Humour! (to recover from the zombies...)

This bonus feature from the movie Bridesmaids is pretty hilarious.

Zombies!

Okay, so this looks terrifying. Anyone fancy a role play game in a whole city infested with zombies? Do they do this sort of thing in the States? I've heard of zombie walks, but never of actual games where you are being chased by zombies.

If that's not creepy enough for you, then season 2 of The Walking Dead premieres October 16.

Sunday: Song of the Day

A friend recently told me he thinks that the new album by We are Augustines, "Rise Ye Sunken Ships", is the best album of the year. What do you think? Today I've been enjoying "Chapel Song". Here's the video:

Did you see the Google Doodle in honor of Jim Henson? Here is a fun NYTimes article about the making of the logo, plus a bit about Henson.

Hot Pants

 When people started using the term hot pants, I always assumed they meant pants that were the color red. Now, colorful pants are everywhere. What do you think? Are they fabulous or too full-on?

Here are some of the options I've seen:

• J. Brand for $176: I have to admit I tried these on at Anthropologie and they were too short for me. I think they're aiming for a cropped look, but these were more capris on me.
• BDG has a pair available for only $58 at Urban Outfiters, but the reviews say they run after only one wash. 
• American Eagle has a pair of red jeggings for only $44. Are jeggings cool, or, are they, as one friend says, simply glorified tights? 

Street Art

This is a neat post, featuring some amazing street art.

Speaking of street art, have you seen Exit Through the Gift Shop? It's a really neat look into some interesting artists. Plus, it explores how gullible people can be.

Here's another great article on Banksy.

Sesame Street is still Amazing

Songs Inspired by Poems

Flavorwire has a fun article on songs inspired by poets. Click here to have a read / listen.

Sneak peek--I especially like #7,M. Ward (of She & Him fame) singing a song called "Blake's View":

Last night, I met up with a friend to check out a Book Slam. She'd been before, but  I didn't quite know what to expect. For a moment, I even worried it could be like a pillow fight with books. Then I realized I have been to poetry slams before, and they were fairly non-violent events.

If you enjoy a night of literature, but wish it had a bit more entertainment,  a book slam is a great compromise. This particular event was hosted at The Grand in Clapham. Since the venue is a night club, the event differed from most book-type events I've attended. The Slam itself was like a literary round robin with a host, three performers and a dj.

The event was advertised to start at 7:30, but the host didn't appear on stage until just after 8. He opened by reading the poem "Invisible Kisses" and was followed by  performances / readings by Inua Ellams (a poet, playwright, and performer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (a novelist), and Nick Mulvey (a singer / songwriter). Performances were interspersed with tunes from a DJ.

All in all, it was a fun night. As a warning, tickets, which are only about £6, have been selling out quickly, since the series received a mention in Stylist.

TV soundtracks

You guys. I was watching The Vampire Diaries season premier this past week and the music was really good.

I know. It looks like there are two questionable statements in that first paragraph. It's fine if TVD isn't your thing. But the music (at least most of it) really was decent. It made me think about all of the good TV show soundtracks I've owned.

It always starts the same way. You find yourself watching a show like Party of Five or Felicity. The music is decent, so you buy the album. You listen to it until you're sick of it. Maybe you even made a few mix tapes featuring songs from the show in question before this happens. But then it sits neglected in your CD case, or on display for years and years until you have a dinner party and people are rifling through your things and someone is like "why do you have the Dawson's Creek soundtrack?" And they say it in this way like they're judging you, so you get defensive and are like "Oh, that's ancient. I totally meant to throw that out years ago. My music taste is totally amazing now. he he?"

But later you realize that they're not reacting to the music. They're reacting to the fact that James Van Der Beek's face is on the cover of one of your CDs. In fact, the more you think about it, that Paula Cole song was really amazing and where have all the cowboys gone? Plus, who didn't feel like their love life was a little less bleak after listening to "Kiss me" by Sixpence None the Richer.

Sadly, you probably buried that CD at the bottom of the pile after this dinner party and forgot about the CD for another 5 years when the whole situation repeats itself. 

Anyway, here is a link to the list of music they played on last week's episode of TVD. I especially liked the two featured below. The Ingrid Michaelson song is sweet, and the video for "Hello" is pretty charming:

London Open House

 Don't you always wonder how other people live? Especially well-to-do people who live in posh, older houses? It turns out that London has an open house weekend, where the public is allowed a peek into some of these houses and buildings. The event, which was this past weekend, was a great way for designers, architects, and urban planners to showcase their work.
While at Portobello Market on Saturday with a friend, we passed one of the houses on the tour, but the line was around the corner of the block. Somewhat discouraged, we abandoned the plan to check out the open houses on Saturday.
Then, on the way to the grocery store on Sunday morning, we passed a flat in Angel that was open to the public. At this property, you were supposed to pre-book, but the architect at the door, allowed us to sneak into the tour. He and his wife then gave the group a quick talk about the challenge of renovating the house, and how they managed to create a sustainable flat that met the client's vision.
One of the neatest parts of the property was how they'd managed to update the garden. Since the couple living in the flat are only in London on weekends, they wanted a garden that was low maintenance. So, they built the patio up a bit higher, and created a way for rain water to be trapped underneath, and then irrigate the garden when no one was home.
They also had a beautiful wild flower garden on the roof. I only wish I'd taken pictures.

For more details about the event, visit londonopenhouse.org. 

Anne Hathaway Rapping

I kind of love this.

Music Covers

I love a good cover band. The Lost Fingers put a different spin on some modern day songs. Check out their video for "Pump Up the Jam":

The whole "Lost in the 80s", album is neat. As they're from Quebec, they also have some great French songs, in particular a re-make of "Belleville Rendez-Vous" from the movie "Triplets of Belleville".

This is a great article.

My Superpower Is Being Alone Forever

www.theawl.com

It’s pretty hard to reverse engineer a meet-cute. These things either happen or they don’t. If you were really serious about it, you could probably arrange for, say, an errant shopping cart to go charging off in someone's direction and then you could rush up behind it saying, "Sorry, sorry!" and tha...

Next Disney Movie?

Willow, Lost Cat From Colorado, Resurfaces in Manhattan

www.nytimes.com

 

Have you read about Willow yet? Such a great article. And a bit like The Incredible Journey Except that the dogs sat around not doing much....

I love that they still have her little Christmas stocking.

Sunday Soup Recipe

Last weekend I wanted a speedy soup recipe, so I pulled out Nigella Express. She had a recipe for Minestrone in Minutes. I have to admit, I was skeptical, but it turned out really well.

I didn't have any pasta sauce, so I ignored her instructions to add pre-made sauce, and I just added some sauteed onions and garlic, crushed tomatoes, a bit of dried oregano, and a bay leaf, as well as a bit of extra chicken stock. It was pretty tasty and express.

Here is the recipe.

London Bags

When I first moved to London, I asked a friend who used to live here where she'd suggest buying a new bag. She suggested Mimi Berry. Sadly, I can't (yet) justify the cost, but I think I would be happy with almost any of the bags they sell. Especially the Clementine or the Peggy (shown below).

Easy New 'Do

I wear my hair the same way every. single. day. Usually, I wake up, shower, blow it dry, and then throw it up in a messy ponytail after an hour or so. It's just boring. So, the last time I went to get my hair cut, I asked the stylist (whom I trust) if she had any suggestions for an easy, new way to wear my hair.

She suggested a modified bun. Here's how you do it:

• Put your hair in pigtails. The part doesn't really matter. 
• Tie the pigtails in a knot and then pin down the ends. 

I'm trying no to wash my hair every day, and this is a great solution to save my hair from looking flat or greasy. Plus, I can do it myself. What do you think?

Here are pictures:

Great Article

I love this article called "My Superpower Is Being Alone Forever". It's all about online dating and meeting people. Great line: "Everyone has a friend who is so charismatic, brilliant or good-looking that the idea of him or her trolling OKCupid is mind-boggling. I am haunted by those friends. What is it that separates us? Is it gluten?"

Zoolander

I love Zoolander, but had no recollection of Alexander Skarsgard being one of the "orange mocha frappuccino" male models...

Literary Pets

What kind of animal would you love to keep as a pet? Some famous authors have some interesting choices, shared in this article. Can you imagine parading a lobster around on a leash??

Here's Flannery O'Connor and her peacocks:

Fun Tunes

Marie Claire suggested these songs this month, and here are a few I think are okay, including some French Gypsy Jazz. 

 

"Je Veux" by Zaz: 

"Free My Mind" by Katie Herzig:

"Paper Tiger" by Rosi Golan: 

Fun Song

Music of the Day

I am a big fan of The Tallest Man on Earth. Here's one of the neatest videos I've seen....I kind of want to find this shop:

I also really like this cover he does of "Graceland':

This is kind of hilarious.

"Ah, what can ever be more stately and admirable to me than mast-hemm’d Manhattan?"

10 years ago today, I was wandering the streets of Lancaster, England during my study abroad course. I was with two friends and our plan was to head into town to get groceries. It was a beautiful day. It felt like fall.

Now, on September 11, 2011 I again find myself in England. London is cool and crisp. But today I miss New York.

The title of this post is taken from Crossing Brooklyn Ferry by Walt Whitman.

Danny MacAskill Videos

I posted these on Facebook ages ago, but I watch them every now and then just because they're so amazing, and well-done. Again, great music picks with "The Funeral" by Band of Horses and "Wax and Wire" by Loch Lomond.

Song of the day

I know I just posted the long boarding video, which features this song, but I just can't get enough of it!

I think I may have to buy the whole album...

Bag o'...

I go through white t-shirts like it's my job. If it was my job, I'd be loaded. They're always grey, or stained (I'm a bit of a slob) after a week or so. So, I think this is an excellent idea. For only $48 you get 3 crips, white tees. I wonder if they're see-through....

Dark tees and tanks are also available.

More Shoes...

Check out these cute shoes from BC Footwear at American Eagle. $45 seems like an okay price for shoes too. I like both the blue and the yellow.

Cheap, Cool, Perscription Glasses

I have never worn contact lenses, so I view my glasses as an accessory. Unfortunately, they're an expensive accessory that are supposed to last for years, so I end up getting sick of my frames before I should be buying new ones. So, when I read about Warby Parker, I was kind of jazzed. 

The company offers frames + glasses for $95. And for every pair of glasses they sell, they donate a pair to a person in need. So, for $95 you can also feel good about your purchase.

The down side is that as of now, they only have two places for you to try on glasses in a showroom, and both are in NY. To get around this, they will ship you up to 5 pairs of frames at a time for free (anywhere in the contiguous 48 States) to try on at home. If you like them, you're in luck. If not, send them back for free. It could be a good opportunity to get a spare pair of cool frames, or some prescription sunglasses.

The down side: they're not shipping internationally yet. So, if you buy a pair, you'll have to let me know if they're any good!

Have you read it yet?

Unbroken has just sold 1 million copies in hardcover, which is a pretty impressive feat in the age of the e-book. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy--in hardcover or e-book version.

Though it's non-fiction, it reads like fiction, and is an amazing story of survival.

Body Lotion with SPF

Wouldn't you like to try this body lotion? It's a bit on the pricey side, but it's all natural, and has SPF 30 for your whole self.

Weekend Soup Recipe

I've just bought this thermos to bring to work, so I'm trying to get in the habit of making soup over the weekend so that I'll have at least a few weekday lunches ready to take with me before I'm rushing around in the morning trying to get ready for the day.

This week, I made Carrot-Ginger Soup from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. It's healthy, easy-to-make and tasty hot or cold. Recipe below, copied from this site:

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh ginger root
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into ½ in. pieces
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 15 – 20 minutes.
3. Add the broth and carrots. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the carrots are very tender, about 45 minutes.
4. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, 2 – 3 cups at a time, and pour into a large bowl. When finished, pour the pureed soup back into the stockpot. Season with lemon juice.

Beirut

Today, I'm listening to a lot of Beirut and wishing there were still tickets left to see them next Friday in London! Here's one of my favorites. It reminds me of France. Plus, I love the marching aspect:

Knitting

How cute are these patterns from Tiny Owl Knits? I only know very basic knitting, but these kind of make me want to take it up as a hobby:

Veggie Recipe:

This past weekend, I tried my hand at making Ratatouille (the last time I'd had a craving for it was as I was leaving the theater after seeing the movie...) There's a chill in the air here, so it seemed like the right time to cook up some vegetable stew.

I used this  recipe from a Menus from an Orchard Table. Yum.

Rompers!

As summer is drawing to a close (in some places. In London, it's practically winter), I can't help but check out the end of season sale. One purchase I never made this summer was the romper. Why? Because they're rompers. Then my sister met me in New York for a weekend and looked adorable in one. What do you think? Hers was black, but the coral would be fun with a tan...Also, it's only $33 here.

If you're not going to rush out and buy one, at least take a moment to appreciate the word. It's kind of fun to say: rompers!

Laughs

This will at least make you smile.

Interesting move, Google.

It seems as though Google's plan to take over the world is one step further along with their acquisition of Zagat's. I hope this "dependable" guide doesn't get too much of a "facelift".

Travel Deal

If anyone in New York, Boston, or Chicago is interested in traveling to Canada,  Porter Airlines is having a 50% sale off all flights through December 15. You just have to book soon!

Here are details: Book online or contact your travel agent. Use promo code WOW50 by September 9, 2011. Travel by December 15, 2011. New bookings only. Cannot be combined with any other promotions or programs.

Girl Hate

This is a great article on girl hate.

Loafers

I've decided I'm a fan of the fall loafer trend, but what pair to get? Here are a few different styles I've seen and pondered:

Color Pair Loafers from Anthropologie: 

Bed Stu Penny Loafer from American Eagle:

I like both the classic-looking Biella Loafers and the Darby Patent Loafer from J. Crew:

Lastly, while summer is drawing to a close, I am still wishing, I'd bought a pair of boat shoes. Maybe there will be an end of season sale? I still like these Sperry Top-Siders:

Fall in London

It is definitely Autumnal in London. To be fair, it's been somewhat fall-like since July, but I suspect the days of bare legs are rapidly coming to a close. I've recently discovered Emerson Made. Doesn't  this seems like the perfect fall blazer for London (or anywhere?). I wish the price was a bit more perfect for my wallet...

Carving the Mountains

Kaitlin posted the below video and it was too amazing not to swipe. I wish I was this fierce. Not to mention, an awesome song by The Decemberists.

Swagger Wagon

I'm not a mini van fan, but the new Sienna ads are pretty funny. In particular, this:

I heart Roald Dahl

Besides his amazingly weird kids' stories like James and the Giant Peach or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and his amazingly weird adult stories like "The Hitchhiker" and "Lamb to the Slaughter", he also sent some pretty weirdly amazing responses to fan mail.

Click this link to see his response to a letter to a class.

And here to read about how he had all of his permanent teeth pulled!

100 Years of Style (and dancing!) in London

Fun Video:

What I Miss: Grand Central

Grand Central Station is one of my favorite buildings in New York. If you're lucky enough to come across it when it's calm, it's spectacular. But, as this fun New York Times article suggests, it's really a work of art anytime. I think this line sums it up perfectly: "I sense that these same visitors would not carry themselves in quite the same way at Penn Station or the Port Authority. The immensity of the hall’s space makes an impact at all times, surrounding people with drama."

New Favorite Lip Gloss

So, this isn't a new product, but I've just discovered it and am loving it!

I've been putting it on before work each morning.