molly ringwald can throw it down

Phoenix's Lisztomania and John Hughes movies = the perfect union
What's better than watching Molly Ringwald dance? Nothing. Also, I would like her boots.

p.s. Check out a (very) young Kim Cattrall.

Queen of Tarts

My boyfriend is, hands down, a lover of tarts. As long as there is an open-faced pastry containing some sort of fruity or nutty filling, he could be happy for days. I haven't mastered the art of tart making quite yet (and the craft will have to be put on hold for a year), but Bea of La Tartine Gourmande certainly has. Bea works as a food stylist/photographer/writer (dream job!) and has a website brimming with food porn of all sorts (and recipes), from chocolate, to breakfasts, to many variations on the aforementioned tarts. Uh oh, I feel my sweet tooth nagging me. Time for dessert.

Instant Gratification

This Polaroid reminds me of my first ever camera (it was pink and all) and I want it back (why didn't I keep it!). Polaroids seem to be all the rage here in Korea and I must get my hands on one before the all of the film is gone forever (can you believe they went digital!).

The Small Stakes

Stars has always been a favourite group of mine and Jessica's. After seeing them at the Phoenix in 2007, I purchased a piece of concert paraphernalia. Instead of a t-shirt I would never wear, I acquired the above poster (middle), which has since been on my wall (embarassingly enough, sans frame, which is basically a sin post-university). Anyways, I decided to check out the company that makes said poster, The Small Stakes. Designer Jason Munn has an impressive list of 'clients': BSS, Feist, Modest Mouse, She and Him, and Cat Power, to name small few. I only wish I was able to collect all of these posters in the way of concert going. I'm really in the mood for a live show.

frame gang

I found an amazing pair of vintage large-ish tortoise shell frames last weekend in Hongdae - but didn't buy them (mistake). Now, I have glasses on the brain, and must get new frames immediately (once i get paid). Circle, square, black, brown, clear, wooden. The possibilities are endless. The only question now is: what kind to choose?

back in black

Hello Autumn, my old friend.

This week in unimpressed

Today I'm blogging on behalf of some very disgruntled coffee (and tea) lovers close to my heart. I think anyone who knows me knows I'm a little bit of a coffee snob, okay maybe a BIG coffee snob. Needless to say my experience with Canada's ubiquitous blue-collar coffee and donut chain has been limited to an occasional French 'this is the only possible option' Vanilla in cottage country. Even though I don't frequent the country's beloved Timmies its been hard to ignore the buzz (get it? coffee..buzz) this week over the increased prices on everything from tea to timbits. And even though 5 cents here and 10 cents there might not seem like a big deal, for those who love their caffeine routine the extra pennies are sure to add up. And in a year when Starbucks, every yuppie's favourite overpriced coffee mecca, has actually been lowering prices its hard to believe that their not so snobby competitor needs to fall back on the 'harsh economic times' excuse for their price jacking.

While some may try and start their own personal boycott over a 7 cent difference, I'm sure many customers will simply grumble and get over it, with the excuse that 'they'd rather support a homegrown company.' Now, people claiming that they are being 'patriot' by going to Tim Hortons is a personal pet peeve of mine, so indulge my ranting here for a bit. While advertisements featuring ice skating kids and phrases like 'double double' and 'roll up the rim' seem like such an integral part of Canadian identity, the coffee shop was actually bought by an American company in 1995. So why not take your precious toonies and wander over to the 100% Canadian Second Cup, where the coffee is ten times more flavourful and there have never been any of those scary nicotine rumours.

i love [miranda] july

I can't remember when I first heard about Miranda July. I think it was some time in 2006. All I know is that once I saw Me and You and Everyone We Know (which July wrote and directed), I was hooked. I love watching movies or reading books about relationships (or lack there of) or how people connect (or the ways they simply can't), and these themes are the focus of Ms. July's work, be it art, film, or literature.

No One Belongs Here More Than You is a collection of 16 very unconventional short stories, each dealing with a character's loneliness and need to be loved/accepted. I'm sad that I left my copy in Canada, as I feel that it only gets better with each read. I suppose I could buy a new one, as it comes in four colours (so we can read a book that matches our outfit, of course). If we're wearing something other than the chosen colours? She urges us to read a different book that day. Oh, and the whole website is slides of July writing on her dry erase board (ie. fridge and stove). Check it out.

Additionally, July (with Harrell Fletcher) launched a website in 2002, called Learning to Love You More, which encouraged visitors to complete various assignments. Sound lame? It's not. My personal favourites are: give advice to yourself in the past, write the phone call you wish you could have, take a picture of strangers holding hands, and reread your favourite book from fifth grade. The best 'assignments' were taken, creating a wonderful book with the same name, which will have a permanent place on my coffee table.
With a fans like Dave Eggers and David Byrne, a feature in Interview Magazine, and countless props for Me and You and Everyone We Know, it seems that July is best.

Are you afraid of the dark?

I don't know what you crazy kids got up to this weekend but I literally went on the blindest blind (group) date of my life. Apparently its better in the dark and thats exactly what we got at the recently opened O Noir on Church Street. Dining experience slash scary nightmare this concepty restaurant came to TO this summer, by way of Montreal, giving restaurant goers the opportunity to enjoy (or not) a three course meal in the darkest of dark rooms. Patrons are forced to stash away all cell phones, watches and other light making devices in order to have a true dining in dark experience. Adding to the interesting factor the wait staff at O Noir are all legally blind although many of us speculated that their dark glasses were actually night vision goggles as navigating around the restaurant seemed like it would be impossible at best.

While the experience was very different from any of my normal weekend dining dates, I can't say it was something i'll be repeating in the near future. Perhaps i'm still haunted by the scary happenings in Blindness but I found myself growing increasingly anxious throughout the meal. The blackened dining room resulted in our hungry and frustrated group fumbling for cutlery, spilling beverages, losing earrings and, for unknown reasons, impromptu decisions from some restaurant goers to enjoy their entrees in the nude (you know who you are).

If I haven't scared you off entirely from trying this truly unique dining experience I wouldn't recommend watching this episode of CSI in which someone is murdered while enjoying a similar dine in the dark experience. Yikes. Okay....now something more uplifting but still keeping with the Blind theme, one hit wonder Funkstar Deluxe's "Blinded by the Light" - Enjoy!...

Girl Crush: Audrey Tautou

How adorable is Audrey Tautou? I first fell in love with this French darling in Amelie (if you haven't seen it, you must watch it immediately... I mean it... go to Blockbuster this minute).

More recently, she has starred in Priceless, which is quite a fine rom-com, and is perfect for a date with your mom (unless she, like my mother, is not fond of subtitles).

Deciding I must further explore Ms. Tautou's charming career, I rented Venus Beaute Institut, which is less quirky than Amelie, but has a similar, happily-ever-after, fairy tale ending (with less magical bits, of course).

What I have yet to see is Audrey as Coco Chanel in Coco Before Chanel, but I'm sure she will do the style icon justice.

Has anyone seen this? (Also, how much do you love watching films in French? So romantic!)