WELCOME 2013!

what an amazing year this has been! the world didn't end. we didn't fall off the fiscal cliff. the election and all it's insanity won't come for another few years. and we are still alive and breathing. god bless this crazy, fantastic, difficult, precious, moment-to-moment life. it has been a most lovely year for us; we moved into our new home with the most amazing ocean view, we weathered a lot of travel, donated money to causes we believed in, took care of those around us, stayed clean with our bodies and mind and worked hard to be present and kind. i am grateful for a year of change and am looking forward to the next 12 months. i hope you all have a wonderful and safe and memorable evening....see you in 2013! xoxoxo, annette

FILM FRIDAY ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS

first off, i love this title: 'all that heaven allows'. i wish i would've thought of it for my film, or novel or short story...it's perfect in so many ways. 'all that heaven allows' is a great film for the holidays. it's directed by douglas sirk, who on the surface seems like the typical technicolor-studio-director, but when you go deeper, it's obvious that sirk is much more than a feel-good, tear-jerker storyteller. sirk explores real issues in his movies, like difficult teenagers and lonely wives and taboo relationships. i came upon this movie via fassbinder's film 'fear eats the soul' which was influenced by 'all that heaven allows.' i watched both movies and fell in love with sirk and his work. i won't say too much about this snowy, cozy movie, except that it could be the original cougar storyline(though not really) as it centers around a middle-aged woman who falls in love with a younger man who happens to be her gardener! oh the shame! anyhow, it's worth watching for sure. and check out fassbinder's interpretation as well. fantastic film! xoxo, am

photos: criterion contraption

'TIS THE SEASON TO SUPPORT ARTISANS

my favorite bowls, pottery and cups are from heath ceramics. when my best friend asked me what i wanted for my birthday this year, i said 'a set of heath mugs please' and donate money to a great charity. if you want to give the coolest gift, give a heath mug or pitcher or set of plates, they are gorgeous. and check out these cute tea towels from these gals: skinny laminx and sarah elizabeth. they'll make perfect housewarming or holiday gifts for friends or co-workers. xoxo, annette

'TIS THE SEASON TO SUPPORT ARTISANS

my second post on holiday shopping. if you must shop this year(and that is a difficult habit to curb and break) here is another artist to support:  mt. washington pottery!  i am so smitten by these magical bells. check out both of these websites to see how to order them. xoxoxo, annette photos: wendy polish and mt. washington pottery

FILM FRIDAY CHASING ICE

another doc on my film friday list, chasing ice.  chasing ice follows the photographer james balog as he photographed disappearing glaciers over a period of years to show the world what is happening to these amazing natural structures. the photography(and cinematography) in this movie is stunnung. anyone interested in nature cinematography needs to see chasing ice on the big screen, and the director jeff orlowski did a great job focusing the story on both global warming and the life of an artist. james balog is a man on a mission. he is a poet and photographer out to change the world by showing people the reality of CO2 emissions on our planet. the movie is also quite dramatic. not so much in the structure of the film, but in the story of a protagonist(balog) facing obstacle after obstacle, mostly in the form of nature's powerful, unpredictable weather, to achieve his goal. in that sense it's a good example of a lead character's heroes journey. lastly, the reality of what humans are doing to the very basic foundation of our earth is alarming, to say the least. watching icebergs crumble and tumble and melt away are images that are unforgettable. chasing ice is worth watching in the theater but if you can't, be sure to watch it any way you can! blessings and have a great weekend. xoxo, annette

'TIS THE SEASON TO SUPPORT ARTISANS

as my holiday protest against the mega-store, online, superchain stores(gap, shopbop, macy's, h&m, neimans, anthropologie, walmart, target, barney's...etc..etc...) continues, i've decided to post about artisans i love. some will be high-end, more expensive and others more affordable. so if you have the desire to contribute to the GDP this season, look at these artists and spend your hard-earned money with them.

the first artisan is: siemon and salazar. caleb siemon and carmen salazar make the most amazing hand-blown glass vases and lights. i have one of their vases and it is as stunning now as it was four years ago when i bought it(along with a piece by bill burch) at ok in los angeles. so if you want to get a gift for the person who appreciates beauty and luxury and timeless quality, a siemon and salazar piece is just for them! blessings and happy shopping. xoxo, annette  photos

FILM FRIDAY GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD

 

okay, the greatest movie ever sold wouldn't make my top ten docs. the structure was a bit all over the place and it could've been told in 40minutes, like morgan's tv episode shows(which are pretty good). however, morgan spurlock is smart and funny(playful and mindful as the brand consultant labels him), so for anyone interested in making movies, or independent filmmakers, anyone trying to raise money, any parent, or anyone who buys anything, this movie is for you! morgan takes us behind the scenes of big advertising agencies to explore the realities of 'product placement' in film & tv(and even in our school systems).  i'm not going to tell you my thoughts on the content but i will say i learned a hella-lot about how brands work, how ad agencies hold pitch meetings and how some films get financed. if you have the chutzpah to sell, sell, pitch, sell, pitch sell, sell and sell, watch this movie. maybe it will help you raise some much-needed dough for your film! remember: don't sell out...buy in. blessings to you all. and happy friday! xo, annette

1977

i remember when this song came out. i was in pre-production for SuperChicas and was looking for music, for female artists that had a unique sound. i couldn't believe my ears when i heard ana's voice. i watched the video and knew i was listening to a very cool sound and watching a very cool, unique artist. it seems like everyone is trying to be the same as everyone else these days. and these holidays really make it obvious. people are telling us what we should buy for under $100, or $50 or $1000. for our husband's, our kids, our friends. how about we search inside and see if we really want to buy anything this holiday season. but i digress. i love when someone breaks out and does something different! enjoy the holidays and enjoy ana tijoux's song if you haven't heard it yet. xo, annette

FILM FRIDAY W.E.

 

 

i just watched madonna's film 'w.e.' and it was really beautiful! i wasn't too interested in seeing it when it came out, but over the holiday weekend i went on a movie-marathon binge and madonna's film proved to be one of the more interesting ones. the costumes in 'w.e.' are stunning and the acting is wonderful(especially andrea riseborough who plays wallis simpson). abel korzeniowski did the soundtrack and he also did tom ford's soundtrack for 'a single man,' so of course, it sounds amazing. if you like history and beauty and great costumes and romance, this is a feast for the eyes and the ears...enjoy! xo, annette

YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL

i have been exploring the nature of beauty lately. what does it mean to be beautiful? who defines this for us? as women? as men? it is always difficult to step away from the herd; to speak out against something or speak out for something when everyone else is following the leader(s). it's wonderful that we're accepting different notions of beauty and different notions of families and different notions of sexualities and power structures. the world is changing. people are moving beyond unquestioned assumptions and waking up. they are telling the truth in work, in their relationships, within their families and with friends. tell the truth, whatever it is, tell your truth. how exciting this world can be! blessings, xoxoxo

billy hells

FILM FRIDAY KING OF KONG - FISTFUL OF QUARTERS

this is perhaps one of the best documentaries ever. if you want to watch a truly good movie, well-structured, with great characters, watch king of kong, you won't regret it! i promise. xoxoox
 king of kong trailer

THANK YOU FOR TAKING OUR LAND DAY

i love thanksgiving. i love getting together with family and friends and setting aside time to be grateful for this beautiful experience called life. at the same time, i am always reminded that the first peoples of our amazing country, the native americans, had their traditions stripped from them, their land taken away, their culture and their history re-written(or never told at all). so on this day of thanks and gratitude, i say on behalf of our ancestors 'thank you for helping us learn to live off the land, thank you for sharing your abundance with us, thank you for helping us survive in a land we knew nothing about. and we are sorry. sorry to have killed you, sorry to put you on reservations, sorry to have broken our promise ti you. still.' have a blessed day. xoxoxo, annette

first people u.s.   indian pictures

CROCODILE MADNESS

this makes me so happy! crocodile bags and shoes. so classy and so chic...and of course, no animals harmed because they're stella mccartney's. sweet! why can't all designers wake up to the fact that we live in a connected world, an innovative world, a world where animals aren't here for our exploitation, a world where the pollution and suffering of others does effect us even if we think it doesn't. we don't live isolated and in a bubble anymore. and yet...and yet...fashion designers(especially the big designers) still live in the past, like living with the belief that the world is flat. very few design houses have woken up to the reality that the world has changed, that we can't live the way we used to: unsustainable manufacturing practices, exploitation of workers, antiquated design materials like leather and fur. thank goodness for stella mccartney and other designers following in her footsteps: jill milan handbags, jeffrey campbell vegan line, cri de couer,  and more.  bravo for crocodile bags and shoes. i'm sure big old, scale-y crocodiles like them too. xoxoxo, am

WELCOME HOME

i am officially obsessed with cisco brothers. seriously. i just got my new cosmo sofa and holy smokes it's gorgeous! i also love that cisco is made in LA with sustainable materials, and the folks that work there are so nice! right up my alley.

 

 more pics here. xxoxo, annette

ZAK + FOX

how could i not post this photo? tell me if this isn't the cutest pair of guys? if you want some visual inspiration today, check out zak's textiles, they are lovely, intelligent and simple. if you want to smile, take a longer look at fox's grin.

AM I THE ONLY ONE(BESIDES PROBABLY PETA) WHO'S BAFFLED BY THIS?

 

 

stop killing us to wear on your feet. check out: the row photos: mark kokke, opening ceremony