magic in the front. rainbows in the back.

{via ban.do}

if you haven't seen the compelling documentary 20 feet from stardom yet, please do.

the film focuses on the music industry's unsung heroes -- the back up singers. these remarkable singers possess voices which drive some of the most iconic songs in history. the documentary gives credit where credit is due by putting these phenomenal artists front and center where they deserve to be.

in addition to the singers' remarkable vocals and stories, the film also exposes the complex and oftentime infuriating politics within the music industry, which keeps these artists on the sidelines despite their occasional desire to take center stage.

i PROMISE you will never listen to the rolling stone's "gimme shelter" the same again. hail, merry clayton!

and how about these opening credits?

i love the john baldessari inspired dots which cover the faces of the lead singer.

20 feet from stardom is available on netflix and is an oscar nominee for best documentary. go see it!

director: morgan neville.

starring: darlene love, merry clayton, lisa fischer, judith hill, and the waters -- and many more.

I'm totally gay for these cinematic buildings as seen through the eyes of barcelona-based illustrator and architect, federico babina.

i am also a fan these films -- with the exception of body double. i didn't see that one. but, if john lautner's chemosphere house is in it, i am totally streaming that flick.

{see more of babina's archicine series here.} {via modcloth.}

happy martin luther king jr. day! let's keep working on the dream -- every day, every minute.

{image via social tech pop.}

commit it to memory, darlings!

and, it goes without saying -- don't forget the footware.

{"follow the call of the disco ball" felt on vintage linen by castle and things.} {philip garner gold stiletto roller skate via love shoes and other stories.}

something special is going on in los angeles, kittens. if you're a local denizen, or plan to visit our humble city, you, too, may participate in this marvelous wonder.

alexander calder, darlings. alexander calder.

a WHORANGE hero. at LACMA. now.

experience this!

and this!

and this! it's called "little face." see the face?

calder mobiles = instant joy.

with their slow and subtle movement, abstract shapes, and delicate balancing act, it is easy to feel like a little kid marveling at a gigantic, magical toy. hopefully, calder would be happy with that comparision considering that he once built a mini circus out of cardboard, pipe cleaners, and bottle caps.

oh, and frank gehry designed the exhibition space. inspired by a calder show he experienced at the guggenheim museum, gehry designed guggenheim-esque wall curvature. yes, he went there. behold the curves...

WARNING: photography is not allowed in the exhibit, so no instagraming yourself replicating these mobile poses side-by-side, okay? don't say i didn't warn you!

kittens, i'm back. i swear. i am really back!

after a super long hiatus of 3 whole weeks, i have wiped the cold cream off of my face and lifted the cucumbers from my eyes. i am refreshed and ready to shimmy. pour yourself a cocktail and have a seat. your hair has never looked more fantastic.

over my holiday break, i saw about 10,000 films. and my favorite movie hands down was HER by spike jonze.

HER opens in wide release on january 10th. therefore, polish up you cha cha heels and boogie on down to your nearest movie house. you'll be glad you did.

as some of you may remember, i am totally gay for production designers. they are the visual masters of the screen. they create the cinematic world in which we romp. they set the tone and picturesque palette for our thirsty eyes.

they craft colorful kaleidoscope cubicles and high waisted pants. for example:

we have production designer k.k. barrett to thank for HER. barrett worked with jonze on his previous films, and also designed delicious worlds for sofia coppola (lost in translation, marie antoinette), michel gondry (human nature), and david o. russell (i heart huckabees).

in other words, kk barrett is a god. bow down, darlings.

in HER, barrett conjured a near-future los angeles. the streets are clean and the design is minimal yet warm. instead of "sci-fi" blues and greens, this futuristic world is swathed in hues of yellow, golds, orange, and reds.

there is nothing dystopian in spike jonze's and kk barrett's version of the future!

in HER, technology isn't cold and creepy. instead, it is familiar, steam lined, and inviting. that's not to say it isn't isolating. in fact, isolation is part of the societal norm. in the near future, technology cocoons people in a way that makes them feel safe, yet connected just enough. after all, friends, family, colleagues, and intriguing strangers are just a click away. not really too different from present day, correct?

the set design and costumes in HER have mid-century (and even turn of the century) elements. but, there are subtle differences.

notice the lack of collars, lapels, belts, and ties. also, most of the decor serves a function -- very stream lined, stylish, yet practical.

kk barrett drew visual inspiration from the city of shanghai. the chinese city's green spaces and business parks also served as shooting locations for the film.

i do not want to give away of the plot, so i'll just end with saying how happy i was to see los angeles portrayed as a beautiful city, san cars (yep, that's right), with a sweeping skyline, and a subway to the beach!

that is all. now go see it and tell me what you think!

and HAPPY NEW YEAR, darlings! xoxo

surreal images and landscapes germinate in the mind of korean artist jeeyoung lee and emerge in her 12' x 13' x 8' studio without the use of photoshop!

that's right - all of lee's dreamlike images are conjured and crafted in the real world.

sometimes reality really does seem pretty unreal.

thanks to my friend lewis for introducing me to the world of jeeyoung lee! see more of lee's amazing work at opiom gallery.

{via demilked.}

hoarding by color -- just a thought.

{color studies by sara cwynar.} {via present and correct.}

let the beat go on, darlings. 'till disco death do us part.

{via the jealous curator.}