Bonne Vie » Adventures

Une petite update

Birdie — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 02:11:15 +0000

So, we are in the midst of wedding planning and I haven’t been posting with regularity. To quell your sadness/boredom/adjective, I’ve prepared a short photo update of what’s up!

For example: I AM A GINGER!

Also I got an excellent package of excellent goodness from Miss Eboni at the Fashionista Next Door and OH WOW WHAT A GIFT! This woman knows both style and giveaways. Check this out:

And did I mention she’s super cute!??

In other news, we have a dog (like you didn’t know!!) and he’s extra stylish with his new puppy-cut. The groomer gave him a mohawk – but not like a regular rocker mohawk. He’s extra hardcore with his new FULL BODY MOHAWK. Yeah. Seriously.

Awesome.

Go Ask Alice

Birdie — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:26:14 +0000

With the release of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland comes, of course, the discovery of a million trinkets that will make you feel a little bit like Alice. I was browsing Unique Vintage’s costume department and found a few Alice-inspired accessories that would add a touch of magic to any outfit. (Click the images to go to the item at Unique Vintage). Where would I wear these items? To tea parties, or while playing croquet with the Queen…. Where did Alice wear these little trinkets? I guess you’ll have to read on, to find out.

Suddenly she came upon a little three-legged table, all made of solid glass; there was nothing on it except a tiny golden key, and Alice’s first thought was that it might belong to one of the doors of the hall; but, alas! either the locks were too large, or the key was too small, but at any rate it would not open any of them. However, on the second time round, she came upon a low curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: she tried the little golden key in the lock, and to her great delight it fitted!

There seemed to be no use in waiting by the little door, so she went back to the table, half hoping she might find another key on it, or at any rate a book of rules for shutting people up like telescopes: this time she found a little bottle on it, (`which certainly was not here before,’ said Alice,) and round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words `DRINK ME’ beautifully printed on it in large letters.

It was all very well to say `Drink me,’ but the wise little Alice was not going to do THAT in a hurry. `No, I’ll look first,’ she said, `and see whether it’s marked “poison” or not’; for she had read several nice little histories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant things, all because they WOULD not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if your hold it too long; and that if you cut your finger VERY deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked `poison,’ it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.

They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank–the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and uncomfortable.

The first question of course was, how to get dry again: they had a consultation about this, and after a few minutes it seemed quite natural to Alice to find herself talking familiarly with them, as if she had known them all her life. Indeed, she had quite a long argument with the Lory, who at last turned sulky, and would only say, `I am older than you, and must know better’; and this Alice would not allow without knowing how old it was, and, as the Lory positively refused to tell its age, there was no more to be said.

At last the Mouse, who seemed to be a person of authority among them, called out, `Sit down, all of you, and listen to me! I’LL soon make you dry enough!’ They all sat down at once, in a large ring, with the Mouse in the middle. Alice kept her eyes anxiously fixed on it, for she felt sure she would catch a bad cold if she did not get dry very soon.

There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and the talking over its head. `Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,’ thought Alice; `only, as it’s asleep, I suppose it doesn’t mind.’

The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it: `No room! No room!’ they cried out when they saw Alice coming. `There’s PLENTY of room!’ said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large arm-chair at one end of the table.

`Have some wine,’ the March Hare said in an encouraging tone.

The Hatter shook his head mournfully. `Not I!’ he replied. `We quarrelled last March–just before HE went mad, you know–’ (pointing with his tea spoon at the March Hare,) `–it was at the great concert given by the Queen of Hearts, and I had to sing

“Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you’re at!”

You know the song, perhaps?’

`I’ve heard something like it,’ said Alice.

`It goes on, you know,’ the Hatter continued, `in this way:–

“Up above the world you fly, Like a tea-tray in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle–”‘

Here the Dormouse shook itself, and began singing in its sleep `Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, twinkle–’ and went on so long that they had to pinch it to make it stop.

`Well, I’d hardly finished the first verse,’ said the Hatter, `when the Queen jumped up and bawled out, “He’s murdering the time! Off with his head!”‘
`How dreadfully savage!’ exclaimed Alice.

Seven flung down his brush, and had just begun `Well, of all the unjust things–’ when his eye chanced to fall upon Alice, as she stood watching them, and he checked himself suddenly: the others looked round also, and all of them bowed low.

`Would you tell me,’ said Alice, a little timidly, `why you are painting those roses?’

Five and Seven said nothing, but looked at Two. Two began in a low voice, `Why the fact is, you see, Miss, this here ought to have been a RED rose-tree, and we put a white one in by mistake; and if the Queen was to find it out, we should all have our heads cut off, you know. So you see, Miss, we’re doing our best, afore she comes, to–’ At this moment Five, who had been anxiously looking across the garden, called out `The Queen! The Queen!’ and the three gardeners instantly threw themselves flat upon their faces. There was a sound of many footsteps, and Alice looked round, eager to see the Queen.

First came ten soldiers carrying clubs; these were all shaped like the three gardeners, oblong and flat, with their hands and feet at the corners: next the ten courtiers; these were ornamented all over with diamonds, and walked two and two, as the soldiers did. After these came the royal children; there were ten of them, and the little dears came jumping merrily along hand in hand, in couples: they were all ornamented with hearts. Next came the guests, mostly Kings and Queens, and among them Alice recognised the White Rabbit: it was talking in a hurried nervous manner, smiling at everything that was said, and went by without noticing her. Then followed the Knave of Hearts, carrying the King’s crown on a crimson velvet cushion; and, last of all this grand procession, came THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS.

They had not gone far before they saw the Mock Turtle in the distance, sitting sad and lonely on a little ledge of rock, and, as they came nearer, Alice could hear him sighing as if his heart would break. She pitied him deeply. `What is his sorrow?’ she asked the Gryphon, and the Gryphon answered, very nearly in the same words as before, `It’s all his fancy, that: he hasn’t got no sorrow, you know. Come on!’

So they went up to the Mock Turtle, who looked at them with large eyes full of tears, but said nothing.

`This here young lady,’ said the Gryphon, `she wants for to know your history, she do.’

`I’ll tell it her,’ said the Mock Turtle in a deep, hollow tone: `sit down, both of you, and don’t speak a word till I’ve finished.’

So they sat down, and nobody spoke for some minutes. Alice thought to herself, `I don’t see how he can EVEN finish, if he doesn’t begin.’ But she waited patiently.

`Once,’ said the Mock Turtle at last, with a deep sigh, `I was a real Turtle.’

The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when they arrived, with a great crowd assembled about them–all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards: the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him; and near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand, and a scroll of parchment in the other. In the very middle of the court was a table, with a large dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good, that it made Alice quite hungry to look at them–`I wish they’d get the trial done,’ she thought, `and hand round the refreshments!’ But there seemed to be no chance of this, so she began looking at everything about her, to pass away the time.

First, she dreamed of little Alice herself, and once again the tiny hands were clasped upon her knee, and the bright eager eyes were looking up into hers–she could hear the very tones of her voice, and see that queer little toss of her head to keep back the wandering hair that WOULD always get into her eyes–and still as she listened, or seemed to listen, the whole place around her became alive the strange creatures of her little sister’s dream.

The long grass rustled at her feet as the White Rabbit hurried by–the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the neighbouring pool–she could hear the rattle of the teacups as the March Hare and his friends shared their never-ending meal, and the shrill voice of the Queen ordering off her unfortunate guests to execution–once more the pig-baby was sneezing on the Duchess’s knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it–once more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard’s slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable Mock Turtle.

So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality–the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds–the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep- bells, and the Queen’s shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy–and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and all thy other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the confused clamour of the busy farm-yard–while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle’s heavy sobs.

Lastly, she pictured to herself how this same little sister of hers would, in the after-time, be herself a grown woman; and how she would keep, through all her riper years, the simple and loving heart of her childhood: and how she would gather about her other little children, and make THEIR eyes bright and eager with many a strange tale, perhaps even with the dream of Wonderland of long ago: and how she would feel with all their simple sorrows, and find a pleasure in all their simple joys, remembering her own child-life, and the happy summer days.

the end.

All book excerpts are from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, which you can find online at Gutenberg.org

Where’ve You Been, Babycakes?

Birdie — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:50:19 +0000

Holy crap, you guys! I’ve had about a week and a half of solid blog-neglect. What am I out doing that’s so important I should be ignoring YOU?

Well, for starters Mama got a promotion, so my life has had a little extra hustle to it as I try to adapt. Besides that, I’ve been blogging with a few fantastic sites:

High Society Tailored Denim: Kasil

Let’s preface this post with the fact that my work attire is business casual. With all the choices out there, one might think business casual would be an easy wardrobe to build. This isn’t the case though, when it comes to bottoms – I need something besides the standard skinny jean or legging. I need something that is polished, not distressed. Business casual invokes the image of something chic, that can be dressed up or down. It’s what Kasil does best.

(Click to read more at ShopManhattanite.com/blog)

♦♦♦

Wednesday Guest Post: Birdie in Vegas!

Every February, my fiancé and I make a trip to Vegas to meet with friends, and to get away from the Pacific Northwest rain. Usually the respite is well needed since it’s generally rainy and around 50F here in Seattle. It’s always a challenge to know what to pack for Vegas since the weather is so drastically different – sunny and 65 during the day, and often cold in the evening. When you’re inside, the temperature is often much cooler than it is outside; bringing a scarf, wrap, or sweater a necessity.

Last year, I wrote about how I packed for Vegas and it was all about finding THE right bag to carry anything I’d need for the day. This year, it will be all about discovering a stylish way to fight the changes in climate, from the hotel to the sunny streets of Sin City, to the overly chilled interiors, to the sometimes chilly Vegas nights. Also, you do have to be prepared for rain, which we discovered this year!

(Click to read more at the Affordable Scarves blog)

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Affordable Style TV

Birdie of Bonne Vie demonstrates a variation on how to tie a Half Bow with AffordableScarves.com’s Alexis Paisley Pashmina.

This is the fourth of a multi-part series in which we’ll show you dozens of different ways to tie and wear a scarf.

How to Tie a Scarf: The Half Bow II

(Click to watch)

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Psychedelic Chic

I stumbled across the blog this morning to find Ashe’s post about the Tarina Tarantino jewelry at Manhattanite right now. I literally almost jumped out of my seat. Tarina’s baubles are totally fun and I immediately headed to Polyvore to create fun outfits to go with them.

Everything that drew my eye had a psycheldelic-rock chic feel when I paired it up – a little glam rock here, some weekend bohemia there… I mean, hippies are out out, but that tye-dyed bohemian look is still hot when given an ultra-modern twist.

(Click to read more at ShopManhattanite.com/blog)

That’s what I’ve been up to! And a foray into video blogging? Wow, you guys – I’m totally moving up in the digital age. If anybody wants to donate to my “Birdie needs an iPod tripod for V-logging” email me or find me on Twitter or something.

Outfit – 11/7/09

Birdie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:23:11 +0000

AGES ago, I got tickets to see Ghostland Observatory at Showbox Sodo. I’d heard of them off and on, and only just started REALLY listening when the tickets came out. They play a notoriously fun show so naturally, I was excited to have tickets!

(Image via the KEXP blog)

Exceeeept… We bought them months in advance… And had inadvertently gotten tickets to the all-ages show.

We got them so early that I almost forgot about the concert (since I’ve been buried under a mountain of homework – yuck!) until Mister came around on Saturday night, and asked when we should head down. Gasp! Horreur! I threw something on, on the fly, and came up with this:

Top: Spun Sangria V-neck
Layered over: American Eagle beater tank
Shorts: H&M
Tights: From the Rack.
Boots: Blowfish
Scarf: Moksha (On the Ave)
Tatted cuffs: Totus Mel
Necklace: H&M

Oh yeah, and I’ve got a new hair color. I needed something new for fall and my roots had grown out tremendously (we’re talking like 2″) so I had to do something, stat! I went with a nice red, which ended up being super bright over the bleached (pink) parts, and overall, gave my ‘do a nice depth.

The show itself was fantastic. We got there for the opening DJ who played some excellent cuts – including a remix of Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. LOVE that song.

GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY’s set was AMAZING.

(Image via AlmightyLiveStudio)

There were lasers and people dancing their asses off. Aaron of Ghostland bounced around on the stage screaming into the mic in all his braided glory. And props to Thomas’s fantastic silver cape! Of course, they played “Sad Sad City” which had the entire crowd bouncing around to the echoes of their unique brand of electro-funk-dance-pop.

At the end of the night, it seemed those boys didn’t want to quit, and the crowd loved it. Aaron would say “Okay… this is the last song…” and then they played again… and then Aaron said, “Okay this is REALLY the last song…” and burst out into song as the crowd cheered them on.

I snapped some quick photos from the event, from the corralled off 21+ section.

Hello, laser show! It felt a little rave-y, but mixed with the beats Ghostland Observatory cranked out, it was definitely an awesome night!

HAT PARTAAAY!

Birdie — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:33:36 +0000

AKA – An outfit post!

So as you may know, the Bird’s computer died a few weeks back… and with it, went Photoshop. I got my work station back which is excellent upgrade, but Photoshop wouldn’t let me use my product key, so I’ve been out of luck as far as a photo editor. I’m currently (and very stubbornly) attempting to use GIMP, but switching from Photoshop to GIMP is… ultimately frustrating.

Anyhow! I decided in the spirit of dressing up, I’d try my hand on a few photos Mister and I took for my friend’s hat party! I love hats, so dreaming up an outfit was a ton of fun. Check out this little ensemble:

Scoop Tee: SPUN
Crinoline Skirt: Lekkerlife (With a Leg Avenue crinoline underneath)
Leggings: Charlotte Russe
Shoes: Fluevog
Hat: Costume and Display
Tatted Pendant: Totus Mel
Shell Bracelet: From a trip to the Alamo (ha!)

The skirt isn’t normally THAT flouncey, but I felt with the outfit it needed some pouf – and I happened to have a short crinoline (that you can buy over at Sockdreams!) – it was the perfect addition to this skirt.

Mister’s outfit was … not quite as planned out, but when you’re sporting a trojan helmet, I don’t think it matters.

And we took this just before going out. HAT PARTAAAAYYY!

I think I’m starting to really dig the pink jewel tone. I’m not normally a pink kinda girl, but recently I’ve discovered that this color has been sneaking into my wardrobe. What do you think?

Halloween Shenanigans

Birdie — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:21:17 +0000

How was your weekend? Excellent? I hope so!

This weekend, Mister and I donned our respective 80′s childhood character costumes and set out on the town! I bet you’ll never guess who we were….

Mister spent all week putting together a papier maché shell… and I set out to find something I could use to become TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS!

The process:

I’m Aja from Jem and the Holograms!!

And my date:

Raphael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a child’s rendition… haha)

Cute, eh? What were YOU for Halloween??

For some reason, GIMP is blurring the images when they render from RAW to JPG. If you know how to fix that (until I get CS4) please let me know. It also mangled my colors so they look really orange/oddly exposed when uploaded. Sorry about the quality, for now.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Birdie — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:03:15 +0000

Carve a pumpkin!

(In case you’re wondering, yes, that horse-thing IS a unicorn. I’m totally awesome at carving pumpkins!)

Carve a cannibal pumpkin… a scary cat… a gryphon or an abstract-o-lantern!

I’ll update tomorrow with costumey goodness.

I Want to Share with You

Birdie — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:42:49 +0000

"Artist Statement" by Lucy Knisley

Jaka of Jaka’s Tea Party sent me this today as we were talking about life-changing decisions regarding picking up or putting down projects.

It made me warm and fuzzy, so I thought I’d share with you, too. (Thanks Jaka!!) I know it’s been extra quiet around here while I’m working overtime and getting ready for the impending school year (as well as going on “The Last Camping Trip of the Season”, adopting a gecko, planning a photoshoot for Deco Modiste and hanging out with the lovely ladies at Sinner Saint Burlesque, for their ARCANA run!), but I’m thinking about you. Always. Just know that there’s someone out there with bright eyes and a heart full of love who’s thinking about you, and only You.

New Adventures: Bellydance at VDP

Birdie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:51:17 +0000

Bellydance… the word seems exotic and conjures images of beautiful girls in wispy, gauzy fabrics, jingling as they shimmy to eastern drum beats. It almost seems like an impossible feat – the ambidextrous isolation of only your hips, only your torso, while making a strong statement in body movement. When I tell friends I’ve enrolled in a beginners class, they gasp and say “That’s amazing!” with wide eyes, like I’m performing some miraculous feat.

Bellydance is actually very accessible to anybody – it can be theraputic, a hobby, or a skilled and competitive pursuit. The levels and creativity in each class are limitless, and while the class is sometimes frustrating, it empowers the student to a heightened awareness of the body. Visionary Dance Production Studios (VDP) writes on the liberating empowerment of bellydance:

“A new identity based on body awareness is blossoming. And the culture of belly dance provides a process for discovering a new feminine language (a body language) that allows women to think and to move autonomously. When you awaken and learn to control every part of your body, you feel more in control of your life. When women feel free to express their innermost longings, they emanate the beauty and grace of a Goddess.”

Delilah of Visionary Dance Production Studios

From VDP Studios instructor, Delilah:

“Dance is a metaphor for life. As we are born, we are destined to move in life through time and space. As we learn to dance, we are also learning to move through time and space. Thus, the process of learning to dance can also bring us information about living our lives, if we allow it to. We can learn how to move through our lives with fearless autonomy, grace and spirit; to flow with the melody line, be in the stillness or ride the chaos; to overcome the fear that puts us on the sidelines. We can learn to listen to the voice in our head that says, ‘I CAN DANCE!’ “

Bellydance is not only for women; their motto is that the dance is built around knowing your body and your inner dimensions – which anyone (including men) can grasp.

The foremost message when starting the class is simple – take control of your body. The movements are built around isolating a certain part of your anatomy, knowing it and its range of movement, and then telling it where to go, independently. Once a student has control over isolated parts of their body, they may find that their life begins to transform – this mindset of having control over areas of your self (body) bleeds over into other areas of the self (mind, lifestyle, etc). As VDP’s site states, “Belly dance is a tool for personal growth. As we learn to give voice to every part of our body, we begin to know ourselves better and give ourselves permission to move more freely in our lives.”

Bellydance is truly about embracing your body and knowing your body’s power.

Visionary Dance Productions Studio has a class for anyone: From the ultimate beginner looking to build muscles and have a little fun, to the competitive dancer, VDP Studios offers a range of classes almost every day of the week. Their Fremont studio is in a central location for many Seattle-area dancers. Check out their website at Visionary Dance.com for more information on which class will fit your needs. For the out-of-towners, VDP Studios has an e-class in the works. Find more info here, or plug in to the VDP Youtube Channel.

It may sound a little like a plug for VDP, but the dance classes are all fun, challenging, and a fantastic way to gain control over parts of your bod. When I leave a class, I feel empowered and centered. If you’re looking for something challenging and fun, I suggest you look for a bellydance class in your area, or if you’re in Seattle, pop by VDP studios and check it out!

An Evening with Scarlet Room

Birdie — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:08:57 +0000

I mentioned I’d had the chance to go to the Triple Door for the Scarlet Room + Vagabond Opera show and take photos. The entire night sang of the twisted and sweet, with a hint of Old World cabaret…

The band is like a fantastic mechanical doll; churning out a whirl of circus and cabaret melodies, with a stage presence that is larger than life. With dark music-box-style keys, Alexsandra Weil – the group’s vocalist and pianist – weaves elaborate stories, written by Scarlet Room’s drummer, Eloise Govedare.

Alexsandra is a sight to behold on stage. Long dark hair swinging, it’s apparent how passionate she is about the music. Eloise shines from the back of the low-lit stage. Never missing a beat or breaking a sweat, her drums patter through like a quickened heartbeat…

Guitarists Michael Muir and Kris Darr are the perfect compliment to Alexsandra’s keys and connect the dots of Eloise’s beats. Their sound fills the cracks and crevices between elaborately complex lyrics, and begs the audience to listen a little closer.

While their melodies float from heavy riffs to lighter strings, each word floats through the crowd like a puff of smoke – evoking images of their signature cabaret-rock-musical style.

The entire effect makes the listener feel as if they’ve possibly just fallen through the looking glass… that deck of cards could spring to life and march right out the door; this painting is definitely watching you as you cross the room.

Scarlet Room was the perfect compliment to Vagabond Opera’s Bohemian “Old World Yiddish” gypsy theatrics. In the decadent setting of the Triple Door, this show was a night of hanging melodies and dark, eclectic, cabaret fun.