accessoryofcrime.

chilling in the long white cloud

2012-02-29T23:27:00.002+13:00

The WBC - Recline Dub

After working in Singapore for 6 months, a trip back home to good ol Auckland was way overdue. Touching ground and seeing the fluffy white clouds floating past, followed by the rich greens and blues below, it's instantly soothing to me.

I'm home! And boy, do I miss the intense blue skies, breathing in cool air, the feel of carpet under my bare feet, playing with my lil niece, rummaging through thrift stores, the smell of thrift stores, eating (heaps of) yoghurt, hot chips, tamales, ceviches, mojitos from all my favorite stores, getting back into my old 'comfort' routines, driving to random beaches, listening to my old trusty radio stations and the sensation of a windy day.

Now, its Wednesday. And I leave all this goodness on Sunday! No way, too early right? So in response to that, the last shot is pretty much my personal version of Edvard Munch's 'The Scream'.

(By the way, anyone have a good recipe for tamales they can share?? my current favorite food.You'll really make my week!)

Cap: Gap

Dress: Browny

Boots: Nike

Neon Tourist

2012-02-14T22:11:00.001+13:00

This is proof of the hardcore tourists we can be.
We (pretty much) NEVER EVER join tour groups. We have a theory that (almost) everything is better done DIY. Though we'd never argue with having a good knowledgeable insightful guide to bombard with 101 of the most complex and difficult questions, including the meaning of life in their society. But otherwise, isn't wandering around by ourselves in strange cities all the more exciting, exhilarating and rewarding?

So this time was no different. It was the first day of the lunar new year. We planned a trip out to Yehliu, these wacky geological formations shaped by the onslaught of wind and wave on the north eastern coast of Taiwan. After confirming with the concierge that the site would be open for visitors, followed with looks of pure concern and worry the moment they discovered we were making the hour-and-a-half long journey on the public regional bus system, we headed out under the grey swelling clouds armed with an umbrella each. How do you truly prepare for a day of chilly rainstorms and wind lash anyway?

Somehow, in the name of adventure and interesting experiences, braving the wind and rain was well worth it. By the way, happy valentines day.

1 - 8. Yehliu Geopark on a stormy day.

A Very 'Lunar New Year' To You Too.

2012-02-04T10:52:00.002+13:00

A taste of our lunar new year in Taipei.
It's been a long time since we've spent new years in Asia. Lanterns in the middle of nowhere towns. Touristing in the rain, armed with ponchos and umbrellas. Nightmarkets and foggy towers.

By the way, our next adventure starts today.
Saigon here we come!

And it's morning.

2012-01-11T10:04:00.002+13:00

It's been ten sleeps since New Years Day. And if any of you would like to know..... our resolutions are happily incomplete - sitting inside a .doc file on my computer desktop. But we're optimistic. Good honest resolutions are like fine wines.

Amanda's been working her butt off in a little island called Singapore. And me, well ..... I've been around? Hung out in Singapore and China in November and spent Christmas in Sydney. Now i'm back home in Auckland for a short while.

But more importantly, you and I, we have hell of a lot to catch up on. Like, what on earth have you been up to, where the hell are you and what on earth is going on?

Andwhyhaventyou returned our calls?

Let's try to start the year with a clean slate and everything on the table. Time to get that blogging muscle back in ship shape again.

Youth Lagoon - seventeen

Grid Dress: Vintage

Shoes: Muji

Sweats: Muji

1.Quiet Saturday morning in singapore's CBD.

Here & Now

2012-01-01T07:53:00.000+13:00

Explosions In The Sky - Last Known Surroundings

1 + 2. Blue Mountains from Echo Point lookout.

Under my Plastic Christmas Palm Tree.

2011-12-24T19:32:00.001+13:00

If you haven't done your christmas shopping by now, there is still hope for you in our books.
Escape route 1 - Get a magazine subscription, and just leave it to them to deliver the goods.

// monocle subscription for a year $125

// Hussein Chalayan $325 / The Room Magazine one year subscription €110

Escape route 2 - Run down to the shops NOW! Don't pass 'GO' and don't 'COLLECT $200'! But to be honest, all the desperate last-minute consumerism down at your local mall probably couldn't buy you lurve like we've got for you here! So listen up.

Escape route 3 - OK go ahead and order them something really awesome, and...for the moment completely digital, intangible and pretty much half way around the world with almost zero hope of the thing ever teleporting to your part of the world before Christmas Morning. Then hope like hell that you've been a good enough girl/boy all year that Santa will do all the teleporting for you and that gift that you chose will be sitting under that plastic christmas palm tree come sunrise! Well, for those of you who aren't so lucky, or have spent a few too many nights partying and getting up to no good, then finding yourself in Santa's BAD books, or those of you, you know who you are, you poor in faith; well as long as you get them something truly awesome, when I say awesome I mean, as long as it's the fan-bloody-tastic kinda awesome, like, beyond anything I've ever imagined in my wildest dreams kinda awesome; being a couple days in the coming shouldn't be too much of an issue, we assure you. Try one of these following items for effect:

// Anzfer Farm Lamp $80

// Plumen light bulbs €30

// Building Block bag - price n/a / Hussein Chalayan Book $66

// Helios 44-2 lens $39

// Michael Mc Dowell Ceramic Planter $42

And have a Merry Christmas all!

Disclaimer: Follow the above advice at your own risk, is only proven to work for the 0.001% of the global population. Not recommended for people that believe that a plump man in a red suit will be clamoring down their chimney after 00:00 hrs to deliver gifts under their tree. Not recommended for children.

Source: style , anzfer farms, building block, the room magazine, michael dales, mr kitly, plumen, ssense, wallpaper, top35mm

souvenirs of another world:

2011-12-09T00:12:00.003+13:00

"Not as fun as it looks."

2011-11-29T19:36:00.002+13:00

Playsuit: Vintage

Shoes: Demonia

Bag: Deadly Ponies & eco sac

Sunglasses: cheap monday

lines & scribbles...

2011-11-12T04:23:00.008+13:00

Russian Red - Fuerteventura

This roll of black + white film has been quite the traveller. Shuffled between three cities: Melbourne, Auckland then Singapore. (In that order). It happily features: our little niece having a shy moment in our living room; our very own chalkboard of scribbles on the apartment wall; an ideal diy lunch (rye bread sandwich w/ baby spinach, cheese & tomatoes) ; my room back in Auckland and a Melbourne evening sky.

Take this, as a token of our love of photography. And black + white. And take these posts as an assurance, we're making baby-steps towards more frequent and regular posting. I swear!

Me, this week. Been getting lost in my sea of to-do lists, revised and re-revised lists that no longer have a start nor end. Freaking out about a quickly approaching trip to China ( just 2 days away!), and still wondering if I'm really prepared enough.

Oh, and trying hard to fight a new habit. watching Mad Men. Every night. Baby steps, then.

whistle my own tune.

2011-11-06T19:34:00.005+13:00

Magnetic Man - Flying into Tokyo

I'm so grateful to be able to spend such a long time in Singapore. So grateful to travel. So grateful to be exploring Shanghai and Beijing in a weeks time.

While the time now is filled with walks through Outram Park, exploring the charming little alleyways and discovering clues of a private urban life beneath the polished city skin; trips to the East Coast beaches and awakening my undiscovered appetite for crab (I swear, it's the Sponge Bob influence, I mean, I always thought that crabby patties sounded delicious!); and numerous to do lists organising the trip to China.

When you spend a long enough time out of your natural climate, you're bound to feel yourself changing, feel your new surroundings seeping in and influencing, either for the good or the bad. With no time, no space, not ready to reflect or analyse. No chance to trace back that train of thought and make sense of it all. I just hope there will be time for that later.

Shirt: Cheap Monday

Skirt: random shop in Melacca

Sandals: Birkenstock

Bag: Longchamp

Visor: Daiso

Events, unrelated.

2011-10-26T18:08:00.007+13:00

A series of random facts / news; almost completely unrelated, but significant to us.

+ Sitting in the Singapore apartment, looking out at the industrial scene of oil refineries and container ships, every few nights a week, a blaze at the Palau Bukom would be visible. Every time a small blaze appeared atop the tall chimneys, we would wonder, "Is this all part of a 'normal' day's work in the refineries?" or is this fire an outward sign of panic and alarm, silenced by the distance and isolation? Every time we were curious but brushed it off. One day last month, it set ablaze. This time the smoke streamed straight into the sky, grew thick, dense, dark and heavy. We knew this time it was nothing that could be brushed off lightly. We read about it in the news soon after.

+ Off shore from Tauranga, Rena a container ship sits, sliced and spilling with oil. Seeing the containers sliding off and seeing the effects on beaches on the news, while being so far away. Heart breaking and helpless.

+ Freak accidents! Every so often we hear about escalators and lifts going haywire and killing people... especially in China. This is making me think twice every time I hop onto those escalators I use everyday.

+ Kids run-over by cars, then left, ignored, stepped around, detoured around, just to have it happen all over again. Happens in China... Dumbfounded.

+ Might be in China for a week. November.

+ All Blacks winning the Rugby World Cup 2011, its bringing up sweet childhood memories of Black Magic winning the America's Cup in '95. Parades, Sausage sizzles and grins all 'round.

+ 1Q84. The English translation of Murakami's book was released yesterday. It's comforting to know there's one more Murakami book I can read in the world.

1.View out the window, thick smoke clouds rising from the Palau Bukom.

the daily grind

2011-10-19T00:03:00.007+13:00

bright eyes/her space holiday - contrast and compare

On most days I leave the house looking like a runaway. These three bags in tow, weigh me down everywhere I go. The woes of life without a car, without a boot. Will I ever get used to it?

It's ironic. This is really quite a small city. I heard from someone, you can drive from end to end in just one hour. Yet everyday, I seem to spend hours and hours zig-zagging the city, back and forth. Commuting, bus to rail, rail to bus. Commuting until my pair of legs just can't keep up.

Maybe it's time to buy a car, a golf cart, a trolley...?

Maybe, then, I wouldn't look so weighed down and lost like I do here.

dress - jimmy d

bike shorts - zara

man bag - burberry

she breathed a sigh of relief.

2011-10-13T21:26:00.003+13:00

Watercolours -Under

Welcome home, baby fern, thai basil and... three cute little pot plants the clueless staff had no idea how to name. With nothing to go on, but 'Ji Mei Assorted Plants'. Maybe one of you botanic geniuses can clue us up. We'll be sure to share a picture of the cuties soon.

Subconsciously, this must be therapy for the both of us. A day at the nurseries for a deep lungful of greenery that we never knew we longed for. Me thinks this dose of green will become a staple in this space. And right now, possibly more frequent than those 'model' posts we do.

Equally therapeutic is (Chelsea Jade) Watercolours' Under. Every time we play it, we just, breathe better.

Sunstroke.

2011-10-05T01:20:00.003+13:00

Maybe I am more a product of circumstance than I ever imagined. Let's find out what happens when that extensive wardrobe never made it on the flight here; what happens when the climate no longer allows for layering freely; what happens when full blown sunlight floods straight down on us 5 days out of 7; what happens when mr.wind no longer visits us here where we are and our favourite windy day garments sit dead flat sticking to our sweaty hot skin. Hope you're all ready for it!

Extensive exposure to the heat here turns our brains to mush. It really gets to our heads. Grumpiness ensues. Hence the glum and impatient expression as I stand dripping with sweat, dying to run into the next air-conditioned room. On the bright side, I'm finding sweat moustaches and sweat noses to be most amusing. I actually have a personal goal to capture some in their full un-wiped glory, but more about that another day...

kim gun mo - prologue

Top: Muji

Skorts: Vintage

Plimsoles: Muji

Bag: Muji

Visor: Daiso

curiously peculiar.

2011-09-27T22:33:00.003+13:00

I guess you'll all be wanting an explanation then, want us to elaborate on exactly where we have been and why we've taken this long to come around?

Well, here's the thing: at first the apartment had no lights. So after we got lights put in, there was no internet. When we got the internet installed, we realised it wasn't wireless, so then we had to get a router. After that we realised I had to install some programs to get at those RAW format files. After the programs got sussed, it just felt like in the whole apartment, there were no tables, no desk, no place to comfortably sit in front of the laptop. So then, of course we had to sort that out.

Here I am, at the dining table with metres and metres of extension cords and multi-plugs, finally wired up and ready to come back round. Ready to fill you in.

Donawhale - doremi

A month into Amanda's job here, working 10-5 and more.

Adjusting to busing and mrt-ing everywhere - life without a car.

Carrying groceries home.

Carrying IKEA home.

Carrying everything home.

Cabs are a treat - reserved for rainy days and accidental sleep-ins.

Comfort food is cedeles. Yet to find another place that serves baps and sandwiches as trusty and readily available.

Missing the windiness of Auckland - and the whole of New Zealand as a matter of fact.

Missing the little grocer - as we have stated in numerous occasions.

Dealing with the fact that we left most of our wardrobe in Auckland.

Living on basics, wardrobe-wise.

Buying Muji and Uniqlo to deal with that.

In the process of finding ways to face the heat.

Sweat is a fact of life.

Appropriately obsessed with visors, and anything white or linen-y.

In the process of creating new traditions and habits.

Walks in historic streets and quarters.

Pot plant count is... zilch. boo hoo.

resuscitate

2011-09-20T00:18:00.009+12:00

The Smiths - Girlfriend in a Coma

I really can't figure out, how did we ever let it come to this? Appalled at ourselves. Can't you just imagine, typing in the address of your very very own blog which holds a soft spot deep down in your heart and gut - and to suddenly find it replaced by a repulsive sight like the above image???

It was a rude awakening.

Leaving us alarmed and clamouring to bring it all back to life before we lost it all in the infinite chasm of digital limbo. We're screaming now at the top of our lungs, just to proclaim, 'We're still alive! We're still here.'

Let's put it all behind us, pretend like it never happened. We promise to never do that again. We promise to save up all our ten dollar bills for Mr. Google so that we can keep this little space, ours.

P.S. Even when we were in a coma, there were those of you that sat by us and even sang to us, we just can't thank you enough. There were many of you, in fact I remember a quartet or choir. All you angels. Nehemie, we're so grateful for the beautiful poem you wrote us. We're so glad it didn't have to become our Eulogy!

Photosynthesis.

2011-08-06T20:55:00.001+12:00

Currently in Singapore. Moved into my new apartment with no lights, no phone, and no internet. No furniture either, except for an inflatable aerobed (which is surprisingly comfortable by the way). Armed with an iPad and 3G (our last means of keeping in contact with the world), expect some short updates, just to say, we're still alive. You'll find we've been doing our own share of tweetering too, so drop us a line there!

As we try to turn the empty apartment into a home, i'm quickly realizing pot plants are your best friends. And that all this time I've taken our local Resene paintshop for granted, and not everyplace in the world has access to hundreds of shades of white (and black)! Apart from that, life's good - I just wish I had more pot plants.

1.Hanging pots at the Bugis market.

slow-boat

2011-07-22T23:04:00.006+12:00

Watercolours -Under

I vow to wear as many of my winter coats. knitted jumpers. furs. shearlings.

To pile them all on for the remaining week before I leave.

To tell you the truth, I'm feeling kinda bitter. That my winter's cut short.

That, I take seasons for granted.

Soon. Seasons won't exist anymore. Instead of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, it's about wet or dry.

There, my first taste of tropical woes.

This year we'll both be missing out on NZFW. Missing out on seeing, feeling, experiencing the clothes moving around us. So, even more bitter.

OK, on a less bitter note, I'm excited for change. I think I'll get another tattoo this week.

Coat: Vintage

Dress: 3.1 Phillip Lim

Brogues: Prada

Brooch: Vintage

Bide time.

2011-07-14T22:11:00.003+12:00

Humming Urban Stereo -You that day

That was us in Sydney, one Surry Hills cafe to another. Drinking fresh vege juice from 'The Goods', a charming organic cafe. English Breakfast tea and breakfast burger at 'Bills'.

So, it's no longer sweet blue skies and cute clouds here in Auckland. And I've got a hell of a flu to prove it. Just yesterday Amanda put half her stuff on a ship bound for Singapore. We'll be staying put for the next few weeks. And after that? It's singapore. Ah - but we'll talk more about that later. Happy bastille day.

Lungs.

2011-06-29T22:30:00.004+12:00

A drive with the girls. It really feels great being back in Auckland. Nothing like abit of travel to remind us of how blessed we are. One of the many things we take for granted: being able to take a 45-minute drive out of town and find breathtaking landscapes, greenery all-round, fresh air, wineries, art trails, tree houses, and sweet locals.

Bon Iver -Wash

soon.

2011-06-19T23:00:00.001+12:00

Here we go again, keeping you all out of the loop! Sorry about that. We're not really back yet. We've been in Sydney - completely internetless except for these 30 minutes of complimentary net time.

Here are some shots we took in Auckland a little while ago. We took about 70 shots and we just seem to be drawn to these ones. Twisted, dark, witchy feel.

In short, we're still here, still alive. Hopefully things will get more settled soon.

Dress: Vintage (Liebemarlene Vintage)

Knit: Vintage

Bolo: Vintage

It's all simpler in black and white.

2011-06-13T20:06:00.004+12:00

James Blake -The Wilhelm Scream

Honestly, we can hardly remember where all these photos were taken. We've had this roll of ilford's sitting in our camera for so long. Finally got them processed. All we remember is, the ducks are from a trip to the chelsea sugar factory, the ferns were from a nearby bush, the glasses taken in an apartment in Sydney...

Oh and, at the risk of confusing you all, we've just been to Singapore and back again last week. Fact: Our recent interview with Maria was prepared and posted all on a little iPad in our hotel lobby. Just explaining.

It might feel like we've been distant lately. Hope to catch you all soon.

In the Print Room: Maria Tasula

2011-06-08T23:28:00.003+12:00

We're kind of excited about this. Here comes the second interview part of our 'In the Tea-Room' segment. It's with someone that we both increasingly admire: Maria from the blog biting the hand that feeds. Her blog is a teaser for all her projects and experimental photography as well as an entree to her seriously awesome taste. Along with running her blog she seems to often be working hard through the night, in the print room. So, appropriately we met her there.

Through the years we have followed her blog, we've always been so curious, who she is, what she does. She's just such a talented girl. So with this, we got a chance to know more, and the honor of sharing with you.

Name,age,cities:
Maria, 20, Finland, soon London

What do you do?
I nine to five as a fashion PR intern in a fancy city office and moonlight as an aspiring editor, based in a finnish version of a ghetto, no Apple or large white spaces around here thank you.

Medium of choice?
Photography and everything else that gets to people's minds. Words are very important, I want to influence!

Tell us abit about some of the project(s) you're involved in, the parts you're most excited about, proud of.
I have been very lucky to work with amazing people in amazing projects in my life so far.

I have been volunteering in contemporary art museum Kiasma in Helsinki, Finland for the past years with a group of young and talented people with whom we have accomplished to organize event nights, collaborations with artists, different workshops and even an exhibition last Autumn. I shot the flyer photographs advertising the exhibition, which was a pretty big deal to me and I am thankful for the opportunity. We have worked together with Centre Pompidou's and Tate's youth groups in a project called Youth Art Interchange and I've had the chance to visit them in Liverpool and London. To see and discover how huge museums work inside out as a 17-year-old and actually make something happening inside the system opened my view for a lot of things. I am so proud of everyone who has worked very hard in the group, it's great to see them succeed and have a network of such diverse creative young adults!

Last December I started a project that is personally very important to me, a small publication titled 10300. I've been producing it the whole Spring and still I'm behind the schedule, but good stuff is worth the wait you know! Ever since I was a 13-year-old kid discovering fashion, fashion magazines and print publications in general have been very close to my heart. I guess I don't even have to explain why to your blog readers, since I'm sure they get exactly why! Organizing shoots, interviews and exploring talent I want to showcase has driven me the whole Spring, and the fact that I have found great Art Directors whom I trust. It has and will be hard (make that almost imbossible) work to finalize everything but I don't regret a single bit. The best part for me has been bringing different people to work together since teamwork and collaboration brings out the best in people and is one of the most important things in life. Also everyone's interest towards the project...I've been very very happy about it since I'm proud of everyone who is collaborating!

And what is 10300 about you wonder? It will take you from New York to Lapland, from rooftops to the sunrise at the lake, from short stories to the most stylish people you know. True story.

We're really anticipating what you'll do in the future, what's on the horizon for you?
Other than continuing with 10300, I am moving to London in September to study Fashion Photography BA at London College of Fashion, so I think my future is mostly about shoplifting noodles from Lidl and drinking 2 for £5 wine bottles, ha ha. Anyone out there living in London, I am happy to assist or basically polish your shoes in exchange of free meal. I am very good in polishing shoes, by the way, almost better than taking pictures. Other than that, my ambitions in life consist of becoming the next Franca Sozzani (since I've already asked her how it's done!), getting a business degree and a bigger vintage Halston collection than Rachel Zoe.

And for some fun Q's, just because we're curious beings!
Neat freak or 'organised' chaos?
Whatever works, you need both in life.

Optimist or pessimist?
Optimist

coffee or tea?
The best drink is free of course...

What is the most underated thing?
Deadlines (a note to myself!)

Your catchphrase?
Without having a goal it's difficult to score

The place/city of your dreams:
The candy cave in Charlie The Unicorn video or a Helmut Lang store in the 90s.

Your 5 track playlist.
Pharoahe Monch - Still Standing
Belle & Sebastian - Expectations
LCD Soundsystem - Tribulations
Gil-Scott Heron - Running
Los Rakas - Abrazame (Uproot Andy remix)

One thing about you that usually surprises people?
That I write a fashion blog since I tend to look like a lost nerd most of the time.

1.Maria photographed by Helen Korpak. 2.Photographed by Maria. 3.Photographed by Maria. 4.Maria photographed by Sanna Lehto. 5.Photographed by Maria.

Choose Your Own Adventure.

2011-06-02T22:46:00.005+12:00

Tomorrow me and three ol' friends are driving up North to Matakana for a night. Equally as nice is getting the chance to visit this yellow treehouse with them. So suddenly things seem to be in flux again. Change in places where it felt like it'd remain the same. Things are flowing, and it feels right. Friends reuniting and touching base in midst of shifts and changes.

Lucite Tokki -손

Trench: Vintage

Top: Vintage

Bag: Zara

Skorts: MM6

Docs: DM

360°

2011-05-30T23:39:00.006+12:00

Lucite Tokki -생일

Felt pretty spoilt at times in our stay in Singapore - chilling out at skyhigh lounges with prized views, skylines, citylights, cocktails and canapes which pretty much substituted dinner. Our days were spent on a tight schedule district hopping east-to-west, north and south looking for the right apartment. Yes, it became quite a routine. Just as we suspected in Singapore, it's all business before pleasure. So routinely we stalled some time between cocktails and bed, hitting the local sale.

Now, we've touched down in Auckland and we're chasing the time - it's all a blur. Sleep-deprived, jet-lagged and... 'Could someone please turn off the air-conditioning? No, wait. It's the cold i'm feeling.' So add in blocked ears and a runny nose to the mix of it all.