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The Anthology

Went on a little road trip

to Steveston, which is — what would you guess — 20 minutes outside Vancouver?

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And yet, it is an entirely different world.

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You’ve been, right? Probably even eaten the fish ‘n chips at Pajos (if you haven’t yet, you’ve got to).

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We walked for hours along the trails. And boy, did it feel good to stretch our legs.

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And watch people fly kites.

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Wore a thrifted sweater, which was hand knit, probably by someone’s very lovely grandmother.

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And my acid washed cutoffs.

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Weekends in the summer. I’m telling you — they’re the best things going. The week has only just begun and already I’m asking myself: where to go next?

P.S. Be a tweetheart and follow me on twitter, won’t you?

May 9, 2010 by

Gimme Gimme More! Gimme More! Gimme Gimme More!

Sound familiar? It’s Britney Spears. And it’s also many of you.

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Because after I posted a few teaser shots of the vintage wedding dress transformation, y’all were hollering for more. And who am I to deny you?

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Here’s a refresher: I found this late 50s/early 60s dress at a thrift store and I had to have it. (I didn’t even know at the time that it has my initials sewn inside. Creepy, but true.)

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So I had it hemmed.

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And I specifically left the two layers of tulle longer than the under layer.

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It’s more dreamy, more floaty, more ballet-y that way.

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And it was perfect for the opera (Marriage of Figaro? Wedding dress? I mean, come on.)

P.S. I love when you like the Anthology on Facebook.

May 5, 2010 by

With apologies to Mr. Hammer

You remember these, right?

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Well, they’re back! And they’re better than ever!

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Because they are now shorts! Which makes me want to, um, jump for joy.

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They’re still as pleated as ever, they’re still as acid washed as they were originally, but now that they’re shorts, they’re downright funky.

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It’s an extreme makeover, Hammer pants edition. And it’s a miracle that they turned out as well as they did. I’m not going to lie to you, I was worried there for a minute.

P.S. I like when you like the Anthology on Facebook.

May 2, 2010 by

Mixed media

Went to an art show last night at Leone celebrating Vancouver artist Gina Miller‘s  mixed media works (which are beeeautiful!).

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And it got me thinking about mixing media.

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Like coupling the soft flowiness of a silk blouse…

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…with the roughness of a wool jacket.

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And this isn’t just any wool jacket either. It’s a men’s battledress jacket, no less. I found it at an antique fair last year (note the date on the label) and it’s been keeping me warm as I battle the Vancouver weather.

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My clutch? It’s woven reeds embellished with snakeskin cutouts.

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Aha! More mixed media!

P.S. Tweet tweet (that’s Twitterspeak for “follow me”).

April 30, 2010 by

It was hailing in Vancouver today

But I’m going to ignore that fact and reminisce about California.

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Because I left my heart in the desert.

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I love that it can be 8 billion degrees but there will still be snow on the mountains.

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Another place I’d like to reminisce about? Turkey.

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That’s where I found this shirt/dress (what is with all the hippy dippy clothes I bought in Turkey? I must have been having a moment.)

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But back to California. Palm Springs (where we stayed during Coachella) was far quirkier than I imagined it would be — more art galleries, more midcentury modern architecture, more aging hippies. I can’t wait to go back. Especially because I miss the palm trees.

P.S. I like when you like the Anthology on Facebook.

April 27, 2010 by

At the Opera

And yes, I am blogging in the foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. We’re about to go backstage but before we do, I’ve been reading the synopsis and here’s the story in a simplified nutshell: Figaro and Susanna are engaged.

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One problem though: he’s a valet and she’s a maid. Which would be fine except that their master, the lecherous Count, has a thing for Susanna and intends to claim his feudal right to take a manservant’s place on his wedding night.

Oh dear.

But this being opera there are love triangles a-plenty and Figaro and Susanna are only one of the many would-be couples facing drama trauma. Who will outwit whom? Who will disguise himself as a woman to learn dirty secrets? Who will end up in a much older suitor’s bed?

I can’t wait to find out. To read the full Manga, click here.

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Update: After heading backstage for a pre-show talk (see my friend Briony exploring above), we’re sitting front row, which is fantastic (unless you want to read the surtitles) but we get to see the opera the way the conductor sees the opera, which means we have a clear view of all the sweat and the spit.

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And this is how polluted my brain is: I’m watching Mozart’s masterpiece and I can’t help but think of Gossip Girl. Figaro and Susanna = Dorota and Vanya. I mean, really.

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But the Marriage of Figaro is to the opera world what the Nutcracker is to the ballet world: it is accessible, popular, and full of melodies anyone would recognize. Which is why Briony and I are having an absolute blast.

April 24, 2010 by

Let’s say you were going to the opera

And let’s say that opera was the Marriage of Figaro. What would you wear?

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A wedding dress? Of course you would.

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I found this beauty at a vintage shop and even though I’m already hitched I had to have it.

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I’m getting it shortened so it will be more of a ballet length as opposed to an I’m-going-to-the-chapel length. (I’ll post the “after” shot along with the big reveal of my Hammer pants post-makeover.)

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I’m guessing the dress is from the sixties. But the spookiest part about it? The initials sewn inside — they’re mine.

P.S. Add the Anthology on Twitter.

April 21, 2010 by

Coachella is more than a music festival

It is also a learning experience. And because this was my first year attending the music and arts festival in the desert, I thought I’d compile a list of the top 10 things I learned at Coachella 2010.

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1. The desert is hot.

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2. A little barf won’t ruin a Phoenix concert. (After the guy next to me leaned over in the middle of the show and puked his guts outs, I contemplated leaving. But, like a true fan, he kept on rockin’ so I did too.)

3. Tweeting about that barf will get you written up in LA Weekly.

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4. Major Lazer can hype a crowd like no other. See exhibit A, which, I should warn you, isn’t exactly suitable for work.

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5. Icelandic is the world’s prettiest language. It doesn’t matter if you can’t understand a word of it, when it’s sung by Jón Birgisson of Jonsi, it’s like watching doves fly under a rainbow on a summer morning.

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6. Wearing a New Kids on the Block t-shirt will make you new friends.

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7. Some bands will blow you away live. (I’ll see you in Vancouver, Temper Trap.)

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8. Others won’t. (Sorry, XX, I’ll buy your next album, but I’ll pass on your next show.)

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9. Canadian flags look out of place among palm trees.

10. Paris and Nicky Hilton are much prettier in person.

Have you been to Coachella? Are you going? 2011, anyone?

April 19, 2010 by