Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I am Lauren, Space Jam enthusiast

I recently read a NY Times article entitled "Generation Y- They're 20-Something and Already Nostalgic." It's SO true, yet I never realized that our generation, in this, was any different than others.....

"Let the boomers have their 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Let Generation X commemorate the 15 years since Kurt Cobain shot himself. For Generation Y — those born roughly between 1980 and 2003 — it’s the pop culture of the late ’90s and early 2000s that makes them wistful.... Even though nostalgia hits every generation, it seems awfully early for 28-year-olds to be looking back. One possible explanation, say authors who focus on generational identity, is the impact of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The political and economic climate of the late ’90s had been as soothing as a Backstreet Boys ballad: no wars, unemployment as low as 4 percent, a $120 billion federal surplus. "

Maybe so... or perhaps it's just that the pop culture of our childhood years was just so darn cool! We can't help but long for the mere memories of such sheer goodness! Blame it on politics, if you must, but I still can't get enough of that loony film Space Jam. The theme song, sung by the Quad City DJs, was practically the anthem of my 2nd grade year (before MmmBop took it's place in 3rd)! You know the song I'm talking about.... "Everybody get up, it's time to slam now.... we got a real jam goin down..." I could keep going, for of course I know every single word... but then again, so do you.

How anyone can hear that song and sit still is frighteningly puzzling to me. It is the ultimate dance tune... just singing it in my head gets my heart pumping! So, this summer, when I caught my cousins (10, 13, and 15) sitting in front of the TV, just SITTING on the couch, while the opening theme song blared through the speakers, "Work that body, work that body, make sure you don't hurt nobody!", you must imagine what pain I felt. How could they hear this and not jump on the furniture in a dance frenzy?!? I sure couldn't!! While the kids sat, motionless, in front of the screen, my mom (a loyal Space Jam fan as well) and I gave ourselves quite a workout shaking our tails to the song!

The best thing, by far, about Space Jam is the music. I have absolutely no idea what's so cool about Michael Jordan talking to basketball playing looney tunes and alien monsters... not much if you ask me... but when paired with such an incredible soundtrack... it's really something special.

For some reason I couldn't find a working version of the theme song music video... or the song... LAME

And in case you aren't up with children's pop-culture of the mid-90's...

Friday, July 17, 2009

I am Lauren, bowl cut enthusiast

As a child, I always seemed to have a thing for boys with bowl cuts... seriously. The hairstyle, while it was rather popular in the 80's, was definitely on it's way out during my elementary school days of the mid-90's... but a bowl cut always managed to find its way into the classroom. Not until I was much older did I realize why this hairstyle was called by such a name... I always called it a "bold" cut.

These days, years after the perceived extinction of the bowl cut, such a hairstyle would most certainly be considered "bold." My first 21st century bowl cut sighting was last summer, I believe, at a Tilly and the Wall concert. Guitarist, Derek Pressnall, sported the child-like do, and really pulled it off, if I must say so myself. He looked like a big 6 year old jumping around up there on stage... simply couldn't resist it.
this is the only image I can find of Derek sporting the bowl...

But now, a year later, I'm finding that bowl cuts are no longer only for childish dudes, but also for enviously fashionable females, particularly those hailing from Denmark. As I was scanning the archives of the Danish street style blog, GadeMode, I quickly discovered what a trend this hair style has become among these gloriously chic and stylish Scandinavians.





If I were one to mess with my hair, I'd definitely give this cut a go... but I'm not... so I'll keep on admiring. And perhaps I'll have a bold buddy who'll let me mess around with his/her hair! I've mastered the mullet (arguably so), but now I'm thinking it's high time I add this to my repertoire.... anyone feeling BOLD?!?!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I am Lauren, desire to inspire enthusiast

I'm not much of a blog reader. Sure, there are the few I check on a daily basis, and of course those belonging to my dear family and friends, but rarely do I find anything that has the power to captivate me for hours on end. I find myself yearning for inspiration, hoping to find blogs that I know must exist, such as one solely devoted to fabulous storefront displays... it's out there, right? I hunt for links posted by bloggers whose taste I admire, but seldom find anything that grabs me. Until I happened upon desire to inspire...
This design blog hosted by "an Australian and a Canadian hoping to inspire the world one room at a time" is just what I've been needing in my life. With several image filled posts a day dating back to January 2007, just digging through the archives is enough to keep me entertained for weeks! I've been scrolling through the archives for a week now, and I've only made it back to July 2008... still another year and a half to look forward to!

Kim and Jo (the Australian and the Canadian) feature rooms of all aesthetics... all of which manage to inspire them, not to mention their countless readers, in some profound way. They praise the stylists and designers, the photographers and architects... everyone who goes into creating fabulous interiors. With an interior of my own in the works, this blog has really got me thinking about what I can do to maximize the space that I have. These images, in particular are serving as inspiration.

photographer, Emma Lee

designer, Thomas Jayne

Thomas Jayne, again

designer, Melissa Rufty... I'm a bit too color shy to actually do this, but there's something special about the whole package

Kim, of desire to inspire... the perfect vignette

an image from Domino mag

designer, Kate Fine

I NEED these stools!

In the very near future I'll give you a peek into the innards of my own home. I keep putting it off because it's not "finished," but I'm starting to realize that there's no such thing as a finished interior. One of the many things my mother has taught me, especially over the past few years, is that there's no reason a room should be stagnant... it should be alive... evolving to fit it's resident's needs and tastes.