Archive for February, 2011
Hollywood sparkled last night with glamour and glitz as celebrities came out for the 83rd annual Academy Awards. Our absolute favorite “Style Vixen” of the night was Gwyneth Paltrow, dressed in a sleek and shimmery Calvin Klein gown that evoked a hint of sci-fi glam and Cleopatra styling.
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Here at Culture Vixen HQ we’ve been working hard to upgrade the site. Here are some of the new improvements we’ve made:
WE’RE BIGGER
Tyson Wintibaugh has joined the team as a full time editor and combined with our contributing writers and submissions, we’re pushing ourselves to publish more frequently and get you more articles to fill up your rss reader.
WE’RE STRONGER
We’ve introduced new categories and reorganized our sections to refine our focus on delivering the best articles on art and design. To top it off, we’re moving toward an online magazine format, and we have a new tag line: The Magazine of Creative and Unconventional Design.
WE’RE FASTER
We’ve switched to new servers that are dramatically faster and more efficient. To save you even more time, our new comment system lets users login using their Facebook, Twitter, or OpenID accounts to make leaving comments quick and easy.
In the upcoming weeks we plan to roll out additional upgrades including a site redesign, so keep on the look out while we strive to deliver the best design articles around, and feel free to let us know if there’s anything we can do to improve the site…maybe by using the new comment system. Just a thought.
We’ve been overhauling and upgrading the site behind the scenes recently and tonight we’ve got a major server upgrade scheduled. So in the off chance that you experience any interruptions, rest assured we’ll be back up in no time! —the Culture Vixen team
Why use ordinary, everyday ice cubes in your drink when you can add some style to your booze? Here are 3 drinks to pour over these themed ice cubes from Fred & Friends:
1. The Godfather
What’s in It:
1½ oz Scotch
½ oz Amaretto
How to Make It:
Pour the Amaretto over the Scotch and stir well. To make The Godmother, substitute Scotch with Vodka.
Looking like something straight out of an sci-fi story, these wild shoes by designer Edmundo Castillo light up with the push of a button, and can even be set to flash on and off as well! Castillo is said to have been thinking of the movie Tron: Legacy when creating these wedge sandals, which are made with the same type of lights as the movie’s costumes. To recharge these party shoes there’s a USB plug in the heel, guaranteeing hours of illuminated strutting.
Julene Harrison is a British designer and illustrator who creates hand-cut custom artwork, often for wedding gifts and special occasions. Not only do we love her designs and admire her patience cutting out each intricate shape, but we also love the way her craft is integrated into her website design.
Google celebrates the 135th birthday of Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi with images of some of his most famous sculptures, including the well known Sleeping Muse, and Bird in Space.
In the winter resort of Arosa, Switzerland, at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel, Swiss architect Mario Botta has designed a wellness complex filled with pools, a rock grotto, spa suites, a fitness center, meditation rooms, and sun terraces, plus health and beauty facilities. The wintertime juxtaposition of snow pierced by glass creates a magical atmosphere, perfect for rejuvenation.
Today’s elixir of the week is a warm winter favorite: the Hot Buttered Toddy.
1/4 cup of bourbon
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
boiling-hot water
a small pat of butter
Combine the bourbon and lemon juice, then and add boiling water and stir in a spoonful of honey. Finally float the pat of butter on top, and enjoy!
Los Angeles insider tip: Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie in Agoura Hills serves up a fabulous Hot Buttered Toddy that goes down nicely with their equally delicious soft pretzel starter, which comes with multiple gourmet dipping mustards.
[ photo via Ireland Whiskey Trail ]
Gwen van den Eijnde is a genius costume designer whose intricately designed garments reflect his immeasurable creative capacity. His costumes evoke a charming spirit of dark romanticism that borders on the bizarre, while remaining gracefully enchanting and ever-innovative. Gwen’s costumes all have a unique contemporary twist that juxtaposes classically-inspired touches like crowns made from wooden piano keys, and abundant Renaissance period embellishments.
Through precise attention to detail, including make-up and styling, Gwen’s costumes seem to take on theatrical lives of their own—a sheer reflection of his talent. Culture Vixen’s Gayle Wheatley had a chance to chat with Gwen about his art:
Gayle: Where do you find inspiration for your costumes?
Gwen: The inspiration for my costumes mixes historical and contemporary. I’m using forms and elements especially from the baroque times and I try to interpret them in a modern way. I’m also very inspired by costume in films: I grew up watching Peter Greenaway’s movies and Jacques Demy’s film “Donkey Skin.”
Gayle: What first drew you to costume design, and how did you get your start?
Gwen: I started to make costumes when I was still a student in Strasbourg at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs (2000-2005). Originally I wanted to be an illustrator and I also studied Animated Cinema. By means of my costumes I create characters that I bring to life by turning into fantasy beings during performances.
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