debuting the lady bug drama . . .

i like candles

SHOES: HEEL YEAH!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 my current theatrical project - Shoes - opens at the Armory Free Theatre. My lines still need memorizing, my costume still needs to be found, and my shoes for most of the scenes have yet to be picked. BUTBUTBUT my lovely friend, roommate, and facebook wife - Maggie- brought me a pair of beautiful purple Life Strides for my scene as "Violet". (BTW - life strides are by far my favourite type of heals. SO SO COMFORTABLE.)

sisterly love

My sister stayed at my house this past Friday. We ate Mexican at night and basked in a memory for our tastebuds with Bob Evan's blueberry pancakes the next morning. (Bob Evan's puts the blueberries in the batter. My four year old self and I recommend them.) We also watched the Fighting Illini exchange their name for Surrendering Illini. Ouch. My football team stinks.

Basically, I had a great weekend with my big sis. I hope you enjoyed your weekend too. :)

bloggin' friends

i like, i like, i like: http://unknownhipster.com/

passport radio

Travel around the international music world with my cohost Maggie and me on Passport Radio. Don't miss the flight Sunday nights 11p-12a central. Tune in Central Illinois on WPGU 107.1 or world wide at the217.com.

http://the217.com/djs/view/166

peace love joy,
k

deb talan thinks she's me

"I held so many people in my suitcase heart."

television

this is what i see when i or my macbook photobooth watches tv.

why don't we do it on the street?

If I had stayed in Scotland, I'd be on a train to London right now on a journey to an exhibition here:

Units G7&8 Kingly Court

Off Carnaby Street

London

W1

The exhibition is a collection of Garance Dore's photography. Garance Dore is a French fashion blogger/photographer/illustrator often featured in the likes of Vogue and number one on my bookmarks bar. Check out her blog on this event: http://www.garancedore.fr/en/2009/09/11/its-up/#more-7825. And British friends, get to London and see the exhibition!!!





photos courtesy of garancedore.fr

Urbana - Meggie the Housemate

Not only did my housemate Meg please my belly with delicious chicken tacos and homemade guac tonight, the blonde beauty dressed to impress, serving up darling couture with her delectable cuisine.

dashboard

I thought I'd share a stickie on my dashboard with you, lusters:

the pursuit of inner peace
1. Write down three things daily that brought you joy.
2. Trust transformation. Embrace change.
3. Love mistakes, get messy; no regrets.


Do you feel peaceful yet?

l a b o [u] r d a y

Happy Belated Labor Day. I hope you bbq-ed.

that darlin from those darlins

the drummer for those darlins dressed like a darlin for their free performance at the courtyard cafe in urbana, illinois on saturday, august 29.

http://www.myspace.com/darlins

murphy's cutie

This picture is a bit out of focus and does not begin to display the cute-ness of Erin's outfit, but despite my photographic flaws, this post is a kwanderlust ode to the sought-after fashions of my friend Erin.

fall fest

The Fall Festival has been a staple to the start of school/fall. The fest is nearly a sort of New Year's Eve for me, seeing as I mark September more as a start of a new year than January. Unfortunately, my 20-year-old taste buds don't savor the smoked sausage from my church's tent like that of my seven-year-old self, nor do the arts-and-crafts grab my eye like they used to. French cuisine and crafty roommates will do that to a gal. I still enjoy the nostalgia and wouldn't miss a Labor Day in Frankfort for nothing. Here are some photos from this year's festivities:

Tommy Hilfiger Scarves, $48

The Times Online featured these beautiful Tommy Hilfiger silk polka dotted scarves yesterday, and I couldn't resist sharing their beauty. Seems like every fall line has a scarfed flair this season; seems like I have a favourite.

http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/the-high-low-tommy-hilfiger-scarves-48/#more-28169

can't go back now

Growing up is harder and messier than I romanced as a tot, but still beautiful.
Any Weepies album is by far the best soundtrack to getting older.
I've clashed more than I'd like with growing up, but as soon as I master the adult discipline of time management, kwanderlust will be updated at a minimum weekly (and include the most exciting month of my life May 2009 + summa).

Until then . . . "You and me walk on, cause you can't go back now." -Deb&Steve

Dirty Projectors - Pritzker Pavilion, Chicago - 6/22/2009

One of my favorite parts of a summer in Chicago is all of the incredible free activities. Neighborhood festivals, outdoor dance classes, and concerts flood the Chicago lineup all at the convenient price of nada. Right after I arrived back to the lovely US of A, some friends and I drove up from Urbana to see one of our current favorite bands - Dirty Projectors - perform a free concert at the Prizker Pavillion. We got my first slice of deep dish in 7 months afterwards. Life is good.

union view

check out the university of stirling video featuring kmarie. :)

http://unionview.co.uk/

postsecret

family travels

My family arrived last Monday for their UK tour. I picked my mum and sis up at Glasgow Airport with my adopted Scottish mother. Kara and my mom stayed the week in the lovely Kerrann Bed and Breakfast, a block away from my flat.

After packing up my flat on Saturday, we headed up the A82 for Skye.
Highlights of the drive:
+feeding Hamish, the most famous highland coo
+chowing down the BEST Cullen Skink in the world at the Green Welly Stop

My mom is one of the best Chicago drivers I know. She is also one of the worst Scottish drivers I know. She did not get along with the left hand side of the road. After playing bumper cars with the curb, our little Volvo caught a sharp edge. The lovely sharp curb tore apart two of our tires. We were stranded for 3 hours on the side of the Scottish highway, until finally a tow truck brought us to a nearby B & B. We had to stay at the B & B until Monday morning when we could get a ride back down to Edinburgh. We never made it to Skye. (Hertz never offered a replacement vehicle or subsidies for missing a trip. I won't go into detail on their terrible customer service, just never hire a car with them. Trust me.)

We spent last night in Edinburgh, and I currently write to you, blogmosphere, on a train headed to London. We'll spend the evening in London and head to Paris tomorrow. On Friday, we'll be back in London for 6 days.

Welcome to Scotland, fam!



Kara and me before the move out

move out

I moved out Saturday.
No sign of my jumper.
Fashion mourning.
(just a little more sadness to leave Scotland.)

missing jumper

If you find the beautiful sweater pictured below, please return.
Otherwise, RIP perfect green-gray French Connection jumper.
I'll miss you and remember you fondly.




PS I love my friends.

ross clark photographs

photo credit: Takeshi Suga

Wilco will love you, baby.

This week gave me a musical goodie bag.
Wilco's new album, set to release June 30, leaked by Wednesday morning, and in classy Wilco fashion, Jeff and the boys began streaming the album on their official website: http://beta.wilcoworld.net/records/thealbum/.
Coldplay gave their fans a free download of a new live album, LeftRightLeftRight, two days later: http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html.
Enjoy. :)

Ross Clark, Captain's Rest, Glasgow - 15/5/09

Last evening I saw my friend Ross Clark perform at Captain's Rest in Glasgow.
I thoroughly enjoyed his show.
I think all of you lovely readers should check out his blissful melodies: http://www.myspace.com/electricpolyester.
He's my favorite Scottish discovery - Bon Iver meets Bright Eyes with a Glaswegian accent (the BEST Scottish dialect).

Photos of the fetching Scotsman to come! (I befriended a film photographer at the show; his photos are being developed. Film is so vintage chic.)

Ross Clark & The Scarfs Go Missing - Silversword LIVE @ The Mill from Craig Rooney on Vimeo.

I ran into Phillip and Nick from the fashion post a few below this one at Ross's show. Nick made sure I remembered the name of his and Phillip's band by tattooing the name across my arm with a pen pulled out of that gorgeous leather saddlebag. Check out the tunes of those fashion forward boys: http://www.myspace.com/acopenhagenhope.

Andrew Bird, Oran Mor, Glasgow -14/5/09

A few of my friends and I headed to the Oran Mor in Glasgow last night to see Andrew Bird.
Bird sent his band packing after his show in Manchester the night before, and I couldn't be happier about that fact.
He'd play different parts, record them, and play them back so he could be his own full band.
The man flew into my heart and serenaded my soul.
To add to the evening's stellarness, we had spots in the front row.
Check out some earth shattering good clips:













photo credit: Takeshi Suga

Move abroad. Cut out of your safety net. And liberate your mindset.

I find it difficult to recognize the ways in which I change and evolve.
BUT I have noticed one major change with myself from the beginning of the semester.
I came to Scotland confident, thinking I could do anything I wanted in the world.
I leave knowing I CAN do anything.

When I was stranded at Dublin Airport with all of my credit and debit cards frozen and no cash, I figured how to get safely to my hotel.
When I didn't think I could pull myself to the top of that cliff when rock climbing for the first time, I found a bit more muscle to drain and make it to the top.
When I didn't have one person in an entire country I could call a friend, I took risks and made friends I'd miss even if we'd never met.

I will bike across America.
I will go to culinary school in Paris.
I will abandon a secure paycheck and pursue my theatrical dreams.
I will create and live the life my 5 year old self dreamed of. No need for make believe and dress up. Reality's much better.







"For what it's worth it's never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things that you've never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you are proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

-Benjamin Button

GLASGOW - Phillip and Nick Outside the Oran Mor

Give me more vintage jumpers and leather saddlebags. Nice look, boys.

kilted golfers

read this, chickens.

Happy Mother's Day, Mumsie.

Mother's Day in Scotland was back in March, but today is the REAL Mother's Day, seeing as my mother is American.
I raise my coffee cup to you, Mom.
Thank you for consistently outcooking gourmet chefs, talking me down from hysteria even at 3am, and teaching me the ways of your wardrobe.
Happy Mother's Day, Mumsie. Love you.

USMC Dinner Meet!

April 24-26 - Dinner Meet

I joined the University of Stirling Mountaineering Club in February. This included a semester of hiking, rock climbing, and 99p drinks at studio every Tuesday night. The semester climaxed with Dinner Meet, a weekend in the highlands inducting the new board members. We rented out an entire hostel for the weekend (30 of us headed up).

Highlights:
+midnight tea and biscuits
+climbing castle ruins
+our new president waxing his legs for induction
+3 course meal
+post induction hostel party
+spice girl sing-a-long with real brits on the ride home
+american pancakes!

the blue grotto, capri

I paid 10 euros for a 3 minute boat ride.
Scammed.

capri

Friday, April 10 - Sunday, April 12, 2009

Liz and I delayed booking our beautiful Capri hotel until it was full, so we ended up staying in a JANK trailer off the Amalfi Coast. I'm glad:

Capri is an over commercialized, over crowded strip mall of over indulgent labels. SO OVER CAPRI.


PS Every Italian woman owns a Louis Vuitton purse.

bon voyage

After the euphoric vespa tour, my new friend Loralee and I trained it down to Rome. I sat and wrote postcards and listened to Loralee’s spectacular life and woes. Although she looked mid twenties, she had ten years on her look. She worked in healthcare nonprofits specializing in international health. Loralee held a graduate degree in public health and previously served in both Americorps and the Peace Corp. We discussed everything from exes to our faith. I found a kindred spirit in Loralee. It was the most enjoyable travelling experience I can recall.

I ride vespas under the Tuscan sun.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

I was running late as usual, so the tour bus for the vespa picked me up at Plus. Muz and Loralee, the two other vespa tourists, along with our lovely guide Esam made the ride deep into the Tuscan countryside pass quickly. Esam was quite the character. "This is not my job, this is my life. You are not my clients, you are my friends." A sweet character.

After a brief orientation, we vespaed for 6 hours under the Tuscan sun.

We stopped for photo ops, a lovely lunch/wine tasting, and the world's best gelato.