Monday, March 28, 2011

What We're Listening To....

James Blake


The evasive search for something new in pop music is eternal and usually unfulfilled( If you want proof click here). But under the mushroom-cloud of hype surrounding this young Londoner -- voted a close number 2 in BBC's Sound of 2011 poll, so-called wunderkind, saviour of pop, "mystery wrapped inside an enigma, wrapped inside a giant metaphysical Kinder Egg of befuddlement," and lowly upstart pub singer playing with dub-step -- lies a legitimately good album. While throbbing dub-step base isn't necessarily new, his tastefully minimal approach to splicing his (sorry James, but the reference is somewhat fair) "pubby" vocals with soulful blobs of piano, sparse beats and pregnant silences, is. 

The use of silence in a pop song outside the typical 2-beat-pause-right-before-the-key-change-chorus-right-after-the-minor-bridge mantra is what's particularly attention-grabbing here, along with the refreshing dissection of the layers of a pop song, alternating skeletal drum sections with atom-sized vocal loops, with nary an appearance of the essential drone of the drum-bass-guitar-synth-BGV's pop rhythm section. Blake's classical training in music and his talent for production really make a listen worthwhile, even if the hype is a little overblown. Oh, and probably the best use of Vocoder since Zapp.




YJ xo

Win $50 to spend at Young Janes!!!



Ef is a new eco magazine based in Ottawa.  

Enter their contest here:  Bespoke Styling Contest 3  to win $50 to spend at Young Janes, as well as an afternoon of personal styling with Ef!!!!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Hats Off To....







With the sun finally coming out it's time to think about sun protection - and the most fashionable way to do it! Vogue.com reported a "Hat Attack" on the runways in Paris Fashion Week.
 Some of the biggest trends in hats this season are the floppy felt hat, the "pork pie" hat, the bowler, straw hats and stiff brimmed felt hats - all with a very vintage vibe. A big emphasis on 1940's style and western/equestrian means hats are definitely the way to go!
Here's a few examples of what designers are doing with hats this season:
Hérmes

Galliano

DSquared

Hérmes

Hérmes


Sonya Rykiel

Dior


Prada

Ralph Lauren

Marc Jacobs

Hérmes
Moschino


Givenchy

Badgley Mischka

John Galliano
Marc Jacobs

Come by YJ and check out our wide variety of chic vintage hats!

YJ xo

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Interview with Maison Apparel




Hey check out our interview with Maison Apparel @ http://maisonapparel.tumblr.com

Love you all!!
Come check out all our great new Spring Fashion!!!
So exciting!!!  Sun and fun!!!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Here Comes the Sun!

FINALLY a day that feels like spring! An actual great day to be out strolling around, hearing the birds twittering (singing, not writing 140 character updates)!
This means I have an immediate urge to break out the summer anthems ( and sundresses, but those will have to wait..I guess)

Here's 10 summer anthems to get you feeling like warm weather is finally just around the corner





















Enjoy! And come for a visit to see our new spring and summer pieces!

XO YJ

Friday, March 11, 2011

Animals + Fashion = Love



How awesome is Jill Stuarts Fall 2011 line!  So gorgeous!  The colors, the owls, the foxes = Perfection!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Happy Woman's Day

Hope all you ladies out there had an empowering Woman's Day!!!  
I thought that She-ra was just the right lady to help us instill a little girl power







love ya'll

xo YJ



Sunday, March 6, 2011

Winter Blues


Oh dear...another weekend of messy weather. When will it end? And more importantly, what will we do 'til it does? In an effort to chase away the winter blues, I've compiled a list of fun things to do to keep our minds off the weather for just a little longer...

Music
There are a number of shows coming up at all of your favorite venues around town, so head out for the evening to take in some great music! Alot of these feature our own great local musicians, so don't forget to support them as well:

Thurs, March 10 - Down with Webster with Sweet Thing and 2am Club at Bronson Center
                           - Plants and Animals with Karkwa at Capital City Music Hall
Fri, March 11 - Rah Rah, Grand Motel, Fire and Neon, and Oceans at Cafe Dekcuf

Check out lots more shows at punkottawa.com!

Food
The best way to spend a dreary weekend morning? Cosy up to brunch at one of the city's fabulous restos. Not only a wonderful way to start the day, but also the most affordable way to test out a fancy restaurant:

Jak's Kitchen      479 Bronson
House made bread and sauces, and local, farm fresh organic veggies and fruit  make Jak's creative menu a must-try. It's very small and cosy, so don't forget to reserve one of their few tables - you won't regret it! (Ps you can even get breakfast til 3pm, if you like to take your time in the morning like me!)
jakskitchen.com

Stone Faced Dolly's   416 Preston
 Serving up brunch for two decades now, Stone Faced Dolly's offers a creative and gourmet menu and friendly service in Little Italy. The offer an online reservation service so you can be extra lazy!
stonefacedollys.com

Ottawa has a very active foodie community, so if you need help choosing a brunch spot in your area, trust their opinion! ottawafoodies.com




Special Events


Tuesday is Internation Women's Day 100th Anniversary! Celebrate girl power at the 100th Anniversary Luncheon, to be held at the NAC's Panorama room, and at the feminist celebration going on at the National Archives that evening. Details here!

If you're a poet and you don't know it (sorry...it's like compulsive or something) Ottawa VERSeFest is taking place this week! It runs from Tuesday (the 8th) til Sunday the 13th at the Arts Court, so that's plenty of opportunities to check out the written and spoken word performances, workshops and discussions. More details here

For more upcoming events and info on Ottawa's cultural life, check out Apt316!

And of course, don't get too busy to stop by and check out new spring stuff at YJ!
See you soon,
YJ xo