Modest Operandi

So cool. I haven’t found anything that clearly explains the story behind these, but from what I can gather, they’re from a French photographer named JR who creates large scale versions of his photos and pastes them in public spaces.

Women are Heroes is part of a project he started where he shoots women from post-conflict countries. The photos below are from a favela in Rio and they’re amazing. I’m so curious to know what the reception was from the community.

(Photo Credits: JR)

Last night we watched this great DVD documentary called Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton. It covers his experience during the Spring 2007 collections designing for his own line in New York and for Louis Vuitton in Paris. If you haven’t watched it and you’re a fan of Marc Jacobs, I highly recommend watching the documentary. It paints a really nice picture of him and gives a pretty detailed look into what goes on behind the scenes of a runway show.

The documentary also reminded me of how pretty and romantic the Louis Vuitton Spring 2007 show was. I haven’t been able to get the crushed floral head pieces out of my mind and as soon as I got to work, the search for the perfect new hair accessory began.

(Photo Credit: Style.com / Louis Vuitton Spring 2007 Runway Show)

I’ve been wanting something with feathers and found a few that I think work pretty well. Now I just have to pick which one I like best. Decisions, decisions…

(Photo Credits Top Row from Left: mothlove/Etsy, ban.do, myrakim/Etsy)
(Photo Credits Bottom Row from left: Urban Outfitters, whichgoose/Etsy, mothlove/Etsy)

Peter and I went to meet our first potential wedding photographer this weekend. Cooper Carras is based in Northern California and takes some of the best wedding photos I’ve ever seen. I’ve been going to his website every day just to look at the same pictures over and over again. I’m not sure how, but he makes seats at the Zurich airport look alive and beautiful (good news for us). I’ve been going to his site so often I’ve memorized one too many details about the weddings he’s shot and I think I might’ve acted a bit like a scary stalker at our first meeting.

Anyway, I wanted to share some of my favorite Cooper Carras pictures just because they’re so darn good.

(Photo Credits: Cooper Carras)

I kind of hope the other photographers we meet with suck.

(Photo Credit: Postalco)

Peter always turns me on to interesting new things. A few days ago he showed me Jeff Staple’s blog post on Postalco, a small stationary/accessories/bags store run by a husband and wife team.

Though I loved being introduced to a great new brand, what I loved more was how Jeff Staple used them as an example to make a statement about small business, branding and attaining perfection.

Even if it means staying small. I think Mike operates his business on the perfect cusp of where “hobbies” end and “business” begins. You can tell by his output that he loves his work. And he crafts each piece with pride. For him (and the thousands of others who own businesses like Postalco), the secret to creating a great brand, is maybe to stay exactly the same.
(Jeff Staple on Postalco)

Such a simple concept. Stay small enough where you can still make an impact - where every part of your business has your heart and soul imprinted on it. Sounds pretty darn perfect to me.

I’m at work. I’ve been sitting on this blog for months now and decided now’s a good time to start writing. I’m not quite sure where this is going to go, but I’m hoping I can figure out a way to transition it into an online boutique one day. My dream is to no longer be sitting at work, bored, starting a blog because I need an outlet.

Giant Robot does this thing in each issue where they ask people to write about their perfect day.

Here’s mine:

8am wake up, rub eyes, put a pot of coffee on, make some eggs and toast for me and peter. today peter doesn’t go to work because he’s going to come to the store and help me do something cool to it (what store? you ask. this post is called dreaming because on this perfect day, i am the owner of a lovely boutique)

8.30am go to wake biscuit (and his new sister?!). sniff the top of his head (i think it’s just me, but he smells so good in the morning) and laugh as he stretches and immediately starts scarfing down his food

9am walk toward the store with peter and biscuit. on this day, he can walk off leash without crashing into dogs, cars and our legs, and he also picks up his own poop and wipes his own toosh. ah, just that in itself makes it a perfect day.

noon yum, time for lunch! today, it’s one of my favorites - hot pressed sandwiches with those to-die-for spicy carrots at tartine.

3pm our friends stop by and we hang out at the store on a big couch. the space is huge so we can do that. we don’t worry about selling lots of stuff today because it’s our perfect day and that’s not really what counts.

8pm we arrive at gary danko’s for dinner. one of our greatest meals was had here and i’d like to repeat it.

11pm in bed. biscuit’s allowed to sleep with us and he doesn’t shed or doodoo in his sleep so we’re all good.

Dreaming is good.