500 Years of Female Portraits

During my nearly two year long quest for the perfect painting for my bedroom wall, I really really wanted to find a powerful female. Every time I was nearly there, something wasn't quite right. So, I ended up with The Skating Minister, which I love in every way except that it's not a powerful female (say, dressed in flowing tartan and on a horse) but is instead a whimsical in body, dour in face man. 

Even though I didn't get my chick portrait, I can (and so can you) experience 500 years of female portraits in 3 minutes thanks to this lovely vid. 

Even though it's all white ladies, (it is only Western Art) it's nice to think of all the diversity in beauty of women over the centuries. 

Which is your favorite? I like the Sir Joshua Reynolds paintings-- esp. Jane Countess of Harrington, Vignee-Le Brun's self portrait and especially the Rubens painting-- A Lady In Waiting for Infanta Isabella. For the full list of portraits featured check out here. 

Music Monday - The Other Guys - St Andrean Skies

Favorites The Other Guys perform the original commission by Oscar Foxley for St Andrews 600th Anniversary, "St Andrean Skies." 

I was never a fresher, or an undergrad at St Andrews at all, but I remember those first few lit-on-fire days there. The wind whipped up every possibility I'd ever considered for myself. I remember my friends, knocking on my door, calling me out from within myself, to new places. I remember frolicking on steep hillside slopes with my hair blowing everywhere, my wellies sinking in the sand, beneath a huge Northern moon and ripped open, flood lit, St Andrean skies. Even at midnight. Even in Autumn. You could see everything. And nothing.

I often wonder if I'll ever have a year as happy as that. But the seeds of that time continue to crop up every day. Even here in Los Angeles. 

What I'd give to relive the days spent 'neath those St Andrean skies...

Music Monday - Nicholas & Alexandra

Did you notice we had a new logo? It's pretty, right? Thanks much to Heather Weiss for being amazing. Also amazing, recently, I found these two recordings of "Love Will Stay" posted on youtube. 

One, we knew about the performance-- by our fabulous friend Stephanie Gibson last summer. But I didn't know anyone had filmed it!

And the other wins the award for youngest person to sing this 11 o'clock number. Adorable Olivia singing a super vulnerable rendition at her school singing competition. Full-on broken heart people! 

Enjoy! Dena and I are off to check out some real estate with Brie in Santa Monica and cruise Abbot Kinney before our dinner at THE BAZAAR TONIGHT!! AHHHHH!!

Like The Ceiling Can't Hold Us - Pete & Suzie's Wedding

As you may have gathered, I've been to many, many weddings. MANY. Between 2003 and 2005, I went to 26 weddings in 24 months. And the hits just kept coming as I got older. But this little shindig was one of the loveliest and most packed with adorable details of any that I've attended. And one of the only weddings where I didn't have to travel! What a fun night! 

Food trucks, local jams, streamers and swirly straws, personalized chalkboard mason jar drinking glass labels and a venue with killer ambience. (I don't just mean the perfect LA sunset lighting and exposed brick. This was hardcore LA at its finest. I'm talking hoopties with floor-pounding bass rolling by during the vows.) All this, plus the most unbelievably statuesque bride, and what you had was and unforgettable night. The actual manifestation of the coolest Pinterest board, only better because it had my friends. 

Pete & Suz, I love you guys! I was so honored to be there celebrating young and life-long love! 

I'm gonna dance to this & this today and remember how fun Saturday night was. And all my people say Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah.... like the ceiling can't hold us. 

Modern Day Clothing For The Romanov Kids

First of all, I think it's obvious that Tigerlily needs pretty much all of this. But look at this amazing Latvian line of children's clothing, Aristocrat Kids. The product photos look like a little modern update of Olga, Tatiana, Maria & Anastasia. 

The website will greet you with the soothing sounds of birds chirping-- perhaps in the garden of the Winter Palace. 

I want to dress children in this. OMG, Baby Fever. I have to stop now. Have a lovely Wednesday! (Thursday? Oh, man. I don't even know.)

Scottish Ballet - Highland Fling

Now that I watch dancers all day, I feel like I'm extra tuned in to other dance stuff going on anywhere in my immediate or even peripheral vicinity. My friend from grad school, Tara, is working for the Scottish Ballet in Glasgow. I sure wish I were still in Scotland to see this crazy/intriguing Matthew Bourne production-- an update of a Danish piece La Syphide, but with "a wickedly wry Scottish twist." 

Reviews have been pretty stellar. It concludes its Glasgow run today and goes on tour. Doubtful they'll tour as far as Los Angeles though. ;)

Scottish Ballet: NEW! Highland Fling Trailer from Scottish Ballet on Vimeo.

Want to See - I Give It A Year

Self-deprecating British rom-coms! Though I'm not sure how I feel about Rose Byrne as a Brit.... I mean, I know she's Australian, but still... it doesn't sit well... other than that, I can't wait to see this with my hetero life mate, McC. It came out in February in the UK and I don't see much in the way of info about when we sad Americans (who just can't have nice things) will also get to have it. Don't make we who miss Britain wait, please. 

New, Rare John Keats Portrait Discovered

A previously unknown miniature of a young, chubby John Keats has been found by Bonham's... in America no less. Little is known of this history of this particular miniature, but those at Bonham's are working to uncover it prior to the piece going up for auction in London later this summer. 

If I had a spare 10-15,000 pounds, I'd sure try to scoop this up. Sigh.

All The Buildings in New York

Australian artist/illustrator James Gulliver Hancock started this project while he was experiencing a nomadic period in his life I'm well familiar with. He lived in Vienna, Paris, London and started drawing the buildings as a way to become more intimate with the cities he was in and distance himself from the feeling of being a tourist. 

Now that he spends most of his time in New York-- a city he says we all romanticize in one way or another (preach.)-- his mission is to make his way through the boroughs drawing all the buildings in New York. You can sort by type, by neighborhood, by borough... just... AH!

It fulfills a deep part of me to both romanticize, fetishize, fixate and also to organize, to put something huge and complicated and beautiful into an artistic space feasible to wrap my brain around. That's one thing I've always liked about NYC anyhow... my ability to conceptualize its entirety because of its geographical size, prevalence of landmarks and organization into grids, boroughs and neighborhoods with relatively neat borders. (Same goes for Edinburgh. Not for London or for LA.)

I have to tell you,art projects like this turns me into a kid on a sugar high. I love it. I love it. Happy Monday. 

(Also, Happy April Fool's Day, if you're into that sort of thing. I don't really participate in that because feeling foolish is perhaps my least favorite feeling and I certainly don't wish it on anyone else.)

All the Buildings in New York from Marisa Guzman-Aloia on Vimeo.

Crush Week: Griffith Park

I started Crush Week on this blog a couple of years ago as a way to entice myself to find something to like about Valentine's Day. Either guys who were out there somewhere just being crush-worthy or, as has turned out to be the more frequent case, things, ideas, places, etc that make me feel a little hope and a little romance in daily life. 

I'll warn you that I don't find much about the male species to be crush-worthy these days. I'm gonna try real hard this week to give you at least one example of a dude I find crush-worthy. But I'll prep you now, the select things I am loving about life these days are more like bands, food products, and freedom in my schedule to hike Griffith Park every day. 

Which brings us to the number one thing I have a crush on and that's Griffith Park. With very few exceptions, especially since I took back control of my own employment schedule, I hike up to  the Griffith Observatory every morning. It's also the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning too, as it's my view from my bedroom window. 

A lot of the time, no matter where I move, I feel like everything is the same. Nothing will ever change or advance. I keep moving, but I'm not getting anywhere. Hiking Griffith in the sun, with bare shoulders, even in January or February chips away just a little bit, at that notion that nothing is ever going to get better. You can move somewhere with sunshine, at least. And you can carve out one hour a day, at the very least to appreciate that, if nothing else. 

Happy Monday!

But I Have Been Privy To Something True...

I remember with utter clarity the moment Sophie first performed "Something Old, Something New" for me. She had just finished it, Mama Louise was consulting on the newest additions, and we were at Bamff in the Morning Room. Everything was cast in a kind of golden/pink light. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. It came to symbolize something. Something old and something new-- and all the "splendid times that would probably ensue." (And they did!) I beamed, still stunned and still wondering how I had fallen into this surreal crevice of people who seemed to be just embracing me all the time. And I remember thinking that I needed to pay attention to this moment because Sophie's album was going to be something so special. So unlike anything in contemporary song writing. 

Looking at the landscape of music during my lifetime, I have a hard time naming many, if any, lyricists who leave their guts on the table the way Sophie does. F. Scott Fitzgerald said that price you pay for doing first rate professional work is that you've got to "sell your heart." Sophie does that and somehow manages to keep it too. She is unflinching from the grief she's experienced. And even though I missed that darkest chapter in her life, when Fred was quickly and unexpectedly taken from her, I can't help but know -- because she has succeeded in conveying to me through song and soul-- the strange dark place she journeyed through.

In "Something Old, Something New," the vivid New York she experienced in the aftermath of Fred's death is perfectly etched, and we see the city as a perfect conduit to move her into the alternate version of her life without Fred. And the friends who would help her. The upside down bridal imagery is arresting. It breaks and eventually raises my heart to think of her re-imagining her wedding and her future. 

"Song I Never Wrote For You," was the first original song off the album I heard. And also, the last song I heard Sophie play live on my last day in Scotland. She was just wrapping up recording the album. I heard some not-quite mixed tracks. And on Dublin street, as I went through clothes to give away, her simple, pure piano version echoed down the hall to me as she played. I thought about Fred and I thought about Sophie and how I would miss this part of my life so dreadfully. No part of my American life is as simple, or bare, or uncomplicated, or earnest as any moment I spent with Sophie. Except for when I listen to her album from my house in Hollywood. 

Sophie Ramsay is a blessing to this or any life. Add her to yours. 

Cloud Chaos & Sky Smearing with Matt Molloy

It's such a beautiful day outside today, it seemed like the perfect time to post these romantic and soulful  time lapse photos from Matt Molloy. 

I learned about him via My Modern Met and have been scrolling through his flickr ever since. The Ontario based artist uses hundreds of stacked photos to achieve the affect. I'd say it's working. SO dreamy. I want to hang that cloud and birds one in my house, man. Hope you're having a beautiful Saturday! 

If you're craving more, here's an interview with the artist. And you can buy his work here. 

Time Traveling - Hollywood Tower

Radio people have always been my people. Makes me think of a time before television. Before I moved to NYC, I used to spend hours in the studio laughing maniacally with DJs from Mix 94.1, most especially, my darling Kade. We talked about Buddhism and life and had funny alter egos I'm sure no one found as funny as we did. I'm so happy to be reunited with him here in Los Angeles. His radio station, 98.7, permanently occupies the rooftop penthouse at the Hollywood Tower, and last night, we partook of its splendor for some Saint Motel and The Walking Dead. All of that was fun (minus the blase LA crowd-- whatelseisnew?) but I was mostly just happy to be surrounded by art decor on all sides. 

Hollywood Tower was built in 1929 with an eye towards entertainment type inhabitants. Or, as the plaque on the door says, "Sophisticated Living for film luminaries during the Golden Era of Hollywood." The bathrooms, the elevators alone... le sigh. I'd live there, that's for sure. 

One day, I want to make a coffee table book consisting of nothing other than dreamy photos of me draped with the ennui of the aristocracy on fabulous couches all over the world. You'd be amazed at how many I already have....

The Impossible Project

If many more old school/new school combos come out, my head might explode. My latest love is The Impossible Project, which, among other things, takes your instagrams and turns them into instant polaroids. The minds behind The Impossible Project, based in the Netherlands, funded their idea on kickstarter and ended up with over a half a million dollars to support the prototype. 

In the US, you can go to their NYC shop on Broadway and Canal. I wish I'd had a chance to get down there while I was still in the City. Open one in LA, guys! Angelinos love instagram too. At least you can buy their awesomeness online. It's the film that really gets ya.

I love how they put up user photos in their gallery. I've been browsing that for days now. They even do a promotion with SNAP! Magazine each month with a theme and entries can win prizes. This month's theme is near and dear to my heart: road trips. 

More. 

The Impossible becomes Possible from Impossible Project on Vimeo.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Barack & Michelle

Whether you like Barry politically or not, I have a hard time imagining anyone not respecting the Obamas as a couple. There's not a lot of inspiring couples these days I'd consider role models. Ones that seem balanced (ie: where the woman is equally valued, etc etc) and ones that just by looking at them, you can see how in love they still are. 

In almost every photo of Barack and Michelle, how in love they are is just palpable. I'd like to look like they do after being married for twenty years.

Too bad Barry won't be taking Michelle out for any fancy anniversary dinners tonight. He's got the first presidential debate. Are you planning on watching? Spellman and I are having a viewing party here at his house in Hollywood. Spellman, naturally, as an American male, has a huge TV and we've invited some folks over. I look forward to whatever new insults Mitt will have for me and people like me almost as much as I look forward to casting my vote in the swing state of Nevada. Maybe he'll succeed in convincing me I'm as much of a mooch on the system as he thinks I am and I'll actually vote for him. 

Are you registered? Deadline is October 7th. 

Fountains of Rome

One of my favorite things about Rome was the abundance of fresh water fountains. There's always been free-flowing water from the aqueducts. Everyone's heard of Trevi Fountain and its wish granting. But in addition to the majestic wish granting kind, Rome is filled with fontanelles or nasoni (for their nose shaped spouts) you can drink from. Not only are they (at least most of them) beautiful, but under the hot Italian Summer sun, it was important to stay hydrated. The water in Rome's fountains is both deliciously drinkable and so so cold. 

We saved a fortune by not having to buy water bottles as we walked all over the city and it was so nice to cool down our swollen feet and ankles. I'm not kidding when I say it was real real hot when we were there. And I'm from Vegas, so I know me some hot. It actually felt a lot like Vegas, but with more breeze. (Thankfully.) 

The difference between Trevi in the day and Trevi at night was amazing. Pictures don't do it justice. I definitely made wishes. And at one, in the middle of an expanse of green, I wanted to run through the sprinklers to get to it. 

For the full list of Rome's fountains, check this out.

In Transit Friday Links

When you read this, I'll be on my way to Halifax, Nova Scotia, having spent about 12 hours in NYC. It's been a four countries in a week kind thing. But I have a super fabulous reason for this excursion-- and it isn't just for the beautiful scenery and the fact that Nova Scotia is New Scotland. 


It's Aly & Dion's Wedding Weekend Extravaganza! I'm so excited to celebrate this day that's been so long in the making with so many of my absolute favorite people. Aly & Dion are basically an institution. They've always been together as long as I've known them and they're part of that bedrock group that is still the foundation of my life in New York. 


I'm also super honored that they've asked me to write something and give a reading. So I'm back to that. Want to get it just right, of course. I have a reputation of wedding speeches to maintain afterall. 


So here are your links:


- Funny article about writing. I can never read too many of these.
- I've been hard at work these days on my TV pilot. Let's just say, it has echoes of Three's Company.
- I could never read enough about Jeff Buckley.
- This Jonah Lehrer thing is depressing. 
- This "Things you might read on a fashion blog" is hilarious. 
- Kim Kierkegaardashian is genius. The philosophy of Søren Kierkegaard mashed with the tweets and observations of Kim Kardashian.

- Ultra, delux, cast signed copy of Gone with the Wind book sells for $135,000. Boom. 

And Confidentially, She's a Pixie - Roman Holiday

By the time you read this, I should be in Rome. Our flight leaves at Seven. A.M. Ugh. And by 'our' I don't mean Gregory Peck and Me, but Fiona and Me. We've got  a little hotel in the Travastere which is good because we'll be taking advantage of the free Vatican Museum Stuff on Sunday-- also at around Seven AM. That's Fi's request. (Though I'm excited to be going. I mean, Sistine Chapel...) Mine is, of course, the nerdiest: to see where Keats died and where he is buried. He still has the saddest epitaph I've ever heard: Here lies one whose name was writ in water. My poor sweet Keatsy. How I love him. 


Another gracious, lovely man is Gregory Peck, star of Roman Holiday, (and my birthday twin) who insisted that relative newcomer, Audrey Hepburn get upgraded to equal star billing with him. That's a gentleman, folks. More on my own personal Roman Holiday when I'm back. In the meantime, let's recall a more chivalrous (**with qualifications) age. At least, a more chivalrous era in Hollywood, eh? 


Two days, a tiny backpack and a guidebook from the 70's... Italian sun, here I come!

A Most Whimsical London Pub - Commercial Tavern

Not long ago, my friend Kate and I hit up her local to discuss all manner of philosophy and current issues. It was a rainy Sunday afternoon and Commercial Tavern's embanked window tables with roses overlooking Shoreditch was the perfect place to get lost in philosophy and lose track of time. 


It's hard to be discovering so much to love about London as I'm detaching. I can feel it happening. In a way, so much is already gone. Each day feels sadly final of something or other. But until I am the one to actually get on the plane, there is Commercial Tavern with its dreamy birds and golden local ales and music that drifts past our conversations and out into the streets.

Farewell, My Queen

Personally, I'll take as many movies about Marie Antoinette as they want to make. I'm one of the only people I know to not only enjoy, but own the Sofia Coppola film. (What can I say? My twin, in those dresses. My imagination doesn't have to work very hard.)


This latest telling, Farewell, My Queen, told actually in French, opened the Berlin Film Festival and has a lesbian twist on the whole Storming the Bastille timeframe. To which I say, why not. Diane Kruger doesn't remotely look like she's in her forties, but that' okay. Also, it's been a while since I've seen Virginie Ledoyen in anything, so bring on the Versailles grandeur. I wouldn't mind a trip back to that place. 


Anyhow, flick is out in the US in about two weeks.