VECU Magazine June/July Issue

independent artists

VÉCU

photographer FRANCESCA SECOLONOVOvecumagazine.com

J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 1 2Summer Bliss

elizabeth colettawww.elizabethcoletta.com

http://www.elizabethcoletta.com

PUBLISHERThe Coleman Group

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDelina C.

[email protected]

ADVERTISING DIRECTORMelissa Lee

[email protected]

TRAVEL EDITORLorena F.

www.traveldesignery.com

FEATURES CONTRIBUTORMurissa Shalapata

www.canadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com

CONTRIBUTORSVivienne Mok, Francesca Secolonovo, Yuki

Minami, Melissa Coleman, Elizabeth Coletta

www.vecumagazine.com

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SUMMERheatWe Are Handsome is the embodiment of Indhra and Jeremy and everyone else who has a love for the beautiful things in life. Their desire to create, design and share perfec-tion has understandably made them a hit with the world, but We Are Hand-some still remains true to their roots.

WAH

handsomeWE areEvery piece is 100% Austra-lian designed, every thread is Australian sewn and ev-ery We Are Handsome suit is loved.

romantic2012

THE

June/July 2012 VECU Magazine pg. 5

what dreamsmay comephotography/styling/hair & make-up Vivienne Mokmodel Victoria Rigby @Cassie Mayer Ltd.

T-shirt: American VintagePetticoat: VintageVeil: stylist’s own

Flower Hairpins: H&M


Silk Tulle Dress: Anne Valerie HashLeotard: American VintageSkirt: Vivienne MokFlower Crown: Stylist’s

Silk Tulle Dress: Anne Valerie Hash

Leotard: American Vintage

Skirt: Vivienne MokFlower Crown: Stylist’s


Blouse: VintageHeadband: Vintage


Cotton Gauze Dress: Vivienne MokFlower Crown: Stylist’s own


Lace Collar: VintageLace Blouse: VintageJacket: JDCSkirt: VintageGloves: Vintage


Lace Collar: VintageLace Blouse: VintageJacket: JDCSkirt: VintageGloves: Vintage


Lace Collar: VintageLace Blouse: Vintage

Jacket: JDCSkirt: Vintage

Gloves: Vintage








TRAVELD E S I G N E RY

by Lorena F., Travel Editor

Beautiful Big Sur, scenery so gorgeous you’d think you were looking at a paint-

ing. From the views at Nepenthe res-taurant high up in the mountains to

the splendid cascade at McWay Falls, vistas take top honors here. Another definite must see is Pfei-ffer Beach, a hidden gem reach-able only through an unmarked 2 mile path of rough, curvy back-roads. Once there, you think you

had walked onto a movie set, it’s that dramatic and that vast. Though

the beaches of Big Sur may be too sav-age for swimming, the panoramas make

a trip all the worthwhile. This is Mother

www.traveldesignery.comBIG SUR, California

big-sur,ca


http://www.traveldesignery.com

http://www.traveldesignery.com

B I G S U Rby Travel Designery

big-sur.coast


big-sur.coast


MCCWAY.FALLS


NEPENTHE



PFIEFFER

BEACH


Dress Vintage, Dangle and Hang

splendid daysin bloom

photographer Francesca Secolonovomodel Dayana @ Leni’s Model Management

hair Luca Gallinamake up Polly Mann

stylist Viennty


Dress Vintage, Dangle and Hang

Tassel Kimono, True Decadance

Blouse, ZaraHair Accessory,

Stylist’s own


Jacket, Stylist’s ownLace shirt, Beyond RetroSkirt, Holly ManselSocks, TopshopShoes, Stylist’s own

Headpiece, She She Rose Millinery Jacket, Stylist’s ownLace shirt, Beyond RetroSkirt, Holly ManselSocks, TopshopShoes, Stylist’s own


Top, Morua DesignsBelt & Skirt, both ZaraEarrings, Stylist’s own


Sunglasses, CelineShirt & Shorts, both ZaraBelt, Stylist’s own

June/July 2012 VECU Magazine pg.43

Headpiece, Stylist’s ownDress, Josh + NicolShoes, Stylist’s own


YUKIM I N A M I

Illu

stra

tor

JapanTell us a bit about yourself?I live Nagoya-City in Japan.I’ve been painting for about four and half years. I take a place some group exhibitions or solo exhibitions in Japan and USA.

What are some of your early art memories?SAKURA Exhibition.From the first, this group exhi-bition titled ‘SAKURA Exhibi-tion’is to be held in the blooming sea-son of cherry blossom.(In Japan, we called ‘SAKU-RA’)This event is planning for the purpose of introducing Japanese artist and their talents to all over the world. I participated in this event for the past several years.There are more and more people from any other countries who participate in this event. Also the number of countries is increas-ing.

What things have you learned about your craft since then?I’ve never learned from anyone.I’ve been painting with water-colors when I was a child.

What inspires you? A beautiful view, people, pic-tures, arts, also fashion and mu-sic are inspire me.

Formal training?Nothing. I think the most impor-tant thing to make great works is to just be gentle.

Plans for the future?I would love to work with Holly-wood, fashion brands, and musi-cians. Also, it’d be wonderful if I could hold solo exhibitions all over the world.

www.yukiminami.com


http://www.yukiminami.com



WANDERFULLT R AV E L E R

by Murissa Shalapata, The Wanderfull Travelercanadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com

Chinatown, San Francisco

The Golden Gate Bridge is celebrating its 75th year on May 27th, 2012. During my first trip to San Francisco I was accom-panied with people who had been there and done that so I only saw the Bridge through the window of a restaurant. I saw the hazy red beams through a dissipating fog and I was satisfied. I had more important matters to attend to of the literary sort. I was looking for traces of Beatnik history.

Beatnik: A rebel against anything mainstream or commercial-ized. A group of writers, artists or citizens feeling marginalized and rebelling against the oppressive culture. They would often gather at cafes where they could express their artistic style and drink beer. Often thought of as a precursor to the “Hippie” who also practiced “free love” and dabbled in cannabis. (My own definition.)

The Road by Jack Kerouac inspired my first poem now pub-lished in various small chapbooks and anthologies. I called it Salvation from the Rest of ‘Em and it turned out to be a smash hit with most of my writing colleagues and readers (save for my grandparents). I wanted to get a feeling of what San Francisco was like for those free lovin’ spirits of old. At first the only sign of poetic rebellion against the Man was a well-fed white bearded transient defecating into a sewer with his pants around his ankles. He used the business market news as a replacement for Charmin Ultra Soft. It wasn’t until my visit to Chinatown where I accidentally stumbled across a memento mori set in stone in front of a tea shop that I found a trace of history.


http://www.canadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com

http://www.canadianculinarytravel.blogspot.com

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest Chi-nese population outside of Asia and, in my opinion, the best in the world. With the ma-jority of the residents unable to speak English there are times when you forget that you are in California, let alone America. Red and gold lanterns span Grant Avenue along with signs that read in Cantonese/Mandarin with the oc-casional English subtitle. The smells of spices and cooking oils fill the hot air and with so many authentic restaurants it is difficult for the unaccustomed Chinatown traveler to find the best of the best.

Along the main strip of Chinese markets, tea shops and specialty stores I found what I was looking for in the cement. His name written in gold, Chinese and English symbols, upon a cement square on the sidewalk. It is found before Kerouac Alley which you can follow to another street that holds City Lights, the famed book shop that was brave enough to publish Beatnik works during a time of modesty and sexual oppression.However, all I saw when I looked down the narrow curving alleyway was a neon sign that

advertised margaritas. Instead of tequila I opt-ed for tea, a welcomed change of pace during my San Franciscan trip.

The tea shop, Vital Leaf Tea House, is a won-derland for those who enjoy a herbal cup or use it for medicinal purposes. When I peaked into the small and yet cozy store I was beck-oned in English by a young Asian woman who told my crew and I to take a seat along the wooden bar. She showed us the day’s selection of teas that we could taste without charge. One after another she prepared the tea with the tra-ditional tools. It was much more complex than the usual tea bag or loose leaf soaked in hot water like I do at home. This tea, Oolong Blue People Ginseng for example, had to be rinsed with hot water to rid it of any excess debris then she would work the swelling pebbles with more hot water until it was a greenish-grey in our small cups. The taste was as complex as any wine but when I tried to duplicate this at home it fell flat. I do recommend purchasing the same tools the tea shop uses which are available in various designs and colours at the back of the shop.

The selection of teas would impress any connoisseur and the names would inspire any poet. When I in-quired about a tea perched high upon a shelf and labeled $90/ounce all she said was that I don’t need it. My best guess is that it is used as a natural aid for erectile dysfunction or an un-known cure for baldness.

The staff was very friendly and even recommended the best restaurant for Dim Sum called New Asia. The line-ups were long but this further guar-anteed authenticity. Take the time to get lost in the best Chinatown of the world outside of Asia. What you’ll find is not only delicious but inspir-ing and historical.

San Francisco is an important check point for any foodie where one can find the most authentic Dim Sum outside of China and the most deli-cious Italian food outside of Italy...but that’s another story.

Recommended Reading

Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Vital Tea Leaf1044 Grant Ave.

San Francisco, CA 94133Tel: 415.981.2388Fax: 415.981.2389

Email: [email protected]

Vital Tea Leaf905 Grant Ave.

San Francisco, CA 94133



Knit Dress: Seiko TakiCardigan: Sharon WauschobLeotard: American ApparelTop: VintageSocks: TopShopHarness: Pagan Poetry

ANGELof Light

photography/ hair & make-up Vivienne Mokstyling Vivienne Mok & Seana Redmond

model Sammie @profile Model Management


Dress: Seana RedmondKnit Coat: Seana RedmondBra: American ApparelSocks: Stylist’s own

Dress: Seana RedmondKnit Coat: Seana

RedmondBra: American Apparel

Socks: Stylist’s own


Knit Dress: Seiko TakiCardigan: Sharon WauschobLeotard: American ApparelTop: VintageSocks: TopShopHarness: Pagan Poetry


Dress: Anne Valerie HashT-shirt: American VintageLeotard: American VintageSkirt: Vivienne MokSocks: TopShopShoes: Anne Valerie HashHeadband: Stylist’s own


Blouse: Kate Moss x TopShopShorts: TopShopSocks: TopshopShoes: Anne Valerie HashGloves: Vintage


Blouse: Kate Moss x TopShopShorts: TopShopSocks: Topshop

Shoes: Anne Valerie HashGloves: Vintage


Blouse: Kate Moss x TopShopShorts: TopShopSocks: TopshopShoes: Anne Valerie HashGloves: Vintage


Dress: Vivienne MokBlouse: Kate Moss x TopshopSocks: TopshopShoes: Anne Valerie HashFlower Crown: Stylist’s own


Dress: Vivienne MokBlouse: Kate Moss x Topshop

Socks: TopshopShoes: Anne Valerie Hash

Flower Crown: Stylist’s own


Bershka

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VECU Magazine June/July Issue