Sticky Fingers

Who would have ever believed this was possible? Snow in March in Barcelona. The last time the city saw a big snowfall was during the winter of 1962. If it continues snowing like it is right now, it will become the notorious snowfall of 2010! The city looks beautiful enveloped in a white blanket and there seems to be less noise.

I hope it lasts! I much prefer the snow to the never-ending rain. I know that some people will think that this is no big deal compared to winters in Russia, USA or Canada, to name just a few, but this just does not happen here. A tired city transforms into a winter wonderland!

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Barcelona, canada, march, russia, snow, snowfall, winter wonderland

While the rain in Spain has decided to stay for good it seems, London was absolutely bright and beautiful while I was there last week. I love going to the British capital as there is always so much to see and do. I suppose people that live there must take it all for granted. I also suppose that they possibly would argue that here in Barcelona we have sunny weather and the beach. This is a warning! We have barely seen the sun in three months and today it is actually snowing. Snow in March! Unbelievable.

I was able to stop by Tracey Neuls store, TN29 , in the Bond Street area. The Nina Saunders installation was absolutely magnificent. A flowered, Louis XIV’s chair set in the center of the shop, melted and sliding downwards. Oozing would be an appropriate word. A ring of slender tree trunks circled the chair. Squirrels and emerald-green budgies that pop out of shoes. The shoes are delicious, a bit on the expensive side, but without a doubt, worth the price.

While wandering around the warren of streets that is Shoreditch, I came across this perfect graffiti work. Very in tune with the whole Alice in Wonderland mania that has sprung up. Depending on the angle in which the rabbit was viewed, it was possible to see its’ fur or it’s organs and veins. Absolutely stunning work!

Tomorrow I’ll be posting some great food moments and there will be some preview information on Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland movie. I’d love to hear if you’re all waiting anxiously for the premiere here in Spain or if you’ve already seen it, what did you think?

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alice in wonderland, Barcelona, bond street, british, graffiti, London, louis xiv, nina saunders, rabbit, shoreditch, tim burton, tn29, tracey neuls

I’m jetting off to London this afternoon, so I’m afraid there’s going to no new posts until Monday. I’m going to basically relax a bit, do research, visit some great exhibitions and check out some stores. The V&A is one of the museums I’ll be checking out, specifically to see their new Decode exhibit, about digital design sensations. The National Portrait Gallery has two shows on: Irving Penn Portraits and Twiggy: A Life in Photographs , which I’m really looking forward to.

I’m definitely going to be checking out Tracey Neuls shoe shop, TN29 . Apart from her dreamy shoe creations, there is an installation by Nina Saunders in the store. Nina constructs pure, sculptural magic from furniture, making each piece seem to melt down. I can’t wait to see her work and take photos.

Nina Saunders at TN29

I would love to hear any suggestions of places that I should check in London, especially art-related, stores and restaurants. What are your favourite things and places in London? How often are you able to escape there to wander its’ treasure-trove streets? Hopefully, the weather will be a bit better than here in Barcelona. Will it ever stop raining?

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Barcelona, irving penn, London, museum, national portrait gallery, nina saunders, photographs, shoe shop, tn29, tracey neuls, twiggy, v&a, visiting london

What has to be done? What candles do I have to light to which saints? Is there any way possible to assure that Colin Firth gets the Oscar for his role as George Falconer in A Single Man ? For those of you that haven’t seen it yet, I urge you to check it out. To those of you that have seen it, well, I’d love to hear your comments. I’m going to give a pretty biased review, as I thought it was beautiful.

This is not a life-changing movie but it is a complete visual intoxication of the senses. The eponymous Tom Ford is the director; this is his first long-length feature film. Can this man do no wrong? Ford is not one of my favourite designers; his sexually-charged manner of designing for women doesn’t much float my boat, but I do recognize that he has the golden touch. Mr. Ford reaches stratospheric success in basically any venture that he turns his hand to.

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood . I haven’t read the book, so I really can’t say if it’s true to form. (I’ll have to get my hands on it). This is the story of George Falconer, university professor, plunged into the depth of despair after the death of his cohort in life, Jim, (played by Matthew Goode ). George has lost of sense of enjoyment and meaning to his life and desperately tries to get through each new day. The story unfolds during the course of one day, where the protagonist goes about his daily affairs while planning his imminent suicide.

That’s enough about the story, mustn’t give too much away! What causes this movie to be so completely stunning is the manner in which the story is told, the camera shots and angles, the studied attention to detail, the contrasts and grainy quality of the picture. I’m finding it extremely difficult to translate into words the passion I felt when watching this film! The music is a smooth accomplice, setting the perfect mood to the different scenes. The similes and contrasts, at times subtle, other times obvious are positively delicious. This is like eating the perfect piece of chocolate cake, while listening to the most sublime music and viewing a perfect study of detail, colour, saturation and form.

Julianne Moore , exquisite as always, makes the perfect, distraught, drunk companion and friend, Charly, to the outwardly, austere George. Moore’s drunken acting is darkly humorous, offset by the most perfect surroundings and clothes. I love the fact the George and Charly are constantly surrounded by absolute perfection, (house interiors, clothes, teenagers), yet they themselves are far from perfect. Colin Firth, always the perfect, English gentleman, looks run down and Julianne Moore, during certain makeup moments, looks positively and decadently ravished and disheveled. Age is beginning to map out its’ territory upon the two characters who cling with ferocity to their respective pasts.

This is the end of 50s, the beginning of the 60s, Cuba is a threat and people are worried. Yet it is LA and those same people are possibly more interested in looking and seeming perfect at all times. I found Tom Ford’s personal stamp was very obvious in the attention to detail, the focus on fabrics and the clothes. I myself am often completely unable to see the “big picture” and I readily embrace the sensation of becoming lost in details. All my photos while on holidays are mostly of details. I love the close-up shots of George buffing his already, mirror-shine, black shoes. A closed angle shot of the sleeping, young student Kenny, where the focus seems to be more on the cloth of the sofa than on his face.

George’s house is a masterpiece of architectural delight. The structure is made almost entirely of glass; various times throughout the movie, being gay is equated to being invisible. Here is a destroyed man, a gay man, living in a glass house! Water also plays a very important part in the movie, I’d love to hear your views on what that could possibly mean. The ever-present Jim plays a beautiful memory to tortured George. He closes his eyes and relives moments, experiences, entire conversations, spine-tingling sensations. There are moments of enlightening, dark humour, such as when George lays out everything in preparation for his suicide and even ends up getting inside a sleeping bag so as to avoid making a mess.

I find that the gay relationship was portrayed with great depth and emotion. There is a sexual tension running throughout, a charged undercurrent, yet it is not blatant, in-your-face. The Spanish model of the moment, Jon Kortajarena , makes a brief appearance during the movie, with very wonky English.  Wonder how he managed to bag that role? I think he should stick with being a model for the moment…

Tom Ford, a man that is portrayed as infallible, bronzed, buffed and slightly ludicrous has managed to carry off his first film to perfection. Sophisticated, neat, elegant, vulnerable, hesitant, hopeless and romantic, I loved every minute of it. The grainy quality of the picture adds a lustworthy, aged nuance to the proceedings. I found myself anxious for each turn of scene to loose myself in another set of details. I can’t wait to have this on DVD and be able to stop and start at my hearts’ content.

I have the suspicion that many were hoping for Mr. Ford to finally fail, but that’s not going to happen folks. Will this fire a new trend of fashion designers making movies? If that’s so, Tim Walker, although a fashion photographer, could a get a move on and make a film. Or Miuccia Prada…

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a single man, Christopher Isherwood, colin firth, feature film, jon kortajarena, julianne moore, LA, matthew goode, miuccia prada, oscars, protagonist, tim walker, tom ford, university professor