Best of 2009 (My Very Own Choice Awards)

This here is what I totally dig from 2009. I might have not watched every movie, listened to every album, read every book, or reviewed every fashion show that came out this year. But from what I did see, these are my personal bests:

BEST DRAMA
Nominees: Public Enemies, Little Ashes, Frost/Nixon, Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
The award goes to: LITTLE ASHES
Because: The movie is beautifully achieved (photography and script wise). It's not overly dramatic. And the cast is amazing it made me take a second look at Robert Pattinson only to find that he is a fantastic actor. Paul Morrison got it completely right.

BEST COMEDY
The award goes to: THE HANGOVER
Because: I'm not a big american comedy person, so i think this is the only one I did watch and it made me laugh my head off. It might have had a lot to do with the excellent mood I was in when I watched it. But I still love it.

BEST CHICK FLICK
Nominees: The Twilight Saga: New Moon (I have to place it under this category because well, that's what it is; the only real reason why this is nominated: shirtless Taylor Lautner), (500) Days of Summer, He's Just Not That Into you.
The award goes to: THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON
Because: I don't believe that it is a good movie (cinematographically), but it did everything a chick flick is supposed to do for me: I had the best time watching it with friends, I laughed hysterically, and... Serious eye candy.

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Nominees: Coraline, Up, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, A Christmas Carol, Where the Wild Things Are.
The award goes to: CORALINE
Because: All of them have amazing animation, but the story behind Coraline totally does it for me. The fantasy-creepy-good kind of Burtonish is sort of my fav thing.

BEST SCI-FI/ACTION/FANTASY
Nominees: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Watchmen, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, District 9, Avatar.
The award goes to: AVATAR
Because: I just watched it and I have to say it is outstanding. But I'll comment on how outstanding it is later. Avatar beats Watchmen for me. Although I love the graphic novel, and thought the movie was ever so awesome. But seriously, Avatar? Way more awesome!

BEST FILM
Nominees: Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, Frost/Nixon, Little Ashes, Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Avatar.
The award goes to: It's a tie between AVATAR & LITTLE ASHES
Because: Avatar is awesome in every possible way! And Little Ashes really did it for me this year. The photography in Inglourious Basterds is extraordinaire and Woody Allen never ceases to amaze me. But I don't know, there's just something about Little Ashes that mesmerizes me.

BEST SHORT FILM
Nominees: Greed, The Black Hole, Oktapodi.
The award goes to: OKTAPODI
Because: It's awesome...

Other Movie Highlights of 2009: Doubt, Milk, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, The September Issue, Coco Avant Chanel, 3:19.

Please note that I have yet to watch Nine, The Princess & the Frog, The Lovely Bones, Sherlock Holmes & Whip It!.
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BEST TV COMEDY
Nominees: The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, How I Met You Mother
The award goes to: How I Met Your Mother
Because: I've been watching it way too long and I totally get it.



BEST TV SERIES
Nominees: Gossip Girl, Lie To Me, Heroes.
The award goes to: LIE TO ME
Because: I'd explain but... I believe it is a question of watching the show.



BEST TV REALITY SHOW
Nominees: So You Think You Can Dance?, Project Runway, STYLista, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.
The award goes to: PROJECT RUNWAY
Because: I can watch the reruns over and over and over and never get bored. Plus there is actual talent there.




BEST TV AD
Nominees: CH by Carolina Herrera (US), Wego Motel (Taiwan), Come Walkabout (Baz Luhrmann for Tourism Australia), The Most Interesting Man in the World (Dos Equis).
The award goes to: WEGO MOTEL (TAIWAN)
Because: Relating their service/product to quasi-pornographic adultery and accidental death is some serious risk taking... You have to give them credit.


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I'd just like to point out the Music section is limited only to the music genres I listen to, and the Pop category is very limited at that.

BEST ALT ROCK/INDIE ALBUM
Nominees: Contra (Vampire Weekend), The Resistance (Muse), Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Phoenix), Lungs (Florence & The Machine), XX (The XX), Primary Colours (The Horrors), Them Crooked Vultures (Them Crooked Vultures).
The award goes to: LUNGS BY FLORENCE & THE MACHINE
Because: It's a breath of fresh air, and also because it is said she writes her bests songs when drunk or hungover... which is like so rock n'roll!

BEST ALTERNATIVE/POP ALBUM
Nominees: Boom (Anjulie), The Boy Who Knew Too Much (Mika), Walking On a Dream (Empire of the Sun).
The award goes to: THE BOY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH BY MIKA
Because: I love the lyrics to every song in it.

Honorable Mentions: Sounds of the Universe (Depeche Mode), Living Thing (Peter Bjorn & John), Humbug (Arctic Monkeys), Years of Refusal (Morrisey), My Maudlin Career (Camera Obscura), Further Complications (Jarvis Cocker), The Dreams We Have as Children (Noel Gallagher), Album (Girls), A Brief History of Love (The Big Pink)
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I would like to have a more varied best book category but sadly most of what I read this year was targeted towards my dissertation. So this is my best effort this year:

BEST BOOK
The award goes to: BUYOLOGY by Martin Lindstrom
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PRINTEMPS - ETÉ 2010

WORST RUNWAY SHOW/COLLECTION EVER: Archs-Lohan Ungaro ...sorry, I had to say it!


BEST RUNWAY SHOW (Paris Fashion Week)
Nominees: Hermès, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Christian Dior.
The award goes to: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

BEST RUNWAY SHOW (New York Fashion Week)
Nominees: Alexandre Herchcovitch, Rodarte, Isaac Mizrahi, Anna Sui.
The award goes to: ISAAC MIZRAHI



BEST RUNWAY SHOW (London Fashion Week)
Nominees: Peter Piloto, Meadham Kirchhoff, Vivienne Westwood Red Label, Burberry Prorsum.
The award goes to: PETER PILOTO

BEST COLOR PALETTE

Nominees: Marc Jacobs, Vivienne Westwood, Anna Sui.

The award goes to: ANNA SUI

BEST PRÊT-À-PORTER COLLECTION
Nominees: Givenchy, Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta, Reem Acra, Badgley Mischka.
The award goes to: CHRISTIAN DIOR

Balaclava

There's a song called Horchata by this band Vampire Weekend that I'm incredibly obssesed with... At first I thought the words to it were "In december drinking horchata. I'd look psychotic in a ball of clovers". In my head it went something like this: vampires - garlic - clove of garlic - clovers... I know, it's bad. Anyway, the point is I later found out the right words are "In december drinking horchata. I'd look psychotic in a balaclava".

Weirdest thing happened to me. While singing along to Vampire Weekend's Horchata I found myself wondering what a balaclava is - I had no idea. I found out (via wikipedia, of course) that a balaclava is a piece of clothing, a headpiece much like a ski mask actually. Turns out this knitted headpieces were sent to the British troops to help shield them from the cold weather during the Crimean War. They are traditionally knitted from wool, and can be rolled up into a hat to cover just the crown of the head or rolled down into a sort of scarf to cover the neck and upper part of the chest. The name "balaclava" comes from the town of Balaklava, near Sevastopol in Crimea, Ukraine.

Modern balaclavas can be made from a variety of fabrics and materials; including the ones made out of neoprene and acrylic which are used for an assortment of outdoor sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and so on. They also keep the inner lining of helmets clean.

In a more fashionable note, blaclavas have served as inspiration and have been included in collections by designers like Yohji Yamamoto and YSL.

Verdict? Balclavas rule! Plus the word is catchy, balaclava, I can't stop saying it.

A Critique of Contemporary and Conceptual Art

Yesterday I found out I'm extremely bothered by conceptual art. Not the concept or even the pieces per se, but I find myself reluctant to acknowledge it as art. The thing is, art used to be not only a piece of work, but the entire idea that came behind it. And not even behind one piece alone, it involved the way the artist saw the whole world. It was an expression of a completely different way of seeing things. You could look at a work of art and try to see the world through the artist's eyes.

It wasn't only about technique and craftsmanship, it was a way of living. A way of life known only to the author of said art. And as an spectator one's sole job was to try to admire that way of life by looking at the works.

Yet today, people (or so called "artists") have the nerve of bending a rusted steel bar, throwing it on the floor of a museum and have it called art! Seriously! I don't doubt that to the author itself it is something very profound and meaningful, but to the eyes of the beholder it's nothing but a half-bent piece of metal. And on top of that it takes no talent, nor skill to do it!

I'm sorry to take him as an example, I know many people admire him but... Ladies and gentleman, exhibit A: Mr. Damien Hirst. Medicine stands were good, creative, new... But could someone please explain to me how the use of dead sharks and formaldehyde qualifies as art? And I am not critizincing the materials (I know a girl who makes paintings out of human bodily fluids, and they're awesome, grose...but awesome). The fact is that Hirst isn't creating anythig anymore, he has an "art" factory. He says, I quote "...at the time I am in the process of creating approxiimately 400 works of art.". Whatever it is that means to him...

All of these makes me wonder how what to me are real artists would feel about this. Take Warhol - not that I think he would even remotely care about all this, but still... Campbell's Soup cans weren't just a painting that he happened to do well, it was a way of expressing how he conceived our entire reality. There was a theory, an entire ideology that gave birth to that particular piece of art.

I was majorly amused by a piece of news I came accross not too long ago: There was a conceptual art exhibit at a certain European - I think - art museum. Amongst the pieces where a couple of ready mades. One of them included some old raggs dusted with quicklime and some trash thrown on top or around it. Well, the museum's cleaning crew acutally thought it was trash and threw it away while performing their daily chores. Who can blame them? I agree.

Remedios Varo had a story that went with each one of her paintings. Characters who live in an alternate surreal dimension that she created. That is the very core of art, creating something out of a vision so unique that while we observers can accept and admire it, will never fully understand. We'll just stand in awe.

If you look at one of Salvador Dali's paintings, you will notice the proportion, concept, and even technique are not what some people would call accurate. But this is exactly why Dali was an artist. It wasn't about his art. It was about his way of living and his vision of life. And the artifacts this vision produced.

Bottomline is: I think that it is one thing to have a random object (or group of objects) mean something to you personally, but it is a completely different one to have it called art, exhibited in a museum, and sold as such...

I probably rambled a lot. Hopefully not all of it was senseless.

Of Fashionable Rituals & Such...

In classic Russian ballet patrons used to celebrate a prima ballerina's succesfull night by drinking a toast of champagne out of her slipper. Afterwards this ritual was adopted in an even more frivolous way in Parisian cabarets during the Belle Epoque.

Louboutin honors his very luxurious label once more by producing the most marvelous heel-shaped crystal flute. Louboutin's iconic red sole is a perfect fit for a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Brut and it's renowned red label. The duo is the very definition of elegance.

Learn more at: http://www.le-rituel.com/product.html

Jimmy Ch... eap?

I love it when high wattage fashion designers do cool things for us mortals who can't afford to spend $1,500 USDLS on clothes/shoes/accessories. On this note, Jimmy Choo is creating a clothing, shoe, and accessory line for H&M. They're awesome and super trendy; and best of all: they're super cheap!

(As cheap as $49USDLS!!!)

So, props to Jimmy Choo president and founder Tamara Mellon. I'm sure it will be a very successful deal. Although, I heard Louboutin recently turned down a similar offer by H&M... to each it's own. That's not to say we wouldn't love to see a more affordable Louboutin.

Meanwhile, good for Jimmy Choo!

Little Ashes

I am fully impressed, completely in awe. I have to give it to Robert Pattinson, I never imagined he could be this good. Who knew the kid had it in him? When I heard he was going to be playing Dalí I wasn't all that stoked. So, I kept (mistakenly) looking to see if Edward Cullen turned out during Little Ashes, to my very pleasant surprise... he never did. His acting is flawless, he absolutely sold it to me. I could have bought a broken toaster from him had he been this convincing, seriously. He makes a wonderful young Salvador Dalí and Javier Beltrán makes an excellent companion. Also, Marina Gatel is downright perfect in that supporting role.

The story is quite touching, and just dramatic enough. Paul Morrison's vision and Suschitzky's photography meet perfectly in every way. I believe it is an amazing interpretation of the story (and history).

I have a confession to make: As of today I profess myself an unconditional Rob Pattinson fan. (I even think he's kind of hot now).

Also, this really amazing Dalí quote came up in the movie. I'd heard it before, but I love it so, here it is:

"It's like even then I realized. If I am going to be anything more than average; if anyone is going to remember me, then I need to go further in everything. In art, in life; in anything that they consider real: morality, immorality, good, bad. I, we, have to smash that into pieces and we have to go beyond that. We have to be brave, Federico. No limits."

- Salvador Dalí

(to Federico García Lorca)

Cholu-lalá!

I LOVE CHOLULA!!!

Me encanta este lugar... Amo estar de regreso en Cholula. Comer tostadas de pollo en el centro, ir a todos lados caminando (porque como todo está a máximo 8 cuadras de distancia, no es un problema), la actitud de la gente, la vibra... ¡No hay nada mejor!

+SEX -PISTOLS

More sex less pistols está inspirada en el desarme civil.

(Collage, 0.50 x 0.40 cm)

More sex less pistols is a painting I did inspired by civil disarming.

(Collage, 20" x 16")

Alter Ego

Mi alter ego es una especie de artista...creo. ¿Uds. que opinan? Esto es algo de su trabajo más reciente.

My alter ego is some kind if artist...I think. What do you think? This is some of her most recent work.

BANKSY TRIBUTE

Este es un tributo a Banksy... necesitaba hacer un experimento con stencils y pensé que no había mejor candidato que los maestros del stencil. Estoy planeando una serie completa para ilustrar cuentos de los hermanos Grimm y Hans Christian Andersen con stencils, pero todavía estoy en el período de planeación y prefabricación.

Debo anotar q los pájaros son de mi entera autoría creativa, Banksy no tuvo nada q ver con ellos.

(Acrílico sobre tela, 0.60 x 1.00 m)

This a tribute to Banksy, I needed to experiment with stencils and I thought it was a good choice. I'm planning on illustrating tales from the brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen using stencils, but I'm still brainstorming.

I should note that Banksy had nothing to do with the birds, those are entirely mine.

(Acrilic on canvas, 24" x 40")

I DON'T FEEL LIKE DANCING

... la leyenda inspirada en la canción homónima de Scissor Sisters.

(Acrílico sobre tela, 0.30 x 0.30 m)

There isn't much to say about this one, the phrase was inspired by a Scissor Sisters song of the same name.

(Acrilic on Canvas, 12" x 12")

F I S H

Por alguna extraña razón me gusta mucho dibujar peces...

(Acrílico sobre madera, 0.25 x 0.25 m)

For some strange reason I just love to paint fish...They're so odd.

(Acrilic on wood, 10" x 10")

PRINTS

Un poco de arte pop...

(Collage, 0.10 x 0.20 cm)

A little pop art...

(Collage, 4" x 8")

UNTITLED

(Collage, 0.30 x 0.60 cm)

(Collage, 12" x 24")

So... applause, please.

GO GREEN... (Seriously!)

Me molesta de sobre manera que hayamos--como raza humana--ignorado el calentamiento global cuando todavía había manera de cambiarlo. Es impresionante que aún ahora, que estamos viendo lo que está pasando con el mundo (digo los cambios climáticos no mienten: temperaturas extremas, inundaciones, sequías...), no seamos capaces de cambiar nuestro estilo de vida solo un poco para echarnos una manita. Gente: ¡NO ES BROMA! Nos estamos acabando el mundo, o más bien, ya nos acabamos el mundo. Intentemos salvar lo poco que queda de él, realmente no es complejo. Ok, olviden el calentamiento global, eso de cualquier forma iba a suceder, nosotros solo lo estamos acelerando. Pero, ¿Que hay nuestra calidad de vida? Podría mejorar bastante si cuidáramos algunos detalles. Son cosas pequeñas de nuestra rutina diaria las que tenemos que cambiar. Tenemos todos los medios para hacerlo--eso nadie lo puede negar. Es cuestión de poner atención a cosas que hacemos ya en automático.

Entonces, ahí les van 13 Green Tips a prueba de idiotas:

1. Cada segundo que pasas menseando en tu auto mientras está encendido gasta gasolina (y desgasta tu auto). Tener el auto encendido por más de 10 segundos gasta más gasolina de la que se usa si lo vuelves a encender. No uses el auto para ir a lugares a los que puedes llegar caminando, o ¡compra una bici! Además de ayudar al medio ambiente haces ejercicio. No es posible que haya familias de 8 o 10 integrantes en las que cada uno tiene un auto (¡o más!). ¡No es necesario!
2. Apaga la computadora en las noches, además de ahorrar energía estarás cuidándola. Apaga el monitor cuando no la uses por más de 20 minutos y todo el sistemas si es por más de 2 horas. Además, reducirás tu recibo de luz por hasta $90USDLS al año.
3. Lava tu ropa con agua fría. El 90% de la energía utilizada por las lavadoras se va en calentar el agua y la gran mayoría de la ropa no necesita agua caliente. Mientras más caliente está el agua, más te cuesta a ti y al planeta.
4. ¡NO TIRES BASURA! Si de plano no te preocupa el mundo al menos deja de hacerlo porque es de las cosas mas bajas que hay. No pasa nada si guardas la bolsa de papas por un momento en tu auto hasta que llegues a un basurero. ¡TIRA LA BASURA EN SU LUGAR!.
5. Trata de utilizar las menos botellas de PET posibles, si consumes muchos líquidos compra un termo (preferentemente de aluminio o vidrio, no de plástico). Reusa todo lo que puedas. Reduce la cantidad de basura que se produce en tu casa. ¡RECICLA! ¡Recicla lo que tiras! No es difícil, solo hay que acostumbrarse!
6. Ahorra toda el agua que puedas: Apaga la regadera mientras te enjabonas y cierra la llave mientras te lavas los dientes y manos. Riega tu jardín en las mañanas antes de que salga el sol o en la noche, cuando ya no haya sol. Lava tu auto en un autolavado profesional (gastan mucho menos agua que si lo lavas tu o el lavacoches del super). Y si tienes algunas gotera ¡Repárala!
7. Haz todas las transacciones posibles en línea e imprime por los dos lados de las hojas. La cantidad de papel usada en tickets, vouchers, comprobantes, copias, e impresiones se reduce considerablemente, y se salvan un gran número de árboles. ¡Solamente en Norteamérica (Canadá, USA, y México) se utilizan alrededor de 20 millones de toneladas de papel al año!
8. No tires tus aparatos electrónicos a la basura. Dónalos o dispón de ellos correctamente en los centros de reciclaje. La basura electrónica contiene mercurio y otros tóxicos, y este es un problema ambiental en crecimiento. Además recicla tus baterías y usa baterías recargables.
9. Utiliza bolsas de lona para hacer tus compras. No solo en el supermercado, ¡TODAS tus compras!
10. Usa camisetas y/o ropa vieja para hacer trapos, y úsalos en vez de toallas de papel.
11. ¡Planta un árbol! No es broma, reduce los niveles de CO2 y produce oxígeno... ¡Aún si es uno solo!
12. Apaga las luces cuando no las estés usando. ¡POR FAVOR! Ahorras electricidad y focos.
13. Usa todo lo que puedas que esté hecho de materiales reciclados.

Ok, por último, chequen este video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWRHxh6XepM

The Shock Doctrine

I think people should see this...

It's not my particular cup of tea, I mean, it's a little over the top. But nonetheless, the basic model of the doctrine is true enough...I thought. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nNJM0kKrDQ

Doomsday Flu

Swine Flu Panic Attack. I'm sick and tired of everyone being so paranoid about the swine flu thing... I don't even think it's real. I mean, sure there's a virus. A virus that exists and has been mutating for approximately 500 years (or more)!!! So, ok yes it's a new mutation, but it's no surprise; scientists have been predicting this for decades! It is not doomsday, it isn't out of control, it is not going to kill half the planet, and it is certainly NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.

On the other hand, Felipe Calderón (the president of Mexico) did not create the flu etither, so stop being paranoid about him causing the whole thing (he's not nearly that powerful or smart). It is estimated that, on average, approximately 5% to 20% of U.S. residents get the flu, and more than 200, 000 people are hospitalized for flu-related complications each year. About 36,000 Americans die on average per year from the complications of flu. And they don't call those pandemics.

Given, this is a new mutation of the virus but that's exactly what the flu is...a virus that mutates constantly. This is why it can't be cured and a vaccination can't be made. So it's just another mutation that (point taken) has to be controlled, but that's it.

And of course governments are taking advatange of the situation. People, in case you had forgotten, we're in the middle of a global economic crisis! Crises promote change, and we need changes at this point (good or bad, cause we're on a limb). The economy will be majorly affected by this flu "pandemic", and we need to make the best of it. So yes, governments will be taking advantage of this particular crisis, worlwide, but that's fine...

Quit being paranoid...Please!

What to write when...

What to write when you think you're doing something great and then you realize it was really just very stupid?

...I look back at myself like I am my own child, and I feel I've lived an amazing life so far. Always concious that what makes me different makes me truly stunning. Following my own path, trying not to apply myself unneccessarily.

I love design, I love art, and I love architecture. I've always just followed my heart in that way. I have a grand imagination and fantasies with different interpretations. I also tend to look like a christmas tree, I like to adorn myself.

So in the end, if I have done something that was just really very stupid I think to myself: Oh well, what are you gonna do about it?

Ridiculous

"The same combination of desperation and lust he's always provoked".

When I read this the first thing that came to my mind was that it worries me that someone can have this kind of power over me. The worst part being that there actually is someone who has that kind of power over me.

This guy...I mean seriously, I feel so stupid, but I cannot control it. And it bothers me, it's exasperating, because it sounds so inadequate, so high school crush; but it's true, it does happen. My voice literally starts shaking when I see him, and I'm not a nervous individual. It's actually kind of sad, it's so ridiculous...soooo ridiculous.

I only experience feelings that are this corny and (again) ridiculous with him and Jared Leto's eyes which are - for lack of a better word - ...ridiculous.

On Aldous Huxley...

I'm reading a biography of Aldous Huxley written by one Nicholas Murray. And I just found this entry:

"(...) He warned about the dangers of nuclear weapons, over population, exhaustion of the world's natural resources, militarism, and destructive nationalism. [...] about the corrosive effects of modern consumer capitalism and brainwashing by advertising, about the slow surrender of freedom."

And to think this is what I'm about to devote my life to. I just find this fragment worthy of an ethical reflection...