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Postcard from London
My excursion to London this summer came as a pleasant surprise. Amidst traveling through the UAE, the opportunity arose to visit London with a friend for a couple of days. I hadn't been to London in 8 very long years. When I was 16, I studied abroad there for a western civilization history course with Experience England. In a way I feel a real closeness to London. I experienced a lot of firsts while being there at such an impressionable age. That was probably where my real love for traveling alone developed. There was nothing more exhilarating than eating lunch at a cafe near Oxford Circus with me as my only companion. I think the only way to really ever know yourself is to be your own best friend. I've made a real commitment to being that ever since.
When I arrived in London this past June, my survival instincts were really put to the test. Having only packed for 40 C weather in Dubai, I became a layering master in London pretty quickly. My travel partner wouldn't be arriving until later that day so I was left to my own devices. After taking the tube into the heart of the city, I got off at Oxford Circus only to feel completely disoriented and overwhelmed. Thank goodness for the kindhearted security man at Mango who helped point me towards my hotel. Once I checked in and dropped my luggage off, I immediately grabbed the courtesy umbrella and hit the streets. I think what surprised me most was how unsurprised I felt, as if I had never left. But most great friendships work that way don't they.
In the span of three days I managed Picadilly Circus, Leicester Square, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Trafalgar Square, British Museum, Covent Gardens, St James's Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, River Thames Cruise, Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, Rippley's Believe it or Not (yes I did it!!), Portobello Market, and Kensington Gardens. Needless to say, by the end of the trip I had nothing left to give. The highlights definitely had to be running into a high school friend on Oxford Street, the National Portrait Gallery (I heart Alex Katz), and Portobello Market. But above all, there is nothing like the feeling of rekindling a lost love with something or someone who shaped a great part of who you are.
They Say it's Your Birthday
It's official!! Today I'm turning 25, and better yet, I'm celebrating it on the very first day of fall. What an incredible ride it's been. I feel so very fortunate and blessed to have led the life I have for the last 24 years. If you were to ask me 10 years ago where I would be at 25, I would have said living in New York. I probably also would have said, working as the Editor in Chief of Vogue magazine, but at least I achieved one of the two. In all seriousness, I did not expect to feel this emotional reaching my quarter century. Turning 25 somehow made me weigh in on all the expectations I ever had for myself and how I've measured up. The truth is, I thought I would have done a lot more by now.
That said, I'm sitting here writing this for my blog that I devoted to my true treasures of life, and it makes me realize that I'm every bit on my way. If we get too caught up in our own pressures and negative criticisms we miss out on the endless amount of good in each of our lives. To my friends and loved ones, thank-you so much for your continued support and belief in me. You keep me motivated and inspired everyday. Speaking of inspiration, the above work of art was produced in devotion of my birth season, so I hope you enjoy. Now it's time for me to go out and savour my day, in the city I fell in love with 11 years ago. I couldn't imagine a better way to treat myself on my birthday.
All my love,
Meagan
She's so Two-Faced!!
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The very first project John Jay assigned had us interpret ourselves and our alter-egos in gouache. This proved to be incredibly entertaining. For the first time ever I thought about myself in terms of being a caricature. For the self-portrait I had to include the Meagan Morrison essentials. The retro glasses, pink lipstick, and oversized faux-fur coat sort of epitomize my style. My alter-ego, however, was my opportunity to play dress-up and push all the boundaries I've ever wanted. I even dressed myself in Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2010 ( a girl can dream lol!!). The attitude is definitely bang on. For those of you who know me, you've probably encountered her once or twice. Don't worry though, the match was only for dramatic affect.
Take Me to the Flea Market
Take me to the flea market, so I can find some things. Old shoes, and feathers too, whatever the jester brings. Enjoy!!
Postcard from Abu Dhabi
This summer everyone had Abu Dhabi on their minds and lips with the premier of Sex and the City 2. What most people don't know is that the Abu Dhabi Michael Patrick King had you believe existed, really does not. This entry is a postcard from the real Abu Dhabi. I'm in no way intending to discredit the wealthier and more refined emirate of the UAE. However, Abu Dhabi boasts neither the glimmering skyline or bustling souqs of the movie. In fact, arriving there for my day long excursion had me blown away by how little there was to see. I do believe that the potential is quite apparent though. Its attempts to become the cultural hub of the region are certainly within its reach.
Abu Dhabi is lined with rich green grass, an astonishing feat given the heat, and obvious nod to their fortune. I was absolutely astounded visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It houses the largest Swarovski chandeliers in the world. It imposes an incredibly strict dress code as you will see from my photos. But at least it afforded me the opportunity to wear the abaya I purchased in Dubai. From there I visited the Emirates Palace which is Abu Dhabi's response to Dubai's Burj Al Arab. In true Abu Dhabi fashion, it possesses a more classical sense of opulence and grandeur. Inside was a museum devoted to the development of its creative arts projects, including the new Louvre design.
Luncheon on the...Moroccan Oasis
Edouard Manet caused an absolute scandal when his painting Le Dejeuner sur L'Herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass) was first exhibited at the Salon des Refuses in 1863. Prior to this work, most nudes were only ever depicted in classical interiors. His raw juxtaposition of the female nude, against the clothed men in their suits, had the French public's panties in a twist. Today we are so inundated with outright sexuality that it's almost comical to imagine this painting ever causing controversy. That said, my incredible professor at FIT, John Jay had us revamp the notorious work this past spring. I was definitely seeking a little shock value myself.
Dreaming of my future trip to the Arabian Gulf, I sought out pictures of the Saharan Desert for inspiration. I knew I wanted to put a fashion spin on the appearance as well. With the most incredible references from Vogue, and books on Moroccan life and culture, I set forth on recreating this painting. Somewhere along the way I had a breakthrough with gouache paint lol. You will never know just how tricky it is unless you try. After several weeks of preparation, and one sleepless marathon, I managed to finish this painting on time. It was also used by the FIT Illustration Department in the pursuit of more government funding. I hope whoever saw it had a sense of humor :)
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