manifesto

I've moved ...

2009-10-08T17:23:00.001+13:00

to wordpress http://kebabette.wordpress.com/
I still love you blogger but all my other work blogs are over there ...
See you there peeps!

Party like it's 1986 everybody Wang Chung tonight

2009-07-30T21:13:00.004+12:00

Yearbook Yourself 1986
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Ok tonight is clearly the night for silly picture making. Thanks Mo-mo for providing a flock of giggles with yearbookyourself.com

So 1986 or 1964 for me I think.

Most likely the 80s ...

Notable hits in 1986:
* "Addicted To Love" - Robert Palmer
* "Breakout" - Swing Out Sister
* "Bigmouth Strikes Again"- The Smiths
* "Big Time" - Peter Gabriel
* "Bizarre Love Triangle" - New Order
* "Captain of Her Heart" - Double
* "Chain Reaction" - Diana Ross
* "Digging Your Scene" - The Blow Monkeys
* "Everybody Have Fun Tonight" - Wang Chung
* "Holding Back the Years" - Simply Red
* "Holding Out For A Hero" - Bonnie Tyler
* "Kiss" - Prince and the Revolution
* "Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
* "Lessons in Love" - Level 42
* "Mad About You" - Belinda Carlisle
* "Manic Monday" - The Bangles
* "Notorious" - Duran Duran
* "A Question of Lust" - Depeche Mode
* "Rock Me Amadeus" - Falco
* "Sledgehammer" - Peter Gabriel
* "Sometimes" - Erasure
* "The Sun Always Shines On TV" - a-ha
* "The Sweetest Taboo" - Sade
* "System Addict" - Five Star
* "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin
* "The Final Countdown" - Europe
* "Throw Your Arms Around Me" - Hunters + Collectors
* "True Colors" - Cyndi Lauper
* "Two Of Hearts" - Stacey Q
* "Venus" - Bananarama
* "Walk This Way" - Run DMC featuring Aerosmith
* "We Built This City" - Starship
* "West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys
* "Word Up"- Cameo
* "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)" - Beastie Boys
* "You Give Love a Bad Name" - Bon Jovi

Mad Men Me

2009-07-30T20:25:00.001+12:00

Mad Men Me
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Mad Men is hotter than a cloud of foxes.

Thanks to Pretty pretty pretty and Spare Room for the heads up.

Who wouldn't want to be the saucepot Joan, or make out with the dapper Don?

Sabrina's songs

2009-07-26T18:41:00.002+12:00

These are my two favourite songs to sing to Sabrina.
Tallulah from Bugsy Malone (with Tallulah replaced by Sabrina):

and the other is a country number by Charlie Rich

And am adding the rockabye series to her repertoire, The Cure has gone down well with the whole household and the neighbours

Twitter & some staggering works of heartbreaking genius

2009-07-26T18:34:00.004+12:00

http://twitter.com/kebabette
... the siren lure of twitter has finally sucked me in. it's montana poetry day and it's like writing a bastard haiku ...

Twitter's just like having fun with your facebook status really. Will see if it takes.

Musically - I'm in love. With Dan Black and Johnny West. Different sounds, but both with an uncanny way with lyrics.

Colours and sounds that blow my tiny mind

2009-06-27T16:19:00.007+12:00

Squint Limited - bespoke upholstered furniture
The music & sound of Miss Emily Brown
Bookplates for free from the wonderful Children's Bookshop
As ever, Irregular Choice shoes - from sequinned wrestling boots to holographic heels
The return of Stuart Murdoch of Belle and Sebastian
Sweet pea baby hats - combine faux fur with ribbon and you have a whole world of cuteness
Fun with The Fashion Police
Blythe beauty competition

And a question to contemplate - Cheese School or Nude School?

Baby Vogue-ing

2009-06-21T17:32:00.001+12:00

Nestled in
Originally uploaded by kebabette

I love this photo of Sabrina. Never thought I'd say this but respect to Anne Geddes cos babies are hard to capture with a camera. Phenomenal cuteness! She's trying to say some words, it came out like "brrm brrm" so maybe she's taking an early interest in motor sports ...

I haven't been watching much early morning C4 lately but the other day I saw this one. Supergrass has long been a fave of mine - I remember buying their first cd and getting a t-shirt with Hugh Grant's mug shot on it.. Went to their concert years ago, even got a cd signed when they came to Christchurch. Anyways, I liked this a lot - is like a mini doc and who can resist a mermaid

Fornasetti

2009-06-20T11:29:00.002+12:00

Fornasetti cushions
Originally uploaded by kebabette

In the era of the remix and the mashup, the way the designer Fornasetti worked and reworked this same face is inspirational.

The serene face so endlessly repeated is that of Lina Cavalieri, an Italian soprano renowned for her beauty.

I've long loved his work - have got a book (the library has it too - Fornasetti: Designer of Dreams) a Swatch watch and Marion O kindly scored me a brooch in Melbourne featuring my favourite image - the face in armour.

Flickr has some cool images with the Fornasetti tag.

This week I spotted these cushions in Annex in Victoria Street - and realised Trade Me might be worth a look. There are some badges, plates and necklaces for sale. I'm plumping for the badges - after a hot auction where the price skyrocketed, they came again on a 'buy now' so I leaped on in.

More Trade me subjects:
Fornasetti
Art deco and retro
Brooches

White Lies

2009-06-02T21:00:00.001+12:00

I love White Lies and their album "To lose my life" is on high rotate at our place. Enjoy their deep dark majesty.

Things to delight your eyes ...

2009-05-21T21:09:00.003+12:00

Coffee Group babies
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Busby Berkeley stylee babies

My new slippers from Japan - Thanks F and K!!

Go fug yourself ... yes yes I know we all love the fashionista laughfest but what category causes most amusement? POLTERWANG!

Gok Wan is in NZ - love him immensely - see him on Close up, Breakfast, loving his show Fashion Fix - we've got him at the library too and on the library blog.

Were I to dally on Trade Me my key words would be ...

2009-05-18T20:14:00.009+12:00

Blythe
rose
lace
boots
sequin/s/ed
velvet
fur
coats
jackets
shoes
opal
tanzanite
trelise cooper
tamsin cooper
coffee tables
...

Congratulations ...

2009-05-17T00:27:00.005+12:00

... to Moata for winning a Qantas Media Award for her Blog Idle. Totally deserved, she shows those celeb bloggers how it's done - with a styling vocabulary and turn of phrase, plus sharp and smart observations.
... and to Moata and the rest of the team from Christchurch City Libraries at the Auckland Readers and Writers Festival for bringing it on back home to those of us who can't be there in person. And to the library for supporting NZ Music Month and music in general.

My signature dish = Spinach lasagne

2009-05-16T23:17:00.002+12:00

I can't remember where I got this recipe from, but it's the bomb:

Spinach lasagne (serves 6)

2 large onions (peeled, chopped)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 400g cans tomatoes (whole ones or those neat new cans with already blended tomato mixtures are best)
900 g spinach - cooked, drained, chopped (this sounds like an awful lot, I never use this much ... you can also use silverbeet instead and throw in other soft veges such as courgettes, mushrooms etc)
350 g cream cheese (I usually just use a pottle which is less in size)
2 sheets fresh lasagne (most packets have 6 - I open the bag of fresh lasagne and split into 3 portions for freezing - so 1 packet will do 3 of this recipe)
Topping - breadcrumbs
You can also add in other cheeses with the cream cheese - parmesan, mozzarella, whatever

1. Fry onions in oil 5 mins, add garlic and fry another 5 mins without browning.
2. Puree 3 tbsp of onion mix with tomatoes. If using already chopped up cans, you can just mix them in together.
Add the rest of the onion mix to the spinach together with the cream cheese/cheeses.
3. Put layer of spinach mix into bottom of shallow ovenproof dish and cover with layer of lasagne, then half tomato sauce mic. Repeat the layers, ending with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top, and maybe a dash of cheese.

Bake uncovered in preheated oven (190 degrees C or 375 Degrees F) for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with salad

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

My other recipe pick - Fresh Lemon Loaf from the Edmonds Cookbook, with some poppyseeds added in. Really tasty stuff this.

Return of The Manics

2009-05-10T12:42:00.007+12:00

I haven't been taken by a book so instantly as seeing this on the shelf at Whitcoulls. Gorgeous!Around the world with Mouk : a trail of adventure / Marc Boutavant ; [translated by Linda Burgess].

And was utterly captivated on a cold Sunday listening to an interview with Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers on the essential The Guardian Music Weekly - plus the full interview as an extra.

Miss New Zealand - High heels, high hopes. Highly entertaining look behind the scenes of this rather antiquated competition. Would make a most excellent reality show.

Loaves, Fishes and Girls with big eyes

2009-05-06T15:22:00.011+12:00

Remember ...
Old school baking? Am hoping to get hold of a copy of Allyson Gofton's new book Bake as I am on a baking kick. Loaves to be exact. I'm trying to cut down on the biscuits and sweeties and have switched to a nice slice of loaf with my cuppa. So easy to make, especially in those silicon loaf container. Thus far have made banana, date, and my own invention ... glace cherries and pebbles. Citrussy ones next I think. On the food side of things, last week we enjoyed a fresh fish agenda. City Seafood Market is the place to go and we've decided to do the fresh fish thing every week. So dang tasty and good for you.

Those 70s painting of cute kids and kittens with big big moist eyes? Sas Christian does something similar for today. Adorable.

Gene? Indie band of 90s touted as a bit like The Smiths with an archly foppish frontman Martin Rossiter? Time to listen to them again if you stopped (I never did, way too catchy and melodic to forget).

Designer John Galliano? Been hankering to sample his new fragrance Galliano - my sister kindly sent me a sample from Melbourne and it measures up to all expectations. Which is no small achievement as my hopes were high. It's stunning and reminds me of many of my favourite fragrance attributes - Chanel no 5, Guerlain, soft powdery, divine.

Blythe Love? Haven't bought any for a while but still feeling the Blythes.
Doronjo x Blythe

Le Jardin de Maman

and ...

2009-05-03T21:00:00.002+12:00

More goodies.
* The coolest dance video in ages
I give you "Polite dance song" by The Bird and the Bee
* hot news - upcoming music by Jarvis Cocker, Stuart Murdoch (of Belle and Sebastian fame) and the Manic Street Preachers. Wow.
* Remember this? Dodgy inferences about the Lone Ranger and Tonto ahoy

Smile like you mean it

2009-05-02T18:55:00.004+12:00

What's making me smile?
ah, the usual
* Sequins - even on bed (why the hell not, good one Koylee)
* Zombies spouting black liquor. From the Handsome Furs

* and especially Sabrina (and her baby talk)!

I've Cottoned On

2009-04-17T12:05:00.006+12:00

On one of my Melbourne trips I was introduced to the institution which is Cotton On. T-shirts, sweatshirts and other cool basics. Later it turned up on our shores. And it has branched out. One of my favourite shops is Cotton on Body. I discovered this offshoot of Cotton On in Queen Street, Auckland and got a good haul ... plushy dressing gown, fancy pants etc. Recently discovered there is one at Dressmart Hornby Christchurch (yay) and one in Riccarton which I haven't visited. It's great stuff, nice materials, bright and lots of cool 50s pinup style ... gingham, polka dots etc.

Yesterday I went to another Cotton on ... the one for kids in Northlands Mall as another baby mama told me they have stuff for bubs as well. And a sale. Scored some lovelies ... an adorable tartan dress, and some rompers plus a plain black t with "Security" written on it. And this one ...

Huzzah for bargains and nifty stuff.

The Frogging Aesthetic

2009-04-15T09:32:00.003+12:00

Probably my favourite apparel for men is of this ilk ... military ... hussar jackets, with frogging etc, highway men coats. It probably had its heyday in the 60s when louche young men strode about town in such apparel. And then there were costume drama movie roles like Terence Stamp in "Far from the Madding Crowd" ...

Here are some exhibits:
See Adam and the Ants

Revived recently by the likes of The Libertines, and Kasabian

and Aussies Empire of the Sun

Songs du jour

2009-04-15T09:16:00.005+12:00

Here's a selection of my musical cheers:
Number one: Doves "Kingdom of rust" - soulful, lyrical, stunning music (there's a nice orchestral version about the place). It reminds me a little of the 80s classic "Wonderful life" by Black ... possibly because of its beautiful melancholy and video:

"Love letter to Japan" by The bird and the bee - again a great video as well as a song. I love the line "I will lay down precisely at your feet"

Guerilla interweb

2009-04-09T18:17:00.003+12:00

Having a baby is a whole new adventure, and is pretty wonderful.

But of course noodling round on the internet is somewhat curtailed. It becomes a guerilla mission ... and it's revealing what you look at when you only have a moment or two. I take a quick look at news, Moata's Blog Idle, email and facebook. Listen to The Guardian Music Weekly podcast. Go Fug yourself. And add baby pics on to flickr!

Welcome Sabrina

2009-02-26T16:23:00.003+13:00

Sabrina was born Tuesday 19 February, weighing 6 pound 14 of sweetness. She's sleeping beside me in her bassinet while I update my interwebs.

Family and friends and workmates etc have been so kind, thoughtful and lovely I am getting all teary. Thanks to you all.

Feedjitting

2009-02-04T12:57:00.010+13:00

Since I added Feedjit to the blog I've been enjoying the joy of geography: Katy, Texas; Cote d'Azur; Milan; Sint-gillis-waas, Belgium; Chihuahua, Mexico; Oxford; Zurich; Brampton, Ontario; Chicago.

Other things I've been enjoying the last wee while:

Thanks to Fraser for the heads up on Tiltshiftmaker. Here's my attempt at modelising.

Baby shower fun
Thanks to Sar for my Wire tshirt
Filles Sourires - music blog. Fragile girls. Singing In French. Making Me Sigh. Any questions?:
This year, Serge & Jane's eponymous duet Je t'aime...moi non plus celebrates it's 40th birthday. It's also forty years since L'Année Érotique - 1969 is also the year I was born.
Jethro Cave - son of old Nick and very much a Gothic chip off the block. And in the genius gear of Hedi Slimane.
Teenage fashion bloggers.
Billy Childish. Discovered via the feverishly beautiful photography books of Tim Walker:
we live in an age of great passing
Many are passing from us now
Wave to the animals we once knew
The horn'd ones
The slippery fish
And the white bear

Horror returns
Or
Horror smiles as it has always smiled

Good bye saber-tooth tiger
Good bye woolly rhino
Good bye smiling whale
Good by un classified insect
In a fallen rain forest

Millions die in a secret catalogue
Of disasters
All are disappearing
Vanishing from the earth forever
Thumbless spider monkeys
wave good bye
Snow leopard
Moth and butterfly

Horror returns
Or
smiles as it has always smiled

Synth Heroine

2009-01-18T14:17:00.006+13:00

One of the best ideas this week - Synth Hero. Bring. It. On. Who wouldn't want to channel Nick Rhodes and come over all moody and electro. And what songs would feature? Here are some of Greg Howson's suggestions:

... Kraftwerk - The Model ... the entirety of Dare by the Human League, and most of Depeche Mode's catalogue (though Personal Jesus could easily be on Guitar Hero) ... early Prodigy? – maybe some of Saint Etienne's more electronic moments. And it won't be 80s and 90s classics only. There is loads of contempary stuff - Little Boots, Ladytron, Hot Chip, Errors etc - to keep this from being a retro collection. Yes, Synth Hero may have a more European appeal but you could always stick in Van Halen's Jump to keep the traditionalists happy

On the clothing front, these loose charcoal astrology tops from Max look great - slouchy & sultry.

I'm still in love with The Guardian's music coverage. They preview 2009, singling out some of the acts I've enjoyed this year - Little Boots, White Lies, La Roux etc. See also The Times picks - La Roux and White Lies (again) and the fabulous Empire of the Sun.

I've just discovered their New band of the day feature.

Ralph Fiennes on The Reader and Oedipus.

Hottie curmudgeon AA Gill on film. I love his restaurant reviews, so here's something new to savour.

NY and new petites

2009-01-02T21:05:00.003+13:00

Bloomy Bloomsbury. Adorable, love the argyle socks. But it is the kimono bedecked Suzume no Uta (the song of the sparrow) j'adore. With pink geta.

Have flickred some Christmas season photos.