naked thoughts

i have been a long time fan of VPL and victoria bartlett.
i had the wonderful opportunity to work briefly at VPL a few years
ago and i fondly remember it. the day i spent working directly with
victoria was a day that i learned more about the industry then i did
in all of my internship years before.

the human anatomy became the main inspiration behind my
design work when i was in my third year at university in italy.
for me, it was only the obvious choice being that my father is
a bone doctor and i was always fascinated by blood, cuts and medical
instruments. in his honor, i constructed a kimono like robe with the nervous,
respiratory, digestive and circulatory systems embroidered all over it.
it was certainly a labour of love. for now my creations have been
distilled to the human heart valentines i make annually.
its so inspiring to see how VPL has explored this influence and i really
do hope this exhibit makes a debut in new york.
check out my fawning over VPL at SCOUT.
video by dopolavoro gallery, milan.

she's no drag

vena cava for converse on sale december 5.

off the top shelf

sweet and stark

Kinski, a new czech/austrian cafe just opened on the lower east side.
yesterday, we tried the pumpkin cafe, the bread dumpling omelet and
the wonderful and strong austrian coffee by julius meinl.
the food was excellent and i'm hoping to get back soon and try more,
everything sounds delicious. the whole experience reminded me of this
memorable breakfast (second photo) in winter 2005 in prague.

kinski
128 rivington street near norfolk
while you are there check out maryam nassir zadeh
photo nymag.com and z.s.

kindred soul spirit sister

fashion is always on about the past. and constantly edie, andy, bianca,
jane, jim, bobb, neil, stevie, etc etc. please, i love them all just like the next
one but sometimes its refreshing to get another in there...

with that said, grace slick slays me.
the lead singer from jefferson airplane (+the great society+jefferson starship)
(thanks for that jude, i never would have known them without you.)
not only was she stunning, belted out with a killer voice but also totally crazy.
she attempted to lace president nixons cup of tea with lsd.
i highly appreciate the evident weirdness and sarcasm.
maybe in my next life, i'll find myself in my kindred 1960s.

shat merci

i wanted to convey my gratitude to those that have been so supportive
of me and all my pursuits in this year. encouraged me to be free and
creative and work hard and just keep on keeping on. it has been a wild,
overwhelming, challenging, fruitful and wanderlustful year. i still cannot
even comprehend all i have experienced. but i know now, there is no way back.

to all the beautiful and inspiring people i have met,
i am the luckiest to know you. all of you that have loved and
supported me, tirelessly. and inspired me more than you may ever know.

i look forward and welcome the travels, tears, challenges, influences,
laughs, memories and love.
shat shat merci.
sirov,
anushka dgan.

message in the birds mouth

many iraqis raise pigeons and fly them for a hobby.
i find this really fascinating.
here are some sitting under the full moon in baghdad.
photo nytimes.com

sitting on a pillow, on the floor

who is in for saturday or sunday at monkeytown?
there is a five course indian meal with a performance by the
neel murgai ensemble
i'm gonna post the menu to entice you...

Seared diver scallops
Truffled sooji, tandoori-honey emulsion
Vindaloo lamb soup
Toasted naan, jalapeno chutney
Striped bass rogan josh
Basmati saffron risotto, coriander raita
Rajasthani style lamb loin
Masala mashed potatoes, dal makhani
Chai spiced poha pudding
Shaved almonds, mango sorbet

chelsea girl

it has taken me about two months to finally start to love my
chelsea neighbourhood. when i returned, i was really overwhelmed
with the idea of being back and not in a place as i remembered it.
a number of my favourite haunts prior to my trip had closed up shop
and i was dwelling on this idea of new york not being what i wanted.
and honestly contemplating the idea of getting right back on the jet plane.
but, alas, the gems have been found, or they found me...
+a knowledgeable photographer told me that jeff koons has his massive
studio a block away from me. b barr and i are planning to go dumpster
diving there soon.
+just found out there was a cafe grumpy on 20th street
+le bergamonte is the utmost amazing french cafe, so much so its dangerous
and i am attempting to avoid the place, but that didn't work today, i had to go
order a pecan pie for tomorrow and i could help but get a croissant, which are unreal.
+i'm really fascinated by this spot, bombay talkie and i'm hoping to try it shortly
grumpy cafe
224 west 20th street, between 7th/8th
le bergamonte
169 ninth ave at 20th street
bombay talkie
189 ninth ave

la danse fantastique

la danse de l'opera de paris is an exceptional film.
its quiet, poetic, strong and humbling.

a rocky path to face the sea and cork trees

i enjoyed my brief stay in portugal immensely and am so looking for a
way to get back soon. this particular region of alentejo looks a bit lost in time
and i'm highly keen on that at the moment.
photos. nytimes.com

colours flood my mind and seep through my eyes

t and i volunteered all day for the Armenia Fund USA, making nonstop
phone calls in hopes of donations for karabagh. (check it out, link above.)
so, after hours of this, we were mildly exhausted. we happened upon this
show at deitch projects and its colours forced new found energy right
through my veins!
splitting twilight, kristen baker
at first, i was mildly unimpressed, but after a few minutes of standing in the
stark white gallery room with these slices of radiant light and stunning colour
stories, i was totally seduced. you really must see this work in person,
it has so much depth and is produced in such a raw way, that you can almost
dissect it, the longer you observe it. i love it. and its so inspiring to see a young
and totally strong female painter.
deitch projects
18 wooster street
tuesday-sunday, 12-6
on view til december 19
'splitting twilight', 2009
'stilly tempest', 2009
'oculatie der boomen', 2009

chaiwallah, wallah

my dreams of india keep feeding themselves.
the nytimes just did a 36 hours feature in rajasthan.
better catch me in ny while i'm still here, because
when i finally go, i'm probably never coming back.
(hint hint ramon-do i really have to wait two more years for you?)
all photos nytimes.com

eastern bloc

a friendly reminder that i am always up for hire to make a flyer.
and i use the term 'hire' loosely, could mean dinner, drinks, or a spa day.
just try me.

its on the walls

there have been two major fashion awards/prize/money contests as
of late and i felt compelled to make a comment about it after reading
this today on the nytimes blog the moment.

"The down-to-the-wire decision by the jury, which included members
like Andrew Bolton and Isabel Toledo, was a difficult one, but in the end
a jury source revealed that Wang’s cool commercialism had won the day
over Peter Pilotto’s intricate artistry, which had the second highest
number of votes." the moment on Alexander Wang winning the
Swiss Textile 100,000 euro prize

the day that 'cool commercialism' (what does this exactly mean?)
wins over 'intricate artistry' is a sad one. maybe i could be considered
biased as i do have a special love for Peter Pilotto's work (i'm wearing
a piece by the design team right now) but i feel this statement is simply
the writing on the wall of what is wrong with fashion. yes, i fully understand
pieces must sell and that fashion is business and not art but what about
providing an amazing platform to a young and not as financially secure label.
i am sure Alexander Wang will be able to use this prize to his benefit and
it will most likely help him diversify his fabrics from the usual denim, leather
and jersey that have become part of his signature, but my god, dude is already
so well off! to think what Peter and Christopher (or others well deserving
of the prize, Ohne Titel for one), who are truly innovators in their fabric
approach, could have done with the well needed money?

i was quite 'public' with my personal pick for winner of the CFDA/Vogue
Fashion Fund prize this year. (see my blog entry for Scout here) and
was more than disappointed to hear that Ohne Titel was not awarded
with the cash. Yes, winner Sophie Theallet makes beautiful, totally
well crafted clothing and she has a hefty amount of respectable
experience under Jean Paul Gaultier and Azzedine Alaia. She is
unarguably deserving of her win but again why not award true creativity
and fashion innovation instead of perfect wrap dresses? Ohne Titel
soars in their craft, handwork and completely creative approach to dressing.

is this the way American Fashion goes? or the whole fashion world?
everyone is wondering during fashion week why everything looks the same
especially in New York, but young talented designers get the shaft every
chance there is money up for grabs. we still sit here and wonder how
we could loop a majority of NY shows together in one non stop stream of
video footage because there is next to no difference between many designers.

support independent designers, enough said.

a memory of the smell of smoke

i have this thing that i always do...
enter these contests to win trips to wonderful getaways,
like barcelona and paris.
the entry forms usually include a bit to offer your own quip
of the city and why you want to visit it.
i always take a decent amount of time and conjure up something
completely over the top about the locale and my recent
bit for the YSL parisienne contest was no different,
actually, i deem this one the most blown up yet...
i think its quite funny.
it started from my entry last year for a flavorpill trip to paris
(which i did not win)

the pale lights and mysterious darkness of Paris cast a
glow and haze over its sights. The ambiguity of both the
soft sparkle and shadow, high and low of everyday Parisian
life inspire my work in photography and painting. From the cafes
to the catacombs, I aspire to explore the light, dark and all the
rooftop shades of grey in between. Paris leaves its lovers with
a glint in their eye and a melancholy in their hearts. I'd like to be
one of them and take my journey to inform my creative palate.

now for the YSL Parisienne bit...


Soft Sparkle and Shadow, the Fragrant Air of a Charmed Life

The pale lights and mysterious darkness of Paris cast a
glow and haze over its sights. The ambiguity of both the
soft sparkle and shadow, high and low of everyday inspire the
Vie Parisienne. From the cafes to the catacombs, there is a light,
dark and all the rooftop shades of grey in between. Paris leaves its
lovers with a glint in their eye and a melancholy in their hearts,
a never-ending longing for the city of light and spirit.

Every time I leave Paris and travel to other cities, I can feel the
essence trail behind me. I have sat in cafes in Prague, looked out
rooftop windows in New York and walked quiet winding streets in
Sevilla and felt the lingering air of Paris. It is as if the zephyr Parisienne
has flowed and followed me in every locale since my last stop within
its walls. This current forms a constant aroma that embodies and invites
all in its path, but is forever Parisienne.

The spirit of Parisienne is like an old suitcase for a truly chic lady traveler.
The make is of no concern, it is beautifully crafted of dusty worn leather
and has stamps from its exotic destinations, some a bit faded, while others
are barely visible. You see it has made loops around this world, but holds its
true refinement so steady. It has a classic origin, a history, a charm, but is a
persuasive individual of its own. I take this suitcase, this experience around
the world with me and place it at my doorstep upon my return to my own
city of New York, where the experience Parisienne also lies.

There is a jazz bar in Brooklyn I go to on weeknights. I can sit and
have an aperitif and watch the smoky shadows of its mysterious interior.
I can tap my Tribute heel to a beguiling rhythm and the room melts into
the one I was once in St. Germain. A beaten bar beneath the street,
one you would never find, but you are inexplicably led to by chance.
A night of dancing and vin rouge, an evening so unforgettable and
one you blissfully remember with such simplicity.

Seated in front of a steamy cafe au lait at Balthazar in Soho in the
early morning winter copper haze. The place is nearly empty save
for an early bird businessman and maybe some writers of sorts. It is easy
to slip into this moment and enjoy the soft sights in the antiqued mirrors.
It is effortless to lose yourself and look through the glass and set your eyes
on a calm morning in Le Marais.

The experience Parisienne is busy with the beat, loving and longing, a fragrant
air that twirls a charmed life together.

love you, like i do

this song and really this entire animal collective album
played endless into my ears during my time in barcelona this past june.
i cannot separate the images and colours of my walks in the city,
through the moderisme and late at night along the beach on my way home,
with the wild romance of this music.
i swear these tunes were created to play in the catalan capital.
'in the flowers' makes me want to dance and scream, i love it.

in the flowers, official video, animal collective

lots of knots

summers new adventure

what the end feels like

silence by pj harvey

weekends can be perfect

...with a lobster roll from luke's lobster and tacos from la esquina

foreshadowed

something must have been swirling around in the air with my thoughts
turning toward the thunder perfect mind prada video the other day.
on friday, prada debuted their book. finally.
i popped in yesterday and picked up a copy and was weirdly recognized
by the staff and we had a mini critique of the resort prints. (which are beautiful!)
its really amazing and much more than a reprint of the campaigns.
its all about production, their various artistic explorations and stores-
and there are thumbnails of every look from every collection.

see your shoes and spirits rise

this is long overdue, i wanted to post this over summer holiday...
i just want to gush about my dear letter writing friend, erika pahk
and the unbelievable and creative work she has been doing as of late.
i so, intensely love these wearable art pieces she has developed.
the chatelaine pieces are so ideal for a nomadic traveling lady-
on my trip i found myself taking little things with me, so i could have
a reminder of all my loves back home, like jewelry and feathers and
they became so essential to me.
this device is a perfect means for their travel.

1. nesting, photo by rush jagoe
2. nesting, 2009
3. scarlet, 2009
4. chatelaine for worrier, 2009
5. chatelaine for a vagabond, 2009
all from erikapahk.com

everything counts in large amounts

i have a new gig, writing weekly for Scout, an Australian trend and
fashion company and website.
so check it out. its a bit different than here. a nice change.

i am compassion and i am cruel

thunder perfect mind crossed my thoughts today.
sometimes there is need for a bit of nostalgia.
and i dream about finding the lip print dress.
and to dance in it to smoky jazz in berlin.
(travel need addition: trip back to berlin in 2010)
thunder perfect mind, jordan and ridley scott for prada, 2005

the things we say to strangers

i found myself going on tonight, wildly, with very little encouragement
from the start about my trip.
saying things to this person i have known for five minutes,
things i have never told anyone. even myself.
it seems to all make sense as it departs from my mouth.
i am forming my thoughts in my mouth and
they are just taking this winded crazed flight.
but its deeper than that, they are imprinted somewhere on my heart.
now is just the time to read these maps.
i don't even think about these words or conceive them,
they do the work themselves. they are so raw,
they don't even have the moment to become contrived and dishonest.
waving my hands in the air and pushing down my bangs.
like bangs i had when i was six and my mother would take me
to get a balloon and a braid.
i wanted to get bangs to hide behind. i thought i needed
a shield for my return to new york.
because the last five months had been full of exposure.
i can't believe i hopped around like i did.
that i let the wind carry me.
that i was able to be effortless.
and full of lightness.
i used to be shy.

encouragement came from my listener.
it felt good to go on. i guess i haven't been able to since i have returned.
i felt so humbled when she called me an inspiration.
it just was what i was suppose to do and like D told me,
'you allowed yourself to move and be moved by life'
but aren't we all?
i was just paying attention and following the path placed in front of me.
i didn't think i had any other choice.

i wanted to be terrified.
that seems so strange to admit.
i wanted to see what i could accomplish alone.
i wanted to be uncomfortable and see what i was made of.

i told my listener, that i didn't know if i could travel with other people now.
that i dream of going to egypt. to india. to iran.
that i am planning a new trip already.
about the exact moment when i decided i had to leave new york.

i was wooing them in now.
my excitement was like a disease.
i wished for them to go and get on the plane.
what has gotten into me?
i felt like i was on the ceiling, watching a video of myself
enticing everyone to act with utter wanderlust.

today, i was thinking about the women i worked with in armenia.
how i cried when i was leaving them. how they moved me.
and how i had no idea that i moved them until the moment i was leaving.

mexican marigold

feliz dia de los muertos
photo by victor hugo de lafuente flores, 2004