Gold, Glitter, and The Gays

Crafty cuties, rejoice -- the One of a Kind Show returned to the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto as of November 25th, and eager Christmas shoppers are turning out to experience the tinsel-shock firsthand. I had the chance to attend with my Mom and my sister this evening, and who would I happen to stumble across but.....

THE GAYS. IN MASSIVE, WELL-IDENTIFIED NUMBERS.

I still get a buzz off seeing large numbers of queers gathered in non-bar settings. It sets these lesbo-heartstrings aflame with the excitement of it all (which would indicate I am in need of doing what is called, "getting the 'eff out more"). The giddiness compares to my experience with the annual Green Living Show thus far. Concerns over the environment and organic/vegan cookies never fail to coax out the queers, but a craft show adds a whole new level of gay right in time for the holiday season.

The gents represented with all manner of elaborate, glitterized jewellery for sale, and edible-smelling soaps for all the ladies making the rounds of the booths. I admit, the queer gentlemen representing in the craft circle know their wares and produce stunning work.

But I still managed to spot quite a number of cropped haircuts and thick-rimmed glasses around the painters, and I noticed some earthy, flower-child types with hand-sewn clothes for sale. I even spotted two adorable lady-couples strolling about, hand-in-hand, eyeing up the knitted purses and the quirky treasures.

Make the yuletide gay, indeed.

Will need to share some finds with you tomorrow -- at the moment, the clock is hovering over midnight, and I am in need of some rest.

Foundation Review- DiorSkin Nude

Hallöchen

In one of my previous posts i mentioned that I got the DiorSkin Nude in 070, soo here I go…

My friend kindly offered to apply the foundation for me, also here you can see the golden tinge in the foundation. I like how the colour is not flat but more golden. I was going to get, well i did buy the Nars Matte Foundation but as I was walking out Selfridges, I spotted the Dior stand and yeahhh rest is history
to the application

I like how it gives me an airbrushed feel, its not flat and lifeless instead it gives me a golden glow

even coverage, also I don’t like using finishing powder because I hate caking it on. Here, even 1 thin layer was enough…
Verdict: All in all, very happy with it. The foundation retails for £29 which is reasonable( Dior, nuff said). It is quite cheaper than its other Dior counterparts, seeing its a mineral foundation

4/5

Reasons to Grin on a Monday

• The return of the Christmas season = the return of stunning clementines in all grocery stores. Ohh, little spheres of sunshine....
• I have three mornings free to sleep this week. Sweet goodness, the bliss.
• Two weekend shifts have renewed my hope in the younger generation and their reading habits. Met one woman with a Christmas list that included book pub dates, all of which was written out by her ten-year-old daughter. Also encountered a nine-year-old girl who picked up four books in, oh... two minutes? I think she could have bought the store if she had access to income.
• Started in on an H.P. Lovecraft anthology, and whoa mercy -- intense speculative horror stories, indeed.
• Finished Kathleen Winter's Annabel last week, and got to cross the book off THREE literary awards reading lists.
• Knowing that lists will always save me when it comes to steady content.

HUZZAH.

WINTER 2010- Warm It Up.

I think it is both safe and justified to say that winter 2010/2011 has established itself as a chilly one.  I'm finding it increasingly harder to drag myself out from under my three-blanket fortress every morning, and to let go of my hot water bottle; especially when I have a lecture at an unearthly hour such as 9am. This said, I've always preferred winter to summer. I prefer the crisp, cold days, the food, the holiday atmosphere, and of course the clothing that accompanies it.

Some of the clothes that are in fashion at the moment, are simply impractical for the harsh winter we're facing. You may presume that just because you are wearing long sleeves and a coat that you will be warm. Think again. To me, warmth is all about how many layers I'm wearing. At the same time, I don't exactly want to look like the Michelin Man whilst I battle through snow fall and icy paths, and I'm certainly not au fait with notions like woolen underwear or thermal vests. Nevertheless, the cold can most certainly be conquered.
Here are just a few things I've spotted recently and have my eye on- who loves me?;

t.b.a Velvet Antique Collar Dress

Urban Outfitters- €196.

Pique Full Woven Skirt

American Apparel- €42.

Pendleton Black Ear Snug

Urban Outfitters- €33.

The Sunday Survey: Part Two

As promised, I am forging on with the Sunday Survey (even in the face of my NaBloPoMo space-out on Friday night.... agh, the agony of forgetfulness....)

To re-cap: Endless search for NaBloPoMo material --> Discovered an old, 99-question survey buried in the archives --> Goldmine for Sunday content.

Good? Great.

Part One of the Epic Survey is right --> here.

And now:

The Sunday Survey: Part Two

10. Am I on the look out for opportunities?: I am -- if you've got leads, send 'em on over. (Ah, the passive approach to opportunism). I admit, I tend to have trouble spotting good opportunities -- or, perhaps I tend to misread situations, and I end up finding bad opportunities instead...? But yes, I like to cultivate experiences, and I like to observe the world around me, so new opportunities tend to foster those discoveries for me.

11. Do I seize opportunities?: Hmm, I think I need to work on this. I tend to balk at positive opportunities. Is it a fear of failure? Is it a fear of success, maybe? I know hesitation is a default position in me, or I tend to label it as "caution" -- I like to have ample information on me before I make a decision. Spur of the moment? What is that poppycock? I need to work on spontaneity. Or, I just need to relax and accept the fact that I just move slower than others and there ain't nothing wrong with it.

12. Am I open-minded? Am I flexible?: I tend to approach people with an open mind. New situations make me a touch nervous, especially when I'm not sure what's expected of me. Though, I tend to be a hilarious sight when it comes to culture shock which makes me a treat to travel with (I am bashful by nature, but it tends to amplify itself when I am in a social setting where I don't know the rules of proper etiquette). I also tend to roll with life, too -- I might not be one to make a group decision, but I'm willing to explore new scenes (even with a perma-blush on my shy self).

13. Am I quick to judge others?: Again, I tend to fall in favour of most people when I meet them. A person would need to treat me in a horrible manner to incur my wrath (and even then, there's not a great deal of wrath in me to dole out). I look for the best in people, and I tend to find it.

14. Do I take calculated risks?: I take calculation, without the risk. *Grin* I think I do need time to sit and mull over decisions before I would risk pursuing them. I still make bad choices at times, not gonna lie. But, when I find out it was a lame decision, I can at least articulate to myself that I made the best effort I could at the time. I get that when I think about my undergrad days -- even while I lament how I sacrificed to get excellent grades, I understand the choice, and I know I would do again even if I could go back. Ha, even though that's not a real risk, it explains my approach to the past and assessing my choices.

15. Do I give others sincere compliments?: I do -- it took me some time to build up the nerve to tell others how I felt (even close friends!), but I'm glad I was able to press past that internal censor. I find it amusing now -- when I give people compliments, I tend to state them in a matter-of-fact tone (since, you know, it's truth as far as I am concerned), and I think it throws people off....? Haha, I just don't want to mess about when someone is being awesome. All business, here.

16. Do I appreciate what others do for me?: I do, but I think I need to work on stating that appreciation more clearly. I make a pointed effort to thank people, and I make sure to look them in the eye when I say it. I think it stems from my own need to be acknowledged, so I try to make sure others feel noticed and appreciated.

17. Where do I want to go?: THE UNITED KINGDOM! I have been desperate to go since I was fourteen (though, I guess I must not be so desperate since it's ten years later, and I have yet to step down on British soil...) I realized a few months ago how most of the places I want to visit are all cold climate locales. Check it: Northern Canada, the U.K., Sweden, Norway, Russia, Northern Europe. Odd. I suppose I am a cold weather gal after all. I also want to go back to Japan. OH! And I want to go to Australia and New Zealand, too.

18. Who do I want to meet?: I want to keep meeting sweet, artistic, nerdy types who encourage me to develop myself, and who pull me out of my personal bubble to experience the world.

19. What adventures do I want to go on?: Oh, I could spend the night listing adventures. Travel adventures consist of the locations listed under Question 17. I have other journeys in mind, but those are all the cerebral, written word kind. If I can't travel to those places, then I'll invent 'em.

Scarlet Lady

I used:
Face:
Mac Studio Fix Concealer
DiorSkin Nude in 070
Mary Kay Finishing Powder in Bronze 1
Eyes:
Elf Eyelid Primer
BeautyUk collection No.6 – 1st and 2nd colour from the right( dark purple and pink)
Sleek Original Palette- Purple
Sleek Curious Palette- Light Purple
Lips:
For my lips I used 2 different violet/plum shades

• Rimmel Volume Booster Lipstick in 067-Rosetto
• Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 663-Va Va Violet

I used the Revlon for the outer part of my lipstick then filled in the rest with the Rimmel lipstick.
Also, my friend got some ridiculous eyelashes a la Chloe Mafia

Eyelashes are Massive!!!!



yeah we went all chavvy with her face( for the non uk people- trashy, trailer trashy chic) Like a Vicky Pollard but beautiful.
Ps;her face will feature heavily on this blog, she is my own personal doll. Next week- Vintage

NaBloPo--NO!!

NO. Nonononono -- I was in bed at 12:10 AM when it hit me:

I MISSED A POST.

I MISSED A POST FOR NABLOPOMO.

.... and then I rolled over and went to sleep.

***

Serious, though -- I was so close to creating content every day this November. But, the absence last night is nothing for me to cry over. I spent the evening in Toronto with two of the three gents I lived with while I was working on my undergrad. One, I have not seen in close to a year; the other lives in Bermuda, and I have not seen him since his graduation day in June 2008. So, um, I think it was a far better evening as a result. I never thought I'd see the day where we would be sitting around reminiscing about those undergraduate years. I suppose that's how it was with high school, too -- when you start realizing how much you pour over the details of those younger years, you understand just how much the world around you has changed even if your own character/perspectives have remained the same.

It also made me realize how much more I need to get out and find adventure. The last few months have been quiet ones despite the fact I am back in school. I'm quite still, and I need to shake up the world a bit. Hmm... much to mull over.

I am thinking I ought to write a deluge of posts to make up for the rather weak content in the past seven days. Maybe that could count toward NaBloPoMo? Hmm?

Ja, so seh ich doch auch aus!

naomi, you never age, ever!

New Goodies

Went to Selfridges with a friend the other day and got some lovely new shiny foundation and some make up

Diorskin Nude, It’s soooo nice, I’ve found my foundation! It’s in 070 Dark Brown

I also went by the Nars Stand and got ‘Nars The Multiple’ in the colour South Beach. It’s like an all purpose stick for eyes, lips and body. I must say Nars stuff is nice, the stick is so smooth and it just melts on the skin. Unreal.
Swab

Lovely.
Hope everyone’s good
X

THE ULTIMATE PLAYLIST; September - November 2010.

Two posts in a day, you say;  has she ditched her 'lazy' vibe?  Has she embraced that 'go-get-it' attitude she always knew she was capable of?  No.  Quite frankly, sitting home all day and attempting to read sociology journals has begun to lose it's sheen, and so I decided to search for something else to write about.

A playlist is something I still haven't done on this here blog, and something it's that I always intend to do.  Music is one of my main interests, and so it would be way to hard to compact all my favourite songs/artists into one primitive list, in one restricting blog post.  For this reason, I have decided to make a list of all the songs which I've had pretty much on repeat since I arrived at college in September.  I will also attempt to limit myself to 30 tracks (I tried 20.. I tried 25..)  They're not all new songs, but they are all great.


LAURA'S ULTIMATE PLAYLIST; September - November 2010 (in no particular order).

1.  Life Is a Pigsty- Morrissey.
2. Change of Heart- El Perro Del Mar.
3. Roslyn- Bon Iver & St. Vincent.
4. Gila- Beach House.
5. Life on Mars- David Bowie.
6. Heartbreaker- Girls.
7. Love You Better- Maccabees.
8. Sunday- Hurts.
9. Cheerleader- Grizzly Bear.
10. Piccadilly Palare- Morrissey.
11. Will It Be This Way Forever_- The Courteeners.
12. The Wrote and the Writ- Johnny Flynn.
13. Watching the Detectives- Elvis Costello.
14. Librarian- My Morning Jacket.
15. Only One- The Cure.
16. Suffocation- Crystal Castles.
17. Wanted- The Cranberries.
18. Nothing Rhymed- Gilbert O' Sullivan.
19. Billie Holiday- Warpaint.
20. This Night Has Opened My Eyes- The Smiths.
21. King's Crossing- Elliott Smith.
22. The Bears Are Coming- Late of the Pier.
23. Veiled In Grey- Mystery Jets.
24. Phantom Limb- The Shins.
25. Graveyard Girl- M83.
26. Under Control- The Strokes.
27. Boyfriend- Best Coast.
28. It's My Life- Talk Talk.
29. Under My Thumb- The Rolling Stones.
30. Underwear- Pulp.

BEACH HOUSE GIG- and Victoria Legrand as a style icon.

Many of the gigs I go to, I go to because I’ve heard the band are really good live, or because I’ve heard one or two of their songs, liked them, and decided to tag along to hear more.  Beach House, however, are a very different story.  Around Christmas last year, I heard my first Beach House track; ‘Norway’, and I have never looked back. 

Glued to the barrier, I waited in anticipation for Beach House to take to the stage.  Hailing from Baltimore, MD, the duo is comprised of the lovely, French-born Victoria Legrand and her cohort Alex Scally, along with their band. 

Beach House, well.. glittered on stage.  They sparkled, they shimmered, and it was magical.  The steady stream of Victoria Legrand’s velvet vocals flowed from the stage and enveloped every corner of the room in a hazy, dream-like aura as they floated through such beautiful songs as ‘Gila’ (my personal favourite), ‘Walk In the Park’, ‘Used To Be’, ‘Norway’ and ‘Ten Mile Stereo’.

So.. I could write an absolutely glowing review of Beach House, because they deserve it, but that’s what I always seem to be doing, isn’t it?  So today, I’m going to focus on Victoria Legrand, vivacious and charismatic front woman of the band, and her inspirational style (in my opinion anyway.)

I immediately noticed, and admired, what Legrand was wearing when she graced the stage with her almost mystical presence.  A simple black collared shirt which was worn buttoned up all the way, a tailored black blazer, black ankle-grazing leggings, and black boots which sported a small-ish heel and Victorian style button hooks.  It was perfectly complimented by her mane of unkempt curls, which dominated her face, and fitted right in with the general ambiance of Beach House.  I loved it.  She looked rather like the love child of Faris Badwan and Morticia Adams; a look which I had never before seen her embrace, as it lay in stark contrast to her usual bright coloured and prettily textured tops look.

When I got home from the concert, I began to trawl through the volumes of Legrand photos which are scattered all over the WWW, and was amazed at what I found.  Call me oblivious, but never before had I looked on her as someone to consult for fashion advice, but little did I know..

So We Went To A Jazz Club

We went to Ronnie Scott’s for a jazz gig and it was amazing! Honestly, I'm not a jazz person but I enjoyed it very much.

Also Mau I add the decor in that place was very vintage

Absolutely loved it, I highly recommend going there if you’re into jazz. Plus, the Host had the best voice in the world and his green checked trousers were nice.

Oh, Sweet Distraction... (in List Format)

What I Am Yearning For When I Should Be Finishing Assignments:

• Sleepsleepsleepsleepsleep.... etc.
• Tucking into a massive anthology of H.P. Lovecraft stories (we are talking 800+ pages)
• Returning to the writing projects I started right before the crush of school work hit
• Also, doing the research I need for said writing projects....
• Plotting out an adventure for next year, even if I would be flying solo on that one.
• Did I mention sleeping? Another blitz of 5 AM shifts, whatwhat.

*Sigh, romantic drifting clouds*

Because I Think She’s Ueber Talented

Marion Cottilard

Eeek

Yep.

This is not a good week for blogging.

I think I am failing at NaBloPoMo at this point.

Counting down the days until these assignments are finished, for better or for worse...

In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lazy Blogger

So, perhaps describing myself as a "lazy blogger" is a tad harsh -- I would love to blog in-depth, especially since I've got some ideas bubbling below the surface. How is it that, when faced with stacks of school work, I find myself more compelled than usual to launch into side projects? The stress energizes those creative vibes at the exact moment when I cannot use them for fear of letting the priority work slip.

Oh, and getting side tracked with increasing shifts from work tends to throw off my equilibrium as well.

Bah. I will end November on a light note, it appears...

Flawless

I LOVE her album. Only her hair…

Intense Marketing is INTENSE

So, the next two weeks are shaping up to be rather intense on both the school front and the part-time, retail job front.

Next week, I have three book proposals to finish. THREE. As in, I will help create three separate books from scratch with an entire marketing campaign embedded therein. I admit, it's a little bit jarring to advertise a book that does not exist beyond a basic outline.

We shall see. I am off in one hour to meet with the medical thriller commercial fiction group to finalize our budget/publicity plans. Oh, and I will also be reading more of Kathleen Winter's Annabel while I hover around the hot dog vendor that is our Summit Point. Huzzah.

The Sunday Survey: Part One

While brainstorming ideas for another NaBloPoMo post, I stumbled across a rather in-depth survey squirreled away in a folder on my laptop. I had the intention to address it a number of months ago.... and then I promptly forgot about it.

Ah, but NaBloPoMo possesses the strength to dredge up all those hidden topics for the sake of daily posting quotas. What better form of filler is there than the illustrious Online Survey?

How about one drawn out for ELEVEN WEEKS OF CONTENT, WOOOOOOT?!

And these aren't run-of-the-mill questions either. No, no. We are intense here at Cute, Queer, Canadian, and we like to wax existential. I knew all those years of schooling would prove its mettle one day.

So, without further ado, I give you:

The Sunday Survey: Part One

1. What do I want?: Ooh, a question with heft to start us off. I suppose what I want most is acknowledgment. It's a recurring theme in my life -- I know we all struggle through loneliness, futility, and other stresses at times, but my quest for acknowledgment knows no limits. I tend to coast under the radar of others, and my shy tendencies keep me closed off even when I wish someone would just tell me I'm on the right track. Since 2008, I get the impression I've made mistake after mistake with almost every facet of my life -- sometimes, I wish there were someone there to tell me I've done a lot of good, too, even if I never noticed it at the time. I guess I just want to know I am doing right by myself and by the people around me.

2. What am I grateful for?: Well, from a queer perspective, I am effin' grateful for the role models I had as a young'un. From older kids at our high school to the folks I worked with at my first real job, I was surrounded by an amazing group of gay men and women who taught me that life out of the closet was possible, all when I was at the critical age of sixteen. I am also grateful for the friends I have, and for the family who accepted me without hesitation. It's a gay gal's dream, let me tell you.

3. What’s missing in my life?: I am missing self-confidence for one. I can fake it, but I wouldn't mind believing it, too. I am also lacking adventure in general. I've aged earlier than expected it seems. I need to get out and mingle more, but that whole lack of confidence thing tends to counteract my efforts. Heh, yeah, the social life is missing for the most part, but I do this to myself.

4. Do I see the whole world anew each day?: Not as often as I ought to. It's so simple to become complacent with the world, and to ignore those little moments of amazement. I need to master the whole Dead Poets' Society vibe of seizing the eff' out of the day.

5. Do I take the time to really listen to what others say?: I do -- I am an observer/thinker by nature, and I like to hear stories and launch into discussion of all sorts. I hear lesbians are pros at processing information, and I believe I live up to that hype. The best memories I have with others often involve hours worth of conversation held over mugs of tea. I imagine this will be the case well into the future.

6. Do I have fun?: Again, not as often as I should be. Bah, youth is wasted on me. Most of the time, I either drift through an unaffected fog, or I lose track of the present moment and float on waves of random thought. Fun tends to play off of a heightened awareness of one's environment and a disassociation from the passage of time itself. I tend to invert those two points, which is most likely why I am lacking fun most of the time.

7. How can I bring more joy into my life?: Ah, if I knew that, then I would have nothing to complain about, would I? I think the key to this would be greater involvement with family affairs, with friends, with community events -- the works. Keeping occupied tends to increase joy for the sheer fact it leads you to greater opportunities and distracts you from the darkness.

8. What do I want more of in my life?: I want to spend more time surrounded by other artists/writers/thinkers. I want more exploration of the local world and the world abroad. I want to collect more stories, and I want to share some of my own, too.

9. What do I want less of in my life?: Indecision. Oh, indecision is a curse -- it takes all those dreams and files down their brilliance. I've been fretful with it in the last, oh, three years, and I'd like to move on from the drama, thank you.

Reminiscing

Ja ich weiss, es war ne geile Zeit,
hey, es tut mir Leid
Es ist vorbei. Es ist vorbei. Es ist vorbei.

1998-2004 the best years of my life!

Also, mir ist extremst langweilig!

Friggin Hate My Friends Sometimes

I never notice anything but I noticed these as I walked into her room, apparently their too small for her…soo B yeah Christmas is coming up, just saying, gift me my friend, make me happy!

Big News in the Moffatt Clan

What a whirlwind of an evening -- a plain, ol' night in November turned into a tremendous celebration for the Moffatt clan.

Prepare thyself, world.

More details to follow once I chat this out with my companions. All I can say is, 2011 should prove to be an amazing year.

I’m Impartial to the song but Jesse Williams is in it so…

Jesse <3 a.k.a Dr. Sexy Dreamy Eyes

They Call Me Posh Totty

The past week has been incredible boring so what do I do? I go shopping. I think all the Christmas lights made me buy dangly jewellery with lost of diamonds( *fakecough*)

 

I Love this watch but I think it’s slightly too much for daily wear. But then I do dress like a hobo( as my friends put it) so a lil’ bling might be the way forward.

Also remember when I was like *ohhh I can’t decide which shoes to get blaaaa blaa blaa*? I decided and went for the second pair, well i was gonna get both but bitches didn’t have my size!

Also I like make up and i reckon you can never have enough so here’s Concealer number #87534235423

I Like it it’s good but then even if it was shit I’d still love it, It’s Mary Kay afterall.

*also pls don’t get offened at my choice of words sometimes i do it as a joke, my friends nicknamed me *ghettoprincessbabyfaceghostkillah*( cause I’m really not).

Cuz I Is A Geek And I Want You All To Know It+I Has A Nice Camera So Dammit I Will Use It!

And some Bonfire Night picz

Is it bad that photography gets me really excited??? I love taking pictures( my friends don’t invite me out anymore because I look like a tourist with my camera) When I’m bored i super macro shit…yep that’s how I roll…