The (Modern Female) Roman Legionary

If I could redo my high school graduation photo, this here would be what I'd try to emulate. This is from knee and origami expert Dóra Mojzes' S/S 11 collection, which was inspired by Roman soldiers. Speaking of, I have about four books I should be reading right now about Roman poetry. But McNulty and these chocolate covered pretzels are just too distracting...

Nokomis, I hardly knew you

This week I've been obsessed with stopping by a grocery store or two to get some supplies, then coming home and looking up recipes to try my hand at. Then, basically two hours later, I've managed to make an outrageous mess in the kitchen and a meal that isn't exactly what I was hoping for. Next, I proceed to scarf it down while watching one or two or three episodes of Season 1 of The Wire, and wonder how I can like Dominic West so much after his less than honorable character in 300 (it's most likely the Irishness). 

Today, however, I managed to make something rather delicious, being Caramelized Tofu with Brussel Sprouts, and I managed to cook my own tofu pretty much perfectly (see photo above of my finished product). I'm not sure how well I did with the brussel sprouts, as it's the first time I've ever cooked or knowingly eaten them, but I do know that kids are too harsh on them. I got the recipe from here, and pretty much followed it except that I used a nutted pilaf instead of cooking walnuts with the tofu and garlic. I have no idea how to mince garlic with the one little paring knife I have, but I thought the resulting little candied garlic bits were rather awesome. I also have no idea how to chop cilantro with said paring knife, but I love love love the smell of cilantro too much to feel bad about that green massacre. It's a shame though that I read immediately after my meal that Nokomis, i.e. the brick and mortar store in my town, is closing in the New Year. Just when I was ready to make the resolution to buy more Canadian, and to buy local. Raise a glass with me and sigh.

To Lee

"Celebrating the breathtaking imagination and groundbreaking designs of Lee Alexander McQueen, the latest fashion film by Nick Knight pays tribute to McQueen's sensational creations, stellar career, and most importantly to the man himself. Directed by Knight and set to an exclusive soundtrack by Björk, the film is featured online at SHOWstudio.com."

Vibe Johansson (et al.?), S/S 11

I snapped this photo of a rack of clothing at International Playground in NY, as I just loved the colour palette of the neutrals and purples juxtaposed with the oranges (or mustards?). Now, if my memory serves me correctly, Virginia said that these were Danish designer Vibe Johansson's S/S 11 collection. I didn't look at the pieces too closely as Virginia had them hung up in the back to decide what to order for the store in the spring (i.e. they weren't for me to buy quite yet), so I could be wrong. At any rate, there are a few photos up on NJAL of Vibe's S/S 11 collection, and I'm quite a fan of the colour palette whether it's the same as seen above or not. 

I also dearly heart that last outfit.  Methinks I shall have to revisit International Playground in February.

Diana Orving

Today's find (via a brief mention in ASOVF) is a Swedish designer named Diana Orving, whose A/W 10 'LIGHT' collection is rather endearing. As is the 'About' section of her website, describing Diana as an 'autodidact', a word which makes my Classical heart go aflutter. Ditto on the month-old webshop that contains too many wonderful things that I'd like to get (see below). 

I love skirts with windows (previously enjoyed with my onearmedscissor industrial/cyber punkish skirt). And I almost feel like I owe it to my eerily changing knees to show them off. I've always thought that knees are the most unattractive part of the body, but who knew you could change the shape of them with just a few exercises in less than a week? I kind of wish my physiotherapist had warned me about this sudden onset of knee 'puberty' (as a co-worker called it), so that I could've at least documented the changes via photos or charcoal drawings or such. I'm sure there a gaping hole in the blogosphere just waiting to be filled with a 'My Knees, A Retrospective'.

Head On

In the words of my co-worker, holy moly. This week has been utterly intense and overwhelming. So much so that I feel I need something to keep my head attached and/or supported, before it disconnects from any additional information/excitement overload. I think this Attila Design collar would provide such a service rather perfectly.

P.S. New York, here I come (again)(in February)!

I wish I had bee's knees.

The tiresome exercises and insane 60-second long stretches my physiotherapist gave me have caused me to strike many a pose such as those found in the photos for Japanese label DRESSEDUNDRESSED's S/S 11 collection.

Said exercises and stretches also bring to mind the name of the following Canadian electronica band, even though my calm and sometimes silly nature is more in line with the 'band members'.

127 (Steps left before I become a grad student)

I've had so much going on in my head the last three days that I'm not sure I can be trusted to get both an interesting and coherent sentence out. So I'm just going to say one thing before I rest up for tomorrow: Go see 127 Hours. I've never had such a physical reaction to a movie before. I actually had the heat flash sensation of my adrenaline kick in a total of three times during the movie, not to mention the tearing up, dropping jaw, and feeling completely overwhelmed when Sigur Rós came on at the end just when James Franco finally finds help. Absolutely incredible performance and story. I suppose others could have a different sort of physical reaction with the arm cutting off scene, but I wanted to be an ER doctor as a kid and now work with blood all day (and it seems the whole world is still on a vampire kick), so I can't adequately gauge the grossness factor. Basically, if you know that Aron Ralston cut off his arm with a pocket knife, you can imagine what you'll see in James Franco do. As a side note, James Franco/his stunt double is a pretty excellent bike handler. Though for being in Moab, the world's mountain biking mecca, you'd think they would've given him a better bike. Or at least one without pesky cameras and wires and such...

In other news, my lost mitten is no longer lost! Turns out the keeper of bees is also a keeper of mittens. The world makes sense again.