Sunday 12 December 2010

The Idan Raichel Project

Last week on a snowy winters evening i braved the cold and went up to Birmingham to see the fantastic Idan Raichel Project live! For those of you who have never heard of them i can honestly say they are one of the most unique bands i have ever heard. Some sneaky manoevring allowed me to get to the front row and capture some great shots of them which are displayed below.


The band was started up in 2002 "changing the face of Israeli popular music and offering a message of love and tolerance that resonated strongly in a region of the world where headlines are too often dominated by conflict".

The "architect" of this amazing band is Idan Raichel, an inspiring keyboard player, composer and producer from Kfar Saba in Israel. His experiences growing up led him to be influenced by gypsy music, tango, and jazz as well as Ethiopian music and culture which in turn influenced the music of the project. The whole concept behind his project is the fusion and harmony of differing music, ethnicities and cultures. When recording his first demo he invited "70 of his friends and colleagues from Israel's diverse music scene to participate in his recordings"...and it was all downhill from there. Members of his project have been Ethiopians, Arabs, Yemenites and South Africans among so many others from other places.


As the project grew it became impossible to showcase live every member who had participated in Idan's recordings so he chose seven members who were powerful and colourful artists in their own right. The idea was they would sit in a semi circle and every artist would lead different songs. Idan said "that there would be no front man" which is what makes this band so inclusive and special. While Idan writes and produces the songs other artists perform them which is why he says the word project is so fitting..."we are not a group. It's something in between".


His "poetic lyrics" are sung in "Hebrew, Moroccan, Arabic, Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, and Swahili, the songs address the struggle for for personal fulfilment and the true meaning of love in a conflicted and complex world". The result of all this is something amazing.


I was sitting on the floor directly in front of the stage and could see and feel every emotion and rhythm pulsating across the band. The show could only be described as a feast - a feast of so many diverse and beautiful sounds, melodies, collaborations and movements. Idan himself plays the keyboard - he frequently closes his eyes or stands up while he is playing or singing - you get the sense that he quite literally feels every beat that comes off that stage - something that can be said for all of the band. Next the two main female singers of the project Maya Avraham and Cabra Cassay. Maya's voice is stunning, powerful and heartfelt all the way through. For me Cabra was something else - not to mention her striking beauty and silky voice she has such an energy in her movemments her energy was truly infectious. The other male members of the band added a diversity of instruments and voices to the mix which makes for a wonderful overall performance. I could not stop moving the whole gig and every song is a completely different experience.


This band ain't nothing like you've ever seen before - check out their videos and their music for a unparelleled experience - and if you get the chance to see them live - JUMP.







Photos are all Copyrighted 2010.

Monday 27 September 2010

A home away from home....Israel

Israel is a place very close to my heart. I first visited when i was 6 weeks old and have made countless visits with family, friends, school, and tour groups since then. It is a complex country to say the least - with a complicated history, a difficult political situation, and a melting pot of people from different religions and backgrounds. Now, i am not here to get into a political discussion or even state my viewpoint on Israel. The point of my post is simply to show a side to Israel many of you may not have seen before...For most people who haven't ever been there i assume their image of Israel is largely based on news reports etc. It's easy from this perspective to view Israel as a volatile battlefield of some sorts where there is always some kind of unrest. But there is so much beauty in this country and this is what i want to share with you all now...

The Israel i have experienced and know is a beautiful and diverse place. The north - the Golan and Galilee are lush and green. I have completed several beautiful hikes through the rolling hills and waterfalls, climbed mountains to watch the sunrise over the Sea of Galilee, picked fruit, camped in forests (where i slept next to a cow), among so many other wonderful experiences.



Then there is the ever changing metropolis of Tel Aviv - i cannot describe how vibrant this city is - at every street corner you find more gorgeous bars, restaurants, clubs, an amazing seaside - you can never be bored - and every place you find is quirky and original in its own way. The weather is generally warm and the streets are filled day and night with people sitting outside sipping, eating, laughing. The extent of gastronomic delights in this city are endless - probably some of the best sushi, meat, and humous ive ever had (see the third picture below for the best humous in Jaffa - a great place called Abu Hassan!). To sum up this city is thriving and i challenge you not to have a good time there!




Jerusalem - the capital city; I personally find Jerusalem enchanting - firstly much of the city is built with white Jerusalem stone making it so unique looking. As well as increasingly beautiful places to go out my favorite place is the old city - religious sites, cobbled streets, old buildings, breathtaking artwork, amazingggg markets where you can haggle anything down i just love all of it! Some of the most beautiful religious experiences i've had have been in this city and there will always be a place in my heart for Jerusalem!





Further South there are places like the dead sea - the lowest point on earth - you can float around (the sea is so salty you always stay afloat) and beautify yourself with mud which you literally just take off the ground around the sea.


Even further South - the Negev is mostly desert and is blessedly peaceful and beautiful - i have never seen so many stars in the night sky it looked like a Disney movie.

So this is just a little snippet of my Israel - there is so much more to discover! I just want people to remember Israel is also a regular country with regular people going on with there regular lives - and i hate to see all the beautiful things Israel has to offer submerged in their political situation.
Photos are Copyrighted 2010

Monday 20 September 2010

"Fashion becomes unfashionable, style never"

Coco Chanel



I read this quote today and loved it. A woman who truly has style is confident in her individuality and masters fashion, rather than letting fashion fads master her.

Bisous x

Friday 17 September 2010

European Travels

Here are some photos from some of my travels this summer:

Cotswolds








I spent two days at a friend's cottage in the countryside. It was beautiful, peaceful and a great escape from the noise of London.


Lyon




I love this picture because the ground was wet and slippery with rain and this little kid started sprinting up amid all the colourful buildings.

Rome



This is the Spanish Steps in Rome, forever full of people. I have a love for all things Italian; the food is indescribable, the people warm, the cities and towns just gorgeous! La bella Italia <3

Thursday 16 September 2010

Grace Kelly: Style Icon


Today i visited the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V & A in London. The exhibition charts her wardrobe from Hollywood starlet, to royal bride, to fairytale princess.

I have been meaning to visit this exhibition since it began a few months ago and i made it with 10 days to go till it ends. It did not fail to impress; i have a fascination with old Hollywood glamour, the 50's and 60's to be specific. The women from that era (Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn my two favorites) possess this je ne sais quoi, especially when it comes to their style.


Being a hopeless romantic i am captivated by Grace Kelly's story; she was the darling of Hollywood. She met Prince Rainier of Monaco by chance when she was visiting France for the Cannes Film Festival, they were married a year later and she became the much loved Princess Grace. She epitomizes "the glamour of Hollywood and the allure of European royalty".


Her clothes were a huge part of her public identity, and in the exhibition one can formulate the changes in her life, through her changes in style. 40 outfits were designed for her in the period leading up to and after her wedding. Her intricate lace wedding dress is the stuff of dreams, though unfortunately not on display. My friend and I oood and aaahd as we went from piece to piece. Some of her clothes are simple and beautifully cut - effortless chic. Others breathtaking in their intricate details. Every piece was striking in its own way and simultaneously womanly, timeless and elegant. I would definitely wear some of those outfits!

She was something special and so is this exhibition. Now i know this is cutting it kind of close BUT if any of you live in London or are visiting in the next 10 days go see it!

Monday 3 May 2010

Goop


Go to this gem of a website: http://www.goop.com/

It was created by Gwyneth Paltrow and is designed to "nourish the inner aspect". It has all sorts of sections with lots of quirky info on life, health, places to go, places to eat and other fun things in lots of different cities.

Check it out!

Sunday 2 May 2010

Blossom



Gazing at this beautiful blossom hanging outside my bedroom window kept me going through the long hours i spent cooped up in my room studying in the past few weeks. I adore the fresh spring colours, they are so lush and vibrant.

Hello

Hiii all,

I thought i would commence my blogging debut with a little message to say hello. I am new to the blogging scene so bear with me while i get on my feet. I am starting my blog for a number of reasons - i find inspiration in the littlest of things, a song, a photo, a quote, and i wanna create a space where i can share these lovely things with others. Also, having just finished university and finding myself with lots of free time i am trying to kickstart a passion of mine - photography - and i thought blogging would be an ideal way to share my photos and get your views on them. I hope to try and upload a photo a week and would love to hear from you all about what you think? How i could improve? And just any other general thoughts you wish to share!

With love

Isabella