Theatrum Orbis Terrarum: review

Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Whether or not you are a member of Tumblr, there is a 90% chance you're very familiar with the Swedish Fjällräven Kånken backpack, which has recently gotten so very popular, it seems there is one in every place you look. As it is, they have been appearing in my line of sight for a while now (both on Tumblr and in public), and as a teenage girl I had to see what all the fuss is about. Needless to say, after checking out the official site, I was hooked. Nevertheless, I refused to purchase the said Kånken without making an extensive research of its functionality. In the end, after only hesitating once, I bought the Fjällraven Kånken in the color Putty. Amongst other things, one of the reasons for my purchase of the said backpack is that my Herschel Little America backpack is too large for my pleasure when it comes to shorter trips. Plus, the main pocket that opens up all the way on my Kånken sure does make grabbing things a lot easier.

What fits?

Contrary to popular opinion of all Fjällräven Kånken owners and my mom upon opening the parcel and getting the first look at the backpack inside, Kånkens do allow an incredibly large amount of space for all your necessities and more. As seen below, I packed my backpack with all items I could possibly need, and there was still 50% of free space in both the main and front pocket. Believe it or not, I ran out of things to put in there, which means only one thing: free space for snacks and maybe a hoodie (you never know).

Problems and solutions

As it is with most things, if something is too good to be true, it probably isn't real. However, the Fjällräven Kånken is very much real, which consequently means it isn't perfect (deep, right?). This paragraph is written with the intention of pointing out 3 faults I discovered before and after purchase.

1. STRAPS: In case you don't know yet, the Kånken straps are thin. However, that is an insoluble problem, unless you invest in thicker and padded add-on straps sold by the very same company. The fault I noticed somewhere in the first 15 minutes after getting the Kånken is that once the straps are adjusted to the preferred length, they just resort to hanging in a quite disruptive and annoying manner. My solution to that is a tiny system composed of a clothespin and a small elastic band. Simply insert the band inside the pin at one end, wrap it around both straps (mindful of the button), and secure it inside the clothespin at the other end. Close the pin.

2. SIDE POCKETS: Whilst doing my research, I noticed many users complained about the size (or lack of it) of the side pockets, mainly because they just can't seem to fit a normal sized waterbottle. If water is an absolute necessity to you and your Kånken annoys you, I suggest you buy a Voss waterbottle (the small one); its thinnesss enables it to fit into the side pocket + you are more environmentally conscious due to its glass packaging.

3. PADDING AND DEFORMATION: This problem was a dealbreaker for me. If it wasn't for the lone review of a certain blogger whom I don't remember, who strongly advised to keep the foam/seatpad in to prevent the Kånken from deforming too much, I wouldn't have bought it. After first filling the backpack up with all I could possibly need, I quickly pranced off to the first mirror to see how much it has deformed - too much for my liking. If you are as conscious about the form of your Kånken as much as I am, I suggest you create an extra padding of your own. I did so by gluing together 2 layers of a 3mm thick foam-x/foam-k/kapa-fix board. Keep in mind to round off the DIY padding to the form of the original one in order to prevent causing unnecessary harm to your Kånken. Also, keep in mind to not make the padding too thick, or else it won't fit alongside the original padding, and all your troubles will be pointless.

So far, this is all I have to specifically point out about the Fjällräven Kånken. I haven't yet worn it for a longer period of time, so I can't say how the straps hold up. A notable mention should be given to the vinylon fabric, which expands in rainy conditions and thus becomes waterproof. Speaking of fabric, I am quite intrigued by the idea of decorating the backpack with pins, however given the sturdiness of the fabric I am left in doubt and contemplation.

Have you already got/are planning or considering of getting a Fjällräven Kånken backpack? Was this information useful to you? Feedback is always welcome!

x, Valens

I understand that writing a book review is a bit pointless now, given the fact that summer is vastly nearing its end. However, as a fellow bookworm and all-around lazy person, who wanderlusts in the free time and has the attention span of a squirrel, I'd like to cordially introduce you to a gem of a book, written by the Nobel Prize for Literature winner Joseph Brodsky, called Watermark: An Essay on Venice. As I mentioned, time for dedicated reading is, or, in some cases, has already run out. Nevertheless, if there are any of you out there, who wish to squeeze in one last book without having to sacrifice your soul, this one is for you. A collection of short essays based upon the author's annual visits to Venice in winter is a compelling and relaxing read that takes you along his footsteps and philosophical musings about the city of water. Not only does this book show you a different, more enigmatic look on Venice, it also gives the reader some serious wanderlust and an itch to see when the next train for Venice departs.

“A tear can be shed in this place on several occasions. Assuming that beauty is the distribution of light in the fashion most congenial to one's retina, a tear is an acknowledgment of the retina's, as well as the tear's, failure to retain beauty. On the whole, love comes with the speed of light; separation, with that of sound. It is the deterioration of the greater speed to the lesser that moistens one's eye. Because one is finite, a departure from this place always feel final; leaving it behind is leaving it forever. For leaving is banishment of the eye to the provinces of the other senses; at best, to the crevices and crevasses of the brain. For the eye identifies itself not with the body it belongs to but with the object of its attention. And to the eye, for purely optical reasons, departure is not the body leaving the city but the city abandoning the pupil. Likewise, disappearance of the beloved, especially a gradual one, causes grief no matter who, and for what peripatetic reason, is actually in motion. As the world goes, this city is the eye's beloved. After it, everything is a letdown. A tear is the anticipation of the eye's future.”

(official book description)

Watermark is Joseph Brodsky's witty, intelligent, moving and elegant portrait of Venice. Looking at every aspect of the city, from its waterways, streets and architecture to its food, politics and people, Brodsky captures its magnificence and beauty, and recalls his own memories of the place he called home for many winters, as he remembers friends, lovers and enemies he has encountered. Above all, he reflects with great poetic force on how the rising tide of time affects city and inhabitants alike.

Watermark is an unforgettable piece of writing, and a wonderful evocation of a remarkable, unique city.

Here's the deal: I love spies. But I don't like spy novels. I gave Ian Fleming's James Bond a try a couple of years ago, but it just didn't do it for me. However, it was somewhere in October, when I decided to give John Le Carrè's novel The Night Manager a try. Come the beginning of March and with all the schoolwork, I finally managed to read it.

The Night Manager is a story of an ex-soldier now hotelier, who gets involved with the mistress of an arms dealer after he is given files that serve as good evidence of Richard Roper's dirty business. After a tragic end, he decides to flee and revert into the life of nightly shifts in remote hotels. It is in a hotel in Switzerland when he gets to meet Mr. Roper and his business associates in person, and chooses to risk his life in order to take Roper down once and for all. He goes through an extended journey to create a viable liaison and claim a life of criminal content. The acquired specifications earn him the ability to infiltrate into Roper's world through a carefully planned strategy which is taken too far on his part and earns him an unenviable collection of slow-healing bruises. From then on, he is accepted as part of the team and taken on various dealings.

I must admit that the end of the book had left me in quite a large bubble of split confusion. On one part, I was left disappointed because as an enthusiast of spy stories, I had my expectations too high. On the other hand, after giving it some more thought, l realised it makes a lot of sense and is probably as happy as this story could end.

All in all, spy novels are still a thing I'm taking with caution. John Le Carré's storytelling is very fluid and intriguing, with well developed characters which, as opposed to many other works, are very human with limited capabilities.

What is the last book you read?

x, Valens

Growing up, I was aware of the comic book culture, but as the stereotype of its readers was very evident, I was never given a chance to give them a try. I had first met with the culture a couple of years ago, when I was persuaded into watching The amazing Spider-Man. It was then that I realised that I find this type of films very enjoyable, and proceeded watching all the others. My purchase of a comic book was nothing but a random incident, for if my sister hadn't shown me the graphic novels shelf in a bookshop, I probably never would have gotten any. It hasn't even been a year, and yet I'm already neck deep in the Marvel universe.

To begin with the most obvious, the graphics and drawings are incredible. When I first opened a marvel comic book, I almost squealed. As opposed to the lousy slovenian ones, these were colorful on glossy-ish paper, detailed and clever. Now that I'm in it for a while, I'm also starting to notice more details in the characters' forms and sense a certain style at a given artist's work. My favourite comics in terms of graphics are Electra and Hawkeye.

Electra: Bloodlines

Hawkeye: My life as a weapon

The storyline of a certain comic is very dependent on the reader's preferences. Once you find a superhero you like, the chances of being disappointed are very small. With the older and more popular ones, the story is undoubtedly well written, connected to actual historical events and interwoven with stories of other heroes. With lesser known and newer characters, the storyline is usually composed of certain missions they are given. I'm a big fan of the Captain America comics, which, with its rich history never leaves you empty-handed. However, my favourite comic book by far is Winter Soldier, which follows Bucky Barnes' missions and general adventures with Black Widow (Natasha Romanov). As they both have a long history in Soviet Russia, and are both trained assassins, who prefer attacking an army base over going out to regular dinner, they make an awesome couple.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Winter Soldier

One last thing that makes comic books great is the fan community, where people join to analyse and create theories, make fan art, edits and please their obsession without receiving any sort of judgement from anyone.

Do you read comic books? Which are your favourite ones?

x, Valens

As there are hundreds of books with different contents and concepts, each blowing your mind in it's own unique way, I find it impossible to determine which book is my favourite. So far I've read many books, mainly classics, which I enjoyed very much. However, there is one book that I found particularly exceptional; Italo Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveller.

It's a story of you, Reader, who buys the book with the same title and delves into it, only to later realise it has a printing mistake and is thus unreadable. With a wish to find the book in perfect condition, you are taken to various places and faced with secrets and creative complications. After going through 10 completely different books, all faulty, you end up desperate in your local library with a list of all the books, only to find out that all the titles form the first paragraph of another book.

By leading you through all the complications and books with storylines that have as many things in common as the night has with day, Italo Calvino entertains the concept of the author's personality being untraced in his work, and simultaneously makes fun of the readers who settle with ordinary romance, detective, spy, historical novels that hold no true meaning, and are only there to be read and forgotten. Calvino was an invenive writer who managed to create literature that tickles even the deepest parts of a reader's brain, and leaves them hanging in a very pleasurable way.

I'm sure that there is not a single soul who hasn't heard of James Bond, and seen at least one of the franchise's films. The character whose fame keeps growing with every film released is now already a sort of icon, and anyone who knows me for more than 2 months knows that I have a mild obsession with him. It all began a couple years ago, when I was sick and layng on the couch, watching tv with my dad when James Bond came on. Because he is very familiar with the story and creation of these films, he began sharing his knowledge with me. It was on that day that I realised how good James Bond really is, and thus decided to give a chance to all the films: not just the newer ones. Throughout the years I've managed to see a large majority of the films and got to know the story and history of the notorious character.

James Bond - 007 was first introduced to the world in the form of a book in 1953, written by Ian Fleming. Because the character was found very interesting, it had been decided that he will be to appear on the movie screen. In 1962, on the premiere of James Bond: Dr. No a legend was born, as Sean Connery in James Bond's shoes - or should I say tux - accomplished his first mission.

What I like most about the James Bond film franchise is the wide variety of foreign and estranged places, and the ever so witty british humour that never ceases to make even the dullest and most depressing of situations fun and easy-going. Every James Bond film is filled with various elements that both represent the time the film was filmed in, and present the luxury and wealthiness of certain characters, organisations, countries. Whether one watches a certain Bond film because of preference or in search of relaxation, the films are fit for a majority of types of people, as the directors constantly strive to reach and acquire the perfect combination of action, drama, comedy, and romance, always managing to satisfy the audience.

Of course I can't speak about James Bond without mentioning the women, cars and gadgets. Each and every girl in the film, be it a Bond girl or a villain, is pretty much the most beautiful existent creature in it. There is never a middle measure; a Bond girl is either the clumsiest, or the most professional lady there is, which contributes greatly to the film.

As James Bond is known as the best and most elegant spy, it would be fair, to say the least, that he drives the best and most elegant cars. Cue the Aston Martin DB-5 - the most famous Bond car in the world. Incidentally, in the very beginning Aston Martin didn't want to take part in the franchise, but thankfully they later on changed their mind.

When it comes to gadgets, the first thing that comes to mind is the admiration towards those, who come up with items as such. The imagination that busied their minds must have been infinite, because even though a certain gadget gets a maximum of 2 minutes screen time, looking from a wider point of view that includes all the James Bond films along with all the gadgets presented in them, James Bond would not be his true self if it weren't for all the gadgets and the childlike curiosity that overtook him whenever he was given one.

Ever since 1962, James Bond has slowly grown into an icon, leaving his footprint all over the world, increasing women's standards and influencing people's subjective view on the british culture and behaviour.

Those who haven't yet seen a film, or don't remember the one film you saw, please sit down on a lazy evening and give it a try. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

What is your opinion on James Bond? Don't hesitate to share!

x, Valens

Have you ever walked down the street, looked at something, realised you like it and immediately thought 'Yes, that. I need to have that. That is awesome'. Well, this is exactly what happened the moment I first laid my eyes upon an instant camera. Up until then I had known they existed, but didn't really give much thought to it, believing that the only ones available/existent were the classic vintage ones, which(so I thought) were only found in vintage shops and there is a great chance that the one one actually does buy is broken i.e. dysfunctional. Plus, the film would be a pain in the ass to find.

Boy was I wrong. Polaroid AND Fujifilm, the cupcakes that they are, revived the vintage instant camera and made a new, smaller and more affordable(and cuter) version. Which I undoubtedly had to get. And I did. A whole year later. But that doesn't matter.

What makes an instant camera great, besides the cool looking photos, is the fact that it's small and doesn't require a professional photographer in order to be used. There are 4 options for taking photos, dependent on light. The Polaroid that I have can hold 10 films/foils. The film is quite expensive, which is in a way good, because it really makes you think twice when wanting to photograph something, it makes you think about what matters more to you, and thus the photos you actually do take are more special and hold more meaning. It is without a doubt a great advantage if you have people to take these photos with, because, see, I am a very lonely person and only get to take photos of the nature, buildings and some sunsets(they're pretty cool this time of year). Though my lack of selfies with friends might also be because I'm overprotective of my Polaroid, but I like to keep that fact to myself, I'm strange enough already. The only downside to instant cameras in my opinion is the lens. There are many times when a photo turns out super bright, because the lens isn't capable enough to capture a good photo in broad daylight, because the sun shines too brightly. However, after a photo or 3 you get used to it and start looking for ways improve these photos, which isn't impossible.

Before I send you off to feast your eyes upon and shape your opinon based on some of my favourite photos, I'd just like to say that if you do, or already have purchased an instant camera, please don't freak out over the warnings and safety notices written in the instructions. Yes, they do matter, but just don't get yourself too preoccupied about your and the camera's safety(like me). They were made to capture good times, not the ones where you're looking at the person taking the photo, instructing them how to hold the camera properly or cursing them for doing it all wrong. With that said, here are some of my favorite photos that I have taken so far.