Happy faces

I'm not feeling as destructive about the end of summer as these pictures might depict. In fact, I feel I'm in for an adventure. or a few. This post might have been titled "Sad Hands" based on the first images, but I'm happy to say this is not a sad post.

It is, however a post on the ending of summer here in Helsinki. I accepted this fact a week ago when Flow Festival, something I had been looking forward to the whole spring/summer (plus earlier years when I was not old enough to make it XD), ended. Flow was quite an experience with its eccentricity all over people, structures and music selections, and which climaxed with Grimes's concert. Climax indeeeeeeeed.

Since I've posted about Grimes before, I wanted to post about my other favourite performance in Flow, namely that of Junip's. This Swedish band has truly beautiful music, which I only delved into properly over the summer, and which for me at least, acts as an example of how vocals can be a part of the music, not the main part of it. Of course I'm not saying that vocals should not be the focus of a song, but just that Junip has a great way of balancing melodic, instrumental parts with those with vocals, giving it dimensions. Below are two links for earsweet, both as tasty as the other, do enjoy!


What made Junip's performance so special was its intimacy. First of all, the sun had not quite set yet, meaning natural light surrounded the perfectly round stage, which provided just enough space for these music maker-artists. The audience sat peacefully on the amphitheatre-like seating, or on the ground, just a couple meters from the stage (any closer and you weren't going to be able to hear the next performance, Kraftwerk). The rest gathered at the back standing, no obvious shoving or elbows  involved. The down-to-earth approach was complete with the laid-back band casually hopping on and off the stage as any member of the audience would - no special tunnels, narrators or flashing lights in sight. Just a pure music performance.



As this is meant to be a happy post of adventure, I'd just like to clarify that the first pictures are not depicting death at all, although the last one with my Flow wristband being violated above my maths homework might seem it. I'm not being serious (ha ha!)Personally, I like flowers in their every stage, excluding the rotten phase when they smell bad and collect flies. Delicate and fragile orchids are pretty.

I'm looking upon the next year as an adventure, which very likely will make me curse mathematics and other subjects to hell, but eventually make me feel relieved. I'm going with the frame of thought, where you can only feel relieved if you've been burdened and that I might just become a superwoman once I've completed the IB.. whilst maintaining a social life. Awaiting that day and Paris, I wish you the best of autumn!

Hello,

said the sun after a four-month nap. The dust on my room's surfaces also said hello.

Milli-san

Fanny Latour-Lambert

Finding it hard to believe these photos and videos have been captured by a 19-year old girlie.

http://fannylatourlambert.blogspot.fi/
http://www.fannylatourlambert.com/

Playing with light

Light-lovers like me get creative this time of the year. 

Not only is it getting increasingly dark again both in the evenings and mornings, but also there's the rain that feels as pleasant as someone sneezing in your face (revolting). Luckily, I've been proactive with my schemes this time - instead of reminiscing on the summer in front of the television, I shall take advantage of every_single indoor (not convinced with the outdoors) activity I find remotely interesting. I'm talking art exhibitions, cosy cafés, music and catching up with movies I never get round to watching otherwise. I believe I'll fit in some ladylike tea parties in as well..

On Friday I visited Kiasma, the museum of contemporary arts here in Helsinki with my school's arts group. They'd just opened a new exhibition on the previous day and let me tell you it was great. Definitely going on a round #2! The amount of thought put into these works was amazing and I found myself stuck from my nose to the labels beside the works. Brilliant. 

I admit, exciting isn't what first comes to my mind when I think of late autumn, but hey, I'm being open-minded, which is just what our IB coordinator encourages. Challenge accepted.  

Champagne & Plastic Cups

The sky out is beautiful. Clouds of pink and orange blend in the blue background, softening the otherwise rough-looking construction sites, but hey, contrast my bag; Sweet and sour, flowers between pavements, in-your-face looks with an in-my-arms personality..

The scenery made me think of this dreamy song (and video!), by Grimes, which you can watch and listen to below. Plenty of contrast, she's got going there!

I hope I'd be busy enough to take it easy.

Clothes and Thoughts

 

Cheerio!

Here's an outfit post from Sunday afternoon, when I went to have a cup of tea with my super friend. Despite the cloudy weather, we were bubbling away on the terrace without a clue of the time - a real no-no when you have a history quiz the next day.. Anyway, two newcomers joined the jungle of my wardrobe: a pair of blue, thick jersey trousers and this silver ring. (Which got the response of "quite bondage" when I got home.) 

The trousers I welcome with open arms, as they're comfortable as anything, but don't resemble wintery under-armour too much due to the seaming and zippers along the waist. 

Yesterday evening I was doing my arts homework, which was to plan a studio work relating to our chosen theme. I was thinking about 21st century femininity and how women are supposed to act today. In the past, women's roles have always been clearly defined, but now, when every rule has been rebelled against, are we really able to choose what we would like to be? It brought to my mind a video I saw on youtube, where a young woman was talking about how she would like to go back in time and be the "ideal wife" with a bread-winning husband. She received some pretty harsh response - mostly from women. It made me question: Are we really free to be whatever we'd like to be?

Feeling Feline

My friend and I spent our Thursday evening in a less usual way. We attended an open-air cat film festival, where volunteers submitted and organised videos, that were projected on to a screen outside. Brilliant. To my understanding this was the first kitty festival in Finland, at least. More, more I say! If it isn't clear by now, I am a huge kitty fan and therefore couldn't believe my ears when I heard about it. I can haz film festival?!

Not only was the whole cat thing cool, but the fact that a cool DJ was playing music throughout the night   in the ugly-pretty surroundings was brill! Kalasatama is mostly building sites, rubble and graffiti-covered concrete plains with boats etc. just crumbling down in to the sea. It's a slight shame to see so many neglected things there, but I must say, they look kind of cool at the same time. Helsinki's East-side ghetto is just getting cooler and cooler in my eyes!

   

My bedtime is long-gone now.