I am very happily expecting my first child in early November. So, babies are on my mind quite a lot. I imagine that it would be expected to look at babies differently, but it has taken me by surprise who taken I am by how small they are, the level of care they require and the adoration they inspire. Who would have thunk it?
I said to my husband the other day that while I became pregnant soon after our marriage - about 4 and a half months, I don't regret it and certainly don't feel as if I have missed out on any special time with him. We've had that during out courtship, engagement, months following our wedding and continue to have it during the pregnancy. I think I sum it up for myself as, "I was alone long enough, as was my husband and to have our own child on the way... Well, a baby is welcome anytime by us with
love and great optimism."
Now, onto the 2nd thing on my mind. Food. I love to cook. I love to read cook books, magazines, cooking and food blogs, try out new recipes, rip recipes out and file them away for the perfect dinner party. I think I would do more cooking had I a bit more countertop space, but I do fairly well with what I have - a kitchen block and some random feet snatched from the top of the fridge, sink top and above the microwave.
What has been on my mind as of late? Pizza. There is so much delectable pizza here in the New York City and the surrounding boroughs that to not think of it, seems rather cruel. And since I've been reading the charming blog of a man dedicated to the serious pursuit, discussion and most importantly, the consumption of pizza across America, I can't seem to stop thinking about it myself. Check it out for yourself and see if you're not soon dreaming of pizza. http://slice.seriouseats.com/
What is is though about pizza that inspires such fierce devotion? We all recognize mediocre pizza and certainly wax poetic about fantastic slices we've had. I think I like how it appeals to such a wide group of enthusiasts. It satiates children on a Friday night (and saves harried parents from cooking), it's consumed by high-powered bankers late at night while putting together a deal, it brings back fond memories for most adults of their high-school pizza joint with it's just so ration of cheese and sauce. It's as soothingly simple or as high-brow sophisticated as one wants to make it.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Ideas!
A mother, married already 4 times, who can't seem to remember the name of her fifth husband.
A son who announces his imminent release from jail with "change of address cards"
A father, brilliant, yet bumbling at times. He decides one day to repave the driveway, using the car as a steamroller to set the gravel. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, backkkk an' fortthhhhhhhh.
A black sheep cousin who lives in Arizona - waiter by day, host of a astrological cable access show by night. He calls himself "astro-fag" and make plentiful use of chiffon and back-lighting. "The cards tell me that there's a big ole planet moving into your galaxy. Well, my goodness, can you believe it's uranus?"
A woman who decides that she has dreamed all of history and tries to remember it all so that she can tell all when she wakes up.
A personal assistant who works for an A-list Hollywood couple. They are neither as cool, down-to-earth and youthful as the public finds them.
A girl who remembers the fashionable parties her aunt used to give. Now they don't seem quite so fashionable. Maybe rawwwther sad.
The exhaustion a parent of an autistic child feels. Each day the same with small variations that 5 years after diagnosis, don't give any hope for a breakthrough. Tomorrow it will all be forgotten.'
A new mom
A son who announces his imminent release from jail with "change of address cards"
A father, brilliant, yet bumbling at times. He decides one day to repave the driveway, using the car as a steamroller to set the gravel. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, backkkk an' fortthhhhhhhh.
A black sheep cousin who lives in Arizona - waiter by day, host of a astrological cable access show by night. He calls himself "astro-fag" and make plentiful use of chiffon and back-lighting. "The cards tell me that there's a big ole planet moving into your galaxy. Well, my goodness, can you believe it's uranus?"
A woman who decides that she has dreamed all of history and tries to remember it all so that she can tell all when she wakes up.
A personal assistant who works for an A-list Hollywood couple. They are neither as cool, down-to-earth and youthful as the public finds them.
A girl who remembers the fashionable parties her aunt used to give. Now they don't seem quite so fashionable. Maybe rawwwther sad.
The exhaustion a parent of an autistic child feels. Each day the same with small variations that 5 years after diagnosis, don't give any hope for a breakthrough. Tomorrow it will all be forgotten.'
A new mom
Monday, June 22, 2009
Jon and Kate Plus Hate
I really think the show started out innocently enough. It probably struck Jon and Kate Gosselin that having a reality show document their lives as well as that of their 8 children was a smart means of earning money for their large brood, plus it had the very real advantage of documenting their children when the gang of 8 were so young. (Something that in the course of caring for 6 new-borns and 2 twin toddlers) would have been impossible.
I watched the show in part because I couldn't believe that a family could have that many children and maintain an organic-eating, church going, tough love lifestyle. Simply put, the sheer number of children and the endless demands that all children make made it seem as if someone whether we saw it or not, was always going to be getting the short end of the stick. That's an uncomfortable proposition to see or think about given that the children were far too young to have a say about whether they wanted cameras documenting each moment of their lives. Equally alarming, were the parents and their mismatched personalities: him a reticent hang-dog who always gave off an air of quiet shock that he had 8 little ones and she a highly aggressive know-it-all who seemed eager to broadcast how much she did for her children.
While I don't think that there is any doubt that having 8 children is an exhausting, expensive endeavour, I never got the sense that there was any overwhelming joy that righted the scales for Jon and Kate. As the show grew in popularity, it seemed to take on a new angle - how to showcase a product, gratis trip(s) and surgical procedure(s), etc.
But it seemed to have soured before everyones eyes. Who knows exactly when the formula itself soured, spoiling the parents relationship and some of the children as well? It's over now and at least the tabloids have spit them out and seek the taste of another new story.
I watched the show in part because I couldn't believe that a family could have that many children and maintain an organic-eating, church going, tough love lifestyle. Simply put, the sheer number of children and the endless demands that all children make made it seem as if someone whether we saw it or not, was always going to be getting the short end of the stick. That's an uncomfortable proposition to see or think about given that the children were far too young to have a say about whether they wanted cameras documenting each moment of their lives. Equally alarming, were the parents and their mismatched personalities: him a reticent hang-dog who always gave off an air of quiet shock that he had 8 little ones and she a highly aggressive know-it-all who seemed eager to broadcast how much she did for her children.
While I don't think that there is any doubt that having 8 children is an exhausting, expensive endeavour, I never got the sense that there was any overwhelming joy that righted the scales for Jon and Kate. As the show grew in popularity, it seemed to take on a new angle - how to showcase a product, gratis trip(s) and surgical procedure(s), etc.
But it seemed to have soured before everyones eyes. Who knows exactly when the formula itself soured, spoiling the parents relationship and some of the children as well? It's over now and at least the tabloids have spit them out and seek the taste of another new story.
Monday, June 15, 2009
On Friends
Do you ever have those moments when you are surrounded by your friends and the groove is so right that you just feel joyous? It's as if everyone is in sync and there are no bad feelings, recriminations or accusations, no jealousy to derail the moment. Everyone just... is and they too tap into the vibe and feel happy to be in the company of others who know you, who love you and who let you be you.
I had one of those weekend and it always feels so restorative.
I had one of those weekend and it always feels so restorative.
Monday, June 8, 2009
A few titles recently read
1) "The White Tiger" - Aravind Adiga. A wry story about India, capitalism, the caste system, entrepreneurial spirit told from the seat of taxi driver. What is your animal spirit? I am the lion... roar.
2) "The Street of 1000 Blossoms" - Gail Tsukiyama. I have a love for all things Asian, in particular Japan. In fact, at times I do wish I had been born Japanese, what with those lovely girl names, blossoms and sushi. And really, doesn't the phrase "Chrysanthemum Throne" sound equally impressive and darling? This is a story about two brothers growing up in Tokyo, before, during and after WWII. One is training to be sumo wrestler, the other studies the art of making Yo theatre masks.
3) "The Emperor's Children" - Claire Messud. A tale of young adults living in the city, blindly (?) trying to make their mark in the work and love. I was surprised at how much i liked this book, despite the lukewarm reviews it received. Maybe the inner hesitation and self cajoling of each character spoke to me.
4) "Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now" - Eleanor Coppola. Why does filming making seem to inspire maniacal behavior and demand such a stiff price from the film makers family? This is a brutally honest book that "leaves you feeling drained". Mrs. Coppola is a saint whose light, searching voice permeates the pages
5) "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" - Muriel Barbery. This is a book that in many ways reminds me of "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engel. I think at certain points that I understand what is being said and at other times, I am clueless. The setting, a fancy apartment building in Paris, serves as a protective shield for its female concierge to live out her highly cerebral existence while surrounded by her atrociously behaved tenants, none of whom would ever imagine her capable of a tender thought or sadly, even an emotion. She is soon found out by a highly intelligent girl who lives in the building and a new tenant. For me, this book is a joyous, if not sad example, of how long we harbor our misconceptions about other people's existence and when someone is finally freed, their freedom is not always eternal.
2) "The Street of 1000 Blossoms" - Gail Tsukiyama. I have a love for all things Asian, in particular Japan. In fact, at times I do wish I had been born Japanese, what with those lovely girl names, blossoms and sushi. And really, doesn't the phrase "Chrysanthemum Throne" sound equally impressive and darling? This is a story about two brothers growing up in Tokyo, before, during and after WWII. One is training to be sumo wrestler, the other studies the art of making Yo theatre masks.
3) "The Emperor's Children" - Claire Messud. A tale of young adults living in the city, blindly (?) trying to make their mark in the work and love. I was surprised at how much i liked this book, despite the lukewarm reviews it received. Maybe the inner hesitation and self cajoling of each character spoke to me.
4) "Notes on the Making of Apocalypse Now" - Eleanor Coppola. Why does filming making seem to inspire maniacal behavior and demand such a stiff price from the film makers family? This is a brutally honest book that "leaves you feeling drained". Mrs. Coppola is a saint whose light, searching voice permeates the pages
5) "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" - Muriel Barbery. This is a book that in many ways reminds me of "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engel. I think at certain points that I understand what is being said and at other times, I am clueless. The setting, a fancy apartment building in Paris, serves as a protective shield for its female concierge to live out her highly cerebral existence while surrounded by her atrociously behaved tenants, none of whom would ever imagine her capable of a tender thought or sadly, even an emotion. She is soon found out by a highly intelligent girl who lives in the building and a new tenant. For me, this book is a joyous, if not sad example, of how long we harbor our misconceptions about other people's existence and when someone is finally freed, their freedom is not always eternal.
Things that make me laugh or happy
1) When cats and dogs are forced to wear those protective cones on their heads. They look like Elizabethan ruffs and I always like to imagine that when alone they strut around reciting choice lines from Shakespeare's
plays.
2) My friend Meaghan's stories about her neighbor Hugh. My favorite: the time he was on a chartered plane coming home from rehab. He decided to open the hatch... while in his wheelchair when the plane was at 10,000 feet.
3) Mrs. Grossman's stickers. Beautiful colors, simple and charming designs... they make me want to open up a sticker store.
4) My two favorite perfumes: Kors by Michael Kors and Paris by Yves Saint Laurent. Both are sexy, sophisticated and classic
5) Watching small children eat sweets. It's so messy, unselfconscious and joyful.
6) Driving along the roads in my hometown. It's so lovely, year-round, which is a compliment to nature, the setting and the people who by living there, continue to believe in the beauty of the town and its values.
plays.
2) My friend Meaghan's stories about her neighbor Hugh. My favorite: the time he was on a chartered plane coming home from rehab. He decided to open the hatch... while in his wheelchair when the plane was at 10,000 feet.
3) Mrs. Grossman's stickers. Beautiful colors, simple and charming designs... they make me want to open up a sticker store.
4) My two favorite perfumes: Kors by Michael Kors and Paris by Yves Saint Laurent. Both are sexy, sophisticated and classic
5) Watching small children eat sweets. It's so messy, unselfconscious and joyful.
6) Driving along the roads in my hometown. It's so lovely, year-round, which is a compliment to nature, the setting and the people who by living there, continue to believe in the beauty of the town and its values.
Movie Review: Angels and Demons
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. I giveth him my $12.00 for a seat at “Angels and Demons” and he taketh away more than 2 hours of my time. I guess the first misstep was agreeing to see the movie. But, I half tricked myself because I hadn’t read the book (to clarify I flipped through “The Da Vinci Code” but found it so badly written I couldn’t start it nor could I sit through the film) and so I told myself that maybe this one would be better. Tom Hanks plays Professor Langston; an East Coast, Ivy League academic who has dedicated his life to symbols. This is code for describing a man who has an annoying habit of noticing and remembering everything. We know he’s responsible because the Professor works out at 5 am (and let me guess that we’re supposed to extrapolate that he works out every morning because it’s good for him and helps him remember and notice EVERYTHING). And sure, we can see he is benignly cute, but the character is so bland and humorless that I spent a good portion of the movie worrying about his sad private life. What does the Professor do other than notice and remember everything? Not much? If he applied thia technique to meeting a lady, he would have some lucky gal eating out of his hand. Who wouldn’t want to meet a man who has a slavish attention to what they ate 6 months ago? The name of their favorite lip gloss and shoe size…. Digression. It’s amazing that Hanks agreed to play Robert Langston again. From what I heard and read, others found the character in “The Da Vinci Code” similarly flat. This is not like James Bond – he doesn’t improve with age, nor could I imagine another actor bringing another, more likable or even more entertaining interpretation to the character.
Now, to be upfront, I am not a religious person and at times I do feel a mixture of embarrassment about my ignorance. But I also feel a curiosity about matters that stirs such great devotion, hatred, study and adulation the world over. So, I am not going to say a word about whether this movie is offensive to Catholics or atheists. Nor am I going to try to guess what Dan Brown and Ron Howard are trying to say. Me thinks that in a movie involving the rise of secret sects, the killing and torture of Cardinals, atom smashing, faulty air conditioning and archival systems and liberal use of tourist maps, and fetishistic application of fire, I don’t know if they know either.
What I do know is that no one is who they seem to be because most of the characters are EVILLY hiding their tattoo loving, off the richter chart hate for the church or stupidly feigning smartness to hide the fat that they don’t know anything. This stinks because they only to learn or half learn what they learn at the last minute before getting killed or even attempt to shoot a gun at someone they think might tell them something moment before getting killed. This is hurting me now.
So let’s reach the foregone conclusion that this is not a movie worth seeing. However, there is one part of the movie that deserves a mention – the scene at the St. Peter’s Square in which Bernini’s incredible embracing architecture is highlighted. Now, at this point a massive explosive occurs (and yes, I was hopeful that this signaled the near end of the movie. My prayers were foresaken.) I haven’t witnessed a scene of such destruction since they took the lid off of The Ark of the Covenant in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Now that was some naturally-come-to-destruction which leveled people, raked the walls quicker that a Vegas hooker and generally made you fear whatever force was in that damn Ark for so many thousands of years.
Yes, I know the cause of the explosion in “Angels and Demons” was from a different source, but come on – whoever did the CGI here asked their 7 year old what they thought would happen if a big, big, big “like the biggest explosion ever” occurred. Here is the most likely answer: “Uhmmm, cars would turn over and flip, flip, flip and the people would say ‘Noooooooooooooo, ouch!’ and then the sky would look rippley like the pond at Aiden’s house”… Guess what the CGI”s look like?? However, the best part arrived long after the movie ended and I was (trying to) recount the plot to my husband. He told me that he has a friend who loves movies with helicopters that blow up and said friend was to be all the more thrilled to learn that the craft WASN”T EVEN PILOTED.
So miraculously, for Sir Ben, this movie may be heaven-sent!
Now, to be upfront, I am not a religious person and at times I do feel a mixture of embarrassment about my ignorance. But I also feel a curiosity about matters that stirs such great devotion, hatred, study and adulation the world over. So, I am not going to say a word about whether this movie is offensive to Catholics or atheists. Nor am I going to try to guess what Dan Brown and Ron Howard are trying to say. Me thinks that in a movie involving the rise of secret sects, the killing and torture of Cardinals, atom smashing, faulty air conditioning and archival systems and liberal use of tourist maps, and fetishistic application of fire, I don’t know if they know either.
What I do know is that no one is who they seem to be because most of the characters are EVILLY hiding their tattoo loving, off the richter chart hate for the church or stupidly feigning smartness to hide the fat that they don’t know anything. This stinks because they only to learn or half learn what they learn at the last minute before getting killed or even attempt to shoot a gun at someone they think might tell them something moment before getting killed. This is hurting me now.
So let’s reach the foregone conclusion that this is not a movie worth seeing. However, there is one part of the movie that deserves a mention – the scene at the St. Peter’s Square in which Bernini’s incredible embracing architecture is highlighted. Now, at this point a massive explosive occurs (and yes, I was hopeful that this signaled the near end of the movie. My prayers were foresaken.) I haven’t witnessed a scene of such destruction since they took the lid off of The Ark of the Covenant in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Now that was some naturally-come-to-destruction which leveled people, raked the walls quicker that a Vegas hooker and generally made you fear whatever force was in that damn Ark for so many thousands of years.
Yes, I know the cause of the explosion in “Angels and Demons” was from a different source, but come on – whoever did the CGI here asked their 7 year old what they thought would happen if a big, big, big “like the biggest explosion ever” occurred. Here is the most likely answer: “Uhmmm, cars would turn over and flip, flip, flip and the people would say ‘Noooooooooooooo, ouch!’ and then the sky would look rippley like the pond at Aiden’s house”… Guess what the CGI”s look like?? However, the best part arrived long after the movie ended and I was (trying to) recount the plot to my husband. He told me that he has a friend who loves movies with helicopters that blow up and said friend was to be all the more thrilled to learn that the craft WASN”T EVEN PILOTED.
So miraculously, for Sir Ben, this movie may be heaven-sent!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Delightful Things from my Childhood
Sometimes when days seem bad it's helpful for me to walk upon happy memories from my childhood.
My cat Crackers was a defining member of my youth. She was an amazing cat and even now, people easily recall her and what an affectionate dear she was. Overweight with a tendency to drool and black tail tipped in white, she was an unconventional beauty and at the end of her life, the fourth child in our family. Many adventures dotted her life and she truly brought much happiness to our family.
Reading. I have such fond memories of reading so many, many books when I was little and shy. I adored series like "The Little House on the Prairie", "Anne of Green Gables", "Nancy Drew", "Sweet Valley High", the girls of Canaby Hall, Judy Blume, and a host of other titles.
British Royal Family. From the moment that Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer announced their engagement, I was completely besotted with their relationship and the history of the Royal family. The names, the palaces, the grandiose history and unflappable dignity with which they all comported themselves simply fascinated me. My father at the time traveled extensively and often to Europe. I was most happy when he came home with several royal magazines and a bag of Winegums, which is a British sweet treat similar to Gummy Bears, but tangier.
Drawing Fashions. For some reasons, fashion has always appealed to me. My husband once said that for me, fashion is a language which I easily understand. I imagine that is so because it performs so many functions: it protects, it reveals, it states where we come from and when, what we like, the state of our bodies and our finances. And at the end of the day, fashion's ultimate goal is to make us look and feel beautiful. Although I came of age during the Nolan Miller/"Dynasty" years with a large pinch of Madonna's Boy Toy influence, I still managed to seek out and appreciate those who have continually made huge contributions to the fashion world through designing, reporting, shopping and wearing these couture level creations.
My cat Crackers was a defining member of my youth. She was an amazing cat and even now, people easily recall her and what an affectionate dear she was. Overweight with a tendency to drool and black tail tipped in white, she was an unconventional beauty and at the end of her life, the fourth child in our family. Many adventures dotted her life and she truly brought much happiness to our family.
Reading. I have such fond memories of reading so many, many books when I was little and shy. I adored series like "The Little House on the Prairie", "Anne of Green Gables", "Nancy Drew", "Sweet Valley High", the girls of Canaby Hall, Judy Blume, and a host of other titles.
British Royal Family. From the moment that Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer announced their engagement, I was completely besotted with their relationship and the history of the Royal family. The names, the palaces, the grandiose history and unflappable dignity with which they all comported themselves simply fascinated me. My father at the time traveled extensively and often to Europe. I was most happy when he came home with several royal magazines and a bag of Winegums, which is a British sweet treat similar to Gummy Bears, but tangier.
Drawing Fashions. For some reasons, fashion has always appealed to me. My husband once said that for me, fashion is a language which I easily understand. I imagine that is so because it performs so many functions: it protects, it reveals, it states where we come from and when, what we like, the state of our bodies and our finances. And at the end of the day, fashion's ultimate goal is to make us look and feel beautiful. Although I came of age during the Nolan Miller/"Dynasty" years with a large pinch of Madonna's Boy Toy influence, I still managed to seek out and appreciate those who have continually made huge contributions to the fashion world through designing, reporting, shopping and wearing these couture level creations.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Grande Dames
Isn't it funny how certain people have a force of personality so great that the public immediately become fascinated by them. It's hard to pinpoint the exact reason why these ladies and men generate such interest, devotion and even derision. If I were to name three such figures, I think my list would include the following, each of whom possesses/ed a mysterious air in spades.
1) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Initially the world was rightfully so swayed by her beauty, her impeccable fashion sense and appreciation of American history and her efforts to bring art and culture to the White House. Later on we would be moved by her grace, her insistence on the right to maintain privacy for herself and her children and her lifelong love of the written word. I worked at an auction house for many years and managed to get one of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis auction catalogues, produced when the house sold the contents of her homes. It is a treasure and in many ways an honor to see interior shots of her Fifth Avenue apartment.
2) Dame Elizabeth Taylor. I find her fascinating. So did her many suitors. Dame Elizabeth Taylor is/was nothing but charming to her husbands, her family, her audiences and more recently, the AIDS victims and supporters on whose behalf she champions. To see a young Elizabeth Taylor in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is to see a wonderful combination of talent, beauty, sexuality and self-possession. Later work in films such as "Whose Afraid of Virgina Wolf" abundantly show her intense acting abilities. And then, the jewels. One could not mention Elizabeth Taylor without speaking about her fantastic jewelry collection. One of my favorite books is titled "My Love Affair with Jewelry" written by Elizabeth herself. Inside one finds the stories behind several of the better known or personal favorite pieces. The jewels are beautifully photographed and the accompanying pictures of Elizabeth wearing the many of the pieces make it clear why she was given so many priceless treasures.
http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Taylor-Love-Affair-Jewelry/dp/0743254384/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243897299&sr=8-1
3) Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. The twice divorced lady from America (Baltimore, no less) helped to change history when King Edward abdicated the throne for "the woman I love". DThe Duchess was always impeccably turned out (Mainbocher, Chanel, Schiaparelli) and had a jaw-dropping jewelry collection, much like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Dame Elizabeth Taylor, respectively. But the Duchess had to endure great public derision from a nation who could not believe that their king would give up his throne, his country, his people for a non-titled foreigner who came from humble beginnings, with two marriages set to pasture. Much has been written about the relationship of Wallis and Edward (a great deal of their personal effects were monogrammed with "WE" - from bed linens to purses to letterhead.) and their relationship seems like most others. At turns, it was directed by passionate, almost obsessive love and in other periods, sadness at what was given up and as a result, denied to them both.
1) Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Initially the world was rightfully so swayed by her beauty, her impeccable fashion sense and appreciation of American history and her efforts to bring art and culture to the White House. Later on we would be moved by her grace, her insistence on the right to maintain privacy for herself and her children and her lifelong love of the written word. I worked at an auction house for many years and managed to get one of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis auction catalogues, produced when the house sold the contents of her homes. It is a treasure and in many ways an honor to see interior shots of her Fifth Avenue apartment.
2) Dame Elizabeth Taylor. I find her fascinating. So did her many suitors. Dame Elizabeth Taylor is/was nothing but charming to her husbands, her family, her audiences and more recently, the AIDS victims and supporters on whose behalf she champions. To see a young Elizabeth Taylor in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is to see a wonderful combination of talent, beauty, sexuality and self-possession. Later work in films such as "Whose Afraid of Virgina Wolf" abundantly show her intense acting abilities. And then, the jewels. One could not mention Elizabeth Taylor without speaking about her fantastic jewelry collection. One of my favorite books is titled "My Love Affair with Jewelry" written by Elizabeth herself. Inside one finds the stories behind several of the better known or personal favorite pieces. The jewels are beautifully photographed and the accompanying pictures of Elizabeth wearing the many of the pieces make it clear why she was given so many priceless treasures.
http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Taylor-Love-Affair-Jewelry/dp/0743254384/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243897299&sr=8-1
3) Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. The twice divorced lady from America (Baltimore, no less) helped to change history when King Edward abdicated the throne for "the woman I love". DThe Duchess was always impeccably turned out (Mainbocher, Chanel, Schiaparelli) and had a jaw-dropping jewelry collection, much like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Dame Elizabeth Taylor, respectively. But the Duchess had to endure great public derision from a nation who could not believe that their king would give up his throne, his country, his people for a non-titled foreigner who came from humble beginnings, with two marriages set to pasture. Much has been written about the relationship of Wallis and Edward (a great deal of their personal effects were monogrammed with "WE" - from bed linens to purses to letterhead.) and their relationship seems like most others. At turns, it was directed by passionate, almost obsessive love and in other periods, sadness at what was given up and as a result, denied to them both.
Illuminating phrases
One of the lovelier things about different cultures is that certain phrases or words filter into our own language. Why does this happen? Well, oftentimes they accurately or astutely describe a mood, feeling or situation for which we have no phrase. Or perhaps the speakers feels that using the phrase will lend them a certain sophistication. Here are some of my favorites:
Riposte d'escalier (French) This one is fantastic. Imagine confronting your arch nememis with whom you exchange words. She or he says something so rude that you are shocked, SHOCKED! into speechlessness. You hurriedly leave the room and right then and there as you hit the stairs (escalier) the perfect response (riposte) comes to you. It's a response formed some moments after situation occurs. It happens to us all, even our arch-nemesis.
Soufflé (French) A soufflé is a well know French dessert (either savory or sweet) that is made with egg whites, which allows the dough to rise several inches while baking. It's interior is light and airy and it's exterior bakes to a beautiful crusty brown. "Souffler" is a verb meaning "to breathe" and by extension, "soufflé" means "a breath". Thus the height of by a soufflé is winkingly achieved by a breath of air inside.
Faux pas (Noun) This phrase is typically used when someone says or does something embarrassing. It's a social mistake, (although by no means always a a grave one) perhaps along the lines of calling your brother's second wife by the ex-wife's name. "Faux pas" literally means "misstep".
The below webpage explains a host more phrases, many of which you have probably encountered. ttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/french-phrases.html
Riposte d'escalier (French) This one is fantastic. Imagine confronting your arch nememis with whom you exchange words. She or he says something so rude that you are shocked, SHOCKED! into speechlessness. You hurriedly leave the room and right then and there as you hit the stairs (escalier) the perfect response (riposte) comes to you. It's a response formed some moments after situation occurs. It happens to us all, even our arch-nemesis.
Soufflé (French) A soufflé is a well know French dessert (either savory or sweet) that is made with egg whites, which allows the dough to rise several inches while baking. It's interior is light and airy and it's exterior bakes to a beautiful crusty brown. "Souffler" is a verb meaning "to breathe" and by extension, "soufflé" means "a breath". Thus the height of by a soufflé is winkingly achieved by a breath of air inside.
Faux pas (Noun) This phrase is typically used when someone says or does something embarrassing. It's a social mistake, (although by no means always a a grave one) perhaps along the lines of calling your brother's second wife by the ex-wife's name. "Faux pas" literally means "misstep".
The below webpage explains a host more phrases, many of which you have probably encountered. ttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/french-phrases.html
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Taking Etiquette Questions
Certain matters in life benefit from asking a second opinion. From the small, "Do these shoes match my outfit?" to the very large, "How does one write a condolence note?" asking for help can never, ever hurt.
So opens the forum! Please send any etiquette related questions you may have and I will do my best to answer them.
So opens the forum! Please send any etiquette related questions you may have and I will do my best to answer them.
Things.That.I.Loathe
1) The smell, taste, and texture of gingerbread. There shall be no gingerbread house decorating nor associated merry-making in my household come any December.
2) Kate Gosselin's hair"style". It's a lady's reverse-mullet, an homage to Carol Brady, a hairstylist's cruel joke.
3) The shocking decline of sending thank you notes. It's an absolute given that if someone gives you a gift that person stands to be properly thanked. Thanking by email or text is out of the question as it is clearly an easy out for you.
4) Lladro porcelain figures. A more expensive version of Hallmark's "Little Moments". Same amount of tackiness.
5) People taking up more than one seat on a bus, train, plane, subway. This is not a slap to people who are overweight, rather a call to those who feel as if they and their possessions merit double or triple the space.
6) Anklets. I think bracelets should remain on wrists alone.
2) Kate Gosselin's hair"style". It's a lady's reverse-mullet, an homage to Carol Brady, a hairstylist's cruel joke.
3) The shocking decline of sending thank you notes. It's an absolute given that if someone gives you a gift that person stands to be properly thanked. Thanking by email or text is out of the question as it is clearly an easy out for you.
4) Lladro porcelain figures. A more expensive version of Hallmark's "Little Moments". Same amount of tackiness.
5) People taking up more than one seat on a bus, train, plane, subway. This is not a slap to people who are overweight, rather a call to those who feel as if they and their possessions merit double or triple the space.
6) Anklets. I think bracelets should remain on wrists alone.
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