slapped in the face at the very moment you realized your "true" love has betrayed you or was everything you dispised in human nature. Now put it on a loop and play it through cinematic history. That's one way to describe Liz McAlpine's "Slap" but it goes much deeper than that. Concerned with visual repetition and our obession to see it all up close and personal, McAlpine's work has us questioning what it's all about...which I'm not going to give. Check out "Slap" at Tate Modern tonight as part of If Looks Could Kill festival.

Through The Looking Glass

2008-05-08T09:15:00.001+01:00

Visual Clues

2008-05-01T18:02:00.009+01:00

With local elections taking place all over this little island and the May Day Demonstrations, my attention is drawn towards politics. Now I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. Anyone who has the right to vote, also has the responsibilty to research candidates and party policies before marking their all empowering check in the box. And I don't care for all the media hype and jovial jabs that are endemic of todays political environment. What intrigues me, is how the participants visually represent themselves on paper. I'm talking about the little guide I got in the mail just yesterday. It describes the elections, how to vote and includes the manifesto for everyone in line for seat at the head of the table for my local assembly, the Mayor of London. The guide itself is great, simple and well designed, giving clear instructions on process, how to use your 2nd vote correctly (don't mark your 1st choice twice) and who is standing for each of the 3 ballots. And all colour coded to avoid the slightest confusion between the 3.

As for the graphic representation of these ever so important individuals...I'm not sure if it's comforting or disappointing, but there were no surprises as to colour palette, layout, font and photo choice for any of the candidates. Rather than describe each one, I'll simply state what 4 of them were visually communicating:

A. Everyman, straight-up, welcoming diversity.
B. Hardworking, green, young urban professional.
C. Energetic, alternative, green, self driven.
D.Patriotic, stable, traditional, strong.

Throughout history we have had visual clues telling us someone's position in society or cultural roots. That identity and defintion continues to expand today defining our political opinion, sexuality and even our taste in music. We wear our most inner thoughts and emotional state on our sleeves for all to see. London is a great city for that very reason. You can be as brazen and outrageous as you like and feel comfortable doing so.

Give It A Break

2008-04-23T17:41:00.003+01:00

Hot House

2008-04-21T22:50:00.001+01:00

Photoshop Online

2008-04-17T21:59:00.002+01:00

By now most people should have heard of, if not tried out, PhotoshopExpress. Those smart people at Adobe have been paying attention to the ever growing trend in Web Apps and have come up with a nice little web broswer based version of Photoshop. As it currently stands you're not able to do anything as slick as the healing tool and you don't have layers, but you can do some nice simple edits to your photos. What's really fun is you get 2GB of free storage to upload images, a free web gallery to share and check out other users and more importantly all those bad images you took with your phone and then send direct to Facebook can be accessed and edited from your web browser. Now that's gold in itself.

Ice Picks & Wayward Children

2008-04-15T11:05:00.000+01:00

It's hard to comprehend what would possess anyone, let alone a mother, to request a lobotomy on a child, but that's exactly what happens as Howard Dully tells the story of his youth. My Lobotomy: A Memoir is a beautifully told story of the family and events that lead up to a boys 12 year old birthday and the harrowing life that ensues. In the 1970's Dr. Walter Freeman thought he has found the cure to Schizophrenia amoung many other mental health disorders, by performing a Transorbital Lobotomy. This procedure was performed without the presence of a surgeon on the majority of unfortunate patients and even on Dr. Walter Freeman's desk in his office, giving Electroshock Treatment as the anaesthetic. But this book isn't about the good doctor, it's about a boy who had a strong bond wth his mother, who sadly dies while he's still a child. How his overtly disobedient behavior and lack of interest in school are blown out of protion by a step mother with little patience and understanding and a father working three jobs to support the new larger family. Written with feeling and comprehension of what could possibly have lead to a little rascal getting more punishment than help, this is a great read and a travesty that it comes from experience rather than imagination.

Old Master

2008-03-20T20:35:00.002Z

This is a great photographer who recently gave a very entertaining talk I attended. Wheather it's portraits of the avant guard or documenting a travesty or even corporate advertising, Barry Lewis has most probably shot an image that simply encapsulated it's very essence. After a life time of devotion, photography is more than just his forte. It's quite impressive how his stlye has maintained a fresh and contemporary aesthetic over the decades he has been shooting. Even if you know his work, I would recommend taking the time to reaquaint yourself with his impressive portfolio.

A Short History Of Tractors In Ukranian

2008-03-15T22:01:00.002Z

Even though I subscribe to The Guardian's Art blog and read The New Yorker, I'm not someone who pays attention to a book's critical success when making a purchase. So it came as quite a surprise to discover my latest read's popularity...extending to random stranger's asking me "how are you enjoying it?" or stating "that's a really good book." with a casual interest in advances in engineering the title of the book caught my eye. I choose a paragraph at random to scan for confirmation of its querkiness. "A Short History Of Tractors In Ukranian" is just as it sounds; fun and poignant, laughable and sassy, but with hardships and honesty that can only come from an Eastern European perspective. Our narrator, Nadia, guides us through an episode in her family's life that spans 2 years and brings up events never spoken of before. Written in a fresh and spontaneous manner, my eyes raced across the pages as I lusted after more. I read this book whilst on my daily commute in under 1 week and yet I can recall every detail with clarity. As I approached the last 30 pages I became nervous of the ends iminant presence, of which I happily mispredicted and also just wanted the book to continue. This book is shear delight disgusted in pink peep-toe mules and boil-in-bag mackerel, reminding us all how bland life would be without family.