SF Street Inspirations

Net-A-Porter by Business of Fashion

I love blogs and Business of Fashion is a great source of the inside dish on the business behind the fashion industry. Imran Amed the editor, just got an exclusive with Natalie Massenet from Net-a-Porter. Recently sold to luxury powerhouse Richemont for a pretty penny, Massenet is a business woman to take a queue from. Taking luxury apparel online and into the webosphere, Net-a-Porter lead the trend of the fashion-edited-online-marketplace. Take a look at the Behind the Scenes video from Business of Fashion interview tour with Natalie Massenet.

More on the interview here.

Adventures in Sailing

One ofthe best things about living in San Francisco is being next to the bay. Having traveled extensively throughout my life and growing up on an island- the most important element to make a city a home for me is to be near water. But far too often, I neglect my sanctuary in the city and remain on dry land. Until last weekend, thanks to OCSC Sailing in Berkeley, my friend Kris and I had a blast sailing the high seas.

Note to self: Get out and enjoy the water more. Even if it is just a toe dip in the sea.

The Next Magazine

Launching today: Flipboard

A cool new App for the iPad that pulls content from your social media networks and creates a "magazine" based on what is being shared around you. While the connection to social media networks is cool and all, I see the next exciting step for print magazines are to take the glossy pages digital. Imagine flipping through your Vogue on the Ipad and selecting a Kors runway shot, only to have it be a video of the runway show glimpsing the ensemble live and in motion. Can't wait for the adaptations to start... maybe i can get in early and help make it happen. WSJ and NYTimes will be next...

waiting

...there are people waiting to be helped, there are souls waiting to be touched,

there are friendships waiting to be made, there is canvas waiting for paint,

there are men and women with hearts waiting to fall in love,

it is my job and your job to find them...

~Father O'Neil

the demon of men

Not necessity, not desire - no, the love of power is the demon of men.
Let them have everything - health, food, a place to live, entertainment -
they are and remain unhappy and low-spirited:
for the demon waits and waits and will be satisfied.

-Friedrich Nietzsche

Inspiration can come for anywhere...but when it comes from a dear friend its even better. Because I could not have said it better myself...

I once smoked a cigar with Fidel Castro.

I used to discuss UN politics with His Majesty

Empreor Hallie Selassie. I occasionally engage

Cornel West in political discourse on the state of

the black union. I've argued with Al Greenspan

about what was the best move for the current economy,

happens to be. I've explained to Bush his foreign policy

is a detriment to our society but he didn't listen,

so I spoke to him of his demise from power....

When I was done with this, I decided to rest myself

I sat at the thrown drinking nectar with Allah.

I proceeded to sit naked on the Sahara desert

letting my body glisten in the sun.

My voluptuous limbs absorbed the rays and radiated

back the light that created the blue sky,

the gentle breeze, and the passing of the clouds.

Words of Wisdom

Friday Inspiration

What Motivates you?

A lovely coworker sent me this video today. Since I'm always on the search for new ideas and challenging ways to shake up business, this video is quite interesting! I have to say that the results of this MIT experiment are very surprising. So take a look and let me know if you agree or disagree.

Modern Art

When I decided to study art history in college the number of ??? that arose from loved ones around me was comical. Now that I'm a degree holding Art Historian those ??? still surface every now and then. The only difference is...now I have answers to those questions!

Saw this and thought it might be my next response

Just when I thought Arizona was going to get away with this terrible law... The Justice Department Swoops in to save the day!

No matter which side of the Immigration issue you are on, one thing remains. Immigrants are people too and deserve respect. It is necessary to have someone thinking about resolutions to the global issue not just targeting a small population.

"It is often easier to become outraged by injustice half a world away than by oppression and discrimination half a block from home." ~Carl T. Rowan

Article:
Obama sues Arizona
By: Mary Katharine Ham
Weekly Standard
07/06/10 4:35 PM EDT

Jan Brewer v. Eric Holder:

The Justice Department filed suit Tuesday against Arizona, charging that the state’s new immigration law is unconstitutional and requesting a preliminary injunction to stop the legislation from taking effect.

The lawsuit says the law illegally intrudes on federal prerogatives, invoking as its main argument the legal doctrine of “preemption,” which is based on the Constitution’s supremacy clause and says that federal law trumps state statutes. The Justice Department argues that enforcing immigration laws is a federal responsibility.

But the filing also asserts that the Arizona law would harm people’s civil rights, leading to police harassment of U.S. citizens and foreigners.

The complaint is here (pdf). At 25 pages, it is two and a half times the length of the bill itself. One wonders if anyone in the Obama administration actually read this document given their infamous unwillingness to read the Arizona law.

Legal Times:

“In our constitutional system, the federal government has preeminent authority to regulate immigration matters. This authority derives from the United States Constitution and numerous acts of Congress,” reads the introduction

With the State Department joining as a plaintiff, the lawsuit also cites the president’s authority over foreign affairs. “Immigration law, policy, and enforcement priorities are affected by and have impacts on U.S. foreign policy, and are themselves the subject of diplomatic arrangements,” it says.

In a news release, Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. focused on two additional areas: the impact the law could have on immigrants’ willingness to cooperate with local police in criminal investigations, and the police resources that could be diverted from other investigations.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, Calif.:

“For the better part of two decades, citizens in border states like Arizona, Texas and California have been told that illegal immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government while their concerns about the safety of their families and communities have been largely brushed aside or met with inconsistent, under-resourced and ineffective responses from the federal government. They now find themselves over-run by drug cartels, gangs and human trafficking. The people who live under the constant threat of border violence have every right to be protected and have every right to defend themselves, their families and their communities.

“For President Obama to stand in the way of a state which has taken action to stand-up for its citizens against this daily threat of violence and fear is disgraceful and a betrayal of his Constitutional obligation to protect our citizens. Rather than spend time, energy, resources and money stopping a state from enforcing existing immigration laws, the Obama Administration should instead mobilize every resource available to stand with these states and families who live daily with the reality of violent crime along an unsecure border and suffer the consequences of the federal government’s failure.”

Perhaps it’s a better legal argument than a political one, but the federal government does seem to be opening quite the can of worms to argue that a state-level attempt to do what the federal government claims is its sole responsibility is uncalled for while that same government is spending time and energy suing Arizona while it continues to not live up to its responsibility.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/obama-sues-arizona-97883084.html#ixzz0tEKVGyb9

YapStone Quarterly Meeting

In an effort to mix up the boring old PowerPoint Presentations given by Management at our company wide quarterly meeting, I thought instead of saying what the Marketing Department has done lets Show what we've done.

Check it out... a little insight into my 9-5:

Info on us check out www.RentPayment.com

*Note, the Video became such a hit company wide, it was shared with one of our partners, Visa. They liked it too. :-)

World Most Interesting Intern

For all you Marketers out there... a fun little social media snippet. Proving big business can still have a little fun. Good Luck Greg!

http://blogs.cisco.com/news/comments/i_am_the_worlds_most_interesting_intern/

The Beauty Editor

I must say that I almost never dedicate the time to read complete articles, even from my most favorite blogs. But I just couldn't resist this one. I LOVE how thorough Eva was and all the whimsical notes about painting nails for her grandmother, the order she reads her magazines, and the beauty closet sales. This article was just a pleasure to read!

I'd like to give some props to Natalie Hormilla @ Fashionista! Nice job.


Eva Chen at Work. Image Courtesy of Fashionista.


Check out the full article below:
http://fashionista.com/2009/03/life_with_eva_chen_from_teen_v.php

Art Travels Beyond Cuban Barriers

So as we all know, I am an art fan, an art historian technically, but mostly just a gal who finds inspiration in the creative; a tried and true believer in the cultural world. Being of Cuban descent I am pleased to see the progress being made to break down the physical barriers currently in place in the name of art.

Below is a great article about the collaboration of Chelsea Galleries in NY with the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, Cuba.

This exhibition: ground breaking really...speaks to the idea that art is able to travel legally beyond barriers when it's artists can not. The higher concept is about ideas and creative works of art being made in one world and through travel, time, or political sanctions these works will continue on to new audiences.

Cuban beat: Loretta Lux, The Drummer, 2004

Chelsea galleries visit Havana

US dealers challenge Cuba embargo in test of new president’s cultural policies

By Charmaine Picard

NEW YORK. Twenty-eight US art galleries have been invited to show work at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, Cuba, for the first time since 1986. Organised by New York art dealers Alberto Magnan and Dara Metz, “Chelsea Visits Havana” opens on 28 March, with the participation of dealers including Andrea Rosen, Sean Kelly, Barbara Gladstone, Mary Boone and Matthew Marks.

The organisers approached Cuban officials nearly two years ago with a proposal for a comprehensive survey of contemporary art from the Chelsea gallery district in New York. In January, Mr Magnan and Ms Metz were notified that the project had officially become part of the Tenth Havana Biennial, which opens on 27 March. The Chelsea show is part of a wider programme of exhibitions throughout Havana and presents a selection of 35 international artists including Marina Abramovic, Will Cotton, Loretta Lux, Matthew Barney, and Guy Ben-Ner.

Mr Magnan says: “We’ve been under the harsh policies of the Bush administration for such a long time, and the reintroduction of cultural exchanges will hopefully move both sides closer to dialogue.” In mid-2004, President Bush strengthened the US trade embargo on Cuba by imposing tougher restrictions on travel, effectively ending all travel-related cultural exchange programmes. Since then, Cuban artists have regularly been denied visas to attend exhibitions or claim prizes and fellowships in the US.

Abelardo Mena, curator of contemporary international art at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, told The Art Newspaper that efforts to bring US artists to Cuba have frequently been blocked by the US Interests Section in Havana, an office that functions de facto as an embassy and represents US interests in the country. Mr Mena, who is coordinating “Chelsea Visits Havana” for the Cuban national museum, says the institution has a small collection of contemporary American art, which was donated by artists who participated in the 1986 exhibition, “Por Encima del Bloqueo/ Surpassing the Embargo”, organised by the Wifredo Lam Contemporary Art Centre. The collection includes works by Mel Edwards, Carl Andre, Lawrence Weiner, Nancy Spero, Leon Golub, Miriam Shapiro, Kiki Smith, and Tim Rollins and K.O.S. After 23 years, Rollins and K.O.S. will again be showing their work in Havana with the Lehmann Maupin Gallery as part of the Chelsea project.

Although artists have regularly been denied visas, according to Christopher Klatell, an attorney at Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman in New York, “the export of artworks to Cuba is exempt from the embargo under both statute and regulation”. He said that the Berman Amendment of 1988, also known as the Free Trade in Ideas Act, does not allow the US government to regulate or prohibit the exportation of art. This means that art can legally travel between the two countries, even when artists cannot.

Mr Magnan and Ms Metz have enlisted the help of the non-profit Fundación Amistad, which brings humanitarian aid to Cuba and sponsors art-related projects in the US and abroad. According to Luly Duke, president and founder, the organisation is raising funds to pay for the shipping and insurance of the art, as well as a catalogue. It is linked to academic, cultural and humanitarian institutions in Cuba, and will coordinate the complex shipment of work from the US to Havana and back. Mr Magnan, a Cuban American and the director of Magnan Projects gallery, said: “I’m not making any money from this and none of the art pieces are for sale. This is about exchanging culture. I couldn’t do this without the foundation’s help.”

President Obama has promised changes in US foreign policy towards Cuba, pledging to lift travel restrictions and limits on remittances to relatives on the island. Mr Mena said: “I don’t believe the exhibition would have been possible under the Bush administration. I hope the new president and his secretary of state recognise the value of cultural diplomacy based on mutual respect, and the free exchange of cultural goods.”

Obama signs Recovery and Reinvestment Act with reinstated support for the arts

It is great to know that my baby boo Obama is thinking about the entire population.



As the ArtNewspaper reports:
NEW YORK. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Smithsonian Institution have secured a small allotment of federal funding as part of the $787bn American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Obama on 17 February, following fears that arts groups would be completely excluded from the stimulus package. A committee comprising members of both houses of Congress reached an agreement on the final spending bill, which was notably smaller than the versions passed by either the House or the Senate, with a number of cuts made to education and health programmes to secure the sliver of Republican support needed (three votes) to pass the bill. The NEA will receive $50m to distribute to non-profit arts organisations while the Smithsonian gets $25m to repair its facilities.

For the whole story check out:
http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article.asp?id=16946

Everybody always thinks they are right

Artist: Stefan Sagmeister
Installation Locations: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Stirling.