Dirty Girl Things
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Number Fifty-Seven
Listen as these artists shine.
This is an occasional feature focusing on musicians that will capture both your ear and your soul with their music and melodies. And when you hear them, you’ll stop what you’re doing...and listen.
SomaFM offers 11 unique channels of listener-supported, commercial-free, underground/alternative radio broadcasting from San Francisco. These choices are from Groove Salad, a nicely chilled plate of ambient beats and grooves.
Note: If you love internet radio, start counting the days until it might be gone. From the Washington Post:
SoundExchange Executive Director John Simson says small operators who play music and don’t try to sell ads “will have a hard time paying the rates” and that he thinks there are too many internet radio stations now, so it’s OK if a bunch of them go off the air. The heyday of advertising-free Internet radio might be coming to an end. SoundExchange is the royalty agency that was formed by the RIAA after they successfully got legislation passed in the US requiring high royalty fees for internet radio stations. Simson and SoundExchange are heavily driven by the major record labels. They don’t want to competition from independent webcasters playing great music from independent and unsigned artists, because it’s a threat to the major labels’ business models.
SomaFM has a sample message here you can use if you’d like to send to your elected representatives requesting that they reject this effort from the major labels. You can also go here and send a message to your elected representatives.
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Zero One: “I Like That” from their debut cd Zero One.
You can also listen to samples from their debut cd here.
Rena Jones: “The Passing Storm” from the Driftwood cd.
A multitalented composer, producer, audio engineer, sound designer, violinist, cellist, and vocalist, Rena Jones has been described as “the revered daughter of San Francisco’s electronic music scene”—OEM Radio.
“An anomaly in modern electronic music, she writes, performs, produces, programs, electronics and plays virtuosic strings all by herself. In a music scene dominated by men, she has proven herself to be more capable and more original than her contemporaries. Not content to be an addition or continuation of anyone else’s work, she has created a modern electronic statement, which is entirely unique. Her work is sophisticated, delicate, touching, and personal. The music connects to people instantly in an emotional way, and allows them the freedom for an experience of depth as they journey through the worlds she has created.” Bluetech
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Afterlife: “Clear Blue Sky” from the Speck of Gold cd.
Nacho Sotomayor: “I Can Feel Your Heart” from the La Roca 1999/2004 cd.
Nacho Sotomayor, born and bread in Villanueva del Arzobispo, Jaen (Spain). During the early 80´s he moved to Granada to continue with his Art studies and deepen his already very promissing knowledge of music. During the following two decades his constant drive and admiration for the way new technologies were being applayed with in the musical realm, lead him together with his brother to form an electronic based sound due, called INTRO. This lead to the release of four rather unusual and innovating projects, very refreshing for the spanish record industry (Visiones,1994; Eden, 1996; Melismas, 1998; Dies Irae, 2001). In 1995, Nacho Sotomayor settled down in Madrid and began his outstanding solo career, combining his own projects (Traxforma CD, 1997) with, remixes, advertising productions and motion picture sound tracks.
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Crazy Penis (England’s Best Kept Secret): “3 Play It Cool” from the Midnight Soul cd.
Art of Noise: “Camilla” from the Ambient Collection.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Number Fifty-Six
Coffee, Cake & Kink. A stylish, upbeat space where you can enjoy your three most favorite things in life - coffee, cake and kink!
London’s first kinky café gallery now, with cake and coffee and kinky things to buy. Where? In Covent Garden, no less, so it is easy to get to and a perfect meeting point for all.
The place serves exactly what is says - coffee, cake and kink and is equally serious about all. Run by gentle and friendly fetish-minded types, Coffee, Cake & Kink in Covent Garden mixes regular art shows, erotic jewellery and monthly church services with a BDSM-friendly vicar in the basement. And - as the whipped cream amid the whips - Coffee, Cake & Kink serves up Mormouth Coffee (fairly traded, freshly roasted, ground while you wait) and some spankingly good home-made cakes. No censorship on the kink front, either - take your pick from Heavy Rubber, Eric Stanton, cuffs, cards or pretty pics. More sauce than Starbucks, that’s for sure.
Some of CCK’s exhibits include:
Matthew Slade (“The Whip”) & John Chilton (“Passion & Pain”)
Ray Leaning (“Sacrament”) & Julie Cook (from her book ‘Baby Oil and Ice: Striptease in East London’)
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Address:
Coffee, Cake and Kink
61 Endell Street
Covent Garden
London WC2H 9AJ
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Friday, March 16, 2007
Number Fifty-Five
Mr & Mrs Smith. The definitive boutique and luxury hotel guide.
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From the Observer . . . .
Sexy stays to please your lover.
Looking for passion in Paris or romance in Rome? A new hotel guide out this week has hunted down the most stylish and romantic boltholes in Europe. Juliet Kinsman, editor of the Mr & Mrs Smith guide, selects a handful of hot favourites.
Planning a romantic jaunt involves much more than booking a place to stay. A so-called luxury hotel may have great conference facilities, but what use is a meeting room on a romantic escape a deux?
Today’s couples have greater expectations than ever: stylish surroundings, friendly staff, top-notch service, and notable food and drink. Hunting down chick cribs that tick all those boxes is tricky. And then there’s knowing where best to go for supper, and what galleries or bars are around the corner…
‘We wanted to hand readers a blueprint to the most enjoyable escape imaginable,’ says James Lohan, who came up with the idea for the Mr & Mrs Smith hotel guides after one too many disappointments himself.
We’ve all trawled the internet and found somewhere to stay which looks lovely. Then, after bad traffic or a delayed flight you get there late and realise it nothing like what you hoped for. On top of that, the kitchen’s closed and you’re lucky to get a few olives for dinner. As for a cocktail at the bar, the most exotic tipple the elderly ported can whip you up is a warm can of beer. You retire to your soulless bedroom for feeling more travelling salesman than a duo in the mood for some loving.
Following the success of our and book we were overwhelmed by requests for a user-friendly tour of Europe.
So our team of reviewers – which includes designer Stella McCartney, restaurateur Oliver Peyton and writer Giles Coren – grabbed their partners and set off on dirty weekends in the name of duty. They share their finds as would a good friend; which is what the book aims to be.
In the city of lovers… and Mr & Mrs Smith have found the perfect hotel. Alamy.
You can read more articles about Mr & Mrs Smith here and more about their special hotel & spa offers available to members here.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Number Fifty-Four
Gérald Genta watches draw attention for their ability to ably combine Swiss watch making heritage with a unique avant-garde design. Innovative in the use of varied materials, technology and movements, Gérald Genta watches are suited for both the cosmopolitan and the nonconformist.
Unusual dial components, complicated movements and attention to detail make Gérald Genta watches provocative and yet classic. From the tonneau-shaped Solo Line, continuing through the expressive and angular Octo Line, to the creative Fantasy Line, the various collections of Gérald Genta offer timepieces that are original, imaginative and indicative of fine craftsmanship.
Octo Minute Repeater and Octo Biretro
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Number Fifty-Three
“The Decadent Handbook for the Modern Libertine”
The Decadent Handbook, Ed. Rowan Pelling, Amelia Hodson & James Doyle
Naughty but nice: a perversely perky cabaret
By John Walsh
Is decadence a style or a sickness? When Liza Minnelli waggled her black-varnished fingernails at Michael York in Cabaret and breathed, “Divine decadence, darling,” her self-conscious naughtiness revealed her as a vapid poseuse. When she later flogged her fur coat to pay for an abortion rather than face life as the wife of a Cambridge don, she was, without realising it, closer to the real thing. Authenticity is vital when dealing with this foggy, opalescent subject. Ernest Dowson drinking himself to death while asserting the primacy of hopeless desire over fulfilment - now that was decadent; so was Baudelaire’s embrace of sickness and depression; so was Aubrey Beardley’s etiolated passion for the grotesque. Decadence has no truck with effort. According to the dictionary, its practitioners are “lacking in moral and physical vigour”. Paradoxically, anyone who tries to be decadent, ain’t.
Read the rest of The Independent’s review here.
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Decadence for art’s sake.
“Decadence is a difficult word to use since it has become little more than a term of abuse applied by critics to anything they do not yet understand or which seems to differ from their moral concepts.” - Ernest Hemingway
Decadence, we are told by Stuart Kelly, is “like most artistic phenomena..easy to recognise and hard to define.” From the Latin de-cadere, and an aesthetic that flourished in the late 19th century best embodied by French poet Charles Baudelaire and other like-minded “bards of pessimism, disease and the grave”, decadence involves “a falling down or falling off.” What rogue publishers Dedalus offer here, is “a useful companion for anyone hoping to embark on a life of debauchery, aesthetic refinement and their constant shadow companion, terminal ennui.” Edited by Rowan Pelling (of the Erotic Review), The Decadent Hanbook, is “an anti-lifestyle guide for people who wish to transform the spirit of the age, or, failing that, ignore it altogether. It’s for all those who seek respite from the worst banalities of modern existence: property ladders, yummy mummies, footie daddies, loyalty cards, friendly bacteria, Glade air freshener, decking, Coldplay, The Da Vinci Code and Natasha Kaplinksy. The Handbook seeks not to instruct, but to offer diverse inspirations.”
Read the rest of Dogmatika’s review here.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Number Fifty-Two
Myla presents . . . .
Bone by Tom Dixon (below, left)
Tom believes that design becomes interesting when you start looking at areas where design has never gone before. He felt that this unchartered territory was particularly evident in sex toys. It seemed extraordinary to him that objects destined for such intimate and pleasurable use were so devoid of quality in terms of design, manufacturing and material. With Bone, Tom set out to address this by creating the finest vibrator ever made. The ergonomic shape of Bone was inspired by ancient fertility symbols and in this modern incarnation, the shape creates different intensities and patterns of vibration from different areas of its surface.
C-Shell by Scott Henderson (above, right)
Scott is known for his ability to transform the mundane and he believes that if something makes you smile it becomes easier to use. For Scott, design is not about a discussion of form versus function, it’s about thinking and the quality of the big idea.
C-Shell is a variable speed, vibrating toy. Its organic form is designed to be beautiful and functional, with its large loop handle providing a comfortable and secure grip. C-Shell has multiple vibrating surfaces that contact the body in several places simultaneously, making it ideal for general all-over body massages as well as more intimate use. It also has the strongest vibrations of any Myla toy.
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Pebble by Mari-Ruth Oda (below, left)
Pebble is a variable speed vibrating toy, designed by Japanese sculptural ceramicist, Mari-Ruth Oda. It fits in the palm of your hand and is great for general body massages and more intimate use.
Spoon by Myla (above, right)
With its sensual curves and tactile surface, Spoon by Myla is a toy that invites touch and inspires play. Its ergonomic design as well as multiple vibrating surfaces make it perfect for general all-over body massage as well as more intimate use. Spoon has the unique feature of a motor at each tip, with three speed variations, creating the possibility for even more varied patterns and intensities of vibration.
More about the designers here.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Number Fifty-One
If you’re ever in Sydney, Australia . . .
Stiletto is the world’s finest short-stay boutique hotel and Sydney brothel, offering truly luxurious bordello and short stay services; with discreet underground parking, for the discerning pleasure seeker.
Their concept is a unique mixture of style, sex & theatre, removing the red light but not the erotica.
The luxury premises have been designed to make your stay more pleasurable. Stiletto’s eclectic look and sensual colour pallet sets the mood which is intimate, seductive & sophisticated. The minute you walk through the door, you’ll notice they are world class, from the fine fittings to the beautiful women and professional friendly staff.
There are thirteen Level 1 rooms with various themes including Curve, Pisces, James Bond, The Library, Moulin Rouge, and the Roman Orgy.
The Level 2 Party Suites include the Presidential Suite, the Duchess Suite, the Directors Suite, the Governors Suite, the Royal Suite, The Interconnecting 1 / 2 / 3 Suites, and the Ultimate Party Suite. The Executive Suites include pool tables, leather lounges, marble pole dance stages, club lighting, fresh water spas, water features & touch screen technology . . . . all set up to cater for the ultimate indulgence & the very best adult services has to offer.
Keep up with their blog here.
Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Number Fifty
Jean-Paul Nacivet.
Without a doubt, one of the best photographers around today.
Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Number Forty-Nine
QUINTESSENTIALLY. Penultimate Concierge for Private Members.
Quintessentially is first and foremost a club, a club for those who believe that life is too short to waste time on the mundane or second-best. Members are given a membership card which brings with it a huge variety of benefits, many of which are worth a great deal of money. Besides the monetary advantages, membership also brings the chance to enjoy a collection of goods, services, treats and practical help that they believe will make a serious difference to their members’ lives. Most of what Quintessentially has to offer can be accessed online through their website. Their mission is to bring you only the very best whether it be opera, music, art, travel, food and drink.
Launched in the UK in December 2000 by CEO Aaron Simpson and Marketing Director Ben Elliot, Quintessentially has grown at a remarkable speed over the last five years from a unique London based club, to a hugely popular international phenomenon. Our network and benefits are now available across the globe, with offices in London, Manchester, Dublin, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Dubai, Istanbul, Beirut, Kuwait, Moscow, Cannes, Oslo, Helsinki, Copenhagen and Stockholm, and fixers and research teams in most other major cities. They are also excited to open new offices in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Geneva, Athens, Chicago and Las Vegas in the coming months.
Focused on ‘accessing the inaccessible’, they aim to make life that much easier, that much richer and that much more fun. With over 20,000 suppliers, Quintessentially offers great discounts and insider information for their members around the world.
Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Number Forty-Eight
Nota Bene. Premiere Destination Reviews.
Nota Bene, the Latin words for ‘take note’, was conceived and founded some five years ago by Anthony Lassman as the world’s most discerning, independent, impartial source of luxury travel information for those who insist on the best.
Nota Bene is a subscription based travel book series together with a members’ website providing regular updated information, access to back issues and worldwide travel news. Subscribers to Nota Bene also receive unlimited personalised travel advice, regular online newsletters and the very latest information on new openings across the globe.
Each Nota Bene book brings its members:
- Totally independent and impartial information on the world’s most exciting cities or fashionable and exotic resort destinations.
- Full colour photographs, detailed, entertaining and brutally honest text.
- In depth reviews of hotels, restaurants, bars/lounges, cafes, shopping, contemporary art, together with maps and a directory.
Subscribers to Nota Bene know the best places to stay in great cities and exotic destinations worldwide…the best tables and rooms to reserve… and the places to avoid.
Nota Bene is for those who like to be looked after well and want to be discerning insiders. It really ‘tells it like it is’, its team of highly experienced reviewers travelling anonymously with an extensive check list, paying their own way, always avoiding press trips and free stays.
Nota Bene is regularly referred to as an opinion former and a respected authority on luxury travel. It is a highly regarded name within the industry and is frequently quoted for its views.
Meanwhile, NB Pulse has recently launched as a sister publication to Nota Bene. NB Pulse is about the power of knowledge and the pleasure derived from the art of discovery, it is aimed at the international consumer who loves to travel and has a genuine passion for shopping, fashion and grooming. NB Pulse will offer advice, information and opinion on a myriad of lifestyle choices to accompany your journey. Each destination-focused issue will help you prepare for your trip, providing direction on what to pack, key looks and luggage for the season, the finest shops and most exquisite and unusual items to buy, the newest beauty and grooming products, tried and tested treatments, first class recommendations, plus interviews with fashion and beauty insiders and the latest information on what’s hot and new around the world.
Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Number Forty-Seven
Naughty Janet. Are You Good Enough?
“Sheherazade” & “Arabesque”
The companion site for lingerie and nightwear is Janet Reger’s Classic & New Collections.
Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
Number Forty-Six
Talk2Me. Presents from the future. Wireless.
You know what you like to hear but what do you like to feel? King Crimson, Biggie Smalls? What about Flight of the Bumblebee or Slayer? Talk2Me works with not just music but any audio. You can enhance that erotic film, or podcast. Bring that long distance relationship closer by using it with your phone or video conferencing. Use it with a partner; Talk2Me contains a microphone to turn vocalizations into vibrations. Use it in Karaoke Mode or just whisper sweet nothings.
With Talk2Me even clean talk is dirty.
Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant. Unpretentious. Unconventional. ©
