The Beatles

From GQ.com


2010 indie rock band hipsters, or 1965 pop rock group from Liverpool?

If...

I ever wrote a love song I'd want it to be this good.

I think this may be my all time favorite love song.

Writers need to have "experiences" right?

A professional travel writer once told me, "to be a writer you can't be afraid to do things by yourself."

Unfortunately, I'm only okay with doing certain things by myself. Eating, sleeping, walking to the store, shopping, working out, etc... But I usually don't do things like go to the movies alone, or shows, or anything like that.

On Sunday, I decided--and somewhat necessarily--to go solo, and try like hell to sneak into the Arcade Fire show at UC Berkeley's Greek Theater.

Did I get in?

No.

I did however manage to find a nice hill top, with a decent view, and a great ear-shot of the show.

Of course Arcade Fire sounded majestic, and their passion was palpable even to us in the "cheap seats." And though I still do want to "see" Arcade Fire belt out their ravenous voices of musical odysseys, I must say I came away from my solo experience with a smile, and a greater appreciation for my fellow man.

It was refreshing to sit on a dusty hill top, with two-hundred strangers freezing our asses off, but smiling, singing, bobbing our heads, tapping our feet and enjoying each other's company.

And even though we weren't overcome with the fervor that those inside the venue were--when we sensed the end of the show was near--we moved to the edge of the boundary that we could not cross, and anticipated the opening riff of "Wake Up," so that we could let Win know that we were with him in spirit.

Then it came, and we sang.

And together, the masses inside--and us the small mass outside--joined in unison and we all became the children whose bodies have indeed gotten bigger, but with hearts that have been torn up.

So thank you Berkeleyites and strangers. For once, my lightning bolts are glowing, and I can see where I am going.


Not from AF's performance at the Greek. This is from Glastonbury in '07, but it's the best video I've ever seen of them performing this song. Amazing.

Houndstooth swag

The guy in the left of this pic is cool, but check out the brotha with the peak-lapel houndstooth jacket.

That is one sicckkk piece of menswear.

Blogger crush

Laurel Pantin via The Sartorialist

I'll confess Laurel, I've never read your Teen Vogue beauty tips blog, but you are amazingly cute.

Laurel let's go out? You can tell me all about make up, hair product, and skin beautifications... and I promise I'll start reading your beauty tips blog.

Quote of forever

"Fashion is what you buy, style is self expression and how you live."
-Swagger 360

In yo mothereffing head

This song is guaranteed to get caught in your head, and you WILL NOT be able to get it out.

BARBARA STREISAND!

Srsly good shitzzz!

Androgynous touches

Androgyny was huge in the '80s, but it has definitely made its mark recently as well.

Even if you don't go all into it--like say Elly Jackson from La Roux--many of us add little androgynous touches to outfits.

Guys wearing skinny jeans, shorter shorts, u-neck tees, flamboyant hair, etc...

Girls with oxfords, cropped hair, guys' shirts, blazers, etc...

What do you guys think of this? Down for androgyny or not?

Personally, I think it's sort of fun/funny. I'm down for anything with a sense of humor, and I think those who subscribe to heavy doses of androgyny clearly have a fun side to themselves.


Alexsandra Colombo going all in on androgyny, and doing so quite stylishly. A masculine look that she somehow still manages to make look very feminine. Perhaps its her play on proportion--fitted jacket and tank, combined with baggy trousers. The shoes don't hurt either.



Random girl doing it much more subtle. However, if you look closely, you'll see all the little touches. The jacket, the shorts, the shoes, hell a dude could just as easily be wearing this outfit. Also look at her handbag, it may as well be a briefcase.

Absinthe Drip anyone?

I've never had the infamous Absinthe Drip, but it does look enticing.

Who wants to go in on a bottle of Absinthe with me?

By the way, it's a myth that it makes you hallucinate and go crazy.

Trench coats

From Swagger 360.

The French connection

I was watching the Darjeeling Limited tonight--because I'm sort of obsessed with Wes Anderson movies right now--and I was reminded of this song, which is featured at the end of the movie.



And that song reminded me of this one.



How cool is a 1962 music video, especially one featuring the lovely Françoise Hardy? Anyway, that song reminded me of this movie.

The all-music musical Les Parapluies de Cherbourg.

Laurel Pantin

So I guess this girl is some sort of beauty tip blogger for Teen Vogue.

I just think she's cute.

Such an amazingly warm smile. Perhaps her smile warms up her feet in the snowy pic.

Arcade Fire is playing in Berkeley and I'm not going

Fuck this sucks so much.

To not see on of my all-time favorite bands, because I don't have any damn money is beyond depressing.

I don't want to be like 30-something, and see them play when they're like 40-something, and we're both past our respective primes.

This is frightfully saddening. I feel like I cannot miss this for some reason. I may go try and sell a bunch of random shit to try and get there on Saturday.

Or maybe I can wait, and hope and pray, they play Coachella this year. That would be amazing. Seeing them there would be pretty epic.

Anyway, in tribute to this amazing group here's some Arcade Fire songs.


Neighborhood 1


Wake Up



Crown of Love



Rebellion at Coachella


Amazing right?

ZZZZOOOOMMMFFFFFGGGG!!!!

Remember my Wes Anderson, Hotel Chevalier, post?

Probably not, but if you do there's this great song in the videoss. Anyway, it's called "Where Do You Go to My Lovely?" by Peter Sarstedt, and guess what?

There's freaking live performances!

This is SOOOOOO amazingly awesome on so many different levelz of awesomeness.

In earnest

I wrote this some months ago, but I feel like a lot of it still applies now. This was sort of a candid poem.

My caffeinated consciousness will not let me rest.
I lay and type, and I ponder the decisions that will decide
the horrid immediacy that is everything upcoming.
Even more so I think about no longer laying
like a Lego that is scattered afar from matching pieces.
Why do I no longer pray, and look for answers
that come in the form of an odd shape in my eggs,
or the dirt pattern on my shoe,
or the cup of my morning of coffee?
That coffee... ahh that was heavenly,
and maybe I described it so for a reason.
Or maybe the tangible taste meant more to me than
box top riddles, or tragic happenings
people just assume are meant for the better,
so that they can cope with the crappy conundrums
we call bits of suffering.
Ah please matching Lego pieces where could you be?
Where are the pieces that allow me to connect
to others that are shaped similar in size?

Of course there is the one that is shaped so perfectly,
that my piece will conjoin with it
in a union of stability.
And our pieces will strengthen
our pending project.

Style never dies

True style is forever.

It may not always be fashionable, but it is infinitely more lasting.

Like the '60s version of the Rolling Stones.



Stylish then, and stylish now.

And what the hell would a post devoted to the Rolling Stones be without some music right?

For the girls who follow my blog

Here's something I think you ladies might enjoy.

Actually, I really like this song, but I'm thinking you girls are really going to love it.

If you've never heard it enjoy, and if you have, (which may be likely, it came out two years ago) then let's all enjoy it again.

Lykke Li - Dance, Dance, Dance by firarland

Slick

This dude--from Swagger 360--makes me want to wear a suit all-day every day.

The definition of cool.

The pic also sort of reminds me of a Wale song. Truthfully--as far as dress goes--it should remind me of a Theophilus London song, but I think Wale's music fits the swagger this dude has, no?

Anyway, I'll post both and you tell me what vibe matches this picture.

Try and not watch the video, because if you do you'll definitely say Theophilus for sure. Hell this dude even looks sort of like Theophilus.

Idk its close.

Polka dots, pumps, and purses

Scott Schuman always finds exceptional.

These ladies look amazing right?

I love the woman in the leopard pumps and the polka dots. And what a cool way to contrast her look, with that very masculine timepiece.

The other ladies hand bag is pretty neato too. Reminds me of "pieces of flair" from Office Space.

Who knew that you could make "pieces of flair" look cool?

From the first CD I ever owned

I was like in 5th or 6th grade when this came out, but The Wallflowers-Bringing Down the Horse, was the first CD I ever wanted, and bought for myself.

This was the single, One Headlight.

I still love this song lol.