oh, hello there

ANNA KARINA (DIMITRI FROM PARIS REMIX)

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:34:00 +0000

How could I not share this?

DANS LA CUISINE

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sat, 12 May 2012 08:28:00 +0000

I like kitchens, I like gentlemen, so a post that brings them together seems more than appropriate.

There's also something to be said for a man who knows how to use a knife (not in a menacing, serial killer way, mind you).

Happy Saturday everyone!

:: David Bornscheuer photographed for Freunde von Freunden :: Nick Fouquet photographed for Sous Style :: untitled by Alex Morvan :: Jeff Laub photographed for Sous Style :: Cedric Bihr photographed for Freunde von Freunden :: Josh Nissemboim photographed for Dwell ::

SATURDAY

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:23:00 +0000

A glimpse of a pleasantly lazy and meandering Saturday.

+ Music for Spring. Everyone should download this. I don't know Michael, but I love him a little bit for composing this mix.

+ Brooklyn Makers. One word: yes!

WHITE MATERIAL

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:48:00 +0000

I have only recently begun to immerse myself in the cinematic work of French filmmaker Claire Denis, and what I have been particularly struck by is the uncompromising and commanding visual style she possesses. There is sometimes the tendency to equate the films of female directors with a specifically feminine mode of vision (think Sofia Coppola); however, you only have to watch Denis' Trouble Every Day to quickly dispel this notion (I would only recommend that cinephiles watch this film if they have a particularly strong stomach). White Material, on the other hand, encapsulates the subdued power and brutal beauty of Trouble Every Day without leading the viewer into an almost sickening realm of the grotesque.

In White Material, Denis allows the displacements and atrocities of war to speak for themselves; with the lingering camerawork witnessing the events without judgement or intrusion. Admittedly, films that take war as their subject very rarely interest me. However, Denis shifts the focus away from the politics of the civil violence to follow its affects on a French family living in an unnamed African country under French colonial influence. Indeed, the war itself is overshadowed by and filtered through the perspective of Isabelle Huppert's character. The way that Denis and cinematographer Yves Cape infuse every shot with a strange and unbearable sensuality that moves to panic and fear is amazing in its intense intimacy. The juxtaposition of still and calm moments with the tensions of violence is so affecting and, at times, confronting that the film is quite unlike others that deal with similar themes of power, corruption, war and colonialism.

And, may I add, it's all complemented by a haunting score composed by the Tindersticks (frequent musical collaborators with Denis and one of my favourite bands). Perfection, in other words.

JACINTA MOORE

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:17:00 +0000

I want to eat everything that Jacinta Moore photographs.

She has certainly mastered the sexy art of analog film grain. Jacinta is also the photographer behind the beautiful lookbook for Elizabeth's latest Primoeza collection.

SOUP AND SOCKS

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:10:00 +0000

I am constantly drawn to this image of Sarah Britton. I think it encompasses all of the things that I most treasure.

...I don't know about most people, but whenever I think about my dream kitchen it is almost always decidedly Scandinavian in style.

Hope you all had a splendid Easter!

:: Sarah Britton photographed by Mikkel Stange for Sous Style ::

VAGABOND

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:45:00 +0000

Spring has risen*

*Well, autumn actually.

Also, hello sailors.

MANET'S FLOWERS

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 03:28:00 +0000

The bouquet is the trace of the departed visitor; the painting is like an answering visit - the flowers given in return now committed to another life, a picture. These paintings are very far from the flower paintings of his contemporaries. They make the famous flower paintings of Fantin-Latour look stiff and dead, as if painted from accurate paper replicas of flowers. Manet's are marvelously alive. The moves of his brush bring each flower spontaneously into the world: paint becomes flower.

- Robert Gordon and Andrew Forge in The Last Flowers of Manet

I think it may possibly be a consequence of growing older that I am now so attracted to flowers, and manet's are among my favourites. Where previously I found florals in art rather dull and banal, I now appreciate the detailed brushstrokes used to render the canvas into a manifestation of nature.

:: flowers in a crystal vase (1882) [detail] :: young woman among the flowers (1879) [detail] ::

SPELLWORK

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 05:29:00 +0000

a new mix for autumn days.

wrong opinion - chairlift
colour of moonlight (antiochus) - grimes feat. doldrums
spellwork - austra
der microarc - violens
let me take you out - class actress
it's real - real estate
icy poles - alpine
coming home - arbor glades

listen here.

+ excited to get my hands on a copy of this book.
+ obsessed with eton mess, especially if it is made by this lady.
+ watched this film the other day and really liked it. i tend to love films set by the countryside or seaside and this film had both!

LA CHINOISE

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 07:09:00 +0000

The DVD player on my laptop absolutely refused to play Jean-Luc Godard's La Chinoise, which in turn made me wonder if my laptop, certainly an object of capitalist desire, had been designed to reject the reactionary Maoist underpinnings of the film. Most strange.

It's definitely not my favourite Godard film, but I do admire his commitment to pushing the boundaries of political cinema. Oh, and it stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, which is always a good thing.

Thank you for your kind comments following my last post (I still can't respond to comments for some inexplicable reason...)

CASUAL DAYS 0.1

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:18:00 +0000

Casual Days is a print magazine about meaningful everyday experiences. Each issue invites artists, designers, writers, photographers, idea-makers, style-setters, store-owners, friends and so on to share their thoughts about a specific issue related to everyday life.

I have a few pieces in the inaugural issue of Casual Days, an everyday culture magazine that you should definitely check out (and not necessarily because I've written for it). The theme of the first issue is travellers and my small written contributions involved cinematically travelling to Paris, mapping Hong Kong with artist Ho Sin-Tung and wandering through the streets of Seoul with Katie Merchant.

See more and/or buy a copy here.

MY DEVILS

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:43:00 +0000

The wonderful Hanne Hukkelberg is back.

If this video is anything to go by it would appear that Featherbrain is going to be a very dark affair indeed.

Just a quick note: I am having technical issues replying to comments at the moment so if you're awaiting a response, please bear with me.

IRINA

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:18:00 +0000

You've probably already seen the Aubin & Wills Spring 2012 campaign elsewhere (everywhere!) on the internet, but this shot of Irina Lazareanu is just too perfect not to share here. I love lookbooks that transcend the garment and are just as relevant to style in general, as well as interior design.

found via calivintage

p.s Laneway today!

THE GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:22:00 +0000

Sometimes it's an instinct to fly. I'm not going to feel guilty.

A European road movie laced with sexual innuendo. A story of lust, longing and desire told in flashback. 1960s iconography at its best. Monsieur Alain Delon. Mademoiselle Marianne Faithful. Psychadelic episodes. Erotic dreams. Stream of consciousness. And Lanvin leather...naturally.

SLEEP

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:43:00 +0000

I feel like there is always something trying to pull us back into sleep, that there is this sort of seductive quality in all the hedonistic pleasures that pull on us.

- bell hooks

:: still from dans paris (2006) :: tony sleeping by elizabeth peyton (2000) :: nonchalois (repose) (1911) by john singer sargent :: still from le petit soldat (1963) :: branche de pivoines blanches et secateur (1864) by edouard manet :: still from the science of sleep (2006) :: pool of tears 2 (after lewis carroll) (2000) by kiki smith :: still from the edukators (2004) ::

SHIMMER

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:49:00 +0000

here's to a shimmering new year!

+ pedro almodóvar's the skin i live in was amazing. go and see it.

+ absolutely smitten with jennifer sarkilahti's home on design*sponge
+ a good sentiment

replies

nancy baric: happy new year to you too! i am really looking forward to seeing shame - it looks very intense and i am all for nineties brit pop - bring it on xx

see hear say, lina, joy, adeline and primoeza: happy new year!!! i hope it brings you only the best.

mandy: i think i'll have to get beginners on dvd too - it's a good one for the collection. i hope you enjoyed melancholia and i am sure that you will love midnight in paris. wishing you every happiness for 2012 xx

janelle: happy new year! i went out for tapas and cocktails and then ate chocolate butterscotch brownies while watching the fireworks at midnight. how was your night in perth? xx

tc: bonne année, tana! you weren't a fan of another earth..?

home collection: two in the wave came out in 2009, but it only came to australia this year. it was great - i highly recommend it. happy 2012, marion!

that kate: i am very keen to check out incendies. i really liked little white lies (i love benoit magimel muchly!). hope you have a wonderful 2012 x

sundari: well done on all of your amazing achievements this year! i look forward to hearing your thoughts on melancholia.

gwyneth: thanks for having me along - your submission was a great day! hehe - being more social is made easier with the thesis out of the way so a catch up will be grand. i still have to give you your submission prezzie! x

niclas: great choices!

herecomesthesun: oh yes, it is a must-see movie!

saer: definitely watch another earth - i am still putting together your activity list and that is definitely on it. woah - it sounds like you've had quite a year! opening yourself up to new experiences and feelings is always a good thing, i think (even if there were a few tears) x

ella: haha - that's so true about owen wilson. you are wise beyond your years!

blue apocalypse: i am sure 2012 will be filled with many food adventures once we have our post-holiday detox. dieeettttt - noooooo! i can't believe i forgot about izakaya - that was an excellent meal! plus, we have some good music times to look forward to as well!

jennifer: i hope you like them!

gerlin: yes, definitely see another earth. i didn't have particularly high expectations for it, but i was really blown away. your taste in music is a little more exciting than mine, which is why you are my music lady! happy 2012 to you too - i hope it will finally be the year that we can meet :)

audrey fretz: thank you! hopefully they turn out to be good recommendations.

vivi: thank you for your kind words. i get what you mean about the premise of melancholia - it is quite strange and slightly unbelievable. the cinematography and music definitely did it for me. happy new year to you!

2011

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 06:58:00 +0000

i usually end the year with a little round-up of my favourite musical releases (which i emphasise should be taken with a grain of salt - i am no music critic), but this year i felt compelled to also include a list of good films and other miscellany.

THE FILMS

*based on australian cinematic releases

mike cahill's another earth

heart-in-your-mouth amazing.

mike mills' beginners

beautiful and honest.

lars von trier's melancholia

stunningly disturbing.

woody allen's midnight in paris

paris perfection.

emmanuel laurent's two in the wave

a must for all film francophiles.

THE MUSIC

an excellent year in music, i must say.

MISCELLANY

:: the thesis submission (followed by the slight relief of post-thesis life). i was later joined by two of my favourite ladies who also sent their "babies" out into the world this year.

:: a job that i am actually happy to go to in the morning.

:: the arrival of my delightful little nephew.

:: food times (usually with this awesome lady). highlights included everything at la cholita, pork buns at who's your mumma?, marcelita's empanadas, maison saint-honoré macarons, breakfast at the greenhouse, brunch at sayers, tapas at duende, ham and cheese toasties at cantina, salted caramel chocolates at koko black and adjudicating the great almond croissant fest.

:: game of thrones. my small screen obsession for the year.

bonne année friends!
do feel free to share your highlights too.

replies

misslikey: hope you liked it!

koey: oh no :(

anne, amanda jane, amy, tc, kristina, see hear say, carissa clark, indie.tea and nancy baric: thank you!

tracey: that sounds like a lovely accompaniment.

avalonne hall: looking forward to listening to your mix...

JOYEUX NOËL

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:11:00 +0000

happy holidays, friends!

BEACH BABY

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:01:00 +0000

one final mix for 2011.

track listing

☾ - slow magic

stop - twin sister

the day is coming - my morning jacket

lorelai - fleet foxes

cannons - youth lagoon

hanging on - active child

beach baby - bon iver

seashell - seabear

listen here.

replies

helensarahvaughan: i look forward to hearing your thoughts after you've seen it. what is your email address? mine is sayhellotothesea at gmail dot com

vivi: ha - no talking animals for you then!

amy: yes - like an annoying attention-seeking child!

first came love: i felt the same way about the "issues" that the characters faced in the film. they were way too constructed and unrealistic. seriously, who freaks out that much at the prospect of adopting a cat?! and you're right, she should have a hot fudge sundae. might take the edge off.

lina: let me know what you think when you see it. hopefully you'll have a better viewing experience.

tristan: i would suggest not paying to see it at the cinema - i didn't think it was worth it. oh my, lesbians. how did that work out for you?

monica: that is a rather full on prediction.

see hear say: i would definitely recommend her short stories. if paw paw creeps you out in the trailer it gets even worse in the film.

tc: very strange!!!

pierre prospero: indeed...or in a few minutes time :)

jen umm: thanks.

galit: do let me know what you think of the book - i'd love to hear your impressions. also, welcome back!!! it's so good that your flitting about the internet again. in response to your previous comment, the items are from the following: the scarf is mociun (http://mociun.com/), the heart ring is from tiffany & co, the forever ring was a gift from my mother so i don't know where it is from and the necklace is by dores (http://dores.bigcartel.com/).

nancy baric: i hope you like it!

THE FUTURE

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:05:00 +0000

i was first introduced to miranda july when i watched her debut feature, me and you and everyone we know, at the cinema. i can remember anticipating that i would enjoy the film, but i really didn't. that being said i didn't entirely write off miss july: i thoroughly enjoyed her short story collection, no one belongs here more than you, as well as her creative output in general (the pillowcases for third drawer down, her videos and perceptive thoughts on creativity). so when i saw the trailer for the future i was ready to go along for the ride.

i think i got one minute in with paw paw the cat's decidedly creepy voice-over (which i presume is voiced by july herself) and i knew that the journey was going to be somewhat bumpy.

but allow me to start on a positive note: she wears some very lovely frocks in the film and the apartment that she shares with hamish linklater's character has a great shabby chic feel. beyond that i can't say i was terribly fussed - a fact that i found quite sad and disappointing because i wanted to love the film. now, i appreciate magic realism and i have no problem with animals communicating in cinema (arthur the dog in beginners is my current favourite), but everything is so studied and contrived in the future that it makes for painful viewing. instilling the viewer with a self-conscious sense of discomfort is quite obviously at the heart of july's film, with its focus on characters struggling to make sense of the everyday, but while it may be a fine concept it doesn't amount to a great filmic experience.

interestingly, the most recent issue of lula featured an interview with july in which she discussed the philosophy behind the film and its attempt to cinematically realise creative frustration: "i guess what i hoped was, can i, in this short hour and a half time create just that tension and then the feeling of breakthrough." the tension is definitely there, but not necessarily the breakthrough. there is also some very awkward dancing and, well, just plain awkwardness that gestures towards human disconnection and interpersonal alienation.

i was thinking about why it is that july's creative impulses, which work so beautifully in other forms, do not translate to cinema (for me at least). perhaps it is because as readers and viewers of art we are given room for our own imaginations and interpretations - an aspect that can be hindered with the all-absorbing quality of cinema.

if there is something good to come from the film, other than sartorial and interior design tips, it is the excellent the future website that has a function which can predict your future. mine read as follows:

you give into distraction as if it is a murderer. you lay there, waiting to be killed. today: fight for your life.

ok, miranda, i will.

replies

tc and aloÿse: yes, i agree.

monica: me too.

bunny: i think i have become so accustomed to the night sky in perth that i rarely give it a second glance, but i get what you mean :)

koey: thank you x

rina, jessica and jazzy e: glad you like it too.

COME DARKNESS

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:47:00 +0000

another round of mav's excellent come darkness project as displayed at chelliswilson in portland.

the ideas from the folks at more & co. just get better and better.

all photos via notes from more & co.

replies

alexis, aliya, adeline, lina, xochiltyay, mandy, mariella, tc, lauraa and megan taylor: thank you!

see hear say: i'm into checks too. we're wardrobe twins :)

nancy: i'd definitely be up for that!

satin & souffles: i'm pleased you consider coco mademoiselle to be clothing too!

tristan: why thank you. i can give you the full glasses story sometime. i'll be honest: it does feature a few tears.

primoeza: thanks again for tagging me :)

soph: happy stripes!

jane: i am currently on the look out for a new pair of jeans, but the favourite cut that i have ever bought came from uniqlo. i wore them until they had a hole in an unmentionable place.

sally: the necklace is by dores. her jewellery is beautiful.

helensarahvaughan: oh my, that salad sounds delicious! i will have to try roasted beetroot when it turns to autumn here.

gerlin: ha - i am not surprised we have opposing fashion tastes, but that's what makes us such good buddies right? a perfect merging of fun colour and pared-back minimalism...you probably know by now that my wardrobe does not reflect my personality, which is the equivalent of wearing a neon pink polka dot top and green striped pants!

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT DRESSING

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:41:00 +0000

many months ago elizabeth of primoeza very kindly tagged me to write a post on dressing, which i momentarily forgot about and only recently recovered in my drafts folder. although i don't tend to reflect much on fashion here, i really related to what elizabeth wrote about having established what fits with her personal style, as well as her preference for quality over quantity. as i have gotten older i have become increasingly less concerned with what is "in fashion" than with gradually adding select pieces to my wardrobe that accord to what works for my body and style (i do use that word loosely - i am probably better equipped to write a post on fashion don'ts that are directly inspired by my sartorial history).

1. breton stripes

i can't get enough stripes in my wardrobe (although i will draw the lines at pants).

2. uniform simplicity

during my youth i was sent to various schools where it was compulsory to wear a uniform, so it's hardly surprising that i find comfort in familiar attire. jeans (they must be skinny, high rise, straight cut) and black ballet flats with a cotton blouse or shirt are my weekend staples.

3. scarves and totes

my favourite accessories. i have a serious aversion to my neck being cold so i have collected a few scarves over the years out of necessity. i don't need all of the totes that i have, but i find them impossible to resist.

4. cotton blouses

i have acquired a number of blouses over the years. i like them to be simple with little details.

5. perfume

not strictly a part of dressing in its most conventional sense, but i feel somewhat naked if i am not wearing perfume. coco chanel is my signature, but i alternate it with a few other scents.

6. glasses

this aspect of dressing exemplifies function meets fashion; however, they are also a large part of my visual identity. i had an incident a few months ago where a full on collision with another pedestrian saw my glasses fall from my face, become bent out of shape and consequently not stay on my head. when i blindly stumbled into work it was pointed out to me that not only was i finding it difficult to see, but i looked weird too.

7. jewellery

after a few years of going through a plastic jewellery phase i now prefer my jewellery to be dainty and delicate. i do mix gold and silver (genevieve antoine dariaux would be rolling in her grave) and usually wear pearl studs in my ears.

replies

tc, koey, helensarahvaughan, lara, xochiltyay, misslikey, camila faria, nancy baric, satin and souffles and maria: glad you like it too!

gerlin and see hear say: ha - yes, it's probably not the best thing to watch at work. it would leave a pretty suspect impression on any co-workers.

sundari: i think i read about alpine online a little while ago and have been following their music since.

ella: mind you don't get it wet ; )

HANDS

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:58:00 +0000

another stellar video for alpine.
it's a little like a pop version of a vanessa beecroft performance: very erotic, very weird.

replies

tc: it was!

kailey, lidiya and carissa clark: thank you :)

adeline: i would love a bonne maman jar (provided it's not too much trouble to send). i did see the selby video with christine sun kim. i loved her concept of changing the way sound is perceived and felt xx

sundari: the zine with the stitching is a lovely book of photographs taken in japan. i think it would be your cup of tea. ok, you can be my jam buddy and we'll definitely do tea at cabin fever when you come over.

mandy: they're so good, aren't they! publications like this will hopefully ensure that print will never die. and that is exactly what i would use my bonne maman jars for.

joy: christmas is soon...they would be good stocking fillers!

satin and souffles: it's a little book consisting of lovely photographs.

xochiltyay: me too!

nancy baric and jodeska: they were fantastic!

primoeza: it is a beautiful little book.

tiffany: that sounds like a perfect recycling idea for the jars.

koey: i definitely recommend quality of life if you like brian's photography. it's nice to have his images in tangible form.

lisa: thanks for your lovely comment. i can understand why you would get used to them...they are just such a novelty for me, because i never eat jam and it seems quite odd to buy jam just for the jar!

camila faria: glad you like the little bits and pieces too!

helensarahvaughan: get a copy if you can. i think it's on the expensive side, but worth it.

SMALL PRINT

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:19:00 +0000

a collection of fantastic books and zines that i received this week (two of which were a lovely and completely unexpected surprise):

kinfolk magazine
quality of life by brian w. ferry
the little otsu living things series vol. 3 by hannah waldron
a slice of pumpkin island by stanley tan

+ i saw portishead the other night. a definite highlight was their performance of "roads." here is one they prepared earlier.

+ i love danielle huthbert's diy style.
+ sidewalk safari! i like how the bridge has a dorothy parker feeling.
+ lucy chadwick, a selby film for zara. just as an aside: i don't eat jam, but bonne maman jars make me wish that i did. i think i'll have to live with a jam eater one day.

replies

sun: yes, they have extended the café and changed the interior so it's slightly brighter than before. i am pleased that you enjoyed it while you were in perth.

alexis: definitely pop in...it's right near pigeonhole in le bon marche arcade.

sundari: we can go there when you visit! i think it would definitely be your cup of tea.

gerlin: i agree - i really like hybrid shop/cafés.

monica: my home isn't this cute alas, but i am glad you like the look of the café.

helensarahvaughnan: geography is a pain isn't it?

koey: you should come visit! do you have a favourite café in hong kong?

see hear say: you would be just the person to open one :)

nancy baric, camila faria, blackcatwildfox, xochiltyay, mandy, amanda jane, celine, misslikey, duermeveland, anne, satin and souffles, flotsam friends and joy: i am glad that you like it!

anabela: thank you kindly :)

tristan: good eye! i have another photo of dan doing a pretty funny pose, but i didn't think he would appreciate me posting it online.

tc: yes, there is something special about a café that captures the feeling of home.

felix curds: it would be perfect nestled in the woods somewhere!

CABIN FEVER

noreply@blogger.com (danica) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:05:00 +0000

secret messages hidden in the drawers of vintage furniture. old fashioned teacups and saucers. design objects fitted in every nook and cranny. cheese toasties. homemade treats. great coffee.

cabin fever is my kind of place.

replies

camila faria: glad to have introduced you to something new.

nancy baric: i hope you enjoy the interview.

primoeza: it would be so much fun!

steph: thanks for the kind words. i loved your post too x

soph: she's pretty diverse in terms of the mediums that she uses - i like her neon and installation work the best.

make it easy and kasia: that's a favourite of mine too.

suzie: i don't love everything she produces, but i respect and admire the concept behind her work.

tc: yes, that's so true. honesty can be a big turn off for some people.