And the winner is...

Thanks to Yves for providing a link to what has become the highlight of my day (okay, maybe a very close second to chatting with my Love who is currently in Hong Kong).

What a feast for the eyes!  I'm afraid that it was virtually impossible to choose just one band that I loved the most - not that this was a competition or anything.  In fact, I'd like to think of it more as a celebration...of color, fabric, music, follicles, passion and virility. Here are some of my favorites:

Tiny bathroom

I met my dear and beautiful friend, Miss A, for lunch today at Fresh on Spadina.  It was so very wonderful to see her and catch up.  I've missed her so much.  The best part of all?  Our laughing fit in the teeny, tiny bathroom.  (I wonder what a giant would've done in that situation...)

Clean

I can't stop thinking about Gilbert & George and their art. I feel the need to know as much as I can about them. (Help me)

What's Your Story? Who You Are

After spending a lovely day with my family, I decided to head downtown to search for fresh and new profiles for What's Your Story? It was there that I spotted David and followed him a few feet before approaching him. Every so often I get a bit nervous about approaching people because I don't want them to feel uncomfortable or like I'm trying to exploit them somehow. In any case, once I do break the ice and get the go-ahead from the person, I'm overcome with a bit of rush. There's something really thrilling and gratifying about meeting new people and poking into their lives, however brief.

My interview with David was 'short and sweet' (pardon the pun) but quite interesting. He was a really kind soul and a pleasure to meet. He shared a few secrets about himself which I was asked to keep to myself. I think this is part of what makes the whole process of interviewing people so fulfilling to me - the ability to get someone to open up and share parts of their life with you. I'm gratfeul for these moments and the opportunity to get to know people on this intimate level.

To read David's interview, please visit the latest post on What's Your Story?

What a beautiful day!

It's a gorgeous day in Toronto - warm, sunny and the leaves are bursting with color. I felt like dancing in my subway seat. Life is good.

Today's soundtrack might include:

The Bee Gees (Jive Dancing, Staying Alive)
Prince (Delirious, 1999, Raspberry Beret)
Jay Z (99 Problems)
Ready For the World (Oh Sheila)
Billy Idol (Hot in the City)
A-ha (Take On Me)
House of Pain (Jump Around)
Led Zepplin (Rock and Roll, Black Dog)
The Go-Go's (Vacation)
Stevie Wonder (Superstition)
Bill Withers (Lovely Day)

Oh, and maybe if we were watching videos - Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch (Good Vibrations). ;)

Whatever your soundtrack is, hope you're having a wonderful day!

Here's a little something to get you moving:

What's your story? Misused text and Horses

I've been obsessing a lot about New York lately so it was only natural that I interview Niall - based on his t-shirt alone. (Read the interview to see what caught my eye.)

As it turned out, Niall was an interesting guy - a graphic designer and an artist. To see some of his work, check out his blog.

To read his interview (and to see the shirt), read the latest post on What's Your Story?

I ♥ my fountain pen

I'm not sure what the make of my new fountain pen is. I do know that it's not an Esterbrook, that it comes from Germany and that I absolutely love it. I can't stop writing with it. It's magnificent - the way the nib feels on a page, the fluidity of the ink and the resulting penmanship. It's a beautiful thing (no disrespect to the .38 tip MUJI pens that I was enamored with not so long ago).

xo

What on earth...

The 44th President of the United States

Congratulations, America.

What's Your Story? Come As You Are

I was secretly hoping there would be talk about what goes on in the shop Holly co-owns or perhaps, a lesson on the hottest new gadgets available but alas, no such luck. Nevertheless, it was nice to meet Holly and interview her for the latest post on What's Your Story?

To read Holly's interview, please visit What's Your Story?

Gilbert & George

P.S. For those of you that were curious about the photo titled, Our Spunk, in my selection of photos from NYC, it was part of an amazing exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum on artists Gilbert & George. I loved it! Gilbert & George are this totally poncey and hilarious duo who created art together such as postcard sculptures, interesting documents, vibrant (and dare I say, titillating) multimedia prints and even, films. I loved the bits of ephemera adorned with their handlettering and typing. Their oversized prints were a feast for the eyes (and then some). I now regret not purchasing the package of postcards of their prints (try saying THAT five times in a row). Ah well. I managed to take a few pictures while I was in the museum and if nothing else, I have some wonderful memories of Gilbert & George's work.

For your listening enjoyment - Gilbert & George's favorite dancing song (I would've also said for your 'viewing pleasure' but unfortunately, it's awfully blurry which is a crying shame but you can still some some pretttty fine moves):

This time last week...

At this time last week, I was sipping the most delicious Cafe Caramel from Gorilla Coffee on 5th Ave. in Brooklyn. (Sigh) I wish we were still in Brooklyn getting ready to explore NYC for the day.

We had a lovely time and shared the company of some really wonderful people that J knew. One of them happened to be an amazing tour guide of the city showing us hidden views and sites that we would have probably never discovered on our own. Thanks so much, K! (And thank you for the wine, music and the special sticker!)










I was glad to finally visit New York but had mixed emotions. Initially, I didn't quite feel a connection to the city the way I thought I might (particularly, Manhattan) but perhaps it's true - absence makes the heart grow fonder because tonight, I wish I was still there - exploring the city and munching on those delicious spicy soy drumsticks at V-Spot in Brooklyn.

The East Village was one of my favorites. We met up with a lovely couple (J's friends) over vegan nachos and other delights at Caravan of Dreams. Afterwards, we took a nice stroll down the main street which was lined with restaurants, cafes and eclectic shops including a vintage store full of old typewriters, cameras and some decent ephemera.

My favorite part of the trip was exploring the neighborhood where J had booked our B&B in Park Slope (Brooklyn). I really loved it and could totally live there. Park Slope is a really cool area with beautiful brownstones, cool shops, restaurants and cafes. Within walking distance are Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden and the Central Library. It's a fairly short subway ride into Times Square and SoHo. There's a good vibe to the neighborhood and to our surprise, there were some really awesome vegan restaurants. The B&B J booked for us turned out to be such a great surprise - it was a fully equipped studio apartment which included a washer-and-dryer and fireplace which was a treat especially since we were soaked after walking across the Brooklyn Bridge that day! Once again, J outdid himself (thanks, Love!).

As for Manhattan and SoHo, to be honest, I was a bit underwhelmed. I'm not really sure what I was expecting...maybe, I wanted to be blown away by it the way I was with Osaka but perhaps, to be fair, I just wasn't there long enough to make a really accurate judgment. In fact, I think we're going to have to visit again (soon?) for longer this time so that we can really explore the different parts of the city. I don't imagine we'll ever really be able to get a true sense of the city as tourists. Our friend who has been living there for 10 years now is still discovering new things about the city. It's huge and lively and exciting...and I can't wait to visit again.

Happy Halloween

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

Metropolitan Postcard Club

New word of the day: Deltiology - the study and collection of postcards

I know I should be getting ready for bed soon since we have to get up at 3 am but I just had to share my latest discovery - the International Fall Postcard Show this weekend at the New Yorker Hotel put on by the Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York.

The Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City 'carries on the traditions of the old Metropolitan Post Card Collectors, the oldest continuously run postcard club in the United States since 1946. Not only facilitating the exchange of postcards between collectors and dealers, the club is dedicated to the free exchange of information and ideas to further the understanding of Deltiology'. (Source: Metropolitan Postcard Club)

Who knew that such a club existed?! As many of you know, my passion for paper does not discriminate. In fact, a large part of my collection is dedicated to ephemera so this discovery is very exciting to me and since we'll already be in New York City...why, it wouldn't hurt to stop by, would it? :)

Enveloped

On Wednesday evening, I attended a workshop at the Paper Place called, Shameless Self Promotion - Custom Presentation Enclosures. We began the workshop by selecting an oversized piece of Nepalese paper and an 8.5x11 sheet of Chiyogami paper. From these pieces, we were given ideas on how to create various sized envelopes, a presentation folder and as an added bonus - a quick lesson on taking the folder one step further to create a pamphlet stitched folder.

There's something very satisfying about creating handmade envelopes and folders. Much like card-making, it's simple and provides instant gratification. There's also something reminiscent of childhood days during the act of cutting-and-pasting and really, I love any excuse to touch/handle paper. :) Since the workshop, I've gone on to purchase four full sheets of Nepalese paper in various patterns and colors to make a batch of envelopes at home. ♥

Zombie Walk

Last Sunday was the annual Zombie Walk at Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto. Unfortunately, I was busy that day so I was unable to attend and take (lots of) pictures (save the one above). I did, however, manage to interview one of the participants for the latest post on What's Your Story - a certain Princess Peach zombified.

[Pictures on my latest What's Your Story post are courtesy of Super Mario Zombie himself. Sadly, my camera was out of commission after taking the above shot.]

Pumpkins, apples and children of the corn

Here are some shots I took Thanksgiving weekend while we were in Kingston...

One more sleep

Guess where we're going tomorrow?
[I feel giddy!]

Once you've tried it...

What's Your Story? GelaSkins

I love my Mac and the sweet little GelaSkin protecting it ('Peeking Under Leafs' by Jeremiah Ketner.) For whatever reason, I had this notion that GelaSkins were produced either in L.A. or New York but when I discovered they were a Canadian product (and from Toronto, no less!), I just had to interview the brainchild behind the company.

If you aren't familiar with GelaSkins, they are removable covers for protecting and personalizing your portable devices including laptops. I love the concept - they remind me of stickers for big kids! Their designs come mainly from contemporary artists around the globe including Nanami Cowdroy, Alex Noriega and Audrey Kawasaki (to name a few) but they also carry some designs by artists such as Kandinsky, Escher and Van Gogh. They've recently branched out to include the production of (giclée) Bamboo Fine Art Prints, as well.

The company is housed in The Junction district of Toronto and the work environment is just as cool as the skins themselves - it's full of energy, vibrant, filled with music and extremely busy.

Jamie, along with his business partner Drew, dreamed up GelaSkins after they noticed a lack of products in the market that showcased decent, original art. They wanted to make a product that didn't add any bulk and protected portable devices, as well.

To read Jamie's interview, please read the latest post on What's Your Story?

Who is...Joe the Plumber?

Possible candidates:

What's Your Story? Makeup and Spirituality

I saw Mario from a distance as I was passing by a MAC store on my way to the TTC. He had on a black pashmina, a hat and looked just stunning. I had to go in and find out what his story was.

As it turned out, Mario was the sweetest, gentlest and dare I say, one of the prettiest people I've ever met. (His eyes were absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing.)

For his interview, please visit the latest post on What's Your Story?

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're in Kingston right now enjoying a beautiful weekend - sun, warm temperatures, family and too much food! During the day, we went through a corn maze, picked gourds and pumpkins and went to an antique market to search for treasures. Tonight, we're going to Fort Fright at Fort Henry to search for ghosts! And tomorrow, apple picking!

Hope you're having a good weekend. To those of you celebrating this weekend, Happy Thanksgiving!