A Lovely Day on the Hill.

Today I escaped the dark dungeon I call my room and went to Capitol Hill with my dear friend Kim. The Hill may be my favorite neighborhood in Seattle, as it is an epicenter of culture, the gay community in Seattle, and young people in general. A short bus ride brought us to the glorious Broadway and we ventured through the sunshine to Caffe Vita, one of the many cool little coffee shops in Seattle (I have completely lost interest with Starbucks since moving to the city). The two of us each grabbed an americano, a Stranger, and skipped across the street to Cal Anderson Park to sit and read in the sun. We leafed through the Stranger together and found ourselves practically giddy upon discovering a silent reading party at the Sorrento Hotel. We then turned to our respective texts, mine Vogue, hers 2666 by Roberto Bolano. Later we decided to grab some delicious fish tacos at Rancho Bravo and return to the park. The restaurant also operates a taco truck in Wallingfod, near campus, which I find quite exciting. People watching, wonderful conversation, and dodging fly baseballs were just some of the random happenings that made the day. Molly Moons was our final destination before saying farewell to Capitol Hill and returning to the U-District. Coconut ice cream and lemon sorbet are perfect compliments, in case anyone was wondering...

I really wish I had a decent camera to capture the beautiful day, since this post is just text. I'm no photographer, but I don't just want to insert pictures of the places we went to. That feels lazy to me... I don't know.

Anyway, I'm off to Queen Anne for dinner with friends. Enjoy your Spring Break if you haven't already!

Exciting News.

Photographer Steven Klein is said to be directing Lady GaGa's next music video for the song "Alejandro". This is going to be incredible. His work is always a mix of high fashion and sex. Could he be more perfect? I think not.

Viktor & Rolf

Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren caught my attention last season with their tulle-heavy, chainsaw-mangled Spring collection. The performance artists had the vision of a "Glamour Factory" and what occurred there was a sight to be seen. Kristin McMenamy, a model whose fame peaked in the nineties came out with the duo with layer upon layer on her tall, slender figure. What happened next was a passing of the baton, or in this case clothes, to younger, current models. When she was left in just a body suit, the remaining younger models were stripped of their outer shells, which were then put upon McMenamy. The garments did not just change in function, but definition as well. A skirt became a jacket, pieces were turned around, etc. McMenamy was left dressed, appearing impossibly heavy, but managed to make her way off the stage. The artistic and physical feats here were undeniable, but the clothes were also amazing too. Viktor and Rolf showed versatility and proved that wearability is not lost with their clothes. There is the fear that the performance aspect may overshadow the clothes themselves, but truthfully I think it only enhances them. I see nothing wrong with a vision, with showmanship. Of course the same thing has been said with Lady GaGa, and we all know what I think about that. Would anyone dare to say the same about the late, great Alexander McQueen? I sincerely doubt it. Showmanship is a unique and inspiring happening in various art forms and I will always respect those who strive to make something more. Bravo gentlemen.

Kristin McMenamy


Karlie Kloss


Karmen Pedaru


Caroline Brasch Nielsen


Dorothea Barth Jorgensen


Rose Cordero


Siri Tollerød


Irina Kulikova


Magdalena Frackowiak


Jenny Sinkaberg


Mirte Maas


Jacquelyn Jablonski


Jac


Kristen McMenamy

Stella McCartney

Without a doubt simplicity and new Minimalism is becoming an increasingly present force in the world of fashion. Stella McCartney has become a influence within this shift with her Fall/Winter 2010 collection. The clothes, especially day wear, were clean, beautifully cut, subtly sexy, and dare I say it, chic. I find that the word "chic" is something thrown about by many, but what could be more chic than a French woman in the simple black sweatshirt and trousers that Anna Selezneva walked down the runway? I've been a fan of Stella's since to follow fashion the way I do. My personal style is hardly ever minimal—I feel naked without loads of jewelry—but I can appreciate lovely clothes, no matter how pared-down. Her looks for evening were a bit more turned up, featuring elements such as jewel tones, sheer fabric, and waterfalls of pailletes. I especially loved all of the nude dresses. I'm not sure where my love for nude tones has come from. It certainly has been present trend-wise, but there is something so gravitating about it to me. Also gravitating is Stella's body of work. She certainly fits in, showing in Paris. I hope she never leaves.

Magdalena Frackowiak


Joan Smalls


Sigrid Agren


Abbey Lee Kershaw


Anja Rubik


Maryna Linchuk


Erin Wasson


Natasha Poly


Anna Selezneva


Lara Stone


Laura Blokhina


Sigrid Agren


Sasha Pivovarova


Joan Smalls


Anna de Rijk


Lisanne De Jong


Freja Beha Erichsen


Photos via style.com

Julie & Julia

It seems that my "weekend retreat" has continued in the form of watching a film.



Julie & Julia features two actresses that do some of the most wonderful work in film today. Meryl Street and Amy Adams shined in this lovely intertwining of stories of women and food. The way Julie Powell's blog allowed for escapism was highlighted through Julia Child's life. It is a special quality that I have yet to harness with my own blog, but am constantly aspiring to. I was left with a warm sense of optimism and inspiration, which should be the case with film, assuming it takes a light-hearted path.

So since I've thoroughly enjoyed several hours sitting in bed, I must get out into the sun while it's still out. I've already bought Lady GaGa tickets today (something that was on my to do list), but there is much more (and much more difficult tasks) to accomplish.

Full.

My relationship with food over the past two days could be compared to a short weekend retreat with a lover. Yesterday afternoon, my friends and I deserted our city residences to have dinner in the general area in which our parents live. "Home" to me means in the city, but I'll only speak for myself. After acquiring my mother's car, I rushed to make a side for the potluck. Completely ignoring the cooking skills my mother has tried to pass on, I took the easy way out, buying complete salad sets from Trader Joe's. Joe's, you are my love and saviour. The dinner at my friend Bridget's house was completely informal and relaxed. Much of my time there was spent harassing her new cat and old dogs. Since the main course contained pork, I stuck to sides including "my" spinach salad, fruit salad, sweet potatoes, and corn bread. I ate banana cake and apple crisp for dessert, finding myself on the verge of exploding. A walk and some attempting skateboarding, followed by laying in the rain eased my gluttonous pain. More rushing around and fleeing the suburbs came after. A night of dancing was topped off with a long walk home complete with sushi from QFC. Gillian, Julia, Alison, and I slept very well.

This "morning" Julia, Alison, and I made a real breakfast (one not served in the dining hall). Gillian left much earlier. Tasty fruit, potatoes, and eggs were on the menu (I had two scrambled and one over-easy). We ate watching Dreamgirls, the movie I saw on my very first date. It seems perfectly fitting for a gay 15 year-old and his 16 year-old cohort, doesn't it? Anyway, after lounging around for far too long at a house in Capitol Hill, we headed back to the dorms. Later, Julia, our friend Anna, and I dropped by McCarty Hall's convenience store/internet cafe Ian's Domain before it closed to grab some dinner. A long, trying decision, it was. I picked an Amy's teriyaki bowl. I adore Amy's because the company makes organic, vegetarian food that is easy to make.

In the most stereotypical way, college has allowed me to become more intimate with microwaves than I have been in the past. After the teriyaki bowl, I ate a leftover cornbread muffin, leftover mashed sweet potatoes, and leftover apple crisp. Even though I was quite pleased, it was as if I couldn't stop. I visited a vending machine for gummi worms and came back with both that and a bag of chips.

I feel a bit like a beached whale sitting here on my bed. Yes, yes I know, I'm quite thin, but I feel like a pile of shit. Bleh.

Worth it? It's unclear at this point.

Go go go.

I need to eliminate unstimulating downtime. Busy busy busy.

I also need one of these:



You are my inspiration.



Kiss kiss.

Madness.

My last final was Wednesday and celebration shortly followed. Quite a lot of celebration. I will surely enjoy some peace, quiet, and solitude in the dorms while I'm on spring break. Hopefully, I will be productive. I must be productive. I am still working on posts from Paris Fashion Week...

On the To Do List:

PARIS
Clean my disastrous room
Organize
Catch up on Magazines
Read a book for pleasure
Find people who will give me money to go to school
Look into internships
Buy books for Spring Quarter
Figure out my living situation for next year
Explore

Lanvin.

Ever since I started following fashion religiously, Lanvin has always been one of my very favorite fashion houses. I don't know what it is, but Alber Elbaz has a magic touch. Perhaps his way of capturing a woman's power in his clothes is what gets me. With looks featuring a simple, architectural vibe and references to tribal Africa, the collection was yet another love letter to powerful women. The killer black wigs and amazing jewelry topped everything off to help create a beautiful show.

Jac


Alla Kostromicheva


Freja Beha Erichsen


Magdalena Frackowiak


Vlada Roslyakova


Julija Steponaviciute


Karlie Kloss


Mirte Maas


Valerija Kelava


Sasha Pivovarova


Sigrid Agren


Simona Andrejic


Siri Tollerød


Heidi Mount


Ajak Deng


Magdalena Frackowiak


Freja Beha Erichsen


Alla Kostromicheva



Photos via style.com