vendors from above.

Well, hello. Here we are again. I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Today we are loving the photography of Loes Heerink. I immediately fell in love with his series Vendors from Above on Art Fucks Me. These photos touched a place in my heart, taking me back to Vietnam, where I recently visited in November.

Of course, the Hanoi street vendors are legendary in what they carry on the back of a bike. While in Hanoi, I'd always see postcards with full flocks of geese or 10 pigs on a bike, but in the streets I'd mostly see fruits, veggies and basket wares.

Heerink lived in Vietnam from 2012 to 2015 and compiled many photo essays on the different regions of the county. And he has gathered his Vendors from Above photos in a book, which you can purchase at his site, plus see more of his photos from around the world.

All photos (c) Loes Heerink

So, I thought I'd go ahead and make this a fully Vietnamese-themed "Love" today.

I love my own images of vendors from my trip to Hanoi.

I love the restaurant feu in Studio City. It's in that strip mall with my dry cleaners, the new pot dispensary, the liquor store, the Jamaican restaurant and the wig shop--you know the one. And they make the most stunning bowl of vegetarian pho. Order it with a side of truffle oil.

And I loved this book, about a Communist double agent who escapes to America after the fall of Saigon (although it seems a lot of people did, as it won the 2016 Pulitzer).

That's all for you. I'll be back soon with more to love.

bridget davies.

Hello, and welcome back!

Today we are loving the work of UK artist Bridget Davies. I've long been a fan of her fashion illustrations, and I may have featured them on the blog before. But I'm not quite sure. In any case, her pieces are so beautiful, they are worth spotlighting again.

Influenced by a love for paper dolls as a child and the glamorous illustrations of the 40s and 50s as a budding artist, Davies' work is a marvel of water and ink, a union of fashion and art. As she says in her artist statement:

                 "While the constantly changing face of fashion doesn’t preoccupy me,
                   the silhouette and detail of  women’s fashion is a major source of
                   inspiration for me. Layering personal experience with ideas from
                  literature and conversation, I use the genre of fashion painting to
                  create scenarios and characters that I would best describe as visual
                  anecdotes, blended fact and fiction that tell secret stories drawn from
                  my own presence and desires."  

Davies' illustrations are whimsical and deceptively simple, yet they have a unique depth, transporting you to a more glamorous world of gowns, parties and witty conversations (about literature, of course). You can see more of Davies' art at her site and at Saatchi Art. 

All art (c) Bridget Davies

And a few more things to love today.

This Japanese couple has been married for 37 years and coordinate their outfits every day. They've only been on Instagram for three months, but already have a following of 435,000! How cute are they! Via My Modern Met.

I love these posters for The Wicker Man, a favorite film of mine.

And I would love to attend this double show at Team Gallery in Venice on April 23rd: Robert Janitz, Hypothetical Types of Biochemsistry and McDermott & McGough: Hollywod (Homosexual) Hopeful. More details here.

La Coleur Des Jours Heureux, 2017, Robert Janitz

Twilight Men, 1965/2017, McDermott & McGough

 Hope to see you there! And I'll see you back here soon, with more to love. xoL

johanna ortiz.

Hi everyone! Back with more to love. I hope your week is looking good.

Every time I feature fashion on the blog, I always feel compelled to reiterate that I am not a fashion blogger. I think it's pretty obvious, and I'm not sure why I need to clarify it. Maybe it's because there are so many fashion bloggers and influencers, and so many that do it so well. And while I would not say that I am fashion fanatic--most days you'll find me in a striped tee and leggings--I do have one or two fabulous things in my closet. And I know what I love.

Today I am loving the Fall 2017 collection of Johanna Ortiz. I see the name "Johanna Ortiz" all the time in my Moda Operandi e-mails, and her designs have always caught my eye. But her Fall 2017 collection is just breathtaking. The Colombian designer seems mostly inspired by The Ruffle, and who knew there were so many variations on it--both for day and night. I love how she mixes denim, chunky sweaters, tees and feminine prints. If I were in the .01%, I would fire off an order for the entire collection today. Alas, I am not, so I'll just keep sighing over these gorgeous photos via Vogue.

All photos (c) Vogue

And a few more things to love today.

I love this photograph by Vivian Maier.

I love these film posters for the classic Things to Come.

And this painting by Lucian Freud. Via Saatchi Gallery.

Night Interior, 1969-70

That's it, but I'll be back soon with more to love. xoL.