So 2011 has come to a close. This past year was fun, and a pretty pivotal one for me.

Perhaps it’s because I’m about to turn 30.

According to this astrologist:

“Time, responsibility, age, and reality, are all associated with one planet in astrology and that planet is Saturn. The transit of Saturn around the birth chart is a very reliable indicator of where we are in our maturation process because it completes a cycle every 29-and-a-half years, splitting our lives into three stages of growth: childhood, adulthood, and the elder years. With each cycle building upon what was learned in the previous one.”

Woah! Sure explains a lot. So how am I changing leading up to my 30s? One thing I really tried to cultivate this past year was to exhibit love, care and compassion towards myself. I stopped giving myself a hard time about not being good at things, taking a while to learn things, or deciding once and for all that something’s not for me.

I’d been saving up a little chunk of cash to buy myself something necessary on Boxing Day. I’ve been in need of an external hard drive, an iPod sound dock, and/or practical-yet-lovely black boots. But while doing some last minute Christmas shopping on December 23 I happened to take a peek in Holt Renfrew. They’d already started their Boxing Day sales soooo, what the hey. Let’s just take a look, yeah?

I went in, I browsed, I was tempted. Then, on my way to the door, I fell absolutely in love with these beauties:

Chie Mihara. Oh how I have always wanted you!!

Her designs are the perfect blend of past and present, topped with a muted, whimsical indulgence. There they were on the rack: 50 per cent off, in my exact shoe size of 38.5, which is surprisingly hard to find, and oh what amazing style. I tried them on and instantly felt like I was walking on a cloud. A very sexy cloud. But oh how I could walk! I just felt so strapped in. My feet had never felt so in command.

But then I thought, no, this is silly. What I really need, to be honest with myself, is a good pair of flat black boots. I should look for those. No heels. No. Leave them behind.

So I left, and I wandered around some more, looking. I even bought myself a pair of practical black riding boots, which were beautiful and a good price, but it all came back to the shoes. I went and tried them on again — this time with a lovely salesman who chatted with me about crazies and Chirstmas theft — and I strutted my stuff as best I could toward the mirror. I’ve never felt better in a pair of heels. Ever. They were made for me. On some level in my mind it had already been decided. They would be mine. Oh yes, they would be mine.

So I returned the boots and traipsed home, eager to get these puppies on. my. feet.

But wait!

Early in the morning on the 24th, as I was wrapping all my Christmas gifts, I had a silly little idea. Why not wrap them up all beautiful-like and open them on Christmas Day? With a little “to me, from me, thanks for being beautiful” tag on top. Ha!

It’s not that I need someone telling me I’m beautiful. It was more that I extended the ritual of gift-wrapping and gift-opening toward myself, as a gesture. We all need to make gestures toward ourselves. And though it might seem dumb to spend time wrapping a gift for myself, it felt good. And it was fun!

I made my brother take photos of me opening them:

And here are some self-portraits:

Happy holidays! Now give yourself a hug.

I won’t ramble on and on about the album title “Watch the Throne” coming from a basis of insecurity when its real message is to warn away the competition, but suffice it to say I don’t think the title works.

Back to the live event: Obviously it was the perfect occasion to wear gold. So I got all metaled up, headed to my friend’s place in Gastown where I ate delicious vegetarian stew and drank tasty Prosecco. It was lovely, golden and sparkling to match my bling! Yes.

The boys had yet to take the stage when we arrived, so we got a few drinks and chatted as we watched the lights go down. Wee!

To begin the show, the New Yorker (Jay-Z) and the Chicagoan (Kanye) faced off on opposing platforms, trading verses from H.A.M. and Who Gon Stop Me, both new tracks from their latest offering. It was a face-off of sorts, as intimidating images of rottweilers, sharks, bears and cheetahs — all with teeth bared — were splashed across several giant screens. It was an obvious warning to all opponents: do not mess with these dudes. For their hit single Otis, the pair joined forces on the main stage with a gargantuan American flag in the background and fireballs bursting out from either side. Epic.

Then it was ‘Ye’s turn. He threw down some solo hits: Flashing Lights, All Falls Down,  Homecoming, and later on, Stronger and All of the Lights. Kanye’s live sound was larger-than-life. And all his tracks were paired with some of the most incredible laser-work I’ve ever seen. Take a look at my laser photos below, though they don’t really do it justice.

Pretty wow-factor, hey?

During Runaway, Kanye rose up on a cube-shaped stage, completely illuminated in red. He crooned into the mic while throwing down some fancy R&B dance moves, which were impressive, though his auto-tuned voice was a little distracting.

Before the tender beats of the duo’s inspirational new track Made in America rang out, Kanye spoke to the crowd about the importance of putting aside your ego and collaborating with your fellow man to achieve your dreams. Jus’ like ‘Ye and Jay! Hundreds of phone screens lit up in appreciation. Though this may have irked any truly “hard” members of the audience, it was really uplifting to see this track performed live. It’s not often a rap/hip-hop star will wax emotional, so this felt pretty special. Also, the song was paired with visuals of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X on the jumbo screens, which really hammered home the song’s themes.

The dudes carried the warm and fuzzy approach forward with a touching rendition of New Day, during which they sat down side-by-side and traded personal verses about fatherhood. This was made even more sentimental by the fact that Jay is expecting. I looked around and saw nothing but grins.

Then, it was Jay’s turn: Dirt off Your Shoulder, Big Pimpin’, 99 Problems… all were delivered with incredible precision, dedication and style. Hova did not miss a single beat. When the first few beats of Empire State of Mind dripped from the speakers, I think I may have gone completely insane. Blissfit! I LOVE this track! As the unofficial anthem for NYC, it was absolutely brilliant to see this performed live. I’m planning to hit NYC for my 30th b-day, so I was extra stoked on this — particularly since Kanye *just* encouraged me to follow my dreams! Anyway, after seeing Jay-Z live tonight for the first time, I can whole-heartedly attest that this guy is at the top of his game.

Moving the set along smoothly, Hova and Yeezy threw down No Church in the Wild. Set against a macabre backdrop of vintage KKK video clips and featuring a slow, ominous bass-line, this track came across with amazing live energy.

Next came Lift Off, though with no surprise appearance by Beyonce (darn!). Unfortunately, the song was cut short to make way for Niggas in Paris. I say “unfortunately” because the bossa nova bit at the end of Lift Off is the best.

As one of the more serious hip-hop-head tracks on “Watch the Throne,” I was definitely expecting to hear Niggas in Paris. I was also expecting to see everyone around me drop it pretty damn low — which they did.

Sweet!

The dudes wrapped up the song and left the stage. When the roar of the crowd brought them back out for the encore, they looked at each other, looked at the audience, and then shouted “AGAIN!”

So we got down to Niggaz in Paris for the second time. Sweet.

And  when it ended, ‘Ye and Jay shouted, “AGAIN!”

Ok… yes… still droppin’ it! Yeah.

And then, four times (“again!”),  five times (“again!”), six times (“again!”), seven times (“again!”), eight times (“again!”)… I should note that there was nothing different about the song each time, it was the exact same beat, same lyrics — over and over again.

Then Kanye started yelling a bunch of crap about setting a “world record for Niggas in Paris,” as though ‘setting a world record for the number of times an artist can play their own song without the audience going berzerk’ is a feat worth bragging about.

Then Jay-Z says, “We set the record at ten times in LA,” and they both shouted, “TEN TIMESSS…!!!… AGAIN!” My friend and I look at each other desperately. “But they’re only at eight!” I cried. “This is ri-DIC-ulous!” So we were subjected to three more renditions of Niggaz in Paris.

Same song, same lyrics — 11 times.

“Well, I’ve certainly never seen an artist do that before,” I said to my friend as a way to justify the last, wasted 35 minutes of our lives. But the more I thought about it, the more pissed I became.

I thought and thought, and I just couldn’t come up with a way for ‘Ye and Jay to justify playing the same song 11 times. Between them, they have a catalogue of several hundred songs. Do you think the audience wanted to hear 11 of those songs? Or Niggas in Paris 11 times in a row?

If you want my honest opinion, (and why else would you be here?) it was the most self-indulgent thing I have ever witnessed at a live performance — ever.

And I hope I never hear that song again — ever.

You know, it’s too bad, because this really overshadowed the rest of an otherwise-great performance. The silverbacks of hip-hop definitely owned tha house on Sunday night. But I wish they’d remembered that their fans were also in the building.

All photos by me.

It’s chilly today.

To compensate, I’m wearing a wool scarf I assembled earlier this year.

I went to Dressew for their hugely overwhelming 50 per-cent off sale back in February, and I bought several of the more-expensive things I would typically leave on the shelves. Now my sewing box is home to things like tassels, fancy buttons, sequined elastic, folksy ribbon, and meteres upon metres of lovely fabric. Silk and wool to boot!

I almost had a heart attack in there…

So I channeled my excitement into sewing this delightful blue and yellow plaid scarf adorned with strips of black ball fringe.

It keeps me very warm. And stylish, too! Perfect for November weather.

You like?

Attending a clothing swap can feel a lot like a girls’ night out with somebody else’s credit card. You get to hang with your girls, chat about clothes (food, movies, men), get rid of stuff you don’t want, and you get NEW, FREE STUFF!! It’s awesome. Several of my most treasured clothing items have come from swaps.

I really, really love swaps. They’re good for the environment, good for breathing new life into your closet, and great for building community.

Because afterward, when someone compliments you on your new outfit, you can shoot them a giant grin and say, “Yeah, it was free. My friend didn’t want it. But see how great it looks on ME?”  And then you can compliment your friend for having such great taste, and you will thereby spread the ethos of clothing swaps.

Organization ~

There are several ways to organize your clothing swap. Here are a few of the nearest and dearest:

• Each attendee can draw a number and the choosing of clothes can follow in an organized, democratic fashion.
• Or each attendee can do a little “show and tell” and whoever wants the item can shout out for it.
• Or the group can do a big, old-fashioned free-for-all. (Think: giant pile of clothes and scantily clad ladies running around excitedly.) This one’s my favourite… titillating.

However you choose to structure your swap, just remember you’re there to have fun and you shouldn’t take the swap, or yourself, too seriously.

It’s not just about the clothes — it’s about the people. Putting the excitement aside for a moment, I would like to address a  few common etiquette blunders I’ve seen over the years.

Clothing swap DON’Ts ~

1.) DON’T: Bring your old, stained, smelly, holey clothing. If you wouldn’t touch it at the Sally Ann, nobody wants it at a clothing swap. Your garbage belongs in the bin.

2.) DON’T: Take more than your fair share. If you brought two things to swap, don’t take twelve home — you’ll look like an ass (unless it’s at the end of the swap and nobody wants what’s left).

3.) DON’T: Take things just for the sake of taking things. It’s easy to get excited, but don’t be greedy. Ask yourself:

• “Do I really like this item?”
• “Do I already have something similar?”
• “Does it fit/look right on me?”
• “Does somebody else want it more?”

4.) DON’T: Whine. “Aww, I never find annnnything! Nothing looks riiiight on me. Youuuu have so many nice things. Wah wah wah.” You have to accept that you might give a lot and not get as much back. It’s random clothes swapping after all. And people don’t like whining in any capacity.

5.) DON’T: Be sneaky and hide things. I’ve seen it happen. Not cool. Even when you think nobody is watching, somebody is probably watching.

Clothing swap DOs ~

1.) DO: Bring your swapping items in the best condition possible. I know it might be (read: is) a drag to wash things you’re going to give away, but it’s a nice gesture. It sucks when you get a great top that smells like somebody else’s BO.

2.) DO: Ask others if anyone else wants the item you found. Typically, if two people want the same item, we usually do a “model-off” where both try the item on and the group decides who looks better in it. If both look great, then the person with fewer items should get it.

3.) DO: Try to present the clothing you’re donating in a positive light. I’m really bad at this one. I love to tell stories like, “This one time I wore that shirt and someone asked me if I was a prostitute!” Just remember, what’s not right for you might be just right for someone else. You don’t want to inadvertently call your friend a prostitute.

4.) DO: Compliment others on the items they’ve found. We all love compliments, particularly when they’re about something new. Spread the love!

5.) DO: Spread the word that clothing swaps are awesome. In a world where hyper-consumerism is running rampant and more than a few of us own 30+ pairs of shoes, clothing swaps can temper the desire to consume without spending a dime. And they create space in your closet for new, better things.

Swapping really is the best kind of recycling!

There’s nothing quite like getting something for nothing. Though many of us love bringing home a bag of new things, I must reiterate: it’s not just about the clothes — it’s about the people. Laugh, share stories and tell your friends they look hot. At the end of the day, the best thing you will take home is a smile.

It’s also a good idea to bring a bottle of vino to share as you keep the dance tracks pumping.

Also, as the lovely, organized and socially conscious peeps at Swap Positive do over in Portland, please donate any unwanted clothing to those less fortunate.

Photos courtesy of: starcentralmagazine.com, mystyle.com, stylebakery.com.

Read this fantastic  blog post about clothing swaps and community-building on The Daily Gumboot.

Learn how to recession-proof your wardrobe on Style Bakery.

Or music that is R&B-inspired.

This way, I can pretend I’m hot and sweaty when really it’s 12 degrees at the end of July. The weather is so damn crappy this month I’ve been resembling the leather-jacket-clad Nicki Minaj a la her most recent visit to Vancouver back in April, when I’d rather look like this Nicki:

I love the ruffled booty shorts and matching jacket by Jean Paul Gaultier. That outfit makes me wanna leave the shower on to increase the humidity in my living space. If you need some steamy inspirations, check out these awesome mixtapes for free download:

NGUZUNGUZU – The Perfect Lullaby

The Weeknd – House of Balloons

And these too:

Jai Paul – BTSTU

How to Dress Well – Just Once EP

PLEASE WATCH:

How to Dress Well on Pitchfork TV

I can’t figure out how to imbed this video in WordPress so you’ll have to click. Amazing performance with live strings and percussion.

Love,

your leather jacket Nicki

First four photos courtesy of fashionfame.com; last photo courtesy of glamourvixen.net.

North Carolina’s poetic indie-rock outfit The Mountain Goats makes music like bittersweet breakup letters. Like heartache put to 4/4 time.

I love this band and have only seen them once before at Sasquatch 2010. They were great, but admittedly, they’re not a band you can appreciate at a big music festival. Their show at The Biltmore Cabaret on June 17, 2011 was far more intimate, and way more memorable.

And John Darnielle is a great frontman — one of the best I’ve seen, in fact.

He is so intelligent, well spoken, gracious… and funny! He chatted with the audience between every song, speaking about his artistic influences, his personal life, anecdotes from the band and current events. His trademark, witty musings were simultaneously dark and light-hearted — just like his music — and my three friends who were not familiar with the band had no trouble forging a connection.

Darnielle even apologized about the riots that happened in our city two nights before, eloquently lamenting the negative impact of such a pointless event. Having been there for the start of the riots, I was surprised at how emotional I felt as my friend and I fled the downtown core. Everyone we met during the exodus was surprised and angry; opinions were infinite; any feelings of civic pride were dashed.

Though it was sad for me to realize the bands I love will probably talk about the riots before gigs in VanCity for a while to come, it was really nice to belong to a loving, respectful crowd on this night. Truly, this is the Vancouver I am proud to be a part of.

The Mountain Goats played an energetic hour-and-a-half-long set, switching effortlessly between crooning love songs, bitter ballads and upbeat indie dance tracks. Darnielle, with Jon Wurster on drums, Peter Hughes on bass, and touring keyboardist Yuvol Semo, had no shortage of energy as they all wailed on their instruments in the most sincere fashion. This band is known for their sincerity, and their stage presence confirmed it as they all looked like geeky college professors breaking loose from grading papers.

Speaking of stage presence, Darnielle’s is excellent. He is truly a seasoned performer. He had no trouble interacting with the crowd, and at one point pressed his face against the steel enclosure along the side of the stage and crooned through it. After that, he hung himself off the side of the stage and caressed people’s faces as he leaned in for a few intimate moments with fans.

Oh, and he wasn’t wearing any shoes.

Did I mention I love this band?!

Anyway, given that it was an early show with a 10:30 pm curfew, The Mountain Goats played a rich set that included 18 songs (I was too busy swaying to count — thank you Setlist.fm). They started with“Liza Forever Minnelli,” a new, slower track, and worked on building an infectious energy that carried us through “Broom People,” “Damn These Vampires,” and “This Year.” And the energy didn’t peak for a moment. From this secretly emo heart, I was particularly excited to hear “Broom People.” The songwriting makes me feel mushy every time:

’36 Hudson in the garage
All sorts of junk in the unattached spare room.
Dishes in the kitchen sink
New straw for the old broom.
Friends who don’t have a clue
Well meaning teachers
But down in your arms, in your arms
I am a wild creature.

Floor two foot high with newspapers
White carpet thick with cat hair
Half eaten gallons of ice cream in the freezer
Fresh fuel for the sodium flares
I write down good reasons to freeze to death
In my spiral-ring notebook
But in the long tresses of your hair
I am a babbling brook

God I love those lyrics! It was very cathartic live.

After this, it was just Darnielle, mic and guitar. When the bare-bones love song “It Froze Me” began, the crowd fell silent, entranced by his wavery vocals and expressive guitar plucking. This song goes all the way back to ’96, and it was amazing to hear Darnielle’s poetry come alive much like it would have on his early demos. Watching him perform this song felt like experiencing a first kiss with someone you really like: soft, electric and infinitely uplifting. I’m a big fan of this band, but I’d never heard this song before and the title described my reaction exactly.

What a beautiful song, and such a pleasure to experience live:

Later in the set, the band played a special song only performed live called “You Were Cool.” Darnielle told the crowd he first performed it in Victoria, B.C., and that it was “really special” to be able to play it for a Vancouver audience. Aw!

To close the set before the encore, the band played the ever-popular “This Year,” which had everybody shouting out:

“I am gonna make it, through this year, if it kills me.”

In a city that is still reverberating from the deep wounds of senseless, violent rioting over nothing, where young people are wearing the blame and everyone is searching their souls to find a way to understand, this felt very apropos.

When the first few chords of “No Children” rang out and I shrieked with glee. This is one of my absolute favourite songs EVER! I quickly discovered I wasn’t alone in my enthusiasm: nearly everyone around me was shouting or muttering along with every word, which was awesome, because for this band the words are many.

The words are what it’s all about:

I hope I cut myself shaving tomorrow
I hope it bleeds all day long
Our friends say it’s darkest before the sun rises
We’re pretty sure they’re all wrong
I hope it stays dark forever
I hope the worst isn’t over

And I hope you blink before I do
Yeah I hope I never get sober
And I hope when you think of me years down the line
You can’t find one good thing to say
And I’d hope that if I found the strength to walk out
You’d stay the hell out of my way

I am drowning
There is no sign of land
You are coming down with me
Hand in unlovable hand
And I hope you die
I hope we both die

All in all, it was the ideal end to a very un-ideal week in Vancouver. I’m so glad I was there. While falling asleep that night, I thought about how The Mountain Goats are the perfect symbol for how to behave with dignity in the face of negative emotions.

Their music illustrates how anger, when met with intelligence, can inspire beauty.

All of Darnielle’s lyrics are poetry. I could spend hours flipping through the band’s massive catalogue of tracks.

Buy music by The Mountain Goats on iTunes and check out the setlist from the Biltmore show.

Also, check out this sweet poster I bought!

Top photo courtesy of Brooklynvegan.com. Second photo courtesy of Stereogum.com.

Here’s a selection of my favourites, but you should click the links above to see all of the photos.

Each one is brilliant.

Audrey Hepburn

Adorable. I want to be this picture.

Bjork

My lady love. Lovelovelove. And Jazzmatazz!

Sophia Loren

Stunning.

Marilyn Monroe

God that’s sexy.

John Lennon

I love John Lennon and everything he left behind.

Marlon Brando

Great photo. AND he was born on my birthday!

Jack Nicholson

What a perv! Not that I expected anything less.

Erykah Badu

Epically cool.

Madlib

Massive chaos; a true artist’s lair.

Chewbacca

Rofl!

LCat

I know, I know, I’m not a celebrity, but I couldn’t resist. Also, ’twas a good opportunity to promote The Black Keys’ latest album Brothers. It is an excellent, excellent album. Buy it — for the love of music!

All photos courtesy of www.dangerousminds.net, except the last photo by me.

I love performance and technology, particularly when they intersect with fashion and design.

Luckily, I’m not alone…

Because Vancouver’s first Mini Maker Faire is happening this weekend!

From 10 am to 5 pm on June 25 and 26, Great Northern Way Campus will be turned into a veritable feast for the eyes, ears and hands of novelty-hungry Vancouverites. For the first time ever in our fair city, we will be able to interact with a community of local crafters, builders, tinkerers, engineers and hobbyists who will gather to show off their skills and enthusiasm under the umbrella term of “Maker.”

Vancouver Mini Maker Faire (VMMF) is a two-day celebration of making and creating. It’s an all-ages family festival promoting the ethos of DIY on a large scale. Some of the features include pyrotechnics, kinetic sculptures, interactive musical installations, and 3d printers that can print themselves.

Interactive booths stationed throughout will both educate and entertain: teaching people how to complete a circuit, spin wool, or even smoke bacon!

Awesome.

Something really cute and creative that’s been garnering a lot of attention in on blogs and such these past few weeks is yarnbombing (aka yarnstorming or yarngraffiting), whereby a group of knit-savvy crafters gather together to shroud a public space in cozy, knitted coverings.

One such group, led by VMMF organizer Emily Smith, yarnbombed the Dunsmuir bike lanes the weekend of June 11 to promote the faire, and the results couldn’t have been more charming.

I love it!

Check out the VMMF blog for more info.

Something else I plan to take in is a talk by Vincent van Haaff, who will be discussing what music, video/installation art, hackspaces, and the maker movement all have in common. Van Haaff will explore the parallels between connecting software libraries and hardware, and connecting people and communities, taking into account how these points can benefit and accelerate every piece involved.

Originally from Southern California, van Haaff went from a record label co-founder and audio hacker in Los Angeles, to a rock climbing/chard-growing hippie in Santa Barbara, before moving to Vancouver to become a video game software developer and media artist. His expertise spans from data and music visualization to computer vision and user-centred design.

Definitely someone I want to learn more about.

Read more about Vancouver Mini Maker Faire in the Vancouver Courier and the Georgia Straight, and listen in on CBC Radio.

To pique your interest even more, I’ll leave you with one of my favourite music vids by Bjork, which I think really captures the Maker mindset:

See you all at the Faire!

First photo courtesy of xyberlog.com. Yarnbombing photos courtesy the VMMF blog.

I like the idea that we are still living our lives as we sleep.

But if it were me in that video, I’d be wearing pretty lingere by NYC’s The Lake & Stars. I’m loving their Spring 2011 collection as it reminds me of a creepy yet stylish cult I might dream about joining.

I like how the models’ creepy ritualistic behaviour is softened by the femininity of the lingere. The concept is very facetious, actually, as one definition of “ritual” holds that it is an outsider’s category for a set of actions that seem irrational or illogical. Conversely, the term can also be used by the insider, or person performing the ritual, as an acknowledgement that this activity can be seen as illogical by the uninitiated onlooker.

And isn’t this type of cognitive dissonance exactly that which drives the fashion machine?

When something is fresh and new, we don’t quite understand why we want it but we believe it must be worth wanting. But what is this belief based on? Is it based on reducing the tension between wanting something and possessing it? I find that shopping can be both therapeutic and tense. It can also be somewhat ritualistic, at least for me, as in I can justify shopping when I want either a reward or a consolation prize.

In fact, it is the concept of ritual that inspired designers Nikki Dekker and Maayan Zilberman to create this collection:

For Spring 2011, the designers took last season’s idea of “fetish” and explored it as a means of “ritual”. Inspired by the ‘80s New Age approach to spirituality and well-being, and today’s resurgence of communal living and cult practices, the team created their own “family” environment to stage various rituals. Playing with the notion that lingerie can be a key player in the ritual of romance, the new slideshow album, photographed by Tom Hines, offers tongue-in cheek advice on how to stay grounded and how not to take it all too seriously.

Speaking of not taking things seriously, this girl looks like a zombie who eats flowers, not brains:

Mmmmm! Love that garter belt.

You can purchase The Lake & Stars at the following locations:

One of a Few
354 Water Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1E6
604.605.0685

The Lake & Stars Shop-in-Room @ The Waldorf Hotel
1489 East Hastings
Vancouver, BC
604.253.7141
*by appointment only

Charlie & Lee
223 Union Street
Victoria BC V6A 2B2
604.588.3030

All photos courtesy of http://www.thelakeandstars.com. The video is for Oren Lavie’s Her Morning Elegance; it won a 2010 Grammy Award nomination for Best Short Form Music Video.