Kids Say the Darndest Things

Hi guys, this is not really related to anything, except that perhaps it is helping with the moving stress.  I have watched this about 15 times and it cracks me up every time (my favourite line is when he knocks on the doorbell...and rang it).  I went through a few others and they are also amusing, but for some reason, this one just gets me!

Katia and Marielle Labèque

I love interior design, and I love classical music, and I especially love when they intersect as perfectly as with the Labèque sisters.  Katia and Marielle Labèque are arguably the world's best piano duo - they are incredibly dramatic and regularly astound their audiences with their expressive and imaginative performances.  They are actually performing in Toronto NEXT THURSDAY (not tomorrow - oops) and I am so, so sad to be missing it.  If you can possibly swing it, you should really, really go - I think it is going to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime concerts.  Sigh.

These gals seem so cool.  Besides performing the usual Ravel, Satie, Prokofiev, and Mozart, they have also formed a group called the Minimalist Dream House that explores contemporary music from John Cage and Steve Reich to Sonic Youth and Radiohead. They've played with Sting and Herbie Hancock and Madonna is their buddy.  And they have one of the most beautiful and unique homes and recording studios I have ever seen.

The sisters bought the first two floors of a Renaissance palace in Tuscany and collaborated with Antiques dealer and designer Axel Vervoordt to create this gorgeous home that somehow manages to be sumptuous and minimal at the same time.  That amazing purple sofa came from Vervoordt's Home Collection, and the various treasures are from his antiques and art objects gallery and store.

The faded panels in Marielle's bedroom were found under layers of paint and the ceiling is original as well.  The mood and texture of this room is contrasted by Katia's serene space below, although the railing were made by Vervoordt from metal pieces originally used to hold up the roof of the Louvre.

Other modern amenities are hidden away throughout the house: the kitchen appliances are tucked beneath these 17th-century doors, and the rich green silk curtain in the living room hides a state-of-the-art stereo system.

This home is so up my alley!  If you are wondering where the pianos are (like I was), they are at the world-class recording studio they crafted out of a 1920's nursing-school in Rome.  Here the spare but textured space has a more industrial feel, perfectly suited to all the cables and electronic equipment.  My favourite thing in the space, the huge stone sphere, is not an adornment from an ancient Italian ruin, as I had assumed, but rather one of a set of nine orbs carved by Thai monks that would have surrounded a temple to "absorb and diffuse cosmic power." Amazing.

I love the inlaid panels placed above the pianos in the this space and the one pictured at the beginning - even the acoustic requirement add to the overall aesthetic. Katia has a great quote in the AD article: “Axel is the only person we know who treats space the same way we read a musical score—exploring new areas of feeling while holding on to the rhythm.”

If you are interested, there is a great interview on the Architectural Digest site of the Lebèque's collaboration and friendship with Axel Vervoordt. Below I'll include a mesmerizing Minimalist Dream House performance of Radiohead's Pyramid Song.  (I chose not to include the video of Madonna taking her dancers and crew to visit the Labèques - Madge's patronizing and affected voice makes me crazy.)

Lastly, if you can make it, I implore you to go see them for me next Thursday night, August 1, at Koerner Hall in Toronto (7:30 pm, torontosummermusic.org)!

MINIMALIST DREAM HOUSE _ Radiohead "Pyramid Song" from Meloni Mitchell on Vimeo.

Watch this with the kid

Hooray!  I have finally stumbled across something in the internet that I was compelled to share - just like in the old days of this blog.  Somehow in the last few months I seem to have gotten all confused about why the heck I was doing this blogging thing, and who I should be writing for, and what I should be writing about, and if it should be tied into an imaginary business I have not yet started or even fully narrowed down... and so I just didn't write anything.  That and I have been so, well, not really crazy busy, but just not online.  Some days I don't even open the computer (which is bad cause then I don't look at my email or calendar and that's just not proper adult behaviour).

Anyhoo, here's the thing I loved so much I had to share*: This blog The Kid Should See This.  This blog is an incredibly diverse compilation of cool, inspiring, and educational videos that were not created specifically for kids, but that make for wonderful and imaginative viewing for kids as well as adults.  There is an excellent article on Design for Minikind about how mom Rion started the blog after trying to find an example of jazz scat for her son.  They were both thrilled with the 1969 video she found of Ella Fitzgerald doing it like no one else can (holy MACKINAW she is good - it is super hard!), and when her son spent the rest of the week scatting everywhere he went (such an unfortunate homonym...), she knew she had to share it.

The videos are grouped under Science, Technology, Space, Animals, Food, DIY, Art, Food, Music, and Animation, and forget the boys, I could spend my entire day on here.  The world is just so damn full of cool and interesting people!  If that isn't a great lesson to learn when you're young, I don't know what is.

I especially love the art category, but they are all amazing.  I am including a couple here, and had to post the Oliver Jeffers one because I love his books and he's so dreamy...



And considering the amount of hours Will and I have logged watching films on space and the planets, and my obsession with Chris Hadfield, I thought I would add these as well:



Seen anything cool online lately? ;p

Shit Girls Say

I know this is everywhere, but it cracks me up (esp. "Can you just ... turn it down a little?...)


Also I have not been able to look at Juliette Lewis and not shudder since Cape Fear....

Toronto Tempo

Check out this very cool time lapse video of the various rhythms of life in Toronto.  Photographer Ryan Emond has found some fascinating vantage points and done an amazing job of capturing the essence of life in a big city using thousands of photographs.  His editing is fantastic and he has created a beautiful homage to the city - makes me proud to live in Toronto!

Murmuration

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

This video has made the rounds on Facebook, and I am sure on other blogs, but I think it is just so magical I had to repost it this morning.  I keep picturing it as I listen to other music, it is such an amazing visual.  Here's to a magical day!

I heart The Black Keys

This video made me super happy this morning.  Thanks to Veronika for originally posting it.  Turn it up and dance!

Music I Like: Aidan Knight

I think I first heard Victoria-native Aidan Knight at an amazing vintage store in Kelowna (Frock - it is so, so good. I never leave empty-handed.) I downloaded his album Versicolour immediately and it is one of my go-to albums.  Mellow and folky, but so original and smart, it is full of those songs that seem to be the perfect soundtrack to whatever you are doing.  Suddenly washing the dishes slows down, the room is lit with flickering sunlight, and you realize that this simple moment is actually epic and life is pretty damn amazing... know what I mean?  His song The Sun does this to me every time.  You can download his songs from his website and see some of his more produced videos, but I wanted to show you these live videos - having listened so much to his album I can't help but love the fresh and sprawling take on his songs.

The Sun


Jasper with Dan Mangan - I have to admit that I feel a little patriotic as I watch them singing in the Rockies with their parkas and toques... :)


Aidan Knight - Giants of the Forest - Episode Five from Amazing Factory Productions Inc. on Vimeo.

Biking Champ

My husband is more than just little bit into mountain biking.  Some might call him obsessed, but then they wouldn't have met his friends (I'm talking about you Francois!).  When out eldest was 2, the hubster insisted we get him one of those Strider bikes so he could 'establish his balance.'  I rolled my eyes, but we got one, and I have to admit that he was totally right (don't get used to that, darling.)  My little guy is a whiz on it, zooming down the sidewalk like a pro.  But he's got nothing on the kid in this video - holy moly (and thank heavens).  His bike is pretty souped-up, with the brake and I do believe suspension, and I am going to go out on a limb and say that his dad might also be a little bit into mountain biking?  Maybe even more than my guy?  I love that it is done just like all the bike videos my husband watches.  Pretty clever.  So, would you let your toddler ride like this?  He sure seems to be having fun...

Really Big Angry Birds

My friend David sent me this nifty video of what I think is a masterful promotional stunt.  Somewhere near Barcelona, T-Mobile set up this larger-than-life version of the ubiquitous (and addictive) Angry Birds game.  At the event, you could walk up to a booth and pick up a smart phone from the selection provided to play the game. Your moves would be played our in front of your eyes on a massive scale, complete with exploding pigs.  How satisfying would THAT be?

My only knowledge of T-Mobile are Catherine Zeta Jones (wasn't she a spokesperson?  When I hear "T-Mobile" in my head, it is her voice saying it!) and the Tour de France when Jan Ullrich was always-a-bridesmaid to Lance's domination (Jan's team was sponsored by T-Mobile).  In case you care, wikipedia helped me learn that this telecommunications company from Germany is present is 13 countries in the world: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Monenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, the UK, the US, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  Notice that Germany is missing from the list?  Apparently T-Mobile hasn't been in Germany since 2011 (not sure why) and will also be out of the US, Puerto Rico, and U.S.V.I. as of next year when its purchase by AT&T is complete.

Don't say I never tell you anything.  Just make sure you add "useful." The power of the spot was that I actually just looked all that up, based on a viral video of really big angry birds.  That's clever advertising!

My birthday with Adele

On Wednesday, I somehow realized that Adele was playing in Toronto that night - how could I have missed that?  I thought I would casually ask one of my ticketing "connections" if they knew of any last minute tickets being released to this sold-out show, on the off chance that I could snag a ticket and go.  I thought it would be a nice birthday gift to myself!  Well somehow this amazing lady worked a miracle and got me an AMAZING seat.  Even better, my colleagues all pitched in and covered the cost of the ticket as a birthday gift....and then the sun came out after weeks of rain.  True story.  I left work and got a beautiful manicure (Essie - Clam Bake), had a beer and some food by myself on a patio (first patio of the season!), and then walked down to an amazing concert.  It was the best solo birthday date ever! 

 

 

I took a few blurry photos and some video, but I will spare you most of it.  Instead, I leave you with the following link to give you an idea of how incredible this girl is.  Goosebumps!

Paper Magic by Mandy Smith

Check out this incredible short animation illustrated entirely of paper by Mandy Smith - it's amazing!  My 3-year-old has already made us watch it 4 times... and counting... :)  It seems kind of Tim Burton-esque, could be the Tom Waits-inspired music...

This video has nothing to do with anything design-related, but I just had to share.  Not to oversell it or anything, but it is HILARIOUS.

Yo-Yo Ma and Lil Buck

I found this incredibly moving - it's like Lil Buck is floating on sound...  And kudos to Mr. Ma for continuously exploring the boundaries of music and performance!  I can't wait to see him in 2012 with the TSO.  What do you think?

From YouTube:
The other day, I was lucky enough to be at an event to bring the arts back into schools and got to see an amazing collaboration between Yo-Yo Ma and a young dancer in LA, Lil Buck. Someone who knows Yo-Yo Ma had seen Lil Buck on YouTube and put them together. The dancing is Lil Buck's own creation and unlike anything I've seen. Hope you enjoy. --Spike Jonze

Thanks for the link David!

Music I Like: Kimbra

Kimbra - "Plain Gold Ring" (Live at Sing Sing Studios) from Forum5 Recordings on Vimeo.

I found this video thanks to a link from Kate, and holy ga-MOLY I was blown away.  Of course, this is an amazing song, but this girl Kimbra sings the hell out of it.  What a voice - what a performer!  Her back-up ensemble is dynamite, and the videography is really well done.  The rest of her stuff is a bit poppy for my taste, but I would definitely go see her if she came to town.  She is from New Zealand and is... wait for it... 20 years old.  Sigh.

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

This one always brings a tear to my eye... 

Have a pint o' green beer for me!

Do you recognize this lady?

Thankfully I have never displayed such behaviour.  My KIDS on the other hand... yeesh.  This short film was made by the (I'm assuming amazing and hilarious) Swedish director Johannes Nyholm about a woman who trashes a bar in Las Palmas, starring his baby as the woman.  I laughed 'til I cried - no lie.  Watch it.  (And then watch it again - it just gets funnier.)  Thanks Joanna.

I Heart Karen

My friend Karen made this fabulous video compiling all the photos she has take at her desk at work.   I have to say a highlight of my day is to get one of these photos in my email - so a whole video was too much fun! She picked the best music, and I think you will agree has the most beautiful necklaces, hair cut, and smile!  She also has a fun blog.  Conclusion: I love Karen.

Music I like: Ramona Falls

I love the sound of the band (sorry - "indie rock project") Ramona Falls - named after a waterfall in Oregon and not a clumsy girl named Ramona.  However, I think I might like their videos even more!  The first one below is especially cool.  They have such a nifty vibe - check out their site to hear their streamed album.  

Jr. Conductor

This video made the rounds at my work today (the Toronto Symphony Orchestra) and I enjoyed it so much I just had to share!

It is impressive just how well he knows the music - he has clearly heard this quite a few times before! - and I would hazard a guess that at least one of his parents is a conductor, he has so many of the perfect mannerisms.  But gosh - that JOY is so fantastic!  I have heard this piece sooooo many times and watching him 'live' it was like hearing it for the first time!

It also made me wonder... how many conductors have to deal with a REALLY itchy nose during their performance?  Respect!  :)