2013: The Musical Yearbook

Every year as a bonus gift to all my friends for Christmas, I compile the music that was a part of my life for the year. Is it obvious yet that I love to do a mixtape? (See La Grande Revue 31 and XXX: Dirty Thirty)

Most of it is usually current, some of it is older music. It's really just music that affected me and my experiences for the year. Here's my top 21 tracks for 2013:

Music: Love Spent (Live)

If there is one thing that I am over in "Alternative" music these days, it's the use of the banjo paired with claps and shouts of "Hey!". It seems the entire industry is jumping on this sound of the moment. So to be completely honest, I was a little turned off when I heard Madonna's "Love Spent" from her twelfth studio album, MDNA.

Have a Standout Holiday

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Right.

Not that I don't enjoy the Holiday Season, especially being with family. But, if working in retail for seven years taught me anything it's that you're not allowed to be a human being during the Holiday Season. Your life is fully committed to opening and closing a store so that people (usually on the edge of a nervous breakdown) can get the best possible deal for a gift that the receiver usually could have lived without.

Music: Beyoncé

 
We interrupt 2013 to bring you Beyoncé. Mrs. Carter dropped her fifth (visual) album directly to iTunes last week - a complete surprise to both her fans and the industry.
 
"I didn’t want to release my music the way I’ve done it,” she said. “I am bored with that. I feel like I am able to speak directly to my fans. There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans. I felt like I didn’t want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans.”
 

Video: Work

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Love Lives: Marcus + Luke, Part 2

 

It was the Instagram event of the year! Luke and Marcus got married.

 

When we last left off with these guys (Love Lives: Marcus + Luke), Luke was traveling the world and it wasn't clear if he'd make home in Los Angeles to be with Marcus. Happily, he has and recently the two were married in what looked to be a small ceremony with family and friends.

Burberry Heart-Print Cotton T-Shirt

Bestow my heart, literally. This "Heart-Print Cotton T-Shirt" from Burberry is my favorite piece of fashion from 2013.

It also came in a sweater (and a button down for the ladies), but the tee is simple with just enough punch. And you know I'm a sucker for Romance.

Grey Inside: Kelly Wearstler

Not sure when this design by Kelly Wearstler was first publicized. I know it was recently, but it could have been late 2012. Either way it's been the object of my obsession for 2013.

La Grande Revue 31: Birthday Burlesque

It's been a growing theme to, well...theme my birthdays each year! Last year was the big three-oh celebrated with XXX: Dirty Thirty. This year in an effort to cover all of the themes I want to eventually do, it was La Grande Revue 31. Otherwise known as Birthday Burlesque.

The theme was burlesque and as you'll soon see my friends and I put on our best Lady Marmalade attire to take to the streets of West Hollywood and make a scene at Rasputin. Stockings, garter straps, ruffles and top hats!

Video: Pour It Up (Explicit)

In a very close second for my favorite artist of all time, Rihanna embraces everything that I love about music. She's a fashion heavy hitter, she breaks the mold, she puts out really good music and she's Unapologetic about it all.

Which makes it the perfect title for her seventh studio album. An album that she is still releasing singles from over a year later! While everyone is putting out new material, Rihanna is still celebrating the musical genius of this album. It's no wonder she was just named an icon at the American Music Awards.

Education: Hubert le Gall

I have been on the hunt for colored mirrors. I first fell in love with this idea over a year ago when Caviar 20 featured a beautiful "Blue Yves" Large Art Deco Mirror. Now I find myself searching for colorful reflection for a project I'm working on in Los Angeles.

Emerald Inside: Miles Redd

Another look at emerald in Interior Design in honor of The Wizard of Oz for my Storybook October. And, another look from Miles Redd.

I've featured Redd quite a bit through various topics. I do admire Redd, his is one of the rare Interior Design books that I do own. Is anyone exploding with color right now the way he is? My search for emerald interiors told me no.

Style: Ruby Red Slippers

 

True, the "slippers" you are about to see from Christian Louboutin are much more modern day interpretations of The Wizard of Oz's infamous ruby red slippers. But, nevertheless still inspired by this iconic shoe.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

In honor of all things Storybook, and inspired by re-interpretation a la Lady Gaga, here are some contemporary concepts of a yellow brick road for your consideration.

Style: The Tin Man

Knit pants (or sweat pants for the style challenged) are my new favorite staple. I've been wearing mine a lot lately with a plain v-neck tee, black high tops and a strand of wooden beads doubled around my neck. It's not an easy look to pull off without looking like you've just rolled out of bed.

Emerald Inside: Miles Redd

Miles Redd seems to find his way into every topic I cover. This time for his brilliant use of color, an emerald that seems fitting while inspired by The Wizard of Oz.

Music: Applause Live on GMA

Sometimes I wonder if there are subconscious messages that influence me to choose certain topics for this blog. Before Lady Gaga performed "Applause" in the theatrical style of The Wizard of Oz on Good Morning America, I was already considering a Storybook theme.

Film : The Wizard of Oz

 
Somewhere over the rainbow and in a land full of munchkins, flying monkeys and a gorgeous emerald city. The Wizard of Oz is Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's two-million dollar adaption of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
 

Style: Queen of Hearts

While searching Net-A-Porter for Queen of Hearts inspired goods, I came across this amazing Lanvin pin and just had to give it some individual attention.

Music: White Rabbit

Continuing with my Storybook theme and my Alice's Adventures In Wonderland focus, have the White Rabbit sound the trumpets and let me present to you "White Rabbit" from Jefferson Airplane.

Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco who became pioneers of psychedelic rock. They were also the first band from the San Francisco scene who achieved mainstream success with their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow. Psychedelic indeed.

Art: Grace Coddington for Vogue

 
Grace Coddington is a former model and the brilliant creative director for American Vogue.
 
In 2003, she embarked on an ambitious shoot with photographer Annie Leibovitz to convey the story of Lewis Carrolls' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. 

A Story Inside: Alice of Magic World

A Storybook themed restaurant can either be brilliant or incredibly tragic. This Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant in Tokyo, "Alice of Magic World", is actually kind of brilliant.

Style: Alice from Wonderland

A wonderland of style from Net-A-Porter to outfit you in the style of Alice from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Music: What You Waiting For?

Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock. It is one of my favorite elements in music when an artist puts out a song that is directly inspired by their own life or feelings. "What You Waiting For?" is a brilliant example of this.

Book: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

"Literary Nonsense". That's exactly how I felt while reading Lewis Carrolls' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and trying to comprehend all the metaphors and innuendos. Wonderland is considered to be one of the best examples of the Literary Nonsense genre. The novel, written in 1865, uses sensical and nonsensical elements to defy language conventions or logical reasoning.

The effect of nonsense is often caused by an excess of meaning, rather than a lack of it. Nonsense is often humorous in nature, although its humor is derived from its nonsensical nature, as opposed to most humor which is funny because it does make sense. Even before I knew that Wonderland was an example of this genre, I knew there was something under the surface of every flamingo croquet stick and deck of cards.

Lewis Carroll is the pseudonym for Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson and Wonderland was a story of his own imagination told to another Reverend and three young girls (one of them being Alice Liddell) while on a row boat trip up the Isis in Oxford, England in 1862. The story featured a bored little girl named Alice who went looking for an adventure.

The three girls loved the story and Alice asked Dodgson to write it down for her. Prompting Dodgson to begin the original manuscript, Alice's Adventures Under Ground. In 1864, he presented Alice with this copy as a Christmas gift and was already planning to expand the story for publication.

Storybook Bedding

My new topic is Storybook and I'm going to start out the feature with some book inspired bedding pieces.

Rowlan Lofts Living Room

Since I have just ended all things Tom and am in between topics, I thought I would share a project that I have been working on. It's a design for a Bachelor's Loft at the Rowland Lofts in downtown Los Angeles.

Art: Alec Monopoly

You'll soon realize this post has nothing directly to do with Tom. I know, I'm breaking the rules for my topic of Tom! Hear me out though.

Film: A Single Man

A Single Man is the directorial debut of Tom Ford. Based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood and starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore (who is amazing in it) and Nicholas Hoult as the main characters.

Tom Ford Vignette

I am occasionally working for friends and family on Interior Design projects, but my new hobby is to find actual floor plans of residences in the Los Angeles area and create projects. It can be a lot of fun considering I work with no budget.

Tom Ford's Santa Fe Ranch

This is the stunning contemporary ranch that Tom Ford calls home outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tom Ford Inspired Home Furnishings

My month of Tom and week of Tom Ford must include some inspired home furnishings. This time a few items inspired by looks at the AW 2013 Tom Ford Runway Show.

Inside by Tom: Tom Ford's London Manse

This 8,200 square foot home in London was once Tom Ford Manor.

Music: Tom Ford

"I don't pop molly, I rock Tom Ford" raps Jay-Z on his twelfth studio album, Magna Carta...Holy Grail.

MCHG is at the very least the best rap album of this summer and at the very most the best rap album of the year. It was certified Platinum the day of it's release! That has to be some kind of record and was accomplished in part to due to an unprecedented digital download deal with Samsung subscribers. An innovative and modern day approach to album sales by Jay-Z.

Scent: Tom Ford Private Blend Collection

The collection of Tom Ford fragrances already boasts thirty-eight different varieties since it's inception in 2005. And the private blend collection, a group of fragrances each designed to capture a different, distinctive mood, has a new addition every year.

Education: Tom Ford

There is no better Tom for my celebration of all things Tom than Mr. Tom Ford. To say that I am completely in love with everything that this man does is an understatement. Although I am not financially established enough (yet) to don his designs from head to toe, I take any piece of him I can get (glasses, sunglasses, books, fragrances).

Inside by Tom: Studio 5

I have been a fan of this space by Interior Designer Tom Delavan ever since it graced the pages of Architectural Digest Spain (my absolute favorite design magazine).

Tom of Finland Dining Room

While we are inspired by Tom of Finland during my month of all things Tom, let's design a Dining Room with his working class, motorcycle fueled art as inspiration.

Art: Tom of Finland

 

Tom of Finland is a huge artistic inspiration in my life. I have three of his books (with plenty more on my Amazon Wish List) and am constantly studying his style of sketching when I work on my own art pieces. I love the way he outlines the form and shadows his work.

Inside by Tom: The Dock Kitchen London

Brass heaven. This space by Tom Dixon at The Dock Kitchen London is contemporary, industrial and glamorous all thrown into the same pot.

Book: Tommyland

I already know that I'm not going to sound very cultured when I say that Tommyland is one of the few books I've actually finished reading. Not that I haven't ever finished another book, but this one really kept my interest. So much so that I read The Dirt: The Life and Times of Motley Crue after finishing it.

Inside by Tom: The Tokyo Hipsters Club

I can't tell you how much I love the leather punching bag in this space. Very masculine. In fact, that was the idea.

Education: Tom Dixon

Rock and Roll meets Interior Design. Many Interior Designers are familiar with Tom Dixon and his line of exquisite sculptural home furnishings and lighting. But, did they know that music and motorcycles were the first pieces of inspiration for Dixon?

Tom Bianchi Outdoor Space

My Tom Bianchi inspiration just keeps on running. But how can you translate literal inspiration into Interior Design? I'm going to give you some ideas using an outdoor space with Bianchi and Fire Island Pines in mind.

Music: Free Fallin

Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. Oh and an American musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actor and frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers who has sold over sixty million albums.

Style: Tom Bianchi

Feeling inspired by Tom Bianchi yet? If not, maybe it's time for a new uniform for your assembly line.

With the help of Mr. Porter, Urban Outfitters and SSense, I've got your Fire Island Pines essentials.

Inside by Tom: Copake Lake House

I love a gorgeous wall treatment. I work as a painter sometimes (on the side) distressing cabinets and finishing walls with stripes or leather and plaster techniques.

Art: Tom Bianchi

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Andreas Sofa

Sadly, this piece is no longer available from Anthropoligie. But, still a welcome addition to everything wild for the month of August.