Diane von Fürstenberg

We tend to ignore royalty here at Vili Flik, but today we’ll try to mend that, by choosing an ex-Princess to be our designer.

Diane Von Fürstenberg (1946 – )  is a fabulous Belgian-American designer, who introduced the world to the wrap-dress. (Personally, not really a favorite of mine (the dress, that is), but hey, who am I to judge, it’s not like I’ve invented a new piece of clothing. Yet.) Luckily, she has introduced the world to a lot of other great clothing as well, just take a look.

Von Fürstenberg actually studied economics – it wasn’t until she was about to marry Prince Egon of Fürstenberg that she decided to become a designer: “The minute I knew I was about to be Egon’s wife, I decided to have a career. I wanted to be someone of my own, and not just a plain little girl who got married beyond her desserts.” And aren’t we glad she did?

Love, Hanna

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman is a fascinating author, and his 2008 novel The Graveyard Book is no exception. A modern, Gothic retelling of Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1894), the story centres around orphan Nobody Owens who, after his family is brutally murdered by “the man Jack”, is raised by ghosts in the local graveyard.

“Bod” is adopted by a family of ghosts, has a very peculiar and fairly scary (though strangely attractive) guardian, and befriends a witch – but the land of the living is something of a mystery for him. He is safe as long as he stays in the graveyard, but outside lurks danger – the man Jack is still out there, and his work is not yet done.

Enthralling, exciting and funny, The Graveyard Book is another example of Gaiman’s wonderful literature for children. Again, he reminds us that children’s books don’t need to be “safe” and “wholesome” – there can be real danger and the children might be able to handle it anyway…

I recommend this book to adults as well though – it’s an easy but thoroughly enjoyable read.

Love, Mari

I’m with the Band

Summer is sadly almost gone, but for those of you who want to cling to it a little longer, I recommend the crazy, funny and oh-so-not-mentally-challenging memoir I’m with the Band (1987) by Pamela Des Barres.

“As soon as she graduated from high school, Pamela Des Barres headed for the Sunset Strip, where she knocked on rock stars’ backstage doors and immersed herself in the drugs, danger, and ecstasy of the freewheeling 1960s. Over the next 10 years she had affairs with Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Keith Moon, Waylon Jennings, Chris Hillman, Noel Redding, and Jim Morrison, among others. She traveled with Led Zeppelin; lived in sin with Don Johnson; turned down a date with Elvis Presley; and was close friends with Robert Plant, Gram Parsons, Ray Davies, and Frank Zappa. As a member of the GTO’s, a girl group masterminded by Frank Zappa, she was in the thick of the most revolutionary renaissance in the history of modern popular music. Warm, witty, and sexy, this kiss-and-tell–all stands out as the perfect chronicle of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most thrilling eras.” (quote from Goodreads)

Enjoy!

Love, Hanna

The Emperor’s New Groove

Finally Friday! And what better way to celebrate than curling up on the sofa with a good old Disney movie? Well, not that old, mind you, because the movie in question here is no other than the fantabulous The Emperor’s New Groove (2000).

Poor spoiled-little-brat emperor Kuzco is transformed into a llama by his cunning and evil advisor, Yzma, and finds himself shipped off into the countryside due to henchman Kronk’s moral standards and a whole bunch of random coincidences. Hilarity ensues.

This is one of my all time favourite Disney films. It is self-aware, includes awkward silences and has so many good quotes. And Kronk is adorable!

Want to be happy tonight? Watch this film!

Love, Elin

Jason Isaacs

As the last Harry Potter film has finally been released into the world, I thought it fitting that this week’s hottie should be from the amazing Potter-cast, and so I hereby present you with the lovely Jason Isaacs (1963).

He is, naturally, most known for his portrayal of Lucius Malfoy, which he did wonderfully (I do like a man who can snarl while he talks). His character was in fact voted one of the 12 Sexiest Men Who Where Never Alive. And I see why.

But Jason Isaacs has of course starred in other films as well, for example The Patriot, Sweet November and Peter Pan. He also featured in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s faux Grindhouse trailer Don’t:

Now, more piccies:

Love, Elin

Giambattista Valli

It’s been a long time since we served some fashion here at Vili Flik, so I think we’re all starved for some extravaganca. And who better to indulge us than the brilliant Italian designer Giambattista Valli (1966 – )?

This style is so wonderfully over the top, which, to quote Vogue, “are the closest to couture that ready-to-wear could possibly produce.” Ah, Vogue. Ah, Valli.

Mr. Valli studied art in Rome and London, and then landed a job with Roberto Capucci, another awesome Italian fashion designer. (Just for the record, ye amazing fashion gurus out there, all of us are currently unemployed).

Valli has also collaborated with Fendi, before he, in 1997, moved to Paris to work for Emanuel Ungaro.

In 2005, Giambattista Valli introduced his own line to great success which has continued to grow for the past six years. And no wonder! The clothes are simply marvelous.

Love, Hanna

Hadestown

Hello my dearies. Things are quite chaotic still here in Norway, so I thought it would be nice to share some wonderful, wonderful, amazing music: Anaïs Mitchell’s folk opera Hadestown.

This is a musical based on the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, but set in a post-apocalyptic American depression era. The cast includes, among others, Ms. Mitchell herself, Ani Difranco and Greg Brown.

I really, really, really recommend this CD to everyone. It is absolutely magical!

You can read more about it here: http://www.anaismitchell.com/home.html

And here is a sneak-peak:

Love, Elin

QI – Quite Interesting

Hello dearies, and welcome to another Friday Film. Although, technically, today’s feature is not a film, but a rather brilliant British quiz show; QI – Quite Interesting, with its wonderful quiz-master, hottie Stephen Fry.

The show started in 2003, and the format is basically that of any quiz show: one host (or quiz master) and a panel of guests. In addition to Mr Fry, Alan Davies is a regular panelist, while the three additional chairs are occupied by a variety of lovely and hilarious guests.

Alan Davies and Stephen Fry

The show questions your world view and challenges “truths” you’ve been sure of your entire life. For an obvious or wrong answer, the panelists lose points, but they can gain points not only by giving the right answer, but also by being quite interesting – hence the title. As the panel often consists of comedians, this makes QI not only interesting, but very entertaining and fun.

Each series is given a letter rather than a number (series A, series B etc), and each episode has a theme starting with the letter of the series (Espionage, Family, Greeks, Gravity etc). If you haven’t come across this show before, I suggest you tune into BBC and catch it. British entertainment at its best!

I’ll leave you with a round-up of some of the best bits from series 7, or G if you will. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Love, Mari

Gertrude And Claudius

Well, as I assume you are all terrified from last night’s horror show, I thought it best to include a little culture. And what is the most important piece of writing produced in Europe ever? You guessed it: Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1599-1601). Well, opinions may differ on that, but you must agree that it’s a pretty neat little story. But have you ever wondered what happened before Claudius killed off old Hamlet and left Hamlet Jr. to ponder the various aspects of life and death? If you have, then I have the perfect novel for you: Gertrude and Claudius (2000) by John Updike.

The novel depicts life at Elsinore, from Gertrude’s forced marriage to the boring and brutish Hamlet (very much a bro), to her affair with Hamlet’s much more charming brother, Claudius, and finally the fatal discovery leading to the events depicted in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.

The novel is very well written, easy to read, and brings a whole new perspective to the story, it is also equally based on the myths and historical events that Hamlet is based on, as much as Hamlet itself. I highly recommend this to everyone who wants to read a love story with just a little bit more substance this summer.

Love, Elin

The Grudge

Yes, it is summer! Long, bright days and nights filled with sunshine and laughter. Or maybe constant rain, as is the case here at the moment. So I was thinking, why let all this good bad weather go to waste? This is perfect for some real horror. So this Friday I think you should all watch The Grudge (2004). This is the Americanized remake of the Japanese film Ju-On (2002), they are both directed by Takashi Shimizu, and they are both equally terrifying.

The story goes like this: A social worker gets assigned a house where bad things dwell. Anyone who enters it ends up on the spirits death list, but can the curse be lifted?

These films are perfect if you’re looking for a good scare.

Enjoy!

Love, Elin