Broken Promise...

I don't really want to admit it, but I have failed.
I have failed to keep this blog alive with my ideas. Yes, I've made promises, but as you can see now, I haven't updated this blog in quite a long time. That post about Isabel Marant I wanted to write about? Gone amidst thousands of things occupying my mind right now.

Yet, I sort of have found a new sanctuary, namely, Tumblr.
Sometimes I'm tumbling about nonsensical thing, but it's easy and fast. And, sadly, it has shown how my attention (or rather, writing) span now got shorter and shorter.

So, check it: http://niconovito.tumblr.com

I might come back here one day...

Regards,
Nico

BLOGGING HIATUS IS IN HIATUS (HOPEFULLY, FOREVER)

It has been a looooooooooong time since the last time I updated my blog. I can imagine Beyoncé saying to me, “You’ve been a very bad boy—a very, very bad boy, Nico” (cue to Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” video). Yes, I might probably have been one. I can exhaust many excuses for this act: heaps of assignments (academic-related and not), meetings (I’m now involved in a Model United Nations club and a MUN competition—who knows I can be so MUN-esque?!), you name it. And when I got home, all I want to do is sleep, that is, when I don’t have to stay awake all night long doing my literature reviews.

And, strangely, I feel that having a 24/7 Internet connection has been a main culprit in my blogging hiatus. It seems like I’ve become merely a consumer rather than a writer. When I open up my laptop and click on Mozilla Firefox, the routine goes straightly like this: E-mail, Twitter, Facebook, NYTimes.com, NYMag.com (they have the best entertainment and fashion blog ever), Style.com, and so on. I keep  clicking on links after another. I don’t even really read the whole thing—just skimming through the pages. God, it’s true what they say: this generation has become a short attention span generation, and it’s just damn bad. And due to a lot of time I’ve not written anything for my blog, I’m afraid that my writing skill has been decreasing.

Therefore, to avoid the worst thing from happening, I try to write again in this somewhat sunny and hot Saturday afternoon. I have been stricken by some cold, so I stay home all day long, although, admittedly, the shadow of paper outline is still looming large before me. Well, let’s set that aside for a bit, shall we? But, what to write now? Hmm, getting a little confused here because once in a while when I read (or see) something interesting, I always think, “Oh, I’m so gonna write this in my blog,” but, you know how it ends eventually: my brain’s Recycle Bin. So, let’s try to restore them back to my hard disk…. (random, but hopefully interesting nonetheless)

1) The virtues of Blogpost vs. Tumblr

By the time I write this, I’m using Microsoft Word, because I can save my writing for a while if I’m out of idea (but I swear I’m going to finish this off now!). I currently have two blogs right now: one Tumblr and one Blogspot. At first, I decided to use the Tumblr as a “side” to the “main dish” that is my real blog. In Tumblr you can post photos, video, or whatever it is (very user-friendly) and my post is usually short. And you can also follow people, just like in Twitter. While in Blogspot (or Wordpress and any other blog site), I tend to post a longer writing. So, if I may hypothesize, Tumblr is sort of a mini-blog, standing between Twitter (super-duper micro-blog) and the real blog. And, because this looks to be a long writing, I’m going to post it in my Blogspot (and make a preview of it on my Tumblr. Tee hee…).

2) I love Google Translate

It’s one of the most helpful tools ever, especially if you want to know what your Facebook friend is really saying (Whoops, busted!). I can pretend like I’m a polyglot, although not a flawless one. Yes, it has errors but at least it brings us to understand each other better. Aww, aren’t I just one peace lover? :p

And by the way, there are also some interesting Google tricks that you can check here. 

3) “Glee” is soooo good…

One of the best TV cast ensemble nowadays!

I’ve once lost a whole day having a marathon of this musical comedy TV show. It’s gleeful (hence the name), witty, sarcastic, heartbreaking, touchy, funny—all in one! I reckon you have been familiar with this show, but if you don’t, it’s basically about a glee club (sort of like a choir club) in a high school and the lives of its members and a Spanish teacher named Mr. Schuester who becomes the mentor for these kids. There are the dumb jock, knocked-up cheerleader, Broadway star wanna-be, Beyoncé wanna-be, a flamboyant gay kid who is able to dance “Single Ladies” and at the same time excel at being a kicker in a football team. So you get the picture: it’s stereotyped high school life in steroid. And because in high school, grade is important, I’m giving “Glee”  A+.

4) My fashionable (not!) betrayal

What used to be the heart of the blog has become the last priority. Oh, sorry, fashion world to have let you down. When I first made this Blogspot, I have a fashion blog in my mind. I want to be the next Bryanboy or Tavi. I want to be featured in Vogue March 2010 issue and meet Anna, Grace, Tonne, and Sally! But maybe it all has to wait for a moment. I don’t know what really happens, but I start to feel confused when I try to write about fashion, as if I’ve lost track. But, no, this cannot be, I want to pursue a career in a fashion magazine, right? Maybe now I’ll start looking for ideas (by scouring the Internet, of course *sigh*). Hmm, maybe about fashion and technology or that new(ly) famous designer of the moment, Isabel Marant? We’ll see…

There you have it! Finally, I write something, and although it’s totally random and kinda crappy, I’m just happy that finally this humongous amounts of procrastination have been stopped and fingers crossed I’ll produce many more posts in the future! :D

Milan Men Fashion Week Day 2

Day 2 highlights from Milano...

Prada Fall 2010

Miuccia Prada is known as one of fashion intelligents because she always manages to send some savvy cultural reference into her collection. She’s also the reigning queen in reinventing something basic in a man’s and a woman’s closets into something luxurious and coveted. This time she does it once again with a collection, that has been dubbed as one of her best in years. In this look, the blazer and the pants might be, well, quite normal. Yet, the “wow” factor here lies on the sweater which is cut very short and comes in such a bold fuchsia color. Besides this one, there are also some cool new takes on topcoats and knits. A Prada man knows that his look is different (and sometimes quirky) but he knows that he’s the best-dressed in the room.

Bottega Veneta Fall 2010

Under the direction of Tomas Maier, this fashion house has become on par with Hermes, luxury-wise. Maier, known for his minimalistic approach, hit the right chord once again by showing us quite a more casual and low-key (yet still expensive) collection.

This look above seems to evoke the laid-backness of a man on his weekend. There’s a simple cardigan and t-shirt in tonal blue, and I love how the jeans are rolled up (my favorite look nowadays). Yeah, maybe the crocodile (or alligator?) briefcase is a little bit too much, but our man here has earned it and he just wants to have fun.

(Photos: Andrew Thomas/gq.com)

Newsflash from Milano

It might be a little shallow to talk about fashion especially in the midst of a horrible catastrophe that the Haitians face right now (my deepest condolences to those affected). But sometimes we need a little of escapism from the sort of gloomy world we live in right now.

Enter Milan Menswear Fashion Week. From yesterday until about one week ahead, the best menswear designers in Milan will show their Fall 2010 collections. Yes, it's still wintertime, but designer being designer, they always live in the future. These are the highlights from Day 1.

Dolce & Gabbana

(Photo: Andrew Thomas/gq.com)

As usual, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana bring down the house by showing one of the most interesting collections in the city. For this season, it seems that Dolce shows that Italian—or more specifically, Sicilian—farmers can pack quite a luxurious outfit. This being winter, there’s a lot of knits with dark palette going on, like in this coat over here. And that silver sneakers make me drool. But there’s one unique thing here: longjohns as outerwear? Hmm… Maybe the underwear-as-outerwear trend from women’s collections has also invaded menswear. Overall, this collection is Italiano at its best.

Burberry Prorsum

 (Photo: Andrew Thomas/gq.com)

Since Christopher Bailey became the creative director of Burberry in 2001 (in 2009, he became chief creative director), he has injected style into the British fashion house, well-known for its signature plaid pattern and trenchcoats. As far as I'm concerned, Bailey's menswear collection always has rock 'n' roll feel to it, which is evident in the edgy boots donned by this model. Speaking of model, it looks like the Burberry guys are always rail-thin with shaggy hair, which seems to be the scene on London streets. But never mind, it's the clothes we're talking about here.

The star of the collection is, of course, the outerwear--something that Burberry is famous for. The overcoat here has some military influences, what with the army green color, the epaulettes, and the brass buttons (once again, menswear designers apparently take a lot of cues from womenswear where military trend is huge right now). All in all, this season, Christopher Bailey has successfully managed to make his venture to the military world without ever leaving the British roots of this fashion house

Time, Newsweek, or The Economist?

It’s my first post in 2010. I know, it’s been a while since I made the last post due to my holiday laziness syndrome or whatever it is. Well, not anymore. I’m kind of confused about what to write here. This is supposed to be a fashion blog, initially—although not exclusively about fashion. But then looking at my new post here, I’m not even talking about it. Maybe it’s just my multidimensional self (like my multidiscipline university major).

ANYWAY, as an avid consumer of magazines, I’m interested on how people have their own preferences when it comes to weekly news magazines. I reckon there are three major international newsweeklies: Time, Newsweek, and The Economist. Here’s my assessment on these three great publications:

Time

The first thing I like about this magazine is its sharp yet delightful design—not to mention its signature red border on the cover. Its writers are great, and especially I like to read the last page (“Essay”) where you can find interesting opinion about current affairs. The photography is also breathtaking. The other thing that Time has to offer is its special double-issue editions—“The 100 Most Influential People,” “Person of the Year,” “Heroes of the Environment”—which are always a great company for rainy Saturday afternoon (Why do I get all melancholic like this?). It is a well-edited magazine: 50% politics and economy, 50% human -interest topics, which means fun for me…

Newsweek

As its name suggests, Newsweek  offers analyses about what happened throughout the week. What I like the most from this magazine is its editor, Fareed Zakaria. His article and opinion page are always insightful and witty, yet he never comes across as being aggressive. He’s simply a pragmatic. I recently got its “Interview issue” where they held conversations with “people who matter,” like Hillary Clinton and Hamid Karzai, and it’s fun to read. Overall, if you’re looking for straightforward articles and sharp analyses, get a copy.

The Economist

 

This is my International Politics lecturer’s favorite magazine (he’s talking about it, like, every week). A little different from the aforementioned two, The Economist doesn’t really offer much opinion pages, but rather, it has news analysis. And more interesting thing is that it rarely mentions the writers of the articles, so I can’t tell if there’s any writer I like from this magazine. Since it’s an English publication, it’s nice to read the British spellings which add a sort of London vibe to it. The other thing that also interests me –although this is not what you can find inside the magazine—is the “Economist Debates” section in its Website, where two experts are arguing over a certain topic (if you’re a debater, this is a must-see).

Of all those three above, the one that I buy frequently is Time. I’m a sucker for great layout, and I think Time’s is the best. But don’t get me wrong, I also like it for (obviously) its articles that span from serious (Joe Klein et al.) to hilarious (Joel Stein, hands down). I also think the entertainment section is better. It’s just more—how you say it?—pop culture-esque.

Postscript:

Honestly, right now, if you want to get a piece of new information, thanks to Google, you can just type and click your way to it. But there’s another sense of satisfaction when you are reading a great magazine in the corner of your room. There’s Kindle and all other e-book readers, yet I think print publication is still here to stay…

The Last Day of the Decade: A Reflection

  (Photo: Reuters/Corbis)

It's going to be 2010 in several hours from the time when I write this post and I feel the need to reflect on how the decade of 2000s have been and what kind of impacts those years bring to our lives. I know a lot of people in media have written this and that about the 2000s. Some have called it the aughties or, even, the aughties naughties. Time dubbed the last ten years as "The Decade from Hell," due to the countless crises we face. While the Entertainment Weekly beg to differ from its sister publication by showcasing the best entertainers of the decade, including Johnny Depp, Beyoncé, and Tina Fey. And I bet there are many others who decide what is the best and worst of the 2000s, including, well, me. So, please let me, in this decade’s last day, to reflect on some of the events that I think have completely change our lives. It is to be considered that there is a very wide range of things to discuss here: politics, economy, technology, fashion, music, movies, etc. So, I guess I will just write those that fascinate me the most. Enjoy.

1) The Magic of Internet

Could you imagine how we live today without the Internet? It seems we are connected more than ever. Every information we want is just one click away. And in the last half of the decade, we see the invention of Facebook and Twitter; both have changed our notion of communication. There is also YouTube, where videos—from cute pet videos to Susan Boyle singing “I Dreamed a Dream” to the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, an Iranian protester—go viral. One of other greatest inventions is Google, of course, which has become the most famous new verb of the decade.

Nonetheless, the Internet also poses some challenges to the traditional media, i.e, the print media. Newspapers and magazines started to lose their readers and, hence, their advertisers, forcing them to close down. But some of them have also utilized the so-called “New Media” by starting their own Web sites and producing their online versions, for which readers have to pay a small amount of money. Speaking of media, the Internet has also released the inner journalists in each and everyone of us. Blogs—like this very one you are reading now—are popping up. Even CNN created a show called iReport where “citizen journalists” can share their findings to the world. Internet has irrevocably changed our ways of living and we are waiting for many changes in the years to come.

2) The So-Called “Post-9/11” World: Wars, Economic Fallout, and the Environment

We all know that something terrible happened on September 11, 2001. This event, thanks to Mr. Bush, has led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the United States is trying to stop the Al-Qaeda and its networks. A hard job, I presume, since those terrorists are scattered around—it is the “asymmetric” war on terror. Fast-forward to Obama’s election in 2008—that image of him and Michelle and their two kids on his winning night on November 4, 2008, is unforgettable—the American troops in Iraq will be withdrawn, yet recently there is a surge in Afghanistan, which according to General Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander there, is necessary to actually banish Taliban insurgents and Al-Qaeda itself. Many are afraid that Afghanistan will be the new Vietnam, but only time can answer if the surge will be worth it to win the war. The Obama Administration has made some right decisions, in my opinion, for example, in closing Guantanamo. But he still has a long laundry list of problems to tackle.

One of those problems is apparently the financial and economic meltdown that is caused, among others, the failure of the real-estate market and the greediness of the Wall Street executives. People around the world are losing their jobs, industries are closed, and so on. It’s a hard time, although some analysts see that we start to recover from the recession.

Other things that capture our focus is natural disasters that happen throughout the globe, from the Asian tsunami of 2004 that killed more than 200,000 people to Hurricane Katrina to the endless earthquakes in my own country, Indonesia. I don’t want to get too philosophical here, but if I may say so, these could be the sign from above for us to be more sensitive to the environment surrounding us. The topic of climate change is being discussed everywhere because it is clear that the real threats of it are looming before our eyes. Unfortunately, it’s still so hard for all countries in the world to make a certain agreement on how to reduce greenhouse gas emission, which is the main culprit of this environmental blow. The last UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen has produced an unsatisfactory result. My answer to this dilemma is this, cliché maybe, but realistic: Let’s start from ourselves. Just start from small things: switch off lights when not in use, use public transportation, use both sides of paper. On the other hand, we also must push our respective government to do something about this. You know, the civil society movement is one of the most influential parts to change this world, and you and I are part of them.

To borrow from Andy Serwer in his Time article, “The ‘00s: Goodbye (at Last) to the Decade from Hell,” there are four reasons why this so-called post-9/11 world has gone pretty bad: Neglect, Greed, Self-interest, and Deferral of Responsibility. If we all want to see a better decade in the future, let’s renew ourselves and refresh our perception of the world and our lives in it.

3) Entertainment at Its Best

Now, after talking about the gloomy side of the decade, I think it would be better to talk the lighter and more fun side, that is, the entertainment world. It is like a conventional wisdom that when you talk about entertainment, you have to talk about movies, television, music, and books, so I will just tell you my version of “The Best of the Decade” of each. Feel free to give your own versions in the comment!

Nico’s Pick: The Best of the Decade

Movie: Avatar

Yes, it’s new and it even just opened several weeks before 2010, but seriously, it is the best movie in this decade. See my previous post for proof.

Television: Confused…

No, it’s not a TV show title, it’s just me who is confused on how to determine the best TV show. Let me just say there are several I like the most: Ugly Betty, American Idol, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, and Damages. Some of them sound corny, of course, but it is definitely what I need from TV to refresh myself: a nice scandalous, guilty-pleasure show. (Although I also watch “serious” channels, like CNN!)

Music: Beyoncé

Who in this world is not tempted to shake their booty when they hear the addictive rhythm of “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”? Yes, people, Mrs. Jay-Z has brought music to a whole new different level with her amazing voice and even more amazing dance routine. According to a survey, there are 103 “Single Ladies” video parodies on YouTube, and a lot of people have also memorized this unforgettable dance (including me…). It seems we all have to agree with Kanye: “Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time.” I think my other favorite, Madonna, should be careful if she doesn’t want to be toppled off from the Queen of Pop throne.

Alternative Pick for Music: Phoenix

I’m trying to have a wider taste, music-wise, and I always search for new band. The best of them is Phoenix, which I know for the first time in the page of Vogue (surprise!). Their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a revelation. “1901” and “Lisztomania” are definitely the catchiest tunes of this year.

Book: the Harry Potter series

The adventure of the Boy Who Lived in seven books? Enough said.

4) The Decade of Style

Since I’ve made it official that I’m the ultimate fashion aficionado, I will betray my own self if not talking about it here. There have been a lot of things going on, of course. In early 2000s, when Tom Ford was still the designer of Gucci and later YSL Rive Gauche, he redefined the notion of women’s fashion by making it more fresh and sexier (with a hint of vulgarism here and there). Now, he is developing his own Tom Ford brand, the most coveted men’s line—and the most expensive. Not to mention, Mr. Ford also ventures into the movie business by directing a critically-acclaimed movie, A Single Man.

Okay, now back to fashion, we see a lot of European houses being reinvigorated by younger talents, most notably Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent, Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, and Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy. While, at the same time, there are also a lot  of young designers who design their own labels who make it big in the United States, like Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, Rodarte’s Mulleavy sisters, Jason Wu (he’s the one who designed Michelle Obama’s ball gown in the Inauguration night), Christopher Kane, Alexander Wang, and Thakoon Panichgul (excuse me for the excessive name-dropping here). It has been a colorful decade for fashion, and I cannot wait to see what is coming up next.

There you have it, the flashback of the 00s. I realize there are still so many things I haven't covered yet, so any of your comment will be very welcomed here. Happy New Year (and Decade), everyone!!!

Dazzled at the Cinema

 Yesterday, out of bore from holiday, I decided to go out and watched a movie. What movie? Why, Avatar, of course. Obviously, there has been a lot of buzz in the media about this particular movie, and from what I can see, every review seems to be leaning on the positive side. I guess a lot of critics raved on how beautiful this film is, especially when you watched its 3D version, and it's only fitting that I chose to watch this version. 

And, man, it is so damn awesome! To quote David Denby from the New Yorker, Avatar is "the most beautiful film I've seen in years." Okay, before I delve too deep into this amazing spectacle, let me share some plot of this James Cameron-directed film for the uninitiated. 

So basically, the story is set in the year of 2154, when humans—with all the technological advancements—have found a planet called Pandora. It is rich of Unobtainium (Quite a joke here. Unobtainium. Got it?), an energy-yielding mineral that sells for 20 million dollars per kilogram. We, the Earthlings , as usual, got all hungry and decide to go to Pandora. Corporates, supported by military contractors—à la Blackwater—then establish a base on the planet. 

This place is inhabited by the native clan, the Na'vi, the human-like creatures, which are ten-feet tall and blue-skinned. In order to do some kind of diplomacy, so that the Na'vi would let humans harvest their mineral, the "avatars" (the hybrid of human and Na'vi) are created by feeding people's DNA into the Na'vi's body. One of the man who happens to be chosen to participate in the Avatar program is Jack Sully (played by the charming newcomer Sam Worthington), a paraplegic ex-Marine. When he becomes a "Na'vi" through his own avatar, he will be able to walk and run again, exploring the lush and magnificent Pandora. His first encounter with a native is when he meets a female Na'vi, Neytiri (Zoë Saldana). As the story unfolds, Jack is faced by a dilemma: he's working for his fellow humans, but deep inside, his feeling toward the people of Pandora gets deeper and emotional. I won't reveal anymore plot here, for fear of spoiler, although I think the ending is quite predictable.

Nevertheless, there is one more important thing than the plot itself, that is the cinematography. Cameron's brilliance twelve years ago in Titanic is being surpassed by himself in this film. His impeccable mix of live-action and CGI animation is breathtaking. Seeing the beautiful wildlife of Pandora and, on the other hand, the brutality of the splattering bullets from the military's gun machines is otherworldly, especially in 3D. This is special-effects extravaganza at its best.

Moreover, I think there are some hidden political messages in Avatar, too. When you see the military force getting into Pandora, Iraq or Afghanistan instantly comes to mind. Some critics do say that Avatar is the metaphor for the US military endeavors in the world right now. For example, there are the aspect of "winning hearts and minds" of the locals, as evident by the diplomatic efforts of the avatars. As an International Relations student, I was also stunned at how "IR" this movie is, in some respect. Like, when I heard Colonel Miles Quatrich (the head of SecFor, played by Stephen Lang) mentioning "preemptive strike," I suddenly recall my International Law class assignment from a month back. These all make Avatar really interesting for me.

So, you might have known what I will tell you next, right? You MUST see this movie. If you can watch its 3D version, it will be better. Your money spent will be worth every cent of it. And when you see a pair of eyes snap open in the last scene, you have officially been a witness to one of the most unforgettable movies of all time.