for most of history, anonymous was a woman

sometimes virginia wolff puts things in perspective, sometimes life does. just because things dont fit perfectly doesnt mean that something great cant come from it. lately ive been thinking about temperance as a virtue, and how many aspects of it can assist in decision making.. maybe its just me?

but safety does not come first

 

not every artist has to thrill you, for certain. but here is my thought du jour: it really doesnt matter. an artists aesthetic is just a portion of what they have created, it is a relevant thought in time. dismissals of artists based on personal opinion can teach that if one doesnt instantly understand art, then they can say they dont like it, and this is reasonable. artworks are pieces of history and abstract thought. to learn about history is to learn about ourselves.

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little girls, said miss brodie, come in and observe this….this is stanley baldwin who got in as prime minister and got out again ere long, said miss brodie. miss mackay retains him on the wall because she believes in the slogan “safety first”. but safety does not come first. goodness, truth and beauty come first. follow me.

-the prime of miss jean brodie

your mind is a palace

progression is very important to me. there are inevitably times in life when you are repeating behaviour and experiences (whether a job, a habit, etc.), we should always try to push and progress. although posting on la flâneuse is a great hobby, it needed altering for me to stay inspired and engaged. so bear with my absense.

he says, you have to study and learn so that you can make up your own mind about history and everything else but you can’t make up an empty mind. stock your mind, stock your mind. it is your house of treasure and no one in the world can interfere with it. if you won the irish sweepstakes and brought a house would you fill it with bits and pieces of rubbish? your mind is your house and if you fill it with rubbish from the cinemas it will rot in your head. you might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace. angela's ashes

a new leaf

peering out into a new year. im not one for resolutions, but heres to a year of good friends, good health, adventures, and, of course, creative inspiration.

my blog is not dead, just aging! trying my hand at tumblr just for a change x 

http://andlastly.tumblr.com/

if one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities

life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: 'im with you kid. lets go.'
(maya angelou) image: leisure or pleasure

keeping it real

i disappeared! but with good reason, i assure you. back in the swing now, with just some photographs, scarves, and new experiences as my evidence of the last three weeks.. some of which ive decided to share here. nice to be back xx

traversing the capital from one end to the other

"both flâneurs and dedicated night owls, they knew nocturnal paris wonderfully well; going to bed very late, hardly ever before dawn, they spent their nights roaming the city, traversing the capital from one end to the other, in all directions, from batignolles to montparnasse, villette to neuilly. but it was montmartre they were crazy about, montmartre they... loved best, like a little homeland, like a large dwelling where one feels at home"

victor joze, “la ménagerie sociale, l’homme à femmes” (1890)

the still in the storm

sometimes you just have to be. rushing in this outfit wont do.

balzac on elegance

differences have vanished in our society: all that remain are nuances. consequently, good breeding, elegant manners, the je ne sais quoi, the fruits of a complete education - these form the only barrier separating the man of leisure from the busy man. if privilege exists, it stems from moral superiority. hence the high price that the majority places on education, on the purity of language, on the grace of deportment, on the relatively easy manner in which an outfit is worn, on the careful choice of living quarters: in short, on the perfection of everything proceeding from the person. - honoré de balzac, treatise on elegant living, 1830.
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my photograph of shakespeare&co

familiar feelings

"and lastly from that period i remember riding in a taxi one afternoon between very tall buildings under a mauve and rosy sky; i began to bawl because i had everything i wanted and knew i would never be so happy again"

- scott fitzgerald. thank you veronicahhh.

eau de lierre

my search for a new fragrance has concluded. overwhelmed by the number of perfumes at holts and my fear of settling for mass marketed scent, i made my way to noor in yorkville on the advice of a friend. while i knew what i wanted, i struggled slightly in my attempt to describe it. the best i could do was to say that i liked the idea of the mixture of forest scents, or a field of wild flowers. eau de lierre by diptyque has keynotes of cyclamen, ivy leaves, musk, and rosewood and was exactly what i was looking for.

manet for lovers, monet for others

this is what i will be doing come october. exactly this.

the truth is rarely pure and never simple...

modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility! -o.w.

treatise on elegant living

about a century ago, dead fleurette tagged me in a post about what we carry in our bags. i took this photo in the winter for my response and realized i never posted it! so heres my outdated post.

mini moleskin and my uvic pen, savon de marseille hand creme, ipod, pur peppermint gum, ysl envelope wallet, chelsea girl lipstick by nars, livre du moment (at that time ionesco, until this week steinbeck, at present balzac.. treatise on elegant living), and of course the object of an ultimate love-hate relationship, my phone. yes, my background is a celtics/raptors game. defying categorization never hurt anyone.

well youve got your diamonds and youve got your pretty clothes

a while back i had picked up a postcard from a commercial gallery that had a photograph by joshua jensen-nagle on it. so when i read that beau-xi photo on dundas was showing his photographs i had to go. his works are fairly large and mounted on plexiglass, which is a fresh contrast to the dreamy treatment of european scenery. title is from the rolling stones play with fire.

comme les hommes

my inspiration for what to wear to a non-interview-but-still-important meeting with an intelligent and successful woman. sharp yet effortless, it is not overly 'fashion' but is relevant and quietly memorable. i thought so at least!

if you are not too long, i will wait here for you all my life

dear fate love moi. this quote from the picture of dorian gray is for those creative people who are waiting on the sidelines for their career break. if you keep trying, theres no chance it will never happen.

xx

he painted me when i was young

couldnt say no to these leather woven prada flats. im saving my chanel purchase until im in paris again (trying for this fall!).

these flats have the same general colouring that i so admire with the chanels, but i really liked the straw-like look of them for summer. with denim and a white shirt it reminds me of a take on jane birkin's basket bags.

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he painted me when i was young because he was in love with me, but now that he has loved me he doesnt paint me anymore - jane birkin

anonymous untitled ongoing

this is the didactic for flanerie, non? the art of everyday life and the moments that make it up.