Sunday 27 February 2011

diana world tour


"Hosted once every few years, the Lomography World Congress is responsible for uniting Lomographers from all over the world that share one common interest an immense love for analogue photography.

Lomography is not just about crazy fun cameras and beautiful photos, but is also about bringing people together to share their life and experience through this medium, exploring new possibilities both in life and through photography. These completely unique experiences and memories seem to be the best souvenirs for Lomographers who participated in the Lomography World Congress but unfortunately, very few Lomographers from around the world are able to participate due to distance, cost and busy Lomographic lives! Since the last LWC, Lomography has made it a new mission to bring unique Lomographic events and happenings to the community worldwide." - no vacancy










lunch date with ping

what's for you, won't pass you

i used to have this vision that i would climb the corporate ladder and be successful. yes, it's still something i hope to accomplish - however, i feel my passion and motivation for this goal has transferred to my life outside the walls of my humble office. i used to feel it was important to 'live to work', to enjoy your 9 to 5 day job given it is where most of your life resides. i still do believe this to a certain extent, but it isn't the be-all and end-all. sure, it's important to find a sense of joy and accomplishment in the work you do, but in the end - a job is a job. there's a life outside client liaison and number crunching. that's not to say i've given up on that aspect of my life, but rather than spending my life consumed in the narrow minded thoughts of career progression, i want to get out there and enjoy the things i love - family, friends, hobbies, interests and whatnot.

what's for you, won't pass you. go with the flow, live life, and if something is meant to be, then it will come your way. i guess to some people this may seem a lazy or vagabond-like way to live life, but it takes away the unnecessary strain placed in life. more importantly, it allows you to open up your mind to the, otherwise omitted, possibilities and experiences the world has to offer.


image source: jetblackheart

Saturday 26 February 2011

kavinsky | testarossa autodrive

strawberry-nutella thumbprint cookies



Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
  • 7 tbsp granulated white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 3 tbsp thick crushed fresh strawberry mix (directions below)
  • Nutella (for filling)

Directions
  1. Crushed fresh strawberries - Homemade by crushing strawberries with 1 tsp of milk and two drops of red food colour (highly recommended, however not used in the batch above). Make a thick, almost paste like mix in your processor/blender. If some bits remain, it does not matter but the mix should not be runny or watery.
  2. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar using a hand-held mixer for about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the vanilla extract and crushed strawberry to the bowl and combine well with the butter mixture using a whisk.
  5. Fold in the flour mixture with the butter mixture gently to form a dough. The dough will be soft and a little sticky but not loose. Do not over mix. You may need to oil your hands and bring the dough together.
  6. Once combined, cover the dough with a plastic cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  7. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line your cookie sheet with a parchment paper.
  8. Take out the refrigerated dough, lightly oil your palms and make small balls with it. Put the balls on the cookies sheet and press down slightly to flatten out.
  9. With the help of your thumb or back of a tea-spoon make a small hole in the middle of the cookies, to be filled with Nutella after baking.
  10. If at this point you feel that the butter in the cookies is melting, refrigerate again for about 15 minutes.
  11. Bake the cookies in the oven for about 8 - 12 minutes or until the bottom starts turning brown. Do not bake them beyond 12 minutes.These will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.
  12. Take out the cookie sheet from the oven and using the teaspoon again press out the hole in the cookies.You will not be able to do this after the cookies have cooled.
  13. Once the cookies have cooled, fill in the little holes with Nutella.
source: sinfullyspicy

anne hathaway | 2008 HRC los angeles dinner

"There are people who have said that i’m being brave for being openly supportive of gay marriage, gay adoption, basically of gay rights but with all due respect I humbly dissent, i’m not being brave, i’m being a decent human being. And I don’t think I should receive an award for that or for merely stating what I believe to be true, that love is a human experience not a political statement, however, I acknowledge that sadly we live in a world where not everybody feels the same. My family and I will help the good fight continue until that long awaited moment arrives, when our rights are equal and when the political limits on love have been smashed." - anne hathaway

Friday 25 February 2011

red hunter wellies

it has recently been brought to my attention that my travels to japan will be during the rainy season, also known as tsuyu or baiyu (my japanese is improving dramatically already, i kid). a perfect excuse to purchase a pair of red hunter wellies, don't you think? well, i most certainly do. they remind me of the short -bursts into song- 'william's wish wellingtons' program on abc. i intend to rock my japan venture with these little booties, pun intended. the only dilemma - apparently the rainy season is quite humid, so i may have to opt for the short hunter wellies. regardless, japan and these gorgeous red gumboots - it's going to be perfect for photos. i can see it right now - amanda and her red wellington travels. brilliant.


Thursday 24 February 2011

macaulay culkin interview 1991

adorable. i have a great appreciation of mac and the way he handles fame and the media.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

tyranny vs. liberty

"Where the people fear the government you have tyranny.
Where the government fears the people you have liberty." - john basil barnhill


image source: jetblackheart

Monday 21 February 2011

pastel perfect










hong chun zhang

"Born and raised in the People's Republic of China, I grew up in an academic environment. Both my parents are retired art professors and my two sisters are also painters. When I was 15, my twin-sister and I won the National Competition to attend the high school attached to the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. From there, I began my professional art training.

Over the last twelve years, I have studied under both Chinese and American fine arts educational systems, and I believe I have discovered a balance between the two cultures and artistic styles. In China, I developed a solid foundation in painting, but the content was restricted. In 1996, I came to America to expand my education in fine arts. Graduate school in the US has provided me with the freedom to develop new concepts for my work. This unique experience has been recognized with a Skowhegan Artist Residency Scholarship (2003) and a Dedalus Foundation MFA Fellowship (2004) and Pollock Krasner Foundation grant (2006). I have exhibited my work nationally and internationally since 2000. I am now represented by Gallery Imperato in Baltimore.

I currently reside in Lawrence, Kansas with my husband John and daughter Rose. I plan to embark on a new project that is inspired by my Chinese heritage and my Kansas home." - hongchunzhang.com












image source: booooooom

Thursday 17 February 2011

beats by dr. dre | solo hd

one of my many spontaneous purchases. i mean, how can you resist purchasing such aesthetically pleasing digital goods. i love the size of these headphones, probably a tad too small for guys, but perfect for girls. i managed to get this white pair at a cheaper price through a friend of mine. i had a preference for black, as it would be less distinct, but surprisingly the white pair isn't overwhelmingly obvious and attention seeking ... which was my initial concern.

headphone sound quality is not my area of expertise, but in my honest opinion - they're just alright. the headphones are more compatible with hip-hop music ... which doesn't really do much for me, given i only have one hip-hop album and the other 11,000 or so songs on my itunes play list are generally rock. guess i should have done my research before making the purchase. that said, i don't regret buying them, and for the meanwhile these shall suffice.