New illustration work

I recently did some illustration work (poster and a business card), one for a DJ duo named LOOT and the other for producer and sound designer Karim Sultan. Check it out, there's more on my website.

Front of the business card for Karim Sultan



Poster for LOOT - Geoff and Jamie

New work: Postcards from Palestine

Type, backspace, type, backspace, finally, I got around to finishing a short piece for This is World Town called "Postcards in Palestine."

Double Exposure

I covered the WomenXWomen show and wrote about it. Photographer Sarah Blais of Thirty9Steps took photos. It was a show about female photographers after all so it's only natural I opted for one, right? Read the article here, my second for This is World Town.

A scanner internetly

Being an old wannabe secret agent, I've limited my abilities to the internet. So I go M-16 on the internets and share with you a variety of links copped from Google Buzz feeds of friends, or things I came across via Google Reader-Twitter

LOOK/FLIP

• Gaza'rt: proving that there's art in the Arab world
• Persianissimo: contemporary Iranian posters an exhibit curated by Majid Abbas presents 50 posters of 28 contemporary Iranian graphic artists. via: Abitare
• FLAUNT...this magazine
• Publications not many people would have so they'd make good additions to your collection
• Oooohhhh look at all these magazines
• Fashion follows politics
• Animated Oscar award winner that you should watch

LEARN

• Free and high quality resources on web design and development
• Complex Magazine countsdown the 50 most racist films via: This World Town
• What hipsters would call an ideal blog. No. This isn't one of those lame links to unhappy hipsters of LATFH.
• This is what some people may call "deep"
• I hate museums, ask me why one day, but the internet tries to "culture" us regardless
• Reality of the binational solution to the Palestine/Israel question - read this

DISCOVER

• You like before and afters? If yes, then you'll like Toronto Before, a blog that features photos from yesteryear, sometimes side by side with photos from today.
• Spacing is a great publication that discusses urban life in some of Canada's largest cities. I personally read the Ottawa blog more than the Toronto blog, because I feel the nation's capital (and my former home) faces a lot of challenges when it comes to urban landscape. As an advocate of Ottawa transforming its look to accommodate its growth, I'm happy to see Spacing take the initiative and devote a magazine to Ottawa.
• GGRP sound cardboard record player
• Yes, I really do enjoy this blog
• The greatest voice of the Arab world - Umm Kulthum via: Avant Caire

Latest Work: Heeba Magazine

I've started writing for Heeba, a magazine that covers creative culture across the Middle-East, North Africa, and Asia. My first piece, A Waltz for Iraq, is an interview with Iraqi-Canadian painter Sundus Abdul-Hadi. Read the interview here.

New work

My latest article for FEN Magazine with Arab type designer Nadine Chahine is now live. Read it here: http://www.fenmag.com/2010/02/17/six-questions-with-type-designer-nadine-chahine/

C'est très difficile

While most bloggers are busy compiling lists featuring songs of the decade or songs of the year featuring the likes of Phoenix, Animal Collective, Bat for Lashes, The XX and a variety of overblogged artists regurgitated by the likes of boring old Pitchfork, I though it was better to compile a list of songs I had on repeat and were an accurate description of my feelings during every month in '09. Many of these songs were released prior to 2009, but this isn't a countdown is it? Happy holidays to all.

*Clicking on the link will either lead you to a direct download or to a posting where you can choose to download

January

- Sonic Youth - Kool Thing

- Charlie Smalls - Never felt like this before

- Lo-Fi-Fnk - Want U (Thompson edit)

February

- Junior Boys - Hazel

- Gentlemen Reg - How we exit

- Junior Boys - Sneak a picture

March

- LA Priest - Engine

- LaRoux - Bulletproof

- Breakbot - Dance on Glass Mix

April

- Stay Ali - Emotional Day (FutureFlashs remix)

- D. Gookin - Glad I met you

May

- Arthur Russell - Springfield (DFA remix)

- Arthur Russell - Get Around to it

June

- Arthur Russell - Loose Joints/Is it all over my face? (Larry Levan remix)

- Classixx featuring Jeppe - I'll get you

- Make the girl dance - Baby baby baby

July

- Aaliyah - If your girl only knew

- Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer

- Thieves Like Us - Really like to see you again

August

- Dent May & His Magnificient Ukulele - Oh Paris

- Gui Boratto - No Turning Back

September

- Emil & Friends - Downed Economy

- Yacht - Psychic City (Classixx remix)

October

- Mayer Hawthorne (Classixx Remix) - Green Eyed Love

- Arnaud-Fleurent Didier - France Culture

November

- Metronomy - The end of you too

- Madvillain - Fancy Clown

- Stereophonics - Dakota

December

- Gonzalez - Working Together (Boys Noize remix)

- Omar Offendum - Mountain

- Arthur Russell - Make 1, 2 (Pat Les Staches Extended edit)

From my Twitter Feed: What I'm tweeting

If you're on Twitter, follow @theyuppie to check out some of the stuff I find browsing the internet. If you're not, below are some links I've posted that you should check out.

Dec 14th:

• Project White Shirt
• Remote Controlled Walking ladder
• Abu Dhabi gives Dubai a bail out

Dec 10th:

• Canadian Cancer Society's Fight Back videos
• Un-charming cities

Dec 8th:

• Creating a world of opportunity (@majdal)
• Marc Altan window display for James Perse

Dec 7th:

• City of Life trailer
• 30% off everything folks, King Textiles is on Twitter
• Something I forgot to include in the Cassettat mix

From my Google Reader: Links of the week

I wanted to stick with eight links for this week, but there was just too much to share.

1. I don't have a picturesque view out of my giant window, but these people do
2. Binoculars are awesome. These are more awesome.
3. Still waiting for someone to buy me sunglasses from Ksubi
4. Disney has always been racist. Here are the most racist Disney characters [via Angry Arab]
5. Proving once again that "peace talks" is a louche term
6. Paul Smith collaborated with Evian, but I'm much more interested in his collaboration with Rhodia
7. Anyone interested in bidding for Iraq's oil?
8. More proof about The Twelves being awesome
9. Israeli settlement produce? or Occupied produce? UK food labels set to distinguish goods.
10. The face every girl thinks is "sexy" is not. So stop.
11. Happycentro creative design studio has awesome work
12. To keep track of your enemies
13. Remember music in the 90s?
14. Remember Versace in the 90s?
15. Speaking of the blogger who reminisces Versace in the 90s, she released a Paper Doll book featuring outfits from LGFW SS10
16. This is cool packaging
17. In social media news, Shimon Peres now has a YouTube channel. Don't worry, Dahlan is on Twitter.
18. LOOT's latest mix (one half is BEAR)

FenMag

"Sibiki min hal faan!" (forget about this art stuff)

Words that come out of my mom's mouth ever so often, regardless of the fact that her past was filled with faan, one that is now replaced with numbers.

I write for FenMag, an awesome online magazine that you should read. It's about time Arabs and all their quirkiness got a place to post their own faan right?

Staying true to the yuppie activist writing style, check me out homies.

From my Google Reader: an assortment

Via: SightUnseen

Via: SightUnseen

Via: MocoLoco

Via: Studio Von Birken

Via: the Emperor of Antarctica

Via: Lovely Package

Via: Coûte que Coûte

From my Google Reader

I'm sorry, I have no time to write. Just this stuff.

Un tour de Manège from Les Manèges on Vimeo.

Via Fubiz

Après la Pluie ©2008Gobelins from Emmanuelle Walker on Vimeo.

Via Drawn

Via Coute que Coute

Via Designboom

Via The Coolist

Via The Independent

Put your hands where my eyes can't see

My friend Danielle Meder likes karma...of the good kind. She's featured my blog on hers countless times and introduced me to many people when I first came to Toronto. It was only natural that when she sent me an email last week wanting to feature me in her Fashion Blog Karma section, I was honoured. Check out my interview with Danielle where I discuss blogs-magazines, the difference between Toronto and Ottawa, and national vs. regional fashion weeks.

Discoveries, IV

The Yuppie is back with her fourth (roman IV) installment of my latest discoveries from the world wide web and beyond. Read them, appreciate them and spread them.

Fashion World:
Tick tock, fashion weeks are approaching, some like Copenhagen Fashion Week have already passed, which means only two things: 1) revive your champagne and kit kat diets and 2) show packages have been released. These cards let agencies get creative, some splurging huge amounts on their cards. Check out the show packages here.

Major Management

Scoop Copenhagen
Illustration:

How tacky that I was in a rental this weekend. Hehehehe, enjoy these illustrations from Molly Schiot, whose more than just an illustrator, but you'll know that when you visit her website.
Via Shiny Squirrel
Craigslist:
Toronto has a lot of talent, but it also has a lot of bad art and pseudo everythings. Vaneska finds an interesting Craigslist job posting claiming to the same old hipster/yuppie bullshit. Laugh it up here.
Advertising:
The Middle-East may have its restrictions and popular culture you may or may not understand, but their recent Ramadan ads have been nothing short of fantastic. Subscribe to AdBlog Arabia and MediaMe to view more campaigns from all over the Middle-East.

Via AdBlog Arabia
We're all faced with ignorance, sometimes from people we wouldn't except. If you're tired of the old "you're not even allowed to have water?" question from someone who doesn't understand Ramadan, just point them to this campaign.

Via MediaMe
Architecture:
Now if this villa was in Southern Spain I would do everything in my power (fundraising, angel investors, begging all family members, illegal things (maybe)) to purchase it. And although it's tempting, I'm looking at a big expense so might as well have it in the ideal location. For now, I'll admire from afar.



Via Contemporist
Music+Branding
Amazing video by Nike paying tribute to old 90's hip-hop. The beat is catchy and the video is fun. Spot any "familiar" faces in this one?

Via AdFreak

Girl crushes and [left] film festivals

Girl Crush:
Suheir Hammad, poet, author, activist, recently an actress, owner of impeccable bone structure and person whose got me love dancing.


[left] Film Festivals:
Mark your calendars because on September 26th to October 2nd, the 2nd annual Toronto Palestine Film Festival (TPFF) will be taking place. Unlike the service at some of our fast food restaurants around the country, and the tiresome Hollywood stereotypes of A-rabs, these movies are GREAT. So come by to TPFF and enjoy awesome movies and Middle-Eastern hospitality, the right way.

Preview:
Hany Abu-Assad released this short film (below) a few months ago. It is a segment in the Stories on Human Rights series. Hany is a director who has come a long way since the flop "Rana's Wedding" with the beautiful "Paradise Now". He contiues the great cinematography work from Paradise Now with this funny short film.

image source: http://mitakuyeoyasinn.blogspot.com

Tweetopa

I thought a cool way to interact with blog readers and Twitter followers would be to compile a few links brought to my attention from people I follow on Twitter. There's a lot of great stuff out there, so I picked through all those "OMG Sartorialist is coming to Toronto" tweets and I'm bringing you some of this week's best link tweets. All people have been sourced.

Music
Paige posted an American Psycho inspired video by Miles Fischer for his cover of "This Must be the Place" by the Talking Heads. Check out the post here, and read Paige's blog here, keep it bougy.

As Seen on TV
University pal Brige gets Snuggie

In the news
Oppression continues as author and academic Ali Abunimah shares this tragic story

Social Media
Randy Matheson shares great links related to social media and the internet, this week, he shared one about how Facebook is the #1 tool to share links and asks you if you're surprised. Well, are you?

Fantastic Voyage
New friend and recently back in Canada from a month voyage to Italy, Majd shares this great photo on his flickr page

Not a Harley
Tasha brings the Chanel Motorcycle to our attention

Movies
Wes Anderson film lovers get another peak at "Mr. Fox" thanks to Jarod

Discoveries III

This edition features new and old.

Decor, art, illustrations:
Kitsuné Noir, a favourite website for a little while now, features awesome wallpapers for use on your desktop.


Toronto shopping:
Stefania visits R.A.D. a unique little shop on Dundas West that doesn't stand for something other than "radical".

In the art of baking:
The coolest cupcakes around

The most fashionable


In design:
Student winners of D&AD furniture awards


In the news:
Quite possibly the best headline I've seen in a long time for a news story.

Advertising and marketing:
Gillette's new site is awesome, the whole concept is absolutely fantastic. As a strong supporter of men without armpit hair, I'm glad Gillette finally got around to telling the boys that it's a faux pas. A mega faux pas. At least trim that stuff.


Political funnies:

Via Political Irony

Cycling:
If you've been contemplating getting one, here's more reasons to do so

Via City of Toccoa

Discoveries II

I compiled a list of stuff I find absolutely wonderful, again.

Otake House

This place is absolutely stunning and explains my secret reasons for always desiring to marry an architect. See more photos here.

DJ Pump "Fly by Night"

This mix by will keep your boogie right next to your woogie. It's called "Fly By Night", download it or listen to it here.

Freedocumentaries.org

Stumbled upon this site in university, which was dangerous because it was an excuse to watch free movies on the super fast university supplied internet at the library while I was supposedly studying. Everything on the site is excellent quality and although they don't have much of a selection, there's surely something for anyone's taste.

Potty Pimpin'

My little nephew is still learning (although he's too old to still be learning) so I might get him this shirt because it might boost his ego.

Etsy Seller: small threads

Facebook PhD comic

Click here to view larger

A site that pokes fun at grad studies (definitely worth a visit) that has been around for a long, long time (in internet years). Browse through the archives, it'll take so long it may end up becoming a graduate thesis.

Money clip with vintage typewriter key

Who said money clips had to be for males? I had a really cool one. once Of course it held bills with Wilfred Laurier's face on them since I am nouveau pauvre but it was quite sleek. This money clip, using a key from a vintage typewriter is rad and definitely unisex.

Etsy seller: webbysue

Textstyles

“Can I take a photo?” she asks as she takes two steps back to get a full body shot “Sure! What is it for?” I ask as I position myself for her to get the entire outfit. “Toronto Textstyles.” “Oh that’s great, what an honour! I used to do the photo taking, I started Ottawa Street Style!” “Really?” she asks. “Yeah! So should I keep the banana in the photo?” I ask, laughing. This was my first interaction with Stefania, the brains behind Toronto street style and fashion blog, Textstyles. She handed me a card, and that’s when she had me. This card was awesome: square, thick and simple, it made a statement. She knew what she was doing. Stefania’s blog has gained popularity in the past year. It helps that she maintains it frequently and is quite possibly one of the only blogs out there that still features recent street style photos that interacts with the subject. With an SLR slinging from her neck, Stefania shoots various fashion events and parties, fashion week (both runway and backstage), contributes to Toronto based Cheek Magazine and most recently, had a piece published in Brooklyn based Dossier Journal which has contributors like Kate Lanphear and Zac Posen. Not bad huh? She also knows how to pamper her baby, Textstyles. Back in May, Stefania threw a party at Rolly’s Garage celebrating the one year anniversary of the website. Over 300 people showed up. This number isn’t exaggerated, I was there. Rolly’s was dripping with people like a wet sponge drips water*. Guests included designer Philip Sparks, NOW Fashion editor Andrew Sardone, fashion illustrator Danielle Meder and many others.

With all this going on you’d think Stefania would be one of those people constantly typing away on her phone, checking her email, and other social networks. But like me, we share the same belief, “I hate it when someone does it to me so why would I do it to you?”, and that mantra is what will make you successful.

If you haven’t already done so, do it, visit her blog. And if her blog doesn’t convince you of how cool she really is, wait till you see her dance to old R&B at the local dive. She’ll make you sweat, guaranteed.
*Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Discoveries

A list of stuff that are interesting to me and therefore might interest you!

Design:
Public School, a group of creative people with different professions based in Austin, brings you lessons to live by on posters.

What friends are doing:

My friend Yassin, a.k.a. The Narcicyst, released his latest album a few weeks ago. The album got its first of many rave reviews. Naturally of course, because he's a genius! Here's the video for the first single P.H.A.T.W.A. Pay close attention to every detail in it. Get to know Narcy on his blog, his site, and his MySpace.

Finance:

Thomas Cook just filed for bankruptcy. Good Magazine released a nice diagram of the world's Largest Bankruptcies.

Advertising:

One of my favourite go to websites for the latest in advertising, I Believe in Advertising, posted Volvo's latest campaign with an apperance by Snow White. Awesome copy.

Music Video:

Firekites, a band from Australia, uses chalk animation in this beautiful video for the song "Autumn Story."

Movies:
Caramel is a film with beautiful cinematography, well established characters and plot and a funny, charming script. It also steers away from being too Phoenician Lebanese, which if you understand what I mean, you know what I mean. Bonus: the co-writer and director of the film, who also happens to have the lead role, is beautiful.


Music - Album Suggestion:
Parra Soundsystem - The Art of Partying
Full of disco beats, this album will give your feet some work. So get started on your summer physique by playing it in its entirety.