Anita Berber

The ratio of formalin to carcass must at least be 12 to 1 to ensure a good fixation.

the eden project

Bruce Munro's newest light installation at The Eden Project.

Soul Train

YELLE is my role model!

French TV 1977

Beautiful Pictures

sweet secrets

17 jams to make you get up and dance.

This post is dedicated to Jen, cause i'm pretty sure she loves every song on this mix! Holla at you girl!

Happy Halloween!

Anywhere but here

I'm dreaming of somewhere far far away from this computer screen. I can't wait for our weekend trek down to half moon bay! Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Pumpkin Patches, the haunted restaurant that was once on unsolved mysteries and the best salsa bar in northern CA!

The white raven

It was over 80 degrees in the city today! WHEW! It was so hot that I could barely stand to be outside, so Chesley and I ventured to the Academy of Sciences and boy was it great! The Albino Alligator was stained with blood from its recent feast and the dragon seahorses were out promenading with full glory!

The warm weather definitely calls for some night time adventures, perhaps to one of the city's many staircases? I can't wait!

Voir - La Collection Spitzner

Images are from a comic book called "The Spitzner Museum's Wax Woman."

Pierre Spitzner's traveling museum, the "Musee Spitzner": a collection of anatomical models, moulages, specimens, paintings, dioramas, etc., that toured Europe for about a century before being dismantled circa WW2. Some of the Spitzner pieces ended up at the University of Paris, but unfortunately many others are now lost. The Spitzner's centerpiece was a wax anatomical model of a sleeping woman, which opened to reveal her internal organs.

Mutter Museum

The Mutter Museum is a medical museum located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The museum contains a collection of medical oddities, anatomical, and pathological specimens, wax models, and antique medical equipment! This is a necessary stop for the next across country road trip!

Joyce

These two are my favorite:

Saint Dymphna

The Brooklyn trio Gang Gang Dance releases their new album Saint Dymphna this October!


After seeing Gang Gang play live about a year ago (one of the best live shows I've ever been to) I've been obsessed with following their career. Saint Dymphna is everything I could have hoped for and more! The trio's overt love for grime and dubstep becomes super obvious on this one. The band's US label even describes Saint Dymphna as " a beat that resembles the omnipresent sound of reggaeton flooding the NYC streets during summer months." After listening to the full album, I completely agree. LOVE IT!

A live show is scheduled to hit San Francisco Nov. 14th at Bimbo's. I'll be there for sure!

Bitone

Ugandan children cover Bjork's "All is full of Love" for an album to benefit the Bitone Children's home, an organization who's mission is to help restore the lives of disadvantaged Ugandan children.  All of the tracks are stunningly beautiful.

Below is the music video for Bjork's "All is full of Love".  The video was recently nominated for MTV's  greatest music video ever - the top 10! It's definitely number one in my book! This music video has always sent chills up my spine. 

 

Them Finnish Folk

"Sounds of raindrops falling on sheet metal roof melted together with old television's random-dot-pattern-noise. Leena Uotila's soft voice echoes in empty, dusty rooms. Catowls gathered to the sky, appletrees were blooming and waves rocked a barrell against the pier. Suddenly all this started to form esoteric mildew to cassette's magnetic tape. I finished our work with prayer only a moment before the cold winds rose from Saimaa." -The Finnish band Paavoharju describes their recent (may 08) release - Laulu Laakson Kukista




Another Finnish beauty: Eleanoora Rosenholm's new Älä kysy kuolleilta, he sanoivat LP comes out this week in Finland. Here's a track, and a creepy music video:

Storyville

Storyville, New Orleans - Famously known as the red light district and what some consider the origin of jazz.....

Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Tony Jackson were all inspired by the bands they listened to in Storyville's brothels and dance halls, especially Pete LaLa's Cabaret, where King Joe Oliver's horns nightly blew the house down.

E.J. Bellocq's pictures of Storyville's prostitutes: Ever so charming with a bit of Joel Peter Witkin.

Here's the jazzman's Hamlet: St. Louis Blues by Mr. Louis Armstrong

fairytales and Fan Death

John Galliano's Fall 2007 line: A gothic fairytale, I wish was mine.


A string-laden after-hours gem: Fan Death brings an authentic retro-disco feel.