July faves

July faves, originally uploaded by Mam'zelle Lulu.

Summer photos contest

Hello everyone ! This is just a little update to tell you that I'm participating to the summer photo challenge at hotpixel. You can vote for my picture here, so I can win the contest ! It'll be hard, cause I'm afraid I'm not as good as all the other participants, but it's fun to participate to a challenge for the first time :) For those who read my blog regularly, you might recognize the picture that I already posted her a while ago...

Anyway, I'll be back soon, to tell you about the fabulous Beirut's concert I went to this week. Stay tuned !

Last faves from Flickr

Last faves, originally uploaded by Mam'zelle Lulu.

I know I didn't post pictures here since a looooong time... and I won't have a lot of time for blogging in the next days, as I'm finishing my dissertation at uni, so here are my last favourites on Flickr, to encourage you to be patient... :)

50 great songs

NME have been doing a list of the 50 greatest indie songs this week. Oasis is #1 of the list and Nirvana's #2, so of course I agree with that list... There's a lot of brit groups, a lot of things that I use to listen to... Nothing's better than brit groups... I guess if I had to list my 50 favourite indie songs, my choice wouldn't have been very different from this.

(via Reloda)

'a little compensation after the World Cup...'

[picture taken by Guy Eppel]

I went to a concert last thursday. Good Shoes was playing the first part of The Rakes. The first thing you notice about Good shoes is that they wear ruined Chucks (well, that was easy…). Apparently, that group like good old recipes, can it be old Converses or rock music. According to Les Inrocks, this is a group to watch for. What's my own opinion after that concert ? Well, I can say it's one quite good brit group among so many others interchangeable brit groups, but I cannot say more. The problem with the same old recipes is that they all have the same taste at the end.

Fortunately, their followers were much more appealing. Alan Donohoe is the living proof that you can have no talent in dancing (at all), and yet be the leader of one of the most exiting group of the moment. Again, what makes the difference between one and another British band is the stage performance. I'll always prefer good performers. A rock concert must be a spectacle. And with The Rakes, I was satisfied. Their recordings might not be terrific, but their live concerts are. We’re only at the beginning of the year, but I already think that last week’s concert’s gonna be on my “list of the best concerts I’ve been to in 07”.

+ To go further : Good shoes website // The Rakes website

1 2 3 4 Feist is back !

I love this : funny, colorful, pretty, light, catchy... It makes me smile...

+ To go further : Feist's website // myspace // Les Inrocks' interview

The Daversity Code

Check this out !
(An investigation by Robert Penguin and Sophie Minnow)

I feel very concerned about environment issues. I think it is a very good idea to make that little film, and it is really well made... And even more interesting that the real movie... A proof that you can be aware of pollution and environment problems without necessary being an old killjoy person... :)

Abigail Percy

Abigail Percy is a jewel designer. I accidentally came across her website and fall in love with her beautiful pieces. Even if she claims to be inspired by Paris, this is mostly Glasgow that I see trough her beautiful pieces. The floral patterns, the simple designs, I think the imperceptible influence of MacKintosh and Art Déco is here. And Glasgow, its architecture, its people, its optimism too.

It is a little bit pricey for me, but I think I could make an exception one day. For a lovely necklace, or wonderful earrings for instance. Her pieces are all hand-made, that's the kind of objects you'll keep for years and you won't regret having buy. That's a timeless jewellery. And it's all so delicate & beautiful ! Subtle, girly but not too much… Very "vintage" inspired, but quite modern in the same time. There's lot of pearls, but not used in a classical way. Pearls paired with leaves and flowers patterns don't seem that old-fashioned. It gives them a twist !

My favourite piece so far is the rhodendron necklace, the one pictured at the extreme right of the header above. The leaves earrings are really stunning too. I wish I had discovered her while I was still in Glasgow !

+ To go further : Abigail's jewellery can be purchased at Etsy. She runs a delightful blog, and she also has a Flickr account.

'Et ce n'est pas Chantal Goya'

I went to a very good concert last wednesday. The first part was featuring Katel. I didn't knew her at all before going, so it was a complete -and wonderful- surprise to discover such a talented artist. I can now say I love Katel ! She was there to present her first album. Her voice is very particular, quite strong. Her texts are like finely carved sculptures that she wrote patiently. She did a cover of Human Behaviour, one of my favourite Björk’s songs. I’m telling you : I love her !
I regret now I didn't purchased her album that evening. Maybe I'll catch her at Le Printemps de Bourges, she's gonna be there too !

The main part of the concert was concerning Jeanne Balibar. She's an actress / singer (tick what you want). I didn't knew her before going neither, so I listened to one of her album during the past week to see what it looks like and I wasn't convinced. To be honest, she's not really my cup of tea. But I had a great time anyway during her concert. She's great on stage, and the people in the public were (older than me) quite enthusiastic. They knew the lyrics by heart, were dancing or sitting in front of the scene, it was cool. I took lots of pictures, therefore I was happy (even if most of them are quite blurry). Good music + possibility to take picture = makes me smile :)

+ To go further : Katel's website // Jeanne Balibar’s myspace

Simply boring

I've just seen Lady Chatterley, the movie by Pascale Ferrand. Gosh, you can't imagine how boring was that film !!!

The scenario is adapted from a version of D.H. Lawrence's book. The story takes place in the UK, in the early 20's. To sum up the scenario : Lady Chatterley has an handicaped husband, they live together in a little castle in the countryside, she's bored and dispressed, and she somehow fall in love with the gamekeeper Parkin. And then for 2 hours the realisator films the two of them flirting, having sex, going on walks, having sex, being angry against each other, having sex, and so on. Oh, I forgot, there is a close shot on each little leave, each flower, each drop of water all along the film, I don't know why, I just think it's just really annoying. This is art, some might say. This is boring, I'll respond.

The most amazing thing about this film is that it gets five Césars (the French Oscars, kind of). Five Césars ! How come ? Apparently I was the only one to be bored, uh ? Among others were the best film's César (?!?) and the best actress' César. Okay, so you should know that to my mind this gal's not able to act, everything seems so "artificial", she's not natural at all, it looks awkward. She's really bad at it. But this is only my opinion, and it looks like I'm the only one to think that way… Gosh, what's wrong with me ???

So, let's say I didn't understand anything AT ALL about this film. Some may judge it as a chef d'œuvre, I think it's a dreadful adaptation of the book, then it's up you to watch it and make your choice ! OR you can avoid the boredom torture and watch Little Miss Sunshine or American Beauty instead and have a good time… It's up to you...