New Slang

Sereena Rees. Photograph: Harry Borden

I’ve been thinking for ages about wanting to flex my creative muscles.  They are not getting enough daily pull.  Typically, I was reading random articles in Vogue and come upon one about Serena Rees co-founder of Agent Provocateur with her ex-husband Joseph Corre.  His mum and dad are Vivienne Westwood and the late Malcolm Maclaren.

Serena and Joseph divorced in 2007.  She sold shop and entered a new market – selling cakes and cups of tea.  Gosh, that would be so much fun.  Sure there would be having a strong business acumen but at the same time being able to do something with my hands all day and dream up yummy recipes and have copious cups of tea.  So cool.  I have already been told by people in my life that I have strong entrepreneurial skills.  But what do I do with them?  Hmmmm.

Rees is now the co-founder of achingly fashionable bakery Cocomaya, an extension of the already successful Cocomaya chocolatiers, where women can make themselves feel good in a different way: by indulging in tea and cakes.

“I love my work in fashion, I love chocolate and I have a lifetime tea and cake obsession,” she told Style Magazine. “I always love that thing in France where you get your cake and it’s wrapped with a ribbon. I suppose it’s something to do with the unwrapping, the idea that it’s a treat.

I’m so envious.  So as you do, I’m brainstorming some new ventures.  Let’s see what I get up to.  Btw, it probably won’t be a cake shop. 

I’m even more envious that she’s in a long-term relationship with Paul Simonon from The Clash. 

Serena Rees and Paul Simonon

Moleskine Passions: Music Journal

Moleskine Passions:  Music Journal

Being a total music geek, I love to learn about new and cool bands.  I love listening to music on my ipod to and from work, travelling, going on short subway trips as I run errands etc.  – It’s such a huge part of my self-care. 

There are times when I feel slightly inundated with tunes.  Last summer at Lollapalooza in particular – there were just so many bands, so much music and so many different things going that I wanted to research when I got back to Toronto.  I remember hoping I had something to write in to document my fav tunes and musical journeys.

This summer – I have myself sorted.  Why you ask?  Well I picked up a ‘Moleskine Passions:  Music Journal’.   Here are the deets (it’s a bit luxe, but that’s me):

Moleskine Passions: Music Journal

It’s fully embossed cover, 3 ribbon place markers and double expandable inner pocket.

6 theme-based sections to fill in: Artists, Lyrics, Playlists, Concerts, My Life in Music, Music Map.

6 tabbed sections to personalize as you wish with adhesive labels.

12 pages of staff paper and 28 blank pages in which to unleash your passion’s creativity.

Several adhesive labels: 80 to be used on the blank tabs, 150 with coloured icons and 12 to customize the cover.

13×21 cm, 5 x 8, 240 pages, acid-free paper.

This lil baby is something I keep in my purse and work bag – for easy access.  My friend’s mentions, tweet’s, Facebook status music updates – all go into it.  Gone are the days of me scrambling to pop it into my phone, scraps of paper or napkins.

It’s very sleek and just looks like an uber cool music notebook.  Very organized and a great place to pop in newspaper articles, Metro pictures, concert tickets and working playlists for working out and ‘on the go’ travel.  I’m always thinking about travel playlists so when I have a Genius Mix that pulls up a song that I haven’t heard in ages – the reminder goes directly into my Moleskine. 

The other night going home from work ‘Animal Instincts’ and ‘You and Me’ from The Cranberries appeared out of the blue.  It was so lovely.  I scribbled in a reminder to make a playlist around it for future trips home from work.  It’s the lil things people.

Yours in music,

Mel xo