The Find

Our Find, this week—as we're all in the depths of well-intentioned consumerism, frantically running and e-running about for various awesome gifts—is vegan purveyor MooShoes' annual Holiday Gift Guide. They're a favorite client of ours—and yes, that IS a lovely design on that gift guide—and they've put together QUITE a nice list this year.

...no, it's not JUST a bunch of shoes...though they've obviously got a lot of those. But they've also got some superb ideas on the ever-expanding vegan food front, a shout-out for lovely companion animal photography from Avery Wham, some animal-friendly cosmetics, hard-to-find animal-friendly travel planners, and a great suggestion if you're looking to give the gift that keeps on giving—the support of your favorite non-profit.

And if you like the sound of that last suggestions, check out Refinery 29's EXCELLENT charitable gifts guide.

Happy economic stimulating!

Music Monday

Broken Records is one of those bands that I've been meaning to check out for a while but had yet to hear until recently. Turns out, they were worth the wait. The Scottish group hails from Edinburgh and plays and records as a small army of six or seven in that modern dark baroque style that's earned them plenty a comparison to various state-side bands. But, rather than muddy up your auditory or intellectual waters with preconceived notions, I encourage you to check out their Song of the Week, "A Darkness Rises Up"—a rolling, emotive song that totally hits all the rights notes for me. Like it? Visit their site for another free track from their forthcoming sophomore full-length, Let Me Come Home. It's due out January 11th on the venerable 4AD, and you can order it via Insound. And be sure to catch them as they kick off their first US tour next February with Freelance Whales.

Not Just a Phase

That's right, reader! It's the triumphant return of Not Just a Phase, where friends share their stories of choosing a vegetarian lifestyle. Deciding to go totally animal-free is a big deal, especially if you, like many of us, grew up eating and wearing animals without giving any of it much thought. Finally taking the initiative to make such a significant change—whether for moral or health reason—can be a highly personal and empowering choice. Which is why we ask all of friends who have made such a move to write us with their individual stories. If you'd like to share yours with us, send it, and any fun, related pics, to us at info@ravenandcrowstudio.com.

Without further ado, here's our friend Jeff's story.

I stopped eating meat 20 years ago this summer, after reading the lyrics to a song that my favorite band wrote on the topic. The band was Youth of Today and the song was called “No More” (listen to it here). YOT was a hardcore (punk) band, which meant loud, fast, choppy songs and vocals that were more snarled than sung, but it was music to my high school sophomore ears (and still is).

I was extremely quiet and rarely spoke up for myself, and their songs about taking a stand and fighting back against the world, yet living compassionately resonated deeply within me. I became a vegetarian at first because it was something my punk rock idols endorsed, but in this case, it was the right thing to do even if the reason wasn’t so solid.

In the years since, of course, I’ve learned much more about countless reasons to be a vegetarian or vegan—from ethical to environmental to health and well-being and on to spirituality, but I’ll always be grateful for YOT and that initial exposure.

As people trying to live compassionately I think sometimes we (myself included) get a little full of ourselves and become proud about what’s really a very selfless choice. I had already been a vegetarian for years, probably 10 or more, before I made the connection that choosing to eat compassionately is just one step toward cultivating essential qualities like humility, tolerance and kindness—qualities that to the extent we live without, we never really become whole.

Living and growing this way has helped me see beauty in things I hardly noticed before, and for that, even on a bad day, I’m thankful.

Jeffrey Simms

Below, Jeff and a good friend. Have a great weekend, reader!

Journal of the Movement of the World

Holy stunning, Batman!

No, your screensaver didn't kick in, mini-style. And no, you're not having a tiny, drug-induced trip...er, maybe you are. But the image above is a 12' x 6' x 16' of thread, nails, and wood. And a fuck ton of incredible skill and creativity, from what we can tell.

Texas-based artist and former graphic designer Gabriel Dawe creates these installations and other artwork that harkens back to his Mexican upbringing "where he grew up surrounded by the intensity and color of Mexican culture." In addition to these stunning pieces, he's done some pretty cool fiber- and object-art. Check it all out on his site. And see more of the installation piece, "Plexus no. 4", below.

Birthday

We just realized something: It's totally our birthday!!!

No, Katie and I aren't secretly creepy twins, I'm talking about our BLOG'S birthday. That's right, two years ago today, after a conversation at one of our favorite bars, Kindness of Ravens launched with this very modest post.

And, much like that post, this one doesn't serve much of a purpose, really. Only to say happy birthday to ourselves. Yay, internet! We now enter the terrible twos. Expect a lot of crying and tiny fist-pumping, reader.

Pictured above, amazing vegan cakes from PA-based Vegan Treats. Yes. Those cakes are vegan. Suck it, dairy. If you haven't yet experienced the joy that is Vegan Treats, do so immediately. Upper-east-coasters, you can locate a purveyor of their fine goods near you on their site.

The Find

Dear Anyone Hoping to Buy Me Anything Any Time Soon For Any Reason —

Should you need any ideas, hints, suggestions, or nudges in any direction, I humbly put forth these undeniably cool/super-nerdy, design-fetish-fulfilling Pantone iPhone and iPad covers from Case Scenario. CS has yet to announce stockists for said nerdily awesome gadget covers, but, once they do, I am sure they'll be a hit with anyone as design-geeky as, say, me.

Though...now that I think about it...and realizing the iPhone cases only fit iPhone 4's...and suddenly remembering I don't actually own an iPad.... I first most un-humbly put forth the suggestion of a new iPhone and/or iPad as gift ideas....

Long-shot, eh? How about a car wrapped in a giant bow in my non-existant Brooklyn driveway? No? Hm. Shape-Ups? No, that's not good. Alright, alright, runner-up—This superb poster from Red Hook's Pop Chart Lab. Okay, headin' out to the playground, where I spend most of my days, chillin' out, maxin,' relaxin,' all cool.

Music Monday

"Some people call their music surreal. A lot of people call the music soothing. Almost everyone says it makes them think of trees." How can you not be intrigued by that? So reads the description of Swedish band, Fredrik—a folky, electro-leaing outfit consisting of "one songsmith, one sound-painter, and one conceptual artist." Kids these days, right? They can't just have a normal job, like 'accountant' or 'guitarist,' they've gotta be all like, 'No no no, I'm an 'idea birther.' See, it says so on my portable identity nameplate.'

Jokes aside, listening to Fredrik's music, it does sound almost as if it was painted on air around you—swirling and ethereal and beautiful. And yes, it DOES kind of make me think of trees. Nailed it!

Check out this week's Song of the Week, "White on White," from their new and seemingly wonderfully designed EP, Origami (see below). You can order the vinyl or digital download from DC-based The Kora Records (yes, obligatory article 'the'), who happens to be celebrating their 7th anniversary with an offer of 7 of their CD releases for $7. You can—and should!—get releases from our good friends, Donny Hue and the Colors and Meredith Bragg & the Terminals, among other fine, respectable young musicians.

Journal of the Movement of the World

Marion Bolognesi is a Brooklyn-based artist and deisgner who 'hopes to capture the emotion & beauty of her subjects without hindering the natural fluidity of her medium.' That sounds nice and all, but we just think she creates some down-right awesomely emotive, organic paintings that you could spend all day staring at.

Art, in its myriad forms, can obviously come from one thousand different places and have prismatic, dispersive meanings to its creators and audience, but, when it comes down to it, I personally just want to get lost in a work—standing like Cameron in-front of that Seurat painting with all those kids filing along behind him. Point being, Bolognesi pulls us in, and you should check her out. Her prints make for a lovely gift, by the by. Also, I think that's Björk below!