When I was young I thought we were power lines

Yesterday it was a beautiful day and the following happened.
- Greenlake
- 2 Mighty-O donuts were eaten.
- A trip to the U-District
- High waisted black jeans were purchased.
- A slice of Pagliacci's was consumed.
- vintage shop browsing
- Trader Joe's
- A flower was stolen by yours truly.
- vegetable potstickers for dinner
- Mad Men episodes with my best friend
- 2 A.M. Ice cream binge with said friend.

I took some pictures with my trusty iPad mini. Voila!

Estate sailing

Today my family, a friend, and I went estate sailing. We started in the Lake Forest Park area and then went to Renton. One house in particular, struck my fancy. It was essentially a 1960s time capsule, meaning almost everything was from the 60s, and if not from then than earlier. It was so much fun to dig around in and the prices were dirt cheap. There were a ton of great 50s and 60s fashion magazines but I was too overwhelmed by everything and terrified by the prospect of going up the steep and crowded staircase again, so I don't buy any. Ultimately I found three books, three sewing patterns, two 60s blouses, a vintage (possibly late 50s) cape, and a new comforter.

Et voila!

Has anybody seen my gal?

While on a day trip to Tacoma (pictures later), I found a 1920s cloche for $9! It's very possibly the best vintage find of my life. Tacoma is a much more interesting city than I thought. It has so many vintage malls. In this one chunk of Broadway there are at least 10 of them. There were all of these beautiful old theatres and tall twenties apartment buildings. Although it was a Saturday afternoon, downtown Tacoma had almost no other people in it. Strange. Anyway this is what I wearing on that day (minus my blue coat).

Photographs by Amelia.

Brimless cloche: vintage
Shirt : borrowed
Skirt: H and M
Tights + flats: target

Film #12: Swing High, Swing Low

"Swing High Sing Low" stars Fred MacMurray and Carole Lombard, two actors I always respected, but never truly understood their appeal until this film. I admit, it's obscure and definitely not for everyone. If you like a drama with some music, lots of bar fights, and a little comedy, you should like it though. MacMurray is secretly a stellar trumpet player and is best friends with a hypochondriac piano player. He hits on Carole Lombard on his last day of the army, while her boat is pulling into the Panama Harbor. On their first date they end up in jail for a bar fight. Eventually Carole and Fred wrangle jobs in the same bar. He gets a job playing at the El Greco in New York, while she stays behind. Will their marriage survive the distance, fame, jealous ex girlfriend, and rich ex-fiancé fate has in store for our protagonists?

The portion of story set in Panama is amusing, the music is wonderful throughout, and the ending is dramatic and suspenseful. What I most liked about it was how the film let our main characters marry early on because honestly when a movie ends in a ring it is seldom a satisfying ending.

(Featuring grainy screen caps by yours truly)

Instagramming Olympia

Olympia is the Capitol of Washington state and a completely bohemian city, at least based on what of I've seen of it. Lots of independent bookstores, record stores, vintage stores, little antique shops, repro clothing stores, etc. were in the little chunk of it I saw. It was pretty cute in my opinion and more enjoyable than some of my recent trips to Seattle have been. All the neon! If only I had my camera with me when I saw the Capitol theatre sign.

That's the way it crumbles cookie-wise.

My birthday is in five days, on the 25th. Renoir, George Harrison, and I all share it, quite amicably, no arguing or any of that. My mother and I saw my grandparents over the past few days. They live near Olympia. We spent our time on walks and in antique malls. We also took two separate day trips to Olympia. The highlight of the trip (for me at least) was finding a blue 1970s coat with a fur collar in a vintage clothing shop called Psychic Sister.

I asked my mother to snap a couple of shots and here's the best one.

A bientot!

P.S. The title is a quote from "The Apartment," a film co-written and directed by one of my favorites, Billy Wilder.

Films # 9-11

In the past few days I have watched three movies and one television series. As I have watched so many I've decided to make the movies at least into one big post, using caps done buy yours truly.

It began with "Lulu in Berlin" a documentary on Louise Brooks, the legendary silent film star. Or more specifically her experience making films in Europe. It was very visually stunning. For its opening scene it has the most beautiful death scene I have ever seen (from the 1929 French film, "Prix de Beaute" or Prize of Beauty for the non French speakers). Louise, resplendent in finery, is watching herself sing onscreen in the dark theatre with a gentlemen friend. Then she is shot. She falls back and eventually dies as the film continues to play. I don't know exactly why I loved it so. Or for that matter, why I chose to watch a 40+ minute long documentary on an actress I've never seen in anything before, but I'm glad I did.

"The Ladies of the Chorus" made in 1948 is a fairly obscure film best known for having Marilyn Monroe in her first? starring role. It was enjoyable I guess, but filled with cliche. And the woman who played Marilyn's mother was much too young.

Last but not least I watched "The Big Sleep," a confusing favorite of mine. It stars one of my favorite old Hollywood couples/screen partners, Bacall and Bogie. But my true favorite character is the wise cracking lady who works at this bookstore Marlowe (Bogie) goes to. Ah I love film noir.

And now it is stills time!