Role Models: Corinne Bailey Rae

  Corinne Bailey Rae's music speaks to me. I find myself bopping my head to her tuneful songs, and her voice and lyrics leave the impression that she could be only a talented and insightful musician. She's not quite the big name celebrity, but she seems to possess a quiet confidence of a musician who lets her music speak for itself without any rabid desire for popular validation. I really admire that. It's more about expressing less about performing. But she's great performer too, I loved watching her live. For her latest album, she created six podcasts about her insights about being aware of ourselves, our surroundings and other deep meaningful things. Her approach is very feelings-oriented, as she is in the creative/artistic field, but for someone who prefers facts and is simply cynical like I am, the podcasts still resonated with me and I found them very valuable.

And here's her music video for Been to the Moon

Isn't it great?! The lyrics, the horns in the background and gold lasercut jumpsuit. Hello! She has an enviable fashion sense. MatchesFashion.com even interviewed her and she revealed that she's friends with Garance Dore, thus confirming her fashion cred, among many interesting tidbits. This is my favorite quote from the interview: "The shapes are very classic… but it doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a sort of strangeness to it, a kind of surrealness, and an awareness of uniform." Sounds like something right up my alley!

There are so many other reasons to admire Corinne Bailey Rae and I hope you check out her work and life.

SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I'm hoping to revive my blog with a stylish design and cohesive content very soon!

Cheers, Tracy

My Relationship with Food [Quick Take]

  Growing up, I've always been the piggy of the family. I can't say why I liked food growing up and why I ate so much, but nowadays the reason is it's soothing. Eating food--the biting, the chomping-- feels cathartic. When I am overwhelmed with life in general or a specific task one thing I know, and know how to do is eat.

  Funnily enough I don't really care for expensive meals. I always judge food relative to price. When something gets too expensive for me, I lose my appetite and no flavor can outshine the bill. Also, I'm not interested in the latest food trend. Maybe it's a defense mechanism for all the lonely lunches I continue to eat to this day. Like I don't want to join the crowd that I shunned or shunned me.

  At home, I like mindfully composed meals. Food, the preparation and partaking, is more habit than anything else for me. Possibly because growing up my mother slapped everything together in a mad whirl. Cooking the best meals at home follows a simple checklist of elements: a salad with lots of lettuce, a veggie-ish main with a carb, protein and green leafy veg, and a dessert.

  I'm kind of getting tired of sweets, but hey, they're always cool stored in the fridge, have no bones, shells or skins to discard except for plastic wrap that easily slides off and into the trash it easily goes.

  I like hot and spicy food which is surprising considering that I didn't really grow up eating that.

  Hmm... I've noticed a lot of things about my "relationship with food." I'll add to and fix this up once I have more. I'm quite proud of myself for being self-aware. This post was inspired by Emily Schumer's My Relationship with Food on Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Topics to include:
Conspicuous consumption
Food as reward... food as soothing
creative outlet
domain for likely pursuit of perfection - composing the perfect meal, controlled environment, has beginning and end
social aspect of food

I love the shopping part. I love the abundance and choice and variety. I wish I could spend as much as I could and stock my cupboards with all the oils and spices and tinned fish my heart desires.
my lack of Money is an impt factor too.

Avoid using the kitchen because it's kinda crappy.

tepid because of mom and her attitude
food isn't a passion of mine - it's a quick shallow pleasure hit