What should I say?

Tuesday Tune: 'You and I' - Ingrid Michaelson

You've probably heard something from New York Indie singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson on one of your fave TV shows; her stuff has been featured on many of them including Grey's Anatomy, The Big C, Vampire Diaries and so the list goes on. She's never signed to a label even though proving rather popular.

This song is where my head goes when I'm lazing around with Blue Eyes.

Don't you worry there my honey
We might not have any money
But we've got our love to pay the bills

Maybe I think you're cute and funny
Maybe I wanna do want bunnies do with you if you know what I mean

Oh lets get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France
Lets get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance
Lets get rich and build a house on a mountain making everybody look like ants
From way up there, you and I, you and I

Well you might be a bit confused
And you might be a little bit bruised
But baby how we spoon like no one else
So I will help you read those books
If you will soothe my worried looks
And we will put the lonesome on the shelf

Lets get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France
Lets get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance
Lets get rich and build a house on a mountain making everybody look like ants
From way up there, you and I, you and I

Lets get rich and buy our parents homes in the south of France
Lets get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance
Lets get rich and build a house on a mountain making everybody look like ants
From way up there, you and I, you and I

Happy Monday Morning!

I hope you have good coffee nearby

Tuesday Tune: Sara Bareilles 'Stay'

I came across this beautiful piece when checking out Cape Town blogger Being Brazen's lovey-dovey music mix - i guess I'm being a little soppy of late, so forgive me, but this song is lovely.

Ayyy

Ehhh

Saturday

Empty room

Filled with people

Don't mean a thing to you and I

Holding hands, nobody knows

Nobody understands

I don't care for sunlight

It only means it's over

I'm in no mood for that

Stay tonight

Don't come morning

Don't come light

They may be lies

Say it, say that we'll be all right

If we stay tonight

My hands are shaking

This is a complicated love for me

Keep your eyes closed

You've seen it baby

You've seen where this goes, oh

Stay tonight

Don't come morning

Don't come light

They may be lies

Say that we'll be all right

If we stay tonight

Gonna feel it baby, oh

I don't wanna cry

I know we'll get to tomorrow

And say goodbye

That's why I ask you for tonight

Stay tonight

Don't come morning

Don't come light

They may be lies

But say that we'll be all right

(Say that we'll be all right)

Say that we're gonna be all right

Tonight.

 

Saturday Night, hope you've got a date

And I hope if she keeps you waiting, it's because she's putting on something really good-looking ;)

Movember, get your 'tache on!

So it's that time of year where boys feel the need to try be manly and compete in a war of the coolest 'tache. Some are perfectly groomed, some are rather gross and lots are 'have a gold star for effort *cough bum fluff*. However, all this weird facial hair growing does have a really good purpose - to raise awareness of and funds for testicular and prostate cancers. So guys, give it bash and girls try not be too grossed out - although, it's a great month to spend good quality time with your besties and leave the boys to be :P 

And everyone sign up at: http://za.movember.com/

Here's a video featuring last year's 'Man of Movember' Anton Taylor (yes, I make an appearance)

It's November!

SMASH!

GUYS!!!! There's a show about broadway musicals, and it is obviously amazeballs in neonlights. 

Season 1 has just begun to air in South Africa on Mnet Series, Thurs 19h30 but has already finished in the states - and yes, it has been picked up for second season. You'll love it especially if you're in the industry, or just like watching talented people kicking ass. 

Without giving much away, basic storyline follows the makings of a Broadway musical based on Marilyn Monroe. The cast includes American Idol runner up Katherine McPhee as a newbie actress/waitress, Megan Hilty as the talented but never a star been-in-the-business-for-10years girl, Will & Grace's Debra Messing as co-writer of the new musical and some other peeps you'll recognise.

It's just very cool ok, even Blue Eyes sorta maybe enjoyed it :P

Thursday Thought

Tuesday Tune: Freshly Ground 'Take Me To The Dance'

Just LOVING this new tune from local SA band Freshly Ground. More electro sound from them, and the tune just makes me wanna jam.

Found a clip of them performing on SABC 3 morning show, Expresso:

Thursday Thought

Tuesday Tune: Charlotte Martin covers 'Wild Horses'

Another cover for Tuesday Tune and another So You Think You Can Dance discovery!

'Wild Horses' is such a classic coming from one of the coolest rock bands EVER, The Rolling Stones (off their 1971 album, Sticky Fingers). I heard this version on the latest season of SYTYCD when choreographer Mandy Moore used it for a contemporary piece danced by Lindsay and Cole. The cover comes from an American singer/songwriter Charlotte Martin - who also happens to be Miss Illinois Teen USA 1994. It is off her first full-length album, On Your Shore, released in 2004.

Here is the full version from Charlotte Martin:

And the dance from So You Think You Can Dance Season 9

Win a Trip to New York City!

Ug. It's like everyone collectively decided to disappear to NYC suddenly, and the jealousy is unbearable! And then today a competition emerged with a first prize of a trip to the Big Apple. Check it out here

1886 Steampunk

Spot me as the wind-up dancer in this steampunk concept piece shot by Adrian Lazarus at Truth Coffee Cult. 
1886 Steam Punk from Adrian Lazarus on Vimeo.

Happy Monday Morning!

Start of a new week, lots of enthusiastic optimism - even if the Cape Town wind is howling outside, and the possibility of me making it to gym is rather minuscule (because it's cold outside and that is hard). However this Monday morning we don't get to complain, because last night that Austrian guy decided to jump from the stratosphere casually back to earth. So no, Monday is perfectly dealable. You are above letting the weather affect your mood. And you are more than capable of being proactive in conquering some personal quests. Except I think I'll have some more coffee first. Good coffee is very important on Monday mornings.

And something to ponder over said coffee:

People will find you ploughing your potato field and attempt to make you feel guilty for failing to harvest spinach.

What Should I Read Next?

Found an awesomely cool site that suggests books to read based on books you've enjoyed. All one does is type in the title of a book and then a list pops up of suggestions one may like. Delightful :) Off to the library I go!
http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/index.php

It's Friday! Where is my rainbow cake?

Thursday Thought

Tuesday Tune: Sleeping At Last 'Turning Page'

I discover a lot of cool tunes through my utter devotion to So You Think You Can Dance, the show wows me and reignited my passion and drive for the art form. But along with witnessing such amazing performaces and choreography, is finding gorgeous pieces of music.

This is just lovely. The band Sleeping At Last 

Please excuse the horrid twilighty video... just close your eyes and soak it all in :)

TURNING PAGE

Written by: Ryan O'Neal (Sleeping At Last)

i've waited a hundred years.but i'd wait a million more for you.nothing prepared me forwhat the privilege of being yours would do.

if i had only felt the warmth within your touch,if i had only seen how you smile when you blush,or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough,i would have known what i was living for all along.what i've been living for.

your love is my turning page,where only the sweetest words remain.every kiss is a cursive line,every touch is a redefining phrase.

i surrender who i've been for who you are,for nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart.if i had only felt how it feels to be yours,well, i would have known what I've been living for all along.what i've been living for.

though we're tethered to the story we must tell,when i saw you, well, i knew we'd tell it well.with a whisper, we will tame the vicious seas.like a feather bringing kingdoms to their knees.

Thursday Thought

Hemp Now!

Hemp. Heard of it? Perhaps accompanied by thoughts of pot-smoking hippies? 

In reality, hemp is an incredible plant. A weed in fact, which means it grows REALLY easily. It's extremely versatile and can be used in the production of numerous products, and most importantly - it's super duper environmentally friendly. The problem with hemp, is that it's associated with marijuana and illegal drug use, even though the cultivar farmed for produce is different to the illegal dope kind. It seems to be very difficult to separate the arguments of allowing legal marijuana use and lifting the ban on hemp farming, and they are two really different issues and ones that can be engaged with separately. 

I recently took part in a photo shoot as part of an awareness campaign for hemp and its uses. As mentioned before, I've been working with Miss Earth South Africa since 2008 and am still quite involved in the organisation, and it was through this connection that I came to be a part of Hemp Now's campaign. The newly crowned current Miss Earth SA, Tamerin Jardine and I shot in Noordhoek at Hemp House (yes, a house built with hemp) in hemp clothes along with a gazillion different types of hemp products, from beauty products to hemp milk to hemp surfboards - you name it, there's a hemp-made one! Whilst the official photos haven't been released yet... I do have a few sneaky behind the scenes ones.

There is now an official South African hemp petition to be signed, and can be found at http://www.hempnow.co.za/ - please go have a squizz at it. Hemp products can be found at The Body Shop and Hemporium.

Cell C Mambo 5

Paying the bills is tough, but sometimes it's just a lot of fun. Spent a week in Jozi last month shooting the new Cell C campaign - Mambo 5. Yes, it uses that song and I am 'Monica'... which is the cheapest package, but whatever :P

Here's a behind-the-scenes video

And the advert that's currently flighting

Tuesday Tune: Two Door Cinema Club - cover The Cave

People clearly like covering Mumford & Sons, particularly on BBC Radio1 Live Lounge... This time it's indie band Two Door Cinema Club, and trust me it's not a disappointment.

Tie your heart at night to mine, love

Tie your heart at night to mine, love,

and both will defeat the darkness

like twin drums beating in the forest

against the heavy wall of wet leaves.

Night crossing: black coal of dream

that cuts the thread of earthly orbs

with the punctuality of a headlong train

that pulls cold stone and shadow endlessly.

Love, because of it, tie me to a purer movement,

to the grip on life that beats in your breast,

with the wings of a submerged swan,

So that our dream might reply

to the sky’s questioning stars

with one key, one door closed to shadow. 

-Pablo Neruda

Thursday Thought

Vintage Wednesdays Launches Tonight!

Looking Down

Thursday Thought

Hipster Ariel

Friends Bloopers

F.R.I.E.N.D.S - I will never tire of watching this show. I have seen all ten seasons. And repeats. If it's randomly on telly, I will watch, and giggle and smile and then dream of one day being part of such a cool series.

Here are some bloopers to make you snort

Tuesday Tune: Toya Delazy covers 'Use Somebody'

Well isn't this just fab: a cover of one of my favourite Kings of Leon tunes, by SA's new muso fantastico, recorded live on a Mother City rooftop :)

Toya Delazy, born Latoya Buthelezi in Kwa-Zulu Natal studied jazz music in Durban and then exploded onto the SA music scene with her debut single 'Pump It On' and follow-on single 'Love Is In The Air'. Here's her covering 'Use Somebody' on local morning show 'Expresso'.

Good New Show Alert!

The Newsroom has just started airing in SA, I'd heard a bit about the show but barely anything really - for example no one told me HOW INCREDIBLY GOOD it is! In one weekend I was able to turn my dad and the boy into uberfans, and the love is just spreading :)

As the name suggests the show is about the news and the ongoings of an office putting a news show together. Jeff Daniels is a.maz.ing as a famed anchor who has found a cushy and safe niche with his News Hour show until he gets a new executive producer and team who want to shake things up.

It's created by Aaron Sorkin, the brain behind 'The West Wing' and screenwriter of 'Moneyball' and 'The Social Network'. It's current, it's intriguing, it's thought stirring, it's debating invoking. Fab.

If you need some more convincing, here's the trailer:

Katryn Kruger

My darling Fashionista Blonde, Glitter&Garbage, has interviewed Mother City export Katryn Kruger. KK is schmodelling it up in the Big Apple these days and being generally fabulous.

Here is is with fellow SA supermodel, Candice Swanepoel:

Read the interview here

Happy Monday Morning!

Morning stretches, and go!

Chippies

For most of last year I had to hear sports media man Howie Kahn go on and on about his man-dates with his favourite rugga buggers at some place called 'Chippies'. I never cracked an invite. Not once. Not even when I was being Howie's slave  intern earlier this year. And then Jambles made it back to Cape Town alive (believe me it is somewhat of a miracle), after various North and South American adventures  and joined me in funemplyment - when one has time for random lunches. I cracked nod to Chippies with Jambles. Cue massive excitement.

 Turns out this famed little place is right next to Bishops - how on earth had I never noticed it before?! Probably because there is not much to notice. No real decor, four tables, more of a takeaway vibe but good gracious me, if you like them prego rolls then you will love Chippies. 

You can also buy their prego sauce and attempt to make your own at home. Tis all quite wonderful really, and I now feel like I'm in on the guys' secret. I also took photos and embarrassed Jambles, which gave me about as much enjoyment as my fantastic chicken prego, double joy folks!

Thursday Thought: Dita

Being a big person...

Apologies for the lack of excitement posted, but this past week I've been up in Jozi working hard (as people there do). Spent a week shooting the new Cell C ad campaign, all hush hush but watch this space!

I flew back to Cape Town on Friday morning, and got met at the airport by Blue Eyes and our new PUPPY! I will now become one those people who rants about how gorgeous and perfect her dog is... but he. just. is. ok. He is cuddled up on my lap as I type...

Thursday Thought: Be All There

Tuesday Tune: Sugarland 'All I Wanna Do'

The boy with blue eyes gets to Cape Town tomorrow. That is all.

I don't want to get up baby, let's turn off the phone

I don't want to go to work today, or even put my make-up on

I've got better things to do than my to-do list anyway

Hide under the covers and waste away the day

Let's just lay here and be lazy, baby drive me crazy

All I wanna do wo wo wo woo...

All I wanna do wo wo wo woo... is love you

I got my whole life to change the world and climb the ladders

Looking at you looking at me is the only thing that matters

Come a little closer baby, we can talk without the words

Hang a sign on the door, please do not disturb

Let's just lay here and be lazy, baby drive me crazy

All I wanna do wo wo wo woo..

All I wanna do wo wo wo woo.. is love you

Give me a kiss, from that Elvis lip

You don't want to miss this

All I wanna do wo wo wo woo...

All I wanna do wo wo wo woo... is love you

All I really want to do

All I really want to do

All I really want to do, is love you, love you, love you

Come a little closer baby, we can talk without the words

Hang a sign on the door, please do not, please do not, please do not, 

Please do not disturb

When I lay down in the evening, all I really want to do

When I wake up, when I wake up in the morning baby,

All I really wanna do... 

Happy Monday Morning!

Because people take videos of not much interest and put them on youtube

Happened across this random video. Nothing happens in it. I walk past someone. It goes on youtube. Tres amuse.

Thursday Thought

Camping

Oh, why yes - I would indeed like to go camping like this

TuesdayTune: Noah & the Whale 'Five Years Time'

Noah & the Whale are an English Indie band from Twickenham formed in 2006 and are named after film director Noah Baumbach and his film The Squid and the Whale. 


This music video has the most awesome 70s home video vibe to it, and the song is pretty darn rad too.

Oh well, in five years time we could be walking round a zooWith the sun shining down over me and youAnd there’ll be love in the bodies of the elephants tooAnd I’ll put my hand over your eyes but you’ll peek through

And there’ll be sun, sun, sun all over our bodiesAnd sun, sun, sun all down our necksAnd there’ll be sun, sun, sun all over our facesAnd sun, sun, sun, so what the heck?

'Cause we’ll be laughing at all your silly little jokesAnd we’ll be laughing about how we used to smokeAll those stupid little cigarettes and drink stupid wine'Cause it’s what we needed to have a good time

But it was fun, fun, fun when we were drinkingIt was fun, fun, fun when we were drunkAnd it was fun, fun, fun when we were laughingIt was fun, fun, fun, oh, it was fun

Oh well, I look at you and say it's the happiest that I’ve ever beenAnd I’ll say I no longer feel I have to be James DeanAnd she’d say, yeah well, I feel pretty a happy tooAnd I’m always pretty happy when I’m just kicking back with you

And it’ll be love, love, love all through our bodiesAnd love, love, love all through our mindsAnd it'll be love, love, love all over her faceAnd love, love, love all over mine

And though it's nearly all these moments are just in my headI’ll be thinking ‘bout them as I’m lying in bedAnd I know that it nearly that it might not even come trueBut in my mind I’m havin’ a pretty good time with you

Oh, in five years time I might not know youIn five years time we might not speakOh, in five years time we might not get alongIn five years time you might just prove me wrong

Oh, there’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love, love, love wherever you go

There’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love, love, love wherever you goThere’ll be love