Last Words

Today I was watching the American show 'How I Met Your Mother'. (If you watch it this contains spoilers). One of the main characters' (Marshall) father died in today's episode. The episode revolves around the last words Marshall said to his father and vice versa. He is devestated because he feels that his last words were inadequate and he forever has to live with that. His situation stirs his friends to think of what their last words to their parents would be if something were to happen to them right now.

Now, this is not meant to be a morbid post. Rather, it made me think...I am incredibly close to all my family and love them very dearly. But like i'm sure many others also do, sometimes because I know that they will love me unconditionally no matter what, I say hurtful things to them, shout at them, release my pent up frustrations on them. In all of this sometimes I forget to take the time to tell them how much I love them, how I appreciate everything that they do for me, and how I really don't mean those things I say in anger. You take for granted that your loved ones will always be there, that there will always be a chance to say those things, and that they know you really don't mean it. This episode made me consider how heartbroken I would be if my last words to a loved one were in anger.

I know that we are only human and therefore inevitably flawed. Since we never know which moment might be our last, we can never really prepare the perfect "last words". So instead, those things that we put off doing or saying because we assume we'll have time...do it now. Tell your loved ones how much they're loved and appreciated, even if you are tired give a little smile, take the time to say thank you and do something thoughtful for the person you love. Who knows what the future holds? And in the words of one my favorite artists John Mayer, "its better to say too much, than never to say what you need to say".

Hipstamatic

I am a newly reformed iPhone'er. For 2 years I clung to my old Blackberry adamantly claiming I would never change it. But, lo and behold 6 months later I was the proud owner of a shiny new iPhone (moral of the story never say never). A few weeks ago I met a photographer who told me about an iphone photography app called "Hipstamatic" which I had never heard of. I downloaded it of course, and guys...its FABULOUS.

Now let's give you a little history..."In 1982 Bruce and Winston Dorbowski began producing a DIY camera made entirely of plastic after dropping out of art school. The molds were made by hand and each camera was assembled in the brothers' cabin workspace". This camera was called the Hipstamatic and for various reasons never became mass produced. Now the iPhone app "Hipstamatic" recreates the "look, feel, unpredictable beauty, and fun of plastic toy cameras of the past".

The app offers you a multitude of different lenses, films, frames and cases to work with each adding a different look to each picture. Some are included on download and some you have to buy for about 50p. The possibilities are endless and the effects are beautiful especially in creating "vintage feel" photographs. My grandmother has albums full of gorgeous black and white polaroids and "old" looking photos. I always wished that I could create photgraphs that resembled them...now I can.

10 years ago I would use a disposable camera and I wouldn't know how the photo turned out until I printed it. Now photography has lost some of that unpredictability. This is something you can partly relive with Hipstamatic. Furthermore, it has solved my problem of not always being able to carry a heavy camera around - my phone is always on me, and this app gives me the ability to take pictures of things I see in my every day life easily.

Now the cherry on top! An exhibition recently opened in London displaying the best of people's Hipstamatic photographs. Pictures are uploaded every day onto their facebook page for people to share and comment on. The photos in the exhibition were picked from these. I love that these are everyday normal people who have taken these beautiful photographs. Hipstamatic makes a certain level of artistry available to people who wouldn't have access to it otherwise.

Today I went to see the exhibition. It was in an unassuming place called 'The Orange Dot Gallery' in Euston. It was so unassuming in fact I walked straight past it (but i'm not gonna lie I do that quite alot). The pictures look like polaroids on a clothing line held up by minature pegs. I took photos of the exhibition using Hipstamatic myself...oh the irony!

What struck me was the quality of the photos, along with the range of colours, effects and subjects. Many of them could have been taken by a professional photographer. It is a wonderfully innovative exhibition! Due to its resounding success the exhibition has been extended to 13th February giving you all time to go see it! Here are a few of my favorite pics on display just to give you a little taste...

Here is my favorite picture that I have taken so far with Hipstamatic (not in the exhibition ;) of a broken leaf. I hope to make my Hipstamatic photos a regular feature of my blog.

 

Let me know what you think. Would love to see some of your shots?

Kanye West Feat. Bon Iver - Lost in the World

A while ago my music fanatic uncle introduced me to the incredible Bon Iver. Someone recently told me that he had collaborated with Kanye West. Would I naturally put these two artists together? No. Whilst on first impression I wasn't so sure, their song Lost in the World has grown on me! It's a bit of a "mish-mashh" (excuse the reference ;) of different sounds and styles but i'm loving it. I would love to hear your thoughts?

My "me" day

It's funny, i consider myself a pretty open and optimistic person...and generally i am. But then there are times that for whatever reason i bottle things up in my sometimes crazy little head. At these times i can become a mess of negativity and confusion. One such time was last night; having finished university i am now faced with becoming part of the "real world", which for me and most people like me, means making important decisions for myself that will affect the way my life goes from here. Last night for various reasons this overwhelmed me a little. Luckily a very special person was there to comfort me which now brings me to this blog's title.

This person suggested that rather than get myself all worked up, instead, to take a step back, take some time, and do something to clear my mind to allow me to face these decisions with some perspective. And that is just what i did...something i will now fondly refer to as "me day". Today i decided to at least spend part of the day just letting myself take a breather and do something for me. I headed into central London and just let myself wander and window shop and bought a cuuute top...anddd to finish it all off i had lunch for one at a great restaurant called Carluccio's in the adorable St Christopher's Place. I had the Pasta Giardiniera which is just one of the most deliciousss dishes - penne pasta, with spinach balls and courgettes which i then drown in parmesan....its so yummy i cant stress enough.


I read my book and (a favorite past time) people watched. A woman was sitting across the table from me also dining for one, and i thought sometimes a little alone time can be just the medicine.

Now, though still faced with the same things, i feel better. So next time you feel a little lost take some time, and do something nice for yourself - a bubble bath, a lovely meal, seeing a loved one, whatever it takes. You'll be amazed what a few hours of time set aside for you can do for you.

A Beautiful Awakening

It's 1.22am in Londontown and for some reason instead of trying to prolong the already little sleep im going to have, i've to decided to post this picture before i go to bed...



This pic was taken on a morning where i wanted nothing more than to stay warm in bed...reluctantly leaving my house this spectacular sunrise stopped me in my tracks and made the start of my day that little bit brighter. Try to take pleasure in the beautiful little things that we are so likely to just brush over in the busy bumble of our every day lives. Now, time for bed.

Good night x

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.

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