Rideau Canal.

No matter what some people might have to say, Ottawa is A-OK in my books. In fact, I think it's kinda neat. One of my fav things about this mini metropolis is the Rideau Canal... what a gem. In the summer heat it's the perfect spot for some quality maxing and relaxing on the greens, and in the winter it becomes a monstrous skating rink - ideal for Free Fun Good Times.

This year, under the Bank St. Bridge, a few very Canadian paintings and photographs are featured. 

My favs: portraits of Joni Mitchell and William Augustus Leggo (inventor of one of the first successful methods for reproducing photographs using a printing press).

I found the piece by Ken Lum - Je. Je Suis. - to be very relevant for the venue... semi thought provoking, although not the most attractive of em all (in my humble). But I suppose that's just not the point.

Ottawa...Tu vas me manquer.

design sponge - cityguides

If anyone happens to be in/planning a trip to Seoul, check out my pal Katie Merchant's city guide to Seoul on Design Sponge.

Here are some more of Katie's pictures from Seoul that I enjoy that you might not find in the guide. If you like what you see, check out Katie's blog, thank you, ok.

Some other neat cities to peek: Mexico City, Berlin, Dublin, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, et Paris.



The Impossible Project

In October 2008 The Impossible Project saved the last Polaroid production plant for integral instant film in Enschede (NL) and started to invent and produce totally new instant film materials for traditional Polaroid cameras. In 2010 Impossible saved analog instant photography from extinction by releasing various, brand new and unique instant films.

Therewith Impossible prevents more than 300.000.000 perfectly functioning Polaroid cameras from becoming obsolete, changes the world of photography and keeps variety, tangibility and analogue creativity and possibilites alive.

For all GORILLA vs. BEAR fans... impossible posts.

peace.

As of late, I've gotten back into the yoga swing of things. I have found an instructor here in Ottawa ... Todd Lavictoire... whose classes I find ... inspiring. for lack of a better word. Have a read of Lavictoire's thoughts and wishes for 2011 ... New Year, New Sankalpa

When I picked up the December issue of IDEAT in a Montreal book shop I fell in love with the magazine's original combo of design, fashion and travel. I have since discovered that you can actually flip through the pages online... albeit in mini version. If you dont have mini eyes to read the mini text, the images throughout are worth a peak. Or better yet, pick up a copy at the mag stand. I recommend the international bobo chic spread... my fav is bobo chic in Buenos Aires.

Idées - design - évasion - architecture - tendances
A French "lifestyle magazine aimed at all those who find their personality in all forms of creation"

Vivian Maier

Being a fan of most things vintage & street photography, the LENS' feature on Vivian Maier caught my eye. Her images, mostly from the 50s and 60s, were only discovered a few years ago by some kid real estate agent in Chicago. What a lucky devil.

UNWANTED

Ottawa's own stencil street artist, à la Christian Guémy. I kept spotting these "unwanted" stenciled images around town and figured there must be some method in their madness. Surely enough, I came across this article in the Ottawa Citizen.

Using an overhead projector and mat board, he turned these distorted portraits into intricately detailed life-size portrait stencils, creating “Unwanted” posters similar to Wanted posters found in post offices.

Many of these he stencils onto mailboxes. He even made a stencil of the Canada Post logo, in case he encounters an already abundantly tagged mailbox that he feels needs to be erased of its existing markings before one of the Unwanteds goes on.

“They’re just fake Wanted posters,” he says, “but based on the obvious flip — the only reason people are on Wanted posters is because they’re Unwanted.”

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/Graffiti+Artist/3805900/story.html#ixzz1AUQv1N18

Covey Hill

I spent the eve of the New Year in this treasure of a cove in southern Quebec. Twas heaven... surrounded by rustic antiques & albums full of random family kodak moments. I thought it was a bit bizarre when I saw those boxes of old family photos for sale at the Melrose Trading Post, but when I took so much pleasure in snapping these old fotes, it all made so much sense. Not to mention, the old contact sheets took me back to Mr. James' grade eleven photography class. Kinda miss those dark room days.

Limit to your ♥.

21 yr old UK dub step prodigy James Blake's first official single & vid. Seek.
- Ali LP.

Melrose Trading Post

 

I came across the Melrose Trading Post this Sunday afternoon at the corner of Melrose and Fairfax in Los Angeles, California. The Post is a hipster's playground where you can find anything from collections of random old family photos, to vintage lamps... like the retro dentist lamp captured above. If you're not down with sifting through the racks of denim, tweed and fur, sit back and enjoy the live jazz as the trend setters roll by. The market is in full force every Sunday from 9-5.