life tip #1 | why you need to travel

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

― Saint Augustine of Hippo

“Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you've never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground.”

― Judith Thurman

Travelling is an art. Since Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo, travelogues have been a window into other worlds. Tales and imagery too exotic to be true, places so unfamiliar that they seem more dreamlike than real... this is the stuff of adventure. Doesn't mean you have to buy a one-way ticket to Timbuktu to experience the same thing! Just venture a little bit out of your comfort zone to start reaping the rewards of travel. Simply uprooting yourself and testing the waters of an unfamiliar place is something very personal: every individual adapts (or doesn't adapt) differently, we all approach new places and people with our unique predispositions and expectations. To travel is to explore yourself.

The world is not as big as it seems, but it's big enough that you'll never see all of it, no matter how hard you try. This certainly doesn't mean you shouldn't bother to explore it at all! So much ignorance is the result of lack of exposure to different people, places, and ideas.

Make 2013 your year to be bold, to attempt a bit of travel, no matter how small. Go explore a new town, visit friends who live in another state (or better yet, country!). Take a road trip; get a passport. Go find yourself!

the invisible war: rape prevalent in U.S. military

More than 20 percent of active-duty servicewomen are sexually assaulted.

Since 2006, more than 95,000 service members have been sexually assaulted in the U.S. military.

More than 86% of service members do not report their assault.

Less than five percent of all sexual assaults are put forward for prosecution, and less than a third of those cases result in imprisonment.

We highly recommend watching this documentary, The Invisible War, which was released in October of this year. Directed by Kirby Dick, it shines light on the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military, letting actual victims tell their stories. The lack of concern that these women were shown after they were raped is shocking. When each and every one came forward to report the crimes, they faced "a second assault": commanding officers who either don't believe them or who refuse to do anything about the crime.

ABC News says: as terrible as the rape was, the repercussions were almost as horrendous -- women were accused of adultery (if the perpetrator happened to be married) or "conduct unbecoming an officer." They lost rank, they were accused of having "set up the men." When one of the women reported a rape -- the third that week in one particular unit -- she was asked, "You girls think this is a game; are you all in cahoots?"

Many of our closet NATO allies no longer allow commanders to determine the prosecution of sexual assault crimes, yet within the U.S. military, where rape has become so prevalent that a female soldier is now more likely to be raped by one of her fellow soldiers than killed in combat, many women are finding themselves trapped because the person in the chain of command to whom they should report the crime is either a friend of the rapist (in 33% of case) or the rapist himself (in 25% of cases).

The most horrifying account which comes to light in this film is the story of Kori Cioca, who is still dealing with a major jaw injury inflicted when her rapist hit her in the face.

In February 2011, seventeen United States veterans filed suit against the Pentagon and defense secretary Robert Gates and former secretary Donald Rumsfeld, alleging that they allowed a culture in the military where rape was unevenly reported and punished. In several of the plaintiffs' cases, the victim was forced to work with the accused rapist after reporting them for sexual assault. Unit commanders often have heavy influence over military rape cases, and less than one in five cases are prosecuted (from Wikipedia). In December 2011, the Court dismissed the survivors' lawsuit ruling that rape is an occupational hazard of military service. An appeal has been filed.

Invisible No More is a non-partisan coalition working to end sexual assault within the U.S. military and to help survivors of Military Sexual Assault heal.. You can visit their website to learn more and get involved.

Also check out some of these related news articles: "Sexual assaults in military bring shame, not action" in USA Today and "Sexual Violence and the Military" in the NY Times.

raven + lily: empowering women worldwide

I just discovered a jewelry and accessories company called Raven + Lily, which sells some very beautiful, interesting pieces. The more interesting part of this company is how they operate: they employ marginalized women, providing them with sustainable economic opportunities, and their proceeds also fund healthcare and literacy programs for women and children in this community.

A lot of their jewelry is made in Ethiopia from melted bullet casings and recycled metals such as copper and brass. The women who handmake these pieces are HIV-positive women, a very marginalized group in Ethiopia. Due to its unique nature, much of the jewelry will antique over time.

Definitely check out their blog, which details their travels to the localities in which they've established all of these fantastic cooperatives.

They have clothing items as well - scarves and t-shirts. They also have accessories likes bags and journals. Their Uzma Travel Journals are handmade 100% recycled cotton paper and textiles by marginalized women in Northern India. Proceeds from this collection go to fund literacy programs for the women artisans and children in the community. They're absolutely beautiful, I've already nabbed a couple for Christmas gifts. I love fair trade shopping, and I love knowing that there's a story behind an item. Empowering women in poorer nations is a cause that remains particularly close to my heart. I truly believe that greater equality for women will mean a more peaceful planet; in fact, I recently wrote a paper for a class I'm taking (Cross-Cultural Psychology) in which I found a number of studies that illustrate how societies with strictly-enforced gender roles and sexism tend to have higher levels of male aggression and are more likely to dissolve into war.

Currently, the three regions in which R+L operates are northern India, Ethiopia, and Cambodia. They're a member of another organization I've never heard of, the Ethical Fashion Forum’s 500 Fellows around the globe, which is apparently "an exclusive group of 500 of the world’s foremost innovators and leaders in the fashion sector."

“by nord” designs: gorgeous scandinavian aesthetic

I am in love with By Nord.  The Copenhagen-based company was founded in 2008, and has truly mastered the beautiful, natural simplicity of the Scandinavian aesthetic.  Embracing light and nature elements like wood, water, cotton, pottery, and plants, By Nord’s products encompass the idea of creating a home which embraces the outside world, even invites the elements of the surrounding environment in.  Everything is made organically, with no dangerous added chemicals or artificial materials.

Probably their most popular product at the moment, By Nord’s gorgeous duvet covers each showcase a striking greyscale photograph of a northern-dwelling animal, and each is paired with a pillowcase (sold separately) that reads like an Arctic wildlife guide.

Wouldn’t you know it, the company also makes tea!  I was unable to find descriptions of what’s actually in each blend, but the titles are thrilling: Deep Forest, White Energy, Morning Breeze…  I’m also in love with their throws, all of which are chunky and think-knit.  The colors are soft browns and blues, and the fabrics are wool or cotton.

By Nord incorporates nature photography into nearly all its bedding designs.  They have a huge assortment of pillowcases which evoke a rainy-day scene of the rugged Scandinavian terrain or of the equally rugged animals which dwell there, from reindeer to Icelandic ponies.

You have to check out their catalog to see some of the gorgeous photos, as well as their full collection of household items.  If you fall in love with the Scandinavian aesthetic as I have, I also recommend checking out the French store Boutique Scandinave, as well as the Stockholm Design Lab.

“doom and gloom” by the rolling stones

I love the Rolling Stones, and true love lasts a lifetime… so I am so happy that they’ve finally released a song since the 70s that I like. Though it certainly can’t compare to their original material, it’s pretty damn catchy.

The music video (which, unfortunately, you need to be 18 to see because there’s about a half second of bare breasts… yay America…) has also renewed my trust in the Stones as troublemakers. It’s dirty and disgusting and sexy and I keep coming back for more. Noomi Rapace, the original ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,’ stars as some kind of alter-ego for Mick Jagger, and you get to see her in all kinds of disarray. Bloodied and flicking off the camera, lingerie-clad and dousing herself (and a room full of hundred-dollar bills) with gasoline, dancing in stilettos in the rain… her unusual and haunting beauty is perfect for this video. Must-see for lovers and non-lovers (though I’m not sure that they exist) of the Stones.

beasts of the southern wild: why you MUST buy this film tomorrow

Or rent. Or buy the soundtrack. Or watch illegally online. Whatever your preferred method, get your hands on this film in some way!

'Beasts of the Southern Wild' has been hailed as one of the year's best films, 'miraculous', 'strikingly beautiful and haunting', and 'startlingly original.' It's quite a bit different (and better!) than your typical post-apocalyptic film; it also, with its simplicity and scope, puts most Hollywood-produced films to shame.

The story begins with a little girl, Hushpuppy, living with her half-drunk and dying father in an abandoned, water-soaked dump called the Bathtub. This takes place in the tangible future, when sea levels have risen and water covers most of the southern United States. The few inhabitants of the Bathtub survive off scraps but live intimately with the land, refusing to leave it though they are constantly in danger of waking up one day and finding themselves underwater. As the ice caps continue to melt, ancient frozen monsters called 'aurochs' are waking up and moving towards the Bathtub. Little Hushpuppy tries desperately to make the world right as her father's health worsens and the universe falls apart around her. (Watch the trailer here.)

This film is proof that low-budget independent films can be far better than those churned out of the Hollywood machine. The 6-year old star, Quvenzhane Wallis, has been called a 'force of nature' and 100% carries the film. This young actress, in her first ever acting job, is absolutely superior to the majority of Hollywood actors out there. Her raw talent and reflective narration, through the wisdom of a child, will touch your mind and soul. Dwight Henry, who plays Wallis' father, is also a first-time actor (he's actually a New Orleans cafe owner) and is outstanding. This is director Benh Zeitlin's first feature film. And yet, with all these firsts, 'Beasts' is hands-down one of the best and most moving films I've ever seen. There are so many ways that it breaks apart and pieces back together your heart, but the most striking for me was the film's transformation of humanity's relationship with nature into the simplified and breathtaking interaction of little Hushpuppy and the aurochs. It is stunning, humbling, and inspiring. Despite all the forces that toss our little, fragile human bodies around in this great, powerful world, we are still so strong and unique and irreplaceable. In the words of Hushpuppy, 'I see that I'm a little piece of a big, big universe and that makes things right.'

As you can probably tell, I could go on forever... but I have just a couple more points. This film is (in my interpretation) one of the best and most moving allegories for global climate change that I've ever seen. That's my opinion, and you can interpret the movie as you see fit. But I saw a humbling and inspiring metaphor for human causes of environmental disaster, the need for people to realize that they are a part of the environment too, and the promise of harmony between man and nature. Last point: as I mentioned above, the soundtrack is worth your investment too. One of the best ever. Listen to 'Once There Was a Hushpuppy' and you'll be heartbroken or inspired (or both) before you even see the film.

'Beasts' is going to be available on DVD and Blu-Ray tomorrow, December 4, on iTunes, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, and the like. MUST SEE!!!

must-see documentary on global warming - chasing ice

I hadn't heard of this film until I read about it in Elle's December issue, but I'm determined to go and see it now! This film charts the spring 2005 mission that environmental photographer James Balog went on to document the changing climate of the Arctic. On assignment from National Geographic, he managed to gather "undeniable evidence of our changing planet." Chasing Ice is the chronicle of what Balog found when he and a band of young adventurers set out to document climate change with the use of 25 cameras which took pictures every hour for three years in various locations around the Arctic. Using these "revolutionary time-lapse cameras... to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers."

"I never imagined that you could see glaciers this big disappearing in such a short time," Balog says.

This is from the website:

As the debate polarizes America and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Balog finds himself at the end of his tether. Battling untested technology in subzero conditions, he comes face to face with his own mortality. It takes years for Balog to see the fruits of his labor. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Chasing Ice depicts a photographer trying to deliver evidence and hope to our carbon-powered planet.

A cool sidenote on this film: the documentary score is complimented by a hauntingly beautiful song, "Before My Time" by J. Ralph, which Scarlett Johansson sings over the credits (see video below). It's an eerie addition to the frightening images of entire sheets of ice vanishing in a matter of months.

life of pi

‘Life of Pi’ is one of my favourite books; I think it is one of the richest and most colorful tales anyone has ever put into the form of black letters on white paper. Though one of the intrinsic draws of the book is the unanswerable question of whether Pi has told his story truthfully or has fabricated the entire thing – no one can ever know which is the case – the book taught me much about myself and my relation to the world, especially animals. We (the readers) love to believe Pi’s story because we see how possible it is on a personal and natural level. Martel describes a relationship between man and animal that is fiercely accurate. We are animals, and share a bond with animals on that very basic but beautiful level. But does our sense of reason and compassion extend to animals as well? Or do they act exclusively on instinct? This is the fundamental question Pi (through Martel) focuses on in his story.

At the very surface, I don’t believe that Life of Pi lived up to the claims that it is the ‘new Avatar’ – though the story is much better than Avatar’s. It is visually stunning, as I expected it to be, but it somehow did not do justice to the gorgeous and fantastical scenes that played through my mind as I read the book. However, it was indeed fascinating to see the white of the lifeboat against the immense colours of the Pacific, the floating carnivorous island, and a thin Indian boy side-by-side with a beautiful Bengal tiger. The acting was good: Suraj Sharma (who plays Pi) did an excellent job portraying Pi’s emotions during his ordeal. Irrfan Khan (adult Pi) was also very moving and believable.

Despite all this, I have never found any film adaptation to be as good as the original book, and this film is not an exception. Somehow, reading a book is so much more personal than watching a 2-hour film. Maybe it’s the valued time that I dedicate to reading a book; maybe it’s the full descriptions, or the insight into characters’ minds. I just know that I am moved much more deeply by books than I am by their film adaptations. This was the case with Life of Pi. It certainly did not make me sob like I did when I finished the book! I also believe that condensing the story (as was necessary for the film) reduces the viewer’s appreciation for young Pi’s survival at sea, which is truly astonishing. However, I certainly recommend seeing the movie: it is a beautiful portrayal of Pi’s story, and again made me reflect upon our incredible relationship with animals and nature.

victoria's secret fashion show - it's almost here!

Who else is uncontrollably excited for the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show? This has got to be one of my favourite days of the year. I think it should be a national holiday and everyone should just get the day off. However, since our government doesn't seem to sympathize, I hope I can still find a way to get the night off work and throw some kind of lingerie/Pink party and drink champagne.

This year, VSFS is scheduled to broadcast on Tuesday, December 4 at 10 ET. It'll be shown on CBS. Unfortunately for us mortals, the show already took place on November 7 to a select live audience, but we won't be allowed to watch the entire show until December 4. Rihanna and Justin Bieber headlined. Miranda, Adriana, Candice, Alessandra, and dozens of other out-of-this-world models strode down the runway mostly nude for millions to see. Even though I wouldn't classify the Victoria's Secret show as a real fashion show, it is one of the most glamorous, fun, and sexy nights on television - and made much more special because it only happens once a year!

The show is always divided into different segments with individual themes. My favourite last year was 'I Put a Spell on You', in which the models wore boudoir-noir, classically inspired balconette bras, corsets, long gloves, and bows. The fun bit of the VSFS - aside from the truly perfect models and celebrity musical highlights - is the variety that encompasses all the themes and outfits. There is lingerie that is drop-dead sexy, playful, girly, tough, delicate, and wicked. Every outfit is marvelous and novel, even though some (most?) are a little bizarre.

I hope to have time to watch the shows from past years that I missed (which I found links to here, though you can also find broken-up versions on youtube) before this year's show. Comment with recommendations! I've only seen those from the past couple of years. I can't wait to get into the shows from the 90's - that sounds like too much fun.

Make sure you check back here to keep updated: we have a countdown to the VSFS air date at the very bottom of this blog, and we will DEFINITELY be posting the night of. See you then!!

thanksgiving day surprise: secret pie crust recipe

Happy Thanksgiving from ZABELIETH!  I've got a little surprise in store for you:

Apparently pie crust is something that has garnered a reputation as being a challenge that only the more experiences and confident chefs take on.  The reality is that this is an incredibly simple thing to make, and since it's Thanksgiving, I'm going to share with you my mother's original recipe for an easy pie crust.

All you need:

Two cups of flour, two sticks of butter, three tablespoons of water, and a food processor.

Start my measuring the flour, but be sure not to pack it tightly into the measuring cup.  Instead, take a spoon and really loosen the flour in the bag by giving it a few fluffs before scooping it into a measuring cup, a spoonful at a time.  You can tap the measuring cup on the side to level the flour a bit for the sake of measuring, but let it remain as light and airy as possible, don't press it down or pack it in at all.

Dump the flour into a food processor.  Then grab the butter out of the fridge (it should be chilled, don't leave it out on the counter to soften or anything beforehand).  Like you're slicing a banana for a smoothie, just cut it up so that the pieces going into the food processor are about 1/2-inch thick slices.

Pulse it in the food processor.  Don't let it run long at all, just turn it on in quick bursts before letting the mixture re-settle.  As it starts to stick and build up around the walls of the food processor, you can give the machine a shake to loosen the batter up.  After a minute or two, once the mixture sticking to the food processor walls is getting pretty high, stop and add three tablespoons of VERY COLD (like, water that was sitting in ice) water.  Then go back to pulsing, and in seconds you'll see the mixture starting to roll together into a big dough ball.

Take out the dough, trying not to handle it too much, and put it on a lightly-floured surface.  Roll it in the flour, then use a rolling pin to flatten it out until you've got a sheet of dough that's wide enough to cover your pie dish.  Carefully lay this inside the pie dish (you might want to fold it in half first in order to transfer it to the pie dish without it tearing), easing it into the space so that it's lining the dish.  You can trim around the edge if you have a lot of overhang, and then just fold over (outward) and tuck in the edges of the dough sheet to make a fun, pretty rim along the edge of the pie dish.

Hey, look, you're done!  Was that easy or what?  Now just fill it with whatever... pumpkin pie filling?  Blueberry?  Apple??  Mmmmmm.... happy Thanksgiving!

scent of the season: bottega veneta

I am obsessed with this scent! Bottega Veneta's eau de parfum is the perfect scent for the winter season. Tomas Maier, the creative director, describes the inspiration for this scent as being "an old house... I envisioned a room with old wood floors, library walls and leather-bound books with the windows open wide, the breeze coming in... That’s where we started."

The perfume is composed as follows:

Top notes: plum, Italian bergamot & Brazilian pink pepper
Heart notes: Indian Sambac jasmine, oakmoss & patchouli
Base note: leather accord

The surprising whiff of plum is my favorite part, especially in such a musky, woodsy, almost masculine or cologne-like perfume. I love how Scentsate's review describes the way the scent evolves over time after application:

"The opening is the most beautiful. Not only is it the most overtly leathery part of the fragrance, but it brings with it a decadent outburst of plum. This effect lasts for about half an hour, impressive for top notes.

"It gets sweeter towards the heart, half-an-hour in. This is where the pepper and rose become more noticeable. Bottega Veneta has been described as a chypre, and I don’t think this is technically incorrect. Lots of perfumes contain the ubiquitous chypre triad of labdanum, bergamot, and oakmoss. But it is featured softly, as an accent rather than the main show. The heart reminds me a little of the 2008 Chloe with the softness and the transparent rose. But it’s better than Chloe, and remains dusky and soft.

"Towards the aforementioned forever-lasting end, all of the accents fade, and you are left with a lovely suede rose. The best thing about Bottega Veneta probably the natural feel of the leather note. Somehow it feels like you are actually wearing kidskin gloves, instead of just having sprayed chemicals on your wrist."

This is certainly on my Christmas list. Don't you love it when you discover a perfume that connects with you, something that you want to wear alone, without clothes to smother it. Just as Marilyn Monroe said in an interview...

"You know they ask you questions," Monroe said during an April 1960 interview with French journalist Georges Belmont. "Just an example: 'What do you wear to bed? Do you wear a pajama top, the bottoms of the pajamas, or a nightgown?' So I said, 'Chanel No. 5!' Because it's the truth! And yet I don't want to say 'nude,' you know? But it's the truth." For more on Marilyn Monroe and Chanel, check out this article.

rihanna fever

We love Rihanna! In GQ's December issue, which was just released, she poses nude and shows off her newest tattoo (read the full article here, see one of the spread's photos to the left), which is a thickly-inked angel with wings outspread below her breasts. Especially racy as of late, she's been on tour for her newest album, aptly named Unapologetic.

Today, at 4:00 pm EST, check out a live exclusive from Rihanna's 777 tour on Facebook here! River Island (a British store we love!) is providing this awesome footage. The tour is cleverly named for the fact that Unapologetic is her seventh album. Also, it was just released... today! Check it out on iTunes - "Diamond" has already become a hit single (check out the music video!), but we also encourage you to listen to "Stay" (Eli's fave) and "What Now."

Also be sure to check out River Island's Rihanna t-shirts! We like this one.

<3

crêpes, mais oui!

I've always been a fan of breakfast for dinner, and last night we made a massive stack of crêpes for two, using the following recipe:

Flour: 1 cup

Eggs: 2

Skim milk: 1/2 cup

Water: 1/2 cup

Sugar: 1/4 cup

Whisk everything together, prepare a skillet with some cooking spray, and scoop up a 1/4-cup of batter to pour into the pan for each crepe.

The trick of the trade for making these delectable thin French pancakes is to pick up and angle the pan in a circular motion, allowing the batter to spread around and coat the bottom of the pan. Keep making it move around until it's all stuck in place and no longer spreads.

From this point onward they cook pretty quickly, so have a spatula ready to slip under them and give 'em a flip. Stack the finished ones, and once all the batter is gone... feast!!

We made ourselves a topping station - an assortment of jellies and jams, blueberries (both fresh and frozen), raspberries, and some chocolate hazelnut spread. YUM! The best part of making crêpes is personalizing them: adding the filling, rolling them or folding them, decorating them, choosing a side (fruit? ice cream?)...

We made a HUGE stack of these, and were expecting to save some. HA! They were all gone within the first half hour of Love Actually.

anna karenina now showing nowhere?

Let's talk about this. All the theaters - ALL - have had posters up for weeks advertising the arrival of Anna Karenina, which stars Keira Knightley alongside Jude Law (who plays Anna's husband) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who plays Anna's lover, Count Vronsky, and who we remember as the sexy dreadlocked protagonist in Savages).

The release date has come and gone now, and the nearest theater that has this movie is over 200 miles away! If you don't live in or just outside of a major city, you won't be able to see this film. We had no idea it was going to be one of those infamous "limited" movies after all the hype it was getting!

Well, we'll just have to wait for it to come out on DVD, or go see it when we're back in Chicago for the upcoming holidays...

Pretty big bummer. If you were one of the lucky few able to see it, tell us what you thought! We will be super envious of all comments, even if the movie sucked. ;D

UPDATE (12/01): Anna Karenina has opened for wider release!! Still nothing where we are, but quite a few more theatres are showing it now. Check for a location near you at Focus Features' website.