A Music Day

It's been a while since I've had a solid day dedicated to listening to albums beginning to end. There are a few albums I've been meaning to check out and a good day cannot go by without listening to Ellie Goulding's Lights at least once.

Side note, I can't get over how Usher croons this in OMG featuring Ludacris:
"Honey got a booty like pow, pow, pow
Honey got some boobies like wow, oh wow"

How can he sing this with a straight face? Regardless, it's a darn catchy song ... As is Taio Cruz's Break Your Heart (good on him for making a name for himself in America!)

Albums I am currently listening to:





As you can tell, my musical tastes are incredibly diverse. I am definitely a music PR's dream as I always buy into good reviews or hype. If a band/artist peaks my interest, you can be sure I'll give them a go. Not everything turns out to be roses though, as although I am open, I still known when polished shiny crap is still just crap.

She&Him features actress Zooey Deschanel on vocals, piano and banjo along side M.Ward. Yes she as cute as pie but she can easily be the new Patsy Cline. Chirpy enough to bring a nice Spring breeze to anyone's dreary day.

I will be heading to The Commodore tomorrow night to check out The Temper Trap. A review will follow so keep your eyes locked here ... I've seen them three times before in London (Dingwalls, Gibson Studios and Field Day). They've never disappointed. Their live shows bring more pow-factor than their album. It's almost as if they began coming into their own the more and more they toured. Can't wait to hear how their second album turns out.

EP!C Weekend Ending in Overdose of Junk Food ...

On Friday, Mauri and I took a leisurely stroll to the New Vancouver Convention Centre to check out the EP!C Sustainabilty Expo. During the Olympics, this building was closed off to the public and it was our first time inside. What an amazing building!

This is what greeted us from above as we walked in:



Specifically, we aimed to check out the Fashion Marketplace as Anita was involved in its organisation. It was also an opportunity to see if Vancouver's sustainable fashion industry has grown since my last exposure to it during my final year at Kwantlen. At that time, designers were beginning to explore the eco-market more in-depth, coinciding with an increase in the availability of eco fabrics such as bamboo, soy and organic cottons. Despite only highlighting a handful of designers, the Fashion Marketplace runway show brought to light the existence of eco-friendly wearables to a primarly non-fashion crowd. Education is the first step to making an informed choice.

Dahlia Drive - An eclectic Vancouver based label designed by Wendy Van Riesen.

Arte Filum (my favourite piece from the show) - A Fairtrade company focused on connecting the art and culture of south America with the rest of the world.

Vancouver fashion will always have a casual flair as people have a need for functional clothing with all the outdoor activities this city offers. Although I respect this need for functionality, I hope to see more designers bridging the gap between function and fashion. I am a firm believer yoga pants belong in a yoga studio (or at least worn en route to yoga). Even if the rain pours down relentlessly, Fashionistas should be given more upbeat options than a hooded waterproof parka. I'm just sayin ...

On a side note, we came across this interesting building one block up from the Vancouver Convention Centre. I can't remember which hotel it is. I commend the design for being somewhat bold amidst all the characterless high rises going up around the Lower Mainland. What I can't decide is whether I prefer this phrase repeated on the building or if a poem or prose would look better. I suppose it can be a bit tricky picking exactly what is said, maybe it was better to stick with one idea. Who knows?


Oh I should mention how junk food factored into this weekend that started oh-so-healthily at the EP!C Fair. Mauri and I tried everything from Hemp chocolate milk to gluten-free children's snack bars. We concluded that all health foods have this funky aftertaste that just screams "I am made from the Earth!". I enjoyed the hemp milk but wouldn't buy it if it came down to that and regular full fat chocolate milk. You just can't mess with the original! Another product I was skeptical about was beeswax treated reusable food storage bags. The vendor assured us our food wouldn't get the wax smell and that a quick wash was all it needed between uses. It's not so much the idea I'm against. It's the fact that I really like my Tupperware!

On the opposite side of the spectrum, I spent all of Sunday working on the set of a short 3D film called Defending Maldito doing wardrobe. I passed the time, as you do whenever you're on set, by eating. A quick tally of what I consumed in a bit over 12 hours: 3 cans of Coke, 2 bags of Cheetos (NOT called Whats Its!), a pot of instant noodles, many glasses of mocha flavoured protein shake, 3 cups of coffee, loads of veggies and dip, sushi and 3 slices of pizza. Not too bad! This is why I work behind the scenes :)

Obakki Fall/Winter 2010/11 Presentation - May 27, 2010

My first foray back into the Vancouver fashion scene came in the form of a fashion show on Thursday night at Obakki . I always have a camera with me, as I often find beauty and excitement in everyday things. (That and the fact I am one of a handful left without an iPhone or any phone capable of photos ...) On my way to Carlie's today, I specifically removed the camera from my bag, thinking, "I'm not going to go anywhere interesting today". I was blatantly wrong!

So not only was I electronically not prepared, I was physically not prepared. I didn't hear about the show until just before, so despite my better judgement (didn't want to go sans heels!), we arrived at an Obakki teeming with Vancouver's fashionistas. It was a bit intimidating to be back on the scene so soon. Wearing flats and a Primarni special (you Brits will know what I mean!) was not the look I wanted when meeting fashionistas for the first time. So today, I took a step back and played observer.

Despite it being a fairly balmy night, the inside of Obakki evoked a feeling of being caught outside on a hot Vancouver day wearing a merino jumper. Trust me, I've done it. The perfect fix? Lavender Dry Soda. Comes in 6 other flavours, and as pointed out by Carlie, each flavour is 70 calories or less. Totally west-coast appropriate then!

Highlights of Obakki's Fall/Winter 2010/11 presentation (images from the LookBook):



Look 1: Draped asymmetrical sweater dress (100% wool); Wool Scarf (75% alpaca, 13% wool, 12% nylon) - Ombre effect on the sweater is stunning and effortlessly chic.

Look 2: A-line double breasted trench coat (85% viscose, 14% fleece wool, 1% elastodiene); Single seam tee (50% cotton, 50% nylon); Draped trouser with cuff (88% viscose, 12% silk) - Didn't get a chance to feel this trench but am curious to see how the fleece wool and elastodiene feels. Elastodiene adds a subtle sheen.

Look 3: Button front cropped capelet (100% sequined silk), Single seam tee (as before); Cuffed trouser (98% cotton, 2% elastodiene)



Look 4: Short sleeve button front shirt (100% cotton), Denim style pant with suede detailing (stretch leather) - The most classy substitution for leggings.

Look 5: Funnel neck sweater (75% alpaca, 13% wool, 12% nylon); Cropped pant with quilted panel (stretch leather)

Look 6: Maxi dress (100% cotton with stretch leather) - A shorter version was also shown.

Obakki infuses a classy elegance into relaxed Westcoast style dressing. A breath of fresh air without having to hike The Chief ...

Currently not blogging due to ...

a slight addiction to this SATC2 game I found!

Sex and the City 2 - Trivia Game

Went to the Epic Expo with Mauri today ... loaded up on free samples of healthy foods, ie. gluten free, hemp based or flavourless (the three most popular types). Hopefully more about this tomorrow. Gotta get back to beating my best score. Attempt #1063

x

Divorced before Marriage .. is it possible?

If Darren and I ever get married, we run the risk of getting divorced before we even get married! The amount of paperwork and payment required for me to get married in the UK is horrendous. Ridiculous.

I wonder if we should just get married in Canada?!?!?! (Because apparently you can roll up as a visitor and get married.) Will shed some light on these findings when I find out more :)

x

5 cookies & a Lavender Dry Soda Later ...

It's 2am and I'm staring at my Twitter blatantly in need of sleep but cannot tear myself away. Instead of wasting my time hitting F5 every few minutes, I decided to supplement my addiction with bouts of productivity ... which led to finally sorting out this blog!

Now you would think my last two years living in London would have resulted in ample tidbits worthy of a blog and although I did consider keeping one while I was there, it simply never happened. It was sort of a catch 22, there was so much to do and therefore so much to write about but because I was doing so much, I never found time to blog about it.

So here I am, back in rainy Vancouver. In an unfamiliar unemployed state, I have spent countless mind-numbing hours on the Internet. I have also managed to power through half of my new read: One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell. How SATC2 of me!

I see no reason not to adopt my mantra from London: Take a chance and try something new everyday!

Last night, thanks to Donovan Mahoney, I scored some tickets to his comedy night. I haven't been to The Cellar since circa 2005 when the fashion girls and I had many rowdy nights. The Cellar now has a bit more character though I am hesitant to call it *gasp* classy! It was a comedy night, not some debauched Saturday night on the Granville strip! I had a great laugh with Mascha, from my BR days. I suggest everyone to check out The Cellar for its other LoL nights as we had one of the best laughs in recent memory.

Tonight, I ventured out into the Vancouver fashion world with the vivacious Carlie Wong. For a taste of what we got up to, check out Obakki here. Strange to be back ... more about that laters :)