tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60684889780519131622024-02-06T18:51:12.648-08:00Electro Heart Beats <br>
Life is full of mystery, music, love, and excitement.
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This will become a space for me to share special moments and ideas with the rest of the world.
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I hope you enjoy it.Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-19634242734131517272020-12-06T11:47:00.002-08:002020-12-06T19:32:24.266-08:00Disco + SynthPop = Retro Inspired Boogie & I'm Living For It!It has been a little while since I have been quite literally obsessed with the sounds of synthesizers. I grew up in the 80s and as such the sweet melodies carried by these instruments bring back so many memories. Also, my uncle was a huge fan of disco music and it has always held a very special place in my heart.
A few years back, I remember reading the local newspaper (yes, we used to do that back then) and noticed that a band I really liked was playing at a club in Vancouver. The band's name is <a href="https://www.gusgus.com/" target="_blank">Gusgus</a> and I'm pretty certain you would recognize them by their popular song "<a href="https://youtu.be/gdy4kXNgAXk" target="_blank">LadyShave</a>". I hadn't kept in touch with their work since leaving Mexico in the late nineties and therefore I was in for quite a surprise when I first walked into the venue. Once the show started and Gusgus came on stage I felt like I had finally found a perfect combination of sounds -- my sound! The vocals plus the deep bass and above all the heavy use of synthesizers really appealed to my ears. I literally felt like I was in heaven for those 2+ hours. If you haven't listened to Gusgus' music I highly recommend you check out their album "Attention" (more info <a href="https://www.electroheartbeats.com/2009/09/calvin-harris-live-electro-heaven-on.html">here</a>) - it's an incredible musical journey that certainly remains one of my top albums of all time. I'll give you a taste below: "David" is my favourite song in the album.
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As you can see this genre of music is quite simply intoxicating and therefore ever since I had that experience watching Gusgus live I have been constantly craving more music like this. The eventually led to my discovery of two genres I love: NeuDisco and SynthPop/SynthWave. Of course one cannot talk about synth music without mentioning the one and only <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Moroder" target="_blank">Giorgio Moroder</a> who in fact quite literally invented this sound. You may not immediatly recognize his name but If you were around in the 80s and watched the film "Never Ending Story" then you should know that the movie's main theme was done by Moroder. This song is not only the perfect marriage of Disco and synths but it is also the soundtrack of an entire generation:
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In fact, Moroder is so famous and revered that Daft Punk named one of their songs after him and had him voice parts of the song:
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Ever since discovering "my sound" I have been actively listening to bands that reflect that in their music. My favourite SynthPop band is a local Vancouver band <a href="https://fmattack.bandcamp.com/?fbclid=IwAR0YttOCZQo-9iWispPxJYoXby5XyAOKwbSLkLeqtJf-m7nE_DrDpijXGz0" target="_blank">FM Attack</a>. I am a bit particular when it comes to SynthPop music as I like to have the synthesizer components but also a melodic vocal and FM Attach always delivers in both. If you have not heard about them please do yourself a favour and check out their album Dreamatic:
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For a while now, Disco and Synthwave have been patiently waiting their turn for a mainstream comeback and 2020 seems to be the year where it is happening. Huge singers like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weeknd" target="_blank">The Weeknd</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dua_Lipa" target="_blank">Dua Lipa</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Petras">Kim Petras</a> and the one and only <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylie_Minogue" target="_blank">Kylie Minogue</a> have all devoted entire albums to bring these classic sounds back to the masses. Long gone are the days of skinny jeans and reggaeton. Instead, we are seeing a massive comeback of 70's/80's inspired fashions such as bell bottoms and patterned shirts/dresses. You know this is a trend when <a href="https://www.gucci.com/ca/en/st/stories/advertising-campaign/article/gift-giving-2020-shoppable" target="_blank">GUCCI</a> devoted their most recent campaign to it. Anyone out there wanting to buy me the blue GG trench below?
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As mentioned earlier, Kylie and Dua Lipa both have albums entirely focused on the revival of Disco. Dua Lipa even released a club version of her hugely successful album Future Nostalgia called: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3W04W2HfQ5kVeByxfjbu2C?si=bPADdbX0Sxu4vrW1p5P84Q" target="_blank">Club Future Nostalgia.</a> This album is a musical masterpiece mostly crafted by remixes by the revered DJ - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blessed_Madonna" target="_blank">The Blessed Madonna</a> - formerly known as The Black Madonna. If you haven't tuned in to her mixes then I highly recommend doing so ASAP.
And then of course there is Kylie's latest album very accureately name: DISCO. I have always loved Kylie but this particular album is very close to my heart as it truly encompasses what DISCO is all about - dancing and having a good time. I love how she guides her listeners through a journey where she starts getting ready to go out, ends up at the dancefloor and eventually follows the DJ to where they go dancing themselves to keep the party going. Take a listen below. You won't regret it:
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If you enjoyed listening to Kylie's latest album then I highly recommend getting tickets to her upcoming fully virtual show <a href="https://www.kylie.com/" target="_blank">INFINITE DISCO</a> playing for the second time for NYE on December 31, 2020. I watched this virtual show the first time around and I cannot praise it enough. So well done!
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Finally, I would like to leave you with "my baby" - a playlist that has taken me years to compile. I choose to call it Synth Renaissance and it is available in both Spotify and AppleMusic. I hope you enjoy getting to know my favourite genre of music and that it brings you as much joy as it brings me. IF you have any artists you'd like to recommend to me or any other comments please feel free to leave them below. Stay safe and remember to keep dancing regardless of what life may bring our way.
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-46200308219173674402015-05-27T22:46:00.000-07:002015-05-27T22:50:18.132-07:00#BuildingQMUNITY - An All Hands On Deck Approach To Inclusiveness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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During 2003 I was working towards my Bachelors degree in Psychology at SFU and I wanted to gain some volunteer experience by helping those in my community. At that time I had already met my boyfriend (now husband of eight years) and I felt pretty comfortable with expressing my own sexuality.<br />
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As such, I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others who had gone through similar hardships as me. This is where my search for a volunteer opportunity led me to The Centre - now known as <a href="http://www.qmunity.ca/" target="_blank">QMUNITY</a>.<br />
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I was young and somewhat inexperienced but I still felt empowered to share my own experiences with others and therefore I got the wonderful opportunity to co-facilitate a men's drop in group with one of my best friends. During this weekly group meetings my friend and I would encourage discussion around a specific topic by asking the participants to answer targeted questions. The group started small but after a few months it grew to twelve regular attendees. It was empowering to see members of the LGTBQ community coming together in spite of their age and experiential differences. Both my friend and I grew and learned a lot from this wonderful and unforgettable experience.<br />
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After two years of facilitating the group I had graduated and started working full time so I had to move on. However, my love for QMUNITY never died and for that reason almost ten years later I am here to tell you a little bit more about their latest venture: developing a purpose-built facility. The new space will attempt to fully encompass the various members of the "gaybourhood" it will reside in and also the needs of those who are beyond its physical boundaries due to marginalisation or physical restrictions. To learn more about some of the myths/facts about QMUNITY's new facility please visit <a href="http://qmunity.ca/news/7-myths-qmunity-new-facility/" target="_blank">this</a> page.<br />
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Due to my previous involvement with QMUNITY I was ecstatic to receive an email asking for volunteers to become facilitators at their community dialogue to discuss the future programs/needs/values for the new facility. I applied right away and I am honoured to say that I was selected for this amazing opportunity to see history being made in front on my very own eyes.<br />
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Here is some background information for QMUNITY's consultation held at <a href="http://www.sfu.ca/dialogue.html" target="_blank">SFU's Centre For Dialogue</a>:<br />
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<i>"QMUNITY is deeply invested in making sure our diverse communities' needs and priorities are identified and reflected in our future planning - including the programs and services available at our new facility."</i><br />
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You may wonder, what is dialogue in this context?<br />
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<i>"Dialogue is concentrated conversation among <b>equals</b>. It offers helpful ways to work together cooperatively, encourages mutual understanding between diverse perspectives, and leads to stable, resilient outcomes."</i><br />
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With these concepts in mind, I will share my experience as a facilitator during today's event and I will give you a brief summary of the main take-aways from the session.<br />
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First of all, I am extremely proud to have learned that <a href="http://www.vancity.com/" target="_blank">Vancity</a> (my employer) along with <a href="http://www.sfu.ca/" target="_blank">SFU</a> made the dialogue a reality by funding the event. It is amazing what can be done when communities are given a forum to express their views. Thank you to the sponsors for allowing this to become a reality.<br />
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The event started at around 9:30am this morning and after some brief introductions Dara Parker (QMUNITY's Executive Director) took the stage. Dara told us some amazing information like:<br />
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<li>QMUNITY/The Centre have now been around for thirty six years</li>
<li>The new facility will be approximately 10,000 square feet</li>
<li>It will most likely be located in the West End neighbourhood (in as close proximity as possible to its current location on Davie and Bute)</li>
<li>The new facility will boast multi-purpose or flex spaces</li>
<li>The overall budget for the new building is approximately $10 million</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dara Parker, Executive Director at QMUNITY</td></tr>
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Maura Lawless from Toronto's "<a href="http://www.the519.org/" target="_blank">The 519</a>" LGTBQ Community Centre presented a keynote on her experience leading an LGTBQ Community Centre. My favourite quote from Maura were the following words she used when speaking to the volunteers about QMUNITY's efforts to have a fully inclusive facility: "<i>what we are doing is not only important, it is also historic" - </i>I couldn't agree more. Here are some details about The 519. </div>
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<li>It has a restaurant that serves food to the local community and caters special events as a social enterprise. It also provides employment to LGTBQ youth and other community members. </li>
<li>There are no fees to gain access to the programs</li>
<li>2900 members</li>
<li>265,000 visits every year</li>
<li>Taking demographics into account and staying ahead by thinking of emerging communities (special focus on newcomers and refugees)</li>
<li>Their goal is to make everyone feel welcome and protected - special emphasis on trauma work</li>
<li>Space is beautiful and inviting as this generates pride and it encourages others to take care of facility</li>
<li>Working on developing a recreational//sports facility</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Maura Lawless from The 519</td></tr>
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Some key pieces of advice for QMUNITY from Maura included the following:</div>
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<li>Flexible spaces.</li>
<li>Establishing a mandate (organization cannot be held accountable to provide all community services, relying on community partners is crucial). </li>
<li>Managing effectively (build a team that has a variety of strengths and connections).</li>
<li>Resource development (sustainable revenue streams).</li>
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As a facilitator I was in charge of six to eight participants as they went through various activities. The first activity focused on determine QMUNITY's values. Our table focused on the importance of contention and how being different can lead to having opposing and controversial views but that instead of looking at that as negative we can and should embrace our differences. </div>
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The second activity/breakout focused on connecting and getting support by creating a mind map. This "enabled participants to help identify and prioritize current and future needs for QMUNITY programs to help community members connect with others and access support services at QMUNITY."</div>
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The third and final breakout focused on learning and taking action and the objective was to "enable participants to voice their preferences and priorities for QMUNITY's education & training and advocacy work". Participants were asked to put themselves in QMUNITY's shoes and prioritise needs and develop strategies to address them. Here are some photos of what my group came up with:</div>
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To end the day Dara Parker thanked all of the volunteers, attendees, and community partners. Here's a video of her closing remarks:</div>
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As you can imagine this was an unforgettable day for me and I will cherish it and remember it forever. Some of my main lessons were:</div>
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<li>Do not assume that all individuals you interact with use the pronouns he or she to refer to themselves. There are many colours in the rainbow and as such we cannot make gender assumptions. The male/female dichotomy will soon be abolished with all of our efforts. I am also happy to report that SFU provided participants of the dialogue with gender neutral washroom facilities. </li>
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<li>I will encourage gender neutral introductions at my workplace during meetings. This is what it would look like for those of you who may be curious: "Hi there, my name is Angel and I work as an account manager for Vancity Credit Union. I prefer to be spoken to using the pronouns he and his."</li>
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<li>I learned that even though the resources for LGTBQ youth and senior members are limited there is an ever bigger gap when it comes to servicing young adults who find themselves having to transition into adulthood without services targeted to help them. I hope to see this changed soon. </li>
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<li>Finally, I think we could all benefit from applying the following into each and every one of our interactions. I know I will! </li>
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<u>Remember to smile and to celebrate your diversity.</u></div>
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<br />Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-49289703766170607992015-03-17T11:35:00.000-07:002015-06-03T15:07:52.468-07:00Twitter Contest!~<div id="tweetswin">
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Everyone who knows me knows how much I love kawaii accessories and Hello Kitty. Because of this I have decided to spread the joy and pay it forward this year by running a Twitter contest. The seepstakes I am running will have an official Sanrio iPhone6 Plus wallet case as a prize. The case is black and it has slots on the inside to keep your cards safe. Perfect for a night out in town so you can just bring your phone and your main cards and leave your bag at home!<br />
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Simply use Twitter tool embedded below to retweet and enter the contest automatically :)<br />
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Good luck!<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/angelfclemente">@angelfclemente</a> & RT for a chance 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/win?src=hash">#win</a> a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kawaii?src=hash">#kawaii</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HelloKitty?src=hash">#HelloKitty</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iPhone6Plus?src=hash">#iPhone6Plus</a> wallet case <a href="http://t.co/BL0lR2wOjM">http://t.co/BL0lR2wOjM</a> <a href="http://t.co/btHS3HNwHN">http://t.co/btHS3HNwHN</a><br />
— Angel Clemente (@angelfclemente) <a href="https://twitter.com/angelfclemente/status/577990451929554947">March 18, 2015</a></blockquote>
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UPDATE:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/sesquius">@sesquius</a> Congrats! You won my <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hellokitty?src=hash">#hellokitty</a> iPhone case contest. Please send me an email with your address. angelfclemente@gmail.com 😊</div>
— Angel Clemente (@angelfclemente) <a href="https://twitter.com/angelfclemente/status/604312104359743489">May 29, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-26085130574701696002014-10-01T13:14:00.000-07:002014-10-01T13:56:42.717-07:00BlytheCon Vancouver 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptk-rMBYVk_XF2DZsSzB3LHaEJBlaYXsDqxkogVnqW5naRCKR2JnPJzdNgL6suUDG7U5a2h8hlcLk5gkuId9LnxQMYjNiUwtboeTfocb-1umhqSZuKKbrEbuTHf2j8_Z6v6cXCqxheBk/s1600/cropped-Bridesmaids_background_greenmountainbanner2-copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptk-rMBYVk_XF2DZsSzB3LHaEJBlaYXsDqxkogVnqW5naRCKR2JnPJzdNgL6suUDG7U5a2h8hlcLk5gkuId9LnxQMYjNiUwtboeTfocb-1umhqSZuKKbrEbuTHf2j8_Z6v6cXCqxheBk/s1600/cropped-Bridesmaids_background_greenmountainbanner2-copy.jpg" height="108" width="400" /></a></div>
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As most of you know by now I am one of the four organizers for the first ever Canadian BlytheCon to be held in Vancouver at the <a href="http://www.sheratonvancouver.com/gallery" target="_blank">Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel</a> on Sunday August 9, 2015. We are all extremely excited to welcome all of you to our beautiful city. Here's a video of our venue:<br />
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Our theme will be "Always The Bridesmaid Never The Bride" and we have lots of surprises, workshops, contests and giveaways planned to make of your visit a truly unforgettable one. Let's just say that a little bird told me that we have over twenty custom dolls to give away the day of the event - and we are not talking about unknown customisers either - we are talking about some of the most respected customisers in the industry.<br />
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Our featured doll will be Nicky Lad (RBL) and you can see her featured as our ‘main girl’ in our illustrations made by the amazingly talented <a href="http://puppy52art.com/" target="_blank">Chun Fu</a> (puppy52). We’re very excited to invite everyone to bring their Nicky Lads to BlytheCon Vancouver for a contest/photo shoot.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVjXJrWfns2d9jTM7DktTmQLwAKcjGLAlrfu8NlPO_YQOB7w7PgczxkrwGzbocCcETNcX97WcDMEAPezGJpwCNqKpnzCghOYHbycuOSfl107R9sZrszu8lweKE56FcJq4bpUyN0fOLiU/s1600/4536825679_563b66d4c3_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVjXJrWfns2d9jTM7DktTmQLwAKcjGLAlrfu8NlPO_YQOB7w7PgczxkrwGzbocCcETNcX97WcDMEAPezGJpwCNqKpnzCghOYHbycuOSfl107R9sZrszu8lweKE56FcJq4bpUyN0fOLiU/s1600/4536825679_563b66d4c3_o.jpg" height="269" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicky Lad<br />
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</tbody></table>
Our official website is <a href="http://www.blytheconvan.com/" target="_blank">www.blytheconvan.com</a> and we also have a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/blytheconvan2015/" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/blytheconvancouver" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/blytheconvan" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/angelclemente/blythecon-vancouver/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> (can you tell I love social media yet?).<br />
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<b>Charity</b><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Our event is
non-profit and all of the proceeds will be donated to the Orphaned Wildlife
Association (O.W.L.) located in Delta, BC. (<a href="http://www.owlcanada.org/">www.owlcanada.org</a>).
O.W.L.’s volunteers are dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation</span><span style="color: red;">,</span><span style="color: black;"> and release of injured and orphaned birds of prey. We chose O.W.L. to
be our event’s beneficiary because we strongly believe in their cause of
helping British Columbia’s beautiful birds of prey in their time of need. Check out their official <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/OWL-Orphaned-Wildlife-Rehabilitation-Society/311582845544617?ref=br_tf" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> for beautiful pictures and updates. </span></span><br />
<br />
<b>Tickets</b><br />
<br />
Tickets became available today via Brown Paper Tickets - <a href="http://blytheconvan.brownpapertickets.com/" target="_blank">get yours</a> as soon as possible as we have a maximum number of attendees and tickets are selling really fast. If you'd like to vend at BlytheCon Vancouver make sure to fill out the application form found on our website. We have also worked with the Sheraton Wall Center to provide discounted room rates for attendees. <a href="https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/Blythecon" target="_blank">Book yours</a> now.<br />
<ul>
<li>General admission tickets will be $60 each. This option includes a goodie bag and lunch. </li>
<li>For children 12 and under, admission tickets are $35. This option includes lunch (kid’s meal), and does not include a goodie bag. There will be a limited number of child admission tickets for the event.
For children 2 and under, admission tickets are free. This option does not include a kid’s meal or goodie bag. There will be a limited number of free children 2 and under admission tickets for the event.
All children (12 and under) must be accompanied by an adult with a general admission ticket. </li>
</ul>
NOTE: If you have purchased a ticket and are unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another person. Please email <a href="mailto:blytheconvan@gmail.com">blytheconvan@gmail.com</a> with your name and the name of the person you are transferring your ticket to.<br />
<br />
<b>Vendors </b><br />
<br />
We will be accepting applications for vendors from October 1 2014 to January 31 2015.
Vendor fees will be $60 per space. Each vendor space will be 30″ x 36″ (half of a 6′ x 30″ table). There will be a maximum of 48 spaces available.
Visit the <a href="http://blytheconvan.com/vendors/" target="_blank">vendors page</a> for more details.<br />
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So what do you do if you have bought your tickets, have your Nicky Lad dressed in her finest and you cannot contain your excitement any longer? You can share the following images to spread the word about our event and to let your friends know you are attending!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr0wjQ4cy8qkxXSVQWmJrmXQo_gff7-ytlMX958Bmi5nltQJ6mr4iDBzTCMmniXXojgYIHbOOgPfMX-Dc0EgYqJQqNYs50pG20033Ju79jCy1CQ5qmdV1h-owK_2jL586IDQSN0SWSzA/s1600/15220732310_56669e9cce_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYr0wjQ4cy8qkxXSVQWmJrmXQo_gff7-ytlMX958Bmi5nltQJ6mr4iDBzTCMmniXXojgYIHbOOgPfMX-Dc0EgYqJQqNYs50pG20033Ju79jCy1CQ5qmdV1h-owK_2jL586IDQSN0SWSzA/s1600/15220732310_56669e9cce_o.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></div>
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Instagram Square Version:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1USmrWhen14eMcnoy9RzRgKu33r-N7SWS2YfxMOIyONrDqrvxdlcfoEqYCOgAja-d5mL1zLijFY5dskSOhu7_AAYi184SE2ZUEt1vOOYtT47CFvYcmufRJc65qGn8adg3cCBnSlKMj5I/s1600/15385572326_04f3054a24_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1USmrWhen14eMcnoy9RzRgKu33r-N7SWS2YfxMOIyONrDqrvxdlcfoEqYCOgAja-d5mL1zLijFY5dskSOhu7_AAYi184SE2ZUEt1vOOYtT47CFvYcmufRJc65qGn8adg3cCBnSlKMj5I/s1600/15385572326_04f3054a24_o.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you have any questions or if you'd like to learn more about Blythe and about me check this <a href="http://www.electroheartbeats.com/2014/08/blythe-dolls-101-introduction-to-true.html" target="_blank">article</a> out.<br />
<br />
We cannot wait to show you what the world renown Canadian hospitality is all about!<br />
<br />
Please share this article with your friends to help us spread the word.<br />
<br />
Lots of love and light<br />
<br />
Angel<br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 780px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 780px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 780px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/" style="background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; line-height: 0; min-height: 20px; min-width: 40px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 780px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0One Wall Centre, Vancouver, BC V6Z, Canada49.28046 -123.1270000000000127.954568499999997 -164.435594 70.6063515 -81.81840600000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-78843076261919722672014-08-18T13:17:00.000-07:002014-08-20T12:02:36.792-07:00Spotify Vs Deezer - Which One Will Win My Ears?I am HUGE music fan. I have been one all my life. I own approximately 750 CDs and last time I checked I had over 5000 mp3s. You get the drift. I used to buy a lot of music instead of streaming it as services like Songza weren't really available until a few years ago. Since <a href="http://www.spotify.com/" target="_blank">Spotify</a> and <a href="http://www.pandora.com/" target="_blank">Pandora</a> were not able to operate in Canada due to copyright constraints, I first started streaming through <a href="http://last.fm/">Last.FM</a> and I made the switch to <a href="http://www.deezer.com/" target="_blank">Deezer's</a> Premium+ Plan ($4.99 per month) a few months back. If you are interested in trying Deezer now is the time to do it. You can either choose to join with their free "discovery" mode (ads are present) or to get the Premium+ plan at 50% off which is quite a bargain compared to their competitors' prices. Another advantage of choosing the premium plan is that you get access to higher quality audio and unlimited streaming on your web browser and mobile.<br />
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If you haven't streamed music before I recommend that you give it a try as it will enable you to listen to countless hours of ear pleasing beats while allowing you to discover new artists and sounds you would have otherwise never been exposed to. Most streaming services these days also allow you to create your own radio stations based on a specific song or artist and to even sort music by your current mood or by the activity you are engaging in. As you can see the options are endless.<br />
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In this post I will review two of the services which became recently available in Canada: Deezer and Spotify. As I mentioned earlier, I joined Deezer as soon as it became available in Canada as I was eager to find a service that would allow me to stream music both online and through my smartphone. Deezer's interface is very user friendly and it's dashboard is strictly operated through their <a href="http://www.deezer.com/">website</a> and Android/iPhone apps. I wish they would release a native Mac OS client but so far they have not. I listen to a lot of Spanish music and I was glad to see that Deezer could find even the most obscure songs I'd be searching for. I also enjoyed a function known as "flow" in which Deezer will just play music based on your previous choices and favourite artists. Flow is a nice feature when you are unsure of what to play or when you'd like to discover something new.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QK9Vp1-9Useo9r9o-seE66FFsnUHkhybhC7JCR1mxTwVenMbDgCL65kGcrEFuQEofyVKNgnE78QjG1Yphq0N8fCq46xUs1KffvwKGhzx9r_xB7pX60hl9kd6HPIvveIbtCxGNUjExG8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-18+at+12.11.55+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QK9Vp1-9Useo9r9o-seE66FFsnUHkhybhC7JCR1mxTwVenMbDgCL65kGcrEFuQEofyVKNgnE78QjG1Yphq0N8fCq46xUs1KffvwKGhzx9r_xB7pX60hl9kd6HPIvveIbtCxGNUjExG8/s400/Screen+Shot+2014-08-18+at+12.11.55+pm.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deezer's Flow Feature</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Another thing I like about Deezer's interface is that it is quite intuitive - it is very easy to heart a song or to share it with another Deezer friend or through social media sites. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEn7zo-5jhx-mqypv8-sdkn-G1BOcETQI3Tt16QU4VkFO64ZkJ-fAu_E7OE26Y3OmFcz64OwRRrkIMn03ofbIxofuKUU3FN9aX2UYHAdODRaLw__pW_YnmEbyIhX0WTHDTaz2p4w5v-w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-18+at+12.15.20+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisEn7zo-5jhx-mqypv8-sdkn-G1BOcETQI3Tt16QU4VkFO64ZkJ-fAu_E7OE26Y3OmFcz64OwRRrkIMn03ofbIxofuKUU3FN9aX2UYHAdODRaLw__pW_YnmEbyIhX0WTHDTaz2p4w5v-w/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-18+at+12.15.20+pm.png" height="103" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Deezer's Dashboard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Deezer also offers offline mode in case you will be travelling or unable to reach an internet connection. It is easy to discover new music on Deezer as they have professional music curators who create playlists and they also feature users' playlists on their landing page. </div>
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Overall, I was satisfied with my Deezer membership until I checked my inbox one day to find an invite from Spotify to join their pre-launch in Canada. I immediately stopped what I was doing and used my invite code. Please note that if you have a Spotify account with a U.S. address and you'd like to use their services in Canada you may need to contact <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/105234347969904185610" target="_blank">+SpotifyCares</a> in order to get them to switch your primary country. Alternatively you could just delete your old account and start from scratch. I chose the former option in order to preserve my playlists, followers, etc. I contacted SpotifyCares via <a href="http://www.twitter.com/spotifycares" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and I got help extremely quickly - bonus points for them! </div>
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The first thing that impressed me about Spotify was the fact that it prompted me right away to download a native Mac OS software. This is a feature I had been wanting from Deezer but it never became available. Not only did Spotify have a mac version, it is also very sleek and user-friendly (for the most part - you'll see why).</div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdQNd3u21QiezEu5yMthLHuGBmA0HxjOMSsgaLLv5qrQ1sH5kqKYHlci5_VojHOeMDZsimPK0MG7GwfD6muysyjkJ3Us54-UBEAhW5HTNQ5R8HDVzCWDubRX6pzddAzSqh8oGsIIlIqU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-18+at+12.35.28+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQdQNd3u21QiezEu5yMthLHuGBmA0HxjOMSsgaLLv5qrQ1sH5kqKYHlci5_VojHOeMDZsimPK0MG7GwfD6muysyjkJ3Us54-UBEAhW5HTNQ5R8HDVzCWDubRX6pzddAzSqh8oGsIIlIqU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-08-18+at+12.35.28+pm.png" height="263" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotify's Mac Software</td></tr>
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Something I enjoy about my Spotify experience is that a lot of my friends are already using their service (I think only two or three were on Deezer). Spotify integrates seamlessly with Facebook (only if you want it to - which I did being the social media addict I am) and it allows you to see what your friends have been listening to and to therefore discover new music you may like. I also like how instead of "faveing" an artist like you do in Deezer (kind of impersonal), you actually "follow" artists on Spotify so that you can keep up with their posts and new releases as they happen. </div>
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Spotify's software also has the ability to add "apps" - in other words you can incorporate services like your Last.FM scrobbling account right on the navigation bar. My personal favourite app is called <a href="http://www.mypartiq.com/" target="_blank">PartiQ</a> through which you can collaboratively create a playlist while being at or hosting a party. I recently did this at one of my events and my guests seemed to really enjoy the ability to add a few songs to the party's playlist. </div>
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Spotify can also keep up with my love for 90's music, <a href="http://open.spotify.com/user/angelclemente/playlist/30Qh3nKAlbzszz71F0uGpw" target="_blank">synth-pop</a> and Spanish hits. Overall, I am very satisfied with Spotify except for a few things. In a recent release they substituted their "starred tracks" feature with a "+" sign. The "+" sign is a button which allows you to add songs to your library. The starred tracks were basically your favourite tracks on Spotify. This seems a bit redundant (since both features achieve the same result) but the newer "+" feature seems a lot less intuitive for new users. It also seems that on the Android app the starred tracks playlist is available but <strike>I cannot seem to find a way to access the songs I "plused" - hopefully that's a feature they are working on</strike> - UPDATE: I have now found that "plused" songs can be found under "My Music" in the Android app. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the + sign at the bottom left?</td></tr>
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<strike>It would also be great to be able to airplay Spotify to my remote speakers directly through their client</strike> (see update below) - I am using <a href="https://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/" target="_blank">Airfoil</a> as a workaround at the moment. My last concern about Spotify versus Deezer is the price. Deezer is currently offering new users a $4.99 monthly package whereas Spotify is still charging $9.99 per month for their upgraded plan without ads. I personally hope they will offer a student discount in Canada like they do in the U.S. and that they'll have some sort of introductory price offer for new Canadian users in order to gain momentum and new accounts.<br />
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UPDATE: Here's <a href="https://support.spotify.com/ca-en/learn-more/faq/#!/article/Stream-Spotify-using-Airplay" target="_blank">how</a> to stream from Spotify using Airplay<br />
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Overall, my decision has been to cancel my Deezer Premium+ plan for now and give Spotify's 30-day trial a go. My decision may change in the future depending on price and new features. Which streaming service do you prefer and why?<br />
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Leave a <b>comment below</b> if you are in Canada and would like an invite to Spotify's pre-launch. I may be able to give you one. </div>
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Thanks for stopping by and happy listening!~</div>
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-64754109103210163082014-08-05T09:32:00.003-07:002014-08-28T17:34:57.270-07:00Blythe Dolls 101 - An Introduction To True LoveWhen you come across something really special you feel the need to shout about it at the top of your lungs so the rest of the world can also know about it - that's exactly how I feel about Blythe dolls. Most of you have probably come across one of these dolls without even realizing it as they have been featured in several major advertisement campaigns.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottega Veneta window displays featuring life-size Blythe dolls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Target campaign featuring Blythe dolls</td></tr>
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The dolls themselves are of course special but the story behind them is even more so. Take a look at the interview below with Allison Katzman - the toy designer who originally conceived Blythe. Junko Wong is the person who was responsible for bringing Blythe back almost thirty years later - a truly unbelievable story.<br />
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As I have mentioned in my <a href="http://www.electroheartbeats.com/2012/04/guys-love-for-dolls.html" target="_blank">previous article</a>, my love for dolls is not recent. I have always admired their beauty and since I have a strong passion for fashion (rhyme is coincidental I swear!) I love being able to dress them up and come up with different combinations to create magical outfits. I was not familiar with Blythe dolls until about four years ago when I stumbled across a picture of one of them while searching for vinyl toys online. Blythe's beauty was captivating and what appealed to me the most was the fact that these dolls were being posed like mini super models in high fashion editorials. In other words, the artistic quality of the photographs and the dolls themselves made them extremely unique to me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This Is Blythe - Collection of original photographs by <a href="http://www.thisisblythe.com/blythe_history.php" target="_blank">Gina Caran</a></td></tr>
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At the time I didn't know their name was Blythe - I just held on to a couple of pictures I came across through my online searches. It wasn't until I was visiting one of my co-worker's desk that I noticed she had a box of greeting cards picturing about fourty different Blythe dolls. At that point I was formally introduced to Blythe and my heart and I have not been able to look back.<br />
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I knew I had to own my first Blythe but how? I had never seen them at a retail location and nobody else seemed to know about them. I went on my computer and Googled "Vancouver Blythe Dolls" and that's how I came across a Flickr group local to Vancouver (now a Facebook group known as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/vancouverblythebunch/" target="_blank">Vancouver Blythe Bunch</a>). I messaged one of the admins of the group and within a month or so I was invited to my first ever "Blythe meet" in Richmond. I had actually not seen a Blythe doll in person until that day. Words can simply not describe my happiness and excitement. I didn't even realize at the time that their eyes changed colours and directions - it was a whole new world. What was also special was the fact that all the Blythe fans that I met were just as excited and passionate about Blythe as I was and that a very strong sense of community was evident amongst them - needless to say I was beyond hooked. Here's a picture of me holding a few Blythe dolls for the first time ever.<br />
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My husband and I were leaving for a European Cruise about two months after my first Blythe meet and I knew it would be fantastic to be able to take a Blythe doll with me in order to take fashion pictures with her all over Europe. I wanted a doll but I truly had no idea of where to start my hunt. My new "dolly friends" as we call each other were incredible helpful and pointed me in the right direction.<br />
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There are a lot of fake or "factory" dolls out there - especially on eBay - and therefore knowing more about Blythe models and how to distinguish a real doll from a fake one is crucial. There are lots of tutorials online on how to do this - here's <a href="http://blythelife.com/index.php/2014/03/05/fakes-the-factories-clones-and-tbls/" target="_blank">one I really like</a>. By the way, I'm not saying that "factory dolls" are not beautiful - on the contrary, they can be quite special - but there needs to be full disclosure of what you are buying without any misrepresentation as the prices for dolls can be quite high. My personal recommendation for finding a doll to "adopt" is to join a Facebook group known as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/dollyadoption.group/">Dolly Adoption</a> where you will find an infinite number of dolls (both new and used) at various price points. If you already own a doll and you are looking for clothes and outfits for her there are tons of beautiful shops on Etsy or via a Facebook group called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/dollydudsandsundries/" target="_blank">Dolly Duds and Sundries For Sale</a>.<br />
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You will also soon realize that a doll that is "stock" and comes in her original box looks quite different from the ones you may find on Flickr or Pinterest - the reason for that is because Blythes are often customized by artists from all over the world in order to make each doll a one of a kind. Customization is a very interesting topic and that would require an article on its own but what it means in a nutshell is an alteration of the facial expressions (through a technique known as "carving"), make-up, eyelashes, hair, and/or body parts to create a doll that would otherwise not be available. Customized dolls are the most expensive and for that reason it is important to become familiar with different customizers and the type of doll you are looking for before jumping in. It is also important to be aware of the "stock" model the customized doll was based on - in other words customs made on a "factory mold" can be cheaper than customs made on an original Blythe release (e.g., Sunshine Holiday). My personal preference when it comes to adopting a Blythe is to adopt ones that have been customized on an original Blythe/Takara release as their value will often increase over time. If you have any questions about specific customizers or how to find a good one please drop me a line or leave a comment below.<br />
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I tend to like Blythe dolls that are on either the high fashion or kawaii (means cute in Japanese) styles and for that reason here are my favourite customizers:<br />
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<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/erregiro/" target="_blank">Erregiro</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/erregiro/" target="_blank">K-Dolls Heaven</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/angellily/sets/72157622395728613/" target="_blank">Angel~Lily</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/78955369@N05/" target="_blank">Sharon Avital</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaleidoscopekustoms/" target="_blank">Kaleidoscope Kustoms</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nanuka/" target="_blank">Nanuka</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/igsirenita/sets/" target="_blank">I.G. Sirenita</a></li>
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I own four Blythe dolls now and they are all custom dolls. It has been an extremely rewarding journey. My latest girl Misha was specifically created for me by Kamii Chu from K-Dolls Heaven and she will arrive in two weeks from now. I wanted a very glamourous tan girl with platinum blonde hair and that's how Misha was born. When it comes to customs I also seem to gravitate towards "alpaca reroots" (a reroot is the process of changing the synthetic stock hair and replacing it with a natural fiber one for a more natural or luxurious look) and for that reason I decided to give Misha an alpaca reroot with straight bangs. Here are some pictures of my inspiration board for Misha my dream doll:<br />
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<a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="200" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="http://www.pinterest.com/angelclemente/misha-my-dream-blythe-girl/">Follow Angel's board Misha - My Dream Blythe Girl on Pinterest.</a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script async="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </center>
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As I mentioned earlier an extremely gratifying aspect of becoming a Blythe fan is being able to join a community of loving and extremely artistic people - literally everyone I've met or chatted with online has been incredibly helpful and giving. Most recently I attended my first ever "BlytheCon" in Seattle. BlytheCons are held once per year in the U.S. and also in Europe and Australia. I can tell you that attending the BlytheCon was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I have never been in a room filled with so many creative and talented individuals and above all we all had something in common - it was truly magical. Like they say - pictures are worth a thousand words so take a peek at my BlytheCon experience here:</div>
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If you are interested in attending a BlytheCon to meet other fans and customizers/artists I am happy to tell you that I'll actually be one of the hosts for BlytheCon Vancouver 2015 - the first ever BlytheCon to be held in Canada. My fellow organizers and I would love to meet you in person and answer any of your questions. The date for BlytheCon Vancouver is Sunday August 9 2015. Here is our official <a href="http://blytheconvan.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/blytheconvan2015/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: grey; font-family: Ubuntu, Arial, 'sans serif'; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-transform: uppercase;">EVENT DETAILS</span></div>
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<strong>DATE:</strong> August 9 2015<br />
<strong>VENUE:</strong> Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre<br />
1088 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC<br />
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-9281903579056331062014-03-15T09:46:00.002-07:002014-03-15T09:46:47.915-07:00Noseless Bicycle Saddles - What You Need To Know<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="185" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/87305888@N00/7922570156/in/photolist-d56f6b-d2k6GG-9SR2mt-9SR1mt-dHJnnm-94LTS4-8C1YMd-8WHEx5-fPfsFp-dHJgb9-e7N64H-94iTsy-9SYggh-dsDhWG-897H6n-dVhb88-dqtCFG-fwvWb9-cBLJH1-c3SvcW-eXBLCa-fwkiec-dABTQz-eCnA4h-bJposx-dyR3SU-9SR342-9STRfd-9STTU7-f6JZk2-a9xDjw-e7g8qH-dqszW3-8NX7YK-8u2FaW-8a2hot-8EL8JK/player/" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></center>
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Those who know me in person know that I really enjoy riding my cruiser bike around the Vancouver seawall and the downtown core - our city is filled with beauty and it is truly designed for the ultimate comfort of bicycle fanatics like me. Riding brings back memories of the freedom I used to experience in my childhood while exploring my neighbourhood in my bike along with my friends. We live in a society in which we spend progressively less time communing with nature and biking is a great alternative to let go of our tech filled lives (besides the occasional Instagram post as we ride of course) - plus, can you think of a better feeling than the warm ocean breeze caressing your face?<br />
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As we grow older we need to be aware of the benefits but also of the potential side effects any activity we choose to engage in so we can protect our bodies. Biking is no exception. I have a very small testicular cyst and as such riding had been uncomfortable for me over the last couple of years. Riding would lead to swelling, epididymitis and sometimes even prostatitis. At first I thought it was all attributed to the pressure of the saddle on my cyst but after doing more research I came to understand that I was not alone and that in fact anyone (cyst or no cyst) can be affected by the negative effects of a traditional "nose" saddle.<br />
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These videos are great at explaining why it is so important to look at other saddle alternatives in order to protect our reproductive organs:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/e4rMbOS5Daw" width="500"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_cctJfG_HWY" width="500"></iframe><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LW8zhnq4oUg" width="500"></iframe><br />
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Now that you understand the importance of the issue at hand I would like to leave you with what I have discovered while researching this problem. First of all, there are a TON of noseless saddle designs and companies who produce them. Finding one for you can become truly overwhelming. Here is a website that lists all of the most popular noseless saddles along with links of where you can purchase them:<br />
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<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.healthycycling.org/">http://www.healthycycling.org/</a></span></div>
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After reviewing the available noseless saddle options I would encourage you to take a look at some YouTube videos of the actual saddle you are considering in order to see it in action. Amazon.com is also a great resource for finding the saddle you want to buy at a cheaper price and to look at actual consumer reviews of the product. </div>
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After much research and consideration I narrowed down my search to a single manufacturer and to two specific bike seats. The company is <a href="http://www.ismseat.com/saddle/selector" target="_blank">ISM</a> - a manufacturer of high-end bike saddles used by athletes all over the world. Their seats are also used by police officers who spend most of their day on a bicycle. Something I really enjoyed about ISM's website was their Saddle Selector tool - an online tool that helps you choose a saddle based on your activity level and bike type. </div>
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The two saddles I was considering were the <a href="http://www.ismseat.com/saddle/ism-sport" target="_blank">ISM Sport </a>and the <a href="http://www.ismseat.com/saddle/ism-touring" target="_blank">ISM Touring</a>. Both seats are meant to be used by casual riders like me. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtoYtmt6XivinS2HL31nzh-AS8TcPY9hPtjZ1py5pcNYPNjYphUZYMILNOdsW9aIlF4GKTmdLLbeTZelkFUGeNvemVndDwMLCCNwFjZ9325selMkzf_Q3rC4qh3i-bTbGqVMPq7U8QuU/s1600/ism-sport-black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtoYtmt6XivinS2HL31nzh-AS8TcPY9hPtjZ1py5pcNYPNjYphUZYMILNOdsW9aIlF4GKTmdLLbeTZelkFUGeNvemVndDwMLCCNwFjZ9325selMkzf_Q3rC4qh3i-bTbGqVMPq7U8QuU/s1600/ism-sport-black.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTJB4NN0o8fDpcqeADxEIJ_bIeZt9ZnNIAUf1p-XtK4gpmYH60LTqM-dPJzyKKxiGfaOHDLqfPljgk9nTzTCJpji73_JF72Y7WEJYxd3McNP1Q-mSi07SAO2lO1DAnelOWETRggjrzAg/s1600/ism-touring-black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTJB4NN0o8fDpcqeADxEIJ_bIeZt9ZnNIAUf1p-XtK4gpmYH60LTqM-dPJzyKKxiGfaOHDLqfPljgk9nTzTCJpji73_JF72Y7WEJYxd3McNP1Q-mSi07SAO2lO1DAnelOWETRggjrzAg/s1600/ism-touring-black.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another factor that impressed me about ISM was their customer service. Since I couldn't decide between the two seats (very similar seats except for firmness and gel versus foam filling) I contacted ISM's customer service department via email. Within two hours I had a very friendly response from one of their rep's - Dave. The rep was extremely friendly and helpful and he asked me further questions to narrow down my seat choice even further. Since I prefer to have a softer seat and because I ride less than 75 miles per week Dave recommended for me to purchase the Touring model. </div>
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I have just ordered my ISM Touring seat through Amazon and I will post an update to this article once I receive it and have ridden on it. </div>
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Were you aware of the health issues a traditional bike saddle can create? Are you a female rider?</div>
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Feel free to leave a comment with your questions. </div>
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<strike>Happy riding!</strike> Happy SAFE riding!</div>
Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-46721917783279799642012-12-25T13:51:00.001-08:002020-12-05T09:50:44.149-08:00Can men wear Pandora charm bracelets?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I am a very happy man as I type this as today is Christmas day and I have just finished opening my gifts. Santa must have read my mind this year as I got exactly what I wanted! I won't show you what I got quite yet - I want to finish this story first :)</div>
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My mother in law has always been a fan of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charm_bracelet" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Charm bracelet">charm bracelets</a>. I must admit that ever since I saw her Pandora one I fell in love with the endless design possibilities and the hundreds of charms one can buy to make each <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewellery" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Jewellery">jewellery</a> piece unique and timeless.<br />
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At first I (like the rest of you I'm sure) assumed that only women could wear charm bracelets. I have been known to push the boundaries when it comes to wearing things that are sometimes labelled as "females only". This was the case when I bought my first <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_jacket" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Flight jacket">bomber jacket</a> with <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_fur" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Fake fur">faux fur</a> on the hoodie - at the time only girls were wearing this - fast forward three years and you now see men wearing them everywhere. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEbKoCSsIh4HEsdrcldLzKJj8QIfa2i_apOjBfhDod0l0MIMPxZLW0iSM17wzo5CWxYxVYYNq8CAFY0ubIs6R2afyURhAWj5TyAXWMD8zzztfOAl-_1c_C39HhZZrlLigcl-lrGLqzxM/s1600/Parajumpers+Men+Gobi+Down+Bomber+Jacket+Black+_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEbKoCSsIh4HEsdrcldLzKJj8QIfa2i_apOjBfhDod0l0MIMPxZLW0iSM17wzo5CWxYxVYYNq8CAFY0ubIs6R2afyURhAWj5TyAXWMD8zzztfOAl-_1c_C39HhZZrlLigcl-lrGLqzxM/s320/Parajumpers+Men+Gobi+Down+Bomber+Jacket+Black+_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another good example is my previous obsession with <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.footwearetc.com/UGG-Boots/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="UGG boots">UGG boots</a>. The trend has certainly caught on amongst male celebrities and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugg_boots" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Ugg boots">UGGs</a> has even released a recent product line specifically targeted towards men as shown <a href="http://www.fashionbeans.com/2009/mens-ugg-boots-the-debate-rages-on/" target="_blank">here</a>. I must admit that even though I did end up purchasing a pair I haven't worn them as much as I would like and it certainly hasn't been because they are mostly worn by girls, it has been due to the non-stop rain we get year-around in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://vancouver.ca/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Vancouver">Vancouver</a> - UGGhhhhh :-(<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLH5jfnzO9brlez0wRtmMh9IgPVf9mMN5I2gxRLYbYx4Taz4uk1qDqd_FdR6BeuXixpHojnIi5ibvDQbsJQ0LQcd94k6ixI9isSsiiUhXzH5NvvBL7ZSmkyMSJCZR_PaTq41WQfhO_G0/s1600/uggsmain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLH5jfnzO9brlez0wRtmMh9IgPVf9mMN5I2gxRLYbYx4Taz4uk1qDqd_FdR6BeuXixpHojnIi5ibvDQbsJQ0LQcd94k6ixI9isSsiiUhXzH5NvvBL7ZSmkyMSJCZR_PaTq41WQfhO_G0/s400/uggsmain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So am I saying that in three years from now you will see men all over the world wearing Pandora charm bracelets? Probably not. However, there are lots of men out there who enjoy wearing and customizing their own jewellery pieces. Pandora doesn't seem to know this though as they continue to target their marketing campaigns and email newsletters specifically to women and those who may buy gifts for them. As you probably know by now I like to speak my mind so I decided to send them an e-mail to express my concerns:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTDQJUdN6Z3Q3-bFSXKecp61BTH2VXkQMAdQU15RaXLS0tbiq7U6R0yklrK3Rzln0XTv1KreMaRHdEiu8EKYl2ByzQnEDM9LfMlKpJECuboKU5M2zTiq3MzNs4iNa85Tx4NOH-xmOV0I/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-25+at+12.56.28+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTDQJUdN6Z3Q3-bFSXKecp61BTH2VXkQMAdQU15RaXLS0tbiq7U6R0yklrK3Rzln0XTv1KreMaRHdEiu8EKYl2ByzQnEDM9LfMlKpJECuboKU5M2zTiq3MzNs4iNa85Tx4NOH-xmOV0I/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-12-25+at+12.56.28+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I did get a response from one of their customer service specialists but I'm still not sure if they get the full picture or not... What do you think after reading it?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfrj55bjugPWFKnUzik7H6WeY4f2X_wiBo04sVb4MN_nE_Etyi9TRA3nzB6jzUdRKCv0XQjrY07wQFWvDlnRvIVF6T6Tl_IuiNYnWUi2neqjEAWd-vjjHMWDxbb6DLQ0DurEiSgHJQqU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-25+at+1.00.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfrj55bjugPWFKnUzik7H6WeY4f2X_wiBo04sVb4MN_nE_Etyi9TRA3nzB6jzUdRKCv0XQjrY07wQFWvDlnRvIVF6T6Tl_IuiNYnWUi2neqjEAWd-vjjHMWDxbb6DLQ0DurEiSgHJQqU/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-12-25+at+1.00.33+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Enough angry ranting from me though... let's get back to the fun stuff - learning about the different kinds of bracelets and the best way to design your own "mandora". Pandora's <a href="http://www.pandora.net/" target="_blank">website</a> is very user friendly and it serves as a great online catalogue for you to be able to choose charms and bracelets. If you join their Pandora Club you can also gain access to my favourite part of their website: the bracelet designer. The designer is a flash-based tool that lets you customize your bracelet and charms without having to go to a store in person. I would recommend playing with the designer before going to an actual store anyway as looking at all the charms and options in person can become quite overwhelming.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzcenRUkPYmqTVG6JgvQckXQ04GdKpdxavJNd1jjhaScPiNVLHJF4fvCHKZXOvgwZX2Ejmz2yUTGN7YRgK7E_7rEBMATcL_9fBKw_VZBIaVvaTOxjUCmrRMLbpcj971sk2tMkHg7QCUI/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-25+at+1.13.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfzcenRUkPYmqTVG6JgvQckXQ04GdKpdxavJNd1jjhaScPiNVLHJF4fvCHKZXOvgwZX2Ejmz2yUTGN7YRgK7E_7rEBMATcL_9fBKw_VZBIaVvaTOxjUCmrRMLbpcj971sk2tMkHg7QCUI/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-12-25+at+1.13.12+PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bracelet Designer</td></tr>
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The first decision you'll have to make is whether you'd like to have an all silver, gold, or oxidized silver bracelet. I decided to purchase the oxidized one for mine as it looks a bit more masculine and modern due to the darker tones. I bought the regular silver bracelet for my husband as it matches the other white gold jewellery he wears on a regular basis. You can't go wrong with any of the bracelet options - they are all gorgeous. Keep in mind that Pandora now offers leather bracelets as well. Here are some photos of the silver and oxidized silver options. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDOnaRg3kDb3TvsToRv0lSczC4qpz6YDCqA3raqsrPX-6FvOxSpHjxSiRVEltIxQI2PBBwIWCAYWP1IfvqxzP-6Ma0uBiTn5RGuHqVgKXdVaMatDVgDjuotdolu_IuNCuv2uny62Cf4s/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-16+at+10.20.36+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDOnaRg3kDb3TvsToRv0lSczC4qpz6YDCqA3raqsrPX-6FvOxSpHjxSiRVEltIxQI2PBBwIWCAYWP1IfvqxzP-6Ma0uBiTn5RGuHqVgKXdVaMatDVgDjuotdolu_IuNCuv2uny62Cf4s/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-12-16+at+10.20.36+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Bracelet</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVlDsN1ddf2MAvjJlxQpMkYTua4BR7qgcE5_OG7tT0UMQ7o5xBlW74fnPP_kriAU4qBp_Tq2pAGKf_MQ5UrxGdNT8qbrsyrUk5QObh8rhHX3ar88DtO5x_8HDRoUMV3Rc_Pb-Was-Vvk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-10+at+2.39.37+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVlDsN1ddf2MAvjJlxQpMkYTua4BR7qgcE5_OG7tT0UMQ7o5xBlW74fnPP_kriAU4qBp_Tq2pAGKf_MQ5UrxGdNT8qbrsyrUk5QObh8rhHX3ar88DtO5x_8HDRoUMV3Rc_Pb-Was-Vvk/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-12-10+at+2.39.37+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oxidized Bracelet<br />
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For our bracelets we decided to incorporate some neutral tones and add some colour splashing through the murano glass charms. It is also a good idea to add a "centerpiece" to your design to make it even more striking. Our bracelets are quite symmetrical but you can make yours asymmetrical if it better suits your personal style or the style of the person you are shopping for.<br />
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As promised earlier here's a picture of my actual bracelet:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIGUBVoc8rdry-qH0yk9NbsadUA3sFi96cRlGNhXdL8eEvi_FOAOUBOtD8fCzjXbN7r6-9-VrFkij_5ysa0jTtyQTS04uen1kXnLi4b2E_2iCFTePsmakTDmnd5M1SRz6Pu4o7uurubU/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSIGUBVoc8rdry-qH0yk9NbsadUA3sFi96cRlGNhXdL8eEvi_FOAOUBOtD8fCzjXbN7r6-9-VrFkij_5ysa0jTtyQTS04uen1kXnLi4b2E_2iCFTePsmakTDmnd5M1SRz6Pu4o7uurubU/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another great way to find inspiration for your designs is to use Instagram. As explained in my previous <a href="http://www.electroheartbeats.com/2012/12/the-10-commandments-for-instagram.html" target="_blank">article</a>, Instagram is a great tool to discover images from people who share similar interests and Pandora is no exception!~ If you use the hashtag #mandora you will find lots of men-friendly designs :)</div>
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Now that I've shared my new obsession with you feel free to ask me questions about Pandora bracelets or any other fashion ideas you may have... Happy shopping!<br />
<br /></div>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-44842472117700087482012-12-12T15:36:00.000-08:002012-12-29T19:02:05.530-08:00The 10 Commandments For Instagram Success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxi3R-WtH7_64htyQ4vWINuJpRAijGW1kR1G4AIcWj2TvxZxlN1UPqE2FcGc1YPCyiWzrSbY8g2iaSuiav6_kZgy_zLQK0qF3s9QyIOXrf6Twd1eAqTPhw7qTPqim2OaP-EvLu1mrGZ4/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxi3R-WtH7_64htyQ4vWINuJpRAijGW1kR1G4AIcWj2TvxZxlN1UPqE2FcGc1YPCyiWzrSbY8g2iaSuiav6_kZgy_zLQK0qF3s9QyIOXrf6Twd1eAqTPhw7qTPqim2OaP-EvLu1mrGZ4/s400/Untitled.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Photography is a great communication tool that enables us to say a lot without necessarily "saying" anything. For as long as I can remember I have enjoyed capturing moments through the lens of a camera. I always had mine with me while growing up and my mom can attest to the huge bills she paid to develop my films. I am a fan of beauty and art in all forms but for some reason <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Photography">photography</a> holds a very dear place in my heart.<br />
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There are only few things I enjoy more than looking through an old album of photos. The memories are so vivid that one is immediately transported back into that exact moment. What I also like about looking at photographs is that they emit a feeling and that such feeling is captured by the person who took the picture but interpreted by whoever looks at it. With the onset of mobile technology my love for photography has only increased as now it is easier than ever to be able to express one's views with the aid of a camera.<br />
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I still remember the time when I first heard about <a class="zem_slink" href="http://instagr.am/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Instagram">Instagram</a>. It seemed to be just another ordinary <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.apple.com/iphone" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="iPhone">iPhone</a> photo manipulation app that offered filters to enhance mobile photos. Boy, was I wrong! Since then Instagram has become one of the leading social networks in the world and as such it has established a language of its own. Instagramers are usually people who love photography and visual arts and who until now didn't necessarily have a forum to share their "masterpieces" with the rest of the world as the majority of them are not professional photographers. In other words, Instagram allows anyone who has a passion for photography to instantly share their captures with other who may have similar interests.<br />
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Much like <a class="zem_slink" href="http://twitter.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Twitter">Twitter</a>, Instagram categorizes content via hashtags. Hashtags are words that have a # sign proceeding them and that act as filters to sort through the vast content available online. An example of this would be the hashtag #instamood to categorize a picture displaying one's current mood or emotional status. In this post I will share with you some of the tips/tools that have helped me to build an engaged online community on Instagram and hashtags have definitely played a big role in achieving that.<br />
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I am by no means an Instagram celebrity or claim to know all about it. I'm just a normal guy who loves social media and who likes sharing beautiful pictures and finding/commenting on the pictures taken by others. So with that out of the way let's get right to the tips:<br />
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<li><b>Post original content</b> - one of my biggest pet peeves is when someone goes online to Google a picture of the boy band they like or the artist they admire and then they go to Instagram and post that exact same picture without changing it or making it their own. This to me denotes plain laziness and as such I see it as a reason to unfollow someone. Please note that once in a while you will find something on the street or online that you'd like to share - if this is the case apply some filters or use one of the many photo manipulation apps out there to make it unique. Sharing others' content is ok as long as you give credit where it's due and you don't overdue it. There's nothing worse than an Instagram profile showing only pictures that can be found online. </li>
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<li><b>Focus your pictures</b> - when looking at Instagram profiles you will notice that some people tend to upload photos even when they are extremely blurry or out of focus. Since Instagram is a photography social network I would encourage you to only upload content that is high quality. </li>
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<li><b>Do not overpost</b> - every picture you post represents who you are to the Instagram community. Posting a picture every two hours simply to gain followers will probably only do the opposite. There is no exact science for how many pictures you should upload in a day. Follow your instincts. If it captures a feeling or emotion you'd like to share (i.e., it serves a purpose) and the picture is of good quality - go ahead an share it. The point here is that you probably shouldn't have as many pictures in your Instagram profile as you do in your camera roll. </li>
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<li><b>Don't ask for people to follow you</b> - asking for others to follow you just gives them one impression: desperation. Others will choose to follow you because they like your pictures and/or comments. Blatantly asking for followers takes away from your credibility as a photographer. </li>
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<li><b>Change it up</b> - Instagram provides some great tools to enhance the pictures we take with our mobiles phones or cameras. However, there are hundred of other applications out there that provide effects to produce a truly outstanding picture to be shared. Here are some examples. Rather than sharing multiple pictures of the same event one can combine them into a single shot with the use of an application known as <a href="http://www.dipticapp.com/" target="_blank">Diptic</a>. If you enjoy sharing quotes on Instagram you could download <a href="http://www.tweegram.com/" target="_blank">Tweegram</a> - an app created specifically to display words in an artistic manner. Another one of my favourites is <a href="http://campl.us/" target="_blank">Camera+</a> - a photo enhancement app that will allow you to use an even larger number of filters, crop photos, and add custom frames/borders. </li>
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<li><b>Find your niche</b> - do you happen to collect miniature polar bears? do you bake cupcakes? Make sure your Instagram gallery displays your passions. If you use hashtags appropriately users with similar interests will like your pictures and comment on them. The more specific the niche - the higher the chances of capturing an engaged audience. Some of my niches include: <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hello_Kitty" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Hello Kitty">Hello Kitty</a>, Vinyl Toys, Kawaii (cute in Japanese) and Gay. </li>
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<li><b>Have fun</b> - yes, I'm making Instagram sound like a science but at the end of the day you should have fun taking pictures of things you love and sharing them with those around you. Don't be scared to experiment and to get inspired by what others are posting. If you enjoy what you are posting and truly believe in it chances are others will too. </li>
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<li><b>#Tag #Tag #Tag</b> - Instagram allows you to tag each of your photos with 30 hashtags. A great way to come up with relevant tags is to download an application called <a href="http://www.tagsforlikes.com/" target="_blank">TagsForLikes</a>. This app gives you relevant hashtags based on different categories such as: food, guys, girls, nature, animals, etc. One you upload a picture tag your photo by copying/pasting the tags from TagsForLikes onto your picture's comments section. You will be amazed at how many more followers you'll get by simply hashtagging. Also, it wasn't until recently that I realized that even though Instagram only allows you to use 30 tags at a time it doesn't care if you use 30 tags, delete them, and then retag again. This is particularly useful for photos that pertain to many different categories. Once you have gotten all the likes from the first set of tags simply delete them, find new ones, and retag. </li>
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<li><b>Be engaged</b> - Instagram is not only a platform to share visual content, it is also a great way to meet others who share similar interests. Use the explore button to find pictures tagged under a category you enjoy and like them. If something truly catches your eye then let that user know. The more you like and comment on the pictures of others the more they will reciprocate. IF you have the time try to like approximately 100 photos a day. This will grow your followers immensely. </li>
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<li><b>Follow others and let others follow you</b> - the biggest mistake someone can make when opening an Instagram account is to set their profile to private. Don't get me wrong, if your goal is to only share your pictures with your immediate friends and family then by all means make them private. If however your goal is to engage others and to grow your audience, making a private profile will only push others away. By the same token, following others will only get you more followers. There is a method I discovered on YouTube that I wouldn't necessarily recommend but I'll share it anyways. What you need to do is open the explore tab on Instagram and then search for accounts that include the words "shoutout" - once you find an account that actively promotes other Instagram users you would then go through its followers and start randomly following those people. After two days or so you can then unfollow those who you just followed. Your follower count will grow almost immediately. The reason I don't recomment doing this is because of two reasons: time consumption and misleading others. </li>
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If you have any other tips for fellow Instagramers please share them in the comments below. I hope you found this article useful. If you'd like to follow me on Instagram you may find my gallery by clicking <a href="http://instagram.com/electro_cute/" target="_blank">here</a> or on the widget below.</div>
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-25226687121122142662012-09-22T18:45:00.000-07:002012-12-15T11:06:27.027-08:00My Case For Your Follow - Twitter ContestAs most of you know by now I am a complete gadget addict and as such I have already upgraded my iPhone 4 to the new <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.apple.com/iphone" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="iPhone">iPhone 5</a>.<br />
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I sold most of my protective cases already but I held on to my most special one to give to those who enter my contest on <a class="zem_slink" href="http://twitter.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Twitter">Twitter</a>.<br />
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Simply follow me (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/angelfclemente" target="_blank">@angelfclemente</a>) and retweet the following to your followers:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center">
Follow @<a href="https://twitter.com/angelfclemente">angelfclemente</a> & <a class="zem_slink" href="http://rt.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="RT (TV network)">RT</a> this 4 a chance to win a Limited Edition <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23HelloKitty">#HelloKitty</a> /<a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Tokidoki">#Tokidoki</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23iPhone">#iPhone</a> Case <a href="http://t.co/bIns9jA9" title="http://tweetsw.in/1803/">tweetsw.in/1803/</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23case4follow">#case4follow</a><br />
— Angel Clemente (@angelfclemente) <a data-datetime="2012-09-23T06:18:33+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/angelfclemente/status/249754609944498176">September 23, 2012</a></blockquote>
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<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>Good luck to all of you and thanks for continuing to support me and my blog!<br />
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XO<br />
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Angel<br />
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UPDATE - Congrats to the winner!!~<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJbUo-x7uVyl5D7yjtZltdmVgCAVrvXy6Lf8rNEGOhr7T-H51ZpHocB0qMnlZndPwj0O1QVKsCMTJXu4uLM97H0_8Nw4KoStQG3LMlg0PZI22AfzGh_QdUQOHgqhz0SrAblt06fjpJqA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-15+at+10.59.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpJbUo-x7uVyl5D7yjtZltdmVgCAVrvXy6Lf8rNEGOhr7T-H51ZpHocB0qMnlZndPwj0O1QVKsCMTJXu4uLM97H0_8Nw4KoStQG3LMlg0PZI22AfzGh_QdUQOHgqhz0SrAblt06fjpJqA/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-12-15+at+10.59.26+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-6921180625376004212012-08-18T11:12:00.003-07:002012-12-15T23:43:10.989-08:00Download Worthy Musical DiscoveriesThere are very few things in this life that I enjoy more than listening to music on a sunny Saturday morning (like today). Music has been a crucial part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I look back at my life it's almost like listening to a movie's soundtrack - memories blended with their musical counterparts. Every era defined by my ever-changing musical palate...<br />
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Even though I grew up in Mexico I have always had an inherent attraction to music in Portuguese. In my opinion, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossa_nova" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Bossa nova">Bossa Nova</a> is the sexiest music known to man. I love Brazil in general and for that reason when I heard that they would be performing at <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.25,-123.1&spn=0.1,0.1&q=49.25,-123.1%20(Vancouver)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Vancouver">Vancouver's</a> <a href="http://hondacelebrationoflight.com/" target="_blank">Celebration of Light</a> this year I knew I had to be there to experience it live. I must say I was not disappointed. Bossa Nova and Samba rocked the airwaves that night as the sky was filled with amazing fireworks - a truly unique experience! That same night I heard a version of "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mas_que_Nada" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Mas que Nada">Mas Que Nada</a>" I was not familiar with. At first I thought it was a remix of the song made popular by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9rgio_Mendes" target="_blank">Sergio Mendes</a> but soon after I recognized <a href="http://www.fergie.com/" target="_blank">Fergie's</a> voice and a sample of <a href="http://www.blackeyedpeas.com/" target="_blank">The Black Eyed Peas</a>' song "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Mama-Black-Eyed-Peas/dp/B0001KIH8G%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzem-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0001KIH8G" rel="amazon" target="_blank" title="Hey Mama 1">Hey Mama</a>" and I knew they were involved in the mix. I didn't have time to search for the song online until today and that's when I learned that in 2006 Mendes re-recorded the song with The Black Eyed Peas and included additional vocals by Mendes' wife <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracinha_Leporace" target="_blank">Gracinha Leporace</a>.<br />
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This new version of "Mas Que Nada" is included in Mendes' most recent album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeless_(S%C3%A9rgio_Mendes_album)" target="_blank">Timeless</a>. The first of today's download worthy recommendations. Timeless is a collaborative album produced by <a href="http://will-i-am.blackeyedpeas.com/" target="_blank">Will.I.Am </a>that combines various musical styles such as: neo soul, bossa nova, samba, hip hop, and reggaeton. If you love traditional music in Portuguese you will not be disappointed.<br />
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/timeless/id121255218" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6IiOJYXFvpkDsfEmtNE4X34B7g8JvJdpjdIU1JrL012KrjKO4YKyz66-gKshiO26GFQfZ1uOV06xhQlsn30-ZZGY4UHZpP5F_cx0Kf2-vO6BKwhEqpb7hL4BVs_DggO6ULRpIrlk5oo/s320/Sergio_Mendes_Timeless.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few months ago I attended a birthday party at <a href="http://www.sanafir.ca/" target="_blank">Sanafir</a> (highly recommended - 50% entire food menu on Tuesdays) and I kept being drawn away from my conversations by the music playing on the background. It wasn't until I looked more carefully that I realized the amazing music that was playing was a combination of live drums and a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_jockey" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Disc jockey">DJ</a> - that's when I first met Farshad Edalat, lead vocalist of local Vancouver band <a href="http://www.dirtyradio.ca/" target="_blank">Dirty Radio</a>. The mixture of the drumming and the electronic beats was so intoxicating that my friend and I ended up leaving our table and dancing for a good thirty minutes or so right in front of the DJ booth. I spoke to Farshad that night and I told him I knew he would become famous (he was just starting out back then) and my prophecy definitely came true. I can spot talent a mile away and he definitely has it! Dirty Radio is offering their latest mixtape "Cassette" as a free download - trust me - you don't want to miss out on this one. Get yours <a href="http://freecassette.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://freecassette.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWiKFqOuwg4eOJMOhBuQZQsLBnUVh_VQH4xzz5NaNAyfZECWPIKtqVHH5yPWHBtXe8GnEsji7QEIBlPmqfR9l3qV_MKG6thaZP7eggfBUUrR4MKjWZEnCjcyDUZppWSlMa2PejOwWTbY/s320/dirtyradio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today's final download worthy recommendation is very dear to my heart. As outlined in my previous <a href="http://www.electroheartbeats.com/2009/09/calvin-harris-live-electro-heaven-on.html" target="_blank">blog post</a>, <a href="http://www.gusgus.com/" target="_blank">GusGus</a> has been a musical inspiration of mine for many years now. Their music is in my opinion a strong foundation for the highly popular electro movement. The blend of soothing vocals and unique Icelandic beats will take your ears on a mind-boggling journey. I would highly recommend downloading their entire discography but their latest album "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Horse_(GusGus_album)" target="_blank">Arabian Horse</a>" would be a good start.<br />
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<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/arabian-horse/id435449404" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYl6pwcDdE0vpsPH5chjkndJBu7sRicxTHyiNqDAiuduNH9HYxh_v457ZHTd8Id_245s9IkUMsOxgKacxpt1R6zsekWqPzNlvHaLl_fLBYZw4IPP0oDyAojTdebrcVn0zAe7kwKaPWlU/s320/Arabian_Horse_(album).jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
Wishing you a life filled with music...<br />
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-39135359377336098662012-05-21T12:34:00.000-07:002012-12-15T23:44:24.214-08:00Las Vegas - No Longer A Virgin...For as long as I can remember I had always wanted to visit <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.175,-115.136388889&spn=0.1,0.1&q=36.175,-115.136388889%20(Las%20Vegas%2C%20Nevada)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Las Vegas, Nevada">Las Vegas</a>. As most teenagers I promised myself that as soon as I'd turn 21 I would head over there and party the night away. For one reason or another 21 came and went and I never made it there... that is until this year!<br />
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With so many different hotel options it can be a little overwhelming to choose where to stay in Las Vegas. We knew we wanted something right on the strip that would allow us to explore without the need for transportation. Our main hotel choices were the <a href="http://www.vdara.com/" target="_blank">Vdara</a>, the <a href="http://www.arialasvegas.com/" target="_blank">Aria</a>, the <a href="http://www.palazzo.com/" target="_blank">Palazzo</a>, and the <a href="http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/" target="_blank">Cosmopolitan</a>. After much debating and a thorough evaluation of the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="TripAdvisor">TripAdvisor</a> reviews we decided to go with the Cosmo. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cosmopolitan - Exterior</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Car Entrance</td></tr>
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We flew from Bellingham via <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.allegiantair.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Allegiant Air">Allegiant Air</a> and we arrived to Vegas at around 10am and ended up getting to our hotel close to 11am. The Cosmopolitan is stunning from both the outside and the inside. Its location on the strip is enviable as it has the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.1130555556,-115.176388889&spn=0.01,0.01&q=36.1130555556,-115.176388889%20(Bellagio%20%28hotel%20and%20casino%29)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Bellagio (hotel and casino)">Bellagio Fountains</a> on one side, the Paris and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.planethollywood.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Planet Hollywood">Planet Hollywood</a> in front of it, and the super luxurious <a href="http://www.crystalsatcitycenter.com/" target="_blank">Crystals</a> mall on the other side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3L9qg7sFNORDMSij_y60tDLl4pMkrOQPLA9nn1SfFZNizGiqlnD76QA_wL5dkRzzBDp95u2EwcJW0KCOeHFY2vzKpizuoV579eLdi-udBSzr21UC0iP8VetwH0RV7MaWCH_rQm1X5kY/s1600/IMG_8165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3L9qg7sFNORDMSij_y60tDLl4pMkrOQPLA9nn1SfFZNizGiqlnD76QA_wL5dkRzzBDp95u2EwcJW0KCOeHFY2vzKpizuoV579eLdi-udBSzr21UC0iP8VetwH0RV7MaWCH_rQm1X5kY/s400/IMG_8165.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.lyst.com/louis-vuitton/" rel="lyst" target="_blank" title="Louis Vuitton">Louis Vuitton</a> inside of the Crystals Mall</td></tr>
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The lobby at the Cosmopolitan is very high tech in comparison to the rest of the hotel lobbys in Vegas. As soon as you enter the hotel's main floor you'll be greeted by glass columns that have screens inside of them that display ever-changing art sets. The different art sets completely alter the mood of the lobby - amongst some of the displays we saw were flowers, books, fish, lines, and my favourite of them all, naked models inside of columns full of steam (shown below and in more detail on this <a href="http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/living-art-cosmopolitan-las" target="_blank">blog</a>). If you enjoy art and a contemporary hotel feel you won't be disappointed staying at the Cosmo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lobby at The Cosmopolitan</td></tr>
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One word of advice when it comes to the check-in process - the line ups can be extremely long at around 11am (the time we got there) as people are checking in and out at around the same time and even though the hotel offers express checkout many of the guests are reluctant to use it. If your flight arrives at around 10am like ours did, you'd be better to go out for breakfast or lunch first and then register at the hotel afterwards. In terms of our room, we originally got a Terrace Studio but when we got there we were asked if we wanted to upgrade to a <a href="http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/stay/rooms-and-suites.aspx" target="_blank">Terrace Studio with Fountain Views</a> for approximately $30 more per night. Since this was our first time in Las Vegas we decided to go for the upgrade and I am very glad we did. The views on our studio suite were out of this world - we could literally sit in our balcony and watch the Bellagio Fountains show.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3opkhor9hZs9xMHrSAkhLFzZAUh_jqz4Je_SiIMooI9m2qv0CyQSe2GARIxZq9sy6eNH7l8fdcUxvzSlxfRb8xx0h0Ep8sa1MQXqgHR98R-l9r1_JqeAHxQaE8L6tmiUyXx2TPadreOU/s1600/IMG_8145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3opkhor9hZs9xMHrSAkhLFzZAUh_jqz4Je_SiIMooI9m2qv0CyQSe2GARIxZq9sy6eNH7l8fdcUxvzSlxfRb8xx0h0Ep8sa1MQXqgHR98R-l9r1_JqeAHxQaE8L6tmiUyXx2TPadreOU/s400/IMG_8145.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our Terrace Studio</td></tr>
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My hubby and I made the following video to showcase the suite in a bit more detail. Hope you enjoy it:<br />
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Another great aspect of The Cosmopolitan is the fact that it has three different pools, all with different moods and landscaping. My favourite pool was the one at <a href="http://www.marqueelasvegas.com/" target="_blank">The Marquee</a>. The Marquee is a very exclusive day club and night club in Las Vegas - the entry cover fee is usually $40 per day but Cosmopolitan guests get in for free by showing their room key and ID - a huge perk! The Marquee has high energy DJ music playing on the background, a nice pool in the middle and some <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_Important_Person" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Very Important Person">VIP</a> cabanas along the edges of the club which come equipped with a private mini pool. If you go to the day club make sure to order a Surfside - it has some delicious tropical flavours that will keep you coming back for more!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Marquee Day Club</td></tr>
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If you happen to be a Foursquare user you may actually benefit from checking-in at the Cosmo. First of all follow The Cosmopolitan on Foursquare and then check-in at three different categories of venues at the resort to unlock a special Cosmopolitan badge which will get you VIP entry access to <a href="http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/taste/restaurant-collection/wicked-spoon.aspx" target="_blank">Wicked Spoon</a> - their world renown buffet.<br />
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Having never been to Vegas before we were a little unsure as to what shows to watch and how to get a good deal on the tickets for them. Luckily enough one of my co-workers had mentioned to me that some kiosks along the strip sell discounted tickets for shows playing the same night. Sure enough we found a <a href="http://www.tix4tonight.com/" target="_blank">Tix4Tonight</a> booth across the street from our hotel. We did end up getting a pretty good deal on the tickets and we also got some discounts on dinner options. In terms of the shows, we decided to watch <a href="http://pages.wynnlasvegas.com/lereve/?WT.mc_id=ppc_google&WT.srch=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_content=lereve" target="_blank">Le Reve</a> and <a href="http://www.phantomlasvegas.com/?gclid=COCy_qeEkrACFYcZQgoddy8mpQ" target="_blank">The Phantom Of The Opera</a>. You will not be disappointed with either of these shows but my personal favourite was Le Reve - a show in which dancers and acrobats come in and out of a huge water pool in the middle of the stage. </div>
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In terms of shopping I would highly recommend making a trip to both <a href="http://www.thefashionshow.com/" target="_blank">The Fashion Show</a> Mall and <a href="http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=58" target="_blank">The Premium Outlets</a> - they both have tons of quality stores and you can find great deals literally everywhere. In terms of dining my favourite restaurant was <a href="http://www.canonita.net/" target="_blank">Taqueria Cañonita</a> - featuring contemporary mexican fusion cuisine with views of the Venetian water canals. </div>
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For those of who are still debating whether or not to make a trip to Las Vegas, I would highly recommend it if you are into any of the following: clubbing, gambling, dining, lounging by the pool, walking, exploring, and yes... even relaxing. As you can see, Las Vegas has something for everyone to enjoy whether it'd be unparalleled luxury or a free walk along the strip at night. All I can say now is that I'm counting the days until I can go back! Thanks for reading and VIVA LAS VEGAS!</div>
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-24578705555277882162012-05-12T11:51:00.000-07:002016-07-01T18:54:14.390-07:00The Secret Circle: A Tribute Filled With HopeEver since I can remember I have been interested in witchcraft shows and movies. I love the mystery, the spells, the magic, the supernatural romance and the drama. Mexican culture is full of rituals that incorporate either white or dark magic. We have entire markets in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.4333333333,-99.1333333333&spn=0.1,0.1&q=19.4333333333,-99.1333333333%20(Mexico%20City)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Mexico City">Mexico City</a> dedicated to selling ingredients to cast spells. I certainly grew up with witchcraft around me. <br />
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My favourite movie of all times is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115963/" target="_blank">The Craft</a> - I recall watching it as a teenager multiple times and loving every minute of it. As much as I loved that movie I never really thought that something else could come along that would be able to trump it. Then came <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837654/" target="_blank">The Secret Circle</a> - a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_program" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Television program">TV show</a> based upon the book series by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._J._Smith" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="L. J. Smith">L.J. Smith</a> (<a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="The Vampire Diaries">The Vampire Diaries</a>).<br />
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The series depicts the life of six witch teenagers who unite their forces by creating a "circle" of power and energy that binds them to one another forever. Drama quickly begins when Cassie (the main character) discovers not only that she is a witch and part of a secret coven, but that she is the key which will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil. You won't find spoilers here as I don't want to ruin it for you if you decide to <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/cw-video/the-secret-circle/family/?play=b70c659a-d4fa-4fc0-9a70-4a29cf22f08d" target="_blank">watch the show</a>.<br />
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For those of you who are fellow fans of both The Craft and The Secret Circle (TSC) did you ever notice the incredible character similarity between <a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0251072/" target="_blank">Faye Chamberlain</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0014042/" target="_blank">Nancy Downs</a>?</center>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdAspuEqb1frZ2ms6o2FxTN7p-5TMe_qaY5kCtLNjwLyVs4A4eQ_tiwHJFzUjZOI0F6tIWX6UaaZy0MkQlYRPiYypkRcdGUN9L8oJjLNeB7EAbIkpWFuelWHLv_mXeYVXuM8-tHnUrik/s1600/Diptic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdAspuEqb1frZ2ms6o2FxTN7p-5TMe_qaY5kCtLNjwLyVs4A4eQ_tiwHJFzUjZOI0F6tIWX6UaaZy0MkQlYRPiYypkRcdGUN9L8oJjLNeB7EAbIkpWFuelWHLv_mXeYVXuM8-tHnUrik/s400/Diptic.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's almost as if Faye is Nancy's little sister. Their facial expressions, wickedness, and personalities are a joy to watch on both instances. I am still almost certain that Faye's character on the TV show version of TSC was modelled after Nancy's as The Craft was even mentioned during one of the first TSC episodes.<br />
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The characters of the show are very relatable and well developed and upcoming stars like <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/1PhoebeJTonkin" target="_blank">Phoebe Tonkin</a> have gained a lot of media attention due to her participation in the series. Unfortunately, the reason I have titled this post as a tribute is because of the very unfortunate news the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.cwtv.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="The CW Television Network">CW</a> announced on May 11, 2012. The Secret Circle has not been renewed for a second season due to "low ratings". Even though the ratings may have been lower than when the show first started (not sure how <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/hart-of-dixie" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Hart of Dixie">Hart of Dixie</a> could have higher ratings and get renewed!), TSC had strong fan followings, several fansites, and podcasts.<br />
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The cancellation news have sparked a worldwide trend on Twitter with the hashtags <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/%23bringbackthesecretcircle" target="_blank">#bringbackthesecretcircle</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23savethecircle" target="_blank">#savethecircle</a>. An online <a href="http://twitition.com/6m2vl" target="_blank">petition</a> has also been started by a fan asking the CW to reconsider their decision - other <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_network" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Television network">TV networks</a> have also been encouraged to pick up the show where it left off. Here are some tweets that display the anger and frustration TSC fans are experiencing:<br />
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At this point all we can do is wait for either The CW/NETFLIX or another network to #savethecircle and to continue to sign any online <a href="https://www.change.org/p/netflix-bring-the-secret-circle-season-2-to-netflix?tk=Lc939prz1DklW3_DNXV7dDOT8pY-as5qbX4l0qD5foI&utm_medium=email&utm_source=signature_receipt&utm_campaign=new_signature" target="_blank">petitions</a>.<br />
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As my favourite TV show of all times I must definitely say that I'll miss watching it on a regular basis. It's very unfortunate that a series with such a great plot and strong characters had to end before being able to fully develop.<br />
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-45747244651124925892012-04-28T16:51:00.001-07:002020-12-07T09:54:43.670-08:00A Guy's Love For DollsI'll be the first to admit that having grown up in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=19.4333333333,-99.1333333333&spn=0.1,0.1&q=19.4333333333,-99.1333333333%20(Mexico%20City)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Mexico City">Mexico City</a> - a very Catholic and "machista" city - I never really felt comfortable playing with dolls as a kid. If I would have been caught playing with dolls at school or at a party I would have likely become a victim of social ridicule and bullying.<br />
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Guys are supposed to like plastic cars, toy soldiers, monster trucks, cowboys and guns. I was always a little bit different than other boys I grew up with. I liked My Little Ponies, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care_Bears" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Care Bears">Care Bears</a>, She-Ra, and yes... <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Barbie">Barbie dolls</a>. While I never actually openly played with dolls, I managed to steal one from one of my cousins during a sleepover weekend. It felt so wrong and yet so right. I was excited to get home to play with it. I remember hiding it underneath the washroom vanity and locking myself up to bring it out.<br />
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Looking back now, I don't really know what I was so ashamed of. Society and cultural gender roles can have a big impact on the way we behave as both kids and adults but at the end of the day someone along the way decided what is considered appropriate and what isn't and it certainly wasn't me! Saying that a boy should not play with dolls is something society decided upon to reinforce the expectation of toughness and machismo men are expected to grow into and it all certainly seems quite arbitrary to me.<br />
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I am an openly gay man now and as such I truly value being able to be in tune with my emotions and to have the ability to express my feelings and views in a way many heterosexual men simply cannot. I guess I'm more connected to my feminine side but I definitely still feel that I am a masculine man. I don't know if dolls had anything to do with me developing these attributes or not but what I do know is that learning to care for care bears, dolls, and other cute toys definitely helped to develop the caring and nurturing nature in me.<br />
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But enough about me... I wanted to write this blog post to openly share my love for dolls with others for the first time.. My little cousin (who I adore) asked my mom to buy her a doll for her birthday. I happened to go to my mom's house the following week and that's when I first was exposed to <a href="https://bpb.opendns.com/b/https/play.monsterhigh.com/en-us" target="_blank">Monster High Dolls</a>
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Monster High dolls are based on a cartoon series depicting the lives of the offspring of famous monsters such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, Medusa, The Phantom Of The Opera, zombies, ghosts, and the abominable snowman. As the intro song to the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_program" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Television program">TV show</a> states these characters are "freaky-chic and fly" and combined they are simply unstoppable. Having watched a few episodes of the series (you can find the pilot below) made me quickly fall in love with the characters behind these dolls even more. You can watch the rest of the series online on the official <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.youtube.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="YouTube">YouTube channel</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/MonsterHigh" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="285" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/F59Qkq512WY" width="500"></iframe></center>
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Now that I am an adult I was able to buy my first ever doll publicly with no shame to worry about. It may sound simple but I must say it was quite a liberating experience for me as it helped me to realize how many of my fears I have conquered through the years and how much more I love myself for who I am.<br />
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Once I got home I unpacked the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Create-A-Monster-Werewolf-Dragon-Starter/dp/B0063NLRR8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335655137&sr=8-1" target="_blank">dolls I bought</a> and decided to take a few fashion shots of them with my <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.apple.com/iphone" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="iPhone">iPhone</a>. I am quite happy with the way they turned out. Here they are, hope you enjoy them!<br />
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Another set of dolls I have been obsessed with for a while are Blythe. These are <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_doll" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Fashion doll">fashion dolls</a> with over sized heads and large eyes that change colour with the pull of a string. They are produced by Japanese toy company Takara and they have sparked a very large network of hobbyists who customize the dolls for resale and create clothing and shoes for them. You can check some of my favourite pictures of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blythe_%28doll%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Blythe (doll)">Blythe dolls</a> on my <a href="http://pinterest.com/angelclemente/blythe/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. I have yet to buy one of these!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmEkfrbmdiUATWqt0n2WtQNJ9IiHkCZqVRzqs4zS_2irKl7sxSGkO7Bfw35QsY7OiwIbn9gVYCFd-oyeNIJdm8TQcGJppbhUI1rKn33PtGdOL9SNS4lQdU46EI2-yKxEOobhWuc6ZhTw/s1600/Blythe_doll_2011_029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmEkfrbmdiUATWqt0n2WtQNJ9IiHkCZqVRzqs4zS_2irKl7sxSGkO7Bfw35QsY7OiwIbn9gVYCFd-oyeNIJdm8TQcGJppbhUI1rKn33PtGdOL9SNS4lQdU46EI2-yKxEOobhWuc6ZhTw/s400/Blythe_doll_2011_029.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blythe Doll</td></tr>
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I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about me and my love for dolls. Feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks for stopping by!~<br />
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-19378795471027969212012-04-04T21:28:00.000-07:002012-12-16T00:14:37.504-08:00The Real Housewives Of Vancouver - First ImpressionsOk fellow <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Real_Housewives" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="The Real Housewives">Real Housewives</a>' fans... Let's
dish it out shall we?<br />
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First of all I'd like to say that I feel extremely
privileged to live in such a beautiful and diverse city as <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.25,-123.1&spn=0.1,0.1&q=49.25,-123.1%20(Vancouver)&t=h" rel="" target="_blank" title="Vancouver">Vancouver</a> – it
certainly looks great on screen and I’m proud to say that I have been to almost
all of the spots the housewives went to on the first two episodes – like most
foodies I love exploring the city’s hot spots and trendy shops.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4noebqSTvsxFcwoeqc8Fo9qbY5cxON8pPJhBIQTuaK51EE5IIytfVqGRxnd697yxc0Jrh6Buv1iI1umD7Pi8wj9pjRItK3Ly7j17m5FaVJLzN2qsabJUZBTMvpjrO3ygIAVLP3oAfpA4/s1600/Downtown-Vancouver-Real-Estate.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4noebqSTvsxFcwoeqc8Fo9qbY5cxON8pPJhBIQTuaK51EE5IIytfVqGRxnd697yxc0Jrh6Buv1iI1umD7Pi8wj9pjRItK3Ly7j17m5FaVJLzN2qsabJUZBTMvpjrO3ygIAVLP3oAfpA4/s400/Downtown-Vancouver-Real-Estate.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">In terms of the ladies, here are my first
impressions:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYX70GungkXXEShRfEcNz6JI2LQMgokisKxB52TkpsAM8ECqhzsx182rxZUVuXsOSO5W44hRSXaP9b8ttgqpIYzgLn_JfxcQeu7AFPyBAoUQ8-92WeYphcBcugGFb5_e4dhJNOsBZ0gPo/s1600/BioDetail.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYX70GungkXXEShRfEcNz6JI2LQMgokisKxB52TkpsAM8ECqhzsx182rxZUVuXsOSO5W44hRSXaP9b8ttgqpIYzgLn_JfxcQeu7AFPyBAoUQ8-92WeYphcBcugGFb5_e4dhJNOsBZ0gPo/s1600/BioDetail.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Jody</span></b></i> – <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_WOW" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Honda WOW">WOW</a> – this woman gives the concept
of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbal_abuse" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Verbal abuse">verbal abuse</a> a whole new meaning. I thought I liked her when she started
talking to people at the market in their <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_language" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="First language">native language</a> but I quickly changed
my mind when she took out her claws and attacked Mary and Christina for no
apparent reason. She seems sweet at
first but trust me she is full of nasty! Also, what's up with the gigantic earrings and jewelry?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc8bRCvLTMU962Se1hyphenhyphenKG_9IVsUy9QKqa_esbRW3sF00y90rtlDnTelPBcibjzoKhe6jQMAeDpbevz31vPPgpnNSc2qId_7FjgSLDDSMx3xcCa66Urk_3KxphNcAqTC_PXsVrFcE3Xh0/s1600/BioDetail-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc8bRCvLTMU962Se1hyphenhyphenKG_9IVsUy9QKqa_esbRW3sF00y90rtlDnTelPBcibjzoKhe6jQMAeDpbevz31vPPgpnNSc2qId_7FjgSLDDSMx3xcCa66Urk_3KxphNcAqTC_PXsVrFcE3Xh0/s1600/BioDetail-2.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Reiko</span></i></b> – My favourite Vancouver housewife by
far! She knows how to enjoy her money without making others feel inferior. She
has a very expensive taste and she is not scared to flaunt it. I like the fact
that she is not impressed by drama or cattiness and that she will defend others
if she feels they are being attacked wrongfully. I totally want one of her three Ferraris. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFp101Oi4BfxQxcM7qVbJvgCpy-qIqlD7ylIBOSrts6s2RwgFBwBE1aZzrfqU56_nXFjpMFKbaHm6RdYbBFYlfJ686p9SBcj6LZS3MXqPCZuAgLlPXlrkxwO2s0vheg2M8GDUpcclKuU/s1600/BioDetail-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFp101Oi4BfxQxcM7qVbJvgCpy-qIqlD7ylIBOSrts6s2RwgFBwBE1aZzrfqU56_nXFjpMFKbaHm6RdYbBFYlfJ686p9SBcj6LZS3MXqPCZuAgLlPXlrkxwO2s0vheg2M8GDUpcclKuU/s1600/BioDetail-3.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Christina </span></i></b>– A gay boy’s dream BFF – I can
totally see why her best friend is gay. She is fun, she is gorgeous, she has a
kind heart, and she is actually quite vulnerable even through she may not necessarily
show it. If I were throwing a party I’d definitely want her to attend.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllMkbX2AZRm3UFVaOOoN3dL8bzZ4PAGoJsV762B3LKsUq5eKEEq622Q73crRMJDtCE1yT5Lwy5KBLoI-3JaE8h0CMdcin0ebzsf9jPTjuHGSgvBTVeh9bDdsqkRz5fHpzswtn3cGEw5Q/s1600/BioDetail-4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllMkbX2AZRm3UFVaOOoN3dL8bzZ4PAGoJsV762B3LKsUq5eKEEq622Q73crRMJDtCE1yT5Lwy5KBLoI-3JaE8h0CMdcin0ebzsf9jPTjuHGSgvBTVeh9bDdsqkRz5fHpzswtn3cGEw5Q/s1600/BioDetail-4.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Ronnie </i></b></span>– I am a little confused when it
comes to Ronnie. She definitely lives a lavish life and she’s got an amazing
body but her friendship skills are a different story. She had no problem
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trash-talk" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Trash-talk">trash-talking</a> her friends in front of others and she could not be bothered to
defend poor Mary from Jody’s incessant attacks. I would not want Ronnie to be
my friend and most certainly I would not want her to be my enemy. She’s one to
watch for when it comes to drama this season I’m sure.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuva-Izr2qhJjA1uKLLlydZ8sWTEhvn_sfj-zpX0sMBtlhgLzhS-U3fxqTqiqj-Woq4YGquCWa6ra2jJJEfft8KT8_TkPZYHM7yuEe_wkbolQuBugk_bOycZy9rhyphenhyphensgMx9ugaoRJKYKwg/s1600/BioDetail-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuva-Izr2qhJjA1uKLLlydZ8sWTEhvn_sfj-zpX0sMBtlhgLzhS-U3fxqTqiqj-Woq4YGquCWa6ra2jJJEfft8KT8_TkPZYHM7yuEe_wkbolQuBugk_bOycZy9rhyphenhyphensgMx9ugaoRJKYKwg/s1600/BioDetail-1.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Mary</i></b></span> – What a sweet woman. However, even
sweetness can be bothersome at times. From what we’ve seen so far she’s
definitely lacking a backbone. I would not go as far as Jody did by
recommending that she goes to visit a therapist but she definitely needs to
stand up for herself if she wants to survive in this group’s company. I think Mary will surprise us by having the biggest
transformation of the season. Has anyone heard her music before? I certainly haven't. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I am very happy with the show and the cast.
It will be lots of fun to watch and the drama seems to only get better from
here. I have loved pretty much all of the prior editions of The Real Housewives
and I must say that Vancouver does not look like it will disappoint. As Jody
very well said: “Let The Games Begin” - It's on! What did you think?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-87508139538228301772012-03-04T21:32:00.000-08:002012-03-04T21:32:02.805-08:00Good Life Lesson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt-DI1DnqdY3Tz3bOLdQoFgWCTvLgm5PR7E6Cg9RTYRe3XsSGg5KV1bGVl5Wfc7DSHnRS6NuBXflukja9ti-7M9PsZV8xDBrkf4tryQxP51trFRnz2wEvAzBI0_fXepxLSKqJOzx1MPs/s1600/420714_362091737145332_295143850506788_1218594_293419695_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyt-DI1DnqdY3Tz3bOLdQoFgWCTvLgm5PR7E6Cg9RTYRe3XsSGg5KV1bGVl5Wfc7DSHnRS6NuBXflukja9ti-7M9PsZV8xDBrkf4tryQxP51trFRnz2wEvAzBI0_fXepxLSKqJOzx1MPs/s320/420714_362091737145332_295143850506788_1218594_293419695_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-79005578402436263602011-10-21T12:07:00.000-07:002011-10-21T12:08:18.245-07:00Forever my Juliet...My friend Keely and I having a blast at our work party. She chose the song... I added the corniness :)<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26081079">
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<embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F26081079" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="http://soundcloud.com/angelclemente/lovesong">Lovesong</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/angelclemente">Angel Clemente</a>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-50901589604334344592011-10-02T13:24:00.000-07:002012-12-16T00:22:26.495-08:002011 Vancouver Men's Fashion WeekI was very excited to be invited to the first ever <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.25,-123.1&spn=0.1,0.1&q=49.25,-123.1%20(Vancouver)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Vancouver">Vancouver</a> Men's <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_week" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Fashion week">Fashion Week</a> by my good friend <a href="http://www.twitter.com/urbanmonsieur">Jorge Ramos</a>. Both Jorge and his colleague Jun Ramos have worked in the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.wikinvest.com/industry/Fashion" rel="wikinvest" target="_blank" title="Fashion">fashion industry</a> for some years now and their vision was to promote Vancouver's own <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Designer">designers</a> via a fashion week focusing exclusively on men's design. Through Jun's company <a href="http://www.ramos-fortier.com/">Ramos & Fortier</a>, Jorge and Jun's team decided to build a fashion week from the ground up by recruiting volunteers, local and worldwide designers, models, photographers, bloggers and other fashion industry professionals. The fashion week not only helped to spotlight designers but it also acted as an opportunity for fashion students and professionals to get some real-life experience in the field.<br />
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Vancouver Men's Fashion Week - commonly known as VMFW - consisted of conferences and a fashion show at a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=49.284688,-123.110953&spn=0.01,0.01&q=49.284688,-123.110953%20(Gastown)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Gastown">Gastown</a> nightclub called <a href="http://www.donnellygroup.ca/postmodern/">The PostModern</a>. I will focus on the latter on this article. Here are some pictures of us at the event:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy6oQ9POHzNd6cal_EjR7V8OipQQvq9_AMzPFhZ8gkBysowtiHaefXXn5FllWa7C-EmCaIYvmO0f_-F2Dae0AuiSK7k4rK_sGalN8mg110gsdkGl3zgNXJyF6vGmv6Q1XdMktstfggyw/s1600/IMG_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjy6oQ9POHzNd6cal_EjR7V8OipQQvq9_AMzPFhZ8gkBysowtiHaefXXn5FllWa7C-EmCaIYvmO0f_-F2Dae0AuiSK7k4rK_sGalN8mg110gsdkGl3zgNXJyF6vGmv6Q1XdMktstfggyw/s320/IMG_2015.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0NhoZjeHS_5ftrY8hyphenhyphenDhWf365l0MsO05QgEDBLBUfNnxWPnv8GwgnWRz4_KGQ6FkaAEzqKIK4x4uW41ciAqQCc3II2goOzhgwFlrGKADgMTZqxjBBhJE38zA6pKEpNN7zl9NSwdf7u0/s1600/IMG_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0NhoZjeHS_5ftrY8hyphenhyphenDhWf365l0MsO05QgEDBLBUfNnxWPnv8GwgnWRz4_KGQ6FkaAEzqKIK4x4uW41ciAqQCc3II2goOzhgwFlrGKADgMTZqxjBBhJE38zA6pKEpNN7zl9NSwdf7u0/s320/IMG_2016.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgJTa2IS4CdYQ9b4k_LRMd5Wg6sMUgATIuTpVZkRFPpSKqf_Futc_ziDGlNPcOqdco7BuI9826d0dBsL0RLT2FXtKnko_01hyphenhyphenSpRcwgi2aJ3mjTKyMwqytwKjM3V9PsUxKTHEUhkpCsg/s1600/IMG_2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXgJTa2IS4CdYQ9b4k_LRMd5Wg6sMUgATIuTpVZkRFPpSKqf_Futc_ziDGlNPcOqdco7BuI9826d0dBsL0RLT2FXtKnko_01hyphenhyphenSpRcwgi2aJ3mjTKyMwqytwKjM3V9PsUxKTHEUhkpCsg/s320/IMG_2025.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJpqoP55k2p1F_KkYyORv7qnM3hZgkOo_n9NQBFrFBNcbwje_5APEZej-awb5epfTld_PUJcgaqKWNyOv14gRh4OXqkd6IApAwA737euLtZqNCkuIGgHNmVa2_srEihyphenhyphenXCsrq3jEc5cg/s1600/IMG_2026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJpqoP55k2p1F_KkYyORv7qnM3hZgkOo_n9NQBFrFBNcbwje_5APEZej-awb5epfTld_PUJcgaqKWNyOv14gRh4OXqkd6IApAwA737euLtZqNCkuIGgHNmVa2_srEihyphenhyphenXCsrq3jEc5cg/s320/IMG_2026.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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The event started at 5:30pm with a meet and greet with the models and designers. At 7pm the club was absolutely packed and you could definitely sense people's anticipation to see the event. The PostModern has three levels and the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Runway">runway</a> was on the ground floor. My only criticism about the event was the location - due to the really high number of guests it would have been more comfortable for everyone to have a runway that extended over a longer space in order to provide more seating along the runway. The runway that was used was quite wide but very short - this forced guests to cram together in a very limited space in order to be able to enjoy the show. At the same time, I am aware of the fact that this is the first men's fashion show of this caliber to be held in Vancouver and therefore I am certain that next year's location will be more fitting.<br />
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The runway show started promptly at 7pm with a few words from Jun Ramos (who seemed very proud of his team and the overall show). The music was very upbeat and it therefore helped to keep everyone in a cheery mood for the entire evening. Here is a list of the designers who showed their work last night:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Dodjie Batu</li>
<li>Brittany-Anne Fisher</li>
<li>Frederick Fung</li>
<li>Nico Agustin</li>
<li>Anthony McRae</li>
<li>Steve Samson</li>
<li>Franz Patrick Albana</li>
<li>Desiree Mark</li>
<li>Ashli Soto</li>
<li>Sweat Collection</li>
<li>Theresa Chen</li>
<li>Bia Boro Apparel</li>
<li>Teodora Wong</li>
<li><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.isaotomita.net/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Isao Tomita">Tomita</a> Fenton Yasuhiro</li>
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Now let's talk a bit about the fashion trends I noticed at the show. Men's overall fashion seems to be moving towards a more classic look with retro-inspired tops, bottoms, accessories, and hairstyles. Oversized luggage-style bags were still very much present on the runway. Shirts with very deep V-necks will still be worn this fall. Suit jackets with patterns paired with a more neutral pant were also quite common across the various collections. Designers also seemed to make use of a few different metallic fabrics for their designs - whether this trend will cross over to the mainstream fashion is yet to be determined. The long slouchy sweaters that were so popular for women last winter are making a come back this year but now for men. Scarves and vests were also seen across various collections. Industrial boots with skinny jeans should most definitely be part of your look this fall/winter. </div>
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One of my favorite collections was from local <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=54.9,-124.5&spn=0.1,0.1&q=54.9,-124.5%20(British%20Columbia)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="British Columbia">British Columbia</a> designer <a href="http://scarletblackfashion.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/frederick-fung-fashion-designer/">Frederick Fung</a>. Frederick was able to showcase different fashion styles that I think could be quite popular this year. Here's a video for you to enjoy:</div>
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Overall, I am very proud of Jorge and Jun for bringing this kind of event to Vancouver. We are an extremely multicultural city that has a lot to offer when it comes to fashion and design. I am definitely looking forward to next year's event as I just read on Jorge's twitter timeline that he has already started planning it! (not even 12 hours after this year's event ended). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVI9MjS6K9cDos-iU7ZiCucl2LVmTz2MPOdiUBHCae8ilYo_pMQoKFbqQOyRMF1JAMcujnS9F5X25MJVODjPkU_43fFe_6vCGb_KiXZ4w_Gz2D_Dh91gxUC1qs1IMEA1loRQfV2Z0xZ68/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-10-02+at+11.14.26+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="67" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVI9MjS6K9cDos-iU7ZiCucl2LVmTz2MPOdiUBHCae8ilYo_pMQoKFbqQOyRMF1JAMcujnS9F5X25MJVODjPkU_43fFe_6vCGb_KiXZ4w_Gz2D_Dh91gxUC1qs1IMEA1loRQfV2Z0xZ68/s400/Screen+Shot+2011-10-02+at+11.14.26+AM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-38161118800706045472011-08-21T13:36:00.000-07:002011-08-21T13:36:35.270-07:00My Beloved Trolls!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhElmMVRQr5i_eh78GXCtrTAPUzNrdrY8Jr1I_Lv_bI2_59SXDPeWplIZfM2Z-DloWJuw3WgpRU5OWrrIMB7ASHbZSU757REa747-1NmXbDpOcTdC0tw-KkfUVB1qO5aVfe2AktzQO_vQ/s1600/18d56c742804437dbd0fbd8c1fb3c15e_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhElmMVRQr5i_eh78GXCtrTAPUzNrdrY8Jr1I_Lv_bI2_59SXDPeWplIZfM2Z-DloWJuw3WgpRU5OWrrIMB7ASHbZSU757REa747-1NmXbDpOcTdC0tw-KkfUVB1qO5aVfe2AktzQO_vQ/s400/18d56c742804437dbd0fbd8c1fb3c15e_7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">The one on the left represents strength and protection - that's why she carries a stick and has lost one of her eyes. The middle one represents abundance and prosperity - that's why she has a triple chin: the first chin is for health, the second chin is for wealth, and the third chin is for love. The troll on the right (my personal fave) represents fertility - that's why she has big hips and luscious hair. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">That's their story :)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-40281117956370992142011-07-31T23:43:00.000-07:002012-12-16T00:23:21.501-08:00Unforgettable Pride Weekend in Vancouver!I must say that I have never had as much fun during gay pride events as I did this year. It all started on Friday night with an awesome <a href="http://www.vancouverpride.ca/event-calendar?id=707">street party</a> on Davie - a Vancouver street known for supporting gay people and businesses.<br />
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On Saturday I headed to the closing ceremony for the <a href="http://www.vancouver2011outgames.com/">Vancouver Out Games</a> headlined by <a href="http://dragonetteonline.com/">Dragonette</a> and the one and only <a href="http://www.aceofbase-music.de/">Ace Of Base</a>. I still cannot believe I got to watch AOB perform live in concert! And not only that... my friend and I were lucky enough to be able to stand right in front of the stage. A dream come true for me. Both Dragonette and AOB were AMAZING live. <br />
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Today the fun continued with the now classic Pride Parade in Vancouver's West End. There were lots of cool people around and festivities going on all day long. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. This was truly an unforgettable one!<br />
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<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=104087" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fangelclemente%2Fsets%2F72157627327014562%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fangelclemente%2Fsets%2F72157627327014562%2F&set_id=72157627327014562&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0Vancouver, BC, Canada49.261226 -123.113926849.2016675 -123.2147628 49.3207845 -123.0130908tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-53294631934732870122011-07-27T09:41:00.001-07:002011-07-27T09:55:29.822-07:00Delicious French Food in Vancouver!Had an amazing dinner at <a href="http://www.lesfauxbourgeois.com/">Les Faux Bourgeois</a> last night.<br />
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Here is a picture of what I ordered: duck breast with fig jam and faba beans. To die for! Highly recommended.<br />
<br />
Also, remember to get the <span class="st"><i>Crème brûlée</i></span> for dessert. It was one of the best I have ever had. Yum. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEc9e62lRxfOzEgeM3yZw5InGbz0aZnx4Q2pzlthtZ1xoTKvGWunQuGQNsC-OnTwYbF-HMfevCQKkMJzGKly85MRES3oKC1YQR5qfweYzTxdw-DwMvJRA4SuoMGWC_DWKF2m6YrGllLSg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEc9e62lRxfOzEgeM3yZw5InGbz0aZnx4Q2pzlthtZ1xoTKvGWunQuGQNsC-OnTwYbF-HMfevCQKkMJzGKly85MRES3oKC1YQR5qfweYzTxdw-DwMvJRA4SuoMGWC_DWKF2m6YrGllLSg/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com2663 E 15 Ave, Vancouver, BC V5T 3K5, Canada49.2572762 -123.0896261000000349.1452392 -123.32308560000003 49.3693132 -122.85616660000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-70568265930996027472011-07-25T10:44:00.001-07:002011-07-25T16:54:35.042-07:00Oh Smurfette... You are such a tease!<div class="posterous_autopost"><a href="http://instagr.am/p/IgOkO/"></a><br />
<div class="p_embed p_image_embed"><a href="http://instagr.am/p/IgOkO/"></a><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/angelclemente/htbCmsyExBplsowydcFxgremtIfrpxqgnIwAcaiueJGvgnhJdzCwzJqpCErJ/media_httpimagesinsta_icjcJ.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Media_httpimagesinsta_icjcj" height="500" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/angelclemente/htbCmsyExBplsowydcFxgremtIfrpxqgnIwAcaiueJGvgnhJdzCwzJqpCErJ/media_httpimagesinsta_icjcJ.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><br />
Taken at Cinemark Tinseltown Theatre</div>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-6970557299273259222011-07-12T10:18:00.000-07:002011-07-12T10:18:46.784-07:00Our new Fluval Edge Aquarium<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;">A quick movie of our first aquarium! A 6 Gallon Fluval Edge. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;">We currenly have 4 male Guppies. Any ideas of what else can we add to the tank? (preferably other fish)? Feel free to comment. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt;">Hope you enjoy it!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iJBV5mjSTVI?hd=1" width="500"></iframe></span></span></div>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-35193098914543442042011-07-11T11:23:00.001-07:002011-07-12T10:13:14.677-07:00Cute Kaleidoscope photo of my TOMY bobblehead!<div class="posterous_autopost"><a href="http://instagr.am/p/Hc29J/"></a><br />
<div class="p_embed p_image_embed"><a href="http://instagr.am/p/Hc29J/"></a><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/angelclemente/hszsesqnwxJsfnnGHFFdswqhlcksowyudlvDzbopbndrrpdJGfhymyCjAnai/media_httpimagesinsta_pEqnq.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Media_httpimagesinsta_peqnq" height="500" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/angelclemente/hszsesqnwxJsfnnGHFFdswqhlcksowyudlvDzbopbndrrpdJGfhymyCjAnai/media_httpimagesinsta_pEqnq.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><br />
Taken at Vancity - Head Office</div>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6068488978051913162.post-26205642542249875722011-07-11T10:37:00.001-07:002011-07-12T10:15:04.264-07:00Beautiful Seagull striking a pose<div class="posterous_autopost"><a href="http://instagr.am/p/Hctuy/"></a><br />
<div class="p_embed p_image_embed"><a href="http://instagr.am/p/Hctuy/"></a><a href="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/angelclemente/tnItFHrltgmExrpkDrDenaBIycutklycBpxhmGHvHdrbjxsxpfgunwprbgfs/media_httpimagesinsta_ahyuE.jpg.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="Media_httpimagesinsta_ahyue" height="500" src="http://posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/angelclemente/tnItFHrltgmExrpkDrDenaBIycutklycBpxhmGHvHdrbjxsxpfgunwprbgfs/media_httpimagesinsta_ahyuE.jpg.scaled500.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><br />
Taken at Vancity - Head Office</div>Angelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08913003628254823959noreply@blogger.com0