Let'stanbul: Alaa Wardi

I was accepted to Let'stanbul, a week-long experimental arts event in Turkey. I leave next week, and will have the opportunity to collaborate with incredible artists from around the world. Here is a little video from fellow participant Alaa Wardi that I just can't stop watching!

Claudia I-IV

The artist herself, mid-century

When I return from Turkey, I'll be doing an exciting collaboration with one of the foremost mid-century modern {vintage} furniture shops in the District. Here are two test shots that I posed for in the space on Sunday. The tonal quality and natural light are brilliant, yeah?

Photos captured by Claudia Varona

VA Beach Preview

As I've mentioned, I have a whopping FIFTEEN cousins! A big group of us (and aunts, uncles, and friends) traveled to VA beach a couple of weeks ago to get away together.

You missed stimulating activities such as:

• Beach chair sitting 
• Beach chair relocating 
• Wave jumping (it was rough seas...which I can't seem to say without sounding like a pirate)  
• Beach umbrella engineering/finangling 
• Bocce (all parties involved undoubtedly were racked with guilt at playing without their token bocce-loving friend who couldn't come)
• Tube floating
• Pool volleyball (certain players had distinctive height advantages, rendering the game nearly useless)
• And of course copious cousin beer-drinkin' 

We may or may not have sampled some wine and sauntered down the beach to a local dive that was nothing short of appalling in its clientele. Office glow was sunburned into submission, toes were pinched by crabs, and fun was had by all. We look forward to you attending next time for these and other wild and Lincoln-filled activities. 

Hurricane Claudia

One of my oldest friends, musician Claudia Varona of Berklee School of Music, came down to DC just in time to get stuck in Hurricane Irene. When the rain cleared yesterday afternoon, we decided to test out the incredible natural light that I get in the loft. Perfection. Did not do anything to these in post-production; her eyes are just that amazing! Go check out her music, and check back throughout this week as I release more photos. 

I'm going to Turkey in a week! I've started to chat with other artists attending; there are going to be some incredible collaborations. 

Spinal

Can you identify these?

Icarus

I bought the Artecnica Icarus light, and it arrived last night. I love the influence of birds that is so apparent! It is gracing our living room, helping to make our 12' ceilings a little bit more intimate. 

Spotted: Out at Mighty Aphrodite

So this past weekend, I went to the Mighty Aphrodite performance art fashion installation. Held at the Wonderbox! warehouse, the event was put on by DemiGods, stylist Quincy Jones (whose bowtie and fingerwaves were FABULOUS!), and Khalil Muhsin. It was 105 degrees, but the crowd was looking hot in other ways too. Everyone was dressed to the 9's...I've never failed so horribly at not having my camera. 

Luckily, ReadySetDC covered the event and captured myself and two friends lounging before the event started! Check out their coverage for the details, but here's the photo they snapped of us. 

My New Space, In Progress

Lots of you have been asking, so here are some photos of my new space that I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. The kitties (Divas Titi and Lulu) are not mine but are lovely companions; I live in a loft so I have to get along with them, since there's no way to keep them out. I do enjoy the company, and never get tired of watching them battle the errant hair tie across the floor. 

The space itself is tricky and not large; with 3 walls of floor-to-ceiling glass, I feel as though I'm living in a fishbowl much of the time! I never mind, since I get to wake up with the sunrise over my head. I dealt with the privacy issues with three different sets of curtains. The red silk act as a headboard, while the brown frame up my vintage raw silk panel curtain. 

I love to mix patterns and textures! Most of the things in my space are vintage and familial, including the furniture from late 1950's. My textiles are also; the blue raw silk curtains belonged to my great grandmother in Chicago in the 1940's and the sheets were grandmother's. I'm so in love with those curtains...they are block-pleated along the top and just look so fresh with a little nautical tie! The remainder I collected throughout my travels from Istanbul to El Salvador, and the beautiful teal mat is fair trade from Ten Thousand Villages.

Like any good fashionista, I enjoy mixing high and low; along with those lofty vintage and international influences, my two throw pillows are Ikea, and my green lampshade is Target. 

The art, jewelry, and oddities (beetle, butterfly, antlers? yes!) I collected throughout my travels. The beetle is from my  adventure to Artscape with Cat Diesel (whose plant is on my dresser), the butterfly from a family trip to the Florida Keys, and the antlers from antiquing in the Hudson Valley (as is the fish platter and a couple of other things). It is so nice to surround yourself with special, memory-filled things...I never do understand how people can be happy in minimal spaces. 

Life is too short not to inject your space with color and the things that make you happy!

Eye Candy: More is More

Divine color, love that more is more attitude about stuff on the walls!

Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Backstage: Wiz Khalifa

Here are some shots from backstage at Wiz Khalifa a couple of weeks ago. 

My wonderful and hardworking cousin Will is Wiz's manager. They came to the Merriweather Pavilion and myself and my other cousins (there are three of us here in DC, 15 total) went out for some family time backstage. It was great to see him and the crazy enterprise that he and Wiz have built together. So proud.