crazy in love

Have you ever wondered what this song is about? I bet you haven't.

maledetta primavera

Wtorek Wielkanocny

Wielki Piątek

tune for today

poprawka

dwie rzeczy, bez których nie wychodzę z domu

okulary Alain Mikli
tak modny ostatnio okrągły kształt soczewek został tu nieco wydłużony horyzontalnie, poszerzając pole widzenia, ale szczęśliwie nie na tyle, by nosząca okulary osoba straciła z oczu te piękne fioletowe oprawki, które zostały wykonane z najwyższą dbałością o szczegóły i komfort okularników

zegarek SnapWatch
minimalistyczna forma, która przemawia właściwie samym kolorem; zegarek niestety nie jest wodoodporny i nie pokazuje, która jest aktualnie godzina na Księżycu, ale za to jest bardzo wygodny, praktyczny i tani a dodatkowo sposób w jaki się go zakłada poprawia wszystkich wokół humor

jajka na śniadanie

Rzadko się zdarza, żeby jajka sadzone aż tak mi nie wyszły (i to obydwa jednocześnie) i dlatego postanowiłem to uwiecznić. 
Czy ktoś jeszcze dostrzega na tym zdjęciu postać małego kaczątka, czy to znak, że powinienem ograniczyć spożycie jajek?

warszawa mówić potrafi

 

Warszawa mówi. Szkoda tylko, że wciąż głównie głosami duchów z przeszłości, których jest tu pełno. I żeby była jasność, ja absolutnie nie jestem za tym, aby duchom odbierać prawo głosu. Wręcz przeciwnie. Ale jakieś proporcje zachować należy. Dzisiejsza Warszawa ma całkiem sporo do powiedzenia a czasem nawet wykrzyczenia, tylko trzeba dać jej szansę, stworzyć przestrzeń czy wydać książkę taką, jak wielogłosowa powieść "Mówi Warszawa", której sam pomysł zachwycił mnie z miejsca (a dokładnie na przystanku autobusowym gdzie trafiłem na promujący ją plakat). Ale właśnie, pomysł pomysłem, a ze wspomnianym brakiem proporcji jest tradycyjnie problem. I z tym wiąże się mój niewielki zawód. Piszę niewielki bo generalnie liczy się tu pomysł a i samą książkę czyta się świetnie (idealnie nadaje się do autobusu, tramwaju czy metra). Teksty (a jest ich w sumie 21 bo w projekcie zgodziło się wziąć udział 21 autorów-Warszawiaków) są na tyle krótkie, że nawet jak trafiamy na jakiś słabszy, to szybko o nim zapominamy zagłębiając się w kolejny i w sumie nie wychodzimy na tym źle, bo jest tu kilka popisowych numerów.

Dodatkowo w moim przypadku lektura tej książki sprowokowała refleksję nad tym, czym jest dla mnie to miasto. Mieszkam tu już (może zaledwie) 10 lat  i jest to mój dom, moje miejsce na Ziemi, "moje miasto". Z wieloma zakątkami jestem związany emocjonalnie, a z niektórymi już nawet sentymentalnie, wiele nowych odkrywam dopiero teraz. Coraz częściej i uważniej rozglądam się wokół siebie - w autobusie zamykam książkę, żeby pogapić się przez okno, zdarza się, że specjalnie wydłużam trasę. Z równą przyjemnością podziwiam piękno i brzydotę, które tutaj jak chyba nigdzie indziej koegzystują w zupełnej zgodzie. Deklarację "nie lubię Warszawy" odbieram jako policzek, choć jednocześnie jeśli towarzyszą jej jakieś racjonalne argumenty, staram się być wyrozumiały.

Kiedy rok temu wymieniałem kartę miejską i Pani w okienku zaproponowała mi kilka dostępnych wzorów, wśród których był ten z błękitnym niebem, po którym wędrują chmurki w kształcie serca oraz napis "Kocham Warszawę", nie wahałem się ani chwili.

Po książkę sięgnąć należy koniecznie, jeśli nie z miłości do Warszawy to choćby po to, żeby porównać sobie jak do tego samego zadania podeszli pisarze tak różni jak Jacek Dehnel i Sylwia Chutnik (ich teksty notabene umieszczone zostały w książce po sąsiedzku) i wyciągnąć z tego wnioski. Ja wyciągnąłem, choć uczciwie muszę przyznać, że opowiadanie Dehnela czytało mi się z przyjemnością i tym lepiej rozumiem ogólny zachwyt nad jego twórczością  (wliczając samozachwyt autora, który i w tym przypadku jest bardzo czytelny).

 

I told you, didn't I

Quite possibly Stella McCartney reads this blog or at least she saw accidentally this or maybe (carrying away completely with making conjectures) she was celebrating New Year's Eve in London next to me. Just maybe.

But it's official now. Blue is back and somehow (=being embossed) is making its appearance in more multidimensional way than ever before in the latest Stella McCartney's collection just showed in Paris.

Some adjectives spring to mind easily and naturally (as always in Stella's case): wearable, comfortable, modern, urban, cool, laid-back and and at the same time chic. And definitely the main strength of this particular collection (but also of the label) is built up around these adjectives. But for me personally the most important observation to make is that you don't need to dig in deeply throughout the collection to find beautiful pieces you can wear in broad daylight without any fear that you might be consider as someone who's trying too hard. The only purpose of the show is to serve these clothes nicely. Natural make-up broken subtly by deep blue hue of the eyelashes and simple hair-do of the models support the purpose strictly. Thanks to that you don't have to use your imagination to see how it would look on the street (Stella used her imagination to give you that picture) and I would say it's rather rare and refreshing these days. As a result we get the collection which creates immediate and very strong craving for the clothes it delivers. Fortunately for Stella that's exactly what this business is all about.

More photos as usual here.

The hot news when it comes to Stella is that she was asked to design the outfits for British Olympic team which proposal she accepted as a great honour. Watching the last section of her latest collection and having this hot news in mind I'm so disappointed that some female tennis players aren't British.

Below my latest music discovery - somehow "related" to what I wrote above;-)

La vita è così bella!

TIMUR	TIMUR
Ah! per l'ultima volta!	Ah! For the last time!
LIÙ	LIÙ
Vinci il fascino orribile!	Defeat the terrible fascination!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
La vita è così bella!	Life is so beautiful!
TIMUR	TIMUR
Abbi di me pietà!	Have pity on me!
LIÙ	LIÙ
Abbi di Liù pietà!	Have pity on Liù!
Signore, pietà!	My lord, have pity!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
La vita è così bella!	Life is so beautiful!
Non perderti così!	Don't waste your life like this!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Son io che domando pietà!	It is I who ask for pity!
Nessuno più ascolto!	I am not listening to anyone any longer!
Io vedo il suo fulgido volto!	I see her shining face!
La vedo! Mi chiama! Essa è là!	I see her! She calls me! She is there!
TIMUR	TIMUR
Non posso staccarmi da te!	I cannot be separated from you!
Non voglio staccarmi da te!	I don't want to be separated from you!
LIÙ	LIÙ
Signore, pietà, pietà di Liù!	My lord, have pity, have pity on Liù!
Pietà!	Have pity!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
Afferralo, portalo via!	Grab him, take him away!
Trattieni quel pazzo furente,	Hold back that raving madman,
portalo via!	take him away!
Su, portalo via, quel pazzo!	Come on, take him away, that madman!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Il tuo perdono chiede costui	He asks your pardon
che non sorride più!	who smiles no more!
TIMUR	TIMUR
Pietà!	Have pity!
Mi getto ai tuoi piedi gemente!	I throw myself at your feet, lamenting!
Abbi pietà! non voler la mia morte!	Have pity! Do not wish my death!
LIÙ	LIÙ
Pietà!	Have pity!
Signore, pietà!	My lord, have pity!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
Folle tu sei!	You're crazy!
La vita è bella!	Life is beautiful!
PING	PING
Su, un ultimo sforzo, portiamolo via!	Come on, one last effort, let's take him away!
PANG, PONG	PANG, PONG
Portiamolo via!	Let's take him away!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Lasciatemi: ho troppo sofferto!	Let go of me; I have suffered too much!
La gloria m'aspetta laggiù!	Glory awaits me yonder!
Forza umana non c'è che mi trattenga!	There is no human power that can hold me back!
Io seguo la mia sorte!	I am following my fate!
TIMUR	TIMUR
Tu passi su un povero cuore	You are passing over a poor heart
che sanguina invano per te!	which bleeds for you in vain!
Nessuno ha mai vinto, nessuno!	No one has ever won, no one!
Su tutti la spada piombò!	The sword has descended upon all of them!
LIÙ	LIÙ
Ah! Pietà!	Ah! Have pity!
Pietà di noi!	Have pity on us!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
Il volto che vedi è illusione!	The face you see is illusion!
La luce che splende è funesta!	The light which shines is fatal!
Tu giochi la tua perdizione,	You're gambling with your ruin,
tu giochi la testa,	you're gambling with your head,
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Son tutto una febbre, son tutto un delirio!	I am all a fever, I am all a delirium!
Ogni senso è un martirio feroce!	Every sense is a fierce torture!
Ogni fibra dell'anima ha una voce che grida:	Every fibre of my being has a voice which cries out:
TIMUR	TIMUR:
Mi getto ai tuoi piedi!	I throw myself at your feet!
non voler la mia morte!	Do not wish my death!
LIÙ	LIÙ
Se questo suo strazio non basta,	If this anguish of his is not enough,
signore, noi siamo perduti con te!	my lord, we are lost with you!
Ah! fuggiamo, signore, fuggiamo!	Ah! Let us flee, my lord, let us flee!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
la morte, c'è l'ombra del boia laggiù!	. . . death, yonder is the shadow of the executioner!
Tu corri alla rovina!	You're running to your ruin!
Non giocar la vita!	Don't gamble with your life!
CORO	CHORUS
La fossa già scaviam per te	We're already digging a grave for you
che vuoi sfidar l'amor!	who want to challenge love!
Nel buio c'è segnato, ahimè,	In the darkness, alas, is sealed
il tuo crudel destin!	your cruel fate!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Turandot!	Turandot!
TIMUR, LIÙ, PING, PANG, PONG	TIMUR, LIÙ, PING, PANG, PONG
La morte!	Death!
CORO	CHORUS
Ah!	Ah!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Turandot!	Turandot!
TIMUR, LIÙ, PING, PANG, PONG	TIMUR, LIÙ, PING, PANG, PONG
La morte!	Death!
CORO	CHORUS
Ah!	Ah!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
Turandot!	Turandot!
TIMUR, LIÙ, PING, PANG, PONG	TIMUR, LIÙ, PING, PANG, PONG
La morte!	Death!
CORO	CHORUS
Ah!	Ah!
IL PRINCIPE	THE PRINCE
[batte i tre colpi al gong]	[beats three strokes on the gong]
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
E lasciamolo andar!	And let's let him go!
Inutile è gridar	It's useless to shout
in sanscritto, in cinese, in lingua mongola!	in Sanskrit, in Chinese, in Mongolian!
Quando rangola il gong, la morte gongola!	When the gong booms, death gloats!
CORO	CHORUS
La fossa già scaviam per te	We're already digging a grave for you
che vuoi sfidar l'amor!	who want to challenge love!
PING, PANG, PONG	PING, PANG, PONG
Ah, ah, ah, ah!	Ha, ha, ha, ha!
[fuggono sghignazzano]	[They run away, laughing scornfully]
[Il Principe è rimasto estatico ai piedi del gong. Timur e Liù si stringono insieme, disperati.]	[The Prince has remained in ecstasy at the foot of the gong. Timur and Liù draw close together in despair.]

and the goose bumps guaranteed;-) 

"you don't just demand respect, you earn it"

After watching this clip I became a bit nostalgic about my finished-just-before-it-really-started career as a teacher. With "Mrs Gillis" as my role model to which I was consistently heading for I remember that from time to time I was acting exactly like "Ms. Virgin-ia Veruka Wobble" experiencing some similar situations. Nevertheless I miss those days and some of my students.

pass by

Ewa (dla przyjaciół "efcia", nie znosi jak się do niej mówi "Ewo") - team leader projektu w międzynarodowej korporacji, mieszka na "dalekiej Ochocie", w wolnym czasie biega na długie dystanse i kibicuje "jedynemu warszawskiemu klubowi piłkarskiemu", spotkana na ulicy Foksal

Ewa ("efcia" for friends, if you want to become one of them never ever say to her "Ewo") - team leader of the project in the international company, lives in far far end of Ochota (district in Warsaw), in her spare time runs long distances and cheers for "the only Warsaw's football club" , met at Foksal Street    

bus or tram?

car with a handsome guy as a driver

Serena or Venus?

the slim one

escalator or lift?

stairs because I'm training for half marathon

ground or top floor?

the top one of course, without neighbours walking on the ceiling, with glorious view from the huge window

boazeria czy tapeta?

?!

opera or ballet?

I'm obliged to say ballet

buttons or zipper?

zipper because it's faster

winter or summer?

I hate winter

autumn or spring?

May

do or make?

do the laundry and make me feel good

song for today
 

I look to you

Weekend in...Warsaw

Sobotnie popołudnie w Parku Szczęśliwickim.

Warsaw's Baker Street

It seems like we have our own Baker Street here in Warsaw but literally, with no references whatsoever to Sherlock Holmes or any that kind of persona as far as I know (by the way: had he ever visited Warsaw?). Still Senatorska Street, to which I'm referring to, is definitely not one of these streets that suffer from lack of the references, having quite a history and a bunch of significant buildings with their own history each. The Great Theatre is probably on the top of the list (being in fact the greatest one of them) but you may find all the other here with links to their photos and be very likely surprised how little you knew about them before (for me it was exceptionally striking because I'm passing different parts of this street practically every day on the way to my office). 

But it's not what I was going to write about. The thing that I dare to call Senatorska Street our Baker Street is that with newly open bakery shop after quick calculations there are four that kind of shops in the western part of the street. And when I give myself a moment to think I come with the conclusion that actually each one of them has something really special to offer amid wide rang of its high quality baker's good and pastry what sounds very promising for their coexistence in the future.

I will provide you with the details (maybe even with the pics of the specials I mentioned) very soon.

bold bolder boldest?

Cameron Silver, o którym więcej tutaj, pojawił się ostatnio na LAXART Ball OF Artists Event w Beverly Hills, California ubrany w dwuczęściowy kostium z wiosennej (damskiej!) kolekcji Mary Katrantzou, o której więcej tutaj. 

Cameron Silver and Mary Katrantzou

Spring 2012 by Mary Katrantzou

Uczciwie należałoby powiedzieć, że wspomniany kostium po koniecznych przeróbkach i odpowiednim dopasowaniu do sylwetki stał się dość pospolicie wyglądającym (oczywiście mówimy tylko o fasonie) męskim garniturem, tym samym lądując w zupełnie innej "szufladzie" niż prezentowany na pokazie kostium. O ostatecznym efekcie decyduje tu jednak nie fason rzecz jasna, tylko deseń jakim pokryty został materiał. Czy to jednak wystarcza, żeby uznać ten pomysł za odważny? Czy to może wciąż klasyczna elegancja tylko w wersji "wykopana w kosmos"? 

Oceniając obiektywnie, odwagi jest tu mało. Całość utrzymana jest w bardzo konwencjonalnej estetyce - kolorki się ładnie komponują, motyw ukwieconej łąki nadaje całości trójwymiarowej głębi, o samym fasonie już mówiłem.  Stylizacja wznosi się na nieco inny poziom dzięki muszce projektu Alexisa Mabille, która powinna gryźć się z resztą a jakoś się nie gryzie i to jest bardzo zaskakujące. Widok bezsprzecznie cieszący oczy, ale czy poza wizualnym (silnym) doznaniem jest tu co kontemplować? 

Możemy jednak zapomnieć o obiektywizmie w ocenie, gdyż mamy tu do czynienia z facetem, który nie dość, że przebiera się w damskie ciuszki (bo nie wchodząc w szczegóły tak właśnie jest) to jeszcze ma "odwagę" przekroczyć kanoniczną liczbę trzech kolorów w jednym stroju. I co by nie mówić to (nadal/jeszcze) jest jednak jakiś rodzaj odwagi. Ekh...

my latest affection

"tippy-toes, tippy-toes, pointy, pointy, floppy hands, step and smile"

"tego nie robi się kotu"

Nieprzyjazd mój do miasta N.
Odbył się punktualnie.

Zostałeś uprzedzony
niewysłanym listem.

Zdążyłeś nie przyjść
w przewidzianej porze.

Pociąg wjechał na peron trzeci.
Wysiadło dużo ludzi.

Uchodził w tłumie do wyjścia
Brak mojej osoby.

Kilka kobiet zastąpiło mnie
pośpiesznie
w tym pośpiechu.

Do jednej podbiegł
ktoś nie znany mi,
ale ona rozpoznała go
natychmiast.

Oboje wymienili
nie nasz pocałunek,
podczas czego zginęła
nie moja walizka.

Dworzec w mieście N.
dobrze zdał egzamin
z istnienia obiektywnego.

Całość stała na swoim miejscu.
Szczegóły poruszały się
po wyznaczonych torach.

Odbyło się nawet
umówione spotkanie.

Poza zasięgiem
naszej obecności.
 

W raju utraconym
prawdopodobieństwa.
 

Gdzie indziej.
Gdzie indziej.
Jak te słówka dźwięczą.

 
Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012)
 
 


 

what's up newbies? (part two)

Being maximalist is definitely a tough profession. It may become even tougher if you suddenly discover an inner desire for simplification. Louise Gray seems to be one of very few who can deal with that sort of situation beautifully. Her collection for Spring 2012 has all maximalism she is recognisable for (colours, patterns, layers are as always main ingredients of her crazy mix) despite the fact that if you look more carefully you may find some signs of pure simplicity within these pieces. Try to get rid of all the styling and finishings necessary for the runway and you will stay with couple of nice, simple, extremely wearable frocks and probably the coolest two-piece of the season (last pic). Is it possible to be cleverer in terms of establishing one's own label? I don't think so.

"Black swan" remake

This week has been fully packed with figure skating as two major competitions: European Championships and US Nationals have just ended today. There were as always ups and downs, kisses and cries, jumps and falls etc. and I must admit that personally I'm not so into it any more (at least comparing to my state of mind just a few years ago). Still there were moments to enjoy and definitely one of them was this adorable performance of newly crowned US Ladies' Champion - Ashley Wagner.



I always say that great pick of music is at least half of the final success in this sport - judges are people after all - and here music's choice was really great giving all every decent skating performance needs: growing tension, drama and grande finale. It's not enough of course, but if you add some nicely detailed elements to mark that you are actually skating in accordance with this great music you picked, you'll hit the nail right on the head. And she just did it by attaching for example this super original arms' movement during her spiral sequence or performing 'en pointe'-like little steps in the middle of the program.

For me this program seems to be also a bit "from the past" (and for the record I'm mentioning about it as its big advantage) being composed in a way to give the skater some moments to have a deep breath. Under the new judging system it means simply that there are less points to gain so it's quite unusual these days but thanks to that loss you gain something else. I would describe it as a certain glowing lightness (I know how it sounds but this is figure skating vocabulary so just bear it;-) which prevents you from being tired with the performance and helps you truly enjoy it. I'm sure that some judges might still have huge craving for that as well.

EDIT 14/02/2012: Ashley Wagner's lucky star keeps shining as she just won The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships gaining the international recognition with the best score of the season for the female skater and unexpectedly but evidently becoming one of the favourites to grab the world title.
 

tribute to Etta

what's up newbies? (part one)

Remember my article about two lovely newbies stepping boldly onto the stage? Interested in getting back in touch with them and checking out how their performances keep going? I am.

Holly Fulton still stands for extremely original Art Deco-esque patterning but this time (Spring 2012) combined nicely with zebra, checkerboard and oh-so-trendy this season ocean motifs. All this variety of forms was shown off on simple shapes with top-notch miniskirts waving the flag for the brand as one of its trademarks. Fulton also keeps herself on a very high level with the exquisite jewellery she produces and tries to experiment with fabrics - as you might have not noticed the zebra pattern on strapless top (second pic) is actually intarsia knit - the result of special collaboration with a Scottish textile mill.
My affection for the colours she tends to use is widely known.

For some people it might be too much. But even if, this is probably the best possible kind of "too much" you have chance to wear nowadays.

to be continued...