Shwedagon Pagoda: Just a gorgeous picture my mom sent me.

The national landmark of Burma, the Shwedagon rises 320 ft. from the ground and is totally covered in pure gold.  You can see it glowing in the night from many parts of the city of Rangoon.  I visited it a few years ago and it is even more beautiful in person.  Just wanted to share.

From Rudyard Kipling's From Sea to Sea and Other Sketches (1899):
"Then, a golden mystery upheaved itself on the horizon, a beautiful winking wonder that blazed in the sun, of a shape that was neither Muslim dome nor Hindu temple-spire. It stood upon a green knoll, and below it were lines of warehouses, sheds, and mills. Under what new god, thought I, are we irrepressible English sitting now?"

I'm going to miss this place.

The Mountain View shoreline at sunset is one of the most beautiful places I can think of being.  It's usually windy, but I like how the wind makes this half-dead place, with its half-dead shrubs and teeming wildlife, come to life.  

I think I'm going to try to come here almost every day before I move.  I don't even mind the goose poop.  And last night I saw a skunk (see the second to last picture)!

Best of Portland

Some of the top images from the weekend.  I'd say they capture the spirit of the town.

Captions:

1. Hotel room at the Nines.
2. Bhumi and the funny four-way drinking fountains.
3. Prints at the Compound Gallery.
4. Woodblock prints at the Compound Gallery
5. "Drama" on the way to Powell's.
6. Bike stands in front of Powell's.
7. Powell's city of books.
8. Snack at Urban Fondue: white cheddar, gruyere, brie, caramelized onions, port.
9. Pink peonies at Sammy's Flowers.
10. Toga run on NW 23rd.
11. Desserts at Papa Hadyn.
12. Garry, Seth and Maureen at Papa Hadyn.
13. Seth's asparagus appetizer with poached egg on top.
14. My roasted chicken breast with mushroom-leek bread pudding.
15. Garry's croque monsieur.
16. The library at the Nines hotel.
17. Garry ordering a drink at Kelly's.
18. Random pants next to a dumpster.
19. Random gallery near Powell's.
20. T-shirt, as seen outside Byways Cafe.
21. Garry's OJ at Byways Cafe.
22. Amaretto french toast with pecan butter, bacon and over-easy egg at Byways Cafe.
23. Hallway at Kennedy School.
24. Garry and a drinking fountain at Kennedy School.
25. The gym at Kennedy School.
26. Detention Bar at Kennedy School.
27. Boiler Room Bar at Kennedy School.
28. Hockey masks at Local 35 on Hawthorne.
29. "Two heads tripping under one mushroom" at House of Vintage on Hawthorne.
30. Food cart on Hawthorne - CLOSED on Sundays =(.
31. Food carts on Hawthorne.
32. Garry and his spicy-grilled...corn on the cob.
33. Walking across Hawthorne Bridge.
34. Walking across Hawthorne Bridge.
35. Willamette River as seen off of Hawthorne Bridge.
36. "You're Cool" on Hawthorne Bridge.
37. Random park in downtown.
38. Sushi Land - conveyor belt sushi!

Barbara Cole for Anthropologie May 2009

It's funny how Anthropologie appeals to almost every woman out there in the way that it captures the imagination.  It's some very powerful brand management that communicates a single, cohesive idea: a well-lived and beautiful life.  Everything from the whimsical details (flowers and pearls on a cardigan?) to the lush weight of the fabrics to the jewel-box setup of of the stores works together to create this feeling of romance, creativity, and luxury.  And yes, I love their clothing--but can only afford to buy it on sale.

So whichever marketing manager came up with the idea of teaming with self-taught fine art photographer Barbara Cole ought to get a raise.  What a stroke of genius!  When the gorgeous May 2009 catalog landed in my mailbox, I was intrigued by how Cole's style brings the clothing to life.  And the cover looks almost like a painting, reminiscent of the Pre-Raphaelites, fairy tales, and the Lady of Shalott.  

I don't know a lot about the photographer herself, but I poked around her site a bit and found some more arresting images of dreamy water-color fabrics and burnished floating hair.

To see the "making of" video, visit Anthro's website.

Posted simultaneously to: wearability.posterous.com 

Not your average engagement photos

Engagement photos normally make me feel a bit nauseated, though modern-minded photographers these days are really trying hard to come up with new and original poses/backrounds/angles to make the photos seem fresh.  I came across this album my friend Erika (who, incidentally, lives in Singapore, though she's not ditzy like the girls featured in my previous post) posted on Facebook, and I had to do a double-take.  I'd never seen "engagement" done like this before!

I really like that they had so much fun with the shoot (done in her native Bali, Indonesia), dressing up, splashing around, hamming it up for the camera, and not taking themselves too seriously.  I especially love the first and last photos.