Flash that Swanky Pad

One of my favorite commercials of all time is watching P. Diddy promote the liquor Ciroc. The art direction of the black and white photography taking place at Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palm Estate, along with the swanky Sinatra music in the background, makes me want to get up on my feet and grab me a glass of Ciroc. 

One of the most famous architecture photographer’s, Julius Shulman, quoted “Whether we recognize it or not, we all live in a world of architecture.” And if anyone knew how to glamorize architecture, it would be Mr. Shulman.  Photographing Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate along with his infamous Case Study House #22, Shulman with no trained background in photography, simply and instinctively knew how to capture a still moment of architecture.

A recent documentary film, Visual Acoustics, was released on Shulman over the weekend, following the life and art of an individual who helped shape and influence the careers of architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra & John Lautner.  Through his personal and professional lens we are able to see the designs we might otherwise have flash right by us.

Image Twin Palms Estate 

http://www.eichlernetwork.com/desert_twinpalms.html 
http://www.juliusshulmanfilm.com/

Marching to Tommy’s Beat

USC Marching Band Acryclic Painting Robert W. Jensen

An ode to USC’s marching band playing tonight at the Americana

Beauty of Botti

Some people move you with words, others with actions, some with art. And then there are people who move you without saying a word, instead using their breaths for inspiration. One such modern musician is Chris Botti.  With strong influences from Miles Davis, Botti infuses old style jazz with new notes of charm and sophistication. On July 9th of this year, a few of my girlfriends and I decided we had to watch at least one performance at the nearby Greek Theater. The one uncomparable thing about living in LA is how blessed we are with the coolness of summer night breezes. An outdoor theater with neverending trees surrounding the venue, watching performances at the Greek is like stepping out into your backyard and having a private concert. On this particular night, the stars above were aligned to watch the show below them; the music was smooth and sexy. Later on, there was a surprise guest musical performance by John Mayer, who, aside from his attention grabbing tactics, is one very talented artist.  http://www.chrisbotti.com/

Carla Bruni’s Lyrics of Love

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy..the singer with the ultimate sultry voice that would make Sade blush.  I chose this song as my first post because of the way she captures the emotions of love through her words-and I will try my best to do the same on this blog for my love for the arts.