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.

Post Boxing Day

2008-12-27T17:19:00.007+13:00

Today has been a mix of sun-snoozing and reading "a crime classic by the creator of The Wire" Homicide by David Simon.

So here's the recent internetty goodies:
Upcoming music from the divine Patrick Wolf. From what I've heard, it's as stunningly melodic as ever with an extra soupcon of hardedge. Love.

The coolest screensaver - spotted courtesy of Nubby Twiglet. Turns your monitor into a modernist clock.

Classic NZ music vids from the New Zealand Film Archive - Ready to Roll

Reasons to be glad NZ Christmas is in summer - holiday sweaters.

My book of the year online - Perfumes: the Guide

Cute onesies from Threadless - plus a nicely literary t.

TV t-shirts from the Holy Moly shop - especially The Wire ones. Where's the Stringer Bell one?

Like this I Claudius referencing music vid "Direct Hit" by Art Brut

Reason #1 to buy an iPod - this old skool boombox from Rough Trade

I am going back to my old swatches - and squiggly.com helped me identify the ones I have:
Che
Nadia Comaneci
Piero Fornasetti
And finally - some beautiful libraries.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

2008-12-09T19:33:00.004+13:00

I've been finding some Christmas tunes with a difference:
The wonderful Mark Vidler of Go Home Productions has gifted us with Christmas Stuffing - a melange featuring Jennifer Lopez, Paul McCartney, The Sex Pistols, Boston etc. Yum.

Blog Songs:Illinois has done a groovy Christmas mix featuring tasty morsels like Christmas Is For Losers by Mike Nicolai, I Hate Fucking Christmas (live) by Steve Poltz, Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis by Neko Case and my personal fave title What Do You Give A Wookie For Christmas? -Savanteous Q Malmsteen.

This is not a Christmas video, but tis about the "The expense of spirit in a waste of shame". Kinda.

This life

2008-12-08T12:21:00.016+13:00

Have your say - on Public Address's Word of the Year. Last year Te Qaeda was the winner. This year, looks like a variation on roflnui could take out the title.

Remember the 90s Brit series This Life? There's a follow up thingie - This Life + 10 (UKTV, 8.30pm). The actors playing the very fanciable Miles (Jack Davenport) and Egg (Andrew Lincoln) are recognisable, having gone on to do other movies and telly. Anna was a bloody strong feisty Scot, brilliantly portrayed by Daniella Nardini, here she is with Miles.

Kermit does LCD soundsystem "NY I love you" (courtesy of The Guardian)

More proof that Kimi Raikkonen is delishdelish from Tag Heuer

Want a movie that combines Mad Max, zombie flicks, Aliens, and Excalibur? Plus soundtrack featuring Adam and the Ants, Siouxie and the Banshees and Fine Young Cannibals? Aston Martins? Oh and Malcolm McDowell? You know you do ... it's Doomsday and it is so bad it's good.

What a great article (and title) - Smelly Masterpieces by Angus Trimble - a critique of Perfumes by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez.

I did a double take when I saw this Guardian article ... Afghan-born Prix Goncourt winner Atiq Rahimi is the doppelganger of our beloved Nicholas Cave, is he not?

'Le freak' c'est chic on model circuit - The Age

The gorgeous Joan from Mad Men - Ginger Va Va Voom

My favourite band du jour - Boy Crisis (see their myspace:
effing genius awesome:

Boy Crisis is an American Proto-Post Popular Music Band from the United States following the Rhythm & Blues Tradition of such classic acts as The Ronettes and New Edition, carrying on the Great Western Tradition of cultural appropriation in an attempt to forge at least some semblance of interpersonally translatable empathy and compassion and at most, true love. Two useful terms a music journalist might feel compelled to use in describing them would be: "danceable" and "pop hooks." Boy Crisis is a "Brooklyn buzz band." They are well-liked in the blogosphere. They are hip and marketable to several youthy demographics. They have "crossover appeal." They have an "ethnic band member." Boy Crisis is a semi-cosmic cultural entity. Their spaced-out vibe is totally tubular. They are the conundrum of masculinity and youth. They are a limited liability corporation.

Sunday's stuff

2008-11-16T20:30:00.005+13:00

I usually prefer analog to digital watches, but the new Huffer store online could sway me. The Golden Olden is ultra chic.

Always big-upping The Wire ... and here's a version of the theme song Way down in the hole from MIA and Blaqstarr courtesy of The Guardian.

Johnny Marr discusses the new Smiths compilation

How come the supposedly best bottom in DA WORLD is spotty???

Let us spray from the Sunday Times Style. The new Stephen Jones/Comme des Garcons perfume sounds divine:

I wanted it to somehow smell like outer space and to be slightly space-agey — which is weird, coming from a hat maker, because even though we try to escape the past, the Queen Mother is our patron saint. So I wanted to have something modernistic, but still quite sweet and familiar. Eventually, I came up with the concept of a violet hit by a meteorite.” Of course he did. Housed in a black bottle inspired by a late 19th-century ink bottle, the fragrance — a blend of violet, cloves and mandarin — is, according to Jones, what the Comme des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo said it should be: “Strong and beautiful; that is the way she describes Comme des Garçons’ fragrances.”

Canoodling couples have lower stress hormones

Sunday Salon: I heart Brian de Bois-Guilbert

2008-11-16T20:10:00.006+13:00

My recent posts on Christchurch City Libraries

The Fire Gospel by Michel Faber - "a visceral read - literally - blood, guts and the byproducts of humanity"

I've got a crush on you - literary crushes - "You can rely on The Guardian’s fab books section to come up with some entertaining mind teasers. This one is fun Who is your literary crush? (my favourite answer comes from filleperdu ”I wouldn’t mind trying to make Morse happy”). Alas I discovered it too late to add my pick. I hate to be a cliche and pick a bad boy but … my once and future lit lover is Brian de Bois-Guilbert from Ivanhoe.

and the New Romantics - autobiographies from Tony Hadley, Adam Ant etc

I am not in the office at the moment ...

2008-11-05T18:47:00.010+13:00

Funny story on the BBC site:

When officials asked for the Welsh translation of a road sign, they thought the reply was what they needed. Unfortunately, the e-mail response to Swansea council said in Welsh: "I am not in the office at the moment. Send any work to be translated".

Another cool street style spotter: Facehunter. He's got a few shots of Melbourne Cup fashion, there are more here at The Age.

Leonard Cohen is coming ... in January 09. Pure perfection.

Went to the Tony Hadley (lead singer of Spandau Ballet) and Paul Young concert on Monday night at the James Hay Theatre, Christchurch. Bloody good show and showmanship. Young even did a tasty version of "Love will tear us apart".

Another fabulous Threadless t I am in deep amour with. Time travel's always going to push my buttons.

Good news - Battlestar Galactica season 4 set to be released in NZ in December.

Still the best podcast out there - The Guardian Music Weekly. Last week's was particularly wonderful ... Tony Christie on the making of his album "This is Sheffield".

Bands and musicians from Sheffield - it's an astonishing lineup. ABC, Human League, Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, hey Joe AND Jarvis Cocker.

Must be on a bit of a Sheffield kick, as am also enjoying the stonking novel set in that city - The Northern Clemency. It's got the meatiness and substance of a big Victorian novel.

Sunday Salon: I'm your Fan

2008-10-19T11:27:00.005+13:00

You know how sometimes you find you're unintentionally reading books with the same theme? I've stumbled on a couple of fan memoirs: Freddie and me: A coming of age (Bohemian) rhapsody by Mike Dawson and Dalek I Loved you by Nick Griffiths.

There's something wonderfully funny and involving about fandom, it involves a suspension of shame, a willingness to throw yourself fully into something and not care how silly you look. It's an innocent love (except for its darker stalkery cousin).

Mike Dawson's memoir is a graphic novel, quite beautiful and resonant. His devoted fandom is a way into exploring his life, his family and his memories. And to tease his sister for her George Michael obsession ... I've only just starred Griffiths, and it shows a keenness to dirty his feet in memories too.

Over on the Christchurch City Libraries blog, I've indulged in a bit of hero worship myself - of Mr Stephen Fry, and the concept album.

Blythey temptations

2008-10-15T20:30:00.004+13:00

Too pretty not to share:
Mademoiselle Chocolat de Q-pot

Night flower

and this gorgeous little Russian inspired Bebe Babushka. She's lovely and dusty in colouring.

SCAPEing

2008-10-15T19:55:00.004+13:00

My 201st post!!

Christchurch is doing public art for the SCAPE Biennial. There's lots to enjoy - and here's a few of my photos.

If you want more scenes of the street, well street fashion in particular, I've been enjoying The Sartorialist. It's a joy.

As is Leunig, the genius cartoonist. Love him madly. This is my favourite, and you can get it on a t-shirt.

For bibliophiles, I have two goodies. A fab library featured in Wired (including a copy of my dream book the Kelmscott Chaucer). And the bibliochaise.

Music wise, I am in deep thrall to Amanda Palmer - she brings the drama, the passion, and her new concept album Who killed Amanda Palmer? knocks me out. Her web site is right styley too, and featured vids and the photo book done with Neil Gaiman.

Mercury Rev is also wonderful and at the moment you can join their mailing list and get the album Strange Attractor to download for free! Power to them. Their album (and NME's 1998 album of the year) Deserter's Songs is one of the stalwarts of my CD collection, could happily listen to it anytime. "All is dream" is luscious too. Huzzah!

Sunday Salon: Morrissey, Dictator Chic and it ain't Anne Rice

2008-10-05T14:10:00.004+13:00

This week I danced with Morrissey, nearly read Meetings with Morrissey by Len Brown in one sitting - a tribute to the subject and the writer. Music biographies are a hairy beast, sometimes leading you to a renewed/fresh infatuation with the muso in question (reading about Kate Bush this year has made me buy some more of her CDs) or just coming across as a glorified discography/cut & paste of newspaper articles.

Len Brown has got into the nuts&bolts of Morrissey and his numerous cultural signifiers - especially his deep reverence and connection to Oscar Wilde. Most of us probably knew about his interest in James Dean (as demonstrated in the "Suedehead" video) and various Smiths cover stars like Warhol star Joe Dallesandro. But I had no idea of the extent of his Wilde-olatry. He has an extensive collection of Wilde first editions, but his admiration is not merely that of a collector but of an soul connected acolyte.

There's lots to revel in here, and the quote of the week comes from another Morrissey icon Kenneth Williams of "Carry on" fame - the last words in his diary are "Oh what's the bloody point".

I usually try to avoid the book sale at the library - too much temptation, and trying not to acquire books (except internally) but I wandered past an purchased "The Proposition" soundtrack, The New Zealand historical atlas, an illustrated book of Roman myths, a book of William Morris's poery and Dictator Style by Peter York. A satisfying haul. Dictator style is a thing of righteous horror, surely the garish interior design of despots like Idi Amin and Nicolae Ceausescu is an indicator of their grotesquerie. A nasty funny piece of work.

Ditched:
The Host by Stephenie Meyer - it ain't Anne Rice. Obviously. It just didn't grab me like I needed, I wanted lurid fun.
Who are you : the life of Pete Townshend : a biography by Mark Ian Wilkerson. Now this looks like it's worth a read, very dense and intelligent but at over 600 pages requring close reading now isn't the time.

Polyvore Omnivore

2008-09-30T20:00:00.004+13:00

I've been meaning to play with Polyvore . Here's my first go ... a purple and pink party piece. What a great tool, as they say "a unique web application that lets people mix and match images from anywhere on the web, to create outfits, interior designs, or any kind of collage".

On the perfume front, from the blog Now smell this:
Boudicca, the outre fashion house, is creating a perfume called Wode. It sounds incredibly intriguing, and one version is 'blue paint'.

Contrariwise - a web site of literary inspired tattoos. My own (single) tattoo is inspired by Malory/Tennyson and the whole King Arthur mythos:

The Charlatans and Dirty Pretty things take on Monsieur Ant, o joy:

Sunday Salon: The essence of 80s and the Lambs

2008-09-23T20:36:00.014+12:00

Given that I've had a bit of an 80s themed weekend, I thought I'd think about what book sums up the essence of 80s.

My 80s weekend consisted of joining the Real Hot Bitches dance troupe in their routine dancin to Bon Jovi (that's my dancing legwarmers). In Christchurch's Cathedral Square. And watching the honest and emotionally powerful movie by Shane Meadows (set in 1983) This is England.

What book is the essence of 80s? The novel that popped into my head was American Psycho . I'm not sure why ... yes it is set in the late 80s but there's more than that. It's not New Romantic, New Wave or any of the good bits of the 80s. It sums up the Gordon Gekko, Wall Street nasty venality of the "Greed is good" era.

It is cocaine, torture, hardbodies, Phil Collins and Huey Lewis, and rampant consumerism. It is the most disturbing book I've ever read.

Over on the Christchurch City Libraries blog, I wrote about 84 Charing Cross Road & The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, with a special tribute to Charles Lamb:

He had a genius for sympathy that not one of his great friends could touch. When Wordsworth chided him for not caring enough about nature, Charles wrote, ‘I have no passion for groves and valleys. The rooms where I was born, the furniture which has been before my eyes all my life … old chairs, old streets, squares where I have sunned myself … have I not enough, without your Mountains? I do not envy you. I should pity you, did I not know, that the Mind will make friends of any thing.’

Sunday Salon: Phallic Frenzy, Potato Peels, Love&Rockets

2008-09-21T17:12:00.008+12:00

My first Sunday Salon ...

Every Sunday the bloggers participating in that week's Salon get together--at their separate desks, in their own particular time zones--and read. And blog about their reading.

I'm keen to join in, to explore my reading a bit further. I'll delve into what I'm reading this week and link to what I've blogged on the library blog.

This week I've finished
Phallic Frenzy: the films of Ken Russell by Joseph Lanza. I've long been a fan of Russell's garish movies, especially "Gothic" with its surrealist visions and hysteria. It focuses on that infamous night when Mary Shelley created Frankenstein and Polidori spawned the Vampyre. Surely this was one of the pivotal moments of literature - and Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley were in attendance.

Ken also directed the movie "Salome's last dance" which as an Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley fan I must track down and watch. He seems to have a particular aptitude for literary adaptations, his renderings of D.H. Lawrence into film comes in for particular attention.

This is a well written, thorough book about one of film's most visionary mavericks.

I started on The Guernsey Potato Peel and Literary society by Mary Ann Shaffer. It's a delight and I can see why it's come in for such loving attention. It's a book lovers dream, about the love of books and their transforming power. As such, it's in the vein of 84 Charing Cross Road, a bibliophile's novel in letters.

So far I am learning about the various characters, revolving around main character the author Juliet Ashton (nom de plume Izzy Bickerstaff) who writes to her friend, her publisher and a widening circle of Guernsey residents. It's a beautiful depiction of World War Two and the post war world, and as yet has not fallen into the trap of twee-ness.

My other book this week is Perla la loca: a love and rockets graphic novel by Jamie Hernandez. There is something so immediate and punchy about the Love and Rockets books. I picked one up on a whim and got drawn into a story - the female characters are sexy, strong and filled with power and energy. I want to explore this series more.

On the Christchurch City Libraries blog, I wrote about getting a mighty thrill to find TWO of my favourite authors have new books on the way. Oh happy day!:
Book geekdom - new books from Peter Ackroyd and Michel Faber

Like a bird on The Wire

2008-09-16T21:06:00.005+12:00

We are fully immersed in The Wire season 4. In fact I'm just waiting for SS to come home so we can watch the finale. What is about this show? It has garnered massive acclaim, critical and popular. It's the writing, the acting, the development and richness of story. And I can't think of any other show where there are so many interesting characters ... Bubbles, Omar, Stringer Bell, McNulty, Michael, Prez, Bunk, I could go on and on. There's just no show that has so many rounded, fascinating, growing and idiosyncratic characters.

The Guardian has a good sum up of the show's appeal:

It is this careful development of character and plot that has seen The Wire rightly compared to great epic novels. Initially billed as a cop show (a label that Ed Burns's writing partner David Simon describes as a "necessary Trojan Horse"), it bears no resemblance to any cop show you might have seen.

Damn straight. I'm not particularly enamoured of cop shows, but The Wire is a world of its own. See also their 9 reasons why ...

I've also just finished reading Phallic Frenzy - Ken Russell and his films by Joseph Lanza. Long been a fan of 'Gothic' ... might need to explore further (especially 'Salome's Last Dance' - as a Beardsley/Wilde fan I should totally be up on that). There's a good selection of movies directed by Ken at Alices.

Palin madness

2008-09-09T09:07:00.003+12:00

If you had any doubt of the BIGness of the Sarah Palin story ... it has affected me. This innocent little Flickr pic of my sister Sarah meeting the wounderful Michael Palin has allova sudden had 14,113 views (and still rising. What a giggle.

Dancing in the Square - Festival overload

2008-09-02T20:11:00.006+12:00

It's New Zealand Book Month in September. And from September 4 to 7 it's The Press Christchurch Writers Festival. I'll be there as roving reporter and blogger, plus taking part on a panel sesh cleverly titled Not another bloody blog... Also on the panel are the wonderful Kiwi author Rachael King (her blog The Sound of butterflies rocks the casbah) and American Mark Sarvas, of The Elegant Variation fame. Chair is Guy Somerset, arts and books editor at The Listener.

It's going to be a booky bloggy wonderland of a few days, and the library blog has started the discussions going already.

A couple of weeks The Body Festival takes over from the mind ... and everyone in Christchurch can join in a bit of spandex and lycra mania. There's a world record attempt taking place on Friday September 26 at 5pm in t'Cathedral Square, Christchurch. "That’s right, to launch the Body Festival 2008 the RHBs invite you to listen to the dancer inside yourself and become part of history; join your blistering, or otherwise, dance talents with theirs to create the largest synchronized dance routine the world has ever seen!"
Turn up from 5.00pm for tuition with the RHBs. 6.00pm - official rehearsals start. 7.00pm - we go for gold!

The library massive and friends will be there, hot pink, gold lurex, lame and sparkle fo sho.

Here be the moves (to the tune of "You give love a bad name" by Bon Jovi) and to get the sartorial style down check out Real Hot Bitches site.

Dance Video inspiration:
Olivia Newton John gets physical - sweatband heaven
Maniac by Michael Sembello (from Flashdance)

Since I left you by The Avalanches (the dancing miners kick it)

Springin

2008-08-20T20:32:00.004+12:00

Oh this winter of our discontent, it's so cold cold and long. Going to be -3 tonight.
Friggin flu is wearing me out. Fight the power with flowers. Dotti's got this brooch/hair decoration and some lush floral frocks.

This gorgeous blog (Swedish?) was namechecked on Runway Reporter and is full of Spring-y delights. Including gypsophila in her hair and floral tights.

On the spring cleaning/decluttering/sprucing tip - loved the book Apartment Therapy and here's the website. Christchurch City Libraries has the book (of course). Thanks to Joyce for the heads up on this one (and for knowing I would like the girlie kitsch apartment with its lashings of salmon pink and dolly displays).

Somewhere in the comments field at Public address was a reference to Hark! A Vagrant. The cartoons are pretty dang cute.

And the Olympics will always be entertainment plus, so long as there's gymnastics. Usually I'm all about the floor but this time the pommel horse and beam have won me over. Respect.

Lily Wild

2008-08-12T19:38:00.002+12:00

It's been a long time since a Petite Blythe had me tempted, but this girl called Lily Wild is just gorgeous and looks a bit like my little sister Sarah.

Weird and Sexy and Wall of Voodoo

2008-08-07T20:15:00.005+12:00

Nerve has just come out with the top 50 sexiest music videos ever ever. Brings back some memories, but also the chance for some watching of ones I've never heard of.
On the list is Heart, Rihanna, Duran Duran and the oft imitated sifty loucheness of Fiona Apple's Criminal. Out of those on this list I'm plumping for Chris Isaak's Wicked Game ... sexy sexy song that takes it slow and smooth, deepsultrybreathy vocals, Chris and his marvellous pugilist's nose and profile just eating up the camera, luscious Helena Christensen with eyes gleaming, black and white Herbs Ritts photography, rolling round in the ocean. Hell yeah.

On a weirder video tip, remember this one from the 80s? Wall of Voodoo did the ace "Mexican Radio" too. This song is a freaked out version of The Beach Boys "Do it again" with a cameo appearance by Brian Wilson. It has a real mutant genius, and sound effects at the start sound a bit like the Tardis.

OH! You prettyprettypretty things

2008-08-05T18:34:00.003+12:00

You know how much I like pretty pretty pretty - make sure you click through and pay them a visit. All the best info on makeups and good ole girly stuff.

Threadless has come up with THE most irresistible t-shirt I've seen in an age - kitten, lasers, horn rimmed glasses - Check.

Other pretty things on my mind:
David Tennant as Hamlet. I was all ready to proclaim Hottest.Hamlet.Ever and then I recalled long haired Ralph Fiennes ...

Music of the year - month by month from The Times

Nigella has some serious competition - Russell Brand and the boys from the Mighty Boosh are amongst the fans of her hot cookies - it's Cookie Girl.

The secret to the perfect Bond theme. Now that's Amy Winehouse is out, it's Jack White and Alicia Keys.

If I was in Wellington, I'd be up for this Hogarth exhibition. I'm all about the 18th century y'all.

It's adios to the lovely John Simms in Life on Mars. A wonderful last episode and great use of the theme song. The fabulously sexist funny DCI Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) and two of his coppers will be appearing in the follow-up show Ashes to Ashes. This time it's London 1981 and criminal profiler Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) also ends up in a coma and working with the Hunt. Coolio. It'll be on Prime later this year. Mark E. Smith loves Gene Hunt, it's all through his autobiography Renegade.

Assortments and splits

2008-07-28T18:24:00.007+12:00

Mercury Prize nominations are go

Must smell - upcoming perfume by designer extraordinaire John Galliano

The ethical issues around hair extensions. Scarier than the aesthetic worries (and that's saying something).

Andrew Paul Wood's art blog

I'm finally entering the world of podcasts, The Guardian has some goodies including this music one featuring Tricky.

Finally - what do Pamela Anderson and Kylie Minogue have in common? They can both do the splits. Respect.

A mishmash - Fingers and Toes

2008-07-15T20:14:00.005+12:00

Most coolest vids of the week:
The fingers

and the toes:

Love shoes? Indeedy do. Cute, colourful and not pricey.

The Guardian's cool list - includes:

Isobel Campbell, formerly of Belle and Sebastian and now erstwhile collaborator with Mark Lanegan,

our beloved Santogold

Kiwi Sharon O'Neill a-like Ladyhawke.

Smoking indeed.

9/11 third tower mystery 'solved' - fascinating stuff from the BBC

Apocalypse Now:
Top movie endings ever
Countdown to the Apocalypse - a mixtape with the Four Horsemen on vibes
Don’t fear (the reaper) - Blue Oyster Cult - gotta love the start of The Stand
Consummation - Nina Simone
Sly - Massive Attack
Go into the water - Dethklok
O Fortuna - Carl Orff
(maybe a bit of Paul Lekakis - Boom boom boom ...it works really nicely mashed with Girl Talk)

Curly ole Clarkson

2008-06-30T18:34:00.008+12:00

The exhibition at the City Art Gallery we enjoyed in Wellington. Stunning stuff.

I'm also quite keen to get these from Rita Sue: Cat's eye glasses and maybe try some pincurls on my unruly mop (see how here).

Jeremy Clarkson isn't so bad apparently. Enjoyed him and the lads zipping through Botswana on Sunday night.

Step away from da photoshop

Travel tips from Chopper Read.

Wellington, Punk

2008-06-23T18:16:00.015+12:00

Yes, this Friday there was karaoke ... Barracuda! Bootylicious! Drop it like its hot! It was murder on the dancefloor at Christchurch Idol.

SS and I had a pleasant trip up north to Wellington and Porirua -stayed with Shane's dad, met Sarah's lovely Graeme and visited cafes, shops and the City Art Gallery.

This lovely Music World lady was decorating Shane's dad shed. Some more lovely 1980s time capsule moments there.

Out there on the internet:

The beautiful people

Tom Hardy - actor. Lovely lips, tastily literary name.
NZ designer Lucie Boshier. I don't believe the tall poppy syndrome is plaguing NZ, but there is definitely an anti-show pony sentiment. Her blog is on A List.
JCVD (That's Jean Claude Van Damme). Always my favourite of the martial arts action dudes (until the advent of Jet Li).
Most beautiful wallpaper - starring the lovely Vargas girls
Alan Cumming - and his fragrance Cumming
Katy Brand - parodying Beyonce/Shakira and Kate Winslet
Hedi Slimane - elegant designer who designed some Daft Punk robotic goodness.
Gramercy Park Hotel - thanks to Fraserhead for the recommendation, absolutely swoonsome interior design.

Other good stuff:

Tiny Happy - lovely crafty blog

New discovery - Joseph Cornell assemblage artist

I don't care about the slammin reviews, I want to see The Happening, and ace horror writer Kim Newman reverses the trend (I haven't read this yet cos I don't want spoilers).

And I still love The The (Matt Johnson). Best band name ever, and music that still gets me.

The Ngata English/Maori dictionary has this rather nice sentence to explain the word prostitute (kairau):
She worked as a prostitute to support her children. He kairau a ia kia ora ai ana tamariki. Something kind of PC and practical about that as a definition.

Want to have a photo in the Tate Gallery and in a book? Of course!

Put your hands up for Chch

2008-06-08T22:05:00.009+12:00

... cos it snowed here yesterday. Lovely jubbly.

Seen lately on the interweb:
Style PS - a new style blog courtesy of my favourite, Sunday Times Style. Meerkats as the latest fashion accessory? (check the date before you protest). Their style section featured a slide show of floral dresses including this delicious Paul Smith t-shirt dress. Adore it. They also report that cologne is making a comeback.

Gawker reports on a musical version of Evil Dead. Hm. Nice posters though.

This book cover reminded me how much I love Victorian artist Frederic Lord Leighton. The painting Flaming June also graced the cover of Malcolm McLaren's Waltz Darling.

Tamsin Cooper - beautiful embroidery, velvets, flowers, brooches, it's all just lovely luxury.

FOUND magazine - "they collect stuff like love letters, birthday cards, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, telephone bills, doodles - anything that gives a glimpse into someoneelse's life. Anything goes..."

Germaine Greer says Posh Spice is the Damien Hirst of dress.

Mr Hot Wookie recommends MUXTAPE. I haven't managed to get it working for me yet but the concept is tight - share your muxtapes via the world wide interweb.

A nice flickr - Faber Books

Cut loose

2008-05-29T19:51:00.002+12:00

Footloose:

L'original

Bret Bret

and now American Dad

Holy Grail-ing

2008-05-27T20:46:00.005+12:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kebabette/2522993179/
Originally uploaded by kebabette

I saw Tiger Tones twice last week - on Friday at Chartfest in the Christchurch Town Hall, and on Sunday avo at Real Groovy. Big thumbs up!

Monty Python & Holy Grail - in Lego

Phrasing of the week: "instead staring down at him like the world's geekiest emperor on his friggen nerd-chariot" from Library Mofo

Another example of comments becoming a forest of fun on their own: they are attached to a mention of former Gawker blogger Emily Gould's raw "Blog-Post Confidential" essay in the upcoming New York Times Magazine, she was photographed by Elinor Carucci, who specializes in "portraits of everyday female vulnerability". It's all very Meow, esp. "I wonder if the Girl-Blogger-Pretending-To-Be-Asleep pose is the literary (and I use that term loosely) equivalent to the FHM/Maxim Hot-Chick-Pulling-Her-Underthings-Down pose."

All about music in American Psycho.

Essential for imaging lovers - PicLens, thanks to Paulio for the heads up. Ideal for anyone with Flickr or Deviant art accounts.

Safe sex poster boys

I love Klimt, and he's always a fashion inspiration

Blythe-ism

2008-05-21T20:18:00.002+12:00

There hasn't been much news on the Blythe front for a while but now it's fiesta time:

A mushroomy girl called Charlotte Champignon

My best friend petite

Neither of this one particularly feels like the Blythe drought breaker ... but there is big temptation in the form of twins: CWC Limited Edition Anniversary Petite Blythe "Denizens of the Lake Suzie Sugar" Pink and Green and more especially the flower fairy girl Petite Blythe "Denizens of the Lake Lily Wild":

Where it's at

2008-05-16T17:26:00.003+12:00

Kia ora, I'm blogging me wee heart out at The Auckland Writers and Readers Festival ...

We are posing with Junot Diaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Cupcakeazoola

2008-05-05T21:00:00.014+12:00

DSC08855
Originally uploaded by kebabette

This tasty little specimen was courtesy of The Cupcake Parlour. Cupcakes at the Cupcake Parlour with its floral pretty decor was a girly counterpoint to attending Armageddon (the sci fi comic convention). Met up with Mo Mo and Tulip and we met various stormtroopers and comic book characters, saw the radioactive guy from Heroes and some Stargate chaps talk.

If you want to make your own fancypants cupcakes, I'd recommend the Crabtree Bakery Cupcake cookbook. The Crabtree Bakery is in Melbourne and their pretty cupcakes are legendary. I've a soft spot for the musk flavoured ones.

And here's another addition to my Robert Palmer chick-alike videos - Foals "Balloons" - nice when the Robert Palmer girls are done up in lovely 1920s style (they come in at about 1:52) ...

Monday Monday

2008-04-21T20:09:00.005+12:00

DSC08806
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Am liking the new NZ site Pretty pretty pretty = looks like one to watch for makeup and girly tips. Good on them for recommending Minifies - it's a great place for Ben Nye makeup, hairpieces, party dress up things, and jewellery.

A belated tribute to Etsy and NZ site Felt and the new breed of crafts - it's hot hot hot.
My petite Blythes are of course catered for by various sewing whizzes, as are my penchants for:
Boudoir style
Steampunk
Gothic Lolita

What's the connection between sci-fi fads and what's happening in society? from io9 - I almost got diverted into the Battlestar Galactica spoilers -hell, the tagline "Rough sex with Starbuck" is a hard one to resist!

On the telly watching theme -
Underbelly. You know a show is good when after the hour is up you are gagging for more. Adios Vince Colosimo as Alphonse Gangitano, you were a princely gangster indeed. Carl Williams and his new sidekick Roberta are terrific entertainment. As a frequent Melbourne visitor, I knew a bit about this story but Underbelly tells it so well.

You know I like me some t-shirts - how about this lot? Patrick Bateman? Dancing is gay? Who can decide.

I would like a Dethklok t-shirt though. Brutal. Metalocalypse is death metal humour (on dvd from Alice in Videoland). They are virtual, but like cartoon band Gorillaz they kick ass and are on tour. Not for the squeamish - yummy downloads here.

And at the other pole ... Heeeere's a new Blythe ... Can can can!

I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART

2008-04-17T21:08:00.002+12:00

Death Cab for Cutie has seduced me beyond all measure with the 8 minute plus obsessive anthem I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART.

I've just decided it is today's Every breath you take.
Stalkerish, propulsive emphatic bass, ice darkness and beauty at its core.

Rainbow Nation

2008-04-16T21:48:00.009+12:00

In a cold world you need things that twinkle:

I am being good and trying not to be such a rampant kneejerk autosuggestable consumerist ... but this nifty hoody is from La Supre.

Fritz Leiber, master of Shakespearean sci-fi - The Big Time is an enormously silly, but entertaining, tale of space-time travel with copious Elizabethan references

Men like negotiating curves - but of course.

New York socialites ahoy

Beauty bloopers get peeps all afired up

Latest Artkrush looks at Painting in the 21st century

Jeeves and Wooster. Bless.

Stereogum presents Enjoyed: A Tribute to Bjork (thanks to Malcolm for this one)

Homemade version of Tron

Neon Neon's Stainless Style. This one's "I lust you" ...

Then onwards, on to the roller disco ...

Sparkle motion and good news for Cheese lovers

2008-03-27T20:37:00.003+13:00

Tete a tete
Originally uploaded by kebabette

The photo is a dress out the front of Tete a Tete, a vintage clothing shop in Hereford Street, Christchurch. They had a sale the other week, I got neat shoes and a sparkly bag.

And in more happy news: It's the cheeseboard fo schizzle. The excellent Music Slut blog tells us Richard Cheese is bringing out a new album of loungey goodness.

Headline of the day (from the Nelson Mail): Community service for wombat rape claim

Cool WWII style Battlestar Galactica posters

Taking "This charming man" to a new level - it's the The Hunky Jesus Easter competition

I just realised why I like Neon Neon - it's covered in glitter, delectably tuneful, and a bit Candy O. and that's GOOOOD. Check out "I told her on Alderaan". Star Wars challenged me didn't know it was Princess Leia's home planet (but now I do).

Excalibur

2008-03-25T15:09:00.002+13:00

The Imaginationland episodes of South Park were a trilogy of goodness.

And who did I spy in the lineup of evil characters but Mordred, the gold-armoured villain from MY FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME (tm) - Excalibur.

We watched it again last night and it remains number one. The lush images, the epic grandeur, the humour, the acting ... stars included Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, Nicholas Clay (also known for starring in "Lady Chatterley's Lover" with Sylvia Kristel), Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne and I just noticed the lovely Ciaran Hinds too. And Robert Addie as the older Mordred I remember well from his role of Guy of Gisborne in the Michael Praed "Robin of Sherwood".

Music is used effectively, and the drama of "O Fortuna" by Carl Orff at various set points of the movie is rousing as heck.

"Excalibur" is a beautiful rendering of the classic Arthur story, a myth that I love so much it has sunk into my personal mythology. When I got a tattoo, I left the middle of it empty until I thought of an image I wanted there. And after some time, I decided to show the Lady of the Lake brandishing Excalibur.

My love of Arthurian legend is very much interwoven with my love of Pre-Raphaelite art, poetry, literature ... and here is another view of the legend from Aubrey Beardsley.

Tennyson's poem Morte d'Arthur has a similar air of power and romance. The dying Arthur tells Bedivere (in the film it is the stoic Percival) to throw Excalibur back into the lake:

for thou rememberest how
In those old days, one summer noon, an arm
Rose up from out the bosom of the lake,
Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful,
And took it, and have worn it, like a king

That's the line that resonates with me, and in the movie (directed by John Boorman of "Deliverance" fame) the Lady of the Lake's brandishing of the sword, with her arm swathed in translucent sparkling cloth is just perfection.

Then quickly rose Sir Bedivere, and ran,
And, leaping down the ridges lightly, plunged
Among the bulrush-beds, and clutch’d the sword,
And strongly wheel’d and threw it. The great brand
Made lightnings in the splendour of the moon,
And flashing round and round, and whirl’d in an arch,
Shot like a streamer of the northern morn,
Seen where the moving isles of winter shock
By night, with noises of the northern sea.
So flash’d and fell the brand Excalibur:
But ere he dipt the surface, rose an arm
Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful,
And caught him by the hilt, and brandish’d him
Three times, and drew him under in the mere.
And lightly went the other to the King.

Wikipedia entries:
Excalibur the movie
Excalibur the sword

Happy Easter

2008-03-25T14:38:00.006+13:00

Blythey Easter
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Hope y'all had a Good Friday and a happy Easter.
I bought an old-school icing egg for myself, to take pics of it ... course I have eaten it all now.

Had a lovely family Easter, ultra enhanced by having my sister Sarah visiting from London.

Also loved ploughing through Series 2 of The Wire. It is up there with The Sopranos.

And before that it was The Librarians from Aussie. Very clever, and you don't have to be a librarian to love it, but damn it doesn't hurt. I loved the dour librarian telling off a patron for looking at dubious stuff on the internet. "It just popped up" he claims. "Well just pop it down again" says grumpy librarian.

In other recent news, over at Flickr I've been having fun taking photos of my reading piles tagged "What I'm reading".

And here are the lovely bespectacled Eggner brothers, posters of whom seem to be taking over the town.

Choice selections including Dan Rhodes

2008-03-12T19:53:00.015+13:00

If you want to see this charming group, come along to The Physics Room , Christchurch on Thurs 27 March: "Lullatone - they are Shawn Seymour and Yoshimi Tomida. Based in Nagoya, they wrote the official Hello Kitty theme song and have been behind some of the most melodic post-pop electronic sounds to come forth in recent years."

The Guardian's take on the world's most powerful blogs

The Age's Noise pollution blog links to Nick Cave's nutty Victorian seance vids. Beautifully hammy acting.

Headline of the week? Missing penis a cause for Royal Opera blush.

Dan Rhodes - my favourite author, and still one of the most amusing author websites. I just looked at his literary recommendations and spookily he namechecks two of my other favourite books namely Misadventures by Sylvia Smith and The Restraint of Beasts by Magnus Mills. What is the common thread that links these authors? Humour, humanity, a sense of the ridiculous, dryness, ingenuity, idiosyncracy, beauty ...

I am please to see the return of my favourite Public Address blog Radiation from Fiona Rae. A good post to launch in with, and interesting comments as ever. She announces:

In other frakking fantastic news, Battlestar Galactica is back on air April 4. Advance publicity includes this frakking fantastic Last Supper. Six is Jesus!

Yay it is oyster season!!

And on the other side of the Tasman, Archibald Hitler fails to win Archibald Prize.

A nice piece o'spam I recently received, charmingly entitled "Reliable the man":

The kindest wishes to my new friend. I am 32 years. My name Tatiyana, I would like to get acquainted with you and to correspond, I want that all was reliable, that among us was not what secrets, and all we relations were on long. I am tired to be one, and to look only on bad, I wish to find and build relation with decent the man.
2008 has begun, and I wish in this suit to year the life. That the life washing has incorporated to strong spirit the man which always will be line a difficult minute, maintain me. My heart freely also burns with the desire to give all love to the man which deserves this. My letter is sent from agency, from an email of agency, and I ask on him to not answer. And to write only on my email.It for me will be easier. I shall wait for your letter and I hope that in the future we become the relatives each other.

Indeed, my heart freely burns too.

Santogold & Ninjasonik

2008-03-10T19:29:00.004+13:00

Ms Tulip put me on to Santgold ... she is fabulous

Santogold "L.E.S. Artistes"
Uploaded by bluntedsoul

The two quasi-military girls at the start reminded me of the lovely beribboned ladies in Sly and Robbie's Boops (here to go) ...

And my other recent musical discovery is Ninjasonik ... funny, sharp as all hell ... D J Teenwold and Reverend McFly aka New Dirty Bastard.

Here's Rev McFly karaoke-ing to Morrissey. Sho nuff.

Music is the food of love.

1980 - the year of Xanadu

2008-03-06T20:01:00.004+13:00

And this is Xanadu in all its roller-skated glory. Perhaps the spangliest musical ever made. I'm sure my love for roller discos started with this movie.

Here's the fab 40s versus 80s "Dancin'" with The Tubes and Olivia Newton-John. The dancing and the costumes are well worth the price of admission. Tres hot.

I'm alive! I'm a dancing goddess with gorgeous neon aura and nice hair.

And the theme song, Olivia looks so so lovely:

Match of the day

2008-03-02T20:39:00.007+13:00

Word(s) of the week: I thought I coined the phrase "social netwanking" today, but a quick google search shows a couple of other peeps have thought of it too.

Song of the day: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. A rather beautiful song.

Video of the day: Respect the Meat from "My name is Earl". Worth a watch for the image of Earl in 80s sweatband mode, and his brother Randy reclining like Mr Rico Suave.

Media beat up/obsession of the week: Trinny et Susannah. Am I lollipop? An apple? Tearoom discussion had me pegged as a lollipop, with additional comments that I'm like Queen Victoria or a Victorian woman, or some kind of puffer pigeon ...
They've got an online shape calculator that helps you find out your shape (for girlies). The cello makes me think of this famous Man Ray image ...

Top put downs: I vote for:
The Professor - The Mary Whitehouse Experience. "I have here a copy of
your book, Origins of the Crimean War. It smells of poo." "That's
because it's been inside your mum's bra."

Best sentence in an article this week: On The Mission concert - "The 2006 Olivia Newton-John and Chris de Burgh concert was marred by people vomiting and falling down a bank."

Word of the day: Best dress: Heidi Klum at the Oscars in Galliano

Best dance routine: So you think you can dance Australia kills it. Tie between the samba and animated hip hop.
Animated hiphop by Vanessa and Henry (routine starts 2:02)

Demi and Jack do the samba (routine starts 1:50)

Dirty old town

2008-03-02T18:53:00.001+13:00

Eeeerrgh
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Spotted yesterday on Manchester Street ...
Believe me an orgy here would not be a sumptuous decadent banquet of debauchery a la Caligula ...

More likely it'd consist of dirty flea ridden mattresses and skragged out old whores.

Possibly ...

Still, the sign did make me laugh.

Gingham and Gold Boots

2008-02-26T20:27:00.005+13:00

Gingham and gold, you know you want to. There are some lovely gingham shoes/handbag that I would by for my friend Tulip Black had I the pesos. And I also discovered a pair of gold Costume National boots so sexy they caused steam to emit from every orifice.

Les Liasions dangereuse

2008-02-25T15:37:00.001+13:00

Girl Aloud are fricking fantastic!

Peppermint Bunny & Gingham

2008-02-25T09:32:00.005+13:00

The latest Petite release ... Miss Peppermint Bunny. Her gingham ears rock.

Vinyl - Sleeveface uber alles

2008-02-22T17:52:00.008+13:00

It seems like the world is having a lovein for the old lp sleeveface. Following on from my earlier mention of An ingenious use of your vinyl sleeves, and out in the blogosphere Fraserhead expanded on the theme - Extended album art (31 January 2008) ...

And now, there is Erykah Badu's new song Honey - I saw the video late late last night and spotted many album covers - Diana Ross, De La Soul, Grace Jones. Have fun spotting them ... Soulbounce has done the hard yards in matching the album covers to the video.

T-shirt + Charity + fashion + Howlin' Pelle Almqvist

2008-02-18T20:19:00.010+13:00

After reading a very moving story about his sick daughter from Michael Laws in the Sunday Star-Times, here's another plug for the work done by Starship Hospital. From 27 February, The Warehouse will be selling t-shirts to raise money for them (see Runway Reporter):

The uber retail store and New Zealand designer have teamed up for the second time to create a range of children’s T-shirts in support of the Starship Foundation. World has designed six different T-shirts which are available in sizes infant to 16 years. Five dollars from every T-shirt will go towards the Starship Foundation. The proceeds will particularly boost Starship’s air retrieval service, which airlifts more than 200 young patients each year to the children’s hospital.

I got a couple for me from the last lot, designed by world so the bigger sizes certainly fit buxom adults too.

And of course the Breast Cancer t-shirts for 08 are out at Glassons. I got the rather lovely one designed by Ruby with the big pink flouro heart. Cos I am emo.

For more fashion stuff, I recommend Anglomania. It's a weird un ... historical costumes in conjunction with 20th and 21st century fashion - staged in vignettes set in period rooms at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The mannequins who wear the costumes are a bit scary, like the clockwork characters in the Doctor Who episode The Girl in the Fireplace. I've got the perfume Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood, and her style is all over this book.

I know Valentine's Day has been and gone, but NME brings you some of music's pretty boys to warm your cockles. Hear hear to Serge of Kasabian who looked delish on Later with Jools Holland last night.And am listenin to Howlin' Pelle Almqvist of The Hives as we speak ... (Throw it on me with Timbaaaaland).

On another music strand, another brilliant ballbuster by Fedde Le Grand with Ida Corr "Let me think about it". "Put your hands up for Detroit" is such a genius song and this has similar boppy robot funkiness. Love the Robert Palmer video with added afro.

On the visual entertainment front, we are fully immersed in So you think you can dance Australia. Unlike the tedium of other talent shows and Idols, these people are quite incredibly talented. It is down to top 20 now, so the standards are ultra high. Breakdancers, poppers, Latin, Ballroom, jazz, it's all in there.

We are watching the series Robot Chicken as recommended by one of the dudes at our local Video Ezy. Stop start animation and fast paced furious humour, and one of the creators is Seth Green of "Family Guy" fame. It massacres all your favourite pop culture stuff from Star Wars to the Muppets. In love in love.

To you all ...

2008-02-18T20:16:00.002+13:00

To all my family, friends, workmates ... thank you. Your love and support have made the world of difference.

Sperlunking

2008-02-02T21:08:00.000+13:00

Nick Cave's new single - Dig Lazarus Dig.

Cool new Blythe stuff - a new little lodge

New Petite Blythe Squiggly Squirrel

Family Guy Blue Harvest. Yes please. Stewie as teeny Darth looks supercute.

There is a light (and it never goes out)

2008-01-28T12:46:00.000+13:00

Well the Buskers have gone. Adios. I think juggling is soporific, but big loves to the gymnast and contortionists - you rule pretzel people and elastogirls.

La Carmina, the Gothic Lolita blog, has a posting on Marten Baas's Gothic burned furniture.

SS and I were discussing the merits of the song Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry. We were listening to a cover version by Sinead O'Connor. Which led on to trying to remember another sinister song about "down by the river" etc etc. Turns out we were thinking of this classic: "Hazard" by Richard Marx.

I have a theory - BURIAL = ROBBIE WILLIAMS. Possible??

Tuberose might just be the sexiest flower evah evah:

Tuberose signifies death, danger and pleasure. It's slippery and ragged, glamorous and wild beyond measure, with not a skerrick of modesty. It's the Francisco Goya of fragrance, like reading Charles Baudelaire or drinking aged sauternes. Roja Dove, a British perfume specialist, noted in The Independent newspaper that, "Tuberose is the most carnal of the floral notes. It smells like very, very hot flesh after you've had sex - that's the bottom line."

Egads.

Believe the Hype

2008-01-17T20:43:00.000+13:00

I tend to play around with new web sites and trickeries, some stick, some don't (bye bye Myspace, sorry Library Thing - too many books, too little time, and too much of a desire to do quality cataloguing). But here is one that is going to STICK. The goddess Tulip Black has hooked me up with The Hype Machine. It "tracks a variety of MP3 blogs. If a post contains MP3 links, it adds those links to its database and displays them on the front page". So you can track new music, artists, etc.

I've added a widget in the right hand navigation so I can see what music is good.

And in the wonderfully web like nature of the web, I ended up on My Old Kentucky Blog, delving into their cover version project. All roads lead to Kate Bush. Specially the ones you run up.

Wilkommen 2008

2008-01-15T12:58:00.000+13:00

An ingenious use of your vinyl sleeves...

Rome is back on TV1 on Sunday nights ... et tu hot Brutus

Most sought after book - Lost Girls by Alan Moore - reviewed by Michel Faber. Huge, and purple in all senses.

10 fashion rules for 2008

Cate B looks wunderbar as a Russian dominatrix in the upcoming Indiana Jones movie. Kapow!

Everything's coming up roses

2008-01-15T12:14:00.001+13:00

Rose
Originally uploaded by kebabette

We had a nice outing to the Rose Garden in the Botanic Gardens of Hagley Park, the roses were all out and proud and just delicious.

A gathering of stuff

2007-12-27T18:56:00.000+13:00

And lo, I checked my email and found all this enjoyable STUFF:

The best Youtube of the year - all managers should be watching:

Happy news for Dux beer lovers: Dux Lager and Ginger Tom are the first of the Dux Beers to hit supermarket shelves - available now at: Fresh Choice Barrington, Fresh Choice Merivale, Fresh Choice Parklands, Fresh Choice Avonhead, New World Halswell and Pak n Save Riccarton. I've already bought some Ginger Tom. mmmMMMMMMmm

The Age reports on the new beauty myth and a related posting on cost of beauty maintenance and a dumbass called Tab Safran who opined that British women are shabby dogs. And then he came up with this rebuttal Oh please, you lard-butt British frumps have got off too lightly. Charmer.

Richard Hammond's hair beats James May's. But of course.

Belle and Sebastian. Just because.

Musical exhibitions to attract you to Melbourne. Including Nicholas Cave.

As usual The Sunday Times Style mag and The Times Online are laden with goodies:

The Dreamcatcher - Tim Walker's evocations of English beauty and quirkiness are sublime. Here's a selection

Behind the scenes of the new Dr Who Christmas special starring Kylie

French Pres Sarkozy is dating Carla Bruni.

Spamalot - all good for New Year:
SizableShlongSheldon. Obtain a huge schlong for a new year! Promote your little soldier of love in a new year!

Merry Christmas ...

2007-12-27T18:53:00.001+13:00

Kringly Blythe
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Well, all the wrapping paper has been disposed of for another year. Hope everyone had a happy whanau time of it. I had two lovely family dos and plenty of food partaken of on a scorcher of a day.

On holiday until 3 January, have been to see Golden Compass (verdict: well done, but the books are still the way to go) and hit the odd Boxing Day sale shop.

Happy 2008 to all ...

VOGUE ITALIA DECEMBER 2007 / STEVEN MEISEL

2007-12-12T19:25:00.000+13:00

One of my flickr contacts is Fashion Addict Diary and they have posted the most capitivating and original fashion photos I have seen in a long time.

So shoe me

2007-12-11T21:22:00.000+13:00

Nearly time for the "Outrageous Fortune" finale ...

Shoes! Irregular Choice is still my great love. And they are still making Blythe shoes too. A match made in heaven.

Adam in Akaroa

2007-12-03T13:17:00.000+13:00

Beautiful Things

2007-12-03T12:52:00.000+13:00

New French cancan saucepot Blythe. Plus there is a newbie for the upcoming Chinese New Year.

Muse at Westpac Trust last Sunday - sublime, Matt Bellamy was sheer energy and genius in motion. Beautiful. Big ups to "Time is running out".

New Trinny and Susannah - body shape stuff again.

Bad Sex Awards - Norman Mailer wins.

Times article on Patrick Wolf -

Patrick Wolf – singer, composer, fashion muse, heart-throb, perhaps pop’s next wunderkind – is so so gaudily beautiful, so sweetly puppyish, all 6ft 4in of him, in his camel-coloured sweater, denim lederhosen with silver braces, over-the-knee socks and locks the colour of a Wham bar, that it seems a shame (not to mention impossible) to ask him to calm down.

Marilyn Monroe
Plus have Blythe Christmas ensemble on order

Poetics

2007-11-22T20:01:00.000+13:00

Just cos there is always room for poetry in life ... I heart Threadless

Or you might want a tshirt that celebrates Festivus (it's a Seinfeld thang).

A movie to lie down and ... Lust, Caution by Ang Lee. Don't imitate the sexual gymnastics unless you are in fact or a gymnast. Or a yoga devotee. Or a dabbler in contortionism.

I wrote a post on Japanese street fashion and came across this lovely blog Carmen Yuen - there is a good post explaining the allure of the Vivienne Westwood Rocking horse ballerina shoe to the Gothic and Lolita crowd.

Anyone venturing near the Hutt would do well to visit the New Dowse - taxidermied jewellery, fashion photography, and a showcase of 32 stunning avant-garde hats made by the world’s most adventurous milliner, Philip Treacy for his friend and muse, the late style-icon, Isabella Blow.

Was there ever a more apt URL - SOLO PASSION - Mr Perigo & his neocon mates give themselves a self congratulatory tug.

Apparently there is a tv show in Oz about Librarians. The web site is well worth a snoop, with quizzes and nifty effects.

One of my very favourite perfumes L'Interdit is being relaunched. Wonder if it smells like the powdery heaven I remember. Another Givenchy one called Vetyver.
sounds intriguing ...

And on a final arch romantic note, NZ Ballet is doin Romeo and Juliet next year. Love the Prokofiev music, one to save up for.

Museum of Blytheness

2007-11-13T19:32:00.001+13:00

Museum of Blytheness
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Marion introduced me to a site where you can play with your photos. So I made a Museum of Petite Blytheiness -
http://www.dumpr.net/

The Eisteddfod & Gold Guitars - Music ahoy

2007-11-10T19:14:00.001+13:00

Threadless - there is always something wonderful to salivate over. And this music snob one is a gem.

We had to write a story for a seminar @ work. Here is mine:

At my high school although sports was important, we also had an annual Eisteddfod which was quite a big deal. An Eisteddfod is a competitive festival, mainly of choral singing, originating from the medieval gatherings of Welsh bards. Many are held in Wales and by Welsh communities abroad. I’m not sure why St Peter’s College, a Catholic school in Gore had one, maybe we had had some Welsh priests in the past.

Most people had a bash at it – And there was a House folk song competition so everyone had to participate.

I have lots of good memories. My sister Barbara and I were keen competitors and both had a go winning “the best in show” in consecutive years. There were prepared speech, solo, duet with my sister, group singing … a gang of us did a doowop rendition of something called “song of the single girl”.

My brother Jon (who can’t sing but is really good at sports) sung Ebony and Ivory with his mate Ryan Tattersfield) and the theme from MASH for solo.

Song choice was usually to the emotional end of the spectrum. I did “you light up my life” debby boone and “evergreen” barbra streisand – that long last note is a kicker. One year I wanted to sing “Give me the night” by George Benson but I was banned because of adult content.

I can remember singing Fernando with my sister. We were quite a duet team and one year even entered the famed Gold Guitars singing (I think)
The Happy Wanderer -
I love to go a-wandering,
Along the mountain track,
And as I go, I love to sing,
My knapsack on my back.
Chorus:
Val-deri,Val-dera,
Val-deri,
Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha
Val-deri,Val-dera.
My knapsack on my back.

We wore red sweatshirts and tights, denim minis and white skellerup commandoes.

Ballerinas

2007-11-05T17:11:00.001+13:00

Ballerinas
Originally uploaded by kebabette

Have done some new pics of the blythes, they look very decadent & Marie Antoinette-ish here in Sugar Plum fairy costumes.

Guy Fawkes

2007-11-05T15:01:00.000+13:00

What's hot & happening a la momenta?

Happy Music news: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds release their 14th studio album DIG, LAZARUS, DIG!!! on 3rd March 2008.

Another good discovery on the graphic novel front:
I Killed Adolf Hitler - Between the opening note of perverse sexuality and the touching tribute to the permanence of true love at the end, murder, time travel and alternate futures fill in the second act of this astonishing graphic novel.

Family history info on the Elsmore side

Have rediscovered the delights of flip flop flyin. Was always a minipop fan, but hadn't seen the lollipops. They are cute as buttons. See the lovely Har Mar Superstar as pictured in his smalls, and P J Harvey in her pink jumpsuit. Oh and Duran Duran.

Am feeling flouro at the moment (I've got fetching flouro lime fingernails), check out the no 1 shoe warehouse upcoming delights.

Fabulous Steves I love: Buscemi and Fry. One in the face for those who assumed the suave Mr Fry would be an old fashioned boy, he's a technology geeksta deluxe.

A recent exhibition invAsian!. Reminds me of Pierre et Gilles.

A nice article by John Sutherland on Jasper Fforde
The wit. lit. of Jasper Fforde: John Sutherland delights in a comic writer whose heroine keeps fiction in order and fights the rise of idiocy

Bringing sexyback

2007-10-23T18:57:00.000+13:00

Beautiful floor length kaftans, kitten shirts, waltz length loungers ... Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you with First Lady Fashion ...

Sparkle Motion

2007-10-23T18:29:00.000+13:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a bit of a magpie and sparklyshiny junkie.

Today I asked the kind guys at Era Antiques if I could take some photos of their swoonsome chandeliers ...

Post Labour Day - The Fashion issue

2007-10-23T17:10:00.000+13:00

First up, big congrats to my sister Sarah for having her play The Bar at the end of the world put on in Auckland as part of PlayRight07
See NZ Herald Thurs 18 October
PlayRight 07: The Season at Herald Theatre
Here's a review from Theatreview.

Now let's move on to a bit of a Fashun theme:

Some desirable items from Rita Sue - The Black Dahlia dress (seen below) is tres foxy

as are the naughty Lolita glasses, would be good for minxing it up

Fashion Rocks - from The Age - Lily Allen's frocks, Bat for Lashes' headbands, even Beth Ditto's leotards - today's rock chicks are being embraced as improbable fashion icons ...

Sexysexy socks - anyone into hosiery will be sent into palpitations (I am admiring these boudoir delights)

Tamsin Cooper is now online. Lovely.

Highly recommended bra shop in Christchurch U fit in

Back in Black

2007-10-18T20:54:00.000+13:00

I've been sans home pc for a while. My c drive had meltdown ... still, offers an opportunity for some tidying and culling. I've added a flickr badge (see right).

Here's a measly couple of things in the meantime.

Why The Sopranos is telly's crowning achievement

have fun with Tagcrowd

created at TagCrowd.com

Words Deshabille

2007-09-28T17:42:00.000+12:00

Quite enjoyed this posting on the joy of words. My contribs were:

Rosacrucian
mellifluous
zaftig
schadenfreude
Trotsky

Of course, there are so many delicious wordy trinkets. Deshabille just occured to me ...

Doll Patrol

2007-09-28T17:33:00.001+12:00

It's a dancing prancing mood on the doll front. Have ordered two lovely ensembles - "Sugar Plum Fairy" and "Flamenco Fiesta".

The dance theme is apt as Christchurch is in the midst of The Body Festival of Dance and Physical Theatre. Have yet to go, but am eyeing the hiphop and Bollywood workshops.

Chocolat

2007-09-25T19:47:00.000+12:00

My colleague Simone makes the most delicioso Afghans. No need for wussy icing or walnuts when you make them with Valrhona Dutch cocoa. So very very good.

Of course, when I pop in to buy said cocoa at Aji, I have to try some of their Schoc chocolate. The lime and chili is ... gaaahhhh!! beyootiful and your tongue will be in paroxyms of pleasure. yes yes yyeeeeessss!

Other guilty pleasures:

Dai Henwood

Paul Henry

Duran Duran

New Weekly

Badass sweet sweet wine

Socks with lacy tops like I wore at my first communion

Cats in outfits (a la Miss Glamourpuss)

Shame is an outmoded construct.

Buxom wenches kick ass in Christchurch

2007-09-25T18:29:00.000+12:00

Shame on you Christchurch Casino: Christchurch Casino says it is reviewing its dress code and was already doing so when it received a complaint from a woman who says she was "humiliated" after being asked to cover her ample breasts..

As an ample gal myself I feel her pain. What next? Will gents with combovers be expelled from their hallowed gambling halls? It just ain't cricket. Why are big boobs only acceptable if they are silicone and leering from some men's mag?

Silly old Campbell Live on TV3 is choosing to deal with the story by talking to Nicky Watson. Jeez they're fake!

Ironically President Hugo Chavez railed against a new trend in beauty-conscious Venezuela, giving girls breast implants for their 15th birthday. "Now some people think, 'My daughter's turning 15, let's give her breast enlargements.' That's horrible.

The other story Campbell is covering tonight; "We meet a woman who has set herself a most unusual challenge. At 21 years old she's decided to have eleven babies to eleven different fathers. Find out how she's gone about it and more importantly, why she's doing it."

Ah bless, investigative journalism at its best. Al Jazeera rip your heart out.

Go Home Productions and more mashin it up on the motorway

2007-09-24T14:22:00.001+12:00

Dang I am just so entranced by the art of the mash. Yeah there is some average crap, but when it is done well it is something wicked this way coming. A heads up and heartfelt thumbs up to Go home productions and Mark Vidler. It is fabulous stuff, and is all currently available for download.

Some of my favourite tracks are his "Too Busy Thinking About The Angry Mob" and "Pinochiohead On LSD".

Some of my top Mashes of the Moment mostly courtesy of Mashuptown:

Am I Undone by DJ Clivester. Erasure/Fat boy Slim/Korn. Relentless and funky fresh.
1,2, Sirens, u - DJ Useo vs Celebrity Murder Circus (from Blame it on the Bootie). Dizzee Rascal on a whole new swing.
When the Pussycat dolls cry. Yes it is Prince and the Dolls, such a logical combo. We know he likes the laydees. Courtesy of Pheugoo.
DJ Zebra - Rude boy in a forest
Rihanna's Primal Scream
Cold War Fiasco - Cold War Kids and Lupe Fiasco - from Team 9
so many nice uses of Peter, Bjorn and John's Young Folks
and for a mellow finale White Clocks - Coldplay, Kraftwerk mindmeld with Duran Duran's version of "White Lines". DJ Clivester.

Toons & News

2007-09-20T18:46:00.000+12:00

The cartoon Drawn Together has been wowing us on Prime TV. Filthy good fun, and I'd like to say you'd like it if you like Family Guy. But they don't tend to shit on pizzas there. Anyhoo, while the Pokemon-alike character Ling Ling is my fave, I am a bit of a Toot Braunstein I think.

The news has been dominated by the tragic story of Pumpkin.Here are some other things that have been in the news or out on the interweb:

Our boob-job warriors: ADF defends breast enlargements: The Australian Defence Force has denied paying for breast enlargements so that female sailors could look sexy and said taxpayers only footed the bill if the surgery was needed for psychological reasons. The navy paid $10,000 each for the sailors, aged 25 and 32, to have cosmetic breast enlargements, newspapers have reported.

World wide op shop

Wonderful Art - broken statuettes are a thing of rare beauty

Make yr own jackson pollock

Bert and Ernie swear it up as Joe Pesci and Bobby de Niro

Ahoy mateys - have fun with generation. Might I recommend the Marie Suzette generator - instantly create an obnoxiously romantic original character.
The red-gold-haired, ultramarine-eyed beauty known only as Marguerite has a secret: not only is she a notorious courtesan, she is General Lamarque's daughter! Her feathery angel wings and a talent for languages set her apart from others

I was at the LIANZA library conference - pics here. And we was on TV3.

New gals

2007-09-20T18:40:00.000+12:00

As usual there is a spunky little crop of the wee gels on the Blythe site. Purty.
There is also a very OTT big one called "Dainty Biscuit". She is a bit oversweet for my liking.
.
One of the joys of the big girls is their super eyechanging power. I particularly like her Liz Taylors.

Smock my bitch up

2007-09-05T19:29:00.000+12:00

As a riposte to a rather silly debate on the NZ librarians mailing list - CCL smocked back.

Blog idol contestant Mo Mo had this to say Let’s get ready to ruuummmbbbbble!. VOTE FOR MOATA!

On the mashup tip, might I recommend this Sgt Pepper collection at mashuptown and Go Home Productions This was Pop. + teaching indie kids to dance again - Nirvana goes electro.

Lovely advert for Melbourne. Music is apparently by Joanna Newsom.

I loved the wild enthusiasm of this announcement:

Ground Breaking New Cleaning Regime at *****
Monday 3rd September sees a completely new approach to cleaning at the
**** Offices and the **** Building.
Following European Best Practice all our cleaning will be done in the day time. A new team of dedicated cleaners will begin at 0630 (team one) and will be on site until 1800 each working day (team two). ***** is the first organisation in the City to introduce a system that promises marked quality improvements and significant energy savings. You will get to know the *** staff as they will be part of our everyday operations. Please make them welcome and help them find their way about
this warren of a building. Thank you.

Headline of the month Flaming pyjamas, poisoned trousers from China.

Pee yourself over Passive Aggressive Notes ... and pedantic fun at Quotation Marks ... and Bits on the side.

I love The Age (Melbourne) blog Third Best. They are scoping Fashion Week at the mo. ThE gentleman above was modelling at the Leopold show. You know black grundies with white shoes will be the way to go this summer. Keep your fashion footprint light and tight!