Carla Marion Paris

I gotta see this new Woody Allen asap. It looks very Vicky Cristina Barcelona gone French. Just how I roll...

We all get dressed for Bill.

Rothko numba three

Reminds me of a pansy? The flower, not the wimp. It's supposed to be inspirational geez.

Can you meditate in a painting?

Klimt, Birch Forest, 1903

The detail is overwhelming. After attempting to capture the texture and light of my own still life painting, I can truly appreciate the effect of this work. You really get a feel for the crispy, crackling leaves; soft, velvet mosses; strips and layers of bark.

Playthings for urbanites

Image via T Magazine, The Slug and the Squirrel

They're called terrariums, and I want one.

"Terrariums are just the thing for urbanites like us who are strapped for space and yearning for a patch of greenery."

Created by designer Jose Agatep, these quaint statuesque biomes would be perfect for my drab little office cubicle.

“He fills them with plants from a local Philadelphia flower shop and soil and wood chips from along forest trails and train tracks. (He particularly likes taking components from the outdoors because they come with the bacteria and insects necessary to maintain the self-contained ecosystem, and sometimes they sprout mushrooms, much to his customers’ surprise.) 'Everything is so … technology,” he says. 'We need the nature. It’s a good reminder of how it used to be.' ”

Apparently, Anthropolgie now sells these in their home department ($28 to $398). Oh you would, Anthro. You can read the full article here.

More rothko love

Mark Rothko painting

Ma ma ma mia. To me, it feels a bit lustful.

The embrace... literally.

Image via Lonni Rossi

Klimt is my all time favorite artist, despite the fact that his painting, 'The Kiss,' is apparently the number one poster in college dorms. (Erm, yes, I had one too...). Well, now you can actually have a matching quilt?

I've always been a sucker for Klimt reproductions. Nonetheless, it is unbelievable how even through fabric, glass wire or bottle caps, the essence of his work can still translate.

Getting Inspired

Mark Rothko 

His paintings have the insane ability to give off some kind of aura, or energy... which resonates with something very deep and very real within me.

Delaying the Real World | Twentysomethingdom

Sometimes, I go on these internet web-jumping la de da's, in which I just google whatever topic of interest I've come upon lately and then jump from link to link to link... Just for fun. It's very educational, in fact!

Today, I began researching something for an article I had to write for my internship. Then, I started thinking about internships, in general and began googling advice on working at an internship (this is my first experience, anyway). Then, I thought of how amazing it would be to have an internship next summer abroad... which led me to more websites and more websites... until I stumbled upon this gem: Delaying the Real World, The Twenty-Something's Guide to Seeking Adventure. Here's a brief excerpt:

"You've got this pearl of a decade in front of you: THE TWENTIES. This is the prime of your life! You've been on a straight path since you learned to tie your shoes, and now suddenly you've got a diploma, enough energy to run the length of the globe, and all the freedom in the world. 

So how are you going to spend the glorious days of your independent youth? In a cubicle, perhaps? Filing papers, or maybe crunching numbers? How about answering phones and scheduling meetings? 

Wrong! Now is the time to do exactly what you want to do and fulfill your wildest dreams. Don't be in such a rush to become boring! Let the early years be more unconventional and experimental. Try things you might never have the chance to do again. When else in life will you have such freedom? If you wait for retirement, the experience won't be nearly as cool. A thousand fleeting opportunities are waiting for you, and there is nothing holding you back from taking your pick. A year of teaching in Brazil? How about working on a vineyard in New Zealand? Or maybe biking across the U.S. strikes your fancy. From event planning at a Las Vegas resort to counseling at a wilderness camp for homeless children, you have such a rich variety of options you won't know where to start... 

The coolest thing about any adventure you choose is that it will be a valuable experience and may even catapult you into a future career. You can never go wrong in doing what you love, because it will only lead you further into your passion. Anyone who says doing the Peace Corps in Botswana or acting in a Shakespeare festival is a waste of time needs to crawl back into their office space. "

I had an interesting convo yesterday - no, make that a vent - voicing my fears that studying fashion and art will turn me into a complete, materialistic SNOB. You can easily get swept up by the glamour of luxury labels and brand names. I feel like everyone around me is obsessed with image. What people don't realize that fashion designers are geniuses - they are intelligent, extraordinary individuals. Sure, a lot of it is about money and social climbing but the ones I really admire - Alexander McQueen, Betsey Johnson, Phillip Lim - they are seriously artistic geniuses! Their collections make me speechless... 

Anywho, back to the topic of Delaying the Real World: coming across this website and book unexpectedly, really brought me back to Earth. It reminded me just how much I need to keep grounded no matter what work I'm doing... and not take stuff so seriously.