The Art of Being Frivolous

I've found myself interested in beauty and fashion a little more lately. I've been shedding weight pretty rapidly since I found out I'm lactose intolerant which has been kind of a re-awakening of my femininity. I normally can't focus on such frivolities. It's much easier to be a ragamuffin and give it no nevermind. Especially when you're obsessed with movies and culture the way I am. Sometimes I feel like I've immersed myself in boy things for so long that I find myself grasping for girl things that I can also enjoy. I usually default to the things I liked in high school, hell, I still use some of the make-up I bought in high school. 

It's all really just a matter of forming good habits. Making sure I wash and moisturize my face every night. That's not frivolous, that's important. Being confident and well groomed is important! So there you have it. I'm still a girl, go figure? I forget sometimes and then it's like this crazy epiphany.

So here are some of things that have been giving me the gimmie grabs lately...


1. Bust Magazine ♥

I really think that Bust is the greatest women's magazine ever. I used to buy it religiously but over the course of the past few years I've only gotten a few here and there. I should really just think about getting a subscription because they always brighten up my day, give me ideas, remind me that all new music doesn't suck, showcase clothes I would actually wear (and could afford, modeled by women with all body types), they even have a dirty story at the end of each issue! This issue they had a quiz about the late Lena Horne which surprised and delighted my music aficionado fiance (who got almost every question right!). Alongside my all time favorite movie magazine, Shock Cinema, Bust continues to deliver and is definitely an old stand by I'll never stop loving.

2. Sushi!

Guess what! I can always have sushi! No matter what dietary fuckery I must subject myself to, sushi is fair game. Unless it has cream cheese :-( . Yesterday I had the above pictured, sweetheart roll with spicy tuna! I find myself doubling up on ginger with this one. This whole no dairy thing has been tough, but I'm getting used to it. It's easy not to slip up because when you do, you get sick. It's not like normal diets where you're like "oh well, one little slip up is ok". Asian food, especially Japanese, has been a life saver. They hardly put dairy in anything, it's a fucking miracle. Delicious food that doesn't suck.

3. Pastel/Spring Nail Color

I love painting my nails. It's kind of relaxing. Although I will admit that I hate Revlon's nail polish. It's more tacky than some of the higher quality lacquer, the brush is crappy, they've been using the same bottle/brush design since the 70's or 80's I think. It's thinner than most and takes FOREVER to fully dry, BUT...look at that color. I'm addicted to their shade "Minted". It's ok though, a few coats and a thick layer of clear makes worth it. Am I seriously blogging about nail polish? What has come over me??

4. STICKERS!

Paperchase's new Dreamland line ♥ How I Love Thee. Borders always has the cutest stationary stuff. Yesterday when I was picking up Bust I noticed they had some EXTRA cute stuff! I'm a sticker FIEND! I'll shout it from the rooftops! I never plan on growing out of stickers. These are some of the cutest I've encountered in a while. though I'm not a fan of the puffy stickers. I usually sue them in journals and collages where puffiness is counterproductive. I'll deal with it though because they're just that cute!

 

5. MUSIC. duh.

I should just face the facts. I can't get enough Japanese music. Lately that is ALL I've wanted to listen to. Shibuya-kei has filled my ears with so much happiness that I just can get enough of these poppy tunes. Here are some things I've been listening to lately...

Maki Nomiya - Pink No Kokoro

Five years before Pizzicato Five would release their first album lead singer Maki Nomiya would release her first solo album. You can totally hear the early stages of what would later become the biggest pop sensation in Japan. It's more raw and unpolished, but still totally great!

Singapore A-Go-Go vol.1. I love all of these Eastern comps of  60's girl garage groups! This one was taken from rare Malaysian 45's, wonderful 60's and 70's surf, psychedeic and girl groups. Chew Yan & the Stylers is my favorite. Their song "Mimi Cat" is sooo adorable!

 

I got volume 1 (3003) for Christmas and have PLAYED-IT-OUT! These Sushi comps are the best introduction to Shibuya-kei music. If you like Pizzicato Five or Cibo Matto (and I know you do) this is a good next step. The first in the series introduced me to artists who are now favorites like Kahimi Karie and Les 5-4-3-2-1. I can already tell the second one will do the same. I'm already semi-obsessed with Oh! Penelope.

 

Not Shibuya-kei at all. eX-Girl is an experimental classically trained girl group that has become one of my favorite things ever! I also got their album for Christmas, Back to the Mono Kero, and it is wildly wonderful. But after downloading Endangered Species I can definitely say I like it better. It's a little less brash and lies more within the realm of J-pop/rock opera, which works really well for them. The first track on this album has been in my head for DAYS!

 

So I discovered a new (to me) genre! Pico Pico Pop! From what I can tell it's basically a new wave of cute kitschy Japanese pop groups who were raised on the shibuya-kei movement and inspired by the various "bloops" and "bleeps" of Nintendo games. This group, Macdonald Duck Eclair, is one of the front runners and one of my favorites so far! It's so chipper and cute you might not even be able to stand it!

 

OMG. I love Marino so much. If this album cover wasn't enough to sell me (check out that purse!), obnoxiously infectious happy fun tunes definitely sealed the deal. Also apart of the Pico Pico cannon, Marino is just as good Macdonald Duck Eclair.

6. Super Sentai!

Now it's past my bedtime and I'm just about to snuggle up in bed and watch some Super Sentai. It's the 25th Anniversary special, I'm especially diggin' J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai. They're so cool looking! Especially Big One and ♥Heart Queen♥. Words cannot express how much I love Toei! Tokusatsu is pretty much the best thing ever and Toei really knows how to deliver.

That's all for me right now. Suddenly I feel the urge to go on a tangent about how much I love Toei Sentai Heroine's like the pretty heart faced Heart Queen above, so I better just quit while I'm ahead.

G'night!