That Blog Party

NO BLOG SHOULD CELEBRATE ITS FIRST BIRTHDAY ALONE. And that's why for LadyLikes' first birthday post, I've invited some friends over to share what they like; friends from film, art and fashion, as well as those who simply have an appreciation for them.

Thank you all for taking the time to do this. I love them all! And thank you for keeping the write-ups -ehem- at no more than 50 words. Can't wait to do next year's blog party!

Hoping then, I won't be in bed with the flu.

WHAT VICKY LIKES: A simple combination of colored cloth, sparks of light and spools of ribbon creates a complex, whimsical world that fills our own with wonder and hope for the same kind of creative wit. Photo by Denise Grünstein. Set design by Lisolette Watkins.

WHAT GINO LIKES: Some nights you need to make a quick stop before heading home. To drown out the buzz with some sugary drink. To replenish that depleted cigarette pack. Sometimes you need a place like this, with harsh white lights and constant comings and goings, just to cut through the darkness of night. Nighthawks by Edward Hopper.

WHAT MIKE LIKES: Modern art is a conspiracy. These esoteric artworks were a deliberate means to exclude lowbrows like me, I thought. Until I stood before this painting. Perhaps the color and geometry spoke to me -perhaps beauty need not always be comprehensible. And with such an inclusive title, doesn't it also make sense to you? New York City by Piet Mondrian.

WHAT CHIN LIKES: My brother stitched this panoramic shot of Yosemite Valley, one of my favorite places, from eleven photos. The moon is dramatic, and El Capitan grandiose; the Half Dome is as majestic as the Yosemite Falls is mighty. Each one is breathtaking, but this vista is more than just the sum of its parts. Photo by Aids Tecson.

WHAT MIA LIKES: He's a beast - a sexy one, that is. Mad Men’s Don Draper (Jon Hamm), a 1960’s advertising exec, is television’s most intoxicating character. Beneath the steely gaze are secrets and turmoil that spell trouble. Thankfully, we can watch him from a safe distance and time. Photo courtesy of AMC.

WHAT MARGAUX LIKES: Artists are keen observers of the human experience and art is the medium by which one can express these experiences. I have always loved René Magritte’s Les Amants and Le Blanc-seing because his boundless imagination and hypersensitivity to the world around him really comes through in these paintings. He utilized a realistic painting style to depict progressive Surrealist concepts that forces us to chuck preconceived notions of reality. Les Amants and Le Blanc-seing by René Magritte.

Contributors: Victoria Velasco, Michael Son, Gino Nacianceno, Chin Tecson, Mia Bacarro, Margaux Cobarrubias

Links: Photographer Aids Tecson flickr.com/crispyparty Photographer Denise Grünstein cameralink.com/photographers/denise-grunstein Set designer Lisolette Watkins www.lundlund.com/prop-stylists_set-designers/liselotte-watkins