The powers that be

I started out February strong with so much enthusiasm about blogging everyday and whatnot. Posting everyday, obviously, didn't happen. So to end a month of lackluster blogging is hopefully what will be a luster-filled post of inspiration.

Pair this with "Last Leaf" by OK Go.

Pair this with "Floorplan" by Tegan and Sara.

Pair this with "Get It Like You Like It" by Ben Harper.

Pair this with "Aluminum Park" by My Morning Jacket.

Pair this with "Dancin' in the Moonlight" by Toploader.

The girl's got pizazz

I am officially declaring my love for the Korean Olympic skater Kim Yu-Na. When she skates she commands the audience's attention like no one else that graces the Canadian ice. Normally, I yawn in boredom at the music choices of the figure skaters. While they might be classical masterpieces, they fail to ignite any fire in the skaters. Yu-Na doesn't skate to Bach or Beethoven, she skates to James Bond, which in case she was lacking any fire before the music started would provide any supplemental.

She's a bonafide celebrity in her native Korea, something that we, as Americans, try hard to understand considering that we place our movie stars on national pedestals instead of our athletes. More than all of this though, she has the "it" factor that I spend so much time trying to comprehend. Just like that absolutely perfect spring trenchcoat you see at the department store, Kim Yu-Na will remain in our minds for a lot longer than the Olympics covers alpine skiing.

The luck of the stylish

Do clothes really bring us good luck? Some athletes have socks they wear for every game and others have that lucky pair of underwear that has never failed a test. I swear that I always play better when I don a certain white tennis skirt. Yet, whether these clothes really bring us luck or not no one will ever know.

On the other hand, can clothes bring us bad luck? A couple days ago my mom wore the same sweater that she wore when I had jaw surgery and, wearing that same blue and brown awfully knit sweater, she ended up having to spend a bit of time in the hospital again. We collectively decided to burn the sweater. Of course it can all be chalked up to a bizarre coincidence, but I certainly do not think that continuing to wear the sweater will do anyone any good.

Somehow, we allow ourselves to attribute bad or good luck to our clothes. After having the best college interview ever, I decided to replicate the same outfit to all other college interviews because, what harm could it do:? I desperately want to let go of my modish superstitions, but something, something that no one can quite seem to put a finger on, keeps us wearing the same pair of socks on game day.

When the legends die

I am still in a bit of shock that Alexander McQueen died. It seems as if all the real fashion legends are croaking, but at least they're leaving us with an inundation of young talent. Don't get me wrong this isn't a bad thing; the music world is paralleling the fashion world in this sense. What used to be the ten designers that ruled the world has turned into a broader array of a new generation who will succeed in their own little way.

Nevertheless, it's always hard to see someone as revolutionary as Alexander McQueen go. Everything he touched transformed from ordinary into fantastical. Yet, I have faith that his vision will live on in the clothes of this new brood of designers. Long live McQueen!

After seeing these shoes how can you not mourn his death?

In love you have loosened yourself like sea water

I'm pretty sure I may be the only person in the world who becomes giddy at the sound of the words 'bilingual edition,' but regardless this may be the best Valentine's Day present I will ever receive (ironically it is a self-gift); no more chalky, flavorless hearts. My love for poetry will overpower my love for any one person this holiday; and I'm not sure this is any particular form of a travesty.

Young adult friction

Music worth a listen (or two)...

Talking Hotel Arbat Blues- Handsome Furs

Before Destruction- Spoon

She Is Love (Acoustic)- Parachute

Stay Alive - Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Wait To You See Me Smile- Alicia Keys

Black and Gold- Katy Perry

Norway- Beach House

Here We Go Again- Angu & Julia Stone

Humming Bird- Born Ruffians

Jolene- Ray LaMontagne

Julianna- Audrye Sessions

Early Morning Rain- Richard Hawley

Love Song- Death Cab for Cutie

Song 2- Blur

Is Love Forever?- Spoon

Young Adult Friction- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Bookish pleasures

A complete bookworm at heart, I have a penchant for old books. So naturally when I found this Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll in my grandmother's house that is more than a hundred years old I became ecstatic. The worn edges and easy-to-flip pages conjure up images of children a hundred years ago sneaking away to their parents' study to read Alice. Also, with the movie coming out in March this find could not have more appropriate timing. I can only hope that the next person to possess this book can appreciate its sophisticated fun.

The sticker on the back of the front cover says it's from the private library of A. Florence Grant which was founded in 1889. It also says "Read slowly; pause frequently; think seriously; return duly' with the corners of the leaves not turned down." The nineteenth century elegance of the whole book just makes swoon.

I love this illustration with all the cards flying up at Alice; the newer edition I have of the book doesn't have this one. The details are hard to see from this distance, but the animals as well as Alice are running away from the cards.

Today and creme brulee

I made lavender creme brulee for my mama's birthday today and it was so delicious. I attempted to make a photo journal of the process, yet ultimately it transformed into more of a before-and-after shoot. Also, rocked my new pink blazer today. I used to think that pink was too girly to wear for statement pieces like this blazer, but obviously I've changed my mind.

Recycled relevance

Like any good art history student with a sense of style I without a doubt spend more time than necessary studying the clothing of the subjects of the piece. Tonight as I vehemently studied I noticed the very bohemian style of Boticelli's characters. In Primavera Flora, the goddess of spring, wears a dress that (with a few minor alterations) could be in my closet in a snap. Another great aspect of this painting that is extremely relevant is the Avatar-like figure on the right, Zephyrus. Was James Cameron an art history major? Highly unlikely, yet what the more relevant point of this piece is that our bohemian dresses are a lot more timeless than the "timeless Chanel tweed suit."

LOSTLOSTLOST

Charlie!

No tv show plays with my mind like Lost does. In tonight's season premiere two of my favorite characters, Charlie and Boone, were brought back. Needless to say I was pretty excited. If haven't already become addicted and/or obsessed with Lost, I would highly reccommend it.

The homework coma

Wearing: hand-made scarf, D&G glasses, Urban Outfitters sweaters and boots, tights and skirt from Nordstroms

Homework is like the sand bags they put in hot-air balloons so that they don't go too high. The scene in The Wizard of Oz when the wizard desperately throws the sand bags out of the balloon perfectly compliments this scenario. Without those sand bags we too could fly like the wizard. Or maybe the sand bags are there to hold us down until we learn how to fly: intellectual training wheels.

P.S. My goal is to post everyday this month...wish me luck!