Ooh, pretty!

This is the cake from the bridal shower that I attended on Saturday.

I almost forgot to post.

I turned 50 yesterday!

Post Dragon*con.

My green and blue streaks are already beginning to fade.

I got blue and green streaks in my hair for Dragon*con.

But they don't look exactly like I thought they would. My colleague Kate says I look like a peacock. :-\

A New Hat

My church supports an orphanage in Durbin, South Africa, and every year, a group of parishioners goes to visit, helping out around the orphanage and meeting the children. Well, this year, two of the parishioners brought me back a present...a red and black woven hat in the Zulu style.

It's very similar to this one, only the red is much brighter and in greater contrast to the black.

More fun with Miss Universe 2010

Miss Jamaica. She is so going to win.


Miss France


Miss Puerto Rico, whose costume does not appear to cover her ladybits.


Miss Aruba!


Miss Trinidad Tobago! I'm sensing a theme from the Carribean nations.


Miss South Africa. Gorgeous colors.

Fun with Miss Universe 2010

Miss Canada. Fabulous!


Miss Ghana. Also fabulous!


Miss Ecuador


Miss Turkey


Miss Nigeria

And last, but not least (tacky)...


Miss USA

Pics from Project Rungay (http://projectrungay.blogspot.com/). You must go read it, because TLo have some hilarious commentary to go along with the pics.

My White Collar Boyz...

Looking particularly fetching on the set of the show:





I tend to prefer Peter to Neal, but I will say this. If Matt Bomer is not the most genetically gifted young man on television, he will do, until that guy comes along. 'Cause damn.

There is no more elegant garment in the world...

...than a well-draped sari. Here are a few lush, gorgeous pieces from Delhi's very first Couture Week.

J.J. Valaya









PallaviJaikishan



Varun Bahal





ManavGangwani1





Pics courtesy of Project Rungay

Today was an auspicious day.

I began my program of budget austerity and more healthful and frugal eating. I spent the weekend cooking and freezing food in various sized portions, so that I can bring my lunch to work for the next 6 weeks. I also have stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables from Eric and Stephanie, who own a local farm and sell their produce in their front yard.

I have seeded and coarsely chopped peppers to freeze for use in the fall and winter. I also intend to make my own pickles, and I may freeze containers of fruit, if I can find some nice peaches or berries.

I changed my layout.

Again.

The image is another one of Jennifer Gordon's collages. I own it, so I figure that I can use it for my header.

After all, it's been my avatar for months already.

Gifting Vintage

A friend of mine recently turned 50. She loves interesting and unusual purses, so I gave her a vintage Enid Collins Mille Fleur canvas bucket bag that I had in my collection of vintage purses. Circa early to mid-70's (when the bags were made by Collins of Texas), it was in excellent condition, the interior was clean, none of the jewels were missing, and she seemed to really like it. But afterwards, I wondered if it was a bit gauche to give someone what was, essentially, a used purse.

What does my flist think?

More Hats

One of the older gentlemen at church lost his wife to a long illness a couple of months ago. He and I shared church guide duties on a Saturday in June, and he brought me all of her hats in boxes, about 15 boxes in all. I finally got around to pulling them out and trying them on last night. I'm going to keep most of them, but there are a couple that are too small for me, and the fur hats are a color--blonde mink--that I don't wear well, so I've offered them to other women in the parish through the women's listserv.

I've already had two takers. :-)

I'll try to post some pics of me wearing the hats sometime soon. There's a particularly cute black summer trilby trimmed with a pink silk peony, an elegant layered cream white toque, and a pink pillbox covered with a mass of silk flowers. I don't really like pink, but I might buy something just to match that flowered hat.

Fabulous Hats on a Beautiful Woman

Christina Hendricks on the cover of LA Times Magazine:


Hat by Philip Treacy, necklace by Tim Szlyk for House of Lavande


Hat by Philip Treacy


Feather face piece by Irene Bussemaker, diamonds and peridot by Harry Winston

Pics courtesy of Project Rungay.

Dior's Fall 2010 Couture Collection

Galliano hit this one out of the park.















Images courtesy of Project Rungay.

I may not make the Balenciaga exhibit...

...but Nashville has its own exhibition of vintage haute couture, The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947–1957, at the Frist Center for the Visual arts, including this Balenciaga dress from the 1950's:



Check out the exhibition here.

Deep, deep, deep...

...deep, deep, deep in the most deluded part of my brain, I look like Salma Hayek.

I would kill to see this exhibit.

http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/06/21/major-balenciaga-retrospective-to-open-in-new-york/

Water, water, everywhere...

We have only one working water treatment plant in Nashville, and our clean water reserves were down by 15% yesterday. Even worse, they're down by 63% today. Apparently, people have started hoarding water, which is putting us on a slippery slope to shortages and contamination.

I have taken a number of conservation measures, myself. I'm using bottled water to take sponge baths, brush my teeth, and wash my dishes. I am only flushing my toilet every third time I use it. I am not running my dishwasher, washing machine, shower, or ice-maker.

Also, we may be looking at both a gas shortage and a diet Coke shortage, because the distribution centers for both of these items were flooded.

I'm fine. My house is fine.

My city? Not so much.

I have selected my Steeplechase dress.

A floaty B/W georgette dress with a wrapped bodice that I bought late in the season last year. I'll wear the black sinamay hat from Easter and a pair of simple black sandals with it.

Unless it rains, and then I'm wearing my new red/white polka dot rain boots. :-)

New Header Image!

It's from a photo by Jacqleen Bleu, who sells her photographs on Etsy.

Morena Baccarin is faaabulous!

Here's the proof from Project Rungay...


Jason Wu


Proenza Schouler


Emilio Pucci


Alexander McQueen

I love her in the yellow Pucci with the big earrings. And she is totally rocking that pixie cut.

"I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet..."

There's too much sun in my face, but here I am in my Easter chapeau in the front yard yesterday.