I have enough old vinyl to start my own freestyle team. I start training tomorrow!
Via UniqueDaily
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Is this romantic or what?
Mr. Nag and I, like many other people, were talking about Michael Jackson. I think he was a major talent and remember being positively impressed when I first heard Billie Jean. Mr. Nag said he thought Michael Jackson took Motown in a negative direction. I asked (tongue in cheek), "Does this mean this is the end for us?" to which he replied, " I don't think there could be an end to us."
Les Mistons
Urban Sketchers
40 Well Walk, Hampstead (former home of John Constable)
pencil and coloured pencils in Daler Rowney sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
pencil and coloured pencils in Daler Rowney sketchbook
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
Urban Sketchers is a network of artists around the world who draw the cities where they live and travel to.
It's one of the blogs I check out every day.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Jill Burkholder's hauntingly beautiful images
I love the evocative images Jill Burkholder creates.
Yet another wonderful post by accidental mysteries
The bromoil process begins with a bleached silver print and ends with a romanticized pictorial version of the image artistically interpreted, using a brush and lithography ink.
Yet another wonderful post by accidental mysteries
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
LOL Manuscripts!
This is fabulous!
Many of you may know of the Internet phenomenon that is LOLCats. Slightly less of you may know how crazy/awesome early modern woodcut illustrations and frontispieces can be. But what joins these two disparate worlds? Well, it may surprise you to know how popular LOL-ing was in the Renaissance.
Thanks John.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Fashion fit for Queen Elizabeth II
Perhaps she wasn't always quite as dowdy as I thought?
The Royal Wardrobe: Autumn 1953. The world waits for the first sight of its new leader. After half a century of middle-aged men, the idea of a beautiful young woman ruling over the Commonwealth seems like the stuff of fairy tales. For millions of Australians, Canadians and Indians, Queen Elizabeth II is more than a figurehead; she is the living embodiment of authority, elegance and grace. Stepping out in a series of dazzling dresses, many of them by the legendary couturier Norman Hartnell, the 27-year-old embarks on a six-month tour throughout the Commonwealth countries that will cement her position as ruler of much of the free world.
DIG IT SKID!
St. Catharines artist Melanie MacDonald's Skids
Call someone a ‘skid’ and you’re using a piece of Canadian slang that has an imprecise definition. For me, they were the kids I hung out with in the ‘smoke hole’ at my high school—located next to the tech wing.
Their character seemed to be defined by class and adolescent angst. There was self-defeating nihilism but it was balanced with an unwavering faith in partying. There were other hallmarks too: a love of heavy metal music, drugs and alcohol, and a ‘fuck-you attitude’ that was both playful and genuine.
I’ve made these paintings from found photographs. These aren’t people I know directly. Their portraits are a re-consideration and celebration of a distinctive coming of age, masculinity, rebellion, and the dubious difference between low and high brow.
This series of paintings takes as its title a scrawl of graffiti on a rock-cut along the Trans Canada Highway near Sudbury.
Second Hand
Perhaps I love these because I collect vintage china.
Via
I damage second hand old plates.
I remove the decorative patterns that camouflage our everyday lies and in its place I leave words that prick our conscience and create portraits of hidden domestics left open for others to interpret.
Via
A Modern Tango
Now that I'm contemplating a trip to Buenos Aires I'm seeing it everywhere.
Seen at Intelligent Travel Blog
'Diferente' by Gotan Project shows how you might find tango danced today in a Buenos Aires milonga. This video highlights two dances: the obvious one on the dance floor, and the implicit dance of stolen glances and budding romance between the featured (gorgeous) couple.
Seen at Intelligent Travel Blog
My tree peony
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Buenos Aires Tango Slideshow
My son has just moved to Buenos Aires and I'm thinking I'd like to pay him a visit.
Buenos Aires Tango Slideshow
Buenos Aires Tango Slideshow
Saturday, June 20, 2009
It's raining cats and dogs
I've neglected my garden for two weeks (vacation and visitors). At this time of year it could mean I've lost the battle with Mother Nature. Black spot, aphids and weeds, weeds, weeds. I worked as long as I could in a torrential downpour, filled a garbage can with weeds and got the lovely plants my sister bought for me in the ground.
Hair Style for a war way of life
Veronica Lake's safety hairstyle looks like an engineering challenge. Just pass me one of those becoming safety caps.
Via
Via
Guevara's granddaughter to appear in PETA campaign
NEW YORK – The granddaughter of Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto 'Che' Guevara is at the forefront of another revolution — for vegetarianism.
Lydia Guevara poses semi-nude in a PETA campaign that tells viewers to 'join the vegetarian revolution,' said PETA spokesman Michael McGraw. More
See more celebrities who would rather go naked than wear fur.
Spezify
Spezify is a fun search site that I found at Frogsmoke.
Being a bit self-centred, I plugged in the search term Nag on the Lake and found all sorts of interesting things, some related to my blog, others not.
If nothing shows up at first just click then navigate around.
Being a bit self-centred, I plugged in the search term Nag on the Lake and found all sorts of interesting things, some related to my blog, others not.
If nothing shows up at first just click then navigate around.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Lilyest Hobo
I loved The Littlest Hobo when I was a kid. Who wouldn't love a vagabond mystery solving dog?
Lily Allen - Not Fair vs Terry Bush - The Littlest Hobo Theme
Via
Lily Allen - Not Fair vs Terry Bush - The Littlest Hobo Theme
Via
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Making faces at the National Portrait Gallery
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tart Cards
Tart Cards are the means by which many London prostitutes advertise their services. Step into almost any central London phone box and you can contemplate up to 80 cards inviting you to be tied, teased, spanked or massaged.
Via
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Spectaculaires: Monumental Visions
An unforgettable spectacle unfolds each summer night in the Place Stanislas, an 18th-century public square in Nancy, France. Fantastical animated images illuminate the grand façade of the square’s Hôtel de Ville, transforming the ornate building into a gigantic, motion-filled canvas. More
Rest Stops, R.I.P.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Plus ça change...
...plus c'est la meme chose. With the exception of the gang signs near the end this could have been a video of my peer group in the 70's, just sittin' on the porch singin' Townes Van Zandt.
Josh Ritter - Me & Jiggs
Josh Ritter - Me & Jiggs
Saturday, June 13, 2009
How to field dress a unicorn
Because inquiring minds want to know...
There's more (if you can stand it).
Via Blort, a bit of a tasty treat herself.
Once you've filled your unicorn with plenty of hot lead it's time to get down to some proper field dressing to ensure you'll be eatin' that unicorn all year long in your stews, roasts, hell, even minced into small pieces for garnishing your Corn Flakes! Unicorns, despite their awful attitudes, actually taste pretty dang good - provided you follow these simple guidelines for gutting your unicorn the RIGHT way!
There's more (if you can stand it).
Via Blort, a bit of a tasty treat herself.
Banksy Versus Bristol Museum 2009 Video Teaser
Following previous news of Banksy’s show at his hometown Bristol Museum, BBC officially broke the silence with images and video footage of the show. Now we are able to present a video tour of the exhibit, which includes over 100 works, more than 70 of which are brand new, while many of the others, such as the painted toilets (or portaloos) have been reworked. Via
Civilization by Marco Brambilla
Civilization by Marco Brambilla
Civilization is a video installation created with artist/director Marco Brambilla for the elevators Standard Hotel in NYC. It's comprised of over 400 video clips and it takes elevator passengers on a trip from hell to heaven as they go up or from heaven to hell as they go down.
Sent to me by Prodigal who has plenty of time to send me stuff but no time to blog :-)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Panorama of the bowling alley at the Frick
There's a Bowling Alley at the Frick? The Vermeers, Rembrandts and Holbeins upstairs are well known. But only a lucky few have seen the bowling alley.
I visited the Frick last week. If I'd known this was downstairs I'd have bowled a few frames. I wonder if it smells like sweaty bowling shoes or if they have a snack bar with delicious junk to gorge on. Probably not.
The Uniform Project
The Uniform Project - Starting May 2009, I have pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Here’s how it works: There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day I will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies... The Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
I Heart Lynn Crosbie
I am a Lynn Crosbie reader. This bit of prose, dissed by some, led me to become her Facebook friend:
Tarantino's recent work with Brad Pitt, who is starting to feel like a handsome mannequin in a Palm Beach department store, seems guided by a desire to rescue him from a life largely spent waiting to retrieve and nurture another of Angelina Jolie's – the chilling black widow's – egg sacs.
Movie Atlas: The Station Agent
I look forward to Movie Atlas posts at Been Seen, especially when a movie that I really like is featured.
The Station Agent is one of my favourite films. Director Thomas McCarthy made the movie after discovering the film's main location, an abandoned station building, in Newfoundland, New Jersey. More
Been-Seen's Movie Atlas is a unique opportunity - a chance to explore the world through movies. Movies that were filmed on location and show you real places, either as they are now, or as they were when the film was made.
The Station Agent is one of my favourite films. Director Thomas McCarthy made the movie after discovering the film's main location, an abandoned station building, in Newfoundland, New Jersey. More
This is Oxygen
Christopher Hendryx created this video for his thesis at the Ringling College of Art+Design.
Via My Modern Metropolis
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Weddings of the Times
Weddings of the Times by Kasper Hauser:
A Parody of The New York Times Wedding Announcements
by Kasper Hauser
Along with fully illustrated guides to:
Wedding-night sex,
Honeymoon hot spots,
Formalwear malfunctions,
and much, much more.
At four o’clock in the Afternoon.
Or is it three o’clock?
Didn’t you bring the invitation?
Huh? Where the hell is the turnoff?
Back there. I think I saw a paper plate and some balloons.
What’s wrong?
I just need to eat something. I’m fine.
Remind me how we know these people?
A Parody of The New York Times Wedding Announcements
by Kasper Hauser
Along with fully illustrated guides to:
Wedding-night sex,
Honeymoon hot spots,
Formalwear malfunctions,
and much, much more.
At four o’clock in the Afternoon.
Or is it three o’clock?
Didn’t you bring the invitation?
Huh? Where the hell is the turnoff?
Back there. I think I saw a paper plate and some balloons.
What’s wrong?
I just need to eat something. I’m fine.
Remind me how we know these people?
Dance With Me
A commenter named Anonymous (an ever so common name it seems) just reminded me that I've had this video lined up in my drafts since last April. Time to post it.
Steve McQueen's Giardini
Moira at Dog Art Today blogs about British artist Steve McQueen's film, Giardini, at the Venice Biennale.
McQueen shot what he found – there is a 92-year-old woman who trundles her shopping trolley through the gardens to feed the cats each day, and a spectacular moment when the sun is blotted out by one of the giant cruise ships that dwarfs the city "like a giant whale", he said. We hear the sounds of the park – the chanting from the nearby football ground, for instance. "It was like a wonderful male choir," said McQueen, "monumental, wonderful. And then there were always the church bells, this operatic thing. More
The most arresting characters are the dogs who appear like a leitmotif through the work. 'They are racing greyhounds that would otherwise be shot but are looked after by a charity,'' said McQueen. The point is that they ought to be dead – and are thus a kind of ghostly presence, he added.
Julia
Fortunately it is impossible to march anybody anywhere quickly (as Josephine said to Napoleon when she suggested he put off conquering Russia until the Spring) so it only took three or maybe four u-turns blithely executed on county highways before I spotted a mass of children disappearing over a distant hill. It should have reminded me of the Pied Piper; it actually reminded me of the battle hosts marching from Mordor.
Julia's blog had me laughing out loud, to coin an overused phrase, and I just had to read it to Mr. Nag who confirmed to me that it is indeed funny. He did this by turning the corners of his mouth up slightly and making a strange hmmming sound.
Parcours Saint Germain
A reader sent me a link to this year's Parcours Saint Germain, an exhibition of contemporary art that is taking place right now in Paris. Wish I could go.
Les Artistes, édition 2009
Exhibits are strewn throughout the 6th arrondissement at neighborhood institutions like the Café de Flore (Guy Limone), Les Deux Magots (Gérard Pétremand), Louis Vuitton (Philippe Ramette), Sonia Rykiel (Elisa Strada), Place St. Germain-des-Prés (Tadashi Kawamata and Nicolas Buffe), and dozens of other sites.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Discussing the Divine Comedy with Dante
Painting by Dai Dudu, Li Tiezi, and Zhang An, 2006, oil on canvas
Famous People Painting with Wiki Links
Via
Famous People Painting with Wiki Links
Via
At last, some colour!
Strolling around New York on Saturday
There is nothing I like better than to wander aimlessly on a beautiful sunny day.
Bought a couple of things at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market - the Mao poster below and a French enameled address plate for the front door.
We strolled down to the Bleecker St. Festival where I found a copy of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach for a rock bottom price. Had a lovely Italian brunch with Bloody Marys at Grano in the Village (recommended by a fireman brother of Mr. Nag) then listened to some excellent jazz at Washington Square. I fell in love with the eclectic vintage decor at ABC Home; it felt like heaven to me. We also hit the Green Market at Union Square but it was a real zoo and we rushed right through - I loved the bouquets of peonies they were selling there.
We trundled back to the apartment to change shoes and chug a screwdriver then off to wander around the Chelsea Art Galleries and along the Hudson. Mr. Nag showed me the NYC fireboat where he stayed when he attended firefighters' funerals after 911.
We circled back through Tribeca and then absorbed a little bit of the action at the clubs in the Meatpacking District. Then home via the Chelsea Historic District with its lovely row houses. No fancy dinner out - too tired. Got a takeout pizza and had it with a good bottle of wine while watching Bette Davis in The Letter. That, my friends, was my idea of the perfect day.
Bought a couple of things at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market - the Mao poster below and a French enameled address plate for the front door.
We strolled down to the Bleecker St. Festival where I found a copy of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach for a rock bottom price. Had a lovely Italian brunch with Bloody Marys at Grano in the Village (recommended by a fireman brother of Mr. Nag) then listened to some excellent jazz at Washington Square. I fell in love with the eclectic vintage decor at ABC Home; it felt like heaven to me. We also hit the Green Market at Union Square but it was a real zoo and we rushed right through - I loved the bouquets of peonies they were selling there.
We trundled back to the apartment to change shoes and chug a screwdriver then off to wander around the Chelsea Art Galleries and along the Hudson. Mr. Nag showed me the NYC fireboat where he stayed when he attended firefighters' funerals after 911.
We circled back through Tribeca and then absorbed a little bit of the action at the clubs in the Meatpacking District. Then home via the Chelsea Historic District with its lovely row houses. No fancy dinner out - too tired. Got a takeout pizza and had it with a good bottle of wine while watching Bette Davis in The Letter. That, my friends, was my idea of the perfect day.
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