Trae Bien: June 2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

Artfully Attuned

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One of the reasons that New York is such a great city is the fact that many talented up and coming artists bravely come here and share their craft with everyone - typically in the subways or on the streets. Such is the case with the recent discovery my friend Sara and I made while in Soho, of a very beautiful and dynamic violin and violist duo - Charly and Margaux. Charly and Margaux met in Boston in 2010 and have blended their sounds in an unconventional way - they re-compose current hits on the radio, as well as classical music, resulting in very funky and eclectic melodies. Daring in both music and style, they seem to be artfully attuned to what's current and hip. I suggest that you search the streets of NY for them, because this pair is definitely worth finding!

Check out their latest...

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Friday, June 22, 2012

Have a Brave Weekend!

One of the best feelings of my childhood was the last day of school and the beginning of summer vacation. The feeling that the world was yours and you had free time to do whatever you wanted - true bliss! The summers for me and my siblings included family beach trips, amusement parks, visits to the zoo, going to the movies, camp and trips to California to stay with my aunts and cousins. On the trips to the West Coast my sister and I would board the plane alone - I guess my parents needed a vacation too:). It took courage on our part as it was an adventure and we went assured that great times were ahead - looking back on it, we were brave! Brave is one of the things that you hope your children will be - that they will face life's journey with strength, character, integrity, love, and compassion. That they will forge ahead in the face of animosity with confidence that they will succeed - even when they fail, they will rise and try again. One of our other brave feats was going to camp - we had to leave the nest and fend for ourselves! Okay, it wasn't quite that rough, but it was certainly an adventure and if not navigated properly, could have led to dangerous results. Summer was all about the great adventure and exploration! In celebration of a brave summer for our children and ourselves, here are 2 films that I think will remind us of the great spirit of childhood - Brave and Moonrise Kingdom.

Brave, the latest Pixar creation about a young girl who decides that the traditional planned marriage by her parents is not how she envisions her future, so she fights for her own hand in marriage, raising the ire of her parents thus sparking an adventure that was quite unexpected.

Moonrise Kingdom is a must see if only because of the brilliant cast! Moonrise Kingdom is about a twelve year old girl and boy who meet and decide set off on an adventure to escape their dysfunctional environments to find and create their own paradise.

Summer is a time to let go and be brave - so, here's to having a brave summer weekend!❤

Monday, June 18, 2012

The Night's Summer Sky

The sky at night is one of the best things about summer - it is illuminated with stars, the moon and fireflies - quite magical. If this is one of your favorite aspects of summer then a must do's this season is to visit the Whitney Museum to see Japanese artist and writer, Yayoi Kusama's Fireflies on Water. The Whitney for years has curated some of my favorite art exhibits - from Jacob Lawrence to Kara Walker. The Yayoi Kusama exhibit may rank as one of my all time favorites - with her artful use of lights, mirrors and water - she has created a space that will transcend you. Only one person will be allowed in the room at a time - what, an isolated private space in New York - how rare - run New Yorkers run! For more info. click here and here.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Fathers Day!

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One of the things that I have learned in my years is that if you had a great dad who served as a wonderful example of what fatherhood is then count your blessings but, if you did not, you still get to choose to be a great one - that's the beauty of life - we get to choose! Today, families are being created in many ways - some are traditional and some are not and since we are focusing on fathers day, we'll highlight men. There are homosexual couples adopting children who need a loving home, stepfathers who are raising the children of their spouse as their own, men of divorced parents who take on the role of father to their siblings, and men who represent a father figure to fatherless men and children in their communities - whatever the case may be - we applaud those who are giving their time, energy, support, guidance, spirit and love to enhance the lives of others! As today is Fathers Day - let's show the wonderful fathers that we know in our lives how much we love them and since my list of great dads is quite long, I will only name a few who I greatly admire - Marty, Matt, Vernon and Chris - Happy Fathers Day!

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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Frank Ocean is Still Good!

Frank Ocean's hit Swim Good, released last year is still good! Although the video was not well-received, the song certainly struck a positive note. Frank Ocean is slated to perform on Thursday, July 26th in NYC at Terminal 5.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Awkward Black Girl

Last year my friend Annette sent me a link to what I now describe as the show that made me lose a rib - I have never laughed so hard! The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl created by Issa Rae is undeniably one of the funniest shows on the internet. The premise of the first season follows Issa, the main character and her friends through life's awkward moments and her embarrassing love interest. In an era of mainstream television where it is difficult to see a predominately black cast in well-written and wickedly funny roles, ABG is a treasure! However, this show deals with moments that we can all relate to and find funny - it will appeal to a broad audience. As a black woman, I have watched all types of comedy shows, most favorably, Dave Chappelle, Arrested Development, The Office (British and American versions), and Curb Your Enthusiasm - what these shows have in common is that they are overall written and produced by men and sans Chappelle, mostly white. Issa Rae, is reportedly entering into a cable agreement and will join the ranks of great female comedians who are acting, writing, producing and directing their own material -Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig, who most obviously come to mind. She has a BA from Stanford, attended the New York Academy of Film and has written and directed two other shows for the internet prior to ABG. Pharrell Williams has taken an interest in Issa's show and will run the first episode of the second season of ABG this Thursday on his IamOther You Tube page - smart move Pharrell! I do wonder however, whether her cable deal is with HBO - it should be! I dare say that it is reminiscent of the genius of Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm and if it's not HBO, then we can simply agree that this moment was - "awkward."

Friday, June 8, 2012

Summer Weekend Wardrobe

The weekend for most people offers an opportunity to shed their restrictive work attire and dress more comfortably - so why not do it with style? Here are a few great easy pieces to add to your summer weekend wardrobe - enjoy your weekend!

Old Navy Shorts

All else - J. Crew

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Beyond Bar Coding

As much as color typically influences my design choices, black and white are staples in any good design. I can not help but to admire the classic crispness of black and white stripes. Although, if not done well, one could be reminded of checking out at a supermarket - but it is safe to say that these designs go far beyond barcoding.