The cold cold night

Jack White at the WaMu Ampitheatre.

It was sweaty, crowded, uncomfortable, loud, and absolutely glorious.

She is sparkly and amazing.

I am somewhere in the mass of people. (Tallest crowd ever. I am 5'7" and I felt stumpy.)

(All photographs taken by Jack White's personal photographer as he is averse to cellphones.)

Vionnet

  Due to the sad demise of my point and shoot in late June, I have been much absent from this blog. In my absence from here I have been sewing, reading pulps, and watching many old movies of varying degrees of quality. My brief return is inspired by this post on favorite dresses. Because of the post I have decided to show you my favorite dress.
  It is a 1930s Vionnet dress that is a dusty pink color but due to the poor quality of these snapshots does not appear so. I love all of it's lace and pleats. It is so delicate that I wonder if I will ever be able to restore it enough so I can wear it for more than an hour.

I never know what to do when standing still. Hence, my preference for dancing related poses.

I enjoy pretending (unsuccessfully) that I am in the tango scene of "Some Like It Hot."

Monkey Business

  One of my favorite Marilyn Monroe movies is "Monkey Business (1952)," even though she only has a small role as Charles Coburn's secretary. It has a stellar cast (Grant, Rogers, Coburn, and Monroe) and is just full of all sorts of madcap shenanigans (As my freshman English teacher would say). I only am bringing this film up because Marilyn wears a really fantastic blue swimsuit. Today I too became the owner of a nice (supposedly) blue vintage (1940s) swimsuit.

Her swimsuit:

My new swimsuit (which will arrive on my doorstep late next week!):

Mes grands-parents

  My grandmother gives everything away. I mean everything: her beautiful clothing she owned when she was young, the family record player, and my grandfather's beautiful 1920s functional (gasp) typewriter. One could say she has a zeal for it. Her philosophy seems to be "out with the old and in with the new" and she disdains my strange  fascination with relics and clothing from the past. Therefore, I was quite surprised when on last Christmas Eve I discovered she kept all of the old family photos, even the ones of my grandfather's family in the 1920s. Here are a few of the ones I got decent pictures of.

My grandmother in fantastic dress (right) with her friend and the friend's baby. Circa the early 1960s.

My grandparents' wedding photo circa the early 1960s. They made and continue to make a good couple.

My grandfather's class photograph from elementary school circa the mid to late 1930s.

My grandmother's friend on a trip to some distant foreign land. C. 1960s.

  Mostly I am doing this post because I am visiting them at their home in the country this week. Hurrah!

Film #2: Golden Boy

  Initially I had plans to write about Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom," but then I saw "Golden Boy" which wasn't in the cards. "Golden Boy" is a 1939 Barbara Stanwyck, William Holden, and Adolphe Menjou film, starring the super young William as the son (Joe Bonaparte) of an Italian immigrant who has to choose in between violin-playing and Babs (Lorna Moon), or boxing and wealth. To make matters more complicated, a member of the Italian mob wants to sponsor him and Lorna's married boyfriend is Joe's manager.

  Yes, it is a little absurd and some of the messages are little corny. But somehow in spite of it all (or perhaps because of it) it is enjoyable, and it has so many good aspects. "Golden Boy" has a pretty violin-piano duets, a love affair between beautiful people, nifty fashions, and a wacky Italian family.

  I think it is time for me to stop rambling on about how much I loved the film. Instead, regardez aux photographies!

William and Barbara in love.

Oh William, why did you have to get a hair cut? You were kinda cute with the curls.

The nutty Italian family + Babs

Joe Bonaparte (William) and his sister Anna  doing a duet.


(Source: Dr. Macro)

Good night!

This weekend has nearly passed by

  This weekend, I went to two garage sales, a vintage car show in Greenwood, and Capitol Hill. The Red Light and Value Village (I have my eye on a vintage cape there) had abnormally good clothing in stock. I engaged in one of my favorite childhood past times: swinging (the other two are reading and inventing imaginary worlds). I mourned the loss of my trusty point and shoot. I made a pie. I watched both "Moonrise Kingdom" and "The Prince and the Showgirl." I walked too much and indulged in too much food. I also bought too much. With clothing costing only two or three dollars, how could I resist?
A few photographs (taken with my uncle's camera as mine is broken):

Part 1: Baking

Homemade strawberry rhubarb pie: a collaborative effort

Amelia my co-baker and best friend in a customary act of pre-baking silliness.

 Part two: Brief clothing post with new Madewell full skirt (from Value Village)

Goodnight all. (It's quite apparent that I'm sleepy isn't it?)

P.S. Expect a post on Moonrise Kingdom.

A good egg

  Today was the last day of school, thank goodness. The highlight of my day so far has been when my English teacher called me "a good egg." A) It was really sweet of her. B) For me, that phrase will never not have Wodehousian connotations. I love Wodehouse so. But I digress.

  Yesterday I wore a thrifted mustard shirt and my favorite 1950s grey wool skirt. Oh how I love that skirt! In French class we watched the super sexual tension filled 2006 remake of "Le Silence de la Mer." My pattern came in the mail and I cut out all of the pieces.

(Taken by my mother)

 
  And now unburdened with schoolwork, soon I am going to watch "The Artist" for the second time with a friend, eat salted caramels, and try not to become over emotional about the life of George Valentin.

This week has been kind to me.