Shakalaka!

SOPA explained the right way

2012-01-31T15:33:00.000+01:00

Last week I attended a presentation about trends that would be hitting us in 2012. The speaker used keywords to point out the trends. During the presentation the speaker showed the Wikipedia blackout as an example to protest against online piracy... Right... Think again. SOPA stands for "Stop Online Piracy Act" and the blackout was a protest against the SOPA, not a protest against piracy. Copying music is nothing new. Copying probably laid the foundations for companies like Maxell and many others. On the Domino Project blog Seth Godin writes very rightly about changing business models and changing industries. That is what it is about. And yes, it does look like SOPA will not become effective in the States. Click here to read Seth's blog post.

Review - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2012-01-22T17:57:00.000+01:00

Yes. I was one of those people who sat at the holiday pool 3 years in a row with a Stieg Larsson book... His story grabbed me from page one. Over part 2 and 3 the tension did not disappear. It grew and as each piece of the Salander puzzle fell into place, you really got close to the characters. Then came the Swedish movies. Personally I really liked part 1, but parts 2 and 3 kind of disappointed me. And then came the US remake. The choice of director was appealing and David Fincher's choice to keep the movie dark and film on location in Sweden attracted me enough to go live the story a third time. For an American movie it does go quite far in setting, darkness and even the sex scenes are not exactly what the American movie audience is used to. I saw the young girls next to me squirm more than once. The story is not a pretty one. Parents, do keep those young ones close. Fincher does a great job. But... the Swedish movies by Niels Arden Oplev were just the tad darker and got closer. In both cases choices have to be made when reducing a large book to a 159 minute movie (which is already longer than your standard 90 minute flick). Maybe somebody will get the idea to create a mini series. Hmm... now... there's an idea... Conclusion: if you haven't seen Men who hate Women, you will thoroughly enjoy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you have... go see Bullhead. You'll like that one too!

Sometimes you just have to be patient

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000+01:00

In 2008 I went to see the new Mayumana show in Madrid. I was in the city for three days and on my way to one of the meetings, I picked up a leaflet of a show I did not know: Loft. The flyer attracted me and I had a free night so I went to see the show. The show blew my mind. It was a wonderful, never seen before combination of acrobatics, poetry and incredible performers. I had just met Les 7 Doigts de la Main. I was so amazed that a few days later I was in London to see another one of their productions. It was totally different from Loft. Another supreme combination of hyper talented acrobats, song, dance and poetry. Not even half way the first half of the show the whole audience was on its feet, cheering the actors on. It was... well... unique... I wanted to promote this show in Belgium... but it became so popular in London that plans for Belgium had to be postponed. Now they are big in America, playing to a full house every night in New York City. And now... yes... I can finally announce that TRACES is coming to Belgium. The first ever production of Traces has just gone on sale. After Oostende, the cast is going to France, so be sure to get tickets. Oh... and if my words don't convince you, take a look at the trailer below, I'm sure that will... For tickets, click here :-)

How to win an Oscar - Bullhead makes the shortlist

2012-01-17T20:24:00.001+01:00

Interesting story in De Standaard yesterday. Michaël Roskam has created one of the best movies of 2011. No doubt! It's called Rundskop and chances are that by now you have heard of it. Only, if you don't live in Belgium you might know it as Bullhead, the English title of the same movie with Matthias Schoenaerts in a lead that puts him in the league of extraordinary actors. The reason why you have heard of it, is not because the movie is a hit at your local movie theatre. It is because one person has been working incredibly hard to show the movie to the right people. Her name is Tatiana Detlofson and she works for Mediaplanpr. She has been creating a huge buzz, with the help of Michaël, of course. He has been running from one interview to another to promote the movie. But still Tatiana cannot rest... not until the final nominees for Best Foreign Film are announced tomorrow. Yes, Bullhead has some infamous fans, like Mark Johnson, who heads the Academy's Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee and Charlize Theron, who really insists on attending one of the screenings. Whatever the result. Bullhead is a must see movie and keep your eye on Michaël Roskam and Matthias Schoenaerts! And what does the newspaper discuss today... Whether it is a Flemish movie or a Belgian movie. Please people... Can't you just enjoy the movie?

UPDATE 18 January - Bullhead is now on the shortlist :-)

Slinkachu's little people are coming to Antwerp

2012-01-16T11:00:00.000+01:00

I remember seeing Slinkachu's work earlier and it left a smile of wonder on my face. How ingenious. How funny. How striking sometimes... Now Slinkachu has created the cover of Flemish author Dimitri Verhulst's book The Misfortunates. De helaasheid der dingen for the Flemish folk among you. The book and movie have now travelled around the world. Slinkachu also has been travelling a lot since he started his "Little People" project in 2006. His blog is sure to make you smile. His work will make you smile, frown and think... Like the people in the video below, created in Italy during the Fame Festival in 2010.

Sam Shaw and the ultimate Marilyn Monroe portrait

2012-01-15T18:40:00.000+01:00

Some artists get a label for one thing they created. Some artists' work becomes legendary... even without their own names being known by the whole world. It may be unforgivable (and it is) but until a few moments ago I had no idea who actually took the legendary Marilyn Monroe picture with her dress blowing up over a subway vent. Now I know and I immediately surfed to Amazon to order this great photobook about Sam Shaw. The book was created by his friend Lorie Karnath and has some of the most amazing Hollywood star photographs I have ever seen. Some artists should never be forgotten! If you live in the States, there's a great Fab sale on now, for the Europeans, here's the Amazon link, with free shipping to Belgium.

How to improve the espresso machine

2012-01-14T11:00:00.000+01:00

Innovation can be found in many areas. But... who would expect to find it in the coffee making area? The Nespresso people re-invented the whole coffee making experience and the marketing side of things, for sure. But these two guys have redesigned the espresso machine. They not only made it cheaper (this baby will sell at 400 USD) but also better by providing the same pressure and thus the same quality for every single cup of black magic. And... what's more... People are very supportive of this type of effort. They needed 20.000 USD to make their Kickstarter project happen. They raised 293.343 USD so far. They have probably already sold most of the machines they can make this year... Well done!

The catwalk is moving to YouTube

2012-01-13T18:19:00.000+01:00

With the arrival of the new Christophe Coppens collection "Women of the Fields" comes another step in the digital direction. Although... for Coppens, creating a funky campaign video is more a tradition than an innovation, this one stands out (again). He convinced his muse Róisín Murphy to work on it with him. The result - created by the creative La Fortuna Studio in Brussels - is quite special, as can be expected when you combine the skills and talents of Coppens and Murphy. I have always wanted to work on a fashion show, maybe I should think more along movie lines now... Anyway, one can only hope for a funky spring/summer 2012 season filled with people in hats.

Eames: The Artist and the Painter

2012-01-12T21:43:00.000+01:00

I discovered the Herman Miller web site not so long ago. It is a site about office ergonomy in the first place, but it is also a unique collection of interesting material about designers, architecture and lots of stuff that appeals to me, even after a very short night. (Thank you VTM & Het Laatste Nieuws, best Gouden Schoen party in years.) This morning (or was it noon?) the Herman Miller newsletter announced that the Eames documentary that aired last month on PBS was now available online. Ray and Charles Eames wrote history, or rather fabricated historical furniture. I'm sure everyone knows at least one object created by them. The documentary is just what I needed to revitalize my inspirational muscles. But... I will have to be patient... Right now only available in the US... Enjoy it here. PBS... please... open it up to the rest of the world... For now we'll have to do with the notes on the film by Eames Demetrios, their grandson and with his TED talk below. Thank you TED :-)

How to give an old house a vintage look

2012-01-11T10:47:00.001+01:00

I came across this article about the renovation of an old 16th century house in Gent. It is stunning what interior designer Frederic Hooft did to his new home. He is combining the wear of the house with vintage design. He created a home with unique spaces, a lot of light and an atmosphere that breathes both history and innovation. Frederic is not only an interior designer, he also sells vintage antiques. From the photos you see that he lives and wears his passion. The article is in Dutch, but the photos speak for themselves. Love it!

How to redesign a fast food restaurant

2012-01-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

Just last week I was at a Quick restaurant with my kids (12 and 16). It had known better days. The crowd was still there, but the shine was totally gone from the place. I don't think it was that old, but this type of restaurant has a very short lifespan... Just now, by coincidence, I came across the new version of Quick Restaurants. It was designed by Malherbe, the agency we discussed just the other day. Good job, for a few years probably...

How to give new life to What's going on?

2012-01-08T11:00:00.000+01:00

Yesterday's post took me to this short interview with Seal about his version of What's Going On. Marvin Gaye was without any doubt a great musician and he became an icon for Oostende by coming to live there for a while. And... It looks like 2012 might be a good year for Marvin Gaye fans. More is coming... rest assured. Have a good Sunday!

Seal Stronger than Ever

2012-01-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

In November I saw Seal at Night of the Proms in Antwerp performing a few of his classic hits. Kiss from a Rose was heavenly and Killer was... well... killer :-) The whole performance was outstanding. I enjoyed every single second. While going through some music tonight on Youtube I came across the trailer for his new album "Soul 2" and below the announcement said that the album is out in the States on January 24th. We've had the album on sale since November and I have enjoyed it time and time again. Seal's voice is perfect for these songs. For some of these you might think, please, don't touch, but after hearing Seal's version you become milder all of a sudden. What he does with classics like Backstabbers and Lean on me is nice. But what he does to What's going on is mesmerizing. The album is available here. The picture is copyright Shakalaka! and proud of it :-)

The Airstream Office - It exists

2012-01-06T11:00:00.000+01:00

Of course, yesterday's post got me dreaming about the ultimate mobile office again... Ever since my sand sculpting event days, I have been dreaming of the ultimate mobile office. Not so strange, at the time I lived in containers for half the year. First I drew the most wonderful flight case ever, then my friend Willem suggested the creation of a digital design office that you take to your customers. It was a wild dream... Nowadays we all have the luxury of being able to work anywhere anytime. I have an almost fully digital office and it is great. My MacBook Pro is my office and my work horse... There's lots of great tools around and every day new tools are added. But hey... A trip down memory lane never hurt anyone, I think. Andreas Stavroupoulos built my dream, and his. He turned a 1959 Airstream trailer into his home/office. Love it! Read the full article here. And below... a Red Band Trailer video featuring a very nice Airstream trailer AND a good interview with John Krasinski from the US version of The Office :-)

Ride The Tiger

2012-01-05T19:40:00.002+01:00

I have a friend, his name is Michael Tiger. I'm convinced he loves this movie I'm posting today. It was posted by the artist (or his management) at the end of November and I liked it straight away. Now, one of the three songs is aired more and more and every time I hear it, it makes me think of this movie. I have never really been a true Oasis fan, but this time around Noel Gallagher caught my attention. This three part music movie - I don't think the term video clip covers this creation - takes you on a trip, to a wedding, to a road side diner (always one of my favourite locations, still dreaming of my own Airstream :-) mobile office) and it brings in a cowboy on a whole to save a girl's day... Oh... and it has some Thelma and Louise type women. What more do you want? Here are Noel Gallaghers' High Flying Birds. Enjoy the ride!

Stay hungry... The Hunger Games

2012-01-04T16:25:00.000+01:00

You might think that after Harry Potter and Twilight we have seen the best or the most spectacular movie craze. Just like people thought after Lord of the Rings. Well... rest assured. Something new is coming. Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games was originally published in 2008 and it has now been made into a movie. And yes, it's a trilogy AND a bestseller. It's no tale of magic or mythology. It's almost a gladiator like story, but not quite. It's about young people, suppression and hope. Time to take the Twilight posters off the wall? I wonder...

The magazine is dead, long live the magazine

2012-01-03T11:00:00.000+01:00

Belgium sees the disappearance of 2 Magazines. The high quality Sanoma published glossy Goedele reached 256.000 readers and yet never made any money. The other stylish magazine about to disappear is Gentleman. Although this magazine will be "replaced" by two new magazines from the same publisher. Things are moving, people are losing their jobs. You could say: "Go digital!" But that is one reproach you cannot make to Goedele. The magazine had one of the best Belgian apps. It came closest to true integration. Yet... this is expensive to create month after month after month. So... What is the future? Ah... Once more... Seth Godin couldn't be more right... In December the first issue of Et Alors? was launched, with a circulation of "just" 10.000. The magazine wants to be flamboyant and offers a unique and daring perspective on the world of fun, fashion, fetish, art, gender, bdsm, literature, glamour and icons. It is aimed at a select tribe, just like Seth Godin explained in his book. Offer your tribe what they want to see, watch or read. And you are set. The magazine is available at select stores and online. There is also the web site. Enjoy.

6 Inspirational business books not to miss

2012-01-02T15:51:00.000+01:00

AppSumo is giving away a package of what they call "The Top 40 books for Entrepreneurs". Yes, it's one of those AppSumo stunts, but still, the list is not a bad one. There's quite a few books that made me think and some of them even helped me to optimize the way I work. A short while ago I was working on a new project with a small group of students. I had connected my laptop to a large screen and after a little while they asked me to slow down. "How do you do that?" came up quite a few times. Well... I learned from the best. For most people this is not the busiest time of the year, so it's a great time to read a book. Where to start... My favorites from the list (in no particular order):

Richard Branson - all books - for the inspiration!
Made To Stick - Chip & Dan Heath - for the SUCCESS approach
Gary Vaynerchuck - maybe even better to watch his Inc500 speech (I add it below, it's an hour long, but it is really, really good) but the books are great too - for his person and his attitude to business
Dan Pink - A Whole New Mind (well, this one is not actually on the list, but get it anyway) - because it is good news for all creative people
Seth Godin - read everything and subscribe to his blog - for his correct analysis of things
David Allen - Getting things Done - to get... everything done you planned after reading all the previous books...

OK.. Time to get reading... If you want to try and win all 40... Click here.

If you want to shop & read right now (I love the Kindle app on my iPad), I created a small Kindle shop on Amazon here. Enjoy.

Tim Burton expo headed for Paris

2012-01-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year to you all! Here's a present for you! Two years ago a unique exhibition hit MOMA in New York City. It was huge, bringing together over seven hundred rare or never-before-seen drawings, painting, photographs, moving image works, concept art, story boards, puppets, costumes and more... I missed it... But, not only are the fans looking forward to Dark Shadows, the new Tim Burton movie featuring Johnny Depp as a vampire, from 7 March until 5 August 2012 the expo will be staged once more at the Cinémathèque in Paris. Tickets are already available from the Cinémathèque web site. Below is the MOMA promo video and... as a New Years Day treat the Big Fish trailer. One of my all time favorites. I'm hoping for another special edition Moleskine...

Crowd sourcing and funding for Apps

2011-12-31T11:00:00.000+01:00

Crowd sourcing is hot... Kickstarter has seen the realization of many great projects and more and more specialized crowd funding are starting to pop up. Some of these go quite far, like Netherlands based Sellanapp. Their moto: "App by app we want to make, the world an easier, nicer, efficient, fun connected, crazier, richer and healthier place." The idea is that you create a project starting from scratch, upload your ideas and then let "the crowd" do its bit. Remarks, advice,... you get it and you select what you like. And then... next step... you get backers to support and fund your project. And once the app is ready Sellanapp will even promote it for you. Go take a look! It sounds very promising.

SellAnApp from NewLogics on Vimeo.

A great year for charity: water

2011-12-30T11:00:00.000+01:00

I have blogged about Music For Life extensively, I know... That is an event that raises awareness and money but it is also an event that creates warmth among the people of a whole country (or at least, the Flemish part of our country). charity: water is different. Started by Scott Harrison in 2004 because he wanted something else than a regular birthday gift. He felt the need to give. And he has been giving ever since. The story is amazing. The mission is simple: supply people with clean water. All money that comes into the organization is spent on building wells and giving hope to people who need it so desperately. No. You don't get anything in return. You give. That's the point. Scott's told his story at an event in 2010 and you can watch his talk below. But first take a look at the first video, the effect something like this has on people. And yes... 1 person CAN make a difference.

2011 -- charity: water's year in review. from charity: water on Vimeo.

Scott Harrison - charity: water from Silicon Prairie News on Vimeo.

Shopping 2.0

2011-12-29T12:30:00.000+01:00

Malherbe is not a small agency. It is quite a large (but independent) agency. But it intrigues me. They create experiences. Shopping experiences. And yet... somehow they "forgot" to hire a native speaker to do the voice-over on the great video below. They deliver high quality work. And I love this idea of shopping. It would almost (I repeat, almost) make me become a fan of going to the store to get groceries... But yet... the English of the voice-over makes the whole project look less impressive than it really is. Maybe I'm being picky... Anyway. The concept is great. I hope many stores will follow the lead presented by Malherbe.

Best music of the year

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000+01:00

When I first came across Superheavy, I was astonished. I imagined David Stewart calling Joss Stone and saying: "Hey Joss, I have an idea. We make a super group with Mick Jagger (at that moment Joss will have screamed), AR Rahmann (chances are Joss said, who is he?), Damien Marley (ah, the reggae dude) and you." The result made me watch the video over and over and over again. I mean, who - at the age of 68 - would dare to appear in a pink costume? And what's more... who - at that age - would be able to spin out phrases like "There's not a problem that I can't fix, I come running with my little bag of tricks." Just like that. Absolutely love the song and the album. Think they need a promotor for a concert in Belgium?

video platform video management video solutions video player

Best dance performance of the year

2011-12-27T11:00:00.000+01:00

It was only a few weeks ago that I saw the contemporary dance performance that got to me most this year. What Akram Khan has achieved with DESH is the most intimate, close-up, tender, personal,... and yet also the most spectacular dance performance I have seen in a very long time. The grass growing from the sky brought tears to my eyes, the small cook trying to walk was terrifying, the discussion with his daughter was so recognizable,... In DESH you sense the beauty of Akram Khan's homeland Bangladesh. But you also sense the person behind the dancer. Check the calendar to see when Desh will be in your area. It is incredible!

Best concert of the year

2011-12-26T11:02:00.001+01:00

When a band that you love decides to stop, it makes you sad. When it's Faithless, you feel somewhat lost, abandoned... But not before enjoying the Faithless experience one last time. April 2011. Brixton Academy. I had actually bought my tickets way before it was known that this would be their last show. I had seen the tour in Antwerp, but this was going to be really special. What even made it more special was the fact that I was taking my son. Talk about a father - son moment... We mingled with the British fans. I have always experienced the openness of British people at bars and concerts and this one was no different. I enjoyed every second of the concert. Feeling the vibes in my pores. Really taking it all in with every nerve. It was... the best concert of the year. And oh... the dvd of the concert will be available on February 27th :-)

Best *** of the year

2011-12-25T11:11:00.000+01:00

Happy Christmas. I wish you the time and opportunity to enjoy the company of the people you love. This is a period of giving but in giving you get so much back. This is also the period where everybody looks back at the year gone by. To me 2011 was a year filled with great people, books, shows, inspirators,... Last week I started writing down the things I thought were the best of the year. Just thinking about everything that gave me goose bumps took me back to the event or the time or the atmosphere... Listening to and talking to Garr Reynolds was something to remember, attending the very last Faithless concert with my son was memorable, being called on stage at Mayumana's 15th birthday concert in Tel Aviv was fun and there is so much more... If you like, I will take you on a trip through memory lane from tomorrow. If you don't, skip the posts next week.

John Lennon - Happy Christmas (war Is Over) - The best free videos are right here

Happy Christmas to you all!

2011-12-24T18:05:00.000+01:00

It's Christmas Eve 2011. What do you post on Christmas Eve? Warmth, love, peace, merriness,... I was being merry with good friends last night, so I missed the closing of Music For Life. Just watched it and you have to agree with Tomas: "This is one heck of a warm nation!" The community raised over 7 million euros for this final edition. The cries for another edition were loud and plenty this week. And station manager Jan Van Besien has confirmed that this is not the end. A new event will be created next year and yes, we will be there! Now... go and be merry!

A typeface for dyslectics

2011-12-23T11:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch designer Christian Theo Boer is dyslectic, so he knows the problems people with dyslexia encounter when trying to read texts. The video below was quite enlightening to me. I knew about dyslexia, of course, but if you don't have dyslexia, you basically have no idea what it means... The good news is that Christian Theo developed a typeface that helps dyslectics to read texts in a better way. A great project that is set to help a great many people. For more info, visit the studiostudio web site.

Keep that coffee warm!

2011-12-22T11:00:00.000+01:00

Every now and then you come across a real invention... Or is it? Actually... I now remember that Whisky used to be chilled with actual stones (rocks) to avoid the taste going all watery. Hence... "on the rocks"... Now the people at Coffee Joulies have turned the idea around and they developed little coffee bean like "Joulies" that will cool down your drink if it is too hot and keep it warm when it would become too cold... Kind of sound impossible, doesn't it? But hey, apparently it works fine. Another great idea for a holiday gift? Yes, but don't bother, all Joulies are sold out. You'll have to wait until January to get yours.

Tapping your creativity

2011-12-21T11:00:00.000+01:00

Hans Buskes has created a great MindMap on tapping your creativity. He based it on Dave Stewart's book Business Playground: Where Creativity and Commerce Collide, The (Voices That Matter). Basically, it allows you to grasp the basic content of the book in just a few minutes. If you want to read more or get in depth knowledge, of course, you can buy Dave Stewart's book or... put it on your Christmas wish list. Either way, take a look at Hans' post and the mindmap first.

Music For Life 2011 at full speed

2011-12-20T11:00:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday at 7 pm three Studio Brussel dj's were locked up without food in a glass house in Leuven. They will remain locked up for 6 full days, surviving on juices... Why? Because they give a shit (thus referring to this year's theme: diarrhea...) This is the 6th edition of the charity event and for many people it is a yearly highlight. Yes, I know, I have blogged about it before, but forgive me, this is my favorite charity event. It combines great experience marketing and branding with a good cause and that makes it quite unique. One critical columnist doubts if the money will ever reach the needy. I'm sure that is partly true, but the organisation that receives the money is the Red Cross and if they cannot be trusted, who to trust? But... what just might be more important and cannot be overlooked, is the effect this "show" has on people. Sunday at midnight over 1.000 firemen came to the glass house, one girl came to do a "split for shit", children bake and sell shit cookies,... This project brings people together in a unique way. And to me, that is what Music For Life is all about. Warmth. And isn't this the season? If you want to take a peak... you can follow live 24/7 until next Friday 7 pm. And below... Elbow performing on the roof of the glass house :-)

The SX... picked themselves

2011-12-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

Another great example of what Seth Godin calls "self-picking"... The SX. No record company. No promotion machine. Just talent, persistence and the will to ship great stuff, music in this case. Their song Black video reached number 16 in the 2011 Afrekening, a list with the most popular songs in Flanders, based on the listeners' votes. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new music industry.

The World Peace Game

2011-12-18T11:00:00.000+01:00

Almost 30 years ago John Hunter created the World Peace Game. He created the game for 4th grade kids. "To touch their mind is one thing, to touch their heart is another," this amazing story teller says. And he is right. At TEDx Flanders earlier this year, Mr. Hunter was one of the most inspiring speakers. Since it is Sunday and you have a bit more time today, take the time to enjoy the talk. Let your heart be touched.

How do they do it?

2011-12-17T11:00:00.000+01:00

Have you ever wondered how designers create an image? I have... often... The video below shows the whole process in a way that makes you stand in awe. This justifies the invoice. This proves the talent... Want to try it for yourself? The font is available from Behance for free here.

It's gonna be a filled week... Music For Life 2011

2011-12-16T11:00:00.000+01:00

For the last time (snif) Studio Brussel is organizing Music For Life. The past five years this charity event has continually grown more and more successful. I'm kind of sorry to see it go, but I'm sure someone will follow into the footsteps of all those dj's that were locked up in the glass house for a week. Now this year, from 17-23 December, they are making it a real challenge for the fans... The glass house will not be in one location, but in three different locations. We will have a filled week if we want to visit Tomas, Siska and Sam in Gent, Leuven and Antwerp. Furthermore, we must have Lisa Smolders run our bellies in all three cities as well. Lots and lots of small and large organizations are doing something for Music For Life. The list is huge. And that means people still care. This year the money is going towards diarrea relief. Diarrea is actually still the most common cause of death with children in the world. Come on, let's give them a Music For Life they will never forget. Let's prove the world that Belgium does give a shit!

Djinn Carrénard picked himself

2011-12-15T11:00:00.000+01:00

Much like more and more authors choose to self-publish their book, young film makers are going the same way... Djinn Carrénard is part Haitian and part French. He studied philosophy and he is a film maker. And... he is quite the talk of the town in Paris. Djinn had an idea for a movie, created a script, borrowed a camera, got a few befriended actors to take part and... he created Donoma. The strange and great thing about the project is that this whole project cost only 150 euros. And what is even more wonderful is that in a few weeks over 13.000 people have come to see the movie. Djinn calls his "system" guerillacinema. He did try to convince distributors but in the end... he picked himself. Seth Godin would be proud of him :-).

Sunrise belongs to moderate drinkers

2011-12-14T11:00:00.000+01:00

Heineken has started a rather surprising campaign. But... it's true... If you switch to water in between beers, you do stay fresh(er) :-) The strange thing is that no other beer brand has ever openly promoted drinking water. This is a truely refreshing take on the clubbing experience, with a happy ending...

It is the season...

2011-12-13T11:00:00.000+01:00

...for giving and receiving gifts. Some large, some small... And some very surprising... Our latest book order came with a sample dvd. I had heard about "BORGEN" before and I was impressed by "The Killing" (by the same makers) so I popped in the dvd this weekend and I was amazed by the plot(s) and the twists and turns in the first episode. The story starts out like you might expect when looking at a series about elections and politics, but rather quickly it turns into an intriguing web of stories involving... well... basically everyone... This one is on my wish list :-)

Here's the BOL link to buy the dvd's.

Peter Lindbergh is an icon

2011-12-12T11:00:00.000+01:00

Until 29 January, the Antwerp photography museum (FOMU) is hosting an exhibition of Peter Lindbergh. Lindbergh is an icon. 25 years ago he started changing the way fashion photography was made. In doing so, he also changed the whole fashion landscape. His photographs showed the essence of his models (including Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista, to name but two), their fragility, their hopes and fears even. His technique results in images that take you by surprise. Yes, this is modern marketing, but Lindbergh turned advertising into an art with his photographs. Last year he presented "The Unknown" in Bejing, this year we are lucky to be able to see some of his work in Belgium.

In an essay on creativity, Lindbergh says: "Some people are drawn to create and express themselves, others are drawn to reflect, to analyze. But in the end, they all could be creative if they had the desire to explore the way in which they are integrated in the world of their experiences. Because creativity is really a rebirth, a true tone we feel for ourselves and for our world. Then our work becomes a real part of who we are. Maybe all this is a question of how deep we are willing to go..."

FOMU and Galerie Geukens en De Vil until 29 January 2012. Peter Lindbergh web site.

The story of Moleskine

2011-12-11T14:53:00.001+01:00

You can find it inside every Moleskine notebook... It's a story... It's THE story when it comes to notebooks. Hey there, this is not just a notebook, this is a Moleskine. This is the notebook Pablo Picasso used! And Vincent Van Gogh and Ernest Hemingway... Hey, who am I to discuss the quality of these notebooks?? The smart company was the Italian one who brought it back to life. And it is a great notebook. Probably not the best, but great nonetheless. And it has turned into more than black notebooks. This week I saw an advertisement for Moleskine bags and backpacks. And just a few minutes ago I saw that a Year of the Dragon edition is now available. And in Madrid I came across a very pretty Le Petit Prince themed edition. What a great story can lead to. I wonder if Van Gogh was sponsored by the small manufacturer in Tours? Moleskine has become a very good and warm marketing story. Have a good Sunday.

The Beauty of a Second

2011-12-10T11:00:00.000+01:00

Every now and then great brands and great artists find each other. For this project Montblanc partnered with Wim Wenders in a short-film contest to celebrate the birth of the chronograph 190 years ago: The Beauty of a Second. Seize the moment is quite literally what this contest challenges you to do: make a 1 second movie. Capture a moment, capture an emotion, discover beauty. You can still participate. The first ideas are wonderful. What's your second?

Seconds Of Beauty - 1st round compilation from The Beauty Of A Second on Vimeo.

Wear your passion

2011-12-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

A few months ago, I saw a post somewhere about the Holstee Manifesto. Today, at Fab, the poster was on sale. But... it was sold out. I have been postponing ordering one of these posters ever since I first saw it. What it says, is exactly what I'm trying to express when I say: "It's all about passion." Since I usually don't take no for an answer, I looked up Holstee and found a European online Holstee store. What's more, the posters are on sale here too! 33 % off! Time to stock up and order some Christmas gifts! And oh... I noticed that there's a fun video that makes the message come alive. Enjoy.

2012... The year of Titanic?

2011-12-08T11:00:00.000+01:00

100 years after the legendary trip... 2012 is set to become a very special year. With the arrival of the 3D version of the James Cameron hit movie Titanic in April 2012, exactly 100 years after the voyage, a whole new generation of moviegoers will get to know the immortal love story of Jack and Rose and their trip on the most legendary of ships... But, there is more. In Cherbourg the Cité de la Mer project will see the arrival of a very impressive project dedicated to The Titanic: Titanic, retour à Cherbourg. To be honest, I had no idea the ship had been in Cherbourg at all, I always focus on Antwerp as the port of departure... Titanic was not the only ship to make a stop in Cherbourg. Just like Antwerp, it was the port of departure for millions of people adventurous enough to make that voyage to the new world. The site in Cherbourg is also one of the most well kept examples of art deco architecture in Europe. Mark your calendars for spring 2012. All info is available here: http://cherbourg-titanic.com/

Facing the "What to get?" problem

2011-12-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

We are all often faced with the question "What shall I buy ... for ...?" There's an online solution that is quite innovative and fun to use: Wantful. The application is currently still in preview mode, but I like it already. The application smoothly integrates with your Facebook account (if you let it) and... it knows your friends, so picking a gift they love was never easier. I have tried it and the suggestions are great. This might be the solution to buying just another gift certificate of any kind and still bring a smile to the face of the people you love.

Sergiology is almost ready...

2011-12-06T11:00:00.000+01:00

It was over two years ago that I was talking to Tony Leduc about the projects he was working on and he was incredibly excited about a book, which was not really a book, that he was working on with Sergio Herman. As promised, I kept quiet about the project, but now... it's almost there... And it looks very promising... It turned into a 400 page genre defying "book" in which we will get to know Sergio in a very different way, his inspirations, his vision, his life... The book will be available in March 2012, but you can book it from now. With only 300 English copies available, I would hurry...

SERGIOLOGY from Minestrone Cookbooks on Vimeo.

Personal, authentic, touching, loving, caring,...

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000+01:00

I could go on for a while... I saw DESH last week. It opened the December Dance festival in Brugge. The text on the web site says: "DESH is a new full-length contemporary solo and the most personal work to date from celebrated choreographer and performer, Akram Khan." I had heard a lot about Akram Khan, but I had not actually seen one of his performances, so I was expecting a lot. But... I was not prepared for this extraordinary performance. This was so personal, so touching, so moving. If a person is able to tell this story in this way, in so much detail, that person must love his country very much. The stories intertwine, the grass is growing from the sky, the small cook tries to get back on his feet after getting the soles from his feet cut off,... So many lives, so many stories,... Akram Khan's solo is new, so I'm sure you will get a chance to see it. Please do. This performance has everything modern dance should have, it IS what modern dance often tries to be but rarely succeeds. Respect.

The Versalette... getting ready to challenge the clothing industry

2011-12-04T11:00:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you will agree that women always pack lots and lots of clothes to go on a trip. Here's part of the solution... Two friends who like to travel lightly went to South America to design the "Versalette". It's a unique piece of clothing that can be worn in (at least) 15 ways. From idea to reality is just a Kickstarter project away... If you don't already know Kickstarter, now is a good time to get to know the crowd funding project. The friends created a company, called it {r}evolution apparel and with 20 days to go, over 364 people are backing the project, raising 29.599 US dollars. This means the project will become reality soon. Take a look and get in on the action :-)

Traces New York - now booking until June!

2011-12-03T11:00:00.000+01:00

Traces is one of the most amazing shows I have ever seen. I know, I have blogged about before, but I cannot stress this enough. If you haven't seen the show and you live anywhere near New York City, go see it! Their stay at the Union Square Theatre just was prolonged until June 2012. The show is receiving the raving review it deserves. When I first saw it, I described it as rock 'n' roll poetry. (Thinking about Sarah Kay, I might have to find a new way to describe it...) Anyway, it was the first contemporary circus show I ever saw that had the audience on its feet in the middle of the show. Yes... It's everything they say it is. I'm a fan for life!

Tocadisco wants to thank you

2011-12-02T10:00:00.000+01:00

We have seen it before, artists who give away their work. Prince did it... Sarah Bettens from K's Choice did it... And now Tocadisco is giving his third album away to thank his fans. The campaign started half way through November and included a couple of trailers, press releases,... You've probably seen it, but already forgotten all about it... Well, here's your reminder. The album is available from today... Here's the trailer. And here's the link to the album. Great trick to make the link their Facebook page. The end of conventional web sites for entertainers? Enjoy the music!

Creativity in architecture: al-Hamra Tower Kuwait

2011-12-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

I was surprised to see a building among the 50 best inventions of the year in Time Magazine. "The sculpted skyscraper," the journalist called it. Yes, it looks impressive but why is it an invention? What is so special about it, is that - standing 412 m tall - something had to be created to shield the building from the blistering Arabian weather conditions. The solution was a glass wrapping and a sweeping cut up the south facade covered in lime stone. Talk about creative architects... Skidmore, Owings & Merrill did a great job.

East moves west at December Dance

2011-11-30T11:00:00.000+01:00

From tomorrow, in Brugge the heart of the contemporary dance world will be beating strong. It does not always have to be chocolate. This 11 day festival proves that Brugge is more than just a tourist city. People are working hard to bring world renowned artists to our lovely city and December Dance proves that the audience is also ready for this sort of programming.
The program, curated by Akram Khan, is impressive and varied. The curator builds bridges between traditional and contemporary dance. Highlights (if you ask me) is the production "Play" by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Shantala Shivalingappa and the showing of the Wim Wenders movie "Pina". December Dance is treat for local people, an extra reason for visitors to come to Brugge!

December Dance 11 from Concertgebouw Brugge on Vimeo.

Sarah Kay brings you Sunscreen 2.0

2011-11-29T11:00:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Seth Godin I got to know Sarah Kay today. Sarah writes poetry, spoken word poetry. "Poetry that demands to come to life, to be heard, to be experienced," she says. And she really did catch my attention. Apparently, she also got the attention of Seth... His Domino Project is releasing a hard cover book with Sarah's poem in it today. And that is news worth sharing. Guess what I'm getting my friends for Christmas... This particular poem "If I should have a daughter" made me think of Baz Luhrman's wonderful Sunscreen. This just might be Sunscreen for the next generation... And oh... Be sure to watch the video, I'm kind of sure you will be amazed too...

The Red Star Line project - An update

2011-11-28T11:00:00.000+01:00

As promised... an update on an exciting museum project in Antwerp. This is one of the first times I can think of that a museum is spending so much energy on communication way before its opening, planned for spring 2013. The blog is both in English and in Flemish. It looks like people like Karin Vanasse (see yesterday's post) and all those children and grandchildren of the immigrants that made that great trip, already are finding their way virtually to the museum.
The first part of the campaign was a competition to tell the story of the little girl on the photo. A winner has been picked. You can read her story here.
The first part of the renovations has been completed. And there is a lot more to find out on the project's web site. Can you tell I'm excited?

Karin Vanasse

2011-11-27T11:00:00.000+01:00

Yes, I admit... I am subscribed to the Esquire newsletter. Because of the great articles, of course. This week Esquire announced their 2011 Elf: Karin Vanasse. Wow, I thought, another Flemish girl makes it in the States. So... I checked who she is and - more importantly - where she is from. Turns out she is not Flemish, but Canadian. Of course, I was a little disappointed. But not really, since her ancestors certainly made the trip across the ocean from Belgium at some point. It's the story of so many American and Canadian people. Hmm... There's an idea... The Red Star Line, wonder how the project in Antwerp for the new museum is doing. Let me look it up for you. Meanwhile, enjoy my Sunday treat ;-) Oh... and for the record... This is apparently, post number 200 on the Shakalaka! blog. :-)

Out of Context

2011-11-26T11:00:00.000+01:00

Writing yesterday's post made me look back at the Out of Context video itself again too... Every time I see a performance created by Les Ballets C de la B, I am moved. With Out of Context this is no different. This choreography was made "for Pina". If the lady were still alive, she'd love it.

This is how the company describes the performance: "Nothing up their sleeves, and nothing in their pockets. With Out of Context, director Alain Platel aims to return to the fundamentals of dance. Starting from a belief in the human body as emotional tool, as carrier of memories, as raw material for living fine art. While Platel has flirted with the boundaries of opera over the past years, with for example vsprs or pitié!, Out of Context is not a music-driven piece, and also has no set or costumes other than those the dancers can fit in their suitcases. It is however no crisis piece. It is in self-limitation that a master first shows himself. The mastery of the dancers with which Platel embarks on this adventure is indisputable. Each and every one is an impressive figure with whom Platel has travelled far over the years." If ever you get the chance... go see it!

Dancing the video... again...

2011-11-25T11:00:00.000+01:00

Sioen is working on a new album... to be released in February 2012. The first single is out now. Just like Axelle Red (see my earlier post), Sioen is working together with a ballet company to create the video. He had seen the work of Les Ballets C de la B before and it was while he was watching an extract from "Out of Context" on Youtube while his song was still playing in the background that he realised what a great combination it would be. He was right. I love this one!

Talking about fashion and friendship... Ann Demeulemeester

2011-11-24T11:00:00.000+01:00

While we are on the subject of t-shirts, art, fashion... let's switch to the capsule collection Ann Demeulemeester has created for The Corner. This is a web store as it should be: informative, fun, innovative,... Especially for the launch of the collection a movie was recorded with the designer, in which she talks about the mystery and the beauty of friendship. The collection consists of four pieces: a waistcoat, tank top, pants and a shopper bag. It is available now from the web site.

Marc Lagrange T-shirts

2011-11-23T11:00:00.000+01:00

While we are on the subject of Marc Lagrange... To celebrate his 20 year career, the photographer teamed up with Antwerp based fashion label Essentiel to create a limited number of t-shirts with prints of his XXML exhibition. Marc has been taking his social media lessons... or got some pretty good advice... and created a fun little video to promote the shirts. The t-shirts cost 65 euros and can be purchased in the Essentiel stores.

The girl in the video is Elisabeth Ouni, who you might know from her A Polaroid Story blog.

20 years of Marc Lagrange photography

2011-11-22T11:00:00.000+01:00

It has been 20 years since Marc Lagrange started his career as a photographer. He was an engineer before... life has a way... Marc made erotic black & white photography his specialty. Until December 19th a selection of his work can be admired in Maison Lagrange, a renovated stately home in Antwerp. 500 oversized, 28 kilogram books have been printed for the occasion. Already a collector's item... www.lagrange.be

Keith Haring lives!

2011-11-21T11:00:00.000+01:00

Keith Haring died in 1990... but his iconic images will be around for quite some time... Now fashion label Comme des Garçons is dedicating their next chapter in the Capsule Collection to the renowned artist. The T-shirts are available from the Dover Street Market web site, or should be any time soon now. Retro-chique? Or quite simply... fun stuff...

Calendars and fashion shows

2011-11-20T11:00:00.000+01:00

Yes... It's that time of the year again... Pirelli has launched the 2012 calendar. Ryanair has launched its 2012 calendar. And... Victoria's Secret has launched the new collection. Now there is one collection that appeals not only to women. The yearly show is a true fashionista highlight... The prize for the funniest review goes to Esquire. Perfect Sunday reading... Enjoy!

Flanders' creatives stand out

2011-11-19T18:41:00.001+01:00

Earlier this week, the Creativity World Forum was held in Hasselt. One of the speakers was Scott Belsky, founder of the Behance network. Behance sends out a weekly newsletter containing a "curator's picks" section with some of the best additions to the network's portfolio section. One of the items drew my attention: the 15 years VIB event. I was impressed. A beautiful event, perfect branding and to my surprise... held in Belgium and created by a Flemish event agency: Soon. Well done guys!

Dancing the video

2011-10-28T11:59:00.000+02:00

Axelle Red launched the video for her new song "Un coeur comme le mien" today. It was recorded at the Academie voor Schone Kunsten van Antwerpen. She is surrounded by dancers from the Royal Ballet of Flanders. Yes, it kind of reminds you of an episode of "Kids from Fame" but it made me think of the Editors video for "You don't know love", which also has Belgian dancers in it... I love that video... I puth both videos below. Both are very different, I know, but I couldn't help thinking about the Editors' one when I saw Axelle Red's...

We can be heroes - #Trust 30 - Day 11

2011-06-10T22:23:00.001+02:00

Today's prompt: Divine Idea by Fabian Kruse

Imitation is Suicide. Insist on yourself; never imitate. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Write down in which areas of your life you have to overcome these suicidal tendencies of imitation, and how you can transform them into a newborn you – one that doesn’t hide its uniqueness, but thrives on it. There is a “divine idea which each of us represents” – which is yours?

I don't believe there is just one divine idea within each of us. I believe we carry a base, probably a genetic one, but we build "our divine idea," as Fabian calls it, up from the base with the values we pick up along the way. And in building this concept, we mirror ourselves to our heroes, the people we look up to, the people we admire. And I'm sure these people would be or are quite content if they see a bit of themselves in what we become in the end. I know I would be proud if part of me would live on in other people. Wouldn't we all?

So tell me, what is wrong with a little bit of imitation?

Too scary - #Trust30 - Day 9

2011-06-09T22:25:00.003+02:00

Yesterday's prompt: Afraid to Do by Mary Jaksch

The other terror that scares us from self-trust is our consistency; a reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson says: “Always do what you are afraid to do.” What is ‘too scary’ to write about? Try doing it now.

I did not get the prompt yesterday and I admit I kind of missed it. Addictive it is, this project... ;-)

But then I saw yesterday's prompt on the web site this morning and I thought: "Oh my God, what other prompts can I expect the next couple of days? This is scary..." Why is it scary? Because all the world can see what I write here. Yes, everyone can, but will they? Do they care?

Then again, all Emerson says is an interpretation of what the Samurai wisdom states as: "Fight your battles." And I wrote about that already. Battles are always scary. Fighting them is a challenge easily put off. So today, writing this post is my battle. And by referring to my earlier post, I kind of fought it. Or didn't I...

Five years - #Trust30 - Day 8

2011-06-07T13:19:00.001+02:00

Today's prompt: Five Years by Corbett BarrThere will be an agreement in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest and natural in their hour. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What would you say to the person you were five years ago? What will you say to the person you’ll be in five years?

What would I say to the person I was five years ago? Hmm... I know: "Peter, there IS an end to this madness."

What would I say to the person I'll be in five years? Smile... "What did I tell you?"

On being bold - #Trust30 - Day 7

2011-06-06T21:14:00.003+02:00

Today's prompt: Dare to be bold by Matt Cheuvront

Our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion, we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us. We are parlour soldiers. We shun the rugged battle of fate, where strength is born. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Next to Resistance, rational thought is the artist or entrepreneurs worst enemy. Bad things happen when we employ rational thought, because rational thought comes from the ego. Instead, we want to work from the Self, that is, from instinct and intuition, from the unconscious.

A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. Its only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.” - Steven Pressfield, Do the Work

The idea of “being realistic” holds all of us back. From starting a business or quitting a job to dating someone who may not be our type or moving to a new place – getting “real” often means putting your dreams on hold.

Today, let’s take a step away from rational thought and dare to be bold. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish but have been afraid to pursue? Write it down. Also write down the obstacles in your way of reaching your goal. Finally, write down a tangible plan to overcome each obstacle.

The only thing left is to, you know, actually go make it happen. What are you waiting for?

On being bold...

I have been in the events business for a long time. Every new project is a new challenge. Every time you have to jump in, over and over again. Take the leap of faith. There is no security. You follow your gut feeling and work your ass off. When things go well, everybody loves you. When things go wrong, only your true friends stand by you. Does this mean I would advise you not to take the step? No, not at all. It has been said before. There's no such thing as a life full of success. There are always setbacks. Even Richard Branson and Steve Jobs experienced failure. But hey... as his dad says to Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins: "Why do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up."

And as for the projects I still want to achieve... I hope to tell you about them soon ;-)

This post was written because I committed to the pledge to create something on my blog or journal for 30 days, following the Trust Yourself prompts beginning May 31st.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.me/

One week left - #Trust 30 - Day 6

2011-06-06T09:57:00.000+02:00

Today's prompt: Come Alive by Jonathan Mead
Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you had one week left to live, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? In what areas of your life are you preparing to live? Take them off your To Do list and add them to a To Stop list. Resolve to only do what makes you come alive.

Bonus: How can your goals improve the present and not keep you in a perpetual “always something better” spiral?

What would I take off my to do list if I had just one week to live? That's a strange question... I would toss out the list and change it to a completely new one. I would finish that list of practicalities in one day and then just spend the other six days enjoying the company of the people that have made my life worthwhile. I wouldn't tell them it was probably the last time they saw me, but I would enjoy every second of their company.

And as for my current list, it's fine, it makes me live... I hope yours does too.

This post was written because I committed to the pledge to create something on my blog or journal for 30 days, following the Trust Yourself prompts beginning May 31st.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.me/

Climbing Wutai Shan #Trust30 - Day 5

2011-06-04T16:43:00.000+02:00

Today's prompt: Travel by Chris Guillebeau

If we live truly, we shall see truly. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?

Quite a while ago I saw a documentary about meditation and buddhism. Well, it might also have been about incredible feats. The lead figure in the documentary went on an incredible meditation hike. He followed a trail in China. It was impressive and since I saw that documentary I have been saying that this is one of the things I want to do in my life, walk the trail.

To me, this is maybe also connected to yesterday's prompt to put up a post-it on your mirror with your biggest challenge. "Get on track," says mine.

Chris' prompt brought this to my mind today. So... I set to work and looked up the trail... Turns out there are at least 5 sacred mountains in China. Since planning is part of today's challenged, I picked "my mountain". Puji Si Temple, Pu Tuo Shan it will be. Selecting your destination is the first part of planning, isn't it? Next would be to set a time frame... and the financing... I will keep you posted on steps two and three!

This post was written because I committed to the pledge to create something on my blog or journal for 30 days, following the Trust Yourself prompts beginning May 31st.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.me/

Get on track - #Trust30 - Day 4

2011-06-04T16:41:00.001+02:00

Today's (well, yesterday's) prompt: Post-it Question by Jenny Blake

That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him. Where is the master who could have taught Shakespeare? Where is the master who could have instructed Franklin, or Washington, or Bacon, or Newton? . . . Shakespeare will never be made by the study of Shakespeare. Do that which is assigned you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Identify one of your biggest challenges at the moment (ie I don’t feel passionate about my work) and turn it into a question (ie How can I do work I’m passionate about?) Write it on a post-it and put it up on your bathroom mirror or the back of your front door. After 48-hours, journal what answers came up for you and be sure to evaluate them.

Quite a challenge this one... figuring out what your biggest challenge of the moment is. When you're halfway in your life, there are plenty of challenges. This one came to me in the shower, actually. This is it.

This post was written because I committed to the pledge to create something on my blog or journal for 30 days, following the Trust Yourself prompts beginning May 31st.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.me/

One strong belief - #Trust30 - Day 3

2011-06-02T20:25:00.001+02:00

It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

And I thought the first day was a challenge... I wonder if I will be able to keep this up for 30 days... What is a strong belief I have that others don't?

I'm a strong believer in a Samurai wisdom saying: "Fight your wars." This does not imply going to war. It implies doing what you have to do. Which leads me to a buddhism wisdom that says: "Speak when you must, be quiet when you don't have to speak." It also can be connected, strangely enough to one of David Allen's visions on getting things done, the two minute rule. Although, sometimes the wars referred to will take more than two minutes. Also, I hope I'm not the only person in my living and working environment that has this belief.

It is easy to postpone things you have a hard time with. These are the things you will never feel like doing. You will never find the time to do them. But... these are the things that obstruct other things on your plate, even the fun or easy ones. I have found that when you "fight your wars" you always feel relieved afterwards. So... go ahead, fight one of your wars today.

This post was written because I committed to the pledge to create something on my blog or journal for 30 days, following the Trust Yourself prompts beginning May 31st.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.me/

15 minutes - #Trust30 - day 1

2011-05-31T20:29:00.000+02:00

I have just discovered I have fifteen minutes to live... I can only use this post to leave behind what I want to leave behind. To tell the story.

Kind of makes me think of the song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Baz Luhrmann. :-) What do I want to leave behind? What do I want to pass on to my children? That they should live by their hearts, not by their brain? I don't know... maybe... Not always, but it is a good basic guideline. Aim high. Higher.

Life is series of connected events. Treat the people you meet with respect. You will meet them again. Maybe in another place, maybe in totally different surroundings, but you will meet them again. I have tried to be a good person. Do good. Live by your own rules. Don't let anybody tell you what to do. It's your life. Live it to the fullest. Every day is a day filled with opportunities. Some will lead to good. Some will lead to bad. But in the end, life is good. And life has a way...

Can you make your dreams come true? No. At least not all of them. Yes. Some of them. Be careful though. Not all your dreams are worth risking everything for it. Risking everything can lead to trouble. But then again life is due to have some trouble, so what is the risk, really?

Baz says, in his song: "Don't be reckless with other people's hearts and don't put up with people who are reckless with yours." This may just be the most difficult thing to do... Both ways. Living your life will lead to encounters with people. Care. Love. Broken hearts. Mended hearts. Choices to make. Is there straightforward advice here? I don't think so. Life happens. Life is a long series of encounters with people. You meet someone who introduces you to someone else, who then introduces you to yet another person. And so life goes on. Tracing it back now, it is so strange to find how every encounter meant something in my life, made me take a certain road or turn my back on another. I've been lucky to meet people who have taught me many different things. People that became good friends. Business gone good. Business gone bad. Friendships stopped. Friendships picked up after a great many years.

I read somewhere... Some people are here for a season, some people are here for a reason, some people are here for life. The ones in the last category can be counted on one hand. The true friends. They are not always there, but they are there when you need them.

Is this the story I want to be telling in these fifteen minutes? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. I have only a few minutes left. So now is the time to say sorry to all the people I have hurt. Knowingly, unknowingly. I am sorry. Truely sorry, not just storybook sorry. All my life, I have tried to be a good person. Sometimes I was. Sometimes I was not. I have tried to make up what went wrong. Some things were mendable, others were broken for ever. Thank you to all the people who made my life worth living. I could not have lived without you.

One minute left. Let's take the time for silence. No more reading. You read enough. There is so much to learn every day. But maybe now, this last minute. It is time to be still. Do nothing. Just stay here one more minute. Look at the bamboo picture background. And sit back and relax. To help... here's a one minute meditation. You don't have to listen to the sound...

The end. Have a good life everyone.

This post was written because I committed to the pledge to create something on my blog or journal following the Trust Yourself prompts beginning May 31st.

http://ralphwaldoemerson.me/

Passion is... an 80 year old Elbow fan

2011-05-10T09:00:00.000+02:00

Music appeals to all people and all ages. The proof... Yesterday ELBOW gave an incredible concert @ Studio Brussel's Club 69. It was magnificent, even watching it online gave me goosebumps. This morning there was an interview on the radio with Aline, an 80 year old fan who had the night of her life last night. Her children made sure she could attend the concert. They made it her birthday surprise. Aline spoke about the concert with enthousiasm and passion. I hope that I can display the same excitement when I'll be 80... Many happy returns Aline!

Optimism is a moral duty

2011-04-05T13:54:00.000+02:00

People who know me, will confirm... I'm an eternal optimist. And the release of a new fragrance by Paul Smith in its turn confirms that I'm not the only person who thinks that optimism is a moral duty. More info about the new fragrance here...

And by coincidence... where do you think you'll find me this weekend? Have a good week!

The glory of Oostende

2011-01-23T22:10:00.002+01:00

Life is a series of events. Some are happy, some are sad. It's up to us all to make the best of it and to enjoy the little and big things life has to offer. To me, music has always played a very important part in my life. A good piece of music can move me, change my day. Music (among other things, of course) is what makes me breathe. Yesterday I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Tom Robinson at work in Oostende. It's bizarre, really. This guy was engraved in my personal musical memory. I had never seen him "live" and this setting, Club Terminus made the concert quite special. It's a small venue and that kind of made me feel like Tom Robinson was playing in my living room. He's still a great artist. There is a strong and warm connection with his audience. He's also very down-to-earth. At a certain moment he digs out his glasses to read some lyrics and says: "It's been quite a while since I sang this song. And... it's been quite a while since I was born... But I still rock!" The concert was fun, a bit nostalgic maybe, but definitely a good night out...

What did come to my mind, is the "reachability" of artists that were huge not even that long ago. That perception may come from the fact that I'm not 21 anymore myself, but still. Just last week Kiki Dee gave a very intimate concert at Kursaal Oostende. Annabel Lamb was backing vocalist... And yesterday Tom Robinson played at Club Terminus. Oostende is very much alive musically and otherwise. And trust me... more is coming soon...

And euh... does anyone have a picture from last night's show to put here... I was too wrapped in the music to take a decent one myself...

Keep shipping

2011-01-01T09:00:00.032+01:00

Seth Godin tells us to keep shipping... Last year I tried to ship... and sometimes succeeded. Following up on Seth's call not to be shy and share... here's the list of my shippings from 2010:

Abba Generation
Brussels Philharmonic
Dana Winner
Das Pop
Hans Liberg
Herman Van Veen
Jozef De Beenhouwer
Koninklijk Ballet van Vlaanderen
Les 7 Doigts de la Main
Moreese.com
Nationaal Orkest van België
Ostendia Classica
Orkest der Lage Landen
Percy Sledge
Riverdance
Robert Cialdini
Shaggy
Sharleen Spiteri
Status Quo
The Flemish Primitives 2010
The Four Tops
The Temptations
Veronika Iltchenko
Zap Mama

Thanks to the whole team @ Kursaal Oostende and all suppliers! Could not have done it without you!

Digital or paper?

2010-12-31T11:43:00.000+01:00

As can be expected... I'm a sucker for digital stuff... But, I'm also a sucker for magazines and books, especially if they are beautifully designed. My purchase of an iPad has not really changed this. But still. I have bought a few books online and I love some magazine apps, as I wrote before. In Belgium, so far, only Goedele stands the test.

I tested the new Het Nieuwsblad app today and it's OK. It could be better. I mean, they just make a pdf and throw it online. It even includes the crossword puzzle... But, yes, it saves trees and it's easier to browse than a traditional newspaper. So, why not.

But some artists will stand the test of digital times... For my Christmas, I got Paul Smith's book "you can find inspiration in everything". My mother in law left it in the postal package, so I could really experience its arrival. And yes, it's beautiful. I open the envelope. Another envelope. Open that one and there is a red cotton jacket that has the book. I mean... anticipation. The book itself is also beautifully designed AND has wonderful content. I mean... nothing digital can replace the feeling...

Have a great 2011!

Bookbinders Design

2010-11-13T19:15:00.000+01:00

This summer I re-discovered Paris. Yes, it is a great city. There are a number of places you often simply don't get to as a tourist. The Rue du Vieux Temple is one of those streets that really deserve your attention. It is filled with cutting edge stores. And since I am a sucker for notebooks, this one drew my attention: Bookbinders Design. Swedish in origin, but international in approach, the store offers premium notebooks, binders and other great stuff with a design touch. Their mission can be considered "different". It is on their web site and on their bags and wrapping paper. I liked it so much I put it as some sort of wall paper behind my screen on the wall.

Actually, I liked the notebooks so much, we gave one at Kursaal Oostende to all participants of the Influence seminar...

Monica Bellucci on your coffee table

2010-11-11T18:34:00.000+01:00

Just had to share this... Soon... the wet dream of many men can become reality. You can have Monica Bellucci, yes THE Monica Bellucci on your coffee table. She will be there for you to enjoy over and over again.

She says herself: "I have always been intrigued by the representation of the human body: faces, mouths, hands, legs, arms, hair, glances, nakedness. It's the art of our Mother Nature"

So, ladies, we're sorry. This is an ode to nature. Seriously... she's a goddess... The book is available for pre-order on Amazon... Oh... and there is a preview on Esquire...

Sean Covey for Kids

2010-10-28T12:30:00.000+02:00

Net mailing ontvangen van Proxis over de stockverkoop... Mijn dochter is een veellezer. Ze verslindt boeken sneller dan uitgevers ze kunnen drukken. Dus... ik kijk toch maar even bij de jeugdboeken en welk boek komt voor in de lijst? Sean Coveys "7 eigenschappen die jou succesvol maken". Jong geleerd? Wie weet... Maar wel grappig...

De alles-in-één credit card is een feit...

2010-10-23T15:23:00.001+02:00

Na de Harry Potter krant (ja... hoe noem je anders de iPad editie van WIRED?)... alweer een staaltje van technische innovatie waar ik toch wel van onder de indruk ben. Op de DEMO Start Up Conference in Sillicon Valley werd de credit card 2.0 voorgesteld. Hoeveel bankkaarten zitten er in uw portefeuille? Je privé bankkaart, privé VISA, de credit card van de firma waar je voor werkt, de bankkaart van de gezamenlijke rekening met je partner,... Dit systeem zet al die kaarten op 1 kaart die exact hetzelfde formaat heeft als de kaarten die we nu kennen. Ja... ik ben onder de indruk... En... het blijft niet bij een ontwerp. Volgende maand begint Citibank met het uittesten van dit systeem...

Link naar het volledige artikel op Mashable.

En... the video...

Kwaliteit vs Marketing

2010-10-17T10:28:00.000+02:00

Een bezoek aan Brugge staat voor mij meestal synoniem met "niet vergeten chocolade te halen bij Dominique". Ik heb het over Dominique Persoone, shock-o-latier noemt hij zichzelf. Hij heeft de term zelf uitgevonden. Hij kwam ook op de proppen met erg bijzondere chocoladecreaties, waarvan zijn fusion pralines nog altijd mijn favoriet zijn. Pralines met havana, wasabi, citroengras, gember en zelfs lavendel. Nu ja, zelfs... Dominique heeft de unieke combinatie waargemaakt tussen marketing en kwaliteit. Zijn pralines zijn stuk voor stuk ontdekkingen, dat staat buiten kijf. Hij maakt ook de pralines voor Oud Sluis, Comme Chez Soi, Hof Van Cleve,... Mijn persoonlijke favoriet is de praline die hij maakte voor De Jonkman. Uniek! Voor de praline bij de koffie alleen al zou je bij Filip Claeys gaan eten. Maar dat klopt niet helemaal, want ook al de rest van wat je bij Filip geserveerd krijgt is super!

Maar ik had het over marketing... Het uitstalraam van The Chocolate Line in Brugge is op zich een toeristische attractie. Midden de honderden chocoladewinkels is dit toch wel een erg bijzondere. Je kan minutenlang staan kijken en steeds opnieuw iets bijzonders ontdekken. Je wordt naar binnen gezogen. De winkel is veel te klein, but who cares. Je staat met plezier in de rij en je kijkt al uit naar het moment dat je je favoriete praline in je mond kan stoppen. Dan is het eindelijk jouw beurt en je krijgt je chocolade mee in een mooie doos, maatwerk alweer. Geen strik rond het doosje, maar een echte "wrapper" met een mooie foto van het team. En op de doos, eenmaal open, promotie voor de boeken van Dominique. Doorgedreven marketing, inderdaad, maar je gaat dit zelfs leuk en informatief vinden.

Tijd voor een praline...

True artistry

2010-10-09T23:39:00.000+02:00

There is a difference... The past four years I have seen many artists arrive and perform at Kursaal Oostende. Every now and then you see the difference... the difference between people for who performing has become a job and the people that are in it for the love of what they do. Tonight I saw Percy Sledge come off the stage a happy man. Not only had he enjoyed himself on stage, but he saw that his audience also enjoyed itself. Yesterday he said to me: "I'm happy that I can show my fans in Belgium that I'm still around." Tonight he did not have to say anything. After his concert his fans were not the only ones with stars in their eyes. And this is exactly why I love what I'm doing... This is what to me makes all the difference in the world. I'm not in it because it is a job. I'm in it for love...

The best job in the world

2010-10-08T09:58:00.000+02:00

I was just reading in Scott Belsky's book about the reward system for people in teams. He states (correctly) that appreciation is key. It is. But so are responsibility and freedom. At least to some people they are. For creative people the way they reach their goal should not be laid out before them. The road to reach the goal is their challenge. It is what makes it worth their while. It's OK for somebody to look over their shoulder, as long as they don't constantly interfere. Today I'm seeing a lifestyle magazine marketing manager, I'm meeting a sales person for a badge printer and I'm organizing a radio interview for last minute promotion for tomorrow's show. And in between quite a few other things will probably turn up... Me and my team are working on about 25 concert projects and probably about 10 other "general" communication projects. Do we need guidance? Yes we do! We appreciate it sometimes too. Do we need constant interference? No we don't. Don't panic... We've done this shit before...

Broodroof?

2010-10-04T16:06:00.000+02:00

Vorige week legde een staking van de luchtverkeersleiders het hele Belgische luchtruim plat. De reden van de wilde staking zal de meesten onder ons wellicht nooit duidelijk zijn, maar het was iets met 2 mensen die overgeplaatst werden... Dat op zich lijkt mij toch een vreemde reden om het luchtverkeer van een land plat te leggen. Nu... er was misschien een erg goede reden.

Gevolg van de staking is wel dat heel veel mensen strandden op de luchthaven. Maar... ik had er niet eerder bij stil gestaan... niet enkel op luchthavens in België. Ook mensen die een weekend Brugge, Antwerpen of Brussel gepland hadden en met het vliegtuig naar hier kwamen zaten vast. Of... hoe een schijnbaar kleine actie, als het overplaatsen van 2 werknemers, wel heel grote gevolgen kan hebben...

Standing out

2010-10-02T17:15:00.000+02:00

I was glad and lucky to be able to attend TEDxFlanders a while ago. For those of you who were not there and who did not see the Canvas broadcast, most of the presentations are now available online. As I browsed through them, I was happy to find that not only the speakers but also the musical acts were put on YouTube. In a day filled with impressive projects and speakers, this musical act kind of made it all worthwhile for me. I would have come just for this (and for my newfound hero Gunter Pauli, of course). Stef Kamil Carlens, one time founder of Deus, sang a couple of songs and you could literally hear a pin drop. Sit back and enjoy!

Leve de 2 minuten commercial!

2010-09-30T18:26:00.000+02:00

De kranten stonden vandaag vol met nieuws over de 2 minuten commercial van Leffe. Natuurlijk is dit een ideaal gegeven voor creatievelingen. En er zijn merken die hier op een heel erg bijzondere manier mee omspringen. Modehuis Tod's is sinds kort één van de sponsors van de Scala van Milaan. Ja... wat zet je dan in zo'n sponsorovereenkomst... Er ontstond een project dat toch wel heel bijzonder is. Als dit het gevolg is van de komst van de 2 minutenspot... Driewerf hoera! Subliem werk!

Weekend Knack heeft de schitterende video online staan...

Is Google taking over the software planet?

2010-09-28T10:38:00.000+02:00

Ik zit hier net op de blog van Romneya een post te lezen over het feit dat de stad Los Angeles overschakelt naar Google Apps. 35.000 gebruikers! Dat zijn dan 35.000 klanten minder voor Microsoft, zomaar, in één klap. Maar dat is niet het enige dat je doet opkijken. Het feit dat een bedrijf dat oorspronkelijk een "zoekmachine" was nu een reus als Microsoft bedreigt, dat is pas verrassend. Het zit tussen de oren... Je hoort het vaak zeggen, maar het is ook echt zo. You can really do anything you want, if you put your mind to it. Als je met een goede oplossing komt, dan zullen mensen je volgen. De kleine bedrijven eerst en de grote zullen volgen. Ik denk dat er in Redmond toch een paar mensen met de handen in het haar zitten...

De kracht van teamwork

2010-09-26T20:22:00.000+02:00

Gisteren in Kursaal Oostende was er de Rock 'n' Roll Comedy Day tot een flink stuk in de nacht. De Lounge was één van de laatste locaties in Oostende om de deuren te sluiten. En vanmorgen... iets over zeven, gingen de eerste lichten alweer aan in het gebouw... Op enkele uren tijd werd het gebouw van onder tot boven omgetoverd in dé droomlocatie voor iedereen die aan trouwen denkt. Natuurlijk was het mooi. Maar wat deze locatie zo bijzonder maakt (en mij erg trots om ervoor te mogen werken) is het teamwork dat er elke keer opnieuw voor zorgt dat bergen verzet worden. Het leek vanmorgen onbegonnen werk, maar daar heeft het publiek absoluut niets van gemerkt. Ik hoorde iemand zeggen: "Het is alles wat je hoopte dat het zou zijn. En dan, als het verder gaat dan iedereen verwacht, wordt het magisch. Dat is wat we doen." Morgen ongetwijfeld heel veel foto's!

Het weekend is er... wat gaan jullie doen?

2010-09-25T11:27:00.000+02:00

We hadden er deze week nog een boeiende babbel over: mensen krijgen het steeds moeilijker om te kiezen wat ze gaan doen met hun vrije tijd. Het was Thomas Vanderveken van Klara die zei: selecteer 1 dag op www.uitinvlaanderen.be en je krijgt een oneindige lijst met activiteiten. Het aanbod is echt wel overweldigend. Enfin, naar 't schijnt mogen we het project van Daniël Ost op de Grote Markt van Brugge niet missen. De website van Brugge Centraal schrijft: "Eind september verandert de Markt van Brugge in een oase van groene laurieren en kleurrijke hortensia’s. Acht dagen lang wordt de Markt het decor van een groen dijkenlandschap dat verwijst naar de bekende vlaktes aan de Damse Vaart. Het idee voor dit laurierlandschap komt van de bekende Belgische bloemenkunstenaar Daniel Ost." Volgens mij is het gewoon - na het vuurspektakel van vorige week - opnieuw een ervaring die je moet meemaken... Allen daarheen...

En nu al woensdagavond blokkeren... Canvas zendt Pan's Labyrinth uit... Niet te missen!

Stuff legends are made of

2010-09-24T09:15:00.000+02:00

Just noticed a video on FB (yes, the ultimate source of inspiration these days). It features Ella Fitzgerald in a classic piece of scat singing... And who remembers Scatman John? This is where he found the mustard...

Icons

2010-09-20T21:36:00.000+02:00

Er zijn van die muzikale monumenten waar je niets negatiefs over kan, wil of mag zeggen. Zelfs al vind je dat ze eigenlijk zwaar aan over acting doen of dat ze muziek brengen die je totaal niet kan boeien. Ik herinner me uit mijn kindertijd dat mijn moeder zwaar fan was. Af en toe bleef mij ook een nummer bij... Nu zijn we vele jaren later en de man krijgt een tweede tribute album aangereikt. Arid is één van de groepen die een oud nummer totaal nieuw leven in blaast. Ik vind het fantastisch, wat vinden jullie? Oh, en de zanger? Ah... Will Tura uit Brussel...

The true power of the performing arts

2010-09-19T14:50:00.000+02:00

I sometimes wonder if what I do for a living can actually make a difference. Basically, I entertain people. I search for artists that do something remarkable. I put them on a stage. I try to bring as many people as possible to the theatre. And hopefully, the audience will like what they experience and applaud. But does it make a difference?

And then you see this guy on TED. Ben Cameron. This guy calls himself a cultural omnivore. He reads, listens, watches and experiences any form of culture that is available. He also is "Program Director, Arts, at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in New York, where he supervises a $13 million grants program aimed at the theatre, contemporary dance, jazz and presenting fields." Wow. I like this guy. And his presentation kind of says: "Yes. What you are doing Peter, it does make a difference." Sit back and listen. If you have any kind of positive feelings towards the performing arts, you will like this guy as much as I do.

Sfeervolle start van Brugge Centraal

2010-09-18T13:22:00.000+02:00

Ik had ergens gelezen dat het eerste evenement van het stadsfestival Brugge Centraal zou ingevuld worden door het Franse gezelschap Carabosse. Die compagnie staat wereldwijd bekend voor het creëren van vuur-evenementen. Op hun site staat te lezen: "...une "Installation de Feu", c'est une rencontre de gens, la découverte d'un lieu." En dat werd gisterenavond meer dan waar gemaakt. Je verwacht je aan een grote hoeveelheid vlammen, kaarsen, vuur,... maar je krijgt een sfeer, een nieuwe locatie, een ervaring. En inderdaad Carabosse slaagt erin mensen samen te brengen. Er wordt gekeuveld, geslenterd, gepraat, geknuffeld,... Een evenement dat je recht in je hart raakt. Vanavond doen ze het nog een keer over, vanaf 20 uur. Ik vermoed dat de mond aan mond reclame zijn werk zal doen en dat je er over de koppen zult kunnen lopen, maar ga toch maar kijken... Voor dit soort evenementen zou je naar Avignon trekken en als het dan aan je voordeur plaats vindt zou je het nog durven overslaan. Shame on you. En... proficiat Brugge Plus!

What made Margot pose?

2010-09-17T15:17:00.000+02:00

My niece Margot recently went on a trip to Turkey. She just posted 84 holiday pictures on Facebook. I could probably write a post thinking "Why?" but that's not what I wanted to write today. What struck me when I just saw the pictures appear, was the picture of her and one of one of her friends posing with a wonderful smile with a Starbucks cup. Why would a young girl like Margot pose like this and in doing so actually promote what Starbucks is trying to sell? Well... maybe because it works. This kind of makes you think that Starbucks is one big happiness factory... And in a way... they are... What can I say. Well done Starbucks.

Zijn er grenzen aan creativiteit? - Deel 2

2010-09-16T15:27:00.000+02:00

Toen ik de post van gisteren schreef en het had over het steeds weer heruitvinden van bestaande zaken en technieken, moest ik ook aan Julien Silliau denken... Ik was begin dit jaar te gast in Montréal voor de première van de nieuwe show van Les 7 Doigts de la Main, PSY. Voor de show begon zag ik in het programma de naam van Julien en zijn act: German Wheel. Ik dacht spontaan aan de schitterende act van Wolfgang Bientzle in Cirque du Soleil en h2o. Some things are better left untouched...

Maar toen kwam de act in de show en ik was totaal van mijn stuk. De act van Wolfgang blijft subliem, no doubt, maar Julien is erin geslaagd met hetzelfde toestel een totaal andere act te maken, die bovendien perfect past in de show. Julien is in PSY de verslaafde. De cirkel is rond.

Zijn er grenzen aan creativiteit?

2010-09-15T21:32:00.000+02:00

OK... de flashmobs... we hebben ze gehad... Geen shopping center, school, station of park dat er niet aan moest geloven. Marketeers hebben het nu ook wel gehad zeker? Wrong answer... Alle muzieknoten zijn in alle mogelijke volgordes al eens eerder zijn gebruikt en toch maken muzikanten elke dag nieuwe songs. En creativiteit... die vind steeds nieuwe wegen en nieuwe manieren. Dit filmpje verraste mij compleet. Enjoy!

Another landmark hits the dust

2010-09-14T21:11:00.000+02:00

About ten years ago I visited Rock Garden on Covent Garden. The place was mythic... This was a legendary temple since the early eighties. It evolved from rock venue to restaurant annex club but it kept the spirit alive... Rock Garden closed its doors on New Years Eve, 31 December 2008. The last time I was on Covent Garden, a couple of months ago, the place was under construction... When I was there last week, I was kind of surprised what store had taken up the place. Somehow it feels like sacrilege, but then again, this company was revived by their approach to music... So hey... there is still some sort of respect for history, maybe... Yes... Apple created a new Apple store where Rock Garden used to be...

What a shoe can do

2010-09-12T13:54:00.000+02:00

Ik schreef hier eerder over SHOES, nieuwe productie van Sadler's Wells. Raar, maar op de één of andere manier draait alles op dit moment precies rond schoenen. Op weg naar Londen las ik in Metropolitan, het magazine van Eurostar, een artikel over Kristina Blahnik. Ze is kennelijk een schoen-icoon, samen met haar vader, Manolo Blahnik. Het artikel was dermate enthousiast, dat ik een bezoek aan de pop-up shop in Liberty prompt op mijn to do lijstje zette. Maar dat kan ook met de foto van Kristina te maken hebben gehad... Dan ben je terug in België en wie staat in De Morgen Magazine? Juist, Kristina en Manolo... Euh... een pop-up shop in Londen die het nieuws haalt in België. Ja, wat heb ik gemist? Blahnik schoenen zijn kennelijk hot... Zo erg zelfs dat ik ergens een quote zag van een pediater, Dr Suzanne Levine: "I wanna be buried in a coffin that's the shape of a Manolo Blahnik shoe." Ocharme de dragers...

Creepy... Scary... It's a social network...

2010-09-11T22:35:00.001+02:00

In an incredibly short time, social networks such as Facebook, have totally changed our lives. Facebook has become one of the most influential applications in the world. It has, basically changed lives and will continue to do so. And... it is about to change the lives of the girls from Scala. They never were a regular choir. The Kolaczny brothers were responsible for that. And now, thanks to The Social Network, the world will know them... The Social Network, as in the movie that is released on October 1st. Their version of Creep is in the trailer already. Take a look and above all, take a listen...