Swiss ArtistI was very taken with the nudes of Felix Edouard Vallotton when I came across them the other day. The Swiss painter was also well known as an important artist in the medium of woodcutting.
After doing a little more research I was pleased to find that on top of his artists merits, he boasts the looks of the kind of weirdly handsome smart ass art student with a thing for big butts that I just can’t resist (just ask my husband).
by Serge Gainsborg (1971)If Serge’s most renowned album, Histoire de Melody Nelson sounds like a sensual movie soundtrack – that’s because it kind of is. Not for anything released in theaters, but an indulgent, psychedelic music video piece, starring Serge and his lady Jane as a chain smoking, well dressed, slimy older man and the young gyrating, grinning nymphet he falls for after hitting her on her bike with his car, at least as far as I can interpret without speaking French.
That’s one great consistency with Gainsbourg, even if you have no idea what’s being said, you always know it will be sleazy and beautiful – a hard balance for most people, but the man’s way of living.
And beautiful this album is – thanks to the deep spoken word, the hushed giggles, and the lush orchestration of Jean-Claude Vannier, a character I am going to have to learn more about since within a two minute internet search I discovered that he was born during a bomb scare and composed music for YSL shows in the 70’s.
If there’s any complaint about this highly influential album it’s that it seems to go by in a glorious breathtaking instant.
Futuristic DesignerThere was a time when the idea of the future looked like the space age, stylish designs of Pierre Cardin. That is a future I would have liked to live in.
I wonder what he thinks of the world of Uggs, Crocs, and pants as leggings. He’s probably pretty grumpy about it.
Click here for the rest of Pierre Cardin
Costume DesignerUnless you’re a theater buff, the name Theoni Aldredge may not ring any bells. The recently deceased costume designer was a master of Broadway – her decades long career includes productions of A Chorus Line, La Cage Aux Folles, and 42nd Street.
But even if you’ve never seen one of these performances, you’ve more than likely seen her work on the silver screen. She was behind some great classic films and her costumes are iconic: the ghost busters uniforms and Annie’s red dress.
She also made Faye Dunaway beyond gorgeous and chic is The Eyes of Laura Mars, Network, and Three Days of the Condor. The latter of which Robert Redford is dressed impeccably – the second most fashionable moment in his career next only to Great Gatsby – which Aldredge also designed costumes for.
Click here for the rest of Theoni Aldredge
directed by Fritz Lang (1927)If you are who you are when no one is looking I might just be a pretentious tween. Left alone, sometimes I’ll watch a Disney made for pre teen television movie, and other times I tend to watch lots of silent movies. Let’s face it, neither is easy to talk another person into watching, and both are rather soothing. Unforgivable, then that I’d not seen the silent movie masterpiece, Metropolis until now.
In a way, it’s good I waited since only recently was a restored version released after long lost original footage was found in Argentina. The new release is a more complete, more comprehensible film and it looks fantastic. After all, it’s the visuals here that are so mind blowing, inspirational, and timeless. Even Fritz Lang admits the theme and plot were a bit simplistic and heavy handed.
Visually, though, what a treat – like nothing you’ve ever seen. Well, actually its influenced so much, you probably have seen something that resembles it. The costumes, the sets, the scenery paintings, the actors – including a gorgeous and expressive Brigette Helm, the fiery and bearded Heinrich George, and Rudolf Klein-Rogge as the wild eyed mad scientist are all incredible.
Click here for the rest of Metropolis
by Bill Doggett (1956)Honky Tonk is an early classic of instrumental rock and roll. The kind of tune that makes you want to sway by the jukebox with your bobby sox, cute straight cut bangs with a beer in your hand and a bad boy in your sights.
I am not surprised to find that Bill Doggett, who made the song a hit before the Beach Boys adopted it later, was the pianist and arranger from one of my favorite 1940’s bands, The Ink Spots.
19 Commerce StThe aptly named West Village bakery Milk and Cookies offers a variety of the home made goodies to sample. Jim brought home half a dozen for a dinner night with friends.
Of the bunch I was partial to the snickerdoodle – which was wonderfully thick and soft – just the way I like sugar cookies to be (but they are so often hard and thin!).
Also of note was the salty oatmeal. The chocolate chip and peanut butter were good too, but rank somewhere in the middle city wide (City Bakery and Momofuku are tough competition).
Jim praises their helpful and friendly staff. I’d love to try their dry cookie mixes some day soon.
Fashionable BunnyOh how I love anthropomorphic drawings and when they’re matched with high fashion you get the adorable Fifi Lapin. You just have to love it! I’ve been browsing the site lately and it’s getting me excited about Spring – ah Spring, when it will be warm enough to take the baby out for long stretches, eat in sidewalk cafes, and wear cute clothes again!
Really, getting dressed nice is the biggest thing I miss from my pre mothering days. But, once it’s warmer, Van’s a little bigger, and I’m a little slimmer I am not embarrassed to say that I’ll be stealing some sartorial ideas from this fictional little bunny (thick black tights with an all white ensemble?, tiny jacket on top of an over-sized dress plus a fur hat? yes yes yes!)
Fifi adorns lots of merchandise too if that’s your thing. I personally wouldn’t say no to a cute pin for my tweed blazer. I love that you can look up previous posts by designer and that the blog is consistently updated.
Re-Airing on Cooking ChannelI vividly remember when my family and I first watched Iron Chef. It was so flamboyantly dramatic, with a concept so unusual we – along with many Americans – were floored. There had just never been anything quite like it. I’ve been having a grand old time revisiting this epic show thanks to nightly reruns on Cooking Channel.
Chairman Kaga, with his glittering bejeweled capes, relish for biting into bell peppers and grand gestures sets the cinematic tone. It’s as emotional sometimes as it is campy. I was truly moved to amazement during the historic foie gras battle. I was swept up in the spectacle when, driven away from a French castle by dark horse drawn carraige (!), Sakai ventured off to gather his own ingredients in 24 hours throughout France.
It’s interesting how the world has changed since the show first aired. It seems people are so much more adventurous and knowledgeable about world cuisines. Once confounding dishes which we couldn’t even imagine what they tasted like, are now more approachable.
Sure I can’t exactly imagine crisp eel on chocolate ice cream – but with bacon topping ice cream these days, I have a better idea. As for fried fish bone chips – a dish that the younger me would question – now I’ve actually had and loved these at a neighborhood restaurant.
The U.S. attempted two remakes – if anyone else can remember the woefully off putting William Shatner number and the currently airing Iron Chef America – that I find too obnoxious to watch – something delicate and special got lost in the translation.
And for the record I have small crushes on all of the Iron Chefs, particularly the wise and mysterious Michiba.
It’s awesome.