you’re ever-evolving.

keep your head up, and surprise and love yourself.

love forever, love is free.
x.

The Nineties..

Today I realised that my Maven came from a single picture I found on the internet, and it pretty much describes my experience of the Nineties in one single image! Watching my favourite show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and playing Nintendo games right up against the screen.

This picture inspired me today, because it made me remember some of the coolest memories I have from when I was a kid. I needed a little bit of nostalgia today and it certainly worked in lightening the mood.  I even made the effort to look up my old games and have a little tinker around with them.

The picture is seriously cool, even if you were not a Nineties baby like myself.

Marion Cotillard

Today my maven is Marion Cotillard. As I mentioned before, she is in the movie “Jeux D’enfants”, which is simply my favourite film ever! But aside from that, you probably know her from Inception.. and La Vie en Rose.

She has won countless Oscars and other awards for her role as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose – where she portrayed her from a young adult up until just before she passed away.

You can see her on the cover of the Vogue Paris September issue..

And if that wasn’t enough, she is also on the Vanity Fair Italian cover – without any make up or editing done at all! I find that really cool, that she doesn’t feel the need to perfect who she is – she’s happy in her own skin….

Who has inspired you recently?

I Blame Coco.

I have began to notice a pattern in my posts at the moment, as they all seem to revolve around music, but music is something that keeps me going when I’m feeling down, drained or just plain unwilling, and helps to revive my enthusiasm!

Today, I’d like to share with you someone that I consider to be a maven just because she’s done exactly what she wants to do, rather than following in anybody’s footsteps or living up to other people’s expectations.

Eliot Paulina Sumner, also known as Coco Sumner, is the 20 year-old multi-talented daughter of musician Sting. Her band, I Blame Coco, will release their first album “The Constant” next month (which she has been working on since she was 15!), but Coco has recently worked with names such as Plan B, Fyfe Dangerfield, Mr Hudson, La Roux, The Guillemots, Sub Focus, Miike Snow and Pete Doherty.

“Forget my dad, you need to hear my band.” – Coco Sumner

Ok, so you may be thinking…what’s so special? She used her Dad to climb her way into the music industry? WRONG. She did it all herself. She lived a life away from the limelight, writing her own songs, living on her friends’ sofa’s and earning her own money. She also bagged herself a spot in the Burberry Spring/Summer 2008 campaign alongside Agyness Deyn, and a small role in the film Stardust (2007).

So there you have it, be yourself and work for what you want, don’t be influenced by other people’s expectations.

You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live…

Love,

Georgina

things that made me smile :)

Here are two websites that I came across today that you should definitely check out if you are bored and in need of a smile:

http://chillwitchnamemagic.com/ (thanks Hannah!)

http://www.light-weaver.com/slide2/a.html

And some pictures aswell…

Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon..

This post focuses on an extremely inspirational French film from 2007. The English translation of the film title is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and it is based on a true story. I first watched it in a French lesson two years ago, and I thought, and still think of it as the best foreign film I have ever seen.

I’m not going to give too much of the story away, but it is about the former editor of Elle magazine in France who suffered a stroke and had to live for several months with a totally paralysed body, except for his left eye. Using his left eye to blink, he manages to write out his memoirs, going into serious detail about his psychological torments. It is extremely inspirational, and I seriously recommend that you do watch it. Here is the trailer (apologies that it is only in French, but you can get the general meaning from watching it):

I hope you find it as amazing as I did.

incredible.

We really need to appreciate what we’ve got, because we never know when it’s going to disappear. This man, Karl Dimachki, my maven for today, is someone we must all look to for inspiration.

After battling tongue cancer, losing half his tongue and being told that he would never sing again, Karl proved everyone wrong by standing on the stage of the Australian X Factor in front of thousands and singing his heart out. He sang to tell us all that nothing can stop you from achieving your dream, no matter what it is.

At the end of this video, I hope you realise that you can do anything you have set your mind to, and that no matter how hard life knocks you down, you need to get back up and keep going.

I truly wish I had half the courage Karl does, and I genuinely believe that this man deserves a medal for the message he communicated.

Although he didn’t make it to the next round of the X Factor, he now stands as a living symbol of inspiration and more importantly a hero for those too fearful to try their luck at achieving their dream.

In the words of Karl, “if you have a dream, go on and do it.”

You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live…

Love,

Georgina

Edith Piaf

Today I can’t stop listening to songs by Edith Piaf… here are a few of my favourites.

I think she’s amazing! She had such an intense life, growing up in a brothel, being blinded for several months, alcohol addiction, drug addiction, many lovers (one who passed away) and amazing music! If you haven’t seen the film based on her, you must watch it! (La Vie en Rose).

And another amazing french movie that has a big emphasis on her is Jeux D’enfants – my favourite film ever.

i want to get away..

School has just started again and everything is intense! I already feel like I need a break, to go somewhere far far far away! Here are some images I found, of how paradise should look like – if anyone knows a way to get me there then you are my maven!!!

Text books and lectures….

At my graduation, Prof. Arjo Klamer came as a guest speaker (a well know university professor). He told the tail of Socrates and his teachings, at the time not realizing what he said, probably because of excitement, I only realized later he was trying to tell us; if you pay good attention and if teachers are truly passionate you may be inspired by a teacher in near future, just like Socrates inspired his followers. It was a subtile oath to  my teachers that had taught me for the past 6 years.

Now that I am in Florence doing that one thing I love (Photography) surrounded by many passionate people, realization dawned upon me…I finally understood what Prof. Klamer tried to say. I am inspired by my teacher. I feed off of his knowledge and enjoy learning. A passionate teacher is just a push in the right direction but work/study/do something you love and you will be inspired. My maven on this ordinary monday; teachers of any form.

.

I’ve been rejected and accepted.

Ciao,

Lavinia