Mylayne's birds

Jean-Luc Mylayne's photography of common European birds, published by Twin Palms Publishers for his 2007 Houston exhibit, is beautiful. The artist shoots very little, dedicating his time to observing and getting acquainted with his models until he can shoot them from very close, once they are no longer afraid of his busy self. Each photography is patiently composed and shot to achieve a pictural effect, after which the bird usually flies away, never be seen again.

(photo: Jean-Luc Mylayne)

Custom LLBean Tote

My summer 09 custom version of the classic tote: blue body, black bottom, yellow handles & monograming.

The Big Easy

Unlike any other city in the United States, New Orleans is a refuge from the visual, moral and social aggressiveness of America’s best friends: “textbook middle class” standards & corporate consumption.
New Orleans is poor, wild, hot, haunted, free, proud; nicknamed the third world of the US, it houses the most extreme people, the freaks, the hard-core liberals, the music junkies, and generally all those who chose the road less traveled. The Beat generation was here, shooting in the garden district. Any local will tell you the city is haunted, and not just by the ghosts of Faulkner, Tennessee Williams or Anne Rice.
You can drive in decrepit neighborhoods where people still live as in 1950 and end in the best bar you could imagine, better than a nightmare experience by David Lynch, the music, the light, the pool table, the whole thing will blow your mind. Every street corner is a visual experience.
I lived in New Orleans from 1998 to 2000 and it remains one of my most moving memories. This is my first trip back.
(art by Banksy in New Orleans)

Embossing

Instead of corresponding with traditional printed cards and stationary, I like to apply a "dry seal" using a clamp-like embossing device, which creates a permanent relief on any paper, card or book. It looks beautiful, enhances the texture of paper, like a Braille drawing, and feels much more mysterious and unique.

Futura & Garamond

The original Garamond typeface became widespread when the French court of Francis I started using it for their printing, in the 1540's. It was originally commissioned as a Greek typeface and known as the "Grec du Roi". Obviously, the typeface has travelled throughout Europe and has been copied many times, offering today an array of various Garamond type.
The futura typeface was create by Paul Renner in the 1920's. It was said to be Stanley Kubrick's favorite font.

Shiso

I planted my own shiso recently with seeds sent to me from Japan. It's quite the patience test, it grows very slowly and will surely be eaten very quickly. Even the tomatoes and figs outside my windows are growing faster!

Shells

While waiting for the real stuff (in August)...

Flip Flops

The French company La Sarraizienne was the original maker of the famous "méduse" (jellyfish) shoes worn by kids since the 50s and reproduced by others ever since. My mom had found the weirdest style, she would actually wear them with socks in the summer, and it looked quite interesting.
La Sarraizienne also manufactured these all rubber flip flops which are by far the finest I've found. The rubber is very soft and flexible, the sole is perfectly shaped, the colors are great. I bought my first pair, in all white, on a farmers market in Bretagne. The old man warned me that the company had closed since 2003 and these were the very last pairs. He didn't lie, it took me forever to find an old stock, sold by a British website (link included).

Moon

Today the moon is full in Paris. My poetic iphone widget "Moonphase" gave out the werewolf alert.

Bumper stickers

I ♥ bumper stickers.