**PLATFORM UPDATE::NO POST(S)**

Sorry, postings have been scarce! During my Miami excursion, I have not been working from my personal computer, therefore making it difficult to post all the usual Platform updates. I will return this Sunday and regular postings will continue.

Please keep checking back for oodles of updates!

FILM::CATHERINE BREILLAT'S "THE LAST MISTESS" NOW PLAYING AT IFC CENTER

Asia Argento stars in the newest film by one of France's foremost "provocatrice", Catherine Breillat. The film, now playing at IFC Center in New York, is the adaptation of a scandalous 19th-century novel. "A reformed libertine prepares to marry a virginal daughter of the aristocracy and settle down. But his jealous lover (Argento) lurks in the wings -- and in the minds of high society's gossip-hounds -- still fiercely determined to possess him."

SHOWTIMES::THE LAST MISTRESS

**PLATFORM UPDATE:: CITY ESCAPE. MIAMI**

Starting tomorrow, I will be posting the Platform norm from Miami. I’m excited for my excursion, as I will peruse my way around Miami’s booming culture scene, covering everything from dining, local bars, and nightlife, to music, art, and design, in attempt to seek out the best go-to spots for your next city-to-city escape.

First stop: mojitoville.

Please check back for updates!

FASHION/BUY::OPENING CEREMONY SALE, LAST CALL 07.18.08 NEW YORK/LA

Bi-coastal Opening Ceremony final markdowns begin today, Friday, July 18th.

Featuring Alexander Wang, Fred Perry, Grai, Hussein Chayalan, Vena Cava, Katy Rodriguez, Lutz, Sabrina Dehoff and Opening Ceremony.

LOCATION(S)::
New York
35 Howard St New York, NY 10013 Tel 212-219-2688
Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 11-8pm and Sunday 12-7pm

Los Angeles
451 North La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048 Tel 310-652-1120
Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 11-7pm and Sunday 12-7pm

openingceremony.us

MV::NICOLAS BENAMOU DIRECTS YELLE "JE VEUX TE VOIR"

French pop artist,Yelle, has successfully conquered crossing over into the U.S. market. Her music plays in retail stores everywhere (non-stop at Forever 21 and H&M – God help us), which attracts teens and shoppers alike to the spunky artists music. In this newest video, directed by Nicolas Benamous, Yelle and her posse crunch and grind to the poppy sound of Je Veus Te Voir.
It’s not a far stretch to say that this video somewhat resembles hip hop/rapper artist, David Banners video "Play"…actually, sort of funny.

ARTIST::YELLE
TRACK::JE VEUX TE VOIR
DIRECTOR::NICOLAS BENAMOU
PROD. CO::N/A

MUSIC/EVENT::MGMT AT MCCARREN PARK POOL 7.27.08

MGMT. They’re everywhere. It seems like the little band that could have bottle rocketed into our lives out of nowhere. With the mass of articles, reviews, and videos being streamed our way, MGMT is impossible to ignore. And rightly so with their psychedelic pop tracks and ranging sounds, they spark a certain something that says this band is going to be around for a while.

MGMT will headline McCarren Park Pool July 27th, alongside The Ting Tings and Black Moth Super Rainbow. The show is free, therefore will be packed. So arrive early and get ready to stand because it’s inevitable, you will dance.

MORE INFO::THE JELLY NYC POOL PARTIES WITH MGMT, BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINDOW AND TING TINGS, SUNDAY JULY 27TH, 2PM
DIRECTIONS/ADDRESS::MCCARREN PARK POOL WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN

READ::SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, NANCY PELOSI, SPEAKS HER MIND WITH HARPER'S BAZAAR

Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is a force to be reckoned with. With beauty, brains, and power, she’s redefining what it means to be a strong woman in congress. First step is to acknowledge that you don’t have to be like men and wear power suits to gain respect. Pelosi gabs with Tatiana Sorokko of Harpers Bazaar and lets us in on her beauty regimen, insatiable addiction to chocolate, and the secret to a successful 45-year marriage.

READ::HARPER'S BAZAAR.NANCY PELOSI SPEAKS HER MIND

**PLATFORM UPDATE::SONG OF THE WEEK 07.17.08**

Watching The Darjeeling Limited a second time, I was reminded why Wes Anderson's films are so great. Particularly when Rolling Stones' Play With Fire lyrics "your mother she's an heiress" sync perfectly with Anjelica Huston's big brown eyes. The film largely centers around Huston's character as the mother of on-screen brothers Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrien Brody. The timing of the music couldn't be better.

SOUNDTRACK::THE DARJEELING LIMITED SOUNDTRACK. AMAZON $9.45 (USED) & UP

**PLATFORM EVENT REMINDER::DJ SHADOW & CUT CHEMIST PLAY MCCARREN PARK POOL, BROOKLYN, NY**

PREVIOUS PLATFORM POST::DJ SHADOW & CUT CHEMIST PLAY MCCARREN $35

BEAUTY/PRODUCT::TIMOTHY HAN CANDLE AT BARNEYS NEW YORK

Just the other day I was discussing my devotional love for scented candles. Aside from being an optimal mood enhancer for your home, they're great in the Summer when New York humidity can leave your home smelling muggy and stale. You don't have to buy a pricey candle to liven up your room, but if you prefer it, try Timothy Han's Bergamot, Jasmine, & Mandarin candle sold at Barneys New York, at a pretty price of $58. The divinity of the mandarin scent will make guests "oo" and "ahh" at your next dinner party.

BUY::BARNEY'S NEW YORK. TIMOTHY HAN $58

MUSIC/EVENT::ARIEL PINK PLAYS KNITTING FACTORY NYC, 07.30.08

Finally! Avant-garde/hauntology musician, Ariel Pink, is set to play at the Knitting Factory in NYC, July 30th. The experimentalist is currently signed to Paw Tracks, home to other indie artists such as Animal Collective, Panda Bear, and Exceptor.

TICKETS::KNITTING FACTORY. ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI, CHAIRLIFT, TICKLEY FEATHER & MIXEL PIXEL. $15 ADV/$15 DAY OF
PREVIOUS PLATFORM POST::ARIEL PINK'S "GRAY SUNSET", DIRECTED BY TRAVIS PETERSON

BOOKS::JESSICA VALENTI'S, "HE'S A STUD, SHE'S A SLUT AND 49 OTHER DOUBLE STANDARDS WOMEN SHOULD KNOW"

PLATFORM MUST READ
____________________
Everyday, women persevere in their fight for equality. Whether in the workplace, friendships, in relationships, everywhere they go they face the challenge on a daily basis to not be defined or discriminated against by their gender. And until this day, one of the most common issues is the double standard. You know, the old one in which men can sleep with as many women as they’d like and be called a “player”, yet if a woman did the same, she’d be tagged as “slutty” or “promiscuous”? Even now, the double standard is as prevalent as ever in every part of life, including politics. Who could forget during Hillary Clinton’s campaign, MSNBC’s Chris Matthew’s question to Sen. Chris Dodd post-Democratic debate, “Do you find it difficult to debate a woman?” to which Dodd responded “Not at all”. I mean should it really matter who you’re debating? Man or woman?

Author and feminist, Jessica Valenti puts that thought and other double standards into question in her latest book, He’s A Stud, She’s A Slut And 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know.

Valenti, head editor for Feministing.com, tackles these common issues with wit and a contemporary outlook, relating to the twenty and thirty-somethings who read her blog. Although her title is geared towards women, it’s a good read for men too. The world of feminism shouldn’t be a female only club. It should be an opportunity for men and women to work together on the same side, in the fight against sexism and discrimination so we can finally put it to an end.

BUY::HE'S A STUD, SHE'S A SLUT AND 49 OTHER DOUBLE STANDARDS WOMEN SHOULD KNOW AMAZON (USED) $8 & UP

AD::DIRECTOR FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA AND DIRECTOR/DAUGHTER, SOFIA COPPOLA, IN LOUIS VUITTON'S NEW AD CAMPAIGN

It seems as though Sofia Coppola has been under the radar post-baby, taking time to adopt her new role as a mother. So, when she decided to get back into the limelight, she thought what better way to do so than alongside prolific daddy and director, Francis Ford Coppola. The image, shown above, was shot by Annie Leibovitz and is the newest venture by LVMH’s Core Value campaign with Marc Jacobs, part of the reason Sofia Coppola agreed to the campaign (*Coppola and Jacobs have been friends since they were 18).

Coppola also loved the photographs of previous celebrities shot for the campaign, Keith Richards and Catherine Deneuve, also by Leibovitz.

"It's great to work with Annie - she did a good portfolio on the set of Marie Antoinette. She just selects one picture and then shows it to you. But I think that's good. My dad and I were both like, yeah, whatever you want, this is your shoot. On your own set you want it exactly your own way, but we can get with someone else's vision too."

I love the gentility of this image, as both Coppola’s look extremely comfortable yet sophisticated in their element. It looks like a true father-daughter moment.

RELATED ARTICLE::TIMES ONLINE

**PLATFORM UPDATE::TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES**

Platform is currently experiencing "technical difficulties" but will be updated shortly. Thanks!

FASHION/FILM::STEFANO PILATI FOR YVES SAINT LAURENT

Follow up film to Stefano Pilati's short film showcase for YSL's 2009 Resort collection, via Style.com.

PREVIOUS PLATFORM POST::YSL SPRING COLLECTION FILMS, DIRECTED BY SARAH CHATFIELD AND CHRIS SWEENEY OF COLONEL BLIMP

IN REVIEW::PHOTOGRAPHER CHRISTINE LEBECK

Photographer Christine Lebeck’s work provokes the kind of eeriness you might see in suspense films. But after taking an elongated look you realize her photos sublime beauty. In her project Nocturnes, cool tones and out of focus visuals take hold of the image. Their suggestive nature makes a viewer question, what’s really being photographed? Her compilation of Seascapes has the same earthy quality, yet looks more like a watercolor painting than a photograph. Each image relates to another as Lebeck’s style is subtle yet distinct, without the “look at me” factor some photographers possess. As of now, no news of upcoming exhibits.

OFFICIAL SITE::CHRISTINE LEBECK

MUSIC/READ::VANITY FAIR'S "A PILGRIMAGE TO TOM WAITS' WORLD"

Whether you’re a man or a woman, you can see Tom Waits' oozing sensuality. His soulful glass swallowing voice easily romanticizes drinking copious amounts of bourbon and getting lost in a world of debauchery, while listening to blues and what’s left of real beat poetry.

In a recent article, not really an interview as much as an observation, Vanity Fair makes every attempt possible to snag a few words with Mr. Waits, who is known for denying any form of questionnaire. The best they got was a one-way conversation at his last stop along his Glitter and Doom tour in Atlanta. After all, he is Tom Waits. He can deny anyone of his utter coolness.

READ:: A PILGRIMAGE TO TOM WAIT'S WORLD

MUSIC/TO DO::SONIC YOUTH'S THURSTON MOORE AND BIOGRAPHER DAVID BROWNE DISCUSS NO WAVE AND NY'S ART & PUNK SCENE

Tonight, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth fame, will discuss his new book No Wave at McNally Bookstore (52 Prince St. b/t Lafayette & Mulberry). Sonic Youth biographer and journalist, David Browne, will accompany Moore in a discussion about the collision of the underground art and punk scene of New York in the 70s and 80s, and the influence Sonic Youth made on the revolutionary subculture.

MORE INFO::SONIC YOUTH AND NO WAVE FRIDAY, JULY 11, 7:00-8:00PM (ARRIVE EARLY). MCNALLY ROBINSON BOOKSTORE 52 PRINCE STREET (LAFAYETTE & MULBERRY)

NY LOCAL::EQUUS COMES TO NYC

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a little curious about this play. And not because former teeny bopper-turned-theatre actor comes out in his Birthday suit. No, no, aside from the advertisement pictured above being totally engrossing, this play has major theatre cred'. The provocative play is about a stable boy and the psychiatrist who tries to unravel the religious and sexual mystery that ensues when the troubled teenager blinds six horses in his care. Admit it, it sounds good.

TICKET INFO::EQUUS NYC

FASHION::MODEL MARIACARLA BOSCONO'S PHOTO DIARY ON STYLE

The model life is one to be envied. You’re constantly surrounded by inspiration and creativity. And you’re always at the threshold of the next big thing. But what does it really look like through a models eye? Model Mariacarla Boscono played photographer for Style.com, snapping shots of everything from the interiors of Givenchy, Paris, to the hard workrooms where seamstresses sew, steam, and sweat.

VIEW PHOTO DIARY::MARIACARLA BOSCONO

DESIGN::MEET BENJAMIN BAUMGARTEN, DESIGNED BY OLGER

No, it’s not kid clothes! It’s your new blue friend, Benjamin Baumgarten, designed by Dutch artist Olger. The faceless clay made toy comes with multiple outfits, including a trench coat. He may not be the cuddliest of all, but he’s sure damn cute, not to mention very decorative.

Psh, and you thought Glow Worms were cool!

MORE INFO::OLGER

MV::NIMA NOURIZADEH DIRECTS CSS "RAT IS DEAD"

**Apologies for annoying scroll bar, but it's really the best quality.

Partizan director, Nima Nourizadeh collaborates with spunky band CSS for their new single "Rat Is Dead". The camera is a bit nauseating after a while, with non-stop motion. But the band keeps you enthralled with their music and their too cool to smile personalities, making this video an unstoppable watch.

ARTIST::CSS
TRACK::RAT IS DEAD
DIRECTOR::NIMA NOURIZADEH
PROD.CO::PARTIZAN

MUSIC::GRIZZLY BEAR SHOW ADDED, MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG 8.9.08

From GB site: Part of the proceeds will benefit The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation flood relief. Bowery Presents will also be donating $1 per ticket sold in addition to the band's donation to the foundation.

Tickets go on sale Thursday @ noon.

MORE INFO::GRIZZLY BEAR (W/ VIOLENS), MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG $20 ADV/$20 DAY OF

FASHION/BUY::TOPSHOP SOHO, NEW YORK OPENS OCTOBER '08

A few weekends ago, I was walking through SoHo for my ritual window shopping and habitual splurging, when I noticed a giant advertisement that stopped me dead in my platform shoes “Top Shop Opening Fall 2008”. I gasped as I grabbed my friend’s crisp shirt collar and asked, “Why don’t I know about this?” to which he responded “Um, hello! Everyone knows about it”. So this post is dedicated to those who don’t know.
The British retail chain’s 40,000-square-foot, tri-level flagship store is slated to open in September/October and it will be fab-u-lous.

BROWSE::TOPSHOP
FUTURE ADDRESS::478 BROADWAY NEW YORK, NY 10012

FOOD/NYC EVENT::RESTAURANT WEEK 2008

It’s that time of year again when foodies (and wannabes) take pleasure in decadent dining in over 200 NYC restaurants for a fraction of the price. Restaurant Week will last 10 days (weekends excluded) from July 21st -25th and July 28th-Aug 1st. A few restaurants included: Butter, China Grill, Del Posto, Mercer Kitchen, Spice Markert, and Tribeca Grill.

Bon appetite.

FOR MORE INFO::NYC RESTAURANT WEEK

**SONG OF THE WEEK::COCOROSIE'S 'GOD HAS A VOICE, SHE SPEAKS THROUGH ME' 7.07.08**

Since I posted CocoRosie's newest video "God Has A Voice, She Speaks Through Me" not too many posts ago, I wanted to keep the excitement of this new track going by making it Platform's Song of the Week!

View upper right corner for player.

FASHION/FILM::YVES SAINT LAURENT SPRING 2009 COLLECTION FILMS, DIRECTED BY SARAH CHATFIELD AND CHRIS SWEENEY

Yves Saint Laurent's, Stefano Pilati, screened various films at
Paris Men's Fashion Week, introducing the YSL's Spring 2009 collection. The films, directed by Sarah Chatfield and Chris Sweeney (Colonel Blimp), feature actor and model Jack Huston (Angelica Huston’s nephew), in seven different films. In one of the pieces, Huston “auditions” with a screen test while clad in YSL, another where he stands among half-naked ballerinas (again, in YSL), and another where he is voyeuristically spied on through a camera lens. The shots are sublime, and the clothing dressed in man, is nothing less of perfect.

VIEW ALL THE FILMS BELOW!

FIGURES ENTWINING
CINEMATIC BODYSCAPE
SCREEN TEST
LIGHT AND SHADOW
SYMBOL
HEDONISTIC BODYSCAPES
FIGURES UNFURLING

**ART/REMINDER::OLAFUR ELIASSON WATERFALLS UP & FLOWING**

Reviews are mixed, as some are describing the Eliasson's city commissioned waterfalls installation as "uninspired" and "limp". But with all art, better to make your own judgments.

PREVIOUS PLATFORM POST::NYC OLAFUR ELIASSON NYC WATERFALLS

**PLATFORM UPDATE::TRAVEL TO THAILAND, SEPTEMBER '08**

This September, a Platform contributor and I will be traveling to Thailand for the first time. I will go not only as traveler, but as a Platform culture blog representative. My initiative will be to cover Thai culture in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, as well as different aspects of their growing contemporary scene, including: music, food, art, nightlife, and whatever else I come across! I will film snippets of my travel as well as keep a photo journal. Research has begun, but feel free to comment on what specifically you’d like to see!

Keep checking back for updates!

FILM/BUY::SCREAMING MASTERPIECE, DIRECTED BY ARI ALEXANDER ERGIS MAGNÚSSON

In 2005, director Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon explored the world of the Icelandic music scene and the movement of successful artists to come out of the Nordic country. Musicians include popular artists, i.e. Björk, Múm, Sigur Rós, and Mugison. He examines the notoriety these artists have gained and why people are so drawn to this particular, sometimes offbeat, but exceptionally talented community.

TRAILER::

BUY::SCREAMING MASTERPIECE. AMAZON $12 (USED) & UP

**EVENTS REMINDER::WARM UP KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND AT P.S.1, 4TH OF JULY**

FOR MORE INFO, VIEW PREVIOUS PLATFORM POST::WARM UP @ P.S.1

MUSIC::GRIZZLY BEAR ON DAVID LETTERMAN 7.23.08

After the unpredictability that is television, Grizzly Bear's appearance on Letterman has been moved from July 2nd to July 23rd. Nonetheless, still set to be a fantastic performance.