I want two babushkas...

I am fascinated and overjoyed with illustration-graffiti artists that give life to those exterior architectural details that often go unnoticed. 


I stumbled upon these images belonging to the artist Stanislava Pinchuk (aka MISO) currently living in Melbourne, Australia this morning and I just fell in love with her street compositions.  There is something very poetic about the babushka like illustrations framing the neighborhood doors.  Truly sigh provoking!


Photos borrowed from MISO's official site.

Amy Winehouse...(1983 - JULY 23, 2011)

I recently read that Maira Kalman reads the obituaries every morning. 
What a wonderful ritual, don't you think?


The older I get, the more I start to think about the inevitable fin that will come for all of us one day. (Those life insurance TV commercials don't help either...It's funny how I never noticed them before...) Of course the thought frightens me enormously...but at the same time, it motivates me to enjoy life's daily episodes. The moments I hold dear, often involve unforgettable tunes.  A fabulous song is all I need sometimes to feel content.


THANK YOU AMY WINEHOUSE FOR TRANSFORMING THOSE UNEXPECTED BLUE DAYS. . .what a voice! 


Beautiful post from ADELE about Amy Winehouse here.


Photo (left) Harper's Bazaar 2010 interview with Amy Winehouse.
Photo (right) borrowed from here.

...of a Crazy World!

TO those of you who currently dwell in New York City...or are visiting the gorgeous city this week... 

Do not miss the exhibition currently on display at The Jewish Museum,  Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World). It closes this coming Sunday, July 31, 2011.

Enjoy it for me! I am obsessed with her work and well I am also extremely jealous of her vivid career / lifestyle.  

Images borrowed from the artist's official site.

Gaultier inspires Montréal...

I lived and survived the Pinkarnaval festivities this past weekend.  

This year, the theme was Jean Paul Gaultier. . .in conjunction with his current exhibit in Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts, From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk. (NOTE: Photography is allowed, pictures of my visit coming soon). 

First came the hysterical parade. All of my pictures are out of focus because my camera was out of control, but I am showing them to you anyway because the blurry shots depict the madness perfectly.

Then came the public dance party (under lightning-rain) with the Québécoise D.J./model Ève Salvail (D.J. Evalicious). She was amazing! I also got to see the honoree himself. Monsieur Gaultier was very French but enchanting.

And yes, that is a giant inflatable "Madonna" bra tied to a giant balloon and a delightful Mademoiselle (who posed for me) wearing one. We all had one in the 90's, didn't we?

 

Reds, pinks and nautical stripes. . .oh my!

Stumptown Coffee is finally in Montréal!

Yes, I am going to publicly admit that my favorite quartier in Montréal is Le Plateau and more specifically, the area by the Mont-Royal metro station. It is always ...pleine de vie. 
I live about a-30-minute-metro-ride away from this lively neighborhood, but I am rewarded greatly once I arrive.  
And well, before I promenade, I get my Stumptown Coffee fix at THE best coffee spot in town, flocon espresso. 
It is a contemporary café with unforgettable charm: the fabulous service, the 'locals' and their hysterical conversations, the cool baristas with their gorgeous tattoos. . .I can go on and on.  And YES, you get all of these amenities for free when you purchase a perfect cup of coffee. This petit bijou has the third-wave coffee allure down!


Luke, merci Beaucoup, for bringing Stumptown to Montréal!
Luke Spicer: the handsome entrepreneur behind flocon espresso who (if I remember correctly) received his barista training directly from Stumptown.


Enjoy the details I shot below. 


NOTE: The magazine displayed is the latest issue of Tyler Brûlé's, Monocle. He includes Montréal as one of the "top 25 livable cities around the world" . . . it is #24.  It is a great summer issue. 
**Magazine not purchased at flocon. I always buy my magazines from the Multimags store just a few doors away on Mont-Royal avenue.

And the Pursuit of Happiness...

235 years of American Independence!


I am celebrating the 4th of July here in Canada by reading Maira Kalman's book, And The Pursuit of Happiness . . . for the second time.  


Enjoy the images below borrowed from Maira Kalman's New York Times 2009 blog (now a book). See here.  
Every American should own this book!!!


Fun Facts:
1. Maira Kalman: author, illustrator and designer.
2. The text is not a digital font, it is Maira Kalman's own intentionally pictorial handwriting.