'it's just art that moves'

guys, i'm in love. i know i've said it before... but i really mean it this time.
my love for photographers and videographers grows by the hour/minute/second... so when i stumbled upon eleven35 productions... with johnpaul morris.... perfection. not only does he make his own stunning beautiful videos, but his idealism behind the films that he makes, and film and art in general... dreamworthy.
i told you! i'm in love!
i'm in love with the idea of artists creating art that is different. and creating more art that's different. and creating art just because it's different. and just because they want to.
and that's what eleven35 does.
as johnpaul says, 'let's do what the painters and the photographers can't. not because film is better, but because it's different. it's just art that moves. it's a little bit more than that."
i think of all the videos they've worked on and compiled, one of my favourite is this one... winter larks. stunningly vintage, beautiful shapes, and of course - one of my faves - fleet foxes. (and plaid! oh the beauty!)

a few of my other faves from johnpaul morris at eleven35 productions.

and finally, johnpaul on his fight for beauty.....

wanna know more? i did. so i checked out everything they ever posted on the internet... including all of the these links here:   blog   //   vimeo   //  a little about sir john paul morris (handsome devil)  //  and some tweety tweet tweets
oh! and! eleven35! stop being in just michegan puh-LEASE. if you're in toronto.... holla at a girl. (i promise i'm WAY cooler in person).

my (labour day long) weekend in summary

this weekend became a bit administrative... and though i fit a ton in, it didn't feel very long weekend-y. it also felt very high school-ish - walking to the grocery store in my parent's town. having sleepovers and movies in my parent's basement. lunch dates with high school friends. it was a blast from the past, that's for sure.
i'll be taking a day off in the near future to stretch out a weekend... just to get a long weekend back. 
the CNE ex with dave and laurel and jeff - no baby sighting; a typical jamie work outfit, and a typical jamie weekend outfit - oh the splitscreen insanity; gettin' handsy; i'll give you four guesses (cause i'm nice like that) as to what video this is; the many hats of neal; a few drinks before an outing are rarely a bad thing; new friends on a friday; packing essentials for home; ....and by essentials, i mean trying to figure out what giant earrings to bring with (i chose 4 pairs); badass biker boy; we be gettin' pedicured - lunchin' and loungin'; how many family members does it take to figure out a smartphone?; little paisley - exhausted from the excitment of meeting new people; i assure you we're not nekked.
thursday: though it's not my custom to include thursday in my weekend posts, i was informed since i had a visitor, and had plans, it would be a good thing. after finishing up at work, i raced home, changed, and then headed to my friend dave's place to meet him and his (9 months pregnant) fiancée laurel, and jeff (who go train-ed and biked to meet us) at his place. we all walked over to the ex, where we took sweeping observations of the people around us – while eating disgusting amounts of food. we walked amongst some of the best looking carnie’s I’ve ever encountered, and watched a man guess the weight of a 325lb woman (while sweating buckets). he guessed low – was probably a good idea. once we finished up a few hours of walking around, we headed home – dave and laurel stopping at their place, and us continuing on. got to bed fairly early, with work in the morning.
friday: worked for the day, with a lunch pit stop with some colleagues, and then headed home on time (madness!). was lucky enough to have some snacks waiting for me – vegan chicken fingers are my FAVE (i'm very lucky). then, a much needed nap, before heading out to a friend’s place for some debauchery. we made a quick stop in at the dufferin mall – my fave hidden gem – and abused the no frills’ frozen food section for dinner. we hopped on the subway (reminding us both why we quit so long ago), and arrived promptly at our friend’s place 2 hours late (apparently). Just in time for korean pop videos on youtube. we spent the rest of the eve at his place watching music videos on youtube (contain your jealousy), mixing up wicked combos of sparkling juice and adult beverages, and then headed out to the pump for some empy bar domination. had a quick drink there, and more importantly, stuffed ourselves with middle eastern snacks on the way home – from my FAVE ghazale. all time fave. Jeff’s friend mark dropped us off (hurrah to DDs!) and it was a quick to sleep kinda night.
saturday: woke up early and hung out for a bit – though after a few phone calls about events from the eve before, and plans for the day, we were up and aaround, getting groceries, and prepping breakfast. We ate breakfast outside, with the airshow overhead (and neal telling us everything that any normal human being would ever need to know about planes). A nice breaky over WW2 chatter. We cleaned up, packed, and loaded the bike nito the car, and neal, jeff and I ventured out – first to the bike zone to be fitted for a bike with some help from the wonderful (and patient) nick..... (though it was a bad bad idea to think I could ever stop obsessing over a bike, once I rode it) and then for some cool treats in port credit, and then back to waterdown. after dropping neal off at home, we dropped our things off, and took a walk to the grocery store to get supplies for homemade pad thai. we cooked, and ate, and ate, and cooked, and then shut it down with a movie. role models. which, for those of you who haven’t seen it, is the perfect blank out, laugh a little, and ignore common sense movie. and… talks of whispering eyes. was in bed early – easily best night of the weekend, which makes me kind of lame.
sunday: woke up, and after a bit of shuttling back and forth to pick up a motorcycle, and some reading in the backyard, I met my co-jamie for some socialite hanging out – lunch on a patio, and getting our nails did. chatted a lot about life and the idea that things are never 100% in place – that we can be fully satisfied people in many parts of life, but that waiting for all things to fall into place is a long process that none of us were adequately prepared for (do I hear the sounds of a blog entry on growing up, coming soon?). once we were done with our pedicures and psychology session, I rushed home to do the quickest shower change turnaround known to humans. then, met up with jeff’s parents, and we all drove into waterloo for a birthday dinner with his brother – who turned the ripe age of 22. I got past my university and 22 year old envy, in time to actually enjoy the meal at wildcraft (I would have even let a uni date order for me there!), with some free champagne for the birthday celebrations. We then had a quick visit with paisley… the new foster chihuahua his brother has taken in. we drove home, and crashed hard after a long day.
monday: woke up pretty early, and spent the morning doing some more shuttling – picking up clothes, dropping off motorcycles, and checking out jeff’s parent’s new house (still not yet done). we stopped in for lunch at montfort, and then went to my parent’s for some adequate sleeping in the sun – the first time all weekend. then, once my parents arrived home, hung out with them for a bit before heading out. did a lot of planning, then cancelling, and ended up simply chatting in the car for an hour. those talks that work best when they’re impromptu, and prompted by events rather than forced. headed back to my parents and had some wine with the neighbours, and then headed to bed early (for me) in anticipation of the early departure from waterdown the next morning in time for work. 
andddd it's not an exaggeration that i watched this video 4 times on friday night before going out. so worth it - i really need more backless shirts and sequin shorts in my life (birthday outfit????):
happy monday all!

'... in seeing with new eyes'

this weekend, i don't have any huge travel plans - no huge going away, seeing the southern ontario area plans. no cottages or house parties. i am hoping and planning to keep my feet planted firmly in toronto and perhaps the surrounding area.
and in toronto, i will embrace everything that makes this city good - you never know when toronto won't be home anymore! so i'm going to look at my home, my wonderful city, with new eyes.
tonight, i'm going out and having drinks at a friends, and likely wearing red lip stick, and exploring the city a little - with mint juleps in our systems. then, it'll be a long weekend of fun.
i'll leave you with one of my fave songs...
"and the city blocks. they drive me wild. they're never ending. mile after mile"
hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. stay safe, and enjoy the best long weekend of the year!

what i read during the summer months - volume 3 (august)

i haven't been reading much - between driving back and forth to work due to appointments, and spending lots of time with friends and family, i haven't had a ton of reading time. which makes me oddly exited for things like cool nights in bed, with a book.
secret sharing time! secret #1: i am the biggest secret nerd there ever was, and i have books hidden in every nook and cranny in my apartment. secret #2: if i have ever cancelled on you ever, chances are it was to read a book. or make jewelry. which is slightly more cool than reading. slightly.
ok. back to business. i currently have 3 good books on the go - ones i am so so in love with (for all different reasons), i need to share.
1. 'the telling of lies' by timothy findley is a story of the people of a beach house in essentially a canadian version of the hamptons... and the death of a longtime guest there. basically, i'm reading it because it's findley... he's my faourite author by a longshot. and he has not failed me here... the language is stunning. if you've never read findley, please pick up 'the wars' as soon as possible. then 'pilgrim'.  //  2. 'divisadero' by michael ondaatje was a shot in the dark for me. i've liked most ondaatje books i've read, but his topics vary so much from book to book, i am never sure what i'm getting into. nevertheless, his stunning writing, and amazing storytelling has held me again... i'm so hooked on this story. it's haunting... and i can't share much about it without giving things away (a lot happens in a short period of time in this book!).  //  3. 'seriously, i'm kidding' by ellen degeneres is just funny - a collection of short stories, thoughts on life, aging, etc. it gives me hope that one day i could write a book filled with the ridiculousness that are the thoughts in my head. fingers crossed everyone! you'd all read it, right? it would be filled with insightful prose and super awesome blackberry camera photos... in fact. you are reading my book. it's called my blog. print version out shortly (holla - can someone help me make a print version of my blog? i promise i'll leave out all uses of the word 'holla'.) (i can't substantiate that promise - i love that word).
wanna be bookish and super educated like me? share with me your literature oh wise ones! we can be long distance reading buddies! (then i won't bail on you for reading, because you'll probably be reading TOO!)