Getting to know you in a very special way.

How was your Monday? Yeah, mine wasn't too spectacular either.


Jellyfish observation tanks at aquariums are such a photographer cheat. But I'm going to share these anyway because while it's totally cheating, I like to think I still somehow practiced the art of frame composition.











Under the impression that the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver had bad-ass security and a strict No-camera-No-dancing-No-getting-out-of-your-seat Policy, none of my friends nor I brought a camera to the Phoenix show on Friday. (! ... !!!) Luckily some rebels did, because not only were there snapshots galore, but during the encore there happened to be a surprise on-stage dance party that no security guard could do anything about. Looking at this footage, I feel a bit sorry for Thomas Mars, crushed at the back of the stage. Sorry for crushing you, Thomas.




To add insult to injury, Cyril, our friend Thom & I stood with our elbows on the stage the whole concert. Can you imaging the photos that would come out of that?! Do you know how ridiculously fabulous aaaaall of their shoes are?!

Nevertheless, it was fantastic.

Swiss Love

Cyril and I booked our flights to Switzerland!! And we're leaving in three weeks from tomorrow!

Goodbye Olympics; Hello Alps! (Goodbye Money as well, but that's another issue)
I miss absolutely. Everything. About CH. The best part of it moved with me to Vancouver, but some of the great things are still missing.



(My own little piece of Suisse. Taken on Granville Island)


One thing I do not miss, however: losing the ability to dress myself.

(PLEASE NOTE that my Swiss friends living in CH are definitely a source of inspiration & that they love me whatever I wear - this is just an inner struggle. Trivial, but legitimate. Continue: )

Being of the thought that fashion and appearance is one of the ultimate forms of self-expression, I find this particularly troublesome. Every time I live in Europe (which has been for over two years, in total) my sense of personal style dissolves into nothing. I can't create outfits that speak to who I am or how I feel. I get so lost!

I think I've figured out why, though. In my experiences/observations, the majority of European people dress the same. That's not to say there aren't eccentrics or slummies in Europe, there are just less of them. There are less people who stray from the fashion norm in general. And because the overwhelming majority of people say the same thing with their clothes, I feel rather left out - I don't dress like them. Well I often feel out of place here as well, but in a different way.

There is definitely more fashion variety in Vancouver; I don't necessarily think I fit into most of these clothing cliques either, but variety makes me feel less awkward in my sartorial choices, even if I still stand out. Because other people stand out too.

And so I am stuck between fitting in and standing out - going even further to say that when all people fit in, it's hard to stand out. Not entirely because I feel awkward, but because who can I look to for inspiration and a break from the norm?



(Incuboy via Flickr)

So what do I do for 2.5 weeks of fashion banality? For this reason alone, luckily it will only be 2.5 weeks. I have never had a European stint anywhere near this short before, so hopefully I will be able to stand my ground, if awkwardly, and wear what I want. That, and I will pack accordingly. Somehow.

And, BLOGS. Blogs are likely my biggest & greatest sense of clothing inspiration - and I can still read them in CH.

I'm curious - does this happen to anybody else?

J'ai besoin d'un p'tit dodo.

Petite introduction:
I love Cyril to pieces and I very much appreciate him playing my silly take-my-picture-game, but he makes me squirmy when he lifts the camera to his face to photograph me. That just means he doesn't do it often enough. See that, Cyril? You = my new photographer! I know how to play my cards right.

Kennedy discussed the boyfriend-photographer issue not too very long ago. Her portraits are decidedly less goofy than the faces I make - and she looks amazingly elegant, as always; I doubt she's ever made a stupid face in her life.



Thrifted jean jacket & skirt, AA bodysuit & stockings, UO flats.



Necklace a gift from my dear, Swiss friends, rings are my own ancient collection or my Granny's.



I wore this to a concert nearly two months ago! Cyril and I saw Friendly Fires. The performance wasn't as good as when I saw them with Amy, but the lead singer is definitely still one of the best bootay-shakers I've seen! And who wouldn't pay money to see that?

PS - I love you, Cyril.

Edit: C just rapped to a Swiss children's song in Swiss German. If it's possible, I love him that much more.

Chris Smith and The Beckon Call

I really wish I had found this three weeks ago. It (he) is beautiful.

Chris Smith is one of my favorite local musicians of all time. Find his music here.
A heads up: looks like he is playing a concert with Woodpigeon on January 16th at the Biltmore in Vancouver - I will definitely be there! I can't get enough of his music.

Christopher Smith - Christmas Day from Boompa Records on Vimeo.

A low-quality recording I took of my favorite song at a concert he played lat year. Also with Woodpigeon. (Please ignore the drunkards clapping at around 1:14)
This song makes everything better.



I'm done gushing, I guess.

It's not about you all the time.

I feel like a total jerk for this and I will tell you why.

New Year's Eve, our two lovely friends from Arizona and Cyril and I got all purdy and gussied up for a party at a friend's where fancy dress was mandatory. I coned C into taking these outfit pictures for me while leaving the three of them to fend for themselves. That's right - no group fancy dress photos! Isn't that 75% of the reason parties like these take place? Pictures of your nearest and dearest looking their glitziest? I think it is.

Also, there was an empty champagne bottle and empty wine bottle lying around our apartment after this... I don't know how that happened.

So there, Erin is a jerk.



I was really happy that I finally had an occasion to wear this dress! I thrifted it sometime last year and spent a lot of time hemming it by hand.



Official: I am in love with this shawl. It's kind of as luxurious as fur because of the pom poms (that feel like tails, grossly(awesomely) enough) and it makes me feel like a diva. I could get used to feeling like a diva.

Plus it doubles as a blanket when you crash after a night of dancing and eating homemade salsa from the host's mum.



Seriously, dudes. Not even a picture of Cyril?! He looked completely adorable; white shirt + vest + tie + slicked 1950s hair, sigh. Our friends were equally dashing; matching black and white dress and suit... this is just depressing.

Anyway, I decided that a fancy dress dinner party is well in order at the Hahn-Stodola residence! (An excuse to wear my shawl.) We have been settled since August and not one party has been thrown in our tiny abode. S'about time. S'about time to get some booties shakin' up in here!

You know it's all a hoax, right?

Wait, 2009 is over?!
Writing a cheque for January's rent was like computer programming. A lot of 1s and 0s on one cheque.

Sadly, our company is gone. 2009 is gone. Christmas is gone. And school looms, taunting me from the future with its French grammar and weird German professor.

However, since I am behind, my Christmas 2009 tenue:
(As always, Click To Enlarge!)



Thrifted girl's dress, Cyril's AA parka, scarf stolen from Fabian, Granny's old gloves, Sears tights, Ebay boots.




My family's Christmas outfits and their lovely, shining faces! I miss them.




Cyril and the Christmas kitten, Mango. I can't get enough of him.



Happy 2010. We will see each other very soon.