Cyril and Vivian

DIY Tom Binns/Fenton Necklace

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 02:05:00 +0000

It's a second Renaissance!

I'm so bad at maintaininga blog but I'm working on something big right now and I need a medium to showcase said 'big thing." I haven't been working very much these past few weeks so my off-time is spent browsing Ebay for hours, turning the once enjoyable pastime of online shopping into something routine and kind of tedious, pondering my non-existent literary career and catastrophizing my even more imaginary literary future, and stalking the interweb for cool DIY arts and crafts.

I also applied for an ELLE Canada editorial internship and spent a great deal of time studying and editing and fact-checking for their affability test that was due over two weeks ago (one can assume that no replies in a fortnight is as inauspicious as a dyslexic at a spelling bee) and am now left hopelessly yearning for a life spent in the company of make-believe, fawning over the content and the conveyance of my words, surrounded by ineluctable enigmas, and most importantly, working from home and taking extra long breaks for the odd cat nap or two.

But if I can't make it as a writer for the next decade of my stilted youth, maybe I can supplement my writing with something more lucrative, something more shiny and baubly?

Check it:

Yeah, I know, it's a total rip-off of some more well-known jewellery designers but these are the roots of my humble and complacent beginnings. I mean, I can't really afford necklaces that cost over $500 (who am I kidding? I can't afford necklaces that are over $20 right now). Right now I'm content just replicating iconic necklaces. Once I come up with my own ideas, learn how to solder, and take a welding class so I can make my own metal casts, then maybe I'll be ready to earnestly embark on a path a la Dana Lorenz and the girls of Dannijo.

But honestly, if you want me to make you something with your old costume jewellery or even your old crappy jewellery, I will turn it into something exquisite.

This
necklace was actually harder to make then one would believe. Well, it was easy
but time-consuming. It required a lot of trial and error to get the ideal look.
You know how some girls roll out of bed and their hair looks like a rat's nest
and some girls get out of bed but then they shower and blow-dry and spend an
additional hour to make their hair look "messy" yet copacetic? I feel
that this type of necklace is the latter. Crazy but precisely so.

We'll see how long this lasts. Jenna 
PS. If you don't like my joke about dyslexia, you probably shouldn't read my
blog. I enjoy sarcasm, lewd wordplay and caustic humour. 

Aritzia Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:02:00 +0000

Not feeling well so I'm just going to post some stuff I bought recently for my trip to Mexico next month. I'm excited but all I can utter is a lacklustre "yay."

Wilfred

Jersey bustier tank in Victoria Blue (the blue is much deeper - closer to cobalt)

Washed silk shorts in Black

T. Babaton

Silk georgette kimono in Black/Cinder

Riviera Maya, Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 16:07:00 +0000

So this is what I did the other day. I was bored. But I was and still am incredibly excited for my vacation to Mexico!

I love drawing but I'm not very good. I'm great at imitation, especially when it comes to lettering, abstract images, and shapes but awful at doing real life. Here's the progression of what I was doing to kill time:

What if I didn't think I knew it at all?

Amber Heard in Playboy (not the magazine)

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:46:00 +0000

NYMag just posted a slideshow of 25 upcoming pilots for the 2011-12 season and I'm looking forward to a whole bunch of them (the usual police procedurals). One of these pilots titled Playboy stars Amber Heard and it looks cheeky albeit a little bit cheesy. Here's how NYMag describes it:

"Mad Men–era setting + premium-cable risqué content (the actors have nudity clauses in their contracts) + mainstream-appealing plot twists (murder by stiletto) = entertainment."

Since it's on network television (NBC), it doesn't have the opportunity to be nearly as smart and sexy as it could be. I have a feeling it will just be a lot of kitsch an glamour and not a lot of substance but I will tune in in the fall nonetheless. I love Amber Heard and want to see what she brings to her character.

And just look at how adorable she is in her bunny costume! She's as cute as a button!

J

Leighton Meester for Nylon

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:08:00 +0000

(This post is from over a month ago)

Just read part of Leighton Meester's interview for the February 2011 issue of Nylon. I'll post a Girl Crush post on her soon.

I love Leighton Meester. Well, I love her on Gossip Girl at least. I'm not sure if I'm a big fan of her other movies and her musical pursuits but I think she plays a mean queen bee. I just think she's classically gorgeous and that she has the unadulterated beauty of a young Ava Gardner or a Lauren Bacall. They all have stunning faces that emote so much. (Everyone who watches Gossip Girl knows that Blair Waldorf's glassy eyes and lip quivers are the shows principle moments of acting gravitas).

I think I'm someone who should love Nylon: it's cheeky, it's edgy, it doesn't take itself as seriously as other fashion magazines, and it celebrates non-mainstream culture in addition to clothes - so basically, it's hipster-bait - but I never got into it. I think it might've been because I found it too cool for me, like Purple Magazine or something.

J

Crazy Stupid Love

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:58:00 +0000

I want to see this! (The quality is better than the video I've posted after the jump)

I hate romantic comedies (the Katherine Heigl/Jennifer Aniston/Kate Hudson/Drew Barrymore types) but love the quirky quasi-indie ones like Sidewalks of New York, some Woody Allen films and A Fish Called Wanda (although I wouldn't really classify the last one as a romantic comedy). Crazy Stupid Love looks like a funny but cute rom-com that I think I'd like. I love Emma Stone, plus it's got an A+ cast. I'm not a Ryan Gosling fan but he looks pretty sexy. I love a man in a suit.

Speaking of indie rom-coms, I'm also looking forward to The Oranges.

J

PS. I lied. There is ONE Drew Barrymore rom-com I like, and that's Going the Distance. It's super raunchy and actually funny though.

Prada flats

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:51:00 +0000

I just bought these Prada flats off Ebay the other day! They're super cute but they're a little bit big. I already knew that Prada shoes fit a little big and I also anticipated them being stretched out since they were used but my 35.5 shoes make my feet look like clown feet. Oh well...they're not as bad as my Louboutin 36 flats that needed an elastic strap installed just so they could stay on my feet.

I love pink and orange!

They're from the Resort 2007 collection. I also really love those royal blue peep-toe d'Orsay flats in the ad. Hopefully I'll get lucky on Ebay again.

Trend: Transparent Accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:46:00 +0000

Remember this lucite clutch from Fendi's Spring 2010 collection?

I fell in love with it but I could never pull it off. You should see the interior of my purse: it's a mess. I don't know how one would pull of a transparent clutch elegantly especially when the contents are entirely visible. Here are other ways to adopt the transparent trend without going overboard.

Chloé

Napa leather patent captoe pump w/ Lucite pedestal heel

Fendi did Lucite heels for Spring 2010 as well but they look like your standard stripper heel (you know, with the transparent platform?) I love Chloé's version. The body of the shoe is this very classy and traditional pump while the clear heel adds a bit of sauciness to it.

MM6 Maison Martin Margiela

Wood and Plexiglass bangle

I don't know if this trend is here to stay though. What do you think?

J

Trend: Water Colours

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:27:00 +0000

I love when fashion resembles art: architectural fabrics, gesso-like textures, whirlwind colours and optical illusions. So of course, I'm loving the water colour trend right now. These items look as if they've had the gentle touch of a paint brush glide over them as if the fabric were a canvas.

Ali Ro

Silk spandex draped dress w/ woven belt

(Neiman Marcus describes the dress as silk/spandex and Bloomingdale's describes it as georgette and its content as polyester)

I'm absolutely in love with this Ali Ro dress. I just love colour and draping.

Helmut Lang

Jersey racerback tank

Wilfred

Washed silk dress

Washed silk pocket tank

Issa London

Crepe de chine silk strapless gown

Erdem

Pre-Fall 2011

Fall 2011

And the trend continues on into Fall! I just love Erdem's prints. Erdem is truly the most artsy-fartsy of all designer brands out there. Some of the prints look like they belong on a canvas at The Met.

Matthew Williamson

The Matthew Williamson number is from awhile back but it just looks so gorgeous on Thandie Newton that I thought I'd include it with this post. Also check out Giles' water colour-inspired looks from Resort 2010. I suppose the lesson is that you just can never go wrong with painterly brights.

Ebay ♥ Brights

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:40:00 +0000

It's spring and I want to look like I could belong in one of Carmen Miranda's hats!

I like blacks and neutrals even though if you were to look in my closet, you would see a cornucopia of electric hues and crazy-ass prints. I stick to a simple colour palette but I just love colour and collecting pretty clothes and Ebay is a mecca for colour. Seriously, I love how I can type so many permutations of one colour and get so many results.

Take pink, for instance. You know how when you go into a store and you're looking for something specific but whatever you find just isn't quite the exact colour you want? When I do a pink search on Ebay, I usually do pink, coral pink, salmon, blush, fuchsia pink, neon pink, bright pink, rose pink and dusty rose. That way, no matter how specific my colour is, I'm sure to pass something that suits my meticulous pink needs.

Anyway, here are a bunch of cool bright-coloured items I've stumbled upon over the past few weeks, some of which are still up for auction.

thriftwares

Seafoam green suede leather minidress

SOLD for $183.49

Orange linen cotton top w/ cut-out back

SOLD for $51.00

Noirohio Vintage

SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE STILL AVAILABLE!!

Purple structured wool blazer

Bidding until Apr 03 @ 21:00 PDT

Salmon coral rayon blend high waist trousers

Bidding until Apr 03 @21:00 PDT

Plaid paper thin cotton button-shirt

Bidding until Apr 03 @ 21:00 PDT

Yellow drapey poly-rayon blazer

SOLD for $31.00

Funkin Junkie

Hot pink leather high waisted shorts

SOLD for $33.04

Cobalt blue silk high waisted shorts

SOLD for $41.00

I wish I could buy EVERYTHING but I'm going on vacation in May and I'm trying to be good and save my moolah. Money will come in handy when I want a massage on the beach or take a day-trip to the Mayan ruins.

J

Millie Brown vomit art

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:17:00 +0000

It's not as gross as it sounds, I promise

At first I thought the medium was actual vomit and I was immediately unimpressed. I don't understand society's obsession with scatology as somehow being avant-garde. I do not think that shit or urine or any other bodily excretion automatically equals "art" or boundary-pushing art, for that matter.

(Side note: I was writing my Master's thesis on scatology and shit in literature - don't call me a hypocrite yet - but my point was that stuff like poo and pee are specifically NOT radical and innovative. Scatology is a trope for the basest and most banal modes of human expression)

Instead, the artist, Millie Brown, sips coloured milk and regurgitates them back onto a canvas, creating bright, asymmetrical Rorschach-like paintings. She also videotapes the process, transforming the static painting into a dynamic performance art piece. (Do you buy it?)

All photos courtesy of Buzzfeed

The artwork featured is called Nexus Vomitus and it goes for US$2,400. As cool as I think it is, I could make that myself for under $50.

Ebay ♥ Supascoopa4

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:16:00 +0000

CHECK OUT MY AUCTIONS ON EBAY!! I'm selling a whole lot of antique jewellery, some make-up items from NARS and some miscellaneous items as well. All auctions end Saturday, April 2. If you miss any of the auctions, I add items all the time so be sure to check back soon for awesome, new stuff! The next lot will include lots more vintage jewellery, vintage clothes and designer items from Marc by Marc Jacobs, Club Monaco, BCBG, Sergio Rossi, and more!!!!

Some popular items going right now:

Milk glass necklace w/ hand-painted floral beads

Signed CORO pearl and rhinestone brooch

Gold rhinestone brooch

Silver aurora borealis rhinestone brooch

Gold red enamel and rhinestone flower brooch

Spanish gold filigree fan brooch

Silver tourmaline and rhinestone ring

Katy Perry E.T.

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 22:57:00 +0000

I just watched Katy Perry's video for her new single, E.T, and I kind of like the song. I'm not a huge pop fan although I do enjoy the occasional dance-pop hit. I just think the video's cool, especially Perry's hair and make-up. I don't like all of Perry's frothy, cutesy, kitschy costumes that she usually dons. She looks spectacular in this video though.

Some screen captures:

Make-up Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:12:00 +0000

Some products I've purchased over the past few months:

Chanel

Glossimer in Erotic

(It is really as pink on the lips as it is in the tube! I'll have to do a swatch of this some time)

MAC

Kissable Lipcolour in Love Peck

Kissable Lipcolour in Exxhibitionist

Dazzleglass Creme in Do it Up

Dazzleglass Creme in Totally Fab

NARS

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square

Lip Gloss in Bilitis (on sale now on Ebay - bidding ends Apr 02 @ 15:16 PDT)

Lip Gloss in Babe

Lip Gloss in Bloodwork

Eyeshadow Palette in 9947

Blush Duo in Hungry Heart

Eyeshadow Duo in Rajasthan

Eyeshadow Palette in 9947

From left to right

Top: Kilimanjaro, Bohemian Gold II, Surabaya II

Bottom: Himalayas, Ondine, Night Flight

Here's another, better photo, courtesy of Latin Minx 79. (My camera is broken so I borrowed my mom's and hers isn't very good).

My cat being curious.

My cat admiring himself.

Blush Duo in Hungry Heart

These are swatches done on my hand. I noticed that the consensus of reviews on the internet are negative and claim that this product is just a glorified glitter. The two colours aren't very different from one another and when applied, they only provide a faint coat of micro-glitter. BUT...this is what I love about it! The micro-glitter is so pretty! It looks great pretty much anywhere on the face or body.

My cat being curious again.

Eyeshadow Duo in Rajasthan

Again, look how crappy the photo is. Plus, my pan is just a mess!

So I borrowed this photo from Temptalia, who always takes spectacular product photos!

The quality of this eyeshadow is really sub-par for me, which is probably why my pan is so gross. I have to dig into it about 7 or 8 times just to get an even coat of colour on my eyelids, and of course that results in tons of fall-out. Even applied wet, it doesn't work for me. But I just love the colour so much that I refuse to give up on it. I will swatch these at a later time...perhaps when I get a new eyeshadow primer to show you the difference in application.

Make Up For Ever

Lipstick in #37 (coral pink)

Glitter in #11 (gold sand)

Star Powder in #947 (iridescent white-peach-pink)

And finally some more pics of Snowball!

Happy Monday!

J

BCBG Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0000

I recently bought this BCBG Max Azria bag off Hautelook for over 50% off the retail price.

For some reason, I googled this bag after I purchased it and all the photos don't look nearly as nice as this photo that was on the Hautelook website. I love the metallic bronze colour but other photos show it to be a very dull brown with just a HINT of bronze.

See how dull it looks? I think I'm beginning to suffer from buyer's remorse right about now.

But I do love all the compartments. My current crossbody is this caramel-coloured vintage messenger bag and it's got tons of pockets but it's not very stylish. I thought if I got the BCBG one I'd be able to combine my loves of casual and chic but now I don't know

I also don't think my wallet fits. I checked the measurements before purchasing it and figured that I could put the wallet on a slant. I used to always have a rule about bags: I had to be able to fit a book in. I don't think this one does that either.

I guess we'll have to see when it arrives. When have you purchased something that you regretted immediately and couldn't return?

J

Ebay ♥ Gypsy Kimono

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0000

One of the trends I've been noticing on vintage Ebay vendors' sites are silk, burn-out velvet gypsy kimonos. I don't know where this started but I'm in love with these bohemian style kimonos and wraps. They're casual enough to wear over a tee and jeans but because of the detailing of the burn-out velvet and the beading, they're very dressy and fancy and can be worn with solid-coloured dresses.

Unfortunately, when the majority of these auctions were listed, I had no way of saving the photos and posting them up so they've all been sold but there are still some available. I just wanted you to see the wonders of these things and also get you familiarized with the going-rate (they don't come cheap!_

Check these out and tell me they're not gorgeous!

thriftwares

SOLD for $610

indie cult vintage

SOLD for $470

tigerlilly vintage

SOLD for $133.50

SOLD for $14.01

Bustown Modern

SOLD for $355

thriftwares

SOLD for $305

Tinroof Vintage

SOLD for $225

THIS NEXT ONE IS STILL AVAILABLE!!

BUY IT NOW: $325 or BEST OFFER

Until Apr 20 @ 11:23 PST

AND SO IS THIS ONE!!

MakiMaki

Bidding until Mar 24 @ 22:44 PST

thriftwares

Bidding until Mar 24 @ 20:34 PDT

FREE SHIPPING!

And if you're looking for a more cost-friendly way to get the same look, try looking up scarves or table coverings. I found this shawl/table covering from ranch-man and although it's not the exact same style as the vintage apparel, it still has the lovely peacock design that is so quintessential to the gypsy kimono. And this only went for $41.65!!!!

These are truly sensational pieces to have in any wardrobe and I'm sure they'll turn heads. I can't wait to get my hands on one!

J

Patti Smith's Sequel to Just Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:50:00 +0000

Yay!

Patti Smith is writing a sequel!

I'm really looking forward to this.

J

Aritzia Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:55:00 +0000

Update of the things I've purchased at Aritzia over the past month:

Wilfred jersey Ace tank

T. Babaton washed silk Ronnie polka-dot dress

Wilfred drapey lyocell Casbah pant

The Wilfred Casbah pant in action

Citizen of Humanity Avedon Slick Skinny jeggings

I love Wilfred's harem pants. I remember when the trend came out awhile ago except it was so over-the-top and so ugly (you know - the diaper pants?) that I thought that anyone that bought them was a trend-whore. But I like how the style has become more subtle now. They look like regular pants but with a bit more room to breathe. It's why they're so comfortable! I also bought another pair that are less drapey and have a button-front but I can't find a photo of them anywhere. Those ones are great because they're versatile: could be both casual and business-appropriate.

The Citizens jeggings are the most comfortable jeans I've ever worn. They look like jeans but they're stretchy like leggings. I couldn't find my exact shade on the internet. Mine are almost-black with a hint of dark navy blue with ashy grey undertones. That doesn't even make sense but I don't know how else to describe them? They look like the ones in the photo except there's more blue and less fading.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:51:00 +0000

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this harrowing tale, let me break it down for you: a powerful, narcissistic magazine editor named Jean-Dominique Bauby (aka Jean-Do) has a stroke and is paralyzed from head to toe. His mind, however, functions fine, and must continue to live his life as if he were a man trapped in an immobile body. The only part he can move is his one eye - he can blink. Such is the condition called locked-in syndrome. Jean-Do writes his autobiography by working with a speech therapist and blinking while she lists off the letters of alphabet and stops at the one he wishes to use.

Photo courtesy of Entertainment Wallpaper

The film is spectacular. I love the opening scenes and how the film is shown through Jean-Do's myopic perspective. I also love the scene where they sew up Jean-Do's bad eye while he silently protests to himself but instead of the screen going black, it goes a peachy orange, because such is what happens when you close your eyelids and it is still spectacularly bright outside (I know this because I often go to bed when the sun is out). I just love the overall tone of this film. It has such a delicate realism to it (lots of long shots and scenes without dialogue) and I love the fuzzy cinematography but it's also punctuated by surreal moments of clarity.

Photo courtesy of The Revolving Door

I watched this with boyfriend (first for him, second for me) and towards the end, he said, "this movie makes me sad." I don't think I can say it any more succinctly than that. The film is about a man who feels like he's stuck in a diving bell, lost under water, incapable of escape, and the beautiful, free butterfly that is his imagination, which allows him to do whatever he wants and makes him feel more alive than when he was as a moving, talking body.

I also read the book for a paper in my last year in undergrad and the autobiography is just as poignant as the film. But it isn't so much an autobiographical narrative as it is a touching compendium of all of Jean-Do's insightful and ironic observations about the ephemeral past and the even more ephemeral moments of life.

I also didn't know (or didn't fully realize) that it was directed by Julian Schnabel, an artist that I'm a big fan of.

J

Irina Werning

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:25:00 +0000

This photo project by Argentinian photographer, Irina Werning, called 'Back to the Future' has circulated around the net already but I still want to share it with those who haven't seen it yet. How Werning has described the project:

"I love old photos. I admit being a nosey photographer. As soon as I step into someone else’s house, I start sniffing for them. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today... A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."

Werning invited people to show her old photos of themselves and then Werning recreated the vintage tableaux with the present subject and photographed the "transformation." What we get is the juxtaposition of old and new and the incontrovertible documentation of change but what we leave with is the idea that some things stay the same.

Take a look at some of my favourites:

MATIAS in 1977 and 2010

FLOR, MALE, and SIL in 1983 and 2010

IAN in 1984 and 2010

NICO in 1986 and 2010

LA NEGRA in 1980 and 2010

MECHI in 1990 and 2010

TOMMY in 1977 and 2010

LULA and G in 1980 and 2010

NICO in 1990 and 2010

LALI in 1970 and 2010

WERNING'S parents in 1970 and 2010

Most recreation photos are off but I think Werning does a pretty good job capturing the same tone and aesthetic of the photographs.

Check out more here: Back to the Future

Also, Back to the Future II will be out in June!

J

nota bene

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:13:00 +0000

Before the ballet, we went to nota bene for dinner. I'd dined here previously and loved everything on their menu. I especially fell in love with an appetizer that someone else at the table had so I was intent on ordering it for myself this time.

Anyways, this isn't a restaurant review since I don't do that, but I do want to share my wonderful experiences with you so I'll let you know what was ordered.

Appetizers:

Crispy Duck Salad w/ a Sumac-Dusted Green Papaya Slaw and Cashews and flower petals (this is the amazing appetizer - I also convinced Shannon to get it as well)
Big Eye Tuna Tartare w/ Citrus Soya, Ginger, and Avocado (I had this as my main course)
Lobster Bisque

Crisp Duck Salad

Big-eye Tuna Tartare

Mains:

Mediterranean Seabass w/ Fennel, Romano Beans, Olives, Sundried Tomatoes, Olive Oil, and Cauliflower Puree
Cavatalli Pasta w/ Truffle-Scented Mushroom Bolognese

Mediterranean Seabass

nota bene

180 Queen St. W

Toronto, Canada

(416) 977-6400

info@notabenerestaurant.com

Don Quixote

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:57:00 +0000

Speaking of Toronto, the whole reason for the Toronto trip was for the ballet. For Christmas 2010, I received tickets to Don Quixote from my friend Shannon (as did our friend Leah) and we decided to make a day of it. Other than the pluvial weather, the day was perfect - coffee, shopping, fine dining - and we finished it off with fouettés and grand jetés on stage. It was delicious.

Photo courtesy of The Toronto Star

Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos (the scene above is from the third act but I think the setting for our final act was much better). I wish we could've because the costumes were sensational. The last time I went the the Four Seasons Centre for a performance by the National Ballet of Canada, it was for Romeo and Juliet. I was so excited because I'd just seen the company's Nutcracker (spectacular, by the way) and I love Prokofiev's music so I was expecting so much but the production was just so lo-fi. They reused the same sets over and over again - for the bedroom, for the ballroom, for the outdoor scenes, for the balcony scene - it was embarrassing.

So for Don Quixote, I was expecting the same. I thought to myself, 'perhaps the company invests in The Nutcracker because they know it sells well and for the rest of the season, they just scrimp a little,' but no, they went all out for Don Quixote. Perhaps it's because it's such a jovial ballet and they needed to infuse the stage with colours and wild sets and props?

I liked how the dancers utilized other props - like instruments, fans, clapping, snapping - whilst dancing. It really contributed to the Spanish tone of the ballet. I also think the ballet would've improved a lot if they had just had another week or two of rehearsals. There was way too much un-synchronicity and when one person's always off on the dancing, it kind of doesn't work for me. Their cohesiveness really should be perfect. And finally, the last act was odd. There was no concluding narrative in the third act; it was simply the two main dancers (and main characters), Kitri and Basilio, doing solo after solo, trying to one-up the previous one and trying to garner as much applause as possible. We were clapping pretty much the entire third act.

But overall, it was very enjoyable.

J

Zara

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:37:00 +0000

I was in Toronto recently and I decided to check out Zara. Back in Hong Kong, I frequented Zara a lot, just because along with H&M, it was everywhere. Here in London, however, I rarely stumble across anything because if I want to go shopping, I have to plan it and then drive there. Plus, we don't have Zara and the only H&M is far and looks as if it only gets all the castaways from the cooler stores.

Anyway, I saw a lot of really great stuff! I forgot how stylish and trendy Zara could be. Nevertheless, I tried a bunch of stuff on and none of it looked as good on as it did on the rack. And then I remembered. Zara's quality is cheap and the fit is really off. Its clothes only look good on racks, therefore, they only look good on 6 feet, size 0 models. Take a look for yourself.

I LOVE the colours in the Spring collection but they really should do something about sizing.

I fell in love with the lamb leather mini-skirt but the zipper was broken and I didn't feel like getting another one because I was so disappointed from what was already in the change room. Has anyone else had bad luck with Zara?

J

The Wrestler

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:15:00 +0000

So, for those of you who know me, I was not a fan of Black Swan. I found it cliched, derivative, incredibly cheesy, and overall, just poorly done. And then I saw Darren Aronofsky's companion piece, The Wrestler, and I was blown away. Now, THAT was a piece of cinema

I don't understand what happened. Aronofsky clearly saw the similarities between the two subjects - two individuals dedicated to their art and two artists who sometimes have to sacrifice themselves for said art - and I imagine that he researched the roles similarly. But why is The Wrestler so raw, so real, so finely nuanced and why is Black Swan what it is?

I'm beginning to see it from a feminist perspective. I just don't think Aronofsky knows how to portray women. To him, women are dolls facilitated into action by more urgent male characters and their stories are meant to be treated melodramatically and hysterically. The only way that women can survive is to suffer from psychosis - because they can't possibly achieve sublimity through normality.

Mickey Rourke's character on the other hand is so banal, so mundane, and so devoid of melodrama that he's actually believable. It's the scenes where he's congealing in banality that are the most heartbreaking - shopping for his estranged daughter, signing autographs (and waiting for fans) with the other washed-up wrestlers, working minimum wage behind the deli - those moments were gold. His pathos is communicated through the portrayal of an entirely ordinary life. No cliches, no overwrought acting, no unbelievable plot points (nobody's telling him to go home and masturbate for his art), and no contrived dialogue, just a man both in and outside his element.

If only Black Swan could've been treated with the same respect and care.

J.

Ebay ♥ Jewellery: Cuffs

noreply@blogger.com (Cyril and Vivian) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:00:00 +0000

I like my jewellery like I like my paper weights: heavy. The chunkier, the better. I really can't stand pendant necklaces, itty-bitty charm bracelets or anything that needs a magnifying glass to be seen. I also am not a fan of modern jewellery and how even their larger statement pieces are made with cheap and light flimsy materials, so I do a lot of my jewellery buying at antique shops or estate sales.

Recently I've been getting back into giant cuffs. My favourite vintage snake cuff is losing some of its stones so I'm trying not to wear it out as much but I recently got this Club Monaco fish-scale cuff for a HUGE bargain and wear it all the time.

I've also found a lot of cool cuffs on Ebay and wanna share them with you. Unfortunately, since I stumbled upon all these auctions when my computer was unusable, the auctions are all over but I still wanna show you the selection of stuff that's out there.

tdvintage company

I also won this copper cuff w/ black rubberize backing for $15.50

R and L Jewelry Treasures

Chunky filigree pot metal bracelet w/ purple rhinestones and faux pearls

SOLD for $26

Kate's Dream

1950s copper "Rhythm" clamper, signed Renoir

SOLD for $39.51

I Just Adore Shopping

Whiting Davis faceted topaz crystal cuff bracelet

SOLD for $43

Verizon 2007