Werner Herzog reads Madeleine

Here is Werner Herzog's hilarious interpretation of the classic Madeleine tales. You may also enjoy his renderings of Where's Waldo and Curious George.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=57EDxvldLD4

Fuck Yeah, Mick Jagger

I came across this blog that has the most incredible candid vintage photographs of Mick Jagger and the Stones. Who knew Mick had such an affinity for dressing in drag? There are more great pictures of Mick with Bowie, Dylan, Hendrix and James Brown among others.

http://fuckyeahmickjagger.tumblr.com/

Portraits of America's Endangered Species

Joel Sartore, who has been called the Richard Avedon of animals, traveled from coast to coast, compiling portraits of American wildlife on the brink of extinction. I love how his photographs of these largely overlooked and unknown creatures give the animals such character against the black or white backdrop- especially the California tiger salamander.

There are more incredibly photos here on NPR's website by way of National Geographic: http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2010/03/rare.html

Dries Van Noten

I know the last couple of posts have been pretty fashion-heavy, but that being said- check out the latest Dries Van Noten winter 10/11 collection...dayumm. This essentially sums up my own personal aesthetic or a more polished version if I had a bottomless bank account. I'm in love with the mixing of leopard with stripes and bold patterns as well as the belted trenches that give the collection a contemporary take on the French new wave look. Enjoy!

Leslie Mann for Band of Outsiders

This isn't exactly a fashion-centric blog, but I can't resist sharing these photos from Boy by Band of Outsiders polaroid look book featuring my own personal girl-crush, Leslie Mann, as well as Dave Franco and Donald Glover. Who knew homegirl could look so fierce? Kudos, by the way to Band of Outsiders for featuring my favorite comediennes in their campaigns (Sarah Silverman was their previous spokesmodel).

The Evolution of Cigarette Advertisements

NPR compiled a list of vintage cigarette advertisements since the 1920's. One that particularly stuck out was the MURAD ad, which features a woman looking at her beau admiringly since it was considered taboo for a woman to be seen smoking in public. But, you have to admit, the catchphrase: "Reach for a Lucky instead of a Sweet", is quite catchy. It seems by that by the 50's, Cigarette companies had to abandon the cigarette- as- asthma cure or the ultimate emblem of masculinity and opt for marketing towards women which meant one thing: staying slim. I know the ad featuring the baby is supremely creepy, but I couldn't resist.

Click to see more: http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2010/02/cig_ads.html

RIP Art Clokey

Art Clokey passed away on January 8th, 2010. Larely responsible for the popularity of stop motion clay animation, he began his career with the production "Gumbasia," a hypnotic and lush exhibition of his talents as an animator. Later he went on to create the popular television show Gumby inspired by trips to his grandfather's farm as a child. Originally released in 1955, his playful relationship with clay as a medium is reminiscent of the Eames video's where they explore textiles such as fiberglass and plastic. Stay tuned, I have more to say for this piece but I think I've just been shot with a horse tranquilizer and must bid you adieu for now.

Ever Wonder What's on David Bowie's Playlist?

Glancing at David Bowie's playlist is a testament to his ability to recognize current trends in music. With a new live album debuting this week, the enigmatic superstar compiled a list of the songs he's been listening to over the past month- with a mix that is heavy on obscure African pop, some Chinese folk music, and even a fantastic song from blues legend, Champion Jack Dupree and proves that David Bowie is still cooler than you...enjoy!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2010/jan/24/david-bowie-on-his-ipod

Timo Weiland Spring 2010

This is the latest, as well as first men and women's ready-to-wear, collection from design team Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein. What I love about their collection is that it combines youthful irreverence with a refined, Baroque-inspired sensibility. Their website is equally polished and includes a striking short film titled, "A Life Full of Holes". Somehow the clothes look even more beautiful set against the backdrop of a bucolic English manor. They are truly among the most exciting new talents to watch.

www.timoweiland.com

2010 Resolution Execution by Hadley

HEY YOU GUYS!

We're gonna turn it on.
We're gonna bring you the power
We're gonna light up the dark of night like the brightest day in a whole new way
We're gonna turn it on we're gonna bring you the power
It's coming down the lines, strong as they can be
Through the courtesy of The Electric Company
The Electric Company.

The Electric Company!

The Electric Company is my new/old favorite show. Since I am a full time nanny for a little little of 9mos. I have begun exploring the realm of children's entertainment. As you can imagine 90% of the children's music out there is deranged and saccharine sweet soaked with lithium. Poor kids.

I haven't kept up with the joneses to be quite honest, so for all I know things might even be improving in this field. But I never get tired of Burl Ives singing about taking a turkey to a sawmill or Danny Kaye breakin' it down with some tots for Thumbelina. But there are some really great contemporary television shows like Yo Gabba Gabba that features Biz Markie beat boxing, and hosts musical guests like Cornelius (a very cool Japanese DJ who, funny enough, samples The Electric Company on one of his tracks.) Alright, I can't think of anything else.

Enjoy this clip!

Grace Kelly: Not Such a Stiff After All?

Hads and I have a tradition where we envision what celebrities, past or present, young or old, would want to hang with us- conjuring up an ideal party invitation list of actresses like say, Susan Sarandon, Katherine Hepburn, or even Alia Shawkat (Maebe from Arrested Development). We, couldn't picture say, Natalie Portman, swapping filthy jokes or engaging in "dock talk" (see previous post). And thinking of what other actresses may fall into the same category of finding us generally offensive, we figured Grace Kelly was an obvious candidate.

I always thought of as the Mona Lisa of actresses. She always appeared soft-spoken and demure. But, not necessarily because she had nothing to say, rather she preferred to keep you guessing. A new article about Grace Kelly in the New Yorker dispels the notion of her as an aloof, ice-princess and paints a picture of her as a kind of man-eater who had affairs with married men and whose poised self-image belied the sexual power she had over men. As the article states:

"The sex life of Grace Kelly, like the home life of the Incas, is one of those distant but down-to-earth matters which we can investigate in depth, and muse upon at length, but never really hope to understand."

Check out the article in its entirety here:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/01/04/100104crbo_books_lane?currentPage=3

Onward and Upward!

We apologize profusely for the lack of recent posts. However, it is our new years resolution- along with dancing more and complaining less- to add a post everyday.

Since winter always tends to thrust me into a listless delirium why don't I tell you about a website that has been an enabler to my chronic procrastination: The Auteurs. The Auteurs, a godsend for film nerds, is a forum where you can discuss obscure art-house flicks as well as classic and recently released films. It provides updates on film festivals around the globe and you can even watch films for a paltry sum or even for free.



Again, we apologize for the delay! We promise more filthy, depraved cartoons are on the way!