Weekend Hits: Darker Now

Falling into the dark side...
Diego Fragoso for Slurp magazine @ models.com

Embrace the dark side...That's what I'll suggest to you right now. And no, we're not turning all evil and demonic here. It's just one of those phases you slip into when the things you've been liking fall under a certain mold or category and they all just work! For my Weekend Hits post I'm bringing together sight, sound and loads of sense on some things pretty sinister and while it's ironic, please enjoy!

>>> MIKKY EKKO's PULL ME DOWN

The video is like a spell, really. Keep watching.

My encounter with Mikky Ekko is thanks to Rihanna's new album, Unapologetic. Stay is my favorite track on her album and she sings it (pretty well) with Mikky Ekko. At first I thought it was Ryan Tedder, but then the song's credits obviously mentioned someone else. Then I went searching all over YouTube and landed possibly one of the coolest songs I've heard this month (definitely for the year too). Pull Me Down sounds like a long, night swim, the moon watching, stars hiding, and it's just you and this vast body of water. The video helps a lot with the song. The song itself is quite simple (he basically wants you to be his girl but sings it so damn good, you'd want to be a girl for him...) and it meets your expectations somehow, especially come chorus time, you'll find yourself smiling at how liquid and right it sounds. Mikky Ekko's songs all share that same, bittersweet quality about them, when you know love's not always loads of sparkles and sprinkles. He definitely puts you on that dark sink-and-swim feel you'll never want to rise from.

>>>> JERICH EUSEBIO DRAWS

Honoring & Overcoming by Jerich Eusebio
from his Facebook page

One of my best friends (since 5th grade) has been dabbling in the arts since I've known him: literature, theater, music, film, the fine arts, he's had some happy experience with. But as we've all grown old, it seems his forte lies heavily on the basic pen-and-paper, not as a writer yet, but as an illustrator. As a registered nurse, he's not 24-7 exposed to art and knowing him, he pretty much needs his dose of it at least once and a while. His solution? Draw with his trusty pens and pour it all out there. What he lacks in color, he makes up for in texture and detail, giving his images weight, depth and a sense that what he does, he wants to do well in his own terms. Honoring & Overcoming is my favorite. I'll have to talk to him first to know what it really means and who the image is, I'm thinking Jesus, but who knows...And what's most fascinating about his works, aside from his signature strokes and well-improved style, is his reference to so much of these dark elements and arts. The stories told behind the images, the references pulled out from the very best and cool of arts and fashion and literature and film, I mean, what he does has great potential. If only he had a space to share these images to others with...I'm quite lucky I have him on Facebook. So consider this, dear best friend, a baptism into the other side of the world. 

Glossy Times

Mr. Gandy for AUGUST Man. One of the best British tributes on a cover

You will need to keep your head beaming with inspiration as we all inch away to the weekend, so for people who love the arts, design, fashion, models and culture, I present you all the coolest magazines and their equally inspiring covers fresh from NASCAPAS (one of my favorite blogs ever!). Keep the glossy times going guys...

Old Times

The best period editorial I've seen in a while.
VOGUE Turkey, shows you how it should look like at a shoot.

Always liked the old times. After picking up my favorite novel, The Great Gatsby, I've been caught and trapped under its spell. It might have been Fitzgerald's delicious writing---that I keep as my touchstone for everything I write, or the knowledge that afforded me after all I've read that just made me love the 20s and the 30s. And then I went on to the 50s and all the legends and icons of those days... And it was then that I realized how much of a romantic I am.

These were the times when my 80 something year old grandmother was having a whiff of first love and times when long-gone relatives have lived stories that we only get to read now...Through literature, movies, art, music and fashion, I've seen only what has been and have never had the slightest idea of how it really was back in the "good old days". But there was something about the lack of all happy, poppy color, or the subtlety of color that I find pretty interesting, something I've deduced from looking at old photos and watching old movies. To me it all seemed as if things were all too fine, too poised for the ladies and for the gents, too smooth yet masculine. Suddenly it's as if you could smell airplane gasoline, something cold, old perfume, cigarettes and liquor in the air...Somehow, it felt simpler, but still overwhelmingly dramatic and inspiring. 

I still have a so-so idea why the past lures people in. Usually, the expectations from people who love to read and write is that they know why people drop anchor to the past. I, only have an idea: If you could cut the entire population to romantics and futurists (if there is such a thing), you've got half for each.. Most of us look back at what has been and call it inspiring, the rest look forward, dreaming up things and call that inspiring. Personally, I think the past is all so hypnotic because it has a sense of rawness to it, something untouched and important. Now I feel like things are so conveniently gelled together, less pure and that the world is looking smaller that there's only so little room for more. But of course, that's a sickness I suffer from. I am, anyway a romantic and am guilty of being foolish to want to live at a time I'm not meant to be in. So here is a tribute to the old times, when, in the eyes of present past-lovers such as myself, is all how time should be: all inspiring, a pinch magical and incredibly beautiful.

The Unsettler

Sometimes you just don't give a middle finger to the sky
Maurizio Cattelan

"Look into my eyes...Don't tell me...." That song! You know...
Maurizio Cattelan

The dream is to sit down, one day, someday with Maurizio Cattelan. Talk to him. Ask him "What are you doing?" Ask him more questions 'till I hated the sound of my own voice and hated myself for asking too much. I'm not yet a fan though since it takes more to make a fan out of ones self, but I'd like to believe I am a step closer to reaching an idea of what he does and why he does it.

The question is, is it art? This is one of the best reasons why I miss school. While you're already too busy asking a lot in your life, you actually pay for more prodding and questioning and studying to do. And then you ask yourself "Why the hell do we subject ourselves to such crap when life could be sitting down and drinking something cold?" I am, deep down, not one to settle, especially when I know that life is no "sit down and a cold drink in hand". I may be more passive than aggressive, but I do yearn for things beyond, wherever, whatever, whoever I am now, so yes, I'd love to subject myself to the"crap" that we call learning. And this post I am writing will definitely make for an intense and inspiring 3-hour class for my Visual Arts or Arts Theory subjects back in college with people who love these things.

(I've side tracked too far) So are Maurizio Cattelan's works art? They are showing now at the Guggenheim I think, so to an extent it is art, correct? Well, you could debate about it. I for one have limited knowledge of art and if you asked me, I'd honestly still give Cattelan's works days or weeks to thoroughly study them. The complicated thing is, you have so many categories to consider if something is a work of art. And as I am no expert, I could only give you lots of personal thoughts on his works, that will hopefully shed us all some light on Cattelan's genius.

Coverage

Not a Novak fan, but he's on top PLUS I'm smelling a Dolce & Gabbana campaign for this one.
GQ Italia

I know that what drives traffic to my blog usually revolve around magazine-related things and magazine covers are definitely part of that. Aside from the fact that I am still a HUGE magazine fan, these are great covers that are worth your few seconds. 

I present to you the latest magazine covers from around the world for March/April 2012. If only I could read everything and understand everything... Enjoy!

Photo Book

Mercy
Anna de Rijk by Sofia Sanchez and Mauro Mongiello

The Watch
Andres Velelncoso Segura by Hunter & Gatti

A photo tells you a story without even making any literal sound or any slant of a letter. And that's why vision and photography are incredibly powerful channels of story-telling, of life. A bad photo, you see, has almost zero saving grace for someone like me, and to think I'm pretty optimistic when it comes to things. A good photo however will burn itself onto your memory and if it's that good, you'll never, ever forget it.

Here are some of the best fashion photos (courtesy of models.com) I'm just mad about now, with of course a few little captioning done by yours truly...Enjoy.

OH, and if you get to see a trend here (since they're all so randomly selected and all based on "Wow, that looks great") by all means share it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Campaigning 1

Gymnasts in Chanel. Spring 2012

Spring 2012 on the campaign trail looks promising and exciting. 

If you're a hardcore fashion kid or a huge fan of good-looking anything, these campaigns are always on your to-check list before the seasons start. Since 2008 I've been hooked on who stars in the latest campaigns, who photographed them, how everything looks and most of all, if my favorites got any big deals this season. I'm glad Garrett Neff is romancing the beautiful Ashley Greene for DKNY. 

Also excited for BJ Pascual's Michael Cinco campaign. It's the only Filipino designer and campaign that I've included cause it's just fantastic. It did remind me of Alexander McQueen to an extent, but don't you dare say it's a copy or less beautiful just because. So, I introduce to you, the very first Great-looking weekend for the year. Here are my favorite Spring 2012 campaigns all sourced from my favorite website, models.com.  Part 2 next weekend!

Spinspiration

Menswear's new look courtesy of Sportswear International 

Very few men's magazines spark interest these days in terms of face value or cover design. They usually feature beautiful women in tasteful states of undress or the plain smiley celebrity we've grown accustomed to.  These formulas don't always invite you to go, buy and read their issues...

And I've applauded publications that nail the outside as well as the inside, among them is Sportswear International. Fallen in love I've been, with this publication and to this very day, I still love the cover and issue they sent me over, all the way from Germany (much love to team Sportswear International). For me, it was one of the most memorable, iconic magazine covers I've seen.

Now, they've done it again. Sportswear International takes publications and men's fashion for a spin. On the cover is a well-styled, almost period-looking Aiden Andrews & Charlie France. Though spare on the font and color department, the clean slate does justice to this simple yet brilliantly styled cover. The awesome colors on the clothes, the pieces, I mean, it's just a breath of fresh air. Loving it is an understatement. Check out the rest of the photos they've got inside, and I tell you, they're spectacular. The bike is genius. It's as much of a star as the clothes and the models are. Great photography too. I just love, love, love it. Thank you Sportswear International for taking us all on major fashion spinspiration. Still wishing you'd sell here in Manila. 

Art Issues

Sting Caused by the Flight of a bee by Salvador Dali

The Kiss by Pablo Picasso, 1969

(Really) Excited to get my hands on the latest issue of ROGUE magazine November 2011. I was glad that LA gave me an assignment for this issue cause I'm still deeply in love with the magazine as I have always been. It's ROGUE's annual Art Issue, featuring a short-haired, Louis Vuitton-clad Vanessa Matsunaga on a gray and yellow cover. Stunning, I tell you.

For this issue, my pieces were about two legendary artists, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. My art training came in handy. Suddenly I could smell my classroom back in college, the scent of newly copied readings that eat up so much of my room space and my lunch money, and all those sorta-rushed papers for all my Wednesday Art classes (Art Theory and Visual Arts). During these times, I feel incredibly thankful for great education. Cause honestly, great education affords you a say on something...And it's not just mindless gab or making a sound just for the sake of it. With great education, you could say something worth everyone's time.  And while personal style (how people dress up) may not have been offered as a major subject back in college, with education I've learned to write about this topic with (great difficulty still) a little more science to it.

Polka Dots and Moonbeams

Arizona Muse as Adeline

Stories: All-New Tales edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio has only been a few hours under my possession and I already love the 20-something short stories by today's most read authors (Jodi Picoult, Chuck Palahniuk, Neil Gaiman, Peter Straub and more). It's an attractive little anthology because it has the heaviest name dropping in Literature you could imagine---if you are, that is, into the name dropping. The cover has this real nice texture and its simple, almost kiddy look adds much to how deep the stories are inside. It's pricey, of course to people who don't have the bone or inclination towards books and magazines and/or anything that requires some time of the day for reading, but for people like myself it's a steal, really. 

Magazines, are definitely drugs to me, but books are like quick vacations. I've been tired at work and even though I enjoy it, I still need that break. I sometimes wish I was the kind of person who doesn't need to stop, but anyway...Yeah. If you want to take your mind off things, sort of detoxify it from the usual, I suggest you pick-up a book and get away for a while. It keeps me inspired in all aspects: writing, creativity, the imagination, life, language and the lot. So if you do have the time and if you're itching for something to read, this one's a perfect solution.

Covers

Beautiful magazine covers from all around the world.
NASCAPAS = my drug

NASCAPAS to me is the best temptation and source of inspiration available online (aside from my usuals: models.com, the DesignScene series, GQ, you know, the lot). Being a magazine kid, of course, I've encountered the blog before. A Twitter friend, indiebon RTed an entry from the blog and it reminded me that there is something like NASCAPAS out there, a one-stop, time-consuming, incredibly inspiring and educational blog that has little to no words at all, but, thanks to its only focus---magazine covers, you get so much more. 

Harry Kitty

CUTE indeed.
This is what I call color control. Great job to the fan who designed this.
This is how it's done!

TJ and I have always talked about how magazines here in the Philippines will rarely do something with humor on their covers. It's probably cause others won't get it, or people here aren't in for funny magazine covers, we don't know. But I've always dreamed of doing humorous covers, people with big real smiles on the cover, it's happy and it's energetic but it's not annoying. 

Then I stumbled on a FANMADE Numbero Homme Tokyo Cover for last month. Featuring the handsome Harry Goodwins (who, by the way has been doing the heavy rounds this year) dressed in a fresh, wrinkly pink jacket and multi-colored scuba suit and the ultimate icon of cute and Japanese culture, Hello Kitty. I know, I know. People think it's so gay or that it's weird, but for me, it works. There is something so cool, clean and sporty about the whole look. I actually love it so much, I'm planning to have it printed and framed for my desk here at the office...

Whoever did this, please show yourself. This is pure genius. It's witty, it's cool, it's easy and it's memorable. Great job.

This, is something humorous but at the same time, could pass as a serious cover. Don't you agree? I so fucking love it...It's crazy. Philippines, are we ready for something like this? Hmmm... I am for sure.

- Gerard

Beauty-ing the Weekend

Been doing my homework this weekend and after visiting most of the blogs and websites I frequent, I am pleased to say that everything's looking splendid lately. You know that when inspiration comes, you better drink it hard while it's there. Without further a do, here is the splendid, artsy, super beautiful weekend of everything that matters!
Enjoy.

Lanvin's little girls collection @ DesignScene

She sewed to dazzle her daughter, and in doing so dazzled the world. ---- Louise de Vilmorin on Jeanne Lanvin's love for her daughter

Sean O'pry for Wonderland Magazine

Everytime I look at Sean O'pry, The Picture of Dorian Gray comes to mind. I could might as well write O'pry a novel...He's that handsome, it'll sometimes sting your heart and no piece of medication would ever cure it. I would never know if it's jealousy or a strong admiration for humans blessed and kissed by God on the cheek that I'm feeling...Whatever it is, it's incredibly strong. Beauty's a gift O'pry, take care of it.

Arabian Harper's Bazaar featuring Houda Shretah

Houda Shretah stars in this damn right sexy and beautiful swimsuit story shot by Jeff Tse for Arabia's Harper's Bazaar. Need I say more? Let the photos do the talking, I am currently recovering from a heart attack.

The expensive Twin magazine @ Selectism

I have no idea, what Twin magazine is. But from the looks of it (and that $ 35 price tag), I believe it's quality publication right here. I want one. Anybody willing to give me a copy?

The Cindy painting (not the title of the painting) by Daniel Peddle 

Boys' First Looks by Daniel Peddle

I badly want to go check out Daniel Peddle's The Undertow at NPCAC New York. I mean, look at those water color paintings? Beautiful... I badly need me some art folks.

- Gerard

The Art of Lent

The Taking of Christ by Caravaggio
My favorite work of his, then it's St. Paul's conversion, The Fortune Teller and Narcissus

I'll admit it: Holy Week is not one of my favorite weeks on the calendar.
Had they asked me about the dates on the calendar, I'd rather spread out Easter into a week instead of having it on just a Sunday. But then again, it's not always about having fun or celebrating happiness.

So while us Catholics go into an ideally reflective and sober next three days, I'm leaving off the blogging and will have to return on Easter. This isn't really my biggest sacrifice for the Lenten season and if you ask me what it is I'll never tell. I've never been a fan of people who ask and tell you at the same time what it is their giving up for lent, just because I find it a case of bad taste and a little unnecessary (cause I believe only God ought to know what it is you're giving up and why you're doing so). So my short hiatus from blogging is not part of my sacrifice, but a paying of respect for this traditional and very important commemoration of God's entire saving story.

We're rarely talking about religion here on Salt and for some readers, it may look disconnected from the entire model-y, personal diary kind of blogging, but I've always been a "fairly devout" Catholic and Holy Week is part of that (not to mention that this week only comes once in a year, so it's no big trouble for me). But since this is my blog, this special Holy Week post needs to be somewhat right up our alley= meaning art-related, beautiful and definitely important. I present to you the amazing, dramatic and very fitting paintings of Caravaggio.

The Denial of St. Peter

Ecce Homo 

Christ at the Column

The Crowning with Thorns 

The Entombment

The Incredulity of St. Thomas

Again, I'm not asking you to try and be a hardcore Catholic (cause I'm not one as well and just because I don't do that) or to do stuff these next few days, but I believe there's nothing wrong with being a little more hopeful in the religion, you know? Pretty devastating things have been going on and one of the best lessons I've learned from the faith since my consciousness is that, through both  best and worst times, having hope and faith in God's "awesomeness"---put more casually, never fails you. I could definitely attest to that and that's what this post is for.

Have a blessed next three days (and forever) my friends. Keep praying.

I shall see you all soon, hopefully bearing great news.

- Gerard

The Tightrope Walker

 Tightrope Walker by Everett Shinn

The poem I've worked on (actually there's two of them) is supposedly a poem of a character I'm working on for my story. I've mentioned this before and I gave it a thought, whether or not it's worth putting on my blog and realized, it is. Not because it's great, but because I want to. And so I looked up a photo of "tightrope walker" and stumbled on this haunting painting from the 20s by Everett Shinn with the same title. Though my tightrope walker (also the title of my poem) is performing for an old American circus, probably sometime in the 40s I'd say, this painting is definitely a beautiful representation of what the poem could paint in your head. And of course, just look at it, it's an amazing painting. So, I just had to use it for this entry...

Anyway, here it is, my The Tightrope Walker...

The Tightrope Walker

I'm balancing a long, bending stick in my hands

as I shake along with the rope.

If I do break a sweat, I would-but I have so little of time to bother.

Behind me the setting moon...up front, the rising sun.

I'm a tightrope walker, the world my audience.

I keep mum, try my best to keep balance,

to be strong and guarded from the winds...

But you grab me from the crowd and for the first time,

I've felt a walker for one...

Still the sun ahead and the moon in the past,

I'm walking for you now, despite the world watching,

despite time flying...

My fear now is not so much of falling,

of failing to meet the sun while it's still there.

I fear that when I do fall, that when I do reach the sun, you'd be gone---

Bored out of your wits.

I'm sorry it's taking long, I'm sorry I've been here for ages,

but don't you see that I'm balancing,

walking

and pushing

for you?

I'm way past the middle, you're still in the crowd and the world gasps...

Will I make it before you leave?

And will you find me in the crowd when this tent's down...

When we're all just ordinary people

instead of tightrope walkers and spectators? 

---G. Gotladera

East VS. West

In the Mood for Love

A Single Man

Two of probably the finest films I've seen...

Thanks to our Film Theory class, suddenly movies go beyond eye candy...And you know that these two, got it all right I believe...The clothes, the actors, the story, the music (my Lord the music), the directors...

And for some reason, these two, though different in story line, share a certain elan about them. It might be because of the 50s (and you know we're all about the 50s now) setting, but there's something more to them, I just don't know what...

-Gerard

Calloway and Betty Boop shaking it

I've posted about Calloway before and Betty Boop, but this one I haven't seen.

Enjoy! I know Cindy and my sister, Joanne loved the others I've shown them. Forget about the underlying messages, for now, and enjoy the music of Calloway.

-Gerard

The Adventures of TinTin

One of the most stylish cartoons (and characters) of all time in my opinion

Like all cyber campaigns for awareness, it will most definitely affect you in any way possible especially if you have Facebook. This week, it's all about raising awareness for child abuse, or something like that and they (whoever they are) asked for Facebook users to eliminate all human, living faces in the network and replace them with cartoons of your childhood. I'm not really against it or for it. But what I do like about this campaign is seeing the hundreds of similarities--like Little Lulu, Curious Play, Sailor Moon, Akazukin Cha-Cha, Disney's most famous characters, Captain Planet, etc., I have with most of my Facebook friends and it does take me back to being an obese kid, who only cared about seeing the next episode of Madeline or watching Popeye on Cartoon Network with our lolo. I have little to complain about my childhood and I thank my mom for that...Cartoons did play an important role for me, cause it was one of those mighty forces that helped me realize so many possibilities. And that's why I understand this whole campaign for it. However, I'm not changing my profile picture cause a.) ROGUE's latest issue is too kick-ass to change b.) I'm happy with this blog post and c.) I'm not tempted enough to join the bandwagon. But don't worry, I'm not the snobby kind or playing on the offensive side. 

Anyway, one of my favorite cartoons when the I Channel was still on cable (was it the I channel?) was The Adventures of Tintin. My mom loved Nancy Drew and I'm guessing my lolo had Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes to call his generation's detective. My detective would be the super chic, always pleasant and ever smart Tintin. Now, I don't remember much about him, but I do remember some of his adventures, his white dog whose name I forgot. But Tintin was one of those cartoons I looked forward to watching when I had the time to waste (because time back then didn't really matter...). What I loved about Tintin would be his clothes: they were always so simple, classic but never dull. How he'd wear trench coats with muted red, ballooning trousers and brown shoes, or his sweater plus button down combos in pleasantly bleeding colors and also all his preppy polo shirts that I know are from Fred Perry or Lacoste or Polo by Ralph Lauren. Of course, the best thing about Tintin was the entire cartoon: the feel, the mood, the colors, the classic plots of any espionage story and Tintin's always unassuming yet sharp hold on all situations. He wasn't the American I'm-so-cool-I-know-everything kind of detective. There was always that childish, or rather, eager curiosity about him that I found most appealing. Tintin might've been the very first unbiased, open-minded cartoon character I could remember and that's why I loved it. It didn't dawn on me back then, cause terms like "open-minded" and "unbiased" didn't matter, but now that I think about it, I know these are the reasons why I liked it. He was also one of the awesomest reasons I had to believe that I'd be able to pull of Criminology as a real course. Mind you, I had dreamt of being a detective when I was in elementary and highschool. That was after I realized being a doctor wasn't for me, being a professional singer meant risking my personal life for doing what I want to do. Well, now I know I can't be a detective. So, I'll stick to Tintin and reading about other famous detectives.

So, for Christmas, getting the comic books of Tintin wouldn't hurt...In fact, it's one of my top choices for this Christmas. I hope my sister gets me the entire collection. I hope the movie'd be good.

Enjoy (even those who don't find this whole campaign sensible) this campaign against Child Abuse. To whoever had this planned, it's a brilliant idea...You have truly gotten everyone nostalgic and aware...I just hope it inspires them to actually do something about child abuse. 

-Gerard

The Blues Haunting of Decades Past

Remember when we were young and Cartoon Network showed almost black-and-white cartoons in rather odd times of the day? Those were pretty sophisticated, strange yet educational times for me cause when I was at that age, cartoons seemed light but there was a certain darkness to it that you sense as a child but never really understand. Now that I'm older and I've been exposed to lots of history and culture and music and other things that great education grants you, this cartoon with Betty Boop as Snow White is a haunting one.

I've never heard of Cab Calloway and it's a shame cause my whole claim to fame is supposedly the blues and jazz music and I don't even know the guy. Shame on me for being a pretender. Anyway, I had fallen trap to his soulful singing and when it's rendered in cartoon form of the 30s, done up in, what seems like, a nightmare-ish cover of all the things a child (and an adult) would be afraid of---check out the background images and to me, it's allusion to Dante's Inferno, St. James Infirmary, Betty Boop in her glass coffin, the seven dwarfs, the obviously wicked step mother and the sleek dancing and fluid moving of Koko the Clown makes for a rather disturbing  show for kids of any age, and an interesting, almost hypnotizing haunting of music and talent and history and culture for adults who know that some things aren't so innocent... 

This'll keep me hooked for days and days and days.

Check out the full, apparently, groundbreaking episode of Betty Boop as Snow White here
-Gerard

Morning Inspiration

the Natalia for British Harper's Bazaar

Sexy Momma Sasha by Mario Testino for Allure

Backstage at the Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2011 campaign shoot:

David G.

Noah M.

Adam S.

VMan's latest issue with Stephen Dorff of Somewhere by Coppola

NYLON Mexico

Thank you Design Scene for all such inspiring things, what I'd do without you.

And of course, without the creative minds and beautiful faces (and bodies) of fashion, Design Scene would have NOTHING to post.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)