Hands down my favorite class I took in college was a film studies course on the cinema of Australia and New Zealand. Thanks to my amazing teacher, Mrs. Paula Massood, I was exposed to a collection of incredible pictures that I probably would never have seen, or perhaps even heard of, without her guiding hand (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert not withstanding...) Still, for every movie we screened, there were at least two or three more that we read about but were unable to watch, either due to time constraints, availability in the US/on the correct DVD region (stupidest, stupidest system EVER), or both. I'm still dying to track down Vincent Ward's Vigil!
Such obstacles aside, I've been trying to play a little catch up with my Australian cinema, starting with the seminal coming-of-age-in-the-outback effort The Year My Voice Broke, and ending up most recently on Gillian Armstrong's My Brilliant Career. In class, much of our discussion of the film centered upon the fact that the story was more than a bit of a fantasy, since painfully few women of the time living in the bush had any such possibility of escape as the main character eventually finds--but nevermind, it's an awfully nice idea! Judy Davis is, to quote Hannah, an Australian Anne of Green Gables--all straw boaters and haughty glares and that shocking mane of hair. And can we just talk about Sam Neil, in period dress, in all his 25-year-old glory??
Last week while looking around for images to go with my Brie et Char interview I came across this set of original lobby cards for the film being sold on bidStart. Would that I had the cool $89.95 it takes to make these babies my own!
Hope you guys had a great long weekend (or even just a regular one!) I had Tuesday off as well so mine was extra looong. However--I put my time to good use, namely by finally finishing up editing all the Super8 footage I took during my trip with the Pains to Japan, Australia and New Zealand back in February (see photos posts here, here and here.) It was really hard cramming all the highlights into 2:40 (guess that's what I get for choosing the shortest song off their album?) but I think I got most of the best bits in there!
Anyways, I hope you like it! I encourage you to click through and watch it a bit bigger/better quality if you have the time. Also, and I can't say this enough: thank you a million times over to everyone in the band and to everyone who helped make our trip possible. Here's to the memoriessss!!
P.S. I put together a post talking a bit about Super8 last year, but if you guys have any other questions please feel free to ask away! I was fortunate this time to shoot on a borrowed Canon 518, which is a camera I'd really like to own myself and a great, basic, easy to use model.
I woke up bright and early this morning to Skype-interview Sari De-Mallory, one of the members of the WORTHIS design collective responsible for creating these amazing bags. The Ikat fabric is painstakingly crafted in India, and each bag is hand sewn, one at a time, in Melbourne by Sari herself (who is beyond adorable and is pictured above.) Good stuff!
A couple of days ago, I received the sweetest package in the mail, all the way from New Zealand. In it was a copy of the Frankie Photo Album, along with the May/June issue of Frankie Magazine and a (handwritten!) note from Holly at Frankie. Since it can be a bit elusive here in the states, I'm awfully excited whenever I come across Frankie (and back in February I spent quite some time in the Melbourne Mag Nation pawing through back issues!)
The Photo Album has been on my wishlist ever since I heard about its coming out. The photography in the magazine is always so perfectly gentle and tasteful, and I knew any collection they'd had a hand in curating couldn't be anything short of magic. Above are just a few of my favorite pages, but honestly, there isn't a bad egg in the bunch--not even close. Thanks Holly, and thanks Frankie!! And thanks to all the photographers featured in the Album for capturing such beautiful, simple, funny, strange moments for all of us to see.
Oops! I went a little MIA over the weekend, but all will be explained imminently, I promise...
In the meantime, I wanted to show you a clip from that Super8 footage I talked up so much right after I got back from my time in Japan/Australia/New Zealand with The Pains. Five months later I'm still working on putting it together, due to laziness and technical difficulties (mostly laziness.) This is a little snippet from our time in Melbourne, and it's totally unedited and uncut so apologies if it's a bit choppy. I'm also going to be uploading the finished product to Vimeo in hopes of preserving a bit more of the quality. Can't wait to show you the real deal when it's all finished!
P.S. The winner of Tabio giveaway was Katie of Are You Awake! Congrats!
First Garance, now Tommy--good thing there seems to be more than enough Stevie wonder to go around (oooooh snap!!) See more photos, and read all about Ms. Dance's favorite things, on Jak & Jil.
P.S. Ok lady, you know I love you, we've established that. Now could you kindly let me know when the frick RUSSH #33 is gonna finally hit our fair shores??
How great are these Anna & Boy bathing caps from their Summer 2010/2011 runway??? Holy god, they're like a dream come true--and they beat the hell out of any vintage version I've ever seen! Throw in that pair of matching bikini bottoms and you've got yourself a deal... (backstage photos via Vogue Australia, detail shots via Fashionizing)
Just in case there's anyone left out there who hasn't had their fill of our travel photos, Alex recently put up all his medium format Yashica pictures from both Japan and Australia/New Zealand (including this shot of me blissing out in Melbourne, wearing what appear to be epicly endless mom-jeans. They were actually epicly short mom-jeans shorts, but the frame conveniently ends just before my legs began!)
There's some real gems in there, so have a look if you've got the time <3.
(P.S. the rest of my photos are here,here and here.)
Here it is: the last set of photos from the tour, our Australia and New Zealand leg. We had about a week in Australia, and only three or for days in New Zealand, but they were filled with sun and wind and summer. Looking at these photos right now is both heartening and painful, as the bizarrely warm weather in NYC that had everyone getting their ya-yas out last week has disappeared as fast as it came. Barf.
Anyways...enjoy!!
Outside our hotel in Melbourne, which was on Gertrude St. Saltwaters ahoy!
Oh my god you guys, I nearly forgot! I totally saw THIS DUDE!!!That day or the next, just walkin' down the street, hair bobbing in the breeze. Mission accomplished.
The afternoon we arrived, we were invited to a BBQ at the Summer Cats' house, who happen to be the nicest dudes ever. We were fed prawns that may or may not have been cooked on a...ahem...barbie...
...and treated to some serious Aussie-style hospitality. Coopers!! (Don't forget to roll it!)
I saw this amazing necklace made of a million mini-Kaisers in the window of a little shop on Gertrude St.
Both the shows in Melbourne were at the East Brunswick Club, which was awesome because they offered us free food, which was all amazing. Warm chocolate brownies two nights in a row? Check. Here we're on our way to check out the Savers on Sydney Rd. after sound check.
The old buildings in Melbourne are amazing, so many ornate facades and lattice work. These are a couple on Sydney Rd.
Walking back from Sydney Rd. It felt so good to be somewhere where people can have actual gardens and front yards again.
Part of downtown Melbourne peeping through the trees in Carlton Gardens.
An amazing John Candy window shade we saw on the way to buy Alex some more medium format film, I think on Swanston St.?
Cooling my jets across from the National Gallery.
Lyin' back, lookin' up, driftin' off.
The next day the dudes played an in-store show at Polyester Records, where the lovely Elizabeth came and said hey to me--thanks again, it was so great to finally meet you :n )
Setting up before the Polyester in-store. The set was a little delayed because of a broken guitar string, but all was saved in the end.
Kip's peddle board, affectionately known as the "Painbow", in action.
The next day, while the band flew to Perth, I ended up staying in Melbourne. Which was a-ok, because I got to go to the Royal Botanic Gardens and learn a thing or two about Australian Flora.
This is the eternal flame that burns outside the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. This seemed incredibly dangerous to my pampered American self, but also totally badass. Like, yeah, we've got large open flames in public places that never stop burning!! Fuckin' Aussie!!!
An American Apparel in Sydney getting prepped for Mardi Gras.
Morning light in our Sydney hotel room. It was kind of creepy sleeping next to an enormous mirror, but it made sleepy self portraits a real breeze.
Ok, maybe someone who lives in Sydney can explain to me what was going on here? All I know is that this was literally the most old people I've ever seen congregate in one area, it was like a sea of pastels! And then they all started going inside at the same time...
We ended up spending most of our day off in Sydney at Taronga Zoo, which was maybe a questionable decision, but hell, we wanted to see some Koalas ok?? Anyways, this is a view of the Opera House from the ferry we took to Koala Town.
Alex/Opera House face-off.
No clue why these last two came out so greenish and groovy looking, but I'm cool with it.
New Zealand!! Sadly, I don't have that many photos from our stay, since we were really just passing through, and I was kind of burnt out on lugging my camera around...but this was at Mission Bay in Auckland. Whole swatches of the beach were made up of these beautiful piles of shells.
At the top of Mt. Eden, looking down into the Crater. There's a surprise down there!
The view of Auckland from Mt. Eden, looking out towards volcanic Rangitoto Island.
In our room in Wellington. Oooh Wellington! I fell in love with the place, even though we had less than 24 hours there. Our hotel was right on Cuba St., and I stopped into Good As Gold and fondled some Funkis. Side note:, this sweet cat shirt was courtesy of an amazing vintage shop we found in Harajuku where everything was 700 Yen, or about $7.00 US.
Wellington at Sunset. I'm determined to get back here some day! It seriously blew my mind.
Aaaand...scene!
Ooh, I do want to say a quick thank you to both the sweet ladies who came and said hi to me during the shows in Auckland and Wellington. Like a true ass, I have forgotten your names, but it was so incredibly nice to talk to you, or at least yell at you over some indie rock 'n roll. Hearts to both of yous! And of course, thanks in general for all the sweet comments on these posts, I'm glad if I could inspire a little, or a lot, of wanderlust in you all!
