Traveling with Louis

Louis Vuitton is running a really cool ad on tv and maybe in cinemas?. The campaign is called:

'Where will Life take You?'

Directed by Bruno Aveillan, it should win some awards for him, and it may well sell some travel bags for Louis.

It features a series of contemplative vignettes of life. Of people in repose, thoughtfully caught between the act of moving from one place to another, or having arrived, waking up to a new morning, a strange new place, or even a new feeling. 

This commercial has a liquid feel to it, and the roadside water colorist may be a metaphor for life, of how it flows, from one scene into another. Inter-weaving scenes from nature and the city environments it echoes the simple feeling of Being, and of course the Brand.

There is a more dramatic narrative that is revealed in the extended cut, but i like the 1.32 version. You can see for yourself. I have linked it to my other blog TravelAgentM.

What i enjoy about this ad other than the scintillating guitar score is the text that unfolds. It engages us in the same way that the people in the commercial are engaged, in a kind of retrospective Q & A. It asks;

'What is a Journey?

A Journey is not a trip.

It's not a Vacation.

It's a process. A Discovery.

It's a process of Self Discovery.

A Journey brings us face to face

with Ourselves.

A Journey shows us not only the World,

but how we fit in.

Does the Person create the Journey

or does the Journey create the Person?

The Journey is Life.

where will Life take you?

LOUIS VUITTON.

I have been developing similar themes with The Art of Travel sutras (chapters 1-9 are posted on TravelAgentM ) but i bring this to your attention not for a lesson in travel philosophy but for a little time travel; case you haven't noticed, our departure from 2008, and the pending arrival of 2009.....

Where will life take you next year ?

On the meaning of Leonard Cohen & The Hallelujah: A Tribute

Poets rarely reveal the under pinnings of their lyrics, least of all L.Cohen, who will only acknowledge the accolade 'poet' if it is bestowed upon him by others.

Such humility. Only the great ones have it.

His last anthology, aptly titled 'Book of Longing'(as his legion of fans were no doubt longing for its completion for many years) is published without footnotes. 

And so it was intriguing to read a recent exposition of his song 'Hallelujah' (from the album Various Positions) by the master himself.

I first heard the dulcet tones of his self proclaimed 'Golden Voice' singing his signature song, which at that time was 'Suzanne', on an FM radio station when i was living in Montreal in the late 70's.

Since then, for over 30 years, i have re mastered my listening ear many times to assimilate his evocative words, and imbibe the beauty of his simple chord progressions. 

Without ever totally comprehending the profundity of his lyrics, i have suffered his search for meaning. With this brief explanation of Hallelujah he seems to have provided us all, with the master key to understanding his life's work, and even life itself. We should be so thankful.

Actually I can thank L.Cohen for many things. 

For launching me on a travel pilgrimage to the Greek Island of Hydra, for his apocryphal rhapsodic novel 'Beautiful Losers' for introducing me to Federico Garcia Lorca, for offering Zen as a disciplined way to smile at the seriousness of the world. And in the 2 concerts i have seen him perform live (Sydney circa 1985 after Various Positions was released, & more recently as a spry 74 year old in Sweden this summer of 2008) I can thank him for all the songs he has written.

Credit also goes to IntegralOptionsCafe for directing me to the article by Neil McCormick of The Telegraph where Cohen elucidates the meaning of Hallelujah. 

I quote in part from the interview (my italics);

"Finally there's no conflict between things,finally everything is reconciled but not where we live. This world is full of conflicts and full of things that cannot be reconciled, but there are moments when we can transcend the dualistic system and reconcile and embrace the whole mess and that's what i mean by 'Hallelujah'"

He goes on to conclude;

"The only moment that you can live here comfortably in these absolutely irreconcilable conflicts is in this moment when you embrace it all and you say 'Look, I don't understand a f***ing thing at all 

- Hallelujah!' 

That's the only moment that we live here fully as human beings."

I believe in years to come that Cohen's art, music, musings & poetry will be studied by contemplatives of the great juxtaposition, namely in Buddhist terminology: The Samsara; as a way to reconcile the Great Mystery of G-d and man here on earth. 

And far from what was once his claim to fame in the recording industry at least, as 'Music to slit your wrists to...' they will discover a wry humor, a timeless humility, and a joyous proclamation of Hallelujah!

Airport Art

Air terminals as Contemporary Art Galleries. 

Great idea, some city airports do display local artists.

These 2 near the boarding gates in Nassau Airport.

Ocean Drive

Ocean Drive; a 50's Buick. 

There is a lot of intriguing, 

glamourous and not so glamourous 

history, behind the city of Miami, 

much of it buried and forgotten now.

I am glad this old 1930's Art Deco

area was not forgotten and

listed as a National Historic Area

in the 70's. In keeping with the 

original Art Deco architects credo of "lets 

turn heads" It is now a vibrant 

part of today's glamour scene.

So that's about it for now on

South Beach. 

Its a really fun place to hang out for awhile

to be seen in the 'IN' scene, but always remember every surface has its depth.  

Stiltsville Style

After the previous post on the mega homes of the rich & famous i just had to add another one from Stiltsville.

Compared to canal living, there is a lot of view that comes with this room. 

Miami Nice : Cool Livin in Biscayne Bay

 


 

 
Cruising the canals of Biscayne Bay.Larger image house featured in Michael Mann's movie version of Miami Vice as the bad guy's pad.

More commercial art & design from South Beach

TED Talks link added

I am adding a link to the TED talks page.I know i have been resisting these additions but this site is a must view.It is full of great talks on technology, entertainment & design by some of the most innovative inspiring creatives on the planet today.

Leonardo would be proud of this bunch i think.

What happens in South Beach

I had a fabulous time in South Beach, got to know the place behind its tourist persona.

I will post some more pics later.

Like Vegas its a one of a kind place in the USA to visit, to hang out, be seen with the beautiful people, do nothing or to burn the candle at both ends, 365 sunny days a year, bar the odd hurricane.

And I guess like Vegas what happens in South Beach stays in South Beach.

The South Beach Beach Volly set

South Beach has an ultra competative Beach Volley Ball scene. On any day of the week you will find them in action.I got to hang out with a bunch of these dudes while i was there. Wilson sure gets a workout.

Cranes Sculptures

Down by the docks in Miami are some amazing crane sculptures that sit magestically on the water. I believe between art shows they have to perform some heavy duty lifting work.

Stiltsville in Biscayne Bay

A mile out in Biscayne Bay and you come across an erie site. A group of houses on Stilts sticking out of the water. Like a lot of very interesting things in South Florida they have a checkered history going back to the days of prohibition in Al Capone's day, they were used for selling off shore liquor and gambling.In the coked out Miami Vice days of the 80's they were used as a base for contraband drugs. 

Recently they have been used for off shore parties for people with boats. Standing in shallow waters it is suprising that any remain upstanding considering the Hurricanes that have whipped through these waters in the last 10 years.

Apparently they are considered a National treasure here and so they should be. Quite a sight. 

Cool White Classic

Some examples of cool white.A house in Biscayne Bay, an appartment on 15th & Bay, and a fence behind The Flamingo Condo.

Lummus Park South Beach: the green scene

Carpe Diem !

If there is one person who knows how to 'Seize the Day' by the balls!

its my Buddy Carsten. After building a super successful empire of night 

clubs in Scandinavia, he is far from retired.

Spending his time, when he is not in Europe, 

between competing in the South Beach elite Volley Ball scene, and breaking the sound barrier in his Sunburst speedboat, he is motivating people by his energetic example to succeed in life, by Acting Decisively Now!

I just spent 3 inspiring exhilarating days with him.Muchas gracias amigo you are a great host.

pics: Serving an booming Ace, a need for speed in 'Cult' and a rare moment of repose in retreat to advance mode in the pool. 

The Ubiquitous CondoQuest of Paradise

The ubiquitous Condo.'Mimo' Miami Modern architecture does it about as well i have seen anywhere in the sun belt.Of course the CondoQuest of the tropics never stopped, and standards and style further south were lost.Tropical city architects should spend some time here studying what's been done here and learn.The Art Deco style stands behind these condos, and this next wave of buildings seems to have integrated the past architecture really well. 

Two Places for Espresso

I am an espresso afficianardo,and have a high standard in espresso's set by the baristas in Italy.

I'll give you two recommendations here in South Beach.

The Newscafe on Ocean serves a pretty good regular creama, and for a sweet Cafe Cubana go to Puerto Segua on 7th and Collins if you want something like a Dulce Grand Cafe, from Cafe Euchacio in Roma.I was happy to practice my Spanish there.

ps thanks for the spelling correction from Annon ,-)

Beach Houses; for Life Guards

This is what i love about South Beach, the architecture has a unique signature that puts a smile on your face. 

Shooting Pool in Miami

I must do a series on civilization & swimming pools.They are one of the pinnacles of pleasure & leisure in life.Dating back to the Romans who knew a thing or two about pool life, i think these 3 examples from The Delano & The National Hotels on Collins in South Beach and The Standard Health Spa would make a Cesear proud.