Chelsea Hotel – part 2

02.01.17 | Comments Off on Chelsea Hotel – part 2

Chelsea Hotel – part 1

01.31.17 | Comments Off on Chelsea Hotel – part 1

Dia Beacon

01.19.16 | No Comments

Visited Dia Art Foundation in Beacon NY, with 8 of my favorite lady friends, on a crisp January afternoon.

Jamey

12.29.15 | No Comments

kiss them for me

01.24.14 | No Comments

vintage mom

01.14.14 | No Comments

View in Instagram

The Doula Project Photo Match Program

12.22.13 | No Comments

I am very excited to be collaborating with The Doula Project on an exciting new endeavor: The Doula Project Photo Match Program

Time to get cozy!

11.01.13 | No Comments

Oh I absolutely love this article Why I adore the night, by Jeanette Winterson in The Guardian UK. I couldn’t agree more! The colder months are a perfect time to stay in and become more introspective.

A Sunset photo I took in magical Lake Tahoe last year.

Team Cozy in full effect!

 

Love to cuddle up with a good book.

…along with the puuurfect soundtrack.

The House of the Spirits

10.11.13 | No Comments

Currently reading The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. I just can’t seem to put it down. Perfect pre-Halloween reading.

 

Museo de Arte Moderno

10.08.13 | No Comments

Museo de Arte Moderno is situated in the middle of the large Chapultepec Park.  I wish all museums were surrounded by this many beautiful trees!  The museum is quite small but I saw two excellent exhibits  by female artists there.

The first was a show of paintings by Spanish-Mexican surrealist painter and anarchist Remedios Varo.  I immediately felt an affinity to her magic realist compositions.  Each image was composed perfectly, each representing it’s own dream world.

 

 

 

Remedios Varo with gato

painting with a mother of pearl face

The second show I saw was the “Open Process” exhibit, a partial anthology of the work of Marianna Dellekamp (born in 1968).

She is a multidisciplinary artist who employs a variety of mediums in her exploration of the conception and use of images. The exhibition Open Process shows a review of the work of Marianna Dellekamp, an artist who has experienced in exploring disciplines in various media, design and image applications. Throughout her career she has used photography to other research tools, including accumulating, reorder and meanings to different materials. Her work is directed in part to the practice field, where she establishes dialogues and perspectives with the image: the actual image taken from everyday life, confronted image with text or appropriation of objects as an image. Another interesting aspect lies in the concept of accumulation, an important principle for the development of her projects. In the 1990s works emerge arising from facts related images, actions and objects that surround her life: from body fluids microscopic shots to scenes or elements from the environment and that have meaning in the analysis of the social fabric.

gorgeous chandelier in the entrance

Georgia O’Keeffe

08.13.13 | No Comments

Georgia O’Keeffe watercoloring, photographed by her lover Alfred Stieglitz

Inman Family Wines

07.22.12 | No Comments

We were so happy to visit Inman Family wines, where we were greeted by the lovely mother and daughter team for a delicious tasting of their organic wines in Santa Rosa, California.

Kathleen Inman, the winemaker and General Manager of Inman Family Wines
& Olivet Grange Vineyard
Meredith Inman, her daughter pouring some heavenly rosé

 

www.inmanfamilywines.com/

All photos by Seze Devres

Sibylle Baier

12.29.10 | No Comments

I can’t stop listening to “Says Elliott” by Sibylle Baier from her album “Colour Green” which was recorded in Germany 1970-1973.

Says Elliot by Sibylle Baier

I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot
I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot

days keep growing short, nights too
let us go then, you and I
and try to unlearn, says Elliot
he seeks for return and burns ancient love letters

let us go then you and I and lie by marble stone says Elliot
and put a record on the gramophone
Lie down dear
on the weed
Don’t weep dear
gayly clad
sadness is a radical quantity says Elliot
sadness is a long brown ribbon, says he
sadness is beautiful

I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot
I grow old I shall wear the bottom of my trousers rolled says Elliot

Happy Hanukkah

12.01.10 | No Comments

Artist Kiki Smith and architect Deborah Gans talk about their stained glass window in the Museum at Eldridge Street. Their new design is the culminating piece of the 20-plus-year restoration of this national historic landmark, an 1887 synagogue. Smith and Gans’s design features a celestial motif – illuminated stars in a swirling pattern that evokes the Big Bang.
Listen to the story here

Stained-glass window by artist Kiki Smith and architect Deborah Gans
in the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue
Courtesy Museum at Eldridge Street

My interview with Falko Brocksieper and Mia Grobelny

07.01.10 | No Comments

Falko Brocksieper at the Bunker December 12, 2009 – photo by Seze

This Friday July 2, Falko Brocksieper and Mia Grobelny will be playing at The Bunker (where I am the hostess and photographer). We are very excited to have them back in Brooklyn and I was lucky enough to have some time to talk to them before the party. Sub Static is a label run by Falko Brocksieper and Mia (Michaela Grobelny) that was Founded in 2000. In 2004, they moved from Cologne to Berlin. Both of their sets from the last Sub Static night at The Bunker in 2008 became very popular Bunker Podcasts.
Full event info and bios.

Q. I know that there are some exciting new developments brewing at Sub Static. Do tell…

MIA – Yes we’re actually relaunching! The last release on Sub Static came out almost two years ago. At that time we felt quite burnt-out about label business, after having put out about 100 releases on our two labels. Also myself, I had to slow down a bit, after I did so much travelling and performing with my last album. I’ve been in the studio ever since, but experimenting a lot and not pressuring myself to get stuff finished. Finally, I have a new 4-track EP due to be released in about 3 weeks on Sub Static …

FALKO – …which is a really strong one I believe. It’s incredible how much great music is slumbering on her hard drive, mostly about 90% finished. Some of that had to be released. After that, we’ve scheduled two digital compilations of remastered Sub Static tracks. Each of us will be compiling one.

Q. MIA and Falko, can you tell me a bit about how Sub Static was began and how you first met. I know it was almost like “music love” at first for MIA because they day she met you she suggested you collaborate together.

MIA – True. It was a really empty party in Cologne and we were both there to DJ. It was quite boring so finally I walked up to Falko and said “Hey! Do your records fit with mine? Maybe we can play together?” – the records fit, and that was the start of it.

FALKO – And at that time neither of us were really part of the Cologne scene or anything. We were just two bedroom DJ’s making our the first steps into music production. The launch of our own label was a pretty spontaneous decision, we had no clue how it worked, and had even less of a plan or goal for it. It just all happened little by little. We never thought that ten years later, we’d give an interview prior to our return to the best techno party in New York City!

Q. Falko, you start your mnml.ssgs 90’s mix (listen to the mix here) with a Mouse on Mars track, who are also from Cologne. Are they friends of yours? What was the techno world like in Cologne when you were there and how does it compare to where you live in Berlin today?

FALKO – One guy from Mouse on Mars studied at the same media art academy in Cologne as me, but we don’t know each other personally. However, Mouse on Mars is a pretty good example of how vibrant and advanced the electronic music scene was when I moved there in 1997. There were a lot of underground venues and labels and producers everywhere. I don’t know what happened, but almost none of that is left there today. Of course there are still many producers and labels doing stuff, but the reputation of Cologne definitely hails from the past. So at some point we were looking for something new, a change. That’s why we moved to Berlin in 2004. It’s hard to compare the two cities.

Q. I know you both really enjoy many genres of music, outside of house and techno. MIA, last night you played a brand new rough track for me that was mostly your voice and guitar. Have you always been diving into new genres? What other non techno records you been listening to recently?

MIA – For me it’s hard to sit down and say: Now I’m going to write a peaktime techno track of this and that direction. Maybe I do sometimes, but then unfortunately the final result is still going to turn into something completely different. First off, I have a love for strong moods and melodies, and initially the process of making music is something I just do for myself, for my own private enjoyment. So there is no direction I’m pushing it towards for the sake of marketing or anything like that. But of course I enjoy techno too, and if I happen to make techno tracks, that’s when I release a techno record. As for music I’m listening to lately, I really like Phoenix, Little Dragon, Turin Brakes and Jamie Lidell just to name a few.

FALKO – I’m probably a bit more biased by a final result I’m aiming at when I make music. But I have quite a wide range. I’ve made some melodic electro recently, something I wish more people would cultivate. Unfortunately the stuff that’s not easy to play in the average club is mostly hard to sell and thus hard to release. I guess this is why 90% of the club tracks sound all the same today, and ironically everyone is complaining about it.

Q. MIA, you are one of the few women I know in techno who has written and produced an entire album all on your own. What are your thoughts on “artists” who have other people produce their records for them?

MIA – Well there are a few others too, such as Chloé, Ada, Dasha Rush and AGF. Generally I think it’s just a question of what your skills and interests are. I can personally get a lot out of the process of producing music. It’s a good way to capture and alter my feelings. Lots of other women, like Ellen Allien, Anja Schneider and Bloody Mary, seem to see themselves more as an entertainer, and they’re more focused to stage themselves as a certain role model. It’s a great skill to be able to market yourself and organize your career like that. Sometimes I wish I had more of that.

Q. You have quite the American vacation planned. I hear you have a road trip planned from Colorado to California. What are some of the sites you are most excited to visit?

MIA – I’m very excited to get to see all the nature – Rocky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley … but also Las Vegas should be fun.

FALKO – For us European kids this is a dream come true. I just hope we will survive all the attacks by snakes, bad lieutenants and nuclear bombs in the desert!

Q. What is your favorite place or thing to do in NYC?

MIA – The only time I’ve been here so far it was raining terribly, and I just had one hungover day to spend. I’m definitely excited to see more. The MoMA would be great to visit, and I wanna take the Staten Island Ferry … other than that I’ll just go with the flow and consult our awesome hosts.

FALKO – My favourite thing to do just about everywhere is simply to walk and look around, without a specific destination. And I think New York is one of the best places to do that. Seeing small weird things along the road is much more appealing to me than any of the “must-see” stuff. I’m really looking forward to some days in New York again and get to know the vibe of the city better.

Falko Brocksieper at the Bunker February 1, 2008 – photo by Seze

Mia Grobelny at the Bunker February 1, 2008 – photo by Seze

Detroit 2009: Day 2

06.04.09 | No Comments

On Saturday we ran into Clark Warner and his wife Liz Copeland at breakfast.  I finally met their adorable baby. A few hours later radio goddess and new mother Liz Copeland opened up the festival with a really lovely set of what she defines as baby listening music.  Melodies from Air and Brian Eno and other ethereal treasures consumed our ears, as ravers of all ages started to show up for the first day of the festival.  Other highlights of my day were killer sets from Nikola Baytala and Steve Bug.

Clark Warner and his baby in protective ear gear or maybe he is listening to death metal?

an adorable Lolita raver

more candy ravers

At night we threw the Detroit version of House n Home (my flyer).  I finally had a chance to meet the lovely DJ Cassy.  Here is the fist shot I took of her.  She was all smiles during her amazing set. I wish more DJs smiled when I photographed them.

Photos by Seze Devres

Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s Splendid Table

05.16.09 | No Comments

For the past two years my favorite food podcast has been the Splendid Table.  Even if you are not a big foodie the host Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s laugh and amazing personality is enough to keep your interest.  And every week she has the fabulous Jane and Michael Stern talk about their Road Food adventures.  You can download to her very informative podcast here.   She is not to be missed!

Drew Barrymore interviewed on Fresh Air

04.16.09 | No Comments

I grew up watching Drew Barrymore grow up with me.  We are exactly the same age.  This week she has really nice interview on Fresh Air to promote her hew movie, a remake of Grey Gardens.

listen here (you might just love her even more)

Drew Barrymore in VOGUE Photographed by Annie Leibovitz

goodbye Helen Levitt

04.01.09 | No Comments

Helen Levitt died this week at a ripe old age in her sleep.  Reading her obituary reminded me how much I have always loved her street photographs of children in New York City.  Here are some of my favorites:

Melissa Block’s interview with Helen Levitt on NPR

Fannie Farmer’s timeless cookbook

03.23.09 | No Comments

Happy birthday to Fannie Merritt Farmer (23 March 1857 – 15 January 1915).  She is know for writing one of the first cookbooks with precise measurements, her basic recipes are still my favorite.

Fannie Farmer’s Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
pinch Cayenne
2 cups Elbow Macaroni dried
2 tblspoons Butter
2 tblspoons Flour
1 1/4 cups Milk heated
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese grated
1 1/2 cups Buttered Bread Crumbs

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don’t let it brown – about 2 minutes.
4. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more..
6. Stir in cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
7. Remove from the heat
8. Butter a 1 -quart casserole.
9. Put the cooked macaroni into the casserole, pour the cheese sauce over it, and mix gently with a fork.
10. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the top and spread the crumbs over the cheese.
11. Bake, uncovered, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.