I left the show feeling so inspired and refreshed. My traveling it starting to become so addicting. I get a rush every time I go somewhere new, I never want to stop. Basel in particular though gave me so many ideas I feel like I cannot execute them fast enough, changing plans again, pushing me further. I love it.
ARTrepreneur Session Three with Delano Brown was surprisingly good. All I knew about it was the snippets I'd seen on insta and could round up online. I'm not going to sugar coat it, the event didn't start on a good note at all — there were quite a few things I was annoyed about upfront BUT when I say his talk completely made up for it I'm not exaggerating. It was so refreshing to hear from a young guy in his position with his style and sense talk about his story and his ideas and just wow. I was really impressed. I look forward to seeing where his career goes from here.
Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking at all and didn't capture the names and artists of all the work I photographed, so if you know or want credit please email me!
Part 1.
baselme1.
ahh art basel miami beach 2014. how can i describe you.
I had the BEST time. Per usual, I really didn't have any idea what to expect. I understood the show and concept of everything since I've been only hearing about it for years, but actually being there in the middle of all of the excitement. so amazing. and I saw art, lots and lots of it. incredibly satisfying art. There have been comments about how commercial Art Basel Miami is becoming, but I don't see it falling off any time soon. The world needs events like this to exist. The energy was trippy everywhere we went.
We ended up going to the Wynwood Walls & Design District, Art Basel, UNTITLED, Mana Contemporary, and a slew of parties including ARTrepreneur Session Three by Delano Brown. I'm really really bummed I missed the SCOPE and Design Miami shows, but next year we'll plan buffer days instead of arriving and leaving the first and last days of the shows.
Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking at all and didn't capture the names and artists of all the work I photographed, so if you know or want credit please email me!
Part 2.
theeyehastotravel.
The High Priestess of Fashion.
"allure" is a word very few people use nowadays, but it's something that exists. allure holds you doesn't it? whether it's a gaze or a glance in the street or a face in the crowd, someone sitting opposite you at lunch... you are held.
style was a standard. didn't hurt anyone... but you gotta have style. it helps you get down the stairs. it helps you get up in the morning. it's a way of life. without it you're nobody. i'm not talking about lots of clothes.
now brodovitch was the tutor of all these people of harper's bazaar of layout, and many of them had gone to his classes at night. he was a very remarkable man, he loved his white space, he loved empty pages-oh, he couldn't stand me. i mean, i wanted, of course, to put in as much as possible. i only wanted fashion.
anyone who's afraid and does not search and give as much as possible to the world of pleasure is a totally ignorant person. we were put here for the joy of it, for the hell of it, and it's all here now; nothing has been taken away. it's a question of creating it.
style: all who have it share one thing—originality.
UNDER VREELAND, VOGUE BECAME A COMBINATION OF CULTURE, ART, HAPPENINGS, AND VIBRANT FASHION. "I THINK PART OF MY SUCCESS AS AN EDITOR CAME FROM NEVER WORRYING ABOUT A FACT, A CAUSE, AN ATMOSPHERE. IT WAS ME—PROJECTING TO THE PUBLIC. THAT WAS MY JOB. I THINK I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A PERFECTLY CLEAR VIEW OF WHAT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC. GIVE 'EM WHAT THEY NEVER KNEW THEY WANTED."
can you tell I LIVE for diana vreeland!? i mean. she's just wonderful. hideous and marvelous. in her documentary "the eye has to travel" there was a quote about her that went something like "she was never a very beautiful woman and she was never a very wealthy woman, but she created beauty and wealth."
love.
all quotes from diana's book, the eye has to travel.
Europe 04 / Germany
I didn't spend much time in Germany, it was essentially just a long rode trip between the Netherlands and Switzerland. I would love to return one day to visit Munich and Berlin, but until then I only have memories of the lush green hills and enchanting black forest.
Europe 03 / Amsterdam
Brussels and Amsterdam definitely surprised me the most—I had no idea what either looked like so I went with zero expectations and fell completely in love.
The first few hours the only word I could think to describe everything was "cool." I know that seems so simple, but literally the entire vibe of the city was just chill and the utopian mash-up of cultures and styles was so laid back and effortless.
I went on a walking tour of the Red Light District my first night in Amsterdam and it was such an eye-opening experience. but i loved how open-minded and practical the dutch people are. that whole "people are going to do it anyway so we may as well come up with a smart safe way for it to work (and benefit us)" mentality. not to mention all of the amazing concept shoppes tucked in and around the area.
…then I discovered their vintage book markets and completely lost my shit. I wanted to bring home at least 20 books and ended up mailing some home before leaving the city. it's basically {one} of the main reasons I can't wait to get back.
xx,
C
perfume.
Over the course of my trip I read 5 books selected to go along with the places I was visiting. While traveling through France, I read Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; which was set in the slums of eighteenth-century Paris. It was creepy, very strange, slightly disturbing but very passionate, tragic and beautifully written. and while in the French Riviera I was able to visit the Fragonard factory, one of the oldest parfumeries in the world (I believe) that happened to be playing the movie version of the book (lol).
Here are a few of my favorite excerpts:
“He drank in the aroma, he drowned in it, impregnating himself through his innermost pores, until he became wood himself; he lay on the cord of wood like a wooden puppet, like Pinocchio, as if dead, until after a long while, perhaps a half hour or more, he gagged up the word “wood.” He vomited the word up, as if he were filled with wood to his ears, as if buried in wood to his neck, as if his stomach, his gorge, his nose were spilling over with wood.”
"Or why should smoke possess only the name “smoke,” when from minute to minute, second to second, the amalgam of hundreds of odors mixed iridescently into ever new and changing unities as the smoke rose from the fire … or why should earth, landscape, air—each filled at every step and every breath with yet another odor and thus animated with another identity—still be designated by just those three coarse words. All these grotesque incongruities between the richness of the world perceivable by smell and the poverty of language were enough for the lad Grenouille to doubt if language made any sense at all.”
“And what was more, he even knew how by sheer imagination to arrange new combinations of them, to the point where he created odors that did not exist in the real world.”
“Perhaps the closest analogy to his talent is the musical wunderkind, who has heard his way inside melodies and harmonies to the alphabet of individual tones and now composes completely new melodies and harmonies all on his own. With the one difference, however, that the alphabet of odors is incomparably larger and more nuanced than that of tones; and with the additional difference that the creative activity of Grenouille the wunderkind took place only inside him and could be perceived by no one other than himself.”
“He was not out to make his fortune with his art; he didn’t even want to live from it if he could find another way to make a living. He wanted to empty himself of his innermost being, of nothing less than his innermost being, which he considered more wonderful than anything else the world had to offer. And thus Baldini’s conditions were no conditions at all for Grenouille.”
roots&wings.
9 countries. 20+ cities. 30 days.
Somewhere between Zaragoza and Madrid — Two thoughts written towards the end of my trip. I'll go through and recount each city with images as I see fit. But these are the most honest feelings of my overall experience.
The only purpose I now see for wealth is to travel. If you have a lot of money and choose to only spend it on material things instead of travel and experiences you're foolish and have no idea what you're missing. I no longer have a desire to save for things, of course there will always be stuff I want, but now all I really really want is to travel again. To be free to wander through cities at leisure. I may never be staying in the most luxurious hotels and dining at those restaurants. But I can see them. I can get next to them. I can go to the bars and people watch. I want to see everything the world has to offer. When I'm an old woman I want to be elegant, but I also want to leave my grandchildren with exotic stories of the places I've been.
I want to be in love, create art, and see the world. This trip was the best thing for me. Going back to LA right now would only pause what I need to do and create more confusion for my inner self. Perhaps in another chapter of my life I'll end up there again — but right now as I'm riding through the Spanish countryside reminiscing on my strolls through Venice and how large my eyes got at the sight of the French Riviera.. it all makes sense to me now. All I have to do is go live it. Another reoccurring thought I've had as the trip winds down is the fact that I feel like I could keep going for a few more weeks, months, years? But I see that it would be impossible to maintain a relationship. I barely get to talk to b or to my family, but I don't feel lonely. I miss him when I see something amazing and wish he could see it too, and I'm sure if I stayed in one place for a long time I would really feel the separation, but as I jump from place to place it's like the world is on pause and the only thing that matters is what I'm doing that day or getting some rest. I've noticed myself not really wanting to tell my friends and fam what I've done each day, I feel annoyed as if it's too personal and I just don't feel like reiterating it (especially after I spend hours journaling) and it's too detailed too vibrant too intense too emotional to try to explain through a text or email. I want to know more words so I can describe it better, but then I also want to keep it for myself. And I can barely remember what I did or where I was a few days ago.
They say a picture tells a thousand words, but honestly no one knows what I was doing when these pictures were captured, the circumstances, if it was staged or candid. How can I possibly share my experiences with someone unless they saw it too. I kinda love the feeling that I could disappear into the world and just keep traveling with no idea what's going on around me.
My life back home seems so quaint and comfortable compared to what I've been doing and seeing. It's unreal. But it kind of scares me too, why do I feel this way? Why do the things that are so important to me seem less important while I'm here? My reason for wanting to go (what I was seeking inspiration for) is still here. I still have the vision and constantly snap pictures to remember, but it seems so small. so separated from me. Does that mean they really aren't that Important? Or no? Am I really that passionately in love? I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just thinking about it too hard.
I am excited to get back home and to my regular life to see what kind of shift has actually taken place. My brain is literally bursting with so many thoughts. I'm eager to look back through my pictures and read my journal to relive each place I visited and turn these inspirations into work and style and ways of living.
C
—
Sneak peek at the pile of the loot I drug home.
First image is of me at the W Barcelona and the second was taken on the street in Firenze, Italy.
departure.
don't be so easily defined.
"Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation." - Oscar Wilde
today i leave.
thosewho.wander.pt1.
It's official! I will no longer be the last person on the planet (in my age bracket) that hasn't been across the world.. or even out of the country for that matter (the bahamas doesn't count!) It always surprises people when I tell them I really haven't been very far. Every time a travel opportunity comes along I jump for it, but as far as taking a big leap it has always seemed like a far off dream that would take years before I could achieve— an exclusive membership club I didn't have access to.
Not any more!
After a few crazy (and I mean crazy, I will spare the details— but thank GOD there are people who love me) days of thinking and being neurotic (ie. ben stiller in along came polly) I decided to push back my return to the City of Angels and take a 30-day Grand Tour of Europe... leaving next week!! and only about 3 weeks following the initial thought.
I knew that reading the alchemist would do terrible things to my brain and like it said “when a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.” This has been so true— once I made the decision everything kinda fell into place, almost as if it had been set-up to work in my favor before I'd even considered it.
Of course once I get back I'm going to think I'm a travel blogger (kidding, kinda.) so I want to make nice little lists and take pictures of all the things I packed and places I visited and the things I learned for future travel.
Now to the fun part...
Where I'm going: London (United Kingdom), Paris (France), Brussels (Belgium), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Heidelberg (Germany), Lucerne Region (Switzerland), Venice, Rome, Florence (Italy), French Riviera, Provence (France), Barcelona, and Madrid (Spain)! There are obviously a ton of other cities I'm dying to visit; Milan, Positano, Berlin, Basel, etc. but I will save them for next time (and there will definitely be a next time) when I stay longer in the cities I really liked... or move to Rome ha who knows.
I had the option to visit Greece, but it would have meant losing out on Spain, so again, another time... and more likely when I try to do Egypt (my true bucket-list trip) and Turkey.
I have this visual of the things I want to wear, the books I'll read, the museums I'll walk through, but we all know that things rarely turn out the way we expect so even though I think I'll come back all different from the things I've seen and experienced — I'm just going to pack up my little stuff and go with the flow, fully enjoying each moment and the fact that I will have a month to do absolutely nothing work related, just go-go-go— my favorite thing ever!
xx, C
---
The books I'm taking: Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi Perfume by Patrick Suskind An Italian Affair by Laura Fraser Graduates in Wonderland by Jessica Pan & Rachel Kapelke-Dale
digitally... against my own wishes lol.
yana.puaca.
I am seriously digging this girl's lovely home— and the fact that when she went on a tour of Egypt and Jordan she says that "the experience was so incredibly humbling { I } literally cried while seeing the Pyramids" means she is definitely a kindred spirit (because I completely see that being my reaction). Her space is airy and light, but still feels luxe and well traveled without being overly decorated. perf.
See the full interview and tour at The Every Girl and read her blog NoMad Luxuries.
“travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living”
– Miriam Beard
Aidan or Big?
I’ve always been drawn to the Big(s) of the world, but as Carrie says, “I've done the merry-go-round, I've been through the revolving doors, I feel like I met somebody I can stand still with for a minute”. I finally decided to stand still, and I couldn’t be happier. – Yana Puacas
proust.
Ahh the infamous Proust Questionnaire. This is one of my favorite interviews to read from others, it is far more interesting to me for some reason than a Q&A based on actual information about the person. I use it often in FOUR, but I've never answered it myself, so...
What is your name as you would like it to appear in the magazine? Ciara Bird.
Where are you from and where are you now? Los Angeles by way of Augusta, Georgia.. currently in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Your age. 24.
What is your current state of mind? pensive.
Who are you and what would you like to be? more artist, less designer.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? b—with warm sun, cool breeze and trails for hiking followed by an uninterrupted afternoon of painting, reading and leisure. essentially no feeling of “what am i supposed to be working on.”
What is your greatest fear? “i want to be cured of a craving for something i cannot find and the shame of never finding it.”
Which living person do you most admire? is it bad to say Beyonce? without going into depth i just feel like she sums up my ideal of imperfect womanhood perfectly in her own way; love, happiness, career, sexuality, classiness, motherhood, etc. yet she still comes off as humble.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? social anxiety. the glorification of busy.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? don’t tell me who you are, show me. less talk more do.
What is your greatest extravagance? publications. the easiest way to collect the art i cannot afford.
What music are you listening to right now? im not.
Name a special day for you. may 5.
What is your favorite movie without naming it? two women, one man. paint, spain and woody allen.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? i cannot.
What natural gift would you most like to possess? gab.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? b. but also freedom, I’m learning that one doesn’t balance out the other.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? my faith.
Where and when did your parents first meet? high school. toledo, ohio.
What would you do if you weren’t scared? longterm travel.
What is your most treasured possession? b. i can part with everything else.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 9-5 corporate design for an artist with no outlets.
Open a nearby book and copy the first line you like. “Not just a plan of action, vagabonding is an outlook on life that emphasizes creativity, discovery, and the growth of the spirit.”
Where would you like to live? west coast.
What is your most marked characteristic? my smile.
What is the quality you most like in a man? charm, conversation, and curiosity.
What is the quality you most like in a woman? happiness, conversation and charisma.
What advice would you tell your 15 year old self? don’t worry— your skin will clear up and your hair will look good.
What do you most value in your friends? conversation, honesty and support.
Who is your favorite artist, writer, musician? kelly wearstler, audrey niffenegger, j.k. rowling, maxwell, jhene aiko
What would be the title of your memoir? bird & bee.
What is your motto? it takes the same amount of energy to wish as it does to plan.
basically.
