I am very, very excited for Black Swan! Directed by the lovely and amazing Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, longtime vegetarian. I'm a big fan of Aronofsky. His older films, Pi and Requiem for a Dream are fantastic psychological thrillers. My squeaky high pitched voice and affinity for baby doll dresses might throw some people off, but I love me some dark, disturbed characters grappling with mental illness and addiction.
Aronofsky's go to composer, Clint Mansell is on board. He adds an electronic orchestral soundtrack both methodical and climactic, setting the mood that all is not well. His score for Requiem is brilliant. Oh, I'm so excited! Black Swan premieres at the Venice Film Festival on September 1st and hits theaters December 1st. Check back here for a review!
I had the most wonderful time with my Aunt this week. I stayed at her house, but it's not a house. It's a Hollywood regency mod rainbow castle, tucked away in the Santa Fe countryside. Every inch of this house is designed and crafted by her. It's really an amazing place.
Kismet and Maud!
I also spent the week with my other four legged roommates. They're beautiful German Shepherds and such sweethearts!
We went gallery hopping and saw some really fantastic works of art. Gallery hopping turned into boutique hopping and SHOPPING! It became very clear where my shopping gene comes from.
Santa Fe has some of the most beautiful clouds I've ever seen. The sunsets were breathtaking. La Belle Nuage, you know?
I love these shoes! They're stylish AND made of synthetic man made materials. My aunt introduced me to them, and I'm in love. They come in more playful colors, but I tend to stick to black or a cream/white for my shoes. I've bought the rain boots, and I'm on a mad ebay hunt for the heels and flats.
When it comes to shoes, I either splurge with Stella McCartney or save with Payless. Payless has a GREAT selection of cute, simple, man made material shoes.
My Stella's (my favorite pumps) have seen better days. But they have been sooooo good to me. I have them "repaired" quite often, but I check ebay all the time for a replacement pair.
I happen to love packing. However, I'm notorious for packing for an entire village. This past May I went to Italy for 6 weeks. I planned, and planned, and planned and successfully managed to fit EVERYTHING into one 30" suitcase. I could have fit in that suitcase. When I got to the airport, Virgin refused to take my bag because it was 100 lbs! The limit for an overweight bag is 70 lbs! Luckily, I was allowed two bags. I was at the airport early enough for my parents to drive home, pick up my other suitcase, and drive back to the airport. I was literally re-packing all of my stuff in the loading zone of LAX. When I returned to the bag drop, they accepted my two 50 lb bags, and I was off to Italy! Yes, I overpacked. I learned my lesson. However, I was prepared and comfortable, and that was most important to me. It was a fabulous trip.
I'm leaving for fabulous Santa Fe, New Mexico tomorrow. I'm already packed, and I've fit everything into one carry on. For me, that is impressive. I pack using Flight 001's spacepack. Everything is so organized, compact, and avoids any spilling. I'm obsessed. Just to be safe, I still tape any liquid bottles. There's nothing worse than a shampoo covered suitcase.
I collect travel products and save them for an upcoming trip. The cruelty free and eco friendly products that I use on a daily basis have travel sizes. I'm obsessed with Alba, and thank goodness they have travel sizes. I refuse to use any products by big companies like Proctor and Gamble. They test on animals and are they're bad for the environment. If I'm traveling where I know I can find a Whole Foods, I'm all good. I get practically everything at Whole Foods. Skin products, vitamins, food, etc... I love that store.
Once I started traveling a lot, I got really into earning frequent flyer miles. I signed up for a Miles reward credit card, became a member of every airline's frequent flyer program, and I do any online shopping through the Virgin Atlantic online shopping section. When I bought my ticket:
I earned miles using my card.
I got miles from being a member of American Airlines
I bought my ticket through Orbitz, but I went through the online section of the Virgin Atlantic.
My Santa Fe trip earned me about 1000 frequent flyer miles. Pretty good, eh?
I have three dogs and two cats. I have kodak moments ALL the time, but I'm not always fast enough to snap a photo. I was lucky this time.
Chloe must have been tired by the end of the day. She does look like she's masturbating, but she's just unwinding after a long day of napping, eating, and putting herself on top of whatever I'm working on. It's a tough life.
Unfortunately, the stereotype for a vegan environmentalist is the grungy Rastafarian with an unflattering musk. That simply isn't true. It is possible to be both. In fact, I find there is more incentive to be environmentally conscious if I can find a way to look cute doing it. I have to push myself into being more environmentally friendly because it is really easy not to. I have to remind myself every day to bring my reusable bags with me in my car, or when I'm out on my bike. It's a habit you really have to push yourself into. I started toting around a really cute American Apparel pink canvas satchel bag. If I'm ever out shopping, it's big enough to fit a a few outfits in there. It's a $30 bag, but I got it for $10 on ebay with free shipping.
I also bought a Starbucks double walled coffee cup. Before I leave the house, I pop it in my bag and bring it with me. I really like it because it keeps my coffee hot for hours! I'm not into the uber fancy drinks. I drink my coffee black, or with a bit of cold soy milk. Some coffee spots charge extra for soy milk. This really bugs me because cow's milk is free. I've devised a plan that has been working really well for me. I don't ask for soy until after I've paid. Then I go around to the counter where you pick up your drink and I say, "Oh, I forgot! Do you have any cold soy?" Works like a charm! Occasionally, I'll get a disgruntled barista, but I can live with that.
This past May I got a new bike. Well, it isn't brand new. It's a 1974 Raleigh Gran Prix road bike. Everything from the tires, shifters, and brakes was replaced. I've got new handle bars, so I can fit a basket in front. With the new Santa Monica Place, and more people flocking to the Westside. I've found that parking has become increasingly difficult. I've started riding my bike more and more around town. Part workout and avoiding the stress of finding a parking spot. The only problem I have is showing up anywhere slightly sweaty. I have a few hills to and from my house. I can actually save time in a day by working out as I get my errands done. I named him Terence Stamp after the actor. I mostly call him Teddy.
Before
After
I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. There are plenty more things that I can do to help the environment. But it's one step at a time, and slowly making the little changes that really do make all the difference.
Check out Alicia Silverstone's blog: The Kind Life. It's a great resource for vegan, eco-friendly living.
Inception is a fantastic film. Aside from the genius craftsmanship, it is impressive and quite exciting what Christopher Nolan has achieved. He's gained enough power and popularity after a string of hits (The Dark Knight, The Prestige, Batman Begins, Insomnia, and Memento) to create a a surrealist thriller and pump it out to mainstream Hollywood.
I've always been turned off by Hollywood blockbusters. Producing 101 teaches you to market films to an audience of males 14 to 30. Why? Because a guy won't sit through a chick flick, but women will go along with their guy friends, boyfriends, and husbands to see the latest Michael Bay catastrophe. All to often, big numbers plague a films artistry and focus on the money: attractive women and explosions.
Inception was a concept of Christopher Nolan's for years, but in order for it to be successful it needed powerhouse backing and faith. Faith from it's producers and crew, and faith from the audience as well. Entering the world of surrealism and dreams requires one to forget our day to day truths and view Inception without our own preconceptions. The attention to detail is superb, as Inception is packed with complex ideas and twists and turns, but the films message and story are solid, and the viewer can keep up.
That being said, having a film exploring the world of dreams, and pulling in big numbers can only lead to more acceptance by studios and the public for smart, surrealist films. It's all very exciting.
