I have to admit, I love cats. I have had four in my life. Two are still alive while the other two sadly passed. So when I got this book to review I was pretty excited.
This is what the dust cover says, “Caroline Paul was recovering from a bad accident and thought things couldn’t get worse. But then her beloved cat Tibia disappeared. She and her partner, illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, mourned his loss. Yet weeks later, Tibia waltzed back into their lives. His owners were overjoyed. But they were also…jealous? Betrayed? Where had their sweet anxious cat disappeared to? Had he become a swashbuckling cat adventurer? Did he lovesomeone else more? His owners were determined to find out.
Using GPS technology, cat cameras, psychics, the web, and animal communicators, the authors of Lost Cat embarked on a quest to discover what their cat did when they weren’t around. Told through writer Caroline Paul’s rich and warmly poignant narrative and illustrator Wendy MacNaughton’s stunning and hilarious 4-color illustrations, Lost Cat is a book for animal lovers, pet owners, and anyone who has ever done anything desperate for love.”
Caroline is a brilliant writer. She is funny, insightful and fresh. The book is an honest and refreshing book on how much a woman loves her cat. Jealousy and slight craziness included. I think every pet owner will recognise themselves in this marvelous book. The book is not just about the cat, it is also about what happens when you are suffering from an injury and are mostly house bound.
The observations about people in cities not talking to their neighbours and only opening the door for the postman is funnily accurate, and as relevant in London as it is where Caroline lives in San Francisco.
The illustrations, drawn by Caroline’s partner Wendy, are excellent. I love the illustrations. They are well done but also capture the spirit of the book.
Lost Cat is a great book. Cat lover or not. It is funny and insightful. As great to read as it is beautiful to look at.
My favourite beach on Ibiza, and probably the most bohemian on the island. Benirras is a gorgeous sheltered sandy cove on the North West coast not far from San Miguel. Loungers are still less than 10 Euros for the day, and if you stop by for sunset on a Thursday you’ll be serenaded by bongo playing locals.
2. Drink at KM5
Moroccan themed outdoor bar and restaurant situated 5km out of Ibiza Town on the San Jose road. This is where you’ll find the islands top dj’s hanging out before their sets. Great music, great cocktails and a seriously stylish crowd.
3. Eat at Sands Playa D’en Bossa
A fantastic place to pitch yourself in you’re staying on Playa D’en Bossa. If you’re lucky you might even catch Carl Cox making an impromptu appearance on the decks, and the food is a fusion of Ibizan and Japanese. As well as guest dj’s, they even have famous guest chefs making an appearance throughout the summer.
4. Visit Santa Gertrudis
This isn’t a normal stop on the tourist trail but it’s a gorgeous little town that if I lived on Ibiza would be my location of choice. There’s a vibrant square, some cool boutiques, a great tapas bar and new little restaurants opening every year.
Party all night at Eden
Eden is my summer residency and the only old school night on the island. Come to Kisstory on a Friday night at Eden San Antonio and you’ll be guaranteed more hands in the air moments than anywhere else on the island. I’ll be joined by DJ EZ, Rui Di Silva, Wideboys, Ratpack and more.
Band: Slim Loris Location: Stockholm, Sweden Styles: Indie pop/rock/americana Similar to: Mumford & Sons, Arcade Fire, The Avett Brothers, The Band CD: Future Echoes and Past Replays
Members/Instruments: Mattias Cederstam: Vocals, bass, piano, Robert: Guitars (live also Jonas Ellenberg: Drums and Leon Lindström: guitars and vocals) Production: Slim Loris
Slim Loris, from Stockholm, Sweden, blends Indie Pop/Rock with Americana and a pinch of Swedish melancholy. The band formed in 2009 from the remnants of two indie acts, and released a collection of demos entitled “Amateur Night at the Asylum” the year after.
In 2011, Slim Loris’s debut album “Down To Earth” was released, led by the 1st single “Low”, showing the band’s fine-tuned song writing skills and classic rock sense of melody. Neufutur.com says “Slim Loris cuts nothing less than a shambling masterpiece” and gave the album an 8.7/10 score. Billboard Discoveries says of the release. What Slim Loris have accomplished on their full-length, “Down to Earth” is a sombre turn to the usually poppy sound of the 60’s British invasion”.
Two songs from Slim Loris were also featured in the Swedish film “Var kommer mjolken ifran”.
The follow up release entitled “Future Echoes and Past Replays”, a mature, emotionally charged album showing progression in the band’s song-writing and production, is due to be released on May 19th.
Band: My Woshin Mashin Location: Russia/Germany Styles: Eclectic Electronic, Crossover, Rock, Dance, Punk Similar to: The Knife, Moby, The Prodigy, Bloodhound Gang, KMFDM CD: EVIL MUST DIE Record Label: Tame Corbie Records
My Woshin Mashin (that’s right – My Woshin Mashin) was created by 3 friends from Russia and Germany. It happened in 2010 when Bibi Tulin and Hugo Simons left their previous bands and decided to make something new and different. Together with Wolfgang Scherman (their German friend who lives in Berlin and wears a crocodile mask) they gave a strange name to the project – My Woshin Mashin.
Later, under the influence of German dance tunes, Mike Patton’s work, English metal bands and old school music these three released their first demo-tape “Amazing Demo”, extended play “We Came in Peace” and their first long-play “Mawama” which was called “amazing (9/10)” in Brutal Resonance E-Zine, “funkelnden Kitsch” in Zillo Magazine and “better than amphetamine” in Russian Billboard.
Musically, My Woshin Mashin is eclectic and intense, but not without humor. Visually, the group’s music videos have earned them recognition on MTV, in art schools (their “Twenty One” video has been shown in multiple art schools as an example), and even surrealistic trash movies such as “The Smell Of Love”, which sold out on DVD.
My Woshin Mashin’s new full-length album is appropriately titled “EVIL MUST DIE”, and out now.
Of the new album, the band says “Our first album was about the characters we love (leutenant Columbo, Robocop, Godzilla etc). Hard beats, funny lyrics, dance tunes…you know, a very funny album. But when we were working on “Evil Must Die” we decided to concentrate on things from the “real” world – degradation of the television, money as a modern god, animal rights, really bad people we know and their behaviour, the loneliness of true heroes etc. By this album we’re trying to say that people must be more intelligent and simple, they must to try to change themselves into a better way and try to find the real values of life. It’s not about the money, a good job, democracy, power, expensive stuff, social networks or television. But it’s about the inner God who can be described simply – Love.”
Julia Dowling of Snapdragon Parties, the leading luxury wedding and event planners, shares some trade secrets on creating an amazing wedding.
The idea of planning your own wedding sounds like fun to the uninitiated. But unless you feel confidently creative, are commercially savvy and know how to find the best suppliers out there, it can be daunting. As professional wedding planners we are most often asked for our top wedding planning tips.
Do set a realistic budget and stick to it
Even a modest wedding costs a great deal. Build a budget based on some Internet research and your judgement of how much you are prepared to spend. As a guide, your budget should be split about forty per cent to catering, ten per cent each to venue or marquee hire, clothes, entertainment, photography and flowers with everything else coming from the remainder. Don’t assume that hosting your wedding at home will be cheaper, because the entire infrastructure needs to be brought in. Have honest conversations with all concerned about who will contribute and how much, and do get wedding insurance. Use your budget to guide your choices. We always start wedding planning with a budget and then help to choose a venue and style of wedding. Once you have set a budget, stick to it by negotiating hard with suppliers, especially if they were recommended by your venue; they will often be paying commission on your booking.
Don’t pick a venue until you have a clear idea of the type of wedding you want
Many historic buildings impose restrictions on their use; a grade 1 listed castle full of ancient treasures is likely to prohibit use of candles, so if your vision is a candlelit wedding ceremony pick an appropriate venue. Depending on when you plan to marry think about the likely weather (always have a wet weather plan) and the availability of local accommodation.
Do find ways to weave in your own personality and style
There is much more to styling a wedding than copying an idea from a glossy magazine or adhering to conventional traditions. I often start by asking couples what impression they want to leave their guests with and how we can incorporate elements of their personality into the design scheme. Other considerations include the season, the exact location, the size of the guest list, favourite colours, the level of formality which is desired and the budget.
In terms of dressing a venue, think macro and micro. Macro styling means lighting the outside of a building, transforming the interior space and fusing the venue’s character with the nature of your event. Micro styling means the way you dress the tables, the folding of napkins and your choice of china, glassware, place cards and favours.
Really talented florists will happily interpret your concepts with flowers, candles, feathers, wood, glass or foliage.
Don’t settle for the same old wedding fare
Most caterers’ and venues’ standard menus are pretty boring. Britain exports some of the finest food all over the world. While no one goes to a wedding primarily for a gourmet experience, serve your guests some food that they will really appreciate.
Do plan the day from a guest’s perspective
On your wedding day you may be the centre of attention but you are also the host, and so you need to think about the whole day from your guests’ perspective. This means making sure that it flows naturally, that people aren’t left standing around without a drink while you have pictures taken and that everyone gets to spend at least a little time with you both.
Don’t be afraid to save money where guests won’t notice
Wine needs to be good, but not necessarily a First Growth Bordeaux and you would be amazed at how good a wedding cake from M&S can be (yes, I’m being serious). Once your florist has constructed something colourful between the tiers, your guests will think you spent a fortune on it!
Do make your wedding stationery stand out
The invitation offers the first indication your guests receive about the character of the event. While the skilfully engraved traditional invitation undoubtedly retains its timeless appeal, an intricate laser cut creation can be equally impressive. When picking a stationery style and colour, remember that you have to carry it through for orders of service and table stationery. Anything too outlandish may make it hard for guests to read the hymns or placecards.
Don’t cut corners on photography
Apart from the marriage, the photographs are the only part of your wedding that will last a lifetime. There are four basic styles of wedding photography and the best photographers can generally achieve a seamless mix of them all. The traditional style is ideal for the posed family portraits, contemporary photography tends to be more informal and capture the spirit of the occasion. Reportage is the fly-on-the-wall approach that captures the detail and flow of your day and the artistic approach, as the name suggests, aims to create the poster shots. Even if you aren’t particularly traditional you should be cautious about too contemporary a style as you won’t want the photographs to look out of date in a few years.
Do hire a professional to coordinate things on the day
Appoint someone as the coordinator on the day. This could be a friend, or ideally, a professional. Without a coordinator, you will spend the whole day worrying about the details yourself, which will significantly reduce your enjoyment. They need to reconfirm all the details with suppliers, create a detailed running order and oversee the day. Many wedding venues will offer you an event coordinator but remember that they won’t coordinate anything other than at the wedding venue itself.
Don’t forget why you are doing this!
If you haven’t employed a wedding planner, there will be times during the planning process when you will wonder why you’re doing all this; it will inevitably get pretty stressful at times. When the bills are flying in and you are worrying about all sorts of seemingly inconsequential details, remember that it will all be worth it in the end – and, after all, you will remember your wedding day forever!
NYC ARTIST MARLA MASE ANNOUNCES SUMMERSTAGE APPEARANCE
New York rock/crossover artist Marla Mase has confirmed that she and guitarist Tomás Doncker will be bringing her “Speak” show to Summerstage 2013, joining a lineup that includes The Zombies, Django Django, Dead Prez, Lianne la Havas and Rakim. The CD “Speak Deluxe” found Marla touring both China and Europe, being honored by Friends of the UN, and receiving top reviews from publications such as The Huffington Post, who said “her feisty message of peace will perhaps wake up the beast in all of us”.
“Speak” is a multi-media concert and dance piece inspired by the songs of Marla Mase’s acclaimed 2013 album, “Speak Deluxe”. Combining live music, spoken word, dance and visual imagery, Marla has teamed up with choreographer Adrienne Hurd, filmmaker James Jankiewicz, and director/producer Sara Berg (who directed A Brief Night Out, Marla’s rock opera about a women going through a mid-life rock-n-roll crisis in 2012) for one of a kind show. “Speak” presents a powerful portrayal of “the universal woman’s” confinement, sexuality, body image, trauma, oppression and freedom, celebrating the raw reality of the human condition as expressed through the eyes, bodies, and voices of women. Through the expressive movements of a troupe of seven dancers, each of whom has a distinct voice and tale in the mini-stories, the dancers will explore the archetypes that make up the idea of what it means to be a modern woman.
The music, co-written by Marla Mase and Tomás Doncker is an integral part of “Speak” and features elements of Rock-n-Roll with World Beat, Punk, Funk, Electronica, Reggae and Soul and will be performed live at each performance with both Mase and The Tomás Doncker Band.
Marla Mase’s “Speak” performance takes place on June 15th, 2013 in Herbert Von King Park and August 17 at The East River Park. Both performances are free to the public. Event information can be found here.
Artist: Marla Mase (backed by Tomás Doncker Band) Location: New York, New York Styles: rock (alternative/classic), punk, spoken word, global soul, funk, reggae, experimental Similar to: Patti Smith, David Byrne, Frank Zappa, Iggy Pop, Ian Dury, GTO’s, Jim Morrison, Henry Rollins CD: SPEAK DELUXE
Marla Mase is a writer/performer/producer/singer/songwriter from New York City. She writes songs, plays, monologues, short stories, erotica, blogs, and poems. Marla is known for her provocative, raw performance style and intelligent lyrics and is regarded by her peers as being a true musical pioneer of our time. She is backed by the Tomás Doncker Band. Just off her first tour in China where she was invited by the Friends of the UN to perform for UN GLOBAL PEACE DAY in Linzhou City, Marla was given an honorary Messenger of Peace award for her visionary work as a songwriter and performing artist. Her fans span the globe.
Marla is about to release the DELUXE Edition of her album SPEAK (on Feb 28, 2013) which will include the 10 songs on the original 2010 album plus 6 new tracks including Piece of Peace, AnnaRexia (a reggae track featuring
Garrison Hawk from Bill Laswell?s Method of Defiance), and Bill Laswell?s dubmix version of AnnaRexia. AnnaRexia is spearheading the StayImperfect Project or Love Your Butt Campaign, which Marla created to empower women to not only accept but love themselves and their bodies. Proceeds from AnnaRexia as well as emerging artist, Lael Summer?s track, The Good Fight (whose EP Marla co-produced with Doncker) will go towards theprojectheal.org, a non-profit organization founded by two teenage eating disorder survivors, that raises scholarship money for girls whose families cannot afford to send them to treatment.
Mase is currently developing THE SPEAK SHOW, a multi-media concert/performance piece using music (from SPEAK DELUXE), spoken word, dance and visual imagery to explore the themes of confinement, sexuality, body image, trauma, oppression (internal/external) and freedom as a means of celebrating the raw reality of our human condition as expressed through the eyes, bodies, voices of women. It was recently booked for NYC Summerstage 2013.
Her debut album, the rock opera, A Brief Night Out (BNO), tells the story of a woman, having an affair, breaking-down, obsessing on war and re-assessing her life. It is also the soundtrack to a theatrical version of the same story that has been performed in New York City with Broadway Veteran Martin Vidnovic playing all the male roles and also as a one-woman show directed by Sara Berg.
Marla’s play, The Canarsie Line directed by Kathryn Rossetter, ran at The Bank Street Theatre to sold out audiences in 2002. Her play Man/Woman was work-shopped at the Abingdon Theatre in 2004.
Marla has her MA in writing and performance from NYU and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
Most importantly Marla is the mother to two beautiful souls.
Members/Instruments:
Marla Mase – Lead Vocals
Tomás Doncker: guitars, vocals
Josh David : bass, vocals
James Dellatacoma: guitars, computer (sounds, etc)
Damon DueWhite: drums
Alan Grubner: violin
Heather Powell: back-up vocals
Manu Koch: keyboards
Daniel Sadownick: percussion
Production:
Produced by Tomás Doncker and James Dellatacoma
Engineered by James Dellatacoma of Orange Studios
Mastered by Michael Fossenkemper of Turtletone Studios
It never surprises me how inhumane one person can be to another. I wish it did. This book by Maureen Lindsay is the most perfect piece of fiction, which comes wrapped up in a history lesson. Albeit one in a very horrendous and scary time. Don’t let the word lesson put you off. The book is unputdownable. I just wanted to drop everything and read it cover to cover.
Ghandi has an amazing quote, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”. This book is also a moral tale on what happens when an entire race pays for the sins of a select group, or in this case, their birth country.
The story starts in early 1940s California. Satomi and her parents own a farm and work hard. She is half Japanese, half white, and she doesn’t fit in anywhere before Pearl Harbour. After Pearl Harbour the Japanese are treated as the enemy. They are rounded up by the government and put in concentrations camps. They have their money and property taken away from them, and this all really happened. I have the quotes from the first page below.
These real quotes are shocking. What happened to the Japanese in America, most of whom were born there, is a piece of history that has been largely forgotten, if it was even known at all.
The character of Satomi is one of the greatest literary heroines in modern literature. Feisty, smart and proud. She stands up for herself and becomes a great human being, despite all that she and her mother suffer together. I reckon actresses in Hollywood will soon be fighting over the role.
I hope this book becomes a bestseller, and I also hopes it makes its way into schools. Five stars. A Girl Like You is now one of my favourite books of all time.
The book has a great overview of pregnancy, both Pre and Post. It also comes with a free self hypnosis CD. For those interested in hypnobirthing (and there are rumours that Kate Middleton has joined them) this book is great. Paola believes that pregnancy is not a medical thing but a natural thing that the body is supposed to do. Although I don’t agree that pregnancy is not a medical thing, her ideas are interesting and certainly have merit. She is a qualified hypnotherapist and healed her own shoulder using the power of her mind.
This book has a lot of great information in it for any mother-to-be. Chapter one is about hypnosis and other chapters are about breathing, the biology of the female body, and the biology of birth. They are all very informative and fascinating.
There is also a chapter on how to use the CD. In the getting ready for birth chapter there are a lot of great tips, followed by an entire chapter or problem solving in, ‘What To Do if You Have….’ Nausa and vomiting are covered. As are C-sections and having a large baby.
The books tells you how to use the three stages of hynothearapy for the birth in an easy to understand way and has an entire chapter on how to disassociate yourself from the feelings of the contractions.
The last two chapters are what to do after the birth, a great chapter with some exercises on how to get back into shape, health tips, and enjoying your time as a mother.
This is a very good book for women who want a natural birth, and even has great tips for those who don’t. I can’t say it has convinced me to have a natural birth when I decide to have children, but the information is there for those who do.
I have to admit, I love cats. I have had four in my life. Two are still alive while the other two sadly passed. So when I got this book to review I was pretty excited.
