The conventional wisdom is that in most cases the choice of a link function is largely a matter of taste. This blog is a link function.

Just a brief fashion outlook. I think this was the hardest so far. Me and fashion are going separate ways. Even in my “what should I wear if I can wear anything or nothing” constellation, it was really hard to find what really fits. But, some designers launched pretty “wearable” collections that have nothing to do with some of their past creations. Just don’t do that.

Some words before the picture gallery: the new Fendi just interesting, but not for me. The Givenchy as well, but it has scarves. Gucci=flower power (still hate it). Gaultier is all about the hat. Again. Jil Sander totally lost me because of the concept. John Bartlet = too grey even for my very grey style. Galliano = artsy little hippie concept. Maybe the best, as creation. Now some pictures not the narrative:

Calvin Klein

Still Calvin Klein

DKNY

Dries van Noten

Hermes

Hermes as well

Oh snap, Hermes again

Michael Kors

Moschino

Moschino

Prada

Always two (Prada)

Versace

Versace

Viktor&Rolf (not just because they are so fucking hyped)

Yves Saint Laurent

Pictures mostly Marco Madeira (Men’s Fashion).

But comments are more than welcome!

Zee.

Showing the new clothes became a trend, but here this is just a message: add the picture to the video. Those who know me, what will happen. Moreover, we have too many things to celebrate, don’t we Nori and Cipri? Congrats to both!

[a:rpia:r]@Club Midi, Closing Party – 17th June, 2008

In October, it was our first party at Club Midi. This will be the last one. I said this before the Scarlett gig, but common, nobody believed me. Here is the “raestsel”. NOT.

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Those who play Gabriel Ananda [and it is on THE ALBUM] don’t have to do anything else!

Zee.

I’ve seen on many blogs that putting samples of good advertising is a habit. Well, I will follow this rule and I’ll post some interesting prints. I’m interested in prints, because here you don’t have 30 seconds for the narrative part. All the pictures are taken from the Ads of the World community and archive. Nice database!

Social. Gegen Missbrauch: Hand (Advertising Agency: Grabarz & Partner, Germany)

Thematic 1.  Luxor Highlighters: Hitler (Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett Mumbai, India)

Thematic 2. Hut Weber: Hitler vs. Chaplin (Advertising Agency: Serviceplan Hamburg / München, Germany)

Nice. Simon Perele: Sexy – Be like French. Wear Sexy (Advertising Agency: Liwa Advertising LLC, Dubai, UAE)

Funny 1. The Sunset Grill and Tap: Belgium (Advertising Agency: Arnold Worldwide, Boston, USA)

Funny 2, although I HATE AXE. Unilever/Axe:McCain (Advertising Agency: BBH, New York, USA)

And well, last but not least: (1) don’t forget the M&M series and (2) search for the World of Warcraft ads (with Mr. T and MiniMe).

Best online: Take the Test, army-freaks! It is hardcore! (Advertising Agency: DDB Stockholm)

OFF TOPIC: Don’t you dare to cheese your fucking mind! (SP 12, Episode 3).

Zee.

An old desire!

Clue 1: “Leather is a splendid fact of Italian fashion. Like all natural materials, it may have small imperfections and show slight differences of colour. Bata loves leather, like you.”

Clue 2 (bizarro):

Zee.

Highlights: Jil Sander has the most boring collection, Michael Kors is definitely the “most Batman” and Dior is very dark. It may be a tendency, but not everywhere. Impressed. Selected with care, as usual. Enjoy!

Calvin Klein

(* very Deothic – nagyon Deós)

Donna Karan New York

Fendi

Hermes

Givenchy

Moschino

Roberto Cavalli

Louis Vuitton

Yves Saint Laurent (almost winner)

* I couldn’t believe it, but I hope it is a sign of maturity – somehow detached from my functionalist approach, the absolute winner is Jean Paul Gaultier:

** Last but not least a special dedication to Anna Keszeg (Bottega Venetta):

Pictures from men.style.com, where else!

Zee.

Some pictures from of the last few days

Three hours later, the fog makes this picture. Ten degrees colder, dark and foggy. Darthvader and the sword (Pana FZ8K)

And now, the human stupidity, not God’s stupidity…

The last drop: a bit of ‘88 because of the lottery fever (Grigorescu, Cluj-Napoca, Nokia 6120):

And we should never forget that once we were slaves…And we will be (Downtown Cluj-Napoca, Nokia 6120):

So, let’s get back to Baltimore.

Zee.

When you don’t go to party on a Saturday night, obviously this happens. Using the classics, men.style.com, I’ve checked out the Spring 2008 Collections. It wasn’t easy, because Mr Henry wanted to sell me a Braun shaving machine on my 10th click, and Mr. Grueber was doing a nice set on the radio, but I tried to focus.

Some remarks: my taste did not change. But… Interestingly I found a greater connection to the Marc Jacobs collection than in the past. Louis Vuitton becomes a bit boring, but considering my cycling experience, the shoes are for me! Mr Marco Madeira had a terrible position on the Valentino show, all the photos are “right wing”, but it’s not a loss. Actually, the Jean Paul Gaultier collection had 2 items that made me think that sometimes I will understand/like him. Till then, the hate remains. Oh, and the Burberry Prorsum is so not mine that I’ve checked out the Braun add.

So, some things that I liked:

Roberto Cavalli:

Ralph Lauren:

Calvin Klein:

DKNY:

Givenchy:

Marc Jacobs:

Moschino:

But I must copy-paste here the text: “You can’t put your arms around a memory, but Franco Moschino’s torchbearers are doing their best. The late designer’s iconoclastic inclinations have been logo-fied: Here, his once-ironic peace sign showed up as a zesty fluorescent orange detail on denim”.

All of them are like this. I could kill these people. And the make-up artists do the same.

Off Topic: Header change, to support something! And 2 articles of mine (ok ok, collective, were published last week). So, Sin City!

Zee.

I am mentioning the review style because of the very OK spirit that I had during the first party in Club Midi (yesterday). Although, I won’t respect the rules of this kind of discourse.

The club is near the Ursus factory, it is a bigger one and definitely upper-middle to premium positioned club. First, the advertising remarks: blogs, electro fans and the Outwear Coffee and Clothing. This cross promotion goes that far that the party entrance (fee 15 RON before 12 pm and 30 after, no consumption included) bracelets are Outwear labeled. Of course, Peroni is present as well, all the T-shirts and even the checkroom card is Peroni branded.

It is full of security, but they seem to be the normal ones. Not Harvard graduates with PhD in social behavior or social psychology, but still. And one guy had Everlast T-shirt. Yes yes, the boxing brand. Nice touch. So, it is a safe place with a horde of waitresses and barmen who do a good job. Fast cleaning (scary bussers), napkin for your drink, ice without asking and average (upper-middle or premium) prices. Of course, only 0.33 beers are available, but common, minimal party, minimalistic design and minimalistic drinks.

(Photos: Aida Ilie)

So, the design: minimalistic, hard shapes, nice white. Full with visual effects, led and several projectors. The video projections follow the music and the mood, but after a while they repeat. But, if you can observe that they are repeated you aren’t enjoying the party, so go home and screw you! The interestingly placed lights are helping the mood creation process and they work well.

Sound quality: exceptional. It moves your nose, hair and tummy, but you can talk and the sound is really clear. So, no wonder why they advertised the club based on the sound system that could be compared to Amnesia or Cocoon (experts know these places). The music was minimal tech or elector minimal with RPR, aka Rhadoo, Pedro and Reresh. All this happened in the mainroom. Backroom closed, but if you want to hang out there, get a couple of friends and they open it for you. And close it, if you need privacy. They put music together, I think following the next principle: I start and let us see what you can do with this. The collective effort was very good.

Design again: I like constructions. Ideas that are closed. Ideas that are reflected even in the smallest detail. And the bathroom is the concluding act of a club’s design strategy. A ++ for this bathroom. Aluminum, mirrors and central sprinklers from the ceiling. 5-6 sprinklers to wash your hand, foam soap and instant cleaning. Reflexive and self healing.

And now, the crucial point: GUESTS.

Well, hmmmm….To “fitze” or no to “fitze”. An excellent Romanian term for show-off. Yes, here are people with “fitze”. But they leave at 2 am or get sufficiently drunk till that hour in order to feel good. Who stays, stays for the music. It is not disturbing, but is a fact. We all know that the people who like this music are not always the richest, so no exclusive club will rise tomorrow. But the dialogues heard outside were hilarious, so thank you for the 18000 W. Jesus, I thought if you like something, you are interested in it, so maybe you read something more in your life than Libertatea. But these individuals are pretty unfamiliar with thinking, behaving, formulating sentences or reading. Sickooo! As a friend told me, the owners have a daddy, who owns the only Mclaren Mercedes in Cluj. So, it is not surprising. The club is opened only on Fridays and Saturdays. God knows how much longer will it survive, considering the 500000 EUR investment.

(via Radu)

Air condition works well and the standing ashtrays are really useful for smokers.

Conclusion: like it, like it. Mostly for the music and feeling. Not for the people. But we can live with it, don’t we! I recommend the place for electro lovers or Benz owners. Was the first time, but definitely not the last. Oscar has competition. But there is the house party feeling.

P.S.: pictures and video not from the party I’ve attended. From the opening party. No official site yet.

Zee.

There are two types of DJs: the one that puts music that you don’t know, it’s interesting and good, and the one who puts classical remixes. Tom Novy is the second one. Nothing special, nothing extraordinary. But it works like hell. It’s a show, nothing else. He looks like the traditional ATB style german DJ that is an ass, wants special drinks, limo and attends regular fitness meetings. But he does know something extremely well: the party.

Extremely good performance and not just because of the huntermaster that killed the bears (Jaegermeister and Ursus, for other cultural context).

Good sound, light-show, video and performance. Not just music. It is good to see that a community works well here; as in the Trance Energy sessions, there was the loading part. Here: Kubrick theme. Fire and Eyes wide shut and 2001: A Space Odyssey motion picture score for introducing the man, who knew what to do, when and with what.

But the house/mininal approach from V Barbulescu was a convincing opening act.

Just big ups!

Own pictures, videos and recorded stuff later, coz motorola still sucks! But a brief little teaser to feature Sergiu’s project can be found here.

Zee.

POLITICS: nothing new, referendum. It is an excellent way to fuck up a basically good thing, but in order to be there and campaign for the Democratic Party everything is cool. But now, it is official. I wonder how many common topics there will be? None, of course.

FOOTBALL: yeah right, beating Sevilla. Right right. And maybe Arsenal, at home. Which Arsenal? The one that beat the crap out of Praga (7-0). Hahahaahaaaaaa, as Mr JIJI would say.

F1: Raikonnen rules, Mclaren sucks balls!

Extra: two little tubes, where the electro genius is “clean” cut, no drugs, no drinking, no making out with men (Richie Hawtin, who is bf of Dj Magda, and Sven has wife, children [or as Bush would say, childrens] and mushrooms). But still, the music is music! And this one could not be embedded!

P.S. maybe some find some resemblance with the inner circle. Ouu Ouu Ouu.

Zee.