country mouse

Today, I was dressed, and felt a little bit like the country mouse in the city, a bit overwhelmed with annoying transportation, overcrowding, pricey fare and the muggy city air. And then I came home, to my little nook in the city, visited the little window box on the balcony, where our vine has started to flower, thought of my home home in the woods and felt a little bit better.



Now you must know that a town mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely. The town mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said, "I cannot understand, cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life." No sooner said than done: The two mice set off for the town and arrived at the town mouse's residence late at night.

"You will want some refreshment after our long journey," said the polite town mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining room. There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking.

"What is that?" said the country mouse.

"It is only the dogs of the house," answered the other.

"Only," said the country mouse, "I do not like that music at my dinner!" Just at that moment the door flew open; in came two huge mastiffs; and the two mice had to scamper down and run off.

"Good-bye, cousin," said the country mouse.

"What! Going so soon?" said the other.

"Yes," he replied. "Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear."

Behatted

(you can click, and it gets bigger!)

I love hats, and have a slight problem in collecting them and then not wearing them. A bowler, a cloche, a straw floppy, a felt floppy, a Panama hat, a fedora...my collection definitely does not lack in variety. But still, I have yet to find the 'perfect hat.' I am not quite sure what it entails, but I am constantly on the lookout. A hat can be a tricky thing to pull off without looking affected, but I am determined to find one that will sit pretty on my head, hide my uncooperative hair and make me look as wonderful as all these ladies. Ah, to dream the impossible dream.

Ideal vs Reality

This would be my ideal outfit for a lazy day, lounging around with a cup of tea and a good book. But instead, I am putting on an ugly purple uniform and off to work. Byeeee!

(photo a la mr selby)

Gig gig jig

I'm super awkward when it comes to things like sharing musical tastes, only because music is so subjective and personal and people can be incredibly snobby about it. So I generally go merrily along with my personal collection of randomness on my ipod, roaming the streets of London with no one the wiser as to what tune I'm boppin' along to, enjoying my music in solitude. All that aside, I've semi-recently happened upon two musical acts that were too good not to share...

Exhibit A: Local Natives -- just got back from their small gig and it was ridiculously feel-good/ amazing. Lush rising and dropping dramatic pop with crazy percussion and melodious harmonizing galore. Er, ok, it's the best description I could come up with in five seconds. Here's an acoustic version of the aerial 'Airplanes' ... Listening to the non-acoustic version on their myspace is a must.



Exhibit B: Marina and the Diamonds -- a little Kate Bush-esque, a lazy comparison but it'll do. While my favorite song of hers, 'Seventeen' has no video, I kind of love this video for 'I Am Not A Robot', if only for the fact that I secretly desire to be covered in glitter paint and camouflage myself amongst the night's sky. The remixes of this tune ain't bad either.

Vain & Vapid

Here are a few images from the Vain and Vapid summer lookbook, created by designer (and blogger) Julie Chesler. Hers is one of my favorite shops on etsy, and if I could afford it, I would scoop up everything she makes.





Her shop has weekly updates throughout the summer... I know I'll be keeping a keen eye out.

fall feelin'

Last night, it was rather a bit chillier than it has been here for the past few weeks, and I was wearing both a cardigan and scarf around the house when it hit me: I miss Fall. As in the season. It is probably my favorite season in terms of fashion. I love summer as a season for weather, but I get bored quite easily with it style-wise. Autumn is perfect because there is that slight nip in the air, meaning you have to start layering up but not too much so that all you are wearing is the same coat and terrible tights for four months. I don't necessarily want it to be Fall right at this very moment though, summer is not autumn, and I'd be perfectly happy to have last week's heat wave repeat itself and wait a couple months for cooler temperatures and cozier clothes. Even so, lately I've been more attracted to images that are rather autumnal...like this fella's outfit. I love the doubled up cardigan look, and how gut-wrenchingly glorious is that red, white and blue cardigan? My gut, it wrenches.

(photo from ici)

Faeries

I cannot get these two lovely ladies out of my mind. I wish I knew where these photos came from, so maybe I could find more (these ones were found here by the by). For some reason they make me think of fairies, which then reminds of that Ellen von Unwerth directed video featuring Zooey Deschanel from last year...remember that one? If not, here it is:

someone's photography

Ah shit, it's been awhile, eh? Last week I worked 2-10 everyday, and any time not at work was spent enjoying the sun, not the internet. But more importantly, as I've said before, I feel like a bit of a wash posting just for the sake of posting...and so I remain silent. Anyway, today I happily stumbled upon the fashion photography of Olivia Frølich and thought I would share. It's hazy, lo-fi and lovely; therefore, a trifecta of wonderful.