Today's Bananas Video: Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll"

I've been obsessed with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs lately and this song is on repeat on my ipod for days and days and days. But the music video for it is even better than the song itself. I love it. It's so freak, it's so fierce (literally), and it's so visually conceptual; it's brilliant. 'Nuff said, forget Beyonce's Single Ladies best video of the year win at the 2009 VMAs, *this* should be the best video.

And gotta love the unintentional Micheal Jackson tribute (the video was produced and released months before MJ's death)

Enjoy.

Today's Bananas Fashion: Fall Wishlist

Fall is no doubt my favorite season, especially when recent Summer has been less than stellar lately weather-wise. I'm already so over wearing shorts and t-shirts every single day. I'm eager to put on some knit, wool, cashmere, and my favorite clothing item, jackets. There's just something about the Fall season that looks and feels so romantic. Maybe because people are covering up more and hence, look a lot less trashy than during Summer. I'm a big fan of layering, and that's because it maximizes my opportunity to wear more stuff from my closet and makes me feel like my money was well-spent on certain items since i'm actually wearing them (especially when it comes to my repertoire of jackets).

Even though the weather is still relatively warm for September, I started collecting a few Fall things here and there, just to get prepared for when time comes to bundle up, which in this city is always sooner than expected. But because my low budget doesn't really permit me to get things I really want to own this Fall, my only remedy is to blog about them through a wishlist post. So if there are any generous Samaritans out there willing to share their abundance of wealth with commoners like I, they will know what to FedEx me :)

1. Elizabeth & James Reversible Puffer Vest

I wear puffer vest during summer (I wore one today, actually), so obviously during fall for me it's almost something I can't avoid. The idea of being warm only on the upper body but leaving the arms out in the open fascinates me, but beyond that, I think they're just really cool. I want this one very badly because it looks incredibly warm and it's almost vintage-looking. Elizabeth & James is one of the high-end fashion lines from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (I know!) and its from their newly-launched mens collection. Select Barneys New York, Barneys.com, US$565.

2. Burberry Prorsum Cashmere-knit Granpa Sweater

Knits are my favorite kind of sweaters to wear during fall (not the itchy Acrylic ones though) and I especially like it when they look like they're for grand-fathers during Christmas suppers. Call me old school, but that's my kind of stuff. A little anecdote of mine; I've started wearing granpa cardigans back in high school where it was frown upon (the times before Justin Timberlake was dancing around in 'em), and now younger guys from any kind of style groups in granpa cardigans are all walking around owning the look. As Jay-Z would say (in one of his songs called Off that): "If you driving it, I drove it. If you got it, cause I sold it. If you copped it, I bought it back". That's all. Confederacy, shopconfederacy.com, US$750.

3. Comme des Garcon x Converse Sneakers

Who doesn't own a pair of Converse? They're comfortable, easy to wear, and they're so classic that saying they're too cool for school is an understatement. I've own a couple of pairs, although I've managed to put them in places where they've gone though very rough times. Nonetheless, very solid shoes. But when I saw that one of my favorite Japanese luxury brand Comme des Garcon is teaming up with Converse to make these fun new sneakers, it was like Christmas all over again (as a matter fact, they will be on my Christmas list this year). A huge success in Japan, the U.S. will be getting them soon at select Comme des Garcon stores and retail carriers. US$100.

Today's Bananas Music Video: Kid Kudi

"I Make Her Say" - Kid Kudi ft. Kanye West & Common

I love blogs. I love photography blogs even more. I love The Sartorialist. I first came to know The Sartorialist through my monthly-reading of GQ Magazine. He has a a section of his own that appears every month where the magazine would show his photographs of random strangers' street style, mainly guys since it's for GQ. Little did I know that he actually has a blog on the web where he posts his photographs as well. He's actually a pretty well-known freelance fashion photographer that likes to roam around New York City, Paris, Milan and London (and occasionally other cities around the world) to capture the essence of people's style. He's always present during fashion week around the globe. Apparently, people aspire to appear on his blog and being photographed by him on the street. You're basically granted entry to "cool-dome".

So, earlier today I stumbled upon Refinery29 and there was a funny post about how to get snapped by The Sartorialist. If you're slightly familiarized with The Sartorialist, you would find this little step-by-step guide funny. I do, anyways.

(you may want to click on it to enlarge to see it better)

Today's Bananas Fashion: Spring 2010 Menswear

It comes as no surprise to people around me that I'm a fashion enthusiast. Mostly because I like arts in general. Unfortunately, for all the things  I like, I can practice none of them. I can't sing/play instruments, I can't draw, paint or sculpt, and I'm no good at creative writting either. I do however think I have a keen sense of style and know how to put outfits together effortlessly. Not to brag, but I'm pretty sure I can perfectly blend with the Parisians, Italiens, and Englishmen. So obviously, men.style.com is one of my favorite sites because you get virtual front row seats to the latest shows in New York, Paris, Milan and London. Aside from providing show coverages, it's a great source of fashion journalism and style advice for men, which doesn't diminish one's mascunality, but rather improves one's self-esteem through updated personal physical appearance. We're currently in the midst of mens Spring/Summer 2010 fashion week in Paris and Milan, and curious as I am, I had to check out what are the new trends walking down the runway that rich people can afford. It took a good amount of my lonely night, but I was able to go through most of them and make a list of my favorite collections. 

Even though I highly respect a designer's creative point of view about fashion and style, I don't necessarily like most of the things that come down the runway, just because it's simply not wearable in real life. For the amount of men on this planet, I'm sure there is only a very minimilistic portion of us that are willing to wear drop-crotch pants and fishnet top in the middle of the day in urban America. So I personally "judge" collections in terms of wearability and styling and that each pieces can be worn individually  anywhere in the world, be it Paris, Tokyo or freakin' Arkansas; that there's something for someone. With that being said, here, in a decrescendo order, my favorite collections.

Junya Watanabe. I was delightfully surprised by Junya Watanabe this season. He is moslty known to be the protégé of Japanese avant-garde designer Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçon,  and he has since started his own line. For being a Japanese designer, his spring collection is very 1930-1940s American style-inspired, but with bright colors and crazy-ass plaid patterns. The blazers looks very well constructed and I would not mind wearing any of these. The dirty-washed jeans also look pretty nice. It's very urban and young, and when topped with those aformentionned blazers, the overall look is very cool. Like he's too cool for school. I like. 

Burberry Prorsum. I've recently become a fan of Christoper Bailey. He's like the perfect incarnation of what modern an English man is and his clothes really reflect the refineness of english fashion, and basically english everything. His line of modernized classic Burberry trenchcoats never cease to amaze me, I have the goal of owning one of these babies one day. But the clothes underneath these great coats are equally nice. The whole random belts coming from everywhere around the torso gives a bit of an edge to a company that is so wholesome and traditional. I cannot understand the life of me why Christopher would implement winter parkas in his Spring collection, but it surprisingly works and I hardly doubt they are as warm as North Face or Canada Goose parkas, they look much nicer than the latter. For a light winter in New York or Vancouver, these coats will look pretty decent in the city. 

Louis Vuitton. I'm always very so-so with Louis Vuitton menswear. Just because I don't really associate Louis Vuitton with clothes, even though it has expanded into clothing a long while ago. I think Louis Vuitton makes the most extraordinary luggages, travel/duffel bags, handbags, wallets because of the crafstmenship involved in every of these leather accessories. It has afterall being alive since 1854; has got to give credit where it is due. However, I have yet to be impressed with the clothes. But this spring collection is actually pleasent, even if the shorts are *too* short for men to wear. It is colorful, light, and can translate well for the city, and the country side/beach as well. It has a very "summer in The Hamptons" look and feel to it. I think Paul Helbers did a good job, and if Marc Jacobs approves then I guess no one can really say the contrary. 

Bottega Veneta. Tomas Maier For Bottega Veneta is by far my favorite collection and I would honestly wear almost everything in that collection, because it is so cool and wearable. This one also has a very American-inspired look to it with the baseball jackets, military-style shirts and jackets, and the use of cargo beige and army green as the main colors. The sort of chinese-colored style pants aren't something I'm really into, but even for those horrible pants, the creative director was able to make up for it by putting a great mix of pieces that are so sophisticated and manly. It's the type of clothes that when you walk into a room, everyone stares, especially the ladies. A man in Bottega Veneta can definitely command a room. 

Because I cannot go on for forever, I'm going to stop here at these four spectacular collections. Overall, I think most of the designers that are showing during mens fashion week definitely has something going on and if fashion buyers are going to get most of these looks into the stores, men in 2010 might overshadow the women in spring. 

What do you think? Are these looks yay or nay? ;)

Today's Bananas TV: The O.C. (2003-2007)

I don't watch television all that much anymore, something I would never say a few years back when television and I were quasi-inseparable. I guess time became an issue when I started to be much more busier, or also because network executives just seemed to release strings of average to mediocre shows and cancel them one after another throughout the seasons. Shows went off the air on hiatus, and never came back. Some come back on different time slots and return on the air leaving the viewers with no interests to continue watching any longer. Well, that's how it is with me. Unfortunately, some actually good shows get the axe sooner than they should of. Hence why my relationship with television became a sort of bittersweet one. Not to say I have given up watching television shows anymore...I just really narrow down my favorite shows that are worth following religiously and view them online when I'm at home whilst binging on food. For me, television-watching experience isn't the same without food. Call me a fat boy. 

But during the period of time where I would never miss a show of mine (I went to great lengths to get myself out of any functions to be home on time), there's this one show that I used(still do) love. Sure, it's no ground-breaking series full of philosophical enlightment or that it's very "fresh", but it had so much heart and warmth that I can honestly re-watch it on DVD over and over again. It's a 2003 teen drama called The O.C. that aired on the Bush-endorsed FOX channel. For the non-followers, you would probably not know why the hell anyone would enjoy watching a series about young wealthy teenagers living in Newport Beach doing unrealistic things that promote superficiality . But to the followers, the show is filled with perfectly-timed comedy, endless emotion rollercoasters, witty dialogues, extraordinary music and Seth Cohen.  The first season of The O.C. was pure television gold. It had equal proportions of things that work for a primetime teen soap opera: beautiful people, charismactic characters, crazy mothers, crazy psychopath, amazing soundtrack, and most importantly, tons of drama. The acting isn't something to brag about really, but it's not bad enough to cringe your teeth to death. I can't say the whole life-span of The O.C. was good, I can only say that season 1 and 2 really marked a part of my life, and I can never forget. Two things really did it for me on The O.C., Seth Cohen/dialogue and the music. In a nutshell, Seth Cohen is a privileged kid who's not close to be the most popular guy at school, a little self-absorbed, enjoys comic books, hates his sunny hometown and wears Penguin polo shirts like it's nobody business. He's awkward yet approachable. He delivers one of the funniest lines I've heard on television with such certainty and never failed to accompany his lines with an appropriate facial expression. Albeit his geeky looks and manners, he still gets the pretty girls. So yeah, Seth Cohen is definitely a legendary television character and I think the show would have failed without him. I can't stress enough how the music on The O.C. is just simply brilliant. Every songs used for every scenes are so appropriate, clever and fits so marvellously-well with the situation that it just moves you. I sound like I'm overdramatizing it, but I'm not. I get chills everytime I watch some certain scene with that certain song playing in the background. The music is fun, lively, sunny, upbeat, sad, melancholic, it's the music that makes you want to laugh, share the sad moments, and enjoy life with the people you care most about. 

I found on YouTube a channel dedicated to the best The O.C. music moments throughout the series, and I have to show you my all-time favorite ones.

Song: Dice
Artist: Fin Quayle

Song: If You Leave
Artist: Nada Surf

Song: I'm Shakin'
Artist: The Rooney (great band!)

There you have it, these are a few of my favorite music moments on The O.C. To view more, go here, and you will have a handfull of awsome music. The O.C. was an immediate hit during season 1 which launched the young stars into fame and fortune. But unfortunately, with the lack of creative writers and involvement of Josh Schwarts the creator, the series went downhill and lost many of its viewers. With season 1 averaging 21 million viewers per episodes to averaging only around 4 million viewers by the end of season 4, FOX obviously couldn't afford to let it go on any further, especially with Mischa Barton (Marissa Cooper) off the show. Like they say, all good things come to an end. But it ended on a high note, and the finale episode to The O.C. had a well-deserved happy ending. 

Now it's time for me to digg up my DVD box set and relive the epicness that is The O.C.

Today's Bananas Charity: Fashion Against Aids

They say money can't buy happiness. Some truly believe in it, while most say it because it seems like the right thing to say, or at least the right way to think. I'm torn on that idea. I honestly can't say that "money cannot buy happiness" because I personally know that it is not completely true. I'm not saying money literally can buy happiness, but with money you can definitely be happIER, which is better than "happy" with a dried out bank account. I would love to be born in a 'old riche' family or even 'nouveau riche' ones, and live off of my family inheritance. I can honestly tell you that I would be happy because of all of the things that I can buy, do, and most importantly, give. I would never not give if I possess an abundance of wealth. But fact is, I can't buy, do and give as much as I want to because I'm not currently part of the upper-income society and neither is my family. So with that being said, when a good cause arises to which I approve, I try to give my support.

So this post is not about glorifying myself by showing off my good Samaritan spirit. It's more about a campaign that combines both fashion (which I'm an enthusiast of) and charity. The campaign is called Fashion Against Aids and is conducted by H&M and DAA(Designers Against Aids) to raise money for a charity that raise awareness and prevention of AIDS/HIV worldwide which exactly kicked off today, may 28th. 25% of every sale of that campaign is donated to that cause. The collection consists of t-shirts, tank tops, and bodysuits designed by a variety of celebrities and famous personalities that surrounds around themes of safe sex, peace, awareness, and of course fashion. This year's list of celebrities includes, Katy Perry, Dita Von Teese, Yoko Ono, Robyn, Yelle, Tokio Hotel, N.E.R.D., Estelle, Cindy Lauper, Katherine Hamnett, Roisin Murphy, Moby and Dangerous Muse. I can't personally say that *all* of the designs are nice or that some of these "celebrities" are even *that* famous, but the concept behind it is still very important. However, some designs are very nice and very fun. From what I heard, they are much cooler than the ones from previous years. In addition, all of the items in that collection are made of 100% organic cotton, which feels so so nice, and very green. It is surprisingly very affordable with everything priced at $19.90 and under. Keep in mind also that some of the designs, such as and mainly, Katy Perry's, are very limited and once flown off the shelves will not come back. The collection includes items for both women and men.

So I went and got two t-shirts, the Katy Perry and Yelle ones. Below I'm going to display my favorite picks for both genders. (there are alternative versions of these in longer t-shirts/"dresses" for women, and colors for mens and ladies)

Yoko Ono (for mens and ladies) "Imagine Peace"

Yelle (for mens and ladies) "You Enjoy Life"

Robyn (for ladies) "Diamonds"

Moby (for mens)

Katy Perry (for mens) "It's what on the outside that counts"

Katy Perry (for ladies bodysuit) "It's what on the outside that counts"

On a little note, I want to state that I work for H&M and I am not being bias or spreading H&M propanganda, but I think it's something that is really cool and that it's a good way to reach the younger audience to an issue that will never ever "go out of style" to talk about, because AIDS/HIV is still an uncurable disease that hits so many people, both in the developed and underdeveloped nations. So if like me, you do not have the means to donate millions upon millions of dollars to your favorite cause, or any charitable cause for that matter, why don't you fork out that $19.90 on a cool t-shirt to which 25% of it will go to charity! Sure it's just 5$ you're giving away in that $19.90, but think about how many 5$ can make when a lot of people join in and buy something. It's all about society's collective contribution that leads to a successful and meaningful result.

Go to your nearest H&M stores in their Divided department to grab one of these babies and check out the other designs or visit H&M and DAA online!

Worst Than The Swine Flu

Sorry. My friend Jennifer is contagious; she gave me a bad case of the Writer's Block flu. 

Be back when I have something relevant to share.

Peace Out :)

Today's Bananas Movie: Blindness

So there's this thing that I often do whenever I have spare time and am conveniently in the downtown area. It might sound a little bit geeky and not very fun, but I don't know what it is but I enjoy it. I like to roam bookstores, but especially Chapters. I actually have no intention of buying anything or looking for anything, but it is actually something that I plan of doing in advance when I know I'm going to be nearby it...and alone, most importantly. I just like the feel of new books, hardcover and paperback. I like flipping through the soft pages with the so beautifully printed words on them, with the occasional face shot of the author on the back cover that makes me chuckle and wonder why they chose this awful picture. I wander around, on all of the floors just to stare and touch the numerous books. So the other day, I had the chance to do this weird routine of mine at Chapters and I've stumble upon the wall of Awards-winning novels. There is this one called Blindness by Portuguese author José Saramago, which won a Nobel Prize for Literature. I picked it up and read the back of it, which tells the story of a world that has been plagued by the "white disease" which is essentially a contagious pandemic causing humans to lose their eyesight. Flipping through the very thick novel, I rapidly put it back on its original shelve thinking that I would never be able to read and comprehend such a high-acclaimed and complex piece of literature work. I mean, it must be some ground-breaking story-telling to be awarded a world-renowned Prize like the Nobel one. 

So story short, I did not read the book. I, however, discovered that they made a movie out of it to which I was completely unaware of. It surprisingly stars some very talented actors that I like watching on screen, namely Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and Gael Garcia Bernal. I caught it on PaperView at home, but wasn't able to finish it in its entirety, but the 30 minutes or so of the scenes that I saw really intrigued me. So at my friend's house not long after, I was able to watch it from begining to end because she happened to have had rent it at the video store the night before. This movie honestly moved me. I can't say whether it is better or worse than the original novel (although my friend who read the book tells me the book is far more superior) since I have not read the book, but as an average movie goer, the movie really spoke to me on so many levels. It gave me chills and really got me into thinking as the end credit rolls. The content kind of scared me despite not having any purpose of scaring anyone. 

Blindness focuses on the story of a disease that spread throughout the United States (and we assume the world as well) which caused everyone to lose their eyesight, and go blind. Their blindness however is not like the usual kind where the disabled one "sees" only darkness, an obscur black like the lights have been turned off. Instead, their darkness has become a vision of whiteness. The disease is contagious and as soon as it became a situation of panik, the governmental authorities have deployed soldiers to catch the infected ones and send them to a prison-like ward for "quarantine" purposes. But as the captives will soon realize, they have been sent as prisoners shielded from the outside world. The main characters involve an eye doctor who lost his sight after being in contact with a patient that came to see him because of his eyesight lost, his wife who is immune to the disease but pretends to be blind so to take care of her husband, a few infected victims and a deranged "ward leader" that will impose his dictating ways onto everybody by distributing boxes of food in exchange for precious things the blinds own and sexual favors. The story revolves around so many human nature issues. Themes like desperation, social gangs, ethics, and most importantly, in my opinion, hope, all come into play and all tie in together to make the audience feel so compelled and involved. The content was, for me, so provocative but captivated all of my attention. Some might find it boring, but for those who are not suffering from an attention deficit disorder, it is a very exciting movie experience. 

The movie really makes me want to visit Chapters again and get the courage to actually pick up the book and purchase it. I strongly recommend either watching the movie or reading the book, because it's a remarkable and at the same time, sad tale about human behavior during an apocalyptic world. We are no more different than animals.

Today's Bananas Picture: They Start Young

I wish my parents would have dressed me like that when I was young. Hell, I don't even dress like that now. Kudos to the parents for not dressing their kid in tacky cartoon-covered retartedly-bright matching-color outfits.

Fitted denim wash jeans, check.
Trendy stripe shirt, check.
Slick navy blazer vest, check.
Too-cool-for-school white Converse sneaks, check.
West Village hipster fedora hat, check.

Coolest kid on the playground? Yep.

Picture courtesy of The Sartorialist

To BCom or not to BCom?

The world of Academics with society as an accomplice, have single-handedly changed the perception of what higher education really is. Going to college has only one real purpose now, and it is to train you into a profession so you can be thrown into the workforce and stimulate the economy. Whereas in the times of the Renaissance, higher level of learning is only eligible to the small group of fortunate Aristocrats. Often times men, they are sent for a Tour around Europe to study subjects that will reinforce their personal enlightment.  Nowadays, when one decides to enter an institution of higher learning, especially right after high school, CEGEP or its equivalence, the decision of what to study and what to do is such a fundamental question that it may haunt so many of us students. Some choose an already-established and thought-out academic path for the next four years, while others just simply acquire a general set of philosophical and scientific knowledge to enhance their personal intellectual wealth, which usually means that a post-undergraduate degree will ensue in the near future. And others, are simply clueless as to what their purpose is at college/university, other than deliberately spending thousands of dollars into something that supposedly will shape their life existence. Everyone falls into either of these categories.

As for I, my studies and my goals have become even more ambiguous as my undergraduate studies progress. I'm currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) program, which is essentially a business degree in Canada, and I have switched major three times in a span of half a year. I've come to major in International Business and then switched into Operations and Production Management, to finally "settle" for Accounting. My first thought of pursuing a business degree isn't so that I could slave myself into the routine-imposed, 9 to 5 office career for eternity. I initially wanted to get a well-rounded business education so that I can pursue different career paths in different fields, while at the same time fall back on a "legit" and "safe" degree if things go sour. But I've come to realized, and now I'm starting to believe, that a business degree has become essentially a "cover-up" degree where it makes people think that it is worth something; but in the end, especially in our new time of economic, social, and technological change, it has completely lost its meaningfulness. The endless list of annual top Chief Executive Officers of today's leading multinationals that leaks out every year through different media types have, in general, never been through an undergraduate in business. Case in point, here's a few of the world's top innovative and successful CEOs:

Jeff Besos (Amazon.com) - Computer Science & Electronical Engineering

Jaimie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase) - BA Economics/Psychology, MBA

Howard Levine (Family Dollar) - Undergraduate dropout

Chase Carey (DirectTV) - BS Mathematics & Economics

Rex W. Tillerson (Exxon Coporation) - BEng Civil Engineering

Jim Skinner (McDonald's) - No higher education

Some of them have gone and obtained an MBA, while others simply maintained their BS or BA degrees. I cannot deny that business programs enable the future citizens of the Corporate World to develop some analytical skills, as well as entrepreneurial quality to make effective and efficient decisions once out on the market, but I'm simply questionning whether with  that only, is a marketable attribute that will entice employers to seek business undergraduate instead of engineering (computer, electronics), physics, mathematics or economics graduates to fulfill available positions. These area of specialization are highly valued because they are considered to prep the individuals with very analytical skills that can directly apply to business problems. In a way, it just simply put even more fierce competition on the job market. Maybe what is thought in business schools is not as relevent and the same as the real business outside of school. I'm not disgusted with what business degrees have become, far from that or else I would have gave it up and transfered into liberal arts to study English, History, Political Science, and Art, all things I have interests in. I am merely playing the Devils's advocate and seeing what the outside world beyond university perimeters really is like. 

I'm hoping to be wrong about what I'm saying and that I am simply scaring myself with the thought of becoming an unemployed burden to society in the future. I'm always so fascinated about what other people are studying and their life pursuits. I'm fascinated by the overachieving pre-med students who, upon successfully graduating, will lead a fulfilling and productive life. I'm fascinating by the Arts students who, despite knowing that without a meaningful Philosophical Doctorate degree will not dedicate their life to their crafts, still get to enjoy the feeling that they've learned about human evolution, thoughts, ideas, the answers to the present and the questions of tomorows. I'm fascinated by those who are willing to spend significant portions of their time deriving and anti-deriving numbers so that they can in turn build bridges and buildings that sustain civil society. Maybe I'm too curious, and the idea that I must spend 3 years studying one main specific topic that may or may not get me a job is not satisfying enough. 

If anything, there is always Law school (not that the world needs yet another lawyer :P )

Today's Bananas Topic: Frivolous Spending

For those who know me, I'm a very frivolous spender. I'm not saying I possess *a lot* of money to permit me to do all that frivolous spending, but I definitely get around in raising some "moola" to pay off my debts. To be fair, I don't spend my hard earned cash on pricey things everyday, impulsively without some kind of judgement about consequences....sort of. Alright, I don't spend everyday, but it is impulsive though. Sometimes I return them when I feel like I could still live at full potential without it, and sometimes, heck, why giving it up? Plus the hassle of going back to return it is enough to make me want to keep it afterall. I don't want to promote frivolous shopping in this economical and financial climate because it would seem insensitive, but fact is...the more you spend, the more the economy will soon shift the aggregate expenditure curve upward, which in turn will shift both the aggregate demand and aggregate supply curve from actual GDP at a recessionary period to its potential output real GDP. In non-economic terms, the recessionary gap closes and the economy will stabilize. Sure, it's not that simple, but a little less saving will definitely benefit future economic growth in the long run. So with that in mind, I feel a little less guilty about writing a post about trivial spending. So here's the deal, I'm going to dedicate this post space to things I have spent in the past, will spend in the near future, and things that *you* should spend (if you suddenly have the urge to deplete your chequing account) that I really like and enjoy, but that some people find overpriced/unnecessary. I have no regrets when I swipe my card and punch in my PIN number, and neither should you.

FreeCity What's FreeCity? Well let me tell you what FreeCity is. FreeCity is a lifestyle clothing brand specializing in comfortable city, California-esque fashion gear. They make sweatpants, sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies, for women, men and children. Sure, it sounds like nothing special, but FreeCity is a concept based on life, art, fashion, new discoveries, and help promote under-the-radar artists. All things that I support. But truly, what attracts me to FreeCity is how amazingly comfortable their goods are, it's unbelievable. Their stuff is so soft and so easy to wear, you can practically live in it forever (humm...don't..it's just a figure of speech). You'll definitely look cool in them, because that's what all celebrities have been spotted in. I put this under frivolous spending because their clothing comes with a hefty price tag. Sweatpants and hoodies can easily be around and over US$120, while t-shirts are priced at US$148, not so cheap eh? But here's the upside (if you still think there's an upside after seeing these 3-digit prices), they will last you a long time, and you will wear it almost everyday. So if you balance it out, perhaps, it will be worth it.  Check FreeCity website for more details, or TNT(100, St-Catherine Ouest) carry some FreeCity inventory. 

Bose Headphones I don't know about you but I have gone through so many headphones for my ipod, it's become a major issue now. Just today, I thought I had yet again lost my headphones while on my way out of the house, but turns out I just simply misplaced it in another pocket. But this little incident got me thinking about what new other headphones should I get have I truly lost my current headphones. I've gone through a few selections in my head, and honestly I cannot see any other alternative than Bose. Have you ever tried Bose? Please tell me you have, because it's one great piece of sound technology. The sounds that come out of those headphones and transfer into your hearing senses is just pure bliss. It's crystal clear, smooth, sound scratch-free and best of all, noice-cancelling. The headphones come in earphones format as well if you don't like having something over your head for music (like me). For $349 for headphones and $130 for earphones, you can finally "hear a difference". 

Raffaello I don't have a sweet tooth, I must admit. I'm more of a salty food kind of person. I don't mind having a second round of a main dish and skip the dessert altogether. Some people find it bewildering that I don't eat chocolates. Actually, I tell them I don't eat chocolate, but I enjoy chocolate flavor, so I do like chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate muffins, just not the actual chocolate. However, I really like Ferrero Rocher, but even then, I don't have too much of it either. But I found the perfect alternative, and I think you will like it. It's those little precious delicacies from the family of Ferrero Rocher minus the chocolate.To summarize the sweet in the language of Raffaello public relation professionals, they are "crispy, creamy almond coconute treats with a whole crunchy almond surrounded by vanilla cream inside; while outside, the light, crispy wafer shell is covered with vanilla cream and sprinkled with coconut". Enough said, one of my favorite sweets ever. I kid you not when I say I can eat them like the way I eat popcorn. They can come packed in three just like how Ferrero Rochers are packed, or you can get them in a bag with a couple of them. I buy them in the bag because I'm a pig like that. The bag of delicious Raffaello costs 11$ at your local Pharmaprix stores. 

RayBans I think I've only worn RayBans sunglasses in my life, and by "in my life", I mean three years ago when I thought sunglasses were officially cool to wear outside of the beach environment. I own both the classic RayBan Wayfarers and their infamous RayBan Aviator shades. They're so old school, yet so modern at the same time. I find them really comfortable and I feel like I'm actually not wearing sunglasses at all. I don't know whether I'm a sucker for brands or for some other reasons, but I can't for the life of me get myself to wear any other kind or non-brand sunglasses that look exactly the same as the RayBans I currently own. I mean, I could easily save a lot more money, but I chose to spend that extra cash to wear the real deal, hence why this is a frivolous spending of money. Regardless, I wholeheartedly support the existance of RayBans eyewear 100%, despite their very inflated pricing. RayBans ranges from $120 to $300 depending on the style, and are available at SunglassHut.

Now, let's be interactive for a bit...what frivolous spending have *you* done lately? 

Answers on a postcard in the mail! 

:)

Today's Bananas Food: Rotisserie Romados

I take a lot of pleasure in devouring all kinds of meat. I feel no guilt whatsoever in stabbing my fork in some juicy filet mignon, fried pork chops and grilled tender chicken breast. I don't condemn the vegetarians or anything, I just personally don't believe in the point of denying oneself of the opportunity to take part in the degustation of animal meat. I mean, I guess Westerners allow themselves to "become" vegetarians just because food is not a commodity they are lacking of, so they can permit themselves to fight for the rights of animals that are perfectly edible which constitute a great part of human's diet. But enough about vegetarism, in fact this post is exactly about the opposite of vegetarism; it's about grilled chicken. Chicken is easily one of my favorite meat and I like it grilled, fried, slightly crispy, fumed, and all of parts of that fowl, legs, wings, breast and everything in between. Say what you want about Kentucky Fried Chicken, I love it, mutated chicken or not. 

So recently, a friend of mine introduced me to this relatively small Portuguese grillroom takeout restaurant called Rotisserie Romados located further down the Plateau of Montreal on Rachel. I've never heard of this portuguese gem before, and he warned me to be prepared to wait because the lineup can compete with the lineup for the launch of the iPhone. I kid you not. I had to wait nearly 50 minutes for my turn to order my plate of chicken. But that's because we did not call beforehand. When calling in advance, we can avoid the long non-reserved orders line, and only have to wait in the *second* line to pick up our orders. You don't necessarily skip the "waiting" part, there will be waiting involved, but the time in line is considerably less. So what is this fuss all about? Well to summarize, it's cheap, delicious, generous portuguese grilled chicken on charcoal. I cannot even describe to you how the chicken is grilled even though I saw the chicken being grilled right in front of my eyes. Look at the picture above, it is pretty self-explanatory. But the grilling part isn't the best part. When ordering a plate of 1/2 chicken, you get a very generous portion of chicken (you'd think you'd get 1/2 but sometimes you wonder if they didn't just give you a full chicken) glazed in a spicy sauce, a mountain portion of double fried pepper fries, and side of italian salad, and check this out, it is completely recession-friendly! Just a little under 8$! The food was excellent, the service was friendly and very appreciative of our business with them. The place is completely unpretentious, it's not cozy per se, but it's not "dirty" in all account. There are some available tables and seats to enjoy their delicious chicken in house, but most people take them for takeout. My experience was done in house since the weather that night was horrible, a combination of rain and wind. 

The downside of Rotisserie Romados is its location. It's in a very remote area of The Plateau and it's a far walk from the Metro, approximately 15 minutes away. Driving there shouldn't be much of a trouble if you know your way around Montreal. The waiting line is terribly horrendous during peak times when you decide to show up without an order reservation, especially when you are very hungry. I was ready to faint until I reached the counter my first time around. But once you are seated and ready to charge into your plate, the wait had suddenly become worthwhile and all that complaning you've done for the past 30 minutes or more with your friends felt like a waste of energy, saliva, and was essentially just useless noise pollution because waiting for that plate 1/2 chicken is definitely worth that wait. 

Here's my recommendation if you decide to try Rotisserie Romados:

• Call before going. I can't stress enough how calling will totally get your orders so much faster and you can save so much precious time.
  
• Ask your chicken to be glazed in spicy sauce. It's not actually really spicy, but it definitely gives a kick and gives a little bit more flavor to your portuguese chicken. 
• Do order 1/2 since getting just 1 leg or 1 breast is only a couple of cents less than 1/2 chicken. Don't fret that you have a small stomach and won't finish it. The plates are always already packed in a takeout plate, so you can simply close it and bring it home for later.
• For drinks, get one of their bottles of sprinkly soda in different exotic fruit flavors. It's a shame I can't recall what it's called, but it's not a drink from here, so among the pepsis and 7ups, you will spot that bottle with ease! 
• The restaurant offers steak also, but I have yet to try them, and I have yet to see someone actually having them. Don't bother, get the chicken!
• If you decide to show up without an order reservation during 7-8pm, and there is a long line, expect to maybe not have that 1/2 chicken you wanted. I was one of the few that got the last 1/2 chicken and there was still around 20 people behind by 8pm
  

I'm actually typing this post about chicken because I had to deprive myself of meat today because it's Good Friday. Upon the request of my parents, I had to stay from meat for the whole day. *sigh* But if you are not, this is a place to definitely check out! It's delicious and cheap, that's like the best combination *ever*.  Ask for their business card so that you can save their phone number at all time.

Rotisserie Romados, 115 Rachel Est corner de Bullion, considered by the locals as the *best grilled chicken in town*, call 514.849.1803 for your order reservations! 

Today's Bananas Reflection Quote

There is no such thing as strangers. Only friends we have not yet met. 

Today's Bananas Cool Thing: Lego Heart

I idolize Kanye West, I really do. Say what you want about his unbelievable self-confidence and cockiness, in my book, he's more than allowed to be so. He single-handedly resurrected the hip hop genre to a whole new level. He dares to push fashion limits and go beyond the stereotypical hip hop attire. He spits some pretty sick rhymes that I love to occassionally quote on my msn messenger profile name. Whenever he is featured on another artist's song, I will download and listen to it even if I depise the main singer. If ever Kanye West goes bankrupt and has to rap over a Miley Cirus song featured on Hannah Montana: The Sequel to make ends meet, I will like it. It is understated when I say that I truly find Kanye West *uber* cool. Besides his massive producing and rapping (let's not talk about the whole auto-tune era of his, it's just a phase..he will go back to rapping) talent, I think he's one of the most well-dressed man in the Entertainment industry. He take risks when he dresses down, or when he dresses up; in other words, he's not boring. And I like the fact that he's a hip hop artist that doesn't have to wear baggy jeans that go all the way to the knees, wear unicolor extra-large t-shirts, or even better, doesn't go shirtless all the time (anyone remember 50 cent? ..right). When Marc Jacobs offers you to design a special limited collection of Louis Vuitton sneakers, you *know* you did something right. Bottom line, he's a very inspiring fashion icon, in my honest opinion, which leads to the main point of this post. Not too long ago, I saw a picture (the one above) of Kanye West during Paris Fashion Week. He wore a pretty casual outfit, but what intrigued me was the heart-shaped brooch he wore on his jeans jacket. Turns out, this heart-shaped brooch is actually a heart pin constructed in Lego. Not that I'm easily impressed, but I was quite fascinated about it. 

The Lego heart brooch in question is designed by a duo named Dee and Ricky who was offered by Marc Jacobs to style his models for his spring runway show with their collection of Lego-made belts. And from this little fashion gig, the duo's line of Lego accessories officially made big waves among the the young Hollywood, and of course Kanye West. But I must warn you, these heart-shaped Lego do not come cheap, oh no. If you visit Dee and Ricky's official website where they sell their Lego heart brooches, a small one can cost you a whopping 75 US *dolla* (add the little fob chinese NYC Canal Street-style accent)! And a larger heart is tagged at an inflationary price of US$100. Last time I checked, it's already $100 too much for Legos. *But*, insane and borderline daylight robbery-pricing aside, the Lego brooches are very charming, and you can see that the quality and the neatness of it is commandable on the side of the designers. So I know that no one in their right mind, well, no one with a modest income, in their right mind will order one of these trendy accessories; hence why I did a little bit of research which can offer you the same opportunity to own a Lego heart brooch like Kanye West at a normal person price. Why? Because I want share the love with my peeps. 

First Method: Make it yourself!

You know the good old saying: Why have someone do, something you can do yourself? In other words, you can make your own heart Lego pin for a mere estimated cost of $2.06 via Lego.com. All you need to do is order the necessary lego blocks needed through the website, and buy a pin and some crazy glue to attach the pin to the heart, and voila!

You will need to order:

Two: Bricks 2x2

Two: Brick 1x2

Four: Roof tile 2x2/45 degrees 

Two: Brick 2x4

Six: Roof title 2x2/45 deg. Inv.

Don't fuss, if you don't know what to do with the Lego blocks once you received them, it is pretty clear on how each block goes on top of another. Play around with it just so that the Lego blocks form into a heart. Glue your pin to the back of the heart-shaped Lego and there you have it! Make as many as you want and use as many colors as you desire! A cool and thoughtful gift if you don't necessarily want to wear it yourself.

Second Method: Buy ('cause I suck in arts&crafts)

I'm not referring to the Dee and Ricky original ones, but rather replicas of them. Not everyone is born into creativity, or even know how to use Lego blocks, so let us not judge ourselves on that fact. The next best alternative is to buy one at a very discounted price compared to Dee and Ricky's. Take into consideration that they provide the Lego blocks and the time and effort into building it. On ebay, there's a store called Creation Depot and they sell a bunch of homemade stuffs including the heart-shaped Lego pins. They are charging $16.95 for a small one and $24.95 for a big one. It's not completely out of this world in terms of the pricing, so if you have some extra cash and you don't want to dirty your hands, they are a legit seller to go to. I am sure you can find a better deal elsewhere on the internet or ebay, but I'm suggesting Creation Depot just because it seems more reliable. 

On that note, I'm in no position to dictate what's cool and what's not, but I definitely find these new little thing to be exceptionally cool. The hearts can either be in full or broken for those pessimist ones. So, go ahead, either check out Lego.com to buy some blocks to make them yourself, or go to Creative Depot where you can buy already-made ones, or even over at Dee and Ricky if you find "replicas" to be offensive to your nature. Actually, I do recommend to go look at the original work of Dee and Ricky and see the cool things they can do. (I really like the multicolored Lego heart pin one). 

peace and love, y'all!

Today's Bananas Photo: You Can Buy School, But You Can't Buy Class

I love a good interweb photo of celebrities in their least favorable light; TMZ is the perfect source for them. Now, I've stumbled upon this photo of a well-recognized Hollywood actor that has been circulating on blogs and celebrity gossip websites alike. You might recognize him in action flicks like Spider-Man 1, 2 and 3, as well as Pineapple Express or perhaps, in more serious drama like Milk. Yes, we're talking about James Franco. And yes, we're talking about James Franco enjoying a nap while pursuing his quest for higher education at the prestigious Ivy League school Columbia Univeristy in New York. 

I mean, sure, you can't blame the lad for taking a nap during a lecture, I know I can't since I'm the empitomy of sleeping in class. We've all done it. Besides, with such an acclaimed and Golden Globe-nominated performance as the stoner Saul in Pineapple Express, I'm sure he will have no trouble "acting" his way through for an A in that class. 

Ahh..the life of the rich and famous.

Cheers.

Today's Bananas Video: Signs

Sometimes, emotions do not need to be spoken out loud. This 12-minute short-film does exactly that. An emotional rollercoaster expressed only in silence and signs. Enjoy.

Today's Bananas Eatery/Bar/Lounge: L'Assommoir

A good night out in the town for me would usually consist of good food, good drinks, good music, good ambiance and most importly, good friends. You wouldn't see me at a nightclub though, well, not anymore anyways. In theory, I am pretty over with the clubs. I don't dislike it per se, nor do I not enjoy a good time at say, Light Ultra Club on Crescent street, once in a while for a special occasion such as for friends' birthdays and whatnot. But after a few of my late teen years club hopping here and there, I can safely say that it does not strike an interest in me anymore. It's definitely not something I would do every weekend, like some. On the other hand, I've somewhat developped a new taste in more hipster hotspots out of the downtown area. You know, places where 15 year old kids dressed in, pardon my french, skanky hooker outfits or Ed Hardy-wearing gino guys are almost inexistant inside. I'm not discriminating or anything, mind you, but I prefer hanging out where I don't have to roll my eyes every five seconds throughout the night. Okay, I'll be frank, they repulse me; there, whatever, let's move on.

So this past Christmas, my workplace threw a holiday party at a cool restaurant/bar/lounge located in the Mile End of Montreal, more specifically on Bernard, called L'Assommoir. And I instantly loved it there. If you commute by Metro, it's a bit of a hassle, but like New York, that's what gives Montreal a certain charm where you don't need a car to actually be outside (unlike in California). It's only 10 minutes walk from the metro Rosemont, and during a nice summer night, there is absolutely no reason for you not to take a walk. If you are an avid opponent of the idea of walking, take a cab, it will costs you less than 8$, you can even split it up in 3 or 4! L'Assommoir is a little place, and I emphasize little because it's anything but big, that serves food, drinks and martinis of all kind. For what it lacks in space, it makes it up with its very impressive bar. And I mean it literally, because the bar is quite innovative. It will not make you want to stay sober. If you are cutting down on alcohol, you will soon find yourself pulling a Lindsay Lohan. Not to be missed are their specialty martinis. I heard they are well-known with their melon martini, so I had one that night. It's strong, but a great drink nonetheless. You are not restricted to alcohol-heavy martinis neither, their selection menu of alcoholic mix beverages can definitely compete with the thickness of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels. Okay..a bit of an overstatement, but you get the drift. Overall, you will not be deceived by their offerings. The food there isn't anything of very remarkable, I must confess. But with the bar being their main strength, I assume their cuisine isn't a big concern to them since most people will not eat during the "club" nights. But the food is definitely not something that you can complain much, it's still very edible. It's just not at par with other more modest restaurants. The decor and ambiance, on the other hand is enough to make you want to visit the place. It's very cozy, hipster'ish, and the lighting is just perfect. I don't actually know how L'Assommoir look like during lunch and diner time, but during the night, it turns into a modern hip lounge. The term, "dancing on tables" is taken literally there. There isn't a dancefloor per se, but there is a long wide table where people just hop on it and shake what their mama gave 'em to the sound of DJ'esque music. But that's probably because they had one too many melon martinis. In summary, they would make Paris Hilton proud. And as of the crowd, you would spot more young professionals and downtown individuals mingling there. Most people are well-dressed, not fancy or anything, but just well-dressed. They don't look forced or tacky like at the clubs.

If you haven't been to that place yet, you might find my descriptive of the place to be a bit pretentious, but to be honest, you won't understand until you've been there. My experience was pretty enjoyable and I'm even planning on having my 20th birthday hosted at L'Assommoir as well. But then again, it may not be for everyone, in my honest opinion. Maybe it's just a phase for me like the clubs were to me a few short years back. But as of right now, I much prefer a good night at a good place having good drinks, just sharing conversations with people I enjoy being with than having to squeeze in with sweaty people at the clubs for a couple of hours. Yeah...for sure.

L'Assommoir is located at 112 Bernard West (corner of St-Urban), Montreal. It's open at 11am on weekdays and 4pm on weekends. It stays open 'till 3am. Check out their website for further details and inquiries.

Have fun and be safe!

Today's Bananas TV Quote: Diane Von Furstenberg

"The most important relationship you can have is the one with yourself, because no matter what happens, you will always be with yourself." 

Today's Bananas WhatToDo: Summer Shows

Today was a very lovely early spring day, here in Montreal, and although I had to spend it at work, I was still enjoying the sunshine and the light breeze coming through our windows and open doors. It puts a smile on my face because it means that we will soon be blessed with everyone(most people)'s favorite season of the year, summer! Oh, summer. The abundance of things that we can do and enjoy limitlessly in the sun. It's just a great feeling. Summer is also actually my favorite time to go to a show because you don't have the hassle of carrying around your coat or jacket, and you benefit of all of the conveniencies that summer offers you. You gather up your best buddies, head to the coolest ticket in town, enjoy some great music or any other kind of show, have a beer or two, and just simply rock out. You've just created a fun and exciting night that will turn into cherished memories that can be shared among you and your friends. What is there not to like about summer shows? Nada.

With that being said, I've done some bit of research here and there, and a made list of summer shows that you can attend in the upcoming months. I only collected information on shows that would trigger my own personal interest, but I made a bit effort to also add a few other ones that would be out of my comfortable zone, but that would be enjoyed by others. In the purpose of making the list more cohesive, I've listed the shows in order of appearance this summer.

Katy Perry

When? March 31st 2009

Where? Metropolis

How much? $15.94

Say what you want about Katy Perry, love her or hate her, she has put out some summer hit pop songs that have been stuck in your head for days. She's coming to Metropolis accompanied by The Daylights as the opening act. I'm not so sure whether the tickets have been sold out, but in my honest opinion, I don't think it had. So for the interested, check out the website or call Metropolis for further details. If you are eager or anticipating to see Katy finally kissing a girl on stage, this may be your final chance!

The Fray

When? April 13th 2009

Where? Metropolis

How much? $28.79

You may have remembered that one song from The Fray, you know.. How to save a life? Well, to refreshen your memories, it was a pretty big song, for good reasons. It was a modestly good song. I'm not a very big enthusiast of their band, but their latest album has been loaded to my ipod, and I can honestly say that they are an okay band with some okay songs, but worth mentioning if you enjoy their style of music in songs such as How to save a life, Cable Car (Over my head), or You found me.

Adele

When? April 28th 2009

Where? Metropolis

How much? 28.79

Adele, I find, is one very very refreshing new artist. She's only 19 and has already won two grammys, one for Best New Artist and the other for Best Female Vocal Performance, and rightly so. Her song Chasing Pavement has become one of my favorite ballad and her album is full of very soothing material. To be honest, I started listening to Adele with a closed mind, and I thought she was another overrated prententious "indie" artist. But even with that kind of mindset, I couldn't escape her charm and her unbelievably soothing vocals. She's an artist not to be missed. Don't expect a full-on show, but some very good live music from a genuine artist. Music from the heart (can someone say, cheeze? lol).

Fallout Boy

When? May 6th 2009

Where? Cepsum - Université de Montreal

How much? $79 - $110

Now, I'm kind of hesitant in even listing Fallout Boy because I've lost total interest in them ever since Pete Wentz gone all retarded and stuff. I've been to one of their shows in support of their previous album afew years back, and to be honest, I didn't enjoy it that much except for a few songs that I liked. It is kind of sad because I really liked the opening act A LOT more than the actual Fallout Boy performances. However, my reason for posting this event is that Fallout Boy will give you the opportunity to get into mosh pits and just go completely insane on the floor. If you're of the aggresive type and want to push some people around for no reasons without being talked back, this is the show for you. Of course, the smell of sweaty teenagers and weed definitely set the mood, and you will feel like you're part of the cool kids ;)

No Doubt

Where? Bell Center

When? June 17th 2009

How much?

I love No Doubt, I really do. I think they're a fantastic band and they can make music that blend into different genre. They can go from rock to pop to raggae, they are very innovative. Their break up a few years ago was kind of sad, but it gave rise to a good solo career for Gwen Stefani (although The Sweet Escape era was less than mediocre, at best). But since band comebacks have become a new trend, No Doubt is coming back in full swing with their reunion tour. I may not be part of the audience, and I'm not so clear on what the material will be like, but I can only safely assume that you will rock out to some oldies, #1 hits, and some new stuff, I'm sure. If you're a fan, you may want to check out before they break up...again!

Russell Peters

Where? Bell Center

When? July 24th

How much? $51.50 to $99

Now, this is a not-to-miss show. I am commanding you to bring you and your friends to this show. You don't even understand. Nothing you will be doing on july 24th would be better than the Russel Peters show, and it's not even an overstatement. It's a fact. Russel Peters is touring with his 20th Anniversary comedy show across North America. He's stopping by to Montreal during the Just For Laughs Festival and will be presenting to a wide audience at the enormous Bell Center. His show will be a collection of the best material he did over the period of 1989 to 2009. Expect a lot of old stuff (but good stuff) and some new material as well! Are you excited yet? Well, don't worry, my excitement will be enough to make up for yours. Fork that hard-earned cash in a downfall economy over to the Bell Center box office on march 19th for your chance to not miss a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Other notable shows -

Ray Lamontagne

When? April 14th 2009
Where? Metropolis

How much? $35.44

The Tragically Hip

When? May 1st & May 2nd

Where? Metropolis

How much? $52. 27

Dave Matthews Band

When? June 10 2009

Where? Parc Jean-Drapeau

How much? around $99 +

Some of these shows are selling like hot cakes, so you may want to snatch some tickets as soon as you can. Call or checkout the websites for any other inquiries concerning the shows! Summer is bursting with musical goodness, so make the sound of this summer one to remember!