Paris 2010 (Part 1 - day 1 and 2)

Yup, 'Paris 2010' is pretty much how I label everything relating to my trip to Paris this year. How inventive.

This is a brief run down of what

happened on my brief across-three-days-but-technically-still-just-under-48hours trip:

- Sat in the wrong seat on the Eurostar,

- Got our travelcards, learnt how to pronounce the name of the stop we had to get to, "Lamarck"

- Brief nighttime wonder around the area (Montmartre) and back to the non-existant aircon in the hotel room to sleep. (Too hot to leave the windows closed, but too loud to have them open.)

- Wonder around the area in actual daylight, visit a bakery or two.

- Puppies!!!!

- Back to the hotel to nap (because that's what I do ;)) and change.

- Louvre for outside watching and sunburning.

- (I didn't get to realize how sunburnt I got until we got back to the hotel. It wasn't BAD, but I was pinky red. With a tan. I both tan and burn. Go figure.)

- Still early in the day, (I'd guess it was about 3-4pm) so we went to the Pompidou, but turns out it closes on tuesdays :( we sat outside watching tourists get just as confused as we were and waited for them to read the sign that mentioned the museum being closed.

Young group of girls busking. The boy seemed to be there purely to turn the pages.

- After about 2 hours of sitting, eating and being confused, we decided to carry on with the day and go visit the Eiffel Tower.

- Getting sunburnt and the now lack of energy didn't help to my lack of enthusiasm to the Eiffel Tower, which would be a partial reason to the little photos I took of the actual Tower itself.

- We sat on the grass opposite the Tower for about an hour this time. We were tired, sunburnt and experience some uncomfortable rubbing and no way to stop it.

- This was the end of our day (7-8pm - all Parisian time) and thus we headed back to the hotel. A stop in the local supermarket shops for dinner and then to another restless night of minimal sleep, with my friend managing to sleep and me sitting in the bathtub for an hour planning the last day. (There is a picture of me in the tub on my twitter - look for the date of 30th June)

Fairly long post.

The next will be of the day 3, aka The Last Day.

(All photos were taken by me and are on my flickr. If you use any of my photos, please always rightfully link them back to flickr. Copyrights, dude.

Taken with a diana mini and digital cam.)

Paris playlist - 2010

I go to Paris tomorrow. 30minutes earlier than I thought. Good thing I checked the time!

I haven't packed yet. The previous post of the planned list of what I was going to take? Yes, indeed it has changed. I am definitely for sure, bringing 5 rolls of camera film - 100/200/400/800ISO and a Redscale film.

Anyway, made a playlist for my short time visit and thought i'd share the list :)

1. 'Gives you hell' - All American Rejects

2. 'You know I'm no good' - Amy Winehouse

3. 'The Gift' - Angels and Airwaves

4. 'Crown of love' - Arcade Fire

5. 'Only man ' - Audio Bullys

6. 'White winter hymnal' - Fleet Foxes

7. 'Electric bloom' - Foals

8. 'Everlong' - Foo Fighters

9. 'Old white Lincoln' - The Gaslight Anthem

10. 'C'mere' - Interpol

11. 'Phantom' - Justice

12. 'Phantom part. II' - Justice

13. 'Read my mind' - The Killers

14. 'Another brick in the wall part 1/2/3' - Korn

15. 'Krwlng' ft. Aaron Lewis - Linkin Park

16. 'Stockholm syndrome' - Muse

17. 'Dead star' - Muse

18. 'In Your World' - Muse

19. 'Citizen erased' - Muse

20. 'Sunburn' - Muse

21. 'Everyone nose (All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom' - N*E*R(*D

22. 'Want you bad' - The Offspring

23. 'Defy you' - The Offspring

24. 'All I wanted' - Paramore

25. 'Hallelujah' - Paramore

26. 'Propane nightmares' - Pendulum

27. '1901 (demo)' - Phoenix

28. 'Gigantic' - Pixies

29. 'Killer Queen' - Queen

30. 'The show must go on' - Queen

31. 'When doves cry' - Quindon Tarver

32. 'Skin on skin' - Queens of the Stone Age

33. '"You've got a killer scene there, man"' - Queens of the Stone Age

34. 'Paranoid Android' - Radiohead

35. 'Karma police' - Radiohead

36. 'Scar tissue' - Red Hot Chili Peppers

37. 'Otherside' - Red Hot Chili Peppers

38. 'Lights out' - Santogold

39. 'I'll let you live' - 'Taking Back Sunday'

40. 'Down river' - The Temper Trap

41. 'After hours' - We Are Scientsts

42. 'Undone (the sweater song)' - Weezer

43. 'Crystalised' - The XX

44. 'Save myself' - Willy Mason

45. 'Date with the night' - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

46. 'Maps' - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

47. 'Y control' - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

48. 'Isis' - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

49. 'DON'T TRUST ME' - 3OH!3

50. 'Kings and Queens' - 30 Seconds to Mars

51. 'Breathe me' - Sia

52. 'I am not a robot' - Marina and the Diamonds

Enjoy and i'll be back with pictures galoooooore!

xxx

Paris list

I'm quite anal in my personality, despite the hoarded mess that is my bedroom.

I love making lists. I get that e

xcited that I can't wait for most things and make lists while imagining whatever is coming up.

My trip to Paris (the one i'm constantly going on about - twitter) is coming up in just less than 2 weeks. Ya haaaaaa! This isn't everything i'm bringing. It's certainly most of the things.

What to bring to PARIS:

DAY 1: Black BikBok top - tights/Black H&M dress - blue leggings

DAY 2: Jean shorts - red AA top - blue tshirt/ZARA dress

DAY 3: Jean shorts - peach tshirt - white vest (tucked underneath)/Blue BIKBOK top - (over) Stripy H&M dress

Sleepwear/lounge:

AA "Legalize LA" tshirt - Batman pink shorts - leggings

3 x knicker/pants TOPSHOP

3 x bras - Strapless black/nude - yellow

Shoes:

1 x H&M flats

1 x Black Mary Janes flats

1 x White CONVERSES

Bags:

Free REISS bag

Elephant bag

Cameras:

Digital CANON IXUS 100IS

Diana Mini

Polaroid

Film:

1 x Polaroid pack

1 x Redscale film

1 x 800ISO

1 x 200ISO

Books/Entertainment:

The Devil Wears Prada

Time Out Paris

Professor Layton and Pandora's box/DS Nintendo

Extra beauty products:

1 x Suntan location (spray)

1 x Aftersun

1 x UV hair shampoo

1 x Face SPF moisturizer

1 x Body moisturizer (Firming)

This is a 3 day trip. I hope to edit things out clo

ser to the time. I already took out the Fish Eye and my ActionSampler cameras :(

('paris pont neuf' via elisevatin flickr)

I come out of nowhere bearing information...

I'm back. Temporarily. As are all my posts and how I roll.

I have a draft post dating from a few weeks ago, planning to be about the Sketchbook exhibition... but err... this post definitely not about that.

Just wanted to do a quick mini-post...

Two weeks and a day until I go to Paris!!!! Just very very excited! I went last year, but it was only for two days and.. well, that friendship pretty much ended soon afterwards... strange things a mini trip can do, eh? This time, the friend i'm going with, we're much closer and its for three days! At the moment, I need to call up Eurostar and try and arrange my first train (to Paris) to an earlier. Staying somewhere in the Mo

ntmartre area, near the Sacre Coeur :)

I have FIVE possible cameras to bring..

1. Digital camera - Canon IXUS 100

2. Diana Mini (no flash, sadly)

3 Fish Eye

4. Polariod and

5. ActionSampler

I want to take the first three, makes sense, I have plenty of 35mm film and digital photos is convenient and easy. Diana Mini, the style of pictures I want and Fish Eye is the same.

The Polaroid... I don't know.. I brought it with me last time.. it's just clunky to bring with me everywhere.. but I have a few packets of very much expiring Polaroid film in my room unused... and my worry is that the ink is drying up sooner than I want. It's already about a year expired... and ActionSampler.. I have it.. I should use it...

But to take ALL five cameras...

Perhaps leave the ActionSampler.. Paris will always be a possibility as a holiday.. I am going Barcelona this september.. perhaps i'll bring all my cameras then because I have four days...

Does anyone want to buy some Polaroid film off of me? If there are any takers, i'll only take them from the UK i'm afraid.. and preferably in London so I can meet in person and hand it over.. rather than go through the hassle of sending via post -

now I come to think of it... money is a issue too... but it can be sorted out... I dunno.

('Paris Diana Mini' - Sarah Chapman via flickr)

Thoughts about the camera situation?

Sketchook magazine's first Pop-Up exhibition!!!

The facebook event can be found here and please DO RSVP and come!

(Illustration by Susan Keys and her blog)

Here's a section of the press release and info:

"Nestled in the East Quarter of Carnaby, the Newburgh Quarter is a treasure trove of unique projects and inspiring people. The area is packed with independent boutiques showcasing unique fashion, art and design. It is here Sketchbook will be holding its hugely-anticipated Pop-Up Shop, in celebration of Carnaby’s 50 years of fashion and music.

The Sketchbook Pop-Up Shop will run for a limited period of 3 weeks following the launch of the second issue of Sketchbook Magazine. This community driven project offers visitors a chance to interact with a series of Sketchbook’s contributing guest bloggers, artists, designers, illustrators and editors who are all key figures in the contemporary fashion and arts community. These guests, including Sketchbook’s covergirl Susie Bubble, will be holding scheduled educational workshops, lectures and panel discussions, which will be digitally streamed through an interactive live thread.

The Sketchbook Pop-Up Shop will be selling several limited edition prints and illustrations as well as kitsch one-off art pieces by a select group of our Sketchbook contributors.

There will be a main gallery space as well as several themed rooms with custom made illustrations on the walls, created especially for the event by our contributors. There will also be 2 screening rooms showcasing Sketchbook TV episodes and other short films.

Visitors can join the Sketchbook team and our special guests for
tea and cake between 5 and 6pm.

A competition will be running throughout, offering visitors the opportunity to submit illustrations to be used on the front cover of a future issue. The winner will be announced in the following month.

Visitors are also invited to help document the events, with cameras available and a large blank canvas for people to illustrate, write their thoughts, stick photos on and show their support.

Sketchbook is a quarterly magazine with a print run of 10,000 that showcases established and emerging creative talents in fashion, design and culture with a focus on features, photography and illustration. Sketchbook is not just about the product itself, but also about the beauty of the process of conceptualisation, creation and appreciating the means to an end.

The mission is to inspire youth to path-find, allocate their passions, understand how the creative industry works, what opportunities it provides, and pursue it full force using online resources, digital media and publishing as tools for success.

Starting from the 31st March, join Sketchbook for the first exhibition at the Pop-Up Shop , showcasing the work of key contributing illustrators.


10 Newburgh Street, Carnaby, London W1F 7RN.

Wednesday 31st March – Monday 19th April 2010
Monday to Saturday: 10am-7pm, Sundays: 12noon-6pm''

Invite everyone and do come have a look yourself! I'll be around the exhibition myself, partially because I am technically 'staff'' and because the exhibition, as well as being Sketchbook's, it's a collaboration with my friend's uni project so the more people that turn up the better! Plus it's bloody well exciting in general!

I'll remind and update with news closer to the time, but 3 weeks isn't very far! I'll need to go and physically help before the grand opening so hopefully pictures from that!

Seriously guys, from one blogger to another and if you're based in London. Go. It's great. Fashion, art, music and fun fun fun in one cool place? YES.

Alexander McQueen

Yes, cliché, cliché.

In the wake of his death, everyone is talking/writing/blogging about him.

This will be the only post on him that will be about the death.

I've seen the brief posts from people just saying an 'RIP' which is fine by me, etc. I don't want to start typing out his biography and shit like that.

I'll write something short and brief, then post what I wanted to post.

I heard the news at work on thursday. A friend read it out loud on twitter out of shock. In the quiet studio office, we all heard it. We stopped what we were doing and turned round to face in shock and ourselves trying to search for any news, hoping it was just some cruel fake tabloid news. Being at work were 99% of the time we're stuck in front of our laptops, we were one of the first to find out the news. I had to message the editors who were in New York, where it was still early and news hadn't reached them. Yet. The rest of the afternoon was quiet and just in shock, I texted close friends of the news. Most of them having been told about the news via me, so I was the first to hear their reactions. 3 days on, it doesn't feel right still, but it has just started to sink in. A true Fashion/Creative/British icon. I may not have like the 'armadillo' shoes, or may have been a little freaked out by the A/W 2009 big lips on the models, but I still knew of his other collections/pieces and respected him.

Like someone has written before, the fashion world will go on, the lights will shine, but now, just dimmed.

Condolences to the family and friends to have to lose two people in such a short period of time.

But the reason for this post, I had only found out about this interview after the news, and only now have managed to find some time to search for it. I thought this was sweet and in my own way, a nice way to end this 'tribute' of a post.

Alexander McQueen being interview by his Mother - The Guardian.

"Joyce McQueen: I would have liked to have invited the late Peter Ustinov for dinner, for his wit and conversation. Who would you like as a dinner guest and why?

Alexander McQueen: What, if I could choose anyone?
JM: Anyone in the world.
AM: Elizabeth I ...
JM: Why would you want Elizabeth I? The history maybe?
AM: 'Cause she's an anarchist.
JM: She's an anarchist?
AM: She was an anarchist, yeah. Do you want to have a bit of debate on this?
JM: Well, not at the moment, no.
AM: Because, y'know, she kind of founded the Church of England under her father, with all the upheaval from the French and the Scottish ...
JM: Who are your other ones?
AM: Jesus of Nazareth, to check if he really exists, and it's not just we've been reading some Peter Pan book for the past 2,000 years. Or Mel Gibson, to be there if Jesus wasn't true.

JM: If you could live and work as a designer in any era, which one would it be?
AM: Any time? Future as well?
JM: Future as well. But particularly the past.
AM: Let's stick to the past then. I'm thinking cavemen and loincloths.
JM: What about Tudors and Stuarts?
AM: Er ... I'm answering the questions! Most probably ...
JM: What about -
AM: I'm thinking ! Fifteenth-century Flemish, Netherlands. My favourite part of art. Because of the colours, because of the sympathetic way they approached life.
JM: Simplicity, you mean.
AM: I'm not going to get into a big art debate with you.
JM: No, I'm trying to get to the bottom of why you like that.
AM: 'Cause I think they were very modern for their times, in that period and in that part of the world.
JM: You spend as much time as possible in your beautiful cottage in the country. Do you find that the inspiration you get down there features in your work?
AM: I don't find inspiration there - it gives me a peace of mind, Mum. Solitude, and a blank canvas to work from, instead of the distractions of the concrete jungle.
JM: Right. So it does inspire you in some ways then.
AM: Not technically. Not country life or bobbing rabbits. It's the peace and quiet.

JM: As you know, I'm a Simply Red and Elton John fan. Who are your favourite artists?
AM: As in singers?
JM: Yeah, well, y'know, groups, whatever. Because at one time, you were very much into classical music.
AM: Beyoncé. No, I'm only joking.
JM: He was about, what, 15. I know because I've still got them at home.
AM: I think composers. People like Michael Nyman, who compose an original piece of music - believe it or not, the artists today are inspired by people like Michael Nyman and Philip Glass, who come up with unusual sounds.
JM: I know, I know, that's where pop music comes from ...
AM: Nah, it's like the architect who designed the Gherkin [Norman Foster and his Swiss Re tower in London] inspires people, or Alexander McQueen does a collection that inspires other people to do different things and move things forward. Rap music's been around for too long now to be inspirational. The words are, but the music isn't.
JM: You haven't given me an answer there. You haven't come out with a group.
AM: I have - Philip Glass and Michael Nyman.

JM: All right, then. I'll ask another question. You have travelled extensively around the world but still have not been to the Isle of Skye, which is the root of your McQueen history. Will you ever visit that area?
AM: Mmm ... yes.
JM: In the near future?
AM: Yes.
JM: Right. And that follows on to my next question: what do your Scottish roots mean to you?
AM: Everything.
JM: Well, where do I come in?
AM: [laughs] Oh you're from the Forest of Dean, yeah. What do you mean, where do you come in?
JM: Well, your Scottish roots mean a lot to you. So where does your mother's side come in?
AM: What does my mother's side, the Welsh side, mean to me?
JM: I'm not Welsh! I'm Norman!
AM: All right, Norman! Where does this Norman come from?
JM: Well they come from Viking stock.
AM: That answers a lot for an awful lot of people, I think. I feel more Scottish than Norman.

JM: You recently got your deep-sea diving certificate, didn't you?
AM: Yeah, underwater diving.
JM: Well, two of my family discovered the wreck of the Marie Rose, deep-sea divers. Just explains that you've taken up deep-sea diving as well. It's a follow-on really, isn't it?
AM: So from the McQueen side I've got anarchy, and my mum's side, underwater diving.
JM: The calm part. You are often described as an architect of clothing, and I know that you have a keen interest in architecture. What is the most breathtaking building you've ever seen?
AM: Ronchamps, by Corbusier.
JM: What do you think of the modern buildings in London?
AM: I love the Gherkin.
JM: You do?
AM: I think it's fantastic.
JM: But you don't like any of the old architecture in London?
AM: Well, yeah, but it's not as nice as it is in Italy or Paris.

JM: If you hadn't trained on Savile Row, how would you have entered the fashion industry?
AM: I'd have slept my way there.
JM: Or, I don't know ...
AM: Other ways. I'd have found other ways of getting into it.
JM: Do you look at something else and say, "I could have done that as well"?
AM: Photo-journalism. It's art for the modern times. I think it captures a moment in time that is spontaneous and that reflects where we are. The one I couldn't have done is be an architect, because I don't have the brain capacity or the patience.
JM: No, you haven't got the patience, have you? You mix with VIPs, celebrities, aristocracy ... How does coming home and being the baby of the family make you feel?
AM: I'm never fazed by it, because whenever I get home, Dad will always ask me to make him a cup of tea. So it's just normal.

JM: If you were prime minister or in government, what policies would you implement to make the UK a better place to live?
AM: More politically correct police officers on the streets. And more focus on the north of England instead of just the south, on not so developed parts of the country.
JM: What do you mean, "politically correct police"?
AM: Well, not homophobic police, not racist police, you know? The police need to come down to street level.
JM: Success has brought you financial security. But if you lost it all tomorrow, what would be the first thing you would do?
AM: Sleep. I'd be pleased.
JM: I said you'd go on holiday.
AM: What with? I'd lost it all!

JM: When you received your CBE last October, you told me and Dad that you locked eyes with the Queen and it was like falling in love. What was it about her presence that captivated you?
AM: I made a pact with myself that I wasn't going to look into her eyes.
JM: But you did.
AM: I did. There was a simultaneous lock, and she started laughing, and I started laughing ...
JM: It was a nice moment, wasn't it?
AM: It was. We caught it on camera where we're both laughing at each other. She asked a question, "How long have you been a fashion designer?" and I said, "A few years, m'lady." I wasn't thinking straight - because I'd hardly had any sleep.
JM: You were nervous.
AM: I was really tired. And I looked into her eyes, it was like when you see someone across the room on a dancefloor and you think, "Whoa!" It was like when I looked into her eyes, it was obvious that she had her fair share of shit going on. I felt sorry for her. I've said a lot of stuff about the Queen in the past - she sits on her arse and she gets paid an awful lot of money for it - but for that instant I had a bit of compassion for her. So I came away feeling humbled by the situation, when I wouldn't have even been in the situation if it wasn't for you.
JM: I thought it was a great honour.
AM: I didn't want to do it.
JM: It was an honour for you ...
AM: Yeah, but I had my views on what it stands for.

JM: What is your most terrifying fear?
AM: Dying before you.
JM: Thank you, son. What makes you proud?
AM: You.
JM: Why?
AM: No, no, ask the next one: "What makes you furious?" You! [laughs]
JM: No, go on, what makes you proud?
AM: When things go right, when the collection goes right, when everyone else in the company's proud.
JM: What makes you furious?
AM: Bigotry.
JM: What makes your heart miss a beat?
AM: Love.
JM: Love for children? Love for adults? Love for animals?
AM: Falling in love."

RIP Lee Alexander McQueen

Calvin Klein clothing campaigns

I always mention not posting enough, but with every let down post, I like to add a picture.

Back on topic, new year, new Calvin Klein underwear campaign. Thank you.

It's been around on the web for a few days now, but if you haven't seen it yet, then you're in for some wonderful imagery.....

'Mark your spot' campaign 2010:

Images from here.

I've really like most of the Calvin Klein campaigns of the recent year, such as the one shown above, Eva Mendes with Jamie Dornan, Kate Moss and Jamie Dornan (these two campaigns being for CK jeans) and the one that first comes to mind, this:

Image from here.

The one with Eva Mendes doing the underwear was fairly hot too:

Image from here.

Really great campaigns from CK. Even just check the website!

The 'X Marks the spot' campaign will be officially releasing more stuff the 15th Feb. Loving this campaign quite a lot.

Four guys from the four corners of the world, to appeal to at least everyone. Except straight guys. Probably. But i'm not a straight guy, so more for me.

Thank you to those at the CK underwear who are in charge with these campaigns. Thank you.