I'm baaaaack...

Cue maniacal laughter? Err..

Well, wasn't that nearly-two-year hiatus fun. (!? Where does time go?) In the meantime, I attempted another blog somewhat similar to this one that essentially shared recipes and crafts, but I go in phases with that. Hence, its sudden demise. And yet here, silently floating on, is little red fish. I think it's time to get back into this thing.

Previously, it was a free-for-all "this is what I like" blog. Everything from recipes to movies to what I was wearing, trips I took, tea I drank. You get the picture. It's still going to be pretty much that. Additionally, events have taken a turn since November 2010... I'm going back to college! That's right, I've been accepted into the technical art history masters program at the University of Glasgow (Scotland! I know, right?) !!! I don't know, can you tell I'm pumped?

Things are going to start getting exciting around here. So look for lots of news about that, and all sorts of crazy, fun things I find and want to share before and after I get there.

Notes on a Small Island by Bill Bryson (William Morrow, 1997).

Partly in honor of my reaffirmed obsession interest in the UK, I picked up Bill Bryson's travel lit for the first time and have to say it's a) hilarious, and b) well worth a read, whether you've been to the UK or not. Particularly since he is an American who lived there for 20 years, his perspective is pretty much squared up with mine. Loving it so far. Humor and adventure and mishaps along the way. Real travel! And of course, a great read.

afar magazine.

i just discovered afar magazine, a relatively new magazine (premier issue pictured above) by founders greg sullivan and joe diaz. my dad had the first anniversary (september/october 2010) copy that he let me peruse, and let's just say it tapped into my wanderlust a little. i really love how the concept is to travel "experientially." is that even a word? ;)

there really is something to that idea -- it's so easy to travel very far from home and feel altogether as if you've only driven down the street. the same restaurants pock the corners, the same cars zoom past on the roads. english pervades almost every metropolitan area.

i'll be the first to admit that in my little bit of traveling -- mostly around the states and a couple times to western europe -- i've not gotten much out of the "americanized" western world. the closest i got was a trip to greece. athens was one thing. that was the first time i ever felt like i might be getting out of my element. the point is, that's just the tip of the iceberg. there is sooo much more to see, but it's so easy to get stuck on the well-beaten path. traveling is hard work. it's tempting to want to stick to the tried-and-true.

what i like about afar is that it's travel stories with a twist. the september/october issue includes articles on nigeria's film industry (nollywood!), and istanbul through the architectural lens of royal architect sinan.

it's good stuff. like i said -- wanderlust. :)

sol lewitt installation: complete!

via gothamist

the 59th street / columbus circle station in new york city has a newly completed sol lewitt installation. looks like a party, doesn't it! it's called "whirls and twirls (mta)." i love station art, having first been turned on to it on the london underground. new york just got a real gem of a work here. check out the link above for more information about the project, and other events involving sol lewitt going on right now in nyc. :)

and speaking of london...

i've been there twice now within the last three years. the first time i studied there for college and spent about three months hanging around the west end for the most part. i just went back this past may with a friend and a little bit by myself, basically revisiting old sites, but exploring quite a bit more too. but OH! how i wish i was going to be there on the 19th! september 19 - 27 is the 2009 london design festival with everything from trafalgar square installations to museum shows, student exhibitions and craft sales! this is DEFINITELY something i'm keeping in mind for next year, and years to come...

cultural center in lille, fr.

via yatzer

i think community arts and culture centers are so important to neighborhoods and cities. i don't have much of one here; at least not a central one like some places, or like this one above in lille, france. lille 3000, designed by franklin azzi architects, they turned an old railway station, gare saint-sauveur into an arts center and cafe. it is totally rad! i had to show the photo above because my favorite part about the cafe is the fluroescent lighting, and other photos show it elsewhere too. Gallery space, theatre, outdoor pavement... how much cooler can you get? i would practically live in this place if i was in lille.